Podcast appearances and mentions of simon peter

John 6 is a chapter that can be overlooked when reading the dialogue between Jesus and the disciples.  Jesus had more than twelve disciples and John 6:66 tells us that "many" walked away and walked with Him no more.  How different is the interaction in John 6 in comparison to the modern culture of the church.  Many followed Jesus for what He could do for them, but Jesus wanted them to enter into communion with Him. To believe and trust in Him.  When the disciples walked away Jesus asked the twelve if they were going to walk away.  Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Within this episode we take a look into the parable of the lost sheep because there was more than one disciple that walked away from Jesus in John 6 but yet Jesus does not go after them.   Could it be that maybe the way we have been taught to view the parable of the lost sheep is not saying what we have been hearing over the years.  

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?Venit autem Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in caelis est. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.The holy successor of St Victor governed the Holy See for eighteen years. He suffered martyrdom under Antonine, A.D. 217.

What's the point of my “low points”? Looking back over a life of legacy, Peter counted more than a few low points. They would not define him—at least, the "low" part wouldn't. Life's low points can be defining, but with God, we get to write the definition. Peter's final chapter shows us how, and it's a great finish to the "Peter Process." Live Fully! First time listening to our podcast? We'd like to get to know you!  Head over to: http://bit.ly/connectcardccc. Connect with us! Do you have any prayer request? DM us.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capecodchurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capecodchurch/  Website: http://capecodchurch.com Connect Card: https://bit.ly/connectcardccc

John 14:12 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.Matthew 14:22-33 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It's a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.”28 “Lord, if it's you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”29 “Come,” he said.Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”Luke 9:1-6 9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.Luke 5:1-11 5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”5 Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.John 3:1-21 3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.10 “You are Israel's teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.

Pastor Jeff warns today that we often try to control how God works in our lives, but like Peter, we must learn to let Him lead and guide us. John 13:9 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”

Welcome back to Candid Conversations! After a refreshing sabbatical, Jonathan Youssef returns with a brand-new episode to kick off this new season of Candid, diving into one of the Bible's most powerful stories of transformation, Simon Peter. Jonathan is joined by author and Candid listener favorite, Dave Hubbard. His new book, “You Are, You Will Become: A Character Study of Simon Peter,” invites readers to discover how God changes hearts and lives from the inside out. This conversation is packed with relatable insights, personal stories, and practical questions for group or individual study.Are you curious about what made Peter so unique among the disciples? Have you ever wondered why Jesus renamed Simon and what it means to go from "You are" to "You will become"? Jonathan and Dave unpack Peter's bold faith, failures, and journey toward becoming a true “rock.” They draw on Dave's compelling, often humorous experiences, illustrating how God uses everyday moments to shape our character just like He did with Peter.Whether you're looking for a Bible study resource, small group inspiration, or answers to common questions about Christian transformation, this episode and book will help you become who God created you to be while accepting that you are a work in progress, just like Peter.Join the conversation as we explore the life lessons, questions, and hope in Simon Peter's story. This episode is for everyone seeking growth and transformation in faith.Special OfferYou Are, You Will Become is available now for 20% off. Churches, small groups, and ministries purchasing more than 25 copies of the book can also receive a discount and free shipping directly from the publisher. Visit Dave Hubbard's website today to place your order!CANDID LISTENER SURVEYWe love bringing you honest, hope-filled conversations about the Christian faith, and we'd love your feedback. We've compiled a short listener survey to help us plan future episodes you'll love. Will you take a couple of minutes to complete it today? Your voice will help shape what's next! Take the Survey NowFollow Candid Conversations on social media:Instagram: @candidpodTikTok: @officiallycandidpodYouTube: @CandidPodSubscribe & Share:If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others.

The Godhood of Jesus has been a fundamental orthodox Christian teaching from the earliest days of The Church. Nerely every Christian church around the world, regardless of denomination has this idea written into their statement of faith and you read it in almost every one of the ancient creeds.However, did you know that 50% of Americans deny the deity of Christ? And among those 50%, over half claim to be Evangelical Christians. But, in 1 John, the great Apostle tells us that denying Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God is one of the key indicators that someone is anti-Christ.Not only that, saying that He was a good teacher, but not God is ridiculous. if Jesus wasn't and isn't God, then He's a blasphemer and a charlatan, and thereby surely not good or trustworthy.On week, Kevan Grinwis will be sharing a message entitled, “Who Do You Say That I Am?". This teaching will focus on the main scripture, Matthew 16:16, “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”You won't want to miss it.

What does it look like to confidently share our faith? Most of us wish we could. The problem is, we don't always know how. Over the course of this series, we've been taking lessons from the life of Peter. For the most part, he's been a pretty relatable guy: impulsive, outspoken, and frequently in the wrong! But this week we meet Peter on the other side of his failures, and find a totally changed man... one who is remarkably confident. Peter teaches us what it looks like to confidently share our faith, in ways that are both loving and authentic. In this message, we talked about a thoughtful approach to evangelism in the secular world.  First time listening to our podcast? We'd like to get to know you!  Head over to: http://bit.ly/connectcardccc. Connect with us! Do you have any prayer request? DM us.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capecodchurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capecodchurch/  Website: http://capecodchurch.com Connect Card: https://bit.ly/connectcardccc  

THE SECRET TO A BEAUTIFUL LIFE (Acts 3:1-21) Today's message is about the miracle of the healing of a man that had been crippled from his birth.  When this man was born, and his father and mother took him and examined him, they noticed that something was not quite right with the little baby's feet: his anklebones had not developed, nor his little feet. Somehow, they were not made whole, like feet should normally be for a little baby.  And this little boy never learned to walk. When other boys would go out to skip, run, and play, he couldn't. Later on, when other men went to work, there was no work that he could do. All that they could do was to take this man every day and put him down there at the gate to the temple, the gate that was called Beautiful. He had his little tin cup there, and as people would come and go to worship, he would cry out, “Baksheesh! Baksheesh! Alms! Help the poor! Help the poor!” And people would drop their pennies and their coins into his tin cup. Day after day, that is the way he lived. People would come and go, and he was right there at the gate of the temple.  And here is this man just outside that Beautiful Gate, because he cannot enter through it.  That is because Levitical law said that a deformed man could not enter past that gate.  So, here he was, on the wrong side of a beautiful life. He is just outside the gate, and he's crippled. Now, if you want a beautiful life, then I want you to picture yourself on the wrong side of the gate. Picture yourself, spiritually, as a cripple—unable to walk the walk of God, unable to work the work of God, unable to enter into the worship of God—on the wrong side of the gate. Picture a new life. Picture a gate gloriously beautiful.  Picture yourself on the wrong side of that gate, and you can't enter in without a miracle. I want you to picture the Lord Jesus Christ who was in Simon Peter that day. I want you to picture Him coming by you today and looking down at you, and I want you to picture today Jesus reaching down to you with a nail-pierced hand, taking you by your right hand, raising you up, spiritually giving you a lift that will last, and giving to you the power to enter in through the gate to the ports of God.  That is what this miracle is all about. God wants to give you a new life, today. He wants to make something beautiful of your life.  Click on the play button to hear a message on the secret to a beautiful life. This is a live recording of The Master's Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS. Amen.

We love a comeback story, but we often forget that their story—our story—begins with pain, failure, and a step (or many) back. Peter's story turns on his worst moment, preserved for all of history to see. Like a wreck on the side of the road, it's hard to look away. Then comes the comeback: glorious, redemptive, and satisfying. There are good, life-giving lessons here. If a comeback story sounds appealing to you, this weekend is for you. First time listening to our podcast? We'd like to get to know you!  Head over to: http://bit.ly/connectcardccc. Connect with us! Do you have any prayer request? DM us.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capecodchurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capecodchurch/  Website: http://capecodchurch.com Connect Card: https://bit.ly/connectcardccc

Cory Morgan (Pastor of Modern Worship & Young Adults), "Into the Deep".                 4.  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  5.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  6.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  7.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  8.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  9.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.          (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV)          1.  On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,  2.  and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  4.  And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  5.  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”  6.  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.          7.  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  8.  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”  9.  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,  10.  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”  11.  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.          (Luke 5:1-11 ESV)

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 16:13-23 - Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then He strictly ordered His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ. From that time on, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, “God forbid, Lord!  No such thing shall ever happen to You.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an obstacle to Me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Memorial of Saint Cajetan, Priest Memorial of Saint Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr and his Companions, Martyrs Saints Cajetan, Sixtus, and Companions, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Jason Jones joins Terry to discuss the violence perpetrated against Catholics in the Gaza Strip

Gospel Matthew 16:13-23 Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord!  No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Reflection We see Peter again speaking before he fully, fully understands what he's talking about. But he is the one who makes the first major proclamation among the disciples that Jesus truly is the Messiah. He is the Christ, the Anointed One. And as Jesus goes on to describe what he is going to go through, Peter rebukes him. Peter tells him, that would be a terrible thing for you to go to Jerusalem, to die and to rise. And what I think is fascinating about this is Jesus response to him is. You're Satan. You sound just like Satan. Which underscores for me that Jesus was constantly tempted by the evil one to turn away from his fate in Jerusalem. We know he resisted in the Garden of Gethsemane. So here we see a revelation of the humanity of Jesus asking for support from his disciples. Closing Prayer Father, it is so easy for us to be excited about all the things that you promise you can do through us. To help those that we love. But there's also this mysterious death that we have to go through. A transformation, a letting go of something that we've clung to. And that is where we need your help and your grace. Help us not to be tempted to avoid the pain and expect yet all the benefits of our faith in you. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippiand he asked his disciples,“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”Simon Peter said in reply,“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.And so I say to you, you are Peter,and upon this rock I will build my Church,and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”Then he strictly ordered his disciplesto tell no one that he was the Christ.From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciplesthat he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatlyfrom the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,and be killed and on the third day be raised.Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,“God forbid, Lord!  No such thing shall ever happen to you.”He turned and said to Peter,“Get behind me, Satan!  You are an obstacle to me.You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Daily Dose of Hope August 7, 2025   Scripture – Luke 5:1-26   Prayer:  Lord Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We give you all the glory and praise.  Thank you for being a God who provides.  Thank you for being a God who heals.  Thank you for being a God who sees past our brokenness and invites us into relationship with you.  Help us, Lord, to grow more deeply in love with you every day.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin diving into Luke 5.   This chapter's calling of the first disciples is a little different than Mark or Matthew.  It's not an immediate drop everything and follow Jesus kind of scene.  Luke writes about how Jesus is teaching and then does a miracle with the catch of fish.  It's a miracle of abundance and provision.  At a time, having enough to eat was truly a big deal, and Jesus is providing exactly what the disciples need in a physical sense.  It's in that context that he then invites Simon Peter and the others to follow him and become fishers of people.  Jesus wants to provide what the disciples need in a spiritual sense as well.    How do the disciples of 2025 become fishers of people?  By definition, disciples make more disciples. This is something we have historically struggled with as modern Americans.  We struggle with sharing our faith in a sincere, genuine way.  We struggle with living out our faith in ways that create impact.  What has been your own experience being a fisher of people?  Who is the last person with whom you had a spiritual conversation?   We then move on in the text to a healing of a man with leprosy.  I did a deep dive today on what it was like to live with leprosy in first century Judea.  Leprosy, also called Hansen's Disease, was pretty destructive to the Bible.  It is still in existence today in places and environments that are very unsanitary, but it isn't nearly as contagious as the stigma around it suggests.  However, in the Bible, leprosy was a catch-all term to describe all serious skin diseases.  And remember, any skin disease would have made a person unclean and unable to worship in the synagogue or even live a normal life (under the Old Covenant, a leper wasn't allowed to come within six feet of another human).  To make matters worse, it was generally believed that God inflicted leprosy on people for the sins they committed.    Being cured of leprosy would have been life changing.  The world would open back up for that individual.  As we have read through the Gospels, we've seen how Jesus would heal those with leprosy.  In doing so, he gave that person the gift of physical and spiritual community again.  What I love the most about this miracle is that Jesus physically touches the man with leprosy to heal him.  Of course, Jesus didn't have to touch him, but he chooses to.  Jesus touched the untouchable of his time.  He loved the unlovable of his time.  And he gives us that example as well.   The next section of the reading is Jesus healing the paralyzed man.  We read about this in Mark and Matthew as well.  This is the man whose friends lower him through the hole in the roof, because they couldn't get him through the crowd blocking the door.  They were determined to get their friend to Jesus.  They knew it was the only way for healing.  How determined are we to get our friends to Jesus?   Jesus gets bold in this interaction.  He tells the paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven.  Of course, this infuriates the Pharisees.  In their minds, only God can forgive sins and Jesus even suggesting this would be considered blasphemy.  Of course, they have no idea of who they're dealing with.  Jesus is God himself.  Jesus is God and God is Jesus.  His healing goes so much deeper than the physical.    The final portion of today's reading is the dinner party at Levi's house.  Levi is a tax collector.  That means he is an outcast among the Jews.  Remember, tax collectors at that time worked for the Roman government.  They collected the necessary taxes plus they took an extra chunk for themselves.  But Levi believes in Jesus and turns his life around.  And then he invites his friends to join him for dinner.   Jesus invites all of us to join him for dinner, even in our brokenness.  He sees past our brokenness and mess and meets us where we are.  What is important to realize is that he doesn't want us to stay there though.  He wants us to repent and move forward and then invite our friends to join us!   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

In this series we look at the lives of people who had Encounters With Jesus. We considered what impact that meeting had on them and what we can learn from it that will help us today. Rebekah begins with one of Jesus' closest disciples, Simon Peter. Bible text: Luke 22:54-62

Daily Dose of Hope August 6, 2025   Scripture - Luke 4:31-44   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you today in humility and awe.  You are a good God.  You, who put the stars and planets in motion, also created us.  You care about the most minute details of our lives.  You have numbered the hairs on our head.  Thank you for loving us.  Thank you for caring so much.  Help us be put even a small reflection of your love toward those around us.  More of you and less of me, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today is Recharge night in the Garage at 6:30pm.  Hope to see you there for fellowship, worship, prayer, and small community.   Today, we finish up Luke 4.  Jesus is now fully involved in his public ministry.  He is demonstrating the Kingdom of God with his teaching and healing.  In Capernaum, his chosen home, he heals a man possessed by an evil spirit.  He then heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law, and a whole slew of other people who come to him.  There were demons who Jesus casts out and they declare out loud that Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus quickly rebukes them.  My guess is that it wasn't yet time for people to know him as Messiah.  There was still so much to do.   I want us to notice something.  After Jesus does all this healing, he goes to a solitary place.  Jesus gives us this great pattern of doing work/ministry and then having solitude with his Father.  No matter how busy Jesus is, he still seeks time alone to pray.  The lesson here for us is that the busier we are, the more we need to seek the Father!  We need times of quiet with God.  Every single one of us.   At the bottom of chapter 4, Jesus reiterates his purpose.  He says this in verses 43-44, But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent. And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.  That is why he was sent.  We touched on this yesterday.    I want to say once again that what Jesus was saying was radical.  He was saying that the Kingdom of God is here and he represented the Kingdom. He embodied the Kingdom.  He represented a new way of doing life, demonstrating the reign of God.  So everything he did–all his miracles, his teachings, all his parables---they were all intended to show what the Kingdom of God was like, what the new way of being human was all about.   Why did Jesus feed people? Because in God's Kingdom, in the kind of world that God always intended for us to have, there is no hunger.  Thus, it was only natural for Jesus to feed people. In God's Kingdom, there is no sickness, so Jesus healed people. In God's Kingdom, there is no discrimination, so he elevated the status of those who were rejected by society. He ate with the people that everyone else hated–the tax collectors and the prostitutes–because in God's Kingdom, every single human life has value.   In God's Kingdom, there is justice, mercy, and love. Thus, Jesus offered acceptance. He offered LOVE in everything he did, ultimately giving up his life in the greatest act of love in the history of the world. In everything he did, from the time he sat on the steps and read the scroll from the prophet Isaiah to the cross through the resurrection, all of these give us a picture of the Kingdom of God, the world that God intended, a world in which there is reconciliation, healing, beauty, and wholeness.   I'm sorry to harp on this but I want everyone to see how Jesus' ministry was not just about getting individuals right with God. That's part of it, definitely, but the good news of the Kingdom is more than “you can go to heaven when you die.” It's “you can be reconciled to God now. You can live under the reign of Christ and live life abundant.” Yes, Christ came to ensure individual salvation but it was one part of something much bigger. By dying on the cross and being raised from the dead, there was final victory over sin AND the barrier between heaven and earth was broken for good.  N.T. Wright writes, “The resurrection completes the inauguration of God's Kingdom...It is the decisive event demonstrating that God's Kingdom really has been launched on earth as it is in heaven.”   Okay, I've probably rambled enough for one day.  I can talk about the Kingdom for hours, fair warning for future devotionals.   Blessings to all of you, Pastor Vicki    

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” — John 6:68 Crowds can be fickle, switching quickly from enthusiasm to rejection and even violence. Sometimes these dramatic swings are triggered by just a few words. Jesus' hard teaching in John 6 shows that his words can trigger rejection or lead to life. As Jesus' reputation grew, the crowds of people around him dramatically increased. Why? Because he was a wonder worker. Just a day or two earlier, Jesus had fed a huge crowd of several thousand people (John 6:1-15). But while the crowds were drawn to his miraculous works, they didn't always like his surprising teachings. At the synagogue in Capernaum, he had told the crowd that if they wanted to have eternal life, they had to eat his body and drink his blood (6:53-59). Turned off by that imagery, many people rejected Jesus and left. Jesus asked his closest disciples if they wanted to leave too. Speaking on behalf of them all, Peter asked, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” And then he made this bedrock confession: “You have the words of eternal life.” When the Holy Spirit softens our hearts and opens our eyes to faith in Christ, we can see Jesus for who he really is, just as Peter did. Jesus is the Son of God, our only truth for faith and life. And then, like Peter, we can also trust him as we live and serve. Jesus, only “you have the words of eternal life.” Help us to follow you faithfully as we live and serve in your name each day. Amen.

Cory Morgan (Pastor of Modern Worship & Young Adults), "Into the Deep", Modern Worship Praise Team (11:15 Service).                 4.  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  5.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  6.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  7.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  8.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  9.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.          (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV)          1.  On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,  2.  and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  4.  And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  5.  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”  6.  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.          7.  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  8.  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”  9.  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,  10.  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”  11.  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.          (Luke 5:1-11 ESV)

Matthew 16:13-17 NLT“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.”There was confusion amongst the people early on, even among his own disciples, about who Jesus truly was. Was He John the Baptist returned from the grave after his execution? Or was He one of the Old Testament prophets coming back for “round two?” Men were trying to identify Jesus as another man, when He was actually God.Is your faith your own? Do you feel you inherited it from someone or maybe felt pressure at some point in your life to believe?Listen closely once again: “Jesus … asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16 NLT) Courage is making your own decision about Jesus and sticking by it. Each person must make their own choice and “own” their own faith. No one should be talked into a relationship with Jesus, so no one can talk them out of it either. As Jesus told Peter, “You didn't learn this truth from a human, but from God. He reveals the truth to hearts.”Today, for you, all that matters is who you say Jesus is, to you, for you.Let's pray: “Lord Jesus, You are who You said and say You are—the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. As above, so below. Amen.”

Cory Morgan (Pastor of Modern Worship & Young Adults), "Into the Deep", Choir, Blended Worship Praise Team (8:45 Service).                 4.  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  5.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  6.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  7.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  8.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  9.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.          (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV)          1.  On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,  2.  and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  4.  And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  5.  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”  6.  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.          7.  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  8.  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”  9.  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,  10.  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”  11.  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.          (Luke 5:1-11 ESV)

In Matthew 16:13-20, Simon Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah they've long waited for. As a result of his bold faith, Jesus changed his name to Peter (which means “rock”). Jesus then declared He would build His church upon Himself. This radical exchange reveals several things about the church triumphant. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/135/29

This weekend is Intern Sunday at Cape Cod Church! Over the past 10 weeks, our summer interns have served in ministries all across the church. This weekend, they took the stage to share what they've learned, led us in worship, and premiered a special message. Pastor Ben had the chance to sit with them last week as we planned the service together, and we can tell you: we're in for a treat! Thank you for all the ways you're investing in our young people this summer. We can't wait for you to hear from this next generation of church leaders! First time listening to our podcast? We'd like to get to know you!  Head over to: http://bit.ly/connectcardccc. Connect with us! Do you have any prayer request? DM us.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capecodchurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capecodchurch/  Website: http://capecodchurch.com Connect Card: https://bit.ly/connectcardccc  

Cory Morgan (Pastor of Modern Worship & Young Adults), "Into the Deep".                 4.  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  5.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  6.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  7.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  8.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  9.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.          (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV)          1.  On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,  2.  and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  4.  And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  5.  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”  6.  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.          7.  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  8.  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”  9.  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,  10.  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”  11.  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.          (Luke 5:1-11 ESV)

The fever left her and she began to wait on them. — Mark 1:31 Though we don't know much about Simon Peter's life, we discover here that he was married (since he had a mother-in-law). We also learn that Peter's call to follow Jesus touched the lives of his loved ones. Jesus had begun teaching people about the kingdom of God, and he had also healed a man who was possessed by an impure spirit (or demon) that identified him as “the Holy One of God” (see Mark 1:21-28). News about him was beginning to travel fast. After teaching in the local synagogue in Capernaum that day, Jesus and his disciples went to the home of Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew. There they found Peter's mother-in-law in bed with a fever. Taking her hand and helping her up, Jesus cured her—and she soon began to serve the family's guests. This story shows us that while Jesus was certainly concerned with his mission of teaching about God's kingdom and bringing relief by casting out spirits that opposed God, he also cared about the family members of his followers. This helps us see that Jesus loves and cares for the people we love too. And Peter's mother-in-law's response reminds us that when we have met Jesus and know that he has made us whole, the right thing to do is to serve him in whatever ways we can. We thank and praise you, Jesus, for your love for us and for our loved ones. Help us to extend your love to others who need you. Amen.

Are you tired of feeling stuck in the deep, unshakable valleys of life while searching for the light of hope? In his powerful sermon, Pastor distills the life of Simon Peter, highlighting how a humble heart open to God can invite miraculous change. He reflects on Peter's journey of denial and redemption, pointing out that each of us may feel at times like an outsider, disqualified by our past mistakes. Yet, it's in our humility—just like Peter's—that we find God's invitation to dive deeper into a relationship with Him. Pastor connects this message to the community's ongoing initiatives like 'One Life', emphasizing how our collective efforts can shape the world around us, particularly in the foster care system. As you navigate your spiritual journey, this sermon reminds you that through faith and obedience, you can experience transformation and purpose, even amidst uncertainty. Don't let doubt keep you from the calling on your life! Join us in discovering how to come "out of the boat" and embrace God's promise. Tune in to this inspirational message and let it ignite your faith today!Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or YouTube.

Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” — Luke 5:10 Do you like fishing? I do, although I often return home with an empty bucket. Unlike me, Simon Peter didn't fish for fun; his life depended on it. In this dramatic story, Peter not only catches a boatload of fish, but he is called by Jesus the Messiah to follow him. After an unsuccessful night of fishing, Simon and his crew were washing out their nets when Jesus came by. He asked if he could use their boat for speaking to the people by the lakeshore, and then later he told the fishermen to take their boat out for a catch of fish. Simon wearily complied. He was soon overwhelmed, however, with hauling in a catch of so many fish that his nets nearly broke. Simon fell at Jesus' feet. He knew he was in the presence of the Lord, whose authority over creation was overwhelmingly clear. Simon's encounter with Jesus that day echoed the call of prophets like Moses, Isaiah, and Ezekiel, who knew they were in the presence of the living God. And, like the prophets, Simon Peter was called by the Lord to serve him. And what would that service be? Jesus told Peter that from now on he would “fish for people” by drawing people around him to the love of Jesus. When we meet Jesus, the living God, we do well to fall to our knees too. Jesus calls each of us to follow him and to share in the glorious task of drawing others to his love. As with Peter, Lord Jesus, you call us to follow you and to share your love with others. Please give us strength, wisdom, and courage to share your love. Amen.

John 6:66-69 As a result of this, many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” Simon Peter spoke up for the twelve and expressed what all believe who have been born again by the Spirit. We believe Jesus has the words of eternal life. As Jesus said only a minute or two previously, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” Those who are the true branches in the Vine abide in Him, and His words abide in them. In John 14:23 Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” Believing Jesus has the words of eternal life, we keep them. No one else has the words of life. Simon Peter and the rest of the twelve, with the exception of Judas, knew from the words Jesus had spoken that He was the Holy One of God, the Messiah, the Christ. That was enough for them. When others were walking away, the twelve stayed with Jesus. Even though they probably didn't understand all that Jesus said, they heard enough to know that He was the One sent from God so they might have eternal life. Could you also make the same confession as Simon Peter? I hope so. Where else could we turn to find and experience the love of God through a person other than Jesus? They thought there were other teachers who were more understandable and who presented more palatable ideas than cannibalism. They decided it wasn't worth their time to hang out and listen until they understood what He meant. Who we listen to tells a lot about us. According to the apostle John in his first epistle, who we listen to reveals where we are from. 1 John 4:1. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Then in verses 5-6, he made the connection between origin and who we listen to. “They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” That's what Jesus basically said in this encounter in Capernaum's synagogue. He told them they were not from His Father, because if they were, they would listen to Him and believe. The fact that they didn't have ears to hear Him revealed that the Father had not brought them to Him. The encouragement we draw from these verses is that Jesus' disciples who live to love with Him are the antithesis of the so-called disciples who walked away. We are like Simon Peter. We stay with Jesus even when we are faced with difficult truth because we know He has the words of life. As we meet those God puts in our paths, we wait for the Holy Spirit to give us the words that will bring life to them. That's one of the many ways we love them. We trust in the power of God and the life-giving words of Christ. Maybe it's a great question to ask people as we share with them about Jesus. Do you know anyone else who has the words of eternal life? I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

In Matthew 16:13-20, Simon Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah they've long waited for. As a result of his bold faith, Jesus changed his name to Peter (which means “rock”). Jesus then declared He would build His church upon Himself. This radical exchange reveals several things about the church triumphant. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/135/29

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?Venit autem Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in caelis est. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.The Church venerates on this day the basilica of St Peter "ad vincula" on Mount Esquiline at Rome, the chains with which the prince of the apostles was fettered.The seven Machabees, who were brothers, were martyred with their mother under Antiochus Epiphanes. Their relics are kept at Rome in the Church of St Peter's Chains.

Peter is popular, and we love him. Why? We can relate to him, we resonate with his failings, we love a comeback story, and who doesn't love an outspoken friend! Peter was undoubtedly outspoken. He often asked the question everyone was thinking but was afraid to voice. Sometimes this made him the hero, and sometimes it got him in trouble. Either way, there is a lesson to be learned. This weekend, we looked at Peter's most outspoken moment and found inspiration as we hear him ask the same questions we're all asking.   First time listening to our podcast? We'd like to get to know you!  Head over to: http://bit.ly/connectcardccc. Connect with us! Do you have any prayer request? DM us.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capecodchurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capecodchurch/  Website: http://capecodchurch.com Connect Card: https://bit.ly/connectcardccc  

We are happy to have you with us! If there are any issues with the stream feel free to message us.

In this powerful message, Pastor Jason Polk takes us to Luke 5 and the life-changing moment when Simon Peter encounters Jesus by the Sea of Galilee. As Peter washes his nets after an unfruitful night of fishing, Jesus steps into his boat and into his life—issuing a call that will alter Peter's future forever. Pastor Jason unpacks the simple yet transformative response: “If you say so.” He challenges listeners to recognize when Jesus is pursuing them—often in the middle of routine, distraction, or doubt. This sermon is a heartfelt invitation to pause, listen, and respond to Jesus' call. Are we willing to drop our nets, let go of control, and trust Him—even when it doesn't make sense? Whether you're distracted, disinterested, or deeply curious, this message reminds us that Jesus often meets us right where we are—and calls us into something greater.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - John 20:1-2, 11-18 - On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put Him." Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid Him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to Him, "Sir, if You carried Him away, tell me where you laid Him, and I will take Him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them, 'I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what He told her. Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene Saint Mary, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Is Israel still the promised land? https://frjosephfessiosj566892.substack.com/p/is-israel-still-the-promised-land 3) Pope Leo condemns Gaza barbarity as 93 reportedly killed by Israeli fire while waiting for food https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/20/pope-condemns-barbarity-of-israel-war-gaza 4) Mike Huckabee rebukes attackers of Christian church and village: “Crime against humanity and God” https://www.christianpost.com/news/mike-huckabee-condemns-attack-on-christian-church-in-west-bank.html

(4:25) Bible Study: Song of Songs 3:1-4b Does the song of Songs mention God? Father explores this. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 When you lose someone you love dearly a part of you dies. It’s the same way with Jesus. John 20:1-2, 11-18 Father explains the resurrection account describe in this passage (21:54) Break 1 (25:46) Letters: Father talks about how the traditional Latin Mass is comprised largely of young people. How do you come back into the Church after you have been away for a long time? Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (37:27) Break 2 (38:36) Word of the Day Love (39:33) Phones: Carolyn - Curious about Mass, people not going to receive communion, week after week. I wonder why? John - First reading today, the song of songs. If the poetry is a prophecy of Mary Magdalene searching for Jesus the morning of the Resurrection? Cathy - How do you live like brother and sister? I am married a second time; I just haven't gotten my annulment yet. My daughter is getting married, they have been living together for 6 years. Should they be living as brother and sister as well? Kaelon - In Acts 10:26, Simon Peter says... can we still vow down and pray to the saints? How do we reconcile that verse?

JOHN 6:1-14 - FEEDING THE 5000 - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

Teacher: Isaac Villa Download Sermon Notes  Watch Episode Give Online: http://westgatechapel.org/give Connect With Us: http://westgatechapel.org/connect Chapters (00:00:00) - Testimony(00:04:34) - Wonders of Westgate(00:05:47) - Deep Roots Groups(00:11:44) - There's Joy in the House of the Lord(00:18:41) - Wonders of the World(00:25:23) - Passing the Bucket(00:26:17) - A message from the Living Hope(00:28:04) - First Peter: A Sixth Week Fill In(00:29:28) - First Peter(00:35:46) - God's Choosing of Us(00:38:50) - Living Hope for Suffering(00:42:21) - What Does Hope Mean?(00:46:50) - Peter's In the Inheritance(00:50:02) - How Do They Refine Gold?(00:54:00) - Simon Peter(00:59:00) - Living Hope: Jeremiah, Peter and More(01:05:29) - Great Is Thy Faithfulness(01:11:24) - Westgate Chapel Mission Team: Sending a Team to Costa Rica

The education of Peter shows up in a two-question test. Sounds easy, right? The problem with a two-question test… there's room for error. Thankfully, in this story, there is a retake… with some private tutoring… that's how we see it. Your view of Jesus transforms how you worship, pray, and think about your day-to-day life. Sharpen your view and add clarity to your understanding; your daily walk with Christ will flourish.   First time listening to our podcast? We'd like to get to know you!  Head over to: http://bit.ly/connectcardccc. Connect with us! Do you have any prayer request? DM us.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capecodchurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capecodchurch/  Website: http://capecodchurch.com Connect Card: https://bit.ly/connectcardccc

A Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity St. Luke 5:1-11 by William Klock Our Gospels during these first few Sundays of Trinitytide—so far—have all had us following Jesus as he made his way to Jerusalem to observe the Passover for the last time.  But today's Gospel—from the Fifth Chapter of Luke—takes us back to the beginning of Jesus' ministry—those early days when he was travelling around the region of Galilee a long way from Jerusalem.  Luke gives a series of vignettes in Chapter 4.  Every sabbath, he writes, Jesus was teaching in the synagogues.  He read from Isaiah one sabbath in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth and then he told the people, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your own hearing!”  The people were so angry that they tried to stone him and he fled from the town.  So he went to Capernaum and taught in the synagogue there.  That's where a demon-possessed man stood up and shouted at Jesus: “I know who you are.  You're God's holy one!”  And just to prove it, Jesus then cast out the demon and word went out throughout the whole region.  On another sabbath, after preaching in the synagogue, he was invited to the house of Simon Peter.  Peter's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever.  Jesus rebuked the fever and straightaway she recovered and served them lunch.  Pretty soon everyone who was sick or who had a demon showed up and Jesus healed them all.  And because of that, no matter where Jesus went, Luke writes, the crowds hunted for him.  And that's how today's Gospel begins.  One day Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.  Finally a moment of peace.  An early morning walk on the beach.  He found a little cove.  The shores of Gennesaret (or Galilee as it's otherwise known) are full of little coves.  He watched as the fishermen dragged their boats ashore after a night of hard work.  But then someone came down the trail to the beach.  And he saw Jesus.  And he went running back up the trail out of sight shouting, “He's here!  He's here!  I've found him!”  And others began to follow the man back down the trail to the beach.  And more and more until another crowd had gathered and was pressing in on Jesus.  They had seen for themselves or they had heard the stories of the amazing things the God of Israel was doing through Jesus and they wanted to see more.  They wanted to hear more of the good news that Jesus was proclaiming. But it was no good trying to preach from the middle of the crowd.  People kept interrupting them with their problems.  Even if he could get a few words out, the crowd just couldn't hear him.  So Jesus had an idea.  Sound travels wonderfully over water and the little beach cove was a perfect amphitheatre.  So he made his way down to the water where he'd seen the two boats, and got into one of them, and standing there, he called to one of the fishermen.  Jesus recognised the man.  It was the same fellow who'd invited him to lunch after the synagogue service.  It was the same fellow whose mother-in-law he'd healed.  “Hey you!  Was it Simon or Peter or Simon Peter.  Yes, this is your boat isn't it?  Row me out a little way from the land.”  Maybe Peter felt like he owed Jesus something or maybe he was flattered that Jesus had chosen his boat and remembered him from the other day.  Whatever the case, Peter set aside his net, got in the boat, and rowed Jesus out into the middle of the cove.  And Luke says that Jesus sat down in the boat and began to teach the crowd. It was probably some version of Jesus' favourite sermon.  Luke has preserved one version of that sermon that we sometimes hear called “The Sermon on the Plain”—because Jesus preached it in a flat, open place, but mostly because it contrasts with the version preserved by Matthew, where Jesus preached from a hillside.  We call that version “The Sermon on the Mount”.  That's the sermon where Jesus preaches about the kingdom of God.  It's the sermon in which he calls the people of Israel to trust in the Lord because he never fails to provide.  He clothes the flowers of the field that wither tomorrow.  He feeds the birds so that they have no need to worry.  How much more important are you—the Lord's elect, chosen, called covenant people—than flowers and birds?  So stop worrying and trust him.  Pursue, seek his kingdom above everything else, and trust him to take care of you.  Israel had struggled for forever with idolatry—in one form or another—instead of trusting in and giving her full allegiance to the Lord.  That's what got them exiled to Babylon.  The Pharisees were right.  That idolatry and fickle faith was what kept them in a sort of in-house exile in their own time.  So, in other words, Jesus is saying to the people of Israel: Give the Lord your allegiance.  Give your all to his agenda: to holiness, to being light in the darkness, stop being so fickle.  You do that and, just as he promised, the Lord will take care of you—he'll even pour out his blessings on you. And Peter sat there right in front of Jesus, holding the oars, keeping the boat in position and Jesus facing the shore, and he listened.  The Bible doesn't tell us anything about Peter's past, but just like anyone else, he had one.  I don't think Peter was any great or notorious sinner or anything like that.  Reading between the lines, I think it's safe to conclude that he was just your ordinary, average Judean who obeyed torah as best he could, who celebrated Passover with his family every year, who went to the temple in Jerusalem as required—at least most of the time.  But he knew he wasn't perfect.  He could be impetuous at times.  He could fly off the handle.  But most of all, as Jesus preached, I think Peter was convicted of his own fickleness.  He tithed, but sometimes he did so grudgingly.  He kept the sabbath, but sometimes he worried where the money was going to come from when he took off that one day a week from fishing.  Some days, especially in the summer, sunset on Saturday just couldn't come soon enough for Peter so he could get back to work. Jesus got Peter thinking.  Did he really trust in the Lord?  Or did Peter trust in Peter?  Had he really given his full allegiance to the God of Israel or was Peter really serving Peter?  And Peter mulled on these things as Jesus finished speaking and said to him, “Put out into the deeper part, and let down your nets for a catch.”   Peter was still playing through in his head what Jesus had been saying about trusting the Lord and giving him his full allegiance.  This snapped him out of it.  No more introspection.  It's like Jesus knew what he was thinking.  Peter didn't really want to let down his nets.  He'd fished all night and they hadn't caught anything.  They certainly weren't going to catch anything in the daylight.  That's because they fished with nets made of linen.  The fish could see them in the day, but they'd swim right into them in the dark at night.  And Peter had just finished cleaning and mending his nets.  Now he'd have to clean them—and if they hit a snag, maybe mend them too—all over again.  Peter was born and bred to fishing.  He knew everything there was to know about it.  He knew the habits of fish, he knew about nets, he knew about the seasons, the time of day, and the play of light in the water.  He knew about boats.  He knew about marketing and selling fish.  He was a fisherman!  And if First Century fishermen were anything like Twenty-first Century fishermen, the last thing you'd want to do with Peter is start an argument over fishing—especially if you're not a fisherman.  And, of course, Jesus was not.  His father had taught him the carpentry and the building trade. Peter really, really didn't want to cast his net into the water again and he wouldn't have for anyone else.  But this was Jesus.  Just like everyone else, Peter wasn't quite sure exactly what to make of him, but he'd not only heard the stories; he'd seen it for himself.  His mother-in-law had been on the verge of death, but Jesus made her well—so well that virtually instantly she was up serving them lunch.  And so he says to Jesus, “Master”.  Let me pause there.  Master is okay, but it might not be the best translation.  In the Gospels people address Jesus as “teacher” or “rabbi” or even as “lord”, but unique in Luke's Gospel, people occasionally address him as epistata.  An epistates is someone in charge, someone with authority.  The ten lepers address Jesus as epistata.  The disciples, when they were in the boat being tossed around by the storm, addressed him as epistata.  That's how Peter addresses Jesus here.  “We were working hard all night and caught nothing.  But okay, Master.  You're the boss, you're calling the shots here.  So if you say so, I'll let down the nets.”   Peter sounds like he's letting down his nets grudgingly.  I wonder if that's how it really was.  He's been convicted in his own heart of how he's been half-hearted in serving the Lord.  He's just been hearing Jesus preach about God taking care of flowers and birds.  Or something along those lines, because we know Jesus liked to preach on that topic.  It was exactly what fickle, half-hearted Israel needed to hear.  So Peter probably didn't want to go through the hassle of letting down his nets again, but I think he wanted to trust that through Jesus, the God of Israel really would look after him.  Jesus might not know anything about fishing, but Peter had seen that Jesus had authority and that he took charge of things—whether demons or blindness or sickness or even the fish in the sea.  He could see, plain as day, that the God of Israel was working through Jesus.  Peter was thinking on those words: “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these thing will be added to you.” I think the main reason Luke records these words from Peter about having fished all night and caught nothing is that he wants to remind us that this is the way the Lord works.  Jesus is telling Peter to fish at the worst possible time to fish.  Jesus does this throughout the Gospels.  He hears that Lazarus is sick and near to death, but then he waits three days before going—time enough for Lazarus to be well and truly dead.  So instead of healing Lazarus from sickness, he raises him from the dead and calls him out of his tomb.  Or think of the woman who was bleeding for twelve years or the man who was blind from birth.  In that last instance Jesus had the opportunity to explain why these things happened.  The disciples with their conventional wisdom assumed that either the man or his parents were great sinners and that the Lord had punished him with blindness.  But Jesus said that, no, the man was born blind that God might reveal his glory.  Because that's how the God of Israel works and Israel is the chief example.  The Lord allowed his people to become slaves in Egypt so that he might display his glory both to them and to the watching nations.  In the events of the Exodus the God of Israel exposed the king and the gods of Egypt as frauds, totally lacking the great power and authority they claimed to have.  The God of Israel single-handedly beat the gods of Egypt at their own games and humbled mighty Pharaoh—the greatest king on earth—and drowned his army in the sea.  And at the same time, in Israel, he created a people who would forever be singing his praises and announcing his glory to the nations.  All because they had watched him do the impossible.  Every newborn baby boy was circumcised and, in that, he was given the sign of God's covenant promise.  And every year the fathers of Israel led their families as they ate the Passover meal and recalled the Lord's promises and the glory he displayed on their behalf in the Exodus. Jesus was doing the same thing.  He had come to lead the people in a new exodus and along the way, he was acting out that exodus, that divine deliverance as he did the impossible—and the more impossible the better, because the more power and authority it displayed.  Why had Peter (and James and John, his partners) why had they been skunked that night?  I don't know.  Maybe Peter said something unkind to his wife before leaving that night.  Maybe he'd shorted the Lord in his tithing that week.  Maybe he'd dallied too long with that dancing girl the day before.  Maybe Peter thought his empty nets were punishment for some sin.  But if he'd asked Jesus, “Why did I toil all night and catch nothing?  Did I sin?”  Jesus would have said, “No, Peter.  It was so that the Lord, the God of Israel, would be glorified.” And that's exactly what happens.  Luke writes, beginning at verse 6 that when they let down their nets, they caught such a huge number of fish that their nets began to break.  Usually they'd fish all night for a catch that wouldn't break their nets, but now Peter let down his net and before he could even pull it back into the boat to keep from becoming over-full of fish, the catch was so great that it strained the integrity of the net.  I assume it was just he and Jesus in the boat and he and Jesus were, themselves, straining to pull the net in.  They signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, Luke writes.  So they came, and filled both the boats, and they began to sink.   And right there, in a sinking boat, with fish wriggling all around them, Luke writes that Peter took stock of everything that had just happened.  He fell down at Jesus' knees.  “Depart from me, Lord!” he said, “Because I'm a sinful man!”  James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon Peter's partners were just as amazed, Luke writes.  But being in the other boat, they couldn't kneel at Jesus' knees.  But Peter knelt there convicted of his sins by this amazing display of God's glory.  I found myself asking this week why Peter didn't have this same reaction when Jesus healed his mother-in-law.  Why was Peter's mother-in-law sick?  For the same reason: so that Jesus could display the glory of the God of Israel.  Presumably Peter was impressed when he saw the healing.  But it didn't impact him the way the multitude of fish did.  And maybe that's because Peter was a fisherman, not a doctor.  It highlight the fact that God gets to each of us in different ways to convict us of sin and to move us to faith.  Every one of us has a different story of how God got hold of us.  That, too, is how he works.  But one way or another, each of us has been amazed and captivated by the glory of God. Our reactions to that revelation are often different too.  Some people encountered God's glory and were moved to faith as Jesus wiped away their tears.  Peter, however, is met by that glory and is moved to tears.  He knew how the prophets had preached about the coming judgement of Israel for her sins.  He'd heard Jesus preach—not just the warm-fuzzies, but also the announcement of soon-coming judgement.  And when he saw the glory of God, when he experienced the presence of the holy, Peter found himself overwhelmed by his own sinfulness.  He knew he didn't belong in the presence of the holy.  He knew he belonged with those people who would find themselves in the outer darkness weeping and gnashing their teeth.  He responded just like Isaiah when he found himself in the presence of the holiness of God.  Remember Isaiah.  He cried out, “Woe is me!  For I am lost.  For I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.  For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5).  But it was just as Isaiah acknowledged his sinfulness that an angel flew down to touch his lips with a cleansing and holy fire.  The angel announced that his guilt had departed and that his sin had been blotted out.  And when the Lord called out, “Whom shall I send?  Who will go for us?  Who will proclaim my message to Israel?”  Isaiah cried out, “Here I am!  Send me!” And it's that scene all over again in that sinking fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee with fish wriggling all around.  Peter knelt there shaking at Jesus kneels and Jesus said, “Don't be afraid.  From now on you'll be catching men!”  Jesus is, himself, the holy fire who purifies us from our sins. Now, it doesn't come across in our English translations, but when Jesus says that Peter will be catching men, that “catching” isn't usually a word associated with fishing.  It has the sense of catching someone or something alive—like a warrior catching an enemy, but sparing his life.  There's a reason behind Jesus' odd choice of words.  What he's doing is echoing the words of Jeremiah 16.  There, through the Prophet, the Lord announced the judgement that was about to come on the people of Judea for their unfaithfulness and their idolatry.  The Babylonians would come and none would escape.  The Lord says, “I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them…For my eyes are on their ways.  They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed form my eyes.”  Jesus draws on the common Greek translation of the prophet.  He uses the same word: catch.  The people of Judea in those days wouldn't be killed, but neither would they escape the judgement of exile.  But now Jesus flips the imagery around.  The people of Judah are still in their long exile, still experiencing the punishment brought by their sins, but now the Lord will send fishers again, this time to catch sinners and to rescue them alive from the coming judgement.  What was in Jeremiah's day an image of the Lord's judgement on sinners, Jesus now turns into an image of God's mercy for them.  As Jesus says in John's Gospel, “God did not send the son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world could be saved by him.”  That's what Jesus has come to do.  And even though only he can go to the cross to accomplish the redemption of sinners, he's not going on this fishing trip alone.  He's calling Peter (and James and John and eventually a whole host of men and women that we call the church) to go fishing with him, to catch men and women that they—that we—might be delivered from our sins and from the coming judgement. How much of this did Peter understand that day?  Probably not much.  But what he did know is that in Jesus the God of Israel was at work.  He knew that judgement was inevitable and he knew that somehow and in some way the Lord was making deliverance possible through Jesus.  He had seen the glory of the Lord and there was no going back.  And so, Luke writes, They brought their boats to land, then they abandoned everything and followed him.   Peter walked away from all of it.  The boats, the net, the sea, the fish.  They had been his source of security.  That's what he'd trusted.  But he heard that reminder from Jesus: Seek first God's kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.  If the Lord could fill his nets to bursting just to make this point, Peter was ready to trust him with everything—to give his full allegiance to Jesus the Messiah.  If God could do this, he could do anything.  And so Peter gave his allegiance to the Lord Jesus.  And he knew hardship and he knew persecution and eventually he would even come to know martyrdom.  His faith and his love for Jesus would eventually lead him from Jerusalem all the way to Rome and all along the way he proclaimed the glory of God.  All the way he proclaimed the good news that Jesus died to forgive sins and rose to restore God's life to us and to the world, and that this Jesus is the Lord of all who shows us the glory of his Father.  Peter went out into the world to challenge the fake gods and the fake kings in whom we trust, and proclaimed the crucified and risen Lord so that everyone would know the glory of the one, true God.  Peter eventually died for that message.  But Peter knew that his risen Lord was master over death itself, just as he'd been master over all those fish that one morning years before.  And so he trusted Jesus' promise: Seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness—even if it means martyrdom—and he will take care of you. Let's pray: Father, you have called us and made us your people.  You send us out, like Simon Peter, to fish for people that they might know the life of your kingdom.  When we're tempted to protest, thinking that we are unworthy of the task, that we are too sinful, that we aren't up to it, remind us that in Jesus you have forgiven us, that you have made us holy, that you have filled us with your Spirit, and that you have given us this remarkable and irresistible story to tell the world, this story of your goodness, your love, your grace, your mercy, and your faithfulness.  Your glory.  Give us the grace to do the work of your kingdom as we trust in your faithfulness to us and to all who hear it.  Amen.

When God calls us to something new, our first instinct is often to focus on what we lack—our insecurities, fear of rejection, or the possibility of failure. But Matthew 10 reminds us that confidence in God's calling is rooted not in our abilities but in His presence, power, and purpose. Jesus sent His disciples out with authority, without micromanaging their flaws. His instruction? Be wise, stay pure, and keep moving forward—even in the face of rejection. If you’ve ever felt unqualified or hesitant to pursue a new opportunity, this devotional reminds you that godly confidence is less about perfection and more about obedience. Shake off the dust, trust your calling, and walk boldly into your next assignment. Highlights ✨ God doesn’t wait for perfection—He works through our obedience.✨ The disciples were imperfect but sent anyway. So are we.✨ Jesus’ instruction to "shake off the dust" is a bold reminder: don’t carry rejection into your next opportunity.✨ Confidence in God’s call means focusing more on His power than our past mistakes.✨ Like the disciples, we are chosen, equipped, and sent to make an impact. Join the Conversation Have you ever shaken the dust off and stepped out in faith, even when you felt unqualified? Share your story with us and encourage someone else! Tag us @lifeaudionetwork and use #CalledWithConfidence to join the conversation.

Jesus, how are You praying for me? I’d never thought to ask that question until my friend Lou shared the experience of his heart-cry to Christ when he was faced with a situation that required more wisdom and strength than he was able to muster. Hearing him voice that noteworthy question in prayer has helped me add a fresh dimension to my understanding and practice of prayer. In Luke 22, there was no mystery as to how Jesus was praying for Simon Peter: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (vv. 31-32). When Peter was battered through trial, his faith flickered. But because of Christ’s grace, it didn’t fail. The book of Acts tells us how Jesus’ prayers for Peter—His eager but weak disciple—were answered. God used him to preach the good news about Christ to Jews and gentiles alike. And Jesus’ prayer ministry hasn’t ended. Paul reminds us that “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). When you find yourself in the throes of trial or temptation, remember that Jesus, who prayed for His disciples (see John 17:13-20) remains in prayer for those who have believed their message about Him.

Honestly, I had a tough time sleeping when I was in Singapore some years ago. It was my first time overseas. It was hot all the time there; it's sub-equatorial. And I found myself lying awake almost all night long. I was there with another guy. We were ministering together there, teaching in seminars. So, since we couldn't sleep, we ended up talking and talking, and the ceiling fan over our heads made about one revolution per minute, so it wasn't doing much good. Finally about 3:00 to 3:30, just about the time you get to sleep, a little cooler at that point, and you wouldn't know it, you just doze off and suddenly you'd hear a rooster crowing right there in downtown Singapore. The roosters didn't care; they were still crowing. You could hear right after that, all the sounds of Singapore waking up...thank you Mr. Rooster, I just got to sleep. Now, I didn't grow up on a farm. So this was my first opportunity to listen each morning to the power of a rooster's wakeup call, whether I wanted to wake up or not. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Rooster In Your Heart." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew 26. It's a familiar account of the denial of Jesus by His main man, Simon Peter. And in verse 73, we come upon the third time Peter is going to deny his Lord. "After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, 'Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.' Then he began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, 'I don't know the man!' Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, 'Before the rooster crows you'll disown me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly." It appears here that Peter betrayed Jesus twice before and didn't deal with what he had done. He managed to get through that okay. But the third time, the Bible says, "He went out and wept bitterly." In fact, the Greek means he went out and wept bitterly and loudly. You could hear this man sobbing aloud after what he had done. And it was the sound of the rooster that triggered repentance. In a sense, that rooster did to Peter what roosters often do; he woke Peter up. Now, Jesus told us the Holy Spirit would specialize in wakeup calls. He said in John 16, "When the Holy Spirit has come, He will convict the world of sin." When you betray your Lord in some sin or some compromise, there is - in a sense - a rooster calling in your heart saying, "Wake up! Look what you're doing! Do you know how this makes your Savior feel?" It's like an arrow to the heart. The question is, "What do you do when the Holy Spirit's conviction says, 'What have you done?'" It's possible that the rooster's been crowing in your heart lately; things you've been doing in secret or when you're with that person that maybe you never should have been associated with. Or maybe when you've compromised the truth, or you've neglected your family again, you've hurt the people you love again, you rationalize what you should be repenting of. Peter graduated from spiritual treason to spiritual greatness after his denial. Why? He let God break his heart over his sin. He responded emotionally to the stabbing pain in his heart. Do you? Spiritual disaster begins when you begin to quench the Spirit of God, you ignore the call that should wake you up. Today, through this program, the rooster's crowing again. It's the Holy Spirit saying, "You're breaking Jesus' heart. It's time you shed some tears over it as He is. It's the cry of a rooster that means a new day is dawning. The conviction of the Holy Spirit can begin a whole new day in your life if you'll wake up.

This weekend, we continue in the Peter Process with a famous and formative moment in Peter's early life: a walk on the water. We all have formative moments, both good and bad. They have become part of our story and how we became who we are. Do you remember any formative moments in your life?  It could be an event, an interaction, a success, a season, or a struggle that is etched in your memory. As you think about them, look at how God might still be using them to write your story.   First time listening to our podcast? We'd like to get to know you!  Head over to: http://bit.ly/connectcardccc. Connect with us! Do you have any prayer request? DM us.    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capecodchurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capecodchurch/  Website: http://capecodchurch.com Connect Card: https://bit.ly/connectcardccc  

The God Who Knows Us Better Than We Know Ourselves is a powerful devotional that explores Peter’s journey from boldness to denial—and Jesus’ divine insight into his heart. It reminds us that even when we believe we’re ready, God’s timing is intentional. Jesus sees not only who we are now, but also who we are becoming. If you’re feeling stuck in a season of waiting or wondering why God hasn’t “put you in the game,” this episode will bring clarity, encouragement, and comfort. ✨ Highlights: Luke 22:31–34 sets the scene: Jesus warns Peter about Satan’s plans—and reveals Peter’s future denial. Peter, full of confidence, says he’s ready for prison or death… but Jesus knows the truth. The devotional reflects on how our zeal doesn’t always match our maturity—and how Jesus intercedes and lovingly guides us. Just like Peter, we may overestimate our readiness, but God sees the full picture of our hearts, trials, and future impact. Encouragement for believers who feel overlooked or underused: God plays the long game, and His plans are rooted in both mercy and foresight.

In this episode of Dialogue Out Loud, poetry editor Terresa Wellborn hosts poets Simon Peter Eggertsen and Kevin Klein to discuss their poems “Night Prayer at Binh Duong +” and “Allergies for Janet,” featured in… The post Poetry Beyond Ritual: A Conversation with Simon Peter Eggertsen and Kevin Klein appeared first on Dialogue Journal.

Don't you love it when someone gets a little smile on their face and they say, "We were just talking about you." Your mind starts racing, and you think, "What were they saying about me?" When they say that to me, I usually ask, "Oh, do I get a chance to defend myself?" You know that people talk about you when you're not around. That's true for just about everybody, and you've heard how folks talk about other people when you're there. So you have every reason to believe that they talk about you, and it might not be your best stuff. I know someone who's been talking about you, and it's definitely for your benefit. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When Jesus Prays for You." Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 22. Simon Peter, as we look at this passage, is about to head into the most intense spiritual battle of his life. And Jesus, in an intimate moment, looked him in the eye and said, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." I believe what was going on here is that Jesus is indicating that the difference in Peter is going to be that Jesus is going to be praying for him. The difference for you is that Jesus is talking to His Father about you today. You say, "That's a pretty good description of how I feel...sifted. And maybe Satan wants to sift you as wheat, but it says Jesus is praying for you. In John 17:11 we find that He prays this way, "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name - the name you gave Me. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave Me. My prayer is not that you should take them out of the world but that you should protect them from the evil one." You know, Hebrews 7:25 says that, "He ever lives to make intercession for us." Jesus is at His Father's right hand talking to Him about you and me. I think He's praying for your protection from all the Devil wants to do. John 17:16 - "Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth." He's talking about "sanctify" as in, "Keep them special, Father." It's like that sign you see in a restaurant that says it's "reserved." What does that mean? Nobody else can have it. It's reserved just for the use of the person who's asked for it. Well, that's what "sanctify" means. It's set apart for God; reserved for God. That's what Jesus does for you. He wants you to be kept separate, special, and unpolluted. He talks about using His Word to keep your body pure, to keep your mind pure, your imagination, and your sense of humor. Those belong to Jesus, and He's praying for that. Then in chapter 17, verse 18, He says, "Father, as you sent Me, I have sent them into the world." Then He says, "My prayer is not for them alone, but for those who would believe in me through their message." Realize He is praying for your mission. He's praying that others will come to Christ. That means He's praying for us, who, years later, have come to Christ through their message. And He's praying for people that will be led to Christ as you and I declare His message. Look at what happens as a result of Jesus' praying for Peter. Ultimately, in the short term, yeah he came under attack. Yes, he denied Jesus; yes, he disappointed Jesus. But ultimately, he ended up safe, and secure, and pure, and powerful, because Jesus was praying for him. He's praying for you, and that's the ending you will have. You are not traveling this road alone. Someone's talking about you. Jesus is talking to His Father about you. Man, that's good to know. That will make all the difference.

Join us on PowerPoint today as we continue the story of Simon Peter. Jesus knew that if He captured this simple fisherman's heart, he would be changed forever and he would change the world forever. Jesus sees that same greatness in us. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/395/29

In this first part of the message, “The Rock,” Pastor Jack Graham focuses on a common man whom Jesus transforms into an uncommon man: Simon Peter. Simon was a simple fisherman, but Jesus saw greatness in him and named him Peter, meaning “the rock.” Listen to this powerful story. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/395/29

Matthew 16:13-19 - Now … Jesus … asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”