Podcasts about prophet samuel

“We want a king like the other nations!” The nation of Israel turns its back on God's leadership and calls for a king to be chosen from among them. But following God's direction, the Prophet Samuel makes an unlikely choice—a man whose last job was rounding up wild donkeys!View this week's Tools for Parents: The Story of Saul

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TAKE YOUR OIL AND GO!!! Two cannot walk together unless they're in agreement, and some associations have reached an expiration. Anointing a new King was not easy for the Prophet Samuel bc he had such an intimate rapport with Saul- considering him a spiritual son. Yet God is no respecter of persons, so when someone deviates from His will and ways- the best thing for us to do is depart!!! Trust that God has gone ahead of you and chosen someone better boo!!! DO NOT ACCEPT WHO GOD REJECTS!!! Stay blessed, not stressed. ❤️‍

The Background of Samuel the ProphetSamuel's Family BackgroundSamuel's Childhood in the House of the LORDSamuel's Call By GOD

Stress is affecting so many people – in fact, it's a global pandemic. And what we've all discovered is that the shallow, band aid solutions that the world offers us, simply don't work. What we need is power. Power to deal with the stress in our lives, once and for all.   Have a Cheerful Heart Sometimes we need to be pretty direct, pretty blunt about dealing with the blockages in our lives that are interrupting the flow of the power of God in our life. Because God means to bring all His power to bear to deal with the stress that we suffer from, but sometimes, we're working against Him and then we're wondering – hang on, where's that power that Jesus promised? So … … Sorry to be a bit blunt here, but it doesn't hurt every now and then we need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves some questions like that. So – are you one of those people that exudes joy or sadness; a positive outlook, or a negative outlook; encouragement or discouragement? Which one are you? Are you a sad sack? Or do you fluctuate between the two – up on the mountain-tops one day, down in the dumps the next? The reason I'm asking is that if you're someone who spends more than a little time down in the dumps, then it's having an impact on you … it's having an impact on the people around you … and it's having an impact on your relationship with them. That's pretty far-reaching. Because if we damage relationships, we damage career prospects, we damage marriages, we damage our children. This is serious stuff. Stress is debilitating and a negative, untrusting attitude that focuses on the problem rather than the on the God who can make all the difference, interrupts the power that He wants to pour out on us. On top of that, the world wants us to believe that we can wave a magic wand and make stress disappear. Here's what one of those body and soul web sites recommends. Ten quirky stress busters it's called. Chew gum, eat chocolate (oh that'll be just fine and dandy when you come down off your sugar high), get a cat, keep a diary, do some yoga, hum a tune, blow up a balloon, snack on walnuts (Well, that is a lot better than sugar filled gum and chocolate I have to admit), have a laugh or ring your mum. Oh please … stress is so much deeper and more profound in our lives. It's a constant companion for many, many people – everything stresses them, or if not everything, then they go through prolonged periods of stress over one or two very important issues or situations in their lives. You've probably figured out that eating walnuts (as good as that maybe for you) is not going to solve the problems in your life or relieve your stress. At least I'm hoping you have. You see the world's answer to stress is to conjure something up out of nothing. Or to apply en external band-aid, to heal a deep, internal wound. Have you ever had this experience? You're driving along in the car and it's bright and sunny – so you pop your sunglasses on. But gradually the clouds roll in and at some point you're thinking, it is so dark and gloomy today. Then you realise you're wearing your sunnies so you take them off and it's only then you realise that it's nowhere near as dark and gloomy as you thought it was. Sure the clouds have rolled in, sure it's overcast, but not that dark and gloomy. The attitudes of our hearts are a lot like those sunglasses. Some people are walking through difficult times, with a gloomy, darkened heart, and so the whole experience feels about a hundred times worse than what it really is. God knows that and that's why He's concerned over the state of your heart. Have a listen to some of the things He says in His Word about what's going on in your heart: An anxious heart weighs you down, but a kind word, cheers you up. (Proverbs 12:25) A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:13) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22) God's interested in the state of your heart. He's interested in what's going on in your life. Now last time we chatted about how to get God's peace guarding your heart and your mind – do you remember? Philippians Chapter 4, verses 6 and 7: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Simply by praying instead of worrying, giving thanks, laying out our worries and concerns and needs openly before God, He will replace the fear and stress and worry with His peace which will actually guard your heart and your mind. Imagine, God's peace standing guard around you to keep worry and stress away. That's a pretty good deal. But what the Apostle Paul goes on to say straight after that – writing as he is from his cell on death row – is equally instructive in terms of how to foster that peace and how to keep the cheerfulness and joy that God's peace brings, strong in our inside. Philippians 4:8,9: Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. So, instead of mulling over the bad stuff and what might go wrong, think about the good stuff. Now, you might say to me, I can't control what I think. Sure you can. When you find yourself thinking about something negative, you can choose to think about something positive. Try it, it actually works – and if you're struggling you go back to prayer and the Holy Spirit, who is – remember – guarding your heart and mind with God's peace, that same Holy Spirit is right there in you to be a part of that and to help you. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as your counsellor and comforter. And now the exciting thing that happens, is that we get benefit from that on the inside, but other people, the people around us get benefit from that as it oozes out of us on the outside. Do you want to be glum? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life being downcast? Do you want to be feeling down in the dumps all the time? Of course you don't. So now you implement these two simple things – pray instead of worrying, and when you find your mind wandering into the down things, grab it back – with the help of the Holy Spirit who is on your inside and who's on your side – and focus it on the good stuff. The stuff that God is about in your life. The things that bring you joy, the things that God's doing, God's faithfulness, the fantastic things He's done in the past. And now, you are living a much, much better life on the inside. You're at peace. Your heart is cheerful – Jesus wants you to have a cheerful heart. Remember what He said to His disciples, John 16:33: In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. So, now your life is much better, now this peace and joy is oozing out of you, and all of a sudden – you can't help it – you want to encourage others. You're having an impact on their life: A cheerful look brings joy to the heart and good news gives health to the bones. (Proverbs 15:30) So the cheerful look on your face is going to bring joy to someone else's heart. The encouraging word that you give to them, the good news that you can share with them, is going to give health and life to their bones. Your joy touches their lives. Your life improves. Their life improves. Your relationship with them improves. All because you took the time and the wisdom of God to lay hold of the peace and the joy that God has for you. Talk about a stress buster! Not bad, eh? And on top of all that, the Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is your strength. Do you get it? When we let the joy of God fill us amidst the gloom, all of a sudden, we experience His strength, and His power.   Lift Up Your Eyes Well, over these last few weeks, we've been chatting about how to deal with the stress in our lives. Not that all stress is bad – some stress from time to time helps to get things done, gets us to sharpen our game and deliver and perform. Think about an athlete about to run the 100 metre dash at the Olympics will harness that nervous energy, let's call it, as they line up on the starting blocks. That's a good thing. It's just not good, if we're constantly living our lives under stress. And so we've been chatting –in this series that I've called Stress Busters – about dealing with the root cause of the stress. No band-aid solutions, like listening to soothing music, or having a nice cup of tea, or patting your cat. They're all nice and lovely, but when we're under real stress, all those things do is alleviate the symptoms for a short time. What we need, is to deal with the root cause of the stress. Now immediately people think stress, root cause – oh right. It's that person, that situation, that medical diagnosis, that thing out there – that's what I have to deal with. Well, perhaps you do. But pressure and stress are two different things. Those things out there put pressure on us. But stress is all about how we react to them, so if we're looking for the root cause of our stress, it lies inside us, in our hearts, in our minds. In what we feel and what we think. So we've chatted in this series about some real, stress busters. Things that deal with the root cause. Learning to trust in God. Learning how to develop a quiet confidence in Him and how to pray the prayer of peace. How to have a cheerful heart – if you missed any of those messages, you'll find them all in the Series Stress Busters on our website christianityworks.com. So … I'd like to bring all of those lessons together in a practical, case study if you will, by sharing the story of a woman called Hannah. She was the Prophet Samuel's mother in the Old Testament of the Bible. But as with many of the great things that God is doing, Samuel's entry into the world wasn't an easy one. At least, not for Hannah. It was a very stressful time. In fact, she was deeply, deeply distressed over a long period of time. So just sit back and have a listen to her story – it's real, it's stressful … and it's beautiful. Here we go, 1 Samuel 1:1–18: There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.  Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?' After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: 'O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and do not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.' As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, ‘How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.' But Hannah answered, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.' So Eli answered, ‘Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.' And she said, ‘Let your servant find favour in your sight.' Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer. It's a beautiful story isn't it? You can't help but feel for Hannah and what she was going through. It was a really big thing in that culture for her not to be able to have a child. The basic belief was that if you were a good person who honoured God, He would bless you with many children. But if you weren't, He wouldn't. So Hannah was looked down upon by all in sundry. Particularly, Penniniah, her rival we're told. The other wife who was delivering plenty of sons. Just imagine how much stress this was putting on Hannah. Firstly, she couldn't have children – any woman whose body clock is ticking and who desperately wants kids but can't have them – knows how devastating that is, just on it's own. But now add to that the constant niggling and whispering and derision from ‘her rival' – there they were, these two women, competing for their husband's affections – I just can't begin to imagine what an awful, additional layer of stress that heaped on Hannah. And then there were the social and religious expectations – everyone treating her like she was some sinner or leper. She could have spent the rest of her life wallowing in that morass of pain and self-pity. But Hannah took some decisive action. She poured it all out to God. Instead of constantly looking down at her terrible circumstances, she lifted her gaze and looked up to Him and, deeply distressed we're told, poured her heart out to God and asked Him to do something. And before she even got an answer, before she even fell pregnant, listen again to the impact of this prayer on her whole being, on her countenance, on her life: Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer. There you have it. The peace that passes all understanding. She did exactly what Paul the Apostle counselled his friends in Philippi to do over two thousand years later: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God and the peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7,8) We don't need to clean up our act before we go to God. We don't have to be all confidence and self-assured and ‘together'. He just calls us to come as we are and pour it all out. And you should never, ever be afraid to do that. In fact elsewhere, in the New Testament book of Hebrews, this is what God says to us about this very thing: Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) Don't you love that word – with boldness. So as our time in this series – Stress Busters – draws to a close, let me counsel you to do exactly the same. Do what Hannah did – lift up your eyes and pour your stress out on God, and my friend, He will act. And whatever the outcome to your stressful situation, He will give you peace. That's just what He does. God is a God who brings His power to bear for the people whom He loves – His people, the people who have put their trust in Jesus His Son. He doesn't always take away the person or the situation that causes the stress, but what He does do, is He works in our hearts, He gives us strength and courage and joy and peace and power to remove the stress. But there's one thing … on thing that robs us of all that. And that's the thing we're going to talk about.   Blackout Have you ever been in a power blackout? Here where I live, they're quite rare. But in many parts of the world, they're a daily occurrence and in some parts of the world, there's no power at all. I travel quite a bit and I regularly find myself in places where there's no power or there are constant blackouts. In a sense, you get used to it pretty quickly. When you're sitting and talking in a meeting and the power goes out, you just keep on talking until either the generator cuts in, or … if there's no generator, until the power comes back on. It's just a fact of life. You learn to live with it. But when I come back home again, to a place where the power almost never goes out, I have to tell you, it's a much, much better way to live. I think in the three years that I've been living in our current apartment, we've lost power perhaps once or twice. Many people are living their lives, spiritually, emotionally, morally, either in a state of regular power outages, blackouts, or in a place without any power at all. And the thing that flicks the switch on God's power in their lives, is their sin. Have a listen to this, the Apostle Paul, Ephesians 1:17–21: I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. Paul's praying that his friends in Ephesus would realise the certain hope, the riches of their inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of God's power that they already have in Christ. The very same power that raised Jesus from the dead and put Him above everything and everyone. Do you see – God means to bring that power, that life-giving power, to bear in your life, to give you the new life that Jesus died and rose again to give you. But when we rebel against God, when we turn our backs on Him through our sin, the power stops. Why? What good father would continue to reward and bless his child when the child is rebelling? As much as the father loves the child, he stops the flow of blessing, so that the child will realise its mistake, and come back to him. It's what dads do. And it's the same with God: Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:7) One of the most stressful things that we can ever do is to rebel against God – we talked about that earlier in this series. And as God calls us back to Him, often He turns the heat up on our stress, as we live through the consequences of our sin and our rebellion. When we keep struggling against and kicking against God, when we run away from His goodness and His plans for our life, man, be prepared for a wilderness experience, right? And I know that there are a few people in that place right at the moment. You're experiencing extreme stress, because you've turned your back on God. Well, in a moment we're going to pray together. And this is what we're going to pray about. Peter said to them: ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'. (Acts 2:38) Do you see, when you repent, when you turn back to God, He promises you the power, the power of the Holy Spirit. The greatest stress buster of them all.

We wrap up our New Years short series that examines the past, present and future of the church by comparing them to King Saul, the Prophet Samuel and David as found in 1st Samuel 16:1. We also use this comparison to look where individual Christians might find their devotional and relationship to God as it relates to yesterday, today or tomorrow. This final message looks at the church of tomorrow by examining Samuel's anointing the young shepherd boy David as the next King of Israel. From 1st Samuel 16:1-13. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

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Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-02-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Twentieth-Year Anniversary of Matt Doing Radio by God's Grace/ Missing Children of 1914 and an RCC Apparition?/Matt Reads the Fatima and OtherApparitions/ Did King Saul Talk to The Prophet Samuel?/ Why Do People Accuse T.D. Jakes of Heresy?/ Matt Explains John 20:23/ January 2, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-02-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Twentieth-Year Anniversary of Matt Doing Radio by God's Grace/ Missing Children of 1914 and an RCC Apparition?/Matt Reads the Fatima and OtherApparitions/ Did King Saul Talk to The Prophet Samuel?/ Why Do People Accuse T.D. Jakes of Heresy?/ Matt Explains John 20:23/ January 2, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-02-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Twentieth-Year Anniversary of Matt Doing Radio by God's Grace/ Missing Children of 1914 and an RCC Apparition?/Matt Reads the Fatima and Other Apparitions/ Did King Saul Talk to The Prophet Samuel?/ Why Do People Accuse T.D. Jakes of Heresy?/ Matt Explains John 20:23/ January 2, 2025

Prophet Samuel Ackatia-Kwaidoo, affectionately called Prophet Sam by loved ones, is a gifted international student from Ghana who goes by the producer name Peechytunez. A versatile music producer, Peechytunez is passionate about creating unique sounds across sonics such as Afrobeats, Hip Hop, Lo-fi, Boom Bap, Dancehall, and Pop.  Balancing his creative pursuits with academic excellence, Prophet Samuel serves as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Chemistry at Gordon College. This role reflects his dedication to both mentorship and his aspiration to become a surgeon and serve the body of Christ. Tune in to the Outcast Podcast to hear his inspiring story and how he bridges faith, music, and academics to impact lives. 

Have you ever wondered if you would have listened to Samuel the Lamanite? Join Candis this week as she dives into his powerful teachings exploring how daily repentance can bring you closer to Christ, the importance of choosing to follow Him amidst worldly noise, and the incredible prophecies Samuel shared about Christ's birth and death. Plus gain insights into how people responded to Samuel's message and what that means for us today.Go & Do ChallengeRepentChoose ChristIgnore the world and listen and follow the voice of living prophets, joining our voice with theirsEpisode LinksCome, Follow Me—Sept 9-15Faithful to the End— Sister SpannausBe One with Christ—Elder Quentin L. CookWe love to hear from you! Send Candis a fan mail.If you like what you hear don't forget to follow and leave us a review!We want to hear from you!Share your thoughts, experiences, etc with us at @goanddopodcast on IG or send us an email at thegoanddopodcast@gmail.com

Today, our episode's all about discipleship around political engagement, based on a series of Bible studies Jonathan and his team at his real job recently created for this election season and beyond. Some points we hit:-        Why it is essential for our political action to understand  we were not created for this world-        Why followers of Jesus won't overemphasize the importance of political victories and losses-        The reality that we are all connected to each other and God desires everyone's political liberation-        And, after that discussion, we dive into a recommendation from one of our recent newsletters on the fallout from Israel's torture of Hamas operativesCredits-            Follow KTF Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Subscribe to get our bonus episodes and other benefits at KTFPress.com.-        Follow host Jonathan Walton on Facebook Instagram, and Threads.-        Follow host Sy Hoekstra on Mastodon.-        Our theme song is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra – listen to the whole song on Spotify.-        Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess – follow her and see her other work on Instagram.-        Editing by Multitude Productions-        Transcripts by Joyce Ambale and Sy Hoekstra.-        Production by Sy Hoekstra and our incredible subscribersTranscript Introduction[An acoustic guitar softly plays six notes in a major scale, the first three ascending and the last three descending, with a keyboard pad playing the tonic in the background. Both fade out as Jonathan Walton says “This is a KTF Press podcast.”]Jonathan Walton: If we are clear-eyed about the brokenness of the world, I would love for us to be as clear-eyed about the bigness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't think our concept of sin and our concept of redemption is actually mature enough to deal with the problems of the world.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: Welcome to Shake the Dust, seeking Jesus, confronting injustice. I'm Jonathan Walton.Sy Hoekstra: And I'm Sy Hoekstra. I'm so excited about what we're gonna be talking about today. We have concluded our series of interviews with authors from the anthology that we published in 2020 about Christianity and politics in the era of Trump. For the next several five or six episodes until the election, you will be hearing more from the two of us. We'll probably have a couple more interviews, but it will not be from those authors. But today, we are jumping into something that I think is very core to what we do at KTF Press. We're talking about political discipleship and how the ways that some stuff that we maybe in some churches relegate to the realm of personal salvation, like the incarnation and the death and resurrection of Jesus, actually have a whole lot to say about how we engage politically. But before we get to all of that, Jonathan.Jonathan Walton: Remember, if you like what you hear and what you read from KTF Press, and would like for it to continue beyond this election season, please go to KTFPress.com and become a paid subscriber and encourage your friends to subscribe as well. We've got a ways to go if we're gonna have enough people to sustain this work, but we believe this work is valuable for us and for you, and so we hope that you do too. Go to KTFPress.com, that'll get you the bonus episodes of this show, access to monthly Zoom chats with the two of us and more, but only if you are subscribed. So again, go to KTFPress.com, subscribe today.The Bible Studies Jonathan's Team Created about Christian Political EngagementSy Hoekstra: All right. So Jonathan, this conversation is actually coming from some work that you are doing in your regular job with InterVarsity. First of all, remind people what you do with InterVarsity [laughter], and then tell people about these resources that you've produced and kind of what the goal of them is.Jonathan Walton: So I'm a Senior Resource Specialist with InterVarsity. And what that looks like is when there are some significant problems, then those things get sent up to the discipleship and leadership team to think about, and one of the things in our sandbox is political discipleship. And so for the last six months, we've been working on a curriculum that folks will be able to use to not just see and seek Jesus during this election season, but actually be formed into people who can see Jesus on the seat in our image as a seat of a stool with three legs, and on the seat. The Lord over our feelings, over our thoughts, over our actions, is Jesus. And so this five part Bible study really leans into that and prayerfully will push people to make that decision, to say, “Oh yes, if I'm a follower of Jesus, then my orthopathy, my orthodoxy and my orthopraxy will be under the Lordship of Jesus.”Sy Hoekstra: You just said three big words. I think a lot of people know that orthodoxy kind of means right belief, and orthopraxy kind of means right practiceJonathan Walton: Yep.Sy Hoekstra: Orthopathy, what does that mean?Jonathan Walton: Orthopathy, which most of us function on is our feelings and passions. So what does it look like for us to actually say, “I feel uncomfortable, I feel afraid, I feel sad.” And instead of acting out of that feeling and then forming a theology that justifies our actions that were based on our feelings of fear or anxiety or discomfort or loss of control, we actually said, “Oh, I feel afraid of this,” or “I feel uncomfortable about this, but I can actually put that fear, that discomfort, that anger, under the seat of Jesus,” and be able to have our thoughts and actions be in line with the kingdom of God, and not just in line with our deepest wounds or whims.Sy Hoekstra: Okay, so that is some helpful context. You have created these Bible studies as part of your job as a resource developer, and we will have links to those Bible studies that are available for free online. So if you wanna do a five session Bible study with a small group or whatever, you can go get Jonathan's stuff and talk about politics with your small group, which I think everybody should be doing right now [laughter], at least if you live in the United States. Not everybody that listens to the show is in the United States, but for all the Americans, go do that, please. Oh, and actually, sorry you didn't write these. You were part of the team that developed these.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: The actual writing was done by other people, but you were very involved in the process.We Were Not Created for This World, and That Affects Our PoliticsSy Hoekstra: So let's get into one of the main ideas here, which I think is, let's talk about some of the implications of the idea that we were not created for the world that we live in. This is kind of a big deal I think, in your thinking, and I would like you to tell us what, first of all, what kind of world were we created for, and then what does that imply for our politics?We Were Created for a World Where Everything Existed in HarmonyJonathan Walton: One of the things that gets lost in most of our theology about the quote- unquote, fall is that we don't engage as much with what the world could have looked like if we had not, quote- unquote, fallen. And so I like to think about every possible thing in the world that is broken and not working well, what if it had been working just fine? So let's imagine for a moment that work, like Adam and Eve in the Garden doing the stuff, was good. Like work was good. Let's imagine for a moment that a man never blamed the problem on a woman, and a woman never blamed the problem on the man. Let's imagine a world free of shame, jealousy, deceit and blaming. Let's lean into that slim window in Scripture and that slim window and stories that were passed down for generations, and generations where there was no deceit.We could know one another and be known. We could forgive, because I don't imagine that no one got hurt, but I imagine though, is people were quick to forgive and quick to ask for forgiveness. To be able to live in harmony with the world, that includes that big Shalom theology, where there's peace in me, there's peace between me and others, there's peace between me and creation, there's peace between me and God. There's reconciliation, there's Shalom there. And so since we do not have that world, the world that we currently live in is one that we will have constant dissonance with.We Must Be People Who Rejoice When Empires FallJonathan Walton: So fast forward all the way to Revelation 18,19, and 20, when quote unquote, Babylon, or the Empire is destroyed.And there are people that are weeping over Babylon, and there are people that are rejoicing that Babylon has been destroyed. Followers of Jesus need to be in the camp that says we are rejoicing that Babylon is destroyed. Hallelujah, salvation and glory be unto our God. If we are those people that say, “Ah, you know what? We're so sad that all the spices and all the products and all the slaves are no longer being brought to our shores to serve us,” then you suffer under the judgment of God. The judgment of God says these systems are unjust. A lot of followers of Jesus and other folks don't like to talk about the judgment of God, but I will be honest, I am totally fine talking about the judgment of God when talking about destroying unjust systems and structures in the world [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: Like Jesus, let that come as quickly as possible. So in Amos via Martin Luther King, how most people recognize it, let justice roll down like a mighty stream. That's what we are talking about. When these systems of injustice and violence are washed away. We were not made to be exploited or to exploit other people. We were not made to dominate, destroy, rule and violate. That's not what it is. And so that's what I mean when we say we should have dissonance with this world that we are in because we were not made for this nonsense that we experience regularly.Sy Hoekstra: And then our politics should reflect that dissonance.We Should Not Be Seduced by ColonialismJonathan Walton: Yes. Our politics should reflect that dissonance, and what we should not do is be seduced by coloniality. And here's what I mean by that. Aníbal Quijano, who was a Peruvian sociologist and scholar on coloniality, talked about the seduction of European colonialism, such as that, even though you take colonialism away, we cannot imagine ourselves independent of that colonized structure being in place. And so if we look around the world, the sun never set on the British Empire in that way, there are entire people groups including Black people in the United States, who it's very difficult to imagine life outside of the stratified, segregated society that we find ourselves in.And so for me, I think when we think about our political systems, and we talked about this before on the podcast, one of the things we need a radical revolution of is imagination. Like to be able to imagine a different way of share, like mutual aid, reciprocity. Being able to say, “You know, what? What if I'm not a wage earner in a society, I am still valuable.” Sy, you've talked about this in your essays about disability. Like, what would it look like for us not to see the CEO and the kid with down syndrome as equally valuable for God, even though one of them contributes more to the GDP, like we need to lean into that. And so when we make decisions in politics, we actually need to wrestle with that dissonance as opposed to trying to impose a perfect will in an imperfect world, because it will not exist or come to pass.We Should Always Be Unsatisfied with Political Outcomes, and Be Aware We Don't Control ThemSy Hoekstra: Yeah. So I think one of the things that you and I have talked about that is basically how we will almost always be unsatisfied with the decisions and the activity that we engage in in politics.Jonathan Walton: Yes, and that is okay [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, exactly. Right. That's part of it. You should be that way, is what we're saying.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: You shouldn't be someone who votes wholeheartedly like, what I'm rejecting right now is people who are just like, “Yes, Trump is God's man. We're with him 100 percent. He's gonna do all the stuff we need him to do.” There isn't really a Christian equivalent to that on the left, or I would reject that as well, if anyone was saying that same thing with that same level of fervor about Kamala Harris [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: But well, we'll talk about how there is still some idolatry on the left, but we'll get into that nuance in a second. I just want to emphasize this point, that it's the lack of satisfaction with our votes and the lack of satisfaction with outcomes of activism isn't just what you should expect, it's reflecting a reality in a good way [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: That you are not… you know what I mean? You're always going to feel that tension because you were made to be loved and treated with justice and kindness and generosity and to do the same for others, and that is fundamentally not how our system ever works.Jonathan Walton: Exactly.Sy Hoekstra: We will know that we don't have control over the systems that we have. We should know that [laughs]. We should go into our political engagement with that in the front of our minds, that we don't control the outcomes, and we shouldn't be surprised when they don't come out exactly the way we want them to. But again, when we were talking about this, another thing you pointed out was we also don't have control over God and how God affects the outcomes that God wants to affect [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: We don't know how that's going to happen. So a political loss for us does not necessarily mean anything about God or God's plans, right?Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: So that is kind of the hopeful other side of that coin that I was just talking about. And that doesn't mean by the way, that we don't make clear decisions in certain contexts and be like, “No, this person is absolutely better than this person.” I have no problem saying that. You know what I mean? I feel like sometimes when you talk about being a citizen of the kingdom, there's a lot of like, especially White Christians, who will say that kind of means that we should never really judge anybody's choices at all [laughter], and I fully disagree with that [laughs], because in a given context, someone can be much better than somebody else. They're just not perfect.We Should Want to Make Things Better in Small Ways and Do as Little Harm as PossibleJonathan Walton: Well, the only other thing I'll say, and this actually may apply to later questions in the conversation as well. But I had a conversation, I was one of the keynote speakers for the Community Boost nonprofit leaders conference this week. And one of the speakers, she was on the panel I was moderating, her name is Jennifer Jones Austin. She's the Executive Director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare organizations in New York City.Sy Hoekstra: Gotcha.Jonathan Walton: She used to have a position in corrections in New York City as an advocate [laughs]. She said, “It is my job in this space,” holding her faith in all these things she possibly can, she said “This system is toxic, it's broken, it is terrible, and in so much as I can, I will prevent all harm that I can. And if I also could do incrementally better, then I will do that, knowing full well that this is not the kingdom of God, and I will be wholly dissatisfied with all the things, even the progress, quote- unquote, progress that I'm able to make.” And I think that is a sobering embrace of the realities of where we stand as followers of Jesus who are able to and in so far as we are willing to actually participate in the change of the systems and structures that we are in.So that's Priscilla with education. She is going to [laughs], in Jesus name, do as little harm as she possibly can and make as much progress, quote- unquote, progress as she possibly can.Sy Hoekstra: This is your wife, who's the principal of a school for people who don't know.Jonathan Walton: Yes, and I've recognized also that this is me within InterVarsity, an evangelical organization in the United States that fully participates in the system of this country. Like philanthropy is broken, giving is broken. We all know these systems will not usher in the kingdom of God. At the same time, we are called to participate and reflect the kingdom of God as best as we can. And so I think as we vote, as we enter in, as you were saying, we do not have control over the system, we do not have control over God, but we do control if we are obedient to him and faithfully wrestle with what it looks like to follow him in context. Because, as Munther Isaac, Palestinian theologian, prophet, amazing person said, a theology without context is irrelevant, and we are doing our best to live out of theology in our context.Sy Hoekstra: Both of us saw him speak last week, or I guess when you're hearing this, it'll be two weeks ago at Riverside Church, and it was incredible. And one or two of the things Jonathan has said so far, are certainly inspired by Reverend Isaac. If you look at our newsletter from the 23rd you can watch the entire talk on YouTube. It's incredible. I really suggest everyone does it. When Jonathan says he's a prophet, that's not…Jonathan Walton: Oh, I'm not joking. Yeah [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: It's not an exaggeration. It's like the word prophet is something that gets thrown around a lot, and it can be grandiose when you apply to certain people. This man fits the bill [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Yes.Why Christians Shouldn't Overemphasize Political Wins and LossesSy Hoekstra: Okay, so let's get into another point that we were talking about that I think is important when it comes to political discipleship, especially in this moment of heightened tension in the election. Which is there are so many ways that understanding yourself as a citizen of the kingdom of God makes you less likely to overemphasize political victories and losses. And you can err to one side in the way that Trump does, which is what I was talking about before, or the way that Trump supporters do, where they can say, “Trump being elected will basically be our political salvation [laughs]. We will be fine. Our power will be given back to us the way that we deserve, our enemies shall be defeated,” etcetera, etcetera.But like I also said, there are ways that the left does this and there are ways that the right does this when it's not Trump and we're not in a sort of cult of personality situation. So can you talk to us about what overemphasizing political victories and losses looks like, and why understanding the kingdom helps you avoid doing that, making that mistake?Our Hope Is Not in Political Victories or Material ProsperityJonathan Walton: Yeah, absolutely. So I think the way the right predominantly does this is using salvific language like, “We are going to save you.” And so there's this identification alliance with right wing rapture theology that says, we just need to be redeemed from the world or going back to something that is more holy, just, beautiful, righteous and good. Usually for White evangelicals, that's around 1958. 1958 was the peak of White evangelical and White American leadership and ownership of all these different things in the United States. And so that reality that many people in the current day White evangelical movement are trying to get back to. 1958 also signals what the left tries to do.1958 was the advent of the civil rights movement coming into the mainstream of the United States when Martin Luther King wrote, when White evangelicals in the United States had to contend with Martin Luther King. So Jerry Falwell writing, segregation or not, like which is it, and then doubling down on segregation. But from 1958 you can begin to see this surging of the rights of women being talked about, the rights of people of color being talked about. Then you get into quote- unquote, the sexual revolution, feminist revolution of the 70s and 80s, like music changing into a way that there's television, things to be broadcast. Folks being shocked that the people they listen to on the radio are people of color, like you start to get this change [laughs].And so what the right says is salvation, the left says is progress. And so pastors and people who push towards more progressivism and politicians who don't read in context like to pull out that piece when Martin Luther King says, the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice. We take that out, and basically what that does is a soft baptism of generational superiority. Meaning that I'm better than the last generation, and the generation after me will be better, when scripture does not say that. Ecclesiastes says there's nothing new under the sun. There have always been people fighting against slavery, oppression, abuse and violence, and there have always been people who are trying to impose those systems, whether they be the Roman government or the American government or the Spartans or the Cretans, it doesn't matter who it is.This has always been the same argument and fight. The Nazis before, the Americans today, Israelis one day, slaveholders another day, Palestinians one day, enslaved Africans another day. The reality is this has always been going back and forth. The invitation has always been the same, to follow Jesus. That's the invitation. There isn't a like, “Man, you know what? In 1950, it was really bad.” That's what progressives would say, “But we've come a long way, and we're continuing forward, onward and upward.” And then conservatives would say, “Oh, man, you know it used to be this way. Let me go back to my little town and…” but both of those are salvation narratives that actually don't leave us saved. They don't. Jesus is the only way.They don't leave us saved, because the salvation of Jesus is ultimate and all encompassing at once. The quote- unquote, safety that moral progressivism or conservatism offers us is for a few, for moments in time. The only thing in my estimation, as an individual that has read a little bit and prayed a lot is the only thing that has been as pervasive and adopted by so many people is colonialism. The idea of White supremacy, the idea that we need to exploit and violate, the idea that we need to extract as much as possible and we deserve to accumulate at an unfettered pace, that is pervasive across cultures, backgrounds and narratives. That has been carried everywhere even more so than the gospel.And so I would hope that the salvation of all things through Christ would be as comprehensive and fierce as the salvation through works. So it's life, liberty and pursuit of property slash our own comfort equals happiness, or take up your cross, deny yourself and follow me, they are fundamentally opposed to each other.Sy Hoekstra: That was good and deep, and I love it. Let me drill down for a second on the progressivism, because I think some people would hear you say, and you've explained this a little bit, but I mean, some people hear you say, things haven't gotten better, or things took off in some fundamental and helpful way in the 60s, that that's not something that we should think of as salvation. And they might kind of go, “What does he mean by that? I don't know. That's a little…” Because I know you are saying things have gotten better.Jonathan Walton: Oh, yeah. Absolutely.Sy Hoekstra: Like, obviously, there are people who materially did a whole lot better [laughs] after the Civil Rights Movement.Jonathan Walton: Yes. Absolutely. Right.Sy Hoekstra: But what you are saying is, when you are clear-eyed about the amount of harm that the hierarchies and systems of oppression do in this country globally, there are so many things to be concerned about and so many things to deeply lament that the true and good and incredible thing that Black people can vote now [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes, me and you can have this conversation [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, all those kinds of things. Those things are incredible and should be celebrated, and there are just so many other things that are so wrong and terrible.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: You're just being clear-eyed about the world as it is.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: Because you can do that, because you're not looking toward a narrative of progressivism to assure you that you are okay.Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yes. The fundamental container that you and I find ourselves in has improved. That's true.Sy Hoekstra: You and I, like meaning literally you and I.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, me and you. Literally, Sy Hoekstra and Jonathan Walton, the container that we find ourselves in has improved since the lives of our parents. My momma was not born with all of her rights, I was born with all of mine, to an extent in this country. That container has gotten better. The container is still on this side of heaven, which means it's incomplete.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: So can I celebrate, and I do celebrate, the reality that I could go to a bank and get a mortgage and it would be illegal if they discriminated against me and my wife for being people of color, that is awesome. I can celebrate the fact that my wife can get a credit card in her own name, and my daughters will be able to as well. That was something that was illegal. go look it up. I appreciate that. At the same time, let me not be seduced to think that this is the container I was made for because I wasn't. I was made for Genesis 1.Sy Hoekstra: Or seduced into a kind of softer, subtler idolatry of America.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: Or the West, or the societies that we live in, or wealth, or whatever it is that you think has made things more comfortable for you.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Good Political Fruit that Comes with Putting Hope in JesusSy Hoekstra: The reason I spent so much time on that is it's a complicated idea, but I think it's important for people to understand, because it really does free you from the problems that inevitably come when you sort of think, let's say Harris gets elected. We're just like, “Oh, good. We staved off Trump, we beat back fascism. We defeated it, hooray.” [laughs] It stops you from looking at the long history of America and saying no, fascism, authoritarianism, like real oppression of people is a normal part of the DNA of this country, and will continue to come back, and we need to continue to be ready to fight it all the time.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: It does not ever go away, and if you want to sit in comfort and say, “Good, we finally did it,” or “I can rest now,” you can't. You're being seduced into something that is not true [laughter]. And also, being clear-eyed in this way also stops you from doing something that people complain about progressives doing all the time, which is show up to your door every four years or every two years, and ask for your vote, and then not do anything to actually fight the oppression that you're under on a daily basis once they're elected [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: If you're clear-eyed in this way, you can fight for people's flourishing 365 days a year…Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: …and every year. What I'm just doing now is talking about some of the good fruit that comes from letting go of these sort of soft political idols that sometimes people have. Because, I think… And the reason I say soft political idols, they're just political idols, but I think people look at the obviousness and the brazenness of the way that people idolize Trump and Christian power in America, and they think, “I'm not doing that in any similar way,” and a lot of us actually are.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: So that's why I'm harping on this.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. And two sentences that I hope will help people as well, is that the reason we're saying this too is because what will drive you is actually hope in the right stuff, as opposed to ending up with putting, literally, for me, like my hope in Obama. I remember the posters, like I was excited.Sy Hoekstra: Do you remember that music video?Jonathan Walton: Which one? There were many.Sy Hoekstra: The “Yes We Can” music video.Jonathan Walton: Oh, yes, yes, yes. I do remember that.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah [laughs]. I remember that in particular, I remember you being so excited and emotional about that video, and then later coming back to me and being like, “I should not have cared about that video that much,” [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right. But man, it is attractive. Like Lil Jon at the DNC right now is there to seduce a certain group of people [Sy laughs]. And Kid Rock is just, let's swap out Kid Rock. Kid Rock was at the RNC. We have to engage, like you said, clear-eyed, so we know what to put our hope in. Because the gospel is a hope that does not disappoint.What Is God's Good News about Politics, and How Can We Apply It to Our Lives?Sy Hoekstra: Amen to that, Jonathan [Jonathan laughs]. But let's talk about the hope that does not disappoint, because I think the stuff that we've been talking about, if you just stopped there would be a little bit, I don't know, it can be a little bit depressing. If you don't already have this perspective [laughs] it's like, it can be hard.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: It can be hard to deal with being clear-eyed about the brokenness of the world, it's not an easy thing to do [Jonathan laughs]. So let's talk about what actually is the good news about politics that you are trying to get people to see through, through these Bible studies and through this kind of work that you're doing.Question Your Assumptions, and Understand the Connectedness of All PeopleJonathan Walton: Yeah. I mean to what you just said, if we are clear-eyed about the brokenness of the world, I would love for us to be as clear-eyed about the bigness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't think our concept of sin and our concept of redemption is actually mature enough to deal with the problems of the world. And so I think that one, the first session is just what are our starting points? Most of us have been cultured into political discipleship, we've never actually consciously thought about it. And so that's the first part, just where are our starting points? Then we get into the reality that the theology of the kingdom of God, and the theology that we are all made in God's image is a political reality.If I believe that I am made in the image of God, and every single person around me is made in the image of God, then that has political implications, because my flourishing and their suffering, or my suffering and their flourishing, they are actually intertwined. If I actually live out that theology, when they bleed, I bleed, when I bleed, they bleed. That's why the command to mourn with those who mourn is not, it shouldn't be far off, because I'm mourning my own human family, or I'm rejoicing with my own human family. And so that first study gets into that, and then we have, each study has a real-life story, and each study has a testimony about how these things have been applied or wrestled with in the current day.Making Informed Decisions about Whether We Want to Seek God's LiberationAnd so when we get into the choices that the Israelites made in Samuel, they wanted a king. Wrestling with that, oh snap, the Israelites literally said to the Prophet Samuel, we want to be like everybody else.Sy Hoekstra: And sorry, just really quickly for people who are unfamiliar, there's a moment in the book of 2 Samuel, I think, where Israel goes from saying, “We don't want to just be this people of God who kind of live in this promised land and follow these instructions that God gave us, we want to have a king,” which was not part of like God's plan for their society, “The way that all the societies around us have a king, so that we can have kind of similar power and influence the way that they do.”Jonathan Walton: Exactly. And so when Samuel responds, he says, “Your king will be exploitative. Your king will violate. Your king will take your kids. Your king will do all these things.” And they say, “Yes, sign us up.” And so we need to have conversations about what will actually happen when we say, “Yes, we do want this,” instead of what God intends. And then make concrete decisions about, do we actually want that, and what are the implications? And then if we do decide to follow Jesus, then what does he do and what is his response. When Jesus shows up and says, “I am the Messiah,” out of Isaiah, chapter 61 pulled into Luke chapter 4, the initial sermon is, “I have come to set the oppressed free, proclaim sight to the blind, proclaim freedom for the captives.”He did not say, “I have come to convert you to a certain political ideology, a certain political party or platform.” He didn't say that because he literally says, the kingdom of God is not of this world. And so how do we see that as good news as followers of Jesus? And do we see that as good news in the context we're in today? And then finally, if we do see that as good news, how do we partner with God to actually participate as followers of Jesus in seeking the shalom of all the people around us? Because we do live as followers of Jesus in exile. Now, we are different from the Israelites because, friends, we are not disempowered as Americans.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: I have an American passport, which puts me in a fundamentally different political bracket than my brothers and sisters who are undocumented, than my human family that suffers under drone strikes. It's different. But at the same time, I can hold fast to the reality that how can I steward my power, my influence, my resources, towards the flourishing of all people, not just myself, which is resisting the gospel of Babylon. And so we have, one of my favorite people in the world is Connie Anderson, and she talks about how she was one of those White women in a midwestern state who had no idea who she was voting for and why. But then she goes to a board meeting at the invitation of someone to really get involved in local politics, and she realized the person that she was voting for had dementia, and he was on the city council voting for things, arguing for it in one minute, and then some time would pass, arguing against it in another minute.And then when someone said, “Hey, didn't you just say the opposite?” Then shout at them, “Don't try to tell me what I think.” And she said, “The only reason I voted for this person was because I recognized their name.” And she began to get involved, and now she leads workshops on anti-racism, trying to help White people do the work of deconstruction, not deconstruction of their faith, but a deconstruction of the White supremacy in their lives and how they can partner with God towards more redemptive things. And she is doing the good hard work of politics, and not politics from a lens of this world would be better if we get the right person in power, but this world will be better and transformative when Jesus is in power.And so how do I partner with him to reflect his kingdom in the system and structures that I have influence and power over? And besides a lot of the work that we do with KTF, this is probably the thing with InterVarsity that I am most proud of. So I sincerely hope that folks will grab it.We Need to Revolutionize Our ImaginationSy Hoekstra: Absolutely. Go check it out. Thank you for sharing the wisdom from it. And I especially want to emphasize what you said about, what did you say about our imagination? You said change or, the verb I can't remember [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Oh, bring a revolution in our imagination [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, there you go. That's what you said. I knew it was good [Jonathan laughs]. That is something that I am particularly passionate about, and kind of dovetails into why I spend so much time reading speculative fiction, like sci-fi and fantasy and everything [laughs], because… and thinking about how the people who write those books affect the worlds that we imagine too. That may seem like a weird, random turn into another subject to some people, but it is the way that I exercise my imagination, and I find a lot of the way that God talks to me in that work [laughs]. Like in the ways that I think about how we can imagine really different worlds and other stories that we don't see here now.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: That to me, is extremely important, and I know that there have to be at least some of you who feel that way too.Jonathan Walton: Amen.Sy Hoekstra: So [laughs] I know there are some avid fiction readers out there. Jonathan, we have a segment to get into.Which Tab Is Still Open? Israel's Horrifying Treatment of Palestinian DetaineesJonathan Walton: Yes. Yes, we've talked a lot, and we are still talking as we're going to get into our segment, Which Tab Is Still Open, because this is something we're still talking about 10 months later, 76 years later, where we dive a little deeper into one of the recommendations from our newsletter. So Sy, this one is yours, so tell us a little bit about it.Sy Hoekstra: It is mine, although I think I maybe originally got it from you. This is something that we have both been thinking and talking about a lot, so I will just summarize the story very quickly, and then we'll both talk about it for a while. So we're gonna be back on Israel and Palestine. Now, listen everything we just talked about is gonna affect this conversation that we're having now [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yep.Sy Hoekstra: But there have been some horrible whistleblower stories, and I will not get into the details. So hopefully we're avoiding the need for a content warning here. But some horrible whistleblower stories about some things going on, I believe you pronounce it, the Sde Teiman detention center in Israel, which is where basically they're keeping a lot of known or suspected Hamas operatives who attacked on October 7. The allegations are about basically physical and sexual torture, and that's all the detail that I will get into, being regularized and just a part of the culture at this particular detention center. So recently, after a lot of these reports, there were 10 IDF soldiers who were charged by military courts, or nine soldiers and one reservist who were charged by military courts with perpetrating one of these acts of violence.And what followed is something that's a little bit unimaginable to me, until I think about January 6th, which was a series of riots at this detention center of people literally trying to just charge into the detention center and take the IDF soldiers who have been charged and put in detention themselves, and just kidnap them out of the place, just like free them. And these rioters, there were a couple hundred of them. A lot of them were just regular people living in the area. But some of them were actual government administrative workers and some of them, a couple of them were actual members of the Israeli parliament who participated in this riot, and they did not succeed. Like the soldiers are still there.Two of them were let go eventually, meaning, the charges were dropped. Eight of them, the military is actually pursuing the charges against them. There has not been any punishment for any of these rioters [laughs]. Nothing's happened to them. There's been no legal consequences. There was another riot and another base, same thing, no real consequences. I was trying to see if maybe just like the American media wasn't reporting on it, but I used multiple large language models [laughter] to look into whether there were any stories about these rioters and what consequences they face, and it's really been nothing. The members of parliament are still just sitting in parliament.Some people who are not in the government, who are in the opposition parties have called for investigations, but nothing has happened. There were many statements made by different far-right government members of parliament that were in support of the rioters. One person in Benjamin Netanyahu's party, basically stood up in Parliament and said, “I do not care what these soldiers did to Hamas operatives, because anything done to Hamas operatives is legitimate, in my view.” Like there's just no limits. When we say that there's an apartheid in Israel, this highlights kind of what we're talking about, because there is sort of within Israel proper, there is, you can still make some arguments about this, but there is a lot of democratic representation and rights for people who live there.And then in the West Bank, since 1967 there's basically been martial law where a general is in charge and makes all the decisions on behalf of people who live there, with the exception of the Jewish settlers who live there, who still have all the rights, as though they lived in Israel proper. And so there's this kind of weird thing going on where even though this base is in Israel, it is under the jurisdiction of the military. So it's this kind of martial law, I don't know, running into Israel's law in a sort of way that's highlighting some divisions in Israel. Because obviously, there are a lot of people within Israel who are very concerned that this has happened, and that people are going completely unaccountable for it.I mean, some people are literally talking about, I don't think this is a mainstream idea, but there's some people talking about, what if a civil war breaks out in Israel, because there are people who are so against what has happened, but the ruling government coalition is just so in favor of continuing the war at all costs, they're now starting to fight with Lebanon. They may start to fight with Iran. So anyways, those are the basics of the story. Jonathan, what are your thoughts [laughs]?Privilege Marginalized Voices in Your Media So You Don't End UP Believing FalsehoodsJonathan Walton: If you are listening, you've made it this far in the podcast and all those things, I hope you would privilege Palestinian voices and the voices of Jewish activists in your media diet, so that you are not persuaded towards believing what is not true. The reality is Israel, not the people, but the state, is a settler colonial project, and much of this I'm gonna repeat from Munther and other people that I have learned from because I am now trying to privilege their voices. I remember, and I've said this on podcast before, my RA when I was 18 years old, who lived in the West Bank, arguing with a Zionist Jewish young man who lives in Brooklyn and had never been to the West Bank about what it looks like.So you're watching someone from a lived reality argue with someone downstream of propaganda. And so the exact same thing could be true of someone who lives in a segregated Black neighborhood trying to explain how law enforcement works to someone who has never actually dealt with law enforcement in the United States, or a man who is having a conversation with a woman about what it's like to have her rape kit submitted and then it never be tested or run or anything. So just trying to bring things home a little bit in that we have to prioritize the voices of marginalized people in these conversations.Now, that is true all the time, particularly when there is no media or video. And in this particular case, there is video of all of this, similar to George Floyd, similar to Sonya Massey in the United States, there's video of this terrible perpetration of sexual violence, and there's video of the soldiers guarding this action so that people don't see it from the cameras and that it continues to happen, which is why these soldiers were quote unquote, arrested in the first place.What Would It Take for Americans to Wake Up to the Reality of This Suffering?Jonathan Walton: Now, my final thought around this is, which really a question, is like I wonder how desensitized we have become to the suffering of others and made it normal for these types of things to happen. And I wonder what it would take, in Jesus name I pray it is not violence.But I wonder what it would take for us to be awakened to actually do something about it as American citizens, because it is our tax dollars, our money, it's all of us that are funding that. And so those are my thoughts as I consider this, because there's a population of people that is further desensitized running into a population of people as being further radicalized because they are seeing more and more images and media come across their feeds. And my longing and hope is that there would be an awareness of the people who have been so desensitized and propagandized of the pain and suffering of the people who are experiencing deep harm, so that there can be some sort of reconciliation and just peace and a ceasefire and all those things before, not because of a war. That's my prayer.And so, yeah, as I am, [laughs] I'm gonna in Jesus name, be at Hunter College, be at Brown, be at MIT, be in Florida this fall, I'm gonna be talking about that. Having conversations, encouraging people to advocate so that there is a lesser chance of violence. Sy, that was a lot for me [laughs]. What are you thinking and feeling?Dehumanization Always Leads to Horrifying Violence, and Turns Oppressors into MonstersSy Hoekstra: That was very good. The thing that is so frustrating to me is how incredibly predictable this was.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Right.Sy Hoekstra: From the moment October 7th happened, they said, “This is our 911” Okay, This is your Abu Ghraib. This is your Guantanamo. Like we cannot expect to react the exact same way to an attack and not have this happen again. You can't expect to have the same dehumanization and racism against Arabs and not have this happening again. I don't know. It's just so frustrating to me, having grown up with the War on Terror, and just feeling like I'm watching it all over again. And just like it was in America, there's a lot of people in Israeli society who think this is all fine and totally support it.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And we may have done it in a little bit more of a buttoned up way. We might have done it with some lawyers making questionable interpretations of international humanitarian norms or whatever. We might have put the stamp of approval on it of some more powerful forces than they have available to them in Israel, but they're doing the same thing that we were doing. The thing that we need to come away from this is knowing that your dehumanization of other people has real life consequences, and the consequences are both for the victims who experienced horrific things and for the victimizers. Because one of the whistleblowers, when they were talking to CNN, the CNN reporter who doesn't believe this himself, and he put to the soldier, “A lot of people in Israel would say, well, Hamas does way worse than this to our captives. So what's the problem?” And he said, “Hamas is not your bar.” It's like, fine, if you want to be a terrorist organization, go ahead, be a terrorist organization. But you have to recognize that that's the moral decision you're making. You are not better than them, if this is what you are willing to do to them. And your dehumanization of other people at some point will turn you into a monster, is what I'm saying.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And I just, I don't know [laughs]. I'm mad about it because of the horrifying consequences that it has on individual people, so it's a little bit visceral for me, but it is just so frustrating to watch all these things happen all over again and with our same stamp of approval.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: And if you want an example of why electing Kamala Harris will not be a victory for all things good and moral, it is because this sort of thing will continue.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.The Church Is Complicit in This TerrorSy Hoekstra: Another thing from Reverend Isaac last week was he really did a good job of emphasizing how complicit in all this the church is. Emphasizing points like, Christian Zionism actually predates Jewish Zionism, and there are actually way more Christian Zionists in the world than there are Jewish Zionists, just the raw numbers.Jonathan Walton: Yep.Sy Hoekstra: And our support of that theology, our creation of that theology, our failure to fight it at every turn, that is what makes us just wholly complicit in what is happening over there. And Jonathan literally, here's the last note that I wrote in our outline: “Hopefully Jonathan has something uplifting to say before we end” [laughter], because I'll be real, I'm not thinking of it right now.Followers of Jesus need to Focus on Doing Small Advocacy out of Deep Love for OthersJonathan Walton: Yeah. So God's good news about politics is what we're talking about. We are talking about the allocation, distribution of resources, and how people have decided to govern ourselves, and what has happened in the United States, if we're just gonna hang out in the container that we're in, that in the United States we have decided with billions of dollars of our tax dollars, that we are going to build, then send, then advise the genocide of another group of people. I do not want the voting and advocacy and time and work that I do to be perpetrating that or be complicit in that. I might be involved because I have no choice not being overruled, but I will not be unopposed or complacent.And so as followers of Jesus, I think we have two options, and Peter did this really, really well. Peter was suffering under the oppression of the Jewish people, just like Jesus was, and Jesus' family and Jesus' friends and all the disciples as they were being occupied by Romans. And Peter thought he was doing the absolute just right, good thing in carrying a knife all the time, so that when Jesus got arrested, he pulled out his sword and chopped off the dude's ear. And this is John 18, the scene when Jesus was arrested. Jesus then picks up dude's ear, puts it back on his head, tells Peter to fall back. And Peter had two options. Peter could have said, “You know what, this sucks. I'm just not gonna do this anymore. Jesus, you're wrong.”He could have done that. He could have said, “You're presenting me with this gospel of hope in the world that is to come, not the world that is right now.” And he could have said, “I'm just going to give up, or I'm going to… look Simon the Zealot, we listen to this dude talk. It's time to start this.” He could have done that, but instead, eventually he got to, “I'm actually going to be the rock of this Church that Jesus said I was going to be,” which is why you and me and so many people listening to this podcast, have decided to follow this man who happens to be God named Jesus, who 12 ordinary men and a bunch of women that we did not name because they too are from a patriarchal society, we know a few of them, like Mary and Mary Magdalene and Dorcas and Phoebe, who decided to say yes, and thousands of years later, we're still talking about them.And so my hope would be that we as followers of Jesus, would say, “Hey, you know what? What small group of people can we do a little bit of revolutionary actions out of a deep, deep love for so that many, many, many years from now, people are still choosing love over fear and violence.”Sy Hoekstra: There we go, Jonathan. I knew you had it. I knew you had it in you [Jonathan laughs]. But I appreciate that, because when I say uplifting, that feels like something I can resonate with even while I'm looking at the horrifying nature of what I'm looking at. That feels like something where you're not sugarcoating it.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, right.Sy Hoekstra: And that's what I appreciate, and that's what I meant by uplifting. I don't want us just to end on a happy note, because you're Christian and you have to or whatever [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Amen, amen.Sy Hoekstra: So thank you so much for all this work that you're doing trying to create those small communities where people love and do good things. We did a lot of work and tried very hard to do it when we were in college, and I appreciate that you're still trying to get people to do the same thing as they go through that time in their lives.Jonathan Walton: Amen.Prayers and Support for Protesting Students Returning to CampusSy Hoekstra: And you and I will be absolutely praying for and supporting in any way that we can the students as they come back to campus and continue to, again as Munther Isaac said, lead the way in ways that the church has been so afraid to do and so unwilling to do.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, exactly.Sy Hoekstra: If you're listening to this, and you're about to go on to a campus [laughs], or you're already on a campus, we are praying for you, and we absolutely cannot imagine, I don't know, just the uncertainty and the strangeness of what you're doing, but we so appreciate it that you are doing it. And if you're not, and you're just choosing to support people in other ways, because there are many reasons to make that decision, then more power to you as well.Outro and OuttakeSy Hoekstra: Okay. We are going to end there. Jonathan, thank you so much. This was a great conversation. I'm really glad that we got to do it. We'll have those Bible studies that Jonathan created in the show notes.Our theme song is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra. Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess. Editing by multitude productions. Transcriptions by Joyce Ambale. Production of the show, by me and all of our lovely paid subscribers. Please remember, go to KTFPress.com and become a paid subscriber. Get the bonus episodes of this show, as well as access to the monthly Zoom conversations. When you're listening to this we will just have had one, so be sure to sign up for the next one coming in September. Thank you all so much for listening, and we will see you all in two weeks.Jonathan Walton: Bye.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: We are close to the camera. We are ready to go.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, yeah. By the way my camera, I tried so many different things to make it work here in Canada, and there's just nothing to be done.Jonathan Walton: I understand.Sy Hoekstra: So highlight reels from this episode will come from Jonathan Walton [laughs].Jonathan Walton: No worries, yes.Sy Hoekstra: Just make sure everything you say, you look really cool saying it.Jonathan Walton: I do look really great [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Hey, I'm glad you know that about yourself, Jonathan, I cannot confirm [Jonathan laughs]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ktfpress.com/subscribe

He was the last of the Judges of Israel, and was appointed by God to anoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Read the Old Testament book 1 Samuel for his story. Many believe that he is the author of the books of Judges, Ruth and the first 24 chapters of I Samuel.

In this episode, we delve into the practical ways God speaks to us in our everyday lives. We explore three common ways God can communicate with us: Voice, Vision, and Vibe. Voice doesn't have to mean an audible sound. Often, it's more like spontaneous thoughts that come to our minds, as Mark Virkler describes in his book 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice. Think of it like a song stuck in your head – you don't literally hear it, but you do somehow “hear” it. Vision can be something we see internally in our minds or externally outside of us. These visions can be static or dynamic, and can be in color or black and white. Vibe refers to sensations we experience in our body, mind, or heart. It can be a feeling or an intuition that nudges us towards a certain direction or decision, or that makes us aware of something. While we focus on these three ways, God communicates with us in other ways too. The key is to start recognizing when God is speaking and take note of it. We also discuss how Jesus experienced God's communication through Voice, Vision, and Vibe, providing examples from the Gospels. Plus, we share personal stories of how recognizing God's communication has changed our relationships and enriched our lives. Join us as we learn to recognize and embrace the ways God communicates with us. Other resources that were helpful to us: Books by Mark and Patti Virkler - 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice and Dialogue with God Books by Jack Deere - Surprised by the Power of the Spirit and Surprised by the Voice of God Videos and books by Graham Cooke Key Passages: 1 Samuel 3:20 God communicated to Jesus through: Voice - John 12:29 Vision - John 1:43-51, 5:19 Vibe - Mark 2:8 Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. * Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/onelifenash/support

cover is not content, the story of Prophet Samuel is a clear instruction for the need to take caution before making judgment. be blessed as you listen to the episode of podcast.

In this episode, we discuss the pivotal experience of Samuel as he learns to recognize God's voice in 1 Samuel 3:10-21. This moment becomes foundational for Samuel's development as a prophet. We explore the significance of Samuel's first message from God, which was a hard truth to deliver to his father figure, Eli. This initial test of obedience would characterize Samuel's prophetic ministry, where he often spoke difficult truths to those in leadership. Samuel's journey of learning how to to hear God's voice was not easy. The burden of delivering a challenging message to Eli likely weighed heavily on him. Yet, Samuel spoke the words that the Lord gave him with respect and within the context of his enduring relationship with Eli. This episode highlights the importance of delivering God's messages with both truth and love, maintaining respect for those God calls us to speak to. We also discuss how Samuel's prophetic ministry evolved. Initially known for hearing words from the Lord, Samuel later became recognized as both a prophet and a seer, receiving revelation through visions. This growth in his capacity to hear God and speak on His behalf is an encouragement for all of us. Like Samuel, we too must learn and grow in our ability to hear God's voice and sometimes share difficult truths with others. Moreover, we draw parallels between Samuel and Jesus. Just as Samuel delivered hard messages, Jesus also spoke difficult truths to people in leadership. Yet, like Samuel, Jesus only spoke what the Father told Him to say—no more, no less. To wrap up, Tiffany shares a practical story of her own experience with God speaking to her. She recounts a time when God asked her to do something difficult, and she struggled to discern whether it was truly God's voice and why He would ask her to do such a thing. This personal example brings home the episode's message, encouraging listeners to trust in their journey of learning to hear and obey God's voice. Tune in for an inspiring and relatable episode on the journey of recognizing and responding to God's voice in our lives. Key Passages: 1 Samuel 3:10-21 John 12:49 Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. * Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/onelifenash/support

Did the witch of Endor really summon Samuel from the dead? What actually happened in 1 Samuel 28:7-20? Why would God allow Samuel to be summoned by a witch?

Looking back to 2022, we find Mama J and Chad discussing the life of the Prophet Samuel. What an EPIC journey we have been on, reflecting on the best of the best of the last 5 years of EPIC Conquerors. Visit http://www.epicwin4u.com for links - and for show notes go to https://www.epicwin4u.com/blog/best-of-2022-samuel-s-faith -and join in on the conversation @EpicConqerors on Facebook. - If you enjoy our bi-weekly podcasts and videocasts then simply buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KingJesus

There are many stories in the Bible that show how important kids are to God. Did you know that the Prophet Samuel was a foster kid who first heard God's voice as a young boy? Did you know that Josiah became king at age 8 and he kicked out all the bad guys from his kingdom when he learned God's Word at age 18? When Mephibosheth was a baby, his nurse dropped him as she was running away from the men who murdered his family. Mephibosheth legs were injured so badly that he was never able to walk or work… yet God led King David to search for him so he could adopt him! There's more! “But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬ #kids, #christiankids, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #storiesforchristiankids, #biblestoriesforkids, #biblelessonsforkids, #godisonourside, #godisgood, #peacewithgod, #praiseispowerful, #letthechildrencometojesus, #bestrongandcourageous, #godiswithus, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #fishbitesforkids, #fishbites4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb

There are many stories in the Bible that show how important kids are to God.  Did you know that the Prophet Samuel was a foster kid who first heard God's voice as a young boy?  Did you know that Josiah became king at age 8 and he kicked out all the bad guys from his kingdom when he learned God's Word at age 18?  When Mephibosheth was a baby, his nurse dropped him as she was running away from the men who murdered his family.  Mephibosheth's legs were injured so badly that he was never able to walk or work… yet God led King David to search for him so he could adopt him!  There's more!  “Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.””  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬ #kids, #christiankids, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #storiesforchristiankids, #biblestoriesforkids, #biblelessonsforkids, #godisonourside, #godisgood, #peacewithgod, #praiseispowerful, #letthechildrencometojesus, #bestrongandcourageous, #godiswithus, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #fishbitesforkids, #fishbites4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb Image by brgfx on Freepik

Week 2 of our series called Origin Story explores the life of the prophet Samuel. The name Samuel means "heard of God" which is appropriate considering Samuel's position as a prophet. Samuel lived a life of faithfulness which provided stark contrast to King Saul's record of disobedience. The prophet obeyed God in the anointing of Saul as king of Israel, and he continued to obey God when Saul's kingship was taken from him and given to David. Mel explains how God spoke to Samuel because Samuel was first obedient. God will not give us that which we refuse to steward well. Samuel's faithfulness resulted in him having a reputation of honesty and integrity. The words Samuel spoke were reliable and true. Mel goes on to point out how delayed obedience is disobedience, and partial obedience is disobedience. He finishes the message with a challenge to Christians concerning the priesthood of all believers: you don't have to be a prophet to live a faithful life like Samuel did.

Week 2 of our series called Origin Story explores the life of the prophet Samuel. The name Samuel means "heard of God" which is appropriate considering Samuel's position as a prophet. Samuel lived a life of faithfulness which provided stark contrast to King Saul's record of disobedience. The prophet obeyed God in the anointing of Saul as king of Israel, and he continued to obey God when Saul's kingship was taken from him and given to David. Mel explains how God spoke to Samuel because Samuel was first obedient. God will not give us that which we refuse to steward well. Samuel's faithfulness resulted in him having a reputation of honesty and integrity. The words Samuel spoke were reliable and true. Mel goes on to point out how delayed obedience is disobedience, and partial obedience is disobedience. He finishes the message with a challenge to Christians concerning the priesthood of all believers: you don't have to be a prophet to live a faithful life like Samuel did.

Fr. Joseph Dalimata, FSSP serves as Parochial Vicar at Immaculate Conception Church in El Paso, Texas. He was ordained in May of 2021.   In Today's Show Was the Prophet Samuel around when Solomon's Temple was? Should we leave a parish if the priest does not provide his altar servers any formation? What does the term MC mean? Has the Novus Ordo lost a lot of servers because boys do not want to serve as much with girls. Is this affecting the priest hood? If a married catholic couple gets a civil divorce but still maintains their sacramental marriage, is this permissible? Do you have any advice in discerning between a reason and an excuse? Can someone read Stoic books as long as Catholicism is always highest in the Hierarchy? I have a question about the fallen angels. When they were cast out of heaven, were they stripped of spiritual gifts as well? Is it OK to read books, which don't have ecclesiastical approval, that discuss or comment on Scripture but aren't full-blown Scripture commentaries? I have a friend who seems to be straying away from the faith.  What can I say to help him stay with the Catholic faith? What do you do when you have lustful thoughts?   Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!

Israel faced a great enemy in the Philistines. But God used the Prophet Samuel to deliver his people. And as we look at this story, we’ll see how it points us to an even greater deliverance from a gre

Do you feel small, like a nobody from nowhere? Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller. We are in a brand new series on 1 Samuel. As I mentioned yesterday, we will do an overview of the chapter on Mondays and then, for the following six days, a closer look at that chapter. The theme we are looking at in chapter one is the six people who influenced Samuel's life. The first of these is Elkanah, his father. What's interesting about Elkanah is that he is a nobody from nowhere. We know little about him and his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, all named in the text. Here are verses 1-3. There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. — 1 Samuel 1:1-3 What does stand out when we read this text is that Elkanah had two wives. This is such a glaring observation that we should probably address it. Many of you know he's not the only man in the Bible who had more than one wife. Several prominent men in the Old Testament, like Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, and others, had more than one wife. There were about three reasons for this: The first apparent reason is personal pleasure and power. Such was the case with Solomon and his over 700 concubines. Second, it's worth noting that in patriarchal societies, unmarried women faced significant challenges in providing for themselves. They were often uneducated and untrained and relied heavily on male family members like fathers, brothers, or husbands for support and protection. Unfortunately, when this was absent, it led to desperate measures, like turning to prostitution or slavery. Therefore, sometimes marriage was a way to rescue a woman, another reason some men had multiple wives. The third reason is the instance here. Elkanah and his first wife, Hannah, were unable to conceive. Therefore, they probably agreed to take another wife (which should sound familiar because Abraham and Sarah did the same thing). Thus, Elkanah took another wife for reasons of family continuity. What is interesting about polygamy is that the Bible does not expressly condemn it. But fellas, before you get any crazy ideas, the Bible is very clear about the prescription of a godly marital relationship: one man with one woman (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6). Like Abraham and Sarah, Elkanah and Hannah inherited problems that stemmed from their lack of faith. That's the bottom line of this situation. They lacked faith in believing God would provide, so they provided for themselves, which is what we do sometimes. When we don't have faith trusting God to provide, we try to provide for ourselves. And when we provide for ourselves, we incur the problems of providing for ourselves and not letting God provide. As we will see further down in chapter one, they incurred family tension, sexual insecurities, competition, contention, and shame. With this in mind, I would like to point out one tiny detail about Elkanah worth our attention: He is an Ephrathite. This area was later known as Bethlehem and became the birthplace of two other great men. This means the Prophet Samuel, King David, and the Messiah were all born in the same tiny, seemingly insignificant town and were great men in the great story of God. I love it when God does stuff like this. I would not put it past God for all three men to be born in the same location. Believers too often fail to see the opportunity for greatness in the small events of our lives. I know I do. With small seeds of faith in insignificant places and from apparent unimportant people, God can produce incredible things. So, if you feel insignificant, inconsequential, like you are standing at an impasse, instead of taking matters into your hands, hold on in faith. Cast your concerns to God. He sees things you do not. Trust in him. Don't get in his way. Great things are birthed in small seeds of faith. God, we bring our small seeds of faith to you today. We confess that, at times, we act like Elkanah, taking matters into our own hands. We recognize that your divine sight sees things that we cannot. Instead of doing things our way today, we are choosing to do them your way—by faith. Strengthen our faith and show us your ways. Do great things with us and through us. Amen. #FaithInSmallBeginnings #TrustGodsTiming #FindingPurpose ASK THIS: How can Elkanah's story inspire us to trust God's timing and provision in our own lives, especially when faced with challenges or uncertainties? In what areas of our lives do we tend to take matters into our own hands, like Elkanah did, instead of relying on God's guidance and provision? How can we surrender those areas to God and walk in faith instead of self-reliance? DO THIS: Pray for faith this week. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me trust in Your timing and provision, even when I feel insignificant or lost. Guide me to surrender my doubts and fears to You, believing that great things can be birthed from small seeds of faith. Amen. PLAY THIS: Give Me Faith.

In this devotional message titled "Choose consecration", just like Prophet Samuel did, we are encouraged to choose consecration over any other thing.Aired on Radio HCI Today

Sunday February 25

"Here I Raise My Ebenezer" - Part 1. Elder Bryce Lowrance This week we will start a three part miniseries looking back on 2023 and looking forward to our walk with God in 2024. The first two parts of this series come from a message preached on Sunday, December 31, 2023. In that sermon, we see how the Prophet Samuel is blessed by God from even before he was born to the time he delivers that ark back to Israel, and throughout the rest of his life. He sets up a "Stone of Remembrance" or Ebenezer declaring that the Lord has led him and Israel up to this point, and that he trusts God will guide them going forward. He then spends the rest of his life traveling the area of the tribe of Benjamin. In his circuit of teaching and judging, he travels back and forth from this Ebenezer to the memorial set up in Gilgal when God delivered Israel over Jordan. This message was preached on Sunday, December 31, 2023.

“Here I Raise My Ebenezer” – Part 1. Elder Bryce Lowrance This week we will start a three part miniseries looking back on 2023 and looking forward to our walk with God in 2024. The first two parts of this series come from a message preached on Sunday, December 31, 2023. In that sermon, we see how the Prophet Samuel is blessed by God from even before he was born to the time he delivers that ark back to Israel, and throughout the rest of his life. He sets up a “Stone of Remembrance” or Ebenezer declaring that the Lord has led him and Israel up to this point, and that he trusts God will guide them going forward. He then spends the rest of his life traveling the area of the tribe of Benjamin. In his circuit of teaching and judging, he travels back and forth from this Ebenezer to the memorial set up in Gilgal when God delivered Israel over Jordan. This message was preached on Sunday, December 31, 2023.

January 9, 2024 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stjohnrandomlake/support

Homily, 08.20.2023 - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost & Eleventh Sunday of Matthew After-feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Prophet Samuel; the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (9:2-12); the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (18:23-35)

He was the last of the Judges of Israel, and was appointed by God to anoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Read the Old Testament book 1 Samuel for his story. Many believe that he is the author of the books of Judges, Ruth and the first 24 chapters of I Samuel.

He was the last of the Judges of Israel, and was appointed by God to anoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Read the Old Testament book 1 Samuel for his story. Many believe that he is the author of the books of Judges, Ruth and the first 24 chapters of I Samuel.

Today's story is funny. The boy was usually in trouble. His mother asked, "Johnny, why do you always misbehave?" "It's the devil, Mom," Johnny said. He's always making me do wrong!" "Johnny, you can't blame everything on the devil," his mother answered with a knowing smile. Sometimes you!"Our message today is "Stop Blaming the Devil; Own Up to Your Sin." "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," says 1 John 1:8-9, our foundational verse. He forgives and cleanses us if we confess our sins."In Genesis, Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, then blame each other and the serpent. They sought to avoid personal accountability, but God held each of them accountable.Lewis stated, "A man who admits no guilt can accept no forgiveness." It's profound. If we continuously accuse the devil, we excuse ourselves of personal responsibility, making it hard to repent and seek God's pardon.1 Samuel 15's Saul. Saul spared King Agag and the best livestock when God ordered him to annihilate the Amalekites. Prophet Samuel approached Saul, who blamed the people for his disobedience. The Lord dismissed Saul as king because he refused to acknowledge his wickedness.King David contrasts. David instantly confessed and repented when Prophet Nathan questioned him about Bathsheba. He took full responsibility. David repents in Psalm 51: "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.""But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed," James 1:14-15 says. After desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, which grows into death. It's a reminder that sin starts with us.Stop Blaming the Devil; Own Up to Your Sin."Lord, help us to admit our sins and not blame others," we pray. Help us confess and repent. Thank you for forgiving and cleansing us. Jesus' name, Amen."Dear brothers and sisters, as we begin this week, let's admit our sins and stop blaming the devil or others. God forgives without limit. Let's quickly repent and obtain His pardon when we make mistakes.Have a blessed week!

It's why Prophet Samuel started a prophetic school

For those following along with our story, this episode covers events that occurred in 1 Samuel chapters 1-7.If you enjoyed this podcast episode, please consider sharing it with your friends on social media. Find links to the whole series at this page as we release a new episode in the Days of David, a podcast series epic, every week.

3 Nephi 8-10- President Nelson challenged us to read the account of the Savior coming to the Americas in General Conference. This Easter week I will be reading it to you!

The Gemara goes on in its discussion about seminal emissions and various stages or levels of impurity. Including the "zav" status of a convert. A final mishnah: on Shmuel the prophet - was he a nazir or not?? (Does "morah" in the text mean razor, as it does in the context of Nazir, or "fear," which would make the man fearless, in a powerful re-read of the text). Also, the case of sages bentsching (saying Grace after Meals), and the discussion turns to the one who blesses vs. the one who answers "Amen," in terms of which is preferable. Plus, closing with the repeated passage of the Torah scholars who increase peace in the world. Note the mnemonic of "bonayich."

In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God calls His people to return to him and rely on Him so that he might be glorified in fighting for them and delivering them. In 1 Samuel chapter 7 we see the Prophet Samuel call Israel to repentance and they respond by turning away from their false gods and turning to the Lord. Under the godly leadership of Samuel we see that he instructed Israel and he interceded for them. He also judged them bring them the leadership that they needed to uphold justice.

In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God calls His people to return to him and rely on Him so that he might be glorified in fighting for them and delivering them. In 1 Samuel chapter 7 we see the Prophet Samuel call Israel to repentance and they respond by turning away from their false gods and turning to the Lord. Under the godly leadership of Samuel we see that he instructed Israel and he interceded for them. He also judged them bring them the leadership that they needed to uphold justice.

In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God calls His people to return to him and rely on Him so that he might be glorified in fighting for them and delivering them. In 1 Samuel chapter 7 we see the Prophet Samuel call Israel to repentance and they respond by turning away from their false gods and turning to the Lord. Under the godly leadership of Samuel we see that he instructed Israel and he interceded for them. He also judged them bring them the leadership that they needed to uphold justice.

••• Self Will . ••• Bible Study Verses: Isaiah 30.15, 1 Samuel 8.1-22, I Kings 11:1-12.14, Exodus 19:6, Proverbs 29:1, Jeremiah 17:9, Isaiah 45:9, Zacharias 7:11-13, Romans 12:1-3, Proverbs 29:1, Proverbs 16:18, Philippians 2:3, Jeremiah 10:8, I John 4:1, Romans 1:24, Ecclesiastes 10:8, James 4:8, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 25:14, I Peter 5:6, II Chronicles 16:9, Colossians 1:13, Colossians 2:15, Romans 16:20 . ••• "Lord, Thy Kingdom come," we must be willing to pray, "My Kingdom go”, Alan Redpath, 1907-1989, Field Rep., Capernwray Missionary Fellowship, 1969 † ••• “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” Matthew 26:41, NKJV . ••• What did the Prophet Samuel warn the people would happen to the people if they required an earthly king? ••• What did God do when the Hebrews demanded a king? ••• What is Self-Will? ••• What are the 6-Dangers of Self-Will? ••• What are 5-Results of Self-Will? ••• What are the 7-Blessings of Dealing with Self Will? ••• How does one deal with Self Will? ••• What happens when one refuses to remain under the covering of The Most High God? ••• Who's will is the most important in a Christian's life? ••• Are you going to trust The Lord, Christ Jesus and pray with your small group, that you will be the kind of person who can deal with self-will through the power of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounters Radio Podcast originally aired on March 4, 2023 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcasted to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it's mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• SHARING LINK - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/230304-Stubbornness . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by KoolShooters Film production company + creative content agency, Warsaw, Poland, https://koolshooters.com, art direction by gil on his mac . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Alan-Redpath-Quotes/ . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 . ••• The Devil is Not Your Problem…Stubbornness is . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He was the last of the Judges of Israel, and was appointed by God to anoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Read the Old Testament book 1 Samuel for his story. Many believe that he is the author of the books of Judges, Ruth and the first 24 chapters of I Samuel.

Dr. Geoff Boyle of Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne, IN

He was the last of the Judges of Israel, and was appointed by God to anoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Read the Old Testament book 1 Samuel for his story. Many believe that he is the author of the books of Judges, Ruth and the first 24 chapters of I Samuel.