Podcasts about yet john

Joy is a wonderful thing. And it turns out that Jesus died in order that we might have His joy. True. But sometimes, sometimes we squander that joy – what an incredible waste.   Paint the Picture Over these last few weeks we've been taking a look at joy, especially God's heart for us to have His joy in our lives – a complete and overflowing sense of joy. I don't know anyone who doesn't want joy in their lives but I'm not talking about some fleeting happiness; not some warm and fuzzy that we get when we've had a good day or something good has happened to us. Those warm and fuzzes, well, they're nice but somehow, they seem to evaporate so quickly. Now when Jesus talks about joy, He talks about something quite different. Have a listen. On that last evening together with His disciples, before He was to be crucified He talked so much about joy and what an odd time and place to do that. He is about to die and He says in John chapter 15, verse 11: I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. And again you can read for yourself in John chapter 16, verse 20. He says: I tell you the truth – you'll weep and mourn while the world rejoices you will grieve but your grief will turn to joy. A women giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into this world. So it'll be with you. Now is your time of grief but I will see you again and you will rejoice and no one can take away that joy. In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. Until now you haven't asked anything in My name - ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete. And again, His final prayer before He is crucified – you read it in John chapter 17, verse 13. He says to God, His Father: I'm coming to You now but I say these things while I'm still in the world so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them. See, when Jesus is talking about joy He is not talking about a warm and fuzzy. He said all of these things just before He was about to be crucified. Clearly, He wasn't having a warm and fuzzy. There is a clear distinction between the world's happiness and the joy of the Lord. And He does this on the night before He is to be crucified as if to draw a clear line between the two. He talked so much about joy so close to His brutal crucifixion. The Holy Spirit is nothing if not absolutely consistent. And again He draws this peculiar distinction by including in the New Testament, a whole book about joy – written by the Apostle Paul whilst he was in a Roman dungeon, in chains and on death row. We've been looking at that book over these last few weeks on the program, it's the Book of Philippians. It's a letter that Paul wrote whilst in jail, to his friends in the church in Philippi. Now let's continue there today. If you have got a Bible, grab it and open it up at Philippians chapter 2. Come with me into God's Word. I truly believe and I've seen it often in people and I've seen it in days gone by in my own life; that we ourselves do so much to rob ourselves of this joy that the Master – let me say this quite deliberately now – that the Master died in order that we may have. That is the price He puts on this joy, His joy in us, complete and abundant and overflowing. How sweet it is! Yet we ourselves, we can rob ourselves of that joy which has such a high price on its head. Come with me now to see what the Holy Spirit writes to us through Paul in his prison cell about this tragic robbing. Comes from Philippians chapter 2: If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ; if you got any comfort from His love; if any fellowship with the Spirit; if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded; having the same love; being one in Spirit and purpose. Don't do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others. Just short four verses! So what is Paul saying to the Philippians and what is the Holy Spirit whispering to you and me today, all these centuries on? "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ ...” In other words, if there is any benefit at all from knowing Jesus; any comfort from His love; any fellowship with His Spirit; any tenderness and compassion, if you have got anything out of knowing Jesus Christ, make my joy here in this dungeon complete. How? By doing what? Well effectively, by being humble. Here is Paul with his own life in serious risk if the truth be known, shackled in a prison, talking to his friends in Philippi about such a serious matter. The thing that will rob them of their joy is their pride. Listen again to these words: ... then make my joy complete by being like-minded; having the same love; being one is spirit and purpose; do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others. Let me ask you this. How much joy is there in selfish ambition and vain conceit? At the end of the day when all that matters is looking after "number one", our own interests, it's so empty and hollow and let me say, completely joyless. When we manipulate and strive to get our own way; when we harbour selfish ambition and vain conceit in our hearts and live them out in our lives; when we tread on people and destroy our relationships, in truth, what we discover is that we are completely alone. What joy is there in that? But when we, in humility, consider others better than ourselves; when we look after other people's interests and not our own, well, we turn that around completely and that, my friend, removes a blockage to joy. Listen to how James and Peter put it. James chapter 4, verse 6 and First Peter chapter 5, verse 5 as they quote Proverbs 3:34: God opposes the proud but He gives grace to the humble. If we would have that deep and abiding joy of which the Master spoke on that frightful evening before He was crucified; the joy that He prayed over us in that final prayer; that joy that He died to purchase, then let me say bluntly, that we too must come to that cross and lose our lives.   An Odd Place I remarked earlier in the programme that a dungeon on death row is an odd place for Paul to sit and write a letter about joy. It's a short letter, just a few pages, but it oozes the joy of the Lord. Earlier we saw that the Holy Spirit through Paul's words was putting His finger on one of the things that robs us of joy – selfish ambition and conceit, getting our own way. And he pleads with his friends, "If you have any benefit from knowing Jesus Christ, put all that other stuff behind you." Well, that's easier said than done. I mean, we're all a bit selfish; we all want our own way, and one of the first words we learn to utter as little children is, "No!", so how do we get beyond that? How do we grow and move on so that instead of being disobedient to God and being robbed of His joy, we love Him through our obedience and live "in" His joy? See, obedience – it's not a particularly trendy word these days – it smacks of old fashioned, rigid, out dated religion, doesn't it? Yet John writes in First John chapter 5, verse 3: The love of God is this: that we obey His commandments. That's how we express our love to God. Ok, well, that much most of us know. We know the theory but what about the practice? The prize is the joy of the Lord, so how do we get over our sin of selfish pride that robs us of that prize? Well lets go on to see what the Holy Spirit is whispering into our hearts through the next part of this Book – Philippians chapter 2, beginning at verse 5 – he writes this: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus who being in the very nature of God, didn't consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not just in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. This is a wondrous picture of the cross. Have you ever thought about it this way? I mean, it's tough for anyone to do, to go to the cross, but Jesus humbled Himself. He stepped out of His glorious heavenly realm where angels bowed down and worshipped Him and became a man. What a huge step of humility. And Paul is saying here, "Let your attitude", literally, "Let this be in you, just as it was in Jesus." I love that. See, Jesus comes first; He does it first. He never asks us to do something He hasn't already done and when we hear His gentle call, we hear a call to follow Him. Do you hear that call in your heart today? "Follow Me; come follow Me to the cross – the place where I poured Myself out for you." Jesus, God Himself, didn't consider what He was entitled to out of His love for us, you and me. He humbled Himself and became – wait for it, here it is, that word – obedient to death, even such an excruciating death as death on a cross. And He is calling us here, to lay down our lives – this great paradox. We think we can get joy our own way but we don't discover the joy of God until we lay our lives down; until we die to self. This is the heart of the message of joy. So long as you and I reign as our own little tin pot, despotic dictators in our lives there can be no joy of the Lord. So long as the self, selfish, self absorbed, self centred wraps its tendrils around our heart, that heart will be constricted and all joy squeezed out of it. I mean, real joy, the joy that comes from God Himself. That when we go to Him and say, "Jesus, I crown You as Lord of my life, every part, every dealing, what I eat and drink and say and do and think and feel and hope and dream; every dealing and every transaction." When we crucify that "self" on the cross, look at what happens, Jesus is exalted and there in comes the joy. Listen again to His prayer that night before He died; a prayer that He prayed very deliberately for you and me. His final prayer before the cross, the purpose of His suffering. Father, I'm coming to you now but I say these things while I'm still in the world so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them. Do you see this? Obedience is a word of liberation not oppression. The sweetest paradox of the human experience is that ‘the self' is a ruthless tyrant. It is at the cross where we invite the Spirit of God into our hearts to breathe His joy into us. Here is that peculiar distinction between the world's happiness and God's joy. Listen with me to the last part of the passage we just read, Philippians chapter 2, verses 12 and 13: Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed not only in my presence but now much more so in my absence, continue to work out your salvation in fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. We are going to come back and look at God's work in us next.   Shining Like Stars My prayer for you today is that God's Word has quickened your heart to His purpose, His purpose for joy in your life. See, dying to self is such a scary concept; such a step of faith and not just once but daily. Look at what Jesus says in Luke chapter 9, beginning at verse 23: Jesus said to all of them “If anyone would come after Me he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. This is the great paradox of dying to live. And you see, God wants us to shine like stars – we are going to look a little bit further what Paul writes about that. And that's what happens when we have the joy of the Lord in us because there is something that happens; something that the rest of the world sees when God is at work in our hearts; when we live the joy that can only be found at that cross. See, this last bit is so important because it speaks about the attitude we take as we suffer as the self dies. Make no mistake, death is always painful. When Jesus talked about taking up our cross daily and following Him, He was talking about nailing ‘the self' to flesh and the flesh will hang on for dear life. It will be prone to complain and grumble; it will want to turn back; to run from the cross. Listen again as the Holy Spirit whispers His wisdom into our hearts. We are going to pick up what Paul was saying at Philippians chapter 2, beginning at verse 14: Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure children of God, without a fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you so that you too should be glad and rejoice with me. See, humility; laying down our lives at the cross, stands out but it's not humility when we complain and argue and grumble. Humility is when we submit obediently to the will of God; dying to self. There are times in my walk where this dying has been particularly painful I can tell you, the power of the temptation to lash out and blame others; to grumble and complain. You see, dying at the cross never seems fair. "I have rights you know, I am entitled", the flesh cries. But the Spirit of God calls us to this odd place to discover joy. Our attitude should be the same as that of Christ, who being in the very nature of God didn't consider equality with God to be something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of the servant, being made in human form and being found in appearance as a man, humbling Himself, He became obedient to death, even death on a cross. We should be like that. That is what Paul is saying; that is what the Holy Spirit is saying and here is what happens. We all of a sudden appear different to those around us – utterly different – other worldly. Like something that is rarely seen on this planet, we shine like stars amidst a crocked and perverse generation. We shine with a light of joy that only glows in a life surrendered to Jesus Christ. And that light is what will draw others naturally to Jesus. What a great deception of the devil that is, to have us think that joy only comes when we assert our rights and follow our driving ambition. What a great deception! You see the truth is exactly the opposite. Real joy; the joy of the Lord comes in that bitter sweet surrender of our lives on that cross. There is Paul in the dungeon – see how he talks about himself? He says: Even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith. You see, Paul is facing execution because he preached the Gospel of Jesus, not just to the Philippians but right around the known world. Paul is coming to the end of his life and is looking martyrdom right in the face. He is looking death right in the face and yet his greatest concern is the joy of those in Philippi, that they experience the joy of God; that they don't do anything through selfish ambition or vain conceit to miss out on the joy of the Lord. And here is Paul in this dark dungeon shining like a star amidst a crooked and depraved generation. Have you ever looked up at the stars lately, away from the light of the city and the smog of the city, and looked up at the stars and what a wondrous sight it is? That's what the Holy Spirit wants us to be in this world that's so dark sometimes – in this world where people just follow their noses and do what feels right and look after their own vain interests. Jesus wants us to stand out and be different and that joy is what makes us different. It shines like a star. The joy of the Lord comes in that bitter sweet surrender of our lives on that cross – a life-long surrender; a daily surrender. “Take up your cross every day and follow Me,” said Jesus. A surrender that will mean loss and pain as the self is crucified, but a surrender that little by little will reveal this purpose of God – that our joy would shine like a star in a dark and hurting world. I want encourage you – if you haven't surrendered all of your life to Jesus Christ, do that right now. The prize is so wondrous. Yes, it's a step of faith; yes, it's a scary thing to let go of things that we know are wrong, but the prize is the joy of the Lord. The prize is living a life where God takes just who we are and who He made us, for us to shine like stars amidst a crooked and depraved generation.

Keith previews Knicks Pacers game 5, John Sterling joins the show.

Living in the Moment: Don’t Get Up Yet

“Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25 NLT) Happy New Year! We’re going to begin 2025 with a monthlong journey through the Gospel of John. This Gospel was written by one of Jesus’ closest friends. In fact, John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Like the other 11 disciples, John was a regular guy. He wasn’t a religious scholar. He wasn’t part of the Jewish elite in Israel. He was a fisherman, a blue-collar man. He was also a brash, ambitious hothead. He once rebuked a man for casting out demons in Jesus’ name because the man didn’t belong to John’s group of disciples (see Mark 9:38). He asked Jesus for a place of honor in His kingdom (see Mark 10:37). And when a Samaritan village refused to show hospitality to Jesus and the disciples, John asked Jesus if they could call down fire from Heaven to destroy the entire population (see Luke 9:54). It’s no wonder Jesus nicknamed John and his brother James the “sons of thunder.” Yet John was Jesus’ choice to be His disciple. That meant he had a front-row seat to three years that changed the world. He listened to Jesus’ teachings. He witnessed His miracles. He saw Jesus interact with devoted followers, scheming enemies, and everyone in between. John saw what very few others were privileged to see: Jesus, up close and personal, day in and day out. And based on everything he saw, John believed. He believed Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. And he wrote his Gospel so that we might see and believe too. After Jesus ascended to Heaven, John continued His ministry. He preached the Good News. He helped found the church in Jerusalem and ministered to its members. He faced threats, persecution, and imprisonment because of his faith. But he refused to be silenced. According to church tradition, John was the only disciple who wasn’t martyred. And when he wrote his Gospel, he was “the last man standing”—the only one of Jesus’ inner circle left to tell the story. He likely wrote it sometime around AD 90, some 60 years after the events occurred. But they were still fresh in his memory. John lived long enough to witness the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, the center of Jewish worship (not to be confused with the church in Jerusalem). The destruction had a profound effect on Jewish people throughout the Roman Empire. With their place of worship gone, they had to make other arrangements for their sacrifices and festivals. In his Gospel, John presents Jesus as the answer to their spiritual vacuum. He shows how Jesus fulfilled everything the Jewish sacrifices and festivals were intended to accomplish. John minced no words in writing about the need to believe in Jesus. John 3:16 may be the best-known verse in the entire Bible. It’s also the core of Christian outreach: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT) — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

From Darkness to Dawn: The Mystery of Grace Unfolding: Reflections on St. John of the Cross When this weary world approached the shadows of night, . . . . . . the ancient hymn reminds us, the Lord came—not in regal splendor or majestic power, but as a humble child born to Mary, the pure and gentle mother. The saint we honor today, John of the Cross, profoundly shaped the Church's understanding of the “dark night of the soul.” He gave us language for that profound spiritual experience: the deep longing for God's presence, met with an aching silence. This “dark night” is marked by yearning and emptiness—the pain of seeking the One our hearts desire, only to find the heavens seemingly unresponsive. It is an essential part of the spiritual journey. Authentic spirituality acknowledges this reality. A faith that claims unbroken intimacy with God is, ultimately, self-deception. Even Mary, the Blessed Mother, experienced the anguish of losing sight of her Son for three days. If she endured such a trial, we should not expect to be exempt. An Essential Part of the Spiritual Journey Advent, too, is a season of longing, echoing this experience. Nightfall carries layers of meaning. It is cold, dark, and often restless. For those unable to sleep, the night stretches endlessly, intensifying loneliness and fatigue. In the hymn, night arrives as the culmination of the day's struggles. It is the image of a world grown weary—of hearts burdened by prolonged labor and unfulfilled promises. Initially, the promise of a Savior sparks eager anticipation. Yet, as years stretch on, waiting becomes harder. The human spirit, though not inherently faithless, grows tired. It seeks solace in lesser things and forgets where to direct its gaze. It's not that the heart no longer yearns for God; it simply lacks the strength to keep seeking. St. John of the Cross' “Dark Night” This weariness is something we recognize from our own restless nights, where worries bubble to the surface. St. John of the Cross intimately understood this “dark night.” Betrayed by those who should have supported him, his path was marked by criticism, hostility, and isolation. Even God, to whom he turned for solace, seemed eerily silent. Yet John's response was extraordinary. His desire for God burned brighter amidst the silence. His heart grew bolder in its pursuit of the distant Lord. And when the dark night eventually gave way to dawn, the light of God's presence filled him more completely than ever before. The years of longing and emptiness were not wasted. They expanded John's heart, making it capable of receiving greater grace. What appeared to be emptiness was, in truth, growth. The “dark night” prepared him to be filled more fully with God's light and love. This pattern resonates in the season of Advent. In the darkness of longing and weariness, God is quietly at work, preparing us. The dark night has purpose. It stretches and strengthens the heart so that when God's presence returns, it can shine more brightly and fill more completely. The waiting, the calling out, the apparent silence—all of it contributes to the mystery of grace unfolding in our lives. In the end, the night is not the end. It is preparation for the dawn. Hear more and understand the impact of the Dark Night within our own Spiritual Journey. Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: From Darkness to Dawn: The Mystery of Grace Unfolding: Reflections on St. John of the Cross ------------------------------- Image: The Vision of St. John of the Cross: French Painter: Charles de la Fosse: 1600s This is a depiction of St. John of the Cross' drawing of Our Lord. St. John is a Doctor of the Church and is known for his writings. In 1575, he also drew a vision of Christ on the Cross. This image illustrates Our Lord and St. John of the Cross. ------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Matthew: 7:9-13 First Reading: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11

We are nearing the end of our series on the letter of 1 John, and he returns to his main concern. John wrote this letter because he perceived a serious threat from the emerging ideas of Gnosticism, which were beginning to seep into the Church. While that may sound incredibly distant from us, there are significant parallels to today. They were twisting the historical truth of Jesus' life to match the prevailing ideas of the surrounding culture. For example, spiritual truth was seen as an inward experience (rather than an historical reality), and they separated mind from body (much like some pitting psychology against biology today). Yet John's ire wasn't merely a counter-cultural tendency. His concern was what we lose about Jesus when we twist our faith to match current prevailing ideas. And that equally applies today. But note well - this letter is written to the Church about a problem within the Church, not a shot at those outside it. Let's talk about why it is essential that we hear "God's Testimony" over any other (1 John 5:6-12).

August 29, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16“When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.” (Mark 6:29)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John the Baptist is dead, beheaded at the order of King Herod. John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, and like many of the prophets of old, he was killed for being a faithful voice of God. He preached the law in its fullness; “repent” was his cry. Yet John was unique among the prophets, for he was able to point to the one who came to fulfill the law and usher in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God - “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29b). By this, John fulfilled his calling to be the one to pave the way and prepare the people for the coming of God's Messiah.  People didn't know what to make of John. He was a radical in the way he dressed, how he lived, and the message he preached. It didn't matter who stood before him; his message was the same, “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). He was a law preacher who frightened some and angered others; however, his voice wasn't meant to be the last one heard. One was coming after him, who would proclaim and give the very forgiveness that law-breaking people need. People didn't know what to make of Jesus. Some thought the miracle-working preacher was John the Baptist raised from the dead. Others thought he was Elijah or a great prophet. Even John the Baptist, his cousin, sent some of his followers to ask Jesus, “Are you the one or should we look for another?” Jesus' reply leaves no doubt what we should make of Jesus, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.” (Luke 7:20, 22-23)  God sent John to be a witness. He did so through his preaching, his baptizing, his finger pointing to the Lamb of God, and even through his skeptical question, “Are you the one?” The Good News that Jesus preached is God's answer to John's “repent.” There is no sin Jesus's blood does not cover; there is no person whom God's Lamb did not die for. Jesus' death and resurrection is our hope for everlasting life. John is dead. His body was laid in a tomb. His bones are still there. But the tomb of John's Savior and yours is still empty. Jesus is risen! So will John, and so will you! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.John confessed Him as the Savior– “Look, the sinless Lamb of God!” Yet he dared not loose the sandals Of the One God's love had shod. Oh, how fair the feet of Jesus, Bringing news of peace to us, Christ, the herald of salvation, Preaching mercy from the cross: (LSB 404:2)-Rev. Darrin Sheek, pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Anaheim, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.The new Guiding Word series takes you through all the books of the Bible in six volumes. Starting with the Books of Moses—Genesis through Deuteronomy—you will explore every passage of every chapter of each book with the help of maps, diagrams, links between the testaments, and clarification points.

Preached by Bishop Clark Lowenfield, on May 5, 2024.

Preached by Bishop Clark Lowenfield, on May 5, 2024.

John suffered unjustly. He was chained in a prison dungeon, murdered at the whim of a wicked woman, and buried in an unknown tomb. Yet John would say it was all worth it because he was the one who got to baptize Jesus and introduce him to the world! Who should you be bold enough to introduce to Jesus today? Is there someone in your life who needs to listen to this podcast – if so, please to our show page, and like, follow and share it with your friend.  Show Notes: Episode240 Subscribe: My Daily Briefing⁠

A glimmer of light begins to shine through the writing of St. John in regards to the perfection of virtue. John starts by putting before us list of those things that we should focus upon as beginners in the spiritual life or those who have reached an intermediate level. He also puts before us the resolution of those who are advanced; that is, the virtues that one possesses at this level and that they must protect. John is trying to paint with broad strokes the image of life in Christ. As one begins to share in that reality more deeply Christ image begins to manifest itself and we become imitators of Him. As John unpacks for us the nature of discernment he shows us the things that it allows us to perceive. One of the valuable teachings he offers us is our responsiveness to the grace of God in times of illness. In our infirmity the demons will seek to afflict us on spiritual level.  Yet John also shows us that our minds and hearts can be purified at such times and that Christ can cleanse “clay by clay”. In the severity of our illness we can be delivered from certain passions. These last steps of the Ladder of Divine Ascent must be read closely and slowly. It is solid food upon which we are being fed and a deep wisdom that is being set before us. Glory to God! --- Text of chat during the group: 00:07:41 FrDavid Abernethy: page 192 para 17   00:09:03 Rachel: :(   00:26:12 Anthony Rago: Sounds familiar   00:32:19 Sam: Need for fasting particularly during the many periods of discernment has helped many saints and Christians not only tame their passions but clear their minds from any attachments and thus take the path God wants of them. Could it be due to the humble stripping of self from earthly things and abandonment to God's grace, wisdom and mercy? Yes   00:38:12 Michael Hinckley: didn't Augustine say "you pray the most when you say the least and pray the least when you say the most."   00:43:13 Rory: Let, God's grace shine upon my silent faith within my temple of the Holy Spirit revealing your  Divine Providence   00:43:31 Vanessa: Reacted to "Let, God's grace shi..." with ❤️   00:57:35 Maureen Cunningham: Sound like addiction the first part   00:57:59 Anthony Rago: I think it's important for a weakened person to discern what is his weakness versus what is actually a sin or wrong.  The devil wears disguises and blames you for it.   01:09:08 Sean: I assume clay is man, but what is the clay that cleanses him?   01:11:49 Fr Marty, ND, 480-292-3381: A personal "testimony": a half dozen years ago, I was too sick to get out of bed for several weeks. The consolations and spiritual awareness at this time was so profound for me that I thought I was arriving at a  level of illumination that I would never leave. A couple of weeks after recovery, however, I found myself struggling with the same sin. I had not advanced as I thought. But I'm grateful for the consolation.   01:14:28 Rebecca Thérèse: Is it because illness brings us closer to death that we may experience a greater closeness to the eternal?   01:15:45 Lorraine Green: Thank you Father   01:16:09 Fr Marty, ND, 480-292-3381: Reacted to "Is it because illnes..." with ❤️   01:16:30 sue and mark: thank you.   01:16:39 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:16:40 mflory: Thank you, Father!   01:16:41 Rachel: Thank you   01:16:44 David Swiderski: Thank you father!   01:16:44 Jeff O.: Thank you!   01:16:47 kevin: Thanks   01:16:48 Louise: Thanks, Father!   01:16:50 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you

John Willis was born without fully formed arms and legs and grew up in a time where there were no opportunities for someone like him to play sport. In a bid to change this, John set up the charity Power2Inspire with the mission to provide opportunities for everyone to play sport together, regardless of their ability or disability. To celebrate the charity's 10 year anniversary John embarked on an 8 day, 108mile paddle down the river Thames, linking up with different paddling communities and partnering with different people along the way. In this conversation we discuss what life was like for John growing up in a world where he had no disabled role models to inspire him on what could be possible. Yet John is no stranger to challenging himself. He has completed a triathlon with abled bodies and celebrated not coming last. He once completed 50 1000 metre swims across 100 days whilst touring the UK and speaking in schools. And in the lead up to the Rio Olympics, he tried every single sport that the olympics feature. To find out more about Power2Inspire please visit: https://www.power2inspire.org.uk/ Mentioned in the Conversation: Jonnie Peacock: https://www.instagram.com/04jonpea/ Ellie Simmonds: https://www.instagram.com/elliesimmonds/ Tanni Grey-Thompson: http://www.tanni.co.uk/ John's Road to Rio Challenge Film: https://youtu.be/sP8zTmB96jA?si=jQY7ptdHyRZ2O9L2 Accessible Boating Thames: https://accessibleboatingthames.org/ Get in contact: IG: https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@greatbritishadventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombryanyeah

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

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

July 15, 2023Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 7: Psalm 103:15-19; antiphon: Psalm 103:8Daily Lectionary: Joshua 2:1-24, Acts 8:26-40The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Psalm 103:8In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today's text from Psalm 103 is what I typically call a “commercial passage” of Scripture. What I mean by this is that we typically see this kind of passage from Scripture  plastered on t-shirts, inspirational calendars, water bottles  and bumper stickers.  We love it, we love the sound of it. “The Lord is merciful and gracious” Whatever that means, it means nice.  But when you ponder this passage in light of yourself, you probably don't find it so “inspirational”. . We don't really use this word “mercy” or “gracious”  alot today, but we like that the Lord acts this way toward us. But what about you?  Have you shown mercy or compassion and understanding to those around you?  Have you been the first in line to help those in need, especially those who you don't know or maybe aren't comfortable with you?  Where is the mercy that God has first shown you?    What about graciousness?  Are you quick to be forgiving of each other?  Are you ready to put the best construction on everything and show grace to those who have offended you?  Where is the grace of God in you that He has first given to you?“The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”  This is a passage we all read with a collective sigh of relief.  Thanks be to God He is not swift to punish me in anger for what I did in my sins.   Yet how many times have you been angry?  Heated anger pouring out of every vain against your parents, siblings, friends or others.  Anger that is directed right at them and quickly served up.  What about steadfast love?  That word “steadfast” means unwavering or always firm.  Scripture says “We love because He first loved us” (another commercial passage). Yet John later says “If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4). Suddenly you want to burn that t-shirt, throw the inspirational calendar away and recycle the water bottle.   There are always two sides of the coin with the Scriptures, we call them Law and Gospel.  This Psalm is comforting for sure, but it's not because you can somehow follow Jesus' example. Only Jesus can be merciful, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  When you hear Psalm 103 tomorrow at church look at the cross of Jesus.  On the cross of Jesus you will see HIs great mercy, grace and love.  The righteous anger was poured out on Jesus fully so you would not have to endure it eternally. Rather than a cute water bottle, t-shirt or bumper sticker, wear a crucifix, put one in your car or wherever it can be seen by you and others.  In Christ on the cross you see not a commercial Jesus, but a merciful, gracious, always loving Savior who pours Himself out freely so that you might be saved, but also to show mercy, grace and love to those around you, all by His blood shed for you.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Thy love and grace alone avail  To blot out my transgression; The best and holiest deeds must fail To break sin's dread oppression. Before Thee none can boasting stand, But all must fear Thy strict demand  And live alone by mercy. (LSB 607:2)-Pastor Kent Schaaf is Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Little Rock. AR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey.Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

The author of the Proverbs wrote that the fear of the Lord is both the beginning of wisdom and of knowledge. When the prophets of old saw the glory of the Lord, they fell on their face as though dead. Yet John wrote that "Perfect love casts out fear." So what does it mean to fear the Lord, and how do we balance that with God's grace? Listen in on this week's episode of Honestly, Though, as Rebecca, Nika, and Liz wrestle with what it means to have a healthy fear of the Lord, and why it should lead us to joy.If you enjoy the show, would you please consider rating and reviewing Honestly, Though? Those reviews help others find us in the PodUniverse, and we deeply appreciate the love! Also, you can reach out to us personally to join the conversation on the following platforms:Rebecca Carrell: https://www.rebeccacarrell.com/ ; IG - @RebeccaCarrell ; Twitter: @RebeccaACarrell ; FB - Rebecca Ashbrook CarrellLiz Rodriguez: IG: @lizannrodriguez ; FB - Liz Rodriguez - https://www.facebook.com/liz.rodriguez.92775Nika Spaulding: stjudeoakcliff.org ; IG - @NikaAdidas ; Twitter - @NikaAdidasWe have the world's best producer! Are you interested in podcasting? Do you know someone who is? Taylor Standridge can help with audio engineering, production, editing, show mapping, and coaching. Connect with Taylor at taylorstandridge1@gmail.com or on Twitter: @TBStandridge

Verse by verse study through the book of John Chapter Three and Verse Twenty Four

Summary: Is the banking crisis over, or are we just at the tip of the iceberg that will sink the banking system? Here to talk about this is John Rubino, who theorizes about where the economy--and the dollar--are headed in the face of increasing rates and widespread bank turmoil. It looks as if we're moving from crisis to crisis as money stays tight, and things are going to continue to worsen for the foreseeable future. As countries begin to trade with other currencies and dollars flood back into the US economy, we are looking at multiple causes of inflation that are coming to fruition quickly. Tune in for more insight.  Useful Links: Financial Survival Network John Rubino Substack

Rev. Jacob Dandy, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church and School in Terra Bella, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 3:22-36. The ministry of John the Baptist has not ended even after Jesus' public ministry begins. Yet John is not interested in any sort of competition between him and Jesus. Instead, John's ministry continues in the joy to point people to Jesus as the Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John knows that he must decrease, and Jesus must increase. Those who listen to John and believe in Jesus as the Son of God are given eternal life. God grant John's same attitude to all pastors and Christians still today. “The Word Made Flesh” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. John. The disciple whom Jesus loved wrote his Gospel account as an eyewitness to Jesus' life and ministry. As we read the Word of God recorded by St. John, the Holy Spirit works in us so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so have life by faith in His name.

Scripture Reading: John 6:59-71 & John 7:1-9 (a prior version of the blog said 7:1-36, but I want to slow down a bit this week) 59 Jesus said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, said, “This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it?” 61 When Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining about this, he said to them, “Does this cause you to be offended? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascending where he was before? 63 The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had already known from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 So Jesus added, “Because of this I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has allowed him to come.”66 After this many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don't want to go away too, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God!” 70 Jesus replied, “Didn't I choose you, the Twelve, and yet one of you is the devil?” 71 (Now he said this about Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for Judas, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.)7 After this Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He stayed out of Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him. 2 Now the Jewish Feast of Shelters was near. 3 So Jesus' brothers advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing. 4 For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even his own brothers believed in him.)6 So Jesus replied, “My time has not yet arrived, but you are ready at any opportunity! 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil. 8 You go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast because my time has not yet fully arrived.” 9 When he had said this, he remained in Galilee.Main ThemesThis Is a Difficult Saying!So far (last session) we knew that Jesus was giving the discourse about the bread of life in Capernaum. In verse 59, John narrows down the setting. Jesus is at the synagogue. And this is certainly not his first time receiving a wide audience there. Recall Mark 2:1-121 Now after some days, when he returned to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home. 2 So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some people came bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the experts in the law were sitting there, turning these things over in their minds: 7 “Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Now immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts, he said to them, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walk'? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 12 And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”Synagogues were community centers, the use of which was not restricted to Saturdays. Also recall that in the Gospel of John the main opposition to Jesus has come from religious leaders, who would naturally control the synagogue.In this religious and adversarial context—but also a context in which Jesus has proven himself—the audience responds, “This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it?” There is, ironically, a difficulty of translation here. The word “difficult” connotes harshness and difficulty in following rather than a comprehension barrier. The second question, regarding understanding, can also be translated as, “Who is able to hear?” That is, who is able to heed such words. This makes sense of Jesus reply. Jesus does not call them dummies; he accuses them of being offended. The audience understood but rejected the lesson. The word for offended can also be translated as “stumble.” This term is used in the Bible and outside of it to refer to apostasy or “falling away.” Put simply, Jesus is asking whether his followers will follow him or desert him.Jesus ups the ante. “Then what if you see the Son of Man ascending where he was before?” What if they see Jesus ascending into heaven? Would more proof that Jesus is speaking the truth change their mind or would it cause a greater rejection? Forgive my pop culture reference, but the following Joan Osborne song lyrics come to mindIf God had a face what would it look like?And would you want to seeIf seeing meant that you would have to believeIn things like heaven and in Jesus and the SaintsAnd all the prophets?Jesus offers hope though. How can you heed his words? Can you comply with such a hard teaching? You must have the Spirit! The teaching is not that harsh after all. To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus is to partake in his eternal life by being filled with the Spirit. This, in fact, is not harsh at all. It is an offer of a free gift!How can I get the Spirit then? Listen to Jesus' words, the Spirit and life are found there (v. 63). “This is the deed God requires—to believe in the one whom he sent.” This is the recurring theme of John's gospel. How can we share in Jesus? How can we be saved? How can we have eternal life? How can we do what God requires of us? Believe. If Jesus is who he says he is, and he does what he says he will do, he has everything covered.Many Depart but Peter ConfessesMany of those in the same crowd that was ready to force Jesus into kingship reject him. Jesus offers his disciples the chance to do the same. There is no coercion. To paraphrase, “If this is too difficult for you, you can leave too. In fact, one of you will.” Notice that Jesus is fully aware of his impending betrayal. Jesus is not surprised by the cross. He is steadily walking towards it, even by choosing his own betrayer.Peter does not reject Jesus. He confesses instead, “you are the Holy One of God.” This is a title for God himself in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament it is often said a little differently, “the Holy One of Israel.” I could provide many, many examples, but here is just one from Psalms 71:22:I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument,praising your faithfulness, O my God.I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp,O Holy One of Israel.The same term (Holy One of God) could function as a title for a servant of God. So, very much in John's style, I think this is another beautiful double entendre. Jesus is both God and a servant of God. He is the Word and he does the will of the Father.To Whom Would We Go—A Personal NotePeter asks such a poignant question, “to whom would we go?” Anyone participating in this Bible study can hopefully see that I have endeavored to stay close to the text. Here, I would like to add a personal note. To the extent it is unhelpful, simply disregard it.I was not raised in a Christian home or in a Christian culture. I was an outspoken atheist by the time I was in my late teens. I can clearly remember my atheistic worldview. Looking back I realize my worldview was “full of holes” and it was quite empty too. I will explain using a not-so-quick analogy.The AnalogyAssume for just a brief moment that I were a good mechanic (I am not). You come to me with a problem. This morning, as you backed up your car to head to work, you noticed there was a puddle right under the car. The puddle is not very large. The liquid is greenish, but parts of it seem gold too. The pavement underneath is quite dark, so you have a hard time discerning how dark the liquid itself is.I am a good mechanic, so I quickly come up with some options. It could be water, oil, coolant, and transmission fluid. I theorize that water would have evaporated by the morning and scratch it off the list. I also know that transmission fluid is dark red, so it's probably not the right answer. Now the answer is narrowed down to two possibilities: oil or coolant. Coolant is generally green, but if spread thin on dark pavement it can look yellowish. Oil looks yellow, unless dirty. Then it looks black. Your car is old, you haven't changed the oil in a few thousand miles, so the oil would probably look black. The best explanation for your mystery puddle is coolant.Now further assume another mechanic is there too. He argues, almost as convincingly, that oil is the best explanation. A few thousand miles is not enough to turn oil black, he says, and the car, although old, is not burning any oil.After we are done theorizing about the puddle, we move on to a different topic. You tell me that your car has been running hot. Oh dear, that leaves quite a few possibilities. The problem could lie in the radiator, belts, hoses, oil, cooling system, water pump, and bad thermostat. Now, you probably already want to pick one particular solution given the prior paragraphs. Please, for a moment, refrain. Assume that I, the brilliant mechanic, again engage in my Holmesian deductive process while also ignoring everything mentioned in the prior paragraphs. I review all the evidence carefully and conclude the problem is in the cooling system. But that wretched other mechanic is still available to second-guess my conclusion. He believes the best explanation for the car overheating is the thermostat—in fact, the car is not overheating at all. We both lay out our evidence and either conclusion seems likely.Finally, you tell me another odd story. The car smells funny. “Funny,” I ask, “how?” Well, it's not an unpleasant smell. A little sweet. Again, I know you (the reader) are dying to jump to a conclusion. Hold your horses for one more minute. While ignoring the prior paragraphs, I theorize about all the possible causes. Then I lay out a sound and thorough argument as to why the most probable explanation for that smell is a coolant leak. At this point the other mechanic scoffs at me. There are a thousand possible explanations for an odd, faintly sweet smell. From spilled soda to air freshener. Any firm conclusion is certainly unwarranted, he convincingly argues.Now, let's retell the story a different way. You come to me, the mechanic, with the following issues: there was a greenish, yellowish puddle under the car, the car is getting hot, and there is a faintly sweet smell in the car. The solution is obviously a coolant leak. To quote our former president, “I know it, you know it, everyone knows it.”At this point let's make two observations. When the symptoms are isolated, one can have reasonable debates as to the best explanation of each. When the symptoms are conjoined, the best explanation is inarguable.The ApplicationOk, so what does my little story have to do with anything? It seems to me that reality suffers from several “symptoms.” These are facts of the world that are almost undeniable while at the same time being puzzling. The universe seems to have a beginning. There are powerful scientific reasons to believe this—but frankly this is a fact wholly within our own common sense. If time is infinite in the past, how would we have reached this very moment? Why has energy not fully devolved into heat if the universe exists eternally in the past? The universe seems oddly fine-tuned for life. The more we learn about the universe, the more we realize that if the very fundamental rules of the universe (like the gravitational force) were any different, life could not exist. I am not talking about human life—no life could exist. But the symptoms get stranger. There seems to be good and evil. Not just good. Not just evil. The view that everything is how it should be can account for good but not evil. The view that matter is all that exists and life is meaningless can account for neither. There seems to be minds that have intentionality. If someone steals my wallet, I blame the criminal. I really do blame the criminal. I don't blame some unguided chain of events that inevitably resulted in that outcome. There seems to be beauty. The view that beauty is in the eye of the beholder is sheer nonsense—we might not say it, but we all know this. Taste might be in the eye of the beholder. A person can have bad taste and like the ugly, but that doesn't make the ugly into beautiful. Shockingly, mathematics—a completely abstract concept—seems to describe the physical reality. Math would exist even if no time, matter, or space existed. It is untethered from the universe, and yet it can elegantly summarize the universe's workings. People seem to have inherent worth. And people seem to have a higher worth than animals, so the mere possession of brain function does not seem to entirely explain people's worth. Life seems to have purpose. Take the Star Wars philosophy—the force always returns to balance. That view can account for good and evil, but it eliminates any sense of purpose. A life may seem to have a purpose but history as a whole has no arch. And because of that, neither does life if considered within the wider framework.Forgive my stream of conscience above, but it accurately reflects the quandary. Sure, naturalism might be able to explain fine-tuning by positing a multiverse, but it can't explain good and evil. Sure, some form of Taoism could account for good and evil, but it can't account for purpose. Sure, new ageism exalting the divine nature of individuals can account for people's inherent worth, but it struggles to explain the way people intentionally hurt one another, much less what should be done about it. And so allow me to repeat Peter's question, “If not Christ, to whom will I go?”Christ was not my default choice. I was not raised to believe in him. Nonetheless, the more I realize how he explains every “symptom” of the universe the more I realize I could not not believe. What else would I believe? And notice I have not mentioned the most personal “symptom” of all. It seems to me I am not perfect; I am not good. Who can speak to me the words of life?The Feast of TabernaclesChapter 7 opens up with the Feast of Shelters, known by several other names but perhaps most popularly as the Feast of Tabernacles. I will present an edited version of the explanation given a Christian website:The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths and Sukkot, is the seventh and last feast that the Lord commanded Israel to observe and one of the three feasts that Jews were to observe each year by going to “appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose” (Deuteronomy 16:16). . . . [I]t was at this time that Solomon's Temple was dedicated to the Lord (1 Kings 8:2).It was at the Feast of Tabernacles that the Israelites, who had returned to rebuild the temple, gathered to celebrate under the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel (Ezra 3). Later, the Jews heard Ezra read the Word of God to them during the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8). Ezra's preaching resulted in a great revival as the Israelites confessed and repented of their sins. . . .The feast begins five days after the Day of Atonement and at the time the fall harvest had just been completed. It was a time of joyous celebration as the Israelites celebrated God's continued provision for them in the current harvest and remembered His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness.As one of the three feasts that all “native born” male Jews were commanded to participate in . . . . As one of the pilgrim feasts (when Jewish males were commanded to go to Jerusalem), it was also the time when they brought their tithes and offerings to the Temple (Deuteronomy 16:16). . . . Thousands upon thousands of people coming together to remember and celebrate God's deliverance and His provision, all living in temporary shelters or booths as part of the requirements of the feast. . . .Lasting eight days, the Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a Sabbath day of rest. During the eight days of the feast, the Israelites would dwell in booths or tabernacles that were made from the branches of trees (Leviticus 23:40–42). . . .Leviticus 23:43 tells us the purpose of the festival, “so that your future generations may know that I made the Israelites live in shelters when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."Jesus and His BothersJudeans want to kill Jesus. Galileans are simply unwilling to follow. And Jesus' brothers are no exception. Although they have travelled with Jesus and his mother Mary, they do not trust Jesus' plan. This is disconcerting. Honoring kinship ties was extremely important in Jewish culture. For those closest to a teacher to disbelieve him could be seen as discrediting. At least one of Jesus' brothers (James) would later become a leader in the church, and this disbelief could be used against him. Yet John doesn't shy away from the disbelief of Jesus' brothers.What is the problem with Jesus going to Jerusalem and performing miracles in front of everyone? His time has not yet come. Notice, the time will come. There will come a moment when Jesus goes to Jerusalem, makes a public appearance, and allows his enemies to kill him. Not yet though. The point is reinforce: the cross is deliberate.Then comes the main point of these verses (1-9). The world cannot hate the world, and the world will hate the spirit. The verses do not include the word spirit, but that is the dualism that John returns to time and time again. This is a major theme in the Gospel of John and in the New Testament as a whole. The world has turned from what is good. The world has turned from its intended purpose to worship God, who is good. Whenever God or one of his followers points that out to the world, the world hates it. Otherwise the world would be confronted with its own guilt.

Bob and Kelly welcome John Simpson, whose dedication to helping veterans through golf takes center stage later this month during the 10th Simpson Cup at Baltusrol Golf Club. Yet John's deeper impact on the lives of those who bravely serve is found everyday through his On Course Foundation. Have a listen!

Jesus' conversation with Nathaniel.

Today's Reading: 1 John 5:4-10Daily Lectionary: Exodus 25:1-22; Luke 5:17-39 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It seems as if the world can throw an awful lot at us. It seems that just as we get through one major hurdle, like the pandemic, we have to deal with wars breaking out and inflation at all-time highs. Just one of these things would be difficult to overcome. If that wasn't bad enough, we also have all the sin and temptation that we wrestle with in our day-to-day lives. It certainly seems like the world is winning against you, dear Christian. Yet John reminds you that you are not of this world, for you have been "born of God." Jesus Christ has come to defeat sin, the devil, and our flesh, as well as this world, by the shedding of His blood. Water and blood flowed out of Jesus' side as He was hanging on the Cross. As He gave up His Spirit, He was fulfilling the victory for us over all of our enemies, including the world. Because He has overcome the world, so shall you. "For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree." In Holy Baptism you have been washed clean by water, blood, and the Spirit in order that you may share in the victory of Christ. This testimony is true; God does not lie to you, His children, and He will return to bring you out of this world into the new heavens and new earth that will never fade away. Until then this world will rage against you and the Church. It will seem as if the world is claiming victory over us, but hold on to your Baptism, hold on to your dear Savior Jesus, who assures us that, "It is finished." The world has been overcome for you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What is the world to me With all its vaunted pleasure When You, and You alone, Lord Jesus, are my treasure! You only, dearest Lord, my soul's delight shall be; You are my peace, my rest. What is the world to me! ("What Is the World to Me" LSB 730, st.1)-Rev. Kent Schaaf is pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Little Rock, AR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane BamschOver eight sessions, The Messiah: Revealing Jesus in the Old Testament will lead you through the entirety of the Old Testament with daily readings, questions, and discussion prompts. After a brief introduction that reviews Christ's earthly ministry, you will dive into the heart of the Holy Books that have spiritually nourished God's people from creation to today! Now available from Concordia Publishing House.

“After These Things” Revelation 4:1-3 “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.” The Bible records the accounts of two people who actually were taken to heaven in visions. In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul wrote of being transported to the third heaven (the abode of God). But he was forbidden to speak of what he saw there (2 Cor. 12:4). The apostle John also had the wonderful privilege of visiting heaven while still on the earth. Unlike Paul, John was permitted to give a detailed description of his vision, which he did in chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation. In those two chapters, John recorded the second vision he saw, the first being his vision of the glorified Lord Jesus Christ in 1:12-17. The Bible refers to heaven more than five hundred times, and others, such as Paul (2 Cor. 12) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 1), wrote descriptions of it. Yet John's description in chapters 4 and 5 is the most complete and informative in all of Scripture. Escorted by the beloved apostle, we are carried far beyond the mundane features of this temporal realm to behold the realities of eternal heaven. Through John's vision, we have the privilege of previewing the place where they will live forever. The first occurrence of the phrase “after these things” (v. 1) relates to John's personal chronology. It notes that this second vision followed immediately after John's vision of the risen, glorified Christ (1:9-20) and the letters to the seven churches (2:1-3:22). The phrase “after these things” is used throughout Revelation to mark the beginning of a new vision (Rev. 7:9; 15:5; 18:1; 19:1). The second occurrence of after these things relates to God's chronology. Its use marks an important transition in the book of Revelation from the church age (the "things which are"; 1:19), described in chapters 2-3, to the third great division of the book (the "things which will take place"; 1:19), found in chapters 4-22. The scene shifts from matters concerning the church (which is nowhere mentioned in chaps. 4-19) on earth to a dramatic scene in heaven. That scene centers on the throne of God and forms the introduction to the future historical events (the Tribulation, millennial kingdom, and eternal state) that unfold in chapters 6-22. In keeping with the Lord's promise to spare His church from the hour of testing (the outpouring of wrath before the Lord returns) given in Revelation 3:10, the church will be raptured before that time of tribulation (described in detail in chapters 6-19) begins. Remember the very last thing that the Lord promised to the overcomers at Laodicea. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21) The Lord finished every letter to the seven churches by making a specific promise to the believers who were overcomers. It is interesting to me that every promise was different and the last promise had to do with “sitting on His throne.” And then the first thing John sees in heaven in chapter 4 is the throne of God. Today we have been invited “to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) What kind of mercy, grace and help do you need today? God bless!

Why Isn't GOD Showing Up yet? | John Giftah In this short inspirational Christian sermon, Evangelist John Giftah challenges you to trust GOD's timing even when you don't understand it knowing that He knows the RIGHT time. You can buy my new bestselling book, UNVEIL YOUR PURPOSE (a #1 Newly Released Bestseller on Amazon) here:India: https://www.amazon.in/UNVEIL-YOUR-PURPOSE-John-Giftah/dp/B08K2CJKP2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=john+giftah&qid=1611990618&sr=8-1Global Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Unveil-Your-Purpose-Complete-Created-ebook/dp/B08L7XX9PJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=john+giftah%27&qid=1611990705&sr=8-2You can stay in touch with me through these platforms:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/johngiftahInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/johngiftahFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjohngiftah/Website: https://www.johngiftah.com/If you're blessed by this sermon, don't forget to share it with someone, and please do rate/ review the podcast so that it will help us reach more people with the message of hope.For supporting the ministry financially:  PayPal: paypal.me/johngiftah#JohnGiftah #JohnGiftahPodcast #Christian #Christianity #BibleStudy #Faith #Hope #InspirationalSermon #ChristianMotivation #ChristianInspiration #Motivation #Motivational #Inspirational #Bible #BibleStudy--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-giftah/message

Why Isn't GOD Showing Up yet? | John Giftah In this short inspirational Christian sermon, Evangelist John Giftah challenges you to trust GOD's timing even when you don't understand it knowing that He knows the RIGHT time. You can buy my new bestselling book, UNVEIL YOUR PURPOSE (a #1 Newly Released Bestseller on Amazon) here: India: https://www.amazon.in/UNVEIL-YOUR-PURPOSE-John-Giftah/dp/B08K2CJKP2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=john+giftah&qid=1611990618&sr=8-1 Global Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Unveil-Your-Purpose-Complete-Created-ebook/dp/B08L7XX9PJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=john+giftah%27&qid=1611990705&sr=8-2 You can stay in touch with me through these platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/johngiftah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johngiftah Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjohngiftah/ Website: https://www.johngiftah.com/ If you're blessed by this sermon, don't forget to share it with someone, and please do rate/ review the podcast so that it will help us reach more people with the message of hope. For supporting the ministry financially: PayPal: paypal.me/johngiftah #JohnGiftah #JohnGiftahPodcast #Christian #Christianity #BibleStudy #Faith #Hope #InspirationalSermon #ChristianMotivation #ChristianInspiration #Motivation #Motivational #Inspirational #Bible #BibleStudy --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-giftah/message

John 18:28 - 19:42 The word "atrocity" accurately describes the death of Jesus on the Cross. Yet John doesn't call Jesus' death an "atrocity"; he calls it "glory".

Repentance is one of those Biblical subjects that is rarely, if ever, talked about. Yet John the Baptizer, Jesus, and the apostles in the 1st century spoke on this subject frequently. It is still an important topic to understand if one wants to be right with God. This Sunday morning, we will concentrate on True Repentance.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to upend one of the oldest categories ever? To create real, radical innovation and do something that almost everyone in the industry said was impossible? If so, you're going to love this dialogue with our guest, John Spagnola. In this episode of Follow Your Different, John Spagnola talks about how he redesigned an old category and broke through expectations and preexisting ideas in the Spirits category. He is the epitome of a pirate , dreamer, and innovator. John Spagnola is the founder of Ublendit, THE pioneer in custom Spirits category. They create custom blended spirits for hotels, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants so they can have their own unique, custom-branded and blended spirits. Ublendit: Breaking the Fixed Mindset John talks about Ublendit and how he didn’t want it to be just another spirits company. At the time, the formula for making a spirits company was as follows: You build a brand, market it to distributors, and hopefully get your brand into different establishments through said distributors. There were those who commented that while John might start out with this completely new idea he had, he’ll eventually move into the same model eventually. John was having none of it. “The more I go into it, the more I thought: no, you're totally wrong. The way you're thinking about is totally wrong. There are so many angles that we can manipulate here, that you're not even thinking about.” – John Spagnola John has always been into trying new things. Creating something that was game-changing and can disrupt the status quo was the dream. He feels fortunate that his investors shared the same views as he did and were willing to take risks.  Going Against the Grain John further elaborates as to why most spirits companies follow the traditional category model. Eventually, it all boiled down to how big of an investment it can be, that they think it won’t be worth their time. Most of the people who tried having multiple blends end up discarding underperforming ones and just focusing their effort to their best-selling ones. “I kind of understand where people come from for there, but there's all these new, different elements that have opened up to allow us to, to be so versatile.” – John Spagnola John went against the grain and pushed forward with his custom-blended and branded spirits, and have not look back since. Nowadays, there are technologies that allow businesses to blend spirits in smaller scales, much like what Ublendit is doing. Yet John and Ublendit has the distinction of being the trailblazers for the category. Knowing Your Market As a Category Designer, one has to do their due diligence and know what you are working with. Otherwise, how can you change a category to something your target audience cares about? This is exactly what John did by going around and doing research on the target market. He identified what the pain points of various businesses are, and create something new that solves those issues. After doing his market research, he found two major factors that interest people. The first one was price, because they need to make money. The other one was having custom labels to promote their own brand. So John got to work in combining these two factors, and a new category was born. As for his clients, they wished Ublendit was created sooner. “The thing that stuck with me is (he said,) you're giving me goose for $5. He literally said, I wish that I had found you 10 years ago when I started this company. I was like, well, we weren't there yet. We didn't exist yet. He's like, well, now you have us forever.” – John Spagnola To hear more from John Spagnola and how to be a legendary category designer, download and listen to this episode. BIO: John Spagnola is the CEO of Ublendit, LLC. Ublendit is a pioneer in the custom spirts category. They are the first to create custom spirits for hotels, bars, nightclubs, restaurants and special events.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to upend one of the oldest categories ever? To create real, radical innovation and do something that almost everyone in the industry said was impossible? If so, you're going to love this dialogue with our guest, John Spagnola. In this episode of Follow Your Different, John Spagnola talks about how he redesigned an old category and broke through expectations and preexisting ideas in the Spirits category. He is the epitome of a pirate , dreamer, and innovator. John Spagnola is the founder of Ublendit, THE pioneer in custom Spirits category. They create custom blended spirits for hotels, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants so they can have their own unique, custom-branded and blended spirits. Ublendit: Breaking the Fixed Mindset John talks about Ublendit and how he didn’t want it to be just another spirits company. At the time, the formula for making a spirits company was as follows: You build a brand, market it to distributors, and hopefully get your brand into different establishments through said distributors. There were those who commented that while John might start out with this completely new idea he had, he’ll eventually move into the same model eventually. John was having none of it. “The more I go into it, the more I thought: no, you're totally wrong. The way you're thinking about is totally wrong. There are so many angles that we can manipulate here, that you're not even thinking about.” – John Spagnola John has always been into trying new things. Creating something that was game-changing and can disrupt the status quo was the dream. He feels fortunate that his investors shared the same views as he did and were willing to take risks.  Going Against the Grain John further elaborates as to why most spirits companies follow the traditional category model. Eventually, it all boiled down to how big of an investment it can be, that they think it won’t be worth their time. Most of the people who tried having multiple blends end up discarding underperforming ones and just focusing their effort to their best-selling ones. “I kind of understand where people come from for there, but there's all these new, different elements that have opened up to allow us to, to be so versatile.” – John Spagnola John went against the grain and pushed forward with his custom-blended and branded spirits, and have not look back since. Nowadays, there are technologies that allow businesses to blend spirits in smaller scales, much like what Ublendit is doing. Yet John and Ublendit has the distinction of being the trailblazers for the category. Knowing Your Market As a Category Designer, one has to do their due diligence and know what you are working with. Otherwise, how can you change a category to something your target audience cares about? This is exactly what John did by going around and doing research on the target market. He identified what the pain points of various businesses are, and create something new that solves those issues. After doing his market research, he found two major factors that interest people. The first one was price, because they need to make money. The other one was having custom labels to promote their own brand. So John got to work in combining these two factors, and a new category was born. As for his clients, they wished Ublendit was created sooner. “The thing that stuck with me is (he said,) you're giving me goose for $5. He literally said, I wish that I had found you 10 years ago when I started this company. I was like, well, we weren't there yet. We didn't exist yet. He's like, well, now you have us forever.” – John Spagnola To hear more from John Spagnola and how to be a legendary category designer, download and listen to this episode. BIO: John Spagnola is the CEO of Ublendit, LLC. Ublendit is a pioneer in the custom spirts category. They are the first to create custom spirits for hotels, bars, nightclubs, restaurants and special events.

Gooooooood morning ladies and gentleman. This may be my favorite show to date and it is just me on the mic. - Control what's in between your earsToday:- John GottiRandom:- Marvel is dope- Opening Day - Robin ThickeFGSOTW:- Lilly and her awesome milestone of selling 32,000+ girl scout cookies and breaking records. Let's have the most beautiful weekend in the history of weekends. Lilly's Story: https://www.foodandwine.com/news/girl-scout-cookies-sales-record-2021I don't own the rights to the final song. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr0mOpxfygI@_CJCasey @TheFriYAYCast @TheHATMedia

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.Background information This NT podcast but could just as easily be put into the OT category, since our character appears in both testaments. He lived under the tail end of the old covenant, as the kingdom of God was dawning.Family: married? father? how distant a cousin of Jesus?Levite (Exodus-Deuteronomy) - priestly class, charged with bringing God to the people and the people to GodNazirite (Numbers 6) -- special calling and devotionThe long-awaited resumption of prophecy (Malachi 3). Explains his adoption of the dress and demeanor of Elijah.Perhaps so credible and effective because he did not stand on his position as a Levite. He certainly didn't tape into the great wealth of the priestly establishment.John is often compared unfairly to Jesus, who seems to be a cousin. Perhaps, frightened by his rough, untamed preaching, we comfort ourselves by dismissing his words as extremist.Transitional figure (Malachi 3:1-3, 4:4-6)Last O.T. prophet and Elijah figure.Herald of the Messiah (Though a man of the old covenant, Jesus exalts him (Matthew 11:2-15).Knew that to prepare people for the coming of the Lord they must first get right with their fellow men: a ministry of reconciliation.Moses received the Law for the Jewish people at Horeb (Sinai). The prophets called all back to the letter and Spirit of the Law, which entailed righteous relationships with others. See 1 John 4:19-21.What made him so great? I would like to offer four reasons.I. Profound sense of divine callingLuke 1:13-17 -- divine plan. God's plan was revealed even before John's birth.Luke 3:2 - start of ministry. John begins only once the word of God came to him.Resumption of prophecy - (see the intertestamental books of 1 & 2 Maccabees).II. Radical message delivered with radical courage Repentance, in view of God's kingdom (Matthew 3:1-12).Repentance must yield fruit (Matthew 3:8).A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).Not all were willing to accept his challenge (Luke 7:29-30).Yet John did not claim to have the last word.He was only preparing the way for the Messiah.John's baptism did not confer the Spirit, which was a special mark of the new covenant (John 7:38-39).John had the courage of Elijah (1 Kings 17-2 Kings 2).III. A true man of characterHe was toughFasting (Matthew 9:14; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33)Asceticism (Luke 7:33)He was a flawed human, imperfect like the rest of us.John he had his period of doubt/struggle (Luke 7:18-23).Yet he was a truly virtuous follower of God. (Virtue < vir, virtus [man, strength])He took a strong stand on personal righteousness.True virtue stands opposed to vice.Publicly challenged the illicit marriage of Herod Antipas.John did not show favoritism, nor was he impressed by religiosity.CourageSpoke truth to power, like Elijah, Jesus, Paul, and may other figures.Unwilling to back down.He was humble. Self came second.Yet strong!In this he resembled Moses (Numbers 12:3), although he especially resembled Elijah.John 3:27-30. Memory verse: "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30).None of Self, and All of Thee, orOh, the Bitter Pain and SorrowOh, the bitter pain and sorrow that a time could ever be, / When I proudly said to Jesus, “All of self, and none of Thee.”All of self, and none of Thee, All of self, and none of Thee, / When I proudly said to Jesus, “All of self, and none of Thee.”Yet He found me; I beheld Him bleeding on th’ accursed tree, / And my wistful heart said faintly, “Some of self, and some of Thee.”Some of self, and some of Thee, Some of self, and some of Thee, / And my wistful heart said faintly, “Some of self, and some of Thee.”Day by day His tender mercy, healing, helping, full and free, / Brought me lower while I whispered, “Less of self, and more of Thee.”Less of self, and more of Thee, less of self, and more or Thee, / Brought me lower while I whispered, “Less of self, and more of Thee.”Higher than the highest heaven, deeper than the deepest sea, / Lord, Thy love at last has conquered: “None of self, and all of Thee.”None of self, and all of Thee, None of self, and all of Thee, / Lord, Thy love at last has conquered: “None of self, and all of Thee.”IV. Faithful to deathJezebel threatened to remove Elijah 's head but this did not happen.The spite of a woman did, however, lead to John's decapitation (Matthew 14)."Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and was a very just punishment for what he did against John called the baptist [the dipper]. For Herod had him killed, although he was a good man and had urged the Jews to exert themselves to virtue, both as to justice toward one another and reverence towards God, and having done so join together in washing. For immersion in water, it was clear to him, could not be used for the forgiveness of sins, but as a sanctification of the body, and only if the soul was already thoroughly purified by right actions. And when others massed about him, for they were very greatly moved by his words, Herod, who feared that such strong influence over the people might carry to a revolt -- for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise -- believed it much better to move now than later have it raise a rebellion and engage him in actions he would regret. And so John, out of Herod's suspiciousness, was sent in chains to Machaerus, the fort previously mentioned, and there put to death; but it was the opinion of the Jews that out of retribution for John God willed the destruction of the army so as to afflict Herod." -- Josephus, Antiquities 18.5.2 116-119Further study The podcasts on reincarnation explain further that he was not literally Elijah.You may also want to listen to the Elijah podcast.You will find a study on the Nazirite (specifically, their parents) in Principle-Centered Parenting (formerly The Quiver.)

Readings: Revelation 7:2–4, 9–14 Psalm 24:1–6 John 3:1–3 Matthew 5:1–12 The first reading focuses us for today’s solemnity. In the Book of Revelation, St. John reports “a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.” This is Good News. Salvation has come not only for Israel, but for the Gentiles as well. Here is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, that by his seed all the nations of the world would bless themselves (see Genesis 22:18). The Church celebrates many famous Christians on their individual memorials, but today she praises God for all His “holy ones,” His saints. That is the title St. Paul preferred when he addressed his congregations. Divinized by Baptism, they were already “saints” by the grace of God (see Colossians 1:2). They awaited, however, the day when they could “share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). And so do we, as the Scriptures give us reasons for both celebration and hope. In our second reading, St. John tells us that to be “saints” means to be “children of God”—and then he adds: “so we are”! Note that he speaks in the present tense. Yet John also says that we have unfinished business to tend. We are already God’s children, but “what we shall be has not yet been revealed.” Thus we work out our salvation: “Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). We do this as we share the life of Christ, who defined earthly beatitude for us. We are “blessed,” He says, when we are poor, when we mourn, when we are persecuted for His sake. It is then we should “Rejoice and be glad, for [our] reward will be great in heaven” (Matthew 5:12). Until then, we pray with the Psalmist: “Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.” Salvation has come through Abraham’s seed, but it belongs to all nations. For “the Lord’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it” (Psalm 24:1).

Not Yet John 7:1-31 by Howick Community Church

Pastor John continues our series looking at The Kingdom. Jesus described the Kingdom as something that was both present, and also something that was to come. We unpack what this really means. We pray this message blesses and inspires you. Like and subscribe to our page for future updates and notifications and connect with us on social media. For more information on Hope Church Lytham visit our website https://www.hopechurchlytham.com

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches about the dramatic account of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist and the situation in Herod's royal court. Herod's banquet. The decadent and sensual atmosphere. The trendy people. Yet John defended the truth, telling it plainly to those who needed to hear it. John was not a whiner or complainer. He was tough. An example to help us defend the truth to our friends. The painting is from Andrea Solario, "Salome with the head John Baptist (1506) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The introductory aria is from Handel guitar piece, by Bert Alink Rinaldo: Aria "Lascia che io pianga".

Given that John was not the Messiah, Elijah or the Prophet, the Pharisees wondered about John's authority to baptise. Yet John's work of baptising perfectly suited his calling, as he explained. Just as he prepared the way for the Messiah, so his ministry of baptism also prepared the way for the Messiah. John baptised with water and this represented the humble willingness to repent, be cleansed and prepared for the coming Messiah. Jewish people practised baptism as an outgrowth of proselyte baptism. Gentiles, who wanted to become Jews, would ceremonially wash themselves as a sign of repentance. When Jews submitted to John's baptism, they were identifying with Gentile converts indicating how genuine their repentance was, but which would have disturbed the Jewish leaders. John answers by referring to his mission to prepare the way for the Messiah. John explained to the religious leaders that he was not the focus of his work, but the one who was already among them. John's work was to prepare the way for the one. John says he is not worthy to untie the straps of the sandals of the Messiah who has already come. To untie the straps of a sandal before foot washing was the duty of the lowest slave in the house. John is contrasting himself with the identity of the one who comes after him, the true King. As Christians, we are called to be like John, preparing the way for Messiah and pointing to him. We need to demonstrate humility as John did so that Jesus is glorified as King. DR Questions Why did John baptise? Why was John unworthy to untie the straps of Jesus' sandals? How can we share in John's ministry, pointing others to Jesus? Prayer Dear Lord, We thank you for the example of John who was humble and prepared the way for your son, Jesus. Thank you that we are cleansed from sin by Jesus' death and resurrection. Help us recognise him as the King of our hearts and minds and point others to him. In Jesus' name, Amen

     This pericope opens with a reminder about God’s future day of judgment that is coming. The Lord declares, “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze… so that it will leave them neither root nor branch” (Mal 4:1). This time of judgment is commonly called “the day of the Lord”, a phrase that appears eighteen times in the Old Testament (Isa 13:6, 9; 58:13; Ezek 13:5; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18, 20; Obad 1:15; Zep 1:7, 14; Mal 4:5)[1] and five times in the New Testament (Acts 2:20; 1 Cor 5:5; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:7-14). The “day of the Lord” refers to when God will judge the wicked and vindicate the righteous. From Scripture we can say with certainty that the “day of the Lord” follows the first coming of Christ, (Mal. 4:5), will come upon the entire world (Joel 2:1-11; 30-31; 3:12-15; Isa 13:6-11; Ezek 30:2-4; Obad 1:15), will be inescapable (Amos 5:18-20), is a day of wrath and destruction (Zep 1:14-18), will come unannounced (1 Thess 5:1-2; 2 Pet 3:10), and will follow the coming of the Antichrist (2 Thess 2:1-4). The church will not experience this time of God’s judgment, for we are waiting for the return of Christ from heaven, “who rescues us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess 1:10; cf. 5:9). The period refers to the seven-year Tribulation (Rev chapters 6-18) and will end with the Battle of Armageddon (Rev 19:11-21), at which time Christ will establish His millennial kingdom on earth (Rev 20:1-6).      The end of the Tribulation and coming millennial kingdom seems to be in view of Malachi in which the Lord declares, “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing” (Mal 4:2-3). “In the kingdom, righteousness will pervade like the sun. Healing in its wings (or rays) refers to the restorative powers of righteousness, which are like the healthful rays of the sun. God’s people will be spiritually restored and renewed.”[2] With this future time of judgment and blessing certainly coming, Malachi’s generation should have been more mindful about how they lived before the Lord, adhering to the Mosaic Law, which was the standard for right-living for the nation. God had already confronted them concerning sacrifices (Mal 1:7-14), idolatry (Mal 2:10-11), and not giving tithes (Mal 3:8-9), and finally exhorts them to “Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel” (Mal 4:4).      Finally, God gives a prophecy concerning the future coming day of judgment. He declares, “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse” (Mal 4:5-6). The Gospel of Luke reveals John the Baptist had an Elijah-like ministry in that he came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). If Israel had accepted Jesus as the Messiah and His offer of the kingdom, then John the Baptist would have fulfilled this prophecy (Matt 11:7-14). "The Lord promised to send His people Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord arrived. An angel later told John the Baptist’s parents that their son would minister in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Yet John denied that he was Elijah (John 1:21–23). Jesus said that John would have been the Elijah who was to come if the people of his day had accepted Jesus as their Messiah (Matt 11:14). Since they did not, John did not fulfill this prophecy about Elijah coming, though he did fulfill the prophecy about Messiah’s forerunner (Mal 3:1)."[3]      The apostle John reveals there will be an Elijah-like prophet—as well as a Moses-like prophet—who will come in the future, during the time of the Tribulation, and he will also help prepare the way of the Lord (Rev 11:4-6). Those who hate the Lord will reject His future prophet and celebrate his death (Rev 11:7-10); however, God will resurrect him and call him to heaven (Rev 11:11-12), and render judgment upon the wicked (Rev 11:13). Malachi was the last of the OT prophets, and another prophet would not arise until John the Baptist, who would shatter the years of silence with the announcement of Jesus’ coming.   [1] The day of the Lord appears twice in Amos 5:18 and Zephaniah 1:14. [2] Craig A. Blaising, “Malachi,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1587. [3] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Mal 4:5.

248 If We Love One Another, God Lives In Us, A Guided Christian Meditation on 1 John 4:7-12 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: 1 John 4:7-12 NIV 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. NRSV 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. Meditation on Scripture: We know in our hearts that Love is the highest ideal for us to reach toward as we grown in our understanding of God. Unfortunately we all struggle with pieces of hate and rage in our hearts as well that can be provoked to come pouring out. In this moment let us take intention of embracing the love. It would be immature or incomplete for us to claim that we are free from hate. Yet John’s epistle equates love with faith. As our faith matures it must move toward love, for God is love. What does it mean that God is love? I believe it means that God’s presence is primarily defined as love. In other words wherever and whenever we are near Him, we are encompassed by love. It is comparing fire to light. When we are in communion with God, we are living in His love. I remember a time when I was a young man and I was praying. I had a notion of faith and was actively praying to God. In one moment I became incredibly aware and confident that God could hear my prayer. My heart was overcome with a feeling that I was loved. My goal became to live in such a way that I invited that experience into my life as often as possible. I have accomplished this with many failures but a dedicated focus for decades. It is a feeling that has become much more common to me to me know but at one point in my life it was a new surprise. I see the love of God as directly connected to the kind of faith that Jesus demands from us. Our goal should be then to live in that Love and to constantly pray and act to build that faith and love. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What can you do in your life to more clearly reflect the love of God? Final Thought: My hope is that my repeated message focusing on love will not come across as unimaginative or unsophisticated. I firmly hold that there is nothing more important in our lives than God and His central message through Jesus Christ was a command to love and then to follow Him. It is my hope and expectation that the more focus we place on making our hearts open to the love of God, the more we invite God’s influence into our hearts. When it arrives it is the most rewarding thing we can seek. This Love forms the center of an eternal relationship with God. FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod  

It is July 2020 and it is feeling like a “lost year” already. I've felt somewhat aimless at times, drifting about. The phrase “lost year” reminded me of John Lennon's “Lost Weekend”, actually an 18-month period. During this time he drifted a bit and wasn't really rooted anywhere. He bounced around a variety of recording studios and had lots of collaborations.Yet John was incredibly creative during this period. He finished 3 full albums and charted his first #1 US hit as a solo artist. That got me thinking. What can I learn from John's “Lost Weekend”? Is there something I can apply to my photography?I explore this idea in today's podcast. Given the current world situation, in-person collaborations aren't really feasible. However, experimenting in post-processing certainly is. I share my story of how I shook up my workflow to spark some creativity.Here are three ideas to shake up your post-processing:Use a different editing tool. Start your workflow in a place that's not typical for you. Perhaps edit an entire batch of photos using your least-used editing tool. Starting in a new place will lead you down a different path.Explore the corners of the editing tools you own. Dig deeper into the editing tool you use most. Look at filters, effects, or sliders you don't typically use. Try them out.Push your tried and true sliders in a different direction. Most of us have a few favorite sliders and filters. Push the sliders in the opposite direction than you normally do. For example, selectively desaturate colors in a HSL tool or go negative with clarity and sharpness.It is OK if you fumble around a bit. It is also OK if the photos you produce are ones you never want to share. The goal of these ideas is to make discoveries, learn, and spark creativity. Rate & ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser.com. Fresh, current ratings help other photographers find out about the show.Supporters Of The Show - Thank You!Thanks to everyone that supports this show, through comments, reviews, and shares. Sharing this podcast with your photo friends and camera clubs is one of the many zero-cost ways you can support the show. If you wish to support the show financially, you can also make a one-time donation.Affiliate LinksProduct links in this post may contain affiliate tags. Depending on the purchase, Scott Davenport Photography may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you. The use of affiliate links never influences the content or opinions of the episodes.

Show NotesIt is July 2020 and it is feeling like a “lost year” already. I've felt somewhat aimless at times, drifting about. The phrase “lost year” reminded me of John Lennon's “Lost Weekend”, actually an 18-month period. During this time he drifted a bit and wasn't really rooted anywhere. He bounced around a variety of recording studios and had lots of collaborations.Yet John was incredibly creative during this period. He finished 3 full albums and charted his first #1 US hit as a solo artist. That got me thinking. What can I learn from John's “Lost Weekend”? Is there something I can apply to my photography?I explore this idea in today's podcast. Given the current world situation, in-person collaborations aren't really feasible. However, experimenting in post-processing certainly is. I share my story of how I shook up my workflow to spark some creativity.Here are three ideas to shake up your post-processing:Use a different editing tool. Start your workflow in a place that's not typical for you. Perhaps edit an entire batch of photos using your least-used editing tool. Starting in a new place will lead you down a different path.Explore the corners of the editing tools you own. Dig deeper into the editing tool you use most. Look at filters, effects, or sliders you don't typically use. Try them out.Push your tried and true sliders in a different direction. Most of us have a few favorite sliders and filters. Push the sliders in the opposite direction than you normally do. For example, selectively desaturate colors in a HSL tool or go negative with clarity and sharpness.It is OK if you fumble around a bit. It is also OK if the photos you produce are ones you never want to share. The goal of these ideas is to make discoveries, learn, and spark creativity. Rate & ReviewIf you enjoyed today's episode, please rate at review it on Apple Podcasts.Thank You Patrons!A special thank you to supporters on Patreon. Your support makes this podcast possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Patreon community, visit https://patreon.com/scottdavenportphoto.Affiliate LinksProduct links in this podcast may contain an affiliate code that credits The Stop Down Podcast for any purchases made via that click-through. Depending on the purchase, we may receive some financial compensation.Support the show (https://www.stopdownpodcast.com/support)

Many believers and even entire churches have resorted to making Scripture only a small part of their spiritual growth. Yet John 8:31 teaches, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.” Spiritual growth occurs when we walk study and practice God’s Word. When Paul wrote to the young church leader Timothy, he…

Happy Tuesday, friends! Our Bible passages today are Exodus 22, Job 40, John 1 and 2nd Corinthians 10. Today we are still focused on the women witnesses of the wondrous resurrection of Jesus, but I would be remiss to not at least point us towards that magisterial passage in John 1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Let's turn it over to Spurgeon for a moment to point us in a great direction on this passage: John is especially careful that we should know that Jesus is a real and true Person, and therefore he tells us that the Divine Word, of whose fullness we have received, is most assuredly God. No language can be more distinct and explicit than that which John uses concerning Jesus. He ascribes to Him the eternity which belongs alone to God: “In the beginning was the Word.” He beyond all question claims Divinity for Him: “The Word was God.” He ascribes to Him creative power: “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” He ascribes to Him self-existence, which is the essential characteristic of God: “In Him was life.” He claims for Him a nature peculiar to God: “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all;” and he says that the Word is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” No writer could be more definite in the expressions he uses; and beyond all question he sets forth the true and proper Deity of that Blessed One whom we all must receive if we would obtain eternal salvation. Yet John does not fail to demonstrate that our Lord was also man. He saith, “the Word was made flesh,”—not merely assumed manhood, but was made flesh; made not merely man, as to His nobler part, His soul, but man as to His flesh, His lower element. Our Lord was not a phantom, but one who, as John declares in his first Epistle, could be seen, and heard, and touched, and handled. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” He lived with the sons of men,—a carpenter’s shed His lowly refuge, and the caves and mountains of the earth His midnight resort in His after life. He dwelt among sinners and sufferers, among mourners and mortals, Himself completing His citizenship among us by becoming obedient unto death, “even the death of the cross.” Thus, while He is so august a person that Heaven and earth tremble at the majesty of His presence, yet is He so humble a person that He is not ashamed to call us “brethren.” C. H. Spurgeon, Christ’s Incarnation: The Foundation of Christianity (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 65–66. Slightly modernized As promised yesterday, we continue discussing Luke 24 today - the resurrection is most certainly worth a two-part episode and much more! Our topic is all about the women who were the FIRST witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. (The below is taken from Easter: Fact or Fiction: 20 Reasons to Believe Jesus Rose From the Dead): ...According to Matthew 28, the first two witnesses to the risen Jesus were women, Mary Magdalene and “The other Mary.” Luke adds that Joanna was there, as well as “other women,” and seems to indicate that “the other” Mary, was Mary the mother of James. All four gospels, written down by different men, in different places and at different time periods ALL feature a female (Mary Magdalene) as the first witness of the resurrection of Jesus.  That some gospels also mention the presence of other women is far from contradictory, but is the very essence of differing eyewitness testimony. Some details will be included by some authors, and omitted by others. The bottom line is this: women, several of them, were the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. The Women at the Tomb of Jesus - The First Witnesses! Additionally, Mary Magdalene, perhaps the foremost of these female witnesses, had what might be considered a sketchy past: Jesus had driven not one, but SEVEN demons out of her at one point. All of this leads to an incredibly important question: If, in the first century, the testimony of women was not considered as reliable by any culture, why does the Bible clearly, and in great detail, portray women as being the first and primary witnesses to the risen Jesus? That question also begets another important question: How is it, given the assumed unreliability of women, that so many thousands of people eagerly believed the account of the resurrection of Jesus – many at the cost of their own lives?  Though it is not part of the Bible, and not considered Scripture, there is an apocryphal document called the Epistula Apostolorum, which dates to roughly 120 A.D. It is supposedly an eyewitness account of the apostles, and covers issues like the resurrection of Jesus, some of His parables, and several prophecies. This document contains a depiction of the resurrection, and contains extended dialog between Jesus and the women at the tomb. It is interesting, for the purposes of our discussion here, because it depicts what would have likely been the attitude of men in the first century to the proclamation of women that Jesus rose from the dead; specifically, it portrays the 11 remaining disciples utterly refusing to believe the testimony of the women until they actually see Jesus. I’m not posting this below because I am certain that this is a reliable record, written by the apostles, of what happened on the first Easter Sunday, but because it is a good example of how first century men would have viewed the testimony of women:  Concerning whom we testify that the Lord is he who was crucified by Pontius Pilate and Archelaus between the two thieves and was buried in a place which is called the place of a skull (Kranion). And thither went three women, Mary, she that was kin to Martha, and Mary Magdalene and took ointments to pour upon the body, weeping and mourning over that which was come to pass. And when they drew near to the sepulchre, they looked in and found not the body 10 And as they mourned and wept, the Lord showed himself unto them and said to them: For whom weep ye? weep no more. I am he whom ye seek. But let one of you go to your brethren and say: Come ye, the Master is risen from the dead. Martha came and told us. We said unto her: What have we to do with thee, woman? He that is dead and buried, is it possible that he should live? And we believed her not that the Saviour was risen from the dead. Then she returned unto the Lord and said unto him: None of them hath believed me, that thou livest. He said: Let another of you go unto them and tell them again. Mary came and told us again, and we believed her not; and she returned unto the Lord and she also told him. 11 Then said the Lord unto Mary and her sisters: Let us go unto them. And he came and found us within and called us out; but we thought that it was a phantom and believed not that it was the Lord. Then said he unto us: Come, fear ye not. I am your master, even he, O Peter, whom thou didst deny thrice; and dost thou now deny again? And we came unto him, doubting in our hearts whether it were he. Then said he unto us: Wherefore doubt ye still, and are unbelieving? I am he that spake unto you of my flesh and my death and my resurrection. But that ye may know that I am he, do thou, Peter, put thy finger into the print of the nails in mine hands, and thou also, Thomas, put thy finger into the wound of the spear in my side; but thou, Andrew, look on my feet and see whether they press the earth; for it is written in the prophet: A phantom of a devil maketh no footprint on the earth. 12 And we touched him, that we might learn of a truth whether he were risen in the flesh; and we fell on our faces (and worshipped him) confessing our sin, that we had been unbelieving. What a fascinating passage, and almost humorous in its depictions of the disciples utterly refusing to listen to the female witnesses! The only possible rational reason that the Bible depicts women as the first witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus (and prominent witnesses at His crucifixion) is that it factually happened. The depiction of these women as witnesses to what should be considered the most monumental event in the history of the world, makes no sense whatsoever if the biblical accounts of Jesus’ resurrection are invented or even embellished. Here’s why: There are perhaps five main theories about who Jesus was which can be summed up with the five “M’s” used by Southern Evangelical Seminary President Alex Mcfarland. Was Jesus merely a MYTH? That is, was he a legendary sort of character that was invented whole cloth by the lower class culture of Jerusalem who were seeking a hero to look up to? Or, was Jesus a MAN, simply a great teacher, who lived a great life and had a great influence on people, but nothing more than a special, and mortal, human being. In this view, either the followers of Jesus held Him in much higher esteem than they should have, or Jesus Himself had the most remarkable delusions of grandeur in history. A third option is that Jesus was a MYSTIC, that is to say that perhaps He did possess some form of esoteric knowledge and power that elevated Him over the rest of humanity. Perhaps He was something more than merely a man, perhaps a first century alchemist of sorts, or even something like a mutant from comic book fame. Under this theory, Jesus wasn’t God, nor was He immortal; and He certainly wasn’t able to save humanity, but He was something more than an average person. A fourth possibility is that Jesus was/is a MISREPRESENTATION. This theory, popularized by writers like Dan “Da Vinci Code” Brown, posits that the church (or some other body) deified Jesus long after His death, and magnified Him and His accomplishments, in some sort of bid to gain power and control people. In this view, Jesus was merely a teacher that got heavily promoted after His lifetime into something more. MESSIAH or MASTER is the final possibility of who Jesus was and is. That isthat Jesus is everything the Bible claims Him to be He is the son of God, the King of Kings, and the savior of Israel and all of humanity. Really, aside from ridiculous theories (Jesus was an alien, etc.) those are the five options as to who Jesus was.  If He literally and historically rose from the dead, then several of those possibilities are eliminated outright. In light of those potential identities of Jesus, ponder this question: Why invent and insert women as the first witnesses on Easter morning if the resurrection was a myth, or intentional deception? There is no plausible reason for the women to be portrayed as witnesses of this event, except for the simplest reason of all: it really happened that way. If the early church was simply inventing the story of Jesus’ resurrection, wouldn’t it have made far more sense to utilize a prominent and well respected witness? Perhaps somebody like Joseph of Arimathea, or even Simon the Pharisee, or Nicodemus, a Pharisee AND member of the ruling council – any of these (and dozens of others) would make for more believable and impacting witnesses, if one wants to allege that the disciples, or some other group fabricated the story of Jesus resurrection. In N.T. Wright’s epic book on the resurrection of Jesus, he states this case quite brilliantly. Consider well his questions, and the implications of their answers: Even if we suppose that Mark made up most of his material, and did so some time in the late 60s at the earliest, it will not do to have him, or anyone else at that stage, making up a would-be apologetic legend about an empty tomb and having women be the ones who find it. The point has been repeated over and over in scholarship, but its full impact has not always been felt: women were simply not acceptable as legal witnesses. We may regret it, but this is how the Jewish world (and most others) worked. The debate between Origen and Celsus shows that critics of Christianity could seize on the story of the women in order to scoff at the whole tale; were the legend-writers really so ignorant of the likely reaction? If they could have invented stories of fine, upstanding, reliable male witnesses being first at the tomb, they would have done it. That they did not tells us either that everyone in the early church knew that the women, led by Mary Magdalene, were in fact the first on the scene, or that the early church was not so inventive as critics have routinely imagined, or both. Would the other evangelists have been so slavishly foolish as to copy the story unless they were convinced that, despite being an apologetic liability, it was historically trustworthy? N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, Christian Origins and the Question of God (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2003), 607–608.

Happy Tuesday, friends! Our Bible passages today are Exodus 22, Job 40, John 1 and 2nd Corinthians 10. Today we are still focused on the women witnesses of the wondrous resurrection of Jesus, but I would be remiss to not at least point us towards that magisterial passage in John 1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Let's turn it over to Spurgeon for a moment to point us in a great direction on this passage: John is especially careful that we should know that Jesus is a real and true Person, and therefore he tells us that the Divine Word, of whose fullness we have received, is most assuredly God. No language can be more distinct and explicit than that which John uses concerning Jesus. He ascribes to Him the eternity which belongs alone to God: “In the beginning was the Word.” He beyond all question claims Divinity for Him: “The Word was God.” He ascribes to Him creative power: “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” He ascribes to Him self-existence, which is the essential characteristic of God: “In Him was life.” He claims for Him a nature peculiar to God: “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all;” and he says that the Word is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” No writer could be more definite in the expressions he uses; and beyond all question he sets forth the true and proper Deity of that Blessed One whom we all must receive if we would obtain eternal salvation. Yet John does not fail to demonstrate that our Lord was also man. He saith, “the Word was made flesh,”—not merely assumed manhood, but was made flesh; made not merely man, as to His nobler part, His soul, but man as to His flesh, His lower element. Our Lord was not a phantom, but one who, as John declares in his first Epistle, could be seen, and heard, and touched, and handled. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” He lived with the sons of men,—a carpenter’s shed His lowly refuge, and the caves and mountains of the earth His midnight resort in His after life. He dwelt among sinners and sufferers, among mourners and mortals, Himself completing His citizenship among us by becoming obedient unto death, “even the death of the cross.” Thus, while He is so august a person that Heaven and earth tremble at the majesty of His presence, yet is He so humble a person that He is not ashamed to call us “brethren.” C. H. Spurgeon, Christ’s Incarnation: The Foundation of Christianity (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 65–66. Slightly modernized As promised yesterday, we continue discussing Luke 24 today - the resurrection is most certainly worth a two-part episode and much more! Our topic is all about the women who were the FIRST witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. (The below is taken from Easter: Fact or Fiction: 20 Reasons to Believe Jesus Rose From the Dead): ...According to Matthew 28, the first two witnesses to the risen Jesus were women, Mary Magdalene and “The other Mary.” Luke adds that Joanna was there, as well as “other women,” and seems to indicate that “the other” Mary, was Mary the mother of James. All four gospels, written down by different men, in different places and at different time periods ALL feature a female (Mary Magdalene) as the first witness of the resurrection of Jesus.  That some gospels also mention the presence of other women is far from contradictory, but is the very essence of differing eyewitness testimony. Some details will be included by some authors, and omitted by others. The bottom line is this: women, several of them, were the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. The Women at the Tomb of Jesus - The First Witnesses! Additionally, Mary Magdalene, perhaps the foremost of these female witnesses, had what might be considered a sketchy past: Jesus had driven not one, but SEVEN demons out of her at one point. All of this leads to an incredibly important question: If, in the first century, the testimony of women was not considered as reliable by any culture, why does the Bible clearly, and in great detail, portray women as being the first and primary witnesses to the risen Jesus? That question also begets another important question: How is it, given the assumed unreliability of women, that so many thousands of people eagerly believed the account of the resurrection of Jesus – many at the cost of their own lives?  Though it is not part of the Bible, and not considered Scripture, there is an apocryphal document called the Epistula Apostolorum, which dates to roughly 120 A.D. It is supposedly an eyewitness account of the apostles, and covers issues like the resurrection of Jesus, some of His parables, and several prophecies. This document contains a depiction of the resurrection, and contains extended dialog between Jesus and the women at the tomb. It is interesting, for the purposes of our discussion here, because it depicts what would have likely been the attitude of men in the first century to the proclamation of women that Jesus rose from the dead; specifically, it portrays the 11 remaining disciples utterly refusing to believe the testimony of the women until they actually see Jesus. I’m not posting this below because I am certain that this is a reliable record, written by the apostles, of what happened on the first Easter Sunday, but because it is a good example of how first century men would have viewed the testimony of women:  Concerning whom we testify that the Lord is he who was crucified by Pontius Pilate and Archelaus between the two thieves and was buried in a place which is called the place of a skull (Kranion). And thither went three women, Mary, she that was kin to Martha, and Mary Magdalene and took ointments to pour upon the body, weeping and mourning over that which was come to pass. And when they drew near to the sepulchre, they looked in and found not the body 10 And as they mourned and wept, the Lord showed himself unto them and said to them: For whom weep ye? weep no more. I am he whom ye seek. But let one of you go to your brethren and say: Come ye, the Master is risen from the dead. Martha came and told us. We said unto her: What have we to do with thee, woman? He that is dead and buried, is it possible that he should live? And we believed her not that the Saviour was risen from the dead. Then she returned unto the Lord and said unto him: None of them hath believed me, that thou livest. He said: Let another of you go unto them and tell them again. Mary came and told us again, and we believed her not; and she returned unto the Lord and she also told him. 11 Then said the Lord unto Mary and her sisters: Let us go unto them. And he came and found us within and called us out; but we thought that it was a phantom and believed not that it was the Lord. Then said he unto us: Come, fear ye not. I am your master, even he, O Peter, whom thou didst deny thrice; and dost thou now deny again? And we came unto him, doubting in our hearts whether it were he. Then said he unto us: Wherefore doubt ye still, and are unbelieving? I am he that spake unto you of my flesh and my death and my resurrection. But that ye may know that I am he, do thou, Peter, put thy finger into the print of the nails in mine hands, and thou also, Thomas, put thy finger into the wound of the spear in my side; but thou, Andrew, look on my feet and see whether they press the earth; for it is written in the prophet: A phantom of a devil maketh no footprint on the earth. 12 And we touched him, that we might learn of a truth whether he were risen in the flesh; and we fell on our faces (and worshipped him) confessing our sin, that we had been unbelieving. What a fascinating passage, and almost humorous in its depictions of the disciples utterly refusing to listen to the female witnesses! The only possible rational reason that the Bible depicts women as the first witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus (and prominent witnesses at His crucifixion) is that it factually happened. The depiction of these women as witnesses to what should be considered the most monumental event in the history of the world, makes no sense whatsoever if the biblical accounts of Jesus’ resurrection are invented or even embellished. Here’s why: There are perhaps five main theories about who Jesus was which can be summed up with the five “M’s” used by Southern Evangelical Seminary President Alex Mcfarland. Was Jesus merely a MYTH? That is, was he a legendary sort of character that was invented whole cloth by the lower class culture of Jerusalem who were seeking a hero to look up to? Or, was Jesus a MAN, simply a great teacher, who lived a great life and had a great influence on people, but nothing more than a special, and mortal, human being. In this view, either the followers of Jesus held Him in much higher esteem than they should have, or Jesus Himself had the most remarkable delusions of grandeur in history. A third option is that Jesus was a MYSTIC, that is to say that perhaps He did possess some form of esoteric knowledge and power that elevated Him over the rest of humanity. Perhaps He was something more than merely a man, perhaps a first century alchemist of sorts, or even something like a mutant from comic book fame. Under this theory, Jesus wasn’t God, nor was He immortal; and He certainly wasn’t able to save humanity, but He was something more than an average person. A fourth possibility is that Jesus was/is a MISREPRESENTATION. This theory, popularized by writers like Dan “Da Vinci Code” Brown, posits that the church (or some other body) deified Jesus long after His death, and magnified Him and His accomplishments, in some sort of bid to gain power and control people. In this view, Jesus was merely a teacher that got heavily promoted after His lifetime into something more. MESSIAH or MASTER is the final possibility of who Jesus was and is. That isthat Jesus is everything the Bible claims Him to be He is the son of God, the King of Kings, and the savior of Israel and all of humanity. Really, aside from ridiculous theories (Jesus was an alien, etc.) those are the five options as to who Jesus was.  If He literally and historically rose from the dead, then several of those possibilities are eliminated outright. In light of those potential identities of Jesus, ponder this question: Why invent and insert women as the first witnesses on Easter morning if the resurrection was a myth, or intentional deception? There is no plausible reason for the women to be portrayed as witnesses of this event, except for the simplest reason of all: it really happened that way. If the early church was simply inventing the story of Jesus’ resurrection, wouldn’t it have made far more sense to utilize a prominent and well respected witness? Perhaps somebody like Joseph of Arimathea, or even Simon the Pharisee, or Nicodemus, a Pharisee AND member of the ruling council – any of these (and dozens of others) would make for more believable and impacting witnesses, if one wants to allege that the disciples, or some other group fabricated the story of Jesus resurrection. In N.T. Wright’s epic book on the resurrection of Jesus, he states this case quite brilliantly. Consider well his questions, and the implications of their answers: Even if we suppose that Mark made up most of his material, and did so some time in the late 60s at the earliest, it will not do to have him, or anyone else at that stage, making up a would-be apologetic legend about an empty tomb and having women be the ones who find it. The point has been repeated over and over in scholarship, but its full impact has not always been felt: women were simply not acceptable as legal witnesses. We may regret it, but this is how the Jewish world (and most others) worked. The debate between Origen and Celsus shows that critics of Christianity could seize on the story of the women in order to scoff at the whole tale; were the legend-writers really so ignorant of the likely reaction? If they could have invented stories of fine, upstanding, reliable male witnesses being first at the tomb, they would have done it. That they did not tells us either that everyone in the early church knew that the women, led by Mary Magdalene, were in fact the first on the scene, or that the early church was not so inventive as critics have routinely imagined, or both. Would the other evangelists have been so slavishly foolish as to copy the story unless they were convinced that, despite being an apologetic liability, it was historically trustworthy? N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, Christian Origins and the Question of God (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2003), 607–608.

Rev. Luke Zimmerman, pastor at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg, PA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 3:1-12. Matthew seamlessly skips forward almost thirty years from Jesus’ return to Nazareth to the ministry of John the Baptist. This fiery preacher comes as the fulfillment of God’s Word written by the prophet Isaiah. John’s sermon is simple: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” God is reigning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The only way to live under this reign is in repentance and faith, turning from sin and its ways to Christ and His salvation. John proclaimed this truth as Elijah had before him. Those who heard and believed came to his baptism confessing their sins. However, the Pharisees and Sadducees, as the religious elite of the day, came with a false confidence in their family history. John calls even them to task with harsh words of Law. Judgment will come upon all who do not repent. Yet John does not leave his hearers without the Gospel. He points to the One who comes after Him as the Savior. For his preaching of repentance and faith, John remains a preacher just as needed today as he was then. “All Righteousness Fulfilled” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike as the fulfillment of God’s saving words and acts throughout the Old Testament. As the Christ in the line of David and Abraham, Jesus is the promised King who comes to bring sinners from every nation to live under His gracious reign.

This audio was recorded at Stone Oak Bible Church. For more information about our church or for more resources, visit us at www.StoneOakBible.com.

141 The Anointing John said that we all have an “anointing” and that the anointing will teach us. What is this anointing? How do we get this anointing? How important is to us to know this anointing in our hearts? To speak of this anointing seems to some to be so mysterious that we tend just to put the subject aside and go on to other things. Yet John said that this anointing is what will teach us of spiritual things. It is critical to know this anointing if we are going to be led by the Holy Spirit in all things. This is God’s provision for each one of us. Today we share some encouragement on this subject by Gordon Gentry. The ministry was given in a gathering of a local assembly in 1990. Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/ Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne Comments and questions welcome. Email David@AnchorOfTruth.com  

John Keatley often self-characterizes his work as a reflection of himself, rather than the individual he is photographing. In recent years, his journey of self-discovery has brought clarity to emotions that have always been present yet were previously unknown. Anxiety. Fear. Isolation. Not Being In Control. Keatley capitalizes on the correlation between these emotions and humor. It is a fine line, sitting in the pain of the emotion and understanding that pain can also be humorous. Yet John beautifully executes this dichotomy in his work, as the viewer is invited to stay a moment longer and ponder the unexpected. Resources: Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download for . Click here to download Support the work we do at The Candid Frame with contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or visiting the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via . You can follow Ibarionex on and .  

Part of the "Faith" Series

John Baptist comes as a fore runner to prepare the way for the Messiah. Preparation is critical if there is to be a hope that people might receive something hitherto unknown and unexpected, that is about to come. John functions in the traditionally familiar role of prophet. Yet John is preparing the people for one who does not fit neatly into any role they are familiar with. Even their concept(s) of Messiah will be broken open when Messiah arrives!

JOHN HOLLAND: “Here’s an intimate conversation I had with psychic medium John Holland where he helps us to understand why mediums grieve. There is so much to learn from this interview about life, death, and the afterlife. John Holland discusses grief from the context of his own experiences dealing with the loss of his mother, Jenny. He talks about why mediums grieve, what people can do to prepare for their loved one's passing, plus his own fascinating experience with deathbed visions and shared death experiences. "John Holland also shares what he learned about the importance of being present with the dying, why caretakers need to take care of themselves, and reasons why discussing death with loved ones helps both the dying and those left behind. This interview reveals some very personal and spiritual experiences John had during his mother’s journey from the physical to the other side. This is a special Afterlife TV episode for people who are grieving, people who have never lost anyone close to them but want to be prepared for it, and even those who want to help others in their time of grief." ~ Bob Olson, Afterlife TV Psychic Medium John Holland, author of Born Knowing and The Spirit Whisperer, shares his personal story of loss and grief.  John Holland is a psychic medium, spiritual teacher and author of Born Knowing, Power Of The Soul, Psychic Navigator, The Spirit Whisperer, 101 Ways To Jump Start Your Intuition. John also created The Psychic Tarot Oracle Deck. John's public demonstrations provide audiences with a rare glimpse into the fascinating subject of mediumship, which he delivers in his own unique style, explaining the delicate process of raising his own vibrational energy to link with the other side to deliver messages, which he does with clarity, passion and the utmost integrity. John has spent a significant part of his life developing his abilities, and spent two intensive years studying in the UK, where he got the thorough grounding and training to become one of the most sought after professional mediums on the world stage today! Yet John never forgets the reason he chose this life and as a result, he now devotes his life to service and to Spirit. John Holland has starred in several TV specials, including A&E’s Mediums: We See Dead People, which provided a fascinating insight into how John works as a psychic time machine, where he’s able to pick up vibrations and detailed information, whether it’s seen, felt, or heard from a past event. He also starred in his own pilot Psychic History for the History Channel. John can be heard every week, as he hosts his own Internet radio show on Hay House Radio®, called “Spirit Connections.” He’s dedicated to the ongoing development of his unique gift and brings real integrity to his profession. Visit John's website at www.JohnHolland.com We also talked about David Kessler's book Visions, Trips & Crowded Rooms and his website www.Grief.com  

This text tells the story of Jesus?s death by crucifixion, one of history?s cruelest forms of torture. Yet John spares us all the brutal details. He focuses instead on all the signs that Jesus died on his terms for his purposes. So why did Jesus have to die? What did his death accomplish?

John 3:22-30What is the chief cause of the downfall of so many of God’s holy ministers?  Why have so many risen through the ranks of usefulness in the kingdom of God, only to end in the dust of defeat?  Why do so many after receiving a name, suddenly fall bringing great shame and reproach to that holy name to which their lives once brought glory and honour?  The answer is contained in a five lettered word called PRIDE.  In this message, we look at the life of a humble man who knew his place!!  John the Baptist knew that he was the forerunner of the one who came after him of whose shoes he was worthy to untie!  If any man had reason to boast, it was this man.  Have you been given a ministry like unto this man’s?  Did the prophets speak of you?  Was you filled with the Holy Spirit from your mother’s womb?  Did Christ ever say of you that among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater prophet?  Yet John the Baptist knew his place because he knew His (Messiah’s) place.  His heart’s cry and confession was simple…He must increase, but I must decrease!!

John the Baptist, the one anointed by God to be the the harbinger of the coming Messiah. As Isaiah 40.3 foretold “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God”. Our Lord described John as being particularly special “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist”. Yet John was a humble man whose sole mission in life was to glorify the Coming One. May each of us live in like manner to glorify the Lord Jesus through the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.

JOHN HOLLAND: "Join me in this intimate conversation with author/medium John Holland where he discusses grief from the context of his own bereavement following the loss of his mother, Jenny. John, the author of Born Knowing, Power Of The Soul, and The Spirit Whisperer (among others), talks about why mediums grieve, what people can do to prepare for a loved one's passing, deathbed visions and shared death experiences, the importance of being present with the dying, caretakers who forget to take care of themselves, reasons why discussing death with loved ones helps both the dying and those left behind, and so much more. This video is for people who are grieving, people who have never lost anyone close to them but will someday, and even those who want to help others in their time of grief." ~ Bob Olson, Afterlife TV Psychic Medium John Holland, author of Born Knowing and The Spirit Whisperer, shares his personal story of loss and grief.  John Holland is a psychic medium, spiritual teacher and author of Born Knowing, Power Of The Soul, Psychic Navigator, The Spirit Whisperer, 101 Ways To Jump Start Your Intuition. John also created The Psychic Tarot Oracle Deck. John's public demonstrations provide audiences with a rare glimpse into the fascinating subject of mediumship, which he delivers in his own unique style, explaining the delicate process of raising his own vibrational energy to link with the other side to deliver messages, which he does with clarity, passion and the utmost integrity. John has spent a significant part of his life developing his abilities, and spent two intensive years studying in the UK, where he got the thorough grounding and training to become one of the most sought after professional mediums on the world stage today! Yet John never forgets the reason he chose this life and as a result, he now devotes his life to service and to Spirit. John Holland has starred in several TV specials, including A&E’s Mediums: We See Dead People, which provided a fascinating insight into how John works as a psychic time machine, where he’s able to pick up vibrations and detailed information, whether it’s seen, felt, or heard from a past event. He also starred in his own pilot Psychic History for the History Channel. John can be heard every week, as he hosts his own Internet radio show on Hay House Radio®, called “Spirit Connections.” He’s dedicated to the ongoing development of his unique gift and brings real integrity to his profession. Visit John's website at www.JohnHolland.com John also talked about David Kessler's book Visions, Trips & Crowded Rooms and his website www.Grief.com  

God's ways are not our ways are they? God's way is for His children to preach and teach and live in obedience to His Word. God advances His truth by the change that occurs in the lives of His children when they obey his Word and preach and share His Word. Listen now to this […]