Podcasts about thank jesus

Thank Jesus for being your advocate.

The King is still calling for courageous followers. Will you answer with your life? #daybydaylw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org! ~~~ Scripture: 2 Samuel 23:8–39 (Conclusion) Theme: Will you be counted among the faithful? Reflection: 2 Samuel 23 closes like a battle scroll—names and stories of those who stood with David. Some risked their lives, others simply held the line, but all were remembered. And the question comes to us: will we be counted among them? Courageous faith isn't just for warriors in ancient days. It's for students who stand for Christ in their schools. It's for businesspeople who refuse to compromise. It's for parents raising kids in truth. It's for elderly saints still praying and serving. It's for you. The same Spirit that filled David's mighty men fills every believer today. And the King we serve? He's greater than David. His kingdom will never fall. His rewards are eternal. So don't lose heart. Your faithfulness matters. Heaven sees. The King remembers. Will you commit to be a person of courageous faith—faith that trusts, obeys, leads, and endures? Prayer Points: Pray for renewed strength and commitment to courageous faith. Ask the Spirit to reveal areas where you're holding back. Thank Jesus for calling you into His victorious kingdom. 2 People to pray for Sam & Suzan Jordan and their family, our missionaries in Jordan The Barbaig Lifeword broadcast for the people of Tanzania Summary: The King is still calling for courageous followers. Will you answer with your life?

The Tuesday teaser with my dad is up! New Dopey Beef! Talk of the debate! Lots of talk about cereal and dessert! Email! And loads of other dumb shit!!!!!   AI NOTES: SummaryIn this conversation, David Manheim discusses the benefits of joining the Dopey Patreon, his visit to the dermatologist, his participation in an AA Zoom meeting, and his appreciation for receiving socks and stickers from a Patreon member. He also talks about his father's quirks, including his unique cereal mixing habits and his thoughts on the recent presidential debate. The conversation ends with David sharing a teaser for the Dopey Patreon Tuesday show where he and his dad listen to another podcast talking about Dopey. KeywordsDopey, Patreon, benefits, dermatologist, AA Zoom, socks, stickers, father, cereal mixing, presidential debate, podcast Takeaways Joining the Dopey Patreon provides access to additional Dopey content, including extra episodes, videos, and songs. David visited the dermatologist due to concerns about skin issues and was relieved to find out he was all clear. He participated in an AA Zoom meeting and enjoyed connecting with other members. David's father has a unique habit of mixing different cereals together to create his own perfect mix. They discuss the recent presidential debate and express their disappointment in the candidates. The conversation ends with a teaser for the Dopey Patreon Tuesday show, where they listen to another podcast talking about Dopey. Titles A Visit to the Dermatologist Appreciating Socks and Stickers Sound Bites "If you're a serious Dopey listener and you want more Dopey and you wonder what will you get from joining Dopey Patreon, you get so much stuff, man." "I put out an extra dopey episode every Tuesday and usually a few videos and songs and lots of shit. It's a lot of bang for the buck." "I got naked for him. He checked me from head to toe, found nothing. Thank God. Thank Jesus. I'm all clear." Chapters 00:00Introduction and Benefits of Joining Dopey Patreon 02:12A Visit to the Dermatologist 03:09Participating in an AA Zoom Meeting 04:36Appreciating Socks and Stickers 06:33The Quirky Habit of Cereal Mixing 16:02Disappointment in the Presidential Debate

Lisa 6:3 - "God Wants Peace with You!" Romans 5:1. God is not mad at us for what that other woman (Israel) did to Him. He sent Jesus so that everything I was guilty of doing towards Him, has now been (justified) acquitted. Thank Jesus for the Peace God now has with me. #forgiveness #grace #peace #Godislove ❤

Sometimes Christmas reminds us we are so happy! But sometimes Christmas reminds us we should be joyful but we aren't. And today's episode is all about eliminating comparison from our lives. We are in the middle of this peace and joy series. Today we are talking about something that robs us of joy year round but especially at Christmas and that is comparison and envy. Learn what comparison does to us The difference between envy and jealousy How to use purpose to find joy Comparison will either make you feel inferior or superior, neither honors God. And during the Christmas season in the hustle of it all, it is easy to compare so many things to others. Bonuses, Christmas presents, holiday invites, family connections…the list goes on. The Way Comparison Works: Definition of Comparison: What is it: It isn't an emotion. But it drives emotions that make us feel some sort of way. Comparison is the crush of conformity from one side and competition from the other – it's trying to simultaneously fit in and stand out. Comparison says to be like everyone else but better. Fit in but win. But it's an impossible task. How can you win the race and be next to your teammates? Comparison will either make you feel inferior or superior, neither honors God. And that's the issue, comparing ourselves to others leads us to fear, shame, sadness, and anger. When we can't win, we get envious of what others have that makes them seem better than us. Envy occurs when we want what someone else has. Jealously is when we fear losing a relationship or a valued relationship. Comparison > envy > jealousy > inferiority of superiority > negative feelings that come with it Our future is shaped by our past comparisons. Not only in the decisions we make. But in the way we feel about ourselves. We can't escape comparison but we can escape allowing it to make us unhappy with our circumstances. You were not made to compare. You were not made to feel you are less than. But one easy trap we all fall into is comparison or envy, SO WHAT IS THE REMEDY for comparison and envy? Appreciation and contentment. Well if comparison says to be like everyone else but better. Acceptance of exactly who I am says, the world will be better when I use the gifts that I have been given because no one has the same gifts I can uniquely offer the world. Not made to fit but live on purpose with kindness and inner shine. BOB GOFF SAYS We won't be distracted by comparison if we are captivated by purpose. How to Find Joy By Stop Comparing: ReIdentify and embrace your purpose. Thank Jesus for being born for you. Notice the blessings that come with your purpose. See them. Be grateful. Resubmit yourself to God to see your purpose. To fix your eyes on him. Stop focusing on the next dream. The dream someone else has realized. And write down three answered prayers. Dreams come true. Walk around your home. Pray over it. And thank God for all parts of it. With the Christmas lights on. Look around it. When you begin to compare, pray for that person and thank God for their unique person then come back to yourself. Remind yourself that they have their own issues. Their own struggles. Pray that they have...

December 3, 2023Paul said in his letter to the church of Corinth, “I wished to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” For Paul and every believer in Jesus, the crucifixion is the apex moment that has completely altered the trajectory of the world. The cross is both offensive and beautiful at once. The cross offends mankind because it tells us that we are not good enough, and even worse, that we are broken to the core—sinners. The cross shows just how much the Triune God hates sin. Yet, the cross is also beautiful, namely because of who is on it: Jesus Christ. The cross is beautiful because it means we, the broken sinners, have a means of being made right with God, no longer having His wrath aimed at us, but now experiencing the riches of His grace and love. The cross is beautiful because now we have life; we are made righteous and have a means to live a righteous life. This Christmas, take a moment to thank God for the cross. Thank Jesus for being willing to lay down His life, even for sinners like you and me.John 18:33-19:11

Long time no solo episode

How do you help a friend actually put their faith in Jesus? Check out this episode to get practical help for how to guide non-Christians to take their first step in their Christian spiritual life! JOIN the NEWSLETTER. SUPPORT Binmin with a tax-deductible gift HERE 0:00 - INTRO 1:17 - FAITH IDENTITY. EVANGELISM: proclaiming the “good news” (“gospel”) of Jesus Christ to a non-Christian 3:10 - THE GOSPEL: 1. SIN, 2. GOD, 3. JESUS' DEATH, 4. JESUS' RESURRECTION, 5. SALVATION, 6. FAITH 4:15 - HOW TO TRANSITION from presenting the gospel to accepting Jesus? 1. GENERAL UNDERSTANDING (“Does this make sense?”) 2. SPECIFIC ACTION (“Do you feel like you're ready to become a Christian?” “I can lead us in prayer right now, and you can put your faith in Jesus.”). IF THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT READY YET--THAT'S OKAY! Remind them this is a really important decision (urgency). 7:13 - WHAT IF THEY  WANT TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN? Lead them in a PRAYER FOR SALVATION. 1. Admit they are a sinner and want to repent. 2. Thank Jesus for dying for them and asking him to be Savior. 3. They are “born again” and have eternal life. 8:36 - PRAYER FOR SALVATION. Go back through the points of the gospel you shared. They can pray and repeat after you:  "Dear God, I confess I am a sinner. Thank you that Jesus died on the cross to forgive my sin and rose again. I want to trust and follow Jesus as my Savior. Thank you that if I trust in Jesus alone, you give me the gift of a right relationship with you forever.  Amen.” You can remind them that salvation is theirs (Romans 10:9)! Help them take their first steps in their new Christian faith. 10:35 - SO WHAT? 12:35 - WHAT'S YOUR NEXT STEP? PRACTICE 14:04 - THANK YOU & WRAP UP CONNECT WITH BINMIN: Binmin.org Instagram TikTok Facebook Linkedin  Questions?: info@binmin.org PODCAST RESOURCES: More from Binmin: Binmin.org Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on AnchorFM Subscribe on YouTube LEAVE A REVIEW on Apple podcasts 

JESUS IS SCOURGED AND CROWNED WITH THORNS – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)   LYRICS TO MUSIC: He spoke his preparation he spoke of this time Said they will hand him over To be mocked to be flogged to be crucified   So they led him down to the post he knew To be tied and bound to be stripped and bruised With a scarlet robe wrapped around his frame They spit insults inside a deserving name   Then the whip falls down on his back You come again with your nine black straps Whip fall down you can have your day For these stripes will heal these stripes will save   You can strike this man you can make him bleed But some day you'll answer On your knees   Wind those thorns make your cursed crown While you bind those horns trap a good reason There's a sacrifice on the table set But Abe's son was spared and the Lord's he forgets   You can strike this man you can make him bleed But some day you'll answer On your knees   Whip fall down would you make your mark You have set the stage you are just the start You have paved the way you are just the start…   MESSAGE SUMMARY:  When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!' And he said, ‘Here I am.' He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.' And Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” (Genesis 22:9-13). Genesis 22 relates quite possibly one of the most memorable occurrences in the Bible. God's miraculous providence in Abraham's situation is fascinating. At the call of God, Abraham went up to the mountains in Moriah. He intended to lay his one and only son Isaac on an altar, and sacrifice him unto the Lord. For this is what God had commanded Abraham to do. Just as the knife was raised, the Angel of the Lord stopped Abraham. There in a thorn bush, caught by his horns, is a ram. This ram takes the place of Isaac on the altar. This ram dies in Isaac's place, and in doing so, grants Isaac new life. The prophetic imagery that pulses through this story is remarkable. A ‘lamb' of God, whose head is entangled in thorns becomes the sacrifice required. A thorn-wrapped replacement for the one who deserves death. This image prefigures Jesus, centuries before he himself is crowned with thorns by the Roman guards. But Jesus' suffering went far beyond the piercing crown he was bestowed. And this was only the beginning of his physical torment. We know from historical accounts that Roman flogging was a legal and common precursor to death by crucifixion. It's intensity and duration differed, but its harshness and cruelty was second to none. The common instrument was a short whip with braided leather thongs. Attached to the leather strips were small iron balls or sharp pieces of bone. The recipient was stripped, and his hands were bound to a post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged. The abuse was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. Roman soldiers would repeatedly strike the prisoner, creating deep contusions, cutting into the skin and underlying tissue, and eventually creating lacerations in the underlying muscle and bone. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock. And so began the physical torment of Jesus. After beating him, the Roman guards mocked him, and adding insult to their physical abuse, they placed upon him a ‘twisted' crown of thorns. And so, in what Abraham was prepared to do, God actually did. The only Son of the Father was cast into thorns and sacrificed in our place. We cannot forget that on the day of judgment, we will be like Isaac. Standing before God, we will deserve death. We will deserve to be flogged for our transgressions. But a King crowned with thorns has taken our place. ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,' (2 Corinthians 5:21). God knew that Isaac's blood could not take away the sins of the world. Isaac could never bear the burden of all mankind. Jesus is the only one who could. Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper   TODAY'S PRAYER: Meditate on Christ's love which endured excruciating pain for you. Thank God for doing what Abraham was prepared to do. Thank Jesus for taking the death and punishment you deserve. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Resentment. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Compassion. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 19:1-3: “When Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.”. Further Reading: Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; Luke 22:63-65; Genesis 22:13; Isaiah 50:6-7. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “How Does God Say He Loves You: Part 5 The New Covenant”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Did you have a nice Thanksgiving Day? Around this time of the year, the nine Israelis, who failed to thank Jesus for healing them of leprosy, get a lot of flak while the lone Samaritan, who did thank the Lord, gets a ton of praise. Do you really think that the nine didn't have a thankful thought? Sure, they did, but it wasn't enough to motivate them to return to Jesus to do what the Samaritan did: “He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him.” Why? What's the difference between them? How would you have responded if you were one of them? This videoblog shows that unless we “move” to where Jesus stays, a place called, “outside the camp,” we will do exactly what the nine did.

Main Point: Jesus, the good God of Israel, provokes joy and thanks. 1. He is God (v. 1-3) 2. He is Good (v. 4-5)

Thank Jesus today for the scars he endured on your behalf.

He will carry you through no matter what. Have faith. Praise God. Thank Jesus always. Embrace the Holy Spirit. And find the joy that is possible through Christ. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kristen-peterson6/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kristen-peterson6/support

The goal of this 'How to" and "Identity" episode is to help you understand how the legality of things work in the Kingdom of Heaven and you can play by those rules and find and live out your freedom and victory in Christ.  What are the Names of God and the roles that He plays to balance His justice, Mercy, Love, and Power?  How does your citizenship in heaven subject you to the laws of the Kingdom? And what are the consequences if you break those laws?  Jesus sheds light on the power of your agreement and the key principles of witnessing and testifying.  He challenges you to ask Him several questions that will help you understand how your confessions may be giving the enemy a contract to mess with you.  Dr. Patty addresses the power of Jesus' blood, why it was necessary and how it continues to give life, cleanse and heal today.  Jesus shares what He wants us to understand about the Courts of Heaven process of healing and deliverance.  Dr. Patty shares the basics about the Courts of Heaven and facilitates a 2-part Courts of Heaven encounter with Jesus that will lead you to victory in an area that threatens to limit your destiny and calling.   Links referenced in this episode: Robert Henderson and Courts of Heaven Resources  http://www.roberthenderson.org/ Encounter Steps Part One.  Your meeting with Jesus, your Advocate You will want to journal and record all that is said and what you see in both of these encounters. After posturing your heart with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, see yourself in a meeting room with Jesus as your Lawyer/Advocate.  This is your preparation meeting for the Courts of Heaven experience. Ask Jesus to give you a glimpse of your destiny, the plans He has for you that are promised in Jerimiah 29:11.  If there have been prophetic promises spoken over you in the past, Jesus will bring them back to your memory.  See yourself living out that destiny.  Purpose in your spirit to agree with this future and not let anything rob you of it.  Lord, what have I been agreeing with that has given the enemy a contract to mess with me so he can attempt to rob me of my destiny?  What lies have I agreed with?  What is the Truth that will counter these lies?  (Scripture... Jesus may give you a biblical research assignment) Lord, who is testifying against me?  What people, organizations, or institutions have railed against me? Show me the truth, Lord. Is there any part of those accusations that are true?  What do I need to confess, repent and forgive for?  What do I need to denounce as not true? Encounter Steps Part Two.  Your Courts of Heaven Experience See Jesus and you walk into the heavenly courtroom.  See the angels surrounding the Royal Judgement seat of El Shaphat See Satan as your Prosecutor and the witnesses against you at His side.  You may see yourself there too. Jesus and other witnesses for the defense are with you on your side of the courtroom. See an angel had the book of your destiny to El Shaphat. The enemy makes his case first. For any of the convictions that are true speak out loud:  I confess and I repent for _______.  I forgive myself, I forgive (names of accusers or contributors and witnesses), and I forgive you God for allowing it to happen to me. I turn from this (behavior or belief) and replace it with (State the scriptures that you will stand on) For any condemnations that are untrue speak out loud... I denounce the lie(s) (list them) and replace them with the truth (State the scriptures that counter the lies)  Remind the Judge of any prophetic promises of unfinished business that God has shown you that needs to be accomplished in your life and stand in agreement with those plans and destiny so that nothing can stand in your way of accomplishing what God has planned. Then see you and Jesus as one and Speak in Agreement as one voice:  By the power of the blood of Jesus, We break any and all contracts with the enemy that would seek to rob me of this destiny, IN Jesus' Name. Then look for the blood from the back of the courtroom and watch it cover you and all involved in this case.  Feel the release in your spirit as the blood cancels all your contracts and releases you from them. Hear the gavel slam as El Shaphat declares you not guilty and you walk in freedom with Jesus out the back of the courtroom. Thank Jesus and celebrate with HIm to end your encounter and walk in that freedom and healing! 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/        

Now Praise God and Thank Jesus for your next breaths --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kristen-peterson6/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kristen-peterson6/support

JESUS IS SCOURGED AND CROWNED WITH THORNS – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO) LYRICS TO MUSIC: He spoke his preparation he spoke of this time Said they will hand him over To be mocked to be flogged to be crucified So they led him down to the post he knew To be tied and bound to be stripped and bruised With a scarlet robe wrapped around his frame They spit insults inside a deserving name Then the whip falls down on his back You come again with your nine black straps Whip fall down you can have your day For these stripes will heal these stripes will save You can strike this man you can make him bleed But some day you'll answer On your knees Wind those thorns make your cursed crown While you bind those horns trap a good reason There's a sacrifice on the table set But Abe's son was spared and the Lord's he forgets You can strike this man you can make him bleed But some day you'll answer On your knees Whip fall down would you make your mark You have set the stage you are just the start You have paved the way you are just the start… MESSAGE SUMMARY:    When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!' And he said, ‘Here I am.' He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.' And Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” (Genesis 22:9-13).   Genesis 22 relates quite possibly one of the most memorable occurrences in the Bible. God's miraculous providence in Abraham's situation is fascinating. At the call of God, Abraham went up to the mountains in Moriah. He intended to lay his one and only son Isaac on an altar, and sacrifice him unto the Lord. For this is what God had commanded Abraham to do. Just as the knife was raised, the Angel of the Lord stopped Abraham. There in a thorn bush, caught by his horns, is a ram. This ram takes the place of Isaac on the altar. This ram dies in Isaac's place, and in doing so, grants Isaac new life.   The prophetic imagery that pulses through this story is remarkable. A ‘lamb' of God, whose head is entangled in thorns becomes the sacrifice required. A thorn-wrapped replacement for the one who deserves death. This image prefigures Jesus, centuries before he himself is crowned with thorns by the Roman guards.   But Jesus' suffering went far beyond the piercing crown he was bestowed. And this was only the beginning of his physical torment. We know from historical accounts that Roman flogging was a legal and common precursor to death by crucifixion. It's intensity and duration differed, but its harshness and cruelty was second to none.   The common instrument was a short whip with braided leather thongs. Attached to the leather strips were small iron balls or sharp pieces of bone. The recipient was stripped, and his hands were bound to a post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged. The abuse was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. Roman soldiers would repeatedly strike the prisoner, creating deep contusions, cutting into the skin and underlying tissue, and eventually creating lacerations in the underlying muscle and bone. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock.   And so began the physical torment of Jesus. After beating him, the Roman guards mocked him, and adding insult to their physical abuse, they placed upon him a ‘twisted' crown of thorns. And so, in what Abraham was prepared to do, God actually did. The only Son of the Father was cast into thorns and sacrificed in our place.   We cannot forget that on the day of judgment, we will be like Isaac. Standing before God, we will deserve death. We will deserve to be flogged for our transgressions. But a King crowned with thorns has taken our place. ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,' (2 Corinthians 5:21). God knew that Isaac's blood could not take away the sins of the world. Isaac could never bear the burden of all mankind. Jesus is the only one who could. Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper   TODAY'S PRAYER: Meditate on Christ's love which endured excruciating pain for you. Thank God for doing what Abraham was prepared to do. Thank Jesus for taking the death and punishment you deserve. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Resentment. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Compassion. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 19:1-3: “When Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.”. Further Reading: Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; Luke 22:63-65; Genesis 22:13; Isaiah 50:6-7. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “How Does God Say He Loves You: Part 5 The New Covenant”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Thank Jesus for impacting our lives --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/God-is-able-ministries/support

In this series we talk about encountering Jesus, and how everyone should have an encounter with and give thanks to the Holy Spirit. Join us as we continue our series and Pastor Terry Moore discusses why we should give thanks to Jesus everyday.

Emmanuel, God is with Us! 2 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 The greatest gift to humankind is Jesus, also known as Immanuel (God is with us). John Wesley once said, “The best of all is God with us,” Immanuel means “God with us.” What a radical thought? Believe it; God's presence is our assurance of eternal rest and glory. Life is a meaningless struggle and a vain illusion without God's presence. That's why Jesus came to save us from this endless struggle. Hebrews 9:24 says, “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” In other words, when we allow Christ to dwell in us, God is always present and never absent. Therefore, be reassured that God is with you in all struggles and pain; be reassured that he will not leave you nor forsake you; be reassured that “he who dwells in the secret place of the highest God shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” There is abundant grace through Christ! “For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 God is your haven for those who trust in him; He is a stronghold for the needy in distress. The Grace of God through Christ has given us the ability to live fully in his presence to help you from start to finish. Therefore, God has decided to stick with you forever; people might think you don't deserve it because they see you as someone who doesn't deserve it, but It's just what it is- Grace!” The necessity of God's presence in our lives is not only for our own sake but also for others and personal salvation. You need to continually recognize and acknowledge the presence of God to appropriately respond to Him, knowing that He is always with you regardless of what you've done, where you've been, or who you are. Remember, He's there when you need him most, and He will be there when you need him because he knows your needs, and his presence is with you always. In Exodus 33:14, And God said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Prayer: 1. Thank Jesus for this wonderful gift of grace in my life. 2. Oh Lord, let your grace see me through (make mention of that situation in your prayer) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/divine-ojelade/support

Scripture For Today:Matthew 5:44“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Merry Christmas!Today, I simply want to talk to you a few minutes about the importance of this day.   Whether Jesus was born on December 25th really does not matter. Whether He was born in the winter of the fall or the spring, really does not matter. Whether the celebration of Christmas has taken on a totally secular meaning for the world does not matter. Because of the celebration of believers everywhere, Christians coming together and celebrating the birth of the Savior into this fallen world – it does not matter what religion anybody is claiming to be (or none at all).  Because even the most devout atheist, Muslim or Hindu must admit that today, December 25th, the rest of the world is celebrating the BIRTH OF JESUS. Whether or not they believe in Him does not matter to you. Whether or not they want to recognize today as the celebration of His birth into this world does not matter to you. Whether they die in their sins and go straight to hell for all eternity, as tragic and as heartless as this sounds – does not matter to you. You see, THEY have made their decision.  You can be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ in the celebration of His birth. It really does not matter what day of the year, what season of the year or whatever you want to dispute. It really does not matter… All that really matters is the fact that TODAY, December 25th – the believers in this world ARE CELEBRATING. That is all that truly matters. I believe Jesus is happy that we are celebrating today. Whether or not it is truly the day He was born is irrelevant to Him. He has been since the beginning. One day a year – whatever day – really does not matter.  As long as we are recognizing HIM as the Christ… THE MESSIAH… THE SAVIOR of the world!  That is all He cares about!  Amen! So go sing your Christmas carols. Go sing your Christmas songs. Go and open your presents and gifts. Go eat your huge banquet dinner. Go and watch your football or whatever it is you are going to do… But, as you go, please do ONE THING… Stop a moment, pray and just THANK JESUS for creating this day where the whole entire world, regardless if they believe in Him and His Salvation or not – the entire world, must recognize that TODAY – belongs to Jesus! Amen! Let's Pray! Until next time, this is Pastor Bob Thibodeau reminding you from 1 Thessalonians 5:17 in the Living Bible to “Always Keep on Praying!”  AND MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!! Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com/ (https://podcastersforchrist.com). And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today. You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2 (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2)

Now What? Thank Jesus that He is a King worthy of your love and your life

The life of a disciple is one overflowing with thankfulness. Thank Jesus for His mercy, His forgiveness, His sacrifice, and let your gratitude overflow from your life so others experience it too.If you are in need of prayer, let our Prayer Team know by contacting prayer@forestlakechurch.orgSermon video is available on YouTube and full service archives are available on Vimeo.Live services weekly from the sanctuary at 8:45 or 11:30 AM and 11:30 AM (Warehouse Community Contemporary Service) EST at www.ForestLake.Church

Now What? Thank Jesus that He gave up His life so that you could become a child of light

In this first episode you will learn just the beginning of my journey. Praise Jesus, Thank Jesus & Tell Jesus that you Love Him!!!

We have to put on the full Armor of God, to fight against the evil of this world like Ephesians 6:12 say “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” LUke Ch.17 is the chapter where 1 came back to Thank Jesus, it's NOT MATTHEW --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Did I forget to Thank Jesus? THANK YOU JESUS! Wasn't I just the biggest brat? How would you react if you were in my shoes? I hope you enjoyed Episode 27 of the Saintly Not Salty Podcast. Special thanks to JasTho the Hero for your entry to the Gratitude Journal. I would love to hear from you! You can say hi, submit a question, an entry into the gratitude journal or feedback by emailing saintlynotsalty@gmail.com, through the google form (bit.ly/snspod) , or find us on instagram @saintlynotsalty Peace be with you Friendos! Link to the Pic: Original Pic Here or use https://bit.ly/6mphoto --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/saintlynotsalty/message

Matthew 10:1-20Action Steps: 1. What's my first step in my harvest field? 2. Thank Jesus for being with you every step of the way.

Sermon Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Charles DrewSermon Series: Wisdom from God on How to Engage PoliticallyMatthew 5:1-12, 6:9-13, 22:34-40 (ESV)5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.6:9 Pray then like this:“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,     on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts,     as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,     but deliver us from evil.22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”Sermon OutlineI)                We may not disengage politically.“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” II)              Hungering and thirsting for righteousnessA)   Ravenous for it.B)    What is righteousness?  Personal and cosmic meanings   “Upstream politics” and “downstream politics” III)           How will this “upstream” hunger and thirst show up in our “downstream” public lives?A)   Longing to be right with God…Humility (“poor in spirit”).Patience and trust We hunger because the banquet is still ahead.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.Care about methods.Blessed are the poor in spirt… the meek… and the peace-makers.  B)    Longing to be right with people…Treating them with respect3D creatures made in God's image with stories 11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Wanting for them what we want for ourselves.You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself. C)    Injecting hope into public life by celebrating the ‘good stuff' Jesus speaks of blessing 9 times! Good News Prayer of ConfessionOur great Redeemer, your love for our wayward world is beyond understanding or imitation. You mourn our sins; we indulge them. You hunger and thirst for righteousness; we covet. You surrendered your rights and comforts; we demand them. You waited patiently for victory and vindication; we want them now. You always thought of your neighbors and gave your life for them; we often ignore our neighbors' needs. You died to make peace; we sow discord. You honored your enemies; we diminish even our friends. Your heart was pure; our motives are always mixed. And at the end of your lovely life, you offered it to the Father in place of ours, bearing our sins and cruelties into outer darkness so that you could carry us safely home. Make us more like you, dear Lord, in our angry times. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat clues does the following statement by C. S. Lewis give us for addressing the political divisiveness in the church?  “It is at the church's center, where her truest children dwell, that each communion (i.e., denomination) is really closest to every other in spirit, if not in doctrine.  And this suggests that at the center of each there is a something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution [and all political contentions], speaks with the same voice.” (From Mere Christianity, Preface)The Beatitudes richly describe “upstream politics” –the attitudes and perspectives we should bring to public life, (“downstream politics” by contrast deals with particular issues).  To be poor in spirit is to be humble and is an “upstream” quality.  How teachable are you when it comes to political matters?Jesus was meek, which means that his power was constrained by patient trusting obedience.  He was faithful, but he never sought to force his Father's hand, nor to change his time-table.  If we follow Jesus, we will be diligent in what is right, but at peace about timing and outcomes: we will not have to win an argument or an election right now; nor will we grow disheartened, bitter, or afraid when the results of our efforts are forestalled.  How would a close friend grade you on meekness? Reflect on the following statement: “The people who disagree with us over politics are not the enemies of God—nor are they sub-human—nor are they dismissible by tweet.  They are not the 2D incarnations of their voting records.  They are 3D creatures made in God's image with stories that have shaped them and that we need in love to know and understand.  This is true even if they hate us for our efforts to deal honestly with them.”  How might you do a better job approaching those who disagree with you politically?  Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. If, for example, we want the first amendment freedom to express our faith in public life, we will want this for our Muslim, atheist, Republican, and Democrat neighbor as well.  Hos might you do a better job at this? Is there a friend or relative whose politics you can't stand who just did something decent?  Honor them for it. Thank Jesus for faithfully living out the Beatitudes and offering his lovely life in substitution for ours to bring us safely home to the Father. 

Sermon Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Charles DrewSermon Series: Wisdom from God on How to Engage PoliticallyMatthew 5:1-12, 6:9-13, 22:34-40 (ESV)5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.6:9 Pray then like this:“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”Sermon OutlineI) We may not disengage politically.“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” II) Hungering and thirsting for righteousnessA) Ravenous for it.B) What is righteousness? Personal and cosmic meanings “Upstream politics” and “downstream politics” III) How will this “upstream” hunger and thirst show up in our “downstream” public lives?A) Longing to be right with God…Humility (“poor in spirit”).Patience and trust We hunger because the banquet is still ahead. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.Care about methods.Blessed are the poor in spirt… the meek… and the peace-makers. B) Longing to be right with people…Treating them with respect3D creatures made in God's image with stories 11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Wanting for them what we want for ourselves.You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself. C) Injecting hope into public life by celebrating the ‘good stuff' Jesus speaks of blessing 9 times! Good News Prayer of ConfessionOur great Redeemer, your love for our wayward world is beyond understanding or imitation. You mourn our sins; we indulge them. You hunger and thirst for righteousness; we covet. You surrendered your rights and comforts; we demand them. You waited patiently for victory and vindication; we want them now. You always thought of your neighbors and gave your life for them; we often ignore our neighbors' needs. You died to make peace; we sow discord. You honored your enemies; we diminish even our friends. Your heart was pure; our motives are always mixed. And at the end of your lovely life, you offered it to the Father in place of ours, bearing our sins and cruelties into outer darkness so that you could carry us safely home. Make us more like you, dear Lord, in our angry times. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat clues does the following statement by C. S. Lewis give us for addressing the political divisiveness in the church? “It is at the church's center, where her truest children dwell, that each communion (i.e., denomination) is really closest to every other in spirit, if not in doctrine. And this suggests that at the center of each there is a something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution [and all political contentions], speaks with the same voice.” (From Mere Christianity, Preface)The Beatitudes richly describe “upstream politics” –the attitudes and perspectives we should bring to public life, (“downstream politics” by contrast deals with particular issues). To be poor in spirit is to be humble and is an “upstream” quality. How teachable are you when it comes to political matters?Jesus was meek, which means that his power was constrained by patient trusting obedience. He was faithful, but he never sought to force his Father's hand, nor to change his time-table. If we follow Jesus, we will be diligent in what is right, but at peace about timing and outcomes: we will not have to win an argument or an election right now; nor will we grow disheartened, bitter, or afraid when the results of our efforts are forestalled. How would a close friend grade you on meekness? Reflect on the following statement: “The people who disagree with us over politics are not the enemies of God—nor are they sub-human—nor are they dismissible by tweet. They are not the 2D incarnations of their voting records. They are 3D creatures made in God's image with stories that have shaped them and that we need in love to know and understand. This is true even if they hate us for our efforts to deal honestly with them.” How might you do a better job approaching those who disagree with you politically? Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. If, for example, we want the first amendment freedom to express our faith in public life, we will want this for our Muslim, atheist, Republican, and Democrat neighbor as well. Hos might you do a better job at this? Is there a friend or relative whose politics you can't stand who just did something decent? Honor them for it. Thank Jesus for faithfully living out the Beatitudes and offering his lovely life in substitution for ours to bring us safely home to the Father.

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. https://www.knowgrowshow.ca/ The Passage Numbers 14:10-20 The One Thing Prayer is our action Know  K1 The Israelites in Numbers 14 teach us that “Bad attitudes are infectious”. Are you someone who is more easily infected by other's bad attitudes or who infects others with your bad attitude?  Grow  G1 What did you think of the pole analogy: that each end of the pole is clear (one end is God's action, the other end is our action), but the middle of the pole (where God's sovereignty and human agency meet) is mysterious?  G2 How do you make sense of Number 14:20 where God says to Moses “I have forgiven them as you asked”. How can this encourage us to pray with boldness and faith?  G3 Dan presented 3 options to explain what happened: a) God changed his mind b) God didn't really mean He was going to destroy the Israelites b) God foreknew that He would threaten to destroy the Israelites but would relent because of Moses' prayer. Which do you think makes best sense of the evidence?  G4 Dan said that when we're faced with the mystery of God, we pray His character that He's already revealed. Do you think this is wise advice? Why or why not?  G5 Dan said that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the One who represents the Mystery of God to us as humans AND He is the image of humanity, the One who represents us in perfection to God, through interceding for us. Thank Jesus for occupying this middle ground and bringing God and humankind together.   Show  S1 Think of one thing that God has shown you or birthed in you over this series. Write it down and thank Him for it. Share this insight with someone you know.  

WE'RE BACK ON OUR REGULAR NIGHT, BABY! (Well, at least til NEXT week because of pre-emptions and stuff) Geoffrey and Paul Sebastian settle back into the old familiar timeslot reviewing a pretty darn good episode of AEW Dynamite as we head into the last week before Double Or Nothing, so why not check it out?! We talk builds to the PPV, the show moving channels in 2022, missing matches featuring NJPW talents, and more! *** PROGRAMMING NOTE: Next week's episode will be back on Saturday due to TNT's scheduling, BUT we will ALSO do a Double Or Nothing recap on Memorial Day too! *** Follow the show on Twitter at twitter.com/BGTDpodcast!

We continue our series Praying by looking at praying and serving. It's how Jesus TAUGHT us to pray. It's how we THANK Jesus for His love. It's how we JOIN others in their struggle. And most importantly it's how we IMITATE the way of Jesus. Praying and Serving creates cosmic synergy that can change the world!

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 13-20"Mom, I'm so stupid!" cried Vivian when she arrived home from school. "Why can't I be smarter?""What's wrong, honey?" asked Mom.With tears in her eyes, Vivian handed Mom her math test. "I got the worst score in the whole class," she said, her voice trembling."Oh, Vivian, I'm sorry!" said Mom. "I know you studied hard for that test. But that doesn't mean you're stupid.""Yes, it does," said Vivian. "No one else has so much trouble with math. Why can't I be like everyone else?"Mom looked out the window. "It's snowing," she said. "Do you remember the report you did on snowflakes a while back?" Vivian nodded. "Snowflakes have a lot of things in common," said Mom. "They're all alike, right?""No, Mom," Vivian replied. "There aren't even two snowflakes that are alike. I had that in my report. You know that!"Mom smiled. "Yes, I do, and Vivian, God made us like those snowflakes--no two alike. But each person is part of God's creation. Each one is beautiful and special. Take you, for instance. Math is difficult for you, but you can play the piano--you can play music that kids twice your age can't play. Does that make them stupid?""No." Vivian shook her head."God made each of us different for a reason," Mom said. "He gave you different talents and abilities than other people, but they all serve the same purpose--to bring Jesus honor and glory and show others who He is. That's the important thing."Vivian looked at the math paper. "So it's okay if I'm no good at math?" When Mom nodded, Vivian grinned. "Oh, good! Can I throw my math book away and forget about it?"Mom laughed and shook her head. "Sorry. You'll just have to work even harder at math. I'll help you with it, and Jesus will too. But remember, He loves you no matter what grade you get in math--or how you do in anything else. Just do your best and trust Him with the results.""Okay," Vivian said. "I will." Christine P. HoneyHow About You?Do you get upset when you do poorly at something? Remember that nobody excels in everything. God gives different people different talents, and He's given some to you. They may be in the area of music, speaking, helping, friendship, or any number of things. Taking advantage of opportunities in your life now will help you discover and develop your talents. Thank Jesus for making you who you are, and use the talents He's given you for His glory.Today's Key Verse:There are different kinds of gifts. But it is the same Holy Spirit Who gives them. (NLV) (1 Corinthians 12:4)Today's Key Thought:Use your talents for Jesus

Questions/Actions for home... 1. What does "Jesus is the Light" mean to you? 2. Where have you been asleep in your life? 3. Do you sense the Lord wanting to adjust anything in your walk with Him? 4. Where has the enemy been attacking your soul and life lately? 5. PRAY: - Put on the Armor of God - Ask God to lead your walk this week - Thank Jesus for coming to shine light in your life

A very powerful message to end the You version Bible app and you Podcast. Thank Jesus for allowing me do this, and thank you for coming on this journey with me! I Love you, most importantly the God head; Father, Son and Holy Spirit Love you infinitely more! Let's dive in

Day 12 - A Leap of Faith Required (transcript) Read the Word: Hebrews 11:1-3 Read today’s scripture and take note of anything that catches your heart. What do you observe that God might want you to single out and pray about? Write down your observations. I have some fuzzy memories of the dark basement in our home as a young child. It was a damp underground cement fortress accessed by a rickety set of wooden stairs. The only time we ever used the basement was when there was a tornado warning. We would all hurry down the creaking stairs and sit on a blanket with a portable transistor radio, some flashlights and a couple board games. Like a lot of little kids, the dark creeped me out. It’s disconcerting not to be able to see if anything is lurking between you and a quick exit up the stairs.   In Hebrews 11, we see a list of heroes and heroines who stepped into the dark. The took a leap of faith like Indiana Jones off that ledge on the abyss. They had confidence in what they hoped for and assurance about what they could not see. They had faith in a God who created the universe. That was enough for them. They didn’t need to see the exit stairs. Disruption requires faith in what we cannot see. Detours require trusting when what’s ahead is unknown.    Are you having a hard time seeing God in the dark times? God is not calling us to walk through that dark alone. What we need to remember is that God is standing in our dark. He abides in that unknown. He is reaching out His hand to walk us through. And He goes through beside us. (Heb. 13:5) Read that list again in Hebrews 11. Even in the dark, those people knew God was with them. So they took a leap of faith.   Wait in prayer: Are you afraid of the spiritual dark? Ask God to give you courage to take a step of faith into whatever he is calling you to do. Thank Jesus that He is walking beside you. He will never leave you or forsake you. (Heb. 13:5-6)  Worship: Trust In You performed by Lauren Daigle  Links: -Link to Trust In You lyric video -Link to sign up for our launch team and get your free copy of The Mary Answer.  

Poshmark: LIALOVE55 https://share.fashionnova.com/x/72MmoB -30% off --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monet-beauty/support

What's up Spiritual warriors. Happy Friday. We have made it through another chaotic week

PrayThank Jesus that He is bigger than the biggest storm, earthquake, hurricane, landslide, or tsunami.Thank Jesus that He is willing and able to demonstrate Himself more powerful than these things. Thank Jesus that He is big enough to sovereignly use these things for our growth into His image. Spend a few moments casting your anxieties on Him because He cares for you. What is causing fear in your heart? Take that to Jesus. Additional ReadingPsalm 22

Pray Praise God for how He is the Creator of the all the universe and every star and planet. Praise God that He loves us so much that He would take it upon Himself, in Christ, to redeem lost humanity. Thank Jesus that, upon His return, He will wipe away every tear and end death, mourning, crying, and pain (Revelation 21:4). Ask God for the help of the Holy Spirit to remind you of truths of Scripture in moments and seasons of sadness. Pray, “Come, Lord Jesus. Amen” (Revelation 22:20). Additional ReadingMark 5:21-43Psalm 34:17-19

Reflection / Application Questions Who are the loudest voices in your life right now? How do those voices impact how you think and feel on a daily basis? Are they increasing clarity for you or causing more confusion? How can you focus on the voice of God this week? As Pastor Jonathan reminds us, when we listen to Jesus words and put them into practicetrusting him no matter the circumstanceswe can withstand any storm (Luke 6:46-49). What are you having a hard time putting into practice? What areas of your life are you having trouble trusting Jesus with right now? How can you increase your faithfulness this week? Prayer Suggestions Ask God to give you an honest and good heart (Luke 8:15) so you can hear his word, put it into practice, and bear fruit. Thank Jesus for his gentle and humble approach to us in our sin. Confess to Jesus: You are Lord! I will listen to you I will follow you Reminders Please plan to join TOGETHER at ridgebaptist.ca/live for: Palm Sunday (April 5) Service at 10AM (9:30 live online) Good Friday (April 10) Communion Reflection at 10AM Easter Sunday (April 12) Service at 10AM (9:30 live online) Easter Spotify Playlist Click Here Giving Please continue to give generously. You can find various options at http://www.ridgebaptist.ca/give Sign-up for rightnow MEDIA https://www.ridgebaptist.ca/pages/rightnow-media Kids Resources https://www.ridgebaptist.ca/pages/108 Stay up to date and connected Website homepage: https://www.ridgebaptist.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ridgebaptist/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mapleridgebaptist/

Original Broadcast: February 2010 Monthly Theme: Second Commandment [An angel of the Lord said to Joseph:] "She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) Jesus Hymnwriter William How wrote: "Jesus! Name of priceless worth to the fallen of the earth for the promise that it gave, 'Jesus shall His people save'" (LSB #900.3). Jesus was born to be the Savior of the world. That was God's plan of salvation. He came "not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17). He came "to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). Everything Jesus did was for the lost and for the fallen of the earth. He came to exalt the fallen into His kingdom through His death and resurrection. Thank Jesus today for His coming to redeem your fallen soul. Amen.

Of all people, God's people should be the first and majority of those coming back to thank Him for His good gifts. Don't Forget to Say Thanks.

The Jesus Saves Ministry 1007 W. Arlington Blvd Greenville, NC 27834 www.tjsm.org  E-Mail: gojesusnow@aol.com Audio now 24/7: 1-605-781-9704 Church: 252-689-6172 Pastor, Apostle Lonnie Stocks   1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (KJV) 16  Rejoice evermore. 17  Pray without ceasing. 18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19  Quench not the Spirit.    

Tunji directs our focus to all of what Jesus has done for us.

Don’t piddle your undies this time!

Welcome to our  show Stay tuned.             with Apostle Lonnie Stocks 347-884-8850 1-252-689-6172 252-214-0799 TJSM by phone:  Audionow. 24/7  1-605-781-9704   Hebrews 10:23-28 (KJV) 23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 

Next Steps: Look for ways to demonstrate your allegiance to King Jesus by sacrificial love this week. Take advantage of direct access to God through Jesus the High Priest by spending time in prayer and reading scripture this week. Thank Jesus for exhausting the power of death by dying.

"ભલા યશુ મરા ભલા યશુ" - ગુજરાતી ગોસ્પેલ સોંગ.3gp

Woooo-wee. This episode was bad y'all!!!  I mean rough. Thank Jesus, you got us to carry you through.  Poodle has very strong opinions and Mattie has had too much coffee. And where the heck is MooKev???!!! Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tv-tea-time-with-mattie-and-jake/id1211496705?mt=2 CHAT WITH US LIVE ON TVPARTY! Find us on the Socials: Find Mattie! Instagram: @theMattMarr  Twitter: @theMattMarr  Facebook: @theMattMarr Find Jake! Twitter: @jakeitorfakeit Instagram: @jakeitorfakeit   For all our shows go to www.sissythattalk.com Listen to our Sabrina podcast, called Bitchcraft. Netflix has us living for this show! Bitchcraft: The Sabrina Recap Show Listen to Mattie’s other podcast THE DEAR MATTIE SHOW: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dear-mattie-show/id902469568?mt=2 OR find him at the Dear Mattie Show Site.

“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” - ROMANS 6:11 Go Deeper — Take a moment and spend time with God, confessing your sin and asking His forgiveness. Thank Jesus for taking it upon Himself to die, carrying your burden, and in return, giving you new life. Get prayer or talk to a mentor at TheLife.com/prayer

As we enter into the Passion Week of Christ, many focus on its beginning with His Triumphant Entry to the Passover Meal, but what about The Blood? For there can be no remission of sins without "the blood." Thank Jesus, for The Blood!

The Grammys are typically a time when fame is lavished on people, not God. But during their acceptance speech, two singers took time to thank both Jesus and their Pentecostal pastors. Play and listen to this story now.

Genesis 3:1-5, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 ESV We were never meant to understand bad things happening. Eden was always God's plan. Thank Jesus for dying to bring us back to the original plan! If you ever have something you want to talk about shoot me an email at HeListensWhenWeSpeak@gmail.com!

In any relationship we can ask people to give us what ONLY God can. We can ask our spouses, our children and parents to give us purpose and meaning, value, significance, security, and satisfaction. ONLY Jesus can give our thirsty souls what they deeply desire. Thank Jesus for providing ALL that we need to become the spouses, parents and children He has called us to be.

In any relationship we can ask people to give us what ONLY God can. We can ask our spouses, our children and parents to give us purpose and meaning, value, significance, security, and satisfaction. ONLY Jesus can give our thirsty souls what they deeply desire. Thank Jesus for providing ALL that we need to become the spouses, parents and children He has called us to be.

Psalm 7:11 2 Responses from Jesus: 1. Indignation 2. Sympathy Luke 19:41 2 Responses from Us: 1. Thank Jesus he met your greatest need 2. Trust he will wipe your tears away Isaiah 25 Listen on https://www.compasshb.com/sermons/jesus-wept/

Psalm 7:11 2 Responses from Jesus: 1. Indignation 2. Sympathy Luke 19:41 2 Responses from Us: 1. Thank Jesus he met your greatest need 2. Trust he will wipe your tears away Isaiah 25 Listen on https://www.compasshb.com/sermons/jesus-wept/

2015-05-31-0830 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning May 31st,  2015 in the 8:30 AM service.Scripture: Romans 2:12-16Topic: LoveNotes:- God will take care of you in His way and in His time.- What can you bring to God? Nothing but yourself.- You are the most valuable thing ti Him.- The judgement seat becomes the mercy seat.- Thank Jesus for His death and rising from the dead.- Where would you be now if it were not for Jesus?- Faith is saying the Lord is in charge of everything in our life.- Only God knows our heart.- Jesus cleanses our hearts.- We need to back up and put it in God’s hands. Let it go.- God is our real parent.- Go rejoicing knowing that everything is in God’s hands.- Love everybody and pray for them.

2015-05-31-1030 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning May 31st,  2015 in the 10:30 AM service.Scripture: Romans 2:12-16Topic: LoveNotes:- God will take care of you in His way and in His time.- What can you bring to God? Nothing but yourself.- You are the most valuable thing ti Him.- The judgement seat becomes the mercy seat.- Thank Jesus for His death and rising from the dead.- Where would you be now if it were not for Jesus?- Faith is saying the Lord is in charge of everything in our life.- Only God knows our heart.- Jesus cleanses our hearts.- We need to back up and put it in God’s hands. Let it go.- God is our real parent.- Go rejoicing knowing that everything is in God’s hands.- Love everybody and pray for them.

I have to be honest with you, I have always struggled with prayer my entire Christian life. From the very beginning of my Christian life, I wasn't really sure how prayer worked. I'm still not entirely sure how it works. I remember early, maybe a few months after I came to Christ, I was being discipled by a guy with Campus Crusade for Christ. We were working on a car. I'll never forget this. I was trying to get a spark plug changed and it just wouldn't work. We worked on it together for about an hour, to the point where I couldn't even look at the car anymore. I was so frustrated by this. He said, "Why don't we pray?" I said, "Why should we pray?" He said, "What?" I said, "Well, why should we pray? God's just going to do what He's going to do, anyway." He rebuked me without giving me an answer to that deep theological question. We never did get that spark plug in. I'll never forget driving my car with one of the spark plugs out. It sounds worse than if it has no muffler. I'll never forget the guy running out and telling me to turn the engine off. I’ll never forget that. He said, "One of the spark plugs is missing!" Well, we knew that. We said that we couldn't get the spark plug in and he looked at me like I was lower than a worm. "You couldn't get a spark plug in?" he said, "Give it to me." He took the spark plug and reached back and his hand came back empty. I said, "Where are you going?" He said, "I'm going to get a wrench to tighten it. It's in." It was just like that. I felt like a total loser. Now, Tim, my discipler later said, "God answered our prayer. The spark plug got put in." I said, "Yeah, but I didn't want all that trouble and I didn't want to be ashamed." And still those words that I spoke years ago have plagued me and haunted me in reference to prayer. Why should I pray? God's going to do what He's going to do anyway. Have you ever struggled with prayer? Do you struggle now? Would any of you say that your prayer lives are exactly what they should be? Well, I don't know anyone that would say that. Even those that are flourishing the most in prayer, still yearn for more. There was a time in Luke 11 when Jesus's disciples came upon Him praying. They watched Him praying and they watched Him finish His time of prayer. They said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray." I feel that don't you. Say, "Lord, teach me to pray. I want to pray, better than I do." It seems to me that in Ephesians 1 and again later we'll see in Ephesians 3, the Lord has to some degree said to all of us, "Have you considered My servant Paul? He'll teach you to pray." We can learn from the Apostle Paul, what to pray for and how to pray. So, as we come to Ephesians 1 and we're going to focus this morning on 15-17, we're going to learn better how to pray. My desire is that as a result of this sermon and this study, all of us will pray better. That we will flourish actually in our prayer lives, that we will pray better individually, that we will pray better corporately because we need that. Thanksgiving for the Ephesians’ Genuine Conversion Now, Paul begins in verses 15 and 16 with thanksgiving for the Ephesians’ genuine conversion. The Apostle Paul has already unfolded in verses 3-14, I would say the single most magnificent sentence in all of scripture. It's one long sentence, 12 verses. He has unfolded in a very quick way, the theology of the Ephesians’ salvation. How it began “before the foundation of the world.” How God chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world and how “God the Father predestined them in love to be adopted as His sons” and how God planned this entire salvation out before anything came to be. And how then, Jesus, God the Son, shed His blood. We have “redemption” in verse 7 “through His blood,” and how God the Spirit applies that to us individually when we “heard to word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation having believed we were sealed with the Holy Spirit.” So we have the work of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit, in the salvation of these Ephesian Christians. What Moved Paul to Pray? Paul tells them how he’s been praying for them. He says in verses 15 and 16, "For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." We have Paul beginning with thanksgiving and also we see his intercession for them. There are parts of prayer that are adoration and thanksgiving in which we thank God for who He is and what He's done. We worship Him, we praise Him. We then acknowledge our own neediness and our inadequacy for the challenges and we confess those things to God and say, "We need You. We have to have Your help." So we are confessing that God is all sufficient and we are needy. So, Paul begins with thanksgiving and then he moves on to intercession, making requests for the Ephesians. Now, what was it, he says that moved Paul to pray for the Ephesians? He says, "Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints," Paul had heard greatly encouraging reports about how the Gospel had transformed their lives. In other words, he had compelling evidence of their genuine conversion to Christ. Marks of Genuine Conversion So, what are marks of genuine conversion? How can you know that you're born again? How can you know that you're elect? How can you know that you're saved? He talks first about faith in the Lord Jesus. It's not enough for someone to believe in God. A lot of people say that they believe in God. Jews believe in God. Muslims will say that they believe in God. Hindus believe in God. Paul is moved specifically by their reports of their faith in the Lord Jesus. They believe in the Lord Jesus, he says. Now, the Gospel came to Ephesus and at the center of the Gospel is the truth about the Lord Jesus. This cuts to the center of what a sinner has to believe to be saved. Jesus is the center of the Gospel, specifically His saving work on the cross. Look again at verse 7, “in Him,” that is in Jesus, “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” So faith in the Lord Jesus means, "I have renounced any effort at self salvation. I am not self sufficient. I cannot atone for my own sins. I am a sinner. I have cast myself on the saving work of Jesus on the cross. I have trusted in Him to save me. But, who was this person who died on the cross? Who was this individual? The simple two words, Lord Jesus, sums up a lot of doctrine about the Christian religion. "Lord" emphasizes the deity of Christ. "Jesus" emphasizes the humanity. This man, this human being, born of the virgin Mary, in the ordinary way as a baby was raised and grew physically, he grew in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and man. He just grew up before the eyes of witnesses, of neighbors who saw Him grow up from a little boy. He had flesh and bones and blood. Who needed food, air and water in order to survive. He, in many ways, was just the same as you and me. He had no “physical appearance, beauty or majesty, there was nothing in His appearance that was unique.” He wasn't glowing with the glory of God all the time. He did, on the Mount of Transfiguration, but that wasn't His consistent appearance. He looked ordinary, very ordinary. He was a normal human being. He got tired and needed to sleep. Most of all, He could die. He was a human being in that He could die. That's the humanity of Jesus. We also see the deity of Christ, the Lord. The deity of Christ. We believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, that He is truly the Lord Jesus Christ. The Ephesians came to believe that their Savior was not only human, able to shed His blood and die, but also God as proven by the resurrection from the dead. He was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead. This is essential to our salvation. It says in Romans 10:9, "If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." You have to confess to the deity of this man, Jesus. This confession, this conviction, that Jesus who lived 2000 years ago is actually God in the flesh, can only come about by the direct working of the Holy Spirit of God on your heart. Only if the Holy Spirit of God works on you and in you, will you ever be able, truthfully, to make the confession “Jesus is Lord.” It says in 1 Corinthians 12:3, "No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." We can never make that confession except by the direct action of the Spirit of God. Paul believed and had heard that these Ephesians could make that confession. They believed in the Lord Jesus. They had left their pagan ways, their belief in many gods and goddesses. They turned their backs on all of that and they believed that Lord Jesus was their personal savior and their God. This is the first evidence of their genuine conversion. Secondly, he talks about their “love for all the saints.” This is the other great transformation in the Holy Spirit, not only vertically, believing in the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, believing that Jesus is God vertically, but horizontally. It transforms how you treat others, and especially how you treat other Christians, how you feel about other Christians he mentions. Now, the natural man not born again, has no special desire for fellowship with other Christians. I know I didn't. Before I was converted, I didn't like Christians. I didn't want to be around them. I think that the Apostle Paul would say, " I was in the exact same condition, brother. I didn't like Christians at all. As a matter of fact, I used to drag them off to prison, both men and women." Paul hated other Christians. He had no desire for fellowship with them. So, non-Christians tend to see us Christians in a number of bad ways. They see us as narrow-minded bigots, perhaps. You're going to hear that kind expression more and more as the 21st century unfolds here in the US, narrow-minded bigots. Killjoys, hypocrites, perhaps uneducated in some ways, worthy of mockery and disdain, this is the way that non Christians see Christians. But, once someone has been genuinely born again, that all changes. It is impossible to love the Father and not love His children. One of the great evidences of the transforming work of the Spirit of God is your love for all the saints, for other Christians. How can we explain this? How can we explain that I would say that any genuine Christian who is sitting and listening to me today, would much rather be in the extended presence of another spirit-filled Christian than even the most famous, or influential, or fascinating or athletically skillful non-Christian for a day. I would much rather spend the day or travel with a Spirit-filled Christian than even the most famous or influential non-Christian. I think you all know exactly why. “What fellowship does light have with darkness?” What are we going to talk about? We're going to disagree about the most important things. It doesn't mean that we can't have a communication or a relationship, we do try. I’m just telling you that I have deep love and attraction for other Christians, even if I've never met them. You know what I'm talking about. You can be with another Christian from another country. You could not even share the same language, but through a translator you have immediate fellowship with that person, man or woman, boy or girl. It is beautiful, the “love for all the saints.” The Holy Spirit had worked in these Ephesians, a genuine work of conversion, a belief in the deity of Christ, the Lord Jesus, and a genuine love for all the saints. Now, let me just stop and apply this right now to you. Do you see these two things in your life? Can you rightly assess yourself and say, "I believe that Jesus is Lord. I believe in the deity of Jesus. I believe that He died on the cross for my sins. I believe that I am a sinner, saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus and I have called on the name of the Lord Jesus for my salvation. I believe that God raised Him from the dead, proving that He is Lord." Can you make that assertion and is it played out in you life by the way you treat other Christians? The genuine love that you have for the brothers and sisters. 1 John says a lot about this. You can't say “I love God and hate your brother.” If you are a genuine Christian, you're going to love other Christians. Do you see these evidences in yourself and if not I just plead with you now to trust in Christ for the salvation of your soul. It could be as Daniel said earlier, "This is the very reason why you came here today." That perhaps for the first time you understand the Gospel and now you call on the name of the Lord for your own salvation. Thanksgiving: God is Responsible for Every Genuine Conversion Well, Paul goes from this evidence that they're genuinely born again to thanksgiving to the God who brought it all about. I think this is just so vital. It could be that some of us are depressed, and sad, and struggling in life because we don't give thanks enough. We're not thankful to God in any and every circumstance. We haven't learned the discipline of thanking God at all times. So these two evidences of genuine conversion move Paul to thanksgiving. He thanked God because God the Father had sovereignly worked these things out through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Paul gave credit where credit is due. It's so important that we see the theology of thanksgiving. There are so many things that I could say about that but what I want to go to is, you thank the one responsible. To the one who gave the gift, you say thank you to that one. We see the sovereignty of God in salvation by what Paul thanks God for. He thinks God is responsible for their salvation so He thanks God for it. I see the same thing in Romans 6:17. It's one of my favorite theology of thanksgiving verses. Romans 6:17 says this, "Thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin you wholeheartedly obeyed that form of teaching to which you were entrusted.” I preached a sermon once with this simplified title from Romans 6:17, "Thank God You Obeyed." Now, meditate on that for the rest of the afternoon. How in the world can I give God credit for something I did? Paul did. Thank God you obeyed. Thank God you believed. Thank God you repented. It is God who worked these things in you. Thank God you're a Christian! Paul does that. He gives thanks. Paul continually thanked God for his own conversion, but here he goes beyond that. He thanks God for other people's conversion. Thank God you obeyed, not just thank God I obeyed. I'm grateful for that, oh eternally grateful. But, I'm grateful for your salvation too and as a matter of fact, the more I think about it, the more I think that it's reasonable to be equally thankful for your salvation as for mine. The same God worked them both. So, I am growing in that discipline of thanking God. I know that when I get to Heaven I will be equally thankful for the salvation of all of my brothers and sisters in Christ as I am for my own because it will be a clear display of the sovereign grace of God. We need to give God thanks. We need to give thanks for our own salvation. You need to be like that one leper, the Samaritan, remember, that came back, the other nine walking on their way. Ten lepers cleansed. One of them remembered to go back and give thanks in Luke 17. He fell at Jesus's feet and couldn't stop crying and thanking God for his cleansing. We have received a greater cleansing than that. We have received cleansing from sin. We have been delivered from Hell. We have been adopted as sons and daughters of the living God. Thank Jesus every day. Thank God for your salvation, but then go beyond that. Thank God for other people's salvation. Do it in prayer. That's what Paul does. Perseverance in Prayer We also see the perseverance in prayer here. Paul says that from the first he heard, he has never stopped thanking God for them. He didn't just say one thanksgiving prayer, "Thank God for the Ephesian Christians." But he continued to thank God. Look at verses 15 and 16, "For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and you love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you. I have not ceased giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." The Need for Perseverance in Prayer We need perseverance in prayer and this may be the rub here, this may be the problem. The fact that God is not a vending machine and that He doesn't immediately dispense the things that we ask Him for, even though they may very well be in His plan and may very well be in accordance with scripture. In Luke 18:1, Jesus taught them the parable of the persistent widow for the reason that they should always pray and never give up. Why are we tempted to give up? Because God's timetable is not our own. Because God will not be ruled by us. He is the King, we are the suppliants. We are the servants asking for grace and mercy. He's not the servant, the slave that comes immediately and does whatever we ask, but He takes into consideration our requests and does what His wise plan has ordained to do. Also, because prayer is meant to transform us as well as to transform circumstances. We are to be genuinely, gradually, consistently transformed by a habit of prayer. I think often of the idea of a piece of cold, black iron being put into a bed of coals and then the bellows by the blacksmith blowing air on it. It just has to be in there a while to get it heated up and soft, yielded to the blacksmith so it can be shaped and molded. My heart starts in prayer, cold and distant so I need to be there for a while. Not on just any one given prayer time but over a long period of time in my life. I need to ask again and again and again for these things. Prayer is a form of training of our souls. What physical trainer ever says, "I want you to do one push up and one sit up for me today, there you're done." I know you'd love a trainer like that but you would have a kind of secret instinct that he or she wasn't doing you much good. You don't seem to be getting into better shape. I think you know why. But, a physical trainer that wisely pushes you close to the breaking point, you know that trainer is doing you some good. The Lord doesn't instantly answer our prayers. He wants to grow and to develop in maturity, to learn how dependent we are on Him. He wants us to care more about the things we're praying for and so we need perseverance in prayer. Paul prays day after day. He refused to rest. He refused to cease. He continued to give thanks for them. God was as worthy of thanksgiving on Wednesday as He had been on Tuesday of the previous week. It never changes. God is immutable. He always is worthy of thanksgiving. Paul literally made remembrance, he continued to think about them, remembering their names. He spoke their names to God in prayer and so should we be in our prayer lives. We notice that he also gives prayer to the “God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory.” Look at verse 17, "The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him." Prayer to the God of Our Lord Jesus, the “Father of Glory” Paul’s Prayer: Directed to God the Father Paul's prayer is directly to God the Father. Here I want to give you a Trinitarian theology of prayer, based on scriptural evidence. The usual pattern of prayer is that prayer is made to God the Father by the mediating work of God the Son, Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit. As far as I know, there is no biblical evidence whatsoever for prayer directly to the Holy Spirit. As far as I can find there is only one prayer in the New Testament that is directly to Jesus. That is when Stephen was being martyred and he looked up and he saw heaven open and he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. He said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Now, I don't think it's wrong to prayer to Jesus or wrong to pray to the Holy Spirit. Considering the Holy Spirit, if you can blaspheme to the Spirit, why couldn't you speak or address the Spirit. I think you can. But, I think that the Bible gives us the pattern of prayer to the Father. One thing I'm concerned about is that people have a reluctance to come to the Father that they don't feel toward Jesus. They seem to have much more of an affinity toward Jesus than to the Father. That would be completely wrong and heartbreaking. Jesus came to bring us to the Father. He came to be the mediator, to point us to the Father. He always wanted us to be able to see the Father in Him. He came to reveal the Father to us and so we should prayer in the regular pattern. Prayer to God the Father through the mediating work of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. I think we see that in Ephesians 2:18. Maybe you could look ahead just a few verses. It says, "For through Him," that is through Jesus, the mediatorial work like He is a new and living way open for us, "through Him we both, Jews and Gentiles, have access to the Father by one Spirit." That's a Trinitarian verse on prayer. We have access to the Father. Prayer goes to the Father. We get there by the mediatorial work of Jesus on the cross. True Prayer Begins with Remembering Who You’re Speaking To! I think that true prayer should begin with remembering who you're speaking to. I think we should stop. We should pause. We should be extremely reverential as we go in to pray. I love what it says in Ecclesiastes 5. He said, "Do not be quick with your mouth and do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in Heaven and you are on earth so let your words be few." Now, that's all about reverence, isn't it? Don't just run glibly into God's presence. Pause, stop, be mindful. “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed by your name.” That kind of thing, a sense of greatness and majesty of God. Let's think about it. He is the “God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory.” Think about that before you go in. Paul Prays to “The God of Our Lord Jesus Christ” Now, what does Paul mean by, "The God of our Lord Jesus Christ?" Well, this is an identifier of God. Which God are we praying to? Remember how Paul was in Athens and he saw some shrine marked with these words, "To the unknown god." They were polytheists so they were trying to cover all the bases. I wonder if that unknown god would have been pleased with that or offended. But, we're not polytheists. We don't believe in an unknown god. We believe in One God and that He has revealed Himself to us by means of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and by means of the Holy Spirit's work in the scripture and in creation. God identifies Himself. In the Old Testament you see this again and again. “I am the God of Abraham” or “I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel.” Or He says to Moses at the burning bush, "I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." He identifies Himself that way. "I am the God who appeared to your fathers." But, Jesus is the mediator of a new and better covenant. This is a better way to identify the God that we're praying to. He is the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, our Lord Jesus, approached God the Father as a man. He believed in the Father. He trusted the Father. He obeyed the Father. He loved His Father. He prayed to His Heavenly Father. He sought to please His Father at every moment. After His resurrection, He spoke to the redeemed. He spoke to the church in this way in John 20:17, He said, "Go to my brothers and tell them I'm returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” The exact same relationship I have with the Father, I have now made for you." So, He is our Father as He is also Jesus's Father. Now, He is the only begotten Son of God. We are adopted children, but He is our Father. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and Jesus came into the world to reveal the Father to us. Hebrews 1:3, "He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being." "When we see Him, we've seen the Father," it says in John 14. Now, here Paul calls Him the Father of Glory. Think about that. What does that mean, the Father of Glory? The NIV has “the Glorious Father,” but I like the Father of Glory as though He is not only glorious Himself, but He is the Father of all Glory, all emanations of illumination and radiation that there is in the universe, come from God as the source. He is the source of all the rivers of glory that there are in the universe. Everything comes from God. Now, what is the glory of God the Father? We think of the radiant display of God's perfections, the shining radiance who He is. He is the Father of Glory. It says in 1 Timothy 6:16, "God alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light." I was meditating on that, "unapproachable light." I was thinkin about, what is that like? You know, it says in Isaiah 6, "The seraphim were covering their faces." Unapproachable light, the glory of God. I pictured the sun, 93 million miles away, but I thought, "Wouldn't it be something is God could make a special deal for us for just a day, and we could be 1000 miles away from the sun." He'd have to do a Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego thing, surrounding us with a bubble of protection from the heat and radiation of the sun. But, we're just thinking about light. The sun is 103 times larger across the diameter than the earth so you could fit 103 earths, stacked up across the diameter. Let's say that we're at 51, right in the middle and were about 500,000 miles away from the sun. You'd look up in the sky and all you would see would be fire, raging, overwhelming light and fire. No heat because we have that special Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego bubble. We would be there and there's radiant light. That's what I think of being unapproachable light. That is the God that we're praying to, the Father of Glory. There will come a day in the New Heaven and the New Earth when the sun will be going. The sun, the moon and the stars will be gone. The whole world will shine, it will be radiating with the Glory of God through Jesus. That's the Father of Glory. He is the source of all glory. As we begin to pray, we come with a sense of overwhelming awe and reverence. There is a sense of the majesty, the infinite majesty of God and how great He is. Now, what is the goal of this prayer? Well, it's knowing God. Look again at verse 17, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you a Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him." The Goal of Prayer: Knowing God Paul’s First Intercession Now, this is the first of a series of intercessions. We're not going to deal with the rest of them today, there's just too many of them, and they are wonderful. We're just going to zero in on the first intercession. We come to God because He is capable of giving us infinitely more than all we could ask or imagine. We glorify God by asking for great things because He's a great God and God wants to make our requests made known to Him. And the first request should be, "Oh, God, I want to know you better. And I want this brother and this sister to know you better. That's what I want. I want the knowledge of God." Now, Paul is going to pray many more things than this, but he starts with this, that the Ephesian Christians would have the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God,” that they would know Him. They are already Christians, already born again and he's praying, "Oh, that they would know you better. That they would know you more fully, more deeply and more richly. An Infinite Study A.W. Tozer in his classic, "Knowledge of the Holy," said this, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." What comes into your mind when you think about God? It's the most important thing about you. So said A.W. Tozer and J.I. Packer, in his classic, "Knowing God," said this, "What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough objective, something which catches our imagination, something which lays hold of our allegiance. This the Christian has, in a way that no other person has, for what higher, more exalted and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?" That is the organizing directive of your life from here to eternity, beyond the time when you're raised from the dead in a resurrection body. On into the New Heaven and New Earth, you're going to still be learning God, forever, the knowledge of God. It's an infinite study and we're going to be studying it forever. Jesus’ Deep Heart Cry for Us Now, this is Jesus's deep cry in John 17. This is His definition of eternal in John 17:3, "Now this is eternal, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." That's what eternal is, to know God. This is the great tragedy of the lostness of the world. John 17:25 says, "Righteous Father, the world has not known You." This is the work that Jesus does in every Christian at conversion. John 17:6, "I have revealed You to those whom You have given to Me out of the world.” I revealed You to them. This is the ongoing work that He wants to continue doing. John 17:26, "I have made You known to them and I will continue to make You known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and I myself may be in them." What is this “Knowledge”? So, what is this knowledge of God? What does it mean that they may know God? Well, it is factual. It is knowledge about God, facts about God, truths about God that come from scripture. Who He is, what He's done, His great acts in the past, these come from the pages of scripture. Facts about God. We should be zealous to gain as many facts as we can from the Bible about who God is, about His attributes, His actions, about His plans and purposes in the world, what it teaches about Him. Facts about God, but God wants far more than just that. Now, we know that no true relationship can be without factual knowledge. You can imagine a couple just beginning their relationship. They're sitting down, they're having a cup of coffee and they have one thing on their mind. Tell me about yourself, I want to know who you are. Maybe it started with eHarmony.com, I don't know. I mean, it begins with something. It's amazing how people get together these days. I was talking to a Christian about that and he said, "Are you OK with that?" I said, "Well look what happened with Isaac and Rebekah and that whole camel thing. He went and got a servant, came back with her and that was that. They got married." So, I'm not sure what they conversed about on their wedding night. It's like, "Tell me your name, at least. Let's get to know each other." There's some information that we need to have here. So, I'm thinking eHarmony has more filtering going on than happened with Rebekah and Isaac. But, the servant went out and he was serving Abraham and brought the wife back for Isaac and it worked out great. Be careful with what you do with what I just said. I'm not going to that "Nth" degree, "Pastor said it was fine!" All I'm saying is that relationships begin with a passing, a giving and receiving of factual knowledge. That’s what I’m saying. There's no relationship without it. I actually knew a couple once that had no common language between them when they got married. They got married in the 1920's, a Swedish woman and an Italian man. They both spoke broken English, so that was interesting. Anyway, moving on. The passing of factual information is not enough. There needs to be a covenant love, a deep love relationship. Think about James 2:19, "You believe that there is One God, good. Even the demons believe that and they shudder." Demons have more factual knowledge about God than you do. Factual knowledge is essential, but it's not enough. There has to be a heart of love, a covenant love relationship of affection. In Matthew 7 Jesus said this, "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven but only those who do the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name and in your name, drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers." What is Jesus saying there? Not, I don't have any facts about you. Oh, He has all the facts about them, 100% of the facts. But, they had no love relationship. So, are you conscious of the presence of God in your life by the Holy Spirit? Do you have a sense of His presence with you? A sense of intimacy with God? A sense that He loves you? That He calls you His son or daughter, that He calls you by name. If you have a sense of intimacy and love affection with God, that's what knowledge of God means. A sense of close covenant relationship. Like David said in Psalm 63, "Oh, God you are my God. Earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for You. My body longs for You in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory because Your love is better than life. My lips will glorify You." A sense of that kind of intimacy with Moses and God on Mount Sinai where he says, " Now show me Your glory." And He says, "No one can see My face and live. I'll put in the cleft of the rock and I'll cover you with My hand. You'll see My back as I do by." There's that intimacy between God and Moses. Do you have a sense of a love relationship with God? A sense of the presence of God? I think it's a matter of savoring God, of tasting, of seeing and savoring God. Like it says in Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Imagine, picture a table with a heavy white linen tablecloth and like a cut crystal dish and a scoop of raspberry sorbet and a heavy spoon next to it, plated with silver. Imagine picking up that heavy spoon and scooping out raspberry sorbet, and putting it in your mouth and it's melting on your tongue. You can taste the raspberry and then swallow. Well, that description is not the same as eating the raspberry sorbet. There's nothing that I can say verbally that will be equal to experience of actually having it on your tongue. Have you experienced the love of God? Jonathan Edwards, in his classic sermon, "Divine and Supernatural Light," put it this way, "There's a difference between having an opinion that God is holy and gracious and having a sense of the loveliness and beauty of that holiness and grace. There's a difference in having a rational judgement that honey is sweet and having a sense of that sweetness. A man may have the former that knows not how honey tastes but a man cannot have the later unless he has had the idea of the taste of honey in his mind.” “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” The Means to That Goal: The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation “Spirit” not “spirit” of Wisdom Alright, so that's the end of Paul's prayer for the Ephesians. What's the means to the end? He says that it's the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Well, here I believe, different than almost every English translation, that the "S" in Spirit should be capitalized. I don't know if it is in the ESV. I know it's not in the NIV. So, what's the difference in lowercase “spirit” and uppercase “Spirit”? Well, uppercase Spirit would refer to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Lowercase spirit would be a disposition in the human heart, a spirit inside yourself. Thank kind of thing. A spirit of wisdom. I think it makes perfect sense that we were just a moment ago talking about the sealing of the Spirit. That this is the ministry of the Holy Spirit of God, to give you “wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of Him.” It is the Holy Spirit's work to unveil God and to make God appear glorious to you. It is the Holy Spirit's work to do this in our hearts. That is the Spirit of revelation. 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11 says, "The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's Spirit within him. In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” So the Spirit searches these things and brings them to us. The Spirit of Revelation Now, He doesn't do this by extrabiblical revelations. That's where cults start. Muhammad had a revelation from an angel and wrote the Koran. Joseph Smith had a revelation from an angel and wrote the Book of Mormon. Mary Baker Eddy had a revelation and started Christian Science. Those are cults or false religions. I'm not talking about a spirit of revelation that comes outside the bible. I think it comes from what the Lord has given us through the ministry of the Apostles and Prophets, the church built on the foundation of the Scripture, the Apostles and Prophets, and the Holy Spirit takes the scripture and makes the truths about God clear to you. He illuminates your mind and your heart. We'll talk more about that, God willing, in the future. The Holy Spirit illuminates and makes these things clear, without that illumination, you'll never know God. Martin Lloyd-Jones told the story about a relationship between William Wilberforce who was an evangelical Christian, politician, tremendous leader in England in the early part of the 1800's, who was instrumental in the fight against the slave trade and eventually against slavery itself. He had a good friend named William Pitt, who was Prime Minister, not a believer. Wilberforce was deeply concerned with his friend. Deeply concerned with his soul. He would try to give him books. He would try to share different things with him. William Pitt was a brilliant man. The two of them had interesting, spicy conversations but still, nothing. Well, one day, William Wilberforce heard that a famous preacher, a power preacher named Richard Cecil was preaching nearby where they lived. So, he persuaded William Pitt to go with him to hear. Wilberforce said, "I had never heard a clearer exposition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Never clearer explanation of the deity of Christ, the death of Christ on the cross, His resurrection from the dead and the need for repentance and faith. So much so that Wilberforce was swimming in tears. But, Pitt sitting next to him was not moved at all and afterward Wilberforce asked, "Well, what did you think?" He said, "I must tell you, Wilberforce, I concentrated carefully on everything that man said. I tried to follow his train of thought and his argumentation and honestly, I have no idea what he's talking about." Now, William Pitt was more intelligent than Wilberforce, but if the Spirit of God does not give you wisdom and “revelation and the knowing of Him,” you will never know Him. But, if the Spirit of God does give you wisdom and revelation, you will know Him more and more. That is the work of the Spirit. Application & Prayer Now, what can we take from this. What I would say is, I've already made an appeal to non-Christians to believe. I'm now going to make an appeal to you Christians to pray like this. This is a simple application. Look at your prayer life and say, "Do I pray like Paul prayed? Do I pray without ceasing with thanksgiving to God the Father in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Spirit? And do I pray for other Christians like this and for myself? And, if not, I'm going to urge you and plead with you. Go to God and say, "Make me a prayer warrior. Change my prayer life. Give me this kind of intimacy that you gave to the Apostle Paul." Father, we thank you now for what we've learned in Ephesians concerning Paul's prayer life and concerning what he prayed for, for the Ephesian Christians and we give you thanks for it. We ask that you would transform our prayer lives, oh Lord. Make us powerful prayer warriors. Enable us, oh Lord, to pray as Paul prayed for the Ephesian Christians, that we would see an unleashing of power here in First Baptist Church as we have never seen before even in our lifetime. We pray in Jesus's name. Amen.

Pastor Mike encourages us all to be thankful "in" all things "for" what God is doing through us in everything that God allows to come into our lives. Godly living is living with a grateful and thankful heart, even in the hard things in life... Thank Jesus for everything He is doing in our lives...

Pastor Mike encourages us all to be thankful "in" all things "for" what God is doing through us in everything that God allows to come into our lives. Godly living is living with a grateful and thankful heart, even in the hard things in life... Thank Jesus for everything He is doing in our lives...

This will be our last episode until Dale gets settled in North Ridgeville, Ohio. Which sexual sin is worse? Rebranding the church Thank Jesus for permission to thank Jesus Praise the Lord, and lock and load Are private schools a breeding ground for abortion?