Podcasts about spiritually

We talk about healing as though it's inevitable. As though proximity to Scripture, therapy language, or Christian community automatically produces transformation. But God does not force anyone into wholeness. He invites. He confronts. He calls. And too many believers confuse awareness with growth. This week on Win Today, Debra Fileta joins me for a sober conversation about emotional health and spiritual maturity. We examine why so many Christians remain emotionally immature while sounding spiritually fluent, how "trauma-informed" has in some circles become trauma-defined identity, and why you cannot become spiritually mature if your mental and emotional life is neglected. Healing is not passive. It is participatory. If your faith is sincere but your reactions are volatile… if you know the right language but keep repeating the same patterns… or if you've mistaken self-protection for self-awareness, this episode will clarify what real growth actually requires. Guest Bio Debra Fileta is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in relationship, marital, mental, and emotional health. She is the author of five books, host of the Love + Relationships Podcast, and founder of TrueLoveDates.com, a widely read relationship advice platform reaching millions worldwide. Known for her candid yet compassionate voice, Debra integrates clinical insight with Christian faith to help individuals and couples pursue emotional health and stronger relationships. Her work has been featured in outlets including Christianity Today, Focus on the Family, Relevant Magazine, Crosswalk.com, Charisma Magazine, and more. Show Partner SafeSleeve designs a phone case that blocks up to 99% of harmful EMF radiation—so I'm not carrying that kind of exposure next to my body all day. It's sleek, durable, and most importantly, lab-tested by third parties. The results aren't hidden—they're published right on their site. And that matters because many so-called EMF blockers on the market either don't work or can't prove they do. We protect our hearts and minds—why wouldn't we protect our bodies too? Head to safesleevecases.com and use the code WINTODAY10 for 10% off your order. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my book "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Think spirituality means having it all figured out? Think again. In this episode, we dive into the myth of the "perfectly enlightened" spiritual person and get real about what the journey actually looks like. Being a spiritual hot mess doesn't disqualify you from the path. It might actually mean you're doing it right. Learn more about Juan Francisco at juanfrancisco.co, or follow him at @thisjuanfrancisco on social media.

Visit our YouTube channel, "Our Finest Hour Church" or call or text 918-279-1243 if you would like the full sermon.

What do you do when you know you need God's Word but don't feel like opening your Bible through the battle of TTC? This episode offers biblical encouragement and practical habits to help you reconnect with God, even in spiritually dry seasons.

Have you ever struggled to open your Bible or felt disconnected from God? In today's Crosswalk Devotional, we reflect on Galatians 6:9 and discover that spiritual weariness doesn't mean your faith has failed. Even the most faithful believers experience seasons of exhaustion, discouragement, and spiritual dryness—but God invites us to keep taking small, faithful steps instead of giving up. Rather than striving for the perfect quiet time, God calls us to remain faithful in the little things. One verse, one prayer, or one quiet moment in His presence can become the beginning of renewed strength. Even when you can't see it, God is working beneath the surface, producing spiritual growth that will bear fruit in His perfect timing. Highlights: Discover why spiritual weariness is a normal part of the Christian journey—not a sign of failed faith. Learn what Galatians 6:9 teaches about perseverance when you feel spiritually exhausted. Be encouraged that faithfulness matters more than feelings or motivation. Find practical ways to reconnect with God through small, consistent daily habits. Understand how seasons of dryness often become places where God develops deeper spiritual maturity. Rest in the promise that God is producing a harvest, even when you can't yet see the fruit. Join the Conversation Have you ever gone through a spiritually dry season? What simple habit or Scripture has helped you reconnect with God when your motivation was low? We'd love to hear your story in the comments. Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/ Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: What to Do When You Feel Spiritually Unmotivated By Sarah Frazer Bible Reading:“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” - Galatians 6:9 (ESV) I didn’t want to read my Bible. That is something that is hard to admit, especially since I’ve been a Christian for over twenty-five years. Of course, it hasn’t always been this way. Many mornings, I wake up ready to open up God’s Word and dive in. On other days, I’ve woken up late, or weary, or both. The Bible sits on the table next to my favorite chair unopened for the day. The guilt washes over me, and I wonder if tomorrow will be better. Only tomorrow isn’t better, and my life spirals into a pattern of being spiritually unmotivated. How do we keep going, keep having faith, and keep trusting God when our spiritual life feels empty? After a while, I’ve missed more than just a day, but a routine. After neglecting my time with God, I’ve seen a shift in my heart. Something is just… off. Many spiritual leaders, teachers, and authors talk about these seasons. They often call this time in our lives the “wilderness” season. This metaphor comes from the stories in the Bible when God would lead people into a physical wilderness, with little water, food, or shelter. It is a spot where maybe God’s blessings seem nonexistent. Our wilderness season isn’t something we rush through, muster through, or a time to abandon our faith. The hardest thing for me in a season of deep hardship, whether that is physically, spiritually, or emotionally, is that my motivation for the spiritual disciplines comes and goes. Our faith doesn’t feel vibrant, but dry. Let me offer some encouragement right here: a lack of enthusiasm doesn’t mean a lack of faith; it just means you are human. Paul writes in Galatians 6:9 to the believers: “Let us not grow weary in doing good…” Paul acknowledged the possibility and likelihood of being weary. In fact, Paul also included himself in that category. He said, “Let us…” It was even possible and probably that Paul would grow tired. Even faithful believers get exhausted! The answer Paul offers is not, “try harder…” but “don’t give up.” I’ll admit that in the middle of feeling fatigued, I always imagined God telling me to try harder, do better, and just move forward. In the middle of my messes and mistakes, God instead invites me to explore maybe why I’m so tired. Some simple self-reflection with the help of God's Spirit can help us pinpoint a reason for our wilderness season. Maybe it is because of physical exhaustion. Life is full, and many times we enter a period of time where we can get very little sleep, and our bodies are just tired. Emotional heaviness can also cause stress and discouragement. Carrying the weight of emotional hurt and heartache, whether that is our own or others’, leaves us fatigued. The dry seasons of life, especially our spiritual life, can sometimes be because of the repetitive nature of our lives. Getting up, doing the same thing, and repeating our days week after week, month after month, can wear us out. When we find ourselves in this type of routine, we might also place unrealistic expectations on what a quiet time with God “should” look like. What do we do when we wake up each morning unable to motivate ourselves spiritually? First, we keep it simple and small. Read one verse. Write a verse on a card and keep it by your bed or in your bathroom. Take one moment of your morning and turn towards God. As you do this, remove the pressure to have the “perfect” quiet time. Or, better yet, don’t try to copy or emulate what your time with God used to be like. Our faith is a growing faith, which means it changes. Paul’s answer to weariness was not to work harder, but not to give up. Showing up imperfectly is better than not showing up at all. Faithfulness goes much deeper than simple motivation. Paul says we will feel weary, but the harvest is coming. He says we will “reap,” which means there will be growth and fruit! If you feel unmotivated today, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to have it all together to keep going. God simply invites you not to give up. To take one small step. To trust that even in this season, He is growing something you cannot yet see. Intersecting Faith & Life: When you feel spiritually unmotivated, what is one small, simple way you can turn your attention back to God today? Try simply to read a verse, or say one prayer on your way to work this morning. Put your Bible in a place where you drink your coffee or get ready. The audio version of the Bible is also a great way to connect with God on the go. Further Reading:2 Thessalonians 3:13Psalm 73:26Philippians 1:6Psalm 126:5 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

p3 radio ep 467 Spiritually robbed by Richard and Josh

We all want to change for the better, but lasting transformation rarely happens overnight. Life has a way of testing our patience, our attitudes, and our faith. The good news is that God isn't asking you to become a different person on your own. He invites you to let Him transform you from the inside out, one day at a time.In Romans 12:2, we're reminded that real hope begins when we stop copying the patterns of the world and allow God to change the way we think. As we spend time in His presence through prayer, His Word, and worship, He slowly shapes us into people who respond with love, peace, and faith instead of fear, frustration, and anxiety.Your circumstances may not change as quickly as you'd like, but God is changing you to handle them with greater strength and confidence. Leave the past behind, focus on today, and ask God for His perspective. As you draw closer to Him, you'll discover that hope doesn't depend on perfect circumstances. It rises because God is faithfully at work in your life.Subscribe to Our Channel! New to LifeRock? Click here: liferockchurch.org/get-connectedTo support this ministry and help us reach people in our community. Click here: liferockchurch.org/giveDo you need someone to pray for you? We will pray for you. Click here: liferockchurch.org/online-prayerFollow: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeRockColumbiaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/LifeRockChurchX: https://www.x.com/LifeRockChurch

Every time you listen to a Spiritually Stronger episode this year, you're hearing Riley Clemmons' voice in the intro and outro music! Last year, I got to sit down with Riley and Dave Haywood and write this song to go along with our podcast series and I am SOOO thrilled that we get to finally release the whole song to you. So wherever you listen to music - Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, wherever, you can now stream our song Spiritually Stronger that is beautifully recorded and performed by Riley Clemmons. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for watching! We pray you are blessed by this and that you experience the love and closeness of Jesus through it!https://www.thebeehive.live/blog/familyleadershipFirst time or new here? Visit https://newlifetucson.com/firststepWebsite: https://newlifetucson.comChurch Online: https://newlifetucson.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/newlifebiblefellowshiptucsonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/newlifetucson/Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2195491

In this stream I am joined by Fr. Michael Marcantoni to discuss the spiritual dangers of modern America and how both men and women should try spiritually navigate it. Make sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think. God Bless

What percent chance of rain makes you grab an umbrella? Spiritually, I don't need a forecast to know I need to be prepared. Ephesians 6 reminds me to put on the full armor of God every day.

Armored Against Demon Invasion (audio) David Eells – 7/15/26 Bundle of Serpents Attacks  John David Feagin - 10/31/2011 (David's notes in red) In the brief dream I had, there was a bundle, like the old-fashioned bundle of wheat that was being passed down from two others in line to me, only this bundle was a bundle of serpents. I could tell that they were very venomous serpents, like sea snakes, cobras, mambas, or coral snakes. They tried to bite my arm and, naturally, I did not like this. I did remember that we are immune to the bites of serpents if we are covered in the Blood of Jesus, so this is where I put my trust. I was no longer so concerned and set them aside. At the time I awoke, this was puzzling to me, but now, after some thought, I believe I understand it more fully. The snakes involved have neurotoxins, which attack the brain, that is, our thoughts. We are strictly warned to take captive our every thought (that is, against the knowledge of God's Word) and this now means much more to me than it ever has before. I am certainly no expert with such things or spiritual warfare, but I do know that demons associated with pornography, bitterness, criticism, faction, etc., are very powerful and deadly. I also know that demons can be transferred by men, and inadvertently opening doors, even with the best of intentions, can invite personal attack. I personally believe this was a warning to be very careful, but it may also be a general warning to others as well, and may be applied to all sorts of demonic or thought influence. If the enemy can truly read our thoughts and insert them, as has been shown in a previous UBM study, then this is particularly devious. It is difficult to reject such thoughts if you think they are your own.  Then, this morning, as a sort of confirmation, I saw the UBM update about the bug detector and casting such thoughts to hell immediately in the name of Jesus. I also noticed that when I was praying, in the Word, and seeking wisdom in such matters, my thoughts were clear, but when my guard was down, my own thoughts and emotions in the matter, no matter how well-intended, were somewhat intoxicating. So, forewarned is forearmed. God bless always in His service.  Be careful of slander and criticism for the purpose of making disciples. It comes only from demons, and those they can use, and it comes for only one reason -- to impart demons and poison minds against someone the devil hates. Demons impersonating aliens to turn the world to the mark of the beast to destroy Christianity. The Word for “heresies” or “parties” in Galatians 5:20 means “a self-willed opinion leading to division”. The word for factions among these works of the flesh means separating followers through selfish ambition. Demons impersonate righteous indignation but are actually criticism or new revelation. {Jas.3:14} But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. {15} This wisdom is not [a wisdom] that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. {16} For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.   Bluffing Demons & Spiritual Authority  Sandy Shaw 11/09/2011 (David's notes in red) The way this dream starts is that I'm walking into this room, and I'm watching a group of men (some I know, some I don't know) who are turning around and leaving the room. I ask the ladies there, “Where are the men going?” (These men are the chosen.)  The women who are there tell me not to worry because they need to go -- they have to go. The Lord wants them to go. When this happens, I feel like all the women are in unity that the men needed to go. (The spiritual catching up to the throne anointing of those who will return as the Man-child reformer ministry.) I then grab Tina's hand and ask, “Don't you feel the winds of change?” She answers, “What?” Then I say, “The change. The winds of change. Don't you feel the winds of change?” (From this point on, everything will change both positively for those who love God and are called according to His purpose and negatively for the wicked; a separation of the wheat from the tares. Tina ended up going factious, the opposite of Sandy.)  Then I go from there to an ancient-looking town square or plaza. People are walking all around. There are archways all around the square leading into different hallways, buildings, or rooms. It looks and feels like it's an ancient city. (Archways were made famous by the ancient Romans, who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures. We are seeing a revival of the iron and clay of Daniel's end-time vision of the 10 toes of the world beast kingdom. There is no dispute that the iron is the seed of the Roman Empire.) As I'm walking slowly through this square, I'm praying. I'm praying continuously because I can feel the presence of evil so strongly there. (Great darkness is about to descend as the principality of the old Roman Empire prepares to take charge and make the covenant with many, as spoken of in Daniel 9:26,27.) As I'm looking at some of the people, they look human, but for a brief moment, I can see certain demons that are controlling them. (As we watch this progressive revelation, the people who belong to the body of the beast become less and less human and more and more demon, just as those who belong to the body of Christ become less and less human and more and more sons of God. Those from among the people of God who do not forsake their evil will go with the wicked. {Rev.22:11} He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still. In the days before the coming of the Lord, at the end of the tribulation, Jesus will come in and then with His saints. {2Th.1:7} and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, {8} rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: {9} who shall suffer punishment, [even] eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, {10} when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.) As I'm praying, some man grabs my arm and pulls me into one of the hallways. As he is pulling me into the hallway, I hear someone in the square saying, “We gotta find her. We gotta find her. We have to stop her. Her prayers are reaching the throne of Heaven!” (These voices are the demons speaking through men). (Our prayers do reach the throne when sent by faith, and the demons' plans are thwarted. {Psa.10:17} Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek: Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. {Rom.10:13} for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. {Jer.33:3} Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will show thee great things, and difficult, which thou knowest not.) So the man pulls me into this room, and there are mostly men and a few women there. This room is full of uniforms of all different kinds. The people are trying to figure out which uniform to put on. Some of the uniforms are military. As they are excited about finding the right uniform to wear, they are trying them on. I know in the dream that these people are Christians. (The “Christians” will be worried about how to appear to the world in this dangerous time and what lifestyle to put on besides Christ's. A military uniform indicates a militant lifestyle in dealing with this beast system, which will be disastrous since “they who take the sword will die by the sword”. We must put on the uniform of the new man, who is in the image of Jesus and His actions, according to the knowledge of the Word. {Col.3:9} lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, {10} and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him.)  I tell them that they have it wrong and that the full armor that they need to put on is the full armor of God, not one of these physical uniforms made by man. The people just look at me, not receiving anything I'm saying (as apostate patriotic Christians). A man asks me to sit down and take a look at this uniform. Then this man puts on some kind of uniform with a jacket. The jacket and uniform cover his legs, feet, and everything. There is a hood to the jacket that covers his whole head with a face-covering mask. The material of the jacket is a material I've never felt before. They then pour chemicals over it, resulting in no damage. Then they turn a blowtorch on it, and the torch doesn't burn or damage it. (As a volunteer fireman for Exxon, they gave us shirts that had metal woven into them to reflect heat.  Our government is allying with alien impersonating demons like the galactic federation or alliance in hopes of profiting from their “higher technology.” But these hate Christians and will help to bring about the mark of the beast to be rid of them.) They are really excited about the uniform/jacket and are picking it to be the one they will use. (There is no safety outside of God's will. He sent the curse, and no man can defend from it. {Jer.17:5} Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah. ... {7} Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is. {8} For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.) I tell them again, “No, you have it wrong; it's the full armor of God that you need to put on. There is nothing manmade that will help you. You only need the full armor of God”. I then get up and walk out of there into the long hallway. As I walk down the hallway, it is full of men lining up to put on the uniform they think is going to help them in the battle ahead. {Psa.33:16} There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. {17} A horse is a vain thing for safety; Neither doth he deliver any by his great power. {18} Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, Upon them that hope in his lovingkindness; {19} To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. {20} Our soul hath waited for Jehovah: He is our help and our shield. ... {Psa.34:7} The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, And delivereth them. {8} Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good: Blessed is the man that taketh refuge in him.) After leaving the “Christians” in their false confidence, I kept walking and went back to the square. The ground in the square has changed: it's all dirt now, and I could see through the dirt. I see under the dirt different piles of bones all over the place. No one knows that those bones are there, and no one sees them either. I'm not quite sure why I'm seeing them. (The hidden bones represent those who are martyred behind the scenes because they are not prepared for the battle by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, as in Romans 13:12-14. Notice that putting on Jesus IS putting on God's armor or protection. Notice that it is always called the “armor of God” because it is God Himself. {Eph.6:11} Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {12} For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. {13} Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.  {14} Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, {15} and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; {16} withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. {17} And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: {18} with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Notice that putting on all of these attributes: truth, righteousness, the Gospel, and salvation are manifestations of the Word, Who is Jesus. Putting on Jesus is putting on God. It is the armor of GOD Himself.) I'm walking through the square again, and I'm praying because I need to get to the other side of the square. (Contrary to popular opinion, we will all have to pass through this time of the revived Roman beast with America at the head.) As I'm walking and praying, the people that I saw with demons controlling them, I now see as full-blown demons, but to the natural eye, they still looked human. (The worldly people will be totally possessed, though they appear to each other as normal, and we are seeing more of this happening now. The D.S. can only be picked out by their leftist demon doctrines.) There was one demon that would walk really fast. So fast that it seemed as if he was flying. This demon went right in front of my face, standing right in front of me but he could not see me. He was really angry and talking with authority, telling the other demons, “We have to find these people who are praying! NOW! NOW, I say! Find them! (Prayer by those who believe in its power will be both destructive to Satan's kingdom and defensive to those who walk in the Lord's Kingdom. {Jas.5:16} Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. {17} Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. {18} And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.)  I was standing right in front of him, praying, and the demon had no clue that I was there. (In other words, I was hidden in Christ.) So, I keep walking and when I get to the right-hand corner of the square, I look. I stop, turn around, and I'm looking! I'm watching these people. And the room is not really a room. The way that it feels is completely off, like when you walk into a room, and you can see the light, yet you can see shadows behind things. This was now completely reversed. There was light where shadows would normally be. There were bits and pieces of light. It was completely off, completely out of order. It just didn't feel or look right. (When the light is dark, and the dark is light, it is when good is called evil and evil is called good. This is where demon-possessed society is and has been going. {Isa.5:20} Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! We see this with demon-possessed people now.) After I walked through there, I saw what looked like some kind of old train depot-type thing. I know it's some kind of old transportation system. I'm in this room where there are two big fences with gates -- a cement-type fence. There is a gate, and people are going in and out of the gate. And then there is like a middle part where a lot of people are walking -- a lot of traffic. (To get where they want to go, Christians can't walk where the masses do in their bondage, spiritually speaking. {Mat.7:13} Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. {14} For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. We must be conformed by the Word within.) On the other end is the same kind of gate that people are entering this place from somewhere else. When I go there, I'm waiting for Tina, Sam, and my mom. I feel like Tina and Sam went to get my mom wherever she was to bring her here. I knew that it hadn't been very long since I had seen Tina and Sam, but that I hadn't seen my mom in a while. Tina and Sam were getting ready to go through the gate that's on the other side to go to the middle. My mom stopped them and said, “No, we can't go that way. We have to go the other way”. (Sandy said that she felt that if they had gone into the middle, they would have died. This warning was not taken seriously by them and they spiritually died. They did not listen. This is where the people of God need to go from the worldly to the spiritual; there cannot be ‘a halfway', ‘a lukewarm'. This would mean spiritual death to them in this time and a spewing out of the body of Christ. {Rev.3:15} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. {16} So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.) If you walked all the way around to the end, there was another part that was covered by the fence. They did not walk in the middle part. They had to walk all the way around to where I was. (The path of least resistance, or the shortcut, is the wrong way. The worldly church offers many of these. Just listen to them, and they will show you the quick and easy way to get saved and fly away, but the end is death.) They were almost down to that part, and there was another little gate to walk to the middle. My mom stopped and turned around and told Tina, “Grab Sam. He cannot walk in the middle. There is no middle; he can't walk in the middle”. (None of those who are lukewarm, middle-of-the-road walkers will spiritually survive.) As Sam goes toward the middle, Tina grabs him and they walk all the way around to where I was. I greet them and hug them. (This awakening was temporary.) Then I tell them, “Things are not what they seem to be”. My mom then says, “It's okay, it's okay, because everything that is happening is according to God's will. We just need to stay in constant prayer. {Pro.14:12} There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death. We just need to stay in constant prayer”. (In the days of strong delusion and deception, there's much advanced technology now using AI, CGI, and programming through drugs, mind control and manipulation, etc., we cannot walk according to our carnal mind or senses, or we will stumble. Prayer without ceasing is our command.) So, I'm walking ahead of them. Tina is walking on one side, my mom on the other side, both holding Sam's hand. Sam was not as old as he is now. He looked to be eight or nine years old. (We will have to help guide those Christians who are not yet mature in discernment. God will hear their prayers, too. Samuel is Hebrew for “God heard” or “God's name”. Shem is a variant of Sam, meaning “name”. Shem was the father of the people of the name, as Christians are now. Shem was the father of the Israelites.) Sam was trying not to act afraid when there was the presence of evil all around us. Even amongst all the evil, we knew we were under the protection of the Lord. There was no safe place other than the arms of God. I bent down to talk to Sam in his ear, saying, “It's okay to be afraid; you just fear the Lord. Don't fear anyone else or anything else. Nothing can harm you because they have to go through the Father first. Don't be afraid”. (Fear permits faith to be robbed and the enemies to take advantage of us. It is faith in reverse. {Psa.23:4} Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod [of correction] and thy staff [of direction], they comfort me. {5} Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over. (With this anointing of the Holy Spirit, we should give the good confession.) {6} Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for ever.) Then we started walking back to the square. The dirt has changed again. The dirt now seems like it's a mud-like consistency. But to the natural eye, it looks just like dirt. I still see the piles of bones now with the mud going between the fingers, toes, etc. But now I also see something like a circle; it's a tunnel and I can see it at weird angles and kind of far. The things that I'm seeing in these tunnels are body parts with the flesh. I'm seeing arms cut off, legs, face, head, all different kinds of body parts. They look to be freshly cut off from the body because I can still see the blood. The blood is still wet. I can see the nerves on some of these parts still shaking and moving. (The ‘powers that be' have made many underground tunnels connecting cities, where the military and special forces have found remains of countless people who were murdered by satanists. According to other dreams and prophecies I have seen, it is in these tunnels that the saints will be expected to renounce Jesus or die. It behooves us to walk carefully so we fill out both our days and our ministry.)  I'm getting ready to step, and I stop. I put my hand out to stop my mom, Tina, and Sam as I watch the details of the body parts freshly cut off. It was gross. I then asked them if they saw those parts. Tina and my mom saw it; Sam closed his eyes. He didn't want to see it. I then asked, “But it's not there?” My mom said, “Oh, but it is there under the dirt”. We stopped then and there, and we started praying. We were praying in tongues. While we were praying, I told Tina to take my mom and Sam to the outer part of the square, find a place, and begin praying and interceding. And that's what they did. (As with the Nazi persecutions in the death camps of World War 2, many will deny for the sake of soothing their own conscience that these persecutions are happening, but they will be out of sight and out of mind, “under the dirt”.) I was taking very small steps as the Lord was guiding me and telling me to. (Every step in these days will need to be according to the Father's will because of the dangers. {Eph.5:15} Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; {16} redeeming the time, because the days are evil.) And I was just praying and praying and praying. As I was starting to pray, I saw the people in the square now completely as demons. I no longer saw them as humans. (The righteous will be able to see in the spirit realm those who have been displaced by demons.) As I was walking, I felt as if they were trying to find me, and they were bumping into me, but didn't know they were hitting me. I kept praying more and more. I prayed out loud, and they could hear me but couldn't see me. (Invisibility in the spirit realm makes for peace from the flesh realm.)  That big demon I saw earlier that walked really fast was now there, and there were more demons of his stature and size. They were frantic, upset and mad. One of them said, “Now there are more praying. Do you hear them praying? We have to find them NOW! I'm telling you, their prayers are reaching the throne room of Heaven. Things are going to change. Find them NOW!” There was such an urgency to find us. I walked all the way to the end of the square and I turned around and asked, “Okay, Lord. What is it that You want me to do?” (Truly, “things are going to change.” Walking to the end of the square represents that the saints will go through this beast tribulation and bring the Gospel to the whole world. Watch volume one of Hidden Manna for the End Times.) I don't know where the Lord took the men whom I saw at the beginning of the dream or what had happened, but I just knew that they were coming back. The demons were still looking really hard for the people who were praying. Not just us, but they were looking to stop everyone everywhere from praying. The Lord told me to step a foot back in the square, and I did. When I stepped back in the square, I was speaking the Word out loud. Everything that the Lord was saying to me, I was speaking out loud. The demons could now see me and were in my face, trying to intimidate or scare me. I knew that they could not touch me. They were telling me to shut up, be quiet, that my prayers were dead, and I was doing no good. “Don't you know we can kill you? We can take you out! You are nothing!” Many of them kept saying those things to me over and over. (Demons are full of threats to discourage the prayers and works of God, but most Christians don't recognize them as coming from demons, but feel they are their own thoughts and are defeated. The knowledge of God's Word will enable them to defeat the deceivers. {2Co.10:3} For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh {4} (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), {5} casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.) I said to them, “I am nothing, but through Christ Jesus He is everything. He is my all and all. Everything that I need, God is. God is the source. God is the strength. God is the great I AM! One of the demons was so close to my face that I could smell his stench. So close that he was almost touching me. I told him, “You are nothing! You can't do anything other than what my God allows. You are nothing! (God is sovereign over all, but He will allow many things that we allow because He has delegated authority over all the power of the enemies. {Mat.18:18} Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. {19} Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. ... {Luk.10:19} Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. {20} Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. I heard a noise behind me, and I turned around and saw all the men who had gone out, and there were more with them coming, and with what looked like Christ in the middle. Everyone was dressed in white. When Christ and all those men came on the scene, some of those demons became smaller and smaller. The ones that were already small were trying to run, but they couldn't go anywhere, as you have seen in cartoons, only this was not a cartoon; they were liquefying before me into a puddle on the floor, and then they were gone. I was backing up as the men were going forward. I went with Tina, Sam, and my mom to this place where I saw a lot more people who were praying and interceding. Then I woke up. (Who are these men whom the demons fear? The Lord is in the Man-child ministry to raise up many in the image of the Lord. These are coming to wreak havoc on the spiritual hosts of wickedness. Hallelujah!)  After I woke up from the dream, I heard the Lord say, “Write this down: “You have all power and authority in the name of Jesus Christ. Understand and know the power of His blood. For you are adopted, therefore you are entitled to everything. Hear Me! Understand Me! Know Me! For then the enemy cannot deceive you for what's ahead.”   The Men Whom the Demons Fear Seven spiritual shepherds who are sent by the Man-child to minister to the seven Churches, which is mentioned in Hidden Manna for the End Times. First, Jesus is coming to be manifested in the Man-child ministry. (Mic.5:2) But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. Obviously, this is Jesus. (3) Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth (the man-child body): then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. Jesus left because of rebellion and will return in the Man-child who is born of the travailing woman in Revelation 12. As Jesus fed the former rain woman in a body of flesh, so He will feed the latter rain woman in a corporate body of flesh. (Mic.5:4) And He shall stand, and shall feed [His flock] in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God: and they shall abide; for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth. The Jesus of the former rain was revered by the disciples and feared by His enemies, but because of apostasy, this has not been true for many centuries since because they have had “another Jesus.” The Man-child body and those disciples who follow in His/their steps will restore this, and He shall be “great unto the ends of the earth”. The Man-child's teaching will bring peace to the seven churches that are at war with the beast and harlot. (5) And this [man] shall be [our] peace, When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal (Hebrew: “princes among”) men. The corporate body of the Man-child is “this man” who brings peace to the corporate woman with his teachings, which enable her to resist the beast invasion. He brings peace because the “Prince of peace” is in his heart. Spiritually speaking, we are the “land” with the “palaces” that the corporate beast is trying to invade. (1Co.3:9) For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry (Greek: “tilled land”), God's building (“palaces”). As we shall see, the beast is a corporate spirit from the abyss (Rev.17:8) that inhabits the body of the wicked (3) and seeks to inhabit the righteous and mark them. Notice that the “Assyrians” are called “him” which shows that they are seen as the corporate body of the beast. Since the Assyrian beast kingdom passed away over 600 years before Christ, they could not have been connected with Jesus or the Man-child. Therefore, God, as usual, was using the beast of that day to represent a particular aspect of the end time beast. As the Assyrian beast did not conquer Jerusalem, so the end time beast will not conquer those spiritually abiding in the New Jerusalem. (Mic.5:5) ...Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal (Hebrew: “princes among”) men. The Man-child Jesus raised up twelve apostolic shepherds primarily to restore those of the “twelve-tribes of Israel” who would listen (Mat.10:5; Act.26:7; Jas.1:1; 1Pet.1:1). In exact parallel, the corporate Man-child will raise up “seven” corporate apostolic “shepherds” primarily to restore the “seven churches”. The Man-child's primary job is to feed the unleavened bread of the Word to disciples in order to manifest Christ in them. These will be the new leadership for the seven churches in the last 3 1/2 years. These “seven shepherds” are not sectarian religious leaders but one man in Christ and are inhabited by one “prince of peace”, Jesus, hence “eight princes among men”. In the next chapter of Micah, we will see that even after the Man-child Jesus' 3 ½-year ministry, He promised to be with the shepherds in spirit “unto the consummation of the age,” (Greek: Mat.28:20) hence “eight princes among men”. These princes are sons of the King and have authority over His realm of the seven churches. The seven churches of Revelation are a type of seven different types of Christians in the Church. (Isa.4:1) And seven women (the Church) shall take hold of one man in that day. The “one man” here is Jesus manifested in the Man-child. Then He will be manifested in the seven shepherds and then in the true Church. One of God's solutions to the apostasy in the Church is new leadership. (Isa.1:26) And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning. The same type of counselors in the former rain will be given in the latter rain. Here is another confirmation of the Man-child giving His revelation to seven shepherds, who passed it on to the seven churches. When the Man-child Jesus sent His shepherds out, He called them “apostles”, meaning “one sent forth”. In other words, the shepherds were the Man-child's messengers to the churches. As a type of the Man-child, John on the Isle of Patmos was “a partaker with you in the tribulation” (Rev.1:9) when he was caught up to the throne of God and given a revelation of the coming tribulation to give to the seven churches. (4:1) After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, [a voice] as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter. (2) Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne. Like Jesus, he was given a revelation of the apostasy in the Church and told to send it to the seven churches by the hand of seven angels. (1:11) ...What thou seest, write in a book and send [it] to the seven churches.... (Rev.2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14) To the angel of the church in Ephesus (and so with Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea) write.... “Angel” in these cases is the Greek word angelos meaning “messengers” and is also used of ministers in the New Testament (Example: Luk.4:24,27; 9:52). The equivalent Hebrew word in the Old Testament is translated “messenger” when speaking of priests (Mal.2:7), John the Baptist, and Jesus (Luk.3:1). Since it doesn't make sense that John sent the revelation by angels, he must have sent it by seven minister messengers to the seven churches. This is exactly what Jesus did as Man-child. He shared His revelation with minister messengers, who shared it with the seven churches.

In order to experience the blessings, rewards, and benefits of God, we must be willing, available, and obedient. Stop being spiritually lazy.

This is Dr. Pete Norris from The Beauty of Grace Podcast. We would love to hear from you. Support the show

This is Dr. Pete Norris from The Beauty of Grace Podcast. We would love to hear from you. Support the show

Bishop Alfred Jackson reminds from 1 Peter 2:4-10 how we can STAY in the alignment with Christ as we walk through our journey of life. Welcome to the official YouTube channel for Tabernacle of Praise Church Int'l. We are a church called by Jesus Christ under the leadership of Bishop Alfred Jackson. Our ministry desires for all to come to the faith and to encourage the hearts of God's people to praise Him in all we do. As you listen to these grounded biblical messages, we pray you are strengthened and encouraged by the message. For more information about us visit topraise.us.

Instead of just training physically, train to live a godly, righteous, and thoughtful life – that's a lot more important. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

A Song When You Are Spiritually Dry - Psalm 63 Dr. Gary Hollingsworth, Interim Pastor   Prayer Requests: https://fbco.wufoo.com/forms/m1a1pr9e0v0l9b9/ Subscribe to our Email Messenger (Weekly Newsletter): www.fbcopelika.com/messenger Guest Registration: https://fbcopelika.com/guest-registration/ Online Giving: https://www.fbcopelika.com/give  Serve: https://fbcopelika.com/serve/ Sermon Archives: https://www.youtube.com/ OR fbcomedia.com.

I discuss whether being socially or politically engaged is Spiritually desirable or not. Should we be concerned about mundane matters at all? How should we evaluate the ethics surrounding this important and topical question?#Spirituality #SpiritualEthics #MundaneRealityThis episode was published on July 12, 2026 at 3:08pm EDT. Book an astrology reading with me.Please add yourself to my contact list.Recent episodes and related links:Pluto in Aquarius - Dawn of Global Consciousness - Feb 14, 2022The Timeline Split is Upon Us - July 11, 2026Preparing for Jupiter transit Leo for Sagittarius & Sag Rising 2026-27 - June 30, 2026Jupiter in Leo for Sagittarius: 2026-2027 - June 3, 2026Why it's been so hard for Sagittarius: 2008-2026 - Oct 15, 2024Paradigms and Paradigm Shifts - Sept 14, 2021Our Paradigm is Literally Untenable and Hardly Anyone will Admit it - Aug 14, 2023The Never-Ending Tragedy of Spineless Complicity - Dec 12, 2023Other episodes on ParadigmsThe Stunning Transit of Neptune in Aries: 2025-2039 - Feb 16, 2023A Spiritual Battle for the Ages - March 13, 202Stop Feeding The Beast - July 20, 2025Silence is Complicity - Sept 28, 2025The Rise of the Divine Feminine - July 22, 2025Cowardice - A defining feature of our time - Aug 16, 2025The Truth is Not Popular - Aug 3, 2025Stupidity... or Sabotage? - July 23, 2025Pluto in Aquarius - Purging Social Constructs - June 30, 2025

Have you ever felt like something has shifted—but you can't explain why? The relationships feel different. The work that once energized you now feels heavy. You're still following God, but the old way of doing things isn't working anymore. What if you haven't missed God? What if you're in transition? In this teaching, we'll explore why God often changes us before He changes our assignment, why transition is one of His greatest classrooms, and how to recognize when He's preparing you for something greater.     Experience transformation inside Courage Co. If you're ready to move beyond inspiration and into transformation, I'd love to invite you to join Courage Co., our Spirit-led leadership formation experience. Inside you'll find monthly leadership teaching, live masterclasses, prophetic encouragement, practical discipleship, and a growing library of courses designed to help you become the leader God can trust.   Join Courage Co.: https://julianapage.info/couragecomembership   Go deeper with personalized leadership development. If you're looking for deeper support, there are two ways we can work together. For ongoing leadership development you can join the Spirit-Driven Success® Leadership Audio Mentorship, where you'll receive practical coaching and leadership formation you can take with you wherever you go.   Learn more: https://julianapage.info/spiritdrivensuccesspod     Or, if you're ready for personalized strategy, breakthrough, and accelerated growth, you can apply for a Private Intensive to work directly with me.   Apply here: https://julianapage.info/privateintensive

By Robert McCurdy - Christ warned that our eye could lead to being filled with light or darkness. What did He mean? How does our eyesight contribute to having light or darkness?

Ethereal Encounters welcomes Jenny C. Bell July 9th, 2026 @ 6 pm EST TOPIC: Awakening Your Intuition: Signs You're More Spiritually Gifted Than You Realize BIO: Jenny C. Bell is the author of Spirit Crystals: Discover Your Crystal Guide for Healing and Empowerment, Divergent Witchcraft: An Inclusive Approach to Making Magic (June 2026), and the Cosmic Creator Oracle deck. She is the founder of the Our Coven online community, host of the Cozy Coven Chats podcast, and a practicing witch. For three decades, Jenny has practiced yoga, meditation, read tarot cards, and worked with the healing powers of crystals. A Reiki master, meditation teacher, and budding herbalist, Jenny uses her years of wisdom to champion others on their witchy journey. Jenny lives in the PNW with her family and pets, where she practices as a fortune teller, creator, and writer. Jenny is a contributor for Insight Timer, where you can find a meditation for every one of the sabbats on the witch's wheel of the year. She is also an instructor on Udemy with ten courses, including one on how to read oracle cards. Links: Website: https://www.jennycbell.com/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@healingwithJenny Tik Tok: http://www.tiktok.com/@jenny_c_bell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourcovencommunity/ United Public Radio & UFO Paranormal Radio www.uprntalkradio.com

Show Theme: FREEDOM! Are you truly free?When you think about freedom, what comes to your mind?What does freedom look like to you?Are you free in all areas of your life? Mentally, Emotionally, Physically, Spiritually, Financially, etc.?Are there any areas in your life where you feel locked or stuck? What do you need to do to remove those barriers, unlock those invisible or visible chains, and unleash your true self and potential?GUEST PANELLady MaggieMaggie G. (Lady Maggie) is a woman of faith, artist, poet, and proud 2024 alumna of Sister2Sister Gathering. She is passionate about encouraging others through creativity, compassion, and God's word. As a wife, mother, bonus mom, and Bible Study Leader, she believes every life has purpose and every challenge offers an opportunity for growth. With a background in customer service, technology support, and mentoring, Maggie enjoys helping people find practical solutions while inspiring hope. Through painting, drawing, writing heartfelt poetry, and serving her community, she strives to reflect God's love, inspire faith, and leave a lasting impact. Tagline/Phrase to highlight me: Maggie G. | Artist * Poet * Encourager * Woman of Faith"Faith is my foundation. Creativity is my signature" Illana WattsIllana Shadé Watts is a lover of God, who hails from Norfolk, Virginia. She is the oldest of 2, and an auntie to 3 amazing future world changers: Micah, Chase, and Madison. She is the daughter of the late Samuel Watts, and Darlene Watts. She is a 2008 alumnae of Grambling State University, where she received her Bachelor's in Political Science. Illana loves museums, all things Titanic, napping and traveling-specifically, cruises!Tagline/phrase: God said what HE said!CALL TO ACTIONSubscribe / Follow GEMS with Genesis Amaris Kemp podcast on audio platform & YouTube channel, Hit the notifications bell so you don't miss any content, and share with family/friends.GENESIS'S INFOhttps://genesisamariskemp.net/genesisamariskempIf you would like to be a SPONSOR or have any of your merchandise mentioned please reach out via email .**REMEMBER - You do not have to let limitations or barriers keep you from achieving your success. Mind over Matter...It's time to shift and unleash your greatest potential.

Pastor Barret MoorePastor Barret continues our Revelation series exploring Jesus' weighty letter to the church in Sardis. What does it mean to have a reputation for being alive while being spiritually dead? Hear the call to examine our hearts, wake up from complacency, remember the gospel we've received, and live with authentic faith that bears fruit.Scripture: Revelation 3:1–6

Pastor J. Bryant Lagoe Wednesday Evening 7/1/26

Message from Rev. Dr. Martin Smith entitled "Spiritually Gifted Teamwork." For more information, visit sntandrews.org. © St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

The Spiritually Dead vs. Spiritually Dull-Part 2 - Mark 8:11-21 - Pastor Ace Davis

Read OnlineThe Eternal Marriage to ComeThe disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew 9:14–15In Isaiah 54:5 and Hosea 2:16–20, God is portrayed as the divine Bridegroom who espouses Israel. By invoking this imagery, Jesus reveals His divine identity as the Bridegroom who establishes a new relationship between God and His people—a relationship initially characterized by joy, intimacy, and celebration rather than sorrow.However, Jesus quickly adds a sobering note: “The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” This verse points directly to His coming Passion and death, and to our interior participation in His Passion. It is for those moments that fasting produces a necessary preparation for the sense of loss and sacrifice we are called to make throughout life.Everyone loves a wedding, especially when celebrated by faith-filled people who anticipate a fruitful life together. As the bride walks down the aisle, her face radiates joy, and the groom waits eagerly at the altar. A holy marriage reflects the ultimate destiny of Christ and His Bride, the Church. Fidelity, unity, fruitfulness, consolation, and permanence are all aspects of the communion we are invited to share with our loving God.These beautiful aspects of marriage prophetically anticipate what is to come, especially when the Bridegroom returns in glory to usher in the New Heavens and the New Earth. They also represent what we are invited to experience, by grace, during our earthly pilgrimage toward the final union in Heaven—a relationship with God that is grounded in joy, intimacy, and celebration.During this pilgrimage, the Bridegroom is at times “taken away.” Spiritually speaking, this means that Christ occasionally permits His consoling presence to be withdrawn from the soul. He does this not because He abandons us, but because, in His wisdom, He desires our growth in virtue, faith, and spiritual maturity through trials. Such purification is our participation in Christ's Passion, which both cleanses and restores the soul, transforming us into the new creation we are called to be by fully dying with and in Christ, so as to share in His new life.When the sensible consolations of grace diminish, the soul experiences spiritual fasting. Although initially painful, this fasting instills a greater urgency to seek Christ through deeper prayer. If we continually felt God's consoling presence, our love might become self-centered—loving God only because He comforts us.In the Old Testament, fasting primarily expressed external repentance. Jesus transforms fasting into a spiritual exercise that strengthens the soul during trials, dryness, and loss. Habitual fasting, such as weekly abstinence, disciplines our interior life, enabling us to love God even when consolation is absent.When the Bridegroom is “taken away,” our spiritual senses sharpen, and our longing for Christ grows more fervent. Thus, Christ's apparent absence becomes an opportunity for greater intimacy, guiding us toward a more profound, selfless love—seeking Christ Himself purely for His sake. Reflect today on how you respond when God seems distant. Do you turn toward Him with increased trust and prayer, or do you withdraw? When God seems distant or when your prayer feels dry, do you recognize the value in those moments? Resolve to engage in forms of physical fasting and other penitential acts as a way of training yourself to enter spiritual fasting with hope and strength. Let spiritual fasting become an act of pure love, preparing your heart for the eternal marriage feast to come.My Lord and Bridegroom of the Church, You call each of us, Your sons and daughters, into an eternal marriage of pure union and fidelity with You. Form and purify me by allowing me to share in Your Passion, so that my love may become holy, and I may love You with the same love with which You love me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: word on the mountain, by vukkosticSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

The Divine Authority of the SonIn John 5:18–24, Jesus responds to accusations of blasphemy after declaring His unique relationship with the Father. Rather than retreating from the controversy, He reveals profound truths about His divine identity and authority. In this sermon, we examine two works that belong to God alone—giving life and executing judgment—and the three responses these truths demand from every person: honoring Christ, believing in Him, and marveling at His glory. Jesus is not merely a great teacher or prophet; He is the eternal Son of God, equal with the Father, worthy of our worship, faith, and awe.Sermon OutlineThe Divine Authority of the Son John 5:18–24Big Idea: Jesus reveals Himself as the divine Son who shares the Father's authority to give life and execute judgment, calling every person to honor Him, believe in Him, and marvel at His glory.1. The Son Gives LifeOnly God can give spiritual life.Jesus possesses the Father's authority to give life to whom He wills.Physical resurrections in Scripture point to the greater miracle of spiritual resurrection.Spiritually dead sinners cannot make themselves alive; new life comes only through Christ.Eternal life is found in the Son because He is truly God.2. The Son Executes JudgmentOnly God has the authority to judge the world.The Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son.The One who came to save will also return to judge the living and the dead.Christ's authority demonstrates His equality with the Father.Every person will ultimately stand before Christ.3. Honor, Believe, and MarvelThe proper response to the Son of God.Honor Christ with the same honor given to the Father.Believe in Christ alone for eternal life, knowing that those who trust Him have already passed from death to life.Marvel continually at the glory of Christ, refusing to let familiarity dull wonder and worship.Faith comes through hearing God's Word, making the faithful preaching of Scripture central to the Christian life.ConclusionHow do you respond to Jesus?Do you honor Him as the eternal Son of God?Do you trust Him alone for eternal life?Do you marvel at His glory, or has familiarity replaced wonder?The gospel calls us to behold Jesus Christ as the divine Son who gives life, will judge the world in righteousness, and alone is worthy of our worship, faith, and lifelong devotion.

Read OnlineWhen Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Matthew 8:28–29After delivering His Sermon on the Mount and performing many miracles among His own people, Jesus intentionally journeys across the Sea of Galilee into Gentile territory—the region of the Gadarenes, near Gadara, a town within the pagan Decapolis. His choice underscores His mission to extend salvation beyond Israel.The location where Jesus and His disciples arrived was no accident. It was a desolate area filled with tombs, symbols of death, impurity, and spiritual desolation. According to Jewish law, contact with graves rendered one ritually unclean (cf. Numbers 19:16). Spiritually, these tombs vividly illustrate the isolation, emptiness, and lifelessness that sin imposes upon the human soul.The note that the demoniacs “were so savage that no one could travel by that road” further reveals the effects of grave sin. Evil seeks dominance and destruction; it isolates, destroys relationships, and makes peaceful coexistence impossible. This passage reflects the devastating consequences of allowing evil to reign unchecked within one's soul: It becomes uncontrollable, violent, and destructive. Evil never leads to peace, but rather to chaos, isolation, and fear.By entering into this territory, our Lord reveals His willingness to enter the isolation and desolation we all experience due to sin and every evil attack. He comes to us precisely when we are at our worst, most vulnerable, to set us free from the grip of the evil one and from all of his destructive works.When these two men see Jesus, the demons possessing them immediately recognize Him as the Son of God and acknowledge His authority over them. Their recognition raises an important spiritual question for each of us: Do I also recognize Christ's presence in my life? Am I aware of His divine authority over sin and evil, and do I trust in His desire and power to set me free? When the demons ask Jesus, “Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”, they reveal their full knowledge of their ultimate fate: eternal damnation. They understood this clearly because, even after their fall, demons retain their natural angelic powers. Among these powers is their exceptional intelligence and their capacity to tempt humans by subtly suggesting deceptive thoughts, drawing us persistently away from God's truth.Because demons know their eternal fate with clarity, they seek to use their intellect and suggestive powers to lead us into the very despair they themselves experience. They have no hope of eternal life. Out of their hatred for God and humanity, they attempt to conform us to their hopelessness, convincing us that we cannot escape sin, that hope is lost, and that we are doomed to misery.Only our Lord can shatter these demonic lies. Only Christ can break the chains of despair, isolation, and sin. By setting these two demoniacs free, Jesus illustrates His deep longing to do the same for us. By demonstrating His authority over the most severe effects of evil, Jesus reveals His absolute authority over every evil we encounter: every sin, temptation, oppressive thought, confusion, and especially despair.Reflect today on Jesus' choice to cross the Sea of Galilee for the sole purpose of setting these two demoniacs free from their oppression. Our Lord journeys to you with the same resolve. What is it that oppresses you? What thoughts tempt you to fear or despair? What sins do you habitually struggle with? Jesus wants to enter into every form of isolation and desolation you experience. Look for Him, recognize Him when He comes, profess your faith in His authority, and let Him fulfill His deepest desire by setting you free.Most powerful Lord, You have all authority over evil. In my weakness, I cry out to You and plead for Your mercy. Please set me free, O Lord, and protect me from the evil one. Forgive my sins and restore me to deeper communion with You and all Your children. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Healing of the Gadarene Demoniac, 14th-century fresco, Visoki Dečani Monastery.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

6/24/2026 - Wed PM

Faith isn't about what you've done in the past—it's about continuing to follow Jesus today.This week, Bobby and Mariah dive deeper into Sunday's message from Revelation and explore what it means to stay spiritually awake. They talk about recognizing the slow drift toward apathy, why community matters in keeping our faith strong, and how God continues to call us into deeper trust and obedience in every season of life.

Happiness is having Carter, my long lost cohost join us again. Naw, he wasn't lost, just doing his thing, getting real. Sometimes you just have to step back from your life and reassess. Here we discuss how grateful we are to know how to work with our personal "Ideal" a helpful tool. It's season 4, not 3 as I mistakenly say. Also, last year at this time (around his birthday) Carter took another sabbatical. Hmmmm. See tezalord.com and carterlord.com for more about hosts. #SelfReflection #SelfLove #spiritualTools #Peace&Unity #LikeAttractsLike #ShareTheLight #LoveYourSelf #LoveOthersAsSelf #emulateBuddhaChristSufi #BeLove

The spiritual world often encourages people to "raise their vibration," but what if that advice is actually reinforcing the very patterns you're trying to overcome?In this episode, Kelle Sparta explores why chasing a "high vibe" state can become another form of performative spirituality and explains where your energetic vibration truly comes from. Rather than relying on temporary techniques that artificially elevate your mood, Kelle shares a more sustainable path rooted in personal growth, shadow work, identity transformation, and spiritual maturity.If you're a spiritual practitioner, coach, healer, or transformational leader who wants to deepen your practice without falling into spiritual bypassing or surface-level spirituality, this episode offers a grounded framework for creating lasting energetic change.What You'll LearnWhy trying to "raise your vibration" can backfireWhere your energetic vibration actually comes fromThe difference between performative spirituality and authentic spiritual growthHow belief systems shape your long-term energetic frequencyWhy identity transformation naturally elevates your vibrationPractical ways to embody your next level every dayHow shadow work and personal growth create lasting energetic changeWhy becoming is more powerful than performingReferences MentionedShadow WorkIdentity TransformationPersonal GrowthSpiritual DevelopmentPerformative SpiritualityVagus Nerve RegulationSearch Engine Optimization (SEO)Resources MentionedKelle Spartahttps://kellesparta.comWelcome to the Woohttps://learn.kellesparta.com/welcometothewooIf you're ready to move beyond collecting information and begin developing your capacity as a transformational practitioner, schedule a discovery call through Kelle's website to find the best next step for your journey.

Sermon Summary:  “There Is No Music in the Rest: A Time to Rest, Renew, Refresh” Message by Patricia Hudson This sermon uses the image of a musical rest to teach the spiritual importance of resting in God. A rest in music produces no sound, but it is still essential to the composition. In the same way, seasons of rest may feel unproductive, but they are part of God's design for renewal, strength, clarity, and preparation.  The central thought is: “There is no music in a rest; however, there is the making of music in it.” Just as a composer intentionally places rests into music, God intentionally builds rhythms of rest into our lives. Rest is not wasted time; it helps maintain the rhythm, beauty, and strength of life. The message explains that musical rests serve several purposes, each connected to spiritual truth: 1. Rest creates rhythm and melody. Without pauses, music becomes crowded. Likewise, without physical, mental, and spiritual rest, life becomes crowded with anxiety, worry, fear, fatigue, and burnout. Jesus modeled this when He told His disciples to come away to a quiet place and rest. 2. Rest is a physical necessity. Musicians and singers need pauses to breathe and recover. In life, we also need moments to stop, breathe, sleep, nap, stretch, walk, or simply become still. Rest helps calm the body, mind, and emotions. 3. Rest creates expression and clarity. Pauses strengthen music and speech. In the same way, rest helps us regain strength, clear our thoughts, and hear from God. Psalm 23 shows the Lord leading His people beside peaceful streams and renewing their strength. 4. Rest prevents rushing. A musician must not shortchange a rest. If the rest is meant to last two beats, it must be given its full value. Spiritually, we must not rush or shortchange our time with God. Psalm 62:1 says, “Truly my soul finds rest in God.” Rest is a divine appointment. The sermon also highlights the benefits of spiritual rest. Rest allows believers to hear God's voice, make room for prayer and reflection, receive direction, and trust that God is working even when we are not striving. Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” becomes a key reminder that silence has spiritual purpose. The message connects rest to creation. God rested on the seventh day, not because He was tired, but to establish a rhythm for human life. Rest is not a detour from purpose; it is part of God's design. It prepares us for what comes next, just as musicians count through a rest so they can re-enter the music at the right time. The sermon closes with practical wisdom: do not overload today with tomorrow's concerns. Matthew 6:34 reminds us not to worry about tomorrow because each day has enough of its own concerns. One practical phrase offered is: “It is not a today's activity.” This helps prevent mental clutter and keeps the heart and mind at rest. Main Message Rest is not emptiness, laziness, or wasted time. Rest is a God-designed pause that renews the soul, refreshes the body, clears the mind, strengthens trust, and prepares us to move forward with greater peace, precision, and purpose.

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Read OnlineWhen Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Matthew 8:1–3After leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God gave Moses not only the Ten Commandments but also laws governing daily life, including regulations on ritual purity. Among these were strict laws regarding leprosy, a contagious and incurable disease at the time. Lepers were forbidden to touch anyone, were isolated from the community, barred from worship, and required to cry out “Unclean, unclean” when approaching others. Beyond preventing disease, these laws had a deeper spiritual meaning: leprosy became a symbol of sin, which defiles the soul and separates us from the holiness of God, necessitating divine purification.In today's Gospel, Jesus fulfills and transcends the requirements of the Mosaic Law by touching and healing a leper. Under the Law, contact with a leper rendered a person unclean, yet Christ's divine power reverses this order. The leper's touch does not defile Jesus; instead, it purifies the leper. In this miraculous act, Jesus reveals a deeper spiritual reality: it is only through His touch of divine grace that sinners are truly cleansed and restored to communion with God. No longer does impurity separate man from holiness; rather, in Christ, holiness overcomes impurity, offering reconciliation and healing to all who seek Him in faith.The scene unfolds immediately after Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount and descends from the mountain. This imagery echoes Moses descending from Mount Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments. Yet, while Moses brought down a law written on stone, Jesus, the new and greater Moses, descends not merely as a lawgiver but as the very embodiment of the New Covenant. In Him, the Law is not only taught but fulfilled and perfected. Whereas the Mosaic Law prescribed ritual separation from impurity, Christ now draws near to the unclean, extending the Divine Mercy that alone can fully restore and sanctify.The leper perfectly models how we ought to approach Jesus and the New Law of grace. He does not demand healing, nor even explicitly ask for it; rather, he simply professes faith in who Jesus is and what He can do: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” In addressing Jesus as “Lord,” the leper acknowledges His divine authority, recognizing Him not merely as a miracle-worker, but as the One who has dominion over sickness, impurity, and all creation. Furthermore, the leper displays not only trust in Jesus' power but also surrender to His divine will. He does not presume to dictate the outcome but submits himself entirely to the Lord's mercy.Too often, we approach God with a kind of spiritual wish list, treating prayer as a means of securing our desires rather than aligning ourselves with His will. Like the leper, we must transform our prayer from self-centered petitions to acts of faith and trust. First, we acknowledge God's sovereignty—that He alone is the all-powerful Lord, capable of healing every wound and forgiving every sin. Second, we surrender completely to His will, trusting that He knows and desires what is best for us. How beautiful it is to pray, “Lord, if You wish…” or “Lord, as You will…”—a prayer that reflects a petition Jesus had just taught on the mountain: “Thy will be done.”Reflect today on this humble leper and the example he sets for perfect prayer. We do not need to convince God to help us; He desires it far more than we do. Call to mind those areas of your life that, like leprosy of old, separate you from God and His Church, leaving you in need of His healing grace. Entrust your wounds to the Lord with humility and trust, laying them before His mercy. Seek Him in prayer and especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and like the leper, you too will hear Him say, “I will do it. Be made clean.”Lord of perfect mercy, You desire my cleansing far more than I do, and You alone can accomplish it. Like the leper, I profess my faith in You as the New Moses, the Perfect Lawgiver, and the Divine Healer. All that You say and do is holy, restoring my soul and leading me to life. I surrender myself entirely to You—my wounds, my sins, my weaknesses. Let Your will alone be done in me, O Lord, for through Your touch, I find my healing and peace. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Georg Pencz, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

You know you're supposed to lead your family spiritually. You just don't know what that actually looks like — and the fear of getting it wrong has kept you silent for way too long. In this episode, Nick is tackling the question almost every Christian husband is afraid to ask out loud, and showing you exactly where to start, even if you feel completely unqualified for the job.-

Prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual leadership are all good things, but what happens when faith becomes a source of tension instead of connection in marriage? In this episode, Dr. Kim tackle the unhealthy spiritual dynamics that can quietly create distance between spouses: spiritual superiority, spiritual withdrawal, and using faith as a weapon. While most couples don't intend to hurt each other spiritually, it's easy to fall into patterns that leave one spouse feeling judged, inadequate, or alone. He discusses why spiritual loneliness can be so painful in marriage, how comparison and pressure shut down connection, and what it looks like to pursue spiritual intimacy in a way that invites both spouses closer to God and each other. If you've ever felt frustrated that your spouse isn't where you'd like them to be spiritually, or if you've ever felt like you could never measure up, this conversation offers practical encouragement and hope for building a healthier, more united spiritual foundation.   Episode Highlights: When Faith Creates Distance Instead of Connection  The Hidden Damage of Spiritual Superiority and Withdrawal  Moving from Weaponized Faith to Shared Faith    Quotes from This Episode: God designed marriage as the most intimate of all earthly relationships. There's a oneness God intended for marriage that touches every aspect of life.  When one spouse longs to pray together and it never happens, it doesn't just feel frustrating it feels lonely.  Loneliness can turn into resentment or even despair.  Nothing will shut your spouse down faster than feeling spiritually inferior in their own home.  The spouse that feels like they can never measure up will stop engaging.  When scripture becomes a sword instead of a shared foundation something has gone badly wrong.  Spiritual growth cannot be forced. You can model it. You can invite. But you cannot drag your spouse into a deeper faith any more than someone could have dragged you. God does that work.   Time to Talk About it: Are you feeling disconnected from your spouse spiritually?  If you are, have you approached your spouse honestly with your concerns? Ask them: How can we use our faith to encourage each other rather than pressure, correct, or compare one another?    Mentioned in This Episode: Awesome Marriage is on Instagram! Do you feel misunderstood and defeated when it comes to disagreements with your spouse? Feeling misunderstood in conflict is usually a sign of something deeper. This assessment walks you through what needs to change, step by step. Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. If you're feeling disconnected from your spouse, try this plan together: 7 Prayers to Grow Your Marriage. If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !  It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!  

Prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual leadership are all good things, but what happens when faith becomes a source of tension instead of connection in marriage? In this episode, Dr. Kim tackle the unhealthy spiritual dynamics that can quietly create distance between spouses: spiritual superiority, spiritual withdrawal, and using faith as a weapon. While most couples don't intend to hurt each other spiritually, it's easy to fall into patterns that leave one spouse feeling judged, inadequate, or alone. He discusses why spiritual loneliness can be so painful in marriage, how comparison and pressure shut down connection, and what it looks like to pursue spiritual intimacy in a way that invites both spouses closer to God and each other. If you've ever felt frustrated that your spouse isn't where you'd like them to be spiritually, or if you've ever felt like you could never measure up, this conversation offers practical encouragement and hope for building a healthier, more united spiritual foundation.   Episode Highlights: When Faith Creates Distance Instead of Connection  The Hidden Damage of Spiritual Superiority and Withdrawal  Moving from Weaponized Faith to Shared Faith    Quotes from This Episode: God designed marriage as the most intimate of all earthly relationships. There's a oneness God intended for marriage that touches every aspect of life.  When one spouse longs to pray together and it never happens, it doesn't just feel frustrating it feels lonely.  Loneliness can turn into resentment or even despair.  Nothing will shut your spouse down faster than feeling spiritually inferior in their own home.  The spouse that feels like they can never measure up will stop engaging.  When scripture becomes a sword instead of a shared foundation something has gone badly wrong.  Spiritual growth cannot be forced. You can model it. You can invite. But you cannot drag your spouse into a deeper faith any more than someone could have dragged you. God does that work.   Time to Talk About it: Are you feeling disconnected from your spouse spiritually?  If you are, have you approached your spouse honestly with your concerns? Ask them: How can we use our faith to encourage each other rather than pressure, correct, or compare one another?    Mentioned in This Episode: Awesome Marriage is on Instagram! Do you feel misunderstood and defeated when it comes to disagreements with your spouse? Feeling misunderstood in conflict is usually a sign of something deeper. This assessment walks you through what needs to change, step by step. Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. If you're feeling disconnected from your spouse, try this plan together: 7 Prayers to Grow Your Marriage. If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !  It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!  

Prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual leadership are all good things, but what happens when faith becomes a source of tension instead of connection in marriage? In this episode, Dr. Kim tackle the unhealthy spiritual dynamics that can quietly create distance between spouses: spiritual superiority, spiritual withdrawal, and using faith as a weapon. While most couples don't intend to hurt each other spiritually, it's easy to fall into patterns that leave one spouse feeling judged, inadequate, or alone. He discusses why spiritual loneliness can be so painful in marriage, how comparison and pressure shut down connection, and what it looks like to pursue spiritual intimacy in a way that invites both spouses closer to God and each other. If you've ever felt frustrated that your spouse isn't where you'd like them to be spiritually, or if you've ever felt like you could never measure up, this conversation offers practical encouragement and hope for building a healthier, more united spiritual foundation.   Episode Highlights: When Faith Creates Distance Instead of Connection  The Hidden Damage of Spiritual Superiority and Withdrawal  Moving from Weaponized Faith to Shared Faith    Quotes from This Episode: God designed marriage as the most intimate of all earthly relationships. There's a oneness God intended for marriage that touches every aspect of life.  When one spouse longs to pray together and it never happens, it doesn't just feel frustrating it feels lonely.  Loneliness can turn into resentment or even despair.  Nothing will shut your spouse down faster than feeling spiritually inferior in their own home.  The spouse that feels like they can never measure up will stop engaging.  When scripture becomes a sword instead of a shared foundation something has gone badly wrong.  Spiritual growth cannot be forced. You can model it. You can invite. But you cannot drag your spouse into a deeper faith any more than someone could have dragged you. God does that work.   Time to Talk About it: Are you feeling disconnected from your spouse spiritually?  If you are, have you approached your spouse honestly with your concerns? Ask them: How can we use our faith to encourage each other rather than pressure, correct, or compare one another?    Mentioned in This Episode: Awesome Marriage is on Instagram! Do you feel misunderstood and defeated when it comes to disagreements with your spouse? Feeling misunderstood in conflict is usually a sign of something deeper. This assessment walks you through what needs to change, step by step. Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. If you're feeling disconnected from your spouse, try this plan together: 7 Prayers to Grow Your Marriage. If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !  It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!  

Read OnlineWhen they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Luke 1:59–63The Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist is one of only three birthdays the Church celebrates with a liturgical feast—the others being those of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. This extraordinary honor reveals the singular role Saint John played in salvation history as the Forerunner who prepared the way for the Lord. Three profound mysteries surrounding John's birth invite our reflection.First, Elizabeth's pregnancy in her old age, after years of barrenness and beyond natural childbearing years, was a deliberate sign of divine intervention and a testimony to God's power and mercy. Recall that a similar miracle occurred when Sarah conceived Isaac in her old age. Spiritually, Elizabeth represents Israel—and all humanity—trapped in the barrenness of sin. By bringing forth life from her barren womb, God manifests His ability to bring forth new life where human effort fails.Second, the bestowal of John's name reveals the divine initiative governing his life and mission. In the biblical tradition, names are rich with meaning, often disclosing a person's identity and destiny. The name “John,” meaning “The Lord is gracious,” was not chosen by his parents, but was announced by the Archangel Gabriel before his conception (cf. Luke 1:13). When Elizabeth and Zechariah insist upon the name given by God, they demonstrate their obedience to divine revelation over human custom. Their relatives' confusion—“There is no one among your relatives who has this name”—highlights how this birth breaks from human expectations. John is not to carry on his father's name or legacy; he is set apart entirely for the mission of preparing the way for the Messiah. In this, we see a lesson for every Christian: Our true identity and mission are not rooted in earthly lineage or human tradition but are given to us by the free and gracious call of God.Finally, the restoration of Zechariah's speech after months of divinely imposed silence serves as a powerful sign of faith's triumph over doubt. Zechariah had been struck mute because of his initial disbelief at the angel's announcement (cf. Luke 1:20). During Elizabeth's pregnancy, he lived in silence—a silence that must have been filled with contemplation, repentance, and deeper trust. It was only when he confirmed God's command by writing, “John is his name,” that his tongue was loosed. His first act upon regaining his speech was to bless God, revealing that his heart had been purified and transformed. The loosening of Zechariah's tongue prefigures the prophetic voice of his son John, who would cry out in the wilderness, calling Israel to repentance. Spiritually, it also reminds us that true praise of God flows from hearts made humble and obedient to His will.As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, reflect today not only on John's unique role in salvation history but also on how God desires to work in our own lives. If you experience moments of barrenness or dryness in your faith, take hope from John's miraculous birth: God can bring forth new life even from what seems lifeless. As John's name revealed the graciousness of God, so too are you called to trust in His mercy at work within you. And as Zechariah learned obedience and deeper faith through his silent suffering, pray that you may embrace any hidden trials you endure, allowing them to purify your heart and prepare you to proclaim God's goodness with renewed joy.Lord of Wisdom and Love, Your plan for our salvation is perfect and far beyond our understanding. As Your Church celebrates the birth of Saint John the Baptist, grant me a renewed appreciation for his life and mission. May he prepare my heart for You, as he did for Your coming, so that I, like his father Zechariah, may sing Your praises with a loosed tongue. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: His name is John, by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

You may have moved on — but have they? According to Scripture, every relationship you've ever "cleaved" to left a spiritual residue. Lance Wallnau unpacks the Hebrew word dabaq — the same word God uses for marriage covenant bonding — and reveals why past romantic and emotional connections may still be spiritually glued to you right now, affecting your intimacy, your prayer life, and your ability to walk in freedom. Is that "stuck" feeling in your current relationships actually a spiritual problem — not an emotional one? In this episode: * The Hebrew word dabaq (cleave) — what it literally means to be "stuck like glue" to another person * Why Solomon's 700 wives opened every demonic door in ancient Israel — and the modern parallel * How spiritual soul ties form and why they don't break automatically when relationships end * The divine council framework behind why God is so serious about who you "cleave" to * What the kings of Israel teach us about gatekeeping our own hearts * How to identify hidden spiritual open doors in your relationships, your home, and your mind * The connection between generational patterns, broken soul ties, and spiritual warfare in your house If you've ever felt spiritually off — like something from your past is still pulling on you — this is the episode that finally names what's happening.

Emily Bazelon interviews Senator Chris Murphy about his new book Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America. Murphy argues that Trump is not the root cause of America's political crisis—he's a symptom. The real diagnosis: a country ravaged by loneliness, disconnection, and the collapse of community. From gun violence to Jan. 6, Murphy traces our troubles back to a spiritual unspooling, a loss of meaning and purpose. But his book offers solutions. Murphy lays out a provocative agenda for Democrats to call Americans to national service, break up corporate power, rebuild local communities, and create a bigger tent that reaches disaffected conservatives hungry for change.Murphy makes the case that fixing America's spiritual crisis is not just morally necessary—it's the only way Democrats win. Winning by being against Trump is not enough. Democrats must offer a proactive vision of an America where people feel powerful in their economy, connected to their communities, and called to something greater than themselves. The book isn't about policy prescriptions, but rather a fundamental reimagining of what Americans want from their government and from each other.Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Nina Porzucki.Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Bazelon interviews Senator Chris Murphy about his new book Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America. Murphy argues that Trump is not the root cause of America's political crisis—he's a symptom. The real diagnosis: a country ravaged by loneliness, disconnection, and the collapse of community. From gun violence to Jan. 6, Murphy traces our troubles back to a spiritual unspooling, a loss of meaning and purpose. But his book offers solutions. Murphy lays out a provocative agenda for Democrats to call Americans to national service, break up corporate power, rebuild local communities, and create a bigger tent that reaches disaffected conservatives hungry for change.Murphy makes the case that fixing America's spiritual crisis is not just morally necessary—it's the only way Democrats win. Winning by being against Trump is not enough. Democrats must offer a proactive vision of an America where people feel powerful in their economy, connected to their communities, and called to something greater than themselves. The book isn't about policy prescriptions, but rather a fundamental reimagining of what Americans want from their government and from each other.Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Nina Porzucki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Bazelon interviews Senator Chris Murphy about his new book Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America. Murphy argues that Trump is not the root cause of America's political crisis—he's a symptom. The real diagnosis: a country ravaged by loneliness, disconnection, and the collapse of community. From gun violence to Jan. 6, Murphy traces our troubles back to a spiritual unspooling, a loss of meaning and purpose. But his book offers solutions. Murphy lays out a provocative agenda for Democrats to call Americans to national service, break up corporate power, rebuild local communities, and create a bigger tent that reaches disaffected conservatives hungry for change.Murphy makes the case that fixing America's spiritual crisis is not just morally necessary—it's the only way Democrats win. Winning by being against Trump is not enough. Democrats must offer a proactive vision of an America where people feel powerful in their economy, connected to their communities, and called to something greater than themselves. The book isn't about policy prescriptions, but rather a fundamental reimagining of what Americans want from their government and from each other.Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Nina Porzucki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever felt spiritually stuck? Like you're doing all the right things but still feel disconnected from God? In this episode, Madi and Grant unpack one of Jesus' most powerful teachings in John 15: abiding. So often we focus on producing fruit, finding our purpose, or becoming the person God has called us to be, but Jesus points us to something deeper. Before fruitfulness comes connection. Before impact comes intimacy. Together, Madi and Grant discuss why so many Christians are exhausted from striving, what it actually means to remain in Christ, and how abiding is less about trying harder and more about staying close to Jesus. They talk about the subtle ways we drift from dependence on God, why pruning is a necessary part of growth, and how a vibrant relationship with Jesus transforms every area of our lives. Our prayer is that this episode would encourage you to slow down, draw near to Jesus, and experience the peace, joy, and fruit that come from remaining in Him. New episodes every Thursday at 7am EST

RESOURCES:Master marital communication: https://speak.fiercemarriage.comTake the 31-Day Pursuit Challenge: https://31daypursuit.comPray for your spouse with intention: https://40prayers.comTo learn more about becoming a Christian, visit: https://thenewsisgood.comThis ministry is entirely listener-supported. To partner with us, visit https://fiercemarriage.com/partner Good news! You can now find FULL video episodes on our YouTube channel, The Fierce Family. Visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkyO4yVeRdODrpsyXLhEr7w to subscribe and watch. We hope to see you there!