Podcasts about Spirit

Josh 22:21-23:16, Luke 20:27-47, Ps 89:14-37, Pr 13:17-19

This is a fun, spontaneous, and inspired episode! Discover how to welcome universal guidance and take inspired action from a place of joy rather than force, using Gabby's spiritually aligned action method. Plus a personal life update from Gabby and a beautiful card reading. • Join Gabby for the Trust the Universe 21-day Challenge! She'll guide you through her proven practices to surrender control and step into a life of joy, purpose and unshakable faith that the Universe has your back. https://bit.ly/4c4a2tI • Recommended practice inside the gabby coaching membership: Trust the Universe 21-day Challenge. • Get Gabby's free meditation to connect with your Spirit Guides https://bit.ly/4bzL45e • If you feel you need additional support, please consult this list of safety, recovery and mental health resources. • Disclaimer: This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and support you on your personal journey towards inner peace. I am not a psychologist or a medical doctor and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any psychological or medical conditions, please seek help from a qualified health professional.Sponsors:You deserve to feel great. Book your virtual visit today at joinmidi.comJust visit gogeviti.com to learn more about how you can start optimizing your health without leaving home today. Use code GABBY for 20% off your first three months of membership.Get $25 off your first purchase when you go to TheRealReal.com/GABBYGive yourself the gift of hair confidence this spring. For a limited time only, our listeners are getting a huge discount on the iRestore Elite when you use code GABBY at iRestore.comTake advantage of Beam Kids limited time pricing of up to 35% off PLUS 2 free gifts using code DEARGABBY at shopbeam.comProduced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When we talk about discipleship, it's important to know what it is and what it is NOT. Discipleship is not merely meeting at a coffee shop, or merely theological conversation, or merely good advice. With encouragement and conviction, Hunter and Courtney Doctor spend this episode dispelling myths we believe about discipleship—and there are some that might surprise you!  FULL SHOW NOTES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Have you learned from mentors in the past when you've gotten to see them in real-life contexts? Does it offer you encouragement when you struggle in similar ways? In what ways have the “inconvenient conveniences” of discipleship impacted your joy and your growth? Who are some women or spiritual mothers in your local church who you learn from, even if you are not formally meeting in a discipleship relationship? How does it free us to disciple or ask to be discipled knowing that is doesn't have to be a “bestie” relationship forever? What is the Spirit prompting you to do when you think about how discipleship is not optional? What might you do or implement based on what you learned in this week's episode? FOR MORE Give to Journeywomen Ministries  Listen on Apple Podcasts | Android | Spotify Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook Leave a rating & review Interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.  On the Journeywomen podcast, we'll help you know and love God through his Word, find your hope in the gospel, and invest deeply in your local church as you go out on mission for the glory of God.

Living Proof Ministries is pleased to share a teaching series with you originally recorded during Beth's 2002 Living Proof Live Event held in Bethlehem, PA. Slow down and get caught by the Spirit of God looking through the life of Mary of Bethany. Sitting at Christ's feet marked her life, and this series journeys through the quiet and struggling moments of her life that led her back again to the feet of her Savior. We pray you are encouraged.We would love to have you join us for a Living Proof Live Event! Beth always brings a fresh word. Check out our Events webpage to see Beth in-person (https://www.lproof.org/events).---------------Living Proof Ministries is dedicated to encouraging people to come to know and love Jesus Christ through the study of Scripture."For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword." –Hebrews 4:12---------------Connect with us:WEBSITE: https://www.lproof.org/YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRJmg8jt3mQ4DTELKDde4rQINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/livingproofministries/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LivingProofMinistriesWithBethMoore/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/BethMooreLPM

Where can true wisdom be found? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to 1 Corinthians 2:14–16 to contrast the folly of worldly wisdom with the Spirit's work to reveal our inheritance.

The Orlando Pride looked unbeatable through four weeks of the NWSL. Then, a depleted Washington Spirit, missing 11 players including Trinity Rodman, came along. On this week's Full Time Review, host Jillian Sakovits discusses how the Spirit pulled off the biggest result of the 2025 season so far, as well as the other top stories from the NWSL weekend. PLUS: The Athletic's Laia Cervello also joins the podcast to report on the UEFA Women's Champions League semifinal first legs, where Barcelona humbled Chelsea. _______________ Articles mentioned on the show: Trinity Rodman stepping away from Washington Spirit to address back issues Depleted Spirit defeats reigning NWSL champion despite Trinity Rodman's absence USWNT's Trinity Rodman: ‘I don't know if my back will ever be 100 percent' Barcelona punish Chelsea to take three-goal lead in Women's Champions League semi-final Arsenal endure their reminder of Lyon's pedigree but still go to France with hope Arsenal edged out by Lyon in first leg of Women's Champions League semi-final _______________ HOST: Jillian Sakovits GUEST: Laia Cervello PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen _______________ Get in touch: fulltime@theathletic.com Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter here Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sleep better and Stress Less— with Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. We hope this biblical sleep meditation, narrated by Bonnie Curry, helps your body relax and your mind rest on the truth found in scripture. In your deepest need for compassion and comfort, find peace in this sleep story as it reminds you of the abounding comfort you have through Christ Jesus. Truly, our God is the God of all comfort. For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for better sleep is right here: https://abide.com/peaceDiscover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Sam24;Ps 57-58; 1 Chron 8; Matt 8 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Will God reach out to us in our need? That's the aching question at the heart of Matthew 8 and, if we're honest, the question many of us quietly carry. The leper wonders, “Is God willing?” The Roman officer, seeking help for his servant, quietly asks the same. The crowds gathered at Peter's house come, each with the desperate hope that God's compassion and power are not reserved for someone else—but will reach even them. Deep down, all of us want to know: Will God cross the distance? Is He willing to touch us at our lowest, at our most unclean and unworthy? So much in our world, and even our religion, tries to sell us the lie of separation—that God is far off, distant, too holy to come near our mess. We get the message that God will keep his distance until we make ourselves acceptable, that we are always just out of reach. But that is not the gospel. The gospel is the declaration that God is not removed. In Christ, He draws near—He steps across every boundary, he sits with us in our worst, he touches what others would call untouchable, and he makes us clean. In answer to every fearful, doubting heart, Jesus says, “I am willing.” He unmasks the lie of separation with the reality of his compassion and presence. God, in Christ, is not far off from you. He is willing, he is present, and he has set his heart to set you free. Where you are right now is not too far. Your struggle, your shame, your uncleanness—none of it keeps him away. The good news is not only that God can restore and heal, but that God desires to do so, and he is already with you, closer than your breath. My prayer today is that I might be rooted more deeply in this union with Christ, that the lie of separation would lose its grip on my heart and mind. That's my prayer for my family—for my wife, my daughters, my son. And it's my prayer for you: that you would know, in the depths of your being, that God is willing, God is near, and you truly are loved. May it be so. Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode for April 21st, 2025, your host Hunter guides us through day 111 of our journey through the scriptures. Together, we'll explore First Samuel 24, Psalms 57 and 58, First Chronicles 8, and Matthew 8. This episode dives deep into dramatic moments—David spares Saul's life in the cave, the heartfelt songs and pleas of David in the Psalms, rich genealogies tracing the descendants of Benjamin, and several of Jesus's remarkable miracles: healing the leper, the Roman officer's servant, and calming a raging storm. Hunter not only reads and reflects on these passages, but also shares an encouraging message about the willingness and compassion of God. He confronts the lie of separation, reminding us that God is not distant, but present and loving—no matter where we find ourselves. Wrapping up, he leads us in heartfelt prayers and urges us to root ourselves in the good news of Jesus. So grab your Bible, settle in, and join us as we lean into the joy and assurance that we are deeply loved by God. TODAY'S DEVOTION: TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

This Easter message, Sunday is Coming, reminds us that no matter how dark Friday looks, resurrection power is on the way. Dive into the story of the cross, the fire, and the unshakable faith that sees beyond suffering. Jesus didn't just save us from the fire—He walks through it with us. Let's celebrate the risen King together!Join us Sunday's 8:15 | 10:00 | 11:45 Authentic Church 2416 N Center St Hickory, NC 28601 (Beside Planet Fitness) GIVING To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: https://authenticchurch.com/give GET CONNECTED Ready to check out Authentic Church in person? We can't wait to meet you in person. Simply fill out the form below and we'll make sure to give you the VIP treatment upon your first visit. https://authenticchurch.com/plan-a-visit ABOUT AUTHENTIC CHURCH Authentic Church exists so that people will have an authentic encounter with God, be set free, and grow in Christ. Our mission is to help each person at Authentic believe in Jesus, belong to family, inspire true worship, walk in God's Spirit, and build the kingdom of God.

2 Samuel 1-4

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10 NLT) Who is this man that we are talking about today? What sets the Christian faith apart from all other beliefs and religious systems out there in the world? It might come down to this. If you go to the tomb of Confucius, you will find that it is occupied. If you go to the tomb of Buddha, you will find that it, too, is occupied. If you go to the tomb of Muhammed, you will find that it is occupied. But if you go to the tomb of Jesus Christ, you will find that it is empty because He is alive. We serve a living Savior. As Paul makes clear in the passage above, the resurrection we celebrate isn’t just a historical event; it also plays an important role in our daily lives. In the days to come, we’re going to look at the impact of Jesus’ resurrection on His disciples and earliest followers. Before we do that, however, let’s consider how it impacts us today. There are six practical truths we need to remember. First, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we’re accepted by God. Romans 4:25 says, “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (NLT). When you put your faith in Christ, you are made right with God. You’re forgiven for all your sins. As someone once said, God treated Jesus as if He had lived your life so that He could treat you as if you had lived Jesus’ life. Second, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we have the power to live the Christian life. Romans 8:11–12 says, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. . . . Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do” (NLT). No sin, habit, addiction, or vice can match the power of God. Third, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will live forever in Heaven. Death is no longer the end of the road; it’s just a bend in the road. First Corinthians 15:54–55 says, “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” (NLT). Jesus took the sting of death. He suffered it in our place. Fourth, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will receive new bodies that are like His. God will resurrect the bodies of all believers, and we will be radically upgraded versions of ourselves. Philippians 3:21 says Jesus “will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own” (NLT). Fifth, Jesus’ resurrection assures us that we will have resurrected relationships with other believers. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, the apostle Paul says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died” (NLT). Death can separate us only temporarily. We will be able to pick up where we left off with loved ones who preceded us to Heaven. Sixth, Jesus’ resurrection compels us to tell others. Jesus says in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (NLT). The Good News is this: God loves you. You are separated from Him by your sin. Christ died for your sin and rose again from the dead. If you turn from your sin and believe in Him, you can know with certainty that you will go to Heaven when you die. Sharing that message is not only a way to obey God, but also the most loving thing you can do for another person. Reflection question: How does Jesus’ resurrection impact your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's so alluring about proving our worth? Why do we continue to get tangled in its futile knot? How might we imagine a different relationship to the question of worth?These are questions I periodically find myself drawn to exploring at various points of my creative journey.On the one hand, we intellectually know our worth is inherent. And yet, we still seek to fill the void. Recorded under the Capricorn Moon and the Taurus Sun, as Mars is fresh out of Cancer and approaching its opposition to Pluto. Book my new 1:1 offering, Creative Spirit Reading. Limited spots available throughout April and May.I also offer deep dives into your 2025 Astrology and Human Design, designed to help you live in deeper harmony with your unique flow.For private mentorship and coaching, apply here.Listen to & purchase my new song Friends on Bandcamp. You can also listen to it on your favorite streaming platforms.Try the incredible breathwork and meditation app Open for 30 days free using this special link. This podcast is hosted, produced, and edited by Jonathan Koe. Theme music is also composed by me! Connect with me through my newsletter, my Instagram @jonathankoeofficial, and my music. For podcast-related inquiries, email me at healingthespiritpodcast@gmail.com.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children…” - Proverbs 13:22That verse teaches that a life of faithful stewardship will enable you to leave something of great value to your heirs. How you do it can impact future generations. Jeanne McMains joins us today to talk about “intentional inheritance.” Jeanne McMains has been a practicing attorney in estate planning, business succession, and non-profits since 1995. She currently serves as the Vice President of Gift Planning with The National Christian Foundation (NCF), where she assists families nationwide with achieving their charitable gift-planning goals.What Is an Intentional Inheritance?An intentional inheritance is more than the distribution of wealth. It's a prayerful, purposeful plan for shaping the lives of those who will receive what we leave behind. Inheritance is one of the most significant stewardship decisions we make. It's not just about how much but how—and why—we give.This perspective calls for a deep shift. Before passing on wealth, we must first pass on wisdom. Otherwise, unmanaged or misunderstood wealth can do more harm than good.Start with Prayerful IntrospectionAsk yourself: What role does wealth play in my life? Reframe your mindset around money—not as a measure of success or security but as a tool for Kingdom work. Wealth is an entrustment from God, not an end in itself. That means laying it down at the cross daily, asking the Lord to help us steward it with humility and grace.Three Types of InheritanceTo simplify this big task, here are three kinds of inheritance every Christian family should consider:1. Inheritance to SpendThis is the traditional kind of inheritance—resources intended to provide opportunities, experiences, and essentials. Think of it as financial fuel to help your heirs live productive, content lives. But maturity matters. Consider using this inheritance to fund training, travel, or education before a large transfer, especially if the heir is still developing financial literacy or spiritual maturity.2. Inheritance to ShapeThis is where legacy comes to life. Instead of simply giving money, consider shaping character through shared experiences—like mission trips, retreats, or projects that reflect your family's values.3. Inheritance to ShareWe're blessed to be a blessing. Set aside a portion of your estate to fuel generosity in the next generation. This might include donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, or other giving vehicles your heirs can use to support ministries or causes close to their hearts. This is how we teach our children to reflect God's love through giving.Practical Steps to Craft an Intentional InheritanceHere are four foundational steps to take:1. Engage in Open DialogueTalk with your heirs about the purpose behind the inheritance. Focus less on how much and more on why. Share your values, your heart for the Kingdom, and how you hope the inheritance will be used to bless others. This conversation builds trust, understanding, and spiritual alignment.It's not about dollars and zeros; it's about attitude, opportunity, and calling.2. Work with Faith-Aligned AdvisorsChoose financial and legal professionals who share your biblical worldview. Whether you're working with an estate attorney or a financial planner, the right team will help ensure your legacy is stewarded with wisdom and integrity. That's why we recommend connecting with a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA). To find one near you, visit FaithFi.com and click “Find a Professional.”3. Prepare Your HeirsDon't wait until the inheritance is distributed. Teach your heirs financial literacy and spiritual stewardship now. Let them stumble, learn, and grow while you're still here to mentor and encourage them.4. Use Strategic ToolsLeverage estate planning vehicles like wills, trusts, donor-advised funds, and charitable gift plans. These tools help ensure your assets are distributed in a way that promotes ongoing generosity and reflects your commitment to faithful living.Even well-meaning inheritances can lead to confusion, entitlement, or spiritual drift without intentional planning. But with prayer, purpose, and preparation, your legacy can be a launching pad for generations of Kingdom impact.Want to learn more?Explore practical tools and gospel-centered resources at NCFgiving.com to help you build a legacy of generosity and faith. To read Jeanne's full article, “Intentional Inheritance: Crafting a Faithful Legacy for Future Generations,” become a FaithFi Partner with a monthly gift of $35 or an annual gift of $400 at FaithFi.com/give.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm nervous about retiring in the next year and a half. I have a 457 retirement account with the state of Ohio, and I'm worried about the current economy. Should I move all my investments into stable value to protect what I've got while the economy is in flux?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly MagazineNational Christian Foundation (NCF)Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, and Claude V. KingWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money (Pre-Order)Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

The boys (featuring the return of Mir) return to the slaughter-bench to finish discussing Terry Pinkard's article "The Spirit of History."The Spirit of History by Terry Pinkardhttps://aeon.co/essays/what-is-history-nobody-gave-a-deeper-answer-than-hegelSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show

The Garment of Praise For The Spirit of Heaviness (1 of 3) | Pastor Shane Idleman Watch our services live at http://wcfav.org/ Free Downloads of Pastor Shane's E-books at https://westsidechristianfellowship.org/teachings/ Donate to Westside Christian Fellowship here: https://westsidechristianfellowship.org/give/ Westside Christian Fellowship is a non-denominational Christian church that meets every every Sunday at 8:30 am 11:00 am in Leona Valley, California (9306 Leona Avenue). For more info, or to read our statement of faith, visit westsidechristianfellowship.org/about-wcf/statement-of-faith/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1055/29

Sweet mama, are you feeling tired lately? Not just physically, but deep-in-your-soul weary?You're not alone.We were never meant to keep going in our own strength. But good news—God has given us His Spirit to fill us, guide us, and sustain us… even in the middle of motherhood's messiest moments.Join me and Macey for a heart-to-heart on how to stay spiritually fueled, emotionally refreshed, and deeply connected to Jesus—so you can shine bright without burning out.You don't have to do it all. You just have to come and let Him fill you again.See you soon, Sister!Check out Dr. Mac's book HERE!

What if the discomfort you feel when trying to follow your food plan… isn't a problem to fix, but part of the process to embrace? In this episode, we talk about the real reason we get stuck in emotional eating, quitting, or “starting over”—and it's not because you're lazy or broken. It's because we're not used to making peace with discomfort. If you've ever thought: “This is too hard.” “Why can't I stay consistent?” “I just want this to be easier…” This episode is for you.

Josh 22:21-23:16, Luke 20:27-47, Ps 89:14-37, Pr 13:17-19

Sun., April 20Easter SundayTree of Lifewith Josh ReevesJesus's story is extraordinary, and it is also the most relatable. Like Jesus, each of us is born of an unseen Spirit called to bring our divinely inspired gifts to the world. Each of us experiences rejection and forgiveness. And all of us who search for a light amid turmoil, experience being reborn in awareness of a Holy Spirit.This Easter, we explore the spiritual life of Christ and all of us through the symbol of the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life that symbolizes what stands between us and the Infinite—roots and wings, heaven and Earth, the temporal and the eternal.

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

Stuart Woolf, among California's largest farmers and Executive Chairman of Woolf Farming Company, has a vision for the heart of California's Great Central Valley. And agave, the hearty cousin of the tasty asparagus plant, is central to that vision. We talk of Stuart's interesting journey, his family's regenerative practices and his fascination with and enthusiasm for agave's resilience in a drying valley and its distilled spirits that could create a whole new industry in the Golden State. 

Living Stones Church - Pine Trees - Our passion at Living Stones Church is to be the kind of church described in the Bible: A Culture of Faith. Together we love to actively pursue Spirit and Truth.

Living Stones Church - Ali'i Drive - Our passion at Living Stones Church is to be the kind of church described in the Bible: A Culture of Faith. Together we love to actively pursue Spirit and Truth.

As Christians we all say that we are “blessed” … It comes up in my vocabulary often when people ask how I'm doing with my response being, “I'm blessed and highly favored”… but what if the blessings of Jesus aren't what the world thinks of as blessings like fame, fortune, or comfort… but in the unseen, eternal rewards of the Spirit? Join us for a powerful message, ‘Blessed are Ye…', as we explore the radical words of Jesus in the Beatitudes — promises of hope, peace, and purpose that echo into eternity.  Let's rediscover what it truly means to be blessed. Email Us: info@heartofworshipchurch.com Visit Our Website: www.heartofworshipchurch.com For Prayer Requests: pray@heartofworshipcurch.com

Send us a text✨ Grab Adriana's free Human Design 101 guide here!OK, I'm back with another real, unfiltered download for you! This one came in right after I lost power JUST as I was supposed to be recording a full podcast with video for you… so yeah. I hear you, Spirit!(I LOVE that so many of you are responding to these off-the-cuff episodes, by the way!)But, as always, this was perfect timing because today I felt called to talk about trusting in the void and in the magic dark.As many of you know, I've really been going through it — feeling stagnant, like nothing's working. This void has felt heavier than ever, which is how I know something big is about to shift.And it has! I've finally felt ready to create a business mastermind group, to open what I've learned over the years through my own experiences and share it with entrepreneurs who are going through it too.So in this mini episode, I'm talking about WHAT DO WE DO when we're in this space and finding that support to lean on. Because this is really fucking hard and you don't have to do it alone!I'm getting into:realizing that this void comes when you've hit a new level and now have to learn who you are in this new version of youhaving people around you who can meet you energetically and witness your evolutionletting go of your old patterns about successful businesses and money, and clearing out what you thought you knew to rebuild and reassembleusing what's in your toolbox — Human Design, gene keys, astrology — as the roadmap for who you were meant to be and where you are along that path right now

Daily Dose of Hope April 21, 2025 Day 1 of Week 4   Scripture - Mark 8:1-21   Prayer:  Almighty God and Risen Lord, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe.  Even after we have just experienced the glory of the resurrection, we still struggle to keep focus on you.  Help us gather our scattered and distracted thoughts.  Help us take a moment of silence and remember who you are...Holy Spirit, speak to us today.  We want to hear your voice.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts. My prayer is that all of you had a wonderful Easter Sunday yesterday.  Today, we begin Mark 8 and learn about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod.  Let's get started!   Mark 8 begins with another abundance miracle.  There were a group of people who had been following Jesus and the disciples for several days.  Jesus is worried about them because he suspects they don't have food.  If he sent them away, Jesus says, they might collapse on their way home.     The disciples are a bit indignant.  They don't have enough food to feed all the people.  I find this so strange.  It wasn't long ago that Jesus fed the 5,000.  Why do they not just look at Jesus and say, “Can you do that thing again?”  But it's as if they have totally forgotten.  How quickly life can get back to normal and doubt or cynicism can kick in.  I feel like I see this sometimes with someone who was terminally sick and receives a healing.  They are elated and grateful.  Some people keep that gratefulness, but others gradually forget.  They become disengaged once again, almost like it never happened.    But Jesus does do his thing.  He takes seven loaves of bread and a few small fish and he feeds the entire crowd of thousands until they are full.  This time, there were seven basketfuls left over.    From this place, Jesus and his disciples head to another town on the Sea of Galilee.  The Pharisees are there and ask Jesus for a sign from heaven.  Jesus won't give them a sign, or the one they want.  The whole thing is ironic.  Jesus has been giving all kinds of signs!  He just fed thousands of people with seven loaves of bread.  He has healed all kinds of people very publicly.  I'm not sure the kind of sign they were wanting, but Jesus is clearly a walking signpost for the Kingdom.    I want to spend some time on the next statement that Jesus makes.  He tells the disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod.  Now, what in the world does that mean?  Let's think about yeast.  Just a little bit of yeast can work through a whole lot of dough.  When it comes to bread, we usually think of that as a positive thing.  A little yeast can make a huge amount of bread.  But the yeast that Jesus is speaking of here is more like a contamination.  The yeast of the Pharisees, the religious yeast, or the yeast of Herod, political yeast, can contaminate a large number of people.  It doesn't take much of it to throw us off, to infect a whole crowd, to get people distracted by the wrong thing.  A little bit of this bad yeast can get people focused on religion or politics and away from the bread of life.   This is something we may not want to hear.  But Jesus does not want us to be more religious or more political.  He wants us to be more focused on him.  There is a big difference between being “religious” and being “Christ-focused.”  Religion is not a bad thing at all, until it is.  Likewise, politics is not bad, until it is.  Jesus is making a statement here:  Politics and religion are not the answer to the worlds' problems – he is!  How often do we get this mixed up?   The disciples still don't get it.  They still think he is talking about physical bread.  I read this and think, “Man, these guys are so dense.”  And yet, if I was in their position, I probably wouldn't have gotten it either.  Jesus is turning all they know upside down.  He is saying and doing things that were so foreign to them.  No matter how many miracles they see, they don't get it.  It won't be until after his death and resurrection that any of this begins to make sense to them.    We have the advantage of the whole Gospel story right now.  We can see Jesus' ministry, his miracles, his teachings, the cross, the resurrection, and the beginning of the church.  And yet, how often is the radical nature of the Gospel still lost on us?  How often do we place our own hopes on politics or religion rather than on Jesus? Let's close today with Philippians 2:1-11, Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God,     did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing    by taking the very nature of a servant,     being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man,    he humbled himself     by becoming obedient to death—         even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place     and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,    in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father.     Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

So what, exactly, was “The Enlightenment”? According to the Princeton historian David A. Bell, it was an intellectual movement roughly spanning the early 18th century through to the French Revolution. In his Spring 2025 Liberties Quarterly piece “The Enlightenment, Then and Now”, Bell charts the Enlightenment as a complex intellectual movement centered in Paris but with hubs across Europe and America. He highlights key figures like Montesquieu, Voltaire, Kant, and Franklin, discussing their contributions to concepts of religious tolerance, free speech, and rationality. In our conversation, Bell addresses criticisms of the Enlightenment, including its complicated relationship with colonialism and slavery, while arguing that its principles of freedom and reason remain relevant today. 5 Key Takeaways* The Enlightenment emerged in the early 18th century (around 1720s) and was characterized by intellectual inquiry, skepticism toward religion, and a growing sense among thinkers that they were living in an "enlightened century."* While Paris was the central hub, the Enlightenment had multiple centers including Scotland, Germany, and America, with thinkers like Voltaire, Rousseau, Kant, Hume, and Franklin contributing to its development.* The Enlightenment introduced the concept of "society" as a sphere of human existence separate from religion and politics, forming the basis of modern social sciences.* The movement had a complex relationship with colonialism and slavery - many Enlightenment thinkers criticized slavery, but some of their ideas about human progress were later used to justify imperialism.* According to Bell, rather than trying to "return to the Enlightenment," modern society should selectively adopt and adapt its valuable principles of free speech, religious tolerance, and education to create our "own Enlightenment."David Avrom Bell is a historian of early modern and modern Europe at Princeton University. His most recent book, published in 2020 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, is Men on Horseback: The Power of Charisma in the Age of Revolution. Described in the Journal of Modern History as an "instant classic," it is available in paperback from Picador, in French translation from Fayard, and in Italian translation from Viella. A study of how new forms of political charisma arose in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the book shows that charismatic authoritarianism is as modern a political form as liberal democracy, and shares many of the same origins. Based on exhaustive research in original sources, the book includes case studies of the careers of George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Toussaint Louverture and Simon Bolivar. The book's Introduction can be read here. An online conversation about the book with Annette Gordon-Reed, hosted by the Cullman Center of the New York Public Library, can be viewed here. Links to material about the book, including reviews in The New York Review of Books, The Guardian, Harper's, The New Republic, The Nation, Le Monde, The Los Angeles Review of Books and other venues can be found here. Bell is also the author of six previous books. He has published academic articles in both English and French and contributes regularly to general interest publications on a variety of subjects, ranging from modern warfare, to contemporary French politics, to the impact of digital technology on learning and scholarship, and of course French history. A list of his publications from 2023 and 2024 can be found here. His Substack newsletter can be found here. His writings have been translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Hebrew, Swedish, Polish, Russian, German, Croatian, Italian, Turkish and Japanese. At the History Department at Princeton University, he holds the Sidney and Ruth Lapidus Chair in the Era of North Atlantic Revolutions, and offers courses on early modern Europe, on military history, and on the early modern French empire. Previously, he spent fourteen years at Johns Hopkins University, including three as Dean of Faculty in its School of Arts and Sciences. From 2020 to 2024 he served as Director of the Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies at Princeton. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a corresponding fellow of the British Academy. Bell's new project is a history of the Enlightenment. A preliminary article from the project was published in early 2022 by Modern Intellectual History. Another is now out in French History.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting the daily KEEN ON show, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy interview series. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. FULL TRANSCRIPTAndrew Keen: Hello everybody, in these supposedly dark times, the E word comes up a lot, the Enlightenment. Are we at the end of the Enlightenment or the beginning? Was there even an Enlightenment? My guest today, David Bell, a professor of history, very distinguished professor of history at Princeton University, has an interesting piece in the spring issue of It is One of our, our favorite quarterlies here on Keen on America, Bell's piece is The Enlightenment Then and Now, and David is joining us from the home of the Enlightenment, perhaps Paris in France, where he's on sabbatical hard life. David being an academic these days, isn't it?David Bell: Very difficult. I'm having to suffer the Parisian bread and croissant. It's terrible.Andrew Keen: Yeah. Well, I won't keep you too long. Is Paris then, or France? Is it the home of the Enlightenment? I know there are many Enlightenments, the French, the Scottish, maybe even the English, perhaps even the American.David Bell: It's certainly one of the homes of the Enlightenment, and it's probably the closest that the Enlightened had to a center, absolutely. But as you say, there were Edinburgh, Glasgow, plenty of places in Germany, Philadelphia, all those places have good claims to being centers of the enlightenment as well.Andrew Keen: All the same David, is it like one of those sports games in California where everyone gets a medal?David Bell: Well, they're different metals, right, but I think certainly Paris is where everybody went. I mean, if you look at the figures from the German Enlightenment, from the Scottish Enlightenment from the American Enlightenment they all tended to congregate in Paris and the Parisians didn't tend to go anywhere else unless they were forced to. So that gives you a pretty good sense of where the most important center was.Andrew Keen: So David, before we get to specifics, map out for us, because everyone is perhaps as familiar or comfortable with the history of the Enlightenment, and certainly as you are. When did it happen? What years? And who are the leaders of this thing called the Enlightenment?David Bell: Well, that's a big question. And I'm afraid, of course, that if you ask 10 historians, you'll get 10 different answers.Andrew Keen: Well, I'm only asking you, so I only want one answer.David Bell: So I would say that the Enlightenment really gets going around the first couple of decades of the 18th century. And that's when people really start to think that they are actually living in what they start to call an Enlightenment century. There are a lot of reasons for this. They are seeing what we now call the scientific revolution. They're looking at the progress that has been made with that. They are experiencing the changes in the religious sphere, including the end of religious wars, coming with a great deal of skepticism about religion. They are living in a relative period of peace where they're able to speculate much more broadly and daringly than before. But it's really in those first couple of decades that they start thinking of themselves as living in an enlightened century. They start defining themselves as something that would later be called the enlightenment. So I would say that it's, really, really there between maybe the end of the 17th century and 1720s that it really gets started.Andrew Keen: So let's have some names, David, of philosophers, I guess. I mean, if those are the right words. I know that there was a term in French. There is a term called philosoph. Were they the founders, the leaders of the Enlightenment?David Bell: Well, there is a... Again, I don't want to descend into academic quibbling here, but there were lots of leaders. Let me give an example, though. So the year 1721 is a remarkable year. So in the year, 1721, two amazing events happened within a couple of months of each other. So in May, Montesquieu, one of the great philosophers by any definition, publishes his novel called Persian Letters. And this is an incredible novel. Still, I think one of greatest novels ever written, and it's very daring. It is the account, it is supposedly a an account written by two Persian travelers to Europe who are writing back to people in Isfahan about what they're seeing. And it is very critical of French society. It is very of religion. It is, as I said, very daring philosophically. It is a product in part of the increasing contact between Europe and the rest of the world that is also very central to the Enlightenment. So that novel comes out. So it's immediately, you know, the police try to suppress it. But they don't have much success because it's incredibly popular and Montesquieu doesn't suffer any particular problems because...Andrew Keen: And the French police have never been the most efficient police force in the world, have they?David Bell: Oh, they could be, but not in this case. And then two months later, after Montesquieu published this novel, there's a German philosopher much less well-known than Montesqiu, than Christian Bolz, who is a professor at the Universität Haller in Prussia, and he gives an oration in Latin, a very typical university oration for the time, about Chinese philosophy, in which he says that the Chinese have sort of proved to the world, particularly through the writings of Confucius and others, that you can have a virtuous society without religion. Obviously very controversial. Statement for the time it actually gets him fired from his job, he has to leave the Kingdom of Prussia within 48 hours on penalty of death, starts an enormous controversy. But here are two events, both of which involving non-European people, involving the way in which Europeans are starting to look out at the rest of the world and starting to imagine Europe as just one part of a larger humanity, and at the same time they are starting to speculate very daringly about whether you can have. You know, what it means to have a society, do you need to have religion in order to have morality in society? Do you need the proper, what kind of government do you need to to have virtuous conduct and a proper society? So all of these things get, you know, really crystallize, I think, around these two incidents as much as anything. So if I had to pick a single date for when the enlightenment starts, I'd probably pick that 1721.Andrew Keen: And when was, David, I thought you were going to tell me about the earthquake in Lisbon, when was that earthquake?David Bell: That earthquake comes quite a bit later. That comes, and now historians should be better with dates than I am. It's in the 1750s, I think it's the late 1750's. Again, this historian is proving he's getting a very bad grade for forgetting the exact date, but it's in 1750. So that's a different kind of event, which sparks off a great deal of commentary, because it's a terrible earthquake. It destroys most of the city of Lisbon, it destroys other cities throughout Portugal, and it leads a lot of the philosophy to philosophers at the time to be speculating very daringly again on whether there is any kind of real purpose to the universe and whether there's any kind divine purpose. Why would such a terrible thing happen? Why would God do such a thing to his followers? And certainly VoltaireAndrew Keen: Yeah, Votav, of course, comes to mind of questioning.David Bell: And Condit, Voltaire's novel Condit gives a very good description of the earthquake in Lisbon and uses that as a centerpiece. Voltair also read other things about the earthquake, a poem about Lisbon earthquake. But in Condit he gives a lasting, very scathing portrait of the Catholic Church in general and then of what happens in Portugal. And so the Lisbon Earthquake is certainly another one of the events, but it happens considerably later. Really in the middle of the end of life.Andrew Keen: So, David, you believe in this idea of the Enlightenment. I take your point that there are more than one Enlightenment in more than one center, but in broad historical terms, the 18th century could be defined at least in Western and Northern Europe as the period of the Enlightenment, would that be a fair generalization?David Bell: I think it's perfectly fair generalization. Of course, there are historians who say that it never happened. There's a conservative British historian, J.C.D. Clark, who published a book last summer, saying that the Enlightenment is a kind of myth, that there was a lot of intellectual activity in Europe, obviously, but that the idea that it formed a coherent Enlightenment was really invented in the 20th century by a bunch of progressive reformers who wanted to claim a kind of venerable and august pedigree for their own reform, liberal reform plans. I think that's an exaggeration. People in the 18th century defined very clearly what was going on, both people who were in favor of it and people who are against it. And while you can, if you look very closely at it, of course it gets a bit fuzzy. Of course it's gets, there's no single, you can't define a single enlightenment project or a single enlightened ideology. But then, I think people would be hard pressed to define any intellectual movement. You know, in perfect, incoherent terms. So the enlightenment is, you know by compared with almost any other intellectual movement certainly existed.Andrew Keen: In terms of a philosophy of the Enlightenment, the German thinker, Immanuel Kant, seems to be often, and when you describe him as the conscience or the brain or a mixture of the conscience and brain of the enlightenment, why is Kant and Kantian thinking so important in the development of the Enlightenment.David Bell: Well, that's a really interesting question. And one reason is because most of the Enlightenment was not very rigorously philosophical. A lot of the major figures of the enlightenment before Kant tended to be writing for a general public. And they often were writing with a very specific agenda. We look at Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau. Now you look at Adam Smith in Scotland. We look David Hume or Adam Ferguson. You look at Benjamin Franklin in the United States. These people wrote in all sorts of different genres. They wrote in, they wrote all sorts of different kinds of books. They have many different purposes and very few of them did a lot of what we would call rigorous academic philosophy. And Kant was different. Kant was very much an academic philosopher. Kant was nothing if not rigorous. He came at the end of the enlightenment by most people's measure. He wrote these very, very difficult, very rigorous, very brilliant works, such as The Creek of Pure Reason. And so, it's certainly been the case that people who wanted to describe the Enlightenment as a philosophy have tended to look to Kant. So for example, there's a great German philosopher and intellectual historian of the early 20th century named Ernst Kassirer, who had to leave Germany because of the Nazis. And he wrote a great book called The Philosophy of the Enlightened. And that leads directly to Immanuel Kant. And of course, Casir himself was a Kantian, identified with Kant. And so he wanted to make Kant, in a sense, the telos, the end point, the culmination, the fulfillment of the Enlightenment. But so I think that's why Kant has such a particularly important position. You're defining it both ways.Andrew Keen: I've always struggled to understand what Kant was trying to say. I'm certainly not alone there. Might it be fair to say that he was trying to transform the universe and certainly traditional Christian notions into the Enlightenment, so the entire universe, the world, God, whatever that means, that they were all somehow according to Kant enlightened.David Bell: Well, I think that I'm certainly no expert on Immanuel Kant. And I would say that he is trying to, I mean, his major philosophical works are trying to put together a system of philosophical thinking which will justify why people have to act morally, why people act rationally, without the need for Christian revelation to bolster them. That's a very, very crude and reductionist way of putting it, but that's essentially at the heart of it. At the same time, Kant was very much aware of his own place in history. So Kant didn't simply write these very difficult, thick, dense philosophical works. He also wrote things that were more like journalism or like tablets. He wrote a famous essay called What is Enlightenment? And in that, he said that the 18th century was the period in which humankind was simply beginning to. Reach a period of enlightenment. And he said, he starts the essay by saying, this is the period when humankind is being released from its self-imposed tutelage. And we are still, and he said we do not yet live in the midst of a completely enlightened century, but we are getting there. We are living in a century that is enlightening.Andrew Keen: So the seeds, the seeds of Hegel and maybe even Marx are incant in that German thinking, that historical thinking.David Bell: In some ways, in some ways of course Hegel very much reacts against Kant and so and then Marx reacts against Hegel. So it's not exactly.Andrew Keen: Well, that's the dialectic, isn't it, David?David Bell: A simple easy path from one to the other, no, but Hegel is unimaginable without Kant of course and Marx is unimagineable without Hegel.Andrew Keen: You note that Kant represents a shift in some ways into the university and the walls of the universities were going up, and that some of the other figures associated with the the Enlightenment and Scottish Enlightenment, human and Smith and the French Enlightenment Voltaire and the others, they were more generalist writers. Should we be nostalgic for the pre-university period in the Enlightenment, or? Did things start getting serious once the heavyweights, the academic heavyweighs like Emmanuel Kant got into this thing?David Bell: I think it depends on where we're talking about. I mean, Adam Smith was a professor at Glasgow in Edinburgh, so Smith, the Scottish Enlightenment was definitely at least partly in the universities. The German Enlightenment took place very heavily in universities. Christian Vodafoy I just mentioned was the most important German philosopher of the 18th century before Kant, and he had positions in university. Even the French university system, for a while, what's interesting about the French University system, particularly the Sorbonne, which was the theology faculty, It was that. Throughout the first half of the 18th century, there were very vigorous, very interesting philosophical debates going on there, in which the people there, particularly even Jesuits there, were very open to a lot of the ideas we now call enlightenment. They were reading John Locke, they were reading Mel Pench, they were read Dekalb. What happened though in the French universities was that as more daring stuff was getting published elsewhere. Church, the Catholic Church, started to say, all right, these philosophers, these philosophies, these are our enemies, these are people we have to get at. And so at that point, anybody who was in the university, who was still in dialog with these people was basically purged. And the universities became much less interesting after that. But to come back to your question, I do think that I am very nostalgic for that period. I think that the Enlightenment was an extraordinary period, because if you look between. In the 17th century, not all, but a great deal of the most interesting intellectual work is happening in the so-called Republic of Letters. It's happening in Latin language. It is happening on a very small circle of RUD, of scholars. By the 19th century following Kant and Hegel and then the birth of the research university in Germany, which is copied everywhere, philosophy and the most advanced thinking goes back into the university. And the 18th century, particularly in France, I will say, is a time when the most advanced thought is being written for a general public. It is being in the form of novels, of dialogs, of stories, of reference works, and it is very, very accessible. The most profound thought of the West has never been as accessible overall as in the 18 century.Andrew Keen: Again, excuse this question, it might seem a bit naive, but there's a lot of pre-Enlightenment work, books, thinking that we read now that's very accessible from Erasmus and Thomas More to Machiavelli. Why weren't characters like, or are characters like Erasmuus, More's Utopia, Machiavell's prints and discourses, why aren't they considered part of the Enlightenment? What's the difference between? Enlightened thinkers or the supposedly enlightened thinkers of the 18th century and thinkers and writers of the 16th and 17th centuries.David Bell: That's a good question, you know, I think you have to, you, you know, again, one has to draw a line somewhere. That's not a very good answer, of course. All these people that you just mentioned are, in one way or another, predecessors to the Enlightenment. And of course, there were lots of people. I don't mean to say that nobody wrote in an accessible way before 1700. Obviously, lots of the people you mentioned did. Although a lot of them originally wrote in Latin, Erasmus, also Thomas More. But I think what makes the Enlightened different is that you have, again, you have a sense. These people have have a sense that they are themselves engaged in a collective project, that it is a collective project of enlightenment, of enlightening the world. They believe that they live in a century of progress. And there are certain principles. They don't agree on everything by any means. The philosophy of enlightenment is like nothing more than ripping each other to shreds, like any decent group of intellectuals. But that said, they generally did believe That people needed to have freedom of speech. They believed that you needed to have toleration of different religions. They believed in education and the need for a broadly educated public that could be as broad as possible. They generally believed in keeping religion out of the public sphere as much as possible, so all those principles came together into a program that we can consider at least a kind of... You know, not that everybody read it at every moment by any means, but there is an identifiable enlightenment program there, and in this case an identifiable enlightenment mindset. One other thing, I think, which is crucial to the Enlightenment, is that it was the attention they started to pay to something that we now take almost entirely for granted, which is the idea of society. The word society is so entirely ubiquitous, we assume it's always been there, and in one sense it has, because the word societas is a Latin word. But until... The 18th century, the word society generally had a much narrower meaning. It referred to, you know, particular institution most often, like when we talk about the society of, you know, the American philosophical society or something like that. And the idea that there exists something called society, which is the general sphere of human existence that is separate from religion and is separate from the political sphere, that's actually something which only really emerged at the end of the 1600s. And it became really the focus of you know, much, if not most, of enlightenment thinking. When you look at someone like Montesquieu and you look something, somebody like Rousseau or Voltaire or Adam Smith, probably above all, they were concerned with understanding how society works, not how government works only, but how society, what social interactions are like beginning of what we would now call social science. So that's yet another thing that distinguishes the enlightened from people like Machiavelli, often people like Thomas More, and people like bonuses.Andrew Keen: You noted earlier that the idea of progress is somehow baked in, in part, and certainly when it comes to Kant, certainly the French Enlightenment, although, of course, Rousseau challenged that. I'm not sure whether Rousseaut, as always, is both in and out of the Enlightenment and he seems to be in and out of everything. How did the Enlightement, though, make sense of itself in the context of antiquity, as it was, of Terms, it was the Renaissance that supposedly discovered or rediscovered antiquity. How did many of the leading Enlightenment thinkers, writers, how did they think of their own society in the context of not just antiquity, but even the idea of a European or Western society?David Bell: Well, there was a great book, one of the great histories of the Enlightenment was written about more than 50 years ago by the Yale professor named Peter Gay, and the first part of that book was called The Modern Paganism. So it was about the, you know, it was very much about the relationship between the Enlightenment and the ancient Greek synonyms. And certainly the writers of the enlightenment felt a great deal of kinship with the ancient Greek synonymous. They felt a common bond, particularly in the posing. Christianity and opposing what they believed the Christian Church had wrought on Europe in suppressing freedom and suppressing free thought and suppassing free inquiry. And so they felt that they were both recovering but also going beyond antiquity at the same time. And of course they were all, I mean everybody at the time, every single major figure of the Enlightenment, their education consisted in large part of what we would now call classics, right? I mean, there was an educational reformer in France in the 1760s who said, you know, our educational system is great if the purpose is to train Roman centurions, if it's to train modern people who are not doing both so well. And it's true. I mean they would spend, certainly, you know in Germany, in much of Europe, in the Netherlands, even in France, I mean people were trained not simply to read Latin, but to write in Latin. In Germany, university courses took part in the Latin language. So there's an enormous, you know, so they're certainly very, very conversant with the Greek and Roman classics, and they identify with them to a very great extent. Someone like Rousseau, I mean, and many others, and what's his first reading? How did he learn to read by reading Plutarch? In translation, but he learns to read reading Plutach. He sees from the beginning by this enormous admiration for the ancients that we get from Bhutan.Andrew Keen: Was Socrates relevant here? Was the Enlightenment somehow replacing Aristotle with Socrates and making him and his spirit of Enlightenment, of asking questions rather than answering questions, the symbol of a new way of thinking?David Bell: I would say to a certain extent, so I mean, much of the Enlightenment criticizes scholasticism, medieval scholastic, very, very sharply, and medieval scholasticism is founded philosophically very heavily upon Aristotle, so to that extent. And the spirit of skepticism that Socrates embodied, the idea of taking nothing for granted and asking questions about everything, including questions of oneself, yes, absolutely. That said, while the great figures of the Red Plato, you know, Socrates was generally I mean, it was not all that present as they come. But certainly have people with people with red play-doh in the entire virus.Andrew Keen: You mentioned Benjamin Franklin earlier, David. Most of the Enlightenment, of course, seems to be centered in France and Scotland, Germany, England. But America, many Europeans went to America then as a, what some people would call a settler colonial society, or certainly an offshoot of the European world. Was the settling of America and the American Revolution Was it the quintessential Enlightenment project?David Bell: Another very good question, and again, it depends a bit on who you talk to. I just mentioned this book by Peter Gay, and the last part of his book is called The Science of Freedom, and it's all about the American Revolution. So certainly a lot of interpreters of the Enlightenment have said that, yes, the American revolution represents in a sense the best possible outcome of the American Revolution, it was the best, possible outcome of the enlightened. Certainly there you look at the founding fathers of the United States and there's a great deal that they took from me like Certainly, they took a great great number of political ideas from Obviously Madison was very much inspired and drafting the edifice of the Constitution by Montesquieu to see himself Was happy to admit in addition most of the founding Fathers of the united states were you know had kind of you know We still had we were still definitely Christians, but we're also but we were also very much influenced by deism were very much against the idea of making the United States a kind of confessional country where Christianity was dominant. They wanted to believe in the enlightenment principles of free speech, religious toleration and so on and so forth. So in all those senses and very much the gun was probably more inspired than Franklin was somebody who was very conversant with the European Enlightenment. He spent a large part of his life in London. Where he was in contact with figures of the Enlightenment. He also, during the American Revolution, of course, he was mostly in France, where he is vetted by some of the surviving fellows and were very much in contact for them as well. So yes, I would say the American revolution is certainly... And then the American revolutionary scene, of course by the Europeans, very much as a kind of offshoot of the enlightenment. So one of the great books of the late Enlightenment is by Condor Say, which he wrote while he was hiding actually in the future evolution of the chariot. It's called a historical sketch of the progress of the human spirit, or the human mind, and you know he writes about the American Revolution as being, basically owing its existence to being like...Andrew Keen: Franklin is of course an example of your pre-academic enlightenment, a generalist, inventor, scientist, entrepreneur, political thinker. What about the role of science and indeed economics in the Enlightenment? David, we're going to talk of course about the Marxist interpretation, perhaps the Marxist interpretation which sees The Enlightenment is just a euphemism, perhaps, for exploitative capitalism. How central was the growth and development of the market, of economics, and innovation, and capitalism in your reading of The Enlightened?David Bell: Well, in my reading, it was very important, but not in the way that the Marxists used to say. So Friedrich Engels once said that the Enlightenment was basically the idealized kingdom of the bourgeoisie, and there was whole strain of Marxist thinking that followed the assumption that, and then Karl Marx himself argued that the documents like the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which obviously were inspired by the Enlightment, were simply kind of the near, or kind of. Way that the bourgeoisie was able to advance itself ideologically, and I don't think that holds much water, which is very little indication that any particular economic class motivated the Enlightenment or was using the Enlightment in any way. That said, I think it's very difficult to imagine the Enlightement without the social and economic changes that come in with the 18th century. To begin with globalization. If you read the great works of the Enlightenment, it's remarkable just how open they are to talking about humanity in general. So one of Voltaire's largest works, one of his most important works, is something called Essay on Customs and the Spirit of Nations, which is actually History of the World, where he talks learnedly not simply about Europe, but about the Americas, about China, about Africa, about India. Montesquieu writes Persian letters. Christian Volpe writes about Chinese philosophy. You know, Rousseau writes about... You know, the earliest days of humankind talks about Africa. All the great figures of the Enlightenment are writing about the rest of the world, and this is a period in which contacts between Europe and the rest the world are exploding along with international trade. So by the end of the 18th century, there are 4,000 to 5,000 ships a year crossing the Atlantic. It's an enormous number. And that's one context in which the enlightenment takes place. Another is what we call the consumer revolution. So in the 18th century, certainly in the major cities of Western Europe, people of a wide range of social classes, including even artisans, sort of somewhat wealthy artisians, shopkeepers, are suddenly able to buy a much larger range of products than they were before. They're able to choose how to basically furnish their own lives, if you will, how they're gonna dress, what they're going to eat, what they gonna put on the walls of their apartments and so on and so forth. And so they become accustomed to exercising a great deal more personal choice than their ancestors have done. And the Enlightenment really develops in tandem with this. Most of the great works of the Enlightment, they're not really written to, they're treatises, they're like Kant, they're written to persuade you to think in a single way. Really written to make you ask questions yourself, to force you to ponder things. They're written in the form of puzzles and riddles. Voltaire had a great line there, he wrote that the best kind of books are the books that readers write half of themselves as they read, and that's sort of the quintessence of the Enlightenment as far as I'm concerned.Andrew Keen: Yeah, Voltaire might have been comfortable on YouTube or Facebook. David, you mentioned all those ships going from Europe across the Atlantic. Of course, many of those ships were filled with African slaves. You mentioned this in your piece. I mean, this is no secret, of course. You also mentioned a couple of times Montesquieu's Persian letters. To what extent is... The enlightenment then perhaps the birth of Western power, of Western colonialism, of going to Africa, seizing people, selling them in North America, the French, the English, Dutch colonization of the rest of the world. Of course, later more sophisticated Marxist thinkers from the Frankfurt School, you mentioned these in your essay, Odorno and Horkheimer in particular, See the Enlightenment as... A project, if you like, of Western domination. I remember reading many years ago when I was in graduate school, Edward Said, his analysis of books like The Persian Letters, which is a form of cultural Western power. How much of this is simply bound up in the profound, perhaps, injustice of the Western achievement? And of course, some of the justice as well. We haven't talked about Jefferson, but perhaps in Jefferson's life and his thinking and his enlightened principles and his... Life as a slave owner, these contradictions are most self-evident.David Bell: Well, there are certainly contradictions, and there's certainly... I think what's remarkable, if you think about it, is that if you read through works of the Enlightenment, you would be hard-pressed to find a justification for slavery. You do find a lot of critiques of slavery, and I think that's something very important to keep in mind. Obviously, the chattel slavery of Africans in the Americas began well before the Enlightment, it began in 1500. The Enlightenment doesn't have the credit for being the first movement to oppose slavery. That really goes back to various religious groups, especially the Fakers. But that said, you have in France, you had in Britain, in America even, you'd have a lot of figures associated with the Enlightenment who were pretty sure of becoming very forceful opponents of slavery very early. Now, when it comes to imperialism, that's a tricky issue. What I think you'd find in these light bulbs, you'd different sorts of tendencies and different sorts of writings. So there are certainly a lot of writers of the Enlightenment who are deeply opposed to European authorities. One of the most popular works of the late Enlightenment was a collective work edited by the man named the Abbe Rinal, which is called The History of the Two Indies. And that is a book which is deeply, deeply critical of European imperialism. At the same time, at the same of the enlightenment, a lot the works of history written during the Enlightment. Tended, such as Voltaire's essay on customs, which I just mentioned, tend to give a kind of very linear version of history. They suggest that all societies follow the same path, from sort of primitive savagery, hunter-gatherers, through early agriculture, feudal stages, and on into sort of modern commercial society and civilization. And so they're basically saying, okay, we, the Europeans, are the most advanced. People like the Africans and the Native Americans are the least advanced, and so perhaps we're justified in going and quote, bringing our civilization to them, what later generations would call the civilizing missions, or possibly just, you know, going over and exploiting them because we are stronger and we are more, and again, we are the best. And then there's another thing that the Enlightenment did. The Enlightenment tended to destroy an older Christian view of humankind, which in some ways militated against modern racism. Christians believed, of course, that everyone was the same from Adam and Eve, which meant that there was an essential similarity in the world. And the Enlightenment challenged this by challenging the biblical kind of creation. The Enlightenment challenges this. Voltaire, for instance, believed that there had actually been several different human species that had different origins, and that can very easily become a justification for racism. Buffon, one of the most Figures of the French Enlightenment, one of the early naturalists, was crucial for trying to show that in fact nature is not static, that nature is always changing, that species are changing, including human beings. And so again, that allowed people to think in terms of human beings at different stages of evolution, and perhaps this would be a justification for privileging the more advanced humans over the less advanced. In the 18th century itself, most of these things remain potential, rather than really being acted upon. But in the 19th century, figures of writers who would draw upon these things certainly went much further, and these became justifications for slavery, imperialism, and other things. So again, the Enlightenment is the source of a great deal of stuff here, and you can't simply put it into one box or more.Andrew Keen: You mentioned earlier, David, that Concorda wrote one of the later classics of the... Condorcet? Sorry, Condorcets, excuse my French. Condorcès wrote one the later Classics of the Enlightenment when he was hiding from the French Revolution. In your mind, was the revolution itself the natural conclusion, climax? Perhaps anti-climax of the Enlightenment. Certainly, it seems as if a lot of the critiques of the French Revolution, particularly the more conservative ones, Burke comes to mind, suggested that perhaps the principles of in the Enlightment inevitably led to the guillotine, or is that an unfair way of thinking of it?David Bell: Well, there are a lot of people who have thought like that. Edmund Burke already, writing in 1790, in his reflections on the revolution in France, he said that everything which was great in the old regime is being dissolved and, quoting, dissolved by this new conquering empire of light and reason. And then he said about the French that in the groves of their academy at the end of every vista, you see nothing but the gallows. Nothing but the Gallows. So there, in 1780, he already seemed to be predicting the reign of terror and blaming it. A certain extent from the Enlightenment. That said, I think, you know, again, the French Revolution is incredibly complicated event. I mean, you certainly have, you know, an explosion of what we could call Enlightenment thinking all over the place. In France, it happened in France. What happened there was that you had a, you know, the collapse of an extraordinarily inefficient government and a very, you know, in a very antiquated, paralyzed system of government kind of collapsed, created a kind of political vacuum. Into that vacuum stepped a lot of figures who were definitely readers of the Enlightenment. Oh so um but again the Enlightment had I said I don't think you can call the Enlightement a single thing so to say that the Enlightiment inspired the French Revolution rather than the There you go.Andrew Keen: Although your essay on liberties is the Enlightenment then and now you probably didn't write is always these lazy editors who come up with inaccurate and inaccurate titles. So for you, there is no such thing as the Enlighten.David Bell: No, there is. There is. But still, it's a complex thing. It contains multitudes.Andrew Keen: So it's the Enlightenment rather than the United States.David Bell: Conflicting tendencies, it has contradictions within it. There's enough unity to refer to it as a singular noun, but it doesn't mean that it all went in one single direction.Andrew Keen: But in historical terms, did the failure of the French Revolution, its descent into Robespierre and then Bonaparte, did it mark the end in historical terms a kind of bookend of history? You began in 1720 by 1820. Was the age of the Enlightenment pretty much over?David Bell: I would say yes. I think that, again, one of the things about the French Revolution is that people who are reading these books and they're reading these ideas and they are discussing things really start to act on them in a very different way from what it did before the French revolution. You have a lot of absolute monarchs who are trying to bring certain enlightenment principles to bear in their form of government, but they're not. But it's difficult to talk about a full-fledged attempt to enact a kind of enlightenment program. Certainly a lot of the people in the French Revolution saw themselves as doing that. But as they did it, they ran into reality, I would say. I mean, now Tocqueville, when he writes his old regime in the revolution, talks about how the French philosophes were full of these abstract ideas that were divorced from reality. And while that's an exaggeration, there was a certain truth to them. And as soon as you start having the age of revolutions, as soon you start people having to devise systems of government that will actually last, and as you have people, democratic representative systems that will last, and as they start revising these systems under the pressure of actual events, then you're not simply talking about an intellectual movement anymore, you're talking about something very different. And so I would say that, well, obviously the ideas of the Enlightenment continue to inspire people, the books continue to be read, debated. They lead on to figures like Kant, and as we talked about earlier, Kant leads to Hegel, Hegel leads to Marx in a certain sense. Nonetheless, by the time you're getting into the 19th century, what you have, you know, has connections to the Enlightenment, but can we really still call it the Enlightment? I would sayAndrew Keen: And Tocqueville, of course, found democracy in America. Is democracy itself? I know it's a big question. But is it? Bound up in the Enlightenment. You've written extensively, David, both for liberties and elsewhere on liberalism. Is the promise of democracy, democratic systems, the one born in the American Revolution, promised in the French Revolution, not realized? Are they products of the Enlightment, or is the 19th century and the democratic systems that in the 19th century, is that just a separate historical track?David Bell: Again, I would say there are certain things in the Enlightenment that do lead in that direction. Certainly, I think most figures in the enlightenment in one general sense or another accepted the idea of a kind of general notion of popular sovereignty. It didn't mean that they always felt that this was going to be something that could necessarily be acted upon or implemented in their own day. And they didn't necessarily associate generalized popular sovereignty with what we would now call democracy with people being able to actually govern themselves. Would be certain figures, certainly Diderot and some of his essays, what we saw very much in the social contract, you know, were sketching out, you knows, models for possible democratic system. Condorcet, who actually lived into the French Revolution, wrote one of the most draft constitutions for France, that's one of most democratic documents ever proposed. But of course there were lots of figures in the Enlightenment, Voltaire, and others who actually believed much more in absolute monarchy, who believed that you just, you know, you should have. Freedom of speech and freedom of discussion, out of which the best ideas would emerge, but then you had to give those ideas to the prince who imposed them by poor sicknesses.Andrew Keen: And of course, Rousseau himself, his social contract, some historians have seen that as the foundations of totalitarian, modern totalitarianism. Finally, David, your wonderful essay in Liberties in the spring quarterly 2025 is The Enlightenment, Then and Now. What about now? You work at Princeton, your president has very bravely stood up to the new presidential regime in the United States, in defense of academic intellectual freedom. Does the word and the movement, does it have any relevance in the 2020s, particularly in an age of neo-authoritarianism around the world?David Bell: I think it does. I think we have to be careful about it. I always get a little nervous when people say, well, we should simply go back to the Enlightenment, because the Enlightenments is history. We don't go back the 18th century. I think what we need to do is to recover certain principles, certain ideals from the 18 century, the ones that matter to us, the ones we think are right, and make our own Enlightenment better. I don't think we need be governed by the 18 century. Thomas Paine once said that no generation should necessarily rule over every generation to come, and I think that's probably right. Unfortunately in the United States, we have a constitution which is now essentially unamendable, so we're doomed to live by a constitution largely from the 18th century. But are there many things in the Enlightenment that we should look back to, absolutely?Andrew Keen: Well, David, I am going to free you for your own French Enlightenment. You can go and have some croissant now in your local cafe in Paris. Thank you so much for a very, I excuse the pun, enlightening conversation on the Enlightenment then and now, Essential Essay in Liberties. I'd love to get you back on the show. Talk more history. Thank you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Josh 21:1-22:20, Luke 20:1-26, Ps 89:1-13, Pr 13:15-16

740 Three Day Uncertainty, A Guided Christian Meditation on Joshua 1:10-11 with the Recenter With Christ app The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect wi h the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving jor anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation Joshua 1 NIV 10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.'” NASB 10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are going to cross this Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving you, to possess it.'”. Meditation on Scripture: Many times in our life we don't know what God is planning. Even when we feel like we do know what God wants for us, it is generally a short term plan. Here in this scripture they were told very little. Pack three days food for three days but God did not share intimate details will all those who were going on this trip it seems. I have a lot of experience in the military and it is often the case that most people are far from the decisions being made. They just do what they can with the very limited information they have. This thought reminded me of the surprise the early disciples must have faced. In preparation for Easter, during this week I have been reading and watching movies about the last week of Jesus' life I am often struck by how much we benefit from hindsight. When his apostles struggle to understand what Jessu was telling them about His death and resurrection it surprises us that they didnt see it coming. They thought that Jess would be the Messiah to deliver them from Roman occupation. And instead of being triumphant and sitting on the thrown of David, he died. The disciples had such limited understanding and they tried their best. Luckily God understood them.  Similarly it is with us. Most of the time we don't understand what God has in mind for us even in the short term. WE dont know how to plan for His action in our life. WE struggle to understand all His word also. The resurrection shows us several important things. God has a plan and will execute it to bless our lives. It also shows us that we are not owed perfect understanding before we take action with the Lord. As you reflect on the blessing of the resurrection, remember that it is not required for us to understand all of God's plan in order for that plan to bless us.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod    

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Sam 23; Ps 31,54; Matt 7 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 special Easter Sunday episode, Heather guides us through day 110 of our journey in the scriptures, reminding us of the hope and joy found in the resurrection—He is risen indeed! Together with listeners from around the world, we dive into First Samuel 23, Psalm 31, Psalm 54, and Matthew 7, seeking to see Jesus as the true source of life. Heather offers thoughtful reflection on what it means to live out the gospel, emphasizing that Christ's transforming love is a gift we receive, not something we earn. As we pray and meditate on God's word, we're encouraged to trust our good Father, live with love and courage, and let the joy of the Lord be our strength. Join us as we meditate, pray, and celebrate the risen life of Christ together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught, yet only a few seem to find it. Only one truly lived that way. He is the door through which we must pass in order for that kind of life to be possible for us. But the gateway to life is very narrow, and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Unless we die to our own efforts and come to Jesus for that life, we will miss the kingdom entirely. The road is difficult because it requires us to die to our own selfish way of life. That is why few ever find it. He is the gate into kingdom life. Living a life where we are doing unto others what we would like them to do to us is the gospel working itself out in us. The spirit of Christ transforms our very character, and that is a gift from our good father. It's not something earned, strived for, or sweated out to obtain. No. It's a gift from God. It's a gift accomplished for humanity on the cross. His resurrection life in and for us is what we are celebrating this Easter day. As children, we are to trust our good father. He won't give us a snake if we ask for a fish. He knows how to give good gifts that get to the essence of our very life and come after our heart. He is a good father who gives his children good gifts. This is the good news, the gospel. Ours is to wake up to the reality that he is the good thing, our true life that alone can transform us from the inside out. Ours is to welcome the gospel that transforms us, making us people that love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to seek, knock, find, and pursue him with all our heart, mind, strength, and soul by the power of his Spirit. Then we will begin to experience the heart of our good Father, and he will produce in us the good fruit of good trees. He empowers us to live the way we were always intended to live. Allow God, through his spirit, to transform you. His life in you is what makes you a good tree that produces good fruit. Live with the awareness that your father is good. May that be our prayer and our pursuit today. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Psalm 121, Psalm 123-125, Psalm 128-130

Psalm 121, Psalm 123-125, Psalm 128-130

Sunday Service (4/13/25) // Revelation 2: 12-17 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch DAF Donations: https://every.org/mbc.chicago PayPal/Credit: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... Revelation 2: 12-17 (ESV) To the Church in Pergamum12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[a] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'Footnotesa. Revelation 2:13 Or your faith in me#DanielBatarseh #Revelation #BookofRevelation #BibleStudy #mbchicago #mbcchicago #Bible #versebyverse #sermon #sermons #sermononline #bookofrevelation #bookofrevelations #revelation #revelations #newtestament #scripture #verses #lessons #church #chicago #livechurch #churchlive #chicagochurch #chicagochurches #prophecy #prophetic #jesus #jesuschrist

He is risen! On this episode of Coffee to Go, Karen and Blake look closely at Mary Magdalene's experience at the tomb – from darkness and weeping to a personal encounter with the risen Christ. They ask: How do our expectations limit us from seeing God at work? And have you felt the Spirit call you by name? Discover the significance of being called by name and challenge yourself to see the Divine in the everyday. Download TranscriptThanks for listening to Project Zion Podcast!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. copyright@umcmission.org “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey. NOTE: The series that make up the Project Zion Podcast explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Project Zion Podcast is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ.

Huang Hua Yang is a former farmer and the deepest freediving athlete from the beautiful country of Taiwan. One of the deepest men in the world, he shares his freediving story and philosophy with us.In this episode we discuss:Huayang  joined us from Panglao, Philippines at the time of recording, where he was training for the Asian Freediving Cup.Comparing conditions in Panglao and Taiwan.Donny lived in Taiwan for ten years and started a freediving school there.Huayang was a farmer from the countryside close to Taoyuan, before he came to freediving in 2011.Talking of the beauty of Taiwan's Orchid Island.Shout out to Wayne and Yen at Weirdos Freediving and Wu How at Deep Soul.Huayang took his first freediving course in 2015, possibly one of the first PADI freediving courses.Huayang did his instructor course with JP Francois at Freediving Planet in Moalboal, Philippines.A question from Patreon supporter Tom Way about the freediving scene in Taiwan.Taiwanese diver Haixiang beats Alexey in DNF in competition.About the future of freediving competitions and their taking place in Asia.Huayang's journey to depth and competitions.Shout out to Huayang's coach Theo-Patrick Fourcade.What are the fundamentals of training for freediving for Huayang? How has it changed over time?Does he see any major differences in the training philosophies of Western and Asian freedivers?Comparing different training approaches of different coaches.Different athletes need different approaches.What does it take to dive deeper than 100m?Huayang's experience with lung squeeze and how to avoid it?His experiences with narcosis, how does it feel?The benefits of RV diving for training compressibility.How a week of training looks like for him at the moment.On teaching equalisation to speakers of different languages.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVE CONTENTWhy does he freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Starting Sunday, April 27, I will release full length episodes of your daily horoscopes on the podcast again. I will release one episode a day. Every Sunday on my Patreon, I will continue to drop a batch of 7 episodes of your daily horoscope for the week ahead (to help you plan out your life + learn about the type of energy you will be navigating), as well as a weekly psychic reading (which includes a tarot reading, messages from Spirit + signs of confirmation) as well. You can become a Patron here for $3 a month. I write, edit, film, and produce each and every episode all on my own and you support literally helps me put diapers on my baby and it means so so much :) Thank you all for being here, it's such a blessing and joy in my life.Support the show

Josh 21:1-22:20, Luke 20:1-26, Ps 89:1-13, Pr 13:15-16

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia! Easter Sunday is the first day of New Creation in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. And every Sunday, the first day of the week, is a little Easter, as the Church participates in the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Table. Jesus enacts this pattern of worship with the two forlorn disciples on the road to Emmaus. In experiencing the risen Lord, their hearts burn within them, as he interprets the Scriptures concerning him. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him in the breaking of the Bread. Luke 24:13–35 Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may, by your life-giving Spirit, be delivered from sin and raised from death; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

What if surrender was the missing key to manifesting your desires?

Explore what it truly means to live a Spirit-empowered life like Jesus. Drawing from Scriptures like Galatians 3:3, Romans 8:11, Acts 10:38, and John 3:1–8, uncover how Jesus operated in the Holy Spirit throughout His life and ministry—and how we are called to do the same. Learn why we often drift into self-reliance, how to know if you've received the Holy Spirit, and how to return to a life fueled by Holy Ghost and power.

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 26:9-21 (ESV)9 My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.10 If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness;in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the Lord.11 O Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it.Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed. Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.12 O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.13 O Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone we bring to remembrance.14 They are dead, they will not live; they are shades, they will not arise;to that end you have visited them with destruction and wiped out all remembrance of them.15 But you have increased the nation, O Lord, you have increased the nation; you are glorified; you have enlarged all the borders of the land.16 O Lord, in distress they sought you; they poured out a whispered prayer when your discipline was upon them.17 Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth,so were we because of you, O Lord;18 we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind.We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you;hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.21 For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity,and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.Sermon OutlineThe Easter message is life-giving news for people who are drying out and dying (v19).1. You Who Dwell in the Dustv9 “my soul yearns for you in the night… the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness” v16 “in distress they sought you, they poured out a whispered prayer…”v17-18 “like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs… we writhed but we have given birth to wind.”2. Awake and Sing for Joyv21 “behold the Lord is coming… the earth will disclose the blood shed in it…”v19 “your dead shall live… the earth will give birth to the dead”v19 “your dew is a dew of light”Prayer of ConfessionO living God, our souls yearn for you. We are children of dust – frail, broken, and burdened by the corruption that dwells within us and all around us. Like Cain, we wrestle with shame, envy and anger. Our efforts to mend ourselves and repair the world have been like labor pains that give birth to wind. We need Jesus – the One who descended in humility, who entered our dust to raise us from it. We need your Spirit - to breathe life into our dying bodies, to revive hearts grown cold, and to raise us from the ashes of our sin. Do not deal with us as our sins deserve, but look upon us with mercy. Forgive us for the sake of Christ, who gave his life that we might have life in him. Awaken us, O Lord, to your marvelous grace. Renew us by the power of your resurrection. And lead us into the joy of new life, through Jesus Christ, our risen savior. Amen.Questions for ReflectionDo you ever feel like you “dwell in the dust”? What does it mean to be dust? Describe what it is like to feel like you dwell in dust.Can you relate to Cain, who felt he wasn't good enough, needed to improve, but whose growing resentment outpaced his energy to fix himself or rightly deal with his problem? What temptations rise when our efforts fail and frustrations growHow do you respond to the injustices of the world – when the innocent suffer and the guilty seem to thrive? How does this shape your trust in God, His justice, His timing? Does it feel like something is missing in life? What do you think it is?Why is it significant that Abel is remembered in the New Testament? What can we infer from the fact that Jesus came remembering Abel and the righteous whose blood was shed since his time?How are Jesus' sufferings like labor pains?How does receiving the Holy Spirit change us? Keeping in mind the imagery of dry dust, what happens when God's Spirit starts to work within us?What are some specific components of the Easter message that are reasons for rejoicing? What can you recognize, take hold of, and meditate on, that would breathe hope and encouragement into your soul?Have you ever prayed to receive the Holy Spirit? If not, what is stopping you? If you have, how can you seek God for fillings of the Spirit? What priorities will help you live a Spirit-empowered life?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Episode Summary: The resurrection reminds us that the gospel is not just about our personal, private salvation and growth in holiness (which is called the two-chapter gospel.) Such a gospel leads to separating from the lost, forgetting their inherent value as those created in God's image, and devaluing the (common grace) contributions they make to our culture. In contrast, the resurrection of Christ's physical body reminds us that the true gospel story has four chapters: creation, fall, redemption, restoration. Christ-followers are called to be part of the greatest mission in the history of the world, Christ's renewal of our corner of planet earth to bring about the righteousness and flourishing that God intends for each part of his creation. This episode seeks to capture our hearts with the greatness of the mission our Lord has assigned to us.For Further Prayerful Thought:Celebrate the fact that your calling from Christ is to part of the biggest enterprise in the history of the world—Christ's overthrow of Satan, sin, and death and establishment of his kingdom of righteousness over nook and cranny of earth.The Council of Nicaea countered the heresy that Christ's resurrection was just spiritual by insisting that Orthodox Christianity believes in the resurrection of the body. It also decreed that all towns with cathedrals build hospitals. How are these two decisions related to one another?How does the two-chapter gospel deny what Jesus said was his reason for coming to earth when he quoted Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor”? Resources Used All Things New by Hugh WhelchelThe Call of the Jericho Road by Tim KellerDiscipling Men's Hearts Through Kingdom Theology by Gary Yagel (doctoral dissertation)For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men's issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

The resurrection of Jesus…It's not just a fairy tale. It's a historical event that sent shockwaves through time and space whose effects are still making waves today. In this message, we see that from the moment Jesus declared “It Is Finished”, he always brought others out of the grave with HIM.

On the very first Resurrection Sunday, two heartbroken disciples walked away from Jerusalem and into the arms of the risen Christ. As they traveled the dusty road to Emmaus, Jesus met them, opened the Scriptures to them, and revealed a promise that still stands: that through life and death, God brings his people into joy forever.“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.  Luke 24:25-27 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul… More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter than honey are drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7a, 10-11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11For life group discussion questions, visit: lifechurchnc.com/sermonsLife Church exists to glorify God by making disciples who treasure Christ, grow together, and live on mission. Salisbury, NCFollow us online:lifechurchnc.comFacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitter