Podcasts about Old Testament

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ ishttps://api.tuvu.com/redirectGroup/6a2ac0e2c9f728027338244cCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.In this episode of Kingdom Crossroads, TS Wright welcomes Matthew Mark McWhorter, author of Canon Crossfire, for a thoughtful conversation about faith, Scripture, evidence, and the formation of the biblical canon.Matthew shares how his journey began not in church, but through a personal crisis. After facing cancer and surviving a massive “widow maker” heart attack, he began reading the Bible seriously for the first time. As someone trained as a lawyer, Matthew approached Scripture through investigation, evidence, and comparison—reading across multiple Bible translations and Christian traditions.The conversation explores Matthew's path from skepticism to faith, including how books like The Case for Christ and Evidence That Demands a Verdict helped him examine whether Christianity is true. Matthew explains why he believes Christians must be grounded not only in the goodness of Christianity, but in the truth of Christianity.TS and Matthew also discuss Matthew's book, Canon Crossfire, which addresses questions surrounding the Old Testament canon, the differences between Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Ethiopian, and other biblical traditions, and why simplistic answers about the canon can create problems when examined historically.A major theme of the episode is the importance of honest investigation. Matthew encourages believers, students, pastors, and scholars to look carefully at the evidence, especially when discussing disputed books such as 2 Maccabees and the broader historical development of the Bible.In This EpisodeTS and Matthew discuss:Matthew's personal testimony and health crisisHow reading the Bible changed his lifeWhy Christianity's truth claims matterThe role of apologetics in strengthening faithThe historical complexity of the biblical canonDifferences among Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Ethiopian, and Syriac canonsAthanasius and the early recognition of the New Testament writingsWhy Christians should avoid shallow answers when defending ScriptureMatthew's book Canon CrossfireWhere listeners can find Matthew's workGuest ResourceLearn more about Matthew Mark McWhorter and his book at:CanonCrossfire.comMatthew also mentions that his book is available in multiple formats, including print, ebook, audiobook, large print, and free copies for seminarians.Mentioned in this episode:TUVU - God Centered Concept Academy

Today we're studying 1 Samuel 17:46, 48 in just one minute! Grab your scriptures and let's dive into them together!And grab study guides for the whole family here: -Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shorts- To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06bWsVYVGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a story of Jonah is about obedience.  It's about someone who loves God, someone who has been used by God in great ways, and someone who wants to serve God with all of his heart.  It's a story about a man who hears from God.  But the big point of this story is that it's a man who doesn't want to do what God is asking him to do.  Instead, he runs away.Main Points:1.  The Old Testament story challenges us because there is a little of Jonah in us too.  We are sometimes conflicted.  We can struggle with some of the things God says.  We read His Word and He asks certain things of us and we don't always like what we read. 2. Jonah is called by many the “reluctant prophet.”  I think that's an appropriate nickname.  But we can't be too harsh on Jonah because we too are often reluctant to obey God. Sometimes, we too would like to get on a ship and go the other way instead of obeying Him.3. There are so many things God will say to us as we follow him.  He is shaping us.  He is molding us.  He is making us more like Jesus.  He is deepening and maturing our faith but it requires obedience.  It requires us to be willing and to cooperate with his Word.Today's Scripture Verses:Jonah 1:1-3 - “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.”Psalm 139:7-8 - “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Hebrews 13:5–6 offers a powerful reminder that God’s presence is unwavering, even in moments of rejection, fear, or emotional pain. In this devotional, Emily Rose Massey reflects on the deep wounds that come from feeling abandoned or dismissed, and how those experiences can linger long after the moment has passed. Through personal reflection and Scripture, she points readers back to the unchanging truth that God does not forsake His children. Highlights Emotional wounds from rejection can linger and shape how we trust others. Human relationships are imperfect, but God’s presence is constant and unchanging. Hebrews 13:5–6 reassures believers that God will never forsake them. Jesus personally experienced rejection, betrayal, and abandonment. God’s faithfulness provides healing for deep emotional pain. Forgiveness is a pathway to freedom from bitterness and resentment. Our identity is secured in God’s love, not human approval. Drawing near to God brings comfort in seasons of emotional distress. Join the Conversation Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons? Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/ Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: God Doesn’t Reject His Children By: Emily Rose Massey Bible Reading:“…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5b-6, NASB). I woke up one morning recently crying after having a very vivid, heart-piercing dream. It was almost as if my current heart-struggle was being played out right before me; I could honestly see this dream happening in reality. The words spoken (in the dream) to my husband and me cut to the core, and they hurt so badly that my first reaction was tears so strong they stained my cheeks when I awoke. Being a storyteller allows for intense dream-tales in my mind while I’m supposed to be resting, sleeping. It’s something I have always dealt with since I was a child- I wake up trying to shake the mental visions, telling myself over and over again that it’s not real. Eventually, the emotions fade, and I can go on with the rest of my day. In this recent instance, I had trouble getting past the pain and just began talking to God about it. It was obvious and simple- I was still dealing with rejection, and it still hurt, but I was reminded that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Although Proverbs 18:24 doesn’t necessarily say that friend is Jesus, I know that He will always be there for me even when everyone else fails me. Scripture tells us that God never leaves us or forsakes us in Deuteronomy 31:6. This truth from the Old Testament about our never-changing God is also stated again as a reminder in Hebrews 13, along with this powerful truth that people will fail us, and people may reject us, but we should not fear, for God is on our side. He is our helper. “…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5b-6, NASB). Intersecting Life & Faith: When we face rejection from others, we must remember that Jesus understands rejection better than anyone, as He has experienced it firsthand. Many people rejected Jesus (and continue to do so) while He was here on earth, even one of His very own disciples (Judas), rejected Him and betrayed Him. And just a couple of hours later, another one of His closest disciples (Peter) rejected knowing Him. Three times to be exact. Aren’t you so thankful for Jesus’ forgiveness when we turn our backs on Him! He gives us so many opportunities to repent and make things right in our relationship with Him! His mercies towards us are new every single morning… oh, what love! Has the pain of rejection made it difficult for you to trust others? Lay that pain at the foot of the cross, friend. God can bring healing to the wounds of those who have hurt you and empower you to choose to forgive. Instead of allowing bitterness to take root in your heart, perhaps you should ask the Lord to bless those who have hurt you, even if they don’t want you in their life anymore. Jesus was rejected, yet He took the punishment of our sin out of love for those who would put their trust in Him. No matter how much man rejects us, we must remember that Jesus is the friend who sticks by us no matter what. He will never leave you nor turn His back on you. The Lord understands our pain regarding rejection, and His arms are open wide, so let us be quick to draw near to Him. Lo, He is always with you…even to the end of the age! Further Reading: Isaiah 43:2 Romans 8:38-39 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Most people spend their lives waiting to feel ready.Waiting until the doubt fades. Waiting until the fear quiets. Waiting until the assignment feels manageable enough to begin. Waiting for the moment when what is being asked of them finally matches what they believe they are capable of.That moment never comes.And 1 Chronicles 28 reveals why — not as a warning, but as one of the most unexpected revelations in the entire Old Testament about the relationship between the size of the challenge and the identity of the person it was given to.Here is what most people never consider about the challenge in front of them — the size of it is not accidental. The weight of it is not a mistake. And the reason it feels like more than you can handle may be the most important thing God is communicating to you about who you are and what you were made for.There is a moment in this passage where someone received the full scope of what was being asked of them — and what was handed to them in that moment was not encouragement. It was not a gentle invitation. It was the full weight of an assignment that had been prepared before they were ready for it.And then something was said to that person — two specific words — that most people treat as motivational filler. But those two words hold the key to why your biggest challenge and your greatest calling are not opposites.They are the same thing.But there is one more detail. Something in this passage about what was placed in that person's hands before they ever took a single step — something most people never stop to examine — that will permanently change the way you approach every challenge you have been called to face.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Monday morning, the 15th of June, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Book of Deuteronomy 13:1-3:“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,…” , ‘Let us go after other gods'—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet ...“ Then we go straight to the Gospel of John 1:1: ”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” So how do we identify a false prophet from a man who is a prophet of God? Well, according to the Word of God, very simply. We need to test the spirit and we need to have assurance that this man is talking about the things of the Lord. Remember in the Old Testament when Moses took his stick and it turned into a serpent? The magicians also had sticks and they threw them down and they also turned into serpents. The only difference was that the serpent that came out of the stick of Moses consumed all of the magicians' serpents. The Word of God is true.If we look at John 1:1,”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Then of course, we need peace. That's the most important thing. If you don't have peace in your heart when someone says to you, ”Let us go and follow something else.” Then you have to check your spirit, ”Holy Spirit, show me.”In John 14:27, Jesus says, ”Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” When in doubt, don't! How many times have we heard that before? The Word of God has never changed. It never will change because the Word of God is Jesus Christ in print. So, if that prophet comes with a word and it lines up with the Bible, that is fine, but if it doesn't line up with the Bible and he tells you it is a new revelation, please folks, do not listen to him and do not have anything to do with him. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye

It's the late 1960s, and a California TV repairman named Bob sees an opportunity to help people cheat death with the new science of cryonics. But freezing dead people isn't easy. And apologizing for the mistakes you make along the way? Even harder. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Host Ira Glass talks about the way most political apologies go, and chats with a man named Derek Jones about similar sorts of apologies among preteen girls and King David, in the Old Testament. (7 minutes)Act One: In the late 1960s, a California TV repairman named Bob Nelson joined a group of enthusiasts who believed they could cheat death with a new technology called cryonics. But freezing dead people so scientists can reanimate them in the future is a lot harder than it sounds. Harder still was admitting to the family members of people Bob had frozen that he'd screwed up. Sam Shaw reports. (42 minutes)Act Two: There's a famous William Carlos Williams poem called "This is Just to Say." It's about, among other things, causing a loved one inconvenience and offering a non-apologizing apology. Producer Sean Cole explains that this is possibly the most spoofed poem around. We asked some of our regular contributors to get into the act. Sarah Vowell, David Rakoff, Starlee Kine, Jonathan Goldstein, Shalom Auslander, and Heather O'Neill all came up with their own variations of Williams's classic lines. (7 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

When a child or a nation chooses a path you are completely against, how do you respond without losing your strength? Discover "The Samuel Principle" and find out why a faith crisis or a transition in leadership is an invitation to evaluate our hearts—not just our outward appearances. Summary: In this episode, we unpack 1 Samuel 8–16, charting the shift from the rule of judges to the era of the kings. We navigate the messy landscape of parental grief, corporate peer pressure, and the personal conversion required to shift from a "hidden" potential to a "magnified" priesthood. The Samuel Principle: We analyze how to implement the three-part divine formula when a loved one exercises their agency poorly: hearken to their voice, protest solemnly, and show them the long-term consequences. Hiding Among the Stuff: We address Saul's overwhelming sense of inadequacy and why we are tempted to bury our potential under worldly distractions when God calls us to step forward. Turned into Another Man: We look at the spiritual alchemy that happens when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon a person, making them unrecognizable to those who only knew their "old" self. The Jurisdiction of Authority: We analyze Saul's fatal overreach at Gilgal, exploring the difference between doing a right thing in a wrong way and why waiting on the Lord's timing is an act of covenant trust. The Heart vs. The Stature: We conclude in Bethlehem, exploring why the Lord refused Eliab's height and chose the ruddy shepherd boy David, reminding us that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Call-to-Action: Are you currently hiding "among the stuff" because you feel inadequate for what the Lord is asking you to do? How can David's hidden, shepherd-heart inspire you to step into the light this week? Share your thoughts in the comments! To keep your faith "Unshaken" while we walk through the Old Testament, please like, subscribe, and share this video. Chapter Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:23 When a Loved One Makes a Choice You Don't Agree With 26:00 The Samuel Principle 40:12 The Call of Saul 52:51 Saul Anointed & Transformed 1:05:02 Israel United, Rebuked, & Reassured 1:19:46 Saul Offers Sacrifice 1:26:24 No Smiths in Israel 1:33:20 Jonathan & the Philistine Garrison 1:53:44 To Obey Is Better than Sacrifice 2:15:39 Samuel Chooses David

Listen to Big Picture to get the quick context for this week's reading, 1 Samuel 17-18; 24-26; 2 Samuel 5-7!And grab study guides for the whole family here: - To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06bWsVYV-Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shortsGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Old Testament reading for this Sunday is the enigmatic story of Abraham and his three mysterious guests while he was living in tents under the oaks of Mamre. It's a story laden with theological implications…and tinged with a bit of humor.

Our Mothers Knew It with Maria EckersleyA Creative Study of Come, Follow MeOLD TESTAMENT [2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11]“Hear Thou in Heaven Their Prayer”June 15–21 2026ARCHIVE:Printable: Printable: Kirtland Temple Cross-SectionEtsy Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4377402435/kirtland-temple-cross-section-objectUnderstanding the Law of Chastity: Flag Folding AnalogyPrintable:“[They] Might Have Power”: Covenant Power Strip AnalogyEtsy Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1853853385/covenant-power-strip-candy-box-objectCURRENT:QUARTER 2: EXODUS - 1 KINGS: KAHOOT! CHALLENGE “AN UNDERSTANDING HEART”: DISCERNMENT STUD FINDERCHAPTERS=========00:0:14 INTRO00:02:09 INSIGHTS00:35:53 QUESTIONS 100:37:04 QUESTIONS 200:38:18 QUESTIONS 300:39:11 CREATIVE OBJECT LESSONS00:41:33 OBJECT LESSON 100:44:21 OBJECT LESSON 200:48:42 WRAP UPLINKS=====WEB: https://www.gather.meckmom.comETSY: https://www.etsy.com/shop/meckmomINSTAGRAM: Instagram @meckmomlifePODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST DISCLAIMER=================================This podcast represents my own thoughts and opinions. It is not made, approved, or endorsed by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Any content or creative interpretations, implied or included are solely those of Maria Eckersley ("MeckMom LLC"), and not those of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Great care has been made to ensure this podcast is in harmony with the overall mission of the Church. Click here to visit the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Why would Jesus compare Himself to a bronze serpent? In John 3:14–15, Jesus connects His crucifixion to one of the most unusual events in the Old Testament—Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the wilderness. In this episode of Shadows to Substance, George Sayour explores how Numbers 21 points directly to Christ, revealing a powerful picture of sin, judgment, faith, and salvation. Discover how the curse of Eden, the wilderness rebellion, and the cross all come together in one remarkable biblical pattern—and why Jesus said that just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. Those who looked in faith lived then. Those who look to Christ in faith live now.

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and to the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. This week, we’re going to follow up on last week’s episode, which was called Gnostic Pentecost, and that was first broadcast on the 6th of June, 2026. I have a lot more examples out of the New Testament of the Bible about Pentecost, and as we learned last week, Pentecost is what we’ve been calling the coming of the Third Order of Powers here in this Gnosticism out of the Tripartite Tractate that I share with you at Gnostic Insights. Here’s a quote from last week’s episode where it says, Jesus stood up and said loudly, ‘if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and let him drink. Whoever has faith in me, just as scripture has said, out of his parts, living streams of water will flow.' Now he said this in regard to the spirit whom those who had faith in him were about to receive, for as yet there was no spirit, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. [Hart's New Testament, John, Chapter 7, verse 37] And this is speaking of what we call the Holy Spirit, because of course we have spirit. We’re born with spirit, because we have the Fullness of God within us. That is the First Order of Powers. But Jesus here is talking of the Third Order of Powers, the army of Christ that has come after Jesus is, glorified. And glorified means risen from the dead, ascended into the sky in front of hundreds of witnesses. And glorified means that Jesus is living above, just as we will all be living above in a glorified body in the presence of the Father. So I shared that with you last week, and if you haven’t heard last week’s episode, again it’s called Gnostic Pentecost, go back and listen to it, because it’s a deep dive—what we call hermeneutics in theology or philosophy. It’s a deep deconstruction of a couple of very important passages in the Old and New Testament that have to do with the coming of what is called Pentecost. And Pentecost was when the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, came and sat upon the disciples while they were gathered in the upper room after Jesus had left and gone back above. But we’ve been talking about Pentecost all along here at Gnostic Insights as the coming of the Third Order of Powers that is the army of Christ. I’m going to quote a whole lot of New Testament for you today, and I take this out of The New Testament by David Bentley Hart, published by Yale University Press. So let’s start with John 14:16-30, and this is Jesus speaking. ‘And I shall entreat the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, that he may be with you throughout the age.' Now, by the way, when Hart and all translators translate throughout the age, they’re talking about Aeons. The word is Aeons. And so an alternate translation that Hart mentions in the footnote to this passage, throughout the age, can also mean, or until the Aeons come, or until the return to the Aeons. So listen to this again. ‘And I shall entreat the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, that he may be with you throughout the coming of the Aeons.' And of course here at Gnostic Insights and in Gnosticism, we believe that these Aeons are units of consciousness, that they’re parts of the Son, they’re parts of the mind of God. It’s not a measure of time, but a measure of consciousness. Carrying on with John 14:16. ‘The Spirit of Truth, which the cosmos cannot receive, because it neither sees nor knows it, you know it because it abides with you and will be within you. I shall not leave you orphans. I am coming to you. Just a little while, and the cosmos no longer sees me, but you see me. Because I live, you too will live. On that day, [and he’s referring to Pentecost, the coming of the Third Order of Powers], you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, that one is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.' Then Judas, not Iscariot, says to him, ‘Lord, what has happened then that you were about to manifest yourself to us and not to the cosmos?' Jesus answered and said to him, ‘if someone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and we’ll make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine, but rather that of the Father who has sent me. These things I’ve spoken to you while remaining with you, but the Advocate, the Spirit, the Holy One, which the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. Peace I leave you, my peace I give to you. I give to you not as the cosmos gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I will no longer speak much with you, but the Archon of the cosmos is coming, and he has no hold in me, but so that the cosmos may know that I love the Father, and that just as the Father has commanded me, so I do.' Now, what Jesus was sharing with the disciples in this passage was that his physical body was about to go away. We know that he was about to be crucified and gone. They don’t exactly understand what’s about to happen because they can’t see the future, but Jesus can. He says, I’m going to go away, but don’t worry, I’m going to send a Spirit called the Advocate, and it will come in my name, and in the name of the Father, and it will advise you. Right now you walk with me physically, and I am outside of you, but when the Advocate comes, it will be inside of you. And here at Gnostic Insights, I describe the coming of the Third Order of Powers as overlaying our Second Order Power. See, it’s like your cells of your body. Imagine that there is another version of you that is perfected, that is cleansed of all illness, or cleansed of all poor cellular replication. We’re making an analogy here between cells and spiritual parts, but right now I’m just talking about cells. So let’s say you’ve got all these kind of little faults in your body that have developed over the years. Now imagine there was a perfected body that slipped right into you, like a sort of like a ghost, the Holy Ghost, overlaying upon your cells that cause your cells to pattern themselves after it. It’s like stepping into your body and overlaying what has been damaged over the years. Well, that is what happens with our spiritual bodies. We are what are called Second Order Powers, and we are made up of various combinations of, I hate to get confusing here for you, but of the First Order Powers. The First Order Powers were the Aeons. The Second Order Powers are all of us living things. We Second Order Powers are the children of the Aeons of the Fullness–the First Order Powers, who are themselves the Totality of the Son. The Third Order Powers are the army of the Christ, who represent all of the Powers of the ethereal plane, individually and collectively working for our redemption. The Third Order Powers are the perfected Christly powers. We are the fruit of the First Order Powers. Each of us is unique, a unique combination of various First Order Powers, and they make up our body. It’s like the recipe. Each of us has a different recipe. Down here, we manifest that recipe. That is who I am. You have a slightly different recipe, but mainly we’re the same. When the Third Order of Powers come, they overlay upon your unique combination and my unique combination. The Third Order Powers are unique to each one of us because they are made to be in our countenance so that we will recognize them. These perfected Third Order Powers, the army of Christ, steps into our soul, steps into our spirit, and overlays upon our pattern, upon our recipe. That’s what brings us the perfection of the Christ. But it only happens if you ask for it. It only happens when you allow it and you seek it out. Now, at the end of that quote I just read you out of John, he says, peace I leave you, my peace I give to you. I give to you not as the cosmos gives. And you see, the distinction is that the cosmos, that’s our material instantiation. That’s the material part of our bodies. It’s the material world. It’s matter itself. And Jesus is saying that when he gives you something, it’s not the way that the Demiurge gives it to you, with strings, lots of strings. Jesus says, do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. So we’re not supposed to live in a spirit of fear. There’s no need to be afraid. When you trust in the Father, when you trust in the Christ and the Holy Spirit, you are imbued with the most powerful energy that has ever been. It far outweighs the energy of the cosmos, the energy of the material, the energy of the Demiurge, the energy of the archons. It outranks them, it outweighs them, it’s more powerful. And when you allow it to come inside of you, then you have that power within you to overcome the archons, the cosmos, the Demiurge. Jesus says, I will no longer speak much with you, [that is physically, because he’s about to be crucified], for the archon of the cosmos is coming. He’s speaking of the Demiurge in the form of the Roman soldiers that are about to arrest him and put him to death. And he has no hold in me. [So he’s saying that even though the archon of the cosmos is coming, it couldn’t contain him except that Jesus is allowing it.] He has no hold in me, [because Jesus is more powerful, because Jesus embodies the Christ]. He’s the first perfected human to embody the energy of the Third Order Powers. That’s what it means by being fully human and fully God. Jesus says, but so that the cosmos may know that I love the Father, and that just as the Father has commanded me to do so. And what is this commandment of Jesus? Well, that’s described in Matthew 22:37-39—the teaching most often referred to as Jesus’s commandment and what is called the great commandment. And Jesus summarizes God’s law, all of those laws of the Old Testament that the Demiurge had constructed. He summarizes them into two main commands. 1: Love God completely. 2: Two, love others as yourself. And here’s the quote, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your reason. This is the great and first commandment. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets depend upon these two commandments.' Together, these two are described as the foundation of all the other laws and teachings. Of course, when the Demiurge had this transcribed, he had the hundreds and hundreds and thousands of rules added onto it, because the Demiurge is law-bound, and he can only work through law. But Jesus said, don’t worry about all those little laws that you’ve been burdened with. All you have to know is love your neighbor, and love the Father, love God, and then all the other commandments will take care of themselves, because the power of love will be working through you. The book of John, chapter 15:17-27, puts it this way: ‘These things I command you so that you love one another. If the cosmos hates you, you know that it has hated me before you. If you were of the cosmos, the cosmos would have loved its own. But since you are not of the cosmos, the cosmos therefore hates you. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who has sent me. Whoever hates me also hates my Father. But they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. And thus might the passage written in the law, [and that’s the law of Jehovah, of the Old Testament], be fulfilled.' And here’s what the passage said, ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who comes forth from the Father, he will testify concerning me. And you too must testify, for you are with me from the beginning.' Now, this from the beginning—that's a Gnostic term, and that was before the material cosmos was created from the Fall. In the Tripartite Tractate, it says that only those things which were from the beginning will continue through eternity. The rest will be disappeared. So, Jesus is saying that the number one command is to love. And he’s also saying that the cosmos will hate you if you do, because the cosmos hates love. Again, from the New Testament book of John, in chapter 16, verses 1 through 15, Jesus says, ‘I’ve spoken these things to you so that you might not be caused to falter. They will make you exiles from the synagogue, [and I add, and the churches and the mosques], and an hour is coming in which everyone who kills you thinks he is offering a service to God. And they will do these things because they have known neither the Father nor me. But I tell you the truth, it is for your own good that I should go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate, [that is the Holy Spirit, that is the Third Order Powers, that is the army of Christ], surely is not coming to you. But if I go, I shall send him to you. And when he comes, it will prove the cosmos wrong concerning righteousness and concerning judgment, concerning sin.' And by the way, sin means literally to miss the mark, as if you’re shooting an arrow at a target. It’s to miss the bullseye. It means to fail, to fall short, as if your arrow fell short of the bullseye. So that’s what sin is. It’s not a list of naughty things. It simply means to miss the mark. So Jesus is saying, when that one comes, the Spirit of Truth, ‘He will prove the cosmos wrong concerning righteousness and concerning judgment, concerning sin because they do not have faith in me, and concerning righteousness because I am going to the Father and you no longer see me, and concerning judgment because the archon of this cosmos, the Demiurge, has been judged. I still have many things to tell you, but right now you cannot hear them. But when that one comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will guide you on the way to all truth, for he will not speak from himself, but will speak what he hears, and he will announce to you things to come. That one will glorify me because he will receive from what is mine and will announce it to you. All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that he receives from what is mine and will announce it to you.' Now in this passage, when Jesus is talking about the Spirit of Truth and that it will come to the disciples after he is physically disembodied, it will come to everyone who accepts the coming of the Spirit of truth—that Spirit of truth, that’s gnosis. That is gnosis. That’s all there is to it. It’s not lists of this and lists of that that you have to memorize. It’s not the names of the angels and the names of the archons and the names of the Aeons. It’s not the order of the planets or the astrology. It’s not the secrets of alchemy. Those are not the gnosis of which Jesus is speaking. It doesn’t have to do with having magical powers over the cosmos. The cosmos is the cosmos. This is the kingdom of the Demiurge. This is the kingdom of the archon of the cosmos. This is the valley of death. The Spirit of Truth, the gnosis that comes from above, is all about the Father. It’s about eternity and the ethereal plane. It’s simply about love and the fact that we come from love and that we will return to love and that this down here is mostly delusion. It’s mostly falsehoods. That’s why the Holy Spirit is known as the Spirit of Truth. It’s what combats the Spirit of delusion, the falsity of the deficiency, the falsity of the imitation, as we know it here in Gnosticism. So you see these quotes in the New Testament, they’re all about gnosis. They are Gnostic. It’s just that we are not familiar with them if we are Christians nowadays, because the gnosis was taken out. The true references, the definitions of these phrases, were taken out. That’s why I call this the Gnostic Reformation. I’m literally sitting here attempting to return Christianity to its roots, to what Jesus is teaching here. He’s teaching of the Father above, not the God of this world. Now you’ve heard the Holy Spirit being referred to as the Advocate, which is a legal term. And when Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit, he called it the Advocate. And the Advocate’s role is to teach us, to guide us, to remind us, and to empower us as believers. The Son of Man, whom Jesus was known as, is a messianic title from Daniel 7 of the Old Testament, one of the prophets of the Old Testament. The Son of Man is a title that refers to one who receives authority, kingship, and judgment. He’s the representative human who rules God’s kingdom. So the role of the Messiah, or the Son of Man, is judge, king, mediator of God’s reign. And the Holy Spirit is our Advocate. He’s the defense attorney. So who’s the prosecution? It’s the Accuser, and that is the original word used whenever you see the word Satan referred to. It’s actually the Accuser. So the Accuser is the Demiurge, or one of his chief henchmen, one of his archons, that we call Satan. He’s our prosecutor. It’s its job to make us feel bad, to accuse us of crimes and sins and petty misdeeds, and not being loving enough or not being good enough to even talk to God. But the Holy Spirit is our defense attorney on the other side, who says, of course they’re good enough. Of course you’re fine. If you love me, if you love the Father, all is good. That’s his job. And it’s the job of the Son of Man, the king, to judge. So I’m going to put a little chart in the transcript here of the difference between the Son of Man and the Advocate. The Son of Man is the Messiah, King, Judge. The Advocate is the presence of God within. Role Son of Man (Jesus) Advocate (Spirit) Identity Messiah, King, Judge Presence of God within Mission Establish kingdom, redeem humanity Continue and internalize that work Authority Given dominion over all Acts with Jesus' authority Relationship to believers External presence (historical) Internal presence (ongoing) You see, it’s always within. So this notion that the Third Order Powers comes into us and overlays upon our Second Orderness, that’s not Gnostic hyperbole. That’s not my imagination. It says this in the Bible. It’s the presence of God within. The mission of the Son of Man, of Jesus, was to establish the kingdom here in the cosmos. Because after the Fall, the cosmos was entirely ruled by the Archon of the cosmos. But after the coming of the Son of Man, that is our most perfect human being from above, it is the Son of Man’s job, his mission to establish the kingdom here in the cosmos, to redeem us. And the Advocate’s job is to continue and to internalize that work, to bring it inside of each and every human being on the planet. But it can’t do that without cooperation, without being invited. So this is God outside of us and God inside of us, an internal presence, and it’s ongoing. In Gnostic terms, the ongoing Spirit, the Advocate, that brings the presence of the Son into us is the Third Order of Powers that comes with each of our countenances, or our faces, so that we can recognize the one to whom we pray. That’s a paraphrase out of the Tripartite Tractate, that the Third Order Power, the Christ, comes with the face of everyone who prays for help. It also comes with the face of every  one of the Aeons above, and with the face of the Son of God. So you can see it’s the most powerful thing that exists. The Third Order of Powers replaces our Second Order Power with a renewed and repaired indwelling of Spirit. We can’t rectify our own flaws. Redemption must come from a wiser, greater source. If you could fix yourself, you’d have fixed yourself by now. It’s called pulling yourself up from your own bootstraps. You can’t lift yourself off the ground by pulling up on your shoelaces. You need a more powerful figure from the outside. If they pull up on your shoelaces, they can lift you up from the ground. You see, that’s the expression known as being lifted by your bootstraps. I don’t know if you remember that or not. Anyway, we can’t rectify our own flaws. Redemption must come from a wiser, greater source. The Christ was formed for that very purpose and duty. The Son of Man is our perfected genotype of humanity. Let me repeat John 16, 7 to 11 again. ‘For if I do not go away, the Advocate surely is not coming to you. But if I go, I shall send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the cosmos wrong concerning righteousness and concerning judgment, concerning sin because they do not have faith in me, concerning righteousness because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me, concerning judgment because the archon of this cosmos has been judged.' Do you understand that phrase better now? Now from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 3, verse 18 through 23. ‘Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks to be a wise man in this age, let him become foolish in order to become wise. For the wisdom of this cosmos is folly before God. For it has been written, He catches the wise in their craftiness. And again, the Lord knows the ponderings of the wise that they are vapid. Hence, let no one boast in human beings, for all things are yours, and you the anointed and the anointed gods.' And this bit about appearing foolish in the eyes of the world—I know that when we profess to follow these Gnostic teachings, that people who think themselves so wise, so smart, and so much better than we are, think we’re stupid jerks. We are much reviled for being innocent, for being true believers. But that is how we are to be. We are to believe as children, fully believing with all of our hearts and minds and reason. Don’t hold back because you’re afraid that people are going to think you’re stupid. They’ve always thought that. They mocked Jesus. Of course they’re going to mock you. But the wisdom of this cosmos is folly before God, it says. And it also says that the ponderings of the wise are vapid. Vapid means empty, like vapor. So people that think they’re so darn smart, they’re not. They’re just serving the archon of the cosmos. But it’s folly. It’s foolishness. You can’t take it with you. All that matters is your connection to the Father above, and your love for the Father, and your love for your fellow humans. Not pretending, not professing to be love that arises from hatred, but true love, true righteousness. And when you ask the Third Order Powers to come and help you, to come and redeem you, that’s between you and the Father. That’s between you and the Aeons. That’s between you and the Christ. It doesn’t have to do with some priest, or some minister, or some internet influencer. It’s a private matter. But once you do have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and you’ll know it when it happens, that’s that born-again experience. You’ll be filled with reassurance. You’ll be flooded with love. You’ll know that it happens. And then you will know that you are the anointed, that is, that you belong to Christ, and that you belong to the anointed God, that is, the Father. So in conclusion, from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2, verse 38, it says, And Peter said to them, Change your hearts, [and that’s from the hearts of stone to hearts of receptive flesh, like we talked about last week], change your hearts. Let each of you be baptized upon the name of Jesus, the Anointed, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, [that is, the army of the Christ, the Third Order of Powers, sent to battle the archons of this cosmos on your behalf]. God bless us all. Onward and upward. If you would like to contribute to this ongoing work, please use the form below. You are appreciated! Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLastEmail *Stripe Credit Card *Choose your item *Item A - $10.00Item B - $25.00Item C - $50.00Total$0.00Submit

Why would Jesus compare Himself to a bronze serpent? In John 3:14–15, Jesus connects His crucifixion to one of the most unusual events in the Old Testament—Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the wilderness. In this episode of Shadows to Substance, George Sayour explores how Numbers 21 points directly to Christ, revealing a powerful picture of sin, judgment, faith, and salvation. Discover how the curse of Eden, the wilderness rebellion, and the cross all come together in one remarkable biblical pattern—and why Jesus said that just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. Those who looked in faith lived then. Those who look to Christ in faith live now.

I testify that Jesus Christ leads His people today through prophets, apostles, revelation, and through His Holy Spirit. His voice is reaching nations. His hand is moving among peoples who have never known Him. And His call is going forth to every soul who will receive Him as King.Those who turn to Him—whether in America, Africa, Asia, Europe, the islands of the sea, or any corner of the earth—will be strengthened, protected, and transformed by His power. This is His work. This is His gathering. And He is now preparing the world for His return.I bear this witness to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.Apostle D. Todd HarrisonApostle of Jesus Christ to All NationsSet apart through revelation as a witness of the risen LordYear Seven of Global Apostolic Witness

Praying with Biblical Characters 

Today we're studying 1 Samuel 15:3, 9, 17, 23 in just one minute! Grab your scriptures and let's dive into them together!And grab study guides for the whole family here: -Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shorts- To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06bWsVYVGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all… Let your ‘Yes' mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No' mean ‘No.' Anything more is from the Evil One.” Matthew 5:33–34, 37When someone's honesty is questioned, it is not uncommon to respond emphatically by saying, “I swear to God!” This instinct to invoke God's name is an attempt to lend credibility to one's words. Such a practice finds its roots in several Old Testament teachings, where the people of Israel were instructed not to profane God's name by swearing falsely (cf. Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12).The Old Testament teaching on oaths was not only a prohibition against profaning God's name but also a way of promoting trust and honesty among the Israelites: “When a man makes a vow to the LORD or binds himself under oath to a pledge, he shall not violate his word, but must fulfill exactly the promise he has uttered” (Numbers 30:3).Over time, however, the practice of swearing oaths began to shift. Instead of invoking God's name directly, people began to swear by created things, such as Heaven, Earth, Jerusalem, or even their own bodies or families. Jesus directly addresses these practices in today's Gospel. This shift often served as a way to avoid fully binding oneself to the truth and to avoid directly profaning God's name. By swearing upon lesser created things, oaths became tools of deception and manipulation, distorting their original purpose of truth-telling and reverence for God.In today's Gospel, Jesus responds to this misuse of oaths by elevating the moral principle behind them—Truthfulness—to a higher standard. He applies this teaching universally to all people and circumstances, calling His disciples to live with such profound integrity that their simple word is sufficient. Truthfulness must flow from a heart that is honest and upright, where a “Yes” means “Yes” and a “No” means “No,” without the need for sworn assurances. In doing so, Jesus invites His followers to a radical interior transformation. Their speech should be a natural expression of their union with God, who is, Himself, the fullness of Truth.This teaching aligns seamlessly with the other moral commandments Jesus offers in His Sermon on the Mount. One by one, He addresses elements of the Old Testament Law and reveals His mission to fulfill them. Rather than focusing solely on external observance, Jesus deepens the moral requirements of the Law, shifting the emphasis to the interior disposition of the heart. This teaching transcends the Pharisaical approach to the Law, which often reduced righteousness to external conformity. By grace, God now writes these laws on the hearts of His disciples, transforming their moral lives from one of outward compliance to one of sincere interior and exterior holiness.In the case of oaths, Jesus shows that true discipleship requires not just avoiding falsehood, but cultivating a radical honesty that mirrors the purity of God Who is Truth. This level of integrity is not achieved by human effort alone but through the transformative work of grace, which reshapes our hearts and enables us to live as credible witnesses to the Gospel in both word and deed.Reflect today on whether or not your ‘Yes' means ‘Yes,' and your ‘No' means ‘No.' Are you a person of radical honesty and integrity? Do you know the Truth, believe it, and profess it wholeheartedly? While external oaths still hold an important place in sacred moments—such as marriage vows and other Sacraments—they are not meant for casual use in daily life. Instead, strive to be a person of integrity in all your words and actions, ensuring that honesty flows naturally from your heart. By doing so, you allow God's New Covenant to be written on your heart, transforming your life and enabling you to live as a true disciple of Christ in every circumstance. Lord of Truth, dwell within my heart and make it pure and holy. Fill me with Your presence so that my words and deeds may always reflect Your light and truth. Help me to be a beacon of honesty and integrity, bringing glory to Your name in all that I say and do. Conform my will to Yours, and guide me to live in accord with Your divine plan. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Jesus´ sermon on the mount, graphic collage from engraving of Nazareene SchoolSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

If you enjoy this episode, we're sure you will enjoy more content like this on The Occult Rejects.  In fact, we have curated playlists on occult topics like grimoires, esoteric concepts and phenomena, occult history, analyzing true crime and cults with an occult lens, Para politics, and occultism in music. Whether you enjoy consuming your content visually or via audio, we've got you covered - and it will always be provided free of charge.  So, if you enjoy what we do and want to support our work of providing accessible, free content on various platforms, please consider making a donation to the links provided below.  Thank you and enjoy the episode!Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Substackhttps://substack.com/@theoccultrejects?r=7auau0&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageCash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/TheOccultRejectsBibliographyAelian. On the Characteristics of Animals. Translated by A. F. Scholfield. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1958–1959.Assmann, Jan. The Search for God in Ancient Egypt. Translated by David Lorton. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2001.British Museum. “Papyrus of Nesmin; Bremner-Rhind Papyrus, EA10188.” Notes that the Book of Overthrowing Apep appears in columns 22–32, with the Names of Apep in columns 32–33, and gives a production date of 305 BCE.British Museum. Babylon Teachers' Resource. Notes Marduk's association with the snake-dragon or mušḫuššu.Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Translated by John Raffan. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1985.Day, John. God's Conflict with the Dragon and the Sea: Echoes of a Canaanite Myth in the Old Testament. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.Detroit Institute of Arts. “Mushhushshu-Dragon, Symbol of the God Marduk.”Eliade, Mircea. Patterns in Comparative Religion. Translated by Rosemary Sheed. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1996.Etymonline. “Draco.” Notes Greek drakon from derkesthai, “to see clearly.”Faulkner, R. O. “The Bremner-Rhind Papyrus—III: D. The Book of Overthrowing ‘Apep.” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 23, no. 2 (1937): 166–185.Ferdowsi. Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings. Translated by Dick Davis. New York: Penguin Classics, 2016.Herodotus. The Histories. Translated by A. D. Godley. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1920. See especially 2.75 on winged serpents and ibises, and 3.107 on frankincense-guarding serpents.Hornung, Erik. Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many. Translated by John Baines. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1982.Isbell, Lynne A. The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent: Why We See So Well. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009.Jacobus de Voragine. The Golden Legend: Readings on the Saints. Translated by William Granger Ryan. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012.Jones, David E. An Instinct for Dragons. New York: Routledge, 2000.Le, Quan Van, Lynne A. Isbell, Jumpei Matsumoto, Minh Nguyen, Hikari Hori, Mai Mai, Tomohiro Nishimaru, et al. “Pulvinar Neurons Reveal Neurobiological Evidence of Past Selection for Rapid Detection of Snakes.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, no. 47 (2013): 19000–19005. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1312648110.LeDoux, Joseph. The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.Lincoln, Bruce. Theorizing Myth: Narrative, Ideology, and Scholarship. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999.MacLean, Paul D. The Triune Brain in Evolution: Role in Paleocerebral Functions. New York: Plenum Press, 1990.Mayor, Adrienne. The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000; revised edition, 2011.Öhman, Arne, and Susan Mineka. “Fears, Phobias, and Preparedness: Toward an Evolved Module of Fear and Fear Learning.” Psychological Review 108, no. 3 (2001): 483–522.Pessoa, Luiz. The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2013.Pliny the Elder. Natural History. Translated by H. Rackham. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1938–1962.Smith, Mark S. The Ugaritic Baal Cycle. 2 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1994–2009.Smith, Mark S. The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.Varenne, Jean, trans. The Rig Veda. New York: Park Street Press, 1984.Yarshater, Ehsan, ed. “Aždahā.” Encyclopaedia Iranica. Defines aždahā as dragon-like, gigantic snake monsters found in air, earth, or sea, sometimes linked to rain and eclipses.Also want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. A

The Gospel of Matthew is a wonderful book, the first text in the New Testament, which gives us an exciting shift from the prophecies of the Old Testament to the fulfillment of those very prophecies in the person of Jesus. You are sure to be equipped and inspired as Jesus Himself shares about the hope we have, gives practical lessons for how to live life the way God intended, shows the love of God through miracles and healings, and makes a way for you to be reconciled to God for all eternity.  Join Jerry as he dives into Matthew and walks us through the life, ministry and profound teachings of Jesus. There's no better day than today to take your daily reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Send us Fan MailThe hardest seasons of life can make you wonder if God has gone quiet or if you did something wrong. We go straight at that fear by walking through the Book of Job and the idea of the refiner's fire: what if your suffering is not proof of abandonment, but a setting where God is shaping something holier in you? Job is called “perfect and upright,” yet he still loses nearly everything. That alone dismantles the myth that righteousness guarantees comfort, and it opens a better question: what kind of person can we become when life is stripped down to the bone?We talk about covenant faithfulness that is not transactional, the kind of trust that says, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” We explore why God often gives perspective instead of explanations, how discipleship can require trust before understanding, and how trials can remove pride, control, and self-sufficiency so dependence on Jesus Christ can finally take root. Along the way, we connect Job's journey to modern scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants and to Joseph Smith's experience in Liberty Jail, where suffering is met with eternal perspective rather than instant relief.We also look at why Job powerfully points to Jesus Christ: innocent suffering, rejection, grief, silence, and endurance. Because Christ descended below all things, He understands every form of pain and can sanctify what we cannot fix today. You'll leave with five concrete practices for enduring trials without becoming bitter, staying turned toward God, and anchoring your identity in Christ instead of circumstances. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with the lesson from Job you're trying to live right now.Support the showYou can reach me anytime at email: tandrewsen.monat@gmail.comInstagram @toddtalks_ig

"For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit,rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Ibelieve this verse is the key verse for this entire chapter. As we talk aboutthe spiritual mind, Paul here gives three distinguishing marks of a genuinebeliever. Howdo you know if your faith is real? How do you know the difference between trueChristianity and mere religion? Today, specifically, we will be looking at thefirst one today. True believers worship God in the Spirit. Paulbegins by saying, "For we are the circumcision." Now rememberthe context. The Judaizers were saying that physical circumcision was necessaryfor salvation. But Paul says, "No, we are the true circumcision." Heis speaking of believers. He is speaking of those who have experienced aninward work of God in the heart. Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedlyreminded Israel that He wanted more than outward rituals. Remember Deuteronomy10:16. Moses says: "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of yourheart." Jeremiah 4:4 says: "Circumcise yourselves unto theLORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts." Soeven in the Old Testament, God was looking beyond the outward ceremony to theinward condition of the heart. The New Testament makes this very clear inRomans 2:28-29: "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly... but he isa Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in theSpirit." My friend, God has never been impressed by religious ritualsalone. A person can be baptized, join a church, attend services every week, andstill not know Christ. Yousee, salvation is not an outward change first. It is an inward transformationthat eventually changes the outward life. The Bible teaches that if we are inChrist, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Thefirst mark of a true believer is this: we worship God in the Spirit. Jesusspoke about this in John chapter 4 when He met the woman at the well. Shewanted to talk about the place of worship. Jesus wanted to talk about theheart. He said: "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worshipin spirit and truth" (John 4:24). Yousee, the Pharisees were experts at outward worship. They knew the ceremonies.They knew the rituals. They knew the traditions. But their hearts were far fromGod. They worshiped God with their lips, but their hearts, Jesus said, were farfrom Him. True worship is not merely going through the motions. It is notmerely singing the songs. It is not merely attending church. True worship flowsfrom a heart that has been changed by God's Holy Spirit. Itis possible to sit in church all your life and never truly worship. It is alsopossible to worship God while driving down the road, sitting on a porch, orwalking through a hospital hallway. Worship is the response of a redeemed heartto a wonderful Savior. When God's Holy Spirit lives within us, worship becomesa way of life. Ihave met believers all around the world who had very little materially, yetthey radiated joy and worshiped. I wish you could go to the slums of Bombaywith me and see believers in the midst of unbelievable poverty radiating withjoy. Or meet people in my first pastorate in Winchester Virginia, like Mildred Fahnestock,who was an invalid in a wheelchair with very painful crippling rheumatoidarthritis, yet had the glow of God upon her life. I also think of PhyllisSeverson in my second pastorate in Holland Michigan, who suffered from MS andspent years in a wheelchair. I knew her for many years, and she glowed with theglory of God and worshiped Him from that wheelchair. Myfriend, worship does not depend on circumstances. It depends on a relationshipwith God. This is what we must understand. We worship God in the Spirit. Thatis the first mark of a genuine believer. Do you have that mark today? Let'spray. Father, today, may we worship You in spirit and in truth. We ask this inJesus' name. Amen. 

Join Fr. Shane Varghese, C.Ss.R., in this insightful episode of Who's Who in the Bible as he delves into the wisdom literature of the Old Testament through the Book of Ecclesiastes. Fr. Shane expertly navigates the preacher's reflections on the 'vanity of vanities,' exploring the transience of human endeavors including knowledge, pleasure, riches, and wisdom.Rather than viewing the text as purely pessimistic, he highlights how the book invites us to find true purpose, meaning, and contentment only in God. This profound study encourages us to embrace life's perplexities with faith and trust in the Divine. We warmly invite you to watch this uplifting episode to deepen your spiritual journey and discover how to walk in God's wisdom every day.

Welcome to “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” To view the resources connected with this episode, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/findingchrist. Please like and comment on this episode and subscribe @scripturecentralofficial so you can more easily see the rest of the videos and resources in this course. Whether you're using this course for personal enrichment or to help with "Come, Follow Me," we hope it will be valuable in your studies.

Because our eyes might convince us that everyone around is doing great! Let's dive into 1 Samuel 16:6. And grab study guides for the whole family here: - To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06bWsVYV-Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shortsGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick begins with the Senate hearing clash over white supremacy accusations leveled at pro-life advocates, spotlighting abortion’s disproportionate impact on the Black community and the struggle to answer hard public questions. He shifts quickly, offering advice to help listeners keep their friendships strong when politics or beliefs threaten to tear them apart, and moves on to explore music in the church, the meaning behind “make a joyful noise unto the Lord,” the proper context for blessings at Mass, and the confusion irregular couples face about communion. Catholic tradition, contemporary controversies, and questions about faith’s place in a world shaped by media events—even Spielberg’s forthcoming film on aliens—surface and swirl, with Patrick weaving scripture, pastoral insight, and frank observations into every answer. Audio: Do you believe that pro-lifers are white supremacist - Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX): Your organization said that restricting and banning abortion is a tool that the far right uses to maintain white supremacy. Do you believe that pro-lifers are white supremacist?” SPLC CEO Bryan Fair: “Ummm, I believe that reproductive liberty is... I can’t answer that question yes or no.” - https://x.com/RedWavePress/status/2064412651438972963?s=20 (01:16) Audio: Do you have any advice for not getting angry at people who you genuinely care about, who you want to preserve a friendship with, and not like ruin something over politics? Turning Point with Dana Loesch a well-known conservative radio host, author, and commentator (formerly the NRA's national spokesperson) - https://x.com/TPUSA/status/2063394012791460144/video/1?s=46 (08:30) Irene - What does 'make a joyful noise unto the Lord' mean? (10:51) Janet (email) - Confused About Receiving Blessing as Irregular Couple (18:49) Kevin (email) - Seems to me ALL Protestants have been Baptized, yet they all believe in John 6 31-71, that Jesus was speaking figuratively. What’s the difference between going to heaven and entering Eternal Life? Rick - Would’ve been nice to have you at the prison last night when one of our guys asked if it was okay for him to make a burnt offering of a trophy animal he harvested while hunting as a thank you and honor to God. He believes the Old Testament teaches that God appreciates this kind of offering. He made it clear this burnt offering was not intended as a sacrifice since he recognized Jesus is the one true sacrifice. Is his burnt offering okay? (27:58) Jamie (email) - Steven Spielberg designed his UFO film Disclosure Day to challenge humanity's fundamental religious beliefs (35:30) Tim - My niece is living with someone before marriage and she’s not a Catholic. I’m concerned she’s going to ask me to walk her down the aisle. (43:53)

The Gospel of Matthew is a wonderful book, the first text in the New Testament, which gives us an exciting shift from the prophecies of the Old Testament to the fulfillment of those very prophecies in the person of Jesus. You are sure to be equipped and inspired as Jesus Himself shares about the hope we have, gives practical lessons for how to live life the way God intended, shows the love of God through miracles and healings, and makes a way for you to be reconciled to God for all eternity.  Join Jerry as he dives into Matthew and walks us through the life, ministry and profound teachings of Jesus. There's no better day than today to take your daily reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

This week we step into the Garden of Eden as we continue our first video series from Tyndale House, Cambridge, exploring Genesis (The Creation Story).Though this series is also available on podcast platforms, it is designed to be watched, with visual explanations that complement the text well. Episode 4 examines the dramatic opening verses of Genesis 3:1–8 — the moment the serpent speaks, Eve responds, and humanity steps across a threshold that changes everything. These verses have shaped centuries of theology, interpretation, and debate, and we explore why they remain so significant today. In this episode, we take a research‑rich, accessible journey through some of the most searched issues surrounding the fall narrative:How does the serpent subtly twist God's generosity, and what does the Hebrew reveal about his strategyHow do Genesis 1, 2, and 3 interlock linguistically and structurally, despite claims of multiple authorsWhat exactly, if anything, did Eve hear in Genesis chapter 2, and how does that shape her response in Genesis chapter 3?What does it mean to “be like God, knowing good and evil,” and how does this relate to the innocence of Genesis 2Where do we see both judgement and grace woven through God's words in Genesis 3:14–19What hidden numerical patterns in the Hebrew text reveal the psychological and literary brilliance of the chapterPerfect for viewers searching for Genesis commentary, Bible study videos, the Fall of humanity explained, Old Testament background, Hebrew narrative analysis, and how Genesis 1–3 fits together.Whether you're exploring scripture for the first time or diving deeper into familiar passages, this episode offers a thoughtful, engaging look at one of the most pivotal moments in the biblical story — a narrative that explains the world we live in today while displaying remarkable literary depth.This episode is hosted by Dr Peter Williams, Principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge, and author of Can We Trust the Gospels? and The Surprising Genius of Jesus. He is joined by Dr J Caleb Howard and Dr James Bejon, who both work on the Old Testament Names Project at Tyndale House.Come back in two weeks as we continue our deep dive into Genesis chapter 4.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

In this week's message, we explore what it truly means to put God first in every area of our lives - including our finances. From the Old Testament principle of the tithe to generosity, Scripture reveals that giving has always been about trust, surrender, and the condition of our heart.

On today's episode, we discuss an “Open Line Wednesday” Bible study where the regular crew explores John 11 and the story of Lazarus alongside the Old Testament account of Jonah. The hosts dig into Jesus' delay in coming to Bethany, the symbolism of Lazarus being dead for three days, and how this miracle serves as a precursor and teaching tool for understanding Jesus' own resurrection. They also unpack the dialogue between Jesus, Martha, and Mary, wrestling with statements like “I am the resurrection and the life” and what it means to “live even though they die,” using both layperson analogies and pastoral insight. From there, the conversation widens to the roles of Pharisees and Sadducees, the development of resurrection doctrine, and how interactions with traditions like Zoroastrianism may have pushed Jewish thinkers to clarify beliefs about the afterlife. Throughout, the tone is conversational and sometimes humorous, but the core aim is helping listeners connect biblical texts, historical context, and theology in a more coherent, practical way. Don't miss it!

Throughout the Old Testament, we meet men of varying backgrounds who set out to obey the Lord and deliver God's people. Time and again, God's people rejoice and revel in their hero, but inevitably, these men fall and are shown to be sinful. David is no exception. Luxury and boredom turn into lust, which turns into an abuse of power, then adultery, then deception, then second-hand murder. Though he tries to hide his sin by sinning further, the Lord will not allow the sin of Israel's king to go unpunished. Because of his sin, the Lord says that he will take David's wives and give them to another before all of Israel. While 2 Samuel records this failure, 1 Chronicles does not. 2 Samuel 11 - 1:04 .  2 Samuel 12 - 8:06 .  1 Chronicles 20 - 15:19 .  Psalm 100 - 17:26 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

WE. ARE. BACK. After an unexpected delay, the Coastline Covenant Podcast is BACK with a MAJOR conversation about MINOR prophets. Hunter and Shawn talk about justice, the role of the prophet in the Old Testament and today, politics (!!), and healthy civic engagement. Allegedly, the reading for today Hosea, Amos, Micah, and Isaiah but they mostly use that as context for everything they discuss. Can't overstate how awesome this conversation is. Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose.For the next episode, make sure you have read 2 Kings 25 Psalm 137, Lamentations 3, and Jeremiah 29.As always: don't forget to leave a voice memo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email Hunter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ hbabcock@coastline.family⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Give Attention to Reading: John | John 16:16-17:26

The Living Connection Between Word and Spirit In this episode of For Zion's Sake, hosts Shelley and June Volk—Jewish believers dedicated to seeing Jew and Gentile become one in faith—explore the deep, structural connection between the written Word of God and the active presence of the Holy Spirit. Key Takeaways The Anchor Verse (John 6:63): The episode centers on Jesus' declaration: "It is the Spirit who gives life... the words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life." The hosts emphasize that without the Holy Spirit, scripture remains a dead letter; with the Spirit, it becomes an active, life-giving force. The Spirit as God’s Heart-Revealer: Reading from 1 Corinthians 2, June points out that just as no one knows a person's inner motives except their own spirit, no one can truly know the thoughts and heart of God except the Spirit of God. She notes that born-again believers have this "Spirit of truth" living within them to guide daily life and bring personal transformation. Demonstration of Power (1 Corinthians 2:1–5): Shelley highlights the Apostle Paul’s approach to preaching, noting that Paul didn't rely on superior human intellect or persuasive words of wisdom. Instead, his message was a direct demonstration of the Spirit and power, ensuring that listeners' faith rested on God rather than human philosophy. A Multi-Generational Promise: Turning to the Old Testament covenant in Isaiah 59:21, the hosts discuss God's promise that His Spirit and Words will not depart from His people or their descendants. June shares a personal family testimony, tracing how this promise came alive in their own lives—from their radical conversion in 1976 to seeing their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren actively living out the faith. The Spirit Precedes the Word: Shelley looks back at Genesis 1 to show a divine pattern: the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters before God spoke light into existence. He connects this to the New Testament (Acts 4 and Acts 13), where believers were first filled with the Holy Spirit before they could speak the Word of God with boldness. Shelly has served the body of Christ as a Pastor for over 35 years. He is a bible teacher and conference speaker on the subjects of The Kingdom of God, The Mystery of Israel & The Church and for God’s people to be prepared in their hearts for the end of this age. https://shellyandjunevolk.com/Support the show: https://shellyandjunevolk.com/product/partner-with-us-psalm-127-fund/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thought to share? Send me a text...Does your daily life actually reflect the faith you say you believe?Most Christian women know what God's Word says, but applying it in the middle of busy schedules, family stress, difficult conversations, and emotional reactions can feel much harder. In this episode, we explore James 1:19-27 and uncover why spiritual growth isn't just about hearing biblical truth—it's about allowing God's Word to shape the way we listen, speak, respond, and love others every day.After listening, you'll discover: How becoming quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger can strengthen your relationships and reflect Christ more clearly.  Why God's Word acts like a mirror for your soul and how applying it leads to greater freedom and spiritual maturity.  Practical ways to move from simply hearing Scripture to actively living out your faith in everyday situations. Listen now to learn how small acts of obedience can transform your relationships, deepen your faith, and help you become more like Jesus in your everyday life.New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday mornings.To connect with Betsy for speaking, resources, or curriculum head to https://betsymarvin.com/contact-me/For access to past podcasts and transcripts, head tohttps://betsymarvin.com/podcasts/A Christian podcast centered on Jesus, the Bible, and God explores faith through the Old Testament and New Testament, sharing Bible stories and Bible explained insights to help women of faith and Jesus followers grow in faith, strengthen their relationship with God, and know God more deeply through Bible study, women Bible study, and practical Christianity, all while encouraging spiritual growth, understanding identity in Christ, and learning to understand Bible teachings to become closer to God.

Fifteen bishops. Two hundred years. Zero surviving words. In the mother church of Christianity—Jerusalem—there is a two-century black hole. Fifteen bishops ruled the holy city between 135 AD and 325 AD, yet they left behind no writings, no sermons, and no biographies. They are the "ghost bishops" of Jerusalem. But what if this absolute silence isn't an accident of history? What if it's the evidence of a cover-up?In this explosive premiere of the Sleight of Hand, Sleight of Scripture series on Pre-Nicene Perspective, host Presbyter Darren Kelama reopens a 1,700-year cold case and uncovers a forensic smoking gun that rewrites the history of the early church.We travel back to 135 AD. Emperor Hadrian has just crushed the Bar Kokhba revolt, banned all Jews from Jerusalem on pain of death, and rebuilt the city as a pagan colony. In this new Roman city, possessing the Torah or worshipping Yahweh is a capital crime. So, what kind of Christian community can survive in a city where the Old Testament is illegal?Only one: A church whose Bible contains no Jewish text. A church whose God is not Yahweh. A church we now call Marcionite.In this episode, we investigate: How Hadrian's ban on Judaism structurally evicted Yahweh from Jerusalem and inadvertently created the first purely Christian episcopate. The inevitable, history-altering meeting between Jerusalem's first Gentile bishop, Marcus, and the shipmaster Marcion of Sinope. The 200,000 sesterces sent to Rome—and why returning the fortune was the ultimate receipt of a rejected embassy.

When Pontius Pilate asked 'What is truth?' he was standing face-to-face with Truth Himself, Jesus Christ. The events leading to Jesus' crucifixion reveal profound truths about sacrifice and redemption. Throughout the Old Testament, animal sacrifices could only temporarily cover sin, but they all pointed to Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God. When Pilate declared he found no guilt in Jesus, he unknowingly fulfilled the role of examining the Passover lamb for defects. The choice between Jesus and Barabbas illustrates the gospel perfectly - the innocent One took the place of the guilty. Jesus' blood doesn't just cover our sin like Old Testament sacrifices; it completely washes it away, offering us true freedom from guilt and shame.

Here is an SEO-optimized episode description tailored to your title:​Episode Description​Join us for tonight's Evening Bible Study as we dive deep into the complex relationship between two of the Old Testament's most famous sisters: Leah and Rachel. Were they merely sister wives bound by circumstance, or did rivalry turn them into enemies?​In this session, we unpack the biblical narrative from the Book of Genesis, exploring the intense dynamics of love, jealousy, family, and faith that defined their lives. Discover the powerful lessons their story holds for our faith journeys today.​Key topics covered in this study:​The cultural context of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel's marriage.​Unpacking the roots of comparison and rivalry between the sisters.​How God worked through their broken family dynamic to fulfill His divine covenant.​Practical takeaways on overcoming jealousy and finding identity in God's love.​Whether you are studying the Bible for the first time or looking for a deeper theological perspective, this episode offers fresh insights into a timeless scripture.​Like, subscribe, and share to stay updated with our weekly Bible study series!

Today we're studying 1 Samuel 13:13 in just one minute! Grab your scriptures and let's dive into them together!And grab study guides for the whole family here: -Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shorts- To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06bWsVYVGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does the Bible endorse slavery? Pastor Adriel Sanchez draws a careful distinction between the debt servitude regulated in the Old Testament and the transatlantic slave trade, showing that the two are fundamentally different institutions and that the Bible itself provides clear theological grounds for abolition. GET YOUR FREE SOLA NEWSPAPER A quarterly print publication featuring articles on theology, the historic creeds and confessions, and reflections for the Christian life, delivered straight to your mailbox. For free. FOLLOW US YouTube | Instagram | X/Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter WHO WE ARE Sola Media serves today's global church by producing resources for reformation grounded in the historic Christian faith. For over thirty-five years, Sola has walked alongside Christians in their faith, pointing away from novelty and ourselves, and toward Christ and his gospel as proclaimed in the Scriptures, articulated in the ancient Christian Creeds, and summarized in the confessions of the Protestant Reformation. Learn more: https://solamedia.org/

On a special bonus episode of the Bible Savvy Podcast, we dive into 1 & 2 Kings with guest guide Dr. David Lamb, the Allen A MacRae Professor of Old Testament at Kairos University and author of several books including a commentary on 1-2 Kings. Watch his previous Christ Community sermon here: https://ccclife.org/sermons/elephants-why-is-the-bible-so-violent-david-lamb/

In this Church on the Move Roswell message, Pastor Troy Smothermon teaches from 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 on the ministry of reconciliation, emphasizing that every believer is a royal priest and ambassador for Christ. He explains how the Old Testament priesthood pointed forward to the Messiah, while Christians look back to Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as God's intentional answer to humanity's need, with Christ becoming a curse on the cross and paying for sin once and for all. He defines redemption as being bought back by the precious blood of Jesus (1 Peter 1:18–19), bringing forgiveness, restoration, adoption, and freedom from sin and shame. The church is urged to participate—not spectate—through prayer, intercession, repentance, and bold witness, and the message ends with an invitation to surrender to Jesus in prayer.

The Gospel of Matthew is a wonderful book, the first text in the New Testament, which gives us an exciting shift from the prophecies of the Old Testament to the fulfillment of those very prophecies in the person of Jesus. You are sure to be equipped and inspired as Jesus Himself shares about the hope we have, gives practical lessons for how to live life the way God intended, shows the love of God through miracles and healings, and makes a way for you to be reconciled to God for all eternity.  Join Jerry as he dives into Matthew and walks us through the life, ministry and profound teachings of Jesus. There's no better day than today to take your daily reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Watching someone being filled with the Spirit is so inspiring. Let's dive into 1 Samuel 10:10. And grab study guides for the whole family here: - To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06bWsVYV-Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shortsGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.” Matthew 5:17–18Sometimes it can be challenging to reconcile the Old Testament with the New Testament. In addition to the Ten Commandments, the Old Testament is filled with countless other commandments. The Pharisees, in their attempt to preserve and interpret the Law of Moses, identified 613 specific commandments. While the Pharisees sought to preserve the Law through detailed commandments, the prophets continually called Israel back to a deeper fidelity to the covenant. Many of the prophets also spoke of the coming of the Messiah and foretold a new spiritual law that would be written on the heart.In today's Gospel, Jesus proclaims that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. To “fulfill” means that Jesus brings the Law and the Prophets to completion, perfecting them and elevating them into the New Covenant of grace. This fulfillment achieves the true meaning of the Law, moving beyond external observance to the interior transformation of the heart. Jesus fulfills the moral demands of the Law by addressing not only external actions but also the interior dispositions of the heart. For example, in this same Sermon on the Mount, Jesus transforms the commandment “You shall not kill” into a call to avoid even anger or hatred (cf. Matthew 5:21–22). In doing so, He reveals the fullness of God's justice, which calls for not only outward obedience but also inward holiness rooted in love.The sacrificial system of the Old Covenant centered on Temple worship, where animal sacrifices were ritually offered as atonement for sins. Those Old Testament sacrifices find completion in Jesus' perfect sacrifice on the Cross. He became the new High Priest and offered Himself as the Lamb of God on the Altar of the Cross, a sacrifice that is perpetuated in the Eucharist. Once Christ offered Himself on the Cross, the animal sacrifices and other ceremonial aspects were fulfilled and are no longer required, having given way to the new and perfect worship in the perpetual Eucharistic Sacrifice.The Law and the Prophets also pointed toward the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the New Covenant. Jesus, as the Messiah, fulfills these prophecies. In Him, God's plan to gather all nations into His family is accomplished, fulfilling the promises made to Abraham and proclaimed by the prophets. The symbols and foreshadowings of the Old Testament, such as the Passover lamb, find their ultimate meaning in Christ.Through Him, the promises of salvation are no longer future hopes but present realities. Through this threefold fulfillment—moral, in transforming our hearts; liturgical, in perfecting worship; and prophetic, in realizing God's promises—Jesus not only completes the Old Covenant but elevates it into something far greater. He reveals its true purpose: to lead humanity into a deeper relationship with God through love, grace, and truth.Reflect today on Jesus as the fulfillment of all that God has revealed from the foundation of the world. Because the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ, we turn our gaze upon Him as the full revelation of the Father and the only way to salvation. The study of the Old Testament reveals the unfolding of Salvation History, but in the Eucharist, we encounter its fulfillment and completion. Turn to Him in the Sacrifice of the Mass, where every promise made throughout salvation history is fulfilled and made present to you in the most precious gift of Christ Himself. In this perpetual Eucharistic Sacrifice, we are drawn into the mystery of divine love and receive a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, where God's promises will one day be fully realized.My Eucharistic Lord, You are the fulfillment of every promise made throughout salvation history. In the Sacrifice of the Mass, the final and perfect atonement for sins, those promises are made present to us today. Draw me deeper into worship, filling my heart with a profound love for You in the Eucharist. Transform me by this New Covenant of grace. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Listen to Him by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Are you looking for a scripture study church podcast? You are listening to Come Follow Me Kids! A Come Follow Me Podcast For Kids. This is specifically a Primary Podcast or Primary Scripture Study Poscast that studies Come Follow Me. Welcome to Come Follow Me Kids! We are a scripture study podcast that accompanies the Come Follow Me Manual by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We play games, sing songs, and tell stories to go along with the scriptures. This year we are specifically studying the Old Testament. We sometimes use audio clips from the Friend Magazine and other church sources, however we are not officially sponsored by the church in any way. If your children would like a free baptism shout out or to be guests on this podcast, email us at comefollowmekidspodcast@gmail.com. If you like this podcast, please leave us a review. Thank you! June 8–14: “The Lord Looketh on the Heart”1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16Saul was a keeper of donkeys. Though tall and handsome, he was “little in [his] own sight” and self-conscious about his family heritage (see 1 Samuel 9:2–3, 21; 15:17). On the day he was to be presented before Israel as their king, he didn't show up; he was so nervous he “hid himself” (1 Samuel 10:21–22). Looking at Saul, you might not have guessed that he would lead the Israelites to victory over their enemies—or that he would later become prideful and rebel against the Lord.David was a keeper of sheep. He wasn't as physically impressive as his seven older brothers. On the day Samuel came to choose a new king for Israel, it didn't seem worthwhile to include David among the possible candidates, so he was left out in the fields with the sheep. Looking at David, you might not have guessed that he would have the faith and courage to defeat a giant and become Israel's most successful king.But the Lord sees past our labels, our physical appearance, our insecurities. He looks, instead, “on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). And even when our heart isn't quite right, if we're willing, He will give us “another heart” (1 Samuel 10:9).

Welcome to Week 3 of This Is the Old Testament! Amanda and Raechel are joined by Ashley Gorman to discuss the next eight books of the Old Testament: 1 Kings though Job. As we continue our seven-week survey of the Old Testament, we find deep assurance in these books that God has no rival.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 3 of She Reads Truth's This Is the Old Testament reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our This Is the Old Testament printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this episode:Use code OT15 for 15% off the This Is the Old Testament collection at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/READSTRUTH. Promo Code READSTRUTHShe Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramAshley Gorman on Instagram*If you purchase something through our links, She Reads Truth may earn an affiliate commission.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Magellan AI - https://docsend.com/view/5vdvbdx7cr4tikmyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Step into one of the most dramatic and transformative periods in the Old Testament as Lynne Hilton Wilson explores 1 Samuel 17 through 2 Samuel 7. In this episode, we examine the legendary confrontation between David and Goliath, the fall of Saul, and the rise of David from shepherd boy to king of Israel. What can we learn from the women who shaped these events—often quietly, courageously, and faithfully behind the scenes? Dr. Wilson highlights the influence of figures such as Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba, and other women whose stories illuminate covenant faithfulness, wisdom, political courage, and spiritual strength during a turbulent era in Israel's history. This episode also explores: • David's faith in confronting Goliath • The contrast between Saul and David's leadership • Covenant relationships and kingship in ancient Israel • The role of women in preserving families, kingdoms, and Faith • Messianic themes and covenant promises in 2 Samuel 7 • Insights from Hebrew culture, history, and scripture scholarship

Today we're studying 1 Samuel 8:19-20 in just one minute! Grab your scriptures and let's dive into them together!And grab study guides for the whole family here: -Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shorts- To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/06bWsVYVGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Accused of espionage, Joseph's brothers must convince Jacob to risk something precious to prove their innocence. Text: Genesis 42:13-43:11Players: YahwehJosephJudahReubenJacobThe sons of JacobTamarPerez & ZerahWhat's Spooky: Not much in this oneCredits: Research, Writing, Narration, Sound Design: Justin GerhardtManuscript Editing: JL GerhardtProduction: Hazefire StudiosLinks:—Join the team of listeners who give to make Holy Ghost Stories possible—Sign up for The Latest, an email Justin sends twice a month with behind-the-scenes info about each episode and interesting things from around the internet. —Find out about Holy Ghost Stories or contact the Hazefire Studios team at holyghoststories.org