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In this 'EPISODE 409 GOOD NEWS JESUS IS COMING! WILL HE COME SOON IN OUR TIME? WHAT DOES THE BIBLE PREDICT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST? WHERE DOES IT MENTION THE KINGDOM OF GOD?' author and host Elbert Hardy of itellwhy.com, shows us scriptures from the Old Testament and New Testament that give us guidelines about the hour of his coming.Go to itellwhy.com to read Elbert's books free of charge, no Ads and no requests for money or Email addresses. You can watch faith building YouTube Links to Videos and the listen to Elbert's Life of Christ Audio Book in 30 minute Episodes arranged and read by the author straight from the Bible, but rearranged in logical harmony of the Gospels, Revelation and other scriptures. All FREE of charge in the public interest.

As Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem, He enters a synagogue in Perea,teaching on the Sabbath as was His custom. There, He encounters a womancrippled for eighteen years, bent double by a spirit of infirmity. This momentbecomes more than a healing, it's a lesson in freedom, compassion, and theclash between God's heart and human tradition.  Youcan imagine the scene. Jesus is preaching when He notices this woman, bowedover, unable to straighten herself. For eighteen years, she'd endured thisaffliction—likely caused by Satan, as Jesus later reveals. Yet, she's faithful,present in the synagogue week after week, seeking God despite her pain. Jesus,ever sensitive to need, calls her forward. It might have seemed harsh to exposeher publicly, but He has a purpose—to defeat Satan, free her, and teach atruth. With a word, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity,” and atouch of His hands, she stands straight, glorifying God. The synagogue eruptsin awe, except for one voice. Theruler of the synagogue, indignant, scolds the crowd: “There are six days towork; come and be healed then, not on the Sabbath!” Too cowardly toconfront Jesus directly, he masks his anger in tradition. His outburst isalmost laughable, did he think healings were routine? Could he have freed herhimself? His bondage to rules was worse than hers to Satan; her body was bent,but his heart and mind were shackled. Jesus calls him out: “You hypocrite!Don't you loose your ox or donkey on the Sabbath to water it? Shouldn't thiswoman, a daughter of Abraham, bound by Satan for eighteen years, be loosed onthis day?” The argument is simple yet profound: if mercy is shown toanimals, how much more to a person made in God's image? Thiswasn't random timing. Jesus chose the Sabbath deliberately, repeating “loose”to drive home the lesson—freedom is His gift, not tradition's prisoner. Thewoman, a “daughter of Abraham,” likely had faith, marking her as one ofGod's own. Her healing wasn't just physical; it mirrored spiritual liberation.Sin, sorrow, and suffering bow us down (Psalm 38:6; 42:5), but Christ lifts usup. Satan oppresses, sometimes for years, even believers (think of Paul's thornin 2 Corinthians 12), but Jesus' power is greater (John 10:10). Not everysickness is demonic (Luke 6:17-19), but when it is, Jesus can break itinstantly. Theruler's reaction reveals a deeper issue. He saw the Sabbath as a checklist, nota gift of rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Tradition became his excuse to avoidcompassion. Jesus exposes this hypocrisy, shaming His critics into silencewhile the crowd rejoices at His “glorious things.” The synagogue ruler'spetty clock told yesterday's time, blind to the new era Jesus brought (Luke12:56). This was no violation; it was God's work, fitting for the Sabbath. Whatdoes this mean for us today? Jesus still calls the bowed-down—those crippled bysin or grief—to come to Him. He offers freedom, not just from physical chainsbut from spiritual ones, often before we even ask. Yet, like the ruler, we cancling to rules or routines that block mercy. The Sabbath here isn't aboutlegalism but heart-rest through grace. When we see suffering, do we respondwith Christ's compassion or hide behind excuses? His adversaries were ashamed;His followers rejoiced. Which side are we on? ClosingChallengeThisweek, look for someone “bowed down”—physically, emotionally, or spiritually.Don't let tradition or busyness stop you; take one step to “loose” them withkindness—a call, a helping hand, or a prayer. Reflect: Are you free in Christ,or bound by your own rules? Act in His mercy today. PrayerLordJesus, thank You for seeing us in our infirmities and calling us to freedom.Forgive us when we prioritize tradition over compassion, like the synagogueruler. Loose us from sin, sorrow, and self-made chains, and help us lift othersas You do. May we rejoice in Your glorious works, living out Your grace thisweek. In Your name, Amen.

SUNDAY COURSES | Westminster Confession of Faith 7: Of God's Covenant with Man

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Isaiah 7: 10-14; 8: 10; Rs psalm 40: 7-8a.8b-9.10.11; Hebrews 10: 4-10; Luke 1: 26-38TODAY'S GOOD NEWS The theme for our meditation today, the Solemnity ofthe Annunciation of the Lord is: Today's Good News. In the current trendysocial media-based short videos, we are always given the answer to thequestion: "What are today's words?" The person being questionedalways gives answers in the form of nice words to hear, expressions offriendship, motivational statements, and inspiring exclamations.  For example, when you watch and hear a motivationalstatement in this manner, "Stedfast in your faith, never give up, becausea day's hardship is enough for a day," and at that very moment you aredepressed and disappointed by a certain problem, you will be comforted andcalm. You will restart your day by being excited and joyful again.  In our time, audio-visual and digital-based socialmedia is running hand in hand with the creativity of the human generation ofmedia users who are increasingly expanding and advanced. The preaching anddissemination of the good news can be done by as many people as possible withtheir own abilities and creativity. In this connection, the event of the Annuncitationof the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary of Nazareth who was appointed as theMother of God and Jesus the Savior of the world born through the womb of Mary,should be the main motivation for us to always share the good news, the joyful words,and the wonderful story of salvation among us. Basically, God Himself is the giver and sharer of thejoyful news of the mysteries of His glory to us. This Solemnity of theAnnunciation is one of the God's revelations of His glory. It is this act ofGod that we must continue in our daily lives, when we are the ones who conceivethe good news and bring them to the world or our own presence that becomes goodnews for the people around us. The question would this: what is the content ofgood news can we share? For us the people belong to Jesus Christ who are sentas His witnesses in the world, the content of today's good news that we bringis of course the Lord Jesus Himself. Words, expressions, and statements thatcontain goodness to comfort and strengthen must be acknowledged as inspirationfrom God, and not from Satan or any particular evil spirit. Ghosts do not haveauthority to spread the good news of God. We, as individuals and as a community, should bringthe name of Jesus, His actions and teachings as the glad tidings that weproclaim to others. As the scriptures say, we are indeed salt and light for theworld today. God is the glad tidings, we are the bearers.Let us pray. In the name of the Father... O Almighty God,enable us to be true bearers of joyful news in today's world. Our Father who artin heaven... In the name of the Father ...

Pastor David teaches from Mark 12 on love FROM God, love FOR God, and the love OF God.

Delivered by the Vocationist Sisters in Labuan Bajo and Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Exodus 3: 1-8a.13-15; Rs psalm 103: 1-2.3-4.6-7.8.11; 1 Corinthians 10: 1-6.10-12; Luke 13: 1-9TIME TO RETURN TO GOD The theme for our meditation on this 3rdSunday of Lent is: A Time to Return to God. Time is one of the signs that warnsus about the opportunity to meet God. Sunday, for example, is a special timefor the faithful to gather and worship God. Lent is an opportunity every yearfor all of God's people to intensively and fully establish a relationship withGod through the acts of penance. Our time to encounter God can happen at any time andis very personal. God dwells in each of us and each person just needs toactivate awareness, calmness in heart, focus of mind and intimacy inrelationship to be able to experience moments with Him. We don't need to director lead God to come and meet at a certain place and at a particular time. It isprecisely we who provide time and room to meet Him and experience specialmoments with Him. Is meeting God an opportunity to return to Him? Isthis an opportunity for a person to repent from sins and evil acts? All of us aresinners when we meet God, whether on occasion with other believers orpersonally. But not everyone takes that opportunity as a time to return to God.There are still many of us who have not repented and truly experienced a newlife when they encounter God in prayer and worship. For example, a person was attending Sunday worship atchurch. He did not concentrate on every part of worship from opening toclosing. His mind was in chaos or running around. He did meet God while in thechurch, but he did not experience God's presence through the Word that entered andtouched his heart and consciousness. He was very burdened by the problems thatoccurred in his personal and family life. He did not receive Communion in thecelebration of the Eucharist on that Sunday. Any of us may not have repented and returned to theright path when we met the Lord. He is like a fig tree that does not bearfruit, which is ordered to be cut down. He was like the Israelites who werewarned by Moses to remember the Lord and return to Him. He is like theChristians who were warned by Saint Paul not to fall into sin like the ancientIsraelites when they were always against God's will. So, the time for us to return to God is at the time ofGod's warning or command to us to repent. If at this moment the warning isgiven and reaches our ears and hearts, that is the opportunity to repent.Delaying or rejecting it, then the moment or opportunity to change will be lost.Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O Almighty God,strengthen our faith in every warning and call to return to the way, the truth,and the life, which is Your Son Jesus Christ and our Lord. Glory to the Fatherand to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the name of the Father...

I believe I remember A.W. Tozer writing about how we live inthe age of a humanistic Christianity. Which means it is all about me! What Godand others can do for me. Instead of what I can do for Christ and others.  The sad truth isthat we have raised a generation of irresponsible, disrespectful people becausethey think it is all about them. “Have your own way”. “Do it your way”. “Whatdo you want to do”. “Follow your heart”. These are all indications of a humanisticheart and philosophy of life. It appears that today most Christians have alsogot caught up in this stream of materialism in America. Someone said it sowell, “We live in the day of rat race! We buy things we don't need, with moneywe don't have, to impress people we don't even like”.  The Gospels are full of verses where Jesus deals with thesubject of money, greed, and covetousness. In His first recorded message in Matthew6:19-21, Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, wheremoth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up foryourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and wherethieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heartwill be also.” Do you want to know where your heart really is? Look in yourcheck book, look in your credit card statements. See what you spend your moneyand time on, who and what you give your money to.  Jesus basically spends the rest of this chapter dealingwith the subject of covetousness and how to avoid this sin of idolatry that hasdestroyed so many families and lives. First, we need to realize that this sinof covetousness is something that comes from within the heart. Notice whatJesus said this certain rich man did. “He thought within himself…”.  He didn't get his friends and neighbors aroundhim and get upon a soap box and proclaim publicly to everyone, “Look at me! I havespent my life working very hard and now am a very wealthy man.” Jesus also said this man was a fool, not because he wasrich, but because he didn't realize the brevity of his life. The very night he thathe thought about what he would do with his wealth, he died and left his hard-earnedmoney and wealth to others, who would probably waste it. Solomon spoke aboutthis in Ecclesiastes 2:15-20. The rich man also revealed his heart by what he said. “Hethought within himself, saying…”.  You can't help but notice all the I's and “My's”.“What shall I do, since I have no room to store mycrops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barnsand build greater, and there I will store all my crops and mygoods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you havemany goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and bemerry." It is obvious that his heart was all about himself and whathe wanted. This is the essence of humanism and the sin of idolatry! The truthis, it is not about making a living, it is about learning how to live. We shouldn'twonder why our children are so materialistic, when we teach them that they mustget a “good education” so that they can make a good living. And we fail toteach them to live for the eternal.  Colossians 3:1-7 is a great reminder of the importance of livingfor the eternal things of God: “If then you were raised with Christ, seekthose things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand ofGod. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.... When Christ who is our lifeappears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to deathyour members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evildesire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things thewrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselvesonce walked when you lived in them.” Idolatry is the worship of anything that gets between youand God. May God help us not to be a fool like the rich man in this story. God bless!

This Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with JOURNAL author Doug Groothuis about his  article, “Why Read Books?.”This is also part of Doug's ongoing “Cultural Critique Column”. https://www.equip.org/articles/why-read-books//Related articles and podcasts by this author:Episode 424 Of God and Dogs, With Constant Reference to Sunny“Of God and Dogs, With Constant Reference to Sunny“Episode 416: The Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundThe Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundEpisode 401 How Truth WorksHow Truth WorksEpisode 393: Refuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthRefuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthEpisode 378 New Culture Critique Column: The Christian Self for Troubled Times and Meaning, Work, and the Value of PersonsThe Christian Self for Troubled Times: From Random to RedeemedAnd many more, Dr. Groothuis has written articles for us for over 30 years. Don't miss an episode; please subscribe to the Postmodern Realities podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Please help spread the word about Postmodern Realities by giving us a rating and review when you subscribe to the podcast. The more ratings and reviews we have, the more new listeners can discover our content.  

CHAP. VII.—Of God's Covenant with Man.I. THE distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He hath been pleased to express by way of covenant (Isa. 40:13-17; Job 9:32-33; 1 Sam. 2:25; Ps. 113:5-6; 100:2-3; Job 22:2-3; 35:7-8; Luke 17:10; Acts 17:24-25).II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works (Gal. 3:12), wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity (Rom. 10:5; 5:12-20), upon condition of perfect and personal obedience (Gen. 2:17; Gal. 3:10).III. Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second (Gal. 3:21; Rom. 8:3; 3:20-21; Gen. 3:15; Isa. 42:6), commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ; requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved (Mark 16:15-16; John 3:16; Rom. 10:6, 9; Gal. 3:11), and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe (Ezek. 36:26-27; John 6:44-45)IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed (Heb. 9:15-17; 7:22; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25).V. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel (2 Cor. 3:6-9): under the law it was administered by promise

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indoensia. Jonah 3: 1-10; Rs psalm 51: 3-4.12-13.18-19; Luke 11: 29-32SIGNS Our meditation today has the theme: Signs. Oursensitivity to signs is part of our character as living beings. Animals havethe instinct to recognize a sign and react to it. Likewise we humans, certainsigns that we find, provide a message for us to respond to. Our reactions canbe positive or negative, good or bad, like or dislike. Life signs are part of our entire communicationprocess. Language as a basic means of communication, in principle, is a signthat expresses the intention of our mind and heart. The world and theenvironment around us, are signs of God expressing His involvement and love tous. In short, our lives desperately need signs so that we can understand allthat exits and that will be coming to our lives.  This world and our lives would be very different, ifGod does not provide all the signs for us. How difficult it is to know andimagine the real God, if He does not use any sign to relate to us. How is itpossible for communication with human beings to occur, if from the beginning oflife there is no language and objects of creation that are signs of God'sconcern for humans? In short, signs are God's way of doing activities inrelating and communicating with us humans. The sign that is the pinnacle ofGod's action and communication to man is the Word of God or His own Son whobecame man. He is Jesus Christ of Nazareth who, according to the biblical description,had lived in the world of Palestine and its surroundings for 30 years of hislife. All of His deeds, ministry, and testimony are signs of God's greatnessand glory, with the ultimate goal being for mankind in the world to turn fromsin, be redeemed, and be saved. The reaction of man to the sign around him is eitherto accept and use it, or reject and destroy the sign. The Lord Jesus haspresented and witnessed Himself as a sign of God Himself, but not all peopleaccepted Him. Some rejected Him, as represented by the Pharisees, the scribesand all their followers. It is possible that there are people around us whobehave like those people in the time of Jesus. In general, we as followers of Christ believe andfollow the message of the signs of God's deeds that are delivered through ourChurch. This Lent is a sign from God through the norms of the Church, so thatwe can persevere in the renewal of ourselves. Prayer, fasting and charity aresigns of spiritual activities that support our conversion.Let us pray. In the name of the Father... O Jesus our goodTeacher, teach us always in self-renewal in this time of repentance. Hail Maryfull of grace ... In the name of the Father...

Fear God not man! First, we need understand thatGod created us as emotional creatures which is an aspect of being created inthe image of God. God has emotions! One of the most powerful and motivatingemotions we have is fear. There is a good benefit about fear, and there is abad aspect about fear. The good thing about fear is that it warns us of impendingdanger so we can prepare for it. I should fear getting to close to the edge ofthe cliff, getting in deep water if I can't swim, jumping out of a plane with afaulty parachute, or someone threatening to kill me with a gun. I get verymotivated to response in a proper way. But there is a fear that is not good.That is why the phrase, “Do not fear” or “do not be afraid” appears several hundredtimes in the Bible. There is a fear that paralyzes us or keeps us from doingthe right thing. There is a fear that indicates that we are not trusting Godfor His presence, protection, or His provision. In this passage in Luke 12, it first appears that the Lordmight be teaching us and addressing fear as one of the basic causes of hypocrisy.You might notice that Jesus mentioned "fear" five times in theseverses. When we are afraid of what others may think or say about us, then wetry to impress them in order to gain their approval. If necessary, we will even lie to accomplish our purposes,and this is hypocrisy. We often get caught up in the moment and follow a crowdto do evil, so we don't get ridiculed for being different or being a religiousnut. We also might fear what the crowd or our enemies could do tous physically, to our body, if we don't compromise our faith and say what theywant to hear or do what they are demanding. It is very possible that this iswhat the Lord is referring to in these verses. For sure the Pharisees weremotivated to be hypocrites because they were more concerned about theirreputation rather than their character, what people thought about them ratherthan what God knew about them. If we are not careful, we easily fall into thesame trap. A good verse to remember when we face this temptation is Proverbs29:25: “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shallbe safe.” The remedy for hypocrisy is to forget about what people maysay or do and fear God alone. The fear of God is the fear that conquers allother fears, for the person who truly fears God need fear nothing else. Allthat men can do is kill the body, but God can condemn the soul! Since He is thefinal Judge, and He judges for eternity, it is logical that we put the fear ofGod ahead of everything else. We also need to remember that the body is only temporary,but the soul is eternal. And that eternity is more important than time. In verses 6-7, Jesus also gives us the answer to what mightbe our greatest fear, and that is, that God really doesn't care about us. Jesusassures us God's amazing love and care. “Are not five sparrows sold for twocopper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God (v. 6). Godsees a sparrow fall from the sky and attends it in its hour of death. Mosestells us that God actually counts how many eggs a bird has in its nest (Deut.22:6-7). Coming closer to home, God “numbers the hairs on our head”. Goddoes not merely count them; He numbers them. The Greek word for “number” isarithmeo (from whence comes our word arithmetic). The word means that God notonly counts our hairs (a virtually impossible task) but He also labels them.  Think of it! God actually knows each separate individualhair on our head as separate and distinct from every other hair. That's ourGod! If He is that concerned about us, we must trust Him even when persecution orthe temptation to compromise comes. We have a God who loves us with aneverlasting love.  Jesus by His own life, death and resurrection teaches usthat we can always trust God  God bless!

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indoensia. Sirach 4: 11-19; Rs psalm 119: 165.168.171.172.174.175; Mark 9: 38-40FIGHT ENVY AND JEALOUSY Our meditation today has the theme: Fight Envy andJealousy. People often regard these two human weaknesses are similar or even complementary.But actually the two are clearly different. An envious person can be seen whenhe is hurt and angry because his fellow colleages are much smarter and havemany relationships, while he is not smart and always gets bad impressions bythe people around him. So envy is a human weakness that arises because there isa deficiency in oneself. Persons who are dominated by envy are always insecure,disturbed or hurt by the kindness, success or excellence of others.  Meanwhile, a jealous person experiences a different situationof human weakness. For example, Leah, a smart, polite and kind teenage girl.Everything positive about her makes her confident. Her parents are soaffectionate and supportive of her. She gets all the attention from herparents. But at the same time she also feels uncomfortable and worries, lestthe attention and affection of her parents be divided also to her cousin wholives with them in the family. Therefore Leah is jealous of her cousin.  So the difference between envy and jealousy is this:we are jealous of what is in others, whereas we are envious of what is in us.Both of them, if not properly managed or controlled, will turn into anger,hatred and dislike. They are all sinful. So the Lord Jesus says that we shouldnot be jealous because all goodness and mercy come from the Father. Everyone isblessed with everything enough for him or her to live, grow, develop and obtainsalvation. The important thing is that each of us remains grateful to theFather and strives to realize God's will that is in us. Today's Gospel provides a concrete example of howJesus dealt with the weaknessess of the apostles because of their envy andjealousy. They saw others who were not part of their group doing good andserving others. Jesus defended and supported the other parties, obviously causingthem jealous. They realized that the other persons turned out to be similar withthem or even better, therefore, their envy arose so strongly. They were evendesperate to prevent those people. How do we fight envy and jealousy, the book of Sirachteaches us to be wise. According to it, living wisely will have all the love ofGod. Living a grateful life is wisdom. Living according to each other's giftsis wisdom. Living righteously is wisdom.Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord, fill uswith gratitude and commitment to Your truth, so that we may resist the envy andjealousy within us. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

““I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.”‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬It's only God that gives peace that last so receive it today. Peace is not the amount of things you have, but the presence ofGod in your life!!

In previous episodes, we saw that no one in the Bible - notJesus, not Moses, not Isaiah or any other prophet, not Peter, not Paul or any other apostle – no one proclaimed or described that God is three in one.  Rather, we saw specifically that God is the Father alone, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. We looked at Paul's description of God and the Lord Jesus Christ in Ephesians 1.To Paul, God is not the Trinity, but the Father alone. And, Paul says the LordJesus Christ has a God. The Lord Jesus Christ's God is the Father. The LordJesus Christ is not God since he has a God and Jesus is someone other than God.Previous episodes:If the Bible is Right, God is NOT a Trinity (Part 1) https://youtu.be/S1-qBYVrkdUIf the Bible is Right, God is NOT a Trinity (Part 2) https://youtu.be/2x81JF9sKqc It is simple reading comprehension. When reading the Bible, nowhere is God a Triune being. I want to make one more simple reading example in the Bible where, in this case, we will see if the Apostle Peter believed that God was a Trinity, or that the Lord Jesus Christ was God.  Through simple reading comprehension, we will be able understand that the Apostle Peter's God was not the Trinity, and the Lord Jesus Christ was not Peter's God. Peter DID NOT declare that “God is a Trinity”. Peter DID NOT declare that one must believe that God is a Trinity. Peter DID declare that someone else other than the Lord Jesus Christ is God, that is, that the Lord Jesus Christ is not God. Peter DID declare that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We look at a couple of corroborating statements from Peter in the Gospels and one of his epistles, but focus on Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts Chapter 2.   Acts 2:2224"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you throughhim, just as you yourselves know– 23this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge ofGod, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. 24 But God raised him up… In this text, is God triune?  Is Jesus God?  Acts 2:30-33“So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandonedto Hades, nor did his body experience decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear.” Acts 2:36Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ."  Mark 8:29, He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." Luke 9:20, Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God." Matt. 16:16, Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,the Son of the living God." (Mat 16:16 NET) 1 Peter 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  1 Peter 20-21He (Christ) was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Peter never describes God as being triune, and never declares that Jesus is God.   If the Bible is right, God is not a Trinity.If Peter is right, God is not a Trinity.If your God is the Trinity, you have a different God than Peter.

 We are looking at the passage here in Luke 11:1-13 wherethe Lord is teaching His disciples to pray. They had just heard the Lordpraying and they were prompted to ask Him to teach them to pray. I believe oneof the places you will be encouraged to pray is in a prayer meeting when youhear someone else really pray. Many people say prayers but ever now and thenyou get in the presence of someone who prays. Their prayer takes you into thethrone room in heaven and you smell the fragrance and sense the presence of theFather. That should be our desire, like the disciples, to pray like that! Topray God's kingdom and will down from heaven to earth! The second petition in the prayer concerns just that! “Yourwill be done on earth as it is in heaven”. From the Scriptures we canbelieve that God the Father's will is completely and perfectly fulfilled inheaven. There is no bad in heaven only good. There is no sin in heaven. Every attributeof God, His grace, goodness, mercy, justice, kindness, holiness, righteousness andlove is there! Heaven is a perfectly wonderful place! We have the opportunity to get a taste of that kingdom in heavenhere on earth when we are walking in surrender and submission to the will ofGod. And we have the privilege and responsibility to bring the fulfillment ofthat kingdom to earth when we pray for God's will to be done on earth. Justlike we pray, “Your kingdom come”, we also pray, “Your will be done”. We desirefor God's will to be fulfilled and complete here on earth just as it is inheaven. What is the will of God? Now the Scriptures talk much aboutthe will of God. We don't have to guess and speculate what the will of God is! Weknow it is God's will for people to be saved! 1 Timothy 2:3-4 makes this veryclear: “whodesires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”. Peteralso reminds us of this truth about God's will in 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is... not willing that any should perish but that all should come torepentance.” You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out!God's will is for you to be saved. God's will is for your family and friends tobe saved. God's will is for everyone on the earth to hear of His greatsalvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Psalm 96:2-3: “Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. DeclareHis glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” The “will of God” is the mind, heart, desire and passion ofGod. He has predetermined and planned that His purpose for mankind is for them,by faith experience His great salvation through the redemptive blood and cross ofHis dear Son. It is God's will and plan for us to also participate in sharingHis glory with everyone. Ephesians 2:8-10 puts this together beautifully! “For we are Hisworkmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God preparedbeforehand that we should walk in them.” God's will is, not only that we are saved, but that we, asa beautiful masterpiece of His art, display through “good works” His love,grace, mercy, kindness, joy, peace and holiness to the world around us! Webecome like the “Good Neighbor” that Jesus talked about in Luke 10. In Ephesians5:15-20 we read this admonition: Thereforedo not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. It is the will of God that we are set apart for His holypurposes (1 Thessalonians 4:3). When this takes place in our heart and lives, youdon't have to figure out the will of God is for your life, “you are the will ofGod” on earth as if already in heaven! God bless!

Delivered by the Vocationist Sisters in Labuan Bajo and Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Isaiah 6: 1-2a.3-8; Rs psalm 138: 1-2a.2bc-3.4-5.7c-8; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11; Luke 5: 1-11NOTHINGTO LOSE Ourmeditation on this fifth Sunday in ordinary time has the theme: Nothing ToLose. In any race or competition, the principle of nothing to lose or fight andcompete without any burden, makes those persons involved only focus on therace. In the face of exams at school or tests to become employees in theoffice, the spirit of nothing to lose makes someone not ambitious and with allsincerity rely on his or her true ability. Whena person runs a given job and there is an achievement targeted, the spirit ofnothing to lose makes him work according to its detailed operational standardand he is very confident with that particular work. A person who struggles todefend his self-esteem because he has been slandered and humiliated, the beliefin nothing to lose encourages him to take the legal path to arrive at justicein favour of him. Or, it can also be true, based on that belief he is willingto resolve it amicably and wisely, without any regret, anger or hatred. Inshort, the principle of nothing to lose plays a role in making someone dosomething rightly, smoothly, sincerely, focused, serious, free and resolutelywith clear targets. We learn from the today's readings about this mentalattitude. Our point of departure is the sincerity and totality of the act ofGod who chose to come into the world. God has no burden and no objection tolive with us humans. Jesus Christ becomes united with us. He had even chosenthe worst of this world namely the most cruelty of death that He had accepted. Weas followers of Christ have an obligation to carry out God's will. God callseach one of us to have a way of life, to embrace a profession, to do service,and to practice devotion; all these shows how God acts to reveal His will. Whenwe admit and accept it, our attitude should be total and sincere like the LordJesus himself who was total and sincere to His mission. The prophet Isaiahshould be our example with his famous statement: Here I am, send me. Meanwhile,the disciples who were called by Jesus with the duty to be the fishers of men,left everything and followed Jesus. They had nothing to lose by choosing thispath. SaintPaul strengthens us in the sincerity and totality of Christianity, namely weare expected to be the credible persons. For him, there is no true Christianwitness, if there is no correlation between teaching and life, thought andaction, proclamation of Gospel and life of Gospel, prayer and work. If you sayone and do the other, your credibility as a Christian must be questioned. Youdo not have the principle of nothing to lose in the way as a disciple to theFather. Therefore, let us be sincere, focused, and total as the followers ofChrist.Let's pray. In thename of the Father ... Almighty Father, bless and have mercy on us to becomeYour true children. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the nameof the Father ...

Sex is like fire; in the fireplace it keeps us warm. Outside the fireplace it burns the house down.   The Bible is not silent or shy about sex, portraying it as a sacred gift meant to be enjoyed exclusively within the covenant of marriage. Using vivid imagery, the chapter warns against the dangers of sexual immorality, comparing it to honey that turns bitter and ultimately leads to destruction. The passage emphasizes that God's design—one man and one woman in a lifelong, faithful union—not only fosters personal and spiritual well-being but also protects against the destructive consequences of promiscuity, including emotional, physical, and spiritual harm. Wisdom calls believers to treasure intimacy within marriage and resist temptations that appear sweet but lead to ruin.   The wise father uses the imagery of springs and streams being "scattered abroad" representing the wastefulness of indulging in relationships outside ofGod's design. The text also highlights the deceitfulness of sin, urging us to stay far from temptation, whether in the form of adultery, pornography, or emotional infidelity. The consequences of ignoring these warnings are severe—lost honor, wasted years, broken relationships, and spiritual emptiness. However, the passage also points to the beauty of a healthy, God-honoring marriage, where love, passion, and delight are celebrated as blessings from God.    Sin's consequences are real, but God's grace is greater. Jesus is a friend to the sexually broken. He offers forgiveness and restoration to those who turn to Him, no matter how far they have strayed. Like the prodigal son who returns to his father, those who repent will find a God who runs to meet them with mercy and compassion. We are being called to something higher - to reject the deceit of sexual sin, embrace God's design for sexuality, and experience the fullness of His blessing in a life aligned with His wisdom.

Every decision we make with regards to concealed carry is a compromise: concealability, comfort, shootability, convenience. Then there are legal and ethical questions. All these factors must be accounted for. What compromises you are willing to make and how do you handle those decisions? Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, The Reformation Gun Club! http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Links of Interest Episode 43 – Of God and Gun Free Zones Prayer of the Week Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth Your hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Original Music by Reformer.   Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

In Proverbs 4, the focus shifts from warnings to encouragement, emphasizing actions that lead to flourishing in life. This chapter reflects the wisdom of a father passing down vital lessons to his sons, which he learned from his father. The passage highlights the importance of pursuing wisdom as the key to living a meaningful and abundant life, aligning with Jesus' promise in John 10:10. True abundance comes not from worldly pursuits but from a life lived in and for Christ. Scottish minister Thomas Chalmers insightfully noted that real change happens when we see Christ as the source of true life, outshining even the most enticing sins.   We will delve into the four stages of life: identity, growth, impact, and legacy, each posing unique challenges and opportunities to root oneself in Christ. Identity requires overcoming insecurities by embracing who God created us to be. Growth involves defining success through sanctification rather than worldly measures, while impact focuses on servant leadership amidst growing responsibilities. Legacy calls for finishing well, leaving a lasting testimony ofGod's faithfulness. Above all, our text urges the pursuit of wisdom, which requires humility and the abandonment of preconceived notions shaped by cultural pressures. A life guided by wisdom is likened to a bright, growing light, while rejecting wisdom leads to blindness and destruction.   To remain on the path of wisdom, we must protect the heart, the source of life. Practical steps include meditating on God's Word, being mindful of influences, speaking truth, fostering Godly relationships, controlling thoughts, praying for protection, and pursuing purity. The passage concludes with vivid metaphors contrasting the righteous path of light with the wicked path of darkness, underscoring the importance of vigilance in navigating life's journey.   We must never forget that life does not flow from the outside in, it flows from the inside out. Guard your heart!

You're listening to the Two Rivers PCA church podcast. We are a family of faith gathering around God's redeeming love, growing in the grace of Jesus Christ, and going to serve our neighbors.For more information, visit us at tworiverspca.org.

In this week's sermon, we draw a contrast between Proverbs chapters 2 and 3. While chapter 2 issues a warning to avoid the path of the wicked, chapter 3 takes a positive approach, teaching how to live a life of shalom—marked by peace, success, and refreshment. Solomon's fatherly counsel begins with the words "my son" and links wisdom with tangible blessings, urging us to guard our hearts against cultural ideologies, such as the popular mantra "live your truth," which opposes the biblical foundation of truth found in Jesus Christ. Solomon emphasizes the need to reject worldly loves and instead pursue the steadfast love and faithfulness of God. This provides lasting contentment within us and visible expressions of God's character through us.   True Shalom arises from aligning one's life with God's wisdom rather than worldly voices or self-reliance. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds believers to trust fully in the Lord and avoid leaning on personal understanding. Trusting in God is described with imagery of throwing oneself entirely into His care. This is foundational to living a life that flourishes under His guidance. The wise man challenges his listeners to examine their worldview, urging them to live out biblical truths boldly and to take risks for God, demonstrating faith in action that defies worldly logic. Such trust, coupled with reverence and acknowledgment ofGod, leads to a life of spiritual freedom and fulfillment.   Finally, our text highlights the consequences of ignoring God's wisdom. King David comes to mind. His sins caused physical and emotional torment until he confessed and received God's forgiveness. Proverbs 3:7-8 and Psalm 32 illustrate the transformative power of humility and dependence on God, which bring healing and refreshment. We are left with a simple yet profound application: fear God, turn from evil and embrace His design for your life. This response to God's wisdom leads to a life of eternal significance and the peace believers truly desire.

From God, With God, and Of God!

This Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with JOURNAL author Douglas Groothuis about his online article entitled, “Of God and Dogs, With Constant Reference to Sunny“ https://www.equip.org/articles/of-god-and-dogs-with-constant-reference-to-sunny/This is also part of Doug's ongoing “Cultural Critique Column”. Related Articles and Podcasts: Episode 252 Meditation Upon the Death of a PetMeditation Upon the Death of a PetRelated Articles and Podcasts by this author: Episode 416: The Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundThe Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundEpisode 401 How Truth WorksHow Truth WorksEpisode 393: Refuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthRefuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthEpisode 378 New Culture Critique Column: The Christian Self for Troubled Times and Meaning, Work, and the Value of PersonsThe Christian Self for Troubled Times: From Random to RedeemedAnd many more, Dr. Groothuis has written articles for us for over 30 years. Don't miss an episode; please subscribe to the Postmodern Realities podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Please help spread the word about Postmodern Realities by giving us a rating and review when you subscribe to the podcast. The more ratings and reviews we have, the more new listeners can discover our content.

This Sunday's Advent theme explores the concept of joy as presented in the great birth announcement given by angels. Joy, unlike happiness, is not based on favorable life events but rooted in a relationship with Jesus. Biblical joy persists through all circumstances, anchored in the character and promises ofGod. This is why the angels' announcement of Jesus' birth in Luke 2 was such a momentous declaration of "great joy" for all people—introducing a joy that comes through Christ's presence and God's redemptive plan rather than worldly pleasures or success.   The announcement reveals God's profound presence through Jesus, as proclaimed to humble shepherds, demonstrating that this joy is accessible to all, not just the esteemed or powerful. This choice reflects God's tendency to reach out to the overlooked and marginalized, who respond with attentiveness and faith. Jesus, described as Savior, Christ, and Lord, fulfills centuries-old promises of salvation, establishing Him as the foundation of a lasting joy that transcends temporary sorrows. This joy, embodied in Christ, transforms hardship into a pathway for spiritual growth, as seen in Romans 5:3-5, where suffering builds character and hope.   Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.   To experience this enduring joy, Jesus instructs His followers to obey His word and remain in His love (John 15:9-11). Obedience is not restrictive but brings believers closer to God, enabling them to experience His guiding presence. Remaining in His love, as Henri Nouwen suggests, means knowing oneself to be unconditionally loved by God. This realization brings a joy that surpasses life's challenges, offering Christians a steady assurance that their worth and ultimate fulfillment are found in God's love and salvation.

The post Of God’s Presence appeared first on Ypsilanti Free Methodist.

Please note that the 1st part is in English, and the 2nd part is in Malayalam starting at 15:20 mark.Matthew 7:21- “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” എന്നോടു കർത്താവേ, കർത്താവേ, എന്നു പറയുന്നവൻ ഏവനുമല്ല, സ്വർഗ്ഗസ്ഥനായ എന്റെ പിതാവിന്റെ ഇഷ്ടം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ അത്രേസ്വർഗ്ഗരാജ്യത്തിൽ കടക്കുന്നതു.There are people who call God and pray several times a day.  There are people with different gifts from the Holy Spirit.  You may be a pastor or a preacher or a priest.  None of these factors  guarantee that they will enter heaven.  Only those who do the will of the Father in heaven will enter heaven.  If someone  has the gift to prophesize, but does not do the will of God, he or she will not enter heaven.  Just like a tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, a person who does not bear fruit or who does not do the will of God will be thrown into hell.  Even if a person has the gift of casting out demons and performing miracles in the name of Jesus, at the Last Judgment he may not enter heaven if he does not do the will of the Father in heaven.  From these verses it is understood that it is very important to know the will ofGod and act upon it in order to enter heaven.  The different wills of God are discussed.My name... Cicilysunny@gmail.com

Connecting the gospel messages; Emperor changing; Caligula?; vs Tiberius; Rome vs U.S.; Church resources; Aid to others; Buying votes; "Offices" in society; Deacon? = "minister unto"; Well story; Geographical network; Working for your benefits; Self-organization; Readiness for calamity; Doing what the bible talks about; Living by faith instead of force; God's offices; Elders?; Choosing your minister; Free assemblies; Ex 33:10; Ex 4:31; "Worship"?; Christ's prayer; Envy and betrayal; Servants of Holy Spirit; The love OF God; Guaranteeing benefits; Why we're in bondage; "Vail"; Cruelty?; Federal Reserve; 7 men?; Serving tables; Lk 19:23; 1 Chron 9:22; Porters of the temple; Ecc 11:1; Casting bread upon the waters; Are your prayers heard?; Ambassadors; Owning all things common; Coming against Christ; Trusts; Natural Law; The rich man; Manifesting Holy Spirit; High Priest?; Dentist of Bergamot; Pride; Claudia/Gladys?; Lady Godiva; Congressional witness; Tens; Mom story; Wickedness; Meditation; Pilate's trial; Oaths and jurisdiction; Why you are in bondage; Follow Christ!

Jesus promises that “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Here, Jesus speaks of the power of Christian community. Of God's people gathered together in Jesus' name. Tonight we get to celebrate our All Saints Remembrance and Celebration, where we each will have a chance to remember and give thanks for someone who has encouraged us in our faith and in our relationship with Jesus.We sang, “Here I raise my Ebenezer, for by thy help I've come.” An Ebenezer is a stone of help. In the Bible, Samuel experiences God's help and sets up a stone as a sign to remind the people that God helped them in that place. Tonight, we'll read about Jacob also setting up a stone as a sign that God is in the place he was. Genesis 28:10-22Sermon Erin BovendamFacebook: / calvaryperham YouTube: / @calvaryperham Lakes 99.5 Radio Sundays at 10:30 TUESDAY WORSHIP 9:00AM Arvig TV Channel 14 egiving www.calvaryperham.com

In part one of Pants on Fire: Extinguishing the Lies that Hinder Us,Pastor Karin tackles the three most common lies that the enemywhispers about God. The enemy should not be given more creditthan he deserves, but he is the father of lies, and we must have astrategy to play both offense and defense. Whether you are newerin your faith journey or a seasoned Christian, the enemy doesn'tgive up easily. Focusing on Psalm 103, where we are reminded ofGod's character, this message gives four strategies that will helpus keep an accurate view of God so that we can fulfill our divinepotential.Pants on Fire is a two-part series. And while most of us remember“Liar, liar, pants on fire” from childhood, it is time for followers ofChrist to stop letting the enemy's lies about God and about uskeep us from the fullness of life that God intends.

Father shows us how to share the word Of God

This message is from chapter 8 of Deuteronomy, verses 10-20. Thismessage is about receiving God's blessings without becoming casual,convenient, and consumeristic. It is easy for fullness to lead toforgetfulness.It's essential for us to remember who the giver of goodness is. Toremember is important for many reasons, but the most important reason isthat remembering keeps us humble instead of prideful.Lastly, every good parent gives warnings. Moses ends the Deuteronomy8:19-20 with a serious and solemn warning. Ultimately, why does anyonegive a warning? This message is an opportunity for us to protect ourselves,but more than that, it is an opportunity for us to experience the fullness ofGod's promises and provision.

In Luke 5:1–11, we observe Jesus teaching the word ofGod at the lake of Gennesaret (vs. 1–2) while enacting 3demonstrations of His divinity as He calls His firstdisciples.Jesus demonstrates His divinity by:I. Procuring Peter's boat (v. 3).II. Providing an abundant catch of fish.A. Command: Let down your nets (v. 4).B. Response: Reluctant obedience (v. 5).C. Result: Miraculous catch (vs. 6–7).D. Reaction: Awestruck confession of sin(vs. 8–10a)!III. Promising an abundant catch of men.A. Command: Fear not (v. 10b).B. Prophecy: You will catch men (v. 10c).C. Response: Obedient following (v. 11).

Seek Week - Night 2"The Art of Bothering God"Luke 11:5-10; 18: 1-8Guest Pastor Stan GrantSeptember 9, 2024Our new Kids and Youth space is almost ready! We are expanding our current space to make room for families, with 3x more space for kids, youth, and the next generation. https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/reel/C8FqHIipr3u/Learn about this year's Kingdom Builders project to secure land for the future of Oasis Church: https://www.oasischurch.online/kingdom-builders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGL-Xr4I4_cSERMON NOTES:- “That we would Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all situations for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus”- What was fundamental in the early church has become supplemental to the modern church.- The key to becoming a person of prayer is desperation not discipline- Being persistent not passive will get the attention Of God!!- Luke 11:5–10- Luke 18:1–5- These parables are not a comparison they are a contrast.- Luke 11:9–13- Luke 18:6–8- Hebrews 11:6Oasis Church exists to help people see Jesus more clearly.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Richmond, VA.Stay Connected:Website: https://oasischurch.online Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/

First Day on the Job — Joshua 1:1-9 1. The characters (verse 1) a. Moses b. The LORD c. Joshua 2. The geography (verse 2) a. The River Jordan b. The Land 3. The promises a. Of the land (verse 3) b. Of God's presence (verse 5) 4. The commands a. Be strong and courageous (verse 6) b. Keep the Law of Moses (verses 7)

In this episode of Creations Paths, host Charlie, a non-binary sci-fi fantasy writer and practicing Druid, delves into the concepts of the queenship and motherhood of Mary. Charlie explores the significance of Mary in Christian tradition, explaining how she serves as a substitute and stand-in for humanity, emphasizing her role in salvation history and her embodiment of divine feminine power. From Mary's Fiat to her presence as the Queen of Heaven, this video examines her profound impact and importance. Charlie discusses the paradigm shifts in modern, post-modern, and metamodern perspectives on faith and how Mary's queenship counters patriarchal instincts. The episode also touches upon the personal devotional impacts of Mary and how she serves as a source of healing and balance in faith practice.Tips or Donations here: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett patreon.com/cedorsett Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/ For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/ Social Connections: BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/Transcript:[00:00:00] Charlie- New: Salve Regina. Hail holy queen mother and queen blessed Mary mother of God, mother of the church, mother of us all, queen of our hearts. Yes today, we're going to be talking about the queenship of Mary and the motherhood of Mary. Why would a metamodern anarchist like me be all down for calling anybody a queen. Let's talk about that. On today's Creations Paths. Intro. [00:00:27] Charlie- New: Hello everyone. My name is Charlie. I'm a non-binary scifi fantasy writer. I'm also a practicing Druid as is my husband, Brian. Today we're going to be talking about the motherhood, the queenship of Mary. This is I think a hard one for modern folk. Harder for post-modern folk and. I think dirt simple for Metta modern folk. [00:01:01] Brian - New: Ah, the progressions. [00:01:02] Charlie- New: The progression, how the paradigms do shift. So might be confused by those three labels and don't worry. it's fine. a Modernist is somebody who believes in grand unifying ideas. A post-modern is all about deconstruction and tearing those ideas back into there little bitty pieces in a Metamodernism, just kind of dances. Through it all. [00:01:24] Brian - New: about the journey or the dance. [00:01:26] Charlie- New: Its about the journey. It just oscillate back and forth between the grand idea and the deconstruction of it. Here I am sitting here. I pray the Salve Regina, I often. will call out to the queen of heaven, to the queen of our hearts, to the queen of mercy. There's so many wonderful titles that Mary, has. Yet, if you were to tell me that I had to bow to an actual earthly queen, I would laugh at you unless I was at some kind of a ball or something. [00:01:54] Brian - New: Then she going to have to prove herself. [00:01:56] Charlie- New: she going to have to make it work. Why does it matter to us? in this. Day and age to talk about the queenship of Mary. Well, one. As we've talked before and we'll probably always be talking about. When it comes to Mary, Mary is the substitute, the stand in for us in these stories. She is the first who gave that beautiful Fiat. When she said, yes. So that the son of God could be born into the world. She is the one who proclaimed the gospel that the high will be thrown down and their Thrones will be scattered and that the lowly will be brought up. She is the one who was there through all of the. Mysteries of Christ's life. She is the one who was taken into heaven. She is the one who became one. With the father, as Christ is with the father. And is the matrix from whom we are all formed. Mary is so central. To the heart of the faith. If you came from a Protestant upbringing, This may seem. Foreign to you. I know it was when Brian and I first got together because. I have been a Marianist since I was about 16. [00:03:07] Brian - New: When first exposed to these concepts, I was like, what's the point? Like. If you got God, you got Jesus. Aren't you good. Isn't it all? I think. you did two things. One. When you pointed out, that could be good and for some of them that is all they need. That is great and wonderful. But for others, they might not feel. Worthy or they might not feel deserving. Of grace. Of being in the presence of God. Sometimes it's easier to go to the mother. And to be cradled and held by the mother. mothers tend to be non-judging and accepting. And then you handed me saint Louis de Montfort's book and said, read this. Sent me on my way. Which was very fascinating. Read. Pretty fascinating time, but. Not for this episode. [00:03:54] Charlie- New: Well, and he called it right. He did call her a secret of Mary. Is the secret of Marry. Come to your faith. Faithful one. Let me tell you the secret of Mary. As hard as the secret known to, but a few right. Mary is so core to all of this because she is the one who formed Christ. She formed. Jesus. She is the mother. Of Christ. And as such, if we are the body of Christ, she is our mother. But also as the mother of Christ, she is the one who forms us. She is the one that makes us. Who and what we are is Paul. Says she's the heavenly Jerusalem. When thinking about her and her place in the economy of salvation, she is. The pinpoint she's the startup. Yeah. She brought. The holy one, she brought Christ into the world. With her queenship. why should that matter? [00:04:46] Charlie- New: Well, one. I think it's very important to highlight the queenship of Mary. Because it fights against the. Patriarchal instincts of the Imperial church. That even when they want to call her a queen. We'll try to sideline her in many, many ways. And that she. And we, they tried to take her family away. They tried to do all kinds of things. To try to keep her from living in the fullness. That she does. Mary's queenship. Reminds us. Of the power of the feminine. The absolute power, that is there. We often talk about the kingdom of God. I know that there've been people who have tried to move away from that term. Matthew Fox has tried to move away from the term, a lot of, uh, Christian leaders of. Tried realm or. Matthew Fox likes to say queendom. Of God, which. It's just a word that. I don't know. Jingles in my brain in a strange way. If we were to look at the way that these words have been traditionally used. Cause. I think it is important to have a sense of continuity. She is the queen of the kingdom. She stands there. To me. Mary is the answer to the question that the sons of Zebedee ask Jesus, who will sit at your right hand. Oh, Mary. And to me, Jesus answers this question, the first shall be last. And the last shall be first. The one who shall be first will be the servant of all. Mary does not have a prominent role throughout the gospels. And is. Absent. To the point where a lot of people forget that she was there. And you have to point out. No, she's right there. She's right there. Through the entire story, but in her humility, she is. Doing her job, everything. My son tells you do it. She's always pointing. To the Christ. It's only afterwards. Where she is able to take her real true and proper place. Where we see. The role that she plays. I'm not saying that all of us need to just fade into the background. Though, if you're going to be like, Uh, shadow broker. Who's bringing good about into the world. Fade into the background. Make the good things happen. But the story, at least at that time was not about her. Now it is. Like I said that. The story is about Mary start very, very early on. From the Purdue week, Ben gallium. Telium of James. That spends a lot of time on her childhood and her parents. Anne and Joachim. Through to the door mission of Mary that tells us about her assumption into heaven for the first time. Mary becomes the center of the story very quickly in Christian history. And has remained in this primacy. Place. It's because. We need. That mother. Because the Imperial church. Robbed us of a. Maternal God, which by the way, is found throughout the Christian tradition. And the. scriptural one as well. As just a side note. I love giving people the revelation of divine. Knowing. And of divine love for the first time. By Julian of Norwich because when they see the phrase of mother Christ, For the first time, it just kind of shatters their expectations. And when you remember that this woman is a Saint in the Episcopalian and Catholic, like every church claims her. She uses the phrase mother Christ. We had a lot in that book actually. Because the divine feminine has always been there. But it gets hidden. Like Mary. Was it. This pivotal person. In the history of our faith. She raised. The Christ child. She was there when they fled into Egypt and she was there when they came back. She's the one that would have instilled his morals and ethics and to him as he's growing up. And yet we don't get to see. Hardly any of that. In scripture. By stressing that this unseen. Character. Is our queen. Because Queens are. majestic. They're powerful. It reminds us one. When we think about our own families. How very often. It was our mother and sisters and whatnot who kept everything flowing. Moving smoothly. Unseen by our hands you just woke up and there was breakfast cause. I don't know. You were a child and didn't think about where the breakfast came from. It was just there on the table when you got up. Now your mom got up before you and made that breakfast. Maybe. not all mothers. But you get the gist of what I'm trying to say. Power. It's not always loud. This is the other thing I love about the idea of the queenship of Mary. When we think of the kingship of God. You get images of like a Cecil B DeMille movie, god on the top of the mountain. Moses. These are my 10 commandments. It was booming voice coming down from heaven. We forget that we're told that the voice of God is. A whisper. It's a still small voice. It's a Russel. Leaves in the wind. It's a subtle voice. It's not this. Booming voice. In fact, when we actually read the story in. Exodus of them receiving the 10 sayings. It says, the voice of God was on the mountain and the people saw it. Which is a very interesting turn of phrase. Because they saw the voice, they didn't hear it. They saw the voice. It was a powerful image. We give this very. Strong vocal voice. Then when we think about. The queen. Especially with Mary, like I said, with her seeming absence yet. Ever presence in the gospels. It reminds us to listen for that actual real voice of God. That quiet. Still small voice of God that. Like what the experience of Elijah. God, wasn't in the fire, God wasn't in the earthquake. God, wasn't in the wind. But after all these three things, There was a still small voice. That's where we find the voice of God. That's where we find it in Mary. Mary is such an ever pervading presence in our lives. Queen of the angels queen of our hearts. These are not just words that I say because they're written in the litany somewhere. This is my experience of Mary. When I say I became a Marianist when I was 16. That's because. I was raised Baptist. I've talked about this bit, but I didn't convert to Catholicism. adulthood. I wasn't raised with Mary. Mary. Wasn't a part of my childhood. I found her. I found the secret of Mary. It gave me meaning and purpose. Like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. When I thought about her. My heart. Warmed up. It brought me to life in a way that very few other thoughts had. It gave me meaning and purpose. Gave me something to strive for. When we say in the prayers, our life, our sweetness here below. That's Mary. Now there are thousands of words and pages written. About her, but when you look at the scripture, she's here, she's there. She doesn't have that profound presence. But she's there in all of it. Throughout the whole thing. That loving presence of that sweet divine mother. Guiding us and leading us. Ever forward. I love calling out to. Our queen. [00:11:59] Brian - New: It's also through Mary that. I find. Healing in the imagery of the kingdom of heaven. I know a lot of people nowadays. Bristle. At that term, as you pointed out earlier, But it is through Mary. As queen. We realize it puts things back into balance. It moves away from the falsehoods of misogyny. The false hoods of the significant figure in history that the one person that does. Man. Man history. Falsehoods and Mary helps to heal that because then you realize it's a king and a queen. It is in a way, going back to the time of judges. Which the old Testament. God said was the better way to have things. Anyhow, it's a council. It's not just this one dictation on high. That's not voice. It's the loud voice and the quiet voice. It's both together. It's the. action that you see. And the action that you don't see. [00:12:56] Charlie- New: It brings us back to the Elohim to God and. Cause the truest sense that divine counsel, that. True unity that said, let us make man in our image. And then he made them. Male and female. in unity and harmony and altogether. In one. That really is. The heart of what's missing and a lot of modern faith and a lot of modern practice. I have a very strong devotion to Mary. It's rivaled only by my devotion with Bridget. And if you've ever studied the prayers. Of our ancestors. Mary and Bridgid are almost always. Invoked together. In fact. It said that Bridgid. They say, this is about the saint, but I feel like this is more true of the goddess. was the foster mother of Jesus that she was the handmade. She was the midwife. That helped. Mary give birth to Jesus. And of course St. Bridget of Kildare could not have done that. But Bridgette could have done that. It's Bridget has always been and always will be. Like all the faces of God. So we see them together. When you see them together. Something magical happens because it erodes this idea of competition. It erodes the site idea of there being anything. Any vine for the attention or affections of the king. Mary is there. Bridget is there? Jesus is there. We are there. we don't have to fight about it. We don't have to beg to be seen. Because we are. personally like the terms king and queen for God. And Mary, just for one other reason. Because that's where the kingdom is. The kingdom of God is not of this world. By remembering that my true queen, my true king is not of this world. It makes it easier not to set up a queen or king in this world. So on this day, when we're remembering the queenship of Mary. I recommend maybe. watch Sister Act again. Right before we started this podcast, I played the salvia Regina. From the sister act soundtrack to get us. Ready. For this episode. Maybe watch one of my favorite movies. the song of Bernadette, which is about. Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette Soubirous. When she had the visions of Mary. love that movie so much. It's also a good movie. If you've never seen Vincent Price play anything, but in a horror movie. He still plays kind of the villain of the movie, it's an interesting role. That is not what I've come to expect to see as a Vincent Price would be. He's very good at it. Go out and. Just listen to nature. The queenship of Mary is everywhere. When we think about may, which is the traditional month where we celebrate Mary. So many of the songs invoke the lilies of the field and the flowers and the birds and the butterflies. That nature, because. The love of our divine mother. Is the most natural thing. I think I should just take just a moment. Cause I keep saying our divine mother and I know people that are coming from Protestant. Upbringing may have a problem with that. Mary is the mother of God. If you believe that Jesus has God. Mary is Jesus's mother. They're four by the transit of property. Mary is the mother of God. It's in the book. Whether there was a god. Before. Is a stupid question that gets asked by people that aren't really thinking, and they're just wanting to cause problems. Of course there was a god before. But Mary. Made that God. Mary. Is the vehicle through which Christ. That same cosmic Christ. That. Created everything and holds the universe together. Through Mary, that Christ came into this world. We meet him in the form of Jesus Christ. [00:16:51] Brian - New: When going back there was the Shekinah. Kina Shekinah. There you go. Thank you. [00:16:57] Charlie- New: have feelings about how Mary relates to the Shekinah, but that's a whole bag of worms, Mary as the lost princess. I really in my heart of hearts, believe that. I don't believe that anyone else has to believe that, but yes, in my heart of hearts, Yeah, Mary is the presence of God. The sweet. Shekinah the. The tent that covers us and holds us and one family. I guess 100% in my heart of hearts. I believe that. And for that alone makes her the queen. [00:17:27] Brian - New: the wind that supports us by day and the. Pillar, flame that lights our way and protects us. Our path at night. In the darkness. [00:17:36] Charlie- New: If you're into. More traditional things. Open up a prayer book. Say a rosary. Say a litany. Beautiful lit news. Just say the Regina Caeli. [00:17:47] Brian - New: For the Druids out there just take a moment today. Go outside. Sit under a tree. Sit in the mother's embrace. No, that we're all worth it. Raul. We're all. Okay. No matter how dark we are. We're all good. Some level. Mom always gives us a hug no matter what. Or how filthy we come in from playing outside. [00:18:06] Charlie- New: She is. Like the prayer says our life, our sweetness here below. Oh, Maria. This is a much more devotional episode than I thought it was going to end up being. But. It's hard for me to talk about Mary and not just. Break out into just extolling her brilliance and her virtues and just my absolute love and admiration for her. She has answered our prayers. With felt her presence in our darkest times. She she is with us. She cares for us. She is our mother and our queen. And I hope that. If you've. You've had those experiences too. And if you haven't. We fly to your patronage. Holy Mary mother of God. Never hasn't been known that anyone. Who has flown. Two, your. Who has asked you if anything has ever been turned away, empty. It's an old prayer. And it's a prayer that is still in use today because it is still true today. So this, this has helped you and you think that, you know, somebody else who would like it, please share that helps us. Grow. If you haven't already like us or. Subscribe or follow or. Leave a review or whatever you could do on wherever you're listening to the sounds of our voice. It really does help us out a lot. If you have any questions instead of https://www.creationspaths.com/ and you can either put them in the chat over there, or you can. Comment them on the bottom of this episode. Let us know what you think. You can also comment over on YouTube or Spotify. We get to see those as well. If you have a few dollars that you can pass our way. You always sign up for a membership. Really helps us out a lot. Helps us keep. This podcast coming to you also. We're going to be doing some classes and not too distant future. And. The those who have. Joined the membership are going to get access to those early. So. Just so, you know, They're there. There's some treats coming. Anyhow. Yeah, wholly queen and thrown the ball. May the grace of Mary. Our queen and our mother. He with you now and forevermore. Amen. Amen. Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

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Join Charlie, a non-binary sci-fi fantasy writer, and their husband Brian, as they commemorate the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. This episode explores the presence of Jesus alongside Moses and Elijah, the significance of this event in Christian mysticism, and its relevance to modern believers. Through thoughtful discussions on law, prophecy, justice, and the essence of divine light, Charlie and Brian encourage listeners to find personal meaning and practical wisdom in this sacred narrative. Engage in a deeper understanding of the balance between law and prophecy and the transformative power of divine illumination.Support us on: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsettBecome a patron of the arts patreon.com/cedorsettFor Educational Resource: Wisdoms Cry https://wisdomscry.comFor all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.comThreads https://www.threads.net/@creationspathsInstagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/Transcript:  Today as we celebrate the transfiguration of Christ and imagine the divine Christ. Between Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. We have a lot of questions that pop up. What does this mean for us today? Why is this such an important, and I would say almost a vital part of the story?   Blessings in light to everyone out there. Hello, my name is Charlie. I am a non-binary scifi fantasy writer. Today we are celebrating. The memorial of the transfiguration of Christ. This is a story that we can find in the new Testament and is one that has inspired mystics and visionaries throughout the history of Christianity. I think, we'll find very impactful in our own discussion today. I'm joined by my wonderful husband, Brian. Good day. This is a big, deep, meaty topic. I'm glad that it's on the calendar every year, because this entire podcast could just be about this one moment and we could do seven days a week hours and hours a day and not exhaust everything that happened. If you're not familiar with the story, It's very simple. Jesus and three of his disciples Peter, John, and Andrew go up on a mountain to pray. They wake up in the middle of the night and there's a blinding light on the top of Mount Tabor. They look over and there is the fully divine Christ sitting on the mountain, talking with Moses and Elijah. And they really don't know what to do. In fact, I believe it's Peter. Who said, should we make up tents for our guests? And Jesus is like, No. But thanks for asking. it's this moment that kind of happens and passes. It seems almost an interjection into the story. What actually happened here? What is the importance of this? On a basic level the transfiguration shows us Jesus in the line of profit and law-giver. We see him with Moses the quintessential law giver, the one to whom the Torah was given. That all of the commandments were given. And we have kind of this reenactment of the events on Mount Sinai. And we have a, Elijah the quintessential profit . A profit that walked with God so much that he does not die. A great chariot swings, low picks him up and carries him away into heaven. So again, the quintessential prophet. Just a quick little side note in here, because it kind of cracks me up. Elijah is also, very much about lessons of hospitality. It just cracks me up that the first default thought was hospitality, with proposing, do we need to build a tent or set up a tent for them? Even though. non-corporeal doesn't necessarily need a tent, but hospitality first, it just cracks me up and there's always a great lesson to take in everything, that one's default thought should be hospitality just cover your bases. We have these three very important people. People who are all attributed to these three mountain experiences, we have Jesus on Mount Tabor. We have Moses from Mount Sinai. And we have a Elijah who is very connected with Mount Carmel. in fact, it's on Mount Carmel that Elijah sees God. One of the most powerful passages in all of scripture and a story, we will be referring to a lot, forever. And should probably do a full episode on at some point. God walks by and there are three things that happen. There was a mighty wind. But God was not in the wind. There was a fire and God was not in the fire. There was an earthquake and God was not in the earthquake. And then a still small voice came to Elijah. I've always found this image very powerful in that when we think of Moses on Mount Sinai. We think of this big, booming voice, right? For those of us of a certain age, we go back to a certain Charlton Heston movie. I am the Lord, your God. Right. It's very booming voice, which is very much associated with the law. Loud booming. Declarative voice. And Elijah who heard the still small voice. The quiet voice and there in between the two is Jesus the Christ in the fullness of his glory. Now we can get into some of the theological questions and stuff that come around with this moment, but, to me the most important lesson I learned from here is the Christ as the pivot point between these two things. The law which is quite literally for Moses written in stone. The 10 declarations are, as they're often said in English, the 10 commandments, literally carved into stone. And Elijah. The prophet. The justice maker, the one who engages in good trouble. The most prolific slaughterer of. People in the entire scripture, which is why people like me always speak of Elijah with great reverence. Because people who are familiar with the story of Elijah and the profits of ball. They say their prayers, they say their prayers and when elijah brings fire down on his stack and the profits of ball, don't. Elijah then pulls a sword and kills 500 profits of ball. We'll talk about that later Elijah is a bit scary and in legend becomes increasingly scary because Elijah having never died occasionally shows back up in stories. And is always there to as Brian said, judges, the hospitality of the place that he goes to. woe and to you, if Elijah finds you wanting. The profits are the voices of justice. The law is not always about justice. I think this is where we get things confused. The law is about righteousness. When we are talking about the law, we're talking about what is right and what is wrong. We're talking about ethical codes, moral codes. How you should govern yourself and how you should govern a society. That's what the law is. The law is not interested in justice. It should be the embodiment of justice. It should be written justly. But. a, human actor has to make justice happen. I like to think of the law as it's like any structure whether that's a building, a wall, a door. It exists. It gives structure and form to the environment. But it is not necessarily just, it is not necessarily right or wrong. That wall will obstruct passage and flow of air , and everything else, good or bad. But it does give structure. Continuing this trend that we've been on this month with the podcast, talking about peace and peace making. There we have Jesus in the middle. And I feel like this is the embodiment of both the law giver and the pro and the prophet. As Jesus famously said in the sermon on the mountain, not one jot or tittle. Not one little dot or a line. Which shall pass from the law until all is fulfilled. What is the law? You should love the Lord, your God with all your heart, mind, and spirit, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The law is love. But this is very rigid. It is love. Not hate, not anger, not fear. And he walks this line between the law giver. Which we see on the sermon on the Mount. And the prophet who is going about interfering with injustice. see a person about to be stoned. And he says, okay. That's what the law demands. This person be stoned. So whoever's without sin cast the first stone. Hmm. That makes you have to stop for a minute. And look at the harshness of the law. Jesus is constantly pointing at the harshness of the law. Why is there divorce according to Jesus, because of the hardness of our own heart. Because we enter into relationships that maybe we shouldn't maybe we're mean to each other and were cruel to each other. There are many, many reasons for a marriage to end, but if we were perfect embodiments of love and compassion, There would be no need for divorce. We would find the person that we loved and we would love them and we would be a perfect love and romance, novels, happy, ever. Afters would be ubiquitous for all. But that's not who we are as a species. So many of us have that hardness of heart. Relationships break and they fall apart Jesus is bringing about this new modality. This new way of acting. And that we are told not to judge. Judge not lest you be judged for you shall be judged by the same measure that you yourself apply. Ooh. This is why I personally don't care what people get up to in their personal lives. But if they're always harping about morality, and getting into everybody else's sex lives and they have a messy one themselves. I find myself talking about it. Because I don't really care what most people are doing in their privacy of their own lives. But you keep saying that you are some Paragon of justice, now I care. It's the hypocrisy that makes me care and we are judged by the standards that we apply. There is also a second part of that. This is where prophecy being able to see the divine be able to participate in those divine energies really comes to the forefront. Jesus tells us to. Not try to take the mote out of our brother's eye. Before we take the log out of our own. What's all that about. Well, the evils that we impute to others are often, not always, but often the flaws we see in ourselves. We're often projecting our own insecurities fears, inadequacies, lapses on to others. And in, so we're telling ourselves. I'll be quite honest. I talk a lot about compassion and our need for compassion because. That is not something that comes natural to me. Compassion is something I had to learn and actively practice. I would not say that I am perfect at it. When I don't believe that anybody's perfect at anything, but I have rage in me. I have anger in me. I'm not somebody who holds grudges. That's not the way that I act, but. if I am not careful in monitoring who I am and how I'm interacting with people, compassion. Isn't always the place that I operate from. I see this as a failing in myself and thus project out. We need compassion. We need confession. You see the St. John Lennon, John Lennon also had this problem and one of his most famous songs, right. All you need is love. Because, yeah, this is a fault he saw in himself that he tried to make better and tried to get better. In his case, I think it is something that he did improve on over time. It is in this as well that we can glean a useful motivational tool. It is in our nature to want to judge others for things. Using that desire. That urge. Sublimating that energy. Into and redirecting it back into yourself. To use that as energy to give yourself fuel for self-improvement. It's quite a powerful tool. Often, when driving, find myself being like, oh, this person's being a jerk or don't drive like a, expletive. I tend to get worked up by other drivers. On my better days, I take a moment. Take that breath for peace and let it go and then I also remember to take that energy that was built up in wanting to judge others, to reflect it back upon myself and realize. Why am I driving as fast as I'm driving? Why am I cutting these people off? Why did I just change lanes five times between two stoplights? It's unnecessary. It's excessive. I'm the one driving like a jerk. I'm the one cutting people off. I'm the one driving too fast. And whether I am quote unquote, driving safer, it's not for the debate at that point in time. It's a lame excuse. I need to fix myself first. Using that as motivation is helpful in fixing myself because it's stuff that I want to excuse. I like doing that. I like going fast . That's fine, but I need to use it, to stop myself from judging others. And redirect that energy so that until I'm driving calmly and sanely and not like a jerk. I cannot judge others on that. Mount Tabor really is the place where we start confronting a lot of this. a lot of early Christian mysticism is based off of this image. Here it is. As important to Christian mysticism as is Ezekiel's vision of the divine chariot is in Jewish mysticism. It is pivotal to this. And they're on. Mount Tabor. We see the Shekinah glory of God. The light shining that we are told was in the tabernacle when they were wandering through the desert. This Shekinah that filled the temple when it was initially blessed by following this light, this glory of God. The Covad . The glory. The hush mall. Of God. Is there. In their presence. It's terrifying. Because in the bright. Un yielding light. There's nowhere to hide. All of your faults are laid bare. All of your imperfections are laid bare. If you wonder why. Your favorite newscaster podcast or starts using soft light more and more and more as time goes on. its because soft light doesn't show wrinkles. The softer, the light. The less likely you are to see the effects of aging, right. Harsh light, bright light shows all imperfections. If there's the slightest wrinkle in your clothes. The harsh light will show it. And that really is. The experience. Why. The tremendous and fascinating mystery when you encounter the divine. That shakes us to our core. Is you realize there's nothing to hide. There's nowhere to hide. There's nothing. That you can cover up here. This is what the apostles are seeing. The apostles are the stand-ins for us in this moment where they're just like, Uh, Guys. Moses and Elijah are here. And Jesus has kind of glowing. There's light everywhere. It's important for us to realize there's always light. Everywhere. You glow. I glow. It's subtle. It's soft. Our eyes. Don't pick up on it. Well, because it is so faint. But one of the things that we know because of the nature of our bodies and the way the chemistry. The biology and the physics work within them. Every human clothes, just biologically Glos. We don't have to get into subtle matter. And all of the things, spiritual things here. You glow. There is a light about you. I would also agree with Yoda, luminous beings. Are we not this crude, matter. That light is always around us. And in that light, we realized that we are all intrinsically the same. We are all striving for a life that is free of sorrow. That is full of joy. That grants us a sense of fulfillment. And we might not all pick the best or even the right way to do it. But we all have that commonality that. Unifies us. In spirit and in. Reality. Staring at this immage and I highly recommend. You just take some time in meditation. And just imagine it for yourself. You can use a picture. If that helps you find your favorite painting. There are millions of them probably. Scenario, because it is such a famous moment from the gospels. Or just allow your imagination to be what it is. Let Moses look like, whatever you want Moses to look like. let Elijah looked like whatever you want Elijah to look like. Let Jesus look like whatever you want Jesus to look like. Let the mountain. Look like what. Whatever you want it to look like you don't need to go. Find Mt. Tabor on Google earth and see what the actual landscape looks like. Just let yourself be in the moment. What arises for you? What does this look like to you? And how do you feel. In that light in that place. As this great. Illumination this base. Illumination is flowing up. Where the one life is erupting like a fountain into the world. Reminding us that the true path. That we walk. Is not. The righteous path of the law. The justice making path of the prophet. It's that path in the middle. It is that middle way. That place in between where we have to not only remember the letter of the law, but the spirit. What is the justice that needs to be done here. What is the goodness that needs to be done here? What is the truth that needs to be done here? We're not always looking for. That booming. Loud Cecil B DeMille. Voice of God. Booming from the heaven. Which by the way, if you really want to see how good he was at. Making that happen. He actually made a silent film version of the 10 commandments before he made the Charlton Heston, Yule Brenner one. It's a silent film. And. You will actually understand a line from the Torah very profoundly. And it says that their eyes heard. They saw the voice of God. Because there's no sound. It's a silent film. But he does such a good job in conveying the imagery there. You can hear the thunder. You can hear the lightning, you can hear the booming voice. Which is a. Sign of just how good he was as a filmmaker. This is a moment. Foundational. To our mysticism. To our. When I use the bad R word. Religion. Remember I use religion in the Roman sense of the term. It's religio it is. The link. What links us back. What links us again? What links us together? In this moment, we see the tradition. We see Moses, we see Elijah, we see the Christ. We see the future. Here's Peter, John and James. We see the future. The future of the past and the present all together in one place. We're forced to start asking ourselves. What is our future? What is our past. What. Traditions are we going to hold on to, this is really the power of the profits. The profits are the pruning sheers of faith. When you actually look at the Hebrew prophets. Right. You read the law of Moses. The law of Moses is very clear. We use this knife to kill this animal and use this ladle to put this blood on this, alter it. I mean, step by step instructions on how sacrifice works. And then we get to the profits. And through the mouth of the profits. Hear the voice of the Lord. I do not want to or sacrifice. I want your love. That is a pruning shear. Being taken. To the faith. That is a pretty sure being taken to the law. The law is very clear. On this day, we bring these animals to this place to do these things. From Blom Blom Blom Blom. For me, it was one of the greatest revelations. When. Going through different traditions and looking at. Everything it was recognizing. There's the core. There are those. Few things and it should be very few things that are essential. It's like in life. You have to eat. You have to drink water. You have to breathe. There are those essential things. Those are the things that you allow to be your law. But everything else. Is personal practice. That is the prophetic element. That is, the justice making element. And it's recognizing that is. Personal. And you can share the other trappings with others. Through the different traditions that link you back. It's not essential. It doesn't matter. The ladle you use is not core. Sacrifice. It's not core. It's the love. That's core that needs to be in all of it. But the rest. And then the profits helped. to. prune that. And help to put into context. That, oh, this is not essential. As we said at the very beginning, what was the law that Jesus gave. Oh, master. What is the greatest commandment? You will love God. With all your heart. Mind and being. And you love your neighbor as yourself. And there it is. How the hell can you love somebody else? If you don't love yourself, there you go, it's also very profound. Very true. It's very true. That is the core of everything that we're doing. And. When you ask yourself, how do you love God with all your heart, mind, and spirit again god is our aliveness. We are called to live. God. God is our aliveness. Inner radiance. Love being alive. Love you are aliveness live. To the best of your ability and you are. Showing that love and affection for God. That is what we really see here. This just fount of life. Pouring forth on mountain table. We bask in the radiance of that tabernac light. And this is something that a lot of Christian . mistics. Talk about. And if you've ever experienced this in meditation, it is such a profound experience that. Occasionally there you are. You're sitting with your eyes closed and deep meditation. And you just find yourself surrounded by light. It's just there. It didn't suddenly appear. It was always there. You just didn't see it. We distract ourselves so much. And I think one of the more interesting things is we see this conversation. In the gospels between Jesus Moses and Elijah. I want to bring that challenging moment up here. was that really a one-time thing. or is everything that Jesus did a conversation between him, Moses and Elijah. Between him the law and the profits. Was just that just one moment? Where everything was just right enough that the veil slipped. And people could see. That discourse happening. Because from my point of view yeah. This is just that moment where it was visible. Not a unique moment in time. I think you can see that discourse on. The Mount of olives later in the story, and you can see it on the sermon on the Mount earlier in the story. You can see it all the way through. You can see it. In Jesus, when he is assaulted by the man possessed by many demons. And Elijah. Comes out in him and he wrestles him to the ground. And cast the demons out. It's in the moment. Of the fishes and the love just before the fishes and the loaves. When the community has brought the problem before Christ. And Jesus has that moment. the law says, cast them out. You can weed that, that crowd down really easily. justice says, hospitality says, feed them all. Or feed. As many as you can. So as we sit here, Remembering. The transfiguration. This moment where we get to see this glimpse of the divine Christ, the cosmic Christ. The one who Paul tells us. Holds the cosmos together. Hold that vision in our minds. Really ask ourselves how we can participate with it. How we can find more moments of that divine light. And how we can. Walk this path between the law and the prophets. More fully. In our daily lives. I hope you've gotten something out of this. I hope that. Something we have said has moved something in you and we would love to hear for you. You can reach out to us through our community over at sub stack. Just go to https://www.creationspaths.com/. And click on the chat tab. You can leave your questions, comments, and anything. There. You can also comment on this post over there and keep the comments over there. However you want to do it. You can also reach out to me. I am https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com on blue sky and https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths. Over on threads and Instagram. But we'd love to talk to you. About this. And answer any questions you might have. If there's any way that you can help support us and keep us doing what we're doing. You can join our community over at https://www.creationspaths.com/ for all of our paid members, there are classes coming. That will be first behind. The paywall so that we can make sure that we're giving special attention. To those who are taking them and make sure we're asking, answering any questions that are asked. And everything, but they will go out to the wider community later. So don't worry about it. If you don't have the money. Right now. Don't hurt yourself. Never hurt yourself. In giving to us or anybody else. They're going to go wide afterwards. We're just going to start. With the paid audience and then spread out from there. And if you're hungry for knowledge. There is https://wisdomscry.Com. Which has a lot of wonderful information and articles on a wide, incredibly wide variety of topics. And an ever-growing treasure trove of knowledge and information. , as more and more articles go up regularly. thank you so much for being here. And has always made the blessings and light of God ever shine upon you. That you may find the path that you should walk. Amen. Amen. Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

Chapter 2.2: Of God and of the Holy Trinity – God's External Relations God, having all life,17glory,18goodness,19 blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,20 but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,21 and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases;22 in His sight all things are open and manifest,23 His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain;24 He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,25 and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,26 service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them. 17 John 5:26 18 Ps. 148:13 19 Ps. 119:68 20 Job 22:2–3 21 Rom. 11:34-36 22 Dan. 4:25,34–35 23 Heb. 4:13 24 Ezek. 11:5; Acts 15:18 25 Ps. 145:17 26 Rev. 5:12-14.

from Deuteronomy 6:1-12 What would change about your life if you responded to the love OF God with a love FOR God that encompassed every part of your life? What is holding you back? What might your next step be? w/ Vern Collins

But from now on THE SON OF MAN WILL BE SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND of the power OF GOD. – Luke 22:69

But from now on THE SON OF MAN WILL BE SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND of the power OF GOD. – Luke 22:69

Geoff's real-life musician friends AJ Jaramaz (boyhood.) and Dom Delzompo (intrnet boyfriend) join the show to critique Geoff's musicality and personality.Advertise on The Headgum Podcast via Gumball.fmRate The Headgum Podcast 5-stars on Apple PodcastsRate The Headgum Podcast 5-stars on SpotifyJoin the Headgum DiscordSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.