Podcasts about would god

Faith for the Coming Wilderness (2) (audio) David Eells – 9/7/25 We need to understand that the natural has to bow to the spiritual; it's not the natural that runs this world. Presidents think they run this world, but the truth is God runs this world. This world bows to Him. And nothing can stop a person who believes in the living God and believes in His promises! We have an Almighty God Who loves us. He's made these promises and He's not a liar (Num.23:19). He will take care of us. He will provide for our needs. I know there is a big emphasis on getting prepared because many people realize that we are headed for trouble and lack, including some of the churches out there. Those churches are preparing their people, but they're doing it mostly in the natural, in the flesh. And, of course, those churches that teach and believe that they're going to fly away are not getting prepared for anything, but they're going to have a sudden shock. The Church is going through the wilderness, just like the Israelites did in type and shadow. (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. There is nothing in the Bible about the Church escaping that wilderness. The best thing you can do is to be like Moses and like Jesus, and go through it first. Then, when you get out there with the Israelites, it won't be a problem. You've already been there, and you'll be calm and peaceful, since you know that God is faithful. Most of the church leaders are men who have never been through the wilderness, and they are teaching a lot of fear because they are fearful themselves. Those men whom God chose to bring His people through the wilderness had already been there themselves. Like Jesus, like Moses, they weren't afraid of anything. The church leaders in our day are like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who have never been in the wilderness and don't know how to go there. They are teaching people to store up their treasures on the earth. What did Jesus say about storing up treasures on the earth? (Mat.6:19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (21) for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. Jesus said, “Don't do it!” So, who are you going to obey? What happens if you don't store up provision for yourself and you go into a wilderness? I'll tell you what happens: you are suddenly being thrust into a place of weakness because of your obedience to the Word! Now you won't be able to save yourself, but God will never ever fail you. If you put your faith in Him, your weakness is a place of power to God. (2Co.12:9) … For my power is made perfect in weakness.... You see, “Man's extremity is God's opportunity” (English Clergyman John Flavel, 1627-1691). God waits until you give up trying to save yourself before His power is made manifest. Israel always seemed to be in the minority when they won a war, and if they weren't, God would make sure they were in the minority, as with Gideon's army. (Jdg.7:2) And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. (3) Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. I.e., Get the unbelief out of the way. (4) And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. (5) So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. (6) And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. (7) And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand ... Its not numbers but faith that is needed. (16) And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers ... (19) So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. (20) And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands wherewith to blow; and they cried, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon. (21) And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight.  Now that's the weakness and faith needed. (22) And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, and against all the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. God said, “You have too many men. You'll brag on what you've done.” He whittled them down to 300 and sent them out with trumpets, not swords. Trumpets! The Hebrew word for “breath” is ruwach, and it is also translated “spirit,” so a trumpet represents making the Spirit's Word audible. Well, they blew those trumpets and the enemy stumbled all over each other and killed one another. Gideon probably didn't even need 300 men. God's awesome! He wants to prove to us His mighty power in our weakness, and that's why He says, “Don't store up your treasures on earth. You just go out there and I'll take care of you.” When the Israelites went into the wilderness, they took everything they could with them, including the gold and silver and precious jewels that they plundered from the Egyptians (Exo.12:31-39), but then they made a golden calf out of it, an idol (Exo.32:1-5). They thought it would save them. That's what a lot of apostates are teaching today. Do you think your gold and silver will save you in the days to come? No, the Israelites started running out of their own supply in only three days (Exo.15:22). Their golden calf was just an idol, which God proved wasn't going to save them. (Exo.32:19) And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. (20) And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. You ask me, “David, if we don't store up our treasures on earth, how do we store them up in Heaven?” Well, the Bible is very plain about that: (Luk.12:15) And he said unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness (or “desiring more”): for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (16) And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: (17) and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my fruits? He meant upon himself. (18) And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods. (19) And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. In other words, if you have all of this supply, you are trusting in it; you are resting in it. You have peace because of what you've stored up, instead of trusting in God. God doesn't want that. He doesn't want idols. (20) But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? (21) So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Now I've had some people say, “Well, David, storing up food is not treasure.” I beg your pardon? In verse 18, it reads, “and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods.” God called food “treasure.” What God wants of us is our weakness and faith. He's going to bring us to a place where there will be no visible, worldly means of support, but He's Almighty God, and believers will have no difficulty whatsoever in the place where He is bringing them. He's doing this to prove to them how great He is and how great His provision is. (22) And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for [your] life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. We are to be anxious for nothing. Paul said, (Php.4:6) In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Don't worry about what you are going to need in the wilderness, because God is going to be there when you get there. (Luk.12:23) For the life is more than the food, and the body than the raiment. (24) Consider the ravens, that they sow not, neither reap (In a wilderness, you may not even have anything to sow or you may have 3 mites; if so sow it.); which have no store-chamber nor barn; and God feedeth them: of how much more value are ye than the birds! Listen, if God feeds the birds and they don't store up, won't He do it for you? Yes, He will. (25) And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit unto the measure of his life? (26) If then ye are not able to do even that which is least, why are ye anxious concerning the rest? Isn't that awesome? We really can't save ourselves and He's trying to convince us of that. He's trying to convince us to put our trust in God Almighty. (27) Consider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. The Israelites were well-dressed in their wilderness (Deu.8:4; 29:5; Neh.9:21). (28) But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more [shall he clothe] you, O ye of little faith? Yes, He will take care of you. He will feed you. He will clothe you. (29) And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. An unbeliever, a doubter, is somebody who's worried about these things. (30) For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: but your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. That's all you need. God knows about it, and He will take care of you. (31) Yet seek ye his kingdom, and these things shall be added unto you. He's telling us to seek first His Kingdom. (Mat.6:33) But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. If you do that, then everything you need will be given to you. That is the truth and I have proven it! Many years ago, I had a ministry and I worked. I told the Lord, “Lord, I don't have time to work anymore. I'm asking You to make a way.” He did and He's provided ever since. (Luk.12:32) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (33) Sell that which ye have, and give alms.... He didn't say to store it up for a rainy day. I learned that if you store up something for a rainy day, the rainy day always comes. But if you don't have it stored up, that rainy day never comes, or if it does, God has to do a miracle because He is contracted with you to be your supplier in all things. (Php.4:19) And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. He's your Jehovah-jireh, your provider. So it really doesn't make any difference whether a rainy day comes or not. (Luk.12:33) Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.... If you have anything extra, do what they did on the day of Pentecost and shortly thereafter: (Act.4:34) For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, (35) and laid them at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need. (2Co.8:13) For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed; (14) but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality. Anything extra was used to meet the needs of the rest of the body so that there would be equality. That's what He preached in the New Testament. He said it was like the Israelites who gathered the manna. (15) As it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. Some gathered more than they needed, some gathered less, and whoever had extra met the needs of those who didn't. It was equality. God loves that! (Luk.12:33) Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old (Meaning you're not storing it up or keeping it for a long time.), a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth. Give alms. Meet the needs of people around you. That's what He calls “a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.” Any treasure you store up on earth is going to fail. The world is going to plunder you, and if not the world, the devil will plunder you by the curse, but you're going to be plundered. Let me tell you how not to get plundered: Give! Meet the needs of the brethren around you. Give and then it will be coming the other way because (Luk.6:38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. That's how it works. You can make a living by giving. It works. (Luk.12:34) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Some people tell me, “It's okay to have it. Just don't set your heart on it.” That's not what Jesus said. He said, if you have it, your heart will be on it. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” If you store up on this earth, you are disobeying Jesus. It's only good for spending, and then you learn to walk by faith. (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? God chose those who are the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom. A person who is rich in faith will never go without. God always provides for them. How do you store up your treasures in Heaven? You do that by giving alms, by making yourselves purses that wax not old, by meeting the needs of the brethren. You give and it will be given unto you. When you get out in that wilderness, don't you want to have something stored up in the Bank of Heaven? He said, “A treasure in the heavens that faileth not.” If you pack food out there into that wilderness, it will fail you. If you pack gold out into that wilderness, the world will plunder you. But if you store it up by giving, God said He will give unto you. The way of God is to give what you have, and then God will multiply it back. It's happened to me many, many times that when I did not have enough money to take care of my needs, I would just take what I had and give it. And God has never failed me, not once. I walked by faith and raised five children, and God always met our needs. Now, one time we were forced into a fast as a trial of our faith, and that's the only time we were ever put in that position, but we got in a position many times where God literally multiplied food, multiplied money, and even multiplied gas in our tank. We got to see wondrous miracles from God, and we're still seeing them today! Now I'm not asking for anything; I'm just sharing with you how to get prepared for what's coming. And we give: nobody charges anybody for anything from our ministry. The volunteers who supply the materials on our site are people of faith. They supply those materials as their ministry, and other people bless those volunteers because the volunteers are giving. God sees to it that His Word is fulfilled. (Jer.1:12) Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it. He stands behind His Word, and He will never fail you. He cannot fail. One thing I've learned about God is that He can do everything but fail. He will supply your every need according to His riches in glory. Don't fear the wilderness. God designed and ordained this wilderness. He's even ordained the Beast that's going to cause this wilderness. He's ordained Pharaoh's army to get behind God's people and force them out there into that wilderness. God is not going to fail you. Learn to walk by faith because the wilderness will be nothing for the people who walk by faith. In fact it can be joyful. But for those who are fearful and murmur and complain and walk by sight, they are not going to make it through (Num.11:1; 1Co.10:10, etc.). God is doing all this because He's raising up believers. (Heb.10:38) But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. Listen, we are children of the last Adam, Jesus Christ. We are a new-creation man, meant to live above this world, meant to walk in His ways and His steps, and that includes going into the “wilderness” as He did. (Mat.4:1) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. (4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (5) Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. (7) Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. (8) Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9) and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Jesus went through a 40-day wilderness trial before He overcame and then He brought God's people in His day through their wilderness. In our day, those who are in the First-fruits corporate body each go through their individual wilderness first. There, they learn to walk in the principles of the Kingdom, which is the purpose of the wilderness. Moses was a First-fruits. He went through a 40-year wilderness before he overcame (Act.7:30-34) and then he went on to bring God's people through their own wilderness (Num.14:34). Many people don't understand that the wilderness is available to every Christian worldwide because the wilderness is not some physical location to which we go; it's a place in the Spirit. It's a place where we no longer depend upon the world and the principles of the world. It's a place where we are, instead, ruled by the principles of the Kingdom. We no longer trust in the world for our sustenance, our salvation, our healing, our deliverance, and so on. Scripture tells us that most of the Israelites who left Egypt never learned that lesson: (Psa.78:19) Yea, they spake against God; They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? When they could no longer depend upon the flesh-pots of Egypt, they murmured continually. They found it hard to trust in the living God. The Israelites are just a type and a shadow for us. They went into a literal wilderness, but our wilderness is spiritual. Everybody who walks by faith goes into the wilderness. Everybody who walks by faith in the commands and principles and promises of God automatically gives up salvation by works. The promises of God are for the whole man. They are meant to save us completely in spirit, soul, body, and circumstances, and they are meant to do that totally outside the principles of this world. As a matter of fact, He even gave us all-inclusive promises: (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them (The original Greek word there is past tense.), and ye shall have them. Why does Jesus tell us to believe we have already received them? It's because everything that has to do with the salvation that the Lord gave us has already been accomplished. (1Pe.2:24) Who his own self bare our sins (that's past tense because it happened behind us) in his body upon the tree, that we, having died (that's past tense) unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. Again, the word there is past tense. All of the promises that have to do with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross are past tense. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved (That's what it says in the original; it's past tense.) through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. You have been saved! (Col.1:13) Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the son of his love. You have been delivered out of the power of darkness. (Rom.6:18) And being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. (11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. You were made free from sin! You see, when you realize that the Lord has already done all this, there is nothing you can do of yourself to bring it to pass. You have to walk by faith in the fact that it is already accomplished. You are already healed, you are already delivered, you are already blessed, you are already provided for and so on because all these things were accomplished at the cross. We enter into the New Testament “rest,” which many Christians erroneously think is a Saturday or a Sunday, but let's take a close look at what Scripture says about this “rest.” (Heb.4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. You see, the promises cause us to enter the rest because the promises are past tense, and when you believe them you have to stop your own works to try to bring them to pass. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said.... When you believe these promises, you enter into the rest. For instance, you cannot do anything to get healed if you believe you were healed. The reason men run to man to get healing is because they don't believe Jesus has already healed them, but I'm telling you something that I know. For the past 55-plus years, I've been receiving healing because I realize that I don't have to do anything to bring it to pass. All I have to do is thank God for it. (Heb.13:8) Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and to-day, [yea] and for ever. He still heals everyone who comes to Him by faith (Mat.4:24; 6:19; 12:15; 14:36; Mar.3:10; Luk.4:40; etc.) If you accept that you were healed at the cross and you are not harboring unforgiveness or in any willful sin, then there's nothing that can keep you from receiving your healing. Hold fast to the confession of your hope that it waver not, for He is faithful that promised. (Heb.4:9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. The word “sabbath” there is the Greek word sabbatismos and it doesn't mean “a day of rest.” It means “a continual keeping of rest.” This is the true Sabbath that remains for the people of God. We have to cease from our own works every day. (10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. God doesn't want our works; He doesn't believe in salvation by works. Whether you are talking about your spirit, your soul, your body or your circumstances, salvation is not by self-effort. As the apostle Paul taught us, (2Co.12:9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. You see, when we stop trying to save ourselves, God's very powerful to do it for us, just as He did for Paul, who went through a lot of trials because of the “thorn in the flesh” that was given to him. (7) And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. People like to say that the “thorn in the flesh” was a disease of the eyes or some other disability, but the Scripture plainly tells us that it was “a messenger of Satan to buffet” him. Paul lists for us these “buffetings”: (2Co.11:23) Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. (24) Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. (25) Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; (26) [in] journeyings often, [in] perils of rivers, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils from [my] countrymen, [in] perils from the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; (27) [in] labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (28) Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches. He was brought into all those situations through weakness, and in Paul's weakness God was made powerful. (29) Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? (30) If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness. We need to do the same thing; we need to be weak to save ourselves. Many Christians today don't receive the deliverance they need because they keep trying to save themselves by their own efforts. Yet, what did Paul say? (2Ti.3:10) But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, (11) persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. God delivered Paul because he was weak to save himself. He gave himself into the hands of God because he believed the promises of God; he believed the Lord would always deliver him. (2Ti.4:17) But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. (18) The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] the glory forever and ever. Amen. And when Paul said the Lord would “save” him, he meant he would be saved like the Bible uses the word for “saved,” which is the Greek sozo. The word sozo is used for every manner of salvation of spirit, soul, body and circumstances. Sozo is used for deliverance from demons, for healing the body, for salvation of the soul, provision for the body, and so on. It's the same word the disciples used when they cried out to Jesus as their boat was sinking: (Mat.8:23) And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. (24) And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. (25) And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save (that's the word sozo), Lord; we perish. (26) And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. (27) And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? They said, “Save, Lord,” and He saved them. “The Lord will deliver me from every evil work.” Do you believe that? We're supposed to be going into a wilderness now, saints. You can choose to enter into it by faith, by trusting in the promises of God, because God cannot fail you if you believe in His promises. Or you can be forced into it, along with the Church, in the coming Tribulation. If you walk by faith now, then you are walking into that spiritual wilderness, and I want to tell you that the wilderness is not as bad as you've heard. The Lord told me many years ago, “I'm sending you through a wilderness, so that you can tell My people that I still supply there,” and He has proven that to me over and over by putting me in a position of weakness. For instance, the disciples never took up offerings for themselves; they only took up offerings for other people, so the Lord wouldn't let me take up offerings. He wouldn't let me tell anybody my personal needs. He wouldn't let me store up my treasures on earth. He wouldn't let me borrow money. He wouldn't let me sell things. He wouldn't let me take any government benefits. When after many years, just recently, I received Social Security I have given it all away. And through all of that, I haven't worked for man, and I haven't taken any worldly benefits. God has faithfully sustained me; He's paid for everything all along the way. He put me in a wilderness, but it has nothing to do with a physical wilderness, and He's never failed to meet our needs. I shared with you previously how I raised five children: they didn't know doctors, they didn't know medicine, they didn't know anything but the power of God. And God always fed them, except for one time when the Lord put the trial of a fast on them. For all of these years, God has faithfully fed us, paid our bills, made sure our lights stayed on, made sure our gas stayed on and so on. He's been totally, 100% faithful. I was made capable to do this by His grace of unmerited favor. Even faith is a gift of God; ask for it. Yes, we are all going into a wilderness, but it's one that God made, and He made it for our good. You will see the world economy crash to create for God's chosen a wilderness. He is separating us from the world. He is behind the Beast kingdom and He is bringing the mark of the Beast (Rev.3:17) to force us into this coming wilderness. The whole world is going to hate us. We won't have the help of “Egypt,” just as Israel didn't have the help of Egypt. We are going to be thrust upon the mercy and grace of God, and the only thing we really need to be sustained is to repent of our sins and believe His Word. And when we do that, we also should expect that we will be tried. Even Apostle Paul talked about hungering and thirsting, but notice, he didn't starve to death. He overcame in the trial. God did the same thing with the Israelites. He brought them to one place of lack after another, to see if they were going to walk by faith or if they were going to complain. Sadly, they failed God, as the natural man always does, but we have something new in the New Testament. We have a born-again experience; we have the power of the Holy Spirit. Some people are going to go through the wilderness just like Joshua and Caleb. They are going to be walking in the steps of Jesus Christ and they are going to be victorious. When you are tried over and over, and you see each time that God is faithful, you enter into the rest. You just hold fast to your confession and hold fast to the Word. You don't even worry about your trial anymore. You just rest in Him because you become hardened to your flesh, you become hardened to the world, you become hardened to temptation. (Rom.5:3) And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness (“patience”). As a matter of fact, I've enjoyed the tribulation. The tribulation is a trial on the flesh, but it's so neat to see God being a personal God and loving you enough to look after everything. That's what He really wants to do. He doesn't want to share His glory with man, which He's been having to do because His people always run to the world. They run to Egypt and its methods and its ways. Well, the Lord put me and my family in the wilderness, and I'd like to share some testimonies of how the Lord has been faithful to sustain us. One time in particular, the Lord actually multiplied food for us. We had run out of everything in the house, except for some spaghetti, so my wife cooked up a pot of spaghetti and we prayed over that pot because we didn't have anything else. But I want you to know that we weren't even considering that God wasn't going to bring any more for us to eat because He had been doing this for us for quite some time. Anyway, my wife cooked up this fairly big pot of spaghetti, and it was about three-quarters full when we blessed it, and we started eating. We probably ate that pot down to lower than halfway, and when we were done, we didn't think about it; we just shoved that pot into the refrigerator. The next day, when we took it back out and my wife lifted the lid, we saw that God had refilled the pot! She said, “David, do you remember that the spaghetti was down to here?” And she made a mark on the side. I said, “Yes, I remember.” Saints, the Lord had replaced everything we had eaten. God is awesome! You can't get anywhere where He can't supply. Think about those Israelites. He brought those Israelites water out of a rock. God can bring you water in the middle of a wilderness (Exo.17:1-7; Num.20:2-13), He can pay your taxes out of a fish's mouth (Mat.17:24-27), He can bring you flesh out of the sky (Exo.16:1-13; Num.11:18-20; 31-34) and bread out of the sky (Exo.16:14-36; Num.11:7-9). Now, if our God can bring several million Israelites through a wilderness like that and feed them, just think what He can do with us, who are actually filled with His Spirit! Another experience we had, which I thought was even more awesome, made me realize that you really cannot get anywhere God can't feed you. (Php.4:19) And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. If our God will supply our every need according to His riches in glory, then it has nothing to do with the economy and nothing to do with our surroundings. Even if you're in a desert, it has nothing to do with any of that. God made the promise; He's the One Who stands behind it and He will take care of you. On one occasion, we came to another situation where we had run out of everything in the house to eat and my wife asked, “What are we going to do?” I said, “Well, the Lord sent us here,” and she agreed. She said, “Yes.” So I told her, “You set the table and we'll go sit down at the table, and we'll eat.” So she did that, and then she and I and our five children sat down around the table with these empty plates in front of us. Next, I prayed a simple prayer, really the only kind I know. I prayed, “Father, You sent us here and we're asking You to please fill these plates or fill our tummies.” That's just the way it came out of my mind and I'm sure the Lord put it in there because He wanted to show us something. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. And so the prayer had no sooner come out of my mouth when my oldest son said, “Dad, I'm full. I don't need to eat.” It wasn't long before another one said it, then another, then another one, and then I realized I was full, too. I thought, “Isn't that something!” You know, the Lord didn't have to multiply anything. If He multiplied anything, He multiplied it in our stomachs. He filled all of us while we were just sitting there at the table. Then there was one time I decided I wanted to grow tomatoes. It wasn't the Lord; I made that decision on my own. God didn't call me to grow tomatoes; He called me to study the Word of God and and share it with His people. But I just decided, “Well, I'll take on this hobby. I'll plant some tomatoes.” Now, the house we lived in at that time was under big oak trees and we had very little sunshine in my yard, except for one place, so I planted the tomatoes in five-gallon buckets. That way, I could move them to keep them in the sun as the season went on. Soon, lots of little tomatoes popped out, but they hardly got to be any size at all before the birds came and took them all away. And I asked, “Lord, why did You let that happen?” The Lord answered, “I didn't call you to plant tomatoes; that was your idea. I have other things for you to do. Now get about what I told you to do.” So, of course, I told Him, “Yes, Sir!” and I never said anything to anybody about trying to grow my own tomatoes. Well, the very next day, a lady who was acquainted with us was going to a local tomato farm to get tomatoes for her family, and while she was out there picking these monster tomatoes, the Lord spoke to her and said, “I want you to pick a bag of these for David Eells.” She said, “Okay.” And she brought me a big bag of the largest, most luscious-looking tomatoes I'd seen in a very long time. You know, the Lord was kind of rubbing my nose in it when the lady brought me those tomatoes the next day and I thought to myself, “I really couldn't have grown anything like those, Lord.” I had to come to that place of weakness before He would do this miracle. We've also often prayed for very specific things, and the Lord has always done miracles for us. One morning, we prayed for Him to send us poultry, mayonnaise, and cheese. We asked Him for those three things and we didn't tell anybody, not a soul. This is the way God gets the glory. I remember a brother many years ago, who was an elder in the Church with me. He used to be a part of the prosperity movement, where the people would brag out in public about what God was going to do. They would tell everybody, “I'm believing God for this,” or, “I'm believing God for that,” so eventually someone else in the congregation would feel like they had to have compassion on their brother in “need” and they would bring it to them. God doesn't get any glory from that. When you ask God for something, just believe Him. Then, when it comes, He gets the credit. So we didn't tell anybody about our needs, but that day and the next day, all three of those things came. We had a friend who was going out of town, and she had this large jar of mayonnaise that she didn't want to leave in her refrigerator until she came back, so she brought it over to us. And then another person brought us a turkey and the cheese. It was exactly what we asked from God. You may wonder, “Would God do that for me, David?” I guarantee you He would. God is no respecter of persons. (Act.10:34) And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: (35) but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. God is a respecter of faith, but He's no respecter of persons. He won't do anything for me that He won't do for you. I'm just trying to teach you how to be weak and to exercise faith at the same time, so that you are in this ideal position in the wilderness to see miracles from God. We've received so many over the years, I've forgotten most of them, but I can tell you that He consistently met our needs and we saw many, many miracles. Sometimes, even if we had money, we would believe God for clothes and shoes and toys for our children and they would come. I like to share this next story because it tickles me. My children all wanted to go camping one day, but when I was a kid, I did so much camping, I've had enough of it. I like my bed and I was making excuses. Well, I'd been back there before, walking through the woods where they wanted to go, and finally I told them, “There's nothing there to start a fire with and, really, we don't have any permission to cut down any of those trees back there,” but they were begging me, “Awww, Daddy, please.” So I gave in and we packed up our tents and other gear, and we took off into the woods. Now, there was a downed tree in the little opening in the woods that we picked for our campsite, and I want you to know that downed trees were hard to find in those woods. We set up our tents and I sent the kids out to gather firewood, but everything they dragged back was either rotten, or little twigs and branches, or pieces of tree bark. I told them, “That stuff just makes smoke; it doesn't really make fire.” And I sent them out again, and while I was waiting, I walked about 20 feet away from the tent but still in the clearing. I was kind of praying, asking the Lord to provide for us, and I had told them earlier that there was nothing to use for a fire, and we couldn't cut down other people's trees. Well, I had walked maybe 20 or so feet away from the tent when I came across this little lump on the ground. The floor of those woods was completely covered with leaves, and this was just a lump in the leaves, but when I kicked it as I walked through it, I hit something solid. So I backed up and raked all the leaves off, and there was a pillowcase on the ground. I pulled the pillowcase back, and there was a Poulan chainsaw on the ground. I thought, “Wow! Wouldn't it be something if this would crank?” because we had a downed tree right there by the campsite. Sure enough, it cranked. I cut up enough wood to have a really good fire the whole time we were there. I tell you, when that chainsaw cranked and I cut up that wood, I was thinking, “I'm sorry, Lord! Forgive me! I repent, because I said You couldn't supply us with wood back here.” My boys said they probably knew the kid that had that saw and that it probably was stolen so we gave it to the police who said if no one claimed it within 90 days we could have it. Well they called us to come get it. I didn't need it so I sold it to a Poulan dealer. And I ended up paying a bill with the money. Father has it all figured out. God had somebody plant a chainsaw out in the middle of the woods so it would be there waiting for us because God sees the end from the beginning. He doesn't dwell in time; He has no problem meeting your needs. He will have it there when you get there. (Isa.65:24) And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. See, He answers before we call, and He can have our provision already there, or He can manufacture it. It makes no difference to Him. When Jesus brought the disciples into the wilderness, He multiplied the food there. (Mat.14:15) And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert (The Greek word there is eremia and it can be translated as “desert,” “wilderness” or “uninhabited place.”), and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. (16) But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. (17) And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. (18) And he said, Bring them hither to me. (19) And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. (20) And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. (21) And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Jesus was raising up disciples. He was their teacher and He was showing them, “This is how you do it.” Then they went off into their tribulation, the Book of Acts, and they repeated what they saw. The Man-child, Who was Jesus, was God's provision in the wilderness, and nothing has changed. God's going to do it again; He's just going to repeat it with a larger group of people. Since we didn't have a big worldly income, we prayed for everything and God brought it. Back before I started full-time in ministry, we decided we were going to stop using money for the things that we needed. Instead, we started praying for what we needed, and we saw God just do miracles. Things we would normally buy with money, we prayed, and God would bring them. Any money we had, we would use for His Kingdom. There are different ways you can enter into the wilderness, but all of them give you confidence. You'll find that God's going to be there and He's going to supply your needs. If you need something, pray for it. Put faith in God. It honors Him, and it builds your faith. My youngest daughter came to me one day with a Sears catalog and she said, “Daddy, I need a swimming pool.” Her small wading pool would not hold water anymore because the vinyl was cracked from the sun. She started looking in the catalog, and I said, “Well, baby, you know where we get everything like that, don't you?” She answered, “Yep! Will you pray for me for one like this?” So we looked at the one from the catalog and we prayed and agreed in faith that God was going to bring that swimming pool. Well, you know God can give you something better than what you pray for, can't He? I think it was only about a week or so later that we were all in the house when there came a knock on the door, and when my wife went and answered the door, I heard a lady's voice. She said, “I'm looking for two little boys who came down and cut my grass. I live about five blocks from here, on the other end of the golf course, and I'm looking for those boys who cut my grass.” Then she happened to look past my wife. She saw one of my boys, and she said, “Oh, I see I've found the right place.” It's actually amazing she found us because the boys didn't give her a good description of where we lived, but the Lord led her right to our door. She went on, “I'd like to make a proposition with you boys. I have this 3-1/2 foot, above-ground swimming pool that's still in the box. It has a filter, ladder and pump. Everything that goes with it is still there. I was going to set it up in my garage and exercise in it, but I've decided I'm not going to do that. So if you'll cut my grass a couple of times, I'll give that pool to you.” And they were just so happy to cut the grass for her. Then they set up the pool and had a good time in that thing for several years. Of course, Jennifer, my daughter, was just overjoyed to see God answer her prayer that quickly. Children remember that, even if they go out into the world, they remember that God is real. They remember that He keeps His Word, and one day God will use that to bring them back. We had a tremendous life like this. We didn't have a lot of money, but the very fact that we didn't have a lot of money made us depend upon God. And in depending upon God, we got to see these awesome miracles. Another thing God did to put us into a position of weakness was we never borrowed money because the Bible promises, (Deu.28:12) The Lord will open unto thee his good treasure the heavens, to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And Paul said, (Rom.13:8) Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law. So we took God at His Word. We figured if we didn't borrow, we would be weak, but God would be strong on our behalf, and I have some tremendous miracles to share with you later concerning not borrowing and seeing God answer. The Bible teaches against “suretyship.” (Pro.11:15) He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; But he that hateth suretyship is secure. The Hebrew word there actually means “to be a guarantor of an agreement; to give or to be security”; in other words, “to mortgage.” It means guaranteeing to pay back what has been borrowed, but we can't even guarantee that we're going to be here tomorrow. And the Bible warns us against making promises, pledges or guarantees of any sort. (Mat.5:33) Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: (34) but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God; (35) nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. (36) Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. (37) But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil [one]. (Jas.5:12) But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment. Who do we think we are to promise or pledge anything? (Pro.17:18) A man void of understanding striketh hands (That's the way an agreement was legally sealed.), And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor. “A man void of understanding” is someone who does this; in other words, it's not a wise thing to do. I know it's a principle of the world, but the economies of the world are all going to crumble because they are not obeying God's principles. How much faith God's people would have if they were put into the position where they couldn't run to the world to borrow money. They would see miracles, but most people don't want to wait on God to see a miracle; they're too quick to run back to Egypt. You're probably wondering, “How could it be that we would not mortgage and God will answer? How would we receive homes?” Well, the home I had, God gave to me because I believed Him and I refused to borrow money. That's why I have it and it didn't cost me a thing. God is sovereign! Amen. (Pro.22:7) The rich ruleth over the poor; And the borrower is servant to the lender. When you borrow money, you're no longer a steward of what you have because what you have actually belongs to someone else. Jesus said, (Luk.14:33) So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. We renounce ownership; we are only stewards. But a steward who belongs to a bank is not a steward for the Lord. The borrower is a servant to the lender and the rich rule over the poor. The rich are running this world, folks, because they have everybody's money. (Pro.22:26) Be thou not one of them that strike hands, Or of them that are sureties for debts. (27) If thou hast not wherewith to pay, Why should he take away thy bed from under thee? A poor person's bed or outer clothing was commonly used as their collateral of last resort (Exo.22:27; Deu.24:13). Proverbs has a lot to say against suretyship and it's ignored by a lot of people, but I never would have seen the miracles that I have seen if I had borrowed the money instead of learning to just ask God. (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. When God gives us such awesome promises, why would we borrow money and have to pay it back with interest for years and years in bondage? The Israelites were forbidden by God to participate in usury (interest), or in suretyship (mortgaging), or in any such things, but when they went into bondage in Babylon, they were caught up back into it. We only need to ask God and wait on Him. He said, “Believe you have received.” If you think, “Well, God might not answer,” that's not faith! The Bible doesn't teach borrowing to get money; it teaches giving to get money. (Luk.6:38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. I've proven that many, many times. When you give, God will give it back to you multiplied, just as the Scripture teaches, but notice it doesn't teach going under the Law. (2Co.9:6) But this [I say], He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. People want to reap but they don't want to sow. The Bible teaches that first you have to sow! You “give and it will be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom.” (7) [Let] each man [do] according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity (not under law): for God loveth a cheerful giver. (8) And God is able to make all grace abound unto you (That's awesome!); that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work (Isn't that something? Just for giving bountifully, God will make sure that you will always have all sufficiency in everything and will abound in every good work.): (9) as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever. (10) And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness. People who don't really believe this are stingy and they hoard, but that's not the way for God to multiply. You need to sow. Think about sowing one little seed and how it brings forth. It brings forth multiplied, and even if you are poor in the eyes of the world, you will have all of your needs met. In the eyes of the world, Jesus was poor, but according to the Kingdom, Jesus was rich because He had His needs met everywhere He went. It was the same for His disciples, too. Their needs were met wherever they went. The riches of the world were just distractions to them, but their needs were met wherever they went because they were givers. Borrowing just puts you deeper in debt; giving gets you out of debt. From my own experience, there have been many times when I saw that what I had would not meet my need, and the money that I had would not cover my bills. And I would just take the money that I did have, and I would give it, and in giving it, it would come back multiplied. People worry, “Well, if I give it, maybe it won't come back in time!” God doesn't dwell in time; He answers before we call. (Isa.65:24) And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. When you ask Him to do something, He's going to do it, so don't worry about it. For instance, many times I have put what money I did have into the mailbox to send to somebody in need, and then gone to the same mailbox only to find that what I sent out had been multiplied back to me. You might think, “But, David, we don't give in order to receive.” That's a moot point. That has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. If you do give, you will receive because that's God's promise. God will see to our needs if we meet the needs of the brethren to the best of our ability, even if we don't have a lot of money. I've taught before how the Egyptians stored up under Joseph in the seven years of plenty for the seven years of famine (Genesis 41). In type, Joseph was Jesus. Both were sold out by their brethren, lied about by the harlot, and turned over to the Beast, etc,. Jesus said we should store up our riches in Heaven, and He told us how to do that. (Luk.12:33) Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth. (34) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. He said, “Give alms, meet the needs of the brethren,” and you will have “a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.” So, give and God will give to you. You can't out-give God, folks. You just cannot do it.

I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are Luke 23; Psalm 31; Hosea 10; Exodus 26.A more thorough discussion of the Crux Theologorum is available here.

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What would God say about your hustle, your stress, or that big dream you're chasing?Welcome to God's Podcast with Positive Phil—your daily 3–7 minute kick of motivation, reflection, and laughter. This isn't a sermon. No preaching here. Just real-life wisdom, funny stories, and soul-sparking mindset shifts to help you think bigger and live better. Each episode offers a short, powerful moment of pause—designed to get you grounded, inspired, and moving forward with clarity. Perfect for entrepreneurs, creatives, dreamers, and anyone feeling overwhelmed or stuck.

1. Using the TV show MASH as an example, Dr. Christina Bohn helped us start to think of the Tower of Babel story through a lens that considers the time of the story's editing, synthesis, and recording. She explained that though scholars believe it likely that the story had long been a part of Israel's oral tradition, it was written down and recorded in (roughly) the version we have today after the destruction of the first Jerusalem temple, during Israel's exile into Babylon. Take a few moments to think of a story that you've told (or heard told) many, many times. It might be a family story that helps to capture and convey something specific about a family member or event. It might be the story of the founding of your town, or the formation of the company you work for, or a story you find yourself telling to describe something in your own personal experience. It could be a story that helps communicate something formative and important about another community of which you're a part. If possible, wait until everyone has come up with a story before moving forward (and don't worry; you won't be asked to share the story! Just choose one in your mind; there are no right or wrong answers.)Once you've thought of a story, think about a big idea that you take away from that story. It might be something like, “It highlights how silly my uncle could be” or “It demonstrates this community's commitment to high quality science.” or “This story captures a sense of just how lost and confused I felt at that time in my life.” Now imagine that you've been given the task of writing this story down so that it can be shared with future members of your community/family/company/group for generations to come. Knowing that your version will become the “official” version for the group, what do you think might come up for you as you try to write it down? Do you think you might feel a different sense of what is important to capture in the story? Might you feel tempted to alter it in certain ways? Why or why not?How easy do you think it might be for someone else to hear the story and take away a completely different meaning to the one you noticed or intended? How do you feel about that potential? Imagining this scenario, how do you think you'd feel if you were, in fact, asked to take on this task? What might make you hesitant to take it on? What might make you eager?Consider this dynamic, and your response to this prospective task, in light of the stories we have captured in Genesis and other parts of the Old Testament. What questions or curiosities arise for you as you think these often very familiar stories? What feelings surface? 2. Christina also taught that Ziggurats were structures built to attract deities to the city and people who built them, and to then provide a home-base for that deity. Part of the appeal was using the ziggurat to help the people to co-opt that deity's presence as an endorsement of that group's superiority and strength. That goal was about controlling, manipulating, and placing limits on the deity. This story, then, is warning the people of Israel against pursuing this practice/approach to God, though it would have been all around them while in exile. What examples have you seen of organizations or individuals co-opting God to endorse and build up their own plans and practices? What short and long-term outcomes have you seen come from this practice? Are there groups/settings in which you've been a participant in this process (even if you didn't realize it at the time)? What have you learned (or are you learning) from that experience and its outcomes for yourself and/or others?Christina went on to say that when we try to co-opt and control God, we move outside of our boundaries as humans and, as a result, lose an anchor to our reality, and that this distortion of our role as image bearers leads to nothing but difficulty and pain. How does this statement resonate for you? Does it ring true? What resistance might you feel to it, if any? Why do you think we, as humans, seem to continually try to push past the limits of our humanity in order to control God, even though we may have seen the harmful outcomes this has? 3. Christina also shared a personal example of a moment in which she found herself trying to manipulate, control, and co-opt God for her own purposes. She talked about how, even though she hoped to be a conduit of God's love, she found herself instead bringing confusion and disarray to the conversation. In what ways can you relate? How aware are you of this potential within yourself?In what types of conversations or situations do you find yourself most likely to start using God for your own ends and endorsement? When does this feel easiest to avoid? When does it feel most difficult to avoid? Do you feel any ambivalence about the advisability of this practice? Are there times when it can feel justified? Why or why not? Christina asked, “What kind of name do you think we, as God's people, are making for ourselves now? Would God call us babel, ‘confounding,' or would he declare us to be a “gateway to God's presence?” What's your response to these questions? How do you think you, personally, contribute to what you see happening in your communities? What's your contribution to the name God's people are making for themselves right now in the larger aspects of the church and our world? How do you feel about that dynamic and your part in it?

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.14)

Hosts Pastor Rico Basso and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: Matthew, email (3:56) - Different translations of Matthew 7:13-14 call the way to heaven either "narrow" or "hard." Do these differences support grace based versus works based salvation? Lance, GA (7:23) - Would God honor a marriage that happens before the church and witnesses, but doesn't involve signing any legal marriage certificate for the government? Mara, email (12:47) - How can the church support divorcees in cases of abuse? Alvis-Patsy, Facebook (18:41) - What is your view point on "once saved, always saved?" Kin Jean, YouTube (22:34) - Someone told me that you need to be baptized twice, once with water and the other with tongues. What is your take on this? Jessica, NY (24:45, continued after break at 33:33) - Should I have stayed in a marriage after my husband committed adultery? Calvary Young Adults Q&A (36:18) - How does God speak to you? How do you know whether it is coming from God, your flesh, or Satan? Aaron, NJ (39:02) - What's your perspective on contraceptives? AJ, LA (45:15) - What is God's direction for me in my life?  Rob, ID (51:21) - Who were the nephilim? Was there actual procreation going on in that verse? Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: Nelsun, Facebook (2:57) - Is there a chart of which Bible translations fit into which categories? Margaret, VA (6:42) - What kind of prayer requests would fasting help move God's hand? Donald, email (9:47) - How do we support Israel? Should we support them unconditionally? Should we support the nation but not their actions? Is this an idea taught or caught? Brooklyn, TN (15:43) - Does the Lord have certain callings on certain people more than others? Robert, YouTube (21:12) - Why does Elijah have more prominence than Isaiah, Daniel, or others? Donald, YouTube (24:04) - Can we see more prayer support and mention of Israel? Julz, Facebook (26:25) - Is it proper for a young lady to pray with a man or for a man right there? What about leading prayer in a group of individuals both men and women? Vincent, NY (33:30) - When did God create water? Was it always there? When the water "returned" after Noah's flood, did it go back to heaven? Is there any significance to the olive branch the dove brought back to Noah on the ark? Cathy, YouTube (42:19) - Why make plans if Jesus is coming soon? Cindy, Bridgefest Live Audience (44:29) - How could Noah have fit two of every animal in the ark? Bridgefest Live Audience (46:23) - Would God want a single mother to stay with an unbelieving, unsupportive father? Cheryl, NJ (47:56) - Why was God so separate from his people in the Old Testament, compared to the New Testament? Betty, CA (50:35) - What does Luke 17:34 mean with "two men laying in bed together?" What about the eagles in Luke 17:37? Bridgefest Live Audience (52:51) - Are tattoos a sin? Bridgefest Live Audience (54:05) - Can you explain the Ezekiel War? Was Israel living in peace before October 7th? Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Patrick Madrid opens up after the heart-shattering Texas floods that took the lives of many: including two young Catholic girls found holding their Rosaries. This isn’t a tidy theology talk; it’s a gut-wrenching, faith-clinging, grief-soaked conversation about why God allows suffering, and how we hold on when life falls apart. The Caller: Cecile from Bryan, Texas Cecile calls in, her heart cracked wide open. Her nephew just lost his best friend, his wife, and their two children. His question is one we all ask eventually: “How could God let this happen?” Patrick doesn’t pretend to have the magic answer. In fact, his first move is humility: “There is no answer that will make this okay. Not now.” But what he does offer is one of the most compassionate and theological walk-throughs of the “Problem of Evil” you’ll ever hear in Catholic media. Key Takeaways: God Is Not the Author of Evil Evil, whether moral (caused by free will choices) or natural (like floods, cancer, etc.), was never part of God’s original design. These came through the Fall: a ripple effect from the sin of Adam and Eve that distorted creation itself. Natural Disasters Are Part of a Broken World Nature itself is “off” because of sin. But this isn’t a cosmic punishment; it's a sign that we’re living in a world still groaning for redemption (Romans 8:22). God Doesn’t Just “Allow” Suffering... He Entered Into It The ultimate answer to suffering isn’t a what, it’s a who: Jesus on the Cross. God didn’t stay distant. He became a man and suffered with us, for us. A Father’s Heart Patrick shares a personal story about his toddler son, Tim, who was bleeding from a head wound. At the ER, his son cried out: “Daddy, help me!” Patrick could’ve stopped it... but didn’t, because letting the doctor stitch the wound was what would ultimately heal him. The parallel: God the Father sees us screaming in pain... and He still lets it happen; it's not because He’s indifferent, but it's because He knows the healing that’s coming later. Cecile’s Beautiful Insight: She echoes it all with such tender faith: “God is there. Just like you were with your son, Patrick. God is there, with us in it... holding us.” Yes. Amen. The Final Word: Maybe, just maybe... we’ll be like little Tim someday, looking back and finally understanding. Until then, we weep, we pray, and we cling to this promise: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” -Matthew 5:4 Take time today to pray for those affected in Texas. And if you’re struggling with your own grief, go ahead and be honest with God. Cry out. Ask why. He can take it, and He is with you. Jesus, man of sorrows, be near to those who mourn. Hold them. Heal them. And help us all to trust You, even in the dark.

Alex Weaver - Would God Mention You?

Send me a Text Message!Remember elementary school and choosing teams? Does this still happen today? What a nerve wracking deal. This week the NBA draft has been occuring. Teams spend millions of dollars to get the right person. And if you are chosen, what does that mean? It means you matter; you have value; want you on our team. You don't have to be in the NBA or elementary school.  Life's ups and downs can still be mapped by those moments of choosing.  Did you get chosen for the job or for the school?  Did they choose your grant proposal?  Did she say yes to your invitation?  Isn't every wedding day all about being chosen? A ring says I choose you.  I love you above all others.  I want to live with you for the rest of my life.  I choose.So I've been pondering these words from James chapter 2, "Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world?" And it makes me wonder, "Would God choose me for His team?"

When she was 18, Esther Ahmad, was a radical Islamist who volunteered to become a suicide bomber. But just before she was to carry out her mission, she had a dream that changed everything---and she became a Christian. Her furious father forced her to debate Muslim scholars. Would God give her the words---and save her life? Join us for this compelling and riveting true story.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Men Check In is a quick way to help you start your week off on the right foot, in the right way - as a husband, father, and leader. Every Monday, Joe Martin shares personal insights, encouragement, and support that will move you beyond “church” to “real change.”  And to make sure you don't miss a Check-In or interview episode, as well as contest give-a-ways, special announcements, and much more, make sure you "Stay Connected" by visiting us at https://station.page/realmen to join our online community of podcast listeners.   Talk with Dr. Joe 1-on-1: Are you tired and stuck? Want to go to get your faith, marriage, family, career and finances back on track?  Then maybe it's time you got a coach. Every CHAMPION has one. Schedule an appointment to chat with Dr. Joe. He takes on only a few Breakthrough Calls each week.  The call is FREE, but slots are limited to ONE call only.  NO RESCHEDULES.  Just click on the link below and select the BREAKTHROUGH CALL option to set up an appointment: http://TalkwithDrJoe.com  If no slots are available, please check back in a week.   Also join us on: Online Podcast Community (on Station):  https://station.page/realmen Facebook: @realdrjoemartin YouTube: http://www.RealMenTraining.com Instagram: @realdrjoemartin Twitter: @professormartin Website: https://RealMenConnect.com

Are we at all aware of anger really is? Is anger in our hearts the equivalent of murder? Would God create an idiot? Are we really able to understand the damage that results from holding onto anger? For answers to these and many other questions, please listen to "The Danger of Anger #2," taught by Pastor Jamie.

God asked Abraham to do the unthinkable — give up the very promise He had just fulfilled. This message reveals how Abraham's test points to Jesus, and what it means to fully trust God even when the promise is on the altar. CONNECT: Text “BRBELONG” to 651-419-4409 DONATE: bethelsrock.org/give LEARN MORE: bethelsrock.org NEW SERMONS | EVERY SUNDAY

If God loves me, why is life so hard? Why do I have so many problems? In this video we look at six positive reasons as to why God, out of His love for us, might be giving us or allowing us to have hardships in our lives. We will especially look at man born blind and how his trial, despite popular belief, had nothing to do with sin, but everything to do with God's work being revealed through his story and with helping him come to faith in Jesus.Scriptures covered: John 9, James 1:1-4, Romans 5:1-5, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Acts 5:40-42.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

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

In this Episode, Pastor Billy Calderwood and Educator Will Reusch discuss the question of "Why would God create Humans?"  We are so flawed, but also there is so much beauty within humanity.  Why create at all?  Does this drive for creation exist in us as well & why?

Are the L.A. Rioters justified according to biblical Scripture? What would God say to the L.A. Rioters as He would to Mad Max?Please SUBSCRIBE to our Podcast which helps us spread our message!For EXCLUSIVE CONTENT...go to... www.STEVENGAROFALO.COMBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reason-for-truth--2774396/support.

Hosts Pastor Rico Basso and Pastor Tim Hamilton Question Timestamps: Grace, email (1:18) - Why does God forgive people who sin much? When does he step in to judge the sin? Bobby, FL (6:33) - Why did Jesus turn water into wine, when other parts of scripture say that you shouldn't get drunk on wine? Matthew, GA (14:40) - Does indwelling sin affect us? Would God send a spirit to affect people today because of sin? Marie, NJ (26:22) - Why don't we hear Jewish people speak about being born again? Lucy, email (30:35) - Is love some kind of force? Sebastian, ID (32:58) - Who is the "Queen of Heaven" in Jeremiah 7:18? Paul, NJ (37:27) - How do we know what the definitive Bible is, since so much of it comes from different texts written in different languages? Connor, KY (43:24) - What is a good way to encourage your friends that are "baby Christians" to get deeper in their faith? Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Have you ever felt unworthy of forgiveness? Wondered why a holy God would choose to forgive a sinner like you?In this heartfelt conclusion to The One Who Forgives and Forgets series, Pastor Roderick Webster explores the reason behind God's mercy: not your goodness—but His glory.

If you've been in Christian circles, you've probably heard it said, "God won't give me more than I can handle." But is that true? Does scripture teach that? What does it actually say about the matter of how much the Lord gives the Christian and what can be handled? As Sean and Zach unpack this text, may your mind and heart be informed about what God gives and why He gives it for your good and His glory.Support the show

Guess what? Dr. Jia Richardson has good news for you today! The dress rehearsal is over, the script has been read, and you know the lines. You have mastered this part all of your life, and now “It's Your Turn!” God is calling forth His daughters to rise now. There is no more wading in the waiting, your time is now. Would God's daughters please come forth? “It's Your Turn!”

When God looked at all he made, he said it was “very good.” Would God look at a creation full of death and call it “very good”? No!

Sunday Morning Worship with co-pastors Russ and Amy Jacks Dean. Park Road Baptist is located Charlotte, NC. For my information, please visit our website at ParkRoadBaptist.org Find us on Social Media: @ParkRoadChurch Music used by permission of - OneLicense.net #A-721391

While many believe that the Bible says God won't give us more than we can handle, this actually isn't what Scripture teaches. Sure, God won't let us be tempted beyond what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). But it is clear that we will encounter circumstances in this world that are beyond what we can bear: “We were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). The reason God allows circumstances that are beyond our strength to endure is so that we can learn to depend on the indwelling life of Christ even more.

This week we explored how God loves to use the insecure, the unlikely, the broken, and even the worried to accomplish His purpose. No matter your past or perceived limitations, God made you for a reason—and when you step out in faith, He will meet you there.

What if Satan repented? Would God forgive him?I know, it's a little out there, but forgiveness is kind of a big deal to God. Join me in this short bonus episode as I wonder out loud and ask some bold questions...

“Do not welcome into your homes the young people camped nearby. Do not study the Bible with them, and do not attend the lectures. If you go to that church, your firstborn will die.”Accused of causing trouble in a Tongan African village, what were these young Bible workers to do? They prayed. Would God intervene?                                                                ----------------Today's story is told by Daniele Machu of the Tonga Project in Mozambique. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today's story!

Who is the promised one? Would God really judge His own nation?

You can be small and influential.    “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! For he would recover him of his leprosy”  - 2 Kings 5:3 (KJV) 

It's Mailbag Friday! You've got questions, we've got answers! Segment 1 • If a Bible show is inaccurate but gets people reading Scripture, is it still worth it? • Why would God give me a deep desire for marriage but withhold the gift? Segment 2 • Who sings the Beep Talk theme song? (Because we all want to know.) • Can Christians use CBD for anxiety—or is that crossing a line? • Is the tithe a biblical command or just an Old Testament principle? Segment 3 • Does a pastor need to wear a suit—or does it even matter? • Can someone be saved through a distorted gospel message? • Is it biblical to say Jesus “took our shame”—or is that overreach? Segment 4 • Are bagpipes pagan because they were used to worship Nebuchadnezzar? • What should we think about Idaho using the death penalty by firing squad? • Why do churches do awkward “greeting times” during service? • Is it okay for a pastor's wife to teach a marriage class with her husband—even if she's not called “pastor”? ___ Preorder the new book, Lies My Therapist Told Me, by Fortis Institute Fellow Dr. Greg Gifford now! https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/liesmytherapisttoldme ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

The US Department of Transportation reported that in 2021, US airlines mishandled two million bags. Thankfully, many pieces were delayed or lost for only a short period. Thousands of bags were lost for good, however. No wonder there’s a surging market for GPS devices that attach to gear, allowing you to track bags when airlines have given up. We’re all afraid that those in charge can’t be trusted to keep track of what’s important. Israel had a similar fear about God, only they feared that He was going to lose them. As the people prepared to enter their new homeland, Moses shared the unsettling news that he wouldn’t be guiding them. He explained that he was old and “no longer able to lead [them]” (Deuteronomy 31:2). The people were likely stunned. Moses represented God’s presence and offered His words. Would He forget about them now? Would God lose them in this wilderness? “Do not be afraid or terrified,” Moses said, “for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (v. 6). He promised that God would always be with them and assured that He would never ever lose them. And in the person of Jesus, God makes us this same steady, unbreakable promise. Christ will be with us “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). God will never lose us. Never.

In his sermon "Why Would God Gift You Pain?" Pastor Rob McCoy draws from the book of Luke, focusing on Jesus healing a leper after the Sermon on the Mount, to explore the unexpected blessing of pain as a divine signal that something is amiss. He compares leprosy's numbing effects to the ways people in modern communities dull their own pain through escapes like drugs, alcohol, or pornography, rather than confronting it. McCoy asserts that just as the leper found healing through worshiping Jesus, true wholeness comes not from masking pain but from turning to Christ, the only one capable of restoring us fully. Through this lens, he reframes pain as a purposeful gift, guiding us toward the ultimate healer.Verse References: Luke 5 verses 12-16Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

Teaching by Kent Bateman based on Deuteronomy 7:1-6. Week 1 of our series, God Said What?! Making Sense of Conquest and Holy War. Part of our Year of the Bible. For more information, visit citychurchknox.com.

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

There were once around 60 million American bison in North America. How did that number fall to only a few hundred? And who helped save the bison? Discover North America's largest mammal and its remarkable comeback story.Here's our trail map:What is a Bison and Why Do They Have Four Stomachs?What Is the Difference Between a Bison and Buffalo?Why Did Bison Almost Go Extinct?How Did Bison Make a Comeback?Would God Forgive Those Who Hunted Bison?Episode Links:Nat Theo Club Bonus Video: https://erynlynum.com/club-videosGet full lesson guides in the Nat Theo Club: https://erynlynum.com/clubFree Bison Coloring Sheet: https://erynlynum.com/the-amazing-comeback-of-the-american-bison/Join the Apologia Homeschool Science Fair: https://www.apologia.com/sciencefairExplore Apologia's award-winning science courses: https://www.apologia.com/homeschool-science-curriculum/Ask your nature question: https://erynlynum.com/askListen to the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast: https://podcast.schoolhouserocked.com/Order Eryn's book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation: https://www.amazon.com/Rooted-Wonder-Nurturing-Familys-Creation/dp/0825447615Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 (NIV)“I persecuted the people who followed the Way of Jesus, and some of them were even killed. I arrested men and women and put them in jail.” Acts 22:4 (NCV)“The God of our ancestors chose you long ago to know his plan, to see the Righteous One, and to hear words from him. You will be his witness to all people, telling them about what you have seen and heard. Now, why wait any longer? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, trusting in him to save you.” Acts 22:14-16 (NCV)“We believe with our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we declare with our mouths that we believe, and so we are saved. … as the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.'” Romans 10:10,13 (NCV)Terms Learned in This Episode:Bovidae: Cloven-hoofed (split hoof) ruminating mammals.Cloven-hoofed: A divided hoof with two main points that look like toes, divided in the middle.Ruminant Animals: Animals with separate compartments in their stomachs and a unique way of digesting food, including chewing their food two times.Mammal: A group of animals that have hair or fur, are warm-blooded, have a backbone, (most) have live births, and feed their babies with milk from their bodies.Keystone Species: A plant or creature that is very important for keeping other plants or creatures in its ecosystem alive. Extinct: A creature is no longer living on earth. There are no more of its species.Ecologically Extinct: A creature that still exists but no longer plays...

Would God cause someone to resist him just so he could punish that person for rebellion?  How is that fair?  Is that what's going on with Pharaoh?  Let's look deeper.

God has the same definition of narcissists as we do: “lover of self.” Today we unpack how the ancient myth of Narcissus ties into God's truth about pride and selfishness, and we ask, “is there any hope for a narcissist to get into heaven?”Hear previous messages and find our social media at https://WeirdDarkness.com/Church! Please share this podcast with your friends, family, and co-workers, and post a link to this episode in your own social media! Thank you, and God bless!MENTIONS, SOURCES, AND LINKS…BOOK: “When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse,” by Chuck DeGroat: https://amzn.to/4fVvSQvOriginal article: https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/what-would-jesus-say-to-a-narcissist.html(Over time links can and may become invalid, disappear, or have different content.)===Darren Marlar is a licensed minister through the Universal Life Church: https://www.themonastery.org. Find his other podcast, Weird Darkness, in your favorite podcast app at https://weirddarkness.com/listen. “Church Of The Undead” theme music by Epidemic Sound.==="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46===Find out how to escape eternal darkness at https://weirddarkness.com/eternaldarkness===Weird Darkness® and Church Of The Undead™ are trademarked. Copyright © 2025.https://weirddarkness.com/cotu-whatwouldgodsaytoanarcissist/

https://www.thetruthpulpit.comClick the icon below to listen.         Related PodcastsThe Judgment for Believers #2The Judgment for Believers #1Seriously, Judgment Is Coming #2 

"For centuries God's people awaited the coming of a Savior. In the midst of a world of trouble, they hoped for one who would deliver them from evil and restore them to true life. Would God be faithful to his promises? Pastor Russ Ramsey shares from his book, "The Advent of the Lamb of God." Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: click here

Questions about why Ezekiel 36:31–32 would say, contrary to Ezekiel 39:25–26, that putting God's Spirit into people will cause them to loathe themselves and be ashamed and whether or not it's biblical to say that the closer you are to God, the more sinful you feel.   Why would Ezekiel 36:31–32 say that after God puts his Spirit in his people, they will loathe themselves and be ashamed for their sins when his Spirit is supposed to give us hope and joy in Christ as children of God, and doesn't this contradict 39:25–26? Is it biblical to say that the closer you are to God, the more sinful you feel?

So Kamala's closing argument is effectively more weed and more young men watching videos of people having sex. On the other hand, Elon Musk, who's going to be working with President Trump, God willing, is promoting a $2 trillion spending cut. Would God really choose RFK Jr. to dismantle the so-called public health industry? Another attempt to imprison Trump, this time for something he legitimately did not say.Episode Links:Cardi B giving her speech at the Kamala rally tonight.Kamala's final pitch to young men: weed, crypto, porn, video games, and vasectomies, oh my…"I think we can rip out at least 2T out of the wasted 6.5T Harris/Biden budget. All government spending is taxation. Your money is being wasted and the DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY is going to FIX that. We're going to get the Government off of your back, and out of your pocketbook.RFK Jr. with a powerful statement: “I asked God for 19 years to put me in a position where I could end the chronic disease epidemic and bring health back to our children, and in August, God sent me Donald Trump.”BREAKING: Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) is now INVESTIGATING Trump over his comments about Liz Cheney. She says he can be charged with a misdemeanor and/or a felony. This is all based on the Left purposely misrepresenting Trump's words. Unreal.Trump is talking abo ut Liz Cheney's stance on war. He is discussing how elites will send our kids to war but never do themselvesAlan's Soaps https://www.alansartisansoaps.comUse coupon code ‘TODD' to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bioptimizers https://bioptimizers.com/toddUse code TODD to unlock up to $100 in free gifts and save an additional 10% off the special 3-product bundle for a 25% savings.Bonefrog https://bonefrogcoffee.com/toddMake Bonefrog Cold Brew at home!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital Bulwark Capital Management (bulwarkcapitalmgmt.com)Don't miss the next live Webinar November 21st 3:30pm pacific.  Sign up today by calling 866-779-RISK or go to KnowYourRiskRadio.com.Renue Healthcare https://renue.healthcare/toddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit renue.healthcare/Todd

I recently received the question, "If God is good, why would he allow these hurricanes?" Here's my best take on the answer... Enjoy and much love.

As we reach the final weeks of the Presidential election, Savage asks who God would want to win? He warns about what might come if Harris wins as freedom, prosperity, and peace are on the ballot.