Podcast appearances and mentions of simon peter

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251205dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” John 1:39 Come and See Whenever something wonderful happens to us, what do we do? We tell someone. We call out to friends and family, inviting them to experience it with us. Whether it’s a sunset, a newborn baby, or the last-second shot that wins the game, we grab their attention and say, “You’ve got to come see this!” We want to share our excitement and joy with others. This is what Andrew did. Andrew had just met Jesus and spent time with him. Once Andrew understood and believed who Jesus truly was—the Lamb of God and the promised Savior—he couldn’t keep the news to himself. He immediately ran to find his brother, Simon Peter, with the excited announcement, “We’ve found the Messiah!” and urged him, “Come and see.” Do you feel that sharing Jesus is complicated? Do you feel unready? Unprepared? Andrew’s invitation was simple and full of heart. There was no pressure, no argument. He radiated the pure joy of encountering someone who transforms lives. This is still how faith is shared today. It does not start with a heated debate or a clever argument—it begins through genuine relationships. When people notice the peace, the hope, and quiet joy that shape your life, they become curious about what makes the difference. Their curiosity opens a door for a simple, heartfelt invitation. You don’t need all the answers or perfect words. You just need to know Jesus. Sharing Jesus does not have to be complicated. It can start with the most natural impulse in the world—an invitation: “Come and see.” This is an open invitation—not just at Advent but year-round. Come and see the One who took your place. Come and see the One who forgives your guilt. Come and see the One who gives your life meaning, direction, and hope. And then—go and tell. When you’ve met the Savior, you’ve got something truly worth sharing. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for inviting me to come and see your grace. Fill me with joy and courage to share you with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Episode Summary:In this captivating episode of the Faith with Friends podcast, host Lisa Lorenzo takes listeners on a reflective journey through Luke 5, as part of the December series exploring one chapter of the Gospel of Luke each day until Christmas. This insightful exploration invites listeners to delve into the meaning of faith and discipleship, drawing from episodes in Jesus's life manifested through miraculous events and profound teachings.As Lisa unpacks the vivid scenes from Luke chapter 5, she highlights the steadfast faith shown through transformative events, such as the miraculous catch of fish and the healing of a leper. This episode emphasizes the importance of answering Jesus's call, even when it defies logic or comfort, and shows how Jesus extends his love and redemption to the marginalized and outcasts of society. Lisa's storytelling encourages listeners to consider their roles in sharing and embracing faith, prompting them to reflect on areas in their lives where they may need to extend or receive God's grace and renewal.Key Takeaways:Jesus's teachings and miracles invite followers to deeper faith and commitment, encouraging them to “launch into deeper waters” just like Simon Peter.Jesus reaches out to those society deems untouchable, illustrating His willingness to bring healing and restoration to all aspects of human brokenness.The paralyzed man's story exemplifies the power of faithful companionship, showcasing the impact of friends who lead others to Jesus despite obstacles.Levi's calling shines a light on Jesus's purpose to seek and save the lost, embodying His mission to nurture the spiritually sick rather than the self-righteous.Luke 5 reveals the inevitability of transformation when encountering Jesus, who brings new life and is unrestrained by old conventions.Notable Quotes:"But because you say so, I will." - This pivotal moment when Peter heeds Jesus's advice leads to an abundant catch."Jesus is not afraid of your shame or your sickness or the parts of your life that others back away from.""This is what desperate faith looks like. This is what faithful friends do.""It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.""Luke 5 reminds us that Jesus steps into ordinary boats, touches untouchable people, forgives the deepest sin, and then calls the unlikely into purpose."Resources:Follow Lisa Lorenzo on Instagram: @FaithWithFriends_PodcastTune into this episode to embrace the spirit of faith-filled transformation and to prepare your heart for the journey through the Gospel of Luke. Subscribe and share with friends to help grow the Faith with Friends circle, and discover more episodes that inspire spiritual growth and deeper understanding of Christ's teachings.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251205dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” John 1:39 Come and See Whenever something wonderful happens to us, what do we do? We tell someone. We call out to friends and family, inviting them to experience it with us. Whether it’s a sunset, a newborn baby, or the last-second shot that wins the game, we grab their attention and say, “You’ve got to come see this!” We want to share our excitement and joy with others. This is what Andrew did. Andrew had just met Jesus and spent time with him. Once Andrew understood and believed who Jesus truly was—the Lamb of God and the promised Savior—he couldn’t keep the news to himself. He immediately ran to find his brother, Simon Peter, with the excited announcement, “We’ve found the Messiah!” and urged him, “Come and see.” Do you feel that sharing Jesus is complicated? Do you feel unready? Unprepared? Andrew’s invitation was simple and full of heart. There was no pressure, no argument. He radiated the pure joy of encountering someone who transforms lives. This is still how faith is shared today. It does not start with a heated debate or a clever argument—it begins through genuine relationships. When people notice the peace, the hope, and quiet joy that shape your life, they become curious about what makes the difference. Their curiosity opens a door for a simple, heartfelt invitation. You don’t need all the answers or perfect words. You just need to know Jesus. Sharing Jesus does not have to be complicated. It can start with the most natural impulse in the world—an invitation: “Come and see.” This is an open invitation—not just at Advent but year-round. Come and see the One who took your place. Come and see the One who forgives your guilt. Come and see the One who gives your life meaning, direction, and hope. And then—go and tell. When you’ve met the Savior, you’ve got something truly worth sharing. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for inviting me to come and see your grace. Fill me with joy and courage to share you with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

One of the large churches in our area started a new building and they announced it would be for community outreach. But they did something I've never seen a church do before. They gathered the congregation around the just-completed foundation of that new building and they asked them to throw something into the foundation. Now you've no doubt seen people's names on the outside of a building's foundation, especially on the cornerstone. But these folks were actually putting names inside the foundation - the names of people they care about who don't belong to Jesus yet - people they are hoping and praying will be in heaven with them some day. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Names on Your Heart." That's what should be at the foundation of every church, every ministry, every child of God - the names of specific lost people who we want to rescue. Here's a great example of how it's supposed to work. It's in our word for today from the Word of God. In John 1:41-42, we find that a young fisherman named Andrew has just discovered Jesus Christ. Notice his very first instinct: "The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah'... And he brought him to Jesus." Notice the first thing that happened was that Andrew had a name laid on his heart, a specific person he wanted to meet Jesus as he had. And we all know what a world-changer Simon Peter turned out to be because of someone who loved him enough to bring him to Jesus. There's someone like that in your life - someone who may never make it to Jesus if you don't bring them. And God is trying to plant their name deep in the foundation of your heart, so that person becomes your own personal spiritual mission from God. You need to begin to pray what I call the 3-open prayer on their behalf right now: First, "Lord, open a door." That's a natural opportunity for you to bring up your personal relationship with Jesus. Then, "Lord, open their heart." In other words, do things in that person's heart or life that will make them surprisingly ready to hear about You. And, finally, "Lord, open my mouth." Give me the courage, the words, the tone, and the approach. Let's try those: "Lord, open a door. Lord, open their heart. Lord, open my mouth." By the way, you don't have to pray, "If it be Your will." It is. It's one thing to talk and pray generally about all those people out there. It's something else to have a burden with a name - a burden that acknowledges your personal responsibility to be the one to introduce that person to Jesus. That's why Jesus put you in their life in the first place! You've been divinely assigned to them. And lost people should be the consuming passion of every Christian church, every Christian ministry. Our Lord's personal mission statement was to "seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). How can ours be anything less than that? For all of us, it's just so easy to fall into doing what's easy - which is to have a ministry that's "all about us," "by us," "to us." But Jesus is all about "them." We've got to ask Him to help us see what He sees when He looks at the people all around us. They are the future inhabitants of hell, unless someone intervenes with the love and the hope that only Jesus has. So would you make the names of some lost people that you want to be in heaven with you part of the foundation of your life, your priorities, your passion, your prayer. They're why He came, and they are why He put you where you are.

Great Restoration and Revival (1) (audio) David Eells 10/8/25 Tommy Hicks – 7/25/1961 (David's notes in red) (This is a powerful vision given to American preacher Tommy Hicks, who was a major figure in the 1954 Argentina Revival.) A vision of the Body of Christ in the End-time ministries. (My message begins July 25, about 2:30 in the morning at Winnipeg, Canada. I had hardly fallen asleep when the vision and the revelation that God gave me came before me. The vision came three times, exactly in detail, the morning of July 25, 1961. I was so stirred and so moved by the revelation that this has changed my complete outlook upon the body of Christ, and upon the end-time ministries. The greatest thing that the church of Jesus Christ has ever been given lies straight ahead. It is so hard to help men and women to realize and understand the thing that God is trying to give his people in the end times. I received a letter several weeks ago from one of our native evangelists down in Africa, down in Nairobi. This man and his wife were on their way to Tanganyika. They could neither read nor could they write, but we had been supporting them for over two years. As they entered into the territory of Tanganyika, they came across a small village. The entire village was evacuating because of a plague that had hit the village. He came across natives who were weeping, and he asked them what was wrong. They told him of their mother and father who had suddenly died, and they had been dead for three days. They had to leave. They were afraid to go in; they were leaving them in the cottage. He turned and asked them where they were. They pointed to the hut and he asked them to go with him, but they refused. They were afraid to go. The native and his wife went to this little cottage and entered where the man and woman had been dead for three days. He simply stretched forth his hand in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and spoke the man's name and the woman's name and said, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command life to come back to your bodies.” Instantaneously, these two heathen people who had never known Jesus Christ as their Savior sat up and immediately began to praise God. The spirit and the power of God came into the life of those people. To us that may seem strange and a phenomenon, but that is the beginning of these end-time ministries.  (I talked to a sister 3-6-25 whose husband had been dead for 81/2 months when I called him back in the name of Jesus and by the grace of God he came to her in her kitchen. In another case a husband, wife and children had been killed by Satanists as witnessed by Eve and my angel and I called them back and all immediately returned by God's grace. God can use a donkey. Back to Tommy's message.) God is going to take the do-nothings, the nobodies, the unheard-of, the no-accounts. He is going to take every man and every woman and he is going to give them this outpouring of the Spirit of God. In the Book of Acts, we read that “In the last days,” God said, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” I wonder if we realized what God meant when He said, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” I do not think I fully realized nor could I understand the fullness of it, and then I read from the Book of Joel: “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain…” (Joel 2:23). …He is going to give to his people in these last days a double portion of the power of God!) As the vision appeared to me after I was asleep, I suddenly found myself in a great high distance. Where I was, I do not know. But I was looking down upon the earth. Suddenly the whole earth came into my view. Every nation, every kindred, every tongue came before my sight from the east and the west, the north and the south. I recognized every country and many cities that I had been in, and I was almost in fear and trembling as I beheld the great sight before me: and at that moment when the world came into view, it began to lightning and thunder. As the lightning flashed over the face of the earth, my eyes went downward and I was facing the north. Suddenly I beheld what looked like a great giant, and as I stared and looked at it, I was almost bewildered by the sight. It was so gigantic and so great. His feet seemed to reach to the north pole and his head to the south. Its arms were stretched from sea to sea. (Meaning: A great corporate body of saints.) I could not even begin to understand whether this was a mountain or a giant, but as I watched, I suddenly beheld a great giant. I could see his head was struggling for life. He wanted to live, but his body was covered with debris from head to foot (Sin and false doctrines), and at times this great giant would move his body and act as though it would even raise up at times. And when it did, thousands of little creatures seemed to run away. (Demons) Hideous creatures would run away from this giant, and when he would become calm, they would come back. All of a sudden this great giant lifted his hand towards heaven, and then it lifted its other hand (Praising the Lord!), and when it did, these creatures by the thousands seemed to flee away from this giant and go into the darkness of the night. Slowly this great giant began to rise and as he did, his head and hands went into the clouds. As he rose to his feet he seemed to have cleansed himself from the debris and filth that was upon him, and he began to raise his hands into the heavens as though praising the Lord, and as he raised his hands, they went even unto the clouds. Suddenly, every cloud became silver, the most beautiful silver (purified through heavenly fire) I have ever known. As I watched this phenomenon, it was so great, I could not even begin to understand what it all meant. I was so stirred as I watched it, and I cried unto the Lord and I said, “Oh Lord, what is the meaning of this?” and I felt as if I was actually in the Spirit and I could feel the presence of the Lord even as I was asleep. And from those clouds suddenly there came great drops of liquid light raining down upon this mighty giant (light is truth), and slowly, slowly, this giant began to melt, began to sink itself in the very earth itself, and as he melted (bearing their cross), his whole form seemed to have melted upon the face of the earth, and this great rain began to come down. Liquid drops of light began to flood the very earth itself, and as I watched this giant that seemed to melt, suddenly it became millions of people over the face of the earth. As I beheld the sight before me, people stood up all over the world! They were lifting their hands and they were praising the Lord. At that very moment, there came a great thunder that seemed to roar from the heavens. I turned my eyes toward the heavens and suddenly I saw a figure in white, in glistening white; the most glorious thing that I have ever seen in my entire life. I did not see the face, but somehow I knew it was the Lord Jesus Christ, and he stretched forth his hand, and as he did, he would stretch it forth to one, and to another, and to another. And as he stretched forth his hand upon the nations and the people of the world, men and women, as he pointed toward them, this liquid light seemed to flow from his hands into them, and a mighty anointing of God came upon them (The latter rain), and those people began to go forth in the name of the Lord. I do not know how long I watched it. It seemed it went into days and weeks and months. And I beheld this Christ as he continued to stretch forth his hand, but there was a tragedy. There were many people, as he stretched forth his hand, who refused the anointing of God and the call of God. I saw men and women that I knew. People that I felt would certainly receive the call of God. But as he stretched forth his hand toward this one and toward that one, they simply bowed their head and began to back away. And each of those that seemed to bow down and back away seemed to go into darkness. Blackness seemed to swallow them everywhere. (Faction and falling away) I was bewildered as I watched it, but these people that he had anointed, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, in Africa, England, Russia, China, America, all over the world, the anointing of God was upon these people as they went forward in the name of the Lord. I saw these men and women as they went forth. They were ditch diggers, they were washerwomen, they were rich men, they were poor men. I saw people who were bound with paralysis and sickness and blindness and deafness. As the Lord stretched forth to give them this anointing, they became well, they became healed, and they went forth exactly as the Lord did. And this is the miracle of it - this is the glorious miracle of it. It seemed as if there was this same liquid fire in their hands - those people would stretch forth their hands and say, “According to my word, be thou made whole.” These people continued in this mighty end-time ministry. I did not fully realize what it was, and I looked to the Lord and said, “What is the meaning of this?” And he said, “This is that which I will do in the last days. I will restore all that the cankerworm, the palmerworm, the caterpillar - I will restore all that they have destroyed. This, my people, in the end times will go forth. As a mighty army shall they sweep over the face of the earth.” As I was at this great height, I could behold the whole world. I watched these people as they were going to and fro over the face of the earth. Suddenly there was a man in Africa and in a moment he was transported by the Spirit of God, and perhaps he was in Russia, or China or America or some other place, and vice versa. All over the world these people went, and they came through fire, and through pestilence, and through famine. Neither fire nor persecution, nothing seemed to stop them. Angry mobs came to them with swords and with guns. And like Jesus, they passed through the multitudes and they could not find them, but they went forth in the name of the Lord, and everywhere they stretched forth their hands, the sick were healed, the blind eyes were opened. There was not a long prayer. And after I had reviewed the vision many times in my mind, and I thought about it many times, I realized that I never saw a church, and I never saw or heard a denomination, but these people were going in the name of the Lord of Hosts. Hallelujah! As they marched forth in everything they did, as the ministry of Christ in the end times, these people were ministering to the multitudes over the face of the earth. Tens of thousands, even millions, seemed to come to the Lord Jesus Christ as these people stood forth and gave the message of the kingdom, of the coming kingdom, in this last hour. It was so glorious, but it seems as though there were those who rebelled, and they would become angry and they tried to attack those workers who were giving the message. (As in Jesus' day so it is in ours) God is going to give the world a demonstration in this last hour that the world has never known. These men and women are of all walks of life; degrees will mean nothing. I saw these workers as they were going over the face of the earth. When one would stumble and fall, another would come and pick him up. There were no “big I's” and “little you's,” but every mountain was brought low and every valley was exalted, and they seemed to have one thing in common - there was a divine love, a divine love that seemed to flow forth from these people as they worked together, and as they lived together. It was the most glorious sight that I have ever known. Jesus Christ was the theme of their life. They continued and it seemed days went by as I stood and beheld this sight. I could only cry, and sometimes I laughed. It was so wonderful as these people went throughout the face of the whole earth, bringing forth in this last end time. As I watched from the very heaven itself, there were times when great deluges of this liquid light seemed to fall upon great congregations, and they would lift up their hands and seemingly praise God for hours and even days as the Spirit of God came upon them. God said, “I will pour my Spirit upon all flesh,” and that is exactly this thing. And to every man and woman that received this power and anointing of God, the miracles were without end. (We have talked about miracles. We have talked about signs and wonders, but I could not help but weep as I read again this morning, at 4 o'clock the letter from our native workers. This is only the evidence of the beginning for one man, a “do-nothing, an unheard-of,” who would go and stretch forth his hand and say, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command life to flow into your body.” I dropped to my knees and began to pray again, and I said, “Lord, I know that this time is coming soon!”) And then again, as these people were going about the face of the earth, a great persecution seemed to come from every angle. Suddenly, there was another great clap of thunder that seemed to resound around the world, and I heard again the voice that seemed to speak, “Now this is my people. This is my beloved bride.” (In Revelation, we see the Bride in her “lampros,” liquid light garment who has been doing miracles all over the world. Rev.19:7 Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright (Lampros) and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. John the Baptist saw Jesus' first fruits disciples and called them the Bride for he said, “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom.” This Bride went forth to do miracles in the gospels and in Acts and to pass this anointing on to the rest of the church. Then in Revelation we see the rest of the church in a white or “leukos” garment who are invited to the marriage. Rev.19:14 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white (Leukos) and pure. And below we will see in Tommy's revelation the dead in Christ rising to be joined with them at the end of the seven-year tribulation.) And when the voice spoke, I looked upon the earth and I could see the lakes and the mountains. The graves were opened, and people from all over the world, the saints of all ages, seemed to be rising. (The dead in Christ will rise first.) And as they rose from the grave, suddenly all these people came from every direction. From the East and the West, from the North and the South, and they seemed to be forming again this gigantic body. As the dead in Christ seemed to be rising first I could hardly comprehend it. It was so marvelous. It was so far beyond anything I could ever dream or think of. But as this body suddenly began to form and take shape again, it was in the form of this mighty giant, but this time it was different. It was arrayed in the most beautiful, gorgeous white. (In Rev.19:14 this is the white or “leukos” garments of the church.) Its garments were without spot or wrinkle as its body began to form, and the people of all ages seemed to be gathered into this body, and slowly, slowly, as it began to form up into the very heavens, suddenly from the heavens above, the Lord Jesus came, and became the head.  (Now, Jesus is the head of the Bride, John said was Jerusalem, just as David, as a type of the Man-child reformers, was head of the Bride, Jerusalem. In this way Jesus and David were also the head of the rest of the Body of Israel; a type of the Church. We see this same relationship of Esther as the Bride head of the body of Israel and the Shulammite in Song of Solomon as the Bride head of Israel.) I heard another clap of thunder that said, “This is my beloved bride for whom I have waited. She will come forth even tried by fire. This is she that I have loved from the beginning of time.” As I watched, my eyes suddenly turned to the far north, and I saw destruction of men and women in anguish and crying out, and buildings in destruction. Then I heard again, the fourth voice that said, “Now is My wrath being poured out upon the face of the earth.” (The Day of the Lord's wrath upon those who persecuted God's people.) From the ends of the whole world, the wrath of God seemed to be poured out and it seemed that there were great vials of God's wrath being poured out upon the face of the earth. (The seals and trumps of the tribulation were followed by the vials of wrath in the day of the Lord. There are seven years before the Bride and Church are caught up followed by the year of wrath on the wicked who persecuted them. Isa.34:8 For Jehovah hath a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.) I can remember it as though it happened a moment ago. I shook and trembled as I beheld the awful sight of seeing the cities and whole nations going down into destruction. I could hear the weeping and wailing. I could hear people crying. They seemed to cry as they went into caves, but the caves in the mountains opened up. They leaped into the water, but the water would not drown them. There was nothing that could destroy them. They were wanting to take their lives, but they could not. Then again I turned my eyes to this glorious sight, this body arrayed in beautiful white, shining garments. Slowly, slowly, it began to lift from the earth, and as it did, I awoke. (This is the catching up of the lampros Bride and white Church body at the end of the tribulation before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.) What a sight I had beheld! I had seen the end-time ministries - the last hour. Again, on July 27, at 2:30 in the morning, the same revelation, the same vision came again exactly as it did before. My life has been changed as I realized that we are living in that end time, for all over the world God is anointing men and women with this ministry. It will not be doctrine. It will not be a churchianity. It is going to be Jesus Christ. They will give forth the word of the Lord. I heard it said so many times in the vision, “And according to my word it shall be done.”   Joel's Restoration Begins Sandy Shaw - 3/30/12 (David's notes in red) In this dream we were in a place that looked like Tahlequah, Oklahoma but it was bigger and prettier. It was really beautiful. (In Cherokee, Tahlequah means, “just two or two is enough”. Just as Jesus sent out the disciples and the 70 two by two, so it will be in our day when Jesus in the Man-child ministers will send out the two witnesses in the Great Revival.) There were a lot of people from UBM there, not just local but from all over. The people there were like-minded. There were many ages, from babies all the way up to old men. There was singing, praying, eating, and all kinds of fellowship and the kids were playing. It was like in a big meadow with a lot of shade trees. There was just ‘a oneness' there; it was peaceful and really beautiful. The sun felt so good. Then it started to rain while the sun was still shining, and the rain lasted only a few seconds before it began to pour down like a waterfall. It was just a steady, flowing stream of water hitting everyone there, from the babies to the oldest. (A renewal of the former rain upon the saints and then the beginning of the latter rain upon the David reformer ministries before it's given to the saints, just as Joel spoke of and the Gospels show in type: (Joe.2:22) Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength. (23) Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first [month]. (Note: Hos.6:3… he (the Lord) will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. The Lord will come as the anointing of the Holy Spirit not in the air or in a rapture of the Church!!) Back to Joel (24) And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. (25) And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm (representing the curse on God's people), my great army which I sent among you. (26) And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Jehovah your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame. (27) And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Jehovah your God, and there is none else; and my people shall never be put to shame. (28) And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (29) and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. Everyone was feeling this water and it was filling us up. It was freshness and newness and it didn't feel like any other kind of anointing one has ever felt before. We knew that we knew, it was there to stay. Everyone had their faces up to the water, to the anointing, feeling the water. (I am not doing it justice in explaining how it felt; how it was filling us up and how we all felt; even to say, “Walking on a cloud” is not the right words but I don't know any other words.) I saw people walking on stones and stickers in the ground, and we were barefoot, and it didn't hurt us, like we didn't feel it. (Representing walking above the curses of this world with no hurt.) We knew that we knew, our entire body was anointed of God. We knew what we were doing was ordained of God and we were just doing it. There were no questions. (I just can't explain the oneness or the way our hands felt; like they were not our hands, but the Lord's hands. …Each step was ordained of the Lord. We knew that nothing could take away what God had given to us. We were being completely used by Him. It was like walking or moving on clouds.) ... When everyone was filled, ... that's when we heard God tell us, “Ok, get busy; we're going to work now”. (The beginning of the spread of the revival.)   Revival Beginning at UBM Charlie Smith - 12/12/12 (David's notes in red) Notice the date of this dream: 12/12/12, the fullness of the elect. In the early hours of the morning, the Lord gave me this dream. In it, suddenly, I appeared in a large room where I saw brother David (representing the David Man-child reformers) and about 10 or 12 brethren standing around. (I asked the Lord if this was 12 and got a yes, which fits with Jesus and his 12 when revival began then.) I knew David, but his features had changed some. I mean, he really looked great. I could really see God in the man like I never had before. (David, here is a type of the Man-child reformers who will start this revival, just as Jesus, the Son of David, did in His time. The things that have been are the things that will be.) And I knew him, but the other brethren I did not recognize, although I really did know who they were. As I stood looking, a man came over to me and He was the Lord! The brethren were being taught how to minister to the needs of the people. Brother David walked across the room to pray for a man who came for healing. He stood before the man and said, “Be healed,” and the man was healed instantly. David turned and walked back to the other side of the room. (God's power is made perfect in man's weakness, so that no flesh can glory.) The brethren, as well as I, were amazed that the man was healed, and we started praising God and giving thanks. As we rejoiced, another man came forward for healing who was blind. One of the brethren came forth and laid hands on the man's head, saying, “Receive your sight”. And the man cried out, “I'm healed and I can see!” Other people in the room who were in need came forth immediately, some with missing or deformed limbs, twisted bodies, crippled, all such of humanity that was so pitiful; they came up and every one of them was healed instantly. I said, “Oh, God, how is it that everyone was healed instantly, so fast, so easily? Some had hands laid on them and others did not, but they were all healed”. The Lord smiled and said, “You could not see”. Then the Lord opened my spiritual eyes and said, “Now look”. And He showed me again the part where David said to the man, “Be healed”. This time I could see the words “Be healed” coming out of David's mouth, like a mist, and entering into the man. And as the word went into the man, he was instantly healed. I received a few scriptures that go with this dream: (Isa.55:11) So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please; and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Jer.1:12) I watch over my word to perform it. (Eze.12:25) For I am Jehovah and I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed. (Rom.10:8) The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart. And I was still wondering about the mist that I saw, and I got (Joh.6:63) The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. So I understood that, like Jesus spoke the Word, and it came to pass, so these brethren operated on that level. The scene changed and we were in a different, larger room. David and about 100 or more other brethren were gathered together. The brethren were being taught how to minister and were then sent forth. They went forth preaching the Word and healing the sick everywhere. The brethren covered much of this area and you couldn't go anywhere without seeing them. (Many Man-child ministers are coming here and they will send forth disciples as Jesus did.) And then the scene quickly changed again, and we were at another place outside. It was a large, grassy area with parking nearby, but I don't know where it was. Brother David and maybe as many as 500 brethren were gathered together and crowds of people were coming from everywhere. It looked like thousands or even hundreds of thousands were coming. The meetings ran day and night. One night, all the people saw a pillar of fire burning in our midst. They were being drawn by the Lord, and it was a holy move of God. So many saints were now coming together. Again, the scene quickly changed and I was lifted up, looking down on the earth, and I saw the saints running through all the earth, spreading the gospel and the light was shining all over the earth. I think what I saw was a revival to prepare the saints to manifest sons of God in the earth to do the will of the Father. I also believe that this is a revival for the Man-child because in every one of those scenes where David and the brethren were gathered, they were being taught how to minister the Word and heal the sick. And I noticed that everything was on a higher level than what we're used to now. They didn't spend a lot of time and use a lot of words when they prayed; they just commanded it and it was immediately done. And when they gave the Gospel, they didn't have to stand there for hours trying to nail a point down. It was just like the glory of the Lord fell. When these brethren got around people out here on the streets to witness, the glory of the Lord was so strong that they just automatically fell down and cried, “Save me!” This was definitely a sign to us all that God's getting ready to do something wonderful here. I'm just like my brothers and sisters here. I want to be a part of it because I know God's going to do a fantastic work here and it's going to spread worldwide because I saw the lights cover the whole earth. I don't know when this is going to happen, but I know it will. Amen. We are informed by the Lord in many more dreams and scriptures that there is coming a great revival here and across the country and world. It will be in the midst of darkness and turmoil and many will come out of darkness. (Isa.60:1) Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. (2) For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (3) And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (4) Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. (5) Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee. We have a part in this. The principalities and powers of darkness have been put under our feet, but we must fight the good fight of the faith and cast them down from over UBM, this area, the U.S, and many other countries. (Luk.10:18) And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. (19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. (20) Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Let us have fasting and prayer and praise meetings and confess our sins and cast down these powers. Let us decree freedom from bondage and darkness. I received this: (Job 22:28) Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; And light shall shine upon thy ways. (29) When they cast [thee] down, thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; And the humble person he will save. (30) He will deliver [even] him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.   Prophet Phillip shared this vision with us: (Spearheading the Man-child) I have prayed for three days now for the Holy Father's will in this matter of sharing the vision I received during a meeting with David as the speaker (in Phoenix, a type of resurrection life). (I had never seen Phillip before this.) I am permitted to share the following: As I prayed with David at the start of the meeting, I saw the room change into a stadium filled with people and David was at the podium shouting through a microphone that was in the shape of a shofar. He wore a silver yarmulke that glowed as he spoke, and from above it came a white golden light pouring down from the sky as a beam of glory growing brighter with each outpouring. From David's clothing came the same glory lights pouring through the tzit-tzit on his garment, flowing like fingers through the people. They touched the forehead and were grabbed by the right hand of people who became pregnant (with Christ) and began shouting as they were covered in glory. This is the vision I had at the meeting. The Holy Father says that David would know its meaning, if not now, very soon. (All glory to God, He chooses the weak to show this.  He can speak through a donkey.)   Months after that meeting, we received this from Phillip: Holy Yahweh is forming this ministry into His Image to spearhead the Man-child Ministry Birthing and Delivery to the World! Amen! He has given this to me in a mighty vision that ran and continued for three nights along with some other things that I can't say just yet. In short, brethren, the “white golden light pouring down from the sky as a beam of glory” will flow through obedient servants in whom Christ is manifested through the latter rain and belief in the truth. It will flow first through the man-child and then through the witnesses to the Church at large. (This light is pouring down from the sky upon the giant body of Christ in Tommy Hick's revelation.) Great Restoration and Revival (2) (audio) David Eells – 12/3/25 I would like to encourage you today with some older revelations we have about the latter rain revival we are looking forward to!   Judgment and Then Revival Marie Kelton - 10/09/2016 (David's notes in red) I had this vision at the prayer meeting this morning while we were praying. (One thing we prayed about was God bringing down the evil in our government.) When I closed my eyes, I saw a hurricane storm. I couldn't see anything but two trees and a lot of water and rain being blown against them by strong wind. The sky was a light grayish color. (Missy and I cast lots and asked if the storm was economic and received three heads. Then we asked if the two trees represent Obama and Hillary, and got three heads.) Below are the verses I received. (Since this vision was given, the storm against Obama and Hillary has picked up quite a bit with the Wikileaks emails and many scandals coming forth and the military coming out against what is going on and the UN accusing them of war crimes by supporting ISIS, Al Qaeda, and the like to overthrow governments and murder many, including Christians.) Zec.14:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from Jehovah shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor. The Lord will go forth to fight as He fought in the day of battle by turning the enemy against each other in our government and in turning other governments against them. As they have factioned the world governments, they will be factioned. The Trump administration is arresting many DSers and many are turning states evidence to get leniency. The threats against the true people of God will be taken down as Pharaoh at the Red Sea, Sennacherib at Jerusalem, Haman and his against the people of God, the armies against Jehoshaphat and Jerusalem. This will enable the people of God to go into the wilderness singing and rejoicing as they did on the far side of the Red Sea. This is not to say that because of the quakes, tsunamis and volcanoes, there won't be many in FEMA camps or under martial law. God will bring them guidance and deliverance even there. Deb just received this word after I wrote the above note: Jer.44:30 Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra (meaning “a pharaoh” - Obama is often pictured as Pharaoh and is a leader of an attempted coupe, which is not going well.) king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies (spiritual and physical), and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah (the apostate leadership of God's people) king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon (Obama in another parable), who was his enemy, and sought his life. Act.2:38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. After the judgment on the wicked (DS) who would have attacked God's people in the first verse, an outpouring will come on the righteous, as in this text, just as it was in Joel chapter 2. The storm will be a judgment on the wicked and a blessing to the righteous, as the hurricane below. Gen.42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. The factious in Church and government are being judged because of what they did to Joseph the Man-child. They will reap the faction they sowed and the elect among them will repent in the revival, and the rest will be reprobated. Heb.10:11 And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: 12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. The enemies will be judged, but God will forgive those who repent and believe in the sacrifice of Jesus. I asked this about the two trees and got Ezekiel 7:1 and here is the context: Eze.7:1 Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 2 And thou, son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto the land of Israel, An end: the end is come upon the four corners of the land. A judgment that will encompass America and the world. This is probably the volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc,. 3 Now is the end upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways; and I will bring upon thee all thine abominations. 4 And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity; but I will bring thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. Many will repent and believe in the revival that comes because of the fierce judgment. The days of plenty will give way to tribulation. 5 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: An evil, an only evil; behold, it cometh. 6 An end is come, the end is come; it awaketh against thee; behold, it cometh. 7 Thy doom is come unto thee, O inhabitant of the land: the time is come, the day is near, a day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting, upon the mountains. 8 Now will I shortly pour out my wrath upon thee, and accomplish mine anger against thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways; and I will bring upon thee all thine abominations. 9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will bring upon thee according to thy ways; and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, do smite. 10 Behold, the day, behold, it cometh: thy doom is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded. Aaron's rod of the Man-child to have authority over the proud wicked but the fruit of revival will come of it. 11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness; none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of their wealth: neither shall there be eminency among them. This evil leadership is being taken down. 12 The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn; for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. Economic collapse. 13 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they be yet alive (judgment shall overshadow business): for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, none shall return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life. 14 They have blown the trumpet, and have made all ready; but none goeth to the battle (We have already had an undeclared World War between the DS and the Alliance, which is winning. There is nothing the jihadists, including those in the DS, would love more than for East and West to destroy each other, leaving them the undisputed rulers. But if God's people will pray, God will cast it down until the red horse rider of war in Revelation 6:3.); for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. And then comes the pale horse rider, sword, death, and famine spoken of in Revelation 6:7. 15 The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword: and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him. 16 But those of them that escape shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, every one in his iniquity. Many will come to repentance when they see the carnage. 17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water. 18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads. Many will come to repentance in these days, much due to the Man-child ministries.   Watch for a Hurricane of Blessings and Abundance! Veronika West - 10/05/2016 (David's notes in red) A word to the righteous! Watch for a hurricane of blessings and abundance! (On the far side of the Red Sea.) Early hours of this morning, I was praying concerning Hurricane Matthew (A sign of things to come), which is now sweeping across the nations. As I cried out to the LORD, immediately I heard the Spirit say, “Daughter, come up higher.” As I pressed into the LORD, suddenly my spirit became illuminated and it was as if I was standing high above the earth, looking down at the hurricane which was moving violently upon the nations. I saw its fierce winds and its rising waters, but then suddenly, in an instant, the picture of devastation and death changed, and I saw the hand of God moving swiftly and mightily upon the earth. (Judgment turning to mercy.) Then I heard Him say, “Daughter, watch! As My hand of blessing and abundance now moves like a mighty hurricane upon my righteous in this hour and season, watch! For it will come suddenly, violently, and with great force. It will cause the plans and purposes of the enemy to be overtaken and overturned. (Judgment will overturn the enemy's plans like Pharaoh at the Red Sea. This could be the Global Currency Reset and the R&R being fulfilled now but this will not last for the world.) “My mighty hurricane of blessing (revival and outpouring) and abundance will be unstoppable, uncontainable, and unprecedented (meaning greater than in all of history). It will cause many in My Kingdom to be suddenly accelerated, activated and advanced (bringing the gospel to the world). It will happen in the twinkling of an eye. “Watch! As My Spirit winds begin to blow upon My people, to remove every encumbrance and every entanglement. (The Spirit will remove all bondage to the old man, like at the Red Sea.) My hurricane of blessing and abundance will create new pathways for the rivers of My glory, goodness, and grace to flow (much more opportunity for the gifts to spread). “The waters of My glory will rise, and the winds of My blessing will blow mightily upon many, causing them to become perfectly aligned and awakened to My Kingdom purposes in the nations”, says God. (Instead of being aligned with the worldly, false kingdoms of men and religion.) After hearing the LORD speak, I felt led to look up the meaning of the name Matthew, which means “gift of Yahweh”. Listen, friends, it is so important that we see with the eyes of the spirit in this hour. Get ready! Be expectant for His mighty hurricane of blessing and abundance that is coming suddenly, violently, and with great force; it will be unstoppable, uncontainable, and unprecedented! I declare: Satan's plans will not prosper. It takes the eyes of faith to see that God is always good and is always working all things for our good! Amen! Quantum faith, saints!   Big Shaking, Intermission, then Crazing? Bill Steenland - 03/01/2015 (David's notes in red) We don't know much for sure here, but we offer it in obedience to the Word in hopes that some other member of the gifted body has a piece of the puzzle. I dreamed David Eells, M.G. and another guy, and I were walking in a big parking garage to find my car. We passed Michael Hare on our left and found my Volvo convertible. (I think this car, which is broken right now, that was working in the dream, speaks of restoration.) Only David and I got in the car. David got into the driver's seat, and I got into the passenger seat. I told David that I really wanted to drive, and I didn't like him driving my vehicle instead of me, but then I just kind of got over it. (Allowing Jesus in the David Man-child ministers “son of David” to take over and rest in their abilities and submit to their control.) We went home to our house. David sat down in a chair, and I was standing next to him, looking down at him. David had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about a lot of stuff at once, wondering how everything was going to play out. He was bigger in the dream; he was about 200 pounds and looked very strong. (This speaks of spiritual strength of the Davids.) Then David said to me, “Bill, there is going to be a big shaking soon (or very soon -- can't remember which). Then there is going to be a calm and everything is going to be normal again for a little while. Then it's going to get crazy” (or nuts -- can't remember which). I believe this is speaking of a spiritual shaking to prepare the Man-child and Bride. There was an earthquake at the death and resurrection of Jesus as a type of the Man-child. However, this shaking could be spiritual, as a separation of some from the factious to return, just like there was a prophesied shaking in 2011 with a separation of them from us. This would bring a return to normality for a little while before the physical earthquakes come as a time of craziness. Pam said she saw a crazing pattern at the time of the earthquakes. Wikipedia: 'Crazing' looks like a network of fine cracks on the surface of a material, for example, in a glaze layer. Sandy Shaw, in her dreams of the New Madrid quake, saw cracks running everywhere. We also believe that a soon-coming New Madrid quake down the center of the country, which will cause disruption. A craziness. Here is the Word I got from the Lord on Friday. My finger came down on verse 9 (underlined). Isa.66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child. 8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion (the Bride) travailed, she brought forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah: shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? saith thy God. The Man-child's coming will be great news to the Bride who has suffered at the hands of the wicked. 10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her; 11 that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. How awesome we know the truth and the truth will set us free. What a great example a pregnant woman is. The child is coming; it's as sure as a pregnant woman. Wow! It reminds me of John 6, where Peter's response is so encouraging: Joh.6:68 Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God. Come, Lord Jesus!   He Will Come As the Latter Rain Eve Brast - 09/15/2014 (David's notes in red) Dream #1: I dreamed I was in a storybook setting. I was a girl playing and observing inside this setting. I was happy and carefree. I was running around and playing inside a large white castle. The castle was two stories high with large support pillars and black and white checkered tile on the ground floor and a large grand staircase that led from the central entry area up to the top floor. (Eve here represents the Bride as the wife of the last Adam, Jesus Christ. Compared to the anointing that is coming to her, her ability and power to do the work of God and live in the castle of the King is as a child.) There had been a massive volume of water, a wave of some sort, that had come into the castle from the upper floor windows and had washed through the entire upper floor and then had headed down the grand staircase. (The upper room Christians in Acts received the former rain, as did many, and it did continue on down through history for a ways.  But due to apostasy there was a falling away. Apostate preachers have spoken against the baptism of the Holy Spirit and are guilty of the blood of the saints who would have been greatly strengthened by this anointing.) The wave had all frozen solid by the time it reached the black and white tiled floor at the base of the stairway. It had been frozen in time like this for many, many years. (Father withdrew His anointing, as apostates counted His gift unclean.) Job.37:9 Out of the chamber of the south cometh the storm, And cold out of the north. 10 By the breath of God ice is given; And the breadth of the waters is straitened. ... Job.38:28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew? 29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? 30 The waters hide themselves and become like stone, And the face of the deep is frozen. (I believe the former rain became mostly frozen in time, so to speak, for the last 2000 years that the Church has fallen away from the true Gospel that they heard from the beginning. Act 2:38  And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  (As to the black and white lower floor: The overwhelming majority of lower-level, sometimes white and sometimes black, lukewarm Christianity, have never received the great wave of the former rain. Even for those who have received a portion of the former rain, it seems the anointing is small. As I have said so often, “If we do what they did, we will get what they got and if we get what they got, we will do what they did”.) Hos.5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly. 6:1 Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. We are now at the third thousand-year day since the coming of Christ. 3 And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. Notice the King is coming as the latter rain and His power and holiness will be manifested. Returning to the Lord is not black and white; it is white with the Holy Spirit. WooHoo! - Come, Lord Jesus!) As a little girl in this dream, I was sliding down the frozen waves on the grand staircase and then climbing back up to the top floor to do it again. (With child-like faith, we can rise above the curse, being carefree and enjoying His abundant life as we rest in Christ.) Mar.10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. (As a child, the Bride sometimes fluctuates between the top floor and the black and white floor below, but that is temporary for them, for they will receive of the Spirit refreshing and rest of the Holy Spirit which has been frozen in time for many. Isa.28:11 Nay, but by [men of] strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people; 12 to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. As we can see, many have not heard, and some will not hear this great news.) Suddenly, the water waves began to melt as I observed a regal prince dressed in royal robes come riding into the storybook setting on his white horse. (Notice: “he will come unto us as the rain”. This thawing wave will be released on the lower floor so that they may also live the Kingdom life with power. Act.1:8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.) (The regal “King” Jesus will return manifested in the Prince, the first fruits Man-child ministry. [He comes as the white horse rider of the first seal of Revelation to melt the long-frozen water of the former and the latter rain of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the King of kings, but this is the Prince, the son of the King in whom His life's blood flows.]) He rode up over the melting ice wave and up the grand staircase toward the right side of the upper floor, where a lady dressed in royal gowns was standing with her hands clasped together, waiting for him. (Notice the Bride has grown up and is living on the top floor now.) He then dismounted his horse and took her hand in his and kissed it and told her to come with him; it was time for their marriage. Rev.6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. Isa.61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation: and with the robe of justice he hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels. Rev.21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven of God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. Then I woke up. When I fell back to sleep, I was given dream #2 as a continuation of the first dream above, with the addition that the false accusers are silenced. I turned and walked toward my right out of the upper room of the castle. At this point, I was a woman, and I walked out onto a freshly laid parking lot, which seemed to be an extension of the upper floor of the castle. (Maturity and rest lives on the top floor.) I saw a very large, white, hand-sewn quilt, larger than king-size, spread out on the parking lot. (A spread is for rest and a parking lot is a place where mobile vessels, which we are, are at rest.) Pro.31:22 She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. (One translation says “quilts”.) King Solomon was sitting on it, dressed in his finest royal robes. There were luxurious pillows all around him on the quilt for reclining. I went and sat down next to him, at his right hand. Psa.45:9 Kings daughters are among thy honorable women: At thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir. My son Elijah was a grown man and was a defense lawyer in King Solomon's court. He was dressed in a white dress shirt and suit pants with highly polished dress shoes and was standing in front of the king. (Elijah, the Man-child born of the Bride, was being here in Greek a Parakletos, translated “comforter” or “advocate,” meaning a defense lawyer who pleads our case before the judge. Jesus and Moses, as Man-children, also did this. Moses quite successfully pleaded Israel's case a few times. Jesus was saying He was a defense lawyer when He told the disciples He would go, but the Father would send “another Comforter” or Parakletos. So Jesus was a defence lawyer. Joh.14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Parakletos), that he may be with you for ever... 1Jn.2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate (Parakletos) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. So Jesus, as Man-child, was a defense lawyer for the Bride when He was with the disciples and afterward when He was glorified.) In front of me, there was a female Australian Shepherd dog pacing back and forth with hatred in her eyes. It had long white fur with big black spots all over it. (We are told to “hate the garment spotted by the flesh” or sin. Aussies have also been called “pastor dogs”. They are not as tall [mature] as many shepherds. They are very competitive and territorial. Why is the pastor dog shown as female? Because they should be receiving the seed and bearing the fruit instead of their lust to sow, which they are not equipped to do.) This dog could talk and it was constantly accusing me to the king of things that were not true about me. (This represents the hatred and lies of the factious leaders. Satan is the accuser of the brethren and these dogs work for him.) Elijah said to the king, “This dog makes false accusations against my mother, O King!” (The Man-child intercedes for the Bride before the Judge.) The king did nothing at first (testing and crucifying the Bride), as we all suffered this lying dog to pace back and forth in front of me, speaking lie after lie against me. (Isa 56:11  Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.  Psa.31:20 In the covert of thy presence wilt thou hide them from the plottings of man: Thou wilt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. (At this time, the faction that crucified the Bride and Man-child and separated those who are not part of these bodies. The dogs are no longer needed because of the maturity and rest they have entered into through this crucifixion.) After a little while, the king nodded at me (giving His authority to the Bride over the accusers) and I got up from the quilt and went over to the dog and picked it up, subduing it under my left arm. I then grabbed its snout with my right hand and shut its mouth. (The righteous have the authority to bind and loose with the King's nod of approval.) It could no longer accuse me after this. It was temporarily able to break its mouth loose from my grip once, trying to open its mouth to bite my thumb, but the power of God kept its mouth shut supernaturally, and it was powerless to do me any harm. (Charlie had a revelation that the Lord was telling him that everything is about to change and that He was able to save us and scatter the enemy.) Psa.63:11 But the king shall rejoice in God: Every one that sweareth by him shall glory; For the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped. Then I woke up. The testing is almost over, and the murmurers are dying in the wilderness, disqualified to live in the Promised Land.   Last Days World Revival  Debra Klein - 07/30/2014 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I woke up in the Middle East among sandy dunes. All I could see in all of the atmosphere from heaven to earth and 360 degrees around me was the Aurora Borealis. It was shockingly beautiful. (I believe this represented the glory of God.) (Certainly, the many colors are attributes of the light which God is.) I turned to see a crowd of people from all over the world. They were somewhat scared and didn't know what was happening. I turned to the right and saw a pitched tent, and in front of it was a simple wooden podium. With my Bible, I went to the podium and turned to Matthew 24 (judgments of the end times, which will help bring revivals). I began to tell the people that this is what the Lord said would happen. I began to preach the Gospel to them. The words came out of my mouth as a roar that shook the earth. (I believe that Debra here spiritually represents the Bride, as she has in other dreams. (In the natural women aren't allowed to teach men.1Tim.2:12) As in the Gospels, these will be sent forth by the Man-child ministry to preach. Among them were the disciples of Jesus, the 12 and the 70 and multitudes of other discipled by them as a type for our time.) In the crowd closest to me was a man who was dressed as an Arab prince. Upon hearing what was said, he threw back his head, exclaiming loudly with joy, “Jesus is alive!” The people began to rejoice. They were being saved. There was joy among them. I woke up sweating. The Lord said to me, “This is the last days world revival”. (Since the observers were people from all nations, I suggest that a great move of revival will spread from the Middle East to the world. I believe the Jeremiah 25 wars will bring many Muslim people to misery to call out to God, Who will answer them and reveal Himself to them. Revival will spread from the people who have hated and killed Christians, kind of like it did with Paul.)   The School of Revival Anonymous - 1/13/22 (David's notes in red) I had a dream that I went to the elementary school that I went to as a child, and all the people I went to school with were still there. They were all gathered together. I went up to them all and just started sharing my testimonies of Christ, and I was speaking the Word and Truth in Spirit. I felt such a strong amplified love and energy for Christ in spirit. It was like 100x amplified beyond anything I have felt when awake. Just a strong desire for Christ and strong exercise of speaking Truth and the Word with nothing hindering me. I didn't have to struggle with carnal worries of offending anyone or being embarrassed. Nothing was hindering me or fighting me from proclaiming Jesus. And it was all out of holy love and not out of obligation, and I felt love for everyone, even those who had hurt me so much or hated me in the past. I had such strong pure love for all of them, not in a carnal way but spiritually. It was a real witness as they knew how evil I was as a child, more than most. But they now saw Jesus had transformed my life, they could see the Light of Christ, and so many of them repented and turned to Christ in spirit and truth. A big revival throughout the school broke out, starting with repentance. I walked around to different areas talking about Jesus to everyone. Many others repented and were awakened to the truth and began telling others. The fire of God spread so quickly throughout the school, and most came to repentance and love for Jesus, and a few that didn't repent were surrounded by those who did, and either they started desiring Christ, or they had to run away from the school and not come back. To stay in the school, they would have to be in Christ. The Spirit was contagious, and it was so beautiful seeing true repentance in spirit and truth and love for Christ came so quickly. I went into a classroom and there were students sitting down, and a woman teacher was teaching. I went over to the teacher and said that what they are doing is meaningless and a waste of time. (Meaning time is run out. Its now time to know of the Word.)  I then turned to the class and started singing Be Thou My Vision, praising God, and all the students started singing also. After the song, I prayed in front of everyone, and I asked God in faith that every person who has ever been to this school in all of time would all have the gift of repentance and faith before leaving earth, and that they will all be in the Kingdom for eternity. I then heard that I will remember this moment asking God for this because it will and has been answered. Then I woke up.   A Sudden Move of God Debbie Fenske - 1/16/23 (David's notes in red) During our morning Zoom meeting, the Lord allowed me to see in the Spirit those whom we would call the lowliest of people, and those addicted to every kind of sin. I could see the Spirit of the Lord suddenly coming upon them, moving in their spirits. I could discern their intense desire for God. These were dry, needy, and homeless people on the streets. (These represent spiritually homeless people.) I could see them dropping to their knees and raising their hands to heaven with a sudden, but awesome desire for Jesus, to truly want to know Him. Then I heard Him say: “I am doing this. I am doing the work. But even My people, who know My truths and are walking in My ways, will see and wonder if such persons could be touched in such a way. But I say to you, ‘What a remnant I am bringing forth!' So, I warn you, I warn My people to be prepared. Be ready to receive My gift to minister to those whom I will allow you to run into as you go about your business of the day. And I say, do not let their appearance stop you from being moved by My Spirit, to minister by My Spirit as I bring you face-to-face with them. Be alert and do the work of God. Even those affluent ones who have sat before Bible teachers hearing My Word preached, and receiving it with joy, and walking in My ways to the best of their knowledge, now will suddenly receive revelation from My Spirit that they are yet so empty, and needy of the deeper truths of My Word. They are going to suddenly desire more of Me, and they will seek Me with all their hearts, praying with earnest out of a sudden yearning desire which I will suddenly impart to them. (In revivals in the past, sinners and self-righteous people suddenly, for no apparent reason, have been overcome with grief for their sins and cried out to God.) And many will find you and will truly find Me through the ministry and revelation truths you have received in Me through My Word and are so freely giving out. Be ready, My People. For I will suddenly do a quick work. Have you not heard? The harvest is read

Send us a textIn this episode, Pastor Dom teaches on the power of giving thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:1818 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.Hebrews 13:55… For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”Luke 17:11-1911 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.John 6:5-13 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” 10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they werefilled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.Ephesians 5:2020 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,1 Thessalonians 5:1818 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.Psalm 136:1-31 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. 3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:Psalm 100:44 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.John 10:99 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.Psalm 69:3030 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Monday, 1 December 2025   And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Matthew 14:28   “And having answered Him, Peter, he said, ‘Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus called out to the disciples on the boat to be emboldened, for He is! He implored them not to fear. In response to this, the impetuous Peter needs evidence of what his eyes see. Therefore, Matthew records, “And having answered Him, Peter.”   Regardless of how many disciples there were on the boat, it is Peter who needed to be given the proof that would ease his suspicious mind concerning the phantasm who claimed to be Jesus. Therefore, Matthew's words continue, “he said, ‘Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters.'”   Notice how Peter's words, though respectfully stated with the word “Lord,” challenge the declaration made by Jesus –   *...Jesus, He spoke to them, saying, “You embolden! I, I am! You fear not!”   *...Peter, he said, “Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters.”   Of these words, the Pulpit Commentary says, “Not ‘bid me walk on the water;' for he does not want to perform a miracle, but to come to Jesus.” This is entirely incorrect. Peter uses the word keleuó, command, to signify that he desires the same ability that Jesus displays. If this was a sign of “impulsive love” for Jesus, as their commentary later states, the reaction would have been the same as is recorded in John 21:7 –   “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!' Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.”   Peter wants proof of what his eyes refuse to believe. This is the reason for the word if, the emphatic challenge, and for the Lord to command him to do as was being done by Him.   Life application: Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 1 Corinthians says –   “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-25   The Bible sets a contrast between faith and sight, between belief and tangible evidence. Peter even had sight and sound, but it was not enough for him to accept. He wanted a personal sign to confirm to him that Jesus was really the One who had approached them and spoken to them.   What are you looking for to be assured of the faith you profess? Charismatic churches need proof of faith through the speaking of tongues. How can that be a proof of faith? If you have tangible evidence of something, you no longer have faith, but the surety of the experience.   They claim that if you don't speak in tongues, you don't have the filling of the Spirit. It is a false, damaging system of expectancy and contrived piety that dismisses the fundamental tenet of Christianity, salvation by grace through faith.   Be careful what you believe. Stick to the Bible, have faith in what it says, and confirm that faith by accepting Jesus' full, final, finished, and forever work on your behalf. In this, you will be pleasing to God.   Lord God, how good it is to know with all surety that we are saved through the work of Jesus Christ. We don't need more. Evidence and proof will come when You come for us. Until then, we have the words of Scripture. It is sufficient for our souls. Thank You for the words of surety that You have given to us. Amen.

He was the brother of the Apostle Peter, from Bethsaida on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. Andrew left his fisherman's trade to become a disciple of St John the Baptist. Soon after the Forerunner had baptized Jesus, he said to Andrew and his other disciple John the Theologian, "Behold the Lamb of God!" At this, both disciples followed after Jesus. After conversing with Christ, Andrew hurried home and told his brother Simon Peter, "We have found the Messiah." For being the first to recognize Jesus as the Christ, St Andrew is called the First-Called.   After Pentecost, Andrew was appointed to preach the Gospel around the Black Sea and in Thrace and Macedonia, traveling as far as Lazica in the Caucasus. According to Slavic tradition his travels took him even further, into the land that was later to be called Russia.   In later travels the Apostle preached throughout Asia Minor with St John the Theologian, then traveled to Mesopotamia, then back to Sinope on the Black Sea, and finally to Patras in the Peloponnese, where he soon established a large community of Christians. One of his converts was Maximilla, the wife of Aegeates, the Proconsul of that region. Aegeates was so angered by his wife's conversion that he had the Apostle arrested and crucified head downwards on a cross in the shape of an "X." The holy Apostle rejoiced to be allowed to suffer the same death as his Master.   The holy relics of St Andrew, after various travels, were returned to Patras in 1964, where they are now venerated.   In the West, St Andrew is venerated as the patron of Scotland: in the Middle Ages, more than eight hundred churches in Scotland were dedicated to him.

He was the brother of the Apostle Peter, from Bethsaida on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. Andrew left his fisherman's trade to become a disciple of St John the Baptist. Soon after the Forerunner had baptized Jesus, he said to Andrew and his other disciple John the Theologian, "Behold the Lamb of God!" At this, both disciples followed after Jesus. After conversing with Christ, Andrew hurried home and told his brother Simon Peter, "We have found the Messiah." For being the first to recognize Jesus as the Christ, St Andrew is called the First-Called.   After Pentecost, Andrew was appointed to preach the Gospel around the Black Sea and in Thrace and Macedonia, traveling as far as Lazica in the Caucasus. According to Slavic tradition his travels took him even further, into the land that was later to be called Russia.   In later travels the Apostle preached throughout Asia Minor with St John the Theologian, then traveled to Mesopotamia, then back to Sinope on the Black Sea, and finally to Patras in the Peloponnese, where he soon established a large community of Christians. One of his converts was Maximilla, the wife of Aegeates, the Proconsul of that region. Aegeates was so angered by his wife's conversion that he had the Apostle arrested and crucified head downwards on a cross in the shape of an "X." The holy Apostle rejoiced to be allowed to suffer the same death as his Master.   The holy relics of St Andrew, after various travels, were returned to Patras in 1964, where they are now venerated.   In the West, St Andrew is venerated as the patron of Scotland: in the Middle Ages, more than eight hundred churches in Scotland were dedicated to him.

When we encounter God for ourselves and believe in Him, the only natural response is for us to go and invite our family and friends to “come and see” for themselves. When Christ met Saint Andrew, the First-Called Apostles, the first thing Saint Andrew did was go and tell his brother Simon (Peter) to “come and see”. Later Christ called Philip and he went and told Nathaniel. The only appropriate response for us to is to invite our family and friends to Church to “come and see” Christ, so they can encounter God and believe in Him.

November 30, 2025Today's Reading: John 1:35-42aDaily Lectionary: Isaiah 6:1-7:9; 1 Peter 2:13-25“One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah' (which means Christ)” (John 1:40-41)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Andrew told his brother that they had found Jesus, the Messiah. It seemed that way. They believed the Old Testament prophecies that the Messiah would come. Now, they had found Him! Except that Jesus hadn't been lost. Instead of Andrew and Simon finding Jesus, Jesus came and found them. Jesus, the all-knowing Lord, walked past John the Baptist while he was teaching, and John pointed out Jesus, the Lamb of God. When Andrew followed Him, Jesus invited Andrew to “come and see” where Jesus was staying and what Jesus was doing. In other words, Jesus invited Andrew to follow Him.  Sometimes, it's easy for people, including you, to think that they've “found Jesus” or “got Jesus.” From our perspective, that's what it seems like. Yet, it's not that we find Jesus, but that Jesus finds us. In the Small Catechism about the Creed's Third Article, we confess, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.”  We who cannot believe in Jesus as Lord or come to Him don't find. Instead, Jesus and the Holy Spirit find us!That's great news, because it takes the burden off you. It can be tempting to think that you need to find Jesus or that you need to make sure that you are following Jesus the right way. Don't be confused: you aren't in charge of God's grace. Jesus isn't lost, and Jesus doesn't need finding. You were lost, but Jesus has found you and called you His own new creation, baptized into His name and an heir of eternal life with Him! Jesus now invites you to “come and see” His gracious work for you because of His great love for you!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, by Your grace, the apostle Andrew obeyed the call of Your Son to be a disciple. Grant us also to follow the same Lord Jesus Christ in heart and life, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Author: Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Work through the first ten chapters of Matthew and learn more about who Jesus is. As you move through this study, you'll ponder the theological, practical, and historical considerations of the text. With ample room for personal notes, this study will have you feeling confident in your understanding of Matthew's Gospel. Matthew 1:1-11:1 of the new Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series is available now.

1 Peter 5.1-7 Is there a biblical blueprint for church leadership? It is increasingly the norm in the UK to have one priest for a number of churches. But the New Testament norm is the exact opposite; a team of leaders for one church. And not ‘priests' either, but ‘elders' (1 Peter 2.9 says that all believers form a royal priesthood). Who should be local church elders and what kind of qualities should we expect of them? Peter explains in his first letter. 30 November 2025.

Friends, what if the healing we long for is waiting on the other side of letting others in? Today, author and teacher Toni Collier joins Stasi for a powerful conversation on her newest book, Don't Try This Alone. Toni shares her raw, redemptive story of betrayal, resilience, and the trusted community God used to restore her. This conversation is a tender look at vulnerability, friendship, and the God who redeems every story.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: Psalm 31:24 (NIV) – Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) – But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.John 11:35–36 (NIV) – Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!'John 21:15–17 (NIV) – “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' ‘Yes, Lord,' he said, ‘you know that I love you.' Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.' Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?' He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.' The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?' He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.'”…..GUESTToni CollierWebsite: ⁠https://www.tonijcollier.com/⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tonijcollier/⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/colliertoni⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tonijcollier⁠BIOToni Collier is the founder of a global women's organization called Broken Crayons Still Color and helps women process through brokenness and get to healing and hope. Toni is a speaker, host of the Still Coloring podcast, and author of several books: Don't Try This Alone, Brave Enough to be Broken, and a children's book, Broken Crayons Still Color. Toni is teaching people all over the globe that you can be broken and still worthy, or feel unqualified and still be called to do great things.Don't Try This Alone: How to Build Deep Community When You Want to Hide from Your Pain:  ⁠https://a.co/d/iSwqL09⁠…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:YouTube: ⁠https://wahe.art/4h8DelL⁠Spotify Podcasts – ⁠https://spoti.fi/42SsOip⁠Apple Podcasts – ⁠https://apple.co/42E0oZ1⁠ Google Podcasts – ⁠http://wahe.art/3M81kxL⁠Amazon Music & Audible – ⁠https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ⁠

John 13:21-38English Standard Version21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.' 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

A Sermon for the Sunday Next Before Advent Jeremiah 23:5-8 & St. John 6:5-14 by William Klock As we come to the last Sunday in the Church Year, I've been reflecting on the scripture passages we've read these last twenty-two weeks of Trinitytide.  The first half of the Church Year walks us through the life and ministry of Jesus.  The second half, following Trinity Sunday, walks us through the life and ministry of the church.  The lessons remind us who we are and encourage us to be the people and the community that Jesus and the Spirit have made us.  Last week we were reminded that just as the old temple was the place where Israel found forgiveness and the presence of God, so the church—the new temple—is also to be the place where the world encounters the presence of God and the forgiveness that flows from the cross.  On All Saint's, just a few weeks ago, we heard the Beatitudes and were reminded of the character that Jesus and the Spirit have given us.  We are the community that is poor in spirit, that mourns sin and the fallenness of the world, the meek who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.  And thinking of all that, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.  Sometimes we fail.  A lot of the time it just feels like the pushback against us is overwhelming. I feel like Israel in the wilderness with temptation after temptation and enemy after enemy.  But then I think, wait a minute.  Even in the wilderness, God was with Israel.  I think of Moses, reiterating the torah, the law, to Israel as they were on the verge of finally entering the Holy Land, and as he called them to commit to the Lord's covenant—and he knew it seemed like an overwhelming thing to them—he said to them: You can do this.  It's not too hard.  It's not far off.  It's not in heaven that you have to go and bring it down.  It's not across the ocean, that you've got to send someone far away to fetch it.  God's word is near you.  It's in your heart and it's in your mouth so that you can do it.”  Even more, there was the Lord, present in a shining cloud of glory right in their midst—always present with them in the tabernacle.  Ready to forgive and to purify and to strengthen them to be the people he'd created and called them to be.  And if that was true of Israel and of her relationship with God in the Old Covenant—well, maybe I shouldn't be so discouraged.  Because, in Jesus, God has established something even better.  And so I pore over his word, and I pray, and I look forward to Sundays and his invitation to come feast at his Table. I find hope in the promise in the lesson we read today from Jeremiah.  It's a passage I think of a lot.  To a people who had failed, to a people broken and being carried off into exile, to a people who had lost his presence, the Lord promised: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.'  Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.' Then they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:5-8) All of it is important, but the part that really gets me here is that promise that the Messiah would redefine what it meant to be God's people.  The Lord's deliverance of Israel from exile was the thing, the event that defined them as a people.  It was the event that they could hold onto as proof that the Lord was real and living and active, that he is faithful and worthy of trust.  That he makes good on his promises.  It was his gracious and loving deliverance of Israel from Egypt that motivated them to return his love and faithfulness with their own devotion and allegiance.  And yet, the Lord says, when the Messiah has done his work, it'll no longer be about Egypt and the exodus, but about the deliverance brought by the Messiah.  In hindsight, we can say that our existence as the people of God is defined by the cross and the empty tomb—by the body and blood of Jesus the Messiah shed for us.  The Passover, the meal that reminded the Jewish people of their identity of God's people, the meal through which each generation participated in that rescue from Pharaoh's bondage, was redefined by Jesus.  He took the Passover bread and the Passover wine and redefined them.  No longer do they represent deliverance from Egypt, but our deliverance from sin and death by his body broken and his blood poured out.  And Brothers and Sisters, in the midst of the wilderness; struggling to keep our baptismal vows to fight the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; struggling to be faithful stewards of the gospel and the life of the Spirit, it ought to be strengthening to remember both what the Lord has done for us and that he is so closely with us. This is why the church gives us today's Gospel—the familiar story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.  For the last six months the lessons have been exhorting us to take up Jesus' yoke, to take up our crosses and to follow him.  And when we forget who we are and what the Lord has done for us it's easy to forget that Jesus has promised his yoke is easy and his burden is light, and that in taking up our crosses, he walks alongside us bearing his own.  He is with us in the wilderness.  And that's what today's Gospel is all about.  St. John, in the sixth chapter of his Gospel, writes: “Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming to him.  ‘Where are we going to buy bread,' he said to Philip, ‘so that they can have something to eat?'  (He said this to test him.  He himself knew what he intended to do.)  ‘Two hundred denarii,' replied Philip, ‘wouldn't be enough to buy bread for each of them to have just a little!'  One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, joined in.  ‘There's a boy here,' he said, ‘who's got five barley loaves and to fish.  But what use are they with this many people?'  ‘Make the men sit down,' said Jesus.  There was a lot of grass where they were, so the men sat down, about five thousand in all.  So Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them to the people sitting down, and then did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted.  When they were satisfied, he called the disciples.  ‘Gather up the bits and pieces left over,' he said, ‘so that nothing is lost.'  So they collected it up and filled twelve baskets with the broken pieces of the five barley loaves left behind by the people who had eaten.  When the people saw the sign that Jesus had done, they said, ‘This truly is the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world. (John 6:5-14) Now, the lectionary leaves out the first four verses of the chapter.  Because of that we miss two important details.  The first is the time and the second is the place.  John tells us in verse 4 that “the Passover was at hand”.  Remember again what the Passover was all about.  Passover was the annual festival in which the Jews recalled the events of the Exodus—those events that Jeremiah points to as defining the very identity of Israel as the people of God.  I'll say it again, because it's important to understand: In the Exodus the Lord had delivered them from their Egyptian slavery, he had defeated Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, he had given them his law and the tabernacle and had taken up his dwelling in their midst, and he had led them through the wilderness.  Each new generation of Jews, as they took part in the Passover meal, became participants in the events of the Exodus, in the establishing of the Lord's covenant.  The Exodus, commemorated by the Passover, was the defining event in Israel's life as the people of God.  So it's not just at the Last Supper, but throughout his ministry that Jesus takes the Passover and redefines it in terms of himself: his provision for the people, his body and blood, his cross and his resurrection leading a new people in an exodus from sin and death. The other important detail in those first verses is the place.  This took place on the far side of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus has led the people into the wilderness and he's taken up his seat on a mountain.  Again, John stages the story using the imagery of the Exodus.  We have a great crowd of people in the wilderness.  John wants us to be thinking about Israel in the wilderness.  These people are hungry for supper, but there's no food to be had.  The only thing missing is the people grumbling to Moses.  But these people were just hungry to hear Jesus.  This time it's Jesus who realises the people's need before they realise it themselves.  That's something to take comfort in.  Jesus is looking after our needs before know them ourselves. Jesus turns to Philip and asks what's to be done to feed all these people.  Now, Philip—a good Jew whom I'm sure knew his people's story—should have recalled the manna in the wilderness, but he wasn't thinking of Jesus on that level just yet.  Andrew, on the other hand, has met a boy who happens to have brought a sack lunch: a couple of fish and five little loaves of bread.  Such a little bit of food might as well have bene nothing if you're thinking about distributing it to five thousand people.  But I don't think Andrew would have bothered telling Jesus about this boy and his lunch if he hadn't thought that Jesus could make use of it somehow.  What could Jesus possibly do with so little?  The situation seemed totally impossible, and yet the Lord had provided for his hungry people in the wilderness all those centuries before.  Why not again?  And so Andrew gives us a hopeful sign. Brothers and Sisters, this is how the people of God are called to respond in hopeless situations.  This how we're to depend on Jesus as he leads us through the wilderness—when our calling, our task, our vocation, when being the people he's made us seems so hard, when you feel like you can't carry your cross another step.  Don't grumble like Israel did.  Don't give up on God and put your faith in horses, chariots, foreign kings, and pagan gods like Israel did back in the days of Jeremiah.  The Lord has always been faithful to provide and he always will.  Andrew knew that.  I don't know if Andrew was thinking about it, but I think that as John wrote this, he was thinking about one particular event in Israel's past and about King Hezekiah.  The way John tells the story seems to deliberately echo the story of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was also in a hopeless situation.  The Assyrians had besieged Jerusalem.  The messenger of the Assyrian king called up to Hezekiah's men on the walls of the city that he would destroy them and that it would be because Hezekiah had purged Judah of its altars and shrines to the Assyrian gods.  The Assyrian king sent a message to Hezekiah, warning him that the Lord would not be able to deliver him.  Hezekiah no doubt had advisers who saw the situation as hopeless.  Some would have advised him to surrender to the Assyrians and to bow before their gods.  Others would have urged him to form an alliance with the Egyptians, which would have involved their gods as well.  To many, it would have seemed that Hezekiah was out of options.  But he knew better.  The King took the message from the Assyrian king and went to the temple.  He prayed.  Sometimes that's all you can do.  And the Lord sent the Prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah with a message of reassurance:  The king of Assyria will not enter Jerusalem.  “I will defend this city to save it for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David” (Isaiah 19:34).  And that very night an angel struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. Andrew now, like Hezekiah taking Sennacherib's letter to the temple and not knowing what to do, only that the Lord would do something, Andrew now brings the boy and his lunch to Jesus.  The Lord will provide.  Somehow.  In some way.  And Jesus does just that.  He took the bread, gave thanks to God, and started breaking it into pieces and somehow there was still bread in his hands as the baskets began to fill.  And the same with the fish.  No matter how much Jesus gave out, there was still more in his hands.  And everyone—the multiple thousands sitting there on the grass—everyone had their fill.  Just like they did in the wilderness after they'd left Egypt.  And yet there's an element of the story here that points to this new exodus that's taking shape being even greater than the first.  In the first exodus, there was no manna left over.  There was always enough to satisfy the needs of the people, but if you tried to gather extra and to keep it, it rotted away and produced worms.  In contrast, when Jesus feeds these people in the wilderness, there are twelve basketfuls left over—presumably food the people took home with them to eat and to be reminded the next day of what the Lord had done. But that's not the only Old Testament echo that John works into the story.  Andrew faithfully taking the loaves and fishes to Jesus echoes Hezekiah going before the Lord to ask for a miracle.  But as John tells us about Jesus dividing up the bread and fish, there's an echo of another story the people would have known very well. John, I think, tells the story to deliberately recall the prophet Elisha and, in particular, the events of 2 Kings 4.  There was a famine in the land and Isaiah had a band of followers to provide for.  A man brought them twenty loaves of bread and a sack of grain, but it wasn't nearly enough to feed Elisha's men.  That didn't concern Elisha.  He gave the sack of bread to his servant and commanded him to give it to the men so that they could eat.  His servant balked at that.  “How can I can set this before a hundred men?” he asked.  Elisha commanded him again to take it to the men and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.'”  And, somehow, the men ate their fill and, just as the Lord had promised, there were leftovers remaining (2 King 4:42-44). Now, back to our Gospel: The people on that mountain with Jesus put the pieces together: Passover, wilderness, bread from heaven, baskets of leftover bread.  And they declare that Jesus is “the prophet who is to come into the world.”  Jeremiah's new exodus is somehow underway, with Jesus at its head.  Their acclamation is taken straight from the Lord's promise to Moses in Deuteronomy 18: “I will raise up a prophet like you from among their brothers.  And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I commanded him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).  The new exodus has begun.  Jesus is the prophet who was promised, a prophet like Moses, a prophet like Elisha—and yet a prophet even greater.  Verse 15 says: “So when Jesus realised that they were intending to come and seize him to make him king, he withdrew again, by himself, up the mountain.”   “King” means “Messiah”.  Now, did the people really understand who and what the messiah was to be?  I don't think so.  Almost no one fully understood that until after the events of Jesus' death and resurrection.  But that doesn't mean the people that day, filled miraculously with bread and fish, didn't recognise the Messiah in Jesus.  All the pieces were there.  Here was the good shepherd who cared for the sheep when no one else would.  (It's worth noting that when Mark tells this story, he introduces it saying that when Jesus looked out at the crowd, he saw sheep in desperate need of a shepherd.)  Here was the prophet who would lead the people like Moses in the long-awaited exodus.  If Jesus was those two things, then he also had to be the long-awaited branch that Jeremiah had prophesied would come from the root of David.  Jesus saw the recognition dawn in their eyes and he withdrew.  The time wasn't right.  This wasn't how the Messiah was to come into his crown or to take his throne.  Nevertheless, as we draw the lines that connect the promises of God in Jeremiah to their fulfilment in John's Gospel, you and I should, ourselves, be overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God.  He does what he promises.  He will feed us in the wilderness.  He will go before us to conquer the promised land. Brothers and Sisters, the Lord invites us to his table this morning and here we again recall his faithfulness.  Here, like the Jews participating in each new generation in the events of the Exodus and finding their place in the people of God, we find our manna in the wilderness, we recall and participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and are reminded that we are his people and that, just as was promised so long ago, he has delivered us from our bondage to sin and death.  The sheep that were scattered, have been drawn together by the God of Israel.  You and I have heard the story of God's faithfulness.  We have come to Israel's king and submitted ourselves in faith.  And now, here at his Table, we experience his faithfulness ourselves as we eat the bread and drink the wine.  Here is our new covenant manna in the wilderness.  Finally, having known the faithfulness of God, we're summoned ourselves to walk in faith, trusting that the Lord will finish what he has begun, that he will do what he has promised. In our Collect we asked the Lord to “stir up our wills”.  We may have come to the end of another Church Year, but the story is hardly over.  Advent is almost here and with it the reminder that Jesus is coming and that as we wait for him, he's given his Church a mission and his own Spirit to ensure that mission is fulfilled.  He has made us stewards of the good news that he is this world's true Lord.  We have our own parts to play in this story.  And it's not an easy task.  But take heart.  The fact that the principalities and powers (as Paul described them in that Ephesians passage we read a couple weeks ago), the fact that they're fighting back means that we're precisely where the Lord wants us to be and doing what he wants us to do and the powers of darkness know it and fear what Jesus and the Spirit will accomplish through the church.  So don't give up.  Don't be afraid.  Don't be weary in well-doing.  Petition the Lord in faith, knowing that he is faithful to fulfil his promises.  Whether it takes a hundred years or a hundred thousand years for the world to answer the king's royal summons to faithful allegiance, he will be with us and he will equip us for every good work.  He will feed us in the wilderness and see us through to the promised land. Let's pray: Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; that we may produce abundantly the fruit of good works, and receive your abundant reward, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb,…

1 Peter 2.4-10. Having focused so far exclusively in this series on what people wrote about Peter, we now look at what he himself wrote. In his first letter Peter describes the church as a temple - the place where people encounter the presence of God, where heaven meets earth. But this temple is not made of limestone, mortar, timber and glass, but of transformed human lives, filled with the Holy Spirit. Are you a “living stone”? 23 November 2025.

In this episode of Space for Life, Tommy welcomes entrepreneur Jeff Johnson for a deeply moving conversation about surrender, resilience, and the ways God reaches us through life's hardest moments. Jeff shares the powerful story of hitting the breaking point in his fourth-generation steel fabrication business, kneeling alone on the shop floor, and asking God to take over.What follows is a journey of obedience, transformation, and learning to “take your hands off” while still doing the next right thing. Through biblical stories of Simon Peter, reflections on work, and moments of vulnerability, Jeff illustrates how surrender opens the door to a deeper relationship with God and an unexpected path to renewal.Timestamps0:00 Intro2:17 Scotland Trip and How They Met3:45 Jeff Begins His Story6:02 Marriage Counseling and Learning to Listen7:49 Faith and Work in Jeff's Life10:26 History of Johnson Machine Works14:07 When Nothing Works16:28 Breaking Point on the Shop Floor19:42 Praying Over the Building and Workers23:49 The Unexpected Turnaround Begins26:54 God's Mercy, Not Formulas29:33 Why Work Matters in God's Design40:38 How God Used the Crisis to Reach Jeff44:22 Jeff's Tuesday Night Practice of Surrender46:25 Invitation for Anyone Needing EncouragementReferenced LinksJeff's Podcast, Courageous CrossroadsArtists & WritersTakeawaysSurrender is often where true transformation begins.Desperation can bring unexpected clarity.Work is part of God's design for purpose and flourishing.Vulnerability opens doors that effort alone cannot.God uses circumstances — even painful ones — to reach us.Doing the next right thing is part of surrender, not separate from it.Resilience is built in the quiet, unseen moments.Prayer can reshape environments, mindsets, and outcomes.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://tommythompson.org

In this episode of The Leader's Notebook, I continue my series “Also Featured in the Cast” by looking at the “St. Peter movie”—and the people who surrounded him. From James and John, the fiery “Sons of Thunder,” to John's quiet faithfulness at the foot of the Cross, to James the brother of Jesus who led the church in Jerusalem, to Paul's bold confrontation of Peter at Antioch, and even to Judas Iscariot, I explore the lives of those who shaped and challenged Simon Peter's journey. Their stories illuminate our own struggles with failure, forgiveness, calling, and grace. No matter how far we've fallen, we cannot out-sin the grace of God. – Dr. Mark Rutland Chapters (00:00:03) - Leaders Notebook(00:01:22) - The Life of Daniel Stern(00:03:00) - Simon Peter and the Circumcision(00:07:27) - Simon Peter and St. Paul(00:09:15) - The Sons of Thunder(00:17:11) - Simon Peter at the Cross(00:18:28) - The Life of St. John, Chapter 21(00:24:08) - James, the Administrative Bishop at Jerusalem(00:26:47) - Paul the Apostle in Peter's Movie(00:30:23) - The Life of Judas Iscariot(00:32:18) - What Did Judas Iscariot Do That Peter Didn't(00:38:03) - The Life of St. Peter and John

Sunday, November 16 2025 pm

Introduction: Romans 14:12 – So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Revelation 22:12 – Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. How to Have a Successful Building Campaign (1 Corinthians 3:10–17) Build on the right FOUNDATION. (1 Cor 3:10–11) Matthew 16:15–18 – He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Use the right MATERIALS. (1 Cor 3:12) 2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Pass INSPECTION. (1 Cor 3:13–17) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 3:10-17What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Your works will be tested by fire (1 Cor 3:13). What determines if a work is good or useless (precious metal or straw)?Is it wrong to be motivated by rewards? How much do rewards motivate you to serve Christ?How would you answer the question: “What exactly is the reward Jesus is giving in 1 Cor 3:14?”?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open up those Bibles.The 1 Corinthians chapter 3.1 Corinthians chapter 3.Just pause for a second.As we so often do, I'm just going to ask you to take a moment and pray for me to be faithfulto communicate God's Word, and I will pray for you to be ready to receive what it is thatthe Lord has to say today.Let's pray.Father in heaven, your Word tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing throughthe Word of Christ.Father, I pray today that you would increase our faith as we sit under your Word, and thatyour Word would not just encourage us, but it would move us.To be the people that you've called us to be so that we would do the things that you'vecalled us to do, Father, for your glory and honor.We praise you in Jesus' name.All of God's people said, "Amen."1 Corinthians chapter 3.My wife, Erin, loves gardening.And if there's a story that sort of encapsulates Erin's gardening experience, it would bethis one.Several years ago, somebody gifted Erin a little greenhouse, and she was so excited.She spent so much time building this greenhouse, and then inside the greenhouse, you know,she had to build - it wasn't like this massive structure, but it was a pretty nice structure.And then inside the greenhouse, she built all these shelves, and then there were allthese, you know, those little plastic trays, and you fill them with the dirt, and she wentthrough.But some of them, you know, you had to have the pots, and she had the most magnificentgreenhouse.She spent so much time, and I'm like, "We are going to have such a harvest.We're probably going to have to hire people to come and harvest this bountiful crop.We're probably going to have to buy like machines."There was so - I'm like, "This is awesome."Well, one day, we were out somewhere, we returned home.There was a really, really bad storm.And when we got in the house and went about our business, and at one point we looked outthe window and saw her greenhouse was completely leveled.And everything was strewn across the yard.Literally nothing was salvageable.You thought this was going to be funny, didn't you?Trust me, I didn't laugh.Husbands, in a moment like this, you do not laugh.She spent so much time and so much work and so much energy building this thing, and itwas all for nothing.She at the end had nothing to show for it.And you know, the Bible says, Christian, that your life can be like that.Did you know that?That you can live your whole life doing lots of things, lots of energy, lots of time spenton things.And at the very end, you find out that you have nothing to show for it as you enter intoeternity.That's what this passage is about today.We're going to be picking up in verse 10, but I want you to drop down for a second andlook at verse 16, because we're going to grab this so that we understand this passage.Some of you probably know this verse off by heart.1 Corinthians 3.16 says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God'sSpirit dwells in you?"And what I want to point out here is in the Greek, that word you is plural.And a lot of times when we talk about you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we thinkabout individual salvation.Yes, absolutely God's Spirit and dwells in the individual who receives Christ.Absolutely.But listen, at the same time, I want you to hear me very closely on this.There is a corporate aspect of salvation, meaning this.You are saved to be a part of a community.And that is cover to cover in your Bible.Look at Old Testament Israel.God dealt with them as a community nation.Look at the New Testament church in the book of Acts.It is a community.Look at the description of heaven in Revelation.What is it?It is a community.It is a community of people that are saved together worshiping.So salvation yet it is an individual choice to receive Jesus Christ.Yes, it is going from death to life individually, but we are always, always, always called tocommunity.Always.We are God's temple.That's why this unity issue is so important.Salvation is not just a me thing.It's a we thing in the church.And in this passage we are looking at today, we have a new analogy.Last week Pastor Taylor walked us through the previous analogy that Paul gave us.That was the farm.Planting and watering and harvesting.We are moving today from the farm to the construction site.And in this passage we are going to see that you are each a part of God's building project.And the inspector is coming to evaluate your work.And Christian, you are going to be judged.You are like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, time out, time out.Pastor Jeff, this isn't my first time at this church.And I've heard you say that a Christian will not be judged.You will not be judged for your sin.You will not.But I want you to understand that when the Bible talks about judgment, there are many,many, many, many, many, many, many kinds of judgment the Bible talks about.For example, the Bible talks about the judgment of the nations.Matthew 25, the Bible talks about the judgment of demons.Jude 6, the Bible talks about the judgment of the unsaved, the great white throne judgment,Revelation 20.The believers will be judged.And if you are a follower of Christ, you will be judged not for your sin.Jesus took care of that on the cross.If you are a follower of Christ, sin is in the rear view mirror forever in God's perspective.That is a done deal.But you will be judged for your works in terms of receiving rewards.Jesus is the judge, John chapter 5, and He will judge you for rewards according to whatyou do after you are saved.The Bible is so clear in this.There are so many verses.Here's a couple that just highlight this.Romans chapter 14, verse 12, there it is.So then each of us will give an account of himself to God, each of us.He's talking to the church.He's talking to us.We will give an account to God.And look what Jesus says, end of the book, right?Revelation 22, Jesus said, "Behold, I'm coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repayeach one for what he has done."Each one.And you look at the context of that passage.He's talking for the bad, and He's also talking for the good.He's going to repay.Alright?So in this passage we're looking at today in 1 Corinthians, believers works.Listen, this is the whole theme.This is the whole, I don't know, is it a metaphor?Is it a simile?Is it an analogy?Whatever the whole word picture here is construction terms.And in this passage the Bible is talking about your good works in terms of building something,building a structure.And your works will be judged.Are they worthy of a reward?So on your outline, this is very timely for us as a church.It's all straight from the text here.This isn't gimmicky or campy.This is all straight from the text.How to have a successful building campaign.You want to enter heaven someday with something to show for your time here on earth?That's what this passage is about.And it's actually exactly like having a regular building campaign.Same principles.How to have a successful building campaign.Number one, write this down.Build on the right foundation.That's where it has to start.You get a build on the right foundation.Look at verse 10.Paul says, "According to the grace of God given to me like a skilled master builder,I laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it.Let each one take care how he builds upon it."Paul here talking about himself, he planted the church in Corinth.He spent 18 months laying the foundation.And he refers to himself as a skilled master builder.He wasn't exalting himself.He wasn't bragging.He just said in the previous passage that he is nothing.We already established that.All Paul is pointing out here is, "Look, I know how to plant a church.I know how to do that."Like, have you ever read the book of Acts?He wasn't bragging.He's like, "I know how to plant a church."He had a technique and it worked.And he planted many churches that we're still talking about today.He knew what he was doing.And he says, "Someone else is building upon it."Pastor Taylor talked about that a little bit last week.That's Apollos.The next pastor, Apollos is building on the foundation of Paul-Aid.But notice he says here, verse 10, "Lest you think..."Well, you know, good for preachers, right?Good for them.He says, "Each one..."Look at that.Look at that in your Bible."Each one, take care how he builds upon it."Each one.You know what that phrase, "Each one" tells me?This passage isn't just for pastors.This passage isn't just for the clergy.Each one.Each one.Look, you serve in this church in any way.Church Academy, teaching the kids.Guess what?You're one of the each one.You're a small group leader.Each one.Are you a ministry team leader?Each one.Are you serving on one of the ministry teams?Each one.This is for all of us here.Each one of us have to take care on how we're building on the foundation.Every single one of us.You know what the problem is?It's too often the church is like Pendant.Some of you already know what I'm going to say.And if you work for Pendant, I'm certainly not talking about you.But how many of us?Come on, let's just be honest.We've been driving by Pendant, road work.What do you see?One or two people working and eight or nine people watching.True or false?Don't leave me up here.Pastor Jeff hates Pendant?No.Pastor Jeff is just observant.You've seen it too.But you have one or two guys like really working.And then you have eight or nine guys just standing around watching and eating a sandwichor smoking a cigarette and like hanging out on their cell phone.That's the church, honestly.That's what you have at the church.You have a small percentage that are working really hard in so many ways and you have alot of people that just kind of sit around and watch.Maybe contribute with some occasional criticism.The church is too much like Pendant.Look, if we're going to build, we're going to start with a foundation.And you're like, "Okay, well Paul said he laid a foundation.Are we just going to go with the one that Paul laid?"Yeah, I would recommend that because look at verse 11.He says, "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is JesusChrist."The church, listen, the church only has one foundation.And the foundation of the church is Jesus Christ.This is what he talked about in Matthew chapter 16.I'm going to paraphrase here.But Matthew chapter 16, Jesus said basically like, "What's the word on the street?Who do people say that I am?"And the disciples are like, "Well some people think you're John the Baptist or Elijah, oneof the prophets."Jesus says to his disciples, "But who do you say that I am?"And then Peter spoke up.Look at that."You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."That's what Peter said.And Jesus blessed him for that.Jesus said, "And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.On this rock I will build my church."They're like, "Well what is the rock?"Well, some people believe that Peter is the rock because the name Peter means rock.But there's a lot of Greek linguistic reasons why that isn't exactly accurate.But Peter is not the foundation of the church.The foundation of the church is Peter's confession.Because we see here what the foundation of the church is.The foundation of the church is Jesus.The foundation of the church is Jesus.So it is Peter's confession, meaning the church is built when people confess that Jesus isthe Christ.That's the foundation of the church.Churches abandon the mission when they try to build on another foundation.And listen, when a church is built on a foundation other than Jesus Christ, then it's not reallya church.Well we believe the church is here to go after social causes or focus on politics or tryto entertain people.We're on the wrong foundation.But I want you to listen very closely.Yes, the church is called to be salt and light.Yes, the church is called to influence every arena where God puts us.Absolutely.But any of that stuff that's happening has to come from the foundation that we are acommunity that believes in Jesus Christ.We are a community that has been transformed by the spirit of Jesus Christ.And we carry out the mission of Jesus Christ to make more disciples of Jesus Christ.So I have to ask you, have you personally made that confession?Have you confessed in your own heart and mind with your own mouth that you believe thatJesus is the Christ?You believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God?Have you made that confession?Because Jesus must not only be the foundation of this church, he has to be the foundationof your very life.So the first step in having a successful building campaign, you've got to make sureyou're building on the right foundation.We could spend so much more time on that, but we recently had a whole sermon about buildingon the rock, not on the sand.Right?So build on the right foundation.Number two, successful building campaign means you've got to use the right materials.You've got to use the right materials.Look at verse 12.He says, "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood,clay, straw, stop right there."All right, building project.Let's say you're putting up a structure.All right?And let's say money is no object.What kind of materials would you want to use to build your structure?Have the three little pigs taught us nothing?The materials matter, don't they?You'd obviously want to use the highest quality, right?Marble, gold, silver.What's Paul's point here?The quality of materials.Listen, if you miss this, you're really going to be confused for a few minutes.The quality of materials speaks to the quality of your service.Are you teaching biblical doctrine representing the Word?Are you led by the Holy Spirit?Are you rightly motivated by the glory of God?Are you putting forth your best effort serving the King of the universe with excellence?That's not about the show.It's about dazzling people.We already talked about that.The question that you have to ask yourself, you have to evaluate yourself, it's this,what kind of an effort am I putting in to glorify in Christ by doing His work?What kind of effort are you putting in?Because some people settle to build out of wood and grass.Well, it's easier, quicker, right?You want it a building, here's a building.I did my job.You have to understand that Christ considers that type of effort to be worthless.I want you to look at Paul talks about this again in 2 Corinthians.Look at 2 Corinthians 5-10 on the screen.It's the same teaching, but I'm going to point something out here.He says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each onemay receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."Now there's a problem with this translation.The problem is the word evil.That is not the right translation of that word.You can do the Greek study yourself and you'll find that that word evil should be translatedworthless.He's not talking about something morally evil like from the devil.He's not talking about that.He's talking about something that's worthless.Things done even in the name of Jesus that ultimately end up being worthless.What in the world are you talking about?Things like things done for Christ only in human effort.How about that?Not spirit-led.Not really motivated by God's glory.I mean, I'm doing this and I'm doing it in the church, but I'd really be happier ifpeople noticed me.Those kinds of things aren't really evil as much as they are worthless.Just building out a straw.And you know, church, we can fill up the church calendar with all kinds of busyness that hasnothing to do with the mission of evangelism and discipleship.And at the end of the day, do you know what it is?Straw.It's just straw.On the other hand, when you are motivated by God's glory, when you are dedicated to maximumexcellence, when your heart is in the right place because you're being led by the HolySpirit, that's like building with gold and silver and precious stones.And you're like, oh, okay, so being part of a big church means big reward, right?No.Look, we're not speaking negatively of big churches, but I do have to point out thatsometimes we think that size equals value, and that's just not true.A handful of diamonds is much more valuable than a truck full of logs, despite the obviousdifference in size.But if you want a successful building campaign, better use the right materials.You're like, man, wow, this might be new information for some of you, and you're like, how do Iknow?How do I know?How do I know I'm using the right materials?Well I know one thing for sure we're going to find out, because number three is you'vegot to pass inspection.You've got to pass inspection.Look at verse 13.Paul under inspiration, the Spirit goes on, he says, "Each one's work will become manifest,for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will testwhat sort of work each one has done."The day is coming.You know the day, the day.And the inspector is coming to test by fire.You're going to see here throughout the rest of this passage, there's three kinds of people.Let's look at the first one, verse 14.He says, excuse me, "If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he willreceive a reward."There is a reward for the faithful worker.Again, we went through the sermon on the Mount.We talked quite a bit about this.From Matthew chapter 6, verse 20, "Jesus commanded us to lay up for ourselves treasuresin heaven."And anytime we talk about rewards and treasure in heaven, people say, "Well, what is it?What are the rewards?"And I'll tell you the same thing I always say.Not really sure.But we can't imagine that it's a kind of reward like earth, like cash.Right?What is the reward?And again, I would suggest to you that maybe God's word isn't specific because it's somethingthat we wouldn't fully understand on the earth.But we do know quite a bit about eternal rewards.We know a lot about them.First of all, we know they're eternal.We know this is something you're going to have for eternity.And something else we know is it's better.It's better than anything that we know of on earth.And if every good and perfect gift comes from above, don't you trust when God says, "Thisis awesome.You should work for this."Don't you think that it's going to be good?You're like, "No, it's going to be awesome."Right?So we know that.We also know there's no second chance to earn rewards after we die.According to the Bible, this is your chance.If you're hearing this message right now, you are in prime opportunity to earn rewards.We also know that this is a motivator.It's a motivator.We build with excellence because it's going to result in eternal reward.How are you doing?Some of you are going to get a huge reward.Some of you are.Who is?Those of you who have spent the money that God has entrusted you on missions, on the church,on gospel purposes, Jesus said you're going to get a huge reward.Those of you who know your spiritual gift and you have used it to bless the church, you'veused the time that God has given you here.You've taken your opportunity.There is a huge reward coming for you.On the other hand, let's look at the second group of people, verse 15.He says if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will besaved but only as through fire.Okay, so we talked about the person that's working, giving, serving, faithfully, usingthis opportunity.Now we're going to talk to some of the rest of you.On the other hand, some of you are saved but you're lazy.You're irresponsible.God gave you two things to use for him, time and money, and you have spent both of thoseon yourself.You attend church but that's really about it.Your contribution to the kingdom is warming a seat.You didn't invest much money into the kingdom.You don't really serve the church in any way.You're like, am I still going to heaven?Yeah.If you truly believe in Christ, if you've truly been born again, yes, yes, he says righthere.He's still saved but it's like jumping out of a burning house and then watching it burnto the ground.You lost everything and you got nothing to show for it.Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.You're telling me.You're telling me, Pastor Jeff, everything I worked for in my life is ultimately goingto be nothing in eternity.Are you telling me that when I cross over into heaven that I'm going to have nothingto show for my time on earth?That's what he said.I think that's also why he said in verse 10, "Take care how you build."So take care.Take care, pewsitters, God tippers, and part timers.Take care, ear scratchers, bench warmers, and buck passers.Take care because today you should examine the quality of the work that you're puttingin to serve Jesus because He's coming to test it.Salvation in Christ is a gift.But what we do with it, it's on us.There's a third group.Look at verse 16.He says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and God's spirit dwells in you?"Do you realize how precious you are to God?Do you realize what you are to God?You're not some she-shed.You are His temple.You are the place where God resides.You individually, and again, this is plural.He's saying you corporately.This is where God chooses to dwell.Therefore, verse 17, "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him.For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."This is the third group.And I think it's pretty obvious, right?He's talking about unsaved people here, right?People that destroy what others build.We're talking about false teachers, obviously.But you know what else we're talking about?Those in the church who aren't saved but are divisive.Those who hinder the work of the church.Those who are constantly causing problems for the leaders of the church.Are you protective of your house?If you went home from church today and there was somebody inside your house destroying it,what would you do?Well, God is pretty protective of His house, too.And when He looks down and He sees His house and He sees somebody that's trying to destroyHis house, God says, "I'm going to destroy Him.I'm going to deal with Him severely."Any building campaign, really, at the end of the day, any building campaign can onlybe said to be successful if it passes inspection, right?I'd like to invite the worship team and our communion servers to come up because we'vegot to close a passage like this by gathering around the Lord's table.Why?Well, the Lord's table for the Christian, for the church, it means so much.A couple of things in particular means that we are reminded as we gather around.First of all, this brings us back to our foundation.Lest we ever be tempted to build a foundation on anything else, the Lord's Supper bringsus back to the place.You know, this is the foundation of the church, the Lord who died for His church, who rosefrom the dead for His church.So not only is it our foundation, but I think another huge aspect of the Lord's table isour motivation.Because look, the Bible talks about rewards.Should we be motivated by rewards?Absolutely.But rewards should be a motivator, not the motivator.The motivator is the God who died for you, the love that He poured out on the cross.He died for you.So we are motivated to live for Him.

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." John 21:15-17

Daily Dose of Hope November 13, 2025   Scripture – John 20   Prayer: Almighty God and Risen Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe. Even though you are incredibly mighty and take care of us in such fundamental ways, we struggle to stay focused on our faith.  Help us gather our scattered and distracted thoughts.  Help us take a moment of silence and remember who you are...Holy Spirit, speak to us today.  We want to hear your voice.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  As most of you know, we have been walking through the Gospels and will soon walk through Acts.  Today, we walk through John 20.  Let me start by saying this.  The resurrection of Jesus is the most critical event in our faith; we could argue it was the most critical event of all time.  Jesus wasn't simply resuscitated.  He wasn't just alive in a spiritual way. It wasn't his ghost that showed up in that room with the disciples.  Jesus was dead with no pulse, no heartbeat, wrapped in grave clothes and laid in a tomb, AND then he became alive again in a totally real, physical sense.  Death to life.  That is huge and that is what today's passage discusses with lots of great detail. It starts with an empty tomb.  Mary Magdalene heads over to the tomb on Sunday morning. We know from other Gospel accounts that she wanted to properly prepare Jesus' body for burial, as the Friday tomb situation had been rushed. It's then she saw that the stone had been removed. She goes to get Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved (most likely John, the author). They rushed to the tomb. Jesus' body was no longer there but the strips of cloth used to wrap his dead body were still present.    John went inside. He saw and believed. Think about those words. He had been walking with Jesus for three years. John saw miracle after miracle, healing after healing, feeding after feeding. But none of it made sense. It now makes sense. What Jesus said would happen has happened. The cross did not have the final word. Jesus Christ defeated death and darkness. He overcame the world.   Jesus then appears to Mary Magdalene, to the disciples, and then specifically to Thomas, who said he needed to see the scars himself to truly believe.  Jesus knew that his dear friends would be feeling thoroughly defeated and they needed his presence.  The Holy Spirit was not yet here and they needed to see his physical body to have the peace that only Jesus can bring.  He also wants to encourage them to continue his mission.  Nothing is done.  One of my favorite verses is John 20:21, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And then he breathes on them so they receive the Spirit.  They won't fully receive the Spirit until Pentecost but I think they got a taste of God's Spirit right here, enough to empower them and encourage them to keep on keeping on.    The transforming power of God was at work then and is still at work today! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives within us as believers. There is power in that, friends! We are resurrection people. We believe that what was dead can be brought to life. We believe that we are new people in Jesus Christ. We believe that we are raised with Christ. We believe that there is so much more to this world than meets the eye. How have you seen resurrection power at work in your life? Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?Venit autem Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in caelis est. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.St Marin I suffered much persecution in his defence of the Catholic Faith against the Monotholite emperors of Constantinople. He was exiled and died in A.D. 655.

In this episode of The Choice, Ashe in America and Ghost dive deep into Episode 4 of The Chosen, exploring the pivotal moment when Simon Peter hits rock bottom, morally, spiritually, and financially, only to encounter Jesus in a way that changes everything. The hosts unpack themes of faith, pride, desperation, and redemption through Simon's struggle to fix his problems by his own hand, contrasting his self-reliance with Eden's steadfast faith and Jesus' divine timing. They draw powerful parallels between biblical archetypes and modern life, analyzing Simon's journey as a portrait of every person who must surrender control before experiencing true transformation. From John the Baptizer's radical defiance of religious authority to Nicodemus' curiosity about miracles, Ashe and Ghost illuminate how faith challenges the rational mind and redefines power itself. A moving, cinematic reflection on obedience, grace, and the moment when belief becomes action.

The Generous Life Pt. 1 | November 9, 2025Pastor Wes MorrisProverbs 11:24 (MSG) The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.√ WE HOLD ON TRYING TO PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE.√ WE HAVE A SCARCITY MINDSET.John 6:8-9 (NLT) Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. “There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”Scarcity isn't the absence of resources; it's the absence of trust.John 6:11 (NLT) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.Philippians 4:19 (NLT) And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.√ WE'VE BEEN HURT IN THE PAST.Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.OPEN HANDS, FULL HEARTSI.  PRACTICE DAILY SURRENDER.John 12:24 (NIV) Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.Romans 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.II.  DEVELOP A THANKFUL HEART.II Corinthians 9:8 (NIV) And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.III. FIND JOY IN BEING GENEROUS.Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.Group Discussion Questions + PracticeICEBREAKER QUESTIONS (Pick One)If you could have one superpower to help people (not to make your own life easier), what would it be?What's something small someone gave you that meant way more than its actual value?If you had to describe your week using only one word of gratitude, what would it be?DISCUSSION QUESTIONSKey Verse: “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.”  Proverbs 11:24 (MSG)1. WE HOLD ON TRYING TO PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE.Why do you think our first instinct is often to hold on tightly instead of trusting God?How does generosity challenge our desire to stay in control?2. WE HAVE A SCARCITY MINDSET.John 6:9-11 (NLT), Philippians 4:19 (NLT)“Scarcity isn't the absence of resources; it's the absence of trust.”When have you felt like you didn't have enough - time, money, energy, or ability - yet saw God provide?3. WE'VE BEEN HURT IN THE PAST.Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)How can past pain or disappointment cause us to close our hands or hearts?What does it look like to let God soften your heart again?How might healing and generosity be connected?OPEN HANDS, FULL HEARTSI. PRACTICE DAILY SURRENDERJohn 12:24 (NIV), Romans 12:1 (NIV)What does surrender practically look like in your everyday life?Why is it so hard to let go, even when we know God can do more with what we give Him?What's one area where God might be asking you to take your hands off and trust Him?

00:00 Intro00:28 Gospel01:26 HomilyWhen Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippihe asked his disciples,“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”Simon Peter said in reply,“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.And so I say to you, you are Peter,and upon this rock I will build my Church,and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:13-19https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/memorial-saint-leo-great-pope-and-doctor-churchAll Christians Must Forgivehttps://youtu.be/bmadS5StpvM?si=taU4RF8m_2umOySpHow To Examine Your Soul?https://youtu.be/dGe1JkqoDiY?si=mmnJX09zckv4KeYALearn more about the Institute of the Incarnate Wordhttps://iveamerica.org/Looking for Catholic articles to read?https://iveamerica.org/blog/Are you in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Suriname?https://www.youtube.com/@IVEAmerica

John 13:1-20English Standard Version13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”John 13:1-20English Standard Version13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Point 1. The Main ProblemIn Luke 5:8, when Simon Peter saw the miraculous catch of fish, he cried out: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”He was aware of his sin, but not of the saviorPoint 2. On the Opposite Side is an OverflowJohn 21:3-6 NIV“I'm going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven't you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.To live on the opposite side is…                    To love the unlovelyTo give when it looks like we have nothing to give.To walk by faith, when confronted by fearTo forgive when we were the ones wronged Point 3. Jesus, the Lord, Holds it all togetherJohn 21:7 NIVThen the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you've caught.”Then Jesus asked Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”John 21:18 NIVJesus said: “When you were younger, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, (as you grow, mature) someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”Point 4. Every Knee Will BowPhilippians 2:9–11 NIV“God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”Point 5. The Posture of the Redeemed“Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Point 1. The Main ProblemIn Luke 5:8, when Simon Peter saw the miraculous catch of fish, he cried out: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”He was aware of his sin, but not of the saviorPoint 2. On the Opposite Side is an OverflowJohn 21:3-6 NIV“I'm going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven't you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.To live on the opposite side is…                    To love the unlovelyTo give when it looks like we have nothing to give.To walk by faith, when confronted by fearTo forgive when we were the ones wronged Point 3. Jesus, the Lord, Holds it all togetherJohn 21:7 NIVThen the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you've caught.”Then Jesus asked Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”John 21:18 NIVJesus said: “When you were younger, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, (as you grow, mature) someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”Point 4. Every Knee Will BowPhilippians 2:9–11 NIV“God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”Point 5. The Posture of the Redeemed“Jesus Christ is Lord.”

“For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:10 NLT) Pride and self-sufficiency are two big obstacles to spiritual growth. A good way to overcome them is to cry out to God when you need help. The Bible tells the story of Simon Peter, who had the extraordinary experience of walking on water with Jesus. When the impossibility of the situation began to dawn on him, however, his faith faltered. He cried out, “Save me, Lord!” (Matthew 14:30 NLT). How easily Jesus could have said, “Where is your faith, Peter? You made your bed; now lie on it. Try swimming.” But the Bible says, “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him” (Matthew 14:31 NLT). Immediately. I like that. When you begin to sink and cry out, “Lord, save me!” He will immediately reach out. But you must cry out for His help. And that’s hard for some people to do. As a kid, I spent a lot of time at the beach. When I was out bodysurfing one day, a big set of waves started coming in. So, I did what I was supposed to do: I swam toward the waves and went under them. When I looked up, there was another set. I swam under those, too. One set after another came. In time, I drifted so far out that the people on the beach looked like little ants to me. Suddenly, I felt exhausted—with no strength left and nothing to hold onto. In that moment, I knew I was in trouble. I realized I had two choices. I could cry, “Help!” and the lifeguard would come running with his life preserver. When we got to shore, my friends would laugh, and I would never live it down. Or I could drown with dignity. I cried out! A lot of us don’t want to admit our need. We don’t want to cry out to God. We want to maintain our dignity. To get the proper perspective on what to do in times of need, we need to look to God’s Word. Jonah cried out to God after he was swallowed by a giant fish (see Jonah 2:1–9). Hannah cried out to God for a son. First Samuel 1:10 says she “was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord” (NLT). King David was under tremendous stress when he wrote, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?” (Psalm 22:1 NLT). Jesus quoted the words of Psalm 22 when He cried out to God from the cross (see Matthew 27:46). If Jesus wasn’t too proud to cry out to God, neither should we be. There are only so many things we can do to help ourselves. Crying out to God frees us from our own limitations. It opens a whole world of possibilities. God can bring ultimate good from any situation. All we have to do is cry out to Him for help. Every day of my life, I need the best God has to offer. And you do, too. Reflection question: What do you need to cry out to God about in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, Evangelist Chance Walters gives us some encouragement from the life of Simon Peter as He gets back up after He fails. Please share with a friend!

“Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ ‘We’ll come, too,’ they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.” (John 21:3 NLT) One way to strengthen your Christian faith is to keep a proper perspective on failure. The Gospels describe two similar encounters between Jesus and His disciples that illustrate the importance of not giving failure the final word. The first is found in Luke 5:1–11. To get some distance from the crowd that clamored to hear Him, Jesus boarded Peter’s boat and spoke to His followers a short distance from the shore. When He was done, He instructed Peter, who was a fisherman by trade, to head for deep waters to catch some fish. Peter explained to Jesus that he and his companions had been fishing all night but had failed to catch anything. Still, he obeyed the Lord’s command. And when he let down his nets, he caught so many fish that he could barely get them on board. The second encounter, found in John 21, takes place after Jesus’ resurrection. The Lord had already appeared to some of the disciples. But He had given them no clear marching orders, so some of them went back to what they knew how to do: fish. They had been fishing all night on the Sea of Galilee and hadn’t caught anything. It was early in the morning, probably still dark, when they saw a figure standing on the shore. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” (verse 5 NLT). Throughout the Bible, God often asked probing questions when He wanted a confession. In the same way, Jesus was asking His disciples, “Did you catch anything? Have you been successful? Have things gone the way you had hoped they would go? Are you satisfied?” Jesus knew the answer, of course. So, why did He want them to admit their failure? So that He could bring them to the place where they needed to be. When they cast the net on the right side of the boat as Jesus told them to, their net became so heavy with fish that they couldn’t pull it in. The Lord was teaching the disciples an important lesson: Failure is often the doorway to real success. It’s a lesson that believers today need to learn as well. We need to come to a point in our lives where we recognize that what we’re doing isn’t working. We need to say, “Lord, I’m not satisfied with the way my life is going. I’m tired of doing things my way. I want to do things Your way.” If you approach God in that way, He will extend His forgiveness to you. Then He will transform your life in ways you can’t imagine. If you want to deepen your relationship with the Lord, admit your failures and hand the reins of your life to Him. Reflection question: What failure or dissatisfaction would you like the Lord to transform in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Explore the transformative moment when Jesus calls His first disciples. Journey to the Sea of Galilee, where frustrated fishermen encounter the Messiah and witness a miraculous catch. Learn how Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John become "fishers of men" as they leave everything to follow Jesus. Discover the power of Christ's authority as He teaches in the synagogue and confronts an unclean spirit, demonstrating His divine nature.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/HermanJoin the Angel Guild today and know you are not just watching, you're helping make bold, faith driven stories like Disciples in the Moonlight possible. That's Angel.com/HermanBizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comRegister now for the free Review/Preview Webinar November 20th 3:30pm Pacific, schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio Review, and subscribe to Zach's Daily Market Recap at (SLOW) Know Your Risk Podcast dot com. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.SNAP Culture Predicted By Mice // When the Deep State Gets THIS Nervous We Need to Thank God. // If Satan Gave a Sermon (Dedicated to JoshM's beautiful song.)Episode links:Dr. Oz: “Buckle up for this one. Based on our initial set of audits, more than $1B of federal taxpayer dollars were being spent on funding Medicaid for illegal immigrants. And my team is getting it back.”In 1968, Dr. John Calhoun built the perfect utopia with unlimited shelter, food, entertainment, and zero predators.By day 315, it was a living hell. Welcome to Universe 25 social experiment and its chilling similarities to modern Western society: Nurse in Arizona (TikTok: ken26045) makes a social media video breaking down because she just got the text saying her SNAP Food Stamps were being paused due to the shutdown. This same woman was just bragging about buying NFL tickets. People use EBT to subsidize their lifestylesNOW: The power at ICE Portland and surrounding buildings has been CUT, and the cause has NOT been made public. Luckily, ICE has backup generators, so if this was intentional, the act failed miserably.Jimmy Clapper gets REALLY agitated and nervous  I Never Said That (RedWords)Jen Hamilton reads the Red Words pretends Jesus was a liberalWhat Does God's Word Say?“... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' - Matthew 28:19“‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Mark 12:30-31 “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven” - Matthew 5:44“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'” - Matthew 25:35-40 NIV“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.” - Matthew 22:21“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” - Matthew 27:46Jesus Reinstates Peter - John 21:15-1915 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Come and See John 1:35-51 35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Come As You Are Series - The Broken Ones Are Beautiful Too!Romans 7:19-20 Paul said, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me.”God knows we are broken. He knows we struggle. He doesn't get disappointed. Instead, He celebrates every time we don't give in to temptation. Every time we mess up, we can bring that to God with the assurance that He welcomes us with open arms and celebrates because we came home instead of being upset we messed up.We live in an age where social media lets us see what everyone is doing. Social media has many benefits. I get to see photos of friends I haven't talked to in years. We can notify everyone with one post about the biggest things in our lives. We get to post all the amazing things happening in our lives. It also has downsides, and one of them is that people tend to post all the amazing things and leave out all the bad stuff. Which in itself isn't bad. I mean, who wants to read about negative things? However, when we see all the good and none of the bad, our brain tells us stories about how everyone else has it all together. Everyone else can do all the things, so why can't we? Why are we struggling when no one else is? Our mind starts to play the comparison game. Comparison is the thief of joy. We can go on Facebook for 20 minutes, then feel terrible, and we can't figure out why. It's because we compare ourselves to others and decide everyone else has so much more than we do, they are so much further along than we are, they are happier than we are, and so on. We may not even realize we are doing it. Do you ever notice your mood change after spending time on social media? That could be why.We can do the same thing when we look at the various saints or we look at the people of the Bible. We can look at how God used them and get discouraged. We can tell ourselves He will never use us like He used them. We put them on a pedestal and assume that they were so holy, which is why God used them. We look at all they did for God and are sure they were much holier than we are. We tell ourselves they had it all together; they must have said their prayers perfectly, always worshiped God, and were always perfect. We do this with people we see in church, too. We see the Deacon, the Priest, the minister, and his wife; we think they must be so holy. They must not have the struggles that we have. Let me tell you a little secret: they struggle just like we do. No one is exempt from struggling. No one has this life figured out.I found an article titled' The Bible Heroes Who ‘Failed Forward' by Greg Laurie. I just want to read you the beginning part, as it shows us that these people came just as they were. They didn't change before God used them. God knew who they were, and he chose them anyway.Pastor Levi Lusko tells the story of collecting shells on the beach with his daughter Clover. Levi was looking for the nice shells that were in good condition. Meanwhile, Clover was picking up all the broken shells.When her little hands couldn't hold any more shells, she turned to her father and said, “Daddy, the broken ones are beautiful too.”I think God sees things the same way.The New Testament book of Hebrews includes a collection of great heroes of the faith, men and women whom God used and blessed. I find that interesting because these people messed up. They weren't perfect examples.But the funny thing is that chapter 11 of Hebrews mentions only their victories and not their mistakes. That is because God sees what we will become, not necessarily what we are.In fact, a lot of people we read about in the Bible messed up. Abraham, the father of faith and of the Jewish people, lied about his wife twice. His son Isaac did the same thing. Sarah, Abraham's wife, laughed at the promise of God and then denied that she laughed.Jacob lied and connived. Noah got drunk. Samson was immoral. Gideon was fearful. Rahab was a prostitute. David had an affair and then had someone murdered to cover it up. Elijah was deeply depressed and didn't want to live. And Jonah ran from God. The disciples fell asleep when they should have been praying, and Simon Peter openly denied the Lord. Then there was Moses, who killed a guy.”This article shows us that these amazing people in the Bible weren't perfect. Could God have selected perfect people to do these things? Yes, absolutely. He is God. He can do whatever He wants. Yet He didn't. He chose people who had made mistakes. He chose people who had done things that we might think are unforgivable. He chose people who probably didn't feel up to the task. He chose people who failed more than once. Do you know what these people all had in common? They said yes. Not all of them said yes the first time they were asked, but God wouldn't have used them if they didn't cooperate with Him. I love that Greg said in his article that God sees what we will become, not necessarily what we are.The same is true for you. If you want God to use you, all you need to do is say yes. There is a song I love titled Nobody by Casting Crowns. The lyrics confirm that God uses the unlikeliest of people to do the most amazing things. God isn't looking for perfect people. Just like we talked about in previous devotionals in this series. Jesus didn't come for the righteous; they do not need a savior. God is looking for ordinary people to do extraordinary things. The song starts out:Why You ever chose meHas always been a mysteryAll my life I've been told I belongAt the end of the lineWith all the other not-quitesWith all the never-get-it-rightsBut it turns out they're the ones You were looking for All this time Is this you? Have you always been on the outside looking in? Have you always been told you wouldn't amount to anything? Have you always struggled to feel worthy or part of the crowd? Have you always felt different or less than? Have you been told you are either not enough or too much? Have you been told no one would ever love you? Well guess what? You are the one God has been looking for all this time.The song goes on to say:'Cause I'm just a nobodyTrying to tell everybodyAll about SomebodyWho saved my soulEver since You rescued meYou gave my heart a song to singI'm living for the world to seeNobody but Jesus This is great because it says, I'm living for the world to see nobody but Jesus. Would you relate as much to those in the Bible if they were all perfect? If they were perfect from birth and never made the wrong choice? I know that is how we see them in our eyes. Yet, when we learn they weren't perfect, don't we feel better? Isn't it somehow comforting to know they aren't perfect? If God only used perfect people, then we might say, Of course, they could do that; they were perfect. However, when we hear about some ordinary person doing something extraordinary, we know it had to have been God. No one is looking at the ordinary little shepherd boy, David, and saying that He killed Goliath because he is just that good and he is that strong. It is clear that God was with Him, and He could only kill the giant because He was with him. The song points out people that God chose and why they probably wouldn't have been our first choice. Moses had stage frightWhen David brought a rock to a sword fightYou picked twelve outsiders nobody would have chosenAnd You changed the worldWell the moral of the story isEverybody's got a purposeSo when I hear that devil start talking to me saying"Who do you think you are?” I sayI'm just a nobodyTrying to tell everybodyAll about SomebodyWho saved my soul I want you to remember this when the devil starts talking in your ear, too, because he will. I am not even talking about if you have some big mission for God. Even if you try to come to God in prayer, the devil will get in your ear and ask, “Who do you think you are?” “Why would God want to hear from you? Remember that thing you did last week? Do you think he will ever forgive you for that?” “God has more important people to talk to.” “God has better things to do than to listen to you complain about the same pain you have been complaining about all month.” The enemy can be relentless. When this happens, not if, but when, you need to be armed with truth. That is what this series is all about. During this devotional series, we have been finding the truth in the scriptures, in songs, and in the lives of those who came before us. My prayer is that by the end of this series, we will be so confident in our ability to go to the Lord just as we are when the enemy asks us, “Who do you think you are?” We will be able to say I am a child of God. I am a son or daughter of the one true king. I am worthy because Christ died on that cross for me. I can come to God just as I am because of God's mercy and grace. God doesn't want me to wait till I am perfect to come to Him. He wants me to go right now, right where I am. I know you might not be there yet, but we are done with this series yet!Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those who are listening. Lord, I ask you to show us how wonderful we are in your eyes. Please help us to really believe that you want us to come to you just as we are. We love you, Lord, and we want to believe it! We want to believe you love us even though we are deeply flawed. We want to believe you love us even though we sin. Please help us Lord! We ask all of this in accordance with Your Will and In Jesus's Holy Name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. We are coming to the end of this Come As You Are series. If you have an idea of a topic you would like me to cover next, please reach out and let me know. Also, please check out my book; it is on Amazon right now. Walk Boldly With Jesus Devotional: Who I Am: Discovering God's Truth About Me. If you do get the book, I would be really appreciative if you could leave a review on Amazon. It doesn't have to be long, and it doesn't have to be glowing. Just leave an honest review, even if it's just one sentence; it will be helpful. I need to have a certain number of reviews before I can run ads, and that would help more people find the book. I look forward to meeting you here again on Monday. Remember Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed weekend.Today's Word from the Lord was received in June 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “I saw their ways, but I will heal them and lead them. I will give comfort to those who mourn for them. I, the creator, who gave them life, peace to the far and to the near, says the Lord, and I will heal you.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Read OnlineJesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles...  Luke 6:12Simon and Jude were among those very select few who were chosen by Jesus Himself to be His Apostles. Today's Simon is not the same person as Simon Peter, and today's Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariot. Little is known about these two Apostles. Simon is referred to as a zealot in the Gospels, which could have meant he was a member of a more radical sect within Judaism. Jude is popularly known as the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes. Some suggest this is because he was often the last Apostle to be prayed to by the early Christian faithful on account of the fact that he shared a name with Judas Iscariot, and praying to Jude reminded people of that betrayer. If that was the case, then in God's providence, since Jude became the last Apostle to be prayed to, he also became the last hope for many and, thus, the patron saint for those with truly hopeless causes.One tradition states that Saints Simon and Jude are linked together in the Roman Canon and also share the same feast day because they were both martyred together on the same day, possibly in Syria, Lebanon, or Persia. However, the true details of their missionary journeys and martyrdom is unclear. The one thing that is certain about these Apostles, however, is that they were Apostles. They were chosen by our Lord and appointed by Him as two of the first bishops of our Church and were given a mandate to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth.From our perspective today, being one of those chosen Twelve is an incredible privilege. The effect of their ministry in establishing the first Christian communities has resulted in our worldwide universal Catholic Church. These men most likely did not realize the impact that their faithful service would have upon the world.As we honor these two Apostles, we are also reminded that each one of us is called to go forth to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We each do so in a way specific to the calling and mission that Christ has entrusted to us. We are each called to make an eternal difference in the lives of those whom we serve. And if we are faithful to our mission, we can be certain that the effects of our apostolic service will be felt in the lives of countless others until the end of the world. Reflect, today, upon Jesus choosing these two men and appointing them as Apostles. As you do, listen to God's voice as He also speaks to you. Do not underestimate the importance of accepting the mission that Jesus gives to you. Say “Yes” to Him in imitation of these two Apostles and know that your choice to serve our Lord in this way will not only have a great effect in your life, it will also have an effect in the lives of many others for all eternity. My glorious Lord, You called these two ordinary men, Simon and Jude, to be Your Apostles. You filled them with Your grace, taught them with Your Word, and sent them forth to preach to the ends of the earth. Please also send me, dear Lord, to whomever You choose. Use me as Your instrument and help me to always remain faithful and zealous, reaching out to those in need, especially to those who lack faith and hope in their lives. Saints Simon and Jude, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Ugolino di Nerio, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

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Preacher: Annie Dimond Matthew 16:13-19 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Simon Peter fell. We all have had moments where we have spiritually failed. What do you do when you've failed? Today we talk about this important subject.

2 Corinthians 9:8 EHV“God is able to make all grace OVERFLOW to you, so that in ALL THINGS at all times, having ALL that you need, you will OVERFLOW in every good work.”Key #1What Moves Jesus, Multiplies through JesusJohn 6:5 NLT“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?'”Key #2Faith doesn't Count, it TrustsJohn 6:7–9 NLT“Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!' Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?'”Key #3From Leftovers to LegacyJohn 6:12-13 NIV“When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”

2 Corinthians 9:8 EHV“God is able to make all grace OVERFLOW to you, so that in ALL THINGS at all times, having ALL that you need, you will OVERFLOW in every good work.”Key #1What Moves Jesus, Multiplies through JesusJohn 6:5 NLT“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?'”Key #2Faith doesn't Count, it TrustsJohn 6:7–9 NLT“Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!' Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?'”Key #3From Leftovers to LegacyJohn 6:12-13 NIV“When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”

John 21:15-25 (NASB) 15 Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep. 18 Truly, truly I tell you, when you were younger, you used to put on your belt and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go.” 19 Now He said this, indicating by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” 20 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who also had leaned back on His chest at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who is betraying You?” 21 So Peter, upon seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23 Therefore this account went out among the brothers, that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is testifying about these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written. I. Fulfill you ministry (15-17) II. Be prepared to suffer (18-19) III. Mind your own business (20-25)  

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?Venit autem Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in caelis est. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.St Callixtus I, successor of St Zephyrinus, instituted the Ember-Day Fasts, and provided for the honorable internment of the Martyrs. He himself suffered martyrdom under Alexander Severus A.D. 223.

In the quiet, devastating hours leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, two men closest to Him committed the ultimate betrayal and denial. Drawing from Luke 22:46-63, Pastor Derek Holmes examines the contrasting failures of Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter. Both men sinned profoundly against their Lord, raising the sobering truth that all of us are capable of failing Christ. The critical question is: What do we do when we fail? Pastor Derek unpacks the stark difference in how Judas and Peter responded to their monumental sin. Judas' path led to despair, while Peter's led to restoration. By looking closely at their reactions, Pastor Derek helps us understand the difference between simple remorse for our sin and genuine, heartfelt repentance. True repentance is the only path that leads to forgiveness, healing, and restoration with God. Discover the hope that your failure doesn't have to be final—it can be forgiven.

5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. 5:12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 5:13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 5:14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 5:15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 5:18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 5:19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 5:22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? 5:23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 5:24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. 5:25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 5:26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. 5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 5:28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 5:29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 5:30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 5:33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 5:34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 5:35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 5:36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new make...