Podcasts about olives

This episode explores the laws of extracting liquids on Shabbos, focusing on the distinction between different food categories. Olives and grapes are most restricted because they are primarily grown for juice, while most other fruits are generally permitted to squeeze unless commonly used for juicing in a given locale. A key principle is the difference between a food's natural internal moisture (considered part of the food) and externally absorbed liquids from cooking or pickling, which are more restricted.The discussion then shifts from fruits and vegetables to fish, where squeezing out absorbed external liquid is prohibited, but natural internal moisture may be permitted. The podcast continues with the laws of crushing snow and ice: actively crushing to produce water is rabbinically prohibited, but allowing ice or snow to melt on its own—especially when placed into an existing drink—is permitted. Practical extensions include hand-washing with soap, use of liquid soap, breaking surface ice to access water, walking on snow, and handling salt water mixtures. The episode emphasizes intent, direct action versus indirect results, and rabbinic safeguards designed to prevent squeezing produce for drinkable juice.

Islington Baptist is a church for the Islington and wider Newcastle community sharing the life-changing message of Jesus. Our sermon / Bible teaching is a central part of our gatherings.Matt21:1-271 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:5 “Say to Daughter Zion,    ‘See, your king comes to you,gentle and riding on a donkey,    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'”6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,“Hosanna to the Son of David!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.'”14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,“‘From the lips of children and infants    you, Lord, have called forth your praise'?”17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,' he will ask, ‘Then why didn't you believe him?' 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin'—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”27 So they answered Jesus, “We don't know.”Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Megyn Kelley reaction to Bad Bunny show // Storytime ft. Jacob! // SCENARIOS

February 9, 2026 Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, Novelist and Life Coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, February 9, 2026, and this is episode #2 in Series 2026. This episode is titled, “The Great Deception.” Some of you may know that I am an author as well as a blogger. Recently in the publishing world, writers have reported a phenomenal increase in fraudulent offers promising wealth and fame for varying amounts of money. I myself have received several of these offers. All of them were generated by people using Artificial Intelligence. All of these offers were deceptive. Deception has taken over the world. But to the Christ-follower, this is not a surprise. Jesus Himself predicted that deception would abound in the last days. While Jesus was on the Mount of Olives with His disciples one day, they asked Him what would be the signs of the last days. Listen to His reply, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 24, verse 4. Jesus said, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” I find it quite interesting that the very first sign of the last days that Jesus mentioned was deception. He warned His disciples not to be deceived. In other words, Jesus foretold that deception would be the major signpost of the closing age of human history. In case you don’t know, my friend, we are living in that closing age today, and, just as Jesus predicted, deception is rampant. Fake videos depict fake images of celebrities speaking things they never said. These fakes, called deepfakes, clone human voices, alter human faces, and change written content to serve purposes that are deceptive, if not downright sinister. It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the truth and the lie. So, what are we to do? Let me answer by telling you a story. Years ago, I spoke with a friend of the family who was an executive at a local bank. I asked him how bank tellers recognize counterfeit money. His response surprised me. He said that in their training program, bank tellers never handle counterfeit money. They handle only real money. And they handle real money so well and so thoroughly that when a counterfeit bill passes through their hands, they immediately recognize it as counterfeit. Bottomline, the bank tellers first had to recognize real money in order to recognize counterfeit money. They had to know the truth in order to recognize the lie. The same principle applies regarding deception. In order for us to recognize deception—or the counterfeit to the truth—we first need to be able to know and recognize the truth. The problem is that today, few people know the truth, although most think they do. You may be asking, “So, Dr. MaryAnn, what is the truth?” Contrary to popular opinion, the truth is a Person, and His Name is Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 6, Jesus made this profound statement: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus identified Himself as the Truth. From this it logically follows that to know the Truth, one must know Jesus, and unless one knows Jesus, one cannot know the Truth. Sadly, most of the world today does not know Jesus. Hence, they do not know the Truth. When one does not know the Truth, one ends up, by default, believing and embracing the Lie. The Lie is what Satan peddles in order to steal, kill, and destroy you. When one believes the Lie, one loses his ability to think straight. The Bible tells us as much in Romans 1: 28: “. . . since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind . . . .” A debased mind is a mind that has lost its ability to think logically and truthfully. A mind that easily succumbs to deception. “Well,” you might say, “I have my truth. You have yours. What’s the problem?” Consider this. Suppose you hired two men to build you a tool shed. One man believed that a foot was twelve inches long while the other man believed that a foot was nine inches long. Each man was adamant that he was right. Do you think they’d get very far in building your shed? Moreover, logically speaking, both of the men could not be right. If you yourself did not know for sure that a foot consists of twelve inches, you wouldn’t know which man was right. You would not be able to determine who was telling the truth and who was not. Building a shed may not be a life-or-death matter, but knowing the truth is a life-or-death matter when it comes to your eternal destiny. For if you do not know the truth about what happens after death, you could spend forever in Hell instead of Heaven. So, “What is the Truth?” Simply put, the Truth is what God has said it is. And what God has said is the Truth is found in the Bible. Plain and simple. Because God alone is God, He alone has the right, the authority, and the wisdom to determine what is true and what is not true. We humans do not have that right. Nor do we have the authority and the wisdom to determine what is true and what is not true because we are not as smart as God. He is the Creator; we are the created ones. The created ones are not smarter than the One who created them. Now, most people don’t want to hear this. Why? Because they don’t want to be subject to a higher authority than themselves. Most people don’t want anyone telling them what truth is because most people don’t want anyone telling them what to do. Most people want to make up their own rules and live by them. Why? Because they want to continue in their sin. They want to set their own standards for right and wrong so that when they do wrong, they won’t feel guilty and condemned. But God has set the standards for right and wrong, and those standards will never change, no matter how much man tampers with them. Why won’t they ever change? Because they are the Truth, and Truth never changes. You see, my friend, we can reject the Truth, we can rebel against the Truth, we can mock the Truth, but we can never change the Truth. A foot will always equal twelve inches. Two plus two will always equal four. Good will always win out over evil. And Truth will always overcome the Lie. You can try to change this until you are blue in the face, but it will never work. Oh, it may look as though it’s working for a while, but in the end, Truth will overpower the Lie because God, Who is Truth, is more powerful than Satan, who is the Lie. Perhaps you’ve been living in your own self-made concept of truth. How is that working for you? You may say, “It’s working great.” But, friend, I will tell you that one day, you will discover it no longer works. At some point, the foundation of your life will crumble because it is built on a lie. Only a life built on the Truth will last. Only a life built on Jesus Christ will bring you true life. If you have never had an encounter with Jesus Christ, Truth Himself, I invite you to meet Him now. Pray this simple prayer with me: Lord Jesus, I want to know You because I want to know Truth. I’ve been living a lie, and it has gotten me into places where I don’t want to be. So I choose now to turn away from the lie and to embrace You. I invite You into my life and receive You as Truth, as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for revealing to me that You are Truth. In Your Name I pray. Amen. If you sincerely prayed this prayer from your heart, you are now a born-again child of God. Welcome to the Family of God! Write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com, and I will send you a free PDF e-booklet titled After You're Born Again. In case you are not aware, I write heart-mending fiction that deals with the deepest issues of life. In my stories, you will find characters just like you who struggle with what seem like impossible problems and situations. Check out my books at my online bookstore at https://maryanndiorio.com/bookstore. That's https://maryanndiorio.com/bookstore.My featured book for this week is a story about the overcoming power of truth titled In Black and White. It is the love story of a young white woman and a young black man trying to sustain their love in the whirlwind of racism, prejudice, and family tradition. First Place Winner in Historical Fiction in the 2020 Christian Indie Book Awards Contest, In Black and White reveals the power of truth in overcoming the lie. Get your copy at one of the links in the show notes. Winning with the Word is available on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast venues as well as on YouTube. Check out my YouTube channel at youtube.com/drmaryanndiorio. Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are. Yet He doesn't want to keep you there. As you live in Him, He will help you to keep on winning with the Word.________________________________ Copyright 2026 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved. Featured Book for This Week:IN BLACK AND WHITE – A Gripping Christian Historical Romance First Place Winner in Historical Fiction – 2020 Christian Indie Awards A Forbidden Love. A Divided World. A Redeeming God. In Black and White is a poignant and powerful Christian historical romance that dares to explore the depth of love between two souls separated by culture, color, and the crushing weight of racial prejudice. Set against the backdrop of academic life and ancestral heritage, this award-winning novel weaves faith, endurance, and restoration into a story that transcends time and speaks to the heart of humanity's greatest struggles—and God's greatest triumphs. PRINT EBOOK _____________________________________________SUBSCRIBE HERE to Winning with the Word VISIT MARYANN'S ONLINE BOOKSTORE « Older Entries

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? ...Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know, (Jeremiah 32.27, 33.3, NKJV). The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah whilst he was shut up in prison, ‘Thus saith the Lord, the Maker – that formed Heaven and earth – to establish it, “Call unto Me and I will answer!”' Come on! So many pray in doubt… Remember how amazed the disciples were when Jesus cursed the fig tree and it died from the root? Jesus explained to them in Mark 11.22-24, “If you will speak to this mountain (the Mount of Olives) and command it to be cast down into the sea (the Dead Sea), if you speak it and believe in your heart without doubt, what you say will be done!” It's time today, in the 21st century that we believed that God will honour His Word and do what He says!

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Sermon Notes: John 1:19-34 (I Am Not, but He Is) Please turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 1. We'll be considering verses 19-34 this morning. As you are turning there, let me say that the Gospel of John is a beautiful literary work. Greek scholars marvel at its elegance. Its words are simple, yet it has a depth of poetic beauty in how its themes are interwoven. And because of that, the Gospel of John speaks to both those with little or no background in the Christian faith as well as to those who have studied the Scriptures their whole lives. ·      On one level, the apostle John makes clear who Jesus is, what he has done, and why it matters. ·      And on another level, we are given profound theological insights in a rich literary form. We'll continue to see that as we work our way through the book. As I read, you will hear about John in these verses. This is referring to John the Baptist, not the apostle. Reading of John 1:19-34. Back in first grade, I was asked to give the opening comments for our first-grade play. That involved standing in front of the big curtain. I had a script which welcomed everyone, thanked the teachers, and gave a brief highlight of what they were about to see. The drama teacher told me multiple times to talk slowly and to keep my hands out of my pockets. Which of course, I forgot to do. But nonetheless, I did my part, and then the curtain opened and the play began. Well, the opening 18 verses of John's Gospel are like the prologue to a play. They set the stage for what is to come. We're given the book's background and themes and we're introduced to the main character. As we've studied, verses 1-18 speak of Christ's divine nature as creator and as the light of the world. We were also introduced to John the Baptist who bore witness to the light. We were told of what it means to believe. And then last week, we learned that the Word of God has come to us in the flesh, in the person of Jesus. And when he came, God displayed his glory and grace. All of that was introductory. And as we now get to verse 19, the curtain opens. We don't just hear about Jesus, but we are given story after story of his life and ministry. To say it in another way, verses 1-18 are the theological treatise for the book… and verses 19 to the very end are the historical witness of the book. John makes the upfront argument that Jesus is God in the flesh and that salvation is found in him, and then from verse 19 on, he shows us that this is true by showing us Jesus' life and ministry. Speaking of a prologue, that was my prologue for this sermon. Two points this morning. You can see them in your bulletin. Point number 1: I am not …and point number 2: But he is I am not, but he is. John the Baptist very clearly states that he is not the Christ, but he, that is Jesus, is. 1. I Am Not So, #1. I am not. Let me begin with a little context. It mentions here that John the Baptist was in the town of Bethany… specifically it's just beyond the Jordan River. This is a different town than the other Bethany which was near Jerusalem just over the Mount of Olives. This one was much farther away. It would have taken a day or two to travel there by foot. And in Bethany, John had attracted a crowd and a following. And one of the things he was doing was baptizing. Well, despite the distance, that caused a stir in Jerusalem. News reached the ears of the Jewish leaders, and so, as we read, they sent a delegate. They had two main questions: who are you? (verse 19) and why are you baptizing (verse 25)? John does answer both questions, but he does it in a way that redirects them away from himself and to Christ. I learned something interesting this week. There are people today who believe that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet. They not only venerate John the Baptist, you know, worship him in a way… but they also reject Jesus as the Messiah. Now, it's a relatively small group, several thousand. They live on the border of modern day Iraq and Iran. Their recorded history goes back to the 300s, so they've been around a while. And it's very possible that their roots go all the way back to the 1st century when this book was written. You see, one reason why the apostle John writes these things, is to make absolutely clear (1) who John the Baptist was and wasn't and (2) who Jesus is. And he quotes John the Baptist's words. ·      He was not the prophet Elijah. Yes, he came in the spirit of Elijah – but he was not Elijah in the flesh. The Jews expected Elijah to return. ·      He also makes clear that he was not “the prophet.” That is likely a reference to Moses or even the greater Prophet who was to come after Moses, namely Christ. John denies that as well. But most importantly, in verse 20 – he states unequivocally that he is not the Christ.  He is not the promised Savior who was to come. In the Greek, it's the phrase “ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός.” I am not the Christ. By the way, “ἐγὼ εἰμὶ” in the Greek is the phrase “I am.” It's the same Greek words that Jesus used in his “I am” statements throughout the book. I am the light of the world. I am the vine. I am the great shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, etc. And so when John the Baptist says he is not the Christ, it is in part setting up the rest of the narrative in the book. Who is Jesus? He is the Christ - the promised Savior. A few years ago, a friend of mine passed away. He had a sudden heart attack. He was a single guy in his 40s, so he wasn't that old. Vocationally he was a nurse, but interestingly he had also been to seminary. He was a great guy. He loved to participate in ministry and mission work including medical missions. He also had a great Scottish accent. He was originally from the Isle of Skye. As one of his pastors I went to the funeral home shortly after they received his body. I was there with a close friend of his. And I learned something about him that I didn't know before. On his chest, he had a tatoo. It was a Greek phrase. “ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός.” I am not the Christ. You see, he had been so moved by this verse in John 1, that he wanted to remind himself each day in the mirror who he was not and to whom he should direct people. He was not the Christ… he was not his own savior nor a savior for others, but he had a savior who has come. That is what John the Baptist was doing in these verses. He was redirecting people away from himself and to Jesus. I count 6 times in these verses where John redirects people away from himself and to Christ. No, I am not him but let me tell you and show you who he is. A couple of examples are found in his further answers to the delegation. By the way, they were very persistent, as we read. They asked him, ok, then if you are not Elijah nor the prophet nor Christ, then who are you and why are you baptizing? ·      First, John answers who he was. He quotes the prophet Isaiah. He says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,'” You see, Isaiah had prophesied that one would come. This prophet's very purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah. John was saying that he is that one. His whole ministry was to direct people to Christ. It was to prepare the people for the arrival of the Lord. ·      And second, John answered why he was baptizing. His answer also revealed Christ. Verse 31 makes that clear. John said, “I came baptizing with water that he might be revealed to Israel.” Here's what that means. John's baptism was about calling people to repentance and warning them about judgment. The water symbolized the cleansing that they needed. It showed them that they needed God to truly cleanse them… and it reminded them that a Savior was promised who would bear their judgment. By the way, this is why we don't connect John's baptism with the baptism that Jesus established. ·      #1, John's baptism was a ceremonial cleansings from the old covenant. That's why the delegate was asking him why he was baptizing since he was not Elijah nor the prophet. ·      #2. John's baptism was not done in the name of Jesus nor the Trinity as Jesus directed. It was very different. ·      #3 …perhaps the clearest reason. In the book of Acts, chapter 19, some of John the Baptists disciples were living in Ephesus. They had only been baptized into John's baptism. The apostle Paul explained to them that John's baptism was only a baptism of repentance. So, John's disciples were then baptized into Jesus' baptism – that is, into the new covenant baptism in Jesus' name. To say it again, John's baptism was to prepare the people's hearts for the coming of Christ. They needed to see their need for a Savior and repent. Ok, to summarize main point #1: John's identity in these verses is directly related to Christ, both in the negative and the positive. The negative - I am not him. And the positive - the very purpose of my life is to point people to him. And point to him, he does. 2. But He Is Which bring us to #2. But He Is John is not the Christ, as he says, and implicit in that statement is that the one to whom John directs people is the Christ. Look at verse 29. This is a new subsection. We read that it's now the very next day. The previous day, John had been answering the delegation about who he was not and that his purpose was to direct people to the Lord. But now, Jesus has come to John. And with absolute clarity, John gives witness to who Jesus is. Look how John describes Jesus in 29. He says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Remember, the apostle John's primary audience was Jewish. When they read or heard this, they would have no questions about its meaning. Jesus is identified as the sacrificial lamb, whom God sent to atone for the sin of the world. Sacrificing lambs had been part of their annual Passover celebration. Back when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, the very last command that God gave them was to sacrifice a lamb. They were to put its blood over their doorpost. And if they did that, the angel of death would pass over them and spare their firstborn. And the angel did spare them. But the Egyptians were not spared. And so Pharaoh released the Israelites from their bondage. Every year they were to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt by sacrificing a lamb. It was both a remembrance of God's deliverance out of Egypt, and a foreshadowing of the deliverance from sin that God would accomplish for them through the Messiah. So here, John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is that sacrificial Lamb – He's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world… Now, you may be asking, Why is a Lamb of God needed? Why a sacrifice? That is a critical question. As we work our way through the book, the answer will become clear. But in the meantime, let me try to briefly answer. You see, in the heart of each and every human is a rebellion against God and against our fellow man. We see and experience this every day. We see and experience deceit, and anger, and betrayal. Evil exists in many forms – oppression, rape, and murder. And truthfully, if we just search our own hearts, we know our own selfishness and bitterness and desires for that which is not ours. All of those things fall under Scripture's category of sin. Over the years, I've had conversations with friends and family about the truth of Christianity. They've brought up good questions. For example, they've asked, if God really exists or if Christianity is really true, then why is there so much evil in the world. It's a very important question. I've usually respond that Christianity's view of the world includes a very clear understanding of evil and sin. I believe Christianity is true, in part, because it answers the questions of evil… it answers other life questions as well like meaning and morality and existence… including the difficult things in life and our rebellious hearts. Sometimes that will be followed up with the question. But if God is as you say he is, then why doesn't he do anything about it? About the evil and sin… He has. He's sent a Lamb. And that Lamb is Christ, and as John the Baptist says in verse 34, he is the Son of God. He sacrificed himself to deliver us not from the bondage of Egypt, but from the bondage of sin and the corruption of the world. The reason that a sacrifice was necessary goes all the way back to the beginning of the Bible. The very first command that God gave was to not eat of that which was forbidden. And the consequence of doing so was death. We cannot escape the consequences of sin. Those consequences include death and separation from God and his judgment. But God sent his Lamb to be sacrificed on our behalf. As the author of Hebrews puts it, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. And so, when John sees Jesus, he calls him the Lamb of God and as the Son of God. John furthermore testifies that even though he came before Jesus, yet Jesus ranked before him because Jesus was before him. John had said earlier that he was not even worthy to untie Jesus' sandals. That was one of the most lowly of jobs reserved for a servant. John was saying that he wasn't even worthy to do that. Jesus' worthiness so far exceeds our unworthiness. Yet he has come to us. Let me note one more thing about John's testimony. These verses say that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, but Jesus' baptism is a baptism of the heart. By the way, this is talking about true baptism – not the outward sign like you saw earlier this morning, but baptism of the heart when we receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. And the reason that we can receive the Spirit of God from Christ, is because God's Spirit remains on Christ. Did you notice that phrase used twice? The Holy Spirit descended and remained on him. It indicates God the Father anointing Jesus as King. In the Old Testament, God's Spirit would rest upon God's anointed kings. But God's Spirt would leave when that King departed from God's way, like he did for King Saul. That is why King David prayed in Psalm 51, Lord, take not your Holy Spirit from me. In other words, do not remove your hand of Spiritual blessing on my kingship. May your Spirit remain on me as king of your people despite my sin. By the way, this Holy Spirit anointing of kings is different from the Spirit's work in the hearts of believers… old and new. I just want to be clear about that. What John the Baptist was witnessing in verses 32-34 was God the Father anointing his Son through his Spirit. When it says that God's Spirit remained on Jesus, it was indicating Jesus' eternal kingship. Next week we'll see that title King given to him. And let me mention one more thing about chapter 1. Every single title for Jesus in the entire book of John is introduced in chapter 1. Jesus is the Word of God. He is Christ, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Messiah, He is Rabbi (which means Teacher), King of Israel, and the Son of Man. Some of those we'll come across next week. In other words, this whole chapter bears witness to who Jesus is. Besides John the Baptist and the apostle John, God the Father and the Holy Spirit also bear witness to him. He is the Christ - Lamb of God and Son of God who takes away the sin of the world. I am not, but he Is. Application and Conclusion In Southern California, there's a very interesting solar power facility. It's in the Mojave Desert. It's different because it does not use a single solar panel. No, instead, this facility uses mirrors that direct the rays of the sun to central boilers. The boilers are super-heated by the sunlight reflected off of the mirrors. That causes the water boil, which creates steam, which then turns turbines, and which then generates power. There are 347,000 mirrors there. And as the sun moves across the sky, they all reposition themselves to keep the light shining on one place. Friends, you and I are not the Christ. No, but we are to reflect him and direct others to him. Like John the Baptist, we are to believe the Lamb of God for others to see. We are to testify that he has come to take away the sin of the world. We are to exalt Christ, witnessing to him in all the ways highlighted here. We are in a sense to be like mirrors that direct others to Jesus. And when we all work in concert, God is glorified and Christ is exalted. When people see us individually, they see him. And when people see a church whose members reflect Christ, they will see him. I would argue that our number one responsibility is to show forth Christ. It's tempting to have our number one focus be on other things. I am not saying that we should not have careers or serve our communities in different ways or have opinions about important matters. But if any of that puts the spotlight on us rather than Christ or if it overshadows our witness to him, then we are not fulfilling our responsibility to reveal him. So, May we each recognize that we are not our own savior, nor the savior of others. We are not the Christ… but Jesus is.  May we, like John, direct others to him, the Lamb of God, who is the Son of God and Savior of the world. Amen

Three middle-aged, gay men, each with their reasons for starting over, share a house in a small, rural town in Andalucia.Learning to adjust and adapt to new housemates is a hard trick for these old dogs to learn, and things do not go smoothly. But a sensational murder in their adopted town soon brings the men together.The death of a migrant worker in the olive fields has the whole town on tenterhooks, and our three heroes become consumed with the desire to solve the mystery.“Death Among the Olives,” is a comic play set in a picturesque region of Southern Spain, renowned for its undulating olive groves and medieval castles.It's like "The Golden Girls" meets "Murder, She Wrote", but with men; and set in SpainCASTJohn Kennard as ColinPavel Douglas as JackIvan Wilkinson as VictorNaomi Rohatyn as Doña LourdesLuis Alberto Martin as IsmaelJudit Cebollada Val and Stephanie Terrero as the women in the shopMUSICNaranjas en diciembre by VendlaA Spmber View by Andres CantuHighway to Spain by Jonathan BondessonWritten and produced by Olivier BosmanAudio Mystery Theatre websiteSupport Audio Mystery Theatre Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode continues to examine the halachic rules of squeezing fruit on Shabbos. Olives and grapes remain strictly prohibited to squeeze for juice under all circumstances. Strawberries and pomegranates are treated more leniently if they are primarily for eating and juice emerges on its own, but actively squeezing them for drinking is still forbidden.For other fruits, local custom is decisive—if a fruit is commonly juiced in a given place (such as apples today or pears in certain regions), squeezing it is prohibited; if not, there may be room for leniency. The discussion also addresses sucking juice directly from fruit, which many authorities permit since it is not the normal method of extraction, though some opinions are stricter, especially regarding olives and grapes.Using expressed juice as a dip rather than as a beverage can be more lenient for most fruits, but not for olives and grapes due to their primary designation for liquids and concerns of appearance. The episode highlights differing rabbinic views and concludes with the importance of consulting one's own halachic authority for practical application.

Ashley and Roberto share a devotion on the Mount of Olives and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, today on the 700 Club Interactive.

Ashley and Roberto share a devotion on the Mount of Olives and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, today on the 700 Club Interactive.

Ashley and Roberto share a devotion on the Mount of Olives and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, today on the 700 Club Interactive.

Ashley and Roberto share a devotion on the Mount of Olives and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, today on the 700 Club Interactive.

In this powerful teaching from the Mount of Olives, Rabbi Schneider unpacks a profound truth from James 2. Discover why James, the half-brother of Jesus, calls believers to walk in authentic faith, a faith proven by works and marked by compassion.

This Morning, Maury blesses you with Olives, we try to find you a date on Missed Connections, and comedian Bert Kreischer joins us to talk about coming back to Buffalo March 1st for his Permission to Party Tour. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Listen to past episodes on 97Rock. Follow the Show on Apple, Spotify or Amazon MusicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zechariah 14 presents a climactic vision of the future, depicting the return of Jesus Christ as the conquering King who defeats the nations gathered against Jerusalem, culminating in the splitting of the Mount of Olives and the establishment of a new, holy order. The passage unfolds a sequence of eschatological events, including the destruction of Babylon, the siege and partial fall of Jerusalem, the deliverance of a remnant in Petra, and the final judgment of the enemy through divine plagues, all leading to the universal worship of the Lord as King over all the earth. During the millennial reign, Jerusalem is transformed into a seaport city with living waters flowing from the Temple, healing the Dead Sea and enabling a restored creation, while all nations are required to worship the Lord annually at the Feast of Tabernacles, with disobedience met by divine judgment. The sermon emphasizes that this future is grounded in God's faithfulness to Israel, the ultimate fulfillment of Christ's roles as Prophet, Priest, and King, and offers profound hope for believers, assuring that the present trials are temporary and that eternal life with Christ is both certain and glorious.

Patrick's camera is set super low, and Rust went to the Garden of Olives. Seahawks beat Rams in instant classic to advance to Super Bowl, and they're being led by their defense. But the Rams came to play.

The second Pretrib Problem is related to the Olivet Discourse which is the name for the teaching about the end times that Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Christians throughout the ages have believed this passage to be speaking of the signs leading up to … Continue reading "The Olivet Discourse Problem- 7 Pretrib Problems- Ep 2"

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on retreat to priests at the Manoir de Beaujeu, in Coteau du lac, near Montreal, Canada.At his most urgent hour, when the apostles are on retreat with their Lord in the garden, a place far away from the hubbub of the crowds, the Lord lets go a searing complaint to his priests:“What! Could none of you stay awake with me one hour?” (Matt 26, 40) We have to stay awake with him in this retreat. The word hour is present 7 times in John. Fulton Sheen refers to each hour in detail. The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. (Jn 12, 23). The hour for us has now come to respond to his demands, to examine all the layers in which we can be his priests, and truly embrace our mission. Thumbnail: Andrea Mantegna, Christ in the Garden of Olives 1455, egg tempera, National Gallery, London.Music: Angelic, by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, with license.

This is a discussion of the disciples returning from the Mount of Olives and beginning to choose a replacement for Judas.

Everything is fine. Except the guy hiding behind the shower curtain and the rat in the toilet. This week we're talking irrational fears, phobias, and the things that make zero sense but still ruin our peace. If you weren't worried about “piss hand” before you may be now. You're welcome.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reading Acts 1:12-13 where the apostles return from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem and gather in the upper room where they have been staying to discuss and to pray. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

What is it like to travel through Israel with more than 1,000 pastors, youth pastors, Christian educators, and ministry leaders as part of the Ambassadors Summit 2025? In this special episode of Youth Worker on Fire, Doug Edwards shares a behind-the-scenes look at an extraordinary leadership journey through Israel—an experience designed to educate, equip, and inspire Christian leaders to better understand the current issues Israel is facing, its people, and its spiritual significance. Doug walks listeners through the vision behind the Ambassadors Summit, the months of preparation leading up to the trip, and the powerful experiences that took place throughout the week—from worship gatherings and leadership briefings to visits to historic biblical sites like Golgotha, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, and the empty tomb. In this episode, you'll hear about: ✅ The vision behind bringing 1,000 Christian leaders together for this journey ✅ What the Ambassadors Summit 2025 was designed to accomplish ✅ Worship gatherings, leadership panels, and special ceremonies ✅ Visiting key biblical locations throughout Jerusalem and Israel ✅ A remarkable experience with a blind tour guide at Golgotha and the empty tomb ✅ Why it took time after returning home to fully process the impact of the trip ✅ How this journey will lead to upcoming interviews and conversations on the podcast Doug also explains that this episode sets the stage for a series of upcoming interviews with Israeli guides, Jewish leaders, and participants from the summit—conversations that will be especially helpful for youth pastors, ministry leaders, Christian educators, parents, and anyone discipling the next generation. This episode is for: • Youth pastors and youth ministry volunteers • Christian educators and student leaders • Parents who want to deepen their own biblical understanding • Ministry leaders who want to grow in vision and perspective ✨ Sometimes a journey doesn't just teach you new information — it reshapes how you see Scripture, leadership, and calling. _________________________________________________________________________________

South Australia's largest olive grove and olive oil processing facility proposed for Waikerie, truck drivers opposed to a potential further increase to heavy vehicle charges, and SA researchers looking into ways to help scale-up the nation's seaweed farming industry.

Introduction: Psalm 115:8 – Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. Ephesians 5:1 – Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Hebrews 10:28 - Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. John 8:1-11 I Want to Be Like God (John 1:14–18) Grace without TRUTH = Not like Jesus. Truth without GRACE = Not like Jesus. GRACE and TRUTH = Like Jesus. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead John 1:14-18What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Define “glory” (John 1:14). What did John actually see when he says “we have seen His glory”?Do you tend to lean more towards “grace” or “truth” when dealing with someone's sin? Why? What do you need to do to be “full of grace and truth” like Jesus?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Turn in your Bibles to John chapter 1.While you're turning there,just going to ask,we pause for a second and I would ask that you wouldplease pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's word.I will pray for you to have a heart open to receivewhat it is God is telling us here tonight in this passage.All right? Let's pray.Father, we thank you for your word.It's easy tonight to get so caught up in,I guess the decorations and the sentimentality and all of that.But God, this is really no different to what we normally do.We come to worship you, come to know you,come to hear from your word.I just ask Father that your spirit be at work with your word today.In a profound way,make us into the people that you've called us to be.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said,"Amen, you become like that which you worship."It's a true statement."You become like that which you worship."You know, it's really obvious in children.I mean, just looking back at my life,if you would have found me in the late 70s, early 80s,I would have been walking around with torn pantsand a torn shirt because I was the Incredible Hulk.Remember that show, "Lufa Rigno"?That was me."Aah!"Oh, then you go forward just a couple of yearsand I would have been running around the housewith a sword fighting Skeletor.By the power of Grayskull, I was he-man.Right?And then you go forward a few more years,early 90s, grunge.Ironically, I once again had ripped pants onand the flannel shirt, the mop hair.And you can laugh and make fun of me all you want,but I know some of you got hammered pants in your closet.Some of you ladies back then had a Debbie Gibson haircutbecause you become like that which you worship.It wasn't even my idea, actually.The Bible says this.Psalm 115 verse 8 says, "Regarding idols,it says those who make them become like them.So to all who trust in them,you become like that which you worship."And then we come to church.We come to church and the truth is still the samebecause Ephesians 5:1 says, "Therefore,we imitators of God as beloved children."Like, well, how do we imitate God?By worshiping Him.That's how.It starts with worshiping Him.You're like, "Okay, all right, but how in the world,even worshiping Him, how can I imitate God?"And you know, I think that's one of the most awesome thingsabout the incarnation of Jesus Christ.What we're celebrating at Christmas, God became a man.And I think that's one of the most awesome things.One of the most glorious things is that we get to seewhat God's holiness and love looks like in a humanon this planet interacting with other humans.It's not conceptual. We've seen it.Yeah, the Christmas story. It's a familiar story, right?You know, you've got the manger and the shepherds and the light.But that's Matthew and Luke's version.Matthew and Luke in your Bible give the historical version.But we're looking at John this year.And John gives the theological version.That God became something He's never been without ceasing to bewhat He's always been.It's the miracle of Christmas.God entered the world through childbirth,becoming a real human being while remaining God.So, what do you want for Christmas?When we started this series, we said, "I want to know God."The only way you can know God is through Jesus.Jesus is the revelation of God.He is the living Word of God, right?Then on Sunday, Pastor Taylor gave a message,"I want to belong to God."The only way you belong to God also is through Jesus Christ.It's through Jesus, through His death and His resurrection,that our sins can be forgiven,that we can have the promise of eternal life,that we can be adopted children of God.Tonight, I want to be like God.What do you want for Christmas?Really, all I want is to be like God.This section we're looking at talks about the glory of Jesus Christ.Those who received Him get to know how glorious our God is.And when we worship Him, we do become like Him.Look at verse 14 in John chapter 1.It says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,and we have seen His glory,glory as of the only Son from the Father,full of grace and truth."Mark that.Grace and truth.Full of grace and truth.Verse 15."John bore witness about Him and cried out,'This was He of whom I said,'He who comes after Me ranks before Me,because He was before Me.'"And from His fullness,we have all received grace upon grace.I love that last phrase, "Grace upon grace."It's just waves and waves and waves of grace.That's Jesus.He's not stingy with His grace.And He tells us in verse 16 thatwe've received from His fullness.We've received from the fullness of grace.You know what that means?We're always in,if you belong to Jesus,you're always in the waves and waves of His grace.Meaning, I can't say,"Well, I came to Christ in 1995.Boy, you should have seen me back then.I really needed His grace back then.I need His grace just as much todayas I did then.And if I live tomorrow,I'm going to need His grace just as much tomorrowas I do today and as I did then."But that's the good news.He says, "Grace upon grace upon grace,that if you're in Christ,you're always in it."He just keeps on giving it to us."On your best day, you're in His grace.On your worst day, you're in His grace."Look at verse 17.He says, "For the law was given through Moses.Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."There it is again.Grace and truth.Grace and truth.The law though, he mentions the law.The law came through Moses.There was no grace in the law.Like you read your Old Testaments.There's only judgment.You break the law.You're guilty.In fact, the New Testament talks about thatin Hebrews chapter 10.Anyone who has set aside the law of Mosesdies without mercy in the evidenceof two or three witnesses.There's no mercy.Just guilt.That's what the law does.The law kills.The law only shows you that you are a sinner.Yet, through Jesus comes...Did you see it again?Grace and truth.What's showing us is that there's a stark contrastto the law with what came in Jesus Christ.Verse 18 kind of sums up the whole passage.It really sums up everythingthat we're celebrating at Christmas.Here it is.No one has ever seen God.The only God who is at the Father's side,He has made Him known.God the Son has made God known.One is saying, "We saw everything that is God.We saw that in Jesus Christ."So what's He like?What has God shown usof His character in Jesus Christ?I mean, what's He like?Well, you notice in this passage,He said it in verse 14,and He said it in verse 17.If you were to say,"Describe God in two words."He does.He says, "Here's what God is like."Two words.Grace and truth.Those two words exemplifiedwho Jesus Christ is,who is the perfect expressionof who God is.Grace and truth.I want to talk about grace and truthfor a few minutes.What is grace?Well, grace is compassion.It's mercy.Grace is kindness and patience.Grace is forgiveness.Read your Bibles.Jesus always manifestsjust a tender, loving grace.So He's full of grace,but it also says He's full of truth.Truth.Jesus always spoke the truth.Read your Bibles.Jesus always upheld the authorityof God's Word.Jesus never told half truths.Jesus never minimized the truth.Jesus never downplayed Scripture,contradicted the Old Testament.Jesus never sugar-coated it.He never watered it down.And He never, not once, ever did Heapologize for what the Bible says.I want to be like God.And when we look at this character of Jesus,it is astounding, full of grace and truth,simultaneously, full.And we could have this temptationto just kind of step backand admire that like, "Wow, isn't that awesome?Isn't that an awesome representation of God?"But you know, and we should do that, yes.But the Bible doesn't tell usthat we should just admire the character of Jesus.The Bible tells us that Jesus' characterisn't something just to impress us.The Bible says that we should imitate His character.I mean, so many times, right,we are called to imitate Jesus.Matthew 11, Jesus says, "Learn from Me."John 13, He was washing the disciples' grimy feet.And Jesus said, "I'm doing this to show you an examplethat you should do the same."Philippians 2, Paul says, "Have this mind,which is yours in Christ Jesus."1 Peter 2, 21 that Pastor Rich just read,says that Jesus is an example,and we should follow in His steps.And then we turn to John 1 here,and it says, verse 16, "From His fullnesswe have all receivedthat we don't worship a distant God.We worship a God according to thiswho is to be received."You see, I can stand up here,and I can talk for hours about Grace and Truth.Don't worry, I know it's Christmas, I'm not going to.But I could.But unless you've received Jesus Christ,this isn't going to matter.Because the Bible tells us that when we truly receive Him,God puts His Spirit in usso that we are able to imitate His character.So that we can truly be His image-bearers.That Jesus was full of Grace and Truth,perfectly full of both 100% Grace and 100% Truth.And this is the profound thing.Jesus was never one or the other.Never lopsided, never compromising one over the other,never wanted the expense of another.John makes it clear, he says,"This is what God is like, Jesus Christ."And if there are two words that sum upthe kind of God we worship, it's Grace and Truth.And we have to get that,because if we're to worship Godand therefore imitate God,if we're to represent God to the world,we have to imitate Grace and Truthas displayed by Jesus.So you know what our problem is.Our problem is we are not perfectly full of Grace and Truth.And the reality is each of us have a tendency to leanmore towards one than the other.Some of you are more Grace people.And some of you are more Truth people.And I just want to show you tonight thatyou can't be content to lean in one direction or the other,because that's not like Jesus at all.Like, well, can you give me an example?Yeah, there is an example I want to show you.Look at John 8.He just turned over in your Bibles a few pages.I want you to see.We're just going to read this and reference this.But if there's one story from Jesus' lifethat demonstrates this full of Grace and full of Truthat the same time, character,if there's one story that would show that, it's this one.John 8 says,"They want each to his own house,but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.Early in the morning, he came again to the temple.All the people came to him and he sat down and taught them,the scribes and the Pharisees brought a womanwho had been caught in adultery.And placing her in the midst, they said to him,'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.'Now, in the law, Moses commanded usto stone such women.What do you say?'This they said to test himthat they might have some charge to bring against him.Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground.And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them,'Let him who is without sin among yoube the first to throw a stone at her.'And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground.But when they heard it, they went away one by one,beginning with the older ones,and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him.Jesus stood up and said to her,'Woman, where are they?Has no one condemned you?'She said, 'No, Lord.'And Jesus said,Look at this.Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you.''Go, and from now on sin no more.'So if you have an outline,and you're taking notes which we always encourage you to do,I want you to jot a couple of things down here.I want to be like God.Number one, grace without truth is not like Jesus.Grace without truth?That's not like Jesus.Grace without truth is weak enabling.Never holding people accountable.You ignore the transformation power of the Holy Spirit.You disregard the truth that God says in His Wordthat we are called to righteousness and holy living.People who lean more towards gracecare more about being liked than they care about what's right and wrong.But I want you to see in this account in John 8,Jesus wasn't just grace.He didn't say to the woman,'I affirm you.You do you, ma'am.'And look, don't worry about what the Bible says.I mean, they're quoting the Law of Moses.That was a long time ago.That's not really for us.'I affirm you, ma'am.'He didn't say that.He wasn't just grace.You see, Jesus brought truth into it.Jesus says, 'Go, and from now on sin no more.'What Jesus said was,'Adultry dishonors God.'Hey, stop living like that.Okay?Stop living like that.And church, when we are content to overlook sin,when we're content to avoid the hard conversations,when we're ready to affirm people in their sin,that's not like Jesus.And now the truth people are like,'Yeah, give it to Him.Give it to the grace people.Hang on, truth people,because truth without grace is not like Jesus either.'Now look, I know the truth people.We've been around some truth people, haven't we, Aaron?Right now the truth people are like,'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.'How in the world could it be?Like, I thought Harvest Bible Chapter,I thought Bible was your middle name.Like truth is all that matters, right?Truth.It's truth that matters.How in the world could you have truth without grace?We realize in John 1.17 he told us.He told us again, John 1.17,'For the law was given through Moses.'Do you know what that is?Do you know what the law is?It's truth without grace.So let me ask you, was the law truth?This is a shouted out verbal reply question.Was the law truth?Yes, it was.It is.No, it was, it is.The law is truth.100% every letter of God's law in the Old Testament is truth.But there was no grace in the law.We referenced this earlier.This is how the law works.Oh, you broke the law.You're guilty.Now it's time for your punishment.Next, that's how the law worked.And truth without grace leads to cold, detached transactions with other people.That's truth without grace.You messed up.You're done.You're done.It leads to harsh judgment.Truth without grace leaves no room for mistakes.There's no second chances.There's no invitation to repent.There's no encouragement to turn it around.Listen, people who lean more towards truth than grace usually care more about their convictionsthan they care about actual people.And that is a problem.But you see in this John 8 account with the woman caught in adultery, do you notice Jesuswasn't just truth with her?Do you notice that?I mean Jesus didn't say to the woman, they bring the woman before Him, Jesus didn't say,"Hey lady, you know what the law says.You're guilty.There's nothing to discuss."He showed her grace when He says, "Neither do I condemn you."No good lived differently.That's grace.In church when we condemn people, when we are one striking you out, when we refuse toallow people the opportunity to change, that's not like Jesus.So we imperfect people tend to fall on one side or the other.So now that you've heard, I just want to ask you just for fun, which way do you lean?Show of hands.Many of you would say that you're more grace people.Put your hands up if you're more of a grace person.All right?Now raise your hand if you're more of a truth person.I have a note written from the first service.When I asked you the truth people were, they were a lot more bold to put their hands upthan the grace people.I think there's something to that.That'll be a sermon for Easter.Anyways, grace people, look, I love you, but you typically care more about the relationshipthan any sin issue.And that's not good.And truth people, you care more about upholding God's Word than loving someone in the relationship.And that's not complete either.And you know, I've been thinking about this a lot the last couple of weeks.While you do what you do at work, this is what I do at work, I was thinking so much,like what is it that causes people to lean one way or the other?And I was thinking about that, like whether you sit down with a grace person or you sitdown with a truth person, either way.But I was just thinking, like, if you set them down and said, what makes you lean inthe direction that you lean, what would they say?And then it hit me.Do you know what it is?And I'm sure of this.They think they're being loving.I mean, think about it.You sit down with the grace person.Why do you lean more towards grace?Because it's love.I'm loving.That's why my heart is so full of love.I'm so full of love.That's why, and you can't just discard the relationship just because of something theBible says, I'm just so full of love deep in my heart of heart of hearts.I'm so full of love.That's why I'm more of a grace person.But then, you know, if you sat down with the truth person and said, why do you lean moretowards the truth?Do you know what they'd say?It's love.Because what is more loving than giving people the word of our Lord?I mean, come on, Pastor Jeff, you're a pastor.You know this.The most loving thing you can do is tell somebody the truth, right?So that's what I do.I don't mince words.I tell them the truth.That's how I show love.That's how I love them.That's nothing more loving than that.I'm more true because that's the loving thing to do.There's a huge mistake in that line of thinking, isn't there?It's a mistake to think that grace is love because it's not.And it's a mistake to think that truth is love because it's not.You know what is love?God is love.And as a man, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, showed true love by being full of grace andtruth both.Well, that's number three.What do you want for Christmas?I want to be like God.Well, grace and truth is like Jesus.And see, that's the point of the story of the woman caught in adultery.Jesus showed her grace and truth at the same time.Grace, he forgave her.He says, "Neither do I condemn you."That's grace.Truth at the same time.Jesus said, "Your lifestyle is wrong.Go and sin no more."Jesus gave both.He says, "I forgive you.Now let's do better."In church, we need to learn this.We need to be people who represent Jesus accurately, full of grace and truth.Not a group of people that enable in the name of love, not a group of people who condemnin the name of upholding the Word.We need to be a people who demonstrate acceptance and accountability at the same time.Whereas John Piper put it, people who say, "I love you, but this is wrong."Parents, you're going to get that with your kids.Some of you parents need to sit down with your kids and say, "Look, I love you.I accept you, and nothing will ever change that.But this habit you have is wrong, and you need to stop this, and I'm going to help you stopthis because I love you."Do you see that?That's grace and truth both.Some of you have family or friends that are stuck in a sinful lifestyle.Maybe it's an addiction.Maybe they're in an unbiblical relationship regarding marriage and sexuality.You need to sit down and say, "Look, I care about you, but what you're doing is dishonoringthe Lord.Come on, let's get on a better path here.Let's get on track."For some of you, maybe it's even in church.Maybe it's in your small group.Maybe flagrantly in sin, and you're like, "I don't know what to do here.I don't know how to handle them.Here's how you handle them."You pull them aside, and you sit down with them, and you say, "Look, what you're doingis wrong, but I'm going to do everything that I can to help you get on track because I careabout you so much."You see, it's grace that refuses to beat people down, but it's truth that refuses to overlooksin.But what do you want for Christmas?I want to imitate God.The only way to imitate God, to demonstrate a love for God's Word and a love for God'speople is being like Jesus.And according to the Bible, it's full of grace and truth.Our worship team would make their way back up, and our candlelighters would come forward.We're going to close our service by singing to candlelight.Why on Christmas Eve do we sing by candlelight?Because it's pretty, right?It's so pretty.And it's a tradition, but this year, there's another reason that we're doing this.This year, thank you, Ashley, this year, it's also an illustration.In anticipation of this service, you know, I was looking at the order of service andthinking about this moment actually right now.And I was thinking about this flame.I thought, you know what is that flame?But two things perfectly.The flame is light and heat.Right?You can see the light.You'll just have to trust me on the heat.You can try it out if you like, but it's hot.But you see that flame?It's not one or the other.It's light and heat.It can't be one or the other.If you're going to have the flame, you're going to have light and heat both.You could say it is full of both aspects, light and heat.And as we sing, I just want you to look down at that flame and recognize how perfectlyfull it is of both light and heat.Then as you sing, I want you to think about grace and truth.It's like the flame imitating Jesus.You are to be full of both at the same time.We want to thank you for coming out and worshiping our Lord.And it is my prayer that your worship is genuine because then your imitation of Him will alsobe genuine.

Fluent Fiction - Catalan: From Olives to Embraces: A Christmas Reunion at en Nil's Farm Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ca/episode/2025-12-21-08-38-20-ca Story Transcript:Ca: A la falda d'una serra ondulant, el mas d'en Nil es despertava amb l'alba.En: At the foot of a rolling hill, en Nil's farmhouse awakened with the dawn.Ca: Els arbres d'olivera, coberts de fulles platejades, brillaven sota la llum suau del matí.En: The olive trees, covered in silvery leaves, shimmered under the soft morning light.Ca: Aquesta estampa, encara que tranquil·la, amagava una preocupació que s'anava gestant al cor d'en Nil.En: This scene, though peaceful, hid a worry that was brewing in en Nil's heart.Ca: El Nadal s'apropava ràpidament i amb ell una trobada familiar que feia molt de temps que no es feia al mas antic de la família.En: Christmas was approaching quickly, along with a family gathering that hadn't been held at the old family farmhouse for a long time.Ca: En Nil estava immers en les seves tasques diàries.En: En Nil was immersed in his daily tasks.Ca: Aquell matí, l'aire era gelat, i per molt que intentava concentrar-se en el treball de la terra, no podia deixar de pensar en les tensions que sentia amb la seva germana.En: That morning, the air was chilly, and no matter how much he tried to concentrate on the farm work, he couldn't stop thinking about the tensions he felt with his sister.Ca: Laia arribaria d'uns dies i ell temia no estar a l'altura de les seves expectatives.En: Laia would arrive in a few days, and he feared not living up to her expectations.Ca: Era una sensació que l'envaïa cada vegada que pensava en el sopar de Nadal.En: It was a feeling that overcame him every time he thought about the Christmas dinner.Ca: Pel fet de viure en una ciutat gran, Laia semblava portar un món diferent amb ella, i en Nil temia no poder acostar-se a aquell món.En: Living in a big city, Laia seemed to bring a different world with her, and en Nil feared he couldn't connect to that world.Ca: El vell mas, de pedra robusta i centenars d'històries, s'omplia de flaires de pinassa i mandarina.En: The old farmhouse, with its robust stone and hundreds of stories, filled with the scents of pine and tangerine.Ca: A fora, les branques de pi decoraven la porta d'entrada amb un toc de verd sobre la pedra grisa.En: Outside, pine branches decorated the front door with a touch of green against the gray stone.Ca: Aquest any, volia que tot fos perfecte, esperant que així els seus sentiments es reconnectessin amb els de la família que tant trobava a faltar.En: This year, he wanted everything to be perfect, hoping that his feelings would reconnect with the family he missed so much.Ca: Amb el farm de treball acumulat i el pes emocional sobre les seves espatlles, en Nil va prendre una decisió que li propiciaria el canvi més gran que havia viscut en molt temps.En: With the burden of accumulated work and emotional weight on his shoulders, en Nil made a decision that would bring about the greatest change he'd experienced in a long time.Ca: Aquella tarda, mentre el sol s'amagava darrere dels turons, va cercar coratge i va trucar a la seva germana.En: That afternoon, as the sun hid behind the hills, he gathered the courage and called his sister.Ca: —Laia, necessito la teva ajuda —va dir, les paraules sortint com un sospir llargament contingut.En: "Laia, I need your help," he said, the words coming out like a long-held sigh.Ca: La Laia, després d'un moment de silenci, va respondre amb la veu dolça i comprensiva.En: Laia, after a moment of silence, responded with a sweet and understanding voice.Ca: —Vull ajudar-te, Nil.En: "I want to help you, Nil.Ca: Aquest Nadal el passarem junts de veritat.En: This Christmas, we'll truly spend it together."Ca: Aquell gest, aparentment senzill, va transformar el cor d'en Nil.En: That gesture, seemingly simple, transformed en Nil's heart.Ca: A mesura que s'acostava la vigília de Nadal, la casa començava a bategar amb una nova energia.En: As Christmas Eve approached, the house began to pulse with new energy.Ca: Amb l'ajuda de la Laia, tot va semblar prendre vida.En: With Laia's help, everything seemed to come to life.Ca: Els seus pares aviat van arribar, portant amb ells records de les tradicions de la infància.En: Their parents soon arrived, bringing with them memories of childhood traditions.Ca: L'olor d'escudella i canelons impregnava l'aire la nit de Nadal.En: The smell of soup and cannelloni filled the air on Christmas Eve.Ca: La casa estava plena de rialles i música suau de nadales.En: The house was full of laughter and soft Christmas carols.Ca: Mentre la família s'unia al voltant de la taula, en Nil va experimentar una calidesa inesperada.En: As the family gathered around the table, en Nil experienced an unexpected warmth.Ca: Laia, somrient, va fer un brindis.En: Laia, smiling, made a toast.Ca: —A la família —va dir amb una guspira als ulls—, i a la màgia de Nadal que ens acosta.En: "To family," she said, with a sparkle in her eyes, "and to the magic of Christmas that brings us closer."Ca: Aquell sopar, vist als ulls d'en Nil, era l'autèntic regal.En: That dinner, seen through en Nil's eyes, was the true gift.Ca: Enmig de l'alegria i el compartir, va entendre que no estava sol.En: Amidst the joy and sharing, he realized he was not alone.Ca: Aprendre a demanar ajuda era el primer pas per trobar el camí de tornada a casa, un camí que començava amb els llaços de sang i es nodria de l'amor i la comprensió.En: Learning to ask for help was the first step in finding the way back home, a path that began with blood ties and was nurtured by love and understanding.Ca: Quan les campanes de mitjanit van sonar a distància, en Nil se'n va adonar que el millor regal aquell Nadal havia estat el retrobament amb la família.En: When the midnight bells rang in the distance, en Nil realized that the best gift that Christmas had been reuniting with his family.Ca: Es va prometre a si mateix no tornar a permetre que el treball fes ombra als moments compartits.En: He promised himself never to let work overshadow shared moments again.Ca: Ell somreia mentre els seus ulls es tancaven amb el pensament de nous començaments.En: He smiled as his eyes closed with thoughts of new beginnings.Ca: Així va ser com al vell mas, entre olives i abraçades, un cop més va triomfar l'esperança.En: And so, at the old farmhouse, among olives and embraces, hope triumphed once more. Vocabulary Words:the farmhouse: el masto awaken: despertar-sesilvery: platejats/dato shimmer: brillarunfurl: desplegarthe gathering: la trobadato immerse: immergir-sechilly: gelat/dathe tension: la tensiódecoration: decoracióthe burden: la càrregaemotional: emocionalthe courage: el coratgeto respond: respondrewarmth: calidesaunexpected: inesperat/dathe scent: la flairathe soup: l'escudellathe cannelloni: els canelonssoft: suauthe carols: les nadalesto overcome: vèncergathered: unit/daa sparkle: una guspirathe midnight: la mitjanitto ring: sonarthe hope: l'esperançato triumph: triomfarto promise: prometreto reconnect: reconnectar-se

The prophecies of Zechariah are among the most difficult in the Bible. It’s not only that Zechariah is so rich in imagery and symbols; it’s a strange mixture of the past and the future—an odd mixture of events in history, of people, personages, places, things that happened…and of things that never happened then, but are going to happen before man’s age is finished.There’s absolutely no doubt that some of Zechariah has been fulfilled in history. It is just as certain that much of it is prophetic; and I was debating with myself as to whether more of it is future or whether more of it is past, and I think I have come down on the side of more of it is future. Some of it is prophetic to the coming of the Messiah. Some of it looks all the way to the Millennium. And right in the middle of this difficult prophecy is a prophecy of a great king to come. But, oddly, it is not what we would expect to hear about a great king. He says,Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on an ass, and on a colt the foal of an ass.Zechariah 9:9This is not what one would expect. A king, you would think, would ride into town on a chariot. A king would ride in on a chariot with someone holding a laurel over his head and with crowds of people praising him. Or maybe he would come in on a horse; but of course, in the Bible, horses and chariots are the cavalry—they are instruments of war. They are the tanks and the Bradley Fighting Vehicles of that age. They are war-making instruments.And the Hebrew word for lowly [ani, עָנִי, Strong’s h6041] means, basically, poor, needy, and in depressed circumstances. Not exactly the sort of thing you would ever think would in any way represent a king. Here is the Messiah, here is the Savior, here is the one who is coming to save his people.[…] when they drew near to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, to the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying to them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them to me. And if any man say ought to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell you the daughter of Sion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek, and sitting on an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.Matthew 21:1–5Right in the middle of Zechariah, this prophecy is found; and Jesus fulfills this prophecy in his (if you want to call it) triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where the people who are praising him are children, and the things that they’re laying out in front of him on the road as he goes through are palm fronds.And so, what does all this mean? Why is it that the king, when he comes, why is it that the Messiah, when he comes, is coming lowly? And I can’t imagine, frankly, how the first readers took Zechariah. For indeed, the expectations of a messiah were there, but the expectations generally were of a restoration of the Kingdom of Israel. The restoration was, We’re going to throw the Romans out. We’ll do what the Maccabees failed to do; we will actually succeed in establishing once again the Kingdom of Israel. What did they think when they read Zechariah? And your king is going to be just, and he’ll have salvation, and he’ll ride into town lowly—riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. All of this must’ve seemed very, very strange to people long ago. I think it even seemed strange to Jesus’ own disciples when he did it.But this was prophesied long before this by Isaiah. And Isaiah is another prophet whose work is convoluted, and kind of confusing in a way, and a little hard to follow. It’s a strange admixture of history and prophecy, of the past and of the future. We'll begin in chaper 9, verse 1...

Life often forces us to climb mountains we never expected to face. King David's journey up the Mount of Olives teaches us powerful lessons about persevering through difficult circumstances. When David fled Jerusalem after his son Absalom's revolt, he climbed barefoot with a broken heart, but he didn't climb alone. Every summit requires a climb, and God places people in our lives to make the journey with us. The higher we climb, the better our perspective becomes, allowing us to see God's faithfulness in ways we couldn't understand while in the valley. When clouds get thick near the summit, we must trust God's perfect timing and provision, knowing He's working behind the scenes while we climb.

Sermon Summary – Zechariah Session 8 This message teaches that God disciplines His people redemptively, warns of the danger of persistent rebellion, and points powerfully to Christ as the true Shepherd and the ultimate hope for Israel and the nations 20251211 - Thursday Bible Study… . 1. God's Discipline Is Redemptive, Not Cruel The study opens with Zechariah 11, explaining that God disciplines those He loves. Discipline is not condemnation but a loving attempt to restore hearts that have wandered. When correction is ignored repeatedly, however, judgment eventually becomes unavoidable. God always provides warnings and opportunities to repent before judgment comes. Discipline is meant to bring humility and dependence on God. 2. A Shepherd Who Loves vs. Worthless Shepherds Zechariah contrasts the Good Shepherd with selfish, corrupt shepherds who abuse and neglect the flock. Israel's leaders exploited their own people and felt no guilt. When God's people reject faithful leadership, they are left with leaders who reflect their rebellion. This serves as a warning for both nations and individuals. 3. Prophecy of Christ's Rejection The passage prophetically points to Jesus: The 30 pieces of silver represent the price paid for betraying the Good Shepherd. The money being thrown to the potter points to Christ's rejection and death, yet also reveals His mercy—He redeems even the broken and discarded. Jesus willingly laid down His life; no one took it from Him. 4. God Can Redeem the Worst Situations Personal testimony illustrates how God can use severe hardship to bring repentance and salvation. God does not cause sin, but He can redeem the consequences of it. No life is beyond restoration—God specializes in turning ashes into beauty. 5. Jerusalem at the Center of God's End-Time Plan Zechariah chapters 12–14 focus on Jerusalem, which remains the focal point of God's prophetic purposes. Nations that oppose Jerusalem will ultimately face judgment. God promises final deliverance and restoration for Israel. The Messiah will return, stand on the Mount of Olives, and reign as King over all the earth. 6. Israel's Future Repentance and Cleansing Israel will one day look upon the One they pierced and mourn in repentance. God will pour out grace and supplication. A fountain of cleansing will be opened for sin and uncleanness. This mirrors the spiritual process of repentance and restoration seen in individual believers today. 7. Refinement Leads to Restoration Though judgment is severe, God preserves a refined remnant. Trials refine faith like fire refines gold. God declares, “They are My people,” and they respond, “The Lord is my God.” 8. The Coming Kingdom The sermon concludes with the hope of Christ's reign: Jesus will be King over all the earth. Jerusalem will dwell securely. Holiness will define everyday life. God's glory will fill the world. Key Theme God disciplines to redeem, judges to restore, and reigns to bring ultimate peace. The Good Shepherd lays down His life so His people can live—and one day, He will reign openly as King.

Friday, 12 December 2025   He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? Matthew 15:3   “And answering, He said, to them, ‘Through what – also you, you sidestep the ‘God's commandment' through your tradition?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus and asked why His disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders because they didn't wash their hands when they ate bread. Matthew next records, “And answering, He said, to them, ‘Through what – also you, you sidestep.   Jesus returns the same word they just used, parabainó, to sidestep, to them. In doing this, He doesn't defend His apostles, nor does He condemn the traditions they practice, as if they are contrary to God's laws. Rather, in doing so, He elevates the gravity of the matter, noting that in their own lives, they are sidestepping “the ‘God's commandment.'” The word entolé signifies an injunction that is authoritative in nature and that focuses on the end result of a command. As it is God's injunction, the end result is that His people are to obey it. And yet, these hypocrites stood there arguing over a manmade precept, which, as Jesus says, is “through your tradition?”   Jesus stood on the word of God. There was no suitable evidence for a second oral code. And even if it existed, it would have become so corrupted that whatever was originally spoken would have been lost eons earlier. This is why the law was written down. It was a safeguard to protect what God intended for His people.   Despite this, these scribes and Pharisees sidestepped what God had authored through Moses. Instead, they placed their own corrupt, self-serving, and self-aggrandizing traditions above God's word.   Life application: The Bible does not forbid traditions. Nor does it find fault in having traditions. An example of Jewish traditions being followed by Jesus is found in the gospels. In Matthew 26:30, it says, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”   This is generally accepted as a note concerning the singing of the Hallel, which is found in Psalms 113-118, and which is followed by the Great Hallel, where Psalm 136 is sung. If this is so, it is a tradition. There is nothing in Scripture instructing the people to do this. As such, it cannot be considered mandatory. Rather, it is a cultural tradition that became accepted and standard.   Rather than getting bogged down in a verbal tiff with the scribes and Pharisees over such things, He directly accused them of violating God's laws. No matter what right they had to impose their human precepts on others in such matters, they had no right to ever violate one of God's laws.   As an example, a woman in a congregation may stand up and complain about how the Lord's Supper is no longer served at that church on a rectangular silver platter. However, the denomination may have prescribed that all Lord's Supper presentations would be the same at each church so that visitors would always feel at home.   In this tradition, a rectangular silver platter was mandated, and each church was given one. Regardless of the reason why it was no longer being used (for all we know, it got stolen by the lady's son, who was a noted thief!), she has stood up and accused the church of violating the denomination's tradition, instructing the pastor that he was not shepherding the church as a sound leader. Instead of addressing the issue of the platter itself or the tradition that prescribed it, the pastor says, “And why are you violating God's laws over a tradition? Go read the pastoral epistles and you will find that your instruction to me violates Scripture!”   This is what Jesus has done. He has maintained the integrity of God's word without getting bogged down in a verbal spat over a far less important issue. When the crime of violating God's law is presented, no further argumentation by the accuser will hold any weight at all.   When debating things with people, there is no need for a tit-for-tat verbal exchange. If someone makes a claim that is inappropriate, address the issue of greater weight and ignore what will lead to pointless argumentation.   Heavenly Father, give us the wisdom to carefully consider our interactions with others so that when we have a dispute between ourselves, we can quickly end it without it getting out of hand. This does take wisdom, and we come to You asking for it so that we will be free of shameful words that could otherwise arise. Amen.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Drug war escalation. Venezuela, Maduro, & the China connection; 1 in 5 adults admits they're anti-Jewish; The Charlie Kirk effect on U.S. spirituality; Unprecedented prayer on the Mount of Olives, basketball court chaos & a silent night in Indiana.

Ruling Judah over 50 years, Uzziah—also known as Azariah—was a godly king, a brilliant military strategist, and a ruler whose fame reached Egypt. But his final resting place was a mystery… until 1931, when Professor E.L. Sukenik discovered a burial plaque at the Russian Convent of the Ascension on Jerusalem's Mount of Olives. Undocumented and astonishing, the inscription offers a rare glimpse into the life—and death—of one of Judah's greatest kings.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DONATE: https://evidence4faith.org/give/ WEBSITE: https://evidence4faith.org/NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/hpazV5BOOKINGS: https://evidence4faith.org/bookings/CONTACT: Evidence 4 Faith, 349 Knights Ave Kewaskum WI 53040 , info@evidence4faith.orgMy goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Colossians 2:2-3CREDITS: Developed & Hosted by Michael Lane. Produced & Edited by Isabel Kolste. Graphics & Publication by Isabel Kolste. Additional Art, Film, & Photography Credits: Stock media “Memories” provided by mv_production / Pond5 | Logo Stinger: Unsplash.com: Leinstravelier, Logan Moreno Gutierrez, Meggyn Pomerieau, Jaredd Craig, NASA, NOASS, USGS, Sam Carter, Junior REIS, Luka Vovk, Calvin Craig, Mario La Pergola, Timothy Eberly, Priscilla Du Preez, Ismael Paramo, Tingey Injury Law Firm, Dan Cristian Pădureț, Jakob Owens | Wikimedia: Darmouth University Public Domain, Kelvinsong CC0 | Stock media “A stately Story (Stiner02)” provided by lynnepublishing / Pond5

“The moment people are disconnected from their land and from the plants around them, it's easier to control them because they don't feel the spiritual connection to the land.”  —Aya Gazawi Faour, Olive Odyssey Co-FounderIn For The Wild's new series in collaboration with Olive Odyssey, we hear from their co-founder, Aya Gazawi Faour, who shares about plants indigenous to the Palestinian landscape and their deep ties to culture, resistance, and enduring lifeways. In this opening episode, Aya shares how olive trees shape Palestinian life through everyday routines and long-held traditions. Families structure their seasons around trips to the groves and the olive press, gathering to harvest, share meals, and pass down knowledge. Even in dense urban areas, many keep a single olive tree on a crowded balcony as a living reminder of home. Olives are rooted in memory, community, and resilience and remain deeply defining across the region. This powerful aspect of culture goes far beyond the material. It is a sacred connection to the land and its abundance, a means of making community both with neighbors and with the world, and a crucial reminder of resistance and resilience.       Let this conversation be an invitation to look more closely at the lands and living beings of Palestine. If Aya's stories moved you, take the next step: learn from the farmers and stewards keeping these lifeways alive. Explore the work of Palestinian growers, deepen your understanding of their traditions, and support their harvests through Olive Odyssey. Every gesture of connection helps nourish a culture, a landscape, and a people rooted in resilience.Olive Odyssey brings together farmers from across Palestine with a shared purpose: to tell the story of the Palestinian people through olive oil. Their mission is simple yet powerful — each bottle reflects a deep connection to the land and a commitment to sustainable, community-centered practices. To learn more about the farmers, their methods, and to source olive oil and recipes, visit https://oliveodyssey.com.Plants Are Political is based on Olive Odyssey's series by the same name.Learn more at https://www.forthewild.worldCreditsMusic for this episode was composed by Doe Paoro from her album “Living Through Collapse.” For The Wild is created by Ayana Young, Erica, Ekrem, Julia Jackson, and Victoria Pham. Support the show

What is the significance of the Mount of Olives, the Temple Mount, and Israel? What are the signs of Jesus' return? Rabbi Schneider shares how connected God is to Israel, how the signs of Jesus' return are already happening, and how Jesus confirmed the signs of the end of the age. Learn what our response should be and what it means to us today as the rabbi unpacks biblical prophecy spoken by Jesus himself. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner  **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES - https://djj.show/2z9 

Help Persecuted Christians TODAY! https://csi-usa.org/ Christian Solidarity International On today's Quick Start podcast: NEWS: Over 1,000 pastors gather on the Mount of Olives, commissioned to stand with Israel amid rising antisemitism. Chinese pastor Ezra Jin's family launches a U.S. Christmas campaign as Beijing escalates its crackdown on house churches. FOCUS STORY: A new survey shows how pastors are using artificial intelligence, the tools they're turning to, and why some experts warn caution is needed. MAIN THING: As anxiety surges nationwide — especially during the holidays — Dr. Linda Mintle joins Madison Seals to explain how a biblical worldview offers real hope and practical help. LAST THING: Micah 7:7 “I watch in hope for the Lord… my God will hear me.” PRAY WITH US! Faithwire.substack.com SHOW LINKS Faith in Culture: https://cbn.com/news/faith-culture Heaven Meets Earth PODCAST: https://cbn.com/lp/heaven-meets-earth NEWSMAKERS POD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newsmakers/id1724061454 Navigating Trump 2.0: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-trump-2-0/id1691121630

14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 14:5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

Jerusalem is small, isolated, and—on paper—strategically insignificant.So why does all of Scripture, and much of the world's conflict, revolve around it?Pastor Ken walks through the biblical, historical, and prophetic reasons God chose this city, why it remains fiercely contested, and how Jerusalem becomes ground zero for the end-times timeline, including the Third Temple, the Antichrist, and the return of Jesus to the Mount of Olives.A clear and accessible breakdown of one of the most important themes in biblical prophecy.www.wtwcomingto.com

In today's sermon, Pastor Snook leads us in a study of Revelation 20, a chapter in God's Word that pulls back the curtain on the Millennium—a golden age we've all dreamed about but never experienced. This passage walks us through an astonishing timeline: from the church age we're living in right now, through the coming rapture and tribulation, to Christ's second coming when His feet will literally touch the Mount of Olives. But here's what makes Revelations 20 so gripping: Satan himself will be chained and thrown into the bottomless pit for a thousand years, removing one of our three great enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil) from the equation. This isn't just ancient prophecy; it's a call to examine our own hearts today, to live with anticipation of Christ's return, and to share this hope with a world that desperately needs it.

11/30/2025: Rev. Jacob Kim   May Our Sufferings Lead to Glory   Luke 22:39-46   39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.[a] 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  

Jack and Cyndi discuss The Amazing Race Season 38, episode 9, titled “I’m Not a Big Fan of Olives.” Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/jayandjack Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/jayandjackgroup

On the Mount of Olives, Jesus foretells Peter's denial before entering the crushing agony of Gethsemane. He prays, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me," yet submits perfectly: "nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." His disciples sleep as His anguish deepens. The scene is shattered by the arrival of Judas, who betrays the Son of Man with a kiss, leading to His arrest as the disciples scatter.  The Rev. George Murdaugh, pastor emeritus, assisting First Lutheran Church, Birmingham, AL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Matthew 26:31-56.  The Gospel of Matthew bridges Old and New Testaments, presenting Jesus as the promised Messiah who fulfills the Law we could never keep and establishes His kingdom of grace for all nations. Written by a tax collector transformed by pure grace, Matthew reveals Christ as the true Son of David and Emmanuel (God with us) who challenges us with the crushing demands of the Law in His Sermon on the Mount to the sweet comfort of the Gospel in His death and resurrection. From royal genealogy to glorious resurrection, this verse-by-verse study proclaims the One who conquered sin, death, and the devil for us, now delivering forgiveness, life, and salvation through Word and Sacrament as He remains with His church always, even to the end of the age.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

"Wow! What is going on?" The Heat's offense looks better than ever, and Mike Ryan thinks he knows the reason why. Tony capitulates on a QB take for the first time in his life. And despite the Dolphins big win, Zaslow is still somehow frustrated with their offense. Also, those Canes uniforms...woof. Today's cast: Sad Bunny, Zaslow, Greg, Chris, Jeremy, Mike, and Tony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices