Podcasts about when christ

Share a commentWho really belongs to Abraham's family—those with the right ancestry, or those with the right faith? We follow Paul's lead and ask a simple question that cuts through centuries of argument: what do the Scriptures say? From Romans 4 to Galatians 3, the promise to Abraham narrows to a single point of focus—the Seed—and widens to welcome the nations through faith in Jesus Christ.We explore the historical rise of Islam, from Muhammad's early claims and adoption of Jewish forms to the later pivot toward Mecca and distinctive rites. That backdrop sets the stage for a frank, respectful comparison of core doctrines: the identity of God, the person of Jesus, and the cross. When Christ's crucifixion and resurrection are denied, the gospel itself is removed. When Christ is confessed as the promised Seed, Abraham's blessing becomes a living reality, not a contested storyline. This is more than religious trivia; it is the hinge of assurance. Abraham believed God was able to perform what he promised, and that same assurance rests on the finished work of Christ.We also turn the lens on ourselves. Respect for Muslim neighbors must be real—patient listening, clear words, genuine friendship. Recognition must be firm—Allah is not Elohim, and the Jesus of the Quran is not the Jesus of the Bible. And rededication must be practical—recovering habits of prayer, fasting, public witness, and heartfelt worship that match our message. Passion without truth misleads, but truth without passion misrepresents. Abraham's true heirs are those who trust the Son, and their lives should carry the sound of that promise kept.If this conversation helps you think more clearly and live more boldly, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Share a commentWho really belongs to Abraham's family—those with the right ancestry, or those with the right faith? We follow Paul's lead and ask a simple question that cuts through centuries of argument: what do the Scriptures say? From Romans 4 to Galatians 3, the promise to Abraham narrows to a single point of focus—the Seed—and widens to welcome the nations through faith in Jesus Christ.We explore the historical rise of Islam, from Muhammad's early claims and adoption of Jewish forms to the later pivot toward Mecca and distinctive rites. That backdrop sets the stage for a frank, respectful comparison of core doctrines: the identity of God, the person of Jesus, and the cross. When Christ's crucifixion and resurrection are denied, the gospel itself is removed. When Christ is confessed as the promised Seed, Abraham's blessing becomes a living reality, not a contested storyline. This is more than religious trivia; it is the hinge of assurance. Abraham believed God was able to perform what he promised, and that same assurance rests on the finished work of Christ.We also turn the lens on ourselves. Respect for Muslim neighbors must be real—patient listening, clear words, genuine friendship. Recognition must be firm—Allah is not Elohim, and the Jesus of the Quran is not the Jesus of the Bible. And rededication must be practical—recovering habits of prayer, fasting, public witness, and heartfelt worship that match our message. Passion without truth misleads, but truth without passion misrepresents. Abraham's true heirs are those who trust the Son, and their lives should carry the sound of that promise kept.If this conversation helps you think more clearly and live more boldly, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

When Christ informed his disciples that one of them would betray them, their response was, 'Is it I, Lord?' When I'm confronted with something that I did wrong or an accusation, most often my immediate response is, 'What are you talking about? I didn't mess that up! How could you accuse me of such a thing?!?' Hmmm. Very telling. I'm obviously not disciple worthy yet! However, I can work on developing the ability to look inward, to see my own failings and weaknesses that will allow me to take responsibility by asking, 'Is it I?' rather than looking outward to blaming, accusing, or criticizing others. It's a process of growth to get there, for all of us, but get there we will if we continue to figure it out a piece at a time. Thanks for listening!  Want to learn more about this concept?  Check out these podcasts: #26 Taking Offense on Apple on Spotify #34 Self-Compassion on Apple on Spotify #55 Don't Should Yourself on Apple on Spotify #70 Self Reflection and Self Coaching on Apple on Spotify #83 Self-Honesty on Apple on Spotify #108 Spiritual Submission & Self-Worth on Apple on Spotify #110 The Cost of Being Right on Apple on Spotify #156 The Benefits of Being Wrong on Apple on Spotify #173 A Space For Grace on Apple on Spotify #196 How to Break the Blame/Defense Cycle on Apple on Spotify #203 Cleaning Up Your Apology on Apple on Spotify #225 Shame, Blame, and Disempowerment on Apple on Spotify #235 The Beautiful Mess on Apple on Spotify #238 Overflow on Apple on Spotify #242 Circling Back Around on Apple on Spotify Are you curious about what it would be like to work with me? Here are three options: Group coaching classes are available at tanyahale.com/groupcoaching Talk with Tanya is a free monthly webinar where you can ask me anything and we can have a great discussion.  You can sign up for that at tanyahale.com/groupcoaching Interested in a free 90-minute coaching/consult with me?  Access my calendar at: https://tanyahalecalendar.as.me/

This week we begin Advent by looking at the promised Light that breaks into our darkness. Isaiah 9:2 reminds us that all of us face darkness, all of us needed God's intervention, and all of us needed the Hope that was foretold Jesus, the Light of the World. When Christ shines, clarity replaces confusion, hope overcomes despair, and life triumphs over death. This message invites us to remember that even in darkness, God promised and provided Hope.

Isaiah 9:6 tells us what Jesus, the name above all names, means to us. Pastor Greg Laurie brings us insight in this message. Notes: Focus verse - Isaiah 9:6 Jesus Christ.That is the name above all names. Isaiah 9:6For unto us a Child is born,Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be calledWonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. From Heaven’s perspective, Jesus was given.From earth’s perspective, Jesus was born. Jesus lived our life and then He died our death. The first Christmas gift was not a gift to a child but the gift of a child. Each of these descriptions of Jesus’ name deals with an important part of our life. Jesus said, “Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of Me.(Hebrews 10:7 KJV) Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed. Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad.”(John 8:56 KJV) Jacob wrestled with Jesus.Before conquering Jericho, Joshua met Jesus and bowed before Him. Let’s look at these descriptions Isaiah gives us of Christ. #1 His name is Wonderful: this takes care of the dullness of life. Wonderful comes from the word wonder. There is nothing this world has to offer that will fill the void in your life.That’s where Jesus comes in. The word, wonder, means:amazement, surprise, astonishment, admiration, bewilderment, worship, and awe. The best way to sum it up is, “God is awesome!” Knowing this wonderful God personally takes care of the dullness of life. When the shepherds shared what happened,“All that heard it wondered at these things told to them by the shepherds.”(Luke 2:18) Everything about Jesus was wonderful:His birth, His life, His words, His death, and His resurrection. Wonder will lead to worship and a desire to know Jesus better. #2 His name is Counselor: this takes care of the decisions of life. Do you know that God wants to give personal counsel and direction to you? Psalm 73:24 (NKJV)You will guide me with Your counsel,And afterward receive me to glory. Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, Jesus Christ, is offering you His counsel. Jesus, our Counselor, has a plan for our lives. Jesus has given us His word so we might learn to think and act biblically.Everything you need to know about God and life is found in Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16–17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is trueand to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.It is God's way of preparing us in every way,fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. But your Counselor, Jesus, is very involved and wants the best for you. Jesus, our Counselor, prays for us too. #3 His name is Mighty God: this takes care of the demands of life. Jesus Christ was not just a “good man,” but the “God-Man.” The Creator became a creation.He did not lose His deity, but He added humanity. Eternal, yet an infant, the Infinite became touchable. Jesus was fully God and became fully man. Jesus did not become identical to us, but He did become identified with us. Jesus could not have identified with us more closely than He did.It was total identification without any loss of identity. Jesus claimed to be God many times. On one occasion, Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee and He fell asleep.What could be more human than that? Jesus rebuked the storm and it stopped instantly.What could be more divine than that?He was fully God. Being fully human reminds you that He understands what you are facing. Some say, “It’s very hard to be a Christian.” It’s impossible to be a Christian without the power of Jesus Christ. That’s like trying to run your electric car with no charge. We work out what God has already worked in. We don’t manufacture the power, we access it. You say, “I can’t break free from drugs or drinking or immorality.”The bible says, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” #4 His name is Everlasting Father: this takes care of the future of life. We know life is not merely what we experience here and now on earth.As Christians, we will live forever. God is the Everlasting Father. He will always be there for you. With so many broken homes today and absentee fathers, this is a great comfort. You have an Everlasting Father who chose you. After His resurrection, Jesus said to Mary, “I go to my Father and your Father.” #5 His name is Prince of Peace: this takes care of the disturbances of life. In the storms of life, we all long for peace within. Isaiah 9:6And the government shall be upon His shoulder. For over 2000 years we are awaiting the fulfillment of this verse when Jesus returnsand establishes His kingdom (at the end of the 7-year Tribulation). When Christ returns there will be no more corruption, war, or terrorism. He will reign righteously as King of kings and Lord of lords. The five names represent five dimensions of what every believer needs:“Wonderful” answers our disillusionment.“Counselor” answers our confusion.“Mighty God” answers our weakness.“Everlasting Father” answers our loneliness.“Prince of Peace” answers our turmoil. Every knee will bow. Will you bow before Him today? — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isaiah 9:6 tells us what Jesus, the name above all names, means to us. Pastor Greg Laurie brings us insight in this message. Notes: Focus verse - Isaiah 9:6 Jesus Christ.That is the name above all names. Isaiah 9:6For unto us a Child is born,Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be calledWonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. From Heaven’s perspective, Jesus was given.From earth’s perspective, Jesus was born. Jesus lived our life and then He died our death. The first Christmas gift was not a gift to a child but the gift of a child. Each of these descriptions of Jesus’ name deals with an important part of our life. Jesus said, “Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of Me.(Hebrews 10:7 KJV) Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed. Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad.”(John 8:56 KJV) Jacob wrestled with Jesus.Before conquering Jericho, Joshua met Jesus and bowed before Him. Let’s look at these descriptions Isaiah gives us of Christ. #1 His name is Wonderful: this takes care of the dullness of life. Wonderful comes from the word wonder. There is nothing this world has to offer that will fill the void in your life.That’s where Jesus comes in. The word, wonder, means:amazement, surprise, astonishment, admiration, bewilderment, worship, and awe. The best way to sum it up is, “God is awesome!” Knowing this wonderful God personally takes care of the dullness of life. When the shepherds shared what happened,“All that heard it wondered at these things told to them by the shepherds.”(Luke 2:18) Everything about Jesus was wonderful:His birth, His life, His words, His death, and His resurrection. Wonder will lead to worship and a desire to know Jesus better. #2 His name is Counselor: this takes care of the decisions of life. Do you know that God wants to give personal counsel and direction to you? Psalm 73:24 (NKJV)You will guide me with Your counsel,And afterward receive me to glory. Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, Jesus Christ, is offering you His counsel. Jesus, our Counselor, has a plan for our lives. Jesus has given us His word so we might learn to think and act biblically.Everything you need to know about God and life is found in Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16–17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is trueand to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.It is God's way of preparing us in every way,fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. But your Counselor, Jesus, is very involved and wants the best for you. Jesus, our Counselor, prays for us too. #3 His name is Mighty God: this takes care of the demands of life. Jesus Christ was not just a “good man,” but the “God-Man.” The Creator became a creation.He did not lose His deity, but He added humanity. Eternal, yet an infant, the Infinite became touchable. Jesus was fully God and became fully man. Jesus did not become identical to us, but He did become identified with us. Jesus could not have identified with us more closely than He did.It was total identification without any loss of identity. Jesus claimed to be God many times. On one occasion, Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee and He fell asleep.What could be more human than that? Jesus rebuked the storm and it stopped instantly.What could be more divine than that?He was fully God. Being fully human reminds you that He understands what you are facing. Some say, “It’s very hard to be a Christian.” It’s impossible to be a Christian without the power of Jesus Christ. That’s like trying to run your electric car with no charge. We work out what God has already worked in. We don’t manufacture the power, we access it. You say, “I can’t break free from drugs or drinking or immorality.”The bible says, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” #4 His name is Everlasting Father: this takes care of the future of life. We know life is not merely what we experience here and now on earth.As Christians, we will live forever. God is the Everlasting Father. He will always be there for you. With so many broken homes today and absentee fathers, this is a great comfort. You have an Everlasting Father who chose you. After His resurrection, Jesus said to Mary, “I go to my Father and your Father.” #5 His name is Prince of Peace: this takes care of the disturbances of life. In the storms of life, we all long for peace within. Isaiah 9:6And the government shall be upon His shoulder. For over 2000 years we are awaiting the fulfillment of this verse when Jesus returnsand establishes His kingdom (at the end of the 7-year Tribulation). When Christ returns there will be no more corruption, war, or terrorism. He will reign righteously as King of kings and Lord of lords. The five names represent five dimensions of what every believer needs:“Wonderful” answers our disillusionment.“Counselor” answers our confusion.“Mighty God” answers our weakness.“Everlasting Father” answers our loneliness.“Prince of Peace” answers our turmoil. Every knee will bow. Will you bow before Him today? — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colossians 4:2-6 | November 30, 2025 | Pastor Todd SmithIn this powerful exploration of Colossians 4:2-6, we're challenged to live out the supremacy of Christ in three transformative ways that directly impact our daily interactions with the world around us. The passage calls us first to pray steadfastly—not just occasionally or when convenient, but with courageous persistence that characterizes our entire day. This isn't about bowing our heads at meals; it's about maintaining a constant dialogue with heaven, being spiritually nocturnal as we navigate the darkness around us. The second call is to walk wisely among outsiders, recognizing that we carry the 'Believer's Behavior Version' of the Bible everywhere we go. People are watching through both binoculars and microscopes, and our conduct gives credibility to our words. Wisdom isn't just knowledge—it's learning to connect the dots of life through God's perspective, making the best use of our vanishing commodity called time. Finally, we're urged to speak graciously, seasoning our words with salt that makes them savory and engaging rather than harsh or sanctimonious. This means being prepared to answer questions about our hope with gentleness and respect, not as God's lawyers arguing a case, but as His witnesses sharing what we've experienced. When Christ truly becomes our everything, these three practices—steadfast prayer, wise walking, and gracious speaking—flow naturally from lives transformed by His lordship.To find out more about Crossroads Community Church or to connect with us, visit the following links:→ lifeatcrossroads.org→ facebook.com/lifeatcrossroadsTo give online: lifeatcrossroads.org/giveonline.CCLI License: 2915685CCS WorshipCast License: 9466GRANT OF LICENSE. Crossroads Community Church is granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable license during the term of the agreement to publicly play, perform, and transmit via the website noted above, any musical composition controlled by one or more of the domestic Performing Rights Organizations (ASCAP, BMI and SESAC), as stated in the CCS WORSHIPcast License Terms and Conditions.

Sermon by Fr. Peter Smith1st Sunday of AdventQuestions for Group Discussion1. In the course of a normal week, how often are you mindful of the truth that Christ will come again in glory?2. When Christ's second coming comes to your mind, what feelings typically accompany it?3. How does Advent help us resist both despair of this life and inordinate love of this life?4. When Jesus or the Apostles warn us to “stay awake” or “be ready” for Christ's appearing, what do you think they mean by that?5. With regard to Christ's second coming, what is one area in which you might ask the Holy Spirit to help you experience more growth or focus?

When we encounter God for ourselves and believe in Him, the only natural response is for us to go and invite our family and friends to “come and see” for themselves. When Christ met Saint Andrew, the First-Called Apostles, the first thing Saint Andrew did was go and tell his brother Simon (Peter) to “come and see”. Later Christ called Philip and he went and told Nathaniel. The only appropriate response for us to is to invite our family and friends to Church to “come and see” Christ, so they can encounter God and believe in Him.

Isaiah 47:1-15 ; Isaiah 48:1-22 Introduction This week is the beginning of Advent Anticipation of Christ's first coming When Christ was born shepherd's saw heaven's filled with angels proclaiming Him Luke 2:14 “14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”” Strangely (perhaps)…

Hope can feel hard to come by these days. We move from Thanksgiving straight into Christmas at full speed, yet our hearts are often tired, distracted, or weighed down. In Colossians 1:25 to 29, Paul reminds us of a truth that can steady us in every season. The mystery once hidden has now been revealed. Christ lives in us. He is our hope of glory. In this message, Pastor Darren shows how Advent calls us to slow our pace and remember the hope that is already ours. True biblical hope is not wishful thinking or blind optimism. It is a confident expectation rooted in the character, promises, and presence of Jesus. When Christ abides in us, he transforms how we see our struggles, how we endure hardship, and how we move forward in faith. Is your hope anchored in circumstances that shift every day, or in the Christ who holds all things together?

When Christ lives in us, we become 200% people—ourselves plus Jesus—with unlimited capacity to wage war, pray, and do miracles. Graham Cooke reveals why we should stop trying to fix weaknesses and instead embrace all of Christ's strengths, how true accountability calls people up to their identity rather than out on their behavior, and what it means to explore Kingdom territory with holy curiosity. Discover Graham's vision of a nameless, faceless generation doing ordinary signs and wonders daily, becoming so embedded in their communities that they're irresistible, and turning the world upside down as heaven invades earth.Key Scriptures:+ Galatians 2:20. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."+ Colossians 2:10. "And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."+ 2 Corinthians 5:17. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."+ Acts 17:6. "But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, 'These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.'"**Want to explore more?**

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)YouTube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comI John 3 The Father's love is demonstrated by calling His disciples His children, a truth the world cannot grasp because it does not know Him. When Christ appears, Christians will be like Him, and this hope inspires believers to live with purity. Those who persist in sin reveal that they do not know Christ, while those who live righteously demonstrate that they belong to Him. A defining characteristic of God's children is their love for fellow believers. They are called to love other Christians in a world filled with hatred and malice. Hatred brings spiritual death, while love brings life and unity. By following God's commands and believing in Jesus, they gain assurance before Him. This confidence comes from knowing that God abides in them through the Spirit He has freely given.  We find our identity in being children of God, and that truth changes how we live. We are not shaped by the world's view of us; rather, we are shaped by the love the Father has shown us. Our hope of becoming like Christ compels us to live with purpose and purity. We cannot claim to follow Him while embracing sin; rather, we must abandon sin and move from death into life. In that life, loving other believers is not optional but essential. Our actions must align with our words, demonstrating kindness, grace, and support. When we love one another well and obey the commandments of our Savior, we defy the world's evil and stand boldly for the truth.  Loving Father, thank You for welcoming us as Your children and promising us eternal life in Your presence. Give us the courage to honor Your grace by pursuing purity and rejecting lawlessness. Root out any sin among us and help us turn away from it immediately, proving ourselves to be Your children. Purge us of any hatred akin to Cain, and help us learn to love fellow believers deeply and with a willingness to sacrifice for their good. May our hearts never condemn us but encourage us to love people and engage in willful obedience to Your commandments in Jesus' name.   Thought Questions: If God is your Father, and you will one day see Him, how does that impact your pursuit of purity, discipline, and ongoing righteousness? If Jesus' victory destroys the devil's work, why do we sometimes still choose sin? How will we react differently to our sin than the world?   How important is love of the brethren? What helps you grow in serving God's people, and what motivates you to serve sacrificially?

When Christ died for us, he did not buy the freedom from having to hold fast, but the enabling power to hold fast.

(This podcast was previously published on January 7, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   During Coronavirus, I watched TV reports for several months.  People drove up to the food banks in their new cars to get the free food.  Never once, did I see anyone in the line in an old, beat up car or pickup. What does this show us about the way people live today?  (A life where they drive a new car, which is likely not paid for, to pick up free food?)   If we, as the church, live by the way of the world, we will greatly suffer with the world when the world is affected.   This world sets up all sorts of "special" days whereby they celebrate one thing or another.  None of these days are prescribed by God in the Bible.  They are all ideas of men, and other men thought it would be a good thing to celebrate these days, so they do.   What happens when that "special" day fails to live up to our expectations?  (sadness, depression, disappointment)   We bring the failures of the plans of this world upon ourselves when we yoke ourselves to these plans which are not set forth by God.  (such as:  Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day)   I've heard women brag about what they received from their husband on various holidays.  Later the same women are depressed, for their husband is no longer living to give them these things they lusted after, and the women remember the past with longing, pulling themselves down by their own lusts.   God's way is as follows:   Colossians 3   1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.   2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.   3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.   4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with HIM in glory.   5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:   6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:   If we live the way of this world, we will go down with this world.  

(This podcast was previously published on December 28, 2020)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   Because of the Bible, we know that which is coming in the time ahead.   Peter tells us:   II Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.   11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,   12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?   13 Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.   14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.   Knowing the future things that are coming, according to Bible, changes everything!   We cannot put our hope in a continuation of things on this earth as we have known them.  We cannot build our lives on this earth as we have done.   Everything we can see with our natural eye will be destroyed by God and that could happen at any time.   I see it as something similar to Coronavirus.  Those things we had were gone immediately!  In one day, all sports in the USA vanished from our sight. Businesses closed.  Streets became vacant.   When God sends the great tribulation, at first, some people may not even realize anything significant is happening.   Plague #1:  Revelation 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.   A third of the earth was affected.  If this happens in USA, will the people in Russia know anything that will affect them has happened?  (A virus in China has nothing to do with us in USA? does it?)   But look at that which happens with the 4th tribulation from God:   Revelation 8:12  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.   Now everyone all over the entire world will know something is happening.  And this world will be greatly affected.   And far more is to come:  10 more tribulations which will be even worse   Revelation 8:13   And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!   Daniel 12:10  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.   *****   Colossians 3   1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.   2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.   3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.   4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with HIM in glory.   5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:   6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:   7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.   8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.   9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;   10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of HIM that created him:    

Send us a textA desperate father in Mark 9 says five words that many of us whisper in the dark: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” That moment becomes our roadmap. We walk through the emotional break that follows Christ's invitation—“If you can believe, all things are possible”—and trace how a shift in address from “Jesus” to “Lord” reframes worship, prayer, and the very posture of our hearts. Titles aren't semantics; they're signals of allegiance. When we call Him Lord, we approach Him as the One who commands storms, silences demons, and holds our lives together.From there, we get honest about fractured faith. Belief often comes in pieces—bold in the morning, brittle by night. Rather than shaming that reality, we dig into why the father's plea is both humility and good theology: if all things are possible with the Lord, then stronger faith is one of those “all things.” We challenge the myth that grace starts you and you carry the rest. Scripture calls us to work out salvation, not work for it; Christ is not a distant examiner but the Author and Finisher who strengthens, preserves, and completes.We also lift the lens to spiritual authority. When Christ rebukes the unclean spirit and raises the child, He signals the limits of Satan's reach and the nearness of the kingdom. That changes how we face doubt, attack, and dry seasons. Instead of spiraling, we return to the prayer that cannot be refused: help my unbelief. If language shapes worship, this prayer shapes endurance. It keeps our eyes on the Lord's sufficiency rather than our stamina, and it turns daily uncertainty into an open door for grace.Listen for a practical path you can follow today: honor Him as Lord, confess real belief without pretending it's perfect, and ask for the help only He can give. If this conversation steadies your faith or challenges your habits, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review to help others find it. Where do you need help believing right now?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us your feedback — we're listeningJohn 1 : 4-5 — Early-Morning Prayer for Light in Darkness and Renewal of Hope through Jesus Christ3 A.M. Release — Recorded live here in London, England — from London to Manila, from Manila to Nairobi, from Nairobi to Los Angeles — as the first light of a new day nears, we lift our eyes to Jesus Christ, the true Light that darkness cannot overcome.Scripture (NIV)“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” — John 1 : 4-5 (NIV)Show NotesThe early-morning hour is when fear often whispers loudest. Around the world, searches rise for “prayer for hope in dark times” and “Jesus Christ light in the darkness.” The truth of John 1 meets that cry: darkness never wins where Christ is present.From London to Manila, Nairobi to Los Angeles, believers call upon the name of Jesus Christ as the Light of the world. Every shadow, every storm, every silent battle is transformed by His life. When Christ steps into the room, fear loses its power.This morning we pray for renewed hope for the weary, clarity for the confused, and light for those walking through darkness. Let the light of Jesus Christ shine over our cities, our nations, and our souls.10 Global Prayer Points Prayer for light to shine in darkness Prayer for hope and renewal through Jesus Christ Prayer for courage when life feels dark Prayer for clarity and direction in Christ Prayer for God's light to dispel fear Prayer for healing and inner restoration Prayer for families to see the light of Jesus Prayer for revival in dark places Prayer for truth to shine in our communities Prayer for faith to overcome dark seasonsLife ApplicationWhen you invite Jesus Christ into your darkness, you don't just see light — you become light for others.DeclarationThe light of Jesus Christ shines in my life, and no darkness can overcome it. His hope fills my heart and His life guides my path.Call to ActionShare this early-morning prayer to help others find hope through Jesus Christ. Partner with DailyPrayer.uk to spread Christ-centred devotion across the nations. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for daily prayers with Reverend Ben Cooper.John145, PrayerForHope, LSupport the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

When Christ is your confidence, nothing else can take His place. Pastor Lee continues our series in the book of Philippians.Welcome to Heights Baptist Church! Our mission is to love and to lead all people to a new life with Christ.Digital Connect Card: https://www.heightschurch.org/connectTo watch services online: https://www.heightschurch.org/mediaTo give online: https://www.heightschurch.org/give

Send us your feedback — we're listeningPhilippians 4:13 — Night Prayer for Empowerment, Confidence, and Victory in Christ10 P.M. Release — Recorded live here in London, England — from London to Dubai, from Dubai to Vancouver, from Vancouver to Accra — as the world slows and darkness settles, God's strength awakens within His people.Scripture (NIV)“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” — Philippians 4:13 (NIV)Show NotesAs night falls, exhaustion often brings reflection — what was accomplished, what still feels unfinished, and what tomorrow might demand. Across the world, “prayer for strength and confidence” continues to rank among the most-searched devotionals, proving how many hearts need renewal at day's end.From London to Dubai, Vancouver to Accra, believers find comfort in one truth: Christ's strength is never limited by our weakness. This verse is not about achievement but alignment — learning that victory flows from surrender, not striving. You are empowered not because you are strong, but because He is.Tonight we pray for courage to finish well, confidence to face tomorrow, and strength to overcome every unseen battle. When Christ strengthens you, fatigue becomes faith, and every challenge becomes a testimony.10 Global Prayer Points Prayer for strength and victory through Christ Prayer for confidence and courage in daily life Prayer for empowerment and renewed energy Prayer for perseverance through hardship Prayer for faith to overcome fear and doubt Prayer for joy and strength at the end of the day Prayer for courage to trust God fully Prayer for renewal of spiritual power Prayer for victory over temptation and weariness Prayer for divine strength to endure and thriveLife ApplicationTrue confidence doesn't come from self-belief — it comes from knowing Christ believes in you and strengthens you daily.DeclarationI can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. His power fills me, His peace surrounds me, and His victory is mine.Call to ActionShare this closing prayer to strengthen others tonight. Partner with DailyPrayer.uk to spread Scripture-based faith to every nation. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for daily devotionals with Reverend Ben Cooper.Philippians413, PrayerForStrength, VictoryInChrist,Support the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

Almost 2000 years have passed since Jesus returned to heaven. In the last 500 years, denominational segregation has plagued the body of Christ. We all go to different churches on Sunday. We live in a town of about 2000 people with 15 different churches and 15 different denominations. Very little ministry is coordinated for the ministry to this small town by the leaders of those churches. There is hope because marketplace and political leaders are unifying in Christ to bring flourishing to this town. When we are unified as followers of Jesus, outside our denominational hold, we can impact our cities and communities for good. When we face the problems together, we are so much stronger and more powerful. When Christ followers unite, no weapon of the enemy can stand against us. Those weapons may be poverty, drug addiction, broken families, et cetera. Let's unite as Jesus followers and bring good to our cities. 

Summary In this sermon from Romans 7:7–13, Dr. Michael Easley unpacks one of Scripture's most complex questions: If God's law is good, why does it seem to lead us into sin? Paul reminds us that the problem isn't the law—it's the sin within us. God's law is holy, righteous, and good, but sin twists what is good into an opportunity for rebellion. Dr. Easley outlines seven functions of the law, revealing that while the law defines and exposes sin, it cannot save us from it. The law condemns, provokes, and reveals the depth of our sinfulness, pointing us instead to our desperate need for Christ. No set of rules or moral codes can make us good; only intimacy with Jesus transforms the heart.  When we seek fulfillment in Him rather than in the false promises of the world—whether through lust, greed, or pride—sin loses its grip. Dr. Easley reminds us that the Christian life isn't about trying harder to stop sinning; it's about walking more closely with Christ. Only when He becomes our “all in all” can we find the true freedom the law could never provide. Takeaways God's law is holy, righteous, and good—but sin twists it into an opportunity for rebellion. The law reveals sin's power but cannot save us from it. No number of rules can make us righteous; only Christ can transform the heart. Sin deceives and provokes, taking what is good and turning it against us. True freedom comes not from resisting sin but from pursuing intimacy with Jesus Christ. When Christ becomes our all in all, the world's temptations lose their hold. To read the book of Romans, click here. Click here for other Michael Easley Sermons.

2nd November 2025 - When Christ is your greatest treasure, joy becomes untouchable — and your life becomes a living testimony to the gospel.

Paul declares in Romans 8:18-25 that present sufferings cannot compare to the coming glory. Creation itself groans under the weight of human sin, waiting eagerly for God's children to be revealed. This isn't about human progress or evolution making things better, but about God's plan to completely remake all creation. The sufferings we experience now are like birth pangs leading to the glorious revelation of God's kingdom. When Christ returns, He will establish His perfect reign and create a new heaven and earth where God dwells with His people forever.

“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4) Every believer has been called to preach God’s Word, not just pastors of churches. When Christ gave... More...

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.Ecclesiastes 3:11-147 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;     I will testify against you, Israel:     I am God, your God.8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices     or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.9 I have no need of a bull from your stall     or of goats from your pens,10 for every animal of the forest is mine,     and the cattle on a thousand hills.11 I know every bird in the mountains,     and the insects in the fields are mine.12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,     for the world is mine, and all that is in it.13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls     or drink the blood of goats?14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God,     fulfill your vows to the Most High,15 and call on me in the day of trouble;     I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”Psalm 50:7-1527 And as it is appointed unto men once to die,Hebrews 9:27"All Is Vanity”“The Vanity of Wisdom”“The Vanity of Self-Indulgence”“The Vanity of Living Wisely”“The Vanity of Toil”11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.Ecclesiastes 3:11-14“Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth ‘thrown in': aim at Earth and you will get neither.”C.S. Lewis33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.Matthew 6:33We can live FOR this world and give up heaven. We can live FOR heaven and attempt to avoid this world. Or we can live IN CHRIST and experience the best of both.10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.John 10:10WHEN WE FOCUS ON EARTH, WE CAN'T SEE HEAVEN19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.Matthew 6:19-24King Tut's Coffin Photo*It has been wisely observed that a moving truck full of possessions never follows a hearse. Everything one might take with them to the world beyond is left behind. The pharaohs of Egypt were buried with gold and treasures to take into the afterlife, but they left it all behind. Even further, though gold is a precious thing on earth, God uses it to pave the streets of heaven.David GuzikBut the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.Romans 1:19-23 (MSG)22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.Matthew 19:22WHEN WE FOCUS ON HEAVEN, WE CAN'T SEE EARTH30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.Luke 10:30-32(MSG)“Don't be so heavenly minded that they're no earthly good.”WHEN WE FOCUS ON CHRIST, WE SEE THE BEST OF BOTHSince, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.Colossians 3:1-431 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. John 4:31-38EVERY SEASON IS BEAUTIFULEVERY GIFT IS FROM GODEVERY TASK IS WORTH THE EFFORT

You don't have to be who you were. In Jesus, you are made new. The things that used to define you — the mistakes, the shame, the labels, the addictions — they don't have the final word anymore. When Christ steps into your story, He doesn't just clean up your past; He gives you a brand-new identity. The old life is gone, and a new life has begun. You can stop living like the person you used to be and start walking in the freedom, purpose, and grace that only come from being made new in Him.#ThisChangesEverything #StoryChanged #CedarPointRecovery #NewCreation

Holiness is Contagious: Why God's Power is Bigger Than Your Spouse's SinAre you afraid the world will pull you down? Worried that your unbelieving spouse will contaminate your faith? In this powerful message from 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, Pastor Alex destroys “little God theology” and reveals a truth that will change how you see marriage, friendship, and evangelism forever: holiness is contagious.We're continuing our series through Corinthians with one of the most challenging passages in Scripture. Paul addresses two critical groups: Christian couples considering divorce and believers married to unbelievers. Both situations reveal something radical about God's character that most churches get wrong.This message unpacks: • The communicable and incommunicable attributes of God (immutable, infinite, impassable) • Why “little God theology” keeps Christians trapped in fear • What Jesus actually said about divorce in Matthew 5, 19, and Mark 10 • The counter-cultural call to stay married—even to unbelievers • What it means that an unbelieving spouse is “sanctified” through their believing partner • Why your holiness won't contaminate—it will transform • The biblical destruction of the “chair illustration” youth pastors use • How Christ touching the leper proves God pulls people UP, not downHere's the truth that will set you free: When Christ touched the leper, the leper didn't infect Jesus—Jesus healed the leper. That's how powerful God's holiness is. And that same holiness lives in YOU.Paul's message is astronomically counter-cultural. In a Greco-Roman world where “no-fault divorce” was as easy as walking out the door, Paul says: stay married. Why? Because your holiness is contagious. Your unbelieving spouse will be made holy. Your children will be holy. Not saved automatically—but positioned in a power sphere where God's transforming holiness operates.This isn't about tolerating abuse or staying in danger—Christians always err on the side of life. But it IS about understanding that you don't save people by avoiding them. You save them by being in their lives while God does the heavy lifting.We end with a powerful reflection on communion and what it means that the table can heal—because what it points to is REAL.Join us at House Church Kauai as we learn to be disciples, not just Christians—people with fruit, not just a title.House Church Kauai - Meeting in our garage, staying together in the rain, believing God for a tentSupport this ministry: housechurchkauai.com Get full access to Amen Podcast at amenpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Holiness is Contagious: Why God's Power is Bigger Than Your Spouse's SinAre you afraid the world will pull you down? Worried that your unbelieving spouse will contaminate your faith? In this powerful message from 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, Pastor Alex destroys “little God theology” and reveals a truth that will change how you see marriage, friendship, and evangelism forever: holiness is contagious.We're continuing our series through Corinthians with one of the most challenging passages in Scripture. Paul addresses two critical groups: Christian couples considering divorce and believers married to unbelievers. Both situations reveal something radical about God's character that most churches get wrong.This message unpacks: • The communicable and incommunicable attributes of God (immutable, infinite, impassable) • Why “little God theology” keeps Christians trapped in fear • What Jesus actually said about divorce in Matthew 5, 19, and Mark 10 • The counter-cultural call to stay married—even to unbelievers • What it means that an unbelieving spouse is “sanctified” through their believing partner • Why your holiness won't contaminate—it will transform • The biblical destruction of the “chair illustration” youth pastors use • How Christ touching the leper proves God pulls people UP, not downHere's the truth that will set you free: When Christ touched the leper, the leper didn't infect Jesus—Jesus healed the leper. That's how powerful God's holiness is. And that same holiness lives in YOU.Paul's message is astronomically counter-cultural. In a Greco-Roman world where “no-fault divorce” was as easy as walking out the door, Paul says: stay married. Why? Because your holiness is contagious. Your unbelieving spouse will be made holy. Your children will be holy. Not saved automatically—but positioned in a power sphere where God's transforming holiness operates.This isn't about tolerating abuse or staying in danger—Christians always err on the side of life. But it IS about understanding that you don't save people by avoiding them. You save them by being in their lives while God does the heavy lifting.We end with a powerful reflection on communion and what it means that the table can heal—because what it points to is REAL.Join us at House Church Kauai as we learn to be disciples, not just Christians—people with fruit, not just a title.House Church Kauai - Meeting in our garage, staying together in the rain, believing God for a tentSupport this ministry: housechurchkauai.com Get full access to Amen Podcast at amenpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Are you the kind of person everyone looks at and assumes you are strong and you have it all together? You too, huh? Many of us look fine on the outside, but the human condition is often much different on the inside.Proverbs 31:25 says this of a godly woman: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”As believers, we can laugh in the midst of struggle because God did not make us to have a spirit of fear. He never planned for us to suffer from depression or anxietyLook—life happens. Sometimes…many times…we are rocked by our circumstances. But God's Word says that we don't stay there. We keep our eyes on Him, and He is our strength. It's not even our job to find the strength to breathe and go about our day. It's our reliance on God—that is our job.The person who endures a cancer diagnosis isn't doing it on her own. The man or woman experiencing sudden job loss doesn't stand tall by him or herself. When Christ dwells in you, He takes the burdens and promises that in the end, we will be healed. And He will provide. That's not a guarantee that the things of this life will all work out in a positive and favorable way, but our reliance on Christ is the answer.If you look like a confident statue on the outside, but you're about to lose it on the inside, take time to tell that to Jesus. Give Him your fears and doubts.Let's pray.Lord, thank you that we're not in this alone. Your grace is sufficient for all of our needs, every day. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

When Christ redeems marriage, he does not dismantle loving headship and willing submission. He restores it.

For many people, contentment feels just out of reach—always tied to the next raise, the next purchase, or the next season of life. Yet Scripture calls us to something deeper and more lasting: a contentment that doesn't depend on circumstances but rests in Christ Himself.Psalm 23 begins with a stunning declaration:“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” — Psalm 23:1 (NLT)David's words remind us that contentment doesn't come from acquiring more but from trusting the One who provides. Just as sheep rest securely under the care of their shepherd, we can rest in God's faithful provision.True contentment isn't about suppressing desire—it's about redirecting it. When we find sufficiency in Christ rather than in money, possessions, or achievements, we're freed from the trap of covetousness and anchored in the truth that in Him, we already have all we truly need.The Ancient Lie of DiscontentmentDiscontentment has plagued humanity from the beginning. In Eden, Adam and Eve had everything they needed, yet the serpent's lie convinced them they lacked something essential. Discontentment still whispers, “God is holding out on you—you'd be better off if you had more.”Today, that same voice is amplified through advertising, social media, and cultural comparison. We scroll through highlight reels and feel our lives don't measure up. But Hebrews 13:5 offers the antidote:“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”The cure for discontentment isn't having more—it's remembering that God is always with us.The Freedom of “Enough”Contentment is not resignation—it's liberation. It frees us from envy, overspending, and the crushing weight of comparison. Instead of striving endlessly for more, we learn to steward wisely what God has entrusted to us.Proverbs 30:8–9 captures this balanced perspective beautifully:“Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me…”The wise steward seeks enough—not excess. When we live this way, our financial decisions change. We spend with purpose. We give with joy. We save with peace. Contentment reorients money from being our master to being a tool for God's Kingdom.Think of the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17. With only a handful of flour and a little oil left, she faced famine. Yet when Elijah asked her to make him a cake first, she trusted God's word—and He provided, not with overflowing barns, but with daily sufficiency.Or consider the Macedonian believers in 2 Corinthians 8. Paul wrote,“In a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity.”Despite having little, they gave with glad hearts because their contentment was in Christ, not in their circumstances.These examples remind us that contentment and generosity often go hand in hand. When we are satisfied in Christ, we're free to bless others.Trusting the God Who ProvidesAt the heart of contentment is trust. Jesus said in Matthew 6:25–26,“Do not be anxious about your life… Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”Contentment flows from believing that God knows what we need and delights to provide for His children. As Elisabeth Elliot once wrote, “The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.”When Christ becomes our treasure, everything else finds its proper place.That's why Paul could say in 1 Timothy 6:6:“Godliness with contentment is great gain.”Contentment isn't a loss—it's true gain. It's the kind of wealth no market downturn can erase and no thief can steal. Choosing contentment doesn't mean settling for less; it means resting in the sufficiency of Christ.When we stop chasing “more” and start trusting God's daily provision, we discover freedom, peace, and joy. That's the essence of faithful stewardship—not just managing money, but aligning our hearts with the One who promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I own several rental properties and would like to leave one to each of my children. I still want to collect the rental income, but I'd like to avoid probate and ensure a smooth transition when I pass away. How can I set up a trust to do that, and what's the best way to move forward?I got divorced in my mid-50s and had to start over from scratch. I'm now 66 with a little over $37,000 in my 401(k), which I'm eligible to roll over into an IRA. I'd really like to invest that money through a biblically based firm, but most of the ones I've contacted require a minimum investment of $50,000. Do you have any suggestions? And how can I build my savings over the next four years? $37,000 won't last long.I'm retired, and my husband will be retiring soon. We don't have a lot saved, but he does have a 401(k) through work. We're unsure what to do with it or how to ensure we'll have enough to live on in retirement. Can you help us think through the next steps?I work with students, and I've offered to invest $4,000, allowing them to choose some stocks to learn how investing works. Since I'll keep the money but let them make the decisions, what's the best way to buy individual stocks for this kind of project?My daughter's credit score is around 625, and she's committed to improving it. My score is over 800, and I've heard that adding her as an authorized user on my credit card could help her. Can you explain how that works and whether it could affect either of our credit scores?I feel completely lost when it comes to finances, but I want to set my family up for success. Can you recommend a reliable resource or starting point for learning the basics of managing money wisely?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Open Hands FinanceFidelity | Charles Schwab | Robinhood | Public | Stash | SoFi InvestYour Money Counts: The Biblical Guide to Earning, Spending, Saving, Investing, Giving, and Getting Out of Debt by Howard DaytonMaster Your Money: A Step-by-Step Plan for Experiencing Financial Contentment by Ron Blue with Michael BlueRedeeming Money: How God Reveals and Reorients Our Hearts by Paul David TrippMoney, Possessions, and Eternity: A Comprehensive Guide to What the Bible Says about Financial Stewardship, Generosity, Materialism, Retirement, Financial Planning, Gambling, Debt, and More by Randy AlcornWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Christ was really born and what that birth should mean to us.  The 1st part of the message is a study of the courses of the priests to determine when John the Baptist was born, and ultimately to the time of Christ's birth. The 2nd half is focused on the “fall and rising again of many...”  We were chosen to be among those risen up by His coming and that is the best Christmas message we could ever receive. VF-1852  Luke 2:34 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. © 2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

Salvation is not a reward for good behavior—it's a gift from a loving Father. From Genesis to Revelation, God's message has been consistent: “I will redeem you.” Adam and Eve's fall introduced sin and separation, but even then, God promised a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). Humanity could not climb back to heaven; heaven had to come down to us.   Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That's the universal truth—our moral efforts could never bridge the gap. Yet in Romans 6:23, we find the contrast of grace: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   When Christ said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He declared that the debt was paid in full. No priest, no ritual, no amount of penance can add to the cross. Salvation is not a ladder we climb; it's a door we walk through—opened by Jesus Himself.

We open up with a review of the one ‘scepter' to which the promise of Abraham was preserved for after God divorced Israel. Then we follow the ontology of “The Promise” by looking at the conversations between the Christ, Moses and Abraham.  When Christ spoke to Moses he called the ground he stood on HOLY. […] The post 251017 You Are Holy Ground first appeared on Gospel Revolution.com.

Are You Ready for the Marriage Feast? (audio) David Eells – 10/12/25 “Hurry” Repent, Bride Escapes V. W. - 3/11/19 (David's notes red) I had a dream which I think is an encouraging exhortation. It was daytime, and I was standing in a tunnel that was made to walk through. The ground was covered with sand, and the light was coming in from the outside, so I could see. This was a short tunnel, and it somehow led into a longer tunnel. I was alone in this tunnel. After I woke up, I asked the Lord what this tunnel represented, and I believe he showed me that it meant death to self to rise on the other side. (like a baptism) And I asked for a scripture about the tunnel, and received by faith, at random, 2Ki.20:5 Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. (The third day is resurrection of the Man-child Jesus, and Hezekiah represents the end time Man-child who is caught up to the throne of God on the third day. V.W. here represents the Bride.) While I was standing there, I heard a man just outside the tunnel. There was a lot of brush and some small trees outside where he was. He was advertising his product, which was shoes (or something to spray on your shoes). The advantage of the shoes was for the protection of the person wearing them, “that fire would not hurt them and that smoke from fire could not be smelled on them”. (The shoes represent the walk of repentance and faith) (Dan.3:27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.) (What these 3 lost in the fire was their bonds, which represent the flesh.) He had a loud voice as he proclaimed this and it seemed he really wanted whoever heard him to wear the shoes, and he was urgent about it. But I did not see anyone out there because it was a rural area. (Mat.3:3 For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!) (The repentance spirit in the John the Baptist ministry is crying loudly urgently to those in the wilderness or rural areas to prepare them for the coming of the Lord. It is urgent that we hear and repent quickly before He comes in the Man-child ministry. It will be too late to be in the Bride body once the Man-child ministry starts. Jesus chose the Bride then. John said, “He that hath the Bride is the Bride Groom”) Then I realized I had those shoes on, and they were white dressy sandals. (Eph.6:14-16 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, 15 having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.) After a while, I saw he had a torch that was a large stick. And he started lighting the brush and small trees on fire. He was still proclaiming these shoes, and I thought he was demonstrating how the fire could not hurt the shoes or the smoke from it be smelled. So I took off my right sandal to see if he was right. I smelled it and there was no smell of smoke, and I put it back on. (Fire, representing judgment, will come before Jesus manifests in the Man-child ministry body. Therefore we must be ready to walk through it without being burned. Isa.62:11 Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. Mat.3:10 And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Mat.3:12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire. Mat.5:22 but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire. I had been standing there this whole time listening to this man. Then he came into the tunnel with the torch and with urgency and in a loud voice was saying to me, “Hurry up, Hurry up”. (He meant to hurry and run through the tunnels.) “I am right behind you with this torch.” (Hurry, saints, repent and believe so the fire doesn't catch you). After I woke up, I asked the Lord what I was supposed to do quickly and received by faith at random, Luk.22:54. And they seized him, and led him away, and brought him into the high priest's house. So I think the Lord is telling me to hurry up with denying myself and dying with Christ. I started to run and felt like he was getting closer. I asked for a word about my running in this tunnel and received by faith at random, Rom.4:16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace: to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (Repentance must come before faith, with which we are accounted as righteous and are given grace as power to obey.) At first it seemed like I was climbing, and I had to use my hands also. I knew I could not look back and I was not afraid, but knew I had to hurry to get to the end of the tunnels. Php.3:13 Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before. 14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you: I did not think of him as an enemy, but someone who was admonishing me to run faster. As I was running, I could hear from outside the tunnel other brethren cheering me on. Heb.12:1,2 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Even though he was behind me with the torch and I thought he was getting closer to me, I did not feel the fire. I got through the first tunnel and into the 2nd longer tunnel. On the path where I was running, I saw broken glass on the right side. (Representing the pain of walking with our cross of death to self. The nail in the feet of Christ represents this.) I didn't like running on the glass and it made it harder to keep running, but I did not trip. I asked the Lord for a word by faith at random about this glass and received Lev.19:37 And you shall observe all my statutes, and all mine ordinances, and do them: I am the Lord. I found these verses about not stumbling. Psa.119:165 Great peace have they that love your law; And they have no occasion of stumbling. 1Jn.2:10 He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy. The glass in the path made me think of going to the left side where the ground was clear and smooth, but I didn't have time. (We must endure the pain of walking contrary to the world). I know I got through the 2nd tunnel because I came out on the other side and saw some of the brethren, and we were standing on a large rock that was up high. After I woke up, I was hearing the song in my head, “We want to see Jesus lifted high”. (Psa.61:2 From the end of the earth will I call unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.) So I did most of what I needed to do today. I believe that something is going to happen very soon where the extra food, water and gas is going to be necessary. I've never had dreams like this that the Lord impressed me to hurry and get something done. I also had a dream about the Man-child and Bride coming right after this dream to get supplies. I believe from this that the anointing of the Man-child and choosing of the Bride are not far behind the preparations.   Exhortation to the Bride-to-Be T. C. - 02/26/2013 (David's notes in red) I had this dream on Monday night after the prayer meeting. I was going to grab a pair of everyday shoes (because in the dream I did not realize that we were preparing for a wedding), when the mother (or woman in charge) set out the proper pair of pointed-toe formal dress shoes in pearl white satin material. (This wedding is to the King. The Bride will have the most elegant and pure shoes, representing her walk with Him, so watch your step, saints.) The shoes were set on a counter and I only saw the front of the shoes. I thought, oh, this is really going to be dressy! Then I looked across the room and got a quick glance of the white wedding dress; it was elegant and brilliant, unlike anything I had ever seen -- something royalty would wear. I then saw the husband/groom; he had a serious look on his face. I knew in the dream that the Groom and bride had already been married, and that is why I saw him as the husband. (The serious look represents his authority over the betrothed woman. In the Biblical Jewish marriage betrothal, or erusin, the woman was legally married but she remained in her father's house. She could not be with another man unless she got divorced from her betrothed. The wedding, or nissuin, meant only that the betrothed woman, accompanied by the virgins, friends of the groom, etc., were taken from her father's house to the house of her husband and the marriage consummated.) I only saw the dress and the shoes, not the bride. That is when the mother/woman in charge explained to me that the bride had died. (The Bride is dead to self; she is dead to her natural father's house, which will be represented in her works.) However, by having the wedding it would bring her back to life. (She will be given resurrection life through the filling with the Holy Spirit.) I knew in the dream the bride's wedding gown was going down the aisle by itself, and if the people at the wedding would believe, that is when they would see her body appear in the gown. (We should believe in order to fill that gown.) Then the scene changed. I saw myself standing in a white slip and I could see that I was pregnant. My husband was in the room talking with me. (The Bride will be spiritually very pregnant with the life of the seed of Christ's Word or she will not be in the Bride company.) There was an excitement about being together for the celebration after the wedding. (This is the seven-day wedding feast, representing the seven year tribulation where all feed on the bread and wine of the Word and nature of Jesus.) In the dream, I had a vision and saw myself walking down the aisle in a wedding dress, which showed me pregnant but not full-term. (The full maturing of the Bride will come when she walks with the Man-child, just as it was with Jesus when John said, “He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom”.) At this point, I knew I needed to take a shower to get ready. (Hurry, brethren! Time is running out to get cleaned up in our walk and works.) When I turned on the shower, I reached in with my right hand and felt the water. The temperature was just lukewarm. (The lukewarm will not be in the Bride.) I knew I needed to wait for the hot water tank to heat up the water before I could get in the shower and get dressed for the wedding. Then I woke up. I wanted to go back to sleep so I could finish the dream. When I was writing down the dream, I was getting very excited thinking about it. I asked for a word and the Lord gave me 2 Kings 6:7. My finger went down on the word “put” but I felt led to read 1-7. (2Ki.6:1) And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us. (2) Let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. (3) And one said, Be pleased, I pray thee, to go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. (4) So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. (5) But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed. (6) And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim. (7) And he said, Take it up to thee. So he put out his hand, and took it. (Going to the Jordan means going to the wilderness and, in this case, it is to build a house. So will the Bride. Also, the axe head floated supernaturally in the water, just like we have been given supernatural gifts in the water of the Word. But the text given is an exhortation to put out our hand and take the supernatural gifts of God, like righteousness, holiness, purity of walk and works, for the Lord said, “Take it up to thee.” So he put out his hand and took it.) After typing out the dream, I asked for another word and got Colossians 3:6 and felt led to read 1-6. (Col.3:1) If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on the things that are above (So, seek ye first the Kingdom; there is no time left for distractions.), not on the things that are upon the earth. (3) For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested (when the baby, “Christ in you”, is at full maturity), then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory (He will be born for the world to see). (5) Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (6) for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.   Too Late for the Wedding Feast B. A. - 05/03/2014 (David's notes in red) Concerning the title, Too Late for the Wedding Feast, this is also Too Late for the Bride because she is the Bride before the Wedding Feast starts and she is on time. See Supernatural Warnings to Prepare for the Bride. I dreamed I was walking around Israel. (“Walking around” means worldwide and “Israel” represents the Church)  I was in sackcloth and ashes. (A symbol of grief at the apostasy of the Church -- worldwide and local.) I was praying in the Spirit for mercy for the “rebellious” house. (The rebellious house represents the group below who has rebelled against UBM and this is also happening worldwide. The Church is not the Bride and is often opposed to her, as we see in the Song of Solomon.) Then, suddenly, I was shown a banquet room (the Wedding Feast/Tribulation) with a very long table, and a group of people standing by the table waiting to be seated. One by one, each person was led to their seat. I watched as everyone was seated. I saw that there was a smaller group sitting on the right of the table with a very large gap separating them from the group on the left of the table. The Lord was showing me that there was a large gap representing a “wide” spiritual difference between these two groups. (The long table represents the spiritual food with the true sheep on the right side of this feast and the goats to the left of it. Below we discover that both of these groups represent the factious people who were taken into captivity but one-third of them on the right repented before the Wedding Feast and two-thirds did not and fell away to go into Tribulation bondage to the beast.) At this particular point in the dream, I woke up and I looked over at the clock and it read 4:43 or one minute before 4:44 or tribulation. (This is the second revelation of one minute left. Two other times, we also received 11:59 in dreams or one minute to midnight when Israel left Egypt for the wilderness tribulation. In the last two days before this revelation was given, I had looked at the clock at 11:59 two times. When the Trib starts, so does the 7-day/year Wedding Feast and the Bride is chosen before then so that she can be honored in the feast. There are two groups who need to be on time for the feast: the invited guests and the Bride. If anyone is late, they cannot be in the Bride.) As I fell back to sleep, I watched as the people seated on the far right of the table were being served broccoli (symbolizing trees with life. [This is food recognized to be healthy; in this case, spiritual health food. The first-fruits of our broccoli crop was harvested today.]) This was served with white sauce (the pure Word). At that point, I became very jubilant as I saw that this group had repented and were eating pure, nourishing food again! Praise the Lord! (This could be the part of the factious who repent before the Marriage Feast, as B.A. believes.) However, I noticed that the group seated at the far left of the table had not been served. They were not ready for this feast. (They have refused the healthy food from Heaven, the Word, which causes one to mature and be healthy, like the Bride.) And, as I was considering this group, I saw a large axe come down over the gap that separated the two groups of people at the table and cut the table in half. (This is like the bridge that fell in B.A.'s dream between the factious and righteous. This is also the dream we had of the house divided by a crack between the tall, righteous and glorious people on the right and the short, stunted, angry, factious people on the left who were prevented from attacking the righteous by a wall with no knob on the door in the wall. When the crack broke, there was no foundation under the factious side of the house as it fell away.) I watched as the group of people on the left fell away. (In Jesus' parable of those invited to the marriage feast, He threw out the one who had not on a wedding garment [meaning they were not dressed up with the works of Christ], for many are called but few are chosen. Mat.22:1 And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying, 2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, 3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. 4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise; 6 and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. The factious assassinate the character of those who call the Church to the feast. 7 But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Just like what happened physically in 70 AD, the Lord sent a spiritual Beast army to destroy apostate Jerusalem, the false Bride, and her people.) 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. 10 And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good (from among the saved and unsaved): and the wedding was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment.... Representing the works of Jesus: Rom.13:13 Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. Rev.19:8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright [and] pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Back to our text in Mat.22:12 and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless (we call this clueless). 13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few chosen. Notice the cutting off of those on the left and the cutting off of the bridge of those on the left below. Meaning they will not have an invitation or be in the Bride, for they have not put on the works of Jesus.) Just then, I woke up again and the clock read 5:13, or grace had been given to the rebellious house that had repented. (The one-third on the right.) I asked B. A., “Could you tell what percentage the people on the right were?” She said about one-third on the right repented and returned. She said, “From what the Lord showed me, some will not make it back in time for the Bride company (which is finished before the Marriage Feast). About the same time this revelation came to us, in our morning prayer meeting, we received a text from the Lord by faith: Dan.5:5 In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king's countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was celebrating the conquering of God's people by drinking wine (blood) from the gold and silver vessels (God's people) which were taken from the Temple in Jerusalem during the falling away (1-5). Daniel, the Man-child, interpreted the Father's writing of judgment on the wall, and the king was slain by the Medio-Persian Empire, headed by Cyrus. It was his decree in Ezra 1 that the first-fruits from among God's people in the Babylonian captivity return to build the Temple in Jerusalem. In effect this is being accomplished by President Trump. And also his plundering of Babylon paid for this. It was said of Cyrus, Isa.44:26 that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith of Jerusalem, She shall be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah, They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof; 27 that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers (He diverted the Euphrates River to conquer Babylon); 28 That saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. 45:1 Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut: 2 I will go before thee, and make the rough places smooth; I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron. (The army went under the bars across the lowered Euphrates and the gates along the Euphrates into the center of the city were unlocked. They invaded and conquered because of God and so shall we. On 6/01/14, Jim Tofflemire wrote: “I saw a D-Day Normandy invasion movie recently and I felt the Lord told me the revival and Trib would be a grand production of God like that, and we need a lot of preparation” (to set the captives free by a war with the principalities and powers and rulers of this darkness through prayer and faith). 11 Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me. 12  I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and all their host have I commanded. 13 I have raised him up in righteousness (Christ, hidden in the type of Cyrus), and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts. ... 15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. This conquering of the Northern army brings to mind another text the Lord has given us many times. At a time when the Northern army was invading Israel and Judah, which Joel likened to an army of locusts for multitude, there came up a cry for mercy from the inhabitants of Zion, the Bride, just like Esther did and everything was turned around for those who escaped captivity. Joe.2:12 Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; 16 gather the people, sanctify the assembly, assemble the old men, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God? 18 Then was Jehovah jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. Notice a cry for mercy from the Bride turned the Beast captivity around and brought the great revival of the Latter Rain. Remember that Babylon left Jeremiah, to prophecy to the people of the Promised Land, while the rest had been taken to captivity. Let us cry for those in captivity with fasting and prayer.   Last Supper Before the Feast B. A. - 10/12/2012 (David's notes in red) Before sharing this word with the broadcast audience, I asked the Lord to give me a Word concerning this and another revelation. With eyes closed, I flipped my Bible open and put my finger down on (Jer.26:2) Thus saith Jehovah: Stand in the court of Jehovah's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Jehovah's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word. I had a short dream last week where I was in a large house (the UBM house). I heard noise coming from the kitchen, so I went to the kitchen to see what was going on. I saw David Eells at the stove, cooking a meal. (David here represents the end-time David ministry preparing a spiritual meal.) I asked David if I could be of help and he replied, “Sure. Go through the entire house and tell everybody the meal is ready, and it's important to be on time”. (This is the Last Supper, which was a parable to prophesy the crucifixion of the body and blood of Christ for the Church to eat or partake of. The Church was told: (Joh.6:53) Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. (54) He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (56) He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. So I went through the house and spread the word that dinner was ready and everyone needed to be on time at the dinner table. Soon, everyone took their seat at the dinner table. David then brought the food to the table and told everyone, “I'm glad you all made it to the table on time, as this is the last regular meal before the feast”. We were all very joyful and sang praises to the Lord. (All of the disciples or witnesses of the Man-child were at the table to partake of the bread and wine, representing the future sacrifice of the body and blood of Jesus. Notice that this was a “regular meal before the feast”. It was a spiritual type of what was to happen in the Marriage Feast of seven days of tribulation. (Mat.26:26) And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. (27) And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (28) for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins. So we see, the Last Supper or type of the Marriage Feast came first; then the crucifixion; and then they partook of that sacrifice of the body (Word) and blood (nature) of Jesus through repentance and faith. This latter is the manifestation of the Marriage Feast and will go on for the seven years of tribulation. In this way, we can understand David's command to gather the guests as Jesus' command to gather the guests. “Go through the entire house and tell everybody the meal is ready, and it's important to be on time”. (22:4) Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. We have seen in revelations from God that the Davids are going through crucifixion, death and resurrection to be prepared to receive the anointing to lead the flock through tribulation wilderness. It was so with Moses, Joseph, David, etc., before they reigned. In crucifying these Davids, the apostates are crucifying Jesus again, just as their forefathers did. (25:40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, [even] these least, ye did it unto me. However, the benefits of this sin will raise up the body of Christ through the anointed Davids in whom Jesus will live through the Word and crucifixion.   Marriage Supper M. L. - 03/20/2014 (David's notes in red) A dream of standing near the beginning of many, many small round tables as far as the eye could see in any direction. The tables were covered with white tablecloths and four chairs per table. It was my job to see that a small two-tiered wedding cake was exactly centered on each of the tables. This cake was to be divided equally among the four people who would be seated there. (Those who are invited to the Marriage Supper.) Knowing that these cakes were the exact likeness of a larger one that was at the table of honor. (This is the table of the Groom and His Bride.) The tables did not yet have their place settings or name cards, but knowing that that would take place soon. (The trials and testing to come in the tribulation marriage feast will prove who it is who is invited to the Marriage Supper in Heaven. The foolish virgins do not bear fruit and will not be invited.) (Rev.19:7) Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, Write, Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are true words of God. (Mat.25:1) Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them: 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast (The Greek word here, gamos, should be translated “marriage”, not “marriage feast”, for this is the whole marriage ceremony. This would give a person who knows about the marriage customs to discern what part of the marriage is being spoken about. The virgins escort the Bride and Groom to the Groom's home in Heaven after the Marriage Feast of seven days (tribulation) where there is a Marriage Supper. The foolish virgins who have not borne fruit do not go to Heaven, as Jesus said here.): and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. Luk.12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning; 36 and be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return (Greek: analuo, meaning “depart; break up”, as in Philippians 1:23. This is the only place in the NT that this word is translated “return”. Those at the Marriage Feast will break up to go to the Marriage Supper; the Groom will “depart” from the Marriage Feast with the Bride to be escorted by the virgins to the Marriage Supper in His heavenly home and some will not be counted worthy.) from the marriage feast; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.   Get Ready, Bride Jacob Patek - 01/04/2012 (David's notes in red) I had this dream this afternoon that I would like to share with you. I work shift work, so that is why the dream was in the afternoon. I woke up at 12:30 pm and asked myself if I should get up at that time or not. I ended up going back to sleep and this is the dream the Lord gave me. I have had two brothers who encouraged me to type this out and send it in. It was not until this afternoon (1/05/12) that I came to find out that brother David had given a study on the Bride. I had been talking with a sister in the Lord the night before I had the dream. While I was at work, I had prayed that the Lord would give His permission for His daughter's hand in marriage and continued to pray that He would lead and direct me in wisdom, teaching me to not cover my head and be the spiritual head that He has called me to be. This is the dream: I was in my house preparing to go to a fellowship. I was in the living room while a female friend was in the bathroom, who was also getting ready. She was putting on a bridal gown. This girl was my age (mid-20s). While still in my dream, I was sitting in the living room, and G. W. called me and told me he had to tell me about a dream that he had just had. He said that in his dream, I was getting ready to go to church with a girl. She was putting on a bridal gown, and once we made it to the fellowship, there would be a man who would walk in during the middle of the message. He would walk in and say, “I am here for my bride.” The brother who was giving the Word would then say, “Take your bride”. Then the man who walked in said, “You will have to do the ceremony”. (Men who share the word with the Bride serve in the ceremony of the Wedding Feast, as seen below.) I could see the man kneeling at a cross that was in the middle of the room. At this point in my dream, G. W. stopped talking, and my female friend and I were there. I could now see more detail, as it was from my perspective and no longer G. W. talking about his dream. (Here he begins to see in his dream the confirmation of G. W.'s dream above. This symbolizes that the dream is doubled and is guaranteed by God to come to pass shortly. (Gen.41:32) And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.) The brother giving the message was speaking English but he had an interpreter. The man walked in through the large double doors at the front of the building. I remember the doors being 20 feet tall or so and the man who walked in was very meek in appearance but quite tall. (He is head and shoulders above all the rest; a giant of the Kingdom.) He had on a white suit or robe and his hair was a brilliant white. He was standing in the doorway and the light that was coming in from behind him through the open doors was brilliant and bright. He said, “I am here for my bride”. The brother giving the message said, “Take your bride”. And sure enough, the man said, “You will have to perform the ceremony”. At this time, I noticed the girl I had come with started to get up. She was walking toward the door through which the man entered. This is when the man grabbed her by the arm gently and with care and he looked at her with great affection. He did not say anything, but in my spirit I heard him say, “I am here”. (He is here in spirit.) The moment he said this, the girl who was my age turned into an old woman dressed in a dress that was a brilliant white, just like the light that was coming through the doors. (She has the maturity and righteousness of many years.) At this, I fell prostrate on my face and began to weep. It was a joyful cry. Now I was watching from a third-person point of view. I could see myself lying on the floor and weeping while the ceremony was taking place. It was over in an instant. Then we were leaving the meeting. The man was walking with us, then was no longer there. I didn't see where he went but the moment he left, in my spirit I heard, “I'm coming back for her. Make sure she is prepared”. Then she turned back into a woman of my age and we proceeded back to my house, where I began to tell her about all that had happened and about G. W.'s dream and it coming to pass. She laughed and kind of shrugged it off, and then I said I had the video on my phone of G. W. and I talking about it. G.W. called me in the beginning of my dream but on the video we were sitting down on the same couch face to face. As I started to play it, G. W. called me in real life and woke me from my dream. (This is confirmation to us again that we are about to begin the ceremony, and the bride needs to be ready. So cut the sin and get ready or miss a once-in-forever chance.) I told him, “Man, I have to tell you about this dream I just had”. We were both very encouraged, and I pray that you are too.   The Bride Is Almost Complete Eve Brast - 04/30/2016 (David's notes in red) I had a dream this afternoon that is very encouraging for us. I dreamed I was standing in the middle of the driveway as you top the hill to the Shaw's house. It was sunny outside with almost a white sunlight, like when the sun is close to or at the noon position. (This is the perfect day because there are no shadows; darkness is defeated before the Sun/Son.) I saw all the local UBM brethren clearing all the vines and weeds away from the Shaw's house. Some were pulling with their hands and others with tools. (Exactly like we were doing in real life today when helping to clean and trim, and weed around their house.) Between where I was standing and the front corner of the house was a large square tower made of white stones. (The white stone tower is the Bride who is being put together as her members are sanctified. Mic.4:8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.) Three of the sides were complete and we were six or seven stones (people sanctified) away from completing the fourth and final side. (Pray for these six or seven saints to be set free.) The stones were all about a foot or so in diameter and the tower was larger at the base and more narrow as it reached the top. 1Pe.2:5 ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Although this is a promise for the true Church, the principle is the same but the Bride comes to this maturity before the Church and is therefore more beautiful to the Lord. It was flat on top, almost like a huge stone altar. As the brethren cleared away the wild vines and weeds out of the flower beds surrounding the house, they would uncover these stones, and then they would supernaturally disappear from the beds and reappear in their perfect position in the tower, which was almost as high as the roof of the house. (As the lives of these living stones were freed from the weeds and vines of bondage.  Then they were supernaturally and spiritually resurrected out of dirt burial to be in the Bride.) Then I woke up. I thought of the Shepherd of Hermas when I began to meditate on this dream and what it meant. (The tower was in the building stage there too and it was said that the stones could go into the tower as long as it was being built but after it was finished, no more stones could be included.)   When the Bride Is Sanctified, Judgment Comes Anna Stewart - 04/27/2016 (David's notes in red) The dream I shared on the conference fellowship last night was where Matthew and I were in an old red '90s model F-150 pickup (which we don't really have in real life) and we had three bales of hay in the back. We were driving up this narrow one-way dirt road up a mountain (Zion) and the farther up we got, the less hay we had. I said, “By the time we get to the top of the mountain, we won't have any hay left”. (This represents the further up Zion we go, the less flesh we have, since Peter said “all flesh is as grass”. (Hay is dead grass or flesh. The three bales being that which comes from the earth in spirit, soul, and body.) Being in an old red truck may be the first way that the apostles gave us and the red being covered by the blood and the ride being in the rest.) 1Co.3:10 According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. Wood, hay and stubble would not abide in fire because it represents the works of man.) When we got to the top, there was a meadow and I saw a tornado (When the Bride is mature enough to be chosen, then come Judgments like large earthquakes, volcanoes, economic crash, martial law, etc.), but I wasn't scared. As it touched down, the sky went black (The gross darkness, volcanic activity, blackouts, a time of judgment). I could see stars and all the other planetary stuff which you could never see with the naked eye, and straight up above were these two bright lights. In the dream, I knew that there were two suns. (When the Bride is chosen. This could account for the earthquakes, which bring the Man-child when she reaches the top to be chosen.) And then in the dream I was telling Michael what had just happened, so that's why I wanted to share it.   Most Don't Make the Cut One other thing I wanted to share. We had eight lambs this year, and I was believing we wouldn't lose any, as we usually lose at least one to something or other, and we didn't have any bottle babies, which might have been a first. But two were born dead, then just recently one died of an unknown cause, two went missing, which must have been coyotes, but we have never had any go missing before, and one got its head eaten off through the fence (coyote?). I just thought that it all kind of lined up with the parable of the sower pretty well because God calls His people sheep. The stillborn sheep would be the wayside ones because they never had life; the missing ones are the ones sown on the rocks because they fell away when temptation arose (I know that they strayed away from the others when they were eaten because the others were not frightened, which they always are for a few days when something scares them). The one that died of who-knows-what was then picked by birds, and the one who lost its head would, I guess, be the third group who didn't bring fruit to perfection. And then, of course, that leaves the last two living ones to be the ones who were sown in the good ground. Even though it was sad what happened, I saw it as kind of a parable and a warning too, because just like the parable of the sower, only 1/4 of them made it. One other thing is that my nieces wanted to name some, so they decided on Marly and Charley. Then Mallory was like, “I know, I'll name mine Jesus!” So Tasha decided to rename hers God. I told them that might get a little confusing, “God, get out of the hay!” “Jesus, don't be so greedy”. Etc. So we stuck with Marly and Charley. I just thought it was interesting that Marly was going to be Jesus, but stuck her head through the fence out of curiosity and got taken out. Because everybody plans on manifesting Jesus, but fence-straddlers (or those halfway through the fence) won't make it. Below I will share an excerpt from Hidden Manna For the End Times -- Chapter Three: “When Do We Go?” The ceremony is according to ancient Jewish custom. It begins with the Marriage Feast as the groom in the Man-child feasts with the Bride for seven day/years. During this time, She has all the rights and advantages of a wife, except the marriage is not consummated. At the end of the tribulation, the virgins escort the Bride and Groom to the Groom's home, where the Marriage Supper is served.   The Marriage Feast Excerpt from our book, Hidden Manna For the End Times After seven days of the marriage feast, God's people will go to the Groom's home. Jacob served seven years for each of his wives and he had a marriage feast of seven days for each of them (Gen.29:18-28). This is a parallel revelation. These seven days represent the last seven years or the seventieth week of Daniel, the Tribulation. Samson kept a seven-day marriage feast for his betrothed but left without taking her on the seventh day so she was given to another man just as the harlot will, in our day (Jdg.14:12-15:2). Jesus will feast with His Bride in spirit for seven days/years, after which they are escorted by the virgins to the Groom's home in heaven where she will legally be His. This Hebrew custom is shown in The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, 1976, page 97 under “Marriage”. My notes are in parentheses. The bridegroom was the king for a week (seven-day/year wedding feast). During the whole week their majesties wore their festal clothes, did not work, and merely looked on at the games – except that now and then the queen joined in a dance. Accompanied by his friends (John the Baptist was a friend of the Bridegroom in John 3:29) with tambourines and a band they went to the bride's house (which is obviously on earth) where the wedding ceremonies were to start. The bride richly dressed, adorned with jewels (Psa.45:14-15), usually wore a veil (meaning submission in 1Cor.11:5-13), which she took off only in the bridal chamber. Escorted by her companions (the virgins), the bride was led to the home of the bridegroom (heaven). This is clear. After the seven days/years of the feast, representing the Tribulation, on the eighth day, which is the day of circumcision when the flesh is cut off, the Groom, the Bride, the friends of the Groom, and the virgins, all leave dressed in their new bodies to go to the Groom's home in heaven. It will be just as when Moses and all Israel left Egypt together. Even the dead in Christ will join the procession. (1Cor.15:51) ...We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump... That the Lord takes His people after the seven days/years of the marriage feast is clearly proven by Scripture. As we have seen, a great multitude comes out of the Great Tribulation to the throne of God. (Rev.7:9) …A great multitude…out of every nation…standing before the throne and before the Lamb…. (14) …These are they that come out of the great tribulation…. Only after “the great tribulation,” this “great multitude,” which is made up of all who attend the marriage, announces that the Bride is ready and the marriage is come. (Rev.19:1) After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying…. (7)…the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (8) And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright [and] pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (9) And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb…. Notice that the marriage supper is in heaven, after the seven-day feast on earth. Let's go back and look more closely at what will be eaten at the marriage feast. Jesus said, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves” (Joh.6:53). What does this flesh and blood symbolize spiritually, for Jesus said, “It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life” (63)? Jesus' flesh was the unleavened bread: the manna of the pure Word of God. (51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. (Joh.1:14) And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us... The wine represents the blood of the life of Christ, Who is the Word. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood... Those who are obedient to attend will feast on the flesh, bread, and wine of the eternal life of Christ for the last seven days of the Tribulation. God is preparing the Man-child ministry of Revelation 12 to walk in the steps of Jesus and to once again serve this feast to the true disciples of our day. I will share more on this later. Although, to a lesser extent, this marriage feast has been served on earth since Christ first came, it is the last seven days that the majority of God's people will feast on the pure bread and wine. Natural Israel was invited to come and partake of this marriage feast in the Gospels, but most had worldly excuses and failed to feast on the life that Jesus served. (Mat.22:1) And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying, (2) The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, (3) and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. (4) Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. (5) But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise; (6) and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. (7) But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. This was the end of the Jewish age, when in 70 A.D. the Romans slaughtered the Jews and burned Jerusalem. As they were rejecting the feast, the Gentiles were invited to partake. (Mat.22:8) Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. (9) Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. (10) And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good (Gentiles and Jews): and the wedding was filled with guests. John the Baptist pointed out that the disciples were feasting on the Word of Jesus as a marriage feast and as a type and shadow for our day. (Joh.3:29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full.   The Marriage Supper All who have been sanctified through the feast will be ready to leave for the Groom's home in heaven. (Luk.12:36) And be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return (Greek: analuo, “depart”) from the marriage feast (seven days); that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him. Analuo is not translated “return” anywhere else but is correctly translated “depart” in places like Philippians 1:23 where Paul speaks of departing this life. The encyclopedia is clear that the groom, his bride, and friends, “depart” from a marriage feast of seven days and are escorted by the virgins to the groom's home. (Mat.25:1) Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. A common false teaching is that the virgins here are the bride who leaves before the seven-year tribulation. That is not only contrary to the Hebrew custom I cited above from the encyclopedia, but other experts on this say the same. I quote the famous The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim, Book III, Chapter IV. My comments are in parentheses. On the evening of the actual marriage (after the seven-day marriage feast) the bride was led from her paternal home (on earth) to that of her husband (in heaven) ….covered with the bridal veil, her long hair flowing, surrounded by her companions (bride's maids or virgins), and led by the friends of the bridegroom…some carried torches or lamps on poles (ten lamps)…. Here it is clear that the Bride and virgins are two separate entities, just as in all cultures. After the seven-year marriage feast, the virgins will accompany the Bride to the Groom's home. In Book V, Chapter VII, Edersheim explains the parable of the Ten Virgins with their lamps thus: According to Jewish authorities, it was the custom in the East to carry in a bridal procession about ten such lamps. … Ten was the number required to be present at any office or ceremony (to witness the kethubah or marriage document)…. He also says here: The ordinary Jewish marriage-procession where the bridegroom, accompanied by his groomsmen and friends, went to the bride's house, and thence conducted the bride, with her attendant maidens and friends, into his own or his parents' home.

In 1 Timothy 3:14-16, Paul names the “mystery of godliness” and shows it's not our performance but a person: Jesus Christ, manifested, vindicated, proclaimed, believed, and glorified. The church, as the household of the living God, is called to hold up and guard this truth like a pillar and foundation. When Christ dwells in us, he produces the aroma of true godliness, and that inward reality then shapes how we live together. Behavior doesn't make us godly. Godliness, Christ in The post 1 Timothy 3:14-16 – The Key To Godliness appeared first on Island Pond Baptist Church.

Creationtide V Epistle: Colossians 3:1-17 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christa dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Gospel: Matthew 7:13-28 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will know them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.'

Put on the New Life (Colossians 3:1-17) - Sunday, 28th September 20251. We have a New Perspective (Colossians 3:1-4)If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.2. We have a New Practice (Colossians 3:5-11)- Put off the 'old' self (Colossians 3:5-9)Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;- Put on the 'new' self (Colossians 3:10-11)And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.3. We have a New Identity (Colossians 3:12-17)Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

When Christ calls his audience to “Seek first the Kingdom of God", this gives the impression that one knows what the Kingdom of God is. How can we honestly embrace this call to seek the Kingdom of God first when our hearts and minds are enamored with secondary things? In this message, we start the conversation around Christ's invitation to seek His Kingdom and righteousness.

We explore how Jesus's teachings in Matthew 22-25 challenge us to focus less on predicting His return and more on loving others in His name while we wait.• Jesus warns against trying to predict the date of His return (Matthew 24:42)• The danger of rapture date predictions is causing new believers to fall away when dates pass• True readiness for Christ's return isn't about knowing when, but faithfully serving while we wait• Urgency in evangelism should come from people's mortality, not speculation about the rapture• Jesus bookends His teachings with the greatest commandment and the sheep and goats parable• We demonstrate love for God by how we love and serve others• Beware of self-serving Christianity that focuses on personal spirituality at others' expense• When Christ returns, He wants to find us actively loving others in His name• Reading the Bible on paper rather than digitally can help minimize distractions• Our "faith journey" should be less about ourselves and more about who we're loving in Jesus's nameDon't let this podcast be your only interaction with Scripture this week. Reach out through outloudbible.com to share what God is teaching you!Send Mike a quick message! (If you seek a reply, instead please contact through Outloudbible.com) Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

Faith for the Coming Wilderness (6) (audio) David Eells – 9/21/25 I'm going to continue with our study of faith for the coming wilderness and how to walk above the principles of this world. All of this is to help prepare people to hear the voice of our God in the wilderness, so they can be preserved and provided for as they come out from under the bondage in Egypt. God led His people out of Egypt to learn to walk by faith in Him. (Heb.10:38) But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. We've learned that God is about to raise up the first-fruits. They are a people who have been walking in the wilderness, walking by faith in the Lord. They are trusting in the Lord to be their Savior in all things. They are not ruled by the dictates of the world or religion. And, like Moses and Jesus, who were the first-fruits in their day, God is preparing the first-fruits of our day to bring the larger group of spiritual Israel into their wilderness. That's where we're headed soon, and you have an opportunity right now to be one of those who hears the voice of the Lord in the wilderness, one of those who learns to trust in Him. It's very exciting! So to help encourage others to walk by faith in the Lord, I have some more testimonies to share with you of my own wilderness experiences that gave me courage. And I want to tell you that these testimonies, even though they are very miraculous to me, are going to be commonplace in the days to come, but nothing like the even greater works God is about to do. Jesus told us, (Joh.14:10) Truly, truly, I say to you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father. I've seen some wonderful things which are very exciting to me, and some are the greater works. They put faith in my heart to know that God is faithful to His Word, but we have things much, much greater coming. Let me emphasize again that salvation in the wilderness doesn't come through any works of man. The “rest” from our own works is just that: it's the rest from man's works to save himself and to provide for himself. The Lord God has already done it through Jesus Christ. Let me point something out to you. (1Co.1:28) And the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, [yea] and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: (29) that no flesh should glory before God. Have you heard that before? Yes! (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. God is very careful; He doesn't want us to be able to take credit for any form of our salvation, which we have seen is very big. When you speak a word of faith or you pray and believe you have received, only God is going to get credit for that. The fulfillment comes supernaturally. This is how God is going to provide for His people in the wilderness. They're going to enter into the rest by trust in God. The “things that are not” that God chose are all of those awesome promises we shared earlier: you have been saved; you were healed; He bare your sins; He reconciled you; you have been crucified; you have been redeemed; you have been perfected; He delivered you out of the power of darkness; and so on. Those things are not seen in the physical realm, but God chose to use those things that “are not,” that He might bring to nothing the things that are. And the “things that are” is the curse we see all around us: the sickness, the demonic possession, the lack, and so on. The “things that are” are all the curses of Deuteronomy 28 upon mankind. The Lord already took care of this because He says so in His Word. We need to believe exactly what He says without adding to it and without taking away from it, which He says brings a curse. (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. So God chose the things that are not, He chose these promises, to bring to nothing the things that are. For example, a doctor is not a thing that is not and medicine is not a thing that is not, and psychiatry is not a thing that is not. The things that men generally run to for salvation are “things that are,” but God chose the “things that are not” for a very good reason: He chose them so “that no flesh should glory before God.” Jesus taught us to pray, (Mat.6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Is there any sickness in Heaven? How about demonic possession? How about sin ruling your life? He said, (Col.3:1) If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. (3) For ye died (past tense), and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested (That is, in the physical realm.), then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. The glory of God is manifested in us while we look not at the things that are but at the things that are not. So how do we use the “things that are not” to bring to nothing the “things that are”? We do it the same way God does it. (Rom.4:7) … God … calleth the things that are not, as though they were. We just speak them as done; we just command them as done; we claim them as done. And we don't put our trust in the arm of the flesh because in (Jer.17:5) Thus saith the Lord: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. When you trust in the arm of the flesh, you're trusting in what man can do, the strength of man; you're trusting in man's power, but that's a heart that “departs from the Lord.” For example, by the stripes of Jesus (1 Peter 2:24) “ye were healed.” He didn't say “will be,” He said, “were”! And that, of course, negates any of your own works to save yourself because He's already done it and so all we have to do is rest. (Heb.4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. We want to enter into all of the rest of God; we want to be at peace in all circumstances because we know our sovereign Lord is in control. We know He's taken care of us already at the cross. (Joh.10:30) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit. We know He has healed us, we know He has delivered us, we know He has provided for us and so on. We know all these things are already done and it's just a matter of our entering into them through faith. The Good Tidings were also preached to the Jews, but they didn't believe them. (Heb.4:2) For indeed we have had good tidings (That's the Gospel, the Good News.) preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. When we believe, we're not just hearing the promise; we're mixing faith with the promise by acting on that promise. When you do that, the miracle comes. A lot of people question, “Yeah, David, we know God can handle these little things, but what about the big things?” Well, I've already shared a few testimonies that I thought would be considered “big things” to most people, but now let me share another one with you. I'm going to tell you how the Lord miraculously healed my youngest son, Justin, without the help of man. Years ago, when Justin was little more than a toddler, we lived in a Christian community outside of Baton Rouge and all of us had our own assembly there. Well, the territory over there was a lot of hard clay, and you just about couldn't get grass to grow in it, but we had plowed it all up around several of the houses there and planted some grass. So when the rain came, the water stayed on top of the ground, and it was nothing but mud. So when that happens, we put planks across the mud so that we could go back and forth to the neighbors and fellowship with them and so on. I had walked over to the neighbors with Justin and when we were coming back, he was walking ahead of me on one of the planks, and I was kind of guiding him in front of me. Suddenly, he started to trip and lunge forward down into the mud. I reached out and grabbed his wrist just as he was falling, and I actually felt his bone snap in my hand, and I could have sworn I heard it, too. You know, that's a strange thing: I didn't know you could hear something like that, but I heard the pop and I felt the snap in my hand and I knew that his arm had broken. It was because I grabbed him at kind of a right angle, and it was my fault. When I picked him up, he was crying, and I just cradled him in my arms. Now, I'd already been walking in my wilderness for quite a few years, and I was constantly seeing miracles, so I was praying to the Lord and thanking the Lord for healing him because it was common for me to be healed by the Lord. And as I was going toward the house on the planks, the thought came into my mind, “I'm not going to say anything to Mary about this because I don't want to put any trial on her. I'm just going to see what the Lord does here.” So when we came in, she asked, “What happened?” I said, “Oh, he was falling and I caught him and his arm was hurt,” which was all true, but I knew a little bit more than what I was saying. So my wife picked him up and took him over to the rocking chair, and she rocked him back and forth until he basically cried himself to sleep. Then she began feeling around on his arm while I was in the room, watching her. She said, “David, his arm's not hurt, it's broken!” I said, “Yeah, I know that, but you know the Lord and you know what He's always done for us. You know He's always healed us and He's not going to fail us now, either.” She said, “Yeah, that's right.” She agreed with me. But when she was feeling around on his arm, he woke up and started crying again, and she rocked him back to sleep. By that time, it was getting late in the evening, so when he fell asleep in her arms, she put him in his bed. The prayer I prayed, was the prayer of faith. You know what faith is: it's calling those things that be not as though they were. (Rom.4:17) ... Even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. It's believing you have received, as Jesus taught us in (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. I prayed the prayer of faith, which was the common way that I prayed. I rarely prayed the prayer that the Bible calls the “prayer of importunity,” which is to ask, seek, and knock. Here it is in (Luk.11:5) And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; (6) for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; (7) and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee? (8) I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth. (9) And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (10) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. And there's nothing wrong with that; it's one way in which we can receive from God, but I had trained myself to walk in the prayer of faith, and it suited me. It saved a lot of time because you can either pray the prayer of importunity and end up at faith, or you can pray the prayer of faith and start out with faith. And it seems to me like the prayer of faith is the more spiritual because it's the one Jesus prayed. When He ministered to people, He spoke the words of faith and He just let it go, right there. He stood upon what He spoke, and I felt that's what the Lord was training me to do. I didn't feel like I had the time to pray about all the things I had to pray for importunely, day and night, day after day. Frankly, a lot of what people call the “prayer of importunity” is not; it's just thinking they're going to be heard for their “much speaking” as Jesus said. Understand that everything has to end up in faith. (Heb.11:6) And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him;] for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. The Bible says that without faith it's impossible to be well-pleasing unto God and a man who is double-minded shouldn't think he's going to receive anything from God. (Jas.1:6) But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. (7) For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; (8) a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. So I had pretty well trained myself to be stubborn with the devil and to believe I have received. You know, my wife said afterward, “I just knew you weren't going to take him to a doctor.” After Justin went to sleep, we both went to bed, and frankly, I went to sleep, but my wife prayed diligently because she knew I wanted to stay in the wilderness. She knew I wanted to trust in God and to see the works of God. So she prayed diligently, she prayed the prayer of importunity, and I prayed the prayer of faith. And Jesus told us, (Mat.18:19) Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. So we did finally end up agreeing but it wasn't until about 4:00 in the morning because she prayed until 4:00 in the morning, and then she felt a rest and a peace come over her. The prayer of importunity always has to end up in faith. It's not just pray and pray and pray and God's going to hear you because you talk a lot. Jesus said, (Mat.6:7) But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Some people think they have to wear God down because they're trying to convince Him to do something He doesn't want to do. But the truth is, He wants to do it and He's already done it, and it's not a matter of convincing Him; it's a matter of accepting what His Word says. You're the one who has to be convinced, not God. Well, my wife became convinced around 4:00 in the morning about the same thing I was convinced of the previous evening, so around 4:00 she dozed off until we got up. Earlier, Justin had awakened in the middle of the night, and my wife had gone to get him and put him in bed with us, and he went back to sleep. So when we woke up the next morning, we very carefully got out of bed and left the room with him sleeping. We went into the kitchen, where we were drinking some coffee, and we heard a noise from the bedroom. We peeked in the door and saw Justin was awake. When he saw us, he just started grinning a big grin, so I stepped in, and as I was walking toward the bed, he started running toward me across the bed on all fours! I knew the healing had manifested. He reached his hands up and I grabbed him by his hands and picked him up. I shook him in the air a little, and he just giggled. Then I threw him up in the air and caught him. The Lord had totally healed him! My wife and I came to an agreement around 4:00 A.M. through the prayer of faith and the prayer of importunity. That's when we entered into the rest and the miracle came. Praise God! Everything that God has provided is in the rest. (Heb.4:3) … We who have believed do enter into that rest.... When you truly believe, you act upon it and you stand upon it, and what you feel is peace. You rest because you know that God has done this. (Heb.4:9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath (The Greek word there is sabbatismos.) rest for the people of God. Sabbatismos is not like the word used for “sabbath” anywhere else and it means a “continual” or a “perpetual” rest. You see, God wants us to be at peace all the time because of His promises. (Php 4:6) In nothing be anxious; (which is not resting) but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Heb.4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. We don't want to leave out even one promise of entering into His rest. Now He has promised that He has already healed us and we should be resting in that promise because He said it's done. (1Pe.2:24) … By whose stripes you were healed. Therefore we should be resting, we should be at peace, because God said it's already done. We shouldn't be anxious or troubled or seeking healing. We should be accepting healing as a free gift, just like we accepted salvation as a free gift. How long do you have to seek salvation? Don't you just have to accept salvation, since God has promised it? Yes, of course! And what is healing? Healing is salvation for the body; that's all it is. Many other provisions are salvation for the circumstances that you're in. All you have to do is believe God's Word and you automatically enter into the rest, which is where the provision is. The provision is in the rest. (Exo.31:5) Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Man works for six days but rests on the seventh and we've entered into that seventh day. Jesus Christ said, (Mar.2:27) … The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: (28) so that the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath. That means, if you abide in Him, you abide in His rest. If you are obeying Him, you are keeping that New Testament Sabbath. If you're believing His Word, you are in that New Testament Sabbath because you are resting. Well, my wife and I joined together in rest around 4:00 A.M. and God was faithful to His Word. We resisted the devil's warnings, threats and fears, and God was faithful! I'm going to tell you about another miracle that is just so wonderful, that for years I literally would start crying when I recounted the story. And it's only been recently that I've been able to recount this story without breaking up. What happened was that when we first moved to Pensacola, there was a lady who came to our house to witness, and we talked with her for a while. She told us where she fellowshipped, and she invited us over there. Well, it was very unusual for me, but I felt led to go, and something strange happened when I walked in the back door of that church. There was a prophetess who stood up in the very front of the church as I was walking in. It was a long, old building, and she never saw me coming in, but she whirled around and she pointed her finger at me and she started prophesying. I didn't know it then but it was the first time this woman had visited the church, too. She started prophesying just a glorious prophecy of how she saw the Word of God living in me, stronger than she'd seen in any man, and so on and so forth, just some glorious things. I didn't know what the Lord was doing at the time, but I found out later that He was opening a door for me because the pastor was very impressed, so he invited me to teach. And I ended up doing most of the teaching there because the Lord just dried up the pastor. He wasn't really a man of the Word anyway, but he was impressed with the Word. One day when I was sharing, this couple came in, and the girl received salvation during that meeting. She was a quiet girl and after the meeting was over, she asked the pastor and me if we could give her some counsel. And, of course, we made sure the church secretary and my wife and several other women were there. Then she told us that she was pregnant and that three days earlier she had gone to the Public Health Unit there in Pensacola, where they had done some tests on her and discovered that her baby had died. Now she was in a church; she'd never been in a church before, but this brought her to church, so to speak. Understand, I'm using the word “church” the way the world uses the word “church.” So this had brought her to church and she got saved, I guess because of the turmoil she was going through. Well, she began to tell us what the real problem was. She said she had purposely aborted this pregnancy because she had been raped by a man of another race, and she didn't want her husband to know about it. This man was a friend of her husband, and she was afraid of what could possibly happen, either to her, or to her husband, or to this man. After she got through telling us this situation, she asked us for advice. Remember, it had been three days since they had put the heartbeat monitor on her, run the sonogram on her, and taken a sample of the amniotic fluid. At any rate, they told her they were certain that her baby was dead and that she was going to have to come back and have a D&C. That's what they had told her at the Public Health Unit, but she never went back. The Lord brought her to that church, and she heard the Word that I shared, and she came to the Lord. So now she was sitting before us, asking us what to do. The first thing that came to my mind was to ask her, Is there somebody that you haven't forgiven in your life?” She thought for a minute and she said, “Yeah, there's just one person I've never really been able to forgive.” I said, “Well, who is that? Tell us.” She answered, “It's a doctor, who I think purposely aborted one of my children when I was on welfare.” When she said that, I pointed out to her, “Do you understand that you've just done the same thing? Don't you think you'd better forgive him?” And she said, “Yeah, you're right!” I said, “Why don't you pray for him?” and so she did. She started praying for him, she asked the Lord to forgive him and she asked the Lord to save him. And when she was finished with her prayer, I asked her, “Would you like to receive the Holy Spirit?” She told me, “Yes, I want everything God has for me.” So we laid hands on her and prayed for her to receive the Holy Spirit. Now, I want you to know that she was a very quiet, very reserved and introverted person, not at all an extroverted person, but when we prayed for her, she became jubilant and started actually dancing and speaking in tongues! And after she had calmed down a little bit, I said to her, “You're a new creation and I don't see any reason why the Lord can't resurrect your baby!” This is the thought that had come into my head. I can't say it was a loud voice; I wasn't greatly impressed, but I actually believe that this is part of our Commission. I have seen quite a few raised from the dead. God is going to commonly raise the dead in the days to come. (Mat.10:1) And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. (5) These twelve Jesus sent forth, and charged them, saying, Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans: (6) but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (7) And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. When Jesus sent out His disciples, He sent them out to heal the sick and cast out devils and raise the dead! However, that was only part of it because, when He was leaving, He ordained them to go and make disciples, and to teach them to observe everything that He told those first disciples. (Mat.28:18) And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: (20) teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. That's what He said, which of course means that this was passed on to us, too. I believe that raising the dead is something we're going to see commonly in the days to come. In the days of the ministry of the Man-child and the Two Witnesses company and in the time of the latter rain, we are going to see this commonly. In fact, it's a lot more common in other countries than it is here in the United States because people are so worldly-wise here; they don't come to the Lord as a child. Jesus told the disciples, (Mar.10:15) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. Back to this testimony. Well, when I got through saying that the Lord could resurrect her baby, the room mostly emptied. The pastor, the church secretary, and several other people who were there just walked out; they just left. So I invited my wife to come over and lay her hands on her tummy while I prayed, and all the time this was happening, these people were leaving the room. And I commanded the Spirit of life to come back into that baby, in the name of Jesus; it was just a simple and very quick prayer. Then I pointed out a few verses to this sister, who was a brand-new baby Christian and knew nothing about the Scriptures. One of them was (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive (The Greek word there is past tense, “received.”) them, and ye shall have them. I told her, “Now, you have to walk by faith. You have to accept this as a gift from God. We've prayed and so we believe we've received. Now we just thank God for it and don't let anybody talk you out of it. You see what it says here: “believe you received.” And she said, “Okay!” She was a very childlike person, and really, that's why she received this because she was childlike with the Lord. She knew that she had received something wonderful; she knew she'd been filled with the Holy Spirit, and I think she was full of faith. Now, like I said, during the time I was ministering to her, everybody was just leaving the room. Well, when I was finished ministering to her, my wife and I walked out and started down the hall, when a door opened and the pastor reached out, grabbed my arm, and pulled me into the room. All those people who had left my wife and me alone with the new sister were in there. And the pastor said, “David, God's not going to do that for her!” I replied, “Why do you say that?” He said, “Because she killed that baby!” Well, I told him, “I don't think you understand grace very well. That's a new creation in there; that person is not guilty. Not guilty! She is not guilty for what that other person did a few days ago.” And I said, “Besides, if I want to believe it, just let me believe it.” So I walked out of the room and left him standing there. Another thing I haven't mentioned yet is that she and her husband were actually living there because this was a church that operated a mission, and they were staying at the mission at that time. The next day she called me and she said, “David, I want to go down to the Public Health Unit, but nobody over here wants to take me.” I said, “Well, I'll take you,” and I went down and picked her up. You see, she had decided she wanted to go be checked out again, so I reminded her, “Remember, what we talked about.” And I began to go over again how faith worked, how believing you have received is how the miracle is manifested, and so on, to make sure she understood that. I told her, “Now, remember, no matter what anybody says, you've already heard what God says. Don't let anybody change your mind.” And she nodded her head and said, “Yeah.” Now, when we got down there to the Public Health Unit, she told the doctor that she wanted to be checked out again. I don't discourage that necessarily, but I knew where her faith was; I knew it was young faith. I don't recommend that people go and ask man anything about what God says He's already done. That's because some people can't stand the trial of their faith when man tells them, “No, it's not done.” But it was her decision, and I didn't get in her way. So she told them she wanted to be checked out again, and the first thing they told her was, “You should have come back before now. You can get blood poisoning like this; it's dangerous! You should have had your D&C.” They sent her into a room with a technician who put the heartbeat monitor on her again, and the technician told her again, “Ma'am, this baby is dead and you need to have a D&C now.” So when the technician said that, she replied, “Well, I don't accept that,” and when she said that, the baby came to life, right there! The baby suddenly started moving around, the heartbeat monitor recorded the heartbeat and God did a miracle. This little childlike person did not accept what men said, did not accept the diagnosis from Egypt, but accepted the diagnosis from the Lord, even though she couldn't see it. Here's a baby Christian, just a day old in the Lord. Some people think, “Well, I need to grow up in the Lord before I can see miracles.” No. As a matter of fact, a baby Christian might see miracles more than people who have been in the Lord for 40, 50 or even many years. That's because of the childlike faith that you especially have when you first come to the Lord. A lot of Christians sit in churches and become progressively more discouraged the whole time they're there because they hear so much carnal reasoning about why God can't do these kinds of things anymore today. They sit and listen to that carnal reasoning until they spiritually die. The second church I went into, after having stayed maybe only a month and a half at the first church, believed God's Word more, but I noticed that the new Christians were the ones who were receiving the signs and wonders and miracles from God. The older Christians couldn't even seem to get a healing from God. They'd go to the altar, that's the way they did it at this particular church, to be prayed for time after time. But the young Christians were getting miracles and healings. The young Christians who weren't following only the teaching they were getting in that church, but those who were studying faith were receiving miracles. Well, this little girl had no knowledge of the Word, other than just a few verses I'd shared with her; this is what amazed me. Just how much of the Word do you need to get a miracle? Not very much, but you have to hold to what you know. It's kind of like a mustard seed. You have to hold fast to what you know God has said and deny what man says. If you want a miracle, that's what you have to do. Now, we don't know what God did, but when this baby was born, it was a beautiful baby of the same race as the mom and her husband, and the problem she would have had with her husband was solved. God solved it. I don't know what she might have told him later, but God solved the problem. And I don't know what He did in the womb because you know we can't put anything beyond God, can we? God is awesome! (Eph.3:20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (21) unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen. He can do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think but we need that childlike faith. We need to put our trust in Him and not be moved by what we see, feel or hear. Let me give you another example of how the Lord taught me not to listen to anything but what He spoke in His Covenant. This happened to me many years ago. I started feeling pain and passing a lot of blood. Now, I was walking by faith in the Lord and He'd never failed me, and, truthfully, I had entered into the rest because I had absolutely no fear. I never even questioned what I was going to do. So these symptoms had been happening for two or three days, and I had to make a trip to Louisiana to see some relatives. And there was a friend, a spiritual brother of mine over there. We were both full of faith, and we wanted to live the life of faith, so I asked him to pray with me. That's the only person I had pray for me for that particular trial and when he prayed for me, I came in agreement with his prayer. I received it by faith, right there. Actually, I'd prayed earlier, and the word that came to me was “cancer.” Now, you can't always trust that because the devil will always threaten you with just about anything, just to make you fearful or give up. Well, when I came back to Pensacola, I felt led the next day to go to a Christian bookstore. It wasn't the one I usually went to; it was twice as far away, but I felt to go to that one and I'd only been there a few times. So I went over there, and when I walked in the door, the lady who owned the store and another woman whom I recognized as her prayer partner saw me come in and walked over to me. They said, “David, we've been praying for different ministers that we know, and when we were praying for you, the Lord spoke to us and said that you were having a battle with a spirit of cancer, but that you would win.” Well, that was a confirmation to me, and I told them what had been happening. Then I thanked them for their prayers and came in agreement with them, but then on my way home, I decided that I was going to ask the Lord to give me a Word concerning this situation when I got home. Now saints, you really don't need but one Word, and it's already been spoken. (1Pe.2:24) … By whose stripes ye were healed. God's not going to change His mind. (Num.23:19) God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good? Let me point out something to you. You remember that Balaam was asked by Balak to curse the children of Israel. (Num.22:6) Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. And Balaam went to God first. (12) And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed. (13) And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land; for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you. (15) And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. (16) And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: (17) for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. Now even though Balaam already had his answer, he told Balak's men to wait while he went to God again, hoping for a different answer because he was bribed by the possibility of rewards. (20) And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do. (21) And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. So God gave him the answer he wanted to hear; He told Balaam, “Yeah, go ahead,” but when Balaam went, the angel of the Lord was waiting there to kill him. (23) And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way.... (31) Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. (32) And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me. God was saying, “If you didn't hear the first Word I told you, if you don't want that Word, I'll give you one that you'll like.” So be careful of that! If you don't like the first Word He gives you, don't go asking Him for another one because He might tell you to go ahead, as He did with Balaam, and only Balaam's ass saved him. Anyway, as I said, I was going to ask the Lord for a Word concerning this situation, so when I got home, I just prayed and then I flipped my Bible open and I stuck my finger down by random on Isaiah 38:1, not just on the verse but on this phrase, “Thou shalt die, and not live.” (Isa.38:1) In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. That was the phrase on which my finger came down. I said, “Wow!” I thought on that for a minute and I told the Lord, “Lord, this is not according to Your Covenant with me; this is not according to Your promise to me. You told me in 1 Peter 2:24 that by the stripes of Jesus I was healed. You told me in Galatians 3:13 that Jesus became a curse for me, that You put my curse on Him. You told me in Colossians 1:22 that reconciliation has been made, there was an exchange, that He has taken my curse and given me His blessing.” I said, “You've taught me never to depart from the New Covenant, Lord, so I don't accept this Word.” You're probably thinking, “Well, that's pretty arrogant.” No, it was really what God wanted from me because He was trying me. He wanted to see if I would depart from what the New Covenant clearly says. I hear people getting answers like this all the time, and they accept them, but they don't realize those answers are contrary to their first Word. God's trying them to see if they will depart from the first Word, and they do because they believe in any so called voice of the Lord that agrees with their flesh more than they believe in the Word. But listen to me here, the true voice of the Lord is what you become familiar with when you read the Word. He's not ever going to depart from the Word. (Heb.13:20) Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, (21) make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. It's called an “eternal covenant,” which means that He's not going to change it. He warns us in (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. If you add to or take away from the Covenant, the curses of this book are upon you, and He'll take away your part in the tree of life and from the holy city. That's pretty dangerous. So God tells us not to depart from this Word, no matter what. Well, here I was asking the Lord for a sign, and He gave me, “Thou shalt die, and not live.” But I said, “Lord, I just don't accept this. I don't accept it because it's not according to what You've taught me, and I don't believe that's what You want me to do; I don't believe You want me to accept this. So I'm asking You for another Word that's in agreement with what You've taught me.” I don't know why I would have to get that because, frankly, God was just being merciful with me. Obviously, we don't need anything more than what God's already told us concerning the New Covenant, and I've studied it enough, and I've stood on it enough, and I've been healed every time. I've received enough miracles, signs, and wonders; why would I need a Word from the Lord? It was very immature of me. But God was merciful with me the second time because I overcame in that trial; I didn't give in to the temptation, and I didn't accept that Word that was contrary to everything He taught me. So I said, “I'm asking You for another Word, Lord. This time I'm going to believe something that's in agreement with what You've taught me.” And I flipped my Bible open again, not looking at it, and just stuck my finger down right on the phrase, “I shall not die, but live.” (Psa.118:17) I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord. It's amazing how close those two phrases are but exactly opposite to one another, and they're each in only one place in the Bible. Isn't that amazing? And I told the Lord, “Thank You, Lord. I agree with that! I thank You for that and I receive it, in Jesus' name.” Well, after that, I went on for a week or so and the pain became less and less, and the blood became less and less, until I was manifestly healed. I'd like to exhort you, no matter what you hear, whether you might think it's from God, or whether it's just from people, don't accept it, if it's not according to the Word of God. Don't accept anything. Don't accept anything you see with your eyes, don't accept anything you hear with your ears and especially don't accept your emotions, if any of these things are contrary to what you read in the Word of God, according to the promises of the rest. Enter into the rest. However, that wasn't the end of the story. 15 years later, God tried me again. 15 years later, I started having severe heart pains and, on top of that, I was very cold on the left side of my body. I couldn't get warmed up at all and I knew I had a circulation or a cardiovascular problem, naturally speaking, but I don't accept those things. At the same time this was going on, although I didn't tell these people about my problem, two people in our assembly amazingly each had dreams that I died of a heart attack, and both of them had been pretty accurate in their dreams, too. Now, that would seem like a pretty good confirmation, but I had learned you need to walk by faith; it's not just hear faith, you need to walk by faith. When this started happening, I would go for a walk every once in a while, only a mile or so, because I stay busy all the time, and I just really didn't have time to do much more than that. So I would get out and start walking, and my heart would start acting up, and the devil would tell me, “You're going to be lying out on the side of the road here somewhere, if you don't stop this, with your heart problem,” and so on and so forth. You know how the devil likes to tell you things, and I knew it was the devil, but I just called his bluff. I started jogging and was really working up a sweat. I did that for a little while. Now, my wife had pointed out to me and said, “David, it's been 15 years since that last time you had the threat of death,” and immediately it clicked in my mind that Hezekiah was given 15 more years. (Isa.38:4) Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, (5) Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. Hezekiah was given those 15 years after the Lord first had told him, (Isa.38:1) … Thus saith the Lord, Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Just what I had received as a test. I said to the Lord, “Lord, are You saying to me that You only added 15 years to my life and that I'm Hezekiah, and that this is the time for me to go on to be with You?” And you know what I heard? The Lord said, “Yes, that's right.” So I thought on that and I said, “Well, Lord, I still don't believe that You would have me depart from the promise of the Covenant, so I don't accept that, either.” You ask me, “Does God do such a thing?” What did God do with Abraham? (Gen.22:1) And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham. And he said, Here am I. (2) And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah. And offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. God was trying Abraham. He wanted to see what Abraham would do and Abraham overcame. He knew that even if he did sacrifice his son, he was going to come back with his son. As a matter of fact, (Gen.22:5) And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you. He knew that God would have to resurrect Isaac from the dead to keep His promise because he knew that God was faithful to keep His promise, and I know that, too. God is faithful to keep His promise. So when the Lord told me that, I meditated on it and I said, “Lord, I can't see any difference in this situation from the last one 15 years ago. It still doesn't please You for me to depart from Your Word, so I just don't accept this.” Of course, I kept on calling the devil's bluff; I kept on jogging, but it had nothing to do with jogging; it had to do with walking by faith. If you're careful because you think that you're having a heart attack or a heart problem, obviously, you're acting in agreement with the curse; you're not acting in agreement with the promise! (Jas.2:17) Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. If you really believe the Word of God, you can walk it out. (Mat.14:28) And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. (29) And he said, Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. Peter believed the Word of God. He stepped out on the water. Miracles come when you act on the Word of God. As you know Peter looked at the waves, got double minded, and started to sink, but Jesus had mercy and saved him. Well, as I continued to walk by faith the heart problem disappeared; Glory to God. (Jas.2:18) Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith. You can't prove faith unless you can act in agreement with it because people are sometimes very schizophrenic. They say they believe but then all their actions and all their words prove just the opposite. If we want to have completed faith, what we have to do is to act in agreement with what we believe. (Rom.10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. So, truly, if you've come to believe and trust in the Word of God, start walking it out and you'll see it manifested. The Israelites are a wilderness lesson for us. They had to walk through that wilderness without murmuring, without complaining, and without speaking against the promise. The majority failed the test, but Joshua and Caleb spoke in agreement with the promise. They received the Promised Land; they entered into the land of rest because they agreed with the promise. We're being tried the same way, saints! Every day we're being tried to see whether we're going to agree with what the Bible says. Do you know that you don't have a problem with demons? Do you know that you don't have a problem with sin? Do you know that you don't have a problem with sickness? Do you know that you don't have a problem with provision? We need to remember that the Lord Jesus solved all of those problems for us already when He made reconciliation for us at the cross. What we do have a problem with is walking in agreement with what He said. We're like the children of Israel when they were dying of the fiery serpents in the wilderness. (Num.21:8) And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. (7) And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. (8) And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live. (9) And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the standard: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived. They cried unto Moses and Moses cried unto the Lord, and the Lord told Moses to raise them up a serpent on a pole. Of course, the medical profession uses that today to represent them, but really, the serpent on the pole (the caduceus) was a symbol of God's healing power, totally outside that of man. In order to be healed, all the Israelites had to do was get their eyes off the snake bite and on the serpent on the pole. They had to accept what the Bible says about Jesus: (2Co.5:21) Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. (1Pe.2:24) Who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. (Col.2:13) And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, [I say,] did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; (14) having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Jesus became accursed for us; He became sin. God put on Him our sin and our curse, and we don't have it anymore. Accept the truth! It's very simple: you are healed, you are delivered from sin, you are blessed. That's the Gospel, that's the very, very Good News of what the Lord has accomplished for us! You don't have to live under the curse anymore. When the Israelites got their eyes off the snake bite and on Jesus, they were miraculously cured. Today, men go to the medical profession because of the very opposite: they don't believe that they were cured at the cross. They believe they have to get cured, and so they run back to Egypt because they don't understand the Gospel, the Good News that Jesus has already solved this problem for them. It is already accomplished. If you believe that God has already done all this for you and all you have to do is accept it, then you can rest from your own works. (Heb.4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. (2) For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (4) For he hath said somewhere of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; (5) and in this [place] again, They shall not enter into my rest. (6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, (7) he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts. (8) For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. (9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. (10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. (11) Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience. (12) For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. (13) And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (14) Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (15) For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like [as we are,] yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need. When we enter into the rest, we're no longer fearful; we don't dwell on the need, we dwell on the provision. And when we enter into the rest from our works, we're at peace with God. However, we must not leave out that willful rebellion against the known will of God will leave you no sacrifice. (Heb 10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. Now I must add that some are not willfully sinning but are against their sin and haven't found faith to be delivered. If so study this teaching again.

Send us a textThe act of worship that is Christian baptism must contain the proclamation of the Word containing its institution and its meaning. A biblical way of enhance this service is to sing Christ centered  gospel focused hymns expressing Biblical truth to both the one being baptized and the body of worshippers participating in this gospel ordinance. Psalm 105:2 ESVSing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!There are examples of people who upon being baptized responded with rejoicing Acts 8, the newly baptized Ethiopian went on home rejoicing. The converted Philippian jailer upon hearing and believing the good news was baptized and  rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God. Acts 16:34New Testament baptism presents conversion and baptism together. We must not separate what God has joined! The order of human response to God's sovereign move in grace is to repent-believe and baptized.One very important way of worshiping at the observance of baptism is to read appropriate scripture ,comment upon it and sing songs that express the meaning of the act to both the one being baptized and the others witnessing and sharing in this act of worship. Here are examples of two hymns that can be used.The servants of God are baptized,with Jesus made visibly one;come, Spirit, and clothe them with power,the world and its pleasures to shun.2. The servants of God are baptized,salvation revealed and displayed;come, Spirit, and seal on their mindsthe sacrifice Jesus has made.3. The servants of God are baptized,united with Christ in his death;come, Spirit descend on their soulsand fill with your life-giving breath.4. The servants of God are baptized,immersed in the tomb with their Lord;come, Spirit, and open their eyesto walk in the light of God's word.5. The servants of God are baptized,they rise up with Christ to new life;come, Spirit, abide in their heartsfor days of temptation and strife.6. The servants of God are baptized,with Christians made visibly one;come, Spirit, and rest on us nowto worship God's glorious Son.© Author Nick NeedhamWhen Jesus died upon the cross, when he was buried in the grave, he bore the judgement I deserved, that he, by death, my life might save.2. When Christ was raised from that same tomb he rose as firstborn from the dead: he broke the powers of sin and hell and lives for me, my risen head.3. And here I also die and rise, baptized into his holy name; with him I'm judged, with him I die- on me the law has no more claim.4. With Christ I'm raised up from the dead to live for ever with my Lord; alive to God, with this desire, to be obedient to his word.5. Now I am yours, O sovereign Lord: now come, and by your Spirit's power help me, with all your people here, to serve and please you from this hour.© Author/Praise Trust Peter Misselbrook https://www.praise.org.uk/themes/baptismBible Insights with Wayne ConradContact: 8441 Hunnicut Rd Dallas, Texas 75228email: Att. Bible Insights Wayne Conradgsccdallas@gmail.com (Good Shepherd Church) Donation https://gsccdallas.orghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTZX6qasIrPmC1wQpben9ghttps://www.facebook.com/waconrad or gscchttps://www.sermonaudio.com/gsccSpirit, Truth and Grace MinistriesPhone # 214-324-9915 leave message with number for call backPsalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Friends of the Rosary,Today, as Christ Jesus delivers the Beatitudes, we are encouraged by St. Paul (Colossians 3:1-11) to “seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”"Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.When Christ your life appears,then you too will appear with him in glory.""Put to death the parts of you that are earthly:immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,and the greed that is idolatry.Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient."“You must put them all away:anger, fury, malice, slander,and obscene language out of your mouths.Stop lying to one another,since you have taken off the old self with its practicesand have put on the new self,which is being renewed, for knowledge,in the image of its creator.”“Christ is all and in all.”As the Apostle of the Gentiles instructed us, we walk in Christ Jesus the Lord, abounding in thanksgiving.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠September 10, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Romans 6:10-11 — When Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and felt anguish, it was because He knew that the crucifixion would cut Him off from the realm of God and He wanted to be spared of it. However, Christ came as a volunteer and prayed that the Lord's will would be done and that He would be restored back to the realm of God. Christ died once unto sin and He is finished with sin once and for all. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines this in his sermon on Romans 6:10–11 titled “No More in Realm of Sin and Death.” Christ came out of glory only once, but He did so for humanity's sake. Now that Paul has finished emphasizing this point, he moves on to how this truth can be applied. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that the truth about humanity has been shared repeatedly up until this point, but now Paul wants the listener to reckon this truth unto themselves. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains three principles that the Christian must bear in mind about these truths. He also explains the meaning and application of the word “reckon.” Therefore, may all reckon these truths day by day and live in thankfulness to the God who conquered sin and death.

Romans 6:10-11 — When Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and felt anguish, it was because He knew that the crucifixion would cut Him off from the realm of God and He wanted to be spared of it. However, Christ came as a volunteer and prayed that the Lord's will would be done and that He would be restored back to the realm of God. Christ died once unto sin and He is finished with sin once and for all. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines this in his sermon on Romans 6:10–11 titled “No More in Realm of Sin and Death.” Christ came out of glory only once, but He did so for humanity's sake. Now that Paul has finished emphasizing this point, he moves on to how this truth can be applied. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that the truth about humanity has been shared repeatedly up until this point, but now Paul wants the listener to reckon this truth unto themselves. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains three principles that the Christian must bear in mind about these truths. He also explains the meaning and application of the word “reckon.” Therefore, may all reckon these truths day by day and live in thankfulness to the God who conquered sin and death. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

Pastor Greg Laurie provides his biblical perspective on Israel and the end times in today's message. Notes: Focus verses - Romans 11, 1 Thessalonians 4 God keeps every one of his promises to us. #1 God says we will never be alone in life.Isaiah 41 Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)For Jesus Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." #2 God promises to get us through whatever we’re facing.Isaiah 43:2 Psalm 119:50 (ESV)This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. #3 Jesus promised that He would come again.John 14:1–3 We know God’s future promises are true because He has kept His former promises. Genesis 12:2–3 #1 Because God kept His promises to Israel, we know He will keep His promises to us!Romans 11:17 #2 God uses us to bless the people who have blessed us.Romans 11:14 #3 Israel plays a key role in the last days.Romans 11:25–26 Romans 11:2 (ESV)God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. A sign of the times of the last days is the regathering of the nation Israel to their land. A modern-day miracle occurred when the Jews formed a nation on May 14th, 1948. The Jews are the indigenous people that God himself gave that land to. A checklist of things the Bible predicted about Israel:Israel will be scattered.Israel will be regathered.Israel will regain Jerusalem.Israel will be isolated.Israel will be attacked. God will intervene on behalf of Israel.Ezekiel 38:18 God promises to pour His spirit out on Israel.Ezekiel 39:29 Romans 11:25 Every soul matters to God. When the rapture happens, we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.1 Thessalonians 4:16 #4 What is the rapture? 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 Jesus spoke of the rapture.John 14:3 Believing in and teaching about the rapture brings much needed hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who have died, so that you will not grieve as those who have no hope. Revelation promises a blessing too. Believing in and teaching about the rapture motivates godliness.1 John 3:3 One of the signs of the last days will be a renewed interest in bible prophecy. Daniel 12:4 (NLT)But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase." The rapture must take place first before the Antichrist will be revealed.2 Thessalonians 2:7–8 If antichrist is close, then the coming of Jesus Christ is even closer! #5 When is the Rapture?Matthew 24:36 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 When Christ returns for us in the rapture, first up is the resurrection of the dead.Then we who are alive will meet them in the air.1 Thessalonians 4:16 –17 THE RAPTURE WILL BE A STEALTH EVENT.THE SECOND COMING WILL BE A VERY PUBLIC ONE. IN THE RAPTURE, JESUS COMES IN THE AIR.​​​​IN THE SECOND COMING, HE COMES TO THE EARTH. DURING THE RAPTURE, CHRIST COMES FOR HIS BRIDE.DURING THE SECOND COMING, HE COMES WITH HIS BRIDE. IN THE RAPTURE, CHRIST COMES LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.​IN THE SECOND COMING, THE WHOLE EARTH SEES HIM.​IN THE RAPTURE, JESUS COMES BEFORE JUDGMENT.IN THE SECOND COMING, JESUS COMES WITH JUDGMENT. If we are a believer, we should be awake and spiritually alert.Romans 13:11 #2 if you are not yet a Christian, you should get right with God. --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pastor Greg Laurie provides his biblical perspective on Israel and the end times in today's message. Notes: Focus verses - Romans 11, 1 Thessalonians 4 God keeps every one of his promises to us. #1 God says we will never be alone in life.Isaiah 41 Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)For Jesus Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." #2 God promises to get us through whatever we’re facing.Isaiah 43:2 Psalm 119:50 (ESV)This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. #3 Jesus promised that He would come again.John 14:1–3 We know God’s future promises are true because He has kept His former promises. Genesis 12:2–3 #1 Because God kept His promises to Israel, we know He will keep His promises to us!Romans 11:17 #2 God uses us to bless the people who have blessed us.Romans 11:14 #3 Israel plays a key role in the last days.Romans 11:25–26 Romans 11:2 (ESV)God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. A sign of the times of the last days is the regathering of the nation Israel to their land. A modern-day miracle occurred when the Jews formed a nation on May 14th, 1948. The Jews are the indigenous people that God himself gave that land to. A checklist of things the Bible predicted about Israel:Israel will be scattered.Israel will be regathered.Israel will regain Jerusalem.Israel will be isolated.Israel will be attacked. God will intervene on behalf of Israel.Ezekiel 38:18 God promises to pour His spirit out on Israel.Ezekiel 39:29 Romans 11:25 Every soul matters to God. When the rapture happens, we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.1 Thessalonians 4:16 #4 What is the rapture? 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 Jesus spoke of the rapture.John 14:3 Believing in and teaching about the rapture brings much needed hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who have died, so that you will not grieve as those who have no hope. Revelation promises a blessing too. Believing in and teaching about the rapture motivates godliness.1 John 3:3 One of the signs of the last days will be a renewed interest in bible prophecy. Daniel 12:4 (NLT)But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase." The rapture must take place first before the Antichrist will be revealed.2 Thessalonians 2:7–8 If antichrist is close, then the coming of Jesus Christ is even closer! #5 When is the Rapture?Matthew 24:36 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 When Christ returns for us in the rapture, first up is the resurrection of the dead.Then we who are alive will meet them in the air.1 Thessalonians 4:16 –17 THE RAPTURE WILL BE A STEALTH EVENT.THE SECOND COMING WILL BE A VERY PUBLIC ONE. IN THE RAPTURE, JESUS COMES IN THE AIR.​​​​IN THE SECOND COMING, HE COMES TO THE EARTH. DURING THE RAPTURE, CHRIST COMES FOR HIS BRIDE.DURING THE SECOND COMING, HE COMES WITH HIS BRIDE. IN THE RAPTURE, CHRIST COMES LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.​IN THE SECOND COMING, THE WHOLE EARTH SEES HIM.​IN THE RAPTURE, JESUS COMES BEFORE JUDGMENT.IN THE SECOND COMING, JESUS COMES WITH JUDGMENT. If we are a believer, we should be awake and spiritually alert.Romans 13:11 #2 if you are not yet a Christian, you should get right with God. --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.