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Holy Redeemer Podcasts
Joseph S/O Jacob - Who's Who in the Bible - Episode 23

Holy Redeemer Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2026 26:13


Explore the life of Joseph, son of Jacob, with Fr. Shiju Mullasseril, C.Ss.R., in this episode of Who's Who in the Bible. Spanning Genesis 37–50, the video examines Joseph's journey as a testament to divine providence, faith, and forgiveness.From his betrayal by his siblings and his struggle within an Egyptian prison to his eventual rise as a powerful administrator who preserved his family during a famine, Fr. Shiju highlights how Joseph navigated adversity with integrity. Learn how these life events transformed potential tragedy into a profound story of reconciliation and grace. If you are looking for spiritual guidance or an in-depth study of this biblical character, do watch this video to see how Joseph's enduring trust in God continues to offer inspiration for facing life's hardships.

Morning by Morning with Tommy Hays, Daily Prayer Journey
Persevering Faith in Our Ever-Present God — Morning by Morning, June 4, 2026

Morning by Morning with Tommy Hays, Daily Prayer Journey

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2026 4:48 Transcription Available


Send us Fan Mail“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel:‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by your name;You are Mine.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,Nor shall the flame scorch you.For I am the Lord your God,The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;I gave Egypt for your ransom,Ethiopia and Seba in your place.Since you were precious in My sight,You have been honored,And I have loved you;Therefore I will give men for you,And people for your life.Fear not, for I am with you;I will bring your descendants from the east,And gather you from the west;I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!'And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!'Bring My sons from afar,And My daughters from the ends of the earth—Everyone who is called by My name,Whom I have created for My glory;I have formed him, yes, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:1-7).Freshly written and sent out immediately "morning by morning" from the morning prayer time of Tommy Hays each day.God bless you and you have a great day!—Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministrieshttp://messiah-ministries.org

Faith Over Fear
From Bondage to Abundance: One Woman's Testimony About Learning to Live Free

Faith Over Fear

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2026 18:40 Transcription Available


Without God's perfect love, we cannot be free from condemnation and the bondage that we all face here on earth. But with God, we can live life and live it abundantly. Before knowing the Lord, Marina was living in bondage. Hear Marina’s incredible testimony and the ways God is using her story now as she serves in the Samaritan’s Purse Germany office. This episode was created by Samaritan's Purse and is part of their On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse podcast content, shared with permission. Resources: Listen to “Fighting Spiritual Battles: Human Trafficking in Berlin,” to hear more about Alabaster Jar and how God is transforming hearts amid spiritual darkness. Marina Nobiling, director of national programs at the Samaritan’s Purse Germany office, shed light on the current cultural and spiritual climate of Germany and talked about the ongoing Samaritan’s Purse projects in the country. There is an immense need for the Gospel to be preached in Germany and for Bible-believing churches to step up and lead. “We want to stand for the Gospel. We want to stand for Jesus … And we want to show in our programs and projects what it's like to be with Him; to be living with Jesus.” – Marina Nobiling Before coming to Christ, Marina said she was not merely neutral towards God, she was an enemy. Marina was in bondage—she battled an eating disorder and anxiety for years to the point of planning to take her own life. But when Marina had an encounter with the Lord, everything changed. “And I had a voice in my head: ‘I want you to live. And you can do it with my help’ … It was beyond any doubt clear. That's Jesus. My whole life I had the wrong thinking. That's not true. God exists.” – Marina Nobiling Marina went from believing that the Gospel was an old superstition to knocking on the door of the nearest church, asking to be baptized. She was on fire for God. Marina now takes this compassion to the streets of Berlin, ministering to women who are trapped in prostitution. She remembers what it was like to be in bondage and desires for others like her to be free; to be transformed by the love of Christ. Life can be hard, and Marina still struggles, but she has something to turn to that cannot be shaken: God’s Word. Marina created a “first aid kit” with Psalms and Scriptures that speak to her when she is fighting lies or feeling weighed down by fears. Her favorite verse, Isaiah 43:1, reminds her that she belongs to the Lord—nothing can take that away. “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’” – Isaiah 43:1, ESV If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visit SamaritansPurse.org. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Crosswalk.com Devotional
Bonus: ​From Bondage to Abundance | Featuring "On The Ground with Samaritan's Purse"

Crosswalk.com Devotional

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2026 27:16 Transcription Available


This week we are featuring an episode from "On The Ground with Samaritan's Purse". Guest Marina Nobiling, director of national programs at the Samaritan’s Purse Germany office, sheds light on the current cultural and spiritual climate of Germany and talked about the ongoing Samaritan’s Purse projects in the country. There is an immense need for the Gospel to be preached in Germany and for Bible-believing churches to step up and lead. Resources: • Listen to “Fighting Spiritual Battles: Human Trafficking in Berlin,” to hear more about Alabaster Jar and how God is transforming hearts amid spiritual darkness. https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/podcast/fighting-spiritual-battles-human-trafficking-in-berlin “We want to stand for the Gospel. We want to stand for Jesus … And we want to show in our programs and projects what it's like to be with Him; to be living with Jesus.” –Marina Nobiling Before coming to Christ, Marina said she was not merely neutral towards God, she was an enemy. Marina was in bondage—she battled an eating disorder and anxiety for years to the point of planning to take her own life. But when Marina had an encounter with the Lord, everything changed. “And I had a voice in my head: ‘I want you to live. And you can do it with my help’ … Itwas beyond any doubt clear. That's Jesus. My whole life I had the wrong thinking. That's not true. God exists.” – Marina Nobiling Marina went from believing that the Gospel was an old superstition to knocking on the door of the nearest church, asking to be baptized. She was on fire for God. Marina now takes this compassion to the streets of Berlin, ministering to women who are trapped in prostitution. She remembers what it was like to be in bondage and desires for others like her to be free; to be transformed by the love of Christ. Life can be hard, and Marina still struggles, but she has something to turn to that cannot be shaken: God’s Word. Marina created a “first aid kit” with Psalms and Scriptures that speak to her when she is fighting lies or feeling weighed down by fears. Her favorite verse, Isaiah 43:1, reminds her that she belongs to the Lord—nothing can take that away. “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’” – Isaiah 43:1, ESV If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visitSamaritansPurse.org. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Daily Prayer from the Anglican Prayer Book for Australia
Daily Anglican Prayer – Wednesday Morning – 20th May 2026

Daily Prayer from the Anglican Prayer Book for Australia

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 20:20


Daily Anglican Prayer – Wednesday Morning – 20th May 2026 Readings NRSVUE: Psalm 48; Numbers 24.1-11; 1 Corinthians 12.14-31 . Led by Felicity Scott, an Anglican prayer minister in Queensland, Australia. The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website. https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com Welcome to Wednesday Morning prayer. We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ: GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA With faithfulness we respond to the good news: We acknowledge Christ our Saviour and accept with gratitude, that we are forgiven for all wrong doings, past and present. To honour the gift of forgiveness, we release our burden of guilt and rise up to live in the glory of God forever more. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever. Let us Pray. 1 Rejoice always pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.      Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:  as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.    2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God's Grace Blessed are you,  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: For you have blessed us in Christ Jesus with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,  You chose us to be yours in Christ, before the foundation of the world: That we should be holy and blameless before you.  In love you destined us to be your children, through Jesus Christ: according to the purpose of your will,  to the praise of your glorious grace: which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1.3-6   3 The Opening Prayer The night has passed and the day lies open before us;  let us pray with one heart and mind.   Silence may be kept. As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,  so may the light of your presence, O God,  set our hearts on fire with love for you;  now and for ever.  Amen.   4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.   Psalm reading… Psalm 48;     5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow We consecrate this day to your service, O Lord; may all our thoughts, words, and actions be well-pleasing to you and serve the good of our brothers and sisters; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.   6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.   1st Reading Numbers 24.1-11 1  Now Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens but set his face toward the wilderness. 2Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him, 3and he uttered his oracle, saying, “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is clear, 4  the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down but with eyes uncovered: 5How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! 6  Like palm groves that stretch far away, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. 7  Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall have abundant water; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8  God, who brings him out of Egypt, is like the horns of a wild ox for him; he shall devour the nations that are his foes and break their bones. He shall strike with his arrows. 9  He crouched; he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” 10Then Balak's anger was kin-dled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. 11Now be off with you! Go home! I said, ‘I will reward you richly,' but the LORD has denied you any reward.”   Hear the word of the LORD. Thanks be to God 2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 12.14-31 14Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.    17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be?    20As it is, there are many members yet one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, 24whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.    26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. 27  Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work powerful deeds? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.   Hear the message of Christ. Thanks be to God.     7 The Canticle, We praise you O God: we claim you as Lord. All creation thanks you: The Father everlasting. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven: The cherubim and serafim sing in endless praise: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of power and might: Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Father of majesty unbounded: Your true and only son, worthy of all praise, the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal son of the father. When you took our flesh to set us free: You humbly chose the virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death: And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory: We believe that you will come to be our judge. Come then, God, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood: And bring us with your Saints to glory everlasting.   8 The belief and principle is said I believe in God, creator of heaven and earth, whose love and merciful forgiveness endures everlasting. I believe in Christ the saviour, whose example of love and compassion, taught us a restored way to live, in collaborative unity with all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, whose divine guidance brings us together to be one with the Holy Trinity. Amen.   9 The Prayers Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  God have mercy.      10 The Lord's Prayer and the Collect of the Day Our Father in heaven,  hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come,  your will be done,  on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins  as we forgive those who sin against us.  Save us from the time of trial  and deliver us from evil.  For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours  now and for ever. Amen.      Prayer of the Week following the Seventh Sunday of EASTER O God, the king of glory, You have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ, with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: We pray you, leave us not comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to the same place, where our Saviour Christ, has gone before. Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one god forever and ever. Amen   11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need. Let us pray Wednesday prayers Lord, we give you thanks, that through your son Jesus Christ, you have shown us the way to live in your righteousness. You made us in your likeness, you gave your only son Jesus Christ who gave us forgiveness of sin, bring us together as one, different in culture but given new life in Jesus Christ. Reconciled, forgiven, sharing you with others as you have called us to do. We pray for reconciliation with you God and reconciliation with each other and ask for strength to remain in your presence in all we do. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   Saviour God, we remember with love all those that have passed this week. We thank you for the faithfully departed and your servants in every age. We ask that our ancestors and all your saints may be brought to the joyful resurrection and the fulfilment of your glorious kingdom. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   God of justice, we know you seek out those who murder the innocent. We are not asking calmly for you to intervene, we are screaming for your involvement. Remove us we beseech you Lord, from this cold world of violent darkness. Bring us into the bright day. Hear our cries of anger as we remember the recent death of Kumanjayi (koo-man-jye-ii) Little Baby in Alice Springs and also all the other children before her who died in the same vein.   We ask you to sternly steer child murderers away from thoughts of violent acts, to save our children from becoming their victims.   We also ask that you shine your heavenly light to guide those innocent children to rise as your saints in the fulfilment of your glorious kingdom so they may rest in peace. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer     Blessed God, we ask your blessing for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer: … All people joining in this prayer offering. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer     12 The Morning Collect Eternal God and Father,  by whose power we were created  and through whose love we are redeemed:  guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,  that we may give ourselves to your service,  and live this day in love to one another and to you;  through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   13 The Lord be with you. And also with you.  Let us praise the Lord.  Thanks be to God.    May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant us to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that we may with one voice gratify our God and Father.  Amen. Romans 15.5-6   Music: Song name: Sing my soul, His wondrous love by Ned Rorem – Choir of St John's college, Cambridge & Andrew Nethsingha. A reminder disclaimer to the listener. The readings in the podcast may include ancient and old-fashioned sayings and instructions that we do not in any way condone as in use or to be used in today's modern world. The readings have not been modernised to reflect todays thinking, instead the readings remain from the old version of the NRSVUE bible. The podcast owners explicitly declare that each listener is responsible for their own actions in response to the bible readings and the podcast owners bare no responsibility in this sense.

Commerce Community Church
If Mountains Come, Speak with Authority

Commerce Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 27:22


Mrk 11:22-4 "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Luk 9:1-2 "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." 2Ch 20:15 "And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's." Isa 43:1-2 "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

The Twin Steeples Podcast
Sermon - April 26, 2026

The Twin Steeples Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 12:16


This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota on April 26, 2026. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.   Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:26-31 (NKJV) Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Theme: The LORD is the Strength of the Weak and Weary 

SPLCMV Sermon Podcast
2026.04.26 — Fourth Sunday of Easter

SPLCMV Sermon Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 11:09


To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name,by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,“My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”?Have you not known? Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.(English Standard Version)

Grace South Bay
Fear Not - Isaiah 44:1-8

Grace South Bay

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2026 33:17


1 “But now hear, O Jacob my servant,Israel whom I have chosen!2 Thus says the Lord who made you,who formed you from the womb and will help you:Fear not, O Jacob my servant,Jeshurun whom I have chosen.3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land,and streams on the dry ground;I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,and my blessing on your descendants.4 They shall spring up among the grasslike willows by flowing streams.5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,'another will call on the name of Jacob,and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,'and name himself by the name of Israel.”6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israeland his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:“I am the first and I am the last;besides me there is no god.7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.Let him declare and set it before me,since I appointed an ancient people.Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.8 Fear not, nor be afraid;have I not told you from of old and declared it?And you are my witnesses!Is there a God besides me?There is no Rock; I know not any.” 

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries
Safely Hidden in Christ - David Eells - UBBS 4.12.2026

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2026 123:15


Safely Hidden in Christ (1) (audio) David Eells, 4/12/26   Exhortation to Abide, from Abba Father  8/12/25, Sarah Jo-Jo  A servant is not greater than his Lord. (John 13 and John 15) My Word tells you not to fear, be anxious for nothing. (Deuteronomy 31, Joshua 1, Isaiah 41, Luke 12…) Fear not, for I am with you. Do not murmur in the wilderness (Phil 2, 1 Cor 10) but wait patiently for Me as you endure the perfecting of your faith. Believe in Me, and I told those who wait for Me that I will complete the good work that I began in them. I alone am Faithful and True (Revelation 19) I AM, there is no other. There is no other Saviour… so choose this day, this breath, whom you will trust and believe and follow. My Word is Truth and will never pass away. (1 Peter, Isaiah 40) Men are as grass and will pass away. Your own understanding and walking by sight is included in that which will pass away. Again, I tell you, choose whom you will trust and follow in this moment. I said murmur not, endure and trust Me, that I AM TRUTH. I do not lie. I will deliver you, so submit to My pruning as I train you in My righteousness. If you choose to fear and worry by what you see and hear in the flesh, then you are disobeying Me. I said do not fear. Do not worry. Choose this day whom you will obey and trust. Your choice is shown in fear of the Lord God Almighty, shown in your obedience to My Words, not passing My Word off as mere suggestions. I said DO NOT worry. DO NOT walk by sight but by My Spirit. And only by obeying and abiding in Me will you walk by My Spirit. If you choose your own way, how can you say that you are Mine? Harden not your heart at My Word. To whom will you go if you depart from My Truth, which is the only thing that will endure forever, My Word? Seek My Kingdom and righteousness first. Turn from your wicked ways. Embrace My ways of self-denial and Love. My servants are no greater than their Lord and His Example, Who gave His life for His friends. Love Me first…Read Deuteronomy 6, Matthew 22, Mark 12 Abide in Me, talk to Me as David did, and My Son, your Lord Jesus Christ; He went away into the secret places to abide with Me, to seek Me with all of His heart, to sup with Me… come to the secret places of the Most High and abide under the shadow of My wings…so that your flesh is denied and so that My Spirit will be in you, in order that my will is done through My servants on the earth. Apart from My Spirit abiding in you, apart from Me, you can do nothing. So seek Me, let Me prune away your lust of the flesh and to promote yourself. Let Me humble you that I may use you. Read Isaiah 66 1-2, 5-7 My Word says Jesus is your Lord, and also your Example. Hear Him, My Son in Whom I am well pleased. Hear with spiritual ears, hearts that deny self, flesh, your own understanding… walk not by sight (or hearing or the worlds carnal thinking). Every Word of God is your daily bread, Manna. I AM The Bread of Life. So walk by faith in these days, My children. I said DO NOT worry about provision… am I your Provider? Or are you your provider, as Egypt, or men? Do not murmur when your flesh suffers… Am I asleep? No, I neither slumber nor sleep, and I already know what you need before you ask. I know more about what your needs are and what your lack is more than you do (like the churches in Revelation did not see what I do), for I AM The Way, The Truth, The Life. Choose: Believe that My Ways are higher, and that every Word of Mine is Truth, despite what your friends choose. Despite the Achans in Joshua 7 who think that I don't see their unbelief… their double minded hearts… wanting to be Mine, claiming to those around them that they are Mine and yet not believing that I will give to each what I know they need… not as the world gives… not as the world commands to lust after and fleshly lust obeys, not what self wants, what walking by sight promotes. Achan didn't believe that trusting My Word was enough. He became his own provider. 1 John 2 I tell you to seek Me, and ask ME! I know what you need. Trust Me, even in your lack and sorrow. I am doing My work. Was not David young and small? Did he gain My Strength by what his eyes saw? Did he bow to the cajoles of others? In 1 Samuel 17 He trusted in Me, THE LIVING GOD…there is no other. Did David defeat the giant, the bear, and the lion, and survive Saul's persecution by his own understanding and cunning? No, look at David's heart cries toward Me in the Psalms. Who was David's strength, and in Whom did he tell his downcast soul to hope in? Matthew 16: Jesus, your Lord is the Son of The Living God. I Am the same. I am Living and active and My Word will perform that which I send it to do, and My Word is Truth that sanctifies those who desire My righteousness and reject self, and the world and embrace My entire Word as Truth, understand when My Spirit is in them, when they obey My commands to deny self, walk in love that is kind, not rude, does not promote self, thinks no evil. When sin is rejected, and you humble yourself before Me and ask ME, The Potter, to make you My vessel of honor for My glory. You come to Me and turn from wickedness, and I will form you and cleanse you. In this spiritual war, I AM your helmet, the God of your salvation. I AM TRUTH. I give you faith, and I AM your SHIELD. I AM YOUR ARMOR AS I WAS FOR DAVID. Abide in Me. Come away from all else and seek Me in the secret place. Be diligent in prayer and abide in Me…I, the Prince of Peace, will perfect My peace and love and faith in you… And I give not as the world gives. The world does not have the Living Water that is to fill you and flow out of you. Obey Me and walk by My Holy Spirit, that is shown in fruit such as LOVE… the self-denying kind that seeks others' profit above self (1 Corinthians 10) I have said that cursed are those who trust in man (Jeremiah 17) …and don't rely on Egypt… do not turn back and long for the world's ways as those in the wilderness did, as Lot's wife did, and as Job's wife became bitter because of her loss. Do not rely on your own self or lean on your own understanding. Commit your way to Me. I will lead you in My way. This is your choice. I AM the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Declare My wonderful works after My fire has refined you… walk according to My Spirit and Love. Those who are Mine will only defeat giants by My Spirit abiding in them, My Word on hearts and minds and mouths… Let new songs to Me be upon their lips, songs of praise to their God. Submit to Me… Those who do My Will are my family (Matthew 12). 2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing [or wishing] that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.   Hidden in the Secret Place J.K. - 02/14/2011 (David's notes in red) I saw David standing in front of me with blueprints held out. He was given blueprints showing a narrow tunnel guide. There seemed to be many people who could see these plans, but only a smaller number of people began shoveling the underground tunnel right away. Some people just stood around and wondered what we were doing. Others kind of helped out in their curiosity, half-heartedly digging, wondering about the underground tunnel plans. But others in the front were just digging as fast as they could and not looking back or worrying much about what was ahead or behind. (After being shown the Biblical plan of being hidden in Christ, those in front were making a way for the rest of the underground Church to abide in the “secret place of the Most High”. 1Co.2:7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, [even] the [wisdom] that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory. Col.2:3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. Rev.2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna.) The odd thing was the tunnel stopped being built underground after a short ways and then somehow we were building the tunnel up and above the ground. We were still building the tunnel, but it was invisible, and we were building it with invisible material. There were even narrow steps inside the tunnel that we built and climbed. The tunnel was never very wide; we actually had to stay on our knees while building and working our way through it. (This path that is hidden from the beast will increasingly be hidden in plain sight as they minister to the world. Constant contact with God in prayer will be needed to stay in this hidden way.) Even though the tunnel was tight and a lot of work to build, we never got tired, and we had plenty of air to breathe, but we could look down and see the people who never entered the underground tunnel. We could hear them talking and reasoning why they didn't enter the tunnel. (Those who live only in the natural cannot understand the spiritual way of faith and power. It is a secret place even to them. The breath of air represents the Spirit of God who makes this way possible since breath and Spirit are the same word in scripture.) Some said they didn't want to get dirty. Others said that it wasn't a big deal; there was nothing to be concerned about, and that we were all crazy. They said, who knew where we were going and if it was even safe to enter. Others said they would stay up to fight, and God would give them the victory in war if they fought. Everyone basically agreed with the other person's reasoning and encouraged them not to enter the underground tunnel, shaking their heads at us, who had already gone in as fools in their eyes. (Those who are natural will fight with flesh and blood instead of principalities and powers, and they will lose the battle. The tunnel is for those who are hidden in Christ's security and protection. Because they are walking in Christ they are hidden. Col 3:3  For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.  1Co.2:14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.) The group that entered the tunnel was much smaller than the group that didn't enter the tunnel, and the group that went ahead building the tunnel was even smaller. (In the Church today, those who walk in the natural are many more than those who walk in the Spirit, and the leaders from among these are even fewer.) No one complained about having to build the tunnel ahead for everyone else. They actually enjoyed the labor and became energetic by doing the work. No one talked about how much work they did or how much work others didn't do. They were just overjoyed for the most part to have had the chance to dig. David never handed out tools or told anyone what they had to do; he just pointed out the plans, and everyone somehow knew where to begin, and we somehow all had different tools to dig with. There were never any orders flying around; everyone just talked very agreeably as we worked very hard alongside one another. (The Spiritual Church doesn't have to have bit and bridle; it is in their renewed mind and heart to hear and obey God's Word and voice.) We would stop and look down and could see a war break out right under us. (Overcoming the world to see things from a heavenly perspective and have dominion over it.) Even though no one could see us, we could see them, and we watched as the people who said they didn't want to enter the tunnel got mowed down with swords by a line of angry men in red robes and oversized frowns. (Red robes represent Esau, who was red, the father of Edom, meaning, red. They were judged for hating their chosen brethren with frowns. Rev.13:10 If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed.) They seemed to be killing with a very personal grudge and had no mercy at the crying. (This could represent two parables: spiritual and physical. The apostate enemies in our midst who make war with their brethren, like Judas, who walked in sin, which is represented as red. Isa.1:18 ... though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. “Edom” means “red” and was the name given to Esau when he sold his birthright as a son of Abraham. Gen.25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red [pottage]. For I am faint. Therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me first thy birthright. The spiritual seed of Esau are Edomites who have sold their birthright as Christians by walking after the flesh and persecuting their brothers. Heb.12:15 looking carefully lest [there be] any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby the many be defiled; 16 lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat (flesh) sold his own birthright. These false Christians are enemies of the cross and are members of the beast army, by nature. The larger beast army is the second, more physical, meaning.) I discerned that even though the natural men in red robes couldn't see us, there were evil spirits in them that knew us and could see us, and would fire what looked like black arrows at us with no success and as they saw they couldn't penetrate us at all and their arrows would fall down before even touching us, which fueled their anger against those they could touch. (The lies of demons will have no effect on the people of faith. Eph.6:16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one].) It was a lopsided victory for the army in red. Stray bullets and shrapnel came our way, but the invisibility tunnel in the air that we were viewing everything from took all the impact and never got damaged. (No accidents or collateral damage can happen to those in the Secret Place. Psa.91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; [But] it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked. 9 For thou, O Jehovah, art my refuge! Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. 11 For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.) We were not very high up, just above everyone's head, just beyond their reach, and no one was afraid of getting hurt. We were just amazed at the number of people who never entered the tunnel after seeing the plans that were made for them to escape. (Their Babylonish training destroyed them from being able to see and hear the truth.) By the end of the battle, I turned around, thinking I would see a bunch of people in the tunnel, but the tunnel opened up and became very roomy, and I stood up and walked, but I saw there were only two women and a little baby. (At the beginning this represents a remnant of the Church with the Man-child that will be all who abide in the Word and Jesus, who were in the Secret Place.) That was so odd it actually shook me awake. I remembered the dream so clearly because of being awakened from it in this way.   Hidden and Taught in Christ Sandy Shaw - 07/20/2015 (David's notes in red) Dream #1 I found myself inside of what looked like an old apartment building. (The Church is many houses built together into a temple for the Lord.) I remember in the dream of being very tired (like the building and the old order Church). As I looked out in front of me, I saw five steps. (Steps of faith to grace, which is represented by the number 5.) And just as I began to step down onto the first step, I said, “Okay, Lord. The second part”. When I did step down onto the first step, I no longer felt tired. (Partial grace received to run the race.) I proceeded up the remainder of the steps, and the first door I needed to take was on the right. (Steps of faith bring us to a higher place in God and fullness of grace to go through the door, who is Christ; i.e., they left the sheepfold, as in John 10, following Christ. The Bride comes out of the mother church but according to Song of Soloman they seek to bring their beloved there. John, seeing the disciples following Jesus, said, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom”.) The door was old, and there was evidence of a sign on the door, but the sign was no longer there, just the shadowy outline of where the sign had once been. (Jesus gave the sign that He was and is the door, but He is no longer here in person; His spirit and Word are manifest in those who go through the door.) I opened the door and the room was very dark. (The old order mother church is very much in darkness. The Bride has not been in this place for many years.) I turned on the light, and the light itself reminded me of one of the old-fashioned types of light fixtures that they would have had years ago, that you turned on by hand. (We turn on the power and light by faith for the mother church. the old-fashioned light is the original light of those who were in mother. We must start out where they are and slowly bring them higher and out.)  1Jn.2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: 6 he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked... (He who loves his brother turns on the light so they can walk in the steps of Christ.) 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him... (We are called to be weak to the weak that we may gain some as Paul said.) 24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.) When I turned it on, I noticed that the walls were painted navy blue, and I did not see any windows. (No windows shows their lack of discernment. Navy blue is heavenly, but in a time of darkness.) On the right side of the room was a door. I went up to the door and opened it, and discovered it was a closet with three babies inside. These babies looked to be four or five months old. (All those in the mother churches are babies. Many innocent spiritual babies will be entrusted to the Bride, such as it was with Esther and the people of God.) The babies were dressed in heavy snowsuits of a grayish color. (These babies are coming in out of the cold of persecution and tribulation to be sheltered by the Bride for instruction and to be delivered of their beastly or grayish works.) I took the babies out of the closet, and there was a braided rug of variegated brown colors in the middle of the floor, so I laid the babies down onto this rug. (These babies may be resting in a time of brown-shirt Nazism -- those traitors who turn on their own people to deliver them to the beast.) I noticed that there were boxes all over the place. It looked like someone was moving in or moving out. (Some Christians start out in moms church but soon leave to get spiritual food.) I thought in this dream that it was summertime because I was dressed in a sundress. (A time of new life and blessing to the Bride.) I thought to myself, “Why are these babies dressed in snowsuits when I'm dressed in a sundress?” (They are dressed for the winter because tribulation comes. After the light is turned on the testing comes when the Woman goes into the wilderness tribulation following the Man-child. The first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, they are relatively protected while in training, as it was under Jesus' ministry. Just as Jesus first raised up the Bride and sent them into the harvest, so it will be with the Man-child and Bride in our day. The old order woman is part of the harvest for they have not come completely into the Kingdom. Rev.12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days... 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.) On the kitchen table was a shiny silver box with a white cotton bow. (A free gift.) I untied the bow and opened the box and discovered three white baby t-shirts and three pairs of white shorts. I took these clothes and put them on the babies. (The immature will be clothed in the pure works for the season. The innocent are covered and are expected to learn slowly.) After dressing the babies, I began feeling the walls because I felt something wasn't right about this room, and that's when I discovered a window that had been boarded up. (It is time for them to be given spiritual discernment for the light has been turned on. Pray for the old order church to be prepared for the wilderness.) I took out the screws that were on the left side of the boards that were covering up the window. You could not see out of this window very well, as it had a lattice blocking the view from the other side. (Lattice is easier to see out of; from the inside but it is harder to see in from the outside. The old order are hiding out in suspended animation but now the light is on.) However, as I was looking through the lattice, I could see falling ash. (Could this be volcanic ash that falls after the time of the earthquakes? We are expecting revival at that time.) As I was looking at the ash, I heard a conversation going on in the hallway. This is what I heard: “Man, you see that snow? It's really snowing hard! It's really coming down”. I closed the window back up and screwed the boards back into place. (Many are still in a state of denial, not seeing the evil time for what it is.) I still could hear voices and what sounded like a commotion out in the hall. I looked over to the right side of the room, and there was a blanket lying on the floor. I reached down and picked up the blanket, and I covered the babies who were lying on the rug. (The Bride will cover those “on the right,” the sheep, when the right wing and Christianity are being persecuted, having lost all rights under dictatorship and martial law.) I then began walking toward the door, and as I was walking, I began to pray. I asked the Lord for His protection and to please make it so I didn't have to lie. The room changed from a dark navy blue color to a light bright blue color, and the door opened before I could get there. (Those whose darkness has turned to light will be under the protection of the Lord.) Just then, a Chinese man walked into the room, wearing a heavy black coat. (These martial law people are in the winter of tribulation.) He had a very heavy accent, and his English was very broken. He said to me, “What you do? What you do?” I said to him, “I have done nothing”. (Truly, the Bride has done nothing wrong, except in the eyes of the government.) Then he said back to me, “We know you don't”. Just then, a Chinese soldier walked into the room, and these two Chinese men began talking to each other. Then, the first man turned around, and he asked, “How many children did you have?” I said, “I only have one son, and he is grown with a family of his own and does not live with me”. (A time of martial law when Christians are not in favor with the Beast, but those who are holy have favor with their Father who rules over the Beast.) The soldier then turned toward the hallway, and he spoke to someone outside of the room whom I could not see. He asked the man in the hallway, “Who gave you this information?” The man in the hallway, whom I could not see, said, “Sam and Joe”. Then the soldier said, “Bring them to me”, meaning Sam and Joe. They all left at this time and slammed the door as they left. They never at any time saw the babies. (Sam and Joe are factious traitors against the Christ in us, represented by the Bride and babies. Judas led the Beast to Jesus, but then he died by his own hands. The factious who have not repented will go into captivity. They are out of favor with the Father who rules the Beast. Anyone found lying to the martial law authorities may be killed.) I sat down in an Indian-type position on the floor with the babies, and I helped them hold their bottles, which were filled with clear water. (The milk of the water of the Word.) I said to myself in this dream, “I need to ask M. L. how to feed multiple babies”. I took one of the babies in my arms, and I said, “You don't have to worry. The Lord is our refuge, and He will provide for us. He is our deliverer”. (That's how to feed them with faith.) End of dream. Dream #2 I dreamed I was on a road that looked like a four-lane highway, which is close to me in real life. The outside lanes were filled with people walking, running, and riding bikes. I was in my wheelchair going with them. (The Bride will not go into captivity on the broad road with everyone else.) I went off the road through some trees and discovered a brook-type body of water. I wanted to put my foot down into this water. I was excited, and I thought the water was going to be cold, but it wasn't; it was just refreshing. (This represents the living waters of the Word from the throne of God through Jesus in the Man-child ministry.) I stood up out of my chair, and when I did, I had both of my feet! (A healing awaited for it has come through the living waters, as it will for many. Many will walk in the Word, too.) I started walking in this water. When I got to where the water was chest high, I stopped. I stopped because I thought I was going to swim in this water, but I needed to submerge myself and swim over to the other side. (These are the deep waters of the Word to swim in, as in the Ezekiel 47 revelation, where the living waters flowed from the house of God and brought healing wherever it went.) Then I heard three toddlers, and they were speaking on the side of the road, but I could not understand what they were saying. (In parallel to the first dream where the three babies were hidden safely in Christ.) I got out of the water and walked toward the road and the babies, and no one was paying any attention to them. (Because they are hidden, even beside the broad road.) I said to them, “Shh”, and picked them up and went back into the water. I waded in the water with the babies, and on the right side of this brook was a lady, and behind her was a cave. (She brought them to a hidden place of discipleship in the wilderness, the underground Church.) She was a beautiful older lady with long white hair past her hips. She was wearing a white flowing dress made out of scarf-like material. (Those of the Bride with wisdom and maturity to teach the babies.) The bottom of the dress appeared to have points like a scarf, and the dress had long, flowing sleeves. This woman looked at me and said, “You found them! Bring them to me. Now go and get the others”. (Some of the Bride will be evangelists to bring in the wayward, and some will be wise teachers to raise up the babies.) So, I went back into the water, and I waded a little way, and I saw B. off to the right of the brook, standing on the bank, and she had 12 women with her. (The Bride bringing in the elect of God, represented by the number 12. Only the chosen will escape captivity at this time. Later, others, after suffering under the crucifixion of the Beast, will be chosen to escape captivity, too. Rev.13:10 If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.) B. A. asked, “Are you ready to take us?” Rev.12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Then B. A. and the 12 women got into the water with me, and we walked in the water together until it was chest deep. I knew in this dream that we were headed for the cave. (Our heart must be bathed in the living waters, even before our mind is.) Why do we need to obey God's Word and be faithful servants? Several reasons: God has called us to do something very important for many Christians in these days, but first we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him and His Word. If we do not obey the Lord, we will miss His will for ourselves and a multitude of other people, including our children, spiritual and physical. Hos.4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children. We have to believe and obey or there is no promise for our children to be saved. 1Co.7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Pro.11:21 [Though] hand [join] in hand, the evil man shall not be unpunished; But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. Psa.102:28 The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee. Pro.20:7 A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him. Psa.112:2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: The generation of the upright shall be blessed. Gen.6:18 But with you will I establish my covenant; and you shall come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons' wives with you. Gen.7:1 And the LORD said to Noah, Come you and all your house into the ark; for you have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Gen.13:15 For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever. Gen.19:12 And the men said to Lot, Have you here any besides? son in law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whatever you have in the city, bring them out of this place... 15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. Deu.4:37 And because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought you out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; 2Ki.8:19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him always a light, and to his children. Psa.37:26 He is ever merciful, and lends; and his seed is blessed. 112:2 His seed shall be mighty on earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. The seed, spiritual and physical, of the David/Man-child will be blessed. Psa.89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant: 4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, And build up thy throne to all generations... 29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, And his throne as the days of heaven. 30 If his children forsake my law, And walk not in mine ordinances; 31 If they break my statutes, And keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, And their iniquity with stripes. 33 But my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. See our free PDF book Saving Our Families By Faith   Man-child, Bride, Two Witnesses: Hidden in Christ Amos Scaggs - 02/13/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I saw myself escorting a beautiful young woman to different places. She had been seen with me on many occasions. (I represent the first-fruits ministry. The young woman is the new Bride-to-be.) (“Amos” in Hebrew means “carried by God” and “Eagle”, which symbolizes the overcomer man-child. John the Baptist said of Jesus as the man-child who led the Bride of His day, “He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom”.) While doing so, I met my previous romance, which was over and done with many years ago. The older romance person commented on how beautiful the young woman was, but in a sarcastic manner, and went on her way, not wanting to stay around. (This is the apostate church as we know it today. She was very old and jealous and will say all kinds of harsh things about the new young bride emerging from her.) (Amos outgrew the fellowship of the apostate church years ago. She is old because the curse of 2000 years is heavy upon her.) I saw the older romance person later on, lined up in a slave labor group. She looked very old and ridiculed me for escorting the young woman around and being with her so much. She said it didn't look right, and other words were muttered. (The apostate church will go into bondage to the beast system and try to do whatever it takes to survive in the upcoming tribulation.) Next, I was also in the company of two friends who were taking me to a secret location. I hadn't really considered them close friends at first, but now they were closer to me than I thought they were. (These are the Two Witness company that will also assist in God's harvest.) (The Man-child company will raise up the Two Witness company in the first 3 !/2 years of the tribulation, as it was foreshadowed by Jesus and His corporate Two Witnesses. Then they will solo.) We found ourselves riding beside a number of railroad tracks, which were on the edge of a very large cliff, of which you couldn't see the bottom. It was terrifying to look over the edge. (These many railroad tracks represent multitudes on a traditional way that never changes paths and are in great danger of falling into the pit.) We were on the way over a hill to the secret location. (Those on the broad road are not able to go to the secret place of the Most High, which is abiding in Jesus Christ.) All of a sudden, the truck we were riding in left the tracks and took a backward turn down a hidden, narrow road leading to the secret location. I couldn't have made that turn in my truck even if I had known where it was. (You can't do this on your own accord or ability.) (This is the narrow road; the highway of holiness, the road to Zion, on which no unclean or beast can go. Isa.35:1 The wilderness (tribulation) and the dry land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose... 8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for [the redeemed]: the wayfaring men (Hebrew meaning: Traveler on a well-traveled road; i.e., the broad road of the tracks), yea fools, shall not err [therein]. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk [there]: 10 and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. This secret place was hidden in a cliff in the mountain. There was only one way to enter the secret road that could not be seen until you arrived at its entrance. Then only the ones being escorted by the Witnesses could enter in, otherwise it could not be seen. (The Witnesses will cause many to leave the broad path to become disciples. The one narrow way to escape death is Jesus, the door, the life. Joh.14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. Mat.7:14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. This gate to the secret way cannot be seen by the worldly church and the beast who live in the way of darkness. Pro.4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble. Job 38:19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof.) After arriving at the location, we busied ourselves repairing things to prepare for our own and others' transportation and living quarters. (The Man-child, Two Witnesses and Bride are companies of people who will each, in turn, prepare to preserve the rest of the Church in the coming tribulation.) There were people arriving at the location who were bringing along things that couldn't survive in this place. One was a white pig with a pink ribbon tied around its neck, trying to eat off a bare concrete floor. There were some other animals that also could not survive the environment. (The pig and ribbon represent people arriving at the secret location with unclean habits that they cherish. Those habits cannot live in God's environment. A pig is an unclean animal like the fleshly; in society, it is dressed up so it can be accepted and justified in the sight of men, but all this will die in the wilderness tribulation.)   Protection from the Beast Eve Brast, 9/7/19 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that I was in a very large house with many rooms. (Representing the church worldwide?) There were many other people in the house. Suddenly, there was an awareness of an evil danger in the house. People started to panic and say things like, “It's coming!” And “We need to find a place to hide!” They began running past me, looking for places to hide. But the places they were choosing weren't adequate enough, but it was all they could find, and they trembled in the hiding places in despair, knowing they would, more than likely, be found and killed. I wasn't afraid, but I did feel an urgency to find a place of safety from this evil. I went into one of the bedrooms and saw a queen-sized bed with a white down comforter and a blonde colored wooden headboard and footboard that looked like the slats of a crib. (Just like Queen Esther found safety and comfort in the house of the King from the “beast” Haman, so the corporate Bride and Man-child will find safety from the Beast of our day.) I crawled underneath the bed, which enlarged itself for me, and began praying. Suddenly, a bunch of children who were somehow mine ran into the room and crawled under the bed with me. There was plenty of room under the bed for all of us. (The rest in the promises of God will hide us from the Beast. Psa 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust. 3 For he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler.) The door of the room was standing open, and I heard something roaring and coming down the hall. It stopped in the doorway of the room we were in and looked at me under the bed and let out a roar that sounded like a cross between a lion's roar (Satan is the roaring lion) and a dinosaur's roar (The T-Rex or dragon beast). It was a chimera creature. It was a blue lion, a red dragon, and a brownish-black wolf. (The wolf is the religious predator and deceivers among the children of God, like Judas, the son of perdition. As we have seen, the faction are members of the dragon body to try to devour the Man-child, and they kill many but fail to kill the Man-child and his true chuldren.) It had four legs and two arms like a centaur. The part that was the red dragon was the chest, neck, arms, and head with many sharp teeth. The part that was the blue lion was the four legs and most of the body, plus the head of the dragon, which had the lion's blue mane. The rear or rump was the brownish-black wolf, but with the lion's blue tail. (Satan uses the dragon and wolves among the sheep to attempt their destruction.) It narrowed its eyes at me with pure hatred and stomped into the room, lowering its head to look under the bed at my children and me. But the bed let down wooden railings with the same type of slats that the headboard and footboard had, all around the underneath of it, to protect us from the beast, and it knew it couldn't kill us because we were protected. So it screamed in anger and turned to go out of the room in search for the other people who were hiding in all the inadequate hiding places and had no protection. Rev.12:13-17, 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child. 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus. I knew in the dream that some of the people escaped the beast, even though they were in poor hiding places, because God had mercy on them. (Pray for mercy for these people) After the danger had passed, I went into a connecting room to the one my children and I had been hiding in. It was connected by two white double doors, and it had a king-sized bed with a white down comforter on it. I heard a couple of small parrots, a male and a female, talking to each other in the double doorway between the rooms. I looked at them in the doorway, and they were pastel colors: blue, green, yellow, and pink. (The same colors as the pastel plaid shirt that my dad wears in my dreams.) (Those who “parrot” the Word of the Father will find rest.) They flew over onto the king-sized bed, and then many more pairs of animals, male and female, came through the doors and got up onto the bed. (The animals of the ark, seeking an escape from the flood of destruction, find escape in the rest. Peter saw the animals that came down from heaven as the Gentile church.) I thought, “Wow! This is like Noah's Ark!” Luk.17:26-30, 26 And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: 30 after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed. End.   The Ark Leads to the Safety of Holiness Suani Guzman - 11/30/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was going to be part of a Christian cheerleading team that was going to do its routine in a pool. We all had to take a shower before we got in the pool. I went to a car and got a clean change of clothes and a bottle of baby shampoo. Later, I saw the car running on its own and went and put it in park and took the keys out of the ignition. The car was parked close to a corner. When I came back, the car was gone. It had left on its own. It turned right at the corner and went down the street. I ran down there with someone else and saw that it had gone through an opening on the ground into the basement of the building. We stood there looking at it, and that's when it came to me: “The ground in the basement was made holy by God, and the Ark of the Covenant that was in the car needed to be on holy ground.” That is when I woke up. This dream is saying that the Ark of God's presence will supernaturally lead His holy people underground, as a type of the safety of the secret place of the Most High, and they will not be steered there by man. The Ark led the children of Israel, not the other way around. Rom.8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. According to type, the Ark of the Covenant went underground when God's people were in danger of invasion and captivity by the Babylonian beast army. The Apocrypha says that Jeremiah hid the Ark in a cave in Mt. Nebo before the invasion, and that its location would not be revealed until God was ready. Ron Wyatt says he found the Ark in Jeremiah's Grotto, but that God told him it was not yet time to reveal it. In the Second Temple, the Ark of the Covenant was missing from the Holy of Holies for its entire 500 years. When the Roman General, Pompey, conquered Jerusalem around 63 B.C., he entered the Holy of Holies but came out saying that he could not understand what all the interest was about since it was only an empty room. His army was able to conquer Israel because God's presence was not in their Holy of Holies. Many Rabbis believe that the Ark was hidden in a cave under the Temple Mount in the heart of Israel during the time of King Josiah because of the prophesied coming Babylonian invasion. Jesus left their temple desolate, too, because God had chosen Him and His body as the new Temple. In fulfillment of this type, the Church is definitely threatened with a prophesied invasion and captivity by the Babylonian U.S. Great Eagle and going underground is next for the Ark. It is clear from scripture that God's people are the Temple and its court, and that individuals have different positions in the Temple, according to their maturity in the Lord and closeness to the Lord. Rev.11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Notice there are those in the Temple and those who worship in the altar area, due to their sacrificial life, who will be safe. But those in the outer court will be left out of the safe place and trampled under the foot of men as a crucifixion because, as Jesus said, they have lost their saltiness. That leaves us with the Ark of the Covenant in the safe place of the Holy of Holies. Who is it that is a container as the Ark for God's presence, the Manna of the Word, the tables of testimony, and Aaron's rod that budded as a sign of authority? In Jesus' day, He was God in a vessel of a Son of David Who had these qualities inside; He was the Ark of the Covenant who led the Bride through the wilderness. In these days, the Man-child is God manifested in a vessel of the spiritual sons of David with these qualities: He will be the Ark of the Covenant that will lead the Bride through the wilderness. The Man-child is the first-fruits to manifest “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Suani's car represents the body of the Bride that will be guided by the Ark to the foundation of the building, which is holiness. The basement is the foundation of the Temple that God is about to lay again through the corporate man-child ministry. Hag.2:23 In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts. Notice Zerubbabel, meaning “born from Babylon”, will be a signet, which is a seal of authority, such as kings have. The first-fruits Man-child company will come with the authority of God to bring God's people out of bondage to the world and through the wilderness tribulation. The foundation of the Lord's house, not made with man's hands, will be laid again after a great falling away since the time of the Apostles. Hag.2:18 Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth [month], since the day that the foundation of Jehovah's temple was laid, consider it. It is through the shaking of the nations in the tribulation that God's “desired” people come out of them to become the temple of peace. Hag.2:7 and I will shake all nations; and the precious things (Hebrew: desired) of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts. In the former rain, Jesus, the Man-child, was the foundation of the former glory house. 1Co.3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. So also in the latter rain, Jesus in Zerubbabel as a type of the Man-child and Ark of the Covenant will lay the foundation of the latter, greater glory house. Zec.4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you.” Notice this verse is saying that it is the Lord who is coming in Zerubbabel to build the house of God. It will be founded on holiness, which is separation from the World and conformity to the Word. Back to Suani: I would like to say that God has been helping me a lot to walk in holiness. Things I used to brush off are not OK anymore. Isa.35:8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for [the redeemed]: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err [therein]. This is a new level of holiness. I have been corrected very quickly lately. Heb.12:5-6 My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him; 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened [us] as seemed good to them; but he for [our] profit, that [we] may be partakers of his holiness. Now thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions must be holy. I know this is impossible in the flesh, and I rely on the Holy Spirit continuously for help. He is interested in not only outward obedience but in inward surrender and trust. I think He is doing this to save us from judgments that are soon to come. 1Co.11:31 But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Delayed obedience, as well as doing anything against my conscience, are also things He has brought to my attention. Rom.14:23 But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.   God's Hand Protects the First Fruits C. P. - 6/28/21 (David's notes in red) I dreamed my husband and I, together with some others whom I did not recognize, were standing on the white deck of a boat. (This represents the remnant first fruits who are in God's Ark of safety floating above the waters of the curse.) I saw a hand come out of heaven, and I heard the words from our Father say, “My hand covers my people.” (Psa.91:1-12 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust. 3 For he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked. 9 For thou, O Jehovah, art my refuge! Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. 11 For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.) There was a tremor, or a push or jolt from somewhere. (Representing the tribulation shakings that are coming upon the world to get the attention of God's elect.) We fell overboard into the water below. (This represents being plunged into the tribulation in order to overcome the curses of this world.) God's hand literally came into the water with us and became a glass sheet between us and a giant sea creature. It was black and white like an Orca whale and had really sharp teeth. (This black and white sea creature represents the beast in the sea of this world's people. The beast is always looking to devour God's people like the dragon of Revelation 12. The black and white means it has also been dictating to this world what is true and false, and what is right and wrong.) Rev.12:13-17 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man-child. 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. (The woman here is the Church, but within this larger body is the chosen bride.) 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus.) Our skin was glossy or shiny. (Representing the Bride's lampros garments, which are the righteous acts of the saints according to Rev.19.) It was like God's hand had emitted some sort of repellent onto us so the sea creature could not devour us. There was no fear or confusion, and we breathed easily underwater. (Meaning, the waters of the curse cannot hinder their breath or spirit.) We were so small compared to this sea creature; we looked like shrimp. God's hand was over us the whole time. (Isa.43:1-5 But now thus saith Jehovah that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead. 4 Since thou hast been precious in my sight, and honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men in thy stead, and peoples instead of thy life. 5 Fear not; for I am with thee…) I asked the Lord for a word by faith at random and received Eze.18:19 Yet say ye, Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. (They are not under the genetic curse of the Adamic nature passed down through their parents.) I asked Him for another Word, specifically about His hand, and received Hebrews 3:7, with my finger on Holy Spirit. (In context 7-9) 7 Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness (tribulation), 9 Where your fathers tried me by proving me, And saw my works forty years (the number of tribulation).

C3 Church Southwest WA
JOSEPH: When Passing THROUGH Prison

C3 Church Southwest WA

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2026


‭‭‭‭‭‭Genesis 39:20 (ESV) And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.13 years from being sold into slavery until he steps out onto the platform of leading a notation2 years of prisonYou will experience seasons of the unexpected, where you are wronged, where things feel unfair, where you cry out to God, “WHY?”These seasons are “outside the will of God,” outside the will of God, and yet God redeems these seasons and prepares us during them for our platform.Run To GOD, Not From GODBitterness:Blame the devil, not God or peopleUnforgiveness for others drives people from GodUnforgiveness toward God drives people from God2 Samuel 22:2–4 (ESV) He said, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.Be Confident God Is With You & Working For YouPhilippians 1:6 (ESV) And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.Isaiah 43:1–3 (ESV) But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Get A Word From GODEzekiel 11:14 (ESV) And the word of the LORD came to me:Ezekiel 12:21 (ESV) And the word of the LORD came to me:Ezekiel 12:26 (ESV) And the word of the LORD came to me:Ezekiel 16:1 (ESV) Again the word of the LORD came to me:Work To Escape, But Do Not BailJames 1:2–4 (ESV) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.Serve Others, Accumulate People1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.1 Samuel 22:1–2 (ESV) David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.Bloom In Prison1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV) So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.Lean Into Supernatural GiftingsBecause there is a burn, it's like fastingGreat opportunity to connect with the Spirit1 Corinthians 13:13–14:1 (ESV) So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.Don't Complicate Your Situation With SinBig picture focusNo culdesacsIsraelites in desert - tents1 Corinthians 10:1–6 (ESV) For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.Only Joshua/Caleb experienced the promised land

St. Columba's Episcopal Church Sermons
All The World to Himself - 4.4.26 The Rev. Andrew Walmisley, Ph.D.

St. Columba's Episcopal Church Sermons

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2026 19:17


The Easter Vigil The Story of Creation Old Testament Genesis 1:1-2:4a In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it was so. God made the two great lights--the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night--and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. The Psalm Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26 Page 789, BCP   The Flood Old Testament Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13 The Lord said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground." And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons entered the ark, they and every wild animal of every kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every bird of every kind-- every bird, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in. The flood continued forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more. In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh-- birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth-- so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth."   The Psalm Psalm 46 Page 649, BCP Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac Old Testament Genesis 22:1-18 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided." The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." The Psalm Psalm 16 Page 599, BCP   Israel's deliverance at the Red Sea Old Testament Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, 'Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." But Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still." Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers." The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt." Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers." So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea." The Response Canticle 8, The Song of Moses Page 85, BCP   Salvation offered freely to all Old Testament Isaiah 55:1-11 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.   The Response Canticle 9, The First Song of Isaiah Page 86, BCP Learn wisdom and live The Reading Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 Hear the commandments of life, O Israel; give ear, and learn wisdom! Why is it, O Israel, why is it that you are in the land of your enemies, that you are growing old in a foreign country, that you are defiled with the dead, that you are counted among those in Hades? You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom. If you had walked in the way of God, you would be living in peace for ever. Learn where there is wisdom, where there is strength, where there is understanding, so that you may at the same time discern where there is length of days, and life, where there is light for the eyes, and peace. Who has found her place? And who has entered her storehouses? But the one who knows all things knows her, he found her by his understanding. The one who prepared the earth for all time filled it with four-footed creatures; the one who sends forth the light, and it goes; he called it, and it obeyed him, trembling; the stars shone in their watches, and were glad; he called them, and they said, "Here we are!" They shone with gladness for him who made them. This is our God; no other can be compared to him. He found the whole way to knowledge, and gave her to his servant Jacob and to Israel, whom he loved. Afterwards she appeared on earth and lived with humankind. She is the book of the commandments of God, the law that endures for ever. All who hold her fast will live, and those who forsake her will die. Turn, O Jacob, and take her; walk towards the shining of her light. Do not give your glory to another, or your advantages to an alien people. Happy are we, O Israel, for we know what is pleasing to God. or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out: "To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live. O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right; for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. "My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries." To those without sense she says, "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight." The Psalm Psalm 19 Page 606, BCP   A new heart and a new spirit Old Testament Ezekiel 36:24-28 Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. The Psalm Psalms 42 and 43 Page 643-645, BCP The valley of dry bones Old Testament Ezekiel 37:1-14 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord God, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act," says the Lord. The Psalm Psalm 143 Page 798, BCP The gathering of God's people Old Testament Zephaniah 3:14-20 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord. The Psalm   Psalm 98 Page 727, BCP God's Presence in a renewed Israel Old Testament Isaiah 4:2-6 On that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel. Whoever is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, once the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over its places of assembly a cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night. Indeed over all the glory there will be a canopy. It will serve as a pavilion, a shade by day from the heat, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain. The Psalm   Psalm 122 Page 779, BCP   At the Eucharist The Collect Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only- begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. or this O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord's resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Epistle Romans 6:3-11 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. The Psalm   Psalm 114 Page 756, BCP The Gospel Matthew 28:1-10 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you." So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Hallel Fellowship
The innocent must suffer? Why biblical sacrifice still matters in the age of Messiah (Ephesians 5; Leviticus 1–2; Isaiah 48–49)

Hallel Fellowship

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2026 70:27


7 takeaways from this study Bring your whole self to God. Treat prayer, worship and daily life as korban — “offering,” or that which comes near — by being fully present, not half‑hearted. Let love cost you something. Choose costly, inconvenient acts of love (time, energy, money) as your “fragrant offering” to God. Do every task as unto the LORD. Whether cleaning, working, or serving, act as if God Himself is your boss. Practice servant leadership. If you lead (home, work, ministry), lead by lowering yourself — serving listening, and bearing others' burdens. Love your nearest neighbors first. Apply “love your neighbor as yourself” to spouse, children, roommates, and close friends before “the world.” Die to self daily. Regularly ask, “What part of my pride, comfort, or control needs to ‘get on the altar' today?” Live as God's dwelling place. Remember you are now a living tabernacle; carry God's presence into your workplace, neighborhood, and relationships. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Messiah also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Ephesians 5:1–2 NASB 1995 This is not an abstract idea. It is rooted in the concrete pattern God gave Israel in the Torah, especially in the מִשְׁכָּן Mishkan (“dwelling place,” the Tabernacle) and the קָרְבָּנוֹת korbanot (“offerings,” the things that approach). What does it really look like to “imitate God” in love today? The pattern behind ‘be imitators of God’ Paul's phrase “be imitators of God” in Ephesians 5:1 uses the Greek word μιμηταί mimētai (“imitate,” “copy a pattern”). Imitation always raises a question: imitate what? God has not left us guessing. He gave Israel a visible, enacted pattern in the Torah: The pattern of the Mishkan in Exodus (Exodus 25–40) The pattern of the offerings in Leviticus (especially Leviticus 1–2) The larger pattern of His dealings with Israel in the prophets (Isaiah 48–49 and beyond) Moshe (Moses) himself asked, “Show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18). God answered by both revealing His character and giving a pattern — “the pattern shown to you on the mountain” for the Mishkan (Exodus 25:40). Paul draws on that same pattern when he speaks about Messiah's sacrifice as a “fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:2), echoing the repeated phrase in Leviticus, “a soothing aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9). So, to imitate God, we do not just reach for vague spirituality. We look at the concrete story God told through Israel's worship, and then at how Messiah fulfills and deepens that story. Called to draw near The book of Leviticus is called וַיִּקְרָא Vayikra (“And He called”) in Hebrew, from its opening word: “Then the LORD called to Moses…” (Leviticus 1:1). This calling comes from the Mishkan, from within the Tent of Meeting. It is a summons to draw near. קָרְבָּן korban comes from the Hebrew root קרב karav (“to draw near, approach”). A korban is not just “something you give.” It is “the thing by which you draw near,” in other words, it’s the offering-bringer. In Leviticus 1:1–9, we see the burnt offering described: The animal comes from the herd or flock, “a male without defect” (Leviticus 1:3) The worshiper brings it “to the doorway of the tent of meeting” (Leviticus 1:3) He lays his hand on its head, and it is accepted “to make atonement on his behalf” (Leviticus 1:4) The entire animal is burned on the altar as “an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9, NASB 1995) The person does not simply send the animal off. He identifies with it by laying his hand on its head. In that act, he is, in a sense, saying, “This is me going in. Let this be accepted for me.” This becomes a powerful picture of how we approach God in Messiah. When we trust in Him, we “lean” our whole weight (worth, glory, faith, trust) on Him, just as the Israelite physically leaned on the korban. He goes in before the Father as our substitute. A restful aroma Leviticus repeatedly uses the phrase רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ re'ach nichoach (“soothing aroma,” “pleasing aroma”). The word נִיחוֹחַ nichoach comes from the same Hebrew root as Noah’s name נֹחַ Noach (“rest”). You could almost say “a restful aroma.” That raises a paradox. How can the smell of burning flesh be “restful” or “soothing”? To the modern mind, sacrificial slaughter feels barbaric and repulsive. Yet that reaction is part of the point. It is meant to shock us into seeing how serious our alienation from God really is. An innocent animal — who never chose to sin, transgress, rebel — dies so that the worshiper can draw near spiritually by its blood. That injustice should bother us. It hints at something far worse and far more costly: the innocent suffering of Messiah Himself. This “restful aroma” signals that something has been put right. Judgment has fallen. A costly substitute has given its life. Reconciliation has begun. Rest, in a sense, now has a basis. From common to other: The Mishkan as training in holiness Outside the camp is ordinary, “common” life. Inside the Mishkan's courts and especially beyond the inner veil is the concentrated presence of the Creator, the One who is other, “holy” than His creation. Exodus 40:34–38 describes how the cloud filled the Mishkan so strongly that even Moshe and the priests could not enter at first. As the cloud and fire moved, Israel moved. When the cloud rested, Israel rested. It was like following a Leader through the wilderness: The cloud and fire guided their travel and their rest (Exodus 40:36–38). The visible presence in the center of the camp taught them to stay oriented to God. The very layout of the Mishkan trained them to respect the boundary between common and holy. Holiness (קֹדֶשׁ kodesh, “set apart”) here does not mean otherworldly and irrelevant. Rather, it means dedicated for God's special purpose. The Mishkan was not man's religious invention. It was a Heaven-designed pattern for reconciliation between a holy God and a compromised people. This pattern is as relevant as ever. We live in a world that treats everything as common. The Mishkan and the korbanot remind us that God is not just “there” in a vague sense. He is holy. To draw near, something must change — both in our status and in our hearts. The innocent substitute and the cost of sin Stop and soak in the emotional impact of the sacrifice at the Mishkan. An innocent sheep, goat, or bull dies because the human worshiper has broken fellowship with the Creator. To us, that seems oppressive or even unjust. Yet that discomfort exposes how numb we often are to the horror of sin. We are like frogs in a slowly heated pot. The water grows hotter, but we adjust. We stop noticing how dangerous our situation is. From the outside, it looks insane to stay in the boiling water, or, spiritually speaking, in the “muck” of rebellion and brokenness. Sacrifice is God's wake-up call. It says, “This separation is deadly. This is what it costs to fix it. The innocent must suffer.” All this points forward to the ultimate innocent substitute, the “Lamb of God” who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In Isaiah, He appears as the עֶבֶד יְהוָה Eved Adonai (“Servant of the LORD”), especially in Isaiah 53. Israel, the Servant, and the Son Here are the main “Servant Songs” in Isaiah: Isaiah 42:1–9 Begins: “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights…” Themes: Justice to the nations, gentle yet firm, a light to the nations. Isaiah 49:1–13 Begins: “Listen to Me, O islands, and pay attention, you peoples from afar…” Themes: Called from the womb, Servant named “Israel,” restoring Jacob and being a light to the nations. Isaiah 50:4–11 Begins: “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples…” Themes: Obedient Servant, suffering, not turning back, offering His back to those who strike. Isaiah 52:13–53:12 Begins: “Behold, My Servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.” Themes: Deep suffering, rejection, bearing sins, substitutionary atonement, ultimate vindication. PassageKey themesMessianic connection to YeshuaIsaiah 42:1–9• “My Servant… My chosen one in whom My soul delights” (Isa 42:1)• Spirit-empowered Servant brings justice to the nations – Gentle: “A bruised reed He will not break” (Isa 42:3) • Light to the nations, opening blind eyes, freeing captives (Isa 42:6–7)• Echoed at Yeshua's immersion: “My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17)• His Spirit-anointed ministry to the poor, blind, and oppressed (Luke 4:16–21)• Yeshua as light of the world (John 8:12) and to the nations (Luke 2:32)Isaiah 49:1–13• Servant called “from the womb” and named by God (Isa 49:1)• Called Israel, yet sent to restore Israel (Isa 49:3–6)• Made “a light of the nations” and “My salvation to the end of the earth” (Isa 49:6)• Mirrored in Yeshua's conception and naming (Matthew 1:20–21; Luke 1:31)•Servant both represents Israel and rescues Israel, fitting Yeshua as the faithful Israelite who restores His people (Romans 11:25–27)• Explicitly fulfilled as salvation reaching the nations through the gospel (Acts 13:47)Isaiah 50:4–11• “Tongue of disciples” to sustain the weary (Isa 50:4) – Obedient Servant: “I was not disobedient nor did I turn back” (Isa 50:5)• Offers His back to those who strike Him, face to those who pluck out the beard (Isa 50:6)• Trusts God as vindicator despite shame and opposition• Yeshua as the obedient Son who always does the Father's will (John 8:29)• His suffering, mockery, and abuse before crucifixion echo this imagery (Matthew 26–27)• He entrusts Himself to the Father's vindication in resurrection (1Peter 2:23–24)Isaiah 52:13–53:12• “My Servant will prosper… be high and lifted up” (Isa 52:13)• Startling suffering and disfigurement (Isa 52:14)• Despised, rejected, “a man of sorrows” (Isa 53:3)• Bears our griefs and sorrows; pierced for our transgressions (Isa 53:4–5)• The LORD lays on Him the iniquity of us all (Isa 53:6)• Like a lamb led to slaughter (Isa 53:7)• Makes Himself a guilt offering (אָשָׁם asham) and justifies many (53:10–11)• Central Messianic prophecy in the Besorah (gospel) preaching (Acts 8:30–35)• Yeshua's atoning death as substitutionary sacrifice, bearing sins of Israel and the nations (1Peter 2:24–25)• Lamb imagery connects directly to Passover (Exodus 12; John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7) and sacrificial system (Leviticus 1–7)• Resurrection hinted: “He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days” (53:10) However, many scholars and teachers see additional Servant sections that connect with these: Isaiah 41:8–9: Israel as “My servant” Isaiah 44:1–2, 21: “Jacob My servant… Jeshurun whom I have chosen” Isaiah 45:4: “My servant Jacob, and Israel My chosen one” Isaiah 48:20; 49:7: Further Servant language and mission themes Isaiah 48–49 speaks both of Israel as God's servant and of a Servant whose calling seems to go beyond the nation itself: “Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.” (Isaiah 48:12) “He said to Me, ‘You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will show My glory.'” (Isaiah 49:3) Yet this Servant also has a mission to Israel and to the nations. From a Messianic Jewish reading, this points to a layered meaning: Israel as a people is called to be God's servant, His representative. But Israel fails to live out that mission consistently. Therefore a singular Servant arises, embodying Israel's calling and extending it to the nations — Messiah Himself. The Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the TaNaKh) uses the word παῖς pais for “servant” here. Pais can mean “servant,” but also “child” or “son.” That linguistic overlap helps us see how the idea of “Servant of the LORD” connects closely with “Son of God” in the New Covenant writings. Messiah, the faithful Son, takes up Israel's mission where Israel failed. He lives as the perfect eved Adonai, the true Israelite who fully embodies God's purposes. From ‘I am the first and the last’ to Lamb of God Isaiah's declaration, “I am the first, I am also the last” (Isaiah 48:12) echoes later in the book of Revelation. Apostle Yokhanan (John) sees “one like a son of man” standing among seven golden lampstands: “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore…” Revelation 1:12–13 NASB 1995 At the end of the book, we hear: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13 NASB 1995 The same One whose identity language echoes Isaiah's “first and last” is also the slain and risen Lamb. He is the One whose blood washes robes white (Revelation 7:14). Again, we encounter a paradox: We wash garments in blood, and they become clean. Just as the korban system seems shocking, so does this cleansing image. But both point to the same truth: Reconciliation costs life. And that life, once given, brings true purity. This picture escalates through Scripture: God calls Avraham (Abraham) out of confusion and into a land of promise. God forms a people, Israel, as His covenant partner. God dwells among them in the Mishkan. God “tabernacles” among us in Messiah: “the Word became flesh, and dwelt (σκηνόω skēnoō, “tabernacled”) among us” (John 1:14). God finally dwells with redeemed humanity in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:3). Each stage intensifies God's desire to dwell in the midst of His people and to transform them. ‘Living sacrifice’ We can ask how the Mishkan model applies today. Apostle Paul answers this: Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1 NASB 1995 This is the bridge from Leviticus to our daily lives. We do not bring bulls and goats to a physical altar today, because the Temple is not currently in service. Yet the original and enduring principle of korban — of drawing near through the all-in offering of ourselves — has always held. The “altar” is our whole life in Messiah. We present ourselves — heart (mind and emotions), soul (life), resources (time, energy) — as a continual offering. We “lean” on Yeshua, our once-for-all korban, and then live as those who belong entirely to God. This does not erase the Torah instructions. Rather, it fills them full of significance and internalizes them. The journey through the courtyard, past the altar, through the Holy Place, and into the Holy of Holies becomes a spiritual pattern every time we seek God in prayer, obedience, and service. Love of God and neighbor: One movement, not two The Bible’s greatest commandments are tightly intertwined to the sacrificial pattern. Yeshua sums up the Torah and the Prophets with two commands: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and might (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). Love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39). Loving God “with all your heart, soul, and strength” means you hold nothing back. You love Him with your emotions, your life itself, and your resources. That is sacrificial. It fits the pattern of korban. But you cannot stop there. Real, charitable love for God spills into love for neighbor, starting with those closest to you: your spouse, family, friends, community. In Ephesians 5, Paul applies Messiah's sacrificial love to marriage: Husbands are to love (ἀγάπη agapē, “self-giving, charitable love”) their wives. Messiah loved the ἐκκλησία ekklēsia (“assembly, congregation”) and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25–27). Agapē is not sentimentality. It is costly, loyal love, much like the Hebrew חסד ḥesed (“lovingkindness,” “covenant loyalty”). It washes, sanctifies, and beautifies the beloved. To imitate God, then, is to let our relationships be reshaped by this sacrificial love. This includes servant leadership in the home, mutual honor, and a refusal to “lord it over” others. Servant leadership and submitting under the status quo Paul's language on submission in Ephesians 5 means “be subject.” The term points to moving “under” an existing order, not to become passive, but to change it from beneath. This connects to Yeshua's own teaching. The greatest must become the servant; the master behaves as the slave of all (Matthew 20:26–28). At Passover, Yeshua models this by washing His disciples' feet (John 13). The Master takes the role of the lowest servant. This is profoundly consistent with the Mishkan pattern. The God of Israel, exalted above all, chooses to “go low”: He dwells in a tent among a redeemed slave people. He accepts the death of innocent korbanot for their sake. Ultimately, He sends His Son to suffer and die to bring them near. If God leads this way, then leaders in His kingdom must also lead by going low. They bear the burdens of others. They open themselves to accountability. They genuinely care what others need, not just what they plan to give. They serve first, then lead. Dying to self and living in Messiah Messiah calls us to be willing to lose your life in order to save it (e.g., Matthew 16:25). This is not just about physical martyrdom, though many have literally died for their witness. It is about daily death to self, laying down pride, fear, and self-protection. Fear of death can drive people to horrific choices. But those who know Messiah has already passed through death and risen gain new courage. They can hold even their own life more loosely. They can choose faithfulness over survival at any cost. This brings the circle back to Leviticus and Ephesians 5. To “walk in love” as Messiah did is to live as a continual offering: We “climb on the altar” daily as living sacrifices. We trust that when something in us dies — selfishness, ego, comfort — something truer comes alive. We lean on Messiah as our korban, entering “through the veil” into God's presence (echoing Hebrews 10:19–20). In this way, the ancient smoke of the מִזְבֵּחַ עֹלָה, mizbeach ʿolah (“altar of burnt offering”) becomes a living metaphor. Our lives rise before God as a re'ach nichoach — a restful aroma — not because we are perfect, but because we are in Messiah, the ultimate fragrant offering. Hands on the korban, hearts in the Presence Heaven invites us to see our discipleship through the lens of Israel's story: The Mishkan shows God's desire to dwell in the midst of His people. The korbanot show the cost of drawing near. The Servant of the LORD in Isaiah shows the mission of Israel and of Messiah. Ephesians and Revelation show how Messiah fulfills and magnifies that mission. To “be imitators of God” is to do what the Israelite did at the gate of the Mishkan: place our hands, and our hope, on the innocent Substitute (Yeshua), and then follow where He leads. It is to let His agapē love and His ḥesed loyalty reshape our worship, our work, and our relationships, so that our whole life becomes a “fragrant offering” to the God Who loves to dwell with His people. The post The innocent must suffer? Why biblical sacrifice still matters in the age of Messiah (Ephesians 5; Leviticus 1–2; Isaiah 48–49) appeared first on Hallel Fellowship.

Sermons – Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church
John 14:4-6 — “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”

Sermons – Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2026 37:10


Israel’s Only Savior 43 But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob,    he who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;    I have called you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;when you walk through fire you shall […]

Thrive.Church Weekly Message
CAMEO: The Holy Flame

Thrive.Church Weekly Message

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2026 30:04


If you ____________________ who God is, you will misunderstand ____________________ else.[Exodus 3:1 ESV] Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.God speaks clearly in ____________________ seasons.[Exodus 3:2 ESV] And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.God's presence ____________________ us.[Exodus 3:3 ESV] And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned."Revelation begins with ____________________.[Exodus 3:4 ESV] When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."Before God ____________________ what He will do, He ____________________ who He is.[Exodus 3:5 ESV] Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."Holiness is not a ____________________, it is God's ____________________.[Exodus 3:11, 14 ESV] But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" [14] God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"Your ____________________ does not rest on who you are, it rests on who God is.[Exodus 4:10-11 ESV] But Moses said to the LORD, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." [11] Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?Don't let your ____________________ turn into ____________________.[Isaiah 43:1-3a] But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. [2] When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. [3] For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

The Gospel for Life
Rev. Russell Herman- Cloverdale United Reformed Church- Belgic confession article 1 pt.3

The Gospel for Life

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 14:30


Isaiah 40 Comfort for God's People17 All the nations are as nothing before him,    they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.18 To whom then will you liken God,    or what likeness compare with him?19 An idol! A craftsman casts it,    and a goldsmith overlays it with gold    and casts for it silver chains.20 He who is too impoverished for an offering    chooses wood[h] that will not rot;he seeks out a skillful craftsman    to set up an idol that will not move.21 Do you not know? Do you not hear?    Has it not been told you from the beginning?    Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,    and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,    and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;23 who brings princes to nothing,    and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,    scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,when he blows on them, and they wither,    and the tempest carries them off like stubble.25 To whom then will you compare me,    that I should be like him? says the Holy One.26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:    who created these?He who brings out their host by number,    calling them all by name;by the greatness of his might    and because he is strong in power,    not one is missing.27 Why do you say, O Jacob,    and speak, O Israel,“My way is hidden from the Lord,    and my right is disregarded by my God”?28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God,    the Creator of the ends of the earth.He does not faint or grow weary;    his understanding is unsearchable.29 He gives power to the faint,    and to him who has no might he increases strength.30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,    and young men shall fall exhausted;31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;    they shall walk and not faint.For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com. Every weekday at 3:30 am and 7:30 am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on KSPD 94.5 FM and 790 AM Boise's Solid Talk in the Treasure Valley, Idaho, USA. If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them. Phone: (208) 991-3526E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.comPodcast website: https://www.790kspd.com/gospel-for-life/

Praying Through Scripture with Christina Hannan

"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" Isaiah 43:1

828 Church
It's a Matter of the Heart

828 Church

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2025 43:57


We're so glad you are here! Thanks for checking out Sunday's message!-- SUNDAY'S NOTES --The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24 NLTLevav / Heart: The center of character, will, and understanding. The place you think, feel, desire, and decide. Kardia: the inner self, thoughts, emotions, desires, and decisions. The control center of human life.(Read verses 7-8) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESVWe cannot have a heart that is whole without the help and healing of the Lord. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 NLTHeart health doesn't come from either emotional limitation or liberation, but instead emotions surrendered to and sorted by Jesus. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17 NLTSteward your heart by giving your heart to God! Thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 ESVIt is impossible to live a life meaning with the Lord without a heart that is whole and His.Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLTThe Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 ESVGod can only guide and guard the heart He governs, and He will only govern the heart he owns. 2) Steward your Heart by Guarding your Heart! Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 3:23 NLTGod doesn't just want your habits, He wants your heart! Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies. Daniel 1:8 NKJVDaniel lived in Babylon, but Babylon didn't live in Daniel. Can we live found in a world that's lost it's way or live free in a culture of captivity? - Yes!A guarded heart is anchored in Godly identity, not the worldly environment or culture.3) Steward your heart by choosing to have a heart for after God.Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 ESVBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 ESVFor where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 ESV-------------------------------------------------Download the 828 Church app!To view our latest e-newsletter, the Midweek Momentum, and subscribe to our weekly updates, go here! https://linktr.ee/828church

828 Church
It's a Matter of the Heart

828 Church

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2025 43:57


We're so glad you are here! Thanks for checking out Sunday's message!-- SUNDAY'S NOTES --The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24 NLTLevav / Heart: The center of character, will, and understanding. The place you think, feel, desire, and decide. Kardia: the inner self, thoughts, emotions, desires, and decisions. The control center of human life.(Read verses 7-8) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESVWe cannot have a heart that is whole without the help and healing of the Lord. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 NLTHeart health doesn't come from either emotional limitation or liberation, but instead emotions surrendered to and sorted by Jesus. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17 NLTSteward your heart by giving your heart to God! Thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 ESVIt is impossible to live a life meaning with the Lord without a heart that is whole and His.Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLTThe Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 ESVGod can only guide and guard the heart He governs, and He will only govern the heart he owns. 2) Steward your Heart by Guarding your Heart! Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 3:23 NLTGod doesn't just want your habits, He wants your heart! Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies. Daniel 1:8 NKJVDaniel lived in Babylon, but Babylon didn't live in Daniel. Can we live found in a world that's lost it's way or live free in a culture of captivity? - Yes!A guarded heart is anchored in Godly identity, not the worldly environment or culture.3) Steward your heart by choosing to have a heart for after God.Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 ESVBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 ESVFor where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 ESV-------------------------------------------------Download the 828 Church app!To view our latest e-newsletter, the Midweek Momentum, and subscribe to our weekly updates, go here! https://linktr.ee/828church

Morning and Evening with Charles Spurgeon

“Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?” — Luke 24:38 “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?” The Lord cares for all things, and the meanest creatures share in His universal providence, […]

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries
Horse Judgements Coming Soon - David Eells - UBBS 10.5.2025

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2025 115:09


Horse Judgements Coming Soon      (audio)      David Eells – 10/5/25 White Horse and Rider Ryan Kwasnica - 05/13/2008 Back in 1997 the Lord gave me a dream. It was nighttime and I saw stars in the sky with beams of light coming down on the heads of people who were coming together in a large gathering. I looked up at the stars in the sky again and I saw a rider on a white horse with a bow in His hand. I knew that this rider on the white horse somehow represented Christ. Then, on September 23, 2004, I had a dream where I heard a voice that said, “Tell My people, 'Get ready, My woe church is coming'. Write the vision down so that My people may run”. I was young in the Lord and was not sure what to make of the first dream, so I put it on the shelf. In October of 2007, a man that I knew, who I saw in my dream died, and I was reminded of this dream again. Then, at the beginning of this year, 2008, I 'stumbled upon' UnleavenedBreadMinistries.org. I began to see that this white horse rider/woe church symbolized the Man-child ministry which is to come. (These are the first fruits to manifest “Christ in You.”)   Apostates War Against the White Horse Nathan Finney - 11/2007 (David's notes in red) I remember emailing David about wanting to receive dreams. David told me he prayed for me to have the dreams, and I did, so I wanted to share that with you. I had this vision on the video screen of my mind about a year ago, but didn't tell anybody until last week. As I thought about it, I thought about the parable of the talents and the wicked servant who hid his talent in the ground and didn't do anything with it. I love David's teachings and love your ministry. I was sitting at my desk while I was under attack and my spirit within me was very heavy. Then I saw and heard the hoofbeats of many crimson horses with armor plating as warhorses charging down a field. The sight made me sigh. Then I saw one white horse turn its head slightly and neigh and this horse was the only one to oppose the crimson warhorses. Then the vision ended. Many apostates will seek to wage war against Jesus in the man-child, the white horse rider of Revelation 6, just as they did in Jesus' time.   Four Horsemen to Ride Soon Below are two confirming dreams that the four tribulation horse judgments are coming soon.   The Four Horses Michael Boldea Jr. - 10/31/2007 (David's notes in red) The following is a dream I had the night of October 29, 2007. If not for the specific instruction to share what I saw, I would have preferred to keep it to myself. I had gone to bed late, having waited for my wife to get home from work. After seeing that she had arrived home safely and saying my prayers, I fell into a restful sleep. I dreamt that I was sleeping when a hand touched my shoulder, and a voice I recognized said, 'Wake up.' In my dream, I opened my eyes, and my breath caught in my throat as I saw who had awakened me. It was the same messenger, the angel I had seen on previous occasions, dressed in full battle armor, standing by the side of my bed. 'Take my hand,' he said, 'I have been sent to show you something.' I barely touched the hand that was extended toward me when my bed and my bedroom evaporated, and I found myself standing before a white, oblong building that looked a lot like a barn or a horse stable. Two large doors made up the front of the structure, and as I looked, they began to swing open. I knew wherever I was, it was not of this earth, because everything shone, everything was white, pristine, immaculate. I also knew that whatever the reason for being shown this was about to be revealed, so I stood in silence, holding the messenger's hand. As soon as the doors were fully open, I saw an angel that looked very much like the one standing beside me, except without the armor, leading a white horse by its reins. The horse was large and muscular, but he followed the angel obediently with its head bent low. The angel's countenance was somber as he led the horse away, and for some reason this registered with great clarity. I looked up to the messenger whose hand I was still holding, but he merely nodded toward the white building and the open doors, and said, 'witness'. Another angel soon appeared in the doorway, holding the reins of a red horse, following after the first. I began to realize what I was seeing, and in silence watched as two more angels appeared, each holding the reins of a horse, one black, one of no discernible color, just pale. All four angels were dressed alike and had the same somber, sorrowful countenance. I stood and watched as all four horses were led out of my sight, and finally when they had disappeared from view, the messenger turned to me and said: “Go and tell what you have seen. The riders prepare, the horses are ready, and soon they will descend, soon they will be loosed. (The four seal judgments opened by Jesus in Rev 6:1-8. The Tribulation starts with the Man-child judge, followed by War, Famine, and Death.) Remember what you have witnessed, and do not hold back a single word. Soon they descend on wings of fury; soon turmoil will shake earth's very foundation. Prepare yourself, for many will fall and few will stand. Fulfillment is at hand; go and speak what you have seen and what you have heard. The Kingdom awaits the righteous, the holy will soon see the Lord.” I only realized I was still holding his hand when he let go of mine, and suddenly I was back in my bed, sitting up, fully awake. I am still unsure whether or not it was a dream, or if 'dream' is the right word for it, but for simplicity's sake, I will call it a dream. I tried to go back to sleep but could not, vividly remembering the sorrowful look on the faces of the angels who were leading the horses out of the stables. It seems the world is seeing what the church is refusing to acknowledge, the fact that we are on the cusp of great upheaval not only in this nation, but also throughout the world. These are the days of which the prophets spoke, the days of which Christ warned, the time of distress, of sifting and of separation. My prayer is that we remember always, our hope is in the Lord, and He is faithful to those who are faithful to Him. If one word stands out from this entire dream, it is the word 'prepare' and we must do so with diligence. The children of God must steel themselves for what is coming, prepare their hearts and settle within their soul that the day in which we will have to stand for truth is soon approaching.   The Four 'People Bombs' Cheri Watson - 11/01/2007 (David's notes in red) I had a dream in the early morning hours, while it was still dark. Actually, this was the timing in the dream as well. In the dream, there were two planes headed towards the east, and both were flying over water. On the wings of both planes, there were bombs filled with people, not explosives, and under the belly of each plane, there was a real bomb. The plane on the left shot off the two 'people bombs' first. Then shortly after, the bomb on the belly of the plane. The people hit the water first and then the bomb. I didn't “see” any repercussions from the first bomb, but I knew there was a lot of devastation that I couldn't see. Then the people were shot out of the second plane, and then again shortly after, the second bomb from the belly of the plane was shot off. (I wasn't sure how I fit into the dream... I seemed to be in the second plane because I witnessed the first set of bombs go off and then I ended up in the water after the second set of 'people bombs' were set off. I don't know if this has any relevance.) Now, in the water, I was looking towards the sky, and I saw the second bomb headed for the water. I knew I had to get out of the water quickly, and I woke up saying, “It's happening too quickly! It's happening too quickly!!!” I hadn't slept well for the last three nights and awoke this morning very tired. I wasn't sure what the dream meant, so I prayed for the Holy Spirit to recall to my memory what I needed to remember of this dream and its interpretation. Then I sat down at my computer and I saw that Michael Boldea had had a recent dream... (shared above), my heart started pounding and I knew I had to read it. When I read the highlighted portion in red of Michael's dream, I felt a confirmation in the Spirit about the interpretation of my dream. The four “people” bombs (on the wings of the plane) represented the four horse judgments. The two “real” bombs attached to the bellies of the planes reminded me of the two attacks yet to come upon America (as given in Michael's dream of the eagle and the serpents) ... the first was 9/11, the second two are yet to come. The Lord showed me years ago that the horses represent the harnessed flesh of the beasts of lost humanity that will bring devastation to the earth. This is in agreement with Cheri's dream of bombs of people bringing this devastation. Cheri having to get out of the waters of humanity after the fourth 'people bomb' hits or the fourth horse is released is very scriptural. (Rev.17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  Cheri and all saints must come out of the Babylonish Harlot before her judgments for they will be taking the mark of the beast during the last half of the Tribulation.  (Rev 18:4)  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:    White Horse Prepared for Rider Linda L. Gray - 09/29/2016 (David's notes in red) I had this dream where I was inside my home when I noticed an unusual white cloud formation through one of my windows. To get a better look at the cloud formation, I went outside. It was a clear blue sky with no clouds elsewhere but this particular large formation in front of my house. (Nothing else will be more significant concerning changes in the world for God's people.) Within the formation of clouds, I saw a white horse. (The Man-child reformers who live above this evil world in heavenly places by abiding IN Christ. Eph.2: 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: The Man-child body as a cloud will water the earth with the Word of God because he is manifestly seated with Christ in heavenly places. The rest of the Church has not yet manifested this place and is not chosen to be in the Man-child body of people.) There was no rider on the horse that I could see as the clouds kept going around the horse, making it difficult to get a clearer view. Psa.48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (The white horse is the Man-child head of Zion, the Bride, as John was told in Revelation. The rider is the Lord who reigns over the Man-child body but not yet the Church. All of the horses in the seals of Revelation 6 are white (representing holiness conquering the Beast), red (war), black (famine and economic collapse) and pale (death and Hades). The horses represent the flesh of men who serve the spirit and leadership that rides them and rules over them. All of these horses are people who bring these judgments to the world. When they are empowered, they will have riders upon them. The first rider is the Lord of His first-fruits Man-child body who will reign over the world and the Church.  At the time of this dream, this first rider is not yet reigning the horse, which comes with the Man-child's anointing. Rev.1:7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds (Notice: Jesus will come with the clouds or white horse Man-child body.); and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen. (This verse has a more literal interpretation at the end of the tribulation, but it accurately describes in the Spirit what will happen when the white horse rider, Jesus in the Man-child body, leads the other horse judgments in the earth, which is exactly what Moses the Man-child did. He brought the other judgments. “He cometh with clouds”. The Gematria for “clouds” here is 144 x 10. 144 is the number of the Man-child and 10 is the number of the Word or law he obeys and teaches. “Were purchased from among men to be first-fruits” is verse 14:4. Notice the verse number 144. Rev.14:1 And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. 4 These are they that were not defiled with women (sects or denominations); for they are virgins (not having received the seed or word of man). These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. Both Jesus and Jesus in the Man-child, as a repeat of history, fit this. Psa.118:22 The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner.) Circling the outer perimeter of the cloud formation was a large plane, which apparently had seen this formation and was trying to get a better view. (Jesus, the Man-child was circled by a large group of people, as would be in a large plane, who wanted His holy teaching to live above the world. The white horse is typed by Mordecai, Moses, Joseph, David, Soloman, Jesus and many more. These were all reigned over by Jesus. This was a judgment on Egypt, as a type of the world. Each of these men and many like them led the Bride, and through them the Church, to freedom and power. Each of these also brought judgments on the Beast body, as a type of the world Beast body of seven heads and ten horns.) I (as a type of the Bride) was very excited and wanted a photo of the beautiful white horse, so I went inside my house to retrieve my cell phone. When I came back outside, the airspace was filled with war planes covering the entire field of vision, flying in a grid formation heading from south to north. It looked like a tic-tac-toe-type grid with the planes in perfect formation. (After the white horse body of the Man-child comes to conquer in Rev 6:2 comes war in verses 3&4. (Rev 6:2)  And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. 3  And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. 4  And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.  And after the Man-child was caught up to heavenly authority and the physical war came there was naturally a spiritual war with it. Rev.12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. And the Dragon or Satan was cast down to rule over his world body of seven heads and 10 horns, which is beaten by He who “came with the clouds”, the Man-child, and saints in whom the Lord lives. Jesus in the Man-child reformers, will conquer the world beast. Dan.7:13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. ... 22 until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. The dream then ended. (Whatever was in the clouds, the powers that be didn't like, and they were ready to wage war against it.) (Yes, the powers that be are the head of the Dragon body on earth. They are Satanists whom we are casting down.)   White Horse Vision M. L. - 03/28/2014 (David's notes in red) During our Friday night meeting, while singing “The Battle Belongs to the Lord” the final time, I had the following vision: The Lord was riding a white horse but I was only seeing the side area of the horse's head, near the mane. The mane was blowing back and I heard the snorting of the horse. I saw the Lord from mid-chest up in a white garment. In His strong, muscular right arm, He held the reins in a tight grip, showing His control. His mantle was blowing in the wind and He took His free hand and gave it a quick motion of throwing it back out of His way. He had the look of stern determination. {Rev.6:1} And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come. {2} And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. Following this are the horses of war, famine and death. He said to me, “Do you have any doubt that I can take care of your enemies, to deliver you from all bondages and heal all your diseases? I have already done this!” The verses that came to my mind were: {Isa.59:16} And He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede; then His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him. {17} He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. {18} According to their deeds, so He will repay, wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; To the coastlands He will make recompense. {19} So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of Jehovah driveth. {20} And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah. {21} And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith Jehovah: my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever. And continuing in chapter {60:1} Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. {2} For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. {3} And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. {4} Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. {5} Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee.   The Immature and the White Horse Warrior G. M. - 08/21/2015 (David's notes in red) This dream began with me being in an apartment complex. (This is a type of Christianity as a whole at this time, except that its growth into a holy temple is stunted. {Eph.2:21} in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; {22} in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. The structure was not a large building, but small, simple units that were joined, but at different levels, because they were built on the side of a hill in a heavily wooded area. (I thought the apartment complex could speak of those [Christians] we share God's Word with and not all are of the same maturity.) The canopy of the trees overhead didn't allow much sunlight to come through, so it was shady. (Meaning they did not allow the light of the Son into their hearts. Many of God's people live in darkness, indoctrinated by idolatrous religious leaders and systems that are against the glorious light being offered by the Lord's ministers. Pray for them, saints. This will change.) I felt there were more adults in this complex (but they must keep a low profile, being weak to the weak, or they will not be able to be useful), but I was only seeing children (representing spiritual immaturity). The apartment that I was in was dimly lit, as all the curtains were closed. (The immature with a religious spirit are closed to more light than what they have in their idolatrous minds. Immaturity is not a sin; we have all been there, but perpetual immaturity imposed by the false prophets is.) I wanted to let some light in, so I opened a curtain toward the back of the apartment. (We have to get around their flesh, the house, to get into their spiritual man, subtly trying to get some light in that will dispel the darkness and manifest Christ in their lives. Sometimes it takes a shaking to bring the fear of the Lord and break through all the fairy tales so they can see they are vulnerable and will not fly away.) There was a chain-linked dog kennel right next to the house with a black Doberman and two smaller dogs or puppies with long curly black hair that were racing back and forth and yipping loudly. (Dogs in the kennel symbolized demonic spirits that were bound.) There was a larger dog on the outside of the kennel, looking at those inside the kennel. I was unaware of the dogs until I opened the curtain. I closed it immediately. (Demonic influence from leadership and immature peer pressure, all of whom are in bondage, toward those in darkness, which the house represents. The larger dog outside of their particular bondage represents the principality overseeing their bondage.) One of the little girls wanted to ride a horse, so we headed out to the pasture. (I only remember having the thought to go to the pasture and we were there.) Before our eyes was the most magnificent white horse that, in my estimation, stood 20 feet tall. (This is the white horse of Revelation. It is not the kind of horse that little girls ride. We have been shown that little girls represent those who are not mature, who are incapable to receive or sow the seed of the Word of God. Only Jesus in the warrior body of the Man-child will be mature enough to ride this horse. The Man-child receives this position by grace, but Jesus in anybody is awesome!) With a short explanation, I can share with you a revelation that will show how God will deal with the immature and rebellious Church to wake them up. In Genesis 48:19, Ephraim was called in Hebrew the “multitude of nations” (meaning “Gentiles”) and represents the Church. Ephraim was the second son of Joseph, who was one of the clearest types of Jesus in the Bible. Jesus, like Joseph, had two sons: Israel and the Church. Joseph's second-born, Ephraim, represents the Church, which received the Lord as their leader that would have been given to Manasseh, the first-born, who represents natural Israel. It will take a combination of judgment and the latter rain outpouring on a new leadership, the Man-child, to awaken the Church when the Lord returns, first manifested in the Man-child through the latter rain anointing. In type for this, Jesus was first to receive the former rain anointing. According to Joel, this will be poured out on the Church in our day, who mostly haven't received this. Here is that story: {Hos.5:14} For I will be unto Ephraim [the Church] as a lion [a full-grown lion, the Lord, the Lion of Judah!], and as a young lion [not as fearsome] to the house of Judah [so-called “spirit-filled” Christianity]: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and there shall be none to deliver.  Jesus will chasten His apostate people of Christianity, just as they were under the Roman Empire in Jesus' day. {15} I will go and return to my place [which He did], till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly. Affliction is coming to those under man and false Christianity instead of God. {6:1} Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. {2} After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. {3} And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. Back to the dream. The warrior on this horse showed confidence and authority. (Which Jesus does. The latter rain-anointed Man-child Jesus will reign over the white horse, which will have manifested His name, meaning “nature, character and authority”.) The rider was wearing a silver helmet, like what I remember Roman soldiers wore. (Armor, like was in the Church in the time of Jesus, who had all the armor on, which pertains to putting on the Word, whom Jesus is. The silver helmet represents a mind that cannot be corrupted by Satan's arrows or his ministers.) He had a very long sword in his hand and was wearing a brilliant red robe that came down all the way to the ground. This was a very spectacular sight, as this scene was bursting with brightness. (The long sword represents His ability to reach all nations with judgment and to defend the saints. We are told in Isaiah 63 that His garments are stained with the blood of the Edomites, Esau's seed, who sold their birthright because of a root of bitterness against Israel, representing the true Church. {Isa.63:1} Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah [meaning sheepfold]? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. {2} Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? {3} I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment. The little girl and I were in awe of what was before us but I felt no fear. (This is a picture that will be replayed many times: the wise bringing the immature to Jesus over His Man-child warriors, who will give them the help they need.) After a while, the little girl took my hand and said she wanted to ride this horse. (This is a good desire but the crucified life comes first. Many want to be in this Man-child but are not willing to pay the price to lay down their lives to take up Jesus' life, the life of the Word.) Then I woke up. The scripture that was shared earlier that night from Revelation 19:11-13 gave an accurate description of the horse and rider that I saw. (This is Jesus who comes at the end of the tribulation in the day of the Lord's wrath to administer judgment to the Beast and False Prophet, who have crucified the saints. {Rev.19:11} And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. {12} And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. {13} And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. This is Jesus reigning over the Man-child reformers with many crowns, for He conquers all kings and takes their crowns. {11:15} And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever. This is a picture of Jesus as the white horse rider, who comes to conquer the enemies of God's kingdom. {Rev.6:1} And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come. {2} And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. This is Jesus reigning over the corporate first fruits with one crown, symbolizing the unity of this corporate body to rule.) The Man-child ministry, in whom Jesus lives by His Word and Spirit, are the Revelation 6:2 white horse rider. Here are types of Man-children that were given this authority over the nations to speak and act for God: {Dan.2:46} Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him. {47} The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou hast been able to reveal this secret. {48} Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon. (We have dreams that the Man-child will rule as President.) {Jer.1:9} Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth: {10} see, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant. {Gen.41:39} And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all of this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou: {40} thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. {41} And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. I was given two scriptures by random: Isaiah 44:12 and Psalm 106:33. I felt led to read all of both chapters, as they brought out the strongholds of idolatry and rebellion that are rampant in America, but also God's promises to His people. Here they are in a portion of each text, and they fit the dream very well: {Isa.44:1} Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant, and Israel, who I have chosen: {2} Thus saith Jehovah that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. {3} For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: {4} and they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses... {8} Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have I not declared unto thee of old, and showed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any. {9} They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame. {10} Who hath fashioned a god, or molten an image that is profitable for nothing? {11} Behold, all his fellows shall be put to shame; and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; they shall fear, they shall be put to shame together. {12} The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint. {21} Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. {22} I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. {23} Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. {Psa.106:6} We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. {7} Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; They remembered not the multitude of thy lovingkindnesses, But were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea. {8} Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, That he might make his mighty power to be known. {9} He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up: So he led them through the depths, as through a wilderness. {10} And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. {11} And the waters covered their adversaries; There was not one of them left. {12} Then believed they his words; They sang his praise. {13} They soon forgat his works; They waited not for his counsel, {14} But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert. {15} And he gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul. {16} They envied Moses also in the camp, And Aaron the saint of Jehovah. {17} The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And covered the company of Abiram. {18} And a fire was kindled in their company; The flame burned up the wicked. {19} They made a calf in Horeb, And worshipped a molten image. {20} Thus they changed their glory For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass. {21} They forgat God their Saviour, Who had done great things in Egypt, {22} Wondrous works in the land of Ham, And terrible things by the Red Sea. {23} Therefore he said that he would destroy them, Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. {24} Yea, they despised the pleasant land, They believed not his word, {25} But murmured in their tents, And hearkened not unto the voice of Jehovah. {26} Therefore he sware unto them, That he would overthrow them in the wilderness, {27} And that he would overthrow their seed among the nations, And scatter them in the lands. {28} They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead. {29} Thus they provoked him to anger with their doings; And the plague brake in upon them. {30} Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment; And so the plague was stayed. {31} And that was reckoned unto him for righteousness, Unto all generations for evermore. {32} They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; {33} Because they were rebellious against his spirit, And he spake unadvisedly with his lips. {34} They did not destroy the peoples, As Jehovah commanded them, {35} But mingled themselves with the nations, And learned their works, {36} And served their idols, Which became a snare unto them. {37} Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons, {38} And shed innocent blood, Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood. {39} Thus were they defiled with their works, And played the harlot in their doings. {40} Therefore was the wrath of Jehovah kindled against his people, And he abhorred his inheritance. {41} And he gave them into the hand of the nations; And they that hated them ruled over them. {42} Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand. {43} Many times did he deliver them; But they were rebellious in their counsel, And were brought low in their iniquity. {44} Nevertheless he regarded their distress, When he heard their cry: {45} And he remembered for them his covenant, And repented according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. {46} He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captive. {47} Save us, O Jehovah our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks unto thy holy name, And to triumph in thy praise. {48} Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye Jehovah.   Pray for the Man-child Anointing Eve Brast - 12/22/2015 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that David looked just like Jesus, but it was David on the inside. (This represents the works of Jesus manifested in the David Man-child body.) He was dressed in a white, seamless garment. (White implies purity and seamless implies not manmade, which means no works of the flesh.) He was going around healing all these sick people. They were all desperate and begging for him to heal them. (This is just as it was when Jesus came the first time. Now He is coming through the Word of God and latter rain anointing manifested in the Man-child Ministry.) The next part I remember is that I was in a log cabin (the wilderness tribulation) where we were having a UBM meeting. I was sitting on the floor waiting for everything to start when Michael Hare came up to me. He was smiling and had light shining in his eyes. He presented something to me that he was holding between his thumb and forefinger. I looked at it and it looked white and fluffy. I asked him, “What is it?” and almost immediately I answered my own question: “Manna!” I exclaimed. I took it and ate it right away. After this, I felt power enter into me and I knew that the Father would give me whatever I asked of Him in prayer. (When Michael gives to Eve, representing the Bride, the Manna from Heaven, she is empowered. The manna came in the wilderness and represented the Word of God. {Joh.6:49} Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. {50} This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. {51} I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. {1:14} And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. Notice, He did not say if you confess Jesus as your personal Savior, but when you devour His Word, you will have eternal life. When this manna Word is manifest in you, you receive your requests. {Joh.15:7} If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.) (I asked Father for a word concerning Michael [meaning, “who is like God”], giving me the manna, and received Ezekiel 18:9. In context: {Eze.18:7} if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, {8} if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, {9} if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully - he is righteous and will surely live, declares the Lord GOD.) (Basically, we are seeing here that a faithful servant of the Lord who keeps His Word will be able to give the manna Word from Heaven to the Bride.) Then I got up and went over to a table and sat down with my hands clasped together and started to pray. (She was now asking God for everything by faith. :o) Then David came over to me (looking like David again) and placed a small handful of bread crumbs on the table before me. He said, “Eve, I need you to pray for me”. (“Looking like David again” means before the Davids look like Jesus and do all His healings and works mentioned above. In this state they need prayer to do those greater works. The crumbs on the table represent the minor works being handed out now. {Mat.15:27} But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. So the Man-child Davids need prayer for the anointing.) He said this in a very calm and serious way. He then walked off to the right into another part of the log cabin. I then took a white cloth and scooped the bread crumbs onto it and held it between my hands as I began to pray in earnest for David. (Praying for the crumbs to become whole. ;o) (I asked Father for a verse for David, asking me to pray for him, and received through faith, {Psa.89:27} I also will make him [the Davids] my first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth. I believe this is saying to pray earnestly for the Man-child's [kingly] anointing.) (In context here is what was spoken to David: {Psa 89:19} Then thou spakest in vision to thy saints, And saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. {20} I have found David my servant; With my holy oil have I anointed him: {21} With whom my hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him. {22} The enemy shall not exact from him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. {23} And I will beat down his adversaries before him, And smite them that hate him. {24} But my faithfulness and my lovingkindness shall be with him; And in my name shall his horn be exalted. {25} I will set his hand also on the sea, And his right hand on the rivers. {26} He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation. {27} I also will make him my first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth.) Then I asked Father, “Why did David ask me to pray for him? I received Psalm 119:90, and my finger was on the words “Thy faithfulness”. (Those who are in the Bride will be faithful to keep His commandments and will receive power with God to do His works.) (If we take only the words pointed out, it would speak of the Bride's faithfulness being a reason her prayers are heard for the Man-childs anointing. If we look at the text, it speaks of God's faithfulness to keep His Word.) {Psa.119:89} LAMEDH. For ever, O Jehovah, Thy word is settled in heaven. {90} Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. (Both fit the circumstances of the dream pretty well.) Pray for me, brethren. I desire to be one of the faithful Davids for the body and have been told by the Lord I would be, but every promise is fulfilled by His grace for our faithfulness, which is a gift from God. It is all by grace. (From our book, Hidden Manna For the End Times)   THE WHITE HORSE RIDER? (Rev.6:1) And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come. (2) And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. The white horse rider is Christ reigning on a modern-day body of believers called the Man-child. Jesus came at the start of the first 3 1/2 years of the disciples' tribulation, and the Man-child will come at the beginning of the first 3 1/2 years of the end-time Tribulation. Why must this be the first seal judgment? (1Pet.4:17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if [it begin] first at us, what [shall be] the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? Just as the Man-child Jesus brought the unleavened bread of the truth, confirmed with signs and wonders, which made Israel and her leaders responsible to repent or be judged, so it will be with the end-time Man-child and spiritual Israel. (Joh.9:39) And Jesus said, For judgment came I into this world, that they that see not may see; and that they that see may become blind. Simeon prophesied that the Man-child Jesus would cause both the reprobation of some and the grafting in of others. (Luk.2:34) ...Behold, this [child] is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against. Jesus was also a “sign” that the end-time Man-child would bring the same judgment. As it was with Jesus and Judaism, the Man-child will be “spoken against” by the apostate “Christians”. Moses, as a man-child, brought the Law, which held the rebels responsible and brought judgment. (Rom.4:15) For the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. What does the “white horse” represent? As the mind of man uses his body as a beast of burden to do his work, so the horse is harnessed as a beast of burden to do his work. The horse represents the body God uses to do His work. (Psa.147:10) He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man. This verse could well fit the other horse riders in Revelation 6, but to ride a “white” horse symbolizes completely harnessing the strength of your body and mind to do “righteous” work. The horse carries the rider like the “legs of a man” carry the Man-child. Overcomers ride white horses because their body submits to the spiritual man who submits to the Holy Spirit. The Man-child will be the First-fruits of Jesus ruling the white horse in our day, and the elect of the Woman will also follow their Lord on white horses to finish off the judgment after the Tribulation. (Rev.19:11) And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (14) And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white [and] pure. Just as the latter rain outpouring of the Spirit on the Man-child will harness his body as a white horse, so through the next three seal judgments, evil spirits will ride upon the beast of the flesh of men to bring these curses upon the earth. The difference between the Man-child and the rest of the riders is that he is the one who looses these judgments as did Jesus, Moses, and Jeremiah. (Rev.6:3) And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. (4) And another [horse] came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (5) And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. (6) And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling (famine); and the oil and the wine hurt thou not. (7) And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come. (8) And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth. Remember that Jesus said, “I have given you authority...over all the power of the enemy” (Luk.10:19). Authority in this case is the right to use the power of the demons. Twice Paul, by the power of the name of Jesus, delivered sinners over to Satan for chastening so that they would repent and be saved. (1Cor.5:4) In the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, (5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. The Man-child will exercise “authority” and pass it on to the Woman to bring the same “sword”, “famine”, and “death” to those who return evil for good, in order to save a remnant of God's people from them. Much of this will happen after the mark of the beast when these people cannot be saved. Jeremiah was a type of the Man-child who loosed the judgments to come. (Jer.18:20) Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them. (21) Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, [and] their young men smitten of the sword in battle. Moses and Samuel represent the same type of the Man-child whose words and teachings to the Woman will bring forth the same judgments. (15:1) Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. (2) And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity. Jesus, in His First-fruits Man-child, will send forth the disciples with the Word of God to bring the above judgments on the world. (Rev.6:2) And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. Notice that He has “a bow” but no arrows, meaning they have been sent forth. “Apostle” means “one sent forth”. As Jesus was from Judah and sent forth His twelve apostles and then the seventy disciples, so the Man-child is spiritually a corporate body from Judah and will be the “bow” that sends forth these “arrows”. (Zec.9:13) For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim (Ephraim was called in Hebrew the “fulness of nations [Gentiles]” in Genesis 48:19 and represents the Woman or Church of all nations.); and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece (beast kingdom), and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man. (14) And the Lord shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning.... (15) The Lord of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour.... As Jesus' disciples went forth to conquer the mind of the beast that ruled over the elect of God, so will the Man-child's disciples. (Psa.127:3) Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord; [And] the fruit of the womb is [his] reward. (4) As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. Jesus' disciples, whom He sent out like arrows, were His “children of youth” for He has had many since then. He called His disciples “children” in Joh.13:33; 21:5. In Isaiah's prophecy of the coming of Jesus as Immanuel, He called His disciples His “children” in Isa.7:14; 8:16,18. The worldwide Man-child will send forth the disciple arrows to conquer the flesh, the Beast, and the devil. (Psa.127:5) Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate. The disciple arrows will go forth to conquer the “enemies in the gate” of the kingdom with the spoken Word. Jesus, Who was the Light and called His disciples “sons of light” in Joh.12:36, also said that the light would bring judgment when men denied it. (Joh.3:19) And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. The Man-child and the disciple arrows will once more bring the light of truth, which will judge the world. This judgment will begin at the house of God and spread outward. As it was with Jesus, those who reject the light will be reprobated, while those who accept it will be the “sons of light”. Like the Man-child, Jesus spoke the judgment that the god of this world, who blinds the minds of the unbelieving, carried out. (Mat.13:14) And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive. The white horse rider will bring truth, which is the foundation for all judgment. Remember that Moses, who was the white horse of his day, brought all the judgments on Egypt. In fulfillment of that type, the Man-child will lead all the other judgment horses of Revelation 6 against the world. In her book Prepare for the Winds of Change II, chapter 1, Nita Johnson relates her vision describing the white horse rider's ministry. You will notice that it is the Word that goes forth from the anointed teachers of the end times, as they call the elect out of Babylon, and brings judgment or delivers from it. My notes are in parentheses. On January 10, 1990, I was granted a visitation by an angel. When I first saw this majestic being, I was awe-struck by his beauty, his power, and his obvious authority. He was dressed in a white garb resembling an old Roman military uniform. (This is the Roman armor spoken of in Ephesians 6:13-17 during the time of the worldwide Roman Empire.) His belt and type of breastplate were of gold. His whole appearance seemed to glow with the glow of heaven itself. He was riding an equally beautiful and powerful white war-horse. Both horse and rider were very large. The horse was much larger than any horse you and I would ever have occasion to see here on earth. It was indeed obvious that this incredible being was one of God's higher-ranking dignitaries. (The large size of the white horse implies a corporate body of people whose bodies have become submissive beasts of burden, or in other words, they have a holy walk. Since angelos is the Greek word for messenger, this large messenger represents Jesus on the corporate body of the Man-child.) I was frightened by the sight of him and would soon find myself quite distressed over his message to us. I first saw him as he rode this incredible white war-horse down what could have been any street in a typical subdivision anywhere in America. He was carrying a huge sword in his hand (This represents the spoken Word of God in Heb.4:12). This Instrument was actually long enough to be a lance, but its shape was that of a sword. With it, he would touch the roof of the houses on either side of the road out of every two or three he passed, thereby bringing judgment. He would declare, “Let the judgment fall from the greatest to the least of the unrepentant”. I then found myself standing at the end of this same street, watching intently and fearfully as this illustrious angel moved down the street in my direction. After every house that he cursed, he would proclaim warnings, as it were into the streets. “Great judgment is coming to the lovers of this world. Those unrepentant and cripplers of the children - fear!” Again and again, he would exclaim, “Babylon is falling! Come out; come out of her my children. Take nothing with you; only the clothes on your back and don't begrudge the cost. Judgment is coming at midnight. The hour is 11:55! I say don't mourn the loss, only come away: Come out of her. Run from the daughter of wickedness! Time is at an end. Judgment is sure...”, this he would cry out over and over again, as one would imagine a town crier doing, such as Paul Revere of old. He came to a standstill in front of me, sitting on his horse he spoke with me, giving me a great deal of instruction. Calling me by name, he said, “Nita, warn the people. Warn the people of the earth that judgment is coming at midnight, and the hour is even now 11:55. Everywhere tell them to heed the teachers. Heed my anointed, for their counsel is sure, and is the way of safety and life. Counsel is coming from behind the veil. Among other things, counsel concerning spiritual warfare. Government is again coming to the Church, and God is bringing forth the mighty men of valor to lead the Church forth in war. Tell my people; Heed the teachers, for their counsel is sure and will provide safety in treacherous time. Heed the prophets and apostles, heed my anointed, for their counsel is sure and a way of safety and life. (Jesus, as the Man-child was called Teacher, Prophet, and Apostle.) God will be lifting up specially anointed teachers, prophets of the Most High. They will be given the rod of government. They will carry the sword (as this angel does in type), bringing separation and judgment and will be healers of great breaches among My own. (They will be used to bring the true flock into one accord with their one Shepherd, Jesus, as He prophesied.) They will prepare the saints with battle strategy and equip them with the power of a mighty warrior, bearing the anointing to spoil. (They will bring judgment on the Beast and Harlot systems.) Heaven's government is coming in to separate, heal and lead out into strategic battle. These prophets will be teachers who will be given counsel from behind the veil. Counsel of superior wisdom and strategy for safety, unity and spiritual warfare. They will be taken into the secret counsel of the Most High to obtain what must be diligently taught to the elect. This counsel will provide safety in treacherous times. Don't mourn, only heed the voice of the Spirit of counsel and might. Tell my people to heed the coming anointed ones, tell them to prepare!” From that point, he began to share many things. He gave much instruction, much information and much warning. He finally told me I would find further understanding of these things in the book of Zechariah. “Study it, understand it, let the Holy Spirit give you much enlightenment in it”, he instructed. In closing, he said one more time, “Go forth now and tell the people of the earth. Warn them judgment is coming and it's sure.” Then he left, and I was alone in my room. Jesus manifested in these anointed apostolic teachers and prophets will be the foundation for God's plan to “restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, a faithful town” (Isa.1:26). One more thing: I believe there is a parallel interpretation     of the White Horse Rider and his White Horse. That is the rider is Jesus in the Man-child and the white horse is their submissive and holy body. For instance, Jesus' body was submissive to His spirit man as is so with the Man-child body. I have taught this elsewhere.

Cities Church Sermons
Jesus Is Different

Cities Church Sermons

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025


Something we've seen over the last few weeks is that this original audience badly misunderstands Jesus.Going back to Chapter 7, we saw it first with the brothers of Jesus and then we saw it with the crowd in Jerusalem — The Jewish people, led by the Pharisees, are incredibly lost when it comes to who Jesus is; they're walking in darkness — the metaphor that will come up soon in Chapter 9 is blindness.But that's what's happening in Chapter 8! — the people are spiritually blind.And … at the same time … Jesus is different.It is the people's own problem that they can't see Jesus, but Jesus is also unlike any person they've ever met before. And that's what I want us to focus on today.We've talked enough about the Pharisees — this morning I want to show you in this passage three ways that Jesus is different. It has to do with his judgment, his origin, and his mission. And this matters for us because these three differences will guide us in our worship of Jesus and our devotion to him. Let's pray:Father in heaven, thank you for your Word, and for this moment. As best as we can, by your Spirit's help, we surrender our hearts to his work. Speak to us, in Jesus's name, amen.Three ways Jesus is different …1. His judgment is not like ours.To start, remember last week in verse 12 Jesus said that he's the light of the world, but then the Pharisees ignore what he says and try to make the whole thing a legal dispute.They said that Jesus was out of bounds to bear witness about himself, but Jesus says that's not really the case because he never does anything by himself — that's not how he works. And just like that, this dialogue presents an opportunity for Jesus to explain how different he is.So in verse 15 he says,“You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.”Now wait a minute: How can Jesus say that? We know he judges. He's gonna say in verse 26 (just a few verses away) that he has “much to judge.” He said back in Chapter 5 that the Father has given him authority to execute judgment (5:27); And he describes his judgment as just and right and true (5:30; 7:24; 8:16). So what does he mean when he says “I judge no one”? According to the FleshWell, he means it in contrast to how people judge “according to the flesh” — Jesus is saying “I judge no one like that.” Remember, we've already seen that wrong judgment is a problem for the people.This goes back to Chapter 5 when the Jews didn't like it that Jesus healed that man on the Sabbath. And in Chapter 7, Jesus refers back to that incident and he tells the people You're seeing it all wrong. Chapter 7, verse 24 …“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”Judging by appearances (ch. 7), and judging according to the flesh (ch. 8), are basically the same thing. And that's the problem. This kind of judgment is judgment based on the limited perspective of fallible humans.So catch this. This human judgment has two things going against it: one is that the lens is limited; the other is that the eyes looking through the lens are fallible.I imagine this to be kind of like those mounted binoculars you find on a fishing pier. (Y'all have seen these before, either on piers at the ocean or somewhere else that has a scenic view.) You pop a quarter in and you can look through these binoculars, but they're limited. You're constricted in how far you can turn the thing. And you can see a part of the ocean, but not the whole ocean, and then the time runs out.Well, judgment according to the flesh is like that, except also the person looking through the binoculars is legally blind (we're all like Mr. Magoo…).This is judgment according to the flesh — it's limited and fallible — and the twist here is that Jesus is not addressing this problem of judgment because of how people treat other people, but this has to do with how they see him.It's About JesusI want to make sure you catch this …There are moral implications when it comes to human judgment and how we treat one another, but that is not Jesus's first concern here.The bigger problem with broken human judgment is that it's what's keeping people from recognizing who Jesus is!We see this problem all throughout the Gospel of John:“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (1:46)“Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” (6:42)“How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” (7:15)“Is the Christ to come from Galilee?” (7:41)See, the people were spiritually blind to Jesus. Blindness TodayAnd it's not just a problem with this original audience, but this has been a problem throughout history. This is part of the Christian story — because, according to the flesh, the Christian message is not very impressive.We believe that the Savior of the world is a Jewish peasant who had a three-year teaching ministry in First Century Palestine until the Roman governor had him brutally murdered. No wonder why that at the time that John wrote this Gospel people called this silly! According to the flesh it is silly… by human appearances it's foolishness. But this just means that the only way we can recognize Jesus is if we start seeing beyond what's natural to us.John tells us from the start: We must be born again — not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13).To see Jesus we have to start seeing the way he sees. His judgment is not like ours.2. His origin is not from here. We're going to pick this up in verse 23. But in verse 21, Jesus has acted as a prophet and pronounced a coming judgment, and the Jews are baffled by this. They mock Jesus in verse 22. Then, verse 23: He [Jesus] said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”See how plainly he puts this? Jesus is saying I'm different.He's saying to this crowd: We are from and of different realms of reality — just wait and see what he says next week!Setting the SceneBut then Jesus says something here in verse 24 that gets their attention. He sobers ‘em up real quick, and it comes through in their question in verse 25.Everybody find verse 25. Y'all are gonna want to see this one. Verse 25. Chapter 8, verse 25:So they said to him, “Who are you?”Now, I want to back up for a minute and set this scene for you. I'm gonna describe how this might have looked (I need a little poetic license) …Verse 21 opens: Jesus is talking to a small crowd, and you gotta imagine they're basically heckling him. It's one of those group-think moments when people bond over their shared criticism. Y'all ever see that before?You can picture it — they're twisting his words and making their jokes. That's verse 22 — they say: Hey, what's this guy gonna do, kill himself? And the crowd busts out laughing, and as the laughter's dying down, Jesus says something that makes them instantly shut up and get serious. It's like the music just goes errrr — silence. And they say: “Who are you?”That's the scene.So I wanna know: What did Jesus say in verse 24 to cause that question? Let's look at verse 24:“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”What part of these words stopped the crowd in their tracks? Face-to-Face with I AMNow, it could have been that Jesus told them they're gonna die in their sins. That's pretty serious, but it's not new. Jesus said that in verse 21, and he says it twice here. I think the bombshell in verse 24 is when Jesus says “unless you believe that I am he … you will die in your sins…”That's because the words here, “I am he,” in the Greek, is the ἐγώ εἰμι — which literally translates as I AM.And this crowd has heard those words before. They know about the I AM. They know the Book of Exodus, and the story of the burning bush. They've heard the Book of Isaiah, when God speaks and says:Isaiah 41:4,“Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am.” Isaiah 43:13,“… from ancient days I am; No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” (NIV)Isaiah 43:25,“I am, I am the one who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 48:12,“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am! I am the first, and I am the last.”These people knew Who said these words in the Book of Isaiah. And here Jesus is saying unless you believe I am the I AM, you'll die in your sins. And they're floored. They take a big gulp, and they say:For real, who are you?And Jesus says: I've been trying to telling you. It's what I've been saying from the beginning.The Big BeginningAnd this first audience hears Jesus say “beginning” and they think he's talking about when their conversation started, but we as the readers, we see that word “beginning” and we think back to John 1:1, to how this Gospel started:“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”He was in the beginning with God.This is what Jesus meant in verse 23 when he said I am from above and I am not from this world. Jesus's origin is not like ours because he had no origin, not as the eternally begotten Son of God. He has always been … Ultimate Reality, the Great First Cause, the Unmoved Mover. He is from everlasting to everlasting … Of old he laid the foundations of the world, and the heavens are the work of his hands! They will perish, but he will remain! They will all wear out like a garment, he will change them like a robe and they will pass away! But he is the same and his years have no end! (see Psalm 102:25–27; Hebrews 1:10–12).Church, Jesus is different — if you can see him. Jesus is different. His origin is not from here.3. His mission is not by himself. This is verse 28: So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. There will come a moment when Jesus's identity as the I AM will be most manifest, and ironically, it'll be a moment that these unbelievers bring about. It'll be when they lift him up. To Be Lifted UpIn the Gospel of John, when Jesus talks this way, he's talking about the cross. To “be lifted up” has a double meaning — it's another example of the layers in John — Jesus will be “lifted up” literally on the cross, to die — And he'll also be lifted up as in he's exalted and glorified in the cross event which culminates in resurrection.Both are in view.And when Jesus is lifted up, literally, on the cross, that's a moment that by appearances — according to the flesh — it looks like the worst kind of defeat. He was crucified! But that was actually the moment when the I AM blots out the transgressions of his people! So, what is most atrocious to human eyes is the greatest divine miracle ever displayed. That is the mission of Jesus. That's why he came. And he came, Jesus tells us, in collaboration with his Father. Collaborating with the FatherThat's what he says in verse 28. His mission is not a solo endeavor, but the Father is involved. Jesus has talked this way before: John 4:34,“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”John 5:19,“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.”John 6:38,“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”So Jesus didn't come on a self-directed mission — he was not sent by himself — And he also didn't come by himself. Look at verse 29: “And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”Now, in what way is the Father with Jesus? How has the Father not left Jesus alone?Theologically, the right answer is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is how the Father was with Jesus in his earthly ministry. The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and he is the bond of love between them. But in verse 29, Jesus doesn't give us those theological details. He just tells us why the Father is with him. He says it's because“I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”Now in one sense, we could say that Jesus is just stressing again the unity he has with his Father, and that's true. But in another sense, if we're taking Jesus at his word, in verse 29 he grounds the “with-me-ness of God” in what he does. He's saying: I enjoy the blessing of the Father's nearness because of what I do.The Father is with me because I do what's pleasing to him!‘Don't Try This at Home'And this is one of those things that should come with a warning: “Don't try this at home.”Because we can't talk that way. I don't recommend it. That's because one of the facts of our fallen humanity is that we often to confuse the proper placement of our doing. And the simple name for this is called “works-righteousness.”But Chip Dodd calls this confusion the DO-HAVE-BECOME mindset.Many people live their life this way. They think: “If I only could DO (x) then I could HAVE (y), and finally BECOME (z).” Get it? DO … HAVE … BECOME. Look, I'll go ahead and tell you: that's a mess in the making. It will burn you out. Because all you can do in that mindset is keep chasing, always looking for that next milestone, that next thing just above the horizon. This is the path of so many people, and it just leaves you weary and empty.The right order, though, is not “Do-Have-Become” — but “Be-Have-Do!”“Because I AM (z) then I HAVE (y), and therefore I DO (x).”That's the Christian life:Because I AM (a child of God) then I HAVE (every spiritual blessing in Christ) and therefore I DO (a life of love and witness for his glory).We must constantly be reordering our lives this way. We often get it wrong. But we should realize that Jesus is different. Because Jesus was/is the perfect man … This means Jesus lived here with absolutely perfect harmony in his being, having, and doing. Theologians have talked about this as the harmony of his person and work. His Glorious CongruenceSee, Jesus never needed to reorder anything here because he never had a hiccup between who he is and what he does. Part of his holiness was his wholeness.He is the truth and he speaks the truth. He is light and he shines light. He is life and he gives life.This is glorious congruence! Everything that Jesus ever DID was impeccably aligned with his BEING as the Beloved Son of God with whom the Father is well-pleased.He was so aligned, so congruent — his activity was so perfectly an expression of his identity — that doesn't talk of one without including the other.That's why he can say I always DO the things that are pleasing to my Father and that's why he's with me. His mission was not by himself, and here, church, is glory!Behold Him!This is a closeness of relationship with the Father and a congruence of person that we can barely fathom, but certainly adore.Back in 1738, the pastor-theologian Jonathan Edwards meditated on the person of Jesus and focused on the union of his “diverse excellencies” — Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb; he is majestic and meek, just and merciful … Edwards said,“In him meet together infinite highness and infinite condescension; infinite justice and infinite grace; infinite glory and lowest humility.”And for this, he is worthy of our adoration. … And I want to add … Just like we adore Jesus for the “admirable conjunctions of his diverse excellencies,” we adore him for the simple harmony of his person and work. Who he is is how he lived.In the most profound way, What you see is what you get — if you can truly see. So that's where we end. Can you see him yet? Do you recognize who Jesus is?If you see him, you trust him. You put your faith in him, and maybe that's something you want to do today for the first time. You can do it right now — tell him: Jesus, I see you, I trust you. And for so many of us who have seen him, don't you want to see him more? Jesus is different … in his judgment, his origin, and his mission — and we just want to see more of him! More of his glory! We wanna behold him!That's the invitation now as we come to this Table. The TableFor all of us who trust in Jesus, if you see him, let's see him anew this morning as we receive the bread and cup. We are remembering Jesus's person and work, and together, church, we behold him.

Hunter Street Baptist Church

Study Passage: Isaiah 40Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? 13 Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? 14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. 16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. 18 To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? 19 An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. 20 He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. 21 Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; 23 who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. 24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. 25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Morning Devotions with Chris Witts
How Do You Handle A Feeling Of Being Worthless?

Morning Devotions with Chris Witts

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2025 4:37


But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1Support the show, a product of Hope Media: https://hope1032.com.au/donate/2211A-pod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So Much More: Creating Space for God (Lectio Divina and Scripture Meditation)
Known by Name, Held in Love | Meditation on Isaiah 43:1–3, 5

So Much More: Creating Space for God (Lectio Divina and Scripture Meditation)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2025 20:41


In this Scripture meditation on Isaiah 43:1–3, 5, we reflect on God’s personal care, protection, and presence in our lives. Through the practice of Lectio Divina, we slow down to hear God speak the comforting truth that He knows us by name and walks with us through every fire, every storm, and every fear. If you've ever faced uncertainty, fear, or hardship, this meditation is a gentle reminder that God is with you. You are fully known, and still fully loved. In this guided Christian meditation, you’ll be invited to: Reflect on what it means to be known by name and held in love Name a fear you're carrying and invite God into that place Rest in God’s promise of presence and protection Download your FREE companion journal for the Fully Known, Fully Loved series hereThis journal includes:• All the Scriptures for this series• Weekly reflection prompts• Space to record what God is revealing to you Here are some additional helpful links: You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/ Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Guided Scripture Meditation Journal here. Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning. Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com. Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here. Meditation Passage Isaiah 43:1–3 & 5, NET 1 Now, this is what the LORD says,the one who created you, O Jacob,and formed you, O Israel:“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you.I call you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;the flames will not harm you. 3 For I am the LORD your God,the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. 5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.From the east I will bring your descendants;from the west I will gather you. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sermons from Redeemer Community Church
God's Passion for His Own Glory

Sermons from Redeemer Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025 38:04


Isaiah 48:1–16 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48:1   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;

Restore Church Audio | Yorkville, IL
How to Go in a New Direction

Restore Church Audio | Yorkville, IL

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025 40:47


"But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you... I am the Lord , your Holy One, Israel's Creator and King. I am the Lord , who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. " — Isaiah 43:1-2,15-19 NLTRestore Church | Yorkville, ILSunday Mornings | 10 AMJordan & Melissa Gash, Pastorshttps://www.restorechurchyorkville.com

Restore Church Audio | Yorkville, IL
How to Go In a New Direction

Restore Church Audio | Yorkville, IL

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025 40:47


"But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you... I am the Lord , your Holy One, Israel's Creator and King. I am the Lord , who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. “But forget all that— it is nothing compared towhat I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." — Isaiah 43:1-2,15-19 NLTRestore Church | Yorkville, ILSunday Mornings | 10 AMJordan & Melissa Gash, Pastorshttps://www.restorechurchyorkville.com

Sermons from Redeemer Community Church
The Burden of Idolatry

Sermons from Redeemer Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2025 37:19


Isaiah 44:1–17 (Listen) Israel the Lord's Chosen 44:1   “But now hear, O Jacob my servant,    Israel whom I have chosen!2   Thus says the LORD who made you,    who formed you from the womb and will help you:  Fear not, O Jacob my servant,    Jeshurun whom I have chosen.3   For I will pour water on the thirsty land,    and streams on the dry ground;  I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,    and my blessing on your descendants.4   They shall spring up among the grass    like willows by flowing streams.5   This one will say, ‘I am the LORD's,'    another will call on the name of Jacob,  and another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD's,'    and name himself by the name of Israel.” Besides Me There Is No God 6   Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel    and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:  “I am the first and I am the last;    besides me there is no god.7   Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.1    Let him declare and set it before me,  since I appointed an ancient people.    Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.8   Fear not, nor be afraid;    have I not told you from of old and declared it?    And you are my witnesses!  Is there a God besides me?    There is no Rock; I know not any.” The Folly of Idolatry 9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. 12 The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. 13 The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil.2 He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 14 He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” Footnotes [1] 44:7 Or Who like me can proclaim it? [2] 44:13 Hebrew stylus (ESV)Isaiah 46:1–4 (Listen) The Idols of Babylon and the One True God 46:1   Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;    their idols are on beasts and livestock;  these things you carry are borne&...

Sermons from Redeemer Community Church
Faithful in Our Failure

Sermons from Redeemer Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2025 31:48


Isaiah 42:18–43:5 (Listen) Israel's Failure to Hear and See 18   Hear, you deaf,    and look, you blind, that you may see!19   Who is blind but my servant,    or deaf as my messenger whom I send?  Who is blind as my dedicated one,1    or blind as the servant of the LORD?20   He sees many things, but does not observe them;    his ears are open, but he does not hear.21   The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake,    to magnify his law and make it glorious.22   But this is a people plundered and looted;    they are all of them trapped in holes    and hidden in prisons;  they have become plunder with none to rescue,    spoil with none to say, “Restore!”23   Who among you will give ear to this,    will attend and listen for the time to come?24   Who gave up Jacob to the looter,    and Israel to the plunderers?  Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned,    in whose ways they would not walk,    and whose law they would not obey?25   So he poured on him the heat of his anger    and the might of battle;  it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand;    it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart. Israel's Only Savior 43:1   But now thus says the LORD,  he who created you, O Jacob,    he who formed you, O Israel:  “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;    I have called you by name, you are mine.2   When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;  when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,    and the flame shall not consume you.3   For I am the LORD your God,    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I give Egypt as your ransom,    Cush and Seba in exchange for you.4   Because you are precious in my eyes,    and honored, and I love you,  I give men in return for you,    peoples in exchange for your life.5   Fear not, for I am with you;    I will bring your offspring from the east,    and from the west I will gather you. Footnotes [1] 42:19 Or as the one at peace with me (ESV)

HOPE Sermons
The Protector - Drew Paulette | Isaiah's Voice | Part 8

HOPE Sermons

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2025 34:12


The Protector | Isaiah's Voice | Part 8 Outreach Director and Lodge Pastor Drew Paulette continued our summer series with a message from Isaiah 43. Written to the Israelites during their exile in Babylon, this chapter offers a picture of a people living in captivity — far from home, disconnected from their identity, and uncertain of their purpose. But God speaks through Isaiah to remind them — and us — of what is true:“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” (v. 1) Even today, as believers living as pilgrims in a world not our own, we often need this same reminder. Drew challenged us with two questions: What captivities are we living in? What cisterns are we drinking from? We were made to glorify God — our lives a song to the Lord. But have the dry, broken cisterns of this world distracted us? Have they lured us away from our true identity and calling? Take heart, Church: Jesus has set us free. We are no longer bound to sin or the empty promises of the world. Because of Him, we drink from the well of Living Water — one that flows in aeternum. “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” (v. 18-21)

The Woman at the Well Ministries Podcast
478 | Throwback - Called by Name

The Woman at the Well Ministries Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2025 14:37 Transcription Available


Have you ever felt like you just don't quite fit in? Like no matter where you are, you somehow stand out and not always in the way you'd hope? In this episode, we're turning to Isaiah 43:1 to hear a message straight from the heart of God: you are not forgotten, you are not overlooked - you are His. This chapter reminds us that we are not accidents or afterthoughts. God created us, He formed us, He redeemed us and He calls us by name. In a world that tries to define us by success, appearance, or popularity, God gently reminds us, “Thou art Mine.” Join us for this episode of the Woman at the Well Ministries podcast as Kim Miller takes us through Isaiah 43:1, reminding us of our true identity. When the world tries to discourage you, when life feels overwhelming, this truth will anchor your heart: you are known, you are loved, and you belong to Him. Mentioned in this Episode Isaiah 43:1 ("But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob..."): www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+43%3A1&version=KJV  Jeremiah 29:11 ("For I know the thoughts that I think toward you..."): www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A11&version=KJV  Jeremiah 1:5 ("Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee..."): www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+1%3A5&version=KJV  Romans 3:23 ("For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"): www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3%3A23&version=KJV  Luke 2:11 ("For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour..."): www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A11&version=KJV  Romans 10:13 ("For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved"): www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10%3A13&version=KJV  Hebrews 11:6 ("But without faith it is impossible to please him..."): www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A6&version=KJV    Did you enjoy this podcast? Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can listen to us on all major podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  Google Podcasts,  YouTube, and Podbean. Check out Kim's latest Bible Bit book on Amazon! Do you want to bring Kim Miller to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us! This podcast is brought to you by Woman at the Well Ministries and is supported by our faithful listeners. To support this podcast, please visit our support page. 

Doable Discipleship
Navigating the Bible: Isaiah

Doable Discipleship

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2025 48:50


“Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.” Isaiah 40:26-28As we enter the book of Isaiah, we are moving from the wisdom literature into the prophets. In many ways it's a good thing that Isaiah is the first of the major prophets we read because it's the most accessible. Isaiah paints a portrait, not just of Israelite history, but of the God who is above it all - the God who is both creator and master of all things, but also close, loving and kind. Isaiah is a long book coming in at 66 chapters, but it is rich with history, the character of God, and hope for the savior that is to come. To help us navigate the book of Isaiah is Dr. Andrew Abernethy Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and author of not one, not two, but three books on Isaiah. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Resources Related to This Episode:https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Isaiah-Interpretation-Reception-Biblical/dp/0802878059Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Navigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMgNavigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9ENavigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUINavigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQNavigating the Bible: Esther - https://youtu.be/7RZ7ATWQZucNavigating the Bible: Nehemiah - https://youtu.be/Gok4WDgwn5INavigating the Bible: Ezra - https://youtu.be/aBC0nEjYeyoNavigating the Bible: 2 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/OG3rHTgMgEINavigating the Bible: 1 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/lQ_Qc4zbfgANavigating the Bible: 2 Kings - https://youtu.be/04q9gDhBKTkNavigating the Bible: 1 Kings - https://youtu.be/aS-KoeQXl2kNavigating the Bible: 2 Samuel - https://youtu.be/ZbpafGgOW7cNavigating the Bible: 1 Samuel - https://youtu.be/lY8wPElSFMYNavigating the Bible: Rute - https://youtu.be/YaH-t-ZzTaMNavigating the Bible: Judges - https://youtu.be/qNGcOf2o0NUNavigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFsNavigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zUNavigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxsNavigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3MNavigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasAInspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Torah Podcast with Michael Brooke
Parshas Balak: Do You Know What Color Your Friend's Kitchen Cabinets Are?

The Torah Podcast with Michael Brooke

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2025 30:16 Transcription Available


What inspires an enemy to offer praise? Bilaam, the infamous non-Jewish prophet whose prophetic abilities rivaled those of Moshe, was hired to curse the Jewish people. Yet, instead of curses, he delivered words so powerful that they became part of our daily prayers: “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob.”As he gazed upon the Israelite encampment, Bilaam observed something extraordinary—something that speaks to us profoundly even today. The entrances to the Jewish homes were intentionally misaligned, ensuring they did not face one another. This subtle architectural detail reflected profound wisdom about safeguarding privacy, dignity, and sanctity within each household. By design, every family's inner world was protected, creating sacred spaces where spirituality could flourish free from outside intrusion.In today's hyper-connected world, where boundaries are increasingly blurred and privacy is eroded, this lesson is more relevant than ever. A true Jewish home isn't defined merely by religious symbols adorning its walls. It's a sanctuary—a fortress of faith that shields its inhabitants from harmful influences while nurturing internal spiritual growth. It's the place where Torah learning is a daily rhythm, where children witness their parents' commitment to spirituality, and where the air resonates with uplifting Jewish music rather than negative distractions. Most importantly, it's where we carefully filter what enters through our doorways—both physical and digital—creating an environment where our families can thrive spiritually and emotionally.Our sages teach that when we strengthen the “bars of our gates”—the protective boundaries of our homes—we bring blessings to our children within. This isn't mystical thinking; it's practical wisdom. A home infused with kedusha (holiness) becomes fertile ground for growth. By dedicating spaces for prayer, setting boundaries around technology, and realigning our priorities to focus on what truly matters, we build homes that can inspire the same awe that Bilaam felt when he exclaimed, “How goodly are your dwellings, O Israel!”Subscribe now to uncover timeless wisdom and practical guidance for living your best Jewish life.Support the showJoin The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!------------------Check out our other Torah Podcasts and content! SUBSCRIBE to The Motivation Congregation Podcast for daily motivational Mussar! Listen on Spotify or 24six! Find all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

Sivan Says: Taking the Torah Personally

In this week's parsha, Balak hires the prophet Bilam to curse the Israelites. But every time he opens his mouth, blessings come out instead. From these unexpected prophecies, we get some of our most enduring ideas, like the image of Israel rising “like a lion,” and the quiet holiness of privacy ("How good are your tents, O Jacob"). Thousands of years later, the contrast still feels familiar—between those who build and those who destroy, between the noise of social media and the sanctity of a home with the front door closed. What does it mean to live as a blessing even when others root for your failure? Tune in to find out.

Daily Treasure
The Right of Naming - What She Said Part 14 - Week 3 Day 4

Daily Treasure

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2025 10:08 Transcription Available


TODAY'S TREASUREBut now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine.”Isaiah 43:1Send us a comment!Support the show

Sermons from Redeemer Community Church

Isaiah 40:27–31 (Listen) 27   Why do you say, O Jacob,    and speak, O Israel,  “My way is hidden from the LORD,    and my right is disregarded by my God”?28   Have you not known? Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God,    the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary;    his understanding is unsearchable.29   He gives power to the faint,    and to him who has no might he increases strength.30   Even youths shall faint and be weary,    and young men shall fall exhausted;31   but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;  they shall run and not be weary;    they shall walk and not faint. (ESV)

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries
Our Redemption - UBBS 6.8.2025 - David Eells

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2025 110:58


Our Redemption (1) (audio) David Eells – 6/8/25 I want to encourage you today with a teaching on Redemption because it's so important we understand what Jesus has paid to give us, and it helps us in our faith and our spiritual growth. When we consider what God has given us through knowledge of the promises and then being tried to see if we're going to really be faithful to what they provide. We are tried to see if we will act on what the redemption provides. Let's start in 1Co 6:19-20 Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. And some of you know that the KJV adds there, ‘and in your spirit, which are gods'.  You have nothing to do with the glorifying God in your spirit. God himself lives in your spirit. But you do have something to do, and it's a in that speaks that we should glorify God therefore in our body. This has the numeric pattern  but the added part has no numeric pattern, and it has no place in the Bible; it was added by men. He said you were bought with a price and the word bought there is agorazō and it means redeemed. You were redeemed with a price. And the word agorazō is translated in various ways in the Bible. One way is “bought”. It's translated bought because it actually means that, however, “bought” doesn't cover the whole meaning of the word agorazō or redeemed; it means to purchase a slave with an eye towards setting them free. Well, obviously from that little type and shadow, you can tell that we were all slaves. And we were slaves to sin, slaves to corruption, and slaves to the curse. We were slaves to the devil and slaves to the flesh. And redemption is all about God paying the price for us to be set free from that slavery. And so this word “bought” is the word redeemed. It's mentioned again a little further down in Chapter 7. Let's read 1Co 7:22 For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant (or a slave), is the Lord's freedman: That's interesting. So that's a really good description of what redemption is all about. “Purchasing a slave in order to set him free.” We were a slave to the world, to the flesh, to the devil, to sin on and on and on. So, when the Lord buys you, He buys you out, and you're no longer a slave to these things. You are free in Christ! This redemption was accomplished at the cross already. It doesn't matter what you're in slavery to; whether it has to do with this world in regards to sin or the curse, or the devil, or anything else, the Lord set you free! That's what redemption was all about. He already accomplished this redemption. And of course, if you apply faith to this, it is the solution and he goes on to say in this text …likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant. Meaning, you were free in regard to righteousness. You were free in regard to serving God. You were free in regard to walking in the spirit, but now you're a slave to Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul called himself a slave to Jesus Christ. We are called to serve Him, and as we know, obedience to His word is how we build this house upon the Rock. Everything else is going to get wiped out. Every Christian who hears His Words and disobeys them is building his house on the shifting sands of man's ideas, and it just won't last, because everything that can be shaken is about to be shaken. It's all going to get wiped out. You know, there are so many churches out there that put no premium on obedience. But the Lord saved us so we could obey. In fact, they think for some reason that's works. And of course, it's the work of God. Obedience to Him is the work of God. I mean, we are walking in the steps of Jesus, and He gave us those commands so we could follow in His steps, and He redeemed us so we would have the ability to walk in His steps. And verse 23 says 1Co 7:23 Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men. There's the same word agorazō also, and it means we've been delivered from slavery now. … become not bondservants of men. Does this still happen? Of course, there are many Christians who are bondservants of men. They won't obey the Word, because men told them they didn't have to, or men gave them convenient doctrines so they didn't have to obey. So this redemption is the price that has been paid. We can look in Hebrews Chapter 9 and see that the price has been paid by Jesus Christ. And it is paid through His blood. Let's read that. Heb 9:11 But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. Now this word redemption comes from the Greek word lutrōsis. There's also a word apolutrōsis, which is a strengthened form of lutrōsis, and it's slightly different, but it has a really neat meaning. It means “the release on receipt of a ransom.” Well, you say, a ransom; we had to be ransomed? Yes, the devil was holding us captive legally, because of our sins. Why is that? Because God made statements all through the Bible, and the Bible says God cannot lie, and the devil holds Him to that. It's not that God wants to lie, He can't, but the devil holds Him to what He says. The Bible says, when you do such and such a sin, this is going to happen to you. This is the penalty that you pay for. Then God has spoken a legal word there that the devil will hold it up in His face. And so we had all these penalties stacked up against us for our sins. And we were being held ransom, and the Lord paid the ransom in full. He paid the price for us to be set free from the penalty for our sins. And you know, the devil loves to make sure that we pay the penalty for our sins. But the great thing is, the Lord ransomed us; He delivered us out of the power of darkness. So as we read on here, we'll see this. I'm going to back up just a little bit so you can catch this word, redemption again, verse 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? This is awesome! You know you can actually walk without sin and walk without a consciousness of sin. You couldn't do that under the law. You had to keep searching out these rules and regulations and see where you did this wrong and did that wrong. But God redeemed us from the law too. And that's what the scripture says, and we'll look at that. So look, He cleanses your conscience from dead works. You are able to have fellowship with God because you don't have a consciousness of sin. But you know, even if you do sin, you go to Him as it says in 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And you believe the Word of God, so you know you're cleansed and you know you can have fellowship with God. So in that way, God has given us a covering and He has redeemed us. And in this case, lutrōsis; meaning, God has released us on receipt of the ransom. Jesus paid the ransom with His blood. Praise God! And Galatians chapter 4:4-5 is just awesome, like all the rest of God's words; Don't you love God's Word? Gal 4:4 but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. So redemption has also provided for us adoption. We are adopted sons of God, and it also set us free from the law, or here, it set the Galatians free from the law. And you know, we don't have to go back under the law because the law was made with the Jews; it wasn't made with the Gentiles. He made the New Covenant with the Gentiles. But to know that you're not under that law is awesome because the law itself is a curse, and you can't convince a lot of people of that because they love self-righteousness. Because the righteousness that comes from the law is self-righteousness. It says, “Look what I'm doing.” “I can do this and I can do that, therefore I'm holy.” No, you're only holy because of what Jesus did when He bought you at the cross. But He says in Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. So if you want to be justified by the law, you've got to keep them all, and nobody's ever been able to do it. First of all, you would have to be a pretty sharp lawyer and you have to have an awfully good memory to remember all those rules and regulations. Thank God we don't have to live like that! Saints, we can live freely by trusting in what Jesus did as far as paying that penalty, and verse 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. That is the penalty for being contrary to the law. He redeemed us. Now this is the word exagorazō is a strengthened form of Agorazo, and it means, to buy out a slave with an eye to set him free. Exagorazō is translated redeemed. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. That is the penalty for not keeping the law and here is what God did about it. …having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Are you in Christ Jesus? We've talked about that; are you abiding in Jesus Christ through faith in His shed blood? Well, then you're not under the law, and that's great, because if you go back and read Deuteronomy 28 and you look at the penalties for breaking the law, these are the curses that are upon the whole world. All over the world, this curse is upon mankind, and actually the only way you can come out from under that is to exercise faith in the redemption that Jesus accomplished. This is an awesome thing, Saints! Now look, you can't get out from under a curse if you're walking in willful disobedience. There's nothing you can do about the curse because there's no sacrifice for a person who walks in willful disobedience as it says in Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. In other words, if you're willfully rebellious, you need a whipping, and God will give it to you. But if you're not willfully in rebellion and you're walking by faith in Christ, then He's got a blood covering, and He has redeemed you from the curse that comes from breaking all that law. Praise God that we're under grace and not under the law! And if you, as a Christian, go back under the law, then He tells you in Gal 4:30 Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. That is, you don't inherit the same blessings, the same eternal life, and everything that goes with that. And Gal 5:1 For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. Speaking about going under certain parts of the law, and keeping the Feasts, somebody asked me, “Do we have to keep these Feasts?” No, they're a parable, and we do have to fulfill the feasts. For instance, we keep the Feast of the Passover by eating the Lamb, Jesus Christ and the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 5 that our Passover has already been sacrificed. It's all over. All you need to do is eat the Lamb now. And no, it doesn't make any difference whether you eat physical lamb or not. It means you have to eat the Word of God who is Jesus the Lamb of God. So we're told here in Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, or you can add these other things in there too; all these commands of the law, such as the tithe, the Sabbath, and so forth, we have to fulfill those. These are spiritual types, and they're fulfilled spiritually. But if you go back under the law, you are going to be separated from Christ. He continues to say, Christ will profit you nothing. That's if you go back under these laws in the letter. 3 Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. You are righteous by faith in your redemption and cannot be justified by keeping the law. See if you break the law in just one point, you are a sinner. If you just break it in one point, you have broken the law. Now you are a sinner and now you cannot go to heaven. Do you understand that? So no matter what you do, you must have a redemption, and that's been accomplished by the Lord if you won't seek to be self-justified by keeping some work of the law so you can say, “Hey, I made it! I've attained to it”. No, it won't work. It's a stench in God's nostrils. Again, Paul says, 3 Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. You're not seeking it by grace, you're seeking it by works and it won't work. God won't accept it, and you'll find nothing but failure in your life if you try it. Now let's go to Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; (There's that obedience to the teaching, building your house on the Rock.) whereunto ye were delivered; You were servants of sin. The word there is bondservants. You were a slave; you were a slave to sin. But you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto you were delivered and being made free from sin. This is the redemption right here. 18 And being made free from sin, you became servants of righteousness. So now you are a servant of righteousness. You're a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ. This faith will give you power from God by grace, which is unmerited favor. Now let's go down to verse 22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. Notice that not everybody who says unto the Lord, “Lord, Lord”, is going to have eternal life. It's those who are being made free from sin. They're bearing the fruit of their redemption that was given to them in Christ. When you walk by faith in Jesus, He's going to set you free. He is going to fulfill the redemption in you. You're going to be set free. There's no two ways about it. If it's not faith, it won't work. But if it is faith in Christ, it will work. Faith has fruit, right? And another good example is in Psa 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. Now here He's talking only about of redemption of the soul from the power of death. He's not talking about the body, but it says “he will receive me”. The Lord receives all of those who die in Christ. And He has redeemed their soul. That means He has bought their soul from the penalty of the curse. They will be in the rapture or resurrection. Both of these fulfill the redemption that Jesus spoke about the deliverance from the curse. And Psa 56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: Hast thou not delivered my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living? Psa 25:22 Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all of his troubles. That sounds good, doesn't it? That kind of covers an awful lot, doesn't it? I like these kinds of promises. The Lord is going to redeem us from all of our troubles. How does He do that? Well, we believe that He bought us as slaves, as we were in the beginning; we were slaves to sin, slaves to the curse, slaves to the devil, and slaves to the flesh. He bought us out of all of our troubles from the curse that stems from that. But He redeemed us from all of our troubles. And Psa 130:8 And he will redeem Israel From all his iniquities. Now, the way He's speaking of Israel here, He's speaking of Israel the man, but also Israel, the body. He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Do we really want that? Obviously, we do have a part to play here. If we do confess our sins, we're forgiven and cleansed. If we justify our sins, we don't have any of this and there's nothing promised to us. But if we confess our sins, He says He's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us of unrighteousness. (1Jn1:9) But He wants to deliver us from all iniquity. He wants to redeem us from being a slave to iniquities or to sin. In other words, He accomplished this at the cross. We have been redeemed at the cross, but there is also a manifestation of that redemption when we walk by faith in it. Do you really believe that the Lord took away all of your sins, all of your iniquities? Do you really believe that? How about the ones you're doing right now? You know the ones you're failing in right now; the Lord redeemed you from that. He bought you as a slave to sin, in order to set you free from all that. That's His plan and that's what He's going to do. Now let's look at Tit 2:11-14 For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,… Well, that's not quite right. You know why? Because in Greek, you can get some words in front of others rather easily, and there is a perfect sequence here according to the Numerics. And what this verse actually says is, …he hath appeared to all men bringing salvation. He didn't appear, bringing salvation to all men, because then all men would have salvation, but he did appear to all men bringing salvation. That's not to say that every one of them accepts it, or can they accept it because they can't. Only those who have a gift of faith and repentance can accept it. So in other words, He's offered it and the people who can partake of it are the people who have that gift of repentance and faith. Tit 2:12 instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; Wow! So we can really live godly or godlike. He's making a statement here that I would say most of Christianity doesn't consider possible. According to these people, “We're always going to be sinners saved by grace”, but that's not according to God's plan and not according to His redemption. His redemption has no power in the minds of these people; it has no power to save. He redeemed us! He bought us as slaves and He paid the price. He paid the ransom so that we could be set free from bondage to the devil and the curse! And His purpose was so that we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world. Not in the next world; in this present world. Tit 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; You know it's Christ in you, the hope of glory, (Col.1:27). So we're looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory. Where is this ‘appearing of the glory'? Well, the word there appearing is the word epiphania, and it means “a shining forth, or upon, to shine forth, the shining forth” of the glory out of God's people is what he's talking about. So we're looking for this epiphany of the glory of the great God in our savior Jesus Christ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, Praise the Lord! What replaces “all iniquity”? The glory of God! Iniquity is your old nature, the nature of the old man, and the glory is the nature of the new man, Jesus Christ; Christ in you, the hope of glory. So, you looking for the epiphany of Jesus shining in you and from you. This is a result of the redemption that He has worked for you. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity. And I guess some people think that God is rather foolish, that He makes a promise that He never really plans to bring to pass. That's ridiculous. He is speaking the truth here about His plan for Christians. This is the truth and what you've heard about people being “a sinner saved by grace the rest of their life” is a lie. That's an “Antichrist gospel.” This is the “Christ Gospel” here; that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works. How about that? In other words, the people who are redeemed will be zealous of good works. They're going to love to do the works of Jesus. And no, they're not working their way to heaven. This is the fruit of their redemption. Our faith in this redemption has good works, right? This is what people who are redeemed look like. They love good works and they love to walk in righteousness. Just like it's a sport for a fool to do wrong, it's a sport for God's people to do right. They love to do right. They love to be pleasing unto God. They love the feeling they get when they're pleasing unto God. They desire to please their Father as they serve Him in His kingdom. They're not trying to earn their way to heaven. The Lord already did that. They just love to be obedient, and they love to hear the Words of God and act on those Words to build their house on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ. So His redemption was so that we would be delivered of all iniquity and if you believe it, God is big enough to do it. It's not as though we have to do it, He's already done it. And we're just believing Him. Praise God! That's the Good News! Praise God! Thank you, Father! Thank you, Jesus, for what You've done for us in delivering us and giving us your glory. And I think a good example of this is Genesis 48, where we read how Jacob is blessing Joseph and his sons. In verse Gen 48:16 the angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them,... Think about all the stuff that Jacob went through with Laban; who plundered him and was trying to rip him off. And how he kept changing his wages time after time. Then later, when Jacob saw Esau, he was so worried. He was thinking that he was going to wipe him and his whole family out when he saw all the abundance he had gained when he had gone and worked for Leban. And just think about what he said, the angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads… Have we been redeemed from all evil? Yes, absolutely. We are like Jacob; we were all like a supplanter. We were unsavory, really, to say the least, but he was shown the salvation of God. He was the Israel of God, and Israel means, “he shall rule as God.” Isn't that neat? He went from Jacob to Israel. “He shall rule as God” because God lives in the person who is redeemed. And He does His works through the person who is redeemed. And we are the body of Christ, Who is God. So God lives in us, and He can do His will in a person who has a renewed mind and has been redeemed from the curse. We can praise the Lord for His great plan. Now, let's go to 1Pe 1:15 but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; 16 because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy. Now, if we are His seed through the Word in us we are to be holy too. That is, if the Word is being manifested in us, we also should be holy. Verse 17 And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear: 18 knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers… Let's go back and look at verse 15, he says, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; So we were redeemed from that vain manner of life that was handed down from our fathers. A worthless and useless life. You can see how the world acts; there's no real eternal value in things that people think and do. The Lord is very practical; if we follow Him as disciples, we're going to be very practical too, because the things we are doing will be most valuable in that they have an eternal result. Now we're here for a very good purpose that ends up in eternal life and perfect holiness, which is separation from the world unto God. And yet we know there are a lot of fruitless things people do. For one thing, they don't redeem the time. They don't act like we have only a certain amount of time here to bear the fruit of Jesus Christ. We're running against the clock here; there is a race going on, as the apostle Paul said, and so he buffeted his body, and he brought it under submission as he served God. He was a bondservant of the Lord. He was a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is quite a happy thing to be! As a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, you receive fruit and have the joy and the peace of serving Him. So again, you're redeemed from a vain manner of life, that is, a fruitless life. It's a life of just pleasing “self”. It's a life that really doesn't have any eternal reward. You remember the things that you used to do in the world just to please yourself, to entertain yourself, to make yourself happy and to keep your mind occupied with things that have no reward. Perhaps you're caught up in sports or caught up in fishing. Now I'm not making a law that you can't do this. But I'm trying to make a point here that if these things aren't an end in themselves, and they're a big habit and distract you from serving the Lord, then you probably need to break them because there are so many more important things to do. Yeah, and a lot of this “vain manner of life” is a life that has no eternal foundation, and you receive no eternal reward for it. If you look at the life of the disciples, the apostles, and Jesus, you will see a self-sacrificial life, not a life of materialism and pleasing “self”. They lived lives of sacrifice joyfully for others. This was anything but a “vain manner of life.” Most people live, whether in peace and prosperity or not, a “vain manner of life,” given over to the corruption of the world. They strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel (Mat.23:24), making little things big and big things little. The truly important things are not important to them. Going on in verse 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ: So we were redeemed with something that is totally and perfectly valuable. And what God is saying is, don't waste it. The Lord has redeemed us from a fruitless life, a worthless life which is quite common even for many Christians. You know, they ‘accept Jesus as a personal Savior' and then they carry on with their vain life ignoring the Great Commission that was so important to Jesus. Their life doesn't reflect being a bondservant of the Lord, serving Him in the important things. Look at Psa 106:10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their adversaries; There was not one of them left. So, you can see here that the enemy that He has redeemed us from is the old man of the flesh that went down in the waters of the Red Sea representing our baptism. We are redeemed from the flesh and the demons that use it, and the people who make themselves our enemy. How we hate serving the flesh when we would really enjoy serving God. Well, He redeemed us out of the hand of the old man when we went down in baptism. And guess what? That old man doesn't exist anymore. You were crucified with Christ, and now the One Who lives in you is Jesus Christ. The new man is the only one left. Gal 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.  Now, there's no doubt you can use Psa 106:10-11 and apply it to our spiritual enemies who use the old man; the principalities and powers and the rulers of darkness, or even the physical enemies that are used by the devil to tempt us, and to try to bring us back into bondage to fleshly principles. There's no doubt you can use this verse to mean that too. And Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of Jehovah say [so], Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary, Sometimes we lose track, or we forget to claim this redemption from the adversary. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! We need to confess our redemption. We need to confess it before men. We need to confess it before the principalities and powers, otherwise they're going to take total advantage of you. We were redeemed from all of our enemies! We were set free! We need to confess that we have all of Christ. He was given to us as a gift. He now lives in us and we no longer live as in Galatians 2:20. And the devil takes on flesh sometimes. He's not just a spirit, he takes on the flesh of people around us to persecute us and to try us in our faith, and to try to drag us back into the world and do the things of the world. But the Lord has redeemed us from all of our enemies, spiritual and physical; He has set us free! (Psa.107:2) Let the redeemed of the Lord say [so]…. When we get into a situation involving a curse (something which most of Christianity considers to be quite normal), we know that the normal Christian life is a life delivered from the power of the curse of sin. The Gospel says that the Lord paid for our sins, we've been forgiven; therefore, we are no longer under the curse. Jesus bore that curse for us. We're not supposed to bear it, and it doesn't please the Father that we bear it, yet we will bear it, if we do not confess our redemption. Gal 3:13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  Gal 3:14  that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  Now let's go to Luke chapter 1. One of my favorite verses is so encouraging, where he speaks about our redemption. Verse 68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, It's a past tense thing; it's already accomplished. You don't even have to talk God into it, and you don't have to beg Him. He's already redeemed you from the enemy, whether it's the flesh, whether it's the devil, or whether it's sin, it makes no difference. He's redeemed you from all of your enemies, and He goes on to say, 69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David. This is primarily Jesus Christ. And 70 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old), 71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; Redemption brings salvation from our enemies. We're saved from our enemies already. 72 To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, 74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. So we're redeemed so that we can have a good life. Jesus said in Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. We can serve Him without fear of our enemies because of our redemption. This is what God paid for! Oh, glory to God! Now, let's go to Hos 13:11 I have given thee a king in mine anger, and have taken him away in my wrath. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store. God is holding something against Ephraim here. I've shared before that the Lord showed me that Ephraim is a type of the church because Ephraim was the second-born son of Joseph, whom Israel laid his right hand upon to impart the double portion inheritance. And Ephraim was called “the fullness of nations,” so Ephraim represents the church, and the church is in big trouble right now. That is, the overwhelming majority of the church are going on about their business, just like they're serving God and they're not. And they don't even know what Christianity is all about. But God is going to show mercy in these days. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store. In other words, you don't want to reap what Ephraim has sown. You know what the church has sown; if they reap it, they're in big trouble. Well, the thing is, the Lord's going to reap it. Verse 13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: (You recognize that from Revelation 12?) … he is an unwise son; for it is time he should not tarry in the place of the breaking forth of children. In other words, they should have already been bearing fruit, but instead they've had a fruitless life, and they've already come up to the tribulation period, and the Man-child is born, and thank God for that, because the Man-child reformer ministries are going to lead them through the wilderness to learn faith. And he says in verse 14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; You've heard about their covenant with death, that God said He was going to break their covenant with death? So much of the church has a covenant with death because they're in agreement with something besides God. They've made covenants, but it's the wrong covenant and it's not under the Lord. But He says I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O Sheol, where is thy destruction? repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. So the Lord is not going to change His mind. He is going to redeem His people. He is going to lead that woman through the wilderness and He's going to bear fruit through them. They are going to bring forth fruit in the days ahead and that is wonderful news! Oh, thank You, Father. And Psalm 103:3 and 4. You probably know it by heart. Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; The Lord's benefits are obviously His method of redeeming our life from destruction. God will bring to pass this redemption in our lives! This is great news! And another one of my favorite texts is in Isa 35:8-10 And a highway shall be there, (He's talking about a highway through the wilderness in verse 6, the Tribulation that's coming upon us.) and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for the redeemed: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon (God is showing us here that the only safe way to avoid the beast and fools is to walk in holiness to Zion. Holiness means separation from the world unto God.); they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 and the ransomed (That is, those who believe their debt has been paid so that they can be free of their captors so..) The ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; This reminds you of Ephraim. God's mercy that He gave to Ephraim so that they could find this redemption. They didn't find it in religion, and now they're facing the tribulation. And it won't be as they thought and hoped, because they didn't fly away in the rapture. So basically, God is going to have mercy. Well, I'm not saying some of them won't fall away because the Bible says that many will fall away. But the Lord is going to have mercy upon His true Church, His “called out ones.”) and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. More good news! Hallelujah! Let me go on with some more scriptures of our redemption in Christ. (Col.1:14) In whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. The word “redemption” as we've seen, means “a release on payment of a ransom.” We owed a debt we couldn't pay, and Jesus paid a debt He didn't owe. A ransom is a price that is paid to release someone who is in bondage. We've been in bondage to the curse, the old man, the devil, the world, sickness and all the bad things that go along with the curse. Yet, Jesus paid the price to set us free; He paid a ransom so the devil would no longer have authority over us because we have the forgiveness of our sins. Praise God! Eph 1:5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: (Notice our grace is in Christ, where we are to abide by faith in the blood.) 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 12 to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: 13 in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,--in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (All should be sealed by receiving the Holy Spirit) 14 which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God's own possession, unto the praise of his glory. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of the eternal Spirit filled life. God will redeem from earth those who have born His fruit. Eph 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. Pro 23:10-11 Remove not the ancient landmark; And enter not into the fields of the fatherless: 11 For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their cause against thee. Those who remove the boundaries will be judged. Isa 43:14-17 Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: (The true Church, the Israel of God.) For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring down all of them as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing. (He is doing it.) 15 I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. 16 Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 17 who bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as a wick): (DS Babylon) Isa 44:21-28 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. 23 Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. 24 Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth (who is with me?). 25 that frustrateth the signs of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 26 that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith of Jerusalem, She shall be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah, They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof; 27 that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers; 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. (I was told our Cyrus would be Trump before he became president the first time. He is helping to restore the people of God's Kingdom at the expense of DS Babylon just as Cyrus did. He discovered the hidden treasures of darkness just as Cyrus did.) Isa 59:14-21 And justice is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. (A good description of the rule of DS Babylon.) And Jehovah saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. 16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it upheld him. 17 And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle. 18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense. (Yes, He has brought down these Edomites.) 19 So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of Jehovah driveth. 20 And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, (His redemption is moving among His Man-child reformers and His Bride.) saith Jehovah. 21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith Jehovah: my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever. (The Word will go forth from these reformers.) Mic 4:6 In that day, saith Jehovah, will I assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted; 7 and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Jehovah will reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever. 8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, yea, the former dominion shall come, (The spiritual Bride city and her David Man-childs will be redeemed.)  the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail? (With the Man-child ministries of Rev.12.)  10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and shalt dwell in the field, and shalt come even unto Babylon: there shalt thou be rescued; there will Jehovah redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. (And it will be so.) Luk 21:28 But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh. Now I'd like to share a few testimonies from our site about how God is faithful to answer whatever need we may have because of the redeeming work of Christ.     A Leap of Faith Peter - 10/03/2009 For the past couple of months, I have been weighed down by many things. Through ignorance and confusion, I had neglected a lot of matters that I believe the Lord was placing in my heart. Of primary concern, one of these matters was unconfessed willful sin that I had committed at the end of July; the confusion and my passivity held me in bondage to much reasoning. For months, the conviction lingered in the background and refused to subside. I didn't know how to deal with it; praying and reading dwindled tremendously. I was depressed and discouraged to the point where I began to think I was reprobated. However, I still had the unquenchable desire to serve the Lord. After speaking with a couple of brethren and listening to some UBM teachings on authority and dealing with the cause, I came to the conclusion that the conviction in my heart was coming from the Spirit. On September 30th, I confessed my sin to the Lord and to some brethren. On that same day, I saw the Lord's “unbelievable” grace and mercy upon my grandmother and me. While listening to the Bible study, I was interrupted by my grandmother's cry for help. She had her hands clenched against her chest, trying to bear an extremely sharp, throbbing pain (the pain was coming from the right side of her stomach). The pain had travelled to the right side of her face and head, causing a lack of sensation or numbness. At this point, I didn't “feel” any power or authority to command a healing upon her. Thoughts of condemnation, for my forgiven willful sin, flooded my mind. Yet, all I could rely on was God and His Word; it's all I knew. I remember what I had recently learned about authority over the curse and demons. Having reminded my grandmother about the Gospel, I laid my hands on her chest and thanked God for forgiving me for my unconfessed sin earlier in the day. I confessed the good report and reminded my grandmother of Philippians 4:4-8 and Mark 11:24. (Php.4:4) Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice (5) Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. After commanding the pain to leave, I continued to praise and thank the Lord for His grace, coming against doubtful and fearful thoughts. I eventually reached a point of complete boldness. Only a few minutes later, the pain left. God is faithful and His Word is always true. All the glory to Him! I would like to mention that my grandmother has been disturbed by arthritis pain, a few times, in the middle of the night. She has called out to the Lord and every time she's been comforted.     From Death to Life Gary and Robin Florence 11/2/23 I wanted to share with you a power of prayer story. On August 3, 2022, my wife, Robin, suffered a brain aneurysm, while in the ER she fell into a coma and was flown by helicopter 62 miles away. As I was driving there I received a phone call that said, “We are in a fatal situation and are doing everything we can to keep your wife alive on the OR table.” I still had about a 45-minute drive, when something, or should I say someone (Holy Spirit) rose up on the inside of me and this authority came over me and I said out loud, “In the name of Jesus I command the spirit of death to leave that OR room now.” Through prayer and the grace of God my wife survived. The surgeon said they go by a severity chart of 1-5 with 5 being the most severe. He said your wife was at the top of a 5. The next day one of the team members came in and said, “That lady should not be lying there, it was that bad. It truly is a miracle.” She spent the next 42 days in hospitals, 23 in ICU, on and off life support, in and out of comas. I did not sit at my wife's bedside begging, pleading and making deals with God. I sat as a son co-laboring, partnering with my Father, calling those things that be not as if they are. I watched with my own eyes, my wife go from death to life. I saw miracle after miracle take place in her body. I watched all the “But God” moments, the “suddenly of God” take place in her throughout her journey. November 7th she went back to work part-time and even drove herself and then on December 1st she went back full-time. I am so proud of my wife. She never bellyached, ‘Woe is me', or ‘Why did God allow this to happen to me?' Her faith grew stronger and became more resolved. Not only is she my wife and companion but she is my best friend, and I am honored to be her husband. So we know the power of prayer. Thank you for reading this email; may it encourage everyone and lift you and stir your faith to believe in the supernatural interventions of God. Also the 700 Club did a taping that aired 7/14/2023. She had a follow-up visit with her surgeon in May and he said as bad as she was, the death rate is 90%, and in most cases, he is transitioning the individual from life to death, basically making them as comfortable as he can till they pass. He said in Robin's case it was nothing short of miraculous.     Jesus Heals the Mute I am writing to share the story that eventually led to this wonderful testimony for my son, Romeo. The backstory: Romeo had been showing “signs” of autism from around 18 months of age. He had essentially regressed in his speech, and all the words he had learnt, he slowly stopped speaking. Romeo had no understanding of social cues, was not responding to his name and from the frustration of being unable to communicate, was throwing a multitude of tantrums throughout the day. When I first noticed the speech regression, I contacted speech therapists and was quoted an awful amount of money to start him so that he could catch up and decided I would wait it out to allow him time to do his own thing. But not too long after, my close friends and in-laws began to notice and began to observe him and make comments regarding his inability to speak. Calling him a mute etc. On the same day I had spoken to my sister-in-law who had been “observing” my son since he was only sixteen months old. I received a call back from a speech therapist whom I had left a message for weeks prior. Her prices were much cheaper, and she had availability, she was very close to home, and could start Romeo immediately. I took up the opportunity, and he began his speech therapy, which he loves! In the interim, Romeo was going back and forth with hearing tests for fluid that was building up and clearing constantly for a few months straight, which was inhibiting him from hearing properly. We made the decision to book him in to have grommets inserted to clear the fluid. The date was set for 19 November 2024. On to the good news! Eventually, my husband and I decided to go down the path of obtaining a diagnosis, where Romeo received a diagnosis of level 2 Autism Spectrum Disorder, requiring “substantial support” (weekly speech therapy and occupational therapy to catch up). The night we received the diagnosis, I woke around 2:00 am to feed my baby girl, Grace and felt very strongly that the Holy Spirit was prompting me to find stories in the New Testament regarding deliverances. I spent an hour reading up on the stories where Jesus removed demons who made people mute (Mark 9:14-29 and Luke 11:14), scripture where Paul had cast out a demon (Acts 16:18), scripture about being unable to cast out a demon, where Jesus advised the disciples the demon could only be cast out by prayer and fasting (Mark 9:28-29), and also the story of where the disciples were trying to stop a person who was not in the group from casting down spirits, but Jesus advised them to leave the man alone etc. (Mark 9:38-41). After reading, I prayed, and I immediately fell into a deep sleep where the Lord gave me a prophetic dream. In the dream, it was Romeo and I looking directly into each other's eyes. I could see that behind his eyes, there was something that was not entirely him. He had been spiritually oppressed by a demon. I immediately quoted Paul and said to my son, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out!” In that moment, my son, for the first time in his life, spoke a full sentence. He said, “Mummy can you help me? There is ringing in my ears!” I knew there was more to do to help my son, and the Lord woke me from my sleep. I called my mum, Josie, after I had woken to tell her of what the Lord had shown me through the scriptures and the dream. Mum said the best thing to do was to have elders David and Michael deliver Romeo, and praise the Lord, we booked the deliverance date, which occurred around early to mid-October 2024. From there, we all stood in faith for the miracle waiting to happen. A reversal of this diagnosis. A son who was no longer mute. At the end of October/start of November, I came across a video on Instagram from a prophetess that really stuck out to me. She was discussing a 25-day fast she was doing with the ministry to remove bloodline curses, and discussed the scripture I had read about where Jesus advised that particular demons could only come out through prayer and fasting. I immediately decided to join this fast and speak to my husband about it. My husband, who is yet to commit himself fully to God, instantly agreed and stuck out the fast in its entirety (6:00 am to 3:00 pm, no food, only water, for 25 days). We began this fast on 2 November 2024. From here, it felt like everything had kicked into gear. My son began saying a few words here and there, and he began responding to his name more, and his tantrums were reducing. Here it was! Our miracle made manifest! Praise the Lord for the process!! We did decide to go ahead with the grommet insertion, which was based on my husband's decision from hearing about my dream where Romeo had said, “Mummy can you help me? There is ringing in my ears!” Romeo is saying not only one word, but up to three or four words at a time. He is responding at all times to his name. He can hear and he can speak! Before he would just stare at people, but now, even if he doesn't have the right words, he will babble nonstop. He is ALWAYS speaking, even if it doesn't make sense to us. No one will be able to call this boy of ours a mute again. He outspeaks even my niece, of the sister-in-law who made the comments regarding his development. Romeo has excelled exceptionally, and we know it will only get better from here. We stand in faith and in gratitude. Romeo is the head, and not the tail. He is ahead and never behind, in Jesus' name. Praise the Lord! Thank you for your faith and encouragement. We are grateful that where we fail, we have committed elders and a faithful God to help us along the way. Our family is very grateful.     Our Heart's Desires Doris Zambrano - April 2007 I had been telling my daughters that we were so blessed indeed, as we all had been noticing that our prayers were being answered recently, often times with just a thought and not actually praying and making a formal request to our wonderful Father. We were just so awestruck and happy that He was so faithful and loved us so much. These prayers were often just little thoughts but big in our hearts. As I was fellowshipping with the brethren in the UBBS room on Paltalk (Paltalk was an interactive platform we used at that time for the brethren to join the UBBS “live”) after communion on a Sunday in April, I felt saddened that I would not be able to spend as much time as I would like with my sisters and brothers. I look forward to communion on Sundays and to spending time with everyone in fellowship! I had so much to do since I have 3 acres of grass, with only a regular lawn mower to mow, and much glorious rain had made tall, beautiful grass everywhere. I knew that if I did not get it done that weekend, it would be even harder with the rain forecast for the whole next six days. As I walked away from the computer for a drink, I thought, “Father, do angels mow grass?” Well, I just smiled and went on about fellowshipping for a bit. Not 30 minutes passed, and I heard a knock on my door, which does not seem so strange except that my 16 acres sat 6 miles from one town and 11 from the other, and there standing at my door were three boys. I opened the door and the tallest one asked, “Would you want us to mow your grass?” “YES!” I exclaimed. I hired them on the spot. Offering praise to our wonderful Father, I ran back to my computer to tell the brethren of this awesome miracle! Everyone joined me in praising our Lord, who loves us so much that He would make a way for us to spend time with one another, just because it was a desire of the heart! YAY! I praise you, Abba, thank you soooooo much! Amen!

Lehman Ave Church of Christ
Equipped 2025: "What Isaiah Knew About Hell" by Bud Woodall

Lehman Ave Church of Christ

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 35:38


April 25, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 2 - 1:30PM Session   Bud leads a bible study reflecting on Isaiah. As an inspired profit of God, Isaiah would be aware of coming savior and the potential eternal punishment for those who have rejected God.   Isaiah 40-45 - God's People Are Comforted 40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. 2 “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord's hand Double for all her sins.” 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” 9 O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. 18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19 The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20 Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. 24 Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. 25 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Israel Assured of God's Help 41 “Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, And let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; Let us come near together for judgment. 2 “Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, And made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow? 3 Who pursued them, and passed safely By the way that he had not gone with his feet? 4 Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.' ” 5 The coastlands saw it and feared, The ends of the earth were afraid; They drew near and came. 6 Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, “Be of good courage!” 7 So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying, “It is ready for the soldering”; Then he fastened it with pegs, That it might not totter. 8 “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend. 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: 10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' 11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. 12 You shall seek them and not find them— Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing. 13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.' 14 “Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the Lord And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. 15 “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff. 16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the Lord, And glory in the Holy One of Israel. 17 “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together, 20 That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it. The Futility of Idols 21 “Present your case,” says the Lord. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob. 22 “Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; Let them show the former things, what they were, That we may consider them, And know the latter end of them; Or declare to us things to come. 23 Show the things that are to come hereafter, That we may know that you are gods; Yes, do good or do evil, That we may be dismayed and see it together. 24 Indeed you are nothing, And your work is nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination. 25 “I have raised up one from the north, And he shall come; From the rising of the sun he shall call on My name; And he shall come against princes as though mortar, As the potter treads clay. 26 Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know? And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous'? Surely there is no one who shows, Surely there is no one who declares, Surely there is no one who hears your words. 27 The first time I said to Zion, ‘Look, there they are!' And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings. 28 For I looked, and there was no man; I looked among them, but there was no counselor, Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word. 29 Indeed they are all worthless; Their works are nothing; Their molded images are wind and confusion. The Servant of the Lord 42 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.” 5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. 8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. 9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Praise to the Lord 10 Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise from the ends of the earth, You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You coastlands and you inhabitants of them! 11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, The villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, Let them shout from the top of the mountains. 12 Let them give glory to the Lord, And declare His praise in the coastlands. 13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies. Promise of the Lord's Help 14 “I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once. 15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills, And dry up all their vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, And I will dry up the pools. 16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them. 17 They shall be turned back, They shall be greatly ashamed, Who trust in carved images, Who say to the molded images, ‘You are our gods.' 18 “Hear, you deaf; And look, you blind, that you may see. 19 Who is blind but My servant, Or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is perfect, And blind as the Lord's servant? 20 Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear.” Israel's Obstinate Disobedience 21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable. 22 But this is a people robbed and plundered; All of them are snared in holes, And they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers; For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!” 23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the Lord, He against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, Nor were they obedient to His law. 25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger And the strength of battle; It has set him on fire all around, Yet he did not know; And it burned him, Yet he did not take it to heart. The Redeemer of Israel 43 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 4 Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west; 6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!' And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth— 7 Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” 8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, And the deaf who have ears. 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, And let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, And show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.” 10 “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior. 12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says the Lord, “that I am God. 13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?” 14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon, And bring them all down as fugitives— The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships. 15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.” 16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters, 17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): 18 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. 20 The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. 21 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise. Pleading with Unfaithful Israel 22 “But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; And you have been weary of Me, O Israel. 23 You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings, Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings, Nor wearied you with incense. 24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money, Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices; But you have burdened Me with your sins, You have wearied Me with your iniquities. 25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 26 Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted. 27 Your first father sinned, And your mediators have transgressed against Me. 28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; I will give Jacob to the curse, And Israel to reproaches. God's Blessing on Israel 44 “Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, And Israel whom I have chosen. 2 Thus says the Lord who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; 4 They will spring up among the grass Like willows by the watercourses.' 5 One will say, ‘I am the Lord's'; Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; Another will write with his hand, ‘The Lord's,' And name himself by the name of Israel. There Is No Other God 6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. 7 And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them. 8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.' ” Idolatry Is Foolishness 9 Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. 10 Who would form a god or mold an image That profits him nothing? 11 Surely all his companions would be ashamed; And the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together, Let them stand up; Yet they shall fear, They shall be ashamed together. 12 The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint. 13 The craftsman stretches out his rule, He marks one out with chalk; He fashions it with a plane, He marks it out with the compass, And makes it like the figure of a man, According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house. 14 He cuts down cedars for himself, And takes the cypress and the oak; He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it shall be for a man to burn, For he will take some of it and warm himself; Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; Indeed he makes a god and worships it; He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. 16 He burns half of it in the fire; With this half he eats meat; He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” 18 They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” Israel Is Not Forgotten 21 “Remember these, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me! 22 I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” 23 Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel. Judah Will Be Restored 24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; 25 Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, And drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, And makes their knowledge foolishness; 26 Who confirms the word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,' And I will raise up her waste places; 27 Who says to the deep, ‘Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers'; 28 Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.” ' Cyrus, God's Instrument 45 “Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held— To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut: 2 ‘I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob My servant's sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; 7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.' 8 “Rain down, you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it. 9 “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?' Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands'? 10 Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?' Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth?' ” 11 Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. 12 I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded. 13 I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward,” Says the Lord of hosts. The Lord, the Only Savior 14 Thus says the Lord: “The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush And of the Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to you, and they shall be yours; They shall walk behind you, They shall come over in chains; And they shall bow down to you. They will make supplication to you, saying, ‘Surely God is in you, And there is no other; There is no other God.' ” 15 Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior! 16 They shall be ashamed And also disgraced, all of them; They shall go in confusion together, Who are makers of idols. 17 But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever. 18 For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain'; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. 20 “Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save. 21 Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. 22 “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. 24 He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. 25 In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.' ”   Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrvkBVo1Cd4 Duration 35:38

Lehman Ave Church of Christ
Equipped 2025: Text Questions: "Is Isaiah 53 About A Nation Or A Man?" by Rick Brumback

Lehman Ave Church of Christ

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 37:06


April 25, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 2 - 3:30PM Session   Rick addresses the ability of Isaiah to predict events in the future to significant detail while being a significant number of years (700) before the events would come to pass.   Isaiah 48-53 - Israel Refined for God's Glory 48 “Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the Lord, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness; 2 For they call themselves after the holy city, And lean on the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is His name: 3 “I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. 4 Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, 5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.' 6 “You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them. 7 They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them.' 8 Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb. 9 “For My name's sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off. 10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another. God's Ancient Plan to Redeem Israel 12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. 13 Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together. 14 “All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; He shall do His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper. 16 “Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit Have sent Me.” 17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 Your descendants also would have been like the sand, And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; His name would not have been cut off Nor destroyed from before Me.” 20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, Declare, proclaim this, Utter it to the end of the earth; Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob!” 21 And they did not thirst When He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out. 22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” The Servant, the Light to the Gentiles 49 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. 2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.” 3 “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.' 4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.' ” 5 “And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength), 6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ” 7 Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.” 8 Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.' “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11 I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated. 12 Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.” 13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. God Will Remember Zion 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 17 Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you. 18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does. 19 “For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20 The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.' 21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?' ” 22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, Or the captives of the righteous be delivered? 25 But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” The Servant, Israel's Hope 50 Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother's divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away. 2 Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of thirst. 3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, And I make sackcloth their covering.” 4 “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away. 6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. 7 “For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. 8 He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. 9 Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up. 10 “Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God. 11 Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled— This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment. The Lord Comforts Zion 51 “Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. 2 Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.” 3 For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. 4 “Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples. 5 My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust. 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. 7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults. 8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment, And the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation from generation to generation.” 9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the ancient days, In the generations of old. Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart, And wounded the serpent? 10 Are You not the One who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; That made the depths of the sea a road For the redeemed to cross over? 11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12 “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass? 13 And you forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth; You have feared continually every day Because of the fury of the oppressor, When he has prepared to destroy. And where is the fury of the oppressor? 14 The captive exile hastens, that he may be loosed, That he should not die in the pit, And that his bread should not fail. 15 But I am the Lord your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared— The Lord of hosts is His name. 16 And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.' ” God's Fury Removed 17 Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk at the hand of the Lord The cup of His fury; You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, And drained it out. 18 There is no one to guide her Among all the sons she has brought forth; Nor is there any who takes her by the hand Among all the sons she has brought up. 19 These two things have come to you; Who will be sorry for you?— Desolation and destruction, famine and sword— By whom will I comfort you? 20 Your sons have fainted, They lie at the head of all the streets, Like an antelope in a net; They are full of the fury of the Lord, The rebuke of your God. 21 Therefore please hear this, you afflicted, And drunk but not with wine. 22 Thus says your Lord, The Lord and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people: “See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. 23 But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down, that we may walk over you.' And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over.” God Redeems Jerusalem 52 Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean Shall no longer come to you. 2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion! 3 For thus says the Lord: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money.” 4 For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at first Into Egypt to dwell there; Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5 Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord, “That My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them Make them wail,” says the Lord, “And My name is blasphemed continually every day. 6 Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: ‘Behold, it is I.' ” 7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the Lord brings back Zion. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God. 11 Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the Lord. 12 For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. The Sin-Bearing Servant 13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. The Sin-Bearing Messiah 53 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.   Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnGl00h-CJo   Duration 37:06

Lehman Ave Church of Christ
Equipped 2025: Ladies: "Looking Up! Live With Kathy And Carla" by Kathy Pollard and Carla Moore

Lehman Ave Church of Christ

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 44:14


April 25, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 2 - 3:30PM Session     Speakers: Kathy Pollard and Carla Moore   During the Equipped Workshop Kathy and Carla thought it would interesting to have a live crossover episode of their popular podcast Looking Up! With Kathy and Carla    Along with some normal parts of their podcast, the two ladies start reflect on Isaiah 40.   Isaiah 40 - God's People Are Comforted 40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. 2 “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord's hand Double for all her sins.” 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” 9 O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. 18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19 The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20 Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. 24 Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. 25 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.   Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GSvywF_FXI   Duration 44:14

Lehman Ave Church of Christ
Equipped 2025: "What To Do When You Feel God Has Abandoned You" by Wayne Burger

Lehman Ave Church of Christ

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 32:58


April 27, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 4 - 8:30AM Session   Looking at Isaiah 40, Wayne leads a bible study of encouragement for those who feel abandoned, discouraged and alone.    Isaiah 40 - God's People Are Comforted 40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. 2 “Speak [a]comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord's hand Double for all her sins.” 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight [b]in the desert A highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made [c]straight And the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 The voice said, “Cry out!” And [d]he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” 9 O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord God shall come [e]with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His [f]work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. 12 Who has measured the [g]waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a [h]span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. 18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19 The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20 Whoever is too impoverished for such [i]a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He [j]brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. 24 Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. 25 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-27-2025 -"WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FEEL GOD HAS ABANDONED YOU" - Wayne Burger   Duration 32:58

Abiding Together
S16 E16 - Life Transitions with Chris Benzinger (Part 2)

Abiding Together

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 39:15


In this episode, we conclude our conversation on life transitions with Michelle's husband, Chris Benzinger. We focus on the second and third steps in walking through transitions: releasing with trust and redeeming with hope. We talk about God wanting to redeem our past, the need to let go of the ways we've failed, and how God wants to do something new in the future. We also reflect on the importance of ceremony to conclude a season, the four responses to a loss, and why we should share our hopes for the future with God.   Heather's One Thing - Return to the Heart: The Biblical Spirituality of St. Augustine's Confessions by Dr. Shane Owens Sister Miriam's One Thing -  Mediterranean Chicken Bowls Michelle's One Thing - Belovedness: Overcoming Your Inner Critic - A Lyrical Devotional by Sarah Kroger Chris' One Thing - Running a 5k with his daughter Lilly    Journal Questions: What was good about the previous season of my life? Am I grieving or still carrying hurts?  What is God specifically asking me to release from this past season?  In this next season of my life, what is one thing God is making new? What is one hope I have for this next season of my life?   Creative Prompt: Take a bookmark and decorate it with your hopes for the next season and place it in your Bible. It will serve as a reminder in the next chapter of your life.   Discussion Questions: Reflect back upon the past few years and choose one big or small transition in your life.  What is one thing you are grateful for in the past season of your life? What is God calling you to release with trust from that past season? As you look to this current season, what action can you take to ceremonialize the end of an old season and create the foundation for a new season? Are you able to name what you desire? Why or why not? How are you responding to loss in your current season of life? What is something new God is doing in the current season of your life?   Quote to Ponder: “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not. See I am doing something new. Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18)   Scripture for Lectio: “But now thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and formed you O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; and you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)   Sponsor - Karol Coffee Co.: This week's sponsor is more than just a coffee company. Karol Coffee Co. was inspired by the life and work of one of the most beloved saints of the modern era: Karol Wojtyła, better known to the world as Pope St. John Paul II. His life was a testimony to courage, joy, and cultivating beauty that draws souls into union with Jesus and one other. From his days as a young priest in Nazi-occupied Poland to his years leading the global Church, St. John Paul II consistently called people to embrace truth, goodness, and beauty in every aspect of their lives. Karol Coffee Co. seeks to carry on that mission in a small but meaningful way — by bringing community, love, and joy into the heart of our everyday routines through coffee. Founded by Nate and Megan Whipple, a faithful Catholic couple rooted in mission, Karol Coffee Co. began humbly in 2022 as a simple garage-based roasting operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. What started as a passion project quickly became something greater, thanks to the encouragement and support of fellow Catholics and coffee enthusiasts. In just a short time, their venture has grown into a thriving small business that now serves customers all over the country. In an age when many of our purchases inadvertently support massive corporations with values often at odds with our own, supporting small, Catholic-owned businesses has never been more important. Karol Coffee Co. offers an alternative: ethically-sourced, traceable coffees roasted with care and intention. Each batch is crafted not only for flavor but with the desire to honor the dignity of those who cultivate the beans and to support communities around the world. Their rotating coffee offerings include a range of carefully selected beans from notable coffee-growing regions with flavor profiles to suit a variety of preferences. Karol Coffee Co. makes it easier to keep your kitchen stocked with beans through bi-weekly or monthly subscription options. Fresh, delicious coffee delivered right to your door — no last-minute grocery runs or chain coffee stops required. But beyond the coffee itself, what makes Karol Coffee Co. truly remarkable is the heart behind it. Nate and Megan have built their business around community and mission. It's about more than just selling beans; it's about creating opportunities for people to encounter beauty, truth, and goodness in the midst of their everyday lives, and to share that with the people around them. They have a passion for creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds and walks of life to experience connection and unity through the shared love of coffee and beauty. We'd love for you to get to know them and become part of their growing community. You can visit their website at www.karolcoffeeco.com to explore their current offerings, sign up for a subscription, or learn more about the mission behind the brand. You can also follow along with them on Instagram @karolcoffeeco.  And if you're ever passing through St. Paul, Minnesota, be sure to visit their brand-new brick-and-mortar coffee shop. Their beautiful shop is a space where faith, community, and great coffee come together in a setting that feels like home. The walls are covered in paintings by local artists, as well as those of Megan herself (@meganwhippleart). You can even find a portrait of Pope Saint John Paul II painted by Megan (prints available on the Karol Coffee Co. website - https://karolcoffeeco.com/products/megan-whipple-art-karol-8x10-print). The shop offers a simple but complete food menu of organic and locally sourced food and a great variety of caffeinated and non-caffeinated drinks.  So whether you're looking to start your mornings with a little more purpose, support a Catholic business, or simply discover some truly great coffee, we wholeheartedly encourage you to check out Karol Coffee Co. Use code ABIDING for 10% your first order.   Timestamps:  00:00 - Karol Coffee Co. 01:36 - Intro 02:26 - Welcome 03:13 - Releasing with Trust 07:26 - Your Past Seasons 13:24 - Four Responses to Loss 16:55 - Our Responses to Losses in Life 25:56 - Redeem with Hope 27: 30 - Redemption in Our Lives 33:29 - One Things  

Hope for Right Now: A Walking with Purpose Podcast

Today, Lisa and Laura kick off a brand-new series, Names of God. In biblical times, names were of great importance—they conveyed a person's essence, history, nature, or character. As we explore the various names of God in the Old Testament, we gain insight into His character. With each name, we will learn a new attribute, deepening our understanding of and growing closer to God. In today's episode, we delve into Genesis 16 which is the story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. Here we uncover the first name in our series: El Roi, the God who sees. Do you struggle to believe that you are seen? Do you wonder if God hears your prayers? Do you believe your suffering is insignificant? If so, don't miss this episode. Grab your Bible and get ready to encounter the God who sees you. Open your Heart to our key Scripture. Genesis 16 Open your Bible to other Scriptures referenced in this episode. Psalm 9:10: Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Exodus 33:19: I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name, “The Lord”; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Proverbs 18:10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Isaiah 43:1: But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Psalm 56:8: You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle! Are they not in your book?  Invite Him in with this episode's questions for reflection. Who do you turn to to tell you who you are and what you are worth? What does it mean to you personally that God sees you? Show mentions. Heart of Vines Summer Book Club starting in July! Using code HOVBOGO50, purchase one Heart of Vines book and get a second one at 50% off. Limit one use per customer. This offer ends July 8, 2025. Lisa Brenninkmeyer and Katie Brenninkmeyer, Heart of Vines: An Invitation to Escape the Life that is Slowly Killing You. Register for Heart of Vines Summer Virtual Book Club. Hope For Right Now: A Walking with Purpose Podcast: Episode 24: What Kind of a Father Is God? CCC 239 Let's stay connected. Don't miss an episode. Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform.  Want to keep the conversation going? Join our private Facebook community. Stay in the know. Connect with us today.  We are committed to creating content that is free and easily accessible to every woman—especially the one looking for answers but unsure of where to go. If you've enjoyed this podcast, prayerfully consider making a donation to support it and other WWP outreach programs that bring women closer to Christ. Learn more about WWP on our website. Our shop. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Hope for Right Now: A Walking with Purpose Podcast
Episode 59: Alert to Your Surroundings

Hope for Right Now: A Walking with Purpose Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 42:37


Special guests: We are kicking off Holy Week with Fr. John Riccardo and Mary Guilfoyle from ACTS XXIX. This Lent, Lisa and Laura explore Passionate Discipleship, a nine-week Lenten Bible study series. In these powerful episodes, they'll unpack Paul's wisdom to his closest friend, Timothy, and reflect on how we can apply it to our lives today. As we grow in personal holiness, we will boldly step into our call as true disciples by reaching out to the next generation and passing on all that we've learned. In today's episode, they kick off Holy Week by welcoming two special guests to discuss Lesson 6, Alert to Your Surroundings: Fr. John Riccardo and Mary Guilfoyle from ACTS XXIX. They talk all things prayer, identity, and Scripture. This episode is an absolute must-listen! Open your Heart to our key Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:1–7: But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Open your Bible to other Scriptures referenced in this episode. Psalm 139:1–3: O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Mark 10:17–31: The Rich Man Luke 15:11–32: The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother Isaiah 43:1,4: But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine … Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you. Ecclesiastes 1:9: What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. Invite Him in with this episode's questions for reflection. Go to prayer and ask the Lord these two questions: By what name do You call me? What is the one thing that keeps me from wholeheartedly following You? Show mentions. ACTS XXIX, Leadership Immersive Arthur Brooks and Tim Ferriss, “How to Be Happy, Reverse Bucket Lists, The Four False Idols, and More” Our presenting sponsor is Hallow. Hallow is the #1 prayer and meditation app dedicated to helping you grow closer to God and find peace with thousands of guided prayers and meditations. Hallow offers daily prayers with Scripture, contemplation, sleep prayers, rosaries, and so much more, making it a great resource for growing closer to God in 2025. The app makes it so easy to set up a routine to help you stay consistent. Visit hallow.com/walkingwithpurpose to get 3 months of Hallow free! Let's stay connected. Don't miss an episode. Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform.  Want to keep the conversation going? Join our private Facebook community. Stay in the know. Connect with us today.  We are committed to creating content that is free and easily accessible to every woman—especially the one looking for answers but unsure of where to go. If you've enjoyed this podcast, prayerfully consider making a donation to support it and other WWP outreach programs that bring women closer to Christ. Learn more about WWP on our website. Our shop. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

828 Church
Mistaken Identity

828 Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 43:53


We're so glad you are here! Thanks for checking out Sunday's message!-- SUNDAY'S NOTES --For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESVMistaken IdentityYou are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 ESV“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.'”Matthew 4:3-7 NLTGod created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 ESVThe enemy wants to rob you of your God given identity and destiny and establish a stronghold of mistaken identity in your life. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. John 10:10 NLTIf your identity is in your work, success will go to your head and failure will go to your heart. Tim KellerYou are not identified by your struggle but your savior! The sooner you refuse to be identified by your struggle, the sooner sin and death will lose its hold on you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Romans 8:12-17 NLTThe devil's strategy is to takeaway your inheritance, and to do that he has to steal your identity. To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12 ESVIf you choose real relationship with Jesus and stand in His authority, the enemy can't touch your inheritance!Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 NLT Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 ESV I am loved, I am adopted, I am forgiven, I am redeemed, I am Holy, I am His! - - The only way for you to know you is for you to focus on knowing Him!But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 ESV Identity is inextricably linked to ownership.Knowing in your heart that you are a loved and empowered child of God changes everything.I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 ESVWe don't lose our true selves but rather become our true selves when we find ourselves in Jesus!-------------------------------------------------Download the 828 Church app!To view our latest e-newsletter, the Midweek Momentum, and subscribe to our weekly updates, go here! https://linktr.ee/828church

828 Church
Mistaken Identity

828 Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 43:53


We're so glad you are here! Thanks for checking out Sunday's message!-- SUNDAY'S NOTES --For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESVMistaken IdentityYou are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 ESV“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.'”Matthew 4:3-7 NLTGod created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 ESVThe enemy wants to rob you of your God given identity and destiny and establish a stronghold of mistaken identity in your life. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. John 10:10 NLTIf your identity is in your work, success will go to your head and failure will go to your heart. Tim KellerYou are not identified by your struggle but your savior! The sooner you refuse to be identified by your struggle, the sooner sin and death will lose its hold on you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Romans 8:12-17 NLTThe devil's strategy is to takeaway your inheritance, and to do that he has to steal your identity. To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12 ESVIf you choose real relationship with Jesus and stand in His authority, the enemy can't touch your inheritance!Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 NLT Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 ESV I am loved, I am adopted, I am forgiven, I am redeemed, I am Holy, I am His! - - The only way for you to know you is for you to focus on knowing Him!But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 ESV Identity is inextricably linked to ownership.Knowing in your heart that you are a loved and empowered child of God changes everything.I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 ESVWe don't lose our true selves but rather become our true selves when we find ourselves in Jesus!-------------------------------------------------Download the 828 Church app!To view our latest e-newsletter, the Midweek Momentum, and subscribe to our weekly updates, go here! https://linktr.ee/828church

Emmanuel Presbyterian Church

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 40:12-31 (ESV)12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span,enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?13 Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel?14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand?Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.18 To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?19 An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.20 He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot;he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.21 Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;23 who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name;by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,“My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”?28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.Sermon OutlineIf we are not drawing life from God we will not be sustained (vv28-31).1. Confusionv28 Have you not known? …his understanding is unsearchable. v13 what man shows him his counsel? vv18-19 To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! 2. Fearv20 He who is too impoverished… chooses wood… to set up an idol that will not move. v15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucketv25 To whom then will you compare me…?3. Renewalv27 Why do you say… “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? v29 He gives power to the faintv31 they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strengthv26 Lift up your eyes on high and seePrayer of ConfessionOur eternal Creator, all-powerful and all-wise: we humbly acknowledge our sin and weakness. Trusting our own wisdom, we have wrongly presumed to know better than you. In fear we have sought control and placed our trust in the things of our world. We have fashioned idols in our hearts. We have wearied ourselves with the very things you warn us against. Lord, we ask for your forgiveness. Renew your Spirit in us and strengthen us with the grace we need to live according to your will. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat don't you understand about God? Can you know God?How do you feel making decisions or moving forward in life without knowing all you need to know? How do you deal with this or approach these situations?Is it good that we can't fully understand God? How is faith good for us? How is faith hard for you?How do things become idols? What should we be looking for to determine if we are simply enjoying or benefiting from something, or if we have become devoted to it and crossed a line into idolatry?What fears are frequently present in your life? How are those fears shaping your decisions? Your perceptions? What do you look to for help when you are afraid?How can the Christian life become draining? How does faith in Christ give people strength? What does it look like to wait on the Lord? What practices help us to lift our eyes up to see and experience the power and glory of God? What can you do to keep your sights set on God in a way that renews your strength?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Common Prayer Daily
Monday in the Second Week After Epiphany

Common Prayer Daily

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 17:55


For Daily Prayers and more become a Member on PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Year 1 - 1979 Daily Office LectionaryOpening Words:I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.Isaiah 49:6b Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Psalm 95:1-7The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God,and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 251To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;my God, I put my trust in you; *let me not be humiliated,nor let my enemies triumph over me.2Let none who look to you be put to shame; *let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.3Show me your ways, O Lord, *and teach me your paths.4Lead me in your truth and teach me, *for you are the God of my salvation;in you have I trusted all the day long.5Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *for they are from everlasting.6Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *remember me according to your loveand for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.7Gracious and upright is the Lord; *therefore he teaches sinners in his way.8He guides the humble in doing right *and teaches his way to the lowly.9All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.10For your Name's sake, O Lord, *forgive my sin, for it is great.11Who are they who fear the Lord? *he will teach them the way that they should choose.12They shall dwell in prosperity, *and their offspring shall inherit the land.13The Lord is a friend to those who fear him *and will show them his covenant.14My eyes are ever looking to the Lord, *for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.15Turn to me and have pity on me, *for I am left alone and in misery.16The sorrows of my heart have increased; *bring me out of my troubles.17Look upon my adversity and misery *and forgive me all my sin.18Look upon my enemies, for they are many, *and they bear a violent hatred against me.19Protect my life and deliver me; *let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.20Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, *for my hope has been in you.21Deliver Israel, O God, *out of all his troubles. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsa. 44:6-8,21-23A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be. Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you, you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you; You are the Lord: we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory. The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Eph. 4:1-16A Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians.I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Mark 3:7-19aA Reading from the Gospel According to Mark.Jesus departed with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!' But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.Then he went home;The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages BV. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;R. Govern and uphold them, now and always.V. Day by day we bless you;R. We praise your name for ever.V. Lord, keep us from all sin today;R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;R. For we put our trust in you.V. In you, Lord, is our hope;R. And we shall never hope in vain. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Morning and Evening with Charles Spurgeon

“Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?” — Luke 24:38 “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?” The Lord cares for all things, and the meanest creatures share in His universal providence, […]