Podcasts about worldly

In a world filled with information, knowledge is easy to find—but wisdom is much harder to obtain. Ideas and philosophies often come packaged attractively, appearing thoughtful, progressive, or insightful. Yet appearances can be misleading. Just as a beautifully designed book may contain poor content, teachings that seem appealing can still lead us away from truth. The Bible reminds us that true wisdom has a very specific starting point: “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom” (Job 28:28). This “fear” is not terror, but reverence—a deep respect for God’s authority, holiness, and truth. It means recognizing that God’s understanding far surpasses our own. From the very beginning, humanity has struggled to distinguish between worldly knowledge and godly wisdom. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent presented deception in an appealing way, making disobedience appear wise and desirable. That same pattern continues today. Sin often looks attractive, and worldly ideas are frequently praised as enlightened or progressive. Yet Scripture consistently points us in another direction. Godly wisdom flows from knowing God and aligning our lives with His Word. It is cultivated through studying Scripture, praying for understanding, and surrounding ourselves with voices that strengthen our faith. Sometimes choosing God’s wisdom may look foolish to the world. Obedience, humility, and holiness are not always celebrated in modern culture. But what appears foolish to the world is often the path of true wisdom before God. The greatest treasure we can pursue is not influence, wealth, or intellectual achievement—it is a heart that reveres God and seeks His truth. When we begin there, our choices, priorities, and understanding start to align with His perfect wisdom. Main Takeaways Knowledge is abundant, but true wisdom comes from God. The fear of the Lord—reverence and obedience—is the beginning of wisdom. Worldly ideas can appear appealing but may lead away from truth. Godly wisdom grows through Scripture, prayer, and faithful community. Obedience to God may seem foolish to the world but reflects true wisdom. Today’s Bible Verse “Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? … And he said to the human race, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding” (Job 28:20, 28, NIV). Your Daily Prayer Prayer excerpt for listeners: “Teach me to value Your wisdom above the knowledge of the world.” Listen to the full prayer here. To view the prayer in written format, visit the links below. Want More? Relevant Links & Resources Continue growing in faith and encouragement: LifeAudio.com – Christian podcasts and devotionals Crosswalk.com – Daily prayers, articles, and Bible study resources This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.orgTrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. https://trinitycredit.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In classic Buddhism, there is often a meaningful emphasis on going very deep into the spiritual life, often through leaving the world behind for long periods of time and even becoming a lifelong yogi or monk. Is this the only way to move toward full awakening? There is often a lesser emphasis on a different path to awakening, the so-called "householder"— the student of mindfulness and awakening who doesn't want to—or simply can't— leave this world behind, but wants to turn their practice directly toward all aspects of their life in a contemporary setting. Ethan welcomes back Lou Sharma, a meditation teacher (and partner in the new A Mindful World community) for a open discussion of whether or not the path of the householder can also lead to awakening. This is a conversation for anyone who wants to engage with relationships, career, creative life, and social justice pursuits with more mindfulness, compassion and wisdom amidst all the hustle, bustle and chaos of life in the thick of the modern world. Lou Sharma is a mindfulness meditation teacher based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has practiced meditation for over 15 years, as part of her ongoing studies of Buddhism within Tibetan Buddhist traditions, including the Magyu lineage of Lama Tsultrim Allione. Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your subscriptions. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here. Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan's Website, etc). You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan's books at his website. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan's Website, etc). Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course on a classic Buddhist contemplation called The Five Remembrances is available at this link. Check out the free roundtable discussion on Mindfulness and Organizational Leadership at this link. Sign up for the May 2nd Windhorse Meditation workshop at this link.

### Core Theme: The Renewed Mind Herb Blum’s sermon focused on renewing the mind as a continual, intentional transformation from worldly thinking to thinking aligned with God’s Word and perspective. He emphasized that spiritual growth and effective Christian living depend on consistently renewing the mind through Scripture. ### Key Messages and Teachings 1. Renewing the mind is ongoing, not a one-time event Herb stressed that renewing the mind is a daily process. Drawing from Romans 12:2, he described it as a continual transformation—comparing it to a caterpillar becoming a butterfly—where inner change leads to outward change over time. 2. Scripture is the primary tool for renewal According to the sermon, the mind is renewed only through the Word of God. Without Scripture, people default to worldly thinking, fear, and confusion. With Scripture, believers replace lies with truth and learn to think from God’s perspective. 3. Fear reveals an unrenewed mind Using the story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4), Herb explained that the disciples reacted in fear because they were focused on circumstances instead of God’s word (“Let us go to the other side”). Jesus’ question—“Why are you so fearful?”—was framed as a challenge to grow into faith-driven thinking. 4. Authority requires responsibility A major point was that God often wants to work through believers rather than for them. Herb emphasized that believers have authority to speak to problems using God’s Word, rather than repeatedly asking God to fix what He has already empowered them to address. 5. Mindset determines response and outcome The sermon highlighted the contrast between: • Worldly mindset: fear, anxiety, reacting to problems • Renewed mindset: peace, confidence, responding with God’s truth Herb taught that focusing on problems magnifies fear, while focusing on God’s presence reveals solutions. 6. The Holy Spirit reshapes thinking from the inside out The renewed mind is described as Spirit-led, sensitive to God’s guidance, and aligned with righteousness, peace, and joy. As the mind changes, decisions, habits, reactions, and identity change as well. 7. A renewed mind reflects the mind of Christ Citing 1 Corinthians 2:16, Herb reinforced that believers already have the mind of Christ—but must learn to live from it. This results in responding like Jesus, loving like Jesus, and discerning situations spiritually rather than emotionally. ### Closing Emphasis Herb concluded that a renewed mind: • Thinks God’s thoughts daily • Rejects fear, doubt, and carnal reasoning • Produces a changed life marked by peace, joy, and spiritual authority The sermon ended with prayer, asking God to align thoughts with His truth, replace fear with peace, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide daily thinking.

Joe DeCamara reads the Morning Show Ray Didinger's email update from his World Cruise. NFL Free Agency is less than a week away! What will the Eagles do?

Kingdom Calm Over Worldly Anxiety is a sermon from Matthew 6:25–34 about how Jesus confronts our age of anxiety with a better way to live. The message contrasts a world where one in three adults wrestle with anxiety and depression with the calm Jesus offers as we trust a Father who feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. The message shows that anxiety isn't just emotional but deeply theological, springing from misplaced allegiance to money, image, or control instead of God. It walks through Jesus' command to “seek first the kingdom of God,” explaining that this is not a vending‑machine promise but a reordering of our priorities around His rule. Pastor Matthew then gives four practical rhythms, starting the day in awe, worship as spiritual therapy, trading “what if?” for “even if,” and persistent prayer, to help believers live with kingdom calm in a worried world. Finally, it lands in the gospel: the God who did not spare His own Son will surely meet us in tomorrow's troubles, so we can rest today in His care.

As a parent, you have a very important job—loving, teaching, and protecting your child. Counsellor Julie Lowe helps you equip your child to face the challenges and dangers the world poses. By using discernment, your kids will learn to navigate a variety of potentially dangerous circumstances.

“Worldly productivity” is about getting (big) things done. It's important to a human life as it improves your lot, adds value to others and provides a sense of meaning, through your progress. People are happy when they make progress.Yet, there is a second, quieter form of productivity that is less about scale—and more about soul. I call this “Spiritual Productivity.”I love both and encourage you to find the balance between the two, that your wisest self senses is right for you. By the way, I've created a really special and deeply tactical new course that will show you how to structure your days into “micro-seasons” for peak work, strategic thinking, fitness and fun, family time and personal growth periods.It's called The Amazing Day Blueprint. Here are the details to get full access now.FOLLOW ROBIN SHARMA:InstagramFacebookYouTube

As a parent, you have a very important job—loving, teaching, and protecting your child. Counsellor Julie Lowe helps you equip your child to face the challenges and dangers the world poses. By using discernment, your kids will learn to navigate a variety of potentially dangerous circumstances.

Why do so many Christians start strong—only to slowly settle into comfort, distraction, and spiritual compromise? In today's MY Devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that believers are citizens of the City of God, living temporarily in the City of Man with a mission: to urge the lost to turn from sin and receive eternal life in Jesus Christ. Yet many who once lived with heaven in view end up falling in love with the very world they were sent to reach. Dr. Youssef unpacks five reasons this spiritual drift happens—and how to guard your heart: A false view of heaven that makes eternity seem dull instead of glorious, Worldly pressures (pain, loss, responsibilities) that steal your focus, Living by sight, where the visible crowds out what's eternal, Muddled teaching that confuses self-sacrifice with self-satisfaction, False doctrine that blurs the Truth about salvation, heaven, and hell—draining urgency from the Christian race. This episode will help you regain eternal perspective, recognize subtle distractions, and live with a clear-eyed passion for Christ—serving faithfully now while remembering the better City that is to come. Scripture Focus: Hebrews 13:14 Go deeper: Dr. Youssef's sermon series Unholy Alliance of the Antichrist (Watch Now | Listen Now) The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

“Worldly productivity” is about getting (big) things done. It's important to a human life as it improves your lot, adds value to others and provides a sense of meaning, through your progress. People are happy when they make progress.Yet, there is a second, quieter form of productivity that is less about scale—and more about soul. I call this “Spiritual Productivity.”In such seasons, the ego says “you're wasting your time. You should be producing. Everyone is getting ahead of you.”Yet isn't upgrading your inner life, refining your philosophy and optimizing your integrity during a season of stillness and rich personal growth the very thing that later leads to true leadership, mastery and outer winning?By the way, I've created a really special and deeply tactical new course that will help you significantly increase your productivity and performance over the next 30 days. It's called The Amazing Day Blueprint. Here are the details to get full access now.FOLLOW ROBIN SHARMA:InstagramFacebookYouTube

The Vanity of Life Under the Sun Without the Son, Pt. 3The Vanity of Worldly PleasureEcclesiastes 2:1-11 | King's Chapel Live StreamWhat if “living the dream” is not the dream we thought it would be?In Ecclesiastes 2, Solomon sets out to test pleasure. Laughter, possessions, accomplishments, experiences. He holds nothing back. If pleasure could satisfy the human heart, Solomon would have found it. And yet his conclusion is sobering. Under the sun, even the best experiences leave us empty.In this message, we explore the vanity of worldly pleasure and the limits of hedonism. We reflect on how modern ideas of success and the American dream echo Solomon's experiment. No achievement, possession, or experience can fill a heart made for eternity.Scripture reminds us that our hearts are deceitful and restless. God has placed eternity within us, which means we were created for something more than temporary satisfaction. The issue is not that we long too deeply, but that we often pursue too little.True joy is not found in squeezing everything we can out of this world. It is found in glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. When our hearts are rightly ordered, pleasure is no longer ultimate. God is.If you have ever chased something you thought would satisfy you only to find it did not last, this message invites you to consider a deeper and more lasting joy in Christ.Connect with King's Chapel in Longwood, FL - ▶️ www.kingschapelfl.com▶️ https://www.facebook.com/KingsChapelfl▶️ https://www.instagram.com/kingschapelfl/For the GLORY of our Great GodFor the GOOD of our NeighborEcclesiastes 2 sermon, vanity of pleasure, living the dream sermon, biblical view of success, King's Chapel Longwood FL, meaning of life Bible, hedonism and Christianity, joy in God sermon, American dream biblical perspective

There was little doubt on any race fans mind that Hunter Lawrence would get a 450SX win and when HRC unveiled their military appreciation bike in Arlington, it was a slam dunk. We've got the 450SX WINNER on the line tonight. Pierce Brown is probably the second most "due" racer in the series that was ready for the win and he also got the DUB AND WE HAVE HIM TOO. Dean Wilson is off racing in other Worldly events because he is very cultured; Dean-O is on with us tonight too. We have the fastest brothers from Minnesota in studio and their best frenemy, Phil Nicoletti in studio with them as well. GREAT SHOW!!

On Sunday, one of our elders, Austin Smith, explored Jesus' radical definition on greatness found in Luke 22v24-30.    While the disciples argue about status, Jesus teaches that true greatness in His kingdom is found in humble service—becoming useful rather than trying to get ahead.   Worldly self-centeredness will keep us from loving others well, but in Jesus' life we see another way to live. He is so certain of His identity as a beloved son, that he is able to go low, to be grateful and generous in every situation.   As we grow in gratitude to God, may our lives become acts of worship and may we be found useful to his kingdom. 

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:31–32Throughout history, rulers have vied for power, and countless wars have been fought over ambitions for political control. Even in modern democracies, there is constant strife over who should lead. Yet, in the end, there will be only one King Who will sit upon His glorious throne forever.Today's Gospel reminds us that although civil governance plays an important role in our earthly lives, we must never lose sight of the One Eternal King. When Jesus returns in all His glory, accompanied by the entire Celestial Hierarchy of Heaven, all justice and righteousness will be fully established. Each of us will appear before Him as Judge. At that moment, and for eternity, only one thing will matter: How did I live while on earth?Too often, the temptation to live as though this life is an end in itself dominates us. When faced with injustice, we may respond with anger. When our preferred political party is not in power, we can become disillusioned, considering it a tragedy. Many are seduced into believing that accumulating more material goods leads to greater happiness, and poverty or simplicity is undesirable, a sign of failure. Yet, in the end, one thing alone will matter and one thing alone will endure—charity.In the passage above, Jesus uses the image of a shepherd separating sheep from goats. This familiar image to the people of His time depicts the end of the age. During the day, a shepherd often allowed sheep and goats to graze together, just as God permits all people—the righteous and the unrighteous—to live in this world together. But at night, the shepherd would separate the sheep from the goats. Sheep, being more docile, obedient, and faithful, represent those who live according to God's will. Goats, often more unruly and independent, symbolize those who live selfishly.The contrast is striking. Faith, hope, and charity are not abstract ideas; they are supernatural virtues that win for us a place in the eternal Kingdom of God. Self-centered living, worldly ambitions, and unruly passions extinguish these virtues, leading to God's judgment and condemnation at the end of time.Knowing these truths should instill vigilance and hope in us. Vigilance will help us remain faithful members of God's true Kingdom, living out charity toward God and others. Hope will inspire us to live with an eternal perspective. Worldly ambitions will pass with this life. But if our hope is set on the eternal Kingdom, it will lead us to holiness and a deeper union with God.Reflect today on the eternal promises our Lord makes to us. At the end of time, He will separate the sheep from the goats. We must never forget that while God is perfectly merciful, He is also perfectly just. If His mercy is not embraced through repentance and conversion, His justice must be satisfied in the end. But if His mercy is embraced, it perfectly fulfills justice, and we will live with Him as our King and Shepherd forever. My merciful and just King, at the end of time, You will return with all Your angels to judge the living and the dead, establishing Your eternal Kingdom. I pray that I will be counted among Your sheep. Please grant me the grace of humility and repentance so that I may grow in love for You and in charity toward all. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Sharon Mollerus, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

A message from Pastor Sof (A Study of the Gospel of 3 John).... 3 John Ch 1 v 1-15, Who Will You Be Pt 2! If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

How do we know the difference between a godly desire and a worldly desire? A godly desire will only grow sweeter as our desire for God grows.

The Vanity of Life Under the Sun Without the Son, Pt. 2The Vanity of Worldly WisdomEcclesiastes 1:12-18 | King's Chapel Live StreamWe live in an age overflowing with information. Knowledge is everywhere. Technology is advancing rapidly. Artificial intelligence can process more data than any human mind ever could. And yet the deepest questions of the human heart remain unanswered.In Ecclesiastes 1, Solomon explores the limits of worldly wisdom. He pursued knowledge, understanding, and insight, only to discover that wisdom under the sun cannot restore what has been lost or heal what has been broken.In this message, we consider how modern forms of wisdom, including artificial intelligence, still fall short. Worldly wisdom cannot recover our lost relationship with God. It cannot repair the damage of sin. It cannot satisfy the deep longings of our hearts. No amount of information can replace redemption.This sermon also offers practical guidance for living wisely in a technological age. Be aware, but do not be afraid. Use tools, but do not depend on them for what only God can provide. Artificial systems may process knowledge, but only the living God transforms hearts.As we continue our Ecclesiastes series, we are reminded that true wisdom is not found merely in accumulated knowledge. It is found in reverence for God, trust in His Word, and dependence on His Spirit.Connect with King's Chapel in Longwood, FL - ▶️ www.kingschapelfl.com▶️ https://www.facebook.com/KingsChapelfl▶️ https://www.instagram.com/kingschapelfl/For the GLORY of our Great GodFor the GOOD of our NeighborEcclesiastes 1 sermon, vanity of wisdom, biblical view of artificial intelligence, meaning of life Bible, King's Chapel Longwood FL, limits of worldly wisdom, AI and Christianity sermon, wisdom under the sun, purpose in Christ

This week Pastor Greg continues his sermon series "Unsubscribe" with today's message "Unsubscribe From Worldly Success To Eternal Significance."

The story of Lot's wife serves as a cautionary tale about disobedience and attachment to the world, emphasizing the importance of heeding divine warnings and proper biblical interpretation.   The story of Lot's wife is introduced as a cautionary tale about disobedience to divine warnings. How many Christians are just flat not listening to the warnings right now?

Tamara Jong grew up going door-to-door for the Jehovah's Witnesses … and her new memoir, Worldly Girls, is all about breaking away from the faith. For much of her life, the strict religious movement was Tamara's only way of making sense of the world. But as she got older, Tamara began to reflect on her unconventional childhood, complicated relationships with her parents and mental health struggles. She realized that she wasn't lost without the Witnesses — it was actually the religion that was preventing her from finding herself. This week, Tamara tells Mattea about growing up as a Jehovah's Witness, her relationship to motherhood and what it really means to be worldly. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Video games are radical. Not in the way you think Why an ADHD diagnosis had this author rethinking everything

Around Valentine’s Day, the world celebrates romantic love—but it can’t satisfy our deepest hearts. 1 John 4:19 reminds us that true love begins with God: “We love because He first loved us.” When we make romantic relationships the ultimate priority, we risk putting God on the back burner. The Bible calls us to love God above all else, cultivating a heart that reflects His love first—because only then can we truly love others. Intersecting Faith & Life What is your focus this Valentine’s Day—God’s love or romantic pursuit? How can you cultivate your love for God first, so that all other relationships are strengthened? Take time today to ask God to center your heart on Him, letting His love overflow into your interactions with others. Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: God Is All We Need By Alexis A. Goring Bible Reading:“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19 (NIV) Earlier this year, I saw an illustration on Instagram of two women shopping in a store. One woman had overloaded her shopping cart with everything from cosmetics to jewelry. These were in the form of large, white boxes with the labels of worldly possessions on each box. She was looking at a woman walking beside her, carrying just one medium-sized box in her hands and walking with ease. The label on the box only had three letters that said, “God.” The woman with all the boxes in her cart labeled with words that symbolized every material possession we can chase after in this life on Earth, asked the other woman, “Is that all you need?” The woman smiled sweetly and said simply, “Yes.” This illustration reminded me of a real-life story that happened to me many years ago. A ministry leader at a church I attended gave everyone there a free, new Bible and told us to give it away to someone who needs it. I kept the Bible in my car and prayed for the perfect opportunity to share it with someone. One day, God answered my prayer as I sat in the driver’s seat of my car at a stoplight. I noticed a woman dressed in plain clothes who was standing on the median in the road by the stoplight, begging for money. I didn’t have any cash to give her, but I remembered I had a Bible. What better gift? So, I rolled down my window and waved until she saw me and walked over to my car. When I gave the Bible to her, she flipped through the pages with a wide smile, then looked at me and said with great enthusiasm, “If we have Jesus, we have everything! If we don’t have Jesus, we have nothing!” I said, “Amen!” Then drove away because the traffic light had turned green. Years later, I reflected on that memory and the truth of her simple yet profound statement. This caused me to reflect on my personal values and outlook on life. What was I chasing after? Worldly wealth so I could afford all my material needs, stability in the workforce with a job that’s fulfilling and purposeful, relationships, friendships…the list goes on. This reminds me of a quote I saw online that said something like, “If we chase Jesus as much as we chase people, then maybe He would give us people we don’t need to chase.” I found the same to be true when it comes to seeking Jesus Christ instead of worldly desires. The Bible says in Matthew 6:33 (NLT), “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” I’m learning to apply this verse to my daily living. It’s important to not just read the Bible and study it but to apply the advice written within it. When it comes to seeking God and His Kingdom first, I am doing that by starting my day with Him in Bible study and prayer, then continuing the conversation with God as I move through my day. You don’t have to pray to Him out loud. You can whisper a prayer or stay silent as you converse with God privately in your head. You don’t have to literally pray every second, 24/7, 365, but the point is for us to involve God in our day and make time for Him, just like we would for a best friend or family member whom we love. The older I become, the more I see how true it is that when we have Jesus, we have everything we need, but without Him, we have nothing. Think about it: There are people who have great financial wealth but are dying on the inside. They need a Savior because no amount of money can save you. There are popular people who are influential and famous yet feel empty because they’ve found that fame can never satisfy this deep hunger in their souls. Whether they know it or not, only Jesus Christ can quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger. While he was living on Earth, Blaise Pascal said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.” As we go through this new year and the rest of our lives, let’s seek God first before everything and everyone else, then experience how He completes us. Before you go, please listen to these four songs for reflection: Song of Reflection #1: “You’re All I Need” by Hezekiah Walker. Listen to it HERE. Song of Reflection #2: “God Is” by Rev. James Cleveland. Listen to it HERE. Song of Reflection #3: “First Things First” by Consumed by Fire. Listen to it HERE. Song of Reflection #4: “You’ll Never Thirst” by Anointed. Listen to it HERE. Intersecting Faith & Life: How does it feel to know God is all you need? Further Reading: Psalm 16:5Psalm 20:6-72 Peter 1:32 Corinthians 9:8Jeremiah 17:7-8 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A Warning Against Worldly Philosophy Colossians 2:6-15 All rights not specified here are reserved to and for the benefit of the copyright owner. Used by Permission. CCLI License CSPL163010 https://youtube.com/live/IFP-TNYneeQ?feature=share

A message from Guest Pastor Nate Vainio for Amarillo, in the Book of Romans ch 1:14-17 If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

A message from Pastor Sof (A Study of the Gospel of 3 John).... 3 John Ch 1 v 1-15, Who Will You Be! If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

Privilege of Being in God’s House Gratitude for the freedom and presence of the Spirit of God. Many people would love to be in a place where the spirit of God is free. It is a privilege to be in God’s house. Romans Chapter 4 Reading of Romans 4:17-25 and verse 16. Focus on faith and grace. It is of faith that it might be by grace. The promise might be sure to all the seed. Not to that only which is of the law, but also which is of the faith of Abraham. Abraham: Father of Many Nations Abraham as the father of many nations, not just Israel. God told Abraham, “I’m going to make you a father of many nations.” All are children of Abraham through faith, not the law. Abraham pleased God through belief, not law-keeping. The law had yet to be given. Abraham came because he believed God. Abraham’s Faith God’s promise to Abraham to make him a father of many nations. Sarah was barren. Abraham didn’t have any children. Abraham believed God despite his age (100 years old) and Sarah’s age (90 years old). Abraham believed God. It was imputed to him for righteousness. Righteousness imputed to Abraham because of belief, not personal righteousness or worthiness. Not because Abraham was righteous. Not because Abraham deserved righteousness. Not because he was worthy of righteousness. But because he believed God. Importance of Faith Without faith, it is impossible to please God. God puts such a value on faith. When any soul will simply believe God in spite of all the circumstances, in spite of all the situations. God imputes righteousness to those who believe. Righteousness of Christ imputed at the moment of faith. We believed. Hope in a Hopeless World Hope is very important. The world has lost hope, even the lost. Wickedness abounds and it’s getting worse. Political changes have not brought righteousness. A lot of people thought when Trump got in office that somehow this country would turn around and get righteous. We’re no closer to God than we were two years ago. Evidence of lack of revival: no abandonment of sin, no church filling. If things were really getting right, brother, we’d see it in the church. It ain’t here. It’s growing more wicked every day. Encouragement to keep hope. Don’t let anything steal your hope. Advice to avoid negative influences: turn off TV and radio, open the Bible. Turn your TV off. Turn your radio off. And open up your Bible. Stop the influences of the devil. Hope as a Necessity Hope is absolutely necessary for the people of God. Despair and worry heard in voices of men at a gathering. There were some of them that were sharing before church, and some of them shared even after we had started. I could hear the despair in their voice. I could hear the worry and the concern. Concern is valid, but must be balanced with hope in God. Without a vision, you’ll perish. We cannot as the people of God in good faith talk about it without still having hope in God. Faith and hope are linked; faith precedes hope. If you’ve got faith hope’s right behind you. The more faith you have, the greater hope you’ll have as well. 1 Corinthians 13: faith, hope, and charity (love). Love is the greatest, but in good company with faith and hope. Now abideth these three. Faith, hope, and charity. But the greatest of these is charity. Need for hope in the church. We need to have hope in our heart tonight. We need to have a hope down in our soul. With God, anything can happen. When God’s involved, anything can happen. Believe God and let hope save each day. What we need to do is believe God and then let hope save us each and every day. Hope as Verb and Noun Hope is both an action (verb) and a thing (noun). Hope is both a verb and a noun. It is both an action and a thing. Like faith and love, hope is a real thing. Faith is an action, but faith is also a thing. Love is an action, but it is also a noun. It is a thing. Appreciation for people with hope who haven’t given up on God. I love to meet people that have got hope. I like to meet people that ain’t give up on God. They’ve not laid down on God. They’ve not quit believing in God. Hope leads to expecting God to move in unexpected ways. God’s going to do something that they ain’t expecting, that God’s going to move in a way they’ve never seen, that God’s going to come in and help them in a way that they can’t even understand or foresee. Hope should follow faith. If you’ve got faith, you ought to have some hope with you. Hope ought to follow your faith. Many Christians seem to lack hope. I see a lot of people that ain’t got much hope. I talk to Christian people, good Christian people. And when you talk to them, it seems like they don’t give up. They just throw it in the towel. Losing belief in God leads to hopelessness. When they quit believing in God, they quit believing God can do something. Focus on the present and the work to be done. I’m still breathing. I’ve still got a day ahead of me if God wakes me up and the sun shines again. We’ve got work to do. Need for hope to avoid emotional and spiritual backsliding. You’ll get so far down the ditch that you’ll end up backslidden emotionally and spiritually. You’ll get to the place where you sell out on faith and you sit down on God and suddenly, amen, everything that is wrong begins to come your way. Reaping hard things from sowing bad things. You’ll begin to reap hard things because you’ve sown bad things. Even without understanding God’s plan, hope is essential. Even though we cannot see what God is doing, we do not know what moment in time, what dispensation we’re in. What I can tell you is that we still need hope today. Abraham believed against hope. Abraham, who against hope, believed in hope. Hope is part of faith. Hope’s part of our faith. These three abideth, faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is hope. Believing Against Hope Abraham believed against hope (Romans 4:18). Every earthly argument or sense was not supporting what God was telling Abraham. Everything that God told Abraham, the worldly argument, the worldly sense, the worldly rationality, The worldly experience would tell Abraham that’s not going to happen. Worldly rationality says it’s impossible, but God can do anything. It cannot be. It is impossible. There’s no need to believe in that because that is not reality. It is not something that can occur. Believing God despite circumstances allows hope to flourish. When everything says it cannot be. It still can be. Believing in God Believing in hope means believing in God (verse 17). Before him whom he believed even God. Believing in God overrides worldly rationale and human experience. If you’re believing in God today, all bets are off as far as the world’s rationale. All bets are off is on human experience. God can change situations even when doctors say nothing can be done. You may have been to a thousand doctors and every one of them tell you, Nope, there is nothing that can be done. But brother, when you put it in God’s hands, it can change. Question of who to believe: doctors, lawyers, personal experience, or God. Do you believe the doctors? Do you believe the lawyer? Do you believe that person? Do you believe your experience, your own rationale, your own common sense? God can do anything, including wondrous miracles. All of those things are nothing to my God. Because God can do anything. God acts when humans cannot. God did it because you couldn’t do it. God did it because nobody else could do it. God did it to show you He could do it. Believing in God despite terrible circumstances. There are circumstances in my life that are terrible, and I have no idea how this is going to turn out. Anything is possible with prayer and belief. If you’ll keep praying and you’ll keep believing, friend, anything is possible. God’s timing differs from human timing; patience is needed. God’s timing ain’t your timing. So just be patient. Human solutions to God problems don’t work. His wife said, I’ve come up with a human solution to a God problem. What you need is not a human solution, but you need the God solution. Trusting God with all your heart leads to directed steps. If I trust in Him with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding but in all my ways acknowledge Him that He will direct my steps. God fixes what humans cannot. You’re liable to find out He fixes what can’t be fixed by humans. God’s Abilities Believing in God who is able to do all things. Abraham believed in any help because he was believing, number one, in God who is able to do all things. Believing in God who can quicken the dead. He was believing that God was able to quicken the dead. This God had power to raise someone up from the dead. Believing in God who calls things that are not as though they were. When God talks about something that has not happened, he’s speaking to it as if it will happen because he will make it happen. God will speak it as if it has already happened. Need for More Faith Need for more faith. I need more faith. I need to believe God for more than what I’m believing. Trusting God for things that are impossible for humans. When you trust God and believe Him for things that you can’t fix, you can’t do. Daily choice to believe God or the world. Every day when you get up, you’re going to have to make a choice. Am I going to believe God today or am I going to believe the world? Believing God leads to the birth of hope. If you believe God, friend, hope is born again right in your soul. Abraham’s Strength in Faith Abraham was not weak in faith. Abraham was strong in the faith. Abraham believed God when asked to sacrifice Isaac. Take your only son Isaac up there and offer him up as a sacrifice unto me. Abraham believed God would provide a sacrifice. God will provide himself a lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham believed God could raise Isaac from the dead. He believed in his heart that if God allowed him to take that boy, that he’d raise him from the dead. Overcoming Weakness in Faith Problem of weakness in faith. I think that’s part of our problem today. Faith can move mountains (Matthew 21:21). If we had faith we’d say to the mountain be you moved and cast into the sea and it would be. Abraham’s example of not considering his own body as dead. Being not weak in the faith, he considered not his own body, now need. Not letting the mind dictate faith. Abraham did not let his mind dictate what God was saying, whether it be possible or impossible. Not staggering at the promise of God through unbelief. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in the faith, giving glory to God. Being fully persuaded that God could perform what He promised. Being fully persuaded what he had promised, he was also able to perform. Value of Hope Faith, hope, and charity (love) are all important. These three things abide. Faith, hope, and charity. The greatest of these is charity. Need for hope. You need a lot of hope, by the way. Wake up with enough faith to produce hope for the day. You need to wake up in the morning with enough faith to produce more hope so that you have hope to do you all day long. Losing hope leads to stopping. The minute you run out of hope, the minute you sit down. The minute you quit working for God, the minute we quit living for God and serving God and reading and studying and seeking God, when you lose hope, you just stop. Hope is essential for survival, like for prisoners of war. The main thing that those prisoners of war in Vietnam needed, the main thing they needed was hope that they’d get out. Hope can lift one out of pits, depression, and hurt. It’ll lift you up out of that pit that you’re in, that depression that you’re in, that hurt that you’re feeling. Hope is powerful and can save. Hope will save you. It’s that powerful. Hope from the Scriptures Hope comes from the Scriptures (Romans 15:4). Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Increased faith leads to bold hope. As your faith is increased, brother, hope becomes bold within yourself. Need for hope at all times, not just in church. You don’t need it on Wednesday and Sunday. You need hope on Thursday morning. You need some good hope on Friday morning. The world should see hope in Christians. Reckon why they’d ever ask you about Christ if when they see or hear you, all they see is somebody that has no hope. The lost are the most hopeless. If there’s anybody hopeless, It’s the lost. Without hope in Christ, life is miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19). If I had hope in this life only in Christ, I’d be of all men most miserable. God of Hope The Word of God gives hope and sustains belief. The Word of God was meant to give us hope because it gives us faith. Hope keeps serving and fighting and helping and it’ll sustain you. God is the God of hope (Romans 15:13). Now the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace and believing. Prayer for God to fill with joy, peace, and belief. I pray that He fill you with all joy and peace and believing. Abounding in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. That ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. Supercharged Hope The Holy Ghost supercharges hope. The Holy Ghost then gets into hope. It gets supercharged at that point. Hope begins to do unexpected things. Suddenly hope begins to do things you didn’t know hope could do. The power of the Holy Ghost brings action. When you get the power of the Holy Ghost into something, you better get out of its way. Because it’s fixing to do something. Hopelessness leads to despair. So many people have got their head down, which infers to me they’ve lost hope, which means they’re not believing God. Christians should never be hopeless. You’re never hopeless. Simple faith in Christ produces supercharged hope. That simple faith in Christ produces a supercharged hope that has power to lift you up out of depression, lift you up out of the pit, lift you up out of that hard place. God can do what no one else can do. God can do what no one else can do. Hope as an Anchor Hebrews 6:18-19: hope as a strong consolation. By two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. Lay hold upon the hope set before us. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Hope is both an action and a thing. Hope is both a verb and a noun. Hope is an action and a thing. Hope is the answer and a supercharged power. Out there in front of you is hope. Out there in front of you is the answer, the hope that you need. You’ll experience hope as a thing. A supercharged. Holy Spirit-filled thing. A power unlike anything else on the earth. Hope changes perspective. Give somebody real hope. Their perspective changes on every circumstance. Loss of hope leads to despair and suicide. If you take their hope away, you know what they do these days? They try to kill themselves. Need to exercise faith to increase hope. You better keep working on hope. Hope will rescue and save. Hope’s going to rescue you. Hope’s going to save you. Hope as an anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19). Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Hope leads to Christ’s presence. Hope will lead you into His presence. Need to be at the feet of the One who can do all things. The one thing you need, more than anything else, is to be at the feet of the One who can do all things. Hope takes one to Christ. Your hope took you there. Hopelessness leads to quitting. You take a person that’s hopeless and you know what they want to do? They want to quit. Hope leads to seeking Jesus. Somebody that’s filled with hope is going to find themselves at the feet of Jesus one more time. Hope is supercharged by the Holy Ghost. Hope is supercharged of the Holy Ghost. Hope is brought by the Scriptures. It is brought to us by the Scriptures. Hope is a refuge and a sure anchor. God has said it before us that we might lay hold upon it as a refuge. It is a sure and steadfast anchor of our… Hope leads into the presence of Christ. It takes me into the presence of Christ. Creation’s Groaning and Hope’s Saving Power All creation groans (Romans 8:22). We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Everyone experiences problems. Every one of you have got problems. Choice to believe God and have hope or go farther down. They can either believe God. In that moment, they can either believe God and watch hope be born and supercharged powerfully enter into their life and lift them out of that circumstance or they will go farther down. Saved by hope (Romans 8:24). For we are saved by hope. Hope saves like a life preserver. Like a life preserver, when I’m going under it, Hope saves me. Hope lifts one up when feeling overwhelmed. When it feels like you’re just so far down that you ain’t going to come up again, and suddenly you feel like something grabbed a hold of you and just hit you right back down. That was hope. Hope replaces negative emotions with positive ones. A smile replaced the frame. And confidence the worry. And boldness the fear. Hope is always available in Christ. In Christ, there is always hope. Hope rescues and lifts up. Hope, it didn’t rescue you. It didn’t lift you up out of that where you said it didn’t pull you right back up to hope it saved you. Waiting with Patience Hope is born of faith. Hope is born of faith. When there is no faith, there is no hope. More faith leads to more hope. The more faith you have, the more hope is born. Hope lifts above the world’s troubles. Hope will save you. Hope will lift you above the waves of this world and the wretchedness we live in and the groaning and the pain. Hope is for things not seen (Romans 8:24-25). Hope that is seen is not hope. If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Patience is needed while waiting for God’s promise. If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Hope sustains while waiting. That hope will be what sustains you as you wait for it. Hope is an anchor of the soul. Hope will hold you. As an anchor of the soul. Hope leads closer to God. That hope is taking you right into him. Hope leads into the holiest of holies. It’s walking you closer and closer to him. Until it goes right inside, within the veil, behind the curtain, to the holies of holies. God does what no one else can do. God did something that nobody else could do. Patience allows hope to work until God fulfills His promise. With patience while hope did its work in sustaining and saving day after day moment after moment until finally God does what God said he’d do. Once the promise is seen, there is no more need for hope. Once you see it, you no longer have to hope for it no more. Faith, hope, and charity (love) are essential. Faith, hope, and charity. These three. Gratitude for hope. Thank God for Hope. Believing and carrying on despite uncertainty. You just keep carrying on. And you keep believing. Hope it keeps up. God’s plan is good. What a good plan He came up with, honey. Use faith, hope, and love. You’ve got them. Use them. Invitation to be filled with hope. I’d like to see you leave here filled with hope. Filled with hope. Let God save and help. Let him save you tonight. Let him help you.

The Apostle Paul, in Colossians 2:8-10, warns readers to reject vain philosophies, human traditions, and worldly rudiments that can lead believers away from Biblical truth. The episode emphasizes that all fullness dwells in Christ, believers are complete in Him, and practical vigilance is needed to protect faith and spiritual well-being.

We continue our series, New Beginnings, with a message from Genesis 13 & 19 on the dangers of Christians living as the world does without God's guidance.

You consider yourself a wise person. You make thoughtful decisions, give solid advice, and navigate life with intention. But what if the wisdom you're relying on is actually working against God's purpose for your life? Worldly wisdom wears many convincing masks, it sounds smart, feels strategic, and often gets immediate results.But according to Scripture, there's a wisdom that leads to life and a wisdom that leads to death, and we're all operating from one or the other in our daily choices. Are you living with the wisdom that comes from above, or settling for counterfeits that crumble under pressure? Join us as we learn to discern, choose, and walk in the wisdom that lasts.Read more: https://kuzaapp.com/biblical-wisdom-versus-worldly-wisdom/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kuzaappInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuzaappTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kuzaappBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/kuza--3674993/support.

A message from Pastor Sof (A Study of the Gospel of 2 John).... 2 John Ch 1 v 1-13, Walking in Truth and Love If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

A message from Pastor Sof (A Study of the Gospel of 2 John).... 2 John Ch 1 v 1-13, Walking in Truth and Love If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

We can focus on earthly things or things of heaven. There’s no middle ground, and whichever we focus on, that’s where our treasure will be. Today, Pastor JD tells how you can keep your eyes on the heavenly prize, and how you can transfer your treasures on earth to heaven. Worldly treasures take the focus off of Jesus.

In 2 Peter 1, the Apostle Peter laid out a phenomenal blueprint for us to follow regarding the how and why of developing a focused and loyal character that is modeled after Christ. After reminding us of the incomprehensible promises that God brings us through His power and Jesus' sacrifice, he then focuses us on doing our part. Peter gives us a blueprint for building a virtue “ladder” of Christian character development, of which the first rung is our faith. Because we have the firm footing of Christian faith in place, we can then develop “moral excellence,” which in turn gives us the stability to next develop knowledge. As we will continue to see, when followed, the order of developing these attributes of our Christian characters will yield an unbreakable allegiance to daily, living God's will through Christ! Peter's ladder sequence is intentional: faith establishes our direction, moral excellence aligns our heart with God's highest standards, and only then can knowledge become a stable, Christlike attribute rather than a source of pride or harm. By contrasting godly vs. misapplied knowledge, we can see that without moral excellence, it can inflate ego and harm others. Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 8 shows that even correct knowledge can become destructive if it emboldens weaker Christians to violate their conscience. True Christian knowledge must therefore be governed by love, humility and responsibility. How much of the Bible do I have to know? This is not about mastering every prophecy or detail, but about understanding Christlikeness and allowing God's light to shape our intellect. All Scripture – both in the Old and New Testaments – is the essential source of this knowledge, forming a lifelong journey of discernment, filtering out worldly influences, and taking every thought captive to Christ. God's plan is expansive, merciful and awe‑inspiring. Recognizing its depth should cultivate gratitude rather than arrogance. Paul's example in Philippians 3 shows the surpassing value of knowing Christ, which makes all previous accomplishments seem like “rubbish” in comparison. Ultimately, knowledge becomes transformative when it flows from faith, is shaped by moral excellence, and leads us toward deeper loyalty to God's will. Key Takeaways Knowledge must be built on faith and moral excellence to avoid arrogance. Misapplied knowledge can harm others while godly knowledge is always governed by love. All Scripture is the authoritative source of Christian understanding. True knowledge produces humility, responsibility and awe at God's plan.

The Dangers of Worldly Pleasures by Pastor Keegan Hall of Indian Gap Baptist Church of Indian Gap, Texas

Send us a textWhat we crave shapes who we become.In this episode of the Midweek Motivation Podcast, Jess and Caleb explore a question many Christians wrestle with but rarely say out loud: Is ambition a sin? Where's the line between healthy, God-given drive and cravings that slowly pull our hearts off course?This conversation builds on the idea that our hearts are always hungry for something—and only when our cravings are filtered through Jesus do they lead to lasting fulfillment instead of burnout, pride, or distraction.In this episode, you'll discover:Why ambition itself isn't sinful—and how intention changes everythingThe difference between Godly cravings and worldly cravingsHow to filter ambition so it fuels purpose instead of pressureWhy conviction is protection and repentance is redirectionHow community helps keep our hunger aimed in the right directionPractical ways to pursue impact without losing sight of JesusIf you've ever felt driven… but unsure if what you're chasing is actually satisfying, this episode will help realign your heart toward the King who truly satisfies.Westside is a place made up of real people from all walks of life. We are a “come as you are” church that strives to be a safe place for people to investigate faith. No matter your story, questions, doubts or struggles, we're glad you're here today.Stay ConnectedWebsite: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

The following is a "SummaryAI Outline" of this episode: Genesis: Creation Fall **Genesis 1: Triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) dwells in perfect relationship and intentionally creates humans. Humans were created in the image of God, given dominion and purpose as God's agents of light, love, truth, freedom, creativity, joy, and beauty. **Genesis 2: Man and woman lived in covenant harmony, received work and a boundary, and were naked and not ashamed (nakedness as vulnerability, intimacy, unashamedness). **Genesis 3: The serpent (Hebrew: 'the accuser') told a counter-story—"Did God really say?"— portraying God as withholding and untrustworthy. Belief in the accuser's story produced sin: eyes were opened, shame replaced innocence, they made fig-leaf coverings and hid from God, showing shame leads to covering and hiding. 2 Corinthians: Godly vs Worldly Grief 2 Corinthians 7:9: Text rejoices because believers were grieved into repenting. Both forms of grief cause sorrow; one is useful, one is not. Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret. Worldly grief produces death. God uses fear and shame to draw people back to Him. Jesus & Storms — Practical Applications Matthew 8 and Matthew 14 present Jesus as Lord over nature who literally masters the sea. Jesus calms the disciples' internal story before calming the sea; their story is "I must stay in control" (Matt 8:23–24); Jesus sleeps amid the storm, modeling peace; see Psalm 131. When the disciples cried, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing," Jesus challenged their fear and little faith (Matt 8:25); crying out to God refuses the lie of abandonment; see Psalm 130. Jesus sometimes invites faith instead of immediately removing danger (Matt 14); He walks on the sea and calls disciples to step out of the boat. Peter stepped out and walked on water briefly, sank when fear overtook him, and was rescued—illustrating the call to trust and Jesus' rescue when faith falters. Call to Action Distinguish whether one is listening to God's story or to a deceiver who pours shame and fear. Faith sometimes appears as resting in peace and sometimes as crying out for help, calling on Jesus, and seeking Christian community. Repentance includes turning from collusion with lies—repenting for believing the devil's story instead of God. Life's storms are inevitable (e.g., relationship loss, health decline, aging, job loss after 25–40 years, one gray hair or more); the choice is whether to trust Jesus and step out of the boat. Links: (1) Help make PSB better: become a Patron at www.patreon.com/PureandSimpleBible. You'll get some behind the scenes access to the podcast and videos, opportunities to vote for future content, and most importantly the joy of partnering and encouraging Jonathan to continue to produce pure and simple conversations about the Bible. (2) Get free resources for PDF download from www.pureandsimplebible.com/studyseries. These study books can help you, your family, and others in your life.

Joe DeCamara reads a special email from Ray Didinger while on his world cruise. Spike Eskin from the WIP Afternoon Show joins the program! The Team asks Spike how he feels about the Sixers with their interesting season. Joe asks him for advice on how to sell out an upcoming basketball showdown against the Afternoon Show's Jack Fritz.

The church at Laodicea was rich and in a rich city. Money was important to them. They were self sufficient. Worldly wealth was their measuring rod for success while spiritual values were ignored. Find out how Jesus described them (it's not pretty) and take to heart His charge to turn back to Him and get on fire for God.

Episode Title: Satisfied in God | Psalm 17Episode Description:True peace and safety are not found in wealth, power, or human approval—they are found in God. In this episode, Ben Smith explores Psalm 17 and teaches how to keep your attention on God when enemies rise, false accusations are made, or trials press in.Drawing from David's prayer, Ben highlights three principles for moments of crisis:1. Be ruled by God's righteousness – Trust God to know your heart and live in obedience to His law.2. Seek refuge in God alone – Pray with confidence and rest in His steadfast love and protection.3. Rejoice in God's provision – Do not fear or envy the world; be satisfied in God's presence and care.Ben also reflects on the life of Michael Sattler, a 16th-century Anabaptist martyr, who faced persecution and death yet trusted fully in God's judgment. This episode encourages believers to remain steadfast in faith, discovering lasting peace and satisfaction in God alone, even in the midst of trials.Key Takeaways:- True security is found only in God.- Prayer and obedience keep our focus on Him.- Worldly threats are fleeting; satisfaction in God is eternal.Listen and be encouraged to fix your eyes on the Lord, even when the world seems against you.

From generations of bondage to seasons of silence and suffering, God's people have always held on to one unshakable truth: if God said it, He will do it. Worldly hopes may fail under the weight of life, but hope in Christ stands firm as an anchor for the soul. No pain, no loss, no power—neither life nor death—can separate us from His love. Today we recalibrate our hearts, lift our eyes, and cling again to the only hope that endures: Jesus Christ.

Pastor Jeff Christianson continues teaching through Family God's Way.

Actor, author, and U.S. Navy veteran Cody Bobay shares his raw testimony of growing up in a broken home, searching for belonging through partying and performance, and ultimately encountering God in a radical, life-altering way. From joining the military in pursuit of purpose to hitting rock bottom and discovering the difference between salvation and sanctification, this conversation courageously tackles issues many avoid – pornography, lust, mental health, perfectionism in the church, and the quiet battles men fight behind closed doors. Cody unpacks why boldness brings freedom, how God called him into acting and filmmaking, and what true biblical masculinity looks like when identity is rooted in sonship, not striving. This episode is a hope-filled invitation to step into boldness, humility, and obedience to the Father's voice – no matter what He calls you into.

Wisdom 130: "Do, but also Seem""Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. To be of worth and to know how to show it is to be worth double. What is not seen is as if it were not. Even Right Reason itself is not respected if it does not wear a face of authority. Deceit gets the upper hand by appearing on the outside, and it often covers up the defects of the soul with the varnish of appearances. Great worth is not enough; it must be helped by an air of importance. For a lack of this is a great defect, and even more so when it is joined to a lack of merit."Book: The Art of Worldly by Wisdom Author: Baltasar Gracián

Actor, author, and U.S. Navy veteran Cody Bobay shares his raw testimony of growing up in a broken home, searching for belonging through partying and performance, and ultimately encountering God in a radical, life-altering way. From joining the military in pursuit of purpose to hitting rock bottom and discovering the difference between salvation and sanctification, this conversation courageously tackles issues many avoid – pornography, lust, mental health, perfectionism in the church, and the quiet battles men fight behind closed doors. Cody unpacks why boldness brings freedom, how God called him into acting and filmmaking, and what true biblical masculinity looks like when identity is rooted in sonship, not striving. This episode is a hope-filled invitation to step into boldness, humility, and obedience to the Father's voice – no matter what He calls you into.

Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman presents a reflective and insightful talk centered on Shaykh Masihullah Khan's The Path to Perfection, focusing on the chapter “Love of the World.” Through a moving reading of the text and thoughtful commentary, he brings its timeless spiritual lessons into conversation with the realities of modern life. The talk offers clear, practical guidance on navigating today's challenges while cultivating sincerity, balance, and a deeper connection to what truly matters. In this series Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman covers the book titled, 'Essentials of Islamic Spirituality' previously known as 'The Path to Perfection'. Link to book: https://www.whitethreadpress.com/publication/essentials-of-islamic-spirituality/ At a time when the discourse surrounding Islam is generally inauthentic and shallow, The Essentials of Islamic Spirituality presents a much-needed antidote. It goes beyond simply diagnosing the spiritual ailments that afflict us; it puts forward means of eradicating them, so that we as individuals, as communities, and as an Umma can reap the benefits of a spiritual way of life. White Thread Press makes this invaluable work available in elegant and moving prose, while remaining true to its traditional origins. The result, a profound awakening of the heart, is within the reach of all. Those new to the spiritual sciences will delight in the range and profundity of the psychological and spiritual disciplines of Islam, while those already on the Path will gain new insights and perspectives. Shaykh Masihullah Khan, a renowned student of the eminent Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi, wrote Shari'at & Tasawwuf to pass on to future generations of Muslims the numerous benefits of his teacher's wisdom. The teachings gathered here are notes of admonition and encouragement written by a man who has walked the path to his Creator; and at their core, these teachings are sustenance for the ailing hearts and souls of our time. Whatsapp Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDV1iu5a249gftHif0D You can find us on Facebook, twitter and instagram @ZamZamAcademy Our tiktok account is @zamzamacademy.com Soundcloud.com/zamzamacademy https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/zamzamacademy/id1533951645 https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/zamzamacademy/3030095 For publications: https://www.whitethreadpress.com DISCLAIMER: No part of this video (graphics, images, audio, music) may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright holder.

In this episode, I share the full testimony of my two year journey through infertility.In this episode, I share what the waiting season was really like: the confusion, the questions, the tears, and all the ways God quietly and patiently reshaped my heart along the way.In this episode, I talk about:How God changed my heart toward motherhood and childrenWhy infertility challenged my faith in ways I'm grateful forAdvice for couples trying to conceiveWhat actually WORKED and what didn'tHow to ENJOY life while still waiting on GodHow this season reshaped my view of vocation, calling, and surrenderWhat's next for me and the future of The Called CareerMy prayer is that this episode encourages you, gives language to feelings you might not have known how to name, and reminds you that God is still working, even when the answer hasn't come yet.And if this resonates with you, or if you're in need of prayer, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Revelation 17 One of the seven angels shows John the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters. She symbolizes a powerful and corrupt system that has influenced kings and led people into spiritual immorality. She is dressed in purple and scarlet, decorated with gold, and holds a cup filled with abominations. She is Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots. She is drunk with the blood of the saints. John is amazed, and the angel explains that the beast she rides has seven heads and ten horns. These represent kingdoms and rulers who will turn on and destroy her. God uses their actions to fulfill His purpose. In the end, all who wage war against the Lamb will be defeated, and all who are faithful to Him will overcome.  Worldly power often appears strong, beautiful, and tempting, but its true nature is corrupt and opposed to God. Rome and other nations since then have been clothed in wealth and influence, leading nations into spiritual unfaithfulness. Although many are drawn to its promises, it is full of pride and violence, even against God's people. The beast and the kings who support her eventually turn against her, revealing how unstable and self-destructive evil truly is. God remains in control, working through even rebellious powers to fulfill His purpose. As followers of Christ, we must not be deceived by outward appearances. Our loyalty belongs to the Lamb, who will triumph. Faithfulness, purity, and devotion to Him will ultimately lead us to victory.  Heavenly Father, You are holy, just, and sovereign over all the powers of the world. We see how easily people are drawn to wealth, status, and influence, yet You reveal the true nature of evil behind these things. Help us to see clearly and not be deceived by what appears powerful or beautiful. Keep our hearts loyal to the Lamb and protect us from compromise. Strengthen us to remain faithful in a world that often opposes Your truth. Use even the brokenness of this world to fulfill Your purpose. We trust in Your victory and desire to walk in Your holiness.  Thought Questions: Rome was alluring to many for its immorality and materialism. Does the culture you live in try to draw you in, and how do you resist? God turned one evil power upon another. How can this help you trust in God's sovereignty even when all governments seem corrupt? Why was the Lamb able to overcome all who stood against Him? How is your daily life shaped by His absolute victory and incredible power?