Podcasts about read god

Amanda Hunter's journey from the depths of addiction to a life of purpose and peace illuminates the extraordinary power of redemption. Born into a military family without spiritual foundation, Amanda's early experimentation with substances at age 13 set the stage for decades of struggle. The absence of faith left her vulnerable to toxic relationships, depression, and ultimately a devastating spiral into prescription drug abuse that evolved into heroin and methamphetamine addiction.The turning point came dramatically—a high-speed police chase through Destin ending in her arrest with 47 criminal charges. It was rock bottom. Face down in the dirt, handcuffed, Amanda believed she had nothing left to lose. But within the confines of Okaloosa County Jail, she encountered Jesus. Through studying Ephesians, she discovered her battles weren't merely chemical imbalances as doctors had claimed, but spiritual warfare that required spiritual solutions.What makes Amanda's testimony particularly powerful is her raw honesty about recovery. After 16 months in jail, Stephanie McMinn from the Yellow House offered her an alternative to prison—a faith-based recovery program that required her to face her emotions without medication. "It wasn't graceful," Amanda admits. The healing journey meant confronting perfectionism, control issues, and learning to receive love after years of abuse had taught her to expect harm from relationships. Most challenging was forgiving herself.Today, Amanda manages All Things New, a nonprofit gift shop where she mentors women walking similar paths. Her message transcends mere sobriety—it's about an "upside-down kingdom" where what the world labels failure becomes part of a beautiful testimony. For anyone feeling hopeless, her words resonate with quiet authority: "He delights in you, even in your mess. He's never taken His eye off of you." Amanda's life stands as living proof that relationship with Jesus changes everything, not by avoiding pain, but by finding purpose within it.Take your first step today. Read God's Word. Find a Christ-centered community. Your road to redemption awaits.For more information contact us atrtrdestiny@gmail.com

Be Bold & Fear Not (Be Bold Series)2  Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power, love and self-control.”There is a lot of fear in the world today. There was a lot of fear during the pandemic, but now there may be even more. It seems as though everyone is afraid of something, and some people live in fear all day.  People all over the world are fearful. There is so much violence in the world right now. So many people are fighting. In America, there is a lot of fear with the change in government. There are people afraid for their lives, afraid to get sent back to unsafe conditions in their countries. People fear losing their jobs, health care, and benefits like food stamps and social security. People are afraid of losing their rights as American citizens, and many are afraid of losing democracy altogether.There are a lot of reasons to be fearful. These reasons are real; the threat is real, and it makes sense to be cautious. However, we need to remember who we are. We are children of God. He tells us in Matthew 6:27, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Worrying won't get us anywhere. However, knowing this does not make our fear any less real. I was doing Jeff Cavin's Walking Towards Eternity bible study during the pandemic. One of the chapters addresses fear.  One thing that I think is important to point out is that there is a difference between healthy fear and unhealthy fear. The difference is that a healthy fear keeps you safe and helps you make good choices. For instance, having a healthy fear of God can help you make choices that keep you from sinning. Having a healthy fear of COVID-19 or any disease can help you practice good hygiene and make other choices to prevent spreading the virus. An unhealthy fear is one that keeps you trapped in some way. For instance, you are so afraid of COVID-19 that you don't leave your house even when necessary or spend every moment of the day afraid you might catch the virus. One of the questions I found in the chapter that I thought would be especially relevant for everyone right now was, “What practical steps can be taken to overcome fear?” Did you know that fear, all on its own, triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses and activates more than 30 different hormones? Here are several practical steps you can take to conquer your fear.1. Turn your fear over to God. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5. As soon as you notice you are having a fearful thought, take a moment and hand that thought over to God. 2. Ask yourself if this fear is a legitimate fear/scenario.  Is it likely that the thing you are afraid of will happen? Oftentimes, we worry about things that never happen. Mark Twain once said, “I… have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”3. Educate yourself: “Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear … The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart.” (Catechism 1784) Learn your faith, learn to know God, the more you know and understand the word of God the less you will be afraid.4. Understand your fear: Some fears are based on personal experience, and some are a result of culture and past experiences. Understand how your fears came to be. Understand how it comes on, how it makes you feel, and what level of intensity it is.5. Visualize Courage: What would it look like if you did not have this fear? What would it look like if you overcame this fear? What if this fear did not exist in your life? 6. Act as if: If you act courageously in a gradual way, you will overcome the limiting story you tell yourself. For instance, if you are afraid to give a presentation, one way to start overcoming this fear is to give a short presentation to a family member. When you are comfortable with that, you could give the presentation to a close friend and then to a not-so-close friend. The point of this is to step outside of your comfort zone slowly and then gradually expand your comfort zone. 7. Move towards your fear: Instead of running away from your fear, turn around and face it. Write down 5-10 ideas of ways you can face your fear in some small way, and then act on these ideas daily . 8. Don't live in Denial: It is important to examine how your fear is limiting you. Sometimes, we are so used to our everyday routine that we don't see the ways our fear has us trapped.9. Fortitude: “The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause. ‘The Lord is my strength and my song.' ‘In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'” (Catechism 1008) Keep going, even when you don't want to, even when you are afraid. 10. Channel your spirituality: When you are feeling afraid of something, lean into your spirituality even more. Read God's word, say a prayer, talk to the Lord, do something to help you connect with God, and remember that he is your refuge. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.” ~Psalm 46:1-3Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we ask you to help us trust you more and have less fear.  Lord, we know you are protecting us.  We know you are strength and our refuge.  If we know this, we have nothing to fear. Help us know this more, Lord.  Help us understand with you, nothing can harm us.  Help us to focus on how big you are instead of how big our problem is.  We love you, Lord. You are amazing.  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I wanted to take a minute to let everyone know, in case you are new to listening, that I have a book that I wrote called TOTAL TRUST In God's Safe Embrace.  It is a book that teaches the 15 ways in which I developed a really deep trust in God and a more intimate relationship with Him.  I have been through a lot of stuff over the last 18 years of my life, and yet through it all, I knew God was there with me and that things would be ok.  I discovered it is possible to have peace, even in the middle of chaos.  If life is hard right now, check out my book if you are struggling with something. It could help you find God in the middle of the chaos.  Also, if you want to reach out to me through my website or with an email to catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com, then I can even send you a signed copy of my book.  I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day.Today's Word from the Lord was received in August 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “I have come that you might have life, life to the full. I came also to give you an example of how to live your life. Follow my example, and you will have greater peace. I am your God, and I love you.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

"Be sure that wherever our lot is cast we may and must aim at the perfect life." Written over 400 years ago, Introduction to the Devout Life is still one of the most popular books for those pursuing holiness. St. Francis de Sales explains how to turn that desire for sanctity into resolutions that yield grace-filled results. Themes include: Pursuing a devout life whole-heartedly Incorporating prayer and sacraments into a busy schedule Growing in virtue Battling wisely against temptation Making spiritual progress through daily, monthly, and yearly exercises Whether you are just beginning your spiritual journey or are more advanced in the spiritual life, you'll be able to apply this timeless wisdom immediately. Let St. Francis de Sales illumine the path to holiness and strengthen your desire to walk that road with the Lord. St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was the Bishop of Geneva and a renowned spiritual director. Preaching during the Counter-Reformation, he is estimated to have converted 70,000 Calvinists in his lifetime. He was a fervent proponent of the universal call to holiness and spent much of his time guiding lay people on the road to sanctity. Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877, St. Francis is still helping to form saints through his many writings, of which Introduction to the Devout Life is the most famous. —description from the publisher Introduction to the Devout Life full text: https://watch.formed.org/introduction-to-the-devout-life-by-st-francis-de-sales SUBSCRIBE to Catholic Culture Audiobooks https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-culture-audiobooks/id1482214268 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter http://www.catholicculture.org/newsletter DONATE at http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio  Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved. Timestamps 00:38 Preface 12:26 Part 1 – Counsels and Exercises for the Guidance of the Soul from Its First Desire After a Devout Life unto a Full Resolution of Pursuing the Same 12:38 True Devotion Explained 18:19 The Nature and Excellence of Devotion 23:17 Devotion is Suitable to Every Vocation and Profession 27:26 The Need of a Guide for those who would Enter Upon and Advance in the Devout Life 33:35 The First Step: Purifying the Soul 38:22 The First Purification: From Mortal Sin 40:56 The Second Purification: From All Sinful Affections 44:17 How to Affect This Second Purification 46:56 First Meditation, On Creation 53:26 Second Meditation, On the End for Which We Were Created 59:26 Third Meditation, On the Gifts of God 1:05:20 Fourth Meditation, On Sin 1:11:39 Fifth Meditation, On Death 1:19:00 Sixth Meditation, On Judgment 1:24:59 Seventh Meditation, On Hell 1:29:02 Eighth Meditation, On Paradise 1:34:05 Ninth Meditation, On the Choice Open to You Between Heaven and Hell 1:39:26 Tenth Meditation, On How the Soul Chooses the Devout Life 1:46:40How to Make a General Confession 1:49:23 A Sincere Protest Made with the Object of Confirming the Soul's Resolution to Serve God as a Cojnclusion to its Acts of Penitence 1:53:58 Conclusion of This First Purification 1:55:53 The Necessity of Purging Away All Tendency to Venial Sins 2:00:35 It Is Necessary to Put Away All Inclination for Useless and Dangerous Things 2:03:14 All Evil Inclinations Must Be Purged Away 02:05:29 Part 2 – Counsels as to Uplifting the Soul to God in Prayer and the Use of the Sacraments 2:05:38 The Necessity of Prayer 2:11:30 A Short Method of Meditation in the Presence of God: The First Point of Preparation 2:17:05 Invocation: The Second Point of Preparation 2:18:38 Representing the Mystery to Be Meditated to Your Imagination: The Third Point of Preparation 2:20:49 Considerations: The Second Part of Meditation 2:22:16 Affections and Resolutions: The Third Part of Meditation 2:24:01 The Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet 2:25:44 Some Useful Hints on Meditation 2:30:40 Concerning Dryness in Meditation 2:33:15 Morning Prayer 2:36:05 Evening Prayer and Examination of Conscience 2:38:03 Spiritual Refreshment 2:42:42 Aspirations, Brief Prayer, and Holy Thoughts 2:53:34 Holy Communion, and How to Receive It 2:58:17 The Other Public Offices of the Church 3:00:13 How the Saints Are United to Us 3:02:58 How to Hear and Read God's Word 3:05:05 How to Receive Inspirations 3:10:31 Confession 3:17:35 Frequent Communion 3:23:09 How to Communicate 03:28:01 Part 3 – Counsels Concerning the Practice of Virtue 03:28:08 How to Select That Which We Should Chiefly Practice 03:36:56 The Same Subject Continued 03:43:55 Patience 03:53:08 Greater Humility 03:59:02 Interior Humility 04:08:28 Humility Makes Us Rejoice in Our Own Abjection 04:15:11 How to Combine Due Care for a Good Reputation with Humility 04:22:40 Gentleness Towards Others and Remedies Against Anger 04:31:05 Gentleness Towards Ourselves 04:35:35 We Must Attend to the Business of Life Carefully, but Without Eagerness or Over-Anxiety 04:40:18 Obedience 04:45:43 Purity 04:49:05 How to Maintain Purity 04:52:48 Poverty of Spirit amid Riches 04:58:28 How to Exercise Real Poverty although Actually Rich 05:06:08 How to Possess a Rich Spirit amid Real Poverty 05:09:50 Friendship: Evil and Frivolous Friendship 05:13:31 Frivolous Attachments 05:18:48 Real Friendship 05:24:40 The Difference between True and False Friendship 05:28:57 Remedies against Evil Friendships 05:35:47 Further Advice concerning Intimacies 05:40:22 The Practice of Bodily Mortification 05:50:59 Society and Solitude 05:56:24 Modesty in Dress 06:00:20 Conversation: First, How to Speak of God 06:02:52 Unseemly Words and the Respect Due to Others 06:07:18 Hasty Judgments 06:17:28 Slander 06:28:27 Further Counsels as to Conversation 06:32:24 Amusements and Recreations: What Are Allowable 06:34:56 Forbidden Amusements 06:36:53 Balls and Other Lawful but Dangerous Amusements 06:41:59 When to Use Such Amusements Rightly 06:43:49 We Must Be Faithful in Things Great and Small 06:49:23 - A Well-Balanced, Reasonable Mind 06:53:33 - Wishes 06:58:15 - Counsels to Married People 07:11:47 - The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed 07:13:15 - Counsels to Widows 07:22:31 - One Word to Maidens 07:23:51 Part 4 – Counsels Concerning Some Ordinary Temptations 07:23:58 - We Must Not Trifle with the Words of Worldly Wisdom 07:29:29 - The Need of Good Courage 07:32:09 - Temptations and the Difference Between Experiencing Them and Consenting to Them 07:37:19 - Two Striking Illustrations of the Same 07:40:56 - Encouragement for the Tempted Soul 07:43:26 - When Temptation and Pleasure are Sin 07:47:23 - Remedies for Great Occasions 07:50:15 - How to Resist Minor Temptations 07:52:26 - How to Remedy Minor Temptations 07:55:02 - How to Strengthen the Heart Against Temptation 07:57:40 - Anxiety of Mind 08:03:27 - Sadness and Sorrow 08:08:40 - Spiritual and Sensible Consolations and How to Receive Them 08:23:23 - Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness 08:33:49 - An Illustration 08:41:07 Part 5 - Counsels and Practices for Renewing and Confirming the Soul in Devotion 08:41:15 - It Is Well Yearly to Renew Good Resolutions by Means of the Following Exercises 08:43:58 - Meditation on the Benefit Conferred on Us by God in Calling Us to His Service 08:48:55 - Examination of the Soul as to Its Progress in the Devout Life 08:52 :13 - Examination of the Soul's Condition as Regards God 08:56:52 - Examination of Your Condition as Regards Yourself 08:59:16 - Examination of the Soul's Condition as Regards Our Neighbor 09:00:43 - Examination as to the Affectations of the Soul 09:03:10 - The Affections to Be Excited After Such Examination 09:04:36 - Reflections Suitable to the Renewal of Good Resolutions 09:05:23 - First Consideration, On the Worth of Souls 09:08:13 - Second Consideration, On the Excellence of Virtue 09:10:01 - The Example of the Saints 09:11:48 - The Love That Jesus Christ Bears to Us 09:15:05 - The Eternal Love of God for Us 09:16:36 - General Affections That Should Result from These Considerations and Conclusion of the Exercise 09:19:16 - The Impressions That Should Remain After This Exercise 09:20:53 - An Answer to Two Objections That May Be Made to This Book 09:23:45 - Three Important and Final Counsels

True Leadership & Revival (audio) David Eells 12/4/24 The Lord is going to repeat the history written in the Gospels and Book of Acts on a much larger scale. Read God's Word and make sure that you will be on the right side of what is coming. Those early disciples were raised in their youth to believe that they were the people of God and that their apostate leaders were Godly men, until the Word of God through Jesus opened their eyes. When this happened they became a threat to the apostate (backslidden) leadership. Great persecution will come from the official church against those who begin to believe and walk in the steps of Jesus instead of religion. We know this to be so because it has been happening and will continue just as it says in Ecc 1:9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. If your church does not teach the Word as it was given in the beginning you are not learning to abide in Christ. You are in danger of being on the wrong side of what is coming. 1Jn 2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. Christianity has followed in the steps of Judaism with its paid professionals who do not know God and have added to or taken away from the “everlasting covenant” with their traditions. They pay no heed to the warning in Rev 22:18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. The prophet Joel declares a full restoration of all that the curse and religion has taken from God's people for years, first the Jews, and then the Gentiles. Joe 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former (or early) rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first [month]. 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you. God's people will be restored from the devastation that these insect type curses did to His crop in the early and now going into the latter rain. This rain was identified in verses 28,29 as an outpouring of the Spirit on them. Peter quotes verses 28,29 in Joel declaring that the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost was a fulfillment of this prophecy. Act 2:16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams. This early rain came to the Jews that believed to restore them after a great falling away and then it was passed on to the Gentiles. Those disciples who received that power of the Spirit walked as Jesus walked and did His works. The pagans called them “Christians”. There's not enough evidence to convict many “Christians” of that anymore but the story is not over. For 2000 years only a few have been partakers of the early rain. The early and latter rain will come to those who believe, to restore the fallen Church and then it will be passed on to the Jews, because now most of them are the unbelievers. When will the latter rain come? Both the Jews and the Church have fallen away from what was given on Pentecost for 2000 years. The Spirit of God says in Hos 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly. In the midst of affliction, which has already started, His people say in Hos 6:1 Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. 3 And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. We see here that on the morning of the third day, where we are now, the latter rain outpouring will come to empower and restore the Church. What are these days? 2Pe 3:8 But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Having read the writings of the early church fathers I can tell you that they commonly believed in the 1000-year day and that after six of these days the end would come. The Hindus, Muslims, and the Jews also believed this. Gibbon in “The Rise And Fall of The Roman Empire” said that the Christians believed this. I have found in Scripture over a dozen astounding revelations using the 1000-year days pointing to this time in which we live. The Bible is laid out in seven prophetic 1000-year days. These days are always numbered from the creation of the first Adam or the birth of the last Adam. There were 4000 years or four days between the Adams. I believe in September of 2001 to 2002 we came approximately to the Biblical year 6000 A.M. (Anno Mundi -year of the world). This begins the morning of the third day or third thousand years from the last, new creation Adam, Jesus Christ. It will also be the morning of the seventh day from the old creation Adam. This is when the end time begins and God finishes His work as God said in Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. According to this type God is about to finish His new creation work on the seventh day and rest. This soon coming latter rain outpouring will restore the true believers to the holiness, power, and ministry of Jesus. Religion will fight against this as they did the early rain and this time it will be worldwide. In perfect parallel to the early rain in the Book of Acts, this revival will come to the people of God who will receive it in the latter rain. God's crop is about to burst forth on this morning of the third day. As with the early rain this revival will not be spawned in the established apostate church but on the streets. As they lose their “members” the jealousy of the New Testament Pharisees and Sadducees will be evident. This revival will not be the placebo of false signs that have been seen, but a restoration of the Biblical gifts and powers to the righteous Joe 2:23-25. And as Jesus said, “greater works than these shall you do”. Mass healings and deliverances will come through the Man-child reformer ministers. The Med Beds will be put to shame.   The Real Apostolic Church Matthew J. Burdette (David's notes in red) I was in prayer several nights ago, and God began to show me a vision. In this vision I saw one that I knew to be an Apostle out in the streets. He was healing the sick, wheelchair cases were getting up out of their chairs, shouting and praising God. He was as Jesus was when He walked the earth. The very power of heaven seemed to be at his disposal without effort. (At this same time, God began to speak to me, or reveal to me, what was happening, almost in a narrative sense.) As the Apostle did the miraculous, he was also proclaiming the Kingdom of God to the people. His message did not veer from the message Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. It was “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”. (Mass baptisms of water and Spirit will happen.) Many believed his words, and obeyed his message. Great revival was present! As the Apostle continued to proclaim and work the miracles, I saw others come on the scene. These men were leaders in churches. God was not moving for them in the same way he was with the Apostle, yet they were carrying the title of “Apostolic.” There was a hatred that came upon them for the Apostle. They despised his miracles, and began to say his power came from the devil. They cut him off from their fellowship and began to persecute him.  At this time I saw him in several different ways, or scenarios. Some of the “Apostolic” men began to try to turn the people away from the Apostle. Some followed them because they were ‘Elders in the church.' Their position and standing in the assembly swayed some to their view. They then began to fight the Apostle, throwing rocks at him, he was put in prison. He was even killed. It seemed strange, but as the Apostle suffered the persecution and was killed he still continued to do the work. (They will be dead to self, the world and religion.) Even after he was killed he was still there, preaching salvation, and showing God's power through the signs and wonders that he did. As all this was being shown to me God was narrating the whole thing to me. This is what He was saying: “The Apostle is the Real Apostolic Church. He is My Ambassador to the world. He will demonstrate My power to the world, but he will hold the same doctrine that the first Apostles taught, any other doctrine negates him as My Ambassador. The Apostle will be men that do not limit Me. They will ask for the impossible, so that I may get the Glory, because man could not do what they were asking. They will believe Me for the limitless.” As the scene changed, and the Apostle began to be persecuted, I seemed to know the interpretation as it happened. The Real Church will be persecuted by those that claim to be the church - much like the Pharisees persecuted Jesus. They will try to draw some away by speaking against the move of God through the Apostle (the Real Church). Some will follow them because they have been the leaders of the “church” for years. As God continues to move on the Real Church, these false leaders will hate all who stand with the Apostle. They will fight and cast false accusations, drawing some away. They will turn the ‘governments that be' against the Real Church. Men will be put in prison. Some will be put to death. (And some spiritually put to death.) Yet all the persecution will not destroy or stop the Real Apostolic Church from the task before them. The gates of hell will not prevail!     Corporate David Raises Apostles Soon Garrett Crawford - 05/13/2009 (David's notes in red) In this dream, the first thing I remember was that I was at my pc, looking at a website. There was some kind of piece written about a movie. The movie was about a few young men who traveled the world and ultimately changed it forever. I assumed it was about the first apostles. I was amazed at the good things the critic had to say about them and the movie because I did not think of him as a Christian. After I saw this, I began to look around some more on these young men and saw that there were many movies and books written about them. It was like they were larger than life and the whole world knew about their great works. But I also got the feeling that what they had accomplished was a one-time thing, never to be duplicated. As I sat and found myself thinking about them, I began to even admire them and think of the greatness of their works. (To most of the Church, the things that happened in the Gospels and Acts have passed away and are only of historic value, but God will repeat the former rain in a latter rain that will cover the world. Ecc 3:15 That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.) Shortly after this, I found myself sitting down on the floor with a small group of young men, some younger than me. David Eells was in the middle, sitting in a wooden chair. (I am being used as a type of this thing that will happen corporately all over the world, through the David ministries God told me He was about to raise up.) He had a book in his hands and he was teaching these men, but this was no ordinary teaching. He was preparing these men who sat around him to do many mighty works. He was raising them up to walk in the steps of their first-century counterparts. These who sat around him were on the verge of shaking the world and it was all going to start in this humble setting, in a small living room. (In the steps of the apostles, modern apostles will be raised up by the Man-childs to bring a remnant of the Church back to their biblical foundations in this coming latter rain. While the world was all excited about a movie of the former miracle workers, something so great was stirring here in this house and no one knew. (Much of the church has been deceived that God is not raising a people in the image of Christ to prove the power of His salvation.) While I was sitting there, my mom (representing the Church) walked in and said, “Garrett, the new movie just came out. Do you want to go see it?” I remembered my excitement about it and said yes, but then, as I looked back to David and the group sitting around him, it dawned on me, why would I want to see a movie about the past when I, along with these others, are on the verge of reliving what those men did, in the very near future? (In a repetition of history, many religious people will walk in the steps of their forefathers -- the Pharisees, Sadducees and Zealots -- in persecuting these men because of the dead letter that is taught to them. These Apostles and those who spring from them will shake the world.)     Revelation Given To David Walters I arrived early for the Sunday service and sat in a local church in Georgia. I looked around the sanctuary and saw only one or two other people. I looked around at the condition of the church and saw that it was well maintained. I have visited this church a number of times over the years. I had even preached there on several occasions: the first time in the mid-eighties. WHERE WAS EVERYONE? The sanctuary was capable of seating about four hundred. I knew there would be far less in attendance than 400. Probably around seventy or eighty. I began to consider what would be needed to fill that church. I began to imagine what I would do to fill it, if I were the pastor. Make the platform larger? Take the front pews out? Get rid of the grand piano and install a keyboard? Look for many gifted musicians? Change the pulpit to a fiberglass see through podium? Put banners on the walls? Make the meetings more attractive and exciting, in order to draw in lots of young families with kids and lots of young single adults? I said, “Yes Lord, I know You want to fill this church, but I'm not quite sure how”. The Lord then answered me and said, “I am not interested in filling church buildings. I have never been interested in filling church buildings, for it has never been on My agenda. My desire and My agenda is not fill church buildings, but to fill the whole earth with My glory. This has always been My agenda, to fill the heavens and the earth with My glory”. He then told me to check it out in the scriptures. “For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea”. (Hab 2:14.) “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory Amen and Amen”. (Psa 72:19)  He then went on to say, “There are many church buildings that are full today, but they have nothing to do with Me. I am not interested in filling church buildings, but many buildings will be filled, because of Me. But this will happen because of the moving of My Spirit upon the earth. When My Spirit moves you will not have enough buildings to contain the sinners and backsliders which will pour into my church. They will fill the streets, the marketplaces, the places of business in the cities. Yes! Every area of society will be affected by My mighty outpouring. For I am more concerned about nations, countries, cities and villages, than I am about church buildings. I am more concerned about nations than church affiliations and denominations.  For when My people become more concerned about their communities, their cities, their villages and their nations and pray and seek My face and give up their own agenda's and come into unity and seek Me for My agenda and My glory, then I will come upon their communities and their cities and their villages and their nations. When My people renounce the religious spirit, which has polluted much of My Body and caused division and has weakened My church and made her impotent, then I will hear and answer”. “When My church refuses to trust in the arm of the flesh, and in human talents, and renounces vain traditions, and casts out spirits of suspicion against herself, and calls upon My name, then I will come and visit her with My great power and presence. Expect to see a great sign and wonder which I am waiting to accomplish. Observe what I have already done and am doing in the nations across the world and know that there is nothing too hard for Me. For I am no respecter of persons, or countries, or nations; therefore humble yourselves, renounce the spirits of darkness and evil, repent of your sins and pray for a visitation of My Spirit upon your nation. When My people humble themselves, then I will humble the nations”.     True Church Government David Eells The common church government today breeds false prophets. Jesus, as a type of the Man-child, raised up the apostolic fathers to found the Church on a five-fold ministry of men who are spiritual specialists in their field. Pro 11:14 Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Jesus Christ is the Spirit (1 Cor.15:45) and head of His Body the Church (Epe.5:23). His headship is manifested physically through the five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Epe.4:11). The members of the head represent these different five-fold ministers. Apostle is Greek for “one sent forth”, and they are sent to raise up churches and set them in order. The apostles are ‘a jack of all trades' with a little of the gift of the rest of the five-fold ministry so they can discern the elders that they are called to ordain (Act.14:23). Elders are ordained five-fold ministers, not assistants to the pastor (Act.20:17, 11:30). Even apostles are elders (1Pe.5:1; 2Jn.1; 3Jn.1). When the legalists were trying to bring the Gentiles under the law the apostles and the other elders were gathered to consider this problem (Act.15:6). Together the elders made a decision (v-22) and sent their findings to the rest of the church (v-23; 16:4). Let's consider the other elders who are members of the head. The prophets are the spiritual eyes of the head and see what others do not. Isa 29:10 For Jehovah... hath closed your eyes, the prophets... 11 And all vision is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed. The pastors or shepherds are the nose of the head because they lead the local body of sheep to pastures with a discernment that is neither from their eyes or ears. There is no such thing as an assistant pastor in Scriptures. You either are a pastor or you are not. Teachers are the ears of the head. Solomon asked for “an understanding heart” in 1 Ki.3:9 and in verse 12 God granted him “an understanding heart”. The Hebrew word for “understanding” in both verses is “hearing”.  I was first ordained through an apostle to be a teacher. Later a prophet who knew nothing of this saw a vision of me with ears as big as elephants. Later the Lord appeared to me twice and re-ordained me to another office, which was confirmed by other ministers. I am certainly not comparing myself to Paul, but he was re-ordained as an example that the Lord does do this (Act.13:1-4; 14:14). The evangelist is the mouth of the head because he ministers to those outside the body. It takes all of these to perfect the saints and raise up others into the head (Eph.4:12,15) so that individuals in the Body have a portion of these gifts so they may be guided and used personally by their Lord. Now you know why Satan wanted to replace the five-fold ministry with a manmade one-fold ministry. This false government is easier to corrupt and the saints are not perfected by it. Through men with a lust for power Satan has been able to destroy the Scriptural government of the church. God never wanted a king over Israel; men did. They said, “make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1Sa.8:5). Does pastor, assistant pastor, and elders sound a lot like President, Vice-President, and cabinet? The church has copied “all the nations” as Israel did. God gave Israel the king they wanted saying,       “they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them (7). God has given the church her kings too. God also warned Israel that their king would take their children to serve him and would charge them a tithe of everything for his service (10-18). Sound familiar? Pastors, without any Scriptural foundation, tell us that the Lord did away with the five-fold ministry after the apostles died. Actually it was false prophets who did away with the five-fold ministry. In our worldly system the pastor usurps the authority of the rest of the five-fold ministry. I have heard pastors who are not even filled with the Spirit claim that today they are the prophets when they expound the Word under the anointing. If this does not make them false prophets, then I do not know what does. As far as the five-fold ministry is concerned, nowhere in Scripture does the pastor take authority over a prophet or teacher or vice versa. In the world do doctors take authority in a lawyer's field or vice versa? Does it make sense to be given authority over another's gift that you have no expertise in? If a prophet, speaking in the Spirit, is told to shut up by a pastor, then God is told to shut up. (Many can exercise the gift to prophesy but the office of prophet is that of an overseer that has authority in the Body.) Remember that each of the five-fold ministers are overseers (or bishops) who are specialists in their field with authority only in their gift. Each is a portion of the head of the Body of Christ and necessary for the guidance of the Body. However, when one of the five-fold ministers falls into sin or gets deceived, the rest have authority to correct, discipline, or throw them out (1Cor.5:9-13). This insures the safety of the sheep. The false system of shepherd-ship is the Nicolaitan error, which Jesus said He hates (Rev.2:6,15). Nicolaitan comes from two words, “Nikao”, meaning “to conquer”, and “laity”, meaning “the people”. This was and is a privileged order who consider themselves above the common people as mediators between them and God. Ministers are to make disciples of Jesus and His Word, not themselves and their traditions. He is the mediator. The Protestants falsely copied the Nicolaitan error from the Catholic Church, which partially took it from the Old Testament priesthood. Jesus constantly denounced this worldly relationship between the ministry and the people. We read this in Mat 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister (Greek: “servant”); 27 and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant (Greek: “bondservant”): 28 even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (Greek: “served”), but to minister (Greek: “serve”), and to give his life a ransom for many. Mat 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, [even] the Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.     Jesus' Coming on Board Brings Revival David Eells Many years ago I asked the Lord, “Why is there so much spiritual resistance and all the wicked coming against us, with limited success in getting the Word out to the multitudes?” I was led to flip my Bible open and stick my finger down without looking and I got: Luk 5:4 And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answered and said, Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets. 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking; 7 and they beckoned unto their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken; 10 and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. So this is saying the disciples worked in relative darkness while Jesus, as a type of the Man-child, wasn't in the boat and they caught no fish, representing the lack of revival. When Jesus entered the boat and gave the Word, the catch was overwhelming. I have said that we are building a platform for the Man-child ministry and not us. PTL! Come on board, Lord! The fact that He gave me this underlined part of the verse, from henceforth thou shalt catch men, says to me that we are almost at that point when Jesus comes on board and we will be amazed at the multitudes coming into the Kingdom. I then said, “What else will you speak about this, Lord?” In the same way I got the part below, which is a type of Jesus in the end-time Man-child. Rom 15:12 And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be the root of Jesse (A type of David / Jesus / and Jesus in the Man-child), And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles (Nations); On him shall the Gentiles (Nations) hope. 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. God is permitting hindrance until the timing is right when the light of the coming of the glory of Jesus in the Man-child will start the great revival. For many years it has been prophesied that a great revival would start in Pensacola, Florida. When I lived there a prophetess pointed me out all the way across a large church saying loudly that I was the one the Word would come through. That was my first time there and her first time there. (In 1993, Dr. David Yonggi Cho, pastor of the Yoido Full Gospel Church, Seoul, South Korea, the world's largest church, conducted a meeting in Seattle, Washington. As he prayed for revival in America, he questioned, “God are you going to send revival to America, or is she destined for judgment?” The Lord instructed him to get a map of America. He did so, and the Holy Spirit told him to point his finger at the map. As he did, he felt his finger drawn to the Florida panhandle and to the city of Pensacola. “I am going to send revival to the seaside city of Pensacola, and it will spread like a fire until all of America has been consumed by it”, said the Lord to Dr. Cho.) When the Brownsville Revival came, pastor Cho at first thought this was the fulfillment of his revelation, but I knew that it was only the counterfeit before the real even as Babel came before the real virgin birth. I believe we will get the boat built but won't have great success until the soon coming glory of God comes aboard through the Man-child reformers. Then I got this verse: 1Pe 4:13 but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. (The greater glory is coming through the Man-child reformers.) 14 If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed [are ye]; because the [Spirit] of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you.     Saul's Death Brings David and Revival Shirley Hinkle (David's notes in red) I was told by God at the end of 2007 to fast for the death of Saul (1 Chronicles 10:12). (God does not want us to pray for the death of any individual but for the death of the Saul ministry which is leading God's people to death. [See Pharisees, Saul & Eli Ministry series.] An apostate Saul ministry is spiritually dying now to make room for the anointed Davids, the coming Man-child Reformers, in whom Jesus will be manifested by Word and Spirit. 1Ch 10:6 So Saul died, and his three sons; and all his house died together. ... 11:1-3 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, ... Thou shalt be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over my people Israel. ... and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Jehovah by Samuel.) During this fast I had 2 dreams. Dream 01/04/2008 A man walked up to me in my dream and said, “Pray for the womb to heal from the inside out, prepare for the seed”. (The seed of the Word has to have good nurturing soil in us to bring forth the fruit of Jesus. When the seed is planted, Saul's death will be completed in nine months and the Davids, as the Man-child, will be anointed. Also the Davids will be planting the seed of the Kingdom in the womb of the saints.) Dream 01/06/2008 I was in this room with some other people. We were sitting in rows of chairs; there were just a few of us there. David Eells (Representing the coming David, Man-child reformers in whom Jesus will live by Word and Spirit.) walked into the room and said, “Where is everybody?” (In the beginning there will be only a few. According to Rev 3:10, it is only the Bride of the Philadelphia Church who will escape the hour of trial for they have already been tried.) David said, “Maybe they all went in the rapture after all.” He then chuckled in that little laugh of his and we all laughed with him. The atmosphere in the room was very light and peaceful. A woman walked into the room and up to David and said, “You need to remove that big farmer's machine that is blocking the front door; not everyone knows about the side door over there that we use. (In other visions we have seen two doors: a smaller one opened in the beginning for the first fruits and a larger door for the ingathering harvest at the end.) So we all looked and sure enough, there blocking the front door was this big planter machine that puts the seed into the ground to fertilize it. (Jesus was not seeking for the multitudes since he spent much time with 12 disciples who could perfectly reflect Him to the world. He was the pattern to be duplicated. These 12 became a geometric progression that later reached the World.) The next scene David was passing out something to the few of us who were there. When he came to me I saw he was carrying a very large brown woven basket full of water. (The basket is our life full of the water of the Word. The coming revival will have a small beginning — the Bride, which is Zion. Psa 14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When Jehovah bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, [and] Israel shall be glad.) I looked into the basket to see what it was and saw it was full of pickled cucumbers. (Cucumbers are mostly water and are full of seeds and they were in the water of the Word. When pickled they are incorruptible.  This is what purifies souls or manifests Christ in you. 1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: 23 having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. Zion is the “small remnant” that has the seed to restore the rest of Israel. Isa 1:7 Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 9 Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.)  I got very excited and said, “Oh, I have one of those too”, and we looked down on my lap and there was the exact same very large brown woven basket full of water with pickled cucumbers. (We are to bring our baskets full of the Word to feed the revival.) The people around us started eating from the baskets and found it to be very refreshing, they said. (The seed of the Kingdom greatly refreshes. Song 2:5 Stay ye me with raisins [old seed], refresh me with apples [new seed]..., and Mat 13:52 And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.) As the people started eating, the people began to multiply until the room was packed and there was no place to sit; it was standing room only. People were trying to make room for even more who were coming in. (Passing around the incorruptible seed of the Word will make for a great revival.) In the front of the room a lady called to me to come to her, so I did and when I reached her, I recognized her to be from the UBM ministry. She had a teabag in her hand and then handed me enough to make a cup of tea. When she went to hand it to me she got so happy she started rejoicing. She said to me, “Look!” and I turned and there behind me was a line of people that was so long we couldn't see the end. (This is the geometric progression. One shared with ten. Ten shares with a hundred. A great revival is coming our way.) She started laughing and rejoicing again, saying, “I don't know if I will have enough teabags for everyone, but I will continue to pass it out”. (Skillful workers in the Kingdom are like teabags that pass on the pure flavor of the tea without passing on the flesh of the tea leaves.)

Hebrews 13:1 gives practical next steps for believers to take so that they can become more like Jesus. 1.) Next steps at home: a. Love more (v. 1) • Host people (v. 2) • Help people (v. 3) • Honor marriage (v. 4) The Gospel should impact the most intimate places in your home. b. Live content (v. 5) • You have God's presence (v. 5b) • You have God's help (v. 6) 2.) Next steps at church: a. Learn the Gospel (vs. 7-14) b. Offer a sacrifice of praise (v. 15) c. Do good and share (v. 16) d. Offer your submission (v. 17) e. Pray for your pastors (v. 18) 3.) Next steps in faith. a. Read God's Word and be encouraged (v. 22) b. Remember the New Covenant and live in freedom (v. 25) Everyone has a next step in their faith. What next step is God calling you to take? Don't forget to click the “bell” to SUBSCRIBE to get more videos like this to grow your faith! ● Connect with us on Social Media ↴ Facebook: / abundantlifels Instagram: / abundantlifels ● Connect with Pastor Phil ↴ Facebook: / philhopperkc Instagram: / philhopper_kc Web: https://livingproof.co/resources/books/ ● Be a part of the Great Commission: https://livingproof.co/irresistible/ More information on our sermons: https://livingproof.co/sermons/ Do you want to see your life changed by Jesus? Visit our website: https://livingproof.co/ Do you want to go deeper in your study of the book of Hebrews? Get our FREE Book of Hebrews Study Guide—a comprehensive video series with weekly questions to see and know Jesus better. #AbundantLife #Sermon #Studyofhebrews #Jesusisbetterthan #Nextsteps

Episode 147: Engaging Foundational Truths If we are not engaging the truth, then we are listening to the lies of the enemy. He wants to kill, steal, and destroy you and it all begins by hissing lies in your ear. Be diligent to not listen to the lies. Instead lean into the truth that is found in God's word. The power of life and death lies in the tongue. Be careful what you say to yourself. Be careful what you believe. Matthew 4:4 "True life is found in every word that goes forth from God's mouth." Speak the truth and release your faith. Truth is the firm foundation God has given you to stand on no matter where you are in your life. Read God's word, speak God's word, and live a life founded on His word. Jesus said, "the Truth will set you free". Here is the link to Pam's truth journal: amzn.to/3AvvQ2z You can search Pam Pegram on Amazon and find Pam's truth journal and her book, "Saved by Grace, Now What?" Learn more at engageformore.com. Be sure to visit the store to see our coaching programs and our services. We are here to help you engage and experience the MORE Jesus came to offer you. CONNECT WITH US AT: ▶︎Website: https://www.engageformore.com ▶︎Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/EngageforMore ▶︎Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/163312072559573 ▶︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/engageformore/ We exist to encourage you to engage and experience the more Jesus came to offer. Learn more about our Coaching Programs: https://www.engageformore.com/coaching Here's Pam's book - https://a.co/d/er42DKW Here's Pam's Blog - https://www.pampegram.com/master-what-matters Here's Pam's Website - https://www.pampegram.com #engageformore

21st Sunday (B)

Sometimes it's hard to remember that God is good, when life simply isn't. In fact, sometimes it's downright impossible. That's why God is revealing His goodness every moment of every day, through His Word.   God is Good So life is going along ok I guess, with its ups and downs, but something doesn't quite feel right. You're not completely happy with the way things are going, and that has a way of grinding away at you. The burdens become heavier, the longer you carry them. The spark you once had deep inside seems to have disappeared, and when you're in the middle of all that, your perception of who God is, how He acts, is incredibly important because it'll shape your expectation of His involvement in your life at that moment. Is God someone who's going to graciously step in to comfort you or is He distant, uninvolved? What are you expecting of God? Sadly too many people don't have a right expectation, a good expectation, because instead of spending some precious time in God's Word every day, they're too busy, it would seem. What we need in those difficult times is a way back into the comforting arms of God. Would you agree? So, what is that way back? How do we experience the comfort of God? I don't know quite where you're at in life at the moment, but we all need God's comfort (God's presence) from time to time, so let's take a look at what God has to say about the way back. Psalm 119:49-52: Remember Your Word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from Your Law. When I think of Your rules from old, I take comfort, o LORD. Now all that seems a bit strange. I take comfort when I think of Your rules from old. Really? Do you? Rules. What's the Psalmist actually saying to God, and more importantly, what's God saying to you and me here today? Well, back then, they didn't have the whole Bible. They only had the first five books – the books of the Law, as they were known; the rules, if you will: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, although they're much more than just rules. They're the story of what God's done in creation, in leading His people out of slavery, and taking them to the promised land. They're the story of God's love, and His faithfulness to those whom He loves. This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your promise gives me life, writes the Psalmist. Where does he get his comfort from? From meditating on God's Word; from reading God's promises; from remembering the mighty things that God's already done; from seeing who God is through what He says and more importantly, what He does for His people when they're afflicted. You see, that's the way back to God's comfort. When we're caught up in the doom and gloom that sometimes envelops our lives, the last thing we expect of God is that He'd be gracious, full of grace that He is ready to pour out onto us. Oh, maybe you know the theory, "My grace is sufficient for you." Right? but knowing that in your heart, expecting that of God, experiencing that, that's a whole another thing. But today I believe with all my heart (in fact, I know with all my heart) that God wants you to become someone who experiences His grace every moment of every day, for the rest of your life. Is that something that you'd like to receive? Well, I can't give it to you, but God can, through His Spirit and His Word. Psalm 119:55-58: I remember Your name in the night, o LORD, and keep Your Law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept Your precepts. The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep Your Word. I entreat Your favour with all my heart; be gracious to me, according to Your promise. You see, the question is, what is it that would give you confidence (the complete and absolute confidence) in the graciousness of God towards you? How can the light of His grace shine in your heart when there's darkness all around? And make no mistake about it; the Psalmist is writing those words there, going through some terribly dark times: I remember Your name in the night, o LORD. Isn't night-time always the worst time? Things churn around in your mind, and the fear sets in; the cold sweats ... I've been there and I'm sure you have too. It's in those dark hours that we need to remember the name of the LORD; to experience His blessings falling on us; to know that no matter what we may lose in this world, the LORD is our portion. From where does the Psalmist draw his confidence? From knowing God's precepts and keeping them. You have to know God's Word to live God's Word, and you know what it's like. When you've been through a difficult situation but you've handled it in a Godly way – a loving way, a humble way, a way that honours God, it may have been hard. It may have hurt a lot, but doing good in the midst of bad puts a quiet confidence in your heart. Not an arrogant self-righteousness; that's not what the Psalmist is talking about: This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept Your precepts. In the darkest of a night, knowing that you've lived through those difficulties and challenges in a way that honours God is a huge blessing, and that gives you the confidence to entreat God in those dark hours that He would be gracious to you, according to His promises. It's an incredibly powerful truth that our behaviour affects our thinking, and our thinking affects our behaviour. The two are inexorably linked. Without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest (I mean the single-biggest) change-agent for good in my life over the last twenty-one-and-a-half years, since I gave my life to Jesus, has been reading God's Word almost every day of my life: Not every day, but most days, and not just reading His Word, but reflecting on it; receiving it, and then responding to it. Think about it. We all want a better life. Right? Self-improvement is a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. There are business gurus; success gurus; life gurus; health gurus, all sprouting their stuff, all claiming to have the answers. If only we'll buy their book; attend their conference; sign up for their programme online. People are lapping this stuff up, and paying through the nose for it. Peter Drucker, the man who years ago invented the term the knowledge worker ... He once said the reason people use the word guru is that charlatan is often too long for the headlines. See, these are false prophets. It's not that some of them don't have some clever things to say, but they don't have the answers for life. They don't have the truth. They don't have the wisdom of God. God on the other hand is ready, willing and able to speak His truth and His wisdom in abundance into your life, but are we listening? Psalm 119:59-60: When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to Your testimonies; I hasten and I do not delay to keep Your commandments. The man writing this Psalm is praying to God, and what he's saying is, "You know, LORD, I've been thinking about this. I spend a lot of time in Your Word. I think about my ways: How I think; how I speak; how I behave, and when I bring those two things together, Your Word and my ways, I can't help it. I turn my feet to walk in Your testimonies; in Your Word; in Your ways. I hasten; I don't delay. As surely as night follows day, I end up keeping Your commandments." What's happening there is that this man is reading God's Word; reflecting on it; thinking about it; receiving it, and then responding to it with his life. That is how powerful Godly change happens in our lives: Read, reflect, receive, respond. Let me say that again. Read God's Word, reflect on it; think about what God's saying to you and compare it to how you're living life at the moment, receive that Spirit-breathed Word into your heart, and respond to it with your life. No one else can do that for you. No one else can bring that sort of powerful change to your life.   God has a Plan for Your Life Let me be perfectly honest with you. I hate pain: Physical pain, emotional pain ... I mean, I just hate it. I'm sure you do too. It's simply our natural response to pain, because pain is an indication that something's wrong. If you start getting chest pains, you'd better call an ambulance quick. If you're out running and all of a sudden, a sharp pain shoots through your hamstring, you'd better stop, quick. We're programmed to avoid pain because pain says there's something wrong. Right? But sometimes, pain happens. Hey, there's a great bumper sticker for your car. Pain happens and sometimes that pain, that trial, that difficult relationship, that knife in your back, that rejection, is part of God's plan to bless you. ‘What? Are you crazy?' No, that's just what my Bible tells me. Have a listen. Psalm 119:69-71: The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart, I keep Your precepts. Their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in Your Law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes. What's the matter with this guy? It is good for me that I was afflicted? Really? But how many times have you heard people say, "I only really grow as a person when I go through difficult times?" It's one of those truisms that gets tossed around by people who aren't at the moment travelling through difficult times, but what about when you're in the middle of something? Like, as in this case, the insolent smearing you with lies. It's not funny; it's so unfair, and what we want to do is whatever we can to stop the pain now! "I'll smear them with lies; that'll do it. I'll show him. I'll sort him out. I'll fix him." You know the sort of thing. Don't get angry; get even. Right? But that's not God's way. Jesus said crazy things like turn the other cheek; go the extra mile, and when it came to people trumping up charges against Him, He stood there quietly (not defending Himself) and ended up being crucified as a result. Sometimes God uses those terrible things to change our hearts; to teach us in the difficult times, so that we might learn His ways in our experience. Think of it as on-the-job training. It's the best sort. It's not a theory lesson that happens in a classroom, but a practical that happens out in the real world. Hebrews 5:8: Although he was a son, Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered. Hebrews 12:6, 11: God disciplines those whom He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives. For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. None of us like being told what to do. We all have that, ‘I did it my way' streak in us. I think the second word that most children learn after mum, mum, mum is no, no, no. Anyone who's had kids will remember the terrible twos, not to mention those challenging teenage years; that streak of rebellion; that desire to do it my way starts early-on. It's almost as though we're programmed that way. King David said it like this, when he was talking to God in repentance for having committed adultery and murder. Psalm 51:5: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Theologians call it the doctrine of original sin, this idea that we're born with a stain of sin on our very DNA. And so, no matter what stage we're at in life, there's this rebellious streak that raises its ugly head from time to time, in all of us. How many times have you looked back on something that you did your way, only to realise the world of pain that it ended up dumping on your head? So often we do things out of a wrong heart; for the wrong reasons; with the wrong motivations, and there are always, always consequences to that. When we were teenagers, we used to do stupid things because we were teenagers, and we acted out of our immaturity. Well, fair enough, but at some point, we're meant to grow up. At some point, we're meant to enter that journey of maturity. That's the place the Psalmist was at when he wrote these words. Psalm 119:72, 127: The Law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Therefore, I love Your commandments above gold, above fine gold. So let me ask you: Are God's ways the right ways? Is God's wisdom the right wisdom? Well, obviously, so what do you desire more; God's way, or your way? The good fruit that God's ways bring, or the painful consequences that your own ways bring crashing down on your life? That's why God disciplines us when we go wandering off on our own way. That's why He lets us suffer the consequences of our sin when we turn our backs on Him; because He loves us. As a father, when my children were young, one of the things that I was always keen to do was to let them suffer the consequences of their own mistake. "Oh, Dad, I'm running late for school. Can you drive me?" "No." "But I'll get in trouble!" "Good." They've learnt responsibility pretty quickly that way. The point that the Psalmist is making here is that God's ways are so good because when we live them, they yield blessing rather than pain. His commandments are so much better than silver or gold; so much better. As you look back on your life, no doubt, you can see a string of missed opportunities. I certainly can. Times when we have the opportunity to do right; to honour God; to bless other people, and we just fail to grab those opportunities with both hands. Instead, sadly all too often, we're prone to insolence. That's a strong word, but when you realise who God is, when you have a right fear of God in your heart, you realise that it's the right word. Insolence. A flagrant disregard for God's will and God's ways; a disrespect so deep of a God who loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. I shake my head at some of the bad decisions that I've made in the past, and you know something? With all my heart, I don't want to go there again. That insolence brings shame to our hearts. It brings regret to our hearts. It robs us of joy and peace, of the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. With all my heart, I want to make good decisions – the best decisions; decisions today, the next day, the day after that, that honour God and bring glory to Him. But I know (and I suspect you know this about yourself too) that left to my own devices, I'm more likely than not to botch it up again. Psalm 119:78-80: Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on Your precepts. Let those who fear You turn to me, that they may know Your testimonies. May my heart be blameless in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame. I've watched my behaviour carefully over the years. On the days when I've spent unhurried, precious time with God in the morning, with the door closed and the book open, it's been so much easier to honour Him. Whilst on those days when I didn't make that time, I was far more prone to making bad decisions. How about you? Have you noticed that about yourself too? We have a choice, you and I: A choice between living a blameless life honouring God, or a life of shame as we live out the consequences of our sin. It's a simple, clear choice, but to choose the right way, we need wisdom and we need power. Am I right? And that wisdom, that power, come over and over again in bucket-loads, in abundance, from God's Word. God doesn't want you to be insolent and filled with shame. He wants you to know the joy and the peace that come from living the blameless life that He has planned for you.   Praying Through the Clouds Sunshine is something that we naturally equate with blessing. When the sun's shining, it casts a different light on our circumstances. I happen to live in the beautiful harbour city of Sydney in Australia, and when the sun's shining, you'd have to say Sydney Harbour with the bridge and the opera house is absolutely stunning. Truly, one of the great sights anywhere in the world, but I always feel so sorry for tourists who travel halfway round the world to see it, only to arrive on a dull, wet, windy day. It's just not the same when it isn't bathed in that bright sunlight. The same holds true in our lives. We want blessing to shine on us all the time, but just as with sunny weather, it seems to come and go without any great rhyme or reason. One moment the blessing is shining down upon us; the next minute, the clouds blow in and on those dull, overcast, gloomy days, life simply isn't the same. So on those days, how do you lay hold of God's blessing? Psalm 119:132-135: Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is Your way with those who love Your name. Keep steady my steps according to Your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Redeem me from man's oppression, that I may keep Your precepts. Make Your face to shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. This man knows God. He doesn't just know about God; he knows God, because he's praying into the very nature of God, relying on who God is: Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is Your way with those who love Your name. He's praying through the clouds and into the sunshine; into the very nature of God. Don't you love that? Keep me steady, God. Keep me relying on Your promises. Don't let sin get the better of me. Redeem me; save me from human oppression. Why? So that I can lie on the beach and bathe in the sun? No! So that I may keep Your precepts; so that I can live life according to Your Word; so that I can get on and be about Your business for Your glory. Here is a man who is a man of God's Word. That much is plain the moment you start reading Psalm 119, and let me tell you, it's well worth a read in its entirety. And as he prays through the clouds, from the gloomy side to the bright side, he finishes by asking this of God: Make Your face to shine upon me, and teach me Your statutes. You see, the two are linked: God's blessing, and God's Word. In fact, they're inseparable. Listen to me. God wants to bless you, and that blessing is ready and waiting in His Word. Well, in the few moments that we have left together today, I just want to pray God's blessing into your life. Are you ready? Father God, You know all the things that we're struggling with right at the moment. Thank You so much that You're involved in our lives. Thank You so much that You care and thank You, thank You that You've given us Your Word, the Bible, breathed through Your Holy Spirit; preserved with incredible accuracy down through the ages, so that You can continue to speak to us here and now. LORD, some people today are just struggling to get into Your Word; to open their Bibles every day, and just receive what You have for them. Well, LORD, I pray right now that You would pour Your Holy Spirit on each one of us. LORD, light a fire in our hearts; a burning desire to be close to You, I pray; a ravenous appetite to hear from You. Stretch us; unsettle us; make us hungry; make us thirsty for Your Word, and then fill us, LORD, to overflowing with Your Spirit and Your Word. Father, teach us Your precepts; Your ways; Your wisdom; Your goodness, and LORD, make Your face to shine upon us. This we pray up through the clouds, LORD, believing in Your faithfulness. In Jesus' name. Amen. Friend, my prayer for you is that your life will be completely turned upside-down as you receive God's Word into your heart.

Read God's Word Every DayYou cannot imitate someone you don't know. You must read God's Word and learn who He is, who you are, and why he put you on this earth. God's Word addresses the areas we are following short and shows us how to get back on track. You have to read God's Word every day if you are going to grow in your relationship with God.Sign up for daily devos. Attend Church RegularlyComing to church does not make you a Christian, but when you are a believer, you will want to worship, learn, and fellowship with other believers. Throughout history, a distinctive discipline of a growing believer has been involvement in a worshipping, bible believing fellowship.Use your spiritual gifts.1 Peter 4:10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace….Dave hit this hard last week. If you missed it, go back and watch his sermon (August 10/11, 2024).Get in a Living Grounded Group or Small GroupWe have small groups you can get involved in. People who will become friends and encourage and challenge you. As iron sharpens iron we sharpen each other.Sign up for a Living Grounded group. Our 2024-2025 Small Group registration opens on September 7. For more information, click here.--------DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOOREGet Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo.CAREGIVINGDo you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org.GROWTH TRACKWe all have a next step - what's yours? To learn more about our Growth Track and to take your next step, biblechapel.org/connect.

How do we find the will of God? Most of the time, people who try to use a “fleece” like Gideon did experience even more doubt. In this message, Pastor Lutzer counsels us to find God's will through five principles. We don't need to test God's will by asking for supernatural signs. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29

How do we find the will of God? Most of the time, people who try to use a “fleece” like Gideon did experience even more doubt. In this message, Pastor Lutzer counsels us to find God's will through five principles. We don't need to test God's will by asking for supernatural signs. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. 

Gideon, full of doubts about the will of God, put out a fleece seeking a sign. God obliged him, but we're not encouraged to seek signs. In this message from Judges 6, Pastor Lutzer specifies three problems with "fleeces" when we're looking for confirmation. Is it ever appropriate to put God to the test? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29

Gideon, full of doubts about the will of God, put out a fleece seeking a sign. God obliged him, but we're not encouraged to seek signs. In this message from Judges 6, Pastor Lutzer specifies three problems with "fleeces" when we're looking for confirmation. Is it ever appropriate to put God to the test? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. 

Welcome to Calvary. We are a growing church, meeting in many locations around the world, helping people to know Jesus, find community and make a difference. For more about us, visit our website: https://calvarycc.global Watch this message on our Calvary Church YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuVVTF3SsWc    LET THERE BE LIGHT | SERIES RESOURCES YouVersion Bible Plan: https://www.bible.com/organizations/51e7f8f8-afbf-40cf-93dd-9035b71b4edc?utm_source=yvapp&utm_medium=share&utm_content=partner-page  Whatapp Broadcast Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VailbNNBfxoB8LWu3m21  Daily Devotion Email: https://mailchi.mp/73ade67499d1/21-day-devotion-sign-up-form  

This is the second sermon in our series:  Dusty Bibles, Why People Say They Don’t Read God’s Word.

Read, study, and obey God's Word.·     Read God's Word to learn who God is and who you are.·     Study God's Word to understand what God desires and how to respond.·     Obey God's Word to experience God's joy and strength.--------DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOOREGet Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo.CAREGIVINGDo you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org.GROWTH TRACKWe all have a next step - what's yours? To learn more about our Growth Track and to take your next step, biblechapel.org/connect.

Karen and a wonderful group of kids talk about Bible stories, right and wrong, and just being a kid. Lively songs make this program especially fun and help to teach the lessons and illustrate the stories. Karen & Kids' music is available at www.karenandkids.com

As a young boy, Andrew van der Bijl longed for adventure, satisfaction, and purpose. That longing would take him places that drove him nearly to madness. But God used Andrew's suffering and disappointment to make him willing to surrender everything to God. And that's when God opened the door for an adventure that Andrew never could have imagined. In this episode, we'll talk about "Why You Should Read God's Smuggler." Resources we mentioned: God's Smuggler (Book) By Brother Andrew

So many of us struggle with sadness, fear, and dealing with the unknown. But knowing the truth of scripture and that Christ holds our future changes everything. Author Ray Comfort joins the program to share from his new daily devotional "Count Your Blessings". Later Pro-Life advocate Kim Ketola joins Bill to share a message on abortion. Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here

Read God's Word in order to know what it means to be united to Jesus, and strive with the Spirit's help to fully abide in Him, all so that we might do good works for the glory of God.

This episode is the first of two parts in a series on 5 ways we can grow Spiritually: 1) Read God's Word; 2) Pray, talk to God; 3) Fellowship; 4) Witness; and 5) Praise God. Remember, our spirit is born again when we receive Christ. We needed to be born again because our spirit was corrupted by the original sin of Adam and Eve. Although our spirit has been made anew, we need to grow in spiritual understanding in the soul. Man is made up of spirit, soul [mind, will and emotions] and body. A fleshly mindset causes worldly actions, but a Spiritual mindset brings forth Spiritual actions. As believers, we are allowed by the Word and the Spirit to know and understand the thoughts of the Lord (Luke 24:45). As we change through renewing the mind, we take on the actions of Jesus. READ GOD'S WORD: It builds our faith, and then, we begin to act as God wants us to act. When tempted by the devil,  Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4, NKJV). We need a constant relationship with the Word of God; meditating on it, being a ". . .doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22, NKJV). If you hear the Word of God and don't do it, you are defeating yourself. PRAY: We grow spiritually by praying. We must pray using our knowledge of God's Word. We pray the Word with thanksgiving. We pray by faith in the Word of God and the faith it brings. We pray in confidence because we are children of God who enters the throne room boldly (Hebrews 4:16). In prayer, we acknowledge all we received through Christ. Jesus found the disciples sleeping in the Garden of Gethsemane and said, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41, NKJV). Jesus is talking about our willing spirit and prayer. We are to pray in the Spirit for each other. This message is about the ways we can do this. Selah! Let me hear from you - Charles   www.aboundinglove.org Subscribe and share with someone you love.

We're starting our study of biblical gratitude with Week 1 of our Give Thanks plan! Raechel and Amanda talk about what gratitude looks like in Scripture, how Jesus modeled gratitude in His life, and how we can follow in His example. They unpack how gratitude has shaped their hearts and perspective on the beautiful, hard, and in-between times of life. Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 1 of She Reads Truth's Give Thanks reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, app, or with our Give Thanks printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.Advent begins December 3! Use code ADVENTPODCAST5 at ShopSheReadsTruth.com for $5 anything in the Advent 2023 Collection. Remember to order by 11/13/2023 to ensure domestic delivery before the start of the community reading plan!Read God's Word with us in the New Year! Use code SUBNEWYEAR5 at ShopSheReadsTruth.com/subscribe for $5 off your first month of your She Reads Truth Subscription. Offer valid until 11/19/2023.She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on Instagram

Bible – Interpretation – John 16:13 – God wants to communicate clearly to you. Do not make things more complicated than they need to be. Read God's Word, study it, and apply it to your life. It is God's literal instruction manual for life.  

Week 3 of the Book of James series with a sermon about how to read God's word.

2 Timothy 3:16 Psalms 119:105 Hebrews 5:12 Psalms 119:11 Proverbs 30:5

Read God's Word for yourself by reading the Bible

Rejoice and continue to study the Holy Scriptures. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shirley-cole-el/message

In today's episode, you'll hear a devotion written by Lysa TerKeurst based on Isaiah 55:11, which says, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (ESV).We hope today's devotion reminds you of the eternal benefits of spending time in God's Word. Related Resources: For more from Proverbs 31 Ministries, head to our website at proverbs31.org, where you can subscribe to Encouragement for Today Devotions in written format, delivered to your inbox each weekday.Today's devotion came from Lysa TerKeurst's newest devotional book, You're Going to Make It. Check it out in the P31 Bookstore! If your quiet time routine has become stale, download our free resource, “My Quiet Time Isn't Cutting It: 30 Refreshing Ways to Spend Time With God.”Click here to read the transcript for this episode.We want to hear how this podcast has impacted you! Share your story with us here.

Pastor Josh Hall continues his Wednesday evening study on PERSONAL EVANGELISM based on Dr. B. Gray Allison's book by the same title. Tonight's message is a continuation of "The Soul-Winners Method." MAKING THE APPROACH 1. Casual Conversation 2. Direct Conversation ESSENTIALS FOR AN EVANGELISTIC PRESENTATION 1. Introduction 2. Transition 3. Gospel Essentials 1) Salvation needed 2) Salvation provided 3) Salvation accepted 4) Invitation extended 4. First Steps 1) Make your decision public 2) Find a Bible-believing church 3) Follow the Lord in believer's baptism 4) Read God's Word daily 5) Pray to God daily 6) Tell others what God has done for you

Fear & What To Do About It2  Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.”I think there is a lot of fear in the world today. There was a lot of fear before this pandemic but now there is even more. It seems as though everyone is afraid of something and some people are living with fear all day everyday. There are many that have financial fears; they have lost their job, either permanently or temporarily. The Pandemic, that I hope we are finally coming out of, has caused so much panic and fear in people over the last few years.  People were so afraid to leave their houses for a while.  Then in the midst of the pandemic there were also several attacks of various racial or ethnic groups, making it even more scary for whole groups of people to leave their houses.  Even still today, there are a lot of reasons to be fearful right now. Many of these reasons are real reasons, the threat is real and it makes sense to be cautious. However, we need to remember who we are. We are children of God. He tells us in Matthew 6:27 “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Worrying won't get us anywhere. However, knowing this does not make our fear any less real. During the pandemic I was doing the Jeff Cavin's bible study called Walking Towards Eternity. One of the chapters addresses fear.  One thing that I think is important to point out is that there is a difference between healthy fear and unhealthy fear. I believe the difference is that a healthy fear keeps you safe and helps you to make good choices. For instance, having a healthy fear of God can help you make choices that keep you from sinning. Having a healthy fear of COVID or any disease can help you practice good hygiene and make other choices to aid in the prevention of spreading this terrible virus. An unhealthy fear is one that keeps you trapped in some way. For instance, you are so afraid of COVID that you don't leave your house even when necessary, or you spend every moment of the day afraid you might catch the virus. One of the questions that I found in the chapter that I thought would be especially relevant for everyone right now was, “What practical steps can be taken to overcome fear?” Did you know that fear, all on its own, triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses and activates more than 30 different hormones? Here are several practical steps you can take to conquer your fear.1. Turn your fear over to God. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5. As soon as you notice you are having a fearful thought, take a moment and hand that thought over to God. 2. Ask yourself if this fear is a legitimate fear/scenario?  Is it likely that the thing you are afraid of will happen? Often times we worry about things that never happen. Mark Twain once said, “I… have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”3. Educate yourself: “Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear … The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart.” (Catechism 1784) Learn your faith, learn to know God, the more you know and understand the word of God the less you will be afraid.4. Understand your fear: Some fears are based on personal experience and some are a result of culture and past experiences. Understand how your fears came to be. Understand how it comes on, how it makes you feel and what level of intensity it is.5. Visualize Courage: What would it look like if you did not have this fear? What would it look like if you overcame this fear? What if this fear did not exist in your life?6. Act as if: If you act courageously in a gradual way, you will overcome the limiting story you tell yourself. For instance, if you are afraid to give a presentation, one way to start overcoming this fear is to give a short presentation to a family member, when comfortable with that you could give the presentation to a close friend, and then to a not so close friend. The point of this is to step outside of your comfort zone slowly and then gradually expand your comfort zone. 7. Move towards your fear: Instead of running away from your fear, turn around and face it. Write down 5-10 ideas of ways you can face your fear in some small way and then act on these ideas daily.8. Don't live in Denial: It is important to examine how your fear is limiting you. Sometimes we are so used to our everyday routine that we don't see the ways our fear has us trapped.9. Fortitude: “The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause. ‘The Lord is my strength and my song.' ‘In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'” (Catechism 1008) Keep going, even when you don't want to, even when you are afraid. 10. Channel your spirituality: When you are feeling afraid of something lean into your  spirituality even more. Read God's word, say a prayer, talk to the Lord, do something to help you connect with God and remember that he is your refuge. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.” ~Psalm 46:1-3Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we ask you to help us trust in you more and to have less fear.  Lord, we know you are protecting us.  We you know you are strength and our refuge.  If we know this we have nothing to fear, help us know this more Lord.  Help us understand with you nothing can harm us.  Help us to focus on how big you are instead of how big our problem is.  We love you Lord, you are amazing.  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I wanted to take a minute to let everyone know, in case you are new to listening, that I have a book that I wrote called TOTAL TRUST In God's Safe Embrace.  It is a book that teaches the 15 different ways in which I developed a really deep trust in God and also a more intimate relationship with Him.  I have been through a lot of stuff over the last 18 years of my life and yet through it all, I knew God was there with me and that things would be ok.  I discovered it is possible to have peace, even in the middle of chaos.  If life is hard right now, if you are struggling with something, check out my book, it could help you find God in the middle of the chaos.  Also if you want to reach out to me through my website or with an email to catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com (Click Here) then I can even send you a signed copy of my book.  I look forward to meeting you here again on Monday.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed weekend.

The world's meager idea of love as mutual affirmation pales in comparison to the robust view of love presented in Scripture. True love of neighbor refuses to uphold tacit lies, but instead seeks human flourishing lived out in God's ordered reality. Timestamps to Know · Intro: 00:33 · Where do We Miss the Idea of ‘Loving One's Neighbor' Today? - 2:51 · The Logic of Loving One's Neighbor & The Idea of Reciprocity – 5:56 · Working Out Moral Norms in a Society Against Christianity – 10:30 · How Much Does our American Context Inform a Natural Law Argument? - 13:53 · How Do We Argue What True Love Is in the Public Square? -19:43 · Do We See Christians Making Moral Arguments From Scripture? - 26:03 · More Practical Ways of Speaking in Public to the Culture - 34:23 · The Recognition and Moral Persuasion of Judgment - 41:31 · Outro – 46:43 Resources to Click · The Moral Meaning of Loving One's Neighbor – Andrew T. Walker · The President, Jesus, and the Golden Rule – Francis Beckwith · Carl Trueman on Gays and Personal Identity – Andrew Sullivan · The Rise of the Nazis – The Rest Is History Podcast · Does God Exist? A Conversation with Tom Holland, Stephen Meyer, and Douglas Murray – Uncommon Knowledge Podcast Books to Read · God and the Transgender Debate – Andrew T. Walker · Epistle Sermons of Martin Luther – Martin Luther; John Lenker · The Abolition of Man – C.S. Lewis · Natural Law: A Brief Introduction and Biblical Defense – David Haines & Andrew Fulford · Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents – Rod Dreher · Ideas Have Consequences – Richard Weaver

In today's study, Pastor Dave rings in the New Year with a dynamic message about how to ensure you are not the enemies trophy in this upcoming year. Here are Pastor Dave's 6 Points to ensure you do not end where you began, and become a trophy for the enemy: #1 - Be in the hearing of God's word #2 - Read God's Word (Deu. 17:19)#3 - Keep Studying God's Word (Prov. 2:1)#4 - Memorize God's Word (Psa. 119:11)#5 - Meditate on God's Word (Josh. 1:8)#6 - Obey God's Word (James 1:22)

In today's episode I cover an noteworthy finding from the American Bible Society's latest State of the Bible report, which states that 92% percent of Bible users who believe their lives were transformed after reading The Bible 3-4 times a year. Then I will discuss why I believe that finding isn't enough for long-term transformation in the Christian life. References Used: 92% of Bible users say Scripture has 'transformed' their life: survey Study Finds One-Third of Americans Who Rarely Use the Bible Still Say It's Transformed Their Lives --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/foryoursoul/support

Hear again what some of our founders thought about the importance of God's word both in our personal and in our public lives. We have been led to believe something far from the truth.

Our founders and great leaders made reading the Bible a priority each day, noting how important it was to us individually and as a nation.  Do we make it a priority as well?

We are all in different seasons! Sometimes it's darker and heavier.  Sometimes life can feel overwhelming! It's ok and you aren't alone! These are the moments to dig deep and TRUST in God! I know this may seem easier said than done but it's possible when you put Him first and let Him lead your everyday life!!Easy steps to keep in your routine:1) Read God's word everyday!2)Pray throughout the day3) Start a gratitude journal4)Get good sleep5) Eat healthierI talk about this more in depth in these two episodes! If you haven't listened yet take a listen now! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/42-4-easy-applicable-tools-to-help-you-on-your-faith/id1566001401?i=1000557479023https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/36-3-daily-musts-to-be-a-thriving-christian-woman/id1566001401?i=1000552697796Also, it's so important to build good friendships!! Sometimes this can be difficult and it DOES take time BUT it's worth it in the end when we are vulnerable and put in the work!!Remember that when we partner with God, He will get us through the harder times. AND our perspective will change when we fix our eyes on Him and not our problems!!Be encouraged today friend!!!xo,AngelaCome hang with me on IG- https://www.instagram.com/mrsangelapitnikoff/Join our FB sisterhood!- https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingdomdaughterssisterhoodBe more amazing and leave a review!- https://lovethepodcast.com/LoHGyjWant some fun free resources? Click here- www.thekingdomdaughters.com

During this walk, Tim recaps Season 4, shares his social justice philosophy, and shares next steps in his walk with God.  Read: "God is My Bridge" blog Podcast IG and Twitter: @WalkWithTFB Podcast Website: Walk With TFB  MOGL LinkTree MOGL Website: https://www.mogl.online  MOGL IG: @get.mogl  MOGL Twitter: @TheMOGLApp MOGL TikTok: @get.mogl --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/walkwithtfb/support

The Secret to Fellowship with God - June 1-30- Pick up Daily in His Presence by Andrew Murray at the Mariners Bookstore- Visit marinerschurch.org or download the Mariners App for more information

Read God's Word by Better Life Church