Podcasts about philippians

So, where are you from? Where do you claim citizenship? Wherever your citizenship is, is where you belong. You may travel other places, but home is always where your citizenship is. Think about how where you are from has made a radical difference in your life. How different you would be if you were from somewhere else. You would talk different. You would have totally different customs. Your view on the world would likely be different. What you know is what you know, and to you it’s what is normal. Some cultures eat with their hands. Other cultures would consider you downright barbaric if you dug into your bowl without a spoon or fork. Some cultures kiss when they meet – for others that’s just weird. In some cultures you take off your shoes before you enter someone’s home – but not everyone was taught that. We’re not being rude, we’re just different. Our culture shapes what feels normal. With that perspective, think about what Paul says in Philippians 3:20, “But we are citizens of heaven.” As a follower of Jesus, you’ve been set apart and your citizenship has changed. You’re not from here. You actually don’t even belong here. Your culture has changed and what used to be normal is no longer normal to you. God has been doing a work in you, changing your identity and reassigning your citizenship. You’re now a member of the Kingdom of Heaven. You know what that means – that means everything is changing for you. You’re undergoing a radical shift. It’s why you just can’t do the things you used to do and feel the way you once did. It’s why you now desire such different things. Sis, you’re not from here! You belong to a different culture. Yesterday I met a woman with a beautiful accent. I knew she was from somewhere very different than me. I asked and she said South Africa. Oh, everything she said just sounded so incredibly fancy to me. I really just wanted to have tea with her. And really, as citizens of HEAVEN, that’s the way it should be with us. We should sound different when we talk to people who don’t yet have their citizenship in Heaven. We should be attractive, intriguing, inviting, irresistible. Girls, we are here representing Heaven – make everyone want to come visit! And once they visit, they will want to stay! The girls from the Kingdom of God do things differently than the rest of the world. Instead of looking out for ourselves, we’re out here loving the heck out of our neighbors. We’re refusing offense, resisting bitterness, and continually choosing forgiveness. We’re stepping down from pedestals, canceling the performance, and learning to embrace humility. Our priorities have shifted from, “What can I get?” to, “What can I give?” Kingdom girls walk in victory through surrender. Now, what a radically uncommon concept that is! In every other kingdom, surrender means defeat. If you wave that white flag, you’re giving up. You’ve lost. But in the Kingdom of God, surrender is not losing—it’s winning. Surrender is the highest act of trust. It’s laying down your need to control, your need to be right, your need to be seen, your need to win, and saying, “Jesus, I trust You more than I trust myself.” Paul tells us in verse 19 about the world culture. “Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.” Welp, can’t you see how that was you? I was that person – weren’t you too? What I wanted was all I craved. I made my desires my god, my goal, my focus. That’s natural in the world. Every marketing strategy tells you get what you want, and what you want is what they have to sell you. Wake up, Sis – we have to remember we are different! We don’t belong here so we can’t fall into that culture. We belong to Heaven and in the Kingdom of Heaven our King is our God. Paul says when we are in the world’s culture, we brag about shameful things. Do you want to really see that? Ask God to open your eyes to see what that looks like. Then, scroll through your facebook memories and look at your posts from past years. I make my own self wanna gag! The things I used to brag about are shameful. The photos I used to post just hoping someone would see me. I’m embarrassed for myself. It didn’t used to bother me at all, but my citizenship has changed. How about yours? When you finally know where you really belong, there’s a shift because you realize you no longer have to prove your worth. You’re a citizen of Heaven! World culture thinks primarily about this life—what’s happening here, what’s happening now, what we can have, accomplish, experience, and enjoy in this moment. But Kingdom girls remember that this life is only a tiny fraction of our existence, with eternity stretching out before us. So where are your thoughts? Are they consumed with what is happening here, or anchored in what is coming there? Are you making decisions based only on what feels good right now, or are you considering what matters forever? Because when you know you’re a citizen of heaven, eternity changes the way you live today. Suddenly, what looked so important yesterday may not seem nearly as important anymore. The applause fades. The possessions lose their grip. The need to prove yourself starts to loosen. And the things that last forever begin to matter a whole lot more. Girl, don’t let a temporary world distract you from an eternal Kingdom. You belong somewhere bigger than here. Your circumstances are temporary. Your citizenship is eternal. You are here to represent the place you belong to. So if heaven is your home, your life should increasingly look like the King you belong to. You belong where Jesus is, so his way becomes your way. Jesus says to pray like this, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Have you ever thought about what that means as an action plan for you? You’re walking out God’s kingdom here on earth. You’re bringing the culture of heaven into this world where God has temporarily placed you. You’re living here, but you belong there. You have an earthly address, but a heavenly identity. You participate in this world, but you don’t have to be shaped by this world. You represent another Kingdom. And everywhere you go, you get to give people a little glimpse of what your home is like. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

ISAIAH 66:1-24 | PHILIPPIANS 3:4-21 | PSALM 74:1-23 | PROVERBS 24:15-16Support the podcast here:

NEW #BIYE w @OliveTreeBible DAY 275 - Isaiah 66:1-24 Philippians 3:4-21 Psalms 74:1-23 Proverbs 24:15-16

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261002dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 There’s No Denying It! “There’s no denying it. He’s the best there ever is, the best there ever was, the best there ever will be.” Do you ever find yourself making statements like this? It happens all the time with sports fans. For example, who is the greatest basketball player of all time? Jordan? Kobe? LeBron? Fans will argue whatever data fits their side. “He had more championships” or “The league was tougher during that era” or whatever else they can think of. But whether we're talking about sports, military generals, brainiacs, or business tycoons, there isn’t anyone that EVERYONE agrees is, was, and always will be the greatest of all time. To be honest, the same is true even when it comes to religion. Every religion promotes its teaching or its figurehead as the best. As a Christian, it’s not a secret that I say that about Jesus. Hands down, without a doubt in my mind and heart, Jesus is the best. But let me plead my case. Jesus did what no one else could possibly do. Jesus lived a flawless life, a life of complete perfection, a life that he gave up so that his perfection could be gifted to you and me. However, Jesus didn’t stay dead. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave and walked out of his tomb, alive. He defeated death, an enemy that no man could but he, the God-Man, did. Until Jesus returns, religious people will continue to make their claims about their side being right and others being wrong. But there will come a day when there will be no denying it—Jesus is the best. Prayer: Dear Jesus, keep me faithful in confessing your name until the day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that you are Lord. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Listen to this archive episode of Tent Talk as Nancy McCready explores what it means to have the mind to suffer—not suffering as punishment, self-righteousness, or something we manufacture for ourselves, but the willingness to endure whatever comes through following the Father and living as Christ. Drawing from 1 Peter 4:1, Romans 8, and Philippians 2, Nancy examines the mind of Christ as part of our inheritance in Him. As maturing sons, we are learning to see as He sees, think as He thinks, and become increasingly responsive to Holy Spirit. This includes developing the willingness to persevere when obedience brings rejection, hardship, waiting, or suffering. The motivation is not suffering itself—it is fellowship with Him. As the mind of Christ is developed within us, fear, rejection, and the threat of suffering lose their ability to control us. This archive episode is a call to allow Holy Spirit to prepare us for the day and hour in which we live, so that whatever lies ahead, we can continue faithfully with Him. Thanks for Listening! I hope that after listening to The Tent Talk Podcast, you'll want to start discussions with your team or small group. These resources can help guide your discipleship journey to maturity and destiny with the Father: Episode Notes & Conversation Guide DOWNLOAD HERE https://nancymccready.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/EPISODE-1059-The-Mind-To-Suffer.pdf LINKS The Devotional Podcast with Nancy McCready https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2hHjwQ_3Qrp1rhbR9nu68wnBtQY0IHzc The Producer's Way School theproducersway.com Nancy's book, From Trauma to Trust www.amazon.com/dp/B096ZML6R3/ JOIN THE CONVERSATION Every journey begins with a conversation, join us on social media to get started! Facebook: www.facebook.com/nbmccready Instagram: www.instagram.com/nbmccready/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nancymccreadyministries SUBSCRIBE Like what you hear? Subscribe to Tent Talk with Nancy McCready so you don't miss an episode! nancymccready.com/podcast/ ABOUT NANCY MCCREADY Nancy McCready is redefining discipleship across nations, cultures, and denominations. Through Nancy McCready Ministries, she partners with leaders to build deep, transformative discipleship cultures that provoke people to walk in freedom and live as mature sons of the Father. Her powerful message comes from her journey of overcoming abuse, addiction, and self-destruction to walk in true freedom. She now dedicates her life to helping others grow in intimacy with the Father and live unto Him. ABOUT TENT TALK PODCAST Tent Talk with Nancy McCready is a listener-funded podcast dedicated to helping Christians along their journey of a deeper walk with Christ. With the support of donors like you, we are able to help our listeners gain a deeper spiritual understanding and connection with the Father. Thank you for your support of the Tent Talk Podcast! nancymccready.com/giving/ Brought to you by Nancy McCready Ministries nancymccready.com/

What do you do when following God starts revealing the parts of you that still need work?Maybe you're noticing thoughts you thought you were past, comparing yourself to others, having a hard time receiving correction, or trying to faithfully serve God in a season that feels harder than you expected.Sometimes walking closely with God means seeing yourself more clearly. And that can be uncomfortable.In this episode, we're talking about what it looks like to keep following God when you feel like you're falling short, allowing Him to correct and refine you, and remembering that being used by God doesn't mean He's finished working on you.You can be called and still need correction. You can be serving and still need refining. You can love God deeply and still have areas where He wants you to grow.Don't run from what God is revealing. Let Him use it to make you more like Christ."He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." — Philippians 1:6You're not there yet. None of us are. Keep letting Him work.

Send us Fan Mail***Read the Bible in a Year with me in 2026 right here on the podcast!***Bible Verses of the Week: Week 40: Philippians 4:8Welcome to the podcast Move Forth With Grace!  We will be reading the entire Bible in a year.  This is such a perfect way to get into God's Word each day and to develop your own relationship with God our Father through His Son Jesus Christ. I am your host Angela and want to first of all say that I am not an expert in Theology or Church History or a Minister and I never will claim to be.  I am a  wife and mother who has been reborn and want to be of service to God in gratitude for calling me back home. Welcome to the Podcast! The Bible that I will be reading from is the McArthur Daily Bible.  It is a New American Standard Bible.Thank you for being here....thank you for becoming less like you and more like Jesus.May you Move Forth with Grace today!Love, Angela Connect with me on social media or send a prayer request to me on my website here:https://campsite.bio/moveforthBible Teachers that I recommend:Mike Winger on https://biblethinker.org/meet-mike/John McArthur on https://www.gty.orgDr. Chuck Missler on www.khouse.orgNancy Missler on www.kingshighway.orgDale Partridge on www.relearn.orgChuck Smith on http://www.pastorchuck.org/RC Sproul Eschatology Playlist:https://youtu.be/n22MRa0P6_I?si=Aw53nQLSteu6T3-ASupport the show

Join Brookside Baptist Church Pastors Ken Keltner and Mark Widmer as they study the Book of Philippians.

What if the thing God is asking you to walk into isn't a loss at all, but the doorway to a kingdom far bigger than the one you've been living in? Graham Cooke follows Peter across the threshold of Cornelius's house, where an apostle who had never set foot in a Gentile home discovers that God "doesn't care anything for the traditions of man" and that "hundreds of millions of people" were lining up behind that one door. Then Saul, the academic theologian who was "100% on a mission from God," has "a violent encounter with grace" on the Damascus road, and thick scales fall from his eyes. Discover why God gave you a Comforter ("so that he could mess with you"), why some things have to be forcibly removed before we can see, and why Graham insists that "if grace is not scandalous, it's not grace" — because "if it's not too good to be true, it's not God."Key Scriptures:+ Acts 10:28. "And he said to them, 'You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.'"+ Matthew 15:3. "And He answered and said to them, 'Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?'"+ Philippians 3:5-6. "circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless."+ Acts 9:3-5. "As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.'"+ Acts 9:17-18. "So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized."Want to explore more?

Just how important is your image to you? The more you are driven by image, the more you are enslaved to performance. Do you deeply need everyone to see you win – is there a constant need for triumph – to look good – to be praised – to come out on top? Tall pedestals create a long, hard fall, my friend. This is real life and in real life there are battles in which you won’t always look good. There are times when you will fail and times when you will hurt. Times when your image will be disheveled. Are you just going to perform your way through that? Is it going to be more important for you to portray perfection than allow God to break you and work his perfection in you? Look at a child. Aren’t they just perfect with their chubby little rolls and full face, open mouth giggles. Perfect babies, but so much growing to do. So much to learn. Still so much for them to become. My friends, that is us in our faith walk. As a child of God we are perfect in our creation, a true masterpiece of our Maker, yet we have so much growing to do. We are in process to becoming all we were created to be. And that process is sometimes messy, sometimes brutal, sometimes really imperfect. There’s a work happening within each of us from the moment we accept Jesus as the LORD of our lives. That’s a work of the Holy Spirit. God’s presence dwells within us and cleans house. We’re undergoing a continual demo work inside. A reworking and restructuring of our attitude, our perspective, our desires and our priorities. And really, that’s what our entire lifetime here on earth is – the work of the Holy Spirit within us, growing us, teaching us, molding us, perfecting us. When will that work be done? Not here. Not in this lifetime. But when we get to our eternal destination of glory, then the work in us will finally be complete. That will be our mark of perfection. But here on earth as we’re walking out our lifetime, we’re not going to be perfect. We’re going to continually be a work of progress under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Will you be willing to just show that? Really, that’s what this world needs. But not only the world as a whole, but your world, your little circle, your community, your office, your family – they need to see the work God is doing in you. In order for them to see that work, they need to know you struggle, they need to know you don’t really just wake up like that, they need to see behind the curtain, without the makeup, on the hard days where you still just show up and partner with the work the Holy Spirit is doing in you. When you’re in performance mode with your display of perfection to be praised, you may look good but let me tell you what that’s doing for the people around you – it’s making it easy for them to see you, but hard to see your God. Everyone around you is dealing with a tinge of insignificance, a hint of ‘not good enough’ and when you dare to be real with them you allow space for their struggle to meet the Holy Spirit you carry. Girl, you carry the presence of God in you. There’s zero need for you to portray yourself as perfect – there’s absolutely EVERY NEED for you to make space for the perfection of God. That means you’re going to have to admit you struggle too. You’re going to have to be make friends with that unpolished part of you that you would prefer no one else see. What would you rather see – my perfection that tells you I’m perhaps better than you …. or the parts of me that God is still working on that show you if God loves, chooses and uses me in my state, he can love, choose and use you in yours. Girls, why are we getting this so wrong? Why do we struggle with this balance? This life is not a performance to look impressive – this life is an opportunity to carry the presence of God and point to the working power of the Holy Spirit available to each one of us. Paul says in Philippians 3:12-14, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Paul, the man who was responsible for starting some of the first churches to follow Jesus – Paul, the man responsible for writing the majority of our New Testament Bible – Paul, the one who had a very personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that radically changed everything for him – THAT PAUL – and he’s saying I’m not perfect, but Jesus is working perfectly in me! You are not perfect, but Jesus is working perfectly in YOU! Maybe today you need to stop trying so hard to look like you’ve already arrived. Maybe you need to take the pressure off yourself to have it all together, know all the answers, respond perfectly, never struggle, never lose your temper, never doubt, never get discouraged, never make a mistake. Maybe you need to stop curating the image and start embracing the process. God isn’t asking you to prove that He’s done a good work in you. He’s inviting you to let Him continue doing that good work in you. There is a huge difference. Performance says, “Look what I’ve accomplished.” Grace says, “Look what God is doing.” Performance needs applause. Grace is content with obedience. Performance protects the image. Grace surrenders the heart. Performance says, “I need you to think I’m doing well.” Grace says, “I need Jesus to keep doing His work in me.” Girl, you don’t have to be impressive. You have to be available. You don’t have to have the perfect marriage, the perfect kids, the perfect attitude, the perfect body, the perfect house, the perfect faith, the perfect morning routine, the perfect prayer life or the perfect answer. You don’t have to walk into every room looking like you’ve got it all figured out. You can walk in as a woman who is still becoming. Still learning. Still healing. Still growing. Still surrendering. Still getting things wrong and letting Jesus teach you how to get them right. And honestly? That’s a much more beautiful testimony. Because nobody needs another woman standing on a pedestal telling them how to be perfect. We need women who will climb down off the pedestal, sit beside us in the mess and say, “Girl, me too. But let me tell you what Jesus is teaching me.” That’s where connection happens. That’s where shame loses its power. That’s where grace gets room to breathe. And that’s where people begin to see Jesus instead of just seeing you. People need to see what it looks like to have Jesus in the middle of a hard day. They need to see what forgiveness looks like when you’re still hurt. They need to see what humility looks like when you were wrong. They need to see what repentance looks like when you blew it. They need to see what faith looks like when you don’t know what’s next. That is discipleship. Not perfection on display, but Jesus at work in real life. So let them see the process. Let them see the unfinished places. Yesterday evening in front of the grocery store, I met a man named Jeff. Jeff pushes a shopping cart full of dirty bags and walks with his head down. As I parked my bike, he approached me and asked me for some spare change. Looking at his face, it appeared he had recently been in a fight and he was covered in shame. I told him I didn’t have any money on me, but I would most certainly buy him some food inside. He asked for a can of soup. When I returned from my short shopping trip, I handed him a can of chili mac and cheese along with a can of chunky potato soup. He was grateful. Then I invited him to lock eyes with me and engage in conversation. Standing there in my Natural Life dress with a credit card to buy anything I wanted in my pocket, a bag of fresh food to cook for my dog, and my $2000 e-bike, I didn’t exactly come across as someone who could understand his situation. He looked at me as if I were better than him. As if I had perfection while he didn’t. That’s when I asked Jeff if there was anything he needed prayer for. He said, “Well, yes – I need a house.” I said, “Okay Jeff, I understand – is it okay if I pray with you right now?” Ever so politely, he declined, explaining that he struggled with faith and he felt he was more of a toaist. That’s when I felt the Holy Spirit just take over. All my ‘perfection’ left me and I said, “I’m not familiar with that – can you tell me what that means?” Suddenly Jeff and I were in a conversation about faith, about a struggle to believe something he couldn’t see and simply couldn’t feel. He said he had tried many different religions and nothing ever worked for him. I asked him if he had tried Jesus. He stood there with no answer in deep thought. Struggling. I looked him in the eye and told him, “Jeff, God created you, he knows you and he loves you.” That’s when his bright blue eyes filled with tears and he said, “I try so hard to be a good person.” I could see that. There was so much goodness in him. Although he wasn’t ready for me to pray with him, he listened as I told him one encounter with Jesus could radically change his life. I told him I had seen people with a lifetime of addiction be set free, I had seen sickness be healed, I had seen families restored and it all happened with Jesus. You see, last night in front of the grocery store, an imperfect struggling man met a very imperfect woman who carries a perfect God. I’m not his answer, but I carry his answer. I’m not his fixer, but I carry his fixer. And that’s the whole point. Jeff didn’t need to meet a perfect woman in the parking lot of a grocery store. He needed to meet a woman willing to be real enough for Jesus to use her. He didn’t need my polished image, my answers, my accomplishments or my ability to make everything look good. He needed the presence of God I carry. And maybe that’s what the people around you need too. So get off the pedestal. Lay down the performance. Stop worrying so much about how you look and start caring more about what Jesus can do through you. You are not perfect, and you don’t need to be. You are being perfected. You are still becoming. You are still under construction. And every imperfect, unfinished, unpolished part of you is an opportunity for someone else to see just how perfect your God really is. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

You've prayed about it for months, maybe even years, and you're starting to wonder if it's time to give up hope. We've been there too. In this episode, Ellen sits down with Kaci Nicole Harlow to talk about the painful reality of waiting on God, and how to remain faithful with unanswered prayers. Kaci shares from her own long season of waiting for marriage and motherhood, offering biblical encouragement for anyone wrestling with disappointment, comparison, or questions about what God is doing.They discuss:How to keep trusting God when your prayers are going unansweredWhy God cares about who we're becoming while we waitHow to resist comparing your journey to someone else'sWhy prayer matters for the waiting seasonWhat it looks like to be faithful with what God has made clear todayCheck out Kaci's new book, So Much Better: Daring To Trust God When You're Waiting, Impatient, and ExpectantScripture referenced:Hebrews 11:8-19 | 2 Timothy 2:13 | Philippians 4:6 | Deuteronomy 29:29 | 2 Corinthians 3:18About Kaci Nicole:kacinicole.com | @kacinicole | So Much Better Bible StudyKaci's Bible study tools:ESV Single Column Journaling Bible | Mr. Pen Highlighters | Enduring Word App

ISAIAH 62:6-65:25 | PHILIPPIANS 2:19-3:3 | PSALM 73:1-28 | PROVERBS 24:13-14Support the podcast here:

I've found that often times worry has to do with the fear of what could possibly happen. They haven't happened. We don't know if they will happen, but we fear it could happen. This internal stress causes anxiety, fear, and apprehension. Not only can it make us emotionally and mentally unwell, but it can also cause physical illness too.  Is there a cure?Main Points:1. The dictionary defines worry as giving way to anxiety or unease: to allow one's mind to dwell on difficulties or trouble, whether actual or potential.2. So, is there an answer? Is there a cure for worry? Is Jesus' command to not worry about our lives possible? What can we do? 3. I believe the answer is found in worship. In fact, it's very hard to worry and worship at the same time. Worship reorients our focus. A shift is made. A transition happens in our thoughts and in our spirit. As we worship our savior, we focus on his greatness, his goodness, and his faithfulness. We begin to remember that he is in control and there is nothing he cannot do. Today's Scripture Verses:Matthew 6:25 - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life."Matthew 6:25-26 - ““Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”Matthew 6:27 - “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”Philippians 4:6-7 - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

NEW #BIYE w @OliveTreeBible DAY 274 - Isaiah 62:6-65:25 Philippians 2:19-3:3 Psalms 73:1-28 Proverbs 24:13-14

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261001dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:9 A Name Above All Others A podcast I listen to regularly takes the time every week to read a Medal of Honor citation. The Medal of Honor is given for acts of valor, acts so heroic that the recipient often lost his life for his actions on the battlefield to save his fellow soldiers. I appreciate taking the time to hear those names and what they did. It allows me to reflect and give thanks to God for the many who have sacrificed so much for my peace and prosperity. In our Bible verse today, we are reminded of a name that cannot and will not be forgotten, a “name that is above every name,” the name Jesus. This name literally means, “God saves.” Jesus saved you and me not just with one act of valor. No, it was a lifetime! He did what we couldn’t even imagine. He lived his life perfectly. He never allowed his heart to lust. He never took something that didn’t belong to him. He never threw a punch in a burst of anger or even uttered a word out of hate. He never told a lie to hide imperfection. He didn't have any. He never whispered gossip about another to make himself feel more important. Not once. He was and is perfect. But then he did something even more amazing: he let himself be killed on a cross so that his perfect life would be gifted to you and to me. He died so that when God looked at us, God wouldn't see our guilt and shame. No, he would only see the perfection of Jesus. Talk about an act of valor! What a name! What a Savior! What a gift we have been given! May we cherish Jesus every single day! May we never forget that because of his sacrifice we have been saved from an eternity of pain. And with each day God gives us, may we honor him in the way we live. Prayer: Dear Jesus, you humbled yourself for me and are now exalted above all. Keep me humble in service and confident in your victory. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Having watched some of the old Superman TV shows and some of the movies, it's got to be tough for Clark Kent. I mean, these days it's getting harder and harder to find a phone booth to change in. That's what he used to do! But He always manages to change his identity to Superman. That's the important thing. You can't be a super hero until you change your identity. When you think about it, most of our super heroes over the years don't become heroes without that change of identity, whether it's Clark Kent changing to Superman, or it's Wonder Woman, or it's Batman. Now, that's okay for the comics, but in real life, the heroes are the ones who never change their identity. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Only One You.” Our word for today from the Word of God is found in Philippians 3. It's about a man who had many possible identities. He would make Clark Kent look like a piker. Listen to this. The Apostle Paul writes to us about some of the identities in his life. He says beginning in verse 5, “I was circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel, I am a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin…” “I've got a tribe I'm very proud I'm from.” He says, “a Hebrew of the Hebrews.” He says, “I'm the top of the line in that department.” “…in regard to the law, I'm a Pharisee.” Boy, there's another identity. And then, “As for zeal, persecuting the church,” He said, “I was a very good church persecutor.” Great way to make a living, huh? He says, “As for legalistic righteousness, I was faultless.” Look at all those identities this guy's got. Now, “But whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Out of all the identities Paul could have had, he said, “There's one that I want to step into. I have settled on one identity and I have decided to give that one identity everything I've got. It is following Jesus Christ. That's who I am.” Most of us are like Clark Kent. There's the me I am at work. Now, I don't get into a phone booth (can't find one anyway), but I change my identity to be the me I am at church, and then there's the me I am with my wife, and then the me I am with different groups of friends, and the me playing sports, etc. I talked with this high school football player, and he said, “Ron, it's tough to be only one of 30 kids who stands up to the teacher when they say godless things. It's tough to be the only guy in the locker room with a clean mouth and the only guy who is loyal to Christ.” I wanted to encourage him. I said, “Bill, you won't always be a football player. You won't always be a student at that school. You won't always be friends with those kids. You won't always be a student in that class. There's only one thing you'll always be. You'll always be a follower of Christ.” I'll tell you what I told him. “Life becomes more peaceful, less stressful, and less confusing when you pick one identity and stick with it.” See, life settles down when you make this choice, “I'm going to really be what I'll always be.” And that's what you'll always be, a follower of Christ. That was Paul's choice. He said, “All other identities are temporary.” Don't let a temporary identity cause you to betray who you really are and who you will always be. You're so afraid. It's kind of like “Well I'm an employee of Company X, or I'm a student of Professor Y, or I'm a neighbor or coworker of person Z.” None of those are who you are. Whose hero do you want to be? Don't let your Jesus identity be your secret identity anymore. You will forever be the property of Jesus Christ bought with His blood. So why don't you really be what you'll always be. Fantasy heroes keep changing identities, but real heroes pick one and go for it because heroes know who they are.

SHOW NOTES: Matthew 5:8, Micah 6:8, Philippians 4:6-9, CCC 1803, CCC 2409www.mattzemanek.com https://gofund.me/7a975076b

Send us Fan Mail***Read the Bible in a Year with me in 2026 right here on the podcast!***Bible Verses of the Week: Week 40: Philippians 4:8Welcome to the podcast Move Forth With Grace!  We will be reading the entire Bible in a year.  This is such a perfect way to get into God's Word each day and to develop your own relationship with God our Father through His Son Jesus Christ. I am your host Angela and want to first of all say that I am not an expert in Theology or Church History or a Minister and I never will claim to be.  I am a  wife and mother who has been reborn and want to be of service to God in gratitude for calling me back home. Welcome to the Podcast! The Bible that I will be reading from is the McArthur Daily Bible.  It is a New American Standard Bible.Thank you for being here....thank you for becoming less like you and more like Jesus.May you Move Forth with Grace today!Love, Angela Connect with me on social media or send a prayer request to me on my website here:https://campsite.bio/moveforthBible Teachers that I recommend:Mike Winger on https://biblethinker.org/meet-mike/John McArthur on https://www.gty.orgDr. Chuck Missler on www.khouse.orgNancy Missler on www.kingshighway.orgDale Partridge on www.relearn.orgChuck Smith on http://www.pastorchuck.org/RC Sproul Eschatology Playlist:https://youtu.be/n22MRa0P6_I?si=Aw53nQLSteu6T3-ASupport the show

MOVE – Faith Takes Action (4)Sermon Title: Move Forward – Faith Refuses to Go BackWednesday, September 23, 2026God didn't bring you this far to take you backward. When He says “Go forward,” faith refuses to let fear send it back.In this fourth message of the MOVE, Faith Takes Action series, we continue the journey from taking the first step, to staying faithful, to leaving behind what cannot go forward. Now the challenge is clear: MOVE FORWARD.The Israelites stood at the Red Sea with the past behind them and an impossible, looking obstacle in front of them. Fear made them want to return to Egypt, but God had already brought them out, and He was calling them forward.Exodus 14:13–15 reminds us that there is a time to stand firm and trust God, but there is also a time when God says, “GO FORWARD!”FAITH REFUSES TO GO BACKFear can make familiar bondage look safer than unfamiliar freedom. But God doesn't call us to keep returning to what He has already delivered us from.Isaiah 43:18–19 reminds us not to dwell on the former things because God is doing a new thing and making a way where there seems to be no way.This message challenges us to stop romanticizing the past, stop revisiting what God has brought us through, and recognize that what's in front of us is greater than what's behind us.Through the story of the Red Sea and the words of Philippians 3:13–14, we are reminded to:• Forget what lies behind.• Strain forward to what lies ahead.• Press on toward God's calling.You may not be where you want to be yet, but thank God, you're not where you used to be.WHAT DOES FORWARD LOOK LIKE?Moving forward may look different for each of us:• Maintaining a healthy boundary.• Refusing to revisit an offense you've already released.• Continuing the financial discipline you've begun.• Serving even when nobody applauds.• Renewing your mind.• Applying for the opportunity.• Having the conversation.• Forgiving.• Starting again after a setback.• Refusing to mentally return to what God has already brought you through.Your step may feel small, but forward is forward.You don't have to cross the entire wilderness tonight. Just obey God with what's in front of you.Faith Takes Action. Faith Keeps Moving. Faith Leaves It Behind. And Faith Refuses to Go Back.Wherever God is leading you, choose to trust Him, follow Him, and MOVE FORWARD.

Who was Polycarp, and what did this disciple of the apostle John teach about Christianity? Explore Polycarp of Smyrna's life, his Letter to the Philippians, and his martyrdom—and discover how the early church passed the apostles' teaching to the next generation.In this video, we examine Polycarp's teaching on salvation by grace, the authority of Scripture, Jesus' true humanity, Christ bearing our sins, and the character of church leaders. We also explore his relationship to the Bishop of Rome, his references to elders and deacons, and his defense of the Christian faith against false teaching.Polycarp's story brings church history into our own lives: Are we faithfully passing on the gospel? Are we making disciples? And will we remain faithful to Jesus when following Him comes at a cost?Watch through the end as we consider persecution in the Roman Empire and Polycarp's refusal to deny Christ.What stands out most to you about Polycarp's life or teaching? Share your thoughts in the comments.Subscribe to Emet Ministries for more biblical teaching, theology, and church history to help you understand and live out your faith.Learn more and support our ministry: emetministries.orgWant more discipleship resources? Visit emetministry.orgHelp Us Reach the Lost: Support Emet Campus Ministry- https://emet-campus-ministry.churchcenter.com/giving/to/ecm-general-fundHelp Us Make More Resources: Support Emet Ministries- emetministry.churchcenter.com/givingCheck out these sources we love and use our Amazon Affiliate Link: Knowing God - https://amzn.to/3ScwPh4The Holiness of God - https://amzn.to/4ouI7sSThe Resurrection of Jesus - https://amzn.to/4ouitVeWhat is the Gospel - https://amzn.to/4oAFqpUWhat it means to be Protestant - https://amzn.to/3Qkt8W32,000 Years of Christ's Power Vol 1 - https://amzn.to/4edGaxFFollow us on Instagram: @emetministry and @everytuesdayat7Christian's Reading List: goodreads.com/user/show/74696644-christian-barrett#Polycarp #EarlyChurch #ChurchHistory #ApostolicFathers #ChristianDiscipleship00:00 Who Was Polycarp? A Disciple of John02:30 How Discipleship Preserved the Apostles' Teaching05:20 Passing On the Faith: Our Call to Make Disciples08:21 Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians Explained09:12 Why Scripture Shaped Polycarp's Teaching10:50 Polycarp and the Bishop of Rome11:40 Scripture and Tradition in the Early Church13:19 Salvation by Grace, Not Works: Polycarp's Teaching15:30 Can We Earn Eternal Life? Grace in the Early Church16:10 Was Jesus Truly Human? Polycarp Against Docetism17:15 Why Beliefs About Jesus Matter: Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses18:38 Jesus Bore Our Sins: Atonement and His Role as High Priest20:18 Church Leadership: Why Character Matters22:18 Elders and Deacons in the Early Church24:35 How Polycarp Defended the Apostolic Faith25:30 Christian Persecution Under Rome: Pliny and Trajan27:01 The Martyrdom of Polycarp: Refusing to Deny Christ

Thursday, 1 October 2026   They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, Matthew 23:6   “They affectionate, also, the first-reclining in the suppers, and the first-sittings in the synagogues.” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus noted how the scribes and Pharisees widened their phylacteries and enlarged the tassels of their garments. He continues with their self-serving attitude, saying, “They affectionate, also, the first-reclining in the suppers.”   There are a couple of new words. The first is prótoklisia, a first-sitting. It is derived from protos, foremost (in time, place, order, or importance), and klisia, reclination, as when sitting in a lounge chair or lying back on something.   The idea here is the most important seat at a meal, where people recline at low tables. This is a meal, as seen in the next new word, deipnon, the chief meal, usually in the evening. Of this seating, the Pulpit Commentary says –   “The custom of reclining on cushions set in horseshoe fashion at three sides of the table was now prevalent... The place of honour is said to have been at the upper end of the right side, the president being placed, not in the centre of that end of the table which faced the opening, but at the side. The most honoured guest would be at his right hand... There was often much manoeuvring to obtain this post, and many petty squabbles about precedence arose on every festal occasion.”   The point is that even during meals, these men strove to be recognized as the most important by being seated more honorably than others. Along with this, Jesus says, “and the first-sittings in the synagogues.”   Another new word is seen, prótokathedria, the first sitting. It is derived from protos, foremost, and kathedra, a bench. Again, the Pulpit Commentary, citing Edersheim, provides an explanation of the intent –   The synagogue “was built of stone, with an entrance generally on the south, and so arranged that the worshippers might direct their prayers towards Jerusalem. In the centre was placed the lectern of the reader; the women's gallery was at the north end. ‘The inside plan is generally that of two double colonnades, which seem to have formed the body of the synagogue, the aisles east and west being probably used as passages. At the south end, facing north, is a movable ark, containing the sacred rolls of the Law and the prophets. Right before the ark, and facing the people, are the seats of honour, for the rulers of the synagogue and the honourable.' These were the places for which the Pharisees contended, thinking more of gaining these, where they could sit enthroned in the sight of the congregation, than of the Divine worship which nominally they came to offer.”   This was a me-centered aspect of the religious life of the scribes and Pharisees. They wanted to be seen as important in the eyes of everyone, and these were ways they could obtain such recognition.   Life application: Jesus has already given His disciples instruction on such attitudes –   “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.'” Matthew 20:25-28   Paul wrote about this mindset as well –   “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3, 4   In James 2, we read of showing partiality, something similar in thought, but from the other side of the matter. In these and other examples, we can learn that God does not look with favor on those who are consumed with themselves or who treat others poorly.   Each of us, therefore, should evaluate ourselves and our actions toward others, understanding that we are just people, like all others. Conducting our affairs in life as God desires is what assigns value to us. Therefore, let us endeavor to be pleasing to Him in this manner as we live our lives in His presence.   Heavenly Father, help us not to seek to exalt ourselves in the eyes of others, but to live with humility, knowing that You are evaluating us. May we always think of others as better than us, showing them kind respect no matter who they are. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.  

OCTOBER 1- TODAY'S READING FROM THE ONE YEAR BIBLE- ISAIAH 62:6-65:25; PHILIPPIANS 2:19-3:4a; PSALMS 73:1-28; PROVERBS 24:13-14    Commentary written and read by Pastor David K. MacAdam Psalm 45:1-17 read by Peter Healey Like and subscribe to the One Year Bible Tour Guide this year and sign up to receive the written commentary to follow along with at www.newlife.org

Nothing is more valuable than having a relationship with Jesus Christ. This week, the Reverend Kahlil Carmichael shows us that Jesus Christ is more valuable than any breakthrough and gift we receive. We begin in Philippians 3 with the message, “Christ Is My Breakthrough.”Live Well, your spiritual family, gathers every Sunday at 10 a.m. at 51 Church Street, Robbinsville, Windsor, NJ. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing this faith journey with you.Thank you for givingpushpay.com/g/itiswellchurchVisit our website at livewellchurch.orgFollow us on Facebook @pastorkahlilFind us on Instagram @livewellwithpastorkahlil

What if peace doesn't come from thinking positive thoughts, but from surrendering all that's within us to God?Philippians 4 invites us to focus on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious. But when we're anxious, angry, sad, or afraid, simply “thinking positive” can feel more like bypassing than healing. Our difficult emotions may be uncomfortable, but they can also tell us something important about what's happening within us.And then there's Jesus' wild story about the tenants in the vineyard. What do these tenants have in common with our anxious minds? Maybe it's a desire to control—to hold tightly to something that was never ours to possess.What if instead we brought our whole selves to God? Our needs and wants. Our fears and hopes. Our anxiety and gratitude. What if surrender, rather than positive thinking, is where we find peace?A reflection on Philippians 4:6–9 and Matthew 21:33–43 from the Sisters of Divine Providence of Kentucky and God Space.Come as you are. You belong here.#ProvidencePodcast #GodSpace #Surrender #Philippians4 #ChristianSpirituality #CatholicSpiritualityby Sr. Leslie Keener, CDPYou can find all of the Scripture readings from the lectionary here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can read the reflection and sign up to receive our weekly newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GodSpaceCommunity.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Subscribe to the Providence Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠godspacecommunity.com/providencepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.The Sisters of Divine Providence of Kentucky is an international community of Catholic sisters with a mission to be witnesses of God's Providence. We place our trust in God as we care for God's people. Connect with the sisters at ⁠⁠⁠⁠CDPKentucky.org⁠⁠⁠⁠.Music credits: Thanks to Pixabay and these artists for their royalty free music: intro and outro music Acoustic Inspire by The_Mountain, reflection questions music, Relaxing Meditation Music by SamuelFrancisJohnson

Pray the Office of Readings from the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, for Memorial of Guardian AngelsPsalm 38Reading 1: Philippians 3, 4Reading 2: From a sermon by St. Bernard, abbotSt. Helena Ministries is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your donations may be tax-deductibleSupport us at: sthelenaministries.com/supportPresentation of the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) from The Liturgy of the Hours (Four Volumes) © 1975, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. The texts of Biblical readings are reproduced from the New American Bible © 1975

If you were to die today, what would happen to you after your final breath? Really – I want you to think about that. What comes after this life for you? Would you say Heaven comes next? And what is it that makes you think you would gain access? What is it that qualifies you? Have you been good enough? Does the good in you outweigh the bad? Have you asked forgiveness for absolutely every little thing? Have you made all your wrongs right? Have you done enough good deeds? Have you upheld all the laws and rules and lived a righteous enough life? If all eternity hangs on this, then it’s important to know – right? You want to be certain of your fate. If there’s one thing you really want to get right, it’s this. It’s a big deal – FOREVER. May I be honest with you? Sis, you haven’t been good enough. You haven’t upheld the laws. You have fallen short. You are not qualified for Heaven … not on your own. Your human effort has never been good enough, not even on your best day. And THAT is precisely why you need Jesus. In the Bible, there’s a man named Saul who had every reason to believe he could possibly meet the mark on his own. He had done everything he was supposed to do from birth. He was born into the right line of people, he had studied the law and lived in strict obedience without fault. Up until his encounter with Jesus, his entire life had been nothing but self-righteous acts, checking boxes, and persecuting anyone that tried to remove his boxes. This movement of Jesus was an enemy to his continual effort of earning Heaven. Saul wanted to put an end to the up-rise of the followers of Jesus who believed this one man’s blood could save them. He couldn’t possibly believe what had happened on that cross was a satisfactory fulfillment of the laws he had spent his life following. His full intentions were to kill the followers of Jesus – put an end to this nonsense of grace. Saul had gotten a letter from the high priest requesting the arrest of every follower of Jesus he found in the town of Damascus where this Jesus movement had spread in the immediate years following Jesus’ death on the cross. He was going to shut down this blasphemy. He was going to wipe out these people who weren’t good enough for Heaven. So now Saul is on his way to Damascus, mad as he can be with plans of destroying the hope of a faith that could save you from Hell – and there he has a divine encounter with Jesus. Yes, the Jesus who had died on the cross a few years earlier. The Jesus he was speaking out against. And here on the road as he was marching into Damascus to complete his mission of destroying this spreading faith, something miraculous happens. Acts 9, 3-9, “A light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’ ‘Who are you, lord?’ Saul asked. And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ The men around him were speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. he remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.” Now, THAT is an encounter with Jesus. Saul could no longer deny him. He knew Jesus had been crucified. He knew he was dead. But now, he had experienced Jesus for himself and he just couldn’t deny him any longer. What happens next is my favorite part of the story. God tells a man named Ananias to go to a very specific street to find a very specific man’s house. God said a man named Saul would be in that house. Verse 15, God says, “Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message.” Yes, this is who God wants to use. He’s chosen him. Saul, the one who lived his entire life in self-righteousness, now completely humbled without sight, sitting in a house not eating or drinking, praying to God to understand how he could have possibly been so wrong all while he was trying to live so right. God had a message for him to spread. So Ananias goes to that specific street to a specific man’s house, finds Saul there and lays his hands on him. Verse 17, Ananias said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Next it says, “Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.” Do you know what he did immediately after this? He started preaching about Jesus! He began telling absolutely everyone he could about the Savior. The boxes of self-righteousness were gone, now, all that mattered was faith in the one who makes us righteous. JESUS. Saul begins going by his new name with a new identity – Paul. This new name meant ‘humble’, and that’s what had happened to him. He had been humbled. That’s what an encounter with Jesus does to us – it humbles us. It shows us that we alone could simply never be good enough – we desperately need him. Do you humbly accept what Jesus has done for you to gain Heaven? As humans we battle with one thing that gets in the way of the humility required to believe in Jesus – that’s our PRIDE. Pride says, “no, I’ll earn it.” Pride says, “I’ll be good enough on my own.” Pride puffs us up in some imaginary competition where the best one gets to be saved. After about 25 years of living with this new humble identity as Paul, the follower of Jesus covered and saved by grace, Paul writes a letter to the church he started in Philippi. He reminds them about the problem with self-righteousness and the beautiful solution of Jesus-righteousness. Philippians 3:3, “We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort.” How can he write that so confidently? Because he lived the first half of his life being totally self-righteous. Because that unmistakable encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus left him forever humbled and changed. Now he knows the truth – the truth that he was never good enough on his own and never could be. The truth that his pride was taking him straight to Hell. The truth that he’s only saved by grace through faith in Jesus. My sister, are you relying on what Jesus has done, or are you relying on what you’re doing? Is your confidence in what you can do, or is your confidence in what Jesus has already done? Paul reminds us that we were never meant to earn our way into Heaven by being good enough. We need something—and Someone—we could never provide for ourselves: the righteousness of Jesus. He says in Philippians 3:9, “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” So let me ask you one more time, Sis: if you were to take your final breath today, what would happen next? And more importantly, what are you counting on to get you there? Your goodness? Your church attendance? Your Bible reading? Your good deeds? Your ability to follow the rules? Your efforts to make things right? Your belief that, surely, the good in you outweighs the bad? Or are you counting on Jesus? Because there are only two ways to approach God: you can stand on what you have done, or you can stand on what Jesus has done. You can keep trying to be self-righteous, or you can receive the righteousness Jesus offers you. Your goodness will never be enough. Mine won’t either. That’s not bad news—that’s actually the best news! Because Jesus never asked you to be good enough to save yourself. He came because you couldn’t. You don’t have to earn what Jesus already paid for. You don’t have to prove yourself worthy. You don’t have to clean yourself up enough to deserve His grace. You simply have to surrender your pride, place your faith in Jesus, and receive what you could never accomplish on your own. Paul spent the first part of his life desperately trying to be righteous enough. Then he met Jesus and discovered the freedom of knowing that Jesus would be righteous for him. Sis, don’t spend another day trying to earn what Jesus is offering you as a gift. Drop your pride. Put down your boxes. Put down your self-righteousness. And put your confidence in Jesus. Because when your final breath comes, the question won’t be, “Were you good enough?” The answer to that is no. The question is, “What did you do with Jesus?” And if your answer is, “I put my faith in Him,” then you don’t have to face eternity hoping you were good enough. You can face it knowing He was. Not self-righteous. Jesus-righteous. That’s the only righteousness that will ever be enough. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

(Philippians 3:13-15) The Lord chose the perfect wife for me and I am forever grateful for my companion and best friend. In this episode Tammy and I discuss some things God is teaching us about navigating the transitions of marriage, child rearing, and life. This episode was originally recorded in October 2021. (10234260930) Join Scott Pauley's study through Scripture this year. Find resources for every book of the Bible by Dr. Pauley and Enjoying the Journey at enjoyingthejourney.org/journey-through-scripture/. Whether you're a new believer or have walked with the Lord for years, you'll find thousands of free devotionals, Bible studies, audio series, and Scripture tools designed to strengthen your faith, deepen your understanding of the Bible, and help you stay rooted in the Word of God. Explore now at EnjoyingTheJourney.org. Extend the Work Enjoying the Journey provides every resource for free worldwide. If you would like to help extend this Bible teaching, you may give at enjoyingthejourney.org/donations/

If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:4b-14)

ISAIAH 60:1-62:5 | PHILIPPIANS 1:27-2:18 | PSALM 72:1-20 | PROVERBS 24:11-12Support the podcast here:

Fr. Ryan preached this homily on September 27, 2026. The readings are from Ezekiel 18:25-28, Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, Philippians 2:1-11 or 2:1-5, Matthew 21:28-32 (Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time). Connect with us! Website: https://slakingthirsts.com/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SlakingThirsts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SlakingThirsts/

NEW #BIYE w @OliveTreeBible DAY 273 - Isaiah 60:1-62:5 Philippians 1:27-2:18 Psalms 72:1-20 Proverbs 24:11-12

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260930dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 I Yield When my kids were little, I loved roughhousing. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Let’s wrestle!’ they would squeal and giggle. I would body slam, clothesline, piledrive, you name it, and they would tackle and tug with all the might and strength a toddler could muster. Usually, once I tuckered them out, they would pin me down and declare themselves the kings and queens of the ring. I miss those days. Just for the record, and you’ll have to take my word for it, I could’ve beaten them any time, every time. I outweighed them by two hundred pounds. If it were a real fight, they wouldn't have had a chance. But I yielded. I let them win. I let myself be overpowered. When I read our Bible passage today, I think back to those times when I would roughhouse and wrestle with my kids. Jesus didn’t need to submit himself to torture and execution. Jesus didn’t need to let himself be swallowed up by death. But Jesus allowed himself to die so that you and I would be saved from eternal death. He allowed himself to “lose” so that you and I could shout with joy that victory over the grave is ours! He yielded. That’s the best news you’ll hear all day! In your relationships, reflect the attitude of Jesus. Because Jesus has served you by saving you, serve others. And when they ask why, you can tell them what Jesus has done for you and for them. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are true God, yet you made yourself nothing and went to the cross for me. Forgive me for my stubborn pride. Fill my heart so that I may have the same mindset you displayed—willing to serve, willing to put others first, willing to follow you in humble love. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

This 9/20/26 sermon is the conclusion of this study in Philippians. Mike Gowens considers Philippians 4:19-23 and extracts four important blessings, or resources available to the church for her ongoing life and labors: 1) The Church's Promise; 2) The Church's Purpose; 3) The Church's People; 4) The Church's Provision.

What if you simply stopped carrying the weight? The Bible doesn't tell you to manage your worries, carry them better, or learn how to live under the pressure. It tells you to CAST THEM ON GOD. In Day 3 of Worry Free Living, we're looking at Psalm 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7 and learning what it actually means to release the weight of your worries, cares, anxieties, and burdens onto God.

Send us Fan Mail***Read the Bible in a Year with me in 2026 right here on the podcast!***Bible Verses of the Week: Week 40: Philippians 4:8Welcome to the podcast Move Forth With Grace!  We will be reading the entire Bible in a year.  This is such a perfect way to get into God's Word each day and to develop your own relationship with God our Father through His Son Jesus Christ. I am your host Angela and want to first of all say that I am not an expert in Theology or Church History or a Minister and I never will claim to be.  I am a  wife and mother who has been reborn and want to be of service to God in gratitude for calling me back home. Welcome to the Podcast! The Bible that I will be reading from is the McArthur Daily Bible.  It is a New American Standard Bible.Thank you for being here....thank you for becoming less like you and more like Jesus.May you Move Forth with Grace today!Love, Angela Connect with me on social media or send a prayer request to me on my website here:https://campsite.bio/moveforthBible Teachers that I recommend:Mike Winger on https://biblethinker.org/meet-mike/John McArthur on https://www.gty.orgDr. Chuck Missler on www.khouse.orgNancy Missler on www.kingshighway.orgDale Partridge on www.relearn.orgChuck Smith on http://www.pastorchuck.org/RC Sproul Eschatology Playlist:https://youtu.be/n22MRa0P6_I?si=Aw53nQLSteu6T3-ASupport the show

Brian talks with Pastor Jeremiah Stingl of Living Water Community Church in Bolingbrook, Illinois, as the church approaches its 10-year anniversary with him as lead pastor and 53 years of ministry in the community. Jeremiah shares his testimony of being arrested for drug charges as a teenager and being court-ordered into the Teen Challenge rehab program, where he sensed God's call to ministry while reading 1 Corinthians 9. He explains how that background shapes his pastoral approach with compassion rather than shame toward people in difficult circumstances, describes his church's welcoming culture — complete with paninis and a coffee cafe — and its Assemblies of God emphasis on the active work of the Holy Spirit. Jeremiah discusses navigating income inequality and religious diversity in his community, casts a vision for expanding the church's 15-acre campus with a future daycare and school, and closes with an encouragement from Philippians 4:6-7 on presenting anxieties to God with thanksgiving.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One hundred episodes. Jobbin and Jeswin celebrate by ranking their top five brown church experiences: the back row communion strategy, a baptism procession that took longer than the walk, Santa Claus at a Delhi mission service, youth meeting trophies that look like fishing awards, and the cottage meeting goodbye that lasts an hour. Then they tell the story they have never fully told on the pod: how a church conflict, a 40 day fast, and a Thursday night prayer group in Chicago became Restoring Our City. Plus how Jeswin went from campus ministry to cohost, why this podcast should never replace your local church, and a prayer for the next hundred from Philippians 1:9‑11.Share your church core memory with us on Instagram @restoringourcity.

At Times, Are You Unrepentant in Your Spiritual Life and, Therefore, “storing up wrath for yourself on the {Judgement} day of wrath”? MESSAGE SUMMARY: Penitence is not a once in a lifetime occurrence. Penitence is a daily and moment by moment occurrence. None of us is perfect, and not one of us always does the will of God. Paul, in Romans 2:4-5, is unequivocal in establishing the need for your continuing penitence and the consequences of your not repenting of your sins on a real-time basis: “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.". Therefore, we all need to repent and return to the Lord. You can become cocky and arrogant in your spiritual life – “I am a Christian; God has done this for me.”. As the Psalmist tells us in Psalms 32:5 of his confession and his penitence: “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.". You can rest on our perceived laurels; but these perceptions, of personal goodness and righteousness, can lead you quickly to a need for your penitence.     TODAY'S PRAYER: Most merciful God I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I might delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of Your Name. Amen.  TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will rejoice in Him (Philippians 4:4). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mathew 3:8-11; Romans 2:4-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Psalms 140:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon:  “Remembering “he who is forgiven little, loves little”, Is Your Focus Outward in the Love and Service of Others?”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Psalm 115:1-11, Jeremiah 1:1-2:30, Philippians 1:27-2:11. The theme of ‘*glory*' runs through each of today's readings (Psalm 115:1; Philippians 2:11; Jeremiah 2:11) We see why, how and when to *bounce the glory back up to God*

Psalm 115:1, Jeremiah 1:4-19, Philippians 1:27-28, 2:1-11. The theme of ‘*glory*' runs through each of today's readings (Psalm 115:1; Philippians 2:11; Jeremiah 2:11) We see why, how and when to *bounce the glory back up to God*

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260930dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 I Yield When my kids were little, I loved roughhousing. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Let’s wrestle!’ they would squeal and giggle. I would body slam, clothesline, piledrive, you name it, and they would tackle and tug with all the might and strength a toddler could muster. Usually, once I tuckered them out, they would pin me down and declare themselves the kings and queens of the ring. I miss those days. Just for the record, and you’ll have to take my word for it, I could’ve beaten them any time, every time. I outweighed them by two hundred pounds. If it were a real fight, they wouldn't have had a chance. But I yielded. I let them win. I let myself be overpowered. When I read our Bible passage today, I think back to those times when I would roughhouse and wrestle with my kids. Jesus didn’t need to submit himself to torture and execution. Jesus didn’t need to let himself be swallowed up by death. But Jesus allowed himself to die so that you and I would be saved from eternal death. He allowed himself to “lose” so that you and I could shout with joy that victory over the grave is ours! He yielded. That’s the best news you’ll hear all day! In your relationships, reflect the attitude of Jesus. Because Jesus has served you by saving you, serve others. And when they ask why, you can tell them what Jesus has done for you and for them. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are true God, yet you made yourself nothing and went to the cross for me. Forgive me for my stubborn pride. Fill my heart so that I may have the same mindset you displayed—willing to serve, willing to put others first, willing to follow you in humble love. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Philippians

What makes some Christians stand out as "gospel partners"? In Philippians 1, Paul celebrates the church in Philippi for their bold witness and partnership spreading the gospel, even amid persecution. Discover how to grow beyond just believing in Christ to actively advance His kingdom with wisdom, discernment, and purposeful love.This week, our hosts have their first discussion on our fall series, Philippians, some of the talking points were, calling each other saints, why 30% of believers don't share what they believe with their friends, and where our priorities should be focused on. Oh and tune into the beginning to hear our hosts talk about giving up good things for fantastic things.If you would like to watch the video podcast, find us on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMhDfGn0zfzi6XjcKkSVcFAFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/discovertbcInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/topekabiblechurchWebsite: https://www.discovertbc.com/

SEPTEMBER 30 - TODAY'S READING FROM THE ONE YEAR BIBLE- ISAIAH 60:1- 62:5; PHILIPPIANS 1:27 – 2:18; PSALMS 72:1-20; PROVERBS 24:11-12   Commentary written and read by Pastor David K. MacAdam Psalm 72:1-20 read by Peter Healey Like and subscribe to the One Year Bible Tour Guide this year and sign up to receive the written commentary to follow along with at www.newlife.org

Rector's Forum from 9/27/2026 at Church of Our Saviour in Jacksonville, FL.

Former country singer Granger Smith opens up about hitting rock bottom alone on a tour bus after the devastating loss of his 3-year-old son, River, and the moment he finally cried out to God. Granger tells Jase, Al, and Zach why Scripture eventually convinced him to walk away from a successful music career. Jase and Granger agree on why emotion-driven altar calls aren't the same as becoming a disciple of Jesus. Granger also gives a stunning answer when asked whether he would go back and prevent his son's death if he could, leading to an honest conversation about grief, eternity, and trusting God through unimaginable loss. Granger also discusses his new book, Poison in the Well: 11 Toxic Beliefs That Kept Me From the Living Water of Jesus, which grew out of the beliefs and assumptions he had to confront in his own life. In this episode: John 14:22-23; Matthew 1; John; Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 16:24-26; Psalm 42:1-2; Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 90:12; Hebrews 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 7:10 Want to watch Unashamed ad-free? Only on EKKL! Get 20% off with code GOUNASHAMED, and watch faith- and family-friendly movies, podcasts, and more: https://ekkl.com/ “Unashamed” Episode 1430 is sponsored by: https://chministries.org/solution - Get a better solution at half the cost of traditional healthcare!  https://duckstamp.com/unashamed - Get your digital duck stamp online and keep it right on your phone! http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ - Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://open.spotify.com/show/3LY8eJ4ZBZHmsImGoDNK2l Chapters 00:00 Granger Smith Joins Unashamed 04:00 AI Gets Podcast History SO Wrong 07:00 Why Granger Became a Pastor 13:20 The Loss of Granger's Son River 17:40 When Granger Hit Rock Bottom 21:10 Granger Trades Devotionals for the Bible 24:10 I Refuse to Lead the Sinner's Prayer 31:20 Leaving My Music Career Behind 35:45 The Problem With Emotional Altar Calls 42:00 A Kid Asks an Unthinkable Question 48:15 Facing Death Without Fear or Regret - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've struggled with self-reliance my whole life. Growing up, I learned early to count on myself. And the world cheers that on. It applauds hustle, control, and making things happen. What the world doesn't applaud is waiting on God. In this episode I share one of the hardest seasons of my walk with Jesus. I waited on God for years in an area then I hit this point where I grew impatient and took matters into my own hands. I went back to self reliance.  As a daughter of the King self reliance doesn't make sense when the one who created us and has great plans for us wants us relying completely on him.  And here's the thing. God was answering that prayer the whole time. I just couldn't see it yet. We'll look at Abraham and Sarah, who took matters into their own hands. We'll look at the Israelites, who turned an 11-day journey into 40 years. And we'll look at Job, who praised God even after losing everything. I close with four scriptures to speak over yourself when the enemy whispers, "Did God really say?" If you're growing weary in the waiting, this one is for you. Timestamps 00:00 Why self-reliance has been my lifelong struggle 00:27 The world applauds self-reliance, not waiting on God 00:54 Trusting God when the timeline doesn't match ours 01:21 Unanswered prayers in love, family, and finances 02:44 Abraham and Sarah take matters into their own hands 03:37 The enemy's lies go all the way back to the garden 04:07 My story: years of waiting on God in singleness 05:30 The season I went my own way, and what it cost me 06:27 It's not about the business or the relationship. It's about your heart. 07:24 God was answering that prayer all along 08:14 "Did God really say?" How the enemy chips away at our faith 09:39 Delight yourself in the Lord 10:34 Seek first the kingdom of God 11:33 Sometimes the wait is about the journey, not the answer 12:27 The Israelites: an 11-day journey that took 40 years 13:24 Job praised God through it all 14:41 My four years off track and the gap in this podcast 16:34 The take-home: don't go into self-reliance 17:59 Letting God's Word, not our feelings, tell us who He is 19:28 Perspective from our persecuted brothers and sisters 20:57 We were never meant to cling to this world 23:18 Four verses for staying in God reliance 23:38 Proverbs 3:5-6 26:10 Isaiah 40:31 and Philippians 4:13 26:37 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 27:34 He's enough, so we don't have to be 28:58 Fight back with scripture, just like Jesus did 29:55 Closing encouragement Key Takeaways God's timing won't match the world's timeline. If we're waiting on Him, our journey will look different, and that's okay. Doubt makes self-reliance look smart. When time passes, the enemy whispers that God isn't coming through, so we might as well do it ourselves. Taking matters into our own hands costs us. Abraham and Sarah made a mess. So did I. God still keeps His promises, but we miss out along the way. Our attitude in the waiting matters. The Israelites' complaining and unbelief kept a generation out of the promised land. Praise is always in our hands. Job lost everything and still worshiped. We can choose thankfulness no matter what. It was never about the answered prayer. Our relationship with God is the point. Everything else is a bonus. Keep this world in perspective. It's temporary, and where we're going is so much better. We don't have to be enough. He is enough, and that takes all the pressure off. Answer the enemy with scripture. Jesus did it three times in the wilderness, and we can too. Scriptures Referenced (NKJV) Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" Proverbs 22:7 "The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender." Genesis 3:1 "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden"?'" Genesis 16:2 "So Sarai said to Abram, 'See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.' And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai." Genesis 21:1-2 "And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him." Deuteronomy 1:2 "It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea." Philippians 2:14 "Do all things without complaining and disputing," Job 1:21 "And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.'" Job 42:10 "And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." 2 Corinthians 4:18 "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Matthew 4:4 "But He answered and said, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."'" Your Next Step Pick one of the four verses from this episode and write it somewhere you'll see it every day. The next time the enemy asks, "Did God really say?" answer him with it.

Girl, let me tell you something – God is working in you! You live with you every day, so you’re likely too close to the situation to see it, but I’m telling you, God has been doing a work in you. Deep within you, there’s been a shift. And this shift has been changing you from the inside. Deep within, in your heart and your mind, your innermost being has been under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He’s been cleaning house in there! Some old things have been thrown out. Some new things have been brought in. And here’s the really wild thing – you didn’t even have to do that yourself. GOD HAS BEEN DOING THAT WORK IN YOU. We often dismiss ourselves from believing we could ever become someone new and different because we think it would all be up to us – under the power of our own will and strength. But honey, it’s just NOT. That’s a God work! You don’t change you. God changes you. You partner with him in the process. He leads, you follow. He throws things out of your life, you let go. He brings new things into your life, you lean in. And through this process of letting go and leaning in, you find God is literally changing you. He’s making you this new person with a totally new inner being that looks nothing like the old you. My friend Catherine is one of my favorite examples of this. She is absolutely unashamed of what God brought her out of and saved her from. She will drop her testimony into a normal conversation with zero concern of what anyone else may think. She lives so unapologetically FREE! Free from her past. Free from addiction. Free from performance. Free from fear of rejection or judgment. She’s let go of so much and she’s leaned in day after day. Her life today looks nothing like it used to. And let me tell you something – If God can change her life, he can change yours. If He can take a life devastated by addiction, a family deeply wounded, a woman who hit rock bottom in rehab, a soul desperately searching for answers in every other place—and turn it into a woman who walks in healing, restoration, wholeness, and joy—there is no telling what He can do in your life! Today, Catherine’s family is so healed it’s ridiculous. She’s so filled with the power of God that you can’t help but see Him through her. The addictions of her past were left at the cross, along with the desire to ever return to them. Catherine is now my traveling retreat assistant. You know why? She makes me better! The Spirit in her stirs up the Spirit in me. She makes me more bold and courageous. Her continual prayer today is, “God, break my heart for what breaks yours.” AND HE IS. She simply will never be the same. And because I’m close to her, I won’t be the same either. Let me tell you exactly what happened for her, because it’s in the process of happening for you too! Philippians 2:13, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Don’t make it any fussier than it needs to be. It really is that simple. GOD IS WORKING IN YOU. God is changing your desires. God is filling you with the power to do the things that please him. This is how your life changes. This is how your goals shift. This is how what used to make you happy simply doesn’t make you happy anymore. This is how you suddenly don’t want what you used to want. This is how you begin to crave things you never used to crave. This is how you find yourself saying no to things you once couldn’t imagine saying no to—and yes to things you once would have been afraid to do. This is how you become different. Not because you finally figured out how to change yourself. Because God is working in you. Your role in this is letting go and leaning in. Whatever you’ve been too afraid to let go of is the very thing God is asking you to trust him with. Let him have it, then lean in to see what he has for you instead. Lean in by spending time with him. Lean in by seeking him. Lean in by daring to walk in obedience, even for just today. Recently, there have been a few things God asked me to trust him enough to let go of. I hate to admit how long I reasoned with God and justified my excuses to keep holding on. And you know how God handled that – he was patient with me. He let me continue walking my own way while he went to work on me from the inside. He didn’t strike me with lightening, he just shifted my heart. Eventually, I decided to lean in. And do you know what I found as I leaned in to him with open hands? He had shifted my desires. He had given me the power to turn away and not go back. I didn’t do that – GOD DID. That was God’s work. I just finally partnered with him in the process. Now, my desire has changed and the very thing I fought so hard to hold on to is no longer even wanted in my life. That’s healing! My friends, God not only heals bodies of disease – He heals addiction – He heals hurts – He heals broken hearts. He heals relationships. He heals the places in us that have been wounded by rejection, betrayal, disappointment, failure, and fear. And sometimes His healing looks different than we expected. Sometimes healing isn’t God changing the situation. Sometimes it’s God changing you in the middle of the situation. He changes what you want. He changes what you tolerate. He changes what you’re willing to chase. He changes what you think you need in order to be happy. He changes what has power over you. And sometimes you don’t even realize how much He’s changed you until you find yourself standing in a situation that used to have a grip on you—and suddenly, it doesn’t. You don’t want it anymore. You don’t need it anymore. You don’t have to fight yourself to walk away anymore. That’s God working in you. Maybe you’ve been praying for God to change something around you, while God has been quietly changing something within you. Maybe you’ve been asking Him to remove the temptation, while He’s been changing your appetite. Maybe you’ve been asking Him to fix the relationship, while He’s been healing your heart. Maybe you’ve been asking Him to give you a different life, while He’s been making you into a different woman. Don’t miss the miracle because it doesn’t look like the miracle you expected. God is working in you. So let go. Lean in. Open your hands and trust Him with whatever you’ve been white-knuckling. You don’t have to know exactly what He’ll do with it. You don’t have to understand the whole process. You don’t even have to feel ready. Just trust Him enough to release it. Because when you let go of what God is asking you to surrender, you make room for Him to put something new in your hands. And girl, if God can change your desires, He can change your whole life. You don’t have to manufacture the change. You don’t have to force the healing. You don’t have to become a brand-new woman by sheer determination. God is working in you. Let Him work. Let Him lead. Let Him change you. If you look at your life today and think, I’m still so far from who I want to be, I want you to stop and look again. Look a little deeper. Maybe the evidence isn’t in what you can see yet. Maybe it’s in what you no longer desire. Maybe it’s in the peace you didn’t used to have. Maybe it’s in the things that don’t have a hold on you anymore. Maybe it’s in the fact that you’re still here, still seeking God, still saying yes, still leaning in. Girl, God is working in you. And the beautiful thing is—you don’t have to finish the work. He will. And then one day, you’re going to look back and realize the thing you thought you could never live without is the very thing you’re now thanking God you had the courage to let go of. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com