Podcasts about rejoicing

In this message from Luke 15, we begin our Rhythms of Grace series by exploring Jesus' parable of the prodigal son — a story not just about rebellion, but about pride… and a Father who pursues both.One son ran away.One son stayed home.Both were lost.Both were invited in.As we enter the Lenten season, this sermon calls us to repentance — to come home to the heart of the Father and join the celebration of grace.Mission Church — www.missionlasvegas.com

What if the way you live this week is shaping what you'll receive for eternity? Five Crowns explores the five crowns mentioned in the New Testament - not as distant symbols of heaven, but as present motivations shaping how we live, endure, love, lead, and remain faithful today. Join us as we fix our eyes on what lasts and live now in light of the crown to come.PRAYERText (904) 770-3037 if you would like a member of our prayer team to pray with or for you.NEXT STEPSAre you ready to learn more about what it means to walk with Christ, get baptized, or get connected within the church body? Click here to complete our digital connect card: https://fathom.churchcenter.com/people/forms/31883GOT QUESTIONS?Learn more about Fathom Church at http://fathom.church/WE'RE HERE FOR YOU!If you are looking for more encouragement and biblical teaching throughout the week, we hope you'll follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or download the Churchcenter app: https://churchcenter.com/setupMORE WAYS TO LISTEN:Fathom Beyond Sunday Podcast - Conversations with a biblical worldview and real life application - listen in on an engaging chat between leaders at Fathom discussing faith, life, and how we can carry the truth of the word taught on Sunday into our week Monday through Saturday.Fathom Family Podcast - Real talk on how to build a Godly marriage that is in it for the long haul while leading your kids toward their God-given potential and purpose in Christ.See all the ways to listen here: http://fathom.church/category/listen/

Rejoicing of Heaven! Lets Gooooo!

Only when we have a real burden for the lost will we rejoice when they are found.

1 Corinthians 13:6

What can we learn about sharing the gospel with other people, no matter how they respond? Join us this Sunday at CrossWinds Church in Spencer as we consider the answer from Acts 13.

The gospel not only reconciles us to God; it changes how we relate to one another.

This powerful exploration of Philippians 2:12-18 invites us into a profound paradox: we are called to 'work out our salvation with fear and trembling,' yet it is God who works within us both to will and to work for His good pleasure. The message illuminates a divine partnership where our spiritual growth isn't a solo effort of white-knuckled willpower, but rather a beautiful collaboration with the Holy Spirit. Like miners extracting gold that's already present in the earth, we don't create our salvation—we cultivate what God has already deposited within us. The sermon challenges us to examine our daily lives through the lens of complaint versus gratitude, revealing how our grumbling actually questions God's sovereignty and dims our witness. Through practical examples ranging from workplace integrity to family service, we're shown that becoming 'lights in a dark world' isn't about grand gestures but about choosing obedience in small moments, resisting the cultural tide of complaint, and finding joy even in sacrifice. The call to live 'without grumbling or disputing' stands as a radical counter-cultural witness that makes the gospel attractive to a twisted generation desperately seeking genuine hope.ChaptersChapter 1: Working Out What God Works In0:00 - 15:00We are called to actively work out our salvation with reverent awe, not by earning it, but by cooperating with God who provides both the desire and the power to fulfill His purposes.Chapter 2: Shining Without Grumbling15:00 - 30:00We are commanded to do all things without complaining or arguing so that we may stand out as bright lights in a dark, twisted world, holding fast to the word of life.Chapter 3: Rejoicing in Sacrifice30:00 - 40:00We can find joy even in sacrifice and suffering when we view our lives as poured out for God's purposes, trusting His sovereignty and looking forward to the day of Christ.Chapter 4: Practical Applications for Daily Living40:00 - 50:00We are given practical, everyday examples of how to work out our salvation through daily Scripture reading, choosing obedience in private moments, serving others cheerfully, pursuing holiness in areas of struggle, and sharing the gospel.

1. The Meaning 2. The Manner 3. the Purpose

Mystery-Clad Being The Primal Rhythm of Being and the Heart of All Reality by Doug Scott, LCSW I. The Nature of Mystery We have just heard [previous presenter] speak beautifully about the theme of mystery. I want to build on that foundation with a particular question: What is the nature of the mystery that we are exploring? Mystery is not that which cannot be known. Mystery is that which can never be exhausted in all the ways of knowing. It is infinitely knowable—which means we can spend eternity exploring it and never arrive at complete comprehension. Not because it withholds itself from us, but because it is inexhaustible in its richness. This is a crucial distinction. Mystery is not ignorance. It is not a wall we cannot penetrate. Mystery is an ocean we can swim in forever, each stroke revealing new depths, new currents, new wonders. The fullness of mystery—what we might call gnosis—is not a destination we arrive at but a horizon that recedes as we approach, always inviting us further. Ra describes this with precise language when speaking of the fundamental rhythms of intelligent infinity: "The basic rhythms of intelligent infinity are totally without distortion of any kind. The rhythms are clothed in mystery, for they are being itself." (27.7) Clothed in mystery. Not hidden by mystery. Clothed in it—the way a body is clothed, the way we wear our appearance. Mystery is not what conceals being from us. Mystery is being, wearing its own inexhaustibility. So tonight I want to ask: If being itself is clothed in mystery, can we nonetheless discern something of its shape? Its flow? Its fundamental rhythm? Can we, while honoring the inexhaustibility, trace patterns that appear consistently across Ra's teachings—patterns that might illuminate something primal about the nature of reality itself? II. Being as Verb: Does It Have a Shape? Notice that Ra says the rhythms are being itself. Not that being has rhythms. Not that being does rhythms. The rhythms are being. This is being as verb, not as noun. Not a thing that exists, but existence itself as dynamic, self-processing oscillation. What does Ra tell us about the shape of this rhythm? In Session 27.6, we find a remarkable description: "Intelligent infinity has a rhythm, or flow, as of a giant heart beginning with the Central Sun... the presence of the flow inevitable as a tide of beingness without polarity, without finity; the vast and silent all beating outward, outward, focusing outward and inward until the focuses are complete. The intelligence or consciousness of foci have reached a state where their, shall we say, spiritual nature or mass calls them inward, inward, inward until all is coalesced. This is the rhythm of reality." A giant heart. Beating outward, outward... then inward, inward, inward until all is coalesced. This is the shape of being itself: a circulation. Not linear progression, not random chaos, but rhythmic circulation—emanation and return, expansion and coalescence, systole and diastole. III. The Primal Desire: Joy Seeking to Know Itself But why? Why does being beat outward and then inward? What drives the circulation? Ra gives us the answer in the most fundamental teaching of all: "The Creator will know Itself" (27.8). This is the First Distortion, the primal movement from undifferentiated unity toward manifestation. Not "wants to know" as if lacking something—but will, an active, ongoing, generative drive. Here is the crucial insight: This desire is not experienced as lack. It is experienced as Joy. The Creator's desire to know Itself is not a hunger born of deficiency but a fullness seeking to express and discover itself through infinite perspectives. Joy is the fundamental affective quality of being itself. And this Joy can only be fulfilled through experience. The Creator cannot know Itself through static contemplation. Self-knowing requires circulation—going forth into differentiated expression and returning enriched by what the journey has gathered. This means experience is circulation. The going forth and the returning are not separate from experience—they are experience itself in its most fundamental form. IV. The Heart as Locus of Circulation If experience is circulation, and circulation has a pattern—outward, inward, coalescence—then we can ask: Is there a center to this circulation? Is there a locus where the three movements meet? Ra speaks directly to this in Session 82.7: "There is a center to infinity. From this center all spreads. Therefore, there are centers to the creation, to the galaxies, to star systems, to planetary systems, and to consciousness. In each case you may see growth from the center outward." A center from which all spreads. This is the ontological definition of a heart—not merely an organ that pumps blood, not merely a chakra that processes emotion, but the locus of circulation itself. Wherever being localizes—whether as universe, galaxy, star, planet, or person—there exists a heart: a center where the three forces of circulation operate. The Three Forces Outward Flow (Emanation): From the heart, energy emanates. The Original Thought—the Creator's desire to know Itself—pulses forth from this center into manifestation, seeking, exploring, differentiating. Ra speaks of the vast and silent all "beating outward, outward." Inward Flow (Return): To the heart, experience returns. The spiritual nature or mass of the foci "calls them inward, inward, inward." This is what Ra elsewhere calls "spiritual gravity"—the attractive force drawing consciousness back toward center, back toward Source. Coalescence (Integration): Within the heart, what went forth and what returns are integrated. Ra uses several terms for this: coalesced (27.6), distilled (18.5—"distilling from them the love/light within them"), and in other passages, the image of atoms finding "precise distances from each other" to "produce a lattice structure which we call crystalline" (29.23). Coalescence is not mere combination. It is integration that transforms. What went forth as seed returns as harvest. What emanated as question returns as lived answer. The heart distills, processes, and prepares the next arising. V. The Modes of Joy: Yearning, Longing, Rejoicing Now we can go deeper. The three movements—outward, inward, coalescence—are kinetic. They are movements. But what generates them? What is the affective quality that drives the circulation? I want to suggest that the three movements are responses to three prior conditions—three ontological yearnings that are themselves modes of Joy. These yearnings do not cause the movements mechanically; they are the movements in their affective dimension. Yearning (to go forth): At the primal level, yearning is not lack. It is eager desire, anticipation, the joy in becoming. The Old English giernan means "to strive, be eager, desire"—and shares roots with the Greek chaírein, "to rejoice." Yearning is rejoicing—no lack, only eager delight in the adventure about to unfold. This generates the outward flow. Longing (to return): Once consciousness has gone forth and differentiated, a new quality of desire emerges. Longing is desire stretched across the distance that experience has created. The Old English langian means literally "to grow long, to lengthen"—stretching toward what is distant. This is the memory of home pulling homeward, joy stretched toward reunion. This generates the inward flow. Rejoicing (in union): When outward and inward meet in the heart, there is consummation. Rejoicing, from the Latin gaudēre, originally meant "to possess, to enjoy possession of, to have fruition of." It is the joy of completion, of harvest gathered, of distillation accomplished. This generates coalescence and seeds the new arising. And throughout—enjoying. Being in joy. The Old French enjoir means literally "to be placed within joy, to dwell in joy." This is the medium through which the entire circulation occurs. There is no moment outside of joy, because joy is being itself in its affective dimension. VI. The Two Energies Within Us This cosmic pattern is not distant from us. Ra tells us it operates within our own energy system. In Session 49.5-6, Ra describes two types of energy operating within the mind/body/spirit complex: "The most important concept to grasp about the energy field is that the lower, or negative pole, will draw the universal energy into itself from the cosmos. Therefrom it will move upward to be met and reacted to by the positive spiraling energy moving downward from within." "Meanwhile the Creator lies within. In the north pole the crown is already upon the head and the entity is potentially a god." Two flows: one rising from below, drawing universal energy from the cosmos; one descending from within, where the Creator already dwells. The place where they meet—this is what Ra calls kundalini, "the meeting place of cosmic and inner vibratory understanding." This meeting point is our heart, in its deepest sense. The cosmic rhythm that beats through all creation beats through you. The yearning that sends energy outward, the longing that draws it back, the rejoicing where they meet—these are not metaphors. They are the actual dynamics of your being. VII. The Pattern Appears Everywhere This pattern of three forces—outward flow, inward flow, coalescence—appears throughout nature and science. Not because science "proves" metaphysics, but because the same pattern that constitutes being manifests at every scale. Physics: White holes (cosmic emanation) and black holes (cosmic return). The Big Bang as universal outward flow, gravitational collapse as universal inward flow. The strange attractor in chaos theory—which we will watch in a moment—reveals how apparent chaos organizes around a hidden center. Chemistry: Dissipative structures maintain organization through constant circulation of energy—taking in, transforming, releasing. Living systems are precisely such structures. Biology: The heartbeat itself. Systole (contraction, emanation) and diastole (relaxation, reception). Breath: inhalation drawing the world in, exhalation releasing transformed air. The cell taking nutrients in, processing, releasing waste. Psychology: Attachment theory describes the child moving out into the world (secure base), returning to the caregiver (safe haven), and being transformed by the cycle. We spend our lives circulating between independence and intimacy. Neuroscience: The brain itself can be understood as a torus on its side—two hemispheres longing for each other across the corpus callosum, which functions as both veil and bridge. The left hemisphere specializes in focused analysis; the right in holistic context. Neither is complete without the other. The longing between them is the mechanism of integrated consciousness. VIII. Strange Attractor Contemplation   Watch the point move through space. It never repeats. Never traces the same path twice. And yet—it does not wander randomly. Something draws it. Something organizes its apparent chaos.   This is called a strange attractor. "Attractor" because the system is drawn toward it. "Strange" because it has a shape that can never be fully occupied—the trajectory approaches infinitely close but never lands. The point spirals around one wing... then crosses to spiral around the other... then crosses back. Two centers. One circulation. The pattern never settles, never completes, never exhausts itself.   Watch how each spiral tightens toward center... then releases... and is drawn across to begin again. This is what longing looks like when mapped in phase space. The memory of center draws the wandering point. Not forcing—luring. The attractor does not compel. It invites. The point is free at every moment—and at every moment, it is being called.   You are watching the shape of yearning made visible. Going forth... being drawn back... crossing over... spiraling in... releasing out... and being drawn again. The outward is contained by the inward. The inward is activated by the outward. Neither exists without the other. This is circulation. This is life.   Now notice: there is no visible center. You cannot see the attractor itself. You see only the response to it—the endless spiral dance of something being drawn, being lured, being loved into pattern. The attractor is known only by its effects. It is mystery-clad. Present everywhere in the system. Visible nowhere except in what it organizes.   Ra said the rhythms of intelligent infinity are "clothed in mystery, for they are being itself." This is what it looks like when being wears its mystery: infinite complexity, perfect order, inexhaustible novelty—all dancing around a center that can never be possessed, only approached.   Feel how this is also your life. Going forth into experience... being drawn back toward something you cannot name but cannot forget... crossing between worlds—outer and inner, manifest and hidden—spiraling closer, then releasing, then spiraling again. You have never been lost. The attractor has always been calling. Every apparently random movement was already part of the pattern—the inexhaustible pattern that clothes the Center in visible mystery.   The heart beats. Outward, outward... inward, inward... until all is coalesced. This is the rhythm of reality. --- IX. Consolation: We Are Never Alone Before we turn to practice, I want to offer something pastoral. If the cosmic rhythm is yearning-longing-rejoicing, and if this same rhythm operates in you... then your own yearning and longing are not separate from God's. Your ache to return, your restlessness for something more, your homesickness for a home you cannot quite remember—this is God's own longing operating within and through you. You are inside divine longing even as it is inside you. Whitehead called God "the fellow sufferer who understands." But it goes deeper than that. God is not watching our longing from outside. God is longing through us, with us, as us. The yearning you feel is not evidence of God's absence but of God's presence within that very yearning. This means: You are never alone. The sense of alienation—the veil's deepest effect—produces not separation itself, but the felt conviction that separation is absolute. Softening that conviction is the heart of spiritual practice. Not replacing it with certainty of connection—that would be another kind of grasping—but allowing the possibility that we are not alone, that we have never been alone, that aloneness was always appearance rather than reality. And the restlessness? The ache that never quite goes away? This is not meant to be eliminated. It is meant to be tended—like a wound that is healing, like butterfly wings that are still wet, like an infant in arms. The tender, aching place is holy ground. It is where the longing lives. And the longing is the connection. X. Feeling the Torus Within I want to share from my own personal experience, because perhaps you have this too—and if you do not, you can, because it is simply a latent sense organ. You and I have five sense organs that perceive third density space/time: sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell. But did you know that we also have subtle sense organs? These are latent—not often used consciously—but they do arise in us through intuitive knowing and through the empathic connections we make with others. I'd like to share that you can begin to feel a sense of circulation around you. For the past five years or so, I feel this all the time. At my core—at the heart, the central axis of my personal torus—I feel a clockwise circulation spinning within me. But there is also an outward field around me, and this outer field circulates counterclockwise. I feel it. It is my subtle skin. I feel this most acutely when I am connecting with someone else. As a counselor—or simply as a friend—when I am fully aware of what I am doing, I will intentionally extend my toroidal field and connect it with the other person. Sometimes I extend it so far that it encompasses them entirely, depending on what I feel called to do in the moment. When I do this, I essentially become the other person. We are all one self, other-selves in one body, and this is a transposition of consciousness. In the counseling moment, it is myself—Doug—who connects with my client, and then I become embodied inside of their experience. I become that person, in a sense, through the energy. Through this flow, through this exchange of information on the subtle realm, I feel intuitively the blockages or the places of freedom within their aura, within their energy centers, as if they were my own. And so I am able to almost surgically connect with the other person through verbal speaking—articulating what I myself am feeling as if it were my own body on the other side. Because when I join that field, it is my own body. You can learn to do this too.   XI. Living from the Heart To "live from the heart" is not sentimental advice. It is an invitation to conscious alignment with the very structure of being. The heart already functions as this center—it cannot do otherwise, for this is what hearts are. But we can dwell there consciously or unconsciously, harmoniously or in resistance. The center was never absent. The rhythm never ceased. What awakens is not the heart itself but our recognition of it—our willingness to inhabit the center we never left, to feel the pulse we always were, to dance the rhythm that dances us. The yearning that sent you forth on this journey—it was already joy in the guise of anticipation. The longing that draws you homeward—it is joy stretched across the distance you have traveled. And the rejoicing that awaits in the meeting—it is joy consummated, the fullness you have always been moving toward. The heart beats. The mystery clothes itself in rhythm. And we—mystery-clad beings ourselves—pulse with the same life that pulses through all creation. Outward, outward... inward, inward... until all is coalesced. This is the rhythm of reality. This is who we are. * * * Appendix: Key Ra Quotes Referenced Ra 27.6: "Intelligent infinity has a rhythm, or flow, as of a giant heart beginning with the Central Sun... the vast and silent all beating outward, outward, focusing outward and inward until the focuses are complete. The intelligence or consciousness of foci have reached a state where their, shall we say, spiritual nature or mass calls them inward, inward, inward until all is coalesced. This is the rhythm of reality." Ra 27.7: "The basic rhythms of intelligent infinity are totally without distortion of any kind. The rhythms are clothed in mystery, for they are being itself." Ra 27.8: "In this distortion of the Law of One it is recognized that the Creator will know Itself." Ra 82.7: "There is a center to infinity. From this center all spreads. Therefore, there are centers to the creation, to the galaxies, to star systems, to planetary systems, and to consciousness. In each case you may see growth from the center outward." Ra 49.5: "The most important concept to grasp about the energy field is that the lower, or negative pole, will draw the universal energy into itself from the cosmos. Therefrom it will move upward to be met and reacted to by the positive spiraling energy moving downward from within." Ra 49.6: "Meanwhile the Creator lies within. In the north pole the crown is already upon the head and the entity is potentially a god." Ra 18.5: "[T]o experience all things desired, to then analyze, understand, and accept these experiences, distilling from them the love/light within them." Ra 29.23 (Question and Answer summarized): "[A]s the atoms form from rotations of the vibration which is light, they coalesce in a certain manner sometimes. They find distances, inter-atomic distances, from each other at precise distance and produce a lattice structure which we call crystalline." Ra 36.7: "The mass increases, shall we say, significantly but not greatly until the gateway density [7th]. In this density the summing up, the looking backwards—in short, all the useful functions of polarity have been used. Therefore, the metaphysical electrical nature of the individual grows greater and greater in spiritual mass." Ra 52.12: "This octave density of which we have spoken is both omega and alpha, the spiritual mass of the infinite universes becoming one central sun or Creator once again."

Sermon outline: 1. Jesus responds to the Pharisees and Scribes (vv 1-3) 2. A pattern in three Proverbs: - Lost - Looked for and found - Rejoicing and calling others to celebrate too - A connection made to the joy that God and heaven takes in salvation 3. The lost sheep (vv 4-7) 4. The lost coin (vv 8-10) 5. A lost son: - Lost (vv 11-19) - Looked for and found (v 20) - 1 Celebration (vv 25-32) 6. A son who refuses to celebrate (vv 25-32) 7. Jacob and Esau 8. Salvation is only ever by grace Application: - Believe in God's graciousness and go to Him for grace. - Rejoice in God's joy to save! - Share the Gospel - Aim to embody God's grace and the welcome of the Gospel

Ajay Thomas preaches on the power of the gospel moving from head to heart. Through Ephesians 2:1-10, he shows how believers can move from knowing about salvation to truly feeling its transformative power. The gospel's victory is not just a mental assertion but a heart transformation that occurs when God's grace becomes personally real to us. Believers should examine whether they have truly allowed the gospel's victory to penetrate their hearts, not just their minds. Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10 Topics: Gospel, Heart transformation, Grace, Salvation, Faith

Learn how you can serve at a Family Retreat by visiting joniandfriends.org. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

It's amazing what a difference two words can make. For example if you're a teenager, your life can change dramatically when you hear just two words, "You're grounded!" Or if you're working, "You're fired." Or those two words that changed my life forever. You know what those two words were? "I do." It's amazing what two words can do. Now, if you're in a down time right now, there are two words that can make all the difference to you. And then there are two words you may not feel like saying at all. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Two Words That Lighten the Load." Our word for today from the Word of God, 1 Thessalonians 5:18. For those of us who are wondering what God's will is right now, here it is. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Paul says here that the giving of thanks in all circumstances is really tied to our destiny in being in the center of God's will. I think that the suggestion here is that two of the most powerful words we can speak are "Thank you." Or more precisely, "Thank God." We all know that we like to be thanked, and we all know how it feels to do a lot for someone and never get a thank you. Right? Of course God is an expert in that field. But when you say, "Thank God," that's when I think it does more for you than it does for Him, especially if you're in a time in your life when you don't feel like saying thanks, because the specific present circumstances aren't very pleasant. There are a few benefits, I think, that come from saying those two powerful words, "Thank God!" First of all - contentment. Even in the midst of an ugly situation like Paul being in prison, you can find contentment by saying the words, "Thank you." Paul certainly knew about that when he wrote the book of Philippians 4. Remember what he said? "The peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus." He had experience to write that. And then he says in verse 6, "In everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Say, "Thank God" and a marvelous sense of contentment will come over you, even in one of life's prisons. The secret of contentment in a crummy situation - a terrible situation - is to focus on the Lord - the good things that He has been doing in the middle of the bad. It means focusing on what you have, not what you don't have. Thank God! The second thing that it does is you don't need to be noticed. See, pride gets stamped out at the gate when you give credit where credit is due and is properly given to God right away. "God, I know this was You. Thank You." When you start to take the glory for what God has done, stop. Send it up to God, "Thank God." Don't let your ego start to inflate. The third benefit of thanking God is confidence. Because, you see, the same God who blessed your life in the past, who brought you through other things in the past, is going to meet you today. Look at His track record. Look at His history. The same God who I just thanked for moving a mountain yesterday, He is going to move mountains again for you. He'll do it all again! He's done it all these years for all His people. He's the same yesterday. He's the same today. He's the same forever. He's going to meet your needs today. Rejoicing is really the habit of looking for God at work and acknowledging it when you see it. Thanking God is sort of like putting sweetener in a bitter drink. Negative thoughts are just going to make the drink that much more bitter. A thankful heart, a joyful heart, a heart that believes that God has said, "I know the plans I have for you. They are for good and not for evil; to give you a future and a hope." In the midst of this small dot in your life, look at the big picture and say, "Thank You, Lord."

Most New Year's resolutions fail by February—not because you're weak, but because they're built on effort without access.In this final episode of the series, we step back and look at the full pattern behind the conditions required to access God's power. Not as a checklist. Not as religious pressure. But as an alignment.This episode wraps Episodes 10–12 and clarifies:Why God's power is conditional—but not transactionalHow trust, meekness, rejoicing, obedience, and learning work togetherThe difference between effort the Lord loves and striving that leads to exhaustionWhy self-reliance quietly shuts access down—even when intentions are goodAnd how alignment restores capacity without burning you outIf you entered the new year already feeling tired, this episode will reframe everything.

*Listen to the Show notes and podcast transcript with this multi-language player. Summary This episode reveals how God uses the fire of His Spirit to purify and perfect His sons. Through trials, sufferings, and divine fire, believers are transformed into His likeness. The conversation unfolds the purpose behind life's fiery experiences—showing that they are not punishment, but God's refining process. The speakers emphasize that holiness, sanctification, and spiritual maturity come only through the fire of God's presence. As the chaff is burned away, what remains is purity, gold, and the image of Christ manifesting through His people. Show Notes The Purpose of Fire: Every suffering and trial is God's design to complete His work in His sons.Chaff and the Old Nature: The “chaff” represents the Adamic nature being burned away through God's refining fire.Submitting to the Process: Transformation is not achieved through human effort, but by surrender to the fire of God.God as a Consuming Fire: To walk with Him means to partake of His purifying nature (Hebrews 12:29).The Fire of Pentecost: The tongues of fire in Acts were the fulfillment of John's prophecy—baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire.Rejoicing in the Fire: Trials are not strange occurrences but evidence of being chosen and sanctified.Faith Tested in the Furnace: Like the three Hebrew children, believers are not destroyed by the fire but transformed in it.Sanctification Through Fire: God uses the fire to purify His people, making them ready to dwell in His holy presence.Obedience and Judgment: Once obedience is complete, the purified sons of God will release His righteous judgment and cleansing on the earth.Transformation and Victory: Through the fire, believers move from victimhood to conquerors, walking in divine authority.End Result: The fire burns only the wood, hay, and stubble—leaving behind refined gold and silver that glorify God. Quotes...

Bro. Andrew Wilson- A sermon preached Wednesday Evening, on January 28, 2026.

Send us a textEvening Prayer (Rejoicing In Jesus)Thank you for listening, our heart's prayer is for you and I to walk daily with Jesus, our joy and peace aimingforjesus.com YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@aimingforjesus5346 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aiming_for_jesus/ Threads https://www.threads.com/@aiming_for_jesus X https://x.com/AimingForJesus Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@aiming.for.jesus

Afshin Ziafat opens CROSS CON26 by pressing the gospel into the center—its news so precious that Jesus says it is worth losing your life for, and so powerful that Satan works tirelessly to keep us blind to it. From 1 Thessalonians 1, Ephesians 2, and Romans 3, Afshin shows that we are dead and destined for wrath apart from Christ—but that "But God," in mercy, made a way for God to be just and the justifier through Jesus' finished work. The call is simple and weighty: repent, believe, and turn from idols to serve the living God—no matter the cost. Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1; Ephesians 2; Romans 3 Topics: Gospel, justification, repentance, assurance, Christian joy

Exodus 23:10-24:18

Gratitude and praise reorient our minds toward God's goodness. Rejoicing in every circumstance transforms how we experience life and keeps us focused on what matters most.

Tap here to send us a message!As we approach the close of the first month of 2026 and look ahead to the remainder of the year, it is vital that we keep our focus on the goodness of God. This is not a season to grow complacent or careless in our walk with Him. Rather, it is a time to intentionally surround ourselves with people who will encourage our faith, sharpen our commitment, and help us continue to grow in God01/22/2026 - Thursday Night Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:4-11Psalm 137:1-4Acts 16:13Psalm 137:1-4Jeremiah 29:7, 10-11Proverbs 22:24-25Psalm 46:1-5

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Rejoicing now in the future reward

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (NRSV) — Psalm 118:24 Some mornings don't feel worth rejoicing over. The weight of yesterday's worries or the dread of today's challenges can steal our joy before the day even begins. But Psalm 118:24 gently calls us back to a deeper truth: every single day is a gift crafted by God's own hands. When the psalmist says, “This is the day that the LORD has made,” it's not just about sunny skies and good vibes. It's a declaration that no matter what the day holds, it is still God's. It means that God's love, mercy, and faithfulness are already waiting for you in this day. Even when life feels unpredictable, God's love doesn't waver. Rejoicing doesn't mean pretending that everything is fine. It means choosing to trust the One who made the day—and who holds you in it. Each morning brings a new opportunity to rest in God's love, to find joy not in perfection but in God's presence. You don't have to carry yesterday's weight into today. God's love is new each morning—and it will meet you again tomorrow. Jesus, thank you for this day and for your unfailing love in it. Help me to rejoice in your presence and to trust you in all that lies ahead. Amen.

Clinton Baptist Church

Praise Series #20 Rejoice in the Lord Always!Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”Rejoicing in the Lord is one of my favorite things to do. Praise and Worship are so critical in our faith journey. Rejoicing in the Lord is a great way to foster joy. This is something that I love to use to get me out of a funk or a sad place. This works anywhere and everywhere that you are. It is best if you can listen to music because if you are in a sad, angry, or depressed state, you might have trouble worshiping. You might not be in a place where you feel you have anything positive to say to the Lord, or about the Lord. However, when a song that you love comes on the radio, it is hard not to sing along and get into that song. Or, at least, it is not hard for me, as I love music.I love singing along as loudly as I can in my car and in my shower. I listen to Christian music, which, honestly, I didn't even know existed until 5 years ago. Well, I knew we sang Christian songs in church, but I didn't know they had contemporary Christian music, pop songs, rap songs, and rock songs, among various other genres. I am so in love with all of it. I love upbeat songs. It's like my body wants to dance along to the beat, even when I am out walking or running. Even when I am not somewhere where dancing is appropriate.If you don't know what I am talking about right now, I invite you to download the KLOVE app on your phone. It is the radio station I listen to all the time now, and it has so many good songs. You might be hesitant at first, but give it 30 days, and you will know all the words and love all the songs. You can also go onto the Spotify app on your phone, and I have created a playlist called Walk Boldly With Jesus Favorites, and it has all my favorite upbeat songs. Actually, there may be a few slower songs, but they are all good songs!If you are having a really hard day, put on a playlist of upbeat songs that sing of the glory of God. I am telling you, it is really hard to be sad and to think that God has abandoned you when you hear all these singers reminding you of how great God is and how He has been there for them in their hard times. A real-life example of how powerful music can be is the day when I was at the courthouse. I had to go there to do something really hard, and I was really sad. I remembered that I had my earbuds in my purse, so I put them in my ears and put on some worship music. I was sitting there feeling sad, and then one of my new favorite songs came on. The song is called My Promised Land and it is sung by Josiah Queen. Here is the beginning verse and chorus:You had me standing on a mountainWalking through barren landsYou took my hand and You saidYou can have this worldBut I won't go with youOh, I won't go with you [Pre-Chorus]But I ran out of placesAnd feelings I was chasingAll I have is You and You aloneAnd I said [Chorus]Hold on, wait a minuteI don't want what You ain't in, andI don't wanna go unless I'm going there with You It's You there, rain or shiningYou're the sun on my horizonsYou are my everythingMy promised land is You! The music is so upbeat, and I love it! Whenever I hear these songs, they remind me that God is my everything. If He is not in it, then I don't want it. It reminds me that He is there with me, rain or shine. I like to play my playlist on shuffle, and I like to believe the Holy Spirit is choosing the order of my songs. I am sure the Lord knew I needed this song the other day at the courthouse. I honestly considered going outside of the courthouse and dancing my sadness out. However, I didn't want to miss my name when they called it, so I just sang in a whisper voice and imagined myself dancing it out.I can't emphasize enough how critical praise and worship can be in changing your mood and lifting you out of a pit. The enemy gets so confused when we praise the Lord when we are struggling. They don't understand why we would praise God when we are hurting, sad, or angry. Also, the enemy can't stand the name of Jesus. All you have to do is say the name Jesus, and the enemy flees. I heard a speaker once who asked his friend, who is a Catholic priest and exorcist, what the most powerful prayer is when it comes to fighting the evil spirits and demons, and he said the most powerful thing we can say is, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” That is pretty simple and yet powerful.If music is not your thing, that is ok, you can still praise the Lord. When I joined the Charismatic Prayer Group, they taught me to praise the Lord out loud by using various names for the Lord. For instance, you can say, “You are Lord of Lords and King of Kings. You are a miracle worker and a way maker. You are the prince of peace and the lion of Judah.” The prayer group gave everyone a piece of paper filled with praise phrases to help us out until we got comfortable coming up with our own. There is no right or wrong way to praise. You can praise the Lord in any way you choose. You can thank Him for all the things in your life, for all the ways He has saved you, and for the desires of your heart. You can praise Him for all he did for his people in the Bible.You do not have to do or say the right thing. The reason I mentioned the praise sheets is that you might not be able to think of good things when you are struggling. You might be looking at your life and believing that God has abandoned you. Your situation might seem like there's nothing to praise God about. If this is the case, I would like to review the praise sheet and simply read what is on it. It doesn't matter if I feel it or not; I just read it, and it helps lift me out of whatever I am feeling. Give it a try! I will put a link for the praise sheet I use in the show notes in case you want to have a cheat sheet like I do.I really want to encourage you to consider making praise and worship a regular part of your daily life if you're having a hard time finding joy. You can add it to something you're already doing, so it won't take up more time each day. For instance, you can listen to praise music while driving. Or, you can praise the Lord out loud in your car while driving. You can put on 20 minutes of praise music in the morning while getting ready, or while having your morning cup of tea or coffee. I invite you to give this a try this week and let me know what you think. You can reach me at Catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com. I would love to hear from you about how much praise and worship are changing your life. I would love to hear about your experience, good or bad. Let me know!Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode. Lord, we want to rejoice with you, and we want to rejoice in you. We want to praise you, Lord, not just when things are going well, but we want to be able to praise you in the struggle as well. Please teach us how, Lord. Please show us how to have joy when we are struggling. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I am closing the founding members' launch for my mentoring group tomorrow evening. If you have been thinking about joining but have been putting it off, I encourage you to give it a try. If you don't like it, you can cancel. However, if you do like it, you will be able to lock in this one-time-only price of $25 a month. After tomorrow, it will go back up to $30. This means if you lock in at $25, you will be saving $60 a year. CLICK HERE for mentoring info. If you are loving this podcast, mentoring is a way to go a bit deeper and to join a community so we don't feel we are alone on this journey. I look forward to seeing you here again tomorrow. Click Here for the Praise Sheets. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day.Today's Word from the Lord was received in August 2025 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, “My children, each one of you is so so precious to me. There is no replacement for any one of you. I love you so much. And I'm so pleased to hear you praising me, loving me, walking with me, and trying to follow me.”  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

Join us at Beaver Baptist Church for our study through 1 Peter.

What makes you rejoice?  The last 2 weeks have seen a lot of “rejoicing” – especially among children, but David in a Psalm we read today alerted us to the nature of a far better kind of rejoicing – one that is “sweeter also than honey” – and “even much fine gold” – and we know how much value is put on gold these days!We read of this in Psalm 19 v.10, but from verse.7 we read “The Law of the LORD is perfect reviving the soul”  Do you need reviving?  Not physically, no, it means, mentally.     Then we read, “the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” and we thought of those disciples Jesus called to follow him who were simple fishermen (Matt. 4 v.18-22) – becoming “wise” to the ways of God as a result – and then committing their lives to a far greater cause, though the world might still see them as fishermen.  The same happens today! Verse 8 – “the precepts of the LORD are right rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”   We sometimes speak of ‘heart and mind' –  are they different?  Yes, they are.  David invites the LORD to “try me; test my heart and mind” [Psa. 26 v.2]  The way our mind works shows whether our heart has been enlightened to embrace the real meaning of life that the testimony of the LORD (the Bible) makes known to us – only then is there true and lasting “rejoicing (of) the heart” .  Verse 9 “the fear (awe) of the LORD is clean (cleansing?) enduring for ever” – not just for 2021 – or even just for January!   Verse 11 tells us that “Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Those who take notice of the warnings in God's word of the coming judgements of God “in the last days” will still have “rejoicing” in their hearts when the rest of the world is experiencing increasing fear.  Let us memorise the last verse of this Psalm of David.  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”  May we join David in saying that.

Luke 2:10-11

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We ought to be attentive to the work of sanctification taking place around us, and intentionally affirm, celebrate, and be encouraged by the growth in holiness we see.

We ought to be attentive to the work of sanctification taking place around us, and intentionally affirm, celebrate, and be encouraged by the growth in holiness we see.

How can we not just rejoice despite our suffering, but actually in our suffering?

Sermon Handout Sermon Slides Psalm 104

Let us rejoice in the birth of Our Lord. Let us rejoice in this incredible miracle that has freed us from the bondage of sin. He has arrived to overcome the curse of sin. He stands victorious over satan out of His great love for us, His creation. He stands triumphant, renouncing the deeds of the flesh, ushering us into God's kingdom by His miraculous Incarnation.

There is a tradition that it was the young boy Ignatius whom Christ took upon his knee to explain to His followers that they must become as children to enter the Kingdom. He knew the holy Apostles personally and, with St Polycarp (February 25) was a disciple of St John the Evangelist. He succeeded Evodus as second Bishop of Antioch, the capital of Syria and at that time one of the largest cities in the world. Here, during the persecutions of Domitian, he strengthened the faithful, brought many pagans to Christ, and prayed that he himself would be granted the crown of martyrdom. His flock called him the Godbearer, a title that he did not refuse, for he said that all Christians after their Baptism are truly Bearers of Christ, clothed in the Holy Spirit.   When peace was restored to the Church for awhile, the holy Bishop devoted himself to organizing the young Church on strong foundations at a time when the last of the Apostles had only recently passed away. He established the principle that the Grace imparted to the Apostles at Pentecost was handed down to the bishops appointed by them, and so on through the generations: the Apostolic Succession.   The Emperor Trajan, passing through Syria to make war in Armenia, spent some time in Antioch and initiated a persecution of Christians. Rejoicing that the time of martyrdom had at last arrived, Ignatius presented himself before the Emperor and eloquently declared his faith in Christ.   "So you are a disciple of the one crucified under Pontius Pilate?" asked the Emperor.   "I am the disciple of Him who has nailed my sin to the Cross, and has trodden the Devil and his devices underfoot."   "Why do you call yourself the Godbearer?"   "Because I carry the living Christ within me!"   "Therefore, let the bearer of the Crucified One be taken in chains to Rome, there to be fed to the lions for the amusement of the people."   And so it was. During the long and difficult journey to Rome, cruelly mistreated by his guards, the Saint wrote a series of letters to the young churches which remain one of the treasures of the Church. In Smyrna, he was able to meet with his fellow-disciple Polycarp and entrust to him the care of the churches whose shepherd he had been. As Trajan had ordered, in Rome he was taken to the amphitheater and, as the Synaxarion says, "entered the arena as though approaching the holy altar to serve his last Liturgy in the presence of the faithful, who were crowded among pagans on the steps of the amphitheatre." In a few moments he was completely devoured by the lions, save for a few bones. These were gathered by the faithful and returned to Antioch.   In his Letter to the Romans, the holy Bishop wrote to some who wished to rescue him from his martyrdom: "I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found to be the pure bread of God."

True Christian love is seen when believers step into the lives of others with willingness and humility. Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar reflect on Paul's call to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, explaining that this invitation requires believers to engage rather than sit on the sidelines. Oscar notes that Christian unity is central to the verse's context and that rejoicing with others can be harder than sharing in sorrow, especially when personal struggles make joy feel costly. Yet choosing to celebrate another's blessing reveals spiritual maturity and self-control. Every triumph, setback, and moment of weakness becomes a chance to draw near to the Lord and allow Him to shape emotions that may take time to follow.The guys consider how Jesus held joy and sorrow together, fully aware of human frailty while grieving the consequences of sin. E.Z. feels convicted to fast and focus more intentionally on unbelievers, asking how Christians can enter the world of the lost without compromising truth. They look to Paul's ability to understand cultural longings and failures, using them as bridges for the gospel. Ray explains that remembering his own lostness helps him understand the fear and uncertainty many experience. God has placed eternity in every heart, and recognizing this longing helps believers speak with compassion and awareness.They return to the call to weep with those who weep, affirming that empathy must not replace truth. Caring for someone in pain should include a willingness to point them toward the gospel gently and the reality of sin. Jesus models this balance as He weeps over Jerusalem and over Lazarus, entering real grief even while knowing the outcome. The group notes how often believers bypass lament and rush to quick answers, yet genuine compassion requires presence and patience. Followers of Christ are invited to meet others where they are and resist shallow comfort that avoids accountability.The guys then consider what it means to enter into another person's joy. Rejoicing may require facing inner barriers such as envy or disappointment, yet choosing celebration strengthens unity and encourages growth in others. Christian joy is rooted not in circumstances but in trust that God is working for good. Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents, and believers share in that unity of purpose. Joy and sorrow often coexist in the Christian life, forming a rhythm shaped by hope in Christ's return. Though coldness and criticism come easily, spiritual maturity chooses service, compassion, and unity for the glory of God.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you've been helped by this podcast, we'd be grateful if you'd consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

I am SO EXCITED to talk to Pastor Rich Villodas about Advent and the Christian calendar. Advent officially started yesterday and Rich is helping us better understand why the Christian calendar even matters and what Advent means to our relationship with God. We're going to talk about what it looks like to wait well (which I don't like to do!), and we unpack the reality of living in the middle of both pain and rejoicing. Advent is all of it, right?  If you're looking for a study to go through this Advent, it's not too late to start one. You can grab it today and jump right in. Our Stay Tuned series is available to download now at shopanniefdowns.com AND you're going to love hearing about Rich's Advent devotional, Waiting for Jesus, today. If you're following along in your TSF Seasons Guidebook, We're on page 127. As always, the guidebook is available for you at anniefdowns.com/seasons. . . . . .  Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guest If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'd also love: Advent Makes Space for our Grief, but Christmas Makes Space for our Joy with Lanier Ivester- Episode 943 Episode 500: She Reads Truth + Advent . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp: My friends get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/THATSOUNDSFUN. Our Place: Our Place is having their biggest sale of the year right now! Save up to 35% site-wide through December 2nd. Shop the Our Place Black Friday Sale right now, no code needed at ourplace.com. Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. AG1: If you go to drinkag1.com/soundsfun you'll get the welcome kit, a Morning Person hat, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, an AG1 Flavor Sampler, and you'll get to try their new sleep supplement AGZ for free! WayFair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Hiya Health: Receive 50% off your first order. To claim this deal you must go to hiyahealth.com/THATSOUNDSFUN. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at ⁠capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun⁠. Helix Sleep: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for 27% off sitewide.  Wonder Project: Start your free trial and make sure to choose the annual subscription at watch.thewonderproject.com/thatsoundsfun. When you pick the annual plan, you save money and directly support their mission to bring more of these stories to the world.  NIV Application Bible: If you're looking for a new Bible or know someone you'd like to gift a Bible to, I highly recommend the ⁠NIV Application Bible⁠! Antique Candle Co: Use code “thatsoundsfun” to get a free Gift Set on any order of $40 or more through Dec 15 at ⁠antiquecandleco.com⁠.  NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices