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In a season of Stillness, but I'm still here. ❤️
Is your life random coincidence, or God's divine providence?In this teaching, Pastor Mark Cummins unpacks truth from God's Word through the book of Esther and equips us to look past our current reality to see and trust God's hand at work in your life!
Unseen but Unstoppable ReCreate Church | Michael Shockley ------- EPISODE SUMMARY Are you wondering where God is in the midst of life's chaos? In this opening message of the Esther series, Pastor Michael Shockley reveals how God works behind the scenes even when He seems absent. Through Esther Chapter 1, discover how palace intrigue, royal scandals, and seemingly random events become part of God's greater plan for salvation. Learn to trust that even when God appears silent, He is orchestrating circumstances for your good and His glory. Core Message: God may be unseen, but He is never inactive - even the worst of human behavior can be woven into His redemptive plan. ------- KEY TOPICS COVERED Setting the Historical Scene - The Persian Empire under King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) 500 years before Jesus - The Jewish diaspora and those who chose to stay in Persia - God's positioning of Esther's family for future deliverance The Six-Month Party and Seven-Day Banquet - King Ahasuerus's display of wealth and power across 127 provinces - The extravagant celebration open to all social classes - How rulers used lavish parties to demonstrate unlimited resources Queen Vashti's Courageous Stand - The king's inappropriate request while intoxicated - Vashti's refusal to be objectified before the party guests - The political and social implications of defying the king The Counselors' Reactionary Response - Memucan's exaggerated fears about women's rebellion - The decree establishing male dominance in households - The contrast between pagan leadership and biblical leadership Biblical Leadership vs. Worldly Power - The difference between forced submission and sacrificial love - Ephesians 5:25 and Christ's example to husbands - Leading through integrity rather than intimidation God's Hidden Hand in Human Events - How God uses even evil behavior to advance His purposes - The positioning of circumstances for Esther's future role - Divine orchestration behind apparent chaos and coincidence The Bigger Picture of Salvation - Connecting Esther's story to the preservation of the Jewish people - How these events ultimately protected the lineage of Jesus - God's long-term plan spanning centuries ------- MEMORABLE QUOTES "Even when He's not in the spotlight, the Unseen, Unstoppable God is still running the show." "God may be unseen, but He is never inactive." "What looks like chaos and coincidence is the opening act of a salvation story." "God can even take the worst characteristics of humanity and work them out to accomplish His Will in our lives." "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28 ------- BIBLICAL FOUNDATION - Primary Text: Esther 1 - Supporting Texts: Ephesians 5:25, Romans 8:28 - Key Theme: God's unseen but active work in human circumstances - Context: The beginning of events that would lead to Jewish preservation and ultimately the coming of Christ ------- PRACTICAL APPLICATION If You're Struggling to See God's Hand: - Remember that God often works behind the scenes - Trust that apparent chaos may be part of His greater plan - Look for His activity in unexpected places and circumstances If You're Facing Difficult People or Situations: - Recognize that God can use even challenging circumstances for good - Trust that difficult bosses, neighbors, or family members may be part of His plan - Remember that unexpected setbacks might be divine positioning If You're in a Leadership Role: - Follow Christ's example of sacrificial love, not worldly power - Lead through integrity and service rather than intimidation - Build up others rather than asserting dominance If You're Wondering About God's Timing: - Understand that God's plans often span years or decades - Trust that He is positioning you for future purposes - Remember that current circumstances may be preparation for unknown opportunities To Develop Trust in God's Hidden Work: - Study stories like Esther where God works behind the scenes - Practice looking for God's hand in everyday circumstances - Remember that His ultimate plan is always redemptive and good ------- THE ULTIMATE INVITATION Just as God used palace intrigue in ancient Persia to preserve the Jewish people and ultimately send Jesus as Savior, He can handle whatever you're going through today. Trust Him with the details of your life, knowing that He may be unseen but is never inactive. ------- CONNECT WITH RECREATE CHURCH - Website: recreatechurch.org - Support the Ministry: Give through the Tithe.ly app or offering boxes ------- Remember: Even when God seems silent, He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
What do you need God's help with in your life right now? He is the God of miracles. He is the God who hears and answers prayer. He is the God of my salvation. Is He the God of your salvation?
Pastor Steve Putney. Gensis 41:37-57, 50:15-21
Pastor Steve Genesis 40
Whatsapp/Call: +91 9902606453 Email: info@febaonline.org
You could read David's story in the Bible and wonder what God saw in him. He fell as often as...
Pastor Steve Putney - Genesis 39
2025-06-15 -Isa 6:1-7 -"See God; See Me" by Imperial Berean
Blessed are the Pure in Heart Receiving a transformed heart gives us the ability to SEE God as He is
The Pathway To See God's Glory (John 15:7-8) || Walk With Jesus || Nirup Alphonse
The Pathway To See God's Glory (John 15:7-8) || Walk With Jesus || Nirup Alphonse
Pastor Steve Putney on Genesis 37
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” — Matthew 5:8In Week 23 of the Rebel Manifesto series, Pastor Elle unpacks the meaning behind having a pure heart and how that purity leads to deeper connection with God.Message Highlights:What does “pure in heart” mean?The Greek word katharos means clean, unmixed, and undivided. Purity is not about perfection—it's about motive, surrender, and alignment with God's will.Three Marks of a Pure Heart:Clean – A pure heart isn't sinless, but it is surrendered. It's a heart that desires what God desires.Unmixed – A pure heart is not divided by idols or distractions. Like unpolluted water, it is clear and focused.Undivided – A heart in unity with itself and with God. A scattered heart leads to scattered actions. Purity brings alignment and purpose.Why Purity Matters:The heart is the wellspring of life. Everything we do flows from it.Purity is about inward motivation rather than outward performance.Repentance clears the pollution from our hearts and keeps us aligned with God.Conviction is a sign of God's closeness, not His anger.“They will see God”This promise is both present and future. We will one day see Him fully, but even now, we can see Him—in His Word, in His people, and in His presence. God wants to be seen more than we want to see Him.Scriptures referenced include Matthew 5:8, Luke 11:28, Psalm 24:3-4, Psalm 86:11, and Ezekiel 16:26.Key Reflection:"Will you surrender your heart to Me so that I can be the one to make you pure?" — GodSubscribe to follow the Rebel Manifesto series and stay connected to what God is speaking through Overflow Church.
On today's episode, Johnnette Williams invites listeners to share how they experience God in their everyday lives. Callers give moving testimonies about sharing God's love, the power of family unity, and the meaning of the Our Father prayer. Johnnette also addresses questions that arise during the discussion, such as whether praying the rosary is efficacious when not in a state of grace, and when is it appropriate for a layperson to perform a baptism.
On today's episode, Johnnette Williams invites listeners to share how they experience God in their everyday lives. Callers give moving testimonies about sharing God's love, the power of family unity, and the meaning of the Our Father prayer.
On today's episode, Johnnette Williams invites listeners to share how they experience God in their everyday lives. Callers give moving testimonies about sharing God's love, the power of family unity, and the meaning of the Our Father prayer. Johnnette also addresses questions that arise during the discussion, such as whether praying the rosary is efficacious when not in a state of grace, and when is it appropriate for a layperson to perform a baptism.
John Biggs, CS, from St. Louis, Missouri, USAHear more from John on this week's episode of Sentinel Watch.
For years the disciples could walk and talk with Jesus, but after the resurrected Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples saw him only in Spirit. The ascension plays a critical role in our Christian lives today. Canon Jonathan examines the active roles that Jesus still fulfills as our prophet, priest, and king.
Ask God to help you see the evidence of His love and power in your life.
Now anyone can see God!
Send us a textMr. Brice Turner, entrepreneur and current President of Hornet Cutting Systems in Wichita, KS (https://hornetcs.com/), has served our country in military combat in Iraq. He saw God's faithfulness, even during very challenging times. He has a heart for the individual and a real desire to see men and women changed through God's Word and the Holy Spirit. He actively invests in men's lives and has a great perspective on making disciples. KansasNavs.org
Do you ever wonder how to see God? Adapted from our Orange Curriculum, this 4-part series will explain how to see God in your everyday life. What if seeing and experiencing God was your daily rhythm? According the Jesus, it can be.Part 4
Mica Coffin shares a message about seeing a little girl reach out to a houseless man on the boardwalk after Mica offered a prayer to him. “Doesn't seeing the God in each other make us angels to one another.”
We tend to think of joy and sorrow as being opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. But God – God has this thing where He wants to pour His joy, into our sorrow.. A Letter of Some Friends Last week on the programme we began a new series called, “It's Time to Start Enjoying My Life”. Look around, the joy in this world seems to be in such very short supply and yet "joy" is something that Jesus, so much, wants us to experience. Not the joy that the world has to offer; not some short term happiness fix – not that – real joy; abiding joy; lasting joy. You can read what Jesus said about "joy" in John chapter 15 and verse 11. This is a time when the disciples were afraid because Jesus was about to be crucified – they knew it. Everything was falling in a screaming heap. And look at what Jesus talks about. He says: I have said all these things to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. Isn't that awesome? So that My joy (Jesus joy) may be in us and that our joy might be complete. The problem is that, well, that can be really, really hard to swallow. I receive so many emails from people who are struggling in life. One man in Africa, he belongs to one tribe and his wife to another and her family are trying to tear the marriage apart. I had an email from a woman the other day who has had so many people in her life disappoint her and fail her. There are so many people living life in circumstances that, well in the natural; in our flesh, they don't warrant joy. Joy and sorrow after all, are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. How dare some joker come on the radio and start talking about joy? "If he only knew my circumstances. How can he say that God wants me to experience joy? What a load of rubbish!" Well, that's a common reaction. If you are struggling with things in your life at the moment, it's not a surprising reaction. You are not on your own. Okay, then, let me as you a question. If God meant us to wallow in sorrow why is it that Jesus said: Until now you haven't ask for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete. You can read that – if you have a Bible, open it up – that came from John chapter 16, verse 22. See God never meant us to live life in despair. If He did, why would the Bible say this: Even though you haven't seen Him with your own eyes, you love Him and even though you don't see Him now, you believe in Him and you are filled with an unspeakable and glorious joy because you are receiving the goal of your faith which is the salvation of your soul. That comes from First Peter chapter 1, verse 8. Or Psalm 33: Sing to Him a new song, play skilfully and shout for joy. No, God means us to live in His joy and so often He calls us to joy when our lives and circumstances demand sorrow. It's a bitter sweet irony and today and the next couple of weeks we are going to spend some time with a man on death row. A man locked in a dungeon in chains under the sentence of death; a man who, if anyone did, deserved to wallow in sorrow. His name is Paul and he opens his letter to his friends with this mournful and sorrowful words. Have a listen – it comes from Philippians chapter 1, verses 1 to 11: Paul and Timothy, both servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and the deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all of my prayers for all of you I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now. Being confident of this: that He who has begun a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It's right for me to feel this way about all of you since I have you in my heart. For whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the Gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Jesus Christ and this is my prayer: that your love will abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and the praise of God.” Does that sound like a guy who is on death row; in a dungeon? Look how he starts: “I thank my God” – he begins with thanksgiving. And then he says “I always pray for you with joy.” What right has this man in a dungeon to feel joy? And then he says “It is right for me to feel this way about you because we all share in God's grace.” See, what he is doing is he is pouring out to his friends what is in his heart. He is saying “In my heart I feel these things. Sure, outside I am in chains but in my heart I experience joy.” And his prayer for them is that their love may abound more and more and more – this abundant over-flowing story of love and joy. See, this man is in chains on death row and in fact he gets a whole bunch worse, we'll have a look at that a little bit later on the programme. In the second chapter it gets a whole bunch worse and yet he opens his letter; his letter of chains with an overflow of abundance of joy that comes from the grace of God in Jesus Christ. It's interesting you know, that the Greek words used in the New Testament for "joy" and for "grace" come from the same root word. Joy and God's grace are closely linked for Paul. And he's saying, "Look, what's going on in my heart is what really matters because the Spirit of God has taken up residence here." I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you I always pray with joy. It's right for me to feel this way about you, even though I'm in chains we all have a share in God's grace. I want to share with you an email that I received last Christmas. I sent out a word by email to several thousand of our ministry supporters and just a gentle word about God being on our journey with us and one woman, Karen, replied and said this, "I seem to attract people who seem to want me around and yet when someone else comes along that they prefer, I get pushed aside. Especially at these times I feel God is the only one I can trust. I'm sorry if I sound a bit glum, I'm not really. Sometimes I feel a bit sad but then I think about God and how He's still loves me and He wants me to be with Him." You see, Karen knows the thing that Paul knows – that joy doesn't come from other people or what's happening on the outside of us, it comes from God Himself. I thank my God every time I pray for you. In all my prayers for all of you I always pray in joy. We are going to look next at how the Apostle Paul handled rejection. Outrageous Fortunes In his play, “Hamlet”, Shakespeare talks about "suffering the slings and the arrows of outrageous fortunes" and when we take a look at the next part of this letter of the Apostle Paul from his dungeon on death row; a letter to his friends at Philippi, well, this letter makes sense of this line from “Hamlet”. Have a listen – I'm reading from the Bible – Philippians chapter 1, verses 12 to 26. If you've got a Bible, grab it, open it and read it with me. Now I want you to know brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly. It's true! Some people preach Christ out of envy and rivalry but others out of good will. The latter do so in love knowing that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel. The former, well, they preach Christ out of selfish ambition not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I'm in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached and because of this I rejoice. Yes, I will continue to rejoice for I know that through your prayers and help, given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn our for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed but I will have sufficient courage so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in me, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am going to go on living in this body this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I don't know! I am torn between the two – I desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that through my being with you again, your joy in Christ will overflow on account of me. This is an amazing passage because remember, the Apostle Paul is in chains in a Roman dungeon on death row. He is there because he went out and told people about Jesus so this is religious persecution – he has been locked up for his faith and for sharing his faith with other people. But instead of grumbling, I mean wouldn't it be so easy to be in prison and say, "God, why have You put me here? God, I only went out to tell them about You, God what are You doing?" Would be so easy for Paul to do that, and instead he sees the positive? You know, so often we only see the negative. I remember a time a dozen or so years ago when I was going through some really difficult times – my own dungeon; so incredibly dark. I experienced some really difficult things in my life and it was as black as black could be. It was incredible pain of loss and fear and loneliness and betrayal. I wasn't suffering for the Gospel like Paul, I was just suffering. That's the place where I first met Jesus Christ. Now, as much as it hurt, I always had the sense that God had a purpose in it – that God would somehow use it. Can I tell you something? Without that suffering I would be completely useless to you right now. I was Mister "I'm perfect" and full of myself and arrogant and conceited and only interested in "me" and the suffering broke open my heart, let Jesus in; the Great Healer. I look back on it now and I see the positive. Paul was mature in his relationship with Christ and he was able to sit there in the dungeon and see the positive thing there. Right when it was happening; right when he was chained up; right when he was under the fear of death, he wanted to say to his brothers and sisters in Philippi, "You know something? What's happened to me is good because it served to advance the Gospel." And then the second bit is the one that really gets me. He goes on to talk about what other people were doing and saying and they were preaching out of envy. They were preaching out of selfish ambition; they were preaching to stir up more trouble for Paul. Paul has poured at least ten years of his life out into preaching the Gospel and planting churches across Asia Minor and here he is, he's suffering the most incredible things. He had the right to some recognition; he had a right to some respect and honour and yet, the other Christians instead were taunting him. The worst possible thing – he's in jail and they're taunting him and his response? Let's read it again: But what does it matter? The important thing that is in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is being preached and because of this I rejoice. See, he's not interested in what other people are doing. He doesn't care about what other people think; he humbly just wants people to meet Jesus. And that humility sets him free to experience joy. And he finishes up that passage and he says: I am convinced that I will be with you and I know that I will remain and I'll continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith. See, for Paul it's about joy and enjoying life no matter whether he's doing well and he's got lots to eat or whether he is locked up in a dungeon on death row. “Yes I'll continue to rejoice,” he says, “for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” If we are going to rejoice, we have to enter into God's joy we have to "enjoy". Now, either Paul is totally mad or he is onto something here. What do you think? What's going on for Paul here in his dungeon? It looks to me like there is a light in his heart; a fire that's burning so bright all the darkness around him can't put it out. I remember being in the Army on an exercise, years ago and they gave us waterproof and windproof matches. It was a real problem when you are out in the bush and it is really windy and the flame always blows out – these matches were amazing. You lit one, even when it was soaking wet it would light and the strongest gale couldn't blow it out. You could blow as hard as you liked and this match kept burning. That's the picture of what's going on in the heart of Paul; a joy unspeakable; a joy that comes from out of this world; a joy that comes from God Himself. Well, that's Paul. What about you and me? Can we have joy like that? We'll take a look at that next. The Joy of the Lord is My Strength Well, it's great to have a listen to the Apostle Paul's circumstances and realities but you and I, we're not Paul; we are different people; we've got different circumstances. So this is not a message that goes "Paul had his act together, let's live our lives like Paul" because, truthfully, I don't believe that it works that way. That would be a "works" thing. The Bible talks about "dead works" and trying to be like Paul, I think it would be exactly that – a dead work. So what then? We have troubles and trials in life – we do. Sometimes we go through circumstances that are so incredibly tough; times that appear to be filled with sorrow and despair. What role does joy have? I want to go back to what I said at the beginning of the programme and last week. Not talking about some worldly joy that we conjure up in our hearts; I'm not talking about pulling our socks up and having a good attitude; I'm not talking about "works". God's joy is a gift of grace so I'm talking about God's joy. Let's go back to what Jesus said to His disciples – John chapter 15, verse 11 – when they were afraid; when they were in despair; when they knew that Jesus was about to be crucified and everything was falling apart – He says: I have said all these things to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. … His joy in our hearts. He wants to impart His joy into our lives and that's a gift of grace; a free gift from God. Last week on the programme we looked at the story of Israel in Nehemiah chapter 8. They had heard the word of God and they wept because they knew that they had turned their backs on God. They were convicted in their hearts by the Holy Spirit of their sin and that's the time, isn't it, when we feel least deserving of God's joy? Actually what we feel deserving of is God's punishment and wrath. And the reason we feel that is that we are made in His image. We have His sense of justice and that is exactly what we deserve. But then, instead of what they deserved, listen to what God said to them through Nehemiah, their leader. You can read it in the Old Testament. Nehemiah chapter 8, verse 10: Nehemiah said “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to the Lord; don't grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Whose joy? God's joy – grace a free gift from Him when they deserved punishment, God said to them through Nehemiah, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” When we turn to Him; when we get up close with Him, a glorious joy that words can't describe is His free gift to us – a joy unspeakable. And the key is this, "The joy of the Lord is our strength”. This is not a "be like Paul" message – it's not that. When we draw close to Jesus; when we spend more and more time with Him; when we do that, He fills us with His joy. Have a listen again to the way the Apostle Peter puts it in First Peter chapter 1, verse 8: Even though you haven't seen Him with your own eyes, you love Him. And even thought you don't see Him now, you believe in Him and you are filled with an unspeakable and glorious joy because you are receiving the goal of your faith; the salvation of your souls. And that joy … that joy is a joy that God imparts to us. We are receiving the goal of our faith – we are receiving His joy. So many people are going through tough times in life and they will call a friend on the phone before they talk to God about it. Wake up! Jesus is in this place with us, with you and with me. Whatever our dungeon looks like; whatever those other people are doing to hurt us and taunt us, the joy of the Lord is our strength - in dark places, in dark times, in dark dungeons. Those are places of great opportunity, when there is no other light that shines, His light will shine in our hearts. Listen to what Paul says in Second Corinthians chapter 4, verse 6: It's the same God, who at creation commanded the light to shine over the darkness, who has shone in our hearts with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you with something today: Jesus died and rose again so that we could be forgiven all the things we have done wrong and have a relationship with Him and experience His joy. This joy is not something that you and I conjure up – it's not something that we buy off the rack. This joy comes from God Himself. It's His free gift and when we humble ourselves; when we turn to Him; when we desire Him with all our hearts; we turn away from all that rubbish that we are into and day after day and week after week, month after month, He will fill us with a certain joy so wondrous that there are no words to describe it. Paul knew that. That's what was going on for him in the dungeon. Paul couldn't write about joy to the Philippians because he was some spiritual superman, Paul was just a weak man in chains in a Roman dungeon but those chains didn't bind his heart because he had a real experience of Jesus Christ. Not some distant experience, he had a real experience of Jesus Christ and it was Jesus Himself who gave him that joy. Jesus said: I have said these things to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. It is time to start enjoying your life and joy – real joy comes from Jesus.
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Do you ever wonder how to see God? Adapted from our Orange Curriculum, this 4-part series will explain how to see God in your everyday life. What if seeing and experiencing God was your daily rhythm? According the Jesus, it can be.Part 3
Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North Sermons - Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North
Introduction: Two Problems Jesus Has with Divorce (Matthew 5:31–32): Divorce TRIVIALIZES MARRIAGE. (Matt 5:31) Genesis 2:24 – Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Deuteronomy 24:1–4 – When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance. Divorce RESULTS In ADULTERY. (Matt 5:32) Ephesians 5:24–25 – Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her... Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:31-32 & Mark 10:2-12What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What are some beliefs you've heard Christians believe about divorce and remarriage? How do these line up with Scripture?Explain what Jesus meant in Matt 5:32, how someone's divorce even leads to other people committing adultery.How exactly would you counsel a trusted Christian friend who is considering divorce?BreakoutPray for one another. Audio Transcript Matthew chapter 5, are you there?This section we are in on the Sermon on the Mount is about the heart of God's law.And we saw that Jesus said, "I didn't come to abolish the law or destroy the law."That's what we would call the Old Testament.Jesus said, "I didn't come to do away with the Old Testament."He said, "I came to carry out everything that was said in it."It's not irrelevant at all.And through this section you're going to see, as we've already seen many times, Jesus says,"You have heard that it was said, but I say to you."And when Jesus says that, what He's saying is, "You've lowered God's standard."And Jesus is correcting them, and He's correcting us when we take the Word of God and just makeit purely external.God wants your heart.God wants your heart.That's what we saw a couple of weeks ago.Pastor Taylor taught us, Jesus said, "Murder isn't just the physical act of killing someone.It's a heart issue."We saw last week adultery is not just the physical act.It's a heart issue.And in these verses we're looking at today, Jesus is continuing His teaching on the destructivenessof adultery.And today we're going to talk about divorce.And look, there's so much controversy on this topic.And if we're going to be honest, the controversy doesn't come really from God's Word becausethe Bible is clear.The reason there's so much controversy is because if you are a divorced person, thisgets very personal and it gets very painful.And look, I've done so many weddings over the past 20-some years, so many weddings.And I can tell you emphatically that nobody gets into marriage wanting a divorce.That doesn't happen.I've never seen the wedding ceremony where the vows include something like, "I can'twait to be done with you."Or "I love you today, but in six months I will hate you more than anybody on the planet."Nobody thinks that.Nobody expects that.And when divorce happens, it's always, it's just always so painful.And we get through a passage like, "Look, I know some of you are going to be temptedto tune out because you're going to think, 'Well, you know what, Jeff, you don't knowmy circumstances.'And you're right.I don't.I don't know your circumstances."And I'm certainly not trying to be dismissive of the pain that you've gone through.And I'm certainly not trying to be judgmental for what brought about your divorce if that'syour situation.And I'm also keenly aware that I cannot exhaust everything that the Bible says on the subjectin just one sermon.What I want us all to do, it's nothing new.I just want us to do what we do every week.We're just going to take a giant step back and we're going to see what our Lord sayson the subject.And we're going to see Jesus speaks on divorce here.And I can't undo anything that happened in the past, nor can you as much as we mightwant to.It's gone.But I'm hoping with this message that we can prevent any future pain and hurt that comesfrom divorce.So let's look at Matthew chapter 5, looking verses 31 and 32.Jesus says, "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate ofdivorce.'But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality,makes her commit adultery and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."What is going on in these verses?Well, first of all, look at verse 31.Jesus says, "It was also said," what?Jesus gives a quote, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce."You're like, is that what the Old Testament says?Ish.Here's the problem.This statement was used by the scribes and the Pharisees as a gross misrepresentationof a passage in the Old Testament.So does the Old Testament say that?Yeah, it kind of does, but they took a direction that the Lord never intended it to go.The scribes and the Pharisees took a passage from Deuteronomy, we're going to look at herein a few moments, and they twisted it for their own purposes.Jesus says, "But I say to you," and this is one of the most difficult verses in yourBible.Jesus says, "I say, everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexualimmorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commitsadultery."So here's the short version.See the scribes and the Pharisees, as I said, twisted this passage in Deuteronomy, and theyreduced it to this.Look, divorce and remarriage is okay as long as it's legal.As long as you do the paperwork, it's fine.It's just fine.It is just fine.And I think it's obvious that Jesus did not agree with their assessment because He saiddivorce leads to adultery.That's the short version.So let's unpack that a little bit today.On your outline, excuse me, we're just very simply calling this "two problems Jesus haswith divorce."All right, let's look at these two verses very intently, and we see there's two problemsthat Jesus has with divorce.Number one, write this down, divorce trivializes marriage.Divorce trivializes marriage.That's the problem.Quick review, marriage was defined once and for all to the first two people that God created,Adam and Eve.And I know there have been attempts to redefine marriage.It doesn't matter.God defined marriage once and for all.With the first two people that He created, Adam and Eve, and the most important versein your Bible on marriage is Genesis 2.24.It says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to hiswife, and they shall become one flesh."That's the most important verse in the Bible about marriage.And I can say that emphatically because when Jesus was asked about marriage and divorce,this was the verse He quoted, Matthew 19, Mark chapter 10, when the Apostle Paul waswriting about marriage and divorce and husband and wife issues, this was the verse He quoted,1 Corinthians chapter 6, Ephesians chapter 5.God's plan in marriage is two people turning into one person.That's the plan.There's not a relationship on the earth like that.Not a business partnership.Not members of a sports team.There's nothing like the marriage relationship.This was God's intention of marriage in the very beginning.I want two people to turn into one person.And when you study Genesis, you'll see divorce was never part of God's original design formarriage.Like, "All right, well, if it wasn't part of God's plan, where did divorce come from?Where did this idea for divorce come from?"So allowance was made for divorce in the Old Testament law.I want you to look at this.We're going to put this passage on the screen.I want you to look at it very closely because this is the passage that's in question herewhere Jesus is confronting the scribes and the Pharisees.This is from Deuteronomy chapter 24.Because, again, Law of Moses here, when a man takes a wife and marries her, if thenshe finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her and he writesher a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house andshe departs out of his house and she goes and becomes another man's wife and the latterman hates her and writes her certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sendsher out of his house.Or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, whosent her away, that's husband number one, may not take her again to be his wife aftershe has been defiled for that as an abomination before the Lord.And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for aninheritance.Now listen, it's a tough passage but we're going to get through this together.Here's what Moses was saying.Divorce had to have a cause.And here it's defined in the Law as some "indecency."It could have been a natural or a moral or a physical defect or whatever.It had to be something that they categorized as unclean, whatever that is.This limited the possible reasons for divorce.This was the purpose, understand.The reason Moses wrote this Law was so that a man couldn't just divorce his wife for anyreason whatsoever.Just make up some excuse, something frivolous.I'm just divorcing you because I feel like it.I don't like the meatloaf you made or I don't like your new haircut or those shoes lookhorrible.You can't just willy nilly divorce your wife.Moses is saying, "Look, there has to be a reason for the divorce."So this was actually to emphasize the importance of marriage.Like, well why would he allow the divorce then?Why go through this?Don't miss this.The purpose of divorce in this case in Deuteronomy 24 was to protect the woman.You see, when you give her the certificate of divorce, that woman had legal proof that,listen, she was dismissed from the marriage but it was not because she was unfaithful.You see that certificate for the woman showed, "Look, I did not have an affair.My husband found something wrong with me and dismissed me but it wasn't because I wasunfaithful."That's what's going on in Deuteronomy 24.But I want you to see here, listen, because this is where the Pharisees and the scribesmissed it.In Deuteronomy 24, there is not a command to divorce.That passage is just simply describing a scenario.In that passage, if we're going to boil it down, we would say this, they were told towrite a certificate of divorce if there was a divorce.The only command that you see in this passage, the only one in that passage is this, if youdivorce your wife, you cannot take her back if she's rejected by her next husband.Or if he croaks, you cannot take her back.Again, the reason for this was to protect the woman.It was to keep women from being used and discarded.It was to keep men who are hogs admittedly, it's to keep men from saying, "You know what?I'm going to try out women."But you know what?My first wife was better than this one.So I'm going to get rid of her and I'm going to take the first one back because I preferredher.That's a horrible, horrible way to treat a woman.See, that's the heart of the law here.Like God's like, "No, no, no, no, no, you're not going to treat women that way, men.This isn't a high school relationship, boyfriend, girlfriend, on again, off again.No, no, no, no, no, no.We're not treating women like that.Marriage is a very serious covenant and you're not going to just have a woman on a leashwhere you let her go and you anchor back and let her go and you anchor back.No, you are not allowed to do that."That's the heart of the law here.Deuteronomy 24 was intended to stop divorce from happening willy-nilly.Everybody on board with me now.Okay, because now I want you to see how the scribes and the Pharisees twisted it.Look at verse 31 again in Matthew chapter 5.Jesus quotes them.He says, "It was also said, whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate ofdivorce."What the scribes and the Pharisees did was through their twisting this passage, theyactually made it say the opposite of what God intended.They used this passage to justify easy divorce, that you can get a divorce for any reasonat all so long as the paperwork is done.That's what they reduced this to.Like, well look, you studied the Old Testament, it tells you very plainly.If you get a divorce, make sure that all the documents are filled out appropriately.That's really all that matters, right?That's all that matters.Just that we signed on the right line and we crossed our T's and we dotted our I's.That's really what matters.As long as you do the paperwork, as long as the divorce is legal, hey, everybody's goodwith that because everything's above board then, right?I mean, I'm not like one of those illegal divorcers, right?You know, that I get some janky, unofficial, illegal divorce document from online, fromthe dark webs.I'm not like that guy.You better be sure that when I get a divorce, it's done right.That was their mindset.The Law of Moses commands divorce to be done legally, so make sure that you do it right.And see, that's Jesus' problem with their attitude.He says your attitude about divorce trivializes marriage.And you have justified in your mind the mistreatment of women in the name of making sure the paperworkis filled out properly.That's not what the Law is about, Jesus is saying.Now, over the years, I have heard all kinds of unbiblical justifications for people wantinga divorce.And I don't even have time to get into all that today.And we're going to get to the biblical reason for divorce in a moment.But we need to stop here and say, listen, marriage should not be taken so lightly amongGod's people.The scribes and the Pharisees were so diligent to make sure that the divorce was done right.We church should be so diligent to make sure that the marriage is done right.So that's the first problem Jesus has with divorce.You trivialize marriage.You trivialize marriage.Not on board with that.But here's the second problem Jesus says I have with your attitude towards divorce.Scribes, Pharisees, church in 2025, divorce results in adultery.Look at verse 32 again.Like I said, this is a difficult verse.But this is what our Lord said.Jesus said, but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the groundof sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery.And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.So Jesus is saying, listen, with divorce, even when the paperwork is done properly, divorceleads to nothing but more and more adultery.And I think one of the troubling things about this passage is I could see in my mind thatI make choices that cause me to be guilty and suffer consequences for my own choices.But it's very clear here in verse 32, Jesus is saying that a choice for a divorce resultsin other people being guilty of sin.That's a tough pill to swallow, but that's what He said.What does He mean?In Deuteronomy 24, that passage we just looked at, when the woman was divorced for somethingless than sexual immorality, which by the way, sexual immorality breaks the bond of marriage,but in the Deuteronomy 24 case, she was divorced for something less than that, right?Jesus said, even when you divorce for less than sexual immorality, that still makes foran adulterous situation.Jesus said the divorced wife moves on, she consummates a new union when there was nogrounds to break the first one, and if you do that, if you divorce like that, you arenow guilty of adultery, and whoever marries that woman is guilty of adultery, and whoevermarries you is guilty of adultery.And Jesus is saying when you unbiblically break the marriage covenant and people gooff and get remarried, He says now we've resulted in more and more adultery happening in otherpeople.That's what He said.He says now everybody's guilty.So what Jesus is saying to the scribes and the Pharisees is that you could sit here andsay, "Oh, I'm not an adulterer.I have never slept with another man's wife.I have never committed adultery."Jesus says you shouldn't think that way.Actually, you've made adultery worse because you have such a shallow view of divorce.Jesus said you lowered God's standard because all you're focused on is the external.I didn't commit adultery.Jesus said you did.You commit adultery when you look at a woman lustfully.It proves that you already had adultery in your heart.And furthermore, when you divorce without biblical grounds, which Jesus says is sexualimmorality, Jesus said you have committed adultery and you've made her and you've made her newhusband commit adultery too.Your sin not only affects you, but it affects so many more people than just you.And I really don't have to sell people who have experienced divorce how far reachingthe damage goes.The pain is not limited to just the two people in the marriage.I mentioned biblical grounds for divorce.Biblically, now looking at the whole counsel of God, I believe that there is one biblicalgrounds for divorce and it's hardheartedness.Like wait, wait, wait, wait.How do you know when somebody is heart-hearted?Because it would be real easy, right?You're like, "I'm divorcing you because I think you're heart-hearted."Like how do you know that somebody is heart-hearted?Biblically, heart-heartedness in a marriage manifests in two ways.One is abandonment.I don't have time to get into all this today, but just jot down 1 Corinthians 7 verse 15.Abandonment.When you have a spouse who just walks out of the marriage, "I'm not willing to counsel,I'm not willing to reconcile, I'm not willing to consider anything, I'm leaving you, I don'tcare.I am done."Abandonment.My best understanding from Scripture is that is biblical grounds for divorce.When you've tried, but your partner is completely unwilling.That gives evidence that their heart is so hard, they're not willing at all to investin a covenant.Abandonment.And the other evidence of heart-heartedness in marriage, well Jesus references here,and that's adultery.Your heart is so hard towards your spouse that you were willing to physically sleepwith somebody else.It's evidence of a heart-hearted.I want you to listen very closely because even these conditions, even the issue of adulterydoes not obligate anyone to divorce.Because you study God's Word.God's Word never condones divorce and it never commands divorce.There is not one passage in your Bible where God says, "If this happens, I command my peopleto get a divorce."That it is legitimate in abandonment and adultery, but it's still not commanded.So if you're married, you should do everything that you can to avoid divorce.See the scribes and the Pharisees, they live their marriages with one hand over the ejectseat button.It's like I'm not happy with you for any reason.I am done.Jesus said, "No, no, no, no, no, that's not how it should be.You should do everything you can to avoid divorce."You're like, "Well, what about abuse?What if I'm in a relationship where there's abuse that absolutely should not be happening?"And listen, if you're in an abusive situation, you need to let me know as soon as possible.Because we will protect you.We will get you out of harm's way.We will do everything to keep you from being abused.That should not be happening.Somebody else would say, "Well, what about neglect?What about detachment?What about my husband's a lazy bum?Do not be too proud to get biblical counsel.Because there's something else I've seen over the last two and a half decades or so.No marriage is beyond saving.I've seen couples come in hours away from filing for divorce whose marriage ended upin a better place than it ever has been through the result of the ministry of the Word ofGod.If both parties are willing, the marriage can be saved.And when we talk about, yes, abuse and neglect and things like that, we have to readily admitthat there are extreme cases that require extreme action, 100%.But in our day, like in Jesus' day, the vast majority of divorces weren't because of that.The vast majority of divorces were motivated by sinful, selfish desires.The vast majority of divorces result from people treating people like used cars.Like, "Well, this one isn't working out for me.I thought I would like it, but I'm not really digging it anymore.I'm just going to trade it in."That's most divorces.And Jesus says, "Now, you've reduced the marriage covenant.You've trivialized it.You've made it purely external.And now, as a result, all kinds of adultery is happening because you're unwilling to takemarriage seriously."That should not be among God's people.It's a hard passage.What I want us to do, just so I don't want anybody to think that this is some oddballpassage, this is a one-off.Because I want you to turn to Mark chapter 10, because what I want you to see here isJesus teaching the exact same thing, but in a different context.In Mark chapter 10, the context, you'll see they were testing Jesus.They were trying to trap Jesus.They were always trying to trap Jesus.And they thought, "Oh, we know how to trap Jesus.We'll ask Him about marriage and divorce.That'll get them for sure.Why?"Well, you know the story of John the Baptist.He objected to a marriage and divorce, and he lost his head.And I go, "We get Jesus on that.They'll get them for sure.We'll trap them."So I want you to see, now we have context, but I want you to see Jesus teaching the exactsame thing, but in a different context.Mark chapter 10, verse 2, "The Pharisees came up and in order to test Him asked, 'Is it lawfulfor a man to divorce his wife?'"They're like, "We got them.We got them."Slam dunk.Because, see, if Jesus says no, we're like, "Oh, you disagree with the Old Testament,which tells us to get a divorce."If Jesus says no, you shouldn't get a divorce, rather.You're disagreeing with the Old Testament.If Jesus says, "Oh, yeah, you can get a divorce.Oh, now Jesus is taking marriage lightly, and we're going to get Him either way."You know, Jesus is disregarding the serious system of marriage, or He's disregarding whatthe Old Testament says about divorce.We got them.We got them."Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"I love this.Jesus answered them, "What did Moses command you?"Jesus is like, "What's the Bible say?"Turned it back on them.They said, "Look at this.Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away."Do you see?It's about the stinking paperwork again.That's all they were fixated on.Yeah, Moses said, "Fill out form A-27, and you're good."Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart," there it is, "because of yourhardness of heart," He wrote to this commandment."But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and thetwo shall become one flesh."Sound familiar?Genesis 2.24.And Jesus comments on it.He says, "So they're no longer two, but one flesh.But therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."Verse 10 says, "And in the house the disciples asked him again."That's controversial, wasn't it?Disciples asked him again about this matter.And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adulteryagainst her.And if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."See, it's the same teaching.Same two points in this exchange that we see in Matthew chapter 5.Jesus says you've trivialized marriage, and it just causes more adultery.God takes marriage very seriously, especially to those who claim to be followers of JesusChrist.Why is God so...Why does God seem so strict about marriage?Why is God seems so serious about marriage?It's because divorce ultimately misrepresents God.See God takes marriage seriously because there's a picture that's to be on displayin the marriage.So when that picture is broken, God is misrepresented.Ephesians chapter 5 tells us what the picture is.It says, "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everythingto their husbands."Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.See this, this is the idea behind marriage.The ultimate goal of marriage is the ultimate goal of everything else in the universe isto glorify God.And the way God is glorified in your marriage is by demonstrating the relationship thatJesus Christ has with His bride, the church.And in this picture, the wife represents the church following, submitting, honoring, andthe husband is to represent Jesus loving, leading, laying His life down.And when you live this out, God is glorified and your marriage is blessed.But when you divorce, you're misrepresenting God.So my friends, what are we showing the world about God and the way we conduct ourselvesin our marriages?Our worship team and communion servers would come up.It's only appropriate that we close by gathering around the Lord's table.Like, well, what does this have to do with marriage?The answer is everything.Because we gather around the Lord's table, we are reminded that Jesus Christ has a covenantlove for us.This love that Jesus Christ has for us is forever.It's never going to change.And even when His bride fails Him, and we do.Oh, and we will.Jesus isn't going to give up on us.This is our reminder of what covenant love looks like.And this is a reminder of how covenant love is to be demonstrated in our marriages.
God's divine purpose is not always made known to us. It wasn't to Abraham. He saw only small pieces of the puzzle, but the whole scene was not revealed to him—not even in his lifetime. How could he be the blessing to all families on the earth when he had only one kid—at 100 years old?? Yet, he didn't see that he and his one child of promise would be directly responsible for the coming Messiah, who would surely be a blessing to all families on the earth. And, since we are spiritual offspring of Abraham, and we believe in the Messiah, we have the same blessing as Abraham did!
There are seasons in the Christian life when we cannot see what God is doing. We pray, but there seems to be no answer. We seek direction, but the path remains unclear. We long to sense His presence, but instead, we feel silence. Job experienced this kind of deep distress. His life had been shattered—his family taken, his health destroyed, his wealth lost. And in his suffering, he searched for God but could not find Him. "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him." (Job 23:8) Yet, in the midst of his darkness, Job declares a profound truth, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10) Just because you can't see God doesn't mean He isn't working. Contact us @ 4faithfoundations@gmail.com For more Bible teaching, studies, and resources visit our website @ faithfoundations.church
Sermon preached by Joshua Ashwill on May 11th, 2025 on Genesis 24.
When you're going through pain, confusion, or silence—it can feel like God is nowhere to be found. But in Genesis 28, Jacob had a dream, woke up, and said: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” This devotional is for anyone who feels forgotten or overlooked by God in the middle of their trial. Just because you don't see Him working doesn't mean He's not there. His presence isn't always loud—but it is always faithful.
Do you ever wonder how to see God? Adapted from our Orange Curriculum, this 4-part series will explain how to see God in your everyday life. What if seeing and experiencing God was your daily rhythm? According the Jesus, it can be.Part 2
Grace for My Home | Christian Moms, Growing in Faith, Spirit-Led, Hearing from God, Sowing Truth
Text me a message! I would love to hear from you!Have you ever felt trapped in a spiral of negativity, where every challenge seems to confirm that life is just hard? That's exactly where I found myself years ago as a new stay-at-home mom to three young children. My home began feeling more like a prison than the sanctuary I'd envisioned.When my husband finally pointed out how negative I'd become, I was initially furious. But that observation catalyzed the change I needed.This episode is about the power of gratitude and positive perspective as revealed in Proverbs 15:15: "All the days of the afflicted are made evil, but those of a merry heart have a continual feast." When we see ourselves as victims, we unconsciously filter our experiences through that lens, confirming our negative expectations. But when we cultivate thankfulness, we begin noticing the countless blessings that were always there.This isn't about embracing "toxic positivity" or denying legitimate struggles. Rather, it's about recognizing that thankfulness keeps us in right relationship with God and transforms how we experience our daily lives. Through practical steps like keeping a gratitude journal and consciously choosing to "look up" rather than "look down," we can break free from negativity's grip and experience joy regardless of circumstances.What would change if you started intentionally documenting God's faithfulness in your life? How might shifting your perspective from "afflicted" to "blessed" transform not just your experience, but the atmosphere you create for those around you? Join me in choosing to see the things around us through His eys. Get a free copy of The Grace-Filled Home: 5 Essentials to Creating a Home Where Faith Can Grow Get your free copy of: 7 Powerful Prayers to Pray Over Your Husband Get the List! Our 35 Favorite Family Read-Alouds Purchase a copy of my latest book! Covered in Prayer: 31 Prayers to Cover You and Your Children in God's GraceIf you enjoy this episode and want to buy Audrey a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ajmccrac73dFor more mom encouragement visit graceformyhome.comJoin My Email List!Follow me on ...
Do you ever wonder how to see God? Adapted from our Orange Curriculum, this 4-part series will explain how to see God in your everyday life. What if seeing and experiencing God was your daily rhythm? According the Jesus, it can be.Part 1
How can you trust God's justice when evil seems to be winning?ABOUT THIS MESSAGE:In this powerful sermon, Pastor Adam Burton takes us into the throne room of heaven, showing how God's judgment is not cruel—but great, amazing, just, and true. Even when life feels unfair and evil seems unchecked, Revelation 15 reminds us that God sees, remembers, and will bring perfect justice. Discover how to stand firm in faith, trust God's timing, and lift your voice in worship even when the battle feels overwhelming.ABOUT CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH:Central Baptist Church is located in the heart of Maysville, Kentucky. We invite you to join our community and explore our services and programs. For more information, visit our website at cbcmaysville.com. If you're new or want to get connected, please fill out our digital connection card at https://cbcmaysville.com/connect.We look forward to welcoming you!FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Facebook: https://facebook.com/cbcmaysvilleInstagram: https://instagram.com/centralbaptistmaysvilleYouTube: https://youtube.com/@cbcmaysvilleTIMESTAMPS:Opening [0:00]Introduction [0:41]See God's Judgment as Righteous [5:58]Stand Firm in Spiritual Victory [13:14]Sing Praise to God's Holy Name [20:30]Conclusion [27:44]Closing [30:49]#GodsJustice #Revelation15 #TrustGod #FaithOverFear #StandFirm #ChristianSermon #BibleTeaching #WorshipThroughTrials #PastorAdamBurton #CentralBaptistChurch #MaysvilleKY #OvercomingEvil #HopeInChrist #JudgmentAndGrace #ChristianFaith
We start this week with Emanuel and Jason's big story on Massive Blue, a company that is selling AI-powered undercover bots posing as protesters and children to the cops. After the break, Sam tells us about visiting the millennial saint. In the subscribers-only section, we talk business and the state of 404 Media. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/E98i9OFJbW4 Leaked: Palantir's Plan to Help ICE Deport People ICE Plans Central Database of Health, Labor, Housing Agency Data to Find Targets This ‘College Protester' Isn't Real. It's an AI-Powered Undercover Bot for Cops I Went to See ‘God's Influencer,' the Millennial Saint Carlo Acutis How 404 Media Is Navigating 'Economic Headwinds' Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Here's Your One-Second Mood Reset-- Close your eyes. Find God. Open your eyes. See God. Know that that feeling is now appearing as the world. God is always in front of you. Waving at you. Walking by you. Talking to you. God is always right where you are, appearing as you and as everything on display. It's never hidden. This is the highest meditation. To Look and Love. To Look and Love. To Look, and not let the appearance of the world make you forget to feel Love. I Love you, nikki@curlynikki.com Please help me keep the show ad free + Get Merch! ▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings ________________________________ Today's Quotes: "...and the greatest gift God can give is His own experience. Every object, every creature, every man, woman and child, has a soul and it is the destiny of all, to see as God sees, to know as God knows, to feel as God feels, to Be as God is." -Meister Eckhart "The Life Force that perpetuates your heartbeat and maintains and sustains all the other organs and functions of your body is not physical, but it is spiritual... is not temporal, but is eternal. And once that basic truth has been established in your consciousness, you will experience the dissolution of all fear, the healing of all diseases, and the resolution of all conflicts. This is the supernal activity of the Word being made flesh... this is the sacred process of Divine Grace being established on earth as it is in Heaven." -Don Mardak "The highest meditation is to think of nothing. If you can remain without thought, great power will come." -Swami Vivekananda
There is a lot of offense these days. Probably not more offending than normal as people have acted badly for a long time. But it seems people are quicker to call foul when they are hurt by others. “Trauma”, “emotional hurt”, “abuse”, “bullying” are household terms and sometimes we drop them when the opportunity is right. Have we become connoisseurs of the offenses against us? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter and Ted Witzig Jr give us some important tips on living in a world of offense. “Trauma”, “hurt”, “abuse”, and “bullying” are too real to get wrong. Show notes: Living well in a world of offense will require a healthy view into our hurt and a healthy view out of our hurt. A healthy view into our hurt: Acknowledge the offense against you whether great or small. Welcome others into it. Seek perspective so you can size it correctly. Engage in the work of healing. Pursue forgiveness. A healthy view out of our hurt: Have a realistic and broad understanding of the offenses that many in this world face. Have a biblical understanding of the world we live in. Understand both its brokenness and beauty. See God's intention for a coming reconciliation. Seek joy and wholeness in Christ.
Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 1; 2 Cor 11 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to this episode of the Daily Radio Bible, where we're diving into day 102 of our immersive journey through the Bible with your host, Hunter. Today, we take a look behind the pages of First Samuel chapters eleven and twelve, explore the genealogies in First Chronicles chapter one, and reflect on the profound insights from Second Corinthians chapter eleven. From Saul's stirring leadership in times of crisis, to the long lineage of faith, and Paul's candid testament of strength found in weakness, each reading brings its unique perspective on our walk in faith. We'll also spend time in prayer together, seeking guidance and strength for the day ahead. So, settle in as Hunter unravels the scriptures and invites you into a deeper experience of God's word. Let's continue to open our hearts and minds to the transformative power of these ancient texts. TODAY'S DEVOTION: It's an upside-down world. Paul's being lowered in a basket through a hole in the wall outside of the city. As he's being lowered, God is lifting him up. We've been invited into an upside-down world. It's a world where those who are lowered down are being lifted up, while those who lift themselves up are being lowered from within. Paul very briefly talks about his elevated days. He reminds his readers just how elevated he was, that he was like those super apostles. But Paul wants them to know that this elevated status did nothing for his soul. In fact, he was descending from within, even while on the outside, his status was soaring high. Paul tells us that it was while he was being lowered, descending on the outside, accused and scorned and whipped and stoned and shipwrecked, hungry alone on the outside, even as he was being lowered in a basket, it was in these moments that God showed himself most present in his life. It was there that Paul knew God's strength the most. He experienced God's love most intimately when he was being lowered in that basket outside the city. It was a defining moment for Paul. God does his deepest work in our lowering, and anyone, super apostle or not, who tells us otherwise, might want to be avoided. See God in the lowering. Experience the fellowship of his suffering there. He is faithful to bring about his good purposes in all of our circumstances. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will participate with him in faith, even in the lowering. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen. Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. And now Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, Joy. Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation. Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL
[00:30] Ongoing Trade War (55 minutes)Nations worldwide have been charging extremely high tariffs on U.S. goods for years. Now President Donald Trump is public enemy No. 1 because he is trying to protect U.S. interests by charging similar tariffs. Though media moguls forecast disaster after stock market losses in the first week of April, many nations are now working out free-trade deals with the U.S. that would help the American economy. Though these deals could initiate a short-term economic boost, the ultimate prophetic implications of open trade war are clear: International powers will ultimately band together in an anti-U.S. trade bloc.
How has God shown himself to you? Are you refusing to obey and choosing to remain blind? Do you explain away miracles? In today's episode, Patrick shares how 1 Samuel 1:21-28 encourages us to open our eyes to God's work in our lives. If you're listening on Spotify, comment below one takeaway from today's episode! Read the Bible with us in 2025! This year, we're exploring the Historical Books—Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings. Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: 1 Samuel 1:21-28
Today we're studying D&C 23:1 in just one minute! Grab your scriptures and let's dive into them together! And grab study guides for the whole family here: - To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSS Or purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/49uOuF1 - Kristen's scripture study guides are available with the Start Here Come Follow Me membership. Get 25% off here: https://kristenwalkersmith.memberful.com/checkout?plan=120875&coupon=PODCAST25 Get our 365-day Doctrine and Covenants daily devotional book: https://a.co/d/aE3Wp4D