Podcasts about without jesus

Welcome to the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota!Join us for service at: 500 14th Ave NW, Watertown, SD 57201 https://goo.gl/maps/WgUmDc1iH7jB8za98Our Service Times: Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 am CDT Sunday Main Service at 11:00 am CDT Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm CDTYou can find us online at: Website: https://jesuschurchsd.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusChurchSD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuschurchsd/

The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 7: A Listening Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, describes the characteristics of the inner life and the maintenance of the inner man: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.". The Spirit is that part of us that communes with the Lord when we become a Christian. Without Jesus, we are not fully alive because, without Jesus one has a dead Spirit. It is by Grace that we are saved and then our faith in Jesus awakens our Spirit. We listen to and for the Lord with the Holy Spirit. God desires to speak to His people. God wants to speak to us and tell us about things in our lives like what His will is for us. However, we live in a noisy world; therefore, listening to and for the Lord is difficult. All the noise in the world and in our lives, has conditioned our Spirit to be dulled in listening to and for the Lord. Our Spirit is constantly under bombardment and distraction. As God spoke in Psalms 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as Christians, God will speak to us in a variety of ways: 1) through the still small voice; 2) as we study the Bible – the Lord's voice is both His spoken Word and in His written Word; 3) in our prayer, which is both talking and listening to God; 4) through teachings and sermons; 5) through our Christian friends; 6) through music; and 7) through the desires of our hearts, as the Psalmist tell us  in Psalms 37:4: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.".  However, be careful trusting the word from yourself if you are not in the Holy Spirit. We need to be to listen to and for the Lord. These are exercises, in our lives, that we can practice to tune our Listening Spirit to the Lord: 1) build times of silence in our lives; 2) practice solitude – being quit and alone with the Lord; 3) read and study His Word; 4) pray in intercessory prayer – talk to God in the behalf of others; 5) keep a prayer journal; and 6) obey God – when God speaks to us, He expects us to obey, as we find in Jeremiah 7:23: “But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'". If we don't obey the Lord, He will quit speaking to us: “What's the point?”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Jeremiah 33:3; John10:27; 1 Kings 19:11; Genesis 22:18. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 7: A Listening Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, describes the characteristics of the inner life and the maintenance of the inner man: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.". The Spirit is that part of us that communes with the Lord when we become a Christian. Without Jesus, we are not fully alive because, without Jesus one has a dead Spirit. It is by Grace that we are saved and then our faith in Jesus awakens our Spirit. We listen to and for the Lord with the Holy Spirit. God desires to speak to His people. God wants to speak to us and tell us about things in our lives like what His will is for us. However, we live in a noisy world; therefore, listening to and for the Lord is difficult. All the noise in the world and in our lives, has conditioned our Spirit to be dulled in listening to and for the Lord. Our Spirit is constantly under bombardment and distraction. As God spoke in Psalms 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as Christians, God will speak to us in a variety of ways: 1) through the still small voice; 2) as we study the Bible – the Lord's voice is both His spoken Word and in His written Word; 3) in our prayer, which is both talking and listening to God; 4) through teachings and sermons; 5) through our Christian friends; 6) through music; and 7) through the desires of our hearts, as the Psalmist tell us  in Psalms 37:4: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.".  However, be careful trusting the word from yourself if you are not in the Holy Spirit. We need to be to listen to and for the Lord. These are exercises, in our lives, that we can practice to tune our Listening Spirit to the Lord: 1) build times of silence in our lives; 2) practice solitude – being quit and alone with the Lord; 3) read and study His Word; 4) pray in intercessory prayer – talk to God in the behalf of others; 5) keep a prayer journal; and 6) obey God – when God speaks to us, He expects us to obey, as we find in Jeremiah 7:23: “But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'". If we don't obey the Lord, He will quit speaking to us: “What's the point?”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Jeremiah 33:3; John10:27; 1 Kings 19:11; Genesis 22:18. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 6: The Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction from Part 4 – We must take responsibility for our own emotions and stop blaming others. Emotions are the color of our inner life, but we must control our emotions, or our emotions will control us. Constantly remember God's presence is with us. What would happen if we really lived our lives knowing that God is always with us? Today's Message – It is important to understand the Spirit in our inner beings. The Spirit is that part of us which enables us to commune with the Lord – it is that part of us in which the Holy Spirit indwells when we become a Christian and through which God speaks to us. Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, describes the characteristics of the inner life and the maintenance of the inner man: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.". Without Jesus, we are not fully alive because, without Jesus one has a dead Spirit. It is by Grace that we are saved and that our faith in Jesus awakens our Spirit. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells us that we are to assist in awakening the Spirit in others – discipleship. We can nurture our Spirit through: 1) daily Bible reading; 2) daily prayer – talking to and listening to God; 3) Worship, both corporate and individual; 4) partaking of Holy Communion; 5) abiding, John 15:4 – “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”; 6) obeying God; 7) fellowship with like-minded believers; and 8) witnessing and sharing Jesus with others.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 5:24; 1 Peter 1:3. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “For Jesus Followers, Fasting, with Food, Will Symbolize a Victory Over Oneself and Solidify a Personal Relationship with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 6: The Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction from Part 4 – We must take responsibility for our own emotions and stop blaming others. Emotions are the color of our inner life, but we must control our emotions, or our emotions will control us. Constantly remember God's presence is with us. What would happen if we really lived our lives knowing that God is always with us? Today's Message – It is important to understand the Spirit in our inner beings. The Spirit is that part of us which enables us to commune with the Lord – it is that part of us in which the Holy Spirit indwells when we become a Christian and through which God speaks to us. Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, describes the characteristics of the inner life and the maintenance of the inner man: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.". Without Jesus, we are not fully alive because, without Jesus one has a dead Spirit. It is by Grace that we are saved and that our faith in Jesus awakens our Spirit. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells us that we are to assist in awakening the Spirit in others – discipleship. We can nurture our Spirit through: 1) daily Bible reading; 2) daily prayer – talking to and listening to God; 3) Worship, both corporate and individual; 4) partaking of Holy Communion; 5) abiding, John 15:4 – “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”; 6) obeying God; 7) fellowship with like-minded believers; and 8) witnessing and sharing Jesus with others.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 5:24; 1 Peter 1:3. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “For Jesus Followers, Fasting, with Food, Will Symbolize a Victory Over Oneself and Solidify a Personal Relationship with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

It happened over 100 years ago, but we still seem to be fascinated with it - the Titanic. I mean, the Titanic has sailed into the Internet! You can find all kinds of information about the sinking of that "unsinkable" ship back in 1912. And then, there was the Academy Award-winning movie, endless TV shows, articles, and there was even a Broadway musical about it. It seems like fascination with the Titanic just never goes away. A lot of this information has been known for decades, but now there's a tremendous appetite for that information. Like the tragic mistake that fatal night by the radioman on the Titanic. The ship had received a number of warnings about ice ahead and had adjusted her course southward as a result. But two hours before the Titanic hit the iceberg, the radioman received a warning from another ship about a major iceberg, along with longitude and latitude coordinates. They put that iceberg right in Titanic's path. It's the one that sank the ship. But the radioman didn't know it was in their path. He was busy that night, so he stuck that message on a spindle to be dealt with later. That one choice doomed him and 1500 other passengers who died that night. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Titanic Mistake." That just makes the tragedy even more tragic, doesn't it? The warning of what was coming was sent, it was received, but a man decided he'd deal with it later. And later was too late. When the warning is life-or-death, you don't wait to deal with it, especially if the warning is from God, especially if the warning is about what's ahead for you. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Hebrews 2:3. "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" Ignoring God's warning - fatal results. What's the warning about our future? Here are God's words, "Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's only Son" (John 3:18). Like the Titanic on her last night, steaming headlong for a deadly rendezvous. Again, God in His own words, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36). God says there are people who are forever safe and people who are headed for eternal destruction. The difference is what they do with His Son, Jesus. You can do a lot of things with Jesus: you can reject Him, or ignore Him, or postpone Him, or you can even agree with Him. But all of those responses lead to the same place - eternity without God. You might say, "You mean agreeing with Jesus, isn't that enough?" Well, you see, I wasn't married to my wife based on my agreeing with her views. I was married to my wife for one reason - there was a time I committed my life to her. That's what you have to do with Jesus. Has there been a time when you did that? If not, you're still ignoring God's warning about eternity. He says we can't possibly escape if we neglect this great salvation. He calls it salvation because it's a rescue from a death sentence. Jesus dying on that awful cross - that was God's Son paying the death penalty for the sinning you and I have done. And our only hope is to put our total trust in Him - the only One who can rescue you from sin and its penalty. So you have the warning. Maybe you've been saying, like a radioman on the Titanic that night, I'll deal with it later. Don't do that. When a warning is life-or-death, the only time to deal with it is now while there's time. If there has never been a time when you have committed yourself to Jesus to be your Savior, tell Him right now you're putting your trust in Him and what He did on the cross for you. "Jesus, I'm yours." I hope you'll go to our website as soon as you can today, because you will find the information you need to secure and be sure you belong to Jesus. It's ANewStory.com. Without Jesus, you are steaming full speed into an eternity without hope. Deal with God's warning now. And you'll be on the course for a guaranteed arrival in heaven when your journey's done.

This week at Venture, Pastor Brandon continued our Break Free series with a powerful message on overcoming the stronghold of shame. Shame has a way of paralyzing us—keeping us stuck in regret, guilt, and fear of what others think. But the good news of the gospel is this: in Christ, we are forgiven, washed, sanctified, and justified. Through passages in Isaiah, Joel, John 8, and 1 Corinthians 6, Pastor Brandon showed us how Jesus takes our shame upon Himself, restores what was lost, and declares us innocent before God. The story of the woman caught in adultery reminds us that where the world heaps condemnation, Jesus offers forgiveness and freedom.0:00 – Welcome to Venture Church Onlinesep 28th sermon text 2:23 – Prayer and introduction to Break Free seriessep 28th sermon text 3:26 – Recap of hidden sin and practical steps to overcomesep 28th sermon text 4:01 – What's the biggest mistake you've ever made?sep 28th sermon text 5:15 – A story of guilt, confession, and shamesep 28th sermon text 7:03 – Defining shame and how the enemy uses itsep 28th sermon text 9:36 – What the Bible says about shamesep 28th sermon text 12:03 – God forgets what we cannot forgetsep 28th sermon text 13:22 – Jesus takes our shame upon Himselfsep 28th sermon text 15:10 – The woman caught in adultery (John 8)sep 28th sermon text 18:25 – “Neither do I condemn you—go and sin no more”sep 28th sermon text 19:36 – Remember who you are: a child of Godsep 28th sermon text 22:09 – Without Jesus we are unworthy, but with Him we are forgivensep 28th sermon text 23:33 – Washed, sanctified, justifiedsep 28th sermon text 25:02 – How to break free from shamesep 28th sermon text 26:19 – Communion and reflectionsep 28th sermon text 32:35 – Worship response: leaving shame behindsep 28th sermon text

Saturday, 27 September 2025   yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Matthew 13:21   “And he has no root in himself, but he is temporary. And having come pressure or persecution through the word, immediately he stumbles” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus began to explain the seed cast on rocky places. He continues that with the words, “And he has no root in himself.”   The word was received with joy. However, for one of an almost infinite number of reasons, the person has no root in and of himself. It was not possible because of the circumstances in which he received the message. Like a seed on rocky soil, there is no way to establish a deep and abiding foundation, a root, to sustain himself. Because of this, Jesus continues, saying, “but he is temporary.”   It is a new word, proskairos. It is derived from two words. The first is pros, a word indicating to or toward and thus about, near, against, etc. The context will determine what the intent is. The second word is kairos, an occasion, opportunity, season, etc. It is often translated as “time.” The two words together give the sense of “for the occasion or time only.”   Jesus does not make a charge concerning the character of the individual, as most commentators claim. Rather, He is basing His message on the circumstances in which He exists, meaning as a seed on rocky soil. Because there is no root, He next says, “And having come pressure or persecution through the word.”   There are two new words, thlipsis is the first. It speaks of pressure. Vincent's explains that it is derived from tribulum, the threshing-roller of the Romans. However, it is not referring to the process of separating the corn from the husk, but to the pressure that causes it. As such, he notes as an example “the provision of the old English law, by which those who wilfully refused to plead had heavy weights placed on their breasts, and so were pressed and crushed to death.”   The next new word is diógmos, persecution. It comes from a word signifying to follow after. One can think of a person being hounded. Wherever he goes and whatever he does, he is unable to get free from his pursuers. As such, when pressure or persecution comes to this fellow because of the word he received, he has no roots to endure, and therefore, “immediately he stumbles.”   Without a suitable root to feed him and ensure he can endure the heat of the day, like a sprout that withers, he is offended and falls away.   As noted, Jesus does not speak of the character of the person, but the circumstances of his root. Therefore, a person with a strong character can be just as likely to fail as someone with a lesser character. The root brings in water and nutrients. This is what the word is for. The point is, no matter what, the seed cannot survive without a proper foundation.   This is why weak people who read, know, and apply the word to their lives will last, even when a staunch and hearty person who heard the word and loved its message may fall away. This is exactly the reason why so many commentaries misapply the lesson to be learned.   Be sure to continue reading below. The words will provide additional and invaluable insights into this truth for your walk with the Lord.   Life application: A few examples of incorrect analysis of this verse are cited below. The first is from Cambridge. They say, “Jesus forecasts the persecution of Christians, and the time when ‘the love of many shall wax cold,' ch. Matthew 24:12.”   This is wrong on the surface. Matthew 24 is not speaking of church-age Christian persecution. Jesus is speaking to the Jews about matters that apply to them as a nation. It is true there will be those of Israel who hear the message and believe during the tribulation, but this is the reference. Maintaining proper context is important in understanding Matthew 24.   Albert Barnes says, “Yet they have no root in themselves. They are not true Christians. Their hearts are not changed. They have not seen their guilt and danger, and the true excellency of Christ. They are not ‘really' attached to the gospel; and when they are tried and persecution comes, they fall - as the rootless grain withers before the scorching rays of the noonday sun.”   Barnes has made the error noted above. Jesus is not speaking of the character of a person, though this can be a part of such a matter. He is speaking of the circumstances in which the person received the message. The seed was placed in the wrong spot for it to mature properly.   Whether Jesus is speaking of Israel and their reception of the message or those of the church, the words carry the same truth. The difference is that Israel was under law. Law demands perfect obedience. Without Jesus, that is impossible.   Those in the church are under grace. Grace does not demand performance, but belief. What does Jesus say about this person? He says, “...this, he is, the ‘the word hearing and immediately with joy receiving it.'” What does the gospel say? Jesus gives the basis for it in John 3:16: belief. Paul explains it in detail in his epistles, noting it is based on belief. This person has believed. He received the message with joy. And what is the result of that belief when under grace? Paul says –   “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14   Albert Barnes, et al, failed to consider that the difference is Jesus in how a person is treated. A person can live and die under law, or he can live and die under grace. This is the initial circumstance that must be defined.   However, that circumstance is then further defined by the circumstance of place, meaning where the seed grows. If a person is saved, he is saved (reread Ephesians 1:13, 14 again!). However, if the person who is saved has no church, no copy of the Bible, and no further understanding of his obligations because no one told him, he will have no root to carry him through the pressures and tribulations that arise.   This is why it is so immensely important to feed oneself with the word. In today's world, we can shape the circumstances of our faith by actively feeding ourselves. Passively, the family we are born into may have provided sound soil. The activities at school may provide that as well. Church attendance may (depending on the church) do so also.   Reading the word, meditating on it, and applying it to one's life is the main source of such fertile soil. Pay heed to what feeds you, how you are fed, and the time you spend feeding yourself. Circumstance! Take advantage of the circumstances that you find yourself in. May you grow healthy and in an abundant manner so that you will be able to endure the difficulties of life when you face them.   Heavenly Father, thank You that when we believe the gospel, our salvation is realized. Thank You for the grace of God found in Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, help us to be responsible and pursue that good gift all the days of our lives. Amen and amen.

Sunday, 21 September 2025   For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' Matthew 13:15   “For it thickened, the heart of this people And their ears, heavily they heard, And their eyes, they shut, Lest not they should behold – their eyes, And they should hear – their ears, And they should comprehend – the heart, And they should return, And I will heal them” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus began to quote a verse from Isaiah concerning the state of Israel, specifically their inability to understand or perceive the meaning of spiritual truth. Jesus continues that quote, which explains why this is so, beginning with, “For it thickened, the heart of this people.”   Here is a new word, pachunó, to thicken. It is found only here and in Acts 28:27 when Paul cites this same verse. The thickening is that of excess fat. Therefore, it signifies having a dull, insensitive heart.   In Scripture, the heart is the seat of moral preference. It is the spot where the decisions that reveal our true character are made. In the case of Israel, their collective heart had thickened to the point of being insensitive. Their moral preferences had become contrary to the will of the Lord. Next, He says, “And their ears, heavily they heard.”   Here is another new word, the adverb bareós. It signifies heavily. In this case, it is in a figurative sense. This word is also only found here and in Romans 28:27. The meaning is that it is as if something is hanging over their ears, their ears are full of wax, or for some other reason, and the sound entering them is dulled and difficult to understand. Next, it says, “And their eyes, they shut.”   A third new word, again only found here and in Romans 28:27, is seen, the verb kammuó. It is derived from kata, down, and muó, to shut the eyes. Thayer's Lexicon says, “the phrase designates the inflexible pertinacity and obstinacy of the Jews in their opposition to the gospel.”   This is correct. There is a sense of a purposeful shutting of the eyes to block out what God would otherwise reveal to them. These spiritual insensitivities permeated the Jewish society, but this was not the Lord's fault. This can be seen in the next words, which reveal that their state was a self-inflicted wound. Notice how the following three thoughts are stated in the reverse order of the previous three, forming a short chiasm –   “Lest not they should behold – their eyes, And they should hear – their ears, And they should comprehend – the heart.”   The meaning is that if the people were to redirect their moral senses, there would be a change. It isn't that the Lord caused this, but that they willingly closed themselves off from being able to properly discern the incoming information. With that noted, Jesus finishes the quote, saying –   “And they should return, And I will heal them.”   The future tense is purposeful. Each of these points is dependent on the actions of the people. That it is speaking of the nation and not merely individuals within the nation is to be understood from the plural, they, and then the singular, the heart, noted above.   Israel had purposefully closed itself off to God's salvation as seen in the coming of their Messiah. However, there is a day ahead when this will change. At that time, the Lord promises that they should return and He will heal them. This will be according to His design. Until that point, the words speak of a constant state of dullness in their collective eyes, ears, and heart.   Life application: The words of Isaiah, as quoted by Jesus and later Paul, clearly refer to free will in man. In the case of Israel, they are so closely knit as a people that, despite their amazingly diverse political, moral, and religious differences, they are still intimately united as a single body.   In this state, their almost universal rejection of Jesus is understandable. It is the crowd mentality that is strengthened through a close-knit family bond. Until this ubiquitous set of blinders is removed, the nation will continue in this state.   It is God's intent and purpose for Israel to be saved. And more, it is clearly prophesied in His word that this will take place. However, they need to be brought to such a calamitous state that they will finally look beyond themselves and their supposed superiority as a people to realize that they are nothing without Jesus.   Until that day, be careful to evangelize them, pray for them, and have pity on them. Without Jesus, they are a hopeless, rudderless ship in a sea of overwhelming sin. Only Jesus can rescue them from it.   Lord God, we pray for the people of Israel. Your word went to them first, and it was rejected. But You are not through with them. Your covenantal fidelity to fulfill the promises made to them in Your word will be realized. But Your word also tells us of disastrous days ahead for them. So, Lord, we lift them up to You for many to be saved before that day comes. Amen.

A Sermon for the Feast of St. Matthew St. Matthew 9:9-13 and 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 by William Klock “As Jesus was leaving that place, he saw a man called Matthew sitting in the toll booth.” I expect that Matthew was just itching to get to this part of the story as he wrote his gospel account.  It's nine chapters in, roughly a third of the way.  But he knew that the Gospel is about Jesus, not Matthew.  Still, he was excited to tell people how he had met Jesus.  Up to this point, Matthew's been telling us about walking around Galilee preaching good news and doing all the Messiah things that made the good news real and tangible to people.  He's been across the Sea of Galilee where he cast a multitude of demons out of a man and now he's back and on his way home to Capernaum.  And that's how he meets Matthew.  Matthew's a tax- or a toll-collector and here he is, sitting in his tollbooth next to the road.  I suppose there must have been some kind of gate.  Matthew would get up from his stool, go out to the road, and collect the toll from everyone going from Point A to Point B and from Point B to Point A.  And everyone who went by grudgingly handed over their money.  And they grumbled.  And probably not a few people had some choice words for Matthew.  Because everybody hated tax collectors. I was racking my brain this week trying to think of an example from our world that would explain just how much people hated tax-collectors and why and it's hard to think of a modern equivalent.  That was a different world.  No one likes a tax-collector, because no one likes paying taxes.  But in First Century Judaea there was way more to it than just people not liking paying taxes.  The local Roman government decided how much they would need to run things and then they'd farm the collection of taxes out to the highest bidder.  And, of course, the tax collectors had to make a living themselves, so they'd pad their collection.  But they weren't just getting by.  Tax collectors were notorious for using their position to enrich themselves.  And the local council or governor didn't care just so long as they got their cut of the revenue.  It was bad enough and common enough that when the rabbis wrote about tax collectors, they typically lumped them together with thieves.  And it only made it worse when the tax collectors were working for the Romans.  We don't know if Matthew was working directly for the Romans or for some local Galilean authority, but at the end of the day it didn't really matter.  At some level the Romans were in charge of it all and tax collectors were thieves doing their dirty work. But there's more to it than that.  We think of Matthew, padding his toll collecting and getting rich by stealing from people whom he's got over a barrel and we think he's a pretty rotten guy.  That's an awful thing to do.  That's a scummy way to make your money.  But for the Jews there was another layer, something deeper to what made it so horrible, what made them hate someone like Matthew so much. Let me try to explain.  So, if you or I hear about a thief—or maybe a crooked tax collector skimming off the top—we just think, “That's a bad person”.  If we found out that this thief had been baptised and grew up going to church and Sunday school, we'd think something like, “I guess he forgot everything he was taught as a kid.”  Maybe if it came out he was an active warden or elder or deacon in his church, then we might start to think about what he'd done as a betrayal not just of his faith, but of us all.  Here's a guy who professed faith in Jesus, but betrayed that faith by doing something really sinful.  And maybe that gets us closer to how Matthew's fellow Jews would have thought about him.  Because Matthew was circumcised.  Matthew was part of the covenant community.  Matthew was marked out as one of the Lord's people.  And Matthew knew their story.  Matthew knew all about the Lord and how he had delivered his ancestors from Egypt.  Matthew knew all the great things the Lord had done in the centuries that followed.  We can kind of excuse some people today.  We all know people who were baptised, but they were never really taught the faith, their parents never really took them to church, now they're grown up and say they're an atheist, and the sinful lifestyle they live kind of makes sense in light of all that.  But that wasn't Matthew.  That wasn't anyone in Israel.  Everyone knew what it meant to be God's people.  There were no atheists.  They all knew that God hates sin.  They knew what it meant to be the people who lived with God in their midst.  They knew that you had not only to be holy to enter God's temple, but that you also had to be pure.  That's what set them apart from the pagans.  Matthew knew all of this.  Even if he he'd had rotten parenting, everything and everyone around him would have reinforced all of this. And he rejected it.  Maybe he chose this life on his own.  Maybe he inherited the job from his father who inherited it from his father.  That probably would have made it easier.  But whatever the case Matthew chose to live a life in apposition to everything his family, his people, and his nation stood for and he chose to do it right in the midst of them.  Imagine an Amish boy who decides he doesn't want to be Amish anymore.  Usually they leave and go to live in the outside world, but imagine this Amish kid decided to stay in his close-knit Amish town, but he struts around in fancy clothes, whips around town in his Porsche, and throws wild parties with loud music at his house on the weekends.  And everyone would be horrified at him.  That's Matthew, a tax-collector in Israel. But it gets worse.  Or at least I think it does.  Not everyone would agree with me on this part.  Mark and Luke, in their Gospels, refer to Matthew by the name of “Levi”.  Christian tradition has mostly understood Matthew and Levi to be the same person, but to make this connection is not without its difficulties.  One of those difficulties is that it was pretty rare for a Jewish person to have two Aramaic names.  A Jewish name and Greek name?  Like Saul of Tarsus who is also known as Paul: that's common.  But usually if someone with an Aramaic name has a second Aramaic name, it's because their given name is common, like John or Judas or Joshua, and the second name—maybe the name of his father—distinguishes him from other guys with the same name.  But neither Matthew nor Levi were common names.  No one was likely to confuse this Matthew with another Matthew.  But the one instance in which we see men with two Aramaic names is when they come from prominent families.  It wasn't uncommon for these men to be known by their family names.  And I think that's what has happened with Matthew.  Mark and Luke remember him as “Levi”—his family name—but Matthew went by his given name.  Because the family name Levi mean that they were a Levitical family.  And this made things all the worse for Matthew.  The tribe of Levi were the priestly family.  They were the ones who served in the temple.  They were the ones who acted as mediators between the Lord and his people.  Israel was a holy people, but the Levites were a holy tribe within that holy people.  Consider that one of the duties of the Levites was the collection of taxes.  They collected the tithes of Israel.  Those tithes were their livelihood.  And they collected the temple tax, to pay for the upkeep of the Lord's house.  But Matthew had become a tax collector of another kind, not one dependent on the Lord and the faithfulness of his people, but a man who fleeced God's people in collusion with the pagans. Brothers and Sisters, that was Matthew sitting in his toll-booth.  A wealthy traitor not only to the Lord, but to his people and to his family and to his calling and despised by everyone.  I fully expect there were days when Matthew longed to get out of the mess he was in.  In theory he could have made everything right and returned to the Lord, but to do that he'd have had to make restitution.  I don't think Matthew would have even known where to begin.  And so he stayed in his toll-booth, he kept his riches, and he threw parties for other tax collectors and sinners—because they were the only people who would associate with him.  And every day he became a little bit more dead inside. And then, this day, along came Jesus.  Matthew knew perfectly well who Jesus was.  Everyone in Galilee was talking about Jesus.  If nothing else, Matthew would have heard about his miracles, but I expect he'd heard about his preaching, too.  Maybe Matthew had even stood at a distance a time or two in Capernaum to hear Jesus preach.  Matthew knew that in Jesus the God of Israel was doing something.  But Matthew stayed at a distance.  Because Matthew knew he was a traitor to his God and to his people and to his covenant.  As attractive as Jesus and his message were, it was not for someone like Matthew. Brothers and Sisters, how many people around us feel just like that?  They're sinners.  They feel the weight of it and would love for it to be gone.  They've got some vague knowledge of Jesus.  But they'd never come to church.  A coworker once said to me, “Church is for holy people, not for people like me.”  They see no way out. And now Matthew sees Jesus approaching his gate.  Maybe he thought, “This might be the Messiah.  I should really cut him a break instead of ripping him off like I do everyone else.”  And that's when, he writes in verse 9, Jesus “said to him, ‘Follow me.'”  And he just says, “And he rose up and follow him.” I have to think there was at least a little bit more to it than that.  But those words, “Follow me” were ultimately what did it for Matthew.  No Pharisee, no scribe, no lawyer had ever come to Matthew and said, “Follow me, Brother.  Let me help you get out of your sins.”  They paid his extortionate toll, dropping their coin in the toll-box and being extra careful not to touch it or anything else that Matthew had touched.  They sneered at him—if they looked at him at all—called him “traitor”, and went on their way.  But this Jesus, this man in whom the God his fathers was so clearly at work doing something new, Jesus smiled and invited him to join in what he was doing. Brothers and Sisters, sometimes that's all it takes.  Matthew had seen God's glory on display in Jesus, but he didn't think it was for him.  He just needed to hear that, yes, in fact it was for him—for everyone, but especially for people like him.  That was actually part of the new thing Jesus was doing.  Without Jesus, reconciliation with is people was hopeless.  He was a toll-collector.  How could he ever make things right with everyone he'd ever stolen from?  How could he even make a good faith effort?  But in those words, “Follow me,” Jesus offered Matthew forgiveness.  Jesus bypassed the temple, because he is the new temple himself; he bypassed the priests, because he is our new priest; and he bypassed the sacrifices and the law of restitution, because he is the full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of Israel and the whole world.  Jesus simply held out forgiveness and reconciliation to Matthew.  All Matthew had to do was leave his tollbooth behind—that's repentance—and follow Jesus.  And, Matthew says, that's just what he did.  “He rose up and followed him.” He “rose up”.  I think Matthew chose that language deliberately.  It's resurrection language.  When he decided to trust Jesus—and that's just what it was: trust and loyalty and allegiance—he was raised up out of his sin, he was raised up out of his alienation from God and from his people, and he was given his life back.  And not just given back his old life, Jesus gave him something even better.  He lifted Matthew up out of the life this evil age of sin and death and gave him a taste and a promise of the age to come, of new creation, of the Holy Spirit, and of the fellowship with God that his people had been so longing for. And, too, Jesus restores to Matthew his birthright as a Levite.  As the Levites mediated the Lord to his people, so Matthew now brings the good news about Jesus to his people.  In verse 10 he immediately takes us to his house.  “When he was at home,” he writes, “sitting down to a meal, there were lots of tax-collectors and sinners there who had come to have dinner with Jesus and his disciples.”  Other tax collectors and sinners were the only people who hang around with Matthew.  Matthew knew that some of them felt the same way he did.  They were traitors to the Lord and traitors to his people.  They were hopelessly lost sheep.  There was no way out.  But Matthew had found it—or, rather, the way out had found him.  And so he invites his friends to meet Jesus.  They'd heard and seen him doing amazing things.  Like Matthew, they'd been on the fringe.  If the priest and Levites—not to mention everyone else in Israel—condemned them and kept apart from them, the Messiah certainly wasn't for them.  But here he was and Jesus was saying the same thing to them that he'd said to Matthew: “Follow me.”  And, I expect, at least some of them did.  And Jesus and the disciples rejoiced with those people because they knew that heaven itself was rejoicing too. But there were always the Pharisees.  Matthew writes that when they “saw it, they said to Jesus' disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?'  But Jesus heard them.  ‘It isn't the healthy who need a doctor,' he said, ‘it's the sick.  Go and learn what this saying means: “It's mercy I want, not sacrifice.” I haven't come to call upright people, but sinners.'” Like Paul says in our Epistle today, there was a veil over their eyes.  The Pharisees were sick in their own ways, and Jesus exposed their sickness by going to the tax-collectors and sinners.  When they complain about it, he quotes the words the Lord had spoken to Isaiah.  We heard those words last week when our Gospel was the parable of the good Samaritan—Hosea 6 turned into a story.  The problem was that the people lacked the heart of God.  The sinners devoted to their sinning, the greedy tax-collectors ripping everyone off, and the Pharisees too—almost everyone in Israel—was far from God.  His absence from the temple all those years was a metaphor for Israel's problem.  Even those who were devoted to the law and who were “religious” about their tithing and their sabbaths and their diet and their sacrifices, were no closer to God than the prostitute or the tax-collector.  And so Jesus came to the sinners with God's mercy—because they so desperately needed it—and he gave it to them in front of the watching scribes and Pharisees and all the “upright” people in Israel so that they could see that they needed to learn that same mercy and know it themselves. It was that mercy that reached Matthew.  It was that mercy that reached Paul and lifted the veil from his eyes.  And it was that mercy, made manifest in Jesus, that both Paul and Matthew proclaimed.  It was this mercy that's at the centre of the Gospel that Matthew wrote to his people.  And it's this same mercy that Paul preached.  In today's Epistle from 2 Corinthians 4, he writes that it's this mercy that drives him forward despite all the obstacles.  “The ‘god' of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they won't see the light of the gospel of the glory of the Messiah, who is God's image.”  So what's the solution?  Paul writes, “We don't proclaim ourselves, you see, but Jesus the Messiah as Lord…because the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts, to produce the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus the Messiah.” Brothers and Sisters, Paul—and Matthew, for that matter—knew that it wouldn't be gimmicks or tricks or fancy speaking or trying to make God's word palatable to sinners that would lift the veil from the eyes of unbelievers.  It would be the proclamation of the good news about Jesus.  That light—the glory of God in the face of the Messiah as Paul describes it—that light met Matthew in the darkness of his tollbooth.  That light met Paul on the road to Damascus.  And it lifted the veil.  It dispelled the darkness.  It cast out the ‘god' of this world who enslaves us to sin and death and makes us to think there's no hope of escape.  The light of the glory of God revealed in the good news of Jesus the Messiah is the answer and the only answer.  It's our hope and our only hope.  We too often try those other things.  We water down God's word to try to make it less offensives.  We try gimmicks or we try programmes.  But Brothers and Sisters, we should know better.  The Lord has promised that one day the knowledge of his glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea and that will happen because and only because his people have been faithful to proclaim his glory revealed in Jesus the Messiah who died and rose again. Brothers and Sisters, don't be afraid.  Don't question whether it'll work or not.  If the light of the gospel could tear down the veil that once had you blinded, if it could break the chains of sin that once bound you, it will tear down the veils that blind and it will break the chains that bind the rest of the world.  Just proclaim it.  Jesus has died and Jesus has risen, not just for you or for me or for holy people, but for sinners—for everyone.  He holds out his hand to us wherever we are and invites us to leave it all behind, to follow him, and to rise to new life. Let's pray: O almighty God, whose beloved Son called Matthew from his tollbooth to be an apostle and evangelist: Set us free from the chains of our sins to follow and to proclaim your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Jesus is not an extra on a nice little life. Without Jesus, there is no nice little life. There is only misty meaninglessness.

In Today's Secular Uncertainties, God is Sovereign; and God “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Political discord and health care uncertainties surround us in all directions today. Without Jesus in our lives, we have reasons to be anxious and fearful. However, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:31: “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”. The future years may hurt our pride, wallets, and/or our freedom. On the other hand, we should not let the current secular political environment and culture hinder our resolve to continue in our fearless faith in the truth; our constant hope in the future; and our radical love for our neighbors. God has a plan; and, regardless of how things look from our eyes, we must remain faithful to His purpose. Now is the time to draw near to Jesus and to advance His Kingdom. Our gaze must remain on Jesus if we want to walk on the water during the storm. God is the King of Kings and the Sovereign God of the Universe. As Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 4:17 when God told Nebuchadnezzar: “to the end that the living may know that the Most High {God} rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will and sets over it the lowliest of men.”. God is always involved in our lives, and He gives the government offices “to whom he will”, even if the political processes produce “the lowliest of men {or women}”. Sometimes, we receive the elected officials we need, and sometimes we receive the elected officials that we deserve; but God is always Sovereign and faithful.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be a complainer (Philippians 2:14). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 6:31; Philippians 4:5-7; Daniel 4:17; Psalms 106c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Go! Make Disciples!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

God alone is the standard of goodness.Luke 18:18-19, Psalm 100:5, Deut. 32:4, John 1:14 Without Jesus, we are not good enough for God.Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3:23 In Jesus, we are good enough for God.Romans 3:22-24 Fill yourself with God's Word in order to bear His goodness.Romans 15:14, Psalm 119:68, Psalm 119:104-106, Romans 12:2 Fill yourself with the world in order to bear its darkness.Ephesians 5:6-11, Psalm 1:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:33 My motivation each day is to bear the goodness of God in order to exalt the name of Jesus Christ!2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 --------DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOOREGet Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo.CAREGIVINGDo you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org.GROWTH TRACKWe all have a next step - what's yours? To learn more about our Growth Track and to take your next step, biblechapel.org/connect.

Friday, 15 August 2025   But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28   “And if in God's Spirit I, I eject the demons, then it preceded upon you, the ‘God's kingdom'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus trapped the Pharisees with a question concerning the casting out of demons by their sons, meaning their disciples. With that complete, He now states a proposition to be accepted or rejected by the hearer, beginning with an emphatic statement, “And if in God's Spirit I, I eject the demons.”   Jesus has just clearly demonstrated that He cannot be ejecting demons by Beelzebul, something the Pharisees would have to grant based on His logic. Understanding that it is not by Beelzebul, then it must be from another source. In fact, it can only be from one source. And so He says, “then it preceded upon you, the ‘God's kingdom.'”   Here is a new word, phthanó (ff-than-oh), to precede, as in arriving ahead of time. Because of this, it is an arrival “before something which indicates priority in importance or sequence” (HELPS Word Studies).   The use of this word by Jesus indicates that He had already been on the scene, performing healings and miracles while preaching the gospel, but the people didn't realize that He was who He, in fact, turned out to be. One might paraphrase the thought, “Jesus walked among us, and before we knew it, He had revealed Himself to be the Messiah.”   The sense of the word can be seen from Paul's description of the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 –   “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede (phthanó) those who are asleep.”   Jesus cast out demons. He was accused of having derived His authority from Beelzebub. He demonstrated that such could not be the case. Therefore, what He had accomplished was evidence that what He did was from God, and thus God's kingdom had already come upon them.   As usual, the spiritual leaders of Israel missed the boat in understanding the significance of the events around them. Today, two thousand years later, they sit in synagogues and miss the fact that God's kingdom has come, rejecting Jesus, and thus rejecting their only hope of salvation.   Life application: It is common in evangelical Christian circles for people to give Jews a pass on not accepting Jesus, as if they are ok without Him. This comes in varying degrees. The most extreme case of this heresy is that of dual covenantalism, something preached by John Hagee. It is also the set doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. Even if it is not openly taught, it is in their doctrinal writings.   Others may not openly understand or accept this doctrine, but they still hold to it in their thinking, trying to rationalize away why Jews are ok with God because they are “God's people,” even while understanding that Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc., are condemned without Jesus.   This attitude stems from a failure to understand who “God's people” are at a given time. Hosea prophesied of a time when His people would no longer be His people, but those who were not His people would be His people. Paul explains this in Romans 9-11.   While the Jews are out of God's favor, they are “God's people” only in anticipation of restoration. However, they are not His people for salvation. Rather, that belongs to those -Jews and Gentiles – who have received Jesus. They are a part of the church.   That day will end at the rapture, and a simple question clears up the heretical notion that the Jews today are “God's people.” Will the Jews who don't believe in Jesus be taken at the rapture? The answer is obvious, “No.” Rather, they as a collective group will go through the tribulation. This proves that they are not now “God's people” except in anticipation of restoration.   The Christian community would do far better by evangelizing Jews than by proclaiming that they are God's people, thus bolstering the idea in their minds (meaning the Jews) that they think Christians believe they are right with God. Without Jesus, there is no salvation. Remember the basic equation –   In proper theology, one plus one will always equal two.   “‘I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.' 39 They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.' Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.'” John 8:37-41   Being a descendant (physically descended from) Abraham does not mean one is a child of Abraham from a spiritual perspective. Rather –   “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.' 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:5-9   Glorious God, help to get our thinking right in relation to what You are doing in redemptive history. Too many reject Israel because of their misdeeds, as if they no longer have the promises of the prophets. But too many fail to acknowledge that without Jesus, the Jews stand condemned. Help us to have clarity of thought, and to pray for and evangelize to this beloved, set-aside group of people. Amen.

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddJoin the Angel Guild today and stream Testament, a powerful new series featuring the retelling of the book of Acts. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeGavin Newsom Gives Birth to MAGA in Palisades, California // The Party of AOC is the Party of Always-On-Crime. // Christianity Without Jesus. Episode Links:Trump on the Los Angeles/Palisades fireThe State of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sends a letter to a home/landowner asking for permission to access a creek on his property to document the decline in a certain species of unheard of frogs.Activists in DC protesting about Trump cracking down on violence are starting to fight each other. How ironic.THIS Is Why Trump Is Cracking Down On Washington, D.C.How White Women Would Fix CrimeDC Mayor Muriel Bowser: “We're at a 30 year violent crime low!”These idiots in DC are protesting cleaning up crime. “Trump can't have it”Dana Bash response to Trump federalizing DC police to fight violent crime: “I should note that the most violent moment in recent DC history was January 6." This is CNN.Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept at a homeless shelter because you, assemblyman @ZohranKMamdani  are occupying her rent controlled apartment. - Andrew Cuomo. BREAKING: Mass ARRESTS are now happening at an anti-ICE protest in New York! Arrest them all!!!Reverend Al Sharpton attempted to link J6 to Trump's decision to deploy federal law enforcement to curb crime in DC, but the guest rejected it outright.The Rev. Gordon explains why monogamy isn't for him, and why he and his 'husband' have an 'open marriage.'"These questions are going to get me into so much trouble on the internet." 'Different Church' impastor Hannah Siegmund explains why Jesus didn't have to die on the cross.

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Neither our bodies, nor finances, diseases, possessions or people need define our life. Without Jesus, we have existence, but not life. He defines the future, and His glory defines our intended life. Your soul need never long for peace, value, or love. He gives life with no shame or regrets. Dare to let go of your life.   Click https://bit.ly/m/Life-Journeys to find a list of your favorite platforms for this podcast!

"It is better to be a live dog than a dead lion. " - Ecclesiastes 9:4

"It is better to be a live dog than a dead lion. " - Ecclesiastes 9:4

Proverbs 19:17 tells us when we lend to the needy, we really give to God. What does that mean for all our good deeds? Can goodness even exist without Jesus?

Intro:This morning, we're diving into Proverbs to explore God's heart for the poor. This builds on last week's sermon on justice. We'll hear from community members dedicated to this work. Who are the poor? It's complex, encompassing food insecurity, homelessness, and material lack, as Michael Simmon from the Rescue Mission shared. While our nation has safety nets, biblical understanding goes deeper.Scripture References: Proverbs 5:1-14, Proverbs 29:7, Proverbs 31:20, Proverbs 22:9, Proverbs 28:27, Proverbs 17:5, Proverbs 19:17, Matthew 25, Luke 4, 1 John 3:17-18, Galatians 2:9-10, Acts 3:1-9Key Points:Poverty's Complex Causes: Proverbs acknowledges poverty results from both bad choices and injustice. Avoid instant judgment; it's a mix of personal decisions, family, and systemic issues.The Righteous Care for the Poor:"The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern" (Proverbs 29:7).The Proverbs 31 wife, epitomizing wisdom, "opens her arms to the poor" (Proverbs 31:20). Caring for the poor should be central to followers of Jesus.Rewards for Caring for the Poor:"The generous will themselves be blessed" (Proverbs 22:9)."Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses" (Proverbs 28:27). There's eternal reward and divine warning.God Identifies with the Poor:"Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker" (Proverbs 17:5)."Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord" (Proverbs 19:17).Matthew 25 highlights: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these... you did for me." God takes our actions personally.A Holistic Gospel:Our gospel must be good news to the poor. Jesus' mission began with proclaiming good news to the poor (Luke 4:18).Avoid two errors:Serving the poor while neglecting Jesus/discipleship: Without Jesus, healing from deep pain is incomplete (Heidi Heredia).Preaching the gospel but neglecting the poor: "How can the love of God be in that person?" (1 John 3:17). Our gospel needs "feet"—actions. The early church was known for this care.Helping Without Hurting:Avoid increasing shame/savior complex: Don't disempower. Use asset-based community development (Steve Corbett) – resource their gifts to restore dignity (e.g., Creekside Community Church selling gifts).Avoid "parachuting": Partner with indigenous ministries. Building relationships and local ownership are key (Dave Schlich). Jesus is already at work; we join Him.Avoid giving relief to those who need development: Understand relief (immediate aid), rehabilitation (getting out of the pit), development (learning to walk again). Our goal is full restoration.Panhandling: Michael Simmon advises against cash. Offer connection, food/hygiene items. "Being seen" is vital.The goal: restore full humanness, glorifying God in right relationship with Him, self, others, and creation.Conclusion:Many are helping without hurting (Rescue Mission, Gleanings, Dream Center). We're called to embody this holistic gospel.Call to Action:Remember Acts 3:1-9: Peter and John gave the lame man healing in Jesus' name, not just money. We empower people to "walk, jump, and praise God." Ask God for your part and pray for those leading this work. Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.

Ephesians 6:10-13 - Being Strong in the Lord Focus on Ephesians 6:10-13, particularly the "wiles of the devil," defined as schemes, tricks, and lies. The devil attacks to prevent people from standing firm. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood." Personal experience of being tempted to stay silent before speaking. The devil tries to discourage and bring down. Weightlifting Analogy Relating scripture to weightlifting, using the example of his son's weightlifting journey. Son initially struggled in football but persevered. Improved through hard work, nutrition, and weightlifting. Became a top performer in the weight room. The central nervous system's role in lifting heavy weights. Body resists heavy weight, causing shaking, pain, and mental discouragement. Many quit at this point. Overcoming the "wiles of the devil" is like pushing through the pain and mental barriers in weightlifting. The devil uses lies and tricks to make challenges seem impossible. Example: "This person has hurt you too much." Advice given to his son and nephew: Hold the weight to understand the feeling. Prayer and support from others are essential. Reference to Aaron needing help holding up his arms. Gradual progress is key. His son incrementally increased weight over time. Importance of standing firm after doing all one can. Relating weightlifting to spiritual battles and the attacks of the devil. "Arrows and darts are coming at them." Emphasizing the need to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. "We cannot do this alone." Anticipating attacks from the devil, either now or in the future. Remembering that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood." Wile E. Coyote Analogy Comparing the devil's schemes to Wile E. Coyote's tricks. The Roadrunner's confidence and focus on his goal. Confidence in the Lord allows us to overcome the "things of darkness." Personal testimony of being saved at a young age. Acknowledging ongoing struggles and reliance on faith. Recalling a time when his daughter was in the hospital with a heart condition. Despite the scary situation, faith remained strong. "Her little heart may be half a heart in there, but that little God is full." David and Goliath Drawing a parallel between the Roadrunner's confidence and David facing Goliath. David's confidence in the Lord despite Goliath's size and experience. The army was scared and tricked by the devil's wiles. David's declaration: "I come to Thee in the name of the Lord of hosts." Emphasizing reliance on God's power, not personal strength. David's past experiences with the lion and the bear gave him confidence. "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine?" Encouragement to face seemingly impossible giants with faith. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities." Invitation to Accept Jesus The only way to stand is through the power of God's might. Without Jesus, one can only rely on oneself. Offering an opportunity to: Accept Jesus as Savior. Seek help to stand in His might. Find confidence. Get rid of things. If lost, there is no hope without Jesus. Personal testimony of the blessings of following the Lord. When faced with the devil's tricks, prayer brings help and strength. "I'm still standing in the power of His blood."

Psalm 90,Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.3 You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!”4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.7 For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed.8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty;yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.13 Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants!14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! Admiral Jim Stockdale was one of the most highly decorated officers in the history of the Navy — some of you have heard of him before. He was a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War and he's most famous for an ordeal that began on September 9, 1965. He took off in his A-4 Skyhawk for a normal mission, but this time, on his way back, he got shot down, ejected from his plane, and landed in a village where he was captured by the enemy. They held him as a prisoner of war from 1965 to 1973 — he was kept in solitary confinement for four years, in leg irons for two years, and he was physically tortured at least 15 times.And he survived. He was later released and obviously everybody was fascinated by his story. Stockdale wrote a couple of books about his experience, but he was made most popular by a business book that includes an interview with him. In that book, the author asked him, How'd you do it? How'd you make it through that time?And Stockdale said here's the key:“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end […] with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality […].”In other words, you must hold together brutal facts and prevailing hope. This has become known as the “Stockdale Paradox” — or we could just call it the message of Psalm 90.Stockdale's answer is what we find in this psalm, which is relevant to all of us, because Psalm 90 is about life in a fallen world. The question behind this psalm is: How do you make it here? How do you do really live in this world? — that's the question. Anybody interested in that?! And this psalm shows us how in two parts: Verses 1–11 is You face the brutal facts.Verses 12–17 is You remember our prevailing hope.That's what we're gonna look at this morning. Father in heaven, thank you for your ancient words! And thank you for your Holy Spirit who is with us now. Speak to us, this morning, we pray, in Jesus's name, amen. Facing the Brutal Facts (verses 1–11)There are at least three ‘brutal' facts here, and as we look at them, I want us to think of these as facts that we would tell ourselves. So I'm gonna say them as things that you would say to yourself — #1 is this … if you want to make it in this world, face the fact that…1. God is God.Psalm 90 starts here:“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.”Verse 1 shows us right away that Moses is looking up! He starts with “Lord, you” — which means he's reading his situation in light of the Lord. This is a prayer of faith. And so whatever else he might say in this psalm, we know first that he's saying it to God — he's bringing it to God. And he knows God. Verse 2:“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”God is God. And God didn't just start to be God yesterday, but he has always been God. He was God before there was anything else. Before the mountains of the earth — before even the earth itself — God was who he is. He's bigger than us; he's older than us, and he's in control. We don't need to say anything about ourselves until we first understand this: It's not our world that God is part of, but it's his world that we're part of it. It's not that we fit him into our plans, but we exist for his purposes. It's not our story that he serves, but it's his story that we find ourselves in.So before you get stuck in your own head — or if you need to get unstuck — remind yourself that God is God. I think Psalm 90:2 is a great verse to memorize. It's the foundational, barest fact of all facts. God is God!We start there. We say that to ourselves. And then, soon enough, we get to ourselves and we realize that if God is God, we are not God. We are creatures. We are created. We're made. We are not from everlasting to everlasting, but instead we're time-bound.One of the interesting things of this psalm is the prevalence of time language. Just listen to all these words used: Generations, years, morning, evening, days. These words show up 15 different times in 17 verses. And what they're doing is they're forming the confines in which we live. When it comes to us, there's a beginning and an end to our lives here …And that brings us to the second brutal fact. Face the fact that…2. You will die. This is where Moses goes next, in verse 3. He's says to God, You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!”And this sounds like Genesis 3:19. The mention of dust alongside the allusion to death takes us back to the Garden of Eden and the curse of sin, and that helps make sense of Moses as the author of this psalm. Moses, perhaps more than anybody, was well acquainted with the brutal facts of the human condition. He wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, including this quote from Genesis — so he knew the story well! He knew everything from the creation of man to the fall of man to how the reality of sin played itself out in the idolatry and rebellion of the people of Israel. Moses wrote the origin story, and he had a front row seat to its implications.And Moses knew that death was the consequence of sin.That's something we don't tend to think about. We know death is certain, but we don't usually connect it to the curse. We don't think when someone dies: This person died because of God's judgment on sin. But that's where Moses goes! Look at verse 7:“For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.”Verse 11:“Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?”Moses connects the dots between God's judgment and death, and he leads us to do the same. That's the point of this rhetorical question in verse 11. He says Consider this! Think about this — because you probably haven't!Do you realize how effective God's curse on sin has been? God meant what he said when he told Adam in Genesis 2:17,“You shall surely die.”And for thousands of years, for billions and billions of people — for 110 people around the world every minute of every day — God has proven what he said. Every funeral you ever been to. Every loss in your life. Every graveyard you see with rows and rows of tombstones. They all testify to at least one fact: death is the curse of sin that God said it would be — Genesis 3:19, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” That is the only reason people die! Because God said that's what sin would bring. Because that's the judgment of God that sin would cost — God has never stopped paying that out. There is no escape.And for most of history, humans have been more in touch with their mortality than we are today.Today, as a society at large, we prefer to distract ourselves from it or numb ourselves to it. But that wasn't the case even 100 years ago.This Spring, Melissa and I were looking around at an antique shop, and I found this old framed print called “The Ages of Man.” It's an illustration of a man in eleven stages of life. At the center of it, there's the Garden of Eden and Adam eating the fruit — the fall of man which brought the curse — and then over to the left there's a stair climb up to a peak, and then a decline — it's goes up and then down, from cradle to grave. It's a visual reminder that you're gonna die.So I bought it … and brought it home, and put it in my study. And as I researched it, come to find out, there were countless prints like this, or iterations of it, that started circulating in the 16th century in the Western world. This particular one was published in 1906, but there are thousands and thousands of them in several different languages, and people used to have these prints hanging up in their homes and they'd see it everyday. We can hardly even think about our mortality. But brothers and sisters, friends, Psalm 90 is clear. You're going to die. Face it. Now to #3 … if you want to make it in this world, face the fact that…3. Life is hard. In case you thought death was the worst part, think again. The worst part, the brutalist fact, is that life is hard. And it's hard in part because it's so brief. That's the real contrast between God and us in Psalm 90. He is from everlasting to everlasting, and us … well … we get swept away with the rain. We're like a dream. We're like grass that's renewed in the morning, but then by evening, it's gone. Verse 9: our years come to an end like a sigh. Sigh — and we're gone.To really bring this point down for us, Moses gives a number in verse 10: Seventy years. That's the average. And this is fascinating. Think about this. Moses wrote this thousands of years ago — and there are different life expectancies in different parts of the world and there's been a little variance the past 200 years, but, altogether, 70 is about the average! Moses is right, and he's been right for a long time. Now, for some, Moses says, you might get to eighty. But you're talking that's an elite league.But 70–80 has been the standard life expectancy for most of human history — that's fascinating. Back before the flood, people lived a lot longer (I think that's the reference in verse 4). Kenan lived 910 years; Methuselah lived 969 years — that's a good run, but even that is like nothing before God. Methuselah's life to God is like yesterday afternoon. Yesterday afternoon! — that's a thousand years to God, so what about for 80 years? 70? Your life?It's a passing shadow. A vapor. And of that little vapor, that teeny little span, verse 10 says, is “but toil and trouble.”Wait, are we in Ecclesiastes? This sounds like Job on the worst day of his life (see Job 14:1–2)!No, we're in the psalms, and Psalm 90 is true. In that illustration of the stages of life — that picture now in my study — there's a caption beneath each decade that describes the decade, and the older the man gets, the bleaker the caption is (I had to use Google translate because it's in Swedish). But the caption under age 90 says, “At 90 years old, lame and bent, he has lost all memory of the joys of life.”It's kinda sad, but it's true to life under the curse. It's Psalm 90. And we need it. Now, of course, we can push back on all of this with some legitimate “whattabouts” — Whattabout this? Whattabout that? There are many blessings in this life! God's mercy is more! Amen! … but through verse 11, we need to hear Psalm 90 as it is. We find here the brutal facts about life in this world:God is God (not you).You're going to die.The brief time you have here is hard. Stockdale would say you gotta face the facts. Hold it here.But that's not the ending. Brutal facts are met with prevailing hope, and we find that in verse 12–17. Remember Our Prevailing Hope (verses 12–17)Verses 12–17 are six verses of petitions. Each verse is Moses asking God to do something surrounded by the background of these brutal facts. And we see two things here about hope.First, we see what hope does. How it drives Moses to pray a certain way.But secondly, and I think most important, we need to know what the hope actually is.We'll start with the is.What Hope IsIt's verses 13–14, and these are two verses I want to make sure you see. So everybody, do what you can to look at verse 13. Find verse 13.Moses prays: “13 Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”And the keyword here is “morning” in verse 14. It's the third time it's used in the psalm. Before I explain it, let me tell you first how I've always read this verse: I've understood it to mean that the way to rejoice and be glad all your days is to start each day, to spend each morning, getting your heart happy in Jesus.Meditate on the word of God, remember the love of God — private worship every morning. If you do that every morning, your days will be glad.That's how I've read Psalm 90:14, and that's been my practice, and guess what? I think it's true!I encourage all of you to start each morning in the word of God — be satisfied with the steadfast love of God! And, at the same time, I don't think that's what this verse is saying … because the word “morning” here is not referring to the literal morning.When “morning” is used in verses 5–6, it's symbolic of the earlier years of a person's life — it's the ascending stairs. When “morning” is used here in verse 14, it's symbolic of the new day of resurrected life. It's the reality of God doing what Moses prays in verse 13. Return, God! Come back! Fulfill your promises! Restore your people! Make all things new!In other words, “morning” in verse 14 is talking about heaven — the eternal morning.Moses is saying: if we can be satisfied with God's steadfast love in heaven — if that's our future, if God does that — then all our days here, on the way to that future, can have joy and gladness. Because we know that whatever happens here, the best yet to come! Whatever happens here, the worst thing is never the last thing. We have a future! We have a future with God! That's our hope. That's what the “morning” is referring to, and this starts to make sense. The petitions here demand this.In verse 15, Moses prays,“Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us …”He's saying, For as much time as it's been hard here, give us that same amount of joy! But look, if life itself is hard, if all of life is “toil and trouble” (which is what verses 1–11 tell us) then verse 15 requires another life.Moses is asking for a new life — that's the hope of heaven. The prevailing hope of Psalm 90 is a new heavens and new earth where we will be with God, in his fullness of joy, where at his right hand are pleasures forevermore.That's what the hope is, and now what does the hope do?What Hope DoesTwo things: work and wisdom.First, the hope of heaven means our work matters.Verse 17, Moses says:“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!”Now this is saying a lot! It means that the brutal facts of verses 1–11 are not meant to make us despair, but to make us sober. The reality of our creatureliness, the certainty of death, the brevity and hardships of life — none of those things mean that life here has no meaning if heaven is real.If this world is all we have, then sure, “Let us eat, drink, and be merry — Blah to everything!” But if heaven is real, if we have a future with God, and our lives here are consequential to that future, then our work here matters. We have things to do, and we should do them. We plant and grow and harvest and share. We design and build and steward and multiply. We are blessed to bless, saved to serve, given to that we might give. And we should be steadfast in these things, immovable, always abounding in this work because we know that because heaven is real, our work here is not in vain (see 1 Corinthians 15:58).Our work matters.Second, the hope of heaven means we need wisdom.This is verse 12: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”Now, what I'm about to say is going to be so plain and simple you're gonna be like “Duh!” Here it is: If heaven is real, and your life here matters, then it's wise to know your life here is brief.This is starting with the end in mind. Start with heaven. That's our future, church. Jesus is real and he has gone to prepare a place for us, and he's going to come again and take us to himself that where he is we may be also. Jesus said that! Heaven is as real as Jesus is!And then, you mean to tell me that my life in this world has meaning for that?! My life has consequence for that? God can use my life here to impact heaven?Sign me up! — How much time do I have?!Not a lot of time. Limited time. Your days are numbered. Now what effect does that have? It gives us wisdom. It gives us wisdom to make the most of the time we have.I have another little framed picture in my study. Melissa's late grandmother gave it to me (and I think it also came from an antique shop). But it says, Just one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.Josiah Bennett exhorted us with these words a few weeks ago. This is how we want to live. It's how I'm trying to live!We recognize the brevity of life here, and we do it full of the hope of heaven, the realness of Jesus, at the center of our minds and hearts — hold those two things together … heaven is real and life here is short … wisdom!This is our prevailing hope: Heaven is real. So our work matters and we need wisdom. So says Moses in Psalm 90 … face the brutal facts; remember our prevailing hope — which is not just a strategy for survival, this is how we thrive. This is not merely about how to make it in this world, but it's how to have joy and gladness all our days even amid the sorrows.Father, would you do that?This now brings us to the Table.The TableOne thing I want to make clear this morning is that the hope that Moses talks about here, and our hope, is not abstract, but it's personal. There's no doubt in the Psalm, anytime there's language about God returning, or the restoration of God's people, it's always pointing to the Messiah. Jesus is the person of our hope. Jesus himself says, in Revelation 22,“I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16).He is the one we hope in. He is what makes heaven heaven. We look to him this morning, and I want to invite you to do that. If you've never put your faith in Jesus, you're stuck in verses 1–11. Without Jesus, there is no hope. But you can have hope this morning. Come to Jesus. Ask him to save you. Make Jesus your hope. And for those of us who have done that — if you've trusted in Jesus — at this table we remember him and give him thanks! We want his glory to be magnified.

This weekend we enter the second have of the Church Year with the Trinity Season. The coming 20+ weeks of the church year will focus on the RESULTS of Christ's work for us in our lives. This weekend we will be looking at the Family. The family has been created by God, and it is blessed by God. This hymn reminds us that the family is completed in Jesus.  The hymn was written by a very popular German hymnwriter in the 18th Century by the name of Christoph Pfeil. His hymn was originally eight verses long and was shortened by Catherine Winkworth when she translated it.  The hymn highlights the blessings that God imparts to us through the family, and weaves in Bible passages and historical accounts from the Bible as examples for us. Pfeil reminds us that Christ completes the family. Without Jesus as the center of the family, the family is incomplete. For "if He [Jesus] were not dwelling there,  How dark and poor and void it were."  Verse 2 is based in part on Psalm 128: "Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways." Faith in Jesus is going to bring about results. We will walk in His ways when we are brought to faith in Him. We will not be perfect, but knowing that His way is good and best, we will desire to live as He desires. Parents who instruct their children in the Word and point them to Jesus who is our all in all, will be blest (v.3). That doesn't mean that our children will not fall away from the Christian faith. They may reject Jesus as they get older. But the foundation parents give their children will help protect them from the world and its temptations.  Two examples from Scripture are alluded too in this hymn. One is Luke 2:41-52 and the other is Joshua 24:15. Mary and Joseph served as a godly example of raising Jesus, bringing Him to the LORD's house, and instructing Him in the Christian faith. They are an example for us. Joshua is another example. The last verse of the hymn is a paraphrase of Joshua's words: "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." What an confession and example for us! "I and my house will serve the LORD!" May it be true for all of us! May the LORD bless your worship this weekend, and give you strength in you family callings, assuring you of the forgiveness that is found in Jesus!

This Sunday at Venture Church, we continued our Fruit of the Spirit series with a powerful and timely message on Peace—what it is, where it comes from, and why the world can't give it.

Jesus. For countless years, it's been debated who Jesus was, what was His character? Many have asked the question about what's Jesus' place is in the past, the present, and the future. Thankfully, Jesus didn't leave the truth of His existence and His nature shrouded in mystery. Jesus was, Jesus is, and Jesus is to come. He is the Alpha, and He is the Omega. He was before time, He created time, and He stepped in to time not to help us, but to recreate us. Jesus is the Ancient of Days, He is the Living Word. None have come before Him and none will come after Him. He is the light, the truth, the way and He loves us with an intensity that can never be fathomed. Without Jesus, our lives are purposeless and void of true hope and joy. If you don't know Jesus, let us introduce you to Him. He lived to die, if only just for you. Cry out His name, He has always answered. Without Jesus, death is the only certainty. But with Him, eternity is a future we can look to with peace and joy!!!!! We thank you Jesus, for your great love!!!! 

Jesus. For countless years, it's been debated who Jesus was, what was His character? Many have asked the question about what's Jesus' place is in the past, the present, and the future. Thankfully, Jesus didn't leave the truth of His existence and His nature shrouded in mystery. Jesus was, Jesus is, and Jesus is to come. He is the Alpha, and He is the Omega. He was before time, He created time, and He stepped in to time not to help us, but to recreate us. Jesus is the Ancient of Days, He is the Living Word. None have come before Him and none will come after Him. He is the light, the truth, the way and He loves us with an intensity that can never be fathomed. Without Jesus, our lives are purposeless and void of true hope and joy. If you don't know Jesus, let us introduce you to Him. He lived to die, if only just for you. Cry out His name, He has always answered. Without Jesus, death is the only certainty. But with Him, eternity is a future we can look to with peace and joy!!!!! We thank you Jesus, for your great love!!!! 

Send us a textI John speaks of a sin that leads to death, and another sin that does not lead to death. Isn't all sin bad? Of course! The illustration is confirmed throughout all scripture. If you deny Christ is the son of God, this is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, against the confession of God, who anointed Jesus with his blessing, “This is my son. Listen to Him.” These things are written so that you would believe in Jesus. Who became our atoning sacrifice, our advocate to the father. Without Jesus, we are all lost. =====Searching for answers to life's questions? Need help finding a church? Drop us a line. We would love to help you find a congregation that practices the love of Christ. The Extra Mile Podcast is a work of Milwaukee Ave Church of Christ in Lubbock, TX. Assembly times:9:30 AM - Classes for all ages10:30 AM - Sunday Morning Assembly5:00 PM - Sunday Evening Assembly7:00 PM - Wednesday Evening AssemblyEmail us:  the.emile.pod@gmail.comInstagram: @extramilepodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/546CHn6Qvdh807yhYC5sHL?si=j6-jHRTiRh6_Non9E9URagApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-extra-mile-podcast/id1550189689Google Play: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMjgwNTI1LnJzcwWe would love to hear from you! Email: the.emile.pod@gmail.com Instagram: @extramilepodcast

In this episode of Wake Up, Look Up, Pastor Zach challenges the rise of chaplaincy without Christ, urging listeners to recognize that true spiritual care must be rooted in the gospel. Without Jesus, he argues, we're offering comfort without substance—and that's not just ineffective, it's dangerous.Have an article you'd like Pastor Zach to discuss? Email us at wakeup@ccchapel.com!

Have you taken a hard look at where your time goes? In this challenging episode, Jesse Cope asks tough questions about our priorities, beginning with a simple but profound observation: time is our most precious commodity, and how we spend it reveals what we truly value.The heart of this episode explores the biblical understanding of marriage from Matthew 19, where Jesus teaches that divorce was never God's original plan. Cope uses a vivid metaphor of mixing two colors of Play-Doh to illustrate the concept of "cleaving" in marriage—becoming so fundamentally joined that separation becomes impossible. This stands in stark contrast to our culture's casual approach to marriage and no-fault divorce, which has normalized what God considers sacred.Moving from personal relationships to national identity, Cope shares the remarkable stories of Medal of Honor recipients Sylvester Antilak and Richard Antrim, whose extraordinary courage under fire exemplifies the highest American values. These accounts serve as both inspiration and rebuke to our cultural obsession with celebrities while forgetting genuine heroes who sacrificed everything.Drawing from Fox's Book of Martyrs, the podcast connects ancient Christian witnesses who refused to worship idols with our modern struggle to resist cultural pressures. Are we willing to be seen as different because we refuse to sacrifice our time to entertainment, sports, and other contemporary idols? Our perseverance through trials may be the very witness that brings others to faith.The episode concludes with powerful historical evidence of America's Christian foundations, including writings from early colonists who sought religious freedom to worship according to Scripture. Cope makes the sobering assertion that without a return to these principles, America cannot survive—no political solution alone can preserve liberty without a spiritual foundation.What would change if you realigned your priorities today? Listen, reflect, and consider what your use of time says about what you truly value.Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

You will stand either clothed in righteousness or in your sin. There are consequences for both.. Listen as Pastor Steve explains.

You will stand either clothed in righteousness or in your sin. There are consequences for both.. Listen as Pastor Steve explains.

Without Jesus, we are spiritually blind. Jesus' resurrection replaces our blindness with sight.

In the same way that America wouldn't exist without the arrival of the pilgrims, Christianity wouldn't exist without the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. Without Jesus' resurrection, Christianity collapses like a house of cards. What is it about the resurrection of Jesus that makes it the key to Christianity? What does it unlock for your everyday life?  (Easter Sunday 2025)

In Today's Secular Uncertainties, God is Sovereign; and God “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Political discord and health care uncertainties surround us in all directions today. Without Jesus in our lives, we have reasons to be anxious and fearful. However, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:31: “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”. The future years may hurt our pride, wallets, and/or our freedom. On the other hand, we should not let the current secular political environment and culture hinder our resolve to continue in our fearless faith in the truth; our constant hope in the future; and our radical love for our neighbors. God has a plan; and, regardless of how things look from our eyes, we must remain faithful to His purpose. Now is the time to draw near to Jesus and to advance His Kingdom. Our gaze must remain on Jesus if we want to walk on the water during the storm. God is the King of Kings and the Sovereign God of the Universe. As Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 4:17 when God told Nebuchadnezzar: “to the end that the living may know that the Most High {God} rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will and sets over it the lowliest of men.”. God is always involved in our lives, and He gives the government offices “to whom he will”, even if the political processes produce “the lowliest of men {or women}”. Sometimes, we receive the elected officials we need, and sometimes we receive the elected officials that we deserve; but God is always Sovereign and faithful.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be a complainer (Philippians 2:14). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 6:31; Philippians 4:5-7; Daniel 4:17; Psalms 106c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday To Easter”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The Prodigal God - Part 4:  We Had To Celebrate Exile is a persistent feeling within the human condition because our sin has destroyed the intimacy with God we once experienced. Without Jesus, we’d never be restored to full communion with God. Without Easter, we’d never have access to intimacy with God. Without resurrection, there’s no hope of the future feast for followers of Jesus. 

This is part 4 of "Last Words," our sermon series at Fusion Christian Church where we examine the final seven sayings of Jesus before he died. What is the significance of Jesus' last words? As we look forward to Easter, it's time to reflect on our Savior's final moments on the cross. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches about Jesus saying "I am thirsty." Beyond the physical, what spiritual drink did Jesus desire from the cross?What is the right kind of thirsty?-You thirst for God's word to be fulfilledWhen Jesus said he was thirsty on the cross, he fulfilled scripture. His desire was that God's word would come to pass through what he did, and he willed it to be so. Like Christ, we should also desire to see God's word fulfilled both in the world broadly and in our lives specifically. God's word does not return void, and we should act in a way that helps bring it to pass. This means we should bear fruit and, especially, that we should preach the gospel. -You thirst for God's righteousness.As Christians, we should desire to be right with God. We should desire goodness, and the only way to be good is through Jesus. If we are to satisfy our desire for righteousness, we must find the source of living water, which is Jesus. When we are in Christ, he renews us through the power of the Holy Spirit and gives us the ability to do good works. Without Jesus, nothing good that we do has any value for us spiritually. We must be made alive together with Christ before we can drink from the water he gives us. Will you choose Christ? Will you desire his righteousness?

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Every artist has a story, and Peter Burton's is one you need to hear. This episode is a deep dive into his journey of faith, resilience, and the power of music to heal. Peter opens up about his struggles with mental health, the pivotal moments that shaped his faith, and the inspiration behind his moving new song, "Where Would I Be." From a broken guitar to a renewed sense of purpose, Peter's story reminds us that God can use even our deepest wounds to bring hope to others. Let's go to the Story House!Connect with Matthew!Newsletter: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/emailsignup ⁠Facebook: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/FB⁠Instagram: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/IG⁠Website: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/website⁠YouTube: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/YT⁠TikTok: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/TikTok⁠Amazon: Ask Alexa to "follow Matthew West on Amazon Music!"

In this episode of Holy Disruption, host Heather Schott discusses the role of empathy, justice, and righteousness within the Christian church. She is joined by co-host Pastor Les Cody and guest Dr. Christina Crenshaw, who shares her extensive background in Christian education, theology, and leadership. The conversation delves into the church's response to social justice issues, the manipulation of empathy, and the cultural wars surrounding gender identity. The episode also touches on the importance of parents and Christian leaders providing clarity and standing firm in biblical truth. A powerful prayer closes the discussion, aiming to empower families and communities to take a righteous stand.

Jesus says He came that we might have life and have it to the full, that it comes through the Holy Spirit, and cannot be found any other way. (John 10:10, 6:62-64) Without Jesus there would be no way for us to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven or to have the fullness of life He offers. The way to enter is narrow – it is only through Jesus. Let us seek to understand the implications this has for us in how we live and love others. Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Matthew 7:13-14 with John 10.

It's Witness Wednesday! Todd Friel is back at it with students at Kennesaw State University talking about the existence of God, sin, and repentance. Todd will emphasizes the need for understanding and accepting Jesus Christ for eternal life and salvation. Segment 1: • No Creator, No Moral Standard? – If a painting requires a painter, doesn't a universe require a Creator? Connor acknowledges this but struggles with defining God. • Shifting Morality vs. Absolute Truth – If culture shapes morality, what happens when it changes? Without a divine lawgiver, everything is just opinion. Segment 2: • Every Sin Counts – From lying to lust, Connor realizes that even internal sins are violations against a holy God. • Guilty Without Appeal – Standing before the ultimate judge, what defense does Connor have? Without Jesus, the sentence is eternal. Segment 3: • Religion Without the Gospel? – Tim understands the framework of Christianity—purpose, morality, and structure—but leaves out the cross. Why? • The Core of Christianity – Good works and meaning won't save you. Only the blood of Jesus can pay the fine for your sins. Segment 4: • Faith Must Be Personal – Tim gives intellectual answers but is challenged: Has he truly been born again? Or has he just followed religious tradition? • The Assurance of Salvation – Unlike Connor, Tim confidently recalls the moment he was saved. Do you have that certainty? ___ Preorder the new book, Lies My Therapist Told Me, by Fortis Institute Fellow Dr. Greg Gifford now! https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/liesmytherapisttoldme ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

What if discipleship isn't just another Christian buzzword but the very essence of following Jesus? In this profound conversation with Steven David (known online as Sahil the Disciple), we unpack what it truly means to be a disciple in today's complex world.Steven offers a refreshingly simple yet powerful definition of discipleship as "the art of obedience" - learning to follow Jesus in every aspect of life. Drawing from scripture, particularly John 15 and Matthew 28, he illuminates how abiding in Christ forms the foundation of all discipleship efforts. "Without Jesus, if I am not connected to the Lord Jesus Christ, I can't do anything," Steven explains, highlighting our dependence on divine connection.For those experiencing spiritual dryness, Steven offers compelling wisdom about continuing spiritual practices even when emotions wane. Using marriage as an analogy, he emphasizes that just as spouses don't abandon their relationship during emotional lulls, we shouldn't abandon our spiritual disciplines during desert seasons. Whether you're a new believer seeking guidance, a seasoned Christian mentoring others, or someone navigating a spiritually dry season, this conversation offers practical wisdom for authentic discipleship in today's world. Connect with Steven @SahiltheDisciple on social platforms where he continues to share insights on theology, relationships, and Christian living.Support the show

Welcome to First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman! Subscribe and join us for online & in-person services every Sunday at 10:30am (EST).Speaker: Pastor Steve Brady

Have you ever heard the saying, “Live your truth,”? Well in today’s message, Pastor JD reminds you there is only one truth and that is found in Jesus! Like your belt holds up your pants, the truth of Jesus is the anchor that holds everything in your life together; or at least He should be. Without Jesus at the center, everything is relative.

710 To Whom The Word Of God Came, A Guided Christian Meditation on John 10:34-39 with the Recenter With Christ app  The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation John 10 NIV 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”'[d]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,' to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. NASB 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I said, you are gods'? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), 36 are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,' because I said, ‘I am the Son of God'? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may [h]know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore they were seeking again to arrest Him, and He eluded their grasp. Meditation on Scripture: Jesus Quotes Psalm 82 to show us that the true power comes from the will and decisions of God. True Goodness comes from God. The Messianic role fulfilled by Jesus came through the power of God. There is a great irony of having Jesus accused of Blasphemy. This scripture is deep and has many lessons but, at this moment I'd like to reflect on this.. Has the word of God come to you? Jesus is the word, spoken of in John 1 that was with God and was God. Awareness about Jesus is the heart of this. Do we understand that the true word referred to here is embodied in Jesus who was sent to the world to make us holy. Without Jesus and the works he came to do, none of the other struggles of life has any eternal meaning. As we put our trust in Jesus we are swallowed up in the power of God over the whole world and every possible dimension and eternal consequence.  In this moment if you haven't done so already, choose to follow Jesus and learn of Him for the rest of your life. If you have already chosen this, then grab hold of that memory and decision and embrace it in your mind and heart. Let us recommit to that. To continually bring our minds and hearts back to that decision. Embrace the things God says in scripture as eternally important and allow that word to take hold in your heart by reflecting on it, reading it, meditating on it, as we are here. Overall we should seek to feast on it.  God cannot blaspheme. It is certainly not blasphemy for God to describe something about Godhood that we dont understand. Had the Jews realized that Jesus was God it would have been ridiculous to call out Jesus for Blasphemy. As we embrace Jesus as the Savior of the world we also embrace His sovereignty about the truth. God can guide you in your life and learning how to receive that is one of the greatest lessons of life.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Confounding the wisdom of the world, Jesus Christ became God in the flesh and dwelt among His creation. God's glorious salvation arrived, full of grace and truth. In this message from John 1, Pastor Lutzer shows how Jesus is the divider of humanity, giving us a choice between light and darkness. Without Jesus, we will only manage our darkness. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29