Podcasts about using god

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal right now. Our text today is Hosea 6:3: Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." — Hosea 6:3 Every word here sounds right. It even sounds passionate. But in the context of this chapter, something is off with this declaration in verse 3. Something is just not right. Israel says they want to know God, but they haven't truly returned (i.e., repented) to God. They speak about pursuit, but there's no evidence of surrender. They talk about knowing God, but they're still holding onto the very things that keep them from God. Again, in Hosea, we learn you can talk about knowing God and still not actually be pursuing him. "Knowing God" is not about information. It's relationship. It's not just learning about him. It's walking with him. It's obedience, intimacy, trust, and submission all woven together. To "press on to know the Lord" means you don't settle and won't settle. You pursue him daily. You move toward him even when it costs you something. But Israel wasn't doing that. They said it but they were not about to live it. They wanted a Savior without surrendering to him as Lord. Then they called for a "shower" of blessing. Something refreshing. A great provision. But we know they skipped the pursuit. In the same way, many believers today do the same. They listen to teaching. They read Scripture. They show up at church. But if there is no daily pursuit—no intentional movement toward God—then they are not pursuing or returning to God. They are using him. Using God is occasional obedience. Knowing God is consistent obedience. You cannot use God. He won't allow it. Eventually, he will cut you off. And you can call for a "shower of blessing" all you want. You can continue your shell game. But God isn't going to play the game with you. Be honest with yourself. Are you just pursuing God for blessings, or are you pursuing God to know God? Press into God today in some new way. Battle with sin. Pray a little longer. Refuse an earthly desire. Speak more kindly. Let God consume your desires, motivations, thoughts, and will, and then receive the shower of blessings that is God himself. DO THIS: Set aside intentional time today to pursue God—without distraction, without rushing, and without asking for anything. Just seek Him. ASK THIS: Do I pursue God daily or only occasionally? Am I growing in knowing Him—or just learning about Him? What would it look like to truly "press on" in my relationship with God? PRAY THIS: God, I don't want to just know about you—I want to know you. Teach me to pursue you daily with consistency and sincerity. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Fill The Room"

  Host: Dan Panetti   A good definition of a man is a male (God designed) that is doing manly things! What are those manly things - go to God's Word and see what things He tells you that men should be doing - in many ways, God paints a picture for us of what a man is - a fortified city, a strong tree, a pillar, a soldier, a steward…and you can learn from those pictures what characteristics God's Word is teaching you about manliness.   Game Plan: Spend time in God's Word - seek out His definition for manliness, not the world's. Spend time with godly men - build community, accountability, maturity Take time to assess where you are, how you can mature, what obstacles you need to overcome.   T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Getting older is something that is part of every life.  How we deal with mid-life and senior-life is a big deal.  Using God as our anchor is the key to understanding and responding to life stages.  He is right there with you, every day.

In this Mother's Day message, Pastor Nick Newman teaches how the enemy's pattern since Genesis 3 has always been to attack truth and proximity with God through lies, shame, and doubt. Using God's questions to Adam and Eve, he reminds us that shame is not God's verdict over our lives, and that through Jesus, God still moves toward us to cover, restore, and bring us near again. This message was recorded live on May 10th, 2026.

Why do people turn to God in crisis—but walk away when life gets better? In this powerful message from 1 Samuel 6–7, we see the Ark of the Covenant returned after bringing judgment on the Philistines. Even the enemies of God recognized His power—but they still refused to fully surrender. Meanwhile, Israel learns a critical lesson: God's presence must be honored, not treated casually. This sermon challenges us to move beyond temporary, crisis-driven faith and into a fully surrendered life. When Israel repented, removed idols, and turned back to God with their whole heart, everything changed—victory, restoration, and peace followed. If you've ever felt stuck spiritually, this message will show you exactly why—and how to realign your life with God.

Ever wrestled with a question that felt too big to answer—something that Google couldn't quite help with, and the Bible app just gave a list of verses that didn't really land? We live in a world of instant answers, but spiritual wisdom takes more than a search bar. So, how do we actually find answers to hard questions using God's Word first, not last? Today's episode is called “Bible First: Finding Real Answers to Questions”, and we're talking about how to study, search, and investigate hard topics using Scripture, not just shortcuts. And the episode is less about specific questions and more about methods to use when searching for answers. When you have a question, where do you usually start? Why do you take this approach? Be honest! Here are more questions to consider: Why is our default to Google or search in the Bible app? And is that always bad? What does it look like to actually investigate using Scripture alone? What types of resources can we use when searching for answers? What makes this kind of study so hard for most of us? What fruit comes from doing it “the hard way”—the Bible-first way? What do we really need when we're studying? TIME and PATIENCE! I hope our listeners know that that Google is not our enemy, but we should still question the root, and the effect, of getting quick answers that we seldom meditate upon. How do you need to slow down, read, reread, and ponder God's word? This is a challenge for me, as well. We don't learn everything all at once; growth takes time. We are always learning! We encourage you to keep reading, praying, and talking with the Lord about your questions. Then, speak with mature Christians who have navigated similar questions and know their Bibles well. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! UNEDITED TRANSCRIPTION: 00:00:00 Patricia: Have you ever wrestled with a question that felt too big to answer? Something that Google couldn’t quite help you with? And the Bible app just gave a list of verses that didn’t really land. We live in a world of instant answers, but gaining spiritual wisdom takes more than just searching in a search bar. So today’s podcast is about using the Bible first finding real answers to our questions. Welcome to our Patterns of Truth podcast. I’m Patricia, your host, and today we are talking about how to study, search and investigate hard topics using the scriptures and not just shortcuts. Shortcuts are not a bad thing. We’ll talk about that. Um, but we want to kind of reexamine the practices that we engage in when we’re searching for answers. So this episode is about is not really about specific questions, specific hard questions that we seek to answer, but more about the methods that we can use when searching for those answers. So hello to everyone on the podcast today. Hello, Peter. Hello, Roy. Hello, Bethel. How are you all doing today? 00:01:05 Peter: Hello, hello. 00:01:07 Roy: Hey, great. Rainy and cold in Oregon. Oh it’s raining. Yeah. Rainy. 00:01:15 Bethel: Not humid here. 00:01:17 Patricia: Yeah. 00:01:17 Peter: Whereas here Bethel. 00:01:19 Bethel: Right now it’s Jersey. 00:01:21 Patricia: Yeah. 00:01:22 Bethel: It’s not Philly. It’s Jersey today. 00:01:24 Patricia: Jersey. Welcome back. All right. So um I’ll start with a panel question for all of us. So when any of us have a question, something popped into your mind. Somebody talks about something. Where do you usually start to find the answer? It can be any resource. It could be Google, it could be another. Right. So where do you start and why do you take this approach? 00:01:52 Bethel: I’m a Googler. 00:01:54 Patricia: All right. Yeah. 00:01:55 Bethel: Everybody and everybody makes fun of me that I even use Google because everybody just uses AI. Like everybody’s just like, just ask ChatGPT. Just ask ChatGPT. Um, so even googling is like outdated at this point, but depending on how deep I might text my dad. 00:02:11 Patricia: Oh, nice. All right. Cool. Roy? Peter. 00:02:17 Roy: Um, I asked my wife. 00:02:19 Patricia: Okay. 00:02:21 Roy: Um, good place to start. That’s good intuition. Um, my daughter, um, who also has very good insight. Um, and then it depends on what kind of a question. And I appreciate the Google answer. Um, in fact, I did, I used Google just the other day when I wanted to know the initial, um, area that was assigned to the tribe of Dan and I got a pretty good answer. So if the question is specific enough, um, then I think, um, Google is fine or I don’t know about chat, I haven’t used chat GP so I don’t know how that works, but I know Google uses AI underneath. So Google basically a, a front end to an AI program. Yeah. But it has to be specific. It depends on the type of question. 00:03:18 Patricia: Yeah, I like that you mentioned that because sometimes you could do like a broad question and then who knows what you’re going to get just just how Google works. Right. Sorry, Peter. 00:03:28 Peter: Yeah. I, I would say I try to find the shortest article I find, usually from kind of the same circle of church community. Amen. Um, um, and uh, definitely Google. Like sometimes it’s like a specific website that I go to other than, uh, I find got questions sometimes is a website that would help a lot in like general questions. Uh, if it’s something specific, more doctrine, I go back to the like some brief, uh, article and then control F to find. Yeah, the article. So, uh, yeah, I do that. 00:04:12 Patricia: Yeah. All right. That’s practical, I like it. I tend to start with the Bible app for some reason, right? There’s just, I don’t know, it’s, uh, it’s easy and I don’t know, there’s something I like Google, but I feel like So I really slow down and I think about like, what I feel when I Google something, I usually feel fear because I think that there are questions that I may have that when I Google it, there are harmful or anti-God, anti-Christian things that seem to pop up at the top. And I honestly just don’t want to see that when I’m searching out something. I don’t know what it is, but it just really disturbs me. Um, I know some people can see it and just discard it, but for me, it just, it really unsettles me. So I tend to like not want to go to Google for some reason. So maybe the Bible app, I’m trying to protect myself in some way. I’m not sure. But, um, our first question really is about like, why do we think that, um, a more popular default for searching for any question will be Google or a search in the Bible app? Why is that something that we tend to do these days? And is that always a bad thing? 00:05:21 Peter: Well, convenience. 00:05:24 Patricia: Um. 00:05:25 Roy: It depends a lot on the question. 00:05:28 Patricia: Do you ever feel like. Or maybe I should ask it this way? Is there a scenario where you find something on Google or a different tool, and it makes you immediately stop searching? Like you don’t go back to your Bible? Or does the opposite happen? You find what you need and then you say, oh, I want to go deeper. What does that look like? 00:05:50 Roy: Really depends upon the subject matter and the question. Okay. Um, I think, you know. 00:05:56 Peter: Yeah. I mean, for, for Patricia’s point, um, that’s a good point because I think when I Google things, it does stop me from digging more into scripture because I found the solution or at least part of an answer, and then I’m satisfied with it. Um, so that’s a, that’s a good point. I mean, we’re definitely not against technology. We should use technology. Um, if it’s your favorite AI search, LLM or Google, uh, it can be useful. Um, but, um, I think studying scripture as we can talk soon about is and, uh, like changing your heart through studying scripture is more just knowledge. Um, and I think you reach just knowledge if you like, get the answer quickly. 00:06:55 Roy: Yes. That’s very important point. Uh, and I want to emphasize that we are talking about having a specific question or a question about something. We get an answer, but that should lead us to dig deeper. And that should even that even specific studies should not keep us from regular Bible reading. Um, and that’s where we gain a general knowledge of God’s character. Um, you know, there’s a, a rule, there’s apps and whatnot that lead you through the Bible? Genesis to revelation in a year? Well, you may or may not want to use one of those apps, but the point is you have to be generally familiar with your Bible. I found questions that are, quite surprisingly in books like Ecclesiastes or Proverbs or Chronicles, and that seem to have nothing to do with the subject matter, but they. But they’re put in a way that for trigger thinking about things in a different way. So general Bible reading needs to always be done on a regular basis. 00:08:03 Patricia: Yeah. So leading into that, um, or coming out of that point, I should say, uh, if we had no technology, right. I couldn’t use my phone. Google’s down. It does happen from time to time, right? We can’t get to the website that we want. Um, I’m thinking about that AWS blackout from a few weeks ago where people were panicking. They couldn’t find anything. So if we only had our Bible in front of us, the actual physical volume, what does it look like to investigate using Scripture alone? Where does it start? 00:08:38 Roy: Need to know the books of the Bible and where they are. 00:08:41 Patricia: Mhm. Mhm. 00:08:44 Speaker 6: And I think maybe a general gist of what’s happening in each one. 00:08:48 Patricia: Yeah. 00:08:49 Roy: Definitely the difference between the Old and New Testament. Mhm. Um, and it also helps to have a, a mental map like Bethel was saying of what generally goes together. And this is fairly obvious, and I think a lot of people, uh, talk about it. So maybe we don’t need to belabor the point, but there are prophetic books, there are poetry books, there are history books, and there’s the Pentateuch and there’s New Testament. That’s a general classification. But we should know generally how how the different books relate to one another. Like among the Gospels, Matthew presents the Lord Jesus as the King. And I’m not saying anything that is particularly remarkable. I mean, we I think we all know this quote. 00:09:44 Bethel: And maybe instead of just looking up, oh, what does the Bible say about this? Fill in the blank. We could use Google as a resource to say, hey, how is the Bible split up? What is the Old Testament about? What are the parts of the Old Testament? What makes it different from the New Testament? What makes the Gospels different from each other? And you can use the internet as that type of resource to dig deeper in that way. 00:10:10 Patricia: Yeah. I think also if someone is a new believer, I mean, it’s, it might feel like kind of steep, right? Like, oh, before you start, you got to memorize all these things. I think while you’re doing it, I think I’m looking at the front of my Bible. There’s a table of contents, right? So if you’re a new Christian, or maybe it’s been a little while, if you if you need the pages with the numbers, right, start with it, like where each book of the Bible is. And what’s great is like most Bibles, like mine is organized, it tells you what’s in the Old Testament, what’s in the New Testament, and that can help you with organizing. Um, we’re looking at the Bible like how it’s, how it’s organized. And I think that’s a good place to begin. Um, I. 00:10:52 Peter: Think it’s high yield to Patricia. Like knowing the books of the Bible can be very helpful and knowing like the sections that, like Roy was saying, and I can argue also like some of them maybe can, they’re not inspired the chapters, but knowing how many chapters, like, you know, like, oh, you know, for example, Ephesians and Galatians are six chapters. Colossians and Philippians are four chapters. Um, so help you kind of. you know, contain or have a hold of of the book and how, how long it is. 00:11:29 Patricia: Yeah, that’s really good. And I think too, it’s, um, it’s good to think of how while we learned about what the book of the Bible’s are and how the Bible’s organized, that we can still start reading it. I think sometimes it can feel like levels like, oh, I can’t, I can’t do this until I do that. But it’s like, no, start reading while you’re memorizing where the books of the Bible are. So we talked about, I guess, operationally speaking, knowing how the Bible’s organized, but is there another way that we can begin that helps us when we’re just looking at the scripture alone and trying to find an answer? 00:12:08 Peter: We need help from Roy on this one. 00:12:14 Roy: Well, it’s been a long time since I was, uh, first, uh, I was pretty much know where everything is right now, and I hope this is going to be cut out of the. That’s the final deal. Um, well, again, I have to go back to the kind of question, I guess, because questions about the church, for example, if I have a question about that, I’m going to have to look in the New Testament. And I have to start with acts because that’s where the church began. And then Paul’s epistles in particular. So having a knowledge of where things are talked about and explained in Scripture is almost essential. Um, if you need comfort, let me give a couple of examples. We often look to the Psalms for comfort and encouragement, but in doing that, you need to realize that it’s a Jewish book. And so there are things in the Psalms which do not apply to us. Um, the Imprecatory Psalms in particular, which are Psalms which call down judgment upon our enemies. Well, if you’re new to the Bible, you might get confused by some of that. If you haven’t read and absorbed Romans, for example, toward the end where it says, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. And if you haven’t really digested that. So I guess I’d have to say that we need to start looking through the New Testament to get a feel for the kinds of things that are particularly appropriate for the Christian. I’m thinking of a new believer now. Sometimes we say, okay, start reading John’s gospel. Well, that’s a good one. Um, if I say start reading Matthew, Then I may run across the kingdom of God, where servants are failed, and throw in thrown into outer darkness. And that kind of verses have led to the idea of we can lose our salvation if you don’t really understand what the kingdom of God is. So there is some basic knowledge that’s required. You know, if you keep reading, then you’ll get to John’s Gospel. And there you find out that if you’re in the hand of the Lord, no one can pluck you out. And so there’s the answer. But some of this can be confusing to a new person. So the only solution is, I think, to ask somebody that you can trust, give you a general feeling for what the different books talk about. And then you have to have your general knowledge to have scripture reading it through to, to come up with stuff. And I gotta say this right here too. There are several verses that emphasize that God is compassionate and he preserves the simple. And I think if actually, in my experience, the biggest hindrance is pride. So if we come to the Bible with the proper attitude that this is God’s word, then I think God can lead us. The Holy Spirit leads us to apply things in the right way. Um, striking verses in um, um, Psalm one hundred and sixteen six is perhaps just a good one. Um, and also in Proverbs there’s some. So God and God will guide us if we’re humble enough to learn from him. 00:16:15 Peter: Yeah. Just to add to what Roy was saying is when you’re studying the scripture, uh, it’s good to, uh, uh, look at the context of. 00:16:25 Roy: Right. 00:16:26 Peter: Uh, I think that’s what Roy’s saying also of the whole scripture and the book and the context of the chapter. What does it talk about? 00:16:36 Patricia: So then, okay, so we have the word of God, um, itself, and we have the Holy Spirit who will teach us and reveal things to us that we cannot learn just intellectually on our own. So when we’re Christians, we have that. We have him as a resource. But what about some other resources that we can use when searching for answers? I’m talking about things that other very mature Christians who have studied the Bible have put together. Um, and I’m thinking of a concordance. I’m thinking of biblical commentaries. Um, can we have some commentary on that? What type of resources can we use when searching for answers and how do we use them? 00:17:19 Roy: Concordance is really helpful. I use a concordance frequently. Usually there’s a concordance at the back of most Bibles that is tuned to the particular, um, um, uh, version that you’re using, uh, translation, but you can always do a cross-reference. You know, the standard concordance is ah, Strong’s and Young’s someone that says strongest for the weak and young is for the old. But be that as it may, um, they’re both both good, although they’re different. Um, um, and if you’re not using King James, both of those are based on King James. Maybe they’ve been upgraded, I don’t know, or changed. But anyway, you can always, um, if you have a particular verse in NIV, for example, look it up at the same verse, uh, in, uh, in the King James. Um, and figure out what verse, what word you want to look up and then go to the concordance with that. Now, I use Young’s a lot because it gives the Greek and Hebrew and, um, that can be helpful if you have a good, um, uh, uh, dictionary, uh, specific, you know, the, the, the old Testament, uh, dictionary I use is um, theological wordbook of the old Testament, which is good, good Hebrew, uh, analysis. I don’t know a word of Hebrew. So I just have to depend in that, uh, in Greek, uh, in Hebrew. 00:18:56 Speaker 7: Let me ask you, Roy. 00:18:57 Peter: Um, I, I don’t remember the last time I used the concordance. Bethel. Have you you. 00:19:05 Bethel: Really just just the one in the back of my Bible. 00:19:09 Peter: Uh, are we missing out a lot because we’re not using the concordance or when do you use it? Do you. When is the deep study verse by verse? 00:19:19 Patricia: Wait, so maybe I should define it and it will help to answer the question. Right? I’m thinking that the concordance is actually what the search bar is now in the Bible app. But all right, so the definition of concordance, it’s an alphabetical index of all the words in the Bible or any text. And it lists where each word appears. So it’s an alphabetical index of all the words in a text and lists where each word appears. 00:19:48 Roy: Now the problem is, and this is why I use Young’s analytical concordance, is that there are only about four thousand words in the Hebrew biblical Hebrew. Now, modern Hebrew is totally different, but we’re dealing with an Old Testament text. And if you think about the number of words that we have in the English language, It’s up in the. Millions and more are being added every year. So to have four thousand words in a language means that each word is going to have to do multiple jobs. And so context is really important. And you can get that information. You can look that information up, uh, in the, um, in the back of the Young’s concordance and figure out how the different words are being used in the context in which they’re being used. So you can kind of parse that out. So it is definitely for a deeper study of, of the words. But the basic idea is that it gives you a list of verses where the word is used. 00:20:56 Patricia: Mhm. 00:20:56 Roy: And so you can go and compare where the word is used or how the word is being used in these different verses. And in the back of Young’s Concordance, you also have a reverse cross reference so that you can look up the Hebrew word, for example, and see the different version, the different ways the translators have translated it. So you get a sense of how specific the word is and, um, and what the translators were thinking of when they translated it. You can sort of figure that out. So, um, those kinds of things have to do with puzzling verses that you run across and they just, why? What does that mean? And so if you’re trying to figure out what that means or what a particular verse means, then, uh, a concordance is really helpful. Okay. 00:22:00 Patricia: So on the most basic level, for example, if I have a question about world peace, does the Bible ever talk about world peace? I can look up the word peace in a physical concordance. And I know Strong’s is like big and blue. Maybe they updated it, but the one I grew up seeing was like baby blue. Um, and you could look up the word peace. And when you look it up, it’s got a list of every single place that the word peace is mentioned. And you have to go through each verse to decipher what the definition of peace, I guess you could say is being, or I should say like the part of speech is being used, right? Is it the peace that’s between that passes all understanding for Christians? Is it the peace between God and humans? Now, because of the Lord Jesus? Is it peace that God will establish in the future? So you have to really do some legwork to find out if what you’re looking for is the definition of the word that you found. I guess you would say, is that like how you start at the most basic level? 00:23:04 Roy: Yes. 00:23:05 Patricia: Okay. All right. But if you’re advanced, you’d be like, going towards more nuanced definitions of the word. Um, maybe if they’re in Greek or in Hebrew, there are different words for different types of peace, which I know, like for people who are bilingual, they understand that a lot better than I do. Like being monolingual. I only speak English, but I know there are multiple words. Say, for example, love. So you can’t just look up love. You can. But there’s so much variety in what you’ll find. So it takes effort, right? That’s what it sounds like. Effort. 00:23:42 Roy: Yeah, yeah. You have to do some study. Okay. Probably a real example would be, um, the word corruption in the New Testament. Okay. That has a certain, uh, mental image brought up. But the problem is that in Greek, which is what the base language that the New Testament was translated from, the Greek word uses the same word, same Greek word for two different kinds of corruption. Now we distinguish, for example, corruption from decay. Decay is what results from the law of physics. The entropy. You throw a pile of grass out in the in the backyard and after a while it decays. Um, on the other hand, um, immorality is also corruption. So this, this requires that you kind of look at the verse and try and figure out what is being meant by the word decay. But and some translators will translate them differently. Sometimes they won’t. Okay. 00:24:53 Patricia: So then I guess it’s good to just have a dictionary. Yes. Do I know what the words mean that I’m searching up? Right. That I think that would probably be useful. Like even in your own language, like, you know, the way we use certain words are not necessarily how they’re always used in other contexts? It would be good to have a dictionary as well. Okay. All right. So we got the concordance. So what about biblical commentaries? What are they? When should be the when should they be used and does the publication date matter? 00:25:27 Peter: I thought the use the commentary. 00:25:29 Bethel: Honestly, I’m big on commentaries. I am an enduring word person. Um, I don’t know how the saints feel about that, but I like it. Um, no, I just think it’s very helpful that like sometimes, honestly, I’ll sit and read a passage and I’m like, wow. Um, my reading comprehension is not with us today. I have no idea what I just read. And so sometimes enduring word does a good job of setting the scene of where are we in the chapter? What’s going on? Um, and it breaks it down like couple verses at a time. And then it’ll provide like texts of what certain authors have said about said portion. Um, so it’s very helpful to get a well-rounded picture. Of course, like anything else, we are trying to emphasize that using things as a resource is good. Using things as the source is not good. And so referring back to the Word of God and just kind of, you know, I think we said this, but to, to pray and ask the Lord for wisdom and help. Um, because that’s, that’s the main reason that we can understand any of this because of the help of the Holy Spirit and, um, to kind of be able to have a better understanding of the word of God, but using scriptures in itself to understand you look at a couple commentaries. I mean, like that’s, I really thought about like, how did I learn anything when I was applying for college? How did I learn how any of that process worked? I read a million articles and I read a million Reddit posts, and I read a million everything. And I gathered information on what is what are people saying? And so you can go about it like that, but ultimately approaching it prayerfully and using things, like we said, as a resource, not as the source. 00:27:16 Roy: Yes, that’s that’s a very important principle because no resource I haven’t I’ve been through lots of different translations, for example, and I don’t find any single one that’s perfect or that I, you know, isn’t without some complaint that I can come up with. Uh, and that’s doubly true of commentaries. We have to look at several. And it changes over the years. The commentaries that I looked at when I was, uh, twenty or thirty are quite different than the ones I look at today. But we have to look at different ones and think about what they’re saying in context. And we have to talk to different people to. MM. 00:27:58 Patricia: Oh, one thing I forgot to do was like, define what a commentary is. I know the word comment is in commentary, but there are some people who don’t use a commentary at all. Or maybe they’re nervous about it because it seems like, is it about the Bible? How am I supposed to know? So just by way of defining things, a biblical commentary is a written aid that provides explanations and sometimes interpretations of scriptures to help readers better understand a biblical text. So there are lots of different types. There are some that are about certain topics that are discussing certain topics. And then there are others that are, um, devotional, um, there are some that are historical, cultural. So Bethel, probably the one that you’re talking about. And I’ve seen some in some study Bibles where they give the context of the cultural Sauk, um, backdrop of a particular book of the Bible or a particular passage. And that’s really helpful to help to assist in how we can understand. But like I said, there’s lots of different types of commentaries that we. 00:29:06 Bethel: I think. 00:29:06 Patricia: It is. 00:29:06 Bethel: Helpful along the lines of what you’re saying. I took a class and it’s silly that I had to take a class about this in college to understand it. But always, always, always, no matter what you are looking up, know what the source is and knowing what the point of the source is like. For example, if I’m reading a commentary that is meant for daily encouragement, it’s always going to be not twisted, but the point pulled out of that portion will be to encourage me. And so maybe that’s not exactly what this portion is, or that’s not the point of this portion, or that’s not the context that this portion originally was in. So being able to read a resource and take a step back and put it back in the big picture, is this what the what the scripture is saying? Is this what our context is? Does this fit into what we’re understanding here? AM I getting this right? Always, always, always looking back at what is the source? 00:30:01 Roy: Yes, that’s extremely important. Um, if you pick up something from Legionnaire, for example, which is a reformed, uh, outlet, um, you’re going to have reformed theology woven in and some of what they said is going to be quite wrong. Uh, from my point of view, um, but a lot of it is going to be spot on. You know, I was once riding in a car. This really struck me because I was riding in, in the car listening to some religious program of some kind. It was just a general program. No, it was a Catholic priest, and it was one of the best explanations of a particular subject in Scripture that I had heard. I haven’t heard anything better since, but that was a Catholic priest, but it just happened to be a subject that was so universal that, uh, any denomination basically would, um, would agree to what he said. Uh, but it was, it was very sound and very well put. But if I’m going to listen to him about the remembrance meeting, as we call it, or can, um, confession or something like that, that’s not going to be reliable. So having the source, knowing the source is extremely important. 00:31:15 Patricia: What should people do if they, if the answer they are seeking, the support they’re seeking can be found in a commentary that was written a long time ago, but it just doesn’t make sense to you because we understand things a little bit differently now. What should they do? 00:31:33 Roy: That’s a really tough one. And the best advice that I can say is to talk to somebody about it. Um, an older person, uh, it’s really unfortunate. Uh, you know, it’s, it’s terrible because I, I see exactly what you’re, what you’re talking about. Um, some of these, some of these texts should be rewritten. Um, but who’s going to do that? We just don’t have the energy and the time anymore. Um, if you, if you really want to get into some of the best commentaries I remember, I tell you a funny story. I was in a Bible study at work for a while, and as a miscellaneous group of people there from all kinds of denominations. And, um, we were talking everything and I said, well, I don’t think anything useful has been written about the Bible in the last hundred years. 00:32:27 Patricia: Mhm. 00:32:29 Roy: Well, that was a good talking point. We got off on a real discussion about commentaries. Right. But the problem is it’s it’s almost true. And it’s sad. Um, if you really want to learn about these, then get a dictionary. Sit down and just work at it. MM. That’s all I can say. You know, it’s like if you want, if you want to be really good at something, If you want to be a great basketball player and always be able to sink that shot from beyond the third three shot line, three point line. That’s going to take concentration. It’s going to take work. It’s going to take effort. It’s going to take time. Yeah. So I’m I’m sorry. There’s just no other way. 00:33:18 Patricia: Yeah. No I don’t think you have to be sorry. I do think that there’s something there’s something in the effort that comes forth. And just on the literacy side, like I’ve always got two suggestions. Um, one is using technology and one is just reading out loud. So at times reading out loud, right, can help bring a certain clarity that the voice in your head may not be able to, um, and reading something repeatedly out loud in a conversational voice can be very helpful. Um, in terms of helping you to hear what the author is saying. My second suggestion is that particular sentences or passages you don’t understand, honestly, you can feed it into AI and ask AI, can you please change the level which is literacy? You could change the lexile level. That is what it’s called, or just the reading level of the passage. And you can put it down to like a ninth grade or tenth grade level. If you’re in nine states and it’s going to help you a lot. Just know that it may take away some of the original author’s voice and their particular writing style. Um, but that could be really helpful for you to get the gist of what they’re trying to say. But do be careful because those commentaries are commenting on the Bible, which is God’s Word and AI, and Google those resources. When they summarize, they can lose the original nuances of the words that the Lord intends. So always just know that the technology is not perfect either. Um, and it can also just be a way to just lose the true core meaning of a passage. So just be careful. Thank you, Peter Boy and Bethel for this important conversation about how to answer any question using the Bible. Of course, I’ll go back to the beginning. Knowing the books of the Bible and where they are is always a really great challenge to put upon yourself. Memorize them. We used to have competitions about this when we were younger. There’s some there are there are songs. Right? Exactly. But that’s a really good place to start. Um, I hope that our listeners know that Google is not our enemy. The internet is not our enemy. We love technology, but we should always question the root. The effect of getting quick answers. Um, when we seldom meditate on those answers. So let’s think about how we need to slow down, read, reread, and ponder God’s Word. It’s a challenge for me as well. And just know that we don’t need to learn everything all at once. Growth takes time as well. So we encourage you to keep reading, praying, and talking to the Lord about your questions. And then also, as has been mentioned so many times, talk to mature Christians who have navigated similar questions and they know their Bibles well. They can probably give you some really great supports as to how they have been helped too. For more on this topic, you can check out Patterns of Truth dot org and we will see you next time for another conversation about living this Christian life. 00:36:15 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to the Patterns of Truth podcast. We invite you to join us for our next episode. And we also encourage you to check out Patterns of truth dot org, where we post articles every week for the encouragement and growth of Christ followers. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to submit them on our website. I’m Peter. Until next time. The post Using God's Word to Answer Hard Questions appeared first on Patterns of Truth.

Jesus is more than just a provider of our immediate needs; He is a loving Father who wants a relationship with us. While it's natural to ask for His help, He invites us to look beyond the quick fixes and the blessings, so we can discover the greatest gift of all—His constant presence and guidance in every part of our lives.#FULLTANKwithBroBo​ #FULLTANKwithBroBo2026​ #BoSanchez​ #FaithAndWisdom​ #Abundance​ #John6​ #SpiritualMaturity​ #TrulyRichClub​ #BlesserOverBlessing​ #Stewardship​ #Growth​ #RelationshipWithGod​---PS. Do you want to grow your finances but don't know how?For the past 18 years, I've received a lot of “thank yous” from so many TrulyRichClub members because once upon a time, they were stuck in their finances but through the club, they learned how to invest and they're on their way to financial freedom.If you want to grow your finances and reach your financial dream, go to www.trulyrichclub.com now or go to trc.ph/events to join our upcoming seminars!To support my mission work, click this link now! http://BuyMeACoffee.com/brotherbosanchez

Hey Friend, Welcome to the Start That Business Podcast, where Christians working a 9-to-5 but feel called to more get the clarity, strategy, and faith-first guidance they need to step boldly into their God-given calling to start a service-based business without quitting their jobs yet. Have you been called to start a service-based business but keep waiting for the “right time”? In this episode, I share how God's creation principles in Genesis 1 have reshaped the way I think about launching a business — especially while still working a 9-to-5. I walk you through how I see God's order, strategy, and intentionality as a blueprint for building something sustainable from the very beginning. Here's what I unpack: Why you must start before conditions feel perfect How to think big but execute one small step at a time Why building structure before filling it leads to sustainability How to launch strategically instead of emotionally If you're a Christian professional who feels called to build with purpose and clarity, this episode will challenge how you approach starting. I pray this blesses you. . Mentioned In Today's Episode Join the Arise and Shine Prayer Call @ 5 am CST | 6 am EST Join the Arise and Shine 365 Challenge .

Pastor Sarah invites you to be honest about your relationship with God, and to really consider what you give to God...and not just what you get.

Once you hear God's word, what then? How do you use God's word?

In John 8:12-20, Jesus makes a stunning claim: "I am the light of the world." Using God's own name—I AM—Jesus declares he is the glorious Light who leads his people to safety, just as the pillar of fire guided Israel through the wilderness. Those who follow him escape the darkness of sin and death. But the religious leaders immediately attack his credibility, dismissing his testimony as false. Jesus responds powerfully: his testimony is true because he comes from the Father and returns to the Father. The Pharisees judge by human standards, but Jesus's judgment, made with the Father, exposes every hidden motive and secret sin. When they demand proof of his witness, Jesus reveals there are two witnesses: himself and the Father who sent him. Yet despite sufficient testimony, the Pharisees remain blind to who Jesus really is. The application is urgent: Christians must walk in the light, confessing hidden sin. Unbelievers are warned that darkness cannot hide them from God, but the Light came to save, not condemn. There's still time to trust in Jesus's blood and righteousness before judgment comes.

Raj Prakash Paul || The Lord's Church India

By Victor T Hou - Paul says in Rom. 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation..." 2 Tim. 1: 8: "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord ..." This message is about not being ashamed of the gospel of Christ and the testimony of our Lord. Using God's Holy

Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian explore one of the Bible's most sobering warnings about sexual sin through the story of King David. The guys explain why pornography and sexual temptation rarely begin with desire alone, but with idleness, boredom, and abandoning responsibility—long before the “rooftop moment.” Al explains David's repentance in Psalm 51 as both a warning and a hope, reminding listeners that while sexual sin carries real consequences, God's covenant faithfulness still offers a path back. In this episode: 1 Samuel 13, verse 14; 1 Samuel 16, verse 7; 2 Samuel 7, verses 8–16; 2 Samuel 11, verses 1–27; Psalm 22; Psalm 23; Psalm 51; Psalm 139, verses 13–16; Matthew 12, verses 43–45; Hebrews 12, verses 28–29 Today's conversation is about Lesson 6 of The David Story: Shepherd, Father, King taught by Hillsdale Professor Justin Jackson. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ More about The David Story: Encounter the beauty of the Bible. The David Story: Shepherd, Father, King explores the lives of Israel's first two kings—Saul and David—to discover the Bible's profound lessons about fatherhood, the nature of sin, and the consequences of sin on both a family and a nation. While David suffers great tragedies due to his own transgressions, he models a path to redemption through repentance. Join Professor Justin Jackson in a careful reading of First and Second Samuel to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning and beauty of this story that is not only fundamental to the Christian and Jewish faiths, but also a literary masterpiece. Join us today in this pursuit of a deeper understanding of the Bible in “The David Story.” Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00-05:15 Christian joins the bearded brotherhood 05:16-12:56 David was a man of extremes 12:57-19:18 Great leaders are still deeply flawed 19:19-29:59 Using God's name to advance a political agenda 30:00-40:02 Boredom leads to spiritual vulnerability 40:03-51:03 David didn't have a phone, he had rooftops — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rev. Andrew Wang Acts 19:11-20 November 30, 2025

What is a human—dust and breath, body and spirit—without tearing ourselves in two? Deacon Anthony (St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Church, San Diego) joins Cloud of Witnesses with hosts Mario Andrew, Jeremy Jeremiah, and John for a rich, practical conversation on an Orthodox vision of the whole person and the mind (phronema) of the Church.We trace a path away from the twin traps of indulgence (living by our appetites) and denial (pretending we're already angelic), toward a fearless embrace of reality in Christ. Through Scripture, the Fathers, and stories from parish life, Deacon Anthony shows how God meets us in the tangible—mud on eyes, bread and wine, water and oil—to heal the heart and remake our lives.In this episode you'll hear:Body & Soul together: why the Incarnation means Christianity is never “purely spiritual” or “only physical.”The phronema (mindset) of the Church: how a Christian way of seeing reshapes what we notice, how we judge, and whom we love.Using God-given tools rightly: judge ourselves, not our neighbor; fear sin, not repentance; hate the illness, not the person.Confession as healing: real accountability, a spiritual father, and why naming sin breaks its power.Community over isolation: salvation is ecclesial and relational—you can't be saved on an island.Heaven & hell begin now: entitlement and isolation taste like hell; humility and communion taste like heaven.Saints as role models: why children (and adults) need holy examples more than celebrities.Eucharist & the senses: why worship that engages sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch anchors faith in reality.If “symbolic religion” has felt thin—or if modern “live-your-truth” scripts leave you empty—this conversation offers a hopeful, time-tested alternative: sacrament, repentance, and daily love that form the whole person in Christ.Find an Orthodox Church near you today. Visit https://www.antiochian.org/home Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTokPlease leave a comment with your thoughts!

JESUS IS BETTER Mark 12:35–40 Culture of Gospel Share this with someone in your life who doesn't know Jesus If corruption, hypocrisy, and abuse inside the church have ever made you question Jesus, let this sink in: Jesus condemned those things even more fiercely than you do. What you hate about religion is often the very reason you might love Jesus — because He exposes that darkness and stands against it. Sermon Summary In this message, Coleton walks deeply into one of Jesus' sharpest public confrontations with religious leaders. Drawing from Mark 12:35–40, he exposes three behaviors of the teachers of the law that still plague the church today — behaviors that cause people to lose trust, walk away, or become disgusted with religion altogether. But instead of letting these failings push us from Jesus, Coleton argues they should push us closer to Him, because Jesus Himself condemns these very abuses more clearly, more passionately, and more fiercely than we ever could. What follows is Coleton's three-point framework, each grounded in Scripture, history, and modern examples, ultimately leading us toward a posture of repentance, discernment, and deeper intimacy with Jesus. 1. Hypocritical Lifestyle — Appearing Righteous (vv. 38, 40) Scripture: “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect… and for a show make lengthy prayers.” — Mark 12:38, 40 Historical Note (Mark Strauss): “Teachers of the law wore long white linen robes… These garments imitated the robes worn by priests and so ‘signified' religious devotion.” Jesus' critique:   They projected holiness to gain admiration, honor, and spiritual credibility, but inside they were spiritually dead. Coleton highlights Jesus' words from Matthew where He calls them “whitewashed tombs” — clean and impressive on the outside, but hiding decay beneath. He describes Bryn Gilet's painting of the Pharisee and tax collector, showing a beautifully posed, self-righteous Pharisee whose “worship” is nothing more than polished emptiness. Modern Example: Coleton shares his disillusionment with a once-admired pastor whose hidden lifestyle contradicted everything he preached. The fallout devastated a church, wounded countless people, and embodied this exact hypocrisy Jesus condemned. Main Idea: Hypocrisy in spiritual leaders makes people question everything — the church, the message, even Jesus Himself.   But Jesus is not soft on hypocrisy. He hates it.   He exposes it, condemns it, and warns His followers to stay alert to it. 2. Using God to Get Better Treatment & Better Stuff (vv. 38–39) Scripture: “They like to… be greeted with respect… and have the most important seats… and the places of honor at banquets.” — Mark 12:38–39 Commentary (David Guzik): “They taught that teachers were to be respected almost as much as God… The greatest act someone could do was to give money to a teacher… Of course, it was the teachers themselves who taught this.” What's happening here? These leaders used Scripture as a tool to extract honor, wealth, and privilege for themselves. They weren't shepherds — they were spiritual opportunists. Modern Examples: Coleton highlights real stories we all see far too often: Pastors who demand honorific treatment.   Churches where members must publicly declare their tithes.   Preachers who use the pulpit to justify private jets or lavish lifestyles.   Leaders who shame people into financial giving.   He tells of a man who built a multi-million-dollar home for a pastor and said simply, “This is why I don't trust the church.”   He didn't know Scripture — he just knew something felt wrong. Main Idea: When spiritual authority becomes a platform for personal gain, the world sees right through it — and they should.   Jesus Himself calls out this manipulation long before modern critics ever did. 3. Using Power to Prey on the Weak (v. 40) Scripture: “They devour widows' houses…” — Mark 12:40 Commentary (David L. McKenna): “Scribes served as consultants in estate planning for widows… They convinced lonely and susceptible women that their money should be given to the scribe… There is no better way to assure the confidence of widows than by a show of spirituality….” What Jesus is condemning: Religious leaders using spiritual authority to exploit and financially drain vulnerable people — particularly widows. Modern Examples (summarized): Coleton cites a heartbreaking list: Southern Baptist Convention's report documenting 700 abusers in a decade and systemic cover-ups.   Prosperity preachers promising healing in exchange for “seed money.”   Stories of people dying from illness after being taught to give instead of seek treatment.   “Miracle cash cards,” “resurrection seeds,” “holy water,” and other manipulative schemes. Coleton notes how reading these cases was “brutal.”   Comments under these articles echoed the same cry: “This is why I want nothing to do with God or the church.” Main Idea: Spiritual abuse is real. It is evil. And Jesus does not tolerate it.   Jesus says those who do this will receive greater condemnation — a warning stronger than any critique we could offer. A Turning Point: Why These Failings Should Draw You Closer to Jesus Coleton makes a stunning and deeply pastoral turn: If church corruption disgusts you, you have more in common with Jesus than you think.   Jesus agrees with you.   Jesus condemns what you condemn — and even more strongly. He uses the opening verses of the text (Mark 12:35–37) to show that Jesus distance Himself from corrupt religious leaders by proving they don't truly understand Scripture nor the identity of the Messiah. “David himself calls him ‘Lord.' How then can he be his son?” — Mark 12:37 Jesus is saying:   “They don't know Me. So don't confuse them with Me.” Their failures do not represent Him. What This Means for Us — Applications 1. Fight the Temptation to Look Good on the Outside We all want to hide flaws, curate an image, and appear righteous.   But image-based faith is like Banksy's graffiti-cleaner artwork — adding paint on top of paint, looking busy but doing nothing real. 2. Watch Out — Guard Your Heart Church hurt is real, but Jesus warns:   “Watch out.”   Don't let the sins of others lead you to cynicism, bitterness, or disobedience.   Be discerning — not hardened. 3. Know Jesus So Well You Can Spot Counterfeits Coleton shares an Anne Graham Lotz story:   A Scotland Yard expert studied real money so intensely that counterfeits were obvious. Likewise:  Know the real Jesus deeply, so when someone distorts Him, you can see it — and not walk away from Him because of someone else's misrepresentation. Closing Gospel Picture — Jesus Is Not Like Them Coleton ends with three contrasts showing why Jesus is worth drawing near to: Jesus didn't just appear righteous; He was righteous — and took our place on a cross.   Jesus didn't use His position to gain luxury; He gave up heaven's throne to rescue us.   Jesus didn't abuse power; He submitted to humiliation so that we could experience God's blessing.   Jesus is nothing like the corrupt leaders who misuse His name.   So draw near to Him.

Do you want to live a meaningful life? Do you feel your existence lacks passion or purpose? If you're longing to feel joy again and break out of the cycle of stress and self-focus, this message is for you! In week 30 of our Gospel of Mark series, Pastor Kevin reminds us that the Kingdom […]

Parenting Using God as Your Mentor by Elizabeth Len Wai https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elizabeth-Len-Wai/author/B0B7CLKHHK Elizabeth-a-lenwai.com Light heartedly written to encourage parents in the journey ahead as parents. And the pleasure parenting brings as we come to understand the similarities in our behavior and that of our children. About the author An ordinary women, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who trusts God completely–chosen to write books not because of his skill or expertise–but because of her willingness to listen to and obey the guiding of the Holy Spirit. She trusts God completely in every situation and circumstances and desires only to share God’s love with the others–to help them see that everyone is important to and loved by God our father and Jesus our Savior.

Robert Womac Sunday October 12, 2025

Morning prayers word by Ps. Samuel

September 18 2025 Thursday Your Words Matter / Week 33 Speak To Your Problems Using God's Word #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word.  That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. My Prayers For The World Ephesians 1:15-23 NLT  'Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.'  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT 'When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.' Matthew 11:28  Find Rest In Jesus Christ Your Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return…  Psalm 37:4  God will give you the desires of your heart… The Galations, having launched their Christian experience by faith, seem content to leave their voyage of faith and chart a new course based on works—a course Paul finds disturbing.  His letter to the Galations is a vigorous attack against the gospel of works and a defense of the gospel of faith.   Paul begins by setting forth his credentials as an apostle with a message from God:  blessing comes from God on the basis of faith, not law.  The law declares men guilty and imprisons them; faith sets men free to enjoy liberty in Christ.  But liberty is not license.  Freedom in Christ means freedom to produce the fruits of righteousness through a Spirit-led lifestyle Mark 11:23-24 Romans 10:9-10  Salvation… 1 John 1:9  Confess your sins God Will Cleanse You… Romans 13:8  Live in God's Love… Romans 8:16-17  Heirs of God and Joint Heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Revelation 1:6  We are kings and priest in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Romans 10:13  Call On The Name Of Jesus And Make Him Lord today… The Biblical Definition Of Grace Is God's Unmerited Favor… Matthew 18:19-20  I will agree with you about your prayer request… Acts 10:34  God is not a respecter of persons. He loves and cares for us all the same… Romans 12:3  God has given us His Faith… Biblical Hope Is A Confident Expectation… Romans 5:5  God has given us His Love… 2 Corinthians 5:17  We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21  We are the Righteousness of God in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… God's Word Is True Above All Opinions…  Romans 12:2  Renew your mind to what God's Word says… Believe God's Word Above All Opinion… Philippians 4:13  We can do all things through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Philippians 4:19  God will provide all your needs… Romans 10:17  Faith In God comes from hearing God's Word… Isaiah 54:17 No weapon will prosper against me… 1 John 4:4  Greater is He In All Of Us… 1 John 1:9  Confess your sins God Will Cleanse You…  John 3:3  You Must Be Born Again… Luke 15:10  Heaven Rejoices Over One Person That Repents And Is Born Again… John 3:16  Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ Your Lord And Savior… 1 Peter 2:24  Healing… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Luke 6:38  Give and it will be given unto you… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media Website https://the-prodigalson.com What God's Word Can Do In Your Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJWTZG_x2vE&t=3s Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com YouVersion Bible App  https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 …  Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical  Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured

Ephesians 6:17 calls us to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. But what does it look like to use God's word as a weapon in everyday battles?In this week's episode, Angie and Katie unpack how the sword of the Spirit is more than head knowledge. It's Scripture lived out. When we let truth shape our thoughts, guide our decisions, and speak into our pain, we fight back against the enemy's lies with the very strength God supplies.Through word studies, commentary insights, and personal stories, we explore how the Holy Spirit brings Scripture to life within us, reminding us of what is true, equipping us to stand firm, and guiding us to walk in victory. The sword of the Spirit is a gift. And when we raise it, we move forward in power that isn't ours but His. Ephesians 6:17b (NIV)and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. https://livesteadyon.com/ Free Resource: Armor of God Quick Reference GuideLooking for a simple and powerful way to keep the truths of Ephesians 6 close at hand? The Armor of God Quick Reference Guide is a one-page visual that outlines each piece of armor, shares a key truth to remember, and includes a supporting scripture.Keep it on your fridge, slip it into your Bible, or place it by your desk. Let it remind you each day that you are equipped and ready to stand firm.Click here to download your free guide:ttps://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/LDKZP6U/armor Free Resource: 10 Promises That Help When I'm Hurtinghttps://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/4PqGaVQ/sou10promises  https://www.logos.com/https://enduringword.com/https://www.wordhippo.com/https://www.biblegateway.com/https://www.blueletterbible.org/Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 358.Max Turner, “Ephesians,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1244.John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Eph 6:17. Theme music:Glimmer by Andy Ellison

Following The Pattern Left By Jesus, In Using God's Word To Answer Questions And Not Our Own Opinions.

11am Series: Being the Church Romans 12:1-8

You know the relationship isn't right.You've prayed, processed, maybe even postponed the conversation…But now it's time to say it out loud—and you want to do it the right way.This episode will walk you step-by-step through how to break up at every stage of Christian dating—with clarity, maturity, and integrity. Whether you've only been texting or you're weeks away from the wedding, this is your guide to ending it without guilt, ghosting, or games.God cares about how you exit just as much as how you enter.And if He's leading you to let go, He'll give you the words to do it with courage and care.

Using God‘s work in the past to put to death the deeds of my body now

Guest: Lesley Russell | Bob Moffitt interviews Lesley Russell of Equip210 (from Ephesians 2:10). Russell trains teachers nationally on the ethos of revelate, to reveal math, science, creation, history, english, and the electives through that lens; the wisdom of God vs. the wisdom of man. Russell says, "80% of your graduating high school seniors who are raised in Christian families leave the church. I feel a lot of it is the dichotomy between their education; just going to church and youth group during the week does not override the secular education of what they're being exposed to." Russell says, "We want to leave a legacy to our children and grandchildren." She has been training teachers through the church with a kingdom education system. "One grandmother called the church and spoke to our school director, saying, 'I have been praying for years for my adult children and their children to come back to their love for Christ." https://equip210.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I first learned about Tracey Stroup, ND, during the Annie Appleseed Conference. I remember taking lots of notes as she revealed how aligning with God's original design, or what she calls “God's Farmacy,” can restore the body and renew health naturally. Dr. Stroup shares how foods, herbs, and even peptides are part of a divine […]

We know that God's word is living and active. Today's guest Jodie Berndt takes us through using Bible verses as prayers that can powerfully influence your children's lives.  There is so much encouragement in this episode for standing on the truth of God's word and relying on scripture to help shape your children, teens and adult children. Of course, we as moms can't help but be changed when we hide his word in our hearts and pray them over our family.  What we chat about: Using God's word for prayers is powerful. There isn't a need we'll face in parenting that God hasn't provided for in his word. Specific scriptures to pray for your child's salvation Asking God what we can nurture and pray for in each child's unique giftings God will accomplish the changes in your child's character. Our job is to partner with him. Praying against fear and for protection  Asking God to shape your children into good friends Processing popular media with your kids and discussing how it aligns or doesn't align with a Godly world view The power of having others pray for your kids in community When prayers aren't answered the way we want, God is still writing their stories. Free resources available at https://jodieberndt.com/resources  Summer of Mentorship Discussion questions PDF  Scriptures Mentioned: Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. John 15:7 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. Psalm 121:7-8 - The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Acts 26:18 -  Open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 2 Corinthians 5:17 -  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! Colossians 3:12 - Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Philippians 2:13 - for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Psalm 91:11 - For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; Proverbs 17:17 - Shape my child into a friend who loves at all times Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 16:28 - A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Links Mentioned:  https://jodieberndt.com/ Mom Life Unscripted YouTube Channel Jeannie Cunnion's “Mom Set Free” Book Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children: By Jodie Berndt Praying the Scriptures for Your Children: By  Jodie Berndt Praying the Scriptures for Your Life: By Jodie Berndt  Featured Sponsors:  Thrive Market: Stock up smart this summer with Thrive Market. Go to ThriveMarket.com/DMA to get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE sixty dollar gift just for signing up.  Thrive Causemetics: Try your new trusty favorites with an exclusive set for our listeners. New customers can get the Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara and a mini-sized Brilliant Eye Brightener at a special set price with free shipping available at thrivecausemetics.com/DMA.  Outschool: If you want to try Outschool, you can get your family's first month for only $1 a limited time when you use my link: Outschool.com/DMA! Outschool has been a game changer for our family. This new membership exclusive discount is only available when you go through our link and use code DMA!  Discussion Questions:  Do you have scriptures you pray for your children? Were there scriptures Jodi shared you wanted to start using? What is a need you have right now in parenting that you need a verse to pray for?  How can you incorporate praying for your children into your daily rhythm?  Pick one of the verses/prayers Jodie shared and write it down on a Post-it or notecard. Put it somewhere you will see it and pray. Share a need for one of your children with the group. Pray for each other and ask God to breathe new hope and faith into your parenting.

Our mouths expose our hearts. Sooner or later our real beliefs and attitudes pour out of our lips. As hard as we may try to hide them it's impossible to filter everything, and in those moments when we drop our guard, our hearts speak what we really believe. That's why in these lessons on how to love God (Ex 20:3-11) He draws our attention to how we use His name. His purpose isn't simply to get us to patrol our speech more carefully; His concern lies much deeper than that. He wants us to love and respect Him and knows that if we do our mouths will speak accordingly. Jesus said, "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart" (Mt 12:34), and again on another occasion He said, "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart" (Mt 15:18). So an honest evaluation of how we use God's name will tell us a lot about our spiritual health. Today we'll listen to the warning God gives about using His name in vain, but we'll also look at the positive side of using His name. After all, as Christians we are people deeply associated with that name: we believe in His name, we pray in His name, we gather in His name, we serve in His name and we have been baptized in His name. Amazingly, we have been given the privilege to use "the name which is above every name..." (Php 2:9). To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Hebrews, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.    

Sermon we watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MSztUqdlosCome to OUR FIRST EVER EXPERIENCE! https://brushfire.com/wholewomanco/utwwwco/603899__________________________________________________________________Give us feedback on your Wide Open experience so far here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnasZey2g7HM7D9vvugUpTsYwPQBgYvx0Y7vLolCvjRmJHFg/viewform?pli=1__________________________________________________________________Members get Eps 2 Days early, vlogs, & exclusive STREAMS! Join today!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqzgGwRrOLH20OIc8bM_VAg/join__________________________________________________________________COME SEE TIM DO COMEDY - Get Tickets Here https://linktr.ee/timross(Tim's Lip Balm) - GlowSkin Care - https://www.facebook.com/AllNaturalOrganicProductsMadeWithLove/

In this episode, I explore why indecision often feels like wisdom but is driven by fear and a desire for comfort. I explain how it can stall both personal and business growth, then walk you through a practical decision-making blueprint designed to help you move forward. I challenge you to confront your hesitation and make bold choices that align with your true calling. Takeaways Indecision can feel safe but often leads to stagnation. Using God as a crutch for indecision is common but misleading. Obedience requires active decision-making, not passivity. Fear of judgment and perfectionism can paralyze decision-making. Indecision can lead to missed opportunities in business. God calls us to the fullness of our purpose, even in discomfort. Building a decision-making blueprint is essential for clarity. Setting deadlines can help overcome indecision. Expect spiritual resistance when making decisions. Taking bold action is necessary to fulfill your calling. 00:00 The Fire Within: Embracing Your Calling 02:56 Breaking Free from Indecision 06:11 The Cost of Indecision in Business 08:56 Building a Decision-Making Blueprint 11:55 The Fire Challenge: Taking Action   PS. Ok, I know I know. I am taking forever with this name change thing.   I have just really been wrestling with it.  It's funny how you can help others do something really well, but then, when you have to do it yourself, you find it much more difficult. But I think this is really it.  Ready for it?  Roar Rising! That is more aligned to my brand, though I love burning bones because so many women I work with have the burning in their bones!  But it will be Roar Rising, I just have to find the time to get the name change done.  And yes, I know the ai image of me is a "bit off" to say the least, lol, but I don't have time at the moment for a new photo shoot. So, if you want to really see me, check me out on YouTube @HeatherSudbrock And if you are finally ready to work with me and get your message, voice, and platform launched and monetized to fund ministry? Then, hop on over to sign up and join us! The sisterhood is alive with Kingdom vision! Resistandroar.com

"The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." Notice it's not "money is the root of all evil." The Lord has given and gifted money to be used for glorious purposes. Listen in as Sean and Patke finish I Timothy on the topic of money.Support the show

Using God‘s gifts by the power love and self-control He's given

Counterfeit goods are always on sale in the marketplace of ideas including “fake Christianity”. On In The Market with Janet Parshall our guest shared his pastors’ heart as he gave us a clear biblical understanding of how a lax faith that includes neglect of Bible reading and application, failing to practice what we preach, focus on the wrong things and prayerlessness can lead us to the trap of an inauthentic faith. He showed the how to avoid these traps and to build and maintain a robust and faithful walk with the Lord. If you or someone you know has endured the pain of sexual abuse, no matter at what age it occurred, there is a long hard road of recovery and healing ahead. Our guest also experienced that trauma in her own life and she reminded us that the source of true healing comes only from the nail scarred hands of our Savior. One of the most respected apologists of our day helped us understand the unseen, supernatural world. Using God’s word he separated biblical facts from Hollywood fiction to reveal the real power, wonder and truth of the invisible world that surrounds us by sharing amazing stories of encounters when the supernatural breached into our temporal existence. Despite what most of us learned in school, science did not start out being divorced from anything related to God and His creative power that formed the world and all that we know. A highly respected doctor pulled back the curtain of history and explained how understanding God’s world was intrinsically a part of the early practice of science and what caused the chasm that we have been living with for more than 160 years. The news never stops and neither does our need to look at it with a discerning, biblical eye. Join us as we explore the story behind the stories of the headlines of the week.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharing the gospel is central to the Great Commission. But doing so on a day-to-day basis is more complicated than we often want to admit. It's definitely more complex than just memorizing the Romans Road or learning a three-step approach for door-to-door witnessing. So in this episode, we want to ask two different questions about sharing the gospel: first, we want to ask why don't we do it, and second, how should we change the way we think about sharing the gospel?Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/04/what-stops-christians-from-sharing-the-gospel-ep-213-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Failure to Evangelize00:08:36 False Fears00:11:33 Belief in Hell00:14:53 Disobedience00:19:59 Gifting vs Practice00:26:48 Different Venues00:35:36 Hospitality00:40:04 Ready to Give an Answer00:49:28 Listening00:58:17 Answer a Fool01:21:59 Using God's WordProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson

"Joe", an inventor from down under, and innovator of the Joe Cell was/is a very special individual who was divinely inspired to build devices (cells) to experiment with water. Most noted was his "cell" integrated with the Internal Combustion Engine in which he introduced a new energy concept to generate power. Joe admonished that his inventions could not be understood within the context of conventional Atomic theory, and also required a knowledge of water as a conduit for informational fields.  This, of course, challenged the sacred cows of "science", but also revealed God's elegant design that can be applied for the production of renewable energy, water purification systems, and even the healing of human biology. "We just haven't figured out how God works!"  ~ Joe  Moshe Daniel Block joins this Alfacast for an in-depth exploration of the science behind the Joe Cell, and to introduce our audience to his own technology as a further evolution of the original Joe Cell.  Dr. Moshe Daniel Block, ND, VDP, HMC, VNMI, is a naturopathic doctor, author, and innovator in mind-body medicine who graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2000. He created andteaches the Vis Dialogue, a transformative mind-body healing technique that has helped thousands achieve life-changing results, and offers a full certification program in Holistic Counseling (holistic-counseling.ca). Having overcome myasthenia gravis with the medicine he practices, Dr. Moshe also provides personal healing programs for chronic illness and emotional suffering (dr-moshe.com). Our discussion on Joe Cell science will necessarily take us down a few esoteric rabbit holes including Russellian science, Steiner anthroposophical concepts with a bit of Alchemical perspective to round out the mix.  These seemingly diverse topics will figure prominently into the reality of "free energy" and the cessation of archaic one-way explosion technologies. Show links: https://dr-moshe.com/ https://holistic-counseling.ca/ Join Mike at Anarchapulco Feb 17 - 21 https://anarchapulco.com Use code alfavedic for 10% off! Learn The True Nature Of Dis-Ease & How Our Bodies Actually Work: https://alfavedic.com/themyth/ Join Our Private Community And Join In The Discussion: https://alfavedic.com/join-us/ Follow our new YT channel: / @offgridelegance Get our favorite blue blocker glasses! https://alfavedic.com/raoptics Learn how to express your law and uphold your rights as one of mankind. https://alfavedic.com/lawformankind Alfa Vedic is an off-grid agriculture & health co-op focused on developing products, media & educational platforms for the betterment of our world. By using advanced scientific methods, cutting-edge technologies and tools derived from the knowledge of the world's greatest minds, the AV community aims to be a model for the future we all want to see. Our comprehensive line of health products and nutrition is available on our website. Most products are hand mixed and formulated right on our off grid farm including our Immortality Teas which we grow on site. Find them all at https://alfavedic.com​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Follow Alfa Vedic: https://linktr.ee/alfavedic Follow Mike Winner: https://linktr.ee/djmikewinner

Welcome back to the kitchen table. As parents, one of our most important roles is to be students of our children. We can't truly guide them unless we take the time to understand them deeply—who they are, how they think, and where they're headed. A powerful question to ask God is, “How do you see my children? How did you create them? What are you leading them toward?” These questions help us look beyond the surface and see our children the way God sees them. Jeremiah 33:3 reminds us that when we seek God, he reveals things we may not see on our own. When we ask God to show us our children, we gain the wisdom we need to guide them with clarity and love. Psalm 139:23-24 reminds us to invite God into our hearts, asking him to search us and lead us with wisdom. As we ask God to search our hearts, he gives us the insight to understand our children more fully and lead them well. Being students of our children means being open to learning from them and from God. It's a constant process of asking questions, seeking wisdom, and trusting God to show us how to guide them. Connect with Bethany here Follow her on Instagram @bethanykimsey Stop feeling defeated in your motherhood. Join the Reset:Anchoring Your Motherhood in Gospel Truths course and transform your story in just 6 weeks. Grab your spot here.  Purchase the Warrior Mama's Prayer Journal https://bethanykimsey.co/products/a-warrior-mamas-prayer-journal

Knowing our self-worth begins from feeling cared for and nurtured by our parents. Knowing our self-worth and being genuinely confident does not just happen it must be shown, talk about and lived out. That's where a good mentor comes in!Today, Chris and Christina jump into the topic of self-worth. Where does it come from? How does it get distorted? What role does social media and advertising play? Do our childhood's play a part?A good mentor can help boost low self-worth. Using God's Word and encouraging mentees to apply the truth of scripture is an invaluable service to helping self-worth!Today's podcast is brought to you by Commercial Brick. A family owned business since 1975, Commercial Brick is passionate about what they do and are dedicated to manufacturing quality brick. Check them out: commercialbrick.com

Are you grieving a loss? You likely are. We experience loss every day. Sometimes, it's smaller, like moving away from a friend or a city you loved, and sometimes, it's extremely significant, like the death of a family member. But through it all, we can be looking for God's glory. And when we search for it, we will see it. My guest, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, is sharing her personal story of loss and the miraculous gift God gave her family through it. She's encouraging us to chase God's glory through our grief, too. You'll hear us talk about… Navigating everyday grief Using God's Word to help process grief How good things can come from loss Supporting others on their grief journey Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young is a multi-published author, speaker, podcaster, former news reporter, and writing coach. She is passionate about helping women discover God's glory on life's unexpected paths and flourish in their God-given callings.   GET ALL THE SHOW NOTES   CONNECT WITH DORINA Instagram | Facebook | Website   CONNECT WITH GIRLS TALKING LIFE Get the GTL Newsletter | Instagram | Website

I have a wonderful birth story for you all today! My guest is so inspiring and such a wonderful story teller! I know you'll love listening as much as I did! Connect with Marisol: IG- @marisolrossrealtor   Grab your Starter Guide Here- bit.ly/phstarterguide   Discount Codes:  Get 10% off of Homebirth Hub by using the code PHP10   Get 10% off Araza Beauty Products with code "empoweredbirth"   Join our Peaceful Homebirth Facebook Group | LIVE Homebirth Scheduled for October!     

Using God's problem-solving devices gives you the tools for overcoming fear. With a FLOT Line in your soul, you can expect a life of divine advantage over the evils of the cosmic system. “I fear no evil, for You are with me” (Ps 23:4). Fear is a sin. Fear is an emotion out of control and a distraction to your spiritual life. There is a better way to live, and it's called the Christian life. It is a life without fear. Overcome fear by seeking God's wisdom and using His divine resources. “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Ps 34:4). Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/overcoming-fear-54cad3

Dennis and Julie start off with languages: Semitic; Arabic; Music; and the beauty of learning languages… inspired by Mario Pei's book - The Story of Language.  Dennis explains the French's mustard syndrome.  There are many ways of doing things… the only thing that matters is moral standards.  The question you should ask yourself is… am what I'm doing and saying going to age well?  Is it better to have an easy childhood… or a difficult one?  It is not a good thing to be liked by everyone.  They discuss the blurring of distinctions …there are/were boundaries for a reason.  Other topics include: India and Hinduism; Dennis' favorite countries to visit; Navalny; victimhood; depression – there's more suicide now than during the Great Depression; having courage; Tom Sowell's great concept – Stage One Thinking.Music: Straight to the Point c 2022Richard Friedman Music Publishing 100%Richard Friedman Writers 100%ASCAP (PRO)IPI128741568RichardFriedmanMusic.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.