Podcasts about sometimes god

There's one common ingredient found in people who experience breakthroughs: They all passionately seek after God. In this series, Pastor Rick teaches you how to supercharge your prayer life and overcome obstacles.Sometimes it feels like we're not making any progress in life—and we need a breakthrough. Join Pastor Rick as shares principles from God's Word about how prayer and fasting can lead to breakthroughs in our health, finances, relationships, and emotions.Sometimes God tests us with stress before he trusts us with success. In this message, Pastor Rick talks about the importance of remembering to seek God at all times. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1103/29

16 September 2025 Daily Devotion: "Restoration and Hope" Hosea 2:14 New International Version 14 “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. How quick are you, during a time of trouble, to say, “What have I done to deserve this?” Often our first response is to view our trials as punishment. It's difficult to “rejoice always” when we're in the midst of a wilderness thinking, Why me? (Philippians 4:4). To walk with joy through the wilderness, we must recognize the gifts that are awaiting us. Sometimes God wants to stir up the passion we once had for Him. Other times the wilderness is a place of protection (Exodus 13:17-18). Thoughthe enemy would have you believe otherwise, the wilderness can be a place of provision (Psalm 78:19). We can have joy in the midst of any circumstance if we train our hearts to look for the gifts. If you're currently in a wilderness, look for the gifts of passion, protection, and provision.

Faith for the Coming Wilderness (4) (audio) David Eells – 9/14/25 I want to back up a little from what I shared last time, when we knew we were to move to Florida and share how we got a little ahead of the Lord. Sometimes the Lord will wait before He answers because He wants to see if we are going to get out there in the flesh and that's what we did. We came over a little early and started looking around Pensacola, but we didn't see anything, and we went back home. We started crying out to the Lord, “Okay, Lord, we know this is the time; we know it's coming,” and so on. And the next time, we waited until the Lord sent us. We even had a Christian realtor in Pensacola looking around for us, and we described the house to him because we had already seen it in dreams and visions. He was looking all over Pensacola, trying to find the house, until, finally, one day, in a little frustration after having sought the Lord, I stopped the man. I said, “Look, let's get your map.” So he got his map and we stretched it out on the hood of his car, and I said, “Listen, this is where the house is, right here!” I wasn't even looking where I was pointing, but I stuck my finger down on the map and he said, “Okay, we'll go there and look.” As we were looking, I told the man just exactly how much we were going to pay for the house. I could tell he wasn't used to that, but he said, “Okay.” He drove us through the area where my finger came down and we passed by the house we had seen in our dreams and visions. The lady who owned it had just stuck a “For Sale By Owner” sign in the ground. And since this was a realtor and it was a For Sale By Owner sign, he was just driving right on by, but I had my pad and pencil out. I wrote down the phone number and called her later. So after we looked at the house, I felt led to offer her $1000 less than I knew I was going to pay because some people like to haggle. She said, “Well, I don't know.” And I said, “Well, I tell you what, leave the curtains,” which I knew she was planning on doing anyway, “and I'll give you this much,” which was the amount the Lord told me. And she said, “Okay.” Praise the Lord! I do want to tell you that the realtor was a good Christian man who had done a good job looking for the house, and we actually gave him his commission. He had worked for his due, and we figured we'd give it to him anyway. He told us, “Man, I could never have found you a deal like this!” Now this lady was a Baptist, but one of her relatives was the pastor of a large, full-Gospel church in Pensacola. He and other people had been witnessing to her. And at the time when we came to Pensacola, she was having a problem with her eyes, so we asked her, “Would you let us pray for you? Will you let us lay hands on you for those eyes, so God will heal them?” I pointed out some verses to her and so on. She said, “Well, I don't know so much of that laying on of hands stuff, but I would like you to pray for me.” I answered, “Okay, we will pray for you without the laying on of hands.” That's what we did; we prayed for her, and God healed her. She was so jubilant to come to find out that God would do this for her because her doctrine didn't permit that kind of miraculous healing. She didn't really believe in those kinds of miraculous healings, but she received a miraculous healing, and her eyes were suddenly opened to the true Gospel. Then, when the time came for us to move in, she still wasn't ready to move out for another week, so she lived with us for a week, and we were able to witness to her even more. We had our stuff all piled up on one end of the house, and we were kind of living together like that until, finally, we had the house to ourselves. You see, God did a miracle. And it was through our weakness that we got this miracle. God paid for it; we didn't pay for anything. The money He gave us was enough to buy the house and a new car because our small car was a Toyota, which was good for doing small jobs, but we had five kids. So we bought a large, brand new station wagon, and God also did many miracles on that station wagon for us over the years. But the miracle was that God paid for both of these. We didn't have any money or save any money, and we just continued to give to any need that came our way. Whenever we saw a need, we gave to it. We didn't believe in storing up our treasures on earth, so we put no money in the bank. We did what Jesus says. (Luk.12:33) Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth. “Faileth not.” I want to remind you that no credit goes to us. Eph 2:8  for by grace (unmerited favor) have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9  not of works, that no man should glory.  When you store up your treasures in Heaven by meeting the needs of the brethren, you can always get it back because as the Lord said, it “faileth not.” For many years, I made a very good living, and I met the needs of the brethren around me. Whenever I saw a need, it wasn't a burden to me to take care of it by the grace of God, Who put it in my heart to do that. When you read the Word of God and you love the Word of God, and you love to act and live on the Word of God, the Word gets into your heart. The Word in you is Jesus in you. So we just gave where we saw to give; we didn't save up money and we didn't borrow money. Borrowing was out of the question for us because we were walking by faith, and even up to today, I haven't for 55 years. But because I give, the money is always there when I need it. As I've shared with you, the Lord taught me never to borrow, never to tell my needs, never to go into the business of buying and selling. Another was, never to take any government help. Recently the Lord had me sighn up for Social Security at 76 which didn't belong to the government but me, but I have given it away ever since. One of the things the young man said happened in his dream was that when he walked up to me, I told him, “I'm never going to work for man again,” and it was true. After I retired from Exxon, I never worked for man again. Now, everybody has to work, as the Bible says: (2Th.3:10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat. So I've worked diligently for the Lord and still do, but I've never been a burden on people. I made sure of that, and I never made my needs known. I haven't received any income from UBM. God put it in people's hearts to meet our needs separately. I don't believe in being a freeloader or “mooching.” It's wrong and it's evil. If you're truly walking by faith, God's going to support you. (Luk.10:7) And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (Mat.10:10) Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; (10) no wallet for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. God supports those who work for Him. Apostle Paul is our example. At the beginning of his ministry, he worked for a living. (1Co.9:11) If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things? (12) If others partake of [this] right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. But later on (2 Corinthians 9; Philippians 2), it seems very clear that Paul was receiving freewill offerings from brethren so that he could continue on with his ministering and not be distracted by any work. It was that way for the first part of my ministry, too. I worked for many years while I ministered. I learned to walk by faith and, in that weakness, God was miraculous. Most people don't get to see the miracles of God because they are not willing to be weak. They're always strong and do for themselves; it's salvation by works. Remember that the Greek word for “salvation,” which is the noun soteria or the verb sozo, is translated in many different ways to cover every kind of salvation. For instance, when Jesus healed someone, (Mat.9:22) But Jesus turning and seeing her said, Daughter, be of good cheer; thy faith hath made thee whole (sozo). And the woman was made whole (sozo) from that hour. When He delivered people from demons, (Luk.8:36) And they that saw it told them how he that was possessed with demons was made whole (sozo). When the disciples were in the sinking boat, (Mat.8:25) And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save (sozo), Lord; we perish. Salvation is very, very big! Jesus saved us from sin and its curse. (2Co.5:21) Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Did you know, in the Scriptures, poverty is a curse? (Deu.28:47) Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; (48) therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies that Jehovah shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. Unless it is a sacrificial self-imposed poverty for the sake of others, it's a curse. How many of you know that Jesus wasn't poverty-stricken? He had His needs met everywhere He went. Now, He didn't have riches, according to the way the world likes riches. The world likes the material kind of riches in which they can trust. Jesus didn't have that, but His needs were met wherever He went, and so were His disciples. They weren't poor, but they were poor to the world. (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? People who are poor to the world are in a position of weakness, where they have to trust in God. You have to come out from under the principles of the world and the teachings of the worldly, Babylonish Church. You learn to obey the principles that Jesus gave us in the New Testament. Make sure your brother's needs are met sacrificially out of what you have, and God will make sure you don't ever have a need that isn't met by God's faith in us. Paul said, (Php.4:19) And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. He said that because his needs were being met by the brethren and He made that promise to the Philippians. Well, we lost a car, had been injured, and didn't have any money, but in our weakness, God was made strong. We didn't have to sell or borrow or beg or do anything of the sort; all we did was give. I want you to walk in the same blessings, and God will do that for you if you start living according to His principles. By the way, because the second part of the money that came in from the wreck was delayed and delayed, God made an opportunity for me to give away my first station wagon that I had when I was in Baton Rouge. I gave it away to a mission in town where I had preached quite a few times because they needed transportation for the people in the mission. God blessed me with that car, and I never had any problems with it that Father didn't fix. When we prayed for a car, my youngest daughter had a vision of that car being in New Orleans. She even saw the color of the car. Sure enough, I couldn't find anything in Baton Rouge that I liked, so I went to New Orleans, and I saw the car and bought it. That was the car I gave to the mission. And I'd never put any spares in that car because I was trusting God to keep my tires, but the day I put the keys in the preacher's hand in my living room and we walked outside, it was sitting on a flat. I never had a flat as long as I had that car because I never carried a spare, but as soon as it got out of my hand and into his, it had a flat. And since I mentioned New Orleans, think about what happened there, folks. God brought a Category 5 hurricane (Hurricane Katrina: August 29, 2005) to that big sin city and, just as it was about to hit land, He sent in a wave of dry air from the northwest that suddenly knocked that hurricane down to a Category 3. That same gust of dry air pushed the hurricane to the east. A Category 5 hurricane that was about to hit that area would have driven the waters of Lake Pontchartrain over into the city and drowned 40,000 to 50,000 people because the water would have come in there so fast. Think about man's efforts to save himself with the levees and those great big monster pumps that they have in that city. They thought they could keep that city dry. Had a Category 5 hit that city head-on, or even a Category 3, it would have pushed the water in there faster than the pumps could handle. Most of New Orleans is 20 feet below sea level and some of it is more than 20 feet below sea level. What chance did man have to save himself from just one of God's judgments? As it was, He didn't let the city escape, even after moving the hurricane over a little bit. The levees gave out when they became saturated and the city started filling up with water, but it was slow enough to give people a little time to move out of the way. It was astounding how the mercy of God saved those people. The meteorologists pointed out on radar how this gust of dry air came in and moved the hurricane; they were totally amazed by it. They had never seen anything like it. That was purely an act of God that spared them when they couldn't have saved themselves, even with all of their efforts. They knew if a major hurricane hit them, the city would drown. God didn't completely spare the city, but He spared an untold number of people, including many brethren. I'm sure some people in New Orleans with faith were praying until God, at the last moment, suddenly dropped the strength of that hurricane and moved it over. Hurricane Dennis did exactly the same thing as it was coming toward Pensacola. I was praying the whole time and I was asking, “Lord, do you want me to command that hurricane to back off and go the other way?” The Lord said, “No. Just wait,” so I didn't do anything. All of a sudden, when it hit the land, I felt in my heart that the Lord wanted me to command it to be broken up, and that's exactly when it started breaking up. The strength dropped down, and it veered a little bit to the right of Pensacola. I know that there were some people over there in New Orleans doing the exact same thing and God answered the exact same way. You see, God has it all planned out. He just uses His faith in us to bring it to pass. We can put our trust in the living God. Nothing that man can do will save you from the judgments that are coming. The wilderness is where you learn to walk by faith in the Lord. You learn to put your faith in Him and you give up your efforts and your power; you give up your ability to do anything. The promises of God are past tense. He became a curse for you, He bore your curse, and He healed your body. He already did all of this, and since all of these promises are past tense, what can you do to bring it to pass? Jesus taught us, (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. If you believe you have received, there's nothing for you to do to bring them to pass. Believing the promises brings us into a position of weakness where we can't save ourselves. You've probably heard the old saying, “God helps those who help themselves.” Well, that's a lie. The Bible says just the opposite: (Jer.17:5) Thus saith the Lord: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. The power of God is made perfect in weakness; that's what He told Paul: (2Co.12:9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Paul couldn't save himself in those situations that he got into, but he said, (2Ti.4:18) The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. In his weakness, and faith, God's power was made perfect. Keep the Sabbath, and don't bring a burden into God's Holy City on this Sabbath. Cease from your own works or, in other words, cease from the works of man. As God told Moses and the children of Israel, (Exo.14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. (14) The Lord will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. He said, “Stand still.” They were trying to figure out what to do. Here was Pharaoh's army coming up behind them and they would have never thought about parting the Red Sea. (Exo.14:15) And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. (16) And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground. You see, God has ways far beyond our ways. (Isa.55:8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. That's why He had to tell them, “stand still.” It's the same for us. Sometimes we're just so busy running around, trying to figure out a way out of this or a way out of that. We've been trained from our youth to solve our problems for ourselves, when God just wants us to be believers in His promises. Get your Bible and diligently read it. Underline those promises and start acting on them. (Jas.2:17) Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. Faith without works is dead. Remember that Jesus told us, (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. How would you act if you believed you had received what you prayed for? You would stop trying to bring it to pass for yourself. You would cease from your own labors and, if you cease from your own labors on His Sabbath, you will find God's power is made perfect. Glory be to God! Now, I want to remind you that the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart over and over before the Israelites were set free from Egypt to go into their wilderness. (Exo.7:1) And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. (2) Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. (3) And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. (4) But Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, and I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. (5) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. Why did He do that? Why did the Lord harden Pharaoh's heart? (Exo.10:1) And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them, (2) and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought upon Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am the Lord. The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart because He wanted to judge Egypt and He wanted to prove His great power to deliver the Israelites. By the time the Israelites left Egypt, the land had been devastated, and the economy was in ruins. (Exo.10:7) And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? You know, He's going to do that again in our day! (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. History is going to repeat. Judgments are coming upon the United States, but God is merciful, and He sends warnings to us so His people will pray. I'm totally convinced that the prayers of the saints have delayed a time of judgment. We have been receiving many revelations of judgments, some of them with actual dates that have since come and gone, and the Lord showed me that these were true revelations, yet they didn't come to pass. You see, the Lord gives you a warning of things to come for the purpose of having you seek Him for grace. (Jas.4:2) … ye have not, because ye ask not. God's people don't pray and they don't seek Him for His grace and mercy! It takes a threat for His people to seek Him for grace and mercy. When God wants to give us grace and mercy, He almost has to tell us what's going to happen if we don't seek Him. I know what the Lord did with those revelations that never came to pass: He put those warnings out there so His people would seek Him for grace and He gave it. By the way, if you don't believe God dates prophecies, you haven't read very much of the Bible because there are many of them in there (Daniel 7; 9; Jonah 3; Revelation 12; etc.) The brethren who share these warnings sometimes wonder if God just forgot about them or if He left them, or if they were deceived. The same thing happened with Jonah. (Jon.4:1) But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. Jonah had prophesied Nineveh would be overthrown in 40 days, and yet, God had mercy when the people cried out to Him. God had mercy, and Jonah was angry because now he was going to look like a false prophet. (2) And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil. (3) Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Jonah didn't want to face the world. He felt as if the Lord had let him down. He had prophesied their destruction, but he also knew that God was merciful and would repent of the prophesied evil. However, God reminded Jonah there was something a lot more important than his pride. (Jon.4:11) And should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? Can you imagine, He was even having mercy on the cattle! God was showing it wasn't important that Jonah might look like a false prophet, but it was important that God was going to have mercy on these people. That's the thing we have to keep in mind. Remember, we've been put here to be of no reputation anyway, according to the Scriptures. (Php.2:5) Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; (8) and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. We're supposed to have the same mind as Christ. We're here to lose our reputation in the eyes of the world. The wilderness is a place of hopelessness for the flesh because the flesh really can't help God. Just like the wilderness was a place of weakness for Israel, a place where the world couldn't supply the needs of God's people, so it is, and will be, for us in our day. What the Church has been teaching for so long is, “God helps those who help themselves.” That's their doctrine. Well, God doesn't like that and it's a stench in His nostrils. The Bible says (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. We are saved by His works, His efforts, and His wisdom. The Lord has already accomplished everything for us at the cross. (Php.4:19) And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. He supplied our needs at the cross, so God doesn't appreciate that the Church is preaching salvation by works. He said, (2Co.12:9) … My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness.... I'd like to share with you the difference between assurance and insurance because this is part of my wilderness. Many people have their trust in the “idol” of insurance. They think they've insulated themselves from anything bad that could come from this world, but it's going to fail. Every idol that you stand up to the Lord will fall over and be crushed like Dagon. (1Sa.5:3) And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. (4) And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. God is going to judge all the idols of Egypt; they will all fail. Even insurance companies are not going to be able to save America. As a matter of fact, insurance companies have been leaving several states, including Florida, where judgments such as hurricanes are becoming more and more frequent. They've been leaving those states to avoid going bankrupt. And they get permission to not pay up if doing so would harm them. But God's going to continue hitting big sin cities all around the United States with one form of judgment or another, and there aren't enough insurance companies in the world to save America. If you're interested in my wilderness experiences and teachings from the Bible, I ask that you get our free e-book, Sovereign God For Us And Through Us, on our website: ubm1.org. He is sovereign for us and He wants to be sovereign through us. He wants to administer His authority in this earth through His people. I want to share some excerpts with you here from Chapter 18. It's titled “Assurance Versus Insurance,” and I hope it will give you a desire to read the rest of the book. We receive testimonies every day of people who are being empowered by God and helped and delivered by this book. (The excerpts are italicized, and my commentary is in parentheses.) (Psa.91:9) For thou, O Lord, art my refuge!.... This confession of faith and the deliverance that comes of it are merely acting on what the Word says. I received a revelation years ago in Louisiana, before it was a law to have any form of auto insurance. Even now there are are laws to have the minimum PIP/PD but that covers the other guy, not you. So I have had this to obey the law and have been rewarded greatly because the other guy was a fault and paid me. The Lord began spiritually to reason with me. It occurred to me that God is sovereign over what we call “accidents.” (We're always insulating ourselves with insurance, but there is really no such thing as an accident, is there?) (Joh.3:27) A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven. That doesn't sound like there are accidents (It sounds like there is a sovereign God!); therefore, an accident could not come without God sending it. Since He said that if we prayed believing we would receive, then I could ask Him to keep my vehicles, or let the other guy be at fault and pay me, which has profited me greatly. Why would I need insurance if I believed the assurance just given in His promises? (Psa.91:9) For thou, O Lord, art my refuge! (Notice the good confession and its resulting benefit. (Jas.2:26) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. Faith without works is dead, but the good confession brings a benefit.) Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; (10) There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. (I know a lot of people don't believe or teach this nowadays, but it's the Word of the Lord. Who are we to say otherwise!) (11) For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. (12) They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Or, in other words, “lest you have an accident.”) Notice that when we abide in Christ by faith (and hold fast this good confession; that's the promise of God), angels keep us from what men call “accidents.” An exception to this can be an experience like Job's to show hidden faults (Job.32:1-2). As in his case, God strictly controls the chastening and later restores what is taken. God restored to Job twice as much as he had and without insurance. God desires to be our security. We don't need security in the world; we need our God to be our security. (Psa.119:122) Be surety (Hebrew: “to give or be security”) for thy servant for good.... (Heb.7:22) By so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. God and His promises are the believers' assurance of provision and protection. After seeing what the Lord was saying to me, I dropped my auto insurance back before it was required. Then I called my life insurance man and he came over. I told him that I would not need insurance anymore because God would be my assurance. He was a good Lutheran man who sincerely tried to reason with this fanatic, but to no avail. The week after I did this, I drove to a Stop-N-Go mart and went in to get some food. While I was walking down an aisle, I heard a crash that shook the store windows. I looked up over the isle to see that my car had been in a wreck without me! I went out and found a heavy old Buick's front end wrapped around the back corner of my Datsun station wagon. The driver backed the car up a foot or so, and we both stood there speechless. We just couldn't really understand how this could happen. The hood, grill and bumper of his all steel car were notched back about six inches, as if it had hit a big oak tree. Here is the good part. Datsun station wagons were tin boxes and could be dented with an elbow. This tank hit my car on the left rear wrap-around, plastic tail lens! I reached out and with my thumbnail, scraped a piece of paint from his hood off the plastic tail lens, and we stood there for a moment looking at this miracle. There was not a scratch, dent or crack on my car anywhere. Awesome God! He made my wimpy car, which should have been totaled, invincible to this old tank of a car. The assurance of God saved me from any need of insurance. The man said, “I think my brakes went out,” and then he mumbled, “They sure make ‘em better than they used to.” As I was thinking about how ludicrous that statement was (and I knew he didn't believe it anyway), he got in his car and left. Suddenly, it hit me that I missed the best chance in the entire world to witness to someone. I jumped into my car and caught him at the next red light (where his brakes, obviously, had stopped him). I grabbed some tracts out of the glove box and hurried to his door. I said, “Sir, that was a miracle.” He said, “It had to be.” I said, “I didn't have any insurance on my car and I was trusting God to keep it and He did.” The light turned green and we parted company. Since then, I have never had any insurance that covers our family, vehicles or home, other than what the law demands. We now have to have liability, which covers the other guy but not you. However, when the Lord tells you that you do not need insurance He means it. That first wreck, or lack thereof, was an awesome testimony, but we did not plunder Egypt, as we did with later wrecks. Since then, God has not always protected our vehicles or bodies, but in every case, it was to our advantage, for He healed our bodies once and greatly blessed us financially. (When you trust in the Lord, He's working all things for your good, as Romans 8:28 says.) During this time, though we sued no one, the other guy's insurance blessed us with money for the following: to repair a motorcycle with money leftover in my pocket for a new one; to repair a Toyota pickup that needed painting anyway, and I ended up after fixing the pickup, painting it with a beautiful paint job with $1,500 left in my pocket; to buy two cars, one new; to buy our home; to enable us to buy and give cars to others; to enable us to give our home away; and to buy a travel trailer for a homeless woman and her son. Besides all that and more, we have not spent God's money on many years' worth of insurance. (If you obey God, you can't lose! If you obey God and walk by faith in Him and let His assurance be your insurance and not the world, then you'll see the miracles of God.) Now, I can hear someone say, “But David, what if ... ?” What if what? What if God Almighty fell off His throne? (God made these promises; we're just depending upon Him.) (Rom.10:11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. (The devil tells you that you will be put to shame, but that's a lie.) (Jer.17:7) Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose trust the Lord is. By the grace of God, it has been many years since we have had a wreck. Praise God! (So God can keep you from wrecks, but when you do get into them, He can make them bless you.) One day, in that same Datsun station wagon, I was driving along rather frustrated because I had had three flats on relatively new tires. Most people would be complaining to the manufacturer, but I believed that God was in control, so I was complaining to the Lord. A little frustrated, I said, “Lord, can't You keep my tires?” He said to me very clearly, “Don't you believe that I can keep your tires?” I replied in my ignorance, “Yes, I believe You can keep them.” He replied, “Then why do you keep putting that spare back there?” To be honest, I put the spare in the trunk because it was traditional and I had not questioned it, but also, the underlying reason was in case God didn't keep my tires. (I'm not trying to make a new doctrine on spares, just share a lesson God gave to me.) Fear and unbelief cause us to try to insulate ourselves from any possibility of lack, loss or threat. Since we are trusting in insurance besides the Lord, we usually end up needing it. (That's what people don't understand. If you trust in something besides the Lord, you end up having to use it. Of course, some people say, “Aha! You see, I needed it!” But they have it all backwards. When you trust in any idol and not in the Lord, you're going to need it.) Jesus sent out His disciples in a way that would make them dependent on living by faith. He sent them without their own provision so that in their weakness His power would be proven. (Mat.10:9) Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; (10) no wallet for [your] journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. Later, Jesus wanted to see what they learned from this experience of depending upon God's supply. (Luk.22:35) And he said unto them, When I sent you forth without purse, and wallet, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing. (For those of you who believe that only applied to the disciples, remember Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples and teach them to observe everything that He commanded the first disciples to observe (Matthew 28:20). In other words, what He spoke to them, He spoke to us, but man came in there with religion and thwarted the whole mission that God sent us on.) In the wilderness of man's supply, God's provision was evident. (When Jesus sent out the disciples without their own supply, He basically made a wilderness wherever these men went because they didn't bring enough with them out of “Egypt” to supply their needs.) God starts His works when we finish ours. His power is made perfect in our weakness. That was my experience with those tires. I threw out my spare and I never had another flat on that car, and the neighbors who used to borrow it quit! (I would tell them, “Look, if you're going to drive this car, you have to drive it by faith because I don't have a spare back there.” Well, they quit borrowing my car, which I guess was another benefit.) The moral of that story is, if you prepare for a rainy day, it will come. With the next car, I had the same experience: no flats. When I decided after many years to give it to a mission, I put the keys and title into the hand of the pastor in my living room. We walked outside and the car was on a flat. (I was the one walking by faith and now that it was his car, now that the key was in his hand, it was sitting on a flat! Well, inside I just chuckled. I understood exactly what He was saying to me.) God made His point. As long as I owned the car, putting my trust in Him, there was never a flat. In other words, trusting in God takes away the need for insurance. (And, again, I'm not making any laws about this; I'm not condemning anybody for having spares. God was teaching me, and He'll teach you. He may use other methods, but He wants to teach you to walk in this wilderness, to walk in a lack of man's provision, but in your weakness, God will be made strong.) Men serve insurance companies, H.M.O.s, banks and store up their treasures on earth for the security they think it gives them. (Mat.6:19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal. Y2K revealed the paranoia and lack of trust in those who stored up their treasures on earth, contrary to the Lord's command. (It's fear that causes people to do such things, but God's power is made perfect in our weakness.) Quite a few I showed these principles to went home to give their store away and found it full of bugs, just as Jesus said, “thieves break through and steal.” Jesus told of a man who found peace in the insurance of storing up his goods in greater barns (Luke 12:18). He said to himself, (Luk.12:19) ...Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. (That's the thinking of man: “I have all I need; this will keep me for a long time.”) His misplaced trust brought judgment. (20) But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required (Greek: “they require thy soul”) of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? (21) So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Now, to be “rich toward God” is to be “rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom.” (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? Why did He choose the “poor as to the world”? He chose them because they have to trust in God, they have to put their faith in God. That's what God did with the Israelites when He brought them into the wilderness. He made them poor to the world, and He expected them to put their faith in Him.) Notice that it was his stored-up treasures that required his soul. Jesus promised the unfailing Kingdom provisions to those who would store up their treasures in Heaven by giving. (32) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (33) Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old (not storing up), a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth. As long as we are on this earth, we can draw on our Heavenly bank account if we have deposited by giving to the needs of others. “Give, and it shall be given unto you.” If we have stored up on earth instead, the promise is that it will be stolen by thieves of one kind or another. Our heart will be on our treasures, falsely thinking them to be our security. (Luk.12:34) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (And God cannot lie!) (I'm told that Psalm 118:8 is the center verse in the Bible and I'm sure that it is at least central to God's heart.) (Psa.118:8) It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Our trust in man is what brings the curse to pass. (Jer.17:5) Thus saith the Lord: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. (People are trusting in their insurance of many different kinds; they're trusting in their insurance companies, but they are all going to fail. Everything but God is going to fail in the days ahead!) As we can see, the insurances themselves bring the curse that they are thought to relieve. (The man who stored up “much goods” found that they brought the curse upon him. God is not offended with the world doing it; He's offended with His people doing these things.) God is offended with those who call themselves believers, yet trust in man's strength and insurances. This is a heart that departs from the Lord. In 2 Chronicles 16:1-6, Asa, king of Judah, put his trust in the worldly king of Syria for insurance against his enemies. This offended God, Who sent judgment. (2Ch.16:7) And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and hast not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand. (8) Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand. (9) For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars. God is eager to show signs and wonders to those who trust in Him with a perfect heart. (Obviously, a “perfect heart” is not one that trusts in the world.) You would think that Asa would have learned this lesson, but his trust in man cost him his life, as it does for so many. (12) And in the thirty and ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians (13) And Asa slept with his fathers.... Christians justify their misplaced trust in man's insurances, not realizing that this brings the judgment in the first place. Let me share this experience with you. M.J. and I were about to go to work on a large crude oil pump for Exxon. The process department had blocked it out of line and drained it, or so we thought. What we did not know was that the pressure gauge read “0” because it was broken and the drain valve, though open, was stopped up, so there was a little pressure still in the pump. We took the bolts out of the head plate to remove it, but it was stuck. I stood up and took about four steps away to get something to break it loose when I heard a “pop” sound and turned around to see M.J. drenched with black crude from head to foot. As he opened his eyes, he sarcastically looked at me and said, “David, you did this to me.” Well, I could not contain myself and busted out laughing. The thought of me stepping away in the nick of time so that M.J. could get plastered was too much for me. Attempting to sound serious, he said, “Dave, you're never going to do this to me again.” I said, “M.J., you had better watch those self-confident statements. You know God is listening.” Then, he repeated his statement and said, “Bring me up to the shower house. I have a spare set of clothes up there.” I said, “Oh, now I know why you got it instead of me.” He asked, “Why?” I said, “Because I don't have a spare set of clothes and God knew it.” He looked at me kind of inquisitively. I explained that planning for a catastrophe is the same as having faith for it. It also proves that you do not believe that God will protect or provide. Later that day, we were working on another pump. M.J. was next to me as we used an impact gun to take off some bolts. Suddenly, slurry squirted down one of the open bolt holes and hit M.J. in the middle of his chest, leaving me untouched. (Slurry is a crude that will stain anything; you cannot get it out. If it gets on your clothes, you can just forget it because that's the color they are now. In fact, it's that way on skin; it's just terribly staining. So this slurry squirted down the bolt hole, down the side of the thread and hit him right in the chest.) He looked at me in disbelief. I playfully said, “M.J., I told you God doesn't like those self-confident statements,” but we both knew that God was speaking in this. We could not remember when this had happened to us before, much less twice in one day. (Truly, in the wilderness that's coming, we can put our trust only in the living God; nothing else is going to save us.) Now, back to that old Datsun station wagon; I want you to know the Lord used that vehicle to teach me many other lessons. When I was about to buy a new car, I really kind of favored the Toyota because I felt it was the better car, but I always left things up to the Lord. I asked, “Lord, which one do you want me to buy, the Toyota or the Datsun?” And I was surprised when the Lord said, “I want you to get the Datsun station wagon.” Now, a person would think that when the Lord tells you to do something, everything would be just fine since, obviously, the Lord is looking out for your good. Well, He was looking out for my good, but not in the way you would think sometimes. I told you the tire story, but other things went wrong with that car. Sometimes God wants you to have victory in trials. It wasn't all that long after I bought the car that the carburetor started acting erratically. And since I was a pretty good machinist and a pretty good mechanic, I knew the carburetor was plugged. I also knew that I didn't feel like tearing down the carburetor because the most precious thing in my life is my time. I used every spare moment I had to read the Bible, to study the Word. I was literally drawn, hungering and thirsting for the Word. Anyway, I just commanded that thing to be healed and kept on driving the Datsun. It went on like that, acting kind of erratically for a couple of weeks, but I just kept on holding fast to my confession. (Heb.10:23) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised. The Lord will try you; just because you don't get the answer right away doesn't mean He hasn't heard you. After I held on like this for a couple of weeks, suddenly it started getting better and better until the problem was gone. In a few more weeks, I was faced with a different problem. The transmission started slipping and I thought it was just crazy for a relatively new car to be doing things like this, but I did all the normal things that a mechanic would do, like checking the fluid, for example, to make sure it was at the right level. And again, I knew that I didn't want to mess with that transmission by working on it myself, and I didn't want to take it to a shop. My time was valuable to me. In the wilderness, it will be a different story. You may not be able to find somebody to work on it, or you may not have the money to work on it, or the parts may not be available, etc. Even though in those days I had plenty of money, I just wouldn't spend it. I considered that what I made belonged to the Kingdom, and I wanted to use it to meet the Kingdom's needs, not spend it on vehicles and things like that. So instead, I just commanded that transmission to “Be healed in the name of Jesus,” but it still went on slipping for a while. Of course, your mind is telling you, “Hey, if you keep letting it slip like that, you're going to have to replace the clutch,” and all the other things that normally go bad when it starts slipping. I just ignored it and kept on going, and as I held fast my confession, my transmission gradually got better and better, until I never had any more problems with it. So, the Lord had me by that car so He could try me and show me He could fix anything. Some of the times when the Lord was teaching me these lessons, I got in the flesh to do things myself, and nothing worked out right. For instance, I told you how, when the insurance money came in, I bought a new Chevrolet station wagon. Well, I'd watched a lot of advertisements for a product called “Slick 50” that showed how you could put it in an engine, run it in there a while, and afterward actually dump out the oil and the engine would still run. I was impressed with that. I thought, “Wow! That will keep my engine. It will make it last a long, long time.” But, folks, I already had a God Who would keep my engine and make it last a long, long time. He's a jealous God. He really wanted me to put my trust in Him. Do you know what I did? I put that Slick 50 in there, even though they said not to use it unless you have 40,000 or 50,000 miles on the car. Well, I stuck it in there a little early and they warn you that you can break some rings doing that. At the time, I still lived in Florida, and I had to go on a teaching tour in Texas. So all of my family and I got in the car and we took off, and before I got very far down the road, the car started pouring smoke out of the tailpipe. I looked in the rear-view mirror, and it was just solid smoke back there. I said, “What in the world has happened to my new car?” I checked the PCV and things like that but couldn't find anything wrong. The only thing I determined was that I must have broken rings, as they said I might do if I put Slick 50 in an engine that didn't have extra clearance in it. I would go a few miles down the road and pour a quart of oil in it, go a few miles and pour another quart in it, so I decided I was going to pray over the engine. I said, “Lord, forgive me for getting in the flesh, and I'm going to trust You to keep this engine.” So I prayed over the engine and I commanded it to be healed in the name of Jesus. I don't know where I got into the terminology of calling it “healed.” I've prayed over vehicles, refrigerators, washing machines, and things like that, and I would always just call it “healing.” Anyway, I prayed over that engine and commanded it to “be healed in the name of Jesus,” because it's not the terminology that you use. Your theology might be a little bit wrong, but the Lord knows what you're meaning. Well, I got back into the car and we went on our way. We got a lot farther down the road, and I think I had to put one more quart in that car on the whole trip to Texas and back. God repaired those broken rings and we had no more problem with that. I didn't have much trouble with that car for many, many years, but I had the water pump stop working on it once when my wife and I were out driving. She cranked the car, and water started just pouring out on the ground. I asked her to get out of the car and come lay hands on the hood with me, which we did. We laid hands on the hood and commanded that water pump to “stop leaking in the name of Jesus.” And that water pump seal immediately sealed back up and we drove off. I've had many miracles like that, but most people never think about doing that. The first thing that comes to their mind is, “Well, I have a warranty on this car; or “I have enough money to hire a mechanic to fix it.” I wanted to stay in the wilderness because I wanted to learn those lessons that, one day, everybody is going to have to learn, so I took every opportunity to stay in the wilderness The Israelites wanted to run back to Egypt whenever they came into a place where God would try them, but God put it in my heart to want to stay out there. I wanted to learn; I wanted to see God do these miracles. Besides that, God told me, “I'm bringing you through a wilderness, so you can tell My people that I still supply there.” I treasured these experiences. Some people would call them terrible tribulation, but I treasured them and I enjoyed seeing God do these things. Let me tell you about my washing machine. One time, after we had moved to Florida, the washing machine started leaking. Mary came and told me, “The seal in the washer has gone out; the pump is leaking onto the ground.” I thought, “I'm going to go pray for it.” So I went and prayed for it and commanded it to be healed, then I sopped up the water and told her to go ahead and use it. Well, she did the rest of the laundry, and the machine didn't leak any more water. Then, just a few weeks later, she said, “That machine is leaking again,” so I went back in there and did the same thing. It went for a few more weeks, and for a third time she said to me, “David, that washer is leaking again.” I said, “No, it's not. It's not leaking; that thing is healed. It's okay, it's fine, just wash and don't worry about it.” You see, I didn't want to go back on what I had spoken. I wanted to keep my trust in the Lord and, sure enough, it sealed up. I told my wife, “If you see it leak, don't confess it, just thank God that it's not leaking and it's fixed.” And, you know, I kept that washing machine until somebody gave me another one that was a lot newer. I remember another time, back when we were in Louisiana, when my two young sons were playing in the living room and I was sitting there studying. My wife came in and she said, “That washing machine won't run. It won't even come on.” I said, “Well, Corban and Nathan, you two go back there and lay hands on that washing machine and just command it to run in the name of Jesus and it will run.” So they did that; they went back there and they laid hands on that thing and they commanded it to run and it took off. I taught all my children to lay hands on this and that, and they got to see the power of God in their simple, childlike faith. Children will always have awesome faith if you teach them about God and you show them the truths in the Bible. We had this lawnmower, and we pulled it out after the winter so we could cut the grass in the early spring. I pulled and pulled and pulled on this lawnmower, but it wouldn't start. My boys were really young at the time, and they were just standing around, looking at me. Well, I pulled the spark plug wire off, put it alongside the block, and pulled it. There was no spark. Now, by this time, I was sweating, tired and I wanted to get it over with. I called my boys to me and said to them, “Let's pray for this thing. Let's command it to run in the name of Jesus. I don't care if it has a spark or not; I just want it to run.” So my boys came over and we all laid hands on the lawnmower, and I commanded it to run in the name of Jesus. Then I cranked it up and mowed the lawn. I don't know if it ever had a spark or not. That didn't make any difference; it just had to run. (Mat.21:21) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done. (22) And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. The Lord told us, if you speak to a mountain and don't doubt, that what we say will come to pass, and I tell you, teach your children. They have more faith than you. When you tell a child something, the child just believes you, and that's the way we ought to be with God. (Mat.18:2) And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, (3) and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. We need to become like a child and, with childlike faith, just believe in our God, just believe that He will do it.

Sometimes God's response leaves us shaking our heads now, and in awe later. In “Faith Test in Tough Times” from 1 Kings 17:7–24, Pastor Fred shows how Elijah encountered God's unexpected provision and power in the midst of scarcity, loss, and testing—reminding us that faith often grows strongest in life's hardest moments.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23 Our text today is Judges 3:31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel. — Judges 3:31 Can one person really make a difference? Shamgar barely gets a verse. No long backstory. No detailed battle plan. Just a man with an oxgoad—a farmer's tool, not a warrior's weapon. Yet with it, he struck down 600 Philistines and saved Israel. That's it. No fanfare. No epic speeches. Just simple faith, raw courage, and God's power behind an ordinary tool. Sometimes God writes his biggest stories with the smallest brushstrokes. Shamgar's life reminds us: impact isn't about having the best weapon, but about putting what's in your hand into God's hand. Stop waiting for perfect conditions or better tools. God's not asking for what you don't have. He's asking for what you do have. Your oxgoad might be a kind word, a simple prayer, a skill you think is too small to matter. But in God's hands, ordinary becomes extraordinary. Never underestimate the difference one willing man or woman can make when they give God their tool and their trust. ASK THIS: What's the “oxgoad” in my hand that I've overlooked as insignificant? Do I believe God can use my ordinary life for extraordinary impact? Where is God calling me to step up, even if I feel unprepared? How can I trust God today to multiply my small obedience into big impact? DO THIS: Take one small, practical step of obedience today using whatever “oxgoad” God has placed in your hand. PRAY THIS: Lord, take what I have—even if it feels small—and use it for your glory. Make me bold like Shamgar to step into the fight with what you've given me. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Available."

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In week 20 of our Gospel of Mark series, Pastor Kevin teaches from Mark 6:45-56, when Jesus walked on water and the disciples were terrified, thinking He was a ghost. This passage reminds us that everyone puts faith in something, but only Jesus is worthy of our trust. Sometimes God allows us to walk through […]

God is the maximal good, He is the best form of every divine and communicable attribute. He does not become; He is the eternal IS. In God making us we find our best self in allegiance to Him and when we follow His instruction we are best for it. As believers, we are called not to think logically alone but theologically, renewing our minds to see from God's perspective, this is why teaching is essential.Faith is not only seen in what we get by it but in what we lose for it. Sometimes God delivers us out of trials, and sometimes He delivers us through them, but in all things He remains good, kind, and sovereign. The believer is built to last.Listen to this edifying teaching and be blessed.

Welcome to the Motion Church Podcast. Today, we gather around a message that isn't easy to hear — but one that carries the power of truth, healing, and redemption. Our guest pastor Chris Johnson begins with honesty: not every word in Scripture is lighthearted or easy. Sometimes God calls us into the deep places — the places of pain, loss, and struggle. And today, that call is clear: the topic is Broken. What does it mean to live in brokenness, and yet discover that God is still present? How do we face the parts of our lives that feel shattered, and trust that the pieces are not wasted in His hands? This is not a comfortable conversation, but it is a necessary one — because in the breaking, God often begins His greatest work of restoration. So lean in with us today. May you find that even in the hard truths, there is hope. May you hear the voice of God calling you beyond comfort, and into transformation. This is the Motion Church Podcast — and here is today's message: Broken.

Finding direction in life's journey often leaves us longing for clear signs and unmistakable guidance. But what if God's direction comes through everyday moments rather than dramatic supernatural events?In this powerful exploration of discerning God's will, we discover four key ways God guides us through life's complexities: open doors, closed doors, frustrated plans, and everyday choices. Drawing wisdom from the Apostle Paul's ministry journey, we see how even this spiritual giant navigated uncertainty with faith rather than perfect clarity.When God opens doors of opportunity, opposition often follows—proving that divine direction doesn't guarantee smooth paths. Sometimes God protects us through closed doors, saying "no" even when our intentions are pure. Our frustrated plans, those painful moments when everything falls apart, can actually draw us closer to God when we bring our honest frustrations to Him.Most profoundly, we learn that while we desperately want a complete map for our lives, God typically provides just enough light for the next step. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet," not a spotlight illuminating the entire journey ahead. This tension requires faith—trusting the Good Shepherd even when we can't see the full path.God's ultimate concern isn't about what we do but who we become. He weaves our successes, failures, and everyday choices into His redemptive story, working all things together for good as we learn to trust His loving guidance.Ready to discover God's direction in your ordinary moments? Take your next step of faith today, knowing the Shepherd's eyes are always on you.Support the showMade a decision to follow Jesus? We want to know about it! Fill out our connect card here: https://local.churchcenter.com/people/forms/115766Thank you for your generosity. For information on how to give, visit https://localvineyard.church/give.

Sometimes doing the right thing costs you. Sometimes evil wins. Sometimes the things we think turn out to be wrong. Sometimes the people we're close to betray us. Sometimes we lose everything. Sometimes we get an opportunity we never dreamed we'd get. Sometimes people change. Sometimes God doesn't seem fair. Join us for The Soul & Society as we explore the book of Daniel and focus on how to live no matter the circumstances we face and the principles we need to develop to honor God each and every day of our lives.

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1 NLT) When I was a kid, I attended Southern California Military Academy in Long Beach. We would have mandatory chapel every Sunday. Not being raised in a Christian home, I can recall it was the only time, for the most part, that I was ever in a church service. I remember one of the songs we sang in chapel was “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” At the time, I was experiencing a storm of my own because of the way my mom lived as an alcoholic. I remember singing, “When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm there’s a golden sky and the sweet silver song of the lark. Walk on through the wind. Walk on through the rain.” The problem was that there was no mention of God in those lyrics. As we sang, “Walk on with hope in your heart, and you’ll never walk alone,” I thought, “Who is with me? The lark that we’re singing about? Who is here?” As Christians, we do walk through storms in life. But we can hold our heads high—not because of some bird singing but because the Lord is with us. He was with me as a little boy, though I hadn’t yet put my faith in Him completely. God was there as I cried out to Him. God was there when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace because they refused to bow down to an idol. King Nebuchadnezzar, who ordered that the sentence be carried out, expected to see their incineration. Instead, he saw something amazing. “‘Look!’ Nebuchadnezzar shouted. ‘I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!’” (Daniel 3:25 NLT). God was there when Daniel was thrown into a lions’ den for faithfully praying to Him. When King Darius (Nebuchadnezzar’s successor) came to check on him, Daniel said, “My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me” (Daniel 6:22 NLT). God was there when Jonah—who tried to get away from Him by boarding a boat—was thrown overboard in the middle of a terrible storm and swallowed by a great fish. Jonah 1:17 says, “Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah” (NLT). These stories and countless others in Scripture reinforce an important lesson. We’re safer with God in a storm than anywhere else without Him. I would rather be with Jesus in a storm than in the plushest, most luxurious place on earth without Him. The Bible tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NLT). Sometimes God will calm or even stop the storms, but He is always with us through them. Reflection question: When have you gotten the sense that you were not walking alone through a storm in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever been frustrated because “bad guys” seemed to be in charge and “good guys” just stood around and did nothing? Have you ever wondered what God wanted you to do about it? Sometimes God asks us to wait, but sometimes He asks us to act in faith.

Leviticus chapter 2!Sometimes God repeats Himself because we need to really hear Him.

Introduction: When my Father and I are in a good place… (Matthew 7:7–12) I ASK, knowing my Father's GENEROSITY. (Matt 7:7–8) James 4:2c – […] You do not have, because you do not ask. James 4:2c–3 – […] You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. I TRUST, knowing my Father's CARE. (Matt 7:9–11) I LOVE, knowing my Father's LOVE. (Matt 7:12) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 7:7-12What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What are you personally afraid to ask the Father right now?Share a time when you were disappointed in the moment, but now look back and praise God for not giving you what you wanted.What is your biggest challenge in treating others as you want to be treated?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Good morning.My name is Justin Cady. If we haven't met yet, I serve as one of the elders here at Harvest andas we prepare to get into God's word, I'm going to ask that you would pray for me toclearly and accurately communicate and I will pray for you to have hearts to receive. So let's pray.In Jesus' name, amen.If you have your Bibles, you can open them to Matthew chapter 7 andwe're continuing our journey this year through the Sermon on the Mount, but before we get there, I want to ask you.Can you remember a situation ever where you needed to call your dad for help?I'm blessed that by God's grace, I've always been able to go to my dad when I'm in a jam and in God's providence,He blessed my dad with a son who often got into jams.So I thought back, way back, to the first jam that I can remember. I was around five years old.I was playing Nintendo and I made it to the end of a Super Mario Brothers castle, but I couldn't defeat the boss.So I thought, I'll just ask my dad.But he was at work, so I paused the game andI closed the cabinet over the TV. In the 90s, we all put our TVs behind doors, right?And I thought what I was just going to leave it on all day and then when he got home, he could help me.But my mom found it. She didn't agree with my leave the TV on all day plan.So, but I know given the chance, I have complete confidence he would have delivered.Another jam later in life when I was a teenager with a driver's license.One year, we were just getting back from family vacation that very evening.And some of my friends were getting together for a back-to-school pool party.And my parents try to tell me, look, it's getting late, you're only going to be there for a little bit.Are you sure it's a good idea to go out there?But of course, I had to go.Now, not only am I old enough that I was playing the original Nintendo,I'm also old enough to have been operating a motor vehicle before the age of Google Maps.So as I was heading out to this party, I got lost.And while doing a three-point turn on some random street out in Murraysville, I slid my car over the curb.So I had to call my dad, who that day had packed us all up and drove us all home from the beachand explained that my car is now hanging halfway over the curb, stuck into somebody's downslope driveway.Dad, what do I do?Has anyone ever had to make a call like that?Or dads, have you ever received a call like that?At another decade or so, and I had to call my dad about a different car problem.Michelle and I were buying our first cars, a married couple, and I, knowing absolutely nothing about cars,I was totally panicked that we were going to buy a lemon or we're going to way overpay,or who knows what I'm going to get fleeced into.So in my panic, I called my dad.And I said, "Dad, could you come with me to negotiate on the car?"And he could have rightfully said, "You're on your own, son."But he came to help.And don't worry, that was a very long time ago, and since then I've purchased my vehicles all by myself.But I share those few examples to point out the reason that I always saw my dad's helpand the reason that he always gave it to me.Our relationship.The reason is our relationship.He is my father and I am his son.And my dad and I have always been in a good place.And I realize how blessed I am to be able to say that.And because of that relationship, I could always and did always ask my dad for whatever help I needed.I called to ask him for help yesterday.But for the moment, I want us to shift our view from earthly fathers to our relationship with our heavenly father.The Bible tells us that believers can address God as father because through Jesus we become children of God, amen?But if we didn't talk to our heavenly father for years, would our relationship be the same?And I'm not talking about a salvation issue.Once you are his child, that's that.I'm just saying, if you never spend time together or you never ask him for help, or you never trust anything he said,or you never listened to anything he tells you to do, what would that say about your relationship?You wouldn't say it's great, right?In that regard, how is your relationship with your heavenly father?Would you say that you're in a good place?Now, careful listeners this month might be wondering, our series the past few weeks has been about our heart towards the world.So in the last couple weeks we've talked about money, worry, judging others.What does my relationship with my father or asking of my father, what does that have to do with my heart towards the world?Well, it might seem like Jesus is taking a sudden turn at the start of this passage,but we're going to see how your relationship with your heavenly father, it absolutely affectsyour relationship and how you also ask him and approach him when you're in a jam.It absolutely affects your relationships with other people.So on your outline today, when my father and I are in a good place,number one, I ask, knowing my father's generosity.So in Pastor Jeff Sermon last week, if you were here, you know we saw a lot.We saw twigs and logs. We saw hogs and dogs.But primarily we saw Jesus telling us, do not do these things.This week we're going to see him telling us, do these things.And the week before last we studied Jesus speaking of the father's provision.If you remember him talking, Jesus talking about feeding the birds and clothing the flowers.We'll see some parallels to that today, but well, that section of Jesus teaching focused on worry.This passage starts out with a different focus. It's an invitation.So Matthew seven starting in verse seven, Jesus says, ask and it will be given to you.Seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you for everyone who asks receives and the one who seeks finds and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.Let's stop there.We see in verse seven, Jesus is inviting his followers to ask and we'll see in the following verses.He's talking about asking the father. So ask, seek, knock. All of these are referring to asking the father in prayer, asking continually according to the original language.And the repetition here emphasizes, we're not talking about half hearted by the way prayers.We're talking about passionate, all of me prayer.But you might be thinking, why does Jesus even tell us to ask?Because doesn't God already know what we need even before we ask him?And yes, he absolutely knows Matthew six, eight tells us that.But our heavenly father desires relationship.And here Jesus invites us into the same relationship he has with the father.Throughout Jesus ministry, we see him asking of the father, don't we?And again, through Jesus, we become children of God.And while inviting his followers to ask their father, Jesus gives encouragement that those who ask what receive verse eight for everyone who asks receives the one who seeks.Finds the one who knocks, it will be opened.But what does Jesus mean by that exactly?Because that might sound like Jesus is handing us a blank check, right?Ask for anything and it shows up like a supernatural prime day.And listen, sometimes it is like that. Amen.Sometimes God shows up and immediately answers prayer, just how we asked.And we stand there with our jaws on the floor like, what just happened?I've seen that as a church. We have seen that.But have you ever asked God for something and not received it?Or at least not yet.Yeah, that happens too.But if Jesus said everyone who asks receives, why does that happen?Now, we could spend a lot of time digging into that.Honestly, it's something we cannot fully understand this side of heaven.But scripture does give us some reasons that we do know.So why don't I get what I asked for?Number one, I don't ask.I don't ask.James four.Starting in verse two, the end of verse two tells us you do not have because you do not ask.Now it could be because you get so busy with other stuff.You don't spend time in prayer seeking the Lord wholeheartedly bringing your request before him.Or this is a big one.Sometimes we don't ask because of pride.I got this God. I'll let you know if I need you.Now, we probably don't say those words, but our actions do.We try to do whatever it is on our own without prayer.We try to fix it ourselves, whatever it is without seeking him.I mean, why does Jesus even have to tell us to ask?Pride because in our pride, we forget our need for God.And not just physical or material needs.We forget our spiritual needs.A struggle with a particular sin or an area where we need to grow like in patience or in wisdom, in joy.What about asking the Lord to equip us for all of Jesus instructions in this sermon?I don't mean today's sermon. I mean the whole sermon on the Mount.Do we ask our Father to help us be better disciples?Now, to clarify, physical and material needs are important.100% ask for them.Don't mishear me on that. It's a both and.But for all of the above, we don't ask.Another reason that we don't ask, we're afraid of the answer.We don't ask because we're afraid of being disappointed.So what are you afraid to ask God for right now?A health issue you've been dealing with for a long time?A lost family member that keeps making destructive decisions no matter how many times you try to help.A goal or a desire or something in your life that always seems like it's just out of reach.Think about it for a second.What are you afraid to ask God for right now?Now, we're going to get more into disappointment in a moment, but how would Jesus respond to you not asking out of fear?Based on this passage, he would say, ask whatever it is, bring it to your father.Why don't I get what I asked for?Number one, I don't ask. Number two, I ask wrongly.James continues, you do not have because you do not ask.You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions.Okay, so first you don't ask, but when you do ask, do you ask wrongly?Now, in this context, wrongly means selfishly or sinfully.Like, Father, I'm asking for a Ferrari.I am seeking a Ferrari.I am knocking on the door of the Ferrari dealership.Now, God is certainly capable of that, but why?Is there any purpose beyond my passions?I hope you see what I mean.There's nothing wrong with owning that whip.It's about the heart.Is my request just for my glory?Instead of asking things so we can impress people or keep up with people,we should pray for God to get the glory in all things.God, will you bring healing to this person so that your name may be glorifiedbecause you're doing the healing?God, will you provide a new church building so that your name may be glorifiedbecause you're doing the providing?God, will you free my brother and sister, brother or sister from addictionso that your name may be glorified because only in you can they experience true freedom?Now, I'm not trying to prescribe exact words.I'm just saying our hearts should desire his glory instead of our own.Why don't I get what I asked for?Those are just two reasons.The point is we interpret Jesus' words here knowing he's not a Christian.Knowing he's not fully explaining all the details of God's provision in this passage.We understand from the rest of the New Testament that God is not a vending machine.If this was the only teaching in the whole Bible on prayer, then we might think he was,but Jesus is talking about one aspect of prayer.He's telling us we should have hearts that go to our Father and ask.He is inviting us to ask, knowing that there's no limit to our Father's generosity.Our Father wants to give to his children,but the answer we receive is not always the one that we expected.Why don't I get what I asked for?The hard truth is sometimes what we ask for is not what he wants for us.Our call is to maintain total confidence in our Father regardless of the answer,because point number two on your outline today,when my Father and I are in a good place, I trust knowing my Father's care.Let's continue looking at Jesus' words.We're going to pick it up in verse nine.It says,So Jesus paints a picture to help us understand more deeply.And there are some details we don't want to miss.Like in verse nine,if his son asks him for bread, we'll give him a stone.If you're hungry, what good is a stone?It's worthless.It does nothing.Or if you're verse 10,if he asks for a fish, we'll give him a serpent.If you're hungry, what good is a serpent?It's worse than worthless.It's harmful, right?Jesus is saying, and I'm paraphrasing,even you evil humans know these responses would be insane.So how will your Father in heaven, who is truly good in a way we never can be,how will he respond when we ask him?And that's the point.We can trust our Father because of who he is.He is a Father who cares for his children.Back in college, my friend Jesse and I would play pick-up hockey at the school ice rink.And hockey being a sport with a ton of equipment,they had lockers at the rink that you could rentso you didn't have to lug all of your stuff back and forth.So one day I was sitting in class and I got a text message from Jessewith these exact words,"Give me your hockey locker combination.Don't question me."Now, in that moment, I had a choicebecause college age males sometimes build friendship through destructive pranks.But I chose to trust, and I sent back the combo.And he did not prank me that time.As I later found out, as a birthday present, he grabbed my skates,took them to get sharpened, retaped my stick, stuff like that.It was very nice.But the point is, I responded to that textwithout knowing why he needed to get in the lockeror what he was going to do.I didn't know what to expect.But because of our friendship, I trusted him.Do we trust God like that?Do we trust our Father not because he tells us exactly what's going to happen,but because of who he is?Because our relationship is in a good place.Or let me ask in a different way.What do you expect from God?At times, especially around hard times,I think we expect stones and serpents.Again, we might not say it like that.We say things like, "Of course it would happen this way!That's how it always works out for me!"And that's because our expectations can be influenced by relationships with people.We don't trust God to give good gifts because we've been hurt by human relationships.Human fathers are not perfect fathers.Human friends are not perfect friends.Trust gets broken.You might say, "Justin, you don't get my situation.My life has been full of disappointment.Things have not turned out how I expected at all."And you're right.I have not walked in your shoes.I don't know your situation.And I cannot speak to your disappointment.But I know my Father.And He tells us to ask and to expect good things from Him.Because He cares for us as a Father cares for His children.So will hard times come?Oh yeah.Jesus tells us that elsewhere.And you won't always understand why.But here He tells you to trust your Heavenly Father.Trust Him regardless of what you expect and regardless of what you ask for.Because sometimes we ask for the wrong things and that's okay.What do I mean?We ask God for that house or that job or that anything.And we can and should freely ask for all of that because praise God,He does not always give us what we ask for.If my kids ask me to have dessert for all three meals,I'm not going to give them what they asked for.And I do that because I care for them, right?In the same way we can't see sometimes what that house or that jobor that whatever it is will ultimately do to us, but He can.So we trust Him to give good gifts.And we don't have to worry even about getting our request exactly right.So continually ask and totally trust.I know just continually ask and totally trust.It is incredibly difficult for us to do that.But do you trust Him?Is your relationship with Him in a good place?Because now we're going to see how that relationship affects our relationships on Earth too.When my father and I are in a good place,point number three, I love knowing my father's love.So we've been talking again about our heart towards the Father,but what about our heart towards the world?Let's read our last verse for today, Matthew chapter seven verse 12.It says, "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them,for this is the law and the prophets."Now we know this as what rule?That's right.This is commonly labeled the golden rule, just like Grandma taught in Sunday school.This is how Jesus wants us to love, humbling ourselvesand doing what we would wish to others.Now verse 12 opens with a "so"and I believe this is another instance of Jesus' logical progressionthat we've seen in the Sermon on the Mount.He is connecting this verse to the verses that we just read.But how does Ask Seek Knock connect to Do unto Others?Again, our relationship with our Father influences our relationships with people.Jot down 1 John 419, it says, "We love because he first loved us."Understanding the Father's love for us is what motivates us to love.Now Jesus is also here pointing back to the entire Sermon on the Mount as in,so based on all of that, love others this way.I mean think back throughout the year, back in the Beatitudes,remember when we had all the congratulations balloons up here,to anger, adultery, retaliation,and on and on, so much of our study this year was about our relationships with others.And that all lands here.Verse 12 again, "So whatever you wish that others would do to you,do also to them for this is the law and the prophets."This verse summarizes Jesus' teaching on discipleship from the Sermon on the Mount,but as if that wasn't enough, Jesus says this statement is the law and the prophets.Now many might notice that the greatest commandment,"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,"is not here because again Jesus is speaking of human to human interaction.But even limiting it to the scope of human relationships,think about how much is in the Old Testament law,how much is in the books of the prophets that were sent to Israel.Jesus is saying all of that is right here.How?Jesus is talking about the heart of the law rather than the letter of the law.The golden rule is the law and the prophets for one because Jesus says it is.That's enough, right?But if we want to totally lawyer it out,Jesus is saying this is the heart behind everything else in the law.It's the foundation.This is the ethics of Christianity compressed to a single statement.So the question to us is then, how do we do that?And I know what we're all thinking, "I already do that.I always treat others the way that I want to be treated."Let's think about that for a minute.When you're at work, do you always treat everyone with the attitude that you would like directed back at you?What about marriage?When there's a disagreement, do you handle yourself the way that you would want when you are wrong and you will be wrong?What about with family or our friend who just pushes your buttons every time you're together?Would your response be what you wanted if the roles were flipped?In church, I saved this one for last.When you are driving a car,do you consistently treat others with the same patience, understanding,and a benefit of the doubt that you want to receive as a driver?You're like, "What is this guy's deal with cars?"With just a little self-examination, we can see how far off we often are.And the standard is actually even higher than we might realize,because especially with the people that frustrate us, we set the bar at not hurting them.But look at what Jesus said, "Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them."That is a higher bar than just not hurting.Jesus says, "Do. Take action. Actively put their needs ahead of yours."That is hard.It's also hard to come up with examples for something that affects basically everything we do,but we want to merge into traffic when we're behind schedule, right?So let others in when you see them trying to merge.I promise that's the last driving example.Or what would you want when you're in a stressful season?A card in the mail, meeting for coffee, bringing a meal or a tub of ice cream?When you know that someone is going through a stressful season of their own,take whatever it is to them.Or we want others to listen to us when we have something to say or just get off our chest, don't we?So listen to others instead of just waiting for your chance to say something.It's so difficult to live out things like that.So how can we love like Jesus commands?A few years ago, we had some people over for dinner, just low-key hanging out,and we were cleaning up afterwards and I was doing the dishes.And one guest asked me, "Why do you do the dishes?"I said, "I don't know, I just do the dishes to help out."And he asked, "Did your dad do the dishes?"And I thought back and answered, "Yeah, my dad did the dishes quite a bit growing up. He still does."And this guest said, "You do the dishes because your dad did the dishes."And that whole conversation was 20 seconds, but it's stuck with me ever since, because he's right.There are so many things in my life that I do as a father, as a husband, as a man, because that's what my dad did.So how can we love like Jesus commands?Because that's what our dad did.He loves us, and he proved that by sending his son.Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and gave us the right to become children of God.Through his death and resurrection, we can have a relationship with our father.God's love for us is not in question, yet so often our love for others is.But when we truly know the love of our father, how can we do anything else?Or in the language of this verse, in our hearts, we wish nothing more than to be loved, so we must do that unto others.So as we prepare to close for today, how is your relationship with God the Father?Maybe you're thinking, what if he and I are not in a good place?What if I don't have a relationship with God at all?If that's you, remember, God desires relationship, and Jesus made that possible.The Bible says if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart, that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.So repent, turn from your sin, and start a relationship with him today.And if you already have a relationship, but it's not in a good place, open the lines of communication to get it there.Now of course we cannot do any of this on our own, so we ask, seek, knock for help.Actually, let's go in reverse.We know we have to love, and we can't do it by ourselves, so do you trust in the care of your heavenly Father?Then he invites you to ask him.Let's pray together.Our heavenly Father, we come before you and follow Jesus' command to ask.We ask you for help, Lord God.We know that all of the things that we talked about today that we read from your Word, we can't do on our own power.We need you, God.We need you for the very breath we breathe.So I pray, God, that you would give us a renewed focus on deepening our relationship with you, Lord God.And I pray that as we are filled with your love, we would pour that out to others.God, in all the things that we ask, in all the things that we do in our lives as individuals and that we do as a church, Lord God, may you be glorified.We thank you and praise you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Sometimes God will lead us to a calling that we are not meant to see all the way through. Sometimes He might only want us to be a part of the beginning, the middle, or the end. Samson was prophesied to begin the deliverance of Israel, but he was never meant to see it all the way through. How often have we been loyal to a calling after God has left because we believe we are supposed to stay?    Monologue: Autumn shares a profound finding from her studies for her master's degree about the martyrs of the early church.   Message: Autumn explains how Samson's entire purpose was never to see the deliverance through to the end, but rather to begin the deliverance of God's chosen people, because God Himself would be the one to see it to the end.    Question: “Every time I go into ministry, there is serious opposition happening. I know it's the enemy, but how do I combat this?”   Bible References: Judges 16   Links from the show BOOKS: www.autumnmiles.com/resources SPEAKING: www.autumnmiles.com/speaking MERCH: autumnmiles.square.site   PRE-ORDER HOLY GHOSTED HERE! https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Ghosted-Teaches-Surviving-Spiritual/dp/1636415431    Sponsors: NuWell Online Christian Counseling https://nuwellonline.com/ Purpose Jewelry https://purposejewelry.org code AUTUMN2024   If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the show, send us an email at hello@autumnmiles.com   If you have a suggestion for the ministry, a question for Autumn, a testimony to share, or other inquiry for the Autumn Miles Ministries, click here and fill out the form, or send us an email at hello@autumnmiles.com    Join us on social media! Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheAutumnMiles/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/autumnmiles/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AutumnMiles   Click here to join our weekly and monthly newsletters and get updates on our podcast and exclusive content!   If you feel led to give to the Autumn Miles Ministries, click here to donate. Thank you for supporting Autumn Miles Ministries!

308 – Do you ever feel separated from God?Maybe because of something hurtful someone said or did to you? Or maybe because of bad choices you made that weren't good for you or someone else? Or maybe it's just because of all the problems the world is facing right now? Where is God in all this? Sometimes God does seem far away.In this week's episode we're going to talk about God's nature as omnipresent, that God is everywhere, what that actually means, and how it affects your life. You are never separated from God or God's love for you, which was and is manifested through Christ. You are in the presence of God, now and always. And you have the ability to be aware of this. Whenever you feel God is far away, remember this prayer of affirmation—and say it as often as you need to, "I am in the presence of God."Show notes – For full transcript and Bible quotes, go to: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/308Text me your questions or comments.Support the showIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify__________________James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person) Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus) Make a donation to support the show Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you Contact James here

Sometimes God calls us to stay close, and sometimes He calls us to go and tell others about Him. Mark 5 reminds me: Jesus set me free, not just for me, but so others can hear of His mercy too.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:3–4 NLT) Years ago, I had a friend who was very sick and asked me to pray for him. I did. He got worse. He said, “I don’t ever want you to pray for me again.” In our estimation, sometimes things go the wrong way. We may pray, “Lord, heal this person. Be glorified through this.” But the Lord might say, “I will be glorified, but I’m not going to do it the way you want Me to. I’m going to do this other thing instead.” Sometimes God will remove the affliction. Sometimes God will heal the illness. Sometimes God will take away the cancer. But sometimes the person will get worse. We usually don’t like that. But it is in these times that God can be glorified. Everyone suffers in life. Christians suffer, too. When a Christian is suffering and can still glorify God, that is a powerful testimony to a lost world. When non-Christians see us honoring the Lord through our suffering, it shows them how real our faith is. And guess what? It shows us how real our faith is, too. Do you think your faith would get stronger if everything were easy in life? No, your faith will get stronger through hardship. Here’s something that might surprise you: You will develop even more hope through tribulation. Romans 5:3–4 says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation” (NLT). We must remember that as steel is tempered to make it stronger, God is tempering us to give us strength. Hebrews 4:16 says, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (NLT). But that boldness must also be tempered with a sense of humility, recognizing that we don’t know what’s best in a given situation. So, instead of offering suggestions as to how God might relieve our suffering, a better approach is to ask Him for the strength, courage, and faith to endure. Ask Him for the wisdom and discernment to recognize the lessons in our predicament. We must learn to look at every circumstance as an opportunity to grow and to understand the Lord better. Hope grows in the garden of pain. It doesn’t grow without challenges or difficulty. It grows in hard times. It’s sort of like building muscle. You build it up by breaking it down. Then, as you keep working out, that muscle will get stronger. You develop strength through your weaknesses. This is true of Christians in their spiritual lives as well. Reflection question: What would it look like for you to glorify God when you’re suffering? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam reminds us that following Jesus is about being formed into people who reflect Him. Sometimes God brings us into accelerated moments of formation—opportunities to say “yes” to Jesus in deeper ways. This happens is through sacrificial generosity, which has marked God's people throughout history. He invites us as a church to prayerfully consider what part each of us might play in giving towards the purchase of Asher Hall.

In Acts 9, Saul is struck blind on the road to Damascus so that he can finally see the truth about Jesus. His physical blindness mirrors the spiritual blindness that had kept him from recognizing God's grace. Through the power of Christ and the obedience of Ananias, Saul is healed, baptized, and called into a new life. Sometimes God must break through our resistance to open our eyes to His mercy and mission.

Sometimes God just wants our full attention. In Luke 10, Jesus said Mary chose what was better: simply sitting at His feet. Maybe today, that's His invitation to you too.

All this week we're looking at some four-hundred year old guidance and advice from the Puritan writer, Thomas Brooks. Specifically, Brooks has listed five remedies to the enemy of the soul's  strategy to get us to see following Jesus as a dangerous, losing, and suffering-filled way of life. Brooks offers great insights for us to share with our kids as they face opposition in this world. Today, Brooks tells us to always remember that difficulties and troubles in this world are actually a way that God grows us in our faith. Specifically, Brooks writes these words: “God knows how to deliver us from troubles by troubles, from afflictions by afflictions, and from dangers by dangers. In my own life I've seen this to be true. Sometimes God saves us from ourselves and our foolishness through times of difficulty. While these times have been hard, I would not, in hindsight, trade them for anything. God's curriculum for our growth and flourishing often-times comes through difficulty.

Today's episode lands right where so many of us are hurting and hustling: juggling the pressure to perform, battling hidden anxiety or burnout, and feeling stuck. If you've ever forced a smile while your soul screamed for help, stared down a final deadline wondering if God even sees you, or felt the weight of spiritual attacks on your life—this conversation is your lifeline.I'm sitting down with Rex Andagan—my unflappable team lead and the producer who literally keeps the Spirit-Centered Business podcast on the air—to unpack how he went from a guy known only for his grin to someone who stared down three near-death moments and found rescue through God's bigger plan for his life. You'll discover:How a single on-air prayer over your tech can become your first line of defense against spiritual interferenceWhy owning your vulnerability unlocks the community and compassion you've been cravingThe secret to turning every edit, every project hiccup, and every client curveball into an invitation for God to speak through your workBeyond the life-and-death drama, this conversation peels back the layers on what it means to truly hand over your work, your worries, and your prayers to God. You'll discover why Rex credits prayers as his greatest payment, how his behind-the-scenes editing doubles as a spiritual discipline, and why surrounding yourself with people of faith is your best defense when the darkness comes calling. If you're ready to break free from isolation, have the courage to speak up when you're in pain, and embrace a trust so deep it turns burnout into breakthrough, you can't miss Rex's story—and the tough-won wisdom he's brought back from the brink. Buckle up: this episode might just rewrite your relationship with faith, fear, and the Creator of the universe.Business, and The Nth Degree podcasts. He is also the team lead for Build It Business Services, and _____________________ With a background in web development, video editing, and technical project management, he treats each edit, every tech setup, and all production hurdles as opportunities for prayer, believing that God often speaks through the details of our work.Rex is devoted to his wife, Maria, and their two sons—both born against overwhelming medical odds after faithful prayers. That family miracle underscores his conviction that vulnerability, authentic community, and radical surrender to God's timing are the best measures of lasting impact.Whether he's fine-tuning audio levels at 3 AM in the Philippines or leading the Build It Business Services team to support Bralynn's clients, Rex lives out the motto that our toughest crises can become our greatest testimonies when we let faith lead our work.HIGHLIGHTS:Even the happiest faces can hide a storm—Rex never thought to ask for help because everyone knew him as “the guy who always makes people smile,” so his pain stayed invisible.True freedom isn't about collecting religious badges—even jumping from Catholicism to Buddhism to Islam and back left Rex empty. He only came into peace when he came into a relationship with the true Lord Jesus.Expect miracles in unlikely places. A casual swipe on a dating app led Rex to Maria—and against medical odds, to two healthy sons—illustrating that divine timelines defy human logic.Prayer is your creative compass. Treat editing, brainstorming, and every routine task as invitations for God to speak through your craft.Radical surrender breeds curiosity. Handing every worry, client, and deadline to God turned Rex's anxiety into playful wonder and unlocked unexpected opportunities.Transparency shatters stigma. Sharing his darkest moments empowered Rex to break the power of secrecy and invite collective healing.Inner renewal precedes breakthrough. True business success springs from personal transformation—heal your soul first, and the marketplace follows.Sometimes God's “no” is really a “not yet”—Rex only discovered Maria's spine condition after they'd already fallen in love, and he's convinced that knowing her story was the divine reason he didn't go through with ending his life.Faith doesn't cancel out effort—it amplifies it—when doctors said babies weren't in the cards, Rex and Maria prayed and trusted God with the details, and two healthy sons later, those “impossible” diagnoses read like miracle headlines.Letting go unlocks creativity and peace—once Rex handed every client, every project, and every outcome over to God, anxiety about losing gigs transformed into curiosity for new doors.Editing Spirit-Centered Business and The Nth Degree podcasts isn't just cutting audio—it has become a spiritual discipline. Rex listens to every guest's story, prays through their words, and even gets goosebumps mid-edit, turning the back-end work into front-row seats of God's teaching.“Prayer checks” can outvalue bank checks. Spiritual support can fuel your team even more than a paycheck.Delegate the tech so you can stay in your lane—Build It Business Services (led by Rex) handles websites, courses, video edits, and social media, fueled by prayer and purpose, so you can focus on what only you can do.You never have to battle darkness solo—whether it's a pastor, a priest, a friend, or even a stranger online, reaching out and sharing your struggle can shatter isolation and remind you that someone's ready to listen.Your survival isn't just for you—choosing to stay alive gives love back to those who care about you and positions you to become the lifeline someone else desperately needs.LINKS:Get Rex (and team) working on your tech project through Build It Business Services: http://BralynnNewby.com/builditLINKS for BRALYNN: – Take our FREE Business Assessment:SpiritCenteredBusiness.com– Coaching for Business and Breakthrough Encounters: http://SpiritCenteredBusiness.comCopyright 2025 - Bralynn Newby Int'l, LLC. All rights reserved.

It sure is difficult to realize that you lack patience for others but expect it from them at the same time; I know I, as the one writing this, have this realization of myself almost daily.  Sometimes God has to hit the brakes in our own lives.  God, who loves us, is not in a hurry.  God knows what He's doing, when He's doing it, and why He's doing it.  Let's dive into the fruit of patience with Pastor Brian. Also, an important message to our kind listeners, there will be no service Sunday, August 31st, 2025, we'll be back to our regular schedule the week after. Join us in person: 22811 S. Cedar Rd., Manhattan, IL 60442 Learn More: encounterthrive.com Give Online: encounterthrive.churchcenter.com/giving

In Genesis 44, Joseph puts his brothers through the ultimate test to discover if their hearts had truly changed, or if they would repeat their selfish sins of the past.  Sometimes God brings tests and trials into our lives, not to break us—but to build us for what lies ahead. What do you need to know about the tests that God sends your way? (The Life of Joseph: Pain and Purpose, part 10)

Our God is a giving God. While He gives, He also takes away. We read many accounts in the Bible where God took something away. However, we also read that after taking away, He eventually gives again, often much better than before. God will not leave us with nothingness. After the storm, God restores the sunshine. God also removes hardships. We like it when he does that. Is it unreasonable to expect that if God gives, He may also take away? Job's wife wrestled with this concept. She enjoyed the increase God provided, but when all was removed, she urged Job to curse God and die. Hearing this, Job rebuked his wife and reminded her that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Takeaway is also an expression we use to describe a lesson learned from something. We might ask someone for their takeaway from a lesson or lecture, but this principle also applies to situations in life. If we are not careful, we can focus on what we have lost (what has been taken away) and not the lesson learned from the experience (the takeaway). Sometimes God has to take some things from us so He can do more for us. We cannot sing a new song if the old song is still on our lips. Often, the end of something makes way for something better. Do not focus on what was lost, but look expectantly for what God has in the future.

Our God is a giving God. While He gives, He also takes away. We read many accounts in the Bible where God took something away. However, we also read that after taking away, He eventually gives again, often much better than before. God will not leave us with nothingness. After the storm, God restores the sunshine. God also removes hardships. We like it when he does that. Is it unreasonable to expect that if God gives, He may also take away? Job's wife wrestled with this concept. She enjoyed the increase God provided, but when all was removed, she urged Job to curse God and die. Hearing this, Job rebuked his wife and reminded her that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Takeaway is also an expression we use to describe a lesson learned from something. We might ask someone for their takeaway from a lesson or lecture, but this principle also applies to situations in life. If we are not careful, we can focus on what we have lost (what has been taken away) and not the lesson learned from the experience (the takeaway). Sometimes God has to take some things from us so He can do more for us. We cannot sing a new song if the old song is still on our lips. Often, the end of something makes way for something better. Do not focus on what was lost, but look expectantly for what God has in the future.

Sometimes God will strip us of everything we have, so we have no choice but to turn to Him. Today, Pastor Ken says Judah had all its crops stripped away, so they had to depend on the only one who could save them. Is all your hope in Jesus? He wants you to trust Him with any circumstance because He loves you. Give Jesus a chance to change your life. He wants you to follow Him and give all your burdens to Him. Allow Jesus to guide you through every circumstance and find peace in His loving arms.

Sometimes God has to stop us in our tracks to open our eyes. That’s exactly what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus. One moment, he was full of rage and ready to destroy Christians, then everything changed. Today, Pastor JD walks us through how Jesus not only blinded Saul but also opened his eyes to the truth.

The most relatable woman with the least relatable story: Queen Esther! Esther was given a role she never would have predicted and followed God's voice by simply following the guidance of her cousin, Modecai. She went through times of doubt and fear, yet eventually chose to put her life on the line for her people. Sometimes God speaks to us in small ways that we may overlook. Esther reminds us that God can speak through trusted family and friends and that we only have the job of being faithful. When we are overwhelmed with our responsibilities as mothers, wives, etc. we can look to Esther to know that God can make our small, flawed efforts extraordinary. He only needs our "yes!"

Send me a Text Message!Yep, you're right. It's not even the book of James. But I felt like the message this weekend that I gave on Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego meeting God in the fire, was worth giving to more people. So rather than moving onto James 5, this one is going all the way back to the Old Testament book of Daniel. It's the message I gave this weekend. If you listened to it all ready last weekend, maybe God wants you to ponder it one more time. :)Sometimes God saves us from the fire, sometimes He meets us in the fire. But we never go through the fire alone!

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to John Cray from Miramar Beach, FL. Thank you for your generosity and partnership in Project 23. This one's for you. Read more about it here: PROJECT23 Our text today is Mark 15:1-5: And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." And the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you." But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. — Mark 15:1-5 Jesus stands accused. Dragged from an illegal trial at night to a Roman governor by morning, He's now bound and surrounded by religious leaders intent on His death. The question Pilate asks is critical: "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus doesn't plead, argue, or retaliate. He simply responds, "You have said so." It's an acknowledgment, not a defense. Then, as the religious leaders throw charge after charge, Jesus says nothing. Not a word. And Pilate is stunned. Jesus' silence is not weakness—it's strength under control. He knows he's innocent. He knows the accusations are false. But more than that, he knows the cross is his assignment. So he stays quiet, surrendering to the will of the Father. We live in a world where being misunderstood feels unbearable. Where clearing your name is a reflex. But Jesus shows us something higher—He trusted his Father more than he feared false accusations and negative tweets. Sometimes God calls us to speak. But other times, he calls us to stand in silence, not in defeat, but in trust. There will be moments when defending yourself isn't the point—displaying trust is. And in those moments, Christ's example gives you courage. When misunderstood or unfairly accused today or this week, pause and reflect. Before defending yourself, ask God if he's calling you to speak—or to trust him silently like Jesus did. #SilentStrength, #Mark15, #TrustGod ASK THIS: Why do you think Jesus chose silence instead of defense? When are you most tempted to justify yourself? How does Jesus' calmness before Pilate challenge your own reactions? In what current situation might God be calling you to trust, not react? DO THIS: When misunderstood or unfairly accused, pause. Before defending yourself, ask God if He's calling you to speak—or to trust Him silently like Jesus did. PRAY THIS: Jesus, help me to trust You more than I crave approval or defense. Teach me to walk in humility and strength, just as You did before Pilate. Amen. PLAY THIS: "I Will Trust My Savior Jesus."

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Sometimes we find ourselves needing something from God. Sometimes he responds quickly, and other times he is silent. We struggle with those times when we do not hear from Him. In these quiet times, it is easy to miss the blessings that God has provided as we long for the answer to our need. He does the big things, but He also does the small things that sustain us. God can work immediately, or it may take 20 years to get the answer we want. For Abraham and Sarah, it was 100 years before they saw their miracle. No matter the timing, God is always on time. But when God speaks, things happen. When He speaks, worlds come into existence, people rise from the dead, or the Red Sea parts. The first chapter of Genesis has "God said…and it was so" ten times. Sometimes God speaks to us, other times he speaks through things around us, like a burning bush or a donkey. In Mark 4, Jesus is asleep in the rear of the ship during a great storm. The disciples woke Him in a panic. Jesus did not speak to them at first; He spoke to the great storm, and what followed was a great peace. Just because He is not speaking directly to you does not mean that he is not speaking for you. After running from God, Jonah finds himself in the belly of a great fish. God had a plan. As bad as being in the fish's belly was, it was better than drowning after being thrown overboard. The situation we are in may be bad, but it might be part of something bigger God is doing. If there was ever a time Jonah needed a word from God, it was in this situation, but God did not speak to him. He spoke to the fish. In the time of our most desperate need, God may be speaking to someone else on our behalf. At our worst time, God may be talking to the storm. God has appointed something great.

Sometimes we find ourselves needing something from God. Sometimes he responds quickly, and other times he is silent. We struggle with those times when we do not hear from Him. In these quiet times, it is easy to miss the blessings that God has provided as we long for the answer to our need. He does the big things, but He also does the small things that sustain us. God can work immediately, or it may take 20 years to get the answer we want. For Abraham and Sarah, it was 100 years before they saw their miracle. No matter the timing, God is always on time. But when God speaks, things happen. When He speaks, worlds come into existence, people rise from the dead, or the Red Sea parts. The first chapter of Genesis has "God said…and it was so" ten times. Sometimes God speaks to us, other times he speaks through things around us, like a burning bush or a donkey. In Mark 4, Jesus is asleep in the rear of the ship during a great storm. The disciples woke Him in a panic. Jesus did not speak to them at first; He spoke to the great storm, and what followed was a great peace. Just because He is not speaking directly to you does not mean that he is not speaking for you. After running from God, Jonah finds himself in the belly of a great fish. God had a plan. As bad as being in the fish's belly was, it was better than drowning after being thrown overboard. The situation we are in may be bad, but it might be part of something bigger God is doing. If there was ever a time Jonah needed a word from God, it was in this situation, but God did not speak to him. He spoke to the fish. In the time of our most desperate need, God may be speaking to someone else on our behalf. At our worst time, God may be talking to the storm. God has appointed something great.

"Sometimes God offends our mind to expose out hearts"In addition to putting on the Armor of God, there is another (controversial) supernatural gift that allows us to go deeper with the Lord - speaking in tongues. In part 8, Pastor Steve explains the biblical background of tongues and how we can use it today. ---------SUBSCRIBE ▶️ Receive our latest videos:https://www.youtube.com/c/PastorSteve...ABOUTPastor, author and speaker Steve Berger is known for his straight talk in dealing with various hot-topic cultural issues that many pastors avoid. In 2021, he founded Ambassador Services International with his wife, Sarah. He serves on the Executive and Pastoral Advisory Boards for Promise Keepers International, and the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast Board, and is Pastor Emeritus of One Church Home in Fairview TN. Whether preaching or writing, in great joy or pain, Steve longs to be a proclaimer of the grace and hope that Jesus came to offer. Since June of 1987, he has been married to Sarah, the love of his life, and together, they have four beautiful children and five grandchildren.LEARN MORE

This MTM Minute is powered by Dinner with Darnyelle   The MTM Minute is a quick dose of inspiration with a powerful affirmation based on our weekly full-length episode.    "Sometimes God will cut back what you think is working—just to make sure you're building on purpose and not performance." What if the losses in your business were really divine instructions?  In this week's full-length episode of the Move to Millions Podcast,  Pruning Season with Marquel Russell, Marquel joins Dr. Darnyelle for a conversation about the power of surrender, pruning, and spiritual obedience in business. This is not your typical seven-figure success story—it's raw, revelatory, and real. Marquel breaks down how letting go of what was “working” made space for what was meant, and how pruning back to alignment allowed his company to grow deeper roots and stronger fruit. If you've been feeling like things are falling apart, this episode will show you that you're not being punished—you're being positioned. There's no growth without pruning, and no legacy without letting go. This episode will challenge how you view success by inviting you to embrace your pruning season with faith, obedience, and boldness. It will inspire you to stop holding onto what no longer serves your next level and trust the divine timing of refinement. If you're ready to grow from the inside out, this episode is your permission slip to release, realign, and rise. This week's 7 Figure CEO Affirmation is I honor my pruning season because I know that every cut is making room for my calling. I surrender to refinement, release what no longer serves my next level, and rise rooted in alignment, assignment, and authority. I don't just build—I become. Here are three actionable tips to anchor in this week's affirmation Recognize when a pruning season has begun. 2. Stop confusing busy with productive. 3. Measure growth by alignment, not income alone. Affirm with me: I honor my pruning season because I know that every cut is making room for my calling. I surrender to refinement, release what no longer serves my next level, and rise rooted in alignment, assignment, and authority. I don't just build—I become. And this week's journal prompts are: In this pruning season, I am being called to release... If I stop resisting refinement, I will finally... The version of me on the other side of this season is... And Your Prayer Of The Week: Heavenly Father, we thank You for pruning seasons—those sacred moments when You cut back what's overgrown so that what You planted in us can flourish. Give us the wisdom to release what's expired and the faith to trust that even in loss, You are multiplying our legacy. May we not resist the cuts but embrace the clarity, growth, and purpose they bring. Let this be the season we stop chasing what looks fruitful and align with what is. Help us prune with intention so we can prosper with power. In Your name, I pray. And So it Is. Amen. Ready to shift the statistics in your favor by joining the top 4.2% of all business generating 7 figures or more a year?  If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur who has crossed six figures and you're ready to play bigger, we are on a mission to help you make the move to millions.  Visit movetomillions.com to learn all the ways we can equip you to make, move and leave millions.   Want more of Darnyelle? Personal Brand Website: https://www.drdarnyelle.com Company Website: https://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com Move to Millions Website: https://www.movetomillions.com Social Media Links: Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/darnyellejerveyharmon Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darnyellejerveyharmon Twitter/X: http://www.twitter.com/darnyellejervey LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/darnyellejerveyharmon  Links Mentioned in the Episode: Movetomillions.com MovetoMillionsGroup.com HausofMillions.com Move to Millions Continuum Episode Move to Millions Live 2026 Subscribe to the Move to Millions Podcast: Listen on iTunes Listen on Google Play Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Listen on Pandora   Leave us a review Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you're not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don't want you to miss an episode. I'm adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you're not subscribed there's a good chance you'll miss out on those. Now if you're feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they're also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. It is in our nature to want things to be easy always—for life to be sunny with no storms. Sounds good, right? However, do you know what you call a place that's sunny all the time and never rains? A desert! Sometimes God purposes to bring us through the desert, a wilderness—a difficult and dry place. But He means well for us—to drive us to hope in Him and to prepare us for His unimaginable blessings.  I take great comfort in Deuteronomy 8 where God says He “deals with us as with sons”. He calls this manner of relating to us “discipline”, a word that doesn't translate well into our contemporary understanding. “Discipline” sounds punitive, as if God is angry and disappointed. But at its root is the word, “disciple”. The Lord is “discipling” us—He is training us—because He loves us as His own dear children. No good parent fails to disciple, to train, their children for the full responsibility and blessing of adulthood. This requires going through circumstances of both delight and difficulty.  And in this God's heart is tender toward us and our weaknesses; He only means to strengthen our resolve to seek Him first—so we are not foolish children pursuing the wrong things. His goal is to train us—to prepare us to handle the overflowing bounty of all He intends to share with us, not only in this life, but more so in the one to come. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.”~Deuteronomy 8:1-10 (NASB95)

Psalm 23:1-3 Psalms 23:4 Psalm 23:5 Psalm 23:6 Psalm 23:4 John 10:12-15 Psalm 23:4 “Sometimes God's presence is most strongly felt in his absence.” Ian Morgan Cron Someone asked C.S. Lewis, “Why do the righteous suffer?” “Why not?” he replied. “They're the only ones who can take it.” C.S. Lewis Romans 8:28 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “When you feel like you cant take any more, look to Jesus and take some more.” C.S. Lewis Psalm 23:5 Psalm 23:6 Psalm 68:5-6 “Someday

Sometimes God's plans don't make sense, at least not at first. In this message, Pastor Cam explores the story of Jericho in Joshua 6 and challenges us to trust and obey God, even when what we see doesn't match what God has said.Through personal stories and Scripture, we're reminded that breakthrough often follows obedience, and faith moves before the miracle. God may be doing more than we can see, will we keep walking anyway?Questions for Reflection:• What is something God has asked you to do that doesn't make sense right now?• What “walls” in your life need a shout of faith instead of a strategy?

Sometimes God makes seemingly strong people weaker so that his divine power will be the more evident.

Sometimes God doesn't just patch us up - He guts the whole thing and starts fresh. In today's Daily Dose, the writers of "Holy Renovation" talk about how God moves through brokenness to bring beauty and healing. Listen to the full track after the story—you won't forget it.Pre-Save The New EP – Out August 1st! We're so excited to share our upcoming worship album with you. “By Grace, By God I Go” releases August 1st, and you can pre-save it now so it's ready in your library on day one. Find all the details here northcoastchurch.com/music/ Video available at: https://youtu.be/foYfQf3ooMs Message by Trent Jenkins, Russ Freshwater, Andrew Polfer, Jake Lambresi, Terence Cooper.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 46-49; 1 Peter 5 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter guides us through the readings for July 26th, journeying into Isaiah chapters 46 through 49 and concluding with 1 Peter chapter 5. Together, we'll reflect on God's enduring faithfulness to His people, even when they find themselves returning to the ruins of their past. Hunter reminds us that God's grace is always at work—even in our brokenness—and assures us that our names are written on the palms of His hands. If you're feeling forgotten, weighed down by life's trials, or searching for hope, this episode is a powerful reminder that God has not abandoned you. Join us as we listen to the living Word, pray together, and find encouragement to stand firm in God's love and grace. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Return to the ruins. Sometimes God calls you back to the ruins, but don't let those ruins fool you. God has not forgotten you. Out of the ruins, He's raising up something new, and you don't want to miss it. Don't miss it by running away or despairing at the destruction you see. God is bringing you back to do something new—to reveal His grace to you and to reveal Himself to you. This was Isaiah's message. The people were exiled, but they were not forgotten. Like a note that He can't afford to lose, Isaiah tells us that God has written your name on the palm of His hand. “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands, always in my mind.” (Isaiah 49:16) God has not forgotten your name. He has your name in His mind, always in His mind, because He is about to do something new. Peter tells us, “My purpose in writing is to encourage you and to assure you that what you are experiencing is truly a part of God's grace to you. So stand firm in this grace.” God may be returning you to the ruins, but don't despair at the destruction you see. God's about to reveal something new—His grace, Himself. So return to whatever ruins God may be calling you to. Don't despair at what you see, but be assured and encouraged that He is with you, and you can stand firm in the grace that He offers you right now, this very moment. So stand firm. He is about to do something. He has not forgotten. He's exactly where you are. Your name is on His hand. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will listen and that I will trust a God who meets me at life's lowest, in the darkest, among the ruins, that He does not desert me. That He is not repelled by me. No, He's never abandoned me. He was with me all along. Then I'll begin to see and understand and experience this grace more and more. That's a prayer I have for my own soul. That's a prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's a prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Gracious and everlasting God, you have brought us through the shadow of night into the promise of a new day. You go before us with your mercy, sustain us by your grace and keep us from wandering paths of fear or pride. Let every word we speak and every step we take be formed by the goodness of Christ. O Lord, gather your people far and near. May every tribe and tongue come to know your peace. Let justice roll like a river and healing flow where there has been division. Pour out your spirit upon all flesh and bring us closer to the day when your kingdom comes in fullness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Sometimes God asks for your surrender before He gives you the strategy. Can you trust God's character even when you don't understand His plan? Can you live in your spiritual assignment without knowing all the pieces? God said go. No blueprint. Just belief in Him and your faith. You have already been created with divine propose. Do you believe? Will you say yes before the assignment is clear?“The Relentless Yes!”

Sometimes God chooses to intervene for us and sometimes He chooses not to. But in both instances, He is acting on our behalf, for our good and His glory. God chose to withhold His hand of protection towards David as a punishment for his sin. But He did not withdraw His protection completely or forever. He still had favor on David and took care of him until everything was restored back to him.

We live in a fast paced, instant culture. We don't like to wait. Sometimes God has us waiting and we hold on to the promises. We hold on to hope. We trust in His Word. We continue to ask and seek and knock, but we just wait for him to respond.

Sometimes God gives us a glimpse of something so great that we fear. Some may try to convince us that we should give up faith because it is too good to be true, or that we should be afraid of something so magnificent. However, godly fear doesn't drive us away from God but to him. It is this fear of God that brings holiness to completion in our lives driving us to respond to the promises and presence of the living God by drawing near to the Lord Almighty. He is our joy. He is our peace. He is our fear.  

Persecution scattered the church—but it didn't stop the mission. In fact, it birthed the first Gentile church in Antioch. Through ordinary believers sharing Jesus in unfamiliar places, God built something extraordinary. Sometimes God leads us down unexpected roads to reach unexpected people. Will we see the opportunity?