Podcasts about our savior

When a person dies for something, that means it mattered to them so much they were willing to give their lives for it. Our Savior died so that He could restore what had been lost in the Garden, an intimate fellowship with God. Yet how many times do we rush out the door without having spent any time with our Lord? Today, let's talk about the cost of the quiet place and what it takes for us to make it more than a priority, a privilege.A Day of Stillness Registration:http://www.sitstillmydaughter.com/a-day-of-stillness.htmlMusic by:The Flow Of Time by Alex-Productions | https://onsound.eu/Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Philippians 4:21: "Saluteevery saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you." Thevery first word that catches my attention is the word "every." Pauldoes not simply say, "Greet the church," or "Greet theleaders." He says, "Salute every saint." That tells ussomething about the heart of this great apostle. Paul loved people. Throughoutthis letter we have seen his affection for the believers at Philippi. Inchapter 1 he called them his partners in the Gospel. He thanked God for themevery time he remembered them. He prayed for them with joy. In chapter 2 heencouraged them to be of one mind and to esteem others better than themselves.In chapter 4 he thanked them for their generous gift and their faithful supportof his ministry. Now, as he closes the letter, he wants every believer to knowthey are remembered.  Isn'tthat just like our Lord? Jesus never overlooked individuals. He stopped forblind Bartimaeus while others tried to silence him. He noticed Zacchaeussitting in a tree when everyone else saw only a tax collector. He spoke withthe woman at the well when others would have avoided her. He stopped to taketime for the lady that had an issue of blood who had touched the helm of Hisgarment from behind when a large crowd was pressing in on Him. His disciplessaw a crowd, but He saw one needy person. He welcomed little children when thedisciples thought they were unimportant. Our Savior never saw people asinterruptions. He saw them as souls. Paul had learned that same heart. Noticealso the word "saint." In our world, many people think a saintis someone who has lived an extraordinary life and is honored centuries afterdeath. But in the New Testament, every believer in Jesus Christ is called asaint. The word simply means "one who has been set apart for God." Itis not a title we earn. It is a position we receive when we trust Christ as ourSavior. That means if you know Jesus today, you are one of God's saints. Notbecause you are perfect. Not because you have never failed. But because youhave been made holy through the finished work of Jesus Christ. I have oftenreminded people that God does not see us merely as we were. He sees us inChrist. What a wonderful truth! ThenPaul writes, "The brethren which are with me greet you." Paulwas under house arrest in Rome. He was chained to a Roman soldier. He wasseparated by hundreds of miles from the believers in Philippi. Yet thefellowship of God's family could not be broken by prison walls or greatdistances. Other believers were serving beside Paul, and they wanted their loveconveyed to these Christians in Philippi. What a beautiful picture of thefamily of God. Most recently, our mission team experienced this againin Guatemala. Though we spoke different languages and came from differentcultures, we immediately recognized something we had in common. We belonged tothe same Savior. We were members of the same family. There is a bond amongGod's people that cannot be explained by nationality, language, or background.It is the fellowship we have in Jesus Christ. Do peopleknow that I care about them? Paul's concern for "every saint"challenges me. It reminds me to notice people who may otherwise be overlooked. Theelderly saint who faithfully attends church. The young believer who is justbeginning to grow. The widow who quietly serves. The missionary faithfullylaboring far from home. The pastor who faithfully preaches week after week. Everysaint matters because every saint matters to Christ. Perhapstoday the Lord is laying someone on your heart. Why not call them? Send them anote. Write them a text. Pray for them. Encourage them. You never know how mucha simple word of kindness may strengthen a fellow believer. After all, that isexactly what Paul is doing here. Even in the closing words of his letter, he isencouraging God's people.

Galatians 5:22-23 | Steven Parkin What does gentleness mean? Is it good or bad? While gentleness has largely been redefined as weakness, it actually describes strength under control. Our Lord Jesus Christ exemplified gentleness by coming as a servant and shepherding his people. Our Savior is gentle and lowly, condescending to use his omnipotent strength in a manner that lovingly builds up his flock. As we seek to walk in Christ-likeness, let us put on gentleness towards one another.

It's Bach Week! This week, we commemorate legendary church musician J.S. Bach with conversations about his work and influence on the church's song over centuries. How has the work of J.S. Bach influenced spiritual care? Deaconess Cara Patton (Worship Coordinator, LCMS Office of National Mission) and Kantor Christina Roberts (Kantor, Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Grand Rapids, Michigan) join Andy and Sarah to talk about the ways in which they serve the church in the offices of deaconess and kantor, how spiritual care is uniquely a part of each of these offices, the role of music in spiritual care, how Bach's music specifically lends itself to spiritual care, and some ways they've each used Bach's music to help people through difficult situations. Learn more about Our Savior in Grand Rapids at oursavior-gr.org/church and LCMS Worship at lcms.org/worship. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Standing on the barracks steps with an angry crowd below him, Paul does something disarming: he tells his story. He was once the most zealous opponent the church had, holding coats while Stephen died, certain he was doing God's work, and the man now preaching grace had to be knocked flat on a road before he understood it. Personal testimony still carries a weight that argument alone cannot, because no one can dispute what Christ has actually done in a life. This episode invites the listener to consider what their own before-and-after looks like.  The Rev. Mitchell Gowen, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Aiea, HI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 21:37-22:29. To learn more about Our Savior in Aiea, visit oursaviorhawaii.com. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  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.

IntroductionIt is easy to think that if we are faithful, God will always reward us with visible success. That was the assumption of Job's friends, and to some extent Job himself. Job does wrestle with God's will, and lays out that the wicked man can prosper and the righteous man can suffer. Justice in this age is not always so black/white. We can fall into a hasty assumption that if we obey, life should go smoothly. If we suffer, we must have done something wrong. Is this always the case?Stephen's story reminds us that God's kingdom does not always work according to our expectations. Here is a man full of grace, full of the Holy Spirit, and faithful in every way. Yet instead of receiving praise, he is falsely accused and brought to trial. Luke shows us that faithfulness is not measured by earthly success but by steadfast trust in Christ.Contradicting the Expected NarrativeStephen is introduced as a man "full of grace and power." His life displayed the work of the Holy Spirit. He is a man so enveloped by grace that he is a gracious man. He served the weak as a deacon. He defended the truth second to none. Overall, he reflected the kindness of Christ. His wisdom did not come from natural ability but from the Spirit working through him. Christ shows his promise is true that he will give the words when one is hauled into a court. (Luke 21:14)His godliness stirred opposition rather than an attentive ear. Those who argued against him could not answer his teaching because the Spirit gave Stephen wisdom beyond their own. One would think that such compelling arguments would win the day. However, the opposite happens. The Opponents Create False EvidenceUnable to defeat Stephen's teaching, his opponents turned to deception. They secretly persuaded false witnesses to accuse him of blasphemy against Moses, the temple, and God. Rather than submitting to God's Word, they twisted the truth to preserve their own system.This reminds us that unbelief is not simply a lack of evidence. The problem is the human heart. Stephen answered every objection faithfully, yet Luke tells us they failed to believe. Ironically, they violate Moses' law as they recruit a malicious or a false witness against Stephen (Deuteronomy 19:15-21. ). Moses is very clear that the thing the false witness desires to do to the accused will be carried out on them. Clearly, they do not want what is orthodox. They will cast aside Moses to destroy an innocent man.It is true that we are called to be ready to make a defense (1 Peter 3:15), but at the same time we are not to obsess about every possible objection (Luke 21:14). The problem is not solved through moral or logical suasion. It is a problem of the heart that only the Lord can cure. A Second Moses, Rejected Like the FirstAs Stephen stood before the council, Luke reports to us instant credibility: his face shone like the face of an angel. Just as Moses reflected God's glory after meeting with the Lord, so Stephen visibly reflected the presence of God. When Moses received the Torah from God, we read that his face shone so brightly that God's people could not look upon him (Exodus 34:29-35). You would think that the council would pause and contemplate. They would think that maybe Stephen is also bearing revelation from the same God. Maybe Stephen is bringing revelation and instruction, torah, that the council should heed. However, Stephen would suffer as a martyr, as we will see in two weeks, because of their hard-hearted rebellion.We might think that this is defeat. Christ never abandoned His servant. Stephen's strength came from the risen and reigning Savior, who upheld him through suffering and welcomed him into glory. Christ's ascension does not remove him from the church. No, Christ's ascension testifies that he rules over the church in the midst of his enemies. His ascension testifies that he really empowers the church as sovereign ruler and priest (Psalm 110:2; cf sermon on Psalm 110). The church must remember this lesson. We cannot judge God's blessing merely by numbers, popularity, or outward success. Christ calls His people to faithfulness. The results belong to Him, and we trust that it works out. We are called to discern (Ephesians 5:10) what is pleasing to God and be faithful to him.ConclusionStephen teaches us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ rather than on earthly outcomes. We may faithfully proclaim the gospel and still face rejection. We may do what is right and still suffer. But none of this means Christ has abandoned His people.Our Savior reigns even in the midst of opposition (Psalm 110:2; cf sermon on Psalm 110). He gives His Spirit to strengthen His church. His Spirit gives us wisdom to answer when called upon. The ultimate peace is knowing that in the Spirit we will persevere until the end.Therefore, let us seek to be people who are full of the grace of Christ. Let us be a people who give ourselves over to the Spirit. Let us be a people who seek to discern what it means to be faithful in every circumstance. Our confidence is not in visible success but in our risen Lord, who holds His people securely in His hands and will never fail to bring them safely home. Let us walk in him!

On Sunday, July 19th 2026, Dylan Cottrill's message centers on a truth that transforms how we view our spiritual stumbles: we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Drawing from 1 John 2:1-2, we're reminded that while we should strive not to sin, when we do fall, we're not abandoned to shame and guilt. Our Savior serves as our defense attorney, and remarkably, He Himself was the sacrifice for our sins. The sermon beautifully illustrates this through the story of Joshua standing before God in filthy garments while Satan accuses him, only to have the Lord rebuke the accuser and clothe Joshua in clean robes. We discover that confession isn't about informing God of something He doesn't know—it's about agreeing with what He's been saying all along and turning away from what separates us from Him. The crimson worm symbolism is particularly striking: just as this creature willingly climbs a tree to die so its offspring can live, nourished by its crimson substance, Jesus willingly ascended Calvary so we could have new life through His blood. The prodigal son's story reminds us that when we 'come to ourselves' and take even one step toward the Father, He runs to meet us, removing our shame and restoring our position as His children. This isn't a message about staying down—it's about the courage to rise again, knowing we have an advocate who understands our struggles and fights for our souls.

The atmosphere preceding the message was extraordinary, setting the perfect stage for a deeply convicting and timely word. In this powerful Sunday Service message (recorded July 12th, 2026), Prophet Gomezyo Shamane delivers a vital guide on how to navigate human weakness, master our emotions, and secure spiritual empowerment for the path ahead.Every believer starts with noble spiritual objectives. However, when circumstances look bleak or results turn bad, the temptation to abandon those objectives is real.The Willing Spirit and the Weak Flesh: Looking at Matthew 26:33, we see the disciples had the objective to defend Jesus, yet they fled when the pressure mounted (Matthew 26:56). The weakness of our fleshly minds is what threatens to derail our divine objectives.The Root of the Problem: The Prophet revealed a liberating truth: the problem is not having weakness itself. The problem is allowing that weakness to lead us.One of the most defining aspects of this message is the role of emotions in the life of a believer.Emotions as Indicators: Your feelings are designed to inform you, not direct you. They are excellent gauges of your current state, but they make terrible captains for your destiny.The Trap of Emotional Leading: If you have not mastered the art of resisting emotional leadership, your destiny is in jeopardy.Spiritual Sensitivity: Allowing your emotional state to run rampant directly compromises your spiritual sensitivity (Ephesians 4:26)."When emotional, don't be in motion. Let your feelings inform you, but let God direct you." — Prophet Gomezyo ShamaneWhen faced with intense emotional pressure and physical weakness, Jesus gave us the ultimate blueprint to follow:Pray: Jesus took His burdens to the Father in prayer.Ask for Prayer: He was vulnerable enough to seek spiritual support, asking His disciples to watch and pray with Him.Seek the Will of God: In the garden, His focus remained locked on aligning with the Father's ultimate plan.Our Savior does not want us to become weary or spiritually asleep. He remains concerned with our spiritual posture, calling us to stay awake and stay prayerful in every season we find ourselves.You cannot prevent feelings of weakness or fear from rising, but you must refuse to let them dictate your choices. In moments of high emotion, pause your motion. Go to prayer, seek alignment with God's will, and let the Word not your feelings steer your journey.The Battle of Objectives vs. Weakness Feelings: Good Indicators, Poor Leaders. The Blueprint for Handling Weakness Key Takeaway

Title: A Loyal Husband Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 FCF: We often struggle trusting the promises given to us through Christ. Prop: Because Jesus is faithful to His bride, we must pray in His will and look to Him to help us live for Him. Scripture Intro: ESV [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. In a moment we'll read from the English Standard Version starting in verse 1 and going through verse 5. Last time in 2 Thessalonians we saw Paul close out his teaching section with a benediction. A good word expressed toward God on behalf of the Thessalonian church. In this letter, Paul is addressing concerns of the Thessalonians primarily surrounding them being persecuted for their faith in Christ and the believing a false teaching that the Day of the Lord has already come. Paul has taken great pains to assure them that from his perspective they are truly genuine believers. He has also reminded them of things he taught them concerning the Day of the Lord and how the falling away of many professed believers and the coming of the lawless man must precede Christ's return. But again Paul expresses his confidence that they are elect of God from the beginning and chosen to obtain the glory of Christ. Therefore, they must keep holding to the Christian tradition and believe and live as they were taught. And in his closing benediction in chapter 2 he prays for that end. Today Paul will turn toward the last things he wants to say before the letter comes to a close. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: God of love, we come to you today as the dear bride of Your beloved Son in whom You are well pleased. Because we are betrothed to Him, You are also pleased to love us as you love Him. You gave Him to save us and He has sent The Spirit to guide and keep us. You are still seeking all those for whom Christ died and You will reach them and none of them will be lost. For this, and for so much more we are ever thankful for Your love for us. May we see this in Your Word today. We pray this in our Glorious Groom's name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “We are never nearer Christ than when we find ourselves lost in a holy amazement at His unspeakable love.” John Owen “Christ's love for His people is not a lip-love, from the teeth outwardly, but a real love, from the heart inwardly.” William Dyer [Slide 3] “Every day we may see some new thing in Christ. His love has neither brim nor bottom.” Samuel Rutherford “The distinguishing mark of a Christian is his confidence in the love of Christ and the yielding of his affections to Christ in return.” C.H. Spurgeon Let these words prepare our minds for the exposition of the text of scripture this morning. I.) Jesus is faithful to His bride, so we must pray for the advancement of the gospel against all opposition. (1-3a) a. [Slide 4] 1 - Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, i. Paul begins chapter three with the word, Finally. ii. If we were to translate this literally, it would be “the rest” or “what remains.” iii. Paul used this same word in the fourth chapter of 1st Thessalonians. When we looked at that together we saw how Paul uses this word to shift to more applicational matters. iv. Up to this point, Paul's main objective has been comfort and dealing with issues the Thessalonian church is concerned about. Like how they are being persecuted and how they have come to believe that they had missed the second coming of Christ. v. Now Paul will turn to matters for which he wants to see some movement on their end. vi. Paul calling them brothers is significant because of the context. 1. Paul has straddled that line of both expressing his confidence that they have been called by God, counted worthy of His calling, elected from the beginning, and will obtain the glory of Christ – while at the same time encouraging them to stand firm and hold to their confession and the Christian tradition that was taught to them. 2. This again points to the paradoxical viewpoint of the New Testament that while a believer's SECURITY is eternally determined by God's unassailable will, a believer's ASSURANCE of that divine call and election is gained by ongoing repentance, faith, and obedience by those who are genuinely elect of God. vii. So, what is Paul's first application for the Thessalonian church? viii. Pray for us. ix. Paul desires that they be in prayer for the evangelists ministering in Corinth. Himself, Silas and Timothy. x. What specifically for their ministry there? xi. That the Word of the Lord may speed ahead or progress rapidly and be honored or glorified. xii. What does this mean? xiii. Paul is praying that more would come to Christ and that those who have come to Christ might grow in their love and obedience to Him. xiv. And Paul adds a compliment in here too. xv. That the word would spread and be honored like it was in Thessalonica. xvi. Paul really does see their church as a shining example of what should happen when the Holy Spirit comes in power to save God's elect. xvii. So much so, that he desires that it would be duplicated in Corinth. xviii. But this is not all Paul desires pray for. As the other side of the coin to this prayer request, Paul asks … b. [Slide 5] 2 - and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. i. When we studied in Acts 18 we saw two specific times when Paul was opposed by evil and wicked men in Corinth. ii. First, early on in the ministry there, Paul was opposed and reviled by the Jews whom he was attempting to convince that Jesus was the Messiah. iii. After this, God came to Paul in a vision and told him to continue to preach the gospel for there were many in the city that were His people and that He would protect Paul from any attack. iv. But much later Paul faced another bout of Jewish opposition when they brought him before Gallio and the tribunal of the city. v. And so, in both cases, it was the Jews who opposed and reviled Paul and his message. vi. Timing wise then, since the event with Gallio happens much later and springs up quickly, it makes most sense that Paul writes this after the initial opposition and reviling of the Jews. vii. Therefore, God promising to protect Paul for a time, is an answer to the Thessalonian's prayer that the word would go forth and that the evangelists would be delivered from wicked and evil men. viii. But Paul makes one final point about these men that I find fascinating. c. [Slide 6] For not all have faith. i. Paul draws a solid black line connecting evil and wicked men to those who do not have faith. ii. In some sense, men and women of the world are capable of doing kind and good things. Your unbelieving neighbor can mow your lawn for you as an act of kindness. iii. Your unbelieving co-worker can go get you a coffee from the break room because they thought you needed it. iv. Your right wing, republican, conservative, ultra moral Mormon friend can agree with you on literally every single issue. v. [Slide 7] But Hebrews 11:6 states that “without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who draws near to Him must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him.” vi. What is meant by this verse? vii. The only way to please God is to draw near to Him by faith. What does it mean to draw near to Him by faith? 1. First, one must believe that God is. a. But many people believe that God exists. b. Does the writer of Hebrews aim so low as to simply be a Theist. c. As long as I am not an Atheist or Agnostic then I am on the right path? d. No. i. The writer of Hebrews is talking to Jewish Christians who are tempted to go back to Judaism because they are being persecuted by Jews. ii. If they convert back to Judaism then they will stop being persecuted. iii. Both Jews and Christians believe in God. And in some sense, they believe in the same God. iv. But the writer of Hebrews insists that this shared belief in God's existence is not enough. e. Instead, we should see the statement before it as a guide. For those who wish to draw near to God. f. In Judaism, this is something that they could not really do. There was distance maintained because of sin. g. But drawing near to God is possible if you do so by faith. Faith in what? h. First that God… as revealed by Jesus Christ… exists. It is a confidence, in the character and nature of the One true God as you come to experiential knowledge through faith in Jesus Christ. i. To believe God exists and to draw near to Him is to have a devotion and love for His presence and participation with Him in every area of life through faith in Jesus Christ. j. Jesus Himself said that He and the Father are one. If we have seen Him we have seen the Father. Indeed, the only way to the Father is through Him. So to draw near to God, must be through faith in Jesus Christ. k. The God that we must believe exists, is the God whom Christ revealed. Nothing less will lead to us drawing near to God or to pleasing Him. 2. Second, faith means to believe that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him. a. To trust God is to trust Him as good, loving, generous, merciful, gracious and kind. b. God is pleased by actions done in faith because believers draw near to Him in confidence that He is good and will not cast them aside. Even if their lives crumble, they trust in God's character and goodness to them. viii. [Slide 8] So, after this little lesson about how it is impossible to please God without faith – why is what Paul says here significant? ix. Because the majority of the people whom he is calling evil and wicked… are Jews who have rejected Jesus as their Messiah. x. Friends… mankind has a sickness and it is sin. xi. And yeah, your neighbor might plow your driveway or give you coffee… xii. They may be very religious and morally upright… xiii. But if they don't have faith in Jesus Christ alone … They are wicked and they are evil. xiv. If they don't believe in the God whom Christ has revealed and believe that He rewards those who diligently seek Him… then they are wicked and evil. xv. Ghandi did a lot of wonderful great things in this world… but he was still wicked and evil and he will still be judged for not pleasing God. xvi. And to this Thessalonian church which might be tempted to abandon its faith because of persecution – Paul's words no doubt have a quiet exhortation here. xvii. The only thing keeping them from being wicked and evil… is Christ… on whom they are believing. xviii. Paul's final thought here serves as a connecting thought for both this point and the next. d. [Slide 9] 3 - But the Lord is faithful. i. Paul is asking the Thessalonians to pray for him and the other evangelists as they minister in Corinth. ii. That the gospel would go forth and be honored as it was there in their city. iii. But also, that evil and wicked men would be held at bay as they minister there. iv. In this, Paul may paint a bleak picture to what is going on in the city of Corinth. v. But he doesn't want them to think that he is without hope. vi. In fact, in contrast to the faithless men who are evil and wicked and trying to impede the gospel – Jesus is faith… full. He is full of faith. vii. Meaning He is trustworthy. He is willing that the gospel would go forward. He is able to make it so. viii. And as we've already pointed out – God will or has already revealed to Paul that he will not be harmed in Corinth because God has many of His children there who have yet to receive the gospel. ix. Jesus is faithful indeed. e. [Slide 10] Summary of the Point: The truth upon which Paul hangs the first two applications for the Thessalonians, is that Jesus… is faithful. Jesus is trustworthy. Jesus… is loyal. But loyal to whom? Jesus is loyal to His bride. Those whom God has elected from the beginning. Those whom He has called with an eternal calling. Those whom He has appointed to obtain the glory of Christ. Jesus is faithful to Paul and His companions who are preaching the gospel in Corinth. Jesus is faithful as a shepherd to those lost sheep who are His who have not yet been found Corinth. And Jesus is faithful to us. Because Jesus is faithful to His people… we must pray for the advancement of the gospel and the restraining of those who would oppose it. That God would actively prevent faithless people from undermining the work while at the same time, causing the word to run freely and be honored. We must be praying for the Kingdom to continue to spread. Transition: [Slide 11 (blank)] But what other applications can be drawn from this theological bulwark, that Jesus is faithful? II.) Jesus is faithful to His bride, so we must look to Him for help to continue to be what He wants us to be. (3-5) a. [Slide 12] 3 - But the Lord is faithful. i. I begin here again to emphasize the transitional nature of this statement. ii. Jesus is not only faithful to meet the needs of the evangelists in Corinth… but as Paul will express to them now, He is also faithful to meet the needs of their church in Thessalonica. b. [Slide 13] He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. i. Paul says with confidence that the Lord Jesus will not abandon His people. ii. He is here with us in His Spirit. He is with us to the end of the age. iii. While physically He is present in Heaven as our advocate, He is spiritually present with His church through the Holy Spirit. iv. Therefore, Paul is confident that He will establish or make firm or strengthen them. v. We must see this as spiritual strength and not physical. vi. While God is good and clothes and feeds us – many Christians have been poor, hungry, lacking shelter or clothing. The food and clothing that God promises, like the strength He promises, is primarily and mostly spiritual. vii. This life is a vapor and a shadow. If God permits us to be hungry and weak in this life – we can still trust that we will be fed and strong spiritually in this life. And we can also trust that we will be spiritually full and spiritually strong in His Kingdom. viii. But spiritual strength is not enough to face every obstacle in this life. ix. That is why Paul is also confident that Jesus will guard us against the Evil One. x. While the Greek does not have the word “one” it does have the article “the evil” xi. Often times this is used this way to indicate not an abstract idea of evil but an embodiment of evil. xii. Satan or the Devil is in view here. The evil one is our enemy. And Paul is confident that Jesus will protect us from him. xiii. Jesus told His disciples that Satan wished to sift them like wheat but that He prayed for them. xiv. Jesus is now glorified and given a position of authority in the Kingdom of God. The One who once prayed for His disciples now sits on heaven's throne. xv. He will continue to protect His people. xvi. But that isn't all Paul is confident about. c. [Slide 14] 4 - And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. i. What is the reason that we excommunicate people from the church when they stop obeying God's clear commands in the scriptures? ii. Why are we supposed to treat them like a tax collector and gentile – meaning we treat them like they do not have faith and do not know God? iii. The underpinnings of church discipline are founded in the confidence Paul has in what truly saved people WILL BE. iv. That confidence is not rooted in their abilities or specialness – it is rooted in Christ's love and faithfulness to HIS BRIDE. v. Paul is confident that the Thessalonians are believers. That they are elect of God from the beginning. That they were elect because he witnessed the Spirit's power in bringing the gospel to them. He has said all of this in these last two letters. vi. Therefore, He is confident in the Lord Jesus that they are and will continue to live out the Christian traditions which Paul and his companions taught them. And that they will obey what else Paul will command in the rest of the letter. vii. Just because Paul commanded them to stand firm and hold fast doesn't mean he fears that they won't. He is, in fact, confident, because of Jesus' power in them… that they WILL. viii. The reason we treat professed believers like unbelievers when they stop obeying God – is because we have confidence that by Jesus' power in us – we can, by faith, please God. We can, by faith, continue to obey Him. ix. So, when a professed believer stops obeying… Jesus didn't fail. It can only be the person that has failed. In other words – we have no confidence that they have Jesus. Because with Jesus – we have confidence in obedience. d. [Slide 15] 5 - May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. i. Paul uses a benediction like construction here to close out this first note of application. ii. It is interesting that even though he has sought for the Thessalonians to pray for him and his companions, Paul can't help being an encouragement to and praying for them before he closes out his request for prayer for himself. iii. We see the pastoral and humble nature of Paul to put them… even above himself. iv. He asks Jesus to reveal The Love of God and the Steadfastness of Christ. v. It is difficult to know whether Paul means God's love for them or their love for God. Both are possible interpretations of the Greek. The same is true for the steadfastness of Christ. But there is a third option which has Paul playing off the ambiguity in Greek to mean both. vi. Paul asks that Jesus turn their hearts to behold God's love for them so that they can go and love like Him. vii. Paul asks that Jesus turn their hearts to behold His own faithfulness and steadfastness for them so that they can go and be steadfast and faithful to and for Him. e. [Slide 16] Summary of the Point: And so Paul's truth point endures. Jesus is faithful. Jesus is loyal to His bride. He loves them. He endured great humiliation and agony for them. He will establish us. He will guard us against our enemies. When we get a real glimpse at the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ, we can understand that Jesus is, indeed, faithful, loyal to His people. So, what must we do? We must love Him and others like He loves us. And we must endure in steadfastness for Him. We must continue to live for Him. Looking to His faithfulness and His provision enables us to continue to be what He wants us to be. Conclusion: So what have we learned today CBC, that refines our beliefs and guides our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 17] Jesus is faithful. Jesus is trustworthy. Jesus is loyal to His people. That… is… huge. When compared to other faiths, many gods and messiahs would have their followers die for them. But our Savior is different. Our Savior is faithful and loyal to His people. God has chosen us in Christ before the world began and He will keep us and uphold us until the world ends. That is our God. Jesus' faithfulness pushes us to do two things. First, we must pray for the advancement of the gospel which also includes the restraint of the forces that oppose it. Second, we must look to His loyal love, and steadfastness toward us so that we can continue to be what He wants us to be. He will help us, so we must keep going. But what does this mean for us in our daily walk? How do these thoughts impact us? 1.) [Slide 18] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” Jesus is faithful to His bride. a. Not only is this truth we must confess, but it is also a glorious and abundantly comforting promise. b. Like a good husband, King Jesus is faithful and loyal to His bride. c. From heaven He sought her. He bought her with His blood. He rose again to bring her life. He sits in heaven to advocate for her. And one day He will return to get her and take her to a place He has prepared for her. d. Jesus is faithful to His bride. He is a loyal and loving husband. e. And that, my friends, is a great comfort indeed. f. Because our Savior is faithful… we must also affirm… 2.) [Slide 19] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that Jesus will establish us and guard us from the Evil One. a. Faithful Jesus has sent His Spirit to bring comfort, give guidance, and prepare us for that future Kingdom. b. As a bride purchased from the slums of death, enslaved to sin, and children of wrath – we must be taught to reign with Him in a new Kingdom. c. So, we must be refined. But He is faithful to us. He will make sure that His bride is ready for the wedding feast. d. If we are in Christ, we are a new creation. Old has gone and new has come. e. He will continue to establish us and guard us from the forces of darkness. f. This world is full of devils. Wicked men and ancient evils that oppose Him and His coming kingdom. But He has already dealt them a death blow. His Kingdom is coming and now is. And He has firmly placed us in this world once dominated by sin and death and now we bear His light to the nations. g. As His bride He did not leave us to fend for ourselves. He will protect and He will make sure we are firmly rooted in the truth. 3.) [Slide 20] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that Jesus will enable us to continue to obey the commands of God. a. He will give us grace to help us live each day for His glory. b. Just as He will not leave us unstable and unprotected, so also He will not leave us in our weakness. c. Indeed, in our weakness He is strong. d. We live on the constant supply from His gracious hands. e. He is the vine and we are the branches – our very life is drawn from Him. f. He is the bread and we must eat Him to live. g. He is the Shepherd and we the sheep depend on Him for everything. h. He is the way and we are the pilgrims who follow His path. i. He is the truth and we are the seekers who trust His words. j. He is the life and we are the living – drawing breath from Him. k. Without Him we are nothing. And without Him we cannot hope to be what He commands us to be. l. But remember… my friends… Jesus is faithful. He is loyal. m. He will enable us to keep obeying. To keep repenting. To keep following. To keep trusting. 4.) [Slide 21] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must look to God's love and Christ's steadfastness so we may love like God and be steadfast like Christ. a. Paul's prayer ends by asking faithful Jesus to turn our hearts toward God's love and His own steadfastness. b. Not so that we may experience comfort alone. But so we might also imitate our Lord and God. c. That we might love like He loves us. i. To love God and to love others is the heart of all the law and the prophets. ii. To love other members of the body of Christ as He loved us is to obey the law of Christ, a new command which He demonstrated. iii. But the scriptures teach us that we love because He first loved us. iv. Not only is this a chronological truth – but it is also a didactic truth. We cannot love first, not only because we are unwilling but also because we are unable. We are ignorant of the love God desires we have. v. It is only when we observe Christ's love for us that we can love one another the way the Lord Jesus desires us to love each other. vi. We can only love God in the way in which He has demonstrated and prescribed to us. d. That we might also be steadfast like Christ. i. We don't have a high priest who was ignorant to our sufferings. ii. He endured temptations and trials in every way that we have. iii. He has experienced everything we have and yet He did not sin. iv. He was a pure sacrifice, a priest who did not need to offer sacrifices for Himself. v. He can sympathize with our weaknesses. vi. He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of God. vii. He walked the pilgrim path already. viii. He has made straight the path for us. ix. He has taken the weight of the yoke so that we might enter it with Him – and bear it up without fear of failing. x. My friends… Jesus is faithful! He is steadfast! xi. And that demonstrates for us how we must also be steadfast. We must endure. We must stand firm in what we have been taught as the gospel of Jesus and we must hold to the Christian tradition of faith and practice. xii. We seek no new revelation, no new interpretation, no new system, no new philosophy. xiii. Instead, we strive to go back… to go back to what the apostles taught. What did they receive from Christ. What is revealed in His word by explicit statement or by good and necessary inference? To this we hold tightly as we endure to the end. xiv. And Christ, our King, is our example. 5.) [Slide 22] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must pray for the advancement of the gospel and the hindering of all who would oppose it. a. Because Jesus is faithful… b. He will not let even one of the sheep which the Father has given to Him to be lost. c. He will seek and save them all. d. He won't let the enemies of the gospel keep any of His elect from coming home. e. So to pray for this… is to pray in the will of God. God will do this – so we should pray for it. f. As we've seen several times in the study of these two letters – knowing God desires to or will do something, doesn't mean that to pray for it we are doubting Him. He tells us to pray in His will. So of all things we should pray for… it is the things that He has revealed will be. g. His word will not return to Him without accomplishing the purpose for which it was sent. h. The Kingdom of this world will not prevail against the Kingdom of Christ. i. We know this. j. So we must pray for it. k. We pray in faith – not in doubt. We pray knowing and trusting that it will be. l. We can pray that locally for Columbus Township. m. More broadly for our state or for our country. n. And even for the whole world. o. We trust that Christ will save His sheep which are lost. Because He has said that He won't lose even one of them. p. And then we go out and we share the gospel with those who are lost and perishing. Why? Because God might use us… to give the gospel as He wakes them up to receive it. 6.) [Slide 23] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” God will send His Word and restrain its opponents. a. The Kingdoms of this world are becoming the Kingdom of Christ. Not in a political sense. Not in a Christian nationalism sense. Not in a one world government sense. b. But in a spiritual sense. c. The gospel is global. It is a Kingdom without borders, without language, without ethnic commonality, without a country affiliation. d. It is a Kingdom that awaits the King to return and consummate its reign. e. That Kingdom is here… and that King is coming. f. Where will you be when He returns? g. What will you do with Jesus Christ? h. You have seen today how He is a faithful husband to His bride. i. Are you still living in the slums of death? j. Are you still enslaved to your sins? Do you even see the prison bars? Or do you still love your sin? k. Have you grown tired of your murderous father Satan, who leads you to the same wrath he has earned? l. Will you not turn from your sin and trust Jesus as your Savior and as your King? m. Will you not follow in His steps? n. If you wish to follow Him… love Him… serve Him… talk to someone you know is a Christian after the service. They will tell you the next steps. [Slide 24 (end)] Let me close in a prayer by the early church father Venantius, an Italian bishop and hymn writer who lived from AD 530 to AD 609. Christ Jesus, you are the Savior of the world, our merciful creator and redeemer, the only offspring from the Godhead of the Father. Self-existing Word, you are flowing from the heart of God, and powerful from the mouth of your Father, equal to him, of one mind with him, his fellow, of the same age with the Father, from whom at first the world came to be. You suspend the skies and heap together the soil. You pour forth the seas, which frame all the lands as they flourish. When you saw our trouble, you became one of us, to rescue us. You were willing not only to be born with a body, but you became flesh, enduring to be born and to die. You endure funeral rites—you, the author of life and framer of the world! You enter the path of death, in giving the aid of salvation. The gloomy chains of the hellish law yielded, and chaos feared to be pressed by the presence of the light. Darkness perishes, put to flight by your brightness. The thick blanket of eternal night falls away. Restore the promised pledge, O power of good! The third day has returned; arise, Buried One. It is not proper that your body should lie in the lowly grave. Worthless stone should not hold in the ransom of the world, or cover him in whose fist all things are enclosed. Take away the linen clothes, leave them in the tomb. You are enough for us, and without you there is nothing. Escape the chains of the evil prison and return to the upper regions. Let us see your face again, that the world may see the light. Give back the day, which flees from us at your death. You return, holy conqueror! The ruler of the lower regions, who insatiably opens his hollow jaws, becomes your prey. The Lamb pulls his sheep from the jaws of the wolf. You rescue uncounted people from the prison of death, and they follow their leader to freedom. As a warrior you earn back trophies for heaven. You have restored us from chaos and punishment, given new life to those whom death might seek. You fill your barns with an abundant harvest. Look at your shining triumph, sacred King! We step forth from the bright waves, cleansed and wearing white. May this people, free from stain, be strengthened in your arms, for it is in Jesus' name we pray this, Amen! Benediction: May the Lord show kindness to you; May the Lord grant each of you rest; May those who dwell in your house be blessed; May they ever be praising the Lord. Until we meet again, Grace and Peace to you.

The image that Jesus shares with us in this beloved passage may seem detached from the challenges we face in our current situation and what's going on in our lives today.  However, it would be a mistake for you and me to pass off these words as quaint advice for a quieter, sepia tone time in the past.  Our Savior's invitation, here in Matthew, is to all who are weary and worn out.  He's not referring simply to the demands of that time.  This includes all of us whose strength is sapped by the demanding load that's resting on our shoulders today. Episode art by Anna from Eagle, WI, USA, CC BY 2.0

Peter crosses a threshold no faithful Jew of his day would cross: he walks into a Gentile's house and opens with a confession, that God has shown him he must not call any person unclean. Then he preaches Jesus, crucified and raised and appointed judge of the living and the dead, and as that word goes out the Holy Spirit falls on the whole household, before Peter can even finish. It is Christ preached who opens the door to the nations, and the Spirit who seals it, poured out on Gentiles the same as on the Jews at Pentecost.  The Rev. Peter Burfeind, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, MI and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 10:24-48. To learn more about Our Savior and Agnus Dei Lutheran Churches, visit facebook.com/oursaviorunioncity and agnusdeimarshall.com. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  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.

When suffering hits hard and the "black cloud" of despair refuses to lift, a superficial, "happy-clappy" faith quickly falls apart. In Job 3, we meet a blameless believer who doesn't offer a curated, shallow optimism, but instead pours out a deep, guttural cry of agonizing pain. Join us as we look at the raw reality of the pit and discover that we don't have to get our lives under control before we can speak to God. Our Savior welcomes our unfiltered questions and laments, meeting us in our deepest weakness with a grace that is entirely sufficient

In Luke 6:20-31 Our Savior speaks both 4 blessings and 4 woes.This message is the ethical teaching our Lord to His disciples. It is applicable to us today as well. First, Dr. Mitchell takes us through the 4 blessings which were aimed at His disciples. He then take up the 4 woes which were aimed at His enemies.Each of the blessings and the woes address the same topics. The blessings are then reversed in the woes. It is noted, that the fathers of these enemies did the same things to God's prophets as they are doing to Jesus' disciples.Our Lord also gives us the believer's motive, expectation and response to one's enemies found in verse 31 in the golden rule.With the blessing of hearing the Word of God, here is Dr. Mitchell on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Lk 6:20.

When life feels overwhelming and God seems distant, where do you turn? This week we explored Psalm 42—a raw, honest prayer from someone who felt spiritually dry and surrounded by doubt.The psalmist teaches us something powerful: it's okay to bring our complaints, our tears, and our confusion directly to God. We don't need to clean ourselves up first. Come thirsty. Come messy. Come exactly as you are. The key isn't pretending everything's fine... it's learning to talk to yourself with truth instead of just listening to your fears and doubts.Even when circumstances don't change, we can remind ourselves: "Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him." Our Savior knows what it's like to thirst, to be mocked, and to feel forsaken. He's not absent in your suffering. He's near to the brokenhearted.What are you telling yourself today? Make sure it's the truth about who God is and how much He loves you.

Jesus expects that His disciples will engage in the discipline of fasting. Abstaining from food for a time reminds Christians that we do not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God. Like other forms of outward piety, Christians do not fast for the sake of being seen by others. Rather, the discipline of the flesh serves to benefit the Christian in deepening dependence upon God alone.  Rev. Doug Minton, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Milford, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 6:16-18.  To learn more about Our Savior in Milford, visit oursaviormilford.com. “The Reign of Heaven Stands Near” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims that God has fulfilled His Old Testament promises by sending Jesus to bring the reign of the heavens among us. As the Son of David, Jesus is the gracious King we need, and as the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the blessing to all the families of the earth.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Pastor Appel serves at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL. Learn more at flcgodfrey.org. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Episode 80: Slasher Summer This episode was recorded on April 15, 2026, May 5, 2026 and May 7, 2026, and posted on June 20, 2026. Introduction Welcome to No Bodies Episode 80 Introductions to our panel of living dead talking heads - Lonely of Lonely Horror Club, Mike aka That Horror Teacher, Billy D of Halloween Babies Podcast, and Kenan aka Plague Doctor Al Today's Topic: Slasher Summer Defining Slasher Summer/Summerween - 0:3:00 Our crazy summer camp stories The Coroner's Report - 0:7:00 What is your "Mount Rushmore" of summer slashers? Feature Length Review 1 - 0:9:00 The Burning (1981) Segment 1 - 0:25:30 Fighting the Dragon: Going, Going, Gone Camping in Strange Harvest (2025) Feature Length Review 2 - 0:51:30 In A Violent Nature (2024) Segment 2 - 1:06:30 The Epic Optimist: Jesus is Our Savior and Our Homeboy at Camp Hell (2010) Best & Worsts of Slasher Summer Horror - 1:33:00 Suzie's Deep Cuts - 1:54:00 Closing Thoughts - 1:37:30 What terrifies you more - fear of the unknown/dark or fear in the daylight/what's coming right at you? Keep Up with Your Hosts Check out our instagram antics and drop a follow @nobodieshorrorpodcast.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive video episodes coming soon! Take part in our audience engagement challenge - The Coroner's Report! Comment, share, or interact with any Coroner's Report post on our socials to be featured in an upcoming episode.  Lonely - read more from Lonely and keep up with her filmstagram chaos @lonelyhorrorclub on Instagram and www.lonelyhorrorclub.com. Mike - Follow Mike's reviews @thathorrorteacher on Instagram.  Billy D - follow Billy on Instagram @halloweenbabiespodcast and listen to Halloween Babies wherever you get your podcasts. Check out Billy's band Mt. Forever and their new EP on Spotify. Kenan - Check out Kenan's Healthline discussions on YouTube here and here, and follow his horrific anatomy musings on Instagram @plaguedoctoral.  Music Credits No Bodies Theme - LHC Theme by Jacob Pini @jacob.pini Epic Optimist Theme - Main Titles from Who Shot Mamba? by Daniel J. Coe Apothecary Theme - The Apothecary of Alluring Anatomy & Astonishing Aromas by Billy Davis Fighting the Dragon Theme - Fighting the Dragon by Billy Davis Ghost in the Machine Theme - Ghost in the Machine by Billy Davis Deep Cuts Theme by Billy Davis Leave us a message at (617) 431-4322‬ and we just might answer you on the show! Sources Augustine, S. M. S. (2024, April 21). Slasher Summer: A How-To Guide — Strike Magazines. Strike Magazines. https://www.strikemagazines.com/blog-2-1/slasher-summer-a-how-to-guide  Song, R. (2023, July 5). Slasher Summer: How To Pull Off The TikTok Aesthetic Inspired By '70s & '80s Horror Movies. Glam. https://www.glam.com/1331452/slasher-summer-tiktok-aesthetic-70s-80s-horror-movies/

Welcome to your daily devotion for June 15, 2026. Today, Pastor Balla shares "When I Wept and Humbled My Soul with Fasting" from Psalm 69:10–12. In this heartfelt Christian devotional and Bible study, we explore the pain of being mocked for sincere faith, repentance, and seeking God. David wept and fasted, yet became a song of drunkards. This psalm points directly to Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself completely—fasting in the wilderness, weeping over Jerusalem, and enduring mockery from soldiers, priests, and crowds at the cross. Our Savior wore a crown of thorns and bore our shame so we might receive mercy. If you face ridicule for your faith, remember: your Savior knows this pain and has overcome it. Please like, share, and subscribe. Support this ministry at https://buymeacoffee.com/whitegandalph or visit https://buymeacoffee.com/whitegandalph. Thank you for listening—God's Peace be with you.Hashtags:#Psalm69 #HumbledWithFasting #DailyDevotion #PastorBalla #MockedForFaith

Our Savior did not just die for our sins and rose from the dead. He continues to intercede so that we may never fail.

On this episode of The Disciple‑Making Parent Podcast we hear from Tim Challies on how families can create a truly porn‑free home. We'll hear about the early exposure risks children face online, share practical tools such as filtering, accountability software, parental controls, and open communication, and walk through a step‑by‑step plan—planning, preparing, meeting, and monitoring—to protect our households.Resources From This PodcastSuffering and Our Savior- podcast episode 124 with Tim ChalliesPersonal Accounts of God's Goodness in Suffering- podcast episode 125 with Tim ChalliesFinding Comfort in Suffering- podcast episode 126 with Tim ChalliesChallies.com- Tim Challies' blogCovenant EyesOpenDNS

You have had moments where you needed to pray and could not find the words. Paul knows. He says the whole creation is groaning like a woman in labor, and we groan with it, waiting for what God has promised. The Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, praying on our behalf when we cannot do it ourselves. And God works all things together for the good of those He has called. The comfort here is not that suffering makes sense, but that God is at work inside it.  The Rev. Peter Burfeind, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, MI and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Romans 8:18–30.  To learn more about Our Savior and Agnus Dei Lutheran Churches, visit facebook.com/oursaviorunioncity and agnusdeimarshall.com. Why does doing the right thing sometimes feel impossible? Why do feelings of guilt follow us even when we've been forgiven? These aren't new questions. St. Paul wrote his letter to the Romans for a church he had never visited, and yet he addressed the struggles every Christian knows firsthand: the weight of the law, the persistence of sin, the sufficiency of what God has done in Christ. Romans covers enormous ground. Paul moves from the universal problem of sin through justification by faith, the role of baptism, the war between flesh and spirit, God's faithfulness to Israel, and the shape of life together in the body of Christ. There's a reason the Reformation was born in this letter. Join us on Thy Strong Word as we open up Romans, weekdays at 11am or on-demand anytime, at KFUO.org.  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.

This Easter—2026—multiple Catholic parishes across the nation saw a surge in adult baptisms and new converts entering the church. Some dioceses reported all-time records for people becoming Catholic at Easter. This trend parallels a broader trend of renewed interest in religion, especially with young people. Protestant and nondenominational churches have also had an influx of younger converts. According to a study from Barna Group, which tracks data on faith in U.S. culture, younger adults—Gen Z and Millennials—have become the most regular churchgoers, outpacing older generations.  While some are calling this a religious revival, the reality is that attracting young people to church doesn't necessarily, automatically translate into offering them a reason to stay for the long term. If young people are showing up for church because they are looking for something—are they finding what it was they were looking for? On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talked to three guests from different backgrounds and Christian affiliations about what young people want from the church. Catalina Morales Bahena is Director of Learning at Faith in Action; Drew Stever is a chaplain, spiritual director, and ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Baird Linke is an activist who currently serves as pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Bonner, Montana. They are some of the contributors to a new book, Hungry for Hope: Letters to the Church from Young Adults (Edited by Jeremy Paul Myers and Kristina Frugé, and published by Eerdmans).  Learn more about this topic in these links.   Hungry for Hope: Letters to the Church from Young Adults  New Barna Data: Young Adults Lead a Resurgence in Church Attendance Rise in Young Men's Religiosity Realigns Gender Gaps Religion Holds Steady in America "Young people are seeking connection. Can the church respond?" A U.S. Catholic interview "What young Catholic peacemakers want from the church," by John Noble "Younger Catholics are seeking new models of sainthood," by Rhina Guidos "Church revival? New numbers don't show whole picture, experts say," by Brian Fraga  

 "Our Savior loves us no matter what we do. Whatever comes our way, whatever we do, He loves us, and He's able to see through the hurt. He's able to see through whatever it is we're doing, the actual action that we're displaying to the world because of our hurt."00:00 Crisis in Marriage08:19 Race, Records, and Re-Baptism13:21 Trauma and Turning Point28:10 Let People In33:52 Forgiveness After Betrayal40:48 Answering Priesthood HistoryMike's Auto Shackhttps://mikesautoshack.com/Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% offhttps://serveclothing.com/If you have a story to share please submit here: https://comebackpodcast.org/submissions/For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.comCome Back Team:Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly StoneEditor: Cara ReedOutreach Manager: Jenna CarlsonAssistant Editor: Britt SmallzeArt Director: Jeremy GarciaProduction Director: Trent Wardwell

Our Savior lives forever, providing eternal salvation.

James shuts down one of the oldest excuses in the book: "God is testing me." God cannot be tempted with evil and He tempts no one. Each person is lured and enticed by his own desire, and desire gives birth to sin, and sin brings forth death. Every good gift comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James draws the line between what God sends and what your own heart manufactures.  The Rev. Peter Burfeind, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, MI and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study James 1:9-18. To learn more about Our Savior and Agnus Dei Lutheran Churches, visit facebook.com/oursaviorunioncity and agnusdeimarshall.com. Luther called it an “epistle of straw,” but then preached from it for the rest of his life as the Word of God. In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk verse by verse through the Letter of James, written by the brother of our Lord, the leading pastor of the Jerusalem church, and a man who thought Jesus had lost His mind until the resurrection proved otherwise. James writes to scattered Christians who are suffering, squabbling, playing favorites with the rich, and letting their tongues run wild. This series takes James at his word, reading him as a confessor of Christ who stands with Paul and not against him. Faith without works is dead, he tells them, and then he spends the rest of the letter showing them a better way.   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.

 What are you conquering—or being conquered by? Explore how God's surprising plan for His people to both conquer and be conquered is revealed throughout the Bible! Receive The word “conqueror” may make you feel uncomfortable for various reasons. But what if the Bible's idea of conquest is better than we could ever imagine? As we ponder what it means for us to be more than conquerors through Him who loves us, let's look to Jesus' example of what it means to overcome. And let's remember that His story isn't over. May we be encouraged and remain confident that when it's all said and done, Jesus will still be victorious.  Reflect Read the verses connected with this episode below. As you reflect on the Scripture, what stands out to you? Matthew 20:20–28 John 16:33 1 John 4–5 Revelation 12:13 According to Jesus in Matthew 20:20–28, what are the characteristics of a true leader? How does John 16:33 help to encourage you despite whatever you may be facing? How does 1 John 4–5 help you better understand that we overcome by being conquered by God's love? Revelation 12:13 describes God's ultimate victory. How does this encourage you as you remember that our story isn't over? over? Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You that You have made me more than a conquer through Your perfect love! Help me to remember that You have the ultimate victory and that You can help me through every battle that comes my way.” Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: Our Daily Bread Devotional in Print- https://go.odb.org/dtw-printsub  Our Daily Bread Mobile App - https://go.odb.org/appdownload-dtw  Explore the Devotional Collection from Our Daily Bread Publishing- https://go.odb.org/odbpdtw  Listen: More Than Conquerors Week 1 - https://go.odb.org/more-than-conquerorsw1  More Than Conquerors Week 2 https://go.odb.org/more-than-conquerorsw2   Read: Living in Light of Our Savior's Victory - https://go.odb.org/living-in-light-dtw  Serving God and Others - https://go.odb.org/serving-god-and-others  Watch: Victorious in God - https://go.odb.org/victorious-in-god-dtw  The Empty Tomb Is Our Receipt - https://go.odb.org/the-empty-tomb-is-our-receipt 

In this episode, Chap Bettis sits down with Tim Challies and pastor Travis Rymer for a candid Q&A that closes out The Disciple-Making Parent's mini-series on suffering. Tim shares Scriptures and hymns that shaped his grief, how his family helped their daughters process loss, and why grief must never become our identity. You'll also hear practical counsel on balancing honest lament with trust in God's goodness, and on letting truth shape emotions rather than emotions shaping truth.Resources From This PodcastTim Challies: Suffering and Our Savior (#1 in series)Tim Challies: Personal Accounts of God's Goodness in Suffering (#2 in series)On Jordan's Stormy Banks, performed by Indelible GraceSeasons of Sorrow, by Tim ChalliesA Manifesto for Times of Suffering- Tim's “Grief Manifesto”Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, by Mark VroegopTim Challies- Walking Through Deep Sorrow and Loss (Prior podcast interview) ​

Pharaoh dreams twice in a row. First, he sees seven well-fed cows devoured by seven starving cows. Second, he sees seven plump ears of grain swallowed by seven blighted ears of grain. When no one can interpret the dreams for troubled Pharaoh, the cupbearer finally remembers Joseph. Joseph is brought out of prison to come before Pharaoh. In humility, Joseph acknowledges that God is the One to provide the interpretation of the two dreams, which both have the same meaning. Seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine, and so Joseph suggests that food be stored now so the land will not perish during the famine.  Rev. Jeremy Swem, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Grand Rapids, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 41:1-36.  To learn more about Our Savior, visit oursavior-gr.org. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Our Savior gave Himself for us!!

IntroductionThe term "Good Friday" is a strange name for this day. There's nothing on the surface that looks good about it. Our Savior is mocked, beaten, and handed over to die by the very people he came to save. His closest friends are gone. The crowds have turned. And the ones putting him to death are convinced they're doing Rome a favor.In the midst of the miscarriage of justice, a Roman centurion watches Jesus die and glorifies God at the end of it. Not a grieving disciple. Not a repentant Pharisee. A career soldier. A man who has seen everything and trusts nothing he hasn't verified himself. That's the man who gets it.So, why would this man affirm Christ? Who is this man?We can think of a centurion as someone who is just a mindless killing machine. These men could read people. They can shift strategies on the fly. They could govern. They could lead men into war and through war. These were men who loved Rome and were willing to die for Rome. We need to see that this isn't just a soldier doing a job. These men are serious about carrying out their mission with their loyalty to Rome. He has turned down bribes, seen through lies, and keeps his cool while being called every name in the book. He reads people for a living. When he's handed this assignment to bring this man to death, he would likely have considered every contingency 3 steps ahead of any guerrilla army. An insurrectionist would know his place. A revolutionary, like Christ, who was accused, would be an example to all who had the bright idea to rebel against Rome. What has happened?But then something strange happens. The "insurrectionist" doesn't act like one. His followers don't fight. A dying criminal owns his own guilt and asks for mercy. The criminal rebukes another heckling criminal on the other side of Christ. Jesus himself prays for the people crucifying him. And Pilate has borne testimony three times that Christ is innocent. Herod has affirmed that Christ is innocent by sending Christ over to Pilate. This means that there is a threefold testimony from Pilate. Herod corroborates his innocence by sending him back. That means there is the testimony of two or three witnesses. Christ is never trying to save his life, badger the soldiers who lead him to death, or even encourage the people to rebel. This is not the normal scene of an execution. The centurion must already be noticing that something is different. Why the innocence?When Jesus dies, the centurion doesn't go home relieved that the job is done. This is not another day in the office. In fact, his reaction contrasts with those who follow Christ… from a distance. The ones who follow Christ from a distance go home beating their breasts. They are saddened. The reason is that their messiah is not to suffer and die. Their messiah brings in the glorious kingdom. He glorifies God. He calls Jesus innocent. He affirms that Christ is righteous. This is the third witness and the fourth explicit pronouncement that Jesus is righteous. The centurion understands the fourth servant song. This is the righteous sufferer. This man, who has no reason to say it, who gains nothing by saying it, says it anyway because it is true. He sees what the religious leaders fail to see. He sees what even Christ's followers failed to see from a distance. The centurion comprehends that this is the lamb of God who was a servant absorbing the weight of the sinful fall. This man shows himself to be one of Christ's true disciples by the Lord's grace. ConclusionWhat does this man see? He sees the very thing that makes this Friday good. He sees the pain. He sees the injustice. However, he sees the bigger picture. The righteous servant had to suffer as the lamb of God. He might not comprehend the full message at this point, but he sees that this death was not accidental. He understands the cosmic proportions of Christ's accomplishment. Let us never minimize the depth of our sin. Let us never minimize the significance of Christ's suffering. May we never minimize the victory gained in Christ's resurrection.

Our Savior accepted God's will—enduring the greatest trial but reaping the greatest reward for His obedience.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Savior accepted God's will—enduring the greatest trial but reaping the greatest reward for His obedience.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Savior accepted God's will—enduring the greatest trial but reaping the greatest reward for His obedience.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260318dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. John 9:13-16 A Rulebreaker The Third Commandment could not be clearer: “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” But to avoid all confusion, God went on to explain, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:9-10). So, Jesus is a rulebreaker, right? He worked on the Sabbath! He made mud, put it on a blind man’s eyes, and told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam, all of which led to this man seeing for the first time in his life. Some of the Pharisees could not help but conclude, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” This wasn’t the first time Jesus had generated a heated debate by healing someone on the Sabbath. From the earliest days of his earthly ministry, Jesus was causing his opponents to have serious bouts of consternation as they tried to square Jesus’ claims of being the Son of God and the promised Messiah with his apparent refusal to obey God’s holy law. But was it a refusal? Hardly. It was a fulfillment! Jesus once explained, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). His point was simple: of course, God wants us to honor him by resting from our labor at some point every week to hear and ponder his saving Word. But he also calls us to put his Word into practice by regularly demonstrating love for our neighbors in need. The Christian life is not an either/or proposition. It’s an everyday both/and way of life! Our Savior never overturns God’s Word. Instead, he fulfills it. Perfectly. Prayer: Jesus, empower me to be like you more and more every day. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260318dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. John 9:13-16 A Rulebreaker The Third Commandment could not be clearer: “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” But to avoid all confusion, God went on to explain, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:9-10). So, Jesus is a rulebreaker, right? He worked on the Sabbath! He made mud, put it on a blind man’s eyes, and told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam, all of which led to this man seeing for the first time in his life. Some of the Pharisees could not help but conclude, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” This wasn’t the first time Jesus had generated a heated debate by healing someone on the Sabbath. From the earliest days of his earthly ministry, Jesus was causing his opponents to have serious bouts of consternation as they tried to square Jesus’ claims of being the Son of God and the promised Messiah with his apparent refusal to obey God’s holy law. But was it a refusal? Hardly. It was a fulfillment! Jesus once explained, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). His point was simple: of course, God wants us to honor him by resting from our labor at some point every week to hear and ponder his saving Word. But he also calls us to put his Word into practice by regularly demonstrating love for our neighbors in need. The Christian life is not an either/or proposition. It’s an everyday both/and way of life! Our Savior never overturns God’s Word. Instead, he fulfills it. Perfectly. Prayer: Jesus, empower me to be like you more and more every day. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

"You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them." Korah, Dathan, and Abiram lead a revolt against Moses and Aaron, claiming that all Israel is equally holy. The earth opens and swallows the rebels, and fire consumes those offering unauthorized incense. In this terrifying chapter, we see the danger of despising the offices God has established. The priesthood is not a human invention to be challenged but a divine institution pointing to Christ, our only mediator.  The Rev. Peter Burfeind, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, MI and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Numbers 16.  To learn more about Our Savior and Agnus Dei Lutheran churches, visit facebook.com/oursaviorunioncity and agnusdeimarshall.com. The Book of Numbers is far more than an ancient census report. It is the story of a people learning to trust God in the wilderness, and failing, and finding grace anyway.  In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk through the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter by chapter. We follow Israel from Sinai toward the Promised Land, through grumbling and rebellion, fiery serpents and a talking donkey, faithless spies and faithful priests. The journey is hard, the failures are many, and God remains faithful to a faithless people.  These ancient accounts point us to Christ. The bronze serpent lifted on a pole points to the cross. The rock struck for water points to the one struck for us. The high priest whose death frees the manslayer points to the Great High Priest whose death sets us free forever. Join us as we discover that the wilderness has more to teach us than we ever expected.  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.

After Abram rescues Lot, the LORD reassures Abram with His promise. Yet Abram sees that a household servant is currently his heir, and Abram questions the LORD what He will give since no child has yet been born to him. The LORD doubles down on His promise, telling Abram that a child will be born of his own loins. As a visual sermon, the LORD challenges Abram to count the stars. Such will be the number of Abram's descendants. Abram believes this promise, and the LORD counts that faith as righteousness. Such is the way all Christians are saved: through faith in the promise of God in Jesus.  Rev. Jeremy Swem, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Grand Rapids, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 15:1-6.  To learn more about Our Savior, visit oursavior-gr.org. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

There's only one God who has wounds that can speak to your wounds. There's only God who has been through it.  The Buddhists look at suffering as an illusion. Western secular culture looks at suffering as a curse. But Christianity looks at it as something both extremely real and far more hopeful. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, came to glory through suffering. And when you see what he went through for you, then and only then have you got a framework and a power to get through your own suffering. In 1 Peter 1 it teaches us that 1) you'll never be able to face suffering without knowing a lot of biblical doctrine, 2) Christians do experience grief and troubles of life, and 3) when suffering comes into your life, God hates the brokenness but uses it to teach you things he wants you to learn. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 26, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:6-9. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

We all have pain and burdens in this broken world, and nothing can bring us peace except Jesus. Our Savior has gut-level compassion for our pain, which sent Him to the cross to save us from our brokenness forever. In this message, Guest Speaker Carl Kuhl preaches on how once you have met the real Jesus, and felt that relief from the pain of this world, you cannot help but tell others about the joy you have in Christ alone. Carl Kuhl • The Urgent Kingdom • Mark 1:40-45 CONNECT WITH US! Engage with this message: https://tpcc.org/messages Visit our website: https://tpcc.org We believe in the power of prayer: https://tpcc.org/prayer Instagram: https://instagram.com/traderspointcc/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TradersPointCC Facebook: https://facebook.com/TradersPointCC/

As enter the period of transition from Christmas and Epiphany to Lent, it is time for us to reflect on how to prepare for this penitential season. It is a time of clearing out obstacles to God's grace. When it comes to our penances, mortifications, and resolutions, they must always be done out of the love for God. All of these entail some degree of suffering, but we must remember the suffering of Our Savior for us while elevating these acts above the level of mere self-improvement and toward growing closer to God.

A blind beggar cries out for mercy while a leafy fig tree stands barren of fruit. In this penultimate episode of The Magnificent 37, we explore a stark contrast between faith and fruitlessness. Jesus heals Bartimaeus, whose physical blindness is replaced by spiritual sight and discipleship. Conversely, the cursing of the fig tree serves as a living parable of judgment against a temple system that had the appearance of life but produced no fruit of repentance. Together, these accounts teach us about the power of persistent prayer and the danger of spiritual hypocrisy.   The Rev. Peter Burfeind, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, MI and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Mark 10:46–52 and Mark 11:12–25.  To learn more about Our Savior and Agnus Dei Lutheran, visit facebook.com/oursaviorunioncity and agnusdeimarshall.com. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   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.

Hi, I'm John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you're listening to Share Life Today.   What does it mean to be real light to those around us? Actually, there is no one better to tell us than Jesus Himself. Our Savior declares about Himself in John 8, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” When we place our trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, His light lives in us. And we can shine it in our families, our communities, and our nation. And truly, we need to! There are so many things we try to substitute for it. We believe the lie that passions and success will fill us up with light and life, only to leave us empty. But hallelujah! Jesus made a way for us to have real light through His work on the cross. For more on how you can share this with others, visit our website at sharelife.today. That's sharelife.today.

This video provides teaching ideas, discussion prompts, and activities to support the Moses 7 lesson in the Come, Follow Me manual.It is designed to serve as a practical resource for teachers, parents, missionaries, and anyone preparing to teach this week's Come, Follow Me lesson.My hope is that these ideas will help simplify your preparation, increase student engagement, and strengthen your confidence as you teach. Lesson Resources and LinksLink to "We Come Together and Unite as One" Video:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2012-01-3040-we-come-together-unite-as-one?lang=eng Link to purchase gavel:  https://amzn.to/3LusL8W Link to "Our Savior's Love" Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8beEeoHvTQ&list=RDD8beEeoHvTQ&start_radio=1 Link to "Because of Him" Video:   https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2014-04-1420-because-of-him?lang=eng Teaching with Power ResourcesFor links to videos, lesson plans, subscriptions, weekly lesson materials, go to www.teachingwithpower.comTo sign up for a Full Old Testament Subscription, go to:  https://www.teachingwithpower.com/product-page/2026-old-testament-bundle-subscription-all-slides-handouts-and-lesson-plansContact: teachingwithpower@gmail.com Credits & NotesMusic provided by the YouTube Audio Library — Dancing StarSome illustrations in this video were generated using Chat GPT AI.Additional Bible illustrations are provided by Sweet Publishing( http://sweetpublishing.com) under the Creative Commons 3.0 Share-Alike License.All other images are in the public domain. DisclaimerThe content of this video reflects my personal insights and teaching ideas. It does not represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This video provides teaching ideas, discussion prompts, and activities to support the Moses 7 lesson in the Come, Follow Me manual.It is designed to serve as a practical resource for teachers, parents, missionaries, and anyone preparing to teach this week's Come, Follow Me lesson.My hope is that these ideas will help simplify your preparation, increase student engagement, and strengthen your confidence as you teach. Lesson Resources and LinksLink to "We Come Together and Unite as One" Video:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2012-01-3040-we-come-together-unite-as-one?lang=eng Link to purchase gavel:  https://amzn.to/3LusL8W Link to "Our Savior's Love" Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8beEeoHvTQ&list=RDD8beEeoHvTQ&start_radio=1 Link to "Because of Him" Video:   https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2014-04-1420-because-of-him?lang=eng Teaching with Power ResourcesFor links to videos, lesson plans, subscriptions, weekly lesson materials, go to www.teachingwithpower.comTo sign up for a Full Old Testament Subscription, go to:  https://www.teachingwithpower.com/product-page/2026-old-testament-bundle-subscription-all-slides-handouts-and-lesson-plansContact: teachingwithpower@gmail.com Credits & NotesMusic provided by the YouTube Audio Library — Dancing StarSome illustrations in this video were generated using Chat GPT AI.Additional Bible illustrations are provided by Sweet Publishing( http://sweetpublishing.com) under the Creative Commons 3.0 Share-Alike License.All other images are in the public domain. DisclaimerThe content of this video reflects my personal insights and teaching ideas. It does not represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

" Lean into the God that you know, I will give you comfort, I will give you peace. So that's truly what I've learned through all my experiences. You know, in my deepest valleys where I was extremely fearful and guilt ridden, that I was so far gone, so far broken. Nobody would ever relate to me or understand me. I was completely cutting myself off from the one who understands this perfectly. Our Savior has felt everything that we've felt. Yeah, I will agree with people that, well, you don't understand how I'm feeling. I don't, I've never been through what you've been through, but your Savior does."Cozy Earth code COMEBACK for 40% off https://cozyearth.com/Memor Jewelry code COMEBACK for 10% offhttps://memorjewelry.com/Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% offhttps://serveclothing.com/If you have a story to share please contact ashly.comebackpodcast@gmail.comFor inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.comCome Back Team:Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly StoneEditor: Cara ReedOutreach Manager: Jenna CarlsonAssistant Editor: Michelle BergerAssistant Editor: Britt SmallzeArt Director: Jeremy GarciaProduction Director: Trent Wardwell

St. Paul teaches concerning the resurrection of the body so that the Thessalonians will be able to mourn with hope for those who have fallen asleep in Christ. The foundation of this certainty is the death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom God will raise the dead. The apostolic teaching on the matter comes from the Lord Himself who will return visibly and publicly on the Last Day. On that Day, those who have already died will not be forgotten, but raised to life before those who are alive at the time meet the Lord together in the air. In this way, the Church will always be with the Lord, and through these words, the Church encourages its members as we wait for that glorious Day.  Rev. Jeremy Swem, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Grand Rapids, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  To learn more about Our Savior in Grand Rapids, visit oursavior-gr.org. “Yearning for the Day of Christ's Returning” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that studies St. Paul's two epistles to the Thessalonians. Although Paul's time in Thessalonica was brief, he had great affection for the Christians there. His two letters to the Thessalonians show us the joy that God gives us together in the Church and encourage us to live faithfully in expectation of Jesus' coming on the Last Day.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sunday – 12/07/2025 – For This Reason Part 3 – Jesus was Born to be Our Savior

This Giving Tuesday, help us meet the spiritual moment! Give now. “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT) One way to prepare our hearts for Christmas and foster a spirit of genuine gratitude is to consider what Jesus laid aside, for our sake, when He came to earth. His is not a rags-to-riches story; it’s a riches-to-rags story. The apostle Paul wrote, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT). We may not be able to wrap our minds around the glory of Heaven. But we can imagine the pure joy of being in God’s presence. We can guess at what it’s like to be worshipped nonstop by adoring angels. Yet Jesus set those things aside to squeeze His infinite presence into a container of flesh and make Himself vulnerable to the people He created. Let’s also consider the existence that Jesus embraced when He came. He could have been born in the most elegant mansion on the ritziest boulevard in Rome. He could have had aristocratic parents who boasted of their pedigree. He could have had the finest clothes from the most exclusive shops. He could have had legions of servants to respond to His every whim. But He chose none of that. Instead, Jesus humbled Himself. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT). God came into our world—not as an all-powerful deity, but as a baby, born to humble parents in a humble setting. The Creator of the universe was born in a stable in Bethlehem. Like many other aspects of the Christmas story, we have romanticized the environment of Jesus’ birth. We decorate our homes with nativity sets that make the scene seem cozy, comfortable, and heartwarming. We see the baby Jesus surrounded not only by His loving parents but also by His shepherd friends, His wise men friends, and His animal friends. But in sanitizing the circumstances of Jesus’ birth, we lose the raw, powerful meaning behind them. The stable or barn (or maybe even cave) where Christ was born was cold and damp. It also would have smelled. God incarnate was born on a dirt floor used by animals. Our Savior came not as a monarch draped in gold and silk, but as a baby wrapped in rags. Jesus went from being a sovereign to a servant. He went from the glory of God to a stable filled with animals. It has been said that history swings on the hinge of the door of a stable in Bethlehem. As you prepare for Christmas, think about what Jesus left behind to dwell among us. Jesus took His place in a manger so that we might have a home in Heaven. Reflection question: How can we, as Jesus’ followers, humble ourselves for His sake? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)YouTube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comHebrews 1Jesus is the supreme Son of God. In the past, God spoke through prophets, but now He has spoken through His Son, the heir of all things and the creator of the universe. Jesus reflects the glory of God and represents His exact nature. He sustains all things by His power and has made purification for sins. After doing so, He sat at the right hand of the majesty in heaven. This chapter explains that Jesus is superior to angels, receiving a greater name and position. God never addressed an angel as His Son, nor told any angel to sit at His right hand. Angels are servants of God and His people, while the Son reigns in glory over all. This establishes the divine authority and eternal kingship of Jesus Christ. Our Savior is not just a messenger or a prophet; He is the very Son of God, the exact imprint of the Father's nature. As we go through life, we find strength in knowing that the One who upholds the universe by His word is also holding us. When we feel uncertain, we remember that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, reigning with power and love. We are not following empty tradition; we are following the risen and exalted Son. Let us listen closely to Him, trust in His authority, and live with the confidence that He is greater than any challenge and helps us through His power and the angels sent to minister to us. Almighty Lord, we come before You in awe of who Jesus is. He is more than a teacher and prophet; He is Your Son, radiant with Your glory and speaking with divine authority. Thank You for sending Him to cleanse us from sin and to sit at Your right hand in power as our protector and king. We feel humbled knowing He holds everything together yet still cares for each of us. Help us to see Him clearly, to listen when He speaks, and to walk in the confidence that He is above all. May our lives exhibit trust in Him. Thought Questions: What does it mean to say that God “has spoken to us in His Son”? What qualities of Jesus make Him worthy to be heard, trusted, and obeyed? Why does Hebrews 1 cite so many Old Testament passages? How does this show that God's plan for His Son was intended for centuries? Angels are “ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation.” What does that mean in your life?

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this. Today's conversation on Back Porch Theology we're talking about the spiritual discipline of fasting – the willingness to forgo food, or social media, or some other physical or emotional comfort in order to focus more of our attention and affection on God. One of my favorite ancient theologians, Thomas A'Kempis, wrote this in his classic book “The Imitation of Christ”: True peace of heart therefore is found by resisting our passions, not by obeying them. Our Savior is the only One who can master us without abusing us. And sometimes, allowing ourselves to feel physical hunger pains is what prompts us to lean more fully into Jesus to satisfy the spiritual hunger in our hearts and minds. We're diving in pretty deep today y'all, so please grab a tall glass of something refreshing, along with your Bible and a notebook or sticky pad and come hang out on the porch with us. We're so grateful we get to spend this time with you.