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"The new owners of Fender since 2020 are attempting to own the copyright on the Stratocaster body. A German court has taken them part of the way but most experts don't believe it will hold up to scrutiny. Nonetheless, Fender has sent Cease and Desist letters to multiple guitar makers telling them to stop production, call back orders and destroy stock. Fender may have just committed brand suicide because history is not on their side."
"It is no secret that music contracts can be rather brutal on artists. Often the stories focus on not getting paid but there is also the interesting idea of a lawsuit ordering a musician to fill his or her contract and record what we are calling a court ordered album. We have multiple examples plus one where the band was paid NOT to record an album."
"Sony Music Publishing confirmed an agreement to acquire Blackstone's Recognition Music Group catalog for $3.5 billion. The Red Hot Chili Peppers just sold their catalog for $300 million. Other Funds are raising billions to start buying. These buyers are called Music Rights Funds. I became interested in how these Funds actually made money. How does one invest and can I sell my own music. I have the answers for you."
"The New York Times released their 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters list a short while ago. I know online lists usually have some click bait to start conversation but this list was overtly egregious. Not for who was on it. It was who was left off. We will go over the list and play some artists that should have been on there."
"Many summer tours are having to scale back or cancel altogether. The nickname given to this practice is Blue Dot Fever. It is named after the blue dots that appear on unsold seats when a ticket buyer uses Ticketmaster. It has become indicative of a larger societal and financial concern that is leading to people not being able to attend live music. We will explain."
"This is a requested topic from a friend. He wondered if we had ever discussed steel drums. We had not so we did a show. We have some history and some discussion of tuning and prices. There are also a lot of songs that use the steel drum you may not have noticed before."
"On April 16 2026 A federal jury in Manhattan found that Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation have been acting as a monopoly. The case is wide ranging involving 33 states and the District of Columbia. Live Nation will not appeal any of the verdicts. We will discuss what is a monopoly and what these decisions could mean for the future."
"Just a bit of fun this week. Nobody is perfect so it is pretty easy to hear mistakes in recorded music. Here are some of the big ones in rock and hopefully some you did not know. Once you hear them, you cannot unhear them."
"The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry has released its 2026 State of the Industry Report. There are some pretty big take aways including stances on AI and the fact that the music industry is now more profitable than ever before. We will explore the findings."
"The former head of Interscope and Geffen records Jimmie Ivine said that streaming has had its time. Spotify will see its demise soon. Whether you believe that or not, the question is what comes next. After Spotify. Many have suggest this next step in music evolution. We will tell you what Ivine said and offer up some possibilities for after Spotify."
Priscilla Rodriguez from the Collegeboard.org/sat is the Bishop's special guest for this episode. Important information about Bluebook Testing and the incredible options every student has to succeed. Check out this episode of The Mark Bishop Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
"I found a cheeky online piece where the author was using funny put downs to describe some popular bands. Tourist Rock. Ring Tone Rap. Yallternative. So I put it to the Facebook and received a much longer list. I call then Genre Insults and we have a bunch for you."
"I ran across an article that listed three songs that people listen to only to wait for just that one section. It mentioned the drum break in the Phil Collins song In the Air Tonight. I knew exactly what it was talking about and immediately had five examples from my own collection. I put it to Facebook and now I have a slew of examples."
Title: Unconditional Trust Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 FCF: We often struggle trusting God unconditionally. Prop: Because God's will for us is to trust Him unconditionally, we must trust His leadings regardless of our circumstances. Scripture Intro: LSB [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. In a moment we'll read from the Legacy Standard Bible staring in verse 16. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. As we've pointed out, and as our sign out front has said and the sides for this series have shown – the first letter to the Thessalonians is tied together by the three cardinal Christian virtues of faith, love, and hope. In fact, we have seen Paul talk about all three of these virtues in various ways since the beginning of the book. And since he began chapter 4, he has analyzed faith, love, hope, then hope again, then back to love, and today he will get back one more time to their faith. Thoroughout the letter he has spoken about their work of faith and how their faith was not shaken even though they were afflicted. He talked about how the word of God is at work in them because they believe and are continuing to believe. He did say that their faith needs to be completed but as it is, they already have a faith that is working since they know and trust God's commands and walk in order to please Him. They do this because they know that setting aside His commands is not setting aside man's traditions… but God Himself. So today, Paul will do what he can to complete their faith. Paul will give them 8 more commands all designed to illustrate what trusting God, without condition, really looks like. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Faithful Father, You are worthy of our unconditional trust. You are all powerful. You are all knowing. You are all good. You are all loving. You are Holy. You are Just. You… are Sovereign. Because of who You are, we can and indeed we must trust You without reservation. But we are weak Lord. And our trust is feeble. We ask that You would use Your Word and Your Spirit's power to show us today how we can trust You. Teach us Lord from this, Your holy word. We pray this in Jesus', The Word's name… Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “What is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?” Augustine of Hippo “Belief is not faith without evidence but commitment without reservation.” Leighton Ford “Faith is an activity of the whole soul bringing into movement the intellect, the emotions, and the will, and anything less than this is not biblical faith.” Iain Inglis [Slide 3] “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace. It is so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” Martin Luther “Faith, to put it simply, is the conviction that God does not tell lies.” Frank Retief “What is faith but obedience to the commands of Christ?” Salvianus “Faith is reason at rest in God.” C.H. Spurgeon “Faith is self-surrender to the great Physician leaving of our case in His hands. But it is also the taking of His prescriptions and the active following of His directions.” Augustus H. Strong These thoughts summarize what we will see today in the text of scripture. Let's look. I.) God's will for His people is to trust Him unconditionally, so we must always live in light of God's sovereignty. (16-18) a. [Slide 4] 16 - Rejoice always; i. Paul begins this next set of exhortations with three commands using 7 Greek words. ii. The first two words, are rejoice always. iii. Paul exhorts his readers, who are experiencing affliction from unbelievers around them, to rejoice. iv. What does it mean to rejoice? v. The word rejoice comes from the word for joy. It means to be glad, to be joyful. vi. Joy is one of those words that looking outside the scriptures won't actually help us understand it any better. vii. The Dictionary definition of the word is simply a feeling of great happiness or pleasure. 1. But when we pull such a definition back into the text, it is difficult to imagine that Paul would be commanding the Thessalonians to govern their own feelings to the extent that they are greatly happy…always. 2. Emotions are reactions and are rarely stable. For Paul to demand that people be emotionally, greatly happy all the time, seems a little farfetched. 3. It further disconnects us from clear teachings that tell us to mourn for our brothers and sisters who are hurting, and the example of Christ who wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. 4. Was Jesus greatly happy at this moment? Can you be happy and mourn at the same time? viii. But when we assess the greater context of the scriptures and note how biblical writers use the word joy, we come to a starkly different definition of the word entirely. ix. Biblical joy is gladness that transcends earthly circumstances, bad or good. To the extent that a believer can experience true joy even when they are unhappy. x. If I were to create a definition of my own based on the biblical data, it would be the following: 1. [Slide 5] Biblical joy is gladness and contentment rooted in a pure trust in God's sovereign hand to work all things for the good of the believer and His own glory. 2. Joy then is not an emotion at all. Rather it is a state of being that is rooted in trusting what God has promised. 3. Indeed, Paul lists joy as a fruit of the Spirit in the book of Galatians, indicating to us that joy actually comes from God and not from ourselves. xi. So having joy is part of our interior transformation as we are conformed to Christ. xii. When we insert this definition back into Paul's command here, we see that he commands them to rejoice always because he is confident that they are the elect of God. He saw the gospel come to them in power and he has heard of their example and their enduring faith. xiii. Therefore, to expect them to be joyful in every circumstance, is to expect them to live as though they are a true believer. xiv. Which brings us to the inescapable, albeit uncomfortable conclusion… xv. Real Christians are expected to rejoice always. xvi. To the extent that if a person claims to be a Christian and has lost their joy… we can't encourage them without also investigating whether or not they are true believers? xvii. Paul continues… b. [Slide 6] 17 - pray without ceasing; i. Though we translate this in three words, the Greek command is still only two. ii. We could translate it, “pray unceasingly” if we wanted to maintain the word count. iii. Just as joy is related to trusting God– so also is prayer. iv. Spending unending hours in prayer to a god you don't believe is able to do what you ask of him or is not good enough to give you what is best for you – would be a foolish activity for anyone. v. Old Testament prophets poke fun at pagan worshippers sending prayer toward their dead gods who cannot of their own power or will give anything to those who worship them. vi. And so, we must pray in faith, believing that God is good and rewards those who diligently seek Him. vii. Many people know this verse. It is only 3 words after all. viii. But I should point out that the word unceasingly can also be rendered incessantly or resolutely. ix. It is difficult to know whether Paul intends that they should be frequently praying or if they should be fervently praying, or both. x. Logic tells us that if we were constantly praying it may be difficult for us to accomplish much else. xi. But since I don't think that is a real concern for many in this room – I cannot dismiss the likelihood that Paul does refer to frequency of prayer here. xii. Generally speaking, the more you trust someone, the more you speak to them. And with the God of the Universe – the more you trust Him, not only the more you pray, but even the content of your prayers encompasses every area of life. Not simply praying for big wants – but even praying to praise Him. To thank Him. To commune with Him. xiii. Therefore, I must conclude that both frequency and fervency are validated in the scriptures. We must be a people of prayer. xiv. But I would wager that this is, more than likely, a glaring deficiency in most of the people in this room today. xv. We ought to pray first and act second. But so often we act first… and most of the time our first action is to worry and fret. And then down the line…maybe… and occasionally we also pray. xvi. One more exhortation before Paul breaks to give us a doctrinal foundation for them… c. [Slide 7] 18 - in everything give thanks, i. Three words in Greek. ii. So, we must rejoice always, pray always, and certainly we must also always be giving thanks. iii. If faith is a cardinal Christian virtue, then thankfulness is a necessary outcome for all who have faith. iv. How can you believe all that is reported to us in the gospel and the scriptures, how can you believe all that God says about Himself and us in His Word, how could anyone truly trust God and not be thankful? v. Yet some of the most complaining, grumbling, dissatisfied people I know… go to churches every Sunday and call themselves Christians. vi. If we truly trust God – there is never a reason to be ungrateful. Why? vii. Because we are always NOT getting what we deserve! ALWAYS! viii. Therefore, not only must faith produce perpetual rejoicing and incessant prayer… it must also produce unconditional thanksgiving. That in all states we find ourselves in – we are thankful to God for His promises that all things work together for good to those who love Him. ix. Finally, Paul undergirds all these exhortations with truth… d. [Slide 8] for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. i. Faith is not believing a list of facts. ii. Faith is trusting God so much that His will for you becomes reality. iii. God's will for His people – those who truly believe – is to be a people who always rejoice, incessantly pray, and are giving thanks in all circumstances. iv. But notice that none of this would be possible if we were not… in Christ. v. How are we in Christ? vi. By Faith alone we are united to Christ. vii. If we believe, we work out our faith in fear and trembling knowing that God provides the will and the power to do what He desires of us. e. [Slide 9] Summary of the Point: Once again, we are forced to look at the broader context to find the doctrinal foundation upon which Paul places these three commands. He hasn't left us rudderless though. He clearly states that God's will for those in Christ Jesus are to do these three things. This certainly points to the fact that these Thessalonians are trusting God's commands and desirous to do as He wills for them, which is nothing more than the working out of genuine saving faith. God's will of course, is for His children to trust Him unconditionally. And Paul points out three commands that apply that truth in every situation we face in life. We must rejoice, pray, and give thanks, always. Our circumstances do not determine how we live… Because our God is the same regardless of our circumstances. Our faith is not placed on our circumstances… It is only in God and His Word. May God's word be true and all else be a liar. Transition: [Slide 10 (blank)] But Paul is not done issuing commands. He has given three which consider what it means to trust God unconditionally in light of all of life's circumstances. Paul will now follow up with 5 more commands, still considering how we must trust God unconditionally, but with a different emphasis. Let's look. II.) God's will for His people is to trust Him unconditionally, so we must believe and obey His instruction. (19-22) a. [Slide 11] 19 - Do not quench the Spirit; i. Immediately we are struck with a different formation of the commands given. ii. Not two words but four in the Greek. And one of them… is “not”. iii. So, this is not a command to do something, it is a command to not do something. iv. Some scholars insist that Paul is saying to stop doing this… but that force is not necessary here. We need not assume that this is happening in the Thessalonian church. It is possible – but it could just as easily be a warning ahead of this temptation. v. We also see a slight change in the nature of the command. vi. Paul is not pointing to characteristics or attributes that should be in a believer and how they should conduct themselves. vii. Now he seems to be pointing to something else entirely. viii. But the doctrinal underpinnings are still the same. ix. Because they are working out their faith – because they trust the Lord, because they are looking at His commands and doing them – which is what genuine faith is – there are at least two things that they must not do. x. First, they must not quench the Spirit. xi. Spirit here, because it is preceded by the article, seems to indicate that this is talking about the Third person of the Godhead. xii. If he were talking about the inner man, we might expect Paul to say do not quench your spirit. Instead, he says, the Spirit. xiii. To quench is literally to extinguish, to stifle, as if putting out a flame. xiv. But adding up the definitions of these words does not actually help us to arrive directly at what Paul means. xv. What does it mean to quench the Spirit? xvi. Let me tell you that scholars are quite divided over this. xvii. Unfortunately, we do not have the time to go into all of the options, so let me just tell you what I think quench the Spirit means and if you really want to know the other options, you can join us on Thursday night and we can discuss all the other available options. 1. Quenching of the Spirit is the ignoring or refusing to listen to the Spirit's leading. a. The Spirit primarily leads us through the Word of God. b. The Spirit also leads us through the wise counsel of other believers. c. The Spirit also leads us through providence and even our own desires. 2. So, to stifle the Spirit would be to ignore or refuse His leading upon our lives. 3. What are some of the things the Spirit does to lead or guide us? a. The Spirit illuminates the scriptures to us. Which are able to make us wise and rebuke, reprove, correct, and instruct us in righteousness so that we are equipped for every good work. (1 Cor 2:14; 2 Tim 3:15-17) b. The Spirit convicts us of sin. (John 16:8) c. The Spirit guides us to all truth and reminds us of what the Lord Jesus taught. (John 6:13) d. The Spirit also gave visions and leadings and directions to the apostles throughout the book of Acts. 4. What are some examples of quenching the Spirit? a. Walking away from the study of the scripture and determining not to believe or do what the Spirit has clearly revealed. b. Ignoring counsel from various spiritually mature believers who are saying essentially the same thing – so that you can do what you want. c. Ignoring or refusing subtle impulses to do good and God honoring things. d. While it may be true that not all voices that whisper to you are God's Spirit… i. Certainly, a demon or your flesh would not advise you to share the gospel with someone on the side of the road, right? ii. Certainly, a demon or your flesh would not advise you to help a widow or orphan in their distress, right? iii. Certainly, a demon or your flesh is not whispering for you to drop everything and pray for someone, right? e. [Slide 12] We must listen closely and obey the Spirit's leading in our lives. Again, this happens PRIMARILY through His illuminating the scriptures to us. xviii. A person who trusts God unconditionally will listen for and obey the leading and direction of the Spirit on their lives. xix. This command then, is generally pointing to the Spirit's leading… but then Paul gets specific. b. [Slide 13] 20 - do not despise prophecies, i. This point then, is actually a subpoint of what it means not to quench the Spirit. Why? ii. One way that the Spirit clearly leads us is through the preached Word of God. iii. Before we go on to talk about what this means, we need to go down a rather large rabbit trail in order to address how another branch of Christendom misapplies this command. iv. Some in the charismatic movement have used this verse to legitimize and even push back against those who would be critical of their claim at having received new revelation from God. v. I think a fair treatment of this text actually does lend itself to their interpretation. Now before you throw tomatoes or burn me at the stake let me explain. 1. Paul wrote this in the early AD 50s. 2. The New Testament canon is not complete yet. 3. In fact, the only books written up to this point are James and Galatians. That's it. 4. For the next 40 years, the New Testament will continue to be written by Paul himself along with Luke, Matthew, Mark, John, James, an unknown writer of Hebrews, Peter and Jude. vi. So, Paul telling the Thessalonians not to despise prophesies is absolutely telling them not to despise God's Word coming in new revelation both concerning what has already been written and what has yet to come. vii. But there are two pieces of information that cut against the Charismatic's claim that this verse should prevent people from despising their prophesies. 1. First, the list of those who had yet to write their books in the New Testament, to which Paul is referring, is a rather elite list made up of either apostles or those who are intimately connected to the apostles. a. This boils down to how the church is apostolic. b. The Nicaean creed states that there is one holy catholic and apostolic church. c. As we've stated before, catholic simply means universal and is not actually referring to the denomination of Roman Catholicism. d. But some denominations believe that for this creed to be true there must be a succession of apostleship. e. Meaning that when one apostle dies, another must take their place. f. And the church must continue to submit to the teachings of that apostle as if they were teachings from Christ Himself. g. However, this view is wrong on every point. h. It is not true that the creed insists this be so, nor is it true that the scriptures teach that there is a succession of the apostleship, nor is it true that what the apostles taught ought to be unconditionally accepted as Jesus' words. i. The creed merely insists that the church is apostolic. Meaning it is formed upon the teachings of the apostles. This actually cuts against the succession of apostleship and new revelation since the creed implies that this teaching is already established and set by the time of the creed's writing. ii. As for apostolic succession, when Judas Iscariot was being replaced, there were some key qualifications that they looked for in his replacement. First, that they were a follower of Christ and second that they were able to bear witness to the risen Christ having seen Him after His resurrection. 1. Some might say, “yes but Paul never saw the risen Christ except in a vision, and James and Barnabas were never commissioned by Jesus yet they inherited the title, apostle.” 2. This is actually proving my point. What about Luke, Stephen, Apollos, Pricilla, Aquilla, Phillip, Mark, Timothy, Titus, or any number of other named and influential people in the New Testament that are NOT given the title apostle? 3. And where do the scriptures indicate to us that Paul, James, and Barnabas replaced dead members of the original 12? 4. The fact of the matter is – that the scriptures do not indicate that to us at all. 5. Clearly apostleship was something only gifted to a select few for a specific purpose. 6. Meaning what? 7. There are no apostles today nor was it ever God's intention to continue the apostolic office. 8. There is no one alive that we must listen to as if the very words they spoke were directly from God. 9. Instead, the bible becomes our final authority. viii. So that is the first item that the Charismatics must square with if they are to use this verse… ix. So, what does this command mean for us if we have no new revelation coming to us? x. Well, prophesy does not ONLY include the prediction of the future or new revelation. xi. All you have to do is go back to the Old Testament and read two or three of the minor prophets. Eventually you come to realize that they not only say similar things, but that most of what they are saying is referring back to what God has already said. xii. So just like walking away from the study of the scriptures, ignoring what the Spirit revealed, would be quenching the Spirit so also walking out of a sermon dismantling everything that was said and ignoring or refusing to obey what is clearly from God… is despising prophesy. xiii. Those who truly trust the Lord listen to the Spirit and also those whom God has gifted and anointed to preach His Word. xiv. But I said before that there are two pieces of information that cut against the Charismatics' claim, and that even the apostles did not expect people to unconditionally believe what they taught as Jesus' words. Let me prove this by going to verse 21. c. [Slide 13] 21 - but examine all things; i. Even Paul himself did not expect unconditional trust in what he preached to everyone. ii. When the Bereans took what he said and sought the scriptures to test it – they were not rebuked for their action. iii. Indeed, in Galatians Paul concedes that even if he would come and teach a different gospel, that they should not listen to him. iv. So, the apostles did not lean on their own authority or revelation but only on what Christ had given. v. And to that end – all teaching and all leadings must be examined. They must be tested. vi. When you study the scriptures… do not lean on your own understanding. vii. Every week I test what I think the text says against what Christians have thought the text said for the last 2000 years. And you know what sometimes, even in this sermon… I had to alter what I think. Why? Because no one else thinks it. viii. This isn't an echo chamber – this is preserving the doctrines that have been handed down to us from Christ to His apostles and now to us by God's preserved Word. ix. We must strive to examine all teachings and leadings. x. And therefore, we are right to look suspiciously on those who claim to have a new Word from the Lord. Not just because we believe that doesn't happen… but also because it is right to examine everything that is said. xi. Then what do we do with them? d. [Slide 14] hold fast to that which is good; i. If they are good teachings… if they conform to what Christ has said and what the whole of the scriptures reveal. ii. If the leadings are from the Spirit of God and directing us in paths of righteousness. iii. If the preacher expounds the text and reveals what God has clearly said… iv. Then we must hold fast to that which is good. v. We must cling tightly to what has been shown to be God's Word and the Spirit's clear leading. vi. But what if after examination, it doesn't seem to be what God has revealed? e. [Slide 15] 22 - abstain from every form of evil. i. We must cast aside everything that is evil. ii. If it is not of God – then who else could it be from? It is either of Satan or of men. iii. If it is of Satan, then it is evil. iv. If it is of men, then it could be amoral… or it could be evil. v. So, if we determine that what is being whispered in our ear, or preached from the pulpit, is contradictory to what God has taught in the scriptures… we must abstain or keep away from, be distant from it. vi. Flee it. vii. Now some translations say “abstain from every appearance of evil.” This is one potential meaning for this word. viii. The implication would be that everything that even appears to be evil should be fled from. ix. Preachers have, for years, bound the consciences of Christians by the misuse of this verse. x. You shouldn't have ear buds in because it might appear to others that you are listening to bad music. You must not go to the movie theater because it may appear that you are going to a trashy movie. You must not go into a bar or restaurant with a bar because it may appear that you are going to get drunk. xi. However, when we look at this in the context of this passage and the rest of the scriptures, we cannot allow this interpretation to stand. 1. Paul is clearly talking about prophesies and not Christian lifestyles. 2. So, if this word means appearances, a more accurate interpretation would be that when we cannot conclusively prove something is contradictory to God's Word, but it seems off or new or something we've never heard before… we should keep away from it until it becomes clearer. 3. This was essentially Gamaliel's wise advice concerning the Jesus sect. He said to the Sanhedrin that if it is from men, it will die out but if it is from God they don't want to be caught opposing it. So, he advocated releasing Peter and John and waiting to see what happens. 4. When a teaching seems odd but does not directly contradict the scriptures – we should keep away from it and wait it out. xii. However, there is good reason to NOT interpret the word as “appearances” and rather as “kinds” or “forms” as most modern translations render it. xiii. In this Paul is teaching that when we find a teaching that contradicts what God has already said, and is therefore evil, we must abstain from it or keep away from it – regardless of what form that evil teaching takes. xiv. Even evil teaching that does not directly impact the gospel of Jesus Christ but still contradicts what God has said… must be abstained from or fled. xv. One example of this might be the teaching that Christians are not permitted to marry. They must remain celibate. This does not directly impact the gospel – but it is still a doctrine that must be rejected and fled from. f. [Slide 16] Summary of the Point: Paul strives to help the Thessalonians work out their faith by completing what is lacking in it. They must trust God unconditionally and to do that they must believe and obey His instruction. We too must obey God's leadings and instructions through His Spirit. We must be sure not to stifle or despise what He teaches us and instead listen and obey. Certainly, we must test to make sure that these things are from God and if not, we must flee them. But all that is from God we must hear and heed. This is trusting God unconditionally. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today that informs and corrects our beliefs and guides and shapes our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 17] The Thessalonians have been elected by God and are working out their faith by knowing and trusting in God's commands to the extent that they walk in them. Therefore, Paul gives them 8 exhortations here to help them continue to trust God unconditionally. The first three deal with how they should carry themselves in all of life's circumstances. If they truly trust God unconditionally, they will always rejoice, they will incessantly pray, and they will continue to give thanks regardless of the circumstances. The next five commands reveal how they should trust God by hearing and heeding His instructions and leadings. They should not quench the Holy Spirit or despise prophesies but should examine all teachings and hold fast to that which is good and keep away from evil teachings in all forms. But how do these exhortations press against us today? How can we apply this specifically to us? 1.) [Slide 18] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” God's will for His people is to trust Him unconditionally. a. Why was man created? b. Why did God choose to save some and unite them with His Son? c. The bible isn't silent. Man in general was created to glorify God. And the elect of God are saved so that for all eternity we will glorify God for His grace. d. God is not only the creator, He is all powerful, He is all knowing, and He cannot be told no, His will cannot be thwarted. His decrees cannot be undone. e. What does that mean? f. God always gets what He has willed. g. This doesn't mean that God never allows men to disobey Him. But it does mean that somehow man's disobedience is actually part of God's will for the world. It contributes to His ultimate plan for His creation. h. Why am I pointing out all these things? i. Mostly to show that it is absolutely foolish for anyone who claims to be God's child, to doubt Him. j. God is wholly worthy of our absolute, explicit, and unconditional trust. What He has promised, He will do. What He has decreed, will be. k. Not one single molecule in all of creation is able to alter His decrees or His will. l. If you believe in this God, if you are united to Christ by faith – then nothing should be able to shake our trust in this God. m. But talk is cheap isn't it. And trust is not just lip-service. n. What does unconditional trust in God mean for our lives? 2.) [Slide 19] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop allowing our circumstances to dictate how we live. a. Paul commands the Thessalonians to always rejoice, incessantly pray, and give thanks in all circumstances. b. In other words – what we are currently experiencing in life should have absolutely no bearing on how we respond. Why? c. Because we are not trusting in our circumstances going the way we want them to. We are trusting in a God who is in absolute control over all things, to the extent that even if everything around us is burning to the ground – we can rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Because God has not changed! d. But friends, people who call themselves Christians are often some of the most negative, joyless, anxious fearful, complaining, bunch of malcontents that you have ever met. e. God forbid this be true of us! Let it never be CBC! f. The first thing we must recognize regarding all of this, is that this is primarily a faith issue and NOT a behavioral issue. g. The sermon today is NOT telling you to buck up, say your prayers, and count your blessings. h. The sermon today is challenging you to get a better picture of the All powerful, all knowing, All good, all loving, Holy and Perfect God, who rules the whole of His creation, and who cannot be thwarted in anything He has determined to do, who cannot lie, and always keeps His promises. i. My friends – FAITH is the issue here. j. Why are you negative? Why are you joyless? Because you don't trust God. That why. k. Why are you anxious? Why do you fear? Because you don't trust God. l. Why do you complain? Why aren't you content? Because you don't trust God. m. Don't go home and try to be more joyful, or set your alarms to pray every hour, or build a habit of giving thanks WITHOUT FIRST… reflecting on the character and nature of this Holy God we serve! n. For when you get a good look at who God is… I'd wager that joy, prayer, and thanksgiving will be all the more achievable to us. For how can we not trust this God unconditionally? How can we not rejoice, when this God has got us? How can we not pray, when this God invites us into His throne room? How can we not be thankful, when this God has promised our good in all things? o. But trusting God is not just about our lifestyles – it is about listening for His leading… 3.) [Slide 20] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must listen for God's leading and instruction and obey it. a. Part of trusting God is hearing and heeding His direction upon our lives. b. Perhaps you've played the game where you and a partner work together to get through a maze. The catch? One of you is blindfolded, and the other is not. c. Listening to your partner's commands comes down to trust. Do you trust them to lead you safely through the maze. d. Although a crude example, this is a picture of what it means to trust God unconditionally. e. He has given us His Spirit. f. His work, among other things, is to guide and lead us into the paths of righteousness. He reveals the truth to us and convicts us of sin. He leads us and directs us to wisdom helping us to know God's will for our lives. g. We must let the Spirit burn in us. We must not douse Him by refusing to obey His leading. h. Instead, we must listen. We must heed what He shows us in God's Word, or through wise counsel, or through promptings. i. But one other aspect of this is that we must listen and heed the preaching of the Word of God too. The Spirit of God speaks through the preached word of God. Not that all that preacher says is the Spirit speaking – but that the Spirit actively impresses upon believer's hearts, God's guidance and conviction through the preached Word. j. So love preaching that hurts. Love preaching that is faithful in expositing the Word of God. Love preaching that pokes and pushes, that destroys and builds up, that edifies and encourages, that spurs and leads. k. Of course we must test everything. l. And in order to truly test everything – we must be well-versed in the teachings of the scriptures. We must be catechized. m. But if it is from God – cling to it like oxygen. n. If not, flee it like the plague. o. But again, all this comes down to whether or not you trust the Lord. p. Trust in God means listening for His leading and following it. q. If you don't… stop claiming you trust Him. 4.) [Slide 21] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God's Sovereignty is not just about salvation – it is the basis for our unconditional trust. a. I've said it before, and I'll say it again… the beauty of the doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty is not actually in the doctrines of salvation. b. I certainly hold to that and if you don't – you should keep searching the scriptures… because it is absolutely true. c. But the beauty of this doctrine is actually that is serves as the basis for our unconditional trust. d. If something can undo God's promises or His will… then we can never really trust God. e. God promises that all things work together for our good – but if someone uses their free will to sin, and God has no control over their free will, and that person takes something from us… how could we ever imagine that this is for our good? How could God guarantee that it is for our good if He couldn't stop them from doing it? f. But if God is in absolute control, even over the wills of men, and allowed this person to take something from us – we can still rest assured that God is working it out for our good. g. God's sovereignty over everything is the only sure foundation we have to trust Him without condition. h. In fact, if God isn't actually in control of everything – we probably shouldn't trust Him unconditionally. Because He is making promises He cannot keep. i. But take comfort in the fact that God is in absolute control. And thus, all His promises to us – are certain. 5.) [Slide 22] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The world is confused by people who are always joyful, always praying, always thankful, and always living their life by an ancient book that still speaks to them. But maybe you've moved from confusion… to longing. a. Let me tell you the world is not always rejoicing. There is so much depression and despair in the world, and I don't see it changing any time soon. b. We can't accuse the world of always praying either. Oh sure someone will comment, thoughts and prayers, but the dirty little secret is that most of the time their thoughts and prayers, occurred right then in the message they sent you. c. No, the world is generally an anxious place. Last year alone the world collectively spent around 23 billion dollars on anxiety and depression treatments. 5 billion of that was in the United States alone. d. It is clear that rather than rejoicing or praying to a God who is faithful – the world prefers to live in depression, fear and worry and pay people money to try to get them out. e. And no the world is anything but a thankful place. Everyone is complaining about something. Everyone is discontent about something. No one is happy with what they have. They are always looking for one more dollar. One more car. One more job. f. But perhaps you know Christians who seem like they are always rejoicing. Instead of worrying and fretting they are always praying and trusting the God they pray to. Perhaps you know a Christian who, rather than always looking for what more they can get, they are always thankful and content with what they have. g. To most people – that is really strange. Most people see someone like that as… slightly off their rocker. h. But maybe you are starting to see that this is what trusting in the Living God does to people? i. And maybe… you want that too. j. I'd love to introduce you to our God who is worthy of unconditional trust. Talk to me, or to another Elder before you leave today. Let me close with a Palm Sunday prayer by the church father Ephriam The Syrian. Praise him who comes, and is to come! Hosanna to the Father's mighty Son, here and in the highest. Praise him who once humbled himself in love to save our human race. Praise him for his Father's boundless grace! Who would not stop to see and wonder at how low your love bent down? A donkey once carried you, here on the earth. You, in your might and holiness! And in your pity for us, you serve and bless our fallen race. This day is joy-filled for all creation. My glad soul will sing a song of praise, and wave branches of thanksgiving that were once just palm branches, thrown in front of you by children. Now we own your hidden majesty, and we cry with those children: Hosanna to the Son of David! And in the name of this Son of David, God's people say… Amen! Benediction: May the Lord guide you always; May you be like a well-watered garden, Like a spring whose waters never fail. When you cry for help, may the Lord always say, 'Here am I' Until we meet again… go in peace.
Oh just me (Mila) reviewing this book
"Major record companies are suing SUNO and Udio over song usage to create AI tunes. The one big thing the companies are looking for is a Walled Garden, the idea that what is created on SUNO will stay on SUNO. It cannot be taken and spread around. One company has already settled but it goes much deeper than that."
"I ran across an article listing musicians who are in both the Rock and the Country Halls of Fame. There aren't many. When I started looking into it further I found that the people on the list were in multiple other Halls of Fame as well. I wanted to find out what musician is in the most Halls. There is a clear winner."
"Luminate is a company that tracks the Entertainment Industry pointing out data analytics and trends. Their 2025 report has come out and it points to overall listenership being up. Listening to new music is way down. There are also some interesting data points regarding AI."
"The internet loves lists. The click bait ones often choose to list the worst of something and choose the best of it just to upset the audience for engagement. I can usually ignore these but this one really bugged me for some reason. I'll tell you the list and debunk it and offer some of mine."
"The Rockin 1000 is a project that started in Italy as gag to create a video of 1000 musicians playing Learn to Fly in order to get the Foo Fighters to come and put on a concert. It has since grown into full scale concerts across Europe. On January 31 the Rockin 1000 played their first concert in America, in New Orleans, and I was part of the band. Let me tell you the story."
"Every year I hear people complaining that the NFL makes lousy picks for the Super Bowl halftime show. If the picks are lousy then ratings must tank. But they do not. In fact the halftime show has never been better watched. We have a long list of ratings and demographics to show that the NFL seems to know what they are doing."
"We are coming into tax season so Tammy and will talk about paying the government. The HITS Act is now in full swing. Foreign governments are changing their tax codes for musicians and we also have a list of what you might not have known was tax deductible."
"In our New Year show we related an article that suggested that 3D spatial audio was going to be popular in 2026. Tammy asked for an explanation of 3D audio so here it is. We have examples of both new songs and classic music that has been remixed into a spatial audio format."
"A report from Spikerz, an Israeli company that tracks hacking, suggests that in 2025, music hacks were a sizeable number of methods bad actors were using to extract money from unsuspecting persons and companies. We have the numbers and multiple examples."
REPLAY! Priscilla Rosado-Cruz Spirit Coaching Astrology, LLC Priscilla grew up in the northern Chicago area In poverty. She has had many experiences in life from rehabs, to juvenile jails, being her own provider at 14 and a premature child at 16 (1lbs). With so much adversity in the beginning of her life she felt she could only resonate with others who had similar experiences growing up. She gravitated towards gangs, violence and crime. Around 19 she found a way to sustain her and her daughter without the life of crime. She became an exotic dancer for 20 years and this is where she learned to read energy and understand sexual energy and the root & sacral chakra. About 21 years old she was introduced to the cult Hebrew Israelites & started to feel chastised by “god” and the ideology of that belief system. She was married to an abusive man for 8 years and at her Saturn return (29.5 years) is when she finally left him due to a major betrayal. Priscilla is a 8th house Scorpio sun and stellium causing her life to be themed early in with betrayal, loss, trauma and disembodied spirits. Through all the CHOAS is how she realized she was attuned to other realms and was an easy target for low vibrational entities. The benefit of the cult she was apart of allowed her to deep dive into astrology and the book of Enoch is how she discovered astrology in the biblical text. She went on to master all ancient arts and occult practices to pull herself out of her hell on earth! Today she is a psychic intuitive astrolger, cardoligist and channeler. She runs her own practice (spirit Coaching Astrology) and is now a newly published author! She merged with Micah dank to come out with the child Astrology book “A is for Aries” & they intend on writing many more. Priscilla is still growing in her spiritual walk and feels her story can help others who find themselves trapped in the state of mind of hell on earth! Priscilla's Web site: https://www.spiritcoachingastrology.com/about-us
"This is our second of two year opening shows. We will cover new Public Domain availability, anniversaries for this new year and some predictions for 2026."
"This is our first of two year opening shows. We will cover new Public Domain availability, anniversaries for this new year and some predictions for 2026."
"This is our second Christmas show of 2025. We are giving more trivia and history for many of your favorite songs. It is quite a list."
"NOTE. This show is being posted a week early due to our Holiday travel. Enjoy two shows this week. This is our traditional end-of-year show were we give one last tip of the hat to the musicians who passed in 2025. "
This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Lenny Salgado, Ben Cossette, Mike McHugh and James Gowell. Edited by: Tim NicholsonWe kick off our series on the Book of Hebrews, chapters 1 through 3 and we cannot wait for you to hear what our crew uncovered. From the history of who wrote Hebrews, is it Paul? is it Barnabas? is it Apollos? is it Pricilla? Is Hebrews a book? a letter? a sermon? or all of the above? What time period did Hebrews happen?We then start to uncover the truth of the Israelites being so focused on ritual, industry, knowledge that they get wrapped up in old contracts versus new contracts. Hebrews is considered to be some of the most beautifully written Greek in all of the Bible and we uncover the gorgeous description of sovereign Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Wouldn't be a Thriving in the Word episode without a random rabbit trail, so we reveal to our listeners the greatest secret in real estate sales in the last 2,000 years. Want to to know what it is? Well, you'll have listen and discern whether to bury a statute upside down in your yard or keep it simple, follow Jesus.This is a page turner episode so come along for the ride...it's a great conversation! Please read along with us.Please help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word, and we encourage you to read it and come along for the journey. Thank you for listening and being part of the Thriving in the Word family.Have a blessed day.For more information visit: www.thrive.churchIf you would like to give financially you can do so here: www.thrive.church/give/If you need prayer email us at prayer@thrive.churchThis is a presentation of Thrive.Church©All Rights Reserved
"This is the first show of our annual Christmas double header. We did a show years back that looked at the history and trivia of classic Christmas Carols. For these shows we chose a whole bunch of songs we did not cover in that previous show. Get ready for a lot of information about your favorite songs of the season."
"We have broken down the meaning of American Pie and Creeque Alley and now it its time for We Didnt Start the Fire from Billy Joel. Listen closely. We go pretty quick."
"The The Office of the US Trade Representative has released their 2024 Piracy Report listing the notorious markets for counterfeiting and piracy. The practice is alive and well. This report dedicated an entire section just to music. We will tell you what it said."
"This is our annual Thanksgiving show. Thanksgiving is celebrated in many counties other than the United States. We will tell you the list and and how the people celebrate. Plus play songs about Thanksgiving food."
"Video may have killed the radio star but streaming and individual choices in music killed the video. Paramount Global has begun shutting down Mtv channels in Europe and reports are that soon it will come to the United States. Mtv is 44 and it looks like it may not make it to 45. "
"At least three record companies have extended million dollar contracts to people who create AI music. The US Copyright office has said it will begin extending protection those who use AI as a tool. The PROs will extend licensing. We will tell you what is going on."
"The number changes, but as of the writing of this description, only 1883 songs have topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart including all its earlier versions. This week back in 1990, the first rap song topped the chart. That got me wondering how many other firsts and other interesting facts surround the top spot. Here is a list."
"The NOW CDs, as they are often called, started in the UK in 1998 with Richard Branson. They were a hit out of the gate, each crafted to a specific formula. They are a professionally made mix tape. We have the full history and a good bit of trivia about the series."
Pricilla is a student of the paranormal and other fringe topics, with a focus on UAP disclosure. Her first UFO experience was at the age of 5, sparking a series of events and a drastic change in worldview. She also has a background in molecular biology, where she learned how to properly conduct and vet research. Her channel Quantum Wytch Cafe creates a safe space for experiencers and authors of all types to share their life altering events, and chat about all things paranormal, fringe, strange and UAP. She is also the host of “UAP Book Club” a book club that meets monthly to discuss the latest UFO/UAP books.
"Cryptozoology is the study of a creature that probably doesn ot exist. Think Bigfoot. What is great about it is that every state seems to have its own monster. Maybe people really do think it exists or maybe it was invented to scare children at Halloween. We built up a list along with songs about candy. It is Halloween 2025."
"Many music outlets noticed there was no traditional Summer Song this year. No poppy dance tune that rose to the top of the charts. The Billboard Summer Song chart claimed a number one but it was a down tempo ballad. We will explore what happened and why."
SMN advierte por lluvias y vientos de Priscilla Detectan 71 nuevos casos de gusano barrenador en YucatánTrump envía tropas federalizadas a Portland tras fallo judicialMás información en nuestro podcast
"Many countries around the world take time each year to poll their citizens about their favorite songs. It usually happens around Christmas and a major media outlet plays the songs. We will tell you about some of the biggest ones and try to figure out why we don't do that here in America."
"An Idiom is a group of words that suggest a meaning different than their specific words. Many of them come from the world of music and we have created a solid list. You will recognize a lot of them."
"This past 4th of July someone posted the Preamble and I wondered who the singer was. I watched a few more and wondered who they were. We will answer that today. We will play some of their Schoolhouse Rock song and then one of their singles. Plus we have some trivia about the show."
"Long before American Idol and Americas Got Talent, there was Star Search. It was pretty schmaltzy but looking back, some of the biggest singers, actors and comedians got their big break on Star Search. We have grabbed as many examples as we could."
"Here is a game to play. Name as many two minute songs as you can following these rules. Only one song per group and you cannot name just punk songs. We then go one step farther and change the game to as many one minute songs as you can."
Q: I am sure you have asked and answered this before and here I am asking again. This may be several questions because I can't parse it to something simple due to its complexity and the rigidness that's felt within the church in regards to this (on either side). Can women be pastors? Can women be given the title of pastor? I did search and the title pastor is defined as a person leading a congregation or church so my thinking is no. However, what if the title is that of pastor of children's ministries etc? However that brought another question to mind - which is why give a woman the title of pastor and not as director? There are two groups of people - some say yes and use scripture and some say no and use Scripture. Paul in Corinth with Pricilla, Phoebe and a few others are all part of the thinking that women can be in authority and leadership. The argument from the yes side is that scripture is being taken out of context and that 1 Timothy 1 is a prime example of how women can be in authority (there is also question of who actually wrote Timothy 1) Acts 18 is also used as a stance that women can teach/be in authority over men. Maybe part of the issue here is the definitions of what Pricilla was doing in Acts 18 vs what a pastor really does. But Phoebe was considered a deacon so that would assume she had some leadership capabilities. The flip side to the stance that women can't be is how are we to mother/teach our sons? Are women allowed to be teachers? You can see the slippery slope down I am sure. So, could you please do a deep dive into this? I am struggling as I am running into this more and more within churches. One church we were attending came out and said women could be deacons and then another called a woman a pastor but they also had director roles - which made it more confusing as a person attending an event. Summary In this episode, Dr. E draws from both Old and New Testament passages to help listeners navigate the often-confused conversation about women in ministry by distinguishing between the office of elder and the gift of pastor-teacher. He explains that the New Testament uses terms like presbuteros (elder) and episkopos (overseer) interchangeably to describe a church office reserved for men, while the role of pastor-teacher is given as a spiritual gift, not an office. Women are clearly permitted to pray and prophesy in the church (1 Corinthians 11), yet Paul prohibits them from teaching or exercising authority over men (1 Timothy 2). Dr. E also explores how churches use titles like “director,” “minister,” or “pastor,” and why clarity in terminology is essential. He highlights examples like Phoebe in Romans 16 and Timothy's upbringing under his mother and grandmother to show the important role women play in ministry, even if not as elders. Men and women share equal value before God, yet Scripture outlines distinct roles within the church for the sake of order and faithfulness. Takeaways: Scripture affirms equal value of men and women while assigning distinct church roles. Elders/overseers are reserved for qualified men according to the New Testament. The gift of pastor-teacher is not the same as the office of elder. Women are permitted to pray and prophesy but not to teach with authority over men. Phoebe and other women in Romans 16 show the vital role of female ministry. Clarity in church titles like “pastor” or “director” avoids unnecessary confusion. Links Mentioned Can Women Baptize People in The Church? Can Women Be Deacons? What Does The Bible Say About Women Leading in The Church? Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here. If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at question@michaelincontext.com.
"A band named The Velvet Sundown had a hit a short while ago. The concern was that the band and the music were all fake. They were both fully AI generated. It is easier than you think. We have the story and some examples of when I did the same thing for an audience just to prove how easy it is to do."
[Happy Summer and hope you enjoy our 9-part summer series, Seacoast Podcast's "In the Summer." For the next 9 weeks, we'll do deeper dives on very particular subject area that in many cases are very unique subject area for this podcast. As the summer brings a unique season of hopefully relaxation and peace to your life, we're delivering to you some unique content]Host, Joey Svendsen is joined by his wife, Pricilla; Worship Pastor, Tara Banks; and Seacoaster, Amy Alderman to talk about women and modesty. Amy, Pricilla, and Tara discuss morals regarding feminine attire, their personal practices in how they dress, and some of the values they tried to instill in their own daughters. Tara also shares her experience with leading other women worship pastors in how to dress to eliminate distraction from worship. Their discussion prompts insight into what extent are both men and women responsible for helping one another pursue purity in thought and action? Topics addressed today: modesty, purity culture, body imageNext week's episode 7: snakes, gators, snake-bites, "reptile-addiction," reptiles in the suburbs. Be a Patron of the podcastOn this Episode: Amy Alderman / Facebook Tara Banks / Instagram Pricilla Svendsen / Instagram Producer/Editor/host: Joey SvendsenSound Engineer/Editor: Katelyn VandiverWe have a YouTube Channel for videos of all episodes since Jan. 2024. Also we have a Facebook Page for listeners to keep up with the latest news on "Things You Won't Hear on Sunday" Podcast. Be a Patron of the podcast
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