Podcasts about judas

Anointing and betrayal- Although not in chronological order, the anointing at Bethany by Mary, and the betrayal of Judas are recorded next to each other in Mark to show a stark contrast. Mary demonstrated her love and devotion to Jesus, while Judas was conniving and deceitful.

Hear ye, devoted listeners of the macabre and the spirited alike! This week on the Scary Spirits Podcast, we mark the anniversary of a most curious and thrilling motion picture: the 2012 horror spectacle, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, first unleashed upon audiences on June 22nd. Join your esteemed hosts, Karen and Greg, as they discourse upon this audacious tale—where history and horror are bound together in a most unnatural union. With both wit and keen observation, they examine the legend of a president who wages a secret war against the creatures of the night. To accompany this evening's proceedings, a specially crafted libation—“The Lincoln” cocktail—shall be raised, offering a bold and fitting tribute to the film's dark and daring spirit. Whether you are a devotee of vampire films, alternative history horror, or cinematic curiosities, this episode promises lively conversation, chilling insights, and a toast worthy of remembrance. Tune in to the Scary Spirits Podcast—where horror and cocktails meet in perfect union. The Lincoln Cocktail Recipe • 2 oz Angel’s Envy Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels• 1/4 oz ruby port syrup• 2 dashes Angostura® bitters• 1 dash orange bitters• orange twist garnish Instructions Add all ingredients into a mixing glass. Stir over ice. Strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Source: angelsenvy.com A Brief Synopsis: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter reimagines the 16th US president as a secret slayer who discovers that vampires are secretly controlling the American slave trade. After a vampire murders his mother, Lincoln dedicates his life to the axe. ultimately fighting the undead not just for revenge, but to win the Civil War. Some of the topics discussed and highlights of this episode include: Karen gives us a brief description of the novel the film is based on. We learn that Nancy Lincoln died of milk sickness. Judas was paid in silver when he betrayed Jesus, creating the vampire lore about silver. Mary Todd and Stephen Douglas did in fact date. Dr. Karen tells us all about sunscreen. It wasn’t available until 1932. Greg works in a reference to the band Kiss. Our rating of the film: This movie was pretty good. It only took us 2 cocktails to get through it. Take our online survey! We want to know more about you! Please take our survey. All questions are optional and you can remain completely anonymous if you prefer. Tell us what you like or would like to hear more of! All music on the Scary Spirits Podcast is provided by the band “Verse 13”. Please check them out. You can listen to all their music on their Bandcamp page. Get social with us! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram Subscribe on YouTube to watch Greg attempt to make all the featured cocktails Follow @ScarySpiritsPod Questions, comments or suggestions? Shoot us an email at info@scaryspirits.com As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small percentage of qualifying purchases through our links.

Pastor focuses in on Gamaliel's Speech found in Acts 5:34-39.   We know about Gamliel from the Bible, the writings of Josephus and rabbinical writings: Grandson of the Jewish teacher Hillel Especially influential ca 25-50 A.D. President of the Sanhedrin A devout and respected Pharisee Teacher of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 22:3)   In comparing Josephus' writings with the Bible we find an issue with Acts 5:36-37 "Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered."   The Controversy is the dating of the two men as this is what we know about them from Josephus:  Theudas - revolt at the time of the Roman procurator, Cuspius Faus (44-46 A.D.)  Judas the Galilean - rebellion in 6 A.D.    According to the Acts verses written by Luke, he quotes Gamaliel as saying that Judas the Galilean's rebellion came AFTER Theudas' revolt, but what we know about these two men  from Josephus, shows us that Judas the Galilean's rebellion came BEFORE Theudas' revolt.   The Alternatives we can consider: Josephus was correct, Luke was wrong Luke was correct, Josephus was wrong Both Luke and Josephus were correct.   Pastor leans toward "Both Luke and Josephus being correct."    In Josephus' writings we read of Judas the Galilean as having led a band of people in revolt in 6 A.D.    In Josephus' writings we also read that after the death of King Herod the Great (about 4 B.C.) many revolted. Josephus does not name them.but clearly these rebellions were BEFORE Judas' revolt. Consider this: Is it possible that one of those individuals was named Theudas? Then the writings of Josephus and the Bible align.   Additionally, Luke gives this insight, he tells us that Gamaliel said the following, "Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered."  Note that Gamaliel said ALL Judas' followers were scattered." But history shows us that Gamaliel saw Judas' rebellion as having come to nothing. However, about 25-30 years after Gamaliel spoke these words, those followers of Judas the Galilean not only were around, but had grown in number and ultimately triggered the revolt against Rome in 66 A.D.    What we see is an accurate account by Luke of what took place on the day the Apostles were flogged for speaking the name of Jesus and rejoiced for being worthy to suffer for His name.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/streams       Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Share a commentSome of the most important disciples in the New Testament are the ones we barely notice. We wrap up our walk through Luke 6 by slowing down for the “last four” names on the list, and the result is both comforting and confronting. If you've ever felt ordinary, overlooked, or unsure your life is making a difference, this conversation reframes what spiritual impact actually means.We talk about James the son of Alpheus, sometimes called James the Less, a man with almost no recorded moments and yet a full calling from Christ. From there we dig into Simon the Zealot and the shocking reality that Jesus put a political firebrand side by side with a former tax collector, turning clashing backgrounds into a living picture of church unity. We also explore Judas the son of James, known as Thaddeus, whose tender question in John's Gospel highlights how Jesus reveals himself personally, one heart at a time.Then we deal honestly with Judas Iscariot: trusted, involved, and indistinguishable to the group, yet ultimately a traitor. It's a sobering reminder that exposure to truth is not the same as belief. We close with Matthias, why the apostolic office is unique, and a vivid illustration of the gospel as music played through ordinary instruments in the hands of the Maestro. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What part of the disciples' story hits closest to home for you? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Share a commentSome of the most important disciples in the New Testament are the ones we barely notice. We wrap up our walk through Luke 6 by slowing down for the “last four” names on the list, and the result is both comforting and confronting. If you've ever felt ordinary, overlooked, or unsure your life is making a difference, this conversation reframes what spiritual impact actually means.We talk about James the son of Alpheus, sometimes called James the Less, a man with almost no recorded moments and yet a full calling from Christ. From there we dig into Simon the Zealot and the shocking reality that Jesus put a political firebrand side by side with a former tax collector, turning clashing backgrounds into a living picture of church unity. We also explore Judas the son of James, known as Thaddeus, whose tender question in John's Gospel highlights how Jesus reveals himself personally, one heart at a time.Then we deal honestly with Judas Iscariot: trusted, involved, and indistinguishable to the group, yet ultimately a traitor. It's a sobering reminder that exposure to truth is not the same as belief. We close with Matthias, why the apostolic office is unique, and a vivid illustration of the gospel as music played through ordinary instruments in the hands of the Maestro. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What part of the disciples' story hits closest to home for you? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

We all know the story of Judas- he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. But why that amount- was there any significance to it? Well, it does show up in the book of Exodus as the price of a slave. But what is the connection between the price of a slave and the price for which Judas betrayed Jesus? The book of Zechariah is gonna tie those two things together, and you'll learn what that is as we study some Messianic Prophecy today on the God and His Prophets podcast.Watch these episodes at my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LukeTaylorPodcastsNeed to get in touch with me? Reach me at GodAndHisProphetsPodcast@gmail.comIf you're looking for a Bible study podcast that goes deep into the major and minor prophets, God and His Prophets offers a verse by verse Bible study through these powerful Old Testament writings. Each episode explores the prophecy in the Bible, from the Book of Ezekiel study and later in Zechariah, helping listeners in understanding prophetic books and seeing their relevance today. We also connect the prophets' words to end times Bible teaching and highlight connections to Revelation, giving you a Christian Bible commentary that equips you for spiritual insight and growth.

Sermon on the Mount Introduction (Life of Messiah 45) | Jesus, Moses, and True Righteousness Thomas Fretwell resumes his Life of Messiah series after reviewing the twelve apostles and Judas, returning to Luke 6 and introducing the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7 (with Luke 6 as the shorter parallel). He explains common misunderstandings of the sermon and argues it primarily addresses a correct interpretation of the Mosaic Law in its first-century Jewish context, repudiating Pharisaical externalism and calling for internal, heart-level righteousness for believers, not a works-based salvation or merely a future-kingdom constitution. He highlights Matthew's Jewish emphasis versus Luke's Gentile focus, and develops the “new Moses” theme by linking Jesus “going up the mountain” and “sitting down” to Exodus/Deuteronomy imagery and Deuteronomy 18's prophet-like-Moses promise. The episode ends at Matthew 5:2 as Jesus begins to teach. Become a supporter and get unlimited questions turned into podcasts at: www.patreon.com/theologyandapologetics YouTube Channel: Theology & Apologetics www.youtube.com/channel/UChoiZ46uyDZZY7W1K9UGAnw TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@dr.fretwell?_t=ZN-8w8NXIFTHkc&_r=1 Instagram: www.instagram.com/theology.apologetics Websites: www.ezrafoundation.org www.theologyandapologetics.com

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the Harmony of the Gospels focusing on the betrayal and arrest of Jesus Christ. He examines the accounts of Judas' betrayal, Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Peter's impulsive act of defending Jesus with a sword, highlighting Jesus' response and interpretation of these events as fulfillment of Scripture. Fr. Matthias also covers the trials before the Jewish authorities, emphasizing the false testimonies against Jesus, His declaration of being the Messiah and Son of God, and the religious leaders' reactions. The discussion includes Peter's denial of Jesus, his realization of weakness, and the significance of self-awareness and reliance on God in the Christian life. Key Gospel details from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are compared to offer a comprehensive understanding of these critical moments leading to the crucifixion. #BetrayalOfJesus #PeterDenial #BiblicalTrials #JesusArrest #GospelHarmony #HolyWeekEvents #StPaulHouston #Coptic #FrMatthias Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

John 16:11 “and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” Let's consider how the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers convicts the world of judgment. Jesus said He convicts the world of judgment because the ruler of this world has been judged. Who is the ruler of this world to whom Jesus referred? Certainly, it is the devil, aka Satan. Only minutes before, Jesus told His disciples, “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (14:30). We know Satan was at work in those who were his in the world from the betrayal of Jesus by Judas through the burial of His body in the tomb. God gave Jesus, an innocent, righteous man, into the hands of the devil and his world, and judged him as a hater and murder of God. He saw it in him, gave him the occasion to confront Jesus, and God's judgment was right. Satan killed the righteous Son of God. Now what does the presence of the Holy Spirit have to do with that judgment? The sending of the Holy Spirit testifies to the world that they are just like their father, the devil. As the disciples, and all in whom Jesus dwells, express His life in this world, those in the world hate them and want to kill them. The world wants believers our of their lives! They hate Jesus and murder Him, just like their father. God sees it in them, gives the occasion to confront Jesus in His disciples, and God's judgment is righteous. They are children of the devil. Their ruler has been judged, and so have they. Jesus loves those who are in the world through us. They will never be able to say that Jesus did not love them. We should not be surprised that they will sabotage His love and twist it, just like their ruler did when Jesus was here on the earth. As we live to love with Jesus, the Holy Spirit is at work. He will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, highlighting the contrast between the Jewish leaders' accusations and Pilate's political concerns. He explains Jesus' affirmation of being the King of the Jews and the significance of His kingdom not being of this world. Fr. Matthias also discusses Judas' remorse after betraying Jesus, the nature of true repentance, and the consequences of sin. The connection between Jesus as the Passover Lamb and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy is examined. The video addresses Pilate's struggle with the concept of truth and the rejection of Christ by those preferring power over salvation. Fr. Matthias emphasizes the importance of embracing the full truth of Jesus' identity and mission. The session closes with reflections on human weakness, forgiveness, and hope. #JesusTrial #PontiusPilate #JudasBetrayal #PassoverLamb #ChristianRepentance #TruthInChrist #StPaulHouston #Coptic #FrMatthias Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Das Kapitel ist beeindruckend, wie sich Joseph seinen Brüdern gegenüber offenbart. Es ist nicht nur, dass er sich ihnen gegenüber zu erkennen gibt, sondern das "Wie" ist wichtig. Es zeigt uns, wie Christus sich seinem gläubigen Überrest Judas bekanntmachen wird. 

In John 12:1–11, Jesus returns to Bethany, where Lazarus is alive, Martha is serving, and Mary pours out costly perfume at the feet of Jesus. Her worship was pure, costly, broken, poured out, and it filled the house with fragrance.But not everyone celebrated her offering. Judas criticized what he could not understand, calling her worship wasteful. Jesus defended Mary and revealed that her extravagant act was preparing Him for burial.This message, “The Fragrance That Fills the House,” calls us to examine the worship we bring to Jesus. Is it convenient, controlled, and consumer-driven, or is it costly, surrendered, and poured out in love?When Jesus is truly treasured, worship changes the atmosphere.Scripture: John 12:1–11Series: The SourceSpeaker: Pastor Josh BrownChurch: Overflow ChurchSupport the show

The response of: Judas, deep regret leading to death. The Religious Leaders, Hostile rejection. Pilate, Indifference. The Centurian, Profound Confession. Nature, Cosmic Protest. God, Wrath applied. Jesus, Sacrificial Obedience. What is your response to the death of Jesus the Messiah?

He was one of the Twelve and a kinsman of the Lord according to the flesh (see Luke 6:16, Acts 1:13; according to holy Tradition, Joseph the Carpenter, before he was widowed, had four sons by his wife Salome: James, Hosea, Simon and Jude). As an Apostle, St Jude preached in Mesopotamia, Arabia and Syria, and met a Martyr's end in Beirut. He is the author of the New Testament Epistle that bears his name. His name ("Judas" in Greek, from "Judah" in Hebrew) means "praise".

[Isaiah 53:4-6] Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! [5] But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. [6] All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. Jesus came to take our ____________________. [Zechariah 11:13] And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord. [Matthew 27:5-7] Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself. [6] The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn't be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” [7] After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter's field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. Jesus ____________________ made his way to the cross. [Psalms 22:16-18] My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. [17] I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. [18] They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. Even Jesus' ____________ played roles in fulfilling prophecy. [John 19:23-24] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. [24] So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let's throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did. Jesus himself predicted his own ____________________. [Matthew 20:18-19] “Listen,” he said, “we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. [19] Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” The fulfillment of prophecy gives ____________________ that Jesus is who he says he is.

Isaiah Ch 1 Judas Social Sins Pt 1 by Orchard Hills Bible Church

Pastor Ray Peoples Sunday June 14, 2026Luke 22:14-23IF I HAD 10 MORE MINUTES:There is one disciple that I unintentionally skipped over, and honestly, I am glad we have a chance to come back to him because his story adds something beautiful to the picture of the table.I skipped the Apostle John.Throughout Scripture, John is often referred to as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23; John 21:20). Now, that doesn't mean Jesus loved John more than the others. Rather, it reveals how deeply John understood and experienced the love of Christ. John's identity was not primarily found in what he did for Jesus, but in the fact that he was loved by Jesus.When you read John's writings, that theme is impossible to miss.The Gospel of John continually points us to the love of God displayed in Christ. Then you come to 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John, and they are saturated with the language of love.1 John 4:7-8 says,"Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love."A few verses later John writes,"We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)John understood something that every believer needs to understand: the Christian life begins with receiving the love of Christ before it ever moves into extending the love of Christ.And when you look around the table of the disciples, that truth becomes even more powerful.At that table sat fishermen and tax collectors.At that table sat Peter, who would deny Jesus.At that table sat Thomas, who would doubt.At that table sat Matthew, who had a complicated and sinful past.At that table sat Simon the Zealot, a political revolutionary.At that table sat Judas, who would betray Jesus.Different personalities.Different backgrounds.Different stories.Different failures.Yet they all had a seat at the table.The beauty of the gospel is that Jesus does not gather people because they are alike. He gathers people because they all need Him.And the same is true today.Some of us come to the table carrying shame.Some come carrying pride.Some come carrying doubt.Some come carrying wounds.Some come carrying questions.Some come carrying a long history of mistakes.Yet the invitation of Jesus remains the same.The table is not filled with people who have it all together. The table is filled with people who have found grace.That is why communion is so significant. Every time we gather around the Lord's Table, we are reminded that our hope is not in our goodness, our performance, our church attendance, or our spiritual resume.Our hope is in Christ.The bread reminds us of His body that was broken.The cup reminds us of His blood that was shed.As Jesus said in Matthew 26:28,"For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."His body was broken.His blood was shed.Not merely for one type of person, but for people from every tribe, every tongue, every background, every story, and every failure.The cross is the great equalizer.At the foot of the cross, Peter and John stand on the same ground.Matthew and Simon stand on the same ground.The faithful and the broken stand on the same ground.And so do we.The table reminds us that while our stories may be different, our Savior is the same.The invitation is the same.The grace is the same.And the love that John wrote about so often is available to every person who comes to Jesus in faith.Because in the end, the greatest thing about John was not that he was the disciple who loved Jesus.The greatest thing about John was that he understood he was loved by Jesus.And that is the invitation for every one of us today. Not simply to know facts about Christ, but to sit at His table, receive His grace, and rest in the overwhelming reality that we are deeply loved by Him.

RHLSTP #614 - You're Already Grown Up - Rich talks to musical genius, actor and comedian Tim Minchin. They discuss the possibility of a reboot of another kids' classic and Tim's possible involvement in it, how Ernie Herring responded to Matilda, the technical changes made to the film version of the musical, the gentle pivot into more serious songs, what the devil is up to and the incredible sacrifice of Judas, Richard's favourite ever guest and why Rich shouldn't judge his colleagues too harshly, some Shrek based content and a promise from Tim to compete the circle, how silence can be golden in comedy and creative wonderful art and return for the final episode of RHLSTP (as he was the first ever guest). Plus his plans for the next couple of years.The tiny Asian Bee Gees can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r4E5osk0jkSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPEAudio mix by Ben Evans (NTO)Thanks to Chris Evans (NTO) and Ben WalkerRecorded at the Podcast Room Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Judas have a choice? How was the Holy Spirit distributed when it comes to authorship of the Bible? Predestination...is it for Catholics? Why did Christ descend into hell? Plus, good resources for differences in protestant and Catholic belief.

21:37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. 21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him. 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. 22:2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. 22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 22:4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. 22:5 And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 22:6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude. 22:7 Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 22:8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 22:9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 22:10 And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. 22:11 And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 22:12 And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 22:13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 22:14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 22:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 22:16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 22:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 22:18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. 22:21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. 22:22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 22:23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

Forgiveness is Freedom David Eells – 3/27/26  (audio)    We need faith in order to receive God's benefits, faith to receive His healings, deliverances, provision, salvation and so on. There is something that's just as important as faith because unforgiveness can block you from receiving any of that.  Mat 6:15 ASV  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.   Unforgiveness brings the curse of the Bible listed in Deuteronomy 28. It is a very big problem and a major reason why people don't receive what they need from God.   How do we prove that we have forgiven and how do we show forgiveness? In other words, how is forgiveness manifested through us to others? And how do we show, or what do we show, to others to prove that we have forgiven them? I think we can see some pretty good signs from this verse: (Rom.12:14) Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. When you're persecuted by someone, your doesn't really want to forgive them. But we really don't have any choice and it's the right thing to do, since the Lord has forgiven us such a great debt its only right to forgive everybody else their debt according to Jesus in Mat 18.  The penalty there is that Father turns the unforgiving over to tormenting demons in Mat 18:34-35. Forgiveness is extremely important if you want to bear fruit so the Lord can walk in you.  You will stumble without His grace. Forgiveness is every bit as important as the faith message because God does not give grace to people who don't forgive, or to people who judge, or to people who are bitter, or to people who are “just hurt” as they say. (Jas.2:1) My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons. Are you holding the faith of Jesus Christ our Lord with respect of persons? James goes on to give the example of having more respect for the rich man than the poor man.   Then he speaks of another form of respect of persons that's also quite common. (Jas.2:8) Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: (9) but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. If you're seeking to be justified by something that you are doing, but that somebody else isn't doing, be very, very careful because there are things that you are not doing and they are doing. And so James says not to be a respecter of persons. As it was with those under the Law, it also is with us. (Jas.2:11) For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So if you've transgressed in anything, then you've transgressed. If you've sinned in anything, then you have sinned. And, of course, if you are not willing to give grace to someone else when they have sinned, just remember that God doesn't have to give you grace when you sin.   James warns us, (Jas.2:12) So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty. In other words, if you want to be judged by a law of liberty, be sure you judge other people by a law of liberty. Judging is the first thing you do when you don't forgive someone. You are judging this person unworthy of forgiveness when Christ already forgave you and Jesus warned us about that. (Mat.6:14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. The Father will turn you over to the tormenters until you pay your debt to God, since you didn't think your brother was worthy of having his debt to you cancelled by receiving forgiveness from you.  (Jas.2:12) So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty. What's the “law of liberty”? Well, he's using the Law here by way of an example. If you demand the Law be used on someone else, instead of giving them the same grace and “liberty” that the Lord offered to you, but you don't want to demand the Law be used to judge you, then you need to remember that the Lord will use the Law on you. (Jas.2:13) For judgment [is] without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment. What you sow, you reap, according to the universal law that the Lord has given us. (Gal.6:7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. If you sow mercy and forgiveness, and refuse to judge unrighteously, as Romans 14 warns against doing, then God will show grace and mercy to you.   God is the judge. When Paul turned a sinner over to Satan in 1Co 5 it was God who judged and it must be that way today. This was governmental unforgiveness. Personal judgment and personal unforgiveness is owed by us. Governmental unforgiveness coming from God through elders is important to protect others. When this happens God will confirm the judgment. But in Pro 26:2  As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.  How dangerous it is, for we can actually sever our own grace and ruin our own future by not forgiving other people. (Jas.3:14) But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. Faction, of course, is seeking to separate people from others, especially to separate followers through selfish ambition. Judgment, jealousy, faction, criticism, gossip; these are all manifestations of unforgiveness, and many forms of it, because people are tempted to “lie against the truth” when they're attempting to cause division through jealousy or selfish ambition because they want something that God has not given to them.   But we should always wait and trust in the Lord to provide and ordain things for us, and not try to gain it ourselves. Jealousy causes people to try and obtain things through their own efforts. (Jas.3:15) This wisdom is not [a wisdom] that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. (16) For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. The reason these people are turned over to vile deeds is because of unforgiveness the Father turns them over to tormentors as Jesus said. Mat 18:34-35  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.  35  So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.    Many people have made themselves judges and think they have the right not to forgive other people but, if they are usurping this position, in other words, if they're seizing and holding this position, office, or power, etc., instead of God giving it to them, then they're going to bring a curse upon themselves. God guarantees it. (Jas.4:11) Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. (12) One [only] is the lawgiver and judge, [even] he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor? Do you see what I'm saying here? James is saying the exact same thing. Only One has the right to judge; only the Lord has the right and He chooses through whom He will judge and it will not be someone in sin.  2Co 10:6  and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.  The apostle Paul said, (Rom.2:1) Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practice the same things. If you judge others, then you judge yourself. We can't judge, be unforgiving, bitter, factious; or be attempting to bring judgment on other people. (Eph.4:29) Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth ... (Jas.3:8) But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] full of deadly poison. Of course, God can tame the tongue and sometimes we learn obedience through the things we suffer.   The Bible said that even about Jesus. (Heb.5:8) Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. When we suffer for speaking things we shouldn't, it motivates us to be very careful before the Lord. (Eph.4:29) Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying (or “building up”) as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear. It's always legal to edify, to build up, to give grace; it's not always legal to tear down and we have to be careful that it's only the Lord Who does that. He is the Judge. It is legal to give grace but it is not always legal to judge. (Eph.4:30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. (31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice. These are all manifestations of unforgiveness.  Paul is warning us here and he mentions railing in (1Co.5:11) But as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one, no not to eat. As a sin that is worthy of separating from people, he commands us to separate from any man who is called a brother, if he is reviling or railing. Reviling is from Loidoros, meaning abusive railing. The word for “railing” is blasphemia, which is the same word for “blaspheming,” and it means “to speak against.” Both reviling and railing are speaking against others. And as we just read in James, “Speak not one against another, brethren.” (Eph.4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice. If you don't put this away, you will pay for it and usually pretty quickly. Generally, your body will start going downhill, circumstances will start going downhill, the grace of God will be gone from you, etc. (Eph.4:32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you. We see that so often in Scripture: if God forgave you, you have to forgive.   (Col.3:12) Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering. A person who judges other people illegally is a proud person. A person who is unforgiving is a proud person. This is a person who has put him or herself up on a pedestal and thinks they have the right to not forgive, that they have the right to judge instead of giving that right only to God. They are sitting in the place of God. He says that through lowliness, meekness and longsuffering, we suffer long with other people's errors and problems and weaknesses, etc. (Col.3:12) Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; (13) forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye.  Paul is talking about personal forgiveness here and we always have to give personal forgiveness every time. He's not talking about governmental unforgiveness because it would truly be a sin to forgive someone in a governmental situation. When it's the responsibility of an elder to judge and they don't do it, then they are sinning. For instance faction must be dealt with swiftly or it will spread and destroy many with “vile deeds”. However we always have to forgive any offense against us personally or we won't be forgiven, which is the foundation of our salvation. In Mat 18:15  And if thy brother sin (against thee [some ancient authorities omit this and it does not have a numeric pattern]), go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. The factious always disobey the command to go to the brother they are judging “alone” which makes them backbiters or back stabbers (Rom 1:30). They do this because their slander will be refuted by the witnesses. (Col.3:14) And above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness. Of course, if you love your brother as yourself and you are not a respecter of persons, then you're going to want to afford every right and every privilege to him that you want for yourself.  This will bond you instead of divide you. If you want God to judge you according to grace and mercy, then remember you have to give that same grace and mercy to others. (Col.3:15) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. It's not possible to let the Word of Christ “dwell in you richly” unless you're going to be obedient to the golden rule. The Word will not be manifested in you if you have unforgiveness. Unforgiveness blocks so many things that God could give to you and opens up the door for so many more sins that will take over your life, so that the Word will not be manifested in you.   The Word is Jesus and He will not be manifested in you if you have unforgiveness. All of those other fruits of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, railing, and malice will be manifested instead of the Word. It doesn't matter what God has promised you; they won't come to pass because God's promises are conditional upon repentance and faith.   (Col.3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. (17) And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. So whatever we do, we are to do it in Jesus' Name; in other words, as representing Him. The meaning for the Greek word for name is nature, character, and authority. To do everything in His name is to do it like He would; that's exactly the meaning of Colossians 3:17. If we would do what Jesus would do, then the Word would be manifested in us.   What is the nature of forgiveness? I believe what Jesus is doing is He is helping us to understand those circumstances in which we find ourselves most likely to fall into unforgiveness. Those circumstances aren't the big curses that we think they are. We need to understand that wicked people who come against us and tempt us to fall into unforgiveness or bitterness or judgment, are actually a blessing. They cleanse the body of leaven. We need to understand that the Lord is sovereign and no person can come into our life without God's grace. We need to understand what He says about them.  (Luk.6:22) Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company,] and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for Son of man's sake. Well, we certainly don't think that we're being blessed when people do such things, but from God's point of view, we are. We shouldn't be so near-sighted to see only the circumstance and not what God says about the circumstance behind the scenes because what is being worked in us is for eternity. (23) Rejoice in that day (We sure need to remind ourselves of this because the flesh just cries out, doesn't it?), and leap [for joy] for behold, your reward is great in heaven (Can you imagine? This obnoxious person who is accosting you is actually creating a reward for you in heaven!); for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (24) But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (25) Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe [unto you,] ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. (26) Woe [unto you,] when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets. So we see that if these same wicked people speak well of us it is a woe to us.  Jesus said, “Woe ye that laugh now.” Yes, sometimes you weep, you mourn because of things that you go through at the hands of other people. But He said, “Woe ye that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep.” If we laugh at the judgment of others it is a woe to us. Things are going to be turned around. We are about to be treated badly by the world as a trial, but God says, “leap [for joy] for behold, your reward is great in heaven.” The reward that God is giving is not just a breath that He calls this life; the reward that God gives lasts forever and ever. If we could really understand what He's saying here and what is happening here, I believe we would leap for joy. God is true to His Word.   And now Jesus is going to tell you what it really is to be a forgiving person and what the fruit of being a forgiving person is. (Luk.6:27) But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. If you let bitterness or unforgiveness rise up in your heart, it's just not possible to obey this. (Luk.6:28) Bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. (29) To him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also. The only person who can do this is a forgiving person, a person who is not judging. They are being obedient to the Lord and they have His grace working in them. Of course, you don't have the grace to do these things if you're unforgiving because then God withholds His grace. He gives grace only to the humble. (Jas.4:6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore [the scripture] saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. (Luk.6:30) Give to everyone that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.  Those with faction and witchcraft stole from us whenever there was an opportunity and we have never asked it back but God always repays it multiplied when we just give it. In other words, He doesn't want you to judge these people. He tells us, (1Co.5:12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within (meaning those within the Church)? In obedience to this, before the faction leave the Church in a rage we correct their slander, fornication, lies, lusting, etc. After they leave we have only judged them carefully when the Lord told us to. (13) But them that are without (outside of the Church or not in the Church) God judgeth. (Luk.6:31) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.   Here again is that perfect law of liberty. Giving mercy when we want mercy, sowing the very seed that we need because each seed brings forth after its own kind. If you want mercy, you sow mercy; if you want forgiveness, you sow forgiveness, etc. God will bring it back to you. (Luk.6:32) And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? Oh, it's easy to love and forgive people who love and forgive you, but what about giving love and what He is telling us to do here. (Luk.6:32) And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that love them. There's no reward for us in loving those who are good to us. (33) And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. True; even sinners do the same, so we have to be above that. We have to be able to do it even for the wicked and the unworthy, and God will give us grace to do this. It all comes by grace from God but we forsake our own grace if we are unforgiving.   (Luk.6:34) And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much. (35) But love your enemies, and do [them] good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. I know that you want to be a son of God, not just a child of God. The manifestation of sons is what the whole world is waiting to see. (Rom.8:19) For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. He's telling you here how to be a son.   If you don't want to do these things or if you give little esteem to these things that Jesus is saying, you forsake grace. And if you're unforgiving, then, of course, you won't have grace to do these things. And not only won't you have grace to do them, you won't want to do them. It will not be possible for you to do them. If we want to be sons of God, we have to be like His Son. And what did Jesus say? (Luk.23:34) Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (35) But love your enemies, and do [them] good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. (36) Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (37) And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned.   Be careful that if any judgment or any condemnation is coming through you, that it's coming from God and not from you. If you have any personal feelings, if you have personal bitterness or unforgiveness toward someone, then you're not neutral and God can't use you. He can't use you as a son, as He could use His Son, because His Son was truly forgiving. (Luk.6:37) And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released. Jesus forgave the sinners but governmentally judged the judges. When you're holding people captive to their sins or, in other words, holding them accountable to their sins against you, it says to “release and ye shall be released.” (Luk.6:38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. This is just so important for us to remember! However we give it out to others, however we sow it, that's what is going to come back to us.   We've seen how unforgiveness manifests itself in our thoughts and our actions. Forgiveness also manifests in our thoughts and our actions. Here's a good example: (Mat.5:38) Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (39) but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil ... According to the Law, you were able to demand an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. You had the right to execute vengeance under the Law. But the Law could make nothing perfect, and God decided that He needed a better Covenant with better promises, so He gave us the New Covenant.  Paul in 1Co 5 told the Church to throw the fornicator and reviler out to save the Church because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Now this is definitely talking about not resisting humans because we're told in (Jas.4:7) Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We are told to resist the devil and his demons but Matthew is talking about the person, the flesh and blood, with whom we are not supposed to fight. The elder must resist the wicked for the Church with governmental authority as we have seen. The angels go out to take down slander because it is an attempt to destroy souls and families with witchcraft.  Individually we fight against our real enemy, the principalities and the powers. (2Co.10:3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (4) (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), (5) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  (Mat.5:39) But I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. If you forgave a person immediately, as you should do, then you would be able to resist retaliation. If you overcome unforgiveness every time someone attacks you that's a good thing, and if you finally overcome it in your nature, you won't have any problem obeying what Jesus commanded here. The majority of the Church doesn't pay much attention to these Scriptures for they are self-crucifying. They would rather appease their flesh and retaliate in order to get out of this crucifixion to their flesh.   (Mat.5:40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. That really comes against the flesh; we are really swimming upstream here to be obedient to Jesus. Unforgiveness is common. It's thought of as a worthy thing in the world but the Lord speaks very harshly against it. (Mat.5:41) And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. This also really goes against the flesh. The flesh is prideful and doesn't want to do this; and God hates pride. Unforgiving people are prideful people because they think that they have the right to judge.   (Mat.5:42) Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. This is humiliating to the old man. (43) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: (44) but I say unto you, Love your enemies ... Of course, this is the total opposite of unforgiveness, judgment, bitterness, wrath and demanding your rights. (Mat.5:44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; (45) that ye may be sons of your Father ... Look at how many times the Lord connects sonship with this kind of humility in our lives. He connects sonship with the kind of humility that doesn't judge, the kind of humility that forgives.   (45) That ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. We wonder why God doesn't judge certain people around us; we wonder because He is so longsuffering with the wicked and vessels of dishonor so the elect among them will be saved as in Romans 9.  But He needs and uses those vessels of dishonor to try us and crucify our flesh. (46) For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? …(48) Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.   Brethren, some of the worst of men can be saved, Paul and Peter were but Judas was not. Pray for your families that they forgive, repent, and be among the chosen. Here is something many leave out, God's will.  Rom 9:2-5 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.  3  For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh: (He had great love and great faith but few were saved. Why?) 6  But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel: (The same is true of the recognized “Church”.) 7  neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. (The chosen lineage among Abrahams children.) 8  That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. (Only those who have faith in the promises.) 9  For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. (A type of the promised seed of all nations. This was after God rejected Ishmael, a type of the rejected seed of all nations.) 10  And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac--  11  for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election (choosing) might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, (Only “many are called but few are chosen”.) 12  it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.  13  Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.  (Two types of world-wide people.) Many will argue with this but God says in 14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.  15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.  16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, (The choice is not man's but Gods. Religion doesn't count.) but of God that hath mercy. 17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth.  18  So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will be hardeneth.  19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth his will?  20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?  21  Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?  22  What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction:  23  and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory,  24  even us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?  25  As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, that was not beloved.  26  And it shall be, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God.  27  And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved:  28  for the Lord will execute his word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.  29  And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah. 

Send us Fan MailThe devotion for today, Wednesday, June 17, 2026 was written by Hardy Haberman and is narrated by Michael Benham. Today's Words of Inspiration come from Luke 6:12-16Now during those days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.  And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:  Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,  and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot,   and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Support the show

Show Notes: Amy Hawk — Author, Bible Teacher, and Truth-TellerWhat happens when faithfulness to Jesus begins to put you at odds with the religious community that shaped you?In this episode of Stories from Real Life, I sit down with Amy Hawk, an author, Bible teacher, and writer whose work explores the uncomfortable intersection of Christianity, politics, conscience, and spiritual courage. Amy spent roughly two decades serving in evangelical church life—teaching Bible classes, leading Bible studies, women's ministry, prayer ministry, and adult discipleship—before a season of deep disillusionment forced her to reexamine what it means to follow Jesus when institutional religion becomes entangled with power.Amy is the author of The Judas Effect: How Evangelicals Betrayed Jesus for Power, a deeply personal and Scripture-centered reflection on the American evangelical church, political allegiance, and the cost of choosing power over the way of Christ. The book is described as part Bible study and part personal faith journey, written out of Amy's own crisis of faith as she wrestled with what she saw happening inside parts of the church after 2016.She is also the author of Six Years in the Hanoi Hilton, the story of her father, U.S. Air Force pilot James Shively, who was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967 and spent six years as a prisoner of war. That earlier book explored courage, survival, suffering, and hope under extreme circumstances—themes that also echo through Amy's more recent work.Our conversation moves beyond politics into something more personal and searching: What does Christian integrity require? How do people hold onto faith when the institutions around them disappoint them? And how can Scripture become not a weapon for winning arguments, but a guide back toward humility, compassion, truth, and courage?In This EpisodeMelvin and Amy discuss:How Amy's years in evangelical ministry shaped her faith and her writing.Why she felt compelled to write The Judas Effect.The difference between loyalty to Jesus and loyalty to a political movement.What happens when speaking honestly costs you community.How Scripture helped Amy process disillusionment.The role of courage, repentance, humility, and compassion in the life of the church.How her father's POW story influenced her understanding of endurance and moral clarity.Why some conversations are difficult precisely because they matter. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Hebrews 13:5–6 offers a powerful reminder that God’s presence is unwavering, even in moments of rejection, fear, or emotional pain. In this devotional, Emily Rose Massey reflects on the deep wounds that come from feeling abandoned or dismissed, and how those experiences can linger long after the moment has passed. Through personal reflection and Scripture, she points readers back to the unchanging truth that God does not forsake His children. Highlights Emotional wounds from rejection can linger and shape how we trust others. Human relationships are imperfect, but God’s presence is constant and unchanging. Hebrews 13:5–6 reassures believers that God will never forsake them. Jesus personally experienced rejection, betrayal, and abandonment. God’s faithfulness provides healing for deep emotional pain. Forgiveness is a pathway to freedom from bitterness and resentment. Our identity is secured in God’s love, not human approval. Drawing near to God brings comfort in seasons of emotional distress. Join the Conversation Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons? Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/ Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: God Doesn’t Reject His Children By: Emily Rose Massey Bible Reading:“…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5b-6, NASB). I woke up one morning recently crying after having a very vivid, heart-piercing dream. It was almost as if my current heart-struggle was being played out right before me; I could honestly see this dream happening in reality. The words spoken (in the dream) to my husband and me cut to the core, and they hurt so badly that my first reaction was tears so strong they stained my cheeks when I awoke. Being a storyteller allows for intense dream-tales in my mind while I’m supposed to be resting, sleeping. It’s something I have always dealt with since I was a child- I wake up trying to shake the mental visions, telling myself over and over again that it’s not real. Eventually, the emotions fade, and I can go on with the rest of my day. In this recent instance, I had trouble getting past the pain and just began talking to God about it. It was obvious and simple- I was still dealing with rejection, and it still hurt, but I was reminded that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Although Proverbs 18:24 doesn’t necessarily say that friend is Jesus, I know that He will always be there for me even when everyone else fails me. Scripture tells us that God never leaves us or forsakes us in Deuteronomy 31:6. This truth from the Old Testament about our never-changing God is also stated again as a reminder in Hebrews 13, along with this powerful truth that people will fail us, and people may reject us, but we should not fear, for God is on our side. He is our helper. “…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5b-6, NASB). Intersecting Life & Faith: When we face rejection from others, we must remember that Jesus understands rejection better than anyone, as He has experienced it firsthand. Many people rejected Jesus (and continue to do so) while He was here on earth, even one of His very own disciples (Judas), rejected Him and betrayed Him. And just a couple of hours later, another one of His closest disciples (Peter) rejected knowing Him. Three times to be exact. Aren’t you so thankful for Jesus’ forgiveness when we turn our backs on Him! He gives us so many opportunities to repent and make things right in our relationship with Him! His mercies towards us are new every single morning… oh, what love! Has the pain of rejection made it difficult for you to trust others? Lay that pain at the foot of the cross, friend. God can bring healing to the wounds of those who have hurt you and empower you to choose to forgive. Instead of allowing bitterness to take root in your heart, perhaps you should ask the Lord to bless those who have hurt you, even if they don’t want you in their life anymore. Jesus was rejected, yet He took the punishment of our sin out of love for those who would put their trust in Him. No matter how much man rejects us, we must remember that Jesus is the friend who sticks by us no matter what. He will never leave you nor turn His back on you. The Lord understands our pain regarding rejection, and His arms are open wide, so let us be quick to draw near to Him. Lo, He is always with you…even to the end of the age! Further Reading: Isaiah 43:2 Romans 8:38-39 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Subscribe at: https://takingthelandpodcast.comWhy do some believers start strong and then completely derail years later?In this powerful sermon from the Waltham Forest Conference, Pastor Joe Campbell preaches a sobering message about the hidden temptations Christians leave “on the table” of their lives.Old relationships. Bitterness. Worldly ambitions. Offenses. Carnal dreams.What you refuse to remove today can become the very thing that destroys you tomorrow.PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION for WORLD EVANGELISM:• NO ADS, Early releases, Full-Length Testimony Tuesdays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe for only $3/month on Supercast⁠: https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Subscribe for only $3.99/month on Spotify⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taking-the-land/subscribe• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $4.99/month on Apple Podcasts⁠: https://apple.co/4owjo5ZUsing stories from his own conversion, the life of Demas, Judas, David, Elisha, and even Adam and Eve, Pastor Campbell calls believers to make radical decisions that protect their future with God.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgments02:06 The Temptation of Choices05:36 Life's Options and Spiritual Choices11:42 The Danger of Leaving Options on the Table24:11 Removing Temptations for a Better Future33:58 The Power of Decision-Making37:49 Closing Thoughts and Call to ActionShow NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at:• Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3vy1s5b• Podchaser: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369v

Drop us a note about the podcast. “If you love me, obey my commandments” is either a comfort or a confrontation, and I treat it as both. We start with John 14 and a simple claim Jesus makes about real love: it shows up in obedience. From there, I pray for marriages, families, leaders, and those facing persecution, because faith is never meant to stay private or abstract. Then we get painfully practical with Proverbs on marriage and the cost of living in constant conflict. I say it plainly: it's better to be alone than to pretend you're loved. That idea isn't about hopelessness, it's about truth and the refusal to live on appearances. We also sit with one of the most relatable questions in Scripture, when Judas (not Iscariot) asks why Jesus won't reveal Himself to the whole world, and I connect it to the questions we still ask about sickness, tragedy, and why miracles don't look “blatant” anymore. John 14 answers with the Holy Spirit as Advocate and with peace that the world cannot give. From Psalm 119 to American history, I talk about what happens when a culture forgets what it once honored and taught. I reference current events, then pivot to courage and heritage through Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr, exploration, and presidential use of Scripture, including Grover Cleveland's oath alongside Psalm 91. If you care about Christian faith, biblical truth, and the story of America, you'll hear why I believe obedience and memory both matter. Subscribe, share the show, and leave a review and tell me: what does obedience look like in your life right now?#Marriage#Bibleverse#AmericanpatriotSupport the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribeCountryside Book Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/Countryside-Book-J-T-Cope-IV-ebook/dp/B00MPIXOB2 

There were 12 original, hand-picked disciples of Jesus until Judas died by suicide. After he died, Peter said, “Boys, there has to be 12 so we need to fill this vacancy!” So they chose two men who met the qualifications to be an apostle, “they had to be with Jesus from the beginning when he started his ministry and they had to witness his resurrection.” Mathias was chosen to replace Judas by casting lots. Guess who wasn't there?!?! The man who was persecuting these Jesus followers—Saul who later became Paul! So there is a good reason for the people to question his authority...or is it? Paul saw Jesus and was commissioned by him to take the gospel to the Gentiles, and just like the original disciples, Paul was confirming his message with miracles. Yet, Paul continued to humble himself in order to win others to Christ!

Consider the story of Judas and Jesus, a narrative that highlights betrayal at its deepest level. Judas, one of Jesus' closest followers, ultimately chose to betray him, handing him over to those who sought his life. This act of treachery raises important questions for us today: Do you sense that someone close to you may be acting like Judas?  Reflect on the possibility that this person could be undermining aspects of your life—your marriage, your destiny, your beauty, your prayer life, your aspirations, your heartfelt friendships, or even your career. Their actions might be aimed at sabotaging these meaningful parts of your existence for their own gain. So I pose this question once more: Is there someone in your life who resembles a Judas, scheming to destroy what truly matters to you? If so, check out this episode because this message might pertain to you.   Website: http://seriouslyfocusedjohnnie.com/ ✓Store: https://teespring.com/stores/seriously-focused-johnnie ✓Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.f.johnnie/ ✓YouTube  Seriously Focused Johnnie   ✓For suggested topics, put in the subject box “Topic…,” and the email address is  sfj.peace@gmail.com   ✓My intended goal is to educate and bring people closer to God. With that said, please support by donating.  Cashapp: $sfJohnnie1

Episode 4145 │ June 14, 2026 America's 250th isn't a celebration — it's a covenant reckoning. What does God author for a nation that has walked away from its founding covenant? WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS Scott Kesterson and Brad Cummings open the 250th anniversary conversation with a question the ceremonies won't ask: what does it mean for a covenant nation to face God's fire when it has walked away from the covenant that founded it? The discussion moves through the purpose of anointing, Trump as disrupter rather than savior, the hijacked pulpit and American Christian Zionism, and a deep re-examination of Judas and Peter — arguing that both men loved Jesus and both had agendas that overrode their worship, a pattern Brad sees alive in the church today. The episode closes on the one anchor that holds: God vowed by Himself to finish what He authored, and that vow is not conditional on human performance, political outcomes, or the clarity of our theology. KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED What does the 250th anniversary actually mean for a nation founded on covenant with Christ — and is a single day of prayer enough when the covenant has been broken? What did Judas and Peter have in common — and what does their story reveal about the church's current entanglement with Christian Zionism and political idolatry? What is the difference between faith and presumption — and how does God's vow to finish what He authors change how we face the fire that's coming? ABOUT BARDSFM BardsFM is a daily independent podcast covering faith, liberty, history, and information warfare. Hosted by Scott Kesterson — combat veteran, documentary filmmaker, and rancher. Over 4,100 episodes and 50 million lifetime downloads. New episodes every weekday. bards.fm This episode was researched and produced under the Sentinel Framework — the analytical methodology built by Scott Kesterson — with AI-assisted research synthesis. All analysis, conclusions, and editorial judgments are those of Scott Kesterson. AFFILIATE LINKS Bards Nation Health Store: www.bardsnationhealth.com MYPillow promo code: BARDS >> Go to https://www.mypillow.com/bards and use the promo code BARDS or... Call 1-800-975-2939.  EMPShield protect your vehicles and home. Promo code BARDS: Click here Treadlite Broadforks...best garden tool EVER. Promo code BARDS26: TreadliteBroadforks.com EnviroKlenz Air Purification, promo code BARDS to save 10%: www.enviroklenz.com Morning Intro Music Provided by Brian Kahanek: www.briankahanek.com Founders Bible 20% discount code: BARDS >>> TheFoundersBible.com Windblown Media 20% Discount with promo code BARDS: windblownmedia.com White Oak Pastures Grassfed Meats, Get $20 off any order $150 or more. Promo Code BARDS: www.whiteoakpastures.com/BARDS Mission Darkness Faraday Bags and RF Shielding. Promo code BARDS: Click here DONATIONS: If you wish to support this podcast directly you can donate here... DONATE: Click here MAILING ADDRESS: Xpedition Cafe, LLC Attn. Scott Kesterson 591 E Central Ave, #740 Sutherlin, OR  97479

Jesus enters Jerusalem at Passover exactly as prophecy foretold, riding a donkey as a peaceful King while crowds shout “Hosanna!” and lay cloaks and branches before Him. Every detail—from the timing to the location to the manner of His arrival—reveals Him as the true Messiah, even as Judas has already begun plotting His betrayal. Pastor Bob highlights how people across history instinctively resist Jesus' kingship, using the sealed Eastern Gate as an example, and reminds us that the real battle is spiritual, not political, and that Jesus alone brings the salvation many unknowingly fight against.

Excuses, excuses: The Parable of the Banquet St. Luke 14:16-24 & Deuteronomy 20:1-9 by The Rev'd Dr. Matthew Colvin I am often asked about “application” in sermons. “I enjoy a good sermon,” someone will say, “but I need to have application so I know what to do with it.” Well, you will notice that neither Fr. Bill nor I, his understudy, do very much with “application.” The pulpit is not the place to give you “ten steps to a better marriage” or “key principles of childrearing” or “the blueprints to build a Christian business.” Rather, we are concerned with the Biblical story, and we want to apply you to it, so that you read the Bible as your story. When Paul says, “These things happened as examples for us, upon whom the ends of the ages have come,” he means that to follow Jesus, we need to understand ourselves as being part of the story of the people of God. That is why Hebrews 11 gives us the “hall of faith”; it is why Stephen's sermon in Acts 7 sums up the entire history of Israel; it is why, when Peter is telling Christian wives to respect their husbands, he calls them “daughters of Sarah.” We are consistently told to inscribe ourselves into the story of God's people Israel. There is nothing more practical. Indeed, if we do not get this right, no amount of “application” will work. Our lectionary for this morning pairs Deuteronomy's laws about exemption from military service with Jesus' parable of the banquet and the excuses made by those who were invited. It is, if we think about it, a very odd transposition, rather as though military language had found its way into a wedding or some similar occasion: “WILT thou have this Woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?” “Yes, sir, corporal, SIR. Hoo-ah!” So what is going on here? To understand the parable, we need to think about the nature of banquets and the nature of the excuses. Let's start with the excuses. Verse 20's excuse, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come” is an allusion to Deuteronomy 24:5. That passage gives the grounds for the exemption of any newly married bridegroom from military service for a year: “that he may bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.” There is here something of the logic of the law against boiling a kid in its mother's milk: in both cases, one must not mix up life and death, joy and sorrow. In verse 18, we should understand “I have bought a field and must go out and see it” to mean that the transaction needs to be complete. It is the “closing” of a real estate purchase, not an inspection at leisure that could just as easily be postponed for another day. Legally, socially, this is a very good excuse. Verse 19's excuse about needing to test “five yoke of oxen” recalls the calling of Elisha by Elijah in 1 Kings 19:19. There, Elisha is actually in the middle of plowing when Elijah throws his mantle over him: “Tag, you're it!” This is an act of sudden investiture. Elisha responds to it with alacrity: “he left the oxen and ran after Elijah” and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” The excuses are such powerful ones that they actually have statutory warrant in Biblical law. Legally, socially, by all the etiquette of ancient Israel, these excuses are golden, unimpeachable, valid. But in the parable, they are not good excuses in the eyes of the host. Who is he? He is introduced as ἄνθρωπός τις, “a certain man.” Immediately, we recall other parables: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went in a far country for a long time.” (Mt 21:33) “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.” (Lk. 13:6) “A certain man had two sons.” (Lk. 15:11) “A certain rich man had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.” (Lk. 16:1) There are other instances where “a certain man” is someone else, but this is a pretty good sample of instances where “a certain man” is instantly known to stand for God. The parable, then, shows us God's response to the excuse-makers. Note that the “certain man” operates through servants. God is frequently depicted this way, sending his angels and human prophets to do his bidding and deliver his messages. God's reaction to the refusal of his invitations is anger (ὀργισθείς). This requires some explanation. In Matthew's gospel, the banquet is a wedding feast for a king's son, and the invited guests behave much like the wicked vinedressers: they “lay hold of his servants and treat them violently and kill them.” But Luke's version has a different emphasis. It is less allegorized and is designed rather to highlight the reversal of fortune and the approaching deadline. “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.” — all of them likely to be beggars, likely to smell bad, likely to be shabbily dressed. Precisely the sort of unsightly people one does not want at a banquet, any sort of banquet. They would never have been invited had not the originally invited guests refused. Just as Esau rejected his birthright and Jacob received it; just as the majority of the Jews rejected the Messiah so that the gospel might be preached to the gentiles, so here, as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 1:28, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh might boast in the presence of God.” This is someting God did in history. Unlike every other religion on earth, the Bible makes public claims about events that took place at particular times: “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against the fortified cities of Judah and took them.” “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.” Or even in our Nicene Creed, where week after week, we make mention of the name of a corrupt Roman official named Pontius Pilate. Contrast the claims of other religions: that Mohammad was out there in the desert and an angel appeared to him and dictated the Quran. That Joseph Smith was guided by an angel named Moroni and found gold plates inscribed with “Reformed Hieroglyphics” which he translated into King James English. That Siddartha Gautama was meditating under a fig tree and became enlightened. The Mary Baker Eddy or L. Ron Hubbard or some other guru has discovered the secrets of the universe. Even in antiquity, the Stoic sage or Epicurus or the philosopher in Plato's Republic is never about history. It is always private revelation or special understanding of timeless truths or the realm of forms or deep insight into nature. By contrast, the assumption of Jesus' parables is that God deals with Israel in time. The invitation to the banquet and the host's angry reaction to the invited guests refusal, and the verdict at the end of the story that “none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet” — all presuppose that Israel is facing a decisive crisis in its history. The invitation to the banquet is the gospel summons to follow the Messiah — and this is appropriate, since Jesus is so frequently shown feasting during his earthly ministry. He feasts so much that he incurs the charge of being a glutton and a winebibber. Everywhere he goes, he feasts. He feasts in the house of the Pharisee named Simon; in the house of a tax collector named Zacchaeus; at a wedding at Cana; in company with immoral women, and with “tax collectors and sinners.” This was unusual even by Jewish standards, so that some come to Jesus and ask him, “The Pharisees and the disciples of John fast a lot, but your disciples do not fast.” Jesus explains that the disciples of Jesus do not fast because the bridegroom is with them. What is the appropriate response to the invitation? What do etiquette and emotional rightness and social expectation dictate? Jesus' words about John's ministry and the Jews' reaction to it, in Luke 7:32, are couched in similar terms: “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not weep.” The refusal to recognize Jesus as the one Israel has been waiting for is like the refusal of the invitation to the feast. It is a rejection of the good ending of the story, a refusal to take part in the consummation. It is as if all the actors walked off the stage of a Shakespeare play after act 4. There are times when we want to describe a process has failed to produce its intended fulfillment and consummation — say, when I am talking to my Greek students who are struggling with Greek grammar and vocabulary. If they never go on to actually read Greek literature, I say it is like “a courtship without a marriage.” This is not about timeless truths or Buddhist spiritual enlightenment. A marriage is a historical event. That is the language that God uses about his relationship with his people. The coming of Jesus is the climax of Israel's story. And to everyone, the invitation poses the stark alternative: either enter into the banquet, or be excluded. Remember the older brother of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15: Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in•. (Luke 15:25–28, ESV) Or we may recall the words of Jesus after he has healed the centurion's servant in Matthew 8:11: I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. (Matthew 8:11–12, ESV) Or there is the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25: And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' (Matthew 25:10–12) Or we may remember what C.S. Lewis calls the “unforgettable words” in John's gospel's account of the Last Supper, once Jesus has handed the sop to Judas and told him, “What you are going to do, do quickly”: So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.  (John 13:30, ESV) It was night. Judas is literally in the outer darkness. To be excluded from the banquet, to be shut out in the darkness, away from the light and joy of the wedding or the feast or the Passover meal, is all the more tragic in light of the fact that those who are excluded are the very ones who had been invited. Jesus “came to his own, and his own did not receive him.” The result is a crucial difference between Judaism and Christianity over the place of Jesus in the story of the people of God. Can you be a Jew and believe in Jesus? It is a silly question. All the original disciples were Jews. As Peter says, “The promise is to you and to your children” and “You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' (Acts 3:25, ESV) But can you follow Rabbinic Judaism and believe that Jesus is the Messiah? That is a different question. The Church places Jesus at the hinge of history, dating our years with the words “Anno Domini” from his first coming and looking forward to his second coming, when he will judge the quick and the dead. Judaism, by contrast, denies that Jesus is the Messiah, and insists that all the passages of Scripture that point to him — the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham, Joseph and his brothers, the suffering servant in Isaiah, “behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”, Zechariah's “behold your king comes to you, meek and having compassion, lowly and riding on a donkey,” David's beloved son Absalom suspended from a tree and pierced by a spear, and all the rest — are really not about him. Christians say, with Paul, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast.” In saying this, we are saying that Christ is the climax of the story. It is the natural function of feasting to mark consummations. Weddings, coronations, graduation, retirements, anniversaries, birthdays — all are marked by parties, cakes, feasting, toasts, ceremony. And that is the difference between Christianity and Judaism: Has the story of Israel reached its climax? Has the bridegroom come? Does history now stand revealed as His story? Or are we, with the Rabbis, in the position of insisting that the messiah has not come, and that the Passover does not point to him. God had promised Moses that “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.”  (Deuteronomy 18:18–19, NKJV) And the rabbis say, “Jesus is certainly not the prophet like Moses, but unfortunately he is so much like Moses that we had better delete Moses from the Passover liturgy, lest Christians start using the haggadah to persuade Jews to follow Jesus.” And that is what they have done. David Daube says, “…[T]he figure of Moses, dominating the Biblical narrative of the exodus from Egypt and, naturally, at one time prominent, too, in the celebration of the deliverance on Passover eve, is radically eliminated: in the Passover eve liturgy as it stands, his name is not mentioned once in any of the prayers and recitals woven around the Biblical record, and, more than that, no Biblical passage mentioning it is quoted. It is a fantastic tour de force. Think  what it means. It is as if one were to spend annually a night commemorating Britain's rescue in the Second World War, rehearsing the main course of events as well as telling elaborate stories about them — without once mentioning Churchill. A fantastic tour de force: but there must be no human Mediator. We are left with a religion full of pointers that were designed to lead us to Jesus as the climax of the covenant, but the rabbis insist that they do not; a religion of tabernacle and temple that are all about God dwelling with His people, but now that Jesus has come, and ascended and sent the Holy Spirit, complete with the sound of “a mighty rushing wind that filled the whole house where they sat” just like God moving into the temple of Solomon and the tabernacle of Moses — now, no, the rabbis say, it is not about Jesus. But then, Judaism no longer has a temple, and the entire system that God gave in the Torah does not work without the Temple. The emperor Constantine's grandson, Julian the Apostate, hated Christianity and decided he wanted to prove it false, and the way he decided to do it was by rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem that had been destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, in fulfillment of Jesus' prophecies on the Mount of Olives. Julian died before he could do it. Again, Judaism is a religion whose Scriptures promised the forgiveness of sins, so that God's people could live with him, and that demonstrated, as though by a gigantic show and tell of continual slaughter of animals for centuries, of daily splashing of blood against the altar, of red heifers sacrificed every year on the day of atonement, that the forgiveness of sins would happen through blood. But now, the rabbis tell us, the death of Christ was not the fulfillment of the sacrificial system — and oh, by the way, you can't offer sacrifice anymore, anyway. There are still people named “Cohen” or “Cohn” — my mother in law's family, for instance — but they are more likely to be making movies than sacrificing animals. They continue to set out a cup for Elijah, that forerunner of the Messiah promised in Malachi. And Jesus says, “But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. (Matthew 17:12, NKJV) The church father, Athanasius of Alexandria puts it this way in his On the Incarnation: So the Jews are telling fables, and putting off the time which is actually now… They are suffering like one, maimed in mind, who might see the earth illumined by the sun, but denies the sun which illumines it. For what more has he who is expected by them to do when he comes? Call the Gentiles? But they have already been called. To make prophet and king and vision to cease? This has already happened. To refute the godlessness of idols? It has already been refuted and condemned. To destroy death? It is already destroyed. What then must christ do, which has not been done? Or what is left unfulfilled, that the Jews now rejoice and disbelieve? For if, as we see, they have neither king, nor prophet, nor Jerusalem, nor sacrifice, nor vision, but the whole world is filled with the knowledge of God, and those from the Gentiles are abandoning godlessness, and henceforth taking refuge in the God of Abraham through the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, it should be clear even to those who are exceedingly obstinate that Christ has come, and that he illumines absolutely all with his light and teaches the true and divine teaching concerning his Father. We are about to partake of Holy Communion, which is rightly understood as a continuation of Jesus' meals with his disciples, and an anticipation of the great wedding feast of the Lamb at which “many will come from east and west and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” The Holy Communion is thus truly the consummation of the story of people of God. By partaking in it, we share in Christ our Passover. We have been crucified with Him, so that we may also share in his resurrection. We locate ourselves in the story of Israel, which is the story of the Messiah. And we recite the shape of the story and inscribe ourselves in it when we say, “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.”

Acts 1:18-26 explains Judas's end, Peter's use of the Psalms, the qualifications for replacing Judas, and Matthias being numbered with the eleven apostles.

If you've been betrayed, you know how hurtful it can be. Jesus' betrayer, Judas, was a member of the core group, yet the other disciples had no idea he was a traitor! On Truth For Life, Alistair Begg shares warnings and encouragement gleaned from Judas's story. ----------------------------------------- • Click here and look for "FROM THE SERMON" to stream or read the full message. • This program is part of the series ‘Truly, Truly, I Say to You…' • Learn more about our current resource, request your copy with a donation of any amount. • Do you benefit by learning from Alistair? Your learning is made possible by another's generosity whose giving covers the cost of this daily podcast. Will you consider paying their generosity forward? When you give $20 or more monthly, you can request both our book selections and build a great library of 24 theologically rich books each year! ‘Visit truthforlife.org/truthpartner.' •Experience God's blessing in your marriage when you follow His design for husbands and wives. Learn more by requesting the brief ‘3-day reading plan from Alistair Begg.' Helpful Resources - Learn about God's salvation plan - Read our most recent articles - Subscribe to our daily devotional Follow Us YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter This listener-funded program features the clear, relevant Bible teaching of Alistair Begg. Today's program and nearly 3,000 messages can be streamed and shared for free at tfl.org thanks to the generous giving from monthly donors called Truthpartners. Learn more about this Gospel-sharing team or become one today. Thanks for listening to Truth For Life!

If you've been betrayed, you know how hurtful it can be. Jesus' betrayer, Judas, was a member of the core group, yet the other disciples had no idea he was a traitor! Hear warnings and encouragement drawn from Judas's story, on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg at_____(time) on_____(station)! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/163/29?v=20251111

ACTS 1:12-26 - THE APOSTLES - BRIAN SUMNER - 2026"Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.Matthias Chosen15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”18 (Now this man purchased a field with the [g]wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. 19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:‘Let his dwelling place be desolate,And let no one live in it';and,‘Let another take his office.'21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles."To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

There are two kinds of sorrow, and one of them is quietly leading you away from God. In this episode, Dot and Cara sit with 2 Corinthians 7 and get honest about broken hearts, the grief that draws you toward Jesus, and the grief that slowly pulls you away. They look at Peter, at Judas, and at what it actually means to bring your whole hurt to Him, even the parts you're afraid to say out loud. Pull up a chair, grab your Bible, and lean in with us.Got a question about today's episode or something else you'd like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! Episode RecapIntro (00:00)Write this down: 2 Corinthians 7:6-11, on godly sorrow, repentance, and the kind of grief that leads to life (00:00)Cara gets honest right out of the gate: her heart is actually hurting right now, and this conversation is not just theoretical for her (00:03:58)God does not send a to-do list for healing; He is a deeply personal God who knows your personality, the way you process pain, and exactly how to meet you (00:04:35)Paul describes two kinds of sorrow in his letter to the Corinthians, one that leads to repentance and life and one that leads to death, and he shows us what both looked like in the lives of Peter and Judas (00:06:30)How you respond to your pain matters as much as what caused it. Peter ran toward Jesus. Judas walked away. Which direction are you moving? (00:10:16)You cannot heal what is not revealed. Naming your hurt honestly before God, even the ugly and angry parts, is where healing can actually begin (00:14:24)Dot shares the story of Corrie ten Boom, who begged God not to send her to the concentration camp and came out the other side knowing exactly why He had (00:21:45)God cannot heal a heart He does not have. Surrender means handing all of it over, not just the parts you are comfortable giving (00:24:06)Closing invitation: wherever you are today, just start somewhere. "Jesus, here's my heart. Will you heal my heart?" (00:29:32)Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at hello@dotbowen.com.Watch Write this Down! on YouTubeFind Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook This Episode's Scripture Verse2 Corinthians 7:6-11 (NASB) — "But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it — though I did regret it, for I see that the letter caused you sorrow though only for a while. I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance. For you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what eagerness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong. In everything you demonstrated yourself to be innocent in this matter."

In this fascinating and profound episode, we dive into the deep mysteries of St. John's Gospel with John Johnson, the founder of Patmos Hosting and the Albertus Magnus Institute (and Joshua Charles's sponsor into the Catholic Church). Johnson reveals that St. John was likely a student of Aristotle, and used his most powerful rhetorical techniques to communicate the most sublime truths about Christ, the Eucharist, the betrayal of Judas, and the authority of Peter.You can read John Johnson's biography here: https://magnusinstitute.org/senior-fellows/john-johnson/VISIT OUR WEBSITEhttps://eternalchristendom.com/BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITIONAs a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIAX: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharlesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/DIVE DEEPERCheck out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you'll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/SUBSTACKSubscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTShttps://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/CHAPTERS00:00 - Introduction and Bio02:12 - Welcome, Prayer, and Why John's Gospel Matters10:01 - Who Was St. John? Levite, Witness, and Beloved Disciple13:04 - Aristotle, Rhetoric, and Enthymemes in John's Gospel20:08 - Hidden Logic: How John's Gospel Invites the Reader to See31:17 - John 6: The Bread of Life, Judas, and the Scandal of the Eucharist43:54 - Bethany: Mary's Adoration, Judas, and the Poor48:17 - The Last Supper: Betrayal, Tradition, and the Bosom of Christ58:28 - The Resurrection Epilogue: Peter, John, the Boat, and the Final Catch1:31:07 - Revelation, the Beast, Technology, and Final Reflections on LoveThis podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

This week Dr. Gregg Mays asks the question, if Judas Iscariot had not hung himself, could he have been forgiven. This is an interesting question as we look at how Peter was forgiven and put to work for Jesus. While on the cross, Jesus is recorded by Luke as saying, “Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.” Would this same forgiveness be extended towards Judas? Foundation Scripture: Matthew 26:21-24How can Agape Leaders serve you?   Please find us at:         Website:  http://www.agapeleaders.org/    LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregg-mays/      Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/agapeleaders.org      Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/agapeleaders10/ Bible Break With Agape Leaders: http://www.agapeleaders.org/daily-devotionTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greggmays            YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCmM7ETR652mLtDSKSjda-pwGet Your Copy of the A Word Wednesday Devotion: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Word+Wednesday+Devotion&ref=nav_bb_sbRead Dr. Mays' book Practical Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=practical+leadership+lessons+from+an+average+leader&crid=259U5RNS5J5W5&sprefix=Practical+Leadership%2Caps%2C102&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_20 Give to ALCFM: http://www.agapeleaders.org/store/p15/Agape_Leaders_Christian_Fellowship_Ministry_Support.html

Fr. Mike guides us through Jesus' warning of persecution to the people of Israel as we near the end of Mark's Gospel. He also touches on how Jesus' behavior in the Garden of Gethsemane should serve as an example to us, and explains why Judas' betrayal was so heartbreaking. Today's readings are Mark 13-14 and Psalm 68.For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Someday we will catch up to time and not be doing these super-sized WWBUTs, but that day is not today! So: here’s what we’ve been up to. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching The Drama Reading Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher Kiss Me, Judas by Will Christopher Baer The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Godzilla Rivals: Jet Jaguar versus Megalon by Nola Pfau and Megan Huang Swamp Thing by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, and John Totleben This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladdstone Hellblazer: Dead in America by Simon Spurrier, Aditya Bidikar, Aaron Campbell, and Jordie Bellaire  Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab  What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching Off Campus Scream 7 Reading Alchemised by Senlinyu The Predator and the Reaper by Runyx  Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries and Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett Filthy Rich Fae and Filthy Rich Fae Fallen Court by Geneva Lee Hot for Hostage by Maggie Evans Love Me Stalk Me by Laura Bishop  Website | Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Patreon | Merch | Episode Transcripts The post WWBUT 116 – Have These People Not Read Animorphs? appeared first on FAKE GEEK GIRLS.

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1==================================================== LECCIÓN DE ESCUELA SABÁTICA         II TRIMESTRE DEL 2026Narrado por: Eddie RodriguezDesde: Guatemala, GuatemalaUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist ChurchMIÉRCOLES 10 DE JUNIOEL CAMINO A EMAÚSHabían sido semanas muy duras para los dos discípulos, quienes repasaban mentalmente algunos de los acontecimientos vividos mientras el cielo vespertino se teñía de negro: la entrada triunfal en Jerusalén, la limpieza del Templo, la Pascua en el aposento alto, las oraciones de Jesús en Getsemaní, la horrible traición de Judas, el juicio, las burlas y los golpes, el cuerpo magullado de Jesús pendiendo de la cruz y sus últimas palabras antes de exhalar su último aliento; la rotura del velo del Templo; la resurrección de algunas personas; la delicada maniobra para retirar el cuerpo de Jesús de la cruz y su colocación en el sepulcro antes del sábado; y la confusión, el desaliento y los interrogantes de los desconcertados y descorazonados discípulos. ¿Cómo se habían equivocado tanto? Los seguidores de Jesús estaban decepcionados, desanimados y confundidos. Aquel era el mayor revés de sus vidas. No percibían que aquello era solo un episodio de la mayor historia de todos los tiempos. Mientras dos de ellos se dirigían a Emaús, Jesús apareció y caminó con ellos. Lee en Lucas 24:13 al 27 la conversación que tuvieron y piensa en las dos perspectivas diferentes: la de los dos seguidores y la de Jesús. Cuando los ojos de su entendimiento fueron abiertos, los dos discípulos corrieron rumbo a Jerusalén para contar a los demás lo que les había sucedido en el camino (Luc. 24:33, 34). Cuando Jesús llegó y se puso en medio de estos, se aterrorizaron. Nota la pregunta que les hizo: “¿Por qué están turbados y suben esos pensamientos a su corazón?” (Luc. 24:38). Este es también el mensaje de Jesús para nosotros hoy. Olvidamos con frecuencia que Jesús camina a nuestro lado en nuestros valles sombríos. Demasiado a menudo no lo reconocemos y perdemos de vista que hay mucho más en la historia. Nos sentimos turbados y permitimos que las dudas surjan en nuestros corazones, sin recordar que nuestra vida está segura en las manos de Jesús. Pensamos que sabemos mejor que Jesús qué está sucediendo realmente en nuestra vida (Luc. 24:18). La Biblia contiene muy buenos consejos acerca de cómo podemos los cristianos responder a los desafíos y los reveses de la vida. Dedica tiempo a estudiar los siguientes pasajes: Romanos 8:28; Filipenses 4:4-13; Santiago 1:2-4, 12; 2 Corintios 12:9, 10. Como parte de tu estudio, y teniendo en mente 2 Corintios 1:4, escribe tres mensajes que puedas compartir con alguien que esté enfrentando dificultades. 

Judas teaches us something terrifying: you can be around Holy things and never become Holy. You can worship, know scripture, be a Pastor, a teacher or a minister and still have divided allegiance because proximity does not equal transformation.

Can Satan directly speak to the minds of believers? This is one of the most urgent questions Christians wrestle with, and in this episode of Marked by Grace, Pastor Heath Lambert walks through what the Bible actually teaches about the devil's access to the hearts and minds of those who belong to Christ. If you've ever wondered whether that dark or destructive thought came from Satan himself, this episode is for you.0:00 - Introduction0:14 - The question: Can Satan speak to the minds of Christians?1:27 - Job 1: Satan before God2:26 - Matthew 4: Satan making arguments to Jesus in the wilderness2:48 - John 13:27: Satan entering Judas3:43 - The deeper question: Can Satan work internally in believers?4:08 - 1 John 4:4: He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world4:39 - 1 Peter 5:8: Be on guard - the devil is a roaring lion5:05 - 2 Corinthians 11:14: Satan disguises himself as an angel of light5:44 - What the devil can and cannot do to Christians6:16 - Principalities, powers, and the spirit of the age6:36 - Conclusion: The Holy Spirit's protection and illuminationLike this episode? Subscribe for more biblical teaching from Marked by Grace. Share your thoughts in the comments below about how understanding the church as people rather than a place changes your perspective.

Mary anoints Jesus with an entire alabaster vial of costly nard in an extravagant act of love and worship, recognizing—whether by understanding or by the Spirit's prompting—that His death is near. While Judas and some disciples criticize the act as wasteful, Jesus defends her, declaring that she has anointed Him for burial and that her devotion will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. Her wholehearted surrender stands in stark contrast to Judas' growing resentment, which soon drives him to betray Jesus.

Sources:https://www.returntotradition.orgorhttps://substack.com/@returntotradition1Contact Me:Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.comSupport My Work:Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/AnthonyStineSubscribeStarhttps://www.subscribestar.net/return-to-traditionBuy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/AnthonyStinePhysical Mail:Anthony StinePO Box 3048Shawnee, OK74802Follow me on the following social media:https://www.facebook.com/ReturnToCatholicTradition/https://twitter.com/pontificatormax+JMJ+#popeleoXIV #catholicism #catholicchurch #catholicprophecy#infiltration

In John 13, Jesus gathers with His disciples knowing the cross is only hours away. Yet instead of turning inward, He continues to love and serve—even washing the feet of Judas, the one who would betray Him. This episode explores the depth of Christ's selfless love and challenges us to love others not based on how they treat us, but based on how He has loved us.

In John 12, Jesus returns to Bethany and is welcomed by friends whose responses reveal very different hearts. Martha serves, Mary worships, and Judas criticizes. Mary pours out costly perfume at the feet of Jesus in an act of sacrificial devotion while Judas reveals a heart driven by self-interest. This episode reminds us that worship always costs something, and our response to Jesus reveals what we treasure most.

Get your tickets for the RTK Dream Conference in Atlanta this July! ➡️ https://brushfire.com/conqueringhellinhighheels/conference/625641/details   Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The Real Talk Kim Podcast. I'm so grateful that you're here. Every time you listen, share, and support, you're helping spread hope, healing, and the message of Jesus around the world.   If this episode encouraged you, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an update, and don't forget to subscribe to the Real Talk Kim YouTube channel for powerful messages, morning prayer sessions, and more uplifting content every week.   If you're interested in advertising on this podcast or having Real Talk Kim as a guest on your podcast, radio show, or TV show, reach out to collab@realtalkkim.com   Let's stay connected!   All things Real Talk Kim – realtalkkim.com   All things Limitless Church – limitlesschurch.live   Shop my Brand! – rtkstyle.com   Shop My Amazon Storefront – amazon.com/shop/realtalkkim?ccs_id=25cade6f-734b-4373-a191-c941ba595fc7   Join the RTK Inner Circle – innercircle.realtalkkim.com   Become an RTK Mastermind – coach.realtalkkim.com/rtk-mastermind-landing-page   Listen on Spotify – open.spotify.com/show/4CJ4UgWGuNaqybc4dVeYRP   Listen on Apple Podcasts – podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-talk-kim/id1348134531   Visit Limitless Church – 1653 Highway 85 S, Fayetteville, GA 30215