Podcasts about Siloam

Revelations on the power of Jesus's Ressurection and how to use it every single day!faithbucks.com DO WHAT YOU CAN & GOD WILL DO WHAT YOU CAN'T! Now that is the way it's always been. Like when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the PEOPLE couldn't raise him from the dead, but they COULD roll the STONE away from the door. So what did Jesus do? Did He roll away the stone?--No, He said, "Roll YE away the stone," & they DID it. That was something THEY could do, so why not let them? Their obedience in rolling away the stone also was a manifestation of their faith that God was going to do what they couldn't do. Do you get it? Your obedience in doing what God tells you to do shows your faith that God is going to do the REST, what you CAN'T do. c38. LET'S NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, BUT LET'S DO WHAT WE CAN DO TODAY, right now! Because look what God's going to do tomorrow! Wow! God's going to do mighty miracles tomorrow! He's going to do greater things than we ever imagined! Let's do what WE can do today, so GOD will be able to do what HE can do TOMORROW!39. WE CAN DO THE "WENTING." As my Mother used to quote, "As they WENT they were healed." God told them, "Go thou & do this! Go thou & do that! Go wash at the Pool of Siloam. Go home & tell your loved ones." And "As they WENT, God HEALED," or "as they WENT, God gave them the POWER." We have to do the "wenting."-- Luke 17:14 .40. WE'VE GOT TO DO THE OBEYING. We've got to do what we know God has told us to do! We have to first of all do the forsaking, the dropping out, the dedicating to God, the utter dedication, the complete 100% COMMITMENT to God. We don't have to know what's going to happen tomorrow or what He's going to do in the future or what's going to happen as a result.41. WE DON'T HAVE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW! All we have to know is what God is going to do today. Obey God & do what He has told us now.--Right now! Do it NOW, you've got to do it now! You can't wait for tomorrow! TODAY is the day of salvation. You cannot do it tomorrow!42. GOD HAS HIS TIMES! LET ME TELL YOU, FOLKS, YOU'D BETTER OBEY GOD IN THAT SPLIT SECOND OF THAT GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY! If you miss God's timetable, you're going to not only miss the TRAIN but you'll also miss the BOAT, & you'll get left behind & things will never be the same again! When God says, "Now! Right now!" let me tell you, you had better do it now, or you are going to miss the boat & suffer for it! God help us to obey instantly when God lays something on our hearts.-Do it now! Right now!

One of humanity's most persistent theological questions is thoroughly examined in this episode of Marked by Grace. Pastor Heath Lambert tackles the challenging problem of evil and God's goodness, providing three classical Christian responses that have guided believers through centuries of doubt and difficulty. Whether you're wrestling with personal suffering or trying to understand God's character in a broken world, this episode offers biblical clarity on why God can remain perfectly good while allowing evil to exist.TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Introduction: The Persistent Question of Evil and God's Goodness1:08 - The Specific Question: Why Doesn't God Intervene Like We Should?2:08 - Granting the Premise: When Human Inaction Becomes Sin3:21 - God's Perfect Nature: Light with No Darkness4:08 - Response 1: Primary vs Secondary Causes Explained5:24 - Genesis 50:20 - Joseph's Brothers and God's Sovereignty7:27 - The Shakespeare and Hamlet Analogy8:34 - Response 2: All Evil as Judgment Against Human Sinfulness10:27 - Luke 13:5 - Jesus on the Tower of Siloam11:04 - Response 3: The Greater Good - God's Ultimate Plan12:10 - Romans 8:28 - All Things Work Together for Good13:19 - The Cross: Ultimate Example of Good from Evil14:16 - Eternal Perspective: Praising God for His Redemptive PowerKEY POINTS- The Question Explored: If humans are morally obligated to intervene when witnessing evil acts like assault or abuse, how can God witness atrocities daily without intervening and still be considered good and just?- Primary vs Secondary Causes: God operates as the sovereign primary cause behind all events, while humans act as secondary causes. Evil is always chargeable to secondary causes (human sin) never to the primary cause (God). This distinction explains how the same event can have both a sinful human motivation and a righteous divine purpose.- Universal Human Sinfulness: All people live in a fallen world where we deserve judgment, not blessing. The real theological question isn't "Why do bad things happen?" but rather "Why do any good things happen to sinners like us?" Every person deserves divine judgment due to their rebellion against God.- The Greater Good Principle: God's omnipotent righteousness enables Him to bring ultimate good out of every evil situation. This doesn't make evil good, but demonstrates God's power to redeem and transform even the worst circumstances for His glory and our benefit.- The Cross as Ultimate Example: Jesus Christ's crucifixion represents the worst act of victimization in human history, yet God transformed this ultimate evil into the means of salvation for countless people. This demonstrates how God can use even the most horrific events to accomplish his perfect purposes.- Eternal Perspective: In eternity, believers will praise God not despite the suffering that occurred, but because of how He used that suffering to accomplish His glorious redemptive plan. The eternal weight of glory will far exceed any temporary affliction.Submit your questions for future episodes to MarkedByGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES1 John 1:5 - "God is light and in him is no darkness at all" - Establishes God's perfect, sinless natureGenesis 50:20 - "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" - Primary example of primary vs secondary causesLuke 13:5 - Jesus' warning about the tower of Siloam - All people deserve judgment without repentanceRomans 8:28 - "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" - The greater good principle2 Corinthians 4:17 - "This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison" - Eternal perspective on suffering

Power in Real Faith (1) (audio) David Eells 6/11/25 Here is the faith Jesus told us to use always for anything. Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (In Greek) them, and ye shall have them. As we will see Jesus and His disciples did not use men's methods and works. When we don't believe we have received, we rely on our own works. (Isa 38:21) Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover. Why does it appear that God is using a physical means to bring healing here when normally Jesus and His disciples would just pronounce a healing? It's because those figs symbolize something in the Scriptures and that's why it was a “cake of figs,” or, I might say, even a “congregation” of figs. There is power in numbers. Deu 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight… Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. You see, the figs there represent the body of Christ, or Israel, such as in Jesus' warnings about bearing fruit. (Luk 13:6) And he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. 7 And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground? The fig tree is a physical parable of a spiritual people, the people of God, and He's calling His people the “figs,” which means we have to bear fruit. That's very clear in Revelation, where it talks about a great falling away. (Rev.6:13) And the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth… The “stars of the heaven,” represent Abraham's seed in (Gen 22:15) And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, 17 that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. Today we are Abraham's seed by faith, as the Bible says. (Rom 4:16) For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. And in (Rev 6:13) And the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. The unripe figs are God's people who don't bear ripe fruit, but (Joh 1:47) Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Jesus identified Nathanael as an Israelite without guile, and where did He see him? Jesus saw him under the fig tree, as one who is among those who bore fruit. That's where we are. All of us who are true disciples of Christ are “under the fig tree.” Now if we go back to the previous verse in Isaiah, it says, (Isa 38:20) The Lord is [ready] to save me (They added in the word, “ready,” but it actually says, “The Lord is to save me.”): Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of the Lord. So there's the “cake of figs,” the people of God, and they were singing praises to God for healing Hezekiah. It wasn't the cake of figs that healed him, that was just a physical symbol who exorcised their faith for his healing. It's similar to what happened with Naaman the Syrian when he came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy. (2Ki 5:9) So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing (his own works), would Est thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped [himself] seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Naaman was offended when Elisha told him to dip seven times in the dirty old Jordan, but it was a matter of obedience and faith. An act of faith was required because faith without corresponding action is fruitless. When his servants turned him around and Naaman obeyed, he received the healing, but a person doesn't get healed from leprosy by any kind of water, so the water and the seven times must represent something. What does the water represent? (Eph 5:26) That he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word. The water represents the Word. What does “seven” represent? It represents the “seventh day,” the “Sabbath rest.” “Seven” represents entering into the rest, which is ceasing from your own works through faith as we can read in Hebrews chapters 3 and 4. (Heb 3:18) And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. Paul goes on to talk about how the “rest” is to cease from your works. (Heb 4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest… (Heb 4:9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. In other words, stop trying to save yourself; believe God has done it. So, Naaman dipped in the water seven times. The water represents the Word of God, and seven represents the rest, and he received his healing. Nobody would say the river water healed Naaman, and nobody would say the cake of figs healed Hezekiah, either. The “cake of figs” that healed him was the saints, who were praising the Lord for the healing. Praise is the language of faith. I'd like to share a testimony from a brother that fits this so well. B.A. said to us, I'm pretty partial to that story in the scriptures of Naaman, when he came to the prophet for to heal the leprosy he had. I guess it was about three years ago when I had a growth that was on my forehead, and I was reading that Scripture in a morning meditation. I had been reading it for a couple of days and studying it, and when I was in the shower, the Lord just really spoke to me very clearly. I was actually going to ask the Bible study group to pray over this growth that was on my head, and the Lord just said, “Why don't you just wash it seven times?” See, it was just like it was with Naaman. I said, “Okay, Lord.” So, I started counting, and on the seventh day, it was gone. Unbelievable! There was no trace of it. It was just a wonderful miracle. It was like, on the seventh day, “Okay, today's the day!” And sure enough, that was the end of that. Well, praise You, Father! You know, when you trust God with real faith, you're going to praise Him; you're going to give thanks to Him. I think healing is 99% giving thanks and praising the Lord for the answer, and only 1% prayer. Because it says in (Mar 11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (The Greek word there is in the past tense, although a lot of Bible versions translate it as “receive.”) them, and ye shall have them. How would you behave if you believe you have received? Well, you're going to be joyful and full of thanks toward God. And you're going to confess Him before men. (Rom 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. What does it mean to “confess” Him before men? “Confess” in Greek means “speak the same as,” so you'll thank God and confess that He's healed you and delivered you (1Ti 6:12) …Confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. Now, people might look at you funny, but if you'll confess Him before men, the Bible says He'll confess you before His holy angels and His Father in heaven. What are we actually doing when we confess our healing, our deliverance, our salvation, and so on, before men? We're using “the things that are not...to bring to nought the things that are.” (1Co 1:26) For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called:] 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 28 and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, [yea] and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory before God. And how do we use “the things that are not...to bring to nought the things that are”? We do what God does. (Rom 4:17) … God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. By faith, God calls the things that “are not, as though they were.” Notice that's past tense: “as though they were.” We can see this all through Scripture, for example, before Christ's sacrifice we see in (Isa 53:5) … and with his stripes we are healed, and after His sacrifice, (1Pe 2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed. It's not “by whose stripes you are going to get healed,” it's “were healed.” We call the things that are not, as though they were. We consider it done at the Cross, and that's the whole point. Since it was done at the Cross, God's not going to say, we have to do it ourselves, in our own works. One thing we must have is a clear conscience towards God in order to have faith. It's not that God doesn't offer His provision to you. Think about all the people who boldly came to Jesus; they were stiff-necked, hard-hearted Jews, and yet they all received their healing. But, you see, there's a big difference when a person has something on their heart that they need to get off their heart. The difference is that you can't have boldness towards God when you're in that state. The Bible says in (1Jn 3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. A clear conscience is what you need when you go to God. Why do you confess your sins? It helps you to have a clear conscience so you can exercise faith the way you should. God is faithful. Jas 5:16 Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed… There are other places in the Bible where people have considered that maybe Jesus used physical methods, such as when He healed the man who was blind from birth. (Joh 9:6) When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, 7 and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing. I asked the Lord about that one time and He told me, “He didn't get healed when I smeared the mud in his eye; he got healed when he washed the mud out of his eye.” Then the thought came to me that mud represents our human nature. Adam came from the dust of the earth. As long as we see according to the way of man, the way of Adam, we don't get what we received from God at the Cross. We have to wash that out of our eyes. We have to be able to see clearly and to accept what the Word says about our condition. For instance, health doesn't come through any of man's methods. Health comes from the fact that Jesus already bore our curse on the Cross. It's past tense as we see here. (Gal 3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. It comes from the fact that (1Pe. 2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed, and not from herbs or vitamins or supplements. Some of those things are expensive and besides that, they're not available to everybody. All over the world, people eat different things. It makes no difference to God. All they have to do is believe in the Gospel of healing, and they will receive it. The Lord says in (Exo 15:26) I will put none of the diseases upon thee which I have put upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Those Egyptians and Egypt, in type, represent the world, and the whole world is under the curse, but we are not under the curse because of what Jesus did. If we're trying to earn God's gift through our own works, then we are not being weak. When we're trying to negotiate with the curse by our own strength, then God's power is not going to be there. We need God's power, so we need to glory in our weaknesses in order to have God's power. That's what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:30, and 12:5,9. Paul said to call “the things that are not, as though they were,” and give up all your efforts to save yourself, heal yourself, deliver yourself. It is a free gift. Jesus told His disciples, (Mat 10:8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. He sent them out to give these gifts to God's people freely, so believe the Lord and accept His free gift. Now look in (Act 19:11) And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the evil spirits went out. Why were they procuring handkerchiefs from Paul and touching people with them? Handkerchiefs don't heal people, do they? And why does God command us to lay hands on the sick? Is it because our hands are special? No, the laying on of hands is something that helps us to imagine the healing, just as baptism is something to help our imagination because we're doing something physical. Also, we who are filled with His Spirit have His power in us and it flows through our hands. When we get baptized, we're able to imagine that we were buried with Christ when we go down in the water, and that we're a new creature in Christ when we come up. It's an act of faith. The water doesn't do anything. It's not the cleansing of the flesh with the water, it's the faith and obedience. The same thing applies to the laying on of hands. When we lay hands on somebody for healing, we imagine that the power God has put in us is being transferred into the other person. I do that. As a matter of fact, quite often I feel something like electricity running through my arm and going into people, but you don't have to touch anybody for them to get healed; you can just speak the Word for them to be healed. It's a point of contact to release the power of faith. God uses these physical things to help you because your imagination is something that connects your mind, your tongue, and your actions. The Bible says in (Rom 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, so there's a real connection with our imagination. If you can't imagine something, you are not going to be able to believe for it. You may be saying with your mouth that you're healed, but if your mind can't even imagine it, then you're not exercising any faith. Your imagination helps you come into the Image of God. (2Co 3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. That “image” is an imagination. If you're seeing Jesus in the mirror, that's imagination. And if you're seeing Jesus in the mirror, is that Person in the mirror sick? Is He demon-possessed? Is He sinful? Absolutely not! He's delivered from all of those things, which is exactly what the Bible says about us. We're delivered from all of those things. We accept those free gifts by faith, and because our works are not involved in it, man doesn't get any credit. God alone gets the glory. God's power is there. A lot of people imagine the worst and speak the worst, and they destroy themselves by doing that. But if you use that same energy in the opposite direction, it's amazing what you can do. You know, everything that a man creates has to first be seen in his imagination before he can create it, so we need a renewed imagination, we need a renewed mind. We're told in (Rom 12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Your imagination is in your mind, so you see yourself as healed, you see yourself as delivered, and so on. It doesn't matter what you feel, because the truth is that the devil can manipulate your feelings. The devil is going to tell you that you're not healed, that you're not delivered, that you're not saved from sin. He's going to tell you all of those things, but we need to have a renewed mind where we do not accept those lies. (2Co 10:3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. If we do that, and if we receive in our mind only the thinking of the Lord and the Word of the Lord, it doesn't matter what we feel. It matters what we believe and what we accept. We need to do the warfare and cast down those vain imaginations and thoughts. Brother B.A. tells us this story. One time we got an email from somebody that we had counseled with, and the person was talking about some of the sinful nature that he was dealing with in his walk, and he started rattling off a lot of things, and then in the next email, he said them again. I had written him about trying to walk by faith and taking authority over the devil, but he sent me a second email and said, “No, these are not my present sins, these are my sins from before.” I wrote him back and said that he must not believe that these sins are forgiven if he's still talking about these sins as if they're not forgiven. Why are these sins anymore if they are as far as the east is from the west? These should be far from his mind because of what the Lord has done for him. True forgiveness with true repentance means it's over. And you can understand that it's the devil's work that would bring these things back to our remembrance, and what happens is, and it was what this young man was dealing with, he didn't believe he was forgiven, and he didn't have any faith to walk by faith. He was not able to exercise authority over the devil and was continually in bondage. So, it's the devil's work when we don't receive forgiveness, and we don't recognize how perfect the sacrifice at the Cross was. Well, we know the Bible says in (Rom 8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. The King James version adds in there, “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” but that's not in any of the ancient manuscripts. If you have to walk in the Spirit in order to have God's blessings, you're in real trouble. No, you have to accept God's blessings by faith, even in your failure. You have to call “the things that are not, as though they were.” It's all by grace, it's all by “unmerited favor.” We are not good enough, and we can never be good enough to receive the blessings of God. As we've seen, we need to confess your sins so that we have a clear conscience. (1Jn 3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; (But walking according to our conscience is powerful.) 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. But even if you do confess your sins, the devil is going to tell you that you're still guilty. Who are you going to believe? Are you going to believe the devil, or are you going to believe God? The Bible says, (1Jn 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If you have confessed your sins, God has forgiven you. Accept that. When condemnation goes past the time of repentance and confession of sin, you need to know it's coming straight from the devil. He knows that if you're in condemnation, then you won't have any faith. You can't have faith and condemnation at the same time, so if you have condemnation, you're no threat to him. The devil can continue to curse you and keep you in bondage. When you confess and repent of your sins, God removes them as far as the east is from the west (Psa.103:12) and casts them into the depths of the sea (Mic.7:19), so why are you remembering them? Accept His forgiveness, go on, and walk by faith. Don't pay any attention to what you feel; the devil manipulates that. Pay attention to what the Bible says and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Cast down the vain imaginations that are against the knowledge of God, and you will win the victory. None of those people whom Jesus healed, delivered, and gave provisions to were worthy. They weren't what you would call “born again” people, but they had the Covenant with God. They were in Covenant and that's why Jesus said that He'd only been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Today we have a better Covenant, based on better promises (Heb.8:6), and as Jesus said in (Luk 7:28) … Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he. Can you receive a healing just by confessing your sins and accepting by faith what God said? Of course. If we have a better Covenant, based on better promises, and He healed every one of those Jews who came to Him by faith, what's He going to do today? The Bible says, (Heb 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, yea and forever. So He's going to do the same thing today. The problem is that so many of God's people have different doctrines today, even though the Scripture tells us in (1Jn 2:24) As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. One of those different doctrines is that “These days, sometimes God heals, and sometimes He doesn't,” but that's completely wrong. God has already healed. It has nothing to do with what God will do and what God won't do. The Bible says, (1Pe 2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed, so it's already done. You can stop praying for hours trying to get God to heal you, because you're not saved by works. If you're going to convince anybody, you need to convince yourself. The Word of God is true. He already healed you. That's why it's called the “rest.” (Heb 4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. When you believe what God says, you can rest and not worry about it anymore, because God has already taken care of it and you believe it. God says He has saved you and when you believe it, then you're not continually having to be good enough, as some religions teach. I was raised in the Catholic church, and it was all about salvation by works. In other words, you had to be good enough. Jesus administered these gifts of God to His people and He told His disciples, (Mat 10:8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. “Freely ye received.” You can't pay for it. But, for example, if you have to go buy a bunch of expensive herbs to try and get healing, or if you have to go to an expensive doctor, that's not free. If you have to buy those expensive drugs, that's not free. Herbs, doctors, drugs…those are all things that are, they aren't things that are not. The things that are not are for the purpose in (1Co 1:29) that no flesh should glory before God. God doesn't want anybody to be able to take the credit. He's a very jealous God. We should just accept this free gift from God and be healthy. I remember a lady who used to come to our Bible study years ago, who understood everything we're talking about, and she ministered to a lot of the people who came to her business. She would tell people about healing and deliverance and all that God does, but people were rejecting her. In fact, in some cases, she lost business telling people that. So she started dealing with them on a level that they could accept and got heavily into this herbal healing business to the point where, if you could say anyone was a real guru of herbal healing, this lady became one. She did all the studying and she knew what was naturally better for this and naturally better for that. Sometimes her herbs backfired on her and made a person sick. I'm not saying that there aren't some natural things that are much better than drugs. When I came to the Lord, I had inherited from my dad and his dad, a generational curse of sinus problems and chest congestion. I'd get pneumonia and had all kinds of sinus problems. That was just normal for me. And I had taken so much penicillin that it didn't do me any good anymore. Then I switched to vitamin C and found out that it worked way better than penicillin. Then I came to the Lord one day, and I threw down my Neo-Synephrine, which I was carrying year-round to try to keep my sinuses open. My sinus linings were finally burned out from that stuff, and I threw it in the garbage when I realized that Jesus Christ already healed me at the Cross. So now my nose and sinuses haven't stopped up in fifty four years. Well, there's something that's better than vitamin C, folks. Do you want a miracle, or do you want to keep paying with your own efforts to deliver yourself? This lady was using her own efforts, her own works, because it was more acceptable to her clients and she could help them on that level. I told her, “You don't have permission, nor a commission, to save people from the curse through that method. The Great Commission is when you offer them the Gospel, and if they don't accept it, then let them stay under the curse.” Of course, she thought that was kind of harsh, but let me point something out to you. If you read Deuteronomy 28, you'll see that God instituted the curse to bring men to repentance. I said to her, “What you're really doing by all your works is trying to take the curse away from those people so they won't have to repent to get healed.” We are to offer people the Good News, and if they don't want that, then let them stay under the curse to bring them to repentance. God Almighty is the One Who sent the curse. Some churches teach that the devil sent the curse, but the devil is not sovereign. Read Deuteronomy 28, which says that God sent the curse. The devil just administers it. God is Sovereign. He said to us, (Exo 15:26) … If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his eyes, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. God might use the devil to do what He wants to do, but He's still Sovereign. (Php 2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Just as He works in you, He does the same thing with all of His creation, and He has His vessels of honor and His vessels of dishonor. (2Ti 2:20) Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work. So you see, God uses the devil. He works in him to will and to do of His good pleasure, too. (Deu 32:39) See now that I, even I, am he, And there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; And there is none that can deliver out of my hand. The prosperity teachers think all the bad comes from the devil and only the good comes from God, but when you need a whipping, that's good, and it comes from God (Job 2:10). People need a whipping when they go their own way. God has to get our attention before we come to the end of this road, and the truth is that the curse gets our attention better than anything else in the world. The apostle Paul turned men over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh so that their spirit would be saved in the day of the Lord. He used the curse to save men. We're supposed to let the curse do its work, but we're also supposed to offer people the only real cure, and that's the Gospel. One caveat, if others are under our authority, like children or the elderly or even under our roof, we can give them a gift of healing. Back to this herbal guru who was offering her clients a cure that didn't have anything to do with the Gospel, or bringing people to the knowledge of repentance and faith. She wanted to help them to live comfortably under the curse so that they'd have no need for God and would eventually fall off into hell at the end of their lives. If you stop and think about it, folks, that's what you're doing if that's what you're preaching. It's another gospel, not the Gospel of the Kingdom. God has done it this way on purpose. All of our salvation is past tense because, if you believe it, you have to cease from your works and enter into the rest. (Heb 4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. 3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. … 9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest (Notice that the Greek word there is sabbatismos and it means “a continual rest.” This is the only place in the Bible where sabbatismos is used.) for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience. So you see, the “rest” is not one day of the week anymore. When you believe the promises of God, you enter into the rest. You're supposed to stay in the rest by believing all of the promises concerning all the curse and concerning all of your problems. You're supposed to abide in the rest because you believe the great promises, and that's what the Old Testament Sabbath pointed to as a shadow of the good things to come. The Bible says Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath in Matthew 12:8. If you abide in Him, then you are keeping the Sabbath, and to “abide in Christ” means you believe the promises and you are obeying Him. Since you were healed, you were “delivered out of the power of darkness,” you were saved from sin and perfected at the Cross (Heb 10:14), what can you do to bring it to pass? Nothing. If you try to bring it to pass yourself, it proves that you are an unbeliever. God's people are not receiving the blessings that were given through Jesus Christ because they are unbelievers. Repent, cease from your works, and enter into the rest. Accept the free gift of God. It's really Good News, because we don't have to do anything except believe. That's our part of the Covenant. God's part is to supply the power, the deliverance, the healings, and supply the sanctification. That's God's part. Our part is to believe. We have the easy part of this. What can you add to what Jesus did without dishonoring His sacrifice? These principles cannot be imposed by law for they only work through personal faith.

Nehemiah 3 NIV 3 Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them. 3 The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.[a]6 The Jeshanah[b] Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. 7 Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10 Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.13 The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits[c] of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.14 The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.15 The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam,[d] by the King's Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. 16 Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs[e] of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.17 Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18 Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui[f] son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. 19 Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. 20 Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib's house to the end of it.22 The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. 23 Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24 Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah's house to the angle and the corner, 25 and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. 27 Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.28 Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29 Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. 30 Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. 31 Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; 32 and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs. 

What if your earliest relationships are still shaping your faith today? With this in mind, Steve Cuss sits down with Cyd and Geoff Holsclaw to explore how attachment theory influences our connection to ourselves, others, and God. From insecure attachment styles and coping mechanisms to trauma, church culture, and spiritual growth, Steve and the Holsclaws dive deep into the psychology behind our relational patterns—and how self-awareness and God's love can lead to healing. Listen and join Steve as you navigate closeness or independence, maybe even rethink your faith journey. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Pool of Siloam, Where Jesus Healed the Blind Man Cyd & Geoff Holsclaw's Center for Embodied Faith Cyd & Geoff Holsclaw's Landscapes of the Soul: How the Science and Spirituality of Attachment Can Move You into Confident Faith, Courage, and Connection Bessel van der Kolk's The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma Sign up for Steve's Newsletter & Podcast Reminders: Capable Life Newsletter Join Steve at an upcoming intensive:  Capable Life Intensives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if your earliest relationships are still shaping your faith today? With this in mind, Steve Cuss sits down with Cyd and Geoff Holsclaw to explore how attachment theory influences our connection to ourselves, others, and God. From insecure attachment styles and coping mechanisms to trauma, church culture, and spiritual growth, Steve and the Holsclaws dive deep into the psychology behind our relational patterns—and how self-awareness and God's love can lead to healing. Listen and join Steve as you navigate closeness or independence, maybe even rethink your faith journey. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Pool of Siloam, Where Jesus Healed the Blind Man Cyd & Geoff Holsclaw's Center for Embodied Faith Cyd & Geoff Holsclaw's Landscapes of the Soul: How the Science and Spirituality of Attachment Can Move You into Confident Faith, Courage, and Connection Bessel van der Kolk's The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma Sign up for Steve's Newsletter & Podcast Reminders: Capable Life Newsletter Join Steve at an upcoming intensive:  Capable Life Intensives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John 9English Standard Version9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,' your guilt remains.

Join Charlette and David as they explore this week's Gospel reading from John 5:1-9. Together, they explore the story of Jesus healing a person by the pools of Siloam and what it reveals to us about justice, consent, and holistic healing. Tune in for fresh insights, meaningful reflections, and ways to live into the Gospel this week.Faith to Go is a ministry of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Click here to learn more about EDSD's great work in our region and how you can support this ministry. Also, check out the Towards a Fuller Gospel offering that Charlette referenced in her God sighting here.Remember to get in contact with us!Email: faithtogo@edsd.orgInstagram: @faithtogoFaith to Go is a ministry of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Click here to learn more about EDSD's great work in our region and how you can support this ministry.Remember to get in contact with us!Email: faithtogo@edsd.orgInstagram: @faithtogo

Series: Signs & GloryTitle: “Why Do People Reject Jesus?”Subtitle: Scripture: John 7:1-52 Isaiah 55:1-7Jeremiah 2:13Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Acts 3:20-22Matthew 10:34-35Look for the drama in scriptureBottom line: People reject Jesus for many reasons, but He still calls the thirsty to come and receive real life.INTRODUCTIONCONTEXTSERMON OUTLINECONCLUSIONNOTESOUTLINESQUESTIONS TO CONSIDER DISCUSSION QUESTIONSMAIN REFERENCES USEDOpening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same. INTRODUCTIONSome people in history seem to split the world in two. Say their name, and you immediately stir debate. Martin Luther King Jr.—hero of justice or dangerous disruptor? Galileo—scientific genius or arrogant heretic? Nelson Mandela, Joan of Arc, Malcolm X—each one beloved by some, opposed by others. But history's most polarizing figure? Jesus. No one sparked more debate, division, or devotion. And in John 7, we see that clearly. The question is: Why do people reject Him—and could we be doing the same?John Bunyan knew all about that and wrote, "There was a man, the world did think him mad, the more he gave away, the more he had."Feast of Tabernacles...Originally a harvest festival coming at the end of the last major harvest of the year (grapes). They celebrated God who brought the rain.Became a celebration of God's deliverance of Israel through the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness where God had to supernaturally supply them water for the whole nation in the desert.It had eschatological hopesFor the restoration of the nation of IsraelFor the ingathering of all nations under GodJesus presents himself as God's agent to make these end time events a reality. He does this as the source of life--abundant (like being celebrated during this festival) and eternal (like living water).Bottom line: People reject Jesus for many reasons, but He still calls the thirsty to come and receive real life.In his last 6 months, Jesus enters Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles surrounded by confusion, debate and division over who he is and why he matters. This is the context around his famous teaching about the Holy Spirit's role when he ascends and why he's called living water. OUTLINE (input from ChatGPT)1. Some reject Jesus because He doesn't follow their expectations.(John 7:1–10)Jesus' own brothers didn't believe because He didn't fit their agenda or timeline.We still wrestle with disappointment or control when Jesus won't do what we want, when we want.2. Some reject Jesus because His truth exposes their hypocrisy.(John 7:11–24)Jesus confronts those judging Him wrongly, especially for healing on the Sabbath.We resist truth when it challenges our comfort, image, or self-righteousness.3. Some reject Jesus because of assumptions and incomplete knowledge.(John 7:25–36)The crowd “knows” where Jesus is from and assumes He can't be the Christ.Spiritual blindness often comes from thinking we already understand everything.4. Some reject Jesus because they fear people more than God.(John 7:40–52)Division rises. Leaders pressure, mock, and dismiss. Nicodemus is silenced.Following Jesus means risking disapproval—but silence is a choice too.5. But Jesus still calls: If you're thirsty, come to Me and drink.(John 7:37–39)On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus invites all to receive living water—the Holy Spirit.Rejection isn't the end of the story. Jesus still offers Himself to anyone willing to come in faith.CONCLUSION Bottom line: People reject Jesus for many reasons, but He still calls the thirsty to come and receive real life."For decades one of the first places immigrants to America landed was Ellis Island. They came hoping for a better life, longing for a chance to find happiness. Near Ellis Island was a statue, and the statue was an invitation. A poem by Emma Lazarus captured the invitation:"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"What a beautiful invitation. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses." Jesus extends a better invitation. "Come, weary and broken. Come, thirsty and dying. Come to me and find life."" -Carter, p. 181The Lion"How are we to drink this water? Although the offer is free and open to all, there are yet some terms to be met. C. S. Lewis in his children's novel The Silver Chair puts his finger on this in the clearest of terms. Jill, seeing a lion, is scared out of her wits and runs into the forest. She runs so hard that she wears herself out and is just about to die of thirst, or so she thinks, when she hears the gurgling of a brook in the distance. She approaches it and is almost ready to go to the brook when on the grass before her is the same lion."Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion."I'm dying of thirst," said Jill."Then drink, " said the Lion."May I— could I-would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic."Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill."I make no promise,'" said the Lion.Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer."Do you eat girls?" she said. "I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and em-perors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it."I daren't come and drink," said Jill."Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion."Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer."I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.""There is no other stream," said the Lion.It never occurred to Jill to disbelieve the Lion —no one who had seen his stern face could do that-and her mind suddenly made itself up. It was the worst thing she had ever had to do, but she went forward to the stream, knelt down, and began scooping up water in her hand. It was the coldest, most refreshing water she had ever tasted.Do you see what Lewis is saying? When you come to the water, you are coming to a Lion, you must come on the Lion's terms, and you have to yield yourself by faith in order to get the water. Some of us need to realize that we are thirsty, that we need that water so badly that we are going to die without it. We need to step out on faith, yielding to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and receive the water of eternal life.INVITATIONWhat about you?Are you paralyzed by the confusion, division and debate over who Jesus is and what he came to do?““Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.”‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions: What is God saying to me right now?What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper. What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don't have to get too specific to give him praise.Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)PrayNOTESJesus' brothers believed in Jesus but not the biblical Jesus; we see this all the timeJesus recognized that his brothers didn't believe in him as the Messiah yet though they'd lived with him for 30+ years; never sinned; Mary knowing who he was; favorite son; perfect son; resentment and sibling rivalry aboundsDoes Jesus divide people? (Yes)Family can be the toughest mission fieldFamily misunderstands when they don't believe in the biblical JesusReligious leaders miss the leader of their religion due to their self-righteousness, ambition and unbelief"Christ did not want to bring division. But because of the sinfulness of our hearts, because of our fallenness, because of our unwillingness to repent and bow to him, the Prince of Peace is Christ the Divider.When snow descends upon the Continental Divide, it melts and flows off either to the west or to the east, never to meet again. Christ is the continental divide in our lives. We will either go up with the morning stars or, to use Eliot's phrase, join the valley of the dying stars. Christ brings division to everyday life." -Hughes, p. 226Water"On the seven days of the Feast, a golden flagon was filled with water from the pool of Siloam and was carried in a procession led by the High Priest back to the temple. As the procession approached the watergate on the south side of the inner court three blasts from the shôphar - a trumpet connected with joyful occasions - were sounded. While the pilgrims watched, the priests processed around the altar with the flagon, the temple choir singing the Hallel (Pss. 113 - 118). When the choir reached Psalm 118, every male pilgrim shook a lulab (willow and myrtle twigs tied with palm) in his right hand, while his left raised a piece of citrus fruit (a sign of the ingathered harvest), and all cried 'Give thanks to the LORD!' three times. The water was offered to God at the time of the morning sacrifice, along with the daily drink-offering (of wine). The wine and the water were poured into their respective silver bowls, and then poured out before the LORD. Moreover, these ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles were related in Jewish thought both to the LorD's provision of water in the desert and to the Lord's pouring out of the Spirit in the last days. Pouring at the Feast of Tabernacles refers symbolically to the messianic age in which a stream from the sacred rock would flow over the whole earth." -Carson, p. 321-322"In general terms, then, Jesus' pronouncement is clear: he is the fulfil-ment of all that the Feast of Tabernacles anticipated." -Carson, p. 322OUTLINESee aboveQUESTIONS TO CONSIDERWhat do I want them to know? Why do I want them to know it?What do I want them to do?Why do I want them to do it?How do they do this?DISCUSSION QUESTIONSDiscovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/Read the passage together.Retell the story in your own words.Discovery the storyWhat does this story tell me about God?What does this story tell me about people?If this is really true, what should I do?What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)Who am I going to tell about this?Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcastAlternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:Who is God?What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)What do I do? (In light of who I am)How do I do it?Final Questions (Write this down)What is God saying to you right now? What are you going to do about it?MAIN REFERENCES USED“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent HughesExalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh WredbergThe Gospels & Epistles of John, FF BruceJohn, RC SproulJohn, KöstenbergerThe Gospel According to John, DA CarsonThe Light Has Come, Leslie NewbiginThe Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.orgThe Bible Project https://bibleproject.comNicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersionClaude.aiChatGPT Google Gemini

Ever felt stuck between God's promise and its fulfilment? Listen to how trust, obedience, and faith unlock miracles. Don't miss this eye-opening episode of hope and healing!This was first aired on Radio HCI Today via the WeLove Radio App.

Pdt. Ellya Makarawung (TB) Yohanes 9 : 6-7 9:6 Setelah Ia mengatakan semuanya itu, Ia meludah ke tanah, dan mengaduk ludahnya itu dengan tanah, lalu mengoleskannya pada mata orang buta tadi 9:7 dan berkata kepadanya: "Pergilah, basuhlah dirimu dalam kolam Siloam. " Siloam artinya: "Yang diutus." Maka pergilah orang itu, ia membasuh dirinya lalu kembali dengan matanya sudah melek. 

Monday, 28 April 2025   Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” Matthew 9:29   “Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith, it became to you'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus asked the two blind men if they believed that He was able to have mercy on them. Their response was in the affirmative. With that remembered, it next says, “Then He touched their eyes.”   Jesus does this elsewhere, such as in Matthew 20:34. It would be an indication to them that there is no doubt where the power came from. However, this is not the only way that Jesus restores sight to the blind. In Mark 8, Jesus spat on a blind man's eyes, partially restored his vision, and then placed His hands on the man's eyes and brought him to full vision.   In John 9, Jesus spat on the ground, made clay with it, and then anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. From there, He instructed the man to go to the pool of Siloam and wash his eyes. When he did, he came back seeing.   Therefore, Jesus' various methods of restoring sight are instructive as much as they are curative. In this case, it is instructive to the men being healed that the power to heal has come from Him and that it came about when He touched them with His hands and then spoke the word. This restoration of sight would leave no doubt about who Jesus is because He would be the first person they would see.   Their testimony in this case would be infallible proof to those who knew them when they were blind. As such, upon touching their eyes, Jesus was “saying, ‘According to your faith, it be to you.'”   It is not the physical touching that healed them, nor is it their faith that healed them. They have professed faith, and that is what Jesus is acknowledging to them. In other words, “according to” isn't “If you have this much faith, you will be healed and if you don't, you won't be.” Rather, “according to” is in response to the faith they have already acknowledged.   The healing is then brought about by Jesus' spoken word. It would be like saying, “Because you have professed faith in My ability, I will now heal you. And so it is.”   Life application: The healing of these blind men is not unlike the process of our salvation. The Bible says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” Romans 10:9, 10   Jesus doesn't ask, “Just how much do you believe in your heart?” Every person's faith is on its own level. If Jesus were looking for a certain amount of faith, there would be a faith exam attached to the promise. No such thing exists. We are not asked to stand on a rooftop in an Islamic city and shout out that we have believed the gospel.   Nor are we told we must eat a habanero chili pepper to prove our faith. God reads the heart, and salvation is granted. These men professed faith in Jesus' ability to heal them. In turn, He healed them.   Understanding this should help us to understand the fallacy of “works as a demonstration of salvation.” This is a common teaching that says, “If you don't have works to support your profession of salvation, you are probably not saved.” This begs the obvious question, “What works? Just what exactly do I have to do to prove I am saved?”   The Bible doesn't specify any such thing. It does provide instructions on what we should do in our salvation, but it never makes them a proof test for our salvation. The blind men were healed, and there is no string attached to the healing, such as, “If you don't do what I say, you will lose your sight.”   In fact, there will appear to be a mark of disobedience in those men in the verses to come. But there is nothing to indicate that they somehow were re-blinded for it. In fact, the words indicate otherwise. We must keep the salvation message simple. Complicating it with requests for proof of salvation will only produce weak believers who will struggle with the surety of what Christ has done for them for the rest of their days.   Keep the gospel simple. From there, tell people to learn the Bible and apply it to their lives. In doing so, their walk with the Lord will be sound and their time in His presence will be sweet.   Lord God, may we be confident in our salvation, not because of an arrogant, haughty attitude, but because we understand what the word says. Christ died for our sins according to Scripture, He was buried, and He rose again on the third day according to Scripture. This is what You have asked us to believe in order to be saved. We do! Thank You for the salvation You have granted us. Amen.  

John 9: 1-7

Luke 13:1-17New King James Version:Repent or Perish13 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had [a]mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it [b]use up the ground?' 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 [c]And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' ”A Spirit of Infirmity10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way [d]raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”15 The Lord then answered him and said, [e]“Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

When we blame people for their suffering, we are using blame to shield ourselves from the possibility that we could suffer in the exact same way.⁠Learn more or contact Heather⁠A homily based on the following scripture:Luke 13:1-9At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

When we blame people for their suffering, we are trying to use blame to shield ourselves from the possibility that we could suffer in the exact same way.Learn more or contact HeatherA homily based on the following scripture:Luke 13:1-9At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

Nature writer Andrew Darby on what he learned from his rambles through the wilds of Tasmania, communing with the world's oldest surviving trees. In particular, his ‘buttock clenching' ascent up a 60-metre-tall eucalyptus known as The Vibe Tower.Nature writer, Andrew Darby spent more than 20 years as a Fairfax correspondent based in Tasmania.His stories involved the natural beauty of the bush, including visits to wild places and to the people who protect them, but it was deadline-driven and he couldn't spend the time he wanted to.In 2017 Andrew was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.He underwent immunotherapy and was given a maximum 18-months to live. It has been eight years since he entered his “second life”.Andrew was determined to fully inhabit his beloved Tasmanian bush, so he went by himself to commune with ancient trees.These are some of the world's oldest surviving trees, like King's Lomatia; some of the biggest trees, like a 60-metre-tall eucalyptus known as The Vibe Tower; and Andrew's favourite, the dignified Pencil Pine.The Ancients: Discovering the world's oldest surviving trees in wild Tasmania is published by Allen & Unwin.This episode of Conversations touches on wild Tasmania, ancient trees, Pencil Pine, King's Lomatia, King Billy Pine, Giant Eucalyptus, Peter Dombrovskis photography, Walls of Jerusalem National Park, Pool of Siloam, epic hike, solo hike, stage four lung cancer, immunotherapy, second life and loving nature, hikes of Australia.

Jesus is nearing Jerusalem when some in the crowd bring up agruesome tragedy—Galileans slaughtered by Pontius Pilate, their blood mingledwith their sacrifices. Pilate, a harsh Roman governor, was notorious forclashing with the Jews. He brought Roman ensigns into the Holy City, seizedtemple funds for an aqueduct, and quelled protests with violence. Thisatrocity, possibly during a feast when nationalism surged, saw soldiers strikedown unarmed Galileans at the altar—a shocking sacrilege. The crowd, especiallythe Pharisees and Judeans, assumed these Galileans were worse sinners,deserving such a fate. They expected Jesus to agree. Instead,Jesus replies, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than allother Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unlessyou repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:2-3). Then He brings itcloser to home: “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killedthem, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt inJerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish”(Luke 13:4-5). The Siloam tower collapse—workers killed on Pilate's aqueductproject—stung the Judeans. They'd judged those victims too, thinking they gotwhat they deserved for working with Pilate. Jesusflips the script. He doesn't defend Pilate or the Galileans, nor does He diveinto political debates. He lifts the issue higher: tragedy isn't always divinepunishment. The Galileans weren't worse sinners; the Siloam workers weren'tuniquely guilty. Suffering doesn't always mark God's wrath—Job's friendsmisjudged that, and so did the crowd. Even Jesus, sinless, suffered. If everydisaster signaled sin, how would we explain the trials of prophets, apostles,or Christ Himself? Jesus debunks their logic, then drives deeper: all aresinners, and all face judgment unless they repent. The real question isn't “Whydid they die?” but “Why are you still alive?” Thisurgency echoes through Scripture. Jesus' first message was “Repent, for thekingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). His last, to the church inLaodicea, was “Be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). Paul preached “repentancetoward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). The Greekword for repentance, metanoia, means a change of mind and heart—a turning fromsin to God. It's not just confessing; it's forsaking sin and trusting Jesus.The Bible calls for repentance 969 times—it hasn't dropped out of God's vocabulary,even if it's faded from ours. TheGalileans' fate and Siloam's collapse foreshadowed a greater judgment—likeJerusalem's fall to Rome in AD 70. Jesus' warning was clear: repent now, orperish. Today, we're tempted to judge others' misfortunes—“They had itcoming”—while dodging our own guilt. But Jesus cuts through: “Unless yourepent.” We're all in the same boat—one death per person. “Now is the day ofsalvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). As Jesus neared the cross, He urged thecrowd—and us—to wake up, stop pointing fingers, and turn to Him. He didn'tpromise a life free of towers or tyrants, but a way to stand forgiven beforeGod. ClosingChallengeHaveyou truly repented—changed your mind about sin, owning your guilt before God?This week, pick one area needing a turn—maybe a hidden sin, a bitter attitude,or a neglected faith. Confess it, turn from it, and trust Jesus to transformyou. Don't delay; the time to repent is now. PrayerLordJesus, thank You for Your urgent call to repentance, preached from Your firstwords to Your last. Forgive us for judging others instead of facing our ownsin. Stir our hearts with metanoia—a true change toward You. Help us turn fromsin, place our faith in You, and live as Your children. Give us courage to acttoday, trusting Your mercy. Bless us as we follow You to the cross and beyond.Amen.

John 9 : 1 - 41 1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?" 9 Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he." 10 Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" 11 He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, "Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight." 12 Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know." 13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them. 17 They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." 18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" 20 His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself." 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner." 25 He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." 26 Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" 27 He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" 28 Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from." 30 The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." 34 They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out. ... Glory be to God forever.

Luke 13:1-9 ESV  1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 8 “‘Sir,' the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down."

Luke 13:1-9Some people told Jesus about the Galileanswhose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.Jesus said to them in reply,“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this waythey were greater sinners than all other Galileans?By no means!But I tell you, if you do not repent,you will all perish as they did!Or those eighteen people who were killedwhen the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guiltythan everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?By no means!But I tell you, if you do not repent,you will all perish as they did!”And he told them this parable:“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,he said to the gardener,‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig treebut have found none.So cut it down.Why should it exhaust the soil?'He said to him in reply,‘Sir, leave it for this year also,and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;it may bear fruit in the future.If not you can cut it down.'”

Isaiah 35:5-6 and 42:6-7; Luke 4:16-20 Jesus understood from the Scriptures that he was to heal the blind. However, there was no specific instruction given on how to do it. So how did he know what to do? Matthew 12:22-23 With the possessed blind and mute man, he cast out the demon. Matthew 20:29-34 Two blind men cried out to him. Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Mark 8:22-26 Jesus took the blind man from Bethsaida by the hand and led him out spitting on his eyes and laying hands on him. The man was not instantly healed. Mark 10:46-52 In Jericho, Jesus said, “Go, your faith has made you whole.” John 9:1-41 He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and applied the clay to his eyes. Go wash in the pool of Siloam. Each incident required its own unique application, so how did he know? Proverbs 1:20-23 Wisdom calls out everywhere. Proverbs 8:1-12 Wisdom is readily available all the time. Proverbs 9:1-6 Jesus understood the availability of wisdom James 1:5-8 God gives it generously and without reproach. Proverbs 4:1-12 Accurate knowledge is essential, but by itself it is not enough. We need wisdom, just like Jesus needed it. Proverbs 15:2; 18:2; 26:11; 13:20 We have a deficiency−the lack of wisdom. However, this can be our greatest asset for it forces dependency and communication with God. Luke 2:40, 52 Jesus grew in wisdom. Solomon and David lost their wisdom Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:9 Pray for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.The post Seek Wisdom first appeared on Living Hope.

Empathy is the gift God gives to us to care for one another. It is the part of the divine that connects us to God and one another. It is the reason Jesus weeps when he feels the pain and sorrow of Martha and Mary after their brother Lazarus dies. It is the story he tells of the Good Samaritan. It is the repentance he calls the Jews to, who are concerned about the Galileans who Pilate has murdered or those who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them. It is the strength he relies on to climb on a cross and die for our sufferings.Empathy is not a sin, nor is it a weakness. Sin divides us from God and one another. Empathy is a divine gift that draws us closer to one another and a strength that draws us closer to God

Luke 13:1-9   At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did." Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

Some people told Jesus about the Galileanswhose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.Jesus said to them in reply,“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this waythey were greater sinners than all other Galileans?By no means!But I tell you, if you do not repent,you will all perish as they did!Or those eighteen people who were killedwhen the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guiltythan everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?By no means!But I tell you, if you do not repent,you will all perish as they did!”And he told them this parable:“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,he said to the gardener,‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig treebut have found none.So cut it down.Why should it exhaust the soil?'He said to him in reply,‘Sir, leave it for this year also,and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;it may bear fruit in the future.If not you can cut it down.'”

c4_03_23_25_#134_Luke 13:1-9_Process and Outcome{ILS} NY Yankees Owner - George Steinbrenner owners in every sport that do not care about winning - profit or prestige Cared deeply about his organization & wanted OUTCOMES - 23 Years and 20 Managers {SCR} Luke 13:1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” {MPT} Outcomes - Governors and Crowds Political officials that were violent and deranged Jesus' followers/onlookers - as a man of God, what do you think?…of the governor that murdered and then 5X mocked?Why…   …would Pilate do it?    …God allow it? Question with a question, shifting away from outcomes Future story - to illustrate how quickly violence can get out of hand. The #1 job of the Roman governor is to remain governor Calm or Intimidate or Manipulate the crowd In this photo, Pilate is a neutral party, wanting out, not today {MPT} Outcomes - Towers and InnocentsHumans have always wanted to build something, then even bigger Power, Beauty, Security the poor people that suffered during the collapse? Sometimes they fall by accident or by a horrific storm Sometimes they were destroyed As a man of God, I will tell you what I think of this {SCR} Luke 13:6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 8 “‘Sir,' the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'”{MPT} Outcomes - Trees and Fruit How many acres do you think the vineyard was? - how much per acre? How much does the gardener get paid? We don't know the full investment the owner has committed He does not threaten the gardener He wants the tree to do the one thing it was designed to do {MPT} Process - Digging and Fertilizing On his knees Daily, there will be no results the following day, only more work No one will be checking in {QUO} “Life's fragility gives it urgency” Matthew Skinner - Luther SeminaryThis illustration could speak to you in two ways The one that needs care and nutrients The one that offers care and nutrients

1 At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.2 [Jesus] asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?3 No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish just as they did.”    6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the man working the vineyard, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' 8 He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good, but if not, you can cut it down.' ” 

Luke 13:1-9At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'” Did they deserve it? That's the question Jesus poses to the people reporting a recent tragedy under Pilate's rule. Pilate was known for cruelty and contempt toward the Jewish people. In this case, some Galilean Jews were offering sacrifices when Pilate's soldiers slaughtered them, mixing their blood with that of the animals, desecrating the sacred rite. It was as if Pilate declared: these Jews are no more human than the animals they slaughter.The people came to Jesus to confirm what they already believed: “Did you hear about that horrible death? What did they do to deserve it?” They wanted an explanation. Surely, there had to be a reason. The common explanation was sin: divine punishment.That was the belief of the day: suffering was punishment for sin, your own or your parents'. But Jesus pushes back. It's not their sins that caused this, which feels like good news—until Jesus warns them not to think themselves better. To drive the point home, he tells them about a tower that collapsed and killed 18 Jerusalemites. Did they deserve it? Were they worse sinners than others? No, Jesus says, but unless you repent, you will perish just as they did. Is that a threat? A promise? A prophecy? Jesus doesn't explain, just like he doesn't explain suffering. Isn't that hard for us too? We long for explanations for suffering—ours and others'. We're often gentler on ourselves, but when it comes to others' pain, we're tempted to look for fault.When tragedy strikes—a plane crash, a tornado, a terrible car accident—we don't think those people had it coming. We think: tragedy, bad luck, not divine punishment.But what about poverty? What about homelessness? We see a tent compound, trash scattered around. We might not say they deserve it—but we think: if only they made better decisions, if they avoided addiction, if they took care of their health, maybe they wouldn't be in this situation.This year, we've been learning and talking a lot about homelessness, especially here in Indianapolis. Our high school students and I have spent this semester diving deep into the issue as part of their Sunday School curriculum. The advocacy workshop we hosted focused on two Indiana bills addressing homelessness. So I was eager to attend the Spring Faith and Action conference at Christian Theological Seminary, which focused on that very topic.The keynote speaker was an author and activist I hadn't heard of before: David Ambroz. He started by sharing a bit of his own story. Born into homelessness, he, his mother, and two siblings roamed the streets of New York City, living mainly in Grand Central station. He recounted one particularly cold night, Christmas Eve, when David was just five years old. It's frigid and they are wandering the streets for hours, ice forming on their faces, as his mom flees the people she believes are chasing them. It's only after David has peed himself and pleaded profusely that she relents and they go to a men's shelter, where they are given a single cot for all four of them. Laying on that cot, David remembers his mom, the caring mom now, asking him “do you want this”, gesturing to the lost souls in the shelter. “No!” he cried. “I don't want this. I don't want to sit here in my own urine, surrounded by nameless, homeless shadows.” But in the dark, Mom sparks something: hope. I'm five, but I know this—I want a roof, a bed, blankets. I want to protect my siblings. I want to protect Mom from mom. “Good,” Mom says softly. For a moment, she's the mom I dream of. We pile together on the cot, and I fall asleep, held by hope.The story was as powerful as the rest of his keynote. David talked about his time in foster care, he offered solutions, but he ended by asking, “Do you think I deserved to be homeless, to be grinded up in the foster care system? Do you think the people who live on your streets deserve such suffering? No! But until we change our thinking, until we don't believe these people and children in utter poverty deserve this, nothing will change. We have the capability to end childhood homelessness and poverty—we just don't have the willpower, because in our heart of hearts, we still believe they deserve this.”That's exactly what Jesus is getting at. People living in poverty, living on the streets, are not suffering because of divine judgment. Jesus may not explain why suffering happens, but he makes clear it is not a punishment from God for one's sins. That's not to say sin doesn't have consequences; surely it does. But I would ask: What sin is worse—the ones that contributed to being homeless, or having the means and resources to help but choosing not to? And I don't just mean individually, but as a community, as a society.In greater Indianapolis, we have spent over a billion dollars on sports stadiums and parks in the last 15 years, most of it coming from tax increases. Not even 4% of that has gone toward housing and homelessness. If anything, people are suffering more from our sin: from the slow, unjust systems we have created, from having the means as a society and as individuals to help, but choosing not to. From the self-righteous thought that they must be worse sinners than us, that they deserve this suffering.Yet, thankfully, the trying task of deciding which sins are worse, which deserve punishment and which don't, is an unnecessary and unfruitful task—one Jesus is uninterested in.What I hear Jesus saying is: the people you assume are worse sinners than you are not. And unless we repent, unless we change our thinking, unless we turn to help, we will suffer too. As Bonhoeffer said, “We are bound together by a chain of suffering which unites us with one another and with God.” Because God doesn't explain suffering; God shares it. To redeem all the suffering of the world, God did not command suffering to stop but rather became flesh in Jesus and suffered with us. It is by his suffering that we are redeemed and given the opportunity to lessen the suffering of others.We are the fig tree, given another year, another day, another moment to bear fruit, to lessen the suffering of others. In Jesus' eyes, we are not a waste of soil, of resources, opportunities, or time—and neither are those who live in tents, stay in cars, or sleep on sidewalks.What does bearing fruit look like in our time and place? It's simple, but not easy: It means doing what we can and acknowledging the humanity of those suffering around us. If you're wondering how to begin, here are some ways you can bear fruit in this community. Next Sunday after second service, I am taking our high school students to Horizon House, an organization dedicated to helping our neighbors experiencing homelessness get permanent, safe housing. We'll get a tour and make some sandwiches for their guests. You are welcome to come; just please let me know if you're interested.And if that doesn't work for you, consider reaching out to Lutheran Child and Family Services. They run the only long-term housing program for kids aging out of the foster system, many of whom are at the highest risk for homelessness. I learned just this week that their on-site pantry is running low and could use food donations. If you can help, reach out to me, and I'll connect you with the right person.Lastly, I leave you with the same charge David Ambroz gave at the conference: we may not be able to help every person we see on the streets, and he can't either. But he does acknowledge them. He looks them in the eye and says, “I'm sorry I can't help today, but good luck.” If nothing else, we can do that—acknowledge their humanity with kindness and respect. When that happened to David as a child, it let him know, if even for a moment that he mattered, that there was hope. Our neighbors certainly deserve that. And what about us, do we deserve all that God gives us? The second chances, the boundless love, the endless grace with no strings attached? No. But thank God we don't get what we deserve. Amen.

Third Sunday in Lent Old Testament Exodus 3:1-15 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up." When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain." But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I am who I am." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I am has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.” The Psalm Psalm 63:1-8 Deus, Deus meus 1 O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; * my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water. 2 Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, * that I might behold your power and your glory. 3 For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; * my lips shall give you praise. 4 So will I bless you as long as I live * and lift up my hands in your Name. 5 My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, * and my mouth praises you with joyful lips, 6 When I remember you upon my bed, * and meditate on you in the night watches. 7 For you have been my helper, * and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice. 8 My soul clings to you; * your right hand holds me fast. The Epistle 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play." We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. The Gospel Luke 13:1-9 At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did." Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

At Bethany, We are God's People who are: Gathered! Connected! Sent!We want to connect with you through this Podcast! Leave us a comment! Tell us where you are at! Leave a Review to help our audience grow!March 23, 2025 -- Pr. Kevin Kritzer -- "Yearning to Harvest!" -- Luke 13:1-9(13) At that time some people reported to Jesus about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals. 2 Jesus replied to them, “Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee? 3 No! I can guarantee that they weren't. But if you don't turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die. 4 What about those 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more sinful than other people living in Jerusalem? 5 No! I can guarantee that they weren't. But if you don't turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.” --GWhttp://www.bethanylutheran.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.facebook.com/Bethany.Long.Beach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/BethanyLutheranLongBeach

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! We are moving through the season of Lent, and this sermon is based on Luke chapter 13:1–9, and 31–35, which is an interesting collection of stories, including the Tower of Siloam, a parable about a fig tree that bears no fruit, and Jesus's lament over Jerusalem. Hope the sermon will be meaningful and fruitful to you this week.To find out more about our church, you can head on over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.williamsburgbaptist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you have a moment, we'd also love for you to click over to follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We are a small but vibrant and growing congregation, and there are lots of ways to connect. Please don't hesitate to reach out if we can help support you in any way! Thanks so much for tuning in!

Dr. Chris Croghan and Sarah Stenson explain that this text is difficult to preach because people ask theodicy questions: Why do bad things happen to good people? What can I do to avoid God's wrath? You've heard us discuss how God's mercy is unfair, but, in today's conversation, we talk about how God's wrath is unfair as well. Lastly, Jesus says unless you repeat, you will all perish. We ask, “Is repenting something we can do?” Spoiler: God is the one acting on you. HOLY WEEK GUIDE“The cross stands before us, and the empty tomb beyond it. Nothing will ever be the same. The road is narrow now. The hosannas will fade like the last notes of a half-remembered song, and in their place comes a malevolent, oppressive evil. Holy Week is upon us, and there is no turning back.”As we enter into Lent, we know that Holy Week lies on the other side of these 40 days. And though its completion is marked with triumphant joy, there is no “skip to the end” option here. The only way out is through, but it is not even our burden to bear — “We come only to hear, to receive, to be repented.”As you prepare for Holy Week, we invite you to take advantage of our brand new, free Holy Week Planning Guide, courtesy of Pastor Mark Anderson, which includes weekly planning outlines, Bible studies, activities, liturgies, and hymns. Access the guide: https://lutherhouseofstudy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/HolyWeekPlanner.pdf LENT GUIDEAs we enter the 40-day season of Lent, Luther House of Study is offering a new Lent Planning Guide from Pastor Mark Anderson. He describes, “It seems to be set up for ‘What I have to do,' for pastors to start giving people examples of Christian living, but Lent is all about what God has done.” The guide offers the following free resources to help pastors preach the Gospel with clarity:Week-by-week reflections focused on baptism, repentance, grace, and more.Hymn suggestions that tie into each week's theme.Greek word studies that deepen the understanding of key theological concepts.Practical sermon and teaching ideas to help bring the message of Lent to life.Visit: Preparing for Lent with Pastor Mark Anderson - Luther House of Study GOSPEL Luke 13:1-91 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them -- do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' 8 He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.' "Support the showInterested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?Email Sarah at sarah@lhos.org or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Passage: 1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5 ESV) Song: Song of Repentance by Esther-Jane White, Lauren Harris, Mark Vallance, and Nick Herbert Lyrics: We've fallen short We've wandered far from Your ways Forgive us O Lord We've sinned against Your name Lord have mercy Christ have mercy This is a song of repentance This is a plea to Your heart Would You purify us Lord Open Your hand to deliver Reach down in power to save You are Holy God God keep us close Held in Your promise of grace Come change our hearts Restore who we are we pray Now Almighty One All-consuming love Lord remember us Make us holy For the sake of Christ We lay down our lives O now Church arise For His glory This is a song of revival Let holiness flood through this land Would You purify us Lord Would You purify us Lord Prayer: O Almighty and merciful Father, you pour your benefits upon us—forgive the unthankfulness with which we have requited your goodness. We have remained before you with dead and senseless hearts, unkindled with love of your gentle and enduring goodness. Turn us, O merciful Father, and so shall we be turned. Make us with our whole heart to hunger and thirst after you, and with all our longing to desire you. Amen. – Anselm​

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we celebrate one year! 52 weeks of podcasts down, thousands to go! We're at The Hive in the 21C Hotel talking with the super-energetic Executive Chef, Micah Klasky. What a great interview... but first? Food News!! It's an unusually busy week of food news, both good news and bad... Casa Magnolia opened last Friday in downtown Springdale. We'll hear from Chef Rafael Rios Speaking of Chef Rios, Yeyo's at the 8th Street Market is closed temporarily, we'll tell you why. Former Fayetteville Food Truck, Dot's Nashville Hot Chicken is now in a brick and mortar Now for the not-so-great news. Con Pilas Coffee House in Springdale officially shut their doors this past weekend, as did Doomsday Coffee in Siloam, and The Fat Chef at Prairie Creek. Micah Klasky is from the Dallas-area, but spent his formative years growing up in Jonesboro... From a very young age, one of the tv shows he grew up watching was the greatness of Justin Wilson. If you've never heard of Justin Wilson, just look him up on YouTube. He was an exceptional Cajun cook and could absolutely spin a yarn. You'll see what I mean... he was the best. So, Micah was destined to cook, obviously. He started making his way through the business because of a mentor that he connected with. It included a seasonal work-trip to the east coast. Micah will tell you that story. He'll also talk about some of the best advice he's gotten, and it's the same advice that I've given before when talking to college kids. What got him from Little Rock to Bentonville in 2014? He'll tell us. Also, he's super-passionate about No Kid Hungry. He talks about 2 fundraisers he's doing for them, including a chef's dinner with some insanely talented chefs, and there will be some Michelin Stars represented at that dinner. Please listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts.

Luke 13:1-5 (NKJV) 1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

So often we reduce Job down to a book about suffering, but we miss the deeper theodicy. Theodicy is dealing with the issue of a just God and suffering in this world. Job is a book about God showing he will triumph over Satan, and addressing the issue of theodicy. The seed of the woman will be crushed. Job, the main actor in this historic story, is put forth as a champion. Job is in line with the counselors that the righteous receive blessing while the wicked receive punishment. Job has to wrestle with this self-righteous view. Job comes to know God and eventually puts his hand over his mouth after knowing that the ways of God are more complex than the box man builds around God. This theme is echoed in Christ's response to the question of the Siloam tower. Here humans died, the setting seems to be that the Galileans probably deserved it, but Christ calls all people to repentance, emphasizing that righteousness is not determined by outward circumstances but by one's hearing Christ's words. Suffering is complex, and the study of suffering in light of a just God is even more complex. Christ further illustrates this point through the parable of the barren tree. The tree, despite receiving care and nourishment, fails to bear fruit, symbolizing those who hear the gospel but remain unrepentant. They are not hearers of God's word, but merely performers. Just as the vineyard owner delays judgment to give the tree one more chance, God's patience allows time for people to repent, reorient their mindset, and humbly submit to Christ. Christ echoes the words of John the Baptizer that the axe is at the root, so the time to repent, hear Christ's call, and consciously be oriented towards Christ's kingdom is right now. Job's story fits this broader biblical narrative by challenging simplistic views of divine justice. Job's friends assume that there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between righteousness and suffering, but Christ is making the case that God's ways are more intricate and complicated than the boxes we place around God. Christ's point is that suffering should not lead to self-righteous vindication, but to humble self-examination that leads one to conform to Christ's kingdom, and discern Christ's ways. Our role is to remain faithful by discerning what is pleasing unto the Lord, conform to the Spirit's proddings, and humbly submit to God's will as sojourners in this world.

FEB. 10, 2025Use your gifts in ministry to others."The gifts and...calling of God are irrevocable. " Ro 11:29 NKJVWhen God gives us a spiritual gift, He doesn't take it back. "The gifts and...calling of God are irrevocable. " And if God does not, we must not! Paul writes: "If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived" (Gal 6:1-3 MSG). When a brother or sister in Christ goes astray, the Bible tells us what we must do; lovingly confront them, gently correct and counsel them, and cover them. The Bible says, "Love will cover a multitude of sins" (1Pe 4:8 NKJV).Now the word "cover" doesn't mean "cover up"; it means provide a place of shelter and restoration where they can be made whole. Is restoring someone sometimes messy? Yes, especially if they have hurt others and brought embarrassment to the family of God. But that's the point… They are still our spiritual family! The world is watching to see how we handle this. If we throw away those among us who stumble, why would the world turn to us for help?Jesus healed a blind man by rubbing clay in his eyes and telling him to go and wash it off in the pool of Siloam. How far away was the pool? We don't know. But he needed someone to hold his hand and walk with him until he reached it and his sight was restored. And that's what we have been called to do.Use your gifts in ministry to others A place of shelter and restorationShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

“‘I don’t know whether he is a sinner,’ the man replied. ‘But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!’” (John 9:25 NLT) Jesus and His disciples encountered a man who had been blind his entire life. The disciples asked the Lord, “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” (verse 2 NLT). That may seem like an odd question about someone who had been blind since birth. But some Jewish people believed that it was possible for unborn babies to sin in the womb. Whatever prompted their question, for the disciples, the man’s blindness was an abstract theological puzzle. They had no real compassion for him. They lacked humility, empathy, and concern. Jesus did not. He explained that the man’s blindness wasn’t the result of his or his parents’ sin. In fact, the man’s blindness gave God an opportunity to work in his life in a way that sighted people would never experience. The apostle Paul makes a similar point in 2 Corinthians 12. Paul had some kind of disability or affliction that hindered his work. He called it a “thorn in my flesh.” Three times he asked God to remove it from him. And three times God said no. “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT). Our flaws and weaknesses can bring us closer to God if we look at them from the right perspective. They remind us that we need Him. They encourage us to depend on Him. Jesus showed the power of God in the man’s life in a hands-on way. The man’s blindness wasn’t an abstract theological concept to Him. He spit on the ground, made mud with His saliva, and rubbed it on the man’s eyes. He told him to wash off the mud in the pool of Siloam. And when the man did, he could see! The Light of the world led the man out of his literal darkness. You can probably guess on which day of the week the healing occurred: the Sabbath. When the Jewish leaders heard about it, they were—again—outraged. How dare Jesus ignore their religious rules to change someone’s life forever by giving him the ability to see for the first time! Some Pharisees argued that Jesus couldn’t possibly have been sent by God because He worked on the Sabbath. (The man may have been healed of his physical blindness, but their spiritual blindness was still a huge obstacle.) Other Pharisees rightly argued that an ordinary sinner couldn’t perform such a miraculous healing. Things got so absurd that the religious leaders sent for the man’s parents and tried to get them to admit that their son hadn’t been blind at all. The parents carefully avoided the matter. They had been told that anyone who even suggested that Jesus was the Messiah would be kicked out of the synagogue. So the leaders again sent for the formerly blind man. They tried to get him to admit that he’d been healed by an ordinary sinner and not the Messiah. “If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it,” the man replied in verse 33 (NLT). The outraged religious leaders threw him out of the synagogue. Their unwillingness to see Jesus for who He really was clouded their judgment in practically every other area of their lives. They couldn’t see—or admit—the obvious. Their pride kept them in spiritual darkness. They had no interest in the light. — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:Genesis 31-33;Luke 13 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 the Daily Radio Bible with your host, Hunter. On today's episode, we close out the second week of our spiritual journey through scriptures and prayer, focusing on growth, healing, and the importance of community. We delve into the compelling story of Jacob and Laban's covenant at Mispah, Jacob's dramatic encounters with God, and his reconciliation with Esau. We'll also explore teachings from Jesus about repentance, salvation, and the transformative power of faith, using rich parables and profound metaphors. Hunter, our Bible reading coach, guides us through this spiritual passage, aiming to complete the entire Bible in a year. Join us in this season of Epiphany, as we seek deeper revelations of God's love and presence together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He leads us towards reconciliation and transformation. As we read through Genesis chapters 31-33 and Luke chapter 13, we are invited to reflect on the profound and transformative power of reconciliation and divine intervention. The journey we witness in Jacob's life shows us the paths of struggle, fear, exodus, and finally, reunification. We see Jacob carefully following God's instructions to return to his homeland, even amidst the hostility he faces from Laban's sons and the change in Laban's attitude. Witness how God reassures Jacob of His divine presence throughout his journey, guiding him toward reconciliation and peace. When Jacob confronts Laban, their escalating conflict ultimately resolves in a covenant of peace marked by a monument of stones, a powerful symbol of their pledged boundary and mutual respect under God's witness. This story mirrors our own journeys. It reveals how, even in times of tension and adversity, God's guidance can lead to reconciliation and peace. As Jacob proceeds to meet his estranged brother Esau, we see him wrestling with fear and anxious hope for reconciliation. His night-long struggle with a divine figure, resulting in his renaming to "Israel" and his receipt of God's blessing, symbolizes the profound transformation that emerges from our deepest struggles. Consider also how Jacob's tentative, divided approach to meeting Esau reflects our own fears in facing conflict. His prayer for protection and his offering of gifts are acts of humility and a plea for grace —steps toward reconciliation. Remarkably, when Jacob and Esau finally meet, their encounter culminates not in violence, but in a heartfelt embrace and reconciliation. In Luke 13, Jesus challenges us to reflect on the nature of repentance and the unexpected ways God's kingdom unfolds among us. He speaks of Galileans and the tragedy of the tower of Siloam, pointing not to divine punishment, but to the universal need for repentance to avoid perishing. The parable of the fig tree granted another year embodies the patience and second chances God offers us. Jesus' healing of the crippled woman on the Sabbath defies the indignation of the religious leaders but illustrates the transformative and liberating power of God's kingdom. Moreover, the metaphors of the mustard seed and yeast capture the expansive and permeating influence of faith, which starts small but transforms everything it touches. We also see Jesus cautioning about the difficulty of entering God's kingdom, stressing the importance of being known by God. His unwavering commitment in the face of Herod's threat exemplifies his dedication to God's mission. Much like Jacob's wrestling with God, our faith journey often involves deep struggle and self-emptying. In these moments of struggle, we are invited to enter into God's transformative work, which reconciles and renews. As citizens of God's kingdom, we are called to experience and extend the love, peace, and transformation that only He can provide. We're invited into this divine wrestling match, to struggle with our fears, face our conflicts head-on, and ultimately, to be transformed and reconciled both with God and others. Let us embrace this message of reconciliation and transformation. Let us live out our faith with the assurance that God's presence is with us, guiding every step. As we walk this journey together, may we be lights of this kingdom, bringing God's love and peace into every corner of our lives. That's my prayer for each of us today. May we walk in the transformative power of reconciliation and embrace our identity as citizens of His kingdom. 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  

Show #2315 Show Notes: Proverbs 2: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%202&version=KJ21 Obama fundamental change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx9yyM2YmRs Lightning Strike on Capitol, Empire State Building and Washington Monument: https://www.latestly.com/socially/world/god-is-sending-us-a-message-lightning-strike-on-us-capitol-washington-monument-and-empire-state-building-on-new-years-eve-sparks-frenzy-among-netizens-watch-videos-6533552.html Tower of Siloam: https://www.gotquestions.org/tower-of-Siloam.html Shroud of Turan: https://coachdavelive.tv/w/krffQXtWawca1jGyHpoBsx Larry Sanger on Wikipedia: https://gatewayhispanic.com/video/wikipedia-co-founder-larry-sanger-on-how-his-site-went-woke/ Dave […]

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: John 7-8 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, dear listeners, to the Daily Radio Bible podcast. I'm your host, Hunter, and today is December 20th, 2024, day 355 of our year-long journey through the scriptures. We're nearing the end of the year but our mission remains just as powerful: to experience the transformative love of God through His Word. In today's episode, we delve into the Gospel of John, chapters 7 and 8. We witness Jesus as He moves amidst skepticism and hostility, secretly attending the Festival of Shelters, and delivering profound teachings about His divine origin and purpose. From confronting His critics to offering living water to the spiritually thirsty, Jesus' messages and actions stir both faith and controversy among those around Him. Join us as we explore these rich passages and reflect on the living water Jesus offers, culminating in His poignant declaration, "I am the light of the world." As always, we pray to deepen our understanding and experience the fullness of God's presence in our lives. Stay tuned for a compelling reading and heartfelt prayers that follow. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Amen. It's the climax of the festival of shelters, and Jesus commandeers the whole thing. The priest would descend the steps in this ceremony from the temple down to the pool of Siloam. There he would retrieve water and walk it all the way back up the steps and pour it out on the altar. And there he would recite from Isaiah chapter 12, which reads, With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation. This was a messianic promise that was reenacted every year. It was a promise that there would come a day when the Messiah would come and offer salvation to his people, and all the faithful would drink deeply from that fountain of life. The priest would descend those steps for 7 days, bringing up that water every day. And on the 7th day, the priest would do that for the final time. It was the climax of the celebration. People were standing all around with palm fronds and lit lanterns. It was a glorious moment that Jesus upstages. He steps forward at that particular moment, and he begins to shout out to the crowds, and the people were amazed at his words. He said this in verse 38, anyone who believes in me may come and drink, for the scriptures declare that rivers of living waters will flow from his heart. Amazing. The salvation the world is dying for has come. Those salvific waters are proceeding not from some religious temple, in some religious altar. It emerges from the very heart of God. The deadly drought caused by our rebellion has come to an end. The wait for life giving water is over. The source of our life is now standing before us. It is a person. It's Jesus who comes with his father in the anointing of the spirit. The 3 in 1 are present right here, right now, and he's telling us to drink deep and never stop drinking. That water is going to flow for all. He is the salvation the world has been waiting for and he is here. Jesus took center stage at that moment because he didn't want any of us to miss this sign. He's the one we're looking for. He's the one Isaiah spoke about. So let's drink deep of that fountain today and every day. The triune God, the creator of all things, is beckoning you to come to bring your thirsty soul to him and receive all that you want. That's the prayer that I have for my own souls that I will see it, my friends, that I will receive it, and that I will drink deep. That water is going to flow for all. He is the salvation the world has been waiting for and he is here. Jesus took center stage at that moment because he didn't want any of us to miss this sign. He's the one we're looking for. He's the one Isaiah spoke about. So let's drink deep of that fountain today and every day. The triune God, the creator of all things, is beckoning you to come to bring your thirsty soul to him and receive all that you want. That's the prayer that I have for my own souls that I will see it, my friends, that I will receive it, and that I will drink deep. 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  

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're in Springdale where we interviewed the 3 owners of Rein Sushi & Hibachi. We'll talk to Raynor, Bari and Avery shortly, but first... Food News!! Some big food news came down yesterday. James Beard nominated Chef Matthew Cooper and the folks at Conifer announced a new endeavor on Monday night- It's called RYN! It will be a farm-to-table tasting menu restaurant, and like Conifer, it'll be gluten-free. Also like Conifer, they'll support local farmers and purveyors, providing fresh, and sustainable ingredients. If you listened to Conifer's podcast with us in March, you heard Chef Cooper break the news that they'd have their own farm soon. Well, that farm will be right outside the back door, and they'll be growing much of their own food right on the farm. They also hope to provide community events and much more. It's set to open next year. We'll have more info as it becomes available and catch up with Chef Cooper next year. The Ozark Beer Company's release of its heralded Bourbon Double Cream Stout, or BDCS, went live Monday, and as of last night, they were still selling it on their website. It's a smaller run this year, so it won't last long. You can pick up your orders in their taproom starting December 28th. There are few things I like more than fun food & Bev promotions, and one smacked me RIGHT across the face the other day on Instagram. Black Apple Hard Cider is having a Short Girl Appreciation night, where they'll short your tab 10% if you're a female under 5-foot-2... it runs from 5-10pm on Tuesday December 21st... don't forget, they have a full cocktail program now to go along with some of the country's best cider. Speaking of cocktails, if you're in the Siloam area, Park House Kitchen & Bar has come out with their holiday cocktail menu! That Peppermint Mocha White Russian and Smores Old Fashioned have my attention. Check it out on their social media... Now to Rein Sushi & Hibachi... to be so young, what a past these folks have. There are 3 owners, Reiner Wibowo, Averie Mattix and Bari Abe, and they're super-tight. Reiner and Bari are both originally from Indonesia but met in Harrison, Arkansas, where they both met Averie and started a popular business there that they'll talk about. Later, they got the itch to open in an area where they liked to go on their off days, Northwest Arkansas. This is their 2nd business here, but the first one was purposefully short-lived, while they were looking for a place to set up their dream business... By the way, there are some unique menu items that we get to the bottom of! Check out Reiner, Averie and Bari on this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

The healing at the pool of Siloam from John 9 and we begin to unbox the importance of his love bursting forth in us. 

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving.... and welcome to the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast. I'm John Engleman, thanks for listening. Today, we're up in Bentonville at Lady Slipper talking to Chef Arturo Solis. But before we get to that? Food news! We're starting to see some winter menus pop up around NWA. Case-in-point, House 1830 in Rogers came out with theirs yesterday. Check out their social media to see a new menu item- curry lobster stir-fry! If you have a place with a new menu coming out, shoot me a note on social media or email. Would love to see it. Speaking of new menus, Con Pilas Coffeehaus in Springdale has one, that's for sure. They started their cocktail program this week. We'll hear about it from co-owner Juan Dove. Park House Kitchen & Bar in Siloam will now be closed on the first Monday of every month for maintenance. Plan accordingly! The Lady Slipper in downtown Bentonville opened in late October of 2022, and chef Arturo Solis has been involved since the beginning. He's originally from Miami and was in the family business before he decided that he would end up cooking for a living. He'll tell you what that business was, and I certainly wasn't expecting it! And what was it that made him decide for a life in the culinary world? Probably not what you'd think. We talk menu at the Lady Slipper and how his influences cover a sizeable spectrum with limited kitchen space and a small menu. Please like and subscribe if you like what you hear!

In this insightful exploration of Luke 13:1-9, Pastor Matt Shackelford shows how to navigate life's inevitable tragedies by focusing on transformation. Jesus addresses the unavoidable nature of suffering in a fallen world, using the examples of the Galileans killed by Pilate and the tower in Siloam. Learn how to prioritize your spiritual life, respond to tragedy, and allow God to shape you through trials.

Gospel Luke 13:1-9 Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of' their sacrifices. He said to them in reply,  “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way  they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed  when the tower at Siloam fell on them– do you think they were more guilty  than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable:  “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,  and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree  but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also,  and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;  it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.'” Reflection The people that asked the question of Jesus reveal a sense that God's response to sinners is that he wants to destroy them. And Jesus corrects their misunderstanding saying, God is not will to destroy a sinner, but they change that they repent, they face what they've done. And then he promises them that they will be given time and a way to nurture, to increase their capacity for goodness. For fruitfulness. Closing Prayer Father, the condition of failing is part of the process of growing and changing. We are called over and over again to face the things that we've done that are wrong, and to find ways in which to nurture within ourselves the qualities that our sins have kept us from. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some people told Jesus about the Galileanswhose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?By no means!But I tell you, if you do not repent,you will all perish as they did!Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them–do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?By no means!But I tell you, if you do not repent,you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,he said to the gardener,‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none.So cut it down.Why should it exhaust the soil?'He said to him in reply,‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.If not you can cut it down.'”

Succoth stands as a beacon of joy, celebration, and divine presence, weaving together the rich history of Israel with the identity of Jesus as our Messiah and Lord. So, today I invite you into the tapestry of Succoth, exploring its historical roots, its connections to the identity, mission, life and teachings of Jesus, and its enduring relevance in understanding the presence of God in Scripture and our lives. The ancient feast of Succoth, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, marks the last of the four major feasts, taking place in the fall and following the solemn day of Yom Kippur. A time of rejoicing, Succoth commemorates the first harvest of the fall while also serving as a celebration of God's faithfulness and provision even in the midst of affliction. It is deeply ingrained with the themes of joy, abundance, and new life, reflecting the universal body of Christ and pointing to the coming millennial kingdom. One of the many things we explore together today, is when Jesus, in performing a miracle of healing a man born blind on the last day of Succoth, speaks directly to the deepest meaning of the festival. This act clearly showcases His divine authority. The blind man's cleansing at the pool of Siloam on the day of the water-drawing ceremony reinforces the symbolism and points to Jesus as the fulfillment of the feast.  Another aspect I invite you to experience today is the symbolic significance of the temporary shelters used during Succoth. It resounds with the truth of our identity as sojourners on earth, as mentioned in Hebrews 11:13-16. Paul and others spell out for us the implications of living in temporary tents and call us to set our minds on the things of Christ and the kingdom of God. So, join me today to experience this stunning feast! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

John 9:1-41   As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.” 13 They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they *said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.” 18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.32 Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” 40 Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,' your sin remains.     BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com     GIVE -  The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net