Podcasts about Sacrifice

Denji, a young man burdened by debt, navigates a world filled with devils and danger. With his chainsaw devil dog, Pochita, he hunts devils to pay off his debts. After a betrayal by the Yakuza, Denji is killed but is revived by Pochita's sacrifice, merging with him to become Chainsaw Man. He battles the zombie devil and its minions, showcasing his newfound powers. A public safety devil hunter offers him a choice: live as a human under her care or die as a devil. Denji arrives in Tokyo, navigating the bustling city as he adjusts to his new life as Chainsaw Man. He encounters new allies and faces unexpected challenges, all while grappling with his identity and the responsibilities of being a devil hunter. The episode explores themes of adaptation, identity, and the complexities of urban life.   00:00:00 Introduction to Denji and Pochita 00:03:00 Denji's Struggles with Debt 00:06:00 Betrayal by the Yakuza 00:09:00 Pochita's Sacrifice and Denji's Revival 00:12:00 Battle with the Zombie Devil 00:15:00 A New Life Offered 26:21 Denji's Arrival in Tokyo 29:21 New Allies and Challenges 32:21 Grappling with Identity 35:21 Responsibilities of a Devil Hunter 38:21 Adaptation to Urban Life 41:21 Themes of Identity and Responsibility   Takeaways Denji's life is heavily burdened by debt, leading him to sell his body parts and hunt devils for money. Pochita, Denji's chainsaw devil dog, is his loyal companion and plays a crucial role in his survival. The Yakuza exploit Denji's desperation, using him to pay off his father's debts. Denji's dreams of a normal life are constantly challenged by his harsh reality. A pivotal moment occurs when Pochita sacrifices himself to save Denji, merging with him to become Chainsaw Man. Denji's transformation into Chainsaw Man is both a physical and emotional journey. The story explores themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and survival in a world filled with devils. Denji's interactions with the Yakuza highlight the exploitation and manipulation he faces. The narrative delves into Denji's internal struggle with his identity and aspirations. The episode sets the stage for Denji's ongoing battle against devils and his quest for a better life. Denji's arrival in Tokyo marks a new beginning. The bustling city presents both opportunities and challenges. Denji struggles with his identity as Chainsaw Man. New allies emerge to support Denji in his journey. The responsibilities of being a devil hunter weigh heavily on Denji. The episode explores the theme of adaptation to new environments. Denji's past continues to influence his present decisions. The complexities of urban life are highlighted. Denji's journey is both physical and emotional. The story delves into themes of identity and responsibility.  

On Episode 479 we discuss...→ Character Insights and Casting Choices→ Themes of Death and Darkness→ The Art of Acting and Character Portrayal→ Thematic Elements of Darkness and Humor→ The Complexity of Young Love→ Emotional Moments and Adaptation Choices→ Dobby's Sacrifice and Its Impact→ The Beauty of Cinematic LocationsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/alohomora-the-original-harry-potter-book-club--5016402/support.

Preached at The Give Thyself Wholly Conference 2025 “ Worth of Jesus “, Rotterdam, Netherlands 

Preached at The Give Thyself Wholly Conference 2025 “ Worth of Jesus “, Rotterdam, Netherlands 

Genesis 22.1-14 The Sacrifice of Isaac

Polémique provoquée par le chef d'Etat major des armées qui a déclaré que la France devait être prête à " accepter de perdre ses enfants " face à une menace russe…

Why do 35,000 Puerto Rican service members fight for a democracy they can't fully participate in? In this powerful episode of the Mano a Mano podcast, host George Laws Garcia sits down with Brigadier General Victor Perez —a 36-year military veteran who rose from enlisted soldier to general in the Puerto Rico National Guard—to discuss the contradiction of military service without voting rights.General Perez shares his decades of experience advocating in Congress for Puerto Rican veterans and statehood, explaining why 250,000 Puerto Ricans have served throughout U.S. history—earning 9 Medals of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal for the 65th Infantry Regiment—yet still cannot vote for their Commander-in-Chief or Congressional representatives when living on the island.This conversation takes on new urgency as the U.S. deploys significant military forces to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean in response to drug trafficking, Venezuelan instability, and growing Chinese and Russian influence in the region. General Perez provides firsthand insight into why Puerto Rico's strategic location makes it indispensable to U.S. national security—and why statehood would benefit both Puerto Rico's 3.2 million citizens and America's geopolitical interests.In this episode:Why 35,000 Puerto Rican service members serve without voting representationPuerto Rico's military contributions: 9 Medal of Honor recipients & 250,000+ veteransThe current U.S. military buildup in Puerto Rico and the CaribbeanChinese and Russian influence in Latin America and why it mattersHow Puerto Rico's strategic location factors into U.S. defense strategyWhy the territorial status creates inequality for veterans and their familiesHow statehood would secure democracy and economic opportunity for future generationsWhat Puerto Ricans on the island think about increased military presencePersonal stories of veteran advocates who've lobbied Congress for decadesTimestamps:00:00 Introduction & Veterans Day Tribute 03:45 Puerto Rico's Military Service Record: 250,000+ Veterans 06:15 Serving Without Representation: The Democratic Deficit 12:35 Veteran Advocates: Stories of Sacrifice and Persistence 18:25 What Statehood Would Mean for Future Generations 23:30 Economic Inequality: Territory vs. State Status 29:10 The Fiscal Oversight Board and Colonial Control 33:20 Current Caribbean Military Deployment Explained 40:15 Chinese & Russian Influence in Latin America 45:50 Venezuela Crisis and U.S. Strategic Response 51:40 Why Puerto Rico is Key to Western Hemisphere Security 56:25 How Puerto Ricans View Military Presence on the Island 01:02:10 Advice for Statehood Advocates: Never Quit 01:08:45 Conclusion & Call to Action

Polémique provoquée par le chef d'Etat major des armées qui a déclaré que la France devait être prête à " accepter de perdre ses enfants " face à une menace russe…

 I've built a multimillion-dollar life without blowing up my marriage, losing my body, or burning myself to the ground. And I homeschool kids. In this episode, I'm breaking down the emotional intelligence, the capacity, and the real wiring it takes to scale without sacrificing the things that actually matter. If you're a high-achieving woman terrified of losing yourself while you grow, this one's your map. Support the showHosted by Casey Shipp — 3000+ transformations, Self-Made Millionaire, High Priestess, Writer, Fitness Cover Model, and Founder of the Hotbody App. ✨ Ready to stop spinning your wheels and finally step into the body, energy, and lifestyle you deserve? [CLICK THE LINK HERE]

High achievers are rarely "in balance"—and that's not a problem when your intensity is calibrated.  In this conversation, Dr. Alison Curdt—PGA Master Professional, LPGA Master Professional, and Doctor of Psychology—opens up about the sacrifices behind elite performance, how to reframe "pressure," and why curiosity is the antidote to perfectionism, fear of failure, and self-criticism.  We dig into process vs. performance vs. outcome goals, separating identity from results, and the importance of strategic rest so your practice actually sticks. Dr. Curdt also shares the pivotal moment that reshaped her life and work, how to coach an athlete at "rock bottom," and practical scripts you can use on the course this weekend. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "pressure" is a perception problem—and how to reframe it fast The difference between outcome, performance, and process goals (and which one drives wins) How to detach self-worth from scorecards, sales, and rankings The simple language shifts ("have to" → "get to") that unlock better golf How to use curiosity to replace judgment and perfectionism What "calibrated intensity" looks like (and why rest multiplies growth) Practical ways to coach yourself out of a slump—on the range or at work Whether you're chasing a lower handicap or scaling a business, this is a masterclass in durable confidence, emotional regulation, and performance psychology—the exact mindset training that turns effort into results. Get your pencils ready and start listening.  P.S. Curious to learn more about the results my clients are experiencing and what they say about working with me? Read more here. More About Dr. Alison Curdt Dr. Alison Curdt is a dual PGA Master & LPGA Master Professional. She has over 35 years of background in golf competition and competed in 8 LPGA Tour majors. Owner of "Alison Curdt Golf" and Director of Instruction at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Los Angeles, CA, she has earned countless teaching & professional awards such as the 2025 Tom Addiss II Professional Development Award, 2019 SoCal PGA Golf Professional of the Year, 2018 SCPGA Clubfitter of the Year, 4-time LPGA Western Section Teacher of the Year, 2016 SCPGA Teacher of the Year, and 2015 LPGA T&CP National Teacher of the Year. She was selected as an LPGA Top 50 Teacher 4 times and was inducted into the SoCal PGA Teaching Hall of Fame. Dr. Curdt has been featured in over a dozen separate segments on the Golf Channel and Golf Digest selected her three times as one of America's Best Young Teachers. She is currently on the Golf Digest Best in State list (CA) and has been honored as Top 50 Teacher in America.  Dr. Curdt is also a clinical sport psychotherapist utilizing EMDR & Brainspotting to help athletes achieve peak performance and overcome athletic traumas. She served as the LPGA T&CP National Vice-President and is currently the first female president of the Southern California PGA.  Her book, The Golf Performance Code: Unlocking secrets to mind, body, and nutrition was published in 2025. Connect with Alison Instagram YouTube Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call Subscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys Newsletter Download my "Play Your Best Round" free hypnosis audio recording. High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching Paul Salter - known as The Golf Hypnotherapist - is a High-Performance Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach who leverages hypnosis and powerful subconscious reprogramming techniques to help golfers of all ages and skill levels overcome the mental hazards of their minds so they can shoot lower scores and play to their potential. He has over 16 years of coaching experience working with high performers in various industries, helping them get unstuck, out of their own way, and unlock their full potential. Click here to learn more about how high-performance hypnotherapy and mindset coaching can help you get out of your own way and play to your potential on (and off) the course.  Instagram: @thegolfhypnotherapist  Twitter: @parsoverbogeys Key Takeaways: Pressure is self-created. It's a byproduct of expectations and outcome fixation; reframe it as a challenge and return to controllables. Process > performance > outcome. Track performance stats, but win the day by executing process goals (breath, target, routine, commitment). Curiosity beats judgment. Asking "What's really happening?" dissolves shame, perfectionism, and fear—opening access to better decisions and motor memory. Calibrated intensity. Grind isn't mindless hours; it's intentional focus paired with recovery, so skills encode and become automatic. Detach identity from results. You are not your score or sales number; evaluate inputs and execution quality, not just outcomes. Reframe your language. "I have to" → "I get to," "I'm busy" → "I'm in demand"—word choice shifts physiology and performance. Coach with empathy first. Before offering fixes, make athletes feel seen; then co-create reframes and experiments they can own. Key Quotes: "Pressure doesn't exist—outside of physics. We create it with expectations." "Achievement can feel like a drug—use it to fuel you, not break you." "You're not what you produce. You are enough—regardless of the number." "Win with process goals; they ladder up to performance—and then outcomes." "Curiosity is the antidote to so many psychological 'diseases.'" "If you keep grinding the stone, it turns to nothing. Rest builds growth." "Tell yourself: You have everything you need to succeed. Then access it." Time Stamps: 00:00 The Journey of Achievement and Sacrifice 04:42 Rebirth from Trauma: A Turning Point 06:46 Navigating Rock Bottom: Questions for Growth 09:01 Building Resilience: Coaching Through Adversity 12:05 Understanding Pressure: A Psychological Perspective 20:06 The Grind: Positive vs. Negative Connotations 22:58 The Importance of Rest and Recovery 25:34 Detaching Identity from Performance 29:01 Understanding Enoughness and Self-Worth 32:20 Effective Communication and Expectation Management 35:52 Overcoming Perfectionism and Embracing Variability 38:58 Empowering Beliefs for Success

Praise Series-Sacrifice is the Heart of WorshipPsalm 95:6-8 “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!”This verse was received at the prayer group yesterday, and when I read it this morning, I thought it would be a great one for today's devotional. It talks about worshiping the Lord and hearing the Lord's voice. These are both things I love to talk about, so it seemed perfect. I also think they are great topics to end the week with. I believe the world could be a much better place if more of us were worshipping the Lord instead of all the things in this world that we worship.I was listening to Father Mike Schmitz's sermon from Sunday, October 27th, yesterday on Spotify, and I really enjoyed it. He talked about how the heart of worship is sacrifice. He said you can tell how important something is to someone by what they are willing to sacrifice for it. I thought this was interesting and also challenging at the same time. Everything involves a sacrifice or at least a giving of something. For instance, if you want to eat healthily, you need to give up your soda, your junk food, and your comfort foods. If you want to watch TV, you need to give up that time that could have been spent doing something else. If you want to worship God, you need to give Him your time.Father Mike talked about one of the most important times to worship the Lord in Jewish culture: Passover. He described how the Jewish people would sacrifice a lamb to the Lord at Passover. However, they wouldn't just buy a lamb and then sacrifice it. They would buy a lamb the Sunday before Passover, and they would bring this lamb into their home. They would live with this lamb for a week. They would begin to care for this lamb, and they may even love this lamb by the end of the week, as they have just spent the week taking care of it. Then, they would carry this lamb upon their shoulders and bring it to the temple to sacrifice it to the Lord. They would do this every year.  All this talk about sacrifice being the heart of worship really challenged me. It challenged me because I am in a season where sacrifice is hard for me. Well, true and meaningful sacrifice is hard for me. These days, it seems I am all too happy to sacrifice my productive time so that I can watch TV. However, what am I getting from the TV? What is that saying about what I am worshipping? I am really struggling with sacrificing for the Lord. My heart wants me to fast, and my brain finds all these reasons why I can't. My heart wants to spend more time alone with the Lord, and yet I find myself watching TV instead.I am not sure why sacrifice is so hard for me right now. Sometimes, it comes much easier. I used to be pretty good at fasting or not watching TV. I am not sure why it is more of a struggle these days, other than the fact that life is not always linear. I heard this term when I was teaching about the dark night of the soul, and I think it not only applies to that, but it applies to all of life. Sometimes, we can think that life is like a mountain we are climbing, and we climb this mountain slowly and steadily, and then we reach the top. However, have you ever really climbed a mountain or seen someone climb a mountain? Yes, slow and steady is a good pace, but you aren't always moving forward. Sometimes, you slip and fall. Sometimes, you catch yourself right away, and other times, you slide down a bit before getting back up again. Sometimes, there will be a big cliff you can't climb directly, so you need to take another path, which might not be headed up the mountain, but rather around the mountain until you find a safe way up the mountain.Do you see how walking up the mountain is probably not just a straight path up? Life is like this. It is not linear, meaning we go from one step to the next to the next. Sometimes, we go to the next step, and then we regress back three steps, then we take the next right step. Life is a process. It is one we all go through, and I am sure if you look over your life, you will see that it didn't always feel like you were moving forward. Sometimes, it felt like you were moving backward.I think going into this weekend, we can remember what Father Mike said about the sacrifice being the heart of worship. How can we worship the Lord better this weekend? What can we sacrifice in order to show our love for the Lord? If we look at what we are already sacrificing in our lives, that will show us what we are worshiping right now in our lives. What are you worshiping? For me, I think it is food and TV, but I wish it was the Lord. This weekend I will spend some time talking with the Lord and seeing what He thinks I should be sacrificing.Which brings me to the second part of this verse. The last line of this verse says, “ For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!” We are the sheep, and the Lord is our shepherd. Sheep can hear their shepherd. There have been studies done where they put a bunch of different herds of sheep together, and they disguised the shepherds so they were wearing different clothes and smelled different, and then they had the shepherds call out to the sheep. The sheep went with their shepherd because they recognized the voice.We can hear the Lord's voice, too! I like that the verse says, “O that today you would listen to his voice!” This is the desire of the Lord. He wants to talk with each one of us, and yet we are not listening to His voice. I think for most of us, we are not listening because we didn't know we could hear the Lord's voice. This is why I love talking about listening to the Lord. The more we talk about it, the more people will understand that we all have this gift. They will know that they, too, can listen to the Lord. This is such an amazing gift, and it is so important for us all to know that we have it. It is not set aside for a select few special people. It is a gift God wants to share with each and every one of us.Let me briefly go over the ways that we can hear the Lord's voice. You might already be hearing Him, and you didn't know it was Him. We can hear the Lord in four main ways. First, you may hear a voice in your head, which usually sounds a lot like your own voice. Second, you may have a thought that just pops into your head. Third, you might have a feeling about something. It is not a word or a thought, but you know something because of a feeling somewhere in your body. The fourth way is through a vision. You might see something, almost like a dream. The vision can either be like a dream, where it plays sort of like a movie, or it could just be an image, almost like a picture that you see. God can speak to you using one of these methods, a few of them, or all of them. Usually, He uses the one that He knows we will be most comfortable with because He doesn't want to scare us.You may be hearing the Lord already. Have you ever asked Him a question and then felt like you knew what the answer was? You didn't understand how you knew, but you definitely knew the answer to the question you asked the Lord. If you have not spent any time trying to hear the Lord, I invite you to spend some time this weekend practicing hearing the Lord. The reason I say practicing is because it can be hard sometimes. We don't always believe we can hear the Lord, and so sometimes, it takes a bit to get over ourselves. It can take a while to convince ourselves that we aren't crazy and that the Lord really does want to talk to us.One way that helped me was to journal our conversations. I would write a letter to the Lord, then I would ask the Lord to answer my letter using my pen, and I would write a letter back to myself. Now, I have started asking the Lord specific questions and then writing down whatever comes to mind right afterward. I don't question it while I am writing it down. I just write down all that I hear, and then I reread it the next day to see if I think the Lord could have said that. The Lord will never contradict Scripture. That is His written word, and so if you hear something that tells you to do something you know is wrong, that is not the Lord. Also, the Lord is gentle, and He does not condemn us. If you are receiving words that make you feel shame, regret, or just overall bad feelings, that is not the Lord either. The Lord may convict you of something while He is talking to you but never in a way that leaves you feeling shame.I hope you will try to hear the Lord's voice this weekend. I hope you will spend time with Him in conversation. Maybe ask Him a question you have always wanted to ask Him. I also hope you spend some time thinking about how worship is the heart of sacrifice. So, what are you currently worshipping with your sacrifice and how can you shift your worship more towards the Lord?Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we love you, and we want to worship you. Please help us. Show us where we are worshiping other things instead of you. Help us to sacrifice for you, Lord. We also want to hear your voice, Lord. Help us to hear your voice. Give us the confidence we need to know you are talking to us. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. We completed our “Come As You Are Series” the other day, and I thought we might take a break from doing series. However, I talked with the Lord this morning and came up with Praise at the end for our next series. It is something that is so powerful and yet overlooked. I saw a quote I had placed in front of my treadmill several years ago that says, “If you complain, you will remain. If you praise, you will be raised!” I believe this with my whole heart, and so I decided to start the new series this morning. I hope you enjoy it. Remember, if you liked the series on Identity, all the “I AM statements," I put it all together in a book, and you can find that on Amazon. It would be a perfect gift for someone you care about for Christmas. If we are firm in our identity as a Child of God, our lives can look so much different. I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Open the eyes of your heart, for they are the eyes that see with the clarity of my Holy Spirit who lives within you. They are the eyes that show you the depth of my love, not just for you but for all my people. When you open those eyes, you will see things that perhaps you wish you did not see. But I will fill your heart with my forgiving, merciful love so that when you see things that disturb you, that upset you, you will know my heart and you will have the grace to respond with my fullness of mercy.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Keeper. Join Morris and Rick as they discuss the latest offering from Osgood Perkins. Is this dark fairytale a story of happily ever after, or is the creepy icing on the cake really a tale of unhappily never lasting?

Stranger Things is BACK for Season 5! Sean Mott, Caroline Lee, and TJ Zwarych of Agents of Fandom discuss their favorite moments, best needle drops, and recap all the major events in Stranger Things Season 1-4, and give our spiciest predictions for Stranger Things Season 5. (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:00) Whatcha Watchin? - The Morning Show, I Love LA, Stick, Last Samurai Standing (00:18:00) What Does Stranger Things Mean to You?(00:23:00) Who are Your Favorite Stranger Things Characters?(00:27:00) Stranger Things Season Ranking(00:33:00) Stranger Things Season 1 Recap(00:36:00) Is Joyce Byers the MVP of Season 1?(00:40:00) Steve Harrington's Season 1 Character Arc(00:47:00) Stranger Things Season 2 Recap(00:53:00) Dustin and Steve's Relationship in Stranger Things Season 2(01:00:00) Lucas and Max's Chemistry in Stranger Things Season 2(01:03:00) Stranger Things Season 3 Recap(01:07:00) The Scoop Troupe's Role in Stranger Things Season 3(01:13:00) Billy's Sacrifice is Stranger Things Season 3(01:17:00) Stranger Things Season 4 Recap(01:23:00) Is Dear Billy the Best Stranger Things Episode of All Time?(01:25:00) Eddie Munson's Metallica Moment in Stranger Things Season 4(01:30:00) Stranger Things Season 5 Theories(01:40:00) Who Will Die in Stranger Things Season 5?(01:50:00) Will Nancy End Up With Steve or Jonathan in Stranger Things 5? Check out https://www.agentsoffandom.com for the latest TV and Movie reviews! 

Pastor Corbett continues our Defining Worship series by reminding us that true worship isn't just a song—it's a lifestyle marked by obedience. Using Abraham's costly obedience in Genesis 22 and the priests' empty sacrifices in Malachi 1, he shows the difference between worship rooted in surrender and worship offered with a divided heart. Drawing from Colossians 1, he calls us to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,” letting our love, service, generosity, and witness overflow as acts of worship. The challenge: identify where God is calling you to obey and let your whole life reflect the worth of Jesus. Join us every Tuesday in the LSM Buidling at 7 p.m. & follow us on instagram @lyahampton for updates!

In today's lesson from 1 Samuel 15, we step into a crucial the moment in Biblical history when God rejects Saul as king. What begins as a clear command from God quickly becomes a portrait of how subtle and dangerous self-deception can be. We walk through the centuries-long background behind God's judgment on Amalek, tracing the story from Israel's wilderness years all the way to Saul's battlefield. Against that backdrop, Saul's response becomes even more striking: instead of obeying completely, he chooses selective obedience, keeping what looked valuable and justifying it with spiritual language. As the story unfolds, we see how easily the human heart twists God's Word. Saul reshapes God's command, redefines what obedience means, and convinces himself he has done exactly what God asked—while standing surrounded by the very evidence of his disobedience. Samuel exposes this with the piercing truth that God is not impressed by outward acts of worship that are used to cover inward rebellion. The famous line, “To obey is better than sacrifice,” becomes the anchor of the entire passage, reminding us that God desires submission more than spiritual performance. This chapter confronts us with the danger of consulting our own reasoning instead of trusting God's clear commands. Saul trusted his feelings, his logic, and his desires, elevating them to the level of God's authority. That decision becomes a form of idolatry and a warning to us: partial obedience is not obedience at all. Yet the story doesn't end in despair. It ultimately points us toward a better King—the one who faced the hardest command ever given and still prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” If you've ever struggled with compromise, justification, or adjusting God's standards to fit your own, this lesson offers both a challenge and a hope. It calls us to lay down our reinterpretations and follow the example of Christ with a heart fully surrendered to God.

LESSON 323I Gladly Make The “Sacrifice” Of Fear.Here is the only “sacrifice” You ask of Your beloved Son; You ask him to give up all suffering, all sense of loss and sadness, all anxiety and doubt, and freely let Your Love come streaming in to his awareness, healing him of pain, and giving him Your Own eternal joy. Such is the “sacrifice” You ask of me, and one I gladly make; the only “cost” of restoration of Your memory to me, for the salvation of the world.And as we pay the debt we owe to truth, - a debt that merely is the letting go of self-deceptions and of images we worshipped falsely - truth returns to us in wholeness and in joy. We are deceived no longer. Love has now returned to our awareness. And we are at peace again, for fear has gone and only love remains.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Have you ever felt God nudging you to surrender something that you deeply wanted– a promotion, a vacation, or even that purchase you've been saving for? Hear this: it's not loss; it's the beginning of provision. In his message A Sacrifice, a Sanctuary, and a Savior, guest speaker Pastor Julian Lowe reminds us that true worship begins with offering back to God what He has already provided. From Abraham to David to Solomon, Scripture shows that provision is released when we ascend the “mountain of the Lord” with faith, surrender, and a willingness to let go of what we'd rather keep. Our tithes and sacrifices aren't about what's in our hands, but about our allegiance, trust, and knowing God as Jehovah Jireh, the One who meets us where we obey. And when we choose the mountain of sacrifice, God meets us there, turning faithfulness into fruitfulness. Press play now! 

durée : 00:29:03 - La Série fiction - Albert défie Monte-Cristo publiquement à l'Opéra. En ce début de matinée, le comte prépare ses armes pour le duel dont l'issue ne peut qu'être fatale au fils de Mercédès.

Send us a textThere is no greater sign of God's love for us than the gift of Jesus.Zephaniah 3:17: The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by His love. He will delight in you with singing.Support the show

“Does Purgatory Undermine Jesus’ Sacrifice?” This episode explores the relationship between Jesus’ sacrifice and the concept of purgatory, addressing whether it diminishes His atonement. Additionally, we delve into questions about the nature of salvation, the significance of the Eucharist, and the practices surrounding communion and adoration. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 05:45 – If Jesus' death on the cross was sufficient to take away all sin, and all the punishment for sin, then why would anyone need to suffer for sins after death, like in purgatory? Wouldn't purgatory be an insult to what Jesus already accomplished? 19:24 – I think Catholicism preaches a different Jesus and a different salvation. Specific issue about salvation on eternal security? 34:40 – Is the Eucharist the end all be all? 47:17 – Why can't the soul in purgatory pray for themselves? 51:49 – Where does the practice of kneeling for communion come from and where did adoration come from?

Show SummaryNatalie Elliott Handy, a caregiver for her husband and mother and co-host of the Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver Podcast. During our conversation, we share the commitment that she and her sister have to highlighting and supporting military connected caregivers. Provide FeedbackAs a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you about the show. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about the show in this short feedback survey. By doing so, you will be entered to receive a signed copy of one of our host's three books on military and veteran mental health. About Today's GuestNatalie is someone who genuinely loves people. She has a natural passion for meeting new faces, staying closely connected with family, friends, and colleagues, and, most of all, helping others. Anyone who knows her will readily say, “Natalie doesn't know a stranger.” It's simply who she has always been.Raised in her family's hardware store, Natalie learned early how to engage customers — and how to count change — by talking to everyone who walked through the door. At church, she was the first to volunteer to sing, recite Bible verses in “big church,” and attend every youth activity, especially lock-ins. In school, her teachers often placed her in the front row to help minimize “distractions,” because she was, without a doubt, a social butterfly.Those gifts — her ability to connect, her quick wit, and her desire to support others — naturally led her into leadership roles throughout her career in the mental health field. She married young at 21 and, many years later, again at 39. She often describes her first marriage as a light-hearted “practice run” with someone kind, but not Jason, the partner she shares her life with today.From the outside, Natalie's life looked picture-perfect: a fulfilling job, a loving husband, a close-knit support system, and of course, her beloved dogs. But behind the scenes, she was burning the candle at both ends — working 12-hour days, six days a week, answering every request with, “No problem. Happy to help.”Everything shifted when Jason was diagnosed with cancer in March 2022. In the midst of that crisis, Natalie confronted the truth that she couldn't keep living at that pace. During those darkest moments, she reconnected with her faith and, through that, rediscovered her true self. She learned to acknowledge her imperfections and, more importantly, to love herself fully — flaws and all.Today, Natalie has reordered her life with clear priorities: God, herself, Jason, family and friends, and then work. She says “no” far more often, seeks silver linings in difficult moments, and is grateful for the journey that led her to live God's plan instead of her own. She embraces the mantra of being “perfectly imperfect.”Her mission is simple: to share stories and experiences that inspire, uplift, and — whenever possible — spark a little laughter. She strives to encourage others to be true to themselves while supporting the people they love. And along the way, she fully intends to keep making new friends.Links Mentioned During the EpisodeConfessions of a Reluctant Caregiver Website2024 Heroes Caring for Heroes series2023 Heroes Caring for Heroes seriesPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThis week's PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the PsychArmor course course Understanding the VA for Caregivers. This course helps caregivers navigate and better utilize the services of the VA – the largest integrated healthcare system in the country. The content for this course was developed collaboratively with a working group of various VA Departments. You can find the resource here:  https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/understanding-the-va-for-caregivers-2 Episode Partner: Are you an organization that engages with or supports the military affiliated community? Would you like to partner with an engaged and dynamic audience of like-minded professionals? Reach out to Inquire about Partnership Opportunities Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on XPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

Like the show? Show your support by using our sponsors. Promotive can help you find your dream job. Touch HERE to see open jobs. Need to update your shop systems and software? Try Tekmetric HERERegister NOW for Tekmetric's Tektonic Conference coming up HEREIn this episode, Jeff Compton is joined by Dutch Silverstein and his daughter Ana. Dutch brings up the differences of a transaction-based vs relationship-based business model, urging shop owners to pursue what aligns with their personal values and long-term goals. The conversation highlights the need for self-reflection and sacrifice when considering shop ownership, as well as the dangers of lowering standards in the industry.Timestamps:00:00 Celebrating Your Return03:50 Family-Owned Automotive Safe Haven07:57 Car Repair Frustrations Persist11:43 Mechanic Reputation and Trust14:40 Mechanic's Business Growth Journey16:52 Personal Betrayal in Safe Space20:25 "Coaching Costs and Industry Influence"25:51 "Pursuing Integrity Every Day"28:49 "Sacrifice for Future Success"31:10 "Boost Productivity, Build Wealth"35:13 Work Ethic and Presence37:00 "Training Wheels Off Moment"42:23 "Self-Reflection for Business Growth"43:38 Understanding Business Metrics & Decisions46:31 Avoiding Pitfalls in Business Growth50:25 "Unpaid Work Clarification"53:21 Empowering Technicians for Success Follow/Subscribe to the show on social media! TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffcompton7YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheJadedMechanicFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091347564232

This week, we're in Kentucky discussing Appalachia's known case of ritual murder. Then, we'll talk about the worst drunk driving accident in the history of the United States. Buckle up and join us on this dark and twisted ride through the Bluegrass State.Be sure to subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and leave a review, or email us at unitedstatesofmurder@gmail.comFollow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Sources: The Sacrifice of Lucinda Mills, Dissections Horror E-Zine, Southern Gothic Podcast, Find A Grave - Lucinda Mills, Marshall Digital Scholar, Carrollton Bus Collision, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, The Courier-Journal

At City Church California, we exist for anyone to BELIEVE in God, to BECOME like Jesus and to BUILD together.To get connected, give, or take your next steps click here https://linktr.ee/cccinfo

Nehemiah talked pretty big the beginning of chapter 5; will he back that talk up with his actions? 

November 17, 2025

In this Bible study, we discuss Christian unity, the family nature of the Church, and why communion is inseparable from shared confession. From 1 Corinthians to Leviticus, we consider how God forms His people through His Word, His gifts, and His ordered patterns of worship.Sunday Bible Study – November 16, 2025 | Grace Lutheran Church, Little RockKey Themes & Takeaways:Christian unity as both a gift and responsibility: sharing “one mind” in doctrine and life.Closed communion understood as pastoral care, family belonging, and faithful stewardship of the mysteries.The Office of the Keys: how Christ gives His Church both the forgiving and binding keys.Leviticus as the “grammar book” of sacrifice—revealing substitution, repentance, and holiness.Hashtags:#BibleStudy #ClosedCommunion #OfficeOfTheKeys #ChristianUnity #BodyOfChrist #GraceLutheranLittleRock

Join Pastor Derek Walker from the Oxford Bible Church as he explores the profound connections between the Gospel and the Year of Jubilee. Discover how the Gospel message, as preached by Jesus, fulfills the Old Testament Typology of the Jubilee—a time of liberation, restoration, and divine grace. He delves into the origins of the Gospel in the Old Testament, its central role in the New Testament, and its significance for believers today. This enlightening session highlights the transformative power of the Gospel as a 'now message' calling for faith, repentance, and the acknowledgment of Christ's Sacrifice. This teaching reveals the origins of the Gospel in the Year of Jubilee, which took place on the Day of Atonement, when the Jubilee Trumpeters proclaimed forgiveness, release and restoration for all, throughout all the Land, on the basis of the great sacrifice made on that day (Leviticus 25). Jesus initiated the preaching of the Gospel, and commanded us to continue preaching this same Gospel. In Luke 4, Jesus claimed that His preaching of the Gospel was the fulfilment of Isaiah 61, a prophecy of the Messiah fulfilling the Type of Jubilee for all men by preaching Good News to the poor, proclaiming the Acceptable Year of the Lord, on the basis of God's acceptance of His great final Sacrifice (Isaiah 53).

Ignorance is no excuse for the law. Just because you did something accidentally doesn't mean you're not guilty. So how should we address unintentional sin? Leviticus 4 teaches us that God takes all forms of sin very seriously, and we should too. 

In this sermon, Dr. Jordan Tatum begins by acknowledging how our culture conditions us to be selfish through advertising and cultural messages that tell us to prioritize our own desires and needs. He then examines Jesus's teaching in Luke 20-21, where Jesus contrasts the selfish religious leaders who "devour widows' houses" with a poor widow who gave everything she had. Dr. Tatum highlights a profound truth: "The value of the gift is not in the amount given. The value of the gift is in how much it costs me." From this foundation, he offers three progressive challenges: give something (for everyone), give generously (for those already giving), and give sacrificially (the highest level). He concludes by pointing to Jesus Christ as our ultimate example of sacrifice, reminding us that God "would not spare anything, including his own son, to bring us back to him," and invites us to respond with the same sacrificial spirit. https://bwaychurch.org

In this sermon from The Mountain Church, the pastor examines the Elijah-Elisha narrative to reveal how God breaks isolation through generosity and service. He highlights that Elisha—a successful farmer with no religious background—responded to God's calling by immediately abandoning his livelihood, sacrificing his oxen, and humbly serving Elijah before becoming a prophet himself. The core message emphasizes that God's anointing first leads to serving others rather than authority, encouraging listeners to find mentors, gain wisdom through humble service, and embrace Jesus's model of leadership as foot-washing rather than power-wielding.

Selfishness vs. Sacrifice

The Jesus WayWeek 8"The Way of Sacrifice!”Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49522876

Founders ✓ Claim : Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- Todd Graves is one of my favorite living founders. He owns over 90% of Raising Canes — a business that is worth at least $20 billion. Todd's maxim is "Do one thing and do it better than anyone else." It is impossible not to be inspired by his terminator levels of determination. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Episode show notes: ⁠https://www.davidsenra.com/episode/to... Made possible by Ramp: ⁠⁠https://ramp.com⁠⁠ HubSpot: ⁠⁠https://hubspot.com⁠⁠ Function: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/senra⁠ Chapters (00:00) The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Sleep and Business Obsession (02:13) The Birth of Raising Cane's: Overcoming Skepticism (03:29) Inspiration from In-N-Out Burger (07:17) The Importance of Quality and Focus (14:49) The Journey to Success: Hard Work and Sacrifice (19:21) The Early Days: Building Raising Cane's from Scratch (21:23) Financing the Dream: Unconventional Paths (32:28) The Relentless Pursuit of Success (33:02) Commitment and Oaths: The Camping Trip (34:02) Fanaticism and Relentless Focus (34:53) Learning from Others and Continuous Improvement (35:06) The Never-Satisfied Mindset (36:04) The Importance of Founders in Business (39:55) The Purpose Beyond Profit (51:52) Financing the Dream: Credit Cards and SBA Loans (55:47) Building the First Restaurant (57:56) Expanding the Vision (58:59) Positive Motivational Management (01:00:51) Creating a Coaching Culture (01:01:42) Intrinsic Motivation vs. Titles (01:02:41) The Importance of Being Present (01:06:35) Respect, Recognition, and Rewards (01:09:12) The Power of Encouragement (01:18:10) The Myth of Delegation (01:22:57) Focus on What You Do Best (01:30:07) Dining at Jiro in Tokyo (01:30:59) The Franchise Model Debate (01:32:50) Challenges of Franchising (01:35:21) Building a Business Authentic to You (01:37:07) Financing and Expansion Strategies (01:49:13) Surviving Hurricane Katrina (01:55:48) Lessons from Estée Lauder (01:58:06) Final Thoughts and Reflections

Today's question, "Why read the Old Testament" is often asked by church going people. It is often stated this way:     ⁃    The Old Testament is so hard to understand.     ⁃    I like the New Testament better than the Old.     ⁃    God seems so angry and mean in the Old.     ⁃    Hasn't the New Testament replaced the Old?     ⁃    All those animal sacrifices are a huge turn off. Why read the Old Testament? Here are four main themes which Pastor will use to answer today's question:     ⁃    Revelation     ⁃    Foundation     ⁃    Confirmation     ⁃    Salvation Revelation: God reveals Himself, the past, the future, His plan, His character:     ⁃    All Scripture is God-breathed. God breaths life. The Old Testament is God's Living word, it's Him speaking, His breath - a God-breathed book.     ⁃    The Old Testament is for future generations - 1 Corinthians 10:11 tells us, "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come." The Old Testament is for all generations. It's not out of date and aids us in understanding the time in which we live.     ⁃    The Old Testament is for our instruction. Not just the story of people from long ago, it is for our instruction. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."     ⁃    The Old Testament is revealing God's character. It shows us what God is like. It's a record of thousands of years and we see His patience with a goal of bringing people back to Himself. Exodus 34:6-7 "And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." God's character is good. Foundation:     ⁃    The Old Testament shows God is our Creator. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."      ⁃    The Old Testament shows the Sin-Death connection. Death is not natural it is a result of rebellion against God. Genesis 2:16-17 - sin brings death.     ⁃    The Old Testament shows the need for Sacrifice. Genesis 3:21. An innocent animal had to die to clothe Adam and Eve after they sinned. Salvation requires an innocent victim to die for sin.     ⁃    The Old Testament shows Grace and Faith. What saves is God's grace and our response of faith. Genesis 15:6.  Confirmation: The Old Testament confirms what we read in the New Testament.     ⁃    The Old Testament points to Christ. It carries a unified theme that points us to the One that was promised, the One who would defeat the devil. John 5:39-40. Luke 24:27 "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself."     ⁃    The Old Testament points to the Son of Man. Jesus' favorite term for Himself. Daniel 7:13-14. The Old Testament reveals Jesus.     ⁃    The Old Testament points to the cross. 1 Peter 1:10-11 "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the suffering of the Messiah and the glories that would follow."      ⁃    The Old Testament points to the resurrection of Jesus. Luke 24:46-47. Salvation:     ⁃    The Old Testament makes us wise for salvation. 2 Timothy 3:15 "…from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."      ⁃    The Old Testament makes the New Covenant clear. The definition for the word "testament" has changed over the last several hundred years. Testament originally meant "a covenant."  Jeremiah 31:31 "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the People of Judah."      ⁃    The Old Testament makes Messiah's death our's. Isaiah 53:4-5.      ⁃    The Old Testament makes the world's future clear. Philippians 2:10-11 "…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Isiah 45:23 the Living God says, "By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked; before Me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear."  Why should I read the Old Testament? Because God speaks in it! Let Him speak to you through ALL of His Word. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony reflects on Christ's call of St. Matthew as a revelation of the Lord's pastoral wisdom, patience, and mercy. Drawing on St. John Chrysostom, he shows how Christ approaches each person at the moment they are most able to receive Him, gently leading sinners to repentance while shielding the weak from the self-righteous. The homily invites us to imitate this divine pedagogy—offering mercy before rebuke, healing before judgment, and a way of life that draws others to the knowledge of God. +++ Mercy, Not Sacrifice: Christ's Pastoral Method in the Calling of Matthew St. Matthew 9:9-13 At that time, as Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, "Follow Me." And he rose and followed Him. And as He sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard it, He said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."  When looking at this encounter, it is important to know the context.  Jesus had been at this for a while.  He had already called at least four of the twelve; Andrew, Peter, James and John, to be his disciples.  Moreover, in addition to them, many others were following him.  He had already been baptized, been tempted, given the Sermon on the Mount and performed several public miracles. Knowing this allows us to better appreciate Christ, how He operates, and therefore how we might better imitate Him as we claim to operate in + His name. Example One: Calling the disciples Let's go back to His calling the disciples.  Why didn't He call Matthew at the same time He called Andrew, Peter, James, and John?  St. John Chrysostom indicates that it was Christ's pastoral heart that determined when we called each of His disciples.  Remember, as the Logos, He shares the Father's will that "all be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4).  This means that He addressed people in the time and manner they were most likely to hear.  St. John Chrysostom points out that Matthew's heart was not open to Christ's call at the same time as Andrew, Peter, James, and John.  It took miracles and profound teaching to soften His heart for the encounter.  And He didn't just do this for Matthew, look how long it took for the Apostle Paul!  And perhaps, we can look at long he waited for us! We should learn from this lesson from Christ's earthly ministry and imitate Him.  We may need to live among some people for a while, showing the miracle of God's love working in and through us in the way we act and the things we say, before they are ready to accept an invitation to join us in The Way that heals and perfects.  Many of us jump the gun; skipping the vital step of living a public life of miraculous love – and then are surprised when the call to "follow Christ" goes unheeded.  Yes, there are times when the modern equivalents of scribes and pharisees need to be confronted, but once again, let's imitate Christ and let them out themselves when they question our motives and sanity for performing acts of sacrificial compassion.  If we skip the step of imitating Christ in His love for mankind, not only won't we win converts, we may also be indicating that we aren't really working in His Name at all.   Example Two: Leaving, not owning the opposition Speaking of which, Christ also demonstrates his pastoral care at the very beginning of today's lesson.  You may remember that today's lesson begins with something that seems to be a throwaway line; a transitional clause that lets the reader know that the narrative is moving on to another scene.  St. Matthew writes; "At that time, as Jesus passed on from there,…" and then segues into this lesson about how Christ called him, the author, to be His disciple.  But what did He leave and why?  What did He "pass on" from in the previous scene? Let me share that with you; just prior to this, Jesus had publicly corrected some scribes - leaders in the Jewish community - by healing a man of his paralysis after they doubted His ability to forgive sins.  Do you see how they out themselves as fools?  But Christ doesn't want them to remain in ignorance.  He desires that they, too, be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth …  but He also knew that they were not ready to accept the truth, so He left before they could double down on their sin and thus become even less likely to change their way of thinking and eventually answer His call to discipleship. As St. John Christostom puts it; For when He had performed the miracle, He did not remain, lest, being in sight, He should kindle their jealousy the more; but He indulges them by retiring, and soothing their passion. This then let us also do, not encountering them that are plotting against us; let us rather soothe their wound, giving way and relaxing their vehemence. Jesus could have owned those scribes!   This is what our polarized and self-indulgent culture seems to require of us: to immediately jump on any perceived weakness to show the superiority of our way.  We even manufacture offenses so that we have an opportunity to score points and play to the crowd.  But that's not what Jesus did; there was a real offense and a real weakness – but He didn't want or need to impress anyone.  Again, his desire is that of His Father; that all be saved and come to a knowledge of the Truth.  And so He forbeared and gave them an opportunity to cool off and repent while He moved off to spend time with someone who was ready to hear Him. These are the kinds of lessons that are obvious to those who have "eyes to see and ears to hear," but for the rest of us, it takes time.  As we have discussed previously, we still see the Gospel "through a glass darkly" and only see reality as "trees walking."  But we want to learn, and so we ask those who have made this journey successfully before us, men like the Holy Apostle and Evanglist Matthew, whose memory we celebrate today and St. John Chrysostom who shares the deeper Truths that St. Matthew shared – we ask them to guide and pray for us as go deeper into The Way. Let's see what more we can learn about Christ's approach to evangelism and pastoral care in today's lesson.  It is worth remembering that Matthew was a tax collector.  When Jesus gave him the invitation to "follow me", he responded with hospitality.  He opened his house to the Lord, his disciples, fellow tax collectors, and unspecified sinners.  Just to make sure everyone had a good time, this was all done within view of some local Pharisees.  The Pharisees spent their whole lives dedicated to righteousness (as should all of us).  I am perfectly willing to believe that they were sincere in their devotion to the Law.  In fact, it was probably their devotion to the Law that led to their revulsion at seeing an alleged rabbi (Jesus) eating with sinners.  They shared their righteous indignation with the Lord's disciples and He overheard them.  We can learn a lot about how to pastoral ministry by looking at Christ's response. First, He said (e.g. St. Mark 2:17); Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.  This is the most obvious point: God was explaining what His mission to these sinners (and the world) was:  He had come to bring them to repentance.  This would hardly satisfy any ultra-Orthodox takfirists – they always want their pound of flesh!  After all, they say, repentance requires tears, and the best way to bring someone to tears is not to eat with them and provide them a living example of the better way; no, surely it is more effective to beat them over the head with the Sin-Stick, right?!  Evidently not, at least according to the all-knowing and all-loving God-man Jesus Christ. After acknowledging the sinfulness of His dinner companions and their need for repentance, He corrected the Pharisees' dubious pedagogical and evangelical instincts with this (e.g. St. Matthew himself in 9:13); Go and learn what it means, 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice': for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Christ is quoting Hosea when He says; "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice".  The full passage (which was implied) continues with (Hosea 6:6); "… and [I desire] the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."  This is huge.  The Pharisees knew the full quote and its context; they would have seen that Christ was telling them that they were guilty of the very same sorts of things that went against God throughout the Old Testament.  He was telling them that they were more concerned with fulfilling the letter of the law (i.e. doing the "burnt offerings" well) than they were with knowing God or bringing others to Him.  At that meal, He was doing something that they should have been doing themselves. How Christ Discipled His Sinners cum Apostles More importantly, along with His entire response, Christ used this quote to describe His method for bringing the "knowledge of God" to sinners; He would use mercy to lead them to repentance, which would in turn allow them to grow in the knowledge of God.   St. John Chrysostom brings this point out at the end of his homily on this passage; What Christ is saying through his words and deads is this, "The disciples have not yet become strong; they still need a lot of condescension. They have not been renewed by the Spirit yet.  You really shouldn't put a lot of injunctions on people who are still weak."  And He said all these things in order to set laws and rules for His own disciples, so that when it was their turn to train disciples, they would deal with them very gently.  To reiterate St. John Chrysostom's point, God is showing His disciples how the Gospel is to be taught: gently and with mercy … while protecting the weak from the attacks of the self-righteous.  This is important for us as Christian leaders: we are called to follow Christ!  We are called to take His Gospel to sinners so that they might repent,  come to the knowledge of God, and be saved.  Keep the Sin-Stick ready, but use it the way Christ Himself did; to defend the weak from the attacks of the self-righteous. There is a temptation to bring sinners to a full awareness of their sin in order to drive them towards repentance, but be careful with this.   Psalm 129: 3-4 (which we often repeat as a prokimen so that we will master it – or rather so that it might master us);  If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee. And later in that same Psalm, we learn from the Psalmist, in the Spirt, what the purpose of this merciful forgivness is; so that He might bring salvation to Israel (129:8). Repentance, kenosis, and discernment are fostered over time.  It is an iterated and communal process.  The wounds this world inflicts on God's children are serious and it takes time for Him to heal them.  This means that you may not be able to see the process through to its conclusion, but it is okay to simply begin the treatment; the Church has trained other physicians that can continue the process, just as you will be called to continue the work others have begun.  As Christ said "One soweth, and another reapeth." (St. John 4:37:4) Conclusion Saint Matthew's life is a testimony to the efficacy of this gentle discipleship process.  He was a sinner.  The Lord protected Him and showed Him mercy.  Over time, through His example, His holiness, and His teachings, He brought Matthew through repentance to the true knowledge of God.  As a recipient of this grace, St. Matthew could do nothing else but offer it to others.   It is true that the Church is a hospital, and that Christ is the Great Physician; and it is also true that St. Matthew found healing in the Church under the Doctor's care.  But it is also true that He did not stay in the hospital bed. After a lifetime spent spreading the Gospel, this "good and faithful servant" earned the martyr's crown in Ethiopia. May the Lord transform us into the kind of patient, merciful, and holy pastors who can do the same.

Founders ✓ Claim Key Takeaways  Top maxims from this episode: “Never sacrifice quality for speed.”Focus on one thing and do it better than anybody elseAlways be raising the bar; the best are never satisfied Praise costs nothing but means everything Stay in the game long enough to get lucky “Nothing ever happens unless someone pursues a vision fanatically.” – Todd Graves Entrepreneurs have something to prove; they want to prove that their vision about the world is right  The word ‘delegation' is used way too much in business; trust your instincts and keep working in the details Take more risk and hold onto your equity so that your dream remains in your possession The best entrepreneurs treat every ‘no' they get as fuel You want to work with people who are more concerned with contributing to a high-performing team than with titles or pay Money will come when you do things for the right reasons The best investors are not investors; they are entrepreneurs that never sold Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.orgTodd Graves is one of my favorite living founders. He owns over 90% of Raising Canes — a business that is worth at least $20 billion. Todd's maxim is "Do one thing and do it better than anyone else." It is impossible not to be inspired by his terminator levels of determination. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Episode show notes: ⁠https://www.davidsenra.com/episode/to... Made possible by Ramp: ⁠⁠https://ramp.com⁠⁠ HubSpot: ⁠⁠https://hubspot.com⁠⁠ Function: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/senra⁠ Chapters (00:00) The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Sleep and Business Obsession (02:13) The Birth of Raising Cane's: Overcoming Skepticism (03:29) Inspiration from In-N-Out Burger (07:17) The Importance of Quality and Focus (14:49) The Journey to Success: Hard Work and Sacrifice (19:21) The Early Days: Building Raising Cane's from Scratch (21:23) Financing the Dream: Unconventional Paths (32:28) The Relentless Pursuit of Success (33:02) Commitment and Oaths: The Camping Trip (34:02) Fanaticism and Relentless Focus (34:53) Learning from Others and Continuous Improvement (35:06) The Never-Satisfied Mindset (36:04) The Importance of Founders in Business (39:55) The Purpose Beyond Profit (51:52) Financing the Dream: Credit Cards and SBA Loans (55:47) Building the First Restaurant (57:56) Expanding the Vision (58:59) Positive Motivational Management (01:00:51) Creating a Coaching Culture (01:01:42) Intrinsic Motivation vs. Titles (01:02:41) The Importance of Being Present (01:06:35) Respect, Recognition, and Rewards (01:09:12) The Power of Encouragement (01:18:10) The Myth of Delegation (01:22:57) Focus on What You Do Best (01:30:07) Dining at Jiro in Tokyo (01:30:59) The Franchise Model Debate (01:32:50) Challenges of Franchising (01:35:21) Building a Business Authentic to You (01:37:07) Financing and Expansion Strategies (01:49:13) Surviving Hurricane Katrina (01:55:48) Lessons from Estée Lauder (01:58:06) Final Thoughts and Reflections

Last week, we talked about the better covenant God made with us through our faith in Jesus. This week, we focus on the sacrifice that made that covenant possible. There was a payment in blood that had to be made. Hebrews 9:22 reminds us, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Sin is not just the problem of “those people”—it’s our problem. Romans tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Jesus came to fix that problem once and for all. So the question this morning is: What sacrifice are you trusting in?

Get the full 15 year ad-free archive, including all 2 hour extended interviews with THC+: Subscribe via our website and get the Plus show on your usual podcast apps with a custom RSS feed or at TheHighersideChats.com Subscribe via Patreon if Spotify playback & payment through Paypal are important to you. About Today's Guest: Stephen Crimi […] The post Steve & Krys Crimi | Hermes, Inverted Myth, Sacrifice, & Gnosis appeared first on The Higherside Chats.

Award-winning filmmaker Sean Mullin introduces his new documentary, 'Brothers On Three', which looks back on the United States Military Academy at West Point's rugby team winning the 2022 national championship. He highlights the team's tremendous story and provides an insightful look at their 2023 season, following their triumph the year prior. As a former West Point rugby player, Sean understands the sacrifice and resilience this brotherhood requires. He shares his own experience while on the team and why he started the project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Bush joins the show to explore the profound parallels between God, truth, and Bitcoin. They discuss why Bitcoin mirrors divine order, how proof-of-work reflects proof of creation, and why honesty in money aligns with spiritual integrity. Together, they examine the intersection of theology, sovereignty, and self-custody—arguing that Bitcoin may be the closest thing humanity has to a universal language of truth. Jordan Bush is a Bitcoin thinker, theologian, and author focused on the philosophical and spiritual implications of sound money. // GUEST // X: https://x.com/jordanbushbtc Website: https://www.jordanbush.co/ // SPONSORS // Cowbolt: https://cowbolt.com/ Heart and Soil Supplements (use discount code BREEDLOVE): https://heartandsoil.co/ Blockware Solutions: https://mining.blockwaresolutions.com Onramp: https://onrampbitcoin.com/?grsf=breedlove Mindlab Pro: https://www.mindlabpro.com/breedlove Coinbits: https://coinbits.app/breedlove The Farm at Okefenokee: https://okefarm.com/ Orange Pill App: https://www.orangepillapp.com/ // PRODUCTS I ENDORSE // Protect your mobile phone from SIM swap attacks: https://www.efani.com/breedlove Lineage Provisions (use discount code BREEDLOVE): https://lineageprovisions.com/?ref=breedlove Colorado Craft Beef (use discount code BREEDLOVE): https://coloradocraftbeef.com/ Salt of the Earth Electrolytes: http://drinksote.com/breedlove Jawzrsize (code RobertBreedlove for 20% off): https://jawzrsize.com // UNLOCK THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD'S BEST NON-FICTION BOOKS // https://course.breedlove.io/ // SUBSCRIBE TO THE CLIPS CHANNEL // /@robertbreedloveclips2996 // TIMESTAMPS // 0:00 - WiM Episode Trailer 0:52 - The Relationship Between God and Truth 3:27 - The Divine Order Reflected in Bitcoin 7:16 - Why Proof-of-Work Mirrors Creation 10:42 - Faith, Integrity, and Hard Money 13:58 - Cowbolt: Settle in Bitcoin 15:14 - Heart and Soil Supplements 16:10 - The Theology of Energy and Value 20:33 - Bitcoin as a Moral Mirror 25:42 - Onramp Bitcoin Custody 26:47 - Mine Bitcoin with Blockware Solutions 27:55 - Is Bitcoin Proof of God? 33:41 - Mind Lab Pro Supplements 34:48 - How Fiat Corrupts Human Nature 40:25 - The Nature of Evil and False Idols 46:30 - Truth, Sacrifice, and Self-Custody 51:15 - Buy Bitcoin with Coinbits 52:24 - The Farm at Okefenokee 53:29 - Why Fiat is the Ultimate Lie 59:47 - Orange Pill App 1:00:14 - Bitcoin as Divine Resistance 1:06:32 - Free Will, Faith, and Responsibility 1:10:08 - Building a Life Anchored in Truth 1:15:19 - Closing Reflections on God and Money 1:18:44 - Efani: Protect Yourself From SIM Swaps 1:19:51 - Unlock the Wisdom of the Best Non-Fiction Books // PODCAST // Podcast Website: https://whatismoneypodcast.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/25LPvm8… RSS Feed: https://feeds.simplecast.com/MLdpYXYI // SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL // Bitcoin: 3D1gfxKZKMtfWaD1bkwiR6JsDzu6e9bZQ7 Sats via Strike: https://strike.me/breedlove22 Dollars via Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/RBreedlove Dollars via Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Robert-Br… // SOCIAL // Breedlove X: https://x.com/Breedlove22 WiM? X: https://x.com/WhatisMoneyShow Linkedin: /breedlove22 Instagram: /breedlove_22 TikTok: /robert_breedlove Substack: https://breedlove22.substack.com/ All My Current Work: https://linktr.ee/robertbreedlove #bitcoin #whatismoney #WiM #theology #truth #faith

America feels upside down—government shutdowns, silent persecution of Christians in Africa, and a culture that forgets the heroes who secured our freedom. In today's episode of The Kirk Cameron Show, we break down the end of the shutdown, the heartbreaking genocide of believers in Nigeria, and the deeper meaning behind Veterans Day. Then we react to viral clips that reveal just how far our culture has drifted—and how courage, compassion, faith, and gratitude can bring it back. If you're ready for perspective, hope, and truth in a confusing time, you're in the right place. To learn more about the sponsor of today's show and what our family currently uses for our healthcare check out Christian Healthcare Ministries by visiting https://hubs.ly/Q02vWQGy0 Editing and production services provided by thepodcastupload.com #TheKirkCameronShow #GovernmentShutdown #VeteransDay #NigeriaGenocide #ChristianGenocide #ChristianPersecution #HonoringHeroes #FaithAndFreedom #USPolitics #VeteransMatter #ChristianValues #CivicDuty #CultureAndFaith #Patriotism #LeadershipMatters #ShutdownOver Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this thought-provoking episode, Tony and Jesse delve into Jesus's twin parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price from Matthew 13:44-46. They explore the profound economic metaphor Jesus uses to illustrate the incomparable value of the Kingdom of Heaven. Through careful examination of both parables, they discuss what it means to "count the cost" of following Christ while simultaneously recognizing that no earthly sacrifice can compare to the infinite worth of gaining Christ. The conversation moves between practical application—considering how believers assess value in their spiritual lives—and deeper theological reflections on Christ's perfect sacrifice that makes our entrance into the Kingdom possible in the first place. Key Takeaways The Kingdom of Heaven has such surpassing value that sacrificing everything to obtain it is considered a joyful exchange, not a loss. Both parables show different paths to discovering the Kingdom (unexpected finding vs. intentional seeking), but identical responses: selling everything to obtain the treasure. The parables are not primarily commanding material poverty, but rather illustrating the "sold-outness" required in pursuing the Kingdom of God. Counting the cost of discipleship is not only permissible but necessary to fully appreciate the value of what we gain in Christ. The ultimate treasure we receive in salvation is not merely benefits like eternal life, but God Himself—union with Christ and fellowship with the Trinity. Christ Himself is the one who ultimately fulfills these parables perfectly, giving everything to purchase us as His treasure. The irresistible draw of the Kingdom illustrates how God's grace works in the heart of believers, compelling joyful surrender. Exploring the Incomparable Value of the Kingdom The economic metaphor Jesus employs in these parables is striking—both the hidden treasure and the pearl are deemed so valuable that the discoverers "sell all they have" to obtain them. As Tony and Jesse point out, this transaction reveals something profound about how we should view the Kingdom of Heaven. It's not simply that the Kingdom is valuable; it's that its value so far exceeds anything else we possess that the comparison becomes almost absurd. As Tony notes, "For sure the worth of the kingdom of heaven surpasses anything we could imagine... there's no measure that is satisfying, there's no measure that can actually show us how worthwhile it is." This perspective transforms how we understand sacrifice in the Christian life. When opportunities or comforts are foregone because of our faith, we're not simply losing something—we're experiencing the reality that we've chosen something infinitely more valuable. The parables teach us to view these moments not with regret but with a clearer vision of the treasure we've received in Christ. The Ultimate Prize: God Himself Perhaps the most powerful insight from the discussion is the realization that the ultimate treasure of salvation is not the benefits we receive, but God Himself. As Tony eloquently states: "All of those things are attending gifts. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God... we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We get swept up into the life of the Trinity... We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that." This perspective reshapes how we understand the value proposition of the gospel. It's not merely that we receive eternal life, freedom from suffering, or other benefits—though these are real. The pearl of great price is relationship with God Himself. This helps explain why both men in the parables respond with such dramatic, all-encompassing sacrifice. When we truly grasp what's being offered, nothing seems too great a price to pay. Memorable Quotes "What we get in salvation ultimately is we get God. We get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We get swept up into the life of the Trinity... We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that." — Tony Arsenal "I often say in my own line of work, that cost only matters in the absence of value... it's like at the end of days when we think about the worthiness of our God, that there's no one like him, that he's unequal, that he has no rival, that the gospel is the sweetest message that we're rescued literally from the pit. We'll just say no matter what the cost of us personally, great or small, totally worth it." — Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript [00:00:08] Tony Arsenal: All of those things are attending gifts. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the, the power of the Holy Spirit. We, we get swept up into the life of the, the God of the universe. Like the life of the Trinity indwells us. And we, we become a part of that. We get swept up into that. We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that. [00:00:47] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 469 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:54] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. [00:00:59] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. Discussing the Value of the Kingdom of Heaven [00:01:00] Jesse Schwamb: Speaking of ears to hear, we're back at it again with a whole new, or let's say different parable from our Lord and Savior Jesus. And we've been talking about how really these parables give us this view of the face of heaven through these earthly glasses. And I am pretty interested in our conversation about what's coming up because sometimes we don't like to put too fine a points to our, our point of question to our faith. And in this case, we're gonna get to ask the question, what is it all worth, this kingdom of heaven, this rule and reign of Christ? What is it all about? Who are the beneficiaries of it? And what is it all actually worth? There's a little bit of economics in this, so we're gonna get there. And while we talk and do a little affirming or denying, you should just go ahead write to just skip, go. Do not collect $200 or maybe. Pass, go and collect $200. I dunno. But just go to Matthew chapter 13 and hang out there for just a second. Affirmations and Denials [00:01:58] Jesse Schwamb: But first, I'm always curious to know whenever we talk, are you gonna affirm with something or are you gonna die against something? We've been on a string of lots of affirmations, but I'd like to think that's just because we're fun, loving, optimistic people. But there was a day where we had to do both. And now that I only have to choose one, I do find myself gravitating almost naturally toward the affirming width. But I leave it to you, Tony, are you affirming with or denying against? [00:02:22] Tony Arsenal: I, unfortunately am denying tonight. Technical Issues with Apple Podcasts [00:02:25] Tony Arsenal: So you and I already talked about it a little bit, but uh, I'm denying Apple Podcast Connect. Oh yes. So, uh, I. Obviously, like if you're affected by this, you're not hearing the episode 'cause it's not updating for you. But, uh, if you happen to be using Apple to listen to the podcast and for some reason you're listening somewhere else, maybe you realize that the podcast has not been updating for several weeks. And so you went to a different podcast catcher. Um, apple just decided for some reason that none of our feeds were gonna update. No good reason. So I've got a ticket out to Apple and hopefully we'll get it fixed. Uh, if you do know someone who listens to the show and they use Apple, please tell them to subscribe to something else or to, uh, go to the website. You can get all of the, all of the episodes on our website. You could go to Spotify, you could do something like, uh, overcast or PocketCasts. Um, it really is just Apple. It's, it's the actual account that we use to, uh, to access. Apple's Directory is not pulling new episodes and it's not pulling new episodes on another show that I run as well. So, uh, it's not just this show, it's not our RSS feed. These things happen. It'll, you know, you'll get four or five episodes all at one time. When it, when it corrects itself, usually they're pretty quick. I put in a ticket like late on Friday afternoon, so I didn't expect them to get to it on, uh, Saturday or Sunday. So hopefully by the time you're hearing this, uh, it's resolved. I would hope so, because that means it would be about a week from today. Um, so hopefully they'll have a resolve. But yeah, it's just th thorns and thistles. This is our own, our own, uh, manifestation of the curse here in this little labor that we do. It's, it's thorns and thistles right now, but no big deal. Just, uh, catch up when you can. And, uh, yeah, so denying Apple Podcasts now, really, it's, it's a great service and this is a, a little glitch. It's, it's just a little frustrating. [00:04:20] Jesse Schwamb: The sweat of our brow. Yes. Here it is. We're just toiling over getting Apple to please release our episodes. Well, it'll be your happy day if you use Apple Podcasts and then get a bunch of them all at once. That's fantastic. It's like the gift that is over in abundance. Supporting The Reformed Brotherhood [00:04:36] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it is a good reminder that you just said, Tony, that everybody should go, just take some time. Head on over to our form brotherhood.com. You can find all the other 400 some odd episodes living over there. And while you're over there and you're perusing or searching by topic to see what we've talked about before, you're probably gonna think to yourself, this is so incredible. How is this compendium, this omnibus of all these episodes just hanging out here free of cost? And I'm so glad you're thinking about that because there are so many lovely brothers and sisters who have decided just to give a little bit to make sure that all that stuff gets hosted for free for you Yeah. And for us, so that anybody can go and explore it and find content that we hope will be edifying. So if that's something you're interested in, maybe you've been listening for a while and thought, you know what? I would like to give a little bit one time or reoccurring, we would love to, for you to join us in that mission. You can go to patreon.com/reform brotherhood, and there's all the information for you to give if that's something that you feel you would like to do, and we would be grateful for you to do it. [00:05:32] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. We, we have a group of people who support the show. They make it possible for your, uh, your ear holes to be filled with our voices. And, uh, but again, you know, the costs are going up all around and, and we would, uh, certainly love to have people partner with us. Um, we've committed to making show that the, making sure that the show is free and available. Um, it's never our intention to put anything behind a paywall or to, to barrier and in that way, but we can only do that if there's people who are supporting the show and making, making sure that we've got the funding that we need to, to keep going. So, thank you to everybody who gives, thank you to anyone who's considering it, uh, and thanking anybody who decides to, uh, jump on board with that. [00:06:11] Jesse Schwamb: Right on. We're appreciative who we really are. [00:06:13] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. So Jesse, what are you affirming or denying today? Exploring Open Webcam DB [00:06:16] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, this is what I've kind of done before, but I think I've found a new place for it. I just am continually impressed and fall in love with how great and big and lovely God's world is. So I love these types of sites that give you insight into this great big world, even if it's in unexpected places or maybe in strange places. So I'm affirming with a website called Open webcam db.com. Open webcam db.com. And it's exactly like what it sounds like. It's a database that has something like 2000 live cameras streaming daily from over 50 countries, all searchable by a category. So you can find natural landscapes, airports, construction sites, and one of my recent favorites, honestly, and this is. It's so strange, but kind of awesome is this warehouse, it's called Chinese Robotic Warehouse Buzz, and it's just robots moving pallets around or like stacks of all of these items. It's mesmerizing. But I would encourage you go to open webcam db.com, search for like your stage or your country. You'll find so many amazing things. So I've sat and just watched, you know, between tasks or when you know you just need a break or you're just curious about the world. Like I look, I watched the Krakow Maine Market Square quite a bit because it's. Beautiful and brilliant, and to think about the people moving to and fro and what they're doing, what their lives are like. There's some great scenes from San Francisco Bay. There is a bird feeder in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that I often watch. So of course, like go out as we've said, and live and breathe and be in your own communities. And as well, if you're looking at scratch that itch of just seeing all these different places, all the different things that are happening in God's created world, I can firmly and unreservedly recommend open webcam db.com for that. [00:07:58] Tony Arsenal: Nice, nice, uh, little known fact at one point, Dartmouth Hitchcock, which is the hospital that I worked for, had to block a penguin cam, uh, because it was causing such a productivity drain combined with an actual measurable decrease in internet bandwidth at the hospital. 'cause so many people were watching this little penguin cam at some zoo in Boston. I think it probably was. Yeah, I, I love this kind of stuff. I think this kind of stuff is great. Uh, I use, uh, Dartmouth College has a, like a live one that I use all the time, especially when we're trying to figure out what the weather's gonna do. You can see it on the camera. Uh, we, we often will, you know, see, especially as we get closer to the season when we're talking about traveling to the beach and whatnot, uh, often look at the ocean grove. Oh, that's right. Uh, pier cam. So yeah, check it out. Uh, sounds like a fun time. Do not share it with too many of your friends at work. Or it may crash the network and Yeah. But [00:08:53] Jesse Schwamb: yeah, for [00:08:54] Tony Arsenal: sure. That was a funny email that they had to send out. I remember that [00:08:57] Jesse Schwamb: for sure. Use, use the penguin cam responsibly. I just did a quick search. There are four different penguin cams. Uh, three of them are in the United States, one is in New Zealand, and you better believe I'm gonna be checking those bad boys out. Yes. I didn't even think about. The penguin feature here and penguins are an amazing animal. Like we could stop right now and just shift our topic to penguins if you want to. [00:09:16] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. ' [00:09:16] Jesse Schwamb: cause there's so much there. And the spiritual truths are so broad and deep, but I just think penguins are kind of undervalued. Birds. Everybody should go check them out. [00:09:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. They're, they're pretty cool. [00:09:28] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Um, I'm like, I will watch any Penguin documentary and just be astounded by Penguin. Like, whether they're Emperor Penguins or South African Penguin, wherever. I just think they're phenomenal and hilarious and seem to be living the dream. And he doesn't want a little bit of that. [00:09:46] Tony Arsenal: You just gotta get Morgan Freeman to do the voiceover in any documentary or, or nature documentary is better with Morgan Freeman doing the voiceover. [00:09:55] Jesse Schwamb: Well, I all, this might be a deep cut real quick, but I just learned this, and I'm guessing some of our listening brothers and sisters probably already know this. Maybe you do too, Tony. So, Benedict Cumberbatch, do you know where I'm going with this? Yep, [00:10:06] Tony Arsenal: yep. Pen wing. [00:10:07] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I didn't. I cannot say that word or stumbles over its pronunciation. He did some kind of big documentary in which Penguins played at least some part. Yeah. And they were in an interview. They were giving him such a hard time because they played his reading of it like within the same kind of five minutes. And his, the word just kept degenerating in his mouth every time he said it. So it became like almost undistinguishable from the actual word. And it's like initial pronunciation. It was so hilarious. Apparently it's a big joke on the internet and I just didn't know it. [00:10:38] Tony Arsenal: Especially for someone like Bent Cumberbatch who just is, uh, like he's a world-class voice actor. [00:10:44] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:10:45] Tony Arsenal: And like a super smart ude guy and he just can't say the word penguin and penguin. Yeah. [00:10:51] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. He said, you got everybody go look it up. 'cause it is super hilarious. And now it's kind of gotten stuck in my head. But um, again, this suddenly became like the All Penguin episode all of a sudden. [00:11:01] Tony Arsenal: I mean like, he can pronounce his own last name just fine, but the word penguin escapes him. I like to call 'em blueberry crumble bottom or whatever. Crumble bunch. [00:11:11] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, see that's the good stuff right there. That's what everybody we know. This is what you all tune in for. This is what you're missing when Apple Podcast doesn't send everything out on time. Yeah. You're welcome. [00:11:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl [00:11:23] Tony Arsenal: Well, Jesse, why don't we, why don't we get into it? Because you know it, it's interesting. Let's [00:11:27] Jesse Schwamb: get into it. [00:11:28] Tony Arsenal: Well, it's interesting because when you, you know, you kind of, we, we sort of do the little lead to the episode and I, I suddenly realized that I think I've been interpreting this parable very differently than maybe you have or other people. Great. Do, uh, because I, I think I, I think I might have a different take on it. Let, let's do it. Yeah. So let's get into it. Uh, do you have the, the text in friend you wanna read? Uh, why don't we just do 44 all the way through 46? We'll do both parables in one reading. We'll come back and talk about it. [00:11:54] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Sorry, everybody. So here's a two for one for you. Beginning in where we're in verse 44 of Matthew chapter 13. This is Jesus speaking. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field again. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Interpreting the Parables [00:12:22] Tony Arsenal: I think maybe this is the, like the beauty of parables, uh, when Christ doesn't give us a interpretation. I, I think we're, we're, we're not free to like make up whatever we want, but these kinds of teaching tools are useful because the fact that there can be multiple interpretations actually is, is probably intentional. [00:12:43] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:12:43] Tony Arsenal: So it's funny because I think when you intro the episode here, it sounds like you're going to the kingdom of Heaven being a treasure hidden in a field, being something that we should sell everything we have and go after. And when I read this, I read it as the kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden a field. And the man who is Jesus goes and sells all that. He has. He gives all that he has and buys the field. So, and I, I think this is one of those ones where like. Probably both of those things are in play. Sure. But it's interesting 'cause I've never, I've never really read this and thought about myself as the person who buys the field. [00:13:19] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Interesting. [00:13:20] Tony Arsenal: I've probably heard sermons or read devotionals where people have said that and it just never clicked. And it didn't register until just now. And you were, when you were, uh, introing the parable that maybe you are the, maybe your way of introing your, your interpretation. Maybe that's the dominant one. So I, I looked at a couple quick, um, commentaries while you were speaking and I didn't get a chance to do my commentary reading before the episode. It seems like I'm the weird one. So, but it's interesting, um, 'cause again, I think that's the, kind of the beauty of parables is that sometimes the, the, um. Ambiguity of what the possible meaning could be, probably plays into the, the, um, teaching technique itself. [00:13:58] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I, I think that's fair. I totally can take and understand what your perspective is on this. What I find interesting is that these, we've got these two abutting each other, like the cheek to cheek parallel approach here, and in doing so, there seems to be like kind of an interesting comparison between the two. Actors in this. And I think we should get into that. Like why in one case Jesus is talking about a person who finds this in a field, which by the way, I think the, the thing that jumps out to me first about that person is this person doesn't actually own the field at first. Right. That the treasure is in. So that is interesting. I'm totally with you. But then the second one, so in the first one there's kinda almost like this sense, and I don't wanna like push this too far, but that this person who finds this treasure does so very unexpectedly, perhaps like he's even the hired hand and of course not the one who owns the field. [00:14:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:14:49] Jesse Schwamb: And in the second case, we have somebody who almost is volitionally looking for this thing of great value, but finds the one thing above all the other things that they're used to looking for that clearly has the greatest and most. You know, essential worth and therefore the end is always the same in both of 'em. They give everything they have. They're willing for forsake all other things with great joy, recognizing the great value that's in front of them. I think there is a place to understand that as Christ acting in those ways. I think there's also interesting, again, this comparison between these two people. So I'm seeing this as we've got these varied beneficiaries of the kingdom. They both come to this place of the incomparable value of the kingdom, but then there's also like this expulsive power of the kingdom. All, all of that's, I think in there, and again, these are really, really, really brilliant, I think, because the more that you spend time meditating on these, the layers just kind of come and they fall away and you start to really consider, well, why again is Jesus using these two different characters? Why is he using this kinda different sense of things of, of worth what the people are actually after? I think all of it's in play. You're totally right. [00:15:54] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. The Cost and Value of the Kingdom of Heaven [00:15:55] Tony Arsenal: So I think, you know, when we think about the kingdom of heaven, when we think about these perils, we made this point last week, we shouldn't, um, we shouldn't restrict, we have to be careful not to restrict the comparison to just like the first noun that comes up, [00:16:08] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:16:08] Tony Arsenal: So it's not just that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, it, it is like a treasure, but it's like a treasure that's hidden in a field. Yes. And it's not just like a treasure that's hidden in a field, it's a treasure that's hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Right? So, so like we have to look at that whole sequence. And I think, I think, um, you know, obviously like the, the interpretation that we are the, we're the man who finds the kingdom of heaven and we, you know, we go and buy the field. Um, that, that obviously makes perfect sense now that I'm looking at a few different commentaries. It seems to be the predominant way that this gets interpreted. And we, we look at it and we say, what, well, what does this mean for like our Christian life? Like. What does it mean? Do we have to, do we have to give everything away? Do we have to sell everything we have? Is that the point of the parable? I think some people make that the point of the parable. Um, I'm not convinced that that actually is the point of the parable. Um, because it, you know, it, it, it just, there's lots in the scripture that, that, uh, doesn't seem to require that Christians automatically like, give away everything they have. Um, maybe that's your calling. Maybe it is something that God's calling you to do to sort of, um, divest yourself of your, your belongings, either to sort of fight materialism or greed or, or just because like you're gonna need to have that fluidity and liquidity to your assets 'cause you're gonna need to move around or whatever it is. But I don't think we look at this parable and have like a, like a, a command for a life of poverty or something like that. Right. Um, really this is more about the. Utter sold outness of the Christian to pursue and seek the kingdom of God. [00:17:48] Jesse Schwamb: Right? Right. [00:17:49] Tony Arsenal: And and I think that that's the same in both, even though the way that the person in the parables comes a, comes across the kingdom or they come across this, this thing of great value or thing of great price, that they find their response in both parables is the same. And to me, that that actually tells me that that's more the point of these parables. Um, or, or maybe we shouldn't even think of these as two parables, right? Some of the introductory language that we see in when we transition from one parable to another, we don't really see that here. Uh, and if, if we're gonna follow that, actually we would be going to the next parable would also kind of fall into this. But he says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure. And then in 45 he says, again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. We're gonna run into something like this later on when we get to like the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of lost coins. Where there are these distinct parables, but they're kind of stacked on top of each other in order to make a specific point. All of the parables that are sort of in these parable stacks are making the same point. And so I think it's not so much about like, how do we find the Kingdom of Heaven or how do we come upon the kingdom of heaven? It's more about what do we do once we've come upon it? Once we've thrown it's, that's the point of the parable that we need to unpack. [00:19:03] Jesse Schwamb: That's right. And I would add to that, like who is it that is the beneficiary of this kingdom? We have two different, very different individuals, which I, again, I think, we'll, we'll talk a little bit about, but I'm totally with you. I, I think it's, it's easier, it's almost too narrow and too easy to say. Well, this is really just about like physical ma or about wealth. Like in some way the, what we're being taught here is that you have to get rid of everything of value in exchange for this. In some ways, that almost feels too transactional, doesn't it? As if like what, what we need to do is really buy the kingdom. We express our seriousness about this kingdom or the rule and reign of God by somehow just giving up everything that we own as if to prove that we're really worthy of receiving that kingdom that we prayed enough. Right. That we've done enough, even though that we're contrite enough. Yeah. And all that stands like in direct opposition to the mercy and grace, which God gives to us through his son by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring us into this kingdom. So we know it can't really be about that. And so that leads me back again to just like the lovely details here. And like you've already said in the first case, here's what really strikes me is. For probably most of us in the West, this idea of treasure is novel and maybe romantic. There's a adventure and an energy to it. Because we've all heard stories about this, whether it's like, I don't know, pirates of the Caribbean or the county Mount Cristo. Like there's something about treasure finding some kind of, or national treasure. Sorry, that just came to my mind. Like I couldn't go any further without mentioning Nick Cage. So you know, like there's something there that pulls us in that finding this thing almost unexpectedly in a hidden place of immense worth and value is, has a real draw to it. But I imagine that in Palestine being like a war torn region in Jesus' day, in the way people might store goods of great value in the fields they own. And then of course the owner may never be able to achieve for lots of reasons, including death. And then somebody might stumble upon it. And as I understand the, the laws there, of course, if you were to stumble upon something. I was in somebody else's property and and on earth that thing take it out of the ground. In this case, you would be by law required to bring that back to the person who owned the field. So there's something interesting here that this first person, probably the more meager and humble of the two with they at least respected, like their socioeconomic status is let's, we could presume maybe going about their normal work. They find this unexpectedly in the field and it's immediately recognized to be something of great value that it is to stop and to, again, there's like a measuring that happens behind the scenes. This person at least is measuring of all the things that I own, all things I could possibly own. The better thing for me to do is to consolidate all the rest of my wealth. And this case, again, it's not the message of the story to do this, it's the exemplification of what's happening here. This person is so sold out to ensure that they acquire this great treasure that they stumbled upon, that they will take literally everything else of value that they own to exchange it for this very thing. So I'm totally with you because I think the predominant message here is not like take all your wealth and make sure that you give it to the church or that it goes to ministry or to missions. That may all be well and good and it may all be the kind of calling that you receive. However, I think the principle message here is the kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom is a happy trade off. Like that's actually a really, really good deal. And so having the omnipotent saving reign of Christ in our lives is so valuable that if, if we lose everything in order to have it, it would be a joyful sacrifice. [00:22:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I think, um, I think there is a level of. Encouragement in Sacrifice and Joy in the Kingdom [00:22:27] Tony Arsenal: Sacrifice that happens for every Christian and. I mean, I, I know there's a lot of people who they, uh, come to faith as young children and we've kind of talked about that as like, that's that testimony that, you know, I think everybody really wants is like they wish they never had a time that they didn't know Jesus and Right. I don't know any parent that I've ever spoken to, and I'm certainly not any different here that doesn't want that testimony for Jesus, but, or for, for their kids in their relationship with Jesus. But. I think most people who come to faith at some point in their life when they're able to remember it, like they, they have a conscious memory of their conversion experience. There is this sort of sense of sacrifice and e even a sort of a sense of loss. Um, I think there, there are times where, and, and you know, I think maybe, um, even people who've always been in the faith, um, they probably can resonate with this. I think there are times when we might look at how our lives could have been different or could be different if we weren't in the faith. Um, and, and sometimes there's a sort of wistfulness to that. Like being a Christian can sometimes be difficult right On, um, you know, maybe you miss a promotion opportunity because you're not willing to work on the Lord's day or because you're not willing to do something unethical. Like you, you miss out on some sort of advancement and you think, well, if I could just, you know, if I could have just gotten past that, like my life would be much different. And what this parable teaches us is. That's an understandable, like that's an understandable emotion or response. Um, and there is this weighing of the cost. And in the parable here, he, like you said, there's this calculation that goes on in the background. He finds this treasure, he makes the calculation that to have this treasure is worth. Everything it's worth everything he has. He sells everything he has, and he buys the field in order to get the treasure right. And, and there's some interesting textual dynamics going on through this chapter. We've talked about how the parables kind of like the imagery across the parables in chapter 13 here of Matthew, they kind of flip certain figures around and almost, it's almost intentional because he is getting the treasure and the treasure. The kingdom of heaven here is like the treasure, but he's also getting the field right. And the kingdom of heaven is, is the field in other parables. Um, but this, this calculation that happens, um. I don't know, maybe my heart is just sensitive to this right now. I, I, I, I feel like a lot of times we look at that sort of wis wistful second glance at what could have been if we were not Christians, and we automatically feel like that's gotta be a sinful impulse. Like, how could I ever even consider what life might have been? Like this parable implies that that's the thing we actually have to do. You have to know and consider what it is you've sacrificed or will be sacrificing in order to make this transaction happen. You can't just blanketly say like, oh, of course. You know, you've gotta, you've gotta count the cost, as it were, and then you have to actually make the purchase. So I think we should look at this as a source of encouragement. Um, like I said, I'm not sure why. I feel like maybe there's, maybe there's just a, a. I dunno, I'm feeling a little weird and charismatic right now. I feel like this is something that I definitely need to be saying, like, I feel like someone needs to hear this. Maybe it's just me that needs to hear this. And that's, I'm tricking myself by thinking of someone else. But we are able, as Christians, I think God permits us and in some sense, maybe even expects and commands us to recognize what we have given to be Christians in order that we might realize how much we have gained with that transaction. It's not just this like remorse or regret, um, for the sake of remorse or regret. It's to be able to see how good and how beautiful and how worth it is the kingdom of God, uh, to, to, to claim that. [00:26:23] Jesse Schwamb: I like that there is a great discipline and a great joy in remembering worth and worthiness. So there's gonna be times, like you said, when it's hard and if you look back, look back at the ministry of Jesus, I've often thought that he's like a poor evangelizer from like modern standards. Yeah. Because often people come to him and say things like. I, I wanna be part of the kingdom of God. Well, what do I need to do to enter the kingdom of God? And here you have like a seemingly a willing convert. And he always says things like this, like, you gotta go count the cost. Yeah. Like is, is this worth it to you? Like you have to deny yourself, you have to hate your own father and your mother, and your wife and children, and brothers and sisters, even your own life. Otherwise you cannot be my disciple. And in this kind of language, it's clear that Jesus is saying you fail often. And maybe this goes back like you're saying, Tony, it's like the parable of the soil that you fail to really take into account what it means to follow with full fidelity, to commit yourself in a fully unencumbered way. Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to consider that? And as human beings, we're just not good often at counting costs. We're not good at thinking about opportunity costs. And it's interesting here that we're called out to say, even if you've already purchased the field as so to speak, that as if you've been saved by Christ, to continue to remember how good it is to be in the kingdom of God. And that the joy. Of knowing as like the Heidelberg Catechism says in the first question that all things are subservient to our salvation. Yeah. That incredible worth of, that should be a source of encouragement in times of great trial and tribulation, no matter how big or small, so that this joy that this person has when they go and sells everything he has and he buys this field, you know those details, like you're saying, do press us. It really comes to us with this idea that we should be able to see plainly why having Christ is more valuable than all other things. If the omnipotence all wise, God is ruling, ruling over all things for our joy, then everything must be working for our good, no matter how painful and in the end, God is gonna triumph over all evil and all pain. So this kingdom is a real treasure. Like it is a, it is a real. A real quantity in our life and our wellbeing and in our spiritual consistency, that'll ought demand some reflection of how valuable it truly is. And then knowing that in our minds, that like influencing our behavior, our other thought patterns, and then our actual feelings about stuff. So that when, like you said, we're passed over, we're looked over, we're ridiculed for something, we go back and we count it all joy to be worthy of being part of God's kingdom, knowing that it was because of the entrance and acceptability and the identity in that kingdom that we experience. Those things, those hardships begin with. [00:29:05] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And, and I, um, I don't want us to miss out on the fact that even as the parable may be encouraging or forcing us to think about. The cost. It, it really is trying to emphasize the great value of the kingdom. Right? Right. We, like I said, we, we don't just count the cost. In order to count the cost for its own sake. We count the cost in order to understand the great blessing that is ours in Christ. Right. All I, I count all that I have as a loss compared to the greatness of Christ Jesus. And, um, I think we just don't often do that. I, I, I think as Christians, that's probably a thought that is in our head more as young Christians, especially if we come to the faith in, in a time in our life where we're aware of things like that. We think about things like that. Reflecting on the Cost of Faith [00:29:59] Tony Arsenal: You know, I was 15 when I first came to faith and, um, I, I don't think I was in a frame of mind as a 15-year-old boy to think about, like. The cost of what I was doing, right? It's not like I was a particularly popular kid. I didn't have a, you know, I didn't, I wasn't unpopular, but it wasn't like I lost a ton of friends when I became a Christian. I didn't really lose anything that was measurable. Um, but I do think that, as, you know, someone now in my forties, looking back at, you know, 15, 20, 25 years of, of Christian life, it's easy to see that things could have been different on a sort of temporal scale. Like my, my life could probably be more comfortable in terms of wealth or opportunities or other things that might, uh, aren't, aren't even bad things necessarily. There is a sense of sacrifice. But again, God has brought us into this kingdom and he's given us parables like this and given us the ability to recognize. That we do have a cost, that there is a cost to be counted in order that we might now look at it and praise him for how great and glorious and valuable the gift that he's given us is. Understanding the Parable of the Pearl [00:31:08] Tony Arsenal: And so I think, you know, I think that's the same basic meaning of this second, second half of the same parable. I guess the, the pearl of great price or the pearl of great value. But it's not exactly the same, right? It's not like Christ is just repeating the same ver, you know, parable with, with different words for variation. Um, every word is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching correction, reproof, and training and righteousness. And I had a, I had a prophet in, uh, in Bible college who would say like, difference means difference. And he was often talking about like minute things, like the difference, um, or why, why is this word used instead of that word? This word would've worked. And, and the author chose that one. There's a reason for that. Difference means difference, but. Christ here chooses to, to tell the parable a second time, um, in a slightly different way. Uh, and Matthew chooses to record these in the same sense next to each other in slightly different ways. So what, what do we, what do we wanna pull out of this second parable that's different and what do we think it's telling us that's a little bit different than the first version Y? [00:32:14] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's a great question. Diverse Approaches to the Kingdom of Heaven [00:32:16] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, I love this idea because not until really, I was thinking about it this week when I read through them, was I really, again, drawn to the differences between these two main characters. Interestingly, I think in both, and we can make the case that the, the treasure, the kingdom of heaven here represented in both this pearl or in this literal treasure is in a way hidden. Certainly the first man is not necessarily looking for, it's still revealed to him, but the second in a way. And on the other hand, he knew this guy knows treasure. He's been seeking it with diligence in vigor, or at least like this is what he does for a living in his vocational career. He's out there trading pearls, presumably, and he knows something about them and how to evaluate them effectively. And so it's his business and he's dedicated himself to finding them. And apparently he's seen plenty of them over the years. But then all of a sudden, and this is wild, the beautiful, all of a sudden, clearly the search comes to like an abrupt end because he finds this one of immeasurable value, so much beauty exceeding and value exceeding all the other ones. And he doesn't need to search anymore. He just finds the one pearl that he can retire on a pearl with more than everything else. Or anything else that he's ever possessed and he gets it again. He does. And this brings him into symbol two with the first man. He does the same thing, then liquidate everything else and go after this one. Great pearl. So to me, and I'm curious your perspective on this, I'm not necessarily promulgating that. Well, the first one is not a seeker and the second one is like a seeker of of God things. Right? There is though, like you said, a difference in their approach and what they're after. And so I think what we can take from this, at the very least, is that there is diversity in these beneficiaries of the kingdom of God that's covering everybody. And just by these two kind of bookended or polar examples, that's what Jesus draws us to. But I would turn the question back to you. What do you think about this second guy? What do you think about the fact that his business is searching after these things? What? What do we take away from that? [00:34:07] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. The Ultimate Value of the Kingdom [00:34:07] Tony Arsenal: And you know, the thing that drop that jumps out to me immediately in the first parable, the kingdom of heaven is, is like the treasure hidden in the field, [00:34:16] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:34:16] Tony Arsenal: In the second one, the kingdom of heaven is the merchant who's searching, [00:34:20] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:34:20] Tony Arsenal: Right. The kingdom of heaven is like the merchant in search of fine pearls who finds one. That's right. And so I think that they kind of are like, almost like mirror images of each other, right? One of them is about the treasure and what it takes to come upon it and then obtain it. The second is about the person who is coming upon the treasure and, and finding it. And then what it takes again to obtain that treasure. And I think, I think you're right, there is an element here that. Um, in this second parable, the person who is seeking for this treasure is one he's seeking for the treasure, right? Right. You get the image in this, in this first parable that the dude just kind of stumbles upon it. Um, I've heard this Todd as like, it's actually more like a guy who's just walking through a field rather than like a person working the field. And I'm not sure that matters that much, but there is this sense in the first parable that the guy kind of stumbles upon it. He wasn't looking, it wasn't what he was trying to do, but you're right in the second one, the kingdom of heaven, and this is where I, this is where I think I need to think more about it, is what does it mean for the kingdom of heaven to be like a merchant searching for fine pearls right [00:35:23] Jesse Schwamb: on. [00:35:23] Tony Arsenal: Rather than the pearls being the kingdom of heaven, which is what we see in the first bearable. Um, and I don't know the answer to that question. I think I need to, need to think about it and study it a little bit more. But I do like this distinction that in, in the first case, it's sort of a happy accident. And in the second case, this is, this is the life, this man's life work. He finds he's, he's in search of fine pearls. I'm not sure I know exactly what he's trying to do with the fine pearls. It seems like it implies that he's a pearl merchant or a pearl trader, but then he finds this pearl. He doesn't seek to sell it. He buys it. Right. [00:36:00] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:36:00] Tony Arsenal: And, and the, the, the fact that the parable stops with him buying it sort of implies that like. He actually is not going to sell it. He's just gonna keep this pearl. Now before the, the pearls, the, the source of the value of the pearls was kind of in the, the financial gain that selling or trading them could bring. But now he suddenly finds this pearl that is so valuable. It's so great, it's so beautiful. Everything he was working to obtain before all of the money he's gathered by finding and selling pearls in the previous like mode of living. He now gets rid of all of that just to purchase this one pearl and presumably to keep it. And I think that again, is kind of a, kind of a, um, statement on our Christian life is that we, we probably have all sorts of things that we've been doing our whole life and we are seeking to, to move forward in our life. And the kingdom of heaven is kind of the ultimate goal of all of that, for those who are in Christ, for those who are called according to his purpose. The purpose is not just to accumulate wealth. It's not even necessarily, uh, in and of itself to like grow in righteousness. It's to be transformed to the, uh, to the image of God's glory son, for the purpose of making him great, making his name renowned. Right. When we look at that passage in Romans that have kind alluded to, he's, he would transform into the image of Christ so that he might be the first born among many brothers. The Incomparable Worth of Salvation [00:37:24] Tony Arsenal: Ultimately, our, our sanctification and glorification is about making Jesus great and glorified, um, to give him glory, to have our glorification reflect his already intrinsic glory and the gift that he gives us, and I think that's kind of, kind of in play here, is that. Uh, we might have all sorts of goals in our life. We might have goals in our Christian life, um, that are good things that we should strive for, but at the end of the day, all of those things only serve to bring us to the kingdom of heaven, which is this pearl of great price that we, we purchase, we buy it and we just kind of hang onto it. It is its own treasure and it's, it's not about what this, this treasure can bring to us, right? Which is what the fine pearls were before they were about what the merchant can find and sell. It's, it's now about just obtaining the pearl and enjoying that pearl. Um, which I think is a little bit different than, than, um, what I would've thought of with the par before. [00:38:19] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I totally agree with you. I think, I think you're actually onto something with the distinction because I think of. So much of my career has been spent in financial services among people who are buyers and sellers of things. They're traders. And the way I read this was very similar to what you were saying to me. What resonated was if this gentleman or this person is. Trading, collecting these pearls. Presumably they have appreciation for the beauty of the pearl itself. So there is like something innate that draws them to this particular thing. And with that experience and with that knowledge and with that, that appreciation of that beauty. I think when they see this other pearl, it moves from, well, why would I ever sell that? I've seen everything. This is the most beautiful pearl I've ever laid my eyes on. And now I want to keep it for me. I want to have it in my possession. I want to cherish it and not just keep it in the inventory and then turn around and sell it for markup, presumably, because there is no nothing that would be of greater value to this person. 'cause they just sold everything else that they had. So they, it's appreciation for the pearl itself. It's going after that finding and seeking that great beauty. And then that led me right into Philippians chapter four, where Paul writes the church in Philippi, beginning of verse eight. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever's honorable, whatever's just whatever's pure, whatever's lovely, whatever's commendable. If there's any excellence, if there. Anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Practice these things and the god of peace will be with you. So this idea, like you and I, Tony, have talked about like the world has great wisdom, it has great knowledge, it has things that can lead us by way of common grace into certain amounts of peace. But the pearl of great price, the seeking after the going after all these great things is to find the gospel, to be given the gospel it revealed to you. And then say everything else I count as a loss. Everything else is worthless compared to this thing. And if you're a person that can appreciate even just by turn of mind or God's influence in your life, you know, knowledge and wisdom, and you're seeking after that, which is the ultimate expression and representation of those things, and then you find you come upon this pearl of great price, the gospel wisdom and the beauty of God represented in his son Jesus Christ. And you say, this is it. I, I know enough to know, again, by the regeneration that comes through the spirit, this is the real deal. Then I think the message still stands. We come through two different directions into the same final culminating point, which is there is a condition for having this kingdom of God, for having the king on your side as your friend, but the condition isn't like wealth or power or negotiating or intelligence or even good trading behavior or going out and finding the right thing. The condition is that we prize the kingdom more than anything else we own. The point of selling everything in these parables is to simply show where our hearts are at. And so I often say in my own line of work, that cost only matters in the absence of value. Actually, it's true for everything that we. We presumably spend our time or our money on cost only matters in the absence of value. And I think like you and I could do a fun little experiment where I don't know, you ever talking to somebody about something and you're paying a cost to have that service delivered to you and you're, and you're just like totally worth it, like I would do totally worth it. Like, yeah, that's kind of the vibe I'm getting here. It's like at the end of days when we think about the worthiness of our God, that there's no one like him, that he's unequal, that he has no rival, that the gospel is the sweetest message that we're rescued literally from the pit. We're just say no matter what the cost of us personally, great or small, totally worth it, that that's what we'll be saying for all of eternity as we worship him. [00:41:45] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and I think even more than saying, totally worth it. I think when we are given our new eyes to see, and we no longer see through a da a glass dimly, we're gonna recognize saying that it was worth, it is is like it's a pale, like it's a faulty answer to begin with because the, for sure the worth of the kingdom of heaven surpasses anything we could imagine. And in our, you know, locked in little meat brains that we have now, we're kind of com we're just comparing it to. You know, like what, what we could have had or what we, what we've given up. Um, it, it's gonna be an incomparable comparison. Like there's no, there's no measure that is satisfying, there's no measure that can actually show us how, how worthwhile it is. And, you know, we've, we've made a point of it, like the, the blessing of salvation and, and really like what it is that we're getting, uh, in, in the. You know, the Christian understanding of salvation, it's not, it's not an eternal destiny. It's not bigger mansions in heaven. It's not freedom from death. All of those things come with it. All of those things are attending gifts. That's right. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the, the power of the Holy Spirit. We, we get swept up into the life of the, the God of the universe. Like the life of the Trinity indwells us. And we, we become a part of that. Uh, not, not in the, you know, like. Eastern Orthodox deification sense, although I think there's a proper way we can talk about deification. Um, but we get swept up into that. We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that. There's nothing that we could ever point to. Um, it's funny, my, my wife and I, um, this is a little corny, but, um, we'll often say to, to each other instead of saying, I love you more than anything, we'll say, I love you more than everything. Right. And, and it's, it's a way to say like. You could take all that there is in the world, everything that I have that I could possibly consider and sum up the value. And I love my wife more than that. I love my children more than that. So it's not that I love them more than any one thing, it's that I love them more than everything combined. And this is even greater than that, right? We, we will look back at our lives and if, if it's even in our mind, if we even can, can comprehend anymore. The idea of thinking about what it costs us to obtain this pearl of great value, which is the kingdom of heaven, which is just another way to say, is just fellowship with the God of the universe. Um, we'll look at it and say no matter what it was. No matter what it could have been, I would give everything I, I love God more than everything. Right. Right. There's nothing that could ever possibly be considered that even comes close to what we gain in, in Christ Jesus, in union with, with God. And I think that's the point of this, like I think the guy who, um. Christ's Perfect Sacrifice and Our Response [00:44:58] Tony Arsenal: I think about what it would take for me to even like to sell everything, like the concept of selling everything I own. I'm not even sure how I would do that, to be honest with you. Like, I don't even know the mechanism for that kind of thing. But the idea that there's anything that could be valuable enough that I would just sell every piece of human property that I have, there's probably nothing like that in this world. Like, there probably isn't. And to, to take that comparison and then basically say like, that's just what the kingdom of God is like. 'cause that's the other thing I think we miss about parables is you, you only make a comparison when you can't describe something, um, analytically, right? There's the difference between analogically and analytically Ana lot analytically means we're able to actually quantify and explain it kind of in strict terms, right? I can, I can say that, um, uh, a heavy object ways, X number of grams or it, you know, or, um. Pounds or whatever. I can, I can measure that and make an analytical statement, or I can make an analogy, an analogy that is comparative. Uh, but by definition, or almost by by nature of the thing, when you make that comparison, you're kind of saying like, not only is it like this, but it's actually it, like it's more like this than I can even describe. Right? So when we're talking about the kingdom of Heaven here, and we say it's, it's like, it's like a man who goes, he finds a treasure and then he sells everything. He has to get that treasure. It's infinitely more like that than it actually can be described. Does that make sense? I feel like I'm rambling on that a little bit. Maybe trying to describe something that can't be described is, is hard to do. [00:46:35] Jesse Schwamb: It's, that's, yeah. But yeah, that's, that's very difficult to do. I'm actually totally with you on this. I think I understand clearly what you mean, this idea that no matter how hard we actually try to value it, we'll be incapable of doing so. Yes. And at best, it almost seems like this is a strange command in a way because it's, it's asking us to do in some ways a thing that is impossible for us to do. However, I think what you're saying is it doesn't mean that we shouldn't turn our minds toward that. We're a bit like people who, I don't know if this show is still on PBS, but like, do you know that show, remember that show The Antiques Road Show? Yeah. Where people would like come, they'd ran ransack their homes or their garages with these old antique items and they bring them to this road show where there'd be experts who would value them. And inevitably we'll be like those people who come with what we think is like a. A thousand dollars clock that we got at a garage sale thinking, wouldn't it be great? I know this is valuable. It's probably a thousand dollars. It'll be, look at the return, tenfold return, I'll get on this item, and then instead finding that it's worth $10 million when it's appraised. Yeah, I assume it'll be just like that in the Beautific vision that even maybe for all of eternity will be growing in our appreciation for just how valuable this great salvation is. And yet at the same time, I think what this should encourage us to do is to pray things like God make us real in seeing and savoring Christ in his saving work above all the other things. Yeah. So that, as you said in your example, we would cherish him above everything, above all things that you have that right place in our hearts or that we be inclined to undertake that posture, which says, God, though I cannot understand it in full. Would you help me to see that? Encouragement in Our Spiritual Journey [00:48:08] Jesse Schwamb: And I wanna just say like, as a word of encouragement, maybe I'm speaking more to myself here so everybody else can disregard this if you like, but I think sometimes there can be a little bit of intimidation then when you hear these things and say like, ah, I'm just not, I just dunno if I love God enough, like I wanna love him, or I want to want to love him more. And I think even that posture is appropriate. Yeah. Sometimes there, oftentimes in my personal life, I'll pray something like, God, help me to know how much you love me and would you give me the strength to love you back? So that even that awareness, that energy, that volition, that vitality, that, that heat, all of that, that fire itself is kindled by the Holy Spirit. It's not like we need to like try to again manufacture here. Because the point of these, these stories is not again, that we just find the means to do a transactional exchange here, but that instead we really just sit in the full promises of God. And of course to that, I would say we always need to go back to, to something like Romans eight. I mean, I know that we should, like you said, Tony, the. The standard description we give for the Bible is the one that gives itself, which is that all of it, all of it's is carried along by the Holy Spirit. All of it is God breathe. All of it is useful for something. And yet, of course, I say somewhat tongue in cheek that, you know, if I have 10 minutes to live, I'm probably not gonna the s descriptions of reading a genealogy, I'm going straight from Roman and say, Romans say, I think it's just like the pinnacle of the scriptures. And so just a couple of verses at the end there, because I think this is, this is leading us into what is this great treasure? What is the kingdom of God? Why do we value it so much? What is the saving power? And uh, these verses, I mean, always just entirely get me ready to run through a wall. So this is the end of, of Romans eight beginning verse 35. Who shall separate us from the law of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake. We are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No. In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I'm sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from a love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. [00:50:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's a good word. And I, I, I like what you're saying too, is, is I think we, we can. There's this paradoxical thing that happens when the scriptures is trying to encourage us to do something, is we often like to get our, in our own way. And, and actually that becomes a source of discouragement for us. The Bible calls us to something and we know we can't live up to it. And that's actually like part and parcel of, of reform theology to recognize that this is law, like the, the, the, the, you know, maybe not in like the strict sense, like when we talk about dividing the scripture into law and gospel, um. It may not be that this particular passage would fall under that rubric of law normally, but this idea that we need to count the cost and that we need to be treasuring Christ more and more, and then when we feel like I'm just not getting it. I'm just not there. Like, I don't, I don't treasure Christ as much as I so should. Um, that Yeah, that's right. Nobody does. Nobody can, like, that's, that's kind of the point of this, and that's why it's law is it's, it shouldn't drive you in Christ. It should not drive you to despair. Right. It should not drive you to discouragement. It should drive you to gratitude that God saved you anyways. That, that this pearl of great value is still yours even though you can't possibly deserve it. Um, you know, we're, we're a little bit different than the, the merchant and the man who finds the treasure in the field in that we can't sell everything we have and obtain it like they have the ability to do that in the, in the parables. Right. Um, we, we don't, and we never will. And so rather than let that drive you to being discouraged that like you're just not getting. I recognize God is of infinite value and we are finite creatures. So we, we could, uh, value God perfectly. Like whatever that means, and I don't even know what that means, but we could value and cherish and love God perfectly as far as our capacities are concerned, and it still would not be enough to sufficiently merit God's favor for us. Like as much as we can, even in, even in eternity. As much as we can value and worship and love and praise Jesus, he is worth infinitely more than we could ever give, even when we do it perfectly. And this is, this is why you know Christ coming to die, to live on our behalf, to die in our place. Why that's necessary is because only this is a, maybe a different take on it. We, I think we talk a lot about how, um. Only God could, could carry, bear the wrath of God and not be destroyed. Right. Right. Only God could, um, could stand up under his own wrath, could stand up under the wrath of God and bear that punishment and not be destroyed. And so therefore, um, Christ had to be not just a man, but had to be God. But on the flip side. And God requires perfect perpetual obedience, which involves loving the Lord your God, perfectly with your whole heart at all times. Right? Only God can do that too. So it's not just that God. It's not just that G

This week, we explore the profound impact of service and caretaking for others, as highlighted by our two inspiring guests, former governor and presidential candidate John Kasich, and former governor Marty Schreiber. Join us as they share their personal journeys and insights into how dedicating oneself to the well-being of others can transform lives, both for those who serve and those who receive care. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Justin Knoop Upcoming interview: Cristina Baker Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season John Kasich Ohio State Heaven Help Us Marty Schreiber Dementia www.mytwoelaines.com My Two Elaines Interview Quotes: “All of us who go through trials and tribulations, which we all do in one way or another,, we can hang in there. Even though very bad things can happen, there’s a higher power that cares about you and loves you even through difficult times.” - John Kasich “When I ran for president, the people that I was meeting with, they didn’t really care about my position on issues. They really cared that I cared about them.” - John Kasich “If people can get involved in some way in their community, where you would be helping somebody else—helping somebody else is going to make you feel good.” - John Kasich “People are so focused on these things that are far away instead of focused on what’s happening right next door. Because of my Father’s love for me, I believe fundamentally that we have a God who loves us, forgives us, gives us grace, gives us gifts, and encourages us. Faith, to me, is a gift. I think that’s something I can hold on to.” - John Kasich “We may lose something, but we may never allow ourselves to feel defeated.” - Marty Schreiber “A person morphs into being a caregiver, and because of that morphing process, the mind, the energy, and the psychology—all of that has to change you as you morph from being a loving husband or spouse to being a caregiver.” - Marty Schreiber “A caregiver understands the importance of joining the world of this person who now is. And a caregiver has to let go of this person who once was so that we can now embrace the person who is now.” - Marty Schreiber “I had a chance, really, by the grace of God, to love two Elaines and to take care of two Elaines and to repay her for all of the great, wonderful things she did for me during our married life.” - Marty Schreiber “The medical profession does not understand that when there is a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, there are two patients. There is the person who is ill, and then also, there is the caregiver.” - Marty Schreiber “I know I couldn’t fight Alzheimer’s disease because it is impossible to fight it. But I do know that I could give my wife moments of joy. I do know that I helped her have a better life. There’s a lot of comfort that we can take in that.” - Marty Schreiber “If you are a friend or a relative of a caregiver, as someone who’s taking care of their loved one on the Alzheimer’s journey, one of the most important things you can do is to simply acknowledge that you understand what a challenge it is to be a caregiver.” - Marty Schreiber “It’s a difficult transition, there’s no question about it. You enter a dark room and you just kinda have to feel your way along and try to identify a specific guidepost, specific things that are going to help you on this journey to deal with this grief, to deal with this new world.” - Marty Schreiber ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Jesus entered a heavenly tabernacle with his own blood and secured eternal redemption in a single, sufficient act. Unlike the endless animal sacrifices of the old covenant, his offering cleanses our conscience and gives us lasting freedom. This new covenant brings real, internal transformation—and that changes everything.

In this episode, Dr. David Jockers joins Ben Azadi to break down what really happens inside your body during a 72-hour fast — from burning stored fat to reducing inflammation in the brain. Together, they explore how fasting resets dopamine, boosts mental clarity, and strengthens emotional resilience while tapping into your body's innate healing power.   You'll hear Dr. Jockers and Ben discuss how autophagy clears out old, damaged cells and replaces them with stronger, more stress-resilient ones. They also dive into how fasting triggers the creation of new mitochondria — your body's energy factories — helping you burn fat more efficiently and age more gracefully.   Finally, discover how fasting boosts growth hormone and resets your immune system, leading to greater energy, sharper focus, and improved longevity. Whether you're new to fasting or ready to take it to the next level, this episode reveals the science and strategy behind one of nature's most powerful healing tools.   In This Episode:  00:00 Introduction to Sacrifice and Dopamine 04:45 The Science of Fasting: 12 to 24 Hours 14:27 Autophagy and Metabolic Health 16:41 Air Quality and Autophagy Explained 28:29 Preparing for a Successful Fast 34:19 Understanding Cravings During Fasting 34:30 Timing Fasting with Menstrual Cycles 34:53 Managing Hunger and Ghrelin 36:03 Benefits of Extended Fasting 36:37 Fat Burning and Liver Health 38:41 Fasting and Intestinal Health 42:00 Dopamine Reset and Fasting 48:15 Supplements and Liquids During Fasting 54:59 Breaking the Fast and Refeeding 58:03 Gratitude and Final Thoughts   Hydration is one of the fastest ways to boost your energy, sharpen your focus, curb cravings, and even improve the look and feel of your skin — but water alone isn't enough. Your cells need electrolytes to actually absorb and use that hydration. Paleovalley Essential Electrolytes delivers premium, full-spectrum minerals with zero sugar, no artificial ingredients, and unprocessed sea salt, helping you feel more energized, clear-headed, and vibrant — and look more radiant from the inside out. Just one scoop a day can make a noticeable difference. Try Paleovalley Essential Electrolytes and save 15% by visiting Paleovalley.com/jockers and using code JOCKERS at checkout.   Breathe cleaner, healthier air at home with AirDoctor, the award-winning air purifier that eliminates up to 99.99% of airborne contaminants — including allergens, mold spores, and viruses. It's the same purifier trusted by top wellness experts for a reason. Visit AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code NUTRITION to get up to $300 off plus a free 3-year warranty. Breathe easier and protect what matters most.     "By tapping into body fat and producing ketones, your brain can function more clearly and reduce inflammation."        Subscribe to the podcast on: Apple Podcast Stitcher Spotify PodBean TuneIn Radio     Resources: Get 15% off Paleovalley Electrolites: paleovalley.com/jockers – Use code JOCKERS Visit AirDoctorPro.com and use code NUTRITION for up to $300 off plus a free 3-year warranty.   Connect with Ben Azadi: Website:  https://www.benazadi.com/ Book:  https://amzn.to/41O02jk Connect with Dr. Jockers: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/drjockers/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DrDavidJockers YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/djockers Website – https://drjockers.com/ If you are interested in being a guest on the show, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us here! - https://drjockers.com/join-us-dr-jockers-functional-nutrition-podcast/ 

Patrick kicks off the episode with sharp memories of environmental predictions gone sideways, then pivots to old-school hairspray panic and Sunday donut rituals. Quirky moments tumble into thoughtful answers about confirmation names, staying until the end of Mass, and what to do if disaster strikes mid-liturgy. Nostalgia, candid stories, and odd donut debates pop up alongside serious questions about yoga in Catholic schools and how angels fit into the big picture. Audio: Every single alarmist prediction has not happened https://x.com/wideawake_media/status/1986011774265508297?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ (00:20) Ryan (email) - Would it be unusual to adopt St Francis De Sales’ first name after my confirmation and choose to be called "Francis" instead of "Ryan"? (03:11) Jennifer (email) - More and more we see people leaving right after communion at the Sunday morning masses. Regardless of their reason, how do we explain to them in a loving way that they shouldn’t be leaving mass at this point? (11:06) Lucy - My husband would walk with our kids to the donut shop. The Kids got special permission to put a donut in his coffin after he died. (20:48) Steve (email) - Could you go over how the Sacrifice of the Mass should be completed if a tragic incident occurs during it? (23:53) Susan (email) – What should I do about my kid’s school using yoga videos for stretching? Connor (email) – Why did God create bad angels? (36:06) Maria - When the Holy Eucharist is consecrated, and there are leftover hosts, are those still the Body and Blood of Christ? (48:34)