Podcasts about this christian

Welcome to today's Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla, where we reflect on Job 38:1–3 (ESV)—“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind…” Discover how God speaks with authority in the midst of suffering and questions. In this powerful Bible devotion, we explore God's holy response to Job, revealing His sovereignty, majesty, and wisdom. This Christian devotion invites you to wrestle with God's Word, trust His purpose, and remember that God is in control—even in the whirlwind. Join us for Scripture-based encouragement, daily spiritual growth, and faithful Lutheran teachingrooted in Christ.

Are you feeling tired, overwhelmed, or spiritually drained? In this episode of Renew + Rewire, we're creating space to pause, reflect, and truly rest with God. This Christian meditation is designed to help you renew your mind, rewire your brain for peace and truth, and experience soul-level rest in God's presence. This week's meditation includes a brand-new section that invites you to simply be with the Lord—no striving, no fixing, just resting. If your thoughts have been racing or your soul feels weary, this episode will help you let go, listen for God's voice, and be reminded of who you are in Christ. You'll be guided through gratitude, surrender, identity declarations, visualization, and powerful biblical affirmations—all designed to align your thoughts with truth and help you live from a place of peace and purpose. We're also using the original Renew + Rewire prompts this week, so if you've been enjoying this practice, you'll love this full-length, faith-based brain priming session. ✨ Topics covered in this episode: Christian meditation for rest How to renew your mind daily Rewiring your brain with God's truth Soul care and spiritual rest Letting go of burdens and listening for God's voice Biblical affirmations and identity-based declarations A peaceful reset for your heart and mind

UFO #Nephilim #Orbs #Disclosure #BreakawayCivilizationUnsealed: The Full Hypothesis. All 4 parts combined into one. A master theory about the UFO phenomenon, Nephilim, Tower of Babel, Orbs, government cover-ups, super advanced humans in another realm, the Moon and more. This Christian is preparing as if the "benevolent space brothers" and "DEMONS!" options are both wrong. Think we are onto something? Become a member on YouTube, Patreon or X, or just to be nice at wingsoftheeagle.com/supportunsealed

This Christian feature film about an aspiring DJ feels like a remake of the 2015 Zac Efron-fronted EDM movie WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS, but unfortunately is lacking a lot of substance both in its spiritual and musical themes. FACE THE BEAT is the story of Zack aka “ZDJ Grey”, a teenager who wants to escape the rat race by kickstarting his career as a DJ and music producer. The film uses a lot of EDM stock music to represent Zack's creative output, which confusingly runs the gamut from chill house to lo-fi hiphop. Zack's support system includes his divorced parents (a working-class nurse mother and a father who works in the music industry), his rich playboy friend Cooper who books him for gigs, and his vocalist girlfriend Ava who is played by notable Christian singer V. Rose. Zack feels discouraged in realizing his dream as a successful DJ, but eventually his dedication (and some crucial financial support from his father and Cooper) pay off to being discovered by a “music influencer” and artist representative at his first big gig, hinting toward a successful future in Christian music. You would think a movie like this would explore the sacrifices one must make to preserve personal faith in a secular industry, but it really doesn't do anything like that at all. However, the film did inspire us to ruminate on what it takes to actually be a career DJ. Our DJ friend Pretty R1cky (@sobasedsopretty) joined us in the studio to discuss Los Angeles DJ politics, music as a force that comes directly from God, and their viral crucifixion tattoo that has earned them internet infamy.  Stream "DJ" by Pretty R1cky feat. Ash Nerve on Spotify Follow Pretty R1cky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sobasedsopretty/ View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for livestreams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

This Christian believes we skeptics should replace skepticism with curiosity.

Send us a textDo you ever feel like the world is steering you away from your spiritual path? We explore this sentiment by sharing stories of those who wrestle with everyday struggles—from an anxious child to a father burdened by guilt—and how they found hope in the teachings of Jesus Christ. This episode invites you to question the value of earthly possessions and societal pressures, offering instead the transformative power of faith as a true source of strength and belonging. We promise that by listening, you'll better understand how spiritual wealth can enrich your life in ways material wealth never could.As we celebrate the Christmas season, we reflect on the holiness of Jesus Christ and its significance amid modern-day challenges. Amid political tensions and societal distractions, we focus on the true spirit of Christmas, offering heartfelt prayers for leaders like Sadiq Khan and Keir Starmer. This festive episode serves as a reminder of the joy and unity that Christmas brings, extending wishes for healing and peace to those facing loneliness or emotional struggles. Your faith can remain resilient, even when faced with worldly challenges, through the power of prayer and community.In our final chapter, we delve into the symbolism of redemption, examining how simple acts like breaking bread and drinking wine carry profound spiritual meaning. These practices, often shrouded in religious tradition, are meant to connect us more deeply with Jesus' sacrifice and love. We explore the themes of divine sovereignty and personal devotion, emphasizing the joy and freedom found in being a follower of Christ. Join us as we reaffirm our spiritual identity, distinct from political affiliations, and celebrate the enduring impact of Jesus' teachings on humanity through hymns and praises.For those seeking spiritual enrichment, hope, and guidance, Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast is a must-listen. This Christian podcast explores the timeless teachings of Jesus Christ, offering powerful insights into faith, hope, and the transformative power of faith that resonate with believers around the world. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual wealth over material possessions, diving deep into how faith in Christ can provide lasting fulfillment. In our Christmas message, we reflect on the true meaning of the season, incorporating Christmas prayers for peace and unity, while offering reflections on political peace prayers in today's divided world. The podcast encourages listeners to discover hope through faith, and examines redemption and communion as central pillars of Christian life, including the sacred practices of breaking bread and remembering Christ's sacrifice. With a focus on divine sovereignty and understanding your true Christian identity, the podcast fosters prayer and community, offering encouragement for spiritual devotion throughout the Christian journey. Each episode is a Christ-centered podcast that invites believers to reconnect with their faith, providing a source of strength and peace in a chaotic world.Christian podcast, Faith-based podcasts, Jesus Christ teachings, Spiritual growth, Christian inspiration, Hope through faith, Bible study podcasts, Christian prayer podcast, Christian living, Faith and hope, Transformative faith, Redemption and grace, Christian identity, Spiritual encouragement, Overcoming struggles with faith, Christ-centered podcast, Prayer and community.Support the showhttps://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/

The presidential election winner has been announced. President Donald Trump won…what should happen next? This Christian perspective will equip you to respond Biblically in this season.

Subscribe today for access to our full catalog of bonus episodes, including 2+ new episodes every month! www.patreon.com/boysbiblestudy In Bible verse Matthew 18:20, Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them.” To which we ask: two or what? G-g-g-ghosts? This Christian horror film featuring a predominantly black cast gets a touch of celebrity from notable costars Luenell and Faizon Love. It's the only feature film directed by Roy Belfrey, and although it's competently shot with some genuinely scary special effects, it suffers from narrative weakness by not coherently connecting the film's haunting to its overtly Christian message. The film centers around a recent high school graduate named Michelle who has perfect grades and a hardworking drive that gets her a full ride scholarship to a pre-med program at a college in Minneapolis, MN. Although her tight-knit Christian family has trepidations about letting their baby stray so far from the nest, they relent because the family happens to own property in the city. Unfortunately, this property has a problem: a ghost problem. It appears to be haunted by the spirits of Russian women who were killed on the property 100 years or so ago after refusing to cell their house to greedy businessmen. The haunting of the Wilshire house escalates the tensions explored in the film between the natural world and the spiritual world; Michelle is always trying to convince her superstitious family that there is a rational explanation for everything, but even Michelle can't explain the terrifying things happening to her. Finally, the haunting drives Michelle back with her loving family, although it's unclear to us what Michelle learned from the experience, and how anything the film showed us has to do with the Bible verse Matthew 18:20, which was supposed to be the focal point. We at Boys' Bible Study are still in search for a Christian horror film that threads the needle of its messaging instead of choosing style over substance. View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for livestreams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

This Christian meditation and prayer on Psalm 71 reminds us of God's power to restore and renew. Get your FREE Praying with The Psalms Journal here. Will God redeem the mess? Will He restore what's been broken? Scripture gives a resounding “yes”—but restoration doesn't always mean returning to how things were. God's work is often about transformation, making something new from the broken pieces. If you're feeling unsure about what God can do with your challenges, take heart. Your God is a God of restoration. This meditation reassures us that He is good, He is at work, and we can trust Him. You can follow along with a FREE printed guide for this meditation and the entire Praying with the Psalms series here. Here are some additional helpful links: You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/ Follow me on Instagram @creatingspaceforgod Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal here. Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning. Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com. Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here. The entire meditation text is as follows: Psalm 71:19-21, NLT 19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God? 20 You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. 21 You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This Christian meditation and prayer from Psalm 25 invites us to ask God to direct our steps. Get your FREE Praying with The Psalms Journal here. Is there an area in your life where you fear God could let you down? You aren't alone. David, the author of Psalm 25, expressed this same fear to God when he said: “Do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me.” And then David reminded his soul that God is trustworthy; therefore, he would not be disgraced if he waited on God. This led David to pray the prayer we all need: Show me the way, Lord. If you're facing something that concerns you and wonder how to move forward, take some time to meditate on and pray through this Psalm. God will show you the way. He will help you know how to move forward. You can trust him. You can follow along with a FREE printed guide for this meditation and the entire Praying with the Psalms series here. Here are some additional helpful links: You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/ Follow me on Instagram @creatingspaceforgod Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal here. Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning. Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com. Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here. The entire meditation text is as follows: Psalm 25:1-5, CSB 1 Lord, I appeal to you. 2 My God, I trust in you. Do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. 3 No one who waits for you will be disgraced; those who act treacherously without cause will be disgraced. 4 Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How can Christians stay embedded within our culture while pursuing virtue and rejecting vice, in personal and in public life? Join Sam Fornecker for a chat with Stephen Presley, author of Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church (Eerdman's, 2024), about what the modern church has to learn from Christians of the second and third centuries. According to Presley (Cultural Sanctification, p.12), "Christians are necessarily embedded within their culture and must seek sanctification (both personal and corporate) in a way that draws upon the forms and features of their environment to transform them by pursuing virtue. This Christian performance of sanctification involves [1] defending the faith, [2] sharing the good news of salvation found in Christ, and [3] visibly embodying all the virtues of the Christian spirituality in ways that persuade others." Presley contends that a revival of something very like ancient paganism is underway in the modern world. What might the pre-Nicene Church have to teach us, who live on the far side of Christendom? Enjoying this podcast? To keep abreast of what's going on at The Ridley Institute, or to learn more about opportunities to grow and train for Christian discipleship and mission, connect with us online: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ridleyinstitute.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠. Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@RidleyInstitute⁠⁠⁠⁠. To learn about four full-time positions for young people exploring gospel work, learn more about Ministry Apprenticeship: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://standrews.church/ministry-apprenticeship/⁠⁠⁠⁠.

How can Christians stay embedded within our culture while pursuing virtue and rejecting vice, in personal and in public life? Join Sam Fornecker for a chat with Stephen Presley, author of Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church (Eerdman's, 2024), about what the modern church has to learn from Christians of the second and third centuries. According to Presley (Cultural Sanctification, p.12), "Christians are necessarily embedded within their culture and must seek sanctification (both personal and corporate) in a way that draws upon the forms and features of their environment to transform them by pursuing virtue. This Christian performance of sanctification involves [1] defending the faith, [2] sharing the good news of salvation found in Christ, and [3] visibly embodying all the virtues of the Christian spirituality in ways that persuade others." Presley contends that a revival of something very like ancient paganism is underway in the modern world. What might the pre-Nicene Church have to teach us, who live on the far side of Christendom? Enjoying this podcast? To keep abreast of what's going on at The Ridley Institute, or to learn more about opportunities to grow and train for Christian discipleship and mission, connect with us online: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ridleyinstitute.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠. Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@RidleyInstitute⁠⁠⁠⁠. To learn about four full-time positions for young people exploring gospel work, learn more about Ministry Apprenticeship: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://standrews.church/ministry-apprenticeship/⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This Christian domestic horror begins with happy newlyweds Grant and Christie planning their new life together in the small Virginia town of Courtland, not knowing that their inability to understand each other will soon be the catalyst to disturbing supernatural events that will tear their relationship apart forever. Grant seems excited to provide for Christie at his new job fixing up foreclosed and abandoned houses, but is much less enthusiastic to fix up their own home with tons of problems, including a hole in the ceiling and a snake infestation. Grant's inaction has effectively made Christie a prisoner in her own home;  when her car breaks down and Grant gets mad at her for nagging him to fix it, Christie is left unable to go job hunting or even to the grocery store. But is this by Grant's design? Meanwhile, Grant's Bible study group is having discussions on the “curse of Eve” and Christie is beginning to see ghostly apparitions around their property. THE CURSE OF EVE is one of the most interesting Christian films we've watched for our podcast because it's not just meant to flatter its Christian audience, but offers a feminist critique of Christian social groups. This is rare for a genre of movies that thrives on its own persecution within secular pop culture, feeling like it's always under attack from the world, so why point out its own insular problems? We at BBS consider Jasmine Deanne Andrews one of the most intriguing and talented DIY filmmakers in the faith-based genre right now not only for her compelling storytelling but also for her creative and sometimes truly bizarre take on digital cinematography.  View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for livestreams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

Scripture Reference: Romans 8:18-25 The Apostles Creed ends by confessing what Christians believe about the future. In summary, God will finish what He started. He created a world to dwell with humanity as His image bearers. No matter, how much sin has infected and destroyed the world and humanity, God is going to save and restore it all. This Christian hope is embraced when we confess I believe in “the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.” Sermon Points: The Resurrection of the Body The Life Everlasting

Friends of the Rosary, Today, August 10, is the Feast of St. Lawrence, the highly venerated Roman deacon and saint of the mid-third century who suffered a heroic martyrdom. This Christian hero's feast is next to St. Peter and St. Paul's. He was arrested during the persecution of Emperor Valerian (253-260), laid upon a gridiron, and slowly roasted to death. At that time, Pope Sixtus II and his four deacons were martyred too. He expired, praying for the conversion of the city of Rome in the hope that the true faith might spread throughout the world. From that moment, idolatry began to decline in Rome. Before being tortured and while in prison, the Roman authorities asked him to surrender the treasures of the Church. Lawrence responded by bringing together the poor and sick he had supported. "Here are the treasures of the Church!" Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!St. Lawrence, Pray for Us! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠August 10, 2024, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Send us a Text Message.What does it take to champion pro-life legislation in a politically divided landscape? Join us on More Than Medicine as we welcome John McCravey, a passionate lawyer and legislator from South Carolina, who unveils the intricate journey of the Family Caucus. This Christian conservative group has fought tirelessly to pass the Human Life Protection Act and the heartbeat bill, seeking to safeguard life from conception. Hear John's firsthand account of the legislative hurdles, strategic pivots, and how a revamped state Supreme Court played a crucial role in upholding these laws. Looking ahead, John shares the Family Caucus' determined plans to eliminate exceptions and prioritize the Human Life Protection Act in 2025, underscoring their unwavering commitment to the unborn.But that's not all. We also address a critical issue within the Republican platform—its limited stance on abortion. Discover why many evangelicals feel let down by the party's focus on condemning late-term abortion while neglecting to affirm life from conception. Through poignant examples of disillusioned pastors and the potential ripple effect on voter turnout, we examine how the pro-life stance serves as a vital litmus test for evangelical voters. Tune in to understand the profound influence of this issue on political support within the evangelical community and its far-reaching implications on future elections. Don't miss this thought-provoking conversation that tackles one of the most passionate debates in American politics today.https://www.jacksonfamilyministry.comhttps://bobslone.com/home/podcast-production/

July's Theme is Raising Boys and Girls Encore PresentationIs your teenager hearing from Jesus? When our kids encounter Jesus for themselves, everything changes. Drew Hill has worked with teens for more than 20 years and shares how parents can invite teens to (literally) walk with Jesus. In today's conversation, you'll learn about: 2:30 Meeting Jesus as a teenager 4:00 This Christian camp experience changed my life 6:00 Go on a walk - why is this transformational? 7:30 About the documentary Godspeed: The Pace of Being Known 9:10 What if our teens aren't interested in spiritual things - how can we help them get more interested? 12:00 What is the biggest change you've seen in youth ministry since smartphones? 14:10 We imagine things all the time 16:50 When should my kid get a phone? 19:45 I know I'm a phone addict… 24:00 Personal life lessons from Dr. Gary Chapman 28:00 Who is Crash the Rhino? Drew Hill is an award-winning author and speaker. He serves as the head of school for the Covenant School in Greensboro, NC. He also works in the leadership of Young Life. He and his wife Natalie have five kids. Learn more about Drew and his book, Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers alongsideresources.com Watch the documentary Drew talked about: Godspeed, The Pace of Being Known Get Arlene's free Gratitude Workout - 10 ways to build the muscle of thanksgiving in your child's life. Subscribe at happyhomeuniversity.com The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Talk About. Use Promo Code HAPPYHOME to get 1 month free at TalkAboutDiscipleship.com.

A message just for Christians who keep falling into sin and reminder from the book of Hosea in the Bible. This Christian sermon is by Joe Kirby (Off the Kirb Ministries)

This Christian movie tells the story of famed eye doctor Ming Wang's attempt to restore physical sight to a blind Indian girl … while moving toward spiritual sight himself.   Read the Plugged In Review   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

This Christian thriller shows how even a situation as scary and inconvenient as a bus hijacking can become a one-way ticket to salvation. Izzy is a privileged yet rebellious goth teen with a streak of dye in her hair, much to the disappointment of her Christian parents, who accidentally reveal to Izzy that she is adopted during a heated family discussion. Izzy's life suddenly becomes a quest to find her birth parents. Fortunately, her boyfriend Grayson has an uncle Rex who is a private investigator and is able to locate Izzy's mom, inspiring Izzy and Grayson to hop on a bus to meet her. Suddenly, a nightmare becomes reality — the bus is hijacked by a group of goons who kidnap Izzy, Grayson, and other passengers, demanding Izzy's father pay  $2 million for her safe return. The psychological torment the kidnappers inflict on the passengers is the focus of most of SENSE OF URGENCY, and a series of bizarre plot twists transpire that would surely keep viewers on the edge of their seats if any of the surprises followed a coherent internal plot logic. Since none of them do, the final shocking reveal that spurs our protagonists to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is way more insane than inspiring. Still, SENSE OF URGENCY is a fun and watchable faith-based film because it understands that a lurid story about domestic terrorism is more exciting than a dull chamber drama of people talking to each other about God. But what if I wanted a dull chamber drama about God? Don't worry — since every character is trapped on a bus for an hour, we have plenty of time (and hostages) to kill. View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for livestreams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

April 14th, 2024, marks the passing of ten years since the militant Islamic group, Boko Haram, kidnapped 276 mostly Christian girls from a secondary school in the Nigerian town of Chibok, Borno State. According to a recently published BBC report, 91 of the abducted students remain missing today. During the past two years, 20 of the kidnapped victims were rescued from Boko Haram hideouts in the Sambisa forest, which is located in northeastern Borno State. However, recent reports indicate that some of the rescued women have decided to stay married to their captors. The state government's response to this situation has sparked outrage among the parents – including Yama Bullum, who was heartbroken to discover that his daughter, Jinkai, remains married to the militant who once held her captive. In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman is joined by Rev. Margaret Adina. This Christian leader serves as the Director of Mara's House, a trauma centre for women and girls near Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Rev. Adina discusses why some of these recently freed young women, who were teenagers when they were abducted ten years ago, are choosing to stay with their kidnappers. During her conversation with Greg, she also explains how traumatized Nigerian women and girls are receiving greatly needed healing and hope at Mara's House. Length: 40 minutes Episode Notes To Watch the Interview with Margaret Adinga https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ng-chibok-parents.htm Learn more about Mara's House: https://www.vomcanada.com/ng-videos/video/ng-maras-house2.htm Christian Faith Ministries: https://cfaithministries.org/ The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com

The panel welcomes our new affiliates, Daniel & Tristen Brigman, founders and owners of Numanna Foods, to the show! Our guests discuss food scarcity, preparedness and self-reliance. This Christian family first developed foods for long term storage out of a desire to enjoy tastier and healthier foods that will last 25+ years in proper conditions. Learn about their unique certifications such as Organic and No-Gluten and the 3 biggest killers of stored foods! Go to our website and click on the Numanna Affiliate to learn more!

This Christian life is about surrender, which will require that we give everything to God.  This expectation of generosity and willingness to let go should not make us nervous or bring thoughts of scarcity and need.  God's abundance is revealed when we abundantly surrender all to him.

In this exhortation, Jon Hoglund retells a story from Ambrose, the bishop of Milan and mentor to Augustine, about a 12-year-old girl named Agnes that defied the Roman empire around 304 AD by her bold confession of Jesus Christ as Lord. This Christian martyr, Saint Agnes, was faithful unto death because she understood that our confession of Jesus as our Savior has more significance in reality than any other accomplishments.

Boundaries for me but not for thee. This Christian relationship advice video exposes the hypocrisy of people who tell you that you cannot have boundaries when they have them for themselves. Becoming clear about this double standard will strengthen your resolve to stand up for yourself and set healthy boundaries in your dysfunctional relationships. Don't let toxic people tell you that you cannot set boundaries when they do. Christians can and should have boundaries in their relationships. #Boundaries #HealthyBoundaries #ChristianBoundaries Website:  https://www.changemyrelationship.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMyRelationship YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@changemyrelationship

IDENTIFY THE THIEF AND GET IT ALL BACK   Among the many lessons I've learned while walking with Christ is that this experience is multifaceted. Nothing in the spiritual world is built or works on a set of principles you can carry in your notebook and pull out when needed.  The Christian Life and the mysteries of this beautiful, supernatural world are like the computer. It's all there, ready to go, except you need a password to make it happen. The key or password is not simply faith or belief. If that were the case, anyone could manipulate their own Life by training themselves to believe. The key to Christian Life is believing in Christ, his finished work on the cross, and his resurrection. When that happens, you step into his world and become joined with his Life, so when you identify a thief, you have the authority to get it all back. We tend to want a formula of faith that we can use without a relationship with our Father in heaven. Remember, Jesus did nothing but what he saw his Father doing. This Christian experience is a training ground for an eternity of working with our heavenly Father in the cosmos he has created for us to develop and fill with his glory. The things that steal from us in this temporal Life are just practices for our faith and our trust in our heavenly Father to grow and mature.  David was destined to be Israel's greatest king because he would establish the kingdom through God's direction. Before that happened, he had to go through his Ziklag experience in First, Samuel 30, where he and his men lost everything they had. So, The next item on the agenda was that they were going to kill him. When David reconnected with the Lord through worship, God told him to pursue his enemy, and he would get it all back. It's time to hear the Holy Spirit's direction on capturing our destiny and getting it all back.     YOU CAN GIVE HERE: http://www.georgewatkinsministries.co...   WEBSITE= http://www.georgewatkinsministries.co...   FACEBOOK=https://www.facebook.com/FaithProduce...   Faith Producers address: PO Bx 1006 Mt Vernon, WA 98273   FAITH PRODUCES AN INTERNATIONAL PODCAST https://faithproducers.podbean.com/   You can 'WALK' with George Watkins daily @ https://www.youtube.com/@georgewatkins4677  faithproducers.com twitter.com/faithproducers Facebook.com/faithproducerstv   faithproducers.com   

Dating vs Relationship. As a Christian single do you know the difference between the two?  As Single Christians, navigating the world of dating and relationships can be a journey filled with both excitement and introspection. Understanding the differences between dating and being in a relationship, particularly from a Christian perspective, can help individuals make informed, faith-aligned decisions in their romantic lives. This Christian single blog post and podcast explores these differences and sheds light on when dating evolves into a […] The post Dating vs Relationship from a Christian Singles Perspective appeared first on Christian Dating Service | Singles Advice. Related posts: How to Save a Relationship: A Christian Single’s Perspective Loving Two People at the Same Time? A Christian Singles Perspective Older Men Dating Younger Women: A Christian Single’s Perspective Relationship Compatibility Test for Christian Singles What Does Going Steady Mean? A Christian Singles’ Perspective

A calm and relaxing Bible reading of Psalms 25 through 28. This Christian relaxation script includes just brief relaxation and prayer followed by a reading of these Psalms from the Bible so you can meditate on the word of God.  Bible translation from the Open English Bible, available at https://openenglishbible.org/oeb/2020.2/read/b019.html.  Thank you for listening to Relaxation Audio with Candi. This podcast offers peaceful relaxation scripts for sleep, stress relief, and health. Find more relaxation downloads at https://relaxation-audio.com.  Find the Relaxation Audio with Candi podcast on Apple Podcasts, on Google Podcasts, on YouTube, at http://relaxation-audio.libsyn.com, or wherever you get podcasts. Remember to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!  Check out my book, Peaceful Relaxation Scripts: Group Facilitation Guide, at amazon.com/author/candi.  Let's begin by taking a few moments to clear your mind so you can relax and hear from God. Close your eyes, get comfortable, and breathe. Sit in silence, just breathing.  Let your thoughts and worries go.  Just breathe… quiet… still… restful. Concentrate on the feeling of the air moving into your lungs as you inhale… and out slowly as you exhale.  Ever so softly breathing… noticing the rise and fall of your chest with each calm breath. (Pause) Now that you have taken a moment of stillness, consider the things that have been on your mind lately. Take one minute to acknowledge and reflect on the things that are worrying you, or that you have to get done, or that you are facing right now.  (Pause 1 minute) You may want to give your worries to God by telling him about the things you are thinking about. I'll pause for one  more minute to allow you time to share your thoughts with God in whatever way you may choose. (Pause 1 minute) Now I invite you to pray with me if you want to, or you can take these next few moments to spend with God in a way that feels meaningful to you.  The relaxation script continues...

As Christians, we have a race to run. No, not a physical race, but a spiritual one. This Christian life will require commitment, dedication, and endurance. We cannot run it casually or aimlessly. We too, must give it all we have. We run for a crown that will last forever.Main Points:1. Marathon runners tell us that somewhere around mile 20, it's common to hit a wall. The wall refers to a point during the race where a runner experiences a sudden and significant loss of energy and endurance, making it extremely challenging to maintain their pace or continue running.2. I've seen Christians hit a wall too. They become discouraged. Church attendance becomes sporadic. They stop volunteering and serving in the ministries of the church. Their relationship with God and others begins to suffer.3. Your running is not in vain. Your race is not in vain. Run the race God has set before you. Don't become distracted along the way. Don't allow yourself to get discouraged and quit. The prize will be worth it all. Remember, Jesus is the prize.Today's Scripture Verses:1 Corinthians 9:24-25 - “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”James 1:12 - “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”2 Timothy 4:7-8 - “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”Quick Links:Subscribe to The 5 Minute Discipleship NewsletterDonate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group5 Minute Discipleship on Instagram

Episode #284Ryan shares the true history and meaning of Thanksgiving Day. He also highlights the true Christian heritage of America. In 1789, George Washington established Thanksgiving Day in a proclamation filled with references to God, providence, and America's blessings. His words reveal the spiritual foundation the holiday was built upon.The first Thanksgiving dates back to 1620 when the pilgrims celebrated successful harvests and friendships with Native tribes. They feasted and prayed for 3 days – setting the tone for the tradition. This Christian beginning deeply shaped America.Yet some attack this history today, claiming oppression and racism marred early relationships. The truth is pilgrims and natives forged an alliance that first fall and winter. Without goodwill, the small band of colonists would not have survived.Rather than guilt, early settlers gained from gratitude. We must push back on distortions and celebrate the Christian roots of Thanksgiving. This holiday remains vital because even amidst hardship, we recognize God's provision. For blessings great and small, we must remember to offer thanks to the Lord.Sharable Episode Links (scroll down or search for this episode):Ryan's Website Buzzsprout LinkMORE FROM RYAN:FREE DOWNLOAD: 21 Days to a Spirit-Led Life Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram LinkedInSubmit a question or topic for the podcast at ryanshoward.com/contactGet Ryan's eCourse & Coaching Programs

This Christian film with a steampunk aesthetic is notable for its cast made up entirely of kids. Joel and Lisa Steege and their seven children create films as Little Crew Studios. Their most recent work is 2016's THE DEFENSE OF NEW HAVEN, an adventure story set in a fictional society where masked Raiders are sowing chaos and disappearing innocent civilians. When protagonist Alec is caught in the crossfire and his younger sister goes missing, he insists on joining the CDF (City Defense Force), even though his disability makes him an unlikely fighter. Intrigue and adventure follow Alec and his new colleagues, including journeys through hidden underground tunnels and nautical battles on mini steamboats. Something genuinely impressive about the Steeges' productions is that they construct their entire sets on their property. Parents and kids work together to create elaborate cityscapes and real bodies of water big enough to film boat scenes. Joel and Lisa Steege are so dedicated to their productions that Joel quit his job to pursue the family film business full time. The Steege children rise to the level of the production with their acting ability; they must be extremely smart and well spoken to be able to deliver such complicated lines. However, listening to kids dispense nonstop steampunk lore in a monotonous childlike timbre gets really tedious after about 15 minutes. Still, a society that truly recognizes talent and drive in the arts would automatically vote to allocate $100 million to allow the Steeges to create their magnum opus in the chibi Christian genre. View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

Living out the greatest commandments - to love God and to love our neighbor - is a principle embedded deep within our hearts. This Christian way of life is driven by ourselves being Christian. You share the good news of Christ to others by just being you: your actions, your way of life, your being Christian makes you an authentic role model and a beacon of hope to those around you.

"When All The Saints" ©1997, Christopher Miner Music. Used by permission. All rights reserved.http://hymnbook.igracemusic.com/hymns/for-all-the-saintsChristopher MinerChristopher Miner-MusicWilliam Walsham How-TextIn this podcast episode titled "All-Saints-Day and Halloween's-Christian-Origins," Dr. Jeffrey D. Skinner, the host of "Echoes-Through-Eternity-Podcast," explores the fascinating intersection of Christian tradition and the origins of Halloween. Dr. Skinner delves into the significance of All-Saints-Day, shedding light on its deep roots in Christian history and its celebration across various denominations. He also uncovers the surprising connections between Halloween and Christian traditions, revealing how this holiday evolved over time.Throughout the episode, Dr. Skinner emphasizes the unity of Christians of all ages, countries, and races in Christ, highlighting the importance of recognizing the rich history of Christianity and finding inspiration in the stories of saints and martyrs. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on the meaning of All-Saints-Day and its relevance to their faith.This thought-provoking podcast provides valuable insights into the spiritual significance of All-Saints-Day and offers a fresh perspective on the origins of Halloween, ultimately encouraging individuals to embrace the Christian heritage and the unity it represents.Transcript:Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (00:00.414)Welcome into Echoes Through Eternity. I am Dr. Jeffrey D. Skinner. This is a bonus episode. It's our All Hallows' Eve episode. Halloween. And today we're delivering, we're delving into a topic. Stop.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (00:36.33)Welcome to another episode of Echoes Through Eternity with Dr. Jeffrey D. Skinner. I am your host, and today we're delving into a topic that's both fascinating and deeply rooted in Christian tradition, All Saints Day.This isn't your typical Halloween episode. Instead, we'll be uncovering the meaning and history behind the November 1st holiday. That might just change the way you think about saints and Halloween itself. So what exactly is All Saints Day? It's a Christian solemnity, a dignified remembrance where we honor all the saints from Christian history.Whether they're well-known figures or those whose names have been lost to time.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (01:34.582)It goes by various names, All Hallows Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallow, Hallowmas.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (01:47.638)But who are these saints? You might be surprised to learn that it's not just those immortalized in statues within church buildings. According to the Bible, saints are anyone who trust in Christ alone for salvation.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (02:05.502)If you, if I trust in God for our salvation, we are saints. Yep, you heard it right. You can be a saint too if you are a follower of Christ. It's not a title bestowed by religious leaders. It's granted by God to anyone who simply trusts in Christ.This Christian celebration is observed on November 1st by the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, from which the Church of Nazarene, the Wesleyan Church we all held from the were cousins to the Methodists there, the Lutheran Church, and other Protestant denominations in Western Christianity. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday following Pentecost. It is a day that reminds us...of our connections as Christians and the spiritual bond between those in heaven and on earth.Now you might be wondering about the connection between All Saints Day and Halloween. Believe it or not, Halloween in its origins was a Holy Christian celebration. The word Halloween comes from Hallows Eve, meaning the evening of holy persons. And it refers to the evening for All Saints Day, which is November 1st on both Anglican and Catholic calendars. Anglican being that Church of England.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (03:41.826)Halloween is a blend of Celtic religious ideas and Christian martyrology, showing how traditions can evolve over time.The history of All Saints' Day dates back to early years of Christianity when the Roman Empire persecuted Christians. So many martyrs died from their faith that the Church set aside special days to honor them.In the seventh century, the pantheon in Rome was consecrated to all saints, and many bones of martyrs were brought there. Over time, all saints' day evolved into what we know today. In the tenth century, All Souls' Day on November 2nd was added to honor all Christians who had passed away. People prayed for the dead, but some…Un-Christian superstitions also began to creep in. The holiday absorbed some pagan customs, but we can use it positively to remember and give thanks for Christians from the past who inspired us.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (04:55.926)So how can we celebrate All Saints Day? It's about recognizing the unity of Christians of all ages, countries, and races in Christ. While we don't pray to or through the saints, we can find inspiration in their stories of God's faithfulness.The Bible tells us about this great cloud of witnesses whose lives speak of God's unfailing loving grace. There is a beautiful hymn called For All the Saints. It encourages believers to look back through the years of Christian history and think of the millions now enjoying rest and salvation in the presence of God.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (05:41.95)And we're using that hymn today by permission from the authors. And you'll find that in the author notes, in the publisher notes, in the show notes. It inspires us to press on. Look forward to the glorious day when the strife is over and we join the triumphant song. No more tears, no more pain.just as we've been talking about in Revelation. That chapter 21 that paints to that new creation, that glorious day when all things are new.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (06:26.37)to this All Saints Day. Let's remember that you can be a saint too and take inspiration from the rich history of Christianity.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (06:39.042)Thanks for joining us on this journey through the Echoes of Eternity.This has been our All Saints Day episode. Until next time, stay curious and keep seeking the truth. Hallelujah.Dr. Jeffery D. Skinner (06:57.296)Amen.

Friends of the Rosary: Those who have been entrusted with more by God will be held to an even higher standard. This Christian teaching, expressed by Our Lord in Lk 12:39-48, is especially relevant today, given the war in Holy Land and Ukraine. It means that those who have been given greater responsibilities, such as leaders or people in positions of authority, will be held accountable in the presence of God for how they have used their power and influence. The biblical passage of “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more,” serves as a reminder for us to be mindful of the ways in which we use our blessings. We always have to strive to use them in a way that aligns with God's will and promotes the well-being of others. It is a call to humility, gratitude, and responsible stewardship.We hold today, Friday, Oct. 27, a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Gaza and Israel, following the call of Pope Francis.  Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel A. | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • October 27, 2023, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Message: The Gospel According to Matthew Text: Matthew 5:7 Mercy Mercy is helping someone who may or may not deserve it. Or, withholding judgment from someone who may or may not deserve it. This Christian life is about the journey, not just the destination.

Guy Hammond is the director of Strength in Weakness. This Christian organization helps bridge the gap between the Christian community and the LGBTQ community through awareness, education and support.  Guy, a minister for more than 25 years, has taught over 100,000 people in churches, universities, and faith-based groups around the world. He has authored six books, including Gay & Christian? his most recent.  Click here to register for Catalyst 2023 Check out Strength in Weakness ministry.

In this episode, Pastor Cindy talks about how we can live from Glory to Glory. As a believer in the forward moving Kingdom of God, we have the privilege of living with great expectation that the best is yet to come. This Christian walk isn't about surviving the day. It's about prospering and walking in the miraculous glory of God. God will meet you with the miraculous while in your ordinary day — when the word of the Lord becomes your activation  God is birthing through us for now and for the generations to come — Spiritual Birthing that brings a physical manifestation to the earth for the Kingdom. Our season of birthing is for a much greater purpose which goes beyond our lifetime.  Scripture references: 2 Chronicles 6:18, Acts 15:28, Ephesians 4:11-12, Luke 1:5-7, 13-17, 23-25, 57-65, 80, 2 Cor 3:18.   Order your copy of Cindy's new book, NEW MOVES OF GOD Check out Cindy's new TV show, CINDY STEWART LIVE. You can register for the 6-week, self paced e-course at COMPELLED TO CHANGE.  Please email Cindy with any questions or comments to cindy@cindy-stewart.com. She'd love to hear from you.  Pastor Cindy's Website  Pastor Cindy's Facebook  Pastor Cindy's Instagram Gathering Website  Gathering Facebook   Check out the other shows from KB PODCAST PRODUCTIONS: THE KINGDOM BRINGER PODCAST with Darin Eubanks Next Level Podcast with Michael McIntyre Super-Natural Living with Beth Packard KINGDOM MASTER MIND PODCAST with Ann McDonald   Podcast music from HOOKSOUNDS.COM

When doors close in life, it can cause us to question "why?" When this happens it can lead us to doubt God when in reality these situations can be just what we need to draw closers to our creator. Let's dive deeper into that today! Thank you to Zechman Well Drilling for working with me in today's episode! If you are in need of a new well or well work, look no futher than Zechman Well Drilling. This Christian focused, family owned business is all you need. Serving Snyder, Union, Northumberland, Perry, Juniata and Mifflin county Pennsylvania. Make sure to make Zechman Well Drilling your first phone call! Check them out at https://www.zechmanwell.com/  If you would like to collaborate, I am all ears! Feel free to send me a message at newswangerlr@gmail.com We are currently working to upgrade our email so this one is an intermintent one.   Make sure to check out www.rootedinfaithfamilyfarmlife.com for lots more!   Here are a few of our favorites right now! Our mattress, my favorite slippers and robe and the most comfortable sheets! www.mypillow.com use the code ROOTEDIN for up to 66% off!   www.greenmountaindiapers.com use the code ROOTEDPFW10 - For your cloth diapering needs   www.nursingqueen.com use the code ROOTEDIN10 - For your breastfeeding accessible clothing!   Homesteading Planner - https://www.rootedinfaithfamilyfarmlife.com/.../2023...   Hair, Skin and Wellness Products - www.lindsayspurrier.mymonat.com   Bible Recap Text - https://amzn.to/3LgO8Ih   Camera for Podcasting and Photography for Website - https://amzn.to/3YJGwB8   Some of the above links are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you use them. As always, that you for your support of this podcast and in turn our family!   Love, Lindsay    

On today's program, popular Christian apologist John Ankerberg has been under scrutiny after a former fundraiser for the organization filed a whistleblower complaint and shared it with both the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and with MinistryWatch. Now, Ankerberg has sued the whistleblower.  We'll have details. And Hillsong's Brian Houston has pled guilty to DUI charges following a 2022 incident in California. Later in the program we'll have the latest from The King's College.  This Christian liberal arts college in New York City has been on the verge of closure, but dramatic developments last week are giving supporters of the school a glimmer of hope. We begin today with televangelist Perry Stone.  A grand jury in Tennessee has ruled that an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct claims has not produced enough evidence to charge him with crimes. FINAL THOUGHTS: I want to thank those of you who attended our “Ask Me Anything” webinar yesterday.  We had about 60 people on the webinar and we got more questions than I could get to, so we'll definitely be doing this again soon. I also want to mention that June will mark the 25th anniversary of MinistryWatch.  We were founded by Rusty and Carol Leonard in June of 1998. Carol is still on our board. We plan to have both of them on the podcast in early June to talk about the early days of MinistryWatch, so I hope you'll keep an eye out for that, and pray for continued faithfulness for us as we approach this important milestone birthday in the life of our ministry. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Shannon Cuthrell, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, and Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

Audio Transcript: This media has been made available by Mosaic BostonChurch. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston ordonate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.com. Heavenly Father, we praise you that you have made this day. We thank you for the light, the bright, almost spring sky that just reminds us of the light of Christ coming into our lives, penetrating the darkness of our souls and the situations that we have lived in. And we praise you that in every season and every situation, we can trust you. We pray right now, Lord, that you would show us how to trust you in the small moments of life, how to trust you in the training that you are providing for us through day-to-day life. Give us just great joy to honor you and serve you in all situations. And we pray that we would all leave here encourage and embolden to be your disciples and to face a world that does not know you or love you. Please, Holy Spirit fill us that we might be fruitful servants this week. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. And as I mentioned, we are talking about our commitment to good works. And as I prepared for this sermon, it really made me respect Pastor Shane's service throughout this series. I realize that every topic he's taken up has been a huge topic. We've talked about commitment to following Christ, commitment to the local church, evangelism, discipleship, scripture, prayer, fasting, worship and calling. And I think he's done an incredible job to consolidate these giant topics with a lot of scripture in forming them into just digestible just amounts of wisdom for us. And today, the task about talking about our commitment to good works as Christians could be endless. And really the reason is because everybody, not even just Christians, they know that Christians should commit themselves to good works. As Christians, we know verses like Ephesians 2, eight through 10. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God. Not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. And so we know these key verses, these popular verses when good works, but people who aren't even Christian know that we are called to good works. I walk around the Brookline parks often with my children. And when a non-Christian man or woman, when their dog invades my personal space or my children's personal space, I reward their evil with kindness and bring up the church and Jesus Christ. And those conversations typically result in them really just without any preparation, having a list of good works that Christians should be doing, good works that the church should be doing. And so there's no shortage of thought and conversation in our world around what good Christians should be doing in day-to-day life. And there's no shortage of scriptures around this topic. And so we can talk about Christian good works in many ways, but what the Lord has been giving me the past few weeks as I've pondered this topic, commitment to good works. It's been filled with a strong dose of realism. You see, the last four weeks I've had big plans to do a lot of good works. I planned and scheduled many counseling sessions, many meetings with leaders of the church, tried to set aside time to proactively pour myself in the study and prayer and planning for future endeavors to take up in the church. But the Lord has caused me to postpone a lot of that work or begrudgingly do it in the early hours of the morning or late hours of the night after my children have gone to bed. And in this period, why have I had this situation? We've had four weeks. We had two weeks of sickness, colds and stomach bugs pass from one person to another from school and daycare. We had two snow days. Childcare fell through for one day of the week for one of my children for several days. We had to deal with daylight savings. This Tuesday, after I dropped off my children and one gets straight to work. I came back to my condo building and the public laundry machine right next to my unit was banging really loudly. It was like a sledgehammer pounding on the wall and I stepped out, it was overheating, it was smoking, it was melting, it's some of its machinery and I was the only person there to address it. So I ended up having to just address the situation, ended up having to take my neighbor's laundry and actually do her laundry for her, wasted a few hours of that morning. And so it's been quite a month as I've had looked at this date where I have to preach about commitment to good works and my availability to do good works and capacity and energy has been severely limited. And I don't tell you this to ask you for pity or to just get some sort of catharsis, emotional purging. I tell you this to really introduce the lesson of the day regarding good works. And really I hope through my sermon teach you the main lesson of the sermon. Through all that I've faced in the past month, I've been reciting just a verse that I've memorized years ago, James chapter one, verse two through five. And what I've learned with time as this month has passed is that our ability to do good works for God is highly dependent upon our ability to receive God's training for good works in day-to-day life. Our ability to do good works for God is highly dependent upon our ability to receive God's training for good works in day-to-day life. And so what do I mean by training? A personal example of the training that God has called me to as a pastor is how I stand over what's happening in my house. One of the requirements, one of the character qualities of a pastor is found in 1 Timothy three, four to five. It says, he must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church. Right? So I'm called to, part of the central era of training for me to serve as a pastor is as the head of my household. And what did the Lord require me to do over and over again in the past few weeks with a lot of these unforeseen challenges, he forced me to give the priority of my time and attention to my household. Love my wife, love my children, make sure that everything was going well. Try to continue to train them in the word despite all of the hiccups, make sure everyone's healthy and strong. And now when I had to pause from my good works that I planned for the church and outside of the home, how do you think I felt in the moment? I did not receive a lot of these moments and these things that I thought as inconveniences as my training, but really it is, it was. Fortunately, I did have my wife there to remind me that these situations were, these scenarios that I faced were essential to my training for doing good works in the church, but I struggled to view it as training. Another area where God has called me to do training is just as a neighbor, right? Christ says, the primary commandments are to love God, the Lord your God to all your heart, soul, strength in mind and love your neighbor as yourself. And furthermore too elders of the church. He says, moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace. And so my training took place this week in that situation, when that washing machine was banging against the wall and seemingly melting itself. I literally had a crossroads moment of I can act like I'm not hearing that sledgehammer sound and get on with my day or I can responsibly address it. And I did follow in the ways. I followed the smell, I had turned off the machine, unplugged it. And you know what? If I didn't, I would've missed an opportunity. With that laundry, my neighbor's laundry was completely soaked still and is covered in detergent. And so it's this woman, recently widowed whose husband did everything for her in life. And so a thing like laundry is a lot for her. And she was just absolutely distraught that the machines were off, her whole schedule was thrown off for the day. So I said, I can work from home. I'll put your laundry in my machine. So when I did her laundry, it just amazed her that a person would pause and do an act, a simple act of kindness like that. She was so touched that she went out, and I'm not trying to brag about myself, I'm saying I could have missed this. She went out, she bought flowers. Not for me, for my wife. She knew the best way to bless me was to bless my wife. And this little illustration of we can miss these moments of training if we get lost in thinking that all of our works, good works as Christians are out there. They're these big grand gestures, often ones that you can take pictures of and post on social media. But what the Lord wants us to do is view trials, view tests, view conflicts that you need to address as your training and actually as the good works that he's calling you to do. And do you want... As you listen to this, if you know Christ, you know that if you have experienced the love of God, he has offered his son for you on the cross, despite your sin. You cannot but want to live a life for his glory and do good. That's really what's behind Christian works. If you don't want to offer yourself entirely for God, you have to really pause and question your faith and ask, Lord, do I know you? Do I really love you? Pour out your love upon me. Let me just be amazed by your grace. But Christians, it's an assumption that you want to do good works. And so how do you do good works? How can you continue to do works for the length of your life? And so I instruct you today, ask yourself, how are you training me, God? What are some trial, storms, broken situations that he's put in your life? How are you addressing them? Are you looking at them as inconveniences? Are you dismissing them as insignificant compared to the greater things out there, outside of your household that you want to do? Are you handling them unfaithfully with a poor attitude? Really ask yourself, Lord, how are you training me? Again, I said James one, one through five as the passage that I've just recited in my mind. The Lord use the simple set of verses to help me through this season and it's what I want to meditate on today to drive home this point. And I just want to hammer home, the main single point of the sermon is the degree to which Christians can stay committed to good works for God is dependent upon the degree to which they can rejoice in their training from God. The degree to which Christians can stay committed to good works for God is dependent upon the degree to which they can rejoice in their training from God. And so this is, I pull this from James one chapters one through five, and I just want to just belabor this point because I think it's so essential. Especially for a young, really hopeful believers. We have a very young church and we have a tendency to just look, see people post on social media, read books of great endeavors that Christians have taken up through history at the cost of really having sight for how the Lord is teaching us, training us, using us in day-to-day life. So I'm going to read James one, one through five and continue on this point and we'll walk through the text to elaborate on it. So I have my Bible down there. Can't fit my notes in my Bible here. So I'll read from my notes. James one, this is the word of our Lord. James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes of the dispersion, greetings. Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness habits full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him. So who is James? The little background kind of emphasizes the thrust of the points going forward. Who's James? James is the brother of Jesus, the half-brother of Jesus. The son of Mary and Joseph, one of the sons. And the Apostle Paul mentions that James actually got a special visitation post resurrection from Jesus, first Corinthians 15, 6 to 7 says, then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to the apostles. Perhaps this is the moment that James committed his life to Christ, received him as his savior and Lord. 4 John 75 says, for not even his brothers, Jesus believed him. And I just dab into this background because it makes the first word of the book of the James amazing. James one, one. James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. A servant, doulas in the Greek. It means servant, slave, bond servant. A bond servant is someone who willingly dedicated their entire life to service to another. So James says he's a bond servant of Jesus Christ, this brother that grew up in his household. Further, James goes on to say that he's a bond servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. In doing this, he's equating Jesus Christ with God. And that's pretty amazing given that Jesus again was his earthly brother. And I just want to elaborate on this point because this is one of the reasons why we believed scripture. A guy who grew up with Jesus, lived his life and in submission and believe saw him as a savior. And James writes here about suffering. He probably suffered for the sake of his brother's kingdom, not just advised the church as he does in these verses. So at the end of verse one, James tells us that the letter is addressed to the 12 tribes of the dispersion. This doesn't mean that it's not relevant for gentiles in his day or us. What this reference to 12 tribes is an appeal to persecution, a persecution that happened amongst his readers. James was one of the leaders. He was Jewish, he was one of the pastors of the church, placed his faith in Christ, became a pastor, committed his life to Christ. And at one point during the history of his tenure, there was a great persecution of the Jews. He's appealing to a time when believers, probably primarily Jewish believers were persecuted and scattered. And scripture talks about in Acts 7 when Saul, before he became the Apostle Paul, persecuted Steven, went house to house persecuting Christians. Act 8, one says, and there are rose on that day, a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem and they're all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samara except the apostles. And so James is appealing to this group of believers who have been persecuted and it's not just they face persecution from Jews who were mad that they became Christian. It's probably you have to think about the internal family strife that they faced. They left. Think of any Jewish friends you have today and what it would mean for them socially, familiarly to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. These people experienced it to the stream. They're probably kicked out of households, lost their inheritance, lives worth, physically threatened for Jesus. And all of this really just drives home, just makes James next words just that much more powerful when he says, count it all joy my brothers and sisters ] when you meet trials of various kinds. And so James is talking to these people, this population who's been scattered, persecuted, probably kicked out of their homes and he is telling them to count it all joy. Everything that they're facing and it's just, we have to pause here because it is ludicrous. We're allowed to look at the text and say, this sounds crazy. Trials, conflicts, persecutions, storms. They're not things we typically consider to be joyful. Rather, we tend to think of them and label them with other derogatory terms. But James is trying to get his audience and us to zoom out of our worldly logic. He's trying to get Christians to consider what he is saying with supernatural logic. He's appealing to the cross of Jesus Christ here. Apart from the central story of Christianity, this call to count at all joy when you meet trials of various kinds makes no sense. And so how does someone look at trials, conflict and experience joy? It's only if you believe that the most excruciating experience of pain in the history of the world, the most ugly act of violence against the sinless son of God. If you only believe that this moment of Jesus Christ, the sinless son of God being put on the cross, was redeemed into the most beautiful act of history in the world, the resurrection that procured the salvation of God's children. Then you can count sufferings, trials, storms, tests, training as joy. And so, no, this isn't like sadistic like advice from James. He doesn't want these people to suffer because he is evil. He's not alone in providing such wisdom and scripture. God is not a sadist. Again, he's calling them to rejoice. He's not saying rejoice because this trial is in your life. The fact of it, he's saying rejoice in it. Seek joy in it. There's a big difference there. And he's saying, look, Christian, you are struggling right now, but you're not facing anything that compares to the struggle that Jesus Christ experienced when his own father turned his back on him for your salvation. He's saying, if you believe that Jesus Christ, his just terrible death was the means for God to procure your salvation, your redemption. You can trust the Lord in this moment, trust that he's sovereign over it, trust that he can use it for your good in his glory. And so James is appealing to the central part of Christianity. When he says, count it all joy. The Lord does work in this mysterious way where he can use brokenness for his glory and that's the source of hope for Christians when we are facing trials. And notice that the text doesn't say count it all joy if you meet trials. It says count it all joy when you meet trials. The assumption is that every single Christian worships a God who redeemed us, not in despite of Christ's suffering, but through Christ's suffering. And so Christ himself said, a servant could not be above his master. Every Christian is going to face suffering. This Christian life is not just a rosy walk where you are going through life and everything goes well for you and people when you share the gospel always receive you kindly. It's going to be a challenging one. And so how are you going to respond? Do you believe that Christian, do you believe you can actually have joy in it? And we need to be thinking along these lines. If we're not expecting the trials, not expecting the pain of some of these situations as Christian, we're just going to live in shock. And how do many Christians respond to trials? There's a few typical ways. A lot of Christians face challenges and they just get paralyzed. They say, I am too frightened about facing this head on. I don't want to engage the tension. I can't see the way forward in my own strength and they just become just useless for the kingdom. A lot of Christians, they face trials and what do they do? They over busy themselves to escape the fact that there's a tension lingering in their life. There's a situation that they have to trust God but they don't want to. They'll do everything they can to distract themselves. A lot of people just don't acknowledge it and they sweep it under the rug and then it comes back to really biting them. And so we can't be shocked by these tests and we know that facing them in faith is good. And that's what James says, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. For you know it's an appeal to something that we know, but something that we tend to selectively forget as Christians. When we're lashing out, when we're groaning, when we're complaining about the difficulty or simply avoiding it all together. We know that the Lord, especially when we look upon the cross, can use the most trying of circumstances for his glory. And so we know this, we know that the pain of a good workout results in a good pump and greater strength, greater flexibility, greater energy levels. We know this, like we know that studying for a test does often, more often than not result in greater results on the exam. We know that preparing, putting the time to prepare for a recital pays off in better performance. But in our faith, when we're challenged by trials, we don't lose this all together. We don't pause and think, how could God be using me for his glory? How could he be strengthening me and sanctifying me for greater works in the future? We easily forget this and I do too. I'm guilty. I had many times where in the past few weeks I just got overtaken by anger before just the Lord convicted me or my wife God on me. But James says that we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. Steadfastness, a better translation here instead of steadfastness might be endurance. The testing of our faith produces endurance. In the Greek, the word carries the meaning of the perseverance that it takes to finish a marathon. That's significant. For the Bible talks about the Christian life, it speaks of it in terms of a long race like a marathon. 2 Timothy 4, 6 to 7 says, for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departures come. This is the Apostle Paul toward the end of his ministry. I've fought the good fight. I've finished the race, I've kept the faith. I was thinking in between services, it's like a life as a Christian is a long boxing match. And I'm from Philadelphia, so for some reason I thought was triggered to a lot of life is Rocky just taking on opponents that are so much better than him. But in the end he somehow finds the way. He wins or he loses righteously and earns the respect of his opponent and wins their heart over. But there's stick to the marathon. A lot of this life is like it's a marathon. Christian life is a marathon. A long race that requires a lot of preparation, a lot of endurance, a lot of pain tolerance to go forward. And we need to be realistic about that. I believe we're at this point because I know a lot of you are sprinters, a lot of you are good for going 50 meters to a hundred meters really fast. I've worked for churches for almost a decade now and you see so many people sign up, sign up for five ministry teams, just really pour themselves out, show up to everything for a couple of months, flame out. And then you see people in the church who are there at least for a year is a little bit better than the people who flame out and disappear in a couple months. You see a lot of people in the church for years just stuck in this cycle of going hard, burning out, going hard in engagement with the church and their faith, burning out. You need to maybe retain those sprinter tendencies with your work that might benefit you. But in your spiritual life, how do you change your approach to become a marathoner? And notice I'm not talking about 75% of the people who run the Boston Marathon. I've lived on Beacon Street, I still live a block away. I lived on the street of the Pittsburgh Marathon and watching marathons is very painful. You get that first wave and then you... I've always lived on my mile 15 and it's just people who shouldn't be running marathons just crawling their way forward and you just don't know how they'll get there. I find it to be very painful and I pray for them and I say, well, they're doing something that I'm not and I really fight my heart to respect them. But we are not called to be marathoners who are just limping through at mile 15. There's 26.2 miles in a marathon. And so as Christians we want to... Like how does that affect, how can that be a good witness for our great God? And there's this balance as Christians in day-to-day life, we don't need to lead with our strength. We lead with the fact by telling people I need God's grace daily, but at the same time we can pursue excellence for God's glory. And so we don't want to be marathon runners who, sprinters who flame out a hundred meters in. We don't want to be marathon runners who are just crawling forward at a snail's pace. You have to learn to walk far then you have to learn how to do a speed walk. You can do the Olympic silly style of walking. You can then learn how to jog and then try to get to a pace where you're running at a solid pace. And the Lord is using you to attract people to his kingdom as you just try to offer yourself as a living sacrifice to build your witness up daily. And so Christianity, it's a marathon. What James is doing to these primarily Jewish believers, he's not saying, I feel bad for you. You've been persecuted. Like there's not really much sympathy in his message. It's greetings, kind of cold hard wisdom. This is what you need and he's training them well. He just gets to the heart of you need to see that, pursue joy in these moments. You need to trust that the Lord and your challenges is growing you and there's a fruit of steadfastness, of perseverance that will help you finish the race. And we need to apply this in our own lives. We need to learn how to pace ourselves. And so when our faith is tested by storms, like we really have to pause and say, Lord, what are you teaching us? Verse four, he carries on. Let steadfastness slash endurance have its full effect so that you may be perfect. By perfect, he's not talking about being sinless necessarily or not messing up anymore. By perfect, he means having reached the finish line, finish the race, getting to the point of full flourishing and wholeness that God wants you to attain on this side of heaven. He's saying like go as far as you can in the pursuit of Christ-likeness and holiness. That's what the Lord is calling you to do. And in this life that use of let. Let steadfastness endurance have its full effect. He's saying you need to let hardship have its way with you so that you can finish the race, so that you can be made perfect, complete, lacking in nothing. There's this element to where we are responsible for the way that we respond to these trials and the way that we respond to them affects how much we get out of them. So God wants to give and his talking about God is being generous here. He wants to give you a lot of blessings, not just an eternity but in this life. And so how can you trust the Lord in them? He wants to give you blessings so that you can be a blessing and be able to better tell more people about the love and mercy of God. Do you really want that? If so, trust him in the tension, the challenges, complete, lacking in nothing. James is saying that God wants us to have the whole portion that this race, this life offers. And whatever that is, whatever it is for each of us, I think you can pause and ask, what is it that you think he wants you to have? What are you lacking in Christian character? What are you lacking in your gifting, in your arsenal of things you can use for the advancement of God's kingdom? What are you lacking in Christ-Likeness, holiness? That's probably what God is trying to grow in you in these moments, in these situations and hardships. And you have to pause and heed the lessons. For us to understand what James is talking about, we need to understand just a few key verses that are helpful here that continue in this main. Romans 8:28 says, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. We need to really know and believe that God has purpose, that the trials in our lives will bear fruit for his kingdom and for our good. And it's really a matter of faith here. And this is not prosperity gospel. I'm already telling you, you're going to face trials, but trust that the Lord can use them for the advancement of his kingdom and your good. It really comes down to in the moment, do you trust that he is using these situations for good? And that's right now, some of you are in hard phases and trials and it feels like torture. But can you stay present in the moment and trust that he might do good in your life through it, he might refine your character, he might give you perspective to be a better disciple. He might use you to save someone by staying faithful and not lashing out in the moment. Furthermore, Hebrews 12, 7:11 says, it is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons for what son is there whom his father does not discipline. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant. But later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. So God has purposed that through endurance in trials and storms, there will be a harvest of righteousness, a peaceful work of God that will come from this. So as you are going through life planning a lot of good works, but then being slowed down by these trials and conflicts and storms, are you open to God training you like this? Do you see these situations as inconveniences that stifle your interests on all those great works out there? Or do you see that God might be training you and he might be saying, this is the good work I want you to do right now. Stay faithful in it so that maybe I can bring you to that grand thing later. Will you have the faith to just trust God at his word with these verses? Do you want endurance and steadfastness? A lot of people, these are just foreign categories. The sprinter is out there. You just don't even know this. If people engage you this week and say you're a sprinter, you don't know steadfast. I love your witness for Christ when you're like on for about two weeks, but you don't know steadfastness, really seek it. Seek faithfulness in these moments, read, study this topic. The passage says, let steadfastness have its full effect. This is again, let. We need to let God the Holy Spirit speak to us, give us what we need to learn from our trials. We need to have a devotional life that on day-to-day basis to allow God as we engage his words, speak to us, to help us identify that lesson. He's trying to teach us God's promise says that he has good purposes for our trials. He's disciplining us like a father, but there's this element of responsibility to let. And so a lot of this letting is a check of our pride. A lot of Christians think I've suffered too much for the kingdom. I don't deserve this situation, this scenario. We have to be humble in difficult times even as we go further. And really the lesson is as you look at scripture, is those great leaders that God has given great responsibility to, he has humbled them through just brutal experiences. And that he couldn't use them for good things, until he just broke all elements of pride within their being. And we need to have humility and difficult times to say, Lord, I probably need to learn something from this. And there's an element of you can, James goes into this, count it all joy. There's an element to as the Lord is shaping you and training you, it can be joyful. For you can say, Lord, you have saved me. You have used the cross to save me. You have the power to use such a moment. You can use any challenge to refine me, shape me, grow your kingdom. Lord, have your way with me. Let your will be done. And that can be a very joyful process. You can have joy in the midst of sorrow and trial and you can have joy that just the existence of the sorrow is just an affirmation that God's loving fatherly hand of discipline is upon you. It can be joyful or you can resist it and ignore it and it can be dreadful. And a lot of Christians, you really need to learn to embrace this moment, all moments you're facing. Are you in it? Is it the will of God? If you're there, it is. And seek the presence of mind and the humility to receive what God has for you and even have the hope that you can't just survive it, but that you can have joy in it. And so Christian, what hinders you from hearing these lessons? A lot of people face challenges and trials and storms and they respond with just bitterness. Some of you might just be bitter. God has forced by his severe mercy hard situation on your life that really could be a great means of learning, of growth and steadfastness, of great growth and wisdom for you. But you are so mad at him that you have never paused to try to figure out why he did that, what his purposes could be, what perspective, how he could use that for his glory going forward. Are you just a Christian that doesn't want to hear any of this because you're bitter? Christian is it bad theology? Someone told you that Christian life would be easy? Has someone told you that God only has good things and good plans for you? The tendency of the struggle with these kinds of things like yeah, God works all things for the good who walk according to his purpose. But the issue in these situation is that people don't want to submit what is good to the ways that God has submitted it. And so what is good? It is all that which honors God, all that which grows Christ-likeness in me and in others and spreads forth God's kingdom. And so according to his word as the most blatant clear revelation of those things. And so have you surrendered what is good to God? If not, that's going to get in your way of having joy and learning and growing in these situations. Many of us are just really impatient. We live in an on-demand culture and we have been for decades. We don't really have to wait for anything. We don't see crops being grown outside. We don't see just how food is prepared. We put it in the microwave. We just get everything instantly. And we're not aware that just like the moment of time of history that we've been born into has bred just impatience in us. And so we need to pause and see just Lord sit back. One of the ways that a lot of Christians just are disobedient is that they don't take a Sabbath. They don't pursue, they don't commit a whole day to the Lord for they have greater good things to do. And there's no way the Lord will contradict himself. He wants you to pause once a week to take in, to let your body, let your heart, let your mind refresh, to better take in how he is working in your life and how you can from that day forward better serve him in your life. A lot of Christians, what they wrongly do is they get lost in a bit of a prosperity gospel. Just believing that God is only working and they're flourishing their success and they rebuke moments of trials and discomfort and convenience as something that just must be denied altogether or declared as satanic. They don't have eyes to see, ears to hear, they completely missed the moments of trials. And these people just get stunted in there development. Everything is over spiritualized. There's no reflection in the moment of, Lord, I'm in this situation. This is hard. Search me and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. See if there'll be any grievous way with me and lead me in the way of everlasting. There's no heart check. It's always something on the outside that is causing, Satan particularly, that's causing this inconvenience. And so people blame the devil, they blame other things. A lot of Christians just look at hardship and say, I'm doing something wrong. And that is right there, the gospel is that we're not saved by our works. We're saved by God's grace. His grace is always there to save us, to help us in the way forward. And we're just stuck in an achievement type mentality. And know sometimes God has ordained hardship for us. And ultimately what this text is teaching, it's for our joy, for our good, for our ability to persevere. One Peter 4:19 encapsulates a lot, basically all that I've said. Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good. And so it's a faithful and trust your soul to a faithful creator while suffering, while doing good. And it really is a matter of faith in these moments. Can you trust God when you're facing the trial, when he's put hardship in your life to train you? Says, will you trust him? And that's a yes or no. And if you're going to be split minded about it, that joy, that ability to see the situation through in a way that glorifies him will not be there. And after all of this, we ask, why does God test us? Why does he train us like this as his disciples? And God doesn't put us in the fire, the crucible just because it gives him pleasure. He puts us in the fire because he cares more about holiness instead of momentary happiness. Because he knows that holiness breeds true joy and joy that's rooted in him and that's what he wants. If he really wants what is best for us, he's going to just expose us just to that which is going to bring about true holiness, true joy. And he is good in it. Even if in the moment it's hard for us to understand that and agree. God, ultimately, he's trying to breed greater dependence on him than us. Verse five says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him. So God doesn't want us to go forward doing our work for his kingdom, thinking that it all depends on us. He wants us to grow in our dependence on him. He knows that we are going to stop short in the race if we do it on our own strength. He wants us to become more and more dependent on him and trust that his Holy Spirit is there with us and working in us and through us. Furthermore, he wants us to develop a loving and abiding relationship with him. When we are stretched in this cycle of going out, being stretched, being faithful in the tense moments to the point that our bodies, our souls are on the brink of being crushed to our mindset, but then we're drawn in and we go to Him. He wants us to get to truly see that he, his presence, his wisdom is actually what satisfies our souls and gives us joy. It's not achieving anything in the world, it's not showing our own strength, it's just living in his presence. These challenges force us to go to him in communion and say, God, help me. It challenges us to learn more about him, to understand how he works. And when you understand that, you grow in your appreciation and love for him, you grow in your appreciation of how he is sovereignly directing your life, shaping and cultivating you to become more like Christ and you love him all the more. Your faith goes from just an appreciation of deliverance from sin and the power of sin and the chance of be in heaven to God, I just love you because I love you. As I see your heart, as I see your ability to redeem the hardest, the most challenging of moments for your glory, for my good, for the salvation and sanctification of others in my life. I love you more. And do you really want that? That's a deepening of faith that a lot of people, because they just don't even stay present in trials, they don't even know this experience of Christianity. Of just, I love this life because I know God, you are with me. That's all I need. That's all I want. Use me as you will. And if that means struggle and conflict and trial, so be it. And so when Christians understand this, it changes them. It gives you wholeness as you are forced to just lean on the Lord more and more because you turn to him, you receive his guidance, you receive as counsel, it becomes a greater part of you. And so you have to master this. If you want to do good works for God, we can't really start off with a sermon on listing them out, on identifying the most important ones, on how we and our contexts can do the most for His glory here. If you don't understand how he trains you, if you don't understand the cycle of going to him in the midst of the trial to be satisfied, to find the way forward. And so Christian, do you want to do good works? Do you want to commit yourself to them for the rest of your life? Do you want to persevere to the end being used tremendously by God? I ask, think about how is God training you right now and rejoice in the training. Let me pray to close. Heavenly Father, we praise you for your wisdom. We praise you that what is foolishness to men is a means of your glory and our glory and our growth. Lord, you have the ability to just use the darkest of moments, the most challenging of moments, the graves of sin for your eternal purposes of redemption and making us new and bringing about, just working toward the return of Jesus Christ. Lord, we pray, give us faith to trust you. To trust that in the hardship you are working in us and through us, and training us so that we might love you more and we might have greater capacity to serve you if we trust you through it. Give us faith to trust that we can actually have joy in the midst of sorrow and trial and hardship. Give us great hope that all of this sacrifice is worth it. That when we lay ourselves down daily, you are glorified and that you are actually using these moments for your eternal purposes. And let us trust that your wisdom is so much higher than ours. And when we do this, let us just have peace. Peace that transcends understanding. And as we exhibit that peace, use it to draw others home to your kingdom. Pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

This Christian life is about surrender, which will require that we give everything to God.  This expectation of generosity and willingness to let go should not make us nervous or bring thoughts of scarcity and need.  God's abundance is revealed when we abundantly surrender all to him.

This Christian meditation for mental health comes from years of my own meditation practice and integrates teachings from both eastern and western faiths - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Taoism. This anxiety meditation is also helpful for depression, self-worth or self-esteem issues, or to simply calm the mind.TO EXPERIENCE THE OTHER 4 MEDITATIONS IN THIS COURSE, CLICK HERE: https://www.becomeagoodman.com/the-anxiety-meditationsGod bless. Explore other addiction recovery and mental health meditation coursesExplore the 5-Month Recovery ProgramJoin the Private Facebook Group to help you quit pornDownload my free ebook & audiobook with tips on quitting pornYouTube: https://youtu.be/wY_mvahrrdENo More Desire

If you missed Part 1, please check that out first HERE!Part II: The Practice of Love by the Church as a “Community of Love” (19 - 39)Now that the exploration of the concept of love is finished, Pope Benedict turns his attention to the concrete. We have answered what love is, now we see how love is lived. The Church's charitable activity as a manifestation of Trinitarian love (19)Part II begins by speaking on the Church's charitable activity as a manifestation of Trinitarian love. Concretely there is nothing more *real* than the Blessed Trinity. The Godhead is a unity of three Divine Persons who are in a community of life and love: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father eternally begets and loves the Son, the perfect self-image of the Father, who eternally reflects that perfect love back to the Father. The love outpoured eternally between Father and Son is the Person of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from each eternally. If nothing I said makes any sense, that is okay! Trinitarian theology is remarkably complicated and nuanced because it is the mystery of God, as He is. Mystery though it is, God is the source of all, as Trinity. And so, how can we recognize the Trinity? The Pope quotes St. Augustine in saying: “If you see charity, you see the Trinity (19).”God created all things, seen and unseen, in a plan of sheer loving goodness. When God sent His Son to assume our humanity, He invited us, in love, to share in His divinity. We can say that the mystery of the Church is the drawing of men into the mystery of God. The Father “wishes to make humanity a single family in his Son (19).” He does this through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit who the Pope speaks of as “the energy which transforms the heart of the ecclesial community, so that it becomes a witness before the world to the love of the Father (19).” Gathering all men to Himself as the Church, the Father “seeks the integral good of man (19).” This seeking of our good, the Pope says, is an expression of love in the entire activity of the Church. By His Word and the Sacraments, the Church shares the reality of the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world. What greater love can we share with our fellow man than the work of evangelization?Charity as a responsibility of the Church (20 - 25)This outward act of love of evangelization does not end with the spiritual but also includes the corporal. Charity is a responsibility of the whole Church, clergy, religious, and laity. From the beginning, Jesus Christ established the Church upon four pillars, outlined by Acts 2:42: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” These four pillars give structure to the Church in every age and are reflected in the Catechism of the Council of Trent and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The apostolic teaching is doctrine. Fellowship, also translated as communal life, is the moral life in Christ. The breaking of the bread is the early term for the Eucharist and for the Sacraments generally. And prayer is Christian prayer, perfectly expressed in the Our Father which our Lord gave us.Pope Benedict gives attention in paragraph 20 of Deus Caritas Est to this idea of fellowship, communion, or communal life. The Greek word in Acts is koinonia. Koinonia “consists in the fact that believers hold all things in common and that among them, there is no longer any distinction between rich and poor (20).” This sort of radical communal life is part and parcel of early Christianity. But as the Pope remarks:“As the Church grew, this radical form of material communion could not in fact be preserved. But its essential core remained: within the community of believers there can never be room for a poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life (20).”When it became necessary, the Church instituted the clerical office of the Diaconate, the first level of participation in the priesthood of Jesus Christ and the lowest level of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. A diakonos was historically a servant of the king. And so, the Deacon, is a servant of Christ the King and his vicar in a particular diocese, the bishop. They were to provide for the spiritual and corporal needs of the people. As Pope Benedict puts it:“... the social which they were meant to provide was absolutely concrete, yet at the same time it was also a spiritual service; theirs was a truly spiritual office which carried out an essential responsibility of the Church, namely a well-ordered love of neighbour (21).”This system of charity must have been a formidable force in the ancient world because the Roman leader Julian the Apostate, who rejected Christianity and tried to instantiate Neoplatonic Hellenism, told his pagan priests that they needed to imitate and outdo the Church's charity. Of course, they failed because imitation can never capture what is authentically of God.Beyond the diaconate, the proclamation of the Good News, and the liturgy were indispensable to the Church. As the Pope puts it:“The Church's deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: of proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia), and exercising the ministry of charity (diakonia). These duties presuppose each other and are inseparable (25).”Though the Church is now worldwide and the radical form of community of the early Church is less possible, the Church is nonetheless responsible for Her Members. The needs of the People of God are not only spiritual. Like any family, the Church is obliged to care for the necessities of those in the Church, in a particular way. As Benedict says:“The Church is God's family in the world. In this family no one ought to go without the necessities of life… Without in any way detracting from this commandment of universal love, the Church also has a specific responsibility: within the ecclesial family no member should suffer through being in need (25).”Justice and Charity (26 - 29)After concluding the section on the responsibility of charity in the Church, the Pope moves on to a fairly expansive conversation of justice and charity. Rooted deeply in Catholic social teaching, expounded since Pope Leo XIII especially, Pope Benedict begins by addressing the elephant in the room: Karl Marx. Since the nineteenth century, Marxists have critiqued the Church saying that “the poor… do not need charity but justice (26).” Benedict offers a steel-man explanation of the Marxist critique, saying:“Works of charity—almsgiving—are in effect a way for the rich to shirk their obligation to work for justice and a means of soothing their consciences, while preserving their own status and robbing the poor of their rights. Instead of contributing through individual works of charity to maintaining the status quo, we need to build a just social order in which all receive their share of the world's goods and no longer have to depend on charity (26).”He admits that there is some merit to the argument, but there is much that is mistaken. Historically, capital became concentrated in the hands of a powerful few and there has been conflict between employer and laborer. But rather than succumbing the Hegelian notion which Marx put forward of class warfare and revolution, the Pope offers that Catholic social teaching is applicable beyond the confines of the Church, saying:“Marxism had seen world revolution and its preliminaries as the panacea for the social problem: revolution and the subsequent collectivization of the means of production, so it was claimed, would immediately change things for the better. This illusion has vanished. In today's complex situation, not least because of the growth of a globalized economy, the Church's social doctrine has become a set of fundamental guidelines offering approaches that are valid even beyond the confines of the Church: in the face of ongoing development these guidelines need to be addressed in the context of dialogue with all those seriously concerned for humanity and for the world in which we live (27).”Commitment to Justice and Ministry of CharityThe Church, and the world, has a necessary commitment to justice and the ministry of charity. There is no dichotomy between justice and charity. Both are necessary. First, “the just ordering of society and the State is a central responsibility of politics (28),” says the Pope. Quoting St. Augustine, he says: “a State which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves… (28).”Venturing into the subject of freedom of religion in a State, Pope Benedict says that,“The State may not impose religion, yet it must guarantee religious freedom and harmony between the followers of different religions. For her part, the Church, as the social expression of Christian faith, has a proper independence and is structured on the basis of her faith as a community which the State must recognize. The two spheres are distinct, yet always interrelated (28).”In other words: the State cannot coerce the Church. Rather the Church is independent of the State but interrelated with the State. What faithful Catholic can switch off their Catholicism when they engage in matters of politics and the State? They cannot. Only unfaithful Catholics attempt this, which results in deadly scandal and sin. Why is this? It is because God is the Lawgiver; He alone created all that is and He alone is the arbiter of morality.Justice is the aim of politics, properly understood and it is the criteria for good politics. Politics is not merely about rules governing public life: “its origin and its goal,” say the Pope, “are found in justice, which by its very nature has to do with ethics (28).”If justice is the aim and internal criterion of politics, as Benedict says, then why do Catholics need anything beyond reason? Why is faith necessary for true justice? Benedict explains:“Faith by its specific nature is an encounter with the living God—an encounter opening up new horizons extending beyond the sphere of reason. But it is also a purifying force for reason itself. From God's standpoint, faith liberates reason from its blind spots and therefore helps it to be ever more fully itself. Faith enables reason to do its work more effectively and to see its proper object more clearly… Its aim is simply to help purify reason and to contribute, here and now, to the acknowledgment and attainment of what is just (28).”If Faith is necessary, then is the Pope calling on the Church to engage directly in matters of State? Not quite. A just social and civil order is ordered towards each person receiving his or her due, which is an essential task in every generation. But it is a political task and therefore is a human responsibility rather than an ecclesial responsibility. The Church can help to purify our powers of reason and provide ethical formation. Benedict also says clearly, “The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice (28).”The clergy are called to sanctify the laity and the laity are sent out into the world to sanctify the temporal order. Love is NecessaryEven in the best, most just societies, love will always be necessary. Care and concern for the other will always happen best on the local level. This is the principle of subsidiarity which holds that the best decisions are made on the lowest possible level and the highest level necessary. In fact, injustices stem from a higher level claiming authority over something which in fact belongs naturally to someone personally closer to the situation. Against totalitarianism of this kind, Pope Benedict writes beautifully of the bigger, complicated picture:“We do not need a State which regulates and controls everything, but a State which, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, generously acknowledges and supports initiatives arising from the different social forces and combines spontaneity with closeness to those in need. The Church is one of those living forces: she is alive with the love enkindled by the Spirit of Christ. This love does not simply offer people material help, but refreshment and care for their souls, something which often is even more necessary than material support. In the end, the claim that just social structures would make works of charity superfluous masks a materialist conception of man: the mistaken notion that man can live “by bread alone” (Mt 4:4; cf. Dt 8:3)—a conviction that demeans man and ultimately disregards all that is specifically human (28).”As I mentioned earlier, the clergy are called to sanctify the laity and the laity are sent out into the world to sanctify the temporal order. In this way, the Pope says:“The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society, on the other hand, is proper to the lay faithful. As citizens of the State, they are called to take part in public life in a personal capacity… The mission of the lay faithful is therefore to configure social life correctly, respecting its legitimate autonomy and cooperating with other citizens according to their respective competences and fulfilling their own responsibility (29).” The Church, of course, still sponsors organizations which practice charity. But this is not merely an activity of justice because it is focused on the admixture of the love of God, which is a universal human need. As Benedict says,“The Church's charitable organizations, on the other hand, constitute an opus proprium, a task agreeable to her, in which she does not cooperate collaterally, but acts as a subject with direct responsibility, doing what corresponds to her nature. The Church can never be exempted from practicing charity as an organized activity of believers, and on the other hand, there will never be a situation where the charity of each individual Christian is unnecessary, because in addition to justice man needs, and will always need, love (29).”The multiple structures of charitable service in the social context of the present day (30)Because there is never going to be a situation where individual Christians are unneeded in charitable service, Pope Benedict recognizes the social context of the present day. Long since gone is the time of Christendom when Christian kingdoms ruled. Now, there are many different types of governments, organizations, nonprofits, and social structures. Even our way of communicating is different now. As the Pope says, “Mass communication has narrowed the distance between peoples and cultures (30).” Despite the narrowing of the distance, there is still work to be done in making sure that no one is forgotten. These groups are diverse, but they all are marked with the love of God. The Pope remarks that, “Numerous organizations have arisen that are a cooperation of State and Church, but these agencies still have a Christian quality (30).” This Christian quality is not a vague echo of the love of Jesus Christ. Rather, it is a direct result of Church agencies cooperating with State agencies. Also, due to the growing amount of leisure time afforded to modern man, especially among the youth, the Pope says, “our time has also seen a growth and spread of different kinds of volunteer work, which assume responsibility for providing a variety of services (30).” What is clear is that there are a myriad of ways to get involved; however, love compels us to leave the sidelines and get in the game.In non-Catholic Churches and Ecclesial Communities, there has also been a new rising of charitable activity, with new life and energy. The Catholic Church must have a readiness, Pope Benedict says, to:“cooperate with the charitable agencies of these Churches and Communities, since we all have the same fundamental motivation and look towards the same goal: a true humanism, which acknowledges that man is made in the image of God and wants to help him to live in a way consonant with that dignity (30).”Ideally, all Christians and all people of good will would work with a united voice to inculcate, as Pope Benedict says, quoting St. John Paul II in Ut Unum Sint, “respect for the rights and needs of everyone, especially the poor, the lowly and the defenseless (30).”Thank you for reading Will Wright Catholic. This post is public so feel free to share it.The distinctiveness of the Church's charitable activity (31)After speaking on the interplay of Church and State cooperation, Pope Benedict then turns his attention to the distinctiveness of the Church's charitable activity. The Pontiff explains that there are a few essential elements of Christian and ecclesial charity.First, there must be a simple response to immediate needs and specific situations. Second, and related to the first, resources and personnel needed for the work must be provided. Though Pope Benedict does not mention subsidiarity here by name, I think it is worth mentioning. Subsidiarity is the principle of Catholic social teaching which says that the best decision is made at the highest level necessary and the lowest level possible. Why leave a decision best left to the local Parish to the Vatican, for example? The local communities all need to strive to care for those in their immediate vicinity.The third essential element of Christian and ecclesial charity is that individuals who care for those in need must be professionally competent and properly trained. As the Pope explains:“We are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need something more than technically proper care. They need humanity. They need heartfelt concern. Those who work for the Church's charitable organizations must be distinguished by the fact that they do not merely meet the needs of the moment, but they dedicate themselves to others with heartfelt concern, enabling them to experience the richness of their humanity… Consequently, in addition to their necessary professional training, these charity workers need a “formation of the heart”: they need to be led to that encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to others. As a result, love of neighbor will no longer be for them a commandment imposed, so to speak, from without, but a consequence deriving from their faith, a faith which becomes active through love (cf. Gal 5:6) (31).”The fourth essential element is that Christian charitable activity must be independent of parties and ideologies. Charitable activity is not a useful means to a longer end goal. It is not done to change the world ideologically, nor is at “at the service of worldly strategems,” says Pope Benedict, “but is a way of making present here and now the love which man always needs (31).” As a Church of Christ rather than a ‘church of causes,' we must follow the “program of Jesus” which is a “a heart which sees (31).” The Pope continues:“This heart sees where love is needed and acts accordingly. Obviously when charitable activity is carried out by the Church as a communitarian initiative, the spontaneity of individuals must be combined with planning, foresight and cooperation with other similar institutions (31).”Fifth and finally, charity cannot be used as a means of engaging in proselytism. Pope Benedict clearly states:“Love is free; it is not practiced as a way of achieving other ends. But this does not mean that charitable activity must somehow leave God and Christ aside. For it is always concerned with the whole man. Often the deepest cause of suffering is the very absence of God… A Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak (31).”Having given these five essential elements of Christian charity, who is responsible for the Church's charitable activity?Those responsible for the Church's charitable activity (32 - 39)Charity is such a deep action of the Church that it is part of Her identity. So, those responsible for charitable activity are the whole Church: bishops, priests, deacons, lay, and religious. In regard to bishops, Pope Benedict says the following:“In the rite of episcopal ordination, prior to the act of consecration itself, the candidate must respond to several questions which express the essential elements of his office and recall the duties of his future ministry. He promises expressly to be, in the Lord's name, welcoming and merciful to the poor and to all those in need of consolation and assistance. The Code of Canon Law, in the canons on the ministry of the Bishop, does not expressly mention charity as a specific sector of episcopal activity, but speaks in general terms of the Bishop's responsibility for coordinating the different works of the apostolate with due regard for their proper character (32).”He goes on to say once again that no one is off the hook from doing charitable work. Okay, he does not put it quite that way. He says this:“With regard to the personnel who carry out the Church's charitable activity on the practical level, the essential has already been said: they must not be inspired by ideologies aimed at improving the world, but should rather be guided by the faith which works through love… Consequently, more than anything, they must be persons moved by Christ's love, persons whose hearts Christ has conquered with his love, awakening within them a love of neighbor (33).”Of course it is always the love of Christ which marks our meritorious work. Charity inflames us to do good, in and through Christ, apart from Whom we can do nothing of true merit. Christ came to redeem the whole world and God loves each man and woman. Interior openness to Christ and His love is what makes the service of Christ's disciples so distinctive. St. Paul's hymn to charity in 1 Cor. 13 teaches us that service is more than activity alone: “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, I gain nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).” Pope Benedict refers to this hymn as the “Magna Carta of all ecclesial service (34)” and the summary of all the reflections on love which he offers in Deus Caritas Est.He goes on to say:“Practical activity will always be insufficient, unless it visibly expresses a love for man, a love nourished by an encounter with Christ. My deep personal sharing in the needs and sufferings of others becomes a sharing of my very self with them: if my gift is not to prove a source of humiliation, I must give to others not only something that is my own, but my very self; I must be personally present in my gift (34).”When we serve in this self-giving way, we learn humility and grow in humility. As Pope Benedict beautifully reminds us:“We recognize that we are not acting on the basis of any superiority or greater personal efficiency, but because the Lord has graciously enabled us to do so… We offer him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as he grants us the strength. To do all we can with what strength we have, however, is the task which keeps the good servant of Jesus Christ always at work: ‘The love of Christ urges us on' (2 Cor 5:14) (35).”Finding the BalanceUrged on by the love of Christ, it is easy to lose balance. “When we consider the immensity of others' needs, we can, on the one hand,” Pope Benedict says, “be driven towards an ideology that would aim at doing what God's governance of the world apparently cannot: fully resolving every problem. Or we can be tempted to give in to inertia, since it would seem that in any event nothing can be accomplished (36).”So, how can we overcome these temptations? How can we find balance and keep the seesaw from tipping completely one way or the other? Pope Benedict continues:“At such times, a living relationship with Christ is decisive if we are to keep on the right path, without falling into an arrogant contempt for man, something not only unconstructive but actually destructive, or surrendering to a resignation which would prevent us from being guided by love in the service of others. Prayer, as a means of drawing ever new strength from Christ, is concretely and urgently needed. People who pray are not wasting their time, even though the situation appears desperate and seems to call for action alone (36).”Personal Relationship with GodPrayer is vital if we are to live in and with God. Prayer is our life blood. Our entire life can become a prayer if continually drawn deeply from the well of Christ. With the scourge of secularism prowling and the misguided extreme arm of activism, Christians are engaged in charitable work. Prayer is the antidote to this worldly spirit. A personal relationship with our loving Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit is utterly necessary. Pope Benedict puts it this way:“Clearly, the Christian who prays does not claim to be able to change God's plans or correct what he has foreseen. Rather, he seeks an encounter with the Father of Jesus Christ, asking God to be present with the consolation of the Spirit to him and his work (37).”The Problem of EvilThis personal relationship with God is all the more necessary for us in the midst of the problem of evil. We can often experience bewilderment and fail to understand the world around us. In these moments, the Pope says:“Christians continue to believe in the ‘goodness and loving kindness of God' (Tit 3:4). Immersed like everyone else in the dramatic complexity of historical events, they remain unshakably certain that God is our Father and loves us, even when his silence remains incomprehensible (38).”Faith, Hope, and CharityIn the midst of darkness, we trust in the love of God which surpasses all understanding. The theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, God's own life, have been instilled in our soul through the gift of Baptism. These theological virtues go together. Pope Benedict teaches us:“Hope is practiced through the virtue of patience, which continues to do good even in the face of apparent failure, and through the virtue of humility, which accepts God's mystery and trusts him even at times of darkness. Faith tells us that God has given his Son for our sake and gives us the victorious certainty that it is really true: God is love! It thus transforms our impatience and our doubts into the sure hope that God holds the world in his hands and that, as the dramatic imagery of the end of the Book of Revelation points out, in spite of all darkness he ultimately triumphs in glory (39).”We cannot see the full picture; only God does. And He has revealed so much to us. More than revelation, He has given us Himself. He shares in our humanity that we might share in His divinity. In Baptism, we are given the light and made to be the light to the world, in and through Christ. Pope Benedict sums up his first encyclical this way:“Faith, which sees the love of God revealed in the pierced heart of Jesus on the Cross, gives rise to love. Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working. Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world—this is the invitation I would like to extend with the present Encyclical (39).”Conclusion (40 - 42)As was the practice with his predecessor, Pope Benedict dedicates the conclusion of his document to the Mother of God, Mary most holy. Truly, each of the saints are a beautiful witness to the charity of God in every way imaginable. However, there is a preeminence to the holy charity of our Blessed Mother, the first disciple of her Holy Son, Jesus Christ.I highly recommend reading the entire Conclusion (and the whole document, really) in full. But I would like to draw what resonated most with me. I simply love the way Pope Benedict speaks about our Blessed Mother. He says:“Mary's greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself. She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:38, 48) She knows that she will only contribute to the salvation of the world if, rather than carrying out her own projects, she places herself completely at the disposal of God's initiatives (41).” How often do you and I carry out our own projects, without putting ourselves at the disposal of God's initiatives. Mary, form us, teach us! The Pope goes on:“Mary is a woman who loves. How could it be otherwise? As a believer who in faith thinks with God's thoughts and wills with God's will, she cannot fail to be a woman who loves. We sense this in her quiet gestures, as recounted by the infancy narratives in the Gospel. We see it in the delicacy with which she recognizes the need of the spouses at Cana and makes it known to Jesus. We see it in the humility with which she recedes into the background during Jesus' public life, knowing that the Son must establish a new family and that the Mother's hour will come only with the Cross, which will be Jesus' true hour (cf. Jn 2:4; 13:1). When the disciples flee, Mary will remain beneath the Cross (cf. Jn 19:25-27); later, at the hour of Pentecost, it will be they who gather around her as they wait for the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14) (41).”Mary was there through it all. By her “yes” the Word of God took flesh, provided by her own body. Even despite her prominence and grandeur, the humility of the Theotokos is led by love. She loves with the love of God flowing through her as a perfect vessel and she loves with a human, motherly love. The Pope goes on:“Mary, Virgin and Mother, shows us what love is and whence it draws its origin and its constantly renewed power. To her we entrust the Church and her mission in the service of love (42).”Here Pope Benedict ends with a prayer to the Theotokos, which I would like to end today's article with as well. Please join me in praying:“Holy Mary, Mother of God, you have given the world its true light, Jesus, your Son – the Son of God. You abandoned yourself completely to God's call and thus became a wellspring of the goodness which flows forth from him. Show us Jesus. Lead us to him. Teach us to know and love him, so that we too can become capable of true love and be fountains of living water in the midst of a thirsting world (42).”Amen. Get full access to Will Wright Catholic Podcast at www.willwrightcatholic.com/subscribe

Subscribe today for access to our full catalog of bonus episodes, including 2+ new episodes every month! www.patreon.com/boysbiblestudy This Christian parkour movie is full of rapture prophecy scripture painstakingly lifted from the King James Version of the Bible, and DIY death-defying stunts by a cast of Russian teen freerunners. LEAP is a low budget, backyard Christian film with a cult following. An upload of the film has over a million views on YouTube, which is apt because parkour itself is an internet video-based phenomenon, emerging in popularity around the time of LEAP's release. Director/writer Chris Tempel must have had the vision to see that young people would be open to hearing about the Bible in between compilations of cool teens doing parkour stunts, so he created this film that basically alternates parkour montages and extended Bible study sequences. Interestingly, the Bible study scenes are among the most conservative we've ever encountered in a Christian film. In one scene, the youth pastor character explicitly states that AIDS is God's earthly punishment for the crimes of homosexuality and adultery. Most Protestant films we encounter, especially ones aimed at teens, don't take on so heavy of a message — LEAP, however, is as bold as the dangerous dives over bike racks and picnic tables it depicts. The film even sets itself up for the biggest leap of all — an ambitious sequel (LEAP: RISE OF THE BEAST) that takes on the entire religion of Catholicism and its sick plot to induce the New World Order. We'll be covering the sequel next week on our show! View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for monthly streams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

Some people have careers while others have a calling. In the face of Hurricane Ian, it seems more people and organizations in the latter category are stepping up in a big way. I'm very pleased to introduce Steve Tybor - President & CEO of https://eightdaysofhope.com ( Eight Days of Hope). This Christian organization is a rapid response team for when disasters hit. They work through the local churches to "love and serve those in need." In this episode, you'll learn... One thing most people don't know about Steve How his background in building and construction led him to start Eight Days of Hope The special support they provide to disaster victims The construction services they are providing to residents of Sarasota and Fort Myers The Safe House ministry they recently started Stories that will warm your heart How you can get involved ... and much, much ... more Thank you for stopping by today it is my hope you will listen ... learn ... and connect! https://www.facebook.com/EightDaysofHope (Facebook) https://twitter.com/eightdaysofhope (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/eightdaysofhope/ (Instagram) https://www.youtube.com/user/EightDaysofHope1 (Youtube)

Is your teenager hearing from Jesus? When our kids encounter Jesus for themselves, everything changes. Drew Hill has worked with teens for more than 20 years and shares how parents can invite teens to (literally) walk with Jesus. In today's conversation, you'll learn about: 2:30 Meeting Jesus as a teenager 4:00 This Christian camp experience changed my life 6:00 Go on a walk - why is this transformational? 7:30 About the documentary Godspeed: The Pace of Being Known 9:10 What if our teens aren't interested in spiritual things - how can we help them get more interested? 12:00 What is the biggest change you've seen in youth ministry since smartphones? 14:10 We imagine things all the time 16:50 When should my kid get a phone? 19:45 I know I'm a phone addict… 24:00 Personal life lessons from Dr. Gary Chapman 28:00 Who is Crash the Rhino? Drew Hill is an award winning author and speaker. He serves as the head of school for the Covenant School in Greensboro, NC. He also works in the leadership of Young Life. He and his wife Natalie have five kids. Learn more about Drew and his book, Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers alongsideresources.com Watch the documentary Drew talked about: Godspeed, The Pace of Being Known Get Arlene's free Gratitude Workout - 10 ways to build the muscle of thanksgiving in your child's life. Subscribe at happyhomeuniversity.com The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Talk About. Use Promo Code HAPPYHOME to get 1 month free at TalkAboutDiscipleship.com.

Prodigal children are everywhere, but you are not to blame. Raising children to become like Christ, does not absolve parents from the chance that they may someday have a son or daughter who goes astray. Dr. Doug Weiss is the author of Prodigal Parent Process, a book and DVD series that provide support and wisdom for parents of prodigals. God gives free will to each child, Dr. Weiss shares, which means even the most perfect parent can end up with a kid who rejects Christ. Parents can be freed from the guilt and shame and protect their marriage when a child breaks their heart. This Christian psychologist reveals it's not about trying to bring a prodigal home, but about processing what happened and understanding that we don't have control over our child's actions.   TAKEAWAYS God gave humans free will, which throws out all the laws of cause and effect in parenting. Pray that Jesus will arrange circumstances for your prodigal child to meet other Godly people who will draw them back to Him. Parents are not responsible for the choices of their prodigal children. Siblings of prodigal children need love and space to process their feelings of hurt and anger caused by wayward brothers or sisters

Although our journey through Christian cinema has taken us many places, we always return home — the filmography of David A.R. White. He's the co-founder of Pure Flix, and the producer/actor/director behind so many of the most notable faith-based films. He defines the genre. The tones and themes that most people would associate with their conception of “Christian film” are inspired by David's body of work.  But IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE is an odd one even among his diverse catalog. This Christian take on GROUNDHOG DAY stars David as an atheist cop whose attempt to solve a kidnapping mystery while on vacation with his wife takes an unexpected turn when the rapture happens and traps him in a never-ending time loop. Joining us for this episode is our friend Anthony Banua-Simon. Anthony returns to the show to discuss his acclaimed debut feature documentary CANE FIRE and to lend his knowledge of David A.R. White to our discussion. We originally met Anthony because of his short documentary PURE FLIX AND CHILL (2018), which uses found footage and supercuts to present a compelling biography of David A.R. White, and proves definitively that David is the kingpin of Christian cinema.  Check CANE FIRE screening dates and eventual streaming release Watch PURE FLIX AND CHILL short documentary  View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for monthly streams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

Join us today as De Bolton leads a new episode of Be Still and Be Loved, where you'll practice training your heart, soul and mind to rest and receive the Father's love for you. This Christian mediation is a much needed time for you to pause in your day, be still, and know that you are LOVED by God. You will come away refreshed and renewed as De helps you quiet your mind and surrender what you've been fighting to the Lord as she speaks over you the words of Exodus 14:14. For more resources on how to cultivate the discipline of Biblical mediation, click on these links: What is Biblical Meditation? a blog post that explores this discipline #609 Be Still and Be Loved led by Alisa on 'Yahweh' in Psalm 103 Exercise Your Mental Muscle 21 days of instructor led Biblical meditation training and practice If you were blessed by this episode, we'd LOVE IT if you'd leave a five-star review! Your good word helps us spread the good news! Thanks for helping us make this possible! Connect with us at these places --> Revelation Wellness / Facebook / Instagram / RevWell TV / Youtube   You can also connect with De at Faith Fueled Mom or on Instagram.   Playlist:  All the Glory - William Augusto (17:04) Another in the Fire (studio) - Hillsong UNITED & TAYA (4:25)

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — This Christian “maternity ranch” in Texas meant to help new mothers is horrifying for so many reasons. (0:41) — “We have to have one religion,” says MAGA cultist Michael Flynn. (27:39) — Pastor Mark Burns, who's running for Congress, is calling for all laws that contradict his interpretation of the Bible to be declared illegal. (29:49) — A Christian news editor is resigning over the rightward shift of his parent company. (34:44) — A conservative writer who thinks FFRF is a “hate group” seems to agree with everything they're saying. (45:08) — A pastor who created a COVID outbreak says he was just doing “what God wanted.” (52:40) — Catholic bishop. Satanic erotica. Pig semen. (54:57) — The New Orleans Archdiocese is paying over $1 million to settle a case involving lies they told FEMA after Hurricane Katrina. (57:55) — One of the Republicans trying to win the party's nomination for Ohio's U.S. Senate seat is a guy who literally said of his opponent, “But he's Jewish!” (1:02:53) — Two Christian groups are suing over the Biden administration's vaccine mandate because it's a “sin against God's holy word.” (1:08:40) — The Supreme Court doesn't seem to care about “religious freedom” when it involves a death row inmate. (1:10:45) — SPONSOR: Check out Paint Your Life and get 20% off by texting FRIENDLY to 64-000.