Podcasts about take jesus

If you are often puzzled by the events and circumstances in our world, take heart. You're not alone. When Jesus sent His disciples into the world, He prepared them for the worst. Even John the Baptist was confused. Take Jesus' instruction to heart in our study of Matthew 10-11.

Reading Plan: Worship - Psalm 83:1-8Wisdom - Proverbs 17:27-28Witness - Zechariah 8-14Visit https://www.revivalfromthebible.com/ for more information.

IBC Youth Choir sings "I'll Take Jesus" during a worship service at Immanuel Baptist Church, Florence, Ky. Please visit us at 7183 Pleasant Valley Road Florence KY 41042, or call us at (859) 586-6829. Church links: Website: https://www.ibcflorence.com Daily Devotions: https://www.ibcflorence.com/devotions Free App: http://www.ibcflorence.com/ibc-app Our entire list of recent sermons: https://www.ibcflorence.com/recent-sermons Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ibcflorenceky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ibcflorence/ Podcasts: https://soundcloud.com/user-658781358 Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence/live We would love to know how to pray for you! Romans 10:9 #ibcflorence #florenceky #kjvBible #church #Godisgood #northernkentucky #baptistchurch #savedbygrace #video #Gospel #Music

Dina Marie joins us back from vacation and tells you about ways this summer that you can grow in faith.Subscribe to the Morning Blend on your favorite podcast platform.Find this show on the free Hail Mary Media App, along with a radio live-stream, prayers, news, and more.Look through past episodes or support this podcast.The Morning Blend is a production of Mater Dei Radio in Portland, Oregon.

Take Jesus up on His invitation. Remember your baptism. Confess your love and tell your story! Practice resurrection together.

Weekly devotion

When God Shows Up March 29, 2026 Elwyn N. Johnston John 11:1 - 46 Verse of the Week: “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.'” John 11:43 1. Live in the ma “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, Jesus stayed two days longer where He was.” John 11:5 & 6 2. Bring your unedited self to God “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” John 11:4 “Lazarus is dead” John 11:14 “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21& 32 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28 & 29 “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Psalms 22:1 “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” John 11:22 3. Take Jesus to your problem “Jesus said, ‘Where have you laid Lazarus?' They said to Jesus, ‘Lord, come and see.'” John 11:34 “Jesus…came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.” John 11:38 “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.'” Jn. 11:43 4. Help unwrap someone's comeback “Unwrap him and let him go!” John 11:44

John 11:38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. The “so Jesus” indicates that Jesus responded to the accusation that He could have prevented Lazarus' death. His delay was misunderstood. The work of God was to glorify His Son through Lazarus' death. They couldn't see that. Perhaps when we have the same misunderstanding and wrong judgment, Jesus is deeply troubled. Is there anything in our lives that we look back on and say, “God, You could have prevented it from happening, but You didn't.” Is it possible that in our unbelief and pain, we judged wrongly and misunderstood God's purpose for the event? We should be deeply troubled when we don't trust God's love, wait upon Him, and look for how Jesus can be made much of. Take Jesus to that place. Show Him the “stone” that lies in the way. Then wait upon Him there in worship.

Read OnlineWhile some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Luke 21:5–6In a literal way, this prophecy of our Lord came true. In 70 A.D., the Temple upon which they were commenting was destroyed. After prophesying this, Jesus then goes on to warn the disciples that there will be many confusions that will come. There will be false prophets, wars and insurrections, powerful earthquakes, famines, plagues, “and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” Why does Jesus prophesy all of these things?The answer was simple. He was not trying to scare them. He was not simply trying to satisfy their curiosity. Instead, He was warning them and preparing us all so that we do not become misled or terrified when they come. He says, “See that you not be deceived” and “do not be terrified.”As the old saying goes, “Life is not a bowl of cherries.” While we live in this fallen world, chaos, confusion, deception, abuse, scandal, conflict and the like will be all around us. And when we do come face-to-face with any such difficulty, there is a temptation to fear, anger and despair. Be it family conflicts, civil unrest or even divisions within the Church itself, God wants us to remain at peace and to trust Him always.Take Jesus' own life as an example. He was arrested, falsely accused, sentenced to death and crucified. And through it all, He remained at peace, knowing that His suffering would become the very source of new life. God can use all things for good for those who love and serve Him.Reflect, today, upon the undeniable fact that your life will involve difficulty. Sometimes that difficulty is self-imposed as a result of your sin, and sometimes it is unjustly imposed on account of the sin of another. Truth be told, we should only be concerned about our own sin. If other challenges come your way that are out of your control, then use those challenges as opportunities to trust. Entrust all things to God, every suffering, every persecution, every tragedy, every struggle, everything. If God the Father could bring about the greatest good ever known through the brutal murder of His own divine Son, then He can certainly do the same with all that you offer to Him in trust. Trust at all times and in all circumstances, and our all-powerful Lord will bring good from everything. My most powerful Lord, You warned us of the many hardships that would come our way before Your glorious return. You did so to help prepare us and to strengthen us in those moments of testing. Please give me the grace I need to always trust in You and to surrender over to You every cross I carry. I do believe, dear Lord, that You can bring good from everything, even those things that are most difficult in life. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Jan van Orley, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

When you truly take Jesus seriously, it will cost you something — comfort, approval, maybe even your life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's story reminds us that real discipleship isn't safe, but it's the only kind of faith that changes the world. CONNECT: Text “BRBELONG” to 651-419-4409 DONATE: bethelsrock.org/give LEARN MORE: bethelsrock.org NEW SERMONS | EVERY SUNDAY

In this "How-To" and "Identity" episode will look at the Holy Spirit's manifestation power gift of faith.  What is it?  How does it work? And, how can you increase this gift in your life? This episode includes a general understanding of all nine manifestation gifts and their relationship with the powerful gift of faith. Dr. Patty shares stories of what it looks like when this gift is released from the Bible, her life, and the lives of others.  Learn what happened and what was learned when Jesus issued a 30-day Gift of Faith Challenge.  What did Jesus have to say about the relationship between the gift of faith and all of the manifestation gifts?   And, learn two Biblical principles that activate the increase your power gift of faith.   Take Jesus' 30-day Gift of Faith Challenge yourself and have Him show you what He wants you to have increased faith in in your life and what it will look like when you boldly exercise this gift.  Jesus shows you an area in your life for which He wants you to pray for the gift of faith to believe for in your Experience Jesus encounter time.   He will also give you a glimpse of what your life would look like with that increase of the gift of faith. Links referenced in this episode: New to the Podcast?  Check out the Trailer Episode for the Biblical Foundation for Experiencing Jesus!  https://PattyEJ.Podbean.com/e/trailer-episode-experience-jesus-with-dr-patty-sadallah   The Special Place Encounter Exercise   https://bit.ly/3cEkYBC 30-Day Gift of Faith Challenge and Tracking Form  https://bit.ly/3qS6D9C Pray for Rain film clip from Faith Like Potatoes about the true story of Angus Buchan   https://bit.ly/2GzdXC2     If you like film clip-inspired stories, that teach Biblical truths,  check out Dr. Patty's award-winning Clips that Move Mountains: 2nd Edition book.    https://pattysadallah.com/other-books/#clips-that-move-mountains   And for all of Dr. Patty's books and downloadable resources check out her bookstore https://pattysadallah.com/shop Other Episodes about the Manifestation Gifts of the Holy Spirit: The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3CBmZIl Experience Jesus Episode about the Gift of Miracles https://pattyej.podbean.com/e/how-to-pull-miracles-down-from-heaven/ Experience Jesus Episodes about the Gift of Healing https://pattyej.podbean.com/e/how-god-heals-and-how-to-receive-your-healing/ https://pattyej.podbean.com/e/understanding-and-operating-in-the-gift-of-discernment/   https://pattyej.podbean.com/e/understanding-the-gifts-of-tongues-and-interpretation-of-tongues/   Check out the NEW Spirit Life Journey App.  Click on the QR Code to play around with it.     Get Two Free Chapters of the Experience Jesus Book Series  https://pattysadallah.com/free-gift/     Check out all of Dr. Patty's books, journals, and downloadable resources at her bookstore, and don't forget to use the code EJPOD to receive 10% off everything, even the things on sale.  https://PattySadallah.com/shop/     Check out Dr. Patty's latest book- Encountering the POWER  of God: Experience Jesus Book 4 https://pattysadallah.com/product/encountering-the-power-of-god-experience-jesus-book-4/            

For 16 October 2025, Thursday of week 28 in Ordinary Time, based on Luke 11:47-54

We spend 40% of our lives at work. Think about that for a second—that's a lot of time! If God knows we're spending 150,000 hours on the job, you can be sure He has a purpose for every single one of those moments. In this message, Pastor JC brings our "Made For Mondays" series to a close by challenging us to see our work not just as a paycheck, but as a mission field. Our jobs aren't meant to be a tension against our faith, but a place where our faith can shine brightly. Are you ready to see how God can use your job to change lives? You were created for a purpose, and what you do is a gift from God. The mission field is right where you are—in your cubicle, in the classroom, or on the field. Jesus wants to work through you, and He’s given you the greatest tools to do it: being aware, committing to prayer, showing care, and being ready to share your story. GO Church exists to love anyone from anywhere into a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe in loving people to life. If this message encouraged you, please share it and let us know what you think in the comments below!

We spend 40% of our lives at work. Think about that for a second—that's a lot of time! If God knows we're spending 150,000 hours on the job, you can be sure He has a purpose for every single one of those moments. In this message, Pastor JC brings our "Made For Mondays" series to a close by challenging us to see our work not just as a paycheck, but as a mission field. Our jobs aren't meant to be a tension against our faith, but a place where our faith can shine brightly. Are you ready to see how God can use your job to change lives? You were created for a purpose, and what you do is a gift from God. The mission field is right where you are—in your cubicle, in the classroom, or on the field. Jesus wants to work through you, and He’s given you the greatest tools to do it: being aware, committing to prayer, showing care, and being ready to share your story. GO Church exists to love anyone from anywhere into a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe in loving people to life. If this message encouraged you, please share it and let us know what you think in the comments below!

We spend 40% of our lives at work. Think about that for a second—that's a lot of time! If God knows we're spending 150,000 hours on the job, you can be sure He has a purpose for every single one of those moments. In this message, Pastor JC brings our "Made For Mondays" series to a close by challenging us to see our work not just as a paycheck, but as a mission field. Our jobs aren't meant to be a tension against our faith, but a place where our faith can shine brightly. Are you ready to see how God can use your job to change lives? You were created for a purpose, and what you do is a gift from God. The mission field is right where you are—in your cubicle, in the classroom, or on the field. Jesus wants to work through you, and He’s given you the greatest tools to do it: being aware, committing to prayer, showing care, and being ready to share your story. GO Church exists to love anyone from anywhere into a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe in loving people to life. If this message encouraged you, please share it and let us know what you think in the comments below!

August 10, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 12:22-34 (35-40)Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. These verses speak about anxiety. Yikes. Guilty—party of one. And often, when I read them, I immediately become anxious about how anxious I am and how I am not trusting…because I am anxious. Lord, forgive me, a sinner. Look at these words, though: “fear not…it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Fear not; deep breath. In my anxiety, I am afraid. I'm afraid to fail, afraid to be hurt, afraid I'm not enough, afraid that I don't have control…afraid. And yet, Jesus tells us to fear not. And here's the thing—Jesus is trustworthy. He can and does back up that directive. He has the answers to all my fears. Failure, hurt, enoughness, control…all of these flow out of my sinful, selfish nature. The Law shows me that I am a failure, hurtful, inadequate, out-of-control sinner. And yet, Jesus can and does tell me not to fear because He has paid for all of that; He has covered my shame and guilt. It is His now, and He has left it in the tomb—forever gone and buried. Fear not. And now, I can joyfully receive the Father's good pleasure! I can receive His Kingdom with peace and certainty! In my Baptism, Jesus takes my anxiety and gives me peace. It is through His work that I am right before God and safely found within His Father's House. Perhaps you, too, struggle with anxiety. Perhaps you, too, know that you are a sinner and worry about it. Make the sign of the cross, dear Baptized child of God. Remember that it is Jesus Who takes your sin and shame, and it is Jesus Who defeated it for you. Go to the Divine Service and hear the words of Absolution announced to you. Take Jesus' Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins. Hear God's Word and be strengthened by His promises. You may still struggle with anxiety, but it does not define you. You are Baptized; you are named as one who belongs to Christ, and you can truly fear not. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (LSB, Collect of the Day)Deac. Sarah Longmire, Bible study editor for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Study the early Church Fathers, Scripture, and Christian history alongside FLAME's conversational voice to see for yourself why their teachings from Scripture are important to study, and live out, today.

“Can we take Jesus literally as the Bread of Life?” This episode explores the nuances of interpreting Jesus’ words, addressing the Protestant claim about literalism and metaphor. Additionally, we delve into the nature of hell and God’s mercy, and discuss how to approach conversations with Protestants regarding the intercession of saints. Tune in for a thoughtful exploration of these important topics. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 07:29 – Protestant claim we shouldn’t take Jesus literally when he says that he is the bread of life because he also says he is a door. What is the best response to this? 15:37 – How do we know that hell is forever and how do we justify God being merciful with that reality being taken into consideration? 23:26 – What angle can we use when talking to protestants when discussing the intercession of the saints. It seems like they get hung up on the ‘praying to' wording. 35:21 – Since Jesus is omniscient and omnipotent, did that take away from his suffering? 43:46 – Why is it uncommon to pray to Old Testament saints? 47:16 – I've heard it said that the reason Satan fell was because he knew God would become man. Wouldn’t this imply that Satan has some kind of foreknowledge?

Send us a textIn this episode of the Movement Series, the hosts delve into Chapter 3, 'Starting to Take Jesus at His Word,' exploring the cultural biases that hinder the church's mission. They discuss the distinction between the church's function and form, emphasizing the need for a minimalist approach to church leadership and structure. The conversation highlights the financial unsustainability of traditional church models and calls for a significant shift in thinking to foster genuine disciple-making movements.This chapter promises to really push us.Our common approach might be prioritizing the structure.The church is a movement of people, not an organization.A church is defined simply as a group of people.Jesus intended a different kind of leadership.Clergyfication creates a divide.It's easier to give birth than perform resurrection.The system is financially broken.A major shift in thinking is needed.What would it take to truly see a movement?

Many Christians unwittingly say unbiblical things when sharing the gospel. But if this is the most important message from God to mankind, shouldn't we be most accurate giving it to others? This Sunday at Quentin Road, Pastor Jim Scudder will kickoff the weeks leading up to the Grace Conference with a message about keeping the gospel clear.

Immanuel Baptist Youth Choir sings "I'll Take Jesus" during a worship service at Immanuel Baptist Church, Florence, Ky. Please visit us at 7183 Pleasant Valley Road Florence KY 41042, or call us at (859) 586-6829. Church links: Website: https://www.ibcflorence.com Daily Devotions: https://www.ibcflorence.com/devotions Free App: http://www.ibcflorence.com/ibc-app Our entire list of recent sermons: https://www.ibcflorence.com/recent-sermons Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ibcflorenceky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ibcflorence/ Podcasts: https://soundcloud.com/user-658781358 Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence/live We would love to know how to pray for you! Romans 10:9

Pastor Steve discusses Luke 6 and Jesus redefinition of the Sabbath.

Message by Doug Bunnell, recorded live March 30, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Diane Tate.New Skins for New WineJesus is the new wine that challenges norms and is not welcomed by the old guard. Take Jesus seriously and nothing else.Why do you think Jesus chose Levi (a tax collector) to be one of His disciples?Why do the Pharisees and teachers of the law criticize Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners?How does the idea of Jesus being a "physician" for sinners challenge our understanding of who can come to Jesus?How does the imagery of a wedding feast help us understand the nature of Jesus' ministry and His presence with His followers?What does the statement, "No one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, 'The old is better,'" reveal about human resistance to change?In what ways do you, or might you, identify with the Pharisees' attitudes toward sinners and outcasts?How can you move past this mindset?Are there areas of your life that feel like “old wineskins” that might need to be transformed to receive something new from God?Luke 5:27-3927 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And he got up, left everything, and followed him.29 Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others reclining at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick; 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”33 Then they said to him, “John's disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.” 34 Jesus said to them, “You cannot make wedding attendants fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise, not only will one tear the new garment, but the piece from the new will not match the old garment. 37 Similarly, no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins and will spill out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine but says, ‘The old is good.' ”

Immanuel Baptist Youth Choir sings "I'll Take Jesus Every Time" during a worship service at Immanuel Baptist Church, Florence, Ky. Please visit us at 7183 Pleasant Valley Road Florence KY 41042, or call us at (859) 586-6829. Church links: Website: https://www.ibcflorence.com Daily Devotions: https://www.ibcflorence.com/devotions Free App: http://www.ibcflorence.com/ibc-app Our entire list of recent sermons: https://www.ibcflorence.com/recent-sermons Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ibcflorenceky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ibcflorence/ Podcasts: https://soundcloud.com/user-658781358 Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence/live We would love to know how to pray for you! Romans 10:9 #ibcflorence #florenceky #kjvBible #church #Godisgood #northernkentucky #baptistchurch #savedbygrace #video

Pastor Kenneth focused on the concept that Jesus gave more than he took, urging the church to echo this heart through acts of generosity while addressing the struggles many face with finances. Finally, Pastor Kenneth encouraged everyone to step into a life of obedience and generosity, promising that God would provide abundantly in response to their faithfulness.

Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39Eva zigzagged around mud puddles as she walked home in the rain, but her feet were still getting wet. I know Mom and Dad both had to work late today, but I wish they'd asked someone to give me a ride, she thought gloomily. And they know I don't like being home alone! But when Eva reached the back porch, she was surprised to see her older sister there. "Hi!" said Kate. "I'm home from college for the weekend." She grinned. "What a beautiful, sunshiny day, don't you think?" "No, I don't!" said Eva, wiping water off her face."Oh, but it is!" insisted Kate. "Even if it doesn't look like it.""I think you've been studying too hard, Kate. Your brain must be taking the weekend off too.""So you're saying the sun isn't there anymore?" Kate asked, peering up at the heavy clouds. "That it totally disappeared?""Of course not," Eva answered. "But it's sure hidden. I haven't seen it for days!""Well, just because we can't see the sun doesn't mean it's not there. Behind those dark clouds, the sun still shines! It just goes to show that we can't always trust what we see--we need to trust the truth." When Eva didn't reply, Kate smiled and added, "Take Jesus, for example.""Jesus?" asked Eva. "What do you mean?""Well, when bad things happen, we might feel like we're all alone, but we're not," Kate explained. "Jesus is always with us. The truth is that He's there, whether we feel like He is or not.""So the clouds are like our problems," said Eva. "The clouds keep us from seeing the sunshine, but the sun is still there--and dealing with hard stuff may keep us from feeling like Jesus is with us, but He really is there.""Right!" said Kate. "Because Jesus died and rose again to defeat sin and death, nothing can separate us from God and His love. That's His promise in the Bible, and we should trust Him. The sun is always shining, and God's love is always shining too."Eva grinned. "Okay. So how about going for a walk?" She laughed when her sister made a face. "Come on, Kate. Don't let a little rain stop you on this beautiful, sunny day!" –Diane StrawbridgeHow About You?Have you trusted in Jesus as your Savior? If you have, He promises that He will always be with you and never leave you. You may not always feel like He's there, but don't depend on your feelings. Trust the truth of God's Word, which says He will always be with His children. There is nothing that can separate you from God and His love.Today's Key Verse:[God] himself has said, "I will never leave you or abandon you." (CSB) (Hebrews 13:5)Today's Key Thought:Trust God, not feelings

Faith is an essential part of the Christian's life. It's the first choice we must make, in following Jesus, "Do you Believe?" When we pray and when we read the word of God, each moment is another opportunity to ask ourselves will we believe what God has spoken.  IN this third message of the Signs of the King series, Pastor Fikre Prince share's that signs and miracles are a part of how God reveals himself, but God is still moving even when we don't see it, and we can just trust his words.Text: John 4:46-54 Big Idea: You don't need a sign! 1.  Will you believe without conditions? (vv. 46-48) 2.  Will you ask without doubt? (vv. 49-50) 3.  Will you trust without wavering? (vv. 51-54)

Stress comes in all different shapes and sizes, but whatever its cause, none of us was made to be under constant stress and yet, that's how many people are living. In a constant state of stress.  Well, it's time to do something about it.   A Stress Free Life? Stress. For most of us, that word sends a shiver down our spine, and why wouldn't it? Who wants to be under stress all the time? And that's what it feels like for a lot of us, so what is it? Well, it's a state of mental or emotional strain or tension, and my dictionary adds, "Resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances", although I'm not sure that's always the case. We'll explore some of the main causes of stress in this series, but first, what sort of impact is stress having on our world? Well, a recent study conducted in Australia by the Psychological Institute (and by the way, I'm sure you'd probably find the same results no matter where you live) ... Well, the study found some interesting things about the reach and impact of stress. Here are the headline findings: 12% of people reported experiencing levels of stress in the severe range, with young adults experiencing significantly higher levels of stress and significantly lower levels of wellbeing than the general population. One in three reported experiencing depressive symptoms, with ten percent of these being in the severe range. One in four reported experiencing anxiety, with nine percent of these in the severe range. Young adults, 18-25, reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression than the general population. Although women reported significantly higher levels of perceived stress than did men, this didn't lead to differences reported in their levels of anxiety, depression, or wellbeing. Those people experiencing family or recent relationship-breakdown and those separated reported much higher levels of stress and distress, on all measures. If the relationship-breakdown had occurred more than one year earlier, reported stress levels were about the same as the general population. In the US, things appear to be more extreme. Seventy-three percent of people regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress. Almost half say that stress has a negative impact on their personal or professional lives, and the cost to employers in stress-related healthcare and missed work is estimated, in the US, to be about three hundred billion dollars a year. No wonder we want a stress free life! That idyllic life by the beach is looking pretty good to a few of us at this point. Right? But that's just not realistic and in fact, the reality is that a bit of stress in our lives isn't a bad thing. We enjoy a challenge, for instance, and working under a bit of pressure sometimes produces really good results. It's like a guitar or a violin. If the strings aren't under the right amount of tension and stress, it just doesn't work the way it was meant to. I know for instance after a longish holiday, say three weeks off over Christmas, I'm really looking forward to getting back into the cut and thrust of work. If we had no pressure, no deadlines, life would be missing something; and in any case, sometimes we're hit by circumstances that put us under a lot of stress, whether we like it or not. Take Jesus. He experienced huge stress. Luke 22:39-46: He came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives and the disciples followed Him. When He reached that place, He said to them, ‘Pray, that you may not come into a time of trial.' Then He withdrew from them, about a stone's throw away, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.' Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and gave Him strength. In His anguish He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling down on the ground. When He got up from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and He said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray, that you may not come into a time of trial.' The fact that Jesus' sweat was like drops of blood tells us just how severe His suffering was. This was stress, and it only got worse from here, as He was beaten and nailed to a cross. No, that completely stress free life isn't a reality for any of us. Even the rich and famous, in fact sometimes especially those people, suffer enormous amounts of stress. How many superstars have died from drug overdoses? What were they doing there in the first place? What drove them to drugs? The pressure and the stress of fame. So, sometimes stress is desirable; sometimes it's unavoidable, and sometimes we experience it because of our reaction to a particular person or set of circumstances, and yet the Bible says don't be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6). So what sort of stress are you under right now? Is it the normal cut and thrust of life which, at the end of the day, you kind of enjoy anyhow? Then that's probably not such a bad thing, is it? It's manageable, and you know that with a few adjustments to your life, you could easily get things right under control. Then you're probably in a good balance, but if the stresses that you're under feel like a huge burden, like a heavy load that you're carrying around twenty-four by seven ... well ... that's not such a good thing. We're not made to be under that sort of constant pressure and stress, and yet many people live their lives like that. That's why we're kicking the year off with this series called, "Stress Busters" because God has a lot of things to say about how to alleviate the stress that you're under; lots of practical, powerful things to say. Hey, why should that be a surprise to any of us? God cares so deeply about you; what you're going through; what stress you're under, and the stepping off point for that is what Jesus said. We see it in Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus said: Come to Me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke of easy, and My burden is light. Jesus wants to lighten your load, so over these coming weeks, we're going to discover what He has to say about your stress, because Jesus didn't say this lightly. Jesus didn't say this flippantly. Jesus meant it – come to Me, all you who are weary and who are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Come on! Take My yoke upon you. Learn from Me. I'm gentle. I'm humble of heart, and with Me, you're going to find rest for your souls. Hey, that's a powerful thing, and that's why we're doing a series over these next few weeks called, "Stress Busters" because God wants to deal with the stress in your life.   Stress we Put Ourselves Under You and I have this habit of putting ourselves under pressure and stress needlessly. Don't believe me? Well, right now, we're going to chat about how we do that exactly, and what we can do about changing our habits, because there are more than enough things out there that are going to cause you and me stress, whether we like it or not. There are going to be situations and circumstances completely beyond our control that cause us stress: The loss of a loved one; a difficult boss at work; financial problems; health issues ... There are plenty of things out there that are going to come our way, whether we like it or not, that are going to cause us stress. So, why would we possibly want to needlessly cause ourselves stress? Well, right now, we're going to chat about the main three reasons that we cause ourselves stress. I'd be surprised if you don't recognise at least one of them in your life. The first one is physical. Sometimes we think of stress as an emotional thing, even a spiritual thing; and of course, it is those things, but the physical reality is that God has given you and me a body, and there are three main things that we do to abuse this amazing body that God has gifted us. We eat too much of the wrong stuff, we don't get enough sleep, and we don't get enough exercise. How many times have you heard someone (including me) banging on about our diet and exercise and sleep? And yet still the first and most obvious thing that we can get wrong when it comes to managing our stress is how we treat our body, so come on. If the hat fits, wear it. Are you sick of feeling tired? Are you sick of feeling bloated and stressed and exhausted? Then do something about it. Last year, we had a whole series on the programme called, "Healthy living to a Ripe Old Age" and all of those messages in that series are available in the Resources section of the ChristianityWorks.com website, under the heading of Health. Grab them, listen to them, read the transcripts and please, if you're struggling because you're not treating your body properly, do something about it. 1 Corinthians 6:19: For don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? God expects you and He expects me to look after this amazing body that He's given us, and when we do, let me tell you, our stress levels drop dramatically. The second thing that we do to put ourselves under stress needlessly is constantly second-guessing ourselves: Constantly telling ourselves, "I'm not good enough. I'm not fast enough. I'm not smart enough." You know what that's called? Low self-esteem, and it might surprise you to know that this is a trap that I too find quite easy to fall into. Shocked? Here's how it works for me. I'm something of an achiever. I drive hard at things; I work hard; I try to deliver on-time ... It's just who I am, and when you're that kind of person, you can see not only all the things that you have achieved, but all the things that you haven't yet achieved, and so you start telling yourself, "Come on! You're not working hard enough for God. You should be doing better for God. You should be getting up earlier and working longer and delivering sooner. You need to get more done. Look at all the things you haven't done yet! Oh, Berni, you're failing God." You see how easy it is to do? Or at the other end of the scale, perhaps you only ever see your inadequacies, because you're constantly comparing yourself to other people. Anyone recognise that? It's like that song by Casey Chambers. "Am I not pretty enough or smart enough or liked enough or strong enough or articulate enough or" ... so we find all these ways to put ourselves under enormous pressure, and cause ourselves huge stress by believing this nonsense that we're just not good enough. Have you been there? Then I have a word from God for you today. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7: Now there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit; there are a variety of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each one, He has given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Did you get that? Each one of us has been given a particular set of gifts and abilities. They're all different, but they're given by the one God; and the gifts He's given you, He's given you by His sovereign will and choice. You are who you are because He made you that way. He didn't make a mistake. You're exactly who God purposed you and made you to be. Get your heart around that, and you're set free from this nonsense of, "Am I not pretty enough? Am I not good enough for God?" Hello? Is anyone listening to this? I for one need constant reminding of this stuff, because I can end up stressing out by having a wrong view of who I am. It's about trading in your self-image for a faith-image from God, and this God says that you're beautiful, and that you're just who you're meant to be. So you've been given gifts by God now to be that person, and to use those gifts. Hallelujah! And finally, the third thing that causes us needlessly to put ourselves under stress is not letting go of the past. So many people are still holding onto the failures and the hurts and the regrets of the past. How many people are living under the reproach of the past? Come on, the past is the past. You and I can't change it, and God is in the business of setting us free from it. Mark this. Before Israel was able to cross over the Jordan River and enter into the promised land, God dealt with their past. Joshua 5:9: The LORD said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away from you the reproach of the past, the disgrace of Egypt.' And so that place is called Gilgal to this day. You've heard that saying, "Don't cry over spilt milk." Right? Yes, wipe it up. Yes, clean up the mess. Yes, learn from your mistakes so that you won't spill the milk again, but don't just stand there and wish you hadn't spilt the milk, and spend the rest of your life living in that one moment of failure, because you can't un-spill the milk. That just doesn't make sense. This Jesus came to set you free from the past, to bind up your broken heart, to give you a vision for the future, a new set of eyes to see, a new set of ears to hear, and a new life to live. Jesus came to lift the reproach of the past off your shoulders, so that it won't cause you any more stress. Come on. There are enough things out there for you to stress out over without your health, without these false feelings of inadequacy, and without your hurts from the past doing it all for you. Do you think?   The Stress of not Enough It seems to me that there are three basic resources that you and I need to get by each day: Time, money, and expertise; and when we're short of any of those three basic resources – time, money, or expertise, that can cause us enormous amounts of stress. Let's start by looking at time. I don't know when the term time-poor started to fall into common usage, but these days, you hear it a lot. People are time-poor. In fact, once you have enough money to cover the basics in your life, time becomes an even more valuable commodity than money, and for many people, time is way too short. ‘If only I had a few extra hours in every day!' I've heard people say. Really? The more affluent we become, the more options we have for spending our time. Take social media. Right at the moment, eleven percent of the world's population are active Facebook-users. Just think about that for a minute, and they are collectively spending seven hundred billion minutes on Facebook each month. That's 1.33 million person-years every month on Facebook, and that doesn't count watching TV and all the other entertainment options available to us. No wonder we're time-poor! So what's changed? Why have we, all of a sudden, become time-poor? ‘Cos we're trying to cram too much into our day. We're always connected. We're always working and chatting, and we've forgotten how to have disconnected, quiet down-time. If that's you, if you're burning the candle at both ends, something has to give, otherwise the stress is going to kill you. Really, and in case you're one of these workaholics, who just has to work eighteen hours a day otherwise civilisation as we know it is going to come to an end, here's a different perspective – God's perspective. Psalm 127:1-2: Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the guards keep watch in vain. It's in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil, for God gives sleep to His beloved. It's simply not God's plan for you to live like that, and I've recorded a whole series of messages on that called "It's Time to Stop Labouring in Vain". You'll find it in the Resources section of our website, ChristianityWorks.com. Now the second thing that causes us stress is a lack of money. Sometimes that's because people simply don't have enough money to get by, but sometimes, it's because we squander the money that we do have on impulse buys or on things we don't need; on food that we bought, and then because of our bad management, it goes off in the fridge, so we throw it out. I want to deal with wastage first because that's criminal. With people starving in the world, wasting money on stuff that we just don't need is criminal, but the problem is that advertisers have it down to a fine art. They seem to be able to get us to part with our money like nothing else, so the question you have to ask yourself, the thing that's going to get you to change your mind, is whether the stress of this is worth it; whether having all those things makes you happy or, at the end of the day, makes you stressed. 1 Timothy 6:9-10: Those who want to be rich end up falling into temptation, and they're trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich, some have wandered away from their faith and pierced themselves with many pains. So ask yourself, "Is it really worth it for me? Really?" Or is it time to get your house in order? Is it time to get money-wise? And again, I've recorded a whole series called, "How to be Money-Wise" that you'll find in the Living in Victory section of the Resources library at ChristianityWorks.com. Sort that out, and the stress goes away. Believe you me, it's worth it. And for those who are poor, desperately poor, let me say this to you: In fact not me, but Jesus. Matthew 6:31-33: Don't worry, saying, ‘What am I going to eat?' or, ‘What am I going to drink?' or, ‘What am I going to wear?' For it's the Gentiles who strive after all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father already knows that you need them all. But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. God knows what you need, and He will provide it for you. So, Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. But in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Your God will surely provide for you, and once you learn to trust Him to do the things you can't do and provide the things that you need that you can't acquire for yourself, the stress will be replaced by the most amazing peace and assurance. Finally, the other thing that causes us stress when we're without it is expertise. When I look at the ministry of ChristianityWorks that produces these radio-programmes, ok, I'm the front guy; you hear my voice, but without Max on the opposite side of the glass here in the studio and our dedicated team around the world, there simply wouldn't be any radio-programmes. One of the biggest things that you and I can do to cause ourselves stress is not to value and recognise the different abilities and capabilities of the people around us because when we don't cherish them, they desert us. I see this all the time: Leaders who think everybody should be exactly like them, so they drive their people hard and all of a sudden, there's no one left to lead. A true leader recognises other people's gifts and abilities. A true leader encourages and empowers people to be all that they can be, and whether we're leaders or not, we need other people around us who will co-operate in getting things done; because without them, we are going to be under stress with a capital S; because without them, we have to do the things that they're good at, and those things are invariably stuff that we're not good at. There's something incredibly stressful about being a square peg in a round hole. If I had to do Max's job here in the studio, I couldn't do it, and I've tried to get Max on the other side of the glass in front of the microphone, and he's not real keen on that either; because that's not his gig, just as much as what he does is not my gig. It's easy to be stressed by not having enough: Enough time, enough money, or enough expertise. But when we lean on God – hey; when we really trust in Him (come on, really), the stress starts to go away because what we discover is that God provides richly for those whom He loves. He just does. So if you're struggling under the stress of not enough, listen again, please, to this passage from Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Do not lean on your own understanding. In other words, don't look at the problem and keep turning the problem over in your mind, and just seeing the problem which then appears to be bigger than God. Instead, trust in the LORD with all your heart! Don't lean on your own understanding. And in all your ways acknowledge Him, and God will straighten out your paths. God will make it happen. God loves you. Do you get that? God absolutely loves you, and often we are going to be confronted with things that are much bigger than us. Pressure is different from stress. Pressure is out there; stress is our reaction to it, and God doesn't want you stressing out.

In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks the new year off with a new series about diving deeper into God's Word, and how we know His Word is trustworthy.

The 23rd message from the Gospel of John John 18:38-40, Matthew 27: 15-22 Watch Our Sermons Online! Freedom Baptist - Facebook Freedom Baptist - YouTube Freedom Baptist - LinkedIn

Read OnlineWhile some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Luke 21:5–6In a literal way, this prophecy of our Lord came true. In 70 A.D., the Temple upon which they were commenting was destroyed. After prophesying this, Jesus then goes on to warn the disciples that there will be many confusions that will come. There will be false prophets, wars and insurrections, powerful earthquakes, famines, plagues, “and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” Why does Jesus prophesy all of these things?The answer was simple. He was not trying to scare them. He was not simply trying to satisfy their curiosity. Instead, He was warning them and preparing us all so that we do not become misled or terrified when they come. He says, “See that you not be deceived” and “do not be terrified.”As the old saying goes, “Life is not a bowl of cherries.” While we live in this fallen world, chaos, confusion, deception, abuse, scandal, conflict and the like will be all around us. And when we do come face-to-face with any such difficulty, there is a temptation to fear, anger and despair. Be it family conflicts, civil unrest or even divisions within the Church itself, God wants us to remain at peace and to trust Him always.Take Jesus' own life as an example. He was arrested, falsely accused, sentenced to death and crucified. And through it all, He remained at peace, knowing that His suffering would become the very source of new life. God can use all things for good for those who love and serve Him.Reflect, today, upon the undeniable fact that your life will involve difficulty. Sometimes that difficulty is self-imposed as a result of your sin, and sometimes it is unjustly imposed on account of the sin of another. Truth be told, we should only be concerned about our own sin. If other challenges come your way that are out of your control, then use those challenges as opportunities to trust. Entrust all things to God, every suffering, every persecution, every tragedy, every struggle, everything. If God the Father could bring about the greatest good ever known through the brutal murder of His own divine Son, then He can certainly do the same with all that you offer to Him in trust. Trust at all times and in all circumstances, and our all-powerful Lord will bring good from everything.My most powerful Lord, You warned us of the many hardships that would come our way before Your glorious return. You did so to help prepare us and to strengthen us in those moments of testing. Please give me the grace I need to always trust in You and to surrender over to You every cross I carry. I do believe, dear Lord, that You can bring good from everything, even those things that are most difficult in life. Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Jesus teaches in the Temple by Jan van Orley, via Wikimedia Commons

Do You Take Jesus Just As He Is?Pastor Brian Keith

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at WorkDevotional: 3 of 7A person's insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11)We're in a series exploring seven biblical principles for resolving conflict at work. Here's the third…Principle #3: Resolve to Overlook or Address the offense that has caused a lack of peace between you and someone else.You may be surprised to learn that Scripture commends overlooking certain offenses, but it's there in black and white (see Proverbs 19:11). And I think we see evidence of this in the life of Christ. Take Jesus's exchange with the “rich young ruler.” After Jesus pointed to God's commands such as the ones to “not murder,” and “not commit adultery,” the young man said, “All these things I have kept from my youth” (see Matthew 19:16-22). To which Jesus must have thought, “Really?”While this man may not have technically murdered or cheated on his wife, Jesus's Sermon on the Mount made clear that no human (save Christ himself) is capable of keeping those commandments perfectly. Jesus undoubtedly saw pride and spiritual blindness in this young man's heart. But he chose “to overlook [the] offense” in this particular interaction.So yes, sometimes we'd be wise to overlook an offense. But other times, we'd be wise to address an offense that is leading to a lack of peace (see Proverbs 27:5). How can we discern when to overlook and when to address an offense that is causing conflict? Here are three steps.#1: Write down the offense as clearly as you can. Because as Charles Kettering once said, “A problem well stated is a problem half solved.” Go back to the note I encouraged you to start last week and complete this sentence: “I feel a lack of peace with [Name] because…” And be as detailed as you can about why you feel a lack of peace towards this person.#2: Pray for wisdom on whether to address or overlook the offense. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”#3: Ask yourself these diagnostic questions.Does the offense dishonor God?Has the offense damaged my relationship with the person?Has this person's actions hurt themselves or others?Was the offending action done intentionally?Is the offending action a recurring issue?If I overlook the offense, will I continue to dwell on it?If the answer to all of these questions is “no,” then it's probably wise to overlook the issue which, according to Ken Sande, “involves a deliberate decision not to talk about it, dwell on it, or let it grow into pent-up bitterness or anger.”If you can do that, praise God! If not, we've got some more work to do together next week.

Silver Quintette - "Sinner's Crossroads" [0:00:00] Cross-Road Singers - "Sing Till the Power of the Lord Comes Down" [0:03:32] Ozark Mountain Gospel Singers - "If You Want to Get Heaven" [0:07:34] CBS Trumpeteers - "I Want to Know" [0:15:09] Flying Clouds of Detroit - "Jez E Bell" [sinner and Brother Ray to the right, live in the studio.] [0:17:36] Fireside Gospel Singers - "Get Your Soul Right" [0:20:53] Holmes Sisters - "Son of Man" [0:23:54] Sons of Jehovah - "The Holy Bible" [0:27:58] Bevins Specials - "Everybody Ought to Pray" [0:30:19] Brother TS Small and the Sunrising Four of Summerville, S.C. - "Sweet Jesus" [0:36:13] Leo Richburg and the Gospel Four - "Lord You Been So Good to Me" [0:40:26] Gospel Skylifters - "Lord I'm Holding On" [0:47:12] Flossie and the Active Gibson Singers - "Repent and Be Baptized" [0:49:24] Linen Singers - "I've Got to Take Jesus" [0:49:36] Shepherds of Joy - "There Will Be Peace" [0:53:14] Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke - "At the Gate" [0:58:18] https://freeform.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/145176

Silver Quintette - "Sinner's Crossroads" [0:00:00] Cross-Road Singers - "Sing Till the Power of the Lord Comes Down" [0:03:32] Ozark Mountain Gospel Singers - "If You Want to Get Heaven" [0:07:34] CBS Trumpeteers - "I Want to Know" [0:15:09] Flying Clouds of Detroit - "Jez E Bell" [sinner and Brother Ray to the right, live in the studio.] [0:17:36] Fireside Gospel Singers - "Get Your Soul Right" [0:20:53] Holmes Sisters - "Son of Man" [0:23:54] Sons of Jehovah - "The Holy Bible" [0:27:58] Bevins Specials - "Everybody Ought to Pray" [0:30:19] Brother TS Small and the Sunrising Four of Summerville, S.C. - "Sweet Jesus" [0:36:13] Leo Richburg and the Gospel Four - "Lord You Been So Good to Me" [0:40:26] Gospel Skylifters - "Lord I'm Holding On" [0:47:12] Flossie and the Active Gibson Singers - "Repent and Be Baptized" [0:49:24] Linen Singers - "I've Got to Take Jesus" [0:49:36] Shepherds of Joy - "There Will Be Peace" [0:53:14] Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke - "At the Gate" [0:58:18] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/145176

/> ### MESSAGE NOTESWalking The Way | Solitude | Week 4 | June 2, 2024Teacher: Dave Brown/>  Sacrament is from the Latin word sacramentum which originally referred to a soldier's sacred oath of allegiance. /> Two sacramentsBaptismCommunion/> 3 Names to CommunionThe Lord's SupperCommunionEucharist/> And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”—Luke 22:19-20/> Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.—Luke 9:16-17/> 4 Verbs of the Lord's Supper1. Take:  Jesus takes what we bring him. This offering that Jesus take from us is the first movement of the Eucharist; it sets salvation in the ambience of sheer acceptance.  God receives us and what we bring to him, just as we are.2. Bless:  What we offer to Jesus, Jesus offers to God with thanksgiving.  He doesn't examine it for flaws, doesn't evaluate and appraise it, criticize or reject our offerings. He prays these offerings and the lives that back them up, offering what we offer to the Father. This prayer of blessing gathers all of us and everything we are into everything that Christ is and does for us.3. Break:  Our gifts don't remain what we bring.  At the Table we are not permitted to be self-sufficient.  The breaking of our pride and self-approval is not a bad thing; it opens us to new life, to saving action.  We soon discover that God is working deep within us, beneath our surface lies and poses, to bring new life.4. Give:  Jesus gives back what we bring to him, who we are; and we receive what he gives.  But it is no longer what we brought.  It has been changed into what God gives, what we sing of as “amazing grace.”  Everything we bring to Jesus is given back, but lavishly…Everything on the Table and everyone around the Table becomes gospel and is distributed to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness.—Eugene Peterson

There’s a time and place to push back and fight for what you think is right. But figuring that out can be tricky. Take Jesus, for example. He leaned in and pushed back on important things because some things are worth fighting for—but not everything. So, how do you prioritize your pushback? If you push back on everything, you lessen your influence on anything.

There’s a time and place to push back and fight for what you think is right. But figuring that out can be tricky. Take Jesus, for example. He leaned in and pushed back on important things because some things are worth fighting for—but not everything. So, how do you prioritize your pushback? If you push back on everything, you lessen your influence on anything.

There’s a time and place to push back and fight for what you think is right. But figuring that out can be tricky. Take Jesus, for example. He leaned in and pushed back on important things because some things are worth fighting for—but not everything. So, how do you prioritize your pushback? If you push back on everything, you lessen your influence on anything.

There’s a time and place to push back and fight for what you think is right. But figuring that out can be tricky. Take Jesus, for example. He leaned in and pushed back on important things because some things are worth fighting for—but not everything. So, how do you prioritize your pushback? If you push back on everything, you lessen your influence on anything.

This is a weekly listing of live sermons from First Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida where Dr. Wade Humphries is Senior Pastor.

Sinferno Cabaret Maestro, Ivizia Dakini talks about the chocolate and peanut butter that is stripping and playing with fire on rollerskates. Should Paul get that back piece he's been talking about plus other tattoos? Where does one rent a pool for orgies and other kinds of parties? Scoop mail goes #1. Jock Vs Nerd Trivia Scoopardy. ALSO: Please vote for us at LasVegasWeekly.com/bestofvegas2024

Still not sure about Christianity? Take Jesus' words and put them into practice to see for yourself.Check out our other podcasts! Search for these on your favorite podcast app.– The Nonmicrowaved Truth with C.L. Whiteside– Little Things, with Amber Albee Swenson– Bible Breath, with Pastor Jeremy– Bible Threads, with Dr. Bruce Becker– Evening Encouragements With Pastor Jeremy– Time of Grace With Pastor Mike NovotnyIf you have questions and want to know more about God, like what does he think of you, what exactly was Jesus all about, how do you get “saved” and just what exactly does it mean to “get saved,” and what you should do next, we want you to download this free resource Pastor Mike wrote called, The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith. Get your free download at timeofgrace.org/thebasics.OR, you can listen to the audio version of The Basics! Just search "The Basics With Pastor Mike Novotny" wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Luke 21:5–6In a literal way, this prophecy of our Lord came true. In 70 A.D., the Temple upon which they were commenting was destroyed. After prophesying this, Jesus then goes on to warn the disciples that there will be many confusions that will come. There will be false prophets, wars and insurrections, powerful earthquakes, famines, plagues, “and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” Why does Jesus prophesy all of these things?The answer was simple. He was not trying to scare them. He was not simply trying to satisfy their curiosity. Instead, He was warning them and preparing us all so that we do not become misled or terrified when they come. He says, “See that you not be deceived” and “do not be terrified.”As the old saying goes, “Life is not a bowl of cherries.” While we live in this fallen world, chaos, confusion, deception, abuse, scandal, conflict and the like will be all around us. And when we do come face-to-face with any such difficulty, there is a temptation to fear, anger and despair. Be it family conflicts, civil unrest or even divisions within the Church itself, God wants us to remain at peace and to trust Him always.Take Jesus' own life as an example. He was arrested, falsely accused, sentenced to death and crucified. And through it all, He remained at peace, knowing that His suffering would become the very source of new life. God can use all things for good for those who love and serve Him. Reflect, today, upon the undeniable fact that your life will involve difficulty. Sometimes that difficulty is self-imposed as a result of your sin, and sometimes it is unjustly imposed on account of the sin of another. Truth be told, we should only be concerned about our own sin. If other challenges come your way that are out of your control, then use those challenges as opportunities to trust. Entrust all things to God, every suffering, every persecution, every tragedy, every struggle, everything. If God the Father could bring about the greatest good ever known through the brutal murder of His own divine Son, then He can certainly do the same with all that you offer to Him in trust. Trust at all times and in all circumstances, and our all-powerful Lord will bring good from everything. My most powerful Lord, You warned us of the many hardships that would come our way before Your glorious return. You did so to help prepare us and to strengthen us in those moments of testing. Please give me the grace I need to always trust in You and to surrender over to You every cross I carry. I do believe, dear Lord, that You can bring good from everything, even those things that are most difficult in life. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Brent Beshore is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Permanent Equity, a Midwestern-based private equity firm. One part of his Twitter bio intrigued me: "Former atheist who now follows Jesus." And in this conversation, we explored why he initially rejected God, his turning point, and where to start with the Bible. Brent's challenge: Take Jesus seriously. 0:00 Intro 1:14 Meeting With Pastor At 14 7:26 Who Are You More Concerned With? 10:55 Turning Point 17:35 Prodigal Son 22:00 Why Does Brent Talk About Jesus? 25:05 2 Types of Love 27:41 “My Life Was Hell Before God” 31:21 Money, Fame, And Power 34:21 What Happens After Death? 38:45 What Does God Look Like? 39:32 Growing Up With Faith? 44:39 Why Study Jesus? 49:03 The Bible Is Real 51:41 Where To Start With Bible? 59:04 Endowment Effect 1:03:21 Slavery 1:06:02 Teachers 1:11:11 Challenge  Leaf by Niggle – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_by_Niggle Brett's Twitter: @BrentBeshore My Links  ✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com