Podcasts about Savior

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Who is this? “Who is Jesus?”  Is he just a historical figure, a religious leader, a philosopher, or a teacher? Was he a revolutionary and a political rebel? Is he an imaginary person and a myth? Or is Jesus the Messiah, the King of the Jews, a Savior, and God in the flesh?Main Points:1. This is the most important question you will ever be asked. It's a personal question, with eternal implications… “Who is Jesus?”2. This is so important because to be almost right about Jesus is to be totally wrong.  Why? Because we cannot be saved by good opinions about Jesus. We are not saved because we like Jesus and have good feelings about him. We are not saved because we like his moral teaching about loving one another. That is not enough. 3. This is the most important question you will ever be asked. A good man? A great teacher? A revolutionary leader? Or is he the Christ, the Son of the Living God?  Who was he? Who is he? Your eternal destiny hangs on your answer. May God open your eyes to see Jesus as the Son of God. May you have the courage today to put your faith in him and trust him as the savior of your soul.Today's Scripture Verses:Mark 4:41 - “They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”Matthew 16:13-16 - “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

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Why does life feel heavier as a society becomes more “advanced”? The Bible answers with startling clarity. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef opens Genesis 11:1–9 and the Tower of Babel—where humanity tried to build a future without God, chasing self-glory instead of surrender. That ancient defiance isn't just history; it mirrors what we see across the modern West: a culture bowing to materialism, moral relativism, and political correctness—then reaping confusion, anxiety, and loneliness. But God didn't leave humanity without a light. Dr. Youssef points to Abraham, a man living in the “City of Man” while longing for the City of God—“a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Abraham's faith didn't ignore darkness; it overcame it. And God's promise to Abraham didn't end with him—through his line came Jesus Christ, the Savior who purchased our eternal home by His blood (Genesis 12:3). If you're weary from the headlines or discouraged by cultural decline, this devotional will help you lift your eyes and live with steady hope—setting your mind where Christ is and where history is headed. Scripture Focus: Genesis 11:1–9Go deeper: Dr. Youssef's sermon series Unholy Alliance of the Antichrist (Watch Now | Listen Now) The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Today is day 61 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the seventh line: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate” and studying question 61. 61. How do Jesus' sufferings help you? Jesus has experienced our sufferings, understands our sorrows, and is able to sympathize with our weakness. Therefore, I should bear my sufferings with perseverance and hope, for my Savior is with me in them, and through them I will come to know him more fully. (Job 9:32–35; Psalm 22:22–26; Isaiah 53:4–7; Luke 4:1–13; Hebrews 4:14–5:10) We will conclude today with The Collect for Good Friday found on page 608 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019). If you would like to buy or download To Be a Christian, head to anglicanchurch.net/catechism. Produced by Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison, MS. Original music from Matthew Clark. Daily collects and Psalms are taken from Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Catechism readings are taken from To Be a Christian - An Anglican Catechism Approved Edition, copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the themes of kingship and the kingdom of God as presented in the scriptures. As we wind down our series, "The Last Kingdom," we explore the prophetic words of Isaiah and their fulfillment through Jesus Christ, the ultimate King. Join us as we discuss: - The historical context of Isaiah's proclamations during a tumultuous time for Israel. - The significance of Jesus' announcement in the synagogue and what it means for us today. - How the kingdom of God is advancing, often in ways that seem imperceptible or insignificant. - The importance of understanding Jesus not just as a Savior but as the King who invites us to participate in His kingdom here and now. We also reflect on the challenges of recognizing God's work in our lives and the world around us, especially during times of doubt and uncertainty. As we conclude, we share a powerful communion moment, reminding us of the sacrifice of our King and the call to live out His kingdom values in our daily lives. Whether you're a long-time follower of Jesus or just curious about the faith, this episode offers insights that can transform your understanding of what it means to live as part of God's kingdom. Read along with our chosen scripture: Isaiah 42:1, 4–6; 45:23; Luke 4:17–21; Matthew 13:31–33; 16:18; 25:14, 19; 28:18–20 The Main Idea: Jesus's kingdom is not advanced by force, but over time through transformed lives. We are invited to participate in its expansion. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are an alternative to church as usual. Our Sunday worship service is approximately a 75-minute experience designed to introduce people to the message of Jesus and equip believers to live their lives in response to the Gospel while their kids enjoy one of our safe children's environments. Centerpoint is designed to meet you wherever you are on the journey whether you are just checking out the "church thing" or you are a committed Christ follower. Centerpoint is a casual environment that combines today's music with creative media and relevant teaching. We hope you will visit us at Centerpoint Church regardless of what your past church experience has looked like.

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enduretotheendpod/Zunex Pest Control: https://www.instagram.com/zunexpestco/Today we talk about what it really looks like to forgive when it feels undeserved or unfair. So often, hurt leads us to people please, over-explain, or try to control the narrative just to protect ourselves. But forgiveness asks us to release that control and trust God instead.We reflect on the Savior's example. His love was never conditional, yet He didn't chase approval. We discuss how losing people doesn't mean losing yourself, how God's love remains steady through every season, and why forgiveness is less about excusing others and more about freeing your own heart. In the end, choosing forgiveness is choosing peace, perspective, and an eternal focus even when it's hard.00:00 – Welcome to Endure to the End01:12 – How people pleasing gives away your power08:16 – Trying to control the narrative14:47 – God's love is not conditional21:14 – Jesus loved everyone but gave access to few26:20 – Habits vs personality31:38 – Seasons of independence38:18 – Losing people doesn't mean losing yourself44:33 – Think Celestial moment

Are you so stuck in your biases or regulations that you have trouble seeing Christ at work? What would you do if a new believer stood up in church and delivered an authentic but explicative laced account of what Christ is doing in their lives, or perhaps invited you out for drinks following a service? Not to condone foul language or alcohol use but as Pastor Ricky asks us in today's message, is your first response offense to someone breaking the rules or do you rejoice over someone who is on a new journey with your Savior?

Introduction: Introduction: Three Advantages of Being Single: (1 Corinthians 7:25-40) You're Saved from CERTAIN TROUBLES. (1 Cor 7:26-28) You're Saved from DISTRACTION. (1 Cor 7:29-38) Matthew 22:30 – For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Colossians 3:2 – Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. You're Saved from OBLIGATION. (1 Cor 7:39-40) Matthew 19:10 – The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:37-00:41Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians and chapter 7.00:44-00:49And while we do, I'm just going to ask that you would just pause with me here.00:49-00:58You pray for me, that I will communicate God's word as I should, clearly and accurately and straightforwardly.00:58-01:03I will pray for you, that your heart would be open to receive what God wants to teach us today.01:03-01:06All right, so let's just take a moment and pray.01:10-01:19Father, be glorified through the proclamation of Your Word, through receiving Your Word and being doers of Your Word.01:20-01:23Be glorified in all things, we pray in Jesus' name.01:24-01:41And all of God's people said, "Amen." Several years ago, a friend of mine told me about this single friend that he has who was sitting home one day and got a phone call.01:42-02:10The phone rang, he picked it up, and he's like, "Hello?" And the voice on the other end said, "Hi, would you be interested in meeting a lot of exciting available singles in your area?" And the man said, "I got enough problems." It's funny, but that's really the heart of this passage that we're looking at today.02:14-02:23See, in 1 Corinthians 7, we've seen that marriage is a gift, and God has given married people a wedding present that they are to use appropriately.02:25-02:29And we've seen that for some people, being single is a gift.02:32-02:37But each one brings their own set of issues.02:38-02:47And the Corinthians were writing to Paul, asking for counsel, and Paul was writing this letter back to them, giving them counsel.02:48-02:50Look at verse 25.02:52-03:15Paul says, "Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy." You see, he says, "Now concerning." We saw that again back in chapter 7 verse 1.03:15-03:20It seems that Paul was going through a list of things that they brought up.03:20-03:21He goes, "Okay, let me tell you about this.03:22-03:32Okay, now let me tell you about this issue you brought up." It's kind of a Q&A format, and he says the next subject here is the betrothed.03:32-03:35Some translations say virgins.03:35-03:38He's talking to the singles.03:41-03:42All the single ladies.03:44-04:08that song? Get your hand up. I studied that dance this week and I was going to do it for you, but I looked at myself in the mirror and I do not dance like Beyonce. So maybe Maybe some other time.04:12-04:17But last week we saw Pastor Taylor talked about commitment.04:17-04:19That was in the previous passage, commitment.04:20-04:22Trust God where He has you, right?04:22-04:24Bloom where you are planted.04:27-04:30And I was thinking about that through the context of the whole passage.04:31-05:08Paul's talking about marriage and sexuality and singles issues, and then he talks about contentment, and then in this passage he's addressing the singles. Like why that flow? Why did he insert contentment right in the middle of that? And I think it's because there are certain aspects of being single that make it hard to be content. And here's what I mean by that. I think especially in the church there difficulties in being single.05:09-05:13Because I mean, think about it, in church, marriage is exalted.05:15-05:19In church, you see many godly marriages.05:20-05:28You sit and you watch infant dedications, and I think for singles there's a real sense of FOMO, right?05:30-05:35So this passage we're looking at today, mostly, is for the single people.05:37-05:53And if you're tempted to be like, "Oh, this ain't for me, I'm tuning out." I would say, "You are forbidden to tune out of this message." We expect our single people to sit through series on marriage, series on parenting.05:54-06:00We're like, "You need to listen to this, you need to listen to this, you know married people, so you should listen to this." You know single people, all right?06:01-06:05And maybe the Lord will open a door for you to be able to encourage them with some things in here.06:05-06:06All right?06:07-06:09So if I see you tuning out, I'm gonna throw a Bible at you.06:12-06:12All right?06:12-06:18So Paul says here, don't worry, it'll be a soft cover, not like a MacArthur study Bible or anything.06:19-06:28But Paul says here, I have no command for the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.06:28-06:29We talked about this before.06:30-06:38All Paul is saying here is the Lord, Jesus Christ, did not specifically address these singles issues during His earthly ministry.06:38-06:41It wasn't...being single is not a moral issue.06:42-06:45Jesus didn't really go into depth in addressing this.06:46-06:46Right?06:48-07:03He says, "I don't have a quote for you from Jesus." When it comes to divorce, Paul said, "I got quotes for you from Jesus about divorce." Jesus was crystal on that, but I don't have a quote from Jesus really about these aspects of being single.07:03-07:08But Paul's like, "Hey, you can trust me." Right?07:09-07:24And he goes on in this passage to say, "It's good to be single." Actually, he says it's in many ways better to be single.07:24-07:27It's wiser to be single.07:29-07:37Right now the singles among us might have heard that last statement and thought, "What's so great about being single?07:39-07:40What's so great about it?07:42-07:44What is it, the loneliness?07:46-07:47Is that what's so great about it?07:49-07:54Is it the stigma that people put on you, like, "Oh, you're single.07:54-07:58What's wrong with you?" Is that the great part of being single, Pastor Jeff?08:00-08:05Is it going to the soda shop, Pastor Jeff, and eating the wet walnut sundae by yourself?08:12-08:14Is it all the people that try to play Cupid?08:15-08:16Is that the great part?08:17-08:21You know, I got this co-worker, it'd be great for you.08:22-08:24Both of his teeth are really clean," and whatever.08:28-08:30I can't wait to meet him.08:32-08:33Is that the great part, Pastor Jeff?08:34-08:35Is it the FOMO, Pastor Jeff?08:36-08:36Is it?08:36-08:38What's the great part, Pastor Jeff?08:39-08:40What's the great part?08:41-08:46Well, this is what the Lord said, okay?08:46-08:49This isn't Jeff's opinion, this is God's opinion.08:49-08:52So on your outline, I want you to jot some things down.08:53-08:55Here's three advantages of being single.08:55-08:57All right, three advantages of being single.09:01-09:03Oh, right, sorry.09:10-09:11I beg your pardon.09:12-09:13I have a disclaimer.09:17-09:20I have been happily married since 2002.09:27-09:32Despite what Paul says about singleness, I am very thankful for my beautiful, talented, and intelligent wife.09:33-09:35I acknowledge that I married up.09:36-09:40Her presence daily enhances my life in every way.09:41-09:46And then it says at the bottom, you better read this and sound convincing, love Aaron.09:47-09:48(congregation laughing)09:57-09:58I am thankful to be married.10:01-10:05That was what God had for me, but God might not have that for you.10:06-10:07All right, he gives different gifts to different people.10:08-10:11So if you're single, here's three advantages of being single.10:11-10:15Number one, write this down, you're saved from certain troubles.10:16-10:19You're saved from certain troubles.10:22-10:25And here's the point, I'm gonna give you the heads up and we're gonna see it in the text.10:25-10:34What Paul's saying here is there are troubles married people have that single people do not have, okay?10:34-10:36That's why the word certain is in there.10:37-10:40Not, save from all troubles, everybody's got troubles, okay?10:40-10:41Everybody's got troubles.10:41-10:47But there are certain troubles that married people have that single people have the luxury of not having, all right?10:48-10:53And he gives them in two categories, and the first one is present distress.10:53-10:57You can write that down on your outline underneath number one, distress.10:57-10:58Look at verse 26.11:00-11:13Paul says, "I think that in view of the present distress, It is good for a person to remain as he is, obviously, or as she is.11:14-11:15Okay, what's the distress?11:15-11:16What's the distress?11:16-11:21Well, some translations translate that violence.11:22-11:23Violence.11:24-11:28It's just simply hardships of living in a violent world.11:29-11:37And Paul's like, "Hey, hey, the world's a violent place, so it's probably better, single that you're not married for that reason.11:38-11:49See for the Corinthians, about 15 years after they would have received this letter, they endured horrible persecution that lasted for 200 years.11:51-11:52And I think Paul knew that.11:53-11:55Like, the world's a violent place.11:58-12:00But see, this principle isn't just for them.12:01-12:05I mean, isn't the world a violent and evil place today?12:06-12:08I mean, do I really have to sell you on that?12:09-12:14I mean, look at all the school shootings and sex trafficking, all the wars.12:15-12:20I wrote this before the events of yesterday, the events of yesterday happened.12:21-12:21The wars.12:23-12:33The war for your kids, all the gay and transgender stuff pushed in schools, the persecution for simply believing the Bible, Charlie Kirk, remember him?12:36-12:44So I would ask you, church, when Paul talks about violence to the Corinthians in our day, are we getting better or are we getting worse?12:45-12:46Which is it?12:48-12:54Can you really turn on the news and be like, oh yeah, there was violence back in that day, but I think things are pretty safe now, right?12:54-12:55Could you say that?12:56-12:57Of course not.12:59-13:01And I was thinking about this a lot this past week.13:02-13:05What era of human history was perfectly safe?13:06-13:07To have a wife and kids.13:08-13:09Is there any?13:09-13:27Can you point to an era and be like, "Yeah, this was the sweet spot right here in human history that it was…everything was safe." You see, such violence has extra implications if you have a spouse.13:28-13:32If you have a spouse, many times you also eventually have children.13:35-13:38Such violence has implications for spouse and kids, right?13:39-13:43What I mean is, look, I'm not afraid of being attacked personally.13:43-13:43I'm not.13:44-13:44Like, whatever.13:46-13:52I mean, somebody doesn't like the sermon and they slip past security and come up and shoot me or whatever.13:52-13:53Okay, whatever.13:53-13:54See you in heaven.13:56-14:03But I've got a wife and kids, and the thought of them being in danger is terrifying to me.14:04-14:08To think that they're in danger and I can't protect them and I can't be there.14:11-14:12That's what Paul's talking about here.14:13-14:20You see, if I suffer, whatever, but if they suffer, that is way more painful than any suffering that I can endure.14:22-14:30That's why Paul says there in verse 26, he says, "Remain as he is." That's better.14:30-14:32"Remain as he is." He clarifies that though.14:32-14:33Look, he clarifies.14:33-14:34Look at verse 27.14:36-14:39He says, "Are you bound to a wife?14:40-14:41Do not seek to be free.14:41-14:42Are you free from a wife?14:44-14:50Do not seek a wife." He says, "Married, stay married.14:50-14:51Single stay single.14:52-14:53Did you get a divorce?14:53-14:55Stay as you are.14:58-15:06He's saying singles might be wise to pump the brakes on getting married in view of just how violent the world is.15:08-15:08You see that?15:09-15:11There's a second category of trouble.15:11-15:12We saw the presence of stress.15:13-15:14The next one is that worldly troubles.15:15-15:16Look at verse 28.15:16-15:17This is a little different though.15:18-15:26Verse 28, he says, "But if you do marry, you have not sinned.15:27-15:31And if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned.15:32-15:39Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that." Stop there.15:40-15:41There's worldly troubles.15:42-15:53I mean, he says, "A marriage isn't sin, obviously." He goes, "But it brings trouble." There's conflict within marriage, right?15:54-16:00He already addressed there's conflict that comes from outside, but there's also conflict that comes from the inside.16:01-16:07What I mean is, you know, I have to deal with my own sin issues.16:08-16:09I am incredibly selfish.16:15-16:21I can be incredibly prideful, and I can be horribly irritable.16:25-16:27I got those issues going on.16:28-16:36Now, I get married and I got to deal with my wife's sin issues.16:36-16:38I mean, not my wife.16:38-16:43I mean, but you see the point.16:45-16:47You got your sin issues, whoever you marry is going to have sin issues.16:48-16:52The potential for misery in marriage is worse than for singles.16:53-16:58Like yeah, singles are going to deal with their own sin, married people, the amount of sin just doubled in the home.17:03-17:07people get married thinking it's going to fix everything, right?17:08-17:22People get married thinking, you know, "I have these physical urges, and if I just get married, all those urges are going to be fixed." It's not always true, right?17:23-17:25Or people are like, "I'm incredibly lonely.17:26-17:32I'm just so lonely, and if I get married, I won't be lonely." That's not always true either.17:37-17:40Sometimes these things just get worse, right?17:41-17:48Desire for intimacy gets worse when you have a spouse you want to be with but is unresponsive.17:50-17:53Loneliness gets worse when you live with someone who resents you.17:57-18:02So if you're single and you're on the fence, "Should I get married?18:03-18:05Maybe I'll wait till the end of the sermon to decide.18:05-18:11What should I do?" If you're single, "Oh, I wish I had a string.18:11-18:43My previous church, I had a string of marriage counseling sessions I was going through, and I so wish, single people, that I could take you into these marriage counseling sessions and have you sit in the corner and just watch." That would make up your mind for you because you would walk out of there going, "I am so thankful that I don't got to deal with that." Potential for misery in marriage is worse than the potential for misery in singles.18:43-18:44That's what Paul's saying.18:46-18:53I mean even if conflict isn't the big issue, I mean there's plenty of other worldly troubles, right?18:56-18:58like sickness, for example.19:00-19:04I mean, I remember back when I was single, and that was a difficult season in my life.19:06-19:08But do you know what's harder than being single?19:10-19:12You know what's harder is watching a sick wife suffer.19:13-19:13That's harder.19:14-19:20You know what's harder than being single is watching a sick child that you've prayed for for decades not get better.19:21-19:22That's harder than being single.19:24-19:26Now this is Paul's whole point here.19:26-19:27Look, life is hard.19:27-19:28Life is hard for everyone.19:29-19:31I mean, the Bible is crystal on that.19:31-19:38Life is hard for everyone, but getting married invites other elements of trouble.19:40-19:42The world is violent, my wife is violent.19:42-19:45Single people are saved from that.19:47-19:49I guess that's number one.19:49-19:53Number two, three advantages of being single, you're safe from certain troubles.19:53-19:55Number two, you're safe from distraction.19:57-19:58You're safe from distraction.20:01-20:07Marriage brings distraction, and he gives two ways that it does.20:07-20:15First of all, you lose your perspective on priorities, and second of all, you get distracted by the duty of taking care of a family, right?20:15-20:16So let's talk about these.20:17-20:17Let's break them down.20:19-20:21One distraction, losing perspective on priorities.20:21-20:25Look at verse 29, he says, "This is what I mean, brothers.20:27-20:29The appointed time has grown very short.20:30-20:41From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none." You've got to read it in its context.20:42-20:47If you pull that verse out of its context, you're thinking it says something way different than it does, okay?20:48-20:50So you've got to listen to the rest of us.20:50-21:00He is not saying…He is not saying…everybody say, "Not saying." He is not saying, "Detach from your wife." He's not saying that at all.21:00-21:02The context makes it clear what He is saying.21:02-21:20Look, verse 30, He goes, "And those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.21:21-21:28For the present form of this world is passing away." See, what's he saying?21:28-21:29Look at the context.21:30-21:37Mourning, rejoicing, stuff, doing business, that's all earth stuff.21:39-21:39Right?21:39-21:43That is all stuff for here and now.21:45-21:57Paul's saying, "Don't live as if this is all there is." You realize so many people live as if they are going to be here forever, and you're not.21:58-21:59None of us are.22:03-22:05That's what Paul's talking about here.22:05-22:09You're mourning, you're going through a hard time, it's temporary.22:10-22:12You're not going to be mourning in heaven over that.22:12-22:14Oh, and you're rejoicing, you had the greatest day of your life?22:14-22:17Okay, that's not going to mean anything in heaven.22:18-22:18Right?22:19-22:20Oh, you're worried about your stuff?22:20-22:21He ain't taking it with you.22:22-22:24Earthly dealings, you're not going to be doing that in heaven.22:26-22:27It's all earth stuff.22:30-22:43And then he says, "Life as we know it on earth, it's all passing away, including marriage." I mean, all of these things in his list, he's saying these things all look different in light of eternity.22:44-22:48And don't let these things distract you from the big picture.22:49-22:50Do you know what the big picture is?22:52-22:59The big picture is you were created by God to spend a certain amount of time on this earth.23:04-23:09But you were born with a sinful nature we inherited from the first man.23:12-23:15You were born with a nature to rebel against your Creator.23:17-23:20Not to do what He wants you to do, but to do whatever you want to do.23:20-23:23You're selfish too, just like me.23:25-23:28And someday you're going to stand before that God who created you.23:29-23:32That God that you've rebelled against, someday you're going to stand before Him.23:33-23:37He just sang about what kind of God He is.23:37-23:38Holy forever.23:39-23:46You rebellious sinner are going to stand before the holy God that you rebelled against.23:49-23:58You deserve the worst that He could give you, which is hell, eternal separation from Him.23:59-24:07But because He loves you so much, He sent His Son to die on the cross on your behalf, to take your sin penalty on Himself.24:08-24:16When Jesus was on the cross, God was pouring out His wrath on Jesus, the wrath that I deserve and the wrath that you deserve.24:17-24:21Then Jesus rose from the dead so that we too can have the promise of eternal life.24:22-24:23That is the big picture.24:25-24:28So whether you buy or sell, you had a great day, a horrible day.24:28-24:34you get married or not, you're going to stand before a God who is going to judge you.24:35-24:38But if you are in Christ, there is no condemnation.24:39-24:40You are not guilty.24:40-24:41You are forgiven.24:43-24:44No sin will ever be held against you.24:44-24:45That is the big picture.24:45-24:55And Paul is saying, "Do not let the stuff of the earth, including marriage, distract you from that." He's just simply putting things into perspective.24:58-24:58Right?24:59-25:02Even marriage is not eternal.25:02-25:05Jesus said this in Matthew 22.25:06-25:18He says, "For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." Marriage is a "for now on earth" thing.25:20-25:20Right?25:20-25:21not for heaven.25:23-25:24We have it for now on earth.25:25-25:25Why?25:25-25:27For partnership, right?25:28-25:31For pleasure, for procreation.25:34-25:39All the purposes that marriage fulfill, those purposes aren't going to exist in heaven.25:40-25:44We're not going to need them fulfilled the way that they're fulfilled on earth.25:46-25:52I was thinking about this this week and I thought back to my days in elementary school.25:55-26:05I remember there were kids that would go skiing over the weekend and then they'd come to school on Monday.26:06-26:07Some of you remember this?26:07-26:09They'd come to school on Monday with their winter jacket on.26:09-26:11Remember what they still had hanging on their winter jacket?26:13-26:15Your lift pass, remember that?26:15-26:16They'd walk in.26:21-26:22(groans)26:27-26:29What'd you do over the weekend, Joey?26:33-26:35It was such a badge of honor.26:37-26:38You're like, why are you making fun of him?26:38-26:39Because I was so jealous.26:40-26:41That's why.26:43-26:46It was such a badge of honor, wasn't it, to walk into school.26:48-26:50You're not laughing because you were those kids, weren't you?26:52-26:54You were those ski lift tag kids.26:59-27:01I kind of laugh because you know what?27:02-27:05That lift tag was very useful for a time, wasn't it?27:06-27:09I mean, when you're skiing, that thing is super useful.27:09-27:11It has great purpose.27:11-27:16"Oh, you're skiing, it has great purpose." But then when you show up at school, what is it?27:16-27:18It's just a piece of garbage hanging from your coat.27:20-27:21It doesn't mean anything.27:22-27:24Like, dude, you don't need that.27:24-27:26You don't need to ride the lift to the cafeteria.27:29-27:31You don't need the ski tag.27:32-27:34And that's really, same thing with marriage.27:35-27:38Like, hey, married, I got a beautiful wife, she's awesome.27:38-27:45It's like, yes, but you're not going to need a wife in heaven, because every relationship is going to be perfect.27:50-27:53Paul's saying what he says in Colossians 3 too, right?27:53-27:57Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.27:59-28:02Don't let marriage distract you from your spiritual life.28:03-28:42Don't let marriage make you lose perspective on your priorities? Because it does. There are people, there are some people here that work more on their marriage than they do on their personal walk with Jesus Christ. That's a problem. That's backwards. If you worked more on your personal walk with Jesus Christ, things in your marriage would get a whole lot better. But marriage distracts us from focusing on eternity because marriage, as God's Word tells us, divides our interests.28:44-28:45Look at verse 32.28:49-28:52Paul says, "I want you to be free from anxieties.28:55-29:00The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord." How to please the Lord.29:01-29:06But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife.29:08-29:09And his interests are divided.29:11-29:20And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit.29:20-29:27But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.29:29-29:36Any single people can serve Jesus undistracted because the single person only has one set of cares.29:37-29:39The married person is divided.29:40-29:41That's what he's saying.29:41-29:47The married person says, "I really do want to serve Christ.29:47-29:58I really do want to give everything to Jesus, but I also have this God-given responsibility to take care of my family.30:00-30:07My interests are divided." So, singles better.30:09-30:11You're like, "Man, that sounds legalistic." Look at verse 35.30:13-30:38Paul says, "I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord." See that's exactly what Paul is saying here, he says, "I'm not being legalistic." He says, "This is for your benefit." But don't think that married people are second-class citizens.30:41-30:41Right?30:42-30:55Verse 36, he says, "If anyone thinks he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes.30:55-30:57Let them marry, it is no sin.30:58-32:31But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity, but having his desires under control and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better." You're like, "What is he talking about here?" This would have made way more sense to the original audience of this letter. Understand here, Paul is talking specifically here to fathers of unmarried daughters. The fathers had decision-making power in the matter of marriage for their daughters. Like, well that sounds very weird. Not really. Even today, I mean, isn't there the custom of when you want to get married to a woman, don't you go to her father and ask for her hand in marriage? Where do you think that comes from. Right? Same principle. But understand, Paul's just, once again, even in that, he's laying out the same thing he's been saying through this whole chapter, specifically through this whole passage. He goes, "If they get married, great. And if they remain single," He's like, "That's even better.32:32-32:39It's even better." Paul says here in this section that when it comes to serving Jesus, single people have an advantage.32:42-32:54Now, understand, single people, single people understand before you go out and get your ski tag, understand he's not saying single people are more spiritual than married people.32:54-32:55He is not saying that.32:56-33:02Single people are not automatically more devoted to Jesus than married people.33:02-33:04He is not saying that.33:04-33:11You're like, "Well, what is he saying?" He's saying single people have the greater potential in their service to Jesus Christ.33:16-33:17All right?33:17-33:46people, consider how much of your resources goes to just taking care of your family, right? How much time does your family require? How much money do you spend on your family? How much energy does your family get? And the answer is Because they get all of all the above, right?33:49-34:04And Paul here is simply saying, "Single people, you have tremendous opportunity, capacity, and potential to serve Christ because you're saved from the distractions that come from having to take care of a family." Right?34:04-34:05Single people?34:07-34:07Single people?34:08-34:12You want to spend extra time in prayer and the Word today?34:13-34:30You can do that without a bunch of little people running up to you going...and you're like, "I fed you yesterday." Well, you've got to feed them today too.34:31-34:33Single people don't got to worry about that.34:34-34:36Single people, you want to go on a mission trip?34:37-34:42You know what, this Vision Appalachia thing, I'm about that, I'm gone.34:42-34:44I'm going to talk to Bob Brown, I'm gone.34:44-34:46Single people can do that, like at the drop of a hat.34:47-34:51Or hey, next trip to Thailand, I am there.34:52-34:53No problem.34:53-35:00Single people can do that because you don't have to factor in the schedules of several other people.35:02-35:02Right?35:04-35:17Single people, you're like, "Oh, it's a prayer service tonight at church." You don't have to worry if you're going to miss it because your spouse is working late or Joey has yet another lacrosse tournament.35:20-35:21That's like the fifth one today.35:24-35:26Single people don't got to worry about that.35:26-35:27That's all Paul's saying here.35:29-35:35Oh, and P.S., history is full of single people that God has used mightily.35:37-35:39I read about a whole bunch of them this past week.35:40-35:44I don't have time to get into all of them, but I will mention one.35:44-35:47How about Paul, right?35:48-36:12Paul himself being single allowed Paul the opportunity to evangelize the Roman world and write holy Spirit-inspired letters that guide, encourage, and bless the churches even until today." So I guess Paul being single adds quite a bit of credibility to this Spirit-inspired truth that he wrote.36:12-36:14He says, "Hey, are you single?36:15-36:21You're saved from a lot of distractions." All right, three advantages of being single.36:21-36:22You're saved from certain troubles.36:23-36:24You're safe from distraction.36:24-36:26Number three, you're safe from obligation.36:28-36:31One more, you're safe from obligation.36:33-36:36Paul says a wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives.36:38-36:46But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.36:48-36:52Yet in my judgment, she is happier if she remains as she is.36:55-36:57And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.36:59-37:00I love that last statement.37:01-37:16Paul's like, 'cause you know that people are gonna be reading this and hearing this like, "Oh, come on, Paul, that's just your opinion." And he's like, "Yeah, I think I have the Holy Spirit too." So you're saved from obligation.37:16-37:22Paul says, "If your spouse dies, You can marry another believer.37:24-37:38Paul says, "Yet you'll be happier to stay single." But, Paul says, "Once you marry, you are bound as long as your spouse lives." He's talking about the obligation to the marriage.37:41-37:57The most important choice you will ever make for however long you have on the earth, the The most important choice is whether or not you are going to turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.37:57-37:59That is the most important choice you will ever make.38:00-38:03Do you know what the second most important choice is that you will ever make?38:04-38:06Is the person that you decide to marry.38:11-38:12Because there's no going back.38:14-38:15At least not in God's eyes.38:16-38:17There's no going back.38:18-38:20It's more important than choosing a college major.38:20-38:23It's more important than choosing a career.38:24-38:26It's more important than choosing a tattoo.38:29-38:33More important than all these, who you marry, because it's a covenant before God.38:33-38:36It's a sacred thing in the eyes of God.38:36-38:47In the eyes of God, you're bound for life, and Paul's reminding, hey, when you're bound to a spouse, there is no more liberty that comes with being single.38:51-38:58You know, in Matthew chapter 19, Jesus was talking about marriage and divorce and adultery.38:58-39:03He was being challenged, and we've talked about that passage even very recently.39:04-39:12And Jesus gave his teaching on what it means to be married and defining divorce and adultery and all of that.39:12-39:18Well, the disciples heard all this, and this was their response to Jesus.39:18-39:24After hearing the Lord teach about marriage, this is what the disciples said in response to Jesus.39:25-39:41The disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it's better not to marry." Go back and read that whole passage, and you'll see they got it.39:42-39:44They were not rebuked for this statement.39:45-40:03Jesus is like, "Yeah, but not everybody can receive that, but yeah, they got it." Marriage is not for everyone, but there is a special wisdom and dedication that single people are gifted, right?40:04-40:06Our worship team would make their way back up front.40:13-40:22Single people, do you have the gift of being single?40:23-40:24Do you have that gift?40:28-40:32You're like, "You know, I really think this might be God's gift for me, being single." Is that you?40:32-40:34Well, I want to say something to you.40:34-40:38On the authority of the Word of God, it is not inferior to being married.40:39-40:46In fact, God says very clearly, in a lot of ways, it is better.40:49-40:55But for those of you who are single and you're struggling to know, "Do I have the gift?40:55-40:57I'm not sure if I have the gift.40:57-41:12What does God have for me?" Today I just want you to consider the benefits that the Word of God laid out, that there are troubles, distractions, and obligations that you're going to be saved from.41:13-41:14Let's pray.41:15-41:48in heaven, we thank you for your Word. And I know this can be a touchy and emotional subject, but I thank you. I thank you for the tone in which you inspired Paul to communicate this, that it wasn't some hard-nosed, snarky, legalistic thing at all, but just an objective look at reality.41:51-41:52God, You give gifts.41:52-41:53Your Word is so clear.41:53-42:10You give gifts to each one of us, and for some, Father, You've given the gift of singleness, and I pray a special blessing on those that You have so set aside for specific types of ministry that married people are unable to do.42:11-42:28Father, for the single people here maybe who are struggling, not sure if it's their gift, I just ask, Father, that you would maybe use this message to give them direction on what it is exactly you do have for them.42:30-42:47For the rest of us, Father, show us how we can love and encourage our single brothers and sisters without making them feel like they're on a second tier path because according to your word, it's kind of the opposite.42:49-42:53Give us wisdom, Father, in all these things we ask in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 7:25-40What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Give some examples of “troubles” that come in marriage (internal and external) that single people are spared.How exactly are single people able to serve Jesus without “divided interests” (1 Cor 7:33)?What are some ways the church can reach single people for discipleship (without allowing it to become just a “match-making ministry”)?BreakoutPray for one another.

Isaiah 51:1–2 instructs us to, "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you." In this episode, David and Jo Ann Seely unpack their article "The Ten Tests of Abraham and Sarah," uncovering how Abraham and Sarah emerge as models of covenant discipleship. The Seelys explore how these tests developed in scriptural commentary, highlight Sarah's often-overlooked trials, and discuss connections to the Book of Abraham. From this episode, we can gain a deeper understanding of how ancient traditions can illuminate the covenant path and enrich our own discipleship. Publications: "The Ten Tests of Abraham and Sarah" in Abraham and His Family in Scripture, History, and Tradition: Proceedings of the Conference Held May 3 & 10, 2025 at Brigham Young University, The Interpreter Foundation (2025) "'Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you' (Isa. 51:2): The Ten Tests of Abraham and Sarah," 2026 BYU Religious Education Symposium in Honor of Sidney B. Sperry, Tender Mercies and Loving-Kindness: The Goodness of God in the Old Testament, Religious Education (2026) Tender Mercies and Loving-Kindness: The Goodness of God in the Old Testament, Religious Studies Center (2026) "The Cry of the Widow, the Fatherless, and the Stranger: The Covenant Obligation to Help the Poor and Oppressed," in God's Word in Our Hearts: Learning from the Old Testament, Religious Studies Center (2025) Approaching Holiness: Exploring the History and Teachings of the Old Testament, Religious Studies Center (2021) Ascending the Mountain of the Lord: Temple, Praise, and Worship in the Old Testament, Religious Studies Center (2013) "Jesus the Messiah: Prophet, Priest, and King," in Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, Religious Studies Center (2002) Click here to learn more about Jo Ann Seely and here to learn more about David Seely

Trusting Our Father and A.I. Song- Way Maker. ACU Sunday Series.   Trusting Our Father. David P. Homer.  October 2024 General Conference Watch this video at- https://youtu.be/cZJhSpn-Rn4?si=3WL40ic2qeg2ZQyG General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ 691K subscribers 77,841 views Oct 5, 2024 October 2024 General Conference Elder David P. Homer speaks at the 194th semiannual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held on October 5-6, 2024. "God trusts us to make many important decisions, and in all matters He asks us to trust Him." https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/s... --------------------------------------------------------------------------   For Come Follow Me lesson manual and materials visit- Come, Follow Me For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/manual/come-follow-me/2023?lang=eng     For a list of 100+ episodes of ACU Sunday Series visit- https://www.podbean.com/site/search/index?kdsowie31j4k1jlf913=85cb8104bdb182c048b714ad4385f9e82a3aeb49&v=ACU+Sunday+Series+ Note- Click on “100 Episodes Found” in upper right corner.   For many different Podcasts based on the ‘Come Follow Me' program visit- https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=come+follow+me+   Subscribe to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the latest videos: http://bit.ly/1M0iPwY Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/churchofjesu... Twitter: @Ch_JesusChrist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChurchOfJes... Website: ChurchOfJesusChrist.org The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints   BYUEducationWeek   Get a Free Book of Mormon | ComeUntoChrist Church of Jesus Christ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org › requests › free-...   The Book of Mormon brings you closer to Jesus. Click to download a free digital copy of the Book of Mormon and learn about it with online missionaries.   -------------------------------------------------------------------------- For the Strength of Youth To help you find the Way and to help you make Christ's doctrine the guiding influence in your life, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has prepared a new resource, a revised version of For the Strength of Youth.   For over 50 years, For the Strength of Youth has been a guide for generations of Latter-day Saint youth. I always keep a copy in my pocket, and I share it with people who are curious about our standards. It has been updated and refreshed to better cope with the challenges and temptations of our day. The new version of For the Strength of Youth is available online in 50 different languages and will also be available in print. It will be a significant help for making choices in your life. Please embrace it as your own and share it with your friends. This new version of For the Strength of Youth is subtitled A Guide for Making Choices. To be very clear, the best guide you can possibly have for making choices is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the strength of youth. So the purpose of For the Strength of Youth is to point you to Him. It teaches you eternal truths of His restored gospel—truths about who you are, who He is, and what you can accomplish with His strength. It teaches you how to make righteous choices based on those eternal truths.13 It's also important to know what For the Strength of Youth does not do. It doesn't make decisions for you. It doesn't give you a “yes” or “no” about every choice you might ever face. For the Strength of Youth focuses on the foundation for your choices. It focuses on values, principles, and doctrine instead of every specific behavior. The Lord, through His prophets, has always been guiding us in that direction. He is pleading with us to “increase [our] spiritual capacity to receive revelation.”14 He is inviting us to “hear Him.”15 He is calling us to follow Him in higher and holier ways.16 And we are learning in a similar way every week in Come, Follow Me.   ACU Endorsed Charities -------------------------------------------------------- Pre-Born! Saving babies and Souls. https://preborn.org/ OUR MISSION To glorify Jesus Christ by leading and equipping pregnancy clinics to save more babies and souls. WHAT WE DO Pre-Born! partners with life-affirming pregnancy clinics all across the nation. We are designed to strategically impact the abortion industry through the following initiatives:… -------------------------------------------------------- Help CSI Stamp Out Slavery In Sudan Join us in our effort to free over 350 slaves. Listeners to the Eric Metaxas Show will remember our annual effort to free Christians who have been enslaved for simply acknowledging Jesus Christ as their Savior. As we celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas, join us in giving new life to brothers and sisters in Sudan who have enslaved as a result of their faith. https://csi-usa.org/metaxas   https://csi-usa.org/slavery/   Typical Aid for the Enslaved A ration of sorghum, a local nutrient-rich staple food A dairy goat A “Sack of Hope,” a survival kit containing essential items such as tarp for shelter, a cooking pan, a water canister, a mosquito net, a blanket, a handheld sickle, and fishing hooks. Release celebrations include prayer and gathering for a meal, and medical care for those in need. The CSI team provides comfort, encouragement, and a shoulder to lean on while they tell their stories and begin their new lives. Thank you for your compassion  Giving the Gift of Freedom and Hope to the Enslaved South Sudanese -------------------------------------------------------- Food For The Poor https://foodforthepoor.org/ Help us serve the poorest of the poor Food For The Poor began in 1982 in Jamaica. Today, our interdenominational Christian ministry serves the poor in primarily 17 countries throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Thanks to our faithful donors, we are able to provide food, housing, healthcare, education, fresh water, emergency relief, micro-enterprise solutions and much more. We are proud to have fed millions of people and provided more than 15.7 billion dollars in aid. Our faith inspires us to be an organization built on compassion, and motivated by love. Our mission is to bring relief to the poorest of the poor in the countries where we serve. We strive to reflect God's unconditional love. It's a sacrificial love that embraces all people regardless of race or religion. We believe that we can show His love by serving the “least of these” on this earth as Christ challenged us to do in Matthew 25. We pray that by God's grace, and with your support, we can continue to bring relief to the suffering and hope to the hopeless.   Way Maker – 90's Hair Metal Version (AI Worship) A.I. Worship 22.8K subscribers 166,442 views Nov 22, 2025 Experience “Way Maker” by Sinach/Leeland/Michael W Smith as a 90's Hair Metal version of this worship classic. AI Worship re-imagines classic Christian songs in bold, unexpected ways — exploring how technology and creativity can meet in reverence and awe when humans and machine unite in worship of the Creator. AI Worship… the music is fake but the worship is real. Original song: “Way Maker” by Sinach Reimagined and produced by AI Worship If this version moved you, hit Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more AI worship interpretations.  

FAITH IS… with Pastor Rick Stevens – In tense times for Jerusalem and the Middle East, believers are called to pray for peace. A nighttime conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus reveals the life-changing truth of being born again—not as ritual words, but as wholehearted allegiance to Christ and a transformed, Spirit-filled life...

Our view of Jesus affects the way we view God, the world, ourselves, and every one of our decisions. What we do with Jesus determines where we will spend eternity. In this series, The Person of Jesus, we will get a glimpse into the life of Christ. We will come face to face with the Savior. We will learn about His attributes, His character, and His love for all mankind. No one on earth has changed the face of history like the Lord Jesus Christ. No matter your past, Jesus Christ can forgive you and change your life forever.

Peter boldly declares he'll never abandon Jesus, even as Christ predicts his three-time denial. As we ponder our Savior's passion, we're confronted with a freeing truth: our salvation isn't about being stronger or more faithful than others, but about what Jesus accomplished on the cross and through His resurrection.Series Summary: The religious leaders at the cross hurled a challenge at Jesus: “Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” They demanded proof before faith. But the Gospel of Mark, especially in its story of the Passion, invites us into a different reality: believing in order to see. From the anointing at Bethany to the silent emptiness of the tomb, Jesus' journey subverts our expectations. The one hailed as king is crowned with thorns. The one with power to calm storms submits to arrest. The consistent, sure thread through the chaos is his Word. As the angel at the tomb reminded the trembling women, “He is going ahead of you…just as he told you.” As we study through Mark's Passion, we are invited to follow Jesus—not by sight, but by faith in his sure and leading Word.Add St. Marcus as your church on the Church Center App!Fill out our online connection cardHow can we pray for you? If you'd like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here.

When a sudden storm threatens to sink the disciples’ boat, their fear exposes just how fragile their faith really is. In the chaos, Jesus speaks a word and a raging sea becomes a great calm, revealing that he is no mere teacher but the Lord of creation itself. The storms we face uncover our vulnerability, but they also invite us to trust the one who has faced the ultimate storm on our behalf. Listen this sermon as Jason Harris explores what the super storm reveals about our faith, our fears, and the Savior who stands sovereign over it all. ________ Sign up for Central’s newsletters here. Visit us on our website to learn more. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

In this powerful opening message of the "Jesus" series, we're reminded that if God sent you into it, He has already supplied the grace to bring you through it — because the Sender is the Supplier. Storms don't mean God is absent; He is an ever-present help who sees you, walks toward you, and often shows up in ways you don't expect. What the enemy sends as pressure, God turns into purpose. This message challenges us to step out in faith, fix our focus, and trust that every storm ultimately reveals the Savior.This is the official Facebook and YouTube channel of Champion Christian Center. Our mission is to love God, reach the one, and change the world. Through Bible-based sermons and devotionals, you'll learn how to understand the Word of God, fulfill God's plan for your life, and make a positive impact on the world around you. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person! We are located in Washington, PA and led by Pastors Nathan and Joie Miller.For more life-changing resources, visit us at www.championcenter.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel:/ @championcenter1To give online:https://pushpay.com/g/championchristiancenter——Champion Christian Center Facebook:/ championccenterChampion Christian Center Instagram:@championccenter

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Psalm 90 is the oldest psalm in Scripture. It was by Moses. It is a famous passage because it is a vivid reminder that all of us will meet God. We spend our years, and then one day, our time on earth is finished. No second chances, no do-overs. How are you spending the life God entrusted to you? Are you ready to meet God when your earthly days come to an end? If you do not know Christ as your Savior, visit enjoyingthejourney.org/gospel/      Join our study through Scripture this year. Find resources for every book of the Bible at enjoyingthejourney.org/journey-through-scripture/ Whether you're a new believer or have walked with the Lord for years, you'll find thousands of free devotionals, Bible studies, audio series, and Scripture tools designed to strengthen your faith, deepen your understanding of the Bible, and help you stay rooted in the Word of God. Explore now at EnjoyingTheJourney.org. Extend the Work Enjoying the Journey provides every resource for free worldwide. If you would like to help extend this Bible teaching, you may give at enjoyingthejourney.org/donations/

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260228dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 In Harm’s Way There are people who are willing to put themselves in harm’s way. These people recognize the serious nature of their commitment and understand the potential consequences. They are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and security of others. There is a special debt of gratitude these people deserve—military personnel, firefighters, members of law enforcement, and emergency medical technicians. Without their willingness to serve and readiness to sacrifice everything, our lives would be much more difficult. The same can be said about Jesus, and the debt of gratitude we owe him. When we read Matthew’s account of Jesus’ temptation, we might wonder, “Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil? Why would he put Jesus into harm’s way?” The answer has everything to do with our rescue from sin and freedom from the controlling power of the devil. Because we are sinners from birth, it is impossible for us to defeat the devil. So great is his power over us that we would always succumb to his attacks. It is because of our weakness that God the Father had his Son come to this earth, take on flesh and blood, and become our substitute. This meant Jesus had to live under all of God’s righteousness requirements. It also meant Jesus had to put himself into harm's way. To free us from the devil’s control, Jesus had to subject himself to temptation. Every cunning act, every lie and deception, every powerful ploy, Jesus undertook on our behalf. What was impossible, Jesus accomplished perfectly and without sin. He overcame the devil’s attacks and secured complete victory. He now offers us the ability to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life. We can be at peace with God through our Savior’s perfect obedience. We are safe and secure because Jesus put himself into harm’s way to rescue us. Prayer: O blessed Jesus, you are my refuge, my strength, and my never-failing help. Daily be with me to protect and bless me through your victory over the devil. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you been stuck expecting the worst—even in your walk with God?Over the last few days, we've been confronting pessimism through the life of Thomas, the disciple forever nicknamed “doubting Thomas.” But Dr. Michael Youssef reveals the deeper issue beneath Thomas' doubt—and ours: a distorted understanding of who Jesus truly is. With patient love, Christ led Thomas from skepticism to victory, and that same resurrection power can transform you too.In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, you'll discover:why doubt often grows from an incomplete view of Christ,how Jesus personally frees us from pessimism, andwhat genuine transformation looks like after we encounter the living Savior.Thomas' change wasn't merely intellectual—it reshaped his entire life. After meeting the risen Christ, he became bold and mission-minded, taking the Gospel into difficult regions such as Nineveh and India. Dr. Youssef reminds us that when we truly grasp God's calling and His unconditional love, pessimism gives way to Spirit-empowered hope—pessimistic to visionary, uncertain to confident, and hopeless to joyful.If you're tired of negative “what ifs,” chronic doubt, or spiritual hesitation, this devotional will point you back to the One who has the final word over every fear:“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).Scripture Focus: John 8:36 The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. We don't flirt with fire. We don't negotiate with danger. And when it comes to sexual sin, Paul gives only one command: Run. Sprint. Get out fast. Not because you're weak—but because you know what's at stake. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. — 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 Paul doesn't tell you to manage sexual sin. He doesn't tell you to reason with it. He doesn't even tell you to pray near it. He tells you to flee. Why? Because sexual sin cuts deeper. It reshapes your desires. It wounds your soul. It touches the very place where God dwells. And then Paul gives the identity anchor that makes the command make sense: You. Are. Bought. Bought with blood. Bought at full price. Bought out of slavery. Bought into freedom. Jesus didn't shed discount blood to redeem you into discount living. That's why Paul's logic is so sharp: If Christ paid full price, stop selling yourself at bargain rates. You don't belong to sin anymore. You don't belong to your impulses. You don't belong to your past desires. You belong to Christ. And belonging determines behavior. This is why fleeing isn't cowardice—it's courage. It's saying: "I know my worth. I know my calling. I know my Redeemer. I know who paid for me." Every step away from sin is a step toward the Savior who bought you. Every act of fleeing is an act of worship. So glorify God in your body. Run like someone who knows what they're worth. Run like someone who has been bought with priceless blood, not discount blood. DO THIS: Choose one practical step to "flee": delete an app, cut off a pathway to sin, confess to a trusted believer, or move physically away from a tempting environment. ASK THIS: Where have I tried to manage sin instead of fleeing from it? What "bargain-rate" lies have convinced me my body is mine to use however I want? How does remembering the price Jesus paid reshape how I treat my body? PRAY THIS: Father, thank You for buying me at the highest cost. Help me flee what destroys my soul and run toward the One who redeemed me. Strengthen my mind, guard my desires, and make my body a place that honors You. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Jesus Paid It All"

Because of Jesus, you have an all-access pass to the most Holy Place! -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260228dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 In Harm’s Way There are people who are willing to put themselves in harm’s way. These people recognize the serious nature of their commitment and understand the potential consequences. They are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and security of others. There is a special debt of gratitude these people deserve—military personnel, firefighters, members of law enforcement, and emergency medical technicians. Without their willingness to serve and readiness to sacrifice everything, our lives would be much more difficult. The same can be said about Jesus, and the debt of gratitude we owe him. When we read Matthew’s account of Jesus’ temptation, we might wonder, “Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil? Why would he put Jesus into harm’s way?” The answer has everything to do with our rescue from sin and freedom from the controlling power of the devil. Because we are sinners from birth, it is impossible for us to defeat the devil. So great is his power over us that we would always succumb to his attacks. It is because of our weakness that God the Father had his Son come to this earth, take on flesh and blood, and become our substitute. This meant Jesus had to live under all of God’s righteousness requirements. It also meant Jesus had to put himself into harm's way. To free us from the devil’s control, Jesus had to subject himself to temptation. Every cunning act, every lie and deception, every powerful ploy, Jesus undertook on our behalf. What was impossible, Jesus accomplished perfectly and without sin. He overcame the devil’s attacks and secured complete victory. He now offers us the ability to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life. We can be at peace with God through our Savior’s perfect obedience. We are safe and secure because Jesus put himself into harm’s way to rescue us. Prayer: O blessed Jesus, you are my refuge, my strength, and my never-failing help. Daily be with me to protect and bless me through your victory over the devil. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Last week, I started talking about the nature of this Gnostic Reformation that I’m describing here. It turns out that the approach to Gnosticism that I am sharing with you here at Gnostic Insights is a reformation of what is understood to be Gnosticism. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode yet, it would be really good for you to start there. Go back and listen to or read the episode called, This Gnostic Reformation. I didn’t read any books about Gnosticism; I actually read the Nag Hammadi itself. I used my own method of discernment, my own model building method called A Simple Explanation to understand what I was reading. We all do that. We all have internal structures that help us to interpret what we understand about the world around us–what we understand about the nature of anything, whether it’s God or people or oneself. I had already previously come up with a very coherent system for understanding the things around me. That’s what I call A Simple Explanation of Absolutely Everything. That book is available. You can check it out. I’ll put the link here in the transcript. When people say, “My goodness, your Gnosticism is so different than what I have come to understand Gnosticism to be,” that’s because I didn’t take it from secondary sources. I took it from the original sources.  Then of course, Valentinian Gnosticism is an early form of what has come to be called Christianity. Christianity diverged immensely from the original message around the 300's and on up, when the gnostic books were taken out of Orthodoxy. Those folks that are called heresiologists are the people that went around slapping heresy labels on the early Christianity—the early Valentinian Gnosticism. They weeded it out of the official sacred texts that made their way into the New Testament. The main book of the Nag Hammadi that I relate to is called the Tripartite Tractate. I believe it to be the purest form of gnosis. It has very little in the way of mythologies, of extraneous characters, of the names of things and the numbers of things and the astrology of it all. Valentinian Gnosticism from the Tripartite Tractate is unique in that the fallen Aeon is not called Sophia, a female character. In the Sethian mythology, the female character—and by the way, that presupposes that there are genders among the Aeons in the Fullness of God, but that really doesn’t make much sense because there’s no sex. That is not the way that Aeons procreate. Aeons procreate by giving glory to the Father in various combinations, and it’s those various combinations of giving glory that produce amalgamations of those combinations. It’s a logarithmic progression of Aeons. It keeps growing as various Aeons recombine with one another and give glory to the Father and the Son—upstream, as I like to call it. That has nothing to do with gender. It has to do with giving glory to God with your friends and neighbors. See, we have gender because it has to do with procreation, and this is what is causing all of the gender confusion going around now. Differences among us—what we typically call masculine or feminine—these are personality traits. They don’t have to have anything to do with your sex. So the idea that you have to change your physical sex to reconceive of your gender or reconceive of who you are or your personality—this is a false teaching. You are who you are. You are a combination of various Aeons. You are the fruit of those Aeons, and it really has nothing to do with gender. The Father is not a male figure. Barbelo is not the mother. These are gendered identifications, but they are not truly gender because they’re not sexed. Does that make any sense? So last week we talked about the first emanation. In Sethianism, it’s Barbelo, the mother figure, the womb of all, the matrix of divine life. In Valentinian Gnosticism, that first figure is the Son, and in most of the Valentinian texts, the Son is conflated with the Christ. Oh, by the way, Christians get very bent out of shape about calling Christ the Christ. They say, if anybody—and I heard this from a radio preacher not long ago—“If anyone says ‘the'Christ, you know right off they’re not saved. You know right off they’re not Christians, because ‘the' Christ is a made-up figure, whereas Jesus is Christ, and Jesus is the Son of God.” Well, Jesus is a human being, so we know that Jesus is not the originating Son of God, which an ethereal figure. The Son, in Valentinian Christianity, was the immediate self-expression of the Father. The Father emanated the Son, and the Son entirely represents the Father. Jesus is way downstream here, along with the rest of us humans. He was called the perfect human because he expressed the Father and the Son in his human personality. Jesus came to be well downstream, along with the rest of us humans. In Sethianism, the Barbelo, the first expression, isn’t the Savior. She’s the source of the Savior. She’s the mother of Autogenes, whom they call the Christ. In Valentinianism, the Son is the immediate self-expression of the Father. There’s no Barbelo figure, and the Son is the primary mediator of divine knowledge. The Son is fully expressive and representative of the Father, and he stays plugged into the Father—or it stays. It’s difficult when speaking English not to use gendered pronouns, because that’s the way our grammar works. So, forgive me for saying “he” when I speak of the Son or the Father, but “it” just seems so impersonal. And the Son is personal to us. The Son is our Father, our Abba. In Sethianism, Christ, also known as Autogenes, is not the initial revelation of the Father. He’s the restorative agent who repairs the damage caused by the fall of the Aeon. And in Sethianism, the Aeon who fell was a female figure, Sophia. Christ is often paired with Seth, and Seth is a character out of the mythology of Sethianism that is the heavenly archetype of the Gnostic race. Sethianism has distinctions amongst humans. There are the elect and there are those who are not elect. There are those who are called hylic-only, which is material only. And so, if you’re a Sethian Gnostic, you don’t believe that all of the people that you see around here are carriers of divinity. You believe that only Gnostics are carriers of divinity, much like Christians only believe that those who have come forward and professed belief in Jesus Christ are the elect, and they’re the only ones who are saved. Gnostics have the same type of distinction, only they think only the Sethians are those who are saved. And that really doesn’t have to do with Jesus. It has to do with Christ and Seth—that Christ’s role is to descend and rescue the elect, and the elect would be Sethians. Now, in Valentinian Christianity, you don’t have that kind of distinction. Christ is the direct image of the Father. Most of the books of the Nag Hammadi, the Valentinian as well as the Sethian, still identify Sophia as the fallen Aeon; they still have a gendered pleroma of the Fullness of God. This is one of the big, big differences between the Gnosticism that I share with you and these more ancient Gnostic strains of thought. I do not think that Aeons are gendered. It’s an unnecessary step of confusion, the idea of syzygies and marriages and pair bonds. No, that’s not necessary. At least in the Tripartite Tractate, if you read it, nowhere is anything like that mentioned. There’s no gender identification mentioned at all. In Valentinian Christology, [which is what it’s called when you study Christ], outside of the Tripartite Tractate the rest of the books that talk about Christ say that Christ is the direct image of the Father. His incarnation is intentional, therapeutic, and as a teacher, and he brings knowledge of the Father, not merely rescue from the Fall. Christians generally believe that Christ brings knowledge of the Father because he talked about the Father, or he taught—that he’s a pedagogical character. He’s a teacher, but that his actual salvation came from dying on the cross, from death and then overcoming death. He brings everyone who believes in him forward in overcoming death. Now, the Tripartite Tractate doesn’t put it that way. The Tripartite Tractate explains how Christ came not to die and not only to teach, but salvation lies in the very fact that Christ came to Earth in the perfection of the Father. Jesus said, “If you see me, you see the Father. He who loves me loves the Father, and he who loves the Father loves me.” That was Jesus speaking as the embodiment of the Christ. Jesus embodied the Fullness of the Christ in his human body walking around on the Earth, and so he built a bridge between the ethereal plane and the material plane. He brought them back together for the first time since Logos fell out of the pleroma. He brings them back together, and he brings restoration in that manner. There’s another primary difference between Sethian Gnosticism and Valentinian Gnosticism, other than Barbelo being the first emanation or the Son being the first emanation. In Sethianism, Christ’s role is as a cosmic rescuer, and in the Valentinian tradition, he is the revealer of truth and the healer. Sethians tend to think of the world as completely hostile and alien. This material world is a prison. It’s a trap. Everything’s wrong down here.   Now, in the Valentinian system, it is also thought that the world is wrong. It’s fallen, but it is redeemable, and so salvation comes through transformation of what is around us, whereas in the Sethian system, salvation comes by escaping the trap. The goal in Sethianism is to return to Barbelo, and the goal in the Valentinian system is to return to the Father. So, Sethianism is much more apocalyptic. It’s about crashing the world and getting out because there’s nothing good down here. Valentinian is more therapeutic because it believes in transformation through love and spreading the gospel–the good news. That’s what gospel means. The good news of Christ, the good news of the Father, the good news of eternal life beyond materiality. In the Gnostic Reformation that I am proposing here, we can combine somewhat the two schools of thought. This is a bridge Gnosticism between Sethianism, Valentinianism, and Christianity, although churchgoers aren’t going to like any of this, right? Because they’re fine in the system that they believe it to be, and I think that’s okay. If you’re a non-hypocritical Christian who goes to church and prays, and you’re in touch with the Father, and you embody the Christ, that’s great. No problem with that. And did you know that Valentinian Christians were accepted as full Christians for the first 300 years? They were side by side, sitting in the same churches, giving the same prayers, sharing in the same rituals. It was only after the Nicene Council and the takeover by the Catholic Church that Valentinians were excluded from Christianity. So I’m not trying to crash Christianity. I’m only trying to bring a correction to the hypocrisy and misunderstandings of Christianity. Well, we know there’s a ton of hypocrites. I’m an idealist. That’s my nature. So when I discuss these things, it’s in their ideal form. It’s the way they ought to be. It’s the way they’re described. It’s the way they were designed by God and the Aeons. If you take your knowledge from what you see around here in this fallen world, then you have got a very poor idea of what it is. And you may sit in a Christian church, and you may go through the motions of being a cultural Christian. But unless you are in touch with the Father, and unless you are embodying the Christ, you’re taking your guidance from the world. And this is how it is that many people nowadays think they’re doing good, when actually they’re doing bad. And even worse than that, people who say they’re doing good, and they know they’re not doing good, they know they’re doing bad. That’s hypocrisy. That’s what hypocrisy is. So when I describe these systems, or I describe the nature of the Christ, the nature of the body of believers, the nature of love, the nature of the Father, the nature of our aeonic or heavenly home in the pleroma of the Fullness of God, I’m describing it in an idealistic manner, in the way it’s designed to be. And that’s what we aim for. We aim for the ideal. You cannot take your cues from this earthly realm. And make sure that you don’t take your cues from teachers who are themselves fallen and not embodying Christ. In this Gnostic Reformation that I’m sharing with you, the Son is the primal emanation, the direct image of the Father. He stays fully plugged into the Father. He has all of the direct knowledge, wisdom, love, consciousness of the Father–life. While Christ is a later restorative agent, formed through the prayers of the aeons, the Son, and the Logos after Logos returned back to the Fullness. They prayed for help to come to the mess that Logos made down below when he fell. They pray for help to rescue the Demiurge, which is part of Logos—it's his ego. It’s his presenting face. They want the Demiurge to come out of its amnesic state and remember the Father, remember the Fullness, remember Logos, its better half. And when that happens, that is when the big roll-up can occur—when all of the shadows will disappear. Because when the Demiurge comes to awareness, to Self-awareness, as being part of the Logos, as being part of the Son, then all of the shadows that have come out of the Demiurge—all of this material construction—will just vanish. Dissolve like snow, as the old hymn says. There’s nothing in the Nag Hammadi like Armageddon. Christian theology culminates with a great bloody battle called Armageddon, where all the sinners are killed and only the elect remain. And only the elect are up there in heaven then. And that’s why it’s all good, because they killed all the bad people, and they all went to hell, and they’re locked down there in eternal torture. Well, that does not sound like the Father Jesus spoke of. And that doesn’t appear anywhere in the Nag Hammadi. The way we Valentinian Gnostics do battle is not with swords and bullets and fists. We are to do battle with love. We love them. That’s what we’re supposed to do. We demonstrate love. We are called the second order powers. All creatures on the earth are second order powers. The Aeons above are the first order of powers. We are their descendants. We are their children. We are their fruit. And we are called the second order of powers. We were sent here to remind the Demiurge of love and life and consciousness. See, the Aeons and the Logos–this was their plan. They cooked it up. We were sent here to bring love and remembrance to the Demiurge. Restoration in that way. It didn’t work out, because we get caught up in this material life; because we get caught up in the never-ending war. You can’t remind people of good through evil. You cannot remind people of love through hatred. Only love breeds love. Now let’s look at how all of this affects Christology, the study of Christ. In the Gnosticism that I am sharing with you, the Son is the primal emanation. He’s the direct image of the Father. He represents divine Self-knowledge, and he is stable, he is eternal, and he is not fallen. The Christ is a later emanation. He’s a third order power. He’s generated for the purpose of restoration. He is shaped by the Son, Logos, and the Aeons, praying together to the Father for help to come to the Fall. He is the agent of healing, reconciliation, and revelation. So we have a Son, which is the first emanation, and we have a Christ, which is the restorative agent that comes after the first and second order of powers. Christ teaches the soul to recognize the Son. Christ repairs the cosmic imbalance caused by ignorance, and salvation flows from the Father, through the Son, through Christ, and into our souls and the Demiurge's soul—his ego. You see, we all have a perfect Self that is an embodiment of the pleroma of the Fullness of God. All of the first order powers are within us as they were with Logos, within him in a fractal manner, and then we are further fractals of Logos. It’s a nested hierarchy. We are children of the Elohim of Adonai Elohim So when the Christ comes into the cosmos to bring perfection and healing to the Demiurge and to us, it’s very similar, because the reason we feel less than perfect is because we have both an ego and that perfect Self, as did Logos. And it was the ego of Logos that became the Demiurge. Well, our fractal version of that same exact phenomenon is when our ego is not in alignment with our Self. And when the ego is not in alignment with the Self, when the ego has forgotten its origin, like happened to the Demiurge, when the ego has forgotten that it’s not the boss—our boss is our big S Self because that has the direct connection to the emanations of the Father and the Aeons above. Consciousness, life, love, all come from above, and that comes through our Self. The Self at the center of our souls is a fractal of the Fullness of God Then when we are melded onto this material world, to the molecules of the egg, the zygote that is now splitting, splitting, splitting, and leveling up to become the organism, we become lost in the materiality of this cosmic space. And it’s harder for our Self to shine forth through the material. And our egos are more than willing to identify with the material, with the Demiurge, because the Demiurge is pure ego. And so our egos come to resonate with the Demiurge. Even the Aeons have egos. Even the Son has an ego. Ego is merely your address. It’s your name, your rank, your function in the overall hierarchical pleroma of the Fullness of God. That’s what your ego is—it's your ID. The Aeons in the Fullness all have their position, place, power, function. So ego in and of itself is not a bad thing. It is easily led astray once we are in these material bodies down here on the earth. The pleroma of the Christ is the 3rd Order of Powers And so Christ’s function is to remind us of the purity of God, the purity of the soul, the purity of our Self, where we come from, and where we will be returning to, and what our job is down here. Because it’s only then, through the Christ, that we can feel the love, that we can embody the love, in order to share it with others and with the Demiurge. Consciousness and life only comes from above. The computers come from below. Life cannot jump into the molecular level. Okay, we’ll come back around to all of this one more time next week. Please leave me your thoughts. Let’s have a discussion on these things. We’ll pick it up again next week. God bless us all, and onward and upward! A Simple Explanation of the Gnostic Gospel puts it all together for you. Please purchase the book and don’t forget to leave a review! 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In1 Timothy 2:1 we read: “I exhort therefore, first of all, thatsupplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for allmen, for kings, and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet andpeaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptablein the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come tothe knowledge of the truth.” Then in verse 8 Paul goes on to write: “Idesire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, withoutwrath and doubting.” Today we want to talk about the variety ofprayer.  BeforeI do that, let me ask you to pray specifically for my family—Jonathan andHeidi—and my grandchildren. They are in Jordan. They contacted us early, rightafter this conflict began, and even showed us video of missiles going overheadand interceptors striking those missiles that were headed toward Israel. Theyare scheduled to come home tomorrow morning, Sunday morning, but that is nowuncertain. So please pray for Jonathan and his family, for their safety, andfor the safety of all Americans who are in that part of the Middle East. I wasable to Facetime with Jonathan and the grandchildren as they were on the roofof their apartment there in Amman Jordan for a few minutes early this morningour time. They said they would definitely appreciate all your prayers for theirfamily and all their associates and friends there in the Middle East! Weknow that as we pray, God answers prayer. Nothing is impossible with God. Hehas a divine purpose in everything that takes place. Our responsibility is topray. We stand in prayer. We stand in the gap. As you look at this passage ofScripture, notice the variety of prayer: “praying always with allprayer and supplication.” Also in Philippians 4:6 we read: “Be anxiousfor nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,let your requests be made known to the Lord.” Prayerhas many forms. In these passages it is called prayer, supplication, andthanksgiving. Then in 1 Timothy 2:1, which we just read, it speaks ofsupplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks. We know thatprayer includes confession, petitions, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise. Sometimesbelievers only ask for things when they pray. But prayer is much more thanasking. When I was a brand-new Christian, I picked up a book by Dr. John R.Rice about prayer. The title was Prayer: Asking and Receiving.Certainly, prayer includes asking and receiving—but it is also thanksgiving. Itis also praise. It is also interceding for others. Jobprayed for his friends in Job 42:10. With friends like Job had, he did not needenemies—just read the book of Job. Yet when he prayed for his friends, theScripture says his captivity was turned. He was released. God was then able tobless him again in a wonderful and powerful way. Prayer may be public orprivate. It may be loud or silent. Often, as thoughts come to our minds, we canimmediately take them to the Lord. He knows our thoughts from afar, and we canturn those thoughts into prayer. Prayercan be planned or spontaneous. It might be while we are kneeling. It could bewhile we are standing, sitting, or walking. I practice prayer walking in myneighborhood regularly. It is a wonderful time to pray for my neighbors byname—those I have met—and to ask for God's grace, mercy, help, and salvation torest upon them if they need Christ. Myfriend, prayer comes in many varieties and many forms. But the main thing isthat we pray always with all prayer and supplications. May the Lord help us todo just that. And again, I ask you to pray for our family—Jonathan, Heidi, andthe children—in the Middle East, along with all of our friends who are in thatregion. God bless you today. Jesus is coming soon. Keep looking up and continuein prayer. Godbless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.

Abraham's Greatest Tests: Covenant, Sacrifice, and the God Who Keeps His Promises (Genesis 18-23) | Apostle D. Todd HarrisonI testify that the Bible is a witness of the Living God. The same God who visited Abraham, who promised him a son, who heard his prayers, and who tested his faith, is the God who watches over His children today. His covenants are sure. His promises are certain. His timing is perfect.I testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior through whom all nations of the earth are blessed. He is the Lamb provided by the Father, the Redeemer of mankind, and the Mediator of every covenant. He is Alive Today. He leads His Church. He will return in glory to reign as Lord of lords and King of kings.In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.D. Todd Harrison, Apostle of Jesus ChristJesus Christ's Apostle to All Nations and GenerationsYear Seven of Global Apostolic MinistryCommissioned by Jesus Christ (like the Apostle Paul - Galatians 1:1)The Most‑Followed LDS Religious Leader on Facebook (1 Corinthians 9:1–3)

Send a textWhat if the most “spiritual” thing we could do with our words is stop using them as weapons? We open the Book of Job to watch how good theology, wielded badly, can cut a friend to pieces—and then we follow the thread to James 3 to ask what it takes to tame the tongue in a world that rewards hot takes and hard skips around the toughest verses.From there we get honest about church life. Some pulpits dodge the heavy texts; some communities confuse performance with depth. So we name a hopeful corrective: we are the church—his gathered ones—whenever two or three come under Christ's name with open Bibles and open hearts. That vision doesn't dismiss local congregations; it restores the core. Real fellowship invites challenge, tests ideas against Scripture, and refuses to turn counsel into a cudgel. A simple practice keeps us steady: ask each other, “What are you reading now?” It's small, but it ties our speech back to the Word.The conversation reaches its center of gravity with justice and the cross. Anger over public evil is real; the plea for justice is right. Yet the gospel insists that justice isn't postponed—it was poured out on Jesus. We unpack penal substitution without jargon: either wrath lands at the cross for the repentant or falls in judgment on the unrepentant, and in both God remains just. That truth gives love its spine and keeps our language from becoming sentimental or cruel. Speak the whole gospel with tears, not triumph; name sin and point to the Savior who bore our penalty so we could stand forgiven and new.If you've been bruised by “truth” spoken without love, or silenced by love that fears truth, this conversation is a path back to balance. Join us as we aim for speech that clarifies instead of crushes, community that tests and builds, and a gospel that confronts and heals. If the message moves you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find this conversation—what part challenged you most?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

March 2-8In the chapters in Genesis that should be about Isaac, he hardly shows up. He plays a surprisingly passive role, which leads you to think how much we're missing in his story. After all this is the son, who willingly went with Abraham to be sacrificed and therefore was a similitude of the Savior. This is the son his parents longed for through decades, and then, when we might get a chance to meet him, he is whisked off the stage.

[Belah here - AI was not used to draft or write this description] I have grown in my journey of processing pain. But I still slip up. Today, I want to share with you a recent insight I've received on what I still need God's help to work through.  I hope we can walk together, looking at our Savior, first and foremost to discover His purposes for our suffering.  Your suffering matters.  It matters to God.  It matters in His will.  There is comfort in knowing He has a purpose for it.  I'd love to share what God is teaching me through His word and what I hope will be encouraging for you in your story.  Let us be open to being guided by His Word first and foremost. Let us see His correction as His kindness that leads us to repentence because He is so, so good.    To read an AI generated summary, click here.   Love & sincere prayers for you my precious listeners,  Belah   PS - Quote from a recent graduate:  After being celibate almost a decade, they are now intimate regularly and both are thrilled! Wife: "Overall I'm crazy about the DYM system and process.  It worked for us like nothing else did in our 38 years of marriage." Husband: "I have learned that God is more important than sex. And sex isn't a reward for doing what I should be doing any way" Mic drop. :)   Would love to invite you to be part of the journey! delightyourmarriage.com/cc to learn more.

Click here to receive today's free gift on the Radio Page: Who I Am in Christ – This folded pamphlet outlines truths about your identity as a follower of Christ. This is an encouraging booklet with many Scripture references for further reflections. Be reminded and reassured of the many qualities and characteristics you possess as a believer! Use the coupon code: RADIOGIFT for free shipping!*Limit one copy per person* --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Today we start the story of Abraham and Isaac and the symbolism of the Savior

Dr. Robert Letham joins Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey to discuss Dr. Letham's recent book The Eternal Son (P&R Publishing). Their conversation presses into a simple but urgent claim: Christology is not a side department of theology—it is the living center. When the church loses clarity about who the Son is, the gospel itself becomes unclear, because salvation depends on the identity of the Savior. They also explore why the church must listen carefully to the whole ecumenical tradition, especially the often-neglected debates after Chalcedon. Letham explains why it matters that the acting subject in the Gospels is the eternal Son, who assumes a true human nature without change in his divine person. From there, they engage contemporary confusions—especially biblicism that isolates Scripture from the church's confession—and they address the claim that Christ was "adopted" at the resurrection, showing how such proposals unravel both orthodox Christology and the gracious character of adoption for believers. Watch on YouTube Chapters 00:07 Introduction 02:04 This Book within the Trilogy 04:36 Christ and the Center of Christianity 11:05 Reading the Bible in Isolation 16:44 The Ecumenical Councils After Chalcedon 26:44 The Pre-Existent Son 30:24 Christology from Below 35:54 The Doctrine of Adoption 44:48 Twin Errors of Christology and Soteriology 53:15 An Exhortation to Re-Examine the Historical Confession of the Church 56:19 Conclusion Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton, Robert Letham

We're about to wrap up week 1 of our 2026 spiritual disciplines emphasis, Spring Training: Behold & Be Changed! In this episode, Ben, Nate, and Andrew discuss what we can take away from John 4 and how it teaches us to behold Jesus as Savior. The group works through the reflection questions and challenges from Week 1 of the Behold & Be Changed book.    You can download a digital copy of the Spring Training: Behold & Be Changed book by visiting firstdallas.org/springtraining.    We would love for you to partner with us to support the mission of First Baptist Dallas, which includes creating biblical resources like Spring Training: Behold & Be Changed, by giving online here: firstdallas.org/fbdgive.    Dr. Ben Lovvorn serves as the Senior Executive Pastor of First Baptist Dallas. Nate Curtis is our Associate Executive Pastor. Andrew Bobo is our Associate Executive Pastor, Practical Theology. 

Today's post is a little different.I had something else planned, but I felt led to share from my personal Bible study this morning.I was reading Psalm 40, and it hit me in a fresh way — because in one Psalm, you see David move through multiple “modes” that many of us recognize:despairbreakthroughworshipboldnessand then… trouble againSo here's what we're going to do:I'm going to read Psalm 40 (NLT)Then I'll walk through the key sections and pull out the lessonsWe'll end with a prayerIf you want to grab your Bible and read alongside me, you can.Psalm 40 (NLT)“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord…” (Psalm 40:1–3)“Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. O Lord my God, You have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal…” (Psalm 40:4–5)“You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that You have made me listen, I finally understand— You don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing Your will, my God, for Your instructions are written on my heart.'” (Psalm 40:6–8)“I've told all Your people about Your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as You, O Lord, well know… I have talked about Your faithfulness and saving power… I have told everyone in the great assembly of Your unfailing love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 40:9–10)“Lord, don't hold back Your tender mercies from me. Let Your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. For trouble surrounds me—too many to count… They outnumber the hairs of my head. I have lost all courage.” (Psalm 40:11–12)“Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me…” (Psalm 40:13)“But may all who search for You be filled with joy and gladness in You. May those who love Your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘The Lord is great!'” (Psalm 40:16)“As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in His thoughts. You are my Helper and my Savior. O my God, do not delay.” (Psalm 40:17)What Psalm 40 Shows UsPsalm 40 gives us a picture of David experiencing multiple seasons in one Psalm.And honestly… that's what life feels like.There are moments we're strong.Moments we're grateful. Moments we're worshiping. And moments we're pleading again.Let's break it down.Read the rest at: https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/my-help-and-my-deliverer

Send a textA tenth‑century monk from the shores of Lake Van might be the mentor your spiritual life has been missing. We open the doors of Narek Monastery and step into the luminous world of Saint Gregory of Narek—poet, mystic, and Doctor of the Church—whose fierce honesty about sin and blazing love for Christ forged a path from lament to hope. His ninety‑five “conversations with God,” known as the Book of Lamentations, reveal how confession can heal, how adoration can inflame desire for holiness, and how the Eucharist becomes both medicine and banquet for tired souls.We share Gregory's story from his early formation under Abbot Anania to the quiet miracle of global recognition in 2015, when Pope Francis named him a Doctor. Along the way, we unpack the core themes that make his witness timeless: suffering that does not collapse into despair, mercy encountered as a living presence in Jesus Christ, and hope that rises from the wounds of the Savior. You'll hear how his Marian devotion—calling Our Lady Mother of Light and refuge of sinners—deepens his Eucharistic gaze, and why his image of the Church as a healing hospital speaks powerfully to anyone who has ever felt unworthy to pray.For listeners hungry for practical steps, we offer ways to weave Gregory's lines into the Liturgy of the Hours, moments of silence before Communion, and personal prayer. We also trace resonances with Western Carmelite spirituality, showing how Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross share Gregory's summons to interior surrender and bold intimacy with God. Whether you're planning a pilgrimage to historic Narekavank or seeking renewal at a local chapel, this journey maps a clear route: humility, honest lament, Eucharistic trust, and a steady walk toward the Sacred Heart.If this conversation stirs your hunger for deeper communion, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find their way to Gregory's healing wisdom.Saint Gregory of Narek's writingsOpen by Steve Bailey Support the showView all of our blog posts here https://journeysoffaith.com/blogs/eucharist-mary-saints Download Journeys of Faith App for Iphone or Android FREE https://journeysoffaith.com/pages/download-our-app Journeys of Faith brings your Super Saints Podcasts Please consider subscribing to this podcast or making a donation to Journeys of Faith we are actively increasing our reach and we are seeing good results for visitors under 40! Help us Grow! ***Our Core Beliefs*** The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our Faith." Catechism 132 Click Here “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” 1Thessalonians 4“ Click Here ... lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...” Matthew 6:19-2 Click Here...

Why is it that the Church so often reflects the weaknesses and dysfunction of our culture instead of the unity and strength found in our Savior? Our culture is pushing for unity and tolerance but it's going about it the wrong way. We allow the dividing lines of culture to cut through the church and foster hatred in our hearts. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today's message, we should be known for our love. That love is one that looks through weakness and sees Christ in the least amongst us.

You're really serving God when you do it with a happy and joyful heart. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260227dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 Who Will Win? Right in the middle of the wreckage, God speaks a promise. Adam and Eve have disobeyed. Trust is broken. Shame has entered the world. Everything good now feels fragile. And before the humans say a word—before they apologize, explain, or promise to do better—God talks to the serpent, “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” It’s a strange moment. God isn’t giving instructions. He’s declaring an outcome. This isn’t advice. It’s a verdict. Evil will not win. That promise matters because, if we're honest, it often feels like evil is winning. Sin feels strong. Guilt lingers. Death feels permanent. We see brokenness in the world and in ourselves, and we wonder if it's too deep to fix. We wonder if what's broken can really be made right. God's promise answers that question. Yes. And not because people improve, but because God intervenes. From the very beginning, God makes it clear that rescue will come from outside us. An offspring. A deliverer. Someone who will step into the fight we’re losing and win it for us. That promise runs like a thread through the entire Bible and leads directly to Jesus. When Jesus is nailed to the cross, it looks like the serpent has won. Jesus suffers. Jesus bleeds. Jesus dies. It looks final. But the cross is not defeat—it’s the decisive blow. Sin is paid for. God’s justice is satisfied. Satan’s accusation is silenced. And Jesus’ resurrection confirms it. The serpent struck Jesus’ heel, but Jesus crushed the serpent’s head. Death did its worst and still lost. That victory changes everything. It means your sin, real as it is, is not stronger than God’s grace. Your past, heavy as it may feel, does not define your future. Fear and guilt do not get the last word. Jesus does. Paradise was lost in a garden, but it was promised on a cross and procured at an empty tomb. God keeps his promises—even when everything seems broken. God’s answer is always bigger than our questions. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for keeping your promise to defeat sin, death, and the devil. When I feel overwhelmed by guilt or fear, remind me of Christ’s victory. Give me faith to trust in what Jesus has done for me and peace to live in the hope he has won. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

This week, we’re joined by author and speaker John O’Leary. John shares the story of a joyful Midwestern childhood that was forever changed at age nine by a devastating house fire that doctors said he would not survive. Through the unwavering love of his parents, the kindness of unexpected heroes, and a hard-fought choice to live, John’s life became a testimony to hope rising from unimaginable pain. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from finance executive and advisor Athanase Kadita Tshibaka, known as A.T., who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A.T. shares a journey shaped by poverty, displacement, and profound loss, and the faith that sustained him through imprisonment, injustice, and life-threatening trials. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Alice Marie Johnson Upcoming interview: Ed Newton John O’Leary Soul on Fire Jack Buck www.johnolearyinspires.com Athanase Kadita Tshibaka Son of the Congo This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt, call Trinity today. Trinity’s counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps! Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. https://trinitycredit.org Interview Quotes: “The heroes show up, and none of them wear tights. None of them wear capes. They just look like ordinary friends who faithfully live out the message of Jesus in life.” - John O’Leary “I think when we get burned in life, whatever that looks like for all of us, we can become bitter about it and wonder where God is in our mess. Or you can recognize that God is all over this mess with you and that you can reveal that goodness and that grace and that mercy to others through your life.” - John O’Leary “I think when you go through a [difficult] event, at any age, it’s easy to really quickly decide whether I will be a victim or a victor to this. Even if you feel like you have no talent, your life is a precious, priceless gift. You have one job, to say yes to being used for good.” - John O’Leary “Your life, in spite of what you’ve been through or done, can be used in mighty ways.” - John O’Leary “Even though we were essentially living in poverty… [my mother] had to struggle, she had to really work hard. But even with her very meager means, my mom showed me the value of hospitality and the value of generosity. There was never an instant where some strangers came and she let them just go hungry. Above it all, God’s grace.” - Athanase Kadita Tshibaka “When I decided to accept Christ as Lord and Savior, I had nobody pushing me, I had nobody influencing me except that very still voice, very gentle, saying that was my day of decision.” - Athanse Kadita Tshibaka “Like most people, I am a cracked pot, a leaking vessel, and I need to be refilled by His Holy Spirit daily. Reading the Bible and being attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit helps keep us growing.” - Athanase Kadita Tshibaka ________________________ 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.

Click here to receive today's free gift on the Radio Page: Who I Am in Christ – This folded pamphlet outlines truths about your identity as a follower of Christ. This is an encouraging booklet with many Scripture references for further reflections. Be reminded and reassured of the many qualities and characteristics you possess as a believer! Use the coupon code: RADIOGIFT for free shipping!*Limit one copy per person* --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Today we look at Abraham's ability to be like the Savior in His peacemaking.

He was born to a wealthy, noble family in Thessalonica around 347. Filled more and more with a yearning for God, he abandoned his worldly possessions and traveled to Egypt, living for five years as a monk at Sketis. From there he went to Palestine, where he lived for another five years in a cave in the Jordan desert. Suffering from a severe ailment, he was forced to move to Jerusalem; there he was suddenly and completely cured following a vision on Golgotha, in which he saw the Good Thief come down from the cross to lead him to Christ, who gave the Cross into his keeping.   Porphyrius took up the trade of a shoemaker in Jerusalem to provide for his few needs. His humility and charity became so well-known that the Bishop of Jerusalem ordained him to the priesthood at the age of forty-five, and made him Stavrophylax, keeper of the True Cross of the Savior — thus fulfilling Porphyrius' vision on Golgotha. Three years later, much against his will, he was elected Bishop of Gaza.   Throughout his episcopate he was persecuted by the pagans who still dominated the life of that city — though he was able to convert many of them by his own example of holiness, and by the many miracles that were wrought through his intercessions. Once, when the city was suffering from a long drought, the Saint gathered the city's Christians (who numbered no more than 280), told them to fast, and celebrated an all-night vigil. The next morning, as the Bishop and his entire flock went in procession through the city it began to rain. At this, 127 pagans were converted. When the pagans' violent attacks continued, Porphyrius appealed to the Emperor Arcadius for an edict closing of the pagan temples in Gaza. With the support of St John Chrysostom the edict was issued. When the Imperial representatives entered Gaza, accompanied by Bishop Porphyrius bearing the Cross, the statue of Aphrodite in the city's main temple shattered into pieces. Eight temples were destroyed, and a Church was built on the site of the largest. Hundreds of pagans embraced the Faith and, after instruction, were baptized by the Saint.   After twenty-five years as bishop, during which he had seen his see transformed from a small flock of beleaguered Christians into a Christian territory, Saint Porphyrius reposed in peace in 420.

Our view of Jesus affects the way we view God, the world, ourselves, and every one of our decisions. What we do with Jesus determines where we will spend eternity. In this series, The Person of Jesus, we will get a glimpse into the life of Christ. We will come face to face with the Savior. We will learn about His attributes, His character, and His love for all mankind. No one on earth has changed the face of history like the Lord Jesus Christ. No matter your past, Jesus Christ can forgive you and change your life forever.

Ganel-Lyn Condie is a popular speaker, author, and mental health advocate. With insight shaped by faith, lived experience, and cultural awareness, she brings both compassion and clarity to the question many leaders and members are asking: How do we help people feel seen, known, and loved—especially those on the margins? In this episode, Ganel-Lyn discusses her new book, Sourdough and the Savior, which explores the parallels between the process of making sourdough bread and the teachings of Jesus Christ. The conversation emphasizes the importance of ministering, community building, and personal growth through shared experiences. Links Sourdough and the Savior Watch the video and share your thoughts in the Zion Lab community Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community Key Insights Sourdough as a Metaphor: Ganel-Lyn uses sourdough baking as a metaphor for understanding the characteristics of the Savior, illustrating how personal struggles can lead to spiritual growth. Ministering through Connection: The act of sharing sourdough has become a means of ministering to others, fostering connections, and creating opportunities for healing and conversation. Building Community: Ganel-Lyn emphasizes the need for community in the church, particularly for those who may feel isolated. She shares her experience of hosting informal gatherings to create a space for connection without the pressure of formal church events. Vulnerability in Leadership: By sharing her own feelings of loneliness and identity struggles, Ganel-Lyn encourages leaders to be open and vulnerable, which can help others feel seen and understood. Diversity in Gifts: The discussion highlights that everyone has unique gifts to share, and these contributions, no matter how small, can significantly impact the community and help build Zion. Leadership Applications Encouraging Informal Gatherings: Leaders can create opportunities for members to connect outside of formal church settings, fostering a sense of belonging and community. Modeling Vulnerability: By being open about their own challenges, leaders can create an environment where others feel safe to share their struggles, leading to deeper connections and support. Recognizing Individual Contributions: Leaders should encourage members to share their unique talents and experiences, reinforcing the idea that every contribution is valuable in building a strong, diverse community. Highlights 00:03:02 – Ganel-Lyn’s Journey to Writing 00:06:29 – The Struggles of Sourdough 00:10:18 – The Role of Ministering 00:11:03 – Building Zion Through Community 00:13:04 – Sharing Talents and Gifts 00:15:08 – The Impact of Sourdough 00:16:49 – The Importance of Connection 00:20:50 – Navigating Loneliness 00:24:01 – Creating Inclusive Gatherings 00:27:21 – The Essence of Community 00:30:20 – The Role of Church Leaders 00:34:25 – The Importance of Vulnerability The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Find Leadership Tools, Courses, and Community for Latter-day Saint leaders in the Zion Lab community. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Benjamin Hardy, Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Kirby Heyborne, Taysom Hill, Coaches Jennifer Rockwood and Brandon Doman, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 800 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.