Podcasts about Pharisees

Have you ever felt a quiet sense of pride after giving, like you were just a little more faithful than others?It's a subtle temptation, but one we must take seriously. When our giving becomes a way to elevate ourselves rather than glorify God, we've missed the heart of generosity—and possibly much more.When Giving Becomes About UsSelf-righteous giving hides behind good behavior. It's giving to feel morally superior. Giving to prove we're spiritually ahead. Giving to show God—or others—that we've “got it right.”Jesus addressed this in Luke 18:“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector… The Pharisee… prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people… I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector… said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.”The tithing, fasting Pharisee was not justified—not because his actions were wrong, but because he trusted in himself.The Heart CheckReligious acts, even impressive ones, can't save us. When we give to make ourselves look good, we risk trusting in our performance rather than Christ's finished work.There's nothing wrong with joy in giving—God loves a cheerful giver. But when joy turns to superiority, we've crossed the line. As Deuteronomy 8 reminds us:“Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…”Everything we have—even the ability to give—comes from Him.Giving That Glorifies GodJesus warns in Matthew 6 not to give for the sake of being noticed. True generosity is humble, often quiet, and motivated by gratitude. It's giving that reflects Christ, not ourselves.John the Baptist put it best: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”So, if you notice pride in your giving:Confess it to the Lord. His grace cleanses and corrects.Refocus on gratitude. Remember how much you've been forgiven.Practice hidden generosity. Give anonymously or where no one will notice.Before each gift, pray: “Lord, may this reflect You, not me.” Because generosity is never about proving ourselves—it's about responding to the One who gave everything for us.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm 52 and currently have about 71% of my 401(k) invested in company stock, which has been generating returns of 30–36%. When and how should I begin diversifying to protect my retirement savings while still benefiting from my company's potential growth?My husband (62) and I (58) are debating whether to start collecting Social Security now. We still run our own business and earn an income, but I'm concerned about how starting Social Security could affect our Medicare coverage. What's the best strategy for our situation?I own and rent out a three-unit apartment building and want to know if there are any advantages to placing the property in an LLC.Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

NIV 1 Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

This passionate sermon by Pastor Robert Tisdale at Tampa Life Church emphasizes the importance of purity, obedience, and eliminating compromises in one's spiritual life. Drawing from biblical narratives like the Passover in Egypt and the teachings of Jesus and Paul, Pastor Tisdale underscores the need for 'sweeping the house'—removing sin and influences that hinder spiritual freedom and growth. He highlights examples from both the Old and New Testaments, including the metaphor of yeast representing sin and impurity, and the impact of one person's actions on their community. The sermon encourages believers to stand firm in their faith, fight for their families, and resist the trends of normalization of compromising behaviors, ultimately inspiring them to create a legacy of obedience and blessing.00:00 Getting Ready for Urgent Matters00:18 The Night in Egypt: A Prelude to Freedom01:03 The Command to Sweep the House01:59 The Symbolism of Yeast and Purity02:29 God's Fast Deliverance02:59 The Call to Sweep the House05:08 The Annual Tradition of Unleavened Bread06:11 Paul's Warning to the Galatians07:25 Jesus' Teachings on Leaven08:21 The Leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herod11:06 The Story of Aiken's Sin14:35 The Rechabites' Obedience18:07 The Importance of Consistency and Obedience22:52 The Power of Small Things24:49 Shamma's Stand Against the Philistines29:30 The Call to Stand Firm and Fight32:04 Fighting for What Matters32:34 The Power of Standing Firm36:06 Learned Helplessness and Overcoming It43:09 The Importance of Small Things46:02 A Call to Action and Prayer50:23 Fighting for Family and Faith55:30 Breakthrough and Joy

You can memorize every Bible verse, serve at every event, and give to every cause — but if your heart's not in it, God isn't impressed. In this powerful episode of Behind the Mike Podcast, Mike Stone challenges us to examine our motives, reset our faith, and return to authentic love for God over empty religious performance.Through personal stories, relatable struggles, and biblical examples like Mary & Martha, the Pharisee & the tax collector, and King David, Mike unpacks the difference between doing things for God and being with God. Learn the warning signs of performance-based faith and discover practical ways to rekindle genuine intimacy with Him.Key Scriptures: Isaiah 29:13, Luke 18:9-14, Luke 10:38-42, Mark 10:17-22, Matthew 6, Psalm 51:16-17, Psalm 139:23-24

John 9:13-23Jesus returns to Jerusalem for a feast and heals a blind man by anointing his eyes with clay made from spit, then sending him to wash in the pool of Siloam. This miracle, done on the Sabbath, stirs the fury of the Pharisees, who interrogate the man and his family. In our sermon, we learn a lot about the responses that people often have to our decision to follow Christ. We also take a look at how we should approach our family when we so deeply desire to minister the gospel to them.

Saturday, 16 August 2025   Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. Matthew 12:29   “Or how, any, he can enter into the house of the strong and his goods seize, if not first he should bind the strong? And then, his house he will through-seize” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus emphatically declared to the Pharisees that if He casts out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon them. Next, He questions them with the words, “Or how, any, he can enter into the house of the strong and his goods through-seize?”   His question contains a new word, diarpazó. It is derived from dia, through, and harpazó, to seize. Thus, a literal, albeit clunky translation would be to through-seize. Some Greek texts use the word harpazó here and then diarpazó later in this verse.   Jesus' question is concerning ability. There is a house owned by a strong man. If someone wants to rob this guy, how is he going to do it? Jesus provides the answer in the next clause, saying, “if not first he should bind the strong.”   If the house of a strong man is to be plundered, the strong man has to first be bound. His strength must be dealt with, or it will be impossible for someone to rob him. Instead, he will get a good pounding and maybe a trip to the hospital. But if he is bound up, Jesus continues with, “And then, his house he will through-seize.”   When that which interferes with one's plans to take an action is removed, the ability to take that action can then go forward. The point of Jesus' words is built upon what He has already said. This is introduced with the word translated as “or.”   His first question in this regard was that if Satan casts out Satan, he divided himself. If so, then his kingdom cannot stand. Thus, the word “or” continues to refer to this concept. Speaking again of Satan, he calls him “the strong.”   Some equate the house with the demon-possessed man. But this is too limited. Satan's house, in this questioning, is his place of rule. Thus, it is the Earth. This is the same as the “house of David” being the scope of David's rule. Satan has already been shown to have authority over the earth (Matthew 4:9).   Therefore, the strong, meaning Satan, must be bound. From there, a person can then thoroughly plunder his house. How did God do this? He sent Jesus, born without sin, into the world. This is why Satan attempted to get Jesus to sin right at the start. But Jesus prevailed over his temptations. Remaining sinless, Jesus has bound Satan's authority.   Therefore, Jesus can now thoroughly plunder his house. One step at a time, this will take place until, at the cross, he is entirely defeated. The sinless death of Jesus is the proverbial final nail in the coffin of Satan's ability to come against Him. In His death, the law is fulfilled. Therefore, the thing that stood against man and which Satan used against man, law, will no longer be an implement to cause saved humanity to fall again.   Life application: The importance of the issue of law versus grace is not to be diminished. Law, a violation of it, is what brought sin into the world. Through sin, man died. That state of sin and death spread to all men. This is recorded by Paul in Romans 5.   In Christ, the issue of law, and thus the issue of the imputation of sin, has been dealt with. This is why those who have come to Christ can adamantly avow that they have been saved. They have moved from a position of “under law” in Adam to a position of “in grace” in Jesus.   It is also why salvation, once it has been granted, is eternal. It is true, we may ignorantly reimpose law on ourselves after being saved, but we are still in Christ. Therefore, sin is not being imputed, even for the blunder of placing oneself under law. However, in our state of salvation, we will receive no rewards for a life lived under law, even if we remain in grace. By our actions, we are excluding the chance to be rewarded for our conduct.   On the other hand, those who never believe the gospel, but continue under law, cannot be saved. Only by rejecting self, accepting Christ's full atonement through His sacrificial death, which is proved by the resurrection, can someone be moved from “under law” to “in grace.”   Once that move takes place, it should be the person's goal and desire to live for God, loving Him, and being obedient to His guidance as outlined under the New Covenant in order to receive rewards. This is not for being saved or continuing to be saved. That was dealt with in Jesus' work. It is for rewards and losses in our state of salvation.   Let us learn the lesson of law and cling to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ always.   Glorious God, how grateful we are for what You have done for us in Christ. The power of Satan was bound in our lives, and we have been plundered from His hand. We are now under a new Master who will continue to forever protect us from the power of the devil. As this is so, help us to stay away from evil and always strive for what is good and pleasing in Your sight. Amen.

1 Kings 12 tells us of Rehoboam's folly following the death of Solomon. Rehoboam fails to heed the wise counsel of the elders and rather harkens to the ridiculous reasoning of his entitled peers. The outcome of this is the division of the kingdom, as prophesied by Ahijah. Jeroboam is termed in scripture "the man who caused Israel to sin". Jeroboam set up two golden calves - the one in the north at Dan; and the other in Beersheba in the south. Rehoboam sent his treasurer to collect the tribute from Israel. But they stoned the treasurer causing Rehoboam to flee in his chariot. Rehoboam then mustered his army but was dissuaded from fighting against his brethren by the prophet Shemaiah who tells the king that the division is from the LORD. To his credit Rehoboam responded to the Word of God and sent the army home. King Jeroboam from the northern branch of the divided kingdom next changes the timing of the feast of worship from the seventh to the eighth month. This idolatrous man made his priests from the lowest of the people. All of this was designed to maintain the division. Jeroboam was fearful that Israel might, if they went to the Feast in Jerusalem, be reconciled to Rehoboam. This 38th chapter of Jeremiah told of the malevolent treatment afforded the prophet at the hands of the treacherous princes casting him into the mire (mud) of the cistern. He was rescued by the kind and faithful Ethiopian, Ebed-melech. Our Sovereign recompensed the Ethiopian eunuch's kindness to Yahweh's prophet. After his deliverance Jeremiah presented his entreaties secretly to the king. Jeremiah again counsels the king to save Judah by surrendering to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.Mark 12 begins with the parable of the tenants of the vineyard which spoke of Israel. The parable tells of the constant rejection of God's servants, the prophets; and the ultimate sin of Israel in rejecting the Son of the Father. The nation's wicked rulers saw themselves in Jesus' words and fulfilled the prophecy of our Lord in plotting Jesus' death. Christ's enemies make several attempts to undermine our Lord's authority. The chapter shows that each prominent party posed hypothetical questions. The first was from an alliance of the Herodians, who were pragmatists who were prepared to cooperate with Rome, and the arch enemies of the Herodians - the Pharisees. The question from this unholy alliance was on taxation. The master not only answers majestically, but he directs their minds to God's claims on them. We are next told of the Sadducees posing their question on resurrection. This sect were the priestly class. They were wealthy and used their power to accumulate wealth. The Sadducees did not accept the teaching of the resurrection; nor any of the Scriptures apart from the 5 Books of Moses. These hypocrites were likewise confounded by incontestable proof from Exodus 3 - one of the five writings that were accepted by them - of the raising of the dead. The Scribes with the Pharisees pose a problem to our Lord as to which commandment was the greatest. Jesus answers by showing that the entire message of the Law and the Prophets hung equally on the love of God and the love one's neighbour. Christ then turns the tables on his foes through a simple question in two parts;- 1) whose son is the Messiah (easy they thought - David's of course); and, part 2) how then in Psalm 110 is the Christ spoken of as David's Lord? The inescapable answer was that the Christ, Messiah, was greater because he was the Son of God as well as son of David. The chapter concludes with a denunciation of the Scribes and an object lesson from the widow, who gave all. https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

Friday, 15 August 2025   But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28   “And if in God's Spirit I, I eject the demons, then it preceded upon you, the ‘God's kingdom'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus trapped the Pharisees with a question concerning the casting out of demons by their sons, meaning their disciples. With that complete, He now states a proposition to be accepted or rejected by the hearer, beginning with an emphatic statement, “And if in God's Spirit I, I eject the demons.”   Jesus has just clearly demonstrated that He cannot be ejecting demons by Beelzebul, something the Pharisees would have to grant based on His logic. Understanding that it is not by Beelzebul, then it must be from another source. In fact, it can only be from one source. And so He says, “then it preceded upon you, the ‘God's kingdom.'”   Here is a new word, phthanó (ff-than-oh), to precede, as in arriving ahead of time. Because of this, it is an arrival “before something which indicates priority in importance or sequence” (HELPS Word Studies).   The use of this word by Jesus indicates that He had already been on the scene, performing healings and miracles while preaching the gospel, but the people didn't realize that He was who He, in fact, turned out to be. One might paraphrase the thought, “Jesus walked among us, and before we knew it, He had revealed Himself to be the Messiah.”   The sense of the word can be seen from Paul's description of the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 –   “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede (phthanó) those who are asleep.”   Jesus cast out demons. He was accused of having derived His authority from Beelzebub. He demonstrated that such could not be the case. Therefore, what He had accomplished was evidence that what He did was from God, and thus God's kingdom had already come upon them.   As usual, the spiritual leaders of Israel missed the boat in understanding the significance of the events around them. Today, two thousand years later, they sit in synagogues and miss the fact that God's kingdom has come, rejecting Jesus, and thus rejecting their only hope of salvation.   Life application: It is common in evangelical Christian circles for people to give Jews a pass on not accepting Jesus, as if they are ok without Him. This comes in varying degrees. The most extreme case of this heresy is that of dual covenantalism, something preached by John Hagee. It is also the set doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. Even if it is not openly taught, it is in their doctrinal writings.   Others may not openly understand or accept this doctrine, but they still hold to it in their thinking, trying to rationalize away why Jews are ok with God because they are “God's people,” even while understanding that Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc., are condemned without Jesus.   This attitude stems from a failure to understand who “God's people” are at a given time. Hosea prophesied of a time when His people would no longer be His people, but those who were not His people would be His people. Paul explains this in Romans 9-11.   While the Jews are out of God's favor, they are “God's people” only in anticipation of restoration. However, they are not His people for salvation. Rather, that belongs to those -Jews and Gentiles – who have received Jesus. They are a part of the church.   That day will end at the rapture, and a simple question clears up the heretical notion that the Jews today are “God's people.” Will the Jews who don't believe in Jesus be taken at the rapture? The answer is obvious, “No.” Rather, they as a collective group will go through the tribulation. This proves that they are not now “God's people” except in anticipation of restoration.   The Christian community would do far better by evangelizing Jews than by proclaiming that they are God's people, thus bolstering the idea in their minds (meaning the Jews) that they think Christians believe they are right with God. Without Jesus, there is no salvation. Remember the basic equation –   In proper theology, one plus one will always equal two.   “‘I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.' 39 They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.' Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.'” John 8:37-41   Being a descendant (physically descended from) Abraham does not mean one is a child of Abraham from a spiritual perspective. Rather –   “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.' 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:5-9   Glorious God, help to get our thinking right in relation to what You are doing in redemptive history. Too many reject Israel because of their misdeeds, as if they no longer have the promises of the prophets. But too many fail to acknowledge that without Jesus, the Jews stand condemned. Help us to have clarity of thought, and to pray for and evangelize to this beloved, set-aside group of people. Amen.

What if the beautiful flowers we showcase on social media were just the perfect frame hiding a garden overrun with weeds? That carefully curated image represents how many of us approach not just our online presence, but our spiritual lives as well.In this deeply introspective exploration, we examine the concept of spiritual authenticity through the lens of Jesus's teachings in Matthew 6. Like those famous London townhouses with perfect facades hiding completely empty interiors, we're often tempted to craft a religious persona that looks impressive from the outside while remaining hollow within.Jesus presents us with a profound choice: we can perform our good deeds, prayers, and generosity to receive immediate acclaim from others, or we can practice these disciplines privately and receive a lasting reward from God. "Your method points to your motivation," and that motivation determines which reward you'll ultimately receive.The contrast is stark between serving others for social media content versus serving them simply because they matter. When we exploit vulnerable populations for photo opportunities or turn prayer into a performance art, we've chosen human applause as our payment. But Jesus invites us into something far more meaningful – a genuine relationship with God that doesn't require public validation.This isn't about never serving publicly or praying corporately. Rather, it's about examining our hearts and asking uncomfortable questions: Would I still give if no one knew? Would I still pray if no one could hear except God? Would I still serve if I couldn't post about it afterward?Though we'll all fail at maintaining pure motives sometimes, God's grace covers our shortcomings. The invitation remains: choose the reward that honors Him rather than ourselves. Will you accept the challenge to cultivate a life of authenticity, integrity, and presence with God, even when no one's watching?Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, consider subscribing to Madison Church on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback means the world to us, so please take a moment to leave a review and share the podcast with your friends and family.For inquiries, suggestions, or collaboration opportunities, please reach out to us at help@madisonchurch.com. For the latest updates and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube New episodes are released every Monday, so mark your calendars and join us weekly! If you'd like to support the show, you can make a donation here. Your generosity helps us continue to bring you meaningful content. This podcast is intended for general informational purposes only. The views expressed by the hosts or guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Madison Church. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. For detailed information regarding our terms of use and privacy policy, please visit our website.Thank you for being part of the Madison Church community! We appreciate your support.

Power Up: Mark 7:1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me., King James VersionIn this episode, we are seeking the Lord on behalf of several right now issues that we are facing on this earth. We are praying for our children, our parents, our loved ones that are suffering with sicknesses, and we are lifting up our leaders. Thank you for being a supporter of this podcast as I grow and learn things will become more like previous episodes, but I do not want to delay the podcast while I learn how to use the new format. Thank you for all of your support. Thank you for your shares. Thank you for joining your faith with my faith so that we can see God move upon the face of the earth if you have a prayer request, you can text 843-790-4229 or submit it by email to seeingwithoutseeing2020@gmail.com. Please put prayer request in the subject line. That email address can be used on Zelle and PayPal. If you desire to sow a seed, you can do that also on cash app at $seeingwithoutseeing. Thank you once again for your support please share this and believe God with us as we seek God.

Learning to trust Jesus is most realized when we stop asking for more signs. We don't need more signs. We need to trust what God has already done. Mark 8:11-13 11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.Following Jesus and enjoying life are not mutually exclusive. Let's connect to learn more about how that can look in your own life.Let's connect on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Daily Dose of Hope August 14, 2025   Scripture – Luke 7:36-50   Prayer: Holy God, We come before you today distracted and with scattered thoughts.  Help us focus, Lord, on you and your Word.  Help us, in the next few moments, to be silent, still, and remember that you are God...Thank you, Lord, for your care and concern for our lives.  Thank you for how you show up in amazing and unexpected ways!  We give you glory, Lord Jesus.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Thursday!  Today, we finish up Luke 7.   In today's reading, Simon the Pharisee and the forgiven woman illustrate two different reactions to Jesus. Simon sees Jesus as merely another teacher not even worthy of common courtesy.  He has invited Jesus to dine in his home, but he has not shown the typical forms of hospitality appropriate for an honored guest.  There is no water to wash feet and no kiss of welcome.   The woman, on the other hand, has a radical reaction to Jesus. She reacts with great sacrifice (pouring out the expensive perfume), and undignified affection (wiping his feet with her hair). The woman's reaction flows out of her profound recognition of Jesus forgiveness of her great debt. She is so very, very thankful.  While she is a sinful woman in that area, we don't have any information about her past.  Most scholars believe that this woman was NOT Mary Magdalene, nor is she a prostitute.  What's interesting is that Jesus refuses to play into Simon's judgment of her.  Jesus looks at her with compassion and even possibly appreciation.  She is showing extreme hospitality and generosity, exactly what Simon did not do.   Note that in Luke's version of this story, Jesus can read Simon's unspoken thoughts about Jesus and the woman.  Simon thinks to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”  So Jesus has an interesting interaction with Simon, directly confronting his thought.  He speaks to Simon about how those who are forgiven much are more thankful and those who feel like they don't need much forgiveness are less grateful for what God has done for them.  Of course, Simon's reaction comes from the fact that he does not believe he needs much forgiveness (i.e. he believes his debt is small). And he believes that all he has, all he has done, comes from his own effort. He's good. He's self-reliant. He might need God but only a little bit.   One of the greatest obstacles to being changed by God is not recognizing our own weaknesses, our own sins, and our own need for inner transformation. But when we recognize how much God has done for us, when we truly understand how much God loves us, how he has forgiven us totally, how all we have comes from him, then and only then do we experience the kind of gratitude and thanksgiving that this woman is demonstrating.   Pretend you were at the banquet, standing along the wall observing. What would your thoughts be about her behavior? What would you want to say to this woman?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Thursday, 14 August 2025   And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. Matthew 12:27   “And if I, I eject demons in Beelzebul, your sons – in whom do they eject? Through this they, they will be your judges” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told the Pharisees that if Satan were to cast out Satan, he would have divided himself. If so, his kingdom could not stand. Now, with a kind of “in your face” question for His accusers, Jesus emphatically asks, “And if I, I eject demons in Beelzebul, your sons – in whom do they eject?”   In this question, the “sons” are those who sit under the authority of the Pharisees, specifically meaning their disciples. There are two main points to consider in this question. The first is that their disciples must have claimed that they cast out demons. Otherwise, Jesus would not have even bothered with the question. Therefore, it is certain that they claimed this power.   Second, Jesus does not say they actually did it. Rather, He is affirming that they practiced the casting out of demons. An example of Jews doing this is found in Acts 19. Other than being a priest, it doesn't say what position their father held, be it a Sadducee or Pharisee, but the matter is documented by Luke –   “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.' 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?' 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.” Acts 19:13-18   People like this made claims that they were able to cast out demons. Jesus has established through His question that He knows the Pharisees' disciples made such claims. If this is so, the claim would be that they did it under God's authority. However, if the argument of the Pharisees was that Jesus was casting out demons by Beelzebul, then their own disciples must be allied with Beelzebul.   They have now placed themselves in an impossible trap. Therefore, they have to either retract their claim, which will then validate Jesus' ministry, or they will have to restate their claim and simply acknowledge that Jesus' authority is of God. If they don't, “Through this they, they will be your judges.”   The words are again emphatic. The claims and actions (whether real or fake) of the disciples bear witness against the words of the Pharisees. Either they are really casting out by God's help and thus Jesus is as well, or they are faking it and are charlatans. Either way, they cannot be casting out by Beelzebul because if they were, Beelzebul would have divided himself and fallen.   Life application: The Pharisees must have known that their disciples were falsely casting out demons. Having seen Jesus casting them out and realizing that what He was doing was true and effective, it cast on them the certain knowledge that He was able to do something they could not do. Therefore, they projected their failings on Him by adding an unsupportable accusation.   This, therefore, is essentially the fallacy known as projection. In essence, their thinking is as follows:   We are not really casting out demons. It is just a Benny Hinn show to dupe the masses. We see Jesus really casting out demons. However, we are (surely!) on God's side. Therefore, He must be doing this at the hand of Beelzebul!   However, because they are lying about their abilities, they are actually doing the work of the devil, because their lying certainly isn't of God. Therefore, they project their own failing on Jesus by ascribing His successes to Beelzebul.   This is a common practice among wicked people. They are corrupt, and yet they take what they are doing and ascribe it to their foes. As a modern example of this, which occurs daily in the US, the democrat party and individual democrats do exactly what they accuse their opponents of doing. In doing this, they project their own failings on those with whom they are at variance.   Unfortunately, shallow people who are unable to clearly process the events as they occur will often accept the words of such people without attempting to reconcile the words against the actions. It is a sort of brain-dead state where their hatred of a person or ideal completely blinds them to the reality in which they exist.   Much of this is a result of a lack of critical thinking, which is no longer taught in schools. Without the ability to see and then rightly process what is actually going on, subjective feelings become a person's hold on reality. As they already cannot properly process reality, they have nothing but enmity welling up in them toward whoever is being falsely accused.   Jesus used critical thinking when dealing with the Pharisees. He was able to cut through their unsupportable accusations and shine the light back on those who made them, exposing their hypocrisy.   To rightly understand the accusations of the left, listening to well-trained critical thinking people such as Thomas Sowell, Victor Davis Hanson, Dennis Prager, and others will help you process what is really going on in the minds of the left.   The same is true in Christian circles. Be willing to listen to sound teachers who have taken the time to learn Scripture and rightly process when someone is giving an invalid argument from it. What God says and does is logical. Nothing illogical will issue from Him. Therefore, when something is illogically presented, even if it sounds right at first, it cannot be.   “With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.” Job 12:13   Lord God, give us wisdom and understanding to rightly process Your word. Help us to possess this in the world around us as well. There is so much unclear thinking out there. Give us clarity of thought, discernment, and the ability to critically evaluate what is presented so that we can then rightly consider and act on what we are told. Amen.

In this episode we are finish Luke 7 with a look at Luke 7:36-50. In this passage, Jesus is invited over to Simon, the Pharisee's house, and is encountered by the sinful woman. Together we again discuss the role of dependence in our lives and the importance of our undivided dependence on Jesus in everything we do. When our dependence is divided among multiple things, we find anxiety and fear, but when our dependence is focused on Jesus alone, despite the uncertainty around us, we can find true peace.

Wednesday, 13 August 2025   If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? Matthew 12:26   “And if the Satan, he ejects the Satan, he divided upon himself. How then, it will stand, his kingdom?” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted what would happen if a kingdom were divided against itself. Using the same idea to ensure the point is understood, He next says, “And if the Satan, he ejects the Satan, he divided upon himself.”   This is the second time that Satan is mentioned in the New Testament. The first time was in Matthew 4:10 during Christ's temptation in the wilderness. At times, it is stated as a name or an appellative, as in Matthew 4:10. In Matthew 4:10, it said, “Withdraw, you Satan!” The meaning is probably closest to, “Withdraw, you Accuser!”   In this verse, both times it is preceded by a definite article, “the Satan” and thus “the Accuser.” Thus, it signifies, “And if the Accuser, he ejects the Accuser, he divided upon himself.” As such, it is not that one of his subordinates is ejecting another. It is as if he is ejecting himself.   It would be comparable to Joe Biden picking himself up and tossing himself out of the White House. That may be something the general public wished had taken place, but if it did, it would mean that he would no longer be in the White House. Instead, the American public was relieved of him in another way.   The point of Jesus' words is that what the Pharisees accuse Jesus of, meaning casting out demons by the ruler of demons, signifies that when a demon enters a person, Satan has essentially entered that person as well. When Satan ejects a demon, he ejects himself. The thought is contradictory to furthering his goals, but more, it is contradictory to logic.   The words are not present tense, saying, “he is divided against himself.” Rather, the verb being aorist says, “he divided himself.” The division is stated regardless of a particular time. It is simply a fact that at some point, when Satan takes such an action, he has at that time divided himself.   As for Jesus' continued words in such an instance, He remarks concerning the Accuser, “How then, it will stand, his kingdom?” The question demands a negative response: “It cannot.” If the verb were present tense, “he is divided against himself,” it could mean he could repair the division.   However, with the aorist verb, “he divided himself,” the repair is impossible. Therefore, just as a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, Satan ejecting himself from his subjects has caused his kingdom to fall.   Logically, then, if Satan had given Jesus the authority to cast out demons, he would have given Him the authority to cast himself out. The proposition is ludicrous to even the poorest thinker. As such, Jesus is thoroughly shaming the thought processes of the Pharisees who spoke before thinking.   Life application: Jesus speaks of Satan as a real entity. He acknowledges angels and demons as well. Paul also speaks of the spiritual battle that believers face in Ephesians 6. Unfortunately, Christians cling to this as if we could lose the battle. They dwell on the negative aspect as if it is something that could thoroughly overwhelm us.   Hollywood is great with this, leading people to assume that Satan can steal away people's souls while making no distinction between believers and unbelievers. In the case of believers, this is incorrect. Jesus has prevailed over Satan and his demons.   During this life, we can be afflicted by these spiritual forces, but if we are in Christ, we will never again be subject to their permanent rule. Paul even tells us of this in 1 Corinthians 5. Speaking of a wayward believer, he says, “...deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”   Paul's words of Ephesians 6 give us instruction for conducting our lives as Christians during this life, not “for” the next life. If you want to be free from spiritual affliction, follow the guidelines given there. But your eternal destiny, that of full restoration with God through Christ Jesus, was settled when you believed the gospel.   Don't have the defeated attitude that so many Christians carry around with them. Christ has prevailed! In Him, we too have prevailed. The more we rely on Him and what He has done, the surer we will be that this is true. Stand firm in your salvation, apply the words of Scripture to your life, and don't let the accuser and his minions rob you of your joy in Christ.   Lord God, thank You that because Christ has prevailed, we too have prevailed. May we stand fast in our salvation, knowing that we are free from law and therefore free from the imputation of sin. As this is so, we are free from the consequences that result from breaking the law. Satan can no longer hold such against us. Thank You, O God, that Jesus has prevailed! Amen.  

 1 And when great multitudes stood about him, so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples: Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.Multis autem turbis circumstantibus, ita ut se invicem conculcarent, coepit dicere ad discipulos suos : Attendite a fermento pharisaeorum, quod est hypocrisis. 2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: nor hidden, that shall not be known.Nihil autem opertum est, quod non reveletur : neque absconditum, quod non sciatur. 3 For whatsoever things you have spoken in darkness, shall be published in the light: and that which you have spoken in the ear in the chambers, shall be preached on the housetops.Quoniam quae in tenebris dixistis, in lumine dicentur : et quod in aurem locuti estis in cubiculis, praedicabitur in tectis. 4 And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.Dico autem vobis amicis meis : Ne terreamini ab his qui occidunt corpus, et post haec non habent amplius quid faciant. 5 But I will shew you whom you shall fear: fear ye him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you, fear him.Ostendam autem vobis quem timeatis : timete eum qui, postquam occiderit, habet potestatem mittere in gehennam : ita dico vobis, hunc timete. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?Nonne quinque passeres veneunt dipondio, et unus ex illis non est in oblivione coram Deo? 7 Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.sed et capilli capitis vestri omnes numerati sunt. Nolite ergo timere : multis passeribus pluris estis vos. 8 And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.Dico autem vobis : Omnis quicumque confessus fuerit me coram hominibus, et Filius hominis confitebitur illum coram angelis Dei :Hyppolytus, guardian of St Laurence, was converted and baptised by the Saint. He was tied by the legs to wild horses. A.D. 260.St Cassian, a schoolmaster of Imola, was pierced to death by his pagan pupils, armed with styluses A.D. 320. He is the patron of stenographers.

Jesus Christ is the smartest person who has ever walked this earth. He is God, after all! Today on Bridging the Gap, we'll wrap up pastor Lloyd's message in Mark twelve, where some know-it-all Pharisees are quizzing the Lord on various topics. Want to hazard a guess as to who ended up looking foolish?

Tuesday, 12 August 2025   But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. Matthew 12:25   “And Jesus, having known their thoughts, He said to them, ‘Every kingdom, having divided against itself, it desolates, and every city or house having divided against itself, not it will stand'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was accused by the Pharisees of casting out demons by Beelzebul. This was obviously done quietly among themselves or towards the crowds without Jesus directly hearing it because Matthew next records, “And Jesus, having known their thoughts.”   Jesus perceived their thoughts even though He was not openly privy to their conversation. It is a trait that belongs to God –   “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10   In knowing what they were thinking, He responds to their accusations, as recorded by Matthew, “He said to them, ‘Every kingdom, having divided against itself, it desolates.'”   There are two new words. The first is merizó, to apportion. As such, in this context, it signifies to divide one part from another. The second is erémoó, to desolate or make waste. If a kingdom is united, it will be alive and thriving, but when it is divided, it will become like a ruined wilderness where nothing productive takes place.   The sly accusation of the Pharisees does not hold water because it stands against simple logic. Jesus next provides a second example to solidify this truth, saying, “and every city or house having divided against itself, not it will stand.”   This is an example that would have been obvious to even someone as observantly dull about the world around them as the Pharisees. They may have been so stuck in their legalism that they never lifted their eyes to see how the normal world works, but Scripture and history would tell them that a city that did not possess the same goals and spirit of unity could not stand –   “And the house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23 So the house of Joseph sent men to spy out Bethel. (The name of the city was formerly Luz.) 24 And when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, ‘Please show us the entrance to the city, and we will show you mercy.' 25 So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man and all his family go. 26 And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day.” Judges 1:22-26   A single man not in step with the rest of the city brought the city to destruction. Evidence of such division makes the accusation of the Pharisees completely untenable.   Life application: Paul spends most of his time in the book of 1 Corinthians writing against divisions within the church. He does this because of the very precept Jesus highlights in this verse. The church at Corinth had many divisions of various types. If this problem were not corrected, the church could not stand.   His letter is a warning and admonition to churches throughout the age. Unless there is unity within the church, little divisions will lead to a total division of the congregation or even a total collapse of the church.   People have many pet peeves that drive their choice of church attendance. Generally, doctrine is not first and foremost on people's minds. Some people want comfortable chairs. Some want a church where food is served. Some look for a certain type of entertainment.   When these types of things are one's priority for church attendance, it is a rather shallow foundation on which continued attendance can be expected. With a simple change in the direction of the music, some will protest. If their protest isn't catered to, there will be disharmony. Depending on the size of the church, it can cause a split, or it may just cause those who are disenchanted to find another church.   As silly as this seems, it is as common as chicken meals at KFC. Churches, first and foremost, are intended to analyze and instruct in the word, which explains God and His redemptive plans for man through Jesus Christ. Once this main reason for gathering loses priority, there is no longer a sound footing for the church to continue without division.   Hold fast to the word, honor God through Jesus, and be ready to restore harmony within the church when it is called for. Jesus spoke about division and its consequences. Paul then set the example for us in his letters. We should do our best to emulate his instruction.   “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,' or ‘I am of Apollos,' or ‘I am of Cephas,' or ‘I am of Christ.' 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:10-13   Lord God, may we stand united in our devotion to You and to growing in You through a proper evaluation and right understanding of Your word. Help us in this, O God, so that we may be mature in our thinking, always placing You first in our hearts and lives. Amen.

Although atheism is rife in our country, is not an even greater disaster those who go to places of Christian worship and yet, in God's eyes, fail to offer to him the heart-felt worship he seeks. The wide variety of Churches must surely indicate this.   But we must avoid a judgmental attitude, that is God's prerogative, however we cannot help seeing some of the differences between first century Christianity and that which exists today. .Our first aim must be to make sure we ourselves are approaching God and His Son in the way he desires.Our second aim should be to try to help others whom we fear are failing in their approach to effectively worship God.  Now Jesus, in confronting this failure, bluntly said that the type of worship he was seeing was ”in vain.” How tragic that any worship is in vain.  One cannot totally blame the atheist and agnostic when they turn their backs on Christianity as they see such a contradictory mix of churches .A major reason why we read the Bible every day is to get a right understanding of what God and his Son Jesus, require of us. Only through God's word do we learn how they should be served and worshipped.In today's reading (Mark 7) Jesus calls the Pharisees and Scribes “hypocrites”[v.6], that is, people who put on a false front.  He quotes what God caused Isaiah to prophecy (as in his 29th chapter v.13); for God declared, “This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, in vain do they worship me; teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.”[v.7]How much worship today is pleasing to God?  Only God knows, but the above quotation shows there are two aspects we must get right.  Our attitude of heart, worship is not just a ritual, it must reflect the desires we feel in our heart.  Secondly, that the things we teach and believe are truly confirmed by God's word.Words we read a week ago in the last chapter of Romans spring to mind, “watch for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have been taught; avoid them.  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites …” [v.17,18]  Let us make sure our appetite is fed every day by the word of God, the words of Jesus ringing in our minds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” [John 6 v.35].

Ooooh MAMA! For a story that's thousands of years old, we sure do hear a lot about Jezebel. Or do we? Pastors and Christian influencers like Mark Driscoll and Charlie Kirk love to invoke the idea of "Jezebel spirit" whenever they don't like what a woman is doing. But is their portrait of the character of Jezebel honest, or are they just looking for a bludgeon to beat up women? Then, we're looking at two groups that get mentioned a lot in the New Testament. Who are the Pharisees and Sadducees? Were they good guys? Bad guys? Just guys? What was their role in Jewish society at the time of Jesus, and is the Biblical account of them fair? ---- For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠      Follow us on the various social media places: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have you ordered Dan McClellan's New York Times bestselling book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bible Says So⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ yet??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you building God's Kingdom… or just your own? In this powerful morning devotional, Kirk Cameron exposes the subtle ways believers can fall into “tiny kingdom” living—focusing on religion, routine, and self instead of God's eternal mission. Drawing from Matthew 23 and Jesus' warnings to the Pharisees, Kirk challenges us to move beyond surface-level Christianity and embrace a life of true devotion. Plus, we tackle your faith questions—from aliens to luck to why there are four Gospels—and share practical ways to live for a Kingdom that lasts. To learn more about the sponsor of today's show and what our family currently uses for our healthcare check out Christian Healthcare Ministries by visiting https://hubs.ly/Q02vWQGy0 Editing and production services provided by thepodcastupload.com #TheKirkCameronShow #GodsKingdom #Faith #Christianity #BibleStudy #KirkCameron #Devotional #ChristianLiving #KingdomOfGod #ChristianMotivation #SpiritualGrowth #MorningDevotional #Jesus #BiblicalTruth #ChristianFaith #Discipleship #KingdomMindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Sunday Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that our own goodness will never meet God's standard. In Matthew 5:20 and 5:48, Jesus raises the bar to perfection not to discourage us, but to show that only His righteousness can save. The Pharisees measured themselves against people. Jesus says the measure is God Himself. At the cross, He took our imperfection and gave us His perfection. In His resurrection, He gave us new hearts so we live from love, not performance. Stop comparing. Stop striving. Receive the righteousness only Jesus can give. 

Have you ever used your giving to steer decisions or send a message?It might seem harmless—or even wise—to designate your gift to specific ministries or withhold it when you disagree with leadership. But when our generosity becomes a tool for control, we've crossed a line. In this episode, we'll explore the subtle danger of using giving as leverage—and discover a better way rooted in surrender and trust.A Hidden Temptation in Church GivingLet's be honest—no one likes the word control when it's pointed at them. But in church life, this temptation surfaces more often than we'd like to admit.It might look like this:Giving only to certain ministries because you don't trust how the church allocates general funds.Withholding your giving when a leadership decision—like a staffing change or budget shift—doesn't sit well with you.Designating gifts to specific areas, not out of passion, but as a form of protest.On the surface, it may look like good financial stewardship. But beneath the surface, it's often an attempt to say, “I want things to go my way, and I'll use my money to make that happen.”That's not generosity. That's leverage. And Scripture warns us against it.The Corban Example: A Heart Check from JesusIn Mark 7, Jesus confronts the Pharisees for misusing a practice called Corban—a method of dedicating money or resources to God. While it sounded spiritual, the religious leaders were using it to dodge their responsibility to care for aging parents.As GotQuestions.org explains:“The Pharisees took a legitimate Corban offering and used it in an illegitimate and devious way to defraud their parents…Jesus tells the Pharisees that their misuse of Corban was an evil rationale to avoid doing what they should.”It wasn't the gift itself that Jesus condemned—it was the motive behind it.In the same way, when we give to maintain control or push our preferences, we're following the spirit of Corban. Even if our reasons sound righteous, they can mask a deeper issue: an unwillingness to surrender.From Leverage to Surrender: The Biblical CallThe Bible offers a better vision.Psalm 24:1 reminds us,“The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.”That includes our finances. We don't give to direct the church. We give because God owns it all—and calls us to steward it faithfully.Consider the example in Acts 4. Believers sold land and possessions, then laid the proceeds at the apostles' feet. No strings attached. No demands were made about how it was to be used. Just trust, unity, and wholehearted surrender.Of course, that doesn't mean churches shouldn't be transparent or held accountable. Scripture calls leaders to wise and faithful stewardship. But giving with strings isn't about accountability—it's about control. And control is the opposite of trust.What's Driving Your Generosity?Ask yourself: What's driving my giving?Is it love for God?Faith in His provision?Worship and gratitude?Or is it something else?Preference?Power?Payback?When giving becomes conditional, it's no longer cheerful—it's contractual. We treat God's work like a business deal instead of a spiritual act of worship.But when we let go of control, something beautiful happens: we find peace. We no longer feel the pressure to manage every church decision. We can give freely, knowing God is at work—even when His ways don't align with our expectations.Moving Forward in Trust and GraceIf you realize that control has been influencing your giving, here are three steps to take:1. Confess it to the Lord. God is gracious and patient. Ask Him to realign your heart with His and help you give from a place of surrender.2. Release your preferences. You don't have to stop asking questions or seeking transparency. But your generosity shouldn't be tied to your personal comfort or preferences.3. Give with trust. Trust God's ability to work through imperfect people. Trust that when you give with the right heart, your gift brings Him glory.Because when we give to control, we place ourselves at the center. But when we give in faith, we put God at the center—where He belongs.A Resource for the JourneyWant to go deeper into the heart behind generosity? Request a copy of Faithful Steward, our quarterly magazine for FaithFi Partners. With a gift of $35/month or $400 annually, you'll receive this encouraging resource and join a growing community committed to biblical financial wisdom.Learn more at FaithFi.com/Partner.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:My husband's adult son often asks us for money. He and his wife are behind on their bills, but we know they also spend on partying and things like marijuana. My husband feels emotionally pulled in, especially when his son talks about possibly losing their home. We want to be generous, but we don't want to enable irresponsible behavior. How can we approach this situation in a way that's wise and biblical?I'd like to assign someone as my power of attorney, but I don't have any family members I trust to take on that role. What options do I have in this situation?Is it wise to purchase life insurance for your children or grandchildren? What are the pros and cons?I'm thinking about getting a reverse mortgage to create some extra income. Can you explain how they work, and whether they're a good idea? I'd also like to know what risks or downsides I should be aware of.Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Understanding Reverse: Simplifying the Reverse Mortgage by Dan HultquistWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

The scribes and Pharisees think they're going to make the world a better place through the law.Jesus tells them, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” What is the division Jesus is bringing?That is the question we ask Dr. Chris Croghan in this week's conversation. CARE OF SOULS - ADDICTIONIn Care of Souls, a special mini-series podcast from Luther House of Study, Lutheran pastors and theologians come together to explore the deeply personal and pastoral task of preaching to and caring for those struggling with life's challenging situations: addiction, death, family disharmony, and more. Rooted in the theology of the cross and the Lutheran tradition of radical grace, this series offers both theological depth and practical guidance for pastors, church workers, and lay leaders.With conversations, real-life stories, and reflections from the front lines of ministry, Care of Souls equips listeners to enter the broken places of addiction not with easy answers, but with the crucified and risen Christ.Because in the end, it's not about fixing people—it's about preaching the Gospel.Listen to Care of Souls wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Luther House website: Care of Souls - AddictionCOURSES Do you like what you learn in the conversations on Scripture First? Luther House of Study has numerous interactive courses available for free on subjects ranging from the Lutheran Catechism to core Christian beliefs. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org to see their available courses, create an account to track your progress, and dive deeper into your learning. SING TO THE LORD Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. 

In Matthew 12, the Pharisees criticized Jesus' disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus replied with Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” In that moment, He challenged the belief that God values perfect behavior more than people. God's heart has always been for mercy, not burdensome religion. Many walk away from faith feeling crushed by impossible standards, but Jesus reveals a different picture - God's priority is relationship, not rule-keeping. When we grasp this, it changes how we see Him and how we show Him to others.

Daily Dose of Hope August 11, 2025   Scripture – Luke 6:1-36   Prayer:  Heavenly Father, We come to you today praising your holy name.  You are a good God!  Thank you for caring for us, for walking alongside us, but  most of all thank you for Jesus, who died our death, so that we can walk hand in hand with you.  Help us live like resurrection people in the way of Jesus.  We don't want to get stuck in our religion.  We want to live transformed lives in Jesus.  How we need you, Lord.  We are stubborn people.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin Luke 6.  Our reading today contains a lot of substance and I'll do my best to do it justice.   We begin with Jesus' disciples plucking off heads of grain on the Sabbath and then Jesus healing on the Sabbath.  Both of these things infuriate the Pharisees who have made the Sabbath incredibly complex for the people.  They instituted an extremely complicated system of Sabbath laws of their own that was oppressive and legalistic. There were strict laws regarding how to observe the Sabbath, which included 39 categories of forbidden activities. This went far beyond what was required in the Torah.  For example, they weren't allowed to swat a fly (it was considered hunting), nor were they allowed to look in a mirror because they might be tempted to primp.  Basically, these religious leaders, with their own lists of rules, had made themselves lords of the Sabbath, thus making themselves lords over the people.    Jesus was pushing back against this.  He speaks about how David and his men ate consecrated bread from the Temple when they were hungry, even though it was off-limits.  There are times when rules make sense and there are times when they don't.  People are always more important than rules.  The original intent of the Sabbath was to give humans rest, not to create a heavy burden.  The Pharisees had lost sight of this.    Jesus then states that he is Lord of the Sabbath.  This really gets the Pharisees worked up.  By saying this, he is declaring that he has authority over the Sabbath.  Jesus can overrule the Pharisees' rules and regulations because he is the one who created the Sabbath in the first place.  He has the power to correctly interpret the meaning of the Sabbath and the rules pertaining to it.  Let's be clear, Jesus is making a bold statement about who he is.    Do you get distracted by our own rules and traditions?  And do those rules and traditions get in the way of doing the work of Jesus?    The next portion of today's reading has Jesus choosing the twelve disciples.  Notice how he spends all night in prayer.  The fact that God the Son spends all night in prayer with God the Father is something to which we should pay attention.  If Jesus needed time away to pray to God, how much more do we who are made in God's image but do not share His essence?   The last section of today's reading includes the blessings and woes and love for enemies.  This teaching block is known as Jesus' Sermon on the Plain.  While it has similar elements to Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, it also is very different.  Matthew is clearly writing to Jews, while Luke's audience is mainly Gentiles.  It's for that reason that Luke doesn't worry about including references to Old Testament equivalents.   Luke is making a point about how God is in the business of turning human realities upside down.  The poor are blessed by God and the rich have already had their blessing.  The hungry will be satisfied but those who are full now will hunger later.  These beatitudes and woes are examples of a pattern we see in Luke --- God is at work in Jesus, turning worldly values upside down and challenging perceptions.  The mighty are cast down and the lowly are lifted up.   Thus, when Jesus then says to love your enemies, please know this audience would be shocked.  In the Gentile world, people did not love enemies.  It would have been a sign of weakness.  And yet, Jesus is turning things upside down, establishing a new standard of compassion that crosses religious, political, and cultural lines.    Notice this wasn't a suggestion.  It wasn't something that Jesus says to do every now and then or when it's convenient.  It's a command.  Interestingly, we find it hard to love good friends and family members.  It can be tough to love ourselves.  But Jesus is showing us all a different way.  Mercy for the those who are unmerciful, forgiveness for the unforgiveable, love for the unlovable – this is the way that God has chosen to transform people.  I recently read that we are the delivery system for God's healing power.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Monday, 11 August 2025   Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Matthew 12:24   “And the Pharisees, having heard, they said, ‘This, not He ejects the demons if not in Beelzebul, prince of the demons'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the people, although not committed to the proposition, somewhat suspected that Jesus may be the Son of David. Having stated this, the usual suspects now chime in. Matthew records, “And the Pharisees, having heard.”   Having seen their track record thus far, it can already be surmised that these men were indignant at the very thought of Jesus being the anticipated Messiah. Therefore, “they said, ‘This, not He ejects the demons if not in Beelzebul, prince of the demons.'”   There is no article before “prince” or “ruler” (NKJV). Thus, the statement speaks of a title more than a position. One can see the emphatic retort to the people's questioning –   23 ‘Not any, this, He is the Son of David?' 24 ‘This, not He ejects the demons if not in Beelzebul, prince of the demons.'   In order to draw the people's speculation away from Jesus possibly being the Son of David, they go to the most extreme resolution possible. Not only is He not the Son of David, but He also isn't even just a charlatan. Rather, He has power, but that power is surely derived from he who is prince of the demons!   They couldn't deny that the miracles were real. The evidence was there before them. But they would never come to acknowledge that what Jesus did was of God. Therefore, the certain explanation that they clung to was that Jesus' power was demonic.   Because of their words, Jesus will carefully explain why their reasoning is faulty and why they are in serious trouble before God because of their accusation.   Life application: On 24 June 2025, Adam Sheafe was arrested for crucifying an Arizona pastor several months earlier. Sheafe intended to kill fourteen more pastors, all because they believe in Jesus. The news service said –   “The suspect described his plan as ‘Operation First Commandment' and claimed that the Bible's New Testament teachings about Jesus Christ go against the biblical commandment that says, ‘You shall have no other gods before me.' Sheafe stated, ‘His commandments have been annulled by this character called Jesus, a human being who I believe is the son of Satan'” (American Military News).   Sheafe is obviously theologically confused. But what would lead someone to take such a stand? The answer is because he was told something about Scripture that was incorrect and, instead of doing the research, he trusted what he was told.   The people of Israel were presented with the obvious truth that Jesus was capable of healing the deaf and blind, and yet they questioned whether He was the Messiah or not. To rob them of any faith that may have sprouted in their hearts, the Pharisees quickly intervened and assured them that Jesus was healing by the power of Beelzebul.   It is one thing to listen to authority figures, and it is another to do so without checking what they say. Israel was presented with their Messiah. They rejected Him as a nation, and it caused them to, once again, fall under the curses of the Law of Moses. They had agreed to the law, they were to live by it, and they were to accept what it taught.   As Jesus noted in John 5, Moses wrote about Him. In Luke 24:27, it says, “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Israel rejected this. They continue to do so today.   Unfortunately, because of the teachings of modern-day Judaizers and Hebrew Roots adherents, this attitude has spread around the world. Like the Roman Catholic Church, their doctrine denies the all-sufficiency of Christ's work, mandating individual works as a part of the salvation process.   Law has been the problem since the first days of man on earth. It remains a problem to this day. It is what puts a wall between God and man. What is needed is God's grace. We cannot find life without it, and we cannot find healing and restoration apart from it.   May we remember this lesson. Jesus came to demonstrate to Israel that He was their Messiah. As a part of this demonstration, He gave His life up in fulfillment of the Law of Moses. Why would we ever want to go back to that? May we go forward in God's grace, living for Him and honoring Him by honoring the full, finished, final, and forever work of Jesus Christ our Lord.   Lord God, thank You for the all-sufficient nature of Christ's work. Through what He has done, we are fully reconciled to You. Thank You for Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

A look at how the Pharisees missed the point in Mark 3:1-6 and discussion that we cannot do the same. Also a brief talk about everything being meaningless without Jesus!Instagram and email: @ben.mitchell04 and ⁠bmmitch04@gmail.com⁠.          LACIDAR's Instagram and email: @lacidarpodcast and ⁠LACIDAR2020@gmail.com⁠.  LACIDAR Facebook: Lacidar

1 Kings 7 verses 1-12 describes the building of Solomon's own magnificent palace - containing a grand hall called the Forest of Lebanon because of the magnificent cedar pillars. It was approximately 45 metres in length and 24 metres wide. It took 13 years to build. He also constructed an impressive palace for Pharaoh's daughter who may be the subject of Psalm 45 and the Song of Solomon. The timber work of cedar and the magnificent gemstones were characteristic of these houses. Verses 13-51 describe the furnishings of Yahweh's House. Both were magnificent, but, the description of God's house occupies the bulk of the chapter. A comment on the two pillars of entry into the house; one was called 'Yachin' meaning established by Yah; and the other'Boaz' the strong one. It was a parable about the Lord Jesus Christ- Yahweh will establish through the one He strengthened. In chapter 33 of Jeremiah we are told of the blessings of our Sovereign, when He brings peace and security; when the fortunes of Judah are restored. Verse 1-3 contains a plea from the Sovereign LORD to call upon Him and He will respond. The thoughts are similar to those expressed in Hosea 2 verses 21-23 and it follows on from the ideas outlined in Jeremiah 32 verses 37-41. Verses 4-5 tell of judgment that the Chaldeans will bring to guilty Judah. Verses 6-13 return to the blessings that will come to a repentant nation. Verse 9 focuses on the time when Jerusalem will be a city where God's truth resides and will be to the LORD for praise and glory: Zechariah 8 verses 11-23. Note well the joy in that city, ie equivalent to the rejoicing between the bridegroom and the bride - symbolic of our Lord Jesus Christ and his ecclesia. Verses 14-26 speak of that time when Yahweh's eternal covenant with David will be operational. God states that this covenant can never be broken, and can be relied on as the sun and moon rise each day. Contemplate the wonderful words of verse 15 ESV: "In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute righteousness and justice in the land". This is speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ. Compare the message of Zechariah 3:8-10. Slowly read aloud these verses and marvel at the blessings that Messiah's kingdom will bring.The 7th chapter of Mark contrasts worship that has been nullified by tradition, with true worship from the heart. The Pharisees found fault in Jesus' disciples who washed not after tradition. The Pharisees were noted for their elaborate ceremonies when washing: they washed so as to prevent water contaminated by dirt from contacting their hands. Our Lord used this situation to tell that legalism was symptomatic of the worship of that time. He spoke of the gross avoidance of responsibility contained in the 5th commandment by the ruse of Corban. Then he showed that defilement is a moral, not a physical, matter. This originated in the mind. The record follows with the curing of the Syrophenician woman's daughter; made possible through her great faith, and the acknowledgment that Israel were God's chosen people. She illustrates the importance of being associated with God's covenant people and on the basis of her faithful confession she gratefully receives the abundant crumbs that fall from the children's table. As Jesus says to the woman of the well at Sychar: "Salvation is from the Jews" John 4 verses 22-26. The chapter concludes with the healing of a deaf and dumb man from the Decapolis.More here https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

1 And when great multitudes stood about him, so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples: Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.Multis autem turbis circumstantibus, ita ut se invicem conculcarent, coepit dicere ad discipulos suos : Attendite a fermento pharisaeorum, quod est hypocrisis. 2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: nor hidden, that shall not be known.Nihil autem opertum est, quod non reveletur : neque absconditum, quod non sciatur. 3 For whatsoever things you have spoken in darkness, shall be published in the light: and that which you have spoken in the ear in the chambers, shall be preached on the housetops.Quoniam quae in tenebris dixistis, in lumine dicentur : et quod in aurem locuti estis in cubiculis, praedicabitur in tectis. 4 And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.Dico autem vobis amicis meis : Ne terreamini ab his qui occidunt corpus, et post haec non habent amplius quid faciant. 5 But I will shew you whom you shall fear: fear ye him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you, fear him.Ostendam autem vobis quem timeatis : timete eum qui, postquam occiderit, habet potestatem mittere in gehennam : ita dico vobis, hunc timete. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?Nonne quinque passeres veneunt dipondio, et unus ex illis non est in oblivione coram Deo? 7 Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.sed et capilli capitis vestri omnes numerati sunt. Nolite ergo timere : multis passeribus pluris estis vos. 8 And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.Dico autem vobis : Omnis quicumque confessus fuerit me coram hominibus, et Filius hominis confitebitur illum coram angelis Dei :The Roman deacon Tibertius, son of the prefect of Rome, was beheaded after suffering many cruel torments A.D. 286.Susanna, a holy virgin of high lineage, refused to marry the son of Diocletian, and was beheaded after grievous torments A.D. 295.

772 He Calls For All His Own Sheep By Name, A Guided Christian Meditation on John 10:1-3 with the Recenter With Christ app The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation NIV 1 Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. RSV Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Reflection on Scripture: One thing we can get caught up in while doing devotional reading is the idea that we need a profound and unique insight in order to make a devotional meaningful. I know I have encountered many clever and nifty thoughts reading devotionals. Although this can be fun, none of that should take us away from the simplest idea that is the central core of the gospel of Jesus Christ. An all knowing loving God, chose to love you before you were even created. In that love he also created a method by which we can learn and grow and be redeemed.  The life mission of Jesus Christ is the outpouring of that love and it is offered to you. We are his sheep. He is both the shepherd and also the gate by which we come in and out. He is the way but he also shows us the way. There is a door specifically designed for us sheep. A door and a path that if we use, we will find safety. We can complicate it but ultimately there is no important message that can ease our burden than that. Anything you are facing in this world is a temporary challenge. God does not shout down answers at us from heaven but has shown us the way to live through the example of Jesus' life. He shows us how to overcome challenge with love and patience. He shows us strength in the face of overwhelming odds. He shows us that good will always win over evil.  If you are listening to scripture and responding to it then you are following the good Shepheard. I encourage you to continue in that walk. The path he has laid out will guide us to victory and safety. He is your loving savior and will never leave you or forsake you.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod  

In John 7:37–52, Jesus stands and cries out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” It's a bold invitation—urgent, clear, and life-changing. In this message, we walk through five scenes: the plotting of the religious leaders, the invitation to the thirsty, the division in the crowd, the arrest that never happens, and the pride-filled rejection of the Pharisees. Along the way, we meet Nicodemus, a man whose quiet questions and cautious words remind us that God often works slowly in drawing people to Himself. This passage confronts us with a choice: Will we scoff in pride, stand undecided, or come thirsty to the only One who satisfies?

Pastor Branden Brown unpacks the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to challenge our view of God, reminding us that true relationship with Him begins not with pride or performance, but with humility, repentance, and grace. New to Echo Grace? We'd love to get to know you! Fill out a quick connect form at https://echograce.com/connect. Want to support our ministries & mission? Your generosity makes a difference. Give at https://echograce.com/give.

Simon, a Pharisee, invites Jesus over for dinner. A sinful woman with a bad reputation arrives, lavishing Jesus with ointment and tears, and honoring Him. Simon is disgusted by this- but Jesus explains the experience of grace leads to love. She has been forgiven much, therefore she loves much. Simon, though, is self-righteous and doesn't think he needs forgiveness- and therefore misses out on a relationship with God.Application Questions: 1. In what ways do you see your own heart like Simon's?2. How does judgmentalism show up in your life? How does the gospel kill it?3. What does the woman teach you about how to have a relationship with Jesus?4. Do you see the depth of your need for forgiveness? Do you see the greatness of Christ's love and sacrifice for you?5. How can you worship Christ this week like the woman?

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:25-26“The idea of the Spirit held by the average church member is so vague as to be nearly nonexistent. When it is thought of at all, it is likely to be misunderstood as an influence or an impersonal power.”A.W. Tozer“From my perspective, the Holy Spirit is tragically neglected and, for all practical purposes, forgotten... while no evangelical would deny His existence, I'm willing to bet there are millions of churchgoers across America who cannot confidently say they have experienced His presence or action in their lives.”Francis ChanWhat do you believe concerning the “Holy Spirit”?First, that the Spirit, with the Father and the Son, is eternal God. Second, that he is given also to me, so that, through true faith, he makes me share in Christ and all his benefits, comforts me, and will remain with me forever.Heidelberg Catechism, Q.53THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT A PAST/PRESENT POWER APPLIED TO A CHRISTIAN, HE'S THE PERSON OF GOD WHO HAS COME TO MAKE HIS HOME IN A RESURRECTED HEART.25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:25-26THE TEACHERTeacher: someone who helps others learn, understand, and grow in knowledge, skills, character, or wisdom.MATH EQAUTION PIC***Teacher: someone who takes what is formless and void to the student, and brings order to the chaos through words.25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:25-26ONE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S PRIMARY ROLES IS TO PARTNER WITH GOD'S WORD TO CREATE ORDER.Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.Acts 2:2-4Modalism: a theological view that posits the Trinity is not three distinct persons within one Godhead, but rather one God who reveals Himself in different "modes" or “manifestations"THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CREATIONIn the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.John 1:1-5THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EZEKIELThe hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley;[a] it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath[b] to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling,[c] and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.Ezekiel 37:1-10THE HOLY SPIRIT IN JESUS31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.Luke 1:31-35GOD'S SPIRIT WORKS IN TANDEM WITH GOD'S WORDTRY TO SEPARATE GOD'S SPIRIT FROM HIS WORD AND YOU WILL GETWORSHIP THAT IS “WITHOUT FORM” (John 4)22 You worship what you do not know;John 4:22They worshipped a God whom they did not really know. Thereason for this was their rejection of most of His revelation inthe Old Testament. On top of this, the Samaritans had addedpagan concepts to their faith, concepts that came from theirGentile forefathers.Dr. Thomas ConstableWORSHIP THAT IS “VOID” (Matthew 23)2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.Matthew 23:2“AM I GIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT THE WORD TO WORK WITH?”LEARNING TO DWELL AND FEAST ON THE BIBLE IS THE START TO A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE“AM I GIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT ROOM TO WORK WITH THE WORD?”DON'T READ ALONE. INVITE THE HELP OF THE TEACHER....

Join Us for Worship: Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM https://www.flourishinggrace.org/plan-your-visit In this message from Luke 12:1–12, Pastor Benjer leads us through one of Jesus' most sobering teachings about what it means to follow Him in a world that does not want us to. Drawing from the lives of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Betty Stam, and Richard Wurmbrand—men and women who paid a great cost for their allegiance to Christ—this sermon reminds us that discipleship is neither neutral nor comfortable. Jesus warns His disciples to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, a caution against living for the approval of others while neglecting the heart. He then gives a clear warning: do not fear those who can harm the body, but fear the One who holds our eternal destiny. Yet even in this, there is comfort—God knows us intimately, values us deeply, and never forgets us. Our worth is not determined by human opinion but by the price God paid for us in Christ. Finally, Jesus issues a call: to publicly acknowledge Him in both word and deed, to live with integrity before a watching world, and to trust the Holy Spirit to give us the words when our faith is challenged. Pastor Benjer emphasizes that following Jesus will inevitably cause friction with the values of the world, but Christians are not called to seek out conflict for its own sake. Instead, we are to live faithfully, sacrificially, and graciously, showing Christ's love in tangible ways. He challenges us to examine whether we have been living to please others rather than God, to reject the temptation to remain neutral, and to resist making enemies of those who simply need to hear the good news. The message closes with a vision for the church: that if our building and programs disappeared, the community would notice because of the way we have loved, served, and represented Jesus. This is a call to live as people whose only hope in life and death is Christ, steadfast in faith whether the world applauds or opposes. It is a reminder that discipleship will cost us something, but that it is worth everything because of who Jesus is and what He has done. Whether you are a longtime believer, a new Christian, or still exploring the faith, this sermon invites you to wrestle honestly with what it means to follow Jesus faithfully today, trusting that His Spirit will equip and sustain you in every circumstance. Will you follow Him with boldness and faithfulness, even when the world pushes back?

With all that has already taken place in the book of Mark, the Pharisees come asking for "a sign from heaven", and the disicples, after watching Jesus feed thousands—twice—are still worried that they didn't bring enough bread. Do we have faith greater than these?

Grace in the Parables seriesLuke 18:9-14

Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

This sermon examines Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees when His disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath. It opens by setting the cultural and biblical background—showing that eating grain from another's field while traveling was permitted under the law (Deut. 23). The disciples' willingness to receive what they didn't earn becomes a central application: many Christians struggle to receive help because of pride, self-sufficiency, or fear of appearing needy. Yet the gospel is about giving and receiving freely—grain and grace.The Pharisees' objection to the disciples' actions is framed through the Mishnah's idea of “building a fence around the Torah,” originally meant to protect God's law. However, fence-building often turns into gatekeeping, where people decide who's in or out of God's kingdom. Jesus confronts this spirit, reminding them that He—not the Pharisees—is the Gardener, the King, and the High Priest.Through two Old Testament references—David eating the bread of the Presence (1 Sam. 21) and priests working on the Sabbath—Jesus asserts His authority to declare what is lawful and to give His followers both grain and grace. The sermon closes with a call for humility and dependence on God: the story begins with hunger but ends with help; begins with grain but ends with grace; begins with the Pharisees but ends with Jesus—who still gives to the hungry when they simply say, “I need help.”

Meals at tables are a place of conversation, of community, of connection. At these meals barriers come down and relationships deepen. At Christ's table, you're invited to experience forgiveness, connection, and belonging. Let's begin this new series by joining Jesus at a meal with a Pharisee and see what we can learn.  #fsbcsermon #fsbccoalinga Contact us at TheWordInfusion@gmail.com with your comments, questions or praises.  Let us know how our podcast has blessed, encouraged or helped you.  Join us on our Facebook pages at http://www.facebook.com/fsbccoalinga & http://www.facebook.com/..  Help us to grow a community that infuses the Word of God into their lives each day.  Follow us on Twitter @TheWordInfusion or @fsbccoalinga .  To support this ministry click on: https://giving.myamplify.io//app/giving/fsbccoalinga or copy and paste it into your web browser.

https://www.maynardvillefellowship.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Matthew-23_16-22-Woe-Unto-You-Blind-Guides.mp3 How are we to understand swearing, vows, and oaths? Didn't Jesus say not to swear at all? Yet Deuteronomy commands, “You shall fear only the Lord your God… and swear by His name.” How do we reconcile these texts? The Scribes and Pharisees embraced a loophole-laden system of vows — silly as children crossing their fingers, but deadly in its power to defraud. Listen as Pastor Matt unmasks the absurd logic and damning consequences of blind guides in high places — and points us to the only Shepherd who swore truthfully, kept every vow, and bore the covenant curse so His people could live in the unshakable light of His Kingdom.

A Sermon for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity Matthew 7:15-21 by William Klock In 597 b.c. the Babylonians conquered Judah.  The Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, ordered the deportation of the ruling elite of Jerusalem.  That meant King Jehoiachin, most of the royal family, and thousands of others including many of the priests.  That included Ezekiel.  He had been born into one of the important priestly families.  He was twenty-five years old.  Had everything gone as expected, had everything gone to plan, he would have been ordained a priest at the age of thirty and gone on to serve before the presence of the Lord in the temple.  Instead, with the rest of those Jewish exiles, he sat down by the rivers of Babylon and wept as he remembered Zion—as one of the psalmists put it.  And he wondered how he and his people could ever sing the Lord's song in a strange land. And then, on Ezekiel's thirtieth birthday, he had a vision.  He saw the Lord enthroned in glory and the Lord commissioned him.  Instead of being a priest, the Lord ordained Ezekiel a prophet—a prophet to the exiles and to the people of Judah.  Ezekiel was to announce to his people why they had been defeated and carried off into exile.  He was to accuse his people of their idolatry and of their unfaithfulness to the Lord's covenant.  And he was also to announce that the Lord's judgement on Judah had only just begun.  And so Ezekiel's ministry began with a series of acted out prophecies.  He acted out the coming destruction of Jerusalem with miniatures.  He lay on his side for a year, acting the part of the scapegoat, while eating food cooked over human waste.  He cut off his hair with a sword.  Again, to announce the coming judgement on Jerusalem.  And all for nought.  The Lord told him that no one would listen and they didn't—because Israel's heart was hardened against the Lord. But just because the people wouldn't listen didn't mean Ezekiel's job as a prophet was done.  The Lord gave him another vision, this time of the temple in Jerusalem.  He saw his people worshipping idols in the temple court and then he saw the Lord's glory—the cloud that rested on the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies—he saw that cloud of glory depart from the temple.  And the Lord announced to him that the temple would be destroyed.  Again, because of Israel's idolatry and lack of covenant faithfulness.  Ezekiel accused his people of being like a rebellious wife and like a rampaging lion.  He described Israel and Judah as two shameless and reprobate prostitute sisters.  And he dragged his people into the divine courtroom and put them on trial before the Lord.  They could beg for mercy all they wanted, but the time for mercy had passed.  God's goodness and faithfulness demanded that he judge his people.  For centuries he had shown them his patient mercy, but now is was time for justice.  And that's when word reached Ezekiel that Jerusalem had fallen, the temple had been destroyed, and that the Lord's judgement had come on Judah. But that wasn't the end of Ezekiel's ministry.  The Lord would not leave his people in judgement forever.  If being faithful to his word meant judgement on their unfaithfulness, it also meant restoring them and making them faithful.  And so Ezekiel's prophetic messaged shifted from judgement to hope.  Through him the Lord promised the restoration of his people under a new king, under a David-like messiah.  And the Lord promised to breathe his Spirit into his people to take away their heart of stone and to give them a heart of flesh.  He gave Ezekiel a vision of a valley of dry bones and commanded the prophet to speak his word over those bones.  And the word of the Lord brought them back to life.  It was a promise of new creation.  But the wicked pagan nations still stood in the way of that new creation.  And so the Lord also gave Ezekiel a series of visions in which he defeated the nations.  And then, finally, Ezekiel had a vision of creation set to rights.  That vision begins with a temple.  Not the old temple, but a new one.  A new one infinitely grander and more beautiful than even Solomon's temple.  And after being given a tour of this temple, Ezekiel has a vision of the Lord's glory descending to fill it.  It's the Lord's way of saying that he will not abandon his people forever.  He will be with them again.  And out of this temple's gate flows a stream and as it flows down the mountain from the temple the stream turns into a great river.  Wherever it flows trees and lush vegetation spring up.  And eventually the river flow down into the desert and there it causes a lush garden to grow—Eden restored—a garden named “the Lord is there”. Now, everyone likes that last part.  Everyone wants to hear and to claim for themselves the messages of hope.  No one wants to hear the call to repentance and the warning of coming judgement.  No one would listen to Ezekiel's warnings.  It's not that they didn't hear them—or see them.  It was hard to miss the weird guy playing with action figures or hacking his hair off with a sword or laying on his side and cooking food over poop.  They saw it all.  But they refused to take it to heart.  They were convinced their exile to Babylon was an accident of history, not the Lord's judgement on their idolatry.  But once Ezekiel's prophecies of doom came true, I expect the people were hanging on his every last word of hope.  That's the test of a prophet, after all: does his word come to pass.  Ezekiel's did. And for that reason the people were still hanging onto his words when Jesus came, still looking for and longing for those divine promises to finally be fulfilled.  Because judgement had happened as the prophet foretold, that restoration of the people, that new creation, that new life with God would happen just as surely too.  It was just a matter of time.  So it shouldn't be a surprise that as Jesus preached he drew on the words of the old prophets like Ezekiel.  But it was the same old thing all over again.  The people gathered to hear Jesus preach good news.  They flocked to him for healing and deliverance and miracles that showed the kingdom of God was breaking in.  But they didn't want to hear the warnings.  They gasped when he told them that to see that coming kingdom, to know that garden called “the Lord is there”, they needed righteousness, they needed covenant faithfulness far beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees.  Judgement was coming on Judah again and Jesus was there to create a new people, a new community that would have that righteousness, that would be salt and light, that would be a city on a hill, that would come out the other side of God's judgement to see his kingdom.  The people in Ezekiel's day didn't want to hear that part of the message and neither did the people in Jesus' day.  Ed Stetzer likes to say, “If you want everyone to like you don't be a pastor, go sell ice cream.”  I think Ezekiel (and Jesus) would say the same thing about being a prophet. Our Gospel today is taken from the closing words of Jesus' sermon on the mount.  Jesus has spoken hard words—just as Ezekiel had.  But there was reason to hope.  In him the Lord was finally doing that new thing everyone had been waiting for since the prophets, but Jesus was also condemning their covenant faithlessness and announcing coming judgement.  And so he warns the people—this is Matthew 7:13—“Go in by the narrow gate.  The gate that leads to destruction, you see, is nice and wide and the road going there has plenty of room.  Lots of people go that way.  But the gate leading to life is narrow, and the road going there is a tight squeeze.  Not many people find their way through.”   In other words, “Yes, I know what I've been saying is hard.  Yes, I know it means repentance and turning away from sin and pursuing covenant faithfulness with everything you've got and even then you're going to need God's help, but that's the way to life.  Listen to me, because judgement is coming again and it's coming soon.  (He later told the disciples: before this generation passes away!)  And if you refuse to listen and if you keep going down the wide and easy path you're on, you're as sure to meet that judgement as the people of Ezekiel's day did. “Watch out for false prophets!” Jesus says.  There are people invested in the ways and the ideas and the systems of the present evil age.  They don't want to see you repent and turn back to the Lord.  They know everyone loves ice cream and they're going to show up with a cart full of it and everyone's going to listen to them—because ice cream is a lot more fun than calls to repentance.  “They will come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are hungry wolves.”  Jesus draws on Ezekiel's condemnation of the leaders of Israel and Judah.  They were like wolves in the midst of the flock, tearing apart the sheep, shedding blood, all for their own gain.  It's always the way of false prophets.  They proclaim what people want to hear.  When the Lord desires repentance, the false prophets proclaim the status quo.  When the Lord desires sacrifice, the false prophets proclaim health and wealth.  When the Lord warns of judgement, the prophets proclaim “Peace!  Peace!”  And so Jesus warns in verse 16, “You'll be able to tell them by the fruit they bear: you don't find grapes growing on thorn-bushes, do you, or figs on thistles?  Well, in the same way, good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit.  Actually, good trees can't produce bad fruit, nor can bad ones produce good fruit.  Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire.  So you must recognise them by their fruits.”   There's never been any shortage of false prophets in the world.  In the Old Testament the test of a prophet was whether or not what he said came to pass.  The punishment for false prophecy was death.  Brothers and Sisters, claiming to speak the very word of the Lord is serious business.  His words are life.  When people claim to speak for the Lord, but speak falsely, it gives people reason to doubt his actual word.  But people took it lightly in Ezekiel's day, people took it lightly in Jesus' day, and far too many people take it lightly today.  The Old Testament test of a prophet still stands: Do his words come to pass?  But when Jesus warned the people, there wasn't time for that.  Judgement was coming soon.  So Jesus gives another way: look at the fruit.  It was a good test then and it's a good test now.  When someone says, “Thus says the Lord,” look at that person's life.  Does their life show the fruit of the Spirit?  Do you see things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control?  Or are they just selling ice cream and getting rich?  It's always amazing to me how many people flock to men and women who claim to work miracles and who claim to speak for God, but the miracles are false, the words are heresy, and the things they say never come to pass.  But it is a testimony to just how much we like ice cream, how much we'd rather hear “Peace, peace!” than a message about repentance.  Look at the fruit.  If the fruit is bad, the tree is bad and there's only one destination for bad trees: the fire—judgement.  Don't end up in the same place. Look for the fruit.  I know the language of the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit is something that developed later with Paul, but I think it's worth noting that Jesus talks here about fruit.  Too many people look for signs—what Paul would call “gifts” of the Spirit.  But even Paul warns these things can be faked.  Signs and wonders aren't necessarily evidence of a true prophet.  Fruit is the evidence. And Jesus goes on, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; only people who do the will of my Father in heaven.  On that day lots of people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, didn't we?  We cast out demons in your name.  We performed lots of powerful deeds in your name.'  Then I will have to say to them, ‘I never knew you.  You're a bunch of evildoers.  Go away from me.'”   “On that day.”  That's language right out of the Old Testament prophets about the coming day of the Lord, about the day of judgement when the Lord will punish evil and vindicate the righteous.  A lot of people thought that just being an Israelite and having the Lord as their God gave them a place in the coming kingdom, but Jesus says that, no, that's not enough.  In fact, he narrows it down even further: a lot of people will think that because they've thought of Jesus as their Lord and done amazing things in his name, that they'll have a place in the kingdom—and not even that will cut it. It's important, I think, to remember here that Jesus isn't talking directly to us.  He was talking to First Century Jews and the judgement he was warning about was the judgement that would come forty years later when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.  Those who would survive, those who would see the birth of the kingdom, would be those who truly identified themselves with Jesus in faith.  The people who followed him in the new exodus through baptism and into whom God would pour his Spirit.  They're the ones—not the ones who merely had an appreciation for what Jesus was teaching or thought of him as a great prophet—but the ones who truly recognised the God of Israel at work in Jesus the Messiah and who became part of his family, this new Israel redeemed by his death and given a new heart of flesh by the Holy Spirit.  They would be the dry bones that lived again.  They would be the ones whom God would deliver from the coming judgement.  They're the ones who would live to testify to the nations of the glory of the God of Israel revealed in the cross.  They're the ones who would live to proclaim the good news to the nations. And so Jesus concludes his sermon with a final allusion to Ezekiel.  In verse 24 he says, “So, then, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  Heavy rain fell; floods rose up; the winds blew and beat on that house.  It didn't fall, because it was founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn't do them—they will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  Heavy rain fell; floods rose up; the winds blew and battered the house—and down it fell.  It fell with a great crash.”   Ezekiel warned the false prophets about the wall they'd built.  It's a pretty clear reference to the temple just as Jesus' “house” here is, too.  The false prophets had built a wall and they'd whitewashed it and it looked great.  It looked like a wall for the ages.  But when the Lord's judgement came, when he sent the rains and the floods and the winds, that wall came crashing down and exposed its builders as the unfaithful and idolatrous false prophets they really were.  The same thing would happen again.  The people of Jerusalem and Judea looked up to the temple as their hope, but Jesus condemns them.  Not this time as whitewashed walls, but as whitewashed tombs.  They went through the motions of faithfulness, they maintained their ritual purity, they proclaimed their love for and their loyalty to God, but their hearts were far from him.  Because God's heart was in Jesus. Jesus had to come to fulfil the prophecies of hope and life.  He'd come to build God's new temple.  Not one whitewashed with false piety, but one washed with his own blood.  Listen to Peter's call in his first epistle: “Come to him, to that living stone.  Men rejected him, but God chose him and values him very highly!  Like living stones yourselves, you are being built up into a spiritual house—a new temple!—to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that will be pleasing to God through Jesus the Messiah.  That's why it stands in scripture: ‘Look!  I am setting up in Zion a chosen, precious cornerstone.  Believe in him!  You will not be ashamed.'”   The false prophets, the wolves in sheep's clothing, the grifters selling spiritual ice cream, they whitewash false piety, they whitewash selfishness, they whitewash heresies—they whitewash the ugly things of the world.  They proclaim “Peace, peace” in the face of coming judgement.  Brothers and Sisters, don't be duped.  Listen to Jesus.  Stay focused on Jesus.  Think of Peter's confession later in Matthew's Gospel: “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God!”  This is the rock on which Jesus has built his church—his people, his new temple—and not even the gates of hell will overpower it.  Never forget that this is the temple in which his Spirit dwells. Never forget that this the temple from which God's new life flows to the world.  Never forget that this temple is the source of God's new creation.  And it's built on the rock and nothing but the rock that is Jesus. Come to the Lord's Table this morning and be reminded that in Jesus, God has given his own life for you—for us.  Come to the Lord's Table and be reminded that in Jesus, God has breathed his life into our dry bones and made us live again.  Come to the Lord's Table and be reminded that he's made us the precious stones of his temple.  Then be that Spirit-filled and life-giving water that Ezekiel saw flowing out from the temple into the world carrying God's life, carrying his new creation. Let's pray: Gracious Father, in Jesus you have washed us clean from sin and by your Spirit you have renewed our hearts and made the priests of your new temple.  Guard our hearts from the temptations of false prophets and false gods that our desires might always be for you and your kingdom, through Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

“They weave the spider's web.” — Isaiah 59:5 See the spider's web, and behold in it a most suggestive picture of the hypocrite's religion. It is meant to catch his prey: the spider fattens himself on flies, and the Pharisee has his reward. Foolish persons are easily entrapped by the loud professions of pretenders, and […]

It's Friday, August 8th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus ISIS soldiers behead Christians in Mozambique, burning churches International observers are reporting that ISIS-aligned soldiers are beheading Christians and burning churches and homes in central and southern Africa – with some of the most brutal attacks happening in the nation of Mozambique, reports Fox News. The Middle East Media Research Institute – a counter-terrorism nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. – is sounding the alarm about what it describes as a "silent genocide" taking place by Muslim terrorists against Christians.   Alberto Fernandez, their Vice President, spoke to Fox News. FERNANDEZ: “What we see in Africa today is a kind of silent genocide or silent brutal, savage war that is occurring in the shadows and all too often ignored by the international community. We see rampaging jihadist groups from West Africa and even in the south in Mozambique. “The fact, for example, is that jihadist groups are in a position to take over, not one, not two, but several countries in Africa. It is very dangerous for the national security of the United States, let alone the security of the poor people who are there.” Fernandez spoke bluntly about the goal of these Muslim terrorist groups in Africa. FERNANDEZ: “The goal is eliminating Christian communities completely. These jihadist groups want to eliminate all the Christians in that area, take that area over, and keep pushing.” And he's grateful for President Trump's willingness to become involved. FERNANDEZ:  “The President's initiative in stopping the growing war between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, its neighbor, is very significant, because this could have become a terrible war. We know that jihadists like to take advantage of vacuums, security vacuums, ungoverned spaces.” The migration agency said Monday that attacks by Muslim insurgents in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province displaced more than 46,000 people in the span of eight days just last month. Sixty percent of those forced from their homes were children. The Muslim jihadists of Africa would do well to follow the advice of Gamaliel, the Pharisee from the time of Christ. In Acts 5:38-39, he said, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Amazon Web Services gives the Trump admin $1 billion coupon In the United States, Amazon Web Services is giving the Trump administration a $1 billion coupon to use their services for the federal government's digital transformation and artificial intelligence capacity, reports Politico.com. On Thursday, the General Services Administration announced a sweeping “OneGov” agreement with Amazon Web Services that would yield up to $1 billion in cost savings for federal agencies shifting to cloud services. But the Amazon deal is not exclusive. Similar OneGov agreements are in the works with other major cloud providers, including Microsoft and Google. Oracle also recently signed a deal giving government agencies a 75% discount on Oracle technology. Trump cancels half billion dollars of federal funding for UCLA over anti-Semitism The Trump administration has canceled $584 million in grants for the University of California in Los Angeles, claiming they did not take a strong enough stance against on-campus anti-Semitism, reports One America News. UCLA recently reached a $6 million settlement with three Jewish students and a Jewish professor who sued the school in a civil rights dispute, claiming pro-Palestinian protesters were permitted to block them from accessing certain areas on campus in 2024. President Donald Trump's office announced that the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division found UCLA in violation of the Equal Rights Act of 1964 “by acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students.” Catholic priest met homosexual prostitute in church parking lot Clemente Guerrero-Olvera, a Catholic parochial vicar at St. Ann Church in Clayton, North Carolina, was arrested and charged with soliciting prostitution with a 20-year-old man he allegedly met on the homosexual app named Grindr in the church's parking lot, reports LifeSiteNews.com. During an unrelated search for a missing person around 1:00 a.m. on August 4th, a police deputy spotted the young man, identified as Ja'Quavis Brinson, inside a vehicle in St. Ann's parking lot and another man, later identified as Guerrero-Olvera, who ran away, according to the Johnston County Report. The 47-year-old Catholic priest was promptly arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution after an investigation revealed that he had arranged to meet the 20-year-old via Grindr, allegedly for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. Guerrero-Olvera was booked at the Johnston County Detention Center and later released on a $2,500 secured bond. Brinson of Benson, North Carolina was charged with misdemeanor prostitution.  1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Two weeks after cancellation, Colbert doubles down on liberal jokes And finally, it's been over two weeks since CBS announced on July 17th that it was cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as of May 2026. In the first show after the cancellation was announced, the leftist comedian addressed the news. COLBERT: “On Friday, Donald Trump posted, ‘I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.” (audience boos) “Over the weekend, it sunk in that they're killing off our show, but they made one mistake. They left me alive!” (audience laughs) However, Colbert has responded by doubling down on the same liberal jokes and liberal guests that made viewers (and advertising dollars) turn away in the first place, reports Newsbusters.org. According to a new Media Research Center study, Colbert's political jokes targeted conservatives and Republicans 95% of the time, and 100% of his political guests, in the two weeks since his cancellation, were liberals. In the eight episodes from July 21 through July 31, Colbert told 129 jokes about right-leaning individuals or groups compared to only seven about left-leaning people or groups. That 95% disparity is considerably higher than his 2023 number of 86% or 2024 number of 82%. The Late Show has been losing a whopping $40-50 million a year because Colbert has used his network platform to belittle half the country, reports the New York Post. COLBERT: “They pulled the plug on our show because of losses pegged between $40 million and $50 million a year. $40 million is a big number. I could see us losing $24 million, but where would Paramount have possibly spent the other 16 million? Oh, yeah.” (audience laughs) That was a dig, referencing the $16 million settlement CBS' parent company reached with President Trump just weeks ago regarding the deceptive editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris to aid her candidacy. Here's the edited version which aired on 60 Minutes in a segment with CBS reporter Bill Whitaker. WHITAKER: “But it seems that Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu is not listening.” HARRIS: “We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.” And here is the unedited version, featuring Kamala's signature “word salad” which did not air on 60 Minutes. WHITAKER: “But it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening. The Wall Street Journal said that he, that your administration has repeatedly been blindsided by Netanyahu. And in fact, he has rebuffed just about all of your administration's entreaties.” HARRIS: “Well, Bill, [long pause] the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of, many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region. And we're not going to stop doing that. We're not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.” Exodus 20:16 records the ninth commandment that God gave Moses on Mt. Sinai.  “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, August 8th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

For many years, I chased other things on this planet.    Money.    Cars.     Houses.    Fame.    Businesses.   A family.    And the craziest thing is after all of the chasing of tangible things tied to this Earth, I fgured out what I want.    I'm chasing the purpose of taking complex concepts and breaking them down for everyone to use in their lives.     Put them into practice.    I'm here to teach, help people, and do so in a rough and aggressive way to make it happen.    Jesus did it.    To clarify, I'm not compariing myself to Jesus.    He pissed off the Rabbis, Pharisees, the Roman Empire.......there's a long list.    He never chased people, money, power, fame, or anything like that.    No matter what or who you believe in, once you lock into your purpose, you will be unstoppable.    Believe me.......   I know it.      About the ReWire Podcast   The ReWire Podcast with Ryan Stewman – Dive into powerful insights as Ryan Stewman, the HardCore Closer, breaks down mental barriers and shares actionable steps to rewire your thoughts. Each episode is a fast-paced journey designed to reshape your mindset, align your actions, and guide you toward becoming the best version of yourself. Join in for a daily dose of real talk that empowers you to embrace change and unlock your full potential.    Learn how you can become a member of a powerful community consistently rewiring itself for success at https://www.jointheapex.com/   Rise Above

Romans 5:1-2 — The apostle Paul saw the glory of God when he was on his way to persecute Christ's church. In this sermon titled “Glory Begun Below,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches this powerful sermon from Romans 5:1–2 which shows that it is the risen Christ who appeared to Paul and changed him from a Pharisee persecuting the church to a follower of Christ. When anyone sees the glory of God, they are transformed and made new, just as the apostle Paul. How does one see this glory? While today's Christians do not have experiences as the apostles did, God still shows His glory in this life through many of His everyday graces. The glory of God is encountered while experiencing the grace of God at regeneration. But ultimately, the glory of God will be seen on the last day when the Christian's salvation is brought to completion. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is emphatic that salvation is a process that ends when the Christian is made like Christ, purged of all sin and made pure by His glory. The question that all must all ask is this: “have we experienced this glory?” If the listener has not, this sermon brings the most important message for this life.

Romans 5:1-2 — The apostle Paul saw the glory of God when he was on his way to persecute Christ's church. In this sermon titled “Glory Begun Below,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches this powerful sermon from Romans 5:1–2 which shows that it is the risen Christ who appeared to Paul and changed him from a Pharisee persecuting the church to a follower of Christ. When anyone sees the glory of God, they are transformed and made new, just as the apostle Paul. How does one see this glory? While today's Christians do not have experiences as the apostles did, God still shows His glory in this life through many of His everyday graces. The glory of God is encountered while experiencing the grace of God at regeneration. But ultimately, the glory of God will be seen on the last day when the Christian's salvation is brought to completion. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is emphatic that salvation is a process that ends when the Christian is made like Christ, purged of all sin and made pure by His glory. The question that all must all ask is this: “have we experienced this glory?” If the listener has not, this sermon brings the most important message for this life. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29