POPULARITY
Categories
165 episodes with Woe
176 episodes with Woe
182 episodes with Woe
147 episodes with Woe
134 episodes with Woe
138 episodes with Woe
105 episodes with Woe
98 episodes with Woe
131 episodes with Woe
90 episodes with Woe
67 episodes with Woe
43 episodes with Woe
70 episodes with Woe
85 episodes with Woe
62 episodes with Woe
57 episodes with Woe
34 episodes with Woe
37 episodes with Woe
29 episodes with Woe
36 episodes with Woe
22 episodes with Woe
31 episodes with Woe
19 episodes with Woe
23 episodes with Woe
22 episodes with Woe
37 episodes with Woe
14 episodes with Woe
22 episodes with Woe
12 episodes with Woe
30 episodes with Woe
19 episodes with Woe
14 episodes with Woe
15 episodes with Woe
12 episodes with Woe
15 episodes with Woe
14 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
13 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
11 episodes with Woe
11 episodes with Woe
11 episodes with Woe
12 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
9 episodes with Woe
13 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
9 episodes with Woe
9 episodes with Woe
9 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
15 episodes with Woe
13 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
9 episodes with Woe
19 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
2 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
9 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
2 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
11 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
8 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
11 episodes with Woe
11 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
7 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
2 episodes with Woe
2 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
10 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
5 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
2 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
6 episodes with Woe
3 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
4 episodes with Woe
John Campione (Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care), "Life-Changing Moments", Children's Time, Modern Worship Praise Team (11:15 Service). 1. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4. And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am [a]undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, he Lord of hosts.” 6. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin [b]purged.” 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8 NKJV)
Good Noise Podcast discuss new releases from The Dirty Nil, Michael Clifford, Point North, DON BROCO, DED, From Ashes to New, and more. Show reviews -Summer of Loud: Beartooth, I Prevail, Killswitch Engage, Parkway Drive, The Amity Affliction, The Devil Wears Prada, Alpha Wolf, and Dark Divine -Rachel Ana Dobken -We Came As Romans, After The Burial, Currents, Johnny Booth -Phantom Planet, Range Life Album reviews The Dirty Nil and Michael Clifford Single reviews Point North, DON BROCO, DED, From Ashes to New, Ryan Oakes, Have Mercy, Loveless, Caskets, Motion City Soundtrack, Hatebreed, Thrice, Signs of the Swarm, Between The Buried And Me, Silent Planet, In Her Own Words, Three Days Grace, mgk, 3OH!3, Greyhaven, blessthefall / Story Of The Year, and Woe, Is Me Grab some GNP Merch!: https://goodnoisepodcast.creator-spring.com/ Check out the recording gear we use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/goodnoisepodcast Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/goodnoisepodcast Good Noise Podcast Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodnoisepodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodnoisepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goodnoisepodcast Discord: https://discord.gg/nDAQKwT YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFHKPdUxxe1MaGNWoFtjoJA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/04IMtdIrCIvbIr7g6ttZHi All other streaming platforms: https://linktr.ee/goodnoisepodcast Bandcamp: https://goodnoiserecords.bandcamp.com/
John Campione (Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care), "Life-Changing Moments", Children's Time, Choir, Blended Worship Praise Team (8:45 Service). 1. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4. And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am [a]undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, he Lord of hosts.” 6. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin [b]purged.” 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8 NKJV)
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7qy-dTUtTA4Most men have learned how to clean up well.We look calm. Composed. Put together.We show up to church, crack a few jokes, keep the peace; and no one would know what's actually happening in our hearts.But Jesus isn't fooled by appearance. He sees straight through the polish and into the pain.In today's episode, Kaleb unpacks what it means to “clean the inside of the cup.”He shares a raw story about how God confronted him in the middle of the night, while he was busy rehearsing a bitter argument in his head, and revealed just how much unhealed junk was still living in his heart.This isn't about behavior management. It's about soul work.Because your wife doesn't need a perfect version of you. Your kids don't need a dad who looks impressive.They need a man who is whole on the inside.In this episode:The hidden difference between external discipline and internal healthHow to know if you're just “managing the outside”The biblical call to clean the inside of your cupWhat makes a man useful to GodWhy your family needs a healed version of you—not a polished one"Woe to you… You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. First clean the inside of the cup…”— Matthew 23:25–26Resources:Bring A Conference To Your Church: https://www.dadtired.com/conferencesSupport the mission: https://www.dadtired.com/donateToday's Sponsor: Hands On Kids Bible by TyndaleGo deeper:If this episode hit you—share it with a friend or take 30 seconds to leave a review. It helps us reach more men who are ready to do the hard work of becoming whole.
Isaiah 45:1–13 (Listen) Cyrus, God's Instrument 45:1 Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:2 “I will go before you and level the exalted places,1 I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron,3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me.5 I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.7 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things. 8 “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it. 9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?' or ‘Your work has no handles'?10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?' or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?'” 11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: “Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?212 I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.13 I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward,” says the LORD of hosts. Footnotes [1] 45:2 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint level the mountains
John Campione (Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care), "Life-Changing Moments". 1. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4. And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am [a]undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, he Lord of hosts.” 6. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin [b]purged.” 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8 NKJV)
7/27/2025 Rev. Siyoung Jung Jude 8-16 English Standard Version 8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs[a] at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
A talking donkey (yes really), a greedy prophet, and a deadly trap... It's not a movie plot; it's one of the most critical warnings in the Bible for the church today. Ever wonder if it's possible to be "spiritual" and even hear from God, but still be completely on the wrong path? The story of Balaam in the Old Testament is a chilling example. Jude warns us in Jude 1:11, “Woe to them! For they have... plunged into Balaam's error for profit.” In this sermon, we take a deep dive into the second warning of Jude 11: The Error of Balaam. We'll unpack the wild story from the book of Numbers and expose the four critical mistakes Balaam made—mistakes that false teachers and even well-meaning Christians are still making today. Join us as we uncover: ➡️ How to tell the difference between being "spiritual" and being truly Spirit-filled. ➡️ The seductive danger of using God's gifts for personal gain (the "prophet for profit" scheme). ➡️ How one person's compromise can lead thousands into sin, especially sexual sin. ➡️ The fatal pride of thinking you can get away with hidden sin. This isn't just an ancient story. It's a roadmap for protecting your faith and recognizing deceptive influences in our modern world of "Christian influencers" and prosperity gospels. Don't fall for the Error of Balaam. What was the most surprising part of Balaam's story for you? Let us know in the comments!
Woe to Jerusalem 29 “Woe to [a]Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! Add year to year; Let feasts come around. 2 Yet I will distress Ariel; There shall be heaviness and sorrow, And it shall be to Me as Ariel. 3 I will encamp against you all around, I will lay siege against you with a mound, And I will […]
In this Scent 397 episode, balanced with nobility of Iris and depth of Patchouli, Chris is sporty spice and gives sass to british car watchers, Chrissy encourages you to get the 397 fragrance (includes Patuilli), Tim is the piercer enforcer pumper while Mental plans his Porsche 912 road trip like a poet on a bender—romantic, reckless, and always convinced that Interstate 5 will somehow reward poor decisions with good stories. Really we discuss ‘Tale of Woe,' and how breakdowns hit differently now versus when we were younger and broke. We reflect on lessons learned, offer practical advice for surviving a road trip with a hooptie. (Hint: Bring cash, carry AAA, and above all—expect the unexpected.) We balance that with your inputs and experiences. Listener shoutouts roll in, from celebrating National Stick Shift Day to a German word for when improvements go hilariously wrong: Verschlimmbesserung. There's praise for AAA, complaints about Boston drivers, and deep appreciation for the absurdity of breakdown stories. The highlight? Mental's epic California road trip story is broken into three seemingly unbelievable vignettes, each wilder than the last—Red Bull-can roadside repairs, getting hit on at a bar, and experiencing the surreal corporate bustle of a Morgan Hill Starbucks. Spoiler: all three stories are true.We even talk about our latest wild Racing Junk find—a 1989 Toyota Celica GTS Lemons racecar with a V6 swap, a pile of spare parts, and a sketchy-but-free enclosed trailer. We break down the value of 17 RS4 tires (most likely used) and debate the trailer's potential for hauling poor life choices. Mental dreams of acquiring it despite no truck to tow it. Scent 397 link: https://thescentreserve.com/products/397-car-air-freshener-inspired-by-la-vie-est-belleThe West Coast Alice's Restauranthttps://alicesrestaurant.com/89 Celica for $3k with tons of spars and a trailer on Racing Junkhttps://www.racingjunk.com/24-hours-of-lemons-cars-and-equipment-for-sale/184731237/1989-toyota-celica-gt-s-hatchback-2d.html?category_id=4520&np_offset=2#2Brittany Force is the fastest human in NHRA History (Brad Brownell @ Jalopnik)https://www.jalopnik.com/1917563/brittany-force-officially-fastest-person-drag-racing/ Monster Truck loses Tire, smashes Kia (Jerry Perez @ the Drive) https://www.thedrive.com/news/monster-truck-show-turns-terrifying-when-stray-tire-crushes-spectators-kia Real Life Grand Theft Auto with a Fire Truck (Justin Hughes @ Jalopnik) https://www.jalopnik.com/1918171/stolen-fire-truck-smashes-14-cars/ Free Bingo Card Generatorhttps://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generatorPlay Cardle!Playcardle.comChris Blizzard Lighting Guidehttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1W0Wk6fGSO2G7y3fDUMeBcsJ58XCZF6w0E77wXuqNrV8/mobilebasic?fbclid=IwY2xjawKaAtVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFjTmRidmN2bWFreVpWTVJMAR4qfvXupatPN52a6j2I2NhnvvfyNGFdmVcIZs37A3fWaYkKm-is8vJxOedoWw_aem_U2NDwxufdWEd0Pn-9DU3HwJoining the E1R F1 Fantasy League! It's Free and Chrissy is losing!!!https://fantasygp.com, Build your own team, then join league 74259541Mental's Porsche 912 - https://youtu.be/_AEg7U4mWgI?feature=shared Our Website - https://everyoneracers.com/ Download or stream here - https://open.spotify.com/show/5NsFZDTcaFlu4IhjbG6fV9 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPrTs8wdzydOqbpWZ_y-xEA - Our YouTube
This is a remake of episode 64 of WOE.BEGONE that I originally made as a prize for completing the TryLeg ARG. Now with improved Michael Voice™!Season 18 continues next week. Thanks for playing.[Warning: This episode contains depictions of violence. Listener discretion is advised.]LINKS:STICKERS/MAGNETS: https://ko-fi.com/woebegonepod/shopMUSIC: http://woebegonepod.bandcamp.comBLUSTEER: http://blusteer.bandcamp.comTWITCH: http://twitch.tv/woebegonepodPATREON: http://patreon.com/woe_begoneALIZA SCHULTZ: https://shows.acast.com/the-diary-of-aliza-schultzTRANSCRIPTS: http://WOEBEGONEPOD.comTWITTER: @WOEBEGONEPODDISCORD: https://discord.gg/pn9kjTBYPD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jesus Delivered Us (7) (audio) David Eells – 7/23/25 Saints, I'm going to pick up where we left off last time, how Jesus delivered us and gave us authority over demons. People may argue with me about speaking with new tongues, but the Bible says, (Mar.16:17) And these signs shall accompany them that believe … they shall speak with new tongues. I am not saying a person who is not filled with the Holy Spirit cannot cast out demons, but it is more powerful to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God has shown me by experience that a person needs to be filled with the Holy Spirit, otherwise demons will take advantage of you. As I have said before, the only condition is faith. Because of their religious theology, some want to put conditions on the people who are casting out demons. (Mar.9:28) And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, [How is it] that we could not cast it out? (Many people think, “See, there's another condition here!”) (29) And he said unto them, This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer. The King James Version reads, “This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer and fasting,” but neither the ancient manuscripts nor the Numeric English New Testament have the words “and fasting.” There is no numeric pattern in “and fasting” here because those words were added in, and your Bible probably has a footnote regarding it. Fasting is not a law. You can't find it in the Scriptures concerning casting out demons. The Pauline Epistles, NIV, NASV, ASV, and the Amplified Bible all go back to the ancient manuscripts, and they do not have the words “and fasting” in Mark 9:29, nor do the texts of the three most ancient manuscripts. “Fasting” does not belong in the “casting out” verses because Jesus is not making deliverance from demons dependent on our works. If we have a short opportunity to cast a demon out we haven't got time to fast. Of course, fasting is good. Jesus said, (Mat.6:16) Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. (17) But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; (18) that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee. He said, “when you fast,” but He did not command fasting at certain times. He did not make it a requirement of the Law. He is not saying, “Here is a condition,” because then you would never know if you had fasted enough. The devil could come along and say, “Hey, you didn't fast enough!” or “You need to pray more!” I have actually cast out condemning demons that were making God's servants constantly have to fast or pray until they were worn out. Fasting and praying are good, but salvation of any kind is not by works. If you seek it by works instead of a free gift that was already given, you may not receive it. So while there's nothing wrong with fasting, the words “and fasting” are not in the ancient manuscripts in Mark 9. (Mar.9:29) And he said unto them, This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer. The prayer He's talking about here is a prayer to be delivered from unbelief, which is what the epileptic child's father prayed. (Mar.9:24) Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, I believe (He's making a good confession there, isn't he?); help thou mine unbelief. There is no place in the Scriptures where anybody prayed devils out; they always commanded them to come out. You are not asking a devil to do anything, and you are not asking God to do anything. You are just fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and casting out devils as the Bible says to do. In Mark 9 Jesus is not talking about praying to cast the devil out; He is talking about praying to cast the unbelief out. Here's another example. (Mat.17:19) Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out? (20) And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. You do not have to fast. You do not have to pray. You just have to know your authority. Tell them, “Come out in the Name of Jesus!” However, praying that God would put confidence and faith in you is a good way to prepare you for casting out demons. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. So, praying to God for faith is legal, but is praying to God to cast out demons legal? I do not see that it's according to Scripture because there's no example of Jesus or the disciples doing it. I just do not see that this is what He is talking about. One train of thought about casting out demons is that you just sit there and wear them out. You keep repeating “Come out in the Name of Jesus!” until they come out. It might be hours or days later. Some people do what they call “praying through.” They pray and pray and pray until they see something happen, but that's not the spiritual way to do it. People who “pray through” concerning demons do not pray and speak by faith because they pray and speak until they see something happen. The other train of thought is just to say, “Come out in the Name of Jesus!” trusting that the words you have spoken must be obeyed. This same phrase is used in Mark 11:23. When you pray, believe you have received and thank God for it. Rejoice in it and praise God! Then you will see it happen. (Mar.11:23) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. (24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. If you speak by faith, then you can say something and walk away without seeing results. I gave you an example of the time we cast the demons out of my mother because they were bringing our house under the curse. As fast as the names of the demons came to us, we commanded those spirits to come out and then we just left her room, not waiting to see anything. When we returned the next morning, we learned that she had rolled around on the floor all night, struggling with those demons until she was delivered. In the past, I have repeated, “Come out in the Name of Jesus,” but the Lord showed me a better way: believe the word that you spoke has the authority of God and that demons have to obey it. The term “unclean spirit” is a broad name that covers all the different types of demons. In Luke 13, though, we have a spirit called a “spirit of infirmity.” We just looked at an epileptic spirit (Mark 9:17) and a dumb and deaf spirit (Mark 9:25), and both are called “unclean spirits,” but they were also “spirits of infirmity.” (Luk.13:11) And behold, a woman that had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up. (12) And when Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. (13) And he laid his hands upon her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. (14) And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because Jesus had healed on the sabbath… Notice that He cast out a spirit of infirmity, but the text still calls it “healing.” She was healed after the spirit of infirmity had come out from the bound-up and doubled-over woman. There was nothing physically wrong with her. (Luk.13:14) And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, answered and said to the multitude, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the day of the sabbath. (15) But the Lord answered him, and said, Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? Some cases are like this; there is actually nothing physically wrong with the person. It's the demon that is causing the problem. There may be times when the Holy Spirit would have you cast out a spirit and pray for healing, because a spirit in that instance has done damage that he hasn't repaired; he just left it there, but when you pray for that person to be healed, they will be healed. We read how all the people out of whom Jesus was casting demons were God's Covenant people. (Luk.13:16) And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham (It was a condition that she be a “daughter of Abraham,” otherwise, He would not have said it.), whom Satan had bound, lo, [these] eighteen years to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath? It says Satan bound this woman for eighteen years, yet it was a spirit of infirmity that was binding her. Well, all of these spirits, including spirits of infirmity, are under the authority of Satan. If a person repents, then that person is under the Blood and in Covenant with God, which we see is necessary in order to receive deliverance. Jesus told a group of Jews who were arguing with Him and claiming their father was Abraham, but Jesus said their father was not Abraham. He said in (Joh.8:44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do… They were doing his works; Jesus was judging them according to their works. If Satan bound a person for eighteen years, then the problem was not flesh; the problem was the devil. The Bible says, (Act.10:38) [Even] Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. It says, “healing all.” The reason they needed healing was that they were oppressed of the devil. Sickness is not just physical. Psychiatrists think that a problem is psychological, and physicians think that the problem is of the flesh. The Bible says that the problem is the devil and man's affinity for the devil. The problem is spiritual. God's Word says He “went about … healing all that were oppressed of the devil.” Most people want to treat the problem from the area of the physical, but this was not Jesus' method. He never “treated” anybody; He commanded them healed. He took authority over the devil. Even though sickness may not be a spirit of infirmity dwelling in the flesh, it still comes from the devil. For instance, Jesus went into Peter's house when his wife's mother was sick with a fever. (Luk.4:39) And He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered unto them. He rebuked the fever as though it were a “somebody.” While the fever was only a physical thing, there was a spiritual authority behind it that obeyed Jesus' command. It does not matter whether the demon causing the infirmity is on the outside or the inside; it still comes from the devil and needs to be treated spiritually. The reason why most people do not get their healing is because they are attacking it from a physical, rather than spiritual, direction. They have been deceived into thinking there is a physical answer to their problem, but God wants them to look for the spiritual reason behind the oppression and to receive the spiritual answer. Satan is called the “prince of the powers of the air.” (Ephesians 2:2) That's the first heaven, our realm. From the beginning, he has come in and out of the second-heaven realm to test us and to take captives, although he doesn't have a free will. God is the only Sovereign, but Jesus gave authority to His disciples and passed that authority on to us through them. (Mat.28:18) And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. (That doesn't leave the devil any authority or right to use power.) (19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations … (20) teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you… (Notice that we were given the same authority as they had.): and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. He will be with us in this authority to the end of the world, or “age.” The disciples He first spoke to are no longer here; we are the ones here at the “end of the world” and He delegated this authority over the enemy to all His brethren. (Luk.9:1) And he called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. Some say this power was only given to the apostles but in (Mat 28:19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations… 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. So this is to us too. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. We see that by the command of Jesus, the early disciples have passed this on to us. Satan only has the authority that God and His children give him. You can see from the pattern in Job chapters 1 and 2 that God is very particular as to what authority He has given the devil. On the other hand, God's children are very foolish in some ways. They give Satan authority that he shouldn't have through their disobedience, fear, and spoken words. Job admitted this, saying in (Job 3:25) For the thing which I fear cometh upon me, And that which I am afraid of cometh unto me. (26) I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; But trouble cometh. God knew all of this and He does all things according to law, but He wanted and needed to test Job. God had perfect faith that Job would endure because He upheld Job and controlled Satan. The benefits were that Job learned some things about himself that he was quick to repent of and be delivered of. The testing of Job was extreme so that you may know that in your smaller tests, the Father can give you victory, too. (Job 1:7) And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (8) And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil. (9) Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? (10) Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. (11) But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face. (12) And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand. (Notice this was a controlled test.) So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. (Job 1:13) And it fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, (14) that there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them; (15) and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away: yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (16) While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (17) While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (18) While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; (19) and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (Job 1:20) Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; (21) and he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (22) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (Job 2:2) And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (3) And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. (4) And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. (5) But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face. (6) And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life. (Job 2:7) So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. (8) And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the ashes. (9) Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. (10) But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. (Job 2:11) Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to bemoan him and to comfort him. These so-called “friends” were the worst test, with their slander and railing against Job. God told them they had not spoken the truth in (Job 42:7) And it was so, that, after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Like Joseph and David, and Jesus, Job was tested and came out blessed above measure. What are some principles we can take from Job's experience? First, do not fear Satan, his demons, or the people they use. (Mat.10:28) And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Second, do not release Satan by living in willful sin (Heb 10:26,27). He has authority to administer the curse to those who do this. Third, do not release Satan by your words against God's Word, and the other side of that is, do not release him by your words of faith in Satan and his power. (Mat.12:36) And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (37) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Many preachers put fear in God's people through their reporting about the enemy's works because they do not let their words always be seasoned with grace to give faith to the hearer. (Col.4:6) Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one. We have been delegated authority from the Lord, but it is useless if we ignore these principles shown in Job. (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (19) Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. Since Satan has sown deceit, he is therefore reaping deceit. He thinks he can win against God, or he wouldn't even try. Through things that can be seen, Satan is threatening you with what he will do because carnal men believe what they can see. We know “The Destroyer” to be a demon called “Apollyon” (Revelation 9:11), but the Egyptians recorded that they looked up and saw a planet that they called “The Destroyer.” Satan attempts to make you fear and take full advantage of you. Because when you have fear, you are having faith in him and the curse. The powers-that-be are Satanists who know this principle of instilling fear in the heart of their victims, and so they tell us beforehand what they will do. Satan is saying through them that through technology such as microwave mind control and HAARP and other experiments, he is going to be able to torment you. When you believe him, he has authority. To some extent, we do need to know what the plans of the powers-that-be are; however, far more importantly, we need to know our authority over the devil and his works. We are not to stop the trial or test because our Lord has ordered it, but as with Job, we are to show that through faith in the Gospel, we are justified and given authority over all the power of the enemy. Just as Jesus did, we have authority to give people the gifts of God when they believe the Word. Now let me share a testimony from an anonymous sister in Christ. Corrected from Researching Evil I am thanking God for the message about separation and sanctification called “Sanctification Before Blessing.” [This book is available on our website under UBM Books and in audio in our One-Hour archives.] Before I was born from above, I had been attacked in this area. I was considered “popular” in the world and the worldly church. Now in this time of seeking the Lord, learning how to be a disciple, there has been a lot of separation of people from us. First, it was people of the world separating from me. Then it was people of the worldly church. It is freeing to know that the LORD is doing this. It is biblical. I also thank God for the admonition to turn from NWO (New World Order) research. I had been getting snared in that research a lot lately. During prayer and confession with a sister, I heard the words, “Knowledge does not save. I save.” I had been having a battle against this lust of my carnal mind to know and to learn things. This lust brings a lot of rotten fruit, like paranoia, anxiety and fear. I was hearing, “There must be infiltrators in UBM. The Illuminati is everywhere.” I started getting cynical. You can't trust anyone! It was all a downward spiral into depression, irritation and despair. I felt myself getting puffed up. I was acting proud with people who didn't know what I knew, considering myself superior to the “sheeple.” Although I knew this attitude was pride and not of Christ, ingesting so much New World Order information kept overcoming the spirit man. This opened the door to other torments. It was destroying my faith. I would feel anxiety, worry, and fear. I would turn to other things to comfort me. The flesh would only grow so big. It was consuming me. So when I heard the teaching last night, I was listening to UBM on one window of my computer and reading some conspiracy information on another. I felt convicted. I closed the NWO research window when you, David Eells, spoke, feeling as if God had caught me red-handed. I repent! I understand now that I was feeling an uncleanness in my spirit because of learning what the wicked do in secret. (Eph.5:12) For the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of. What a trap and deception NWO research is! I thank the Lord for revealing and slaying this sin in me. By faith, I say I am freed from this lust! I am confessing this to the elders and the body, so that you will agree with me in prayer that this temptation is conquered. Bless you all in Jesus' Name. Thank you for being faithful to the Lord to rebuke and save us from death. Godly correction is a great blessing. It is a very peaceful feeling when you repent. You feel joyful, peaceful and unburdened. Amen! Researching the good Word has power to impute the Nature of Christ. Constant research of evil brings the opposite. We are not to study evil in any depth, like this testimony. It brings fear, and you cannot study evil enough to know every form of evil that Satan can throw at you. We are to study good so we will know evil when we see it and be able to do something about it. (Rom.16:19) For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil. We don't need to know evil much, but we need to know the Good News much. The Lord says, (Isa.8:12) Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread [thereof]. [See more on conspiracies and conspiracy theories on our site: http://www.ubm1.org/?page=conspiracy.] Does all this mean that we are not to be concerned that the mad scientists and their handlers will open the gates of hell? What does Scripture say about this? (Mat.16:13) Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is? (14) And they said, Some [say] John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. (15) He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Peter had just been given the foundational revelation that, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”) (17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. (18) And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (The Greek word for church means the “called-out ones.”); and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Those who come out of the worldly church and its “mind of the flesh” will have a renewed mind and victory over the gates of Hell. We need to realize that it is not these men or their physical machines that bring Satan, the prince of the powers of the air, and his demons to fight against us. It is Our Father Who is bringing this so that we will overcome the devil as we defeat our flesh. We can see in Revelation that to beat him we must deny ourselves and be holy. (Rev.12:6) And the woman (the Church) fled into the wilderness (Tribulation), where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they (This is the Man-Child and Bride ministries.) may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days (This is the Church in first half of the tribulation). (Rev.12:7) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels [going forth] to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; (8) And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. (10) And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. (12) Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. (Rev.12:13) And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man [child]. (14) And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (Here the Church will learn that when they conquer their flesh through faith in the Blood, they conquer and cast down Satan.) (15) And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river (flood of delusion), that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. (16) And the earth (the worldly people) helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. (The “earthly” bought the lies. We know if they buy it, it's wrong.) (17) And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus. Notice that Satan failed against the true “come-outers.” He had to go after the latecomers to test them. Before the first three-and-a-half years of the Tribulation starts, which is when the Woman goes into the wilderness, Satan in the worldwide body of the dragon makes war against the worldwide body of the Man-Child, who is caught up to David's throne of authority over the Church. The Man-Child body is the first-fruits of those who will have the fullness (Colossians 1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory … by the Word and Spirit that lives in them. (Rev.12:3) And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads (These are the seed of all seven world-ruling empires.) and ten horns (the kings of all ten continental divisions of the earth in the end), and upon his heads seven diadems. (4) And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven (the seed of Abraham), and did cast them to the earth (They lost their heavenly position in Christ.): and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. (5) And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne. (6) And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (3 ½ years.) Before the Tribulation, Satan is already in his dragon body and making a “Job's-friends” type slander-assassination war against these Man-Child “Davids,” because by conquering them, he may “devour” the Bride. However, he is failing now and will fail to “devour” them; he will fail to bring them into his body of the dragon on earth. As in the Book of Esther, the Bride is a small portion of the Church who was deemed more beautiful to the King (Esther 2:17) because she listened to His chamberlain, representing the Holy Spirit (Esther 2:15), and put on the “clothing,” or works, of Christ. Mordecai (whose name means “Little Man” or “Man-child”) and Esther, the bride overcame to conquer Haman and his army of Jew-haters as a type of Christian-haters to save God's people from this beast (Esther 6:13,7:10,10:3). David Wilkerson prophesied of this slander war, and we also received many warning dreams years before its coming. The Bride and Man-Child, as was Esther in the king's house, were the first-fruits to escape the beast. Then the Bride and Man-Child were used to give the rest of the Church authority from the King to stand for their lives against the antichrist assault (Esther 9:1-5,16). (Rom.13:12) The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Rom.13:14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts [thereof]. Put on the armor of God and stand for your lives, saints.
Wait a minute — that's not Todd! Today on Wretched Radio, Fortis Institute Fellow and Way of Manhood host Dr. Adam Tyson explores how seeing God's holiness exposes our sin, fuels worship, transforms our speech, and empowers us to forgive. Segment 1 • Seeing God's holiness exposes your sin and demands a response—repent or reject. • Isaiah's vision shows God's majesty and your unworthiness: “Woe is me… I am a man of unclean lips.” • Real encounters with God lead to humility, repentance, and mission: “Here am I, send me.” Segment 2 • Psalm 84 reveals that pursuing God's presence fuels passion and endurance, even through dry seasons. • Like sparrows finding rest at the altar, your soul finds peace near God. • “Better is one day in Your courts…”—God's presence is better than anything this world offers. Segment 3 • James 3 warns: your tongue controls your life like a rudder on a ship or a spark that ignites a wildfire. • No one can tame the tongue—except Christ working through a changed heart. • If God has cleansed you, your words should now build up, not destroy. Segment 4 • Jesus' parable reminds us: forgiven sinners forgive others—no exceptions. • You've been forgiven an $8 billion debt; refusing to forgive a $30,000 offense shows an unforgiving heart. • Release bitterness and extend mercy—not because it's easy, but because you've been forgiven much. ___ 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!
"Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker … Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?'” (Isa. 45:1-13)Read more here.Support the show
2025-07-20 No Line to Castby Pastor Chris BergScripture Reference: Micah 2:1-51 Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds!At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them.They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.3 Therefore, the Lord says:“I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves.You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.4 In that day people will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song:‘We are utterly ruined; my people's possession is divided up.He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.'”5 Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord to divide the land by lot.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone DESIRES to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (NKJV) 1. DESIRE Galatians 5:17 For the flesh DESIRES what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. (NIV) James 1:13–15 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own EVIL DESIRE and enticed. 15 Then, after DESIRE has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (NIV) 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (NIV) 1. DANGEROUS DESIRES ARE DECEPTIVE James 1:14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own EVIL DESIRE and ENTICED. (NIV) Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. (NIV) 2. DANGEROUS DESIRES KEEP YOU FROM CONTROLLING YOUR BODY 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; (NIV) 1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not conform to the EVIL DESIRES you had when you lived in ignorance. (NIV) 3. DANGEROUS DESIRES HARDEN YOUR HEART Ephesians 4:17–18 17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. (NIV) Hebrews 3:15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (NIV) Ephesians 4:19–23 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its DECEITFUL DESIRES; (NIV) 4. DANEROUS DESIRES KEEP YOU FROM THE WILL OF GOD 1 Peter 4:2–5 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for EVIL HUMAN DESIRES, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (NIV) 5. DANGEROUS DESIRES DESTROY YOUR RELATIONSHIPS James 4:1–2 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your DESIRES for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. (NKJV) 1. DO YOU DESIRE TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS? 2. ARE YOU DOING LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS YOUR WAY INSTEAD OF GOD’S WAY?
Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or www.thewavecolumbus.com or daniel@thewavecolumbus.com ContentWave Worship Gathering 881 E. Johnstown RdGahanna, Ohio 43230Isaiah 6:1-7In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. And one called out to another and said,“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of armies.The whole earth is full of His glory.”And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said,“Woe to me, for I am ruined!Because I am a man of unclean lips,And I live among a people of unclean lips;For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of armies.”Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or daniel@thewavecolumbus.com or www.thewavecolumbus.com
Scripture: 1 Samuel 21-22 and Psalm 34. Today's class is entitled ,“Crippling Fear.” Crippling Fear describes the kind of fear that can easily cripple us. But Crippling Fear also describes how God can cripple our fear. 1. Fear can easily cripple us 2. God can cripple our fear As our story opens we see Saul trying in every way possible to get rid of David, to kill him through any method he can find. Then Saul shares with Jonathan (his son and David's best friend) that he is determined to kill David and that he won't relent. And so David has to flee from Saul and he heads to Gath - Philistine territory. David left behind his position as one of the leaders of the Israelite army, his wife, his best friend, his home, his friends, and more. David gets to Gath and is recognized. He had thought he could live there in anonymity, but being recognized, he became fearful. Not just a little fearful but a lot fearful and so he decides to pretend to be insane in order to protect himself. This man who had been so courageous, is now paralyzed by overwhelming fear. So then David leaves Gath and goes back into Israelite territory to the caves of Abdullah. David's father's family and his brorhers' families and others come to the cave with David. It's at this time that David writes Psalm 34. There are four timeless truths in Psalm 34 that tell us how God can conquer our fear, something David knew but needed to be reminded of. And like David, that God conquers our fears is something we need to be reminded of too. Psalm 34 Truths 1. PRAISE GOD (even in the darkest of times) David didn't start out this poem with, “Woe, is me.” He started out with, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” Praising God is to be our natural response of faith and transforms us from within because when we praise God we are looking to him not to our condition. It's looking heavenward versus looking inward. 2. GOD DELIVERS - strength is found in God's inner presence and not in our own strength. It is God alone who delivers us. As David turns to God in praise he finds God ministering to his very soul, delivering him from fear. David is no longer crippled by fear but sees that God cripples fear! As we praise God and He delivers us, the Lord Jesus encamps around us. Hi is the One who says, “I'll never leave you, don't be afraid, I am with you.” 3. FEAR GOD - not in the sense of being afraid of Him - but in holy awe through repentance and in faith and in obedience. Fear God alone and no one else. 4. GOD SAVES - “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 David reminds us that the Lord is close to us. He saves and restores us. He rescues us. How de we deal with the fear that cripples? The answer is we turn to God who cripples fear. We turn to God, praising Him even in the fearful, hard, difficult, dark times. We praise Him because we know He is where we find deliverance from our fear. He conquers our fear. We come to Him in holy awe, in faith, in repentance and in obedience because we know He saves us. He rescues us IT'S ALL ABOUT GOD! What will it be in our lives? Are we going to allow fear to cripple us or will we turn to the One who cripples fear for us? It's a simple but profound and important choice. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.
Sunday, 20 July 2025 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” Matthew 12:2 “And the Pharisees, having seen, they said to Him, ‘You behold! Your disciples, they do what it permits not to do in Sabbath'” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus went through the grainfields with His disciples on a Sabbath day. While doing so, the disciples began to pluck heads of grain and eat. Having done this, Matthew next notes, “And the Pharisees.” These folks show up constantly in the narrative, looking to find fault in Jesus and His ministry. It isn't known if they were walking with Him also, or if they were spying on Him stealthily, but this is a recurrent theme in the gospels. To be spied on by legalists is something that would plague even the church later – “And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Galatians 2:4, 5 In whatever way the Pharisees happened to be present with Jesus and the disciples, they were certainly there to spy on them and find fault. As such, the narrative continues with, “having seen, they said to Him, ‘You behold! Your disciples, they do what it permits not to do in Sabbath.'” A new word, exesti, impersonally or it is right, is introduced. It is derived from ek, out of, and eimi, to exist. It is generally translated as lawful, permitted, or may (as in “May I say a word...”). The Topical Lexicon notes that this word “exposes human motives, clarifies God's purposes, and delineates the boundary between true righteousness and mere legality.” The Pharisees are making a claim that what Jesus' disciples were doing, and thus implying He bore guilt because of them, was outside of the boundaries of what God had allowed for Sabbath day observances. The law, as noted in the previous commentary, said – “When you come into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in your container. 25 When you come into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor's standing grain.” Deuteronomy 23:24, 25 The Pharisees are either claiming that what is lawful on other days, which is to pluck and eat, is not allowed on the Sabbath, or that plucking and eating equate to work. The plucking is equated to harvesting while rubbing off the husks is equal to threshing grain. Alfred Edersheim in Life and Times of Jesus quotes the Talmud, saying – “In case a woman rolls wheat to remove the husks, it is considered as sifting; if she rubs the heads of wheat, it is regarded as threshing; if she cleans off the side-adherencies, it is sifting out fruit; if she bruises the ears, it is grinding; if she throws them up in her hand, it is winnowing.” This sort of niggling over minutiae is common with the rabbis of the Jews where, as Jesus elsewhere says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” Matthew 23:23, 24 They became so myopic in their pursuit of law observance that they were unable to discern between what is morally right and wrong. They had turned the Sabbath, which was to be a blessing for the people, into a day of misery where one could be stoned for doing something interpreted by others to be a violation of a law that may not have even addressed such a matter. Life application: Think of the things you have encountered in churches that are contrary to, not in line with, or out of the bounds of biblical precepts. Taking a single example to understand, that of KJV Onlyism. It is claimed that no other Bible should be read than the King James Version. This is contrary to Scripture because the KJV is a translation from other sources. This is not in line with Scripture because we are told to read and teach the word from the writings of Paul (e.g., 2 Timothy 2:15 & 2 Timothy 4:2), which predate the KJV by about 1600 years. This is out of the bounds of biblical precepts because there is nothing in Scripture that says this or even hints at it. One can use this logic with any precept that is incorrectly taught. All three of these points may not apply to every situation, but if any of the three do not, it is to be understood that what is taught is incorrect. Further, one must evaluate the precept based on proper context. Using a precept from the Law of Moses to make a claim about appropriateness is inappropriate. Jesus fulfilled and brought the Law of Moses to an end. Some things merely describe a situation but do not prescribe anything. In such cases, they are not to be used for doctrine unless they form a normative precept. But even then, what is normative (such as baptism) must be understood from a thorough study and right application of what the Bible reveals. The only way to do these things is to READ AND KNOW THE BIBLE. Please be sure to spend time, lots and lots of time, in this wonderful and precious word. Glorious God, help our minds to logically process Your word, making right conclusions about what You are saying to us based on a contextually proper evaluation of it. May we carefully and rightly consider Your word at all times. Amen.
A Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity St. Luke 5:1-11 by William Klock Our Gospels during these first few Sundays of Trinitytide—so far—have all had us following Jesus as he made his way to Jerusalem to observe the Passover for the last time. But today's Gospel—from the Fifth Chapter of Luke—takes us back to the beginning of Jesus' ministry—those early days when he was travelling around the region of Galilee a long way from Jerusalem. Luke gives a series of vignettes in Chapter 4. Every sabbath, he writes, Jesus was teaching in the synagogues. He read from Isaiah one sabbath in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth and then he told the people, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your own hearing!” The people were so angry that they tried to stone him and he fled from the town. So he went to Capernaum and taught in the synagogue there. That's where a demon-possessed man stood up and shouted at Jesus: “I know who you are. You're God's holy one!” And just to prove it, Jesus then cast out the demon and word went out throughout the whole region. On another sabbath, after preaching in the synagogue, he was invited to the house of Simon Peter. Peter's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. Jesus rebuked the fever and straightaway she recovered and served them lunch. Pretty soon everyone who was sick or who had a demon showed up and Jesus healed them all. And because of that, no matter where Jesus went, Luke writes, the crowds hunted for him. And that's how today's Gospel begins. One day Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. Finally a moment of peace. An early morning walk on the beach. He found a little cove. The shores of Gennesaret (or Galilee as it's otherwise known) are full of little coves. He watched as the fishermen dragged their boats ashore after a night of hard work. But then someone came down the trail to the beach. And he saw Jesus. And he went running back up the trail out of sight shouting, “He's here! He's here! I've found him!” And others began to follow the man back down the trail to the beach. And more and more until another crowd had gathered and was pressing in on Jesus. They had seen for themselves or they had heard the stories of the amazing things the God of Israel was doing through Jesus and they wanted to see more. They wanted to hear more of the good news that Jesus was proclaiming. But it was no good trying to preach from the middle of the crowd. People kept interrupting them with their problems. Even if he could get a few words out, the crowd just couldn't hear him. So Jesus had an idea. Sound travels wonderfully over water and the little beach cove was a perfect amphitheatre. So he made his way down to the water where he'd seen the two boats, and got into one of them, and standing there, he called to one of the fishermen. Jesus recognised the man. It was the same fellow who'd invited him to lunch after the synagogue service. It was the same fellow whose mother-in-law he'd healed. “Hey you! Was it Simon or Peter or Simon Peter. Yes, this is your boat isn't it? Row me out a little way from the land.” Maybe Peter felt like he owed Jesus something or maybe he was flattered that Jesus had chosen his boat and remembered him from the other day. Whatever the case, Peter set aside his net, got in the boat, and rowed Jesus out into the middle of the cove. And Luke says that Jesus sat down in the boat and began to teach the crowd. It was probably some version of Jesus' favourite sermon. Luke has preserved one version of that sermon that we sometimes hear called “The Sermon on the Plain”—because Jesus preached it in a flat, open place, but mostly because it contrasts with the version preserved by Matthew, where Jesus preached from a hillside. We call that version “The Sermon on the Mount”. That's the sermon where Jesus preaches about the kingdom of God. It's the sermon in which he calls the people of Israel to trust in the Lord because he never fails to provide. He clothes the flowers of the field that wither tomorrow. He feeds the birds so that they have no need to worry. How much more important are you—the Lord's elect, chosen, called covenant people—than flowers and birds? So stop worrying and trust him. Pursue, seek his kingdom above everything else, and trust him to take care of you. Israel had struggled for forever with idolatry—in one form or another—instead of trusting in and giving her full allegiance to the Lord. That's what got them exiled to Babylon. The Pharisees were right. That idolatry and fickle faith was what kept them in a sort of in-house exile in their own time. So, in other words, Jesus is saying to the people of Israel: Give the Lord your allegiance. Give your all to his agenda: to holiness, to being light in the darkness, stop being so fickle. You do that and, just as he promised, the Lord will take care of you—he'll even pour out his blessings on you. And Peter sat there right in front of Jesus, holding the oars, keeping the boat in position and Jesus facing the shore, and he listened. The Bible doesn't tell us anything about Peter's past, but just like anyone else, he had one. I don't think Peter was any great or notorious sinner or anything like that. Reading between the lines, I think it's safe to conclude that he was just your ordinary, average Judean who obeyed torah as best he could, who celebrated Passover with his family every year, who went to the temple in Jerusalem as required—at least most of the time. But he knew he wasn't perfect. He could be impetuous at times. He could fly off the handle. But most of all, as Jesus preached, I think Peter was convicted of his own fickleness. He tithed, but sometimes he did so grudgingly. He kept the sabbath, but sometimes he worried where the money was going to come from when he took off that one day a week from fishing. Some days, especially in the summer, sunset on Saturday just couldn't come soon enough for Peter so he could get back to work. Jesus got Peter thinking. Did he really trust in the Lord? Or did Peter trust in Peter? Had he really given his full allegiance to the God of Israel or was Peter really serving Peter? And Peter mulled on these things as Jesus finished speaking and said to him, “Put out into the deeper part, and let down your nets for a catch.” Peter was still playing through in his head what Jesus had been saying about trusting the Lord and giving him his full allegiance. This snapped him out of it. No more introspection. It's like Jesus knew what he was thinking. Peter didn't really want to let down his nets. He'd fished all night and they hadn't caught anything. They certainly weren't going to catch anything in the daylight. That's because they fished with nets made of linen. The fish could see them in the day, but they'd swim right into them in the dark at night. And Peter had just finished cleaning and mending his nets. Now he'd have to clean them—and if they hit a snag, maybe mend them too—all over again. Peter was born and bred to fishing. He knew everything there was to know about it. He knew the habits of fish, he knew about nets, he knew about the seasons, the time of day, and the play of light in the water. He knew about boats. He knew about marketing and selling fish. He was a fisherman! And if First Century fishermen were anything like Twenty-first Century fishermen, the last thing you'd want to do with Peter is start an argument over fishing—especially if you're not a fisherman. And, of course, Jesus was not. His father had taught him the carpentry and the building trade. Peter really, really didn't want to cast his net into the water again and he wouldn't have for anyone else. But this was Jesus. Just like everyone else, Peter wasn't quite sure exactly what to make of him, but he'd not only heard the stories; he'd seen it for himself. His mother-in-law had been on the verge of death, but Jesus made her well—so well that virtually instantly she was up serving them lunch. And so he says to Jesus, “Master”. Let me pause there. Master is okay, but it might not be the best translation. In the Gospels people address Jesus as “teacher” or “rabbi” or even as “lord”, but unique in Luke's Gospel, people occasionally address him as epistata. An epistates is someone in charge, someone with authority. The ten lepers address Jesus as epistata. The disciples, when they were in the boat being tossed around by the storm, addressed him as epistata. That's how Peter addresses Jesus here. “We were working hard all night and caught nothing. But okay, Master. You're the boss, you're calling the shots here. So if you say so, I'll let down the nets.” Peter sounds like he's letting down his nets grudgingly. I wonder if that's how it really was. He's been convicted in his own heart of how he's been half-hearted in serving the Lord. He's just been hearing Jesus preach about God taking care of flowers and birds. Or something along those lines, because we know Jesus liked to preach on that topic. It was exactly what fickle, half-hearted Israel needed to hear. So Peter probably didn't want to go through the hassle of letting down his nets again, but I think he wanted to trust that through Jesus, the God of Israel really would look after him. Jesus might not know anything about fishing, but Peter had seen that Jesus had authority and that he took charge of things—whether demons or blindness or sickness or even the fish in the sea. He could see, plain as day, that the God of Israel was working through Jesus. Peter was thinking on those words: “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these thing will be added to you.” I think the main reason Luke records these words from Peter about having fished all night and caught nothing is that he wants to remind us that this is the way the Lord works. Jesus is telling Peter to fish at the worst possible time to fish. Jesus does this throughout the Gospels. He hears that Lazarus is sick and near to death, but then he waits three days before going—time enough for Lazarus to be well and truly dead. So instead of healing Lazarus from sickness, he raises him from the dead and calls him out of his tomb. Or think of the woman who was bleeding for twelve years or the man who was blind from birth. In that last instance Jesus had the opportunity to explain why these things happened. The disciples with their conventional wisdom assumed that either the man or his parents were great sinners and that the Lord had punished him with blindness. But Jesus said that, no, the man was born blind that God might reveal his glory. Because that's how the God of Israel works and Israel is the chief example. The Lord allowed his people to become slaves in Egypt so that he might display his glory both to them and to the watching nations. In the events of the Exodus the God of Israel exposed the king and the gods of Egypt as frauds, totally lacking the great power and authority they claimed to have. The God of Israel single-handedly beat the gods of Egypt at their own games and humbled mighty Pharaoh—the greatest king on earth—and drowned his army in the sea. And at the same time, in Israel, he created a people who would forever be singing his praises and announcing his glory to the nations. All because they had watched him do the impossible. Every newborn baby boy was circumcised and, in that, he was given the sign of God's covenant promise. And every year the fathers of Israel led their families as they ate the Passover meal and recalled the Lord's promises and the glory he displayed on their behalf in the Exodus. Jesus was doing the same thing. He had come to lead the people in a new exodus and along the way, he was acting out that exodus, that divine deliverance as he did the impossible—and the more impossible the better, because the more power and authority it displayed. Why had Peter (and James and John, his partners) why had they been skunked that night? I don't know. Maybe Peter said something unkind to his wife before leaving that night. Maybe he'd shorted the Lord in his tithing that week. Maybe he'd dallied too long with that dancing girl the day before. Maybe Peter thought his empty nets were punishment for some sin. But if he'd asked Jesus, “Why did I toil all night and catch nothing? Did I sin?” Jesus would have said, “No, Peter. It was so that the Lord, the God of Israel, would be glorified.” And that's exactly what happens. Luke writes, beginning at verse 6 that when they let down their nets, they caught such a huge number of fish that their nets began to break. Usually they'd fish all night for a catch that wouldn't break their nets, but now Peter let down his net and before he could even pull it back into the boat to keep from becoming over-full of fish, the catch was so great that it strained the integrity of the net. I assume it was just he and Jesus in the boat and he and Jesus were, themselves, straining to pull the net in. They signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, Luke writes. So they came, and filled both the boats, and they began to sink. And right there, in a sinking boat, with fish wriggling all around them, Luke writes that Peter took stock of everything that had just happened. He fell down at Jesus' knees. “Depart from me, Lord!” he said, “Because I'm a sinful man!” James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon Peter's partners were just as amazed, Luke writes. But being in the other boat, they couldn't kneel at Jesus' knees. But Peter knelt there convicted of his sins by this amazing display of God's glory. I found myself asking this week why Peter didn't have this same reaction when Jesus healed his mother-in-law. Why was Peter's mother-in-law sick? For the same reason: so that Jesus could display the glory of the God of Israel. Presumably Peter was impressed when he saw the healing. But it didn't impact him the way the multitude of fish did. And maybe that's because Peter was a fisherman, not a doctor. It highlight the fact that God gets to each of us in different ways to convict us of sin and to move us to faith. Every one of us has a different story of how God got hold of us. That, too, is how he works. But one way or another, each of us has been amazed and captivated by the glory of God. Our reactions to that revelation are often different too. Some people encountered God's glory and were moved to faith as Jesus wiped away their tears. Peter, however, is met by that glory and is moved to tears. He knew how the prophets had preached about the coming judgement of Israel for her sins. He'd heard Jesus preach—not just the warm-fuzzies, but also the announcement of soon-coming judgement. And when he saw the glory of God, when he experienced the presence of the holy, Peter found himself overwhelmed by his own sinfulness. He knew he didn't belong in the presence of the holy. He knew he belonged with those people who would find themselves in the outer darkness weeping and gnashing their teeth. He responded just like Isaiah when he found himself in the presence of the holiness of God. Remember Isaiah. He cried out, “Woe is me! For I am lost. For I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). But it was just as Isaiah acknowledged his sinfulness that an angel flew down to touch his lips with a cleansing and holy fire. The angel announced that his guilt had departed and that his sin had been blotted out. And when the Lord called out, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? Who will proclaim my message to Israel?” Isaiah cried out, “Here I am! Send me!” And it's that scene all over again in that sinking fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee with fish wriggling all around. Peter knelt there shaking at Jesus kneels and Jesus said, “Don't be afraid. From now on you'll be catching men!” Jesus is, himself, the holy fire who purifies us from our sins. Now, it doesn't come across in our English translations, but when Jesus says that Peter will be catching men, that “catching” isn't usually a word associated with fishing. It has the sense of catching someone or something alive—like a warrior catching an enemy, but sparing his life. There's a reason behind Jesus' odd choice of words. What he's doing is echoing the words of Jeremiah 16. There, through the Prophet, the Lord announced the judgement that was about to come on the people of Judea for their unfaithfulness and their idolatry. The Babylonians would come and none would escape. The Lord says, “I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them…For my eyes are on their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed form my eyes.” Jesus draws on the common Greek translation of the prophet. He uses the same word: catch. The people of Judea in those days wouldn't be killed, but neither would they escape the judgement of exile. But now Jesus flips the imagery around. The people of Judah are still in their long exile, still experiencing the punishment brought by their sins, but now the Lord will send fishers again, this time to catch sinners and to rescue them alive from the coming judgement. What was in Jeremiah's day an image of the Lord's judgement on sinners, Jesus now turns into an image of God's mercy for them. As Jesus says in John's Gospel, “God did not send the son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world could be saved by him.” That's what Jesus has come to do. And even though only he can go to the cross to accomplish the redemption of sinners, he's not going on this fishing trip alone. He's calling Peter (and James and John and eventually a whole host of men and women that we call the church) to go fishing with him, to catch men and women that they—that we—might be delivered from our sins and from the coming judgement. How much of this did Peter understand that day? Probably not much. But what he did know is that in Jesus the God of Israel was at work. He knew that judgement was inevitable and he knew that somehow and in some way the Lord was making deliverance possible through Jesus. He had seen the glory of the Lord and there was no going back. And so, Luke writes, They brought their boats to land, then they abandoned everything and followed him. Peter walked away from all of it. The boats, the net, the sea, the fish. They had been his source of security. That's what he'd trusted. But he heard that reminder from Jesus: Seek first God's kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. If the Lord could fill his nets to bursting just to make this point, Peter was ready to trust him with everything—to give his full allegiance to Jesus the Messiah. If God could do this, he could do anything. And so Peter gave his allegiance to the Lord Jesus. And he knew hardship and he knew persecution and eventually he would even come to know martyrdom. His faith and his love for Jesus would eventually lead him from Jerusalem all the way to Rome and all along the way he proclaimed the glory of God. All the way he proclaimed the good news that Jesus died to forgive sins and rose to restore God's life to us and to the world, and that this Jesus is the Lord of all who shows us the glory of his Father. Peter went out into the world to challenge the fake gods and the fake kings in whom we trust, and proclaimed the crucified and risen Lord so that everyone would know the glory of the one, true God. Peter eventually died for that message. But Peter knew that his risen Lord was master over death itself, just as he'd been master over all those fish that one morning years before. And so he trusted Jesus' promise: Seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness—even if it means martyrdom—and he will take care of you. Let's pray: Father, you have called us and made us your people. You send us out, like Simon Peter, to fish for people that they might know the life of your kingdom. When we're tempted to protest, thinking that we are unworthy of the task, that we are too sinful, that we aren't up to it, remind us that in Jesus you have forgiven us, that you have made us holy, that you have filled us with your Spirit, and that you have given us this remarkable and irresistible story to tell the world, this story of your goodness, your love, your grace, your mercy, and your faithfulness. Your glory. Give us the grace to do the work of your kingdom as we trust in your faithfulness to us and to all who hear it. Amen.
Welcome, Bulgaria, and wow! What a trout fishing sensation you are! Thank you for joining the Free Range Preacher on Prayer podcast. Today, we are back to our gratitude in God, as He has revealed Himself. Today, we look again at the traumatic holiness (otherness) of God. As we stand ten feet from the sun, we look through a prism that filters out all but the moral perfection of God. "In the year of King Uzziah's death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." 4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke."Isaiah 6:1-4 His moral perfection alone shatters our self-image and humbles us to the core. "Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."Isaiah 6:5It's a beautiful humility and reverence. Do you imagine Isaiah, Moses, John in revelation, David, Paul, Peter, or any of the Biblical saints being sad after seeing God in His Holiness and being torn to pieces and then healed?Our so what?The beauty of God in His Holiness leads us to humility, which relieves our torn self-image and is beautiful to us. By definition, a life-changing beauty.Brethren, let's pray for one another."What a man is on his knees before God, that he is and nothing more""Robert MurrayM'CheyneeDonation link:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=G9JGGR5W97D64Or go to www.freerangepreacheronprayer.com and use the Donations tab.Assistant Editor: Seven Jefferson Gossard.www.freerangepreacheronprayer.comfreerangeprayer@gmail.comFacebook - Free Range Preacher MinistriesInstagram: freerangeministriesAll our Scripture quotes are drawn from the NASB 1977 edition.For access to the Voice Over services of Richard Durrington, please visit RichardDurrington.com or email him at Durringtonr@gmail.comOur podcast art was designed by @sammmmmmmmm23 InstagramSeason 007Episode 061
Welcome Iceland to the Free Range Preacher on Prayer podcast. We are glad to have you here, and I am blessed to say I have a dear friend who lived in your country for many memorable years of her life. Today, we are thankful for the Holiness of God. We liken Isaiah's experience in Isaiah 6, to standing 10 feet from the earth's sun and asking:"What do you believe you would notice first?Did you imagine the sun's immensity? Sheer size? How about the blinding light, the pull of gravity? What could keep you only 10 feet from the sun? Would you notice the solar winds, the heat, or the violent atomic fusion? Better still, which one of those would tear you to pieces first?Better stiller, our "So What?"What in the world is there to be thankful for, as Isaiah says?"Woe is me, for I am ruined!"O LORD, what is man, that Thou dost take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that Thou dost think of him? 4 Man is like a mere breath; His days are like a passing shadow."Psalm 144:3-4The immense, righteous, all-powerful, just God of the universe takes knowledge of us. Fleeting and as puny as we are, He thinks of us. Brethren, let's pray for one another."What a man is on his knees before God, that he is and nothing more""Robert MurrayM'CheyneeDonation link:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=G9JGGR5W97D64Or go to www.freerangepreacheronprayer.com and use the Donations tab.Assistant Editor: Seven Jefferson Gossard.www.freerangepreacheronprayer.comfreerangeprayer@gmail.comFacebook - Free Range Preacher MinistriesInstagram: freerangeministriesAll our Scripture quotes are drawn from the NASB 1977 edition.For access to the Voice Over services of Richard Durrington, please visit RichardDurrington.com or email him at Durringtonr@gmail.comOur podcast art was designed by @sammmmmmmmm23 InstagramSeason 007Episode 060
It's Thursday, July 17th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark West Bank Christian communities attacked by Israeli settlers Christian communities in the West Bank are experiencing increasing attacks from Israeli settlers. Last Monday, Jewish extremists targeted the Palestinian Christian town of Taybeh. They attacked houses and started fires near the community's historic church building. The Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem released a statement, saying, “The attacks by the hands of settlers against our community, which is living in peace, must stop, both here in Taybeh and elsewhere throughout the West Bank. This is clearly part of the systematic attacks against Christians that we see unfolding throughout the region.” Church of England affirms sexual perversion for clergy … again The Church of England voted Tuesday to remove a 1991 teaching document on sexuality from its ordination process. The document, entitled Issues in Human Sexuality, said that clergy should not live in homosexual relationships. However, church leaders said the document now appears “prejudicial and offensive.” The Church of England has allowed clergy to enter homosexual civil partnerships since 2005. Last year, it approved services of blessing for homosexual couples. Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” Christian non-profit victorious in case against ChatGPT In the United States, a Christian non-profit won a religious freedom lawsuit against one of the biggest artificial intelligence organizations around. OpenAI offers a 20% non-profit discount for a ChatGPT subscription unless an organization is religious. A Christian non-profit named Holy Sexuality challenged this policy with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom. In response, OpenAI reversed course and offered the discount. It also removed religious discrimination language from its policy. Dr. Christopher Yuan, the founder of Holy Sexuality, said, “Some corporations—especially tech companies—emboldened by intersectional ideology and anti-Christian sentiment, choose to unlawfully discriminate based solely on religion. We are grateful for this victory.” Fourth Circuit upholds West Virginia ban on abortion kill pill On Tuesday, the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld West Virginia's ban on the Abortion Kill Pill called mifepristone. The challenge to the ban came from GenBioPro, a company that produces the killing drug. The case marks the first time a federal appeals court has allowed states to restrict access to mifepristone. West Virginia Republican Governor Patrick Morrisey responded to the ruling, “West Virginia can continue to enforce our pro-life laws and lead the nation in our efforts to protect life. We will always be a pro-life state!” Senate Republicans pass $9 billion budget cut U.S. Senate Republicans advanced a $9 billion rescission bill on Tuesday with the tie-breaking vote of Vice President J.D. Vance. The measure follows President Donald Trump's agenda to cut spending on foreign aid and public broadcasting. Republicans must have the bill ready to be signed by Friday for the rescissions to be enacted. Listen to comments from Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune. THUNE: “Later today, the Senate will begin consideration of the Trump administration's rescissions package reining in waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government is a priority shared by President Trump and by Senate Republicans. “I appreciate all the work the administration has done in identifying wasteful spending. And now it's time for the Senate to do its part to cut some of that waste out of the budget. It's a small but important step toward fiscal sanity that we all should be able to agree is long overdue.” Christian and Gospel music seeing a resurgence Christian and Gospel music is seeing a resurgence, according to a report on music streaming trends by Luminate. The Christian/Gospel genre moved up to seventh place in the top 10 U.S. music genres this year. And Christian music ranked fourth among the highest-growth genres. The report found Christian music listeners are mostly female, and the top generation listening to Christian music is Millennials. Deacon given free truck after protecting church from gunman And finally, WXYZ reports a church deacon in Michigan received a new truck recently after preventing a mass shooting at his church last month. On Sunday, June 22, a shooter opened fire outside CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan. In God's providence, Deacon Richard Pryor was running late. He saw the gunman heading to the church's front door, dressed in camouflage and bearing an AR-15 style rifle as well as more than a dozen fully-loaded magazines. That's when Pryor ran the shooter over. However, his truck was totaled in the process as the shooter shot up the truck. Fortunately, Pryor was not injured. Another person, acting as a volunteer security guard, shot the gunman dead. In response, a local Ford dealership gifted the hero a brand new truck on a two-year free lease. Pryor said he was “thankful for everybody's support. The Lord was definitely involved in the events of that Sunday.” Psalm 121:4 and 7 says, “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. … The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, July 17th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Fr. Mike reveals yet another prophetic message that points towards the coming of Christ, explaining why the Book of Isaiah is often called the Book of Woe and the Book of Consolation. He also touches on the powerful prayer we hear as we end our journey with Tobit. Today's readings are Isaiah 11-13, Tobit 13-14, and Proverbs 10:13-16. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Matthew 11:20-24 - Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of His mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld. For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Saint Bonaventure, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day Steve Ray joins Terry for an in-depth look at the Assumption of Mary into heaven
Some years ago our family was vacationing on the eastern end of Long Island near a little village called Sag Harbor. It was amazing how much that village changed, though, over a period of just 24 hours. One day it was a sleepy little town of tourists kind of strolling from store to store. The next day it was a chaotic beehive with snarled traffic and anxious people rushing from store to store. Do you know what made the difference? A hurricane warning! Yes, a powerful storm was moving up the East Coast and it was expected to hit that part of Long Island. So people were rushing everywhere to get prepared. Batteries and candles suddenly appeared by every cash register in every store. And they quickly disappeared. People were suddenly living differently when there was a major storm. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Year That Everything Changed." You might be living in a year like that right now; a year when a lot of things have changed. And times like these (hurricane times) can really change your perspective on what's important and how you should be living. In our word for today from the Word of God beginning with Isaiah 6:1, Isaiah says, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord." Now, you're probably not all broken up over Uzziah dying, but he had been king for 52 years. So if you were 52 or under, King Uzziah was the only ruler you had ever known. And he had brought his nation to an unparalleled level of prosperity and power. And suddenly he was gone. It was one of those years when everything changed. So let's think of these words in this way, "In the year that everything changed." That's when Isaiah says, "I saw the Lord." That's when you usually do - when everything is changing - when the hurricane is blowing you around. Maybe God has shaken your world recently so you'll see Him as you've never seen Him before and so you'll live differently. Now there are three perspectives God wants you to live by in a season when everything is changing. First, Isaiah says, "I saw the Lord, seated on a throne, high and exalted." Isaiah describes powerful angelic beings he sees "calling to one another, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.'" Perspective #1 when everything is changing; "Lord, You are awesome." God wants you to enter His Throne Room as Isaiah did - by prayer. He wants you to see His majesty; to realize that, by praying, you are entering the Throne Room from which billions of galaxies are governed and bringing your life and your needs to the One who rules it all. When everything's changing, you need to dwell on the awesomeness of your God. Then Isaiah tells us he cried, "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Then he describes how one of the angels touches his lips with a live coal from the altar and says, "Your guilt is taken away." Perspective #2 - "Lord, I'm a mess." See, God wants all this change to be a wakeup call that shows you the sin that you haven't dealt with and to let Him touch it with His forgiveness and His cleansing. Then God asks, "Whom shall I send?" And Isaiah says, "Here am I. Send me!" God wants you to look at His awesomeness, then at your sinfulness, and then at the lostness of the people around you. Perspective #3 - "They are dying." You've seen the King; they never have. And God has sent the storm to refocus your attention on the mission of rescuing the dying people around you. With all that's changing in our world, the things that really matter haven't changed. In fact, the changes make the important things more important than ever. Make frequent visits to God's Throne Room, go off and to Jesus' cross to get clean, and go on frequent missions to take some people to heaven with you. With the storm intensifying, focus on the things that really matter so this can be the time when you really see the Lord.
Pastoral Reflections Finding God In Ourselves by Msgr. Don Fischer
Gospel Matthew 11:20-24 Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld. For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” Reflection What Jesus was doing when he was performing miracles was not just displaying some power that he had, but rather trying to reveal clearly the mercy, the love of the father. Jesus came into this world to reveal who the father is. And when you look at the mighty deeds that he did, the healings, the transformations, they were the essence of who God the Father truly is. So what he longs for is for people to accept this new image. And yet so many refused. But he continued, always to long for them to change. Closing Prayer Father, you continue to awaken us to the beauty of who God the father truly is. Help us to believe in the miracles that you perform for us. Help us to be excited about the role that you continue to play in our lives, where you are the source of so many solutions that bring us peace. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jesus began to reproach the townswhere most of his mighty deeds had been done,since they had not repented."Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!For if the mighty deeds done in your midsthad been done in Tyre and Sidon,they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.But I tell you, it will be more tolerablefor Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.And as for you, Capernaum:Will you be exalted to heaven?You will go down to the netherworld.For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,it would have remained until this day.But I tell you, it will be more tolerablefor the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
Read Online“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11:21–22Chorazin and Bethsaida were Jewish towns that Jesus visited frequently to preach and to perform many “mighty deeds.” They were located just north of His city of residence, Capernaum. Tyre and Sidon were pagan coastal cities northeast of Chorazin and Bethsaida, in modern-day Lebanon, and were towns known for their immoral living. Though Jesus did not spend much time in those cities, He did visit them at times. During Jesus' first recorded visit there, recall His encounter with the Syrophoenician woman who begged Him to heal her daughter (Matthew 15:21–28). The Gospel passage quoted above took place prior to Jesus making that journey.Why was Jesus so harsh toward the towns He spent so much of His time in. Why did He rebuke Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum? To answer this, it's important to remember that Jesus spent most of His time preaching to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In other words, His primary mission during His public ministry was to share the Gospel with those who were descendants of Abraham and had been entrusted with the Law of Moses, the teachings of the prophets and the liturgical rites. For that reason, Jesus not only preached with perfection to these people, He also did miracle after miracle. And though there were many who did believe in Him and became His disciples, there were many others who were indifferent or who flatly refused to believe in Him. Today, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum could be seen as symbols of those Catholics who were born and raised in the faith and were given good formation by their parents and others. Many parents whose children have gone astray from the faith wonder what they did wrong. But the truth is that even Jesus Himself was rejected, despite His perfect preaching, perfect charity and undeniable miracles. And the same happens today. There are many who, despite being raised within the holy faith given to us by Christ Himself, reject that faith and turn a blind eye to the Gospel and the Church.Jesus' rebuke of those towns should echo today in the minds of those who, despite being given so much in regard to a good upbringing, have rejected God. Of course, that rejection is not always absolute and total. More often, it is a rejection in degrees. First, the rejection comes in the form of missing Mass. Then moral compromises. Then a lack of faith. And eventually confusion, doubt and a complete loss of faith sets in.If you are one who has started down the road of becoming more and more lukewarm in your faith, then the rebuke of these towns by Jesus should be understood to also be directed at you in love. “Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required…” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, to those who have been taught the faith well, much is expected. And when we fail to live up to that which is demanded of us by God out of love, a holy rebuke is exactly what we need. Reflect, today, upon whether the rebuke Jesus issues toward these towns is also issued toward you. Have you been blessed with a good formation in the faith? If so, have you done all you can to help nourish that faith and grow in your love of God? Or have you allowed your faith to dim, to become lukewarm and to begin to wither and die? If you have been given much, have been raised in the faith and have been privileged with good examples in your life, then know God expects much of you. Answer that high calling that is given to you and respond to God with all your heart. My passionate Jesus, You poured out Your heart and soul through Your preaching to the people of Israel. Although many accepted You, many others rejected You. I thank You for the privilege I have been given to hear Your holy Word preached to me. Help me to respond to You with all my heart so that I will be counted among those who listen and believe. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: Day of Judgement by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
President Donald Trump committed an unforced error when he should have had an easy grand-slam home run, why is he covering up the truth about Jeffrey Epstein?Years after his apparent suicide in a Manhattan federal lockup, the notorious sex offender and financial manipulator Jeffrey Epstein has returned from the dead to haunt Donald Trump and instigate a massive rupture in Trump's government and MAGA movement. The very bad handling of the Epstein files is totally an unforced error, the question is why did Trump do it? He is desperately trying to make it go away, but the harder he tries, the messier it gets. MAGA is mad, very mad, as they should be. That's the memo.“Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;” Nahum 3:1 (KJB)On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, for President Donald Trump, exposing the files on Jeffrey Epstein should have been a super-easy, no-brainer, foregone conclusion resulting in a “promises made, promises kept” victory lap around the Oval Office. This is why we voted for Trump, right? He will expose the Deep State when no one else will. As it turns out, Trump has no interest in doing anything like that, and is really mad that so many of his MAGA followers won't stop talking about it. Over on Truth Social, the president had this to say “We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and “selfish people” are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it's Epstein, over and over again. One year ago our Country was DEAD, now it's the “HOTTEST” Country anywhere in the World. Let's keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Yikes, spoken like someone who has something to hide, and on today's Podcast, we show you just how deep this strange and unnecessary rabbit hole goes.
Pastor Jonathan Laurie shares lessons from the story of Jonah, a reluctant evangelist who ran from God’s calling. Notes: Focus verse - Jonah 2 Matthew 23:25–27 (NKJV)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Jonah 4:3 (NLT)“Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” #1 God Appoints Circumstances to Bring Us Back Sometimes we think God is punishing us. God paid Jesus back for our sin. Jonah was a historical, biblical character.2 Kings 14:25 Matthew 12:40 (NKJV)“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” God appoints circumstances and storms.Not to pay us back, but to bring us back. #2 God Still Sees in the DarkJonah 2:1 (NLT) Read: Jonah 2:1–9 (NLT) While Jonah sat in darkness inside the great fish, he prayed.God heard and delivered Jonah out of his fishy prison. Psalm 139:11–12 (NLT)I could ask the darkness to hide meand the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.To you the night shines as bright as day.Darkness and light are the same to you. Israel worshipped one God — the true Creator. Romans 12:1 (NKJV)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Read: Jonah 2:10 –3:5 (NKJV) #3 Saved From and Saved For God rescued Jonah from darkness so Jonah could reach others in darkness. 2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (NLT) Mark 16:15–16 (NLT)And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Romans 10:14 (NLT)But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? Learn more about this year's Harvest Crusade! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pastor Jonathan Laurie shares lessons from the story of Jonah, a reluctant evangelist who ran from God’s calling. Notes: Focus verse - Jonah 2 Matthew 23:25–27 (NKJV)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Jonah 4:3 (NLT)“Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” #1 God Appoints Circumstances to Bring Us Back Sometimes we think God is punishing us. God paid Jesus back for our sin. Jonah was a historical, biblical character.2 Kings 14:25 Matthew 12:40 (NKJV)“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” God appoints circumstances and storms.Not to pay us back, but to bring us back. #2 God Still Sees in the DarkJonah 2:1 (NLT) Read: Jonah 2:1–9 (NLT) While Jonah sat in darkness inside the great fish, he prayed.God heard and delivered Jonah out of his fishy prison. Psalm 139:11–12 (NLT)I could ask the darkness to hide meand the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.To you the night shines as bright as day.Darkness and light are the same to you. Israel worshipped one God — the true Creator. Romans 12:1 (NKJV)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Read: Jonah 2:10 –3:5 (NKJV) #3 Saved From and Saved For God rescued Jonah from darkness so Jonah could reach others in darkness. 2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (NLT) Mark 16:15–16 (NLT)And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Romans 10:14 (NLT)But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? Learn more about this year's Harvest Crusade! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Matthew Week 100 Matthew 17:5 ESV 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Matthew 17:6-8 ESV 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Genesis 17:1-3 ESV When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face… Exodus 3:5-6 ESV 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Joshua 5:14a ESV 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped… Ezekiel 1:28b ESV Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Daniel 10:9-12 ESV 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground. 10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. Acts 9:3-4 ESV 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Judges 6:22 ESV 22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” Isaiah 6:5 ESV 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Matthew 17:6-7 ESV 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” Matthew 17:9 ESV 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” Luke 9:36b ESV And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. 2 Peter 1:16 ESV 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
https://www.maynardvillefellowship.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Matthew-23_14-Woe-to-the-Wolves-In-Shepherds-Clothing.mp3 Listen as Pastor Matt uncovers the horrifying irony of those who wore the robes of shepherds while devouring the most vulnerable sheep. Each of the synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, reveals the same chilling indictment: religious hypocrisy dressed in pious theater, preying on widows and the weak. Listen in as Jesus thunders judgment from Ezekiel and Zephaniah, declares covenantal divorce on a corrupt nation, and warns all who dare pose as Shepherds for personal gain: “You will receive greater condemnation.”May we all take refuge in the True Shepherd—the One who doesn't devour His sheep, but lays down His life for them.
Amos 5 (NASB) 1 Hear this word which I am taking up for you as a song of mourning, house of Israel:2 She has fallen, she will not rise again—The virgin Israel.She lies unnoticed on her land;There is no one to raise her up. 3 For this is what the Lord God says: “The city which goes forth a thousand strongWill have a hundred left,And the one which goes forth a hundred strongWill have ten left to the house of Israel.” 4 For this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: “Seek Me so that you may live.5 But do not resort to BethelAnd do not come to Gilgal,Nor cross over to Beersheba;For Gilgal will certainly go into captivityAnd Bethel will come to nothing.6 Seek the Lord so that you may live,Or He will break through like a fire, house of Joseph,And it will consume with no one to extinguish it for Bethel,7 For those who turn justice into wormwood,And throw righteousness to the earth.” 8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion,And changes deep darkness into morning,Who also darkens day into night,Who calls for the waters of the seaAnd pours them out on the surface of the earth,The Lord is His name.9 It is He who makes destruction flash upon the strong,So that destruction comes upon the fortress. 10 They hate him who rebukes in the gate,And they despise him who speaks with integrity.11 Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poorAnd take a tribute of grain from them,Though you have built houses of cut stone,Yet you will not live in them;You have planted beautiful vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.12 For I know your offenses are many and your sins are great,You who are hostile to the righteous and accept bribes,And turn away the poor from justice at the gate.13 Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps quiet, because it is an evil time. 14 Seek good and not evil, so that you may live;And so may the Lord God of armies be with you,Just as you have said!15 Hate evil, love good,And establish justice in the gate!Perhaps the Lord God of armiesWill be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. 16 Therefore this is what the Lord God of armies, the Lord says: “There is mourning in all the public squares,And in all the streets they say, ‘Oh no! Oh no!'They also call the farmer to mourningAnd professional mourners to mourning rites.17 And in all the vineyards there is mourning,Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord. 18 Woe to you who are longing for the day of the Lord,For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?It will be darkness and not light;19 As when a man flees from a lionAnd a bear confronts him,Or he goes home, leans with his hand against the wall,And a snake bites him.20 Will the day of the Lord not be darkness instead of light,Even gloom with no brightness in it? 21 “I hate, I reject your festivals,Nor do I delight in your festive assemblies.22 Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,I will not accept them;And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened oxen.23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs;I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.24 But let justice roll out like waters,And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 25 “Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, house of Israel? 26 You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27 Therefore I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of armies.
Wednesday, 9 July 2025 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Matthew 11:21 “Woe, you, Chorazin! Woe, you, Bethsaida! For if in Tyre and Sidon, they occurred – the miracles, those done in you – if in sackcloth and ashes formerly they reconsidered” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus began to rebuke the cities where He did His mighty works because they did not reconsider their ways. Now, to state His displeasure at them, and to reveal to them their fate, He begins with, “Woe, you, Chorazin!” The word ouai, woe, is introduced. It is a primary exclamation of grief. Also, the name Chorazin is first seen here. It is a city in Galilee. The origin of the name is uncertain. Studying Hebrew root words that may be connected to the Greek transliteration, Abarim defines it as possibly Smoking Furnace. The city is about two- and one-half miles north of a location known as Tel Hum. It remains a ruin to this day. Parts of the city are identifiable, such as the synagogue. This and its houses and buildings are built from locally obtained hard black basalt. Some of the walls that remain are up to six feet high. Next, Jesus says, “Woe, you Bethsaida!” The name is from Beith, house, and tsayad, a huntsman. Thus, it means Hunter's House. However, being by the Sea of Galilee, some think the hunting is referring to fish and call it Fisher's House. It is where Phillip, Andrew, and Peter came from as seen in John 1:44. The location is still known and visited today. Of these cities, Jesus says, “For if in Tyre and Sidon, they occurred – the miracles.” Turos, Tyre, and Sidón, Sidon, are both first mentioned here. The Hebrew name of Tyre is Tsor. This comes from tsor, flint, or tsur, rock. Thus, it is the fortified city, Rock. Sidon is from the Hebrew tsud, to lie alongside. Therefore, it signifies to hunt, chase, etc., due to the thought of lying in wait. As such, it is a place of fishing, and it is named after those who lie alongside as they fish. Thus, Fishery is its name. These are cities that were destroyed by the Lord's judgment. Ezekiel was told to prophesy against Tyre in Ezekiel 26. Ezekiel 27 records a lamentation over Tyre. Ezekiel 28 begins with a proclamation against the king of Tyre and then continues in lamentation over the city. That is followed by a proclamation against Sidon in Ezekiel 28:20-24. The Lord spent a great deal of time laying out His words against them. His descriptions and judgments put them on par with Sodom and Gomorrah as far as examples of wickedness resulting in punishment. Despite that, Jesus tells Chorazin and Bethsaida that if those terrible, wicked cities saw the miracles that Jesus did, “those done in you – if in sackcloth and ashes formerly they reconsidered.” The adverb palai, formerly, is introduced. It is believed to come from palin, again. As such, it gives the sense of retrocession. It can mean all this time, a long time ago, already, formerly, etc. Jesus is saying that in the past, when they were wickedly going about life, there would have been a change in them. The implication here is obvious. God used three chapters of Ezekiel, plus other references to Tyre and Sidon in His word (such as Isaiah 23), to reveal their wickedness. And yet, Jesus says that the hearts of these cities were humbler than those of Chorazin and Bethsaida. If Jesus had gone to them and done His miracles at their time of judgment, they would have done what Nineveh did, reconsidering their ways and demonstrating that change in heart by adorning themselves with sackcloth and ashes. Both of these words are also new. The first is sakkos, coming from the Hebrew saq, a mesh. It is the course material that would be only fitting in a time of mourning. This would be contrasted to the normal garments where life was going well. The other word, spodos, is a primary word signifying ashes. The point Jesus is making, and which He will continue to make, is that if God destroyed these cities for their wickedness, how much more do Chorazin and Bethsaida deserve to be destroyed? They have not reconsidered their ways, but God knew that the hearts of Tyre and Sidon would have. Life application: The meaning of the story of Jonah is a story that mirrors what Jesus is saying here. This is not the usual interpretation that is provided due to translational difficulties in Jonah 4, but when it is properly understood, it is clearly seen that God is contrasting the wickedness of Israel with the wickedness of Nineveh. Nineveh reconsidered its ways, and God relented from His judgment upon it. Israel, with much greater revelation than Nineveh, refused to reconsider and receive their Messiah. Jesus will use exactly this symbolism in Matthew 12 and Luke 11. Israel didn't pay heed, and they were destroyed and exiled. But the great covenant-keeping nature of God has spared them for another day. He has faithfully saved them, even through judgment, to bring them into the New Covenant. If He is this faithful to Israel through a covenant cut through the blood of bulls and goats, how much more do you think He will save you through the shed blood of Jesus Christ? We are often just as unfaithful as Israel in our hearts and actions, but if we are in Christ, He will carry us through to a good end. Be assured and reassured in this. Lord God, thank You for Your infinite love and grace as is revealed in our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen.
The Phantom Phinders learn about heat conductivity in the best way possible. Make sure to rate and review us on iTunes and then reach out on Twitter or to our email to get an NPC named in Carrefour! Check out our new website: QMtabletop.com and the new Delta Green Podcast Directory https://twitter.com/QMoftheTableTop https://www.instagram.com/quartermastersofthetabletop/ https://www.tiktok.com/@qmottt https://youtube.com/@QuartermastersoftheTabletop https://linktr.ee/qmottt Chaos Springs Eternal Season One: City of Woe is set in Carrefour Louisiana and follows the members of the Phantom Phinders, a public access ghost hunting TV show as they explore the strange and weird happenings. We use the Delta Green TTRPG rules. Warning: The podcast does contain violent themes and explicit language as well as potential mental hazards. Nyarlathotep reigns. Imla ìbaz ehccema iam Lehpar. intro/outro music is: Cocytus by Pawns or Kings background music is from Hideous Hiss (https://www.youtube.com/@hideoushiss) Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this podcast are ©Chaos Springs Eternal excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.
Jesus Followers Will Be Tempted, but God “will not let you be tempted beyond your ability . . . to endure” MESSAGE SUMMARY: You will be tempted again and again, but the temptation itself is not the sin. The sin resides in your grabbing onto the temptation; dwelling on the temptation; and following through on the temptation. Jesus was tempted, and He always faced temptation by quoting scripture to the temptation source. As Jesus tells you about Temptation and sin in Matthew 18:7-8: “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.". Also, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:13, confirms that God will not permit us to be tempted in a manner that we will be unable to resist: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.". You can follow Jesus' example by using scripture to deal with a temptation – there is scripture to deal with every temptation that you may face. TODAY'S PRAYER: Most merciful God I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I might delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of Your Name. Amen. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Despair. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Joy. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 4:14-16; Psalms143:1-12. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Stand in the Gap”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Are You Living For The Opinion Of Many Or The Opinion Of One Luke 11:43 43“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
Watch Out: Sin Can Creep In When We Serve For The Wrong Reasons Luke 11:52 52“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.Ezekiel 34:1-6Shepherd“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.John 10:1-6Strangers, Sheep, and Shepherds“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.John 10:1A shepherd in scriptures represents any spiritual leader who is called to lead, feed, and care for God's people.John 10 is Jesus' response to John 9 and the Man born Blind34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.John 9:34The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.Ezekiel 34:1-2, 4A stranger is anyone who operates in spiritual authority over another person without going through Jesus, with Jesus, and like JesusThe man who makes much of Christ is a pastor after God's own heart, whom God delights to honor. The minister who makes little of Christ is the one whom God regards as an imposter—as one who has climbed up to his holy office not by the door, but by “some other way”J.C. RyleConfidence in a stranger leads to REJECTION.34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.John 9:34DO I EASILY FEEL REJECTED BY PEOPLE?He that enjoys the favor of the Son of God will not tremble at the frown of the Sanhedrim.Charles Spurgeon2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” John 10:2-5A sheep is anyone who belongs to Jesus, listens to Jesus, and follows JesusConfidence in a sheep leads to PRIDE18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue[b] my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.Ezekiel 34:18-22A true shepherd is anyone who feeds, leads, and cares for the sheepConfidence in Jesus leads to WORSHIP· Jesus is a man (John 9:11).· Jesus is a prophet (John 9:17).· Jesus is my master, I am His disciple (John 9:27).· Jesus is from God (John 9:33).· Jesus is the Son of God (John 9:35-38).· Jesus is who I trust (John 9:38).· Jesus is who I worship (John 9:38).24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” John 9:2438 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.John 9:38
Back To Basics // Week 9 // WorshipPastors JF and Ashley WilkersonExodus 20:3 NIV 3 “You shall have no other gods before me…”Colossians 3:16-17 NIV 14 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.1. Worship impacts Your CONTEXTEzekiel 46:9 NIV 9 “‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed festivals, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate.Matthew 6:31-33 NIV 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?' or ‘What shall we drink?' or ‘What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.1. Worship Impacts Your CONTEXT2. Worship Impacts Your CARES1 Peter 5:7 NLT 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.Psalm 150 NIV1 Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.1 Peter 2:9 NIV9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.1. Worship Impacts Your CONTEXT2. Worship Impacts Your CARES3. Worship Impacts Your CLARITY2 Corinthians 3:12-18 NIV12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.Isaiah 6:1-8 NIV1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”1. Worship Impacts Your CONTEXT2. Worship Impacts Your CARES3. Worship Impacts Your CLARITY
That question echoes straight out of Philippians 1:18, where Paul writes, “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” In context, Paul was imprisoned, and some people were preaching Christ with selfish motives—maybe even to stir up trouble for him. But Paul's response is striking: what matters most is that the message of Christ is going out, regardless of the messenger's intent. That's a powerful lens for life—focusing not on ego, reputation, or control, but on purpose and impact. Zooming out, the Bible often reframes “what matters” in terms of eternity. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul reminds us to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, because “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” And in Micah 6:8, the prophet boils it down to this: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” So when you ask, “What does it matter?”—the biblical answer is: it matters if it reflects Christ, if it builds others up, and if it echoes eternity. Your struggle may be to help someone else. Don't take it as "Woe is Me." God is in it. Give Him glory. Thank you for checking it out. Have a good week. Shalom baby. Kenn If this is your first listen, welcome. Faith Journey is a powerful ministry of encouragement led by Rev. Kenn Blanchard. Originally known as the Speak Life Podcast, it was rebranded to create a more concise and impactful experience for listeners. Rev. Blanchard, a seasoned podcaster since 2007, has used this platform to uplift and support hundreds facing crises. Though listener-supported, financial contributions are rarely requested—its true purpose lies in serving others. The podcast has helped those struggling with thoughts of suicide, saved marriages, and touched lives beyond the digital space, ministering to outdoor enthusiasts, bikers, and law enforcement personnel. Faith Journey stands online as a church without walls, bringing biblical hope, and wisdom wherever it's needed most.
Habakkuk 2:1-20 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. 2 And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. 5 “Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples.” 6 Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, “Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!” 7 Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. 9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! 910 You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. 11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond. 12 “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 15 “Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! 16 You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the Lord's right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory! 17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. 18 “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! 19 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. 20 But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”
Because believers are adopted heirs, we may preserve family relations resting in our Father's love. Matthew 18:1–14 (ESV): 18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Woe unto those that desire the day of the Lord's judgments !! by Shawn Ozbun
Daily Dose of Hope June 26, 2025 Scripture – Matthew 18:1-20 Prayer: Lord Jesus, We rejoice in you. We praise your name. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, and is, and is to come. We cannot possibly express our gratitude in words. You have offered us mercy but you have also given us freedom. Thank you for that. Help us live like free people. Help us demonstrate your love and grace to others who cross our path. Help us see people through your eyes. We love you, Lord. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts. Happy Thursday! I want you to mark your calendars for the New Hope worship night, which is tomorrow at 7:30pm in the sanctuary. This will be time of amazing praise and worship, as well as prayer and commissioning of the Ireland young adult mission team. Hope to see you there! Today, we are diving into Matthew 18, the first twenty verses. The text starts with the disciples asking who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus totally redirects this! He gets the focus off the disciples and their own need for honor and puts it on the most vulnerable in their community. Children at that time had no status, little value, and zero control over their lives. Something like half of all children died before reaching adulthood. Knowing all of that, Jesus tells his disciples that the one who becomes humble and “weak” like this child will be the greatest in the Kingdom. In fact, unless they become like vulnerable little children, they won't even be able to enter the Kingdom. This is the total opposite of the honor and status that the disciples were wanting. What is Jesus doing here? He is placing the most powerless members of their society at the center. Welcoming vulnerable children means welcoming Jesus. And Jesus says that there are few fates worse than harming them or causing them to sin. Then, Jesus says that there are many things in this world that can cause others to stumble. Human beings take advantage of one another. The powerful abuse the powerless. But Jesus' warning here is pretty strong. Woe to the person who harms those who are weak and powerless, such as children. His language then echoes the Sermon on the Mount. It's better to gouge out an eye or cut off a limb than to allow those things to cause you to sin and harm a powerless one. As I reread this, I couldn't help but think about all the children that are harmed. Around the globe, something like three million children are trafficked each year, forced into forced labor, sexual exploitation, or child marriage. In the United States, for which it is easier to get data, roughly 20,000 children are trafficked each year. Almost 600,000 children in the U.S. experience abuse and/or neglect every year. While the situation is certainly complicated, children aren't being protected. And then there are other groups who are highly vulnerable, such as the elderly, the desperately poor, and the homeless. This is pretty strong teaching here and it gives us practical examples of how to live in Christian community, solidly grounded in Jesus. We are to set aside power, protect the vulnerable and those the rest of society neglects, and search for the lost sheep (as we read in the next portion of Scripture). Jesus is all about protecting those who can't protect themselves and seeking out those who are lost. The question is – are we? I worry that we often focus on things that just aren't that important. We worry about ourselves. We worry about inward-focused things in the church. We don't lay aside power. We aren't humble. What would it take for us to become like little children? What would it take for us to really live in the way of Jesus? The last portion of Scripture we are covering today is what we might call Jesus' conflict mediation model. If someone sins against you, you go directly to that person and try to resolve it. You don't immediately pick up your phone and share your frustration with your closest friends. You don't post something rude on social media. You don't decide to quit the church. You actually go to that person and have the hard conversation. Most of the time that works. But if that doesn't work, Jesus has more wisdom to share. Go find some other trusted believers and bring them in to help resolve the dispute. That should certainly take care of things but just in case it doesn't, take it to the church. Do keep in mind that these were pretty small house churches so taking a dispute to the church would have looked differently than it does today. Today, it probably would mean bringing it to the pastor or some church leaders, but ONLY after you have done the other steps. We use this model in our own leadership teams here at New Hope. While it may not always be someone sinning against us, it could be a miscommunication or a disagreement. That's why if someone brings me a problem that involves another church member, I always ask, “Have you talked to that person already?” Conflict is inevitable in the church because we are all humans. However, we need to be very intentional and respectful about how we handle conflict. But we do need to handle it. Avoidance, denial, gossip, and/or projection onto others never turns out well and isn't how Jesus intended his people to behave. More tomorrow, friends. Blessings, Pastor Vicki
Back To Basics // Week 8 // Forgiveness Pastors JF and Ashley Wilkerson Matthew 18:6-9 NIV 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” Matthew 18:15 NIV 15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” Matthew 18:16-20 NIV 16 “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:21 NIV 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Aphiēmi – “To send away, release, let go” 1. FORGIVING OTHERS ISN'T FORGETTING…IT'S RELEASING. Colossians 3:12-13 NIV 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 1. FORGIVING OTHERS ISN'T FORGETTING…IT'S RELEASING. 2. FORGIVING OTHERS ISN'T IMMEDIATE…IT HAS TO BE REPEATED. Matthew 18:21-22 NIV 22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” 1. FORGIVING OTHERS ISN'T FORGETTING…IT'S RELEASING. 2. FORGIVING OTHERS ISN'T IMMEDIATE…IT HAS TO BE REPEATED. 3. FORGIVENESS ISN'T FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS…IT'S FOR US. Matthew 18:28-30 NIV 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. 29 His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.” Matthew 18:31-35 NIV 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,' he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:34b NIV 34b…his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. Matthew 18:35 NIV 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” - Nelson Mandela Ephesians 4:31-32 ESV 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 1. FORGIVING OTHERS ISN'T FORGETTING…IT'S RELEASING. 2. FORGIVING OTHERS ISN'T IMMEDIATE…IT HAS TO BE REPEATED. 3. FORGIVENESS ISN'T FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS…IT'S FOR US
Digital Drama 6-24-2025 …Jake is Sick of the “Woe is Me” Online Posts …Can't stand the Heatwave? You're a Wuss
Sam Stewart of Flagman returns to discuss Filipino Ray, an acrobatic bass jaunt that comprises the penultimate track of Of Whales and Woe. The bass lines go hard, but there is a lot of open space as well, which can be tricky for many musicians. Sam helps us with those intricacies, and regales with his own tales of whales and woe around procuting and hearing this record for the first time. We also share what we know about Ray Wing, the lyrical subject of the song, who Les played with in the Tommy Crank Band in the 1980s. Plus, can we borrow your old iPod cable? Thanks. Find Sam @salmonsamstew and @flagmanband on Insagram.Get involvedInstagramFacebookEmailBurn your money
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
