Podcasts about The Screwtape Letters

The culture's biggest lie about good and evil is that they're equal and opposite forces locked in an endless cosmic tug-of-war. Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian explore why that idea quietly reshapes how we see God, Satan, heaven, and hell — and why C.S. Lewis insists it falls apart under real Christian theology. From Jesus' temptation in the wilderness to Lewis' picture of hell as a shrinking, hollow existence, the guys explore how evil is a distortion of what God created as good. In this episode: Matthew 4, verses 1–11; 1 John 2, verses 15–17; 1 Timothy 6, verses 11–16; 2 Corinthians 12, verses 7–10; Hebrews 12, verses 26–28; 1 Kings 8, verse 27; Acts 7 Today's conversation is about Lesson 7 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life.  Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Jesus vs. Satan Arm Wrestling 05:12 Why Satan Isn't Jesus' Equal 09:40 The Temptation of Jesus & True Authority 15:05 Plato's Dilemma & What Makes Something Good 20:40 Heaven Isn't Hell's Opposite 26:05 Annihilation, Eternal Torment & Lewis' View 31:30 Can There Be Pain in Heaven? 36:10 When Suffering Turns Into Glory 41:20 Bureaucracy & How Evil Operates 46:10 Taking Hold of Eternal Life Now — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Max McLean of Fellowship for Performing Arts shares what audiences can expect as The Screwtape Letters comes to Popejoy Hall at University of New Mexico—a powerful stage adaptation of The Screwtape Letters that brings wit, drama, and timeless themes to life. Fellowship for Performing Arts | Producing theatre from a Christian worldview The post Max McLean appeared first on ABQ Connect.

Is the Devil sexist? Yes, and No.  Satan has a war chest of spiritual deceptions in his arsenal; some are tailored specifically for women, says Christian author and speaker Emily Wilson Hussem.   It doesn't matter the age, the enemy tries to destroy women with discouragement, sorrow, and even despair in life against the particular light that women bring to the world. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Hussem talks about her book Sincerely, Stoneheart. It's modeled after C.S. Lewis' famous book The Screwtape Letters, about a senior devil agent named Screwtape, writing to a junior agent about how to corrupt and discourage God's image bearers. While Satan attacks both men and women, there is a very specific way he goes after women. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The guys confess their most egregious romance fails from forgotten birthdays, last-minute Valentine's plans, and bookstore traditions gone stale to wildly different philosophies on “setting the bar” in marriage. Al uses the pain of romance to highlight another truth: there's pain that hurts, and pain that alters. That distinction becomes personal as Zach opens up about his mother's long battle with early-onset dementia and the complicated grief that followed her passing. The conversation turns to one of Christianity's hardest realities: if God is good and all-powerful, why does so much suffering continue in the world?  In this episode: Ecclesiastes 3, verse 11; Psalm 90, verse 12; Hebrews 12, verse 2; Colossians 2, verses 20–23; Romans 1, verses 24–25; Romans 8, verses 20–23; 1 John 2, verses 15–16; 1 John 4, verses 8–10 Today's conversation is about Lesson 6 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life.  Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Valentine's Day Fails & Romantic Confessions 05:10 The Problem of Pain Explained 11:45 Is God All-Powerful & All-Loving? 18:20 Free Will, Satan & the Origin of Evil 26:30 Jesus' Suffering Before the Resurrection 33:40 Personal Loss: Dementia, Grief & Faith 42:10 “Pain Is God's Megaphone” 48:30 A Grief Observed & Wrestling With God 55:00 God Is Love & the Reality of Eternity — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach, Al, Christian, and John Luke dig into why unanswered prayers can feel like personal rejection from God—and how faith survives that silence. Zach surprises everyone first with his unexpected knowledge of cosmic anomalies, then with an embarrassing middle school dance rejection story he's clearly still not over. The conversation turns to C.S. Lewis's struggle with loss, doubt, and the “sincerity spiral” that nearly drove him from faith. His journey becomes a hopeful illustration of how to move your prayer life beyond fear and into something both deeply sincere and thoughtfully rooted in Christ. In this episode: Romans 12, chapters 1–2; Romans 8, verses 18–27; Genesis 1, verse 28; John 1, verses 1–2; John 1, verse 14; John 5, verse 39; Luke 24, verses 13–35; Colossians 2, verses 20–23; 2 Peter 1, verse 4 Today's conversation is about Lesson 5 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life.  Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Prayer Pushed Lewis to Atheism 03:02 Losing His Mom & Losing His Faith 07:48 The Sincerity Spiral 13:10 The Union of Wills 18:42 Romans 8 & Wordless Groans 24:08 Breaking the Self-Imposed Spell 30:05 Stop Standing in the Corner 36:20 The Word Made Flesh 41:15 Reading the Bible by Genre 45:12 Christ Unlocks Scripture 48:22 Hearts Set on Fire — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we're discussing the origins of demonology in Western Civilization, tracing it back to its ancient roots. Pre-Christian cultures across Mesopotamia, Egypt, and beyond featured a range of supernatural beings blamed for sickness and bad choices. When Zoroastrianism came on the scene, in 8th century BC Iran, religion first developed the idea of dualism: that the world is locked in the struggle between good and evil. This idea profoundly influenced post-exilic Judaism during Persian rule, enabling them to develop concepts of organized demons, angels, Satan, and eschatology in texts like the Book of Enoch, Jubilees, and Tobit. Christianity built on this rich heritage, portraying Satan as God's active adversary and demons as a malignant force to be reckoned with in the New Testament. Later works, from the Testament of Solomon and Dante's Inferno to Milton's Paradise Lost and C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, further enriched the popular imagination of demons thus giving us the understanding of demons that we have today. This episode is the first in a series exploring demonology. Further episodes will look into exorcisms and demon hunting.

Adrienne Johnson, once an atheist struggling with despair, encountered Christianity after attending Fellowship for Performing Arts' production of The Screwtape Letters. Fourteen years later, the experience that transformed her life has come full circle as she joins FPA as Director of Development, dedicated to expanding the organization's impact and helping others—especially young people—encounter faith through the arts. Fellowship for Performing Arts | Producing theatre from a Christian worldview The post Adrienne Johnson appeared first on ABQ Connect.

Are you a Christian who loves fantasy and science fiction, but is tired of stories that mock, dismiss, or outright attack faith? You're not alone.In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim shares 10 outstanding fantasy and sci-fi reading recommendations for Christians who want great storytelling that aligns with, explores, or is deeply informed by a Christian worldview. These aren't sermons in disguise—but thoughtful, imaginative, and often powerful stories that wrestle with good and evil, sacrifice, redemption, hope, and what it means to live faithfully in a broken world.Rather than a single Top 10, this video breaks the recommendations into three ranked categories:• Books where Christianity is an explicit and central focus• Stories where Christian belief is foundational but not front-and-center• Genre classics heavily shaped by Christian themes and moral frameworksFeatured works include Pilgrims, The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia, Dune, and The Lord of the Rings — along with several others that Christian readers consistently find meaningful and uplifting.Whether you're looking for encouragement, inspiration, or simply a good book that won't leave you discouraged, this list is for you.

In this world, you're not going to be liked for one reason or another. In fact, you might even be hated. We talk sometimes about what we'd like to be remembered for—or about what we'd like to be known or admired for. But what would you like to be hated for? Someday, maybe even today, someone is going to see you or hear you and get angry and "gnash their teeth," as the Psalmist says. Join Pastor Chris as he looks at three Scripture passages to discover ways we can faithfully live in a contentious world divided by tribal factions.

Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian wrestle with why intimacy feels so difficult for American men—both with God and in marriage. Following along with C.S. Lewis's Surprised by Joy, they explore how knowledge alone can't produce real closeness, and why desire and longing shape the way men actually live. The guys challenge the idea that faith is about mastering concepts instead of participating in a relationship. They point toward a hopeful vision of intimacy that isn't forced or performed, but rediscovered through joy, presence, and learning to live inside God's story rather than observing it from a distance. Today's conversation is about Lesson 3-4 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life.  Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Why This C.S. Lewis Lecture Is Tough 03:02 When the Philosophy Gets Heavy 06:42 The Inklings & Writing Under Critique 11:06 Why Lewis's Conversion Feels Underwhelming 15:26 Conversion Isn't Always a Moment 20:08 Why Desire Drives Our Actions 25:26 The Beam of Light Explained 31:12 Joy as Longing, Not Satisfaction 36:58 From Holding the Garden to Living in It 42:26 Conversion as Intimacy, Not Performance 47:12 Final Reflections on Living the Story — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To Know the Surpassing Greatness of his Power Ephesians 1:15-23 by William Klock Do you ever wonder how I pray for you as your pastor?  You know I pray about the needs and concerns each of you shares with me, but I'm talking more generally about how I pray for you all as Living Word Church.  It occurred to me this week that in all my years in ministry no one has ever asked me that.  But I do pray for you and our text today from Ephesians—it's 1:15-23 if you want to follow along—this text is one of my favourite prayers.  For you.  In fact, I have this printed sheet taped inside my prayer book.  And what's on it is five prayers, all taken from Paul's letters; prayers he prayed for the churches he cared for.  Prayers inspired by the Holy Spirit.  About fifteen years ago it struck me that I should pray these Spirit-inspired pastoral prayers for you.  And so I typed them up, tweaked the wording a bit to fit the form of a collect, printed them out, and stuck them inside the back cover of my prayer book.  And each day at Morning Prayer, I pray one of these prayers for you.  And this one is, I think, maybe the most important. This prayer is still part of Paul's introduction to his letter to the Ephesians.  Last week we read that long run-on sentence that's all about the Father fulfilling his promises to Israel in Jesus; how we as Jesus' people share in the inheritance that was promised to Abraham, to Jacob, and to David; and how God's indwelling Spirit is the downpayment and guarantee of that inheritance.  And we heard that this inheritance is God's new creation.  That long run-on sentence was sort of Paul's opening shout of praise to God for what he's done. Starting with Chapter 2, Paul's going to use the rest of the letter to unpack this great shout of praise, to preach it, and to explain how it applies to us—how it shapes the church.  But first, there's this prayer.  Paul prays that his brothers and sisters in Ephesus will really and truly hear this message, that they'll take it to heart, and that they will be transformed by it.  In short: Paul's told them about the promised inheritance they have as the Messiah's people, now he prays that the knowledge of that inheritance will transform them. Before we get into Paul's prayer, there are three Old Testament passages we need to be familiar with, because they're what give shape to Paul's vision of the Messiah and the church.  The first is Psalm 110.  Psalm 110 is one of those Old Testament passages it's worth getting into your memory, because it echoes so powerfully throughout the whole New Testament.  It is, far and away, the most quoted Old Testament passage in the New.  This is the psalm, written by King David, that begins with the words, “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”  When the first Christians wanted to stress that Jesus isn't just Saviour, but that he's even more importantly Lord of all, the King of kings, this was their favourite Old Testament passage. And then there's Psalm 8.  It's a close second behind Psalm 110.  It's the psalm that begins, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”  For Paul writing to the Ephesians, the really important part begins in verse 4, where David praises God for what he has made us as human beings.  David sings, “What is man that you are mindful of him?…You have made him a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honour.  You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet…O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.”  The psalm echoes Genesis and God's creation of human beings as his image bearers.  That means to be the priests and stewards of his garden-temple.  That's what we were created to be and it's the vocation we rejected when we, instead, chose sin—to try to be gods ourselves.  In Paul's day many of the Jews saw not only the human vocation in Psalm 8, but they saw it as a prophecy of the Messiah who would be the truly human one—a new Adam who will get it right this time; a Messiah whom, according to Psalm 110, God would raise to his right hand to reign until he's put all his enemies under his feet. And then, what does the Messiah's victory look like?  Isaiah, especially chapter 11, was a favourite of the early Christians.  “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.”  So Isaiah is talking about the king who will arise from the line of David.  “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”  That's the Messiah.  And his kingdom?  It should sound familiar: “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat…the lion shall eat straw like an ox…and a little child shall lead them.” This was the new world that Israel expected the Messiah, the great King from the line of David, this is what they expected him to usher in.  God's Spirit would rest on him—That sounds like what happened at Jesus' baptism, doesn't it?—and through his wisdom and understanding, his counsel and power, his knowledge and the fear of the Lord, he will set this broken world to rights.  He will bring God's justice to warring nations and hurting people.  Peace will reign and the knowledge of God's glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.  This was an incredibly important passage for Paul, because when Paul looked at the little churches that were popping up all over the Greco-Roman world, in pagan cities, right under Caesar's nose, challenging the old gods, and most importantly bringing Jews and gentiles together in one family in the Messiah, Paul saw with absolute clarity the beginnings of the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy.  Through the Messiah, in these churches where Jews and gentiles were becoming one, where they were worshipping together the God of Israel across their social, cultural, and ethnic boundaries, the wolf and the lamb were lying down together at peace.  In them, Paul saw a foretaste of what's to come. Putting all these layers together, we can sum up what the Messiah was to be and do in four points.  Israel expected the Messiah (1) to be the King who would defeat the powers of evil; (2) the King who would rescue God's people from their bondage to those evil powers; (3) the King who would build a temple for God to dwell in; and (4) the King who would bring God's justice or righteousness and his peace to the whole world.  That's the Messiah.  And in doing those things, Jesus inaugurates the new creation. But Paul also recognised that the Church, that we who are united with the Messiah by faith share in that messianic ministry begun by Jesus.  Filled with God's Spirit, we are the temple Jesus built.  And we confront the powers with his victory and proclaim the liberating gospel to those in bondage.  We live out God's justice and peace.  And most importantly in this passage here: As a people full of the knowledge of God and his purposes for creation, we anticipate that day when the whole earth will be full of “knowing-God” as the waters cover the sea.  The church is the beginning of God's new creation in the midst of the old. So now we're ready to understand Paul's prayer.  It begins at verse 15: “Because of all this and because having heard of your faithfulness to the Lord Jesus, and that you show love to all God's saints, I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” Now, they weren't perfect Christians.  No one ever is.  They weren't a perfect church.  No such thing exists this side of eternity.  But Paul had lived with these people.  He'd got to know them.  When he was away from them, he heard what other visitors had to say about them.  And he knew that, however imperfectly, they were faithful to the Lord Jesus.  Faithful.  What does that mean?  It means not just believing the right things about Jesus, but more importantly, committing yourself to him.  That's probably why Paul calls him “Lord Jesus” here.  You can believe all the true things about Jesus you want, but what makes a Christian is when you give your loyalty, your allegiance to Jesus as creation's true Lord.  When we repent and turn away from our sins and from our selfishness, when we stop trying to play at being gods and to write our stories for ourselves, and instead choose to live for him and to live in hope of his kingdom, his new creation, and not just as some thing in the distant future, but something we are beginning to live out here and now, Brothers and Sisters, that's what a Christian is.  Paul saw these men and women doing that.  He saw how much it cost them.  They were shunned by their families because they'd stopped worshipping the old gods; losing their jobs, because their guilds kicked them out for the same reason; their fellow citizens considered them disloyal for not taking part in the civil religion of Ephesus and of Caesar; just waiting to take the blame for bringing down the wrath of the gods on the city should some natural disaster strike.  Faith in Jesus cost them something.  It cost a lot.  And Paul saw that they were willing to count that cost.  And, too, he saw their love for each other and for their brothers and sisters struggling in other places.  Poor as they were, they sent money to the even poorer Christians in Jerusalem.  They supported and cared for each other like family.  However imperfect their faith may have been, in them Paul saw clear evidence of the gospel's power at work.  And he prayed for that power to continue to work in them So he goes on in verse 16.  Here are the specifics of that prayer: “I pray that the God of Messiah Jesus our Lord, the Father of glory, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened.  Then you will know what the hope is that goes with God's call; you will know the wealth of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; and you will know the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who are faithful, according to the working of his strength and power.” Paul longs for them to be enlightened by the Spirit.  Wisdom and revelation.  Here's what Paul means.  Wisdom and revelation are two facets of the same thing.  When you hear “wisdom” think of the book of Proverbs.  Wisdom is what you need if you want to truly live as a human being according to God's design.  But thanks to King Solomon as the paragon of wisdom in Israel, wisdom is also a royal thing associated with kings.  Now remember Isaiah 11.  This is why Isaiah described the coming messianic king, the one who is truly human, the new Adam, Isaiah describes him as perfectly wise.  And Paul knows that the people who are in the Messiah, share in that wisdom, that “revelation”.  Think of “revelation” as “insight” into God's design for living.  This broken world sorely lacks that wisdom and that insight, but it is ours in Jesus the Messiah.  In him we have the knowledge of God that the world lacks, the knowledge that will one day fill the earth.  The knowledge that, as the church lives it out in daily life, acts as the salt of the earth, as light in the darkness, that gives everyone around a anticipatory glimpse of creation set to rights.  Paul prays that their hearts will be opened to this knowledge.  He saw it happening already in their faith and in their love for each other, but he prayed that the Spirit would open their hearts more and more to the knowledge of God.  That the Spirit would clear away the fog that surrounds us.  Our world has its own ideas about wisdom—and they're often wrong.  Think of how the world tells us to think about ourselves, our relationships, about work and vocation, about sex and money and power, about God.  All very different from what God, in his wisdom, says about all those things.  As Jesus' people we need to take our cues and to glean our wisdom from God and from the scriptures, not the world, not worldly philosophies, not TV or movies, not social media, not motivational speakers, but from God.  As C. S. Lewis astutely pointed out in The Screwtape Letters, the devil doesn't need to put wrong ideas into people's heads; he just needs to keep the true ones out.  Brothers and Sisters, we need the eyes of our hearts opened to know God. And Paul says here that this knowledge primarily consists of three things.  These all come from that picture of the Messiah in Isaiah 11.  Paul wants us to know the hope, the inheritance, and the power.  The hope is for Jesus' victory at the cross and the empty tomb to change the whole world, bit by bit, here and there, wherever it's needed, to bring creation under the rule of the Messiah.  The inheritance is the promise that the Messiah will inherit and will rule the nations—every square inch of creation.  And I think we often forget, but this shapes the mission of the church.  This is our vocation.  This is our way today of being fruitful and multiplying and filling the earth and wherever we go we bring the power of the gospel, the reign of the Messiah, and the reconciling peace of his kingdom. And the power.  Brothers and Sisters, we forget the power of the gospel.  Verses 19 and 20 are a little difficult to translate into English because of the way Paul heaps up the words for power.  He literally says something like, “that you may know what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe according to the energy of the might of his strength, which he worked out in the Messiah.”  Greatness, power, energy, might, strength.  Rooted in the resurrection of Jesus.  The living God raised Jesus from the dead.  The greatest display of his power in history.  It went out like a shockwave, pushing away the great stone from the tomb, and reverberating through creation.  New creation bursting into the old.  And, Brothers and Sisters, the church—we—are the working model of that new creation, of that power that is transforming the world as the good news of Jesus goes out and continues to reverberate through creation. But there's more to it than just Jesus' resurrection.  Remember that “Messiah” means the “anointed King”.  Jesus is Lord.  That's a big part of this picture too.  So Paul goes on in verse 20: “This is the power at work in the Messiah when God raised him from the dead and sat him at his right hand in the heavenlies, above all rule and authority and power and lordship, and above every name that is invoked, both in the present age and also in the age to come.  Yes, God has ‘put all things under his feet,' and has given him to the church as the head over all.  The church is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all in all.” Don't forget Psalm 110.  There's an echo here of Daniel 7, too.  The Messiah has been raised to sit at God's right hand—to his throne as creation's true Lord.  And the practical thing that means for the church is that no matter how things may look from our perspective here, Jesus sits above every authority, every CEO, every billionaire, every ruler, every king.  There is no name on earth that anyone can invoke that will trump the name of Jesus.  This was a jab at Caesar, whose cult was especially prominent in Ephesus, but it applies just as much to the kings and power-brokers of our own day.  Think of the names in the news.  Think of all the rivalries in business or in politics or in culture.  Brothers and Sisters, Jesus outranks them all.  And in this lies our vocation as the people of the Messiah.  A people, Paul says here, who is Jesus' own body.  This sovereign power—a power rooted on the one hand in God's power and glory and in the other in the love, mercy, and humility Jesus puts on display at the cross—this sovereign power is our vocation.  God created Adam and Eve to bear his image—to be good and wise stewards of his creation.  Remember we saw that in Psalm 8.  Paul's prayer here is that we would recognise that Jesus is that truly good and wise human, now enthroned at God's right hand and that through the gospel he is creating a people—you and me—to learn that godly wisdom, to learn that godly knowledge, and to share in his godly rule.  God has made Jesus the head of the church so that the church can now act, now live out that delegated authority as his body.  We're called to be a community that embodies Psalm 110 and Psalm 8 and Isaiah 11.  Brothers and Sisters, the church is the fullness of the one who fills all in all.  We are God's new creation, however small, however imperfect, however incomplete at the present, but still God's new creation in the midst of the old, full of light and life and gospel power and authority, proclaiming the Lord Jesus and his kingdom and causing that Easter shockwave to continue to reverberate through creation until the knowledge of God's glory fills the earth as the waters cover the sea. And if that seems impossible, if it seems ridiculous, if it seems overwhelming, if makes you afraid, think how it must have seemed to the people in those little churches around Ephesus in a.d. 50.  A handful of churches, each with ten or fifteen or maybe thirty people.  Mostly poor, more women than men, more slaves than freemen.  They lived for Jesus in the midst of a hostile world permeated through and through with paganism.  Everyone thought they were weird and crazy, impious and disloyal.  In not too many years some of them would be rounded up, arrested, tortured, sent to the arena to be eaten by lions because of their faith in Jesus.  The emperor would burn others alive as human torches to light his garden parties.  These little churches had no programmes.  No Sunday school or youth group.  No bands or fog machines.  No ad campaigns.  They didn't even have their own buildings.  They just studied and preached God's word, they loved and cared for each other, and they taught the world what grace and mercy and true holiness looks like.  They had the good news about Jesus, crucified and risen, and in that was a power that outshone everything.  Imagine how ridiculous and impossible it might have seemed to them: this idea that Jesus is Lord and that the knowledge of God will one day fill the earth.  And then drop them into a modern-day city.  I found myself thinking of the view we had from the US Consulate in Montreal, up on the twentieth floor of a skyscraper, looking out over the city and the steeples every few blocks—more than I could count, as far as the eye could see.  Even in little woefully unchurched Courtenay, you don't have to walk very far in any direction to find a church.  Brothers and Sisters, the power of the gospel is real.  Even though there's so much more work to do, just look at how the gospel has transformed the world since the days Paul wrote to those little churches in Ephesus.  Jesus really is Lord and the fact that you and I are here today to worship the God of Israel instead of worshipping whatever pagan God's our ancestors worshipped is proof of that power.  When someone tells me, “I'm leaving, this church is too small,” I pray Paul's prayer here all the more for them and I pray it for all of you and for myself: that we would be full of the knowledge of God and the power of the gospel and that we would trust it and have faith in what God has promised it will accomplish through us.  The proof of Jesus' reign and the power of the gospel is all around us.  May he open the eyes of our hearts to see it. Let's pray: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, open the eyes of our hearts to the power of the knowledge of you.  Remind us of our calling in Jesus and the hope and inheritance we have in him.  Give us the faith and courage to be the people you have made us, to be the vanguard of your new creation as we live and proclaim your good news.  Give us a passion to see the knowledge of your glory covering the earth as the waters cover the sea.  Make us faithful stewards, we ask through Jesus our Lord we pray.  Amen.

The Robertsons dig into why truth doesn't always play well in modern culture, and why Jesus wouldn't be popular in a TikTok world built on virality and approval. The guys talk through everything from their long-running distrust of dentists to why being pro-life isn't a matter of personal preference or opinion. They reflect on how stories like The Chronicles of Narnia communicate hard truths better than arguments ever could and why true change is often so uncomfortable. Today's conversation is about Lesson 2 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life.  Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 0:00 – All good conversations need caffeine 4:05 – Why studying C.S. Lewis still matters today 8:25 – “I can't believe anything unless it makes sense” 13:10 – Objective truth vs. subjective feelings 18:20 – The problem of evil & why moral outrage points to God 23:55 – How suffering backed C.S. Lewis into Christianity 29:10 – Tolkien, Dyson, & relaxing into the Christian story 34:40 – Faith as participation, not just belief 40:05 – Why C.S. Lewis wouldn't be popular in today's culture 45:30 – Christianity isn't safe but it is good — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this book club recap conversation, Sarah, Erin, and Rachel talk through one of the most beloved spiritual classics of the modern era: C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters.   How does Screwtape offer us a unique perspective on the nature of spiritual warfare? What do we learn about temptations large and small? How does the devil seek to tempt us, in large ways and small? In what way does this book open our eyes to the nature of heavenly (vs. hellish) love and the eternal realities that quietly underly all our earthly experiences?  At the end of the episode, Rachel reveals the Ladies' next book club pick, one that weds three crowd-favorite genres (classic literature, historical fiction, and children's literature): Elizabeth Goudge's The Little White Horse.   Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian reflect on a moment when Phil, a man who rarely got emotional, was moved to tears after witnessing the reality of unimaginable evil. The guys launch into a sobering conversation about why atrocities like the Holocaust can never be reduced to opinion or explained away, and why denying such evil ultimately erodes the very idea of right and wrong. Drawing on the works of C.S. Lewis, they wrestle with where moral truth comes from, why it exists beyond personal preference, and how abandoning it opens the door to history's darkest chapters. Today's conversation is about Lesson 1 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life.  Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 — Straight from the duck blind to the podcast table 05:18 — Why studying C.S. Lewis is different from studying Scripture 10:02 — What a Christian “apologist” actually is (and isn't) 15:44 — How C.S. Lewis moved from atheism to belief 21:31 — Objective vs. subjective morality explained 28:47 — Auschwitz, evil, and why some truths are self-evident 35:12 — What happens when “might makes right” 41:26 — Can morality exist without God? 48:39 — Why C.S. Lewis still matters today — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In C.S. Lewis' book, The Screwtape Letters, the demon Screwtape says that the easiest road to hell is a gradual one, without signposts or warnings along the way. In today's message, Pastor Jeff warns you how easy it is to harden your heart against God. Most people who reject the Lord don't do it in some big emotional moment; it's usually the result of many small decisions over a long period of time. But you can make small everyday decisions to open your heart towards God as well!

The fellas reflect on fatherhood for a bit before diving into Screwtape Letters and the current news cycle (pretty juicy this week!). Highlights include: Raising dating age daughters Stella throws a tantrum Screwtape Chapter 6 Bill & Hillary duck subpoenas French men declare a Christian Nation Alberta seeks to secede from Canada Are we getting [...]

Ephesians 6:10–18 ESV“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”SectionsOur EnemyOur GameplanOUR ENEMYName - Orchestrator of DeathName - Counterfeiter  Isaiah 40:31 ESV,”But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” “We want cattle who can finally become food; [the enemy] wants servants who can finally become sons.” - Screwtape Letters; CS Lewis3. Name - Pride Manifest“In God you come up against something which in every respect is immeasurably superior to yourself.” “As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people.” - Screwtape Letters; CS Lewis1 Peter 5:8 ESV,”Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”4. Name - Father of LiesEphesians 2:4-7 ESV,”But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.” - Screwtape Letters; CS Lewis - We fight through focus.OUR GAMEPLANFocus on Jesus' VictoryColossians 2:15 (ESV) “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Focus on Father God's loveFocus on the work of the spirit. “Rather, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.”1 Timothy 4:7-10 NASB2020  mission + intentionality “I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:23-27 NASB2020“The remembrance of all important things is impossible, but the remembering of the most important thing is essential.”Reflection:Where do you feel you wrestle the most right now? (school, friends, phone, anxiety, lust, pride, anger, loneliness)Which enemy tactic shows up there most?LiePride Counterfeit comfortIsolationEtc.What is one way you will wrestle this week?Talk to God throughout my dayRead one Psalm a dayStart a Bible reading plan with a friendAsk someone to pray with you Remove one distraction (social media, youtube, etc.)

How noisy is hell? That was a question C.S. Lewis pondered in Screwtape Letters. It seemed to Lewis that one of the devil's best schemes is to keep people distracted from a mindset anchored in the reality of God. Is this the real problem in America today...the one no one seems to want to talk about? We are as we look forward to 2026 and the mission work that must be done here in the USA. Please join in the inspiring conversation this week on TPS®.  Topic: Our Mission The Public Square® Long Format with hosts Wayne Shephed and David Zanotti thepublicsquare.com Release Date: Friday, January 16th 2026

Does your family history of divorce and dysfunction make you fear for your own marriage? Listen as Pastors Nate Brown and Daniel Hayworth share their personal stories of overcoming generational patterns and building marriages that honor God.This episode is perfect for your morning commute or workout—practical wisdom you can apply to your relationship today.You'll Learn:✅ How to stop living in fear of becoming your parents✅ The early warning signs that your marriage is drifting spiritually✅ What to do when one spouse is growing faster than the other✅ Whether couples should do devotions together or separately✅ The simple principle that transforms how you see your spousePastors Nate and Daniel get vulnerable about their own marriage struggles, from repeated fights in the early years to learning how to lead without forcing. This is real talk for real marriages.Resources mentioned: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, Honoring Grace devotionalThis is part 4 of our Marriage Conference Q&A series. Subscribe now so you don't miss the next episode—new episodes drop Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7 AM CT.

Join co-host and attorney Larry Dershem for a compelling conversation with award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer Max McLean—founder and artistic director of New York City–based Fellowship for Performing Arts (fpatheatre.com). Renowned for his acclaimed stage adaptations of works by theologian and author C. S. Lewis, McLean delves into the enduring relevance of The Screwtape Letters. Together, they explore how Lewis’s 1942 classic uses wit, irony, and a devilishly inverted point of view to examine temptation, morality, and human frailty. The discussion reveals why Lewis’s insights into spiritual warfare may be even more timely and illuminating today than when the book was first published. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new week means new questions! Hope you have fun with these!The Oscars are presented by which professional honorary organization Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California?The French company Van Cleef & Arpels is a business mainly specializing in what?A quay is a structure primarily built on or along what kind of geographical feature?The first successful tornado warning in history occurred in 1948 at Tinker Air Field Air Force Base near what city?Till We Have Faces, The Great Divorce, and The Screwtape Letters are lesser-known novels by which author?In video and tabletop games, what does "NPC" stand for?Biellmann Spin, Lutz, and Crossover are all terms used in which sport?In a computer or video gaming system, what does the acronym GPU stand for?H2O2 is the chemical structure for what common product?In Greek myth, which monster was beheaded by the hero Perseus?Before decimalisation in the UK, how many pence made a shilling?The German state that existed from 1701 to 1918 was known as the Kingdom of what?Chad Kroeger and his Canadian chums enjoy this slightly sweet dark rye bread from Germany.In military tech, falconets, culverins, and carronades were all types of what?On The Office, what are the awards called that Michael hands out to his employees?MusicHot Swing, Fast Talkin, Bass Walker, Dances and Dames, Ambush by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Don't forget to follow us on social media:Patreon – patreon.com/quizbang – Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Check out our fun extras for patrons and help us keep this podcast going. We appreciate any level of support!Website – quizbangpod.com Check out our website, it will have all the links for social media that you need and while you're there, why not go to the contact us page and submit a question!Facebook – @quizbangpodcast – we post episode links and silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Instagram – Quiz Quiz Bang Bang (quizquizbangbang), we post silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Twitter – @quizbangpod We want to start a fun community for our fellow trivia lovers. If you hear/think of a fun or challenging trivia question, post it to our twitter feed and we will repost it so everyone can take a stab it. Come for the trivia – stay for the trivia.Ko-Fi – ko-fi.com/quizbangpod – Keep that sweet caffeine running through our body with a Ko-Fi, power us through a late night of fact checking and editing!

We begin 2026 with a question: What if the most decisive battles in our time aren't fought with ballots or bombs—but with the imagination?Watch the full conversation on YouTube Russell Moore talks with historian and author Joseph Loconte about The War for Middle-earth, his book on how World War I and World War II forged the friendship, faith, and fiction of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Together they explore why The Lord of the Rings and Narnia weren't escapist detours from reality, but a deliberate counter-assault on cynicism, propaganda, and the will to power—written by men who had seen the trenches up close and knew exactly what modern darkness looks like. Loconte and Moore talk about why World War I has slipped from our cultural memory, what protected Tolkien from the disillusionment that swallowed so many of his peers, and why both writers keep insisting that deeds done in the dark are “not wholly in vain.” They also discuss Lewis's warning about the “cataract of nonsense” in modern media, and why genuine friendship is almost never built by chasing “community”—but by pursuing a shared mission so compelling you find yourself fighting alongside someone. Loconte shares the origin story of the Lewis–Tolkien friendship, why grace—not grit—is the hinge point in both Middle-earth and Narnia, and where to start if you've never read either author: The Screwtape Letters for Lewis, and Tolkien's short, haunting “Leaf by Niggle.” Resources mentioned in this episode: By J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings The Hobbit Leaf by Niggle The Fall of Gondolin “Beren and Lúthien” (legendarium story) By C.S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters The Chronicles of NarniaOut of the Silent Planet That Hideous Strength The Space Trilogy The Four Loves Spirits in Bondage (early poetry collection) “Learning in Wartime” (sermon/essay) By Joseph Loconte The War for Middle-earth A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War Other Literary & Historical Works Referenced All Quiet on the Western Front — Erich Maria Remarque Paradise Lost — John Milton The Odyssey — Homer The Aeneid — Virgil The Divine Comedy — Dante Plato's Cave (from The Republic) — Plato Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss C.S. Lewis' explanation of hell before introducing Michael Ward. C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis writes that “we know much more about heaven than hell, for heaven is the home of humanity.” The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce vividly illustrate the meaning of this statement, as Lewis shows that heaven was prepared for humans to become most fully themselves, while hell is a place for those who have abolished their humanity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss C.S. Lewis' explanation of hell before introducing Michael Ward. C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis writes that “we know much more about heaven than hell, for heaven is the home of humanity.” The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce vividly illustrate the meaning of this statement, as Lewis shows that heaven was prepared for humans to become most fully themselves, while hell is a place for those who have abolished their humanity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We tend to believe contentment is always just around the corner. One change away. One upgrade away. One new season away. But what if that belief is the very thing stealing joy from our lives?John Ortberg reflects on wisdom from C. S. Lewis and The Screwtape Letters, inviting us to rediscover God's gift of rhythm: change and permanence held together. Seasons that repeat. Days that feel familiar. Moments we rush past without seeing the miracle inside them.Contentment, it turns out, isn't about getting a new life. It's about seeing the same life with new eyes. Eyes of gratitude. Eyes of love.What if today, right now, is more than enough?

••• Moving Forward to a Positive Year Ahead, Ep 409 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Proverbs 23.7, Philippians 4.8, Luke 6.45 . ••• “The Order of the Divine mind, embodied in the Divine Law, is beautiful. What should a man do but try to reproduce it, so far as possible, in his daily life?” C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms † ••• My attitude was and still is like that of David, who was ashamed that the armies of Israel would tremble before Goliath. Without hesitation he stepped forward with complete confidence in the God who had proven Himself to be faithful (1 Sam 17). For David, the size of the giant was irrelevant" Dave Hunt 1926-1013 †† ••• “...Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you...” Philippians 4.4+ NKJV ••• As we move into another year, what will be different in our lives? ••• What will be different in the work we do? ••• What are we going to do differently? ••• What type of thoughts are automatic? ••• If you do the same thing the same way and expect a different result, what does that indicate? ••• Why is life like a mirror? ••• Why do people think negatively? ••• Why is positive thinking difficult? ••• What type of thinking requires discipline? ••• Why can't you slap abrasive people around? ••• Do most people in control of them selves want to”turn the other cheek”? ••• What are at least 5-life actions to help change old fruitless mind patterns? ••• Will you ask your small group to pray that you will be the kind of person who will have an attitude of victory in the upcoming New Year? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in its mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND Mathias Jensen Photography, https://unsplash.com/@mathiasjensen/, https://www.alamy.com/stock-video/mathias-jensen.html, Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/mov­ing-for­ward-to-a-pos­i­tive-year-ahead-ep409 . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/C.S.-Lewis-Quotes/ . Clive Staples Lewis, 1898-1963. His most famous works include the Screwtape Letters, Chronicles of Narnia and “Surprised by Joy”, his autobiography about his conversion from atheism in 1931 . ••• †† ibid: A Christian apologist, speaker, radio commentator and author of many books on theology, cults and other religions, including critiques of Catholicism, Islam, Mormonism, and Calvinism . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 . ••• FERP251227 - Episode#409 GOT251227 Ep409 .••• Moving Forward to a Positive Year Ahead ✝️Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read between the theological lines of C.S. Lewis' classic masterpiece and religious satire, penned from the POV of a demon serving in the bureaucracy of Hell. Ben will explore the wildly comic and strikingly original letters from one demon to another, as the pair seek to undermine the Christian faith and tempt man into extravagantly wicked and deplorable sins. - - - Today's Sponsors: Helix - Go to https://helixsleep.com/ben for an exclusive offer. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) - Visit https://JoinADF.com/BEN or Text “BEN” to 83848 to add your name to their declaration and side with truth and fairness. Balance of Nature - New and existing customers can go to https://balanceofnature.com and get 50% off the Whole Health System FOR LIFE. - - -

••• Cooperating with the Divine Plan, Ep 408c . ••• Bible Study Verses: Luke 1:5-38, Exodus 3:1-4 . ••• "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God" C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity. † ••• "Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life", Corrie Ten Boom.1892–1983 ††••• "There were only a few shepherds at the first Bethlehem. The ox and the donkey understood more of the first Christmas than the high priests in Jerusalem. And it is the same today", Thomas Merton 1915-1968 ††† ••• “...And she brought forth her FIRSTBORN SON, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they WERE GREATLY AFRAID...” Luke 2.7+ NKJV ••• What was the difference between the virgin Mary's and Zechariah's reactions? ••• Who can say like Mary, "Be it unto me, according to your word"? ••• What question must you ask to make Christmas meaningful in your life? ••• What were the 5-reasons why Mary's response was so special? ••• Will you ask your small group to pray that you will be the kind of person who will see God's plan fulfilled in his or her life? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in its mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Nasa's Deep Space Hubble Telescope , Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/cooperating-with-the-divine-plan-ep-408c . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/C.S.-Lewis-Quotes/ . Clive Staples Lewis, 1898-1963, was born in Belfast Ireland to a devout Christian mother who influenced his beliefs. After she died in his early youth, he was influenced by his agnostic/atheistic friends. Later, in a moment of clear rationality, he came to a belief in God and later became a Christian. After being wounded in WWI, he attended university at Oxford. He joined the faculty of Magdalen College where he taught ancient English. He often wrote clearly on the topic of religion. His most famous works include the Screwtape Letters, Chronicles of Narnia and “Surprised by Joy”, his autobiography about his conversion from atheism in 1931. †† http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Corrie-Ten-Boom-Quotes/ . Corrie Ten Boom was a Dutch, Christian, Holocaust survivor who helped many Jews escape the Nazis. She returned to Germany in 1946, and traveled the world as a public speaker, appearing in over 60-countries and writing many books . ••• ††† http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Thomas-Merton-Quotes/ . Thomas Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, as well as scores of essays and reviews. He had prohibited their publication for 25 years after his death . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 . ••• FERP251220-Episode#408c GOT251220 Ep408c••• Christmas Story: Response to the New Born KingSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, and Reed Dent discuss courage. The regular episode is preceded by some thoughts on Josh Bossé from Reed and Brent.Support for Sophia and Ronen after the loss of Josh — GoFundMeFor Josh — Text in UsRemembering Josh Bossé — Brent Billings“When I Am Among the Trees” by Mary Oliver in Thirst“The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry in The Selected Poems of Wendell BerryDaily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community by Pádraig Ó TuamaThe Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis“Just Do It” Motivational Speech by Shia LaBeouf — YouTubeBEMA 39: A King After God's Own HeartRocky IV (1985 film) — Letterboxd

••• When the Heavens Appear Silent, Ep 406a ••• Bible Study Verses: Genesis 15:13-14, Numbers 23:19, II Peter 3:9, Deuteronomy 18:15, Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:1-32, Malachi 4:5-6, Luke 1:5-17, Hosea 11:1, Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:1-4, Isaiah 60:3.••• "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God" C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity. † ••• "Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life", Corrie Ten Boom.1892–1983 ††••• “...you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.Luke” 1:31+, NKJV . ••• What does Genesis 15 have to do with the Christmas story? ••• What are at least 8-actions by Our Creator when He is about to fulfill His promises? ••• What can we know about God when it appears that He has forgotten His promise? ••• What are at least 4-reasons why God choose unusual characters to fulfill the Christmas story? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that you will be more intentional about using advent season as a springboard to tell others about The Lord Christ Jesus through the power of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible.••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in its mission through prayer and support. Thank you.••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Nasa's Deep Space Hubble Telescope , Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/when-the-heavens-appear-silent-ep-406a••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/C.S.-Lewis-Quotes/ . Clive Staples Lewis, 1898-1963, was born in Belfast Ireland to a devout Christian mother who influenced his beliefs. After she died in his early youth, he was influenced by his agnostic/atheistic friends. Later, in a moment of clear rationality, he came to a belief in God and later became a Christian. After being wounded in WWI, he attended university at Oxford. He joined the faculty of Magdalen College where he taught ancient English. He often wrote clearly on the topic of religion. His most famous works include the Screwtape Letters, Chronicles of Narnia and “Surprised by Joy”, his autobiography about his conversion from atheism in 1931.† † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Corrie-Ten-Boom-Quotes/ . Corrie Ten Boom was a Dutch, Christian, Holocaust survivor who helped many Jews escape the Nazis. She returned to Germany in 1946, and traveled the world as a public speaker, appearing in over 60-countries and writing many books .••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ .••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20••• FERP251206-Episode#406a GOT251206 Ep406a .••• Christmas Story: When the Heavens Appear SilentSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Long ago, before the great lion Aslan bounded onto bookshelves, C. S. Lewis wrote a science fiction novel set on mythological Mars. From there, the sequel carried Dr. Elwin Ransom by angels to the sister planet Venus. And from there … the Ransom/Cosmic/Space Trilogy descended to the dull world of corrupt college boards, inner-ring politics, and a secret technocracy bent on world domination with the aid of mad science and demons and everything. Eighty years after That Hideous Strength, we explore why C. S. Lewis created this earthbound and weird and wonderful pre-political supernatural thriller. Episode sponsors Sons of Day and Night by Mariposa Aristeo A Faie Tale by Vince Mancuso Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett Mission update New at Lorehaven: Josiah DeGraaf's Sun Eater series article Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild That hideously obscure front cover image. 1. The temptations to wield inner rings The Ransom Trilogy really includes all three fantastical genres. It starts with sci-fi, continues to fantasy, ends in supernatural. Stephen would have appreciated knowing this before this book! Because that fact, plus the cover, will affect your expectations. More than the other two, Hideous Strength feels a weird hybrid. For instance, it begins on Earth and feels “grown-up,” even dull. Who is Mark Studdock and Jane? Why do we care about them? And where is Dr. Ransom and the creatures of books 1 and 2? But here Lewis is addressing some deep and personal enemies. One of them is the “inner ring” villain he writes about elsewhere. Call this “the room where it happens,” that seat of power. Right now some conspiracists claim to “expose” secret inner rings. Yet more often they're trying to make new “rings” themselves. This “normal,” subtle threat marks the first real evil of the story. Mark, a social-climbing sociologist, craves to reach this influence. Then he gets there … and discovers it's run by the greater threat. 2. A not-so-N.I.C.E. secular technocracy Enter the National Institute for Co-ordinated Experiments. It's a social movement, an actual autocratic state bent on power. They're all about science, social engineering, efficiency, machines. These theorists take the worst of evil ideologies and mix them up. And for Lewis, this represents the worst corruptions of academia. They destroy natural land like Saruman. Hijack history like IngSoc. And they take over newspapers in plain sight like any petty tyrant. Some have different aims/ideas, such as a truly scary revelation about what exactly has gone wrong with the sterility of the Moon. Others are so poisoned by elitism that they “naturally” fall into evil. That's why we call this a pre-political story. Yes, it's about politics and has overlapping theme, but is about the ideas beneath this. N.I.C.E.'s goal: the subjugation of the human race to macrobes. From here, Lewis finally explains the recurring visions of Jane Studdock (revealing the conspiracy) and a holy resistance order. And, lest there be any doubt, we soon learn the worst threat of all. 3. Devils vs. power to demolish strongholds At last, Dr. Ransom enters the story, leading a small diverse group. He's recruited Christian fellow academics, sure, but also one rather sympathetic skeptic, leading women, and working-class folks. Their enemy is not just flesh and blood, but dark spiritual powers. That's why we call Hideous Strength a true supernatural thriller. Astute readers will discern demonic activity behind the veil. That's no surprise for the author of The Screwtape Letters. Yet the activity is more subtle, in allusion, not overt like Peretti. Ultimately we discern the demons/humans spread their evil ideas in an area Lewis knew very well: the corruption of language. Words, meanings, symbols, translations are vital to this story. And perhaps it's no surprise that the ultimate battle is won not by weapons or even direct intrusions of magic, but by word powers. Clearly the author had in mind a certain Genesis 11 narrative! By the end, one hero utters this divine judgment: “Qui Verbum Dei contempserunt, eis auferetur etiam verbum hominis.” (Kee vehr-boom Deh-ee kon-temp-seh-roont, eh-ees ow-feh-reh-toor eh-tee-ahm vehr-boom ho-mee-nees) Translated: “They that have despised the word of God, from them shall the word of man also be taken away.” These villains “have pulled down Deep Heaven onto their heads.” Holy agents unite from the planets and the past to empower good. Lewis also brings in, quite overtly, his love for medieval cosmology and the planetary influences that are crucial to this universe. And now (with a reread) Stephen has experienced this story with delight like he had hoped, particularly with Lewis's latter head-hopping and fun-poking at the expense of N.I.C.E.'s evildoers. That Hideous Strength ends with startling eucatastrophe and celebration of biblical and based virtues, from cosmic to familial. It's no wonder the story has gained new fans in these similar days. Com station Top question for listeners Do you prefer demonic evil in fiction to be overt or subtle? Next on Fantastical Truth Well, we just talked about the first Chronicle of Narnia … the book! Yet many fans found or rediscovered this series thanks to the Disney-distributed, Walden Media–made film from director Andrew Adamson. Want to feel old? That was two decades ago! So now we shall look back at Narnia's journey to the box office with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which released twenty years ago on Dec. 9, 2005.

C.S. Lewis dedicated his book, The Screwtape Letters, to his friend J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tolkien dedicated his Lord of the Rings to the Inklings, the Oxford literary group they were both a part of. These two literary giants formed a friendship that changed the world, and each other. Ed Stetzer talks with playwright, Dean Batali, whose play, Lewis and Tolkien, explores their friendship and the eternal themes that defined their work: faith, myth, sacrifice, and the power of story on Ed Stetzer Live. Ed Stetzer Live is a listener supported program. To donate, click here. To learn more about Ed Stetzer, click here. To learn more about Ed Stetzer Live, click here.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/edstetzerliveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

C.S. Lewis dedicated his book, The Screwtape Letters, to his friend J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tolkien dedicated his Lord of the Rings to the Inklings, the Oxford literary group they were both a part of. These two literary giants formed a friendship that changed the world, and each other. Ed Stetzer talks with playwright, Dean Batali, whose play, Lewis and Tolkien, explores their friendship and the eternal themes that defined their work: faith, myth, sacrifice, and the power of story on Ed Stetzer Live. Ed Stetzer Live is a listener supported program. To donate, click here. To learn more about Ed Stetzer, click here. To learn more about Ed Stetzer Live, click here.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/edstetzerliveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Elle Grover Fricks talk about the virtue of temperance.A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace“A Thousand No's for Every Yes” — YouTubeMere Christianity by C. S. LewisThe Screwtape Letters by C. S. LewisThe Cardinal and the Deadly by Karl Clifton-SoderstromFace with Steam From Nose — EmojipediaDedicated by Pete Davis

The battle is real. In Ephesians 6:12-14, Paul reminds us that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. In this message, “Not Today, Satan: The Real Battle of Spiritual Warfare”, we dive into the reality of spiritual warfare with insights from C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters, Keith Green's music, and powerful biblical examples like Daniel and Elisha.

Who is Satan? People tend toward two misunderstandings in their beliefs about the devil, and Christians must be careful to avoid both. Today, R.C. Sproul looks to Scripture for the truth concerning the adversary of God's people. For your donation of any amount, get C.S. Lewis' classic book The Screwtape Letters, plus R.C. Sproul's video teaching series Angels and Demons. We'll send you the DVD and give you lifetime digital access to all 8 messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4404/offer   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Get the digital teaching series and study guide with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Meet Today's Teacher:   R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“Men sometimes speak as if humility and meekness would rob us of what is noble and bold and manlike. O that all would believe that this is the nobility of the kingdom of heaven, that this is the royal spirit that the king of heaven displayed, that this is godlike, to humble oneself, to become servant of all!”~Andrew Murray (1828-1917), writer and pastor “It is blasphemy if you pray before God while you are full of anger.”~Ephrem the Syrian (c.306-373), Aramean Christian theologian and writer         My dear Wormwood,Be sure that the patient remains completely fixated on politics. Arguments, political gossip, and obsessing on the faults of people they have never met serves as an excellent distraction from advancing in personal virtue, character, and the things the patient can control. Make sure to keep the patient in a constant state of angst, frustration, and general disdain towards the rest of the human race in order to avoid any kind of charity or inner peace from further developing. Ensure the patient continues to believe that the problem is “out there” in the “broken system” rather than recognizing there is a problem with himself.Keep up the good work,Uncle Screwtape~from C.S. Lewis's devilish book, The Screwtape Letters (1941) “They all therefore were glorified and magnified, not through themselves or their own works or the righteous doing which they wrought, but through His will. And so we, having been called through His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves or through our own wisdom or understanding or piety or works which we wrought in holiness of heart, but through faith, whereby the Almighty God justified all men that have been from the beginning; to whom be the glory forever and ever.”~Clement of Rome in 1 Clement 32:3-4, a letter written to Corinth in c. A.D. 96 “God allowed his Son to suffer as if a condemned sinner, so that we might be delivered from the penalty of our sins. This is God's righteousness, that we are not justified by works (for then they would have to be perfect, which is impossible), but by grace, in which case all our sin is removed.”~John Chrysostom (c. 347-407), Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians Question 33: What is justification? Answer: Justification is the act of God's free grace by which He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight. He does so only because He counts the righteousness of Christ as ours. Justification is received by faith alone.~Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)SERMON PASSAGEselected passages (ESV)Acts 2 41 So those who received [Peter's] word were baptized, and there were added that day [to the church] about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.Ephesians 2 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.Ephesians 4 & 5 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Josh Bossé talk about the capital vice known as sloth—or rather, acedia.David Hume's Moral Philosophy: The Natural Virtues — Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyMaking All Things New by Henri NouwenInside Out 2 (2024 film)Glittering Vices by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoungAcedia & Me by Kathleen NorrisThe Message in the Bottle by Walker PercyBEMA 2: Knowing When to Say “Enough”1 Corinthians 3 — Reed Dent, Campus Christian FellowshipBEMA 400: Talmudic Matthew — SaltBEMA 401: Talmudic Matthew — LightBEMA 402: Talmudic Matthew — Lightly SaltedMark 11 (aroma reference) — Reed Dent, Campus Christian FellowshipWhere the Wild Things Are by Maurice SendakBEMA 136: Each OneThe Book of Delights by Ross Gay“Patient Trust” by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin“Followers, Not Admirers” by Søren Kierkegaard in Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and EasterPrayer of St. Teresa of Avila — Catholic Health Association of the United StatesLost in the Cosmos by Walker PercyThe Sabbath by Abraham Joshua HeschelThe Screwtape Letters by C. S. LewisCalorie — WikipediaCanada Geese and Diet Dr. Pepper — The Anthropocene Reviewed

In this Lutheran Ladies' Book Club recap episode, Rachel leads Erin and Sarah through a discussion of Joel Biermann's Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play.  What does it mean to "remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy"? Does how we think about "leisure" change how we "remember the Sabbath"? How does a biblical understanding of Sabbath help us recognize good and bad ways to use the days that God has given us?  At the end of the episode, Rachel reveals the Ladies' next book club pick — one of her all-time favorites, which Sarah has never yet read: C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters.   Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Join Alan and Jeff on the daily unplugged show as they discuss daily news.

In this episode, Tilly Dillehay joins the conversation to talk about something that touches every one of us—spiritual warfare—and how it plays out in the most ordinary parts of our lives. From our attention spans to our homes to the hidden battles of motherhood, Tilly helps pull back the curtain on how the enemy works to distract, divide, and destroy the good things God has given us. Tilly is the author of My Dear Hemlock, a reimagining of C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters written from a female perspective. Through that lens, she explores how temptation, distraction, and deception uniquely target women—especially in their marriages, motherhood, and daily habits. Together, we talk about the spiritual war being fought over our focus, our peace, and our homes, and how confession, presence, and awareness become our greatest weapons. This conversation reminds us that not every hard moment is random—there's a battle for your attention, your joy, and your family. But even more important, we have a Savior who's already won the war. This episode is brought to you by Angel Studios, creators of films and series that shine light in a dark world. Their newest movie, SKETCH, is a heartwarming adventure that celebrates imagination, family, and faith. Become a Premium Angel Guild member today and get two free tickets to see SKETCH in theaters, plus full access to Angel's inspiring streaming library.

This week, we share a "Space for God" devotional offered by Drew Masterson (Center for Christian Study). Drew begins with a brief introduction to C.S. Lewis' famous little book, The Screwtape Letters, and shows how Lewis uses the unlikely character of the demon tempter Screwtape to teach his audience appropriate postures of prayer. He closes with a reflective practice based on the Lord's Prayer. We hope you are blessed by Lewis' profound insights!View Our Complete Archive of “Space for God” Prayer PracticesLearn More About Spiritual Direction through Coracleinthecoracle.org  |  @inthecoracleSupport the show

Listen as Renee and Karen discuss Anthony Esolen's book Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child, which aims to show how our culture constricts the imaginations of the young. Written in the style of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, it is witty and clever. If you haven't read this book, you should get a copy wherever you buy your books!Amazon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is LG Nixon, author of the book The Ghost of Darwin Stewart. LG Nixon fuses a page-turning fantasy with a haunting theme and turns it into a spirit filled adventure with quirky and likeable characters the whole family can enjoy. Her stories are lighthearted but carry an underlying message of the importance of a Biblical worldview. Her faith and her love of Biblical studies fuels her imagination and her desire to give teens who might not know about their Creator God, an engaging and entertaining way to learn what the Bible says about Him and to introduce basic spiritual concepts.   After a long career in office management, she left the workplace behind and turned to writing. Today, she enjoys writing Biblically based ghost stories filled with mystery, suspense, and other worldly wisdom. She researches and writes full-time from her home in Michigan where she prowls the night star gazing and watching for a supernatural event.   She is always in search of the perfect cup of coffee, the softest afghan, a good book and a quiet corner. LG loves to ski, ride motorcycles, travel, and fly small planes; but no bungy-jumping, thank you very much.   In my book review, I stated The Ghost of Darwin Stewart by L.G. Nixon is a fast-paced Christian YA Fantasy Thriller. Yes - all of that! Talk about a book that crosses genres! Immediately, I found similarities to The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis as well as a bit of Harry Potter by J.K Rowling.   Early on, we meet the Dark Prince who realizes that the best way to get what he wants - an artifact from a girl named Lucy and her friend Schuyler - is to make them doubt who they are. He uses human emotions like anger, fear, and despondency. On the other hand, we meet the High King who uses love, meekness, and kindness. But it is up to Lucy to determine which way she will go, and the choice is not easy - especially when those she loves end up on the wrong end of the Dark Prince's wrath.   If you love a good vs evil story with ghosts, demons, and battles, then you are sure to love this book.   Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1   Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290   You can follow Author LG Nixon Website: https://lgnixon.com/ FB: @l.g.nixon.author IG: @lg_nixon X: @LG_Nixon   Purchase The Ghost of Darwin Stewart on Amazon: Paperback: https://amzn.to/3GEOEQA   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors   #lgnixon #theghostofdarwinstewart #fantasy #christianfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

They say the 'devil is in the details', and while famed author C.S. Lewis' book "Screwtape Letters" illustrates that proverbial phrase, today's version is all about the digital; that modern-day technology is seemingly paving the road towards the demonic. It's not that social media or the digital world is morally aberrant at their core, but it's the fast-paced entrance down a rabbit hole of TikTok videos, influencers, and political punditry, giving us quicker access to all that is wrong with us. Actor Max McLean is an expert on C.S. Lewis after studying and portraying him on stage and screen. McLean's newest venture is producing the film version of The Screwtape Letters. Even though the book was written in 1942, its premise still applies today and perhaps was meant for such a time as this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did both world wars impact the iconic works of Tolkien and Lewis? Socrates in the City host Eric Metaxas is joined by author and historian Joseph Loconte to discuss his newest book, The War for Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945. Throughout this book and conversation, the looming threat of war is revealed, Tolkien and Lewis's friendship as a force for creativity and honesty, and the surprising influence behind Lewis's The Screwtape Letters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brent Billings and Reed Dent gorge themselves on gluttony and its many forms.“Living Lent” by Barbara Cawthorne Crafton in Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and EasterGlittering Vices by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoungThe Screwtape Letters by C. S. LewisWhen Harry Met Sally (1989 film) — JustWatchThe Cardinal and the Deadly by Karl Clifton-Soderstrom“Hungry Mungry” by Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends“The Satisfactions of the Mad Farmer” by Wendell Berry in The Mad Farmer Poems

In this message, we dive into the increasing polarization of our world, the loss of our cultural “third places,” and the way outrage has become a business model. Drawing inspiration from C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, we explore how the real battle is not right vs. left, but darkness vs. light — and how followers of Jesus are called to wage peace instead of war. This weekend at Menlo Church, we pause our regular series for a special ACM Weekend — celebrating what God is doing in our community, confirming elders, and updating our bylaws. You can find all of that info plus an extended strategic update video here. Connect with Us or ACM Voting | Text Us: (650)600-0402

Modern Challenges of Self-Worth and Lies   Host Curtis Chang talks with author and women's ministry leader Emily Wilson about faith, motherhood, and battling the lies of shame and self-hatred. Drawing from C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters and her new book Sincerely, Stoneheart, Emily explores how screens, productivity pressures, and cultural messages distort our identity—and how the truth of God's love can set us free.   (00:01) - Reimagining CS Lewis for Modern Times (04:54) - Women and Good vs. Evil (08:27) - Women and Men's Unique Vulnerabilities to Evil (13:03) - Did C.S. Lewis Miss Something About Women? (14:53) - C.S. Lewis and Friendship (19:08) - Unveiling Truths About Motherhood and Screens (28:01) - The Lie of Productivity   Join The After Party   Send Campfire Stories to: info@redeemingbabel.org   Donate to Redeeming Babel   Mentioned in this episode: Emily Wilson's Sincerely Stoneheart  Learn more about C.S. Lewis (C.S. Lewis Institute) The Background surrounding C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters  More about Lewis's friendships and the Inklings  Listen to Good Faith Episode 160 - Resetting Your Faith: Exploring the Strength of Biblical Mothers with Tara Edelschick and Kathy Tuan-MacLea authors of Moms at the Well  NIH's Study on depression, screen time, and women (abstract) More from Emily Wilson: Emily Wilson's Website  Find Emily Wilson on Instagram Watch Emily Wilson on YouTube  Find Emily Wilson on Facebook   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter

Segment 1 • Todd reflects on seeing The Screwtape Letters in Greenville, SC. • The smarter you get in theology, the easier it is to grow prideful. • Scott Aniol becomes G3 Ministries President; reminder to engage secondary disagreements with grace. Segment 2 • Porn remains the top sin struggle listeners report. • Examine your heart: Are you pursuing sin because it's easy? Are you lazy? • Evict the enemy—better to lose comfort than lose your purity. Segment 3 • Phil Johnson joins Thursday to share insights on Dr. MacArthur. • Baptist News attacks MacArthur as a “false prophet”—Todd exposes the absurdity. • Chip and Joanna Gaines criticized for promoting unbiblical messages about love. Segment 4 • Growing trend: People using AI chatbots for relationships and even marriage. • AI companions are programmed to affirm your every thought. • AI will tell you what you want to hear—even if it destroys you. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!