Podcasts about yet god

The Fathers in the Evergetinos remind us that the measure of our discipleship is often revealed in how we respond to insult and injury. The world teaches us to defend ourselves, to demand justice, to take vengeance so as not to appear weak. But the Gospel calls us to something altogether different, something that cuts against every instinct of pride: to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive from the heart, and to entrust judgment to God. Abba Cassian tells us that meekness is not merely restraining the tongue, but cleansing the heart itself from the remembrance of wrongs. Outward silence while inwardly replaying offenses is no victory. Unless the root of anger is excised, hatred and envy grow unseen. I know this in myself — how quickly I replay words spoken against me, how easily I justify my resentment. Yet God sees these thoughts, hidden to others, as clearly as if they were deeds. The elders of the desert show us another way. Abba Sisoes shocks a brother out of his thirst for revenge by praying that, since the man insists on avenging himself, God need no longer care for him. Abba Silouan alters the Lord's Prayer to expose the truth of the brother's heart: “forgive us not our debts, as we forgive not our debtors.” Their teaching is sharp, but it leaves no room for illusion. If I ask God for mercy, I must extend mercy to my brother, or else my prayer condemns me. The Fathers press us to look at Christ Himself. He endured insult without anger, was silent under reviling, forgave those who crucified Him, and laid down His life for those who sinned against Him. When I see how easily I take offense, how quickly I lash out or withdraw, I realize how little I resemble Him. And yet the call is clear: to follow Christ is to walk His path of forbearance, not simply to admire it from a distance. This is where the path of the Fathers collides with the way of the world. To the secular mind, insult must be answered, wrong must be repaid, and forgiveness is weakness. But in Christ's kingdom, insult becomes an opportunity to share in His meekness, wrongs become the occasion to enter His patience, and forgiveness becomes our share in His Cross. And so I am left with a choice, not abstract but daily, often in small things: Will I bear insult with humility, or will I cling to pride? Will I entrust myself to God's justice, or will I grasp for my own? The Fathers tell me plainly: if I cannot endure the smallest slights, how will I endure greater trials? If I cannot forgive the neighbor who wounds me in words, how can I hope to be known by Christ, who forgave even His executioners? The divine ethos is stark. To love those who hate me. To pray for those who grieve me. To forbear without resentment. To entrust vengeance to God. This is not optional; it is the very mark of one who has died and risen with Christ. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:12:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 281 B 00:14:30 Forrest Cavalier: https://biblehub.com/greek/3954.htm  Translated as Familiarity in Hypothesis 34 book 2, p266 00:19:11 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 281 B 00:40:05 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 283 A 00:50:41 Andrew Zakhari: It is amazing how what we would say to each other changes dramatically when we consider directing those same words to God. Prayer exposes our sin and converts us. 01:04:55 Kate : Would the Fathers take a pacifist position?  And would they not accept the Catholic just-war theory? 01:06:37 Catherine Opie: I am always amazed at how apt these readings are. I always get exactly what I need for whatever the inner struggle or circumstance is that is current for me or around me generally as a societal or news event. I have been attacked physically and, to my surprise, my instinct was to fight back like a wild animal. How do we learn to obstruct that survival instinct we have? 01:15:00 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Blessing 01:15:19 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father! 01:15:21 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️ 01:15:27 Jennifer Dantchev: Thank you! 01:15:35 Catherine Opie: God bless

Joseph endured betrayal, abuse, and rejection from those closest to him. Yet God used that pain to save countless lives. When we let God transform our hurt, even the wrongs of others can be redeemed for good. This week, we'll learn how to surrender our pain and trust God's redemptive work.

Samson appeared to be a hero, but his story reveals a man marked by weakness, pride, and failure. Yet God still worked through him to accomplish His purposes. The reminder for us is clear: God does not require perfection to use us—He works through imperfect people by the power of His Spirit. Jesus is the true Hero, and our role is to trust and follow Him.Our regular service is at 10am on Sundays. We are located at 304 E. Austin Ave in Hutto, TX. Can't make it in person? You are welcome to join us live on Facebook or YouTube. If you need prayer or you just need someone to talk to please reach out to us at prayer@huttocommunitychurch.org.HCC Website - HCC Facebook - HCC YouTube

Some seasons bruise you and bless you at the same time. Yet God knows how to lift you, set you UP on high, and breathe hope into your tired places. When He does this, the next question to you should not be, ‘will you move again?' but instead: ‘what is your next move?'This Sunday, we lean into grace for your next steps. We will talk about momentum after mercy, preparation after perseverance, and opportunity that answers only to those who are prepared and ready. This message will interrogate the action for which the release of the power of God is already present and waiting on you to make your next move. I've always said that power is on the other side of obedience.Breaking through is not your destination; it is the gateway to an incredible journey of endless fulfilment.

Introduction: Watch! (Matthew 7:15-20) Watch Out: FALSE PROPHETS! (Matt 7:15) Watch For: FRUIT! (Matt 7:16-20) What They DO. John 7:18 – The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. What They SAY. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 – Do not despise prophesies but test everything: hold fast to what is good. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 7:15-20What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Why did Jesus say BEWARE of false prophets? What exactly is the danger?What are examples of good fruit you should look for in a “prophet” (preacher, pastor)?What are examples of bad fruit?What are some topics many false prophets talk about? What are some topics they often avoid?False prophets talk about the Bible but not out of the Bible. What is the difference? BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Before we continue in our series on the Sermon and Amount, I want to say a few things.In light of the events of last week, with the death of Charlie Kirk, the murder of Charlie Kirk,absolutely horrible.But at the same time, it's horrible.It's not really shocking, is it?It's not really shocking that something like that would happen.And I would say if you are shocked that something like that could happen in our country,then you haven't been paying attention.It's not shocking because this is exactly the kind of climate that the Lord told us we would be living in.Look at 2 Timothy 3.Turn in your Bibles there for a second, please.2 Timothy 3.Paul says, "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents,ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."Does that sound familiar at all?This is where we are.Charlie Kirk was a man who was murdered because of what he said.Because there were people that didn't like what he said. Does that sound familiar?The whole reason we're here is to worship God incarnate who came and said things that people didn't want to hear.And they murdered him for it.Yet God accomplished his purposes through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.There's a young man who spoke boldly of the Lord who was publicly executed. His name was Stephen.God used that to advance his gospel purposes. There's a young man who spoke boldly for the Lord who was publicly executed.His name was Charlie.And already we're seeing God is using that to advance his gospel.It's a little terrible for Charlie's family and friends, but Charlie himself, he's having a good day.He is experiencing the fulfillment of the hope in Jesus Christ that he believed in.He's having a good day.As we had done this last stretch of the Sermon on the Mount, last week we talked about the command that Jesus gave us to enter the narrow gate.He said, "The way is hard." And here is another reason that the way is hard.Jesus said that we have to be willing to die.That's the call to discipleship. For anyone who has followed Jesus, Charlie got that.If he were here right now, what do you think he would tell us to do?What would you tell us to go after the Lord? To seek Jesus Christ, to get in His Word?And that's what we're going to do.So I'd like you to bow your heads, please. I want you to please pray for me.To be faithful to communicate God's Word as I should, and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us today.Father in heaven, we live in the days that you advertised. You told us exactly what this would be like.Father, we were just singing about how worthy you are.Father, may we all, like this faithful saint this past week, Father, may we all demonstrate how worthy we consider you by our willingness to lay down our lives.It's not going to get any better until our Lord returns.Calm Lord Jesus. Open up our hearts and minds to your Word today, Father.We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.Open up your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7, and we'll be picking up in verse 15.Last Halloween, I was at work. Aaron sent me a video at the house of a mysterious knocking.She's going through the house recording this. There was this knocking. She went to the doors. She went outside.Nobody but just this constant mysterious knocking. Creepy at any time, especially on Halloween, right?Well, we found out who was knocking. We have a woodpecker problem.Oh yeah, funny for you. We got a woodpecker problem.So we got on the Internet to figure out what we need to do to deter the woodpecker.And one of the things that they recommended was getting a plastic owl.They say that owls are just like natural woodpecker predators, right?So you're going to put an owl where the woodpeckers want to come, and that scares the woodpeckers away.So I dragged the ladder out, and I climbed up the side of the house, and I lashed the owl to the raid on vent with thick twine.And you know that woodpecker came back. So I went outside.Like, what did I do wrong here? And you know, I think I see the problem.That owl doesn't look ready to attack, does he? Looks like what we got here is a hostage situation.And I think the woodpecker saw this and was like, "Oh, this house is awesome."They just take my predators and lashed them to the house.You know what I learned from this? I'm not very good at deceiving.I can't even deceive a bird. But you know, there are, unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there today who are great at deceiving.Last week we talked about entering the narrow gate. Jesus said the way is hard.He said the narrow gate is hard to find. It's hard to walk.And here's another reason the narrow gate is so hard to enter. Look at verse 15.Jesus says, "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."It's hard to enter the narrow gate because there are false prophets that are good at deceiving.It's hard to enter the narrow gate because you have people that are standing saying that they represent God and they don't, and they're ushering people into the wide gates.Like, well, who would fall for that? Well, according to verse 13, Jesus said many, many.If you look at the flow of Jesus' sermon here from last week to this week, here's what our Lord is saying.Jesus is saying strive to enter the narrow gate and beware of those who would mislead you away from it.I want you to draw some things down on your outline. Here's what, it's really about one word today. Watch. Watch.Watch number one right this time. Watch out. False prophets."Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."See, God has this plan to save sinners, and the plan to save sinners, it has two tracks. One track is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."Took away our sin, provided eternal life." That's one, that's one track.The other track that this train of salvation runs on is the gospel message being spoken through the people of God.Satan has his counterfeits. Just as God sends his people out to usher people into the narrow gate,Satan has his counterfeits leading people into the wide gate. And Jesus tells us in verse 15 about these false prophets that they're not always obvious, but they are always dangerous.Do you see that? They're not always obvious, but they are always dangerous. Let's break that down. They're not always obvious, first of all.Notice Jesus says that they're in sheep's clothing. What is sheep's clothing? That's just another way of saying, "Wool."Our Lord wasn't talking about going to the Spirit of Halloween store and buying a lamb costume. He's not talking about that.He's talking about a wool coat, because in those days that's what a shepherd wore. They wore a wool coat.So Jesus is saying false prophets are dressed as a shepherd. In other words, they look like a legitimate pastor.Oh, they sound so good and people just love them, but they're not always obvious, but they are always dangerous.That's why I look at the first word of verse 15, "Beware." Jesus didn't say, "Take note or notice." Beware. Look out for these people.Always dangerous. Jesus says they might look like shepherds, but inwardly they're wolves.Number one enemy of sheep. Inwardly evil.What does a wolf do with sheep? Does a wolf show up to feed the sheep? Does the wolf show up to care for the sheep? No.Wolves, when they show up, they're there to take. A wolf is there to get what the wolf wants. A wolf is there to destroy the sheep.And Jesus said that is what false prophets are like.Jesus said you have to beware. It's all through the Bible. All through the Bible. Read Old Testament, Deuteronomy 13, Isaiah 30, Jeremiah 14.We talked about this recently through the New Testament, Matthew chapter 24.Almost every New Testament epistle warns against false prophets.And here once again Jesus is calling us church to discernment.And you've heard me say this before, that is my biggest concern for the church at large, but that is my biggest concern for this church.It's lack of discernment.Like, well, what's discernment? Disernment is the ability to detect what's from God and what's not from God.My concern is for this church.My concern is for people here who genuinely love the Lord, genuinely love His Word, being led astray.Because more than ever we have countless opportunities to listen to junk teaching.Internet, podcasts, YouTube. Jesus tells us to beware and church never, never has it been a bigger problem because wolves have a bigger platform than ever in history.You have to discern who you follow, who you listen to, who you read. You have to discern.I'm shocked at the lack of discernment that we have in the church today.People just gobble up anything as long as it has a sticker on it that says Christian.It's not all from God. It's not.That's why Jesus tells us to beware. It's not all from God.Like, well, does it really matter? Does it really matter? I mean, come on.Aren't we just nitpicking here a little bit, Pastor Jeff? Does it really matter?Well, let me ask you this. Imagine that you woke up tomorrow morning and you had the most severe stomach cramps.I mean, it just felt like razors in your intestines and you're just like doubled over in pain, can't function, calling off work.I got to get to a doctor. Which doctor are you going to?Do you want the trendy doctor who has the most patience, who will lie to you to make you happy, but is really using you and misleading you?Or do you want the doctor who cares about you and will tell you the truth?You're like, well, it's a no-brainer, isn't it?Why isn't a no-brainer there? But when it comes to Bible teaching, we want the trendy lying guy.The wide gate leads to destruction. Does this stuff matter? Yeah, it matters, because your eternity is on the line.And you better be sure that you haven't been ushered into the wide gate by some false prophets.They're not always obvious, but they are always dangerous. They're dangerous to Christians.They're dangerous to the church. They're dangerous to our families.If Jesus, if God Himself is telling us we need to beware of these people, then we better be paying attention.Watch out for the false prophets. You're like, all right, well, how do I know?Like, if these people are out there and they're not obvious, but they're dangerous, how do I know?How do I recognize them? Well, number two in your outline, watch for fruit.Look at verses 16 through 20. Jesus tells us to beware.Look at verse 16. He says, "You will recognize them by their fruits."Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruits.A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruits.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.I gotta tell you, this is one of the most comforting passages in the Bible.Jesus says you will recognize them. You will.Jesus didn't say, there's false prophets out there that'll lead you to hell. Good luck.You'll recognize them if you discern, if you care to discern.If you take the Lord's warning to beware, if you take that seriously, you'll recognize them.I recognize them how. Jesus said you'll recognize them by their fruits.You mean like a tree? Yeah, like a tree.You recognize a tree by what it produces, right?In the same way Jesus is telling us you recognize false prophets by what they produce.I don't really have to explain Jesus' analogy here too much, do I?Jesus illustrates it by saying, look, good trees make good fruit. Bad trees make bad fruit.Like, that's how you know. You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on, hang on, hang on.Back in verse 1 of chapter 7, I thought you said we're not supposed to judge someone's heart.That's right. You can't judge someone's heart. That's why Jesus says to judge the fruit.Jesus here is telling us, look, you have to judge by looking at what they produce.Like, well, what is that? Very simply church, it's two things.There are two things, any preacher you listen to, whether it's here or down the street or on the YouTubesor the Facebooks or whatever, wherever you're listening to preachers, you have to look at two things.In verse 1 of chapter 8, I thought you said, look, what is that?I thought you said, look, what is that?I thought you said, look, what is that?I thought you said, look, what is that?It'll come out. It always comes out eventually.What's in the heart is always revealed in actions. You will recognize them by their fruit.There's good fruit to look for.This pastor, this preacher you're listening to, you're following. There's good fruit to look for.What about things like humility and selflessness, repentance and obedience, generosity and hospitality?What about the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?Do they seem to have a motive to want to glorify God?Are they a person that wants holiness and righteousness? Do they seem like they want to magnify Jesus?There's a lot of fruit that we can talk about, but really, I guess since we're in this current sermon series, let's boil it down to this.Let's make it this easy.This preacher that you're evaluating, is he a Beatitude guy?Because a true Christian and a true prophet, someone speaking for God, is someone who exemplifies the Beatitudes.That's what our Lord is saying. You want good fruit, you're not going to find it from a false prophet.Because nothing good comes from them.You don't get grapes from thorns.You don't get things from thistles, do you?You know, Jesus made a very powerful statement of evaluation in John 7.18.Look at this. Jesus said, "The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory."But the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.The second part of that verse, Jesus is speaking obviously of himself.That's Jesus' standard for his own identity.But here, in the first part of that verse, Jesus is giving us a clue on how to identify a false prophet.Look at this. He says, "The one who speaks on his own authority is the one who seeks his own glory."See, that's the bad fruit that you need to be looking for.That preacher that is constantly looking for more attention.It's about his branding, his image, him being the face of it. More spotlight on me, please.Ain't I great?It's all about his pride, his ego, his power. Self-centered.Watch out for that guy. Watch out for the guy that's seeking his own glory.Self-centered and self-indulgent.You know, these people will put on a pure and holy front, write this down.Eventually, false prophets are found to be full of greed and/or lust.And that comes out eventually.You're like, "Well, Pastor Jeff, it's sort of hard to evaluate this fruit,because this kind of stuff often gets covered." You're right.This is the kind of fruit that's not always so readily seen,but there is a more obvious fruit that we need to evaluate.And that's the letter B. Listen to what they say.Listen to what they say.And oh, what they say matters, by the way, because Jesus says, "Beware of false prophets."Prophets?Prophets?It's about someone giving a message, right?A couple years ago, back when we were chicken farmers,we were chicken farmers. I heard a couple people laugh.At least that's what I like to refer to myself as.But we went to the rural king and we got ourselves six leg horns.And when you buy them at the rural king, they're sexed,which means you're getting all females, right?Because we wanted them eggs.Well, our leg horns grew up.They're so cute when they're little.And then when they get to that adolescent age, they get really ugly.And then they turn into beautiful creatures.Like humans, right? I know you're thinking it.I knew you were thinking it.All right, so we had these six chickens and the one day Aaron goes,"Hey, you need to come out and look at something. I need your opinion."And I went outside and our one leg horn, again, just coming out of adolescence,but our one leg horn was like, "Ah, ah, ah!"And I'm like, "Hmm, little gene, little J-E-A-N is actually little G-E-N-E."And you know what little gene we didn't know what he was until he opened his mouth?And that's true about false prophets.You might not know what they are until they open their mouth.Listen to the message.What am I listening for?And this is discernment 101. We've talked about this stuff.Disturment 101. What are we listening for?False prophets always have a twisted view of Jesus, always.His person, His work, who Jesus is, what He did, what it means.False prophets always have this twisted view.According to the Bible, the incarnation is Jesus Christ, fully God, fully man.God became a man to die as a man for men.That's who Jesus is. That's what He did.He rose from the dead to give us eternal life.That's who Jesus is. That's what He did.And if you don't get that doctrine right, nothing else really matters, right?And it's easy to take the shots at the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons and the Christian scientists.And those ones are obviously off about who Jesus is and what He did.I mean, that's so obvious. They're not really my concern.I'm more concerned about the ones who present themselves as being biblical.Listen to the message.Are they accurately representing God's Word?You've got to have discernment people.False prophets will teach some man-centered nonsenseand they like to sprinkle in some random out-of-context versesand non-discerning people say, "Well," he mentioned the Bible,"so that has to be from God."They twist Scripture to attract an audience.Do you ever wonder how they fill those massive auditoriums?Like, how do they do that?Like, if they're false prophets, how are there so many people packed in to hear them?It's because they tell people what they want to hear. That's why.They tell people what they want to hear.Their message is, they're going to talk about things like, look, God is love.That's really the only thing you need to know is God is love.Is that true? Is God love? Yes, absolutely.You see, the problem is that's the only aspect of God that they talk about.You know, the Bible at the same time talks about other attributes of Godthat are also just as true and just as important as the fact that God is love.God is love. That's all you're going to hear.And if you just believe, if you have enough faith, deep down in your heart of hearts,deep down in your hearts, way deep down in your heart, if you really believe,you're going to be physically healed and you're going to be wealthy,they say things like, you know what, you have the power to control your destiny.They say things like, it's never God's will that you lack.It is never God's will that you suffer.And then we sprinkle in a couple of verses to make it sound like I'm saying what the Bible says.And then the world comes along and they're like, oh, that's the kind of religion that I want.It puts the spotlight off of Jesus and on to me.That's the problem.Self-centered teaching attracts self-centered people.You know, we tend to measure success with numbers and then we somehow equate numbers with authenticity.Listen, huge red flag, when the focus of preaching is all about our benefits, not God's glory.I mean, that kind of preaching might be attractive to people, but not to God.So preaching, it leads to the wide path.Listen to what they say.And listen, not just listen to what they say, listen to what they never say.Listen to what they never say.Yeah, we're going to go with that.Are they teaching the whole counsel of God's Word?Or do they cherry-pick topics?It's a huge clue for false prophets.They're never going to talk about sin or repentance or denying yourself or judgment or hell.They're never going to talk about that.It's all so easy.It's nothing offensive.It's nothing that convicts.It's nothing that could possibly bring godly sorrow into your life.We're not going to talk about that.We don't want anyone to feel bad.We just want you all to feel comfortable.All the way to hell.The false prophet, listen, talks about the Bible, but not out of the Bible.And if you learn to discern the difference between those two things,you're going to be able to spot a false prophet instantly.They talk about the Bible, not out of the Bible.They're not preaching a narrow gate.And if they're not preaching a narrow gate, which gate are they leading you into again?1 Thessalonians 5, Paul says, "Do not despise prophecies, but test everything.Hold fast to what is good."Any teaching that includes here, any teaching that you hear must be tested with the Word of God.You see, in God's infinite wisdom, that's why he gave us a book.Why?Because anybody can walk around and say, "Well, this is what God says.I have a message from the Lord.Let me tell you what the Almighty is saying.Anybody can do that."But God gave us His Word in written form so that we could read it, and we can understand it,and we can compare what we hear with it, and know for sure what's from God and what's not.And here our Lord tells us, "Beware.Beware of false prophets, because not everything called Christian is from God."Satan is not going to make it obvious for us.Deception is his MO, and he's going to make sure that his false prophets wear sheep's clothing.They're going to be dressed just like a shepherd.Like that's the worship team to come back up.And church, I want you to stand.I want you to stand.We're going to get into prayer groups.So in just a moment, I want you to stand up.Go ahead, stand up.Don't be shy.And here's what I want you to do.I want you to grab a few people near.You're getting a little groups of about six or eight or so.Look, we're not going to go through and count.All right?And if you want to stand and pray by yourself, that's your business,but I want to encourage you to just grab a few people nearby, get into little groups.And here's what I want us to do today.I want us to heed the warning of Jesus.We need to pray.We need to pray for our church, for our families, for our little ones.We are bombarded more than ever with false teaching.So what I want you to do in your little prayer groups,I want you to pray just two things, all right?Number one, I want you to pray that we would know and love the Word of God.All right?And number two, that we would learn to recognize false prophets by their fruit.Those are the two things that we're praying about now.

Scripture: 2 Samuel 13-19. Father Wounds - are wounds brought into our lives through family members. Deep wounds with lasting consequences.  Father's wounds - are wounds to parents by their children. It is grieving because their children turned their backs on the things they were taught from the time they were little.  Both are deep and painful wounds. How to deal with the pain and how to go beyond it. Our study covers: Amnon rapes Tamar (2 Sam 13) Absalom hates Amnon (2 Sam 13) Absalom murders Amnon (2 Sam 13) Absalom flees to thalami (2 Sam 13) Absalom conspires against David (2 Sam 15) Absalom revolts against David (2 Sam 15-17) Joab executes Absalom (2 Sam 18) In our study we see that wounds eliminate the spiritual strength of King David. We also see wounds that bring about rebellion and hatred, anger and murder. We see wounds experienced by a father who feels he has failed his son. A tragic horrible story. Yet God desires to speak to us through it. This story is in the Bible for a reason and purpose. The purpose is not just to inform but to transform. God desires to bring healing, hope and strength and to reverse the painful trajectory of what we have experienced. Divine Prescriptions     ⁃    Sow and Reap - Galatians 6:7-8 Consequences of our behavior can be negative or positive. “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Also, as seen in David's story, God forgives, but the consequences of sin are still there.     ⁃    Nurture or Anger - Ephesians 6:4  encourages fathers to teach their children to live uprightly and faithfully before God and for fathers to model an upright life to their children.     ⁃    Truth and Love - Ephesians 4:15 We are to speak truth to our kids but speak that with love.     ⁃    Forgive and Release - Whether we have father wounds or father's wounds we are to forgive and letting go. Colossians 3:13 We are to forgive as the Lord forgives us - even those who have disappointed us, hurt us deeply, and in that forgiveness and releasing there is healing and there is hope.     ⁃    Father and Son - 1 John 2:1-2 Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sin and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. God loves us and His love goes beyond the love of any father. Our Heavenly Father offers each of us healing, hope and life-transforming power. If you have been the victim of a father wound or if you are experiencing a father's wounds, you need to know there is a Father who loves you more than you could imagine. Who understands the wounds because those wounds were placed in the very body of His Son and He offers to us forgiveness, eternal life, and the ability to start all over. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

If you've ever stood in the middle of a mess and thought, “Where do I even begin?”—you're not alone. Week 2 of our What a Mess series takes us into the chaotic world of the Judges and the unlikely leadership of Gideon. From Chaos to Calling Pastor Vicki began with a relatable visual: a messy teenager's room. It's overwhelming, disorienting, and just like the time of the Judges—where “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” That kind of self-reliance never ends well. “Our inner compass fails us. We need direction—specifically, God's direction.” When we meet Gideon in Judges 6, he's hiding in a winepress. Not exactly a mighty warrior, right? But that's where God shows up. A Hesitant Hero Gideon is fearful, skeptical, and full of excuses: “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest…and I am the least in my family.” Yet God says, “Go in the strength you have.” Not someone else's strength. Not future-you. You, right now. That's powerful. Even then, Gideon asks for signs—again and again. “Maybe Gideon was slightly OCD,” Pastor Vicki joked, “but God is patient with him.” This story reminds us that God doesn't demand perfect faith. He simply asks us to keep showing up. Down to 300 From 32,000 men… to 10,000… to just 300. “God wanted to ensure that in no way at all could the Israelites think this was their victory.” We often think we need to be more—stronger, braver, smarter. But God uses less to do more. “God isn't just an odds defier—He's an odds smasher.” Trumpets Over Weapons The turning point? Trumpets. Not swords. “Gideon didn't question. He didn't argue. He just obeyed.” That's faith in motion. Faith not in ourselves, but in God's power through our weakness. So, What About You? “What's going on in your life? How is God asking you to trust Him, to have faith?” You may be trying to fix it your way. But what if God's asking you to surrender, step back, and watch Him move? Faith doesn't have to be big—it just has to be real. Jesus said, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

Come As You Are Series - The Samaritan Woman at the WellJohn 4:39-42 “Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.  And many more believed because of his word.  They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”I like this verse because it shows how important it is that we talk about our faith and how much God is doing for us.  The opening sentence in this verse says, “Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony.”  What if she didn't tell anyone what had happened?  What if she was too afraid of what others might think to talk about it?  She was already an outcast because of her lifestyle.  She had five different husbands over the years, and when she met Jesus, the man she was currently living with was not her husband.  The reason she was getting water at the hottest time of day was that she was too ashamed to get water in the morning when the rest of the women got their water.  She did not want to be the center of attention.  She didn't want everyone looking at her, and yet she ran to town to tell everyone about Jesus.  I wonder if all those people would have been saved if she had been too afraid to tell her story.  If she was too afraid to share her excitement over Jesus and what He did for her.  The reason I ask is that I sometimes feel afraid to share.  Sometimes I get a prompting from the Holy Spirit to say something to someone, and all this fear and doubt go through my mind.  I wonder what that person will think of me if I say it.  I wonder if I will sound crazy or stupid.  I wonder if they will even listen or if they will just walk away.  I wonder if they will be mean.  It sounds like this woman did not think about it at all.  She had a conversation with Jesus and then ran right to town to tell everyone about it.  I want her courage, her boldness, her humility.  Or maybe her impulsiveness, if she ran off without even thinking about it.  Maybe I need more of that when it comes to Jesus.  Maybe I just need to act first and think later when it comes to following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  Have you ever wondered if something you say or do could have this effect on people?  It can.  It might have already.  A lot of times, it is for us to plant the seeds but not to see the harvest.  We have no idea how our words and actions can affect the course of someone's life.  Sometimes we say something, and the person we say it to doesn't really think much of it, but then down the road, they see the significance of it. Think back to all the people who have been influential in your life.  Did you know at the time they were going to be so influential?  Did you know that the advice they gave you was going to shape the kind of person you would become?  Are those people still alive?  Could you tell them now how influential they were?  They may not know.We don't usually see the good in us as much as others do.  It is an interesting experiment to ask those who know you well to tell you what they see in you, what they feel your strengths are, and what your weaknesses are.  I was reading a book titled “The Miracle Morning” and the author Hal Elrod suggested sending an email to those closest to you, this can include family, friends, and coworkers.  He suggests you email them and ask them to tell you the top 2-3 areas of weakness you may have, and then also some areas of strength.  He said it is a great way to see if you are living life intentionally and if you are giving off the vibe you want to give off.  At the end of the book, he gave a sample email to send out.  I think if you asked others how they see you, you would be surprised.  They will see things in you to admire and look up to, and you may not see them.The verse ends by saying that although the people in the town started to believe in Jesus because of her words, now they believe because they heard Jesus for themselves.  I love this part too because I feel it takes the pressure off of me.  I just have to tell my story, I just have to talk about what Jesus has done for me, and hopefully that will be enough to lead people to find Jesus.  It is not my responsibility to make them Christian, to save their soul, to teach them everything they need to know about Jesus.  Jesus will do that.  It is just my job to tell them about my encounter.  If I tell people how God is working in my life, that will be enough to get them to seek God so they can find out more.  I truly believe our stories are powerful enough to bring others to Christ, and this verse is a great witness to that.  Sometimes we think our story is not big enough, interesting enough, or important enough to tell others.  We feel we have lived a boring, normal life, and so others won't want to hear about it.  This is a lie from the enemy.  He knows how important our stories are, and he knows others need to hear them.  There isn't a single person who gets through this life without hardships, without struggles.  Maybe you feel your struggles are small compared to others, and yet someone else might be having the same struggle you had, and they feel like it is so overwhelming.  God might be doing big, amazing things in your life, and that is awesome. Tell people about it.  God might be doing small, almost unnoticeable things in your life, and that is amazing too; tell people about it.  There are some people, a lot of people, who don't know God.  They don't know that the reason everything went so well and things fell into place so nicely is because of God.  However, if you tell them about the little ways you see God showing up in your life, they will start to see Him in their life as well.  I know it is hard to speak up sometimes.  I know this world doesn't seem to be super friendly to people who want to talk about Jesus.  I know there are a million reasons we can come up with for why we shouldn't share our story.  I know the enemy is whispering in your ear that you don't have anything to share.  He is saying your life is too boring, and no one wants to hear about your life.  I know all of that, and yet if you read this verse, hopefully you can see the importance of sharing your story anyway.  What if your story was the story someone needs to hear today to find Jesus, or to come back to Jesus?  Can we join together and be brave enough to share our story so that we can bring others to know Jesus?  Can we do that for God?  If you feel like you are not brave enough, I know I am not some days, then ask God for help.  He gives us what we ask for, especially if we are asking for things that will help us build up the kingdom of God.  How is God working in your life, and who can you talk to about it today?Another thing I thought of when I was thinking about this story is the fact that Jesus chose this particular woman to reveal his identity to.  She was a Samaritan, and Jews were not supposed to associate with Samaritans. She was a woman, and men weren't supposed to talk with women they didn't know. Yet God chose this Samaritan woman to be the first person to whom He revealed his true identity. God chose her, and He is choosing you, too!God has a purpose for each one of us.  I was going to say, “If God wants to use you, He will.”  However, I don't believe it is a matter of “if”.  God definitely wants to use you; He wants to use all of us to help Him build up His Kingdom.  Whatever you feel God putting on your heart, know that He chose you for a reason.  Maybe that thing you feel is a weakness is the exact reason God chose you.  Maybe he is going to use that weakness to help you talk to others with that same weakness?  Maybe your addiction to alcohol makes you perfectly suited to bring his good news to others with an addiction to alcohol.  God will use all our mistakes, all of our pain, all of our sins, for good if we let Him.  Don't listen to that inner voice that tells you God wouldn't use you.  That is the voice of the enemy trying to keep you down because he knows God has powerful plans for you, and the enemy is worried about what will happen if you step into those plans.  God knows you are not perfect, and that is exactly why He wants to use you.  Let Him.  Say Yes.  Surrender to God, and He will use you.  You are exactly who He wants.  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Please help us see how you are working in our lives.  Please open our eyes to all you do for us and help give us the boldness to share it.  Dad, we are asking you to help us spread our story to all those we meet so they can start to see you working in their lives.  We ask that you help us not to believe the enemy's lies that our story is boring or that we don't have anything to say.  We love you, Lord, you are working in our lives, and we want to share that with others.  We just need your help to do that.  Thank you, Lord!  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. Just two more weeks to sign up for retreat. Check out the link in the show notes for details. I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in May 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is,Come As You Are Series - The Samaritan Woman at the WellJohn 4:39-42 “Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.  And many more believed because of his word.  They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”I like this verse because it shows how important it is that we talk about our faith and how much God is doing for us.  The opening sentence in this verse says, “Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony.”  What if she didn't tell anyone what had happened?  What if she was too afraid of what others might think to talk about it?  She was already an outcast because of her lifestyle.  She had five different husbands over the years, and when she met Jesus, the man she was currently living with was not her husband.  The reason she was getting water at the hottest time of day was that she was too ashamed to get water in the morning when the rest of the women got their water.  She did not want to be the center of attention.  She didn't want everyone looking at her, and yet she ran to town to tell everyone about Jesus.  I wonder if all those people would have been saved if she had been too afraid to tell her story.  If she was too afraid to share her excitement over Jesus and what He did for her.  The reason I ask is that I sometimes feel afraid to share.  Sometimes I get a prompting from the Holy Spirit to say something to someone, and all this fear and doubt go through my mind.  I wonder what that person will think of me if I say it.  I wonder if I will sound crazy or stupid.  I wonder if they will even listen or if they will just walk away.  I wonder if they will be mean.  It sounds like this woman did not think about it at all.  She had a conversation with Jesus and then ran right to town to tell everyone about it.  I want her courage, her boldness, her humility.  Or maybe her impulsiveness, if she ran off without even thinking about it.  Maybe I need more of that when it comes to Jesus.  Maybe I just need to act first and think later when it comes to following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  Have you ever wondered if something you say or do could have this effect on people?  It can.  It might have already.  A lot of times, it is for us to plant the seeds but not to see the harvest.  We have no idea how our words and actions can affect the course of someone's life.  Sometimes we say something, and the person we say it to doesn't really think much of it, but then down the road, they see the significance of it. Think back to all the people who have been influential in your life.  Did you know at the time they were going to be so influential?  Did you know that the advice they gave you was going to shape the kind of person you would become?  Are those people still alive?  Could you tell them now how influential they were?  They may not know.We don't usually see the good in us as much as others do.  It is an interesting experiment to ask those who know you well to tell you what they see in you, what they feel your strengths are, and what your weaknesses are.  I was reading a book titled “The Miracle Morning” and the author Hal Elrod suggested sending an email to those closest to you, this can include family, friends, and coworkers.  He suggests you email them and ask them to tell you the top 2-3 areas of weakness you may have, and then also some areas of strength.  He said it is a great way to see if you are living life intentionally and if you are giving off the vibe you want to give off.  At the end of the book, he gave a sample email to send out.  I think if you asked others how they see you, you would be surprised.  They will see things in you to admire and look up to, and you may not see them.The verse ends by saying that although the people in the town started to believe in Jesus because of her words, now they believe because they heard Jesus for themselves.  I love this part too because I feel it takes the pressure off of me.  I just have to tell my story, I just have to talk about what Jesus has done for me, and hopefully that will be enough to lead people to find Jesus.  It is not my responsibility to make them Christian, to save their soul, to teach them everything they need to know about Jesus.  Jesus will do that.  It is just my job to tell them about my encounter.  If I tell people how God is working in my life, that will be enough to get them to seek God so they can find out more.  I truly believe our stories are powerful enough to bring others to Christ, and this verse is a great witness to that.  Sometimes we think our story is not big enough, interesting enough, or important enough to tell others.  We feel we have lived a boring, normal life, and so others won't want to hear about it.  This is a lie from the enemy.  He knows how important our stories are, and he knows others need to hear them.  There isn't a single person who gets through this life without hardships, without struggles.  Maybe you feel your struggles are small compared to others, and yet someone else might be having the same struggle you had, and they feel like it is so overwhelming.  God might be doing big, amazing things in your life, and that is awesome. Tell people about it.  God might be doing small, almost unnoticeable things in your life, and that is amazing too; tell people about it.  There are some people, a lot of people, who don't know God.  They don't know that the reason everything went so well and things fell into place so nicely is because of God.  However, if you tell them about the little ways you see God showing up in your life, they will start to see Him in their life as well.  I know it is hard to speak up sometimes.  I know this world doesn't seem to be super friendly to people who want to talk about Jesus.  I know there are a million reasons we can come up with for why we shouldn't share our story.  I know the enemy is whispering in your ear that you don't have anything to share.  He is saying your life is too boring, and no one wants to hear about your life.  I know all of that, and yet if you read this verse, hopefully you can see the importance of sharing your story anyway.  What if your story was the story someone needs to hear today to find Jesus, or to come back to Jesus?  Can we join together and be brave enough to share our story so that we can bring others to know Jesus?  Can we do that for God?  If you feel like you are not brave enough, I know I am not some days, then ask God for help.  He gives us what we ask for, especially if we are asking for things that will help us build up the kingdom of God.  How is God working in your life, and who can you talk to about it today?Another thing I thought of when I was thinking about this story is the fact that Jesus chose this particular woman to reveal his identity to.  She was a Samaritan, and Jews were not supposed to associate with Samaritans. She was a woman, and men weren't supposed to talk with women they didn't know. Yet God chose this Samaritan woman to be the first person to whom He revealed his true identity. God chose her, and He is choosing you, too!God has a purpose for each one of us.  I was going to say, “If God wants to use you, He will.”  However, I don't believe it is a matter of “if”.  God definitely wants to use you; He wants to use all of us to help Him build up His Kingdom.  Whatever you feel God putting on your heart, know that He chose you for a reason.  Maybe that thing you feel is a weakness is the exact reason God chose you.  Maybe he is going to use that weakness to help you talk to others with that same weakness?  Maybe your addiction to alcohol makes you perfectly suited to bring his good news to others with an addiction to alcohol.  God will use all our mistakes, all of our pain, all of our sins, for good if we let Him.  Don't listen to that inner voice that tells you God wouldn't use you.  That is the voice of the enemy trying to keep you down because he knows God has powerful plans for you, and the enemy is worried about what will happen if you step into those plans.  God knows you are not perfect, and that is exactly why He wants to use you.  Let Him.  Say Yes.  Surrender to God, and He will use you.  You are exactly who He wants.  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Please help us see how you are working in our lives.  Please open our eyes to all you do for us and help give us the boldness to share it.  Dad, we are asking you to help us spread our story to all those we meet so they can start to see you working in their lives.  We ask that you help us not to believe the enemy's lies that our story is boring or that we don't have anything to say.  We love you, Lord, you are working in our lives, and we want to share that with others.  We just need your help to do that.  Thank you, Lord!  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. Just two more weeks to sign up for retreat. CLICK HERE for details. I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in May 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Fear not, my children. I bear you up on eagle's wings. I lead you in ways of righteousness. We are friends. Both heaven and earth shine upon each of my children.”  www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Send us a textEver wonder why humanity keeps making the same mistakes throughout history? Our fascinating journey through biblical dispensations reveals the psychological profile of mankind's relationship with God across different time periods.The Edenic dispensation showcases humanity in perfect paradise—no worries, pressures, or threats—yet Adam and Eve still fell for Satan's oldest trick: "Did God really say...?" Their story exposes our natural inclination toward doubt and independence, even under ideal conditions. As we explore this garden narrative, we uncover a profound truth: "Love is not truly love until it's tested." God wasn't being cruel by placing the forbidden tree in Eden; He was creating the opportunity for genuine love through choice.Moving beyond Eden, we examine the antediluvian world where humans lived 800-900 years, potentially growing to a population of 500 million to 2 billion people before the flood. This dispensation of conscience ended in catastrophic judgment, raising profound questions about our modern technological pursuit of extreme longevity. Are we repeating ancient mistakes by trying to become "like gods" through artificial intelligence and life-extension technologies?Throughout each dispensation, a clear pattern emerges: regardless of circumstances, humanity consistently chooses independence from God rather than trusting His guidance. Yet God's relentless pursuit never wavers. Understanding these dispensational patterns provides valuable perspective not just on Scripture but on our current spiritual landscape and where we might be heading. Join us as we continue this eye-opening series next time with a deeper look at the mysterious pre-flood world, the Nephilim, and why only eight people survived God's judgment. What might this reveal about our future?Support the show

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

Pastor Christy Cass As we close the Made to Garden series, this message reminds us that fear doesn't have to drive us into hiding. From Genesis 3, we see the first humans cover themselves with fig leaves and hide when shame and fear entered the story. Yet God's response wasn't condemnation—it was an invitation: “Where are you?” Supporting Scriptures: Genesis 3:1–10, Proverbs 8:13, 2 Timothy 1:7, John 3:20, 1 Corinthians 10:13 Big Idea: God doesn't yell from the fence line—He walks into the garden. He comes close. The invitation is to step out of hiding, trade fear for trust, and walk with Him in the open. Key Themes & Takeaways: There are two fears in the garden: Fear that hides from God (shame, paralysis, people-pleasing). Fear of the Lord (holy awe that leads to trust and obedience). Alignment with God happens in head (truth), heart (desires), and hands (obedience). Obedience is our “yes.” Outcomes are His responsibility. Practical Steps to Live Fearless: Generosity & Hospitality → move from closed hands to open tables. Courageous Witness → everyday invitations, bold in love. Peacemaking → have hard conversations with truth and grace. Creativity & Resilience → choose fresh hope over cynicism. Community & Correction → walk together, not in isolation. Work & Integrity → live honest and excellent before God and others. Stay Connected: Give: https://theecho.churchcenter.com/giving Online Service: Sundays 9 AM (YouTube & Facebook Live) Connect: https://theecho.churchcenter.com/people/forms/113001 Instagram: @wearetheechochurch #EchoChurch #MadeToGarden #ChristianSermon #FaithGrowth #BibleTeaching

Send us a textStrong Women Strong WorldHuldah | Part 9 Senior Pastor Keith StewartSeptember 7, 2025Over the many years I have been a pastor, I've often heard people say, “God only raised up women as leaders when there was no man to lead.” It's such an ignorant statement and this Sunday's message is proof of that. Huldah was a prophet in the Old Testament. She lived at the same time as two other well-known prophets - Jeremiah and Zephaniah. Yet God used her mightily to turn the nation back to Himself and not because there were no men speaking up for God. God used Huldah because she had the message the king and the people needed to hear. If you don't know her incredible story, don't miss this message.Discussion Questions 1. Take some time to consider some of the parallels between the movie Hidden Figures and the women whose stories we've been learning about in this series. In what ways are they similar? In what ways are they different? Can you think of other historical examples where the achievements of women have been largely unacknowledged? Why do you think this has been true in history? Why do you think the stories of women in the Bible are often not told well or with the same level of detail that Scripture records them? 2. When you think about the span of time that passed between Solomon's generation and that of Josiah, 300 years seems like a long time but at the same time, it doesn't seem that long to actually forget God's Word, to abandon the Temple and stop celebrating the very feast that reminds you of why you are a people (Passover). What should we be learning from their failures? How might churches face the same threats externally and internally? Was anything in this account of how far God's people had strayed shocking or surprising to you and why? 3. Huldah is a prophetess whose authority and trusted position is beyond dispute. She is the first one sought out for an answer from God. Everything she said is received without debate or pushback. She validates the book they found as the Word of God and then interprets the book for their present situation. What stood out to you most in the telling of Huldah's story? Why do you think Huldah was unaffected and uncompromised by the corruption of Jewish society all around her? What can you learn from her example about being a thermostat instead of a thermometer? What spiritual disciplines do you engage in regularly to help protect you from corruption from within or without? 4. Take some time to look over the chiastic structure of the telling of Huldah's story. Why do you think the writer of Chronicles chose to emphasize Huldah over Josiah? Why does her prophecy occupy center stage in this narrative? 5. Huldah left an unmistakable mark on history, Jewish history, Christian history and even American history. What are some of the things that stood out to you about Huldah's legacy? Why do you suppose this woman, who inspired so many in history, and is the only woman to have gates in Jerusalem named after her, why is her story so relatively unknown today? What can you do to make sure others know about Huldah's inspirational story?

We are…. 7!!!! This weekend we celebrated a special B-DAY!

Who Deserves Mercy? No one. Not you. Not me. Yet God is gracious and merciful to all who come to Him to obtain His mercy. Have you received His mercy? Will you receive Jesus as your Savior and His mercy today?

Transitions often bring a mix of joy and grief. When we release something precious—a child leaving home, a season ending, or a chapter closing—it’s natural to feel empty or unsettled. Yet God, in His compassion, promises new mercies every morning and fresh blessings for every season. In today’s prayer devotional, Keri Eichberger reflects on the bittersweet milestone of sending her son off to college and invites us to redirect our hearts toward God’s unfailing love. Even when grief lingers, His compassions never fail, and His unfailing love leads us into a future filled with purpose and joy. Main Takeaways Transition often brings loss, but it also ushers in new opportunities for growth and joy. God’s mercies are new every morning—He continually provides compassion, strength, and blessing. Looking forward in faith helps us release the past while embracing the future God has prepared. Cherished memories remain gifts of joy even as God leads us into new seasons. Bible Verse References Lamentations 3:32 – Though He brings grief, He will show compassion. Lamentations 3:22-23 – His compassions are new every morning. Psalm 30:5 – Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Calls to Action (CTAs) Subscribe to Your Daily Prayer for daily encouragement rooted in God’s Word. Share this episode with a friend or parent walking through a season of transition. Leave a review to help others discover hope through Scripture-based prayer. Resources & Related Articles 5 Prayers for Letting Go and Trusting God – Crosswalk.com Finding Joy in Life’s Transitions – iBelieve.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In a world filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and overwhelming stress, how can we truly experience God’s peace? Drawing from Philippians 4:6-7, reminds us that God offers an unshakable calm when we choose prayer over panic and trust over control. Through Scripture, practical steps, and personal reflection, this devotional invites us to trade our worries for God’s peace and refocus our minds on what is true, lovely, and praiseworthy. ✨ Highlights Why anxiety, fear, and worry are at an all-time high—and how God meets us there How praying with an open Bible deepens trust and strengthens your faith Philippians 4:6-9’s step-by-step antidote to anxiety: pray, thank, focus, and rest Why fixing your thoughts on God’s goodness brings peace that surpasses understanding A simple, powerful prayer to surrender your concerns and experience God’s presence

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 NLT1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die.A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal.A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. 9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. 14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear him. 15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again. • • •God Appoints Every Season of Life • • •Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. • • •Genesis 45:4-8 NLT4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don't be upset, and don't be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. • • •Every Season Brings New Opportunities to Serve • • •2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. • • •1 Samuel 17:32-37 NLT32 “Don't worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I'll go fight him!” 33 “Don't be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There's no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You're only a boy, and he's been a man of war since his youth.” 34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!” • • •Serve God in Every Season • • •Isaiah 46:3-4 NLT3 “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. 4 I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. • • •Ruth 1:1-5 NLT1 In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. 2 The man's name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. 3 Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. 4 The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. • • •Ruth 1:16-18 NLT16 But Ruth replied, “Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. • • •Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 NLT1 How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things.Wisdom lights up a person's face, softening its harshness. 2 Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. 3 Don't try to avoid doing your duty, and don't stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. 4 His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. 5 Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right, 6 for there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble. 7 Indeed, how can people avoid what they don't know is going to happen? 8 None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked. • • •Application:Every season in life brings fresh opportunities to serve God. Make the most of each and every opportunity you are given to faithfully serve God.

Romans 8:29-30 NKJV “A couple of weeks back we spoke about the idea of Moving Forward. That our faith is one of maturation, movement and progression. However if Joshua 3 was about why we should move forward, Romans 8 is about how we can move forward. I want to argue that we can have confidence in the future because of what God has already accomplished in the past. What has God accomplished? According to text, before the foundations of the earth God has ensured that your faith will not fail. In this life you may be subject to losing a lot of things but one thing you can't afford to lose in your faith. Yet God is such a God that He not only gives us faith to believe but takes on the responsibility to sustain our faith to keep us believing. This sermon we will be exploring how God displays His marvelous keeping power over our lives."

Why do our desires so often leave us empty, even when they're fulfilled? In this week's message centered on James 4:1–10, Pastor Josiah unpacks both the problem and the promise regarding the difficulties we face in life. Our passions and worldly pursuits leave us restless, divided, and far from God. Yet God does not abandon us—but gives grace to the humble. In Christ, the true Bridegroom, we are invited to lay down our pride, resist the lies of the enemy, and draw near to the God who draws near to us. This passage is not just a warning but an invitation: to forsake the emptiness of the world and discover the joy of full devotion to Christ. What would it look like for you to go “all in” with Christ today?

Singing Our Faith: Go Down, CUMC Scripture: Exodus 5:1–6:8 (CEB)This week in our Singing Our Faith worship series, Central UMC welcomed guest preacher Rev. Lemuel Pearsall, Jr. to reflect on the story of Moses, Pharaoh, and God's unshakable promises. Standing before Pharaoh, Moses demanded freedom for God's people, only to see their burdens grow heavier — bricks without straw, beatings without mercy, despair without relief. Pharaoh's arrogance, the Israelites' frustration, and even Moses' own doubt all reveal how unbelief takes root in the face of suffering.Yet God's response is steadfast: I will bring you out. I will deliver you. I will redeem you. I will take you as my people. I will be your God. Seven promises of covenant love, each later fulfilled in Christ. Rev. Pearsall reminded us that faith is not the absence of questions, but where we bring them. Like Moses, we are invited to groan in the right direction — to lay our pain, doubt, and longing before God, who is faithful even when we are not.The legacy of the spiritual “Go Down, Moses” echoes this truth: God stands with the oppressed, delivers the enslaved, and calls us to confront the Pharaohs of our own time. Our hope is not in our strength, but in the God who has already said yes and amen through Christ Jesus.

The end of Psalm 139 is often left out when the rest is quoted, because it seems harsh and negative in the context of a poem about God's deep comfort, closeness, and grace. Yet God wants to teach us something by presenting us with the message of the entire poem. Do you hate the things that God hates? Are those who rebel against Him your enemies?

Hey y'all ! Welcome to another Friday with CWCOI ! In this week's episode, our host, Ally Yost reads through the entire book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is full of wisdom and reminds us that apart from God, we have nothing. Whether you have already read it or maybe you have been meaning to, we encourage you to sit with God as we open His word together. "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11 ☆ REP CWCOI MERCH ➤ https://allyyost.com ☆ MY BIBLE (code ‘ALLYYOST' at checkout) ➤ https://hosannarevival.com/collections/beautiful-bibles/products/nlt-notetaking-bible-versailles-theme  ☆ TUMBLER LINK ➤ https://allyyost.com/products/travel-tumbler ☆ JESUS FREAKS | OFFICIAL TRAILER ➤ https://youtu.be/DbbJHm0WfJg?si=ErjC8Z9_TmC5VLar ☆ EARLY ACCESS TO EPISODES AND BONUS PERKS ➤ https://patreon.com/CWCOI  ☆ GIVE TO CWCOI ➤ https://www.paypal.me/CWCOI _____________________________________________  Connect further with us ! TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@christwithcoffeeonice  Instagram ➤ https://instagram.com/christwithcoffeeonice _____________________________________________  Connect further with Ally !  TikTok (2M) ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@ally_yost  Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/ally_yost/  ShopMy ➤ https://shopmy.us/allyyost Pinterest ➤ https://www.pinterest.com/ally_yost1/_created/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

Tune in an hear the heart of the LORD concerning our walk with him. Understand Jesus is the best walking partner!!!! I know you dont see it yet BUT keep walking!!!!!!I know you are tired BUT keep walking!!!!Don't allow time to hinder your faith walk. Life can throw some storms that will cause us to want to quit walking. Yet God has equipped us with the endurance to continue to walk in the power of God. Keep walking!!

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

God knows the hearts in all of humanity and is not ignorant of our sinful/selfish ways. Over and over the Bible speaks of God being holy, He's entirely opposed to sin and death. Yet God comes to us in Jesus and claims to have a solution. His solution was not to avoid us, or punish us, but rather to deal with our sin. God shows us His law so that we would clearly know His expectations, and we must agree with Him that we have utterly failed. But the good news in Jesus is that God loves you enough to pay the penalty for your sins on the cross. God's full and final Word is a “sword to pierce your soul”, to bring you healing for your sins with His truth and His love. While sinners need a diagnosis to admit the filth that's in our hearts, God's Word from the cross is our only hope. Will we grow in our trust that only grace can save me, or will we insist on proving that we're good enough by our works? 

God knows the hearts in all of humanity and is not ignorant of our sinful/selfish ways. Over and over the Bible speaks of God being holy, He's entirely opposed to sin and death. Yet God comes to us in Jesus and claims to have a solution. His solution was not to avoid us, or punish us, but rather to deal with our sin. God shows us His law so that we would clearly know His expectations, and we must agree with Him that we have utterly failed. But the good news in Jesus is that God loves you enough to pay the penalty for your sins on the cross. God's full and final Word is a “sword to pierce your soul”, to bring you healing for your sins with His truth and His love. While sinners need a diagnosis to admit the filth that's in our hearts, God's Word from the cross is our only hope. Will we grow in our trust that only grace can save me, or will we insist on proving that we're good enough by our works? 

Paul arrived in Corinth exhausted, bruised, and alone after a difficult stretch of ministry. Yet God met him through and unexpected friendship of Aquila and Priscilla, reminding us that God shows up and grows the church through relationships. Pastor Josh explores how intentional, Spirit-led relationships can bring healing, courage, and the hope of Christ in the midst of lifes messiness. https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/46163/note-237083.html

On In The Market with Janet Parshall this week we invited you to ask your most pressing questions on narcissism and its impact on lives and families. Our guest, who not only bring her professional expertise but also her personal experience to the discussion once again drew us back to God’s word for guidance in dealing and healing from this most dangerous personality type. Your most challenging questions on the bible and the Christian life were front and center as one our favorite bible teachers gave us solid, biblical answers to your most perplexing queries. There is a concerted and determined effort underway in many churches to turn aside from traditional Christianity. This deconstructionist viewpoint is leading many people to create a “spirituality” that spares them from the difficult parts of the faith. It can also lead them completely away from their faith into false beliefs like agnosticism, the occult and atheism. Our guest, a highly respected apologist is sounding the alarm on the dangers of deconstructionism as well as providing solid bible guidance for families who are dealing with a loved one who facing these challenges to their life and faith. She explained the origins of this movement and how it is hooking and leading so many astray from “the faith of our fathers”. Despite the violent, unprovoked attack on Israel a few years ago, we are seeing a continued effort to discredit the Jewish people around the world. Yet God’s word promises a blessing to those who bless His chosen people and land. But what does that promise really mean? Our guest, a messianic believer shared his insights on this topic and many others related to the Jewish people, where they came from, their prophetic destination and how what happens to this small nation continue to have a dramatic and long-lasting impact on the rest of the world. Once again you are invited to join our favorite husband and wife team as they continue to show us how vital it is to test everything we see and hear against the straight stick of truth that is God’s unchanging word. Janet and Craig continue teaching us how to use God’s word to find the truth behind the confusion in the news of the week.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

God's live is Unconditional

Isaiah lived during one of the saddest times in the history of God's people.  He saw God's judgment unleashed on his cousins to the north - the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their stubborn and consistent unbelief.  God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to conquer their land and carry off their people. Isaiah's message to people of Jerusalem and Judah was that the same fate was coming their way, too.  They had committed many of the same sins and had angered God just the same.  Isaiah called the people to repentance and warned them that God would come down in justice against them as well.  How sad it must have been for Isaiah to record his God given prediction of the future fall of his beloved city, Jerusalem.Yet God spoke hope to his people as well - to his people in Isaiah's day and ours.   Isaiah proclaimed the mercy and compassion, the forgiveness and love that God would show to his people in bringing back the remnant from captivity and to all believers in the sending of the Messiah to be our Savior from sin.  Indeed, the meaning of Isaiah's name is true, the LORD is our salvation. We are hoping that you will join us in reading one chapter of the book of Isaiah each weekday and then in listening in on our discussion of each chapter.    If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org.  If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org.  

Join Us for Worship: Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM https://www.flourishinggrace.org/plan-your-visit In Luke 12:13–21, Jesus delivers a powerful warning that speaks directly to the heart of our modern struggles. A man in the crowd asks Jesus to intervene in an inheritance dispute, but Jesus uses the moment to reveal a deeper truth: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” From there, He tells the parable of the rich fool—a man whose barns overflowed with grain, who felt secure enough to say to his soul, “Relax, eat, drink, be merry.” Yet God called him a fool, because his soul was required that very night. The man lived full of himself, full of his possessions, but had no room for God or for others. This sermon, preached by Pastor Dave Nelson, dives into the human tendency to equate life with what we can gain, hold, or achieve. Whether it's money, success, pleasure, or recognition, we all have areas where we think, “If I only had this, then I'd finally be fulfilled.” But Jesus confronts that mindset head-on. True life—“zoe” in the Greek—does not come from possessions, prestige, or pleasure. It comes from God Himself, who is life and who offers His life freely to us in Christ. Through vivid stories, including modern examples of crowds trampling others for sales or surging dangerously at concerts, Pastor Dave reveals the universal human drive for more. He explains how our very biology, with dopamine spikes driving desire, feeds into this restless pursuit. Yet no matter how much we acquire, it never satisfies for long. The longing simply resets, demanding more. Jesus warns that this cycle is dangerous and destructive, because it robs us of the life God intended—a life rooted not in accumulation but in love, generosity, and relationship with Him. This message challenges us to examine what truly fills our hearts. Are we full of ourselves, thinking only of “I will” and “my possessions”? Or are we inviting God into our daily decisions, seeking His will instead of our own? The call of Jesus is not to avoid pleasure, rest, or enjoyment altogether, but to stop making them the foundation of our lives. Instead, He invites us into the abundant life only He provides—a life that overflows with love for God and others, a life that is truly full, rich, and eternal. At its core, this sermon is not simply a warning against greed. It is an invitation into freedom. Freedom from the rat race of needing more, freedom from the endless cycle of desire and disappointment, freedom to live in the richness of God's love. Jesus offers Himself as the way, the truth, and the life. To have Him is to have life to the full—life that is deeply satisfying, meaningful, and eternal. As you listen, let this message move you to reflection. Where are you placing your hope for satisfaction? What do your time, energy, and resources say about what you believe will give you life? Jesus calls us to lay down idols of possessions and success, and instead to receive the life that comes only from Him. Will you keep pursuing fullness in things that cannot satisfy, or will you turn to the One who alone is life?

Have you ever sought guidance from God while knowingly holding onto things He's asked you to surrender? Ezekiel 14 confronts this spiritual hypocrisy head-on with a message that remains desperately relevant today.When the elders of Israel approached Ezekiel seeking divine wisdom, they appeared to be doing the right thing. Yet God revealed their hearts were cluttered with idols – not physical statues, but attachments and sins they refused to relinquish. "They came to the real God for answers with a false god in their heart," as our hosts observe. This profound contradiction continues to plague our spiritual lives today.The passage delivers a sobering wake-up call: God refuses to be treated as a cosmic vending machine, dispensing blessings to those who ignore His previous instructions. Instead, He calls for repentance before offering new guidance. What's particularly convicting is the warning to spiritual leaders who comfort the unrepentant instead of calling them to change. Such teachers will share in the judgment of those they mislead.We also explore God's accountability for nations, not just individuals. Even the presence of exceptionally righteous people like Noah, Daniel, and Job cannot save a society bent on rebellion. Each person bears responsibility for their relationship with God while nations face collective consequences for their moral choices.This episode challenges us to examine what idols we might have placed "right before our faces" – whether success, comfort, relationships, or even religious tradition itself. Are we approaching God sincerely, or are we seeking His blessings while holding onto what He's asked us to release?Take time to reflect on your heart's true condition. Are there areas of known disobedience you've been ignoring while still expecting God's favor? Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Isaiah 54:4–5 unveils a God who meets His people not by avoiding their shame but by redeeming them through it. In the aftermath of exile, Israel bears both the guilt of rebellion and the disgrace of abandonment—the shame of youth and the reproach of widowhood. Yet God speaks not erasure but reversal: the very shame that defined them becomes the door through which He dismantles their pride, exposes their false narratives, and restores them to covenant love. Just as shame entered humanity's story in Eden, distorting identity and intimacy, so too does God confront and repurpose shame as a means of grace—never to leave His people in it, but to bring them through it. The cross of Christ seals this truth: shame is not conquered by pride or pretense, but by a Redeemer who bore it, broke it, and now rewrites our story with His.

Do we as the church know that God rules and controls earthly kingdoms and our lives; do we submit to Him graciously? Do we recognize that God's sovereignty leads to humility and reliance on Him, reminding us that all earthly power is under His dominion?

Send us a textFamily relationships can be both our greatest joy and deepest pain, as illustrated in the story of Jacob and Esau. Their family was marked by parental favoritism, with Isaac loving Esau for his hunting skills and Rebekah favoring Jacob. This favoritism led to destructive patterns: Jacob's manipulation in trading stew for Esau's birthright and later deceiving his father for the blessing, and Esau's impulsivity and rage. These cycles of dysfunction mirror our own family struggles today. Yet God's grace can and does work through broken families.This message was preached at Centerpointe Community Church by Pastor Mike Wrigglesworth on Sunday, August 3rd, 2025Support the show

Love to hear from you; “Send us a Text Message”The box had been gathering dust under the bed for years. Inside were the remnants of a journey to Russia that forever changed Jamie McAleer's family. "I never thought I'd go to Russia," she recalls, having grown up during the Cold War when the Soviet Union was considered the enemy. Yet God had other plans that would take her across the world to find her son.Listen to this moving conversation that will challenge you to recognize God's hand in your own life story and consider how sharing your journey might inspire generations to come.Find Jamie's Book Here: I Will Come To YouFollow us and watch on X: John Paul II Renewal @JP2RenewalSubscribe to our Newly Resurrected YouTube Channel!Read Jack's Latest Blog: "The Tale We've Fallen Into"Support the show

Click here for more on this topic and other free resources - https://www.drjimrichards.com One of the most consistent warnings in the New Testament is to guard against offense. We often think of an offense as something that hurts our feelings, but in reality, it's something far more dangerous. An offense is anything that causes us to stumble or lose our footing in the faith. That's why the Apostle Paul urges us to “gird our feet with the Gospel of Peace.” In the ancient world, maintaining your footing was essential to surviving any battle. The same is true today in the spiritual battles we face. If we stumble at the word of God, we will fall! Over the years, I've been asked this question by pastors and leaders around the world: “Why are people so easily offended?” Even after more than half a century of active ministry, I remain amazed at how easily believers fall into offense, not just with one another, but even with God. And while it might seem like a mystery, the answer is simple: most 21st-century believers lack a deep foundation in the New Covenant. Many don't fully understand what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection. All this is because we don't know how to understand the Scripture! Yet God has given us everything we need. Through His Word, He provides explicit instruction. The Holy Spirit is our internal teacher. He brings us to a place of understanding and guides us step-by-step until we reach victory and safety! Join me this week as we explore how to become Stable, Secure, and Immovable in our faith. No more offense. No more stumbling. Just a life anchored in peace, strength, and confidence in God!

Send us a textForgiveness: it can be a challenge when you've been victimized. Yet God for the sake of His Son forgave us our trespasses. Today we will unpack a most challenging statement Jesus made.

Series: "For the City" (Vision), Jeremiah 29:4-7 #FTCTitle: “Why pray for the peace and prosperity of the city?"Subtitle: "Our plan for loving God and loving people in our city and beyond."Scripture: Jeremiah 29:4-7; Mark 4:26-29; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9Go: John 17:20; Luke 10:1-11Gospel: Acts 17:32-34 (4 responses/traffic light)Grow: Matthew 22:37-39; 28:18-20 + 411 + Commands of ChristGather: Acts 2:36-47 + Commands of Christ 3/3rds groups; DBS; Hi/Lo; Follow & Fish; etc.Guide: (MAWL)Bottom line: We pray for and seek the peace and prosperity for our city because it's God's missionary plan for loving God and loving people.INTRODUCTIONCONTEXTSERMON OUTLINECONCLUSIONNOTESOUTLINESQUESTIONS TO CONSIDER DISCUSSION QUESTIONSMAIN REFERENCES USEDOpening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same. INTRODUCTIONI love coffee cups. I don't drink coffee. I know, I know, that's weird on multiple levels. Let me tell you how hopeless I am. I don't drink coffee (and hot chocolate on a little), but I love to shop for coffee cups. Now, I do have a pet peeve about coffee cups. When we get our theology from coffee cups.Coffee cup theology can be misleading. I mean, there's just no room for context on that shiny cup of ceramic goodness. It's not like the coffee cup with Jeremiah 29:11 on it (“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” NIV‬‬) has room to say that Israel was told this by God while living in exile in the capital city of their arch enemy the Babylonians because they were spiritually unfaithful to him. Not sure that would sell well either.Transition:“Have you ever found yourself somewhere you didn't want to be, facing a situation you didn't choose? That's where the Israelites found themselves—exiled in Babylon. And yet, God speaks into their situation, not with an escape plan, but with a call to pray for and to seek the peace and prosperity of the place in which they're stuck.”Understanding ExileDefinition (Jeremiah 29 context):In this passage, exile refers to the forced relocation of the people of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon after its conquest by King Nebuchadnezzar in 597–586 BC. It wasn't just geographic—it was spiritual, cultural, and emotional dislocation.They were living among people who didn't share their faith, customs, or values—a godless empire with strange idols and foreign tongues. Yet God didn't say, “Escape.” He said, “Engage.”Key insight:Exile is not just displacement; it's God's discipline with a redemptive purpose.It reminds us that home isn't always where we are, but where God is.OUTLINEWHY we should pray for the peace and prosperity of our city:Because the Lord told us to. (29:4) Our faith is that simple. A. Either we trust and obey the Lord, orB. We don't. To not trust and obey is sin.Because it's part of God's way of rescuing his people from the kingdom of darkness. He tells Israel to settle down and live their lives in the midst of their (and his) enemies. But to do it with an eye to the crowds (the harvest) and the clouds (his return) for their transformation. This requires prayer. Abiding in Christ.The crowds, in this case, happen to be his enemies--the Babylonians.The clouds, in this case, refer to the end of their exile in 70 years.WHAT does this look like? We "bloom where we're planted." We settle in to our circles of influence and accountability.Influence--those circles of people we interact with where we live, work, learn and play.Accountability--we will stand before God one day and answer for how we did or didn't do this; for how we led or didn't lead our family to do this. God planted you at your address for a reason. For this season, you're to be Jesus to those around you there.We multiply. We build our career and homestead as if we're going to be here a while. For Israel, it was in the midst of their enemy, Babylon. For us, it is in America and in the midst of enemies of God. (29:5)We build our family. (29:6)This includes our biological family. (Kids, grandkids)Can include extended family. Can include adopted family. (Formally and not)Certainly includes your spiritual/church family.We do this until our "70 years" are over. Then we go home; back to Jerusalem/Zion. Cf. Revelation 21:1-8We pray for the peace and prosperity of our city where we live, work, learn and play. (7)We do this as we go about our lives.Why? Because it benefits us and our family tangibly.Because it benefits us, and family and our world spiritually/eternally.We do not believe those who live for other gods. (29:8-9)We do this until he takes us home. This is his plan for us.HOW we pray for the peace and prosperity of our city: "A Vision For the City: Jesus & Paul's Strategy Illustrated by 4 Fields of Kingdom Growth" (Optional)oGo together: John 17:20 - that we may be one as we pray and go into the cityLuke 10:1-11 - How Jesus trained his disciples to go:Pray for workers for the harvestBe a worker in the harvestBe prepared to suffer in the harvestGo empty-handed so you'll depend on the LordLook for people of peace; they unlock many moreBless them and then receive what they offerHeal the sick; proclaim the good news that the kingdom of God is nearLeave when not welcomed; tell them why you're moving onGospel: Acts 17:32-34 (4 responses)Share the gospel wherever you goSome will mock you--move onSome will want to know more (or pretend to want to know more) - give them more Some will trust Christ--give them more & train them upSome will already know Christ--offer to train them upGrow: Matthew 28:18-20 + 411 + Commands of ChristLearn the words, ways and works of Jesus ChristLead others in the words...Gather: Acts 2:36-47 + Commands of Christ - Shows us how to live as the church3/3rds groups; DBS; Hi/Lo; Follow & Fish; etc.A church does not have to look like what we see most visibly in AmericaIt doesn't require a seminary degreeIt doesn't require bricks and mortarTo say you follow Jesus but don't actively engage as a member of a church is not the NT wayGuide: (MAWL) We lead others to follow us as we follow Jesus byModeling for themAssisting themWatching them Leaving them to do it and lead others to do itCONCLUSIONConsider sharing the story of why Neal McGlohon started the Cypress Project here (see notes).So the Lord Jesus calls his disciples to keep their eyes on the clouds and the crowds. Keep your eyes on the people you see where you live, work, learn and play each day. For he has you there on purpose for a purpose.Also, keep your eyes on the clouds. For this is not all there is. This is not our home. Our home awaits us. Our exile in this world is temporary. We will go and stand before our Creator one day. And as his kids we'll be welcomed home with great zeal from our Lord and Savior. However, if we do known him as Lord and Savior, we'll simply meet him as Lord. And that means we'll be forever separated from him. And that will be eternal misery.But if you're here today, know that God has surrounded you with people who have their eyes on the crowds and the clouds. As we await his return to take us home, we are looking for opportunities to show and tell the good news about a great kingdom and exalted king. A king who forgives and blesses beyond anything we could ever deserve.He calls you to himself right now. Will you believe and receive his mercy and grace today?Bottom line: We pray for and seek the peace and prosperity for our city because it's God's missionary plan for loving God and loving people.Will you believe apart of that plan?INVITATIONWhat about you?Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions: What is God saying to me right now?What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper. What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don't have to get too specific to give him praise.Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)PrayNOTES

2025, like most years, hasn't been easy. Yet God remains at work—we may have been “roughed up,” but in His hands, we are neither forgotten nor abandoned. Paul wrote Philippians while imprisoned in conditions of unspeakable horror: overcrowded prisons with suffocating air, sleepless nights in chains, underground chambers devoid of light, corroding iron shackles, and appalling filth. Yet Paul wasn't deterred by these devastating circumstances. Instead, he found something far more devastating: the life he used to live before Christ. Paul demonstrates three key principles: what he left behind, what he pressed toward, and how we can follow his example. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Psalm 106

Life is a miracle; no one has been able to create a single, reproducing cell of life. Yet life is too cheap in our world today. In this message, Pastor Lutzer demonstrates how we can commit murder in God's eyes just by our mouth or by neglect. Yet God says that human life is valuable because He gives it. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://offerrtw.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001. 

Ministry is often lonely and discouraging, and Paul's journey to Corinth was no exception. Yet God surrounded him with community—old friends, new companions, and faithful provision. When results seem scarce and resistance is strong, we find our greatest encouragement not in outcomes, but in faithfulness to our calling. Be reminded today: your responsibility is obedience, and God handles the rest.