Podcasts about remember jesus

God Can Send An AngelTobit 3:16-17 “At that very moment, the prayers of both of them were heard in the glorious presence of God. 17 So Raphael was sent to heal both of them: Tobit, by removing the white films from his eyes, so that he might see God's light with his eyes; and Sarah, daughter of Raguel, by giving her in marriage to Tobias, son of Tobit, and by setting her free from the wicked demon Asmodeus. Tobias was entitled to have her before all others who had desired to marry her. At the same time that Tobit returned from the courtyard into his house, Sarah, daughter of Raguel, came down from her upper room.”I decided to start reading Tobit this morning. I thought I had remembered the story, but I wanted to read through it as a good refresher. There are so many little things in the various books of the bible, and you can't remember all of them. This is why it is good to keep reading through it and to keep refreshing your memory, as there are so many good things in the Bible. Today I read about Tobit and how he was a righteous man who did not sin against the Lord, even when those around him were.Tobit was part of a group of God's faithful who were taken into captivity and were forced to go and live in Ninevah among foreigners. Even though Tobit was not in his own land, he still followed the ways of the Lord. He still kept as many traditions as he could. He even took time, at great cost to himself, to bury fellow brethren that the king had killed in a fit of anger. This made the king mad, and at one point, the king ordered Tobit to be put to death, and Tobit had to run, leaving his wife and child behind. The king took all his possessions but did not kill his wife and child.Eventually, that king was killed, and Tobit's nephew was appointed second in command to the new king. He went to bat for Tobit and got his wife and child restored to him. However, one day a Tobit was sitting outside by his wall, and the fresh droppings of a sparrow fell into his eyes, and he became blind. Tobit cried out to the Lord and asked the Lord to “command my spirit to be taken up, that I may be released from the face of the earth and become dust.” At the same time as Tobit was praying this prayer, there was a woman named Sarah who was praying a similar prayer.Sarah had a demon that was in love with her. So, every time she got married, the demon would kill her husband before they could even spend one night together. The rumors were going around that she was killing these men. She wanted to go into her father's upper room and hang herself. However, she was her father's only child, so she didn't. She did cry out to the Lord and say, “Command that I be released from the earth that I hear reproach no more.” Sound familiar. Both Tobit and Sarah wanted the Lord to release them from their situation.Then comes today's verse. “At that very moment, the prayers of both of them were heard in the glorious presence of God. So Raphael was sent to heal both of them: Tobit, by removing the white films from his eyes, so that he might see God's light with his eyes; and Sarah, daughter of Raguel, by giving her in marriage to Tobias, son of Tobit, and by setting her free from the wicked demon Asmodeus. Tobias was entitled to have her before all others who had desired to marry her. At the same time that Tobit returned from the courtyard into his house, Sarah, daughter of Raguel, came down from her upper room.”Raphael is one of the archangels. His name means "God has healed," reflecting his role as a healer and protector. God dispatched Raphael in response to Tobit and Sarah's prayers. How amazing is that? Raphael came down to earth and appeared as a man to help Tobias find and marry Sarah, and then to help heal Tobit of his blindness. Tobit decided to tell Tobias about some money he had left in another land. He wanted Tobias to go and get the money, and he wanted to pay someone to go with Tobias to keep him safe. The archangel Raphael came down to take this job and lead Tobias where he needed to go.Raphael leads Tobias where he needs to go and keeps him safe along the way. At one point, they stopped by a stream and a fish almost swallowed Tobias, but Raphael told him to catch the fish, and he did. Inside of this one fish was the answer to both Sarah's & Tobit's prayers.I thought this was a great verse for today because it serves as a powerful reminder that God hears our prayers. He hears when we cry out to him. He not only hears our prayers but He answers them. God cared so much about Tobit and Sarah that he sent one of his most important angels down to answer their prayers. I think what struck me most about this verse is that if God did this for them, He can do this for you, too!I know several people who are suffering from illnesses right now. They are in pain every day, and this is causing them to become depressed because they want nothing more than to go out and be a servant to God. They want to go out and help others. They want to go and evangelize to everyone. They want to shout from the rooftops about God's love and God's mercy. And yet they can't because they can barely get out of bed in the morning.I can understand how this could be so frustrating. Those I know who are suffering are like Job and Tobit. They are faithful people who love the Lord and are upright and righteous in the eyes of the Lord. So, why do they have to suffer so much? Why aren't they getting the relief they so desperately need? I wish I had the answer to these questions. I wish I understood God's timing and God's plan. I wish I had some words of wisdom for all those I know who are waiting for this miracle that God has promised them. Some of them had talked to the Lord, and He had said they would be healed, and as amazing as that is, I am not sure how much it helps on the days when they wake up in so much pain they can't get out of bed.They need help now, Lord. They need to see your powerful hand in their lives. They need the strength to get up out of bed. They need to feel your love because right now, they feel abandoned. If this is you, if you are suffering with no end in sight, I want to invite you to ask the Lord to send Raphael to answer your prayers. Maybe you already have. If so, keep asking. God likes it when we are persistent. I will ask also. I will join you in your prayers for answers and for healing. We will do this together!Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless each person listening. Lord, we ask that you send down your angels to help all those in need. Lord, there are so many listeners who truly need your healing. There are those listening who have heard your promises and are just waiting for you to follow through on those promises. There are some who are listening who are falling deeper and deeper into a pit while they await their healing. Lord, please help them. Please heal them. Please give them the strength to wait for that healing. Lord, at the very moment you heard Tobit's and Sarah's prayers, you sent Raphael. Lord, we are asking today, at the very moment you hear this prayer, that you dispatch angels to heal Joanne, Suzanne, Danielle, Rosa, Bruce, Peggy, Melissa, and all those who are listening and need a healing. Lord, you are so good. You are a miracle worker, and we know you can do all things. We thank you in advance for all these healings, and we promise to give you all the Glory for these healings. Lord, I look forward to hearing from each and every one of these people about how much better they feel. If you are listening to this episode and you need a healing, I invite you to see if you have been healed. Test it out and try to do something you couldn't do before. Take a moment and evaluate the pain. Is it less than it was before? Sometimes we are healed when we step out in faith and test something. Try to walk when we previously couldn't. Try to see if we previously couldn't. God is going to be working powerfully in your lives over the next few days. Please reach out to me when you receive your healing, as I do believe it is coming. You can reach me at catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com or 860-481-0959. I can't wait to hear your testimonies. Thank you, Lord, we love you!! 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 want to invite all of you to my retreat in October. I know we all live busy lives and this is a chance to get away. It is just two days, one overnight. It is all about our identity in Christ and will be an amazing weekend. You will leave refreshed and more firm in who you are. I hope you will join me. It is from October 11-12th. So exactly two months from today. Check out the link in the show notes or head over to my website Findingtruenorthcoaching.com. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. 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 January 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, “Be still and know I am your Lord. It is in quietness that you will hear me speak to you. Where I will give you rest, I will give you comfort. I will give you guidance. I will give you peace. It is in quiet that you are to hear 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

Nick Murray - 2 Timothy 2:8

Jesus Delivers Us (9) (audio) David Eells -8/10/25 Saints, I'm going to continue our teaching on how Jesus delivered us and the authority and power we've been given over the kingdom of darkness. I have several revelations to share with you today to encourage you in your faith. I want to begin with this dream. First, I'm going to read the entire dream and then break it down with scripture and interpretations, so listen carefully.   Dream: Escaping the Darkness – LD (David's notes in red) I was in an empty parking lot with two young men who may have been angels. It was dark outside. I saw many people walking around talking to themselves. Many people had their heads down as if they were depressed or worried. Behind most, if not all of the people talking to themselves, I saw at least one or two demons standing. The demons were whispering in their ears the very words that they were speaking. The people were oblivious to the demons, thinking that what they were saying was their own thoughts. At some point, the demons realized that I was aware of them and that I knew what they were doing. At that point, all of the demons stopped at once and stared directly at me. Then they began to chase me to attack me. I and the two young men (angels) began running to the right side of the parking lot where there was a wooden fence. I was then helped over it to escape the demons. On the other side was a three-story apartment building, all one structure. On the top floor, a single light was on. I went to that room. I entered to see a man sitting down, smiling at me. I knew I was safe there.  As we look at the interpretation of this dream, I'd like to point out some underlying Scriptural principles. I was in an empty parking lot with two young men who may have been angels. (This is a revelation of mobile vessels, or people, finding no rest although they should be resting because this was a parking lot.) It was dark outside. (We know that darkness is closing in quickly.) I saw many people walking around talking to themselves. (This could be spiritual or physical. It could represent that they are talking to themselves in their minds or aloud, with their tongues. People who have demons often do talk to themselves.) Many people had their heads down as if they were depressed or worried. (They were being oppressed by the very demons that were using them.) Behind most, if not all of the people talking to themselves, I saw at least one or two demons standing. The demons were whispering in their ears the very words that the people were speaking. When demons attempt to seduce people who are loyal to the Lord and His Word, those people have authority over the demons to rebuke them, but when the demons have gotten this far, people, as represented here, are overcome. Even so, they still have this authority if they repent of the thing that caused them to be taken over by these spirits in the first place, and if they have faith to exercise their authority or go to someone who has authority, or both. Demons do speak directly to your mind. They're testing you; they're looking for a crack in your armor (Romans 13:12,14; Ephesians 6:10-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Anyone who listens to them speak through others or listens in their own mind will lose their freedom. If you listen to them, their demonic words have power. If you listen, they will take you where you don't want to go. It's a different situation for those who have authority. (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. This includes all the demonic powers. But a person does not have authority over Satan when they've disobeyed God's Word and been turned over to Satan for a chastening (1 Corinthians 5:5). However, if a person repents, or if they haven't given in to Satan but are being tested by Satan, this person does have authority. They can “bind” and the devil has to obey. It's just like commanding a healing. You believe you have authority over that curse (Matthew 10:8; John 20:21). When your conscience is clean and you understand what Jesus accomplished at the Cross, you do have this authority. This is not because you are absolutely perfect; even the youngest child in the Lord has this authority to bind or loose. Now, this principle can go against you. People do loose Satan on themselves by their disagreement with God's Word instead of binding Satan by their agreement with God's Word. It's not about saying, “I bind” or “I loose”; it's about agreeing or disagreeing with God's Word. People do it all the time, whether they know it or not. (Luk.9:1) And he called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. We know that the disciples weren't perfected at that time. They still had quite a way to go in walking with Jesus, but they had been given authority. Jesus told us in (Mar.16:17) And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons… And in (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. We have that authority. You have that authority if you have faith to agree with the Word. The devil tries to bluff people. He tries to tell them he has authority or that he's going to take them out. If your conscience is not clean, you need to do something about that quickly! If you have confessed your sins (1Jn 1:7-9) and your conscience is clean, you can turn on the demons and tell them they don't have any authority over you because of what Jesus said. You have authority over them. Demons can't take you without your permission, but you can permit them in one or more ways. You give them permission when you sin or when you are determined to walk in sin. You give them permission when you choose to walk after idols because they are more important to you than obeying God. You give them permission when you give in to deception or seduction by evil spirits, and so on. So, if you give them authority, they will take it. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven. You have the authority on the earth, but you also have the authority to give it to Satan just as Adam did. God's Word says, (Rom.6:16) Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves [as] servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Adam obeyed Satan and lost his authority. The same thing happens today. People get demon-possessed because they obey Satan. Let's return to the dream. Oblivious to the demons, the people were thinking that what they were saying was their own thoughts. (You can't tell them, “Hey! That's demons talking through you.” It's a waste of breath. When the demons have already taken over, they are not going to let the person even think they've got demons. This is a common symptom of possession.) At some point, the demons realized that I was aware of them (Now this is important.) and that I knew what they were doing. At that point, all of the demons stopped at once and stared directly at me. Then they began to chase me to attack me. This is also common in demon possession. They know their advantage is to stay hidden. Demons make their victims believe that the demonic thoughts and words are the victims' own, or that the thoughts are from God. They can be peaceable until they know that you are aware of them, then they fight against you because they are not worried so much about hiding themselves anymore. I've had the gift of discerning of spirits since I was about a year old in the Lord, but it doesn't happen all the time. It happens when God wants it to happen. On one occasion, I saw demons in a woman looking at me, and by the spirit I heard the demons saying to one another, “Do you think he sees us? Do you think he knows we are in here?” Well, yes! I did know because I had seen them long before they spoke, but I had not said anything. I was waiting on the Lord. Once I acknowledged their presence, they would completely turn her against me. I knew this from experience, and so during this time of waiting, I was praying for this person to repent. Not repenting is most often why people are turned over to demons. (Mat.18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. The Lord Himself turns people over to demons because they don't repent. Some of the biggest reasons for needing to repent are holding on to unforgiveness, being bitter, and habitually criticizing people, which can be a type of judging others. These wrongs are always cause for a person to be turned over to demons for the purpose of bringing them to repentance. An example is the man who had his father's wife. Apostle Paul was led by the Spirit (1Co.5:5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. In the case of the woman in whom the demons were questioning if I could see them, the time came to reveal the problem to her husband for his sake, but he chose fellowship with the demons and his wife over the Lord. Then he became infected, too. I've seen this disloyalty to God cause possession many times. I pray for these folks who are in that kind of situation. More than ever, God is turning people over to Satan for chastening to humble them and bring them to repentance. (Mat.10:32) Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. (33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. One way this happens is by choosing demons, relatives, or friends over the Lord and His Word or representatives. This happened all through the Scriptures. God's representatives spoke for Him, but the demons in people railed. Those who felt it more important or more advantageous to listen to demons got demon-possessed. “Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.” In other words, they have no right to grace or the benefits of the Kingdom. Jesus is the High Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1). If we don't confess Him before men, we don't have any offering before the Father. (Rom.10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Salvation comes from our confession. And so, once again, I saw a seducing Jezebel spirit in a wife give a husband no peace until he knuckled under for the sake of advantage, and from then on, they both served this false god. This happens a lot, and that's how we end up with so many Ahab spirits out there. The Scripture is clear in (Luk.14:26) If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (“Life” here is the Greek word psuche and it means “the soul, life, self.”). What is Jesus talking about hating here? It's the carnal soulish life that we should hate in ourselves and our relatives. Some people give in to that soulish life and the opinions of relatives, but we should never do that, because it's denying the Lord. It's following a false god for the sake of advantage. People do this for the sake of peace in their family. A husband or wife sways a person because of their idols or fear of someone else's opinions. For the sake of their ego or whatever, they give in and deny the Lord, and then demons come in and oppress or torment. They are the ones who administer the curse. The curse is wherever grace is not. When God takes away grace, that's the curse. (Luk.14:26) If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not … his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. If you don't love God above everyone else, you can't be His disciple. And if you don't hate that carnal life in your relatives and turn against it for the sake of the Lord, you cannot be God's disciple. (Luk.18:29) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, (30) who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life. There are some men who do end up leaving their wives for the Kingdom's sake, but no one can do this of themselves, and wives and children must be cared for. (1Ti.5:8) But if any provideth not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. In some cases, wives refuse to follow husbands into the harvest work. If God ordains a man to a five-fold office (Ephesians 4:11) they must go, but they are responsible to care for their families through faith or by actions. No one can take an office unto themselves or ordain themselves. Some men stay home and don't work, putting their wives to work instead. If a man doesn't work at a secular job, he must be ordained to a ministry office, but either way, he must work to eat. (2Th.3:10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat. (11) For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies. (12) Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. You will notice in the last two Scripture texts that the man is responsible to work or provide, if able. If the above responsibilities are met, a wife should not be able to hold a man back from work. Remember that Lot's wife looked back to sin and destruction (Genesis 19:26), but Lot kept going to the refuge (Genesis 19:19:22- 23). Men, do not appease a Jezebel spirit; it's going to seduce you and lead you astray. We have our command from God. (Eph.5:22) Wives, [be in subjection] unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (The Lord, not I, said this, but those who have a Jezebel spirit will still get angry, although this is the truth. We have to obey God's Word, otherwise we can't call ourselves “disciples”.) (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, (Just as much as Jesus is Head of the Church, the husband is the head of the wife.), [being] himself the saviour of the body. (If a wife does not obey her husband, she is not going to get saved.) (24) But as the church is subject to Christ, so [let] the wives also [be] to their husbands in everything. (To make this possible for the wife, we are then told,) (25) Husbands, love your wives (Feeling unloved isn't an excuse for a wife to disobey her husband, but love makes it easier for the wife to obey her husband.), even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it. Loving your wife does not include giving in to a Jezebel spirit. Giving in means you are putting yourself under a demon spirit, and taking yourself and your family out from under God. If you do that, you will pay the price for it. On the other hand, do not judge the lost wife. God insists on Christ the Word being your Head. Don't judge her, but don't allow her to be your Head. If Jesus is not your Head, then you are following a false god. It's very plain. (Mat.12:30) He that is not with me is against me… If, because of your stand for Christ, your wife leaves you, then suffer for Christ's sake. We all have to suffer in one way or another, but do not follow a false god. The Bible says, (1Co.7:15) Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such [cases:] but God hath called us in peace. If your mate leaves because you follow Jesus, then so be it. You are not bound in such a case; God never really wants you to be married to an unbeliever anyway. He says to stay married to them only if they are content to dwell with you, because they can be saved through your witness. Amen! The wife who has an unbelieving husband should obey him up to, but not including, moral sin. (1Pe.3:1) In like manner, ye wives, [be] in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives. [Read our book on our site, The Word, Women and Authority https://www.ubm1.org/books/pdf/wwaa.pdf] If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you have to follow the Word. If you want to be a “Christian” and not be a disciple of Jesus, you are not going to be saved. It's that simple. The word “Christian” is a very loose term in our day, meaning almost nothing. In the early days, people were called “Christians” because they followed Christ Jesus and they did His works. Today, the word “Christian” should mean more, but sad to say, it doesn't mean much to people. Jesus told us, (Mat.10:34) Think not that I came to send peace on the earth (You might think, “Peace between me and my wife is the most important. I have to do whatever I have to do.” No, you don't. Jesus did not come to send peace on the earth.): I came not to send peace, but a sword. (And that “sword” is to divide those who are loyal to God's Word from those who are not.) (35) For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law (Of course, there are many more relationships. He's just making a point.): (36) and a man's foes [shall be] they of his own household. When you come to God and they have not, you have no communion there. The Bible says, (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? If you follow the Lord, they can be converted by your witness. If you don't follow the Lord, you have no favor from God, and in that event, don't expect your family to be saved. To get your family saved, the most important thing for you to do is follow the Lord as a disciple of Jesus Christ and have favor from God. He will save your family if you believe Him for it. (Mat.10:37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. You can love people more than you love the Word. The Lord and Word are the same. If you love someone or something more than the Word, you are going to be deceived. It's possible to pity demon-possessed people and then, through demons manipulating that pity, to get deceived and fall right into their situation. Don't believe that all those who call themselves “Christian” are going to be saved, because (Mat.10:38) And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. (We are to die on our “cross” in order to gain our higher life, the life of the born-again man.) (39) He that findeth his life (This is the old psuche life.) shall lose it; (39) and he that loseth his life (Again, this is the old psuche life, the carnal self.) for my sake shall find it. (40) He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. Those who favor God in His representatives will have His favor. Those who don't receive His representatives, God will not receive. Those who do not receive His representatives due to selfish purposes will be rejected as unworthy. (Mat.10:41) He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet (“Name” means “nature, character and authority.” In other words, a prophet or other office should be respected in the Name that they fill.) shall receive a prophet's reward: and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. If you don't do these things, you will not receive that reward. “Filthy lucre” preachers have selfish ambition. (1Pe.5:2) Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to [the will of] God; nor yet for filthy lucre…When tested of the Lord, they fail. I have seen ministers tested by demons who told them how good the ministers were and how bad I was, until finally the ministers promoted themselves and sought to overthrow me with slander. They were taken captive. Now we can finish interpreting the dream. I and the two young men (angels) began running to the right side of the parking lot (This represents the sheep being on the right, as opposed to the wrong side, or the left, which is where the goats go.) where there was a wooden fence. I was then helped over it to escape the demons. (The Lord will make a way of escape for those who are on the right, but not for those who are on the left. The Bible says they will be held under punishment until the Day of the Lord (2 Peter 2:9). Those faithful who overcome with the help of God's ministering spirits will escape the demons. They will not be separated from the body, as will be the unfaithful.) On the other side of the fence was a three-story apartment building, all one structure. (This represents those who go over the fence are being joined with the other true overcomers in God, becoming the temple of God. (Eph.2:21) In whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; (22) in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. God does not want to share His building with demons. A person needs deliverance if they have demons because the demons are keeping them from serving God. Demons are idols and they take advantage of people to prey upon their flesh as a judgment on the wicked. If a person wants deliverance from these tormentors, they must forgive everybody from their heart; otherwise, Jesus said the Father would put those tormentors on them. On the top floor a single light shone. I went to that room. The top floor represents the spirit of the body. The one light is Jesus, our Light in darkness. I entered in to see a man sitting down, smiling at me. I knew I was safe there. Amen! This is a very interesting revelation that opens up a lot of good points from the Lord. Now, I have another dream by Sister A. to share with you.    Satan Is Under Jesus' Feet - Sister A. I was standing before a door in the attic of a house with a group of white women. They were unknown to me. I had a golden key. We all knew that a demon would be behind that door. I unlocked that door with my key and entered that attic with these women following behind me. As I stood inside, a huge, beast-like creature with a face like a bear and long hands like a monkey, full of hair, stood suspended in the air before me. (The house can be our individual house or the corporate house.) I started singing “Satan is Under Jesus' Feet.” I was the only one singing this song, though there were a few women with me. They were like unwilling witnesses to the hideous demon. Also, I did not rebuke or bind the demon at all. (Nobody particularly likes to look at demons. They are ugly.) As I was singing this song, the demon started getting smaller and smaller until it vanished. I continued to sing and left that room with the others. I locked that door behind me. You don't have to speak to a demon. Your attitude and actions will do that for you. If you do not accept that they have authority over you, then you have authority over them. If you preach to them that they are under Jesus' feet, they don't like to hear it. They do not like to hear about the Blood of Jesus. They don't like to hear about this great sacrifice that Jesus made to deliver us out of the power of darkness. So, as she was singing this song, the demon got smaller and smaller until it was gone. Sister “A” asked, “Does the attic have significance? Does it speak about the mind? Why was the demon locked up, and why did I lock the door after me?” The answers to all those questions are found in the interpretation of the dream. This is the “golden key” to the Kingdom that will loose people from bondage, which is in the mind. The golden key is the revelation that in the “attic” of the mind, all evil hidden there has been put under Jesus' feet. This means it is under the Body of Christ. The Bible says God made Christ to sit (Eph.1:21) far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. Yes, Jesus has that absolute dominion over them, so how do people get demons if Jesus doesn't agree? Well, He does turn people over to demons for chastening, like the Apostle Paul did in (1 Corinthians 5:1-5), and He knows when people are putting themselves under the curse because they don't walk in repentance and faith toward God. (Eph.1:22) And he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, (23) which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. He put all things under His feet. He is the Head over His corporate body upon the earth, but notice that He put all of these demon powers under the feet, under the very lowest members of His corporate body upon the earth. He's saying that He's put all these powers and dominions and rulers under the very lowest members of the Church. If we look at the image of the beast in Daniel with its ten “toes” being the end-time revelation in (Daniel 2:31-45), and we stand up the Body of Christ next to that over history, the “toes” there are also at the end of history. It's in these days that Christians are going to bring Satan's kingdom under their feet and plunder it. Note that this promise was spoken first to Adam and his seed, and then to Christ and His seed. (Heb.2:6) But one hath somewhere testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? (7) Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, And didst set him over the works of thy hands: (8) Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet… There it is, but people like to say this is just about Jesus. No, it was spoken first to Adam and his seed, and then to the Last Adam, Christ and His seed. We have a confirmation here that it's talking about the seed of Christ having all things in subjection, just as in Ephesians 1:21-23. (8) Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. When those words were spoken by Paul, he did not yet see all the manifestation of that dominion, but in the end-time we are going to see it. The battleground between us and Satan is the mind. The battleground is in that “attic.” (2Co.10:3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (4) (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds). We are talking about “strongholds” where Satan, through his demons, has gained dominion in a person's mind. Demon spirits, through those strongholds, are even passed on from parents from generation to generation through the blood (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; Numbers 14:18). God has given us authority to cast this down, but the devil works hard to convince you that you do not have this authority. If you want to have dominion over those strongholds that have been built up in your mind over the years of your lost life, you must take your authority in Christ. (2Co.10:5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. How do you win this battle? Bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. The rules Jesus laid down regarding judging and forgiving must be followed, especially in personal relationships. If you ignore these regulations, you will lose this battle. Even while you are puffed up by demons who want you to exercise your authority among men, you will have lost the battle. That will be proven after the Lord has used you as a vessel of dishonor. The “white women” in the dream represent those corporate bodies who are justified by grace to “walk in white,” but they need this revelation to be free, and of course, Sister “A” was demonstrating this revelation to them. There are people out there who do walk in white to the very best of their ability. They walk with the Lord. They walk under His cleansing power. We need to know that we have authority over Satan's minions and that we have authority over their strongholds in our minds. When we repent and stop agreeing with him, his influence in our mind shrinks until it's gone, just like the demon vanishing in the dream. Believe the Lord when He says, (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Believe the Lord when He says, (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. (What does “all” mean? What does it leave out? “All” leaves out nothing.) (20) Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Can you imagine what will happen when saints believe that Jesus in them has total authority? Can you imagine what will happen when the Word in them takes total authority over the kingdom of darkness? (Col.1:13) Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. That's awesome! We need to exercise our authority, saints! Our battle does not depend on whether the enemy can read our minds; it depends on what he can do about what we know. Satan admitted he didn't have the power to get at Job because of God's “hedge.” (Job.1:9) Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? (10) Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. The same is true of us. It's not important for our thoughts to be hidden from the enemy when he can do nothing about them, and he can do nothing about our thoughts unless by our thoughts, we give him permission. This is because we have authority over him. Remember Jesus said, (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. It doesn't matter what the demons know. It matters what we know as sons of God. We are their lords, just as it was with Jesus. (Joh.20:21) Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind (The Greek word deo here means “forbid” or “prohibit.”) on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose (The Greek word luo here means “release” or “permit.”) on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Faith permits the sovereignty of God to be manifest through the Body of Christ. Faith forbids Satan, no matter what he knows of our thoughts. Jesus' condition for receiving His benefits is plain. (Mat.8:13) … As thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee… (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. And (Luk.17:19) … Thy faith hath made thee whole. He said such things as these, giving us authority. Praise be to God! As we believe, God's benefits will be given. Unbelieving thoughts and actions forbid God's benefits to us because He has made a condition, and He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hebrews 6:18). Unbelief permits Satan to continue administering the curse. We come out from under the curse through faith. We are counted righteous through our faith. We have to use our faith, but we can't exercise complete authority over other people. They have to use their faith, too. (Mar.6:5) And he (Jesus) could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. (6) And he marvelled because of their unbelief. Even Jesus was forbidden to do mighty works for those who would not believe. It's a condition, but whether we know it or not, we are constantly forbidding or permitting by our thoughts, words, and actions. All authority in heaven and earth was given to Jesus. He, in turn, delegated it to His disciples; so where does Satan get his authority? He gets it from our unbelief, words, and disobedience. Adding to or taking from God's Word, whether in thought or deed, permits the curse to be administered by Satan and forbids God's blessings for us or through us. This is by God's design to motivate us to come into agreement with Him. (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 (How do we add to or take away from them? We do it with our thoughts. We do it with our words and actions. We deny the Lord when we deny His Word.): (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. To win this battle, we have to cast down the thoughts of Satan. They are sent to deceive us so that we might give him permission to destroy us. Now, another thing. Many people think the reason God gives the gift of tongues is so that Satan cannot understand what we say to God, so that his purposes will be thwarted. This is false. Satan and his fallen angels have tempted mankind since shortly after the beginning, so they know some tricks. And they are angels, whether people believe it or not (Revelation 12:9). They certainly know the “tongues of men and angels”; otherwise they couldn't communicate with one another, or put thoughts in our heads. We read in (1Co.13:1) If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. When prophecy is uttered in one's own language, one's mind, doctrine, and desires are permitted to be involved in what is said. The Word is polluted. (1Co.13:9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part… To put it another way, the prophecy can be part God and part man. That's why the prophecy, not the person, needs to be judged in (1 Corinthians 14:29). The true reason we speak in tongues is so that we will not know what we are saying, and therefore we will have no carnal reason to change the word. If our mind gets involved, then we can be tempted because of selfish ambition or our own doctrines to change it. So when you speak in tongues, the Holy Spirit is praying through you to God in a language that can be purely the Holy Spirit's request to God. (Rom.8:26) And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for [us] with groanings which cannot be uttered (That is, which cannot be uttered by man.); (27) and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will] of God. It's important to pray in this way because … For the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. (1Ch.28:9) In the spirit realm, thoughts are audible to the mind of God, angels, and to demons. God and demons can, in turn, impart the gift to read minds. A man once asked me if I knew what he was thinking. At that moment the Holy Spirit gave it to me, and the man was just awed at the power of God. When I first went to a full-gospel church, I witnessed Christians exorcising a demon-possessed man who thought he was a woman, and that man also showed his ability to read minds. Why those unbelieving Christians asked for a demonstration is beyond me, because magicians, wizards, and mediums with familiar spirits or spirits of divination have demonstrated the power to read minds in front of audiences of people. I don't know why people think that demons can't read minds, especially since we wrestle with principalities and powers in the mind. We are commanded to (Eph.6:11) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With the renewed mind of the Word (Romans 12:2), our thoughts can be guarded as with a helmet. We are then able to take back our thoughts and cast the enemy's thoughts down. (2Co.10:3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (4) (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds) (The principalities and the powers possess strongholds in the thoughts of the mind.), (5) casting down imaginations (our thoughts), and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, (Cast down anything that opposes God. You will have victory over Satan in this way. Any other way you go is opening yourself up to him.), and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Be sure you do this when the demons in people are trying to deceive you. They are fighting to win the battle against you, so bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of the Word of God. Study the Word. We have studied and talked about the verses that most often trip people up, because they disobey them. When they do that, they get captured by Satan. We win the battle by rejecting the enemies' thoughts and replacing them with God's thoughts. We win the battle by holding on to God's thoughts. We are at peace with God when we are full of His thoughts, since then our minds are guarded from demonic attacks that cause outward actions of sin. The Bible says, (Php.4:6) In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. We should be aware that Satan can insert thoughts within our thoughts. (Act.5:3) But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Also, we see another example here. (1Ch.21:1) And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. We can use a little Holy Spirit reasoning by asking, “How can Satan insert thoughts unless he knows the content of thoughts?” If you went into your computer to edit a text, how could you insert changes unless you could read the text? If you just inserted a word change at random without knowing the text, you would make a nonsensical document, and anyone would know that someone inserted something. It's the same with us. If Satan or demons inserted something nonsensical, it would be obvious that demons were at work, but they know they do their best work undercover. How would Satan be able to tempt us if he were so dysfunctional? We would know immediately that he was up to something. Now, let me share the following testimony of faith by A. T.   Poor Blood Circulation Healed given to A. T. I went to help my mom volunteer over at this place where she gets her food. I didn't have time to grab a coat, but I knew the Lord would keep me warm within the warehouse. It turned out I was working in the freezer the entire time. Within that freezer, the Lord did keep my body warm through my faith. My hands were the only thing that were suffering from the cold. I have always had problems with poor blood circulation in my hands. I felt intense pain in my hands. My fingers were freezing up, making my task harder to perform. As pain was an attribute of the curse, I kept in prayer and continued to thank Him for healing my hands on the Cross. (Php.4:6) In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God. A couple of times I had to leave the cold because my hands hurt too much. But every time I would leave, I felt as if my faith was wavering and I wasn't holding fast to my confession. The spirit of doubt was trying to come in to hinder my faith. Then I began to deal with condemnation. It was demonic activity holding me back. I was acting in double-mindedness, and such did not please the Father. (Jas.1:6) But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. (7) For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; (8) a doubleminded man unstable, in all his ways. The Lord wanted my actions to be according to my confession, for (Jas.2:17) faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. The Lord could not manifest my healing without His works being involved. He told me to bind and loose and to cast down any vain imaginations of the flesh. This is as Paul speaks about in (2Co.10:5) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, for Christ bestowed upon us authority over all the power of the enemy. The third time I got back into the freezer, I was convinced not to leave the freezer for the purpose of warming my hands. When I thanked the Lord, I felt confession pouring from my heart, rather than just my lips. I completely ignored the pain and began to rest on what the Lord had accomplished on the cross. Behold, the Lord faithfully answered! The pain was leaving my hands all at once, and a great comfort was coming over my affliction (The pain had not left due to numbness. I could feel everything I was touching.) I felt supernatural warmth cover over my hands. I regained mobility in my fingertips, as well as overall strength. Praise the Lord and His Sovereignty! Praise the Son of the Most High and His Love! Even after the healing manifested itself, my flesh was trying to scare me out of the healing by attempting to suggest that it was only a temporary healing. Eventually, Satan gave up trying to steal my gift, for I continued to cast down more doubt that was exalting itself against the Lord. (Jas.4:7) Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. I kept working. The Lord put me into an environment with an exaggerated degree of cold—where the cold was so strong against my flesh that I was in utter weakness—in order that Jesus could show His might. In such a cold environment, heat could not have been in the air. Only the Lord could have heated my hands. He engineered this circumstance so that it was impossible for my flesh to reason and prevail against my spirit. There have been more trials with my blood circulation, but the Lord has healed my hands. (1Pe.2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed. (And He continues to conquer this old flesh.) He is our only resistance to Satan and the mind of the flesh. He is our only salvation. Without His grace and love, we are nothing. Now, I'm going to talk to you about the faction war and how we win this battle. Let me begin by sharing this dream.   Getting Ready for the Storm by S.G. A few of us were outside a big house that was more than one-story high. We were trying to get a platform or something apart before the storm was to come. We needed to unscrew some bolts or something like that. We started to see wolves and dogs trying to come against us. It was dark outside. There was thunder, lightning, and blowing wind. We went inside the house. Many others from local UBM were in different rooms praying. Some were kneeling down, while some were standing and commanding the wolves and the dogs to go! It was all happening so fast. It was as if we were in the midst of a storm on a ship out to sea. Things were coming from all directions. We were just commanding those things to cease and go. At one point it settled down a little. But then I was going outside and touching a gate that was opened. It seemed like it shocked me. Then I couldn't speak, as if the enemy were trying to silence me. I was able to say, “No! In the Name of Jesus!” I said this as loudly as I could, and started to fight in the spirit. It started to get windy and rough again. I saw David and Michael and other brothers and sisters praying and taking care of the little ones. It was so chaotic and noisy! But everyone was doing their part in the warfare. A few of us would go up and down stairs, helping each other to fight. We were strong and didn't give up. No one was frightened. But we were more determined when we saw the enemy come against us. As far as I could tell, there were no casualties. And before I woke up, I heard myself say two or three times, “I have to wake up and write this down.” And then I woke up. S.G.'s Notes: I sensed we had the victory, even though I had left the whole scene (without seeing the end) when I woke up. I felt good about the dream, sensing that we were all working together. Even though the enemy was trying to bring chaos, the fight was done with order. We all knew what we were to do, and we did it. I asked the Lord for a Word to correspond to this dream. My finger went down on “our captain.” (2Ch.13:12 KJV) And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. Then, the Lord gave me the word “tumult” from H1993 “Strong's Concordance,” which means “to make a loud sound, to be in great commotion, roar, be in an uproar, to rage, war, clamor.” I looked up a few verses with the word tumult in them. One of the scriptures, Psalm 83:2, I received this twice in twenty-four hours. (Psa.83:2) For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: And they that hate thee have lifted up the head. Amen! When the enemy plans an attack, God warns us in advance. We received the next several Words at random from the Lord, by faith, in one day. To begin with, I received words from the Lord in Job about a coming faction attack. (Job.16:9) He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me. (10) They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me. (11) God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked. The “me” in this case represents the David Man-childs who have been going through a persecution. However, the Lord may have said, “Enough!” The faction that was planned was confirmed to me by another verse I received. (Isa.1:2) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. (3) The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. (4) Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged [and gone] backward. (5) Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. (6) From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; [but] wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil. (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. The last verse describes faction situations very accurately. That same day, I was directed to a Judas passage. (Joh.13:27) And after the sop, then entered Satan into him (Judas, the betrayer). Jesus therefore saith unto him, What thou doest, do quickly. At that same time, praying brethren received warnings, too. E.B. received this Judas verse: (Mat.26:50) And Jesus said unto him, Friend, [do] that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. D.L. got (Lam.1:9) Her filthiness was in her skirts (This represents “harlot” religion, those who have turned away from their “husband” Christ, having received the seed of the world.); she remembered not her latter end (It's a demonic problem when people don't count the cost of low living. They don't understand that all of this is going to catch up to them.); Therefore is she come down wonderfully; she hath no comforter: Behold, O Lord, my affliction; for the enemy hath magnified himself. Isn't it interesting how all of these verses line up? We have received wonderful training for several years now on spiritual warfare and gained a lot of understanding and wisdom from the Lord. What the Man-child corporate body is going through right now is what the Woman corporate body will go through in the “wilderness.” Everybody has to go to their “cross,” and so all this training is necessary, or else the Lord would not be speaking to us in this way. What is the enemy's sin? (Jer.34:8) The word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people that were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; (9) that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondmen of them, [to wit,] of a Jew his brother. (10) And all the princes and all the people obeyed, that had entered into the covenant, that every one should let his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondmen of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go: (11) but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids. What will happen to the enemy? Well, I received the answer to those questions. (Jer.34:17) Therefore thus saith the Lord: ye have not hearkened unto me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim unto you a liberty, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth. The wicked were to forgive debts owed to them and to let their servants go free from their servitude. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus taught that these “debts” were the debts of forgiveness for their sin that the wicked owed to others who had sinned against them (Matthew 18:23-34). Failure to do this would bring the judgment of the Shemittah. Everybody thinks the Shemittah is all over, but no, Jesus said that the Father would turn those guilty of unforgiveness over to tormenting demons. This has already happened. [Note: Shemittah is the Hebrew word “to release.” (Deu.15:1) At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. (2) And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he hath lent unto his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because the Lord's release hath been proclaimed. In other words, “the Shemittah waives all outstanding debts” (see chabad.org).] Saints, a tremendous Passover, along with much death and destruction, is coming, and we need to get ready for it, but the Passover is only good if you have a sacrifice. If you walk in willful disobedience, we are told in (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. There is no sacrifice for you if you walk in willful disobedience and, therefore, the Blood is not on the doorpost. There needs to be repentance, or many are going to be taken away. And then E.B. got, (SoS.1:5) I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon. (6) Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, Because the sun hath scorched me. My mother's sons (“Mother” represents the church.) were incensed against me… This is all part of crucifixion. God has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor to do His work (2 Timothy 2:20-21). We need somebody to bring us to our cross, and God will use whom He can use. If anybody is fitted to be used as a vessel of dishonor, God will use them for that purpose. So when I opened my Bible to nowhere in particular because I was getting ready to study, as I looked at the page, I was asking, “Lord, can this usurpation attempt be cast down?” It wasn't as if we hadn't gone through enough of it, but we know that's up to God, and my eyes fell on, (Mar.11:23) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. That's certainly kind of a “blank check” but then, of course, His Word says, (Mat.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. He certainly answered my question there without any doubt. Then, in the same meeting, M.L. got the same Word from Matthew 17:18. What are the chances of that in this great big Bible! (Mat.17:18) And Jesus rebuked him; and the demon went out of him: and the boy was cured from that hour. (19) Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out? (20) And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Another sister received this word about Joseph's persecution and later promotion. (Psa.105:19) Until the time that his word came to pass (Joseph was persecuted because of the things that he prophesied about his brethren, but there came a time, which they thought would never come, when his word came to pass.), The word of the Lord tried him. (20) The king sent and loosed him; Even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free. (21) He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance; (22) To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom. His factious brothers came to find out that Joseph had been promoted over them, just as he had said in (Genesis 40:38-45). Their faction against him, in delivering him into bondage, was found out and those brethren were humbled (Genesis 45:1-15). M.L.'s word spoke about the enemy who was evil to Joseph. (Amo.6:6) … But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. (7) Therefore shall they now go captive with the first that go captive; and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away. All their rejoicing in their evil comes to nothing because the factious enemy today is also going into captivity as a chastening. They were not grieved for the affliction of the Joseph Man-child of our day, who was going through a crucifixion. E.B. asked for a confirmation and got another faction verse. (Psa.60:4) Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah (5) That thy beloved may be delivered, Save with thy right hand, and answer us. (6) God hath spoken in his holiness: I will exult; I will divide Shechem (Shechem were those who factioned against the house of Gideon. In that time, Abimelech was the beast, and Shechem was the harlot. God said, “I'm going to divide Shechem,” the harlot that had come against His people.), and mete out the valley of Succoth. There is faction planned by Satan, and we are warned so that we may cast it down and divide the enemy. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. The Lord wants to teach us that this is true. In the coming tribulation, we will need to know this is true because the enemy is everywhere. The corporate body of the beast is very large, and the people of God are comparatively small. Because of the demons that are in them, this great big beast is set on making war against the saints. We have authority, but not in wrestling with flesh and blood. (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. Wrestling with flesh and blood will just get you killed. Jesus said, (Rev.13:10) If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth; if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and faith of the saints. Anybody who doesn't know anything about spiritual warfare and hasn't put the Word of God in their heart is going into captivity. Those people who don't take the authority and the dominion that Jesus gave them over the evil, including the evil in themselves, are going into captivity. When Jehoshaphat in Zion was faced by three enemy armies in (2 Chronicles 20:1), he sent out the praisers first in (2 Chronicles 20:20-21). Those armies were divided and killed one another off in (2 Chronicles 20:22-24). Then Zion celebrated and spent three days gathering up the loot in (2 Chronicles 20:25). Our battle with the spirits of faction is not something that's over in a moment, but His Word encourages us with awesome verses. His Word helps us to believe we have received and to cast down faction. Through His Word, we have authority to cast down faction and every evil work. You come into more and more rest in the battle after you have gone through it for a while. It's like anything else that you face that comes against your faith; the more experience you gain with spiritual warfare, the more solid your faith becomes and the more you enter into the rest. Praise be to God!

Send us a textWelcome back to The Bible Project Daily Podcast.Today we're exploring one of the most sobering of teachings found in the New Testament—Paul's shocking warning about the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11.You may have heard these verses read many times during Communion, but Paul didn't write them for tradition—he wrote them in response to a crisis. A broken church had turned the Lord's Table into a place of division and pride.Paul's words remind us that this simple act—bread and wine—is a proclamation of the Gospel. And how we come to the Table either honours or denies what Jesus has done.So let's slow down, open our hearts, and remember: this Table is holy ground.Episode Notes:Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:17–34Summary: Paul confronts the Corinthians over how they were treating the Lord's Supper—and his warning is both intense and deeply pastoral. In this episode, we unpack:Why their gatherings were doing “more harm than good”How selfishness at the Table contradicted the GospelWhat it means to eat and drink “in an unworthy manner”Why self-examination, humility, and unity are vital at CommunionHow this sacred meal continues to shape our faith and our fellowshipKey Verses:“Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Cor 11:27) “Do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Cor 11:24–25)Takeaway: The Lord's Table isn't just a symbol—it's a proclamation of Christ's death, a call to unity, and a moment to realign our hearts. This passage reminds us: the Table is for sinners, not the perfect, but not for the careless. So come. Examine yourself. Remember Jesus. Honour His people. And keep proclaiming His death—until He comes.Support the showTo listen to my monthly church history podcast, subscribe at; https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com For an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

August 8, 2025Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Remember Gideon? God sends him to deliver Israel from the Midianites. He tells twenty-two thousand Israelites to take a hike back home, leaving only ten thousand. Still too many. God tells Gideon's men to go down to the creek for a drink. The ones who drink like dogs, lapping the water—those are the ones who are staying. All three hundred of them matched up against the hordes of Midianites. And if that isn't wild enough, they head out to battle with torches and clay jars and not a sword in sight. How weak. How foolish. And yet, the Lord brings victory and delivers Israel. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.Remember Elijah? God sends him up to the top of Mt. Carmel to engage in a little prophetic duel with the prophets of Baal. Once again, God's people are in a jam. Wicked Ahab and the infamous Jezebel are making an idolatrous mess of Israel. So, God does what he does best: he delivers his people, but he does it in a rather strange way. Elijah digs trenches. Baptizes the entire place, soaks the whole thing. Not once. Not twice. Three times. You can imagine the prophets of Baal having a good laugh. Look at Elijah. So weak. Such a fool. And yet, Yahweh sent fire down on the altar, and the prophets of Baal came to a brutal end. And once again, God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. Remember Jesus' life? God chooses what is foolish in the world—an unwed, Virgin, a backwater little town, a lowly manger, a life of itinerant preaching, and a ragtag bunch of fishermen, a zealot, and a tax collector—to deliver and declare his salvation. And then, in the greatest of all displays of weakness and foolishness, God in the flesh goes and suffers a shameful death on the cursed tree of the cross. Once again, God delivers, rescues, and saves in the most unlikely way. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. Why does God work this way? So that our hope and confidence rest in his outrageous grace and not in our own strength or wisdom. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Here we have a firm foundation, Here the refuge of the lost: Christ, the Rock of our salvation, Is the name by which we boast; Lamb of God, for sinners wounded, Sacrifice to cancel guilt! None shall ever be confounded Who on Him their hope have built. (LSB 451:4)Rev. Samuel Schuldheisz, pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Step back in time to the late Reformation and learn about a divisive yet inspirational figure: Matthias Flacius Illyricus. His contributions to Lutheranism still echo in our teachings today, from the Magdeburg Confession to parts of the Lutheran Confessions. Learning about Flacius's life will help you understand more intricacies of the Reformation than ever before.

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The New Testament gets really serious about remembering as well. It's in Jesus' language and it's picked up by the rest of the NT authors. And … a consistent theme that keeps coming up, over and over again, is the big idea that we have to REMEMBER JESUS. Now, that may be the most simplistic statement you've ever heard in a sermon of any church ever at any time, right? Well, duh, of course we have to remember Jesus. Maybe you would argue that a church couldn't possibly forget Jesus, right? He's too important. He's a really, really big deal. What a simplistic, small, little idea to lay out that we would have to remember Jesus. But … sometimes people forget and forgetting leads to sin. Bad things happen when people forget.

Jesus Delivered Us (8) (audio) David Eells – 8/3/25 Saints, I'm going to continue our teaching on how Jesus delivered us and gave us authority over demons.   I want to begin by sharing this testimony with you by C.J. Set Free From Gossip and Slander by Confession The message called “Addressing Factious Criticism” is one of the best I have heard in a long time. A while ago the Lord revealed to me that I was just the person described in that message. I was controlled by a strong gossiping and slandering spirit. He also showed me that I was a user of “unjust scales.” I would repent of this over and over, but I just kept falling back into these sins. Finally, I got so frustrated that I asked the Lord, “Why can I not get free from these sins?” What He said changed my life dramatically. He said that I would not be free from the spirit of gossiping and slandering until I stood before a body of believers and asked their forgiveness. He explained to me that gossiping, slandering, and using unjust scales are sins against the entire body of Christ. Therefore, they require corporate forgiveness. I was desperate to be set free from this bondage, so I asked the Lord, “Where do I go?” I had been out of the church system since the early ‘90s and did not belong to any group. He put in my heart the name of a church here in the village where I lived. So I went to that church. At a designated open-sharing time, I stood up and confessed these sins before the body of Christ. It was interesting to watch in the spirit how the people were responding to my public confession. At first, there was an uncomfortable, tense silence. It was like they were horrified, which then gave way to condemnation and judgment, that I was confessing my sins out loud before everyone. But I was determined to get deliverance from these strongholds in my life, and I didn't care how embarrassing or humiliating it was for me. So I pressed on and shared God's words of knowledge that He had given me. I then sat down to wait upon the Lord. That pastor stood in front of the church, totally flabbergasted at what I had done, and didn't know how to respond. So he just continued on with the church's bulletin agenda. I felt hurt and disappointed because I was convinced that if I would humble myself before the Lord and His people, He would be faithful and just to forgive my sins. I asked the Lord about this in my heart when an elder in the church stood up. He politely interrupted the pastor and said, “This young woman came here today and confessed her sins before this body and asked for our forgiveness. We, as a body, need to forgive her.” So the pastor requested the assembly to stand and asked, “Do you forgive this woman of her transgressions?” As one, the church responded, “Yes.” The pastor then prayed and thanked the Lord for the example I set. As the church spoke their corporate forgiveness over me, I saw this vision coming down out of lower heaven: a black umbilical cord was attached to my stomach when I saw a huge pair of silver scissors appear and sever the cord. I felt myself literally jerk as the strongholds left. Since that day, I have been wondrously and gloriously set free! For all those out there who know you have a problem with these sins and haven't been able to break free of them, go find a corporate body of Christ and stand before the assembly and confess your sins. He will set you free! I didn't even attend this church, yet God used them. (Jas.4:7) Be subject therefore unto God: but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. (9) Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. (10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you. (11) Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. (12) One [only] is the lawgiver and judge, [even] he who is able to save and destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor? (Joh.8:34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. (36) If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Praise the Lord! You know, it's a humbling thing to stand before a body of believers and confess our sins. Many do not practice this in churches today, but as we can see here in this testimony, it has its place, and this person became free from this bondage and the demons. Now, here's another testimony and a revelation I'd like to share with you about the subtle ways the devil works to deceive us.   Forgiven and Freed From Condemnation by (Name Withheld) One day not long ago, I was sitting on my couch meditating on things. I was wondering why my prayers weren't reaching the throne and seeking why I wasn't having bold power with God. Then I heard a voice say, “Your heart condemns you.” I often remembered David Eells' teaching on (Jas.5:16) Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another that you may be healed. I thought about that verse. I had confessed all my sins after I came back to God about nine months earlier, or so I thought! Then I remembered how, when I had gotten divorced, I felt a lot of anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness towards people who were involved in that process. I would take it out on God. I would curse Him. This is not a sin I'm proud of admitting. I went into an empty room, sat on the floor, and started confessing to God my sin of cursing Him with my lips. I had tears rolling down my face and I felt very ashamed. As I was kneeling down by the bed, I was permitted to hear this conversation that took place between two entities. One was the devil or a demon, saying to another person who was either Christ or His representative, “You heard him. You heard what he did and what he said.” Then, in such a kind and compassionate tone, this person replied, “Well, I forgive him.” I was so humbled! Then the angel of the Lord or His representative came over to me. I couldn't see his face, just an outline of his shape. He said to me, “He will bother you no more.” I perceived that accuser to be a demon of condemnation or guilt. After this happened, I praised the Lord, got up from the bedroom floor and felt great! All week long I have felt great. I've had no condemnation for my past sins and failures. What a merciful God we serve! I deserved all the punishment I was getting. Praise the Lord! We need to be careful not to fall for the devil's tactics. This revelation sounds so much like something we read in Zechariah, where the characters are the Angel of the Lord, Satan, and the one being condemned. (Zec.3:1) And he showed me Joshua (This is also the New Testament name for Jesus.) the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. Satan is the accuser of the brethren, and so he's accusing Joshua, or Jesus. And I've shared with you in the past how the Lord spoke to me that Joshua here, or Jesus, represents the body of Christ. Here we see Satan accusing the body of Christ to the Angel of the Lord, standing at His right hand to be His adversary. (Zec.3:2) The Lord said unto Satan, the Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; yea, the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee… What did Jerusalem have to do with the body of Christ? The manifest body of Christ is the Bride, and according to the Book of Revelation, that's Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2); this is a parallel here that He's showing us. (Zec.3:2) The Lord said unto Satan, the Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; yea, the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Praise the Lord that we are guiltless! We are not under the condemnation of this world. We're not under the curse of this world. We've been “plucked out of the fire.” (Zec.3:3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel. Those “filthy garments” represent our unrighteousness, our failure, our sins. They signify our not being dressed up in Jesus Christ. (Rom.13:14) Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. We come short many times, but we have a Sacrifice, an Offering: Jesus Christ. And because of His sacrifice, the Lord sees us as cleansed. Praise the Lord! (Zec.3:3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel. (4) And he answered and he spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel. Remember, that's what the Lord says; He has caused our iniquity to pass away. He will clothe us with “rich apparel,” which is putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and manifesting His Word. “Rich apparel” is the manifestation of being the Body of Christ. Praise the Lord! This is God's promise. He says it, speaking the end from the beginning, and it is so (Isaiah 46:10). We believe and stand on it. We …calleth the things that are not, as though they were (Rom.4:17). When we pray, we believe we have received (Mark 11:24). Don't forget that faith is accounted as righteousness. If you look in the mirror and see your old sinful self, there's no righteousness there, no covering, no faith. But if you look in the mirror and see Jesus, then you know that reconciliation is already made. He has taken off our filthy garments and replaced them with His rich apparel. We see it by faith, and when we see it by faith, that faith is accounted as righteousness. And we're told in (Rom.8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. How are we in Christ? We're in Christ by faith. Praise be to God! This is God's goodness. (Zec.3:5) And I said, Let them set a clean mitre upon his head. So they set a clean mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments; and the angel of the Lord was standing by. A “clean mitre” symbolizes the renewed mind. The Lord has blessed us with the Mind of Christ. All these things that He's given us, including the Mind of Christ, we first accept by faith, and because we accept them by faith, God brings them to pass. While we're accepting them by faith, even though we haven't as yet seen them manifested, we are accounted righteous. However, if a spirit of condemnation or guilt manages to slip in, it can be a catastrophe because if you have condemnation, you don't have faith. You can't have both faith and condemnation at the same time. I want to share with you that years ago, the Lord showed me a window in my house located right over the head of my bed. It was like a window into the heavenlies, and when I looked through that window, I would see visions. Other people have had dreams about my house or me and they, too, saw that window where there is no window. It was the Lord showing us the supernatural. God said He would open the windows of heaven, giving vision into heavenly things (Isaiah 24:18; Malachi 3:10). Well, I work long hours; I don't get a whole lot of sleep. When the Lord started giving me visions, it was kind of disconcerting being awakened in the middle of the night. And as if He didn't already know, I told Him, “Lord, I need my sleep. I don't get many hours.” The Lord answered me, “Really? Why do you need your sleep? Man doesn't live by bread alone. He doesn't live by sleep alone, either, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4) For a while, I was a little frustrated because I wasn't getting sleep, but then I realized, “Wait a minute! I need what the Lord's telling me at this time of the night, too. I need to hear this.” And I began to enjoy what the Lord was showing me. He would show me revelations or visions, explanations of what was happening in the spirit. He would speak to me and show me solutions for problems, which did not necessarily involve seeing a vision. He would reveal enemy tactics and show me what to do about them. This would happen between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. The Lord had been doing that to me for a long time, when one night, He started speaking to me about demons and their functions. He told me about their doings and some of the problems they bring. He explained how certain demons will open the door for other demons and what they do in people. I jumped out of bed and grabbed a piece of paper and started writing a diagram of what the Lord was showing. He showed me how common it is for the spirit of “self-condemnation” to attack people. From there, the Lord showed me that the spirit of self-condemnation would open the door for the spirit of “rejection.” This spirit of rejection, in turn, would open the door for the spirit of “self-justification”, and this spirit of self-justification in turn, would open a door for the “spirit of retaliation”. Each of these main demons mentioned here has a subset of lesser demons, too, and the main demons open the doors for them. The very first one He showed me was the spirit of self-condemnation, and I think that was because, just a few days earlier, we had received the brother's revelation, which I just shared with you. When the Lord woke me up that morning, I started thinking and meditating on it as I was drawing a diagram. You know, the more you meditate on something, the more the Lord can show and speak to you. Now, there is a time and purpose for condemnation. It has a ministry to people who are willfully disobedient. It has a legal right to them when they're bitter and unforgiving towards their brothers because, in that case, they get turned over to the tormentors. Jesus gave us this parable in (Mat.18:33) Shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. Condemnation is one of those tormenters. Its job is to torment people until they learn to forgive and forget, until they give up their bitterness and anger and so on. Condemnation can come as a result of any kind of willful disobedience. (Heb.10:26) If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins (Jesus doesn't pay the penalty for the curse that willful sin brings. You end up paying for it. You end up getting a “whipping” and these tormentor demons are the ones that carry this out.), but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. The “adversaries” referred to here are in you. There are things in you that don't belong, things that are not friendly to God or the spiritual man, so there is a good ministry of condemnation, but condemnation has no legal right to you when you have confessed your sin to God and forsaken it. Once you put that sin under the Blood of Christ, it's under the Blood. It's a bad ministry of condemnation if you're doing your best to walk away from that sin, yet you still feel condemned, because confessing and forsaking sin has nothing to do with your emotions. It's believing what the Bible says that counts. Learn to overcome your emotions and walk by what “thus saith the Lord.” If God says He's forgiven you when you've confessed your sins, that's what you believe. Don't pay attention to any demonic spirit that says otherwise. If you do listen to some spirit, it's because you're giving in to an emotion. Remember that the devil will try to give you illegal thoughts, and if you listen to them instead of casting them down, it will affect your emotions. Our emotions are supposed to be submitted to your spiritual man and the Word of God in you. We get all out of whack when we fall into sin, and we start being ruled by our emotions, our lower nature, our old man. That's just the opposite of what is supposed to be. You're supposed to be ruled by your spirit, which is in submission to the Word of God. We need to learn not to listen to emotions that are contrary to God's Word, and condemnation is one of those feelings that can come over you. The apostle Paul said, (Rom.7:19) For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise. (20) But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. In other words, “If I don't do the good that I want to do or I will to do, but instead I do the evil that I don't want to do and I don't will to do, then it's not me that does it. It's the sin that dwells in me.” God is separating you from the sin. He's saying, “You're okay, but that sin's gotta go.” This is true because you're not supposed to receive condemnation for failures. If it's failure and not a willful disobedience where you're purposely sinning against God with your will, you confess your sin, and He forgives you. As with failure, the same goes for ignorance. In the Old Testament, according to the Law, you sinned whether you knew it or not, and after you found out about it, you had to bring a sacrifice. (Lev.5:17) And if any one sin, and do any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done; though he knew it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation, for a trespass-offering, unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing wherein he erred unwittingly and knew it not, and he shall be forgiven. But the New Testament says in (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. This is a good deal! God is not imputing the finer points of the Bible against you, in the event that you don't understand that you're out of His Will. It's like children as they're growing up. They do a lot of things that an adult wouldn't do, but you don't really impute iniquity to them unless they do something you've told them not to do, but they're doing it anyway. They're being self-willed and insolent and arrogant, and that's when you spank them, but normally, if they do childish things, you let that go. That's just the way we train up our children, and that's the way God trains up His children. (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. That's when God imputes sin to you. You're not supposed to be condemned for things that you've done in ignorance or in failure. You're supposed to be condemned only for things that you do wrong willfully. Remember what Paul said, (Rom.7:19) For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise. He did not will to do something wrong. “And the evil which I would not (or ‘willed not'), that I do!” He was lamenting the fact that he was falling victim to something he hated, and God said, “Well, then it's not you that does it, it's the sin that dwells in you. It's the old man.” What do we do with the old man? (Rom.6:11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. We reckon the old man's dead and gone. We account ourselves to be dead unto sin, and the Lord does, too. If you reckon it, He reckons it. As Jesus said, (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith, be it done unto you. There is a time for condemnation, but there's a time when you shouldn't receive condemnation, such as when it's a demon coming to take advantage of you because you may not understand that … I have caused your iniquity (That's the “filthy garment.”) to pass from thee… (Zec.3:4) The Lord said that it's already done. He has delivered us. Another demon that the Lord showed me is called “self-justification.” It appears that self-condemnation is almost the opposite of self-justification. With one, you're justifying yourself, and with the other, you're condemning yourself. You would think that a person couldn't have both of them at the same time, but yes, they can, and I've seen it. The Lord showed me that first, there's one other demon that has to come in the middle there; he's called “rejection.” When that demon comes in the middle, it makes it possible for a person to have both self-justification and self-condemnation. After condemnation takes hold, it can open the door to rejection. Sometimes condemnation is a spirit that speaks in your mind, but quite often, condemnation speaks through other people condemning you. If you hear enough condemning, the door can be opened to rejection. Many times, children come into this spirit of rejection when they receive enough criticism and condemnation from others. Rejection is a feeling that God has rejected you or that people have rejected you. It puts a wall between you and other people. Rejection is a nasty spirit that often companies with a spirit called “fear of rejection,” and fear of rejection, basically, is one of those spirits that pushes people around. It makes them do things because of fear, because they don't want a certain thing to happen to them; that thing is rejection. They do things, or don't do things, because they're afraid it might cause people to reject them. They're always being moved by this fear, instead of the fear of the Lord (Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:29,9:10,15:23; Revelation 15:4, etc.) You can't serve rejection or fear of rejection and the Lord at the same time; it's impossible; you just can't do it. A person having this fear of rejection receives a hatred for correction, or “reproof,” as the Bible sometimes calls it. If you try to help someone by bringing correction to them, even ever so gently, like “charming the serpent,” they'll bite you like a serpent. (Ecc.10:11) If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer. Trying to get around the flesh of a person who has rejection in order to help them, without that old flesh rearing up, is very hard to do. They'll strike out at you because they've received that hatred for correction, which is common to people who have a spirit of rejection. After rejection, it's the next demon that's let in. So people with spirits of condemnation and rejection also have this hatred for correction. And boy, is that a trap! If nobody can correct you, you're in for some very big problems! (Pro.15:5) A fool despiseth his father's correction; (That “father” can be your natural parent, or that “father” can be your spiritual father on earth as in 1 Corinthians 4:15, or that “father” can be our Heavenly Father.); but he that regardeth reproof (This is somebody who pays attention to correction and takes it to heart.) getteth prudence. The Bible also says, (Eph.4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice… “Let… anger…be put away from you.” (Ecc.7:9) Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. So, this is saying that if you have anger, you're being a fool. If you don't like correction, or somebody laughs at you, and so forth, the next thing that comes in is anger, and that means you're being a fool. So we see that one of these spirits just opens the door to the next, until it's a grievous situation. Hating reproof or correction is a very dangerous place to be. Our Father will correct us because He loves us and wants us to repent for sin. But there are many people who will become angry with God when He corrects them because they don't yet know His love. 1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. There's that “fear of rejection” and not being able to accept correction. But God is treating you as a son. Heb 12:6-8 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. The testimony of the brother I related to you above fell into that trap where he blamed God. In the first part of his testimony, he confessed that he had gotten angry with God, but it's a good thing that God doesn't give us our way. God stops us, putting up roadblocks here and there. He even lets demons come in to hinder us. This is to prevent us from doing something that He doesn't want us to do, or that He won't permit us to do because of our sins. And so, people will get angry. If you're going to bring any form of correction to them, you have to be very careful. You have to really charm the serpent, but even then, no matter how careful you are, sometimes they'll still bite you. You may know people like this, or you may be experiencing this happening in your life right now. You may be wrestling with these demons that are trying to bring you into an ultimate, no-escape, terrible trap of hatred for correction. Father, in Jesus name, we ask that You reveal to the brethren how the demons may be using any of these tactics against them, and as they confess their sins, we know that You hear them and are faithful to forgive them. We thank You for the Blood of Jesus and forgiveness for our sins of failure and mistakes. We command spirits of condemnation, rejection, and the fear of rejection, and fear of correction to go now! You demons no longer have authority over us because we've been forgiven and set free from all the powers of darkness and translated into the Father's Kingdom of the Son of His love! Hallelujah! A person with these spirits we've already mentioned doesn't want to hear correction because correction causes them to feel emotional pain. They read any kind of correction as rejection, which is very painful to them, and so the next thing that comes along is a spirit of self-justification. Self-justification in a person describes a person who, in their own eyes, never does anything wrong. That's another terrible trap because when self-justification is present, you can still call yourself a Christian while self-justifying practically any kind of sin. We've seen people do this. While committing terrible sins, while they're lying, cheating, stealing, slandering, holding unforgiveness, fornicating, and on and on, these people call themselves “Christian.” They consider themselves to be right in what they're doing, yet they will judge you. Their conscience has been defiled; it's been seared. And as they self-justify, they become (1Ti.4:2) … men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron. Self-justification will let in a great many kinds of sin and demon spirits, such as lying, cheating, stealing, slandering, false prophesying, or, usually out of anger, even receiving false revelation. They've become completely deceived by this demon. A person can become so self-justified that they think they're not doing anything wrong, even as the demons and sins of all kinds just start flooding in and taking over. Any worldly person would look at them in this circumstance and say, “They're crazy! They say they're Christian, so how can they do that?” Well, the conscience of a self-justified person is defiled, meaning it doesn't talk to them anymore, and people with self-justification can be the biggest hypocrites around. While they sin, they'll condemn you and never give it a second thought. When a person's conscience becomes defiled, that person becomes separated from the Word of the Lord, separated from being convicted by the Word of the Lord. Someone can give that person the Word, and it just won't affect them. Of course, the Word is Jesus Christ Himself. You can't be separated from His Word without being separated from Him. Self-justification is a very vicious trap. If you are justifying yourself, the one thing that you must do in order to receive deliverance is to confess your sin. (1Jn.1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Unrighteousness is the foothold that demons use to take advantage of us. Remember Jesus said, (Joh.14:30) I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me… There was nothing that the devil could get a grip on. Jesus didn't have unrighteousness, so these devils failed to be able to make Him do what they wanted. Ultimately, if you're caught in this terrible trap of self-justification, you're going to fall into all these sins and corruption. You're going to be a hypocrite. You're going to end up with a defiled conscience to where the Lord won't be able to convict you of sin, and all the while you'll be thinking, “I'm okay because God's on my side,” but He's not. It ends in chastening or, without repentance on your part, in destruction. The sad truth is that when a person has this spirit of self-justification, they're afraid to confess sins because people might reject them, and since they also have this spirit of rejection, they can't confess their sins. I have tried and tried to get them to confess their sins, telling them, “Hey, look at this verse! Look at this awesome promise here!” (1Jn.1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. But people with this spirit of self-justification will just point their finger everywhere else. “No, it's your fault! It's all your fault; you did it. It's not me. Nope, nope, nope.” This is the terrible trap of self-justification. If you continue this path and you're caught, you'll split hell wide open without God's mercy to confess and repent of your sin. Now, I want to explain to you that there is a difference between a covering and a cleansing of the Blood of Christ. The Lord says in (Psa.32:1) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. The Blood of the Lamb is covering the sin of this person who has faith in Him. This person's failures are covered and their ignorance is covered. They're walking as a child of God. (Psa.32:2) Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity… When a person is not walking in willful disobedience, God won't impute iniquity to them because they're walking by faith. The only thing that gives you this benefit, even in your ignorance and failures, is faith in the sacrifice of Jesus. The Blood of Jesus is the only covering that gives you this benefit, but this covering that the Lord gives us is not the end. It's a means to an end. The Lord expects there to come a time when you don't have to be covered because you have become obedient in that particular area. God covers a person until they come to the place of sanctification and obedience. Then they don't need that covering anymore. You may have other things that need to be covered, but if you've been sanctified in that particular area, you don't need a covering for something that is not sin. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. First, there's the covering of the Blood, and then there's the cleansing of the Blood. When you receive the cleansing of the Blood, you don't need the covering of the Blood because you don't have that sin anymore. You don't have that problem anymore. It's gone. We may know of places in our life where we're not tempted at all by things in which we used to be tempted. That's because we've been sanctified and we've been washed in the Blood. We don't need a covering in that area anymore, but when He says, “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,” it's because of a Blood covering there. He is describing somebody who's walking by faith. The sin that they did is not imputed to them because it was not willful but done in ignorance or failure. Willful sin is when you know it's wrong, but you're going to do it anyway because you're headstrong. Continuing with (Psa.32:3) When I kept silence, my bones wasted away Through my groaning all the day long. Your life comes from your bones. Your blood comes from the bone marrow. The Bible says, (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. So what does he mean by “When I kept silence”? He's saying that when he didn't confess his sins, the curse was on him. I try to get to the root of a person's problem. Usually, that root is that they need to confess sins in order that they might be cleansed by the Blood from all unrighteousness. If you want to minister to people, it is helpful to find the root of the problem and deal with that, so the demon has nothing to hold on to. This way, you give people something that will actually last. There was a certain brother I had prayed with some years ago, and there had been a good change in his life, but it didn't last. Then the Lord directed us to the root of the problem, which was that he was holding on to unforgiveness. Unforgiveness kept letting the demons back in to trouble him, causing him to do things that he didn't want to do. Jesus said in (Mat.18:35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. The good effect that came from our prayer some years before didn't last, and the problem had returned because we hadn't dealt with the root. “Self-righteousness” is another name for “self-justification.” If you can't get a person to confess their sins, it is because of this spirit of self-justification or self-righteousness. When a person considers that they're righteous, although everybody else around them can clearly see they're not, this is the spirit of self-righteousness. If they continue to “keep silence,” if they don't confess their sin, they'll live under the curse. The person in Psalm 32, the man to whom the Lord won't impute iniquity, is somebody who is confessing their sins. (Psa.32:3) When I kept silence, my bones wasted away Through my groaning all the day long. (4) For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me (God's chastening was upon him.): My moisture was changed as with the drought of summer. (He was drying up.) Selah (5) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. The great benefit is that if He forgives you, you're no longer under the curse! You're not being chastened any longer. You're no longer seen as a foolish person who is leavening the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9). We have to confess our sins. (Pro.28:13) He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy. Some people think they can have mercy without doing this. They think they can have the blessings of God and that they can be accounted as righteous without doing this, but it's a deception. A person needs to call out to the Lord for His mercy. (Psa.66:17) I cried unto him with my mouth, And he was extolled with my tongue. (18) If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. What does “If I regard iniquity” mean? It means if you're not going to confess it, but instead, you're going to hold onto it and be led by it, then the Lord is not going to hear your prayers. (Psa.32:6) For this let everyone that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: Surely when the great waters overflow they shall not reach unto him. In other words, you can wait too long, and it will be too late. The judgment of God can catch you. You had better do it while you can because some people become so hardened in their consciences that they never come back to the Lord. If a person reaches that point, they don't deserve to come back to the Lord, yet still He is merciful. Through the prayers of others, He does things that we don't deserve, but there are many who don't ever come back to the Lord. So He says that if you will do this, if you'll pray to Him in a time when He can be found, then when the flood, the great waters of judgment, overflow, “they shall not reach unto him” because that person will be in the “Ark.” (Psa.32:7) Thou art my hiding-place; thou wilt preserve me from trouble; Thou wilt compass me about with songs of deliverance. What is it to be … in the secret place of the Most High Shall … under the shadow of the Almighty? (Psa.91:1) It is to be in a right relationship with Him because you have confessed your sins. Some people believe that they have this because of some other reason, but there is no other way to be there. If you have any sin, you have to confess it in order to be forgiven and hidden. The Lord showed me that “retaliation” is the next demon. It comes after condemnation, rejection, and self-justification. If a person is self-justified or self-righteous, hating correction and continues to walk in unforgiveness, or in any of these other sins, then the next thing that happens is retaliation against the person who has corrected or offended them. One time, I had a disagreement with a man who had some people who were taking his side in his little assembly. Two prophets from among them prophesied my death. One of the prophecies was for the next day. I said, “Okay, I'll see you tomorrow.” He prophesied that I was going to die, that I wouldn't be around the next day. I emailed him the next day and said, “I'm still here.” I knew I hadn't sinned. This other man had sinned. These people were just angry because I wasn't going to put up with it. Then there was a second man who prophesied my death in three days, but in three days, I was still there. Then he said he had meant three months, but at the end of three months, I was still there. Their anger was causing them to prophesy falsely. Retaliation can come in many forms, such as false speaking, slander, and false prophecy, or false revelations against the offending person. Retaliation's spinoffs can open the door to wrath and indignation and other negative emotions because demons can manifest as fallen, corrupt emotions. Do you know what it is in us that stirs up emotions? It's our thoughts. For example, when somebody wants to know how to not be overcome by lust, I ask, “Well, what are you thinking about? What are you looking at?” If a person is not going to quit doing that, then they're not going to give up the lust. Every other emotion works the same way: It's what you think about; it's what you look at; it's what you listen to. Every sin your carnal man, the old sinner, falls into is because you are feeding your carnal senses and being led by them. That means if you want to stop sinning, then you have to stop following your emotions, and if you want to stop the emotions, then you have to stop thinking about things that stir up your emotions. And returning to our example, in order to stop thinking about it, since your carnal senses are what feed your thoughts, don't go looking at it. If you don't want to give in to lust or let that emotion overtake you, don't look at pornography. Now let's go to (Heb.5:14) But solid food is for full-grown men (The Greek word there is teleios and it means “perfect … complete in all its parts.”), even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. These “senses” are born-again senses that are “exercised” by the Word of God. We can look at the parable about David going through the stream to pick up his five smooth stones so that he could make war on Goliath. Those stones were “exercised” by that water. They were smoothed by that water. They were perfected by that water, which represents the Word of God. The Word of God tells us how to see, hear, and feel. It's the Word of God, not our emotions, that is supposed to be ruling in us. If your emotions are ruling you, you're going to be very unstable. If you're not going to be ruled by the Word of God, but by emotions, the devil's got you. You can't say, … the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me (Joh.14:30). We need to be fed by the spiritual senses, the born-again senses. Why does the Bible tell us in so many places, “Seeing therefore...”? It's because in the Bible, God tells us how and what He wants us to see. Here's one we can use to “exercise” our spiritual senses. (2Pe.1:2) Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (This is knowledge of the Word.); (3) seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; (4) whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust. He tells us what to see here, which is that God has already given these things to us. He's already granted them unto us. That should give you rest. You don't have to beg God, because He's already done it for you; He just wants you to accept and believe it. He's given you His righteousness. He's given you His Son. He's given you His forgiveness. He's given you His sanctification. He's given you “all things”! And He gives it to you “through the knowledge of Him that called us by His glory and virtue.” The Word tells us how to see. The Word tells us what to hear. Jesus said, (Mar.4:9) … Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Hear what? He's talking about hearing His Word. We've been given these born-again senses to strengthen the spiritual man. However, we also have these carnal senses that strengthen the carnal man, and if you don't want to stir up the carnal man to live in sin, stop feeding him through these carnal senses. Do you want to be holy? Don't feed your carnal man because he will conquer your spiritual man. For instance, don't sit in front of the television all day or watch a bunch of videos on the internet. We want to feed the spirit man, not the carnal man. The input from the carnal senses causes the carnal man to grow and the input from the spiritual senses causes the spiritual man to grow. When somebody is ruled by their emotions, they're all over the place, bouncing around like a pinball machine going ping-ping-ping. Instead of basing everything on the Word of God, they don't have anything stable; they have no rock. Jesus was never moved by what He saw or felt in the world. He wasn't moved by what people said or did to Him, but any person who's being ruled by their emotions is easily offended. They're not being ruled by the Word of God, and they do not forgive. We don't have any right to get offended all the time. Dead men don't have rights, and we died with Christ. We died to sin and those carnal emotions, and as we begin to get things right, we decide that we don't care about what other people say. We decide that we don't care about what's happening around us. We think, “I'm going to obey what ‘thus saith the Lord,'” which is (Joh.14:15) If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. That makes a person secure and steadfast in the Word. You're able to turn the other cheek when they insult you. That's a good way to die-to-self quickly. God gave us these rules so that we would be able to die quickly, so that we wouldn't be in bondage to the old man, our old flesh, for the rest of our lives. (1Pe.4:1) For as much then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (If your flesh is suffering, it's because you're not giving in to it. If you're not giving in to it, you are not sinning.); (2) that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. It shouldn't take a lifetime for us to get this right. He's saying that you have to suffer in order to get to that place, but the old flesh doesn't want to suffer through your denying it the right to be moved by the external stimuli and do whatever it wants. We're supposed to be moved by our spiritual, born-again senses that are washed with the Word of God to know what's right and wrong. Our spiritual senses, not our carnal emotions fed by fleshly stimuli, are supposed to be ruling our lives. (1Pe.4:3) For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness (That means a license to do whatever you want to do.), lusts, winebibings, revelings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: (4) wherein they think it strange that ye run not with [them] into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of [you] (If you don't want to join in their sins with these self-justified people, you'll be the bad guy.): (5) who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead. (6) For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. This sequence of events from condemnation to rejection to self-justification to retaliation of some sort, is quite common for a person who is trapped by the devil. There's only one way to holiness, and that's repentance and confession of sin. This person may want sanctification, but they're not willing to pay the price for it. “Repentance” means “a change of mind.” No matter what it may be that we need from God, He tells us to (Jas.5:16) Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. No matter what kind of benefit you want from God, first you have to make sure everything is right between you and God, and between you and your brother. He tells us, (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. If you really want to deal with the cause in order to permanently change the effect, that's what you have to do. You can try and just deal with the effect, but the problem will be back because you haven't done anything eternal. You must first deal with the root cause. Otherwise, there won't be anything lasting there. If you want God's righteousness, then you have to confess your sins to be cleansed of them. Now I'm going to share with you the following true story and testimony of Pastor Daniel Ekechukwu.   In Hell for Unforgiveness by Pastor Daniel Ekechukwu This is the true story of Pastor Daniel Ekechukwu in Nigeria, who was raised from the dead in front of a multitude of witnesses. Pastor Daniel died after a traffic accident. His body was in a mortuary for three days. He came back to life when his wife convinced others that his time was not yet because of previous promises God had given her. He still has his death certificate, written by a hospital doctor. In the movie, he recounts his experiences with amazing computer-generated images of both Heaven and Hell. The angelic voices that are heard in Heaven are actual angelic voices recorded at a small church in South Africa. The actual footage of the coming back to life of Pastor Daniel is shown in the movie. Pastor Daniel is personally interviewed in the movie. The narrative that follows is a transcription of a short clip of the video, “The Lazarus Phenomenon” by Johan Sturm, Eternal Productions. You can watch “The Lazarus Phenomenon” for free online. This account begins with Daniel dying on the ground. Daniel: “Suddenly, I had some feelings for me to look up. I saw two angels.” Narrator: When Daniel saw the two angels, he wanted to let his wife know, but the angel indicated that he should keep silent. Immediately, Daniel's power of speech was taken from him. Nneka, his wife, began to cry, fearing that Daniel would die. The angels took Daniel by his shoulders and lifted him out of the ambulance. Suddenly, Daniel found himself in another place with one of the angels. Angel: “Daniel, I have a lot to show you.” Narrator: As he looked out, Daniel saw a place where a multitude of people gathered. Their appearance was like that of the angels. Their color was pure white and their bodies seemed to glow with radiance. Because of their similar appearance, Daniel thought he was seeing a gathering of the angels. Angel: “This is not the gathering of the angels, Daniel. This is the gathering of the saints.” Narrator: The differences between the saints and the angels were subtle. Their color is a pure, brilliant white from their hair down to their feet. The difference is that the angels have wings, while the saints do not. The saints were worshipping God. They worshipped God with one voice and raised their hands as they were singing. Daniel heard the sound of many instruments. The sounds were like nothing he had encountered before. He longed to join these people and moved over towards them, but the angels stopped him. Angel: “Daniel, don't go. I have a lot to show you. Take this file and record everything you see.” Narrator: The multitude that Daniel saw were all looking at a bright light that shone like the sun. It was a source of all the light there. Daniel: “A very thick, heavy light coming upon them there. Now, they were all looking at that light as if they were seeing something there. But to me, I cannot look at that light. I cannot look at that light because it's so dangerous for my eyes. So I tried to budge to look through. They were looking through, but to me I cannot look through.” Angel: “Let's visit the mansions Jesus prepared for His people.” Narrator: Immediately, Daniel was in a new place with radiant mansions as far as the eye could see. It was incomparable to anything he knew on Earth. Though the appearance resembled buildings, the structure was unusual, not made of any earthly materials. They seemed to be alive, moving. Angel: “Daniel, Jesus has finished his work. The mansions are ready, but the saints are not ready.” Narrator: There was a sound of beautiful singing and worship. It seemed to come from all around. Daniel wondered where the singing was coming from because he could see no people there. Angel: “Daniel, the worship song you're hearing is being sung by the flowers.” Narrator: As he looked, Daniel saw the flowers swinging in response to the music. It actually seemed as if they were clapping their hands, shouting and praising God. Angel: “They are waiting for the saints. We are now going to visit Hell. Can you see the gates of Hell?” Narrator: The angel raised his hand, and as he brought it down, the gates ripped open with a great noise. Daniel could hear the crying and wailing of many people, but he could not see any of them. And then a light shone from the angel's body into the darkness so that Daniel could see more clearly. There were many people there, but unlike the souls in Heaven, the appearance of these people was as it had been on Earth. They were from every race, culture and nationality. Every person seemed trapped in their own personal torment, a torment that would go on for eternity, and they could not communicate with others. The sounds of crying and wailing were almost deafening. Suddenly, they all seemed to become aware of Daniel and started crying to him for help. And they called to Daniel only, as if they could not see the angel. A Pastor in Hell: “Please, help! I'm a pastor. I stole money from the church and I lied. Help me, please! I'm ready to repent. Help!” Narrator: Immediately after the pastor made the statement, the force that was tormenting him seemed to increase. The people had flesh, but no blood. And they almost seemed to be on fire, although no flames could be seen. There was a group of people who were eating their own flesh. They would vomit what they had eaten, and their flesh grew back. This carried on in an endless cycle of torment. Angel: “Those people you see eating themselves…they practiced witchcraft while they were on Earth. They specialized in eating human flesh and now they'll eat themselves forever. They are reaping what they sowed.” Daniel: “That place is not good for any human being created by God to go. God did not make that place for human beings; He made that place for the devil and his agents. But stubborn human beings who will disobey God, like the devil, will also go there. God has no mind to put any human being in Hell. It's a dangerous and deadly place He meant for the devil and his people.” Narrator: What was to follow was an earth-shattering statement by the angel. Daniel couldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would hear the judgment. Angel: “Daniel, if the book of your life were to be closed today, this would be your portion.” Daniel: “No! I'm a pastor! I'm a child of God; I'm born again. I preach all over this country I'm in, the country that I'm in. This country. No. No. This can't be!” Angel: “Enough! Daniel, on your way to the first hospital, you were asking God to forgive you. But you would not forgive your wife, and your sins have not been forgiven. It is a matter of reaping what you sow. You cannot sow unforgiveness to your wife and reap forgiveness from God.” (My note: Those who die with unforgiveness go to Hell. (Mat.6:14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Those who live with unforgiveness are delivered to tormenting spirits and go to Hell with tormenting spirits, if they do not repent. (Mat.18:32) Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: (33) shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.) Daniel: “Oh! I knew He made that statement. My spirit convinced me that what the angel told me of the judgment on me is true. So he said to me that I didn't forgive my wife, that I'm not forgiven. So while I was crying, crying, crying, shouting and shouting, I was not crying that, I will only say, see how I destroy my soul, look at how I destroy my soul. While I was shouting and crying, I was afraid. Tears were all over me. I was panicking because that place is not good for anyone. The way everything was looking, if God wanted to put me inside Hell, nothing would prevent Him, because while we were discussing, some group of people, thousands of people, were being sent into Hell.” Narrator: People started praying for him, praying for resurrection. Daniel: “Then the angel said to me that he's sending me back to the world – to go and warn this nation because this is going to be the last warning to this generation.” Nneka: “As prayers were going on, then his heart began to pant, life began to come into his heart. We continued praying and praying, we are praying. As all these things were going on, he began to breathe gradually, but his body was still stiff.” Daniel: “I saw myself being held by a lot of people. I was naked and put on my dress. I saw a crowd of people, more than 20,000 people. I looked to my left, right, everywhere. People were shouting, crying everywhere. Some were praising God, some were crying. I was looking around. I couldn't understand what was happening, because to me I was falling down. And I fell into fear, and to me, when I opened my eyes, I saw all hands were grabbing me. They said to me that I jumped up. I saw this big cathedral, a very big cathedral. I looked to my right, my left, my front and my back. Everywhere was full of people. Some people were shouting, some were saying ‘coffin;' some said ‘mortuary;' some said, ‘three days.' I couldn't understand because my experience was not more than fifteen minutes. So I don't know what they call about three days. To me there was no night, there was no day; it was only that moment I was into. By now I asked my wife, ‘What is happening?' She said I should keep quiet until we get to the house. They brought me back to my house, this place, with my wife.” (Note from Barbara Arroyo: I first heard about this many years ago. My former pastor, David Servant, went to Nigeria and met Pastor Daniel Ekechukwu. Yes, that was an incredible story! I guess this happened back in 2002. Pastor Servant went to Nigeria and investigated this story, and he even actually interviewed the doctor and mortician, and also Daniel himself! There is more information on Pastor Servant's website.) Jesus said that He was sent to proclaim release to the captives (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). He also said that if you do not make things right with your brother, you would be thrown into prison until you pay your debt. (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. (26) Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing. And Jesus warned us in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, that they (Mat.18:34) … delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. Your debts, your sins, are what is “due.” If a person does not forgive, that person is not forgiven. (Mat.6:15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Can you be saved and not be forgiven? No, you cannot be saved and not be forgiven. The most dangerous sin is unforgiveness because it opens up a trap that gives a person over to demons.

"...21 But we were hoping that it was He whowas going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third daysince these things happened. ..." Luke24 is one of the most exciting chapters in the Bible as it describes theresurrection of Jesus Christ. When you have a perplexed heart like the womendid at the cross because they found no body, the tomb was opened and Jesusrevealed Himself to Mary Magdalene, I am reminded that Jesus knows our name andreveals Himself to perplexed hearts. And oh, what a difference it makes. Todaywe're looking at verses 13 through 35, where we find two disciples on the roadto Emmaus. They had disappointed, discouraged hearts, and were sad until Jesusopened their eyes. Emmauswas a small village eight miles northwest of Jerusalem. The two men walkingfrom Jerusalem to Emmaus were disappointed and discouraged disciples who had noreason to be discouraged. They had heard the reports of the women that the tombwas empty and that Jesus was alive, but they did not believe them. They hadhoped that Jesus would redeem Israel (Luke 24:21), but their hopes had beenshattered. We get the impression that these men were discouraged anddisappointed because God did not do what they wanted Him to do. They saw theglory of the kingdom, but they failed to understand the suffering. Jesusgraciously walked with them and listened to their "animated heatedconversation" (Luke 24:17, Wuest). No doubt they were quoting various OldTestament prophecies and trying to remember what Jesus had taught, but theywere unable to put it all together and come up with an explanation that madesense. Was He a failure or a success? Why did He have to die? Was there afuture for the nation? Thereis a touch of humor in Luke 24:19 when Jesus asked, "What things?"He had been at the heart of all that had happened in Jerusalem, and now Hewas asking them to tell Him what occurred! How patient our Lord is with us asHe listens to us tell Him what He already knows (Romans 8:34). But we may come"boldly" ("with freedom of speech") to His throne and pourout our hearts to Him, and He will help us (Ps. 62:8; Heb. 4:16). Thelonger Cleopas talked, the more he indicted himself and his friend for theirunbelief. What more evidence could they want? Witnesses (including Apostles)had seen the tomb empty. Angels had announced that Jesus was alive. Witnesseshad seen Him alive and heard Him speak. The proof was there! "Faithcomes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Thisexplains why Jesus opened the Word to these two men as the three of them walkedto Emmaus. Their real problem was not in their heads but in their hearts (seeLuke 24:25 and 32, and note v. 38). They could have discussed the subject fordays and never arrived at a satisfactory answer. What they needed was a freshunderstanding of the Word of God, and Jesus gave that understanding to them. Heopened the Scriptures and then opened their eyes, and they realized that Jesuswas not only alive but right there with them! Whatwas their basic problem? They did not believe all that the prophets had writtenabout the Messiah. That was the problem with most of the Jews in that day: theysaw Messiah as a conquering Redeemer, but they did not see Him as a SufferingServant. As they read the Old Testament, they saw the glory but not thesuffering, the crown but not the cross. The teachers in that day were notunlike some of the "success preachers" today, blind to the totalmessage of the Bible. Maythe Lord help us to get into the Word and give Jesus and the Holy Spirit timeto open our eyes to the Truth! Remember Jesus parting words to His disciples: “…andlo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). Godbless!

Moses, Jesus, Old Covenant, New Covenant G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 23 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! Last time we looked at the beating, humiliation, scourging, crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus Christ - . Today we look at the significance of Jesus' death. As we have seen through this series, throughout history, God had made covenants with: Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and the nation Israel through the New Covenant. From the time of Adam & Eve's disobedience, God had promised through these covenants, that He would make things right once more and people could be restored to relationship with Him on an individual basis. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, that was the fulfilment of those covenants. That's why he yelled "It is finished! Into your hands I commend my Spirit!" Can you remember back and see what promises God made concerning in each of the covenants? New Covenant Lets look at the last of these covenants: the New Covenant. This New Covenant is to be contrasted with the Old Covenant or Mosaic covenant as we have called it so far, because this New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a life conforming to God's holy character - and that only through the death of Jesus. How is this so? The New Covenant, you may remember, had four features: Regeneration, Restoration, Indwelling and Forgiveness. Combined, these show a God of grace! This New Covenant would be all God's doing and not on what any individual person or group could do! WOW! That's, as we shall see, the significances of Jesus' death. But let's go look and the Mosaic Covenant and its relationship to the New Covenant Moses and Jesus Moses to the Jews was a super-hero and revered because it was to him that God revealed His will, law and face! Moses was the key figure in the establishment of Israel as a nation! Moses had great zeal for God and was willing to sacrifice everything for God. He had fellowship with God. It was this Moses who was held in such high regard by the Jews. Yet all this is merely a shadow and a sign of what was to come in Jesus. God's long promised Messiah would need to be greater than Moses! Was this Jesus? Lets go see! The Mosaic or Old Covenant Under the Mosaic or Old Covenant, Moses and Aaron represented God's house in Israel; Moses was the Apostle or Prophet and Aaron was the High Priest. Jesus, an Apostle and Prophet as well as being the High Priest, joined the two together. By Apostle, I mean as a Messenger - that's what an apostle is - a messenger or representative. As the Apostle of our faith, Jesus was faithful. Jesus was God's representative for us, making God known to us. Jesus was totally faithful, means to be both trusting and to be capable of being trusted. Moses was the one to whom the Law was given - the Mosaic covenant under which the Jewish people lived. This covenant with Moses commenced with the stipulation "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me" (Exodus 19v5). This covenant was to Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham, could know how to live how God wanted them to live. This covenant with Moses covered the three areas of life: The commandments were given so they would know how to relate socially to God (Exodus 20v1-6) The judgments were given in order that they could relate socially to each other (Exodus 21v1 - 24v11) The decrees dictated their religious life so that God could be approached by humanity on His terms (Exodus 24v12 - 31v18). This Old Covenant was never meant to be as a means for providing salvation but Israel was meant to be a shining light to the nations of their God! It was given so that they could realize the helplessness and futility of their own efforts and their need of God's help. It was to serve only as a protective fence until the long promised Messiah came; the long waited for Saviour of all humanity, so that the whole world, Jew and Gentile, could be made right with God through faith and faith alone. In Comes Jesus And that is where Jesus comes in. As the Messiah and Saviour, Jesus ushered in the New Covenant, which was promised by God. Remember Jesus spoke about Himself in this role - a lot! And his claims were backed up with action! We have seen since the beginning with Adam and Eve, that it is sin, which separates humans from God - that's why they were banished from His presence! As a consequence, this leads to both a spiritual and physical death. In the Old Testament, sins were dealt with by blood sacrifices of atonement as coverings for sin, for without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin. A blood sacrifice is God's way of dealing with sin. These blood sacrifices of the Old Testament signified several things: Provided a covering for sin. Showed the great cost of sin. Was an exchange or substitution. Was only always going to be a temporary measure, as it pointed forward to the Messiah and until that time, it needed to be done over and over again. Go Compare! So how is Jesus better than Moses? The answer lies in the solution to sin. The ultimate solution to sin lies not in the continual animal sacrifice under the Old Covenant with Moses. This is because the blood of animals cannot take away sin but was only ever going to be a veneer or a covering. That was why it was necessary to repeat time and time again! So we see, it is only through the victorious death of Jesus, that sin is permanently taken away, because Jesus is the permanent sacrificial substitute! How is this related to the New Covenant? Remember from a couple of days ago when Jesus said at on his last night "This is the new covenant." The new covenant is a new meal, in order to remind his followers in every age about the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. In the new covenant (Luke 22v20) Jesus claims that his death was spoken about by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31v33-34). It was a new covenant in which God's people will be able to know him intimately, for their sins will be forgiven. When ever we eat the bread and drink the wine, we remember symbolically Jesus' death on the cross. Some say the bread and wine, mysteriously turn into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, but this cannot be so. For if that were to be so, the sacrifice would be seen to be done again and again: Jesus would be being re-sacrificed and that is untenable! According to Hebrews 7v27, talking about Jesus' death on the cross: "For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself." The sacrificial death of Jesus was a one time event and the bread and wine are symbolic of that one sacrifice. Jesus often talked symbolically such as when he said he was the bread of life or the living water. This new covenant was sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus on the cross. His blood ensures the truth of this New Covenant. This New Covenant, sealed by Jesus' death, finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a dynamic relationship with God. The death of Jesus on the cross, epitomises God's glory. Jesus Christ, simultaneously fully God and fully man, died on a Roman cross. He took on the sins of the world, paying the greatest price, so that people could choose to be restored to a dynamic relationship with God the Father. But the story doesn't finish with Jesus dying as some tragi-hero on the cross! Oh no! There is more to come! For Jesus said something about being raised on the third day and that he was the resurrection and life? How could this be if he was dead and buried? But for that you will have to wait until tomorrow! Thank you! Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file

2 Timothy 2:1-13 | Pastor Jeffrey Susila. One Thing: By the grace of God, let us endure in teaching God's Word to one another.Sermon OutlineThree exhortations as we endure in teaching God's Word:I. Be strengthened (vv. 1-2)II. Share in suffering (vv. 3-7)III. Remember Jesus (vv. 8-13)

These verses cover the last three hours that Jesushung on the cross at Calvary. During the first three hours during the morning fromnine to twelve, Jesus made three statements: "Father, forgive them.They know not what they do." (Luke 23:34). To the thief, Hesaid, "Today you will be with Me in paradise." (Luke 23:43). Andin John 19:25-27, He turned to John the disciple and Mary His mother, who wereclose by, and said, "Woman, behold your son," and to John,"Behold your mother." He ensured His mother, whose husband Joseph hadpassed away, was taken care of as He was dying on the cross. TheBible tells us in Mark chapter 15 that at the sixth hour, darkness covered thewhole land until the ninth hour. For those last three hours, from noon tothree, what took place was between God and His Son. Remember Jesus had alwayscalled God His Father previously in all the Gospel accounts of His ministry.The last four statements of Christ on the cross, we believe, took place at theend of those three hours according to the Gospel of Mark 15:33-41. “When thesixth hour came, darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour. At theninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lamasabachthani," which is translated, "My God, My God, why have Youforsaken Me?"  Webelieve this was the fourth statement Jesus made to His Father but notice He addressedHim as “God”. Then He said, "I thirst," in John 19:28, and inJohn 19:30, just before He gave up His spirit, He said, "It isfinished." I believe the work of salvation was complete on the crossof Calvary.  Thelast statement Jesus said was, "Father, into Thy hands I commit Myspirit." In His final statements, Jesus first said, "My God, MyGod, why have You forsaken Me?" Did you notice that in His first statementand His last saying on the cross He addressed God as His Father. Now, why didHe call Him “My God” instead of “My Father”? Because during those threehours of darkness God had turned His back on His Son and did not recognize Himas His Son any longer as He paid the full punishment for our sins. Jesus wasestranged and separated from God. That's what real death is. It means separationfrom God!  SomehowJesus became separated from God in their Father-Son relationship. How Jesus didthat while being God is a mystery. You might have noticed in the Gospels that Jesus'favorite phrase for God was "My Father." In the Gospels, Herefers to God as "My Father" some 61 times, and 34 times inthe Gospel of John alone. But now on the cross, He says, "My God, MyGod," the only time He does so. In the Old Testament, no one had arelationship with God as Father. No Old Testament saints addressed God as “MyFather”. The only times your find the title “Father” capitalized in the Old Testamentis in these verses, 1 Chronicles 28:6; 29:10; Psalms 89:26; Isaiah 9:6;Jeremiah 3:19; and Malachi 1:6; 2:10.  WhenJesus taught His disciples to pray in Luke 11:1-4, He said, "Pray likethis, Our Father which art in heaven." Interestingly, the term "OurFather" is only mentioned twice in the Gospels, here in Luke and in Matthew:6:9-15,where Jesus taught us what is called the Lord's Prayer.  Myfriend, this is so important. Something the Old Testament saints could not experienceor enjoy Jesus came to show us how we can now have a personal, intimaterelationship with God because of His payment for our sins on the cross and Hissending of the Holy Spirit to abide in us. In Romans 8:14-16, we learn that Godis our “Abba Father”, a special Father, a Daddy Father, that we canboldly come to because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, being separatedfrom God.  Ilove how the Word of God makes so much sense when we understand that Jesusintroduces us to God, not as a God of wrath, but as a God who loves us as aFather loves, cares for, and protects His children. This ought to speak to ourhearts today.

Offer God Your Everyday Ordinary LifeRomans 12:1 “So here is what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life- and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.”When thinking and praying about what to talk about today I look back at scripture verses God has given to my prayer group recently. The first one that I saw was this one. I went to the Bible app on my phone as I did not bring my Bible with me today. It was set for the message translation and when I read this verse I felt the the Lord confirmed this is what He wanted me to talk about.This verse is likely one that you would recognize in another translation, as it is one that I definitely recognized. However, it seems very different in the message translation. In the New American Bible Revised Edition this verse says, “I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as al living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.” Does that sound familiar?I have heard many people do talks about this verse and yet the message translation seems to come at it from a bit of a different point of view and that is what I felt the Lord wanted me to focus on today. I felt God wanted me to focus on the part that says, “Take your everyday, ordinary life- your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life and place it before God as an offering.” What struck me with this is the thought that this is probably harder for many of us than to offer many other sacrifices.Many of you listening are wanting to live your lives walking boldly with Jesus. You are trying to pray every day, you may be saying the rosary often, if not daily, you may be fasting or do something other things as a sacrifice to the Lord. Praying isn't always easy, but it is familiar to many of us. Scripted prayers, especially if you are Catholic, are easy because you know all the words, you don't have to think about it, you could say those prayers from mass anywhere. You have them memorized. Sacrificing your time to pray, or to talk about God with others, or even to fast isn't that difficult because you know how to do it. You feel holier, or closer to the Lord when you are doing these things.However, what about the regular, every day parts of your life? Can you offer those to the Lord as an offering? Can you stop before you begin your day and offer your day up to the Lord? Can you invite Him into your day? I saw a YouTube video about this a few years ago and it has always stuck with me. It was a video with Father Mike Schmitz. I will summarize that video for you now. It was called “3 Steps to Unceasing Prayer,” Father Mike Schmitz.  If you google this you can watch the video yourself.  It is just over 5 minutes long.  In the YouTube video, Father Mike Schmitz lists three steps, he learned from St. Francis DeSales, that you could do to transform everything you do into a prayer.Ask God to be present.  Yes, God is always present and attentive to you, but by asking him to be present you are letting him know you will be present too.Offer this moment to God.  Offer him all the joy, the suffering, whatever you may be feeling, offer it to God.  Accept –Resolve to accept whatever comes out of this momentThis will not only transform how you have a relationship with God, it will transform how you live.  This is because when you are asking God to be attentive to you, you are allowing every moment to be a sacrament.  You are inviting God into that moment which makes it a channel of Grace.  Then, when you offer the moment up to him you make each moment a sacrifice. When you choose to accept the outcome you are making every moment a moment of surrender.  For instance you can do this when you are going to bed at night.  God, I ask you to be attentive to me and I am attentive to you.  I offer this night's sleep to you as a sacrifice, as a gift to you and I accept whatever comes out of it.God is not just with us when we are praying or when we are at church. He is not just with us when we are calling upon Him or calling out to Him. God is always with us. He really wants us to know that He is in the ordinary mundane parts of our life as well as the glorious parts where we are praying or participating in mass. He want us to know that He is not judging you for not making the time to pray. He is with you in all that you are doing.Yes, He would love for you to spend time sitting down with him one on one and talking  together. However, He is also happy when you talk with him while you are driving into work or when you are doing the dishes or the laundry. He is not demanding your full attention. He just wants to be with you in all the ways He can. Can you offer your suffering to God? Can you offer your joy to God? Can you offer it all to God? Why is it so hard for us to believe He is with us in the everyday things we do? Why do we strive so hard to Do so much for the Lord when He would much rather we Be with Him? He wants you to know you can invite Him into the simple everyday parts of you life too. He is already there anyway but when you offer it to Him then you are partnering with Him in all these parts of your day. How great would it be to partner with the Lord more throughout your day?Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode. Lord, please help us to invite you into every part of our day. Please help us to remember that you never leave our side. You are with us in everything we do, even the everyday parts of our life. Help us offer our entire day, all that we do to you. Help us to recognize you more as we go throughout our day. 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 want to remind everyone that I have a newsletter that I send out on a weekly basis that has an article on various topics and then also any updates on things like my retreats or books or any other news. There is a link below the show notes if you are not already getting my newsletter I invite you to sign up now. I look forward to seeing you here again tomorrow. 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 January 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, “I can see the Lord, and he's smiling, and he's pouring down. It's almost like a gentle liquid on people, and he's saying, “I am empowering you. There's no reason to say that you can't. I am empowering you. Accept what I am giving with joy and gratitude. I am your Lord. Go and make me known. I have empowered you. This day, I have empowered you.” And it's just falling on certain people, and you have to say yes or no. Some people are saying no, while others are rejoicing.” 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

We can keep the faith by remembering past, present, and future truth.

We can keep the faith by remembering past, present, and future truth.

Slow down with this guided communion moment and reflect on what you're thankful for. Remember Jesus, practice gratitude, and find hope in his love, forgiveness, healing, and justice. SUBSCRIBE TODAY for Weekly Service messages, Daily Guided Prayers, & more! Download the FREE Churchome app in the Apple App store or Google Play store! https://www.churchome.org/app

Remember Jesus and be amazed again!Luke 22:19

Todaywe're looking at Luke chapter 22:54-62. Here we see Peter's steps to failure. Wecan look at what he did and how he got to where he would deny the Lord and evencurse and swear. And then we can apply these things to our lives and learn howwe can stand strong in the face of temptation by looking at his steps tofailure. Remember, a couple days ago we said Peter's first step was pride.Peter had just said, "Though all these others fail you and though theystumble and though they deny you and run from you, not me. I'll die withyou." What pride to say that in front of the other disciples? Can youimagine how they must have felt when Peter said that as he compared himself tothem?  Secondly,we see that Peter in the garden failing to heed the warning of Jesus to “watchand pray”. Instead of watching and praying, Peter was sleeping. When we getpride in our heart, we don't think we need to pray like we should. We can skipprayer. We can skip Bible reading. We can skip church. We can choose otherthings over those things that keep us close to the heart of God in our worship.And so the second thing is he did not watch and pray. He was sleeping. That'sthe problem with America today. Too many Christians are asleep at the wheel.They're asleep. They're not committed to doing those things that keep themclose to the heart of God.  Thethird thing we see is Peter has now developed a wrong attitude. He decided toattack the mob with a sword when they grabbed Jesus. He tried to fight thespiritual battle in the flesh. And he had the wrong weapon. My friend, ourweapons are not carnal, but they're mighty through God to the pulling down ofstrongholds. Yes, if you fail to pray, it won't be long till you have a wrongattitude. Remember Jesus had just said in the Upper Room a few hours earlier, “Thatwithout Me you can do nothing. Abide in Me and let My words abide in you. Youcan ask what you will and it'll be done unto you.” But of course Peterforgot about that.  Pleaseread the above verses again (vv. 54-62). The fourth thing we see is that Peterfollowed at a distance. That's the fourth thing we see is that “Peterfollowed at a distance” (v.54). When you have pride in your heart, whenyou fail to watch and pray, and when you have a wrong attitude, it won't belong till you follow Jesus at a distance. from afar.  Thefifth thing we see is Peter sitting by the fire of the enemy (vv. 55-56). He'swarming himself at the enemy's fire. It's interesting how as we go down thesesteps away from the Lord, and begin to follow Him at a distance, that we then expectthe world to give us the comfort we need and the protection we need. And he'swarming himself at the enemy's fire. We try to use the things of the world tofind comfort and warmth in our heart and satisfaction, but that's the wrongplace to look.  Nexta little servant girl confronts and accuses Peter and he responds “Woman Ido not know Him.” Then a man accuses Peter of being with Jesus with Him, butPeter said, "Man, I am not." Then after an hour had passed,another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was withHim, for he is a Galilean." But Peter said, "Man, I do not knowwhat you're saying."  Let'slook at this closely in our own lives and make sure that we're not following ata distance, warming ourselves at the enemy's fire, have pride in our hearts,depending on the wrong weapons. Matthew's Gospel tells us that Peter then beganto curse and swear (Matthew 26:74). Peter goes back to his old ways. And that'sexactly what happens when we get away from God. We begin to sound like and looklike the world.  Maythe Lord help us and save us from these steps of failure.  Godbless.

Just as we are called to remember God throughout the Old Testament, the New Testament calls us to remember Jesus. Remembering his presence, his sacrifice, and his return all help us to endure until he comes again.

Passage: Hebrews 2:5-18 In this message, Daniel Goepfrich focused on the humanity of Jesus and why it’s essential for our faith. Jesus, in his humanity, regains what we lost through Adam and shows us a perfect example of trust and alignment with God’s character. Jesus being fully human and fully divine brings hope and restoration, reminding us that we’re not alone in our struggles. Remember: Jesus is bigger than any challenge we face! Bumper music, “November” by Limujii [FTUM Release]

Luke 20 ends with Jesusgiving a scathing rebuke to the Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees, elders, andleaders of Israel about their religious hypocrisy. Matthew 23 gives thismessage of “Woes” that Jesus pronounced upon them in greater detail. Now inLuke 21, Jesus notices the poor widow giving her offering of two mites andcompares her sacrificial heart to their greedy and selfish ones. Compared tothe gifts of the rich men, her two copper coins seemed insignificant, but Jesussaid that she gave more than all the others combined.  Now it was thedisciples' turn to ask the questions! Their attention was on the temple infront of them which was a beautiful structure, embellished with many costlydecorations that a poor widow could never give, and the disciples mentionedthis to Jesus. But our Lord was not impressed, and He responds by telling themthat the day would come when the beautiful Jewish temple would be demolished(Luke 21:5-6). Remember Jesus had already announced that the city would bedestroyed in Luke 19:41-44, but now He specifically mentioned the destructionof the temple. Jesus left the templeand went to the Mount of Olives, and it was there that Peter, James, John, and Andrew(Mark 13:3) asked Him three questions: (1) When would the temple be destroyed?(2) What would be the sign of His coming? (3) What would be the sign of the endof the age? (see Mark 13:3-4; Matt. 24:3) The disciples thought that thesethree events would occur at the same time, but Jesus explained thingsdifferently. Actually, the temple would be destroyed first, and then therewould be a long period of time before He would return and establish His kingdomon earth (see Luke 19:11-27). Our Lord's replycomprises what we call "The Mt. Olivet Discourse," the greatestprophetic sermon He ever preached. It is recorded in greater detail in Matthew24-25 and Mark 13, and you will want to compare the three passages. Weespecially need to remember that since Luke wrote with the Gentile reader inmind, he omitted some of the strong Jewish elements of the sermon whileretaining the essential truths that we must consider and apply. We also need to keep inmind that this was a message given to Jews by a Jew about the future of theJewish nation. Though there are definite applications to God's people today,the emphasis is on Jerusalem, the Jews, and the temple. Our Lord was notdiscussing His coming for the church, for that can occur at any time and nosigns need precede it (1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Webelieve in the “imminent return of Jesus” when we are speaking of the “raptureof the church”.  We read in 1 Corinthians1:22 that: "…the Jews require a sign"; while the church looks for a Savior.In Philippians 3:20-21 we read: “For our citizenship is in heaven, fromwhich we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who willtransform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body,according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things toHimself.” This “Mt. OlivetDiscourse” focuses on a period in God's program called "theTribulation" when God will pour out His wrath on the nations of the world.Many Bible students believe that the Tribulation will begin after the Lordcomes in the air and takes His church to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11). Timewise, the seven-year tribulation actually begins when the Anti-christ makes hispeace treaty with Israel (Daniel 9:24-27). It will climax with the return ofJesus Christ to the earth, at which time He will defeat His foes and establishHis kingdom (Rev. 19:1-20:6). As we study Luke 21over the next few days, we will find that Jesus answered the disciples'questions by discussing four topics relating to the future of the nation ofIsrael. Today, as believers weshould be looking up and at the same time doing all we can to prepare othersfor the Lord's return!

For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com. Every weekday at 8:00am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on 94.1 The Voice in the Treasure Valley, Idaho, USA. If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them. Phone: (208) 991-3526E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.comPodcast website: https://941thevoice.com/podcasts/gospel-for-life/

In this season's final episode, Lori teaches from scripture how the Sabbath day is used to remember all God has done for us and how Jesus is our ultimate rest.Lori Joiner is a speaker, author, and discipleship coach. She is the author of Discipling Women, Start Here Six Foundational Lessons for Growth in Christ, Next Steps 7 Foundational Lessons for Growth in Christ, The Discipleship Starter Kit, and her newest book, Raising Children Unto the Lord. She traveled nationally and internationally as a full-time missionary with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) for 23 years, gaining extensive experience in cross-cultural ministry, evangelism, discipleship, and directing women's ministries. She has lived overseas, undercover, sharing the love of Jesus in several countries. Lori founded and directed the Faith House, a discipleship home for college-aged women in Waco, Texas. She founded Lori Joiner Ministries, which serves the global body of Christ with discipleship resources, publications, and ongoing coaching and consulting of discipleship ministries. Lori's podcast, Your Discipleship Coach, is on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. She has traveled extensively and taught on a wide variety of topics. She currently lives in Katy, TX, with her husband, Alan, and two teenage sons. To have Lori speak at your next event, to see a full list of her retreats and resources, or to donate to her ministry, please visit: https://www.lorijoinerministries.org/#retreatspeaker #LoriJoinerMinistries #disciplechurch #discipleship #womeninministry #Houston #Houstontx #katytexas #texas #churchlife #churchflow #biblestudy #christianity #christian #christianblog #christianspeaker #christianspeakerintexas #christianpage #godsplan #jesuslife #prayerlife #godislove #blessed #godsword #Jesusislord #faith #SmallGroupBibleStudy #author #christianauthor 

Oh Death, You Are Dead To Me!Isaiah 25:7-8 "On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”This morning, I was thinking about using a song that I have heard a lot lately, which I thought would be really good and go with the theme of mentoring for this month. Then, while I was driving my son to school, this other song came on the radio, and I felt like it was a song we all needed to hear. The song is called “Oh Death” and is sung by MercyMe. I will go into the song in a bit, but first, let's talk about this verse.It begins by saying, “On this mountain He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers the nations.” It was believed that there was a veil of sorts over the whole land that prevented people from seeing and following the Lord and living the way He wants us to live. I would say this is still true today. The enemy tries to put a veil in front of us so that we don't want to live the way God wants us to live. He tries to separate us from the Lord.Before Jesus died on the cross, there was a veil separating us from the Lord that was put there by God. After Adam and Eve ate from the tree, they could no longer have free access to God. From then on, only certain people could see God and talk with the Lord. However, once Jesus died on that cross, that veil was torn in two, literally. (Matthew 27:51). Now we have free access to the Lord. There is nothing separating us from talking with him. He did not want that separation anymore.However, the enemy likes to put up walls and make us believe that the Lord is too busy for us or that God is too great and we are not worthy to talk with Him. There is definitely some sort of veil over the world that tries to dim God's light and separate us from Him. The enemy wants us to feel separate from God because when we feel apart from Him, fear can creep in and try to turn us away from God. This verse is reminding us that God will destroy that veil just as he did the other one.The next line is the one that reminds me of the song. It says that the Lord will swallow up death forever. I know so many people who are afraid to die. And that makes sense because we don't want to leave our loved ones and our friends. We aren't ready to say goodbye yet, or maybe we aren't sure our loved ones are ready. Will they be ok without us? Will they be ok on their own? These are all questions that go through our minds when we think about death.We also might be worried about death because no one knows for sure what it is all about. No one knows quite what to expect. We hope that we will be in heaven with God, but then we have the enemy whispering in our ear, telling us we won't be. He reminds us of all that we have done wrong and tells us there is no way that we will get to be with God, not with what we have done. The enemy is a liar! Don't believe him. Yes, you may have done some pretty bad things, we all have. Yet, Jesus took all of that to the cross with Him, so don't let the enemy pile it onto your shoulders again.The verse above also says, “The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth.” God is so gentle and caring that He wipes away the tears from our faces. He not only takes away our pain, but he wipes our tears too! He also removes all disgrace that we have. The devil wants us to keep our disgrace and our shame. He reminds us of it so often that it seems like we will never forget. However, verses like this remind us that God does not hold onto the things we have done after we repent for them. So, if God isn't holding on to it, why are we?I wanted to share this song with you today because I know a lot of people who are pretty sick. Several people listening to this podcast are chronically in pain. There are several who are listening who worry about loved ones who are sick. What I love most about this song is the upbeat music and the lyrics. When you feel down, or when you feel like you might be scared of death, or scared that the enemy might be winning the fight, listen to the lyric video of this song and sing along with it. I bet your fear will disappear. The song begins:You said my fate was sealed, you said my days were numberedCase closed with no appeal, my future six feet underMessin' with my head in ghost fashionMy heart was holdin' its breath (holdin' its breath)Terrified of takin' my last oneOh death, you scared me to deathThis is what the enemy does. He whispers all these lies in our ears and he does it so often that we start to believe them. This is why it is so important to spend more time reading the scriptures, and surrounding ourselves with people who speak light and truth into our lives. If we hear the lies more often then we hear the truth, of course we are going to believe it. We have to make sure we are hearing the truth more often!Whoa, you ain't my king thoughWhoa, where did your sting go?Oh death, I will not be afraidIn the end, you will loseI will dance on your grave with the one who buried youYou ain't nothin' but a stone that my savior rolled awaySet you straight and set me freeOh death, you are dead to me(Oh dear, you are dead to me)This chorus is great because it shows the enemy that we are not afraid. God is our King; He is the one who decides everything. The enemy has no say. If we can stop thinking of the enemy as this giant thing that can take us down and start thinking of him like it talks about him in this song, I am sure we would feel stronger. This song says, “I will dance on your grave with the one who buried you. You ain't nothin' but a stone that my savior rolled away. Set you straight and set me free.”God already defeated death and sin when He sent His only Son to be sacrificed for us. We don't have to be scared of death. Death was already defeated when Jesus rose again. We don't have to be scared of it! God already won the war of good vs. evil and death vs. life. I love how the song says that we will dance on the devil's grave with the one who buried him!My faith don't flinch, it's alrightDevil, come get off of my shoulderYou thought you had the last laughYou thought this song was overWhoa, you ain't my king thoughWhoa, where did your sting go?Oh death, I will not be afraidIn the end, you will loseI will dance on your grave with the one who buried youYou ain't nothin' but a stone that my savior rolled awaySet you straight and set me freeOh death, you are dead to meOh death, you are dead to meThe enemy always thinks he has the last laugh or the last word. He refuses to accept that he has lost the war. We need to be on guard to protect ourselves from the enemy but we don't need to be afraid of him. If we are constantly turning back to the Lord. If we are rooted in the Lord and His love for us, then the enemy doesn't stand a chance!The song goes on to say:Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of youI know I'm just passin' through, oh yeahThough I walk through the valley of the shadow of youI know I'm just passin' through, oh yeahOh death, I will not be afraidIn the end, you will loseI will dance on your grave with the one who buried youYou ain't nothin' but a stone that my savior rolled awaySet you straight and set me freeOh death, you are dead to meI like this last verse too because it reminds us of something very important. It says, “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of you. I know I'm just passin' through.” This is important for us to know. Yes, we will be in the valley sometimes. Yes, the enemy will attack us sometimes, and yet the Lord is always there with us. He will always be there to save us. We are stuck in that valley, and no matter how much it feels like it, you aren't going to stay there forever. You are just passing through to pick up whatever you need for your next adventure in life. Maybe you need more perseverance, resilience, strength, peace, healing, whatever it is that this valley is teaching you. You are just passing through to level up so you can make it through the next season of your life.I pray this song makes you smile. It makes me smile when I hear it on the radio. It makes me smile when I imagine myself dancing to this song on top of the devil's grave with Jesus. It makes me smile when I think about how God rolled away the stone and rose so we could be forgiven. It makes me smile to remember I am just passing through this valley, and even though it seems like I have been here forever, I will get out of it. I invite you to look up this song on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you listen to music and hear this song today. It really is a great song with a great beat.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today! Lord, we love you. Please help us to remember we are just passing through this valley. Please help us to see that you have already defeated death, and we have nothing to be afraid of. Please help us to walk in your light and not in the darkness. Please help us to stand firm in the truth that you are our Lord and you have defeated evil. We thank 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 look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. 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 October 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, “Be bold. Be not afraid to speak my words to those you meet. Be courageous in times of trouble. I am your God, and I am there to help 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

Year C – Fourth Sunday in Easter – May 25, 2025 Pastor Megan Floyd                 John 14:23-29   Grace and peace to you in the name of our risen savior, Jesus Christ, who gives us his peace. Amen. *** If you haven't already heard… we elected a new bishop this past week at our synod assembly. Bishop-elect Julie Schneider-Thomas comes from the outskirts of the Grand Rapids area, where she served two congregations that are in a formal paired relationship. In church lingo… we call that a 2-point, and she has been with them for nearly 30 years. As excited as the assembly was that the Holy Spirit was calling us into something new… there were those for whom Pr Julie's election was a cause for grieving… a cause for troubled hearts. Among them, of course, are our outgoing bishop, Criag Satterlee, and those who serve on his staff, Pr Chrisy Bright and Pr Kjersten Sullivan… also Bp. Satterlee's wife and daughter. The Holy Spirit is now calling all of them forward into something new, but to what… they don't yet know. It's understandably disorienting. And at the end of Bishop-elect Julie's acceptance speech, she left the podium… but then came running back to say one last thing… She said she saw the wide eyes of her people… people from not only one congregation, but from two… who just realized they have lost their pastor… their leader and shepherd… of 30 years. She saw their wide, troubled eyes… and her heart just broke. I felt that ache with her. In just a few short months, I have fallen deeply in love with this congregation… and with joy in my heart, I'm excited to share my life with you for years to come… to deepen our relationship over the gift of time. And so, I can only imagine what they all must have felt in that moment… The thrill of hope for where a new leader might guide our synod… a leader they know and love… up against the terrible ache of loss, knowing that their stability… and the patterns of life in those congregations are suddenly upended. The truth is… life could change for any of us in a moment's notice… disorienting us… and challenging what we thought we knew. Leaving our hearts… troubled, and afraid. And into this disorientation, Jesus arrives with a word of peace. Do not let your hearts be troubled, he says… and do not be afraid. He tells them that yes, he is leaving them… but he is not leaving them alone. So be at peace… Jesus is going back to the Father, but we have the Holy Spirit… our advocate… our God with us. The Holy Spirit is with us always, to guide us… and to remind us of what Jesus taught us… to pour God's love into us so we can share that love with the world. The Holy Spirit is with us… to ease our troubled hearts… and to give us… peace. Jesus tells his disciples this before his death and resurrection… This particular passage takes place after their last supper… after Judas has betrayed Jesus and gone out into the night… and after Jesus predicts Peter's denial of him… He's telling them this now… so that when the moment comes, they will remember his words. He's trying to prepare them as best he can for what is to come… Imploring them to remember… remember that when you feel troubled… when you are afraid… I am still with you. Our advocate… God's Holy Spirit… is still with us… always with us. These words are for us, as well… remember what Jesus promised us… we will never be abandoned. *** Our election for bishop went all the way to the fifth and final ballot… the field narrowing with each round. And before each round of voting… after passing out the ballots, we prayed together as an assembly. We prayed for the Holy Spirit to be present in our choice, and we breathed in that breath of God around us… The intention of this prayer was not to call the Holy Spirit to us… we were not imploring the Holy Spirit to come and be by our side. This prayer was for us… it was for our understanding… it was so that WE would become aware of the presence of God… that was already there. This prayer… was to help us remember Jesus' promise. This prayer was intended to help us open our hearts to God in the Spirit… our Advocate… who is with us always. …our Christ, by our side… giving us peace… not as the world gives, but as Jesus gives… the peace that comes from remembering Jesus's promise that we would never be abandoned by God. It was only after giving thanks for the Spirit of God with us, that we cast each vote. And so, while the results mean there are changes ahead… we know that Christ is with us through them all. *** There was another story I wanted to share with you today… another example of how present the Spirit of God is with us in our troubling, disorienting moments. …those moments when we might be tempted to feel that God has abandoned us. This happened just a couple of days ago… and I want to start by saying that no one was hurt… But my friend and colleague, Pastor Kara of Trinity Lutheran in Hillsdale, lost her home, her camper, and her husband's truck in a fire on Thursday. Like I said, everyone is ok… unharmed… physically, at least, including their dog… no one was home at the time. But their property is a total loss. And just as Rich recently experienced after the storms, they have been showered with offers to help in whatever way they might need. And to everyone, she has the same response… She is beyond thankful that no one was hurt, and they have insurance. She is shocked, for sure… no one expects this… but she is absolutely grounded by Christ's peace and presence. So, her request to everyone who offers is that they refocus their intentions toward the youth and young adults of our synod. You see… at the assembly, after we elected the new bishop, we also had to pass the new budget. The synod council put forward a budget that cut the amounts allocated for nearly all of our ministries, including support for the synod Youth & Young Adult Table, our Campus Ministries, and Living Water Ministries. Pastor Kara had moved for an addendum to the budget to reinstate the financial support for our youth and young adult ministry programs. She argued that we cannot claim the importance of youth and young adults in our church while also cutting our support for them. After much debate, the addendum passed… which reinstated the $14,000 cut from the lines supporting youth and young adult ministries… It was… a leap of faith… Because it came without any recent historical pattern of mission support from congregations to justify that extra spending. She was pretty much on edge after pushing the synod into possible debt. Still, Pastor Kara knew the Holy Spirit was with us in that room, guiding our decisions and moving our hearts toward God's will. She trusted that when we follow God's call, God will provide. She could not have known, however, that in less than a week, her faith in God's provision would be put to the test. But I hear her… I hear the ache in her voice. She pushed for the assembly to do the right thing, even before knowing how we would accomplish it. She knew that her heart was troubled, but that the Spirit of Christ was with us… So, when facing a life-altering event… the kind of event that might leave one feeling abandoned… her faith and her resolve became stronger. They are unharmed, and they will recover… and so she is redirecting all the attention back toward the movement of the Holy Spirit at the assembly. And she is at peace. We'll be talking more about this call to support youth and young adult ministries in the months to come… but as we have these conversations, I want you to remember… Remember Jesus' words to us… his promise… Jesus said to his disciples… as he says to us… Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. Christ is with us always, through good times and challenging times… in happy times and in sorrow. The promise of Jesus is that God's Spirit is with us always, surrounding us with peace, and equipping us for the work ahead. So we will not let our hearts be troubled… and we will not be afraid. Amen.

What If I Don't Want To Forgive?Matthew 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'”Jesus is our guide.  He came down to earth to show us how we should be acting.  He came down to teach us that the Lord our God is love.  He is trying to guide us to springs of the water of life, but we keep wanting to do our own thing.  We don't want to follow in his foot steps.  Why don't we?  Because  it is hard.  Jesus said to love everyone, even our enemies.  Is this even possible?  Jesus wants us to forgive, but aren't there some people that just can't be forgiven?  Shouldn't be forgiven?  I wonder if we all realize what forgiveness is? Forgiveness is not telling the other person that what they did was right, or ok.  It was not ok what they did.  It is not forgetting what happened or excusing it in anyway.  Forgiveness is admitting to yourself that this terrible thing did happen, that you can't change it, so you are releasing any hold that it has over you.  I know forgiveness is hard.  In some cases it seems impossible.  However, it is so necessary.  God tells us right in the Our Father Prayer, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  God is going to forgive us to the same extent that we forgave others.  Think about the things or the people that you are unable to forgive.  Do you really want the inability to forgive them to get in the way of God forgiving you?  There are some things that no matter how hard we try, we can not forgive.  This is ok, we don't have to do this on our own.  God can step in and help us forgive.  The only thing we must do is to ask him.  To give Him permission to work in your heart to forgive.  We had a word or prophecy given at our prayer group that I feel is so important to share.“I ask you to forgive my children.  I know that is a difficult command and at times may seem very impossible for you to do.  But I remind you that I am with you always, and with me nothing is impossible.  Bring your inability to me.  Allow me to work with my grace through you, so that you can be my forgiving heart for all the world.”In this word, the Lord is asking us to forgive.  He is reminding us that even though we feel it is impossible, nothing is impossible in Him.  In Matthew 19:26 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  It also says in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  We are not in this alone.  We have God on our side and with that we can do anything.  I love how God always shows up to remind us of things when we forget.  I like how God is reminding us that He is always with us and then asking us to bring our inability to him.  He is asking us to allow Him to work with His grace through us, so that we can bring His forgiving heart to all the world.  How beautiful is that?  How great is it that God not only wants to use his grace to heal our heart, but he wants us to be His forgiving heart for all the world.  God gave us free will.  Can you imagine how frustrating it must be for Him to sit by and watch us squander all that he has provided for us?  He would love nothing more than to rain down graces on us and yet we can't be bothered to let him.  God is not going to step in if we do not ask Him.  He does not want to force us to love Him.  The only way to ensure it is true love is to give us the choice to love him or not.  Every day we have a choice to make.  Are we going to choose God or are we going to choose something else?  God has so much grace and so much mercy to give.  He does not leave us alone to make these decisions.  He is there for us every step of the way.But we do need to make that choice.  Once we do make that choice, He will be there to help us overcome all of the obstacles.  And there will be obstacles.  The life that God is asking us to live is not an easy life.   Especially in this world right now.  Forgiveness and love are two things that we are being called to do that are not the norm in society today.  We live in a culture that does not want to forgive.  We want to stay angry, blame other, and not even talk to someone that doesn't think as we think.   This is not what Jesus wants for us.  Jesus did not come to earth to be with people just like Him.  He did not just hang around with those that believed like he believed.  He didn't find all the people that were getting it right in life.  He came for those that were struggling.  He came for those that needed Him.  When he met these people, he did not meet them with judgement and unforgiveness.  He met them with love and forgiveness.  He accepted them as they were and encouraged them and helped them to become better.  How great would it be if we could do the same.  If we could greet everyone we meet with the same love and acceptance that Jesus had.  You may be thinking that you are different.  Jesus could do that because he was man and God, so he had the Holy Spirit inside him to help him make the right choice.  Guess what?  So do you.  You have the Holy Spirit inside of you and if you let Him, He will guide you to make the right choices as well.  Just remember what Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  You can do this!  It is possible!  Just take a moment and ask God for help.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we really want to forgive and yet we also don't really want to forgive.  Please help us.  We give you permission right now to come into our lives, into our hearts and help us to forgive anyone we are struggling to forgive.  Lord we want to be free to be forgiven by you.  We want nothing in the way of that forgiveness.  Dad, Abba, Father, please come to our aide and help us.  Show us how to forgive.  Prepare our hearts to forgive.  Give us the strength and the grace to forgive.  We trust you Lord.  We love you!  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 look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow.  Remember Jesus loves you, and so do I!  Have a blessed day! 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

Catch Me When I FallPsalm 13:4-5 “How long, Lord? Will you utterly forget me? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I carry sorrow in my soul, grief in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look upon me, answer me, Lord, my God! Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death, Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed,” lest my foes rejoice at my downfall. But I trust in your mercy. Grant my heart joy in your salvation, I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me!”The theme for mentoring this month is “How Long, Lord?” I chose this title because I know so many people who are suffering right now and who have been for quite some time. They have been sick for so long, and they can't see an end in sight. Some have been going through struggles with their family, and they can't see a resolution. It feels like things might always be like this. Many I know are struggling with a prodigal child, and they are waiting for them to come home, but feel like it may never happen.In today's verse, David addresses this same sentiment. It begins with “How Long, Lord? Will you utterly forget me? How long will you hide your face from me? How much I carry in my soul, grief in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” I am sure that is exactly what my friends who are suffering are asking the Lord. I am sure they are struggling to understand why they are still suffering, what the purpose is, and when they will be through it. In mentoring this month, each week, I am going to examine a song that deals with these exact feelings. I really like music; it speaks right to my soul. I also like to use songs because you can always go back to them and listen to them and hopefully they will bring you comfort."When I Fall" by Katy Nichole is a song written out of desperation, reflecting a time when Nichole felt mentally, spiritually, and physically drained. She describes the song as a desperate prayer, expressing her exhaustion with trying to be "okay" and her desire to be honest with God. I think this is great. We should all be honest with God. I don't know why we think we can hide things from Him. He is all-knowing. That thing you are too afraid to tell Him about, He already knows. That thing you don't want to bother Him with, He already knows. There isn't anything we can hide from God. Here are the lyrics for the song:Lord, I can't find You right nowAnd everything is crashin' downI'm losin' faith and fallin' into my doubtsHow long will I have to fightJust for me to stay alive?This is a true and honest song. This is something that I know those who suffer with chronic pain are asking the Lord. I am sure at times we all wonder where God is. We wonder why He is letting us go through the things we are going through, and when He is going to pull us out of it. It is hard to keep having faith and fighting, not to let our doubts get the best of us when we are so tired from all the fighting we have already done.I know You're there, God, pleaseJust meet me here tonightMy God, I'm tired of tryna be okayI've prayed all the prayers I have to prayPlease don't leave me lonelyMy God, I need You to hold meThis is the desperate plea of so many of us. We know God is there. We just need Him to hold us, even if it's just for a minute. We are all tired of trying to be okay. We are tired of having to pretend to everyone that we are ok. One of my favorite sayings is, “It's ok to not be ok.” I wish more people knew this. I wish more people would speak out and let others know they are not ok. I know so many people who seem so happy on the outside and yet are not ok on the inside. This world is a lonely place. Which may seem weird, as there are so many ways to keep in touch with friends and family. However, a lot of the relationships we have these days are superficial. We “like” or “love” people's posts on social media, but we aren't reaching out and having meaningful conversations. And, if we are being honest, we probably aren't making posts that accurately reflect how we feel inside or what life is like on a day-to-day basis.My God, I'm losin' all the hope I gotI'm far beyond the point of bein' lostI've tried, but I can't let go'Cause God, You catch me when I fallYou catch me when I fallThis is like so many I know. They don't want to lose their hope, but it is hard day after day when it feels like their prayers aren't being answered. When you look around, and no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to find God. What is really good is that she knows that God will be there to catch her when she falls. If she can let go of all that she thinks is supporting her and holding her up, and just fully surrender to God, then He will catch her. He will always be there to catch us when we fall.There's hardly air in my lungsWith all the damage that's been doneLord, please sustain me nowI know You are enoughMy God, I'm tired of tryna be okayI've prayed all the prayers I have to prayPlease don't leave me lonelyMy God, I need You to hold meThe thing to remember about God is that He can repair the damage that is done. We think we need God to act now, before it is too late. However, it is never too late for God. God can replace your damaged lungs. He can repair your kidneys. He can do whatever needs to be done. God is our provision. He is our rock. Katy says in the song that she knows God is enough and is asking Him to sustain her. He will sustain you, too. I know it may feel like you just can't keep your head above water right now. God's got you. He is your arm float. He will not let you drown. He hears your prayers.The last line of today's verse says, “But I trust in your mercy. Grant my heart joy in your salvation, I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me!” Sometimes we need to sing to the Lord before the breakthrough. Sometimes we need to thank God for all the unseen work He is doing. Praising when we don't feel like we can will actually make us feel better, and it will make the enemy flee. Praising can lift us up out of the darkness, even if it is only for a little while. David was asking the Lord to give him joy in his heart. He was asking for the Lord's help. We can do the same.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode. Lord, you are so good. Help us to remember that when we feel lost in our own pain or our own troubles. Help us to remember how good you are. Lord, help us to remember you do catch us when we fall. Help us to remember you never leave our side. Lord, we need you to come and let us know you are here with us. We love you so much, and we need you now, Lord. Help us to hang in there, help us to never give up hope. Please provide us with the strength and provision we need for today Lord. 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. If you love this podcast and want more, join me in mentoring and see how much more there is to learn. How much deeper you can go. The Lord is calling you closer. Will you answer his call? I look forward to seeing 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 October 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 call you each by name, my children. I invite you constantly to come to me. The more you come, the more I will reveal my secrets. You will know the deeper things in life.” 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

This month of supernatural provision is a month of manna being rained down from heaven. God is multiplying everything. It is a month of fruitfulness. Remember Jesus is the firstfruit who resurrected on Nisan 17 and we are the sons and daughters that come from Him. We are His multiplication. He broke the power of sin , death , and grave to release us from lack and deliver us into wholeness, fruitfulness & multiplication.This month we see a shift as the curse was broken at Jesus death, burial and resurrection , we are now in a garden that is full and complete. A place where we shift our mindset off of gain but instead to receive.In Exodus 16 the Israelites had to receive just what God gave while they were in the wilderness and He gave manna which is the bread of life ! Manna means “What is it” and it was delivered from the realms of life, it was pure, holy, tasted sweet like honey crackers, it was undefiled, and it was the fullness of Jesus. If you can be trained by God this month to subdue your flesh as he asked them to do on Shabbat you will enter a place where He will be your all.Read Exodus 16:27 -30 In this place everything, becomes easy and no struggle to gain. You live in a realm of faith where you know it's coming ! All that you need in every situation will be there. This is the identity He is trying to establish with the Israelites in the wilderness.It's like He's saying “Chill out - I've got this - stop trying to control it or manipulate it. That doesn't work in my garden. ” In His garden or heavenly places we steward in faith, this is a place where we ultimately know He has control over what belongs to Him and we're just helping Him tend it or till it. We are not really stopping anything or starting anything - we're simply in agreement with Him! We're in agreement with what He says and we obey Him from this place !Remember from 1 Samuel 5:22, ““Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,and to hearken than the fat of rams. “Read Deuteronomy 8 :3 Manna is the Word made manifest as Jesus was the Word made manifestWhen the Israelites ate manna they ate the Word. They partook of the completeness and wholeness of nothing missing or broken in Him!What is He saying to you this month ? Just do it ! I'll be there and I'll provide! Step out on faith !Read 1 Corinthians 15:20 We are the fruit of the first born Jesus and we are the evidence that His resurrection was complete!As we prepare for Feast of Shavuot or Pentecost , God is asking us to present ourselves as living sacrifices or fruit unto Him! He is multiplying and bringing order this month.Start the Month of Iyar with a copy of Dr Candice new book “365 Prophetic Revelations from Hebrew Calender”- go to www.Candice Smithyman.comhttps://amzn.to/4aQYoR0Classes START NEXT WEEK- Get signed up Now! - Join DREAM MENTORS and BECOME A CERTIFIED COACH!Do you want to be trained as good disciples or biblical life coach ? Do you need to experience transformation in your souls so you can be the best God is calling you to be. Go to www.dreammentors.orgFREE Zoom CALL with Dr Candice - It's time now to sign up for our next Ascension class and join Dr. Candice's Glory Road Community!Maximize Your Prophetic Potential monthly class is Wednesday April 30 at 10 am and 6 pm EST. Next one after that is Monday May 12 at 10 am and 6 pm EST. You can choose which one. Sign Up here —http://bit.ly/4gfRKXm

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 30th of April, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Gospel of Luke 5:16: “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Who am I talking about here? I am talking about the Son of God, I am talking about Jesus Christ, I am talking about Immanuel - God with us. Now, if He had to do that, how much more should you and I be doing that? He did it often, not now and again. Oh my dear friend, I think this message is aimed more at me than it is at you! Contemplation - when you contemplate something. I looked up the Oxford Dictionary to find out the literal meaning of the word, “contemplate”. It means to look at thoughtfully, to think about, to think deeply and at length. It says that to contemplate is to look at, gaze at, stare at, view, regard, examine, inspect, observe, (are you getting the story?) survey, study. He contemplated. We need to ponder, you and I, how many times are we taking time out to think about the way forward? We don't, do we? We just go for it, we wing it. It is one of my favourite things and I hate myself for it. There is no time left in the world to wing it. We need to concentrate on something called time management. Remember Jesus was never late, He was never early, He was always spot on time. We think about Lazarus, His friend in the grave. “Lord, if You had come, my brother would have lived,” but the Lord commanded him to be raised from the dead. You know, it is first the mountain, and then the ministry, or your work or whatever else. If you don't spend time up the mountain, not a literal mountain, but time in the morning, praying, reading the word of God, and contemplating about what you are going to do that day, you will make some very poor decisions. Now, let us start to think.I remember, very clearly, sitting at the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, which separates Zambia from Zimbabwe, about to go across that river on a pontoon with that 20-ton Mercedes Benz truck for six weeks, leaving my young wife and children back on the farm. I was contemplating things very seriously, crying out to God to protect my family and He did. We need to hear from God first before we make any decisions. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,Goodbye.

Today,we're looking at Luke16:22-26, and we're talking about the subject of hell.Unless the rapture takes place first, everyoneon planet Earth will die. We will all face judgment and the Bible teaches wewill either go to a place of eternal torment, a literal hell, or to wonderfulplace of paradise called heaven. Jesus spoke about a literal hell on manyoccasions. Goddid not create hell for human beings. He created paradise, heaven for humanbeings. Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14). Buthell was created for the devil and his angel, as Matthew 25:41 explains, whereJesus speaks to those on the left, saying, "Depart from me, you cursed,into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Thispassage in Luke 16, from the lips of Jesus refutes so-called "soulsleep," for both the rich man and Lazarus were conscious, one enjoyingcomfort and the other suffering torment. It is a solemn thing to ponder one'seternal destiny and realize the reality of divine punishment. Itappears from reading the context of the whole Scripture that there is a place,somewhere in the heart of the earth today, called Sheol or Hades, and it's theplace of the departed dead. In this passage of Scripture, and what I believefrom reading all of Scripture, in the Old Testament, before the resurrection ofChrist, everyone went to this place called Sheol, which had two compartments,as Jesus points out here, with a gulf fixed between them so you couldn't passfrom one to the other. One part was a place we call hell, a place of fire andtorment. The rich man died, and in this place of torment, he lifted up hiseyes, and he was in torment. Four times in this passage, the word"torment" is used. It's a place of flame, a place of pain, a place oftorment, and a place where you still have your feelings. Inthe Old Testament, everyone who died either died in faith, looking forward tothe death of Christ on the cross through the sacrifices, or they died and wentto the hell side. This was up to the cross and the resurrection of Christ. Webelieve that when Jesus died and was buried, during that time, He emptied theparadise side, bringing those souls to the third heaven. Paul talked abouthaving an experience where he was caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians12:2). He says in the epistles, "To be absent from the body is to bepresent with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Remember Stephen, when hewas being stoned to death, saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts7:55-56). Remember Jesus said, "You will be with me" (John 14:3). Iam convinced today that when believers die, they go to the third heaven (2Corinthians 12:2). Because, “to be absent from the body is to be presentwith the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).  When lost people die, they still go to thisplace called Hades, the place called hell, where there is torment. I'mconvinced that, according to Scripture, one day hell will give up the dead thatare in it. There will be the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of themillennium, and the devil, his angels, and everyone who rejects Jesus Christ asSavior, will end up in what is called “the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).That's where the false prophet and the beast were cast just before themillennial reign of Christ (Revelation 19:20). Myfriend, God didn't create hell for you and me. He created heaven for us.Eternity is in our hearts, and today we can, by faith, receive Jesus Christ andnever have to fear going to this place of torment because we have a placeprepared for us in heaven by the Lord Himself. We must make a choice. Goddoesn't send people to hell. They send themselves to hell when they rejectJesus Christ. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11).  Jesusloves us and died for us and Scripture tells us, "Today is the day ofsalvation; behold, now is the accepted time (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). Please trustHim today to be your Savior!

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:8 The post Remember Jesus appeared first on Hope Bible Church.

Remember Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:8-13) by Faith Family Church Oak Grove

Remember Jesus’ trial before Pilate? Who were the people in that mob shouting, “Crucify!?” And what do we know about the Roman Centurion? What should we learn from the women who braved that crucifixion crowd? This week on The Land and the Book, we’ll meet more of the “The Cast of Characters at the Cross.” Plus--what’s really happening in the Middle East right now? We’ll bring you all the headlines—from a biblical perspective—on The Land and the Book with Charlie Dyer and Jon Gauger.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/landandthebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What did Jesus mean, “The Truth will set you free?” Free from what?  The 8th chapter of John today contains aspects of the teachings of Jesus that we have to think around and put into context to get the correct meaning.The critics of Jesus were usually those whose thought processes were mechanical.  They thought they had him cornered, if he said the Mosaic law should be observed and she should be stoned they would probably have done so, or got others to, and then blamed Jesus before the Roman authorities because the Jews had no right to put anyone to death – that is why they brought Jesus before Pilate.. See John 18 v.31.If Jesus has said something different, they would have denounced him before the people for not upholding the law!   His reaction confounded them – and after he said “Let him who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” [v.7] they slunk away from Jesus, no one was without sin among them.Only Jesus was without sin – and he said to her, “Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?  She said, ‘No one Lord'  And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.'” [v.10,11]  Notice how she addresses Jesus as “Lord”!  She saw him as far more than a “teacher” which is how the Jews addressed him.Jesus speaks to all who come to him – in the same words as he spoke to the woman – whatever our failures have been, and the closer we come to “the light of the world” the more we are aware of those failures – but we also learn the truth of his words, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” [v.12] and all the “darkness” in our character will be obliterated, indeed Christ will then be “formed in you.” [Gal. 4 v.19]Jesus went on to tell them, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” [v.31,32[    The key action on our part is to “abide” in the word of Jesus.  John uses the Gk word for ‘abide' more than 40 times in his gospel and the translators render it variously as ‘continue', ‘dwell'  ‘remaining' etc. Are you abiding in his word? Is the word ‘abiding' in you?  If the answer is ‘Yes' – you have been set free!Jesus made the point, “ … I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” – it has become part of their character.  But “if the Son sets you free you will be free indeed” [v.36]   He told the religious leaders, “…you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.” [v.37]   May it have found a place in us – in you – or will soon do so. Remember Jesus said, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God.” [v.47] – and as we read – we “hear.”

The post Do you Remember Jesus? appeared first on Greencastle Otterbein United Brethren in Christ Church.

Be Bold & Listen To God!Acts 18:9-10 “One night, the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision and said, “Do not be afraid. Continue with your preaching, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack you or try to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.”I always get a bit jealous when I hear verses that say the Lord appeared to so and so in a dream or an angel visited them.  Then I remembered that although I am not getting visited by angels, that I am aware of, although if you listened to the episode on angels last week, you know we aren't always aware when we are visited by an angel.  Although I am not aware of any visits from angels or the Lord in my sleep, the Lord does show up and talk to us each and every Thursday during prayer group.  He also talks to me during my prayer time, so I really have no reason to be jealous.  I don't know if you ever felt like I did.  Have you ever been jealous that some people seem to hear the world of the Lord and you can't?  If this is the case, I want to assure you that He wants to talk to you.  God is always talking to His people; we just struggle to listen sometimes.  If you are struggling to hear the Lord.  If you wish you could ask Him a question and really hear an answer I want you to know you can.  It is possible.  If you cannot hear Him, it is not because He is mad at you or because He is punishing you.  There could be a number of reasons why you can't hear Him.  Maybe you are harboring unforgiveness to others, which can block all kinds of graces.  Maybe you don't believe you can hear Him, so you are afraid to sit in the silence and give Him time to talk.  Maybe you don't have any quiet time in your day?  Think about how hard it is to hear someone that you are intentionally trying to hear when you are in a crowded restaurant or on a subway train.  Look through your day.  If someone was following you around trying to talk to you all day, would there be any times when you would hear them?  The world we live in is busy and noisy.  It is not often that we sit and listen to the Word of God.  This can change.  If you want to start hearing from God, all you have to do is listen.  He is already talking to you.  I know that this may sound weird to some of you, and yet I think it is important to tell you.  I often talk with the Lord.  I write Him a letter, and then I write one back to myself and let the Holy Spirit lead what I write in the one back to myself.  I feel the Lord is constantly telling me, “Thank you for listening; not many do.”  God is not mad; He is not punishing you, He is patiently waiting for you to come to Him and ask Him what He thinks.  He is waiting to tell you how much He loves you until you take a minute to listen.  Can you give God 5 minutes of your time today to just listen?  If you are quiet, if you are asking the Lord to talk, and you can't hear anything, then you can command the spirit of deaf ears to leave immediately.  You can command your spiritual ears to open.  You can ask God again and expect that He will answer as He always does!I am not sure that had a lot or anything to do with the verse, and yet when I feel led by the Holy Spirit, I just agree and go along for the ride.  Back to the verse.  It says, “One night, the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision and said, “Do not be afraid. Continue with your preaching, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack you or try to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.”  I think this verse is a testament to God's love for Paul.  He knew He was afraid and He came to talk to him and to reassure him.  It sounds like Paul wanted to leave the place where he was.  Paul was in Corinth and that was not a nice town.  Its nickname is “Sin City.”  I have heard Father Mike liken it to parts of Las Vegas.  Paul was preaching at the synagogue to the Jews & the Greeks, but they didn't really want to hear what he had to say.When they started to oppose him and hurl insults at him, he decided to leave the synagogue and search out the gentiles.  In case anyone listening is like me, and you are not sure who the gentiles were or what that word means, let me explain.  You were considered a gentile if you were not Jewish.  It was not a certain race of people or a certain tribe of people; it was all people who were not Jewish.  God came to Paul in his dreams and told him not to be afraid, that He was with him, and that he would not be attacked or harmed. God is saying this to us, too!  He is with each one of us, and He is protecting us from all evil.  I was typing up the minutes for my prayer group, and we had several prophecies that seemed to confirm this.  There were two that I thought were especially good to go with this verse.The first one says, “I watch over you, my children. All of you are my children. I break the sword of the enemy who would come against you. You have nothing to fear, for I am there for each and every one of you in each and every trial. I will never forsake my children or leave my children. I will defend you in battle. I have sent you the power of the Spirit, and He will give you all that you need to do what you have been called to do.”  Isn't that amazing?  God is telling us that He is here for us.  He will defend us in battle and any other situation.  You may be thinking you are not in a battle; you are not in the military.  Each one of us is in a battle whether we know it or not.  Each one of us is in a spiritual battle, and sometimes, the enemy can take it out on our family members.  We need to stand firm and hold onto this word from God and all the other words He has given us.  God will not let the enemy win.  He will protect us.  All we need to do is turn to Him.The second word I thought went along with this verse says, “My children take my hand. Realize that I am with you. Go into the world without fear. I am holding onto your hand. There is no need to fear I am your God. I will protect you. I will defend you. Smile that you are mine. Smile my children. I am with you till the end of time. Come closer, my children, come closer so that I can reveal my mysteries to you so you, in turn, can share them with the world. I am your Lord, I am your God, and I am all-powerful. I hold onto your hand. Move forward, move forward with joy, for you are mine.”I love how gentle God can be.  He is talking about protecting us, and He is doing it in this last verse as any Father would.  Think back to when you were little.  When you were walking with your dad, you were probably holding his hand.  If you weren't holding it all the time, you at least know it is there if you need it.  God is giving us this visual of walking with Him through life and asking us to take His hand and walk side by side with Him; what an amazing visual that is for me. Yes, please, Lord, I would love to walk alongside you! I would love to hold your hand so you can protect me and defend me against this crazy world.  I also like how he ended the word with, “Move forward with joy, for you are mine.”  We are His children, isn't that amazing!! God is so good!Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to protect and bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we are so grateful you are protecting us!  We are so grateful you are a loving Father who wants to hold our hand and walk through this life with us.  Lord, we ask that you help us to be able to hear you when you are talking to us.  We ask that you open our spiritual ears and allow us to converse with you.  I ask that everyone listening to this episode hear your word just as they do in the prayer group meeting.  Lord, we thank you for the words above, and we ask that you help them take route in our hearts.  If anyone listening to this episode had a difficult relationship with their father, I ask that you let these two messages go deep down in their hearts and take route.  You are a good and loving Father to all your children! We love you Lord and 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 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 September 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, “My little ones, nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate you from me. When I tell you that I hold you in the palm of my hand, I tell you the truth. No matter what happens, no matter what you're facing, no matter what you're worried about, what you fret about, no matter how anxious you get, I hold you in the palm of my hand. My hand is cupped around your life in a gentle, strong, loving way.” 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

Jesus is not just alive from the dead, but he is alive as the King who will reign forever — of his kingdom there will be no end.

Jake teaches on 2 Timothy 2:8-13.

2 Timothy 2:8-13 Encouragement # 1: If you remember anything, REMEMBER JESUS! (v.8) Encouragement # 2: It is IMPOSSIBLE to IMPRISON the word of God! (v.9) Encouragement # 3: My SUFFERING is not in VAIN (v.10) Encouragement # 4: You can take God's PROMISES to the spiritual BANK! (v.11-13)

Remember who has all authority. Remember who came for the outsider. Remember the resurrection. Remember Jesus. Get rid of all the barriers we place between God and ourselves, and God and others… Clean out the clutter and make space for what really matters. Andy Turner continues in week 3 of the Dawn of Redemption series, teaching from John 2.

Remember Jesus & Examine Ourselves  - 1 Corinthians 12:12-31  |   Series: Gathered & Gifted for God's Glory  |   Sam Holm, Lead Pastor   |   Preached 3-2-25 10:45am   Tag: Corinthians, Worship, Spiritual Gifts, Sacrament, Preach, Teach, Church, Gather, Growth, Community, Believers, Glory, Holy Spirit, Member, Embrace, Unity, Spirit-filled, Gifts, Body, Together, Sing, Harmony

Inside our theme of love this month, this week we are focusing on teaching our kids what love is. One of the things we love about God's love is hearing how much He loves us, will forgive us, and show us incredible mercy and grace, no matter what we do. But then the very tough thing about God's love is, as sinners, we struggle when He tells us to love others that we do not want to love. Teaching our kids that kind of unconditional love will be one of the hardest things we ever do—to encourage them to follow God in loving someone with His love and grace that we do not want to love and don't think we even can love.Much of Jesus' teaching was counter-cultural then, and it certainly is today. The religious leaders of His day wanted to separate people into two categories: acceptable and unacceptable. And those men would make that determination without God. In fact, Jesus' teaching against their standards ended up getting Him on their unacceptable list. Listen closely to this passage as I read. No matter how many times you may have heard it, try and listen with fresh ears about how God wants us to love …“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. (Luke 6:27-36 NLT)Love your enemies? … That's a cute catchphrase until you actually feel like someone is your enemy and is working to make your life miserable. Loving that person feels impossible. Do good to those who hate you? Bless those who curse you? Really, Jesus? But what is so great about Jesus' teaching here is He told us why He wants us to do that.In short, Jesus said… “if people who have no God, who don't believe in God, who care nothing about Me, can be kind to those who are kind to them and love those who love them, then you don't need Me to do that, do you? But now, loving your enemies? Doing good to those who hate you? You are most definitely going to need Me to help you do that. Why? Because by yourself, you can't!”Now, to be clear, turning the other cheek does not have anything to do with abuse or letting someone run all over you. Remember—Jesus was the guy who got angry and cleared people out of the temple with a whip. But to love like God and to teach your kids to love like He does, that's going to take Jesus giving you the power and ability every time.Let's say it this way, if we're going to call ourselves His kids, we need to act like He's our Dad.Let's pray together: “Heavenly Father, this loving my enemies thing is so hard. Doing good to someone I deem as bad, blessing people I can't stand, that feels impossible. But you are the God that makes the impossible possible. Help me, Jesus, to love like You and to teach my kids these really hard things about how to love like You. Because me and my kids are Your children. As above, so below.”

Incivility leads to many harmful effects on employees and organizations. Coworker incivility has been linked to higher levels of employee burnout and lots of strain and stress. For the organization or the company, incivility has been related to decreased satisfaction and eventually decreased performance. And here's the thing about incivility: it is contagious! An employee who is subjected to lack of civility, lack of good manners, lack of anyone seeming to care about them, often retaliates with uncivil acts of their own. It can spiral out of control within an organization rather quickly. But the good news is courtesy and good manners can be contagious, too. Remember Jesus has called us as his followers to be lights in a dark world. This means we not only are not caught up in workplace incivility, but we also actively and intentionally try to change the culture. But how? As I've often said, everything starts at the top, so if you are in a management job or in a place of influence, you should model what civil and courteous behavior looks like. Your level of courtesy and consideration toward others will trickle down to those who work for you and with you. As a manager, you are always “on,” which means you don't have the luxury of letting down your guard, because your behavior has more impact than others. By setting the tone for the organization, managers and those in places of influence can help create a culture of simple courtesy, good manners, and caring about others. As Christ followers, here is our standard: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:3-4). That is very civil behavior, and with the power of God's Spirit, you can be a person who values others above yourself.

As recipients of God's saving mercy, remembering is both a privilege and a responsibility for Christians. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains how remembrance is related to keeping Christ central in our thoughts and in our lives. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/remember-jesus-christ/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts