Podcasts about yet god

Thursday January 8, 2026Epiphany Today's readings draw our attention to God's provision, Christ's supremacy, and the invitation to come and receive true life.In Exodus 17:1–7, Israel finds itself thirsty in the wilderness, grumbling and afraid. Yet God meets their testing with mercy, bringing water from the rock and proving once again that He is present even when His people doubt. The place of complaint becomes a place of provision.In Colossians 1:15–23, Paul proclaims the supremacy of Christ—the image of the invisible God, the One through whom all things were created and the One who reconciles all things through the cross. Our hope is secured not by circumstances, but by remaining grounded in Him.And in John 7:37–52, Jesus stands and cries out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” He offers living water to all who seek him.

Todaywe're going back to Ephesians chapter 4, looking at the section toward the endof the chapter where the Apostle Paul instructs us to put off the old man andput on the new man. He tells us that we can be renewed in the spirit of ourminds, and then clothe ourselves in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Christ'slife is now in us. We no longer live for ourselves, but Christ lives in us. Heproduces the fruit of the Spirit within us, and as a result, we experiencelove, joy, and peace instead of anger, malice, and bitterness. That's what Pauladdresses at the end of this chapter. Paulgives us five sins that we are to put off. Back in verse 25, the first sin hementions is lying. At the root of all lies is the devil himself—he is thefather of lies (John 8:44). He plants the thought in our minds to deceiveothers so that we might look better in their eyes. Paul's instruction is clear:put off lying and speak the truth, each one with his neighbor. Thenin verse 26, Paul addresses the second issue: “Be angry, and do not sin.”Now that's interesting. He doesn't say, “Put off anger,” the way hesays, “Put off lying.” Instead, he says, “Be angry, and do not sin.” At first,that sounds like a strange encouragement—especially since so many peoplealready struggle with anger. But God has created us as emotional beings. GodHimself is an emotional God. He has feelings, and He created us with feelingsso that we can experience love, joy, peace, contentment, satisfaction, andsecurity. These are good emotions. However,there are other emotions—like anger, fear, worry, malice, and hatred—that arenot good emotions. Yet God allows us to experience them. Why? Because they actlike a warning bell, an alarm that tells us something isn't right. They alertus that we may be viewing a situation incorrectly or that something needs to beaddressed.  Sois it possible to be angry and not sin? Yes, it is. In itself, anger is not asin. Scripture tells us that God gets angry. We see this in Deuteronomy 9:8 and20, Psalm 2:12. We also see thisillustrated in the life of Jesus when He was angry in the temple, driving outthose who were greedily selling merchandise and exploiting God's people who hadcome to worship and offer sacrifices. Wemust make the choice about what we will do with the anger we feel. Anger isoften compared in Scripture to fire—it is said to “being kindled” (Genesis30:2; Deuteronomy 6:15). It can flare up when someone says something thatwounds us or when something displeases us deeply. At that moment, we have achoice. Will we allow that anger to smolder within us and turn into malice—anintent to hurt or seek vengeance—or will we allow God to transform it intosomething good? Angeris a burst of emotional energy. We can used that energy to attack a person orproperty, or we can use it to attack the problem. That energy can be used toharm and damage others, or it can be used to drive us to God. We can pray,“Lord, help me understand what You are teaching me through this anger. Help mesee this situation through Your eyes.” We don't see the way God sees. Godjudges perfectly and deals justly with every situation. We don't. And that'swhy anger can easily lead us into sin if we're not careful. Paulthen gives us practical wisdom: “do not let the sun go down on your wrath”.While we're feeling that anger, we are to go to God. We are to go to bed harboringand feeding that feeling of anger. Instead we ask God to forgive us for oursins, and then we ask Him to help us forgive those who have hurt us. Otherwise,anger will grow into bitterness. Paul warns us about this later in verse 31,where he says: “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speakingbe put away from you, with all malice.” Maythe Lord help us listen carefully to this instruction from Paul—not allowinganger to control our lives or lead us into sin, but instead, let it drive us toGod for the grace we need to respond rightly.

We cannot escape death, regardless of our social status. We cannot buy our way out of the final decree of life – that death is our physical destiny. Yet… God opened a way for us to live – to escape the totality of being dead forever by sacrificing His own life on our behalf. The result is life beyond the grave. God has redeemed us so we can move from grace to grace, and be transformed from the physical realm to the eternal one. Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil ReaserAnd please check out our other podcast, Lamplight, featuring insightful messages and conversations from real people pursuing hope and change. Lamplight is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, or you can find it here: https://anchor.fm/pod/show/cfo-north-america

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251231dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Matthew 2:16 The Comfort of Christmas Herod, furious that the Magi left without telling him where Jesus was, went scorched earth and ordered every boy in the vicinity two years old and younger to be killed. Historians estimate that twenty to thirty children were murdered in his desperate attempt to eliminate the Christ child. It is uncomfortable to read this so soon after Christmas. Wouldn’t it be better to skip this part? Why remember such horror during Christmastime? Because it shows what happens when light enters a world of darkness. When the light arrives, the darkness does not politely step aside. It tries to snuff the light out. This is why Jesus came: to battle the darkness that rejected him from his very first days. This same battle between light and darkness continues in your own heart. When Christ’s light shines within you, your sinful nature fights against it. Yet God remains on your side—God rescued his Son from Herod’s sword so that his Son could rescue you from eternal darkness. Jesus’ death and resurrection became the ultimate light that conquers the darkness. And here lies one of the Bible’s hardest truths: though God possesses all power and hates evil, he still permits suffering. So here is the comfort of Christmas: God may save us from evil, or he may save us through evil. The boys of Bethlehem died tragically, but Christ the Savior was born not to save them from Herod, but from hell, and that is what he did. With God, wherever there is weeping, comfort follows. The grieving mothers of Bethlehem would see their sons again because their King came to save them through tragedy into heaven’s triumph. This is the comfort of Christmas. That even though the darkness could take the boys of Bethlehem away from their parents, it could not take them away from Christ. It cannot take you away from him either. Prayer: Merciful Father, thank you for the comfort of knowing that no darkness can separate me from the light of your Son. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251231dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Matthew 2:16 The Comfort of Christmas Herod, furious that the Magi left without telling him where Jesus was, went scorched earth and ordered every boy in the vicinity two years old and younger to be killed. Historians estimate that twenty to thirty children were murdered in his desperate attempt to eliminate the Christ child. It is uncomfortable to read this so soon after Christmas. Wouldn’t it be better to skip this part? Why remember such horror during Christmastime? Because it shows what happens when light enters a world of darkness. When the light arrives, the darkness does not politely step aside. It tries to snuff the light out. This is why Jesus came: to battle the darkness that rejected him from his very first days. This same battle between light and darkness continues in your own heart. When Christ’s light shines within you, your sinful nature fights against it. Yet God remains on your side—God rescued his Son from Herod’s sword so that his Son could rescue you from eternal darkness. Jesus’ death and resurrection became the ultimate light that conquers the darkness. And here lies one of the Bible’s hardest truths: though God possesses all power and hates evil, he still permits suffering. So here is the comfort of Christmas: God may save us from evil, or he may save us through evil. The boys of Bethlehem died tragically, but Christ the Savior was born not to save them from Herod, but from hell, and that is what he did. With God, wherever there is weeping, comfort follows. The grieving mothers of Bethlehem would see their sons again because their King came to save them through tragedy into heaven’s triumph. This is the comfort of Christmas. That even though the darkness could take the boys of Bethlehem away from their parents, it could not take them away from Christ. It cannot take you away from him either. Prayer: Merciful Father, thank you for the comfort of knowing that no darkness can separate me from the light of your Son. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251231dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Matthew 2:16 The Comfort of Christmas Herod, furious that the Magi left without telling him where Jesus was, went scorched earth and ordered every boy in the vicinity two years old and younger to be killed. Historians estimate that twenty to thirty children were murdered in his desperate attempt to eliminate the Christ child. It is uncomfortable to read this so soon after Christmas. Wouldn’t it be better to skip this part? Why remember such horror during Christmastime? Because it shows what happens when light enters a world of darkness. When the light arrives, the darkness does not politely step aside. It tries to snuff the light out. This is why Jesus came: to battle the darkness that rejected him from his very first days. This same battle between light and darkness continues in your own heart. When Christ’s light shines within you, your sinful nature fights against it. Yet God remains on your side—God rescued his Son from Herod’s sword so that his Son could rescue you from eternal darkness. Jesus’ death and resurrection became the ultimate light that conquers the darkness. And here lies one of the Bible’s hardest truths: though God possesses all power and hates evil, he still permits suffering. So here is the comfort of Christmas: God may save us from evil, or he may save us through evil. The boys of Bethlehem died tragically, but Christ the Savior was born not to save them from Herod, but from hell, and that is what he did. With God, wherever there is weeping, comfort follows. The grieving mothers of Bethlehem would see their sons again because their King came to save them through tragedy into heaven’s triumph. This is the comfort of Christmas. That even though the darkness could take the boys of Bethlehem away from their parents, it could not take them away from Christ. It cannot take you away from him either. Prayer: Merciful Father, thank you for the comfort of knowing that no darkness can separate me from the light of your Son. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningIsaiah 43:19 — God Is Opening a New Way for Me as I Step Into 2026 with Faith, Courage and Hope From London to Manila, from São Paulo to Nairobi, from Seoul to Vancouver — a global New Year's Eve night-prayer moment. Scripture (NIV): Isaiah 43:19 — “See, I am doing a new thing… I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”  Psalm 32:8 — “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.” Across the world tonight, millions step into the unknown with hope, fear, anticipation, and uncertainty. New Year's Eve intensifies reflection and anxiety. Yet God meets us now with direction, courage, and the promise of new beginnings. Prayer: Father, as this year closes, I release every fear, regret, burden, and unanswered question into Your hands. Where my path feels unclear, make it straight. Where anxiety rises, speak peace. Remove the weight of the past, renew tired faith, and restore courage for 2026. Lord, lift heaviness, silence fear, and break every cycle of doubt. Guide my steps, strengthen my heart, and open the right doors. Over my family, my future, my calling, and my decisions, let Your light rise. As midnight approaches, shift my spirit into expectancy and hope. Let this transition mark renewal, clarity, and fresh confidence in Jesus' name.Prayer  prayer for new beginnings, prayer for direction, prayer for emotional peace, prayer for courage for 2026, prayer for releasing the past, prayer for protection, prayer for clarity Life Application: Before midnight, read Isaiah 43:19 aloud, write one burden you release and one step of faith you commit to as 2026 begins. Declaration: I declare God is opening a new way for me, and I step into 2026 with boldness, clarity, and peace. Call to Action: Share this New Year's Eve prayer with someone who needs hope. Visit DailyPrayer.uk for global devotional resources.Isaiah 43:19 prayer, new year's eve prayer, prayer for 2026 direction, christian night prayer, reverend ben cooper, dailyprayer.uk, global prayer podcast, daily prayer podcast, prayer for new beginnings. Thank you for praying with us tonight. For more daily devotion, follow us on all social platforms at DailyPrayer.uk.Support the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251230dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:14-15 Out of Egypt The words in our Bible reading today show that even as a baby, Jesus was already fulfilling prophecy and establishing his credentials as the promised Savior. When King Herod sought to murder the Christ child, God sent the holy family fleeing to Egypt. Seven hundred years earlier, Hosea had foretold that God’s Son would go there and return—and now Jesus, cradled in his mother’s arms, was living out that prophecy. To understand this fulfillment, though, we must recall Israel’s story. Over three thousand years ago, God adopted a nation of slaves and called them his son. He brought Israel out of Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and gave them a new home in Canaan. But Israel did not always return their Father’s love. The people he rescued turned to false gods and sacrificed to idols. Through prophets like Hosea, God warned his disobedient children what would happen if they refused to repent. They deserved punishment for their idolatry. Yet God could not stop loving his son. That is the backdrop for Matthew’s quotation. Jesus is the perfectly obedient Son of God—so fully identifying with God’s people that his life mirrors theirs. As Israel once went down to Egypt, so he went down to Egypt. As Israel was called out, so he was called out. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded; where Israel rebelled, Jesus obeyed. And he obeyed for you! When the time had fully come, God sent his beloved Son to be born in Bethlehem, to live as the obedient child you were meant to be, to die on the cross, and to rise again so you could be brought into God’s family. He loved you so much that he poured out his Spirit into your heart so you can cry, “Father!” and know that the Almighty delights to hear you, protect you, bless you, and save you. Even though you have been a rebellious child, God’s grace is greater than your guilt. His love at the manger and the cross is more than enough to bring peace on earth and good will to men. Prayer: Father, thank you for fulfilling your Word by calling your Son out of Egypt, so that I am your own dear child. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251230dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:14-15 Out of Egypt The words in our Bible reading today show that even as a baby, Jesus was already fulfilling prophecy and establishing his credentials as the promised Savior. When King Herod sought to murder the Christ child, God sent the holy family fleeing to Egypt. Seven hundred years earlier, Hosea had foretold that God’s Son would go there and return—and now Jesus, cradled in his mother’s arms, was living out that prophecy. To understand this fulfillment, though, we must recall Israel’s story. Over three thousand years ago, God adopted a nation of slaves and called them his son. He brought Israel out of Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and gave them a new home in Canaan. But Israel did not always return their Father’s love. The people he rescued turned to false gods and sacrificed to idols. Through prophets like Hosea, God warned his disobedient children what would happen if they refused to repent. They deserved punishment for their idolatry. Yet God could not stop loving his son. That is the backdrop for Matthew’s quotation. Jesus is the perfectly obedient Son of God—so fully identifying with God’s people that his life mirrors theirs. As Israel once went down to Egypt, so he went down to Egypt. As Israel was called out, so he was called out. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded; where Israel rebelled, Jesus obeyed. And he obeyed for you! When the time had fully come, God sent his beloved Son to be born in Bethlehem, to live as the obedient child you were meant to be, to die on the cross, and to rise again so you could be brought into God’s family. He loved you so much that he poured out his Spirit into your heart so you can cry, “Father!” and know that the Almighty delights to hear you, protect you, bless you, and save you. Even though you have been a rebellious child, God’s grace is greater than your guilt. His love at the manger and the cross is more than enough to bring peace on earth and good will to men. Prayer: Father, thank you for fulfilling your Word by calling your Son out of Egypt, so that I am your own dear child. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251230dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:14-15 Out of Egypt The words in our Bible reading today show that even as a baby, Jesus was already fulfilling prophecy and establishing his credentials as the promised Savior. When King Herod sought to murder the Christ child, God sent the holy family fleeing to Egypt. Seven hundred years earlier, Hosea had foretold that God’s Son would go there and return—and now Jesus, cradled in his mother’s arms, was living out that prophecy. To understand this fulfillment, though, we must recall Israel’s story. Over three thousand years ago, God adopted a nation of slaves and called them his son. He brought Israel out of Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and gave them a new home in Canaan. But Israel did not always return their Father’s love. The people he rescued turned to false gods and sacrificed to idols. Through prophets like Hosea, God warned his disobedient children what would happen if they refused to repent. They deserved punishment for their idolatry. Yet God could not stop loving his son. That is the backdrop for Matthew’s quotation. Jesus is the perfectly obedient Son of God—so fully identifying with God’s people that his life mirrors theirs. As Israel once went down to Egypt, so he went down to Egypt. As Israel was called out, so he was called out. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded; where Israel rebelled, Jesus obeyed. And he obeyed for you! When the time had fully come, God sent his beloved Son to be born in Bethlehem, to live as the obedient child you were meant to be, to die on the cross, and to rise again so you could be brought into God’s family. He loved you so much that he poured out his Spirit into your heart so you can cry, “Father!” and know that the Almighty delights to hear you, protect you, bless you, and save you. Even though you have been a rebellious child, God’s grace is greater than your guilt. His love at the manger and the cross is more than enough to bring peace on earth and good will to men. Prayer: Father, thank you for fulfilling your Word by calling your Son out of Egypt, so that I am your own dear child. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningPsalm 46:10 — Praying for Stability, Peace, and Divine Intervention Across Four Crisis Nations From London to Nairobi, from Seoul to Rio de Janeiro, from Ottawa to Cape Town — this is the 6 P.M. global nations prayer in the DailyPrayer.uk 24-Hour ARC. Sudan — Haiti — Armenia — Myanmar civil conflict, humanitarian breakdown, displacement, and urgent global prayer need. Scripture (NIV): Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God… I will be exalted among the nations.” Isaiah 60:2 — “Darkness covers the earth… but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” Global searches rise for “pray for the world,” “war news,” and “countries in crisis.” Sudden instability triggers fear across continents. Yet God's sovereignty holds firm, and intercession has never been more necessary or more globally searched for. Prayer  Father, we lift Sudan, Haiti, Armenia, and Myanmar into Your hands. Speak peace into violence, wisdom into leadership, and protection over civilians. End the cycles of fear, displacement, hunger, and conflict. Strengthen aid workers, shield families caught in crossfire, and restore justice where corruption reigns. Lord, push back oppression, raise up peacemakers, calm hostile borders, and break the strongholds that fuel unrest. Let Your presence enter refugee camps, hospitals, and trembling communities tonight. Bring stability where structures have collapsed and healing where nations are bleeding. Lord, show mercy, show power, and show peace in places the world has forgotten. Prayer Points: prayer for peace, prayer for justice, prayer for protection, prayer for stability, prayer for leaders, prayer for healing of nations, prayer for hope Life Application  Pause today and choose one nation from this list. Pray intentionally for its people, its leaders, and its peace as an act of global intercession. Declaration: I declare God brings peace to troubled nations and restores hope where darkness has covered the land. Call to Action: Share this nations prayer and join us daily at DailyPrayer.uk as we intercede for the world.Psalm 46:10 prayer, prayer for nations, christian prayer for peace, reverend ben cooper, global prayer podcast, daily prayer podcast, dailyprayer.uk, intercession prayer24-Hour ARC Connector:Previous Episode: 12 P.M. — Healing for Heavy Minds and Tired BodiesThis Episode: 6 P.M. — Global Nations PrayerNext Episode: 8 P.M. — Evening Calm, Emotional Reset, and Quiet StrengthSupport the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningJeremiah 30:17 — Healing for Heavy Minds, Tired Bodies, and Hearts Overwhelmed by December Pressure From London to Vancouver, from Abuja to Mumbai, from Buenos Aires to Warsaw — this is the 12 P.M. global restoration prayer in the DailyPrayer.uk 24-Hour ARC. Scripture (NIV): Jeremiah 30:17 — “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord. Psalm 73:26 — “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Across the world today, searches rise for “healing prayer,” “why am I exhausted,” and “strength for today.” December's emotional strain is peaking. Yet God meets tired minds, heavy hearts, and overwhelmed bodies with restoring strength. Prayer  Father, at this midday hour, renew every weary listener. Lift the heaviness that sits on minds and bodies. Heal stress-fuelled tension, emotional fatigue, lingering sadness, and physical weakness. Let Your restoring power move through every system — mental, emotional, and physical. Lord, breathe fresh peace into nervous hearts, refresh those drained by pressure, and strengthen those battling exhaustion. Release clarity where confusion sits, rest where strain dominates, and hope where discouragement has taken root. Let Your presence stabilise the day and refill what life has drained. Heal in ways only You can. Renew strength, restore joy, and steady every step forward in Jesus' name. Prayer Points: prayer for healing, prayer for strength, prayer for emotional renewal, prayer for physical restoration, prayer for peace, prayer for clarity, prayer for hope Life Application  Take five slow breaths, read Jeremiah 30:17 aloud, and invite God to restore one area of your life that feels drained today. Declaration: I declare God restores my strength, renews my mind, and heals my body today. Call to Action: Share this midday prayer with someone who needs strength. Visit DailyPrayer.uk for global devotional resources.Jeremiah 30:17 prayer, healing prayer today, christian prayer for strength, reverend ben cooper, dailyprayer.uk, global prayer podcast, daily prayer podcast, prayer for renewal 24-Hour ARC Connector:Previous Episode: 9 A.M. — Faith Under Fire (Persecuted Church)This Episode: 12 P.M. — Healing for Heavy Minds and Tired BodiesNext Episode: 6 P.M. — Global Nations Prayer for Stability and PeaceSupport the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

As we stand at the edge of a new year, Pastor Art Bastes reminds us that we are not stepping into the future alone. In Facing the Challenge of '26, we are anchored in the promise of Emmanuel, God with us. Drawing from Joshua 1 through 3, this message calls us to move forward with confidence, not because the path is easy, but because God's presence goes with us. Israel faced a new season filled with uncertainty, leadership transition, and overwhelming obstacles. Yet God called them to take the step in obedience, claim His promises, and expect Him to do great things. Just as God went before Joshua and the people into the Promised Land, He goes before us into the challenges, decisions, and unknowns of a new year. Whether you are facing fear, unanswered questions, or seemingly impossible circumstances, this message is a reminder that God's presence is our greatest assurance. When we trust Him, step forward in faith, and expect Him to work, He proves Himself faithful again and again. What step of faith is God asking you to take as you move into the new year?

Have you ever made one too many mistakes? You know, you get to a point where you think, That's it! God must be done with me? Well, Abraham was a man of faith who made plenty of mistakes along the way. Yet God seemed to overlook, even o compensate for them. Why was that?   Life Changing Moments As we travel through life we all kind of experience these moments and often they are seemingly insignificant events that in fact, turn out to change the whole course of our lives. It's amazing when you think about it! We all have a plan for our lives but there are things just around the next corner or just over the next rise that can change everything – good things and bad things, happy things and sad things. Some people think, "Well, it's all a matter of chance." Well, I don't believe in chance. I remember a brochure that changed my life. I was attending a little church – I had not long become a Christian and it was a Sunday service like every other Sunday. At the end of the service I walked to the back of the little church and I saw a brochure for a particular Bible College, Tabor College in Sydney. It wasn't a particularly attractive brochure or a well designed brochure – I picked it up and that was a defining moment – I took it home, I read about this ministry degree, I prayed and I felt this incredibly strong tug in my heart. Now in my mind I am thinking, "There's no way. You know Berni, you have been a Christian for five minutes" but in my heart I knew. So I rang them, I applied, I went to see the Principal, I felt like such a fraud. "They are never going to accept me." They did! And there I learned so much but also, by chance again, I came into contact with my predecessor in this ministry; the former CEO of Christianityworks and one thing led to another. And today I'm doing what I am doing because I picked up that little brochure at the back of the church. Now I had no idea that morning that something would happen that would change the course of my life. This week we are starting a new series on Christianityworks, it's called "Defining Moments". It's really exciting! I want to look at this from a different perspective; from God's perspective. See when we look back on our lives most of us can pick three or four, maybe half a dozen defining moments – those little things that seemed to change the whole course of our lives. Now, sure we can see them from our natural human perspective – after all, we are people; we're human, but if we do that I think we miss the point. I want to look at some defining moments in the lives of four people in the Bible – Abraham, Joseph, David and Josiah over the next four weeks and we are starting today with Abraham. I want to see if we can discover how God reaches into our lives with miracles - great and small to define the very course of our lives because God does have a plan. Psalm 139, verse 16, says: Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In Your book were written all the days that were formed for me when none of them as yet existed. And when we at least expect it, and even despite what you and I do or fail to do, His plan is worked out through His grace for His glory. God brings those defining moments. Let's start with Abraham - the man with whom God's engagement of His chosen people began. He was living comfortably in a place called Ur, east of Israel – of course Israel didn't exist back then. Ur was the land of the Chaldeans, later it was called Babylon – it's just south of modern day Baghdad. And he travelled with his father up to Haran and then God called him to leave his comfort and follow this really crazy, absolutely incredulous promise. Let's pick it up – if you have got a Bible, grab it; open it up at Genesis chapter 12. We are going to look at the story of Abraham – it's too much to look at it all in one programme but we are going to have a look at part of his story. Genesis chapter 12, beginning at verse 1: Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram when as the Lord had told him and Lot when with him. Abram was seventy five years old when he departed form Haran." Seventy five years old! "He and Sarai his wife and they were childless." You see, you have to remember, in the Old Testament, blessing; God's blessing, you knew you had it when you had lots of land and lots of children. They had neither, so they didn't have God's blessing on their lives. Now the word "Abram" means "exalted father". So even his name was a joke, but still he went, off into the never never, based on what – some intangible, crazy call from God? Remember Abram had no Bible; he had no Scriptures to reveal who God was. He had no church tradition, or Jewish tradition – nothing like that. All the other nations had their gods; idols – they worshipped them, they believed all sorts of weird and wonderful things but Abram put his faith; he put his whole life and all his possessions in this God who came up with this incredulous promise. How did God say this to Abram - through an audible voice, a dream, a vision, a whisper of the Spirit in his heart? We don't know but he just heard the call and he trusted in the promises of God and off he went, into the blue yonder. Now God's plan A, remember, is to bless Abram with land and children – impossible of course! Oozes fantasy, not faith – could never happen. And then begins Abram's comedy of errors – pretty tragic actually. We don't have time to look at them all today but we are going to look at some of them. It's a journey where Abram and Sarai his wife, made plenty of mistakes along the way. Take Lot for instance, his nephew – if you look at Genesis chapter 12 again, did God tell Abram to take Lot with him? Not at all – it was Abram's idea. No doubt, this was plan B for Abram. "Well, if God doesn't come through on this promise of a son, at least I'll have a relative to be my heir" and Lot…..Lot causes him all sorts of grief. Let's have a look – Genesis chapter 13, verse 5: Now Lot who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents so that the land couldn't support both of them living together, for their possessions were so great that they could not live together. And there was strife between the herders of Abram's stock and the herders of Lot's stock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me – between your herders and my herders for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I'll go to the right; of you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." Lot looked about him and saw the plain of the Jordan that was well watered everywhere like this garden of the Lord; like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar - this was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan and Lot eastward thus he separated from Abram. Gee, plan B worked really well for Abram didn't it? Obviously God didn't know what He was promising Abram and needed a back up! And look how it turned out! Strife, separation and then Abram gave away the best half of the Promised Land. And if you read on in chapter 14, Abram risks his life and God's plan because he has to fight a battle to save Lot's life. Lot was not part of plan A and in chapter 19 of Genesis (we won't go there for now for time reasons) but he ends up sleeping with his own daughters and fathers the Moabites and the Ammonites; both nations that became enemies of Israel. Huh – well done Abram! God obviously needed your help!!   Who Can Blame Him? Well, who can blame Abram? He is in his late seventies now on a journey to nowhere and Sarai is no spring chicken either, I have to tell you. And God gives him this utterly incongruous, impossible promise and Abram is aching inside. "God, what are You doing?"  Can you relate to that? I can! Let's have a look at the defining moment in Abram's journey. It begins in Genesis chapter 15, verse 1: After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram, I am your shield. Your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "Lord God, what will You give me for I continue childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer, son of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the Word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir. No one but a son coming from your very own body shall be your heir." God brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then the Lord said to him, "So shall your descendants be!" And Abram believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. I reckon this is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Is Abram a man of faith? Absolutely! But he is struggling – he has tried everything he can do in his own strength and he can't make this promise from God happen and time is marching on. So through his doubt, he ends up with plan C or D or whatever he is up to. How does God respond – with rebuke, with punishment, with discipline? God brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heaven and count the start, if you are able to count them." Then God said "So will your descendants be! Isn't it beautiful? You know, the Milky Way when you get away from the smog and the lights of the city is just the most awesome thing – there are so many stars out there – it almost looks like clouds. Trillions of stars – this is the love of God! And he believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. Abram's faith meant that God's righteousness became part of who he was. It's a theme the Apostle Paul picks up in Romans chapter 4 and in Galatians chapter 3 in the New Testament, much later. See I struggle with the rose coloured glasses that Paul and others in the New Testament use to look back on Abraham. They paint him as this paragon of virtue; this great man of faith. Hebrews chapter 11, beginning at verse 8: By faith Abraham, when he was called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he didn't know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country, for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father. That's great but what about all of Abraham blunders? What about his lack of faith? He goes to God and says to God, "What will You give me? What will You show me? I can't see it – I'm losing hope." See, Abraham was human – Abraham had human failures and he made mistakes just like you and me - but the answer is in what we just read in Genesis. How is it that despite all of Abraham's blunders and doubts, God's plan still came to fruition? Because Abraham: "believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness." Abraham believed – he didn't do it perfectly – but he believed and this was counted by God as righteousness. The righteousness of God when we believe, He forgives our sins – He forgets them. "As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us." You see, that's why in the New Testament it doesn't talk about Abraham's mistakes because God has forgiven them and they are not relevant. That's how God deals with Abraham's human failings. This is the defining moment in Abraham's journey: he believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. This night that was like any other; he was in his tent; he was struggling; he was praying; he was saying, 'God, what are you doing?' And God just touches him and brings him outside and says, "Look up at the stars; as many as are there so numerous will be your descendants." It's not about what Abraham did or didn't do. The defining moment is about God's grace! And come and look with me exactly how imperfectly Abraham believed. Come and see with me how human and frail his faith actually is. He is credited with righteousness – God speaks to him and right on the back of that, just two verses later, in Genesis chapter 15, verse 8, begins this: But he said "O Lord, God, how am I to know I shall possess it?" And God said to him, "Bring Me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove and a young pigeon." He brought God all those things and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abraham drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abraham and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Know this for certain that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs and they shall be slaves there and they shall be oppressed there for four hundred years but I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you yourself, you shall go with your ancestors in peace and you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." When the sun had gone down and it was dark, and a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day (listen to this) On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, "To your descendants I give this land – from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates and the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Raphaim and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites." See, in the face of further doubt from Abraham, God gives him this vision and he makes an unbreakable promise; a covenant; a promise from God Himself to Abraham.   The Last Laugh Just as well, this covenant from God was an unbreakable promise because what happens next, after the stars thing and the vision and the promise, would have been the final straw for me if I had been God. Have a look at the next Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave girl whose name was Hagar and Sarai said to Abram, "You see the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go into my slave girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of his wife Sarai, so after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian; her slave girl and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife. He went into Hagar and she conceived and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you. I gave my slave girl to you to embrace and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me." Ok, men had more than one wife in those days but people haven't changed that much. Wives, how happy would you be with this outcome? Your husband sleeping with a slave girl and then all of a sudden the slave girl is pregnant. Can you see how perverted this is? And the son that Hagar bore was Ishmail and he became the father of the Arab world! Gee, that worked out brilliantly, didn't it? And so Abram, left to his own devices would have lurched from one blunder to the next but now the bit that really gets me about this story, is the ending. Both Abram and Sarai get to the point – I mean this has been going on for years now; decades where they just end up laughing at God's promises. I mean they are so ridiculous; they are so impossible – have a look – Abram first in Genesis chapter 17, verse 15: God said to Abram, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai anymore but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her and she will give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her." Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah who is ninety years old bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "O that Ishmail might live in Your sight." And God said, "No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him." And then Sarah's turn next! God appears to Abraham in the form of three men and those men said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then one of them said, "I will surely return to you in due season and your wife Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance, behind them. Now Abraham and Sarah, they were old and advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, "After I have grown old and my husband is old, shall I have the pleasure?" See, can you blame Abraham and Sarah for laughing at God? I mean if you don't laugh you will cry. It has been twenty five years – they headed away on this fool's errand into the blue yonder. Abraham is over a hundred – Sarah is over ninety – come on God, what do You think You are doing? But let's see how it ends! Genesis chapter 21: The Lord dealt with Sarah just as He had said and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah had borne. Do you know what the word "Isaac" means? It means "he laughs" – you see God had the last laugh! They both laughed at God's promises and God gives them a son called Isaac and God has the last laugh! It's the laughter of God's grace. And when you look back on this journey, what was the defining moment? See, what you and I want to look at is say: "What do I have to do….what do I have to do? What do I have to do to get God's favour?" Isn't that what we are always thinking? And you look at all of Abraham's blunders and you see all the mistakes he made but in his heart he believed and it was reckoned unto him by God as righteousness. His faith trumped his failures! Let me say that again ... Abraham's faith trumped his failures! People came to Jesus years later and they said, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" And Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God: that you believe in the One whom He has sent." Do you get it? The defining moment for Abraham was God's gracious, loving, powerful, impossible, unbreakable, ridiculous, only God could ever do it, take it forever….promise. And in his heart Abraham believed. That's the bit that God saw and took and used and blessed Abraham through. That's why the New Testament writers can completely ignore the failures of Abraham because God….God had forgotten them a long time ago. God had decided to overlook them a long time ago. Abraham was not a perfect man – Abraham was human just like you and me. You make blunders in your life; I make blunders in my life. What does God look at? He looks at whether we put our trust in Him through Jesus Christ. God not only forgave Abraham and Sarah but He cleaned up their mess along the way so that His plan would be fulfilled and realised for His glory. Look again at the defining moment in Abraham's life…Genesis chapter 15, verses 5 and 6: God brought Abraham outside and said, "Look up toward the heaven. Count the stars if you are able to count them." Then God said to him, "So shall your descendants be. And Abraham believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. What do I have to do to do the works of God? To believe in the One whom He sent; His Son, Jesus Christ!

Romans 9:14-18 — What is the great mystery of salvation? According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on Romans 9:14–18 titled “God's Mercy,” it is not why every sinner is not saved, but why any are saved. This is because as the apostle Paul says, God does not have to give mercy to anyone but He chooses to because He is a gracious God. There is no doubt that this is a hard teaching to grasp; this is seen in the fact that many wise and godly Christians have rejected it. Yet God's word is clear that from start to finish, salvation is a free and gracious gift from God. For if God had to give salvation to everyone, how would it be all of grace? As the Scripture teaches, God gives mercy to whom He wills to give mercy and He hardens whom He wills to harden. This truth is seen in the Lord Jesus's parable of the workers in the vineyard. Here it is seen that God is not obligated to give mercy to all, yet He chooses to give some in order that His name might glorified. What should be one's response to this teaching? This great doctrine should cause the Christian to forsake all hope in themselves and look to Jesus who alone can save. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29?v=20251111

“The Little Things inthe Christmas Story” MerryChristmas, and welcome to Pastor's Chat. On this Christmas morning, I want totake a few moments to remind us that God often works through what the worldconsiders small, insignificant, and unnoticed. Years ago, I preached a messagetitled “The Little Things in the Christmas Story.” And the more I reflect onthe birth of Christ, the more I am convinced that Christmas is a story filledwith little things that reveal a very big God.Theworld looks for greatness in power, position, and prominence. But God revealsHis glory through humility, obedience, and faith. Notice these “Little Things”associated with the Christmas story. ALittle Town — BethlehemTheprophet Micah tells us: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be littleamong the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me thatis to be ruler in Israel.” (Micah 5:2) Bethlehem was a small, obscurevillage—hardly the place one would expect a King to be born. Yet God chose alittle town to bring forth the Savior of the world. God is never limited bylocation. He delights in working through places the world overlooks. ALittle Virgin Girl — MaryLuketells us that God chose a young virgin named Mary (Luke 1:27). She was notfamous, powerful, or influential—just a humble young woman willing to say yesto God. Her simple response still echoes through history: “Be it unto meaccording to thy word.” (Luke 1:38) One surrendered heart can change thecourse of history. ALittle Stable and a Little MangerLukechapter 2 reminds us there was no room in the inn, so Jesus was born in a lowlyplace and laid in a manger. The King of glory was not born in a palace but in astable. The Bread of Life was laid in a feeding trough. God entered the worldquietly, humbly, and without earthly applause. Christmas reminds us that Godcame down to where we are. ALittle Baby“Untoyou is born this day in the city of David a Savior.” (Luke 2:11) Theeternal Son of God came as a helpless infant. Almighty God wrapped Himself inhuman flesh. Omnipotence came in weakness. Eternity stepped into time. Neverunderestimate what God can do through something that looks small. ALittle Group of ShepherdsThefirst people to hear the announcement of Christ's birth were shepherds—ordinarymen doing ordinary work. “And there were in the same country shepherdsabiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” (Luke 2:8) Godchose faithful, watchful men—not kings or scholars—to receive the good newsfirst. Heaven still reveals truth to the humble and attentive. ALittle StarMatthewtells us that wise men were guided by a star (Matthew 2:2). One small light ledsincere seekers to the Savior. God still uses light—the light of His Word, ofHis truth, and of His Son—to guide hearts that are genuinely seeking Him. ALittle Response of FaithMarybelieved. Joseph obeyed. The shepherds went. The wise men followed. Christmasreminds us that God's greatest work often begins with simple obedience. ABig God at Work Through Little ThingsChristmasteaches us this powerful truth: God specializes in using little things toaccomplish eternal purposes.Littleplaces. Little people. Little acts of faith.Andthrough them all, God brought us the greatest gift of all—Jesus Christ.“ForGod so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (John 3:16) ThisChristmas morning, may we not overlook the small things. May we surrender whatwe have, where we are, and who we are to the Lord. The Lord can use us andwhatever we yield to Him for the glory of God! MayGod bless you, and may you have a truly merry Christmas.

The Christmas story takes on profound new meaning when we understand what the shepherds truly represented in first-century society. Far from the romanticized figures in our nativity scenes, shepherds were considered the lowest social class—dirty, untrustworthy, excluded from worship, and often viewed as thieves. Yet God chose them to receive the first announcement of the Messiah's birth. This deliberate choice reveals something stunning about the gospel: it's good news specifically for those who feel unworthy, marginalized, and far from God. The angels' proclamation of 'peace on earth' wasn't just poetic language—it was announcing the restoration of shalom, the complete wholeness and perfection that humanity lost in the Garden of Eden. This biblical peace isn't merely the absence of conflict or a feeling we manufacture through meditation apps and self-help strategies. It's the presence of something—or rather, Someone—who reconciles us to God, to others, to ourselves, and to our purpose. Jesus didn't just bring peace; He became our peace through His sacrifice on the cross. But here's the crucial point: this peace is available to all people, yet it's only received by those who choose to accept it. We can't earn it, manifest it, or create it ourselves. We can only receive it as a gift, and then become peacemakers who share it with a world desperately longing for what only Christ can provide.

The Christmas story in Luke 2 turns our expectations upside down in the most beautiful way. When we think about major announcements, we imagine grand stages, powerful platforms, and influential audiences. Yet God chose to reveal the most significant news in human history—the birth of our Savior—to shepherds working the night shift in a forgotten field. These weren't respected religious leaders or wealthy merchants; they were considered unclean, untrustworthy, and unvaluable by society's standards. But that's precisely the point. The setting perfectly matches the message: salvation comes not to those who deserve it, but to those who need it most. This is grace in its purest form—love that isn't earned by our merits but given freely based on God's character. When we feel overlooked, rejected, or unworthy, we need to remember that Jesus comes for us first. The gospel doesn't wait for us to clean ourselves up or achieve a certain status. It meets us in our mess, in our shame, in our brokenness. And here's the revolutionary truth: if God's love isn't based on our worthiness but on His unchanging nature, then we're truly secure. We become family, friends, children of God—not because we've performed well enough, but because He has set His affections on us. This Christmas, we're invited to receive this unmerited love and let it transform how we see ourselves and our relationship with God.

Have you ever had an encounter with God that changed everything?In this Christmas message, we walk through Mary's encounter with God in Luke 1 and discover how His presence interrupts ordinary life, replaces fear with purpose, and invites everyday people into extraordinary calling.Mary wasn't looking for an angel, she was simply living her life. Yet God met her right where she was and changed the course of history through her surrender. This sermon reminds us that favor isn't comfort—it's calling, and that God still invades real life with His presence today.In this sermon, you'll hear about: • How God calls the unlikely to do the unimaginable • Why fear is often the first response to divine change • The power of asking honest questions and trusting God • How miracles are conceived in surrender, not perfection • Why Christmas happened because a teenage girl said “yes” • The truth that nothing is impossible with GodMary was young, poor, and unknown, but chosen by God. If you've ever felt insignificant, overlooked, or unsure of your purpose, this message is for you. God doesn't wait for religious perfection—He meets us in real life and invites us to trust Him.Key Scripture: Luke 1:26–38Key Truth: “Nothing is impossible with God.”If this message encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who needs hope this Christmas season. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join us as we continue to follow Jesus together.FOLLOW US!WEBSITE: https://www.compassiondickson.church/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/compassiondicksonINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/compassionchurchdickson?igsh=eXp3Mm9ubG81aTQx&utm_source=qrSunday Extended Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTsMFJ4TR5xa0PahwBjfzWK772IOi9G8&si=lsIu5iqaQwl79Jwj

The shepherds in Luke's Gospel were society's outcasts - criminals and cowards who felt uninvited to celebration. Yet God chose them to receive the first announcement of Jesus' birth. When the angel appeared with good news of a Savior born for them, these forgotten men found hope in their darkest moment. They sought Jesus and discovered that encountering Him transformed their perspective, even though their circumstances remained the same. God's grace isn't reserved for the worthy but given to the willing, reminding us that no failure disqualifies us from His invitation to joy. Follow and subscribe to stay updated with our latest content: Youtube  | Facebook | Instagram | Central Wired Website

The Christmas story reveals God's heart for the marginalized when He chose shepherds to receive the first announcement of Jesus' birth. These weren't religious leaders or influential people, but workers considered spiritually unclean and unreliable by society. Their job made following religious rituals nearly impossible, placing them firmly on the margins. Yet God deliberately chose them for heaven's ultimate baby announcement. When the angel appeared with terrifying glory, the first words weren't condemnation but comfort: Do not be afraid, for I bring good news of great joy for all people. This reveals a crucial truth - God's good news doesn't wait for us to clean ourselves up. It comes right where we are, in the mess and darkness of real life. The angel announced three powerful titles for the baby: Savior who rescues us, Messiah the long-promised one, and Lord with all authority. The sign was humble - a baby in a manger where animals eat, showing God made Himself small enough that no one would fear approaching Him. The shepherds responded with immediate faith and urgency, hurrying to see what God had revealed. After encountering Jesus, they became the first gospel messengers, proving that God takes ordinary people in ordinary places and transforms them into carriers of extraordinary news. We see two valid responses in Mary who treasured and pondered these things in her heart, and the shepherds who returned to ordinary life as different people. Both responses show us that Christmas calls us to receive God's grace deeply and live as transformed messengers in our everyday spaces.

The Christmas story reveals God's heart for the marginalized when He chose shepherds to receive the first announcement of Jesus' birth. These weren't religious leaders or influential people, but workers considered spiritually unclean and unreliable by society. Their job made following religious rituals nearly impossible, placing them firmly on the margins. Yet God deliberately chose them for heaven's ultimate baby announcement. When the angel appeared with terrifying glory, the first words weren't condemnation but comfort: Do not be afraid, for I bring good news of great joy for all people. This reveals a crucial truth - God's good news doesn't wait for us to clean ourselves up. It comes right where we are, in the mess and darkness of real life. The angel announced three powerful titles for the baby: Savior who rescues us, Messiah the long-promised one, and Lord with all authority. The sign was humble - a baby in a manger where animals eat, showing God made Himself small enough that no one would fear approaching Him. The shepherds responded with immediate faith and urgency, hurrying to see what God had revealed. After encountering Jesus, they became the first gospel messengers, proving that God takes ordinary people in ordinary places and transforms them into carriers of extraordinary news. We see two valid responses in Mary who treasured and pondered these things in her heart, and the shepherds who returned to ordinary life as different people. Both responses show us that Christmas calls us to receive God's grace deeply and live as transformed messengers in our everyday spaces.

Peace, justice, renewal, reconciliation, and redemptionthese are the things we all long for. From the beginning of human history, every generation has desired Eden. We long for a world where everything is as it should be: where God dwells with His people, where sin and death no longer reign, where justice and peace finally embrace. Yet life east of Eden often feels far more like wandering in the wilderness than living in paradise. Scripture reminds us that we were not only made for Eden, but for something greater than the first Edena redeemed world where God dwells with His people forever. If you read the Bible as one unified story, you quickly discover that this longing for Eden never disappears. After the death of Solomon and the division of Davids kingdom, Gods people endured centuries of instability, exile, and oppression. Kingdoms fell apart, kings failed, and the land itself was lost. Yet through it all, God preserved a single, persistent promise: redemption would come through a childa king, a deliverer, a son. From the serpent-crushing offspring promised in Genesis 3, to the blessing pledged to Abraham, to the scepter of Judah, to the covenant God made with David, and finally to Isaiahs promise of a virgin-born son, God repeated His word again and again: salvation was coming. The Deliverer would crush the head of the dragon. Into the darkness of Galilee and the nations, a great light would shine. Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:67) Thenastonishinglyfor four hundred years, heaven was silent. Imagine being born, living, and dying without hearing a prophetic word from God, yet clinging to promises handed down from your fathers and grandfathers. Empires rose and fellGreek, then Romanuntil a paranoid ruler named Herod sat on the throne of Judah. The world looked anything but ready for redemption. And it was precisely then that God spoke againnot to a king, not to a priest, but to a young girl in an obscure town. The Promise We Can Trust Mary was likely between fourteen and sixteen years old. Joseph was a carpenterfaithful, quiet, and largely unnoticed. They were not influential, powerful, or impressive by worldly standards. Yet God chose them. This should not surprise us. Throughout Scripture, God delights in working through obscurity. He does not wait for ideal circumstances or impressive rsums. He chooses ordinary people who trust Him. Obscurity is not a barrier to obedience, and faithfulness in small, unseen places is often where God begins His greatest work. When Mary was told she would conceive by the Holy Spirit, her response was an honest question:How will this be, since I am a virgin?This is in contrast to Zechariahs response after the angel Gabriel revealed to him that he and his wife, Elizabeth would have a son in their old age who would prepare the way of the promised Deliverer. Here is what Zechariah said: How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years. (Luke 1:18-20). While Zechariah struggled to believe, Marys response was not unbelief; it was faith seeking understanding. Mary does not say, That cannot be, but How will this be? Biblical faith does not silence questionsit submits them to God. There is a world of difference between humble inquiry and hardened disbelief. Joseph, however, initially responded with disbelief. As a righteous man, he planned to divorce Mary quietly, sparing her public shame. But God intervened. Once Joseph understood that God was at work, he obeyed. He moved when God told him to move. He fled when danger came. He returned when it was safe. History remembers Herod as powerful; God remembers Joseph as faithful. Joseph is often treated as a footnote in Jesus story, but do not assume that there was not cost for him in following the will of God for his life. Think about the cost to his reputation, consider the courage he demonstrated from the news of Marys pregnancy throughout Jesus childhood years. There is a lesson to be learned through Josephs life in what faithfulness, fatherhood, and true masculinity really looks like. The gospel did not make Mary and Josephs lives easierit made them riskier. Gods promises often disrupt our plans. Obedience may cost comfort, reputation, and control, but it always leads us into Gods purposes. The Promise that Secures Our Good Gabriel proclaims five astonishing truths about Marys childeach one unveiling a facet of Christs unparalleled glory and majesty. First, His name will be Jesus (v. 31).JesusJoshuameans Savior and Deliverer. Before Gabriel speaks of crowns or kingdoms, he speaks of salvation. Jesus would exercise His kingship not by domination, but by deliverance. He did not come primarily to improve circumstances, but to rescue sinners. This is the heart of the gospel: a Savior before a Sovereign, mercy before majesty. Jesus will be great (v. 32).Gabriel offers no explanationonly a proclamation. Scripture later fills in the meaning. Jesus is Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Lord. He is the image of the invisible God, the One through whom all things were made and in whom all things hold together! Consider Colossians 1:15-20, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. He is the radiance of Gods glory, the exact imprint of His nature, who upholds the universe by the word of His power (Heb. 1:14). Words ultimately fail to capture His greatness. Gabriel simply declares it:He will be great.Jesus eternally existed within the fellowship of the Trinity, entered human history, clothed Himself in flesh, lived among us, died on a Roman cross for our sins, and rose on the third day. This is not a small Savior. This is a great one. Jesus will be called Son of the Most High (v. 32b). This does not mean Jesus was created or that He is merely another son of God like the angels. Gabriel is proclaiming something far deeper: Jesus is uniquely Gods Sonthe eternal Word, begotten not made, sharing fully in the divine nature from all eternity. When the Father spoke creation into existence, it was by Jesus and through Jesus that all things were created! Jesus is, before all things, and in Him all things hold together. It is the Son, who emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men...humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8). The demons grasped with chilling clarity the truth that many humans do not. Consider their desperate plea in Luke 8:28: What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most Hight God? I beg You, do not torment me! Even the forces of darkness recognized that Jesus, as the Son of the Most High, possessed absolute authority and power over themHe alone holds the right to command, conquer, and torment the hosts of Satan. The spiritual realm itself trembles before His greatness. Jesus will inherit the throne of David (v. 32c). It is only fitting that Jesuswho is Savior, who is great, and who is the Son of the Most Highshould sit on the throne of David. Mary and Joseph were descendants of David, but this child would not merely restore an earthly kingdom. Jesus would reign over the nations as King. Isaiah foresaw this when he wrote, In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoplesof him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious(Isa. 11:10). When Simeon later held the infant Jesus in the temple, he declared that his eyes had seen Gods salvationa light for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Yet Simeon also warned Mary that this child would be opposed and that a sword would pierce her own soul: Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be opposedand a sword will pierce your own soulto the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed (Luke 2:34-35). Redemption would come, but not without suffering. Glory would be preceded by rejection and the cross. The Son would be despised, rejected, struck down, and afflicted for our sins through a cross, and it would be on the cross that the Son would be crushed by the Father (see Isa. 53:3-10). Jesus will reign over the house of Jacob forever (v. 33) Finally, Gabriel assured Mary that Jesus would not only inherit Davids throne, but that His reign would be everlasting. He would rule over Israel for all eternitythe ultimate and final King whose kingdom would never end. Yet His rule would not be confined to the twelve tribes of Israel. Like a mustard seed that grows into a great tree, His kingdom would expand to encompass the whole world, welcoming people from every nation. It is to this Jesus that all the nations will one day bow, for He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, just as the Scriptures declare:For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father(Phil. 2:911). The Promise that Will Not Fail Mary and Joseph were not sinless or perfect parents. They struggled as we do. Yet they were entrusted with the greatest news the world had ever received: salvation had come in the form of a child growing in Marys womb. One wonders whether, as Mary felt His small hands and feet and Joseph gazed at Him in awe, they ever reflected on Ezekiels promise that Davids servant would be king forever and that God would dwell among His people (see Ezek. 37:24-28). Their lives teach us four enduring lessons. 1) The Good News moved them to action. 2) They guarded what God entrusted to them. 3) They treasured the gift they received. 4) And they were faithful stewards, willing to step back and let Jesus be who He was sent to be. As Christians who have received the gospel, we too have been entrusted with this Good News. The question this story presses upon us is simple and searching:What will we do with the Good News we have received?Will it move us to action? Will we guard it as precious? Will we treasure it as the greatest news we have ever heard? And will we steward it faithfully, giving it away as ambassadors of the King of kings and Lord of lords? When Herod sought to kill Jesus, Joseph took his family to Egypt just as he was told to do to protect Mary and Jesus. Josephs obedience cost him something. Most of us will never be called to flee to Egypt, but we will be called to trust God when obedience costs us something! When Mary received the news that she was to be the mother of the promised Deliverer and Son of God, her response is simple and yet profound: I am the Lords bond-servant, may it be done to me according to your word (1:38). For centuries before Gabriel visited Mary, Gods people waitedthrough exile, through silence, through sufferingclinging to promises they could not yet see fulfilled. And then, in the fullness of time, God spoke again. Not with thunder, not from a palace, but through an angel sent to a young girl in an obscure town. The first coming of Jesus tells us something vital about the way God works. He does not bypass weakness; He enters it. He does not avoid suffering; He redeems it. He does not wait for the world to be ready; He comes to save it. The King arrived not with armies, but in a womb. The Savior came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. The child promised to Mary is the King who now reigns. The Savior who came in humility will come again in glory. The Jesus who was laid in a manger will one day return as Judge and King, and His kingdom will have no end. So we live now in the in-between. We wait as a people who know the promise is true, even when the world still feels broken. We wait with hope, not because circumstances are easy, but because Christ has comeand because Christ will come again. As you wait with hope, what kind of bond-servant will you be? What kind of bond-servant is Jesus calling you to be?What does faithfulness look like for you in 2026?

The Christmas story reveals God's heart for the marginalized when He chose shepherds to receive the first announcement of Jesus' birth. These weren't religious leaders or influential people, but workers considered spiritually unclean and unreliable by society. Their job made following religious rituals nearly impossible, placing them firmly on the margins. Yet God deliberately chose them for heaven's ultimate baby announcement. When the angel appeared with terrifying glory, the first words weren't condemnation but comfort: Do not be afraid, for I bring good news of great joy for all people. This reveals a crucial truth - God's good news doesn't wait for us to clean ourselves up. It comes right where we are, in the mess and darkness of real life. The angel announced three powerful titles for the baby: Savior who rescues us, Messiah the long-promised one, and Lord with all authority. The sign was humble - a baby in a manger where animals eat, showing God made Himself small enough that no one would fear approaching Him. The shepherds responded with immediate faith and urgency, hurrying to see what God had revealed. After encountering Jesus, they became the first gospel messengers, proving that God takes ordinary people in ordinary places and transforms them into carriers of extraordinary news. We see two valid responses in Mary who treasured and pondered these things in her heart, and the shepherds who returned to ordinary life as different people. Both responses show us that Christmas calls us to receive God's grace deeply and live as transformed messengers in our everyday spaces.

Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most celebrated musicians in history. Nearly two centuries after his death in 1827, his compositions are still among the most performed pieces. His talent has been widely heralded, and he’s often described as a virtuoso. A study of Beethoven’s DNA, however, indicates he may not have been born with some of his abilities—as we might assume. When his genes were compared to those of 14,500 other people who’d shown an ability to keep rhythm (merely one aspect of musical talent), Beethoven ranked surprisingly low. Beethoven also had ample opportunity and exposure to music (which developed the genetic aptitude he did have). Yet neither talent nor opportunity fully account for God’s role in endowing us with the abilities we have. Our Creator equipped two men, Bezalel and Oholiab, with specific skills to be used in building the tabernacle. God filled Bezalel “with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs” and appointed Oholiab “to help him” (Exodus 31:3-6). God gave “ability to all the skilled workers to make everything [He] commanded]” (v. 6). Few of us will work on projects as significant as God’s tabernacle. And our abilities may never be recorded in history’s annals. Yet God has equipped us with the skills, aptitudes, and experiences He wants us to share with the world. May we serve Him faithfully, in His strength and for His glory.

Click here for more on this topic and other free resources - https://www.drjimrichards.com For many people, the holidays are not a season of joy but a time when old memories, unresolved pain, and family patterns surface with surprising intensity. What we feel in the present is often shaped by experiences from years ago. Long before we understand why, the weight of the past begins defining how we face the holidays today. Holiday depression isn't simply a psychological term; it is often an emotional association rooted in the heart. Our minds remember events, but our hearts remember experiences. When those experiences are painful, the holidays can trigger reactions that feel impossible to escape. Yet God never designed us to be ruled by old memories or cultural traditions that rob us of peace. He calls us into freedom—a life where we decide what the holidays will mean rather than repeating what they have always been. There is a pathway to transformation. It begins by recognizing the beliefs that keep us bound, understanding how emotional debt shapes our responses, and learning to make intentional choices that reflect who we are in Christ rather than who we used to be. As we step out of old patterns and into new traditions, our hearts begin to heal. Joy becomes possible again. And the holidays shift from something we endure to something that strengthens us, our families, and everyone we touch. Join me this week in CyberChurch for a message titled Overcoming Holiday Depression, as we explore how to break free from painful holiday associations and create a season filled with meaning, purpose, and the life of God.

"Jesus is up front with us that there is a cost to following him," writes Craig Keener. "From God's side, the gift of him in him is free—or rather, already paid for by what Christ suffered for us. But we live in a world that challenges our faith, so from the world's side our faith is bound to cost us hardships. Yet God empowers us by his Spirit to maintain our witness for Christ in this world no matter what." In this episode of the podcast, I talk to Keener about how Pentecostal Christians should think about suffering. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. Craig Keener is F.M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary, an ordained Assemblies of God minister, and author of Suffering: Its Meaning for the Spirit-Filled Life, published by Baker Academic. NOTE: This will be the final Influence Podcast of 2025. Episode 411 — the first podcast of 2026 — will drop on Thursday, January 8.   ————— This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Open When . . . Parenting through Everyday Moments. In Open When . . . Parenting through Everyday Moments, child development professionals and Christian education experts discuss the most common parenting scenarios faced by families today. Readers will be empowered with knowledge, tools, and strategies for navigating the complexities of each issue while also nurturing the child's spirit through scriptural application. For more information about Open When . . . Parenting through Everyday Moments visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

In this profound end-time teaching, Pastor Olubi Johnson reveals God's prophetic agenda for the triumphant Church—a generation called not only to perfection, but to authority over death, invincibility, and readiness for the rapture.   This message begins by reaffirming God's unchanging sovereignty: El-Shaddai still performs miracles beyond human limitation, and everything written in Scripture will be fulfilled—including miraculous births and supernatural interventions in impossible situations.   Pastor Olubi stresses that in these perilous times, spiritual readiness outweighs procreation. Believers must ensure they possess the spiritual resources needed to raise children of destiny under divine covering. He teaches that spiritual preparation, not fear, determines whether children become arrows in God's hand or casualties of the age.   A central theme of this teaching is the believer's authority over death. Like Paul, every believer should aim to choose the time of their departure, finishing their God-ordained course rather than being cut down by the enemy. Achieving this requires a mindset where “to live is Christ,” free from excessive attachment to material things, comfort, or even life itself.   Pastor Olubi warns that glory attracts persecution, particularly when believers confront systems of darkness and political powers. Yet God promises divine defense, invincibility, and preservation for those who dwell in the secret place. The terminal generation is destined to be alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, escaping premature death through continuous watching and praying.   The message concludes with a call to pursue perfection, deepen love, and walk closely with God—standing upon the spiritual foundations that enabled Enoch, Paul, and John to live as overcomers. The goal is clear: finish your course with confidence, inherit the crown of righteousness, and manifest the glory of God in the land of the living.   You can follow Pastor Olubi Johnson on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can also check out our Website.

Zachary Cargill shares a challenging message on our desperate need for the presence of God in our lives and in our church. Christ did not die on the cross to be an add-on to our lives, but gave His all so that we, in response, would give our all to Him. It can be easy to fall into Christian activity without a true hunger and desperation for the Lord's presence. Yet God is calling His Church to place the utmost value on His presence and to seek Him first in every aspect of our lives. Now is the time to come out of complacency and empty religion and return to wholehearted devotion to Jesus.Our heart at Celebration Church Rarotonga is that this message will greatly bless your walk with Jesus and help bring you closer to Him. We pray that you would be stirred to live a life that is passionate about loving Jesus!We would love to hear from you! Connect with us through the links below:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celebrationraroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationchurch_rarotonga/Website: https://www.celebrationrarotonga.com/

This powerful exploration of significance challenges us to reconsider how we measure value in our lives. Through the story of Jesse from 1 Samuel 16, we encounter a shepherd from an insignificant town who becomes central to God's redemptive plan. Jesse wasn't famous for his accomplishments—he's remembered simply as David's father, and he wasn't even an exceptional parent by worldly standards. Yet God chose this ordinary man's family line to bring forth both King David and ultimately Jesus Christ himself. The message confronts our tendency to measure importance by worldly standards—appearance, position, wealth, or achievements—when God measures the heart. We're reminded that God doesn't create spare parts; every person has divine purpose. The story of Miep Gies, who sheltered Anne Frank, illustrates how history-changing impact often comes from faithful obscurity. As we approach Christmas, we're invited to see ourselves as God sees us: not as insignificant nobodies, but as beloved children with kingdom purpose. The prophecy in Isaiah 11 about a shoot coming from Jesse's stump reminds us that God specializes in bringing life from what appears dead or diminished. When we feel overlooked or past our prime, we're actually in prime position for God to work—because in our weakness, His strength shines brightest.

Christmas reveals Jesus as our Everlasting Father - not a father who forgets, but one who never loses track of his children. Our deepest fear isn't physical danger but being forgotten or left behind. Yet God knows you completely, including your weaknesses, fears, and what brings you joy. His love is steadfast and endless, meeting you exactly where you are with patience and grace. Through stories like the woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery, we see that God offers complete forgiveness, removing our sins as far as the east is from the west. Christmas isn't about perfect performances but about God coming near to the messy and overlooked, stepping into time to find His children.

Ever felt like the spotted elephant, the train with square wheels, or the cowboy riding an ostrich—like you just don't quite fit, even at church?This Sunday we're opening to the part most of us secretly skip: Matthew's long, boring genealogy of Jesus. But here's the thing, when you actually read the names, you discover the family tree of the King of Kings is gloriously, scandalously stuffed with misfits, outsiders, failures, foreigners, and people with pasts so messy we'd delete them from our family tree in a heartbeat.Yet God proudly parades them front and center to announce, “These are My people—and through this broken, beautiful line, I'm sending My Son… for everyone else who feels broken too.”This Sunday we unpacked the truth that Christmas isn't for people who have it all together—it's for misfits like us. Tune into this week's message titled “Family Tree”.Join us for service online or in person every Sunday at 8am, 9:30am, 11am, & 12:30pm (PST).Connect to Captivate! - https://shorturl.at/nKxQuDownload the Captivate App to Stay Connected! - https://shorturl.at/5PfXPIf you want to share how God is moving in your life through this ministry, please let us know at info@captivatesd.com!Decided To Follow Jesus? Sign up to receive a copy of our “I Have Decided” booklets - https://shorturl.at/93CHSGet plugged in!Next Steps - captivatesd.com/next-stepsVisit - captivatesd.com/visitCommunities - captivatesd.com/communitiesIf you would like to support Captivate financially you can give online through our website by clicking here captivatesd.com/giving Need prayer? Please let us know! - https://captivatesd.churchcenter.com/people/forms/597023For more information about Captivate Church, visit captivatesd.com or follow us on our social media platforms below.Instagram - Instagram.com/captivatechurchsdFacebook - facebook.com/captivatesdWatch More Messages: youtube.com/@CaptivateChurch/videos

Christmas in IsaiahWEEK 2 | LIGHTPastor Craig TurnbullBannockburn ChurchIn Week 2 of Christmas in Isaiah, Pastor Craig Turnbull walks us through Isaiah 9:1–7, one of the most powerful and hope-filled prophecies in all of Scripture. Spoken into a moment of deep darkness, fear, and national uncertainty, Isaiah's words point forward to the arrival of a Light that would change everything.The people of Israel were overwhelmed by oppression, spiritual confusion, and looming threats. Darkness covered the land—both culturally and spiritually. Yet God promised that light was coming, not through human power or political strength, but through the birth of a child. This message reminds us that when the world feels heavy, hopeless, or fractured, God does His greatest work by shining His light directly into the darkness.Isaiah's prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ—the Light of the world—who brings indestructible joy, lasting freedom, and a victory we could never achieve on our own. Christmas is not about escaping darkness; it's about God entering it with us and overcoming it completely.Key Takeaways:- Light comes from God, not from circumstances or human solutions.- Jesus enters the darkest places with hope, joy, and freedom.- The joy Christ brings cannot be broken or taken away.- The victory of Christmas is a victory we did not earn but fully receive.- God's kingdom continues to expand, even when the world feels unstable.Related Scriptures:Isaiah 9:1–7Matthew 4:12–17John 1:4–5John 8:12Luke 2:10–11If you're walking through a season that feels heavy or uncertain, this message is a reminder that the dawn has already come. Jesus is here, the light is shining, and darkness does not get the final word.Need prayer? Visit bannockburnchurch.com/prayer#ChristmasInIsaiah #LightOfTheWorld #Isaiah9 #Advent #ChristmasSermon #BannockburnChurch #HopeInDarkness #JesusIsLight #BibleTeaching #ChristianHope #ChristmasMessage

Why Take The Longer Path?Exodus 13:17-18 “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt.” But God led the people round by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the sons of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle."I was listening to a sermon on the Elevation podcast. The pastor of Elevation church, Steven Furtick, gave a great sermon called “This May Be Plan C.” When I heard him talking about one part in particular I felt like the Lord wanted me to share it with all of you. There were many things about the sermon that stood out to me but it was almost an hour long so I can't go into all of it. However, I do recommend you check out the whole sermon as it was really good. I am just going to talk about the part that has to do with this verse.Pastor Steven was talking about how God didn't take the Israelites on the shortest path out of Egypt. The verse says, “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near.” This makes us think that there was a way to the promised land that was shorter. And if God is explaining why He didn't take them that way, then that leads us to believe that way would have made more sense. If we are taking the quickest, easiest way, we usually don't explain why we are going that way. Everyone knows why. However, if we are taking an unexpected path, or one that is longer, we might explain why.So, why did God take them on a longer path? The verse says, “Lest the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt.” God knew the people were leaving Egypt but if they ran into trouble and had to fight their way out of Egypt, they might turn around and go back. Also, God knew that the Pharaoh was going to change his mind and come after them. God knew the way of the Philistines would lead them into a situation they were not ready for yet. He also knew what was coming after them and He knew that they would need the Red Sea.I wonder if you have had a time, or maybe many times in your life when you felt like God took you on the round about way to get to where you were going? You feel like there must have been an easier and quicker way to get to where you ended up. What if we trusted that God knew what He was doing? What if we look back and try to see how God might have been protecting us from taking the easy or most quickest path because we might have encountered something we weren't ready to encounter? What if God took us the way He took us because He knew we would need something from that journey or that other path.Pastor Steven talked about how sometimes the problem we are trying to wish away is actually the answer to our prayer we have be asking from God. When the Israelites got the the Red Sea, I am sure they thought it was a problem. I am sure they saw the water on one side of them and heard the army coming up behind them and they questioned why God would lead them to this body of water when there were other paths they could have taken. I am sure they were wishing they were anywhere but in front of the Red Sea at that moment. Yet God used this perceived problem to answer their prayers. He parted that sea and allowed them to walk across it on dry ground. And then he used that water, the one they thought was a problem, to swallow up their enemy.Do you have any problems in your life that might be the answer to your prayers? It may not look like it at first. You may just look at the problem and see it as a problem. However, what if you looked at it and explored how it might be an answer to your prayers? What if you look at the path that the Lord has taken you down and try to see why that path makes sense? Is there a reason God didn't take you down the quickest easiest path? Is there something you needed to go through so that you could be the person He created you to be? Is there something you needed to survive so that you could show others they will survive it too? Was there something on that other path that the Lord knew you weren't ready to face yet?When I asked the Lord what He wanted me to teach today this is what I felt like I heard, “Teach them about how they may not be where they thought they would be. They may not have taken the path they thought they would have but if they keep walking with Me and trusting in Me then they will get there in the end. Show them I am walking with them and leading them. There is a reason I led them on the path they are on. I will help them get to where they are going. It's never too late for Me to grant your heart's desire. Don't give up asking for what you truly want. I do hear you. I am working all things for your good.”I know some of you are disappointed with the way things in life have turned out. I know some of you have been asking for some pretty big things for a long time. I know some of you really need a healing or some direction. I feel the Lord wants you to know it is coming. Your healing is coming. Your trip to Africa is coming. Your heart's desires will be fulfilled. Yes, you might be on the long road to get here, but there is a reason for that. God is putting you on the road you need to be on. Trust in Him and keep walking with Him and He will lead you to where you want to go. I really feel like He wants me to emphasize that it is NEVER too late. Don't give up. Don't feel you are too old, too young, too sick, to inexperienced, to anything. It is NEVER to late for God to fulfill your dreams. Keep asking, keep walking with Him, He won't let you down.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to the podcast today. Lord, please give us the strength to keep asking. Please help us never to give up. Please help us to walk the path you put us on, not the one we think we should be on. Please help us keep walking with you and trusting you. Please help us to trust even when we don't understand. We love you Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with Your Will and in Jesus's Holy Name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you still have some last-minute gifts to buy, why not get your loved ones a copy of my book? CLICK HERE to order an autographed copy.  It could be a great way for them to start out the New Year, learning about how much God loves them and who He says they are. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Everything he has created is good in his sight. And his blessings and his mercies pour out each morning anew on every creature and part of his creation.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

It's Tuesday; so you know what time it is… THE MAC EFFECT drops another FIRE episode. Season 7 Episode 5' This week, we welcome Eddie Bruenrostro; he is a financial coach; but more than his title he is a man with a story to tell. Shared the struggles of “knowing it all” (guilty) thinking at a young age; we know better. Yet having to go thru; learning the hard way. With life beating us down, beat down, after beat down, after beat down.  What inspired me of Eddie's story was; coming from a house that served the Lord, parents divorcing; being affected by it greatly and still today learning to not react via trauma but from an identity standpoint point. Eddie opens up about finding his dad in the driveway of his house; kinda odd… as he was walking up his dad sitting there with a gun on his lap. Don't judge. We all have moments of wanting the pain to leave. Wanting it to be over. Yet God has a plan. Sent Eddie in at the right time to not only stop it. (And maybe he wasn't going to do it) but never the less; Eddie was sent by God. To show his dad that Jesus cares; ALWAYS!! I have a lot of respect for Eddie. To open up; share and go thru personal issues to victory of where he is at right now. And recently getting married!!!! Praise the Lord! Congratulations to the newly wed couple. May God bless, cover and protect this marriage. In Jesus name… amen' Any questions you may have for my guest or myself, please ask, reach out, comment, email, DM… (just ask, stop letting fear stop you)     My email is mailto:Themaceffect19@gmail.com for all questions and inquiries. You are not alone; We share together, walk together and heal together' To say thank you; it feels like it comes short, but I know if you watch or listen with love and support… you feel my Thank you!! #Themaceffect #maceffect #mac #mikecampos6 #god #love #hope #faith #joy #question #hurtpeople #hurt #healing #healpeople #healingmind #healingbody #heartofgold #healingspirit #morals #chorebelieves #growingpain #thewilltofight #keepgoing #youhavepurpose #awakening #understanding #building #fundamentals #ihaveaquestion #iwanttolearn #growing #growingpains #letsgetitright #nottoday #nottodaysatan #jesuschrist #inJesusname #lovealwayswins #peace #letsgetit #testing #learning #process #developing #maturing #fatherhood #motherhood #husband #wife #partnership #equals #tildeath #god #processing #process #guest #podcast #shorts #growth #development #growth #purpose #will #plans #goals #challange #opportunity #welcoming #bringit #letgoletgo #lakersin5

“Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.” (Matthew 2:7 NLT) We can prepare our hearts for Christmas not just by reading God’s Word, but also by reflecting on it. We can celebrate the fact that Jesus’ coming fulfilled prophecies that had been announced centuries earlier. We can lean into the trustworthiness of its promises. We can anticipate the coming glory of God’s kingdom. If King Herod had reflected more on God’s Word, his story would have had a much different ending. Instead, he’s known today as the man who tried to stop the first Christmas. His efforts resulted in a spectacular failure and fall. With all his wealth and power, he came to complete ruin. Historical writings tell us that in the final year of his life, his body was infected with disease. Ironically, Herod pretended to be a worshipper. He said to the wise men, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” (Matthew 2:8 NLT). Yet Herod was a false worshipper. There are people like him today. They say they believe in God, but they live a life that contradicts what the Scriptures teach. Herod wanted to be the king of his own life, but he really was a slave. He ended up being not the King of the Jews but the king of fools. Herod ended up on the ash heap of history like dictators before and after him, reminding us that those who live wicked lives eventually will reap what they sow. Adolf Hitler went into his bunker and shot himself as his nation crumbled around him. Saddam Hussein was found hiding in a hole and was eventually executed by his own people. Muammar Gaddafi was hunted down by his own people, beaten, and shot to death. All those who blaspheme God, fight with God, or try to stop the work of God eventually will fail. Yet God’s Word and His plan ultimately will prevail. Philippians 2:9–10 says, “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (NLT). The glorification of Jesus is as inevitable as His birth. God gives us a choice. We can humble ourselves, submit to Christ, and enjoy His blessings. James endorsed this option. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor” (James 4:10 NLT). So did Peter. “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” (1 Peter 5:6 NLT). Or we can be humbled. One day, everyone—every man, every woman, every believer, and every nonbeliever—will bow before Jesus Christ. It’s inevitable. Reflection question: How can you elevate Christ in the way you live, the choices you make, and the things you prioritize? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this exploration of biblical peace, we discover that what we're longing for isn't merely the absence of chaos, but the restoration of something broken. The Hebrew concept of 'shalom' reveals that peace isn't achieved through subtraction—removing all our problems—but through addition: mending what was fractured and completing what is missing. This distinction transforms everything. We learn that our deep yearning for peace exists because humanity once experienced true wholeness with God in Eden, a state lost through sin when we were banished east of the garden. Yet God's mercy shines through the prophets Isaiah and Micah, who received glimpses of a coming Prince of Peace even while surrounded by political chaos and moral decline. The incarnation—God becoming an infant, the infinite becoming finite—wasn't just a beautiful moment but the necessary pathway to our restoration. Christ didn't simply arrive; He purchased our peace through His sacrifice. Isaiah 53 reminds us that 'the punishment for our peace was upon him.' This is the gospel: our fractured relationship with the Creator has been restored through belief in Christ's birth, death, and resurrection. No political party, substance, relationship, or achievement can replace this. We find ourselves in the 'already but not yet'—peace has come through Christ, yet we await His return when Revelation 21 promises He will wipe away every tear and make all things new.

Matthew 1:6–12 shows God's faithfulness to His promise to David, even when human kings failed. David longed to build a temple, but God promised him an eternal dynasty—a promise that seemed fulfilled in Solomon until his heart turned away. Rehoboam's harshness split the kingdom, and later kings wavered between worshiping God and idols, leading to exile under Nebuchadnezzar. Yet God's plan endured: Jesus, the true Son of David, came as Messiah and will reign forever in a new heaven and earth. This reminds us that God is faithful despite human failure, works through imperfect people, and accomplishes His will even in our darkest days.

At the heart of Romans 8:10 lies a profound truth that reshapes our understanding of salvation: whatever God creates, the devil corrupts, and whatever the devil corrupts, God counteracts. This message takes us back to Genesis 3, where sin entered humanity through Adam's choice in the garden. We see a devastating pattern emerge—desire, taking, shame, hiding, and fear. Yet God's response reveals His unchanging character: He calls, inquires, addresses, and corrects. He doesn't abandon us in our shame; instead, He walks through the garden asking, 'Where are you?' This first question in Scripture echoes through eternity, reminding us that we are the ones who hide, not God who abandons. The prophecy in Genesis 3:15 about the woman's seed crushing the serpent's head set in motion a cosmic battle that would culminate in the cross. Through one man's body, sin infected all humanity; through another man's body—Jesus Christ—righteousness was restored. The incarnation wasn't just a beautiful Christmas story; it was God's strategic counterattack against sin. Jesus didn't come merely to teach or inspire; He came to have His body broken, His blood shed, and His life poured out so that we could be reconciled to the Father. When we truly grasp this, worship becomes inevitable, and the words 'paid in full' echo through our souls with transformative power.**Sermon Notes:****Main Scripture:** Romans 8:10 - "But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness."**Themes:**- The dual reality of human existence: physical death and spiritual life.- The pattern of God's creation being corrupted by sin and counteracted by God's redemption.  **Genesis Account:**- Reference to Genesis 3, the onset of sin through Adam and Eve.- The pattern of temptation: desire, sin, shame, and hiding.- God's response: Calling humans back to Himself despite their shame and fear.**Sin and Redemption:**- Sin as humanity's incurable disease, entering through Adam.- The prophecy and enmity (Genesis 3:15) between the serpent and the woman's seed, highlighting the battle between good and evil.**Jesus as Redeemer:**- Jesus' coming as the ultimate counteraction to sin.- His sacrificial death as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.  **Practical Applications:**1. **Awareness of Sin Patterns:** Identify areas in life where temptation leads to shame, and actively seek God's redemption.  2. **Embrace Redemption:** Celebrate the complete work of Jesus, not just as a historical event but a personal salvation story.3. **Live as Children of God:** Adopt a mindset of a beloved child, not a servant, understanding your position and rights in God's family.4. **Stand against Fear:** Confront fear and anxiety with the truth of being adopted into God's family and living under His grace.**Discussion Questions:**1. What are some ways you see the pattern of creation, corruption, and redemption in your personal life?  2. How does understanding the full narrative of sin entering through Adam and redemption through Christ change your perspective on personal struggles?3. In what ways can you practically live out your identity as a child of God in your daily life?4. How can we as a community support each other in moving from a mindset of fear to one of sonship and confidence in God's promises?5. Reflect on God's persistence in pursuing humanity despite their sin. How does this impact your understanding of God's love and grace toward you?By focusing on these key areas, you can reflect deeply on the transformative power of Christ's atonement and its implications for your life and the broader community of believers.

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NLT) If the Christmas story—the well-known narratives of Matthew 2 and Luke 2—is so familiar to you that you can practically recite it from memory, try considering it from a different perspective. Try thinking of it as the successful end to a long search. The arrival of the wise men in Jerusalem likely created quite a stir. These were strange men with a strange question, asking for the King of the Jews. As wise as they were, they were also a little naïve, politically speaking. They didn’t realize that they were triggering an extremely volatile man. In effect, they were saying to King Herod, “We’re looking for the King of the Jews—and clearly you’re not him.” This is why we’re told in Matthew 2:3, “King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem” (NLT). The word disturbed used here could be translated “to shake violently”—like a washing machine in the spin phase. That was Herod. And when Herod was agitated, everyone was agitated. When he was mad, everyone was afraid of what would happen next. So, Herod called in the leading priests and teachers of religious law, men who had committed themselves to studying Scripture. Without missing a beat, they went right to Micah 5:2: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah.Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf” (NLT). These scholars had steeped themselves in the writings of the prophets. They understood how to interpret the words of Micah. They knew that the Messiah, when He came, would be born in Bethlehem. But that information was academic to them. It hadn’t penetrated their hearts and souls to the point that they could recognize the signs of the Messiah’s arrival. So, they weren’t searching for the Savior. God, in His infinite and mysterious wisdom, used wise men from eastern lands to announce the arrival of Jesus the King of the Jews to Herod the king of the Jews and his Jewish experts. The wise men were pagans who were steeped in the occult. Yet God reached them in a way that they understood. He came to them by a star. The end of their search, as recorded in Matthew 2:9–12, has implications for everyone who seeks answers or meaning or purpose or assurance or direction or anything else. The Lord says that those who seek Him will find Him. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7–8 NLT). He doesn’t offer details because the discovery process is different for everyone. To educated men and women, He will come in a way they can understand. And to little children, He will appear in a way they can understand. I believe that if people are truly seeking God, He will reveal Himself to them. Reflection question: How can you help people find the Lord? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Scripture readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120525.cfmTo encounter Christ is to encounter the One who heals—physically, spiritually, supernaturally. Today's Gospel reminds us that miracles are not mythology but reality. Two blind men cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us.” Their plea becomes the seed of what the Church would later cherish as the Jesus Prayer—“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”The Fathers of the Church teach us that Scripture works on multiple levels. Historically, the miracle happened. Allegorically, the story unveils the drama of the spiritual life. We, too, are often blind—moving through seasons of darkness, dryness, and desolation. St. John of the Cross calls this the “dark night of the senses,” a purification God permits so that we learn fidelity beyond feelings.Yet God does not leave the faithful in darkness. For those who persevere, He leads them into illumination, contemplation, even the grace of infused prayer—where, as St. Teresa of Avila describes, the soul is “invaded by the supernatural.” Prayer shifts from something we do to something God does in us.This is the heart of the Jesus Prayer. Slowly, reverently, breathed in rhythm with the heart, the soul becomes accustomed to the presence of Jesus. The Eastern saints tell us that one can reach the place where even in sleep the heart continues to pray.This is our call: not merely to “say prayers,” but to become prayer. To carry Jesus in every breath. To let His name shape our thoughts, our conversations, our interior life. When we invoke His Holy Name, He draws near—because He desires intimate communion with us.To go deeper in your spiritual life, visit DivineMercyPlus.org, our free, ad-free Catholic streaming platform. And for guidance in prayer and contemplation, see the link in bio for resources and books that can help you journey into the heart of Jesus.#marian #marians #marianfathers #marianhelpers #divinemercy #thedivinemercy #catholic #catholicism #romancatholic #romancatholicism #catholictiktokAdditional tags: #jesusprayer #easterncatholic #prayerlife #frdanielmaria #holiness #contemplativeprayer #scripturestudy #dailyhomily #spiritualgrowth #christianprayer ★ Support this podcast ★

LESSON 338I Am Affected Only By My Thoughts.It needs but this to let salvation come to all the world. For in this single thought is everyone released at last from fear. Now has he learned that no one frightens him, and nothing can endanger him. He has no enemies, and he is safe from all external things. His thoughts can frighten him, but since these thoughts belong to him alone, he has the power to change them and exchange each fear thought for a happy thought of love. He crucified himself. Yet God has planned that His beloved Son will be redeemed.Your plan is sure, my Father, only Yours. All other plans will fail. And I will have thoughts that will frighten me, until I learn that You have given me the only Thought that leads me to salvation. Mine alone will fail, and lead me nowhere. But the Thought You gave me promises to lead me home, because it holds Your promise to Your Son.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Join Us for Worship: Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM https://www.flourishinggrace.org/plan... In this week's message from Flourishing Grace Church, Pastor Benjer leads us into the first Sunday of Advent by opening Isaiah 11:1 to 10, a breathtaking promise spoken into a devastated world. As the gathering stands for the reading of Scripture, we hear Isaiah's vision of a shoot springing up from the stump of Jesse, a fragile sign of life rising where everything looked cut down and hopeless. That image becomes the heartbeat of the sermon as Pastor Benjer helps us name the places where we have felt the bottom fall out of our own lives. He shares stories of personal heartbreak, disappointment, and loss, reminding us that devastation is something every person encounters, whether in sudden tragedy, crumbling expectations, or the quiet ache of a season that was supposed to be different than it is. From there the message draws us into the world of Isaiah's prophecy. Israel has turned from God, injustice has taken root, and the nation that once flourished now resembles a forest leveled to stumps. Yet God speaks hope into this barren landscape. He promises that out of the very place that feels dead a new king will rise, a descendant of David who will rule with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, and a perfect delight in the fear of the Lord. Pastor Benjer shows how this passage points to Jesus, the true and better King who judges with righteousness, defends the vulnerable, and brings peace strong enough to reconcile even the fiercest enemies. Isaiah's imagery of wolves lying with lambs and children playing where serpents once threatened becomes a picture of the world made right, restored by the One who conquers sin, death, and the powers of darkness. This message brings the hope of Advent into real life. Instead of ignoring pain or pretending everything is fine during the holiday season, we are invited to pause and honestly name the devastation we have experienced this year. Pastor Benjer encourages the church to consider where hope has collapsed and where lesser kings have promised life but only left disappointment behind. Into those places, Jesus offers himself as the true King, the root and shoot of Jesse, fully God and fully man, the One who does not only send a solution but becomes the solution. Through his life, death, and resurrection he calls us into rest, reconciliation, and a peace the world cannot offer. As we enter the Advent season together, this message invites us to slow down, breathe, pray, and prepare our hearts for the King who comes near. Whether you are walking through loss, confusion, exhaustion, or simply longing for renewal, Isaiah's promise offers steady hope. Jesus is the King who brings life out of devastation and light into every shadowed place. Stay until the end of the gathering, where Pastor Benjer invites anyone who needs prayer, hope, or a fresh start to come forward and receive prayer from the Flourishing Grace team. Today can be the day you return to Jesus or say yes to him for the first time. Wherever you are coming from and whatever you carry, you are welcome. May this message draw you into the hope, rest, and good news of the King who has come and will come again.

Daniel 3:1, 8-30 Due to some technical issues, the beginning of Susan's sermon was cut off. On this first Sunday of Advent 2025, we were introduced to the theme for Advent: "Be Amazed!" This week's focus was on the three youths, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who refused to bow down to the image of King Nebuchadnezzar. As a result, they are thrown into the fiery furnace. Yet God protects them. (Image of the fiery furnace by artist Konstantinos Adrianoupolitis, in the public domain.)

The world tends to always take any milestone or accomplishment and respond with, “That's great. So what's next?” On and on through life, the question comes on constant repeat. Today, let's listen to a passage from King Solomon in his frustration with the “What's next?” “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don't remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. (Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 NLT) Petty cynical, huh? Well, we all have days when we feel this same way. Solomon was simply voicing what we in the human race feel quite often. Now, listen to him in chapter 3, verses 11-13: Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. We all feel the weight of what Solomon expressed in the first passage: meaningless feelings about our days. But God is the crucial element in life to bring value and purpose, even to the mundane and the seemingly meaningless. What is one way you can recognize God's gift in what often seems mundane in your life? Life itself, even on the meaningless days, is indeed a gift from Him. Let's pray: “Father, help me look for beauty, value, purpose, eternity, and to look for Your work in my world and celebrate your gifts, especially the gift of life. As above, so below.”

In this third message from The Cure to Loneliness, Dr. Michael Youssef confronts two spiritual traps that isolate the believer: the loneliness of service and the loneliness of self-pity. Drawing from Numbers 11 and 1 Kings 19, Dr. Youssef exposes how godly leaders—like Moses and Elijah—faced deep despair not from failure, but from obedience. Leadership often means standing alone, misunderstood and criticized, even after great victories. Yet God never calls His servants to bear the burden alone. Dr. Youssef urgently warns that self-pity robs believers of perspective, patience, purpose, and fellowship. But the answer is not found in human solutions—it is found in crying out to the Lord, trusting His Word, and obeying His voice, even when it comes as a gentle whisper.

There are seasons in life when we feel full—full of gratitude, strength, purpose, and blessing—and seasons when we feel painfully empty. In our daily prayer and devotional, Keri Eichberger reflects honestly on times when life seemed to drain every ounce of energy, joy, and margin she had. In moments like these, even thinking about blessing others can feel impossible. Yet God’s Word calls us to a beautiful truth: sharing is not about abundance—it’s about obedience.Scripture reminds us that even the smallest act of kindness is precious in God’s sight. Luke 21:1–4 records Jesus watching a poor widow give two tiny coins in the temple treasury. Though her gift was the smallest, Jesus declared it the greatest because she gave out of her need, trusting God with everything she had. This story reminds us that we never give “too little” when we offer what we have to God. Even if all we feel we can give is a gentle smile, a kind word, a short prayer, or a helping hand, God can take small offerings and multiply them into abundance. And as we share—even from places of weakness—we often find unexpected strength returning to our souls. When we bless others, God restores us.When we pour out, He fills us again.When we give a little, He turns it into more than enough. Whether you feel full or empty today, God invites you to share His blessings—especially the simple ones. Every act of generosity reflects His heart and brings Him great pleasure. Today's Bible Reading:“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16 Takeaway Truths God desires that we share His blessings—even when we feel we have little. The smallest acts of kindness can be the greatest offerings in God’s eyes. Giving refreshes the giver; God pours back what we pour out. True generosity flows not from abundance, but from trust. Let’s Pray Lord God, You are the one from whom all blessings flow. I confess that at times I can’t see all Your goodness under the shadow of life’s heaviness, and I struggle to share from what little I feel I have. But just as You delight in blessing me, You also desire that I bless others, even in small ways. Help me to become more aware of Your blessings. Give me courage to share what You’ve given—whether much or little. Thank You for the way You multiply every offering and for the fullness You return to my heart when I obey You. Turn my little into a lot, for Your glory and for the good of others. In Your praiseworthy name, Amen. Additional Scriptures Luke 21:1–4 Proverbs 11:25 2 Corinthians 9:6–8 Acts 20:35 Related Resources What Jesus Teaches Us About Generosity – Crosswalk.com Scriptures on Serving and Giving – BibleStudyTools.com Listen to more devotionals on LifeAudio.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Tap here to send us a message!When Moses descended from Mount Sinai and shattered the tablets of stone, it seemed as though the covenant itself had been broken beyond repair. Yet God, rich in mercy, offered Moses and the people a new beginning by writing His words on the stone once again. In the same way, when we fail or “break” what God has entrusted to us, His grace meets us with another chance, rewriting hope and purpose into our lives.11/20/2025 - Thursday NightScriptures:Exodus 32:15-19Exodus 24:12-18Ephesians 3:8Psalm 145:3Isaiah 55:9Jeremiah 18:4Psalm 150Exodus 34:1Romans 12:1Exodus 34:29

Revelation Series: These chapters emphasize that Babylon—both a worldly system and an influential city—represents humanity's attempt to thrive apart from God through immorality, wealth, and self-exaltation. Though this system seems powerful and long-standing, it is ultimately driven by evil, used by the Antichrist, and even betrayed by those who once benefited from it. Yet God remains sovereign over every part of the story, bringing sudden and total judgment on Babylon for its corruption, injustice, and exploitation. While the world mourns the loss of its wealth and comfort, heaven rejoices because God has defended His people and brought an end to the system that opposed Him. The message calls God's people to stay separate from the world's sin, trust that evil will not go unpunished, and remember that God's power far surpasses every earthly force.   Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com