Podcasts about Sin

Sin isn't a very popular subject. People don't mind talking about bad habits or lacking purpose in life. But Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth says we need to admit to a far greater problem—we're sinners. Find out why being honest about sin can bring joy.

Sin is strong, but God's grace is stronger, restoring what was lost, giving more than enough, and bringing us close through Christ.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Shais Taub, the rabbi behind the organization SoulWords, about shame, selfhood, and authenticity. In this episode we discuss:How are we to deal with the pain of embodiment and individuation?How does one uncover their mission in the world and align their life with the transcendent?How can we work to reorient our desires toward the right things? Tune in to hear a conversation about the interior experience of fragmentation from Ultimate Being. Interview begins at 10:28.Rabbi Shais Taub is a well-known figure in Jewish teachings and personal development and delivers Torah lectures and classes worldwide. He is renowned for his ability to make complex ideas accessible. He heads SoulWords.org and serves as scholar-in-residence at Chabad of the Five Towns in Long Island, New York.References:God of Our Understanding by Shais TaubSin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David BashevkinTop 5 by David BashevkinSeinfeld: “The Soul Mate”"Eric Adams on Dyslexia, Trauma, and Fixing What's Broken in Politics”Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtFor more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

In this episode of The Leader's Notebook (Ep.292) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, I walk through the life of King David not as a children's story hero, but as one of the most complex, gifted, and broken leaders Scripture ever presents, drawing from Psalms 22, 23, and 51 to show how a shepherd, poet, warrior, prophet, outlaw, king, and sinner could still be called a man after God's own heart. David's genius was not perfection but pursuit: an uncommon ability to flex with the seasons of life, to rebound from moral collapse and personal tragedy, and to refuse both despair and denial when confronted with his own sin. From prophetic insight that reached the cross of Christ, to public repentance that matched the depth of his failure, David teaches us that leadership is not validated by flawlessness but by repentance, resilience, and an unrelenting chase after the heart of God, even when life is marked by pain, conflict, and unfinished battles. – Dr. Mark Rutland Chapters (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook(00:00:25) - Psalm 22, The Book of Psalms(00:02:19) - David the Extraordinary Man(00:07:31) - The Fall of David(00:09:09) - The Life of King David(00:13:23) - The Story of David and the Defeat of Goliath(00:21:41) - David the King of Israel(00:28:00) - David's Sin with Bathsheba(00:35:03) - David the Book of Life(00:39:38) - Was David a Man After God's Own Heart?

Espana, 1997. Los habitantes de Rio Blanco, un pueblo que vive de la fresa, han aceptado que los temporeros marroquies se instalen en Fuensanta, una aldea abandonada. Pero la convivencia genera tensiones. Lo sabe Sonia (Michelle Jenner), dirigente de una ONG que ayuda en la integracion. Tambien lo sabe el Padre Angel (Dario Grandinetti), cura local. Y hasta Safir (Younes Bouab), el iman. Pero lo que ninguno de ellos imagina es que los cimientos de Fuensanta esconden algo capaz de desatar sus peores pesadillas. El dolor mas antiguo. El miedo mas ancestral. Sin importar tus creencias o a quien le reces. Este es el argumento de la nueva serie de Hugo Stuven para Prime Video. Y con el y con su principal protagonista, Michelle Jenner, hemos hablado de cine, de exorcismos, y de fenomenos paranormales que al parecer se produjeron durante el rodaje

Jesús en los Evangelios. Mateo 1.Conoce a Jesucristo tal como lo presentan los Evangelios. Con comentarios fieles a la doctrina católica tradicional. Sin distorsiones para complacer al mundo. Ayuda a sostener este apostolado. Envía WhatsApp "Quiero apoyar" al +52 33 2813 6085.Contenido fiel a la doctrina católica tradicional y al Magisterio perenne.⏰ Capítulos:00:00 Introducción00:32 Lectura del Evangelio.02:42 Comentarios de Mons. Straubinger.07:46 Comentarios del Catecismo Romano.10:42 Conclusión

  «Te concederé muchos años de vida, y te daré a conocer mi salvación» (Salmos 91:16) ¿Sabías que no es la voluntad de Dios que nadie muera joven? Su voluntad para ti es que vivas el número completo de tus días. Deberías vivir 70 u 80 años, y si no estás satisfecho con esa cantidad, ¡vive más tiempo! La Biblia dice que Abraham murió anciano y lleno de años. Debería ser lo mismo para todos nosotros. A algunos creyentes se les ha complicado la vida porque no han llegado a entender este punto. Cuando se enferman, en lugar de creer en la sanidad, empiezan a pensar que quizás ya les haya llegado la hora de morir y que tal vez es la voluntad de Dios que partan de este mundo. Piensan: "A lo mejor Él está listo para llamarme a casa". Jamás entretengas esa clase de pensamientos. Si dejas las cosas en las manos de Dios, Él te llevará al cielo cuando estés preparado para partir. El apóstol Pablo entendió esa realidad. En 2 Timoteo 4:6-7, dijo: «Yo estoy ya a punto de ser sacrificado, y el tiempo de mi partida está cercano. He peleado la buena batalla, he acabado la carrera, he guardado la fe». Pablo murió cuando él y Jesús estuvieron preparados para que él partiera. Sin importar cuál sea tu edad, si el diablo te dice que Dios no te sanará porque es hora de que partas, ¡no le creas! Está mintiéndote. Dios promete en el Salmo 91:16 que si habitas bajo la sombra del Altísimo (en otras palabras, que si permaneces en Él como Jesús dice que lo hagas en Juan 15), Él te saciará de larga vida. Si aún no has terminado tu carrera en esta Tierra y no estás satisfecho, entonces definitivamente no es hora de que mueras. Así que no le hagas caso al diablo, y sigue viviendo. Reprende las enfermedades y los males en el Nombre de Jesucristo. Aférrate a las promesas de Dios. Después, cuando sea tiempo de irte al cielo, ¡hazlo satisfecho, sano y listo! Parte en victoria cantando las palabras de un antiguo canto lleno de gozo: "El cielo está cerca y yo no me puedo quedar aquí. Adiós mundo, adiós". Lectura bíblica: Deuteronomio 34   © 1997 – 2019 Eagle Mountain International Church Inc., también conocida como Ministerios Kenneth Copeland / Kenneth Copeland Ministries. Todos los derechos reservados.

Los mercados navideños alemanes, una tradición centenaria, se celebran en casi todos los pueblos y ciudades y consisten en puestos de comerciantes que venden regalos, así como dulces, salchichas y vino caliente con especias. Sin embargo, el acogedor ambiente familiar de estos eventos se ha visto empañado por la conmoción de recientes atentados que pesan sobre estos eventos. Este es uno de los maravillosos mercados navideños alemanes, en una plaza al lado de la iglesia Gedächniskirche de Berlín. Aquí los vecinos vienen a comprar regalos y a reunirse para tomar el tradicional vino caliente con especias. El lugar está lleno, pero algo inquieta. Cada pocos minutos, policías armados con pesadas metralletas se mezclan con la gente. Alrededor del mercado, se levantan gruesos bloques de concreto. Hace 9 años, un muchacho tunecino islamista atravesó este mismo mercado manejando un camión y arrolló y mató a 11 personas. Nadie habla de eso, pero nadie se olvida del todo.  “Cuando piensa que estás aquí y que no te puedes escapar, que podría venir otra vez, no se sabe bien de dónde, una está completamente entregada, eso agobia cuando caminas por aquí”, reconoce una mujer entrevistada por RFI. “Sería una tontería no abrir, se han tomado todas las medidas de seguridad posibles, siempre puede pasar que venga alguien con una mochila con una pistola o un cuchillo adentro ¡qué se puede hacer contra eso!”, dice con resignación", opina un visitante. Leer tambiénCinco muertos y decenas de heridos en el ataque a un mercado de Navidad en Alemania A pesar del atentado aquí hace 9 años, de otro en Magdeburgo el año pasado y uno aparentemente frustrado en Baviera este año, los mercados navideños están repletos. Las medidas de seguridad, los muros de protección, los policías de uniforme y otros de civil, se han redoblado este año, pero todos saben que un atentado suicida es impredecible. Una mezcla de sangre fría y fatalismo han mantenido una de las invenciones alemanas más populares e imitadas en el mundo para que viva otro año más.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251223dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21 Give Him the Name Jesus Joseph’s world had been turned upside down. The woman he loved was expecting a child, and Joseph knew he wasn’t the father. In his hurt and confusion, he planned to end the engagement quietly. But before he could act, God intervened. Through an angel, the Lord gave Joseph the comfort he needed: “Do not be afraid.” Mary’s child was no scandal. He was the Savior, conceived by the Holy Spirit. This was not Joseph’s plan, but it was God’s, and it was perfect. The angel even told Joseph the baby’s name: Jesus. That name means “The Lord saves.” His purpose was clear. He will save his people from their sins. Not from Roman rulers. Not from poverty or sickness. But from the deeper problem that haunts every heart—sin. What a message of hope! We too face fear and confusion when life does not go as planned. We wrestle with guilt over choices we made, with uncertainty about the future, with the pain of brokenness in our world. Yet in our turmoil, God still speaks: “Do not be afraid.” Why not? Because Jesus has come. He has come to save us from our sins. He has lived the perfect life we could not, carried our guilt to the cross, and risen victorious from the grave. His name is still our comfort today: Jesus. The Lord saves. Like Joseph, we may not always understand God’s plan. But we can trust his promise. In Christ, we are forgiven. In Christ, we are safe. And in Christ, we have every reason to live without fear. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to save me from my sins. When fear and doubt rise in my heart, remind me of your name and your promise: The Lord saves. 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.

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1====================================================DEVOCIÓN   MATUTINA PARA ADULTOS 2025“CON JESÚS HOY”Narrado por: Exyomara AvilaDesde: Bogotá, ColombiaUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist Church ===================|| www.drministries.org ||===================24 de DiciembreDios ya ha salido del libro«El Verbo se hizo carne y habitó entre nosotros» (Juan 1: 14).Cuando nuestra hija era niña le encantaba que le contásemos historias. Leíamos juntos Las bellas historias de la Biblia y nos gustaba detenernos en sus bonitas imágenes. Un día, mientras estábamos contemplando juntos una bella imagen de Jesús con una niñita en sus brazos, Sonia exhaló un gran suspiro y dijo: «¡Cómo me gustaría que Jesús se saliera del cuadro del libro y viniera a estar con nosotros!».Sin saberlo, mi hijita acaba de expresar uno de los más nobles y profundos anhelos del corazón humano. Hemos oído hablar mucho de Dios en la Biblia y en las iglesias. Hemos tenido emotivas vislumbres de su poder y belleza en la naturaleza. Pero nuestro corazón no está satisfecho. Quisiéramos que Dios saliera de esos cuadros distantes y del venerable libro y viniera a estar con nosotros personalmente. Así lo verbalizó Felipe muchos siglos antes que Sonia: «Muéstranos el Padre y nos basta» (Juan 14: 8).Nuestro corazón es personal y necesitamos encontrarnos con una Persona. Las imágenes y los relatos sobre Dios no nos bastan. Cuando un niño llora porque ha perdido de vista a su padre, no le consuela que le digamos: «No llores, niño, te voy a hablar de tu papá. Mira, incluso te voy a enseñar unas fotos de tu papá». El niño va a seguir necesitando estar con su padre.Es Navidad en nuestros calendarios. Y una gran parte del mundo cristiano celebra -a veces sin tener conciencia de ello- que Dios ha salido del cuadro en la persona de Jesús: «El Verbo se hizo carne y habitó entre nosotros» (Juan 1: 14). Este es el significado primero y último de la Navidad. Jesús es Emmanuel, Dios con nosotros (Mat. 1: 23).El gran desafío del hombre a ese Dios, imaginado muy lejos allá en el cielo, siempre ha sido: «¡Baja, si eres hombre!». Y Dios ha dejado el cielo y ha bajado hasta nosotros. Ha salido del Libro. Ha dejado atrás las imágenes y los relatos y se ha hecho hombre. Y ha llegado hasta nosotros en la persona de un niñito llamado Jesús. Nuestra oración hoy podría ser la siguiente:«Querido Padre:» De la misma manera que tú has dejado el marco de los cielos y has salido del Sagrado Libro para venir a nuestro encuentro, ayúdame para que yo también me atreva, con tu poder, a salir de mi zona de confort y de mis prejuicios y me acerque a quienes te buscan, a veces sin saberlo. Que mi propia vida sea un mensaje de Navidad para mi entorno, hasta el día en que estaremos contigo, definitivamente, en tu reino». 

Las mejores películas de 2025 Es momento de cerrar como se debe. No podíamos dejar ir al 2025 sin el ya famoso y siempre solicitado podcast especial con el recuento de las mejores películas del año. Y aquí estamos. Nadando entre apuntes, memorias, emociones que se apagan al encenderse las luces y muchas ganas de compartir con ustedes lo que en Cinegarage consideramos lo mejor que tuvo el cine que vimos, porque películas hay muchas más. Del terror reimaginado al documental ultra realista y de ahí al cine que mezcla todos los géneros posibles, aquí recordaremos las películas más emocionantes o las más extravagantes que, por eso y más merecen ser mencionadas en nuestro recuento anual. Para hacerlo no hay nadie mejor que el crítico de cine Ernesto Diezmartínez, una de las mentes más destacadas y respetadas de la crítica nacional e internacional. Sin más preámbulos, iniciemos el recuento de las mejores películas de 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

¿Cuál es la razón más grande por la que las personas no practican o usan el idioma que están aprendiendo? Es porque tienen pena de equivocarse delante de otras personas. De verdad, ¡no hay que preocuparse tanto!Después de que un estudiante aprende lo básico, la mayoría de las equivocaciones no impiden el entendimiento. Sin embargo, si quieres asegurarte de que tu forma de hablar suene lo más natural posible, ¡nosotros te podemos ayudar! Este es el último episodio, el número seis, de nuestra serie sobre los errores más comunes de los estudiantes de inglés. Hoy, vamos a hablar de un tema un poco más amplio que en los episodios anteriores. Vamos a hablar de la pronunciación. ¿Estás asustado de hablar de la playa en inglés porque piensas que la gente pensará que estás diciendo un insulto grosero? En una tienda de zapatos, ¿a veces te cuesta que el vendedor entienda si estás diciendo fit (“quedar bien”) o feet (“pies”)? Si alguna vez has sentido esa preocupación, este episodio es para ti. ¿Estás listo para aprender con nosotros? Are you ready to learn with us? ¡Ven! ¡Come on!Recuerda que todos los recursos para este episodio, incluyendo la transcripción, la tabla de vocabulario y ejercicios para repasar el aprendizaje están disponibles en nuestro sitio web. Haz clic en este enlace para ver todos los recursos para este episodio:  https://www.inglesdesdecero.ca/240-----Dale “me gusta” a nuestra página en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inglesdesde0/-----Síguenos en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingles.desde.cero/-----Subscribete en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inglesdesdecero145-----Aprende inglés con nativos que se formaron en su enseñanza. ¡Visita nuestro sitio web, https://www.inglesdesdecero.ca/ para inscribirte y seguir todas nuestras lecciones! __No dejes pasar esta oportunidad con Shopify y regístrate para un período de prueba por solo un dólar al mes en shopify.mx/desdecero__________________________________________________________________________________________________________Evalúa en 3 minutos qué tan preparada está tu empresa para adoptar IA y recibe un plan de acción personalizado: https://offers.hubspot.es/diagnostico-empresa-ia?utm_campaign=genuinam Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SummaryIn this powerful sermon from Psalm 1, Pastor Greg exposes the destructive spirit of scorn—and why it's not just dangerous, but deadly to your soul, your marriage, your ministry, and your future.You'll discover:• The hidden roots of a scornful spirit (pride, insecurity, guilt, and inner conflict)• Why scorn dries up love, faith, and fruitfulness• How mockery ruins marriages, poisons children, and hinders revival• The urgent call to repent and not sit in the seat of the scornfulThis message is more than a warning—it's a roadmap to freedom, healing, and spiritual longevity.Chapters0:00 – Manila Revival: A Testimony of Fruitfulness1:38 – A Scorner's Confession: A Life Destroyed2:45 – The Seat of the Scornful Explained4:50 – What Is Scorn? (Boasting, Mockery, Contempt)6:58 – Why Are People So Scornful?8:45 – Pride and the Illusion of Superiority10:45 – Insecurity and the Need to Tear Others Down11:52 – Guilt: The Hidden Root of Criticism14:16 – Inner Conflict and the Outward War15:40 – Scorn's Personal and Spiritual Damage17:30 – Scorn Kills Relationships, Especially in Marriage18:50 – Why Scorn Blocks Wisdom and Growth20:12 – The Generational Curse of Despising22:40 – Scorn in the Church: Blocking Revival23:50 – When God Hears Our Words25:00 – How to Survive the Spirit of Scorn26:30 – The Scorn Test: What Comes Out of Your Mouth?28:15 – Making Hard Decisions About Toxic Relationships30:45 – A Marriage and Ministry That Lasted32:15 – A Real Story: Leaving the Scorner's Table34:05 – Altar Call: Turning from Sin and Scorn36:30 – Come Pray: Make the Decision to SurviveShow NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at: • Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3vy1s5b • Podchaser: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369

¿Habrá alguna razón oculta por la que los nobles de antaño sostenían en alto el brazo de su espada? Sí, pero es una razón más ignorada que oculta, ya que los tales nobles sostenían el brazo en alto para mostrar la filigrana de venas azuladas bajo su pálida piel. Con sus venas azuladas pretendían demostrar su genealogía, comprobando así que no habían mezclado su sangre con la de los moros o los judíos. Y por su palidez se distinguían de los campesinos y trabajadores que se bronceaban bajo el sol. Según el historiador británico Robert Lacey en su obra titulada Aristócratas, ese concepto de «sangre azul» para referirse a la nobleza y a la aristocracia nació en la España del siglo noveno.1 Lo cierto es que se arraigó a tal grado en la sociedad que muchos aún piensan que se refiere exclusivamente a los reyes, y que sea la razón por la que al príncipe que va al rescate de una dama en apuros se le conozca, en español, con el nombre de príncipe azul.2 Sin embargo, otra explicación en cuanto al origen de la «sangre azul», igualmente digna de consideración, es que se debe a la argiria o al saturnismo. Las dos son enfermedades que hacen que la piel y otras partes del cuerpo tomen un tono azulado. La argiria la contrae quien ha sido expuesto excesiva y prolongadamente a la plata, mientras que el saturnismo lo contrae quien ha ingerido un alto índice de plomo. A los aristócratas en particular, sin saberlo, la plata y el plomo los iba intoxicando poco a poco al comer y beber todos los días con cubiertos y copas de plata, como también en vasos, jarras y botellas de cristal. Es que, desde la antigüedad, al vidrio se le añadía plomo para hacerlo transparente y sobre todo brillante, convirtiéndolo así en cristal, que se usaba comúnmente para hacer vasos, jarras y botellas de gran valor y belleza destinados en gran parte a la aristocracia. El beber todos los días en tales vasos, como también almacenar vinos durante largo tiempo en botellas fabricadas de ese modo, hacía que el líquido acabara pasando al cuerpo del aristócrata que lo bebía y que, con el paso del tiempo, lo fuera intoxicando. Por eso en la actualidad está controlado y restringido el nivel del plomo que contiene el cristal empleado para fabricar objetos de uso común.3 Uno de los relatos más conocidos de la historia universal, que se lee, se recita y se dramatiza alrededor del mundo en cada Navidad, es el del nacimiento de un niño que los profetas de Israel anunciaron que llegaría a ser rey. En calidad de Hijo de Dios, uno de los nombres que se le darían era Príncipe de paz.4 Pero no iba a ser un príncipe azul como los que van al rescate de una dama en apuros, sino que vendría «para servir y para dar su vida en rescate por muchos».5 Y no haría alarde de realeza ni de presunta «sangre azul», sino que, como un Salvador «realmente» humilde, derramaría su sangre, tan roja como la nuestra, para sanarnos de la enfermedad mortal del pecado.6 Más vale que permitamos que venga a nuestro rescate ese Príncipe, llamado Jesús porque su misión era salvarnos de nuestros pecados.7 Carlos ReyUn Mensaje a la Concienciawww.conciencia.net 1 Robert Lacey, Aristocrats (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1983), citado en Gonzalo López Sánchez, «¿Por qué se dice que los reyes tienen sangre azul?», ABC Casa del Rey, Madrid, 20 junio 2014 En línea 28 junio 2019. 2 López Sánchez 3 Manuel J. Prieto, «El origen de la sangre azul de los reyes y los aristócratas» En línea 28 junio 2019. 4 Is 9:6-7; Mi 5:2 5 Mt 20:28 6 Zac 9:9-10; 1Jn 1:7 7 Mt 1:18–2:12

This week we move past the introductory material and into the story itself with John 1:19-34. It begins with John – John the Baptist, that is, who is indeed out there baptizing people, but he himself could hardly be more clear that what he's doing is really not the point. What we should attune to is this lamb of God who is apparently right here among us. What does it mean to call Jesus the Lamb of God – what is that language drawing upon? What does it mean to say he takes away the sin of the world – takes away, in the present tense, even before his crucifixion? And why does he say the SIN of the world, and not the sins? We're pretty sure there is more than one. 

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.The sermon begins by asking "Why should you try to be and do good?" What typically motivates you to act morally or pursue goodness, and how does Paul's identity-based rationale compare to those?Paul states that in baptism, Christians are "baptized into his death" and become "set free from sin." What does it practically mean for you to consider yourself "dead to sin," and what implications does this have for how you view temptation?Bob said fighting sin is not about "sheer determination, hard work, white knuckling it," but about "living real-time in Jesus." What has been your experience with willpower in resisting sin, and how might focusing on union with Christ offer a different path?The sermon provides two scenarios (nasty email, internet shopping) to illustrate real-time application. Can you share a personal struggle or temptation and discuss how intentionally "choosing to be in Jesus" might transform your response in that specific situation?What are the things that make you conscious of being in Christ? What practices or rhythms in your life help you actively "reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive to God"?Paul concludes the passage with "you are not under law, but under grace." How does understanding your identity through grace, rather than law, impact your self-perception, your approach to personal change, and your relationship with God?

Join Us for Worship: Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM https://www.flourishinggrace.org/plan-your-visit The Good News Is Beautiful | Advent Sermon from Isaiah 52:7–10 Three days before Christmas Eve, this message reminds us that this is not a throwaway Sunday. It's an invitation to slow down, to pause, and to truly see why the good news of Jesus isn't just true—it's beautiful. Many of us have been taught to defend Christianity primarily on whether it's factually accurate. That matters deeply. But for many people, especially those who've been hurt by religion, the bigger question is this: Even if it's true… is it good? Is it compelling? Is it beautiful? In this Advent message, we return to Isaiah 52:7–10, a passage that declares how beautiful the good news is—the announcement that God reigns. Long before Jesus was born, Isaiah envisioned a herald running over the mountains announcing peace, salvation, and the reign of God. This is not sentimental religion. This is a proclamation that changes everything. In this sermon, we explore what the “gospel” really is—not a self-improvement plan, not a checklist, not a set of religious instructions—but an announcement: King Jesus reigns. We walk through three reasons why this good news is truly beautiful: Jesus conquers through surrender Unlike every other king in history, Jesus wins by losing. He conquers not by crushing His enemies, but by becoming the Lamb who was slain. Power made perfect in weakness. Sin and death are dethroned The gospel doesn't promise perfection in this life—but it does promise a new King. Even in the rubble, the waste places, and the broken parts of our stories, God brings life. You don't have to hide your struggles. You are no longer owned by sin or death. The King has rescued you The gospel is not a plan for you to execute—it's a rescue accomplished by God Himself. Salvation is not something you achieve; it's something you receive. God rolls up His sleeves and does for us what we could never do for ourselves. This message is especially for: – Those who are tired of striving – Those who feel burdened by religious performance – Those who have been hurt by Christianity but still wonder if Jesus might be different – Those longing for peace in the middle of anxiety, grief, addiction, or uncertainty Jesus' invitation is simple and radical: yield. Step off the throne of your life and trust the gentle, good King who surrendered Himself for you. As we prepare for Christmas, we are reminded that when everything feels like it's falling apart, Jesus is still on His throne—and He is not distant, harsh, or indifferent. He is gentle and lowly in heart, and He offers rest for weary souls. If you're skeptical, searching, exhausted, or curious—this message is for you. Scripture: Isaiah 52:7–10 Series: Advent Theme: The Beauty of the Gospel If this message resonates with you, consider watching all the way through, sharing it with someone who needs hope this season, or joining us for Christmas Eve as we celebrate the coming of the King. The good news is beautiful. And King Jesus has come for you.

En este último episodio del año, repasamos lo mejor y lo peor de 2025 para Apple, destacando un balance general muy positivo en el ámbito del hardware. Analizamos lanzamientos clave como el iPhone 16e, que introdujo el primer módem propio de la compañía, el éxito rotundo del MacBook Air con chip M4 estandarizando los 16 GB de RAM, y coronamos al iPhone 17 como el producto más redondo del año. Sin embargo, también criticamos duramente la gestión de Apple Intelligence, calificándola como el gran fallo de la temporada debido a sus retrasos y al incumplimiento de las expectativas generadas durante su presentación.Abordamos los movimientos estratégicos y geopolíticos de la compañía, comentando su acelerada desvinculación de la manufactura en China para diversificar la producción hacia India y Vietnam. En este contexto, examinamos la situación de la App Store, poniendo el foco en la reciente apertura del mercado en Japón y comparando estas concesiones con las regulaciones impuestas por la Unión Europea, debatiendo sobre cómo estos cambios afectan al equilibrio entre la privacidad del usuario y la libertad en la distribución de software.Por último, discutimos la polémica generada en la WWDC en torno al nuevo lenguaje de diseño visual "Liquid Glass" y sus implicaciones negativas para la accesibilidad. También celebramos el buen desempeño de los servicios, con éxitos en Apple TV+ como la segunda temporada de Severance y la película de Fórmula 1, y mencionamos el hito financiero de la compañía al superar los cuatro billones de dólares de capitalización bursátil, cerrando así un año sólido de transición. Apple presenta el iPhone 16e, una nueva y potente incorporación a la gama del iPhone 16 - Apple (ES) Apple presenta el nuevo MacBook Air con el chip M4 y un nuevo color azul cielo - Apple (ES) Apple enfrenta presión por los retrasos en inteligencia artificial - Infobae Apple cree que sus rivales no lo están haciendo bien en IA. Es la excusa perfecta para retrasar Siri un año más Apple expande la producción del iPhone 17 en India para reducir la dependencia de China: informe — Noticias de TradingView Así es como India gana espacio para fabricar iPhones en su territorio - The New York Times Apple presenta un fabuloso y elegante nuevo diseño de software - Apple (ES) Resumen con todo lo presentado en el Apple Event: desde los nuevos iPhone 17 y iPhone Air hasta los nuevos Apple Watch iPhone 17 - Apple (ES) Apple presenta el Apple Watch Series 11, con información innovadora sobre la salud - Apple Los AirPods Pro 3 ofrecen la experiencia de audio definitiva - Apple (ES) Apple lanza el M5, un gran avance en rendimiento de la IA para los chips de Apple - Apple (ES) Apple ahora vale US$ 4 billones CNN Samsung se adelanta a Apple y presenta el primer chip de 2 nanómetros Tecnología

Este lunes, se lleva a cabo el sorteo de Lotería de Navidad 2025, el más esperado del año por los españoles. RFI conversó con los esperanzados compradores de boletos en Madrid. Estamos en pleno centro de Madrid, abarrotado de gente haciendo sus compras de Navidad. Los clientes que entran y salen de las tiendas se cuentan por miles, y las ventas, por millones. Sin embargo, entre todo el ajetreo que inunda el corazón de la capital, una larga hilera de personas espera pacientemente en la calle del Carmen, una de las peatonales que desembocan en la Puerta del Sol, para entrar a un pequeño local. "Yo he escuchado que este sitio da suerte. Hemos venido aquí por eso", explica Gabriel a RFI. "Todos los años vengo, es la tradición. Creo que los que venimos aquí somos muy supersticiosos y por eso estamos en 'La Manolita', cuenta Lorena. Doña Manolita es una de las administraciones de lotería más famosas de España y la que más décimos, más boletos, vende en todo el país. En esta tienda ha tocado el primer premio, "El Gordo", nada más y nada menos que 81 veces. Y para quien viene aquí a hacer cola, a veces durante horas, este año podría volver a caer. Es la convicción de Giorgina. "Este año me va a tocar", dice. Lo mismo piensa Claudia: "Sí, este año sí". "Este año es nuestro, Claudia", resume Giorgina. Cuantos más boletos se vendan en un mismo sitio, más probabilidad hay de que toque allí. Pero más allá de la estadística, cada cual confía en sus números de la suerte. Los compradores explican sus elecciones. "A nosotros nos gusta mucho el 5, pero como ya lo llevamos, no lo vamos a comprar", comenta Ana. "Por ejemplo, nos llevamos el 3 porque llevamos casi todos menos el 3", precisa José Manuel. Lorena también tiene claros sus números: "Yo he cogido el 23, el 10 porque me lo pidió mi hermana, y el de la edad de mi hija". "El 99, el 9 y el 76. Y llevo uno con el 0. El que tiene muchos ceros me gusta", confiesa Giorgina. Hay un claro favorito, el 13. En Doña Manolita, los boletos cuya combinación de cinco cifras termina con esas dos se agotan en agosto, a las pocas semanas de abrir la temporada de venta de lotería, como explica Bosco, empleado de la tienda. "Se supone que es un número que da mala suerte y en la lotería de Navidad es el número más demandado que hay. Nosotros empezamos a vender en julio y el 13 se acaba rapidísimo. Y todo lo que acaba en 25, por todas las celebraciones relacionadas con el 2025", declara. Y si toca, lo primero es celebrarlo. Algunos ya tienen un plan en caso de ganar. "Una comida toda la familia junta y mucha alegría. Daríamos un poco a cada uno para ayudarles y el resto para guardarlo. Para vivir. Hay que compartir con los demás", dicen Ana y José Manuel. Este lunes 22 de diciembre, el sorteo de la Lotería de Navidad en España reparte 2.772 millones de euros en premios, 70 millones más que en 2024.

Este no fue un episodio normal.Fue una noche de celebración, gratitud y conexión real.En este último show en vivo del 2025 celebramos el cumpleaños de Jenny junto a la comunidad que ha acompañado a Conspiraciones durante todo el año; una audiencia que ya no se siente como oyentes, sino como una verdadera familia.Durante el episodio compartimos risas, anécdotas y momentos emotivos con personas conectadas desde distintos países; leímos mensajes, abrimos micrófonos y dimos espacio a historias personales que nos recordaron por qué este proyecto existe.También hablamos del camino recorrido en 2025; los premios obtenidos, los episodios que más impactaron, y la responsabilidad que implica crear contenido crítico sin perder la humanidad ni el respeto. Miramos hacia el 2026 adelantando algunos de los temas que vienen; desde conspiraciones globales y avistamientos, hasta escenarios que invitan a reflexionar y prepararse con discernimiento.Este episodio no busca respuestas definitivas; busca comunidad, conversación y conciencia.Gracias a todos los que estuvieron en vivo y a quienes escuchan después.Sin ustedes, nada de esto tendría sentido.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251222dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 Look to the Sign We live in a world that constantly demands signs. Politicians promise change, and we look for signs that things will improve. Doctors give us a diagnosis, and we want signs that treatments will work. Even in our spiritual lives, we sometimes find ourselves asking God for signs as proof that he is with us, proof that he hears us and will help us. King Ahaz, the king of Judah, was in a difficult spot when Isaiah spoke the words of our Bible reading for today. Powerful armies threatened him. God offered him a sign of his faithfulness, but Ahaz doubted God. God’s promise did not depend on Ahaz’s faith. The Lord himself gave the sign: a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son, and his name would be Immanuel, “God with us.” Centuries later, Matthew's gospel revealed how wonderfully God kept that promise. The virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, and in him God truly was with us, not just in spirit, not only in power, but in the flesh. He came to stand in our place, to live the perfect life we could not, and to die the death our sins deserved. The ultimate sign of God’s faithfulness is the cross and the empty tomb. What does this mean for us? It means we never need to doubt whether God is with us. Whatever troubles surround us—health concerns, family struggles, financial stress, or guilt from our sins—God has already given us the sign. In Jesus, he is with us. And if he is with us, then who can be against us? So, when doubts creep in, return to the sign God has given. Look to the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb. There you see Immanuel, God with us, God with you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to be my Immanuel. When I am afraid or tempted to doubt, turn my eyes back to you and the sign of your love. 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.

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1==================================================== LECCIÓN DE ESCUELA SABÁTICA         IV TRIMESTRE DEL 2025Narrado por: Eddie RodriguezDesde: Guatemala, GuatemalaUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist ChurchMARTES 23 DE DICIEMBRELIBRES PARA SERVIR Como líder genuino y fiel, Josué respetaba el libre albedrío de su pueblo y deseaba que Israel decidiera libremente servir al Señor. En otros pasajes, la palabra bajar, traducida como “elegir”, describe la elección de Israel por parte de Dios (Deut. 7:6, 7; 10:15; 14:2). Israel era libre de decir “no” al Señor tras haber sido elegido divinamente, pero eso no tendría sentido y sería absurdo. Israel podía decir “sí” a Dios y seguir viviendo o darle la espalda y dejar de existir como pueblo elegido. ¿Cuál fue la respuesta de Israel al llamamiento de Josué? (Jos. 24:16-18). ¿Por qué reaccionó Josué de esa manera? (Jos. 24:19-21) En su respuesta categóricamente positiva, los israelitas reconocieron que el Dios de los patriarcas y de sus padres era ahora también “nuestro Dios” (Jos. 24:17, 18), a quien estaban dispuestos a servir con lealtad indivisa. Después de una afirmación tan incuestionable acerca de su lealtad, esperaríamos palabras de afirmación y aliento por parte de Josué. Sin embargo, no fue así. El diálogo entre Josué y el pueblo dio un giro drástico en el que Josué parecía desempeñar el papel de abogado del diablo, ya que pasó de hablar de la bondadosa providencia del Señor en el pasado a amenazar a los israelitas con la imagen de un Dios al que no era fácil servir. Josué conocía la inestabilidad de la primera generación, que prometió obedecer a Dios en términos similares (Éxo. 19:8; 24:3; Deut. 5:27), pero que olvidó sus promesas mientras las palabras estaban aún en sus labios (Éxo. 32). Por lo tanto, utilizó la retórica para hacer conscientes a los israelitas de varias cosas. En primer lugar, la decisión de servir a Dios era algo solemne que debía moldear a toda la nación de acuerdo con la revelación divina. Las bendiciones resultantes de perseguir ese objetivo eran evidentes, pero también debían comprenderse plenamente las consecuencias de la desobediencia. El perdón de los pecados no es un derecho inalienable de la humanidad, sino un milagro de la gracia de Dios. En segundo lugar, la decisión de los israelitas de servir a Dios debía ser su propia decisión, no algo impuesto por un líder, ni siquiera por Josué. En tercer lugar, Israel debía darse cuenta de que los seres humanos no pueden servir a Dios mediante sus propias fuerzas. El servicio a Dios no era algo que lograrían por medio de una adhesión mecánica a las estipulaciones del pacto, sino mediante una relación personal con el Señor como su salvador (comparar con Éxo. 20:1, 2 y Deut. 5:6, 7). 

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhattps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1====================================================DEVOCIÓN MATUTINA PARA ADOLESCENTES 2025“HABLEMOS CLARO”Narrado por: Mone MuñozDesde: Buenos Aires, ArgentinaUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist Church===================|| www.drministries.org ||===================23 de DiciembreLa maravilla del Niño que nos fue dado"Porque nos ha nacido un niño, se nos ha concedido un hijo; la soberanía reposará sobre sus hombros y se le darán estos nombres: Consejero Admirable, Dios Fuerte, Padre Eterno, Príncipe de Paz" (Isaías 9:6).En el libro de Isaías encontramos un hermoso versículo que anuncia la llegada de un niño especial, un hijo que nos ha sido dado como un regalo divino. Este niño no es un niño común, sino que trae consigo la soberanía y poder de Dios. Su nombre es Consejero Admirable, Dios Fuerte, Padre Eterno, Príncipe de Paz.El versículo nos invita a reflexionar sobre la maravilla de la venida de Jesús a este mundo. Él es el cumplimiento de las profecías y las promesas de Dios. Como jóvenes, a veces podemos sentirnos abrumados por los desafíos y las presiones de la vida. Sin embargo, en Jesús encontramos un Consolador y Consejero perfecto; alguien en quien podemos confiar plenamente.Jesús es nuestro Consejero Admirable. Él nos guía y nos da sabiduría en todas las situaciones que enfrentamos. Cuando nos sentimos perdidos o confundidos, podemos acudir a Jesús y confiar en su dirección y consejo. Él conoce nuestras luchas y nos ofrece una guía infalible.Jesús es también Dios Fuerte. A través de su vida, muerte y resurrección, Jesús demostró su poder sobre el pecado y la muerte. Él tiene el poder de transformarnos y brindarnos la salvación. Cuando nos enfrentamos a obstáculos o dificultades, podemos confiar en que tiene suficiente poder para ayudarnos y fortalecernos.Jesús es nuestro Padre Eterno. Él nos ama incondicionalmente y nos cuida como un padre amoroso. A través de su sacrificio en la cruz, Jesús nos reconcilió con Dios y nos adoptó como hijos suyos. Podemos encontrar consuelo y seguridad en su amor eterno, y tener la seguridad de que nunca nos abandonará.Jesús es el Príncipe de Paz. En un mundo lleno de conflictos y divisiones, Jesús nos ofrece la paz verdadera y duradera. Su presencia nos llena de paz y nos capacita para ser instrumentos de reconciliación y amor en este mundo necesitado.Oración: Querido Dios, gracias por enviar a tu Hijo, Jesús, quien es nuestro Consejero Admirable, Dios Fuerte, Padre Eterno y Príncipe de Paz. 

Antes de nada, lo primero que tienes que saber con respecto a «caminar», es que andar NO ES actividad física. Cuando pregunto a la gente si realiza actividad física, y me dice: «Sí, salgo a andar 30 minutos al día». Si bien esto es infinitamente mejor que el sedentarismo, es absolutamente impensable que eso pueda considerarse actividad física. El Argumento Biológico: Plantas vs. Animales La diferencia fundamental entre el reino vegetal y el animal radica en el movimiento. Plantas (Autótrofas): Fabrican su propio alimento y permanecen quietas. Animales (Heterótrofos): Necesitan buscar su alimento y evitar ser devorados. Es decir, el movimiento es una condición de supervivencia. Caminar es lo mínimo exigible para un ser humano funcional. Es tu medio de locomoción natural. Confundir la locomoción con el «límite de sobrecarga» (el máximo esfuerzo que puedes realizar) es peligroso, ya que sugiere que estás valorando tu capacidad física al nivel de la supervivencia básica. Conclusión: Tu cuerpo es capaz de mucho más. Si solo caminas, estás cumpliendo con el requisito biológico mínimo, no maximizando tu potencial físico. No pongas el listón tan bajo. ¿Cuánto tengo que andar cada día para estar sano? Siempre nos han dicho que el número de pasos ideal eran los 10.000 pasos diarios. Sin embargo, esto no está respaldado científicamente y de hecho, en su origen los 10.000 pasos se popularizaron a raíz de una campaña de marketing. De hecho, este estudio donde se analizó a más de 16.000 mujeres concluyó que las mujeres que caminaban 4.400 pasos diarios reducían su riesgo de mortalidad un 41%. Y este riesgo de mortalidad seguía bajando hasta alcanzar los 7.500 pasos diarios. Esto significa que puedes reducir drásticamente tu riesgo de mortalidad y extender tu vida útil con tan solo 7.500 pasos diarios. Beneficios Científicos de Caminar a Diario Caminar es una medicina multifuncional que impacta tu salud metabólica, mental y cognitiva. Mejora la Gestión de la Glucosa Dar un paseo de 10 minutos inmediatamente después de las comidas es más efectivo para la gestión de glucosa en sangre que ciertos medicamentos como la metformina. El movimiento ayuda a que los músculos utilicen esa glucosa, evitando picos muy altos y además mejora las digestiones. Mejora la Creatividad y la Función Cognitiva Caminar aumenta el flujo de oxígeno y nutrientes al cerebro. Un estudio de Stanford demostró que la creatividad de los sujetos aumentaba hasta un 60% cuando caminaban. Además, se ha visto que las personas que caminan regularmente tienen mejor las áreas cerebrales responsables de la memoria y el aprendizaje. Reduce el Estrés y Mejora el sistema Inmune Caminar disminuye la ansiedad, reduce los niveles de cortisol (la hormona del estrés) y libera un cóctel de neurotransmisores como la dopamina y las endorfinas, fortaleciendo tu estado de ánimo y tu sistema inmune. Estrategias para Dejar de Ser Sedentario Si estás estancado en 3.000 o 4.000 pasos, aquí tienes trucos prácticos para dejar de ser sedentario e integrar el movimiento en tu día a día: Reuniones de Pie: Si tienes llamadas o reuniones, hazlas de pie. Si es posible, utiliza una cinta de caminar lenta. Cada minuto de pie es un minuto que no estás sentado así que aprovecha cada momento que puedas para levantarte. Evita la Comodidad: Aparca el coche lo más lejos posible de la entrada. Usa las escaleras en lugar del ascensor. Oblígate a buscar el camino más largo. Brisk Walks Post-Comida: Este truco llevo años recomendándolo. Realiza caminatas de 10 minutos después de cada comida. Ligar este nuevo hábito (caminar) a un hábito existente (comer) facilita la constancia. Caminata de Entretenimiento: Cruza el hábito de caminar con el de consumir contenido. Coloca una tablet o un móvil delante de la cinta para ver series o documentales mientras sumas pasos. Te entretendrás igual, pero ganarás más movimiento en tu día a día. Y lo mejor de todo es que no necesitas pasar de hacer 3.000 pasos a 8.000, puedes apuntar primero a 3.500, luego 4.000 y así sucesivamente. La clave no es hacer hoy 8.000 pasos, la clave es construir un estilo de vida que por defecto te permita mantenerte activo. Origen

Primera entrega de la serie dedicada a repasar 2025 a través de 100 canciones favoritas del año. Sin ningún orden en particular y sin pretender que sean las mejores. Tan solo canciones que se han quedado grabadas en las paredes de este Sótano.Playlist;I. JEZIAK and THE SURFERS “Night owls”MING CITY ROCKERS “I’d like to assist you but my head is too small”LOS PEPES “Paradise”AWEFUL KANAWFUL “Horse with no name”PRIVATE FUNCTION “Gamma Ray”THE PRIZE “From the night”GEOFF PALMER “Exit wounds”NERVOUS EATERS “No more idols”SPLIT SQUAD “Chemicals”CYANIDE PILLS “Falling for you”MUCK and THE MIRES “Because of you”KID GULLIVER “24 hours”LOS SUMMERS feat ADOLFO AIRBAG “Casi vacaciones”VIBEKE “2nd Avenue”BRAD MARINO “Not fooling me”FEEDBACKS “Hate is all around”ZACK KEIM “Battery Lane”Escuchar audio

El Centro Nacional de Investigación Atmosférica (NCAR por sus siglas en inglés) es uno de los laboratorios estadounidenses más importantes para investigación e innovación en las ciencias terrestres. Sin embargo, el futuro de este centro está amenzado por la administración actual. En este episodio, definimos NCAR, hablamos de su misión, sus logros, y lo que podríamos perder si este centro es desmantelado en el futuro.  

"The Sin of Sides" by Bible Baptist Church - Brookings, SD

The popular phrase, "Love the sinner, hate the sin," while not found in Scripture, can be lived out in wisdom, but also prone to potential misuse. The Scriptures present sin (wandering off the path, broken, blemish, rebellion, owing a debt, going astray, lawlessness, impurity) as widespread, damaging, and deserving of serious struggle. Sin isn't only future punishment, but is a present destructive power—separation from God and others. Christians should hate all sin, especially their own, asking God for conviction and pursuing confession, accountability, and forgiveness. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

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Dead to Sin; Alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-14)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251221dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Romans 1:1-6 Family Matters For many people, these are days of preparation and travel to be with family for Christmas. Most will describe this as an essential and very enjoyable part of the Christmas celebration. Similarly, the reason Jesus was born in Bethlehem was a family matter. His parents had traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem because “they were of the house and line of David” (Luke 2:4). In the very town that hundreds of years earlier David was anointed the king of Israel, came the one who would fulfill that promise. Jesus had a family. The apostle Paul wrote, “As to his human nature (he) was a descendant of David.” He “became flesh” (John 1:14). He became true man so he could live and experience life like one of us. He also “through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God” (Romans 1:4). Jesus wasn’t just another human member of David's family tree; he is God himself. The result? We also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. We have another family to celebrate with this Christmas—all those who realized their need for a Savior, and in whose hearts God’s Spirit has worked a conviction that Jesus is their Savior and Lord. While we enjoy time with our families this Christmas, may we also rejoice that we can trace our spiritual roots back to the Babe of Bethlehem and celebrate with the family of believers our joy in Jesus, who came into this world to be our Savior. Prayer: Dear Jesus, bless my Christmas worship this year and my time together with family as we come together to celebrate your birth. Fill me with the awe of your miraculous birth and the joy that comes from believing that you are my God and Savior. 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.

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

The Reasons for the Season, Pt. 3                                                 “Why the God-Man?”                  Hebrews 2:14-18 To Destroy Death and the Devil (vv. 14-15) Jo. 1:1-3, 14  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made... 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son[a] from the Father, full of grace and truth. Lu. 1:52-53a 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things,  To Sacrifice for Sin (vv. 16-17) 1 Cor. 15:54-57 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Psa. 103:13-14 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. Our God made us, loves us and takes pity on us. 

Introduction: I Want to Belong to Jesus… (John 1:4–13) Because He gives me an UNBEATABLE HOPE. (John 1:4–5) Because He gives me a MEANINGFUL MISSION. (John 1:6–8) Isaiah 40:3 – A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” John 3:30 – He must increase, but I must decrease. Because He gives me a SPOT IN HIS FAMILY THAT I CANNOT EARN. (John 1:9–13) John 3:19–20 – And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead John 1:4-13What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Who or what do you often set your hopes on? Why can't these people and things satisfy you as Jesus can?What excuses are holding you back from bearing witness to the light? How will you bear witness to the light this week and next?How does Jesus give us the right to become children of God? Why can't this right be deserved or earned?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Well, as you turn to John chapter one, I want to ask you the same exact question that youjust heard in the video.I want to ask you a question that Pastor Jeff brought to your attention last week in hismessage.It's probably a question that you're tired of hearing and asking this holiday season.What do you want for Christmas?With Christmas being so close, you have asked and heard the answer to that question manytimes over the past several weeks.The questions you've, the answers you've heard and the answers you've given include an O'Wallahwater bottle.Isn't that popular?That's still popular.I don't really know.A red light therapy mask.Anybody want that?That's popular on Instagram, isn't it?A massive Lego set, a Nintendo switch to new AirPods, a smart ring, which I guess is kindof like an Apple Watch, but a ring on your finger.I don't really know.Or fancy golf clubs.But there are many things that you want for Christmas that you cannot write down on a wishlist.There are many things you want for Christmas that cannot be bought or wrapped.Maybe you want that big promotion.Maybe you want that bonus this year that you aren't sure is coming.Maybe you want healing in your own body or in the body of a loved one.Or here's a big one.Maybe you want to feel like you belong.You want to not be rejected.That is a desire that every single person in this room shares.It's a desire that starts when you're young and it continues on for the rest of your life.As a kid and then a teenager, every single one of us was desperate to fit in and havea group of friends to belong to.Rejection is painful.It leaves lasting memories, especially when you're a kid.You know, growing up, my friends and I used to have a sleepover almost every single Fridaynight.And during 11th grade, there was a month-long stretch where there was no sleepovers.And I was really confused.I didn't know why this routine had been broken.So one day at the lunch table, I said to my friends, "Hey, guys, we haven't had a sleepoverin a while.Do you guys want to come to my house this Sunday?"And whenever I said that, everyone at the table erupted in uncontrollable laughter.And I was, again, just very, very confused.After they were all done and calmed down, I said, "What's so funny?"They then proceeded to tell me that they thought it would be hilarious to not invite me tosleepovers for a while to see how long it would take me to notice and say something.I missed a whole month of sleepovers with my friends.And to be honest, in that moment, externally, I tried to laugh it off.I tried to act like it wasn't a big deal.But internally, I felt rejected.I felt like I didn't belong.You ever felt that way before?A friend stopped talking to you.A family member cut off communication for seemingly no reason.A boyfriend or girlfriend ended the relationship without warning.Your spouse chose to give up on the marriage and leave.You have felt rejected before.You have felt like you don't belong.You feel that way right now?Maybe you couldn't care less about what gifts you're going to get under the Christmas treethis year.Maybe you don't want anything from Amazon or the mall.More than anything this year, you just want to experience that sense of belonging.You want to know that there are people who love you, who care about you, and will neverlet go of you no matter what you do.I can't guarantee you that sense of belonging with your family and with your friends thisChristmas.I wish I could, but I can't.But I can guarantee there is someone infinitely greater who will give you that sense of belonging.I can guarantee there is someone who will not reject you, who will not turn away fromyou if you truly turn to him.That person is Jesus Christ.There is no one better to belong to.There is no one better to be loved by.There is no one with a tighter grip in all of existence than him.I want you to walk out of this service this morning if you're a believer with a greatersense of confidence that you were loved by Jesus Christ.That you are safe and secure in his steady hands.There is no better gift than that.And if you're not a Christian this morning, I want you to know that the invitation hasbeen extended to belong to Christ.He commands you to follow him.He invites you to enjoy his acceptance and not fear others' rejection.More than anything, I want all of you in this room to want to belong to Jesus this Christmas.So before we continue any further, let's go to the Lord and ask for His help.Please pray for me that I will faithfully represent God's Word and I will pray for youthat you will faithfully receive it.Father, we come to you and we bring all of our pain to you.All of our fears are all of our deepest, darkest worries that we're afraid to admit to otherpeople.Lord in this room, I'm sure there's many, many stories of rejection.Many, many stories of feeling like we don't belong and I'm sure if we brought everybodyup on stage to share how they feel that there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house today.Lord, we ask that you bring the comfort that only you can.That you would challenge us, you would tear us down so that you can build us back up again.Lord, I do ask for myself, Lord, your Word is perfect, but I am not.I do not feel up to the task of proclaiming such a glorious passage, but Lord, give meyour strength, give me your wisdom.I pray for everyone in this room that you would give them the faith to receive your Wordtoday.I pray that you would seek and save the lost.Thanks for the rest of us, Lord.We would walk out of this room with a greater sense of confidence in who we belong to.We ask all this in Jesus' mighty name.Amen.Was a quick refresher.Let's reread the verses that Pastor Jeff covered last week.This will set the table and help us to understand the context of our passage this morning.So John chapter one, verses one through three.In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God.All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.These verses are all about who Jesus is.He is the Word of God who created all things.Without Jesus, this universe would not exist.This world would not exist.You would not exist.Jesus is the source and sustainer of everything that you can see and everything that you cannotsee.Jesus isn't just the Word of God.John says that He is God Himself.Verses one through three focus on who Jesus is, while verses four through thirteen focuson what Jesus gives.If you properly understand who Jesus is and what Jesus gives, you will want to belongto Him.You will want to belong to Him because no one can compare to who Jesus is, and nothingcan compare to what Jesus gives.So outline for this morning, I want to belong to Jesus.I want to belong to Jesus, first reason, because He gives me an unbeatable hope.Because He gives me an unbeatable hope.Let's read chapter one, verse four.In Him, in Jesus was life, and the life was the light of men.Life was and is found in Jesus and Him alone.As we already discussed, Jesus made all things.He is the source of all life on earth.He is the cause of everything.But He's not just the cause of physical life.He is the only supplier of eternal life as well.There is no other viable option to turn to or to search for besides Jesus.But that doesn't stop us from trying, does it?Millions have tried, and billions have failed in trying to find true life apart from Jesus.And you and I have tried our hand at this pointless search as well.Trying to find life in our jobs, in our finances, in our status, our stuff, and even our families.Life cannot be found in your job.You realize that one day you will have to retire.You may let go from that job.One day that job will belong to someone else.Your life is not found in how much money you have.Let me ask you a question.How much of the money in your various accounts will you be able to take with you when youdie?Do we not know the answer?Not a single dime.Life is not found in your status and popularity.There will always be someone bigger and better than you.In 150 or 200 years, how many people on this planet will be thinking about you?The most likely answer is not a single soul.Life is not even found in your family.As great as your spouse, your kids, your relatives might be, they cannot meet the deepest needsof your soul.Can your spouse forgive you of your sins?Can your kids give you that unbeatable hope that you're looking for?No.Can your family guarantee your eternity?No.All of those needs can only be met by Jesus Christ, who is the only source of life.And John goes on to say that this life was the light of men.That sounds pretty cool, right?But what does that actually mean?The life was the light of men.I'm no scientist, but let me give you a quick pop quiz in astronomy.What do all the plants in this solar system orbit around?You're all really tired this morning.What is it again?All right, very, very good.Could we survive without the sun?What does the sun do for us?Is the major source of life because it is the major source of light and heat on thisplanet without the sun shining as it does, we would all freeze to death without the sunshining as it does.We would not be able to see anything.We would be lost in the darkness without the light of Christ shining as it does.We would not be able to see and understand the truth without the light of Christ shiningas it does.We would not know how to be saved.We would not know how to have a relationship, a friendship with God without the light ofChrist shining as it does.We would be hopeless and lost in the darkness of our sin without the light of Christ shiningas it does.None of us would have any spiritual life.Who is the light of the sun offered to?The 8.3 billion people on this planet.Who is the light of the sun of God offered to?Same exact answer, the 8.3 billion people on this planet.As we'll see in a few minutes, many choose to hide from this light and by doing so, theymiss out on the life that he offers.But that does not stop Jesus from shining his light, which we see in verse 5.Read that with me."The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it."The word "overcome" in this verse can also be translated as "comprehended" or "understood."And many scholars believe that John picked this word for a very specific reason.He chose this word because it has a double meaning.Each of these words makes sense in context or flip sides of one another.Let's cover one side of the coin first.Let's cover the light, shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.I walk my dog Murdoch almost every single night at 10 p.m. after the family is asleep.And my wife hates this plan because she thinks I'm going to get pan-kicked by a car.It hasn't happened yet, so please just pray for me that this trend continues and I'm ableto be safe.But there is this one house in my neighborhood that fascinates me.This house has a lamppost in the front yard that shines brightly for about 10 to 20 seconds,then it just shuts off.And it comes back on a few seconds later and it happens every single night for the pastyear.And this may sound strange to you, but I think about that lamppost almost every single day.Every single time I exit the house to go take Murdoch on this walk, I wonder, is tonightgoing to be the night when that light is extinguished?Is tonight the night when darkness will overcome that person's yard?Because there's something wrong with that lamppost.There's something wrong with the bulb.There's something wrong with the wiring.It's just a matter of time.I don't have much faith in that lamppost.I don't think you would have much faith in that lamppost if you took a field trip tomy neighborhood and drove past it.But do you know who you should have total and complete faith in?Do you know whose light you should never wonder or worry about being extinguished?Jesus Christ.The light of His glory never flickers.The light of His gracious love never turns off.He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.No matter how dark this world gets, no matter how bleak your life looks, Jesus Christ isshining just as brightly as He always has.Sin, injustice, and evil cannot lower the intensity of who He is and what He has done.Nothing and no one can turn the dimmer switch down on the light of the world.Let's flip over to the other side of the coin.The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not understood it.You know, Satan and his demons are crafty.I'll give them that.They are intelligent.But at the same time, these evil forces are complete morons in comparison to the all-knowingall-wise God of the universe.The devil and his demons are fighting a losing battle because they cannot figure out a wayto extinguish the light of Christ.They're like a bunch of roided-up bodybuilders trying to push over a mountain with theirbare hands.It's just not going to happen.Their attempts to snuff out the light only fan it into flame even more.The harder they try, the harder they fail.No matter what they do, Jesus keeps forgiving more and more people.No matter what they try, the church keeps getting built up.No matter what scheme they hatch, the kingdom of God keeps advancing.Satan and his workers have already been defeated by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.They know that eternal judgment awaits them.Are they going to go quietly without a fight until Jesus returns?No, they are kicking and screaming like bratty children.And I know that they're kicking and screaming causes a lot of pain and hardship to everysingle person in this room.But they cannot change the ending that God has already written.The light will win because the darkness cannot overcome it or understand it.That is certain.That is a fact.Maybe you've been a believer for months, for years, and maybe even for decades.And you know the truths of verses four and five intellectually.You have a very hard time believing these truths emotionally and experientially.You're in a tough season right now and you feel like the darkness is winning.You feel like the light is losing.You feel like the darkness understands how to overcome the light just fine.You feel like you cannot have victory over that sin pattern in your life.You feel like there is more sin in you than there is mercy in Christ.You feel helpless.You feel hopeless.If that's how you feel right now, my heart goes out to you because I've been there before.And I'm sure I'll be there again.If that's how you feel, I want to challenge you to stop looking at you.Stop looking at your circumstances.Fix your eyes on Jesus.Focus your attention on what He has given to you.Root your confidence in the new and everlasting life that has been given to you.Ask the Holy Spirit to re-energize you with the light you see when you open up the pagesof this book during your daily quiet time.You understand your hope is not found in you.You understand that your hope is not even found in your circumstances changing.Your hope is found in belonging to Christ.When you belong to Christ, you are given an unbeatable hope from an unbeatable Savior.I want to belong to Jesus because He gives me an unbeatable hope.I want to belong to Jesus because He gives me a meaningful mission.That's the second reason on your outline, because He gives me a meaningful mission.In verses 4 through 5, John talks about the message of the light.In verses 6 through 8, John talks about the messenger of the light.Let's read these verses together.There is a man sent from God whose name was John.He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through Him.He was not the light that came to bear witness about the light.To be clear, John is referencing a totally different John here.It's kind of confusing.What John is he talking about?John the Baptist.Why couldn't they have had a different name?Why couldn't it have been like Bill the Baptist or Baron the Baptist or whatever?Why did it have to be John?Well, don't worry.We'll make it work.We'll deal with it.John the Baptist was sent by God as a messenger to prepare the way for the promised Messiahand Savior who was prophesied about all throughout the Old Testament.John was prophesied of in the Old Testament as well.Isaiah 40 verse 3, "A voice cries in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord,make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'Malachi 3, 1, 'Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.'"John the Baptist came to roll out the red carpet for the coming king.He didn't come so that others would believe in him and believe in his greatness.He came so that others might believe in Christ through him.John the Baptist's followers once came to him to give him the news that a lot of peoplewere following Jesus.He was getting more popular and his disciples were even baptizing people, which is kindof like John's main thing.It's his name, right?John the Baptist.Like, John, don't you realize that all this is happening?Jesus is getting more popular than you.Is this frustrate John?Was he jealous?Not at all.He was actually really, really excited because he was successfully carrying out the meaningfulmission that God had entrusted to him.Here's the response he gives his disciples.He says, "He, Jesus, must increase, but I must decrease."That was the slogan of John's life in ministry.That should be the slogan of your life in ministry as well.He must increase, but I must decrease.You realize you're not the point of anything.Jesus is.John the Baptist wasn't the point of anything either.Jesus was.His mission was to point everyone to Christ, to bear witness to his light.I know what some of you serious students of the Bible may be thinking right now.You're internally objecting a bit.Hold on a minute, Pastor Taylor.You're saying that Jesus is the light and John the Baptist wasn't.But later on in this gospel, didn't Jesus say that John was like a lamp that was shining?And doesn't Jesus tell us that all Christians are the light of the world?How does this all make sense?Yeah, Jesus does say that in Matthew 5, 14, and then John 5, 35.To help answer those great questions, let me slip on my lab coat again and give you anotherpop quiz in astronomy.When you look up in the night sky and you see the moon shining bright.Does that moon actually have any light of its own?Where does its light come from?The sun, the light of the moon is shared and reflected.It's the same for John and it's the same for you and me.We have a shared and reflected light that is given to us by Jesus Christ.All throughout John chapter one, verses four through 13, the Greek word "phos" is usedin reference to Christ and "phos" is the essence of light.In John 5, 35, the Greek word "looknos" is used to describe John.A looknos is a portable lamp.Jesus is the light while John is the lamp that displays the light.A candle cannot shine on its own.It needs to be given the light of a flame.A lamp in your house cannot shine on its own.It needs to be given the light of a bulb.Jesus Christ is the sun and you are the moon.Jesus Christ is the flame, you are the candle.Jesus Christ is the bulb and you are the lamp.You are here on this earth to display His light to everyone, to shine His light in thedarkness, to bear witness about His light because you have none of your own.And I know what some of you were thinking at this point.Okay, Taylor, I know I need to buckle down and share the gospel.I need to make disciples.I need to shine His light everywhere.I'll do that as soon as the holidays are over.Whatever Christmas is in the rear view mirror, I'll get right on that.No, you won't.And you're thinking, where is your Christmas cheer, Pastor Taylor?What do you mean, no, I won't.I mean, you won't.If you will not bear witness the light of Christ today, what makes you think you'lldo it tomorrow?If you were unwilling to bear witness the light of Christ at the end of 2025, what makesyou think you'll be willing to do it at the start of 2026?Do you understand that Christmas is the perfect time to bear witness to the light of Christ?This is the time when you're around people, you're not usually around.This time of season is all about joy, but most people are miserable.Most people are looking for something that they cannot find because they're looking inthe wrong place.Right now is the perfect time to bear witness to the light.Grab a bunch of the Christmas Eve invite cards at the back table and hand them out as ifyou were given $100 for each one you handed out.I'm not going to give you $100, but the rewards you get in heaven for that will be infinitelygreater.Grab one of those invites, put it in an envelope, put money in that envelope, put a personalnote in that envelope and give it to your mailman tomorrow.Take it upon yourself to read scripture, your family get together this week and talk aboutwhy you're even celebrating Christmas, why Jesus came in the first place.Stop putting off that gospel conversation with that unsafe family member at Christmas.Finally do it.Invite that unbeliever who has no family in the area to your Christmas dinner.Buy them a Bible.Write a note in that Bible and give it to them.I keep going and going and going.There are so many ways to bear witness to the light of Christ this week.Don't make excuses for why you can't.Don't point to your calendar and say you're too busy.This is the reason why you're here, isn't it?To bear witness to the light.If anything, there's other things getting the way of the most important thing on your calendar.Don't justify your fear and laziness by saying you don't want to stir the pot this Christmas.You just want to have a calm Christmas.Shouldn't you care more about sharing the peace of Christ with your family and friends?When you belong to Christ, you recognize that you've been given a meaningful mission.When you belong to Christ, you value your calling way more than your comfort.When you belong to Christ, you make disciples, you don't make excuses.When you belong to Christ, you bear witness to his light because the darkness is everywherethat you go.I want to belong to Jesus because he gives me an unbeatable hope.I want to belong to Jesus because he gives me a meaningful mission.I want to belong to Jesus, final reason, because he gives me a spot in his family that I cannotearn.Because he gives me a spot in his family that I cannot earn.We talked about the message of the light and the messenger of the light.Now we're going to wrap up by talking about the two responses to the message of the light.The first response is in verses 9 through 11.The true light which gives light to everyone was coming into the world.He was in the world and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.He came to his own and his own people did not receive him.As I said earlier, the light of the Son of God is offered to everyone.Anyone is welcome to step into the light.Anyone is welcome to receive the life of Christ and be forever changed.But most choose to step out of the light rather than do it.Most choose to reject the life of Christ that is offered.And this is proven by verse 11.He came to his own people and his own people did not receive him.And this verse has two different focuses.When you zoom out, John is talking about mankind.Statistically and biblically, there are way more non-Christians than Christians.There are way more people who reject Christ than receive him.We all agree on that basic fact of life.But if you zoom in, John is talking about Israel.Many of Jesus' fellow Jews rejected him, hated him, called for his crucifixion.Many of the Jews rejected the message of Christ when it was shared by the apostles.Even to this day, many Jewish people refuse to accept that Jesus is the light.That's not always going to be the case.All does say in Romans that one day all Israel will be saved.Do you have time to talk about that right now?As Pastor Jeff often says, "Buy me some Pantera bread or Chick-fil-A."We'll talk about it across the street sometime.Here's an important question.Why do most people reject Jesus?Why do most people not receive the light of Christ?John gives us a very simple yet sad answer.Later on in this Gospel in chapter 3 verses 19 through 20, he writes, "And this is thejudgment.The light is coming to the world, and people love the darkness rather than the light, becausetheir works were evil.For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light,lest his works should be exposed."Have you ever been sleeping or laying in a dark room and suddenly someone turns thelights on?Are you overjoyed by this?Are you really excited by this?What's your natural human response?What do you do?You close your eyes, you cover your face with your hands and your blanket, you yell, "Turnthat light out!"That is the natural human response, physically and spiritually.It is far more comfortable to lay in the darkness than be in the light.It's simpler to be oblivious and not see yourself for who you really are.It's effortless to do nothing about your greatest problem, which is your sinful nature.It's easy to lash out at those who try to pull you into the light.That is why most people do not receive Jesus.They'd rather lay in the darkness.They love their sin more than Him.That's the first response to the message of the light.John says there's only one other response, and that's in verses 12 to 13, the best partof this entire passage.But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become childrenof God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will ofman, but of God.The first and wrong way to respond to Jesus is rejection.The second and right way to respond to Jesus is receiving and believing.You reach out to receive the gift of eternal life by believing in the name of Jesus Christ.We say that all the time, but what does it mean to believe in the name of Jesus?Well a name represents all of who a person is and all that a person does.When you believe in the name of Jesus Christ, you are believing that He is who the Biblesays that He is.That He has done all the Bible says He has done.You wholeheartedly believe that He is the Word of God who created all things.You have faith that He is the light of the world.He is your only source of hope.You trust that He is the Savior who died on the cross for your sins, who took the punishmentthat you deserve.You submit to the reality that He is the Lord of your life, who has the divine right totell you what to think, say, and do.When you receive Jesus and believe in His name, John says that you are given the rightto become a child of God.There are only two children in this entire world who have the right to claim that theyare my kids.I love all the kids in this church, but I love two of those kids the most.Only two of those kids have a legal right to say that I am their father.Only Samuel and Emmy Brown have that legal right.What's the evidence of this?Well, Kate and I have their birth certificates at home as proof that those kids belong tous.When you belong to Christ, your spiritual birth certificate is signed and sealed by His ownblood.You are given the right to claim God as your father and Jesus as your big brother.You have given the right to declare that you belong to the greatest family imaginable.Can you earn this right?Can you work your way into the family of God?Not according to John at the end of verse 13, he says, "Who were born not of blood northe will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God."You are not given the right to become a child of God because you're a good person who doesnice things for other people.You are not given the right to become a child of God because your parents are great Christiansand raised you in the church.You are not given the right to become a child of God because you come to church every oncein a while.You pray regularly and do community service projects.You are not given the right to become a child of God because of your track record and yourgood works.You are given the right to become a child of God because of the gracious work of God inChrist.That's it.That's the only source.How do you respond to Jesus?Do you reject Him or do you receive Him?Do you believe in His name, His work, and His reputation, or do you believe in your name,your works, and your reputation?One response leads to eternal destruction while the other leads to eternal life.One response leads to everything being taken away from you and the other leads to everythingbeing given to you.Please don't leave this room without considering who Jesus is and what He is offering you.Everything hinges on your response to Him.What do you want for Christmas?Do you want to belong to the world or do you want to belong to Jesus?Do you want to settle for the flickering hopes of this sinful culture or do you want theunbeatable hope of an unbeatable Savior?Do you want to lead a meaningless existence or do you want to carry out the meaningfulmission of pointing others to the point of life?Do you want to be a child of the devil who absolutely hates you or do you want to bea child of God who unconditionally loves you?If you have not yet believed and received Jesus, now is your chance.Now is your opportunity.You don't know if you're getting another opportunity past this one, so don't waste it.The life of Christ is being offered to you right now.Don't slap the gift away.The light of Christ is shining in this moment.Do not step back into the darkness once again.Now is your time.Now is your chance.You're alive right now.You're not guaranteed tomorrow.Life is hard.Discouragements and disappointments are all around us.It's so easy to lose track of what's important in the darkness.And we need the light of biblical reminders to let us know what is true, what is real,and what is right.This ring I wear on my left hand is a symbol that I belong to my wife.I'm taken.I'm out looking for anybody else to give me that feeling right to belong to.The Lord's Supper is a powerful symbol that you belong to Christ and no one else.You're spoken for by the Son of God and you're not looking for anyone else to give your life meaning.You're not looking to anything else to give your life meaning.

It's the last episode of 2025 and wow what a year for the show! Confessions are back and these definitely don't disappoint.Pillow Talk Live with Sin & his Wife in the Queens Quarters Community - free to join live Friday January 9th - https://www.venuscuckoldress.com/eventsSend Venus your favorite ways for a woman to humiliate or tease her man - use the contact page: https://www.venuscuckoldress.com/contact-venusMiss Kayla's Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/822292/episodes/14336208-encore-bonus-episode-kayla-s-list-of-20-cuckold-humiliation-ideas?t=0❤️Venus Connections❤️ - Matchmaking for loving cuckolding relationships and female-led relationships. Learn more at https://www.venusconnections.com/ Give her what she wants

En este mensaje tratamos el siguiente caso de una mujer que «descargó su conciencia» de manera anónima en nuestro sitio www.conciencia.net, autorizándonos a que la citáramos: «Hace unos meses mi hija mayor, que tiene veinticinco años... llegó con la noticia de que se iba de la casa a vivir sola. Luego me enteré de que tenía novio y que dormía en la casa de él. Rompió mi alma en pedazos, y dejé de verla y hablarle por varios meses.... »Ahora mi hija menor, que tiene diecisiete años... empezó la universidad.... Descubrí en su celular que tiene un lenguaje muy sucio, que miente, que toma licor con sus compañeros... y que se tomaba fotos desnuda y se las enviaba a un joven con el que charlaba.... Además, es... irrespetuosa.... »No sé en qué fallé.... Mi motivo de oración es que Dios se apiade de ellas y que yo muera ya [para no ver a mis hijas en esas condiciones].» Este es el consejo que le dio mi esposa: «Estimada amiga: »... Algunas personas, al enterarse de su situación, no se van a sorprender. Es que saben, al igual que usted, que lamentablemente las relaciones sexuales extramatrimoniales, el lenguaje vulgar, el tomar licor y mentir son conductas comunes y corrientes para muchos jóvenes.... En cambio, usted tiene una visión del mundo diferente de los demás, basada en la fe que tiene en un Dios personal que ama a las hijas suyas y desea lo mejor para ellas. »Sin embargo, ¿qué pensarán sus hijas acerca del deseo que usted tiene de morir a causa de la conducta de ellas? ¿Acaso su deseo de morir hará que ellas admiren su relación con Dios? ... »Usted dice que no habló con su hija mayor por varios meses. ¿Cree que con ese enojo le demostró a ella adecuadamente el amor de Dios? ¿No será que ella asocia ese enojo con un Dios vengativo y exigente? »Su hija mayor ya es adulta, y como tal tiene derecho de vivir con quien mejor le parezca. Usted no tiene que estar de acuerdo con la decisión de ella, pero no por eso deja ella de ser la hija a quien ama. Es un gran error alejar a nuestros hijos adultos a causa de que se niegan a vivir en obediencia a nuestras reglas y normas. »En cambio, su otra hija todavía es menor de edad. Ahora que usted está enterada de las actividades de ella, le recomendamos que haga lo que pueda para protegerla de esa conducta tan peligrosa. »La mayor parte del tiempo, el poder que tienen los padres y las madres es económico. Déjele en claro a su hija menor que usted no pagará la cuenta de su teléfono móvil a no ser que tenga acceso para revisar los mensajes de ella. El hecho de que esté enviando fotos de sí misma desnuda demuestra que ella no comprende los peligros que eso implica o encierra. Para la seguridad de ella, le recomendamos que erija barreras al imponer condiciones para lo que usted está dispuesta a pagar. »Por último, mantenga la calma, no amenace, no haga nada estando enojada, y dependa de Dios como su guía.» Con eso termina lo que recomienda Linda, mi esposa. El consejo completo se puede leer si se ingresa en el sitio www.conciencia.net y se pulsa la pestaña que dice: «Casos», y luego se busca el Caso 754. Carlos ReyUn Mensaje a la Concienciawww.conciencia.net

  «Por lo tanto, como escogidos de Dios, santos y amados, revístanse de entrañable misericordia, de benignidad, de humildad, de mansedumbre y de paciencia. Sean mutuamente tolerantes. Si alguno tiene una queja contra otro, perdónense de la misma manera que Cristo los perdonó» (Colosenses 3:12-13) Vivir en un hogar lleno del amor y de la paz de Dios es casi como vivir en el cielo aquí en la Tierra. Todos sabemos que eso es cierto, y anhelamos vivir en esa clase de hogar. Sin embargo, una y otra vez decepcionamos a nuestras familias, pues nos reservamos nuestras palabras más bondadosas y nuestras sonrisas más compradoras para quienes no viven en nuestra casa. ¿Alguna vez te has preguntado por qué es así? La respuesta es más simple de lo que imaginas. En términos espirituales, tu familia se encuentra bajo ataque. Tu familia no sólo es uno de Sus regalos más valiosos, sino que cuando está funcionando en armonía, es uno de Sus recursos más poderosos. Satanás lo sabe, y sin importar si tú lo ves de esa manera, está dispuesto a destruirla. El plan de batalla de Satanás es simple. Él hará todo lo posible para crear división en tu casa. Incitará los sentimientos de autocompasión y los celos. Instigará a guardar rencor y alimentará la amargura. Su propósito siempre es el mismo: dividir y destruir tu hogar. Cuando en el pueblo de Dios hay armonía, los milagros comienzan a suceder. Esa armonía crea un ambiente propicio para que el poder sobrenatural de Dios obre milagros y fluya libremente. Por eso Satanás siempre está tentándonos para que destruyamos ese ambiente de armonía, para que nos enojemos unos con otros y estropeemos las cosas. Con demasiada frecuencia caemos en sus maquinaciones, sólo porque no nos percatamos de lo perjudicial que es la contienda. Pero basta con mirar cuidadosamente la Palabra de Dios para resolver ese problema. Santiago 3:16 nos dice que: «…donde hay envidias y rivalidades, allí hay confusión y toda clase de mal». No abras la puerta de tu casa dándote "el lujo" de permitir disputas en tu familia. Detén la destrucción antes de que empiece. Aférrate a la Palabra de Dios, y descubre lo que ella dice acerca del poder de la unidad. Deja de mirar a tu familia desde tu propia perspectiva limitada y empieza a verla como Dios la ve―¡como una fuente de poder! De esa manera no te verás arrastrado hacia una contienda cada vez que se caldeen los ánimos en tu casa. Determina ahora mismo que no permitirás que el diablo tome a tu familia. Al contrario, ora por ella, apóyala, ámala. Únelos a todos para que puedan disfrutar de un pedacito de cielo, aquí en la Tierra. Lectura bíblica: Colosenses 3:12-25   © 1997 – 2019 Eagle Mountain International Church Inc., también conocida como Ministerios Kenneth Copeland / Kenneth Copeland Ministries. Todos los derechos reservados.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251220dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:8 Be Patient ‘I can’t wait!’ That’s a common cry this time of year. Children have been adding items to their Christmas lists for weeks. Waiting another week to see what they may get seems unbearable. It’s just as hard for students to wait for the Christmas break. It’s equally difficult to wait when you are holding a ticket to visit relatives over the Christmas holiday. It doesn’t matter how long you stare at the calendar; there are no shortcuts. Waiting requires patience. The Bible acknowledges that patience isn’t a natural virtue in any of us. It’s especially true when life isn’t going right. When you are afflicted with sickness or are being mistreated, waiting for relief is just about the hardest thing to do. It would be much more natural to grumble and complain when your health is poor. When you aren’t being treated fairly, it’s much easier to lash out or criticize someone else to make them feel as lousy as you feel. So, the Bible tells you to be patient. That’s how God wants you to handle your frustrations and challenges in life. Sometimes you can’t overcome that sickness or get rid of that mistreatment. Yet you can still place your trust in God during those difficult times and wait for God to do his job. God did his biggest job when he sent Jesus to this earth on that first Christmas. Jesus took on himself all the abuse and mistreatment he never deserved. Jesus suffered for all the world’s spiritual sickness. Jesus took away the punishment for all our complaining, grumbling, and stinging criticisms of others. The results of Jesus’ work mean peace and forgiveness for believing hearts. ‘I can’t wait!’ can be your motto for the return of Jesus. You don’t have to count down the days on the calendar. You can wait with patience because Jesus brings more than presents, a brief visit, or a break from school. You can stand firm and eagerly wait for the blessings Jesus has in store for you when he comes back to take you home to heaven. Prayer: Lord Jesus, fill my life with your love and forgiveness so I can patiently endure earthly struggles while I wait for you to come back and bring me your eternal blessings. 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.

What to Do with Sin 6

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1==================================================== LECCIÓN DE ESCUELA SABÁTICA         IV TRIMESTRE DEL 2025Narrado por: Eddie RodriguezDesde: Guatemala, GuatemalaUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist ChurchDOMINGO 21 DE DICIEMBRE¡ESTUVISTE ALLÍ! “Josué reunió en Siquem a todas las tribus de Israel. Llamó a los ancianos de Israel, a sus príncipes, jueces y oficiales; y se presentaron ante Dios” (Jos. 24:1). Siquem era el lugar donde Abraham había construido un altar cuando llegó a la Tierra Prometida y donde Dios le prometió por primera vez que ella le pertenecería (Gén. 12:6-7). Ahora, una vez cumplida la promesa hecha a Abrahán, Israel renovó el pacto con Dios en el mismo lugar donde se había hecho al principio. El llamamiento de Josué recuerda las palabras de Jacob: “Quiten ahora los otros dioses que están entre ustedes” (Jos. 24:23; comparar con Gén. 35:2-4). El sitio donde ocurrió el evento era en sí mismo un llamado a demostrar una lealtad indivisa al Señor y a rechazar a todos los demás “dioses”. Lee Josué 24:2-13. ¿Cuál es la idea central del mensaje de Dios a Israel? Dios es el sujeto principal del pasado rememorado: “Yo tomé”, “Yo di”, “Yo envié”, “Yo herí”, “Yo hice”, “Yo te saqué”, “Yo te libré”, etc. Israel no es el protagonista de la narración, sino su objeto. Dios es quien creó a Israel. Si él no hubiera intervenido en la vida de Abraham, ellos habrían servido a los mismos ídolos. La existencia de Israel como nación no era mérito de ninguno de sus antepasados, sino obra exclusiva de la gracia de Dios. El hecho de que los israelitas estuvieran establecidos en la tierra no era motivo de jactancia, sino la razón misma por la que debían servir a Dios. El discurso del Señor alterna cinco veces los pronombres “ustedes” y “ellos” (los “padres”, o antepasados). Los padres y esta generación de Siquem son tratados como uno solo. Josué intenta demostrar lo que Moisés ya había afirmado en Deuteronomio 5:3: que el Señor no instituyó el pacto solo con los padres, sino con todos los presentes en el momento del discurso de Josué. La inmensa mayoría de los allí presentes no había vivido el Éxodo. No “todos” habían estado en Horeb. Sin embargo, Josué dice que todos ellos estuvieron allí. En resumen, cada nueva generación debía apropiarse de las lecciones del pasado. El Dios que obró en favor de sus ancestros en el pasado estaba dispuesto a actuar en favor de la generación presente. ¿De qué manera podemos tener como iglesia una percepción más clara de nuestra responsabilidad corporativa; es decir, captar la idea de que lo que hacemos repercute en todos los miembros de la iglesia? 

En El ojo crítico nos sumergimos en el reino de Cora-cora, donde sus habitantes esperan con gran ilusión el cumpleaños de su rey, un día en el que las puertas de Palacio se abrían a todos los niños del reino. Sin embargo, la víspera del gran acontecimiento, la princesa del reino desaparece y empieza la aventura hasta encontrarla.La ficción sonora 'El país de la pizarra' es una adaptación de un cuento de Ana María Matute, narrada por la actriz Lucía Caraballo, dirigida por Benigno Moreno y realizada por Mayca Aguilera. Escuchar audio

Editorial Un año más nos encontramos celebrando el fin del Adviento y el comienzo de la Navidad en los canales radio televisivos HM. Para vivir bien la Navidad es muy conveniente vivir bien este tiempo previo del Adviento en el que aún nos encontramos. Sin embargo, el mundo de hoy vive inmerso en un ruido constante y circula a una velocidad de vértigo. Detenerse y estar en silencio es algo no sólo complicado, sino que obliga a ir contracorriente. Sin embargo, el silencio es algo fundamental en la vida y también para la fe, pues de otro modo es muy difícil escuchar a Dios. Nuestras noticias de hoy están enfocadas a la Navidad. Ya quedan pocos días para poder celebrar la venida de Dios en carne mortal. Queremos hacerles partícipes de algunas noticias navideñas que han tenido o tendrán lugar durante estos días tan importantes para el mundo. Con la intención de ayudar a vivir mejor estos días tan especiales y preparar el alma para el gran acontecimiento que se avecina, entresacamos las siguientes: Historia de la Navidad Belénes vivientes por el mundo «Yo pongo el Belén» en la diócesis de Ávila Exposición de la huida a Egipto de la Sagrada familia La Navidad en Tierra Santa La Navidad en la Santa Sede

Hacer click aquí para enviar sus comentarios a este cuento.Juan David Betancur Fernandezelnarradororal@gmail.comHabía una vez una pareja que estaba en una cueva junto a un buey y un burrito. Pero Jose y Maria eran felices. Presentian que aquel día 24 de diciembre era el día esperado. Sabian que los ángeles, los arcángeles y todos los coros celestiales se preparaban para cantarle al mundo la gran noticia. Eran las 12 de la noche , cuando el mundo estaba en silencio, sucedió el milagro. Sin castillos, sin sedas y sin coronas de oro, nació el Niño Jesús.El primer llanto Fue un sonido suave, como el de un pajarito. María lo tomó en sus brazos, lo abrazó muy fuerte y lo envolvió en unas telas blancas y limpias que tenía preparados. A su lado José no podía dejar de sonreír. Se acercó a María y al bebé, y con mucho cuidado, le dio un besito en la frente al Niño Jesús. ¡Ya era papá! Y era el papa del más grande ser que había nacido sobre la tierra.  Por su parte el buey y el burrito  Ellos fueron los primeros en ver al Rey del Mundo. Y Como no había calefacción, los dos animales se acercaron mucho al pesebre y soltaron su aliento calientito. Era como si le estuvieran diciendo: "Bienvenido, pequeño, aquí te vamos a cuidar".María acostó a Jesús sobre la paja suavecita del pesebre. ¡Ese cajón de madera se convirtió en la cama más importante de la historia! Un rey de amor y esperanza pasaría allí su primer día. Y ¡En ese momento el cielo "explotó" de alegría!Los Ángeles Ya no estaban de puntitas, ahora estaban volando por todos lados cantando: "¡Gloria a Dios en el cielo y paz a la gente en la tierra!".En el cielo algo empezó a llamar la atención de todos. La estrella que había estado creciendo en los días pasados ahora era una Gran Estrella: La estrella de Belén brilló tanto, pero tanto, que parecía que era de día. ¡Estaba avisando a todo el mundo que la Luz ya había llegado! Y era tal su tamaño que a miles de kilómetros de allí un grupo de 3 sabios vieron aquella luz y comprendieron que algo maravilloso estaba pasando y empezaron a caminar hacia donde esta estrella apuntaba porque sabían que debien estar allí. Cerca de allí los pastores que estaban regresando a belen acompañando a sus ovejas vieron que ahora si la estrella marcaba un lugar exacto a las afueras de Belen. Juntos escucharon y vieron a los ángeles dar vueltas sobre una pequeña cueva y comprendieron que el rey de reyes debía estar allí. , unos pastores estaban asustados porque vieron a los ángeles. Pero un ángel les dijo: "¡No tengan miedo! Vayan al establo, que allí ha nacido el Salvador".·       Los pastores corrieron al establo. No tenían tesoros que darle , así que le llevaron lo que tenían: un poquito de leche, una mantita de lana de sus ovejas y, sobre todo, mucho amor. Se arrodillaron frente al pesebre y le dieron las gracias a Dios.Pero lo mejor estaría por venir. Aquel bebe traía el mensaje de amor que el mundo necesitaría en el futuro y después de su nacimiento millones de personas encontrarían la paz interior que el les prometía. Maria y Jose vivieron para criar aquel niño que nació un 24 de diciembre a las 12 de la noche pero su legado como padres ha llevado a que se les recuerde como los padres más importantes de la historia. Y el Bebe Jesus viviría muchas aventuras, pero eso es otra historia. 

Welcome to Ask Paul Tripp, a weekly podcast from Paul Tripp Ministries where pastor and best-selling author Dr. Paul David Tripp answers your questions, connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.This week, Paul responds to two painful questions about discovering sexual sin in the family and how to speak with wisdom, truth, and grace when trust has been shaken.If you have a question you'd like to ask Paul, you can email ask@paultripp.com or submit it online at PaulTripp.com/AskPartner with Paul Tripp MinistriesPaulTripp.com/GiveSex in a Broken WorldPaulTripp.com/Sex

We would love to pray for you! Please send us your requests here. --------This Christmas, you can shine the light of Christ into places of darkness and pain with a purchase from the Joni and Friends Christmas catalog. You are sending hope and practical care to people with disabilities, all in the name of Jesus! Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

The post Can Empathy Actually Be a Sin? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

On this episode of “The Kylee Cast,” Ericka Andersen, a Christian mom, writer, and author of the forthcoming book “Freely Sober,” joins Kylee Griswold to share how she found freedom from alcohol addiction. They discuss how the pressures of womanhood and “wine mom” culture encourage women to drink, why willpower often isn't enough to stop, how the church can help people who are struggling, and the role of faith in recovery. Find Ericka's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Freely-Sober-Rethinking-Alcohwineol-Through/dp/1514013363?sr=8-1Find more resources at SobrietyCurious.com.The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

Today David explains how the thoughts of Puritan John Owen in his monumental work, Christologia, completely re-ordered his thinking about law and legal and public policy advocacy in recent years, and how those thoughts relate to the God’s creational intention for every Christian in the present. Creation, the image of God, Sin, and the “ordered liberty” of government that rests on the child in the manger all come together in one glorious scriptural truth about Christ's mediation in this final advent edition.