Podcasts about trust in gods

[Micah 1:1-16] We listen to Gods warnings because we trust in Gods character

In His grace, God orchestrates the miraculous birth of Moses, preserving a child destined to lead His people out of bondage in Egypt. Similarly, we can trust in Gods sovereign promises to deliver us from our bondage to sin through faith in Christ, who offers us true redemption and hope. The post A Goodly Child appeared first on Mt. Rose OPC.

Exodus 1:8-22 reveals a powerful story of oppression and faith, where the Israelites suffering under a new Pharaoh fulfills Gods promise of a thriving nation. Pastor Scott Johnson highlights the courage of Shiphrah and Puah, whose reverence for God defied Pharaohs orders, demonstrating faith in the face of adversity. This passage calls us to trust in Gods purposes, finding strength and hope in His eternal goodness even amid trials. The post Great Suffering Great Faithfulness appeared first on Mt. Rose OPC.

How do we respond to lifes challengeswith grumbling or with patience? In this sermon from the Book of James, we explore the power of words, the call to integrity, and the life-changing impact of prayer. James reminds us that just as a farmer waits for rain, we too must trust in Gods timing. Whether we face trials, joy, or uncertainty, our words and prayers matter. Join us as we reflect on starting right this yearanchored in faith, truth, and the power of Gods presence. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript Scripture Reading (James 5:720) Be patient then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Dont grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Jobs perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple Yes or No. Otherwise you will be condemned. Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (This is the word of the Lord.) Introduction Well, this is the last in a series from the Book of James, but well actually be considering the entire message of the book. If you havent been here for the series, thats absolutely fine youll still get plenty out of the text today. At the moment, my social media feed seems to be full of fact-checking videos. When someone in authority says things about, maybe, medicine or demographics or how things are in the world, someone else pops up over the top of that video and talks about whether the facts being shared are accurate whether the speaker is interpreting the information properly, whether the evidence is really there. I dont know that I ever expected wed need this rise of fact-checking when authoritative figures speak. It might be the news or whatever, but suddenly we do need fact-checkers. And of course, we went through a period on social media where little flags would come up saying, we dont think that this actually tells the facts (that feature has apparently been removed on some platforms). Its a strange world where we know the power of words, and yet its so easy to disagree about whether those words convey truth. We might find information being presented to us, but truth is another thing altogether. The Book of James is very concerned with the power of words and the truth of those words. Its concerned with how we respond to the powerful Word of God, and also how our own words reflect the fact that weve had the powerful Word of God implanted in our lives. We see at the beginning of James that Gods Word is powerful to save and to guide. As we get towards chapter 3, we see that our words are powerful for good or ill we can really damage people, community, and situations by what we say. And now in chapter 5, we see the intersection of those two things: Gods Word is powerful, our words are powerful, and our words to God are exceedingly powerful for ourselves and others. But the foundation of all of this, for James, is the powerful, growing, life-giving action of the Word of God. He uses language like this in chapter 1: He chose to give us birth through the word of truth. Then he calls all believers to humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Not simply telling you about God, but this Word that God has revealed about Himself not simply a book, but Gods revelation about Himself in Jesus Christ (the Good News about who He is, who we are, and how we can be together) and this Word can save you. Of course, the risk of telling people that the Word of God saves you is that we can feel like once weve heard the Word, were good. Its done its job; weve listened, weve sat here (Megans gone on and on), and were good. But James says, no, no, thats not actually listening that God requires. Do not merely listenand so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Whoever looks intently into the perfect law (James often uses law, word, and truth interchangeably) that gives freedom, and continues in it not forgetting what they have heard but doing it they will be blessed in what they do. (In other words, hearing Gods Word isnt enough; we must do it.) The Word of God is able to save and give you new birth, and as you live it out, you actually flourish you are blessed. James then concludes the letter with the words we heard today: My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James knows that we live in a world full of information, and that we have power to convince people of just about anything. (People have said about me, she could sell ice to Eskimos. That means its hard to know because of a convincing tone whether the information someone is conveying is actually truth.) But James centers on three words truth, law, and word as the core of Gods action in our lives. So when we use our words, ultimately the most powerful thing we can do on earth is to bring people to the truth. And when you do that, you cover over a multitude of sins, because the truth is the message about Jesus gift of forgiveness, grace, and eternal life. So James wants us to know that if Gods words have been so powerful as to save us, then our words must be full of grace, integrity, and hope. We saw in chapter 3 the damage that can be done by the negative use of words. (Like a forest fire set off by one tiny spark, our words can cause damage: gossip, rumors, slander, cruelty, deceit destroying relationships and community.) But now, as we come to the end in chapter 5, James starts to talk about using our words in a positive way the power of positive words. Patience in Suffering The first thing he addresses is our patience under suffering and how we speak during that suffering. Be patient then, brothers and sisters, until the Lords coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lords coming is near. Dont grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door. In the midst of their trials (and James has never glossed over the fact that being a Christian may lead to deprivation, alienation, doubts, questions, hardship he started the very letter with, Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.) he sees the need for patience. Just like the Israelites moving from Egypt to the Promised Land: that time in the wilderness was meant to strengthen them, to give them a legacy of trusting God for everything. God was always faithful. And so, just as a farmer knows the rains are coming, they had to be patient on this journey because the Judge is at the door Jesus is coming. But you know what happens when youre having a hard time? You tend to look around for anyone or anything that can become the target of your sense of unease, dis-ease. (I dont know if youve ever had to say this: Im sorry for what I said when I was hungry. In our household, that tends to be Sunday afternoons Meghan coming home around 1 PM, and I have actually had to text Phil, Im coming in hot. Like, just have the carbohydrates on the table, dont talk to me, Im going to need something. And those Tim Tams that I told you to save oh, they better still be there!) Weve worked it out now; they are there, because weve had some good family meetings about this recently, clarifying expectations and making sure nobody is grumbling. James knows that when youre under pressure under pressure as a family, as friends, as housemates, as a church (financial pressure, persecution, interest rates, whatever it is) you look around and you grumble and fight, pushing your frustrations outwards. I find that Im often looking for something to retrofit my bad feelings into. Im looking for an excuse to be grumpy at something, and that thing isnt even whats making me feel bad but Ill pretend it is so I can vent it. James is saying: you will go through hard times as a community. Do not grumble at each other (like the Israelites did, even though God was faithful). The Lord is coming, and you will be provided for. So then he moves on: Okay, if youre not going to grumble, can you instead speak graciously under that pressure? Can your words be full of integrity and hope even when times are hard? He gives us an example of patience in suffering: Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They persevered under suffering but continued to speak rightly about God. (Thats not to say they didnt complain about their circumstances to God. We know Jeremiah, who endured all kinds of physical, emotional, and social suffering, was very honest with God. Elijah spoke very frankly with God: Im the only one left; Youve left me here! And God said, Youre hungry have a nap and a snack, and now lets talk.) The prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord persevered in speaking rightly about God and His mission on the earth, and in speaking rightly to God, bringing their struggles to Him. Youve also heard of Jobs perseverance and seen what the Lord finally brought about (The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.). Job, too, is an example of someone who did not sin in what he said, even though he was under great suffering and trial. We know this because he was told by his wife, Curse God and die. His friends told him he was speaking wrongly about God that he shouldnt be asking Why is this happening? or claiming to be righteous. In the end of the book, God says to Jobs friends, You have not spoken rightly about Me, as has My servant Job. So as Job persevered under suffering, he maintained the ability to speak rightly about God and about his situation, and to speak rightly to God about his situation. James says if you do that, youll come to know that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. If Gods words have been so powerful as to save us (the message of Jesus), then our words must be full of grace, integrity, and hope. Speaking with Integrity Above all, James says, do not swear not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. (Hes not talking about using foul language here; he means dont say, I swear by heaven or on my grandmothers life that something is true.) All you need to say is a simple yes or no. Otherwise you will be condemned. Having a community that always speaks truth is essential to God growing His kingdom on the earth absolutely essential. Jesus spoke to the leaders, and throughout Jamess letter you find heaps of connections to Jesus Sermon on the Mount. This teaching on oaths is one of those connections. In Matthew 5 Jesus said: Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made. But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is Gods throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair black or white. All you need to say is simply Yes or No; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (I think I sort of can make one hair black or white but I have to pay a lot of money!) Providing backing for your words actually undermines their truthfulness. If you feel the need to say, Ive got heavens backing for this truth Im telling you, then what are we to think about what you say normally? And what happens if it turns out not to be true? Its greatly risky to claim any sort of divine power behind your words because if you break that oath and youve called on God to back you up, well, maybe He wont be too pleased. If youve broken it, youve associated the truthful, holy God with your deceit. Jesus says you need to simply say yes or no. Are you a person of integrity or not? Why would you need to call on something that you have absolutely no power over? Instead, just be a person who speaks out of the integrity of your heart. Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 12: The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give an account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Jesus isnt proposing a different measure of salvation here; Hes saying that our words show whether our heart is truly connected to God. Your words show whether the Word of God thats been given to you that could save you, that could give you new birth has really done that. Your verbal integrity shows that you are a friend of God and not of the world. James wants his community to be people of the utmost integrity in their speech. And its so important, especially for a new church thats telling the world we speak the truth. This message about Jesus is the truth! Yet if we then say other things that arent true, what will the world think? (Fast forward 2,000 years and you can see what the world thinks.) And what if we want to be open to the work of the Spirit among us open to everybody having a go at understanding what the Scriptures mean for us today but we cant be sure people are speaking the truth? Then, boy, youd have to shut things down to the narrowest little channel, with one leader at the front, and put all your hope in them being the only one to say things from God. No we need to speak honestly and truthfully. Of course well come at things from different perspectives (thats okay); we gather around the word of truth together and we dont deceive. We come to God and say, show us, and Hes given us plenty of Scriptures to help in that regard. Verbal integrity is central to Christian community. So, to recap: Gods Word is powerful to save and to guide. Our words are powerful for good or ill. Our words to God are powerful for ourselves and others. So, James concludes: Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James says the best use of our words, in good times and bad, is always to involve God. There is nothing too small, nothing too big, nothing too good, nothing too bad our words are not simply to go on the horizontal; we are always invited (indeed, it is Gods intention) to involve Him with our words in everything. Of course, when its something small, you might think, does it really matter? Well, if youve done the Prayer Course or read anything by Pete Greig, he often talks about how if you are in the habit of bringing everything to God, then you start to see Gods answers in the small and the big, and gratitude wells up in you. I think your language to other people then becomes more gracious and hopeful as well. I believe James would say that your expectation about God in your words is everything. Recently I lost a necklace. Id taken it off when we went swimming and put it in the car. I thought at the time, This is risky youre not going to remember where you put it. I do lose things a bit (I could probably put that on my diagnosis sheet), and it really struck me; I thought, Is this wise? Is this a good spot? Whats going to happen? Anyway, when I went to find it again, the only thing I could think was, Megan, you lose things all the time and you put it in a really risky spot. I couldnt even bring myself to look in the safe or obvious places; I was convinced: you took a huge risk (you do this all the time), so its gone. Of course, Phil went and found the necklace in a really easy spot just in the little side-door pocket no problem. Meanwhile I was imagining wild scenarios: Did I put it in a shoe? Did it fall out on the ground? It was madness. My expectation while looking for it was basically, I always lose things; Im probably not going to find it, and I wasnt even going to look in the obvious spot because I assumed it wouldnt be there. James says we are so like that when it comes to prayer. Were great at making our spreadsheets and plans, but we dont think to go to prayer. We think, Well, I havent really found answers to my prayers in the past I always lose things and so we dont do it. But James says: just do it with everything. When youre in trouble, pray (pray for yourself you dont have to wait for someone else). When youre happy, sing songs of praise (if youre doing that outside of church, just make sure no ones around unless youre really great at singing, then, you know, put it on the internet!). James wants us to know that in the midst of all the human wisdom we can glean from his book (and you dont have to be a Christian to find incredible wisdom in Jamess advice to speak rightly and avoid hypocrisy anybody can learn from the fact that one word can cause huge damage), the distinctive thing about Christianity is that we expect God to answer prayer that we can access God for ourselves and for others. (As Phoebe told me, shes seeing a lot of people saying, Id vote for Jesus; Im not a Christian, but I would vote for Jesus. I love what Jesus stands for. I completely agree imagine what incredibly compassionate policies we might see! But people often dont realize that Jesus also talked about the weirdest stuff: Connect with God. Pray. Expect God to answer. Know that God is a good Father and will give you everything you need.) So as much as we might say Jesus would have great social policies, the truly distinctive thing about Christianity is that we expect that God will answer prayer that we can access God for ourselves and for others. Conclusion This year were calling ourselves to Start Right. God wants us to know that His Word is powerful, and that we are to treasure what we have to soak ourselves in the Word as much as we can, to talk about it, and to talk to God about it. And as we are planted in Him, we must use our words rightly, noticing how we speak to each other here and moving beyond just avoiding the negative. Its not only about saying, Im not going to say bad things, but actually making a positive contribution: Im going to speak truth. Im going to speak hope. Im going to speak grace. Im not going to grumble. And finally, were going to talk to God. Prayer is really the only thing. Im pretty good at making things on Canva and keeping spreadsheets (though updating them and keeping my files consistent not so good). But without prayer, what do those efforts amount to? To quote Pete Greig again: Without prayer, Alpha is just advertising a religious product. Without prayer, church planting is just rolling out outlets for a franchise for the religiously inclined. Without prayer, our works in social transformation are just (lets be honest) second-rate social work. Without prayer, we might feel religious, but we dont have a relationship an interactive encounter with the living God. So this year, as we seek to have people know (and for ourselves to know) that God is really among us, it comes down to this: involving God in every single aspect of our lives. Talking to Him, listening to Him, praising, seeking help, and getting others to help us in prayer as well. Now, Im going to pray for us, and as the band comes up I want to ask you to consider whether you would like God to give you a greater hunger for prayer this year. Only you know if thats something you need. Im not going to ask anyone to stand up or raise a hand, but I am asking you to make a commitment to God that youre seeking a greater hunger, and that if He gives it to you, you will act on it. So lets pray. Almighty God, Your words are powerful, and we always want to respond to them. For those of us who need to respond in this way, Lord, we ask that You would see us and our great desire to involve You to have an interactive, encountering relationship with You through prayer. For those of us making that commitment, Lord, we now ask that Your Holy Spirit give us a greater hunger for prayer in 2025. And Lord, where You pour out Your Spirit and give us a hunger for prayer, may we not ignore or abuse that gift, but act to slake that thirst and meet that hunger by praying. May it be our gift to the world, to ourselves, to this church. And may we find ourselves so deeply in love with who You are our faith refreshed and our confidence in Your power immensely grown this year. Amen.

A new year always brings with it uncertainties and challenges that we will have to navigate. As believers, we must trust in Gods power and promises, even amidst these unknown circumstances. This weekend will be a reminder that if we stand firm, we can rely on God and watch His deliverance.

How do we start a new year well? Kicking off our new sermon series, Megan Curlis-Gibson explores James 1:1-18, challenging us to reflect on the true measure of faith and how we can persevere under trials. This message encourages us to start the year anchored in faith, gratitude, and trust in Gods wisdom. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting.

Despite betrayal and false accusations, Joseph remained steadfast, teaching us to maintain integrity and trust in Gods timing. The post Faithful Through It All appeared first on Emmaus Road Fellowship.

The post Trust In God's Strength appeared first on Living Fellowship.

Welcome to 'How I Discovered My Gift' with your host, David D. Simons. Get ready for an inspiring conversation filled with personal stories, grit, and wisdom. Todays guest is Doug Taylor, co-founder of Taylor Chip, a visionary entrepreneur whose journey goes far beyond cookies."You can do anything that you want to do, regardless of where you come from, regardless of your skin color, regardless of all these things that a bunch of stupid people want you to be down on yourself about. Whats real is personal responsibility." Doug TaylorIn this episode, Doug shares how Taylor Chip began as a wedding favor and grew into a brand with a cult following, earning accolades like Forbes 30 Under 30 and Inc 500. But its more than just business Doug opens up about overcoming challenges, staying grounded in faith, and balancing marriage, fatherhood, and entrepreneurship.Prepare to be captivated as Doug and David dive into the behind-the-scenes moments that shaped Doug's life, from his mothers resilience to the sacrifices required to scale a vision beyond cookies. Youll walk away inspired, with practical takeaways about perseverance, leadership, and casting a vision so compelling that others want to follow. This episode will remind you to chase your dreams relentlessly and trust in Gods plan along the way.Don't miss ithit play and enjoy!

Welcome to 'How I Discovered My Gift' with your host, David D. Simons. Get ready for an inspiring conversation filled with personal stories, grit, and wisdom. Todays guest is Doug Taylor, co-founder of Taylor Chip, a visionary entrepreneur whose journey goes far beyond cookies."You can do anything that you want to do, regardless of where you come from, regardless of your skin color, regardless of all these things that a bunch of stupid people want you to be down on yourself about. Whats real is personal responsibility." Doug TaylorIn this episode, Doug shares how Taylor Chip began as a wedding favor and grew into a brand with a cult following, earning accolades like Forbes 30 Under 30 and Inc 500. But its more than just business Doug opens up about overcoming challenges, staying grounded in faith, and balancing marriage, fatherhood, and entrepreneurship.Prepare to be captivated as Doug and David dive into the behind-the-scenes moments that shaped Doug's life, from his mothers resilience to the sacrifices required to scale a vision beyond cookies. Youll walk away inspired, with practical takeaways about perseverance, leadership, and casting a vision so compelling that others want to follow. This episode will remind you to chase your dreams relentlessly and trust in Gods plan along the way.Don't miss ithit play and enjoy!

We live in a society filled with fear. We are fearful for our kids, jobs, money, elections, wars you name it and we worry about it! Yet, the Epistle of 1 John emphasizes that as we trust in Gods love fear is cast out and we will experience the peace of God. Our choice is fear or faith. Trust or anxiety. Confidence or worry. The invitation is to rest in Gods loving arms and trust that God has your back! Dont give in to fear! The Creator and Saviour of the universe is on your side.

Healing is not a possibility—it's a promise from God, and He always keeps His promises. Ricky Burge will help you to trust in Gods faithfulness for your healing!

In this episode, I dive deep into the challenge of letting go and surrendering to the universe's plan. We'll explore why it's so hard to release control and trust in the greater design. Plus, I will share practical tips and spiritual insights on how to cultivate a stronger trust in God. Join me for an enlightening conversation on faith, surrender, and finding peace in the unknown. Let's get connected

Guest speaker, Pastor Chuck, delivers a compelling message on Daniel 6:1-10, highlighting Daniel's unwavering commitment to prayer despite facing opposition.  In the face of jealousy and scheming, Daniel remains faithful, continuing to pray fervently to God.  His steadfastness serves as a powerful example for us today, encouraging us to prioritize prayer and trust in Gods' sovereignty, even amidst adversity.  Join us as we delve into the timeless wisdom of Daniel's unwavering faith. 

Bishop Sheen Presents – Radio Maria USA – “Trust in God's Plan” & Catechism Lesson on “Communism and the Church”. https://radiomaria.us/podcast/bishop-sheen-presents-june-2-2023-trust-in-gods-plan-catechism-lesson-on-communism-and-the-church/   https://www.bishopsheentoday.com  

SCRIPTURE: LUKE 12:22-34 SUMMARY: JESUS CALL TO AVOID ANXIETY TEACHES US THAT WE NEED NOT TO BE ANXIOUS, SINCE GOD CARES FOR US

SCRIPTURE: LUKE 12:22-34 SUMMARY: JESUS CALL TO AVOID ANXIETY TEACHES US THAT WE NEED NOT TO BE ANXIOUS, SINCE GOD CARES FOR US

Tonight we confess that only when we trust in Gods strength are we strong in Him --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawn-odendhaldap/message

Do your best to keep up your spiritual growth, develop a good sense of timing, and rely upon the wisdom gained while you're living in the backside of the desert. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://timehrhardt.com/2023/04/27/trust-in-gods-timing-exodus-215-25/

Fill-In Notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/39900/note-168159.html CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION QUESTIONS:1. In view of His mercy, God expects true believers to surrender sacrifice their whole life to him as worship. Why might some people say believe theyve given their whole self to the Lord to his Church, yet not literally in their personal finances? 2. How might your generosity grow by rooting your trust in Gods ability to provide what you need? 3. What might be your next step toward getting rich in generosity good works?

30 Days of Thankfulness1. Taste and See That the Lord is Good Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor Psalm 34:1-8 Two friends met each other on the street one day. One looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, What has the world done to you, my old friend? The sad fellow said, Let me tell you: three weeks ago, my uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars. Thats a lot of money. But you see, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me eighty-five thousand dollars, free and clear. Sounds to me that youve been very blessed. You dont understand! he interrupted. Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million from her. Now the mans friend was really confused. Then, why do you look so glum? This weeknothing! ~ Thankfulness. November is the perfect month to think about the idea of thankfulness. Of course we have Thanksgiving (the holiday) at the end of the month, but why limit our thankfulness to just one day? The Bible is full of encouragements to be thankful thankful to God for who he is, and what he has done. Thankful for everything he has given us. Thankful for providing even when things dont seem to be going our way. Being thankful is not always easy. It takes practice. And thats why I want us to spend all of November practicing thankfulness together, with a series Im calling 30 Days of Thanksgiving. Im excited to see what God will do in our hearts, as we cultivate our thankfulness and grow in gratitude together over the next 30 days. To help I have produced a downloadable 30 Days of Thankfulness prayer guide. I wanted to have paper copies printed for you but our printer stopped printing color this week, so youll have to be thankful for black and white notes, or you can easily read it on your ipad or computer. The idea is to focus every day on something youre thankful for. There is plenty of space to jot down notes or thoughts or prayers. I really hope it helps us learn thankfulness. Ill be working on this myself, so you can ask me what Im thankful for as wellJ 1 So the question we have to ask ourselves as we come to church this morning is, What are you thankful for in 2022? And how will you look back on 2022 and see blessing, and provision, and protection? And how can you take that thankfulness into whatever the coming season brings? Were going to be looking at Psalm 134 to help us answer those questions, so why dont we pray and then well open the Bible together. Our heavenly Father, as we reflect on the year weve had, help us to see your goodness and your sovereign hand over every circumstance. Give us thankful hearts as we remember your promises and your provision. Give us all joy in thanksgiving today. In Jesus name we pray. Amen 1. The Power of Words I love the idea of thanksgiving. And scientific research shows that thankfulness is good for us! For example, a neuroscientist from USC found that there is a link between gratitude and the parts of our brain tied to social bonding, reward and stress relief.1 Other studies have linked gratitude with oxytocin production oxytocin is also known as the cuddle hormone or the love hormone, because its released when people snuggle up or bond socially. Researchers out of Berkeley have shown the benefits of gratitude on mental health2, and theyve put all their research into a book called The Gratitude Project.3 But in all that research, the benefits of gratitude come when we practice it regularly. When express our gratitude, and put it into words. In all the studies, participants would either keep a thankfulness journal, or write gratitude letters, or just make a regular habit of putting their thankfulness into words. Because our words are powerful, and words can shape the way that we think about the world around us. The writer of Psalm 34 (King David) understood the power of words. Listen to how he starts the Psalm: 1 I will extol the Lord at all times;his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord; Fun fact about Psalm 34. This Psalm is an alphabetic acrostic in the original Hebrew language every line in the starts with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph, beth, gimel, daleth, heh etc). 1 https://news.usc.edu/163123/gratitude-health-research-thanksgiving-usc-experts/2 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain 3 https://www.newharbinger.com/gratitude-project 2 But come back to the idea that words are powerful. Because the Psalmist makes the choice to speak positive words into his situation, no matter what happens I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord. The word extol is translated bless in many of the other Bible versions. And I think this represents a choice for David, the Psalmist. We could look at our circumstances and curse God, or we can choose to bless him. David says, no matter what, I choose to bless the Lord at all times. The next two lines carry a repetition in the original Hebrew. Praise and glory have the same root in Hebrew both come from the hallelujah word. And so we could crudely translate v1b and v2: A hallelujah will always be on my lips, I will hallelujah in the Lord. There was a big worship song a few years ago that came out of a church in northern California, called I raise a hallelujah! You might have heard it on the radio. The words are all about continuing to praise God, to glory in him, to raise a hallelujah whether we are faced by enemies, or storms, doubts... Regardless of what comes our way, David says, keep Gods name on your lips, keep praising him, and youll keep the right dialogue going on in your head... Because it is so easy to listen to words of the tempter, isnt it? The one who undermines our confidence. The one who loves to sow the seeds of doubt. The Devil loves to get inside our heads, doesnt he. And thats why I love this Psalm so much. David writes this Psalm for people who have been listening to the wrong voices... verse 2b let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. David wants those who are afflicted to listen to his testimony. He wants to come alongside them, he wants them to hear his bold choice to speak words of hope in danger. He wants them to hear and rejoice to listen and to have their joy restored. I know that the last few years have been difficult for many of you. Some of you have shared those hard things with me, and weve prayed over illness and death and estrangement and mental health and all kinds of hardships and afflictions. Collectively weve all lived through a pandemic that has changed our day to day existence, and continues to produce uncertainty about the future. Its easy to feel overwhelmed by it all. 3 But in this Psalm, David teaches us that there is something we can do to reorient ourselves in the middle of trouble, and thats to keep speaking truth about the greatness of God, no matter what enemy we see before us. Thats what verse 3 is all about. The ESV and King James translate this verse: Magnify the Lord with me! We need to magnify God that is, we need to look closely at how big and powerful and majestic and wonderful God is. We need to keep making him great in our lives. Making him the biggest and most impressive thing we see. Because its way too easy to let the hard things in life grow out of proportion. Our problems can seem insurmountable, unsolveable, unmanageable. But when we look at them alongside the God who spoke creation into being, are they really that powerful? Sometimes it takes a friend to help us see the truth. Thats what David does. He encourages all the afflicted to remember Gods greatness with him. To lift Gods name on high. To join him in the hallelujah... What words are you speaking to yourself in the middle of the storm that is 2022? What is the narrative that youre telling yourself about this year? Is it a narrative that puts God firmly on the throne, that puts God unquestionably in control of today and tomorrow? Are you speaking a hallelujah over every day that the Lord has given you in 2022? Thats your self-talk. Now I want you to think about the words that you speak into the lives of those around you whether they trust in the Lord or not. What testimony are they hearing from your lips? Are they hearing your testimony to Gods greatness, as you speak about 2022? Are your words bringing gospel comfort and peace and joy and hope and thankfulness? Words are powerful... Thats our first big idea. 2. The Promise of Deliverance Our second big idea is that our words dont fall on deaf ears. Bookshops are full of self-help books, and books about the power of positive thinking. Is that the essence of Davids exhortation? Is that all there is to it? Think good things about God, and everything will turn out alright? 4 To push it a step further, should we expect to live a life free from affliction when we trust in the Lord? That wasnt Davids experience. When we read the attribution at the top of this Psalm, it says: [A psalm] of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left. This Psalm seems to be written during the time when David had to run for his life away from King Saul, who was trying to kill him. You might remember that the Lord had anointed David as king over Israel, but Saul was still on the throne. Things got messy. And David finds himself hiding out in the royal court of his enemies, the Philistines, when the Philistine King recognizes him and says: Isnt this David, the king of the land? Isnt he the one they sing about in their dances: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands? (1 Samuel 21:11) David has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire... And so he pretends to be mad drools into his beard, and scratching the doors with his fingernails, until the Philistine king sends him away. So did David live a charmed life because of his magical words about Gods greatness? No. Back in Psalm 34 David reminds us in v19 that: The righteous person may have many troubles, BUT... the Lord delivers him from them all; In this Psalm, David looks back on a difficult moment in his life, and he has a testimony about how God rescued him. How God helped him through the trouble. How God was faithful to his promise to bring David to the throne, by saving him from his enemies. And we see that refrain time and time again throughout the Psalm God promises to deliver those who call out to him: 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 5 We have a promise-keeping God. He promises to hear us when we cry out to him our words are not hot air. They are words that remind us of the One who is able to do more than we could ask or imagine, and the One who is powerfully at work within us by his Spirit (Eph 3:20). In some ways we are nothing like King David. We will probably never find ourselves on the run from one king and threatened by another. But there will be times when we fear for our jobs, for our health, for our families. And the threat might remain, but listen to what David says in v4: 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. As we face all kinds of difficulties in life, the temptation will be to make that problem into the biggest thing in our life. To let it loom over us, to let it dominate our thoughts, to let it steal our confidence in Gods bigger plan for us... Because God has a bigger plan for us. The Bible is absolutely clear about the future for those who trust in Jesus Christ. Its a future without evil, its a future without suffering, its a future where God keeps his promise to make us his children and heirs of the kingdom. Its a glorious future, just like David faced, only even better. So what could get in the way of Gods good plan for you? What enemy is so big that Gods plans might be thwarted? Coronavirus? Cancer? Your mental health? Your physical health? Are any of those problems so great that they could prevent God from rescuing you and bringing you into his kingdom? No. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, and nothing that will stop God from bringing about your ultimate rescue. Demons, death, disease they are powerless against the one who is bringing all of history towards the day when Jesus kingdom triumphs over all others. Even Satan cant stand in the way of Gods plans, because Jesus has dealt with Satans grip on our souls. Jesus has dealt with our sin and shame on the cross so that not even our unrighteousness will hold us back from Gods promises, if we ask Jesus to rescue us from it. And thats the joy of the gospel that David knew also: 5 Those who look to him are radiant;their faces are never covered with shame. (Ps 34:5) 6 Whenever Moses would meet with the Lord, do you remember, his face would be radiant, literally. There was something about being in the presence of the Lord that made him glow. And David says its the same for everyone who knows God and trusts him deeply. There is something radiant about them. This is not about hollow words of affirmation, but an abiding trust in Gods promises experienced in the past, and the present and anticipated in the future. Are these the promises that keep you steady in the storm? God kept these promises for David. God kept these promises for Jesus. And he will keep these promises for you, regardless of what difficulties we face... Thats big idea 2 to remember Gods promises of deliverance. 3. The Proof is in the Pudding And that leaves us with one last idea to finish: the proof is in the pudding. It wouldnt be Thanksgiving without pie, particularly Pumpkin pie and Pecan pie. Until just a few years ago, I had never tasted pumpkin pie. Its just not a thing in Australia. You cant buy pumpkin in a can, you dont see pumpkin pies in stores, and even Starbucks didnt have pumpkin spiced latte until a few years ago. And so when we got to our friends house one night for dinner, and the wife announced that we were having pumpkin pie for dessert, I have to admit I was a bit wary. Is there anyone else who thinks pumpkin pie looks like baby food? Turns out pumpkin pie is pretty good. And so is pumpkin spiced latte. Sometimes you just have to try something to find out if its good. David writes to people who are facing big enemies. People who are finding it hard to trust that God is bigger than whatever they face. That might be you. You might be listening today thinking, Im just not sure if God can deal with this thing that is going on in my life right now. Im not sure if I can trust what weve read today. Im not sure that I want to put all my eggs in that basket. If youre thinking that way, youre not alone. Over the last 3 years, all of us have been thrown by events we never expected. Some deeply worrying events... But I dont want those worries to keep you from experiencing the goodness of God. A bit like pumpkin pie, sometimes you just have to try something to find out if its good. David writes in Psalm 34:9 7 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34 is an invitation to give God the benefit of the doubt. To try him for yourself and to see if his promises are true in your life. To taste and see that the Lord is good. Again, this psalm doesnt promise the perfect life. But it promises a blessed life. A life without shame, a life that brings peace (v14) and a life that experiences the comfort of knowing that someone hears you when you cry out. A life where there is something (and someone) greater than any difficulties you might face... Thats worth giving thanks about... Will you pray with me? 1 I will extol the Lord at all times;his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord;let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me;let us exalt his name together. 8

Prophetic VISION: I saw a bunch of the remnant walking thru the Sahara Desert in a MEGA sandstorm, literally with sand hitting their faces- and I could see that it hurt them on their faces because the witchcraft/sand was so thick when it was blowing.  Meaning: the THICK witchcraft you are experiencing at present is the fight in the heavenlies between the occult and God in you. The witchcraft has released Jezebel/Leviathan upon the church to get less mature leaders/followers to work against one another through Planetary/Cosmos/Zodiac magic/spells (through MACRO/MICRO) spells,  everything that you see on a natural level (Federally) is how the enemy is hitting TRUE Christians on a spiritual level.  So those sheep caught up in the SAME pride of LEVIATHAN are only exhibiting the spiritual spells released through witchcraft on all 7 mountains. But it's the HUMBLE in heart that will see God…..not the prideful or those thinking they know more than God!  As we enter into the final phase of Gods heart for the year (C4) we are going to be experiencing unusual fatigue because of what the Lord is doing in America at present.  REMEMBER:  YOU WILL HAVE WHAT YOU SAY for good/ or for evil…and the enemy is a legalist and hence its important for you to keep your focus as best you can so you don't give Satan a legal right to hit you.   The warfare is REALLY impacting A LOT of people right now and the only way to fight it is to get deliverance from it , OR from the things that you struggle with in order to keep climbing. So if you find yourself stuck in old thought patterns, or evil ways of thinking behaving….if you KEEP going down those roads continuing to justify your evil hearts…its only drawing you FURTHER AND FURTHER away from kingdom.  Its because we are in a different season. So this season God is requiring HIS TRUE remnant to “WALK THEIR WALKS- and not just TALK A TALK!”  Because THIS SEASON- THIS C4- while we are walking through our desert experiences- where its very hard to hear/see spiritually, God is saying:  “Your feelings/ 5 Fold giftings have NOTHING to do with your faith. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING….THIS IS A SEASON to where we are BEING CALLED TO TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD!  ONLY!  God is a God that can't lie- which tells me that He has got the body in a TEST!  A test to where we are being tested to see how much we trust HIM!  NO MATTER WHAT! Support the show

God will hear your prayers. He will support you in your calling. God is a loving being. He is active in saving souls. Believe that god will care for you. Trying to control your life means you haven't trust in gods wisdom and guidance. God will guide and counsel you through life. You can experience his peace and love. Be strong and give your life to god. It is the great sacrifice he perform for us and we in-turn dedicate our lives to him. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/david-nishimoto/message

This week we are joined by Laura. Laura is a mum of two little boys. Through her story of infertility and faced with the possibility of becoming a young widow, Laura encourages us to trust in Gods sovereignty. To trust that his plans and purposes for our lives are greater than we can imagine. We chat about our love of control, and while at times helpful, we need to surrender our own plans to Gods.Have you left an iTunes review? Make sure that you let us know which is yours over on Instagram @unsungstoriespodcast so that we can send you a little gift in the mail :)

It is mandatory for us as Gods children to understand our spiritual enemies and how they operate. Remember that we have authority in Christ to trample over anything the enemy has against us. Anthony Brown is teaming up with me to help us place trust in Gods armor and not the worlds deception. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/adriennelatrice/message

Trust in gods heart . You are loved , not judged .

This week we are joined by a beautiful elementary school teacher Hanna Beth Paul. As you might know, Paige and I are actually studying to be primary school teachers just like our Mum. Aside from seeing how cute Hanna's classroom is, we knew that she had a very similar calling to teaching to us. Today is just a candid conversation all about that calling. Paige and Hanna spoke about how she tries to embody the qualities of Jesus in all of her interactions, how the fruits of the spirit are brought through action, not just words, why it's so important to respond to the call God has on your life and lastly, just why it's so important to trust in gods plan. This episode was a little selfish of us because we know not everyone wants to be a etcher, but as a Christian, in a way we are all called to be teachers. We hope you loved this episode. Have the best week.

Do you truly trust in Gods plan for your life?Will Brown just finished an incredible collegiate journey at Clemson University where he was a punt returner and slot receiver. On this episode, Host AJ Raber, talks with Will about his journey leading to Clemson, how he grew spiritually in college, leadership lessons from Dabo Swinney, and how he saw God orchestrate pieces in his life when he trusted in him.Welcome in to the Shed.

OZEKY is the name everyone knows me by . I am just an ordinary island boy , struggling and trying to live life to its fullest here on Hawaii to support and provide for my small family. I was born in chuuk and was relocated to Guam for better education in 1990's . From Guam to Seattle and Seattle to Honolulu. With an undeniable passion for music I started playing keyboard at a young age . Growing up Music was always my run to hobby. I play for my Elementary school choir, for churches & lastly for fun. I started releasing albums year after year until it finally captured the whole FSM ears . Music has been an Integral part of my life , that whenever I don't find the time or the opportunity to create beats, make music , I don't feel whole , as if something is missing until I come home from work , sit down by my keyboard and relax myself with some sweet melody. I am now busy with Other projects through work which I do catering and partnered with Da Spot Health and Juices servicing the whole Local community here in Hawaii. I am also involved with the Chuukese community ( Micronesian ) to better educate our young youth. “Notable past performance gave me the courage to sway by the wave of what TODAY brings, for I know yesterday is past and tomorrow never comes” - Ozeky Always put your trust in Gods hands for he has the key to your future and the light of your path to guide you through it all. To Learn more about Culturised visit: https://www.culturised.com/ Culturised is a https://www.wikiocast.com/ production. #micronesian #micronesianmusic #Chuukese

Sometimes we can seek things before we are ready. Trust in Gods timing! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Welcome Friend, In this episode, I'm speaking to the parents who find themselves in a challenging season as a Stay-At-Home Mom. You may be wondering if you have made the right decision and if you'll ever be able to work again. You may want to contribute financially so you desire to return to work at some point but you're not sure how or when. Let's have this conversation so you can discover what's next for you. Time to enjoy and relax! Sign up to become an insider of the show, and be the first to snag your free gift: Get Free Gifts  Remember to SUBSCRIBE to get notified when there are new episodes! Connect with me: support@kimberleysexton.com  Share your thoughts or any questions you may have to my email above. Thanks!  Joy and peace, Kim

Show Notes: God works outside of our realm of thinking in terms of time, time frames Our human nature makes waiting challenging - we are always in a hurry and find it difficult to wait for anyone or anything Patience is a virtue - do we exude this? Difficulty with patience reveals our level of trust in God's timing God's perspective is eternal - are we aligned with the eternal perspective? Trials develop perseverance - even challenges work to our good (Romans 8:28) Hebrews 11: hall of faith Many of these individuals never saw the promises fulfilled on this side of their lives However, the promises still stand & have been seen to fruition to this day! Ie. Abraham & his dependents as numerous as the stars Our view of timing is influenced by our selfish desire for our needs & wants, not God's eternal plan God's timing is better than our own thoughts on what timing “should be” Psalm 145:17… “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” Give examples of timing working out better than we anticipate Jobs, business, relationships Nothing can be added to God's plans and nothing taken away Ecclesiastes 3:11-14… He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Do we fear a lack of control? Paul often talks about preaching by the spirit and not his own wisdom. God uses the foolish things to confound the wise. His power and timing is made known by the perfect order of our universe Provers 3:5-6 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. A. Understand that my timing is not God's timing. Do we trust God with our next step? B. Often God needs to develop us before we can handle the blessings He has for us. C. When our passion and desire align with God's will, we are guaranteed God will bring it to fruition. D. Steward well what you already have. Ways to avoid mishandling blessing: Be diligent and take care of what God currently has in front of you. Trust in Gods timing. Appreciate where God has you right now. Use your blessings to bless others. Be obedient to God's word. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thefreedompodcast/message

The Catholic Hour was produced in co-operation with The National Council Of Catholic Men. The show included music from various Catholic choirs as well as discussions of the role of faith, Christianity, and Catholicism in the societal concerns and topics of the day. GSMC Classics presents some of the greatest classic radio broadcasts, classic novels, dramas, comedies, mysteries, and theatrical presentations from a bygone era. The GSMC Classics collection is the embodiment of the best of the golden age of radio. Let Golden State Media Concepts take you on a ride through the classic age of radio, with this compiled collection of episodes from a wide variety of old programs. ***PLEASE NOTE*** GSMC Podcast Network presents these shows as historical content and have brought them to you unedited. Remember that times have changed and some shows might not reflect the standards of today's politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Golden State Media Concepts or the GSMC Podcast Network. Our goal is to entertain, educate give you a glimpse into the past.

Psalms 34:1-22 / 1 Samuel 21:10-15 Have you ever been in a problem or trial in your life, where you created a plan for yourself that in the end actually worked? But even though it actually worked and was successful, you begin to feel guilt? Why?? Pastor Manny shares with us, that although the plan worked when we devise for ourselves plans, and do not trust in Gods deliverance, relying on the arm of man, the schemes of our fear, and do not trust in the Providence of God, we are left with guilt. As you listen to todays segment of Taking A Step Of Faith, you will be encouraged and challenged to trust God, without the urge to take matters into your own hands, for only God Truly Delivers! Be Blessed! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/taking-a-step-of-faith/support

Didn't He Do It Before Key Points: 1. You have outlasted all of your hard days 2. If God did it before He will do it again! 3. Trust in Gods love for you regarding your situation Let's continue to be better! Happy listening!! @hisstrengthbecomesherpodcast

As we step into week 2 of our current series Beholding Jesus, we hear a message from Pastor Dequalin Jackson about having faith in Gods Word. The first sign performed in the book of John reveals to us that we can trust in Gods works. The second sign, in which we discuss this week, reveals to us that we can trust in Gods word. As we continue to journey through the book of John, Gods character continues to be revealed.

What brought you here to the point in life where you are scared, running, saying you had enough? Have you lost faith and hope in power of God in your life? What happened to your zeal.. your obedient faith, your hope and trust in Gods unfailing love and power? Have you forgotten all He has done for you? 1 Kings 19: 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life...

With everything going on we have to be still, waiting on His direction and guidance. Let's not be sucked into the smoke screens around us in the form of popular industries. Have faith and trust in Gods timing because it'll come!  We want Justice, We want Peace, We want togetherness!

We are NOT in the eternal state right now. We live in a fallen sinful world. How can we expect anything but the results of OUR sinful state? We did this to ourselves. But God in His mercy chose to save man-kind instead of destroying us. No one would rather not exist. We all would rather live with the chance to trust in Gods provision for our sin…… or reject Him and pay the penalty for our sin. We would all choose life no matter how it ends up. For those in hell would it have been better to not have been born? No… even in hell they have to admit that God was good to them, gave them life and gave them every opportunity to repent. Dante's inferno describes the spirit of man to live and live his own way…I would rather rule in hell than serve God in heaven! Trouble is….. there is no ruler in Hell! But we have a Savior, who lives, and who is our entire reason for being. So How do we live in these interesting days?

In this episode I share about a recent trip I took to Florida for ‘The Send'. I bought flights but didn't have money for the rest of the trip. Even though I didn't see money in my bank account or have a reservation planned for a place to stay God asked me if I'd be willing to trust His provision. “Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”. We usually need confidence for the promise that is whispered in the secret place before we actually want to step into it. This why faith is a necessity. God taught me this first hand on this trip. I was open for any way He would provide and in His greatness he went above and beyond any expectation I could ever have! Hope this episode is an encouragement and catalyst to your faith and trust in Gods provision for your own life! Be Blessed, Stay Blessed. -COTM

27:22 no Rev. Matt Tuggle full wafforde@hpumc.orgwafforde@hpumc.orgJoin us each week for contemporary worship with a vibrant community of Christian believers. With a modern voice, Cornerstone links Bible-based preaching with re

22:13 no Rev. Matt Tuggle full Join us each week for traditional worship and an inspiring message from Senior Minister Rev. Paul Ras