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What if I told you the resurrection of Jesus isn't just something we celebrate—it's everything we stand on? In this episode of The Disciples Journal, I'm breaking down one of the most powerful lines of the gospel creed:“Three days later, He rose from the dead, proving He is the Son of God.” We'll look at why the resurrection is not just a comeback story—but confirmation that every claim Jesus made was true. I unpack what Scripture says in Romans 1:4 and 1 Corinthians 15:17, and why the resurrection isn't optional for our faith—it's foundational. But more than that, I share how the resurrection changes what's possible for us right now. Because He rose, you don't have to stay stuck in your guilt, shame, or spiritual death. There's new life available. Not just someday—today. This is the turning point of history… and the starting point of hope. Let's walk it out together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Romans 6:5-8 — What fear should the Christian have? In what ways ought the believer be gripped with worry or anxiety? Unruly fears, anxieties, and worries lead the believer to spiritual depression. This need not be. In this sermon on Romans 6:5–8 titled “Alive Unto God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones declares the believer's sure hope: they are raised with Christ. What one believes must be driven by facts. The fact is that Jesus was raised from the dead, and all who have died with Him have the confidence that they are raised with Him. In the face of temptations, these facts lead the Christian to an unshakable certainty: death has no power over them. As the believer is dead to sin and alive to Christ, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that their future is absolutely certain. They cannot continue in sin, and will never again submit to the slavery of sin and death. Worry, fear, and anxiety are wrapped up in death. Death is rooted in sin. If Jesus has dealt with sin, He's dealt with death. If death is no more, everything changes. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones leads to the truth that calms all fear: Christ has been raised from the dead, and the Christian life is hid in Christ with God.
Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 6; 2 Chron3; Ps 97; Rom 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible with your host, Hunter. Today marks Day 142 in our journey through the pages of scripture. In this episode, Hunter makes a special note to correct yesterday's reading mix-up, ensuring we're back on track with today's passages: 1 Kings 6, 2 Chronicles 3, Psalm 97, and Romans 1. Together, we'll revisit the detailed and awe-inspiring construction of Solomon's temple, reflect on the majesty and justice of God in the Psalms, and dive into the powerful opening of Paul's letter to the Romans, where the heart of the good news—how we are made right with God by faith alone—takes center stage. Amid gentle encouragement, prayer, and reminders of God's steadfast love, Hunter invites us not only to hear the Word, but to share it, live it, and allow it to transform our lives. So, settle in as we realign our hearts with the story of God's faithfulness, right here, together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: How do we make ourselves right before God? Is it by doing more, avoiding more, knowing more? All of the religions of the world will lead you down one or all of these paths. You must do. You must avoid. You must know. But none of these paths end up being any good at answering the question of how we're made right with God. In the end, they are not good news, and you know that from your own life. When we give ourselves to trying to do more and more in order to justify ourselves before God, we soon begin to ask, well, how much more and how good is good enough? And that question leads to all kinds of pride and rules. And the rules never satisfy, and they never end. In the end, they make us either liars or delusional. Either we're pretending to be rule keepers when we're not, or we're believing that we've kept all the rules, but we haven't. And those that are closest to us can clearly see the truth: we are not as loving and pure as we say we are. No, doing more is not the answer, but neither is avoiding, trying to avoid our obligations to God. Living for the self, our desires, appetites leads only to an empty life. We become owned by the very appetites that we thought would set us free. And if doing and avoiding are not the answer, neither is knowing. God is not a subject to be mastered. He is the master, and we will not really know him unless we let him master us. The good news that we're looking for, to be made right with God, is found from start to finish by faith, we're told here. And that faith is a gift. That faith was lived out in him—in the life of Jesus. His faith, his obedience, his compassion, his love is what ultimately saves us. He saves us from start to finish. Galatians 2:20 says, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. And that is the good news, my friend. That is how we are made right with God. Our real life is hid with God in Christ from start to finish. Now we live by the faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen. May this be so for me, for my family, and for you. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Jesus is my shepherd. You have called me by my name into the life of the beloved. Here in the stillness, I remember that I am not alone. I belong to you and to the great communion of saints and sinners held together in your love. Remind me, Lord, that every breath is grace. Every encounter is a chance to give what I have received, mercy without measure. When I forget who I am, when I lose my way, Lead me again to still waters. Restore my soul. Renew my hope. Reroute me in the joy of simply being yours. Amen. And now as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation. Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL
Psalm 57 Jeremiah 31:10-14 Psalm 48 Romans 8:10-11 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com
Romans 6:5-8 — What fear should the Christian have? In what ways ought the believer be gripped with worry or anxiety? Unruly fears, anxieties, and worries lead the believer to spiritual depression. This need not be. In this sermon on Romans 6:5–8 titled “Alive Unto God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones declares the believer's sure hope: they are raised with Christ. What one believes must be driven by facts. The fact is that Jesus was raised from the dead, and all who have died with Him have the confidence that they are raised with Him. In the face of temptations, these facts lead the Christian to an unshakable certainty: death has no power over them. As the believer is dead to sin and alive to Christ, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that their future is absolutely certain. They cannot continue in sin, and will never again submit to the slavery of sin and death. Worry, fear, and anxiety are wrapped up in death. Death is rooted in sin. If Jesus has dealt with sin, He's dealt with death. If death is no more, everything changes. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones leads to the truth that calms all fear: Christ has been raised from the dead, and the Christian life is hid in Christ with God. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29
Demonstrating Dr. Barnhouse's acute understanding of Romans and his heart for effective preaching, these messages skillfully and reverently expound even the most difficult passages in a clear way. Dr. Barnhouse's concern for a universal appreciation of the epistle fuels this series and invites all listeners into a deeper understanding of the life-changing message of Romans. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/791/29
Join Pastor Derek Neider in this inspiring episode of The Daily Devotional as he kicks off a powerful new series on the book of Romans. In today's devotional, Derek introduces us to one of the most theologically rich books of the Bible, unpacking the significance of the apostle Paul's words and the gospel's eternal message.In this first chapter, Derek dives deep into Paul's self-description as a servant of Christ and a chosen messenger of God's good news. Through thoughtful reflections, Derek encourages us to embrace our calling to serve Christ wholeheartedly and live out our faith with purpose and surrender.Tune in for insightful teachings, practical application, and a fresh perspective on what it means to live as servants of the gospel. This is just the beginning—there's so much more to come as we journey through Romans together!Thank you for listening! Here are some ways to learn more and stay connected!New to faith? Click here!Learn more about Pastor Derek NeiderFollow Derek on Instagramor FacebookSubscribe to email Subscribe to the daily devotionalExplore recent messages!This podcast was created by Pastor Derek Neider as a ministry of Awaken Las Vegas.Visit our website. We are located at 7175 W. Oquendo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89113. Our gathering times are 9am & 11am Sundays and 6:30pm Thursdays.
Paul, an apostle and servant of Jesus Christ, explains how the Son of God is the promised Son of David, showing God's power for salvation for Jews and Gentiles. The post Romans Episode 1 | The Gospel: The Power of God for Salvation – Part 1 appeared first on Two Journeys.
Pastor Alan R. Knapp discusses the topic of "FAITH" in his series entitled "Hebrews 2020: We See Jesus (2X)" This is Increment 74 and it focuses on the following verses: Hebrews IN TOTO
Hello Friends! I love to hear from you! Please send me a text message by clicking on this link! Blessings to You!In this episode, Jori discusses with her listeners the reminder from Proverbs that the ways of a man are before the eyes of Yahweh, And He watches all his tracks. Scripture References: Proverbs 5:21; Proverbs 1:1-7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Kings 3:5-15; 1 Kings 4:29-34; 1 Kings 11:1-13; Luke 9:23; Proverbs 5:21-23; Genesis 3:7; Numbers 32:20-24; 1 John 1:9; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Psalm 119:11 Scripture translation used is the Legacy Standard Bible. “Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.comFIND DR. JORI ON OTHER PLATFORMS https://linktr.ee/drjorishafferCHECK OUT THE DWELL AUDIO BIBLE APP:Click this link for my unique referral code. I use this frequently. Such a wonderful audio bible app. https://dwellapp.io/aff?ref=jorishafferBIBLE STUDY TOOLS DR. JORI USES:Note: These contain Amazon affiliate links, meaning I get a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you decide to make a purchase through my links.LSB Single Column Biblehttps://amzn.to/4g9C47oESV MacArthur Study Biblehttps://amzn.to/3C1cpQwInk Joy Penshttps://amzn.to/3EaZ8oRMr. Pen HighLightershttps://amzn.to/3PE20x8Mr. Pen Bible Journaling Kithttps://amzn.to/40pib6o JOIN DR. JORI IN DEVOTIONAL JOURNALING IN 2025Check out this 9 min YouTube Video outlining her journaling strategy! Don't Forget to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/lqe9TO7RSz4 BOOKS OF BIBLE COLOR CHARTI made this chart as a helpful tool for grouping the collections of books or letters in the Holy Bible. The colors in the different sections are the ones that I use in my journals. Books of Bible Chart (color) (4).pdf - Google Drive LOOKING TO RETAIN MORE OF WHAT YOUR PASTOR IS TEACHING? CHECK OUT DR. JORI'S SERMON REFLECTION JOURNALS! Sermon Notes, Reflections and Applications Journal/Notebooks by Dr. Jori. Click the links below to be directed to amazon.com for purchase. Or search “Dr. Jori Shaffer” on Amazon to bring these up. https://amzn.to/418LfRshttps://amzn.to/41862EyHere is a brief YouTube video that tells about the Journal/Notebooks as well:https://youtu.be/aXpQNYUEzds Email: awordforthisday@gmail.comPodcast website: https://awordforthisday.buzzsprout.com Support the show
Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike looks at Romans 7:1–3 and the powerful truth that we've died to the law and now belong to Jesus. Just like a widow is free from her former marriage, we're no longer bound by rules—we're free to live in grace and love. You're not married to the law anymore. You're free to belong to Christ.
Today's readings: Psalm 72; Psalm 119:74-96; Romans 13; Luke 8:16-25
20 Proverbs 5-6; 05 Deuteronomy 28-31; 19 Psalms 11-17; 45 Romans 12-16; 1 Corinthians 1
We play an important roles in each others lives like mirrors reflecting our better & worst qualities. Also catalysts who activate wounds within us that rise to the surface so we can get to the root of them. So if you are impatient, offended or intolerable of others you can learn today to let them off the hook by realizing your need for inner healing whether or not they realize they need healing, too. Ephesians 4:22, Matthew 10:24, Romans 12:3
Paul, an apostle and servant of Jesus Christ, explains how the Son of God is the promised Son of David, showing God's power for salvation for Jews and Gentiles. The post Romans Episode 1 | The Gospel: The Power of God for Salvation – Part 1 appeared first on Two Journeys.
Paul, an apostle and servant of Jesus Christ, explains how the Son of God is the promised Son of David, showing God's power for salvation for Jews and Gentiles. The post Romans Episode 1 | The Gospel: The Power of God for Salvation – Part 1 appeared first on Two Journeys.
Welcome to Brief Encounters—where history's strangest moments collide with the unexplained. I'm your host, Nik, and today we're taking this series far back. Back to a time when the most powerful empire on Earth ruled under the watchful eye of the gods—or maybe… something else. Long before Roswell, airships, or even the word ‘UFO' existed, the Romans were seeing things in the sky.Brief Encounters is a tightly produced, narrative podcast that dives headfirst into the world of UFO sightings, the paranormal, cryptids, myths, and unexplained legends. From ancient sky wars to modern close encounters, each episode takes listeners on a journey through some of the most mysterious and compelling cases in human history. Whether it's a well-documented military sighting or an eerie village legend whispered across generations, Brief Encounters delivers each story with atmosphere, depth, and cinematic storytelling. Episodes are short and binge-worthy — perfect for curious minds on the go. In just 5 to 10 minutes, listeners are pulled into carefully researched accounts that blend historical context, eyewitness testimony, and chilling details. The series moves between eras and continents, uncovering not only the famous cases you've heard of, but also the forgotten incidents that deserve a closer look. Each story is treated with respect, skepticism, and wonder — offering both seasoned enthusiasts and casual listeners something fresh to consider. Whether it's a 15th-century sky battle over Europe, a cryptid sighting in a remote forest, or a modern-day abduction report from rural America, Brief Encounters is your guide through the shadows of our world — and the stories that refuse to be explained.UFO Chronicles Podcast can be found on all podcast players and on the website: https://ufochroniclespodcast.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ufo-chronicles-podcast--3395068/support.
Romans 6:1-2 — Should the Christian continue in sin so that grace may abound? God forbid. Aided by their natural minds, some in Paul's day made it a habit of using grace as a cloak for sin. Paul argues against this mindset as he refutes those who charged him with preaching antinomianism—the belief that the gospel absolves any obligation to keep moral law. In this sermon on Romans 6:1–2 titled “Dead to Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones contends that anyone who lives according to that belief has not yet begun to understand basic biblical doctrines. Instead of rightly living by grace, there were some in Rome who lived in depression as they sulked in their continual failures. Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies the timeless text in Romans to the many Christians who suffer from a sin-laden depression today. In this Palm Sunday sermon, he shows that the beautiful remedy for such a miserable depression is a true understanding of the cross of Christ and the union of the believer with Christ. Everyone is either in Christ or they are not. They have either been crucified with Christ and died to sin, or stand condemned in their sin.
Lucas Crawford delivers a compelling message from Matthew 7, continuing the Sermon on the Mount series, challenging believers to judge righteously with humility and restoration in mind. Framing the sermon around a baby dedication for Hank Holland, Lucas emphasizes the community's role in raising children in faith. He unpacks Jesus' teaching on avoiding hypocritical judgment, urging self-examination before correcting others, using vivid illustrations like a house beam versus a speck and a personal story of handling cactus spines. Lucas warns against misinterpreting “judge not” as a blanket excuse for sin, instead calling for God's standard alone to guide correction. With practical applications like using the Ten Commandments for self-reflection, he encourages a church of soft hearts, committed to mutual growth and gospel-sharing with wisdom.Verse References: Matthew 7 verses 1–6, Leviticus 19 verse 15, John 7 verse 24, 1 Corinthians 5 verses 12–13, Matthew 6 verse 12, Romans 2 verse 1, Galatians 6 verse 1, 1 Corinthians 5 verse 5, 2 Peter 2 verse 22, Matthew 13 verses 45–46, Acts 13 verses 45–46Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team
Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 6; 2 Chron 3; Ps 97; Rom 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where your host Hunter guides us through another enriching day in our year-long journey through Scripture. In this episode, we open our hearts and minds to an encounter with the living word of God, reading together from 1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicles 4, Psalm 98, and Romans 2. Today's readings take us inside the intricate details of Solomon's temple and palace, reflecting on the beauty and craftsmanship dedicated to honoring God. We celebrate God's steadfast love and victorious power in Psalm 98, and in Romans 2, we're challenged to examine our hearts, recognizing the need for transformation that only God's mercy and grace through Christ can bring. Hunter closes with heartfelt reflection and prayer, reminding us that true change begins with a new heart—one that is shaped by God's Spirit, not our efforts or pedigree. Join us as we press deeper into God's word and discover the power of living in His joy and love. TODAY'S DEVOTION: An unchanged heart is already judged and condemned. And if we're honest, we realize that we need a new heart. We are in need of God's mercy. The law and the conscience both tell us of this. And God's answer is to send his son, to come and meet us in our darkness. In love, he comes into the world, into the far country in pursuit of you. He comes for us. He comes for all of humanity. He comes on our behalf that he might taste death for all. But in his dying, he defeats death and the darkness and the grave, and he drags us with him out the other side into resurrection life. When we are drawn into God's life, we are born again, given a new heart that can trust and walk in relationship with God and be truly changed. This is the evidence that we are the true children of God. That relationship with God is based not on my piety or my pedigree, but on God's grace revealed to us in the person and the work of Christ himself. God has given us the answer to our need for a new heart, and it's his son. Let us live in the power of Christ, our Lord, the Son of God. Abiding in him, in his word, in his joy, and in his life. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Gracious and everlasting God, you have brought us through the shadow of night into the promise of a new day. You go before us with your mercy, sustain us by your grace, and keep us from wandering paths of fear or pride. Let every word we speak and every step we take be formed by the goodness of Christ. O Lord, gather your people far and near. May every tribe and tongue come to know your peace. Let justice roll like a river and healing flow where there has been division. Pour out your spirit upon all flesh, and bring us closer to the day when your kingdom comes in fullness. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And now as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation. Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL
Our relationship with Jesus is the source of the strength, wisdom, patience, and power we need to serve God, help others, and meet the challenges of today. Through our relationship with Him, we can overcome our uncertainty and feelings of inadequacy.Main Points:1. In myself, I recognize my limitations. I am not talented enough, smart enough, creative enough, and I am certainly not strong enough to be what God wants me to be. But I have to recognize God is not asking me to be those all by myself. He promised that he would be my provider. He would give me everything I need.2. In every situation, God has given us everything we need to serve and honor Him.3. The enemy of your soul wants you to believe that you can never be who God desires you to be. Hear this truth: the devil is a liar. Combat his lies with the truth of God's Word. Remember, God's divine power gives us everything we need for a godly life through our relationship with Him. Today's Scripture Verses:2 Peter 1:3 - “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”John 15:5 - “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”Romans 8:37 - “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group
Psalm 36 Judith 16:2-3a,13-15 Psalm 47 Romans 6:8-11 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com
Chad and Robert discuss the power of our thoughts and how to choose new mindsets. We can't control what happens to us, but we change our lives from the inside. We need to stop filling our minds with the world and make room for healthy pathways. We can influence our perspectives when we follow Jesus with our habits. Our lives are moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts, so which thoughts will you put in the lead? When you face a mind war, the ways you train your brain will make the difference.Subscribe to receive our latest videos!Website: https://www.sunvalleycc.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunvalleycc/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunvalleycc/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunvalleyccTo support Sun Valley and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: https://www.sunvalleycc.com/givingGod loves you no matter who you are, what you've done, or what's been done to you. This is the vision of Sun Valley Community Church, led by Pastor Chad Moore and based in Gilbert, AZ with multiple locations throughout the Phoenix valley.Chapters:00:00:00 Importance of Thoughts in Spiritual Life 00:02:50 Finding Joy from Within00:05:42 Understanding John 15:500:08:48 Transform Your Mindset00:11:25 Transforming Neural Pathways Through Faith00:14:14 Surrounding Yourself with Positive Influences00:17:06 The Impact of Music Lyrics on the Mind00:19:43 The Art of Meditating on Scripture00:22:36 Transforming Your Mind with Romans 12:2
Romans 6:1-2 — Should the Christian continue in sin so that grace may abound? God forbid. Aided by their natural minds, some in Paul's day made it a habit of using grace as a cloak for sin. Paul argues against this mindset as he refutes those who charged him with preaching antinomianism—the belief that the gospel absolves any obligation to keep moral law. In this sermon on Romans 6:1–2 titled “Dead to Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones contends that anyone who lives according to that belief has not yet begun to understand basic biblical doctrines. Instead of rightly living by grace, there were some in Rome who lived in depression as they sulked in their continual failures. Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies the timeless text in Romans to the many Christians who suffer from a sin-laden depression today. In this Palm Sunday sermon, he shows that the beautiful remedy for such a miserable depression is a true understanding of the cross of Christ and the union of the believer with Christ. Everyone is either in Christ or they are not. They have either been crucified with Christ and died to sin, or stand condemned in their sin. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29
In today's episode, we complete our five-month journey through the Book of Romans. Paul's closing words offer deep insight into the power of gospel partnerships, the humility of servant leadership, and the once-hidden mystery now revealed to all nations. Rick and Doc unpack the legacy of Tertius, the importance of teamwork in ministry, and the truth that the gospel has already been fully revealed—leaving no room for modern-day “mystery” profiteers.This powerful conclusion reminds us that our obedience must be rooted in faith and our service grounded in humility. The spotlight belongs to Christ alone.Rick Wiles, Doc Burkhart. Airdate 5/20/25You can partner with us by visiting FaithandValues.com, calling 1-800-576-2116, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961.Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves!AmericanReserves.comIt's the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today!Amazon.com/Final-DayApple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books!books.apple.com/final-dayPurchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today.Sacrificingliberty.comThe Fauci Elf is a hilarious gift guaranteed to make your friends laugh! Order yours today!Trunews/faucielf
Demonstrating Dr. Barnhouse's acute understanding of Romans and his heart for effective preaching, these messages skillfully and reverently expound even the most difficult passages in a clear way. Dr. Barnhouse's concern for a universal appreciation of the epistle fuels this series and invites all listeners into a deeper understanding of the life-changing message of Romans. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/791/29
The Book of Romans Series: Nikki and Colleen talk through Romans 9:14–24. The Potter is in charge of the clay, and His will determines the use of His creation. Does that mean that we have no choices that matter?Music: Falling Awake © 2010 Nathanael Tinker. Used by permission.©2025 Life Assurance Ministries, all rights reserved.Support the showWebsite, donation link: http://proclamationmagazine.com/Facebook—Former Adventist: https://www.facebook.com/FormerAdventist/Facebook—Life Assurance Ministries: https://www.facebook.com/ProclamationMagazine/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FormerAdventist
Ready? 1,2,3! Let's walk this out together…. 1. One Big Truth from Karen and Susan to find our footing: Antidotes to Laziness: Colossians 3:23-24 & Romans 12:11 2. Two resources to keep learning: Leadership Training Workshop on Servant Leadership. Westminster Shorter Catechism- Question #1- What is man's chief end? To glorify and enjoy Him forever. 3. Three Questions to discuss together: 1. In what are you tempted to be lazy (physical activity, eating, relationally, spiritual disciplines, etc.)? 2. Do you agree that laziness starts out feeling good, but ends up feeling empty? 3. Ask your friends for accountability to work as unto the Lord in a certain area this week. Now pray for one another to ask the Spirit to help you selflessly serve others this week. To listen to the rest of this series go to enCourage Podcast. https://women.pcacdm.org/stumbling-forward-together/
Join Pastor Derek Neider in this inspiring episode of The Daily Devotional as he kicks off a powerful new series on the book of Romans. In today's devotional, Derek introduces us to one of the most theologically rich books of the Bible, unpacking the significance of the apostle Paul's words and the gospel's eternal message.In this first chapter, Derek dives deep into Paul's self-description as a servant of Christ and a chosen messenger of God's good news. Through thoughtful reflections, Derek encourages us to embrace our calling to serve Christ wholeheartedly and live out our faith with purpose and surrender.Tune in for insightful teachings, practical application, and a fresh perspective on what it means to live as servants of the gospel. This is just the beginning—there's so much more to come as we journey through Romans together!Thank you for listening! Here are some ways to learn more and stay connected!New to faith? Click here!Learn more about Pastor Derek NeiderFollow Derek on Instagramor FacebookSubscribe to email Subscribe to the daily devotionalExplore recent messages!This podcast was created by Pastor Derek Neider as a ministry of Awaken Las Vegas.Visit our website. We are located at 7175 W. Oquendo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89113. Our gathering times are 9am & 11am Sundays and 6:30pm Thursdays.
John gives us a glimpse into the mystery and majesty of the throne room in heaven, seeing the triune God and those that surround Him. There, John sees the 24 elders who have been redeemed for a purpose: to praise and worship God as they behold the spectacle of salvation. We who have been redeemed exist for the same purpose, and we can prepare to spend eternity with Him by praising Him in all things. VF-2049 Revelation 2 Revelation 3 Romans 8:31-39 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D. , All Rights Reserved
Most Christians do not realize how much we owe the Jewish people. Romans 9:4-5 lists a whole series of blessings and promises they have passed down to Christian believers. What can we do to repay this debt? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29
At Church on the Rock, we're not here to play church. We're here to experience the life-giving, eternity-shifting power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this message, Pastor Josh unpacks why the Gospel isn't just good advice—it's good news. Because at its core, the message of Jesus isn't about behavior—it's about life or death. If you've ever felt like church is only for people who “have it all together,” this episode is for you. Rooted in Romans 6:23, John 10:10, and John 3, we look at why the Gospel isn't about moral performance but about transformation. You'll discover what Jesus really meant when He promised life and life abundantly, how your identity in Christ comes before your activity, and why so many people say “no” to the greatest exchange in history—and how not to. The truth is simple: Jesus doesn't need you to clean up first. He came to bring you back to life. Did you make a decision to follow Christ today? Fill out our digital connection card: https://churchontherock.net/connect-card How can we pray with you? https://www.churchontherock.net/prayer
Hello Friends! I love to hear from you! Please send me a text message by clicking on this link! Blessings to You!In this episode, Jori discusses with her listeners Jesus's reminder that unless one's righteousness surpassed that of the scribes and Pharisees, they would not ender the kingdom of heaven.Scripture References: Matthew 5:20; Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 2; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 1:1-17; Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 4:23-5:20; Matthew 19:16-26; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 23:27-28; Matthew 23:1-12; Romans 3:23; Genesis 15:6; 1 John 1:9Scripture translation used is the Legacy Standard Bible. “Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.comFIND DR. JORI ON OTHER PLATFORMS https://linktr.ee/drjorishafferCHECK OUT THE DWELL AUDIO BIBLE APP:Click this link for my unique referral code. I use this frequently. Such a wonderful audio bible app. https://dwellapp.io/aff?ref=jorishafferBIBLE STUDY TOOLS DR. JORI USES:Note: These contain Amazon affiliate links, meaning I get a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you decide to make a purchase through my links.LSB Single Column Biblehttps://amzn.to/4g9C47oESV MacArthur Study Biblehttps://amzn.to/3C1cpQwInk Joy Penshttps://amzn.to/3EaZ8oRMr. Pen HighLightershttps://amzn.to/3PE20x8Mr. Pen Bible Journaling Kithttps://amzn.to/40pib6o JOIN DR. JORI IN DEVOTIONAL JOURNALING IN 2025Check out this 9 min YouTube Video outlining her journaling strategy! Don't Forget to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/lqe9TO7RSz4 BOOKS OF BIBLE COLOR CHARTI made this chart as a helpful tool for grouping the collections of books or letters in the Holy Bible. The colors in the different sections are the ones that I use in my journals. Books of Bible Chart (color) (4).pdf - Google Drive LOOKING TO RETAIN MORE OF WHAT YOUR PASTOR IS TEACHING? CHECK OUT DR. JORI'S SERMON REFLECTION JOURNALS! Sermon Notes, Reflections and Applications Journal/Notebooks by Dr. Jori. Click the links below to be directed to amazon.com for purchase. Or search “Dr. Jori Shaffer” on Amazon to bring these up. https://amzn.to/418LfRshttps://amzn.to/41862EyHere is a brief YouTube video that tells about the Journal/Notebooks as well:https://youtu.be/aXpQNYUEzds Email: awordforthisday@gmail.comPodcast website: https://awordforthisday.buzzsprout.com Support the show
Today on the podcast, I'm joined by Krissy Miles—speaker, author, and leader with the Nfluence Network. From growing up in a home marked by poverty, trauma, and instability, Krissy's journey is one of radical repentance, transformation, and total submission to God.She shares candidly about the pain of her past, the deep emotional wounds she carried, and how her desire to escape it all only led her deeper into confusion and despair. But when Krissy surrendered her life fully to Jesus, everything changed. In just four months, the trajectory of her life shifted dramatically—including the miraculous way she met her husband.Krissy now equips others to walk in freedom through biblical discipleship, obedience, and hearing God's voice clearly. Her testimony is a powerful reminder that no matter how far we feel from God, He's still able to reach us—and restore us.
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/Romans2.mp3 This is the third message of an audio-only series through the book of Romans, taught by pastor David Guzik. The post Romans 2 – God's Standard for Everyone appeared first on Enduring Word.
Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike shares from Romans 6:20–23. Shame is one of the enemy's most powerful tools—it isolates, destroys, and convinces us we're beyond redemption. But God doesn't just forgive our sins… He sets us free from shame. Through Jesus, we're not only rescued from the penalty of sin—we're invited into a brand-new life, marked by holiness and eternal joy.
Today's readings: Psalm 61-62; Psalm 68; Romans 12; Luke 8:1-15
Jesus Followers Are Told to: “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Jesus expects you, as a Jesus Follower, to go and to make Disciples while sharing God's Word through your personal relationships! Therefore, you should share the Word of the Lord with people that you know. However, when you discuss the Gospel with those you know well, you are often inhibited and constrained. Paul tells you, in Romans 1:16, that you should never be ashamed to communicate the Gospel: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.". When you communicate stories of your life situations and experiences with the people you know and with whom you have relationships, they will ask you questions. From these conversational questions will come a natural discourse about your faith and relationship with Jesus in your life because you are a Jesus Follower. In Mark 5:19-20, Jesus was very explicit that we are to go to our “friends” and tell them of Jesus' good news: “'Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.' And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.". Jesus, in Luke 9:26, also, cautioned us about being ashamed or constrained in communicating His Word: “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.". TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Compulsions. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Patience. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 11:5-8; Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 16:13-20; Psalms 71a:1-12. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Being in Christ, Part 4”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
20 Proverbs 3-4; 05 Deuteronomy 21-27; 19 Psalms 5-10; 45 Romans 7-11
by Elder Chris McCool, Pastor (preached on December 8, 2024) As we delve back into the Book of Romans, we come to Chapter 6. This chapter begins with a discussion of how we should see ourselves as newly-reborn Christians – i.e., our Christian self image. The first thing we learn is that we should see...
Daily Dose of Hope May 20, 2025 Day 2 of Week 8 Scripture – Matthew 2 Prayer: Dear God, You are amazing! How awesome it is that you who created all things are also so intimately involved in our lives. We give you glory and praise for who you are. We are so thankful for your love. We want to know you more. We want and need to hear your voice. Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a devotional and podcast connected to the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, FL. Today, we are digging into Matthew 2. This is pretty familiar Scripture to many of us. Let's try to see it with fresh eyes. The text begins with foreign Magi visiting King Herod. These men are an interesting and mysterious group. We don't really know much about the magi who come seeking Jesus from eastern lands. Some translations call them wise men or kings. Matthew doesn't include a lot of details. We have no idea how many there actually were (despite the popular carol, Scripture does not say there were just three of them). Like the shepherds, the magi seem an unlikely group to seek out and worship Jesus. They were pagans, gentiles, involved in the occult, and yet they knew there was something more. They were searching for something more. So these magi embark on a long journey, carrying expensive gifts worthy of a king, eager to pay homage. Their efforts lead them to an encounter far beyond their expectations. Unlike an earthly king who would have been found in a palace, the magi are led to what we can probably assume is a modest home of a Jewish family and it's there that they find Jesus with his mother and Scripture says they bow down and worship him. Maybe it wasn't what they expected but they see God's hand in it nonetheless and worship the one they know to be the Messiah, the savior of the world. They were outsiders but they recognized the Messiah when so many insiders failed to do so. Up until now, it all sounds great, right? But there is another character in this story. His name is Herod the Great. The Herod family ruled over the holy land both before and after the time of Christ, they were somewhat like puppet kings, put in place by the Romans to keep order. And they don't have a great reputation at all. They were, for the most part, insecure and power-hungry. One reason I don't think it's accurate to refer to the magi as wise men is because they did one thing that was really unwise. They go straight to King Herod, “So where is the NEW king? Where is the one who has been named king of the Jews?” Keep in mind, Herod the Great considered himself to be king of the Jews. The man is insecure and vicious so he tries to trick the magi into divulging Jesus' location. But no amount of earthly power can get Herod what he wants. The magi are warned in a dream to not return to Herod. And this angers him more. Herod was both feared and hated. The Jewish historian Josephus painted a picture of Herod as a suspicious and cruel client king, with a history of killing anyone whom he saw as a threat, including three sons and his wife. So even though the magi remind Herod of Micah's prophecy that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), his response was not to pay homage but to destroy the newborn king. In Matthew 2:16, we read that Herod decides to take matters into his own hands and kill all the baby boys who might be in the age range of Jesus, When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Truly dark and horrific. The extent to which human beings will go to gain power surely demonstrates the brokenness of our world. Then and now. But through all of this, Jesus is saved. The baby's family is warned in a dream and they head down to Egypt for a period of time to keep the boy safe from Herod before they come back to Israel and settle in Nazareth. Because God's purposes will prevail. God had promised long, long ago to send a Savior for his people and there is nothing that could get in the way. Listen to this prophecy from in Isaiah 9:6-7, spoken 700 years before the birth of Jesus, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. It's like God was saying “I'm going to send someone who will restore the people of Israel to me. This person will be a light to the Gentiles, and will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth AND it will be obvious once more that your God reigns.” No power-hungry king could mess that up as hard as he tried. No earthly power could thwart God's plan of redemption for his people. It's true that bad things to happen. God allows human beings free will and that is too often used for evil. But that doesn't mean God isn't involved, it doesn't mean he isn't invested, God can and has orchestrated, changed, and/or stopped the plans of all kinds of people to get done what needs to get done. God has been working, in his time, over the course of thousands of years, to achieve his bigger purpose. And what was the bigger purpose? God's mission from the beginning was to redeem his world. He did this through Jesus. That little baby that the wise men knelt down and worshiped, that child that Herod felt so threatened by --- that child would grow to become the Savior of the world. He would bring sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed, he would proclaim good news to the poor. He would preach the Kingdom of God and show the world a different way of living, ultimately giving up his own life voluntarily on a Roman cross. In doing so, he became the final sacrifice for sin, providing a way for you and me and all people to be redeemed. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, our sins can be forgiven and we can walk hand in hand with a holy God. Because of Jesus, nothing separates us from God. And then, three days after he died, he was resurrected, defeating evil and death and demonstrating to the world who HE is. He is, after all, God. Jesus is the Lord. Jesus is LORD of all. Paul writes this in Colossians 1:15-20, The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Jesus is above all things. Jesus is Lord. And over the course of 2000 years, rulers and kings and dictators and autocrats have tried to wipe out his influence. They have misused his teachings, they have twisted the Gospel. Like Herod, they have done all kinds of things to either try to eliminate the influence of Jesus or to use the Gospel for their own deceitful purposes. And at times, it's been ugly and violent and really sad. But this is TRUTH: God will ensure that his purposes prevail. Yes, in our sinful and broken world, all kinds of horrors will occur. Vladimir Putin will think he's invincible. Kim Jong Un will declare himself supreme ruler. American politicians will think themselves unshakable. You and I will experience heartbreak, loss, and illness. And yet, Jesus is still Lord of all. God is still working in our lives, God is still present with us in the middle of the mess, and Jesus is still in the business of transforming lives. Friends, Jesus is on the throne, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The rulers of the world may oppose him but they are ultimately answerable to him. Because he will come again. I'll stop there for now. But I do have to ask this question: Is Jesus Lord of your life? More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki
Romans 11:1-32 • Dr. Jared Richard Fill out this form here: https://www.bayleaf.org/connect we look forward to hearing from you.
The Second Temple period will look at the Jewish rebellions, including the Maccabees against the Greeks, the Jews against the Romans, Bar Kochba's reconquest of Jerusalem, and the splintering of Jewish society into numerous Jewish sects. We will discuss the significance of the development of the Talmud and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Also considered will be Jesus' Jewish identity and the beginnings of Christianity emerging from Judaism. The visual part of the talk and the presentation can be found on our YouTube channel by this link: https://youtu.be/dlbuymIRnRk?si=Aa5hZU5bdHzMiuYR
The Second Temple period will look at the Jewish rebellions, including the Maccabees against the Greeks, the Jews against the Romans, Bar Kochba's reconquest of Jerusalem, and the splintering of Jewish society into numerous Jewish sects. We will discuss the significance of the development of the Talmud and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Also considered will be Jesus' Jewish identity and the beginnings of Christianity emerging from Judaism. The visual part of the talk and the presentation can be found on our YouTube channel by this link: https://youtu.be/dlbuymIRnRk?si=Aa5hZU5bdHzMiuYR
The Second Temple period will look at the Jewish rebellions, including the Maccabees against the Greeks, the Jews against the Romans, Bar Kochba's reconquest of Jerusalem, and the splintering of Jewish society into numerous Jewish sects. We will discuss the significance of the development of the Talmud and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Also considered will be Jesus' Jewish identity and the beginnings of Christianity emerging from Judaism. The visual part of the talk and the presentation can be found on our YouTube channel by this link: https://youtu.be/dlbuymIRnRk?si=Aa5hZU5bdHzMiuYR
Immanuel Baptist Church Youth Choir sings "I Am So Blessed" during a worship service at Immanuel Baptist Church, Florence, Ky. Please visit us at 7183 Pleasant Valley Road Florence KY 41042, or call us at (859) 586-6829. Church links: Website: https://www.ibcflorence.com Daily Devotions: https://www.ibcflorence.com/devotions Free App: http://www.ibcflorence.com/ibc-app Our entire list of recent sermons: https://www.ibcflorence.com/recent-sermons Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ibcflorenceky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ibcflorence/ Podcasts: https://soundcloud.com/user-658781358 Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence/live We would love to know how to pray for you! Romans 10:9
Jase shares a tender moment with Miss Kay and her new mama bird friend—one that helps him see beauty in aging. Al opens up about caring and praying for Phil, who still shines with the Holy Spirit even in his decline. Jase reflects on why he and Miss Kay clashed in his youth and how he now sees her love more clearly. The guys turn to Romans 8 to find hope, strength, and God's design in every season of life, especially the difficult ones. In this episode: Romans 8, verses 17–39; 1 Corinthians 15, verses 22-26; Ephesians 3, verses 14–19; Matthew 28, verses 18–20; Hebrews 12, verses 5–11 “Unashamed” Episode 1094 is sponsored by: https://preborn.com/unashamed — Click the link or dial #250 and use keyword BABY to donate today. https://myphdweightloss.com — Find out how Al is finally losing weight! Schedule your one-on-one consultation today by visiting the website or calling 864-644-1900. https://tnusa.com/unashamed — Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit the website for more details. https://puretalk.com/unashamed — Support veterans by switching to America's wireless company for as little as $25 per month today! Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Waiting can feel like silence. Like stagnation. Like abandonment.But what if the delay isn't a detour — what if it's divine preparation?In today's episode of Monday Meditations, we explore what it means to wait with purpose and walk with willingness even when the answers haven't come. Drawing from the story of Ruth, the groaning of Romans 8, and the promises of God's Word, we uncover the truth that God is never inactive — even when we can't see His hand.This is for the one in the hallway between closed and open doors.For the one carrying holy tension.For the one tempted to give up.Let this episode reframe your waiting — not as wasted time, but as a sacred invitation to trust, serve, and hope deeper than ever before.We hope that you enjoy this episode. God bless you and Go Rise Up!Shop PROCLAIM's latest drop: www.proclaim365.com/shopJoin BIBLEin365 and read the entire Bible with us in a year: www.proclaim365.com/biblein365
Pastor Kelly Soiles points us to Romans 8:1, reminding us that in Christ we're no longer under condemnation but invited into a life shaped by genuine transformation rather than mere performance.
263. Domestic Violence and Abuse: Identifying and Healing from Abusive Relationships with Stacey Womack Mark 10:27 NKJV "But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” **Transcription Below** Questions and Topics We Discuss: Will you teach us about the various types of abuse? How do we respond appropriately and in a Christ-like manner when someone does report abuse? What are your views for having biblical reasons for divorce, specifically as it relates to each type of abuse? Stacey Womack is an award-winning expert in domestic violence from a faith-based perspective. She founded Abuse Recovery Ministry & Services (ARMS) in 1997 and she is a published author and sought after national speaker. Stacey developed and wrote the curriculum used for ARMS programs, including Her Journey for survivors of abuse and Mankind and Virtue for men and women who have used abusive behaviors. She has assisted tens of thousands of people in recovering from both the receiving and giving of abuse. Her passion has grown ARMS, a small grassroots organization, to now having an international reach. Abuse Recovery Ministry & Services Website Stacey's Books Thank You to Our Sponsor: Grace Catering Other Related Episodes on The Savvy Sauce: 146 Biblical Response to Emotionally Destructive Relationships with Leslie Vernick 148 Overcoming Evil with Good: Recognizing Spiritual Abuse with Dr. Diane Langberg Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“ Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“ Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” **Transcription** Music: (0:00 – 0:09) Laura Dugger: (0:10 - 1:50) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here. Today's episode includes some thematic material. I want you to be aware before you listen in the presence of little ears. For anyone who feels like they don't have time to cook, but they still desire to have meals that taste just like grandma's, I can't wait to share more about one of my favorite sponsors, Grace Catering Company. Check them out today at gracecateringcompany.com. Stacey Womack is my guest today. She is the award-winning expert in domestic violence from a faith-based perspective. She is the founder of Abuse Recovery Ministry and Services, which she will refer to as ARMS, and she's also the author of this practical and helpful resource entitled On the Front Lines of Abuse, Strategies for the Faith Community. Stacey fearlessly answers questions today about what defines abuse, what steps can we take today to discover if we're in an abusive relationship, what does the Bible have to say about abuse and divorce, and so much more. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Stacey. Stacey Womack: Thank you so much. I'm so glad to be here. Laura Dugger: Would you mind just starting us off by giving us a current snapshot of your phase of life? Stacey Womack: (1:52 - 2:48) Sure. You know, I've been doing this work for 27 years, but actually I grew up in a pastor's home and married young and had my children young. I have six children, and I have my 13th grandchild on the way, and my first great-grandchild is due in December. And in the midst of homeschooling my kids back in the day, God began to speak to me about ministry that he had for me. And so, this was the door he opened, even though I'm not a survivor of abuse. And back then I never had planned on starting a nonprofit or, you know, having it be the way it is, never planned on having an income off of it. None of that was a part of the plan. I was just being obedient to what God had called me to do. And so here we are today, 27 years later, providing services nationally and internationally to victims and survivors of abuse and also working with those who use abusive and controlling behaviors. Laura Dugger: (2:50 - 3:12) Wow. And abuse is something that's so difficult to understand, and it's a topic that's easy for us to want to avoid. But I appreciate you bringing awareness to this topic that affects more people than we would ever suspect. So, will you just teach us the various types of abuse? Stacey Womack: (3:12 - 12:56) Sure. So, I'll try to go through them fairly briefly for you, but most of the time they only give you a few, but we have eight different areas of abuse that we talk about. So, you know, most people get physical abuse. That's how most people define domestic violence and abuse is physical, which is all the things from hitting, pushing, slapping, grabbing, strangulation, which is something that's very dangerous. And a person's at risk of dying days and weeks after being strangled, even months after being strangled. So, it's a very serious crime. Most states it's a felony. But every category has those things that aren't as obvious. So, in physical, it would be like posturing where someone stands up or takes a step towards you, it's right in your space. The most common form of abuse is psychological, though. This is what is often called emotional abuse by most people. So psychological abuse, I kind of divided into three categories. The largest one is the crazy making the mind games, the mental coercion, the gaslighting, all those things. And that's very, very hard to explain to people. And it doesn't look like abuse. It looks like non-memorable conflict oftentimes and gets misdiagnosed that way, I guess you could say. And it's the form of abuse that women say is the hardest to heal from because bruises heal. But the emotional ones that psychological abuse causes can take years and years to heal from. So also, another big category besides the mind games is the isolation. So, keeping them from friends and family could be outright telling them not to spend time with friends and family, or it could be, you know, allowing them to go spend time with friends and family, but then they pay for it later. So, there's some type of punishment for doing that. Moving her from place to place, or church to church, to keep her from having any kind of support. So that's very common. And then another category in here, and I'm just keeping them very brief, is stalking behaviors, which stalking should be taken very seriously because 75% of those who commit homicides are stalkers. So, this is everything from following, showing up uninvited, not leaving when asked, to the use of spyware, which is often free or cheap. So, you know, those air pods, they drop them in people's purses or put them in places in their car or whatever, just so they can follow them where they're going, those types of things. And among our younger generation, a common stalking behavior would be multiple calling and multiple texting. So, the second closest that comes to emotional abuse would be verbal abuse. And most of us get the types of verbal abuse that are obvious, the yelling, the swearing, the name calling, the, you know, put downs. I mean, things that are really obvious. And this is a huge category and not well understood because we have all used some verbal abuse in our lives. So, everything down to things that are more subtle, like the silent treatment as a way to control the conversation or sarcasm, which is actually means the tearing of flesh. So, it's not a healthy way to communicate. There's a little bit of truth to it. That's what makes it funny. But it's always at someone's expense. And we live in a pretty sarcastic world. And I, myself, can be pretty sarcastic at times after really watch that because it's really not a kind way to communicate. So, again, this is a huge category. So, we have verbal, psychological, physical, financial, lots of financial control and abusive relationships. Most of our men who are abusive use financial control. So, he's making all the financial decisions. He's controlling the finances, or he allows her to have some access to finances, but not all by hiding assets and hidden accounts, things like that. Or maybe making her handle all the finances while he goes out and misspends. So, then it's her fault. And now he has a reason to abuse her. And even once they separate, financial abuse continues by not paying a spousal or child support. So, I tell our women to not depend on that, do what they need to do legally, but not to depend on it because it's very hard to get that money back. So, we have verbal, psychological, physical, financial, sexual, which people get that one too. Rape, unwanted touch, attacking body parts, making her dress a certain way or not dress a certain way. It could include extreme jealousy, which is, again, goes right back into those stalking behaviors. So, it's these pornography affairs, sexual name calling or sexual putdowns or sexual jokes. Again, another really big category. So that a lot of times some more subtle things that people don't recognize as being abusive because a lot of people use it, like the sexual name calling or sexual using sexual cuss words. So, I always have to go through those verbal, psychological, physical, financial, sexual property. We don't always think about property being abusive. But if an abuser can convince his victim that he's dangerous, he never has to be physical. And so, he might punch the hole right next to your head. I had a woman tell me this. And then he saw the fear in her face, and he said, “What? I didn't even touch you.” But the message was, this is what could happen to you. So, property is not always it can include, but it is not always the breaking of things or throwing things. It could be slamming doors, slamming hands on the table. But it could also be moving property to make her think she's going crazy. So, she has a place she keeps her keys. He moves them to make her think she's going crazy, that she can't remember where she's putting things anymore. So, you always have an overlap in an abusive event. It's never just one form of abuse unless it's just psychological and very subtle. But property abuse also includes the use of weapons. In the groups that we've been doing with men for the more than two decades that we've been working with them, usually they're not using the weapon there. It's the implied threat of use of weapons. So, we had one woman who went to her boyfriend's house, and he came out of his bedroom with a knife and laid it on the table and said, “I just don't know what I'd do if you left me.” Or we had many guys in the program for tapping knives while they create and continue arguments with their partners. So, it could be any misuse of any property. It could even be gift giving to get her to comply back into the relationship. So, it's not always what you think of when you think of like guns and knives. It doesn't have to be that way. It can be very subtle. So then we have spiritual abuse, spiritual abuse. Since we're a faith-based organization, we talk about the misuse of scripture. So, he's using scripture to get her to comply, to get his way. And God's word is a balance between judgment and love and mercy. And when you remove that love and they're just going with the judgment side of God's word, you are misusing God's word. It's not what God intended for his word. He did not ever intend for the word to be weaponized against a person, especially in an intimate relationship. So, we talk about the difference between submission and oppression and how they are different from one another in our groups. It's also for our men who attend church regularly. I always tell pastors, if you've got a man who's coming to you and he's working his way through the church leadership and he's being very humble and he's telling you that he knows he has his issue, but he's concerned for his wife that he's not really being abusive. That she just thinks he's being abusive to her because she's experienced abuse in the past or she has mental health issues or she's cheating on him, which is usually not true. They're doing this to discredit her while they're doing what we call public image management to make themselves look good to the public. So, they're involved in all kinds of things. It may be on the church council. So, you know, when they tell their church leadership this, it's hard to believe. It's hard for them to believe when she comes forward and says this is what's actually going on in my relationship because they've not experienced that from him. He's been a great guy around them. So, questioning her theology, her salvation, keeping her from going to church, making her go to church, moving her from church to church, things like that, too. And then the last one is animal abuse. And of course, we think about harming animals. And of course, when you harm an animal, that is animal abuse. But in terms of the work we do, it's about using the animal to control the person in some way. And that might include the threat to get rid of it, the threat to harm or the threat to kill or the doing of those things or neglecting, not like not feeding or watering the pet. But it could also be things like getting a pet she's allergic to or afraid of or withholding affection from her while he's being overly affectionate to the pet. We have lots of women who tell us about that. So, again, it's not about necessarily harming the pet as much as it is about using the pet to gain control. You have to remember that abuse is about power and control and abuse means the misuse of. So, anything can be misused, not just physical hitting and punching and misuse of our strength, but anything can be misused. And when it's used to gain power and control in an intimate relationship. It's a pattern; that's when you're looking at someone who has an abusive personality. Laura Dugger: (12:57 - 13:27) Wow. Thank you for laying that foundation and expanding our definition. It sounds like so many sins, domestic violence can be insidious, and it can usually begin with a very charming spouse who eventually becomes more and more abusive. So, have you found that people more easily recognize when they're in an abusive relationship or is it surprising and confusing to them? Stacey Womack: (13:28 - 16:58) It's mostly confusing and surprising, maybe in that order. You know, since I work with these men, too, there are really great things about them. There's really good qualities I see in them. And that's what these women fall in love with, these really great qualities. And these men can be extremely charming. And even if you haven't been raised in abuse and you find yourself in an abusive relationship, sometimes it's because you were in a really vulnerable place when you got involved. And it just felt really good to have somebody come in and be so big and strong and great in your life. Or there's other times guys are just so good at this that they're just believe completely. There's no reason not to believe, right? I mean, you trust somebody because you expect them to be telling you the truth. So, it usually starts off very subtle and it gradually increases. So, he might start questioning. So, is that what you're going to wear? Or, you know, well, that's a lot of makeup. Or maybe, you know, telling her that he doesn't agree with something that she agrees with and that maybe her friends and family aren't good for her and maybe she needs to distance herself from them. We've had women tell us that that happens to them. So, we have a checklist on our website under am I in an abusive relationship, basically. And underneath that, there's actually a PDF that they can print out and check off. And it usually starts off with things like, are you surprised by his anger? Does his anger scare you? You know, and then we work down to more obvious forms of abuse. But when a woman goes through that list and it's actually degenerate. So, a male or a female could go through the list. And they could go through it and they could determine, am I experiencing a pattern of these behaviors in my life? Marriage should be the safest place for you. And when it's not, there's something wrong there. And we do work with women who are abusive. So, I do want to acknowledge that there are male victims out there. And when they call us, since we don't have a group for them, because perpetrators believe they are the victims. So, if I opened a men's victim group, I would get a room full of perpetrators. Male victims tend to say very similar things to our female victims and behave in very similar ways that our women behave as well. And so, we refer them out to counselors that we trust. And, you know, and women can be what we call primary aggressors in the relationship. And they act and talk and say the same kinds of things as our male primary aggressors. And most primary aggressors are male because it just works better for them. They're bigger, they're stronger, they're given privilege that women are not given. So, it just works better for them. But there are women out there who do that. And then there's those relationships where both parties are using abused. But one is a primary and one is a secondary. It doesn't make the abuse okay. It doesn't even make it okay when you or I say something or act in a way that disregards or disrespects another person. That's sin. So, I think that we need to be really honest with the fact that this is a human issue. And that it's okay to come out and say, you know what, I have a problem with this. And I need help. And that's what we're trying to offer for both the men and the women that we serve. Laura Dugger: (16:59 - 17:21) And I'm just simplifying it. But in my mind, when you talk about primary and secondary, it makes me think for that secondary person, just simply hurt people, hurt people. So, is that what you're talking about? Where they are not the initiators of the abusive behavior, but when they are abused over time, they respond with abusive patterns as well? Stacey Womack: (17:21 - 19:17) Yeah, abuse is a learned behavior. So, if they grew up in a home where abuse was present, you know, as much as you don't like some of those negative things that we all get from growing up, we get good things and bad things. We often end up repeating them until we learn something different. And so, some of our women in our secondary aggressors program, you know, have had to fight their entire life to survive. And sometimes it's just safer to be the aggressor than it is to be the victim. And so, a lot of times when women are using abusive behaviors, it's more about trying to be heard or it's payback. So, they don't really gain power and control from their abuse, not really. It's usually when they're abusive, the women are just getting payback for what their abuser did. So, one woman, her and her husband had an argument and he's this big guy. And so, to get back at him, we would call this properly anal and psychological. She took the pillow and rubbed it all over the cat because he's allergic to cats and put the pillow back on the bed so he'd wake up with puffy eyes. It's a very passive form of abuse, but it is a way to get back at him. And then we have those women who just fight back verbally and they can. I had this little gal, not probably hardly even 100 pounds. She could bring a 200 pound, six foot tall husband to his knees with just her words. And this is a woman who had to fight her entire life. So, you know, you can see there's times where relationships where there's more. I don't really like the word mutual, but there's they're both using abusive behaviors, but it's the only way they know how to live life. And so, the women come out of this program saying, now I understand that his abuse to me does not excuse my abuse to him. And I have power to make choices that will bring change to my life. And that's a powerful place to be much more powerful than being a victim. Laura Dugger: (19:18 - 19:45) Absolutely. And I think the hope that I'm hearing is when you say abuse is a learned behavior. Does that mean we can learn our way out of it as well? So, anyone who is in an abusive relationship or is finding if they're listening to this, maybe they find out that they are the abuser, you can learn your way out of it then? Stacey Womack: (19:45 - 21:27) You can. It takes a tremendous amount of work. But both the victim and the perpetrator or the survivor, they have to learn new tools, both of them, because we have women who get out of abusive relationships who find themselves right back into another abusive relationship. The tools that women use in abusive relationships are amazing. The ways that they do things to survive the abuse is absolutely amazing. But those same tools do not serve them well once they're out of abuse. Some of them get into healthy relationships, but they're still using those old tools that they picked up during the abusive relationship. And so, they come to group a recovery group so that they can heal from that and learn a new way and let go of that pain and hurt and learn behavior so that they can also be healthy in that relationship with that new partner. So, and he also and for the abuser, someone who's like this is they've been the primary aggressor in the relationship and they have a lifetime of picking up belief systems that have given them permission to behave that way. And that doesn't change in 12 weeks. Programs for those guys and those gals should be long; thirty-six weeks the absolute minimum. I think a year or even two years is better because you need practice to sustain change. We have lots of guys who change, but getting that sustained change takes lots of accountability and lots of hard work. And it's difficult to do. But we have those stories of couples that make it. There's a lot more that don't make it. All the men make some changes, but often not enough to save the relationship. So, it varies. Laura Dugger: (21:27 - 23:38) And now a brief message from our sponsor, Grace Catering Company in North Peoria offers a rotating menu of scrumptious meals for you to take home and pop in your own oven with family friendly options like lasagna, bacon wrapped meatloaves, chicken Alfredo pasta, breakfast burritos and creamy garlic chicken breasts. Your homemade dinner will be on the table in no time. They also offer healthier and lighter options as well as some gluten-free and keto-friendly choices. The meals are packaged in a variety of sizes, which makes it perfect for individuals or couples, or they have portions large enough to feed the entire family. Their menu is on a six-week rotation. 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Our extended family also loves to use the take and bake options on Sunday afternoons, which allows us to enjoy a delectable meal while still getting to enjoy a true Sabbath. Grace Catering Company is located just off Alta Lane in North Florida. Check them out today at gracecateringcompany.com. Well, and with your programs, what are some of the things that you do offer for someone who finds themselves in an abusive relationship? Stacey Womack: (23:40 - 28:08) Yeah, so our largest program is called Her Journey and it's a victim survivor recovery program. So, it doesn't matter what form of abuse you experienced or are experiencing. It could be years ago even. And we have this, it's a 15 week program, but we lead it year-round so you can just start immediately. It's one of the things that we found out as we've been doing this national campaign is that we're the only ones that we've found that are free. It's a free program. We have Zoom. So, we have every day of the week covered. If we don't have something right in your own state, in your county. But we're in-person groups in 21 states right now and looking to lead more or teach more leaders how to lead the program in their community, or in their centers, or in their missions. They're often held in churches. It's all confidential. The women just call in. They don't have to give us their real name. They don't have to give us any information. They don't want to. We just ask whatever name they use. They keep using the same name so we don't care if they say their name is Minnie Mouse. That's fine with us. Just so that we can keep track of it for grant purposes. But in that group, it's not a process group. It's really about hearing God's heart around this issue. And they do get training around domestic violence. But we also go through other topics like dealing with anger, depression and loneliness and just all the different things that happen throughout this process. Learning how to appropriately boundary set and what to do and what's going to work with an abuser. What's not going to work with an abuser. Those types of things. And so, we found that we just keep it open so the women can join immediately. Because if we don't help them right when they're asking for the help, we'll lose them because the abuser will very quickly work to move them back into the relationship, which is part of the cycle of abuse. And because we want the relationship to work and we want to believe him, we do. And so, women, you know, leave on average seven times before they leave for good because we don't get into a relationship to see it in. And so, when I talk and train pastors and I had a pastor say, “Well, she's just looking for a way out.” I'm like, “No, that's not true.” These women do everything, including couples counseling, which is something that does not work when abuse is the issue and power control is the issue. And most pastors that I haven't heard of any seminary that actually does a whole course on domestic violence, they get a little bit of couples counseling and that's it. And even counselors don't get trained in domestic violence. So, this is only a very small portion of counselors. So, I would tell these women, if you're listening to this now, that they shouldn't do couples counseling, but they should look for a counselor who has 40 hours of victim advocacy training from an advocacy agency and that he needs to go work on his own issues with an agency that deals with domestic abuse intervention. And a lot of times the things that she thinks, or they both think, they need couples counseling for go completely away once he does the work he needs to do. So, the communication problems, the anger issues, all those things that they think are the cause are no longer an issue. Most of our couples don't even need couples counseling after this because he has learned to love like Jesus loves. That's what we teach is like, what does that mean to be Christlike? What does that mean to lay your life down? So, but during our time that we work with women or men, secondary or primary aggressors, female or male, we in our groups talk about focusing on that themselves and their relationship with God and not focusing outward because God will take care of that. Sure, pray about it, but release it. That's God's responsibility. You only have control of this relationship is between yourself and God. And that's where you're going to seek Him about what He's calling you to do in this situation. And every person's a little bit different. It's not my place to tell someone whether to leave or stay. And we're not here to promote divorce. And we know the women want their relationships to work. We know they want men to make it to the other side. We do, too, but we cannot make that happen. So, all we can do is present the information and allow the Holy Spirit to do the work. And the person has to be willing to receive the help. Laura Dugger: (28:09 - 28:35) Absolutely. Well, and I even think about how this conversation came about. We had multiple women of different ages, all of them believers, who were reaching out and sharing a little bit of their experience in marriage and sharing some potential abuse. And I actually reached out to some publicists that I work with and said, “Who would be able to speak to this?” And so that's how we got connected. Stacey Womack: (28:36 - 28:36) Yeah. Laura Dugger: (28:36 - 28:54) Very much appreciated your book. And as I was reading it, there was one story that was particularly haunting. And it was about a pastor who ended up begging you for training. So, can you recall what happened? Stacey Womack: (28:54 - 34:09) Yeah. You know, a lot of pastors just it's not that they don't care. It's just that they're very uneducated around this. So even myself, when I first started, I would give people really unhelpful advice before I even began this work because I didn't understand it well. And so, he had encouraged this woman to forgive and go back, which is a typical response. You know, submit more, pray harder. Those are the kinds of things that a lot of women get from churches. And so, she did. She went home and then he murdered her that night. And so, this pastor was absolutely heartbroken, as you can imagine, and was calling in and asking, please, please, please train us because we don't want this to ever happen again. You know, and honestly, there are some pastors out there that believe that women should stay in the relationship, even if they are being abused and that God will bless them through their suffering, even if it means death. I don't agree with that. See, I think that God would never sacrifice a person for the sake of the relationship. But we do as the church sometimes because we're so concerned about the relationship. The relationship is important and God has got a reconciliation and we want reconciliation, too. But God also tells us the prudent man or woman hides from danger and he cares about us as individuals. And He has called us to live life abundantly, not to just bear it, you know. And so, I think that we need to really look at that. And being raised as a pastor's daughter that, you know, I was taught that way. So, it was a really it's been really hard, you know, working in the faith communities really struggles with this. And, you know, this idea that, well, a separation might lead to divorce. But separation is really functional in these relationships because she needs safety so that she can talk, speak the truth from this other person. And she needs time to see whether or not he's willing to actually get the help that he's been promising he'll get. And they need time to see if he can actually work through that. Or is he just using a program as another controlling behavior to get her to come back into a relationship? If she waits long enough and we usually say six months and he's mad that she's not letting him back home. He goes right back to all the bad behaviors he was doing before. And he pulls all the money out of the bank and does all these crazy things. And she has her answer, which is heartbreaking. The women are heartbroken over this because they want their relationships to work. We cannot emphasize that enough to the faith community. These women want their relationships to work and that they did not sign up for this. They did not sign up for these. They did not say, “Oh, yes, I am agreeing to get married and be abused.” That's how they agreed to. And he made a promise to love and cherish. And the Bible commands men to love their wives like Christ loves the church and to lay his life down. That means he gives up his way to bless her, that Jesus came to serve, not to be served. So, his role is one of being the lead servant in the relationship. He should be the first to be serving her. And how do we respond as women? We feel loved and cherished and cared for when that happens. My husband's so good at this. I have to be careful if I say I'm thirsty, he's up getting me a glass of water. He's so quick to serve. But this is the kind of behavior that blesses us. And men are surprised that the very thing they want, the respect, honor, all those kinds of things. They get it by doing the very opposite of what they're doing, by giving up their way, by embracing humility. And humility is hard because it means it's not about being 50-50 or being fair. It's about going 100 percent or more. So, my husband would share because he leads manuscripts with me. And he says, you know, guys, you know, if Stacy's at 20 percent, then I need to go 180. I need to go in and fill in that gap for her. And there's times I do that for him, too, because unhealthy relationships like that's what we do for women. But an abusive relationship, that's never what happens. And an abuser has and this is very popular, a narcissistic view of his world. He may not realize that it doesn't mean he has narcissistic personality disorder. Those guys are very different and they stick out sore thumbs, but they all behave narcissistic, narcissistically, meaning their world revolves around them. So, they want you to manage their emotions. They blame you for when they're unhappy. And even if you weren't even present, when whatever happened, that he's unhappy that he still blames you for it, which doesn't make sense. It's that crazy making. It's like, “Wow, how am I the cause of this when this happened at work? I don't understand.” You know, so there's all that craziness that goes on. But, you know, I'm so honored to get to walk alongside men and women in their process of change and their aha moments and their realization that God loves them and that God values them and that they're important and they're regarded. And that because of that, abuse is never OK. It's never OK. Laura Dugger: (34:10 - 35:21) The few follow ups with that, then to go back to an earlier point, you're making a connection for me where I'm thinking back to a few episodes. It was one was with Leslie Vernick and one was with Dr. Diane Langberg. So, I can't remember who said this. I can link to both in the show notes, but it's what you're speaking to that as we study the scriptures and we see Christ likeness and how to become more Christ like and what God really says about these topics. They were pointing out he cares about the individual more than the institution. Yeah. And so, I think there's a lot of re-education for us in the faith community, unfortunately. But then also two follow up questions. One, as you're talking about narcissism or a narcissistic outlook, is there ever from your experience? I'm familiar with some of my friends who are in relationships like that or acquaintances that I know. Is there ever hope for the husband who has narcissistic tendencies or personality disorder to repent? Have you ever seen that? Stacey Womack: (35:21 - 37:16) Absolutely. We have men who've done a really great job of working away from being self-focused and selfish. That's really what it is. They read these journals and we make comments on them and they have to come up with the beliefs that gave them permission to behave this way. So, we had one guy and you could just see a selfishness that I always wrote. The belief is I'm most important. I've read it every on every single journal. And he finally came to group after a few months because I really realize I'm really selfish. And so, as we help them to see this, it begins to change things and they begin to make different choices and try new things. As someone who has a narcissistic personality disorder, like any personality disorder, those are not medicated. They can't be medicated and it takes a longer time. So, I've had some training on narcissistic personality disorder and I recognize those guys. Any of those guys generally with personality disorders because they don't see themselves. So, the group laughs at things I say, but they don't understand why they're laughing. And those guys need like seven years of counseling with someone who specializes in narcissistic personality disorder. If they're willing to do the work that that they can actually make changes. And there's a gentleman who who's travels the country speaking on this. He says that's his favorite group of population he works with. I can't say the word narcissistic personality disorder men. And he says, you would like this man today. But he had like multiple failed businesses. He'd been very successful, but they're failing businesses, failing marriage. And he worked with them and you don't work with them the same as just typical counseling. It's not the same because they don't see themselves. So, we need more people who specialize in that. Laura Dugger: (37:16 - 38:12) I agree with you there. And it's just helpful to have that reminder of hope. Even this morning in my quiet time, I was reading in the Gospels and it was Jesus saying and everything he says is true. That with man, it seems impossible, or it is impossible. But with God, we know that all things are possible. So, appreciate the way you answered that. And then also a follow up would be we heard that awful story of what happened with the physical safety when you're looking at physical abuse. But then, Stacey, would you recommend wives have the same boundaries? Are they taking time away to physically protect themselves if there's any type of abuse? If there is financial abuse, let's say, are they given the same recommendations as somebody who is in an emotionally abusive relationship? Stacey Womack: (38:13 - 40:49) Well, the emotional abuse is always there. You don't have any other forms of abuse without emotional abuse. So, our women, we talk about boundary setting and different boundaries they can begin trying. But oftentimes the only boundary that actually works to be able to say for us to be able to make it, you need to go get help. And while you're getting help, we need to be separated so they're not focusing on one another. So not all of our women separate. Some of the women try to work through it while he's still in the home. My experience is that it slows the process down, extremely slows the process down because they're still focusing on one another. And he's coming home and he's sharing with us how great the program is. But then he's going home and he's angry and he's taking it out on her. So, it creates some unsafety for her. And I just want to say this because I think a lot of people don't understand that there's physical safety and then there's emotional safety. And we downplay the emotional safety. But emotional safety is as important as physical safety. So, I have some pastors who think that if we share things like this, that we're going to be making victims. That's not true. I don't relate to the books that are out there. You know, oh, yeah, I've experienced that. It's not going to make victims. You either relate to it or you don't. But this emotional safety might mean needing to separate from that person. Not because you fear their physical abuse when you haven't been physical. But a lot of our women say he's never been physical, but I'm fearful of him. And so in order for her to get some healing and some help while she waits to see whether or not he gets help and she's really hoping he will. She needs that space. And so, yes, I think that in a lot of scenarios, separation is a key. And then we have some couples where the where the husband does is not willing to do the work he needs to do, but he's not controlling the finances. So, they remain married but separated for the rest of their lives. Not very many couples can do that because most abusers are going to control finances. So, but that's why I was saying it's not our place to tell a woman to leave or to stay. That's not our job. It's our job to walk alongside them when they seek God for what they should be doing and what boundaries they should be setting. And they can try a lot of different things before it gets to that point. And it just there's no easy answer for this. Laura Dugger: (40:50 - 41:05) It's very complex. Yes, it's very complex. But even when you say there's a lot of things they could try. Could you give a few examples or is there a place on your website where they can go to get some ideas and some help for those earlier stages? Stacey Womack: (41:06 - 43:43) Well, we talk about this in our journey class again, which is free. You can join at any time in our class on boundaries. And so, it depends on the severity of abuse that's going on. But most women, when there has been physical abuse, will start off with things like and we talk about a boundary has to have a consequence. Otherwise, it's not really you can't. It doesn't work. But these men are boundary breakers. So, a boundary would be like saying, if you continue to yell at me and call me names, I'm going to leave and go to my friend's house. So, there's the boundary and there's a consequence for breaking. But then we also realize when we're talking to them that he may decide at some point he's not going to let you leave. So now he's blocking the door. So, then it might be, you know, if you're going to treat me this way, I'm no longer going to cook meals or do your wash. And it usually works its way down to I'm no longer going to have sex with you. I'm not going to sleep in the same room with you. And once you get to that point, the only other thing you can do is do a physical separation with the heart to actually reunite. That's what these women want. And some of our couples have been separated for three years. But the husband is like, let her head home. And he's doing his work and they're interacting again. But he doesn't move back home for three years because he's committed to giving her whatever space and time she needs to heal. Because he recognizes that he's the one that's caused unsafety. And so, what is three years if you can have a healthy relationship for the rest of your life? And so that's what we were looking for our men to do. It's like even if you're disappointed, if she's saying, I'm not ready for you to move back. And you can say, I feel disappointed, but you know what? I get it. And whatever you need, I'm willing to do that. That's accountability. That's humility. And really, they need to have other men who are mentoring them to hold them accountable. And again, not a lot of people are taught this. And so having the right mentor even for this is really important. Even a right counselor for them to work with their childhood issues. But those are some ideas for some boundaries. Boundaries always have to have consequences. But even if a woman gets a protection order or restraining order, most of those are violated. So, we tell the women be prepared to call the police when he violates it by texting you or by sending you a card with money in it or putting flowers on your car. Or coming to the church service that you put in the restraining order that he wasn't supposed to come to. So, you need to be ready to hold him accountable because the abuser doesn't believe you're going to actually follow through. Laura Dugger: (43:43 - 44:32) Do you love The Savvy Sauce? Do you gain anything when you listen? Did you know that the two ways we earn money to keep this podcast live is through generous contributions from listeners and from our paying sponsors? That means we can promote your business and you're still supporting The Savvy Sauce. It's a win-win. Please email us today at info@thesavvysauce.com to inquire about pricing for sponsoring each episode. Thank you for your consideration. Well, and what if somebody is listening right now and they're automatically assuming, well, this isn't happening to anyone I know and it's certainly not happening in our church. What would you like to directly say to them? Stacey Womack: (44:33 - 45:40) I'd like to let them know that statistically one in three women experience domestic violence, stalking, or rape by an intimate partner. And the statistics in the church are no less than they are outside of the church. So, every church has families in their church who look like the perfect couple. When I started leading a group in my own church, I was so shocked. I kept telling myself, stop being shocked when I have another woman privately come up to me and tell me that they were in an abusive relationship because they just, they were involved, and they were just leading Sunday school. And they were, just look like this beautiful family and you would never have known. There was no way to know that this was actually going on. So, you know, the reality is that it's happening. We're just not aware of it. It wasn't on my radar before God called me into this work. I didn't think it was affecting my life. I didn't think of much thought. But the reality is I feel like it's worse now than ever and not necessarily more physical abuse, but just abuse in general, the misuse of things to gain control. Laura Dugger: (45:42 - 46:18) Well, and I appreciate the way you helped give a paradigm shift. You offered this on page 36 in your book and you quote saying, “At ARMS, we do not believe God considers domestic violence and abuse an adult issue. Instead, we believe he sees it as child abuse. We are his children.” So, Stacey, with that in mind, how does this clarify how we can respond appropriately, and in a Christlike manner, when someone does report abuse? Stacey Womack: (46:20 - 47:51) Well, I think a lot of times when women actually have the courage to tell you what's going on, it's a very courageous thing to do. She's risking a lot by telling you. So, we really need to listen carefully and believe her. And I'm thinking about how, you know, that I'm trying to think now. How did you word your question so I can answer it correctly? If you think about that example you gave, if your child was being beaten, harassed and abused in school and came home crying, you wouldn't just sit in your chair and say, go back and pray harder and win them over by your quiet and gentle spirit. We would go down and we would ask the school, what are you doing about this? Who's doing this and what are you doing about it? And if they didn't do anything, we wouldn't think twice to remove our child from that environment. But in these situations where you're working with two adults, she may not be ready to leave. She's just sharing with you that this is going on. She actually is hoping you'll go talk to him so that you'll fix him. But that is not a safe thing for you to do. And she may not realize that. I tell pastors that all the time. You don't, but you're not going to go to him to check out her story or go talk to him like she's asked you to. Instead, you're going to go, what can we do for you right now? Let's get you some help. And there'll be a time where we can address things with him. But right now is not that safe time. So, let's get you connected with an organization that can help you give you the resources that you need to begin your journey of healing and discovering what God wants you to do. Laura Dugger: (47:52 - 48:07) That's good. And also, this is a tricky question, but what are your views for having biblical reasons for divorce, specifically as it relates to those types of abuse that you shared with us? Stacey Womack: (48:08 - 50:27) Sure. You know, I think God understood that divorce would happen. That's why it got written into the law. And it says, “Because it was the hardness of hearts.” So, it wasn't God's design. It wasn't the way God wanted it to be, but that there was made allowances for this. And when people and women are often quoted, God hates divorce. They're not really giving the whole scripture and Malachi in the amplified version. It says, “God hates divorce and marital separation and him who covers his wife, his garment with violence. Therefore, keep a watch on your spirit, that it may be controlled by my spirit, that you deal not treacherously and faithfully with your marriage mate.” So, we actually got some really good articles that go in depth on the original Hebrew, that Malachi verse was written in there. But, you know, I do believe that someone is breaking the marriage covenant to love, cherish, lay his life down for when they bring abuse to the relationship. Again, God would wish and hope that we would humble our hearts, not be stiff necked and submit to Him and what he's trying to teach us and grow us in. But He does not force us. And so that leaves women in these situations very little choices if their husband is unwilling to get the help that he needs. So, I am all for divorce. And I know that that marriage is hard. And my husband and I have been married for 44 years and we've gone through our struggles. And there are times that I thought this isn't going to work. But you know what? We hung in there because we knew that for us, because it wasn't an abusive situation, that we need to stay in there and work on it. And we did. And we're so glad we did. So, believe me, I'm not promoting divorce. I just know that there has to be a place and known for it because of sin in the world. And again, it's heartbreaking and it destroys not just individuals, families, but our society is being destroyed by the breakdown of the family. And abuse is one of the most insidious things. It starts in the home and it's cyclical. So, it's passed on from one generation to the next. Laura Dugger: (50:29 - 50:38) Well, so, Stacey, how can we become more aware of abuse that is happening all around us? And what can we do that's genuinely helpful? Stacey Womack: (50:40 - 52:13) Well, I think getting the education, you know, in my book that on the front lines of abuse strategies for the faith community, just a little book. But has a ton of information in it is a good place to start. And I have some do's and don'ts in there. But, you know, I think that when you might recognize someone's being in an abusive relationship by the way her husband or whatever is speaking to her. But she doesn't see it because most victims would never call themselves a victim of abuse because they don't relate to that at all. That's not how they would define it. So, I think sometimes just privately sharing with them. No, that behavior was really abusive. And she may not like that. She might even get upset. But I think just being honest with the fact that this is going on. And I encourage pastors to preach about abuse and really abuse oppression. And the Bible has a whole lot to say about oppression. There's already sermons out there that they can pull from. I suggest pastors preach on it twice a year. So, October's domestic violence awareness month. And then maybe run Mother's Day again, not on Mother's Day, but around Mother's Day. Talk about it again, not as a caveat to relationships where it's just mentioned in a sermon, but an actual entire sermon on this issue. And I can promise you that the church gets the education they need. They don't have to be experts, but they need to know what resources are out there for them and they make it safe. Both men and women will come forward and ask for help. So, we need just to be a listening ear and care and ask how we can help. Laura Dugger: (52:14 - 52:29) I think that's a good practical encouragement that you've shared. And I want to add all of these links in our show notes. So, is there anywhere else that we can go to after this conversation to continue learning from you? Sure. Stacey Womack: (52:30 - 53:32) We have our website that has a ton of information on it, abuserecovery.org. So, there's just so much on there. We have blogs and we have all kinds of information that the faith community can download for free. Whether you're just in the community or you're a church leader, there's all kinds of things you can download. We have a pastor's packet. There's just we'll give you other books to read that you can do more education around this again. I know as my father being a pastor, that pastors are busy enough. We're not asking pastors to do more than what they're doing. We're just asking them to be educated and know where they can send their people that's safe, where they're going to get sound and supportive help. And to just be open to looking at things from a little bit different perspective. But our website just has so much on it that they can get for free. And again, our women's intervention groups, our recovery groups are free. Laura Dugger: (53:33 - 53:49) Thank you for sharing that. And you may already be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge or insight. And so, Stacey is my final question for you today. What is your savvy sauce? Stacey Womack: (53:50 - 54:39) What is my savvy sauce? You know, when I think about how God called me into this ministry in the end, no matter what we do, I think it's about obedience to God. And so, this was not on my radar. I would never have chosen it. And so, for me, it's about being obedient to what God has called me to do, even when it's hard and even when it's unpopular. And walking in that so that when I stand before God, I can say I did what you asked me to, to the best of my ability, even with all my flaws. So that's really, I think, my heart is to be that way. Be a leader like Moses, who God says he was the most humble man who ever lived. I'd love to be like that with the heart of David and the boldness of Paul and on and on and on. Laura Dugger: (54:39 - 59:13) So, yeah, I love that. Well, I told you before we pressed record that I have experienced so much fruit of the spirit from you already with your gentleness. And this is not the first time we tried recording. We prayed together that God would do immeasurably more than all we could ever ask or imagine through this conversation, because we had so many technical difficulties and even had to reschedule the date for this. But Stacey, I'm so grateful you persevered because you are well-spoken and you tackle this extremely difficult topic with wisdom and grace. And so, I'm very grateful I got to learn from you today. And I believe God's going to continue working through you, even for the saving of many lives. So, thank you for your work and thank you for being my guest. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news. Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved. We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him. That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, would you pray with me now? Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him. You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started? First, tell someone. Say it out loud. Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the book of John. Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you. We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ. We also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process. And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “In the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today. And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.