Podcast appearances and mentions of William Barclay

Thursday, April 24, 2025 Welcome to our Tuesday show. Our host is Kerby Anderson! In the first hour, he welcomes Young Voices contributor William Barclay. As a mixed race Jewish man, he will talk with Kerby about the hostility toward populism. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/pointofviewradio and on Twitter @PointofViewRTS with your opinions […]

William Barclay joins Josh to discuss how everyone in the Canadian left has been very quick to predict the doom of America's democracy due to President Trump's right wing policies while completely ignoring its own national decline due to the left wing policies of the Trudeau administration.   Check out William's article at the Western Standard:   https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/barclay-the-left-has-condemned-trump-from-within-a-fortress-of-glass/61669   Follow William on X and at Young Voices   https://x.com/willbarclaybbc?s=21&t=S8JoQpY3m4n6bFrTo8tLrg https://www.joinyv.org/talent/william-barclay   Links:   https://gml.bio.link/   YOUTUBE:   https://bit.ly/3UwsRiv   RUMBLE:   https://rumble.com/c/GML   Check out Martens Minute!   https://martensminute.podbean.com/   Follow Josh Martens on X:   https://twitter.com/joshmartens13   Join the private discord & chat during the show!   joingml.com   Bank on Yourself bankonyourself.com/gml   Get FACTOR Today! FACTORMEALS.com/factorpodcast     Good Morning Liberty is sponsored by BetterHelp! Rediscover your curiosity today by visiting Betterhelp.com/GML (Get 10% off your first month)     Protect your privacy and unlock the full potential of your streaming services with ExpressVPN. Get 3 more months absolutely FREE by using our link EXPRESSVPN.com/GML

Pastor Collin McKnight discusses loss, sorrow, and mourning in this edition of our series called Inevitable. Grief and sorrow are inevitable for all human beings. We are created with the understanding that we will encounter loss. Jesus revealed His humanity through grief when He wept over Lazarus's death. Collin explains why it is absolutely acceptable to bring your questions to God while in the midst of grief. The conversations we have with God that are born of despair are some of the most honest conversations we will ever have. William Barclay said, "Endurance is not just the ability to bear hard things, but to turn it into glory.”

Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year C - Sunday, 19 January 2025 (EPISODE: 514) Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/OQi4BGzXAZyYtK2REs2f?ru=Paul-Evangelion GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND Homily: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.Year C - Sunday, 19 January 2025 (EPISODE: 514) Readings for Sunday, 19 January 2025 - Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year C FIRST READING: Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 96:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 9-10ac. "Proclaim his marvellous deeds to all the nations." SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:14). Alleluia, alleluia! God has called us with the Gospel, to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. GOSPEL: John 2:1-12 ++++ References: Homily by Fr Paul W. Kelly THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. Volume 1, (Chapters 1 to 7). REVISED EDITION. Translated with an Introduction and Interpretation, by WILLIAM BARCLAY. THE WESTMINSTER PRESS, PHILADELPHIA. 1975. Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/OQi4BGzXAZyYtK2REs2f?ru=Paul-Evangelion Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog: "Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL) Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA) "The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers. Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia). Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org. - "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John Kelly - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019. "Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020. - "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019. Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly. Microphones: - Shure MV5-USB Editing equipment: NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44 Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor [Production - KER - 2025] May God bless and keep you.

Send us a textTHE FRUIT OF KINDNESSFruit-Full – Part 5Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith StewartOctober 27, 2024#god #realspringcreekchurch #fruitfull #thefruitofkindness #kindnesshttps://www.springcreekchurch.org/ With the hotly contested presidential election just around the corner coupled with the toxic cesspool social media has become, many of us find ourselves longing for less hate and more kindness. That's why you don't want to miss this Sunday's message as we explore the Fruit of Kindness. We're going to explore the kindness of God and why He wants this virtue to set us apart as His followers. The message will both challenge and encourage you, but most of all, instill you with hope that God's ways are truly the best.---DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.  Kindness is other-centered. The Old Testament word (Hebrew - Chesed or Hesed) and the New Testament word (Greek – Chrestotes), both have the same idea of caring for the needs of others. Look at the following definitions again…“When chrestotes is working in a believer, he seeks to become adaptable to the needs of those who are around him.” - Rick Renner“Chesed means the ability to get right inside the other person's skin until we can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings.” - William Barclay, Daily Study Bible commentary on Matthew“They willingly pour themselves out for the good of someone else.” - Carolyn JamesWhen and in what ways have you experienced this FROM others? When and in what ways have you done this FOR others?2. God is kind all the time and God is kind to all people. In what ways have you experienced the kindness of God? How does God show His kindness to all people everywhere?  3. What were your biggest takeaways from today's message?  4. Why did the lawyer try to limit the definition of neighbor? How did Jesus correct his erroneous ideas? Do people today still try to limit the definition of neighbor to those most like themselves? 5. A woman asked Michael Card, “Why won't you let me be kind to you?” It's an important question. Additionally, it speaks to this idea of why we resist grace. Do you have trouble receiving kindness from others? Do you struggle with the idea of grace? 6. It's not our actions but our reactions that are the best barometer of where we actually are in Christ. It's our reactions that reveal what's really going on inside us. To use the words of Amy Carmichael, “What fills your cup?” When life knocks you down, bumps you, inconveniences you, how do you react? What spills from your cup when you get bumped? 

In this conversation, Daniel Rogers interviews William Paul Young, the author of The Shack. They discuss the imagery of God as Father and why some people struggle with this concept. Young explains that many people have difficulty with the Father imagery because of negative experiences with their own fathers. He emphasizes that God as Father is a metaphor and not a literal representation, and that the best traits of a father can be found in the character and nature of God. Young also discusses the importance of healing our theology and reexamining our understanding of the Old Testament scriptures. He suggests looking for Jesus in the story and reading the scriptures literarily instead of literally. Daniel Rogers and Paul Young discuss various theological topics, including the nature of God, the interpretation of Old Testament violence, and the concept of eternal conscious torment. They explore the idea that God is love and that everything about God should be understood through the lens of love. They also discuss the Trinity as the mutual interpenetration of the three persons without the loss of personhood. Paul Young shares insights from his book 'The Shack' and his upcoming sequel. Overall, the conversation challenges traditional theological beliefs and encourages a deeper understanding of God's love and grace. Paul Young Podcast: https://paulyoungpodcast.com/ The Apostles' Creed by William Barclay p.189 for the distinction between the various kinds of judgment. (I have the book and can share the except with you) Unspoken Sermons: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1152089.Creation_in_Christ   Subscribe to my substack for weekly posts: https://danielcrogers.substack.com  Daniel's Usual Self-promotion Daniel's new book (and audio book!): How a 25-Year-Old Learned He Wasn't the Only One Going to Heaven Daniel's blog: https://danielr.net Daniel's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DanielRogers  Daniel's Church Home: https://northbroadal.com

John 19:24 They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." Therefore the soldiers did these things. 25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" 27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.   We see more Scripture being fulfilled through Jesus and all that He does and has done to Him while on the cross. These cold callous soldiers are gambling for His garments as He is on the cross suffering the most cruel death ever devised up to that time.  All they can see is we are getting some material goods out of this deal.  Meanwhile Jesus is paying for the sins of the whole world. There are 4 soldiers who are cruel and they are contrasted by 4 loving women who have been there for Jesus and still are as He dies. The last thing Jesus does as He is dying is to give us the example to take care of the widows. He tells His mother to treat John as her son and for John to take care of His mother as if she was his own.   It is John's Gospel which most emphatically underscores the fulfillment of prophecy in the events surrounding our Lord's death. Three times in our text John specifically informs his readers that prophecy has been fulfilled (verses 24, 36 and 37). 24 They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." Therefore the soldiers did these things. Fulfills Ps 22:18 They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots” (NKJV). they divide His clothing even before He's dead. What John does stress throughout the Gospel, and it heightens as we go through the Passion narrative and Crucifixion, is the fulfillment of Scripture, verse twenty-four: to fulfill the Scripture. Now fulfilling scripture is an important part of John assembling the evidence that Jesus Christ is who He said He is; He's going to die as He said He would die. Remember John says, "Glory comes from suffering."  So for Christ to find glory, He must go through the suffering of the cross.  Look at it another way. Jesus Christ isn't dead yet and they're dividing His clothes. From a human standpoint, the poor guy is still alive and struggling and they're arguing over His clothes. They're doing what comes naturally to soldiers who do this thing. It's customary for them.  But from the other side of it, Jesus Christ's life is hanging in the balance by His own will until Scripture is fulfilled. He's in control of the whole situation and He knows that they're going to do this thing and He knows that they're inadvertently just doing the details of throwing lots to figure out who gets what and they are fulfilling the Scripture. John doesn't miss the detail. I'm not denying the tragedy and the pain of it physically, but the physical suffering of Jesus Christ was nothing compared to the deeper fact of the cross." When you go back and look at the Gospels, even the Synoptics, what do they say? "There they crucified Him." They don't go into details about the horizontal bar and the hanging between earth and heaven and the excruciating pain. We get some details. We're going to get more details in the text in the future, but not to the extent with which we are captivated by the crucified victim Christ on the death mechanism called the cross.  So, if that's true then how do you and I when we come to the crucifixion, do we step aside our presuppositions and our sort of story ideas about this and look at the sufferings of Christ? Spiritually? That He was separated from God the Father; that He willingly, volitionally obeyed the Father to the point of death, even death on a cross; that the God of all eternity hurls all the abuse of His wrath on His only Son, and feeling that wrath, Christ calls out, "Why have You forsaken Me?" The physical things of the earth and the curtain and all that we know and love in the storyline are all important pictures, no doubt, but lest we miss the spiritual separation of Jesus Christ from His Father. He died on that cross not just endure the physical punishment, but he died for you. He died for me. They appear to be oblivious to the suffering of the three men hanging on their crosses. According to Luke (23:36), the soldiers joined in with the others who mocked Jesus, virtually daring Him to come down from the cross to save Himself. John characterizes these four soldiers using this one scene. As Jesus hung there, beaten and bleeding, the soldiers were down on their knees. They weren't praying; they were casting lots. They were, so to speak, rolling the dice to see which one of them would get the one-piece tunic. I can almost see one of the men shaking the dice in the palm of his hand, saying, “Com' on, snake eyes …Yes! It's mine!” It almost sounds as if these soldiers were bored. Perhaps they had carried out this duty so many times they were just mechanically doing their job. There was nothing new or unexpected here, not yet, that is.[i] From experience, these soldiers must have felt they knew almost exactly what would happen over the next few hours. Their ears very likely tuned out every moan and cry. They may have learned not to even look at their victims. If there is going to be any excitement for them at all, it will be in the casting of lots to see who wins the garments the dying men will leave behind. I cannot think of any way John could have better captured the cold-heartedness of these four men than by seizing upon this moment in time as they huddle together on the ground, casting lots for our Lord's garments. They see nothing to gain from Jesus but some item of clothing. As He hung there on that cross, shedding His precious blood for guilty sinners, all they could think about was our Lord's tunic. When Jesus was “rolling away the burden of our sins” (as the hymn celebrates), they were rolling the dice. Yet, let us not be too quick to judge these soldiers. They are no different, in heart, than many today. They ignore the atoning work of Jesus and look to Him only to meet their material needs—not the need for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life—but for their physical needs. Even we who name the name of Christ as Savior and Lord all too often only look to Him to care for our material needs. Our prayers sound more like shopping lists than serious petitions for our spiritual needs and those of others. That Jesus died naked was part of the shame which He bore for our sins. At the same time He is the last Adam who provides clothes of righteousness for sinners." Romans 5:12-21 Now many of your Bibles have a paragraph, sort of a hard break return if you will, at verse twenty-five “a.” Some of them run it together and do not break the text there. I would opt to break the text there with sort of a paragraph return for a number of reasons. 25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Mt 27:55; Mr. 15:40; Lu 23:49; 24:18 It is interesting that John did not identify his own mother by name or as the mother of Zebedee's sons. His mother's sister, Salome, the mother of James and John[ii] He evidently wanted to play down his mother's identity as well as his own since he did not mention himself directly in this Gospel either. By referring to his mother as the sister of Jesus' mother, John prepared for Jesus' action in verses 26-27. John was Jesus' cousin on his mother's side. As such, he was a logical person to assume responsibility for Mary's welfare. Evidently Jesus' physical half- brothers did not become believers until after His resurrection. Do not confuse Mary Magdalene with the “sinful woman” described in Luke 7:36ff. Jesus had delivered Mary Magdalene from demons (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2), and she used her resources to assist Jesus in His ministry. Salome had asked Jesus for thrones for her two sons James and John who wrote this book (Matt. 20:20–29), and He had denied her request. You wonder what she was thinking about as she stood there and beheld Jesus dying on the cross. The scene must have rebuked her selfishness. Clopas has been identified with Cleopas, probably Joseph's sister to whom the risen Lord appeared on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:18) and with Alphaeus, the father of James the Less. Mary is the name of all who are named; Mary means bitterness. Start a new thought. We have four soldiers in the previous section; now we'll have four women and John is setting up a beautiful contrast in the narrative about, "Look at what these four men did. Now look at what these four women do to the body of Jesus Christ." In stark contrast to the four male dice-rolling soldiers are the four dedicated women John identifies by name. The soldiers seem to have no appreciation for who Jesus is. They may never have seen Him before. They have no compassion on Him, even though He is suffering beyond words. These four women linger as close to the cross as they can get. They are among those women who followed Jesus, supporting Him from their own means (Mark 15:40-41; Luke 8:1-3). They did not look upon His death as a means of gaining some of His possessions (as was the case with the soldiers), but as the greatest loss they had ever suffered. Was it one of these women who gave Jesus the seamless garment for which the soldiers gambled? 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Joh 2:4; 13:23; 20:2; 21:7,20,24 John is the only one of the apostles with courage enough to take his stand with the women by the Cross. John never names his name but calls himself "the one whom Jesus loved," I can just hear him saying that. I kind of can imagine his whole heart just about to burst and he'd say, you know me, I'm the one that Jesus loves. I mean, that's a kind of exciting thought, isn't it? I mean, he didn't say, I'm the one that loves Jesus; no, he gets more excited about His love for him than his own love for the Lord, Woman means grandmother or old woman, it is a form of respect such as Ma'am here in the south. It was as Jesus was hanging there, half-naked, on that cross that He made arrangements for the care of His mother: 27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. Ps 69:21; Joh 1:11; 16:32 He gave Mary a new son. You see, from the moment of His death He would cease to be the earthly Son of Mary so He replaced Himself in Mary's life with John. There are some beautiful thoughts in this. As He dies, Jesus, the King of love, selflessly cares for those who stand at His feet. It is almost incomprehensible because here is Jesus occupied with the most stupendous task in the history of the universe, here is Jesus Christ under a burden which no one could possibly have sustained or endured, here is Jesus Christ enduring in a matter of several hours what it will take all individuals through all eternity in all of Hell to endure; and in the midst of it all, He thinks not one thought of Himself but cares only for His Mother and His beloved disciple. William Barclay says, ‘There is something infinitely moving in the fact that Jesus in the agony of the Cross, in the moment when the salvation of the world hung in the balance, thought of the loneliness of His mother in the days when He was taken away. Jesus never forgot the duties that lay to His hand.' Earlier in this Gospel we are told that Jesus' brothers did not believe in him (7:5), and we may fairly infer that they were out of sympathy with Mary. So it was important that there should be somebody who would look after her when Jesus was no longer there.” the Fourth Gospel focuses on the exclusiveness of the Son, the finality of his cross-work, the promise of the Paraclete as the definitive aid to the believers after Jesus has been glorified, and correspondingly de-emphasizes Mary by giving her almost no part to play in the narrative, and by reporting a rebuke, however gentle, that Jesus administered to her (2:4). With such themes lying on the surface of the text, it is most natural to see in vv. 26-27 an expression of Jesus' love and care for his mother, a thoughtful provision for her needs at the hour of supreme devastation. … To argue, then, that this scene is symbolic of a continuing role for Mary as the church comes under her care is without adequate contextual control. It is so anachronistic an interpretation that [it] is difficult to imagine how it could have gained such sway apart from the developments of centuries of later traditions.  Jesus' act also placed Mary under John's authority, The common Protestant interpretation of this incident is that Jesus, knowing He was about to die and to return to the Father, made arrangements for the long-term care of His mother.  This “long-term” element does raise some questions. We are told in Scripture that it is the responsibility of the immediate family to look after their own: 1Timothy 5:3-4 - 3 Honor widows who are truly in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what pleases God, Why, then, would Jesus assign the responsibility of caring for His mother to John, who is not one of her sons? The answer most would give is that none of her other sons were believers (see John 7:5). This is true, of course, but not for long. We know that within days or weeks, James, Jesus' half-brother, will come to faith and eventually become a prominent leader in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 1 Corinthians 15:7; Galatians 1:19). Why would Jesus assign the long-term care of Mary to John, knowing that James, her son, will soon come to faith? I would suggest that our problems are solved if we see Jesus providing here for Mary's short-term care. Surely we would agree that Jesus knew James was one of the elect. If James is one of our Lord's “sheep,” then Jesus would know it and would not act in a way that was contrary to this knowledge. I would suggest to you that Jesus was providing for the care of His mother for the next few days or weeks. We know that John immediately began to care for Mary, because he tells us so in verse 27 (“from that very time”—literally, “from that hour”). There are those who believe that John (or his family) may have actually owned a home in Jerusalem. This could explain why John (“the other disciple”) was known to the high priest and to the servant girl at the gate (18:16). Mary, like the disciples, could have been in danger and would certainly need to be looked after for a while. John would have been the one most able and willing to carry out this task. The next few days were going to be pure agony. We do not know for certain that Mary's other sons were present in Jerusalem (though we would expect so—see John 7:1-9), but if they were, can you imagine what kind of comfort these unbelieving sons would have been to their believing mother?  I can almost hear James trying to comfort Mary after the death of Jesus: “Mom, you know I told Jesus to give up His insane talk about being the Messiah. He must have been out of His mind. And now, all of this foolishness was for nothing, except to shame us.” I believe that Jesus assigned John to care for Mary because he was the one closest to the heart of our Lord, and because he was the first disciple to believe (see John 20:8). He also seems to have had the means to do so. Who better to look after Mary in the next dark and difficult days than John?        Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F             The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions [i] Something changed all this, as we can see from the statement of the centurion (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39). The three hours of darkness must have had an impact on them all, not to mention the unusual way in which Jesus died, followed by the violent earthquake of Matthew 27:51ff. [ii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jn 19:17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“God's ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn't want to destroy it. God uses His Word, people, and circumstances to mold us.”~Rick Warren, What on Earth am I Here For? “Your core identity is that God chose you. He knew everything about you, yes even what you don't like to admit to yourself...Jesus is not disillusioned with you, because He never had any illusions about who you were in the first place.”~Adam Ramsay, Pastor of Liberty Church Australia “Man became a living being capable of embodying God's communicable attributes. In his rational life he was like God that he could reason and had intellect, will and emotion. In the moral sense, he was like God because he was at inception good and sinless. Woman was created to meet man's deficiencies and to be an equal in the job of caretakers of the creation.”~William Barclay “Michelangelo was asked how he could make a beautiful sculpture like his ‘Moses' out of a block of marble. His response was that he simply chipped away everything that wasn't Moses. We must allow the Lord to chip away everything that is not of Him, or of the person He made us to be.”~Mgsr Charles Pope, Dean of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC “Artificial Intelligence's ultimate accomplishment will be to remind us who we are by revealing what it can't do. It will compel us to double down on all activities that make us distinctly human: taking care of each other, being a good teammate, reading deeply, exploring daringly, growing spiritually, finding kindred spirits...”~David Brooks, Op. Ed. In The New York Times 8/4/2024 SERMON PASSAGEselected passages (NIV)Genesis 1 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Isaiah 532 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,  and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,  nothing in his appearance  that we should desire him. 2 Corinthians 5 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! John 151 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.Ephesians 420 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Sermon Resources: 1.  https://www.billboard.com/lists/drake-kendrick-lamar-beef-timeline/ 2. "...it is James' conviction that teaching is a dangerous occupation for any man. His instrument is speech and his agent the tongue." -William Barclay, DSB on James 3. "Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it." - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 4. "We really don't have to know what the devil sounds like to recognize his voice, we just have to listen to how we talk to and about our neighbors." -Jackie Hill Perry

Sermon Resources: 1. “The majority of politicians are interested not in truth but in power and in the maintenance of that power. To maintain that power it is essential that people remain in ignorance, that they live in ignorance of the truth, even the truth of their own lives. What surrounds us therefore is a vast tapestry of lies, upon which we feed.” -Harold Pinter, "Art, Truth, and Politics" 2. “So the Scribes and Pharisees set James on the pinnacle of the Temple and called to him: "O thou, James the Just, to whom we all ought to listen, since the people are going astray after Jesus the crucified, tell us what is the door of this Jesus?" And with a loud voice he answered: "Why do you ask me concerning the Son of Man? He is the Savior. He sitteth himself in heaven on the right hand of the great Power, and shall come on the clouds of heaven." And when many were convinced and gave glory for the witness of James, and said, "Hosanna to the Son of David," then again the same Scribes and Pharisees said to one another, "We were wrong to permit such a testimony to Jesus; but let us go up and cast James down, that through fear they may not believe him." Accordingly they went up and cast James down. And they said to one another, "Let us stone James the Just," and they began to stone him, since he was not killed by the fall, but he turned and knelt down saying, "I beseech thee, Lord God Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And a certain one of them, one of the fullers, taking the club with which he pounds clothes, brought it down on the head of the Just; and so he suffered martyrdom. And they buried him there on the spot, near the Temple. A true witness has he become both to Jews and Greeks that Jesus is Christ.” -Hegesippus, "Church History: Book II" 3. "Truth forever on the cross, Wrong forever on the throne,— Yet that cross sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own." -James Russell Lowell, "The Present Crisis" 4. “All kinds of experiences will come to us. There will be the test of the sorrows and the disappointments which seek to take our faith away. There will be the test of the seductions which seek to lure us from the right way. There will be the tests of the dangers, the sacrifices, the unpopularity which the Christian way must so often involve. But they are not meant to make us fall; they are meant to make us soar. They are not meant to defeat us; they are meant to be defeated. They are not meant to make us weaker; they are meant to make us stronger. Therefore we should not bemoan them; we should rejoice in them. The Christian is like the athlete. The heavier the course of training he undergoes, the more he is glad, because he knows that it is fitting him all the better for victorious effort. As Browning said, we must "welcome each rebuff that turns earth's smoothness rough," for every hard thing is another step on the upward way.” -William Barclay, "DSB: James"

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:8-10) Jesus is on a roll with this as He continues on from the parable of a man who left the ninety-nine sheep to go after the one lost sheep and just rolls right into His next example of this concept – a woman who lost one of her ten silver coins. She searched until she found it and then called her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her. With the ultimate point being made again that there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. Everyone is Precious Notice this theme, that only one was lost, yet it was counted as precious and important enough to search for. The shepherd has lost one of the hundred and it was worth his time and effort to find it because it was precious to him. This woman lost one of ten coins and it was worth searching diligently for. Every single person is worth an immense value to God. So much so that He deemed them worthy to die for. This parable not only demonstrates the value people have to God, but the joy He has when they are no longer lost. There is a joy in repentance because repentance is a reconciliation between God and man, the reconciliation God paid the ultimate price of Jesus' blood to redeem. We might be tempted to look at lost people by the dirt they've accumulated on them by sin, but their value never changes in God's eyes. Jesus died for all of us while we were yet sinners – the sin that Jesus took on and became on the cross in order to redeem us wasn't a hinderance to His love and sacrifice. Just because not everyone will accept Jesus as their salvation, doesn't mean their value is any less in God's eyes – He still paid the price for their salvation whether they accept it or not. Lighting the Lamp In the first parable with the shepherd, it gave a clear picture of Jesus as our Good Shepherd, going out to seek the lost sheep. However, in this parable of the woman, it gives a clear picture of the church. The Church is likened to the Bride of Christ, and we are commissioned as members of His Church, to go make disciples. The Holy Spirit is also likened to oil in the Bible, being the oil in our lamps that lights the way for us, as the Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. Notice in this parable that the woman lights a lamp as the first act in searching for the lost coin. God's word is essential in being the first action of the Church in searching for the lost. We can't be lights of the world if we don't first spend time in God's word, individually and corporately together as a church body. Sweeping the House And after the woman lit a lamp, she swept the house. This, metaphorically, is effective in both our personal lives and in the ministry of reconciliation. We need to sweep the house of our hearts often. There can be dust bunnies hiding in places of our hearts that need to be cleaned out and make finding a lost coin much easier. Practically, if you had dropped a coin and it fell under a dresser, then when you shine a light, the dust is going to make it harder for you to see the coin because the dust may block some of the light from hitting the coin. In the same way, dust in our own spiritual lives can hinder the light as we search for the lost. Joy in Heaven This phrase that Jesus keeps using, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents, has more meaning than our current culture understands on the surface reading of this. According to William Barclay, a Scottish minister in the early 1900's, the religious rulers during that time, of which Jesus was primarily speaking to during this, had a saying, “There will be joy in heaven over one sinner who is obliterated before God.” How vastly different Jesus' words and the perspective of God is here! The Pharisees in essence had made sound bites glorifying destruction of sinners and attaching a false perspective that it was joyous to God. Yet Jesus is telling them that the truth of the matter is – it's the exact opposite. There isn't joy in heaven over the destruction of sinners, that actually hurts the heart of God; the truth is, there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. We must be careful as followers of Jesus to not have hearts like the Pharisees over the lost and sinners. We must remember from where we once came – we were lost, we are sinners, and just because we have accepted salvation and are saved by grace through faith in Jesus doesn't make us perfect people who can now judge the lost. Being saved makes us people with a testimony who can be very effective in reaching the lost because we were once there too. We have experienced the change of Jesus in our lives and can help others by bringing that good news of salvation to them and walking alongside them in discipleship. So that what was once lost can be found. And we should join with the angels of God in heaven in rejoicing over even one sinner who repents. That is a glorious thing when the reward Jesus died to pay for grows larger as His kingdom grows with each sinner who repents! Will you take time to be in the word, being the light Jesus told us to be, and sweep your house, and be the hands and feet of Jesus in diligently seeking that which is lost? Diligently seeking the lost does take time, it does take energy, but I can 100% guarantee you that it is well worth your time and energy and is more important than anything else you could do with your time.

An Interview with William Barclay Allen America's founders are revered for creating a structure of governance that values individual rights and promotes human flourishing. Nearly 250 years after they took the first steps toward creating a more perfect union by drafting and adopting the US Constitution, the nation continues to be a beacon of hope and opportunity around the world. That the Framers could so eloquently articulate the principles of ordered liberty that guide us today results in part from their own careful examination of the great thinkers of the 17th and 18th century.   Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Dr. William Barclay Allen. A 2024 Bradley Prize winner, he has dedicated his life's work to studying the Founders and the philosophers who influenced the Western tradition. He is also committed to instilling an understanding and appreciation of that tradition among the next generation.  Allen is the Emeritus Dean of James Madison College and Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. He is a former member and chairman of the US Commission on Civil Rights and has been a Kellogg National Fellow, Fulbright Fellow, and a member of the National Council on the Humanities. Topics discussed on this episode:  How Allen's experience growing up in the segregated south influenced his life's path The story of his intellectual journey Why Allen translated Montesquieu's The Spirit of the Laws His decision to focus on America's founders and the US Constitution Why Allen believes Washington is the most important founder and America's first progressive Teaching history in a way that reflects the words and experiences of those who lived it Advice to young scholars who are just starting out What it means to Allen to win a Bradley Prize 

New Testament scholar William Barclay says plainly about Mark 9:48-50, "These three verses are amongst the most difficult in the New Testament to interpret."   From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

In a world marked by division, isolation, and loneliness, we are a people in desperate need of radical love and connection in the ordinary parts of our lives and world. Join us at Midtown for our new teaching series entitled Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Radically Ordinary Hospitality, as we go on a spiritual journey of exploration, mining the riches of Jesus' life and teaching to explore the radical practice of neighboring and examining the ways that this ancient and timeless practice can get us caught up in the present work of the Kingdom of God in our own time. Together we'll challenge the prevalent culture of division by emphasizing the importance of building authentic relationships across societal boundaries, provide practical guidance on fostering a sense of community in our homes and world, examine how to break down walls of hostility that isolate and divide, and ultimately combat the epidemic of loneliness through intentional acts of kindness and inclusion, that all people might come to a knowledge of their identities as beloved children of God and might experience His love and grace in their own lives. Watch/listen as Pastor Clint closes our series by examining Jesus' actions in John 13, and how we become people who get the power to go and wash feet in our own lives Sermon Resources: 1. “I grew up in the ghetto, and I did not have a positive opinion of police officers. Policeman were siccing dogs and water hoses on people.” - François Clemmons, Interview With StoryCorps 2. “He who wraps the heavens in clouds wrapped round himself a towel. He who pours the water into rivers poured water into a basin. And he before whom every knee bends in heaven and on earth and under the earth knelt to wash the feet of his disciples.” -Severian of Gabala 3. “Jesus was well aware that he was about to be betrayed. Such knowledge might so easily have turned him to bitterness and hatred; but it made his heart run out in greater love than ever. The astounding thing was that the more men hurt him, the more Jesus loved them. It is so easy and so natural to resent wrong and to grow bitter under insult and injury; but Jesus met the greatest injury and the supreme disloyalty, with the greatest humility and the supreme love.” -William Barclay, Daily Study Bible on John 4. "A house show feels like a true faith community…The lead singer is less than two feet away from thirty people who are screaming the same thing. Punk rock teaches the same inversion of power as the Gospel. You learn that the coolest thing about having a microphone is turning it away from your own mouth.” -Julien Baker, Interview with the New Yorker 5. “We choose: we follow the dragon and his beasts along their parade route, conspicuous with the worship of splendid images, elaborated in mysterious symbols, fond of statistics, taking on whatever role is necessary to make a good show and get the applause of the crowd in order to access power and become self-important. Or we follow the Lamb along a farmyard route, worshiping the invisible, listening to the foolishness of preaching, practicing a holy life that involves heroically difficult acts that no one will ever notice, in order to become, simply, our eternal selves in an eternal city. It is the difference between wanting to use people around us to become powerful and entering into covenants with the people around us so that the power of salvation extends into every part of the neighborhood, the society, and the world that God loves.” -Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder

Sermon Resources: 1. “Welcome to the internet! Have a look around; Anything that brain of yours can think of can be found; We've got mountains of content, some better, some worse; If none of it's of interest to you, you'd be the first…Could I interest you in everything all of the time? A little bit of everything all of the time? Apathy's a tragedy, and boredom is a crime. Anything and everything, all of the time.” -Bo Burnham, Welcome To The Internet 2. “Impatience is inner restlessness…experiencing the moment as empty, useless, meaningless. It is wanting to escape from the here and now as soon as possible.” -Henri Nouwen, Donald McNeill, and Douglas Morrison, Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life 3. “After the war I moved to India, just as Partition was tearing the nation apart. In that land of poverty and omnipresent suffering I learned that pain can be borne with dignity. It was there, too, that I began treating leprosy patients, social pariahs whose tragedy stems from the absence of physical pain…In the United States, a nation whose war for independence was fought in part to guarantee a right to “the pursuit of happiness,” I encountered a society that seeks to avoid distress at all costs. Patients lived at a greater comfort level than any I had previously treated, but they seemed far less equipped to handle suffering and far more traumatized by it.” -Dr. Paul Brand, Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants 4. “Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.” -Simone Weil, Notebooks of Simone Weil 5. “The work that God does in us when we wait is often more important than the thing for which we wait.” -Erwin Lutzer 6. “The word patience never means the spirit which sits with folded hands and simply bears things. It is victorious endurance and constancy under trial. It is Christian steadfastness, the brave and courageous acceptance of everything life can do to us, and the transmuting of even the worst into another step on the upward way. It is the courageous and triumphant ability to bear things, which enables someone to pass breaking point and not to break, and always to greet the unseen with a cheer.” -William Barclay, Letters of Peter and Jude

••• Who Are Your Accusers? . ••• Bible Study Verses: John 8:1-11, I John 4:20, Matthew 7:3-6, John 12:42-43, James 4:7-10, Revelation 12:10, John 8:4-32, II Corinthians 13:5, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 12:20, Hebrews 6:12, Isaiah 30:15, Mark 13:13 .••• “A man may well be condemned, not for doing something, but for doing nothing", William Barclay, 1907-1978, An author, radio/TV presenter, Church of Scotland minister and Divinity Professor. † . ••• “...therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”, Romans 8.1, NKJV . ••• How did the religious officials try to tempt and trick The Lord, Christ Jesus? ••• What was the response of Christ? ••• What was Christ response to the accused? ••• Why did the religious leaders bring the Woman to Christ? ••• Why did Christ Respond with a Challenge? ••• How does one respond to accusers? ••• What is often the response of the accusers? ••• Who are the accusers and how do you recognize them? ••• How do you respond to the accusations that confronts us? ••• How do You Survive Accusation of the Enemy? ••• When accusations come, how are you going to respond? ••• Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounters Radio Podcast originally aired on September 16, 2023 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcasted to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it's mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/230916youraccusers . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Johannes Plenio Photography, Munich, Germany, Lippertstraße 34, D-85570 Markt Schwaben, Germany, https://www.coolfreepix.com, https://www.instagram.com/jplenio/, https://www.twitter.com/jplenio/, https://j.plenio.de/index.php/donate . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Alexander-MacLaren-Quotes/ . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 . ••• FERP230916 Episode#294 GOT230916Ep294 . ••• Questions You Can't Ignore: Who Are Your Accusers? . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1. Attention Economy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_economy#:~:text=Attention%20economics%20is%20an%20approach,Davenport%20and%20John%20C 2. Interview with Sean Parker: https://www.axios.com/2017/12/15/sean-parker-unloads-on-facebook-god-only-knows-what-its-doing-to-our-childrens-brains-1513306792 3. Tristan Harris biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_Harris 4. Phantom Vibration Syndrome: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3677878/ 5. Losing to Goldfish in attention spans: https://www.wyzowl.com/human-attention-span/ 6. “The largest, most standardized, most centralized form of attention control in human history.” -James Williams, tech ethicist at Oxford University 7. "I Used To Be A Human Being," by Andrew Sullivan 8. “You need to die and be raised. You need to come out altogether from the shadowy powers that operate within the present creation, doomed as it is to decay and perish. You need to belong instead to God's new world, the new creation that is being brought in to replace the old. The truly human life you seek — the life of a genuine, glad holiness that runs right through the personality — is to be found in that new world.” -N.T. Wright, "Colossians For Everyone" 9. “Never in so short a time has any other set of ideas, religious, political, or economic, without aid of physical force or of social or cultural prestige, achieved so commanding a position in such an important culture.” -Kenneth Scott Latourette, "A History of the Expansion of Christianity" 10. “Paul is certainly not pleading for an other-worldliness in which the Christian withdraws himself from all the work and activities of this world and does nothing but contemplate eternity….From now on the Christian will view everything against the background of eternity and no longer live as if this world was all that mattered. This will obviously give him a new set of values. Things which the world thought important, he will no longer worry about. Ambitions which dominated the world will be powerless to touch him. He will go on using the things of the world but he will use them in a new way. He will, for instance, set giving above getting, serving above ruling, forgiving above avenging. The Christian's standard of values will be God's not men's.” -William Barclay, "Commentary on Colossians" 11. “The first and most basic thing we can and must do is to keep God before our minds. This is the fundamental secret of caring for our souls. Our part in thus “practicing the presence of God” is to direct and redirect our minds constantly to Him. In the early time of our “practicing” we may well be challenged by our burdensome habits of dwelling on things less than God. But these are habits–not the law of gravity–and can be broken. A new, grace-filled habit will replace the former ones as we take intentional steps toward keeping God before us. Soon our minds will return to God as the needle of a compass constantly returns to the north. If God is the great longing of our souls, He will become the pole star of our inward beings.” -Dallas Willard, "The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teachings on Discipleship" 12. “The real problem of humanity is that we have stone-age emotions and brains, medieval institutions, and God-like technology.” -E.O. Wilson

Point 1: in an era of individualism we need salvationPoint 2: In an era of position we need purpose Quote: Here is the very essence of the Christian faith. A really good man does not regard his goodness as entitling him to special honor; his one desire will be to have more and more work to do, for his work will be his greatest privilege. If he is good, the last thing he will do will be to seek to stand aloof from his fellow-men. He will rather seek to be among them, at their worst, serving God by serving them. His glory will not be in exemption from service; it will be in still more demanding service. No Christian should ever think of fitting himself for honor but always as fitting himself for service. - William BarclayPoint 3: In an era of compromise we need consecration CLEANSING + SACRIFICE + DEVOTION = CONSECRATION - Jon TysonAdd'l Verses: 2Tim2:22; Ephesians 5; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22

Joseph John Gurney was massively influential to the Friends community, but his story, theology, and values stood out from those of other influential Quakers like William Barclay and George Fox. Listen in for Jay and Jamie's take on Gurney's life and times, and how they informed the modern experience of Quakerism and Christian faith as a whole.Dr. Jay David Miller teaches English at George Fox University and serves as an associate editor for the journal Quaker Religious Thought.Dr. Jamie Johnson is dean for spiritual life, inclusion and leadership, and university pastor at George Fox University. A George Fox graduate, he has studied church history (MA) and Christian education (PhD) and hungers to learn more about what it means for individuals and communities to follow Jesus in every aspect of life.If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Angie teaches on what it means for all of God's instructions to hang on these two commandments: Love God and Love Others. Matthew 22:40 (NIV)“All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook @livesteadyonInstagram @angiebaughman421 Grab freebies and subscribe to the weekly Steady On newsletter at: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-newsletter/ You can download a blank study sheet here:https://livesteadyon.com/sbs-blank-study-sheet/ Interested in the Step By Step Bible study method? Download the FREE masterclass here: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-stepbystepmasterclass/ Logos Softwarehttps://www.logos.com/ Enduring Word Commentaryhttps://enduringword.com/ WordHippohttps://www.wordhippo.com/BibleGatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/ Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/ Brian Simmons, trans., The Passion Translation (BroadStreet Publishing, 2017), Mt. Louis A. Barbieri Jr., “Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 73. Barclay, William. "Commentary on Matthew 22". "William Barclay's Daily Study Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/matthew-22.html. 1956-1959. Angie mentionedLove God Love People by Danny Gokeyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ8D2Mx7tGg Theme musicHeartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The word "catholic" in the Apostles' Creed is not a name brand for the Roman Catholic Church--although it may include it. It means the universal Church, from across all times and places, throughout history, which includes us in the 21st century. Any particular Christian community can realize only a fragment of the catholic whole. SLIDES READ IN THIS GATHERING: But Christian unity does not mean the obliteration of all differences; it means the harmonizing of all differences in a larger unity; it means concentration on the Christ who unites rather than on the systems and the theologies which divide. There is the tolerance which comes from the certainty that God fulfills himself in many ways, the tolerance which refuses to be arrogant enough to believe that any man has an exclusive grasp of the whole truth, the tolerance which is quite sure that a great many things on the circumference of the faith can be left fluid so long as the center - which is Christ - is right. William Barclay, The Apostles' Creed

John 1:12 (NLT)"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God."Angie unpacks the Biblical declaration those who believe in God are accepted by God.https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook @livesteadyonInstagram @angiebaughman421 Grab freebies and subscribe to the weekly Steady On newsletter at: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-newsletter/ You can download a blank study sheet here:https://livesteadyon.com/sbs-blank-study-sheet/ Interested in the Step By Step Bible study method? Download the FREE masterclass here: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-stepbystepmasterclass/ Logos Softwarehttps://www.logos.com/ Enduring Word Commentaryhttps://enduringword.com/ WordHippohttps://www.wordhippo.com/ BibleGatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/ Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/ Werner Foerster, “Ἔξεστιν, Ἐξουσία, Ἐξουσιάζω, Κατεξουσιάζω,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 562. McHugh, John F., A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on John 1-4 Barclay, William. "Commentary on John 1". "William Barclay's Daily Study Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/john-1.html. 1956-1959. Thomas Scott Caulley, “Abba,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011) Theme musicHeartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

Philippians 4:11b (NIV)"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."Angie is joined by her oldest son, Alex, to discuss what it means to be content in all things.https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook @livesteadyonInstagram @angiebaughman421 Grab freebies and subscribe to the weekly Steady On newsletter at: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-newsletter/ You can download a blank study sheet here:https://livesteadyon.com/sbs-blank-study-sheet/ Interested in the Step By Step Bible study method? Download the FREE masterclass here: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-stepbystepmasterclass/ Logos Softwarehttps://www.logos.com/ Enduring Word Commentaryhttps://enduringword.com/ WordHippohttps://www.wordhippo.com/ BibleGatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/ Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/ Gerhard Kittel, “Ἀρκέω, Ἀρκετός, Αὐτάρκεια, Αὐτάρκης,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 466.Robert P. Lightner, “Philippians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 664.Barclay, William. "Commentary on Philippians 4". "William Barclay's Daily Study Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/philippians-4.html. 1956-1959.Theme musicHeartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

John 12:46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (NIV)Angie and Katie Mason share how Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and how we can open our hearts to receive Him as the Light.https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook @livesteadyonInstagram @angiebaughman421Katie's Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1816047835249899Sisters ForwardFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistersforwardInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sistersforward/Grab freebies and subscribe to the weekly Steady On newsletter at: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-newsletter/You can download a blank study sheet here:https://livesteadyon.com/sbs-blank-study-sheet/Interested in the Step By Step Bible study method? Download the FREE masterclass here: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-stepbystepmasterclass/The “10 Promises That Help When I'm Hurting” download can be found here:https://livesteadyon.com/10-promises/Logos Softwarehttps://www.logos.com/Enduring Word Commentaryhttps://enduringword.com/WordHippohttps://www.wordhippo.com/BibleGatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/Exposition of the Entire Bible by John Gill [1746-63]Barclay, William. "Commentary on John 12". "William Barclay's Daily Study Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/john-12.html. 1956-1959Amplified Study Bible, Copyright 2017 by Zondervan TPTMidroll musicMaldives Mansion by PALATheme musicHeartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We live in a world constantly bombarding us with messages about who we are, what the good life looks like, and how we can obtain it. In a culture carried by the whims of personal desire and comfort, we hear values like “follow your heart;” in a culture where we are constantly divided from one another, we start to believe that our spite is justified; in a culture that is constantly blaming others, we jump into the blame game. Yet each of these notions lead us not to life, freedom, or peace, but further into death, captivity, and anxiety. In Jesus' ministry, He regularly spoke against all sorts of notions that we consider commonplace today, and in listening and applying His words together, we will find a lasting, peaceful, joyous life in the midst of a culture mired in anxiety, division, and hatred. Listen as Pastor Clint explores the notion: You've Heard It Said, "Be Worried and Fearful," but Jesus says to you, "Seek First The Kingdom," and how His wisdom has the power to free us from our worldly worry. Sermon Resources: 1. Study on American wealth: https://www.sportofmoney.com/how-rich-are-americans-on-a-global-scale-very-rich/#:~:text=39%25%20of%20the%20world%27s%20millionaires,share%20is%20at%20%24145.8%20trillion. 2. “Most people are being crucified on a cross between two thieves: yesterday's regret and tomorrow's worries.” -Warren Wiersbe 3. William Barclay's Commentary - Story about doctor and son: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/matthew-6.html 4. “Our Heavenly Father has provided many delightful inns for us along our journey, but he takes great care to see that we do not mistake any of them for home.” - C.S. Lewis 5. “Worry about the future doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” -Corrie Ten Boom Join us below: Facebook: www.facebook.com/midtownpreschurch Instagram: www.instagram.com/midtown.pres Website: www.midtownpres.org Community Groups: www.midtownpres.org/community-groups Sunday Services: www.midtownpres.org

Luke 15:13Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. (NIV)Angie takes a verse out of the beloved prodigal son parable to talk about how the younger son was a squanderer of all the blessings his father poured out on him.https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook @livesteadyonInstagram @angiebaughman421Grab freebies and subscribe to the weekly Steady On newsletter at: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-newsletter/You can download a blank study sheet here:https://livesteadyon.com/sbs-blank-study-sheet/Interested in the Step By Step Bible study method? Download the FREE masterclass here: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-stepbystepmasterclass/Logos Softwarehttps://www.logos.com/Enduring Word Commentaryhttps://enduringword.com/WordHippohttps://www.wordhippo.com/BibleGatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/Brian Simmons, trans., The Passion Translation (BroadStreet Publishing, 2017), Lk.  John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 198–199.Otto Michel, “Σκορπίζω, Διασκορπίζω, Σκορπισμός,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 422.John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 245.Barclay, William. "Commentary on Luke 15". "William Barclay's Daily Study Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/luke-15.html. 1956-1959.Theme musicHeartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

WAMC's Alan Chartock speaks with New York state Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay. Photo courtesy of the office of William Barclay.

Matthew 10:27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. (NIV)What qualifies as sharing our testimony? Angie and Susie talk about Jesus' instruction to His disciples in Matthew 10:27 about sharing your testimony by proclaiming from the roofs what we know about Him.https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook @livesteadyonInstagram @angiebaughman421Grab freebies and subscribe to the weekly Steady On newsletter at: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-newsletter/You can download a blank study sheet here:https://livesteadyon.com/sbs-blank-study-sheet/Interested in the Step By Step Bible study method? Download the FREE masterclass here: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-stepbystepmasterclass/Logos Softwarehttps://www.logos.com/Enduring Word Commentaryhttps://enduringword.com/WordHippohttps://www.wordhippo.com/BibleGatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.org/Barclay, William. "Commentary on Matthew 10". "William Barclay's Daily Study Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/matthew-10.html. 1956-1959.Theme musicHeartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We live in a world constantly bombarding us with messages about who we are, what the good life looks like, and how we can obtain it. In a culture carried by the whims of personal desire and comfort, we hear values like “follow your heart;” in a culture where we are constantly divided from one another, we start to believe that our spite is justified; in a culture that is constantly blaming others, we jump into the blame game. Yet each of these notions lead us not to life, freedom, or peace, but further into death, captivity, and anxiety. In Jesus' ministry, He regularly spoke against all sorts of notions that we consider commonplace today, and in listening and applying His words together, we will find a lasting, peaceful, joyous life in the midst of a culture mired in anxiety, division, and hatred. Listen as Pastor Clint examines Jesus' parable on examining the log in our own eye, the way that refutes our culture's tendency to blame or damn others, and how Jesus' process can lead us to true transformation in the midst of our difficulties with others. Sermon Notes: 1. Study entitled "Less Evil Than You" at the University of Chicago: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/media-relations-and-communications/press-releases/holier-than-thou-or-less-evil-than-you-the-true-nature-of-self-righteousness 2. “People evaluate themselves by adopting an ‘inside perspective' focused heavily on evaluations of mental states such as intentions and motives, but evaluate others based on an ‘outside perspective' that focuses on observed behavior for which intentions and motives are then assumed.” -Nicholas Epley and Nadav Klein, "Less Evil Than You" 3. Barna study on the perception of Christians by non-Christians: https://www.barna.com/research/a-new-generation-expresses-its-skepticism-and-frustration-with-christianity/ 4. “No person knows the strength of another person's temptations. The person with the placid and equable temperament knows nothing of the temptations of the person whose blood is afire and whose passions are on a hair-trigger. The person brought up in a good home and in Christian surroundings knows nothing of the temptation of the person brought up in a slum, or in a place where evil stalks abroad. The person blessed with fine parents knows nothing of the temptations of the person who has the load of a bad heredity upon his back. The fact is that if we realized what some people have to go through, so far from condemning them, we would be amazed that they have succeeded in being as good as they are.” -William Barclay, Commentary on Matthew 5. "The Wounded Healer," by Henri Nouwen

Matt. 5:9, Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called sons of God. In Greek, the word for peace is eirēnē (εἰρήνη), and in Hebrew it is shalom. In Hebrew peace is not simply the absence of trouble. In the Bible peace means not only freedom from all trouble, it means enjoyment of all good.  Jesus did not say, “Blessed are the peace lovers.” He said “Blessed are the peace makers.” It is not enough to desire peace, but take no action to help bring it about. The spirit of peacemaking is being willing to act to bring about a better state for people. William Barclay wrote, “The peace which the Bible calls blessed does not come from the evasion of issues; it comes from facing them, dealing with them, and conquering them. What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active facing of things, and the making of peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle.” (Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament:) As I write, we are celebrating Black History Month in the United States. The work of leaders such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an excellent example of being a peace maker. Dr. King was not just a peace lover, he did actual work to bring peace to others. Ironically, the efforts of brave Americans and Christ followers in that era revealed the hatred of white supremacists as well as the indifference of people who were content to “love peace,” but do nothing. “We must find new ways to speak for peace… for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight.”  (M.L. King, Conscience and the Vietnam War, The Trumpet of Conscience, 1968)  The ultimate work of peacemaking, is helping people become reconciled to God, casting off their hostility to truth, rejection of light, and violence against the Holy Spirit through rebellion.  The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:14-16, For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation…so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace Jesus very life became the testament of breaking down the barriers that separated people from God. Jesus estimate peacemaker. Reflection Question: How is being a peace-maker more than being a peace-lover?

Jesus' first in a series of sermons (teachings) from Matthew 5:3-12 is called “The Beatitudes.” (Re-read these verses) In these statements of blessings (Beatitudes), Jesus did not speak of what WILL BE, He spoke of WHAT IS. As a Christ follower, always think of blessing in the present tense, not in the future tense.  Definition of blessing: (Greek μακάριος transliterated, makarios) To speak well of, to invoke blessings upon, to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on. We live in a world where circumstances can incite concerns and fear. It has been said that the most basic human instinct is survival. However, a survival mentality creates a feeling of insecurity, nervousness, and uncertainty. Mass media  and social media contributes to that fear and uncertainty. For example, cities are described as "murder capitals.” Some people still fear COVID vaccines. A recent winter weather event was called a "bomb cyclone” – something that in all my decades of winter experience, I had never heard of!  While the circumstances we face in life are real, the state of our hearts and minds can be conditioned to live in the reality of the blessing of God. I shared this quote from Maya Angelou recently with someone who was feeling discouraged: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” There is a way to not be reduced by circumstances: It is through establishing a foundation of living in the reality of God's blessing. That is the objective of these devotional series. We want to help you become established in the everyday and present power of Christ in your life. On Day 3, we will highlight Jesus' first beatitude and recognize the wealth of being "poor in spirit” from Matthew 5:3. Jesus taught, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for THEIRS IS the kingdom of heaven. Notice that Jesus did not state what would be, he stated what is. He said, “…THEIRS IS the kingdom of heaven.” This is the pattern we will follow during this study in the beatitudes.  We will close today's lesson with another quote from William Barclay, who further defined the word blessed: “Makarios describes that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and the changes of life. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and the changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy. The Christian blessedness is completely untouchable and unassailable.” Reflection Question Describe how you will maintain encouragement and a good outlook in this crazy world.

AN INTRODUCTION | by Bryan Hudson, D.Min.   NOTE: This devotional will not be emailed or sent out by text everyday. Be sure to subscribe to this blog to receive your lesson by email daily. OR bookmark this webpage and visit. _______________________________ Welcome to the February 1-21 devotional exploring the Beatitudes of Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5-7! The word “Beatitude” comes from the first words of Jesus' teaching beginning at Matthew 5:3, beati sunt, (in Latin) meaning“blessed are.” These words from Christ are much more than promises that “will be.” The beatitudes are exclamations or proclamations of the believer's reality. Matthew 5:1, Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. As a Christ follower, when you read and study these brief statements, know that each summarizes a whole world of truth beyond the simple words. Embrace everything God is doing in your heart and life NOW! Elevate your thinking to match His blessing on your life. Don't allow negativity to reduce the impact of God's word. Embrace these marvelous words of William Barclay, from his Commentary entitled Barclay's Daily Study Bible. “The beatitudes are not pious hopes of what shall be; they are not glowing, but nebulous prophecies of some future bliss; they are congratulations on what is. The blessedness which belongs to the Christian is not a blessedness which is postponed to some future world of glory; it is a blessedness which exists here and now. It is not something into which the Christian will enter; it is something into which he has entered.” “The Beatitudes speak of that joy which seeks us through our pain, that joy which sorrow and loss, and pain and grief, are powerless to touch, that joy which shines through tears, and which nothing in life or death can take away.”  As you journey with us over the next 21 days, consider spending some quality time reading and studying more about the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount.   I look forward to sharing devotional lessons along with Patricia Hudson, Elder Gaylan Owens, Chaplain Delores Epps, Min. Bertha Fields and Stacy Williams.   RESOURCES: • Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to a resource from Zondervan Academic: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes • Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to the web version of Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb.html • THIS LINK is a downloadable PDF of Barclay's Commentary'   REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What do you expect to gain from the Beatitudes over the next 21 Days? 2. Why is it important to elevate your thinking to match Jesus' words?   ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:   ___________________________   Listen to the Teaching “The Beatitudes: Blessing on Purpose”  

WAMC's Alan Chartock speaks with New York state Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay. Photo courtesy of the office of William Barclay.

(Airs 12/01/22 @ 3 p.m. & 12/03/22 @ 5:30 a.m.) WAMC's Alan Chartock speaks with New York State Republican Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay. Photo courtesy of the office of William Barclay.

Abiding in Jesus is the only way we can access the power to get through the storms of life. What are you abiding in? He is the source of our endurance and joy as we go through the trials that life brings. William Barclay said, “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.” Tune in today to be equipped  and encouraged!

WAMC's Alan Chartock speaks with William Barclay, Republican Minority Leader of the New York State Assembly. Photo courtesy of the office of William Barclay.

Day 204 Today's Reading: Philemon 1 You can be forgiven of your past but still have an unfixed past. Forgiven and fixed are two different things, and sometimes people confuse them at salvation. Being born again will change your relationship with God, but won't necessarily change your relationship with your family, the courts, the IRS, the law, a judge, a probationary officer, VISA, a collection agency, a halfway house, or a bad marriage. At least not immediately. You are forgiven but not fixed yet. Let me give you a scenario. If you robbed a bank and got saved after that, are you forgiven and really going to heaven? Yes. Are you going to jail? Yes. Are you now innocent since you are forgiven? Nope. You are forgiven, but you may have a past that still needs to be fixed. You can be going to heaven and going to jail at the same time. God's forgiveness always exonerates in the courts of heaven, but is not guaranteed in the courts on earth. Salvation forgives sin (past, present, and future) but it does not resolve it. This is such an important issue that a whole book of the Bible is devoted to it. A twenty-five verse book, which is the best and most practical help on this issue—Philemon. The verses will pop off the page when I give you the background. We have three characters in the story: Paul, who is in prison, is the aged apostle and the writer of the letter; Philemon is a Christian who had a slave who ran away (and has the church in his house); Onesimus is the slave who ran away and who gets saved while he is trying to get lost among the residents in Rome. In the first century, two million of the five million people in Rome were slaves. To purchase a slave was very expensive. There were 120 occupations for them—some were executives and had salaried positions; most slaves served between ten and twenty years and usually were free by the age of thirty. But if a slave ran away, it was like he was committing suicide. It was punishable by death or branding the letter “F” on his head, which stood for the Latin word Fugitivus. Bottom line: Onesimus ran away. Bottom line: by law he can be killed or branded. Paul knows this. Onesimus knows this. Philemon knows this. While Paul is in prison in Rome, guess who he meets? Onesimus. And guess who Paul leads to the Lord? Onesimus. Now we come back to our original thought: you can be forgiven but your past is still unfixed. So Paul has to write a letter and send Onesimus back to Philemon with that letter. Listen to some of Paul's letter to Philemon. This is a masterpiece: “I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” (Philemon 1:10-16) Jesus has forgiven Onesimus. Will Philemon forgive Onesimus? Paul doesn't mention the name Onesimus in the letter for nine verses. I want you to keep this in mind—this letter is being hand delivered. The Jerusalem postal service is not doing it, but the subject of the letter is; Onesimus. I wonder if he knows exactly what is in the letter as he is coming back to Philemon. Commentary writer William Barclay says, “Christianity never entitled anyone to default on debts.” Paul leads him to the Lord and then leads him to address his debt issue. The IRS. The police. The outstanding credit card and collection agencies—for the Christian all these have to be addressed with an Onesimus letter. Don't call your irresponsibility a trial that God is going to get you through. Irresponsibility is fixed by integrity not a miracle. You address the unresolved, not rebuke it. That's what the letter to Philemon teaches us. Paul writes in verse 21 “I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!” (NLT). Paul is saying, “You may be heating up the branding iron with the F on it. I'm asking you to put it down. I want you to forgive him—that's the F I want heating up in your heart.” Onesimus was useless when he was in verse 11. He stole from Philemon in verse 18. But here's the game changer: he is now a brother in Christ, not just an employee. Now the big question: what is the end of the story? No one knows. The Bible does not tell us if Philemon forgives him or if Onesimus lives. I want to make a guess from something I saw in a church history book. In Earle Cains's Christianity through the Centuries, he writes: "Some fifty years after Philemon was written, just on the heels of the apostles, was the church father, Ignatius, a martyr on the way to his death. He was allowed to write letters of encouragement and one of those letters was written to the church in Ephesus. And in that letter he makes mention of their pastor. His name? Onesimus." A coincidence or a miracle? Did the runaway slave become a pastor? Did the man who tried to hide out in Rome find himself leading the church in Ephesus? You may say, “That's a big stretch. That's a tall order.” If an ex-murderer can write most of the New Testament letters, then I think this is feasible with God. Wait! That ex-murderer is the writer of this Philemon letter—the apostle Paul. Jesus says it like this, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).

The book of Romans is foundational yet deep. It is simple yet complex. It is an incredibly influential book that has been changing lives for centuries. Romans is the gospel truth that we need every day, and we will never reach an end to the treasures that await us in this powerful letter. Everything we have and all that we are is by His grace for His glory. In this podcast, Erin Warren teaches through Romans 3. In this section on God's Righteousness vs. our need for a Savior, Paul continues to set the foundation of the gospel exploring where we are without Jesus. We are all sinners, but there is good news. We are justified and redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ. But now, there is hope! These verses are some of the most compact, rich gospel explanations in the entire Bible. This podcast is a companion teaching to the Feasting on Truth Bible study. You can find more information, including a link to purchase the study book, at FeastingOnTruth.com/biblestudy. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES Psalm 116:5-7; 11 Psalm 51:4 Isaiah 59:9-10 Leviticus 16:15-19 Hebrews 9:11-15 Ephesians 2:1-9 QUOTES NIV Application Commentary: Rarely does the Bible bring together in so few verses so many important theological ideas: the righteousness of God, justification, the shift in salvation history, faith, sin, redemption, grace, propitiation, forgiveness, and the justice of God. Here, more than anywhere else in Romans, Paul explains why Christ's coming means “good news” for needy, sinful people. William Barclay's Commentary: Finally, Paul says of God that he did all this because he is just, and accepts as just all who believe in Jesus. Paul never said a more startling thing than this. [Johann Albrecht] Bengel called it "the supreme paradox of the gospel." Think what it means. It means that God is just and accepts the sinner as a just man. The natural thing to say would be, "God is just, and, therefore, condemns the sinner as a criminal." But here we have the great paradox--God is just, and somehow, in that incredible, miraculous grace that Jesus came to bring to men, he accepts the sinner, not as a criminal, but as a son whom he still loves. What is the essence of all this? Where is the difference between it and the old way of the law? The basic difference is this--the way of obedience to the law is concerned with what a man can do for himself; the way of grace is concerned with what God can do, and has done, for him. Paul is insisting that nothing we can ever do can win for us the forgiveness of God; only what God has done for us can win that; therefore the way to a right relationship with God lies, not in a frenzied, desperate, doomed attempt to win acquittal by our performance; it lies in the humble, penitent acceptance of the love and the grace which God offers us in Jesus Christ.

Peter Navarro, Author of "Taking Back Trump's America" and the Director of Trade and Manufacturing during the Trump Administration looks at how his new book enables citizens of this country can take back this country for making America great again and return it to prosperous times. Gordon Chang, from the Gatestone Institute and The Hill, looks at ongoing threats China and North Korea is making within the region if they're opposed by the United States and others that pose a threat to oncoming acts of violence in Taiwan or abroad. William Barclay, NY State Assembly Minority Leader looks at the recent scheme Governor Kathy Hochul and Democrats are organizing as a Pay to Play type of preferential treatment for business deals going on. KT McFarland, a Deputy of National Security looks at the political unrest in Iran as Joe Biden looks to get a new nuclear deal done with Iran.

Sunday Service "Finishing Well" To contact, tithe, or inquire...please go to www.ToddCoconato.com Finishing well: Notes for this Sunday's service. (2 Timothy 4 6-8 verses for this teaching) Let's face it: starting well is relatively easy. Finishing well is a different matter! Starting that new diet or exercise program is kind of fun, but hanging in over the long haul is the real test. Getting married is exciting and relatively easy. Staying married through struggles, adjustments, and trials is not always an easy matter. The same is true of the Christian life. Becoming a Christian is relatively easy: acknowledge to God that you are a sinner and receive by faith the free gift of eternal life that Christ provided by His shed blood. You cannot work for salvation nor do anything to qualify for it. God gives it freely to all that recognize their need and trust in Christ alone. But then comes the hard part—hanging in there as a Christian in a world that is hostile towards God and His people. The world constantly dangles in front of you all that it has to offer in opposition to the things of God. From within, the flesh entices you to forsake Christ and gratify your sinful desires. The enemy hits you with temptation after temptation. The real test of your faith is, will you endure? Genuine faith in Christ perseveres to the finish line. The Christian life is a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. Since finishing a marathon well is not easy, when you see a man who sprints across the finish line, you ought to try to find out his secret. The apostle Paul was such a man. It's as if he has crossed the finish line with energy to spare. He jogs back to where Timothy seems to be losing steam and exhorts him to keep running well. In the Bible, it is clear that Paul is looking death in the face. His words must have caused Timothy to burst into tears when he first read them. And, these words must have sobered Timothy with the reality that Paul had handed off the baton to him. Now, he had to finish well. Paul's words are not those of a discouraged, broken old man. There is no despair, no defeat, no cynicism, and no fear as he faces imminent execution. His calm assurance is all the more startling when you consider his circumstances. He was in the Mamertine Prison in Rome. Even the worst of our prisons today would be like the Hilton in comparison to the Mamertine. Paul's cell was a dark, damp dungeon, reached only by a rope or ladder from a hole in the floor above. He had no windows, no lights, no toilet, no furniture, and no running water. As Paul sat on the hard floor in the cold darkness, enduring the stench of his own urine and excrement, the circumstances outside were not encouraging. Many seemed to be turning away from the aged apostle, and even from the faith, following false teachers. Paul had labored for the past thirty years or more to preach the gospel around the Roman Empire, but at this point, it was at best a tiny sect, scattered here and there. Paul was not the world-famous apostle, appearing on TV talk shows, and autographing books, with invitations pouring in from around the world for him to speak. And yet, the man was clearly at rest, confident in the way he has spent his life, and calmly assured as he faces death by decapitation. What does the apostle have to teach us about finishing well? Note that verse 6 speaks about Paul's present: “I am.” Verse 7 refers to his past: “I have.” Verse 8 begins, “In the future…” To finish well, keep in focus Paul's view of the present, the past, and the future. 1. To finish well, keep in focus Paul's view of the present (4:6). Three key words here will help us finish well: reproduction, sacrifice, and departure. A. REPRODUCTION: PAUL COULD FINISH WELL BECAUSE HE HAD REPRODUCED HIMSELF IN OTHERS. In the Greek text, verse 6 begins with the emphatic pronoun “I,” which contrasts with the “you” of verse 5, along with the connective “for.” The flow of thought is this: “Timothy, you preach the Word even in the face of opposition because I am about to die. I'm handing you the torch to carry!” Dying is easier when you know that you're leaving behind a number of people who can carry on with Christ because of your influence. Each of us needs to ask ourselves, “Am I working on that task?” I am talking about obeying Jesus' Great Commission, to make disciples of others. That Commission applies to every Christian at some level. If you know Christ as Savior and are walking with Him, then He calls you to make disciples of others. You can begin at home. Every Christian parent ought to be waging an all-out campaign to train up his or her children to know Christ and walk with Him. It doesn't happen by accident. It begins by setting the example: you must walk in reality with Jesus Christ if you want to impart that to your kids. Beyond that, dads, are you taking the time to read the Bible and pray with your family? Are you making sure that your family gathers with the Lord's people on the Lord's day for worship and teaching? Do you talk openly at home about spiritual things? Do you apply God's Word when there are tensions or trials on the home front? Beyond your immediate family, you ought to have a vision for reproducing yourself in the lives of others. Godly men should be handing off the faith to younger men in the faith (2 Tim. 2:2). Godly women should be training younger women in the things of God (Titus 2:3-5). When you're gone, there should be others who will carry on with Christ because of your influence. B. SACRIFICE: PAUL COULD FINISH WELL BECAUSE HE VIEWED HIS LIFE AS AN OFFERING TO GOD. Paul did not view his execution as a cruel tragedy or as unfair treatment in view of his many years of dedicated service. Rather, he saw it as the culminating offering of a sacrificial life. After the sacrificial lamb had been placed on the altar, and just before it was lit on fire, the priest poured out on it about a quart of wine (Num. 28:7). It was the final sacrifice poured out on the existing sacrifice. That was how Paul viewed his own death. His whole life had been a living sacrifice presented unto God. Now, his death would be the drink offering poured on top of that (Phil. 2:17). This means that to finish well, you need to view all of your life as an act of sacrificial worship to God. As Paul put it (Rom. 12:1), “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” You don't serve Christ in order to get praise and acclaim from others. You serve Christ as an act of worship towards Him. If others turn away from you or badmouth you (as they were doing toward Paul), or if your earthly reward for a lifetime of dedicated service is to get your head cut off, it's okay, because all of your life has been an offering to God. This also means that to finish well, you view yourself as expendable in God's service. Here is the great apostle to the Gentiles, the man who did more for the spread of the gospel than any other man in church history. His influence was incalculable. Yet he could finish well because he saw himself as expendable, a drink offering. In language similar to our text, Paul told the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:24), “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” If you have inflated notions of your own importance, you will not finish well. All of us should view ourselves and all of our service as a sacrificial offering to God. C. DEPARTURE: PAUL COULD FINISH WELL BECAUSE HE VIEWED HIS IMPENDING DEATH AS A DEPARTURE. “The time of my departure has come” (4:6). In the Bible, death is never cessation of existence, but rather, a separation of the soul from the body. It is departure. The Greek word that Paul used was a vivid one. It was used to describe the unyoking of an animal from a plow or cart. Death means the end of our labors and toils in this life. It was also used for loosening the bonds of a prisoner. Death is a release from the bonds of this corruptible body. It was also used for loosening the ropes of a soldier's tent. This suggests that at death, the battle is over, victory is won, and we are headed home. The word was also used for loosening the mooring ropes of a ship. At death our earthly ship leaves the shores of this stormy earth and puts in at the always-calm port of heaven. (These examples are in William Barclay, The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon [Westminster Press], revised edition, p. 209.) If you have Paul's view of death as departure, you will be able to finish without fear and even with anticipation, knowing that to depart and be with Christ is much better (Phil. 1:23). You will be able to say with him (Phil. 1:21), “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” So to finish well, keep in focus Paul's view of the present: present ministry is reproduction; present life is a sacrifice to God; and, impending death is a departure to be with Christ. 2. To finish well, keep in focus Paul's view of the past (4:7). Paul was able to look back on his past in Christ and say confidently that he had done well. He is not implying that there had not been mistakes or times of discouragement—of course there had been. But through all of the problems and trials, Paul had stayed in the race. He could say, “I've done what God called me to do!” To be able to join Paul in saying that at the end of our lives, we must be able to make his three statements in verse 7: A. “I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT” (4:7A). When you come to the end of your life, will you be able to look back and say, “I have been involved in the struggle for the cause of Christ”? Paul is using an athletic metaphor, either of a wrestling match or a race. It conveys that the Christian life is not a Sunday School picnic, but rather, a struggle against the forces of evil. It is not just any fight, but the good fight, the fight of the gospel of Jesus Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Can you say, “I am currently involved in the struggle for the cause of Christ?” Let me help you answer that question. You cannot say so if you are living primarily for your own comfort and affluence, spending your time and money on your pursuit of the American dream. You may attend church every week. You may profess to know Christ as your Savior. But if your purpose in life is to be as comfortable and affluent as you can be, then you are not seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. You're not involved in the struggle for the cause of Christ. If, on the other hand, you live for the purpose of building up the body of Christ and extending His kingdom through your labors, your time, and your money, in accordance with the gifts and opportunities that God has given you, then you are involved in that struggle. What a fulfilling thing when it comes time to die, to look back on your past and be able to say, “I've been involved in that great struggle for the cause of Christ!” B. “I HAVE FINISHED THE COURSE” (4:7B). “I have not dropped out of the race.” Paul is referring to a long race. The word “marathon” comes from a geographic place where a decisive battle took place between Greece and Persia in 490 B.C. If the Persians had won, world history would have been much different. The glories of ancient Greece would not have happened. The legend is that after the battle, a Greek soldier ran the distance from Marathon to Athens (21-25 miles, depending on his route) with the news of the victory, and then fell dead. Based on that legend, the modern marathon race began between Marathon and Athens in the 1896 Olympics, and was lengthened to the present 26.2 miles in the 1908 Olympics. We all know those who began the Christian life with a flourish of activity and enthusiasm. Maybe they even went into full-time ministry. But when trials and disappointments hit, they dropped out. Sometimes, we need to take a break from serving to be refreshed and renewed. But then we need to get back in the race. Of course, we never should take a break from walking with the Lord. I've never ran a marathon, but I know that there's no such thing as an easy marathon. We need to get out of our heads that the Christian life is all glory and effortless bliss. There is joy, but there also are many trials that require endurance (Acts 14:22). So make up your mind to hang in with the Lord through the tough times, so that you can look back at the end and say with Paul, “I have finished the course.” C. “I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH” (4:7C). “I have guarded the truth about Christ.” Several times in these letters to Timothy, Paul has talked about “the deposit” that Timothy is to guard (1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:12, 14). He was referring to the truth of the gospel, the core doctrines of the Christian faith. When Paul says that he has kept the faith, he means that he has carefully guarded the truth about Jesus Christ that God had entrusted to him. He had not bought into any of the many errors about Christ that were circulating in his day. His life and his teaching had held to sound doctrine. You can't keep a faith that you are unclear about. To be able to look back on your life and echo Paul's words, “I have kept the faith,” you need to be clear on the essentials of that faith. It is just as much under attack in our day as it was in Paul's day. So sink down some roots in sound doctrine. Know what you believe so that you are not tossed around by all of the winds of false doctrine. Thus Paul could finish well because he could look at his present: he saw his present ministry as reproduction, his present life as a sacrifice, and his impending death as departure. He could look at his past: he saw that he had been involved in the struggle for the cause of Christ, he had not dropped out of the race, and he had guarded the truth of the gospel. But he also looked to the future: 3. To finish well, keep in focus Paul's view of the future (4:8). Paul could finish well in spite of his dismal circumstances because he had secure hope for the future. There are two aspects of Paul's future hope: A. PAUL COULD FINISH WELL BECAUSE HE HOPED TO MEET THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE. You may think that that sounds more like dread than hope! While there ought to be an element of awe and fear when we think of standing before the Lord, the prevailing emotion that we should have is expectant hope. The world, if they even think about standing before the righteous Judge, should be filled with dread. But Christians should love His appearing. Here's why: Paul wrote (Rom. 8:1), “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Jesus said (John 5:24) that the one who believes in Him “does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” Salvation is God's free gift given by His grace apart from any merit on our part. If your trust is in Jesus Christ as Savior, you do not need to fear the final judgment. The reason that you will not be condemned on judgment day is not because you have earned it by being a good person. Rather, it is that by His death on the cross, Jesus Christ satisfied God's perfect righteousness. When you trusted in Him, God imputed Christ's righteousness to your account (Rom. 3:21-26). That hope of meeting the Lord, the righteous Judge, who will welcome us into heaven on the basis of His perfect righteousness, should help us now to run the race with endurance. B. PAUL COULD FINISH WELL BECAUSE HE LIVED IN VIEW OF THAT DAY. It is difficult to interpret what Paul means by “the crown of righteousness.” Is this a special reward given only to some believers who have lived especially righteous lives, but not to all? Or, is it the reward of eternal righteousness, given to all believers, who have already been justified by faith? In favor of the view that it is a special reward is that the word “crown” refers to the wreath that was given to the victor in the games. Not all received this crown, but only those who won (1 Cor. 9:24-25; 2 Tim. 2:5). The Bible teaches that while salvation is a free gift, God will reward us on the basis of our service for Him (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10), and these rewards will differ among believers. Some will have their works burned up, because they were not founded upon Christ, but they will be saved yet so as through fire. Others will receive a reward for their works (1 Cor.3: 10-15). In favor of the view that the crown of righteousness is given to all believers is that the phrase, “all who have loved His appearing,” seems to be a description of all believers. In this sense, it would be parallel to the crown of life that is given to all who love Christ (James 1:12). If Christ has saved you by shedding His blood for your sins, you long for the day when you will see Him. Perhaps Paul's meaning here is simply that even though his earthly judge (the evil Nero) had wrongly condemned him, he knew that the righteous Judge would vindicate him when he stood before Him. This is the third time that Paul has used “that day” in this letter (1:12, 18). Clearly, he lived in view of that day, when he would stand before Christ. So should we. The fact that we will stand before the Lord, the righteous Judge, on that day should motivate us to live righteously on this day. I read of a journalist who was in charge of the obituaries. One day when he didn't have any deaths to record, he put a sheet of blank paper in his typewriter and wrote his own name at the top. He then found himself writing his own obituary: “I have been a good husband and a fine father. I have contributed to a number of worthy causes. I have left a reputation of absolute integrity. My friends are many.” By the time he had finished the page, he had already committed himself to the task of living up to his own obituary (told by Robert Mounce, Pass it On [Regal Books], p. 153). Conclusion Perhaps your circumstances seem pretty dismal today. Maybe you're considering dropping out of the Christian race. From his dungeon, the aged apostle calls out to you: “Don't quit! Keep going! You can finish well! “Keep in focus my view of the present: You can reproduce yourself in others to carry the torch after you. View your life as a sacrifice to God. Your death will be a departure to be with Christ. “Keep in focus my view of the past, so that one day it will be your past. You will be able to look back and say that you engaged in the struggle for the cause of Christ. You didn't drop out of the race! You guarded the truth of the gospel. “Keep in focus my view of the future. Soon you will stand before the Lord, the righteous Judge, vindicated by His grace. Live in view of that day!” If you live with Paul's focus, you will finish well!

WAMC's Alan Chartock speaks with Will Barclay, Republican Minority Leader of the New York State Assembly. Photo courtesy of the office of William Barclay.

================================================== ==SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1================================================== == DEVOCIÓN MATUTINA PARA ADULTOS 2022“NUESTRO MARAVILLOSO DIOS”Narrado por: Roberto NavarroDesde: Chiapas, MéxicoUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist Church 31 DE AGOSTO«SI ALGUNO TIENE SED...»«En el último y gran día de la fiesta, Jesús se puso en pie y alzó la voz, diciendo: "Si alguien tiene sed, venga a mí y beba"». Juan 7:37¿CUÁL ERA ESA FIESTA de la cual habla el apóstol Juan en nuestro texto de hoy? Era la de los Tabernáculos. Durante siete días los adoradores agradecían a Dios por cuidar de su pueblo en su peregrinación por el desierto y también por las abundantes cosechas.Un momento especial de la celebración se produjo cada día cuando, después del sacrificio matutino, se realizó la ceremonia de la libación del agua. Un sacerdote sacaba agua de la Fuente de Siloé; luego atravesaba la Puerta del Agua, mientras sonaba la trompeta. Seguidamente, subía por las gradas hasta el altar, donde derramaba el agua. * De esta manera, el pueblo grababa la manera providencial como Dios hizo brotar agua de la roca.Es aquí donde entra en juego nuestro versículo para hoy porque, según El Deseado de todas las gentes, para el último día de la fiesta, cuando «el sacerdote había cumplido esa mañana la ceremonia que conmemoraba la acción de golpear la roca en el desierto» , de repente Jesús «alzó la voz, y en tono que repercutía por los atrios del templo, dijo: “Si alguien tiene sed, venga a mí y beba. El que cree en mí, como dice la Escritura, de su interior brotarán ríos de agua viva"» (cap. 49, pp. 424-425).¡Qué interesante! Jesús esperó hasta «el último y gran día de la fiesta» para ofrecer agua viva. ¿Por qué no hizo esa oferta el primer día, cuando los viajeros estaban sentados después del largo viaje desde distintas regiones de Palestina? Porque para el último día de la fiesta los participantes ya habían disfrutado de todo lo bueno que esta vida puede ofrecer —abundante comida y bebida, música, momentos de compañerismo con familiares y amigos, sin embargo, sus corazones permanecían insatisfechos. «No había nada en toda esa ceremonia que aplacase la sed del alma por lo imperecedero» (ibíd., 425). El Señor lo sabía, y por eso se presentó como la fuente de agua que brota para la vida eterna.¡Qué interesante! El mensaje para nosotros es que no hay nada en este mundo ---sean riquezas, placeres u honores—, que pueda aplacar nuestra sed de Dios. Bien lo dijo Agustín de Hipona cuando escribió: «Nos hiciste, Señor, para ti, y nuestros corazones estarán inquietos hasta que encuentren descanso en ti».Ya han pasado siglos desde que se oyó su voz en el templo; pero aún, la invitación del Señor para ti y para mí sigue siendo la misma: «Si alguno tiene sed, venga a mí y beba».Bendito Jesús, dame del agua que solo tú puedes ofrecer, para que yo no tenga sed jamás.*Comentario bíblico adventista, 1. 5, p. 957; William Barclay, El Evangelio de Juan, vol. 1, The Westminster Press, 1975, pág. 249.

To know, be Known, & to Be Led by The Holy Spirit We ended last week by identifying that the Holy Spirit gives everyone at least one spiritual gift. It's equally important to know that no gift is an indication of spiritual maturity. The fruit of the Spirit manifesting in love is the measure of spiritual maturity. William Barclay said, “The important issue is not how many gifts I have, but is my life like Christ's and am I attracting people to Him?” How do we ensure our lives are attracting people to Jesus? It begins by knowing and understanding that we are known by the Holy Spirit. This is where everything good about life begins. Have you ever thought about what it means to be known? It is pretty cool to pause, and picture God saying, “(Insert your name here), I know him/her. They are my son/daughter. I love him/her.” Are you confident this is what God would say about you? This is where we begin today because this is the beginning of being led by the Holy Spirit. “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.” -Romans 8:14-16 (NIV)- Ethos is a life-giving community committed to keeping Jesus at its Center. We are on a mission to love all people in Jesus' name so that we may all Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, & Make a Difference. EthosOH.com Small Groups: EthosOH.com/Community ServeColumbus.org

We review the latest news from the nation's capital with Rob Bluey, executive editor of The Daily Signal. Then Dr. Alex McFarland and Bill have a lively conversation around famous quotes from William Barclay.

Studying God's word is our first love.  We will talk about pretty much anything on this podcast, but sharing what God is teaching us through His word is our favorite.   For the next 4 episodes, we'll be walking through Colossians.  Here are some fun facts: Colossians was most likely Paul's first epistle from prison. Paul didn't start the church at Colosse or visit there. Paul wrote this letter to encourage the Believers living there.  They were growing in their faith, and he wanted to cheer them up.   The book of Colossians is meant to encourage us as we grow.  Growth can hurt.  Did you ever have “growing pains” as a child?  Your mom most likely rubbed your legs and gave you some extra TLC before sending you back to bed with this admonishment, “you'll be fine; go to sleep!” ☺ The church at Colosse was experiencing growing pains.     “It is not until a man finds his faith opposed and attacked that he really begins to think out the implications of that faith.  It is not until the Church is confronted with some dangerous heresy that she begins to realize the riches and the wonder of orthodoxy.” -William Barclay   We hope you'll grab a pen and your Bible and study Colossians with us! Let us know what you're learning and how God speaks and works in your life!  Thanks for listening to this episode of The Wonder Podcast! Hit subscribe, and please tell your friends! Help us share the word! And we'd love to hear from you.  If you LOVE what you hear, please throw us some stars!!! ***** (and write a review!)   Instagram - @talkwithchrissieandlisa www.lisaclarkspeaks.com www.chrissiedunham.org   (In addition to co-hosting The Wonder Podcast, Lisa Clark and Chrissie Dunham also host Raising Sinners, a podcast launched in September 2021 on Christian Parenting's Podcast Network.  Lisa is the author of the book “Raising Sinners.” Check it out!

Day 154 Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 5 One of the pieces of advice I give to expecting fathers is about the moment they leave the hospital with their first child. I tell them that while they're still in the hospital, their baby will have around-the-clock care from professionals. Nurses and doctors will watch over that newborn, changing their diaper, and meeting every need. They are always just a button away from coming into the wife's room. The moment the new parents step outside that hospital door, they're on their own. It's scary. And the place it starts is in the car. They put that little bundle of joy in the car seat for the first time and start driving. But Dad's driving is now controlled by what's in the backseat. When my wife, Cindy, and I took our firstborn home from the hospital, I drove in a place that I had never been before—the slow lane. The speed limit was fifty-five but I have to tell you, I don't think I ever hit that speed. All because I was being controlled by someone else, my newborn son. The apostle Paul tells us the same thing about his life. He is a man under another person's control: “For the love of Christ controls us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Why does Paul preach? His answer is that the love of Christ makes him do it. Paul is a helpless man. Paul is not deciding to do anything on his own. He cannot help himself. Paul says that the “love of Christ controls us;” not “love for Christ” but Christ's love for us. This is an important distinction. It should be our priority that we understand the love of God. Why does temptation and fear and lust often control us? Because we do not understand the love of Christ. To have a revelation of His love for us is to be controlled by that love. When we realize how much Christ loves us, something in that revelation says there is nothing greater that is in charge of our actions. The word control is an important word. The King James Version uses the word constraineth. I have a set of commentaries in my library that have always been helpful in interpreting words. Since the New Testament was written in Greek, it's profitable that we occasionally expand on a word. Control is an important word for us to unpack. William Barclay's New Testament commentary does this brilliantly. He says that the word control, which Paul uses in this verse, was used in four different ways in the first century when Paul decided to use it. First, it was an instrument that pushed on the side of an animal to keep it from moving so the farmer could administer medication. It controlled the animal from moving away from something that would make it healthier. Second, it forced a ship to stay straight as it was sailing through a narrow channel. If the ship was to go off course just a little it could be devastating. The control of that steering wheel kept the vessel straight ahead, because straight meant safety. It was keeping on course. Third, it meant to be so completely occupied with business that the person has no time for anything extracurricular. Their life and schedule was controlled by their commitment to their job. Fourth, it was a word used for a prisoner who was in the control of the prison. It meant their schedule was dictated, their meals arranged, and their future determined and under the prison's control. To Paul being controlled by the love of Christ means . . . keeping still to receive medicine for health; being kept from diverting off course; being so preoccupied with his job that very little else interests him; being a prisoner, in which his life is dictated by Christ's schedule not his own. That's how strong “control” is to Paul. To put all of those definitions together, I think the New English Bible captures verse 14 well: “Christ's love leaves us no choice.” When Hud

Colossians 2:20-23 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Introduction Today we're going to talk about rules. Earlier in Colossians we heard that we shouldn't follow human traditions that are not in agreement with Christ. Then Paul warns us not to let others judge you about food and drink or special days. In our passage today, the focus is on not putting our trust in man-made rules no matter how good they look. Who here likes making rules for others? Based on the passage we just read this might be difficult to admit to, but some people are good at making rules that are a blessing to others. Good rules bring order and even fun. My wife, Linda, is one of these people. She made rules that were good and fun for our kids growing up. Rules like, if all of you finish your chores in fifteen minutes you can go swimming in your pajamas. I have no idea why kids would want to swim in their pajamas, but whatever. Or sometimes we'd be playing a family game and she'd make up a new, one-time rule that would make the game more exciting and interesting. When our kids were in college we agreed to pay for their classes, but we made the rule that we wouldn't pay for anything lower than a “B.” One of our kids tested this rule and found out the hard way that we were actually very serious! Linda is really good at making rules that give our family identity and enjoyment. Who here likes following rules? Some people are amazing at following the rules, and as a parent or a school teacher or a boss, you love these people. People that like following the rules can be such an encouragement and even a protection for those around them. And who's like me and doesn't like making or following rules? I think rules are fine; rules are good. My problem is that I often just don't agree with them. There are all kinds of rules in our lives, right? For simplicity, we could break this down into man-made rules and God-given rules. From Psalm 19 we see that all God-given rules are pure, right and perfect. And His rules are not just to be obeyed but loved and enjoyed. Psalm 119 says, “for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.” So, all God-given rules are good, and many man-made rules are good too. They help us understand our surroundings and create a predictable order. Things like driving and shopping and playing baseball wouldn't be possible without well defined rules. Can you imagine how impossible driving would be without stoplights or speed limits or lanes on the roads or any rules about where a car could go? It would be complete chaos. Several years ago I made my first visit to The Netherlands to meet our future son-in-law. One day we went for a bike ride, because that's what everyone does in The Netherlands, and when we stopped for lunch I needed to use the restroom. I went to the back of the cafe and down some stairs, and I saw two doors. One with a “D” on it and one with an “H.” I didn't know the rules of this country and had no idea which one to use, so I went back upstairs and asked, “Am I a D or an H?” Rules are part of life, both God-given and man-made. God makes rules to instruct us, to protect us and ultimately to show us our need for a Savior. God has made rules from the beginning. In fact, the very first thing recorded that God spoke to people was a rule. After God made Adam and placed him in the garden in Genesis 2, He said, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” The very first thing God said to Adam was a rule. In the book of Exodus, there are over 200 times when God says, “you shall” or “you shall not.” Rules given by God are good and for our good, and many man-made rules are good too. In Romans we are instructed to submit to the governing authorities, basically follow the man-made rules of your government. So, what's so bad about the regulations that Paul is referring to? The problem with the rules that Paul is warning us about is that they are “according to human precepts and teachings” and they promote “self-made religion.” These rules pretend to be from God and claim to deliver spiritual reward, but as we'll see, they are worthless. Paul's main point in most of chapter two of Colossians is that the people there were minimizing Jesus. Up to this point we've seen Jesus as ● the image of the invisible God ● He is the creator of all things ● He is the head of the church ● in Jesus all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell ● He made peace by the blood of His cross ● He made us holy and blameless and above reproach before Him ● He is the riches of glory ● in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ● He is the head of all rule and authority ● and the whole body is nourished and knit together in Jesus And some people wanted to trade all that for some worthless, man-made regulations. They were making Jesus not enough. The Colossians were getting caught up in self-made religion. They struggled with the flesh, just like we all do, and some had listened to simplistic rules that actually made their problem worse. Because the rules do nothing for the actual spiritual problem, but instead puff up the pride in the appearance of wisdom and making big sacrifices. When we submit to this kind of human regulation we end up further from God, not closer to Him. It's exactly like the man in the parable Jesus gives in Luke 18. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” The Pharisee was saying, “I'm better than other people because I keep the rules.” Where in God's rules does it even say to fast twice a week? It doesn't. It was self-made religion. Someone at some point in time made up a rule that if you deny yourself food for two days a week, you'll be more holy. When in reality you'll likely just be more proud of yourself, more self-righteous. Like Jesus said, “apart from Me, you can do nothing, and If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” Loving Jesus produces obedience, but obedience to self-made rules produces white washed tombs. So, as Paul asks, why do we all do this? Why do we all, at times, replace the grace and truth of Jesus in our lives with ineffective, self-made religion? First let's take a look at the whole passage here at the end of Colossians 2. Dying and Living Verse 20. “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world do you submit to regulations?” When a person becomes a believer in Jesus, they are crucified with Christ. It's a spiritual death, a separation from a former way of life. This is why when we talk about baptism, we mention that it's a symbol. Baptism is a symbol of dying to the flesh, going under the water, and being resurrected in the Spirit when we come back up. When the early Jews translated the Old Testament to Greek, they used the same exact word for die from this verse to describe God's words to Adam that we read earlier. When God said, “you shall surely die” He was describing the separation that would happen. Adam ate of the tree, but didn't physically die. He definitely died spiritually though. This is why Paul uses some pretty direct language. If you have died to the flesh, why are you trying to live as if you didn't. It's the same question he asked the Galatians, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” This is serious stuff because we who have believed are fools to settle for something less than Jesus. Paul calls these rules and precepts “elemental spirits of the world.” They are basic, elementary rules that do nothing to get us approval from God or control our sinful flesh. If you step back and think about it, it makes no biblical sense why anyone would follow rules like this. I did a lot of research on what exactly the Colossians were practicing that related to Paul's examples here of do not handle, do not taste, do not touch. I can tell you with complete confidence, no one knows. But it was most likely something similar to what we see in Galatians when even Peter was caught up in a group of people that returned to Jewish laws and held themselves aloof from the Gentiles. What if I said, “Since your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and you want to make your temple as welcoming as possible, and we all know we should buffet our bodies. Therefore to be godly you should be strictly vegan and arise at 3:30am every day and exercise vigorously for three hours. And don't even touch meat or dairy ever. And then your temple will be cleansed and you will enjoy greater fellowship with the Holy Spirit.” Would anyone fall for that? I hope not, but that's pretty much what was happening in Colossae. The rules became the religion. Human precepts and teachings So what is it that makes this type of rule so bad and yet look so wise? Verse 23, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” We all make rules for others. I have a rule that no one should let their shopping cart block the aisle at Costco while they contemplate the differences between the five choices for an air fryer. I have a rule that if you're walking through an airport, you must get out of the way if you want to stop and look at your phone. I had a rule for my kids growing up that they couldn't make noises while I was driving. I don't think these rules come from a great place in my heart, but they're not the type of rules here. The type of rules mentioned in verse 23 are bad because they diminish the worth of Christ's grace and replace it with human effort to keep hard rules. From my experience rules like this tend to take on a narrow focus. Things like how to raise your kids or how to manage your money or like here with things that perish with use. If you've been in some denominations or lived through different phases of the Church in America you know that playing cards or using dice have been viewed as sin. Because cards and dice are used in gambling and gambling promotes greed and greed is idolatry, therefore don't even touch cards or dice. In my parents' generation the phrase was, “we don't drink, smoke or chew or go with girls who do.” Lots of people like rules for the gray areas of life. It makes things simpler. We like binary positions. It's either on or off; you're either right or wrong, good or bad. It's so much simpler than justice and mercy and faithfulness. These rules start off with the appearance of wisdom. If they didn't, very few people would follow them. They look good and godly at the start. Just like when Jesus called out the Pharisees, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law.” You can probably see how they got there. God said to tithe, so to be more righteous let's tithe on every little thing. Let's make it really hard on ourselves and calculate what we will sacrifice for God, and then call ourselves good for doing what God didn't ask us to do. This is a human problem; it's not just in the Church. People want a system of rules so that they can be right and feel good about themselves. We love that as people. Several years ago my kids and I took a tour of Boyden Cave which is at the bottom of Kings Canyon in the Sierras. Before the tour the park service ranger gave us the explanation of the geology and the history of exploring the cave. Caves are super interesting. One point in his talk was a request not to touch the walls because the oils on our hands could damage the ecology of the cave. As we were coming up out of the depths of the cave, an elderly woman a few people ahead of me lost her balance and touched the wall to steady herself. It took about two seconds for the person immediately behind her to loudly scold her for breaking the rule. Here's an older woman, who simply stumbled in a dark, damp cave with an uneven walking surface and the person behind her cared more about keeping the rules than for another person who needed some mercy instead. Without even realizing it, rules can become a moral divide. Just like the Pharisee in Luke 18, we start to think ourselves good because we keep the rules, and look down on those who don't. How many of you would be on board if the rules for “do not eat” applied to broccoli and Brussel sprouts? And do not even touch lima beans. Lima beans are the worst. Kids, don't try this at home, but when I was a kid my parents had a rule that I couldn't leave the table until my plate was clean. So I'd stuff the things I didn't want to eat in my pockets when they weren't looking. Their rule did nothing for my rebellious heart. Rules and regulations and precepts can be useful tools, but they are of no value in stopping the sinful heart. A heart that wants to sin will find a way around the rules. When our son Andy was three years old, he lost a game of Candyland to his older sister, Jen. We had a rule that when you lose a game, you congratulate the winner. When we tried to enforce this rule, he obeyed and said, “Congratulations, boo-boo-face!” He obeyed the rule, but his heart was unchanged. Rules come and go because people get weary and frustrated and feel like failures, and because the rules don't deliver on their promises. For a quick review: all of God's rules are good and we should love them, many man-made rules are good and helpful, but there are some man-made rules that diminish Jesus's works and His desire for our heart in all things. Just as the Law cannot save, rules cannot sanctify. Remember the example of the Pharisee in Luke 18. He congratulated himself and looked down on the tax collector. We all do this. I get good grades, I use money wisely, I pay my bills on time, I take care of myself, I recycle. Whatever it is, we make up rules in our own mind or we follow someone else's and then we feel good about ourselves. And really all it comes down to is, we pick rules that line up with our God-given strengths, and then take credit for being good at what God made us good at, and then look down on others because they don't have the same strengths. When this happens everything about Jesus in Colossians is diminished. Rules are a necessary part of life. But sometimes they go too far. They become the standard of being right and righteous. I've heard of churches that have strict rules for dress code. I have a friend that was a candidate to be a pastor, and everything was going great until he preached in the church without wearing a tie. That was literally the feedback they gave him when they delicined his being their pastor; he didn't wear a tie in the pulpit. I'd guess they started off years before with good motives to provide guidance for appropriate dress, but over time they become legalistic. Christianity still has our fair share of self-made religion. We all fall prey to the lie that doing more, working harder, being better is the answer. But it's not. William Barclay said, “The person who is meticulous in observance of special days, who keeps all the food laws and who practices ascetic abstinence is in very grave danger of thinking they're specially good and of looking down on other people. Christian freedom comes not from restraining desires by rules and regulations, but from the death of evil desires and the springing to life of good desires.” Why do we do this Why do we fall prey to man-made religion? I think we all understand how these simple rules can take hold. And yet, they are a false hope for righteousness. They have no value in spiritual maturity. So, why do we let man-made religion become our satisfaction instead of Jesus? “Why” is one of the best questions in the world. It's one of the things that sets us apart from other creatures. We are always asking, why. When a human tragedy happens, we ask why. When a person with a good life does something to ruin it all, we ask why. When a child is about three years old they start asking why a lot. This is good! It shows that we want to understand our world and how things work. We want to understand cause and effect. But as adults we have a surprisingly difficult time answering the why questions when they are directed at our own heart. Why did you get angry? Why did you get sarcastic and curt with that person? Why do you hide things from your spouse? Asking “Why” can help us get to the heart, to what motivates us. If you want to grow in Christ, then you need to get good at answering the “why” questions in your own life. We're great at answering why someone else did something! But growth in Christ happens when we answer the why questions about ourselves. For example, maybe one question is, “Why do you put off doing hard things?” You know you should have that conversation with your teenager, but you put it off. Why? You think you should do something kind for that person that crossed your mind, but you talk yourself out of it. Why? If you are serious about growing in Christ, don't stop at the easy answer to the why question. Keep pressing in. Because most of the time the answer to the deeper “why” question will reveal a reward you are pursuing or a pain you are avoiding. Asking ourselves why we want what we want is an important part of growing in Christ, and that's what Paul is doing for the Colossians. There are always reasons why we do what we do. The people in Colossae didn't want to follow regulations that were difficult for no reason. So Paul asks them why they submit to regulations that have no value in moving them toward Jesus. Verse 20, “why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to … human precepts and teachings?” Why, since we have the mind of Christ, would we submit to human precepts? Hopefully you already know this, but we're not very wise or good. We are emotional, irrational and sinful people who are not wise enough or godly enough to consistently tell the difference between something that is actually wise and something that only has the appearance of wisdom. We are easily influenced by those around us and even by circumstances that play on our preferences and confirm our biases. We think we're better than we are, smarter than we are, right more often than we are. We do something bad and then lie to ourselves that we did it for a good reason, as if that matters. Matthew 15:5-9 “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,' and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” These traditions looked wise on the surface. In these people's minds, they were making sacrifices to give their money to God. And isn't God more important than parents? Why do we do this? Because people love keeping rules if it makes them feel good about themselves. Remember the Prodigal Son's brother? This was him to a tee. His main complaint was, “I kept the rules and he didn't. I deserve the reward and he doesn't.” We do this too. We make rules for how to manage money, how to parent, how to honor the Sabbath, how to do church and then we look down on others who don't keep our man-made rules. Why do we do this? Because we want an easier way to be good than humbling ourselves at the feet of Jesus. Because rules are easier than justice, mercy and humility. Because keeping the rules can make us look good to others and feel good about ourselves. Because we want to believe that we did it. We worked hard, we followed the rules and we get the credit. Because we don't want to face our failings and sin and accept the mercy of a loving Savior. Bottom line, because we are self-righteous. This is what rules and regulations and self-made religion do. They make us self-righteous. That's why these rules are worthless, and are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Because they have no spiritual power over the human heart. Making sacrifices to keep self-made rules cannot save us nor can it sanctify us. Conclusion What do we do about this? I think the Colossians were on the right track. They wanted to stop the indulgence of the flesh. But no one can do that with rules, traditions and self-made religion. That will only lead to how Jesus described some of the religious leaders, “You look clean on the outside, but the inside is full of greed and self-indulgence.” Randy Alcorn put it this way, “Behavior modification that's not empowered by God's heart-changing grace is self-righteousness, as repugnant to God as the worst sins people gossip about.” The problem comes when we make spiritual rules about things that aren't spiritual. When we make a rule for something that God doesn't and imply or even promise that it will get us status, we are swerving from true righteousness. The rule sounds wise because it feels spiritually motivated and may even be biblically based. It gives the impression that the goal is holiness, obedience or dying to self. But in the end it's just about keeping the rules. There's a lot of applications we could derive from this passage, but let me suggest just one. This week try to catch yourself making rules for other people. And then think about how it makes you feel about that person when they break your rules. Then answer the “why do I do this” question. This should give some good insights into areas where this passage applies to you and where your self-righteousness wants to rule over you. How do we truly stop the indulgence of the flesh? Don't miss the upcoming messages from Colossians 3! God speaking through Ezekiel says, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and I will cleanse you from all your idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. God is the only One capable of causing the heart change that we desperately need.

Over The Walls: The Outcast Matthew 9:9-13Throughout our summer emphasis on outreach into our communities, we are taking time on Sunday mornings to see the heart of Jesus for those who were "outside the walls". Today, we will see Jesus go over the walls of reputation to rescue a lost tax collector named Matthew.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:9-13‬‬ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. "As we unpack our teaching text today, we will discover the heart of the Lord for the lost people who are often behind walls we ourselves have built. Perhaps outside of our comfort zones. Maybe even people we would deem as un-worthy Jesus goes after them, just like he came after us. The question of Jesus for us today could easily be “Will you follow me? "Will you go over the walls?‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:9‬‬As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. As Pastor Joe unpacked for us a little bit last week, it is hard to exactly understand the disdain that the Jews had for tax collectors. The closest parallel for us might be akin to the scammers who are calling, or email trying to get our information so they can extort money from us. They were viewed as traitors of their people because they were working for “The man” or the Roman government that was oppressing the Jews. They were charged with collecting taxes but were free to collect extra to line their own pockets. They were viewed as greedy and self-serving. That was Matthew-Yes, Jesus saw a tax collector that day, but he saw beyond that sin and shame, beyond the walls, to see a heart longing for something different. He knew Matthew's heart was seeking forgiveness and redemption. An opportunity of new life. Matthew was so ready that he instantly left his entire life behind to follow Jesus.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:10-11‬‬While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? "Matthew takes note of the guest list of this dinner party, making special note that it was MANY tax collectors like himself and other well-known sinners from the town. In the culture and time of Jesus, sharing a meal with someone was not just a common thing like it is today- it carried significant meaning in terms of relationship, of acceptance, and of belonging. In this scene Jesus has made space for people to be with him, to engage them right where they were, no pre-conditions required. This action on behalf of Jesus ran the religious folks right into a wall.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:12-13‬‬On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. "In his response, we see that Jesus' heart is for the outcast, for the people outside the walls. His heart is for those who are down and out, desperate in the gutter. His heart is to extend them grace and an invitation to forgiveness and new life. It's THEM he came for. It's the sick who need a doctor. What wall is God calling you to go over? What have you allowed to block the Lord's flow of mercy in your life? What are the walls? Perhaps the wall of racism or prejudice? Perhaps it's the wall of politics? Maybe it's even a big old religious wall? The truth is, if you had lived in the time of Jesus, Matthew may have been the worst of the worst to you- yet Jesus extended a hand to his. So, will you go over your walls today? Will you follow Jesus over that wall in your life? Allow him to lead you. Will you be like Matthew and go all in? As I was preparing this week, I picked up a William Barclay commentary on Matthew and it revealed a few other walls we should consider. The wall of self-preservation that I built to protect myself, to keep my experience safe and comfortable. The wall of selfishness that views my relationship with the Lord and involvement in the church as being all about me. The wall of criticism that helps to isolate me from being near the messiness in other people's lives. Or perhaps it's the wall of apathy. The wall that says they got themselves into this mess, let them get themselves out. Friends, walls can be built of many things, for many reasons, but the invitation of the Lord remains for you and for me Follow me” Jesus says. Let's go over the walls today friends. Let's go together.

Day 114 Today's Reading: Acts 25 There are two ways to view yourself—from a photo or in a mirror. Photos are how we wished we looked. Mirrors are how we really look. One is fantasy, the other reality. We can fix our hair and our make-up for a photograph. But when we look into a mirror, that is the real us staring back. Until we see and acknowledge our real selves, we never understand our need for God. In other words, if our lives are constantly about over-inflating ourselves, we undervalue our need for a Savior. In today's reading, we find a very overrated moment. It's men seeing their photo and not looking into the mirror. Paul was on trial and about to go to Rome, but not without some overrated people showing up to see the “little man” who was changing the region with the message of Jesus. Look at this one verse in particular. The contrast of people is amazing: “On the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in” (Acts 25:23). In this scene, we have the king of Judea, Agrippa, his wife, Bernice, and Festus, the procurator of Judea. There were the commanders and the prominent men of the city all in this one verse. But there was one other person there also. In the midst of all this pomp, there was also one man in chains who was changing the world—the apostle Paul. All of those other people looked at their photos and decided how great they were. Paul looked into a mirror and realized what a great sinner he was. And the latter man changed a planet. It says they came “amid great pomp.” An interesting tidbit: Pomp is the Greek word phantasia, from which we get fantasy. The photo was fantasy. In the Daily Study Bible, William Barclay described the fantasy like this: There is no more dramatic scene in all the New Testament. It was with splendour that Agrippa and Bernice had come. They would have worn their purple robes of royalty and the gold circlet of the crown on their brows. Doubtless Festus had donned the scarlet robe which a governor wore on state occasions. Close at hand there must have stood Agrippa's court, and also in attendance were the most influential figures of the Jews. Close by Festus there would stand the captains in command of the five cohorts which were stationed at Caesarea; and in the background there would be a solid formation of the tall Roman legionaries on ceremonial guard. Into such a scene came Paul, the little Jewish tent-maker, with his hands in chains; and yet, from the moment he speaks, it is Paul who holds the stage. Think of the contrast of having a tentmaker in chains and a king in purple, and people forgetting that the man in chains was really the man in authority in that room. This story made me think about Mother Teresa's speech at the Washington, D.C. prayer breakfast on February 3, 1994. Three thousand people attended the event, mostly DC officials. The president and first lady, Bill and Hillary Clinton, were there, along with the vice president and second lady, Al and Tipper Gore. Mother Teresa stood to speak, and the room's atmosphere became intensely uncomfortable when she started by saying, “I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because Jesus said, ‘If you receive a little child, you receive me.' So every abortion is the denial of receiving Jesus, the neglect of receiving Jesus.” Journalist Peggy Noonan recounted the scene: Silence. Cool deep silence in the cool round cavern for just about 1.3 seconds. And then applause started on the right hand side of the room, and spread, and deepened, and now the room was swept with people applauding, and they would not stop for what I believe was for five or six minutes

Dr. Jim Denison and Dr. Mark Turman discuss Karl Marx's philosophy, how Christianity moves on the shoulders of regular, faithful Christians, Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory, how systemic racism still exists, and how Christians can begin to navigate the culture on the issue of justice.    In this episode, Mark and Jim begin by giving a personal biography of their lives and testimonies. In this, Jim explores how several key people who were faithful with their gifts helped bring him to trust in Jesus as his savior. As Mark quotes from his previous pastor, “Christianity goes forward on the shoulders of plain vanilla Christians.”   Jim then discusses how the term theological middleman began to define his ministry calling, with a clear, strong conviction from the Lord. A large part of Denison Ministries' niche is equipping believers to love God with all of their minds.    We often encounter a resistance to intellectual thinking in Christianity. A common Christian sentiment in the '60s and '70s was: Don't let college ruin you. Thankfully, in recent years, evangelicals have shown that we are not antagonistic to reason. John Lennox and Russell Moore are two prime examples.    Then, Mark and Jim discuss the merits and flaws in Karl Marx's philosophy. Many of Marx's criticisms were accurate. Seeing the world through the lens of “class” is helpful, but only to a point, and it cannot provide a solid worldview. Later, certain philosophers in the Frankfurt School developed Critical Theory out of Marxism. This plays out in our era through Critical Race Theory, for example.   The philosophy behind Critical Theory is that if you are a part of a group that has benefited from oppression, you are also culpable to the oppression. The spread of this kind of thinking is evident, even in Texas public schools. Many, like Ibram Kendi, have now said that if we maintain the status quo, we are complicit in racism. Instead, we must be antiracist.   Mark and Jim then delve into why Critical Theory doesn't take sin nature into account. If the oppressed become powerful, they will be just as likely to oppress others, which is exactly what happened in the Soviet Union.   All of that said, Jim then argues that systemic racism continues to exist in modern-day America and gives several, well-attested facts that point to that truth. As believers, our first questions should be of self-examination: “How am I prejudiced? How can I amend where I have hurt others?” This means personally engaging with people who aren't like us and listening to their pains.   Sin makes the world a broken place. Jim brings up how, in the past, Christians have dealt with systemic injustice and how we can champion the gospel in this lost world. William Wilberforce, a Christian activist, helped upend the English slave trade. This call to action, to stand up for the oppressed and help bring true, biblical justice to the world, is part of the Christian's call.    P.S. Pre-order The Coming Tsunami today and you'll be invited to an exclusive, virtual, live Q&A with Dr. Denison discussing whether Critical Race Theory is biblical. Visit TheComingTsunami.com to pre-order and follow the directions on that page to receive your invitation to this book launch event on January 25.  Resources and further reading   Jim Denison, The Coming Tsunami Russell Moore, website Jon Lennox, website William Barclay, Commentary on the New Testament “Theological middleman.” Ibram X. Kendi, How to be an Antiracist Richard Delgado, Jean Stefanic, Critical Race Theory: An Introduction Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto   About the hosts    Dr. Jim Denison CVO and cofounder of Denison Forum and a cultural scholar. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy and Master's in Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.    Dr. Mark Turman is the executive director of Denison Forum. He received his DMin from Truett at Baylor and previously served as lead pastor of Crosspoint Church.