Podcasts about Verse

Verse by Verse Bible Study on thecloudchurch.org through the book of 1 Timothy, covering chapter 1 and verses eleven to twelve.

Donations Resources (feminine hygiene products, and diapers, etc.)https://my.liberaforms.org/solidarity-kitchen-2Cash Pledges (100 percent goes to families)https://my.liberaforms.org/solidarity-kitchen-3Here is our plan: December 2, 2025 (Tuesday), 2:30 p.m. - 7 p.m., North Point ChurchServe up to 400 to go meals for students, parents and/or family members in our school district who have experienced the government shut down, food insecurity, or just plain tight times, with inflation and the job market.We will cook and pack to-go containers of meals, and be ready to send those off with students and/or families and/or caregivers. We will also have cash donations to put into envelopes, gift card donations to give away to those families that need additional support recovering from the shutdown or SNAP break. If folks would like to give to this, we are in process of setting up a secure format for it, in collaboration.TRANSCRIPTSDanielle (00:00):Cut it off. I just is so swamped with trying to respond to people's texts and calls. We have the whole system going, but I can explain more when we talk. It's justJenny (00:12):Okay. Oh my gosh. Yeah. We can do kind of a short one if that helps, or whatever feels supportive for you.I'm doing good. I'm thinking about the American Academy of Religions Conference this weekend. It kicks off tonight and I'll be presenting on my panel tomorrow, so I've been thinking about that.Yeah, I feel nervous, but I feel good. I feel really supported by the Purity Culture Research Collective and the colleagues and friends that I have there. So I mostly excited just to see folks coming in from all over, so I think it'll be a fun time.Danielle (01:02):Do you feel like you're going to be able to say what you want to say in the way you want to say it?Jenny (01:08):I think so. I keep reading over it again and again and tweaking it. It's hard to say what you want to say in five minutes, but,Oh goodness. I think there's eight of us. Eight or nine, I can't remember exactly. So we each get five minutes, but then it opens up into a q and a and sort of a discussion, so I'll have more time to expand on what I'm trying to say and it'll be fun to weave it together with other people.Danielle (01:42):It's interesting. I feel like we're all in these different places. We are physically sometimes, but even if we're in the same city and we're doing different things towards similar goals, that really strikes me. It's one reason I get excited about what you're doing.Oh, yeah, that's right. Well, I think I wrote in an email to friends to get it started. Basically what happened is we were at a band concert a month ago and it was the government shutdown, and my kids were talking about it and some of their classmates not having paychecks, their parents not having paychecks because we live in Kitsap County, and so there are two military, well, maybe there's three military bases in the area, so a lot of government funded work employees, the military obviously. And then also in our school district, I became aware that almost 30% of our students are either on SNAP or free and reduced lunch. So if you add that plus the level of the population of kids in our schools, either with parents in the military or in government position jobs, that's a lot of kids. And so I was like, oh, shit, what are we going to do? And I thought to myself, I was like, how can you not get on board with feeding kids? Really? They're innocent, they're young. I mean, we have plenty of riches in our county, in our country actually to do this should not be a thing. So that's kind of how it got started.Well, now it's called the Solidarity Kitchen. I'm like one member. There's many members of the Solidarity Kitchen, and we try to make decisions collaboratively. Some of us are better at some things like I'm not going to, I did take my food handlers permit test and passed it, by the way, today. Good job. I'm not going to be in charge. I'm not the expert at that. I like cooking for masses. So although I give input, there's other people that know more than me. There's also other people that know more about organizing volunteers or creating forms, and I dabbled a little bit in the art, but there's people that know more about how art should look and the words that need to go on art. I'm out here telling people, Hey, this is what we're about.(04:07):Would you like to join us? And trying to make space that's big enough for a lot of people to join in. It really felt like this collective consciousness movement. I go and I talk to someone, they're like, oh, we would love to do that. And it's like they've already thought of it. So it's not me trying to convince anybody to do anything or any of us, it's just like, oh, this is a need. This is something we can do. And we don't have to agree on a thousand things to get it done because I don't know. I know there are people in our government right now that are just wicked enough not to feed kids. We saw that as evidence, and I won't say any names. And also the new budget that's coming out in the big bill is going to cut snap benefits massively. So this is probably going to be an ongoing issue for kids, but it seems like a slam dunk to me. If you don't have food, if you don't have water, if you don't have shelter, if you don't have safety, how are you supposed to learn?Jenny (05:09):Yeah, right. I'm thinking about kids too and just how much their brains, their bodies are just burning through calories as they're growing, as they're learning, as they're developing. And of course every body needs food, but I think especially kids need a lot of food because their bodies are going through a lot of metabolism and a lot of change.Danielle (05:35):I think the collective messaging of the government saying basically, I've heard a lot of political pundits say, if you're on snap, if you're on free and reduced lunch, you're lazy. Your parents are lazy. Well, that's just not true. My kids have been on free and reduced lunch, and I remember the times when I was in grad school and we were living on one check, and I'm trying to go back to school to get paid, and you're literally short on money. Making lunches is expensive. And so to have that as an option increases capacity in other areas of your life. It's not that parents are lazy. It's not that parents aren't working jobs. So if that's the collective message, but what it does is it takes food out of the mouths of kids and kids, no matter what we say or think or believe, they are receiving that messaging that your parent might be lazy or your parent is leaching off the government or whatever these horrible tropes are that are spread by certain politicians. I won't say their names. I mean, do we think kids are really that dumb that they don't understand that, right? I mean, they get it. Yeah.Jenny (06:47):Right. When really the issue is hoarding, and I was thinking it's really actually pretty recent in human history that most people have even had to buy food. Food comes from the land, from the earth, from animals, from all of these things. And yet we have privatized and subsidized and commodified everything to make it so that you have to be able to have money to be able to afford food, which is just to me, I made this post recently where I just said, I cannot think of anything more opposite than Jesus' message of don't worry about what you'll eat, what you'll wear. Even the sparrows don't fret and the flowers bloom. And then this message from the government and from honestly, a lot of Christians is you should pull yourself up by your bootstraps. And Martin Luther King Jr. Said, if someone does not have boots, what a cruel thing to tell them. And if we live in a system that is intentionally hamstringing people's ability by not paying them what their labor is worth, by not providing childcare, by giving them crippling medical bills, of course something as simple as food should be becomes so complicated.Danielle (08:20):When I was in this theological and also, sorry, political discussion with family members, and I actually heard this verse preached in a sermon referenced Second Thessalonians three 10, which says, if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. And in the context I heard it in was interpreted to mean, if you're not working tough, go get a job. So that's kind of the context and some of the theological foundation of what I've heard for why let's not do Snap, let's not do free and reduced lunch, et cetera, et cetera. But I think a more holistic approach would be to focus on what was the historical impression of that time? What did community accountability mean? What did it mean to do resource sharing, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And I think what I would call today, or not me friends and more wise people than me, and I'm using the term of mutual aid, and I don't know if they use mutual aid back then, but that's kind of what I think they're talking about. I don't know that it means showing up at a job and doing nine to five work, is what they were saying in that verse. I think it's contributing to your community.(09:41):And a lot of people that don't make hundred, 200 million, like a million dollars a year, they're contributing to our society and they don't get paid what they need to eat. That is also a sin.Jenny (09:58):Yes. Yeah. Sorry. It sure seems to me that Jesus spent a lot of time walking around talking and not a lot of time working. From what I read, gospelDanielle (10:10):Bro, Jesus relied on mutual aid too. He went fishing, he showed up people's houses, they fed him. There was a lot of trading going on.Jenny (10:20):Absolutely. Absolutely. So if someone wants to get involved in what you're doing and provide what they have towards a mutual aid and in service of what you're already doing, is that possible? Should they just go start their own thing? Is there a way they can get involved with what you're doing? What would you tell someone who's listening and is like, yeah, I want to get involved and help?Danielle (10:48):They definitely could give cash or a donation. We partnered with the Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center Kayak here in Kitsap County, and they're like a fiscal partner. They're not a sponsor, but they're like adjacent to us help with Mutual aid. So there is the opportunity to donate through them and market for Solidarity Kitchen December 2nd. And I can put the link in the notes, but I think more importantly, if you're not here, yeah, please, I am not going to say, no, don't give us some cash or don't send us some menstrual supplies or whatnot. You can't donate food from that far away because we have to follow, be compliant with Washington Food law and standards. See, I know this now I took my test, but who in your community needs a gas card? Who needs a grocery card? Who could just use an envelope with a hundred bucks, a hundred bucks? What does that get you? Two bags of groceries or a hundred bucks to just shoot the breeze somewhere, sit down and have a coffee and a drink and go buy your groceries. I think there's this misconception if you give out cash, oh, they're just going to use it on booze and drugs. That's what I heard as a kid.(12:00):And now as an adult, I know that's rarely true. And why would we begrudge someone a little bit of cash to go out and have a coffee or have a drink or maybe get a date with their partner or enjoy a little bit better meat at the grocery store? That just seems so selfish and judgmental,Jenny (12:24):Totally. No, it makes me think of Tema, O K's, white supremacy, cultural norms, and it's so paternalistic that's like, I should decide how this other person spends their money when it's like that other person is a sovereign being living in their own body. And what if they get to decide what they eat and what they do with their body? What a concept that might be.Danielle (12:50):How do you see that kind of, I talk about this here and I know you're very supportive of me too, but how do you see that playing out in your day-to-day life? What does mutual aid look like for you?Jenny (13:01):Yeah, it does feel a little more complicated because my community is so broad right now. We're rarely in a place more than a week. And so it really is trying to be open to what's right in front of us. So a week ago, we were at this beautiful cafe in northern Maine that was doing a food drive and was collecting food, but the cafe was going to open itself up to make meals for everyone that was houseless for the holidays. And so we just gave them some cash and we're like, we're not going to be around anymore, but can you use this for the meals that you're going to be making? And they were like, absolutely.(13:50):We also look around, we end up picking up a fair amount of hitchhikers when we see someone along the road. And a ride is something we can try to do. So we look out for that. I consider you part of my community, even though you're literally on the other part of the country right now. And so those are some things I like to do. And I like what you said, there's some people that know how to cook. There's some people that know how to do art. I consider one of my gifts is networking and connecting people and saying, Hey, you need this other person has this. Let me connect you. And then also just trying to educate folks, because I think there's a lot of misconceptions out there about, since Reagan and the quote welfare queen and these racialized stereotypes and tropes of who needs money and who needs assistance.(14:53):One, white people need snap and assistance as well. And two, it doesn't do justice to the wealth disparity that exists because of hundreds of years of systemic racism and xenophobic rhetoric in our country, that there is a reality to the necessity of these systems right now to support bodies. And so I find myself trying to have difficult, frustrating conversations with family members or people I know that have maybe seen different news sources or things like that, that I have or have a very homogenous community where they don't often understand some of the source of suffering.Danielle (15:45):So if you could summarize for someone saying, well, I don't know anybody. I don't have anything. What I kind of hear you saying is that's okay. One, you can continue to reach out for that community and try to make efforts, but you can also, oh, no, are you paused? Oh, no. You can also reach out for those people and you can get started with what's present right in front of you. You can donate some cash to a friend. You can pick up what's safe for you, for you and Sean, you've decided it's actually safe to pick up a hitchhiker and you can get involved locally when you're around something. It doesn't have to be limited to what I'm talking about. The importance is to jump in and communicate love to people through different ways of giving. Where do we go from here? It feels like every day there's something hopeless happening. Yeah,Well, I think this is one way working and organizing and finding solidarity with friends in my area, but also just I have a family. I'm blessed with a family and just enjoying them, not trying to change anything about them, sitting with them, trying to meet them where they're at, reaching out to friends, calling, texting, saying, Hey. I mean, those are little ways. What about you?Jenny (17:33):Yeah, very similar. This conference feels hopeful to me that people are still trying to get together and understand how we can navigate hopefully a more ethical, equitable world. I've had the opportunity to just have some really sweet times connecting with friends who live around here recently and just sharing meals and catching up and just remembering how most people I think are really good and are really trying to do their best. And I need to be able to see that because I think the algorithm wants us to believe that people are mostly scary and bad and dangerous, and certainly there are scary and bad and dangerous people in the world. And I would say the majority of people that I tend to come into contact with in the flesh give me hope for the type of world that is possible.It is been mostly cold because we're in Boston and it's real cold, but it's also made me appreciate moments of sweet warmth even more. If we go to the YMCA and take a hot shower once every few days or sit in the sauna, it feels like it's a tiny little example of what we're talking about where it's like there are moments of goodness and hope breaking through even when things feel like they're really difficult. And in some ways that actually makes me savor those moments even more because I have honestly lived a very privileged life where most of my life, I didn't have to acknowledge a sense of hopelessness that I'm finding myself reckoning with now in a different way.Yeah. I'm giving my dog lots of snuggles. She sprained her paw on the beach the other day, and it's been very sad. She did limp around.Danielle (20:19):Well, how do you see yourself moving through then a time of Thanksgiving and a time when we, technically this is a time of being together and dah, dah, dah, and I know Thanksgiving has a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people, but just curious how you're thinking of that for yourself this year.Jenny (20:44):Yeah, I think I'm thinking about nuance and complexity and knowing that I will be sharing time with people who see the world very differently than I do and who are some of the most generous people I know. And it's not in my opinion, because they're terrible people that they see the world they do. It's because they've had certain influences. And I really appreciate the attempt to not split the world into all or nothing good or bad. That's very hard for me. I have a very strong tendency to just go, Nope, you're in the bad bucket now. And I would say in the last couple years, living in the van has taught me more about nuance and complexity and that you can never really pin someone down. I think people will always surprise you. And so I'm trying to go into the holiday and being open to hold nuance and also trying to grow my ability to not stay silent when I witness violence spoken.Danielle(22:19):Like I said, my family's everything to me. So we have some traditions that were started when the kids were little. One is making the favorite pie of everyone in the family. And so I'm in pie phase today. I wrote up a list of the pies I want to make, and really this week is an excuse to do it.So I'm looking forward to that. I'm also looking forward to being with one of my dear friends, one of my forever people, and it's an excuse for us to be together, and we're just going to sit likely and laugh and do nothing and take advantage of the time off. So I think those two things like connection and food feel good to me often, and they feel really good to me right now.Jenny (23:05):Yes. And connection and food sounds like so much a part of this day that you're organizing and that you're planning. What are your hopes for December 2nd?Danielle (23:18):Is it Yeah, December 2nd, just a Tuesday. Yeah. My hopes is that one that some people were, and this is a valid question, why not just get meal packages ready and then people can cook them and take them home? And I think one of the things was is there's so much love that goes into preparing a meal, and that felt like a ritual for me when I was thinking about doing it that I didn't want to forego. So one, I want to feel like this was cooked, this had intention, this had thought behind it, and it was a lot of work, and that's okay. It's because they love you. And I know that kids go around and often feel like can feel lonely or outcast, and I know adults are feeling that way too. And I just wanted this to be, this is one moment where you can bet someone thought of you and loved you.(24:09):That was one thing. So love is a main thing. Second, I wanted it to taste good. That's what I hope it tastes good to people. And third is that there's an imagination in our community that there's so many things against us forming and working and collaborating together, but I hope it gives imagination. There's the political world out there, and there's the practical way of it affects us in one way. I think it affects us, is separating us from our bodies and from each other. And I think to combat that or for any change to happen, we have to find common themes to gather around. And I mean, like I said, there's very few people that can say no to feeding kids, and I just think it's an easy Yes. Let's do it. Yeah. Sorry to talk so much. I have so much to say about it.Jenny (24:59):No, I think it's important, and honestly, it's inspiring and challenging in a good way of, I think it's almost easier sometimes to be like, oh, there's so much I don't know what I can do. And you're just like, yeah, you can make food for someone. It doesn't have to be as complicated as we tend to make it. And I have witnessed that be a part of who you are for many, many years now, and I always am inspired to do better in my own way when I see you living into that.What's your favorite pie?Danielle (25:43):It was my favorite pie. Well, I started making homemade pumpkin, and that's when I realized I really like pumpkin pie. You bake the pumpkins. Have you done this? You cutDude, you got to do it. You cut them in half, you clean out the seeds, you save that for later, and you don't want the hair in there. I don't know what it's called in English, that string stuff, and then you salt it with the big salts and you bake it. That to me, that is like, oh, it's so good. So I like homemade pumpkin pie, but I also like chocolate pecan pie. I do like pecan pie. I like pie.What about you? What's your favorite?Jenny (26:27):I love so many pies too. I like strawberry rhubarb pie. That's probably my favorite.Danielle (26:34):Oh, I didn't know that about you.Jenny (26:36):Yeah. I do love pumpkin pie. I do love a really cinnamony apple pie. I had a Mexican chocolate pie once that was spicy. It was so good. Yeah, we actually had it at our wedding. We don't really like cake, so we did just a bunch of pies and it was so good. ThatMan. Okay. Okay. Now I really want some pie. Our oven in doesn't work, sadly, so we can't make pie.Danielle (27:08):You need to get another way of doing that, then you cannot not have pie.Jenny (27:14):I know. We'll be at some families next week, so I'm going to make them make a pie. Well,     Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

Nehemiah 11 gives the names of those returned exiles who live in Jerusalem and those who live in the surrounding villages. Their names and the work for which they are responsible is very important in the Bible. Those in Jerusalem include priests, Levites and singers; gatekeepers (all of those were very important roles for the worshipping of the nation). From the villages particular mention is made of the craftsmen who despite the great difficulty in building put themselves and their families in peril because of their love for their brothers and sisters and for their God.Amos 3 tells of the close and unique relationship God has with His people, Israel. This means that the nation had a great responsibility to Him, as their Father; and that He would chastise them for ignoring His commandments. Sadly, the nation of Israel by their actions in joining themselves to their idols had severed their association and agreement with their Sovereign. Israel was walking in the opposite direction than what He asks of them. Four analogies are provided of cause and effect. The lion roars when the prey is caught; the fowler does not take up a trap until he has snared a bird; fear comes upon a person when the warning trumpet sounds an alarm; likewise, the Lord GOD will not send chastisement without first warning His people via His servants, the prophets. Yahweh would roar in visiting His people with the consequences of their actions. The prophet says the surrounding nations will see the justice of the LORD's judgments. It seems that because of Israel's covetousness it is impossible for them to act justly. The. accumulated wealth of the rich will always justifiably attract plunder (cp Romans 2verses2-11; James 5verses1-6). Bethel was the place where the worshipping of God had in the past been central to the nation's instruction in the ways of God. This city, which means "the House of God" will be laid waste.1 Timothy 6 says that servants must honourably bear the responsibility of faithful service. The chapter next sounds a warning against false teachers and this is followed by one of the greatest, and possibly the hardest, lesson to learn - i.e. that godliness with contentment is the greatest profit a believer can have in life. We can take nothing with us when we die. All that is important is the legacy that the Almighty sees - a life of devotion to Him and service to others - a life rich in good works. To pursue any other course is a guarantee of frustration and sorrow (just as Balaam found out). Verse 10 tells us, "the love of money" (Greek "philaguros" - literally "lover of silver" which has in Greek the numeric value of 666) is 'a root of all kinds of evil'. In verses 11-16 Timothy (and each believer) is urged to fight the fight of faith following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave a faithful witness before Pontius Pilate - costing our Lord Jesus his life. Jesus will, on his return to earth, set up the glorious kingdom of God demonstrating the power and honour of the King Invisible (God the Almighty Father) and the benefits that will come to those who live life by this guide. The letter concludes with a reminder to safeguard the deposit which had been committed to Timothy and a charge to the rich to avoid pride. The rich are counselled to use their God given resources to benefit others (the lesson being based on the life of Hezekiah cp2 Kings 20verses12-16). Let us learn godliness with contentment; richness in faith and loving works to others - pause and ponder.

Nehemiah 11 gives the names of those returned exiles who live in Jerusalem and those who live in the surrounding villages. Their names and the work for which they are responsible is very important in the Bible. Those in Jerusalem include priests, Levites and singers; gatekeepers (all of those were very important roles for the worshipping of the nation). From the villages particular mention is made of the craftsmen who despite the great difficulty in building put themselves and their families in peril because of their love for their brothers and sisters and for their God. Amos 3 tells of the close and unique relationship God has with His people, Israel. This means that the nation had a great responsibility to Him, as their Father; and that He would chastise them for ignoring His commandments. Sadly, the nation of Israel by their actions in joining themselves to their idols had severed their association and agreement with their Sovereign. Israel was walking in the opposite direction than what He asks of them. Four analogies are provided of cause and effect. The lion roars when the prey is caught; the fowler does not take up a trap until he has snared a bird; fear comes upon a person when the warning trumpet sounds an alarm; likewise, the Lord GOD will not send chastisement without first warning His people via His servants, the prophets. Yahweh would roar in visiting His people with the consequences of their actions. The prophet says the surrounding nations will see the justice of the LORD's judgments. It seems that because of Israel's covetousness it is impossible for them to act justly. The. accumulated wealth of the rich will always justifiably attract plunder (cp Romans 2verses2-11; James 5verses1-6). Bethel was the place where the worshipping of God had in the past been central to the nation's instruction in the ways of God. This city, which means "the House of God" will be laid waste. 1 Timothy 6 says that servants must honourably bear the responsibility of faithful service. The chapter next sounds a warning against false teachers and this is followed by one of the greatest, and possibly the hardest, lesson to learn - i.e. that godliness with contentment is the greatest profit a believer can have in life. We can take nothing with us when we die. All that is important is the legacy that the Almighty sees - a life of devotion to Him and service to others - a life rich in good works. To pursue any other course is a guarantee of frustration and sorrow (just as Balaam found out). Verse 10 tells us, "the love of money" (Greek "philaguros" - literally "lover of silver" which has in Greek the numeric value of 666) is 'a root of all kinds of evil'. In verses 11-16 Timothy (and each believer) is urged to fight the fight of faith following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave a faithful witness before Pontius Pilate - costing our Lord Jesus his life. Jesus will, on his return to earth, set up the glorious kingdom of God demonstrating the power and honour of the King Invisible (God the Almighty Father) and the benefits that will come to those who live life by this guide. The letter concludes with a reminder to safeguard the deposit which had been committed to Timothy and a charge to the rich to avoid pride. The rich are counselled to use their God given resources to benefit others (the lesson being based on the life of Hezekiah cp 2 Kings 20verses12-16). Let us learn godliness with contentment; richness in faith and loving works to others - pause and ponder.

Jeremy Lallier discusses Hebrews 13:1-2—“Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

Send us a textIf you've ever looked at your paycheck and felt financially stuck or anxious, you are NOT alone. As women, many of us are navigating:financial stresscorporate uncertaintycareer transitionsmoney mindset strugglesguilt around wanting abundanceconfusion about what the Bible actually says about moneyIn this episode, we walk through how to trust God with your finances even when the numbers don't add up and how to shift from surviving to stewarding your money with peace and purpose.Resources MentionedHow to Live an Extraordinary Life With or Without Mr. Right by LaTosha JohnsonAvailable wherever books are sold (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, my websitehttps://withorwithoutmrright.com/, etc.).Exciting News!You're officially getting TWO videos a week from me here on Hustle in Faith!

In an online meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 1st November 2025, Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham verse 36. This episode can be watched as a video on our Vimeo video channel (free of advertisements) or on YouTube (with ads), and a compressed audio copy in Opus format can be downloaded from MediaFire.  Books by Sri Sadhu Om and Michael James that are currently available on Amazon: By Sri Sadhu Om: ► The Path of Sri Ramana (English) By Michael James: ► Happiness and Art of Being (English) ► Lyckan och Varandets Konst (Swedish) ► Anma-Viddai (English) Above books are also available in other regional Amazon marketplaces worldwide. - Sri Ramana Center of Houston

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Five and Verse Thirty Three

The final chapter of Joel's prophecy always intrigues us.  It's opening verse is plain – “For behold in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem.  I will …”  The fortunes of God's nation of Israel have been dramatically restored in the last 100 years.  How long, we ask ourselves, before “the LORD roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth quake” [v.16]Very pertinent questions arise from God's words in v,12,13, “I will sit to judge the surrounding nations … for their evil is great.”   The next verse says, “multitudes” are involved – and yesterday's chapter indicated a particular “northerner” is involved who is destroyed after “he has done great things.” [2 v.20]In today's chapter the question is asked, “What are you to me O Tyre and Sidon?” [3 v,4] Today this is the nation of Lebanon, “the region of Philistia” is also involved, which is now known as ‘the Gaza strip.'   The answer of the question is clear – they are counted as nothing in God's eyes.A wider challenge is made; “Proclaim this among the nations: consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up … let the weak say, ‘I am a warrior.'” [v.9,10] All this has happened – is that happening complete?   Verse 16 & 17 indicate a final climax when “The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake.  But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. So you shall know that I am the LORD your God …”  The world at that time will know – but those who diligently read God's word should “know” now!What a blessing such knowledge will prove to be when the LORD “roars” and the nations are in great alarm.  Those who “know” will have a special ‘peace of mind' – and they should have it now – they need to have it now.   Look at the point Paul makes, that we also read today as he completed his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians, “Now may the God of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” [v.16]  Are you feeling receptive to that peace?  You should be.

Ecclesiastes 3 describes God's design for life as a series of divinely appointed seasons, where every event, from birth to death, has its proper time. This "eternal perspective" suggests that God orchestrates the cycles of life and that humans should find contentment and purpose in their appointed season, recognizing that "He has made everything beautiful in His time".Ultimately, the passage encourages patience and trust in God's timing, a belief that even life's toil is good and part of His eternal purpose. Key themes from Ecclesiastes 3Divine timing: The most famous verse, "To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1), emphasizes that God has a specific and predetermined time for all events in life.Cycles of life: The passage lists many dualistic seasons, including "a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to weep, and a time to laugh". This illustrates that life is a series of cycles, not a straight line.Finding purpose in toil: Verse 12 suggests finding joy and eating and drinking as a gift from God, and verse 13 states that there is nothing better for people "than to rejoice, and to do good in their life". This means we should take pleasure in our work and labor, knowing that it is good because it comes from God.God's eternal purpose: The passage concludes by pointing to God's eternal purpose, stating that "whatever God does, it shall be for ever" (Ecclesiastes 3:14). This encourages a long-term perspective, trusting that God will ultimately bring all things to account and that His work is perfect and lasting. Applying Ecclesiastes 3 to lifeEmbrace the present moment: Since God is in control of time and seasons, we should find contentment in the season of life we are in. This means appreciating the moment, rather than anxiously rushing to the next.Seek divine guidance: Recognize that God's plan for your life is larger and more complex than we can understand. The passage encourages us to align our actions with His wisdom, rather than pushing or rushing Him, and trust that He will accomplish what He has planned.Find satisfaction in work: Consider your work to be a gift from God, a calling to serve Him where you are placed. This mindset can help you find joy in your daily toil, even during difficult times.Look for hope and peace: The passage offers a message of hope and peace, encouraging us to trust in God's perfect timing, even when things are difficult. It suggests that the ups and downs of life are all part of His larger plan and that He will bring beauty to all of it in His time. Please SUBSCRIBE!Check out an Online Course at www.EQUIPPEDACADEMY.COMBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reason-for-truth--2774396/support.

Verse by verse. 

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Johanna, hostess of Breadcrumbs podcast, joins me this week to dive into her and her family's experiences at a place called Shiner Lake, in Canada. Jo talks about how they saw a physical manifestation of a spiritual battle over the lake. Later, she recounts their encounter with what we believe may have been a Wendigo! Don't miss this episode!Catch her show here!https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/breadcrumbs/id1697706302?i=1000730323256Have an experience that you'd like to share?Holler at me: thebumppodcast@gmail.comFeel led to donate to The BUMP Podcast?Check out www.buymeacoffee.com/thebumppodcastWant to be better prepared for whatever life throws at you?Check out www.squatchsurvivalgear.comUse Promo Code: 25bump to save 15% SITE WIDEPick up a copy of my book!https://a.co/d/0S3HttW"Oh, My Soul" Written and Performed by Ray Messer Jr.Verse of the Week:Psalm 34:7

Dave Myers discusses Leviticus 23:4-5—“These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD's Passover.”

A lot of "theologians" these days love to point out the "complicated" verses of scripture at the expense of clear ones; and a lot of Christians tend to grab ahold of one single verse or passage in order to back their belief. Thankfully, the Bible has built in keys to help prevent against these fallacies.

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Five and Verse Thirty Two

Nehemiah 8 tells us that as Ezra read the Law of Moses from dawn to midday to the people standing and listening attentively for it was God's Word that was being read and explained with diligence. The people's response in verse 8 was a loud and audible, "Amen, Amen". Ezra urges the people, not to weep but, to rejoice in God's Word as they together share His blessings. Then the chapter says that they kept the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles) for seven days and then on the 8th day they observe a solemn assembly (Hebrew "holy convocation"). This day is in the Law of Moses only once named - and is known as "Shemini Azaret", or "the day of the righteous" - speaking of eternal life in God's kingdom.Joel 3 tells of the time that will soon come at the time of the end of the kingdom of men. At this time the Lord Jesus Christ will come and set up the kingdom of God on this earth (Revelation 11verses15-19). The great battle of God Almighty is "Armageddon" in Revelation 16verses14-16, - those verses are taken from what we are told in Joel 3. These events were only possible in recent years, because the start of Joel 3 tells us that Israel must be back in their own land with Jerusalem as their capital city. Armageddon will be a time for God's judgments on the nations for their sinfulness and ungodliness and on those nations who that have wrongfully treated His people - Israel. It will be a time for war - a holy war, in fact. The word translated "prepare" in verse 8 means a jihad, or holy war. Verse 10 speaks of a time when the economies of the world are turned from agriculture to war i.e. precisely what we see now. The time that follows will be of peace in the kingdom of Messiah - our Lord Jesus Christ (read Isaiah 2verses1-4; and Micah 4verses1-5). Verse 12 of Joel 3 is where Armageddon is mentioned in the Old Testament. The judgment of the nations is likened to the harvesting of the grain with a scythe (or sickle); it is also compared to the harvesting of the vine and crushing grapes in a winepress.In 2 Thessalonians 3 Paul asks for the believers' prayers that he might be helped to freely teach the gospel without hindrance. From verses 6-15 the Apostle urges the Macedonian faithful to keep working and avoiding idleness. Many had ceased working because they mistakenly thought that the coming of Jesus Christ was so close that they didn't need to work. Idle brothers had to learn to heed the advice contained in this letter. In the last two verses the Apostle Paul asks God to give the believers peace.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Verse by Verse Bible Study on www.thecloudchurch.org through the book of 1 Timothy, covering chapter 1 and verses eight to ten.

Ecc 4:4  Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

On this season of Live Vedanta, we're distilling the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita into its 70 essential verses. In Essential Verse 4 -- from Chapter 2, Verse 11 -- we learn that our True Nature is Joy. By detaching from the finite—whose transient nature causes grief—we overcome sadness, anxiety, and dejection. ➡️ To maximize your experience of this season, we encourage you to request your FREE copy of the Essential Love eBook. Incorporating accessible translations and practical application, the eBook accompanies each episode with additional ways to learn, synthesize, and reflect on key insights.

We've known Alicia Meyers since we were all three kidlit babies back in pandemic days when we had no idea what we were doing! Josh still doesn't know what he's doing. Long live Totally Funny Critique Group!  Alicia's educational book The A-to-Z Teaching Toolkit came out this month (November 2025) and we're eagerly awaiting her picture book debut Tic-Errific Me, coming next June!  Alicia hustles. And also rocks a mean teddy bear Halloween costume (check out her socials for evidence). _________ This episode's book reviews:  ALL MY STRIPES by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin ZOMBEES by Justin Colon, illustrated by Kaly Quarles THE WORLD'S BEST CLASS PLANT by Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Lynnor Bontiago   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Five and Verse Thirty One

Do you struggle with anxiety? Do you often worry or have fears?  I have the greatest resource for you! I am so excited to have Becky Keife back on the podcast. Her new book is called *A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul: 100 Days of Peace for the Calm You Crave. This book is so good and full of truth. You are going to love hearing the peace practices Becky recommends as well as how to inhale truth and exhale trust. We talk about overcoming lies of the enemy and how to help someone else who struggles with anxiety.  You do not want to miss this episode. Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Becky's book: *A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodisnowdon.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/m7gewdm/a-verse-a-day-for-the-anxious-soul-book-giveaway It is fun to have Becky back on the Podcast a second time! If you missed my first conversation with her about her book, *The Simple Difference, please check out Depth Podcast Episode 110. Becky shares the big impact from small kindness. Book Recommendations: *Living Fearless by Jamie Winship *Soul Care by Rob Reimer Becky Keife is the author of *A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul, and a Bible teacher, speaker, and author passionate about helping people hear God's voice, embrace their true identity, and step into their purpose. A dedicated mental health advocate, Becky equips individuals and churches to understand anxiety biblically and experience Jesus wholly. She loves long naps, puffy clouds, and shady trails. Becky lives in Southern California with her husband and three always-hungry teenage sons. *Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!  

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com      1 Corinthians 15:33: "'Bad company corrupts good character'”. Company - not just friend, but group of friends- your circle   Not a bad friend, but bad company.    Ever ask someone the question “so what kind of company do they hang with?”  Oh don't mess with them, they hang with some bad Mamma Jamma's.   That woman there keeps the wrong kind of company… she's broke dried up and used. That Dude… the kind of company he hangs with … they are all super successful or there all gear heads or they are all musicians…   *Corrupts = waste away, shrivel up… to square ones potential.    -  ** Character = life-style (moral habits, behavioral patterns   So it means the people you circle yourself with can shrivel up your potential because they instill in you poor life habits and patterns… Verse 34 which leads to sin!    THEN THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE: GOOD COMPANY CAUSES CHARACTER TO THRIVE!    A FRIEND WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYER… HIS BROTHER EVEN BETTER - WOULD OUT PERFORM THE OTHER STARS ON THE ICE… BUT HAD THE WRONG CIRCLE.   JUST THE OPPOSITE FOR HIMSELF: He was average at best, but loved Hockey. He knew he had to get into circles that pushed him beyond what he thought was capable of himself.   AND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE WITHOUT KNOWING…     **I was training a young man in my gym. He came in one day all concerned. He said he thinks he has a skin disease… something is really wrong with his hands. - They were callouses. But it happened so slow he did not realize it. The work of our circle is slow at first… but in time it becomes who we are. 

David Johnson discusses Isaiah 32:17—“The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.”

Ecc 4:1  Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.Ecc 4:2  And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive.Ecc 4:3  But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

Every Sunday Night we will be diving deeper into specific chapters and verses throughout the bible. We created this service to provide a space to equip our church family with a deeper knowledge and understanding of scripture.We invite you to join us on Sunday Nights at Captivate Point Loma!-----Join us for service online or in person every Sunday at 8am, 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, & 5pm (PST).Connect to Captivate! - https://shorturl.at/nKxQuDownload the Captivate App to Stay Connected! - https://shorturl.at/5PfXPIf you want to share how God is moving in your life through this ministry, please let us know at info@captivatesd.com!Decided To Follow Jesus? Sign up to receive a copy of our “I Have Decided” booklets - https://shorturl.at/93CHSGet plugged in!Next Steps - captivatesd.com/next-stepsVisit - captivatesd.com/visitCommunities - captivatesd.com/communitiesIf you would like to support Captivate financially you can give online through our website by clicking here captivatesd.com/giving Need prayer? Please let us know! - https://captivatesd.churchcenter.com/people/forms/597023For more information about Captivate Church, visit captivatesd.com or follow us on our social media platforms below.Instagram - Instagram.com/captivatechurchsdFacebook - facebook.com/captivatesd

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Five and Verse Thirty

Nehemiah 5 records the actions of Nehemiah the prophet to remove the suffering of the poor whose lands and vineyards had been mortgaged and their children sold into slavery. Nehemiah holds a great assembly and challenges the rulers to forsake their iniquitous practices. And so, the congregation agrees to restore to their families the sons and daughters who had been enslaved. Also, fields and vineyards are returned to their original owners. Governor Nehemiah received no taxes from the people despite his entitlement to do so. Verses 14-19 outline the Governor's - Nehemiah's - generous provision from his table every day for 12 years out of his own pocket. Nehemiah calls upon God to witness his love and generosity to Yahweh's people. Chapter 6 speaks of the conspiracy against Nehemiah from the enemies surrounding Israel. These foes seek a meeting with the Governor in the open plain where they would attempt to assassinate him. Nehemiah refuses and tells them that he would not stop doing God's work. Four times they try this tactic. Next the adversaries come with an open letter spreading lies about Nehemiah. This also fails. The enemies claim Nehemiah wants to make himself king. The faithful Governor takes the letter and spreads it out before God and prays for God's help and support. The next tactic of Nehemiah's foes is to threaten assassination. This too fails to intimidate God's faithful servant and the work of building the walls continues. Nehemiah asks God to remember and deal with the enemies. And so, the wall is completed in 52 days, because the hand of the Almighty is with his people. One of the great lessons of these chapters is to remain focused on God's work and the building up of His family and to avoid any distractions that might arise.The prophet Joel speaks his message just before the four waves of Babylonian invasions on Judah and the deporting to Babylon of exiles from the Land on each of these incursions. The first of these happens under the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar) in 606 BC. The final overthrow of the southern kingdom of Judah; with its capital Jerusalem, was in 587 BC. The invasion is described by the four stages of the locust - each stage more voracious in appetite than the previous stage. Verse 6 tells us that the devastation of God's land is due to one nation - Babylon. Notice the symbols of Israel are portrayed in the vine and the fig tree. These are consumed by Nebuchadnezzar. The virgin of Israel languishes due to her chastisement. Verses 13-20 tell of a call to repentance for the nation of Judah, will feel the wrath of the LORD in "the day of Yahweh" (a theme often repeated in this prophecy).Our final reading in 1 Thessalonians 5 reminds us that the Scriptures provide graphic detail of the times (Greek 'chronos' which God has explicitly revealed through His Scriptures and particularly in His prophetic word) and that He has adjusted i.e. patterned the world's eras around His Son, the Christ (Hebrews 11verses1). Time in this chapter is made up of longer periods called "times" and shorter periods known as "seasons". The shorter seasons characterised by specific signs compel us to believe that our Lord's coming is imminent (Luke 21verses24-36). These signs urge us to watchfulness and to lives that are consistent with us being the children of the DAY. That is the day soon to dawn when the sun of righteousness will arise with healing (Malachi 4verses1). We are exhorted us to lives consistent with the character required of the children of our Father in verses 4-11. The chapter concludes with patterns of behaviour befitting the children of the kingdom (cp 2 Peter 3verses10-18).Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Sunday AM 11-16-2025. Verse-by-Verse through The Gospel of Mark.

Sunday PM 11-16-2025. Verse-by-Verse through Amos.

According to the Smith's Bible Dictionary, Habakkuk means (embrace). This book would be the eighth, in order, of the Minor Prophets. Of the facts of the prophet's life, we have no certain information.Habakkuk lived in the final decades of Judah, Israel's southern kingdom. It was a time of injustice and idolatry, and he saw the rising threat of the Babylonian empire on the horizon. Unlike the other Hebrew prophets, Habakkuk doesn't accuse Israel or even speak to the people on Yahweh's behalf. Instead, all of his words are addressed to Yahweh. The book of Habakkuk tells us about Habakkuk's personal struggle to believe that Yahweh is good when there is so much tragedy and evil in the world.Habakkuk sees the darkness of the world as an invitation to have faith in Yahweh's promise to one day set things right. Living with such faith means trusting that Yahweh loves this world and works to one day eliminate all evil forever.In this chapter 2 we have an answer expected by the prophet (verse 1), and returned by the Spirit of Yahweh, to the complaints which the prophet made of the violence's and victories of the Chaldeans in the close of the prior chapter. The answer is,  I. That after Yahweh has served his own purposes by the prevailing power of the Chaldeans, has tried the faith and patience of his people, and distinguished between the hypocrites and the sincere among them, he will consider with the Chaldeans, will humble and bring down, not only that proud monarch Nebuchadnezzar, but that proud monarchy, for their boundless and greedy thirst after dominion and wealth, for which they themselves should at length be made a prey (verses 2-8). II. That not they only, but all other sinners like them, should perish under a divine woe.  1. Those that are jealous are greedy of wealth and honors (verses 9, 11).  2. Those that are harmful and oppressive, and raise estates by wrongful acts and the violent seizure of someone's property (verses 12-14).  3. Those that promote drunkenness that they may expose their neighbors to shame (verses 15-17).  4. Those that worship idols (verses 18-20).We continue with verse 11 11.   This is poetic language, describing how even their habitations would cry out because of Yahweh's judgment and destruction. A rafter from wood will answer it: There is (even) unity between these building materials. At that time, the walls of the houses were built from stone, and roofs were made of wood. Using poetic language, the writer is revealing to us that even the wood and stone cried out a warning to the people. These inanimate objects realized that the sinfulness of the people was going to be ultimately judged by Yahweh. The Babylonians were not smarter than the stone and the wood of their homes. Those who lived in these houses paid no attention to what their future truly held.12.  Yahweh was not only displeased with the greedy man, He also pronounced a woe against the violent man.This was the foundation of the Babylonian mindset. They built up their cities, their empire, by shedding the blood of others. They incorrectly thought that this activity was going to ultimately make them strong and secure. This was not the case.13.   Note: This verse is a question. The grammar here always implies a negative answer. 14.   Note: This verse is a verse of contrast. The other verses have dealt with the Babylonians. In this verse we see that Yahweh shows a contrast between the Babylonians and their idols and Himself – the only true Yahweh, the Yahweh of Israel. Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com 

Verse] Perfection's a ghost we can't ever hold  A whisper of gold in the stories we're told But if we keep chasing that endless shine Excellence greets us at the edge of the line [Chorus] We are what we do day after day Building the sky in our own special way Not just a spark it's a fire we feed Excellence blooms when habits take seed [Verse 2] If you quit once it carves a path in stone  A road that will echo when you're alone But fight through the doubt let it burn in your chest Habits of greatness will give you the rest [Chorus] We are what we do day after day Building the sky in our own special way Not just a spark it's a fire we feed Excellence blooms when habits take seed [Bridge] Falling's a lesson a chapter to write  The climb's what will gift us the thrill of the height It's not in the finish but all in the grind Where we find the treasure we were meant to find [Chorus] We are what we do day after day   Building the sky in our own special way Not just a spark it's a fire we feed Excellence blooms when habits take seed

O Krishna-nama! O inspiration of Narada's vina! You are full of sweetness, which is like an ocean full of waves of nectar. If You wish, please appear constantly on my tongue, along with transcendental affection for the Lord. (Namashtakam, Verse 8) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #kirtan #spiritualsongs #bhajan #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

O Krishna-nama! O inspiration of Narada's vina! You are full of sweetness, which is like an ocean full of waves of nectar. If You wish, please appear constantly on my tongue, along with transcendental affection for the Lord. (Namashtakam, Verse 8) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #kirtan #spiritualsongs #bhajan #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Are you battling worry and anxiety? In this transformative message from Philippians 4:4-7, discover how to exchange your anxious thoughts for God's supernatural peace.In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why rejoicing in the Lord is the first step to overcoming anxietyHow experiencing God's presence transforms worry into gentlenessThe power of presenting your requests to God with thanksgivingWhat "the peace of God which transcends all understanding" really meansKey Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7Featured Verses:Matthew 6:25-34Psalm 103:2-4Romans 8:28Isaiah 26:3Colossians 3:1-2, 12Romans 5:1Quotable Moments:"You aren't going to find a lot of joy in big pressures, tough problems, and difficult people, but you can always rejoice in the Lord.""The world thinks peace is the absence of conflict, but the Bible says peace is not the absence of difficulties; peace is the presence of God."Resources Mentioned:Book: "Insights on Philippians, Colossians, Philemon" by Charles SwindollBook: "52 Weeks Through the Bible" by James MerrittBook: "Wisdom for our Worries" by Bill CrowderBook: "Experiencing God's Presence" by Chris TiegreenBook: "Philippians Verse by Verse" by Grant OsborneNext Steps:Read Psalm 103 this week and identify God's provisions in your lifePractice daily prayer with thanksgiving, presenting specific requests to GodJoin a Bible study or small group at Grand Point ChurchMemorize Philippians 4:6-7Connect with Grand Point Church: Website: www.grandpoint.church Instagram: @grandpointchurch Facebook: /grandpointchurch YouTube: Grand Point ChurchSubscribe to Weekend Messages at Grand Point Church on your favorite podcast platform:

John 11:25-44,Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved[a] in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”The year 1912 gave us two unforgettable things: the sinking of the Titanic and the invention of Oreo cookie — one was a tragedy, one a triumph, and we're still fascinated by both today.But something else important that happened in 1912 that we probably don't think about much was the publication of an essay by the theologian B. B. Warfield. The essay is entitled, “The Emotional Life of our Lord” — and it's about the various emotions we see Jesus express in the Gospels.What makes the essay so amazing is that there had never really been a study like this before, and Warfield wrote it during the heyday of theological liberalism. When a lot of modern scholars were denying the deity of Christ, Warfield affirmed the deity of Christ and wrote this essay to defend the humanity of Christ.And the reason this essay is relevant to our passage today is that Warfield gives a lot of attention to John 11 — because of the emotions we just read about in verses 33–38!Now throughout each of the four Gospels we see the emotional life of Jesus, but there's no other place where we see such strong emotions compounded in one scene. Warfield writes, “What John does [here in Chapter 11] is uncover to us the heart of Jesus as he wins for us our salvation.” And I think that's right. Remember John was there! He saw this happen. And led by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he has written this to uncover the heart of Jesus for us, which means it's worthy of our focus this morning. There are two questions we should ask: What do we learn here about Jesus's heart? What difference does it make in our lives?The goal of the sermon is to answer those two questions: I want to show you something amazing about the heart of Jesus, and then I wanna talk about why it matters.Those are the two parts, and Part One can be titled “Uncovering the Heart of Jesus.”1. Uncovering the Heart of JesusWe're gonna pick up here in verse 28, and my goal is for us to build, in our minds, the right image of Jesus in this scene.Last week we saw the dialogue between Jesus and Martha, and this week it's between Jesus and Mary.After Martha's faith confession of Jesus in verse 27, she goes back to their home in Bethany to get Mary. And I want you to try to imagine this…Remember this is just four days after the death of Lazarus, and so it's a crowded house of friends and family grieving with them. Martha walks into the full house and somehow in private she tells Mary that Jesus wants to see her. She most likely whispered this to Mary, because people are all around her. She said, “Mary, the Teacher is here and he's calling for you.”And Mary, right away, jumps up and goes to meet Jesus, and everybody is there, seeing her do this, and they assume she must be going to the tomb. So they leave the house and follow her.So picture Mary walking to meet Jesus, and there's this entourage of grieving people following behind her. She gets to Jesus in verse 32, and she falls down at Jesus's feet and she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Where have we heard that before? This is the same thing Martha said in verse 21.And again, I don't think this is a rebuke. Mary is just stating a fact, and she does it here bowed down at Jesus's feet — which is not a posture of disrespect — this is homage. She's broken before her teacher. She's been following him, learning from him, trusting him, and she's honest with him.And it's important we get this scene right in our minds because before John tells us how Jesus responds, he tells us what Jesus sees. We need to see it too.Verse 33 starts by saying that Jesus saw Mary weeping, down at this feet, and he saw this crowd of friends and family around her also weeping. And that word for “weeping” means wailing. This is audible, expressive grief. There's no ‘balled fists mad' at Jesus here. It's heartache. Now look what John says Jesus did …And this is one we need to see. I want to make sure everybody's with me. Find verse 33 — Chapter 11, verse 33.After Jesus sees this heartache around him, Verse 33,“…he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.”Jesus Is AngryNow that word “deeply moved” — that's how the English Standard Version and the New International Version translates it. But if you have the ESV, you might notice there's a little footnote marker, and the footnote says that this word could also be translated “indignant.” Or to be outraged. That's because in nearly every other place this word is used, that's what it means. Outside the New Testament this Greek word is used to refer to the snorting of horses, and when it's applied to humans it means expressing anger. This is where I think cartoons could actually help us.In old-school cartoons — like the Looney Tunes — it was really clear when the characters would get angry. Their faces would turn red and steam would blow out of their nostrils. That's anger.And the point is that the audience not miss the emotion!That's the point here in the use of this word.The New Living Translation actually nails it. They translate it “a deep anger welled up within him.” That's what the word means. Now why does it matter? Well, the word is repeated in verse 38. Look down at verse 38:“Then Jesus, deeply moved again [deeply angry again], [he] came to the tomb.”So that's twice in this scene that John tells us this. Which means he really doesn't want us to miss it. Jesus is angry here. He's indignant. He's furious. Jesus Is SadBut hold on a minute: before we import our own meaning of anger, we need to see more in this story. We know that whatever kind of anger Jesus has here, it's perfectly compatible with his holiness. Jesus never sinned, so this must be a holy anger. And there are three more words John uses here that fill in the picture. We have to see all of this together if we're going to have the right image.Notice back in verse 33, John tells us that Jesus was “deeply moved/angry in his spirit and greatly troubled.”Jesus being angry “in his spirit” means that he's under control — he's not flying off the handle. He's restrained.But at the same time his emotion is visible. Because notice that word in verse 33, “deeply troubled.” That word literally means to shake. B. B. Warfield describes it as “raging in himself … His inwardly restrained fury produced a profound agitation of his whole being …” Can you picture that?I know we all have ideas of what Jesus might have looked like (there's a few windows around here that could help our imaginations) — But whatever your imagination of Jesus is, it should be able to include everything the Bible says about him, and here we read that Jesus is so enraged that he's shaking. It's like he's about to explode, and says “Where have you laid him?” And then, verse 35, “Jesus wept.”Now who would have expected that?! He's raging in himself, and tears spill out.And when you see tears — when there's weeping — what does that mean? Even young children know what this means. This is part of early childhood development — teachers show children pictures of faces and have them match different emotions to each face. And when the teacher asks, “Which one is sad?”, the kids always point to the face with tears. Because tears means sorrow. Weeping means sadness. And in this story, Jesus is sad. That's what overflowed for everyone to see. Jesus is fuming with fury and he grieves with tears. Fury and grief — anger with sadness — that's the right image of Jesus here. That's what John is showing us.But why is Jesus responding this way? It has to do with what he encounters. First, and most obvious, he is surrounded by grief. He loved Mary and Martha, and Mary and Martha are both grieving; their friends and family with them are grieving, and so, at the most basic level, when Jesus weeps here, he's joining his friends in their grief.The people Jesus loves are sad, and he meets them in their sadness. He's with them. This is true sympathy. Jesus is a good friend. But the anger part — what is that about? This is where we have to look at what's behind the grief.In this story, what has caused the grief?Death.Warfield writes,The spectacle of the distress of Mary and her companions enraged Jesus because it brought poignantly home to his consciousness the evil of death, its unnaturalness, its “violent tyranny” … In Mary's grief, he contemplates the misery of the whole human race and burns with rage against the oppressor of men…It is death that is the object of his wrath, and behind death him who has the power of death and whom he has come into the world to destroy. Tears of sympathy may fill his eyes, but his soul is held by rage…Anger and sadness. Sadness and anger. Jesus Is ZealousIt's really important to see what happens next. What does Jesus do with these emotions?He doesn't sit there on his hands. But he's in motion. He's going somewhere with this. And, at some level, this is expected. Check out verses 36–37. This is how the friends and family respond. They see Jesus's emotion and think, “Wow, he really loved Lazarus!” And then some said, verse 37:“Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”That's actually a smart question. It's the logical next question after you realize that Jesus really loved the man who died. It's clear that Jesus loved Lazarus, and we know Jesus can heal, so why didn't Jesus just heal him?I hope you see this is a form of the same question we talked about a month ago in our sermon “An Everyday Theology of Suffering.”The big question we talked about is: How can God be all-powerful and all-good, and suffering still exist?Remember that question? That's the big question. And that's the same thing going on here at a practical level: Jesus is powerful (he can heal), Jesus is good (he loved Lazarus). So … why is Lazarus dead in a tomb and Jesus upset about it?It's a fair question, and look, I think we're all just trying to figure it out. And maybe we think Jesus doesn't really have the kind of power we hoped he has — and if we think that, this next part is for us … Because Jesus, again, is in motion. He's going somewhere. Verse 38:“Then Jesus, deeply angry again, came to the tomb.”Get the image right in your mind. Jesus is walking up to this tomb furious. He's angry. He's sad. And he's zealous.Warfield on this part quotes Calvin. I'll read Calvin to you. He says:Christ does not come to the tomb as an idle spectator, but like a champion who prepares for a battle, and therefore we need not wonder that he again groans, for the violent tyranny of death, which he had to conquer, is placed before his eyes.Do you see it? Jesus approaches the tomb enraged because he is about to face our greatest enemy. And what does he do?He says, “Move the stone.” Martha says, “There's gonna be an odor.”Jesus says, “I'm here to show you the glory of God.”And then he looks up to his Father in heaven and says, verse 41,“Father, I thank you that you have heard me …”See, apparently Jesus has already been praying (and like Martha said in verse 22, whatever Jesus asks from God, God gives it to him). John wants us to know the Father and Son are in this together. Verse 43: “When Jesus had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice …”That word for “cried out” is the same word used later when the crowd will cry out “Crucify him! Crucify him!” The word means to shout. And John also adds “with a loud voice.”You gotta picture this. Jesus is not making a mild suggestion here. This is a loud shout from a heart enraged. He's shouting it loudly in defiance of death.“Lazarus, come out.”Verse 44,“And the man who died came out …”See, they don't even call him ‘Lazarus' anymore — they call him “the man who died” — because he did die, but now he's alive. And Jesus says,“Unbind him, and let him go.” Those words are significant. It means that Jesus, the resurrection and the life, has set the dead man free. Just like Jesus will set us free — not free from the end of our physical lives in this world, but absolutely free from death.Jesus, see, is zealous to save! He's zealous to display the glory of God and accomplish our everlasting good, which are one in the same.In this story, John uncovers the heart of Jesus for us.B. B. Warfield writes,Not in cold unconcern but in flaming wrath against the foe, Jesus smites in our behalf. He has not only saved us from the evils that oppress us; he has felt for and with us in our oppression, and under the impulse of these feelings has wrought out our redemption.Anger against our enemy. Sadness in our grief. Zeal for our salvation.This is the heart of Jesus. What a Savior!2. Why Does It Matter?Now, Part Two: What difference does this make in our lives?I'd like to close with an application. And there's a hundred things we could say! A hundred things we could takeaway. But for now, I'm just gonna focus on one: In discovering Jesus's heart, we discover the kind of hearts we are called to have as his people.We can't be content to only admire him, but we must follow him as our example — especially in our witness. Because Jesus shows us what a holy heart looks like toward a fallen world.We see it in the mingling of his anger and sadness — anger toward the ultimate enemy, and sadness for those who suffer. Indignation for the father of lies, sorrow for those captive to lies.I think the best name for this posture is what we might call brokenhearted boldness. (That's a Piper phrase.) Brokenhearted boldness.And we get the boldness part. That is so vital in our day. It's the courage to call evil evil. To hold our ground on moral clarity. To pray imprecatory psalms against the workers of Satan. And we do it with confidence, in Luther's words:The prince of darkness grim, We tremble not for him;His rage we can endure,For lo! His doom is sure;One little word shall fell him.We mock the devil! We mock death! This is boldness!But it's brokenhearted. Because at the same time that we resolve never to compromise truth, we weep for the world that's lost it. Together with the firmness of our conviction, we have the tenderness of compassion. We're brokenhearted, because Hell is real, and we know people who will go there. And we don't want them to. Brokenhearted boldness.And honestly, it's easier to recognize it than to describe it, so I'll tell you a true story…Just recently I was having lunch with one of our members, a college student. And he was telling me about a class he's in right now, and the professor is off the rails. The professor says there are at least 12 different genders, he openly mocks God in the classroom. And this student is disgusted by it. He told me he's spoken up in class, he's tried to dialogue with other students. He said, “But my classmates are so influenced by this professor. … They're just eating it up. They're all choosing a path of lies.”And as he said this, his eyes filled with tears, his voice began to crack; he had to stop talking and look away … And I thought: “That's it.”That's brokenhearted boldness.That's the heart of Jesus showing up in his people.It's not a witness of swagger. It's not brash or belligerent, not snide or snarky, not cruel or crude, but it's embracing truth with tears — a supreme love for God and a sincere love for people.It's a miracle, church, to have hearts like that! And would that God work this miracle in us! We want to be more like Jesus as we point to him and what he's done. That's what brings us to the Table.The TableBefore we can ever imagine being like Jesus, we have to first be saved by Jesus. And that's what we celebrate here.The heart of Christ is an example we can follow, but the cross of Christ is the unrepeatable accomplishment of our salvation — and we can only receive it.Christian, you know you can only receive it, so would you receive it afresh this morning? If you trust in Jesus, I invite to rest anew in this grace to you, and surrender yourself anew to his transforming work in your life.

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Five and Verse Twenty Nine

The Gospel | Romans 1:18-23

Verse by verse. 

In this episode, Swamiji begins his discourse on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, Verse 8, where Shree Krishna reveals how the Divine permeates everyday experience—manifesting as the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the sacred syllable Om in the Vedic mantras, the sound in space, and the ability in human beings. This teaching invites seekers to recognize God not as distant, but as the very essence enlivening all phenomenayoutube.com.  Swamiji illustrates “the ability in humans” with a Vedic story—when the devas became proud, God withdrew their power to reveal its true source. He explains how our talents are granted and sustained by the Divine, and can be withdrawn, guiding us to humility and gratitude in practice. Reflecting on the astonishing complexity of creation and human consciousness, he emphasizes that perceiving God's presence in the simplest realities transforms remembrance into living devotionyoutube.com.  About Swami Mukundananda: Swami Mukundananda is a renowned spiritual leader, Vedic scholar, Bhakti saint, best-selling author, and an international authority on the subject of mind management. He is the founder of the unique yogic system called JKYog. Swamiji holds distinguished degrees in Engineering and Management from two of India's most prestigious institutions—IIT and IIM. Having taken the renounced order of life (sanyas), he is the senior disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, and has been sharing Vedic wisdom across the globe for decades. 

Bio: Jenny - Co-Host Podcast (er):I am Jenny! (She/Her) MACP, LMHCI am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, Certified Yoga Teacher, and an Approved Supervisor in the state of Washington.I have spent over a decade researching the ways in which the body can heal from trauma through movement and connection. I have come to see that our bodies know what they need. By approaching our body with curiosity we can begin to listen to the innate wisdom our body has to teach us. And that is where the magic happens!I was raised within fundamentalist Christianity. I have been, and am still on my own journey of healing from religious trauma and religious sexual shame (as well as consistently engaging my entanglement with white saviorism). I am a white, straight, able-bodied, cis woman. I recognize the power and privilege this affords me socially, and I am committed to understanding my bias' and privilege in the work that I do. I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and actively engage critical race theory and consultation to see a better way forward that honors all bodies of various sizes, races, ability, religion, gender, and sexuality.I am immensely grateful for the teachers, healers, therapists, and friends (and of course my husband and dog!) for the healing I have been offered. I strive to pay it forward with my clients and students. Few things make me happier than seeing people live freely in their bodies from the inside out!Danielle (00:10):Welcome to the Arise Podcast with my colleague Jenny McGrath and I today Jenny's going to read a part of a presentation she's giving in a week, and I hope you really listen in The political times are heavy and the news about Epstein has been triggering for so many, including Jenny and myself. I hope as you listen, you find yourself somewhere in the conversation and if you don't, I hope that you can find yourself with someone else in your close sphere of influence. These conversations aren't perfect. We can't resolve it at the end. We don't often know what we need, so I hope as you listen along that you join us, you join us and you reach out for connection in your community with friends, people that you trust, people that you know can hold your story. And if you don't have any of those people that maybe you can find the energy and the time and the internal resources to reach out. You also may find yourself activated during this conversation. You may find yourself triggered and so this is a notice that if you feel that that is a possibility and you need to take a break and not listen to this episode, that's okay. Be gentle and kind with yourself and if you feel like you want to keep listening, have some self-care and some ways of connecting with others in place, go ahead and listen in. Hey Jenny, I'd love to hear a bit about your presentation if you don't even mind giving us what you got.Jenny (01:41):Yeah, absolutely. I am very honored. I am going to be on a panel entitled Beyond Abstinence Only Purity Culture in Today's Political Moment, and this is for the American Academy of Religion. And so I am talking about, well, yeah, I think I'll just read a very rough draft version of my remarks. I will give a disclaimer, I've only gone over it once so far, maybe twice, so it will shift before I present it, but I'm actually looking forward to talking about it with you because I think that will help me figure out how I want to change it. I think it'll probably just be a three to five minute read if that evenOkay. Alright. I to look at the current political moment in the US and try to extract meaning and orientation from purity culture is essential, but if we only focus on purity culture in the us, we are naval gazing and missing a vital aspect of the project that is purity culture. It is no doubt an imperialist project. White women serving as missionaries have been foot soldiers for since Manifest Destiny and the creation of residential schools in North America and even before this, yet the wave of white women as a force of white Christian nationalism reached its white cap in the early two thousands manifest by the power of purity culture. In the early 1990s, a generation of young white women were groomed to be agents of empire unwittingly. We were told that our value and worth was in our good pure motives and responsibility to others.(03:31):We were trained that our racial and gender roles were pivotal in upholding the white, straight, heteronormative, capitalistic family that God designed and we understood that this would come at us martyring our own body. White women therefore learned to transmute the healthy erotic vitality that comes from an awakening body into forms of service. The transnational cast of white Christian supremacy taught us that there were none more deserving more in need than black and brown bodies in the global south pay no attention to black and brown bodies suffering within the us. We were told they could pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but not in the bodies of color. Outside the membrane of the US white women believed ourselves to be called and furthermore trusted that God would qualify us for the professional roles of philanthropists, medical service providers, nonprofit starters and adoptive mothers of black and brown children in the global south.(04:30):We did not blanc that often. We did not actually have the proper training, much less accountability for such tasks and neither did our white Christian communities. We were taking on roles of power we would have never been given in white spaces in the US and in doing so we were remaining compliant to our racial and gendered expectations. This meant among many other things, giving tacit approval to international states that were being used as pawns by the US Christian. Right among these states, the most prominent could arguably be Uganda. Uganda was in the zeitgeist of white Christian youth, the same white Christian youth that experienced life altering commitments given in emotionally evocative abstinence rituals. We were primed for the documentary style film turned organization invisible Children, which found its way into colleges, youth groups, and worship services all over the country. Many young white women watched these erotically charged films, felt a compulsion to do something without recognizing that compulsion came from the same tendrils of expectations, purity, culture placed on our bodies.(05:43):Invisible children's film was first released in 2004 and in their release of Kony 2012 reached an audience of a hundred million in its first week of release. Within these same eight years, Ugandan President Veni who had a long entangled relationship with the US Christian right signed into law a bill that made homosexuality the death penalty in certain cases, which was later overturned. He also had been responsible for the forced removal of primarily acho people in Northern Uganda from their lands and placed them into internally displaced people's camps where their death T tolls far exceeded those lost by Coney who musevini claimed to be fighting against as justification for the violent displacement of Acho people. Muny Musevini also changed the Ugandan constitution to get reelected despite concerns that these elections were not truly democratic and has remained president of Uganda for the last 39 years. Uganda was the Petri dish of American conservative laboratory of Christo fascism where whiteness and heteronormative racialized systems of purity culture were embalmed. On November 5th, 2, 20, 24, we experienced what am termed the boomerang of imperialism. Those who have had an eye on purity cultures influence in countries like Uganda are not surprised by this political moment. In fact, this political moment is not new. The only thing new about it is that perhaps for the first time the effects are starting to come more thoroughly to white bodies and white communities. The snake has begun to eat its own tail.Scary. Okay. It feels like poking an already very angry hornet's nest and speaking to things that are very alive and well in our country right now. So I feel that and I also feel a sense of resolve, you might say that I feel like because of that it feels imperative to speak to my experience and my research and this current political moment. Do you mind if I ask what it was like to hear it?Danielle (08:30):It is interesting. Right before I hopped on this call, I was doing mobility at my gym and at the end when my dear friend and I were looking at our DNA, and so I guess I'm thinking of it through the context of my body, so I was thinking about that as you're reading it, Jenny, you said poking the bear and before we shift too fast to what I think, what's the bear you believe you're poking?Jenny (09:08):I see it as the far right Christian nationalist ideology and talking about these things in the way that I'm talking about them, I am stepping out of my gender and racial expectations as a white cis woman where I am meant to be demure and compliant and submissive and not calling out abuse of power. And so I see that as concerning and how the religious right, the alt religious right Christian, religious right in the US and thankfully it was not taken on, but even this week was the potential of the Supreme Court seeing a case that would overturn the legalization of gay marriage federally and that comes out of the nuclear focus of the family that James stops and heralded was supposed to be the family. It's one man and it's one woman and you have very specific roles that you're supposed to play in those families.Danielle (10:35):Yeah, I mean my mind is just going a thousand miles a minute. I keep thinking of the frame. It's interesting, the frame of the election was built on economy, but after that it feels like there are a few other things like the border, which I'm including immigration and migrants and thoughts about how to work with that issue, not issue, I don't want to say it's an issue, but with that part of the picture of what makes up our country. The second thing that comes to mind after those two things is there was a huge push by MAGA podcasters and church leaders across the country, and I know I've read Cat Armas and a bunch of other people, I've heard you talking about it. There's this juxtaposition of these people talking about returning to some purity, the fantasy of purity, which you're saying you're talking about past and present in your talk while also saying, Hey, let's release the Epstein files while voting for this particular person, Donald Trump, and I am caught. If you look at the statistics, the amount of folks perpetrating violent crime that are so-called migrants or immigrants is so low compared to white men.(12:16):I am caught in all those swirling things and I'm also aware that there's been so many things that have happened in the last presidency. There was January 6th and now we have, we've watched ICE in some cases they've killed people in detention centers and I keep thinking, is sexual purity or the idea of the fantasy that this is actually a value of the Christian? Right? Is that going to be something that moves people? I don't know. What do you think?Jenny (12:54):I think it's a fair question. I think it is what moved bodies like mine to be complicit in the systems of white supremacy without knowing that's what I was doing. And at the same time that I myself went to Uganda as a missionary and spent the better part of four years there while saying and hearing very hateful and derogatory things about migrants and the fact that signs in Walmart were in Spanish in Colorado, and these things that I was taught like, no, we need to remain pure IE white and heteronormative in here, and then we take our good deeds to other countries. People from Mexico shouldn't be coming up here. We should go on Christmas break and build houses for them there, which I did and it's this weird, we talk a lot about reality. It is this weird pseudo reality where it's like everything is upside down and makes sense within its own system.(14:13):I had a therapist at one point say, it's like you had the opposite of a psychotic break when I decided to step out of these worlds and do a lot of work to come into reality because it is hard to explain how does talking about sexual purity lead to what we're seeing with ice and what we're seeing with detention. And I think in reality part of that is the ideology that the body of the US is supposed to primarily be white, straight Christian heteronormative. And so if we have other bodies coming in, you don't see that cry of immigrants in the same way for people that came over from Ukraine. And I don't mean that anything disparagingly about people that needed to come over from Ukraine, but you see that it's a very different mindset from white bodies entering the US than it is black and brown bodies within this ideological framework of what the family or the body of individuals and the country is supposed to look like.I've been pretty dissociated lately. I think yesterday was very tough as we're seeing just trickles of emails from Epstein and that world and confirmation of what any of us who listened to and believed any of the women that came forward already knew. But it just exposes the falseness that it's actually about protecting anyone because these are stories of young children, of youth being sexually exploited and yet the machine keeps powering on and just keeps trying to ignore that the man they elected to fight the rapists that were coming into our country or the liberals that were sex child trafficking. It turns out every accusation was just a confession.Danielle (16:43):Oh man. Every accusation was a confession. In psychological terms, I think of it as projection, like the bad parts I hate about me, the story that criminals are just entering our country nonstop. Well, the truth is we elected criminals. Why are we surprised that by the behavior of our government when we voted for criminality and I say we because I'm a participant in this democracy or what I like to think of as a democracy and I'm a participant in the political system and capitalism and I'm a participant here. How do you participate then from that abstinence, from that purity aspect that you see? The thread just goes all the way through? Yeah,Jenny (17:48):I see it as a lifelong untangling. I don't think I'm ever going to be untangled unfortunately from purity culture and white supremacy and heteronormative supremacy and the ways in which these doctrines have formed the way that I have seen the world and that I'm constantly needing to try to unlearn and relearn and underwrite and rewrite these ways that I have internalized. And I think what's hard is I, a lot of times I think even in good intentions to undo these things in activist spaces, we tend to recreate whiteness and we tend to go, okay, I've got it now I'm going to charge ahead and everyone follow me. And part of what I think we need to deconstruct is this idea of a savior or even that an idea is going to save us. How do we actually slow down even when things are so perilous and so immediate? How do we kind of disentangle the way whiteness and capitalism have taught us to just constantly be churning and going and get clearer and clearer about how we got here and where we are now so that hopefully we can figure out how to leave less people behind as we move towards whatever it looks like to move out of this whiteness thing that I don't even honestly have yet an imagination for.(19:26):I have a hope for it, but I can't say this is what I think it's going to look like.Danielle (20:10):I'm just really struck by, well, maybe it was just after you spoke, I can't remember if it was part of your talk or part of your elaboration on it, but you were talking about Well, I think it was afterwards it was about Mexicans can't come here, but we can take this to Mexico.Yeah. And I wonder if that, do you feel like that was the same for Uganda?Jenny (20:45):Absolutely. Yeah. Which I think it allows that cast to remain in place. One of the professors that I've been deeply influenced by is Ose Manji, and he's a Kenyan professor who lives in Canada who's spent many years researching development work. And he challenges the idea that saviors need victims and the privilege that I had to live in communities where I could fundraise thousands of dollars for a two week or a two month trip is not separate from a world where I'm stepping into communities that have been exploited because of the privileges that I have,(21:33):But I can launder my conscience by going and saying I helped people that needed it rather than how are the things that I am benefiting from causing the oppression and how is the government that I'm a part of that has been meddling with countries in Central America and Africa and all over the globe creating a refugee crisis? And how do I deal with that and figure out how to look up, not that I want to ignore people that are suffering or struggling, but I don't want to get tunnel vision on all these little projects I could do at some point. I think we need to look up and say, well, why are these people struggling?Speaker 1 (22:26):Yeah, I don't know. I don't have fully formed thoughts. So just in the back, I was thinking, what if you reversed that and you said, well, why is the American church struggling?(22:55):I was just thinking about what if you reversed it and I think why is the American church struggling? And we have to look up, we have to look at what are the causes? What systems have we put in place? What corruption have we traded in? How have we laundered our own conscience? I mean, dude, I don't know what's going on with my internet. I need a portable one. I just dunno. I think that comment about laundering your own conscience is really beautiful and brilliant. And I mean, it was no secret that Epstein had done this. It's not a secret. I mean, they're release the list, but they know. And clearly those senators that are releasing those emails drip by drip, they've already seen them. So why did they hang onto them?Jenny (24:04):Yeah. Yeah. I am sad, I can't remember who this was. Sean was having me listen to a podcast the other day, just a part of it talking about billionaires. But I think it could be the same for politicians or presidents or the people that are at the top of these systems we've created. That's like in any other sphere, if we look at someone that has an unsatiable need for something, we would probably call that an addiction and say that that person needs help. And actually we need to tend to that and not just keep feeding it. And I think that's been a helpful framework for me to think about these people that are addicted to power that will do anything to try to keep climbing that ladder or get the next ring that's just like, that is an unwell person. That's a very unwell person.Speaker DanielleI mean, I'm not surprised, I think, did you say you felt very dissociated this past week? I think I've felt the same way because there's no way to take in that someone, this person is one of the kings of human trafficking. The all time, I mean great at their job. And we're hearing Ghislaine Maxwell is at this minimum security prison and trading for favors and all of these details that are just really gross. And then to hear the Republican senator or the speaker of the house say, well, we haven't done this because we're thinking of the victims. And literally the victims are putting out statements saying, get the damn files out. So the gaslighting is so intense to stay present to all of that gaslighting to stay present to not just the first harm that's happened, but to stay present to the constant gaslighting of victims in real time is just, it is a level of madness. I don't think we can rightfully stay present in all of it.(26:47):I don't know. I don't know what we can do, but Well, if anybody's seen the Handmaid's Tale, she is like, I can't remember how you say it in Latin, but she always says, don't let the bastards grind you down. I keep thinking of that line. I think of it all the time. I think connecting to people in your community keep speaking truth, it matters. Keep telling the truth, keep affirming that it is a real thing. Whether it was something at church or like you talked about, it was a missionary experience or abstinence experience, or whether you've been on the end of conversion therapy or you've been a witness to that and the harm it's done in your community. All of that truth telling matters, even if you're not saying Epstein's name, it all matters because there's been such an environment created in our country where we've normalized all of this harm. I mean, for Pete's sake, this man made it all the way to the presidency of the United States, and he's the effing best friend of Epstein. It's like, that was okay. That was okay. And even getting out the emails. So we have to find some way to just keep telling truth in our own communities. That's my opinion. What about yours?Jenny (28:17):Yeah, I love that telling The truth matters. I feel that, and I think trying to stay committed to being a safe person for others to tell the truth too, because I think the level, as you use the word gaslighting, the level of gaslighting and denial and dismissal is so huge. And I think, I can't speak for every survivor, but I think I take a guess to say at least most survivors know what it's like to not be believed, to be minimized, to be dismissed. And so I get it when people are like, I'm not going to tell the truth because I'm not going to be believed, or I'm just going to get gaslit again and I can respect that. And so I think for me, it's also how do I keep trying to posture myself as someone that listens and believes people when they tell of the harm that they've experienced? How do I grow my capacity to believe myself for the harm that I've experienced? And who are the people that are safe for me to go to say, do you think I'm crazy? And they say, no, you're not. I need those checkpoints still.First, I would just want to validate how shit that is and unfortunately how common that is. I think that it's actually, in my experience, both personally and professionally, it is way more rare to have safe places to go than not. And so I would just say, yeah, that makes sense for me. Memoirs have been a safe place. Even though I'm not putting something in the memoir, if I read someone sharing their story, that helps me feel empowered to be like, I believe what they went through. And so maybe that can help me believe what I've gone through. And then don't give up looking, even if that's an online community, even if that's a community you see once a month, it's worth investing in people that you can trust and that can trust you.Danielle (30:59):I agree. A thousand percent don't give up because I think a lot of us go through the experience of when we first talk about it, we get alienated from friends or family or people that we thought were close to us, and if that's happened to you, you didn't do anything wrong. That sadly is something very common when you start telling the truth. So just one to know that that's common. It doesn't make it any less painful. And two, to not give up, to keep searching, keep trying, keep trying to connect, and it is not a perfect path. Anyway. Jenny, if we want to hear your talk when you give it, how could we hear it or how could we access it?Jenny (31:52):That's a great question. I dunno, I'm not sure if it's live streamed or not. I think it's just in person. So if you can come to Boston next week, it's at the American Academy of Religion. If not, you basically heard it. I will be tweaking things. But this is essentially what I'm talking about is that I think in order to understand what's going on in this current political moment, it is so essential that we understand the socialization of young white women in purity culture and what we're talking about with Epstein, it pulls back the veil that it's really never about purity. It's about using white women as tropes for Empire. And that doesn't mean, and we weren't given immense privilege and power in this world because of our proximity to white men, but it also means that we were harmed. We did both. We were harmed and we caused harm in our own complicity to these systems. I think it is just as important to hold and grow responsibility for how we caused harm as it is to work on the healing of the harm that was caused to us.   Kitsap County & Washington State Crisis and Mental Health ResourcesIf you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911.This resource list provides crisis and mental health contacts for Kitsap County and across Washington State.Kitsap County / Local ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They OfferSalish Regional Crisis Line / Kitsap Mental Health 24/7 Crisis Call LinePhone: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/24/7 emotional support for suicide or mental health crises; mobile crisis outreach; connection to services.KMHS Youth Mobile Crisis Outreach TeamEmergencies via Salish Crisis Line: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://sync.salishbehavioralhealth.org/youth-mobile-crisis-outreach-team/Crisis outreach for minors and youth experiencing behavioral health emergencies.Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS)Main: 360‑373‑5031; Toll‑free: 888‑816‑0488; TDD: 360‑478‑2715Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/Outpatient, inpatient, crisis triage, substance use treatment, stabilization, behavioral health services.Kitsap County Suicide Prevention / “Need Help Now”Call the Salish Regional Crisis Line at 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/Suicide-Prevention-Website.aspx24/7/365 emotional support; connects people to resources; suicide prevention assistance.Crisis Clinic of the PeninsulasPhone: 360‑479‑3033 or 1‑800‑843‑4793Website: https://www.bainbridgewa.gov/607/Mental-Health-ResourcesLocal crisis intervention services, referrals, and emotional support.NAMI Kitsap CountyWebsite: https://namikitsap.org/Peer support groups, education, and resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness.Statewide & National Crisis ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They Offer988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (WA‑988)Call or text 988; Website: https://wa988.org/Free, 24/7 support for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, relationship problems, and substance concerns.Washington Recovery Help Line1‑866‑789‑1511Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesHelp for mental health, substance use, and problem gambling; 24/7 statewide support.WA Warm Line877‑500‑9276Website: https://www.crisisconnections.org/wa-warm-line/Peer-support line for emotional or mental health distress; support outside of crisis moments.Native & Strong Crisis LifelineDial 988 then press 4Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesCulturally relevant crisis counseling by Indigenous counselors.Additional Helpful Tools & Tips• Behavioral Health Services Access: Request assessments and access to outpatient, residential, or inpatient care through the Salish Behavioral Health Organization. Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/SBHO-Get-Behaviroal-Health-Services.aspx• Deaf / Hard of Hearing: Use your preferred relay service (for example dial 711 then the appropriate number) to access crisis services.• Warning Signs & Risk Factors: If someone is talking about harming themselves, giving away possessions, expressing hopelessness, or showing extreme behavior changes, contact crisis resources immediately.Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that. Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

Another rough passage of scripture that describes God's wrath as he judges His people for their actions. Chad digs into this and the similarities to the language from Exodus. Chad encourages to meditate on verse 2: "in wrath, remember mercy". And God has remembered, sending His beloved Son to earth to live and die in our place, rise again and break the cold chains of bondage that bind us all. Rebekah Caggegi sings "Maranatha!" and we look forward to the great day of the Lord when He, the great Judge makes everything forever right.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Coming Home for Christmas: 1517 Advent Devotional Face to Face: A Novel of the Reformation by Amy Mantravadi Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of Psalms by Chad Bird Remembering Your Baptism: A 40-Day Devotional by Kathryn Morales Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug More from the hosts: Chad Bird Lyrics for Maranatha! Verse: The mountains saw you and trembled A torrent of waters swept by The voice I heard from  the deepest ocean Lifted its praises on high   And over  the ancient pathways Eternal hills were sinking low The tallest mountains were all shattered When arrows flashed from your bow   Chorus Maranatha! Maranatha! You will return With rays flashing from your hand Sending terror across the land Maranatha! Maranatha! You will return And in Your wrath remember  Mercy,  the breath of life Mercy upon the earth   Let there be mercy Let there be mercy   Verse 3: The sun and moon stood in their place  at the flash of your glittering spear. You marched through the earth with a fury You shook the nations with fear   Was your anger against the rivers, Indignation against the seas, Still Your ways are everlasting And I fear for Your decrees   Your ways are perfect But I am not Without Your mercy I am lost   Chorus Maranatha! Maranatha! You will return With rays flashing from your hand Sending terror across the land Maranatha! Maranatha! You will return And in Your wrath remember  Mercy,  the breath of life Mercy upon the earth

Doug Horchak discusses Jude 1:3-4—“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Today, we dive deeper into the world of Jinn and magic in Islam. More importantly, we will answer the most critical question: How to protect yourself and your family from such evils. Let's begin.

The Democratic Party swept the off-cycle elections last week, but this isn't the first blue wave we've seen in the Trump era. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss what it means and the significance of New York City electing a Muslim, democratic socialist as mayor. Does Mamdani represent the death of New York, and possibly America, as one Baptist leader claims? Old Testament scholar Carmen Imes is back to discuss why she hasn't given up on the church, and we shouldn't either. Her new book is "Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters." Also this week—how social media is making Christianity dumber and what to do about it. Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/143354201/   66 Verse to Explain the Bible - 1 Chronicles: https://www.patreon.com/posts/143353236/   0:00 - Show Starts   3:54 - Theme Song   4:15 - Sponsor - Our Place - Go to https://www.fromourplace.com and use code HOLYPOST to get 10% off site wide on beautiful cookware!   5:25 - Sponsor - Policy Genius - Secure your family's tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Go to https://www.policygenius.com/HOLYPOST to find the right life insurance for you   6:30 - Blue Wave or Just a Wash?   12:12 - Buzz Around Mamdani   24:00 - Critics of Israel Called Anti-Semetic   30:11 - NYC, Immigration, and Voting Rights   52:28 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 50% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.   53:22 - Sponsor - World Relief - Start your monthly partnership today to help care for others in need: https://www.worldrelief.org/holypost   54:47 - Interview   1:05:00 - Why's the Old Testament Relevant?   1:13:00 - Struggles for the Church   1:28:28 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in News Segment: Fareed Zakaria Article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/11/08/democrats-elections-populism-economy-culture/   Washington Post Article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/11/08/zohran-mamdani-class-warfare-new-york-mayor/   Anti-Intellectual Christianity on Tiktok: https://juicyecumenism.com/2025/11/07/anti-intellectual-christianitys-rise/   Other Resources: Becoming God's Family: Why Church Still Matters by Carmen Imes: https://a.co/d/inzSS5d   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.