Podcasts about yet god

With family: Numbers 30; Psalm 74 Numbers 30 (Listen) Men and Vows 30 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the LORD has commanded. 2 If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Women and Vows 3 “If a woman vows a vow to the LORD and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house in her youth, 4 and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the LORD will forgive her, because her father opposed her. 6 “If she marries a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. And the LORD will forgive her. 9 (But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.) 10 And if she vowed in her husband's house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, 11 and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the LORD will forgive her. 13 Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself,1 her husband may establish,2 or her husband may make void. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. 15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.” 16 These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father's house. Footnotes [1] 30:13 Or to fast [2] 30:13 Or may allow to stand (ESV) Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) In private: Isaiah 22; 2 Peter 3 Isaiah 22 (Listen) An Oracle Concerning Jerusalem 22 The oracle concerning the valley of vision.   What do you mean that you have gone up,    all of you, to the housetops,2   you who are full of shoutings,    tumultuous city, exultant town?  Your slain are not slain with the sword    or dead in battle.3   All your leaders have fled together;    without the bow they were captured.  All of you who were found were captured,    though they had fled far away.4   Therefore I said:  “Look away from me;    let me weep bitter tears;  do not labor to comfort me    concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.” 5   For the Lord GOD of hosts has a day    of tumult and trampling and confusion    in the valley of vision,  a battering down of walls    and a shouting to the mountains.6   And Elam bore the quiver    with chariots and horsemen,    and Kir uncovered the shield.7   Your choicest valleys were full of chariots,    and the horsemen took their stand at the gates.8   He has taken away the covering of Judah. In that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, 9 and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, 10 and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. 11 You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago. 12   In that day the Lord GOD of hosts    called for weeping and mourning,    for baldness and wearing sackcloth;13   and behold, joy and gladness,    killing oxen and slaughtering sheep,    eating flesh and drinking wine.  “Let us eat and drink,    for tomorrow we die.”14   The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears:  “Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,”    says the Lord GOD of hosts. 15 Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, “Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household, and say to him: 16 What have you to do here, and whom have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock? 17 Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you 18 and whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a wide land. There you shall die, and there shall be your glorious chariots, you shame of your master's house. 19 I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your station. 20 In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, 21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house. 24 And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father's house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. 25 In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way, and it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken.” (ESV) 2 Peter 3 (Listen) The Day of the Lord Will Come 3 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,1 not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies2 will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.3 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Final Words 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Footnotes [1] 3:9 Some manuscripts on your account [2] 3:10 Or elements; also verse 12 [3] 3:10 Greek found; some manuscripts will be burned up (ESV)

God has a plan for every single one of us - but we often don't do a great job discerning it. It can often take struggle, effort, and even failure to find that path. Yet God did not leave us unaided. Built into your being is a unique blend of passion and drive that, when harnessed, will propel you forward. This is true whatever your personality or strengths. Join me in this episode as Mr Jeremy Ryan Slate and I explore his passion and journey through life. While keeping it light (and even a bit silly) we touch on some really powerful choices and moments we all come to: how to stay connected with your wife through difficult times, how to pick the pieces back up after a failure, and how to work on improving myself to get the needed perspective. There are a lot of really practical pieces of advice he offers all of us. You can find out more about Jeremy's company Command Your Brand at the website https://commandyourbrand.com/. You can find out more about him directly at https://www.jeremyryanslate.com/.

5 Easter First Psalm: Psalms 70–71 Psalms 70–71 (Listen) O Lord, Do Not Delay To the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering. 70   Make haste, O God, to deliver me!    O LORD, make haste to help me!2   Let them be put to shame and confusion    who seek my life!  Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor    who delight in my hurt!3   Let them turn back because of their shame    who say, “Aha, Aha!” 4   May all who seek you    rejoice and be glad in you!  May those who love your salvation    say evermore, “God is great!”5   But I am poor and needy;    hasten to me, O God!  You are my help and my deliverer;    O LORD, do not delay! Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent 71   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;    let me never be put to shame!2   In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;    incline your ear to me, and save me!3   Be to me a rock of refuge,    to which I may continually come;  you have given the command to save me,    for you are my rock and my fortress. 4   Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.5   For you, O Lord, are my hope,    my trust, O LORD, from my youth.6   Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.  My praise is continually of you. 7   I have been as a portent to many,    but you are my strong refuge.8   My mouth is filled with your praise,    and with your glory all the day.9   Do not cast me off in the time of old age;    forsake me not when my strength is spent.10   For my enemies speak concerning me;    those who watch for my life consult together11   and say, “God has forsaken him;    pursue and seize him,    for there is none to deliver him.” 12   O God, be not far from me;    O my God, make haste to help me!13   May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;    with scorn and disgrace may they be covered    who seek my hurt.14   But I will hope continually    and will praise you yet more and more.15   My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,    of your deeds of salvation all the day,    for their number is past my knowledge.16   With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come;    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. 17   O God, from my youth you have taught me,    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.18   So even to old age and gray hairs,    O God, do not forsake me,  until I proclaim your might to another generation,    your power to all those to come.19   Your righteousness, O God,    reaches the high heavens.  You who have done great things,    O God, who is like you?20   You who have made me see many troubles and calamities    will revive me again;  from the depths of the earth    you will bring me up again.21   You will increase my greatness    and comfort me again. 22   I will also praise you with the harp    for your faithfulness, O my God;  I will sing praises to you with the lyre,    O Holy One of Israel.23   My lips will shout for joy,    when I sing praises to you;    my soul also, which you have redeemed.24   And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,  for they have been put to shame and disappointed    who sought to do me hurt. (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 74 Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) Old Testament: Wisdom 14:27-15:3 New Testament: Romans 14:1–12 Romans 14:1–12 (Listen) Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another 14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master1 that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,   “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,    and every tongue shall confess2 to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Footnotes [1] 14:4 Or lord [2] 14:11 Or shall give praise (ESV) Gospel: Luke 8:26–39 Luke 8:26–39 (Listen) Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon 26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes,1 which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus2 had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. 34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed3 man had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. Footnotes [1] 8:26 Some manuscripts Gadarenes; others Gergesenes; also verse 37 [2] 8:27 Greek he; also verses 38, 42 [3] 8:36 Greek daimonizomai (demonized); elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons (ESV)

YOUR REAL SPIRITUAL BIOGRAPHY The Master's Plan • Ephesians 2:1-10 (p. 917) • Redeemer's • 5/11&12/19 Intro: I have a confession. Sometimes I get nervous when I hear Christians speak of being saved or having salvation. Don't get me wrong: I think we need to be saved. I like the word. But I don't think most people have the right idea. Christians often think of it simply as being forgiven—and that's barely the beginning. And non-Christians normally interpret “save” to mean preserve or collect—like saving leftovers for later, or saving bottles for the dime deposit. Sometimes we use it in its rawest meaning of to rescue or deliver, as a doctor saves a patient having a heart-attack, or a firefighter saves a home from being burnt down. But when the normal person outside of the church thinks of saved in the religious sense, they wrongly picture emotionalism, or unthinking televangelists buttonholing their audience with the Q, Are ya saved? •I'd like to try to restore the word today, because it describes perfectly what has happened to us as believers in Christ. (But you might object: “uh, rescued doesn't really describe my spiritual story…”) •If you were to ask how Barb and I feel in love, how we met and eventually married, you probably would hear two different versions of the story. Apparently I am under the mistaken notion that I sought and courted her; but she insists that long before I knew she existed, she went after me. Same thing with believers: Ask many of us how we became Christians, and you'll likely hear a story that doesn't sound anything like how God tells it in the passage we're going to look at today: We'd say something like, initially we heard or read about Jesus, or knew someone whom we respected as a Christian—a friend or co-worker or mom or dad; we grew to understand what God had done for us and at some point, began to believe it. He loved us, and offered forgiveness to us, so whether motivated by a desire to know God, or to settle the issue of our guilt, or because we wanted what our friends or family had, or simply because we thought it the right thing to do, we decided to believe in Jesus and accept His forgiveness. But whatever the motivation, we decided. We did it. It was our choice. We could have decided to reject Him and His offer, but we thought better of it. It was all pretty much up to us. That's our story, and we're sticking to it. But it hardly sounds like a rescue—which what being saved really means. And when God tells your story, your real spiritual biography, from His viewpoint, it sounds very different. Something very different happened: it wasn't a pretty picture of a person thoughtfully and independently and objectively weighing factors and then giving some reasonable assent to Christ; instead, the picture was initially shocking and repulsive, and a miracle occurred to change everything. NB when God tells the story, there is Then (vss. 1-3) and a Now (vss. 4-10): I. [THEN: THE BREATHING DEAD] (vss. 1-3) This describes our past condition. NB were…once walked…once lived…were… The divine diagnosis could be summarized in 3 statements: A. You were dead!” (vs. 1): It's figurative, but pregnant with meaning! When God described our condition as dead, it implies you were: 1) Unable to help yourself. Spiritually speaking, how badly off were we? Picture salvation as a person falling off a cliff. What do we need from God? Some think a person just needs God's motivation and encouragement to climb back up (“You can do it!”). Others think that in the fall, we were hurt, and so now we need God's help back up. God must assist us as we make our way back up the cliff. But God says when we fell, we broke our neck and died. We're lifeless. Lying at the bottom of the cliff, we can't do anything, because we're dead. 2) Unresponsive. Ever have a good conversation with a corpse? They don't talk much, do they? One of the signs of death is the inability to respond to stimuli. They don't respond to light (pupils are fixed), or to sounds (a clap), or to pain (prick a toe); they don't react at all. Completely unresponsive to God. Spiritual zombies. Alive but dead. One of the first funerals I did as a young pastor was for Dwayne, a 21 year old drug dealer who had been murdered. At the funeral, his girlfriend overcome with grief approached the casket, stood frozen, reached out to touch him, caressed him, and when he didn't respond, began to cry, and loudly call to him, and grip him, and shake him, until she attempted to crawl into the casket with him. But no amount of love, or concern, or touching or prodding can make a dead person respond. And you were that dead person. 3) Separated: When someone dies, they're gone. The body may be lying before you, but you're separated from the person who once inhabited that body. So spiritual death means a person separated from God. In fact, the Bible tells us that if a person remains in that dead condition and dies physically, they stay separated from God forever. [Is 59:1-2/x] Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that He does not hear.” •So what killed us? trespasses and sins. trespasses are those things we do knowingly; we know where the boundary is, where the line has been drawn, where the forbidden field is, and we cross over anyway, intentionally. But sins refer to our passive failures—a failure to measure up, to meet God's standards. We do things God told us not to do, and we have failed to do what He has instructed us to do. Together, these two terms represent the whole range of human evil. [John Stott: Before God we are both rebels and failures.”] The poison that killed us spiritually was our rebellion against God, our disobedience to God. And our condition was complicated by this: [B. You were enslaved!] (vss. 2-3a) NB three controlling influences: 1) The World: (vs. 2a): We drifted along the stream of this world's ideas and values (like a current in the river: do nothing and the flow will take you to where you might not wish to go.) It involves peer pressure, and the no-so-subtle temptation to do and think along the same lines as everyone else. Be a part of the “in” crowd. I speak up about evolution because there is real pressure not to criticize the theory or investigate alternatives. “We are accidents, there is no unseen God in the universe, and that's that. That' scientific.” Or the world tells us no one has any right to judge our sexual preferences, or our gender, or whether one religion is better than any other. They're all right and nothing is wrong. Unless of course you think one is wrong, and then you're wrong. But behind the world is a personality controlling it, giving it direction and leadership. To this tyrant we once were enslaved: 2) The Devil: (vs. 3b-3a) He's a created but fallen angelic being, elsewhere known as Satan (adversary), or the devil (accuser or slanderer), the one who opposes God. And his kingdom is that of the air—not the atmosphere (as opposed to land/earth), but rather the sphere under heaven. EG you have Heaven (the place of God), Earth (the home of men), and the air (the realm of unseen spiritual beings, usually evil). So he operates in the unseen dimension of life. And he does as he wills; and he intends to work in/influence people disconnected from God, prompting them to disobey and rebel against God. So if that weren't bad enough to feel the squeeze from outward influences, inwardly we were self-destructive, and trapped by our own nature and desires: 3) The Flesh: (vs. 3b) There's nothing wrong with bodily desires for food, and drink and sex and sleep; but when they become paramount in our lives, they tend to take over, so we become enslaved to our physical appetites—obese, and alcoholic, and lustful, and slothful. And flesh doesn't just mean bodily; [Gal. 5:19-21] flesh refers to living on a single plane—just life lived apart from God. There's attitudes of the mind that can enslave us too: the desire to always be right, pride, ambition, comparisons, anger, revenge, self-consuming self-centeredness. No matter how it appeared from the outside, inside us the spiritual connection with God was dead. And we were enslaved. Because of that: C. You were condemned! (vs. 3b) NB by nature: i.e. we naturally did wrong things. You don't have to be told to do them, don't have to be instructed or trained in Evil 101, or Advanced Selfishness; How to be critical and judgmental.” Don't have to instruct kids how to throw a tantrum. (Without much trying, we'd all get A's.) We naturally do things that arouse God's anger. It's part of being part of the fallen human race. Result? •children of wrath: It doesn't mean God hates little kids. It's a figure of speech meaning worthy of wrath; i.e. if we got what we deserved, we get objects of God's judgment. And His wrath is not his losing his temper and flying off the handle. It's never arbitrary, but it is His determined response to human evil and rebellion. [Stott: “It is God's personal, righteous, constant hostility to evil; his settled refusal to compromise with it; and his resolve instead to condemn it.”] •Summary: It's a bleak picture. God regards all who are not following Christ as being spiritually dead, morally enslaved and divinely condemned. This is God's diagnosis of every person without Jesus. Even a nice guy who is religious, and is a faithful spouse and loving parent still needs someone to rescue him from his condition as much as a serial killer or child molester does. The popular notion today is that everyone is a child of God, though some are sinners, and some are saints: [graphic]. But the Bible only makes two distinctions: [dead/alive/x] If you haven't pass into the upper circle, by default you're in the lower. No exceptions. How can we read such words without our hearts being gripped with new concern for those who don't know Jesus? They're spiritually dead. Enslaved. Condemned. With such a condition, it would take nothing short of a miracle of God to rescue people from such a living death! Exactly! II. [NOW: LIVING MASTERPIECES (2:4-10) One of the most beautiful and relieving words in the entire passage is this: BUT… What we've read isn't the whole story. BUT: [A. Who initiated this?] (vs. 4a) [God did] He intervened for us! Your story is a story about God! [B. What motivated Him? (vs. 4b) [great love] That's pretty amazing considering what we were like. We were exactly the opposite of what God wanted. No corpse is attractive. Yet God not only felt pity for us, but he had surpassing love for us! And if he loved us when we were corpses, how much more does He now love us since we are living? And if His love didn't depend upon our performance then, how could it now? [C. What exactly did He do?] People who don't understand the problem ought not to prescribe the prescription: like a band-aid for an aneurism, or an aspirin for cancer, or a tourniquet for a sore throat. People who don't understand what our condition prescribe more rules or laws or legislation, harsher punishment, no punishment, universal education, mandated tolerance, less expectations, working together, doint your own thing, trying harder, sincerity, church attendance. But NB what God did: (vss. 5-6) [1. For the dead: “…made us alive”] Not only a new start, but a new life. We are spiritually reborn! [2. For the enslaved: “…raised us up”] He freed you, and empowered you with the Holy Spirit. [3. For the condemned: “…seated us with Him”] Instead of being under judgment and an outcast, you take our place next to Jesus in the seat reserved for you, and a place of acceptance. •So salvation is far more than being forgiven. It is being made alive, it is being delivered from evil's power and control; it is being rescued from deserved wrath. Now can you understand why in the midst of describing what God has done for us, Paul had to keep emphasizing that we are rescued by grace? Grace means getting what we don't deserve and couldn't earn. We didn't initiate it; we were dead. We contributed nothing, except our sin and guilt. We didn't deserve it—what we deserved was to be judged. [D. What purpose did He have? (vs. 7)] [to display His glorious grace] (cf. 1:6) kindness is love in tender action. So today you are demonstration, a picture of his amazing grace. In the near and distant future, when He wants to illustrate His love and mercy, and His gracious nature of being the God who gives what isn't deserved, he'll point to you and me. [E. How did He pull it off?] (vss. 8-9) BTW—these are our memory verses for this series. …this is not your own doing. What's this? Refers to the entire rescue/salvation! [1. The Necessity of Grace: it's why we can be saved] If we were to be rescued or saved, it had to be by grace. We can better understand grace by pointing out what can't coexist with grace. [Robert Farrar Capon: “Grace cannot prevail…until our lifelong certainty that someone is keeping score has runout of steam and collapsed.”] EG: •Fear: When we understand grace, that God forgives completely in X without strings attached, we are no longer worried. It's done, taken care of. It was freely given. •Debt: in terms of a payoff or payback—grace means gift or freely, not “bargain” or “payment plan.” You couldn't pay it back if you tried. It's one thing to respond with such gratitude that you forever are changed by the gift; it's another to try to work off the debt—something that would wound His heart. •Pride (of human accomplishment): How can we be proud of what we didn't do? Christians who boast or think of themselves as better than others either don't understand what they were then, what they are now, or how they got there. Grace. [2. The Importance of Faith: it's how we receive salvation] through faith: Faith isn't something we pat ourselves on the back for having. It's nothing more than a response, entrusting yourself to the truth. It is a means by which we receive and experience salvation. What satisfies your thirst—the drink or the straw through which you sip the drink? Faith is important, but it doesn't earn anything; it receives what God offers. [3. The Place of Works:] (vss. 9-10) [not the basis, but the outcome of salvation] NB we once walked taking our cue from the world (vs. 2), but now we walk looking for and fulfilling the divine opportunities that God before has prepared for us! In fact, workmanship is a word to describe a work of art, craftsmanship, even a masterpiece. One of the evidences of our salvation is our changed life! We do things that serve Him and others not to earn His favor, or try to be saved or stay saved; we live out love and gratitude for all He has done for us in saving us and including us and using us. Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound—that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost…but now am found…was blind…but now, but now, but now…I see. Do you see?

Job 24–28 Job 24–28 (Listen) 24   “Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty,    and why do those who know him never see his days?2   Some move landmarks;    they seize flocks and pasture them.3   They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;    they take the widow's ox for a pledge.4   They thrust the poor off the road;    the poor of the earth all hide themselves.5   Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert    the poor1 go out to their toil, seeking game;    the wasteland yields food for their children.6   They gather their2 fodder in the field,    and they glean the vineyard of the wicked man.7   They lie all night naked, without clothing,    and have no covering in the cold.8   They are wet with the rain of the mountains    and cling to the rock for lack of shelter.9   (There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast,    and they take a pledge against the poor.)10   They go about naked, without clothing;    hungry, they carry the sheaves;11   among the olive rows of the wicked3 they make oil;    they tread the winepresses, but suffer thirst.12   From out of the city the dying4 groan,    and the soul of the wounded cries for help;    yet God charges no one with wrong. 13   “There are those who rebel against the light,    who are not acquainted with its ways,    and do not stay in its paths.14   The murderer rises before it is light,    that he may kill the poor and needy,    and in the night he is like a thief.15   The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight,    saying, ‘No eye will see me';    and he veils his face.16   In the dark they dig through houses;    by day they shut themselves up;    they do not know the light.17   For deep darkness is morning to all of them;    for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness. 18   “You say, ‘Swift are they on the face of the waters;    their portion is cursed in the land;    no treader turns toward their vineyards.19   Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters;    so does Sheol those who have sinned.20   The womb forgets them;    the worm finds them sweet;  they are no longer remembered,    so wickedness is broken like a tree.' 21   “They wrong the barren, childless woman,    and do no good to the widow.22   Yet God5 prolongs the life of the mighty by his power;    they rise up when they despair of life.23   He gives them security, and they are supported,    and his eyes are upon their ways.24   They are exalted a little while, and then are gone;    they are brought low and gathered up like all others;    they are cut off like the heads of grain.25   If it is not so, who will prove me a liar    and show that there is nothing in what I say?” Bildad Speaks: Man Cannot Be Righteous 25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2   “Dominion and fear are with God;6    he makes peace in his high heaven.3   Is there any number to his armies?    Upon whom does his light not arise?4   How then can man be in the right before God?    How can he who is born of woman be pure?5   Behold, even the moon is not bright,    and the stars are not pure in his eyes;6   how much less man, who is a maggot,    and the son of man, who is a worm!” Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable 26 Then Job answered and said: 2   “How you have helped him who has no power!    How you have saved the arm that has no strength!3   How you have counseled him who has no wisdom,    and plentifully declared sound knowledge!4   With whose help have you uttered words,    and whose breath has come out from you?5   The dead tremble    under the waters and their inhabitants.6   Sheol is naked before God,7    and Abaddon has no covering.7   He stretches out the north over the void    and hangs the earth on nothing.8   He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,    and the cloud is not split open under them.9   He covers the face of the full moon8    and spreads over it his cloud.10   He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters    at the boundary between light and darkness.11   The pillars of heaven tremble    and are astounded at his rebuke.12   By his power he stilled the sea;    by his understanding he shattered Rahab.13   By his wind the heavens were made fair;    his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.14   Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways,    and how small a whisper do we hear of him!    But the thunder of his power who can understand?” Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity 27 And Job again took up his discourse, and said: 2   “As God lives, who has taken away my right,    and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,3   as long as my breath is in me,    and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,4   my lips will not speak falsehood,    and my tongue will not utter deceit.5   Far be it from me to say that you are right;    till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.6   I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;    my heart does not reproach me for any of my days. 7   “Let my enemy be as the wicked,    and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.8   For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off,    when God takes away his life?9   Will God hear his cry    when distress comes upon him?10   Will he take delight in the Almighty?    Will he call upon God at all times?11   I will teach you concerning the hand of God;    what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.12   Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;    why then have you become altogether vain? 13   “This is the portion of a wicked man with God,    and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:14   If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword,    and his descendants have not enough bread.15   Those who survive him the pestilence buries,    and his widows do not weep.16   Though he heap up silver like dust,    and pile up clothing like clay,17   he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it,    and the innocent will divide the silver.18   He builds his house like a moth's,    like a booth that a watchman makes.19   He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more;    he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.20   Terrors overtake him like a flood;    in the night a whirlwind carries him off.21   The east wind lifts him up and he is gone;    it sweeps him out of his place.22   It9 hurls at him without pity;    he flees from its10 power in headlong flight.23   It claps its hands at him    and hisses at him from its place. Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom? 28   “Surely there is a mine for silver,    and a place for gold that they refine.2   Iron is taken out of the earth,    and copper is smelted from the ore.3   Man puts an end to darkness    and searches out to the farthest limit    the ore in gloom and deep darkness.4   He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;    they are forgotten by travelers;    they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.5   As for the earth, out of it comes bread,    but underneath it is turned up as by fire.6   Its stones are the place of sapphires,11    and it has dust of gold. 7   “That path no bird of prey knows,    and the falcon's eye has not seen it.8   The proud beasts have not trodden it;    the lion has not passed over it. 9   “Man puts his hand to the flinty rock    and overturns mountains by the roots.10   He cuts out channels in the rocks,    and his eye sees every precious thing.11   He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,    and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light. 12   “But where shall wisdom be found?    And where is the place of understanding?13   Man does not know its worth,    and it is not found in the land of the living.14   The deep says, ‘It is not in me,'    and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.'15   It cannot be bought for gold,    and silver cannot be weighed as its price.16   It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,    in precious onyx or sapphire.17   Gold and glass cannot equal it,    nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.18   No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;    the price of wisdom is above pearls.19   The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,    nor can it be valued in pure gold. 20   “From where, then, does wisdom come?    And where is the place of understanding?21   It is hidden from the eyes of all living    and concealed from the birds of the air.22   Abaddon and Death say,    ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.' 23   “God understands the way to it,    and he knows its place.24   For he looks to the ends of the earth    and sees everything under the heavens.25   When he gave to the wind its weight    and apportioned the waters by measure,26   when he made a decree for the rain    and a way for the lightning of the thunder,27   then he saw it and declared it;    he established it, and searched it out.28   And he said to man,  ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,    and to turn away from evil is understanding.'” Footnotes [1] 24:5 Hebrew they [2] 24:6 Hebrew his [3] 24:11 Hebrew their olive rows [4] 24:12 Or the men [5] 24:22 Hebrew he [6] 25:2 Hebrew him [7] 26:6 Hebrew him [8] 26:9 Or his throne [9] 27:22 Or He (that is, God); also verse 23 [10] 27:22 Or his; also verse 23 [11] 28:6 Or lapis lazuli; also verse 16 (ESV)

“Take the carefree birds as your example. Do you ever see them worry? They neither grow their own food nor put it in a storehouse for later. Yet God takes care of every one of them, feeding each of them out of the abundance of his love and goodness. Isn't your life more precious to God than a bird? Be carefree in the care of God!” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭

One of my favorite parts of our family vacations at the beach was boogieboarding. My sister and I picked out boogieboards with colorful designs at the store, packing them into the car loaded with our luggage. Every summer, we looked forward to bringing those boards with us on our ocean getaways, the promise of another exciting adventure on the horizon..Upon arriving at the beach, however, the tall waves cresting in the distance could be intimidating. Waiting on my board, I watched as the waves curled ever closer. It seemed like every wave was more enormous than the last. What if one rolled right over me, leaving me spluttering, salt burning my eyes? Just how far from the shore should I go—should I inch even further into the ocean, or stay closer to the sand where the waves petered out?.Ultimately, I decided to hang on, keeping my balance, remaining at the ready, then coasting with each of the waves, letting them carry me back to the shore. I discovered that timing was everything. Instead of turning around and giving up, it was exhilarating to catch the perfect wave, cruising straight through. At the end of the day, I was relieved that I hadn't gone back to shore right away, that I'd chosen to wait and ride the waves..Sometimes, life can feel a lot like boogieboarding. But we're not alone—if we've put our trust in Jesus, we can know that God is always with us, no matter how big the waves might get. As we follow Jesus, trusting in God's perfect timing, He will carry us through, helping us move past fear. As we take each wave at a time, we come to see that even the tall waves that may intimidate us are just small ripples to God. Looking back at what once scared us, we realize there was no need to have feared. God doesn't let go of us, leaving us stranded in the middle of the sea. He walks across to us, meeting us where we are, bringing us to where we are meant to be. • Kathryn Sadakierski.• Can you think of a time God helped you in the midst of a scary situation? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this..• Often, our lives can feel confusing, and we don't know what to do. Yet God is with us through everything we face, and He won't abandon us to figure things out on our own. He invites us to come to Him with all the questions, frustrations, and fears that weigh on us (Matthew 11:28-30). In addition to talking to God, who are trusted Christians in your life you can talk to?.Mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty. Psalm 93:4 (NIV)

The World Is Whirling In Many Storms Right Now! It's Crazy Out There, And Dark! And yet, we all have those things that we are personally raging war against as well. Maybe You're In A Storm Right Now. Maybe it's a storm named divorce. Maybe it's a storm called money, or loss of a career. Maybe it's friendship. Maybe loneliness. Maybe grief or addictions. Kids, in-laws, friends. Maybe it's a storm called cancer.   Sometimes We Wonder Where Is God In The Midst Of Our Struggles. Why is God allowing this to happen? We usually don't understand, (even if we're the culprit, it still doesn't seem fair or right.) Yet God is there. His name “Immanuel” means, God WITH us. In Matthew: 1:23 it says, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us.” That's our theme. It's really believing and trusting that God is with us. With that in mind, I want to look at a passage from Acts 27.   As Paul Was Being Transported To Rome, The Focus Was On A Storm On The Ship Paul Was On.   There was this massive storm at sea. The storm went on and on and on. The crew was so terrified that they threw cargo overboard, believing they were about to die. In Acts 27:20, Luke tells us; “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.”   When We Read, No Small Tempest Lay On Us; Luke Is Telling Us This Was A Massive, Raging Storm! It wasn't just a rainstorm, the wind was blowing, the skies were dark day and night; they couldn't even see the sky. The storm was raging, and I wonder how many of us would use that phrase for what we've been going through? The storm - won't - stop.   Do you see the end of that verse? It said, “All hope of being saved was abandoned”. They gave up all hope of being saved! That's terrible!   Have You Been There? Have You Given Up All Hope? It's the finances that are killing you and you see no hope. Maybe there's a wedge between you and your spouse and you can't see any hope. Maybe it was the diagnosis. Maybe you can't see yourself with a mate. Maybe it's a job, it's the kids, it's getting older and more dependent. Whatever it is . . . and just like those sailors, you've given up all hope!   The storm continues to rage and in verse 21 we read, “Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss.”   I love Paul! But right here, I don't think I would want to hear what he said! Kind of an “I told you so!” “You should have taken my advice. You wouldn't have lost all of this property. If you had just listened to my advice, you wouldn't be in the middle of this storm.   Why Were They In The Storm? They were in the storm because it was their fault. They made a decision to go out when it's not the best time to sail. It was risky from the start. Spiritual warfare is real and sometimes, yes, it is Satan. But this situation was on them; they couldn't blame Satan as much as they may have wanted to.   We Don't Like To Admit It, But Sometimes It's Our Own Fault. Sometimes you over-indulged and you spent too much money, or you said something you shouldn't have said and now you're in the middle of the storm. You procrastinated and now you're paying for it. You said yes, when you knew you should have said no! You dated someone everyone said not to date, and now there's lots of hurt and you're in the middle of the storm and you can't blame anyone else.   Maybe That's Why They Gave Up Hope - - - They Knew It Was Their Fault. I think we may find it easier to believe God can get us out of a storm He called us to, than it is for God to get me out of a storm we created. Does that make sense?   Maybe It's The Captain's Fault. You're just a sailor and you didn't have a say in it. You heard Paul, but you believed the captain and now through no fault of your own, you're in the middle of the storm.   Have You Have Ever Been In The Middle Of A Storm And It Wasn't Your Fault? Your parents divorced and you thought it was about you. The company made poor business decisions, which impacted you. Someone gave you their word and you believed them. Whatever it was, you were the victim. You're in the middle of the storm and you're giving up hope! Now, Paul says in verse 22 - - “Yet now I urge you to take heart,  for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.”   Literally, Paul is calling them to have a positive spirit, to have good courage. He is reassuring them there will be no loss of life.   How Many Of Us Need To Hear That? Be Of Good Courage. That's a theme throughout the Bible. Remember what God told Joshua in chapter 1 verse 9; “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”   Be of good courage! Be courageous. Don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged. Don't be defeated. Don't give up hope! WHY?   Because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go! That's news we need to hold onto! It's great news when we're giving up hope!!   Then in verse 23 Paul said - - - “For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship.”   Talk About A Powerful Statement From Paul! You're in the boat in a raging storm and an angel stands beside you! I wonder what some were thinking.   I Truly Believe There Are Angels All Around Us. There are angels where you are right now ministering to you. I really do believe that. I believe the spiritual world, when we get there some day, is going to totally blow us away with what's going on.   Imagine That You're In The Middle Of A Storm And The Presence Of God Is With You In This Moment. You have no idea all the different ways God is with you. He could be with you as an angel. His Spirit is with you. Jesus is with you! God is not bound by time; He's with you yesterday, today and forever. He is listening to your prayers. He's interceding on your behalf to the Father!   We Have No Idea How God Is With Us At All Times, Even In The Storms. It's what Paul told Timothy - - - “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me, But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.” - 2 Timothy 4   Isn't that great? The Lord stood by me and strengthened me. The Lord didn't leave me; the Lord didn't fail me nor forsake me. He's with me, at my side, and He is with you at your side, and He's giving you strength.   NEVER LET THE PRESENCE OF A STORM CAUSE YOU TO DOUBT THE PRESENCE OF GOD.   Following Jesus doesn't mean bad days won't happen. That's bad theology to think that it does. Jesus said that in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”   You will have trouble, but Jesus promises us He will be with us and on top of that, He has overcome the world. That means Jesus is the victor! We have our victory in Jesus.   We Can't Control What People Do To Us. But, we can control what we believe and where we put our faith, put our trust.  My faith is in the One who created the wind and the waves. I have faith in God that what He says will come to pass. What He says will happen - - - will happen.   Who Is God? In Psalm 46:1-3, the psalmist tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (That means right now!) Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.”   Don't You Love That? In the midst of our storms, God is our hiding place. He is our refuge and our strength. He is always ready, willing and able to help us in times of trouble.   Why? Because He is with us.   Who is He? He is Immanuel. He is God with us. Because He is with us, we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken, (it's sure shaking right now!) and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, even though the seas roar and rage, and the mountains tremble. If we lose our job, if the relationship falls apart, if the economy gets shaky, I still will not be afraid. Why? Because He is with me. Because He will never leave us. Because He will never forsake us. Because He is what we need. Because He is our safety. He is our strength. He is our comforter. He is our redeemer. He is our righteousness. He is our friend. Because He is a rock. He is the living bread, the bread of life. He is the living water that satisfies our souls. He is the gate through which we can enter. He is the good shepherd. He is our comforter and peace.   PEACE IS NOT FOUND IN THE ABSENCE OF A STORM. PEACE IS FOUND IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS, AND HE IS WITH US.   That's why you never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God. True peace is not found in the absence of trials and storms. That's a part of life.   True peace is found in the Presence of Immanuel. God WITH us.   Let's pray, Heavenly Father, we see the world in turmoil, we see the storms on the horizon. Wherever we turn, it seems as if darkness is attempting to encroach and suffocate the goodness in the earth. But Lord, you have people filled with your Spirit, you have your own set apart and called and planned for this very storm and time. Lord, those that are listening to me, many of them like myself are asking questions like, “what more can I do”? It seems as a governmental policies are thrown aside and treachery wins the day. It seems as if there are family members who refuse to speak to one another because of either different political views, or they've been forced into doing things that they didn't want to do and they said “no”. Father we know all these things are being heard from you in our prayers and we ask that you help us to be like Paul, that we wait upon the strengthening of your angels that come around us.  You yourself were sent a strengthening angel in the garden of Gethsemane that ministered to you so that you could fulfill the ultimate call upon your life, to spare us from damnation and a place of great darkness for eternity. Teach us your way oh God! Teach us to trust you with all of our heart.   Those places that have become weak or frightened, or perhaps presumptuous, Father, we want to be on an equal plain of humility before your throne, that you can call upon us, call us up at any time, that we might stand and face the storm in the courage of knowing that every place in which our foot has tread, you have given it to us. We will be strong and courageous, and we will not be afraid. We thank you Jesus so much for being there, we thank you, Father for the presence of your Holy Spirit. We can lift our hands and close our eyes and lift our hands and begin to call upon your name, and peace falls on us, and that thick Presence, knowing that you are in the midst of us. The world does not have that! The wicked never taste that kind of full belonging and peace, and we thank you for it. Father I ask those that are listening today, if there's anyone who's afraid, if there's anyone going through a really hard thing, Father I ask that your Presence would reassure them, that your grace your mercy would overshadow them right now and carry them to the place they need to be whatever it would be Father, relationships, finances, harm in family situations, physical abuse, perhaps a difficult medical diagnoses. I would ask that you would show them, let them know beyond any doubt there you are there and that you are not leaving them, that you will get them though the storm.  Thank you Father for hearing my prayer in Jesus' loving, mighty and glorious name.   I Hope You Enjoyed Today's Podcast!  I enjoyed sharing it with you. My next podcasts are going to be in regard  to some things that I've been sitting on, now maybe two or, two and a half years. Sometimes you must wait until you have a peace and full release to share specific supernatural things you have experienced and that you have proof of.   One thing I will be sharing is in regard to the State of Colorado. Things that are now beginning to take place and I believe the word is to address this, but I believe it also is a national word. I have several things that the Lord has given me to share now as we are presently in a different time. I encourage you to listen and then pray about it and pray for your nation. We are in a difficult time. This is nothing but repeat of history over and over again, but I do know that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord himself will raise a standare up against him. I say goodbye to you for now and thank you for listening! Rest Child, Rest in my Peace, Rest in my Peace, Child. Rest.   Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed, as long as the complete message, Website, podcast link and information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You! 2023 "THE MESSENGER"  - Mary Lindow www.marylindow.com www.marylindow.podbean.com   If you would be so kind and assist Mary helping her to meet other administrative needs such as website and podcast costs, or desire to bless her service in ministry with Spirit-led Love gifts or regular support:   Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of:  ► Personal Checks ► Business Checks ► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks To:    His Beloved Ministries Inc.  PO Box 1253 Denver, Colorado 80614
 USA    Or feel free to use our send a tax-deductible gift with   Pay Pal:   https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/mlindow Under the name of - His Beloved Ministries Inc.    ALL gifts are tax-deductible under His Beloved Ministries 5013c non-profit status. We are financially accountable and have been in full compliance since 1985 with Clergy Financial Advantage. THANK YOU!

On a run in the forest, I tried to find a shortcut and went down an unfamiliar path. Wondering if I was lost, I asked a runner coming the other way if I was on the right track. “Yup,” he replied confidently. Seeing my doubtful look, he quickly added: “Don’t worry, I’ve tried all the wrong routes! But that’s okay, it’s all part of the run.” What an apt description of my spiritual journey! How many times have I strayed from God, given in to temptation, and been distracted by the things of life? Yet God has forgiven me each time and helped me to move on—knowing I will certainly stumble again. God knows our tendency to go down the wrong path. But He’s always ready to forgive, again and again, if we confess our sins and allow His Spirit to transform us. Paul too knew this was all part of the faith journey. Fully aware of his sinful past and current weaknesses, he knew he had yet to obtain the Christlike perfection he desired (Philippians 3:12). “But one thing I do,” he added, “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on.” (vv. 13–14). Stumbling is part of our walk with God: it is through our mistakes that He refines us. His grace enables us to press on, as forgiven children.

Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) Solemnity; Liturgical Color: WhiteTrue power pardonsIn the Nicene Creed, we say that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. When a judge walks into a courtroom, the bailiff announces, “All rise,” and the judge sits in judgment. In his see city, a bishop rests in his cathedra, and in his palace, a king reigns from his throne. A president signs legislation while seated at his desk. The chair is a locus of power. The power that emanates from such seats of authority judges, condemns, and sentences. Today's feast reminds us, though, that authority also exercises power by granting mercy. When a judge pronounces innocence, the sentence is no less binding than one of guilt. The absolved exits the court into a new day, ready to begin again. And when the priest's voice whispers through the screen, “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” guilt evaporates into thin air. The purest and truest expression of power is the granting of mercy.Mercy is a superabundance of justice, not an exception to it. When faced with a wound to the common good, those responsible for repairing the damage do not have two contrary options: justice or mercy. Justice and mercy are not mutually exclusive. Mercy is a form of justice. Mercy does not ignore the tears to the fabric of the common good slashed by crime and sin. Rightful authority notes the torn fabric, weighs the personal responsibility of the accused, and distributes justice precisely by granting mercy. Mercy does not turn a blind eye to justice but fulfills its obligations to justice by going beyond them. After all, one cannot be absolved of having done nothing. Similarly, where there is no guilt there is no need of mercy. When justice calls out, two words echo back off the hard walls: “condemnation” and “mercy.” Mercy runs parallel to, and beyond, the path of condemnation. This is the mercy we celebrate today, the mercy whose greatest practitioner is God Himself. Because He is the seat of all authority, God is also the seat of all mercy.God plays many roles in the life of the Christian—Creator, Savior, Sanctifier, and Judge. Our Creed teaches us that God the Son, seated at the Father's right hand, “will come in glory to judge the living and the dead,” both at the particular and at the final judgment. At that moment, it will serve us nothing to state, in excusing our sins, that “God understands.” Of course God understands. To state “God understands” is just another way to say that God is omniscient and all powerful. “God understands” implies that because God knows the powerful temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, that He could not possibly judge man harshly. Yet “God understands” is a lazy manner of exculpating sinful behavior. When nose to nose with God one second after death, the repentant Christian should plead, instead, “Lord, have mercy.” Faced with the scandalous behavior of a friend or relative, the response should again be “Lord, have mercy.” Appealing to God's mercy will melt His heart. Appealing to His knowledge will not.The private revelations of Jesus Christ to Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun and intense mystic who died in 1938, are the source of the profound spirituality of today's feast. Sister Faustina was a kind of Saint Catherine of Siena of the twentieth century. She lived a regimen of fasting, meditation, liturgical prayer, and close community life that would have crushed a less resilient soul. But Faustina persevered, amidst debilitating illnesses, sisterly jealousy, and respectful but questioning superiors. Her diaries are replete with the starkest of language from the mouth of Christ, showing that moral clarity precedes the call for mercy. Sister Faustina faithfully recorded Christ's manly commands in her diary. One of these commands expressly desired that the Divine Mercy be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. In an age-old pattern familiar to an ancient Church, Saint Faustina's private revelations were challenged, filtered for theological truth, sifted for spiritual depth, and granted universal approbation by the only Christian religion which even claims to grant such. In the soundest proof of their authenticity, the profound simplicity of the Divine Mercy revelations and of their related devotions were intuitively grasped and adopted by the Catholic faithful the world over.Pope Saint John Paul II first inserted today's feast into the Roman calendar on April 30, 2000, the canonization day of Saint Faustina. John Paul II was also canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2014. And so the Church's third millennium was launched with a new devotion that quickly eclipsed many older ones, a new piety rooted in the most ancient truths, a fresh appeal to a side of God that had not been fully understood in prior ages. Divine Mercy is the new face of God for the third millennium, a postmodern Sacred Heart. This is the God who leans in and waits with bated breath for us to whisper through the screen, “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.” This is the God who at the end of time, whether our own time or all time, waits to hear from our lips those few prized words “Lord, have mercy.” Having heard that, He need not hear anything more. And having received that, we need not receive anything more.Divine Mercy, do not hold our sins against us. Be a merciful Father who judges us in the fullness of Your power, punishing when needed, but granting mercy when we need it more, most especially when we are too saturated with pride to request it.

Easter | April 9, 2023Luke 24:1-7 (NLT) But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”√  PAST MISTAKES√  THE PRESSURE OF LIFE√  DISAPPOINTMENTI Peter 1:18-19 (NLT) For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.WHERE IT ALL STARTEDI. THE CROSS REMINDS US THAT WE ARE FORGIVEN.Isaiah 53:6 (TLB) We—every one of us—have strayed away like sheep! We left God's path to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us!II. THE EMPTY TOMB REMINDS US THAT DEATH IS DEFEATED.Revelation 21:4-5 (TLB) He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever. And the one sitting on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new!”III. THE RESURRECTION REMINDS US THAT WE HAVE NEW LIFE.Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.I Peter 1:3 (MSG) What a God we have! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole.—---Subscribe to receive our latest messages.——Stay Connected, ask for prayer and find out more.http://www.baychapel.com/connect——Bay Chapel exists to help people ‘Find God and Find Life' through a relationship with Jesus Christ. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: http://www.baychapel.com/give

Holy Week First Psalm: Psalm 55 Psalm 55 (Listen) Cast Your Burden on the Lord To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil1 of David. 55   Give ear to my prayer, O God,    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!2   Attend to me, and answer me;    I am restless in my complaint and I moan,3   because of the noise of the enemy,    because of the oppression of the wicked.  For they drop trouble upon me,    and in anger they bear a grudge against me. 4   My heart is in anguish within me;    the terrors of death have fallen upon me.5   Fear and trembling come upon me,    and horror overwhelms me.6   And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!    I would fly away and be at rest;7   yes, I would wander far away;    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah8   I would hurry to find a shelter    from the raging wind and tempest.” 9   Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;    for I see violence and strife in the city.10   Day and night they go around it    on its walls,  and iniquity and trouble are within it;11     ruin is in its midst;  oppression and fraud    do not depart from its marketplace. 12   For it is not an enemy who taunts me—    then I could bear it;  it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—    then I could hide from him.13   But it is you, a man, my equal,    my companion, my familiar friend.14   We used to take sweet counsel together;    within God's house we walked in the throng.15   Let death steal over them;    let them go down to Sheol alive;    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. 16   But I call to God,    and the LORD will save me.17   Evening and morning and at noon    I utter my complaint and moan,    and he hears my voice.18   He redeems my soul in safety    from the battle that I wage,    for many are arrayed against me.19   God will give ear and humble them,    he who is enthroned from of old, Selah  because they do not change    and do not fear God. 20   My companion2 stretched out his hand against his friends;    he violated his covenant.21   His speech was smooth as butter,    yet war was in his heart;  his words were softer than oil,    yet they were drawn swords. 22   Cast your burden on the LORD,    and he will sustain you;  he will never permit    the righteous to be moved. 23   But you, O God, will cast them down    into the pit of destruction;  men of blood and treachery    shall not live out half their days.  But I will trust in you. Footnotes [1] 55:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 55:20 Hebrew He (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 74 Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) Old Testament: Jeremiah 17:5–10; Jeremiah 17:14–17 Jeremiah 17:5–10 (Listen) 5   Thus says the LORD:  “Cursed is the man who trusts in man    and makes flesh his strength,1    whose heart turns away from the LORD.6   He is like a shrub in the desert,    and shall not see any good come.  He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,    in an uninhabited salt land. 7   “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,    whose trust is the LORD.8   He is like a tree planted by water,    that sends out its roots by the stream,  and does not fear when heat comes,    for its leaves remain green,  and is not anxious in the year of drought,    for it does not cease to bear fruit.” 9   The heart is deceitful above all things,    and desperately sick;    who can understand it?10   “I the LORD search the heart    and test the mind,2  to give every man according to his ways,    according to the fruit of his deeds.” Footnotes [1] 17:5 Hebrew arm [2] 17:10 Hebrew kidneys (ESV) Jeremiah 17:14–17 (Listen) Jeremiah Prays for Deliverance 14   Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed;    save me, and I shall be saved,    for you are my praise.15   Behold, they say to me,    “Where is the word of the LORD?    Let it come!”16   I have not run away from being your shepherd,    nor have I desired the day of sickness.  You know what came out of my lips;    it was before your face.17   Be not a terror to me;    you are my refuge in the day of disaster. (ESV) New Testament: Philippians 4:1–13 Philippians 4:1–13 (Listen) 4 Therefore, my brothers,1 whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer 2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion,2 help these women, who have labored3 side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness4 be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned5 and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. God's Provision 10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Footnotes [1] 4:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 8, 21 [2] 4:3 Or loyal Syzygus; Greek true yokefellow [3] 4:3 Or strived (see 1:27) [4] 4:5 Or gentleness [5] 4:9 Or these things— 9which things you have also learned (ESV) Gospel: John 12:27–36 John 12:27–36 (Listen) The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” The Unbelief of the People When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. (ESV)

Hello and welcome to the Faith First Podcast. Our family, my family has Gouthier traits. There are things that my grandparents, parents, uncles, and cousins do that are very common. That's just who we are. Yet God calls us to be unique in His Son Jesus. Just because our relatives throughout the generations have done something, said something, or have been something doesn't mean we also live that life. God calls us higher, to greater things. I am sitting down with our Lead Pastor Steve Darr to talk about how God longs to change us. Welcome, Steve.In this episode, you'll discover:Why we are so unwilling to changeThe definition of an idolWhy change is difficultDefining the term “Sanctification”• How to let go and allow God to do the work of change in youThe cool thing is that we don't have to settle on being the same and loving in a rut of sin and problems. We can release it all to God and our lives can be changed.If you've been listening for a while to the Faith First Podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Head on over to our website at www.firstcong.org and connect with us there. Until next time, begin today and live a brand new life faith first.

Old Testament: Numbers 23–24 Numbers 23–24 (Listen) Balaam's First Oracle 23 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height, 4 and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,   “From Aram Balak has brought me,    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:  ‘Come, curse Jacob for me,    and come, denounce Israel!'8   How can I curse whom God has not cursed?    How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?9   For from the top of the crags I see him,    from the hills I behold him;  behold, a people dwelling alone,    and not counting itself among the nations!10   Who can count the dust of Jacob    or number the fourth part1 of Israel?  Let me die the death of the upright,    and let my end be like his!” 11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?” Balaam's Second Oracle 13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” 14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD over there.” 16 And the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?” 18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,   “Rise, Balak, and hear;    give ear to me, O son of Zippor:19   God is not man, that he should lie,    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.  Has he said, and will he not do it?    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?20   Behold, I received a command to bless:    he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.21   He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,    nor has he seen trouble in Israel.  The LORD their God is with them,    and the shout of a king is among them.22   God brings them out of Egypt    and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.23   For there is no enchantment against Jacob,    no divination against Israel;  now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,    ‘What has God wrought!'24   Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up    and as a lion it lifts itself;  it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey    and drunk the blood of the slain.” 25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do'?” 27 And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert.2 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balaam's Third Oracle 24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse and said,   “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,34   the oracle of him who hears the words of God,    who sees the vision of the Almighty,    falling down with his eyes uncovered:5   How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,    your encampments, O Israel!6   Like palm groves4 that stretch afar,    like gardens beside a river,  like aloes that the LORD has planted,    like cedar trees beside the waters.7   Water shall flow from his buckets,    and his seed shall be in many waters;  his king shall be higher than Agag,    and his kingdom shall be exalted.8   God brings him out of Egypt    and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;  he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,    and shall break their bones in pieces    and pierce them through with his arrows.9   He crouched, he lay down like a lion    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?  Blessed are those who bless you,    and cursed are those who curse you.” 10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,' but the LORD has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak'? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” Balaam's Final Oracle 15 And he took up his discourse and said,   “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,16   the oracle of him who hears the words of God,    and knows the knowledge of the Most High,  who sees the vision of the Almighty,    falling down with his eyes uncovered:17   I see him, but not now;    I behold him, but not near:  a star shall come out of Jacob,    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;  it shall crush the forehead5 of Moab    and break down all the sons of Sheth.18   Edom shall be dispossessed;    Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.    Israel is doing valiantly.19   And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion    and destroy the survivors of cities!” 20 Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said,   “Amalek was the first among the nations,    but its end is utter destruction.” 21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,   “Enduring is your dwelling place,    and your nest is set in the rock.22   Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned    when Asshur takes you away captive.” 23 And he took up his discourse and said,   “Alas, who shall live when God does this?24     But ships shall come from Kittim  and shall afflict Asshur and Eber;    and he too shall come to utter destruction.” 25 Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way. Footnotes [1] 23:10 Or dust clouds [2] 23:28 Or Jeshimon [3] 24:3 Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15 [4] 24:6 Or valleys [5] 24:17 Hebrew corners [of the head] (ESV) New Testament: Luke 12:13–48 Luke 12:13–48 (Listen) The Parable of the Rich Fool 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”' 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Do Not Be Anxious 22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?1 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,2 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his3 kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. You Must Be Ready 35 “Stay dressed for action4 and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants5 whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he6 would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant7 whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. Footnotes [1] 12:25 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [2] 12:27 Some manuscripts Consider the lilies; they neither spin nor weave [3] 12:31 Some manuscripts God's [4] 12:35 Greek Let your loins stay girded; compare Exodus 12:11 [5] 12:37 Or bondservants [6] 12:39 Some manuscripts add would have stayed awake and [7] 12:43 Or bondservant; also verses 45, 46, 47 (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 74 Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) Proverb: Proverbs 12:15–17 Proverbs 12:15–17 (Listen) 15   The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,    but a wise man listens to advice.16   The vexation of a fool is known at once,

Old Testament: Numbers 23–24 Numbers 23–24 (Listen) Balaam's First Oracle 23 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height, 4 and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,   “From Aram Balak has brought me,    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:  ‘Come, curse Jacob for me,    and come, denounce Israel!'8   How can I curse whom God has not cursed?    How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?9   For from the top of the crags I see him,    from the hills I behold him;  behold, a people dwelling alone,    and not counting itself among the nations!10   Who can count the dust of Jacob    or number the fourth part1 of Israel?  Let me die the death of the upright,    and let my end be like his!” 11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?” Balaam's Second Oracle 13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” 14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD over there.” 16 And the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?” 18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,   “Rise, Balak, and hear;    give ear to me, O son of Zippor:19   God is not man, that he should lie,    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.  Has he said, and will he not do it?    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?20   Behold, I received a command to bless:    he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.21   He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,    nor has he seen trouble in Israel.  The LORD their God is with them,    and the shout of a king is among them.22   God brings them out of Egypt    and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.23   For there is no enchantment against Jacob,    no divination against Israel;  now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,    ‘What has God wrought!'24   Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up    and as a lion it lifts itself;  it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey    and drunk the blood of the slain.” 25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do'?” 27 And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert.2 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balaam's Third Oracle 24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse and said,   “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,34   the oracle of him who hears the words of God,    who sees the vision of the Almighty,    falling down with his eyes uncovered:5   How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,    your encampments, O Israel!6   Like palm groves4 that stretch afar,    like gardens beside a river,  like aloes that the LORD has planted,    like cedar trees beside the waters.7   Water shall flow from his buckets,    and his seed shall be in many waters;  his king shall be higher than Agag,    and his kingdom shall be exalted.8   God brings him out of Egypt    and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;  he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,    and shall break their bones in pieces    and pierce them through with his arrows.9   He crouched, he lay down like a lion    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?  Blessed are those who bless you,    and cursed are those who curse you.” 10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,' but the LORD has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak'? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” Balaam's Final Oracle 15 And he took up his discourse and said,   “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,16   the oracle of him who hears the words of God,    and knows the knowledge of the Most High,  who sees the vision of the Almighty,    falling down with his eyes uncovered:17   I see him, but not now;    I behold him, but not near:  a star shall come out of Jacob,    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;  it shall crush the forehead5 of Moab    and break down all the sons of Sheth.18   Edom shall be dispossessed;    Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.    Israel is doing valiantly.19   And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion    and destroy the survivors of cities!” 20 Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said,   “Amalek was the first among the nations,    but its end is utter destruction.” 21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,   “Enduring is your dwelling place,    and your nest is set in the rock.22   Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned    when Asshur takes you away captive.” 23 And he took up his discourse and said,   “Alas, who shall live when God does this?24     But ships shall come from Kittim  and shall afflict Asshur and Eber;    and he too shall come to utter destruction.” 25 Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way. Footnotes [1] 23:10 Or dust clouds [2] 23:28 Or Jeshimon [3] 24:3 Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15 [4] 24:6 Or valleys [5] 24:17 Hebrew corners [of the head] (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 74 Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) New Testament: John 16 John 16 (Listen) 16 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. The Work of the Holy Spirit “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy 16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, ‘because I am going to the Father'?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. I Have Overcome the World 25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.1 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Footnotes [1] 16:27 Some manuscripts from the Father (ESV)

What comes to mind when you hear the word “submission”? For most of us, our initial reaction is typically negative. Yet God's word reveres submission and service in His Kingdom.Rev. Cindy Cabral of The Lively Stones Christian Center addresses the beliefs and actions that have twisted the discipline of submission and service. She takes us back to God's true intentions for their impact in our lives, an impact that leaves us healthier, and (surprisingly) more liberated.To learn more about Lively Stones Center, click here!

We are prone to forget—sometimes small things, often major things... major things like when God has been faithful. Has it ever felt impossible to believe the goodness and faithfulness of God, especially when you stood in the face of difficulty or hopelessness? You might be there right now. Things might not be going well... Yet God is still in control, He is still faithful and good, and He is near. We are not short on experiencing God's kept promises, but we can allow it to fall in the shadows of the valleys if we don't simply take time to remember. How might life look different, in all it may hold, if we just remembered? Support the show

We aren't ___________________ people; we are all guilty of sin. [Romans 3:23] For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. None of us can ___________________ up to God's standard. [Romans 6:23a] For the wages of sin is death... Spiritual ___________________ is us being separated from God. [1 John 1:8] If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. Jesus didn't talk about sin to ___________________ people but to ___________________ them. [Matthew 5:20-22, 27-28] "But I warn you--unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! [21] "You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' [22] But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. ... [27] "You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' [28] But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Jesus came to ___________________ the sinners. God loves ___________________ up people. [Romans 3:23-24] For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. [24] Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Only God can ___________________ our sin. [1 John 1:9] But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

You would like to think that by the time we get to the end of his story, Jonah has changed. That after all he'd been through, he was a better person, a better servant of God than he was at the start of the story. Sadly, by the time we get to chapter 4 of Jonah, we find that he is pretty much the same person he was in chapter 1: arrogant, opinionated, self-centered, and unsympathetic.  Jonah finally obeys God and goes to Nineveh, warning them of impending judgment. His message is blunt and offers no mention of God's mercy or how to find His forgiveness.  Why? Because Jonah doesn't really WANT the Ninevites to repent! He wanted them to pay for their wickedness.  But God's Spirit breaks through anyway! And the people break down in sorrow. So widespread is the repentance that we're told it reaches from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich – including the king himself! And God relents.  The Ninevites are happy.  God is happy.  But one person isn't happy.  Who is that?  The preacher, Jonah! What's Jonah peeved about? That God would show mercy and withhold judgment from others.             Do you smell a hint of hypocrisy here?  “I'm so grateful for my forgiveness, but I'm not about to offer that person forgiveness!” Jonah goes outside the city, sits down, and waits. For what? He's hoping their repentance will be short-lived and God's judgment will still come… and he wants a front-row seat! Instead, God gives him an object lesson. A vine grows up to give him shade from the sun and Jonah is happy. But then God appoints a worm to destroy the plant, and a scorching wind to blister the prophet. And Jonah gets angry. God's response? He asks a question: You cared about a plant that grew up overnight and was gone the next day. Should I not care about the Ninevites – people I created and love? Thus we come to the conclusion of the book of Jonah. A strange way to end, isn't it? Yet God's question still rings today.  Who are the Ninevites in your world? People who have hurt you and the ones you love. People deserving of judgment every bit as much as the Ninevites.  Yet God loves them…every bit as much as He loves you.  Will you leave the judgment to God and forgive as you have been forgiven?    Text: Jonah 4 Originally recorded on May 22, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 74 Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Exodus 20:1–17 Exodus 20:1–17 (Listen) The Ten Commandments 20 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before1 me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands2 of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder.3 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” Footnotes [1] 20:3 Or besides [2] 20:6 Or to the thousandth generation [3] 20:13 The Hebrew word also covers causing human death through carelessness or negligence (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Ezra 10 Ezra 10 (Listen) The People Confess Their Sin 10 While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. 2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord1 and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. 4 Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” 5 Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath. 6 Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night,2 neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. 7 And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem, 8 and that if anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles. 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. 11 Now then make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” 12 Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. 14 Let our officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us.” 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them. 16 Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men,3 heads of fathers' houses, according to their fathers' houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter; 17 and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women. Those Guilty of Intermarriage 18 Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers. 19 They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.4 20 Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23 Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. 25 And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah,5 and Benaiah. 26 Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27 Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons of Bebai were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 Of the sons of Bani were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. 30 Of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu. 38 Of the sons of Binnui:6 Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. 44 All these had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne children.7 Footnotes [1] 10:3 Or of the Lord [2] 10:6 Probable reading; Hebrew where he went [3] 10:16 Syriac; Hebrew And there were selected Ezra . . . [4] 10:19 Or as their reparation [5] 10:25 Septuagint; Hebrew Malchijah [6] 10:38 Septuagint; Hebrew Bani, Binnui [7] 10:44 Or and they put them away with their children (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Romans 9:30–10:21 Romans 9:30–10:21 (Listen) Israel's Unbelief 30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness1 did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,   “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;    and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 10 Brothers,2 my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.3 The Message of Salvation to All 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?4 And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for   “Their voice has gone out to all the earth,    and their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,   “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;    with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” 20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,   “I have been found by those who did not seek me;    I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” Footnotes [1] 9:31 Greek a law of righteousness [2] 10:1 Or Brothers and sisters [3] 10:4 Or end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified [4] 10:14 Or him whom they have never heard (ESV)

Gideon is thought of as a great hero, but when you dig into this passage, you realize he wrestled with doubts and wrong thinking. Yet God used him, which is an inspiration for our own vacillations of faith.

God's Timing, Not Ours2 Peter 3:8-9 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”When I read this verse I think about how God's timing can be so frustrating for us sometimes.  I was praying with a friend of mine last night because she is so tired of working at her job.  It is not great for her mental or physical health, they are not supportive of her, and the kids she teaches are not well behaved at all.  She has been praying to the Lord for a long time now and she is not seeing results.  She is tired and frustrated and feels like God is telling her to take a leap of faith, but doesn't seem to be directing her how to do that.  God's timing is not like our timing.  For us, we each have the same 24 hours in a day.  Whether we use that to our advantage or not.  Whether we are healthy or we are sick.  Whether we are young or we are old.  We all have 24 hours in a day, it is constant, it never changes.  However, it is not the same for God.  This verse is telling us that one day for God could be like a thousand years and a thousand years could be like a day.  It is impossible for us to understand how time works for God.  He seems to know every move we will make and yet he is also very present in each moment.  He is in our future, our present and our past.  They are all happening at the same time for Him, which of course makes no sense to us.  How can the past and the future be happening at the same time?  There are so many things about God that are a mystery.  This is one of them.The next line says the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness.  God is not just stalling.  He is not promising you something and then forgetting about it or delaying it because he doesn't care.  On the contrary He cares so much that He is aligning his promise up for you at the perfect time.  Sometimes we want things to happen now, but God knows if it did happen now, it wouldn't work.  You wouldn't appreciate it, or you would waste it, or something else along these lines.  However, if God gives it to you in a year, after you have experienced all these other things, you will be able to appreciate it more.  I know we want God to fulfill his promises now.  I know we want him to give us what we ask for now.  We don't want to wait, we want it now.  I get it.  I have been in plenty of situations where I have been asking God for something and it takes far longer than I wanted it to.  I felt like I was losing strength and a parent can't lose strength when their kids are acting up.  You need to be on point, you need to be at the top of your game.  Yet God says, He is there in our weakness.  His power is made perfect in our weakness.  Sometimes we need to get to that point so we can realize we need God.  Sometimes we need to get to the point where we have tried everything on our own and nothing has worked.  Sometimes we need to hit rock bottom so that God can come in and pick us up off the floor.  However, if we have a choice, we keep trying to do everything on our own.  Often we are not even giving God a chance to work, we are too busy doing it ourselves, so He sits back and He waits.  Then we wonder why He is not answering our prayers.  The last line in this verse says, “ Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Thank you Lord for being patient with me!  Thank you for not wanting me to perish!  When I read this verse I think about the many times I have heard people say, “Jesus needs to hurry up and come.”  People are thinking the world is so terrible that we are ready for the end times.  We are ready for Jesus to come for His final judgement and end this world.  We wonder what God is waiting for as we feel the world is bad enough.  We feel it can't really get much worse than it is, so what is God waiting for?  This verse answers that question for us.  God does not want anyone to perish.  He wants everyone to come to repentance.  Yes, this world is crazy, and falling apart and so very broken.  And yet if Jesus came today for the final judgement, how many of us would be going to heaven?  How many of our loved ones would be going?  We think we are ready for Jesus to come, but are we really?  We just want the awfulness of this world to end, but we aren't necessarily ready for His judgement.  And maybe some of us are ready.  If you are listening to this podcast you love Jesus.  If you are listening to a podcast about how to walk boldly with Jesus then you probably are doing your best to live your life according to God's will and law.  That is awesome, you are probably ready to join Jesus in His kingdom in Heaven.  What about your family members though?  Are they ready?  I understand this world is hard and it seems to be getting worse and worse each day.  I don't know that this country has ever been more divided.  There is so much racism and sexism.  People are just rude and are not at all sorry about it.  There is so much hate these days and it seems to drown out the love.  So, naturally we want Jesus to come and save us.  However, He already saved us.  He did his job, now it is time to do ours.  Romans 5:20-21 says, "The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,  so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Yes there is so much evil in the world right now, and that means there is so much grace as well.  God is showering us with grace each and every day and we need to use this grace to spread his love to all we meet.  We need to overshadow the hate with love.  This is not easy.  It is not easy to be surrounded by hate and to spread love.  It is not easy to be that one positive voice amongst a sea of negativity.  It is not easy to respond with love when met with hate.  This is what grace if for.  This is why God is showering us with grace.  He is concerned for His children.  He is concerned that if He came now so many of His children would be lost.  So many of our children would be lost.  We can't wait for Jesus to come and save us, we need to step up to the plate and start trying to save others.  We can not save anyone on our own.  We have no power on our own.  However when we turn to the Holy Spirit, who is living inside all of us who are baptized, we have all the power in the world.  Ask the Holy Spirit how you can help your loved ones?  Ask the Holy Spirit how you can spread God's love to others?  Pray each and every day for those who don't know God's love.  When you encounter hate, pray for that person.  I know you don't want to, I don't either.  I know you don't feel like they deserve your prayers.  You don't want to waste your breath on them.  I get it, I understand what you mean.  Don't do it for them.  Do it for Christ, do it for your heavenly Father who's heart is breaking when He thinks about how many of His children are lost right now.  We wonder what He is waiting for and He wonders why we can't see it.  Why can't we see how sad He is at all of his lost sheep.  It says in the Bible God will leave His 99 righteous sheep to go find that one lost sheep.  Think of how it must be for God to see so many of his sheep lost. Let's try to help Him get them back.  Let's ask the Holy Spirit how we can partner with God to use this grace He is giving us for His good.  What can we do to help others rediscover His love?  What is one thing we can do that would help make the world a brighter place?  What is one thing we can do to shine the peace of Christ and the love of Christ to all those we meet?  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we are sorry we get so impatient at times waiting for your timing.  We are grateful your ways are higher than our ways, please give us the patience and strength we need to keep waiting for your perfect timing.  Lord, please show us where we can partner with you in saving your children.  We can feel your pain and we want to help.  Show us how Lord.  Show us how to shine your love and light into the world.  Show us how to respond with love when greeted by hate.  Show us how to love the unlovable just as Jesus did.  Show us how to start in our homes.  Lord, we have so much to learn and we are ready to start.  Teach us oh Lord we are ready and willing.  We love you Lord, you are so forgiving.  You are so patient.  We are grateful for all you do for us and we ask all of this in accordance to your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus!  I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow.  Remember Jesus loves you and so do I! Have a blessed day!

2 Lent First Psalm: Psalms 70–71 Psalms 70–71 (Listen) O Lord, Do Not Delay To the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering. 70   Make haste, O God, to deliver me!    O LORD, make haste to help me!2   Let them be put to shame and confusion    who seek my life!  Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor    who delight in my hurt!3   Let them turn back because of their shame    who say, “Aha, Aha!” 4   May all who seek you    rejoice and be glad in you!  May those who love your salvation    say evermore, “God is great!”5   But I am poor and needy;    hasten to me, O God!  You are my help and my deliverer;    O LORD, do not delay! Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent 71   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;    let me never be put to shame!2   In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;    incline your ear to me, and save me!3   Be to me a rock of refuge,    to which I may continually come;  you have given the command to save me,    for you are my rock and my fortress. 4   Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.5   For you, O Lord, are my hope,    my trust, O LORD, from my youth.6   Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.  My praise is continually of you. 7   I have been as a portent to many,    but you are my strong refuge.8   My mouth is filled with your praise,    and with your glory all the day.9   Do not cast me off in the time of old age;    forsake me not when my strength is spent.10   For my enemies speak concerning me;    those who watch for my life consult together11   and say, “God has forsaken him;    pursue and seize him,    for there is none to deliver him.” 12   O God, be not far from me;    O my God, make haste to help me!13   May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;    with scorn and disgrace may they be covered    who seek my hurt.14   But I will hope continually    and will praise you yet more and more.15   My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,    of your deeds of salvation all the day,    for their number is past my knowledge.16   With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come;    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. 17   O God, from my youth you have taught me,    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.18   So even to old age and gray hairs,    O God, do not forsake me,  until I proclaim your might to another generation,    your power to all those to come.19   Your righteousness, O God,    reaches the high heavens.  You who have done great things,    O God, who is like you?20   You who have made me see many troubles and calamities    will revive me again;  from the depths of the earth    you will bring me up again.21   You will increase my greatness    and comfort me again. 22   I will also praise you with the harp    for your faithfulness, O my God;  I will sing praises to you with the lyre,    O Holy One of Israel.23   My lips will shout for joy,    when I sing praises to you;    my soul also, which you have redeemed.24   And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,  for they have been put to shame and disappointed    who sought to do me hurt. (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 74 Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) Old Testament: Jeremiah 4:9–10; Jeremiah 4:19–28 Jeremiah 4:9–10 (Listen) 9 “In that day, declares the LORD, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” 10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,' whereas the sword has reached their very life.” (ESV) Jeremiah 4:19–28 (Listen) Anguish over Judah's Desolation 19   My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!    Oh the walls of my heart!  My heart is beating wildly;    I cannot keep silent,  for I hear the sound of the trumpet,    the alarm of war.20   Crash follows hard on crash;    the whole land is laid waste.  Suddenly my tents are laid waste,    my curtains in a moment.21   How long must I see the standard    and hear the sound of the trumpet? 22   “For my people are foolish;    they know me not;  they are stupid children;    they have no understanding.  They are ‘wise'—in doing evil!    But how to do good they know not.” 23   I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void;    and to the heavens, and they had no light.24   I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,    and all the hills moved to and fro.25   I looked, and behold, there was no man,    and all the birds of the air had fled.26   I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert,    and all its cities were laid in ruins    before the LORD, before his fierce anger. 27 For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. 28   “For this the earth shall mourn,    and the heavens above be dark;  for I have spoken; I have purposed;    I have not relented, nor will I turn back.” (ESV) New Testament: Romans 2:12–24 Romans 2:12–24 (Listen) God's Judgment and the Law 12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. 17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (ESV) Gospel: John 5:19–29 John 5:19–29 (Listen) The Authority of the Son 19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father1 does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. Footnotes [1] 5:19 Greek he (ESV)

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Have you ever messed up and then felt like you needed to somehow hide from God? Adam and Eve felt that way in the Garden of Eden. They did something wrong, and they thought they could make things better by hiding from God..Not only does God see you even when you are trying to hide, but He loves you— even after you've committed a sin and done something you know you shouldn't have done. He already knows it all. There is no need for you to hide from Him..We all mess up. When we do wrong, we might feel that we are unworthy and that God shouldn't love us after what we've done. God always loves us though, no matter what we do or how badly we fail. God's love for us isn't based on what we have done, but on what He has done..In Jesus, God came to earth as a human and lived among us. He never sinned, but He took the weight of all our sin upon Himself when He went to the cross. He paid the price for our sin with His life, and then He rose from the dead, triumphant over sin and death! Through Jesus, God has given us the gift of salvation: He forgives all our sins, saves us from death, and restores us to relationship with Him..You don't have to hide away when you've done something wrong. Instead, you can confess and repent of your sin: turn away from your sin and turn to God for forgiveness. Because of what Jesus has done, you can be totally cleansed from sin. And, because the Holy Spirit lives inside Christians, you can move on and follow God's good ways, free from shame and guilt..You are loved with an unconditional love. You are cared for by the One who created you and really knows you. God's love will always be a part of your life. • Emily Acker.• Why do you think, as humans, we try to hide when we do something that we know is wrong? .• Sometimes it's hard to believe that God loves us even when we mess up. In moments like these, who are trusted Christians who can pray with you and remind you of God's forgiveness through Jesus? How can you be this kind of friend to others? (If you want to know more about Jesus's forgiveness, take a look at our "Know Jesus" page.).For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:23-24 (NLT)

As Jacob arrives in Paddan-aram, he is deceived by Laban and ends up marrying both Leah and Rachel in exchange for fourteen years of labor. Yet God works all of this for good, maturing Jacob's faith. Pastor Pilgrim Benham teaches Genesis 29 at King's Cross Church. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kings-cross-sermons/support

God, How Can I Help You Today?Ezekiel 37:7 “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.”I liked this verse for many reasons.  First I love that is shows Ezekiel's obedience to God.  It wasn't as if God was asking him to do something easy.  God was asking Him to prophesy of dead bones and make them living again.  Let me read you the whole section.Ezekiel 37:1-6 says, “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; it was full of bones.  And he led me round among them; and behold, there were very many upon the valley; and lo, they were very dry.  And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, thou knowest.”  Again he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.  Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”Take a minute and put yourself in Ezekiel's shoes.  God asked him to speak words over the dry bones and they will come to life.  I can imagine that was a little hard to believe.  I will admit I don't know a lot about Ezekiel off the top of my head.  I can't list any incredible things that happened before this one and yet I am sure there were many. I mean this is chapter 37, so there is a lot that has happened with Ezekiel before God asked him to prophesy over dry bones and make them live again.  And yet, I still think it is remarkable that God told him to do it and he did it.  I wonder what he was thinking?  I wonder if he knew it would work?  I wonder if he had even a moment of self doubt?  I wonder what that moment felt like when he prophesied as he was commanded and it actually worked.  Do you know what I mean?  I wonder what he was thinking as these dry bones all around him began to come to life. It must have been incredible.  Another reason I love this passage is because it demonstrates to us that God likes to use us to do His work.  He likes to allow us to take part in his plan and He gives us power to do so.  Do you think God needed Ezekiel to raise those bones?  Nope, he could have easily done it himself.  He allowed him to do it and that is incredible.  Did you know God is wanting to use you for incredible things too?  He is, He really is.  I know some of you, many of you probably just counted yourself out when you heard that statement.  I bet many of you said, he doesn't want to use me, I am too old, too shy, too young, too buys, too something.  Or maybe you thought you were not holy enough, not outgoing enough, not bold enough, not enough in some way.  That is a lie the enemy is telling you.  Don't let the enemy lie to you about your calling.  God is so good and He calls us right where we are at.  I am not saying God is calling each and every one of us to go out and bring his love to every nation.  Although that may be your calling. He does want to use each and every one of us to be a part of His plan.  He is talking to each and every one of us every single day, we just aren't listening to Him.  What if we started to listen?  What if we started to ask God what He wants us to do?  What if we asked God every morning, “God, what can I do for you today?”  How do you think your life would change if you began each day like this?  Imagine how much faster we could change the world if we were all working with God.  Imagine how many more lives would be touched if we all just did our little part in spreading the word of God and spreading the love of God.  God is not going to call each one of us to raise bones from the dead.  He is calling some people to do this.  There are people living right now, all around the world that are raising people from the dead.  However, these people have asked God for that gift and have worked hard to cultivate that gift.  They were faithful with the small gifts God gave and they were obedient in the small things and God gave them more and more responsibility as He noticed they were faithful and obedient.  He did not start out asking them to raise the dead and He won't start out with that for you either.  Sometimes we are afraid to ask God what He wants us to do, or what we can do for Him because we don't know what He will ask.  What if He asks us something we can't do?  What if He asks us to do something too hard for us or something that will make us too uncomfortable?  These are good questions.  You don't have to feel bad about asking them because you want to make sure you aren't going to let God down.  He knows this.  The thing to remember is God knows you better than you know you.  He will ask you to do things that have you step outside your comfort zone, and this is so you can grow.  It is also so you can show your obedience.  However, if He asks you to do something and you couldn't because you were nervous, or you just couldn't bring yourself to do it.  That's ok, just try again next time.  I can tell this is the Holy Spirit talking through me today because I needed to hear that too.  God is not going to give you a task that is so important His whole plan would be messed up if you didn't do.  God knows you, he knows what you can and can't do and He loves you, even when you can't do something you feel He is calling you to do.  In prayer group we have a time where we are all silent and we ask God to speak to us.  Then we all listen and see if He wants to give us a word to share.  Over the years we have found that if he gives someone a word and yet they aren't sure if they should share it for one reason or another, He will move on and give that word to someone else.  I think this is reassuring because it takes the pressure off us and yet I don't think we should use that as an excuse to not step forward when we think God might be asking us to do something.  If He is asking He will give us the courage and if He really wants us to do it, He will keep asking so much that we can't say no.  I have shared this story before, but was reminded of it this weekend and then felt like I should share it again.  This girl went to church camp and the pastor told this story: his daughter was driving home one day and she felt that God was telling her to do a headstand by the pop machine at a gas station. Of course she didn't want to because it was just so random and she would feel way too uncomfortable to do that. She kept pushing it away and God kept pursuing her. Finally she gave in and drove to the gas station. She walked in and there was only one guy there who is working. She smiled, waved awkwardly and walked over to the pop machine. She looked at him again and he was staring, so she did a headstand and began to walk out. As she was reaching for the handle the man stopped her and asked, "Why did you do that?" And she said, "For some reason God told me to do a handstand by the pop machine." The man stared at her for a little bit he then grabbed a gun from under the counter and set it on top. He said, "Today after work, I was planning on killing myself. I had nowhere else to turn so I turned to God, any God. And I prayed, "If you are real and want me alive send a girl to do a handstand by the pop machine.”I get all choked up anytime I recall a miracle as I am just so moved by God's love for us.  This girl heard God asking her to do something and she didn't want to.  She felt it was too crazy, she was too uncomfortable, and didn't want to.  Yet God kept pursuing her.  I love the way that is worded.  God was pursuing her.  He wasn't pressuring her, He wasn't commanding her. He was pursuing her.  He wanted her to be a part of His plan.  How amazing do you think she felt after finding out the incredible thing God used her for?  I am sure it was rewarding for her to be a part of His plan to save the man working their that night.  She had no idea why she was supposed to do the handstand, and yet she did it anyway.There will be many times when God is calling us to do something and we don't know why.  Sometimes we are lucky and just after we do it we can see the reason why we were supposed to do it, and other times, we may never know why.  I remember reading in a book or hearing a story about this preacher who was away on business.  Three of his coworkers at the church had this strong feeling that God was sending them over to the preacher's house at 3 in the morning to intercede for his wife and children.  They drove over and just prayed outside the house for a few hours.  They are still not sure why they were sent there, but they are sure they prevented some sort of attack from the enemy.  I am not sure why God doesn't share the why with us.  I feel like it would be much easier to gather the courage to do a random handstand if we knew it would save someone's life.  Maybe in the not knowing God is helping to build our trust and our faith as well.  I am not sure.  I do know God wants to use you, just as He wants to use me.  I know He wants to speak to you, He just needs you to listen.  What if right after you listen to this you take a minute and ask God what He would like to do for you today and then try to do it.  Don't worry, you won't be perfect at hearing God's word, none of us are.  Don't worry, you might not always be able to do what you feel He is asking you to do, it's ok, He doesn't hold it against you and He will make sure His will is done even if we can't do it.  God is not going to put a lot of pressure on us to be a part of His plan.  It is more of an honor and one that He offers freely to all of us.  How can you help God today?Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we love you so much and we can't believe you invite us in to help with your plan.  We thank you and we want to say yes Lord.  Help us to say yes.  Help give us the courage and the boldness to do as you ask.  Help us to give you quiet time each day to listen to what you have to say.  Help us to ask you daily how we can help you.  You are so amazing Lord and we are so grateful you love us so much!! 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.  I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow.  Have a blessed day!

Right on the heels of their miraculous crossing of the sea, the Israelites are grumbling.  Why? They don't trust God because they don't know God. Yet God responds in grace, teaching them the posture of dependence. He is leading them to full life. Ultimately, full life is found in Jesus, the bread of heaven who brings life to the world.

No first-time parent, no matter how many books they’ve read, will feel fully prepared for all the changes a baby will bring. Many say the trip home from the hospital is marked by nervousness. How will we care for this precious new life? We don’t know what training Mary was given on how to care for a newborn. Perhaps she and Elizabeth covered this subject during their three-months visit. However, Elizabeth was a first-time mother as well, so her experience would have been limited. We also don’t know what Mary was feeling as she made the trip to Bethlehem so late in her pregnancy. She probably wasn’t required to accompany Joseph. But commentators believe she traveled with him because they didn’t want to be apart when Jesus was born. Luke’s account of the birth is sparse, so we assume it occurred without incident (vv. 6, 7), although the lack of a proper accommodation would certainly have been shocking. Mary wrapped the babe tightly in cloth, a normal procedure for newborns and then placed Him in a manger—the opposite of normal! Shepherds, not family and friends, were the first to visit the baby (v. 16). And, consistent with her character, Mary treasured these things in her heart. As was the custom, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the Temple for His circumcision, Mary’s purification, and the presentation of the firstborn (vv. 22, 23). Simeon eagerly met them there and prophesied over the baby, not only about Israel’s response but also about Mary’s personal pain. “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel...And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (vv. 34, 35). Mary’s challenges would not end at her Son’s birth. >> Nothing could have fully prepared Mary and Joseph for their role as Jesus’ parents. Yet God led them each step of the way. What challenges are you facing today? God was with Mary; in the same way, He will be with you.

In episode 156, Beth Thorp helps us know what it means to find meaning in the midst of our suffering. Her family was thrust into hardship when a mystery illness struck her son Mitchell and upended their lives. Their thoughts became filled with questions -- for doctors, for God -- that too often went unanswered. Yet God heard them, and more than answers, He desired to reveal the deeper meaning He was inviting them to. We long for their to be meaning to our struggles, and if you've been asking "Why?" a lot lately, Beth's story will encourage you. How has the God helped you find meaning? You can connect with Beth and her content here: https://www.anewcreation.org/ https://www.facebook.com/beth.thorp.31 https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-thorp-author https://www.instagram.com/beth.thorp.author/ ~ Check out our website: www.WhereDidYouSeeGod.com ~ Want a free resource? Check out "A Journey through Revelation (for the person that doesn't want to read Revelation)": https://www.wheredidyouseegod.com/revelation You can also purchase a Kindle or paperback version on Amazon at tinyurl.com/WDYSGRevelation ~ We now have apparel for you to wear as an amazing conversation-starter! https://www.bonfire.com/store/where-did-you-see-god/ ~ Have a story? You can leave a brief message at (804) 372-3836, or www.facebook.com/wheredidyouseeGod/ ~ The music in this episode is "You'll walk, you'll run" by Urban Doxology, from their amazing album "Bread for the Journey." ~ If you appreciate what God is doing through this podcast, you can help keep it going through financial support. Gifts can be processed at https://worldoutreach.org/707 ~ Learn more about how God's calling us: Pray: tinyurl.com/GrangerPray Follow: tinyurl.com/GrangerList Give: worldoutreach.org/707 ~ #suffering #dialogue #Godstillspeaks #WDYSG #conversation #death #lossofchild #why #findingmeaning #anewcreation #mysteryillness #healing #podpros #podmatch #madewithZencastr --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wheredidyouseegod/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wheredidyouseegod/support

In this short inspirational Christian sermon, you will be challenged to pay attention and to humbly receive GOD's guidance through random thoughts. You can buy my new bestselling book, UNVEIL YOUR PURPOSE (a #1 Newly Released Bestseller on Amazon) here: India: https://www.amazon.in/UNVEIL-YOUR-PURPOSE-John-Giftah/dp/B08K2CJKP2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=john+giftah&qid=1611990618&sr=8-1 Global Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Unveil-Your-Purpose-Complete-Created-ebook/dp/B08L7XX9PJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=john+giftah%27&qid=1611990705&sr=8-2 You can stay in touch with me through these platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/johngiftah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johngiftah Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjohngiftah/ Website: https://www.johngiftah.com/ If you're blessed by this sermon, don't forget to share it with someone, and please do rate/ review the podcast so that it will help us reach more people with the message of hope. For supporting the ministry financially: PayPal: paypal.me/johngiftah Link to The Inspiration Hub Podcast: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-inspiration-hub/id1596599540 Link to Weekly Tamil Christian Messages Podcast (John Giftah) : Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/tamil-christian-messages-john-giftah/id1596445581 Check out the "Fuel for the Soul with John Giftah" podcast (Among the Top Christian Podcasts in India Ranking #1 / #2 on multiple podcast platforms and among the Top Podcasts in the world (2021)) : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fuel-for-the-soul-with-john-giftah-inspirational/id1588234296 #JohnGiftah #JohnGiftahPodcast #Christian #Christianity #BibleStudy #Faith #Hope #InspirationalSermon #ChristianMotivation #ChristianInspiration #Motivation #Motivational #Inspirational #Bible #BibleStudy --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-giftah/message

We live in an ultra fast-paced world where the concept of hurry is always looming behind us. Yet God ordered a different world. It is a world where we experience His rest as a part of His grace. AG walks us through the concept of working out of His good rest, rather than our human nature to rest for our own work.

Hope rises as sunshine peaks through the clouds after a late winter snow storm marked by gray, dreary clouds. The same sense shines through in Genesis 11, after so much weighty judgment. Yet God promises, hope through one man as God launches in earnest his global purposes of redemption. listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Genesis 11:10-12:3 for more.

With family: Exodus 7; Luke 10 Exodus 7 (Listen) Moses and Aaron Before Pharaoh 7 And the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.” 6 Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the LORD commanded them. 7 Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh. 8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,' then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.'” 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. 12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said. The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood 14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water. Stand on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that turned into a serpent. 16 And you shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But so far, you have not obeyed. 17 Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile.”'” 19 And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, so that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.'” 20 Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood. 21 And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said. 23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile. 25 Seven full days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile. (ESV) Luke 10 (Listen) Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two 10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two1 others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!' 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. Woe to Unrepentant Cities 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. 16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The Return of the Seventy-Two 17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Jesus Rejoices in the Father's Will 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.2 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” The Parable of the Good Samaritan 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii3 and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Martha and Mary 38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus4 entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.5 Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Footnotes [1] 10:1 Some manuscripts seventy; also verse 17 [2] 10:21 Or for so it pleased you well [3] 10:35 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer [4] 10:38 Greek he [5] 10:42 Some manuscripts few things are necessary, or only one (ESV) In private: Job 24; 1 Corinthians 11 Job 24 (Listen) 24   “Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty,    and why do those who know him never see his days?2   Some move landmarks;    they seize flocks and pasture them.3   They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;    they take the widow's ox for a pledge.4   They thrust the poor off the road;    the poor of the earth all hide themselves.5   Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert    the poor1 go out to their toil, seeking game;    the wasteland yields food for their children.6   They gather their2 fodder in the field,    and they glean the vineyard of the wicked man.7   They lie all night naked, without clothing,    and have no covering in the cold.8   They are wet with the rain of the mountains    and cling to the rock for lack of shelter.9   (There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast,    and they take a pledge against the poor.)10   They go about naked, without clothing;    hungry, they carry the sheaves;11   among the olive rows of the wicked3 they make oil;    they tread the winepresses, but suffer thirst.12   From out of the city the dying4 groan,    and the soul of the wounded cries for help;    yet God charges no one with wrong. 13   “There are those who rebel against the light,    who are not acquainted with its ways,    and do not stay in its paths.14   The murderer rises before it is light,    that he may kill the poor and needy,    and in the night he is like a thief.15   The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight,    saying, ‘No eye will see me';    and he veils his face.16   In the dark they dig through houses;    by day they shut themselves up;    they do not know the light.17   For deep darkness is morning to all of them;    for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness. 18   “You say, ‘Swift are they on the face of the waters;    their portion is cursed in the land;    no treader turns toward their vineyards.19   Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters;    so does Sheol those who have sinned.20   The womb forgets them;    the worm finds them sweet;  they are no longer remembered,    so wickedness is broken like a tree.' 21   “They wrong the barren, childless woman,    and do no good to the widow.22   Yet God5 prolongs the life of the mighty by his power;    they rise up when they despair of life.23   He gives them security, and they are supported,    and his eyes are upon their ways.24   They are exalted a little while, and then are gone;    they are brought low and gathered up like all others;    they are cut off like the heads of grain.25   If it is not so, who will prove me a liar    and show that there is nothing in what I say?” Footnotes [1] 24:5 Hebrew they [2] 24:6 Hebrew his [3] 24:11 Hebrew their olive rows [4] 24:12 Or the men [5] 24:22 Hebrew he (ESV) 1 Corinthians 11 (Listen) 11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Head Coverings 2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife1 is her husband,2 and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife3 who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.4 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. The Lord's Supper 17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,5 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for6 you. Do this in remembrance of me.”7 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.8 31 But if we judged9 ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined10 so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brothers,11 when you come together to eat, wait for12 one another—34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. Footnotes [1] 11:3 Greek gunē. This term may refer to a woman or a wife, depending on the context [2] 11:3 Greek anēr. This term may refer to a man or a husband, depending on the context [3] 11:5 In verses 5–13, the Greek word gunē is translated wife in verses that deal with wearing a veil, a sign of being married in first-century culture [4] 11:10 Or messengers, that is, people sent to observe and report [5] 11:18 Or I believe a certain report [6] 11:24 Some manuscripts broken for [7] 11:24 Or as my memorial; also verse 25 [8] 11:30 Greek have fallen asleep (as in 15:6, 20) [9] 11:31 Or discerned [10] 11:32 Or when we are judged we are being disciplined by the Lord [11] 11:33 Or brothers and sisters [12] 11:33 Or share with (ESV)

. LESSON 53 Today we will review the following: (11) My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world. Since the thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything, the world that pictures them can have no meaning. What is producing this world is insane, and so is what it produces. Reality is not insane, and I have real thoughts as well as insane ones. I can therefore see a real world, if I look to my real thoughts as my guide for seeing. (12) I am upset because I see a meaningless world. Insane thoughts are upsetting. They produce a world in which there is no order anywhere. Only chaos rules a world that represents chaotic thinking, and chaos has no laws. I cannot live in peace in such a world. I am grateful that this world is not real, and that I need not see it at all unless I choose to value it. And I do not choose to value what is totally insane and has no meaning. (13) A meaningless world engenders fear. The totally insane engenders fear because it is completely undependable, and offers no grounds for trust. Nothing in madness is dependable. It holds out no safety and no hope. But such a world is not real. I have given it the illusion of reality, and have suffered from my belief in it. Now I choose to withdraw this belief, and place my trust in reality. In choosing this, I will escape all the effects of the world of fear, because I am acknowledging that it does not exist. (14) God did not create a meaningless world. How can a meaningless world exist if God did not create it? He is the Source of all meaning, and everything that is real is in His Mind. It is in my mind too, because He created it with me. Why should I continue to suffer from the effects of my own insane thoughts, when the perfection of creation is my home? Let me remember the power of my decision, and recognize where I really abide. (15) My thoughts are images that I have made. Whatever I see reflects my thoughts. It is my thoughts that tell me where I am and what I am. The fact that I see a world in which there is suffering and loss and death shows me that I am seeing only the representation of my insane thoughts, and am not allowing my real thoughts to cast their beneficent light on what I see. Yet God's way is sure. The images I have made cannot prevail against Him because it is not my will that they do so. My will is His, and I will place no other gods before Him.- Jesus Christ in A Course in Miracles, Lesson 53

Episode 438 of the A Minute to Midnite Show. Tony is joined by Jamie Walden. Deception on an unprecedented scale with a terrible end goal. Yet God will not be mocked!

Elijah finds himself in a spiritual showdown with the enemy (the prophets of Baal & Asherah). He is one against 850 - seemingly insurmountable odds. Yet God is with him and God's power is fully on display for all to see. But, is this really enough to turn people's hearts back to YHWH for good? Will it take another event in the distant future that has both similarities and also major contrasts to this one to truly draw people's hearts to YHWH in faithfulness? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/eatscripture/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eatscripture/support

Elijah finds himself in a spiritual showdown with the enemy (the prophets of Baal & Asherah). He is one against 850 - seemingly insurmountable odds. Yet God is with him and God's power is fully on display for all to see. But, is this really enough to turn people's hearts back to YHWH for good? Will it take another event in the distant future that has both similarities and also major contrasts to this one to truly draw people's hearts to YHWH in faithfulness? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/eatscripture/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eatscripture/support

The mention of Hell elicits many different reactions.  Some people react with concern and are moved to share Jesus with the lost.  Others react with fear and come to Jesus seeking salvation for their own souls.  Still others react with hate and revulsion and say that it is not a proper topic for conversation.  Some would even seek to deny the existence of Hell.  Yet God and Jesus declare Hell to be a very real place, (Psa. 9:17). Of the 162 references to Hell in the New Testament, 70 come from Jesus Himself. 

What Do You Worry About? We all harbor worries ranging from work, to money, to health to aging, to worries around our loved ones.  Yet God's gentle reminder is clear, “Do not fret - it only brings harm.” (Psalm 37)  How can we step away from worry and into trust? From the service aired on 2/12/23 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to Subscribe and review our podcast wherever you get your podcasts. It is the #1 way to support this podcast, and it's free! Go to the main podcast page, scroll down and at the bottom you'll find a place to rate the podcast and to leave a review.  Follow us on facebook and instagram and YouTube @newchurchlive  Visit our Website and Make a donation to support our church community

Every time we listen to the world news we hear accounts of violence in various places. Our Psalm today (74) has some comparison to this as it was most likely written after the destruction of the Temple for the Psalmist (Asaph) is lamenting, “the enemy has set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.” [v.7] He then laments about the situation saying, “there is no longer any prophet and there is none among us who knows how long” [v.9] How long? Well, the situation is that “a foolish people reviles your name … for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence” [v.18,20] How parallel this situation is with the world today; we could write a Psalm today that would be similar – except for the fact that although there is no longer any prophet we all have access, if we are inclined, to the word of God. This opens out for us visions of how God sees life and the ultimate end in that awaits the world.! So we can ask “how long” must this “violence” all around the world continue!? But we ask this question from a special perspective! Now that significant violence is in countries immediately north of God's land and it seems certain the chosen people he has brought back to live there will be involved in the violence! The Psalm contains lessons for us – for the writer turns his thoughts to God! “Yet God is my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” [v.12]. Let us echo this prayer! We remember how God worked deliverance in the days of Moses and David – and soon for us! Let us have a sure faith in this! The last two verses are a prayer to God and they can – and should be – ours today, “Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember (be mindful) how the foolish scoff at you all the day! Do not forget the clamour of your foes, the uproar of those who rise up against you, which goes up continually!” Many foes say he does not exist! Finally we are attracted to add the words with which David concluded Psalm 9, “Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know they are but men!” May “the habitations of violence” reach a dramatic climax, as prophesied – and then be no more! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/christadelphians-talk/message

In today's lesson, Pastor Bryan shares a message from Jeremiah 31. In this passage, God makes a new covenant with His people. Even though He was faithful and led them out of Egypt, they broke their relationship with Him. Yet God promises to bring restoration to Jerusalem, and to us. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1286/29

In a 6-month period Kari was diagnosed with cancer, her husband was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, her home went into foreclosure and then, her husband left her. As a single mother with three small children, to say she was overwhelmed would hardly scratch the surface of what she was experiencing. YET GOD was divinely working through these circumstances in a way that completely transformed her life. And as a result, Kari is now being used to transform the lives of others. Special Guest: Kari Olson.

It happens to all of us—our minds drift, and we're filled with worries when we should be worshiping. Yet God meets us in the nave even when we're distracted. Lynnette shares some wisdom from the saints as well as some truths to keep in mind when we struggle to pay attention during the Divine Liturgy.