Podcasts about see christ

Urban Hannon, Taylor Patrick O'Neill, and Matthew Dugandzic answer your questions about the beatific vision, Christ and the Trinity, and why theology does not divide into liberal and conservative.To submit your questions about whatever for a future episode, email us at thequodlibets@gmail.com.Be sure to follow the Sacra Doctrina Project on Facebook and Twitter as well.

War of the Messiah Part I is a study of the endtimes war taken from Revelation 19:11-16. In depth analysis of the text compared with Old Testament prophecy. Shows the true relationship of the Apocalypse, (Book of Revelation) and the coming of Christ at the end of the age.See Christ's power demonstrated in the defeat of his enemies. Discover the awesome power of the kingdom of God in rightoeuness. Understand the relationship of the first Exodus out of Egypt to the second exodus out of the Old Covenant.Experience the power of the Warrior King, crowned with a name above every name. Unlock the meaning of problem texts interpreters struggle with. See the timeline of prophecy fulfillment that no one can deny. Check out our book, Will Planet Earth Be Destroyed?, A study of the end of the world with special treatment of Second Peter 3. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/all-bible-prophecy-fulfilled--2642968/support.

Pastor Danny Peterson's teaching titled "See Christ in His Glory" from Mark 9:1-10.

Pastor Danny Peterson's teaching titled "See Christ in His Glory" from Mark 9:1-10.

Do others actually see the Lord in me?

Acts 17:1–15 paints two powerful scenes that beautifully illustrate the centrality of Scripture in the life of every believer. The first shows Paul modeling how to engage others with God's Word—reasoning, explaining, proving, and persuading. The second shows the response of people examining, receiving, and believing the Word of God. Together, these scenes teach us that delighting in God and in his Word are essential for growing in the Christian faith. The example of these early believers invites us to follow their lead and: 1. Share Christ from Scripture, 2. See Christ in Scripture, and 3. Savor Christ in All Things.

everything about us should reflect christ.

Belief in Christ is the only tool which can put to death the temptations of the flesh. #daybydaylw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org! ~~~ 1 Peter 5:2-3 is the warning to me—“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you…not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock…humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he might exalt you…” Colossians 3:19 is the warning to husbands—“Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” And then in Ephesians it says to husbands to sacrifice on behalf of your wife, as Christ loved and sacrificed himself for the church. Don't minimize your wife, and her role, her thoughts, her emotions, her life. Don't disregard her. Parents, do not provoke your children to anger. Do not exasperate them by dominating them. Bosses, stop threatening your workers, knowing that he who is in heaven is both their master and yours, and that there is no partiality with him. There are some here who are drunk on power you think is yours. You will not hear my words. You will not relinquish your hold on your sin. But there are others of you, who are in the midst of this scenario, upon whom the Holy Spirit has been tenderizing your heart. You know it's wrong, sinful. You know you are hurting those around you. You know you think your power is a cloak that can cover up your hurtful ways. But the LORD has been dealing with you. He has been merciful and gracious to do so. We all have hearts bent towards lording it over people when we can. It's a glitch in our system due to the fall of man into sin. Eve wanted as much power as God. Adam wanted as much power as God, and now we crave it too. But how do we change? We can't just stop it. The virus runs to the core of who we are. Jesus came to not only serve, but to give His life as a ransom, as a payment, for many people. And as we watch the gospel unfold, we learn that Jesus not only trades His life for ours, takes our sin and give us His righteousness, but part of the payment is that the Holy Spirit comes to live among His people, in His people. And this tendency to exert power and authority unjustly is that old flesh trying to raise its head again in your life. And you have to put him down. How? What is the death dagger? It is belief. Believing that Christ reigns over the flesh, has put the old man to death through Jesus' resurrection. I have to believe that, and turn my eyes to Christ, bow the knee and walk according to His word. Jesus said he came to give his life as a ransom for many? But who are those people? Those people are the ones who recognize the virus of sin in their lives, and the destruction it causes, and run to Christ! Are you that person this morning? Is that you, who is just now realizing the danger of your own sin and that it displeases, angers the God of all creation, from whom you cannot hide, and who will not be minimized in one aspect of His being? Then run to the cross! See Christ crucified for you, to be your ransom payment for your sin and death. Cling to Him with every fiber of your being and every part of your heart! There is no other gift or offering or sacrifice made that will atone for your sin than Christ!

Audio reading: Deut 27:1-10, Isaiah 22: 1-24:23, Gal 2:17-3:9 Psalm 60:1-12 Prov 23:15-16 I invite you into Jacob's tent where we dive in to the Word of God. Join me in this Journey through the entire bible in one year focusing on the biblical calendar, the Feasts and the Torah reading cycle. In Matthew 4:4, Yeshua said these words: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Taking in the word of God every day is LIFE to our spirit and health to our bones! Visit us at: Israel Connect: Your bridge to the land and people of Israel! Visit us at: dailyaudiotorah.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bridge-connector/support

Audio reading: Num 15:1-20, 2 Kings 13:1-14:29, Acts 18:23-19:12, Psalm 146:1-10, Prov 18:2-3 I invite you into Jacob's tent where we dive in to the Word of God. Join me in this Journey through the entire bible in one year focusing on the biblical calendar, the Feasts and the Torah reading cycle. In Matthew 4:4, Yeshua said these words: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Taking in the word of God every day is LIFE to our spirit and health to our bones! Visit us at: Israel Connect: Your bridge to the land and people of Israel! Visit us at: dailyaudiotorah.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bridge-connector/support

A new MP3 sermon from Pilgrim Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: See Through a Crisis, and See Christ Subtitle: 2024 Bible Conference Speaker: Jonathan Keeling Broadcaster: Pilgrim Baptist Church Event: Conference Date: 4/26/2024 Length: 21 min.

Homily for Good Shepherd Sunday (B)

Mathew 5: 16 - In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. #lightofGod #Christ #glory #notshame

When we want to be in Church, we plan in advance. When we want to see Christ, we also need to plan. Just like Zacchaeus planned in advance to see Christ, we need to clean our hearts, make plans for him, and be ready for Him. We do this by confessing our sins to the Church and restoring our broken relationships. There will be no room for Christ if our hearts are filled with bitterness and sin. Now is the time for us to plan to see Christ and welcome Him into our hearts.

Pastor Matthew Shores preached from John 17-24.--Sermon Title- Good and Glory--Sermon Outline- -1. Christ's Will Is Your Good-2. Your Good Is to Be with Christ-3. Your Good Is to See Christ's Glory

Want More? Come and See Christ

“Eager to See Christ” Matthew 2:1-12 January 14, 2024 Pastor Tony Felich  Sermon Application [file]   ----more---- Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, [2] saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” [3] When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; [4] and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. [5] They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:               [6] “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,                     are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;               for from you shall come a ruler                         who will shepherd my people Israel.'”    [7] Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. [8] And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” [9] After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. [11] And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. [12] And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.      The eager, active, joyful faith of the magi should refresh our own devotion to Jesus.      •    Eager Faith (1)      •    Active Search (2-9)      •    Joyful Worship (10-12)

We want to be the sole protector of our people and our circumstances, we want to be the guide of our life, we want to be the redeemer of hardships we face, and we want to act as Savior. - Chelsey DeMateis SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: The Crosswalk Devotional: https://www.lifeaudio.com/crosswalk-devotional/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today we study the 2nd and 3rd reason that Moroni gives us for the Book of Mormon.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” Matthew 11:12Are you among those who are “violent” and are taking the Kingdom of Heaven “by force?” Hopefully you are!From time to time, Jesus' words are difficult to understand. This passage above presents us with one of those situations. Of this passage, Saint Josemaría Escrivá states that the “violent” are Christians who have “fortitude” and “boldness” when the environment they find themselves in is hostile to the faith (See Christ is Passing By, 82). Saint Clement of Alexandria says that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs “to those who fight against themselves” (Quis dives salvetur, 21). In other words, the “violent” who are taking the Kingdom of Heaven are those who vigorously fight against the enemies of their soul so as to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven.What are the enemies of the soul? Traditionally, we speak of the world, the flesh and the devil. These three enemies have caused much violence within the souls of Christians who are striving to live within God's Kingdom. So how do we fight for the Kingdom? By force! Some translations say that the “attackers” are taking the Kingdom by force. This means that the Christian life cannot be one that is purely passive. We cannot simply smile our way into Heaven. The enemies of our soul are real, and they are aggressive. Therefore, we must also become aggressive in the sense that we must directly take on these enemies with the fortitude and boldness of Christ.How do we do this? We take on the enemy of the flesh by fasting and self-denial. We take on the world by remaining grounded in the Truth of Christ, the Truth of the Gospel, refusing to conform to the “wisdom” of the age. And we take on the devil by becoming aware of his malicious plans to deceive us, confuse us and mislead us in all things so as to rebuke him and reject his actions in our life.Reflect, today, upon your call to grow in fortitude and boldness so as to combat those enemies that attack within. Fear is useless in this battle. Confidence in the power and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only weapon we need. Rely upon Him and do not give in to the many ways that these enemies seek to rob you of the peace of Christ. My glorious and victorious Lord, I trust in You to pour forth Your grace so that I may stand strong against the world, the temptations of my flesh and the devil himself. Give me courage, boldness and fortitude so that I can fight the good fight of faith and never waver from seeking You and Your most holy will for my life. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

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As children of God, we must reflect Christ Jesus in all we do.

1 Peter 1:1-10 This passage shows us surprising insights about seeing (or not seeing) Christ. It looks at the coming of Christ from five viewpoints:  You (Peter's audience & us)  8, 9, 10, 12 The Old Testament prophets 10, 11 The Holy Spirit 11, 12 The New Testament Apostles and preachers 12 The angels 12 The post Will You See Christ This Christmas? appeared first on Racine Bible Church.

See Christ as He truly is so you can share His truth with others.

See Christ as He truly is so you can share His truth with others.

See Christ as He truly is so you can share His truth with others.

If you were asked what serves as the cornerstone of your testimony what would you say? Would it be Jesus Christ? Join Candis this week as she delves into 1 and 2 Peter through the timeless wisdom and inspiration of these two letters. We will discuss how Peter's words challenge us to embrace our uniqueness and live a life that reflects the principles of our faith, the importance of seeing Christ in our lives, and how great a blessing it is to be the "Chosen Generation".Go & Do Challenge Week 48Use Christ as your cornerstone, building all points of your life off Him, as your referenceLive up to what Peter taught about us about being a chosen generation, royal priesthood, and a peculiar peopleEpisode LinksCome, Follow Me—Week 48Our Responsibility as Priesthood Holders — Joseph Fielding SmithA Chosen Generation — Gordon B. Hinckley If you like what you hear don't forget to follow and leave us a review!We want to hear from you!Share your thoughts, experiences, etc with us at @goanddopodcast on IG or send us an email at thegoanddopodcast@gmail.com

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” Matthew 11:12Are you among those who are “violent” and are taking the Kingdom of Heaven “by force?” Hopefully you are!From time to time, Jesus' words are difficult to understand. This passage above presents us with one of those situations. Of this passage, Saint Josemaría Escrivá states that the “violent” are Christians who have “fortitude” and “boldness” when the environment they find themselves in is hostile to the faith (See Christ is Passing By, 82). Saint Clement of Alexandria says that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs “to those who fight against themselves” (Quis dives salvetur, 21). In other words, the “violent” who are taking the Kingdom of Heaven are those who vigorously fight against the enemies of their soul so as to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven.What are the enemies of the soul? Traditionally, we speak of the world, the flesh and the devil. These three enemies have caused much violence within the souls of Christians who are striving to live within God's Kingdom. So how do we fight for the Kingdom? By force! Some translations say that the “attackers” are taking the Kingdom by force. This means that the Christian life cannot be one that is purely passive. We cannot simply smile our way into Heaven. The enemies of our soul are real, and they are aggressive. Therefore, we must also become aggressive in the sense that we must directly take on these enemies with the fortitude and boldness of Christ.How do we do this? We take on the enemy of the flesh by fasting and self-denial. We take on the world by remaining grounded in the Truth of Christ, the Truth of the Gospel, refusing to conform to the “wisdom” of the age. And we take on the devil by becoming aware of his malicious plans to deceive us, confuse us and mislead us in all things so as to rebuke him and reject his actions in our life.Reflect, today, upon your call to grow in fortitude and boldness so as to combat those enemies that attack within. Fear is useless in this battle. Confidence in the power and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only weapon we need. Rely upon Him and do not give in to the many ways that these enemies seek to rob you of the peace of Christ. My glorious and victorious Lord, I trust in You to pour forth Your grace so that I may stand strong against the world, the temptations of my flesh and the devil himself. Give me courage, boldness and fortitude so that I can fight the good fight of faith and never waver from seeking You and Your most holy will for my life. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Speaking about Solomon and Jonah, Jesus reveals that his presence in the world changes everything, inviting us to respond to him with fervent faith. October 16, 2023 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

The Power of Right Believing7 Keys to Freedom from Fear, Guilt, and AddictionBy Joseph Prince  If you would like to support Teresa and Kay's Podcast monthly or make a one-time gift you can click the PayPal link below. https://paypal.me/spiritualwar17  

Message by Rev. Dr. Sterling Boykin (Hebrews 10:1-18)

Homily of Fr. Michael O'Connor from Mass on July 2, 2023 at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in Bay St. Louis, MS Referenced Readings: 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16a Rom 6:3-4, 8-11 Mt 10:37-42 https://www.olgchurch.net/ https://www.facebook.com/ourladyofthegulfchurchbsl

SERMON - See Christ's Righteousness| Series: I Once Was Blind | Message 007 by Valley Christian Fellowship

One of the most important commandants God gave to us is to love our neighbor. But what does that look like? How is showing the love of Christ reflected in our daily lives? In this episode of the Jaime Luce Podcast, we break down the parable of The Good Samaritan to understand Jesus' affection for us and learn how to show that same affection to people in need. We discuss the importance of knowing who you are in Christ to represent HIS glory when caring for your neighbor.  In this episode, you'll hear:  A biblical breakdown of the parable of The Good SamaritanWhat does it look like to represent ChristHow to love our neighbor the way Jesus loves on usHow to look at others' struggles in honor About your host: Jaime Luce' testimony has daunting personal mountains and treacherous financial valleys. She was trapped in day-to-day stress and couldn't see a way forward. But how she started is not how she finished! And she wants you to know God has a plan for your life too, no matter how tough it seems. Today, Jaime has been married to the love of her life for almost three decades, owns two companies, and has become an author and podcaster. God's way is always the blessed way!  Free chapter of Jaime's new book: You Don't Need Money, You Just Need God: https://jaimeluce.com/book/  Support the Jaime Luce Podcast: When you sign up for the Free Charisma Plus App, you help support this show. Get your subscription at: https://bit.ly/CharismaAppJaimeAre you looking for Spirit-filled articles, teachings, insights, prophetic words, and the tools to gain intimate knowledge of the Holy Spirit? Charisma magazine empowers believers to live life in the Spirit. Each issue of Charisma Magazine contains articles, teachings, and insights to gain a more intimate knowledge of the Holy Spirit.  https://bit.ly/CharismaSubJaimeTo purchase the Spiritual Warfare Bible. https://bit.ly/CharismaBibleJaime

They say America is a great melting pot, but on a local level it's Walmart. There is no place where every walk of life, every occupation, every ideology or religion, every fashion choice, every body type or disability, can be seen and shared, at least on the surface level. But what is more amazing is this: all of these people, mingling and bumping carts into one another, shop in relative peace. (Ok, so occasionally there's a police car outside, but I've seen it at Target or Costco, too…just not as often.) Perhaps this general peacefulness is because everyone in the store is focused on getting what they want and then planning on promptly leaving. As long as no one pokes a thorn in the side of our consumerism, apparently we really can get along. For as long as I can remember, Walmart has been slammed as the angel of small-business death. Walmart holds a unique place of anger in many hearts on both the right and left sides of American politics. I've even heard one hyperbolic person say they would rather walk over hot coals than enter a Walmart store. We really enjoy arguing, especially about politics, economics, and religion, but even things like retail stores. There was an old saying “Arguing with an engineer is a lot like wrestling in the mud with a pig. After a few hours, you realize the pig likes it.” To that point, about ten years ago, I sat in a meeting room for an entire week of product design listening, and occasionally contributing, to a battle between front-end web engineers over which javascript library we should select for use in our product. Yes, an entire week of arguing about a part of a product that customers would neither see nor care about. But no matter whether you love it, hate it, or just secretly go to Walmart on vacation when you need something and think you won't be seen, Walmart is the only place on earth where you can get a fishing pole, frozen fish, a fish piñata, and a pet fish, all while getting the brakes fixed on your fishing boat. From my years of listening to disdain for Walmart, the problem for many consumers is not the global supply chain or the treatment of workers or the environmental impact. The real issue shoppers have with Walmart is that they don't want to mingle with “the people” who shop there. There is a subtle implication toward something awful when a voice laments, “I had to go to Walmart,” as if they just used a port-a-potty on the third day of a rock music festival.The phrase, “people of Walmart,” is a modern wink between folks that hints at the dregs of society, bordering on a modern version of Biblical uncleanliness. The “people of Walmart” in modern America is analogous to the “lepers of Molokai” in 19th century Hawaii. This superiority complex happens not only among my more educated and wealthy friends, it is also expressed among my blue collar friends. I've heard the sentiment from various ethnicities and races. There doesn't seem to be a single “group” of people that have this condescending feeling about Walmart. I cannot discern who will hold the sentiment. The disgust for Walmart transcends our usual tribes, so I can never tell who will start to show symptoms of illness when the word Walmart comes up in conversation.In any case, I come neither to bury Walmart nor to praise it, but mostly stand in observation of it as the modern marketplace, like the agora of classic Athens but with light-speed logistics, rock bottom prices, and no coupons needed. Aside from the military, a hospital emergency room, and maybe a waterpark on a hot summer day, there is no place of greater diversity slammed together and in constant interaction than at your average Walmart. College campuses and corporate America are the two least diverse environments in America that I have been a part of, despite their constant trumpeting to claim that prize. In my university and corporate travels over the past 25 years, I have yet to see a hillbilly wielding a dry-erase marker in front of a whiteboard or a man with gold teeth refining his powerpoint presentation. However, I have seen both of these people at Walmart. Real diversity is where you have every class, every race, every religion, every level of education, every disability, every propensity, and every shape of human being imaginable pressed into one place. Walmart teases out our prejudices. I would go into Walmart and see someone and shake my head. I would comment: “Look at that guy…what a mess. What an absolute mess.” Perhaps you know what I'm referring to. I suspect you do. There are websites dedicated to the people that I'm referring to, like www.peopleofwalmart.com, which I'm not even going to hyperlink because while the site is funny, it's mainly for sophomores in high school, especially the daily “Feature Creature.” I realize that comedy can be mean, as there are various ways to get a laugh, such as thwarting expectations, shocking the sensibilities, or good old fashioned body humor that we humans have perfected over thousands of years. And I'm not going to pretend I don't laugh at those things. As I've said before, don't let this blog/podcast fool you - I am flawed in more ways than one. Yes, I laugh at body humor. For instance, have you seen the trilogy of movies known as Shrek, Shrek 2, and Shrek the Third? I enjoyed those movies. But those movies do not exist without body humor. Here's a quick summary…Shrek: he's ugly and overweight. Prince Farquaad: he's short and dandyish. Prince Charming: He's a good looking rich prick. The end. Roll credits. That's the movie. And the movie is hilarious.People never tire of height and weight and fart jokes because - and this is modern blasphemy to say today - our bodies are funny. There's just no way around the fact that human bodies make us laugh, and we all know they make us laugh, but some of us today are getting very good at the art of taking offense. But surely even those folks have to stifle a laugh when they see America's Funniest Videos classic clips of “man getting kicked in the crotch.” To deny that bodies are funny is to deny one of the better parts of our nature, but we are denying it and as a result comedians are declining to book shows at corporations and college campuses, which are, as I've mentioned already, the least diverse places in America, as much as they try to tell us otherwise. Consider classic books that use body humor, like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza; it's the skinny guy and fat guy buddy adventure story. Or A Confederacy of Dunces' main character, Ignatius Reilly, who is a stream of endless body humor. Or the movie The Princess Bride - it would not even be a movie worth watching without the six fingered man, Andre “the Giant,” the albino hunchback torturer, the old hag with warts, and the many speech impediments the characters have, in particular the priest who mixes up the letters “W” and “R” and “L”. Unlike books and movies and Shrek, Walmart is of the flesh and brings out the type of superficial judgment that I also like to pretend I don't make. Why does this happen at Walmart? Because in that store lives the full array of rednecks, hippies, preppies, snobs, slobs, spinsters, bachelors, gangsters, w*****s, studs, duds, broods, dudes, litters, critters, fops, goths, sloths, freaks, geeks, and even some that give me the creeps. Luckily, I fit right in with many of these groups. I feel right at home. These are my people. Back in college I read about a morality test, in a marketing class of all places, coined the “TV Test.” The TV Test goes like this: when engaging in an act of questionable ethics, if your actions were being broadcast to the world, like the movie The Truman Show, you should ask yourself this question: would you still perform the act if the world was bearing witness? This was a fine test for me to consider in 1997, as at that point I didn't have time for God, but any religious person knows that this test should be called “The God Test,” which requires no studio or camera, since we are always under the oversight of God. The TV Test is a secular test of morality. If you wouldn't cheat on your partner while being watched on TV, you probably should just skip hitting on the waitress. If you wouldn't stuff twenty dollars bills in your pocket while running a cash register and being observed on TV, it's a good idea to put the money into the drawer. Stealing, cheating, getting drunk, lying, acting rude, watching porn - the TV Test is indeed a good test to reveal unchangeable moral rules. (For the record, shopping at Walmart is an act I would do while being filmed on TV, so that's how I know it's not really a wrong action, although I would be embarrassed to be seen buying so many sugary snacks.) The TV Test works well for determining right and wrong. Take these two actions: smoking cigarettes vs. watching pornography. I would be willing to be seen smoking on television. I would not feel my conscience eating at me. On the other hand, watching porn is something I would definitely NOT want to be seen doing. So it's easy for me to tell which one if these acts is immoral. One is bad for my health, but the other is bad for my soul. But oddly, many people see smoking as a modern sin while watching porn is no longer considered to be wrong at all. Eating sugar for many is a modern sin, but I would eat a whole bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats on NBC's Today show and not feel ashamed. I wouldn't be proud of it, but I would not feel my conscience telling me that eating the added grams of sugar is morally wrong. Clearly, if you don't want to be seen doing something in public, you can be certain that it's not right. The internet age has attempted to flip various acts from vice into virtue, but the “small voice” within whispers the real answer to us. The TV Test has its merits, but there's one problem, a rather large problem. This kind of test relies on external feelings of how you would act if being observed. This goes directly to our need for approval and our sense of honor and shame. What this test lacks is internal motive. The TV Test is all about what others think about you, not what you think about yourself or how you see the world. (Oh God, not again, here we go…on to the religious stuff...)Yes, that's exactly where I'm going. The problem of the “TV Test” is the underlying motive. Let's take the example of the temptation to eat grapes in the produce aisle. Doing the right thing is a wonderful thing in itself, since if you know someone is watching, you probably won't snatch grapes in the store as you slip through the cool and concealing fog of the produce misters. But that decision to do the right thing and not eat the grapes is a change in behavior that comes from fear of being caught, from someone holding up your immoral act and showing it to the world. In other words, it comes from coercion of outside forces. And make no mistake: Walmart and Target will prosecute, as many errant teens have discovered the rule of law in this way. No one wants to be outed in the local police blotter as a grapelifter. But don't we all want to eat some grapes at the grocery store? But we don't eat the grapes if there is fear of getting our hand slapped. (Note: Just stay with me here for a minute on the grape metaphor as a surrogate for all temptation. Replace “grapes” with whatever vice you have such as “do drugs” or “steal” or “cheat” or “get drunk” or “gossip” or “have orgies” or “watch porn all day” or “reject your family” or “hate your mother in law” or “flirt with your ex on Snapchat”…you get the point.)True change in behavior does not come from fear, it comes from inner change, and trust is another word for faith. This comes from a change in the heart. In other words, doing the right thing can be done by a robot that is programmed to act on certain conditions. This is what totalitarian societies strive for by attempting to convert people into robots based on fear: If this, do that. If not this, then proceed to jail. If still not obedient, flog twenty times, then loop back into society. If still low morale, send to re-education camp. Finally, on error, terminate the defective bot. We program machines to “do the right thing.” But we are not machines. (Well, I take that back. As a former atheist, I did believe that we were just machines, or merely large organisms of randomly selected chemistry lurching about the earth. I've since abandoned that.) For those who still gaze with wonder at the universe and accept mysteries beyond nature, even if only from watching Lord of the Rings or believing in the Lucky Charms leprechaun, there is something special about the ghost and the machine. To not eat the grapes is righteous, truly, as everyone in their heart knows that stealing grapes is wrong. No matter how plump and tender they look, stealing grapes is wrong. Really, the more plump and tender the grocery store grapes appear, the more you need to resist the urge, as the temptation is greater. No one would ever argue against stealing being wrong unless they have completely lost their mind, or they are perhaps starving. The TV Test teases this out. If stealing was ok, we would just do it and not care. But we do care. So external pressure to follow certain rules works for many things, but this is the robotic kind of decision. This is doing right by external pressure to avoid consequences. However, there's a second and very different kind of reason to do the right thing that comes from an internal change. This kind of change does not come from external pressure. In fact, it's not coerced at all, in any way. It is chosen. Yes, you can be “good without God” but there is still something missing, and true change comes from the one thing that fits the God shaped hole in the Big Empty of our heart. (Oh, here it comes…faith stuff…oh, God, please spare my non-religious readers, help them bear this next part as I start to pontificate on the internal change of heart, the metanoia.) It comes from faith. And it comes from grace. As usual, I find something in the Catechism that shows me that 2,000 years of thinking about faith has produced some excellent distillations of the problems we humans face. To be human, man's response to God by faith must be free, and. . . therefore nobody is to be forced to embrace the faith against his will. The act of faith is of its very nature a free act. God calls men to serve him in spirit and in truth. Consequently they are bound to him in conscience, but not coerced. . . Indeed, Christ invited people to faith and conversion, but never coerced them. For he bore witness to the truth but refused to use force to impose it on those who spoke against it. His kingdom. . . grows by the love with which Christ, lifted up on the cross, draws men to himself." (CCC 160)Forget about the “TV Test.” I have a new test called the “Walmart Test” and you can do this test even without being a Christian, but it's much easier if you are one. Upon entering the mart, or even before you enter - you can start this test while you are in the parking lot - pin this single idea on your brain's bulletin board: that every person you see is a child of God, that every person there is important, and that you can see Christ in each person's face. There's a saying I've stolen from a guy who signs his emails with “See Christ in others, be Christ for others.” Somehow it's always those short proverbial sayings that stick the best in my brain and make the most sense. They cut to the chase. This may be because I'm in my forties now, so phrases of eight words or less are necessary. This includes seeing Christ in the person that would win “most likely to become Hitler” in your mind's yearbook of societal characters. You probably already know who I'm talking about. You know who it is. How do I know? Because everyone has a scapegoat, an archetypal villain that we brook own own ego against, to affirm to ourselves, “I'm good, that person is bad.” If any behavior smacks of evidence for original sin, it's that humans seem wired to seek something or someone to hate. We want approval, we want love, and we're capable of much love, but we also gravitate toward hate all too readily. We need that opposing force to support our own yearning for righteousness and self-love. Honestly, don't we seek out anger? Last night I sat down in my chair, quite content for a moment, and then a minute later, I looked at my phone and saw an article, and I clicked on it and then became instantly agitated. And I realized afterward, did I not perform that act myself? Did I not just become angry by own volition? And for what reason other than I was feeling content and happy! I sought out something to irritate me and disrupt the peace. We seek agitation, and the phone giveth. Oh, it giveth. Why do we want to dislike something? Despite all the love memes we post on Facebook, there is the equal and opposite force pulling us the other direction. One of the most fascinating phenomenons to watch on Facebook is to have a friend that posts a picture of his or her family followed an hour later by a vitriolic partisan article about a lightning rod political topic. Love - hate - love - hate. It's like they are saying, “Here's something I love” and later “Here's something I hate.” The happy and loving posts almost seem to act as counterbalance to claim their image back from the stronger yearning to communicate how angry they are. I hide these people's feeds because I can't handle the constant love/hate, not because I don't like those people, but because I have to deal with my own tendency toward love and hate along with theirs. One at a time people, get in line. I've got my own flaws to fight before I can handle yours. This is where the internet's poison gets nasty for society, because instead of just dealing with our own extremes we get to observe and react to everyone else's internal monologue too, and frankly, I am not equipped for flaws beyond my own massive problems and insecurities. This shame/honor culture and love/hate firehose of opinions lives rent-free in our heads, and in many of us has taken up permanent residency with the fusion of social media into our lives. Even before social media, comments to articles on web pages were rife with this extremism toward honor and shame. This is exactly why I don't have comments enabled on Why Did Peter Sink? Have you ever, in your online life, read the comments of an article or a social media post on social media and felt better? Have you ever moved on from typing and commenting with a good feeling? I have not. Typing online is a good place to use the “TV Test.” Would I type this comment if the world were watching me? Anonymity is a seductive thing online, since it allows our cruelty to go unchecked. So back to the “Walmart Test.” This test must be done with all shoppers, but especially against those who personify your most vilified group. So whether that person you would like to wish away is a Republican or Democrat, fat or thin, black or white, immigrant or citizen, gay or straight, on welfare or paying cash - you need to do this test on that person. You need to see the dignity of every person. This is the imago Dei test. Every human being is made in the image and likeness of God, with a soul granted at the beginning of their life. “The notion of the imago Dei is also that which gives each and every human being an equal share of human dignity. And this is the game changer. Catholic Social Doctrine is based principally upon this notion.”If you do this correctly, going to Walmart may become the greatest experience of your life. You may find yourself spinning around in the pet food section, proclaiming loudly, like John Dryden after reading Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, “Here is God's Plenty!” This may even be euphoric for you when you look at that Trump supporter or drug user or person on food stamps or that woman with five children or that rich snob and say to them in your head, “This is a child of God. Someone loves this person. This person is valuable and meaningful. Jesus died for that person's sins just as Jesus died for mine. I am no better than that person. I see Christ in that person's face and they are a miracle.” But…whatever you do, don't hug them. Say hello, or maybe pierce their bubble to start a conversation. Just don't hug them. That's how the police car can suddenly appear in front of Walmart. I say this without being silly or trying to provoke anyone. You must do The Walmart Test stone-sober, not high or drunk, because it's very easy to feel the whole “I love you, man” mood when you are intoxicated. That's not really “Seeing Christ in Others,” that's a false elevation, a vacuous happiness. Drug users often have this “I love you, man” attitude, but that's not a valid test, because they have already escaped the world in the high of the drug. I remember a person from college that would get stoned and go to the local zoo to look at animals for some kind of zen. That is not what I'm talking about. This is a sober test. A test of internal change, not external change, not to be created by coercion or chemicals. This is a test about choosing to orient your life toward Christ and to see him everywhere. True change is internal. It requires a turning toward God. This is the part that I never understood about Christianity for the first thirty-some years of my life. I saw it as mostly rules, as buildings and rituals, as a path to righteousness through actions. That's not what it's about at the root. All of those things like rituals and buildings help us stay on track to the true destination. But it's not only about the laws and the rules. That's not the main purpose. The primary purpose is to change how you see. The purpose is to make change from the heart which changes your entire vision of the world. For those that think Jesus was a great moral teacher, that's a key part but not the whole. It's about sin, forgiveness and acceptance, and number one above all: about seeing the world as Christ saw the world. It's about entering into the suffering with others, not against them. Christianity is, above all, a way of seeing. Everything else in Christian life flows from and circles around the transformation of vision. Christians see differently, and that is why their prayer, their worship, their action, their whole way of being in the world have a distinctive accent and flavor. (Centered, p 37)How else could the martyrs be burned to death while still praying for the one who lit the match? That sounds like drug-induced behavior. For someone about to be killed and still see Christ in the face of the killer, this is such a radical idea that goes against all instinct. Drugs like liquor and politics could never give that much of the “I love you, man” feeling. What happens is that the faithful sometimes forget to see Christ in others. There are millions of Christians who do see this way, they just don't make the news. We only hear about the ones who lose the vision and need to get back to the hospital for sinners. When that happens, when someone falls, the media pounces. Non-Christians rejoice when the righteous fall. They see the Pharisee in those Christians that judge others while self-justifying their own behavior with the presumption of salvation. The meek inherit the earth, not the proud, right? But while the media dances on a fallen figure's grave, what they forget is that in being humbled, the fallen figure usually realizes the mistake and comes to a stronger and more appropriate faith through humility. Having faith is not supposed to be easy, it's supposed to be hard. The second part of my stolen saying is to “Be Christ for Others.” This means letting go of the zero-sum game, of needing something for every action you take. You have to let go of the self and the never-ending "wanting” of more. Hasn't that exhausted you? More money, more recognition, more likes, more house, more car, more sex, more drama. It becomes so repetitive always wanting the next thing, the new shiny toy, the next experience, that it's like a hamster on a wheel running for no reason.This letting go means you go into servant mode and wind up receiving more than if you had gotten what you wanted. Someday I dream I will walk into Walmart and see two people, perhaps a Republican and a Democrat, gripping each others ears with both hands and saying simultaneously, “How did I not see this before?!” I won't hold my breath.The Walmart Test is where you can choose to mock those you feel superior toward, you can choose to disdain your perceived enemies, you can mock them with body humor…or…or…you can choose to see Christ in each person's face. This is not meant to be easy. It never was meant to be easy. As a Christian you are not even meant to be loved. Jesus even warned us that we will be hated for his sake. If someone hates you, take heart, because you've found the perfect subject for your Walmart Test. Can you love the person you hate the most? Better test: can you love the person that hates you the most? Can you pray for your enemy? I bet you can. “[God] will have us learn to bear the burden of one another's faults. Nobody is faultless; each has his own burden to bear, without the strength or the wit to carry it by himself; and we have got to support one another, console, help, correct, advise one another, each in his turn.Meanwhile, there is no better test of a man's quality than when he cannot have things his own way. The occasions of sin do not overpower us, they only prove our worth.” (from The Imitation of Christ. p 47) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.whydidpetersink.com

This sermon was preached by Pastor Lee McKinnon of Covenant Reformed Baptist Church, Bluefield, WA. Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cbtseminary/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/cbtseminary/support

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:12-4:18 Preacher: Rev. David Inks Sermon Outline: Introduction A Pure Word Reached Old Covenant Word Fulfilled in New Covenant The Veil Lifted to See Christ’s Glory Metamorphosis into Glory Conclusion Sermon Video: https://youtu.be/mgYd6501yvw Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:12-4:18 (King James Version) 12 Furthermore, when I came to […] The post Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus appeared first on Covenant United Reformed Church.

We want to be the sole protector of our people and our circumstances, we want to be the guide of our life, we want to be the redeemer of hardships we face, and we want to act as Savior. - Chelsey DeMateis SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: The Crosswalk Devotional: https://www.lifeaudio.com/crosswalk-devotional/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is episode 492 of The Daily CHRIST TODAY Podcast.

This is episode 491 of The Daily CHRIST TODAY Podcast.

This is episode 490 of The Daily CHRIST TODAY Podcast.

This is episode 489 of The Daily CHRIST TODAY Podcast.

This is episode 488 of The Daily CHRIST TODAY Podcast.

Today's reminder is from Justin Perdue, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Asheville, NC. Listen to the full sermon here! To learn more about our ministry, please visit http://theocast.org Everyday Grace 086

A new MP3 sermon from DTBM, International is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: HFG-16 - What We Do When We See Christ In Absolute Holiness Subtitle: Hungering For God Speaker: Dr. John Barnett Broadcaster: DTBM, International Event: Sunday Service Date: 7/14/2022 Length: 8 min.

What is your view of God? Do you see Him as a distant deity or a cosmic Santa? We need an accurate view of the Lord Almighty. We must get rid of any error in our thinking about who God is and ask Him to explode the boxes we have put Him in to have an accurate view of ourselves and the world. Your view of God will never be clear until you see Him Biblically. God has preserved His Word so that you can know and see Him. He is not a God of confusion but of clarity. Pastor Chad Glover says this, “You need a Biblical vision of who God is so you can accurately see things the way they are meant to be seen.” 7s | Daniel 7 Reveals 7 Ways to See God 1. See His eternality 2. See His purity 3. See His authority 4. See His majesty 5. See His victory 6. See Christ clearly 7. See His royalty Does this align with your view of God? When you see God accurately, it impacts the way you live. It causes your heart to swell with adoration, and the only response is to worship. Join us at Abundant Life as we seek His Kingdom first and discover the Biblical truth of who God is.