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The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman Spud Webb 5'7 In Junior high he went to try out and his coach told him to sit in the stands…. You are too short. Cut from his Junior year of BB and had to talk his coach into keeping him. He scored 20 points his first game. No Div. 1 college would even look at him. So he had to play at Midland College- lead them to a national JR league Championship, then got a scholarship to NC state. Every NBA scout scoffed. They said maybe he could play overseas or if he was lucky he could play with the Harlem Globetrotters. Every NBA team passed on him multiple times… He fell to the fifth round and was drafted by the Detroit pistons… and cut before the season ever started. He was “lucky” enough to be signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Hawks… At that time his star teammate Dominique Williams was the Slam dunk Champion… spud entered the contest and Dominique said he thought it was a joke and he would do layups… Spud won with numerous 360 slams, dunks off the backboard and Reverse slam dunks…. People laughed at him! He credits his belief in knowing God gave him that talent for a reason, and that dream for a purpose. My question today is: How will you respond when people laugh at your dream? Gen 18:1 And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”10 The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?'14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.” Rather than just "inappropriate" or "disrespectful," biblical scholars and linguists often look at Sarah's reaction in Genesis 18:12 through a few distinct lenses: 1. Incredulous Incredulity captures a mix of disbelief, shock, and impossibility. Sarah was roughly 90 years old, well past childbearing age, and had dealt with a lifetime of infertility. Hearing a stranger tell Abraham she would have a baby by the following year sounded biologically absurd. Abraham lives in a Spiritual and Theological worldview… Sarah lives in a physical biological world view… 2. Sarcastic (or Cynical) In Hebrew, Sarah's inner monologue reads as a self-deprecating scoff: "After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Describing her reaction as sarcastic or cynical highlights the defense mechanism of a woman who had likely given up hope decades prior and saw the statement as a cruel taunt or bad joke. 3. Human Her reaction was deeply human. It wasn't necessarily a malicious rebellion against God; it was an involuntary emotional slip—a defense mechanism triggered by years of grief, trauma, and disappointment over her barrenness. The Nuance: Her laugh isn't scoffing insolence; it's a reflex against emotional re-traumatization. When a deep, long-buried desire is suddenly brought up by a stranger, cynicism acts as armor to protect the heart from being broken one more time. The Insight: Faith doesn't require instantaneous emotional compliance. God engages directly with her reaction rather than striking her down, recognizing the pain behind her defense. 4. Prophetic In the broader arc of Genesis, her laughter is viewed as prophetic or foreshadowing. The Hebrew root for laugh (tzachaq) is the exact root used for the name of the child God promises: Isaac (Yitzchak), which literally means "he laughs" or "laughter". What began as the laugh of doubt in Genesis 18 transforms into the laugh of joy and wonder when Isaac is born in Genesis 21: "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me". Key takeaway: While her response is often labeled as "disbelief," calling it incredulous or sarcastic better captures her emotional reality, while calling it prophetic reveals the literary wordplay embedded in the text. MAYBE OUR REACTION SHOULD MATCH *TO SOME DEGREE …SARAHS… WHY? WHY WOULD GOD USE ABRAHAM A MAN OF MANY FAULTS? Failure 1: Deception in Egypt Age ~75 (Gen 12:10–20) The Misstep: When a severe famine strikes Canaan, Abram migrates to Egypt without seeking divine direction. Fearing the Egyptians will kill him for his beautiful wife, he asks Sarai to lie and say she is his sister. The Fallout: Pharaoh takes Sarai into his royal palace as a concubine while enriching Abram. God strikes Pharaoh's household with severe plagues. Upon discovering the truth, Pharaoh rebukes Abram for his deceit and expels his family from Egypt. Separation from Lot & Rescue Age ~75–80 (Gen 13–14) As their livestock herds grow too large for the land to support both of them, quarreling breaks out between Abram's and Lot's herdsmen. Abram generously gives Lot first pick WITHOUT SEEKING GOD - Lot gets captured. The Unconditional Covenant Age ~85 (Gen 15) Abram voices concern that he remains childless and his servant Eliezer will inherit his house. God reassures Abram that a biological son will be his heir and cuts a formal covenant with him, promising descendants as numerous as the stars. Failure 2: Scheming with Hagar Age 85–86 (Gen 16) The Misstep: After living in Canaan for ten years without a child, Sarai proposes that Abram take her Egyptian servant, Hagar, as a surrogate mother. Abram agrees without seeking God's guidance, taking matters into his own hands to force the fulfillment of the promise. The Fallout: Once Hagar becomes pregnant, domestic conflict erupts. Hagar despises Sarai, Sarai mistreats Hagar, and Abram washes his hands of the dispute. Hagar flees into the wilderness before an angel instructs her to return. She gives birth to Ishmael when Abram is 86. The Covenant of Circumcision & Abraham's Internal Doubt Age 99 (Gen 17) The Moment of Disbelief: After 13 years of silence, God appears, renames Abram to Abraham ("Father of a Multitude") and Sarai to Sarah ("Princess"), and institutes circumcision as the covenant sign. When God explicitly states that Sarah herself will bear a son within a year, Abraham falls face down and laughs to himself, asking mentally: "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at ninety?" (Gen 17:17). The Three Visitors at Mamre & Sarah's Laugh Age 99 (Gen 18:1–15) Three divine visitors visit Abraham under the oaks of Mamre. The Lord repeats the divine pledge: "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Overhearing this from inside the tent entrance, Sarah laughs to herself, thinking about her advanced age and physical state. When the Lord asks why she laughed and whether anything is too hard for God, Sarah denies it out of fear, but the Lord responds: "No, you did laugh." MAYBE SARAH IS LAUGHING KNOWING WHO HER HUSBAND REALLY IS? BECAUSE EVEN AFTER THIS VISITATION FROM GOD…. King Abimelech (Genesis 20:1–18) The Outcome: Abimelech takes Sarah into his harem. However, God appears to Abimelech in a dream, warning him that Sarah is married and that he will die if he touches her. Abimelech protests that he acted in good faith, returns Sarah untouched, gives Abraham restitution, and asks why Abraham did this. Pattern in Abraham's Failures Across these 24 years, Abraham's missteps shared a common theme: self-preservation and impatience. BUT LETS ASK OURSELVES A QUESTION: Regardless of how Sarah saw her husband Abraham - regardless of how we see him… How did God see him? Names and Titles Given to Abraham Abraham ("Father of a Multitude"): Originally named Abram ("Exalted Father"), God personally renamed him in Genesis 17:5 to reflect his ultimate destiny: "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations." "My Friend": God personally refers to Abraham as His friend in Isaiah 41:8 ("Abraham My friend"), a title affirmed throughout Scripture (2 Chronicles 20:7, James 2:23). Prophet: In Genesis 20:7, God speaks to King Abimelech regarding Abraham, stating, "Restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live." "My Servant": God repeatedly refers to Abraham with honor as His servant (Genesis 26:24, Psalm 105:6), marking him as a trusted agent of the Divine will. The Promises and Blessings Spoken Over Him Divine Shield and Great Reward: Infinite Descendants: Royal Lineage and Multiplied Nations: Universal Blessing for All Humanity: Divine Protection: An Everlasting Land Covenant: SARAH MAY HAVE LAUGHED AT FIRST IN DISBELIEF - BUT 3. Sarah's later reversal is the untold "second half" of the story. But Genesis 21:6 gives Sarah's own commentary once Isaac is born: "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." She takes the very word she used in doubt and reclaims it in worship. Isaac's name literally means "he laughs." This is a remarkable narrative arc — cynical laughter transformed into worshipful laughter — FINAL THOUGHT: WHY DID GOD CHOOSE ABRAHAM? IN SPITE OF ALL HIS FLAWS HE PRACTICED GODS HEART AND DESIGN FOR PRAYER. What do I mean? Gen. 18 later in the chapter God tells Abraham I am going to destroy Sodom and Gomorra and Abraham does something very familiar according to Luke 11. Luke 11 tells us how to pray - AFTER SHARING THE LORDS PRAYER JESUS SAYS SOMETHING AWKWARD ABOUT PRAYER - A parable. A man goes to his friends house - he needs 3 loaves of bread… he will not give up asking. If you ask seek knock - out of sheer perseverance I will answer! Abraham here in Gen. 18 does just that for Sodom and Gomorra - showing Gods heart for the lost. 50 45 40 30 20 10! I believe one of the greatest clues is given in these two stories in scripture about who God uses! The one that will not give up asking God to fulfill his purpose! WHAT IF WE UNDERSTOOD THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LIKE THIS: Yes he was a heap of missteps, failures, a massive example of weak humanity…. But in all his mistakes and failures he never quit asking God for that son! FOR THAT ANSWERED PRAYER. WILL YOU BE THE ONE WHO P.U.S.H.es into God. P - pray U - until S - something H - happens?
If God knows the future, why would He create someone who will ultimately reject Him?This is one of the deepest questions in Christian theology, and one that was asked by a 15-year-old Orthodox Christian. In this episode, Nathan Jacobs reads one of his favorite theological letters, exploring how the Eastern Church Fathers—especially St. John of Damascus—approach God's foreknowledge, human freedom, divine goodness, and the mystery of damnation.Rather than offering a simplistic answer, this discussion challenges many common assumptions about God's knowledge of the future and reveals a profoundly hopeful vision of God's unwavering love for every person He creates.======================================Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:48 A Letter to Agatha02:39 The Common Assumption About Damnation04:20 The Eastern Church Fathers' Answer05:10 Why We Exist07:03 God's Knowledge and Creation08:51 Why God Doesn't "Choose the Saved"09:27 Why Not Simply Avoid Creating the Damned?11:04 God Always Chooses the Good12:08 Outcomes vs. Goodness14:44 King Saul and Divine Justice16:26 The "Future Hitler" Thought Experiment18:11 Free Will and God's Omnipotence19:27 Can God Make a Square Circle?21:55 Abraham and Isaac24:20 Damnation Is the Creature's Choice25:20 Christ's Victory Over Hades27:18 A Prison Without Bars29:01 Hope for Universal Salvation?30:30 St. Sophrony's Final Reflection======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:God's Omnipotence Explained: Can God Really Do Anything? https://youtu.be/qEYzy1Wbjcg From Heretic to Orthodox: https://youtu.be/cWcVOvEu7dM On Apokatastasis and Universal Salvation: https://open.substack.com/pub/nathanajacobs/p/on-apokatastasis-and-universal-salvation?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webAll links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast
Are we measuring our greatness by human standards, or by what God calls us to do in His Word?
Today’s Bible Verse:"Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand." — Isaiah 53:10 Sometimes, God’s will doesn’t look like victory—it looks like suffering. Isaiah 53:10 reminds us that even Jesus’ pain had divine purpose. The crushing wasn’t the end; it was the beginning of redemption. Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Member today: https://www.biblestudytools.com/subscribe/ MEET YOUR HOST: Chaka Heinze at https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Chaka Heinze is a writer, speaker, and lover of the Bible. She is actively involved in her local church on the Prayer and Healing team and mentors young women seeking deeper relationships with God.After personally experiencing God's love and compassion following the loss of her eleven-year-old son, Landen, Chaka delights in testifying to others about God's unfathomable and transformative love that permeates even the most difficult circumstances.Chaka and her husband of twenty-six years have five children ranging from adult age to preschool. Trained as an attorney, she’s had the privilege of mitigating sibling disputes for twenty-plus years.Follow her on Chakaheinze.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Why would God leave the 99 to find 1? Isn't it reckless to leave 99 in order to find 1?
Join my husband and I as we go through the entire Bible in a year, in conjunction with the Bible Discovery Guide and The Daily Show. This weekend we answer some of the big questions and viewer questions concerning false prophets, true repentance, and whether Christians can enjoy the good things in life. If you want to know your Bible better, then this is a great place to help deepen your big picture understanding.
On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (07/14/26), Hank answers the following questions:Should we continue to tithe even if we are struggling to pay bills? Quinton - Beaver Dam, KY (2:44)I go to a Seventh-day Adventist church, and I'm confused about the Sabbath. Which day are we supposed to worship on? Rick - El Paso, TX (4:37)Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven, so where is Jesus' resurrected body? Russell - Beckville, TX (15:14)Lots of countries have nuclear weapons. Would God allow a nuclear holocaust to happen? Richard - MO (22:16)
1:49 Could you explain why the Book of Jude talks about Michael the Archangel disputing with Satan over Moses' body? 7:17 How can denominations with different doctrines work together for evangelism? 13:03 Who is Jesus talking to when he says, "depart from me I never knew you"? 16:11 When we pray, in whose name should we be praying in? 22:39 How can I evangelize to a Oneness Pentecostal person? 25:33 Would God ever make a liar have a physical reaction to their lies? 28:49 How does one deal with bitterness in their heart? 32:06 Can evil attack someone in their dreams? 34:46 Will the unrighteous be annihilated in the Lake of Fire and cease to be conscience? 42:57 What is Christian Zionism? 48:58 If I sin at all does that mean I'm not saved according to 1 John 2:3-4?
1:49 Could you explain why the Book of Jude talks about Michael the Archangel disputing with Satan over Moses' body? 7:17 How can denominations with different doctrines work together for evangelism? 13:03 Who is Jesus talking to when he says, "depart from me I never knew you"? 16:11 When we pray, in whose name should we be praying in? 22:39 How can I evangelize to a Oneness Pentecostal person? 25:33 Would God ever make a liar have a physical reaction to their lies? 28:49 How does one deal with bitterness in their heart? 32:06 Can evil attack someone in their dreams? 34:46 Will the unrighteous be annihilated in the Lake of Fire and cease to be conscience? 42:57 What is Christian Zionism? 48:58 If I sin at all does that mean I'm not saved according to 1 John 2:3-4?
God isn’t looking for the strongest, the smartest, the most experienced, or the most qualified. None of the things we place such importance on are on God’s list of expectations of us. God asks for something specific from us … believe. Simply believe he will do what he says he will do. Believe he can do it through you and he can do it for you. We are so quick to dismiss ourselves. We’re so accustom to playing little and sitting it out. Experience has shown us if we will just sit and wait, someone else might step up and do it for us. But really, is that what God created you for? Did he create you to be the girl who never does anything hard? Did he create you to be the girl who watches others do what you should be doing? I think not! Your Creator expects you to believe his power is enough to overcome every single inadequacy you may have. Your Creator expects you to show up like you’re chosen, and count on divine providence to make things happen as you go. This whole laying low, hiding in dark corners, and playing little nonsense has got to stop. Your muscles are atrophying because you’re not using them. And let me tell you something, your faith is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. But lack of use causes it to wither and deteriorate. If you haven’t been showing up in the middle of circumstances that are beyond your own ability and putting yourself out there in the face of potential failure, then you’ve started to believe you never could. Your focus has become set on all you can’t do, rather than what GOD COULD DO through you. What could God do through you? Oh girl, you have no idea! But don’t you want to know! I totally want to know what God could do through an ordinary girl like me. I want to know what my life could become with a disciplined surrender to his promptings. Notice I said “disciplined surrender” to his promptings. I’ve discovered this journey of being led by the Holy Spirit is a daily act of discipline. It means I get up when I don’t want to get up. It means I show up no matter what. It means I believe there’s something greater guiding me than my feelings in the moment. It means I start small and humble and refuse to give up in the struggle, because eventually God will grow it to something greater. But he doesn’t grow great things out of our nothing. He doesn’t show up and use magic in our lives. Is that what you’ve been counting on? Magic. God, just make it happen. Do something big, while I do nothing. Nope. God uses seeds. Your disciplined surrender every day is a seed. If you don’t plant it by showing up when you don’t feel like showing up, then guess what … you forfeit the blessing of seeing what God could have done with your little. You dismiss yourself from growth. So, God will grow someone else. God will use someone else’s seed of disciplined surrender to create what you’ve been dreaming of, and you’ll sit there and watch it happen wondering why it couldn’t be you. Well, honey, maybe it couldn’t be you because you weren’t willing to believe to the point of action. Yes, that’s what we’re talking about today. Belief in God that makes us move. Believing so much that we can’t sit in inaction. Believing God is doing something so good, no one could make you sleep the day away. Believing God is guiding you so powerfully, that nothing could hold you back from taking the next step. Would God really choose someone like you for that? YES – You’re perfect for this! In the Old Testament, the Lord chose Gideon as his mighty warrior to rescue his people. But there was one little problem, Gideon was a very unlikely candidate for a warrior position. No one else would have chosen Gideon, but God did. And you need to know why. You need to know why God chose someone totally unlikely for great things, because you’ve been focusing on how unlikely you are while God has been trying to tell you YOU ARE CHOSEN. Judges 6: 11-16 “The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you,mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” Why would God choose the least person out of a family in the weakest clan to rise up as a warrior? Oh honey, don’t you remember what Jesus said in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My power is made perfect in your weakness.” Gideon being a total unlikely warrior was God’s divine opportunity to show his power. So, Sister, all the reasons why you can’t … all the reasons why you’re not good enough … all the reasons why you dismiss yourself … those are the exact reasons God has chosen you. YOU ARE THE ONE HE WANTS because his power is made absolutely perfect in you. You can’t do this on your own, and you’re not supposed to. But you are supposed to do this with his power! Gideon began following God’s promptings with disciplined surrender. He did things that were hard for him to do. He did things that made absolutely no sense to him. He did things that would cause others to question. And with each act of disciplined surrender, God’s power was made perfect within him. This is how the least person in a family of the weakest clan became a mighty warrior. He actually BELIEVED what God said about him. And he believed it so much, he took action. And this is exactly where you are today. You’re at this place where God is speaking to you. He is telling you you are his beloved and chosen girl. He is telling you he created you for a purpose and he has great plans for you. He is telling you the deepest desires of your heart have been put there by him, written into your soul by your creator, as a guide to your destiny. Will you BELIEVE IT? Will you believe this could be true for you? Will you believe your weakness makes you a perfect candidate for God’s power? Will you believe it so much that you stop dismissing yourself? Will you believe it so much that you greet the feelings that tell you you don’t want to, and show up with disciplined surrender anyway? Will you believe it in the face of your most recent set back? Will you believe it when it looks totally unlikely? Will you believe it when you’re tired? Will you believe it when it doesn’t make sense? Will you believe it to the point of action? God has aligned things for you that your mind simply cannot even begin to fathom right now. It’s crazy perfect how God’s plans for your life will fulfill every dream you’ve ever had and bring purpose to every struggle you’ve ever lived through. Yip, God meant it when he said he will give you the desires of your heart. He meant it when he said he would take everything the enemy ever meant for harm and use it for good. Now, you get to choose whether you believe it. And if you choose to believe it, something will start shifting within you. That belief will stir up power and courage and strength you never knew possible. The warrior stuff inside of you will start showing up. And every day, through disciplined surrender pushing you through all the things you don’t feel like doing, you will discover you really are the one God has chosen! Your job today is to start believing it and start showing up for it. My whole world changed when I spent more time believing I could be the one God spoke through than dismissing myself from the calling. No more dismissing yourself. God is calling you. He’s calling you out of the corner where you’ve been hiding. Out of the rut where you’ve been stuck. Out of the comfort you’ve been clinging to. Out of the excuses you’ve been using. Believe it and see where your feet are guided next! Each act of your disciplined surrender invites God’s power to be made perfect within you. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com
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Parsha ‘Beha-alotecha’ ends with what Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship has often described as “the Whining.” Which is followed by ‘the Lusting.’ And a lot of people who end up dead as a result. And that leads directly into parsha “Shalach Lekha,” where the words mean “send out men.” It is the story of the infamous “spies” — including Joshua and Caleb — and is also what Mark calls the “first recorded VOTE in history.” And Joshua and Caleb LOST it, 10-2. But, much like ‘votes’ today, the only people that REALLY lost were those who participated. Their “bodies fell in the wilderness,” ultimately, as they were promised. The Erev Shabbat reading of the entire ‘parsha-plus’ clarifies that connection: https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SSM-6-12-26-Beha-alotecha-through-Shalach-Lekha-teaching-podcast-xx.mp3 Did EVERY single man over the age of 20 die in the wilderness because they went along with the “evil report” of those ten spies? Scripture makes it clear that they did. But, other than Joshua and Caleb, weren’t there ANY men above ‘voting age’ that simply didn’t participate with that infamous ‘first vote’? Would God really do that? But it turns out the pattern, and the progression, are clear. First they “murmured,” but perhaps “whined” really is what it would probably be termed today. Then they lusted, and got quail. A LOT of it. And probably wished they hadn’t. But Scripture told us the complaining, and worse, was widespread – but did not use the word “all.” Even if it may have been the vast majority. UNTIL that ‘first recorded vote.’ After which, it says clearly, and repeatedly, “ALL” of ’em. And Joshua and Caleb admonished ALL of ’em, too. And then ALL of them tried to kill them both. After which “ALL” of them got what they deserved. Or had earned. But it may not have been the very first time after all. “Numbers 10 through Shalach-Lekha: “Sodom VOTED to Die! How long will ‘they’ Despise YHVH”? https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WT-CooH-6-13-26-Beha-alotecha-through-Shalach-Lekha-How-Long-will-you-DESPISE-Me-My-Word-podcast-xxxx.mp3 Service information: Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship worship services and teachings are broadcast live every Sabbath, via Paltalk. (www.paltalk.com has both the link, and the app.) The “room name” is “Walking Torah with Shabbat Shalom Mesa,” and can be found via the paltalk search, then bookmarked. Erev Shabbat services begin at 7:00 PM Mountain Time Friday evenings (9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central) Live Sabbath teachings begin shortly after 11 AM Mountain time on Sabbath day (Saturday). email: mark@markniwot.com The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash:
LESSON 165Let Not My Mind Deny The Thought Of God.What makes this world seem real except your own denial of the truth that lies beyond? What but your thoughts of misery and death obscure the perfect happiness and the eternal life your Father wills for you? And what could hide what cannot be concealed except illusion? What could keep from you what you already have except your choice to see it not, denying it is there?The Thought of God created you. It left you not, nor have you ever been apart from it an instant. It belongs to you. By it you live. It is your Source of life, holding you one with it, and everything is one with you because it left you not. The Thought of God protects you, cares for you, makes soft your resting place and smooth your way, lighting your mind with happiness and love. Eternity and everlasting life shine in your mind, because the Thought of God has left you not, and still abides with you.Who would deny his safety and his peace, his joy, his healing and his peace of mind, his quiet rest, his calm awakening, if he but recognized where they abide? Would he not instantly prepare to go where they are found, abandoning all else as worthless in comparison with them? And having found them, would he not make sure they stay with him, and he remain with them?Deny not Heaven. It is yours today, but for the asking. Nor need you perceive how great the gift, how changed your mind will be before it comes to you. Ask to receive, and it is given you. Conviction lies within it. Till you welcome it as yours, uncertainty remains. Yet God is fair. Sureness is not required to receive what only your acceptance can bestow.Ask with desire. You need not be sure that you request the only thing you want. But when you have received, you will be sure you have the treasure you have always sought. What would you then exchange for it? What would induce you now to let it fade away from your ecstatic vision? For this sight proves that you have exchanged your blindness for the seeing eyes of Christ; your mind has come to lay aside denial, and accept the Thought of God as your inheritance.Now is all doubting past, the journey's end made certain, and salvation given you. Now is Christ's power in your mind, to heal as you were healed. For now you are among the saviors of the world. Your destiny lies there and nowhere else. Would God consent to let His Son remain forever starved by his denial of the nourishment he needs to live? Abundance dwells in him, and deprivation cannot cut him off from God's sustaining Love and from his home.Practice today in hope. For hope indeed is justified. Your doubts are meaningless, for God is certain. And the Thought of Him is never absent. Sureness must abide within you who are host to Him. This course removes all doubts which you have interposed between Him and your certainty of Him.We count on God, and not upon ourselves, to give us certainty. And in His Name we practice as His Word directs we do. His sureness lies beyond our every doubt. His Love remains beyond our every fear. The Thought of Him is still beyond all dreams and in our minds, according to His Will.- Jesus Christ in ACIM
LESSON 164Now Are We One With Him Who Is Our Source.What time but now can truth be recognized? The present is the only time there is. And so today, this instant, now, we come to look upon what is forever there; not in our sight, but in the eyes of Christ. He looks past time, and sees eternity as represented there. He hears the sounds the senseless, busy world engenders, yet He hears them faintly. For beyond them all He hears the song of Heaven, and the Voice for God more clear, more meaningful, more near.The world fades easily away before His sight. Its sounds grow dim. A melody from far beyond the world increasingly is more and more distinct; an ancient Call to Which He gives an ancient answer. You will recognize them both, for they are but your answer to your Father's Call to you. Christ answers for you, echoing your Self, using your voice to give His glad consent; accepting your deliverance for you.How holy is your practicing today, as Christ gives you His sight and hears for you, and answers in your name the Call He hears! How quiet is the time you give to spend with Him, beyond the world. How easily are all your seeming sins forgot, and all your sorrows unremembered. On this day is grief laid by, for sights and sounds that come from nearer than the world are clear to you who will today accept the gifts He gives.There is a silence into which the world can not intrude. There is an ancient peace you carry in your heart and have not lost. There is a sense of holiness in you the thought of sin has never touched. All this today you will remember. Faithfulness in practicing today will bring rewards so great and so completely different from all things you sought before, that you will know that here your treasure is, and here your rest.This is the day when vain imaginings part like a curtain, to reveal what lies beyond them. Now is what is really there made visible, while all the shadows which appeared to hide it merely sink away. Now is the balance righted, and the scale of judgment left to Him Who judges true. And in His judgment will a world unfold in perfect innocence before your eyes. Now will you see it with the eyes of Christ. Now is its transformation clear to you.Brother, this day is sacred to the world. Your vision, given you from far beyond all things within the world, looks back on them in a new light. And what you see becomes the healing and salvation of the world. The valuable and valueless are both perceived and recognized for what they are. And what is worthy of your love receives your love, while nothing to be feared remains.We will not judge today. We will receive but what is given us from judgment made beyond the world. Our practicing today becomes our gift of thankfulness for our release from blindness and from misery. All that we see will but increase our joy, because its holiness reflects our own. We stand forgiven in the sight of Christ, with all the world forgiven in our own. We bless the world, as we behold it in the light in which our Savior looks on us, and offer it the freedom given us through His forgiving vision, not our own.Open the curtain in your practicing by merely letting go all things you think you want. Your trifling treasures put away, and leave a clean and open space within your mind where Christ can come, and offer you the treasure of salvation. He has need of your most holy mind to save the world. Is not this purpose worthy to be yours? Is not Christ's vision worthy to be sought above the world's unsatisfying goals?Let not today slip by without the gifts it holds for you receiving your consent and your acceptance. We can change the world, if you acknowledge them. You may not see the value your acceptance gives the world. But this you surely want; you can exchange all suffering for joy this very day. Practice in earnest, and the gift is yours. Would God deceive you? Can His promise fail? Can you withhold so little, when His Hand holds out complete salvation to His Son?- Jesus Christ in ACIM
Molinism is one of the most influential models for reconciling human libertarian freedom and divine sovereignty. While Dr. William Lane Craig is among its most well-known defenders, Dr. Ryan T. Mullins recently argued that Craig's particular articulation of Molinism may contain an incoherence and proposed a possible solution. In this episode, Tyson James of Sound Faith Consulting and Reasonable Faith joins us to examine the debate, unpack the philosophical issues at stake, and evaluate whether the alleged contradiction is genuine or whether William Lane Craig's formulation of Molinism remains coherent. Check out Ryan's work at: https://www.rtmullins.com/ Specific podcast referenced: https://www.rtmullins.com/podcast/episode/de00b8b6/ep-194-molinism Check out Sound Faith: https://soundfaithconsulting.com/ Join the FTM Team: https://www.freethinkingministries.com/donate ➡️ CHAPTERS ⬅️ 00:00 Introducing Dr. Mullins and Tyson 07:45 What Are the Strengths of Molinism? 13:30 Handling the Grounding Objection 30:00 Would God's Knowledge of His Own Counterfactuals Lead to Fatalism or Undermine Freedom? 46:24 The Issue with Logical Moments Prior to Creation 58:09 Ryan Mullins' Challenge: Is William Lane Craig's Molinism Incoherent? 1:13:00 Dr. Mullins Offers a Solution 1:28:08 Parting Words and Concluding Thoughts ➡️ TOPICS DISCUSSED ⬅️ Molinism, William Lane Craig, Ryan T. Mullins, middle knowledge, libertarian free will, divine sovereignty, divine foreknowledge, counterfactuals of creaturely freedom, the grounding objection, fatalism, providence, logical moments, Christian philosophy, theology, and apologetics. ➡️ SOCIALS ⬅️ Website: https://freethinkingministries.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreeThinkInc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freethinkinc X: https://x.com/freethinkmin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@freethinkinc #Apologetics #Molinism #WilliamLaneCraig #RyanMullins #MiddleKnowledge #FreeWill #ChristianPhilosophy #Theology #Christianity #FreeThinkingMinistries
Behold the Army of God - Part 3: Jealous Love Why is God jealous for your heart? The secret to spiritual victory. In this third installment of our series, Behold the Army of God, we uncover the most critical requirement for every soldier in His ranks: Exclusive, undivided love. God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt—they were wealthy, healthy, and "harnessed for war"—yet they carried their idols with them into their freedom. This act of spiritual adultery posed a massive problem then, and it remains the primary obstacle for the modern-day church today. In this message, Pastor Mark A. Stroud explores the dangerous intersection of idolatry and spiritual fruitfulness. From the first commandment given to the Old Testament church to the stern warning sent to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, one truth remains: We have abandoned our first love. God is not distant; He is pursuing us with a Jealous Love. He desires the fullness of our devotion, not because He is insecure, but because He knows that as long as we hold onto our idols, we cannot be effective against the enemy or fully glorify Him. In this video, we discuss: The First Commandment Mandate: Why exclusive worship is the foundation of the "Army of God." The Ephesus Warning: What happens when the Church loses its "first love." The Anatomy of Jealous Love: Understanding the Father’s pursuit of your heart. Practical Consecration: How to identify and cast away the idols hindering your effectiveness. Scripture Reference: Ezekiel 20:7: "...do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God." Revelation 2:4: "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Ready to align your heart? Getting rid of our idols isn't just about giving things up—it’s about preparing ourselves to be productive, victorious, and fully devoted to the one who loves us most. #BeholdTheArmyOfGod #jealouslove #PastorMarkAStroud #firstlove #spiritualwarfare #ephesus #consecration #christianvictory #spiritualgrowth #idol #idolatry
Behold the Army of God - Part 3: Jealous Love Why is God jealous for your heart? The secret to spiritual victory. In this third installment of our series, Behold the Army of God, we uncover the most critical requirement for every soldier in His ranks: Exclusive, undivided love. God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt—they were wealthy, healthy, and "harnessed for war"—yet they carried their idols with them into their freedom. This act of spiritual adultery posed a massive problem then, and it remains the primary obstacle for the modern-day church today. In this message, Pastor Mark A. Stroud explores the dangerous intersection of idolatry and spiritual fruitfulness. From the first commandment given to the Old Testament church to the stern warning sent to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, one truth remains: We have abandoned our first love. God is not distant; He is pursuing us with a Jealous Love. He desires the fullness of our devotion, not because He is insecure, but because He knows that as long as we hold onto our idols, we cannot be effective against the enemy or fully glorify Him. In this video, we discuss: The First Commandment Mandate: Why exclusive worship is the foundation of the "Army of God." The Ephesus Warning: What happens when the Church loses its "first love." The Anatomy of Jealous Love: Understanding the Father’s pursuit of your heart. Practical Consecration: How to identify and cast away the idols hindering your effectiveness. Scripture Reference: Ezekiel 20:7: "...do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God." Revelation 2:4: "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Ready to align your heart? Getting rid of our idols isn't just about giving things up—it’s about preparing ourselves to be productive, victorious, and fully devoted to the one who loves us most. #BeholdTheArmyOfGod #jealouslove #PastorMarkAStroud #firstlove #spiritualwarfare #ephesus #consecration #christianvictory #spiritualgrowth #idol #idolatry
Behold the Army of God - Part 3: Jealous Love Why is God jealous for your heart? The secret to spiritual victory. In this third installment of our series, Behold the Army of God, we uncover the most critical requirement for every soldier in His ranks: Exclusive, undivided love. God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt—they were wealthy, healthy, and "harnessed for war"—yet they carried their idols with them into their freedom. This act of spiritual adultery posed a massive problem then, and it remains the primary obstacle for the modern-day church today. In this message, Pastor Mark A. Stroud explores the dangerous intersection of idolatry and spiritual fruitfulness. From the first commandment given to the Old Testament church to the stern warning sent to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, one truth remains: We have abandoned our first love. God is not distant; He is pursuing us with a Jealous Love. He desires the fullness of our devotion, not because He is insecure, but because He knows that as long as we hold onto our idols, we cannot be effective against the enemy or fully glorify Him. In this video, we discuss: The First Commandment Mandate: Why exclusive worship is the foundation of the "Army of God." The Ephesus Warning: What happens when the Church loses its "first love." The Anatomy of Jealous Love: Understanding the Father’s pursuit of your heart. Practical Consecration: How to identify and cast away the idols hindering your effectiveness. Scripture Reference: Ezekiel 20:7: "...do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God." Revelation 2:4: "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Ready to align your heart? Getting rid of our idols isn't just about giving things up—it’s about preparing ourselves to be productive, victorious, and fully devoted to the one who loves us most. #BeholdTheArmyOfGod #jealouslove #PastorMarkAStroud #firstlove #spiritualwarfare #ephesus #consecration #christianvictory #spiritualgrowth #idol #idolatry
Behold the Army of God - Part 3: Jealous Love Why is God jealous for your heart? The secret to spiritual victory. In this third installment of our series, Behold the Army of God, we uncover the most critical requirement for every soldier in His ranks: Exclusive, undivided love. God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt—they were wealthy, healthy, and "harnessed for war"—yet they carried their idols with them into their freedom. This act of spiritual adultery posed a massive problem then, and it remains the primary obstacle for the modern-day church today. In this message, Pastor Mark A. Stroud explores the dangerous intersection of idolatry and spiritual fruitfulness. From the first commandment given to the Old Testament church to the stern warning sent to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, one truth remains: We have abandoned our first love. God is not distant; He is pursuing us with a Jealous Love. He desires the fullness of our devotion, not because He is insecure, but because He knows that as long as we hold onto our idols, we cannot be effective against the enemy or fully glorify Him. In this video, we discuss: The First Commandment Mandate: Why exclusive worship is the foundation of the "Army of God." The Ephesus Warning: What happens when the Church loses its "first love." The Anatomy of Jealous Love: Understanding the Father’s pursuit of your heart. Practical Consecration: How to identify and cast away the idols hindering your effectiveness. Scripture Reference: Ezekiel 20:7: "...do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God." Revelation 2:4: "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Ready to align your heart? Getting rid of our idols isn't just about giving things up—it’s about preparing ourselves to be productive, victorious, and fully devoted to the one who loves us most. #BeholdTheArmyOfGod #jealouslove #PastorMarkAStroud #firstlove #spiritualwarfare #ephesus #consecration #christianvictory #spiritualgrowth #idol #idolatry
In our series on Matthew Chapter 8, we are walking through each encounter with Jesus, as He is about to show these people miracles and healings. Today we find a woman who doesn't have a cancer, she's not possessed of a devil or paralyzed, no, she has a fever. Does this woman's condition warrant intervention from Jesus? Do we allow the smaller things to continue? Does Jesus? Would God heal someone of something non-life threatening? It says that Jesus spoke to this fever! Can a fever hear and if so, what about a cancer? Let's talk about it.
Patrick welcomes listeners into a swirl of faith questions, from whether God creates souls bound for hell to what really sets the Ethiopian Bible apart. His conversations jump from parish problems in New York to hard-won lessons in marriage, landing on raw moments of confession and the ache to bring loved ones home to Catholic truth. With honest calls and scriptural insights, Patrick threads thought-provoking theology into the candid struggles and hopes of everyday believers. Chris (email) - Would God make a soul to damn them to Hell then, he knows all past, present and future? (00:28) Keith - How do Catholics view the Ethiopian Bible? (06:08) George - My neighbor is Anglican. What would she have to go through to become Catholic? She is about 80 years old. (16:19) Anthony - Can I move to a different parish? (20:39) Norman - I feel like I really feel short of the Ephesians scripture about loving your wife. I need prayer. What do I do? (26:23) Nancy (email) – Where’s that best of movie list? Yolanda - I see many people go through OCIA and see so much joy after the sacrament of Confession. (38:08) Jennifer - Can I get your advice on how to get my mother-in-law to come back to the Catholic Church? (41:45) Nathan - I know one of the thieves on the cross went to heaven, but what happened to the other thief? (48:06) Joe - When they ring the first set of bells, is that the consecration? (49:01)
Patrick answers questions with raw honesty, moving between callers wrestling with forgiveness, the Eucharist, and predestination, while keeping faith close to lived experience. Listeners open up about shaky relationships and spiritual setbacks, and Patrick responds with clarity that’s sometimes gentle, sometimes blunt, always anchored in Catholic teaching. Chad (email) - I was raised protestant but had no faith whatsoever in my adulthood until a year or so ago. I'm trying to get clarification on Catholic teaching on predestination. I've heard the word "the elect" meaning those chosen by God to go to heaven. I have also heard that God doesn't want anyone "not anyone" to go to hell. So, isn't the whole world "the elect?" (01:37) Andrew (email) - How would you help someone who has lost faith in Jesus due to tragic circumstances in their lives? (05:06) Barb - Do any Protestants have the authority to consecrate the Eucharist? (15:03) Nick - Can you explain more about predestination? Can you expound on working out salvation? (17:10) Vince - Protestants accuse us of worshipping Mary. How can I explain Mary and devotion to her? How can a mere human be a mother of all on the earth? (22:09) Chris (email) - Would God make a soul just to damn them to hell? (27:59) Danny - I have been interested in the priesthood. Can you give me some guidance? (32:58) Troy - What is the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation? (43:54)
Roadblocks - Why Would God Allow Suffering Pastor Sawyer Brunkow
Dreams can be good and they can be bad. They can be scary too. The Babylonian King in our story today has a dream, but he needs SOMEONE to tell him what it means! All of his wise men cannot tell him the meaning. So he rashly condemns them all to death. When the soldier knocks on Daniel's door and tells him that he and his friends are going to die, Daniel doesn't panic, but tells the guard, "Take me to the king." Would God help Daniel to know the meaning of the dream?Year B Quarter 2 Week 19All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: Sweet By and ByWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here: Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this Week: DredynPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music. To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com
Dreams can be good and they can be bad. They can be scary too. The Babylonian King in our story today has a dream, but he needs SOMEONE to tell him what it means! All of his wise men cannot tell him the meaning. So he rashly condemns them all to death. When the soldier knocks on Daniel's door and tells him that he and his friends are going to die, Daniel doesn't panic, but tells the guard, "Take me to the king." Would God help Daniel to know the meaning of the dream?Year B Quarter 2 Week 19All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: Sweet By and ByWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here: Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this Week: DredynPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music. To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com
Dreams can be good and they can be bad. They can be scary too. The Babylonian King in our story today has a dream, but he needs SOMEONE to tell him what it means! All of his wise men cannot tell him the meaning. So he rashly condemns them all to death. When the soldier knocks on Daniel's door and tells him that he and his friends are going to die, Daniel doesn't panic, but tells the guard, "Take me to the king." Would God help Daniel to know the meaning of the dream?Year B Quarter 2 Week 19All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: Sweet By and ByWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here: Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this Week: DredynPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music. To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com
Dreams can be good and they can be bad. They can be scary too. The Babylonian King in our story today has a dream, but he needs SOMEONE to tell him what it means! All of his wise men cannot tell him the meaning. So he rashly condemns them all to death. When the soldier knocks on Daniel's door and tells him that he and his friends are going to die, Daniel doesn't panic, but tells the guard, "Take me to the king." Would God help Daniel to know the meaning of the dream?Year B Quarter 2 Week 19All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: Sweet By and ByWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here: Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this Week: DredynPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music. To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com
Dreams can be good and they can be bad. They can be scary too. The Babylonian King in our story today has a dream, but he needs SOMEONE to tell him what it means! All of his wise men cannot tell him the meaning. So he rashly condemns them all to death. When the soldier knocks on Daniel's door and tells him that he and his friends are going to die, Daniel doesn't panic, but tells the guard, "Take me to the king." Would God help Daniel to know the meaning of the dream?Year B Quarter 2 Week 19All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: Sweet By and ByWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here: Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this Week: DredynPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music. To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com
Dreams can be good and they can be bad. They can be scary too. The Babylonian King in our story today has a dream, but he needs SOMEONE to tell him what it means! All of his wise men cannot tell him the meaning. So he rashly condemns them all to death. When the soldier knocks on Daniel's door and tells him that he and his friends are going to die, Daniel doesn't panic, but tells the guard, "Take me to the king." Would God help Daniel to know the meaning of the dream?Year B Quarter 2 Week 19All Bible verses are from the NKJVHymn: Sweet By and ByWrite to Ms. Katie: seedpod@startingwithjesus.comKatie's Korner: https://startingwithjesus.com/katies-korner/Find the Lessons Here: Kindergarten https://bit.ly/SeedPodKLessonsPrimary https://bit.ly/SeedPodPLessonsConnect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comStarting With Jesus - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StartingWithJesusSeedPod - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvU2FBPEL5-Zi2QW0STVLg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusAcknowledgments:Bible Readings this Week: DredynPodcast Producer: Katie ChitwoodSound Engineer: Dillon AustinMy Bible First, https://bit.ly/SeedPodLesson for use of their Bible Lesson curriculum.AudioVerse, https://www.audioverse.org/ for partnering with us and supporting our ministry.Lindsey Mills, for writing and performing our SeedPod Kids Theme Song & Background Music. To learn more about her music or to get her CD, email her: lindsey@startingwithjesus.com
For those of us living in societies often characterized as “post-Christian”, the symbol of the cross occupies a strange place in our cultural landscape—so familiar that it typically fades into the background, and yet that familiarity has certainly bred contempt. So what are we to make of the cross of Jesus? Aside from being an architectural feature of a skyline, what does this symbol really stand for? With Easter approaching, this week on Ask Away we're sharing a presentation Vince gave a few years ago on what the cross meant two millenia ago, and whether it still carries meaning today. ------ We're so glad you joined us for Ask Away. If you have a question that needs answering, we'd love to hear it. Send us an email at askawayquestion@gmail.com or call and leave a voicemail at (321) 213-9670. Ask Away is hosted by Vince and Jo Vitale, and produced by Studio D Podcast Production. New episodes come out regularly, so make sure to subscribe. The best way you can support Ask Away is to leave a review. All you have to do is open up the Podcast App on your phone, look for Ask Away, scroll down until you see ‘Write a Review' and tell us what you think. If you'd like to see videos from Vince and me, invite us to speak, or make a financial gift so that more people's questions can be heard on Ask Away, visit Kardiaquestions.com See you next time, and remember, if you have a question, it's worth asking.
LESSON 73I Will There Be Light.Today we are considering the will you share with God. This is not the same as the ego's idle wishes, out of which darkness and nothingness arise. The will you share with God has all the power of creation in it. The ego's idle wishes are unshared, and therefore have no power at all. Its wishes are not idle in the sense that they can make a world of illusions in which your belief can be very strong. But they are idle indeed in terms of creation. They make nothing that is real.Idle wishes and grievances are partners or co-makers in picturing the world you see. The wishes of the ego gave rise to it, and the ego's need for grievances, which are necessary to maintain it, peoples it with figures that seem to attack you and call for “righteous” judgment. These figures become the middlemen the ego employs to traffic in grievances. They stand between your awareness and your brothers' reality. Beholding them, you do not know your brothers or your Self.Your will is lost to you in this strange bartering, in which guilt is traded back and forth, and grievances increase with each exchange. Can such a world have been created by the Will the Son of God shares with his Father? Did God create disaster for His Son? Creation is the Will of Both together. Would God create a world that kills Himself?Today we will try once more to reach the world that is in accordance with your will. The light is in it because it does not oppose the Will of God. It is not Heaven, but the light of Heaven shines on it. Darkness has vanished. The ego's idle wishes have been withdrawn. Yet the light that shines upon this world reflects your will, and so it must be in you that we will look for it.Your picture of the world can only mirror what is within. The source of neither light nor darkness can be found without. Grievances darken your mind, and you look out on a darkened world. Forgiveness lifts the darkness, reasserts your will, and lets you look upon a world of light. We have repeatedly emphasized that the barrier of grievances is easily passed, and cannot stand between you and your salvation. The reason is very simple. Do you really want to be in hell? Do you really want to weep and suffer and die?Forget the ego's arguments which seek to prove all this is really Heaven. You know it is not so. You cannot want this for yourself. There is a point beyond which illusions cannot go. Suffering is not happiness, and it is happiness you really want.Such is your will in truth. And so salvation is your will as well. You want to succeed in what we are trying to do today. We undertake it with your blessing and your glad accord.We will succeed today if you remember that you want salvation for yourself. You want to accept God's plan because you share in it. You have no will that can really oppose it, and you do not want to do so. Salvation is for you. Above all else, you want the freedom to remember Who you really are. Today it is the ego that stands powerless before your will. Your will is free, and nothing can prevail against it.Therefore, we undertake the exercises for today in happy confidence, certain that we will find what it is your will to find, and remember what it is your will to remember. No idle wishes can detain us, nor deceive us with an illusion of strength. Today let your will be done, and end forever the insane belief that it is hell in place of Heaven that you choose.We will begin our longer practice periods with the recognition that God's plan for salvation, and only His, is wholly in accord with your will. It is not the purpose of an alien power, thrust upon you unwillingly. It is the one purpose here on which you and your Father are in perfect accord. You will succeed today, the time appointed for the release of the Son of God from hell and from all idle wishes. His will is now restored to his awareness. He is willing this very day to look upon the light in him and be saved. After reminding yourself of this, and determining to keep your will clearly in mind, tell yourself with gentle firmness and quiet certainty:I will there be light.Let me behold the light that reflects God's Will and mine.Then let your will assert itself, joined with the power of God and united with your Self. Put the rest of the practice period under Their guidance. Join with Them as They lead the way. In the shorter practice periods, again make a declaration of what you really want. Say:I will there be light. Darkness is not my will.This should be repeated several times an hour. It is most important, however, to apply today's idea in this form immediately you are tempted to hold a grievance of any kind. This will help you let your grievances go, instead of cherishing them and hiding them in darkness.- Jesus Christ in ACIM
LESSON 73I Will There Be Light.Today we are considering the will you share with God. This is not the same as the ego's idle wishes, out of which darkness and nothingness arise. The will you share with God has all the power of creation in it. The ego's idle wishes are unshared, and therefore have no power at all. Its wishes are not idle in the sense that they can make a world of illusions in which your belief can be very strong. But they are idle indeed in terms of creation. They make nothing that is real.Idle wishes and grievances are partners or co-makers in picturing the world you see. The wishes of the ego gave rise to it, and the ego's need for grievances, which are necessary to maintain it, peoples it with figures that seem to attack you and call for “righteous” judgment. These figures become the middlemen the ego employs to traffic in grievances. They stand between your awareness and your brothers' reality. Beholding them, you do not know your brothers or your Self.Your will is lost to you in this strange bartering, in which guilt is traded back and forth, and grievances increase with each exchange. Can such a world have been created by the Will the Son of God shares with his Father? Did God create disaster for His Son? Creation is the Will of Both together. Would God create a world that kills Himself?Today we will try once more to reach the world that is in accordance with your will. The light is in it because it does not oppose the Will of God. It is not Heaven, but the light of Heaven shines on it. Darkness has vanished. The ego's idle wishes have been withdrawn. Yet the light that shines upon this world reflects your will, and so it must be in you that we will look for it.Your picture of the world can only mirror what is within. The source of neither light nor darkness can be found without. Grievances darken your mind, and you look out on a darkened world. Forgiveness lifts the darkness, reasserts your will, and lets you look upon a world of light. We have repeatedly emphasized that the barrier of grievances is easily passed, and cannot stand between you and your salvation. The reason is very simple. Do you really want to be in hell? Do you really want to weep and suffer and die?Forget the ego's arguments which seek to prove all this is really Heaven. You know it is not so. You cannot want this for yourself. There is a point beyond which illusions cannot go. Suffering is not happiness, and it is happiness you really want.Such is your will in truth. And so salvation is your will as well. You want to succeed in what we are trying to do today. We undertake it with your blessing and your glad accord.We will succeed today if you remember that you want salvation for yourself. You want to accept God's plan because you share in it. You have no will that can really oppose it, and you do not want to do so. Salvation is for you. Above all else, you want the freedom to remember Who you really are. Today it is the ego that stands powerless before your will. Your will is free, and nothing can prevail against it.Therefore, we undertake the exercises for today in happy confidence, certain that we will find what it is your will to find, and remember what it is your will to remember. No idle wishes can detain us, nor deceive us with an illusion of strength. Today let your will be done, and end forever the insane belief that it is hell in place of Heaven that you choose.We will begin our longer practice periods with the recognition that God's plan for salvation, and only His, is wholly in accord with your will. It is not the purpose of an alien power, thrust upon you unwillingly. It is the one purpose here on which you and your Father are in perfect accord. You will succeed today, the time appointed for the release of the Son of God from hell and from all idle wishes. His will is now restored to his awareness. He is willing this very day to look upon the light in him and be saved. After reminding yourself of this, and determining to keep your will clearly in mind, tell yourself with gentle firmness and quiet certainty:I will there be light.Let me behold the light that reflects God's Will and mine.Then let your will assert itself, joined with the power of God and united with your Self. Put the rest of the practice period under Their guidance. Join with Them as They lead the way. In the shorter practice periods, again make a declaration of what you really want. Say:I will there be light. Darkness is not my will.This should be repeated several times an hour. It is most important, however, to apply today's idea in this form immediately you are tempted to hold a grievance of any kind. This will help you let your grievances go, instead of cherishing them and hiding them in darkness.- Jesus Christ in ACIM
In this first live Q&A of our Lent 2025 series Jesus in Galilee, Dom and I work through 35 questions from the more than 2,000 people who have joined the class — and true to form, Dom tries to honor every single one of them. The conversation ranges from the silver cups of Boscoreale to the Gulf of Mexico, from Josephus's gritted-teeth defense of Judaism to what a State of the Union address might look like if Jesus gave it tonight. Dom argues that the apocalyptic imagination is, bluntly, a loss of faith; that coinage was the only real mass media of antiquity; that nonviolent resistance was invented — not borrowed — in first-century Judea; and that if you want to understand what an autocrat is planning, read very carefully what the autocrat accuses his opponents of. It is, in other words, exactly the kind of conversation I look forward to all year. If you want in on the rest of the series — the lectures, the live Q&As, and the full archive — head to CrossanClass.com. You can WATCH the conversation YouTube ONLINE LENT CLASS: Jesus in Galilee w/ John Dominic Crossan What can we actually know about Jesus of Nazareth? And, what difference does it make? This Lenten class begins where all of Dr. John Dominic Crossan's has work begins: with history. What was actually happening in Galilee in the 20s CE? What did Herod Antipas' transformation of the "Sea of Galilee" into the commercial "Sea of Tiberias" mean for peasant fishing communities? Why did Jesus emerge from John's baptism movement proclaiming God's Rule through parables—and what made that medium so perfectly suited to that message? Only by understanding what Jesus' parables meant then can we wrestle with what they might demand of us now. The class is donation-based, including 0, so join, get info, and join up here. John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian, God and Empire, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Greatest Prayer, The Last Week, and The Power of Parable. He lives in Minneola, Florida. Previous Podcast Episodes with Dom & Tripp A Tale of Two Gods: Why C.S. Lewis's Famous Argument Falls Apart From Iron Swords to Nuclear Bombs: Tracing 3,000 Years of Escalatory Violence Paul, Christ, & the Mystery of Execution & Resurrection Paul, Josephus, & the Challenge of Nonviolent Resistance Paul, Rome, & the Violent Normalcy of Civilization Paul & the Fictional History of Luke-Acts Paul & Thecla Ask JC Anything This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 50 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
February 23-March 1I remember the first time I visited the massive, ancient building erected by Herod the Great in Hebron. He had it built over the Cave of Machpelah more than 2,000 years ago to mark and protect the sacred resting place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah. I walked into the building as a ten-year-old with a covering over my head and my parents, brothers and a number of friends at my side. There was one place where you could go to your knees and carefully look through a brass grate and see into the cave below. A small lamp was burning there. A feeling came over me at that moment, not only that this was a sacred place, but that I was connected to Abraham. He was my direct-line grandfather. I have never forgotten that moment.
Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/why-would-god-create-people-he-knew-would-go-to-hell
Why We Build Arks When We are Saved By Grace by Autumn Dickson Moses 7 is powerful. There is so much. I have so many thoughts, but let's keep it to a few. One of those thoughts came to me while reading this verse. Moses 7:43 Wherefore Enoch saw that Noah built an ark; and that the Lord smiled upon it, and held it in his own hand; but upon the residue of the wicked the floods came and swallowed them up. Noah and his family were surrounded by wickedness and danger. They built an ark, and the Lord protected them. The rest of the people were wiped out by the flood. I want to draw your attention to two details. Noah built an ark, and the Lord held it in His hand. There is a type in this. Let's talk about one of my favorite subjects: grace and works. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is frequently attacked for not being Christian because we believe that we will be judged by our works and desires and not just by whether we believe in the right Jesus. Other Christians believe that it's just about accepting the Savior, not following Him. They believe that you don't have to do anything. Some believe that if you try to do anything, you're only taking away from His glory (or so I've been told by some of my friends; I recognize that there are nuanced beliefs within the Christian faith in general). I know others believe that it's all about belief and works simply follow belief, but the works are just not necessary. It is extremely important to note that Latter-day Saints believe 100% in grace. We believe that works are necessary, but works don't save us. Christ saves us. Works are necessary, but they perform a different function, not saving As I read the bible, over and over and over and over and over I get the message that the Lord does require works even if it's not ultimately the works that do the saving. There are places in the bible that more directly teach this concept, namely in the letters of Paul, but there is also story after story after story that teaches this principle. Noah and the ark is just one of these stories. Noah and the ark can teach us about how Christ does the saving, and it teaches us about why the Lord requires works and will judge us by our works. What do we learn from Noah's story? How does Noah's story teach us about grace and works? Let's talk about it. First of all, let's look at it before Noah even builds the ark. The Lord saved Noah and his family because they were righteous. There is a type in this. Noah and his family weren't perfect, but they were righteous. And even though they loved God, it didn't save them. It just meant that God saved them. Would God have saved them if they hadn't built the ark? My personal opinion is no. Why would He command Noah to build an ark if He didn't actually care whether Noah built it? Let's look more specifically at Noah and the ark and not everyone who died in the flood. Our verse teaches us that the Lord held Noah's ark in His hand. That's the grace right there. The Lord protected Noah. The Lord saved Noah. The verse could have said, “Noah obeyed God and built the ark, and it saved him.” But that's not what it said because that's not what Latter-day Saints believe. In fact, it doesn't even specifically say that God looked upon Noah, smiled at him, and saved him. It very specifically says that God looked at “it,” as in, the ark. God looked at the works of Noah. The works didn't save Noah, but God looked at the works, judged them as good and smiled at them, and saved Noah. If God is the one who saved Noah, then why did He have him build an ark? Why perform works? That's the million dollar question for Latter-day Saints. We believe that we are saved by grace, 100%. So why build an ark? Why do we believe in doing our best and performing works if the ark doesn't do the saving? It's because God has to judge. He has to judge who will destroy heaven and who will be able to appreciate heaven and preserve it. He could have saved all the wicked by smiling at them and holding them in his hand, but the wicked would have destroyed heaven. They would have made it as miserable as they were making the earth with their violence and idolatry. They wouldn't have been able to enjoy heaven because of their choices, because of their works. Beyond that, they would have ruined heaven. Our works don't save us, but God judges us by our works and saves us accordingly. That's what Noah's story is teaching us. The works don't save us; they just allow us to appreciate heaven and preserve it. They determine whether God steps in with the atonement of Jesus Christ, saves us, and brings us back into our heavenly home. So do Latter-day Saints believe that we are saved by works? No. We believe we are judged by them, but we believe that Christ does the saving with His atonement. I think parents of addicts understand this more than most. If you have a child who is extremely addicted to dangerous drugs, you don't keep bringing them back into your home just because they love you. They would destroy your home and any heavenly feelings that reside there. Even if you have the power to keep taking care of everything despite their addiction, I would hope that you wouldn't bring them back in to destroy everything (unless God says differently, listen to Him for specifics). If you do choose to bring them back in, then it's not home anymore. It's not heaven so no one really got saved anyway. So you make a judgment call. You pray your guts out for the child. You love the child, but you separate the child because of their works. You judge their works and preserve the home. If they repent and truly change, then they get to come back home. Not because of their works. Quitting drugs doesn't pay for the house; it just makes it so that you trust them enough to bring them home. I think it's important to also note that not everyone's ark looks the same. That's one of the beautiful things about the atonement of Jesus Christ. It removed the absolute justice that kept us from heaven. It enabled Christ to be the judge and save who He decides to save. Some of us will build an ark. Some of us will look at the barren desert before us and be lucky to build a canoe, but you know what? The Lord judges perfectly. He looks at your entire situation and what you have, and He judges perfectly. I testify that the Lord saves us with His grace. I testify that your ark is not enough to save you. I testify that even though your ark can't save you, it builds you and God judges you by your circumstances and your ark and determines whether you're going to contribute to our heavenly home. I testify that the relationship of works and grace is taught all throughout the bible. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Moses 7 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Patrick answers questions spanning everything from praying the rosary while making breakfast or driving, to whether it’s genuinely helpful to journal during adoration. Real-world family challenges about faith, grief, and even noise at Mass spark his down-to-earth guidance, thoughtful defense of Catholic practices, and a dose of humor when birthday wishes and smart phone-free dinners come up. Conversations swerve from discussing legal and moral responsibility under pressure to parenting in a complex culture, sometimes bluntly, always with an eye on compassion and truth. Karis - I am conservative. Spitting is not a mortal sin. The officer had already got in his truck. (00:46) Marina - Is it ok to recite the Rosary while doing things like cooking or cleaning. Can I journal during Adoration? (02:05) Jonathan – Is sinning under duress still a sin? Would God hold it against them? (05:01) Alex - Is it ok to pray the Rosary during Mass? My daughter is dating a girl. What is the most loving response I can give her? (08:18) Moe - My daughter is dating a girl. What is the most loving response I can give her? (12:00) Steve - I do pray the Rosary at Mass. It helps me get over distractions at Mass. (20:54) Debra - If my sister witnessed a trauma in her life, would she be accountable for the sins that happened after or would she only be accountable for sins committed beforehand? What does the Church teach about judgement? (26:58) Rick - Police are not supposed to engage with agitators. This is false witness and a character assassination. (34:50) Veronica - Thank you for inspiring my son and I to grow in our Catholic faith. (43:45) Geralyn - My daughter took grand kids to a restaurant, and they don’t have cell phones. Somebody paid their bill because they were not on cell phones. (48:19) Brendan - Is happiness an act of the will? (49:44)
Most of us wouldn't drink from a dirty cup — but we still expect God to pour fresh blessings into unclean vessels. In this message, Eric challenges a hard truth: freedom doesn't remove contamination — instructions do. God isn't withholding His presence. He's protecting it. This sermon unpacks why so many people feel free but still stuck, how impatience, insecurity, overthinking, jealousy, and strife quietly contaminate our lives, and why immediate obedience is often the reset we're praying for. If you're asking: “Why am I still stuck?” “Why does it feel like God isn't answering?” “What am I missing in this season?” This message is for you.
What if the most astonishing thing about Jesus isn't just that God became man—but that He willingly wore our weakness? In this episode, we reflect on the incarnation as more than a doctrine to admire, but a mystery meant to humble us and draw us to worship. From the fragility of human flesh to the depths of divine love, discover why God didn't stay distant, but stepped fully into our suffering so we could trust Him with everything To learn more about the sponsor of today's show and what our family currently uses for our healthcare check out Christian Healthcare Ministries by visiting https://hubs.ly/Q02vWQGy0 Editing and production services provided by thepodcastupload.com #TheKirkCameronShow #TheIncarnation #GodBecameMan #ChristmasReflection #Epiphany #ChristianPodcast #ChristianTheology #GospelTruth #BiblicalChristianity #FaithAndGrace #JesusOurHighPriest #GodWithUs #Emmanuel #ChristianTeaching #ReformedTheology #ChristianWorldview #BibleReflection #WorshipAndWonder
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