Podcasts about Potiphar

When a borrower stops hearing from their lender, they almost always assume the worst. They think the deal is dead. The file got lost. Someone forgot about them.Almost every time, the file is just in process.I have been in the mortgage business long enough to know that a quiet file is not a forgotten file. And I believe the same is true about what God is doing in your life right now.In this episode, I use the mortgage underwriting process as a framework for understanding what God is doing in your financial waiting season. It is the most practical illustration I have found of what the Bible says about seasons of silence, and it has changed the way I personally handle waiting.What we cover:What your file actually is. God knows every detail of your situation, your history, your capacity, your calling, your debts, your assets, and where He is taking you next. He does not process files halfway.What happens when a file goes quiet? In underwriting, silence means one of two things: conditions are being worked behind the scenes, or the lender is waiting on something from the borrower. God is the same way. The question to ask is not "has He forgotten me?" It is "what condition is being worked, and is there anything He is waiting on from me?"The biblical proof. Joseph is the anchor. Seventeen years old when God gave him the dream. Thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh. Thirteen years of conditions being cleared. The pit, Potiphar's house, the prison, the cupbearer who forgot him, none of it was random. All of it was underwriting.What to do while your file is being processed. Three moves: do not make desperate moves that blow up the file, respond to every condition God gives you promptly, and trust the processor.Scriptures referenced:Psalm 139:16, Lamentations 3:25, James 1:4Your file is not lost. It has never been lost. Stay in the process.If this episode hit you, the next one covers the one sin that makes every waiting season harder than it has to be, and most people never identify it as a sin. Subscribe so you do not miss it.

We've all heard the lesson of Joseph and how he FLED Potiphar's wife when tempted by her. But for those caught in repeated failure, this victory over sin can seem far from realistic. And maybe that's because long before Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife, he was already walking out a victorious life. But interwoven into the account of Joseph is another story often overlooked, that of his brother, Judah. Judah made his own choices in life, and as a result he became a ready victim of sexual sin. The story of Judah's fall and redemption is one far more relevant to the man seeking to find victory over sexual sin. In this sermon, Patrick Hudson highlights the choice Judah made which transformed his immoral life and his spiritual destiny. It's this choice which we have before us today. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Dr. Crane shares from Genesis 39 the story of Joseph refusing the advances of Potiphar's wife. The story shows how, sometimes, God will allow temptation but he will also give us the strength to overcome.

Proverbs 6:25-29 — The crime scene isn't the motel room. Solomon says it happens months, years earlier — in the heart.

Joseph's story in Genesis 39 is a powerful reminder that God's presence does not depend on our circumstances. Sold into slavery, falsely accused, and thrown into prison, Joseph remained faithful at every stage because his eyes were fixed on God rather than on his situation. When temptation came through Potiphar's wife, he did not negotiate or linger. He fled, because he understood that sin is first and foremost an offense against a holy God. Doing the right thing did not spare him from suffering, but it did not separate him from God either. The Lord was with Joseph in the pit, in the palace, and in the prison, and He is with us in the same way today.

This Sunday, we landed in Genesis 39 and looked at Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Even when Joseph's life did not seem to be unfolding positively, he responded to the goodness of the Lord with faith. In the same way, Christ was faithful in both abundance and suffering so that His righteousness might become ours. Joseph reminds us that whatever our lot, Christ has taught us to say, "It is well with my soul."

https://youtu.be/az-5lsjpJ4c https://www.uncommen.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/July-3.mp3 There is a silent but devastating epidemic actively destroying the way men approach their faith, and it has absolutely nothing to do with laziness or a lack of Bible knowledge. The crisis is happening inside our own prayer closets, in the quiet negotiations we run with God before we ever move. Far too many men treat their walk with Christ like a business deal: I do this, God does that. We hear the exact same exhausted sentiment from guys all over the country: "I did what He asked, and nothing changed, so why bother?" They are physically present in church on Sunday, but they are spiritually absent the moment the results don't show up on schedule. What does the Bible say about obedience when the outcome refuses to cooperate with your timeline? The modern definition of faith has tricked men into abandoning what does the Bible say about obedience in its truest form. We have been sold a massive lie that our obedience is only legitimate if it produces a visible, measurable win. For generations, men have mistakenly assumed obedience was a transaction, a coin dropped into a vending machine that dispenses blessing on command. While wanting good outcomes is not inherently sinful, it is only the baseline instinct. It is the starting line, not the finish line. To fully answer what does the Bible say about obedience, we have to aggressively look past our own scoreboard and peer directly into God's command. Quick Answers What Does the Bible Say About Obedience? The Bible says obedience is a command tied to the act of obeying, not to the outcome that obedience produces. Scripture repeatedly shows men obeying God without any guarantee of success, from Jonah's reluctant trip to Nineveh to the Great Commission itself. What does the Bible say about obedience, in short? It says the results belong to God, and the obeying belongs to you. Does the Bible Say Obedience Requires a Good Outcome? No. Nowhere in Scripture is obedience conditioned on a favorable result. Men are called to trust God's plan and act in faith, even when the visible outcome looks like failure by every human measure. Escaping the Outcome Trap This brings us to a harsh but necessary truth about what does the Bible say about obedience: it was never contingent on your success rate. Look directly at Matthew 28:19-20, which states: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Notice that the text does not say, "Go and make disciples, but only if a reasonable percentage respond favorably." Jesus issued a command, not a performance guarantee. The core of what does the Bible say about obedience is fundamentally rooted in the act itself, not in the response it generates. Men who spend any real time in ministry, whether it's leading a Bible study, mentoring a teenager, or simply trying to talk to a coworker about Christ, run into this trap constantly. You brace yourself for the conversation. You rehearse the words. And then the other person walks away unmoved, maybe even offended, and you feel like you failed. That reaction is completely backwards. Obedience over outcome means the win was already secured the moment you opened your mouth, not when the other person nodded along. If you keep measuring your faithfulness by other people's reactions, you will eventually stop being obedient altogether, because the world does not owe you a favorable response for doing the right thing. The outcome trap is seductive precisely because it feels like accountability. It feels responsible to ask, "What's my return on this obedience?" But that question was never yours to ask. God does not need your five-year plan approved before He hands you a command. What does the Bible say about obedience in the middle of that impatience? It says wait on the command, not on the calculator. Obedience Versus Outcome: The Weight of the Great Commission When we carefully examine what does the Bible say about obedience, the tension of obedience versus outcome becomes impossible to ignore. Consider the sheer scale of the Great Commission. Jesus commanded His followers to reach every nation, every tribe, every person on the planet. There was no footnote excusing a man from obedience because the odds looked bad. There was no clause releasing him from the command if the conversation with his own brother-in-law might get awkward at Thanksgiving. Anyone still asking what does the Bible say about obedience in the face of long odds needs only to reread the scale of that command. Jonah is the obvious cautionary tale here. God told him to go to Nineveh, and Jonah decided he had a better plan, boarding a boat headed the exact opposite direction. God was not offering Jonah a suggestion. Jonah ended up in the belly of a fish, smelling like the ocean floor, before he finally obeyed. The lesson is not subtle: obedience to God does not wait for you to feel good about the assignment or convinced of the ending. Contrast that with David. Before he ever engaged the Philistines at Keilah, David asked the Lord a simple question: should he go fight? God told him to go and fight (1 Samuel 23:2). David did not demand a battle plan or a guaranteed victory report before he moved. He asked one question, obedience or disobedience, and then he acted. That is trusting God's plan in its most stripped-down form. No spreadsheet. No risk assessment. Just a command and a response. What does the Bible say about obedience in moments like these? It says the command comes first, and the results are none of your business. Obedience in the Mundane: The Middle of the Mountain But what does the Bible say about obedience when nobody is watching and nothing dramatic is happening? This is where most men actually live, not in the mountaintop moment of a dramatic call to ministry, but in the middle of the mountain, where the work is repetitive, unglamorous, and largely invisible. Obedience over outcome is easy to talk about in a sermon illustration. It is much harder to practice when you have shared the gospel with the same coworker four times and he still rolls his eyes. Consider the burden of knowledge. If you knew for a fact that a particular person needed to hear about Christ exactly two times before they would respond, would you approach the first conversation with the same intensity as the second? Most men would not. We chase the moment we think will produce the visible win and quietly deprioritize the moments that look like a waste of time. What does the Bible say about obedience in those deprioritized moments? It says they count exactly the same as the dramatic ones. But trusting God's plan means you do not get to choose which assignments matter based on your projected odds of success. Joseph modeled this in the mundane grind of slavery in Egypt. He resisted Potiphar's wife day after day, with zero indication that his integrity would ever be rewarded, recognized, or even survived. He was thrown in prison for his obedience. There was no visible payoff for years. Yet Joseph kept choosing obedience in the daily, unremarkable moments long before Pharaoh ever called him upstairs. That is the real test of what does the Bible say about obedience, not the highlight reel, but the thousand quiet decisions nobody claps for. The Genie Trap: Leading By Example Another critical, often overlooked component of what does the Bible say about obedience is the way we secretly treat God like a genie instead of a King. Answering what does the Bible say about obedience honestly means admitting how often we get this backwards. It is tempting to pray as if faith operates on a transactional exchange rate: enough obedience deposited equals a withdrawal of blessing, on your preferred timeline, in your preferred color. Some men will not say it out loud, but they are quietly praying for the red Lamborghini and calling it faith when they mean entitlement. That posture cannot survive contact with real obedience over outcome. Jesus modeled the opposite in the garden the night before His crucifixion, asking if the cup could be passed from Him, and then immediately surrendering: "Not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). If the Son of God submitted His own preferred outcome to the Father's plan, no man reading this has the standing to demand his obedience produce a specific, guaranteed result. You cannot fake your way through this. Your kids, your coworkers, and your own conscience have an incredibly tuned radar for a man who talks about surrender but actually operates on a transaction. If you demand obedience from your household while quietly negotiating terms with God behind closed doors, your example is completely undermined. What does the Bible say about obedience modeled in private? It says the private version is the real version. Trusting God's plan has to be modeled in the small, unwatched moments before it means anything in public. The Power of Presence: You Are Not Doing This Alone The positive flip to all of this is that what does the Bible say about obedience also includes a promise, not just a command. Jesus did not send His followers into the Great Commission and then disappear. The same verse that commands obedience also guarantees presence: "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). Obedience over outcome does not mean obedience in isolation. It means obedience with the Holy Spirit actively moving alongside you the entire way. This should change how a man approaches the hard conversation, the risky decision, or the assignment that looks likely to fail by every human metric. You are not the only variable in the equation. Trusting God's plan means recognizing that the results were never full

by Jim Hetherington https://cpcchurchimages.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/01220654/June-28-Sermon.mp3 Genesis 50:20 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 1 Samuel 17:47 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands.” Luke 24:16 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. Romans 8:18-28 Present Suffering and Future Glory 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[b] have been called according to his purpose. Transcript (Transcribed by TurboScribe) Our speaker this morning is Jim Hetherington. He needs no introduction and we are so glad to have him as part of our congregation, um, and wherever Jim is. Regrets will come to each and every one of us at some point or time, and they seem to speak the loudest when it’s silent. When things are quiet, that’s when the voices of regret seem to speak the loudest. And regrets can come in small things and come in big things. It can be something small and simple like, I meant to bring some cereal and contribute to the food bank, I just kept forgetting. I meant to take a casserole to my neighbour to support and encourage them, but I just ran out of time. I got busy. Because we get busy, don’t we? And we can use busyness as an excuse for not doing things. Regrets can come in big things. Could be a decision that we made, a financial decision, an investment that we didn’t take advantage of. You come in a career choice, a relationship choice. Regrets can come in all kinds of shapes and forms. The thing they say about regret is that discipline, you know, doing something to encourage, to support, to grow, costs very little. The invoice that we get from regrets is huge, and oftentimes regret hits us when we can’t do anything else about it. I know that many people on their deathbed may be faced with regrets. I guarantee you that they’re not regretting that they can’t get up and go into the office and work on another deal. It’s likely a relationship. It’s likely someone close to them that they regret not investing the time. We just finished a series with Aubrey where he talked about Joseph. Now Joseph, he probably had a few regrets during that course of time. He probably regretted the way he shared that dream, that vision with his brothers. He probably regretted getting himself in a position where he was caught with Potiphar’s wife. There may have been a few regrets because the truth is it took a couple of decades for that entire process from the time he got that dream and shared it to the time that it actually came fulfilled. It was a couple decades. Would you agree that that’s a long time? That’s a long time to hold on to something. That’s a long time to be going through the process, to be going through the stuff. In Genesis 50 verses 20, we read this. Joseph said, you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. He recognised that through that process, it wasn’t just the circumstances that he found himself in. He could see that God had a bigger picture. God had a bigger plan. So oftentimes we get caught up in circumstances, don’t we? Like I said, you know, we have good intentions of going and supporting and encouraging a friend or a neighbour, but we get busy. Life gets busy. But sometimes those excuses can get in the way and cause even more regret. I know for me, about 15, 16 years ago, I was going through a very busy part and a very busy time in my life and I wasn’t looking after myself. I had the excuse of I’m just too tired at the end of the day to look after myself, to go exercise. I’m too tired. I’m too busy to really eat well and to prepare extra meals. And we can use those excuses. I’m too tired. I’ve been chasing the kids or the grandkids all day long. I’m too tired to spend time reading. I’m too tired to spend time with my husband or with my wife. And we can use excuse after excuse, but all it does is pile up even more regret. Joseph found himself betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison. Yet he recognised that God was using those circumstances. In 1 Samuel 17 47, we read another familiar story of David and Goliath. David heard about the battle that was about to ensue with the Israelites and the Philistines gathered on the front lines. And as was a custom in that day, they would send out their best warriors and they would duke it out to see who would win. And if it needed, they would go into a full-blown battle. But if it could be resolved just with the two very best from each side, that’s how they handled it. So Goliath came out. This big beast of a man came out, said, send out your best. And everybody quivered and shook and shaked. And I’m sure there was some regrets with some of those men in the army, thinking, I didn’t train hard enough. I wish I was stronger. I wish I was better equipped. I wish I would have bought that better Nike equipment last week when it was on sale. Here I am on the front lines with this poor equipment. But David heard of this and he wasn’t going to live with regret. He was going to stand and face the giant. And he went to Saul. He went to his brothers. He went to everyone and they’re like, you’re crazy. You can’t do that. You’re not equipped. You’re not trained. You’re not anything. They tried to put Saul’s armour on him. It didn’t fit. It’d be kind of like wearing, you know, clothes that are 10 sizes too big for you and trying to function in them. So he stripped it off. He said, no, he said, I know a sling. I know stones and that’s what I’m going to use. And when we read 1 Samuel 17, it said, all those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves. For the battle is the Lord’s and he will give all of you into our hands. That’s a pretty bold declaration to be making in front of a big beast of a man, a huge army. Here’s this guy with just his basic clothes on and a sling and a few stones. But the thing that David recognised is that it wasn’t the stone. We could gather scientists. We could gather all kinds of mathematicians. We could gather all kinds of smart people. And they could probably give us 20 reasons why that stone could not have done what it did. And we would all probably agree with it, right? The math is wrong. The angle was wrong. The trajectory was. The fact that it was just a small stone, it’s impossible. I mean, that stone would have to get past the shield bearer, right? Goliath, he was well equipped, but he had his own guy holding a shield in front of him. So it would have to get past that. It would have to get through that helmet. You’ve seen those helmets with the little pointy thing that comes down between the eyes, right? That stone would have to project through that. But David knew something. He knew that it wasn’t a stone that he was throwing. It was a name that he was throwing. It was the name that he knew that was behind that stone that was going to accomplish what he declared it would accomplish. And it did. He wasn’t focused on the circumstances. He didn’t care how big Goliath was. He didn’t care how much armour he had on. He didn’t care about any of those things because he knew behind him was a name that was greater than any other name. And sometimes we can forget that, can’t we? We can forget that. We’re on this side of glory. We know historically we see all of these stories we read. And we’re going to look at a few more, but we know all of these stories. It’d be kind of like, you know, I was thinking about that movie Back to the Future. You’ve seen that movie Back to the Future? It was about a young guy that was transported back into time and he got to see all the stuff that happened and then came back into the future, into time, and was able to live out things differently. But one of the guys got this almanack and the almanack had every sports team that ever won a championship. Everything that was ever anything it happened. And so he knew what was going to happen. And so being transported back, he knew what was going to happen in that time. And so this guy used the book incorrectly and bet on things and was very successful because he knew what the outcome was going to be. We already know what the outcome is going to be, yet sometimes we forget. Sometimes we forget and we just get so focused on circumstances, don’t we? And it’s hard not to get focused on circumstances. When politically we hear all things, you know, things going on crazily, we hear of robberies, we hear of murders, we hear of thefts, we hear of the economy, you know, tanking and all the different things that we hear. It’s easy to get stuck on circumstances. My challenge is, can we get to the place of getting our focus off of the circumstances and onto God’s perspective? Because that’s really what counts. And David saw that in 1 Samuel. Others were focused on their skills, their strength and ability, the circumstances, but David saw God’s perspective. He didn’t throw a stone, he threw a name. The rest of the army was fearful. I was thinking of Helen Keller. One of her favourite, her famous quotes is, fear, the best way out is through. Do you know what fear stands for? Fear stands for false evidence appearing real. But it can paralyse us until we become like Helen Keller and go through it. And then all of a sudden we realise, oh, it wasn’t as scary as I thought it was going to be. It’s kind of like, it’s kind of like the boogeyman, you know, when we’re little. Boogeyman never showed up when the lights were on, always showed up when the lights were off. Never showed up when our parents were home or when friends were over hanging out with us. It was always when it was quiet, nobody was around, right? The boogeyman never showed up when there was busyness going on, but when things were silent and quiet, all of a sudden. And it’s the same with our regrets. It’s the same with things, situations and times and points in our life. All of a sudden when there’s silence, all of those voices start to rise up. I know people that cannot go a day, they cannot be in their home and not have a television going, have some music playing, some background noise. Why? Because when it’s silent, those voices of regret, the voices of indecision, those voices seem to come up. Similar to the boogeyman when the lights go out. But the truth is that they’re false evidence appearing real. They’re just fears that we need to go through and face. In Luke 24, we read an account of a couple of people walking down the road. This is after Jesus was crucified, dead, buried. They thought it was over, right? The disciples had invested everything believing that Jesus was who he said he was. But when he was killed, crucified, and all of a sudden his body’s missing, they didn’t know what was going on. They said, well, we better just go back to what we know. And so many of the disciples, they went back to fishing because fishing is what they knew. These two were heading back to Damascus, and they’re just walking, just thinking about the circumstances, thinking about what’s going on. And Jesus comes alongside and walks along them, but the scripture tells us in verse 16, it says, but they were kept from recognising him. Interesting. They were so focused on the circumstances, they didn’t even realise that it was Jesus walking alongside with them, having a conversation. Sometimes we can get so focused on our circumstances that we don’t think our prayers are effective. Sometimes we can get so focused on our circumstances that if somebody says an encouraging word, it just goes in one ear and out the other, because we’re so focused on the circumstances. We’re looking at our bank balances. We’re looking at our broken down car in the driveway. We’re looking at the broken relationships that are around us. We’re looking at the economy and the positions that we’re in. We’re so focused on the circumstances, we don’t think that there’s any way that God could possibly use that for good. But yet when we look at it historically, we see over and over and over again how God has used things for good. And as they were walking along the road, they came to their location, and Jesus pretended that he was going to continue on down the road. And they go, wait a minute, wait a minute. It’s getting late. It’s getting dark. Why don’t you come and just hang out with us for the night? Let’s just have a meal together, and then you can set off in the morning. So Jesus agreed, and he goes in, and they sit down, and they have a meal together. And he took the bread, and he broke the bread. And then all of a sudden they looked at each other and went, wait a second. Something’s happening here. Something looks eerily familiar. My spidey senses are starting to tingle. There’s something about this guy that is familiar. And they recognised, and God opened their eyes, and they saw who he was. And then instantly he was gone. But he got their eyes off of the circumstances and onto his perspective. Jesus was right there, but they couldn’t see him because they were so focused on the circumstances rather than his perspective. Just because we can’t see God doesn’t mean that he isn’t working. Sometimes we just feel that, don’t we? I mean, we’re human. We can be real. We can be honest. Sometimes we just don’t feel that God is working. We don’t believe that God’s working because we’re so fixated, so focused. I was thinking about Jonah. I didn’t get a scripture for this, but don’t worry. There’s no scripture verse for this one. But I was just thinking about Jonah. I’m sure he had some regrets, right? God met him, said, Jonah, I want you to go to Nineveh. He said, no way. I’m going this way. I’m out of here. I’m not going down there. And he completely disobeyed, went the wrong way, hopped on a ship, tried to take a cruise to get away from it all, gets thrown off overboard, and gets swallowed up by a big fish. Spends three days in a big fish. How many here, if you spent three days in a big fish, would have some regrets of your decisions? Right? Those would be huge regrets. I’m stuck in the belly of a fish. There would be huge regrets. But he gets a chance for redemption. He gets spit out onto the shore, and God says, head to Nineveh. I’m heading to Nineveh. And off he goes, and he does what he’s told. How about the woman that had the issue of blood? For 12 years, it said, she suffered with this issue. She spent everything that she had, all the doctors, all the specialists, everybody, and she didn’t get any relief. Nothing changed over 12 years. Then she heard about Jesus coming through. She knew of his reputation. She had heard the story. She had heard about the healing. She had heard about all the different things. And she said, this is my moment. I’m not going to regret and allow that to go by without taking my healing, without taking a miracle. And she crept up behind him and touched the hem of his garment just to get a healing. How many of us today, that if Jesus came walking in through that door, came down through all these aisles and went out through that back door, would get out of our pew and ask him for a miracle? Or would we just sit there quietly, wave, nod, you know, just be a little starstruck, and then regret that we didn’t step up, that we didn’t shout out what we wanted, what we needed, what we were asking for. Sometimes it’s our own dignity that keeps us locked in place. Sometimes just looking a little bit foolish keeps us locked in place, fearful of speaking out in that business meeting, fearful of speaking out in that church meeting, fearful of saying something to our children or to our spouse or to a neighbour or to a friend. We just sit with regret and just let the moment go by. In Romans 8, 18 to 28, this is the big one. We’re going to read this one together. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it in hope that the creation itself would be liberated from the bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved, but the hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. So what’s Paul really saying here? It seems a whole lot, but really what he’s offering here is a message of hope. Paul is reassuring the believers that the present sufferings cannot compare to the eternal glory awaiting them. He explains that creation eagerly awaits this redemption. The Holy Spirit intercedes in our weakness, and God uses all circumstances for the of his people. That’s what Paul is saying here. Regrets come in all shapes and sizes, and the way to regret can be heavy, and it can be a real burden and a real struggle. The difficulty is getting our eyes off of our circumstances and viewing and looking at God’s perspective, because God can see through to the other side. It’s kind of like being in an aeroplane, an aeroplane over a highway, right? Imagine yourself in a car driving along the highway, and you’re trying to pass somebody on the highway, and you inch out a little bit, and another car comes the other way, and you zip back in again, right? And then you go a little bit further, and you go, okay, maybe I can try it again. You move out a little bit to see, and then, bam, another car comes down. And it’s like God is in a plane, and he can see the highway as long as it can possibly go, and he knows when we can pass. But we’re so focused on our circumstances that we can’t see his perspective. If we could tune into his perspective, he would say, okay, Alexander, it’s clear to pass. Go. And we could go. It’s the same in life. We get so focused on the circumstances, and we lose connection with God’s perspective. We think, well, I made that choice. I made that decision. I made my bed. I got to lay in it. There’s nothing God can do, nothing God will do. With that kind of attitude, you’re right. You’re right. If we focus on our circumstances and say, oh, it’s too big for God, you’re right. There’s nothing that can change. Nothing can happen. Nothing can ever change. You’re right. We could stay focused on that, and nothing would ever change. But if we will shift our perspective, anything is possible. How many believe that God is a God of the possible? Right? He is. He’s not the God of impossible. He’s the God of possible. We’re praying for a new leader in our church. It’s possible. We know that God is going to bring the right person at the right time, but it’s hard not to get stuck on the circumstances. I don’t see any clear candidates. I don’t see any clear thing, but when we change our perspective, it all shifts. If you take notes, I want you to write down these five words. If you don’t take notes, I want you to write down these five words. I want to encourage you. This is a side note. I want to encourage you to take notes. I’ve got a little black book, and no, it doesn’t have addresses and mean things about people. It’s a black book that I keep notes on, and I want to encourage you to have something, even if it’s a small little notepad that you can slip in your pocket. Women, you’ve got a guy’s beat. You’ve got purses. You can carry things in your purses. Just a little notepad. Back in the day, I used to write on anything and everything, especially when I was in the construction world. You could ask my wife. The collection of stuff that I had up in my office, I would have pieces of two by twelve, right? Just a chunk, two-foot piece of two by twelve, and with a marker, and I would mark down a note or a thought that I had. I would take it home with me. I would be scrambling around, couldn’t find anything. I’d rip open a paper bag and just pencil inside this thing. Cedar shims, anything I could get my hands on, too. You know, little children running by. Right, are you coming home with… No, I wouldn’t do that. But I would just write notes on everything, and I kept that collection for the longest time because I thought it was the funniest thing, and I thought, dummy, just get a little book. Carry a book with you. So that’s what I do, and I carry that with me, and I carry it until I fill it up. Then I put it on my shelf, and then I get another one, and I work on that one until I fill it up. So now I’ve got a collection of these little books that I just put little note things. And it’s a great time, you know, with laptops and iPads and all these different things. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t. This thing in between our ears is the greatest invention in the world. I mean, the capacity that we have in here is fantastic, but you can’t trust it all the time. Anyone notice that? How many have made a list, gone to the grocery store, forgot the list at home, tried to recall everything on the list? Did you forget at least one or two things on that list? Almost every time, right? We know that we can’t trust that thing, but if we write it down, we can trust that thing. So you can trust what you’ve written, but you can’t trust to remember everything. So I want to encourage you to write these things down. The first is regrets. Know that they’re going to happen. They’re going to happen. There’s going to be times where we don’t do the thing. As Paul says, you know, the very thing I want to do or don’t want to do, I do. The thing I know that I should do, the thing that I shouldn’t do is right there all the time. So we know that these things are going to happen. Regrets are going to happen regardless of how young we are, how old we are, how smart we are, how not so smart we are. See how politely I said that? But it’s going to happen. Here’s the thing about regrets. The second word that I want you to write down is repent. Just say, God, I blew it. I forgot to take that casserole. I forgot to bring the cereal again. I forgot to do this again. I forgot to put my tithe in. I forgot to pay that bill. I forgot to do this. I forgot to do that. I didn’t, you know, I didn’t train hard enough. I didn’t do anything. Just confess it. Say, God, I blew it. The next one is redemption. Trust is redeeming grace. Trust that he can use all things together for good. And trust that redemptive work that he’s doing. The fourth one is restoration. Know that he’s going to restore you. Know that as we confess those things, now we’ve gotten rid of the fear that it’s going to happen again. Now we can walk through it as Helen Keller says. And now we’ve, as we confess it, we can walk through in a different way. We’ve shifted our perspective off of circumstances onto God’s perspective. So trust in the restoration. And then the fifth and final one is rejoice. Just give thanks. Just be happy that you can and will get over those things. So that’s a simple formula to get over regret. Is that a good formula? Will you use that formula? I know we’re only human, and it’s going to happen. But here’s what I don’t want to happen, have happen. I don’t want us to be on our last breath, regretting all those regrets that have just piled up over the years, over time. Because the compound interest is not a good interest. It’s not something that you want to compound. Dealing with those things as you’ve done, maybe there’s some broken relationships that need to be restored in your life. Confess that now. Ask for God’s redemptive work. Allow that restoration to happen. Allow the rejoicing to happen while you’re still walking, living, and breathing. While there’s still breath in our lungs, we have the ability to change anything. As we confess it and give it over to God, shift our circumstances, shift out of the circumstances, and shift into his perspective. Does that make sense? So that’s what I want to encourage us with. I knew that today was going to be a challenging day because of the waft of barbecue coming in through the door. Anybody getting a whiff of that? I see that hand back there. Mr. I could eat six hamburgers. One of the things that’s challenging these days as a speaker, as a presenter, is the attention span is a little bit shorter. Attention span is a little bit shorter. Did I say that already? It is, but it’s just gotten shorter and shorter, hasn’t it? Those squirrel moments happen quicker, more frequent. Even for people that never suffered from squirrel syndrome, it happens. We get caught up in those moments, right? It’s just happened. But what you cannot compete with is a group of people that are salivating because they know a picnic is coming. They know a barbecue is coming, and then you get the aroma of that coming in through the building. That is unfair. That is unfair. So I’m going to finish so that we can get out and enjoy those burgers. Who wants to get out and enjoy a burger? All right. Now, while I got some hands moving, who’s going to begin to confess regrets? Not right now. This isn’t confession time, but I want to encourage you to look at those moments when those moments come up and say, okay, I know how to deal with that. All I got to do is confess it, and I can allow God’s work to begin in my life. That’s the start. That’s the beginning. And to begin to accelerate, or begin to propel, or begin to build momentum until everything that you do, God will begin to and continue to use it for good.

A @Christadelphians Video: **YouTube Summary/Description**We continue our outstanding expositional journey through the life of Joseph, uncovering a deeply thought-provoking truth: delay is not abandonment. When the road keeps going down—from slavery to false accusation to prison—how do we keep trusting God? This revealing study of Genesis 39–41 shows us that waiting is not the same as being forgotten. The dream wasn't dead; it was being held until God's perfect time.We witness Joseph in Potiphar's house, where God's presence is unmistakable, only to enter a sudden silence—the very place where Joseph's faith speaks loudest. The relentless temptation, the false accusation staged with a garment, and the descent into the prison house all lead us to a wonderful truth: the closed door does not mean God is absent. Through Psalm 105, we see the iron entering his soul, refining him like metal in fire. Then, in the darkness, a glorious shadow of Christ appears—the innocent sufferer between two transgressors, the cup and the bread, and the cry “Remember me.” Finally, at the appointed time, the door swings open. Joseph stands before Pharaoh at thirty years old, trusted, tested, and honoured. The garments tell the whole arc: favour, false guilt, humiliation, and glory—pointing unmistakably to the Lord Jesus Christ.This is an insightful, inspiring study for anyone facing a season of silence. Let us learn to be faithful in ordinary days, to flee from temptation without looking back, and to be ready when God opens the door.**Chapters**00:00 – Introduction: When the Road Keeps Going Down 05:15 – The Silence of God: Faith in the Dark 07:04 – Temptation in Potiphar's House: Day by Day 13:41 – The False Accusation: Garment and Lie 16:53 – From Pit to Prison: The House of Confinement 22:23 – The Iron Entering His Soul (Psalm 105) 25:18 – The Prison Preaches Christ: Butler, Baker, Remembrance 28:51 – The Refining Word: Two Years of Silence 32:10 – The Door Opens: Joseph Before Pharaoh 34:00 – The Hand: Trusted, Tested, Honoured 36:53 – The Garments: Favour, Guilt, Humiliation, Glory 38:10 – The Age of Thirty: Prepared in Silence 39:30 – Three Lessons: Faithfulness, Fleeing, Readiness 41:40 – Conclusion: The Key Is in God's Hand**Bible Verse Category**

That difficult environment or unwanted career assignment is not random; it is your divine placement. Like Joseph in Potiphar's house, discover how embracing quiet obedience right where you are turns your workplace into an altar and unlocks massive breakthroughs for everyone around you today.

Here's a long-form, SEO-optimized podcast episode description you can use for Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your podcast host.**Pilate's Wife vs Potiphar's Wife: Two Women, Two Choices, Two Very Different Legacies | Bible Study Podcast**In this episode, we explore the lives of two fascinating but very different women in the Bible—**Pilate's Wife** and **Potiphar's Wife**. Although both women appear in pivotal moments involving innocent men, their responses reveal two completely different hearts, motives, and legacies.Pilate's wife is remembered as a woman who listened to divine revelation. After being troubled by a dream concerning Jesus, she courageously warned her husband, Pontius Pilate, urging him to have nothing to do with condemning an innocent man. Her actions demonstrate compassion, discernment, and the courage to speak truth, even in the face of political pressure and injustice.In stark contrast, Potiphar's wife is driven by selfish desire and pride. After Joseph refuses her repeated attempts to seduce him because of his commitment to honour God, she falsely accuses him of assault in order to protect her own reputation. Her lies result in Joseph being imprisoned for a crime he never committed, reminding us that choosing righteousness does not always lead to immediate reward, but it always pleases God.This episode examines the powerful contrast between these two women and the timeless lessons their stories teach believers today. We discuss the importance of integrity, obedience, courage, discernment, and trusting God's sovereign plan, even when we suffer because of someone else's sin.Joseph's response to temptation remains one of the greatest examples of godly character in Scripture. Rather than giving in to momentary pleasure, he chose obedience to God over personal gratification. He fled from temptation, understanding that faithfulness to God was worth more than temporary satisfaction. Although his obedience led to imprisonment instead of immediate promotion, God was working behind the scenes. What others intended for evil, God used for Joseph's good, preparing him for the purpose and calling that lay ahead.We also reflect on the encouragement found in Romans 8:28—that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Like Joseph, we may encounter people who seek to harm us, spread lies, or undermine our character. There will always be "Potiphar's wives" in life—people who act without integrity or attempt to derail God's plans for us. Yet God is greater than every false accusation, every setback, and every injustice. He can redeem every painful season to shape us into the people He has called us to become.Join us as we unpack these remarkable biblical accounts and discover practical encouragement for navigating temptation, standing for truth, responding to injustice, and trusting God's faithfulness in every season.If this episode encourages you, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends and family who want to grow deeper in God's Word.**Topics Covered:*** Pilate's Wife and her warning about Jesus* Potiphar's Wife and the false accusation against Joseph* Joseph's integrity and fleeing temptation* Standing up for truth and justice* Choosing obedience over temptation* Trusting God during false accusations* God's purpose in suffering* Romans 8:28 explained* Biblical lessons on courage, integrity, and faith* How God uses adversity for His glory and our good**Bible Passages Mentioned:*** Genesis 39* Matthew 27:19* Romans 8:28* Genesis 50:20* James 1:2–4* 1 Corinthians 10:13 Bible study podcast, Christian podcast, Pilate's Wife, Potiphar's Wife, Joseph in Egypt, Jesus before Pilate, biblical women, Christian living, temptation, integrity, false accusations, courage, obedience to God, Romans 8:28, Bible teaching, Scripture study, faith, trusting God, overcoming trials, biblical lessons,

Featuring: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Lenny Salgado, Ben Cossette, Johnny V., Mike McHugh, and James GowellEdited by: Tim NicholsonIn this episode of Thriving in the Word, we continue The Hall of Faith series and arrive at one of the most beloved figures in all of Scripture: Joseph. But instead of focusing on the colorful coat, the dreams, the pit, the prison, or even the palace, Hebrews 11 points us to a much different moment. Joseph's place in the Hall of Faith comes down to a dying man's confidence that God's promises would outlive him.We walk through Genesis 37-50 and Hebrews 11:22, where Joseph, nearing death, instructed his family to carry his bones out of Egypt when God eventually brought Israel into the Promised Land. It's a strange detail to spotlight in a life filled with dramatic twists and miraculous turns, but that's exactly the point. Joseph's greatest act of faith wasn't his rise to power. It was his unwavering belief that God would do exactly what He said He would do, even if Joseph would never live to see it happen.The crew explores Joseph's transformation from a favored and arrogant young man into a humble leader shaped by betrayal, slavery, false accusations, imprisonment, and years of waiting. We discuss the jealousy of his brothers, the dreams that set everything in motion, and the incredible reality that God used every setback to prepare Joseph for a purpose far greater than he could have imagined.Along the way, we examine the parallels between Joseph and Jesus, the significance of Joseph's bones making the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, and what it means to trust God's plan when the road ahead doesn't make sense. Joseph's story reminds us that faith isn't just believing God for today. It's believing Him for a future you may never personally witness.That leads us into some honest questions: What promises of God are you trusting even when you can't see the outcome? Are you willing to let God shape your character through hardship? Can you still believe He's working when it feels like you've been forgotten in the pit or the prison? And if your story isn't finished yet, what might God be preparing you for right now?Topics include: Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11, Joseph, Genesis 37-50, Joseph and his brothers, Joseph's dreams, Joseph in Egypt, Potiphar's house, Joseph in prison, forgiveness in the Bible, faith in God's promises, Joseph's bones, Promised Land, Exodus connection, Joseph and Jesus parallels, God's providence, suffering and faith, endurance through trials, trusting God's timing, biblical leadership, redemption, reconciliation, God's plan in hardship, faith that lasts beyond your lifetime, Christian podcast, Bible teaching, Bible study, Hall of Faith series, Hebrews study, spiritual growth, walking with God, and Thriving in the Word.More Info: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠Give: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠prayer@thrive.church⁠⁠⁠This is a presentation of Thrive.Church.© All Rights Reserved.

After sharing his God-inspired dream, Joseph's life spiraled into a nightmare. Sold by his brothers to slave traders, once the favorite in Jacob's household, he became the lowest in Potiphar's palace. Still, God began to do what He does best…redeem. Genesis 37-38 Speaker: Kyle Idleman

God's plan and purpose for our lives isn't always what we'd choose, but He is always faithful. That's the lesson we'll learn as we continue to follow the life of Joseph. We pick up as Joseph is sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah. While overseeing Potiphar's house, Potiphar's wife tries to seduce him. Although Joseph refuses, the woman covers up her own sin by framing Joseph. As our study closes, Joseph is thrown in jail.

by Aubrey Botha https://cpcchurchimages.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/16100747/June-14-Sermon.mp3 Genesis 39:19-21 Joseph Put in Prison 19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife's story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. Genesis 40:14-15 14 And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place. 15 For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I'm here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.” Genesis 40:23 23 Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.   Genesis 41:1 Pharaoh's Dreams 41 Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. Genesis 41:9-16 9 Finally, the king's chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. 10 “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. 11 One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 12 There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. 13 And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.” 14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh. 15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.” 16 “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” Psalm 37:7 7 Be still before the Lord    and wait patiently for him;do not fret when people succeed in their ways,    when they carry out their wicked schemes. Isaiah 40:31 31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.    They will soar high on wings like eagles.They will run and not grow weary.    They will walk and not faint. Transcript (Transcribed by TurboScribe) This is one of my favourite worship songs. I just sang it last night. Again, I often do that. Just before I go to bed, I’ll listen to a few of these, and this was the one last night I just put on, and I was just taking some time with the Lord. I trust in God. Do we do that? Sometimes we forget that, right? When life gets a little tough, we kind of grab to all kinds of straws, and they don’t last that long, but the Lord is always there. He starts the song with blessed assurance. Remember how the words went in the old song? For Jesus is mine. Lord, thank you for the series on Joseph. Thank you for the lessons we learned. Help us, Lord, to take those and make them part of our lives, especially this morning. It’s a big one. Thank you for that. May we ask, as we always do, that we can see Jesus and only Jesus. So I’m sitting in the doctor’s office in the waiting room. Jay nearly choked on his coffee now. Let me go back. I’m sitting in the doctor’s office in the waiting room. The receptionist checked me in, and she said, take a seat and wait. The nurse will call you when the doctor is ready to see you. I’m not alone in this room. There’s other people with me, and we all know our task. It’s in the name of the room. Wait. We don’t tweet each other. We don’t take blood pressure. We don’t write prescriptions. Our job is to wait. Now, we don’t like that because we’re this kind of giddy-up generation, right? We weave through the traffic to get to the fastest lane just to stop at the traffic light at the same time as everyone else. We get really upset when someone brings 11 items into the 10-item express checkout, and we drum our fingers when we watch Netflix, and it takes a little while for that video to download. We don’t like waiting, not for the traffic, not for the doctor, not for God. Can we take a moment and just think about this for a moment? Where are we sitting? Not today in the church. Every day as we live in this world, where are we sitting? We’re sitting in God’s waiting room. See the young couple sitting there? They’ve been waiting for a long time, trying to get pregnant. See the gentleman there with a briefcase on his lap? He’s been sending out resume after resume, waiting, waiting to find a job. See the elderly lady, just widowed? She’s been waiting for one day without waking up crying. Here’s the thing. We live in a land between prayer offered and prayer answered, in the land of waiting, in God’s waiting room. Now, if there’s someone that knows every piece of furniture, who’s read every notice on that bulletin board in God’s waiting room, it was Joseph. He spent hours down in a cistern, waiting that someone might just take him out. Months walking about 750 kilometres to get to Egypt. Days, if not weeks, on that auction block. A decade in the household of Potiphar, the captain of the guard. Time moves slowly in a foreign land, and time stops in prison. And that’s where we pick up his story today. Can I just give you a little backstory before we read, and we’re going to start reading chapter 39 verse 19. So Joseph works for Potiphar, and things are wonderful. People love him, everyone loves him, and Potiphar’s wife wants to love him even more. She invites him into her bedroom, and he says, no thank you. She did not take that kindly. So she decided that she was going to get him back for that. So she goes to her husband, and she lies, and she tells him that Joseph tried to sexually assault her. And that’s where we pick up our story. Potiphar was so furious when he heard his wife’s story about Joseph, how Joseph had treated her. So he took Joseph, and he threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. Do I need to say this? But the Lord, this is about God even better. But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison, and he showed him his faithful love. But the Lord was with Joseph even there where time stood still. And then, and I’m going to use strange words which I will explain in a second. I’m using them specifically. It just so happened that the baker and the butler, not the candlestick maker, only the baker and the butler, they messed up, and Pharaoh got really angry at them, and he dumped them in jail with Joseph. They became friends. And it just so happened that they both had a dream. And it just so happened that God allowed Joseph to understand the dreams and tell them what the dreams meant. If I was the baker, I wish I never had that dream for him. It didn’t end that well. He lost his head. The butler or the cupbearer, as the translation calls him, the butler, he got really good news. You’re not going to stay in here for long, buddy. You go right back, and they’re going to put you back in your job, and you’re going to live happily ever after working for the king. But as Joseph tells him that, he asks him a favour. Chapter 40, verse 14. He said to him, please remember me. Do me a favour when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh so he might let me out of this place, for I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison. But I did nothing to deserve it. And then verse 23. Pharaoh’s cupbearer, butler, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. For two years, not a single word. Enough time for Joseph to forget about God, to kind of push his beliefs to one side and say, it’s all done. There’s nothing more. I’m just stuck in this prison. But he never did, because Joseph knows all about last week’s sermon. About the one who weaves. Sometimes the world weaves, but God is the amazing re-weaver. And he knew all about that. Never gave up. And then it happened. Pharaoh had this dream. Actually, two dreams. One about cows and one about grain. It upset him really, because he didn’t understand what this was all about. So he got all of his wise people and all of his counsellors together. And he said, explain this to me, because I’m really concerned about what this might mean. They had no clue. And then that moment, chapter 41, verse 9. Finally, the king’s cupbearer spoke up, the butler. Today, I have been reminded of my failure, he told Pharaoh. Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. That is Potiphar. One night, the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. And there was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. And we told him our dreams. And he told us what each of our dreams meant. And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cupbearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole. Sandy Barry, I just told you about that this week. Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. And after he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh. This would be the first time that Pharaoh and Joseph would come face to face, and they would look at each other. Wouldn’t be the last. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I’ve heard that when you hear about a dream, you can interpret it. Now, listen carefully to Joseph’s answer. It is beyond my power to do this, Joseph replied. And do I have to say it? But God. But God can tell you what it means and said to you, I can’t do it, but God can do it. Joseph comes out of jail after all this time, going through all of the stuff, and he comes out there bragging about God. The jail time, the wait time did not diminish his faith, did not take away his faith, did quite the opposite. It strengthened his faith in this God who is weaving his life together, even if he’s sitting in the waiting room. Because Joseph understood his God. God who makes promises and keeps them. A God who is sovereign and nothing in this world can change what God is doing and is going to do and will do in your life and in my life, because that’s just who he is. And I didn’t write this in the sermon, but boy was that right. I trust in God. That’s what Joseph would have said, and that was maybe the last song he sang before he got out of jail. And you, you might not be in jail, but you might be sitting in that waiting room. Well, while you’re waiting, God is working. God never sits around and twiddling his thumbs. I wonder what’s going on in the universe. Doesn’t take vacation. Psalm 121, he never slumbers and he never sleeps. John 5, he never stops working. We have a song for that. Waymaker, he never stops. He never stops working. He’s the waymaker, miracle worker, light in the darkness. That is who you are. You never stop. You never stop working, even when I’m sitting in the waiting room. Think of Joseph. In a sense, chapter 40, his life came to a standstill. There he was, dumped, and that was the end. And now I’m coming back to those words that I used when I said, it just so happened. Nah, it didn’t just so happen. It was no coincidence. This was God working. God putting the pieces together. Those two guys who fell out of favour with Pharaoh, God knew that there was a plan with that. And he put them right there where Joseph would meet them. And God had them have these dreams. And God gave it to Joseph so Joseph could explain it. God was at work, even when Joseph was sitting in the waiting room. And when all the pieces were in place, Pharaoh had a dream, and no one understood. And at the right time, at the right time, the old cupbearer who forgot for more than two years said, there’s a Joseph. See, that’s God at the right time. Not my time. Not your time. We live in the land of waiting between a prayer offered and a prayer answered. We kind of, God help me now. Now! Stand in line. There’s someone with 12 in front of you. The land between a prayer offered and a prayer answered. It is the land of waiting. But God is working, and God is weaving. So it’s okay sometimes to wait. Giddy up, generation. And as you wait, it would behove you to just look up to the wall, because God has a beautiful plaque on the wall in his waiting room. Psalm 46 verse 10. Someone know where that is? There’s a coffee for that. No, don’t look it up. Be still and know that I, that’s right there in his waiting room. Be still and know that I, I can be glad, even in my waiting, because God is good. I can be silent, because God is, I can rest, because God is busy. I know that’s hard, because we want those answers right now. We don’t like to wait. I want to go straight into it. But in the waiting is where we learn more and more about this master weaver in our lives. There’s this beautiful word, Psalm 31, and Alexander knows that’s one of those that’s going to be read at my funeral. I trust in you. I say you are my God. Just before that, he says, God, I’m scared. There’s lots of stuff going on, and I’m not sure about all these things, but I trust in you. I say you are my God, and then those words, my times are in your hands. Can we say that in our own lives? I trust in you. Between a prayer offered and a prayer answered, my times are in your hands. And then do what Paul says, right? Through prayer and petition and with thanksgiving, you give it to God. And let me end. It would be good for us to remember, and Grace, you have this on there, to remember Isaiah chapter 40, verse 31. Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. Can I just stop that for a second? The word trust is sometimes translated with hope, and the King James got it right for once, translated it correctly. Again, a Hebrew word, Amirah, kavah. Kavah means to wait. Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. Those who wait on the Lord will soar high on wings like eagles. Those who wait on the Lord will run and not grow weary. Those who wait on the Lord will walk and they will not faint. You’ll get through that waiting room period. Ask Joseph. He’ll tell you. One more thing. As you sit there, you might notice that the door opens and you’ll see the doctor come out and come sit right next to you. And he’ll say, I’m just going to sit here while we wait. Not all doctors will do that, but yours will, because he’s the great physician. So, welcome to the waiting room. Amen. Take a few moments of quiet prayer. Think of me, O Lord. Think of me in your greatness. Be the rock where I can come and hide. Be that faithful one that I can come and sit and I can just pour my heart out, for I trust in you, Lord. I say, you are my God. And as I wait, my times are in your hand. In Jesus’ name. Amen. We’re going to sing. Praise team. Thank you. When we do the postlude, it seems that we’ve been a little mischievous and we’ve done some stuff that God doesn’t like. So, the last song, if you see on your bulletin, says, Lord, reign me in. So, God must be thinking about us to reign us in for something. It was a little mistype, but we’ll sing Lord, reign me in. That’s our postlude.

Text:  Genesis 39 God's Presence in Our Success (Gen. 39:1-6a) God was with Joseph through uncertainty and hardship as he is taken as a slave to Egypt. God was with Joseph as the source of his success in Potiphar's household. We must look to God through every season knowing that anything we receive is from His good hand of providence. God's Presence in Our Temptation (Gen. 39:6b-18) God was with Joseph in the midst of sexual temptation. Joseph resisted temptation out of integrity to his authority and his commitment to God's ways. We must look to God as we are tempted, knowing that He is more satisfying than anything sin can offer us. God's Presence in Our Adversity (Gen. 39:19-23) God was with Joseph as he was falsely accused and forced into prison. God displayed His steadfast love and favor to Joseph. We must look to God in our hardships as our hope and help in all circumstances. In Christ our Savior we have "God with us" who is in us and will never forsake us (Matt. 1:21-23; Heb. 13:5-6). Main Idea: God is with us and at work within us through all circumstances to empower us to live faithfully and trust in His providence.

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Gravity  -  You can't beat it. Client lost 265 pounds… Box jump 2 inches… to 20 inches.   You can't beat gravity… but you can improve.   Eph. 3 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.   Look at the dot of an “I” in your bible. That is the sun, it holds 1 million earths Our current earth is the galaxy it lives in THERE ARE PLANETS OUT IN OTHER GALAXIES THAT ARE BIGGER THAN OUR GALAXY.      Paul is essentially praying that his listeners will do the impossible: to intellectually comprehend something that is inherently beyond intellectual comprehension, all so they can be entirely consumed by the divine.   He is telling you to try to beat gravity… you won't but you can experience it greater and greater.      A teacher in bible college put it this way… Describe to someone what the ocean is who has never SEEN THE OCEAN AND NEVER experienced anything liquid.     God calls us to grasp how wide, long, high and deep his love is… knowing we never will fully grasp it.      But the attempt is clear: ALWAYS FOCUS ON GODS LOVE FOR US!        When you focus on Gods love 3 things happen in your life!        - 1. Sin We don't have a sin problem,  we have a knowing God problem.     Knowing His Supreme love keeps us tender and sinless - think of the time you were most whipped in love. I can. Kim and I were dating and she was in the car leaning forward fiddling with the radio. I was outside standing behind my car filling it up with gas. I looked at my buddy Pele and said can you believe that girl loves me? I literally could not fathom it… He looked at me in disbelief and said “it makes no sense”. **But what if he then said “how many times do you think she will let you fool around  with other girls… how many times will she let you smack her around, lie to her, steal from her, gossip about her… etc… I would have had a mental breakdown and sparks shoot from a short circuit in my head… that would make no sense to me. Knowing God's love keeps us from asking how far can I go in the world...     Satan will take your sin, your past, your guilt and try to make you feel like a servant. ITS CALLED SIN CONCIOUS   John 14:31 If you love the father you will obey his commandments. Love God = the fruit is obedience.   *if you focus on the commands you will be religious and guilt ridden and sin conscious.     You will fall into the trap of trying to push yourself away from your sin Using willpower Discipline Rules Accountability    What did Joseph say when he was tempted by Potiphar's wife? He remembers the 7th commandment: Thou shalt not have adultery… NOPE!  

One of the greatest stories ever told was told in the Bible.    It's in Genesis.    A story about a man named Joseph, not Jesus' Earthly Dad, but another Joseph.    A pair of brothers sell their brother Joseph into slavery to a man named Potiphar.    Joseph gains favor with Potiphar and works in the house.    Potiphar's wife asks Joseph to take her to bed, and he refuses.    She rips her clothes and Joseph is taken into custody on her accusation.    Long story short, he interprets a dream for a Pharoah and is liberated.    Out of this story comes my favorite word to this day.    Listen for the lesson.    About the ReWire Podcast   The ReWire Podcast with Ryan Stewman – Dive into powerful insights as Ryan Stewman, the HardCore Closer, breaks down mental barriers and shares actionable steps to rewire your thoughts. Each episode is a fast-paced journey designed to reshape your mindset, align your actions, and guide you toward becoming the best version of yourself. Join in for a daily dose of real talk that empowers you to embrace change and unlock your full potential.    Learn how you can become a member of a powerful community consistently rewiring itself for success at https://www.jointheapex.com/   Rise Above 

Manifesting Sonship (1) (Audio) David Eells, 6/7/26 Parable of the Persecuted Man-child David Eells - 01/18/2012 This came to me in the middle of the night of 1/18/12 and I hurried to write it down before I forgot it. Joseph took care of his father's flocks with his brothers before he was anointed to reign. His brothers became jealous of him and hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. The Father's favor was on Joseph, Who gave him a coat of many colors, symbolizing the attributes of light, since a prism breaks down light into the seven main colors. This represents the seven attributes of Jesus in 2 Peter 1:4-8, called divine nature. Joseph had dreams from God of being anointed to be over his brothers. His brothers hated his dreams and slandered them and God Who gave them. The brothers also hated and slandered Joseph. They agreed to throw him in a pit with plans to kill him. As traitors and Judases, they sold him into bondage for personal gain. They also wanted to inherit the flock as their own. They treated him as their own possession, as though God did not see their evil deeds. However, He saw and considered it as evil against His Son: (Mat.25:40) Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, [even] these least, ye did it unto ME. They took Joseph's coat of many colors and tore it between them and put the blood of a goat on it. This symbolizes their slandering his integrity and imputing to him an evil nature. (This was as the Pharisees treated Jesus. These apostate brothers did not know Jesus either, and their beast parted his garments, too.) These leaders of the harlot church proclaimed an evil beast had done this and in this, they were right. In this captivity, Joseph was then slandered by the harlot of Potiphar, the chief executioner, and thrown into a spiritual prison. Joseph was not deterred. His interpretations of dreams fulfilled prophecy as men's fates were decided. As with the butler and baker, some were resurrected from their prisons, and others were eternally destroyed. Because of his gift of understanding dreams and the future, Joseph was promoted and anointed to reign. He taught the people how to store up their treasures in the kingdom so they might be provided for from there. The seven years of plenty came to an end and seven years of famine came, and there was famine all over the world. The Father then sent Joseph's brothers to him so that they might not starve with all the flocks. They did not recognize him because he looked like any worldly Egyptian on the outside. Although all the people came to Joseph for spiritual sustenance, these leaders still did not know the one on the inside. Because of this, they reaped what they had sown and were tried by Joseph's words and falsely accused as they had done to Joseph. (Isa.54:17) No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness which is of me, saith Jehovah. In the fullness of time, Joseph revealed himself to them, and they were greatly saddened for their failures, which had caused them and their families much grief. Joseph comforted them, telling them that they meant evil against him, but God used it for good to save many people alive. All of the types of the Man-child were slandered before and after the anointing came. The Psalms are full of this in David's experience, which was a type of Jesus' experience, which was a type of Jesus in the end-time Man-child ministry's experience. This parable above is in the process of being fulfilled. It is easy to see ‘who is who' in this parable of God just before the seven years of famine begin. Repent while there is still time. Joseph is not in prison alone. Some will end up like the butler and some like the baker, by His Word.   Death of the Davids Eve Brast - 11/25/2012 (David's notes in red) In the dream, David Eells (representing the David/Man-childs) and I (Eve, representing the bride of the last Adam) were in an Army barracks on a base on the second floor. I walked into the room where David was sitting. He was sitting at the doorway, teaching a rebellious man who was sitting at his feet, about not fighting in the flesh because he really wanted to teach his son to rise up and fight the government with guns and weapons. At first, my eyes were focused on the rebellious man, but then I looked up at David and saw the condition of his outward man. He was feeble and old but the voice coming from his inner man was very strong and youthful. (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; (18) while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.) I was shocked when I saw him. He was wearing a long-sleeved white dress shirt, and it was soaked with bloody sweat, just like Christ in the garden just before His crucifixion. He had been laboring in great travail and prayer while teaching this rebellious man who had been sitting at his feet. (I have discovered that teaching the rebellious man is a wonderful way to be crucified of self at his hand.) When I looked at him, he motioned to me with his finger by pointing to his mouth and then pointing to me and indicating to me to read his lips because his old man could not speak anymore. (The tongue is a good indication of whether the old man is dead. (Jas.3:2) For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. A perfect man is one who is dead to self.) When I read his lips, he said without a sound, “It's time.” And then he pointed at R. S., who was his personal secretary/nurse in an office to his right. He wanted me to alert her. I didn't understand what was happening and I became concerned because he looked like he was going to die! (Please read our book, How Shall We Die, to know the way of death to self.) Then he pulled his blood-and sweat-soaked shirt open (like Superman does) and I saw a bright red scar running down his sternum. Then I understood that he had recently had a heart transplant and now it was time for him (the old man) to pass away. (A heart transplant is in effect the death of the old heart and resurrection of the new.) I ran and got R.S., who was a white woman in this dream. She jumped up and ran to catch his body as it slumped in his chair and passed away. She said, “We've been waiting and preparing for this to happen for quite a while now”. She reached David just in time to catch his body and lower it down to the floor. I was sorrowful that he had left us, as the brethren took his body away. I felt the way the disciples felt after their Shepherd, Jesus, had been crucified. (The Davids are going through a crucifixion and death of the old man.) I then went back to another barracks where I also taught the revelations the Father had given David to others, and where we all slept. (The Bride will pass on the Man-child's teachings in the tribulation.) It was dark outside, and on the way back, I heard a radio broadcast in my right ear. The disc jockey was criticizing me and slandering the good news teaching that I had been sharing with others. I didn't realize that anyone knew about me or that I taught the good news to others. I then smiled and said to myself, “I don't care if they don't like me because I know what I've taught is the truth of the Word”. (Persecution will come on the bride, as it did on the Man-child, so the bride too can walk in death to self and share the same gift with the world.) A confirmation: This is a small portion of a dream I had on the morning of 11/26/12, confirming the “death of David.” In one part of the dream, David's voice is heard teaching out of a very large stone fireplace with a blazing fire burning, which was inside a white homeschool convention center. (I have had several dreams with fireplaces, but this is the first one that actually had a fire going in it.) David was sharing a dream from a UBM brother with us then afterward, he was going to share a dream I was given. (Fire represents tribulation, which burns up flesh. The Davids are in the fire, which will purify their Word and make it effectual for many more people, implied by the “white homeschool convention center.”) At another point in the dream, I was out in the foyer of the convention center, in front of the two huge, carved double doors of the entry into the center, when my son, Elijah, who was 10, ran up to me and asked, “Do you think I can have David's ministry when he's dead?” (I am sure that when the Davids manifest death, many will inherit from them their mantle and ministry, especially all of the witnesses, typed by Elijah.) I said, “I don't know. You will have to ask him, but I'm sure it's okay”. I then looked way up high above the double entry doors and saw very large, red music notes, edged in gold, mounted on the wall. I thought, “Enter into His courts with praise!” (The color red represents the “sacrifice of praise.”) (The Davids should complain about the fire less and praise the Lord more, in great appreciation for this unmerited and gifted ministry to come!)   Sonship or Persecutor? Golda Meyer - 05/14/2006 (David's notes in red) Children, carry forth this message, for truly, the time is no more. Hours in the day are crunched. Mercy time is crunched because of My chosen ones. For long you have walked in the wilderness, hoping for more, groaning for more, and crying for more. I have seen your tears, and I know of the cries in your hearts. Children, the time is here. Like Mary accepted the seed of the Holy Spirit in her womb, so did you. But travail came in a terrible way in her young life, but she rejoiced in the Birth of the Sign - Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Sign, but even the Sign had to be fulfilled in the Promise. And this is happening. Children, it is happening still, for the Promise is fulfilled with many sons of God coming into Sonship. Children, this is that time now. It is Sonship time. Now you will see the true Sonship. Men and Women of God on this earth truly walking like Jesus did. By this, you can see who the sons are and who are not. Discernment will be so easy, and the works wrought by their hands in perfection are driven by Love. And this Love is from God; for no man, it does not matter how long and hard they try, can muster this Love up from their own will. These sons are sent by God, and cannot by their own will achieve anything. They have died and given over fully their wills to God. Deep in the river do they abide, knowing only the Love and Strength and Life of their God. You will see them appear - all of them. From the quiet and the secret places are they coming forth, and in great strength, for all in them is from Me. And they shall rule in the way I want them to rule. No tolerance for evil or flesh will they be able to show, for the mere idea stinks with rot to them. For I AM in them, fully employed and in Power. They will not tolerate any mediocrity either, and harsh will be their words sometimes, but it is for healing only, motivated by Love. You shall see their strength and their beauty in the LORD. Only those who abide in the LORD can follow this road. Abiding in the Vine, the Vine of all Life-giving. Only those can move to Sonship, for in the fellowship and intimacy of God, only herein could they grow into maturity. That time of maturity is here. And they will mature simultaneously, in great numbers, to impact this world. This world will know of the Glory of the Lord, for it will be shown in great and splendid public display. How shall this be? Oh, you shall see, for ALL will be healed in the Presence of God, in Mine Glory and ALL shall be delivered in the Presence of God, of those that will accept the LORD Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Healing and Deliverance is for ALL who will receive Me. For ALL. They will walk, talk, and do like Jesus, and even more so. For much splendor will I bestow on this earth, and great is the Glory of God, for My Presence will fill this earth, and even the sinners will know that I AM God. So children, have eyes wide open, for those that will see, shall see, and those that will hear, shall hear. The others shall be veiled, unless My intercessors intercede and stand in the gap for those who are lost. Children, hear your Father's Heart. I will not, that anyone go astray, so stand in for those that you know are not with Me. For I long to feel them in My Heart, for I have created them in Love. Don't let them die, children, but pray for them to Live, and have Life abundantly. You are greatly blessed with the Light; now shine that Light unto others, so they may live. (Joh.6:39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, …) Dearest children, this, your Father asks of you today, to be merciful unto others as I AM merciful to you. Pray earnestly for those, and I shall save them, for the prayers of the righteous avail much. Love Me first and love others as you love yourself, and truly, your rewards are great in Christ Jesus. Now then, My beloved, pray for unity, for I want My Church together in great strength, for in unity there can be no division, and if no division, then comes forth great Strength in Christ. Accept them, each other, and do not cuddle dominion loyalty, but be loyal to your God and to each other. As I AM, so you shall be. Now see My sons, for you shall truly say: How long have I been in your midst? See then Me, in My sons, for this is who I AM. ALL in ALL. Dearest ones, be faithful to My commands and be blessed in Christ Jesus, for truly, great is the time upon you. Great is the Grace upon you, and great is the Glory of God upon this earth. So it shall be. AMEN. Rom 8:16 Rom The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. Rom 8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Let's look at some scriptures concerning our persecution and the reasons, and if we endure, the rewards. (Mat.5:4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.   Obviously, we mourn. The world is full of laughter and enjoying everything that's going on around them, but like Lot (2 Peter 2:7-8), we're grieved in our hearts. When we put the Word of God in our heart, the Jesus Who is in us is grieved at the things that go on around us, is grieved at the advantage that the wicked take of us, is grieved at the persecution that they bring against us. Losing your life can be painful, of course, but if we obey Jesus' commands, He will make it as quick as possible. Thank You, Lord! Needless to say, there is a place of mourning because of the persecutions and the tribulations that come upon us through the wicked people around us. Jesus told us in (Luk.6:21) Blessed [are] ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed [are] ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. (22) Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company,] and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. We don't see that as a blessing, but it's listed here as one of God's blessings because when we're hated of the world, that means we're loved of God. If we weep because of what we're giving up in the natural, because of persecutions that we're suffering and enduring for Christ's sake, persecutions that we endure because of the crucified life, this is good.  The Lord is going to bless us for this. (Mat.5:10) Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Another Scripture tells us, (2Ti.3:12) Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. If you're going to live Godly, as Jesus walked, you are going to suffer persecution, and it's for the purpose of crucifying that old man. But notice He said, “Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake” because if we suffer for doing evil, we don't receive glory or gain any advantage for that (1 Peter 2:20, 3:17). And many of us do suffer God's chastening for doing things that are contrary to His Will, but that's because He loves us and wants us to turn and go the other way. (Mat.5:11) Blessed are ye when [men] shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. We don't like to suffer persecution, or people speaking lies against us, and so on, but God said, “Blessed are you.” This is more of God's humbling process, that we should accept what's being spoken against us. Jesus told His apostles, (Joh.15:20) Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. If they did it to our Lord, they'll do it to us, and so we should be rejoicing in our persecution. In fact, look at what the very next verse says in Matthew. (Mat.5:12) Rejoice, and be exceeding glad (Notice that's our command from the Lord.): for great is your reward in heaven… We're going to receive a reward because of all the things that the wicked do; things the wicked Christians and wicked worldly people say against us. We're going to get a reward for that, and so He tells us to rejoice and give thanks to God. I don't believe when we're on the other side of our trial, looking back, brethren, that we're going to think, “Boy, I'm sorry I went through that!” It says in (Heb.12:11) All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. Obviously, we're going to see the results of God's blessings and the things that He's provided for us because we have gone through that, and because of the peaceable fruit that God is working in our hearts by our going through this. No, I believe we're going to thank God and we will be rejoicing! (Deu.28:7) The Lord will cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thee: they shall come out against thee one way, and shall flee before thee seven ways. In the midst of the trial, “hearken” unto the Word. Accept the good report, and the devil won't know what to do with you, and neither will your physical enemies (Numbers 13:30). Our physical enemies come against us as persecutions and a matter of crucifixion, so the best thing to do is lay down your life. Stop trying to save yourself by man's methods. Put your trust in the Lord and “hearken diligently” unto His Word.   Will You Eat with Chickens or Fly with Eagles? G. W. - 10/06/2008 (David's notes in red) I had a dream that was very clear. I found myself in a school classroom full of students and everybody was there learning. David Eells was teaching about this great event that was going to happen, almost like it had to do with dinosaurs. (Many think the Biblical events of the disciples walking as sons of God to be extinct, but they are coming again now to repeat history.) I was so excited about this event, and I watched and studied everything David did and said. It was as if the rest of the class took it lightly and didn't really pay close attention as much to the things he was saying. I then watched him as he and some students were outside, and one of the students lit a firecracker that went into a tree and exploded. In my mind, I realized that David had the authority to stop this, but he let the student do it anyway. (The tree is America, and some will rebel and fight against her in the flesh, which will separate them from the true disciples. This is a test, like many other things.) Then David and I were in front of the class, and he said, “It's time.” Nobody in the room knew what he was talking about but me, and even I didn't really understand, but I was filled with excitement. In front of the class, he then pulled out this ring that was about the size of a car tire and put it over my head. I then disappeared in front of the class and found myself going up to heaven. (The ring over the head represents the authority of the King manifested through the renewed mind.) I thought to myself the whole time I was floating up to heaven, “Wow, David was right, and I'm so glad that I listened”. (This is the authority to walk above the laws of the earthbound in the kingdom of heaven on earth.) I then realized that I was still on earth and now I had the power to fly. I then began flying around all over the place and around people, but they could not see me. But then I began to think in my mind that flying wasn't as fun as I thought it would be, and I thought there would be more to it. (Overcoming the gravitational draw of the world is not fun or painless for the flesh.) I then flew around a public swimming pool with people in it and the swimming pool pulled me into the water with the people. (The water of the worldly bound represents their carnal teaching. “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers”. “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals”. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump”.) I tried to fly again, but I could not fly; it felt like the water was kryptonite, and I was powerless to fly. I only had the ability to do what everyone else was doing in the pool. (Their worthless teaching and sometimes faction makes one powerless to overcome the world, and instead, they will walk after the mind and works of the flesh, thinking it to be the normal Christian life.) Then everyone could see me, but they never knew that I could fly before. (Their teaching takes away the power to live like Superman, and the manifestation of Sonship cannot be revealed to them through you because you are just like them.) I then went back to the school to find David. He was there grading papers and talking to a student whose paper he had just graded. I wanted to talk with David, but he was busy grading other papers, and I wondered why he was back there and not in heaven. My whole view of him changed from that which I had in the beginning; it was like now he was just a normal schoolteacher. (When one walks and thinks in the flesh, they are not able to see and associate with those who walk in heavenly places while on earth. The Pharisees didn't recognize Jesus or His disciples as sons of God.) I wanted to speak with David very badly and waited for him to acknowledge me. Then a sixth-grade student, whom I taught when I was an Elementary schoolteacher in real life, said to me with fear, “Everyone saw you disappear in class, and now you're back”. I realized everyone was filled with fear about this, but I was sad that I was back and didn't understand why I returned. (If we fall, we have to start school all over again to learn to be an overcomer by being obedient to the Word. This should put the fear in others not to make this mistake and lose fruit and time to bear it. This is a warning to the body to not mix the worldly teachings and spirits of the apostate church into our life, or we will have no strength to walk in the Spirit as sons of God, as the Man-child and Bride. Sadly this happened and he never flew again.) The Darkness is Closing In So Walk in Jesus' Steps Marie Kelton - 3/27/21 (David's notes in red) I had an open vision a couple of days ago while standing on my front porch. The sky had a reddish-orange color to it. (Representing warning or danger) I was looking in the direction of the stepping stones in the grass. (These stepping stones represent the steps already laid by Jesus, Who is the Word.) 1Jn.2:3-6 And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: 6 he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. These stones help us navigate the straight and narrow path, over our flesh nature, that leads to the manifestation of eternal life in Christ.) I was wearing a long, white skirt with a white top and a white head covering. (This is the Leukos or white garment of those invited to the marriage supper. Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden (invited) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God…14  And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white (leukos) and pure.)  There was a thick darkness (representing demons) coming towards the stairs up to the left of me and a thick darkness (also representing demons) coming to the right of me. Isa.60:1-3 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. So, seek to walk in the light saints and escape the darkness. Then, while standing there, I saw Jesus Who was walking on the stone pathway, but it was no longer a stone pathway but a white light. Psa.119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path. He stopped and held out His hand for me to take it. I was standing on the white pathway on my porch. I knew Jesus wanted me to walk with Him on the pathway of light in the midst of the darkness. (Here is an exhortation to those who aspire to be in the bride. Isa.52:1-12 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit on thy throne, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bonds of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 3 For thus saith Jehovah, Ye were sold for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. 4 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there: and the Assyrian hath oppressed them without cause. 5 Now therefore, what do I here, saith Jehovah, seeing that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them do howl, saith Jehovah, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak; behold, it is I. 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 8 The voice of thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah returneth to Zion. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for Jehovah hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 10 Jehovah hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; cleanse yourselves, ye that bear the vessels of Jehovah. 12 For ye shall not go out in haste, neither shall ye go by flight: for Jehovah will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.   Your Way Is Marked Sandy Warner - 10/17/2005 I have heard your anxious worries over walking to the tune of My Spirit and walking with others of like minds. I know who and what has been missing in your life, dear one. I understand the pain. You have been sent like a pioneer into non-charted territory and few have walked this way. They have not recognized this great drive that is within you to see what is beyond the next valley. Come walk with Me. Your way is greatly protected and sheltered. I have given you My Word, which you have hidden in your heart. I have covered you and shaded you. Resist carrying too much weight, dear one, for such encumbers your way. Instead, travel light and easy and become so sensitive to My leading that I can lead you with My eye. Look up, change your focus, for it is faith that causes you to rise above all that encumbers you. You belong to Me, My love. I belong to you. Fear not, for your prepared way has an impenetrable fence against the dogs or wolves who devour and bite. I am taking you cross-country and bringing you along the path of laurels, the overcoming ones. Also, you need not fear deception from the wolves, for I have paved the trail before you. Your path is well marked with signs of My Word liberally sprinkled to your right and to your left. I have also sent others before you who have given much in order to leave a trail of breadcrumbs and seeds for you, My precious hungry birds. And even as you have followed the signs and been faithful with what I have given you, you shall be promoted. I will send you into the marketplace to release My Words to those who are starving and, yes, they will listen. In the past, they did not heed My Word and grew hungry while they walked in circles. You are My chosen generation who walked ahead of them. You shall walk out of the wilderness pioneering, leaning upon your Beloved. A great company travels with you, and you shall never be alone again. (SoS.8:5-7 NKJV) Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised.   The Mark, Persecution and Refuge I. P. - 03/22/2009 (David's notes in red) I had a dream that the world turned on the Christians. They did not necessarily turn on them because they were Christians, but because they did not receive the mark (of the beast). The war on terror never seemed to cease, and the focus seemed to be on those who did not take the mark. Anyone who refused the mark was considered a terrorist. The whole world had received the mark and even though I did not see it, I knew that everyone had it. Those of us who did not take it had a camp in the woods, hidden away from those in the world. I went into the city one day with my Bible to preach the Word to all those who would listen. After I entered the city, I stepped inside a mall and was taken aback by the strange sight. Everyone in the mall was severely mentally retarded. (The mall represents Babylon's buying and selling with those who have the mark. The mark retards spirituality.) Some of the store owners were outside their storefronts, beckoning people to come into their shop. (Those who seek to sell you their goods or worldly ideas.) Everyone was mentally handicapped, from the shoppers to the owners. (This is the reprobation the Bible promised to those who receive the mark.) Everyone in the mall had severe hatred for me, so I continued walking around until I came to a storefront where normal people were. It was the only shop where the people were not mentally handicapped. I walked to the front counter and they asked, “May I help you?” I said, “No, I am just here to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.” I was surprised because they were happy to see me. I said, “Wow, I thought I would be kicked out of here by now; everyone hates me.” She said, “No, we don't hate you.” They listened to what I had to say. Earlier in the dream, I had sown a blessing to another, and it made sense now that these women gave me more than I had sown before. The Lord met my needs. (These women represent those groups of Christians who do not buy and sell with the world because they are not marked. They also offer in Babylon their truths for those who will receive. Public buying and selling will not last long after the mark is forced. I suggest giving and receiving for which there is a reward.) So I walked back out of the city into the woods where our camp was. My fiancée (who's now my wife) welcomed me there. I walked to a lake that was inside our camp, and I saw David Eells and another man lying in lawn chairs, basking in the sun. (This represents the David/Man-child ministries resting from their own works abiding in the Son.) They were rubbing suntan lotion on and enjoying the day. (Resting in the anointing.) The man who was with David had a mustache that curled upwards; he was also a minister and seemed to be in the same position of authority as David. They were like elders of the community. The other elder was a bit sterner and more old-fashioned, but still in the same spirit as David. (The Man-child ministers will not be carbon-copies but will all walk in the Spirit of the Son.) They asked me about my day, and I proceeded to tell them all that had happened to me.    Christ Manifest in Us  David Let's examine some verses about how Jesus is coming in this matured body of sons. Christ will manifest His life and ministry in these. (2Th.1:10-12) when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. (We are still coming out of the dark ages but God will reveal the greater works in our day.) (11) To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and [every] work of faith, with power; (12) that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. (Col.3:4) When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. (Gal.4:19) My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you. (Col.1:27) to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (28) whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; (2Co.4:10) always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. (11) For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (Eph.3:14-19) For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, (15) from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, (16) that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; (17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, (19) and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. (Eph.4:11-15) And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: (13) till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; (15) but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, [even] Christ; Maturity is having Christ manifest in you. It says in 1Jn2:28 And now my little children, abide in him; that if he shall be manifested (the three most ancient manuscripts of the New Testament, the Nestles text, the A.S.V., the R.V., and the Numeric New Testament agree to this translation) if he shall be manifested we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. This means that “If he shall be manifested” in us, we won't be ashamed when we see him. 1Jn.3:2 “Beloved now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, (Again this means manifested in us 2 Cor 4:10,11) (the three most ancient manuscripts of the New Testament, the Nestles text, the Received Text, the A.S.V., the R.V., and the Numeric New Testament agree on this translation) we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is”. Notice that we must see the real Jesus to be like Him. The apostate's ‘Jesus' is nothing like Him and so they do not walk as He walked. 2Co.3:18 ASV But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. This shows us that if we “see him as he is” in the mirror (by faith) then we will manifest His glory. According to quantum physics or mechanics, we must see what we want and believe we have received it to have it. Christ exchanged His life for ours at the cross. (Col.1:22) yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: (23) if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven;) That's why we must see him in the mirror by faith in order to manifest Him. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. This kind of faith is accounted as righteousness until righteousness is manifested in bearing fruit. He who sees his “natural face in the mirror” will be a hearer but not a doer because they will not have power to obey (James 1:23). (Col.3:4) When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested (in us-same as above), then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. Now notice the life of Christ is His glory and it is manifested in our “mortal flesh” (2Co.4:11) For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. Notice: mortal flesh on the earth, not glorified bodies. The false prophet has told us that we have to settle for being forgiven sinners in this life instead of overcoming sons of God. For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. (This means in the true believer's flesh.(2Jn.7). Note: “is come” or “has come in the flesh” has no foundation in the ancient manuscripts, the Received Text, or the Nestles Text or Numerics. Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:18,19 that they “may be strong to apprehend (not comprehend- The ancient manuscripts, Received Text and Nestles Text and Numerics agree) ...the breadth and length and height and depth ...of Christ ...and be filled unto all the fullness of God”. I.e., Apprehend all of Christ. The power to do this is faith in Him. According to Paul in Eph.4:11-15, the five-fold ministry is “for the perfecting of the saints...unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Through faith in the promises we “cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2Co.7:1). Be diligent in this faith beloved, till He comes, and you will bear the fruit of His works and have great reward. Most of you know this, but I want to briefly explain that ‘Manifest' in these texts means to appear in the physical realm. When we come to Christ, we accept all of His benefits by faith (faith is the substance of the thing hoped for while the evidence is unseen. Heb.11:1) until the sacrifice is manifest in our lives as fruit. According to the parable of the sower, the seed is sown in the heart, but only one out of the four is good ground and brings forth fruit 30, 60, 100 fold. The fruit here is Christ, not gaining other souls. The fruit of the Spirit. He is the “seed” of the word and each seed brings forth after its own kind; not another Jesus. (Rom.8:24,25) For in hope (Greek = a firm expectation) were we saved. But hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? (25) But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. In other words, we wait for the full manifestation of our salvation. When we come to Christ, we receive a new spirit, but our soul, our mind, will, and emotions need transforming. (Rom.12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. By faith we say with Paul (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. As we make this confession of our faith, it will be continually manifested in us, for we are justified by faith. The Holy Spirit gives power to those who believe. If we don't repent and believe the word, we cannot have what it says. As long as we are walking by faith in the word, we are acceptable to God for “faith is accounted as righteousness” until it is manifested. Jesus told his disciples in (Luk.6:40) The disciple is not above his teacher but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher. Christ wants to live and be seen or manifested in us. As we repent, when we see the word we permit this to happen. We give good ground to the seed and bear His fruit. (Luk.9:23,24) And he said unto all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (24) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (2Pe.1:19) And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts. This is the manifested glory. (2Pe.1:9-11) For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. (10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never stumble: (11) For thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (Jas.1:23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror. If we don't see Jesus in the mirror, then that is not faith and we will not be a doer of the word. A doer of the word is manifesting Christ. I received this objection to my letter “Christ In You” from a brother. I am using the word perfection as the Greek word implies, to be mature, or full-grown. Here is an objection to what the Word clearly says: Dave, are you suggesting that the Word teaches that perfection can be attained in this life? Your quote: “perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor 7:1). would seem to indicate strongly that it is an ongoing process (known in Scripture as Sanctification) not accomplished in this life. (Notice here you have added to the Word, which brings the curse of the last four verses of Revelation. This also takes from the Word for you can never arrive at the manifestation with this unbelief.) Paul said, “...not as if I had already attained ...” - Paul continues that he is still pursuing that higher life which is found in Christ, who is “in us”. (Paul believed he could by grace manifest what he already said he believed.) 1 John says that if we say we sin not, we lie. We must be careful to differentiate between the goal we strive for (as close to the life of Jesus as possible) and claiming sinless perfection. Try as you may and believe as much as you wish does not erase the “old man” we must constantly fight against. That fight is by faith, of course, in Christ. Here is my answer: I hope you will read this carefully because, as you can see, it is the Word of God. We can't reject any scripture and still say we have the truth. We cannot pick the verses we like in order to justify our religion. “The sum of thy words is truth”. The whole verse says this: Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2Cor.7:1) All we have to do is believe what it says without invoking the curse for adding to the word. We are commanded here to use the word of God to separate from worldly thinking and actions. Look at what the following scriptures say: (1Th.4:3-8) For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; (4) that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, (5) not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God; (6) that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. (7) For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. (8) Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you. How can sanctification not be attainable in this life when scriptures say, (Heb.12:14,15) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: (15) looking carefully lest [there be] any man that falleth short of the grace of God. Holiness and sanctification are the same Greek word. A person who does not believe it is attainable cannot receive it because we receive it by faith. (2Co.4:11) For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (Eph.3:18-20) ....may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, (in other words all of Christ ) (19) and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God. (20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Notice, its not our power but His that accomplishes this by faith. Are you saying He can't do this? (Eph.4:12) for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: (13) till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; (15) but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, [even] Christ; (Col.1:22,23) yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: (23) if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, (1Co.15:1,2) Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, (2) by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. We are justified by faith in the sanctification given us at the cross and that faith continually brings us into manifest sanctification. Faith is accounted as righteousness until righteousness is manifested in us. In this way a person can continue under the grace of God as he bears fruit. Faith is the “victory that overcomes the world” (1Jn.5:4). Faith is “calling the things that are not as though they were” (Rom.4:17), until they come to pass. We must be “seeing that His divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness... whereby He hath granted unto us His precious and exceeding great promises that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2Pe.1:34). Christ made you “free from sin” (Romans 6:18,22) so why should you “live any longer therein?” (verse 22) for you were “delivered out of the power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13) so “reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God” and “let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that you should obey the lusts thereof “(Rom.6:11,12). “If you live after the flesh, you must die: but if by the Spirit (God's power) you put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God” (Rom.8:13,14). Believe God's promises and escape the lusts of the flesh. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2Cor. 7:1). (1Jo.2:1-6) My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (3) And hereby we know that we know him. If we keep his commandments. (4) He that saith. I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar. and the truth is not in him: (5) but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. The religions of this day have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, which is a license to do what you want to do. As we can see from the verses above, grace delivers from sin, not just covers it up. The blood covers our ignorance until we see the light. (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (Heb.10:26) For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. Some sins are done in ignorance and are therefore not willful. These are covered by the Blood through faith. For the other sins, we will obviously get chastening until we hopefully repent. (Rom.5:13) ... for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. You may have sinned a sin of ignorance (not knowing the law) but under Grace, God does not reckon it as sin. That is why we cannot say, “we have no sin” (1Jo.1:8). We are ignorant of many things that are against His perfect will. When we get light, then we are responsible. When does the Blood not just cover, but wash away the very nature of sin? (1Jo.1:5-7) And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (6) if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (7) but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. This is why the Gospel is the Good News. Now we don't have to be content with forgiveness because Jesus is “the Lamb of God that taketh away, not just covers up the sins of the world”. Many of God's people are still living with Old Testament benefits because they don't believe the Gospel. I hope this answer will benefit you in your walk with Christ.   Chosen to Show God's Glory Mary Clark - 04/26/2007 unthinkable = unimaginable, impossible, fantastic, unbelievable, incredible, improbable, extraordinary Word: I want to talk to you about the unthinkable. What I am going to do is unthinkable. No man on the face of the earth could ever think up, ever even imagine, what I am about to bring forth. No man on the face of the earth could ever think up the wonders that I am about to present. It is utterly impossible, absolutely impossible! Keep this in mind when My mighty forces present the coming scenario. Keep this in mind when you see mind-boggling events. Keep this in mind when you see mankind standing agog, looking as if they have seen a ghost or something equivalent. Yes, keep it in mind that I told you that I was going to do the unthinkable. Keep it in mind that I told you that I was going to surprise you with the most extraordinary. Keep it in mind when you see the most incredible sights you have ever seen, much less experienced. Yes, I want you to remember My words when this fantastic display occurs in your vicinity and remember that I told you in advance. Yes, I always let My beloved children know in advance, and this is the season, beloved, for the unthinkable. It is approaching with great rapidity. It is coming by My hand. Stand back and watch as I present My last day scenario and know deep within your heart that all is coming forth for a reason. All is coming forth for a very good purpose. You will see that purpose arise solidly in lives all across the face of the earth, and you will vow that your God does all things well. Yes, you will vow that it is GOOD, mighty GOOD. In fact, you will say that it is unthinkable, and too good for words, too good to be true, but true, yes, true it will be. Yes, true it will be, and you will know that your Beloved has shown forth His mercy in this final hour to bring forth His glory-filled presence for all to see and to know that He is alive and He lives mightily in His chosen. Yes, I live mightily in those called by My name. My very own chosen are arising with purpose to show forth My glory, and what the world will see will be unthinkable, but it will be true, true to My word, a true to life display of the wonders of the living God, shining forth in vast array for all to see and to know that the eternal King has a purpose and has carried it through. Unthinkable? I think not, beloved. I think not. Did I not think? Did I not bring it into existence? Not so unthinkable. No, not so unthinkable at all. Not for Me, anyway!!!

April 26, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 4 - 9:30 AM Session   The main content of the lecture analyzed Genesis chapters 37 and 38. The first part focused on Genesis 37, detailing Joseph as Jacob's favored son, the intense hatred from his brothers fueled by this favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams, and their plot to kill him. This led to Reuben's intervention, Joseph being thrown into a pit, and Judah's proposal to sell him to Ishmaelite/Midianite traders for twenty shekels of silver. Joseph was then taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. The second part of the lecture analyzed Genesis 38, shifting focus to Judah and Tamar to explore themes of immorality and hypocrisy. It outlined Judah's family, the deaths of his sons Er and Onan, the unfulfilled Levirate obligation to Tamar, Tamar's desperate act of disguising herself to conceive by Judah, his hypocritical condemnation, and his eventual confession ("She is more righteous than I"). The narrative concluded with the birth of the twins Perez and Zerah. Throughout the session, Kasarjian emphasized practical applications for modern life, including the dangers of parental favoritism, the difficulty of recognizing divine providence as it unfolds, the tendency to judge others' sins more harshly than our own, the untrustworthiness of feelings as a guide for truth, and the biblical principle of reaping what one sows. Duration 40:08

April 25, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 3 - 10:00 AM Session This episode features a heartfelt sermon-style teaching from a pastor/teacher working through Genesis 39, aimed especially at teens, parents, and church leaders. The speaker uses Joseph's encounter with Potiphar's wife to explore how private decisions reveal character and how young people can stand firm in the face of sexual pressure. Topics covered include: the biblical account of Joseph in Genesis 39; three crucial decisions for resisting temptation—deciding who you belong to, deciding how you will respond to temptation before the moment arrives, and deciding what matters more than comfort; the difference between public failure and private character; and the long-term cost of compromise versus the immediate cost of faithfulness. The sermon emphasizes that strength is choosing God in private, and that fleeing temptation is often the right strategy. The speaker illustrates key points with contemporary examples—phone screen-time reports, online temptations and apps, and the marshmallow self-control test—and practical research-backed suggestions such as talking openly about sex and purity, providing a positive home environment, monitoring media, staying busy with good activities, and studying God's design for relationships. The message also includes pastoral encouragement: even when doing right leads to hardship (as it did for Joseph), God's presence and favor remain—"the Lord was with him"—and failure is not final. Listeners can expect candid, practical guidance, clear biblical teaching, and a compassionate call to seek accountability and support from parents, elders, and youth leaders. The episode closes with encouragement to build an identity in Christ, make preemptive decisions about temptation, and accept the cost of faithfulness while trusting God's continued presence and purposes.   Duration 38:32

Seasons sits on the front row of Scripture and everyday life. Ecclesiastes says every purpose has a time, so the text insists that nothing down here stays the same and that God sets the clock. Joseph's story then proves it. His coat marks a call. His pit exposes betrayal. Potiphar's house and prison become testing and waiting. Pharaoh's court becomes leadership and restoration. The movement reads like whiplash, yet Joseph does not snap. The coat is not just colors; it points to multiple seasons where favor, identity, and distinction will be pressed and proven. The pattern shows that the believer thrives by acknowledging seasons, discerning what God is doing inside each one, and acting now for the next one. Ecclesiastes 3 promises both change and purpose. So the doctrine of seasons tells the church not to make a permanent call in a temporary chapter, and not to overwork out-of-season fruit. Winter does not grow summer harvest. Faithful discernment asks, what belongs to now, and what belongs to next. Joseph models this. He interprets famine and begins to store. He prepares during lack so provision is ready later. He does not wait until his brothers appear to start forgiving; he prepares forgiveness inside betrayal so mercy is ready on contact. That is how a man stands unbothered at reunion and says, in effect, forget the past, let's provide for the future. God is not an explainer; He is a Father who demands reliance. So the value of a hard season is often hidden until the next one, when hindsight turns pain into seed. The sons of Issachar embody this posture. They know the times and what Israel should do. Their discernment births stability, right-minded peace, and an untroubled heart. Maybe the crisis is not the devil nor the boss nor the past. Maybe it is a season calling for preparation, not panic. Buy winter clothes in summer. Sow now so reaping meets the appointed time.

What do you do when the dream God gave you feels completely disconnected from the reality you're living? When life feels unfair, painful, delayed, or deeply disappointing, it can be easy to wonder if God has forgotten you. In this episode, Christine Caine walks through the story of Joseph in Genesis 37–50 — one where betrayal, waiting, setbacks, and suffering aren't the end of the narrative. They're the process. From the pit to Potiphar's house. From prison to the palace. God wasn't absent in Joseph's darkest chapters. He was positioning him. Christine Caine shows that the painful seasons aren't detours from your purpose. They are the preparation for it. If you're in a waiting room right now, wondering whether God has forgotten the dream He placed in you, this message is for you. ✨ If you've ever asked questions like… ✅ Why would God allow painful seasons if He gave me the dream? ✅ What do I do when I feel forgotten or overlooked? ✅ Can God still use my trauma and setbacks for good? ✅ How do I forgive people who have deeply hurt me? ✅ How do I trust God's timing when the wait feels unbearable? ✅ What does faithfulness look like when nothing is going the way I planned? ✅ Is it possible for my story to still turn out the way God intended? ...then listen in!

This message centers on a fundamental question we all face as we step into new chapters of life: how do we move forward successfully in God's way? Drawing from 2 Timothy 2:22, we're given a remarkably simple yet profound formula for spiritual success—run away from the bad, run toward the good, and do it with the right people. The imagery is striking: we're not called to casually stroll away from temptation or politely decline sin's invitation. Instead, we're to flee with the urgency of someone whose life depends on it—because it does. The message reminds us that sin is predatory, actively hunting us like a lion seeking to devour. Through the story of Joseph fleeing Potiphar's wife, we see this principle in action—sometimes the best defense is simply to run. But running from evil is only half the equation. We must also pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with the same intensity. These aren't passive virtues that accidentally happen to us; they require focused, intentional pursuit. What's particularly insightful is the sequential nature of these pursuits: the more we live rightly with God, the better we know Him; the better we know Him, the more we trust Him; the more we trust Him, the more we love Him; and the more we love Him, the more peace we experience. This isn't just good advice for graduates—it's a blueprint for anyone seeking to live the 'with God' life successfully.

Like all Singaporean men, I had to serve in the country’s armed forces when I turned eighteen. To be honest, I approached the conscription, which lasted two-and-a-half years, most reluctantly. Like many other young men, I tried to do the minimum, obeying instructions to the letter—no more, no less. Some, however, threw themselves into their tasks and ultimately gained much from their experience, learning about leadership and endurance. In hindsight, I realize that this type of effort and positive attitude would have pleased God—much like what Joseph showed in Scripture. Despite being sold off as a slave and imprisoned later on, he fulfilled all his assigned responsibilities with the greatest dedication. Instead of resenting his situation, he took his role seriously, so much so that “Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care” (Genesis 39:6). Joseph also ended up in charge of the prison—and, finally, all of Egypt. Centuries later, the apostle Paul would also urge believers in Jesus: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). While our situations may be far from ideal, may God help us to be faithful in the tasks assigned to us, for we’re working for Him—the one who sees our true heart.

Paul tells Christians to FLEE from sexual immorality. Not many war plans include fleeing, but this one does. DEVOTIONABLES #943 - Flee for Victory 1 Corinthians 6:18 G-365 **For more thoughts on Fleeing, here is Run, Don't Walk! by Paul Cook on Joseph and Potiphar's wife. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCvKZK-kQQ4 Devotionables is a ministry of The Ninth & O Baptist Church in Louisville, KY.  naobc.org

Send us Fan MailBetrayal can make you cynical fast, especially when it comes from your own people. We walk through Joseph's story in Genesis and keep coming back to one word that explains why he doesn't break: integrity. From the coat and the dreams to the cistern and the slave caravan, Joseph's life starts sliding in a direction he never chose, and it raises the question we all feel in our bones: what do you do when life happens to you and it is not your fault?We trace the turning points that test character the hardest. Joseph serves faithfully in Potiphar's house, faces relentless temptation, refuses to compromise, and still gets punished through a false accusation. Then prison becomes another proving ground where he keeps trusting God, interprets dreams, and watches help walk out the door and forget his name. When Pharaoh finally calls, Joseph doesn't chase credit. He points to God, brings clarity, and steps into leadership that prepares Egypt for famine and saves countless lives.The most stunning moment is not the promotion, it is the reunion. Joseph has power to crush the brothers who sold him, yet he chooses provision over vengeance. From there, we zoom out to modern Christian leadership, the headlines that come from small compromises, and the practical cost of living with real boundaries. If you care about faith, obedience, and building a life that holds up under pressure, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review with the takeaway you want to live this week.

We explore the story of Joseph in Egypt. Despite being enslaved and falsely accused, Joseph remains faithful and thrives due to God's presence. Though being falsely accused of assault by Potiphar's wife, Joseph remains faithful even as he is thrown in prison. God has a greater plan at work, through even these trials of Joseph.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...

A life of following God does not mean a life free of difficulty, opposition, or pain. What we can be sure of is this: no matter the circumstance or situation, God is with us.

Title: Joseph the Dreamer. Genesis 39.Description: After being sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph rises to responsibility in Potiphar's house. Then he is falsely accused and lands in prison. Main Point(s):1. Joseph's strategy to avoid sexual temptation was to pre-decide, and avoid it. 2. We look for the right position for our dreams. God is looking for the right person. 3. We are focused on our destination, he is focused on our development. 

In this sermon, Chad Kincer show's us that God's plan is not a promise of comfort but of transformation through suffering, and in every circumstance—exile, temptation, and injustice—His constant presence sustains, shapes, and ultimately redeems His people.

In this exploration of Genesis 39, we follow Joseph through a difficult reality many of us face—doing the right thing and still paying a price for it. As a slave in Potiphar's house, Joseph resisted temptation and chose faithfulness, asking, “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” His integrity led not to immediate reward, but to false accusation and imprisonment. Yet through every high and low, one truth remained: the Lord was with Joseph. This message challenges us to trust God's presence over our circumstances and choose long-term obedience, even when the path is costly.

Genesis 39 tells a powerful and painful truth: sometimes doing the right thing still leads to unfair outcomes. Joseph is faithful in Potiphar's house, resists temptation, and honors God—yet he is falsely accused and thrown into prison. Justice seems absent, and the situation feels deeply unfair. But Scripture repeatedly says, “The Lord was with Joseph.” -Do you want to be an active member of 21c Moses? Then, consider becoming a 21c Moses Patreon! Click the link for more info: https://patreon.com/user?u=45306220&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link -If you want to donate to 21c Moses Ministry, please click the link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=P4LC3BE2S3JGA -Please check our website: https://21cmoses.com ©2026 21c Moses #21cMoses #BibleTeaching #DailyBibleStudy

Todaywe are continuing to look at Philippians 1:12–18. Paul is talking about hiscircumstances here. Paul had other plans, no doubt, for what he thought Godwanted him to do. Yet the Holy Spirit of God had other plans for him. God hashim in prison for a purpose. We are talking about what happens when life doesnot go as we planned it. Yesterdaywe began telling the story about Joseph. Joseph was thrown into a pit by hisbrothers. Then he went to Potiphar's house in Egypt as a slave. Then he endedup in a prison in Egypt. But the next thing you know, God reveals and unveilsthe vision that Joseph had for himself. He becomes next to Pharaoh, ruler overall of Egypt, and saves not only the land of Egypt from a great famine but alsohis family. Nowwe are looking at Philippians 1:12, where Paul says, “But I want you toknow, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned outfor the furtherance of the gospel.” Paul is in prison. He is in chains. Heis chained between guards, but there he has the opportunity to share the goodnews of Jesus Christ. So even in our setbacks, even in our disappointments,even in situations we never would choose, God is working. God can use it allfor His glory to bring about the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Anothergreat story after the book of Genesis is in Exodus—the story of Moses. Moses,when he is 40 years old and has been trained in all the arts and military waysof the Egyptians, thinks he is going to deliver the people of Israel. Thishappens some 400 years, after Joseph and Moses now is going to deliver them. Hestarts that process and kills an Egyptian. Then he ends up running for hislife. For the next 40 years of his life he lives in a desert. He thought Godwas going to use him earlier. He had all the equipment. He had all theknowledge. He had all the background—everything. Yet God wanted to put him outthere in a desert, watching smelly sheep. Moses would have never planned that.But God had a plan in preparing Moses to become the great leader of the nationof Israel, to bring them out of bondage, to be their deliverer, to take them tothe promised land, and to lead them for the next 40 years through thewilderness. Ohmy friend, it is awesome how God works in our lives through the strangestsituations and circumstances that we would never choose. Thenyou think of David—little David, maybe 12 or 13 years old—out playing his harpon a hillside, praising God, worshiping, and getting to know Him. He is lookingat creation, watching God's sheep, and thinking, “Man, it is awesome takingcare of these sheep.” He begins to dream about what God might want to use himfor. He ends up being anointed king by Samuel when he was around 15 years old.He has no idea what that means, but wow, something good is happening. The nextthing you know, he kills Goliath, and everybody is excited about David. Butthen Saul gets jealous. For the next 12 to 15 years, David is fleeing for hislife—something he would never choose. But he gathers a band of men to followhim. He begins to learn how to trust God as his life is at risk every day. Godis preparing him to be the great King David of Israel for the next 40 yearsafter he becomes king at 30 years of age. Sometimesthings happen that we think are bad, but God is preparing us. God is working inour lives. So do not throw in the towel. Do not quit. Keep on keeping on. Godwill continue to do something that will amaze you. Paul says, “Here I am inprison, but it has turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” We will talkmore about that in the next few days. Today,think about what God might be doing in your life today, despite yourcircumstances.

Todaywe are continuing in Philippians 1and we will be looking at verses 12–18 overthe next few days. Here in verse 12 we are talking about when life does notgo as planned—when your plans fall apart and it seems like nothing ishappening the way you dreamed or thought God intended for your life. You mayfind yourself wondering, “What is this all about?” TheApostle Paul could have asked that same question, but he looked at it in adifferent light. He begins talking about his circumstances here in verse 12. “But I want you to know, brethren, that thethings which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of thegospel" Thinkabout it—Paul is in prison. He is in chains. He is restricted. His plans havebeen interrupted. If I remember correctly, he had even planned to go on toSpain, but now he is in a prison in Rome. He is writing to his beloved friendsthere at Philippi. Yet he says that what has happened to him, as he sits in aRoman prison, has actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. It hashelped move the gospel forward. Youknow, my friend, life does not always go as we plan it. The truth is, God isstill on the throne. God is still at work. Even in our setbacks, even in ourdisappointments, even in situations we would never choose for ourselves, Godcan use it all. What looks like a detour to us is often part of God's designand God's plan. Oneof the best stories in the Bible that illustrates this is the story of Joseph.God had a plan for Joseph to save his family. Even as a child, he began to havevisions and dreams of how God was going to use him in a special way. One day,he went to check on his ten brothers. What he saw was not good. He returned andgave his father, Jacob, an honest report about them, but it was not a good one.As a result, his brothers—already envious of him because he seemed to be theirfather's favorite—grew to hate him. Later,when they had the opportunity at Dothan, they threw him into a pit. At first,they even considered killing him, but instead they sold him into slavery andmade money on him. Joseph ended up in Egypt. Now obviously things were notgoing according to Joseph's plans. He had seen visions and dreams ofgreatness—of the stars and even his family bowing before him. Yet now he was aslave in Potiphar's house. Fora time, things went well. But then Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him. Herefused, and she falsely accused him. As a result, he was thrown into prison.Again, things did not seem to be going well. Yet even there, the hand of theLord was with him, and he made the best of his situation. Eventually, as youknow, he was brought before Pharaoh. He interpreted Pharaoh's dreams and waselevated to a position of authority—second only to Pharaoh in all of Egypt.  Yearslater—about twenty-two years later—his brothers came to Egypt to buy foodduring the famine. Joseph recognized them, and instead of seeking revenge, hehelped them. He provided for them and eventually brought his entire family toEgypt. After their father Jacob died, his brothers feared that Joseph mightfinally take revenge. They came to him and pleaded for forgiveness. But Josephsaid, “No, no. You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”(Genesis 50:19-20) Myfriend, when your plans fall apart and life does not go as expected, rememberthis: God still has a plan. God is still at work. He can use you right whereyou are, no matter what your circumstances may be. As you think about thesethings today, be encouraged—God is still on the throne. Godbless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

Try the BibleACTS app!: ⁠https://bibleacts.goodbarber.app/subscribe⁠ In this episode, we continue the story of Joseph son of Jacob in Genesis 39, where he is taken to Egypt and serves in the house of Potiphar. Even in slavery, Joseph remains faithful—and God's presence is clearly with him. In this verse-by-verse Bible study, we explore: How God's favor was with Joseph even in difficult circumstances Joseph's rise to leadership in Potiphar's house The temptation from Potiphar's wife and Joseph's response What it means to flee from sin and remain faithful to God False accusation and Joseph's unjust imprisonment How God continues to work even when life seems unfair This chapter powerfully shows that faithfulness to God is not dependent on your circumstances. Even in betrayal, temptation, and injustice, God is still present and working behind the scenes. Joseph's story reminds us that integrity matters, obedience matters, and God honors those who remain faithful—even when no one else sees. Watch, listen, and grow in your faith — and subscribe for more verse-by-verse Bible commentary and podcast episodes.

Even as Joseph serves as a slave in the house of an Egyptian official, the LORD remains with him and brings him success. Joseph's faithfulness to the LORD blesses Potiphar, who puts Joseph in charge of the household. Joseph remains faithful to God even when Potiphar's wife tempts him to adultery. Her jealousy leads her to deceive her husband, who believes her false accusation against Joseph. Even as Joseph is sent to Egyptian prison, the LORD continues to be with Joseph and grant him success.   Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 39:1-23. To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit graceelgin.org. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

When Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers in Shechem, Joseph eventually found them in a different place. The brothers saw Joseph well before he arrived, and so they plotted to kill him. Reuben, seeking to get back into his father's good graces, convinced his other brothers only to throw Joseph into a pit. As traveling traders passed by, Judah suggested that they sell their own brother into slavery. They covered up their evil deed by covering Joseph's robe with goat's blood so that their father would think Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. While Joseph's brothers worked evil, however, the LORD was working for good as He sent Joseph to Potiphar's house in Egypt.  Rev. Shawn Linnell, pastor at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Williamsburg, VA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 37:12-36.  To learn more about King of Glory, visit kogva.org. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

In Genesis 45, after twenty-two years of slavery, false accusation, imprisonment, and silence, Joseph stands before the very brothers who stripped him, sold him, and let their father believe he was dead - and instead of exacting the revenge he had every right to demand, he clears the room, breaks open in tears, and pulls them close with the words "come near to me, please." He names what they did without softening it - you sold me - but in the same breath refuses to let that truth be the final word, because somewhere across those two decades of dungeons and delays, Joseph had learned to read his own suffering inside a larger story: God sent me before you to preserve life. That re-narration - holding what his brothers did and what God was doing in the same hand without collapsing either one - is the quiet miracle at the center of the Joseph narrative. It did not happen overnight. It happened in the pit, in Potiphar's house, in the prison, in the forgotten years - slowly, painfully, through a faithfulness that had nowhere to go but God. And what it produced, in the end, was not merely a man who managed his bitterness well, but a man so softened by the promise that reconciliation - costly, true, unrushed, and real - was the only thing left in him to give.

This sermon explores the story of Joseph from Genesis to demonstrate that God remains with His people regardless of their circumstances. Through Joseph's journey from being sold into slavery by his brothers, serving in Potiphar's house, resisting sexual temptation, and enduring false imprisonment, the message emphasizes that God's presence and favor transcend location and situation. The sermon challenges believers to maintain integrity and faithfulness even when facing injustice, temptation, or pain, reminding them that God's silence does not equal His absence. The ultimate connection is made to Jesus Christ, who also experienced unfair, tempting, and painful places so that believers could have an eternal relationship with God that begins now, not just in heaven.

This sermon explores the story of Joseph from Genesis to demonstrate that God remains with His people regardless of their circumstances. Through Joseph's journey from being sold into slavery by his brothers, serving in Potiphar's house, resisting sexual temptation, and enduring false imprisonment, the message emphasizes that God's presence and favor transcend location and situation. The sermon challenges believers to maintain integrity and faithfulness even when facing injustice, temptation, or pain, reminding them that God's silence does not equal His absence. The ultimate connection is made to Jesus Christ, who also experienced unfair, tempting, and painful places so that believers could have an eternal relationship with God that begins now, not just in heaven.

He was the favorite son, destined for greatness, until his own brothers stripped him of his coat and sold him into slavery. If you've ever felt betrayed by those closest to you or wondered where God is in your darkest "pit," Joseph's story is the roadmap you need. Summary: In this deep dive into Genesis 37–41, we follow Joseph from the fields of Hebron to the dungeons of Egypt. We look past the colorful fabric of his coat to see the resilient character of a man who refused to let his circumstances dictate his relationship with God. The Coat of Many Colors: We analyze the Hebrew "Ketonet Passim" and discover why this wasn't just a colorful garment, but a royal birthright robe that signaled Joseph's future role as the provider for his family. The Pit and the Prison: We explore the "descending" steps of Joseph's life and how his presence changed every environment he entered, from Potiphar's house to the king's prison. Integrity Under Pressure: We study Joseph's encounter with Potiphar's wife. How do we flee temptation when it seems like "no one is watching"? Joseph shows us that our primary accountability is always to God. The Power of Interpretation: We look at Joseph's ability to see God's hand in dreams—both his own and Pharaoh's—and how he maintained his spiritual "vision" even when his physical sight was limited to prison walls. Christ in Joseph: We conclude by highlighting the stunning parallels between Joseph and Jesus Christ—both rejected by their own, sold for silver, and ultimately becoming the "Saviors" of the world. Call-to-Action: Are you in a "pit" or a "palace" right now? Regardless of where you are, how can you make sure "the Lord is with you" today? Share your thoughts in the comments! To keep your faith "Unshaken" through every season of life, please like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell. Chapter Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:58 The Birth of Benjamin 15:06 Joseph's Birthright 19:25 The Coat of Many Colors 29:19 Joseph's Dreams 36:20 Selling Joseph into Egypt 53:05 Potiphar: Setting the Stage 56:57 Judah & Tamar 1:16:58 Tamar's Twins & Connections to Christ 1:27:16 Joseph & Potiphar 1:32:13 Joseph & Potiphar's Wife 2:02:57 Attitude in Adversity 2:09:53 Interpreting Dreams 2:21:21 Joseph before Pharaoh 2:40:38 Laying Up in Store 2:56:15 The Hymn of the Pearl

Sermon by Fr. Bob Fabey4th Sunday of LentPut to Death SeriesDiscussion QuestionsWhen did you first notice Lust?How do you relate to Romans 7?15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate… For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?If Lust is objectification and requires people to be objects of either sexual desire or emotional fantasy, how does a biblical view of humanity help fight it?David and Bathsheba, Joseph and Potiphar's wife, and Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman all give insight into Lust, our response, and how God might want us to seek him. Which story impacts you the most?One act of obedience—one moment of chastity—can become the beginning of a story telling us of God's goodness and faithfulness.We rarely see the full fruit of obedience in the moment. But when we choose faithfulness over temptation, God is often doing far more with that obedience than we could ever see.How might God use one act of obedience (vs. one act of disobedience) in your life? How might that lead to freedom, healing, and beauty?What is something you can do to allow God to transform our thirst into His abundance?Renewal of mind, fast, confess? Other?Remember and spend time with this scripture, and allow God to give you what you need.“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Donny Osmond joins the "Follow Him" podcast to discuss the biblical figure Joseph of Egypt, a character he famously portrayed for over 2,000 shows in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Osmond shares the spiritual promptings that led him to audition for and win the role, and he details the profound personal and spiritual connection he developed with the character. He discusses the powerful lessons he learned from Joseph's life about maintaining faith through extreme adversity, the importance of staying true to one's covenants, and the process of forgiveness and reconciliation. Osmond relates Joseph's trials and triumphs to his own experiences in his life and career, emphasizing the need to trust in God's plan and timing.YOUTUBE:https://youtu.be/k4GB3_BcALsFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook  WEEKLY NEWSLETTER https://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter  SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTimecode:0:00 Introduction and Welcome1:29 Donny's history with Joseph - 2,000 shows over 6 years14:16 Who is Donny Osmond? - Background and bio16:40 How Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was created21:09 Donny's audition story - "You're my Joseph"23:57 The famous high note story with Andrew Lloyd Webber27:09 Meeting his wife Debbie - stealing her from his brother Jay29:41 Is Joseph one of the greatest stories ever told?32:12 Joseph's integrity with Potiphar's wife35:00 Donny's dark times and criticism in his career39:44 The coat, armor, and cup.45:10 Elvis Presley calling the Osmond home45:43 Family betrayal and forgiveness themes53:52 Living the character every night - "Close Every Door"59:09 Meeting prophets - President Kimball and President Hinckley1:00:26 Representing the church around the world1:02:30 Music's power to convey scripture and emotion1:05:10 Andrew Lloyd Webber's inspiration1:11:11 Personal stories and friendship1:13:19 The Masked Singer as the Peacock1:17:08 Joseph's complete forgiveness of his brothers1:22:31 Never compromising standards - performing for General Authorities1:23:44 Family activity suggestion - watch and discuss principles1:27:49 Final message - faith in turbulent times1:29:47 Closing thoughts on forgiveness and the AtonementThanks to the follow HIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesJamie Neilson: Social Media, Graphic DesignWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish Transcripts"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

When Doing What's Right Brings Pain by Autumn Dickson It is no question that Joseph went through some tough stuff despite trying to do what's right. Being betrayed by your brothers and sold into slavery, thrown into prison, being forgotten after helping someone. None of these things should be skimmed over or treated lightly. Those are the kinds of things that can really take a toll on a person, especially when it all happened because they were trying to do what's right. I think that's key here as well. These things didn't happen despite doing what's right; some of these things happened because Joseph was doing what's right. I can imagine that would be frustrating. Let's talk about a couple of these roadblocks. The first roadblock was when his brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. His brothers didn't just betray him; they betrayed Joseph because Joseph had received revelation from God that they would honor him. It was one of the reasons they chose to sell him (though their original plan was to kill him). Genesis 37:19-20 19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. He did what was right and was punished for it. Then there was Potiphar's wife. Joseph found himself in an honorable position in Potiphar's home when Potiphar's wife came and tried to seduce him. He rejected her, she lied about him, and he was thrown into prison. He did what was right and was punished for it. There are a couple of tender mercies that happened along the way before Joseph is truly lifted out of this dark era. His brothers could have killed him but didn't. Under normal circumstances, Potiphar would have killed Joseph for the accusation alone but didn't. Joseph's life was spared both times. There were tender mercies, but I imagine that for most people, it would have been hard to see the tender mercies amidst everything else that was going on. So it begs the question…why do you do what's right? When Joseph is tempted to sin by Potiphar's wife, he responds in this epic way. Genesis 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? How can I sin against God? Potiphar gave him so much, but Joseph rightly asks how he could possibly sin against God. Choosing righteously is certainly an act of faith, but that act of faith is fragile without doing it for the right reasons. If Joseph had refused Potiphar's wife for lesser reasons, how would his loyalty have measured up against prison? Probably not favorably. Joseph's concern was about being loyal to God, regardless of how things played out. This is so powerful. Choosing to do what's right for the right reasons makes you powerful because it grants you access to God in a way that you can't get by any other means. Let me elaborate by zooming out. We came down here to be tested. We came down here to grow and that requires pain. Honest, eternal truth right there. True growth is impossible without difficulty. So what happens when difficulty gives us the opposite result? What happens when our mind assumes that blessings immediately come from loyalty? First of all, it's not true loyalty if you fold with difficulty. Second of all, you are completely destroying the Plan of Salvation in your own life. You are making it impossible for God to bring about His purposes in your life. Let me describe it in this way with Joseph's example. Imagine if Joseph had said, “What the heck? You sent me a dream that my brothers would honor me and because of my dream, I find myself a slave. How does that work? I'm done. I'm not serving you anymore.” The irony here is that the slavery (the difficulty) is what enabled him to save his brothers and receive that honor. Would they have ever honored Joseph otherwise? Would he have always been the favorite child, and therefore, the most resented brother? The difficulty made the blessing possible. If we fold after the difficulty, we miss the true blessing. Folding after difficulty is the epitome of irony. God is trying to make us marvelous. He is trying to make us amazing. The only way He can do that is by sending difficulty. If we get annoyed and turn on Him the second we face difficulty, it makes it impossible for Him to bring about the Plan of Salvation in our lives. He doesn't give us difficulty=We don't grow. We don't become amazing. He gives us difficulty=We turn on Him, and we still don't become amazing. Embrace the hard. You don't have to love it, but lean into it. He is delivering on the promises He made to you before you came here. Let Him. Stand by Him through it, and He will stand by you. I testify that the Lord loves you and is trying to bless you. I also testify that blessings often come in the form of tests and opposition. Those are some of the biggest blessings because they deliver the hoped-for purposes of the Plan of Salvation. I testify that loyalty to God through whatever He gives you is powerful. It's life-changing. It helps you become all you were meant to be. Doing what's right for the right purposes is the only way we become all we were meant to become. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 37–41 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. We're talking with Dr. Allen Holmes, Senior Pastor of Definition Church. Allen has served at Definition for 25 years, leading it from a congregation of 30 people to one of the fastest-growing churches in the country. But in this conversation, we don't start with strategy—we start with the soul. Allen shares how a personal marriage crisis early in ministry exposed deep character issues and launched him on a decades-long journey of spiritual formation that has shaped both his leadership and his church. Is it possible that the greatest lid on your ministry isn't your strategy—but your inner life? Allen challenges leaders to rethink success, crisis, and longevity through the lens of character formation. Pressure reveals who you really are. // Leadership rarely collapses because of incompetence—it collapses because pressure exposes unaddressed character issues. Early in seminary and marriage, Allen's wife told him she didn't love him and didn't want to remain in ministry. The crisis shattered his sense of calling and identity. Allen—by God's grace—was able to ask: What in me has produced this? That shift from defensiveness to humility marked the beginning of deep transformation. From gifted producer to formed leader. // Allen explains that many leaders are rewarded for production, not formation. A gifted communicator can build a crowd while remaining insecure, defensive, and relationally immature. You can be a great producer and a poor leader. True leadership requires learning to lead yourself. For Allen, that meant confronting independence, insecurity, and relational blind spots—issues rooted in his upbringing that were sabotaging both marriage and ministry. Prioritizing presence over performance. // The turning point in Allen's growth was deceptively simple: he began prioritizing his relationship with Jesus. Guided by a mentor, he learned to read Scripture for formation rather than information and to cultivate rhythms of prayer, worship, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Ministry leaders face an occupational hazard—handling Scripture transactionally for sermons while neglecting personal communion with Christ. For Allen, consistent morning surrender became the foundation for long-term sustainability. Marriage as spiritual formation. // Allen describes marriage as God's primary classroom for sanctification. Drawing from the biblical metaphor of Christ and the Church, he explains how learning to live in the presence of his wife taught him how to live in the presence of God. Simple daily rhythms—morning prayer, consistent check-ins, shared meals, evening walks, praying together—have sustained their relationship for decades. Rather than competing with ministry, his marriage strengthens it. What God forms privately shapes what leaders produce publicly. Culture flows from character. // Over 25 years, Allen's commitment to personal formation has shaped Definition Church's culture. Every staff member has a “rule of life” and an intentional growth plan. Personal development is written into job descriptions as the number-one responsibility. Staff are given monthly retreat days to spend extended time alone with Jesus. Spiritual practices are embedded into the life of the church. Allen believes you reproduce who and what you are—so the greatest contribution a leader can make is becoming more like Christ. The power of staying. // Allen notes that lasting impact often requires long tenure. His senior leadership team has served together for decades, building trust and shared formation. In a skeptical culture, credibility grows through consistency. But longevity without formation is dangerous. The process prepares leaders for the purpose; bypassing the process risks collapse. Like Joseph's journey from entitlement to anointing in the Old Testament, leaders must pass through refining seasons before they can steward influence well. To learn more about Definition Church, explore their resources, and connect with Allen, visit definition.church. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Portable Church Your church is doing really well right now, and your leadership team is looking for solutions to keep momentum going! It could be time to start a new location. Maybe you have hesitated in the past few years, but you know it's time to step out in faith again and launch that next location. Portable Church has assembled a bundle of resources to help you leverage your growing momentum into a new location by sending a part of your congregation back to their neighborhood on Mission. This bundle of resources will give you a step-by-step plan to launch that new or next location, and a 5 minute readiness tool that will help you know your church is ready to do it! Click here to watch the free webinar “Launch a New Location in 150 Days or Less” and grab the bundle of resources for your church! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. Today’s going to be a really good conversation. It’s one of those conversations that I think we all need to have, looked carefully at, think about ourselves, think about the teams we lead. I really do think it’s one of those make or break kind of conversations. And so you’ll be rewarded for tuning in today. Rich Birch — Excited to have Dr. Allen Holmes with us. He’s a senior pastor of a church called Definition Church. He’s been there since 2000, so a few years. They’re located in North Carolina and is one of the fastest growing churches in the country. They have a residency program as well that’s called to train and develop next generation of mission-minded ministry leaders. And believing that generosity is a privilege, Definition Church also partners with a number of other ministries, churches, and organizations to really serve their community. Dr. Allen, so glad you’re here. Thanks for being here today.Allen Holmes — Wow. Well, I’m so excited to be here, Rich, and appreciate the invitation.Rich Birch — Oh, this is going to be a fun conversation. Why don’t you kind of fill out the picture?Allen Holmes — Yeah.Rich Birch — Tell us a little bit about Definition. Kind of tell us the story. Give us a sense of the church.Allen Holmes — Well, my wife and I, we grew up down in Wilmington, which is on the coast of North Carolina. In 2000, we were finishing seminary and looking for a church, really looking for a city where we could plant our life and stay in one place kind of forever. And we were in a small town. Our first church was in a small town of about 1500. And Greensboro was one of the cities we visited, and there was a church here that had lost their pastor. They only had about 30 people.Allen Holmes — And the truth is that was safe and kind of gave us a a lot of freedom to make mistakes and learn and grow as leaders and as a man and a woman, as a married couple, as parents, you know, all the things without mistakes, really the pressure of a big church and a lot of expectations. And that was perfect for us. And and we fell in love with the city and it’s been 25 years now. It’s hard to believe that. And and but we love it here. Greensboro’s home now and and Definition’s been great to us.Rich Birch — So good. Well, I want to take advantage of the fact that you’ve been at your location, at your church for a number of years. When you look back over two and a half decades of ministry, and you know you’ve seen a lot of churches in your community, and then just even wider you know across the country, that sort of thing. Where have you seen leadership fall apart in churches? We’ll start with the negative to start.Allen Holmes — Yeah.Rich Birch — When’s it break down most often? Why does, you know, why do the wheels come off? Where have you seen that happen?Allen Holmes — You know, I think generally it’s just anything that creates pressure. So I think we have a tendency to train and prepare as leaders when there’s no pressure.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And then all of a sudden we find ourselves in a situation where there’s a tremendous amount of pressure. And in those moments, it’s not what we know that matters, but who we are. Rich Birch — So true.Allen Holmes — It kind of gets it gets exposed. And this happened for me the first time I was in seminary. It was my second semester. My wife, Tina, and I had just gotten married. So we were five months into marriage. I was living my dream. I mean, seminary for, you know, somebody who wants to be a pastor is like Disney World, right? I mean, I’m in class every day studying the Bible, surrounded by all these people that love Jesus. I’ve got this vision for changing the world. I mean, it was just wonderful.Allen Holmes — And in month five, towards the end of that second semester, I came home and and my wife wasn’t doing well. I didn’t realize, you know, how bad it was. But that day I came home and she said, I don’t love you. Rich Birch — Wow.Allen Holmes — And I don’t want to be married. I will never be in the ministry. I'm going home.Rich Birch — Wow.Allen Holmes — And it’s like, all of a sudden, my whole world just began to fall apart. You know, at that stage of life, the only thing that really mattered to me was ministry. You know I had this call, this sense of calling. And my marriage.Allen Holmes — I really I grew up in a broken home, really didn’t have any family. And my wife and actually her family were family to me.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And so in that moment, it felt like I was losing everything that mattered. Rich Birch — Wow. Allen Holmes — And I realized that despite all of my gifts and my zeal and my passion and my good intentions, beneath the surface, I had all of this on all of these unaddressed issues from my life story that were now coming to the surface and creating a mess in my marriage. And that crisis, that pressure exposed those things and created an opportunity for me to learn and grow. And by God’s grace, we dropped out of seminary, we moved back home. And I met Dr. Bennett, who became a mentor to me. He was a retired pastor.Allen Holmes — And I just started this journey of instead of being focused on just what I do and what I could produce, which is all I knew up until that moment, to really asking some deeper questions about who am I? And what’s driving all of this behavior and what’s creating this problem in my marriage? And how do I invite Christ to really do a deeper work in my heart and life and character? And and I’ve been on that journey now for almost 30 years.Rich Birch — Wow. That’s incredibly compelling. One of my mentors, he talks about how he burnt out early and he had kind of, you know, ended up on the side of the road and, you know, in a really bad spot in life. And he says, he looks back on that and says, wow, by by God’s grace, that happened. Allen Holmes — Right. Rich Birch — You know, and, and wow, that, you know, his whole, it changed the whole trajectory of you know his life and he made a whole bunch of changes. And he feels really, in a weird sort of way, thankful for for that, if even though you’re thankful, it feels like a weird emotion to have around such a crisis you know in you know in your life. Allen Holmes — Right.Rich Birch — Now, so many leaders, we’re so focused on the mission. We’re so focused on leading others. We’re so focused on pushing forward. We miss this stuff. There's there are these things bubbling under the surface. And and we haven’t had the grace of a wife who would raise her hand and say, hey, this enough is enough. Why do you think that gap is so common in ministry? Why is this just like a thing we see all the time?Allen Holmes — Well, I think to your point, in ministry, just like not just in ministry, but any organizational leadership, you’re rewarded and celebrated for what you produce. And the truth is that’s all most people can see. I mean, when my marriage blew up, if you would have gone around and interviewed my friends, my family, Tina’s family, my professors, if you would have asked anybody about me, they would have said, Allen's a rising star. He loves God. I mean, he he’s doing all the stuff. He’s checking all the boxes. This guy’s going to really be somebody one day.Allen Holmes — But what you couldn’t see is that beneath the surface, I didn’t know who I was. And I was insecure. I was defensive. I was independent. I really didn’t know how to do relationships well. I was insensitive.Allen Holmes — I didn’t have like a bad, ugly heart. I mean, I loved and cared about people. I just had all of these unaddressed, unfinished issues in my life. But my giftedness would allow me to produce despite that.Allen Holmes — You know, I think sometimes people um wonder why are leaders great at leading, but, you know, they struggle to lead themselves. I’m not sure that’s really a real thing. What leaders are good at doing is they’re great at producing. They’re not great at leading if they're not great at leading themselves. In other words, I can be a great producer and a bad leader.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Allen Holmes — I can be great on stage and draw a crowd and kind of be a slave-driving leader. And it might, from a numbers perspective and people that aren’t close, they look at it and think, wow, this is wildly successful. But the people on the inner circle know better, that the culture is unhealthy and and this person’s, you know, shallow or he’s a tyrant or whatever the, you know, whatever the case might be.Allen Holmes — There’s all kinds of ways to build a crowd in American culture today that have very little to do with Jesus. And we’ve seen that over and over and over again. So I think in order to be a great leader, you have to be able and willing to lead yourself.Rich Birch — So what did that process look like for you the kind of internal journey of trying to name what your wife had or or define maybe what your wife had named to really get clarity on that? Maybe unpack that step a little bit first before we get on to what changed. You know, how how did you, what did that look like? How, what kind of space did you have to create? What, what, did where did that, what did that part of the journey take you?Allen Holmes — Yeah, that’s a great question. You know, when I look back on all this, I’m, you know, I’m just so grateful for God’s grace because I didn’t even understand the process I was in. I mean, you know, I was just in it and trying to navigate it. But by God’s grace, I decided to ask the question, what in my character has produced this in my marriage. And what’s really shocking about that is all of my seminary buddies were saying, what is wrong with your wife? Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And I, by God’s grace, was saying, what’s wrong with me?I had enough humility to look at my wife and go, you know, I married this woman because she was so full of grace and kind and gentle, this beautiful soul, this beautiful person. So if she’s reacting this way, chances are she’s not the problem. You know, sometimes.Rich Birch — Wow. Wow.Allen Holmes — Something about our relationship is producing that. And actually, so what it was is, my wife grew up in this really great, healthy family, parent, two-parent home, siblings, people in her house all the time. Her mom cooked every night. I ate at their house five nights a week. I mean, it’s like their family became my family.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — Well, I grew up with none of that. I grew up with a single mom, basically all by myself, raising myself. And those two worlds just collided. So when we went seminary, I was doing school full-time and working full-time, and she was working full-time. And I thought, well, that was normal. That’s what I’d been doing for years and years. I’d worked my way through college. I’d been and on my own since I was 18.Allen Holmes — And so that seemed normal. But for Tina, it’s like she went from living in this beautiful community to being all by herself at seminary, and I’m not even there. Rich Birch — Right, right. Wow.Allen Holmes — And she’s and so she was relationally just dying, and I didn’t know how to be sensitive to that. You know, I wanted to just say, you know, get over it. Life’s hard…Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — …which would not have worked. Rich Birch — Right. Yes. Allen Holmes — You know But I just had enough grace to begin asking, God, what are you trying to do in my heart? And and like you were saying earlier about your buddy, the thing I would say today, if I would have married a woman strong enough to tolerate that moment, I would have been I would have never survived in ministry because I would have been a driven, legalistic, judgmental, demanding kind of pastor that that really, I think, used the Bible to beat people up.Allen Holmes — And I mean, instead of being a man who really actually experienced, I guess, an inner this inner, deeper work and can invite people into something that is deeply spiritual and transformational and life-giving, you know, I would have just been this ugly, difficult pastor to be with. And so I’m so grateful. I mean, that that really began this journey that just changed and has literally touched everything about my life and ministry and our marriage today. I mean, it’s amazing.Rich Birch — Yeah. So what, what changed? What, how did you change your, you know, approach to making decisions, to dealing with the pressure, dealing with the pace? You know, obviously we were kind of at the point in the journey where you took a pause and made some changes, but eventually, you know, you ended up back on that path and back into ministry and have been leading and the ministry has been flourishing. So what were some of the, the kind of shifts that you made that were that, in hindsight seemed like that was, those were keystone decisions.Allen Holmes — Well, this sounds so silly to even say it, especially to Christian leaders, but I had to prioritize my relationship with Jesus.Rich Birch — Right, right.Allen Holmes — Well, there’s a good idea.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah, exactly. Write that down. What did he say? No but that’s true, though. Lean in on that because you know that there are…Allen Holmes — Yes.Rich Birch — Listen, we all know we go, we all go through seasons where that our relationship goes colder. Some of us, we, you know, we just, it’s been like years, decades since we feel like we’ve had a thriving relationship. So lean in on that.Allen Holmes — Well, you know, it’s interesting when I when we moved back to Wilmington and I started spending time with Dr. Bennett, he just he just pressed me on that all the time. Give your mornings to Jesus. Give your mornings to Jesus. And I just began learning how do I develop a meaningful time with Jesus every day? How do I read the Bible for formation instead of information.Rich Birch — That’s good.Allen Holmes — And how, you know, how do I worship for formation? How do I what is my relationship to the Holy Spirit and inviting him into those moments to help me see and to understand, to teach and to heal and to counsel me into healing, wholeness, growth, all those things.Allen Holmes — You know, how do I press into community? You know, I was so independent. And the truth is, I mean, 30 years later, I’m still working on this.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — I was so trained to be independent and I liked being independent. I wasn’t unhappy independent… Rich Birch — Right. Allen Holmes — …but independence allows you to hold on to your immaturity because nobody’s challenging it.Rich Birch — Nobody’s in your business.Allen Holmes — Nobody’s confronted. That’s right. And so I just began really developing that time with Jesus and just fell in love with spending time with Jesus. And again, that that changed everything. And again, as silly as that sounds, I’ve been in so many groups. It’s kind of shocking how often I’m with pastors and they just say, I just, I don’t have time to read my Bible.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — I don’t have time to worship. I can’t give 15 or 20 minutes in the mornings to the Lord. And it’s like, if that if that’s true, then something is just so out of order about our life and ministry. And we’ve not learned to juggle all of that. And because we’re not handling that well, so many pastors, they don’t finish in ministry. Rich Birch —Right.Allen Holmes — Ministry chews them up and spits them out. And so we have to make that the priority. So important. So important.Rich Birch — Yeah, I really appreciate that. I appreciate you leaning in on that. And this is an area where it’s an occupational hazard in what we’ve picked to do…Allen Holmes — Oh, yeah. That’s right.Rich Birch — …because our our job is to produce that in other people. And so we have to handle the scripture in in a way, you know, it’s like a part of what we do to produce the content we produce or whatever that is. And it can become very transactional if we don’t watch. And so I really appreciate you leaning in on that.Allen Holmes — That’s exactly right.Rich Birch — What about on the married side? What advice would you give? Again, you’ve, you’ve are happily married today and you know, all these years later.Allen Holmes — Yeah, that’s right.Rich Birch — And, what, what rhythms have you found that have worked well for you and your wife, for you to continue to lead and to lead, you know, at a high level. The reason why we’re talking is because you’re leading a fast-growing church.Allen Holmes — Yeah.Rich Birch — But, you know, you’re doing that and keeping your marriage. What are some of the rhythms that you, that you help coach other, maybe younger leaders to, to really instill on that side, to, to, to be, to be whole on that side?Allen Holmes — One of the things that was so helpful early on is recognizing that my marriage was God’s gift to me to learn, not just to grow and to mature as a man, but even to learn to walk with God.Allen Holmes — And one of the things you see in Scripture over and over and over again is the primary metaphor God uses to describe our relationship with Him as a husband and a wife, that we’re the bride of Christ.Allen Holmes — And what I found is that my marriage and my relationship with Jesus were running in parallel. So if I learned something with Tina, it strengthened my relationship with Jesus. And when I would learn something with Jesus, it would actually strengthen my relationship with Tina, that they were you know playing off of each other that way.Allen Holmes — And so as Tina and I started working on our marriage, I mean, it was it was as simple like even when I think about giving my mornings to God. When I wake up every day, the first thing I do is I roll over on my knees. I acknowledge Jesus, you are my king, king of my heart and life.Allen Holmes — I invite the Holy Spirit to fill me fresh for that day. And I probably pray there three to five minutes, and then I roll over on my back and put my hand on my sleeping wife. And I just take a minute and begin praying and and blessing my wife.Allen Holmes — And then I’ll get up and I’ll I’ll kind of have of usually a couple hours where I can just be in the Word, I can worship, I can be in so have silence and solitude and just allow God to minister to my soul. And then i don’t ever leave the house without giving my wife a kiss, telling her I love her, embracing her.Allen Holmes — During the day, I’m going to check in two or three times. How’s your day going? What’s going on with you? You know, if I’m driving somewhere or between meetings, you know, little quick touches. Rich Birch — That's good.Allen Holmes — When I get home, I’m going to walk in the house. The first thing I’m going do is I’m going to find Tina. We’re going to eat dinner together that night. At the end of the day, we’re going to maybe go on a walk that night. We may get in bed and just both be reading a book for a little bit. We might talk about our day or what’s going on with our kids or life.Allen Holmes — Before we go to bed, before we go to sleep, we’ll pray together. And again, I want to make sure that I’m affirming my love for… When I describe all of that to people and what I try to tell them is have a response. The Christian life is learning to live in the presence of God. And marriage is learning to live in the presence of your wife.Allen Holmes — And so I know throughout the day what’s going on in the heart of my wife and how to love and serve her well, even when I’m here at work. And as a Christian, I’ve got to learn how do I live in the presence of God and recognize he’s always with me. And I want to bring Jesus into every moment, every meeting, every decision. And versus I have devotional time and I leave God at home. And then I come to work and do my work.Allen Holmes — So that’s just one example. As I learned how to do that with Tina, I saw how to apply to my relationship with God and vice versa.Rich Birch — That's so good. Yeah, that’s so helpful. Let’s talk about how your internal life and your own growth and your own staying close to him, what impact has that had on the church, on your team, on the people you lead? How do you see those two, you know, working together?Allen Holmes — Yeah, that’s a great question. So part of it is you reproduce who and what you are. Rich Birch — True. Allen Holmes — So what we’re describing, and of course, I’ve got 25 years of this, and so that gives me a little bit of an advantage in that regard because this takes time to build. You know, it doesn’t happen overnight. But when this has been kind of the direction of your life for over 25 years, then it becomes the direction of the organization and the people that you lead. And so on our on our church staff and our church and the way we do ministry, the way our we you know our mission is all affected by what we’re talking about.Allen Holmes — And so our staff, that you know, they all have a rule of life. They all have a very intentional plan a plan for their spiritual and personal and leadership growth in their life. And and we work as a team to to facilitate that. In fact, in our job descriptions, their number one responsibility is their personal growth and development. And we tell them all the time, the greatest thing you can do for everyone in your life is to learn and grow as a leader. That’s the greatest contribution you can make. When you do that, you everybody comes up. you You bless everybody. So work harder on who you are than what you’re building.Allen Holmes — And so we just emphasize that. And and then we do little things like, you know, in our in our church culture, we once a month, they have a retreat day where they’re required to go and be alone with Jesus for a whole day. And they’re being paid to do it. Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — It’s their, you know, it’s part of their job. We emphasize a spiritual practice every month, and we’re doing that in all of our groups, and we model that as a staff. Like in January, our spiritual practice is fasting, and we’re about to begin you know a season of prayer and fasting like a lot of churches do in January. And so that’s integrated into everything that we’re doing as a church and to our staff. They’re encouraged to do that, and so we’re just constantly making sure that they’re learning and growing. And then that begins to shape the culture your church. It shapes your ability to actually make disciples in your church. I mean, at the end of the day, if on a scale of 1 to 10, as a follower of Christ, if I’m a five, I can only lead three and fours… Rich Birch — Right. Allen Holmes — …and I can only attract twos.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And then there’s nobody that I can help, right?Rich Birch — Right. Yes. Yes.Allen Holmes — Because I’m already at the bottom.Rich Birch — Right. Right. Yeah.Allen Holmes — But if I can be an eight and lead sixes and sevens and attract four and fives, then we can reach down and help the two and threes get up, you know. So my what God is doing in me, and that’s true for everybody on our team, is the greatest contribution they can make, and it brings everybody up. And so that’s just really worked into our culture.Rich Birch — Think at like from a diagnostic point of view. A church calls you up and they feel stuck organizationally. They feel like, man, things are just, they’re not going well. When you take a call like that, is your reflex to go towards, well, where are things with the with the leadership team internally?Rich Birch — Or you know do we start organizationally? Hey, let’s fix a couple of things. Help us talk think Help us think through um how do you handle that kind of conversation? Or how does this conversation inform a conversation like that when it comes your way?Allen Holmes — That’s a great question. I mean, generally my response will be, I’ll tell people really, if you need organizational, just kind of practical, how do I do it information, I just give them some resources, you know, so I’ll send them, go to the Grow Conference. They’re probably the best in the world at it. Rich Birch — Yeah, they're so good.Allen Holmes — They can tell you how to do these different things. But then I want to come back to the thing I think we can help you with is really the soul of your organization, which is a reflection of what God’s doing in you. So let’s talk about who you are as a leader, the way you live your life, the way you lead your staff, the culture that you’re building and creating. Because ultimately, if you get all these systems, but you don’t have culture, culture trumps systems every single time.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And when you get the systems and the culture right, you begin, everybody’s attracted to that. In fact, I think maybe one of the big problems in Western culture, and this is hard to admit, but I think the church has to admit this, is that people, people are not going to church. Church attendance is on decline, but it’s not because people don’t want God. They’re just not convinced they can find him at church.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah, that’s so true. Yeah.Allen Holmes — I mean, they’re they’re spiritually hungry, but the cultures of our church, people come into that culture and what they kind of intuitively know is that this doesn’t feel healthy or spiritual. So you can create all the systems you want and send out flyers and do all kinds of things. But if people show up at your church and what they intuitively know is that this isn’t healthy and spiritual, you can’t grow your church. So you have to begin there.Allen Holmes —It’s also true if it is healthy and spiritual, even if your systems are a little suspect, people will tolerate a lot of a lot of that because they’re so spiritually hungry. And I think that’s more true than ever before.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s very true. Yeah. Well, yeah, my good friend, Carey Nieuwhof, he says like, man, it would be so sad if people came to our churches and all they found was us, right? You know, at the end of the day, right? Like we were trying to point them to Jesus and as as kind of elementary as it sounds, but it’s just so true.Rich Birch — If there isn’t something happening there that’s bigger than just what they can get anywhere else, why would they come to us? Why would they engage in our churches? Yeah, that’s that’s…Allen Holmes — You know, we just came through Christmas, and and one of the things that I think Protestants miss is is when we think about Christmas, we think about Emmanuel, God with us. We think about the incarnation, God became flesh, and we think that’s something that happened 2,000 years ago. And the truth is, that’s supposed to be true of the church today. We are the body of Christ.Rich Birch — Yes.Allen Holmes — God in us. And when that’s true, people, when they show up at our churches or show up at our dinner table, they should experience Jesus when they’re with us because we’re becoming more and more like him.Rich Birch — Yes. Yeah, it’s good.Allen Holmes — And then our life gives validity to our message.Rich Birch — Well, one of the things I’m working on a book for for churches about breaking the 2,000 barrier. And one of the interesting stats that we’ve bumped into is that oftentimes the, when a church breaks the 2,000 barrier, the senior leader and often the senior leadership team have been there for going on two decades, 18 years, 19 years, 22 years. Like it’s just a really common pattern you see.Rich Birch — Now that’s not the perception. Our perception is like, oh, there’s like the just add water mega fast church that just explodes and it all happens. But that actually isn’t the normative pattern. the Normative pattern is it’s it takes a long time. You’ve been at your church for 25 years. Talk us through how longevity, how does that tie into this conversation? How does it tie into the impact you’re seeing, you know, at Definition? Talk us through that.Allen Holmes — Yeah. You know, it’s interesting when I, one of the other real key moments for me is I went back to do my doctorate of ministry degree at Gordon-Conwell in redemptive leadership. And so much of what we were studying is how God works in the crisis, in these pressure moments to, you know, expose the unfinished places in our character so that we can grow and become more like Jesus and therefore maximize our kingdom impact in the world.Allen Holmes — And one of my professors, Dr. Powers, he actually wrote a book called Redemptive Leadership. It’s a simple little book, but profound, where he describes leadership development in five stages. And stage one is is a skilled leader where you get a leadership role just based on your skill. So maybe the ability to preach. And so they call you to be the pastor. That’s how I became the pastor of my first church. I could preach. I hadn’t done anything else. But they let me be a pastor because I can preach.Allen Holmes — And then the second stage is a principal leader where you begin to understand why you do what you do. But the third stage, which is so important, is the character stage. And in order for a leader to go through the character stage, God always uses a crisis to bring him into that stage. But when he comes into that stage, he has a choice.Allen Holmes — In that stage, he can open his heart and allow God to do that deeper work, or he can go back and hide behind his skills and principle. And that’s what pastors do a lot of times. The reason you see this turnover every, you know, depending on what statistic you read, every two to four years, pastors are leaving churches is because they come into a church and they have this honeymoon season, and then all of a sudden there’s a crisis that exposes some things, and they start floating their resume and hiding behind their skill, rather than allowing God to deal with their character so that they can advance and become a transformative, redemptive leader. Rich Birch — That’s so good.Allen Holmes — So I think one of the things that’s been so true for us is we’ve just tried to say to people, when there’s a crisis, don’t panic, don’t run away, see it as an opportunity.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — In fact, I ended up doing my dissertation on the idea that if we could teach this model to leaders, that it would cause them to respond differently in the crisis. Instead of running from it, they would run to it and open their heart, and God could use that to really propel them into their redemptive future. And the research said that was true.Allen Holmes — And so we’ve tried to really work that in our culture to understand when something goes wrong, don’t run away and don’t hide.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — Let’s run into it and trust God to meet us there so that this thing, God works redemptively to use it for your benefit and to launch you into your future. And because that’s been our culture, people have stuck around. I mean, my lead team, Rick has been here 25 years. He’s actually here two Sundays longer than I’ve been here. Rich Birch — Love it.Allen Holmes — Eric’s been here 24 years. Jonathan’s been here 19 years. Steve’s been Chelsea’s been here almost this year will be 14 years. Steve’s been here 10 years. I mean, so they’ve just been here a long, long, long time, and that but that’s why, is that they’ve seen these moments and we’ve helped them to find God in it so that actually works for us instead of against us.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s that’s great. I love that. You know, I think if more churches, if more leaders had the mindset, even as we led our people that like, hey, if they come to us and it feels like there’s a crisis brewing here, I do feel like our culture is so bent towards like, it’s not just them leaving, it’s us leaving them. It’s like, okay, time’s up, you’re done, like move on. We would never say it that way because we’re better Christians and we know, but but that’s the vibe we give people.Allen Holmes — Right.Rich Birch — And And I do think it’s been interesting as we’ve been looking really from a church growth point of view, this is a really sticky trend that we see that it’s like you, the key leaders have to be here for a long time. And it makes sense on lots of levels. Allen Holmes — Right. Rich Birch — This level, it makes sense. It makes sense on just like community influence. Like you you have to be around for a long time. People are super suspicious of the church and they’re not You know, they don’t come like that maybe 30 years ago, people trusted the church. Well, that’s just not true anymore. Allen Holmes — Right. Rich Birch — And so when you’re around for a long time that, you know, that makes a difference. And it’s hard to, it’s not like a really pithy bullet point because it’s like, well, just stick around. But it is, it’s critically important to the, you know, to the overall mix.Allen Holmes — Yeah, you know, that make that reminds me of a couple of things. One, one of the, think, things we have to be careful about today is I think we are doing such a good job of planting churches. We’re all for church planting. We just help the church in our city plant. We’re about to launch somebody out next year to plant under the church. I mean, that’s a fantastic thing, but we’ve gotten so good at it.Allen Holmes — If you’re a 30-year-old and you plant a church and you start with 500 on day one, it could be detrimental to your spiritual journey. And we just have to kind of recognize that.Rich Birch — Talk more about that. Why would that be?Allen Holmes — Well, like when I think about myself, when I came to Definition, we had about 30 people, and we did not average 100 for an entire year until my seventh year here.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Allen Holmes — Now, during those seven years, I thought it was the greatest church in America. I mean, we were having a good time, and we were basically a college ministry more than a church back then. When I came, we had an older congregation, but my first Sunday, 15 college students showed up.Rich Birch — Okay.Allen Holmes — And, of course, I was only 26, and so I naturally gravitated towards them. We kind of became this college ministry, and it wasn’t until several years later that they were old enough to get married and start having babies that we actually became a real church. And, uh, but during that time, the truth is God, I just believe God was in that because I was still so young and inexperienced and immature as a man and leader that the last thing I needed was any more success.Allen Holmes — It would have really, success can really blind you to your areas of, you know, where you need really need to grow. In fact, one of the things that you see in several places in Scripture, and one of the things that we tell our church all that time, that the Christian life is a lifelong, transformational journey with Christ. Rich Birch — Yep.Allen Holmes — And you see this in several places in Scripture. Let me give you a couple examples. You think about Joseph. I don’t if you’ve ever thought about this story, but I was preaching on it a couple of years ago, and I realized in this story, there are three times that Joseph has a coat. His first coat as a child is a coat of entitlement, and it needs to be ripped off.Rich Birch — Yes.Allen Holmes — His next coat was given by Pharaoh. It’s a coat of self-sufficiency. It needs to be ripped off, and Potiphar’s wife took it off. And then third, there’s a coat of anointing where he’s come through this crucible. He’s come through these seasons of pain and struggle and wrestling and and suffering that has produced this character. And now God can elevate him and give him almost unlimited power and authority without the threat of him abusing it.Allen Holmes — Well, without that process, God could never. If God puts any man in that position without that process, it destroys you. I mean, you you’re not prepared. You can’t handle that. You know, tell people all the time that one of the reasons God doesn’t just tell us our future, you know, people are always wanting to know, you know, what’s God going to do?Allen Holmes — And the truth is, if God told us what we were going to be doing in 10 years, we’d try to go there tomorrow. And the process prepares us for our purpose. You cannot bypass the process… Rich Birch — That’s good. Allen Holmes — …and still fulfill your purpose.Rich Birch — That’s so good.Allen Holmes — And so God works in that that challenge. I think about Psalm 23, and I think Psalm 23 describes three stages. First stage is that I’m this child. I’m very young and immature in my faith. And then I become this warrior. And then I eventually become friend. But I have to go through the valley of the shadow of death to get up that mountain in order to be a friend of God. Allen Holmes — And there’s no way to bypass that. it’s seeing you You see this over and over and over again in scripture. And it’s just part of our sanctification. It’s the way God works in our lives.Rich Birch — It’s so good.Allen Holmes — Now, one of the things that sometimes somebody might hear all this and they go, well, I know so-and-so. I’ll give you a great example, classic example of this. Chris Hodges is one of the most respected pastors in America.Rich Birch — Yeah, for sure.Allen Holmes — And he he has pastored one of the fastest growing churches in in America. But there is a reason he has been so fruitful. And the reason is before he ever became a pastor, he didn’t start that church until he was 40.Allen Holmes — And before becoming that pastor, he’d served under two of the best pastors and two of the strongest churches in America. So he was so much more mature than the average church planter when he started. And I’m 53, I don’t think I’m where Chris was at 40 when he started that church.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Allen Holmes — So that was a big advantage in why they’ve been able to be so consistently fruitful for such a long period of time. And we just have to recognize that. And again, that’s why it’s so important that we’re focused on what God is doing in us… Rich Birch — So good. Allen Holmes — …because over time, that’s what produces the best results. It’s just a mature man or woman of God.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. Love it. Well, Allen, thank you so much for today’s conversation. This has been a great, it’s been really rich conversation. There’s a lot more we could we could talk about, but I really appreciate you giving us the time today. As we wrap up today’s episode, what any kind of final words you’d give to a leader, as they’re thinking about reflecting on this kind of inner life, leading themselves, you know, trying to align who they are outside with who they are inside. Help us Help us with the kind of final word as we kind of wrap up today’s call.Allen Holmes — Yeah, you know, I was reading a book recently, and and this quote, I’ve just been meditating on it the last couple of weeks, and it the quote is, God loves us as we are, not as we should be, for none of us are as we should be.Rich Birch — It’s good. Oh wow that's good.Allen Holmes — And I say that just to say I think so many pastors are trying so hard like the older brother in the prodigal story. They’re trying so hard to work for God and to prove something. And I just think we got to begin with falling in love with him and trust he’s better at producing than we are. And if we just fall in love with Jesus and allow him to make us more like that father, his kids will come running home.Rich Birch — That’s so good.Allen Holmes — because they’re looking for fathers. They’re they’re looking for that place of grace and life and hope. And so that characterizes who we are in our soul. And people are just so attracted to that. So I would just say to all the pastors and leaders listening, God is crazy about you. You can’t do anything about that. You don’t have to earn it and none of us deserve it. And if we can learn to really receive that and fall in love with Jesus again, it just changes everything.Rich Birch — So good. Well, sir, I appreciate you being on today’s episode. If people want, if we want to send people online somewhere to track with you or with definition, where do we want to send them so they they could connect with you?Allen Holmes — Yeah, they can just Google Definition Church. And I do have a website. There’s not much on it yet. There’s probably not anything there that’s going to help them. But I need to do a better job of developing some content and getting it out there. But the best place to look would be just to go to our website. There are some resources there for churches.Rich Birch — That’s great.Allen Holmes — And of course, you know, we’d love to hear from them. And we really appreciate you just letting us, inviting us to be on the show today and to get to encourage leaders is such a such a privilege.Rich Birch — No, I appreciate you. I just want to honor you. You know, publicly. We reach out to churches like this, frankly, because you end up on the fastest growing church list. And we’re like, hey, what’s God using? And I love where this conversation went today. I think super helpful for people. So thanks so much, Allen. Appreciate being on today.Allen Holmes — Thanks, Rich. Have a great day.

How do you stay faithful when life is unfair, lonely, and full of temptation? Dr. Brad Wilcox shows how Joseph of Egypt overcame betrayal and adversity by understanding his birthright and covenant mission, and why modern disciples share that same calling.YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/ES14-iPll10ALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIM.coFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook  WEEKLY NEWSLETTER https://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter  SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE:00:00 Part 1 - Dr. Brad Wilcox01:56 Teaser02:48 Joseph is type of Jesus Christ04:22 Bio07:47 Joseph's background11:44 What is the birthright?16:02 Jacob sleeps on a rock19:45 A covenant relationship began21:43 Mt. Moriah and a “wrestle”28:50 Four mothers and 13 children33:25 A preparatory law35:59 A young Elder Russell M. Nelson41:09 Ephraim and Manassah45:18 Born to Change the World and a special guest51:22 Women's Conference 50th Anniversary53:32 Elder Bednar's question55:10 Big picture help59:01 President Nelson reminds about identity1:00:11 Potiphar's wife1:02:58 End of Part 1 - Dr. Brad WilcoxThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

In this episode of Handmaidens, Harems, and Heroines, Lynne Hilton Wilson explores the rich and often complicated stories of women in Genesis 37–41, shining a thoughtful Latter-day Saint lens on narratives that are frequently overshadowed by the story of Joseph. Dr. Wilson brings depth and cultural insight to the account of Dinah, whose story in Genesis 34 echoes into the later family tensions surrounding Joseph; Tamar, whose courageous and calculated actions in Genesis 38 preserve covenant lineage; and Potiphar's wife, a powerful yet unnamed Egyptian woman whose encounter with Joseph in Genesis 39 raises questions about power, agency, morality, and voice. With careful attention to ancient Near Eastern context and covenant theology, this episode highlights how these women—whether victims, heroines, or antagonists—play essential roles in moving the Abrahamic story forward. Dr. Wilson invites viewers to look beyond surface readings and consider issues of honor, inheritance, justice, and faith in a patriarchal world. As Joseph rises from slavery to leadership in Egypt, the stories of these women remind us that God's purposes unfold through complex human experiences—and that even the most difficult narratives in Genesis offer profound spiritual lessons for modern disciples.

Thursday February 26, 2026I Week Of LentToday's readings remind us that integrity, maturity, and mercy are formed under pressure.In Genesis 39:1–23, Joseph rises in Potiphar's house because “the Lord was with him.” Even when falsely accused and thrown into prison, that same phrase is repeated—*the Lord was with Joseph. Favor does not prevent hardship, and faithfulness does not always yield immediate reward. But God's presence remains steady in both promotion and prison.In 1 Corinthians 2:14–3:15, Paul contrasts spiritual maturity with spiritual infancy. The natural mind cannot grasp the things of the Spirit, and believers are urged to grow beyond jealousy and division. We are builders on a foundation already laid—Jesus Christ. What we construct with our lives will be tested, and only what is built on Him will endure.And in Mark 2:1–12, four friends lower a paralyzed man through a roof to reach Jesus. Before healing the body, Jesus forgives the man's sins—revealing that His deepest authority is over the human heart. The scribes question Him, but the crowd leaves glorifying God.This episode invites us to remain faithful when unseen, to build wisely on Christ as our foundation, and to trust the Son who not only heals—but forgives and restores from the inside out.

In this Bible Story, Everything Joseph does succeeds and thrives. So much so, that he becomes the overseer of Potiphar’s household. But then, Joseph is accused of wrongdoing by Potiphar’s wife and is thrown in prison. This story is inspired by Genesis 39:20-41:57. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Genesis 39:7 from the King James Version.Episode 27: Though sold into slavery, Joseph found himself serving in the house of an Egyptian official named Potiphar. While serving there, God blessed Joseph and made everything he did successful. Potiphar recognized this blessing was coming from Joseph, but Potiphar’s wife did not, and by her wicked accusations, Joseph went from palace to prison. But even in this dark prison, God continued to bless him and those he served.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.