Podcasts about prophet isaiah

A sermon preached by Rev. Wanda Bynum-Duckett with Foundry UMC January 18, 2026. “Piece Us Together” series.   Isaiah 61: 1-8 [a]The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,     because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted,     to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives,     release to the prisoners, 2 To announce a year of favor from the Lord     and a day of vindication by our God; To comfort all who mourn; 3     to place on those who mourn in Zion     a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness instead of mourning,     a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of justice,     the planting of the Lord to show his glory. 4 They shall rebuild the ancient ruins,     the former wastes they shall raise up And restore the desolate cities,     devastations of generation upon generation. 5 Strangers shall stand ready to pasture your flocks,     foreigners shall be your farmers and vinedressers. 6 [b]You yourselves shall be called “Priests of the Lord,”     “Ministers of our God” you shall be called. You shall eat the wealth of the nations     and in their riches you will boast. 7 Because their shame was twofold[c]     and disgrace was proclaimed their portion, They will possess twofold in their own land;     everlasting joy shall be theirs.   As your pastor has been leading you in the brilliance of a sermon series entitled  Piece Us Together, I've been wrestling with the notion that life is to a great extent a series of choices…pieces, deposits, decisions made by us (and others connected to us) that when congruent, consistent and courageously aligned with God's Spirit, can not only be called good choices, but can bear the designation of GOD CHOICES. We know those moments when the Spirit speaks and we actually listen, and we do or resist doing or saying a thing, moving in a certain direction or keeping still, and we know in our knower that it wasn't us, it was GOD. Some choices we know we can't take credit for. We didn't have enough information or wisdom or fortitude on our own and yet sometimes you just know: that was God's leading - even ordaining - a particular path or decision. So my wrestling isn't about whether those kinds of choices are possible, it's more about how we might more intentionally posture ourselves to make them. What are the foundational pieces, the underlying preparation for making God choices? In some situations, seasons, and circumstances, it can be difficult to know what good is, let alone where GOD is. Especially when it seems like everyone is screaming and streaming their rightness, even assigning to it the name and the will of GOD, how do we individually and collectively choose rightly, even GODLY.    I picked up this little knick-knack at a thrift store in Greenville, North Carolina – my mother's hometown – and it simply says, “Make good choices.” So I chose to buy it for a whopping 99 cents. I believe that purchase was a God choice because ever since, this statement, this mantra that has become so popular, has had me wrestling. It sounds good, but it also raises a challenge: how do we know? Hindsight can sometimes be 20/20, sometimes we can look back with satisfaction and say that was a good choice, or we can look back with regret and say this or that was a bad move, but how do we really know the ultimate goodness of a choice, with our limited retroactive vision, and with a future yet unfolding before us?  Sometimes options are so plentiful that the gift of choice (God's free will) feels like a burden. And yet for some, life is such that options are few and choices become a luxury. Sometimes the choice is between what we might call two evils, and the struggle is to discern which is less so. Like a choice of whether to steal or starve, or a choice of whether to go to work and risk being kidnapped from a parking lot or staying home and facing the certainty of no income at all. And every morning when my daughter sends my seven-year-old grandson and my 13-year-old granddaughter to school with lunch, and a kiss, and a prayer that no shooter, no bully, no weapon formed against them will prosper, she also sends them off with these words: Make good choices. And so it is from pre-K to reWirement…how do we know which is which? Some decisions are negligible like sushi or soul food, and God bless you if you have access to both. Some choices are weightier and defining of the trajectory of not only our own lives, but the lives of others… like ballot choices. Anybody rethinking these days how much every vote matters? Consider choices like whether to respond to the sign our unhoused sibling is holding at the traffic light, or to roll up our car windows when we dare to drive through that neighborhood…that is if we even dare choose to drive through that neighborhood. After all, that's what beltways are for, right? To avoid the discourse and dilemmas of Samaria? The bible gives us some help, doesn't it? Choose ye this day who you will serve. (Joshua 24:15) Spoiler alert, choose GOD! Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and God's righteousness. (Matthew 6:33) The bible helps us to know that, God's word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our pathway (Psalm 119:105), and meanwhile there are some people who believe - or at least say - that they are following a path illumined by God's word even as they CHOOSE to be, or to follow a path that looks more like darkness than light.  The bible is helpful in many ways, even as it lets us know that there is a way that seems right to a man, or a woman or a human, but its end is not life, but death. (Proverbs 14:12) To put it more simply, just because we place a cross on a path, a way, or a choice, does not mean it's a GOD choice, because our nation's history tells us that some have carried their crosses and others have burned them.  The bible helps us with our discernment, but it does not take away the need for that discernment. The scriptures give us examples of heroes and sheroes and they-roes whose choices are stamped with God's approval. Conversely, but equally as helpful, the bible also offers us examples of choices that we can see from our pews were not God choices. Choices like: Barrabas over Jesus, to wash our hands amidst the bloodshed in our communities, and to entertain the conversation of a snake. Yet in the moment, in the mission field, on our jobs - if we are so blessed in this administration to have and keep a job - and even in the church, we have struggled (often with the best of intentions) to make the good choice, the GOD choice. Good people are also capable of bad choices. So how do we know, and even when we know, how do we move in the direction of what we know is good and what is GOD? This Human Relations Sunday, on the eve of a day when we honor the life, work, and ministry of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, JR, it's a good time to have this conversation. Because the pieces, the choices, the decisions, the moves that Dr. King made, we can look at now and say that they were good, and even that they were GOD, but can we also agree that were hard, and they did not reflect the usual metrics of success. They were not financial choices that led to wealth. They were not safe choices that led to longevity. They were not choices that led to comfort for him or his family. As a young scholar and theologian out of Boston University, the world was Dr. King's oyster. He spoke well, he married well, he could have lived well by most standards even for the time, with the cushion of education, and perhaps some ability to escape the ravages and brutality of life as a black man in the Jim Crow south, or – if he chose - the more liberal and more subtly racist north. But like so many other freedom fighters, peacemakers, and GOD-choosers, King chose differently. He used his gifts and his anointing, not to live a successful life but, to live and ultimately give a life that was good. How and why did he choose as he chose, live as he lived, and die as he died. With four fatherless children, a weeping widow, bomb threats from his enemies, and the voices of his friends saying wait for justice to arrive slowly, when the scripture calls for it to roll down like mighty waters.  What's the framework for such a life? Where's the groundwork and the foundation for making those kinds of God choices? And, considering where we are now, some might even argue what's the point? Because the task of evil is to overwhelm us, and numb us so that we give up and give in. But we are those who understand that only light confounds darkness and only love drives out hate. (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1957 sermon entitled Loving Your Enemies) We are those who must keep the work of Dr. King and other GOD-choosers from unraveling, because it's becoming quite clear that the very fabric of our nation is really more loosely stitched together than we realized, and the fuller we get of ourselves, the more likely we are to come apart at the very (s.e.e.m.s.).  Well, this morning I want to offer a few ideas for your consideration as we seek to piece together our choices, our contributions to a tapestry of goodness and God-ness. These ideas do not form a magic bullet, or fast-working formula, but offer a bit of profiling of two prophetic God choosers: Dr. King and the Prophet Isaiah. In our scripture reading, Isaiah is making a profound declaration that I would imagine sounded a bit grandiose, perhaps even arrogant or delusional for Isaiah to declare, “the Spirit of the LORD is upon ME.” But Friends, this is not mere self-confidence. Isaiah is not pontificating his own opinions or positioning himself for re-election. He is not operating under the advisement of any renegade dictator, partisan pundit, or complacent church. This is not ego, or hubris. This is clarity of call. Isaiah is clear from whom his call comes, and he is clear about those to whom he is called. We have all perhaps witnessed the reduction of the work of prophecy to fortune telling, and sometimes misguided proclamations wrapped in boldness of the flesh. But the real work of prophecy lies in the clearly motivated execution of a call that comes from God to speak and act with truth and justice. Isaiah has seen the Lord high and lifted up. (Isaiah 6:1) He has heard the Lord's call and answered, Here I Am, send me. (Isaiah 6:8) And out of this connection and experience with God comes clarity! It's the kind of clarity that Dr. King testified to, declaring, “I've been to the mountaintop…I just want to do God's will.” (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, JR.'s 1968 speech, I've Been to the Mountaintop) And the good news for us is that clarity of call and the capacity to see GOD is not limited to a pulpit, or an appointment, or a title. It is the God-given opportunity for all of us who purport to be God's people to discover, discern and be deployed for the mission from whom and to whom we are called. You want to see Jesus? Look in the eyes of your neighbor. You want to see the Lord? Recognize that we are all made in God's image. You want to have a mountaintop experience? Spend some time in the valley with those who are hurting and get some clarity! Maybe that's what my little plaque is trying to say. Maybe choices become a whole lot easier and godlier when we have clarity about who is calling us and why.  We may feel inadequate, like Isaiah did when he was first called. We may face opposition from our peers and elders as Dr. King did. But clarity will help us show up anyhow, even if its stammering like Moses, running like Jonah, wrestling like Jacob, weeping at a tomb like Mary or Coretta, staying seated like Rosa, speaking out like Father Oscar Romero, running for office like Kamala, speaking truth to power like Jasmine, singing like Mahalia and our choir today, speaking on NPR like Ginger, and marching like Martin. Afraid? Yes, sometimes. Called? Absolutely! God is compelling us to offer our piece to the work for such a time as this, whether our call is to teach, or speak, or organize, or march or pray or sing or write, or cook a meal, or wipe a tear, or serve in the church and in the community. Know that separation of church and state does not require us to be isolated or silenced or detached from the world. The church is a place of worship and equipping; the church is no place to hide. And the good news is that the anointing - the clear call to make God choices - is not only for those we call Reverend, or Doctor, or prophet, or priest, but the book of Joel helps us to know that GOD pours out God's spirit on ALL FLESH! (Joel 2:28), to dream like Martin, and to proclaim like Isaiah a new and hopeful reality of rebuilt ruins, restored cities and everlasting joy. The powerful thing about clarity of call is that it grounds us with the ability to make GOD choices. It is the foundational YES that makes everything else clearer.  Listen to the clarity of Isaiah's call. He's not anointed just to be anointed, but it is to bring good news in bad times, to bind up the wounds of the hurting, to comfort those who mourn. Praise God that the call is a call of hope, of captives set free and chains broken. The audacity, the unmitigated gall and the amazing and dangerous opportunity for GOD-choosers like Isaiah, like Martin, like all of us to participate in a holy exchange of beauty for ashes, oil for tears, and the bible says a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit.  Secondly, foundational to the capacity to make God choices is consciousness of context: knowing what the people and the times call for, with the bible in one hand, media device in the other. Isaiah was well aware of the self-indulgence and wickedness of the powerful, and the turning away of Judah's collective heart from God. Dr. King may have been studying in Boston, but he was preparing for Selma, Birmingham, Memphis and Washington. He was well-versed in the dehumanization of Jim Crow, the economic echoes of chattel slavery, and the need for change. There was an urgency that called him to a movement and a moment. Our call - and the choices that flow from that call- likewise connect to our time and context in pivotal moments where our choices matter in ways that lead to life or death, both literally and figuratively.  These are Kairos moments, not mere hours on a clock or dates on a calendar, but these are times for decisions and God-inspired choices when we need to know the difference between being disrespectful, and having one's life disrespected and taken too soon. These are times when we need to call out the difference between feigned self-defense and excessive and homicidal force. These are times when our immigrant siblings are experiencing the similarly motivated and equally evil kidnapping that once populated the slave trade around the globe. These are times and moments when hard-fought liberties are being dismantled, when fear rules the day, and politics plague the culture. These are the times that ought to try our souls and inform and inspire our choices…like whether to speak up or opt out of the conversation, to step up or to stand by as we take steps back to parts of our history of which we ought to be ashamed. This is the context in which we must choose to love our neighbors, all of them…locally, globally, radically and unapologetically. Not me first, but Humanity first. Love first. Justice First. Peace first. This is not merely a time to reminisce about Isaiah's call, or to romanticize about Martin's dream. This is not Isaiah's Judah or Martin's south. Although the parallels with the past are present, and the pieces are connected for sure, this is our time, and these choices are on US! And finally, to make GOD choices, not only would we do well to be grounded by clarity of call, and consciousness of context, but we also need courage beyond consequences. Every choice comes with some consequence. Even, and especially GOD choices. Sometimes those consequences look like discouragement, isolation, ridicule, black-listing, or even danger. Neither the clarity of our call, nor the consciousness of our context, exempt us from the need for courage. Isaiah's courage called him to speak truth to fou kings over his lifetime, and we know that even the subtlest of pleas for justice and mercy to leadership that is not so inclined can have major consequences. Martin advocated and demonstrated for peace - not violence - as the way to bring about change and it earned him a Nobel Peace Prize. But he didn't live to see his children pick up the mantle for justice, or his birthday become a national holiday, or a black man become President of the United States. Are we not tired of Good dying young? But death does not have the final say, nor does hatred, nor does violence, and - the sacred text reminds us - nor do kings or kingdoms. (Daniel 2:44) I heard a song that I believe says, Every storm runs out of rain. Every lie runs out of gas. There is a GOD who chose us, who chose love, who chose the cup of Calvary so that we might choose to be clear, and conscious, and courageous as well. That God has the final say. Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, chose to weep, walk, heal and speak truth in perilous times. And one Sabbath day he stood in the synagogue to teach, and he found the words of the prophet Isaiah and said, the Spirit of the Lord is upon ME! Because GOD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) Then Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant (the word is now in our hands), and the people stared at him. The audacity, the unmitigated gall! Isn't this just Joseph's son. Didn't they know that God uses and chooses those others deem unlikely and even unworthy? Our Jesus declared, TODAY…. this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” My friends TODAY is the time to live and to choose in alignment with the fulfilment of the gospel of peace. TODAY is not just to reminisce, or to recite the speeches and choices of the prophets of old, but TODAY is the time for making GOD choices of our own, to answer the call God has on our lives, to do and bring our piece to the work. And we too shall be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God, and everlasting joy will be our witness, because God is not just good. God is GOD! God bless you.

We begin a three-week series covering an overview of Biblical prophecy this week on "Encounter God's Truth," from Bible teacher and author Dr. John Whitcomb. Dr. Whitcomb presented a survey of God's plan for the events that will occur in the future—and how we are to prepare for them. In this message, he focused on some of the warnings given to Israel by the Prophet Isaiah in the early chapters of his amazing Old Testament book. Following our teaching segment, host Wayne Shepherd asked Dr. Whitcomb to explain how we can get the most out of the Old Testament prophets as we read and study them for ourselves. Since God's Word is true from the beginning to the end, we have so much to draw from and teach here on "Encounter God's Truth." Thanks for joining us today for this important lesson. Please share it with a friend!

ENTRANCE HYMN #372 Praise to the Living GodSEQUENCE HYMN #601 O Day of God, Draw NighOFFERTORY ANTHEM Prayer for Peace (Harlan)COMMUNION ANTHEM I Want to Walk As A Child of the Light (Thomerson, arr. Harlan)POST-COMMUNION HYMN #408 Sing Praise to God, Who Reigns AboveTHE COLLECT OF THE DAYSet us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.FIRST READING Isaiah 58:1-9aReader A reading from the Prophet Isaiah.Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.ReaderThe Word of the Lord.PeopleThanks be to God.PSALM Psalm 112:1-9, [10] Beatus vir1 Hallelujah!Happy are they who fear the Lord *and have great delight in his commandments!2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *the generation of the upright will be blessed.3 Wealth and riches will be in their house, *and their righteousness will last for ever.4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.5 It is good for them to be generous in lending *and to manage their affairs with justice.6 For they will never be shaken; *the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.7 They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *their heart is right;they put their trust in the Lord.8 Their heart is established and will not shrink, *until they see their desire upon their enemies.9 They have given freely to the poor, *and their righteousness stands fast for ever;they will hold up their head with honor.[10 The wicked will see it and be angry;they will gnash their teeth and pine away;...

Delivered by Kezia and Renaldy from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Isaiah 58: 7-10; Rs psalm 112: 4-5.6-7.8a.9; 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5; Matthew 5: 13-16.WE ARE MADE THE SALT AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD The title for our meditation on this fifth Sunday inordinary time is: We Are Made the Salt and Light of the World. In the Sermon onthe Mount, Jesus affirmed the identity of the disciples as the salt andlight of the world. This statement is not just a beautiful metaphor, but acall to life. Salt does not live for itself; It is there to give flavor,prevent rot, and maintain life. The light is not hidden; it is there toilluminate, direct, and remove darkness. So, to be salt and light means to be ahelper—a person whose presence brings real goodness to others. Jesus invites the disciples to realize that it isthrough their lives that the world can feel the touch of God. The salt thatloses its salty and light that is hidden are meaningless. Thus, the Christianfaith becomes real when one dares to go out of self-interest, is sensitive tothe needs of others, and engages in the suffering of others. It means that adisciple becomes a sign of God's presence and action: not primarily through words,but through concrete acts of love. The Prophet Isaiah affirms that true light is revealedthrough the love shared with those who are hungry, who are unclothed, and whohave no place to live. Light is not an abstract spiritual shine, but a ray thatwarms the lives of others. When our hands can share, when our steps are closerto the eliminated, that's when God's light shines through us. The same conviction was affirmed by Saint Paul to theCorinthians. In his first letter, Paul emphasized that faith stands, not onhuman wisdom, but on the power of God. That is, being salt and light is not theresult of personal greatness, but the fruit of openness to the work of God thatworks in human weakness. When we rely on God, our simple lives can also be ameans of grace for many people. Let's imagine this: a small candle lit in a dark room.The candlelight was not big, but it was enough to help one find a way and avoiddanger. Candles do not choose who deserves to receive their light; It justfaithfully lit up and consumed itself. So is a true helper: he or she may besimple, often invisible, but his or her presence makes the lives of others morehuman and hopeful. Finally, being the salt and light of the world is adaily call to present God in the midst of the reality of life. Through sharedlove, sincere help, and faith standing on His power, we are called to witnessthat God is really at work in this world—through our lives that we are willingto use for others.  Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O Almighty God,preserve and strengthen our faith in You so that we may always be a sign ofYour presence and action to save ourselves, our neighbors and the world aroundus. Our Father who art in heaven... In the name of the Father ...

Read OnlineJesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. Mark 6:4–6It's an old expression that “familiarity breeds contempt.” It is often easier to harbor contempt for those closest to us than to offer admiration. This dynamic frequently manifests itself among relatives, neighbors, and friends. The “contempt” might remain subtle, without clear outward expression. Yet, when those close to us are honored, it is often easier to call to mind their faults than to join in their praise. These feelings, if left unchecked, not only harm human relationships but also blinds us to the workings of grace in those closest to us.Today's Gospel tells the story of Jesus returning to His hometown of Nazareth after beginning His public ministry. Soon after He was baptized and emerged from the desert, Jesus began gathering disciples, preaching authoritatively, and performing miracles. Though His ministry began in Capernaum, about twenty miles northeast of Nazareth, word spread quickly about Him, leaving the people of Nazareth uncertain about what to think.When Jesus returned to Nazareth for the first time, He entered the Synagogue and read from the Prophet Isaiah, declaring that the “Spirit of the Lord” was upon Him (cf. Luke 4:18). Mark's version of the event, which we read today, tells us that “many who heard him were astonished.” They asked one another, “‘Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary…?' And they took offense at him” (Mark 6:2–3).Their refusal to believe stemmed not from Jesus but from their inability to reconcile the Jesus they thought they knew—a carpenter, a local boy—with the Jesus who now spoke with divine wisdom and authority. The reaction of the people of Nazareth reveals the danger of clinging to preconceived notions about others, which blinds us to God's presence in the ordinary.When you consider the people with whom you are familiar, do you exhibit a similar tendency? Do you struggle to recognize Christ at work in family members, friends, or even within yourself? Familiarity can make us dismissive, but it also invites us to look more deeply for the divine, even in what appears humble and mundane. We must approach everyone we know with eyes of faith, searching for the presence of Christ, despite their weaknesses and sins. As Jesus reminds us, “Seek and you will find” (Matthew 7:7). This exhortation extends to seeking Christ in the people around us, especially those closest to us.This can be difficult. We are often tempted to focus on faults rather than goodness in others. The tendency is well illustrated in social media. Sensational and shocking posts draw our attention far more than uplifting and inspiring ones. This reveals the fallen human inclination, much like the people of Nazareth, to reject goodness and the deeper truth we are called to see. We often want others to fail as a way of feeling better about ourselves. Among the people of Nazareth, despite Jesus' perfection, those who knew Him allowed their preconceived judgments to blind them, leading to their rejection of Him as the Messiah. This reaction challenges us to examine our own hearts. How often do we fail to recognize Christ's presence in those closest to us? Reflect today on those closest to you and ponder how easily you seek and find Christ in them. Everyone you know—including yourself—is a sinner. It's easy to find fault and dwell on it, even sometimes when there is no fault to be found—such as with Jesus at Nazareth. Prayerfully reject that fallen human tendency and embrace the mission of seeking Christ in others, for “the one who seeks, finds.” Seek Jesus everywhere and celebrate the Good News of His ongoing presence in our world, especially in the lives of those with whom you are most familiar. My omnipresent Lord, You reveal Yourself to me in countless ways—through the Sacraments, Your holy Word, and the lives of those around me, especially those closest to me. Grant me the grace to seek You each day with faith and love, that I may find You in the hearts and actions of those You have placed in my life. Transform my vision, Lord, so that I may see Your presence even in the ordinary and humbly respond with gratitude and trust. Jesus, I trust in You.He Taught them with Authority by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

"There is an ancient tradition that the holy, righteous elder Symeon, who came from Egypt, was one of the Seventy learned Jews chosen in the days of the Pharoah Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-246 BC) for the task of rendering the Hebrew Bible into Greek, and that to Symeon was assigned the translation of the book of the Prophet Isaiah. When he reached the famous passage where the Prophet foretells the virgin birth of Christ, saying: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Is. 7:14), he was so perplexed that he took a penknife to erase the word 'virgin' in order to replace it by 'young woman'. At that moment, an angel of God appeared and prevented him from altering the sacred text, explaining that what seemed impossible to him was, in fact, a prophecy of the coming into this world of the Son of God. To confirm the truth of this, he promised that Symeon would not see death until he had seen and touched the Messiah born of the Virgin. When, after many long years, Christ was brought into the Temple at Jerusalem by the All-Holy Mother of God, the Holy Spirit revealed to the Elder Symeon that the time of fulfilment of the promise had come. He hurried to the Temple and, taking the Child in his arms, he was able to say wholeheartedly to God: Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation (Luke 2:29). For indeed, the Elder Symeon was the living image of the ancient Israel of the Old Testament, which having awaited the coming of the Messiah was ready to fade away and give place to the light and truth of the Gospel. The relics of the holy and righteous Symeon were venerated at Constantinople in the church of St James, built at the time of the Emperor Justin.   "The prophetess Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, was eighty-four years old. Since the early death of her husband, she had spent her whole life in the Temple in hope of the coming of the Saviour. She is the pattern for holy widows, virgins and monks, who have freed themselves of worldly cares in order to dwell always in the Temple, offering their fasts, hymns and prayers in eager expectation of the Lord's coming. And when, like Anna and Symeon, they have seen the indwelling Christ with the eyes of their heart and touched Him through their spiritual senses, they proclaim with joy and assurance to all mankind that the Saviour is still coming into the world: A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel (Luke 2:32)." (Synaxarion)   The Synaxarion notes that the tradition that St Symeon was one of the Seventy is by no means universal among the Fathers. According to some, Symeon was the son of Hillel and father of Gamaliel, St Paul's teacher. According to others, he was a righteous and devout Jew aged 112, neither a priest nor a Pharisee.

THE PROPHET ISAIAH lived through turbulent times, with kings of Judah who ranged from the good (Hezekiah, Jotham. Uzziah) to the evil (Ahaz, Manasseh, Amon).  In Isaiah 7, the prophet is sent to Ahaz by God with a word about the invasion of his land by the combined forces of Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. This was despite the fact that Ahaz “made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering” (2 Chr. 28:3, ESV), a reference to the sacrifice of children to Molech. God gave Ahaz a sign, an already-but-not-yet prophecy:  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. (Isa. 7:14–16, ESV)This was a promise that Judah would not be conquered by his northern neighbors, but it was also a promise that a virgin in the future (Mary) would give birth to “God with us”—the meaning of the name Immanuel. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, has been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch Follow us! • X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation | @thebiblesgreatestmysteries• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the left-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.

THE PROPHET ISAIAH lived through turbulent times, with kings of Judah who ranged from the good (Hezekiah, Jotham. Uzziah) to the evil (Ahaz, Manasseh, Amon).In Isaiah 7, the prophet is sent to Ahaz by God with a word about the invasion of his land by the combined forces of Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. This was despite the fact that Ahaz “made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering” (2 Chr. 28:3, ESV), a reference to the sacrifice of children to Molech.God gave Ahaz a sign, an already-but-not-yet prophecy: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. (Isa. 7:14–16, ESV)This was a promise that Judah would not be conquered by his northern neighbors, but it was also a promise that a virgin in the future (Mary) would give birth to “God with us”—the meaning of the name Immanuel.

Read Online“And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. Mark 4:8–10The Parable of the Sower is one of Jesus' foundational teachings. When preaching from a boat to a large crowd, Jesus used parables to reveal the mystery of the Kingdom of God. Afterward, His disciples questioned why He spoke in veiled language rather than directly. Jesus responded, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that ‘they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven'” (Mark 4:11–12).At first, this response might seem perplexing. Why would Jesus teach in a way that some would not understand, potentially hardening their hearts further? To understand this, we turn to the Prophet Isaiah, whom Jesus quoted (cf. Isaiah 6:8–13). God commissioned Isaiah to preach to a people who were stubborn and unrepentant, saying they would “look and see but not perceive” and “hear and listen but not understand.” Despite Isaiah's zeal, God permitted their hardness of heart so they could face the consequences of their refusal to repent. This prophetic action sheds light on Jesus' use of parables.God “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). However, for those who refuse His Word, God sometimes permits their obstinacy as an act of mercy. Parables serve a dual purpose. For those open, they invite reflection and reveal deeper truths that lead to greater faith. For those closed, parables expose their resistance, deepening their awareness of spiritual emptiness. This process, though painful, is a merciful act, meant to confront individuals with the consequences of their sin and lead them to repentance.The Parable of the Sower, in particular, invites us to examine the “soil” of our own hearts. God, in His generosity, spreads the seed of His Word widely, offering grace and Truth to everyone. What kind of soil are you? Are you like the path, where the Word is quickly devoured by distractions, pride, or indifference, leaving no room for growth? Are you like the rocky ground, receiving the Word with enthusiasm but lacking the roots to endure trials and tribulations? Or are you like the thorny ground, where worldly anxieties, the lure of riches, and divided priorities choke the Word before it can bear fruit?Ideally, we are none of the above. Jesus calls us to cultivate rich soil—a heart receptive to His Word, where His grace takes root and bears abundant fruit. Only when we are receptive to grace and nurture the truths we have received through fidelity can we see God's Word flourish in our lives.This parable also teaches us how to respond to those who appear closed and obstinate. It is tempting to grow discouraged or angry and give up. But that is not what Jesus did, nor is it what Isaiah did. Isaiah fulfilled his mission to preach, even to those who rejected him. Similarly, Jesus continued to preach, using parables to reach all people, knowing that rejection would come. Reflect today on the soil of your heart and the hearts of those whom you are called to evangelize. Through prayer, nourish the Word of God within you so it can bear fruit. Persevere in sharing God's Word with others. When Isaiah asked how long he should continue preaching, God responded, “Until the cities are desolate, without inhabitants, Houses, without people, and the land is a desolate waste.” In other words, do not stop, even in the face of rejection. Even when all hope seems gone. Sow the seed of God's Word faithfully, trusting that even the hardened soil of obstinate hearts can one day bear good fruit. My relentless Lord, You sow Your Word with superabundant generosity, showering Your Truth upon all in the hope of their repentance. Grant that I may be among those who listen attentively, cherish Your Word, and nourish it within my heart. As my faith takes root and grows, use me as an instrument of Your grace to reach out to others, tirelessly sowing Your Truth in those You have entrusted to me. Strengthen me to persevere in this mission until the end of my days on earth. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Parable of the Sower by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

ENTRANCE HYMN #542 Christ is the World's True LightSEQUENCE HYMN #543 O Zion, Tune Thy VoiceOFFERTORY ANTHEM Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether (Moore)COMMUNION ANTHEM Behold the Lamb of God (Benham)POST-COMMUNION HYMN #535 Ye Servants of GodTHE COLLECT OF THE DAYAlmighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.FIRST READING Isaiah 49:1-7Reader A reading from the Prophet Isaiah.Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.”And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength-- he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, “Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”ReaderThe Word of the Lord.PeopleThanks be to God.PSALM Psalm 40:1-12 Expectans, expectavi1 I waited patiently upon the Lord; *he stooped to me and heard my cry.2 He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.3 He put a new song in my mouth,a song of praise to our God; *many shall see, and stand in awe,and put their trust in the Lord.4 Happy are they who trust in the Lord! *they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.5 Great things are they that you have done, O Lord my God!how great your wonders and your plans for us! *there is none who can be compared with you.6 Oh, that I could make them known and tell them!*but they are more than I can count.7 In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *(you have given me ears to hear you);8 Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *and so I said, "Behold, I come.9 In the roll of the book it is written concerning me:*'I love to do your will, O my God;your law is deep in my heart.'"10 I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation;*behold, I did not restrain my lips;and that,

If you missed Chrissy' sermon last week, you'll want to be sure to listen to it here: (January 11, 2026 - Sermon - First Congregational Church of Western Springs | Podcast on Spotify). We'll continue her theme exploring what it means to Be the Church. We'll hear the Prophet Isaiah's words of assurance: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” and Paul's words of encouragement to remember that we are united in the same purpose.Link to Livestream: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI0RR7L35yU⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Start of Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI0RR7L35yU&t=2503sIf you are new to our faith community and are interested in learning more, please go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Welcome to First Congo Online - First Congregational Church of Western Springs

References 1. Audacity, Free Recording Program 2. Pastor Deborah's Own Voice 3. Filmora, Video Creating and Editing Program with Free Music Clips 4. The Authorized King James Bible 5. Pixabay, Free Motion Video Clips 6. Google Free Clip Art 7. Webster's Dictionary 8. Strong's Concordance 9. The Hidden Kingdoms YouTube Channel, Spiritual Babylon Playlist 10. The Hidden Kingdoms YouTube Channel, The Kingdom of Darkness Playlist Scriptures Used 1. Genesis 1 : 26 - 28, The Blessings of Dominion and Kingship of Humanity while still in the womb of God 2. Isaiah 60 : 1 - 3, God's Inspired Words to the Prophet Isaiah about Humanity 3. Isaiah 49 : 6 - 7, God's Inspired Words to The Prophet Isaiah about humanity Free Music Clips 1. Finding The Hidden World 2. Peace of Mind 3. Chinese Vintage 4. Alive 5. Reborn 6. Elegy of War 7. Warm and Romantic Wedding 8. Dreamland 9. Romantic Chinese Style Love Story 10. Sad Blues Red Song Mother Pastor Deborah's global web site of Agape Love, Love Is Here is at www.agapeloveishere.org Pastor Deborah Schleich is on X and LinkedIn Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Instagram at pastordeborah4ever Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Spotify at Agape Love Ministries, Setting the Captives Free Pastor Deborah's many Podcasts Shows are on free Podcast Platforms which can be found on the front page of the web site on the left hand side of the page

References 1. Audacity, Free Recording Program 2. Pastor Deborah's Own Voice 3. Filmora, Video Creating and Editing Program with Free Music Clips 4. The Authorized King James Bible 5. Pixabay, Free Motion Video Clips 6. Google Free Clip Art 7. Webster's Dictionary 8. Strong's Concordance 9. The Hidden Kingdoms YouTube Channel, Spiritual Babylon Playlist 10. The Hidden Kingdoms YouTube Channel, The Kingdom of Darkness Playlist Scriptures Used 1. Genesis 1 : 26 - 28, The Blessings of Dominion and Kingship of Humanity while still in the womb of God 2. Isaiah 60 : 1 - 3, God's Inspired Words to the Prophet Isaiah about Humanity 3. Isaiah 49 : 6 - 7, God's Inspired Words to The Prophet Isaiah about humanity Free Music Clips 1. Finding The Hidden World 2. Peace of Mind 3. Chinese Vintage 4. Alive 5. Reborn 6. Elegy of War 7. Warm and Romantic Wedding 8. Dreamland 9. Romantic Chinese Style Love Story 10. Sad Blues Red Song Mother Pastor Deborah's global web site of Agape Love, Love Is Here is at www.agapeloveishere.org Pastor Deborah Schleich is on X and LinkedIn Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Instagram at pastordeborah4ever Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Spotify at Agape Love Ministries, Setting the Captives Free Pastor Deborah's many Podcasts Shows are on free Podcast Platforms which can be found on the front page of the web site on the left hand side of the page

Fr. Eric Snyder wraps up the sermon series from the Prophet Isaiah.

In a dark and occupied land, the Prophet Isaiah spoke words of hope for the arrival of a Messiah that would save the world. Discover how God's promises came true through the arrival of a tiny baby boy… Jesus… the Messiah. If you liked this podcast, please like, subscribe and/or SHARE. If you would like to know more information about Canyon Springs Church in San Diego, visit http://www.canyonsprings.org Subscribe to all of our podcasts on iTunes here: http://goo.gl/h0mlhv

References 1. Audacity, Free Audio Recording Program 2. Pastor Deborah's Own Voice 3. Filmora, Video Creating and Editing Program with Free Music Clips 4. The Authorized King James Bible 5. Google Free Clip Arts 6. Pixabay Free Motion Video Clips Scriptures Used 1. Genesis 1 : 26 - 28, The Beginnings of humanity's Kingship on earth 2. Isaiah 60 : 1, God speaking through and to the Prophet Isaiah about humanity's Future Free Music Clips from Wondershare Filmora 1. Sad Blues Red Song Mother 2. The Ambient Ocean 3. History Scene String 4. Epic Sci Fi 5. Warm and Romantic Wedding 6. Chinese Vintage 7. Peace of Mind 8. Reborn Me 9. City Insider 10. Romantic Chinses Style Love Story Pastor Deborah's global web site of Agape Love, Love Is Here is at www.agapeloveishere.org Pastor Deborah Schleich is on X and LinkedIn Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Instagram at pastordeborah4ever Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Spotify at Agape Love Ministries, Setting the Captives Free Pastor Deborah's many Podcasts Shows are on free Podcast Platforms which can be found on the front page of the web site on the left hand side of the page

References 1. Audacity, Free Audio Recording Program 2. Pastor Deborah's Own Voice 3. Filmora, Video Creating and Editing Program with Free Music Clips 4. The Authorized King James Bible 5. Google Free Clip Arts 6. Pixabay Free Motion Video Clips Scriptures Used 1. Genesis 1 : 26 - 28, The Beginnings of humanity's Kingship on earth 2. Isaiah 60 : 1, God speaking through and to the Prophet Isaiah about humanity's Future Free Music Clips from Wondershare Filmora 1. Sad Blues Red Song Mother 2. The Ambient Ocean 3. History Scene String 4. Epic Sci Fi 5. Warm and Romantic Wedding 6. Chinese Vintage 7. Peace of Mind 8. Reborn Me 9. City Insider 10. Romantic Chinses Style Love Story Pastor Deborah's global web site of Agape Love, Love Is Here is at www.agapeloveishere.org Pastor Deborah Schleich is on X and LinkedIn Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Instagram at pastordeborah4ever Pastor Deborah Schleich is on Spotify at Agape Love Ministries, Setting the Captives Free Pastor Deborah's many Podcasts Shows are on free Podcast Platforms which can be found on the front page of the web site on the left hand side of the page

This Christmas, we celebrate Christ’s incarnation, born of the Virgin Mary. The Prophet Isaiah foretold this hope, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given” (Isa. 9:6). In Bethlehem, Jesus was to be born of a woman, not a man (Gal. 4:4). This is vital, because substitutionary atonement requires a sinless substitute — the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. But Isaiah declared more: Jesus was to be called, “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). This was no fluke, but God’s resolved purpose, for, “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isa. 9:7). In this we have an unstoppable hope: the Messiah has come — Merry Christmas! Sermon:https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/6948df0a1f15531a561fbb64

In a dark and occupied land, the Prophet Isaiah spoke words of hope for the arrival of a Messiah that would save the world. Discover how God's promises came true through the arrival of a tiny baby boy… Jesus… the Messiah. If you liked this podcast, please like, subscribe and/or SHARE. If you would like to know more information about Canyon Springs Church in San Diego, visit http://www.canyonsprings.org Subscribe to all of our podcasts on iTunes here: http://goo.gl/h0mlhv

We continue our advent series with the Prophet Isaiah looking at chapters 11 and 12. Last week, we looked at the first two verses, and we're going to finish out the chapter as we look to the reading of God's word. If you would please join with me in prayer. Oh God, we do ask that you would guide us by your word and spirit that in your light we might see the light of your truth and there find

The Prophet Isaiah was given several prophesies of the coming Messiah and had a message for Judah to not fear what they could see, but fear the God that was in control. Grab your Bible, turn to Isaiah 8, and follow along with Pastor Mike.

"Of all the books in the OT, Isaiah is perhaps the richest. Its literary grandeur is unequaled. Its scope is unparalleled. The breadth of its view of God is unmatched. In so many ways it is a book of superlatives. Thus, it is no wonder that Isaiah is the most quoted prophet in the NT, and along with Psalms and Deuteronomy, one of the most frequently cited of all OT books. Study of it is an opportunity for unending inspiration and challenge…it comes to us as a word from God, a revelation of the inevitable conflict between divine glory and human pride, of self-destruction which that pride must bring, and of the grace of God in restoring that destroyed humanity to himself. To read the book with the open eyes of the spirit is to see oneself, at times all too clearly, but also to see God whose holiness is made irresistible by his love." - Dr. John Oswalt from his two-volume commentary on the book of Isaiah. Dr. John Oswalt is our very special guest this week and next on Apologetics Profile. He will be taking us through some of the highlights of this magisterial theological work. His insights will better equip you to give a defense to non-believers who doubt the history and authorship of Isaiah. Dr. John Oswalt Asbury served on the faculty of Asbury Theological seminary from 1970 to 1982 as professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages, and again from 1989 to 1999 as Professor of Old Testament. He rejoined Asbury in 2009 as visiting distinguished professor of Old Testament studies. He has also served as research professor of Old Testament at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, Miss., from 1999 to 2009, was president of Asbury College from 1983 to 1986, a member of the faculty of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill., from 1986 to 1989, and  Interim President of Wesley Biblical Seminary, Ridgeland, MS from April 2019 through March 2020.He is the author of 16 books, most notable of which is the two-volume commentary on the book of Isaiah in the New International Commentary of the Old Testament. His most recent book is The Holy One of Israel: Studies in the Book of Isaiah, released in 2014. He has also written numerous articles that have appeared in Bible encyclopedias, scholarly journals and popular religious periodicals. Dr. Oswalt is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, with membership in the Kentucky Annual Conference. He has served as a part-time pastor in congregations in New England and Kentucky, and is a frequent speaker in conferences, camps and local churches. Oswalt received a B.A. from Taylor University; a B.D. and Th.M. from Asbury Seminary; and a M.A. and Ph.D. from Brandeis University.The Bible Among the Myths Isaiah CommentaryResources from Watchman Fellowship Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Bart Ehrman by Dr. Rhyne Putman: www.watchman.org/Ehrman FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.The complete Profile Notebook (Digital Edition, PDF, over 600-pages): www.watchman.org/DigitalNotebookSUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © 2025 Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

In a dark and occupied land, the Prophet Isaiah spoke words of hope for the arrival of a Messiah that would save the world. Discover how God's promises came true through the arrival of a tiny baby boy… Jesus… the Messiah. If you liked this podcast, please like, subscribe and/or SHARE. If you would like to know more information about Canyon Springs Church in San Diego, visit http://www.canyonsprings.org Subscribe to all of our podcasts on iTunes here: http://goo.gl/h0mlhv

THE REWARD OF HONOURING YOUR PROPHET Preacher: Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Okronipa SCRIPTURES Matthew 10:41 Galatians 6:6–7 2 Chronicles 20:20 Isaiah 44:3 KEY POINTS 1. Understanding the Office of a Prophet A Prophet Carries Two Dimensions A Sword — for correction, judgment, and spiritual alignment. A Reward — grace, blessings, favour, and supernatural advantage. A prophet is a messenger of God, carrying the Word, voice, and intentions of God to a people. Every Prophet Has a Spiritual Distribution Every prophet carries a unique distribution of the Spirit given by God. No prophet is empty — each one is a carrier of something that God wants to give His people. Every Prophet Has a Reward

THE REWARD OF HONOURING YOUR PROPHET Preacher: Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Okronipa SCRIPTURES Matthew 10:41 Galatians 6:6–7 2 Chronicles 20:20 Isaiah 44:3 KEY POINTS 1. Understanding the Office of a Prophet A Prophet Carries Two Dimensions A Sword — for correction, judgment, and spiritual alignment. A Reward — grace, blessings, favour, and supernatural advantage. A prophet is a messenger of God, carrying the Word, voice, and intentions of God to a people. Every Prophet Has a Spiritual Distribution Every prophet carries a unique distribution of the Spirit given by God. No prophet is empty — each one is a carrier of something that God wants to give His people. Every Prophet Has a Reward

Do You Want to Be Healed? Letting God Rewrite the Story Ephesians 8:5-19 Today, Fr. Anthony reflects on how the deepest obstacles to healing are often the stories we tell ourselves to justify, protect, and control our lives. Drawing on the Prophet Isaiah, the Gospel parables of the banquet, and the power of silence before God, he explores how true healing begins when we let go of our fallen narratives and allow Christ to reconstruct our story through humility, prayer, and repentance. The path of peace is not found in domination or self-justification, but in stillness at the feet of the Lord where grace remakes the soul. As St. Seraphim teaches, when we acquire peace, myriads around us are healed as well. One of the great problems we encounter in life is this: we desire healing, but we do not always know how to arrive at it. One helpful way to understand this struggle is through the language of story. Very often, the problem is that we do not have our story right. Scripture tells us to redeem the time, because the days are evil. One of the ways that evil operates is by corrupting our story—our personal story, the way we understand ourselves, the way we frame our relationships, and even the way we understand the great arc of history, what Christians call the economy of salvation. When we live in evil times, that evil does not remain outside us. It enters in, and our story becomes crooked. If all we do as Christians is add religious language to that crooked story—new words, even new scriptures—we have not truly been healed. We have only changed the decoration. The path itself remains bent. One day that story will be brought into the light. This is what the Apostle means when he says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you." As St. Jerome once observed, St. Paul seems to be paraphrasing Isaiah here—especially that great prophecy where the crooked ways are made straight. This theme runs deeply through Advent and the Nativity Fast. One small personal ritual during this season is listening to Handel's Messiah. Through that music, the words of Isaiah become alive: the great darkness that covers the earth, and the light that rises to overcome it. But darkness is not overcome by changing words alone. If all we do is rename our brokenness with religious language, the world's darkness will only pollute us more deeply. So the first discipline of the Christian life is this: we must let go of our story. Our fallen story becomes a way to protect the ego, to justify ourselves, to excuse the very things Saint Paul warns us against. Salvation begins with humility, with letting go of our justifications, with abandoning the need to construct a story that protects us from the world or grants us domination over it. We are called to let go and stand before the Lord in silence. Not to explain ourselves, not to defend ourselves—but simply to be our story before Him in quiet awe. If we do that work faithfully—and for many of us this must be done daily—then the reconstruction of the story can begin anew. This is where the disciplines of the Church come in: the prayer rule, the psalms, the prayers given to us by the Holy Spirit through the Church. These do not shame us; they heal us. They allow us to see our shortcomings not as excuses to hide, but as wounds that need restoration. This is how our crookedness is straightened so that we can be healed. The Lord also gives us Scripture to interpret our story. In Isaiah 60 we hear of darkness and of a light that rises. Israel is called a light to the nations—but whenever Christians hear that language, our minds are drawn immediately to the Prologue of the Gospel of St. John. And there, light is not mere illumination. It is transformation. It is grace. It is the energy of God entering the world. And when Scripture moves back and forth between Christ and Israel, it is not a mistake—it reveals our participation in this great movement of salvation. Just as we are healed by grace, so the world is transfigured by that same grace flowing from the Body of Christ into all creation. The Lord also teaches us through parables. Many parables may not resonate with many of us because of their agricultural contexts, but we can understand a banquet. We understand meals. We understand invitation. And in this parable, we are the ones who were called—and we came. We may not have been the first invited. We came blind, wounded, ashamed, hiding behind excuses. But the invitation came, and we showed up. Yet getting through the door is not the end of the story. The Lord teaches us what it means to live inside the banquet. When you enter the house, do tell the master how he should run it? Do you take the highest seat as if it belongs to you? No—He says take the lowest place, and let the master raise you up if he wills. This is the posture of true humility. If we were the authors of our story, it would end in darkness. But instead, we are invited into a feast that never ends. And none of our fallen tools—control, manipulation, ego-protection—belong in the Father's house. This is why the psalmist says he would rather be a servant in the house of the Lord than sit among kings. That is our true inheritance. There is no such thing as a low seat at that table. Every place at that feast is glory beyond imagination. The only way it becomes distorted is if we try to overlay God's story with our fallen one. So yes—do we want to be healed? Of course, we do. That is why we are here. Do we want to grow into our inheritance? That is why we came. But it is not enough merely to arrive. We must live your part in the story. There is a false humility that sometimes creeps into us—especially if we have been wounded or manipulated. We become afraid to acknowledge anything good about ourselves or even our relationship with God, as if gratitude were pride. But that is not humility. We need to be ashamed of what truly needs repentance and bring it into the light. But we should never be ashamed of our relationship with the Lord. Do not pretend the banquet is a shack just because we know we do not deserve it. Hold both truths together: the infinite distance between God's glory and our brokenness, and the infinite mercy by which He draws us into His glory.  Following St. Silouon the Athonite, we should keep our mind in hell – and despair not. The lowest seat at that table is greater than any throne the world can offer. It is the seat prepared for us in the council of God. There is no low place there—only mistaken stories that make us think otherwise. So during this season, let's spend time with the Lord in silence. Let's let go of the instinct to create stories that justify, control, and fix everything. These wandering thoughts only deepen confusion. We need to seek peace and pursue it quietly at the feet of God. Then we can come out from that silence and allow His Word to reconstruct us. Our Lord is not manipulative. He does not heal through domination. If there is one relationship in which we can finally release our need for control, it is our relationship with Him. If we skip silence, we will guard ourselves even against God, and the crooked ways will remain crooked—only renamed with religious language. Go in silence before the Lord. Come out and allow His Word to heal you. Then, in that peace, allow your relationships with others to be healed as well. This is how the world is remade: not by power, not by manipulation, but by peace. St. Seraphim of Sarov put it simply: "Acquire the Spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved." When peace grows in the heart, the handles of manipulation fall away. The saint no longer needs to prove anything. There is no hunger for worldly approval. The only desires left are to love, to serve, and to receive love. These are not tools of control—they are mechanisms of grace. We still have time to prepare for the Lord's coming. Let this be the beginning. And as part of this renewal of our story, we still have time to come to confession. The Church teaches us to come during every Lenten season, and yes, that can be frightening. Authority in this world has often been abusive or manipulative. But confession is not that. It is not tyranny—it is liberation. The Lord does not want us carrying this weight. He wants us free. This is the Church's gift to us. We must not leave it unused. Let the Lord heal you. Let Him tell you your true story. And then, at last, relax into its glory.

Continuing our Advent series from the Prophet Isaiah 11, as we look to the reading of God's word, if you'd please join with me in prayer. Heavenly Father, as we meet now in your presence, we ask that you would open our ears to hear your voice, to open our hearts, to love you more and more, to open our souls, to receive your word in its fullness, that your son Jesus, the word made flesh, would be glorified and

Advent is about waiting. We are waiting for the birth of Jesus but we are also waiting for God's vision for the world to become a reality. The Prophet Isaiah shares imagery of what some have called The Peaceable Kingdom would look like. The problem? It sounds like nonsense, predator and prey eating together, children playing in deadly places, you'll be waiting a long time for that to happen! But when we are waiting with hope we start to see God's vision become a reality as we work to build the community God is calling us to become.

Prelude "Comfort Ye, My People" from Messiah (Handel) Antonio Rodrigues, soloistEntrance Hymn #73 The King Shall Come When Morning DawnsSequence Hymn #454 Jesus Came, Adored By AngelsOffertory Anthem Waiting For a King (Martin)Communion Hymn #613 Thy Kingdom Come, O GodPost-Communion Hymn #57 Lo, He Comes With Clouds DescendingTHE COLLECT OF THE DAYAlmighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.FIRST READING Isaiah 2:1-5Reader A reading from the Prophet Isaiah.The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.In days to comethe mountain of the Lord's houseshall be established as the highest of the mountains,and shall be raised above the hills;all the nations shall stream to it.Many peoples shall come and say,‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,to the house of the God of Jacob;that he may teach us his waysand that we may walk in his paths.'For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.He shall judge between the nations,and shall arbitrate for many peoples;they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,and their spears into pruning-hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation,neither shall they learn war any more.O house of Jacob,come, let us walkin the light of the Lord!ReaderThe Word of the Lord.PeopleThanks be to...

The Prophet Isaiah has a vision (2:1-5) that is compelling millennia later - humanity streaming to the house of God, where they learn and are transformed into agents of peace.This vision is so compelling that it brings into immediate contrast the world in which we live, where there is a constant stream of violence.  What do we make of this disparity, this chasm between vision and reality?Some Christians develop a way of understanding where Jesus becomes much like an alien who takes us away from the bad place of earth and puts us in the good place of heaven.  But this vision from Isaiah suggests that God isn't in the business of getting people out of earth, but renewing it through Jesus, in the power of the Spirit.  As Christians, we celebrate that love has come in Jesus, but we acknowledge that love must return to finish the work.A reflection on how the Bible points toward the renewal of all things instead of the escape of people...and what this might mean for us this Advent, as we prepare for the coming of Christ.

In a dark and occupied land, the Prophet Isaiah spoke words of hope for the arrival of a Messiah that would save the world. Discover how God's promises came true through the arrival of a tiny baby boy… Jesus… the Messiah. If you liked this podcast, please like, subscribe and/or SHARE. If you would like to know more information about Canyon Springs Church in San Diego, visit http://www.canyonsprings.org Subscribe to all of our podcasts on iTunes here: http://goo.gl/h0mlhv

Enter Advent and discover the word of the Prophet Isaiah who calls us to draw strength from real hope in the midst of difficult, heartbreaking days. Speaker: Pastor Jae Newman Part of the series “The Will to Dream: Persistent courage to imagine, resist, and rebuild a better world.”

A Sermon for the Sunday Next Before Advent Jeremiah 23:5-8 & St. John 6:5-14 by William Klock As we come to the last Sunday in the Church Year, I've been reflecting on the scripture passages we've read these last twenty-two weeks of Trinitytide.  The first half of the Church Year walks us through the life and ministry of Jesus.  The second half, following Trinity Sunday, walks us through the life and ministry of the church.  The lessons remind us who we are and encourage us to be the people and the community that Jesus and the Spirit have made us.  Last week we were reminded that just as the old temple was the place where Israel found forgiveness and the presence of God, so the church—the new temple—is also to be the place where the world encounters the presence of God and the forgiveness that flows from the cross.  On All Saint's, just a few weeks ago, we heard the Beatitudes and were reminded of the character that Jesus and the Spirit have given us.  We are the community that is poor in spirit, that mourns sin and the fallenness of the world, the meek who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.  And thinking of all that, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.  Sometimes we fail.  A lot of the time it just feels like the pushback against us is overwhelming. I feel like Israel in the wilderness with temptation after temptation and enemy after enemy.  But then I think, wait a minute.  Even in the wilderness, God was with Israel.  I think of Moses, reiterating the torah, the law, to Israel as they were on the verge of finally entering the Holy Land, and as he called them to commit to the Lord's covenant—and he knew it seemed like an overwhelming thing to them—he said to them: You can do this.  It's not too hard.  It's not far off.  It's not in heaven that you have to go and bring it down.  It's not across the ocean, that you've got to send someone far away to fetch it.  God's word is near you.  It's in your heart and it's in your mouth so that you can do it.”  Even more, there was the Lord, present in a shining cloud of glory right in their midst—always present with them in the tabernacle.  Ready to forgive and to purify and to strengthen them to be the people he'd created and called them to be.  And if that was true of Israel and of her relationship with God in the Old Covenant—well, maybe I shouldn't be so discouraged.  Because, in Jesus, God has established something even better.  And so I pore over his word, and I pray, and I look forward to Sundays and his invitation to come feast at his Table. I find hope in the promise in the lesson we read today from Jeremiah.  It's a passage I think of a lot.  To a people who had failed, to a people broken and being carried off into exile, to a people who had lost his presence, the Lord promised: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.'  Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.' Then they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:5-8) All of it is important, but the part that really gets me here is that promise that the Messiah would redefine what it meant to be God's people.  The Lord's deliverance of Israel from exile was the thing, the event that defined them as a people.  It was the event that they could hold onto as proof that the Lord was real and living and active, that he is faithful and worthy of trust.  That he makes good on his promises.  It was his gracious and loving deliverance of Israel from Egypt that motivated them to return his love and faithfulness with their own devotion and allegiance.  And yet, the Lord says, when the Messiah has done his work, it'll no longer be about Egypt and the exodus, but about the deliverance brought by the Messiah.  In hindsight, we can say that our existence as the people of God is defined by the cross and the empty tomb—by the body and blood of Jesus the Messiah shed for us.  The Passover, the meal that reminded the Jewish people of their identity of God's people, the meal through which each generation participated in that rescue from Pharaoh's bondage, was redefined by Jesus.  He took the Passover bread and the Passover wine and redefined them.  No longer do they represent deliverance from Egypt, but our deliverance from sin and death by his body broken and his blood poured out.  And Brothers and Sisters, in the midst of the wilderness; struggling to keep our baptismal vows to fight the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; struggling to be faithful stewards of the gospel and the life of the Spirit, it ought to be strengthening to remember both what the Lord has done for us and that he is so closely with us. This is why the church gives us today's Gospel—the familiar story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.  For the last six months the lessons have been exhorting us to take up Jesus' yoke, to take up our crosses and to follow him.  And when we forget who we are and what the Lord has done for us it's easy to forget that Jesus has promised his yoke is easy and his burden is light, and that in taking up our crosses, he walks alongside us bearing his own.  He is with us in the wilderness.  And that's what today's Gospel is all about.  St. John, in the sixth chapter of his Gospel, writes: “Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming to him.  ‘Where are we going to buy bread,' he said to Philip, ‘so that they can have something to eat?'  (He said this to test him.  He himself knew what he intended to do.)  ‘Two hundred denarii,' replied Philip, ‘wouldn't be enough to buy bread for each of them to have just a little!'  One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, joined in.  ‘There's a boy here,' he said, ‘who's got five barley loaves and to fish.  But what use are they with this many people?'  ‘Make the men sit down,' said Jesus.  There was a lot of grass where they were, so the men sat down, about five thousand in all.  So Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them to the people sitting down, and then did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted.  When they were satisfied, he called the disciples.  ‘Gather up the bits and pieces left over,' he said, ‘so that nothing is lost.'  So they collected it up and filled twelve baskets with the broken pieces of the five barley loaves left behind by the people who had eaten.  When the people saw the sign that Jesus had done, they said, ‘This truly is the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world. (John 6:5-14) Now, the lectionary leaves out the first four verses of the chapter.  Because of that we miss two important details.  The first is the time and the second is the place.  John tells us in verse 4 that “the Passover was at hand”.  Remember again what the Passover was all about.  Passover was the annual festival in which the Jews recalled the events of the Exodus—those events that Jeremiah points to as defining the very identity of Israel as the people of God.  I'll say it again, because it's important to understand: In the Exodus the Lord had delivered them from their Egyptian slavery, he had defeated Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, he had given them his law and the tabernacle and had taken up his dwelling in their midst, and he had led them through the wilderness.  Each new generation of Jews, as they took part in the Passover meal, became participants in the events of the Exodus, in the establishing of the Lord's covenant.  The Exodus, commemorated by the Passover, was the defining event in Israel's life as the people of God.  So it's not just at the Last Supper, but throughout his ministry that Jesus takes the Passover and redefines it in terms of himself: his provision for the people, his body and blood, his cross and his resurrection leading a new people in an exodus from sin and death. The other important detail in those first verses is the place.  This took place on the far side of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus has led the people into the wilderness and he's taken up his seat on a mountain.  Again, John stages the story using the imagery of the Exodus.  We have a great crowd of people in the wilderness.  John wants us to be thinking about Israel in the wilderness.  These people are hungry for supper, but there's no food to be had.  The only thing missing is the people grumbling to Moses.  But these people were just hungry to hear Jesus.  This time it's Jesus who realises the people's need before they realise it themselves.  That's something to take comfort in.  Jesus is looking after our needs before know them ourselves. Jesus turns to Philip and asks what's to be done to feed all these people.  Now, Philip—a good Jew whom I'm sure knew his people's story—should have recalled the manna in the wilderness, but he wasn't thinking of Jesus on that level just yet.  Andrew, on the other hand, has met a boy who happens to have brought a sack lunch: a couple of fish and five little loaves of bread.  Such a little bit of food might as well have bene nothing if you're thinking about distributing it to five thousand people.  But I don't think Andrew would have bothered telling Jesus about this boy and his lunch if he hadn't thought that Jesus could make use of it somehow.  What could Jesus possibly do with so little?  The situation seemed totally impossible, and yet the Lord had provided for his hungry people in the wilderness all those centuries before.  Why not again?  And so Andrew gives us a hopeful sign. Brothers and Sisters, this is how the people of God are called to respond in hopeless situations.  This how we're to depend on Jesus as he leads us through the wilderness—when our calling, our task, our vocation, when being the people he's made us seems so hard, when you feel like you can't carry your cross another step.  Don't grumble like Israel did.  Don't give up on God and put your faith in horses, chariots, foreign kings, and pagan gods like Israel did back in the days of Jeremiah.  The Lord has always been faithful to provide and he always will.  Andrew knew that.  I don't know if Andrew was thinking about it, but I think that as John wrote this, he was thinking about one particular event in Israel's past and about King Hezekiah.  The way John tells the story seems to deliberately echo the story of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was also in a hopeless situation.  The Assyrians had besieged Jerusalem.  The messenger of the Assyrian king called up to Hezekiah's men on the walls of the city that he would destroy them and that it would be because Hezekiah had purged Judah of its altars and shrines to the Assyrian gods.  The Assyrian king sent a message to Hezekiah, warning him that the Lord would not be able to deliver him.  Hezekiah no doubt had advisers who saw the situation as hopeless.  Some would have advised him to surrender to the Assyrians and to bow before their gods.  Others would have urged him to form an alliance with the Egyptians, which would have involved their gods as well.  To many, it would have seemed that Hezekiah was out of options.  But he knew better.  The King took the message from the Assyrian king and went to the temple.  He prayed.  Sometimes that's all you can do.  And the Lord sent the Prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah with a message of reassurance:  The king of Assyria will not enter Jerusalem.  “I will defend this city to save it for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David” (Isaiah 19:34).  And that very night an angel struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. Andrew now, like Hezekiah taking Sennacherib's letter to the temple and not knowing what to do, only that the Lord would do something, Andrew now brings the boy and his lunch to Jesus.  The Lord will provide.  Somehow.  In some way.  And Jesus does just that.  He took the bread, gave thanks to God, and started breaking it into pieces and somehow there was still bread in his hands as the baskets began to fill.  And the same with the fish.  No matter how much Jesus gave out, there was still more in his hands.  And everyone—the multiple thousands sitting there on the grass—everyone had their fill.  Just like they did in the wilderness after they'd left Egypt.  And yet there's an element of the story here that points to this new exodus that's taking shape being even greater than the first.  In the first exodus, there was no manna left over.  There was always enough to satisfy the needs of the people, but if you tried to gather extra and to keep it, it rotted away and produced worms.  In contrast, when Jesus feeds these people in the wilderness, there are twelve basketfuls left over—presumably food the people took home with them to eat and to be reminded the next day of what the Lord had done. But that's not the only Old Testament echo that John works into the story.  Andrew faithfully taking the loaves and fishes to Jesus echoes Hezekiah going before the Lord to ask for a miracle.  But as John tells us about Jesus dividing up the bread and fish, there's an echo of another story the people would have known very well. John, I think, tells the story to deliberately recall the prophet Elisha and, in particular, the events of 2 Kings 4.  There was a famine in the land and Isaiah had a band of followers to provide for.  A man brought them twenty loaves of bread and a sack of grain, but it wasn't nearly enough to feed Elisha's men.  That didn't concern Elisha.  He gave the sack of bread to his servant and commanded him to give it to the men so that they could eat.  His servant balked at that.  “How can I can set this before a hundred men?” he asked.  Elisha commanded him again to take it to the men and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.'”  And, somehow, the men ate their fill and, just as the Lord had promised, there were leftovers remaining (2 King 4:42-44). Now, back to our Gospel: The people on that mountain with Jesus put the pieces together: Passover, wilderness, bread from heaven, baskets of leftover bread.  And they declare that Jesus is “the prophet who is to come into the world.”  Jeremiah's new exodus is somehow underway, with Jesus at its head.  Their acclamation is taken straight from the Lord's promise to Moses in Deuteronomy 18: “I will raise up a prophet like you from among their brothers.  And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I commanded him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).  The new exodus has begun.  Jesus is the prophet who was promised, a prophet like Moses, a prophet like Elisha—and yet a prophet even greater.  Verse 15 says: “So when Jesus realised that they were intending to come and seize him to make him king, he withdrew again, by himself, up the mountain.”   “King” means “Messiah”.  Now, did the people really understand who and what the messiah was to be?  I don't think so.  Almost no one fully understood that until after the events of Jesus' death and resurrection.  But that doesn't mean the people that day, filled miraculously with bread and fish, didn't recognise the Messiah in Jesus.  All the pieces were there.  Here was the good shepherd who cared for the sheep when no one else would.  (It's worth noting that when Mark tells this story, he introduces it saying that when Jesus looked out at the crowd, he saw sheep in desperate need of a shepherd.)  Here was the prophet who would lead the people like Moses in the long-awaited exodus.  If Jesus was those two things, then he also had to be the long-awaited branch that Jeremiah had prophesied would come from the root of David.  Jesus saw the recognition dawn in their eyes and he withdrew.  The time wasn't right.  This wasn't how the Messiah was to come into his crown or to take his throne.  Nevertheless, as we draw the lines that connect the promises of God in Jeremiah to their fulfilment in John's Gospel, you and I should, ourselves, be overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God.  He does what he promises.  He will feed us in the wilderness.  He will go before us to conquer the promised land. Brothers and Sisters, the Lord invites us to his table this morning and here we again recall his faithfulness.  Here, like the Jews participating in each new generation in the events of the Exodus and finding their place in the people of God, we find our manna in the wilderness, we recall and participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and are reminded that we are his people and that, just as was promised so long ago, he has delivered us from our bondage to sin and death.  The sheep that were scattered, have been drawn together by the God of Israel.  You and I have heard the story of God's faithfulness.  We have come to Israel's king and submitted ourselves in faith.  And now, here at his Table, we experience his faithfulness ourselves as we eat the bread and drink the wine.  Here is our new covenant manna in the wilderness.  Finally, having known the faithfulness of God, we're summoned ourselves to walk in faith, trusting that the Lord will finish what he has begun, that he will do what he has promised. In our Collect we asked the Lord to “stir up our wills”.  We may have come to the end of another Church Year, but the story is hardly over.  Advent is almost here and with it the reminder that Jesus is coming and that as we wait for him, he's given his Church a mission and his own Spirit to ensure that mission is fulfilled.  He has made us stewards of the good news that he is this world's true Lord.  We have our own parts to play in this story.  And it's not an easy task.  But take heart.  The fact that the principalities and powers (as Paul described them in that Ephesians passage we read a couple weeks ago), the fact that they're fighting back means that we're precisely where the Lord wants us to be and doing what he wants us to do and the powers of darkness know it and fear what Jesus and the Spirit will accomplish through the church.  So don't give up.  Don't be afraid.  Don't be weary in well-doing.  Petition the Lord in faith, knowing that he is faithful to fulfil his promises.  Whether it takes a hundred years or a hundred thousand years for the world to answer the king's royal summons to faithful allegiance, he will be with us and he will equip us for every good work.  He will feed us in the wilderness and see us through to the promised land. Let's pray: Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; that we may produce abundantly the fruit of good works, and receive your abundant reward, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Read OnlineSource: You are viewing content from a free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited.And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words. Luke 19:47–48Jesus had just entered Jerusalem for the upcoming Feast of Passover. He arrived in that holy city and then returned again the next day and entered the Temple area. As He witnessed the corruption of those selling animals for the Temple sacrifices, Jesus responded with fervent preaching in an attempt to cleanse the Temple from this corruption. He quoted the Prophet Isaiah and cried out, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” Luke's Gospel points out the reaction of the chief priests, the scribes and the leaders of the people. They were “seeking to put him to death.” However, as the Gospel further relates, “they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.”It's important to consider this passage within its context. The words that Jesus spoke were words that sought to cleanse the Temple of corruption. With the approval of the temple priests, who benefitted from the temple tax, there were many people who were using the practice of divine worship to make a profit for selfish gain, turning the Temple into a marketplace. Jesus could see this clearly, and many of the people would have also sensed the corruption of these practices. Though they needed to purchase animals for the ritual sacrifices and Passover meal, many of them were most likely disturbed by this abuse. Therefore, as Jesus spoke with fervor and condemnation, it angered those who were responsible for the corruption but left the people with consolation. Hence, they were “hanging on his words.”The Gospel is always consoling, and, for those who are open, it leads them to hang on every word that is spoken. It refreshes and invigorates, clarifies and motivates. Usually when we think of the Gospel, we think of words that are gentle and inviting—words of mercy to the sinner and compassion for those who are struggling. But sometimes the pure Gospel message from our Lord fiercely attacks sin and evil. And though this may be shocking to the evil doers, to those with pure faith, these words also refresh and strengthen.Today, we need the full Gospel message. Many need to hear Jesus' gentle invitation to conversion by which their heavy burdens are lifted. But many others need to hear His firm words of condemnation. And the Church as a whole needs both of these messages to be proclaimed if we are to fully participate in the apostolic ministry of our Lord. Only our Lord has the right to condemn, chastise, and call others to repentance. But we are all called to share in this mission of our Lord. And though we do not have the right to judge the hearts of others, when we see objective evil and disorder within our world and even within our Church, we must cry out with our Lord, “My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” And when we do hear the holy and inspired words of God's messengers who boldly and courageously proclaim the truth and call others to repentance, it should inspire, invigorate and console us as we find ourselves hanging on their every word.Reflect, today, upon the Gospel messages that need to be preached in our day and age that are both inspired by God and are also fervently directed at corruption within the world and even within our Church. Allow yourself to support such holy preaching and to be inspired by it. Hang on these holy words of God's prophets today. As you do, God will protect them and inspire them to continue His holy mission of purification.My purifying Lord, the corruption within our world, and at times even within our Church, requires Your holy preaching and purifying action. Please send Your messengers to those in need so that all may be cleansed as You cleansed the Temple. May I share in this mission in the ways in which You call me, and may I always hang on every word spoken from Your merciful and fervent heart of love. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

God is a God of Do-Overs! And God promises to the Prophet Isaiah a wonderful coming do-over of all things! Listen and learn!

The book of Isaiah holds sharp warnings for the people of God—not only the ancient people of God but the church today. 587 BC was a disastrous time for the people of Jerusalem and Judah. More than a century earlier the northern tribes of Israel were conquered and carried away by the Assyrians. Now the Babylonians laid waste the southern territories and a seventy-year exile uprooted the nation. Shameful idolatry had caused the undoing of the people. Innumerable warnings incited only an unresponsive disdainfulness; the prophets were considered fools (Hos 9:7). God, who never threatens in vain, allowed the axe to fall (Isa 1:7).[1] Isaiah 1:10-18 begins the Prophet's message, and while seemingly hopeless, a reminder of the Lord's mercy is assuredly present, for in amazing love, God never abandons his people, though they falter. The waning people of God hear the words of the Lord through the Prophet Isaiah who calls them to return—return to the Lord and return to worship. In a similar manner, the message subsists today and transcends generations, as the people of God are not called to mere sacrifices but to purity of heart, for without such a condition, God's people may not rightfully worship and, therefore, may not worship in sincerity. There are three essentials which must be observed from the text. [1] Stuart D. Sacks, Revealing Jesus as Messiah: Identifying Isaiah's Servant of the Lord (Fearn, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 1998), 16. [2] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Bible.

In this message Terry Timm, we explore the words of the prophet Isaiah, which encourage us to remember our true identity and relationship with God rather than placing trust in materialistic or superficial idols. By examining modern-day prophets like Walter Brueggemann, Beth Moore, and Mako Fujimura, Timm illustrates the ongoing need for prophetic voices that challenge dominant societal and religious idols, reminding the church to return to God and rejoice in God's redemption.

Sermon on Isaiah 55

Read OnlineWhen the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. Luke 4:28–30It's hard to believe that those people who knew Jesus, those from the town in which He had been raised, reacted in such a severe way to our Lord. Jesus had just entered the Synagogue and read from the Prophet Isaiah who stated that “the Spirit of the Lord” was upon him and that he had come to “proclaim liberty to captives.” Jesus' mission was clear. He was the Messiah, sent from the Father, in fulfillment of the teachings of the prophets, and yet Jesus was rejected to the point that the people drove Him out of the town and tried to throw Him off a cliff near the town to kill Him. Again, it's hard to comprehend the extreme emotions that people experienced in regard to Jesus. Some came to love Jesus with the deepest passion, others were outraged at Him and sought His life.One thing that these extreme emotions experienced by many should tell us is that we cannot remain indifferent to Jesus when we truly listen to His words. Indifference comes when Jesus is ignored. But when He is heard and understood, it is clear that His message demands a response. If we do not fully accept Him as we listen to His message, then we will be tempted to reject Him and all that He speaks.Jesus wants to do the same with us. He wants a response from us. First, He wants us to hear Him, to understand the radical nature of His message, and then to make a choice. He wants us to follow Him with passion and zeal, to believe in everything He teaches, and to radically change our lives as a result. And if we will not change, then Jesus' words will challenge us and evoke a response.One example of this that is common today is the strong response that sometimes comes from a teenager or young adult when a loving parent confronts them when they begin to go astray. When confronted in love and with the truth, emotion is often evoked and stirred up. But that is not always bad. The temptation on the part of the parent is to back off and compromise. But that's not what Jesus did with the townspeople. He spoke the truth in love and accepted their response. So it is with those in our lives. At times we must speak the hard but loving truth others need to hear even if we know they will lash out. In the end, challenging them with compassion and truth may ultimately win them over. We do not know what ultimately happened to those townspeople who tried to kill Jesus that day out of anger, but it is entirely possible that the extreme emotion they experienced eventually led them to the truth.Reflect, today, upon the courage and love Jesus had as He directly confronted and challenged His own townspeople for their lack of faith. Try to understand that Jesus' challenge of them was a mercy He offered them to move them from indifference. In your life, are there ways in which you need to be challenged? Are there things you have reacted strongly to and even with a form of rage? Try to see yourself as one of those townspeople who became enraged by our Lord. Be open to any way that you have reacted negatively to that which Jesus has spoken to you. Consider, also, any ways that Jesus may want to use you to speak His clear message of love to another, even if you know it may not immediately be received. Pray for courage, compassion, clarity and love so that you will be able to imitate Jesus as He sought to move those of His own hometown out of the indifference they were experiencing. My challenging Lord, You desire that all Your children turn to You with their whole heart. Your chastisements are acts of mercy meant to move us out of indifference. Please speak to me the truths that I need to hear this day and use me to share Your holy word with others, especially those of my own family. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsRead entire reflection at: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/08/31/an-emotional-reaction-to-jesus-4/

Entrance Hymn #637 How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the LordSequence Hymn #393 Praise Our Great and Gracious LordOffertory Anthem Bless the Lord, O My Soul (Cobb)Communion Anthem The Lord Is My Shepherd (Pote)Post-Communion Hymn #423 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Soloists for today's service: Lawren Casagrande and Margret CelicoTHE COLLECT OF THE DAYGrant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.FIRST READING Isaiah 1:1, 10-20Reader A reading from the Prophet Isaiah.The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me.New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation-- I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.ReaderThe Word of the Lord.PeopleThanks be to...

On the 2nd Saturday of every month, we have an abbreviated Shabbat morning service with no Torah Service or Sermon, so after services the synagogue's members and attendees can do "Nosh n Drash" – a communal discussion of the weekly Torah portion and other writings or ideas related to it. S0 - instead of a sermon, this week we share with you our Rabbi's reading of the weekly Haftarah portion from the Prophet Isaiah 40:1-11,, in the style we read the Torah in Beth El services, based on Nehemiah 8:8's clear description of how The Scriptures were read to Israel. Enjoy!

Read OnlineThe Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. Matthew 12:14–16This passage goes on to say that Jesus withdrew to a more deserted place to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah the Prophet (Isaiah 42:1–4). That prophecy is the first of what is referred to as “The Songs of the Suffering Servant.” In these songs or poems of Isaiah, the Messiah is presented to us as one who would be sent on a mission from God, would suffer injustice for the sake of others, would be rejected, and ultimately be vindicated and exalted. The mission of the Suffering Servant was to bring justice and salvation to all, including to the Gentiles.At that time, the idea of a messianic king was still prominent in the minds of many. They anticipated the coming of a messiah who would be a political leader and would lead the people of Israel out of oppression, making them a free, prosperous and powerful nation. But Jesus acts in the opposite manner. Instead of raising up an army to combat the evil intentions of the Pharisees and to overthrow the Romans, Jesus withdrew from them and invited people to come to Him for healing and to receive His teachings.Jesus perfectly fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah by becoming the Suffering Servant. And because His messianic role was much different than what many people had anticipated, Saint Matthew points us to the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah as a way of clearly showing that Jesus truly was the promised Messiah. He was just not the form of messiah that many expected. He was One Who was humble and gentle of heart. He was One Who would redeem people by the Blood of His Cross. And He was One Who would extend salvation to all people, not only the people of Israel.One lesson this teaches us is that even today we can have false expectations of God. It is easy for us to set forth our own idea of what God should do and what true justice demands. But we also read in Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Is. 55:8–9).Just as it must have been difficult for the people of Israel to come to accept the promised Messiah as a servant Who suffers and Who redeems all people through that suffering, so it is often difficult for us to accept our Lord as He is. It is difficult to shed our own ideas of what we want God to do and this is especially difficult when He calls us to share in His own suffering and servanthood. To serve, suffer, sacrifice our lives, and the like can be difficult to accept. But this is the way of our Lord—it is the way of the Suffering Servant of God.Reflect, today, upon your own expectations of God. Do you have a long list of things that you think God should do? Do you pray for that list of your ideas, thinking that if you only ask enough, God will grant your requests? If your requests flow from His perfect will, then praying for them in faith will bring them about. But if they flow more from you and your own ideas of what God should do, then all the prayers in the world will not bring them to be. If this is your struggle, then try to start anew by turning your eyes to the Servant Who Suffers for the salvation of all. Reflect upon the fact that God's thoughts and ways are most often very far above your own thoughts and ways. Try to humble yourself before the Suffering Servant and abandon all ideas that do not flow from His Heart. My Suffering Servant, I thank You for Your suffering and death and for the redemption that flows from Your sacrifice of love. Help me to shed all false expectations that I have of You, dear Lord, so that I will be guided by You and Your mission of salvation alone. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Pixabay.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed."  That's a passage from the book of Isaiah, and I can't read that without my brain screaming “it's Jesus!” to me… but does it actually predict Jesus' crucifixion, or did Jesus come to be understood as a sacrifice because of the familiarity early Christians had with this book of the Hebrew Bible? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman talks to me about second Isaiah, Jewish prophecy, and whether the writers of the New Testament were influenced by their knowledge of the Hebrew Bible.

Today, we begin reading the book of the prophet Isaiah and the book of Tobit! Fr. Mike helps us understand the historical context of Isaiah's ministry to Judah and the themes of condemnation and consolation in his writings. As we enter the book of Tobit, Fr. Mike emphasizes Tobit's virtuous character. Today we read Isaiah 1-2, Tobit 1-2, and Proverbs 9:7-12. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

 ​* The Prophet Isaiah: Thus saith the Lord. From the first chapter to the last, through this ministry in Judah, God's voice is heard loud and clear. Not surprisingly, the Hebrew prophet Isaiah confronts the church and the political leaders of our day as forcefully as he did 2,700 years ago the ancient nation of Israel. Bob Enyart's verse-by-verse study of the life's work of this great prophet reveals the heart of God. As we turn the pages through the book we learn without any doubt of the LORD's priorities. In this high-quality presentation of these studies, you will hear the question asked: Are God's priorities those of today's religious leaders? Are they yours? So join us as the fascinating chapters fly by from the virgin birth prophecy in Isaiah 7 to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 and from the Lord's First Advent to His Second Coming. Available on audio or video. Today's Resource: Please consider one of our monthly subscriptions that will not only help support BEL, but they also promote better understanding of the Bible and will equip you to be a better witness to those around you. BEL SUBSCRIPTIONS Monthly Audio & Video Downloads: Now you can subscribe to monthly sermons, Bible studies or topical videos in download form.  Monthly Sermons: Enjoy all of Bob's sermons from the month on Sermon Video DVDs, great also to watch with the family. Or, get these on Sermon Audio CDs which are standard audio Compact Discs that will play on any CD player including the one in your car. Or get them on a single Sermon MP3-CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer. Monthly Bible Studies: Enjoy the Scriptures with Bob's Monthly Bible Study DVDs, great too for a small group Bible study. Or get these teachings on a single Monthly Bible Study Audio MP3- CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer. Monthly Topical Videos: Coming to your mailbox, you'll get a Monthly Topical DVD to enjoy one of Bob's great videos specially selected to be entertaining and to teach about life from a biblical worldview. Monthly Best of Bob Shows: Every month our crew selects the eight best BEL shows of the month and for the folks who might have missed some of them, we mail them out on the Best of Bob MP3-CD. Monthly BEL TV Classics: Enjoy Bob Enyart's timeless, popular TV show delivered to your home on the Monthly BEL TV Classics DVDs with great audio and video clarity thanks to our state-of-the-art mastering from the studio-quality Sony beta tapes to DVD! Monthly Donation: For folks who just want to make sure that Bob Enyart Live stays on the air, please consider making a pledge in the form of a Monthly Donation.

Join Deacon Al as he reflects on the intertwining of faith and independence during this 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time. With insights from the Prophet Isaiah and Apostle Paul, Deacon Al delves into the significance of nurturing one's spiritual journey while cherishing freedom and resilience in today's society. In this episode, Deacon Al shares a heartwarming story of community solidarity, exemplifying the teachings of love and generosity within the Catholic Church, through a collective act of kindness towards a dedicated parishioner in need. The episode also highlights the importance of understanding and participating in faith-based community activities, whether it be through OCIA learning courses or supporting Catholic Spirit Radio, thereby deepening one's commitment to personal growth and faith evangelism. Email your questions to Deacon AL:    goodnews@catholicspiritradio.org

Friends of the Rosary,Today ends the official Lenten period. Tomorrow, we enter the Holy Triduum, the three great liturgical days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.Wednesday of Holy Week, traditionally known as Spy Wednesday, reminds us of Judas's treachery, who bargained with the high priest to betray Jesus for thirty silver pieces (Matt 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:1-6).Today's Gospel presents Matthew's description of Judas's secret arrangement to betray the Master and the Lord's Last Supper statement on the betrayer.This Gospel prepares us for the dramatic developments of the Thursday of Holy Week. The reading from the Prophet Isaiah is the third portrayal of the messianic Suffering Servant.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• April 16, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Read OnlineWhen the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. Luke 4:28–30One of the first places Jesus went to begin His public ministry was His own home town. After entering the Synagogue and reading from the Prophet Isaiah, Jesus proclaimed that the prophecy of Isaiah was now fulfilled in His very person. This caused His townspeople to be outraged at Him, thinking He was blaspheming. So they shockingly sought to immediately kill Jesus by driving Him out of their town to the brow of a hill off which they meant to throw Him. But then something fascinating happened. Jesus “passed through the midst of them and went away.”The Father eventually permitted the grave evil of the death of His Son to take place, but only in His time. It's unclear from this passage how Jesus was able to avoid being killed right then at the beginning of His ministry, but what's important to know is that He was able to avoid this because it was not His time. The Father had more for Jesus to do before He would permit Him to offer His life freely for the salvation of the world.This same reality is true for our own lives. God does permit evil to happen, at times, because of the irrevocable gift of free will. When people choose evil, God will allow them to proceed—but always with a caveat. The caveat is that God only permits evil to be inflicted upon others when that evil is able to be ultimately used for God's glory and for some form of good. And it is only permitted in God's time. If we do evil ourselves, choosing sin rather than the will of God, then the evil that we do will end in our own loss of grace. But when we are faithful to God and some external evil is imposed upon us by another, God permits this only when that evil can be redeemed and used for His glory.The best example of this is, of course, the passion and death of Jesus. A far greater good came forth from that event than the evil itself. But it was only permitted by God when the time was right, in accord with God's will. Reflect, today, upon the glorious fact that any evil or any suffering inflicted upon you unjustly can end in the glory of God and the greater salvation of souls. No matter what you may suffer in life, if God permits it, then it is always possible for that suffering to share in the redeeming power of the Cross. Consider any suffering you have endured and embrace it freely, knowing that if God permitted it, then He certainly has some greater purpose in mind. Surrender that suffering over with the utmost confidence and trust and allow God to do glorious things through it. God of all wisdom, I know that You know all things and that all things can be used for Your glory and for the salvation of my soul. Help me to trust You, especially when I endure suffering in life. May I never despair when treated unjustly and may my hope always be in You and in Your power to redeem all things. Jesus, I trust in You.James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Fr. Mike takes us through the last chapter of Isaiah by explaining how our emotions can sometimes get in the way of us responding well to those around us. This means mourning with those who mourn, and rejoicing with those who rejoice, as Isaiah teaches us in preparation for the coming of Christ. Today's readings are Isaiah 66, Ezekiel 25-26, and Proverbs 14:1-4. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Fr. Mike compares the messages of Isaiah and Ezekiel, one coming from a pre-exile time and the other from a post-exile time. Even though they are coming from two very different points in salvation history, they both are persistent in speaking the Word of God, and sharing his consolation with the people of Israel. Today's readings are Isaiah 41-42, Ezekiel 2-3, and Proverbs 12:1-4. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.