Podcasts about your spirit

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comI Corinthians 2 The gospel of Jesus Christ does not require special people or eloquent speech. In fact, such things can distract from the power of God. The solution is to centralize all teaching and honor upon “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” God's power supports our faith, not the wisdom of men or the abilities of any individual. Unfortunately, this power is hidden from the people of the world, not by God's will, but because of their hard hearts and closed ears. For those willing to hear the truth, the Holy Spirit has gifted them teachings from the mind of the heavenly Father. The “natural man” will not accept them, nor is he able to do so. However, he who evaluates things spiritually will know God's mind and be saved through His Son. As Christians, our hope rests fully in the Lord Jesus Christ. While we value teachers who help us grow in faith, they must never replace Christ as our ultimate source of strength. We appreciate those who guide us to the Lord, regardless of their abilities. Understanding God's will is a privilege once hidden but now revealed through Christ. For unbelievers, it remains a mystery, but for us, it is a profound blessing to know the mind of our Creator. Through the Holy Spirit and the teachings of apostles and prophets, we are guided in truth. We should eagerly seek God's Word daily, allowing it to shape our spiritual journey and draw us closer to Him. Loving Lord, thank You for revealing Your wisdom and truth through Your Spirit. Help us not to rely on human understanding, but on the guidance of Your Spirit as given through Your apostles and prophets. Fill us with humility and a desire to grow closer to You each day. Teach us to seek Your Word, not the words of men, and let it transform our thoughts and actions. Please grant us the mind of Christ, so we may walk obediently, reflecting His love and wisdom in all we do. We will dedicate time to contemplating spiritual truths in Jesus' name.  Thought Questions: -       How can you know if a teacher is working with pure motives? What will be central in their teaching as the strongest evidence of integrity? -       If the wisdom of God has never aligned with the world's wisdom, what should your attitude be toward counter-culture aspects of the faith? -       Is it scary to realize that the “natural man” cannot discern spiritual things? How do you protect against becoming such a person?

Acts 4:32-35 NLTAll the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.All were united in heart and mind. Sharing what they had. No one needy among them.Only God can change the human soul to cooperate, unite, and love like that, selflessly, literally bringing Heaven to earth.Today, His life is available. His love is available. His Spirit can touch our lives to love, care, and share like those first disciples.This passage creates a longing to be united in heart and mind with other believers.Can you make yourself available to love selflessly today?Read once more this time from the Message Bible:The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That's mine; you can't have it.” They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them.And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person's need.No matter how independent we may think ourselves to be, we need care. We need help. We need others. True community is finding common ground coupled with unity. Focused on what draws us together, rather than divides. Peace over chaos. Responsibility over rights. Giving. Caring. Loving like Jesus.Let's pray together: “Lord of all, thank You for Your Spirit that unites us in one heart and mind. Thank You that in You we can meet one another's needs, share our blessings, and love with the kind of love that only Heaven can give. As above, so below.”

*Listen to the Show notes and podcast transcript with this multi-language player. RAM HORNS HERALDING HIS PRESENCE The Great I AM Jehovah, the great I Am. Your Spirit, is in command. Thou shall lead us from here, for Your voice we do hear. And nothing shall we fear. For Your presence is ever before us. Jehovah, glory be unto Thee. Jehovah, the great Elohim! I Bow Down I bow down before You, Father, Father. Words don't approach You, only a broken heart. Forever I'll worship, Father, Father. Live here within me, my heart can be Your home. O Father I am Yours. Psalm 91 The one who dwells in the secret place of the most high God, within the shadow of the Lord Almighty, he will abide. The one who dwells in the secret place of the most high God, within the shadow of the Lord Almighty, he will abide. I'll say of the Lord, Only You are my God. I'll say of the Lord, only You are my God. I'll say of the Lord, only You are my God. Amen. I'll say of the Lord, only You are my God. I'll say of the Lord, only You are my God. I'll say of the Lord, only You are my God. Amen. Amen Amen! Worship in the spirit I'll say of the Lord, Only You are my God. I'll say of the Lord, only You are my God. I'll say of the Lord, only You are my God. Amen. Fill Me Fill me with Your Spirit Lord. Fill me with Your Spirit Lord. Truth shall stand and lies are washed away from me. When You fill me with Your Spirit Lord. Fill me with Your Spirit Lord. Fill me with Your Spirit Lord. Truth shall stand and lies are washed away from me. When You fill me with Your Spirit Lord. Standing In Thy Presence Standing in Thy presence Lord, when Thy glory is revealed. Standing in Thy presence Lord, no heart is ever concealed. Standing in Thy presence Lord, the day of Thy power. Standing in Thy presence Lord, all the sons of God have waited for this precious hour! Worship in the Spirit Standing in Thy presence Lord, when Thy glory is revealed. Standing in Thy presence Lord, no heart is ever concealed. Standing in Thy presence Lord, the day of Thy power. Standing in Thy presence Lord, all the sons of God have waited for this precious hour! Ram Horns! Thank you for joining us in this time of worship to our King!...

REFLECTOR- Sr. CarolMUSIC- Various GuitarPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

SCRIPTURE- Corinthians 16: 13REFLECTOR- JeffMUSIC- Confitemini Domino by TaizePRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

REFLECTOR- PeggyMUSIC- Impending Death of the Virgin SpiritPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- Check out our BLOG on the app or website for a post to learn a bit more about the 1st Martyrs

Send us a textHave you ever wondered if Old Testament believers were saved differently than we are today? This thought-provoking episode tackles a commonly misunderstood theological question that strikes at the heart of our understanding of salvation.We challenge the notion that the Holy Spirit operated differently in salvation before and after Christ's earthly ministry. By examining key Scriptures and the unified work of the Trinity, we demonstrate why salvation has always been the same throughout human history.The confusion often stems from John 7:39, which mentions the Spirit "not yet being given." But what did Jesus really mean? We unpack this verse to show that while the administrative role of the Holy Spirit expanded after Pentecost, His essential role in salvation never changed.David's passionate plea "Do not take Your Spirit from me" offers compelling evidence that the Holy Spirit indwelt Old Testament believers just as He indwells us today. If figures like David and Abraham—called a "man after God's own heart" and "friend of God" respectively—weren't indwelt by the Spirit, then what made their relationship with God so special?The Trinity works in perfect harmony: the Father elects, the Son redeems, and the Holy Spirit regenerates. This divine pattern applies consistently to every believer throughout history. When we suggest otherwise, we inadvertently introduce disunity into the Godhead.Our panel of guests brings thoughtful perspectives to this conversation, sharing personal insights about God's sovereignty and the consistency of His saving work. Through respectful dialogue, we navigate this challenging theological terrain, inviting listeners to deepen their understanding of how the entire Godhead has always worked together to save God's people.Join us for this illuminating discussion that will transform how you view salvation across biblical history and strengthen your appreciation for the unchanging nature of God's redemptive plan.Support the show

Delivered by Joanna from the Parish of Saint Gabriel in the Diocese of Bandung, Indonesia. Isaiah 61: 9-11; Rs psalm 1 Sam 2: 1.4-5.6-7.8abcd; Luke 2: 41-51.ANANXIOUS HEART Thetitle for our meditation today is: An Anxious Heart. There was a girl of 5thgrade student of elementary school named Maria, playing Q and A (question andanswer) with her mother. She said: "Mom, answer this question. What is thedifference between Papa's heart and Mama's heart?" His mother tried tothink for a moment. Then she replied: "Papa's heart is a man's heart.Mama's heart is a woman's heart." Maria replied: "No. It's not theanswer." Her mother then continued: "Then what is the answer?""The answer is," said Maria, "Mama's heart is anxious, whilePapa's heart is indifferent." This child, of course, spoke according toher own experience with her parents. Therelationship of the heart between a mother and her child is the strongestrelationship between two human persons, more than any other kind ofrelationship that has ever existed in the world. Therefore, if a mother feelsanxious about her loved ones, surely this anxiety is an expression of a verydeep emotion in her heart. A mother's anxiety is not just a feeling ofdifficulty, uneasy or discomfort. More than that, mother becomes very sick,lost and paralyzed because half of her heart was broken into pieces. Thestory in the Gospel of Luke about the teenager Jesus who disappeared from thecare of his parents makes us understand that the worried heart came from themouth of the Virgin Mary. Like all mothers, Our Lady shows how much it hurtswhen part of her heart, or half of her life, which is her own Son missing. Amother's anxiety is like all major disasters, so the sky can open and heavenalso responds. Jesus had to answer the mother's anxiety so that she could calmdown, that He was really in His Father's house. Todaywe celebrate the most sacred Heart of Our Lady which helps us to understandthat the purity of her heart has the same role as the heart of the Lord JesusChrist. Both hearts give us solutions or answers to our problems in this world.Our Lady's anxious heart keeps her eyes open to see and point out any problemsor difficulties that each of us faces. Her anxious heart moves her to walk asfar as the ends of the earth and to reach all nations so as to bring thechildren of men to believe in God. Ifwe ourselves or the people we know and care about at this time have alreadydrifted away from the way of the Lord Jesus Christ; if the relationship betweenfriends or relatives has not improved; if there is still anger, hatred,resentment and envy towards our neighbours, let us realize that Our Lady is soworried about all this. She is working to fix all of this. Let'spray. In the name of the Father... O Father in heaven, may Your Spirit and theVirgin Mary always guide us and strengthen our commitment to walk in the pathof the Lord Jesus Christ. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the HolySpirit ... In the name of the Father...

REFLECTOR- Fr. RonMUSIC- Bubbles by Holly Jones- St Andrew by Alexis FfrenchPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

Salvation happened instantly in your spirit, is happening in your mind and body, and will one day be completed in your mind and body when Christ returns. It has happened, is happening and will happen. It has happened in your spirit which is the most important thing. The fact that it happened in your spirit means that it is happening in your mind and body now and will ultimately happen in your mind and body when you go to be with the Lord. It doesn't have to happen in your body and mind in order for it to happen in your spirit. It happened in your spirit first and because of that it is happening in your body and mind now and will finally be completed when Christ returns and you receive glorification. (1 Corinthians 13:8-12, 1 Corinthians 15:35-55). The post Salvation's Effect on Your Spirit, Mind & Body (Pt2) appeared first on Ryan Rufus.

In this episode of Draw Near, we reflect on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ and invite you to rediscover the power, beauty, and reality of the Eucharist. More than a symbol, the Eucharist is the living presence of Jesus—true food for the soul, strength for the weary, and healing for the brokenhearted. Together, we explore: How to cultivate a deeper devotion to the Eucharist in your daily life What it means to live eucharistically—offering your life as a gift How the Eucharist has brought strength and healing in personal moments of struggle With heartfelt stories, Scripture, practical takeaways, and wisdom from the saints, this episode will leave you inspired to approach every Mass and every moment with renewed gratitude and reverence. Challenge for the Week: Choose one simple way to deepen your Eucharistic devotion—adoration, prayer after Communion, or offering your day intentionally to God—and share it with someone. Whether you're struggling to connect with the Eucharist or simply desire more, this episode offers encouragement and spiritual depth that will draw you closer to the Heart of Christ. *Mentioned in this episode: * Stay With Me - Prayer of St Padre Pio After Communion Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will. Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company. Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You. Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love. Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes; death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and death approaches, I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile! Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all it's dangers. I need You. Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart. Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by communion, at least by grace and love. Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it, but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You! Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more. With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page (https://www.drawnear.me/booking)." Click here (https://www.drawnear.me/donate) to become a patron! Patrons are essentially "sponsors" and co-producers or Draw Near as it could not happen without them. "Like" and follow us on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/fredandkara). Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/drawnear.me/)! Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. (https://www.drawnear.me/) Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us! Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

Your Nightly Prayer

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 49: 50REFLECTOR- GerryMUSIC- Praise the Lord, Amen by Sacred Treasures VPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

Delivered by Ariel from the Parish of Saint Albert the Great in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Genesis 15: 1-12.17-18; Rs psalm 105: 1-2.3-4.6-7.8-9; Matthew 7: 15-20.FRUITS AS EVIDENCES Our meditation today is entitled:Fruits as Evidences. At the dining table of a community of priests, in additionto normal lunch dishes as usual, there were also several types of fruit served.The fruits were picked from the garden by one of the employees. One of thepriests who was the eldest seemed so cheerful because he would enjoy hisfavorite fruits. He has more than 10 years not been involved in his favoritework, which was gardening, because he was by now old and his health hasdeclined. That elderly priest said the followingstory: "These bananas were imported from Bandung (West Jawa), one of thebest and planted about 8 years ago. These pineapple seeds came from Lampung(South Sumatera), a brother brought here when returning from holidays. Thismango I myself brought the seeds from Bangkok (Thailand)." He was soexcited to tell all those present about his perseverance in planting theseseeds and many other plants. He also diligently cared for them. And in propertime the trees provide fruits to be consumed by many people. From the illustrations of the treeswhich then produce the best fruits, we can draw a straight line to understandhow our mental and spiritual growth are like. Just imagine, the process ofpreparation for a big celebration in an organization that involves you. Theconcept and vision-mission of the activity is the subject of all affairs. Theconcept is then actualized to planning process by taking into account all thesupporting elements, the synergy of each element, and the ability to implementit. From a good, open, and measurable process, we believe that the results willbe as expected or even more than expected. Each of our mental and spiritualgrowth also give priority to the process so that we can achieve the results wehope for. Let's imagine this. Family or community is the main tree in our livesin the world. Every form of education or formation that occurs step by step,year after year, and from experience of errors or failures to truth andsuccess, this process is good and convincing. This process of course wants toarrive at the achievement of results, namely children or the new generation upto certain level of growth as expected by family, community, Church and nation. The Lord Jesus gives us good newstoday that says like this: the falsehood in life is brought by false prophets,whose purpose is to eliminate the process, or destroy the process. The resultwill surely be a life filled with falsehood and can ruin people's life. Abrahamis an example for us, because he only comes from God, and not from other falsegods. For us, our process and goal is Christ. Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O Lord, consecrate us always in Your Spirit so that we will grow infaithfulness and in sanctification to be the lights to this world. Hail Maryfull of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

Everyone – everyone who believes in Jesus is called to be His ambassador. An Ambassador of Christ. That involves a change of heart, it involves a change in our actions and it involves – well, going. Ambassadors don't stay, they go. That's why being Christ's Ambassadors ain't easy sometimes.   Christ on the Inside Now, one of the things that you and I know is that we are what we eat. If what I do is I pig out on chocolates – man, I love chocolate, but we know that too much of it is bad for us; and fatty foods and sweet, sugary drinks and lots of cakes and sweets, all that stuff – if I pig out on that then who I am on the inside is going to change. I'm going to put on weight, my emotions will take a downswing, because that's what happens with too much sugar, I'll become lethargic and tired and I won't be able to cope. My heart will have to work so much harder to get blood around the larger body and my coronary arteries will get all clogged up, my blood sugar will go up ... and on and on the list goes. The impact is that I have less of a life to live now because I'm always tired, not feeling well and my life expectancy will be cut short. On the other hand, if I get a great mix of healthy cereals and grains and those brightly coloured vegetables and lean meat and all that stuff, which actually tastes pretty fantastic, the complete opposite will happen. What happens on the inside has a huge impact on what happens on the outside. Who we are on the inside – whether it be physically or emotionally or spiritually - has a huge impact on who we are on the outside. And the upshot of all that is that we simply can't be one thing on the inside and try to be something else on the outside – it just doesn't work. Last week, again this week on the programme and indeed, over the next couple of weeks we are having a bit of a chat about living our lives here on this earth as ambassadors for Christ, because that is what anyone who believes in Jesus is called to be. We are citizens of heaven, not of this earth and as Paul, the Apostle writes, in Second Corinthians chapter 5, verse 20: We are ambassadors for Christ; since God is making his appeal through us, we entreat you on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled to God. As I said, you just can't be one thing on the inside and then pretend to be another thing on the outside. You can't be Swedish on the inside and pretend to be the Indian ambassador on the outside. We can't be the devil on the inside and pretend to be an angel of light on the outside. Well, I suppose we can for a while but I suspect it's incredibly hard work, carrying on a deception like that and it doesn't take long for who we are to make its way to the outside. Jesus Himself said – Matthew chapter 15, verse 19: For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness and slander. So, if we are going to be ambassadors of Christ, then we first have to be citizens of heaven on the inside, just as the Indian ambassador has to be Indian and not Swedish on the inside. Interesting how God talked about this through His prophet Ezekiel, to His people. He talked to them about what was going on in their hearts. Have a listen – Ezekiel chapter 18, verse 31: “Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me and get yourselves,” listen to this, “a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel?" A new heart! I think we know what God means but that's not much of an expression that we would use today. But the expression that we would use is "a change of heart". You and I know what that means: unless something happens deep inside our hearts – on the inside - we can't change on the outside. But you know there have been issues, transgressions, sins in my life that, try as I might, I couldn't change my heart by myself. I'm guessing you have had that experience too – we all have! And that's why God made this promise too, through His prophet Ezekiel, to His people – Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 26: A new heart I will give you, a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. In fact, perhaps what you want to be is an ambassador of Christ but there's something right now going on in your heart; something you would love to change but you can't for yourself that you need God to do for you. So why don't we pray about that right now: Father God,this Word of yours, You are putting Your finger right on one of the deepest problems in my life. You and I both know what it is and You know that I have struggled to change my heart - I've tried my hardest, but I just can't. And so I come to You in faith and pray for Your will – Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 26 – for a new heart – a change of heart. Take out the heart of stone, O God, and replace it with a heart of flesh. Take out of me any spirit that is causing me to sin and fill me with Your Spirit. I come to You in faith. I believe that what I have asked You, You will give me because I am asking You in the name of Jesus. Amen. Now, I encourage you, if you have prayed that prayer will me, to believe, simply to believe, that God will give you the good thing that you have asked Him for and He will. That's what He says He will do and He never, ever, ever fails on His Word – ever! When the Apostle Paul was sharing the Good News about Jesus with the folk in Athens, he quoted a poem about a Greek god and applied it to Jesus. This is what he said – Acts chapter 17, verse 28: For in him we live and move and have our being. You know, for me that says it all! It's about being totally immersed in Christ; about being drenched in Jesus – that's actually the literal meaning of the word "baptised or baptism". The original Greek word was "baptidso". So when a boat was lost in a storm and it went under and it sank, it was said to have been "baptidso"d. When a fabric was dyed a new colour and it was plunged into the dye and completely drenched and it came out a new colour, it was said to have been "baptidso"d. That's exactly what the Apostle Paul writes to his friends in Rome. Romans chapter 6, verses 3 and 4: Don't you know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ were baptised into his death? Therefore, we have been buried with him by baptism into death so that just as Christ was raised again from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. It means death to the old life and the living of a new life; literally, to be "born again" – a whole new heart and filled with a new spirit; the Spirit of God this time; the Holy Spirit. It means that goodness replaces evil – not so much because we work hard at it but because God's given us a change of heart and now what happens is we actually want to honour God; we want to live a life that brings glory to Him – and that's the new life. We are going to talk more about that next. It's the new life that wins people over to Christ. It's the new life that shines like a light and brings flavour to people's lives like salt. But just as a well that is dry can't bring forth water, so a life that is empty of Christ; His very Spirit; His presence within us, so a life like that can't be an ambassador of Christ. If there are things that you have been struggling with on the inside; things that are holding you back from taking up your commission as Christ's ambassador in your little petunia patch, then here's what I encourage you to do – get with God, get in prayer, open His Word, ask Him to fill you to overflowing with His Holy Spirit. Ask Him again and again and again to give you a new heart. And just as we prayed before; just as I said before, He surely will – because He wants to – because when we bear much fruit in our lives it brings Him great glory. A new heart; a change of heart; filled with a new spirit, His Spirit.   Christ on the Outside So let me ask you a question: if you are someone who believes in Jesus and you drive a car, do you have a Jesus bumper sticker or one of those fish stickers on your bumper bar? Maybe ... maybe not! I mean, even if you don't, that's okay, I don't either, but if you had to put one on your car, let me ask you, does your behaviour on the road as a driver match up to what the sticker advertises? I mean, are you a courteous driver who obeys all the road rules or do you break the speed limit and honk your horn at people and yell at them from the inside of your car? I guess if you're the former it would be okay to have a fish sticker or a Jesus sticker on your car because your behaviour is a good advertisement for God - in effect, because what you advertise on the sticker and how you behave match up, it works. On the other hand though, can you imagine a rude, impatient driver, who's constantly breaking the road rules, identifying themselves as a Christian, using some sticker they put on their car. It's not a very good ad for God, is it? It turns out that who we say we are; who we hold ourselves out to be and who we actually are in what we say and what we do – if those two don't match up – well, there's a name for that: we call those people "hypocrites". We have been talking about living our lives as ambassadors of Christ – “for we are ambassadors for Christ since God is making his appeal through us.” 2nd Corinthians chapter 5, verse 20. In other words, God, just as He used the Apostle Paul, wants to involve us in the business of making His appeal to the rest of the world. Now what we have seen over the course of the last couple of weeks is that we don't all have to be "Pauls" in order to do that. Diplomacy, which is the role of an ambassador, mostly happens in one on one relationships where trust is built so that governments have relationships in place to resolve difficult issues. That's the point of diplomacy and it's the role of an ambassador. See, I think sometimes we are misled into thinking: Aw, WOW, oh – an ambassador for Christ, well, that must be the pastors role not me!' because it sounds like a flashy, up front title. And earlier we saw that in order to be an ambassador of for, say India, we had to be Indian, if we're Swedish no one is going to believe we are the Indian ambassador, right? Who we are on the inside really counts. That's why God promises something new – Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 26: A new heart I will give you; a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. See, we can't change who we are on the outside until we have a change of heart on the inside. I've tried it, you've tried it – it doesn't work! If something first happens in our hearts though, to change us on the inside, then all of a sudden changing on the outside becomes mush easier. That's what we talked about earlier. Right now we are going to follow on with the natural continuation of that. We are going to take a look at how important it is that who we are on the outside is consistent with who we are on the inside. And that's why I kicked off with that story about the bumper sticker. It's kind of obvious isn't it? Now I'm not suggesting that you or I are ever going to live a perfect life. I pretty much make mistakes every day and probably you do too and no one ... no one expects us to be perfect. But either how we live declares that our heart and our life has been changed by God or it doesn't and if it doesn't, without putting too fine a point on it, we're being hypocrites. That's something that Jesus identified in the religious leaders of His day. They pretended to be ‘oh so holy' on the outside, but on the inside – well have a listen to what Jesus said to them – Matthew chapter 23, verses 25 and 26: Woe to you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside you are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may also be clean. Now, I'm kind of comforted by that; I like it that Jesus is concerned both about our hearts – who we are on the inside – and our hands – what we do on the outside. If someone came to me and said, ‘You know Berni, I've heard what you have been saying – I've decided I want to be an ambassador of Christ. What do you think is the most important thing in that role?' Well, this is how I'd answer. The first thing is your heart and your relationship with God' being completely sold out to Jesus and if you don't have that, well, you can't pretend it. And the second thing is: how you behave; how you live it out, because if you say that you are one thing and you do completely the opposite, people will pick you as a phoney in a split second and then, instead of shining God's light into the world, you just turn people off. Let me give you an example. My country, Australia, has a very strong relationship with the United States of America – has had for a good many years. Now, imagine that the U.S. Government, all of a sudden, appoints a brand new ambassador and sends him across the pond to Australia. And within a few months, we discover this ambassador, he's a lecherous drunk, who can't keep his hands off other women – whether or not he happens to be any good at his trade of diplomacy – and scandal after scandal, involving this new ambassador hits the news and the press. How do you imagine such a person would influence the view that Australians have, not only of the U.S. Government but of the American people? It would be devastating wouldn't it? Not only would this so called "ambassador" hurt the people around him but he'd bring his whole Nation; his whole people into ill repute. And that's why the lives we lead as Christians are so important. Come on – let's get real!! Does hypocrisy display the glory of God? No! It brings Him and His people as a whole, into disrepute. "Oh, those Christians – they're just a bunch of hypocrites!" And God ... God doesn't like hypocrites, my friend. Listen again to Jesus – Matthew chapter 23, verse 25: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. People talk about ‘missional living' – living out our lives as missionaries or ambassadors in this world. You know what I think the biggest thing that you and I can do to live "missionally" is to live a holy life. What's a holy life? It's a life where the cup and the plate are clean on the inside as well as the outside. Peter, the Apostle, sums it up like this in his Letter, First Peter, chapter 1, verse 14: Like obedient children, don't be conformed to the desires you formally had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” My friend, there is something wonderful; utterly sublime, when we roll up our sleeves with God and get to cleaning the inside as well as the outside. And here's the thing: people notice – people sit up and take notice and think to themselves, "There's something different about that person – something good; something I trust; something I want." And there ... right there, we have an ambassador of Christ!   Taking His Love to the Sinners When I used to run an I.T. consulting firm with my business partners, we used to joke that life would be so much easier if we didn't have clients. It's true, it's just not very profitable, I guess. And the same is true when it comes to sinners – you know, those people who drink too much, or they swear too much, or they are just rude or belligerent or a pain in the neck - the most natural thing in the world for someone who loves Jesus, is to kind of recoil from them – to retreat into the holy huddle of Christian friends. I would like to finish off today with a short story about Jesus approach to sinners. It comes from Luke chapter 5 – if you have a Bible, come on, open it up with me – let's go there – it's a confronting and edgy story – gets right in your face, just the way Jesus meant it to be. Come on, let's have a listen. Luke chapter 5, verses 27 to 32: After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And Levi got up, left everything, and followed Jesus. Then Levi gave a great banquet for Jesus in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and the scribes, well, were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” But Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but the sinners to repentance. Now, here's the thing: the Romans occupied Israel in the first century – this godless empire occupied God's people; God's Promised Land and ruled over them. And the way they collected taxes was effectively, to tender it out to individuals; people like Levi; people who were Jews! They would bid for the right to collect the taxes on behalf of the Romans and the highest bidder would win. And so in order to make a profit, the tax collector would then find all sorts of ways of extorting additional taxes from the people. Now, Levi was sitting in a tax booth, collecting taxes from people who used the road to ship their goods and so forth – a bit like a modern day toll road. And what made it worse, not only did he extort taxes; not only did he cheat and lie but he was working for the Romans – Levi, a Jew, ripping off his fellow Israelites! So, this was not the sort of guy you would want to talk to or have as a friend or approach for any reason whatsoever. But Jesus ... Jesus approached him; Jesus called him, the way a Rabbi calls disciples. Jesus went to this sinner, Levi, this abhorrent, disgusting traitor – as far as all the other Jews were concerned – and not only did He say to Levi, “Follow me,” He went to dinner; a banquet at Levi's house with a whole bunch of other tax collectors. Now the religious people, the Pharisees, instead of saying, "Man, what a great idea – taking the love of God right into the middle of the sinners – loving them, listening to them, healing them, maybe even bringing them to repentance," instead of that, the Pharisees, they found some theological, religious reasons for criticising Jesus. Now, let me ask you this – brutal; right to your face: when it comes to sinners, are you more like Jesus or more like the scribes and Pharisees? Come on! It's a question we need to ask. The thing about an ambassador is that he doesn't stay at home in his own country where he knows everyone; his friends are and he's comfortable – he gets on a plane, with his family, sets up his home right in the middle of this other foreign country that he has been posted to as an ambassador. Get it! You and I, if we truly are Christ's followers, you and I are called to "go". Not to sit at home in our holy huddles were we are comfortable. Don't get me wrong: having Christian friends is great, going to church is great but we're called to live on the mission field – we are called to go to the sinners the way Jesus did. And while sometimes that means going to another part of the world, true, most times it just means touching the colleague at work, inviting over the neighbours next door for a barbecue because you have heard them screaming at each other and their marriage is falling apart and what they need in their lives is Jesus. What they need to know is that He loves them. What they need to have is a personal encounter with the Saviour who came for them. Not just for us, for them – the Saviour who died for them - the Saviour who rose again to give them a new life and an eternal life. What they need – the "Levis" in our world – they need Jesus. So, I am going to ask you again, when it comes to the ‘Levis' in your world, are you Christ to them or are you a Pharisee? Do you go to them with the love of Jesus or do you sit at home with your friends and complain about them? My friend, these people who are hurting, who are dying, who are going to a Christ-less eternity, my friend, they need an ambassador – they need an ambassador of Christ who looks just like you and just like me.

God of Revival- Revive Us!"Lord, I have heard the report about you; Lord, I stand in awe of your deeds. Revive your work in these years; make it known in these years. In your wrath, remember mercy!" Habakkuk 3:2"When we cry out, You answer with resurrection power! Heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts yearning for revival. As it is written in Habakkuk 3:2, "Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time, make them known." We cry out to You, believing that when we call upon Your name, You answer with resurrection power. Light up our darkness, revive us, and breathe new life into the weary places of our souls.Lord, we seek personal revival in our lives. Shine Your light into the shadows where doubt and fear reside. Help us to shed the chains of complacency and spiritual lethargy. Just as You transformed Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), we ask for a radical encounter with You that ignites a fire within us — a burning desire for deeper intimacy and growth in our relationship with You.Psalm 77:11-12 says, "I will remember the works of the LORD; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old. I will reflect on all You have done and ponder Your mighty deeds."We also lift up our churches, Lord, asking for an awakening of Your Spirit among us. May every congregation be filled with renewed passion and purpose, empowering us to reach the lost and hurting. Just as You empowered the early church at Pentecost (Acts 2), let us be vessels of Your love and grace, drawing others to the light of Christ. Revive us as a body, so we may reflect Your glory in our communities.As we turn our eyes to our nation, we pray for a spiritual awakening that sweeps across every corner. Let hearts that have grown cold be set ablaze with Your love. We echo the words of the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28): "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people." May Your Spirit flow freely, breaking down barriers and uniting us in a pursuit of holiness and justice.Lastly, we cry out for a global revival, Father. May Your truth resonate across nations and cultures, transcending borders. Where despair builds its walls, may Your unstoppable love shatter them and bring forth hope. Together, we declare: "Revival is not just a moment — you promise to restore and heal." We end this prayer with a plea — light up our darkness and revive us! Amen. Psalm 80:18-19 says, "Then we will not turn away from You; revive us, and we will call on Your name. Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts; cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved."

REFLECTOR- Sr. CharleneMUSIC- All Creatures of our God and King by Paul Cardall- Seeds of Growth by Malte MartinPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

Your Nightly Prayer

REFLECTOR- Mary EllynMUSIC- "Psalm 19- Their Message Goes Out" - Unknown sourcePRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

REFLECTOR- JustinMUSIC- "God has His arms around me" from the film, "40 Guns"PRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

“For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12With Father's Day approaching, we're asking a deeper question: What kind of legacy are we leaving as men, as dads, and as stewards of what God has entrusted to us? Jonathan Lewis from Fathers for Fathers joins us to talk about fatherhood, faith, and the financial discipleship that shapes generations.Jonathan Lewis is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®), a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA®), and President of Eastport Financial Group Inc. He is also the founder of Fathers for Fathers, a faith-based organization dedicated to restoring hope, healing, and purpose in the lives of men, especially fathers. A Story RedeemedWhen Jonathan was 15, he experienced a trauma no child should face—dragging his father's lifeless body onto a beach in Nova Scotia after a drowning accident. That moment became a fracture point in his life, leading to years of instability, homelessness, guilt, and emotional isolation.But out of those ashes came clarity: a calling to reach other men who feel lost, alone, and ashamed. His ministry, Fathers for Fathers, is a direct response to the epidemic of fatherlessness and emotional isolation plaguing men today.The Epidemic Few Talk About84% of men say they don't have a single person they can talk to.Guys have been trained to withdraw, but we need each other. If you're listening and feel like you've failed as a father, or you don't even have the strength to keep going, you're not alone. You can do this, but not by yourself.The solution is community and accountability. And for men who do have a support system, pursue others. Don't take the first 12 ‘no's as a brush-off. Broken men want to be pursued. They're just afraid.What Does Faithful Fatherhood Look Like?So, what does it mean to be a successful father?First, if you're still breathing, your story isn't over. You haven't missed your chance.Using a football analogy from Fathers for Fathers' upcoming study, life can be described as a game we're all born into—on the wrong team. But we don't have to stay there. Through Jesus Christ, we're invited to join the winning team. But it requires repentance, humility, and a willingness to fight.And it often starts with small steps.Practical Steps Toward RestorationFor divorced dads and those estranged from their children, you may think there's no way back. But there is. If you're not in your kids' lives, start. If you haven't supported their mom, own it. If you've been battling secret sin—confess it.These are hard words, but they're spoken with deep compassion. God will honor you when you honor Him. This ministry isn't about beating men up. It's about helping them get back in the game.Stewardship Starts at HomeStewardship isn't just about money. If you're generous with your wealth but not your love or your time, you've missed the point.Stewardship begins with the way a man loves and leads his family, especially his wife. When reading Ephesians 5, men might say, ‘I'd take a bullet for my wife.' But Christ calls us to something harder: dying to ourselves daily.Stewardship, then, is about priorities: honoring God with your money, your time, your attention, and your affection.A Prayer for DadsIf you're a father or a man who feels discouraged, who is ready for more, and who is just hanging on. Pray this out loud:“Lord, I pray that Your Spirit would touch the heart of the man listening who thinks he's too far gone. Remind him that nothing can separate us from Your love, not even failure. Let him know Jesus already put on the jersey for him. I pray for courage, for repentance, and for grace. Thank you for the scandalous grace that says You would've sent Jesus for just one man. You sent Him for all of us.”If you're a father who feels broken, or if you know one, visit FathersForFathers.org. You'll find tools, encouragement, and a brotherhood of men committed to healing and hope.This Father's Day, let's not just celebrate the dads who've done it right. Let's rally around the men who are trying to get it right, one step at a time.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm curious about nursing home costs and what happens to my parents' assets. I learned that Medicare covers limited skilled nursing care, and Medicaid restricts asset access, meaning my siblings and I likely won't be able to access their money while they're in a nursing home.I'm currently working and planning to retire soon. How could I invest in ways that align with my faith and ensure I'm not supporting companies that go against my beliefs?I wanted clarification on fixed indexed annuities. I wasn't familiar with them and wanted to understand if they were a good investment option.Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Fathers For FathersList of Faith-Based Investment FundsWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money (Pre-Order)Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

REFLECTOR- Sr. KathleenMUSIC-  Be Thou My Vision from YouTubePRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.

REFLECTOR- Fr. CarlMUSIC- Beautiful Savior (piano version)PRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

Jesus promised us His complete and perfect and abundant joy. Problem is – there are so many things that want to rob us of that joy.   A Man of Sorrows I'm not sure what you're doing today or what you have planned for the next half hour or so, but right now I want to encourage you to spend some time with me because this week on the programme we are going to look at what it is to live a life of joy. And I truly believe that it's no coincidence that you and I together right now. I know a least one person who doesn't want you to hear what God has to say about "joy" today, because it could transform your life and that's the last thing the devil wants for you. There is real power in God's Word; real power. So why don't you join me in this last programme in a series that I've called, "It's Time to Start Enjoying My Life". Joy can be a difficult concept to come to grips with. Most people in their lives have pressures and strains and some relationships that hurt and perhaps some money problems. I had an email recently from a woman who had been in a difficult situation for a number of years and as much as she had prayed, God simply hadn't changed the situation. We all have stuff in our lives and somehow that stuff seems to rob us of our joy and we seem powerless to do anything about it. We can look right across every part of our lives and things may be going really well everywhere except in this one little area, maybe our health is great, maybe family's good, works all good except we have money worries or everything is good except this teenager in our family is giving us grief. You know what I mean! My point is that each one of us can point to something in our life today and say, "See, that's why I don't have any joy in my life." Today, as I said, we are looking at the last message in a series of four programmes called, "It's Time to Start Enjoying My Life". This message is a rather "hits the road" message – it's about living the life of joy. This half hour may be one of the best investments in your life that you will ever make. Over the last three weeks, we've been joining the Apostle Paul in his Roman dungeon on death row. He wrote a letter to his friends, the Philippians. It's a book in the New Testament, only a few pages long. It's a letter of great encouragement, encouraging them in their faith. And the central thing, the whole point of this letter is about joy – that deep, abiding joy that Jesus promised and died to give us. And yes, I know that can be hard to come to grips with when we have something in our lives that seems to be robbing us of joy. Last week I shared with you the promises that Jesus made on His last night with his disciples before He was crucified – the promises He made about joy. Now let's just go there again and read them and let the Spirit of God write those promises on our hearts today. On that last evening together with His disciples before He was to be crucified, He talks so much about joy. What an odd time and place to do that! He is about to die, His disciples are afraid and Jesus talks about joy. Have a listen. John chapter 15:11: I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. And again, John chapter 16, beginning at verse 20: I tell you the truth; you will 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 the baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So it will be with you. Now is your time for grief but I will see you again and you will rejoice and no one will take away your 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 have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete. And in His final prayer before He is crucified He prays “Father, I am coming to you now but I say all these things while I'm still in the world so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them." Jesus is talking about joy not about the sort of warm and fuzzy we get when we go to the shop and buy some nice new thing. There is a clear distinction between the happiness of this world and the joy of the Lord and as if to draw a clear line between the two, He talks so much about the joy of God so close to his brutal crucifixion. And you know, it's interesting in the same way, Paul talks about joy in the midst of his sorrows as if to underscore the point that Jesus was making: that the joy of the Lord isn't something that depends on our circumstances. Have a listen to the very human words of Paul from his letter to the Philippians chapter 2, beginning at verse 25. It's really a very human letter. He says: I think it's necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier who is also your messenger whom you sent to care for my needs. He longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was sick. Indeed he was, he almost died but God had mercy on him and not only on him but me too – to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore, I am all the more eager to send him to you so that when you see him again you may be glad and may have less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy and honour men like him because he almost died for the “work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you couldn't give me. Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. See, I love this passage. Paul is a guy, he is in jail, he's got friends he is writing to, he has this friend, Epaphroditus, who almost died but God spared the man's life and spared Paul sorrow upon sorrow. You know, it's easy to idealise Paul and think, ‘WOW, you know, this guy wrote almost half of the New Testament but in his life he had sorrow upon sorrow. People tried to kill him, there were riots when he preached, he had disappointments when he was prevented from going to places he wanted to go, he was ship wrecked, he was beaten, now he is imprisoned on death row, people are taunting him – other Christians. This man had sorrow after sorrow and yet still he writes, "Rejoice in the Lord, my brothers." I think God's trying to tell us something through Paul: that our circumstances are no excuse for not experiencing God's joy. But how do we overcome those? Well, we are going to take a look at what God has to say about that next.   Rejoice in the Lord Now let's pick up here with Paul in the dungeon and look at what it means to live a life of joy. The passage we are about to look at is perhaps one that you know really well. This passage is about making the rubber hit the road. This passage tells us how it is that we can have the joy of the Lord no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. This passage is a jewel. Open your Bible, come with me to Philippians chapter 4, beginning at verse 4. Come, let's have a read: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all. The Lord is at hand. Don't be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. It's a wondrous passage – just four little verses. We are going to look at each one separately now; really unpack this. You know I think the more familiar we are with a passage, well, the more we kind of just skim over it. "Oh yea, I know that one, I've read it before." Well, let's not do that this time; let's see what the Holy Spirit is saying to each one of us here in His Word. Let's look at the first verse, Philippians chapter 4, verse 4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice. Have you ever wonder about the difference between the two words "joy" on the one hand and "rejoice" on the other? Well, "joy" is the thing that Jesus bought for us on the cross; joy is the thing that Jesus wants to give us. But "rejoicing" is what we do with that "joy" when we enter into that joy; when we take the decision that says, “YES, His promise is for me. You know something? I am going to live in that joy and I am going to rejoice. I am going to praise Him, I'm going to thank Him.” See, this verse is the punch line of the whole Book of Philippians. It's what Paul is saying, in a nutshell, from his dungeon. "I am going to enter into God's joy always in all circumstances, rejoice in the Lord always. And I'm deciding right here and right now, that I am going to live a life of joy always." And just in case we missed it, he said it twice: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice. Wake up! Jesus promise of joy is for you and for me. But how do we rejoice? Well, the next verse opens the door to joy. It's a verse about humility. We talked last week on the programme about how our sin, particularly the sin of pride and scheming and all that stuff we know is wrong, robs us of the joy of the Lord. Verse 5, chapter 4 of Philippians, Paul writes: Let your gentleness be known to all for the Lord is near. The Greek word that sits aback of that word "gentleness" means "moderation, patience" – it's a word of humility. No humility, no joy! We go racing around full of ourselves – self-centred, self-seeking, self-absorbed, treading on people to achieve our ends. There can be no joy in that. Come on! If we have Jesus in us, the Lord is near. There's fruit that comes out of that – love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – let that fruit grow. Why? Because Jesus is in this place. It's time to let the Spirit of God have sway in our lives – complete control – because He has arrived. If we don't get this bit … this bit is about obedience, there will be no joy. I can't live my life my way and then expect Jesus to show up and bless me with His joy. "Oh, ok, ok, Berni," I hear you thinking to yourself, "but how do I live in that joy when there are so many things out there that want to rob me of the joy? I can hear the theory: the joy of the Lord doesn't depend on my circumstances, but how do I actually live that? How do I actually experience that?" Well, the next verse tell us, verse 6: Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. I don't know, it seems too simple to be true. Take it to God in prayer, ask Him and thank Him, “Present your requests to God”. See, the temptation is to look for a solution everywhere else other than with God. You know, when I get up in the morning, my normal routine – I get up reasonably early – and my first thing is, after I have a shower, a cup of tea, I sit down with the Lord and I pray and I read the Word and just spend time with Him. You know what the temptation is? The temptation is to go and check my emails and see who has emailed me from around the world. This is where the rubber hits the road. We need to take our lives to God first. Any problem, any issue, any need, don't be anxious about it; don't run around in a flap about it but “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, take your requests to God." Let's say your husband or your wife is going through a difficult patch – there's a blind spot; they can't see it but you can and so it's affecting your relationship; it's affecting both of you but every time you talk about it, it ends up in an argument. What do you do? Give them the cold and silent treatment? Go and talk to a friend? Just try and sweep it under the carpet? OR, every day, do you spend time with the Lord? "God, thank You for putting me is this position. Lord, thank You so much that I can pray and thank You that I can be faithful to my wife or my husband and just love them through this. Lord, give me the strength and the wisdom, give me the gentleness; show me how I can change. Lord, bless my wife; Lord, bless my husband, open their heart by Your Spirit." Do you get the point? Every day, faithfully, giving thanks, rejoicing that the Lord is in that place with you and then the answer comes. Here it is. Here God tells us how it is that we can live in His joy, despite what is going on – verse 7: And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. You see, the joy and the peace of God are not something you and I conjure up; they're not something that we fabricate. They're not positive thinking; they're not some clever "double think", where on the one hand I have troubles over here and on the other I trick my mind and emotions into a state of joy. They are none of those things – the peace and the joy of God are His gift to us. The Spirit of God comes and places His angels around our heart so that the pains and the fears that were piercing pierce it no longer. How does that happen? Paul says, "I don't know", it transcends all human understanding. It's beyond human comprehension but what I can tell you is that when we decide to take God at His Word, it just happens. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice. Let you gentleness be evident to all because Jesus is here. Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, take your requests to God and the peace of God, which passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. It's just how it works!   Thinking and Doing "WOW", isn't God's Word powerful and wonderful? The truth is often so simple and you and I know when we hear the truth of God's Word it just, well, it rings true in our hearts. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I'll say it, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all for the Lord is near. Don't be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, take your requests to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. But here's so often what happens. We hear the truth and it rings in our hearts and inside we say, "YES, yes, this is what I have been looking for!" And tonight we go to bed and tomorrow we face the same old problems and issues and fears and anxieties that gnaw away in our heads. You see it takes time to change our minds; it takes time to renew our minds. And it's when our minds are renewed that God changes our lives. That's what Paul writes in Romans chapter 12:1-2. He writes that we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds. See, we need to change our minds from the old way of thinking – "Oh, there is no way out. Jesus promise of joy isn't for me. Things are never going to change" – to the new way of thinking ... Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice. You know what I'm talking about, right? You hear this message; you get fired up; you say, "YES! It's for me", and then all of a sudden reality sinks in and it's like the message evaporates and it's like, "I can't change anything." So how do we step into this new way of thinking? How do we live life in faith according to the Word of God? How do we take the joy that Jesus promised us? Well, just in the next few verses in Philippians, the Holy Spirit tells us. He tells us how to stop these attacks in our mind. Philippians chapter 4, beginning at verse 8: Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure or lovely or admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about those things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you. In other words, think about the good things from God. Thinking is how our mind spends its time. Hear that again – thinking is about how our mind spends its time – where it goes, what it does. And it's easy to keep going round and round and round the same old mulberry bush, especially when we have something in our lives that is eating away at us. What I have decided to do in those circumstances is to take God at His Word. I'm just not going to let my mind go there. You know, my mind is capable of grumbling and complaining and blaming people and thinking ill of them. I can get angry and wallow in self pity and when I feel my mind going there, I decide, "No, I'm just not going there, I'm going to think about Jesus. I'm going to think about the wonderful things He has done for me in my life. I'm going to think about that Scripture verse the Holy Spirit laid on my heart yesterday: There is no sense in the peace of God guarding my heart and my mind and me wandering off outside that peace and ruining my day!" Every day I'm just going to do my best to put His Word into practice; not perfectly, mind you, just my best and I am going to rest my mind in His goodness and His Word and little by little joy and peace are going to come, no matter what is going on in my life. The Apostle Paul learnt this through a life time of sorrows and trials and discovering the joy of the Lord in the midst of all of those. Listen to how he puts it in a nutshell. Philippians chapter 4, beginning at verse 10: I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned but you had no opportunity to show it. I'm not saying this because I'm in need, because you know something? I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty and I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do everything through Him who strengthens me. See, Paul is saying here that my joy does not depend on my circumstances because I have discovered when I take my needs and my fears and my hurts to God and I thank Him and I pray and I just put them at the foot of the cross, the Holy Spirit comes along and puts a joy in my heart that I just understand how it is there. It defies comprehension but God does that and He guards my heart and He guards my mind so that the attacks don't come. Listen to me, there's only one place to get the joy of the Lord and it is from Him – it's not from a friend, it's not from something we buy, it's not from how we work – it's just from knowing Him and being with Him and listening to Him and letting Him do His stuff. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice!

Read Online And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.  Acts 2:2–4Happy birthday! Today, as we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we also celebrate the birth of the Church. Thus, today is a celebration of your membership in the life of the Church. As a human institution, the Church has always suffered on account of the sins of Her members. This sad truth is something that we are increasingly aware of today. But the Church itself is the Spotless Bride of Christ. It is the Body of Christ on earth, in Heaven and in Purgatory. Those of us on earth are members of the Church Militant. Those in Heaven are members of the Church Triumphant. And those in Purgatory are members of the Church Suffering. But all of us are united under Christ our Head as members of His holy Body, the Church. We profess our faith in the Church every Sunday.We profess that we believe in “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.” What exactly does this mean? First, it means that by the power and working of the Holy Spirit, those who profess faith in Christ are united as “one.” This oneness is a spiritual union that will endure for eternity. It is unbreakable and restores us to the life we were created to live. That is, a life of union with God and others, a communion of humanity with God.As one family, the Church is also “holy.” Holiness is another way of saying that we are made whole by the blood of Christ, sharing in His redemption. By His mercy, our sins are forgiven and we become children of the Father in Heaven, sharing the eternal life of the Son.The word “catholic” refers to the truth that the offer of salvation is given to all. It is a universal calling given to all people who will accept this gift. God did not come to save only a few but all, and many will accept this gift of salvation.We are “apostolic,” in that God chose to establish His Church through the mediation of His Apostles. They were uniquely called to become instruments by which the saving Truth is proclaimed and the grace won by the Cross is distributed. The work of the Apostles continues today through their successors, the bishops, and those who are co-workers with the bishops, the priests. Sinful though they may be, God uses them, nonetheless, to bestow His grace and truth upon the world.As a member of the one Body of Christ, you are also invited by God to enlarge His family through the sharing of the Gospel and by your life of deep prayer. You are called and sent, and this takes place by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that we especially celebrate today.Reflect, today, upon the incredible privilege it is to be invited to be a member of the Family of God, the Church. And reflect, also, upon the important duty you have to extend that invitation to others. Pray to the Holy Spirit, asking for an increase in His seven-fold gifts in your life so that You can help share the saving message of the Gospel to those whom God wants to reach through you.Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Jesus, I trust in You.  Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit Fear of the Lord: With this gift the Christian becomes keenly aware of anything that may hurt his/her relationship with God.  There is a holy “fear” of hurting this relationship, and grace is given to avoid these things at all cost.Wisdom: With this gift the Christian is given a special grace to “ponder divine realities” in his/her speculative reason.  We are able to see the big picture and know how best to be an instrument of peace and harmony in our world.Understanding: This is the ability to have a supernatural assurance of the matters of faith.  Life makes sense.  We can make sense of the deeper parts of revelation, make sense of suffering and understand those things that tempt us to doubt.  With this gift we come to see how everything in life can work for good in accordance with God's plan.Knowledge:  With this gift the Christian knows, more in the practical intellect, what God's will is in this or that situation.  We know how to live, how to discern God's will and what decision to make in our daily life.  It also enables us to learn from our past mistakes.Counsel:  With this gift the Christian sees him/herself as a link in a chain which makes up the entire Church.  God uses each one of us to help and support one another on our journey.  We know what to say and how to act so as to do our part to build up one another.Fortitude: Simply put, it is a firmness of mind and spirit to do good and avoid evil.  It's a sort of Christian courage.  The Gospel will call all of us to a radical life of love.  Fortitude gives us the strength we need to follow through.Piety:  This gift enables us to first reverence and love God, but also to see the dignity of one another and reverence each other as children of God.Image: Juan Bautista Maíno, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

REFLECTOR- JeffMUSIC- When the Moon Sings by William AckermanPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

REFLECTOR- GaryMUSIC- We walk by Faith Not by SightPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

Introduction: How Do You React... (Matthew 5:38–42) ...When you are INSULTED? “Eye for an Eye” or REFUSE RETALIATION? (Matt 5:39b) 1 Peter 2:23 – When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ...when people are HEARTLESS? “Eye for an Eye” or GRATUITOUS GRACE? (Matt 5:40) Romans 12:21 – Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. ...when forced to OBEY? “Eye for an Eye” or DOUBLE Your DUTY? (Matt 5:41) 1 Peter 2:16 – Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. ...when someone wants your STUFF? “Eye for an Eye” or RELEASE Your RESOURCES? (Matt 5:42) 1 John 3:17 – But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Philippians 2:5–7a – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant... Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:38-42What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Tell of a time you were offended and retaliated. Why did you do what you did? What would you do differently if you had another chance?Why do you think “eye for an eye” (revenge) is our natural default response?Why do you think how you react is a good gauge of where your heart is?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT And before we dig into God's Word together, let's just pause.I'm going to ask you just take a moment and please pray for me to be faithful,to clearly communicate God's Word.And I will pray for you to have your heart open to receive what it isthat the Lord wants to teach us today. Let's pray.Father in heaven, your Word challenges us and convicts us and we thank you for that.We didn't come in here today looking for a stamp of affirmation on how we already are.We've come in here to encounter you and allow your spirit and your Word to conform us into the image of your Son.That's why we're here.So Father, I pray to that end you would open our hearts.Your spirit would speak to every heart, the wisdom that you have recorded in your Word.That we walk out of here different people than how we were when we walked in.Thank you Father for the promise of your Word.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said, "Amen."I have a nonverbal Son, as many of you know.But years ago, I was with a group of pastors and one pastor was commenting on the fact that I had a nonverbal Son.And he said, very compassionately, he said,"It must be very difficult for you to not have a conversation with your Son."And I said, "It is."But the way I look at it, we'll have all of eternity to catch up.And a different pastor said, if he's elect,and I said, "I feel like you're predestined to take a weapon."And I was a prophet that day.Okay, I made that last part up.But I still think about that.I still think about retaliation.Getting even.Why are we like that?Why are we like that people, that there's something in all of us that makes us demand respect?Hey, you can't talk to me that way.You know I am?You can't treat me like that.There's something in us that we demand our rights.We say things like, "I don't get mad. I get even."And you're not going to get away with this.You're going to pay for what you did.Our hearts are naturally, sinfully retaliatory.I was listening to a sermon about a month or so ago from one of my favorite preachers, Ron Don.It was a sermon on meekness.And he reminded me of something that I loved when I was a kid.He was a little comic book.Do you remember the Charles Atlas ads in the old comic books?Do you remember those?It was a little one page, it was a little comic strip in the book.Well, in this little comic strip, there was this little weakling, like a little skinny guy,on the beach and this bully was like kicking sand in his face.And all the girls were like, "Tee hee hee hee."And the kid takes Charles Atlas course.The skinny kid.And in 90 days, he was kicking sand in the other guy's face.And there's something innocent.We're like, "Yes! Yeah!"We love that stuff, don't we?Don't we love that revenge stuff?Oh, come on.Don't you leave me up here.Don't we love that revenge stuff?The getting even stuff?Yes, you do.Yes, you do.There are many of the plot lines of movies.Like, and your soap operas and your westerns and your superhero movies.I was thinking about this this week. It's everywhere.That's what Popeye is.Popeye is nothing but a cartoon about a guy that gets even.We love that stuff.We love the guy that is not going to take it.Payback.Because the guy that gets the sand kicked in his faceand belittled and humiliated and he just takes it.Well, that guy is a coward, right?Weak.It's like, dude, punch that bully in the trot.Don't take it.Right?There's biblical precedence for this, isn't there?An eye for an eye.Right?An eye for an eye.Oh, I like that.Because that's in the Bible.You know what that is?Eye for an eye.That is biblical permission to get even.No, no, no, no, no. I'm sorry.That's a biblical command to get even, isn't it?Well, the scribes and the Pharisees thought so.And many people sitting here even and watching thisand listening to this podcast later, still believethat an eye for an eye is our biblical mandates to get revenge.Well, let's see, shall we?Look at verse 30.Why don't we say verse 38? Yes.Jesus continuing the Sermon on the Mount.He said, "You have heard that it was said,an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."Yeah, that's a real Old Testament quote.Yes.100%.And it's also one of the most misinterpretedand misused verses in the entire Bible.Because the scribes and the Phariseesand we take this verse way out of context.Is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?Is that our charge to get even?No, it's not.All right, then what does it mean?I'm so glad you asked.Let's get biblical, shall we?Mark and I shows up three times in the Old Testament.Three times.It's in Exodus 21, it's in Leviticus 24,and it's in Deuteronomy 19.Don't look now, but you look later,and you're going to see in every one of those passages,every single one of them,the context of that verse areit's God's instructions for Israel's courts and judges.Eye for an eye, that was for Israel's courts,not for personal vendetta.And eye for an eye was a guideline for Israel's judges,not for Batman, okay?So what's the purpose?Eye for an eye.What does eye for an eye mean?Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.What does that mean?It just simply means this.The punishment should fit the crime.In court, justice demands being fair.So judges in court, God's instruction for Israel,when you punish someone,the measure of punishment should fit the measure of the crime.That's what eye for an eye means.And God is saying an eye for an eyemust be determined by the courts.The courts determine that. Why?Why did God leave that up to the courts?Why? I'll tell you why.Because when we're wronged,we, by nature, want to retaliateway beyond the level of the offense.Here's what I mean.Our mindset is this.You dinged my 93 Toyota.You owe me a new car.Fair is fair.We take it way too far.We say things like,"Hey, we were messing around.We were playing basketballand you accidentally elbowed me in the mouthand broke my tooth.You owe me a set of grills."Justin, do the kids still wear grills?Do they still wear a thing?The cool ones.You are right.You could not be righter.But that's the point.We take it too far.You owe me way more thanyou should have to pay.So God's like, "No, no, no, no.Leave that to the courts."So here it is. Here it is.If a crime has been committed against me,if I've been wronged in any way,I'm not going to take the law into my own hands.I'm going to take the courts to be fairin the way God commanded the courts to be fair,which is an eye for an eye.A tooth for a tooth.Be fair.So in Jesus' day, the ascribes and the Pharisees,and again us, we take this way out of contextand we take it out of the courtsand we take it as our command,our personal responsibility to get even.But look at verse 39.You probably saw this coming.Jesus says, "But I say to you,do not resist the one who is evil."Do not resist. What does that mean?It literally means this.When someone wrongs you,when someone offends you,when someone is against you,Jesus says, "Do not set yourself against him."Now let's be clear.Jesus is not saying,He is not saying,"Do not protect yourself.Do not protect your own."He's not saying that.If you break into my home,my dog will shoot youand my wife will bite you.Wait.No, no, that's right.He's not saying, "Don't protect yourself."He's not saying, "Don't protect your church."Jesus isn't preaching passivity here.Like, "Okay, go ahead.Go ahead. You can sin,and you can abuse me all you want.I don't care because Jesus said not to resist."That's not what He's saying.He's also not saying,"Don't confront sin."He's not saying that.Because the Bible is clear that sin must be confronted.It must be addressed and dealt with in the church.Here's what Jesus is sayingby this statement.And it's going to be crystal clearbecause Jesus actually illustrateswhat He's teaching here.But here's what Jesus is saying.He's saying,"Don't start a feud.Don't try to get even.Don't try to get even.If you think that your rights were violated,you don't need to fight about it."That's what Jesus is saying.We are not to be a peoplewhose knee-jerk reactionis to be retaliatory.That's what Jesus is saying.In the Sermon on the Mount,we've seen it over and over.Jesus is saying, "My people are different."My people are different in how they act.They're merciful. They're hungry for righteousness.They're salt and light. They're influencers.They reconcile with broken relationships.They cut off lust and they take marriage seriously.And they keep their word.My people act differently.Because when Jesus Christ enters us,when you receive Christ,when you turn from your sin and believethat He died for your sinand He rose from the dead to give you eternal life,when you believe that the Bible saysGod's Holy Spirit lives within you.And when God's Spirit lives within you,you are called to something greater.And you demonstrate that you belong to Christby how you act.God wants your heart.And your heart is revealed by how you act.But perhaps more so,your heart is revealed by how you react.You can show me what a man is made ofby how he acts.And I can show you what a man is made ofby how he reacts.So let me ask you,how do you react?How do you react when you have been personally offended?How do you react when you've been insulted?How do you react when you've been disrespected?Do you react in kind?As your mind said immediately,"No, no, no, no, no, no, no.You're not getting away with this.I'm getting even."As your mind said,"An eye for an eye."Wrongly interpreting it like the Pharisees.Or do you not resist?As our Lord said,do you refuse to emotionally reactand retaliate in the flesh?And I'm sure there's somebody here,self-deluded, that's like,"Oh, my pastor's got to hang it along with everybody."I never respond negatively when I'm offended.I just bake them muffins.Okay.But I think there's something here for the rest of us.Because Jesus elaborateson how His followers should reactto difficult peopleand difficult situationsby giving four scenarios.So that's what we're going to ask ourselves today,a little self-examination.We're going to ask ourselves, "How do you react?"How do you react?Number one, how do you reactwhen you are insulted?When you are insulted, how do you react?Eye for an eye?Or do you refuse retaliation?Look at verse 39.Jesus says, "But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek,turn to him the other also."Stop there.To the Jews,this was the absolute most insulting thingto be slapped.In fact, I read this past week that a slave in those days,a slave would rather be whipped than slappedbecause a slap was utterly humiliating.And you know the worst was the backhand slap.That's why Jesus said, "Right cheek?"Sorry about that.That's why Jesus said, "Right cheek?"Because when you get a backhand with a right hand,it's going to hit you in the right cheek.That was the worst insult in their mind.We get it.Nothing's really changed there. We get it.If somebody walks up to you and just...That's just total disdain.It's like you're nothing to me.You're not even worth arguing withbecause you're nothing.It's just a complete, complete insult.And all the moment I'm insulted,I want to retaliate.Eye for an eye, right?Oh, okay, now I get to slap you.And I bet I can slap harder.Wait, wait, wait, wait. What does Jesus say?He says, "Turn to Him the other also."You're like, "Aha, okay. That's very gracious."He gets two slaps in on me and then it's go time.No.If you're believing that,then you completely missed the point that Jesus was making.Because here's the thing.It's not even about the slap.It's about being insulted.That's the point.How do you respond when you're insulted?Because look,unless you're Chris Rocket and Smacked by Will Smith,you're probably not going to get a slap.You probably are not.But you're going to be insulted in other ways, aren't you?Verbally.How about social media?All these keyboard warriors out there?Because they know they won't get slapped in the teeth.They're real strong and brave throwing out their insults at youfrom behind their keyboard.Maybe that nasty text or email that you get,you're going to be insulted.It's all the same application here from our Lord.At the same point, Jesus says, "Turn to Him the other."He's saying, "You're insulted?Have you been grossly insulted?"Jesus says, "Let Him do it again."You.You refuse to retaliate.Like, "I shouldn't be insulted.Don't you know who I am?I should be respected."Yeah.I agree.You should be respected.But you won't be.Someone is going to insult you.So you can react the world's way."I" for an "I"?Like, "Oh, you're going to insult me?I'm going to go full-dawn wrinkles on you."You have brought a knife to a gunfight, my friend.That's "I" for an "I."Or you could respond the kingdom way,which is refusing to retaliate.And right now, somebody's sitting there going,"Oh, okay.So you're saying, when people insult me,I should just take it?"Now you're thinking like Jesus.Because 1 Peter 2, 23, he says,when He was reviled,He did not revile in return.When He suffered, He did not threaten,but continued in trusting Himself to Him,who judges justly.How do you react when you're insulted?Number two, how do you react when people are heartless?How do you react when people are heartlessand "I" for an "I"?Or gratuitous grace?Look at verse 40.Jesus said, "And if anyone would sue youand take your tunic,let them have your cloak as well."Okay, Jesus isn't saying,"Everybody consume me for everything."Now, He's obviously,He's talking about being suedwhere there is some justification in the lawsuit.That you went to court and legally,you were sued and lost your tunic.Like, what's a tunic?Well, in those days,the tunic was the long undergarment.It was like a long, basically, the shirt.It was your shirt.And look, they didn't have a closet full of themwith a bag of them for the good will sitting in the garage.Most of them would have had one or three at the most.And this was more than just your shirt.It was also your blanket.That's the thing that kept you warm at night.So I think this is quite a shocking thingfor our Lord to say that someonewould sue you for the shirt off your back.And look, in court,if someone sues you for the shirtthat's on your back that you're wearing,that's a little more than I for an I, isn't it?That's pretty heartless.The reality is, people do sue heartlessly.It's like suing a Christian school.Like, why would you do that?Unless there was a real egregious crime going on.But a lot of times, it's just spite.And I believe that's what Jesus is saying here.Perhaps Jesus was being hyperbolic,like saying even if somebody sues youfor the shirt that you're wearing.Well, you could react the world's way, couldn't you?Like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.I'm not giving you the shirt that I'm wearing.That's unreasonable and it's unfair.And I will fight you all the way up to the Supreme Courtover my shirt.Or you could react the kingdom way,which is, did you lose your shirt in a lawsuit?Well, show them you're really sorry for whatever the offense was.And give them your coat too.You know, it's an interesting way that Jesus worded thisbecause in Jewish Old Testament law,you were not allowed to sue a man for his coat.That was illegal.Do you think Jesus is making a point?Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.Okay, so you're saying it was illegal to sue a man for his coat.So if somebody sues you for your shirtand you give them your coat,that would be awfully gratuitous.Now you're thinking like Jesus.Romans 12-21 says, "Do not be overcome by evil."But overcome evil with good.Don't retaliate.Show them that you're willing to give even more than they asked for.So how do you react?How do you react?Number three, when forced to obey.Eye for an eye or double your duty?Look at verse 41.Jesus, next illustration.He says, "And if anyone forces you to go one mile,go with them two miles."Now the Romans had a law.And that was actually a variation of an old Persian postal law.But here is the Roman law.An official could on the spot recruit a citizenfor official duty to perform a task.You know the most famous example of this?This commissioning Simon of Cyrene to carry our Lord's cross.That was law.Specifically here, what Jesus is referring to was legally,legally a Roman soldier could recruit a citizento carry his pack, his gear, one mile, and no further.You think about it from a Jewish standpoint,that's, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm.You mean my enemy, a Roman soldier,is going to make me carry his stuff for a mile?So Jew, that would have been very degrading and disgusting.I think here our Lord is speaking to man's natural resentmenttowards the demands of the government.Does anybody remember COVID?Well, you can react the world's way.Right?You can react the world's way.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.You can act the way you want.The entire way.Give me your stuff.Baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo.Baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo doo.Never mind, I'll carry it myself.That's the world's way.Or you can react the kingdom's way.What's according to our Lord is what?Go two miles.Did you carry his stuff for a mile and you're like,"You know what? I'm just getting limber.I'm just getting warmed up.I'll go another mile."It's like giving the cloak, right?Same principle.Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.So you're saying,"I should give more than the law demands.I should give double of what's required of me."Now you're thinking like Jesus.Because 1 Peter 2.16 says,"Citizens, live as people who are free.Not using your freedom as a cover up for evil.But living as servants of God."Don't just do what's demanded.Go beyond.Force them to ask,"Why in the world is she acting like that?"And then you have the opportunity to talk about grace.Number four.How do you react when someone wants your stuff?How do you react when someone wants your stuff?Eye for an eye?Or do you release your resources?Look at verse 42.Jesus says, "Give to the one who begs from youand do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.It just got real, didn't it?My money?My possessions?Bless you.We get so...We get so possessiveover things.Jesus is saying if somebody begs,if somebody wants to borrow,He's not talking about beggars along the side of the road.This implies a real need,a need that's known and a need that's verified.That's what Jesus is talking about.And again, we have the two options before us.We can react the world's way.Someone comes to you with a real need.Eye for an eye means...All right, look, look, look.I'm going to give this to you, but you owe me, okay?And you're... Listen, you're going to pay me backevery cent that I'm giving you.Do you understand me?I want it in writing.That's the world's way.And when we have that attitude,it just demonstrates that we care more about things than people, right?Well, why are you entitled to my stuff?Go get your own stuff.Where you can react the kingdom way.Jesus, what's the kingdom way?He says give the one who begs and do not refuse.The one who would borrow.What's the kingdom way?Self-sacrificing generosity.He's like, "Oh, you need something that I have?You know what? Here, take it.You know what? I'll buy another one,or I'll learn to live without it.No begs, whatever. Go ahead.Looks like you need this more than I do.If God thinks I need it,He'll make sure I get another one, all right?That's the kingdom way.Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.So I should just give away everything that I have?Now you're thinking like Jesus.First John 3 verse 17 says,"But if anyone has the world's goods,Jesus' brother, Anid, yet closes his heart against him.How does the love of God abide in him?"It's just stuff.It's just stuff.It's eventual garbage, right?Release your resources. Bless people with it.Look, in Jesus' four scenarios here,in every case, your heart is revealed.Not in how you act,but in how you react.And you're like, "Man, man, how can I live like that?"Right now, I guarantee you,every single person here is looking at us going,"I agree that this is right!"But I don't know if I can actually do it.I mean, to do this,I would have to not insist on my rights.I would have to deny myselfand I would have to act like a slave.Now you're thinking like Jesus.Because, oh, by the way,not insisting on your rights and denying yourselfand acting like a slave.Philippians 2.Have this mind among yourselves,which is yours in Christ Jesus,who though he was in the form of God,did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.He didn't insist on his rights.But emptied himself.Denied himself by taking the form of a servant.He became a slave.When you leave here today,someone's going to offend you.Someone's going to insult you.And somebody's going to stomp all over your rights.What you need to do right nowis decide how you're going to react.Let's pray.Our Father in Heaven,we thank You for Your Word,because this is contrary to how we think.There's something in our heartsthat demands retaliation.That would say getting even is the way to go.We teach our kids that.When Your Son very clearly taught usthat we're to be a peoplethat act opposite the way the world acts.Father, I pray right now thatdecisions are being madeas we sit in the fellowship of the congregation,as we sit under Your Word,as we're sitting in a setting of worship.I pray right now, Father,that we are making decisionswhen we walk out this door.We are not going to be people who retaliate.But instead,we're going to follow the examplethat Your Son gave us,and we're going to trust in the power of Your Spirit,whom You put within us.To Your glory and honor, Father,grab our hearts and minds.We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

REFLECTOR- JustinMUSIC- God of Day and God of Darkness- Here I Am, LordPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES

Your Nightly Prayer

Send The Parable Podcast a TextWe are at the start of the summer season and we are taking three weeks off from our regularly scheduled episodes. However, you won't be left empty-handed. I wanted to give you a little bit encouragement over the next few weeks with just some thoughts as you walk into summer. Sometimes when seasons change we kind of look at our life and we wonder where we've been, where we're going. Hope you enjoy.Psalm 139:1-14 | O Eternal One, You have explored my heart and know exactly who I am; You even know the small details like when I take a seat and when I stand up again. Even when I am far away, You know what I'm thinking.You observe my wanderings and my sleeping, my waking and my dreaming, and You know everything I do in more detail than even I know.You know what I'm going to say long before I say it. It is true, Eternal One, that You know everything and everyone. You have surrounded me on every side, behind me and before me, and You have placed Your hand gently on my shoulder. It is the most amazing feeling to know how deeply You know me, inside and out; the realization of it is so great that I cannot comprehend it. Can I go anywhere apart from Your Spirit? Is there anywhere I can go to escape Your watchful presence? If I go up into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in the realm of the dead, You are there.If I ride on the wings of morning, if I make my home in the most isolated part of the ocean,Even then You will be there to guide me; Your right hand will embrace me, for You are always there.Even if I am afraid and think to myself, “There is no doubt that the darkness will swallow me, the light around me will soon be turned to night,”You can see in the dark, for it is not dark to Your eyes. For You the night is just as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to Your eyes. For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother's womb long before I took my first breath.I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe.Want to Enhance Your Conversations?Before you go, could you do me a  favor and take my Listener Survey and then in doing so I will send you, "10 basic Tips to Enhance Your Conversations." It will be sent straight to your inbox and you can keep it on your phone and refer to it anytime you need a little help. Hear more from Brooke Palmer Episode 112 | Belonging Community Church in Urbana, MarylandWebsite |Facebook | Instagram | TikTok#theparablepodcast #yourstorymatters #chWays to Support The Parable Podcast #1 Subscribe or Follow the podcast to ensure you catch every episode of The Parable Podcast on your preferred podcast platform (such as iTunes, Spotify). #2 Recommend this podcast to a friend, providing a great chance to begin your own Parable Conversation. #3 Looking for a speaker for your Church, Women's Group, or event? Contact Danielle to learn more.

REFLECTOR- JenMUSIC- Holy, Holy, HolyPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

Your Nightly Prayer

SCRIPTURE- Proverbs 28: 26REFLECTOR- SarahMUSIC- Mother Dear, O Pray For Me by Panis AngelicusPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

Your Nightly Prayer

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comActs 7 Stephen delivers an epic speech to the Jewish leaders, spanning two thousand years of Israel's history. He emphasizes God's promise of land to Abraham. He then discusses the jealousy of Joseph's brothers, highlighting how God protected him and led the Jews to Egypt. Stephen then recounts the story of Moses and explains how he saved the people despite their repeated obstinance. God was present and active all throughout Israel's history. Stephen notes that God is still working through the Holy Spirit, yet the Jews remain rebellious, even murdering “the Righteous One.” This infuriates the crowd, leading them to stone Stephen to death. In his final moments, Stephen sees Jesus in heaven standing next to the Father and pleads that the people's sins not be held against them.  Stephen's defense provides several meaningful application points. First, he was wise and courageous in his willingness to share the truth about God with a dangerous crowd. Confessing Jesus requires standing firm in the face of eminent danger. Second, the lengthy message recounts key figures in Israel's history. More importantly, it illustrates that God was always present with them, never limited by location or hindered by anyone. This is the God we serve, who remains active and unstoppable today. Finally, the glory of Jesus resonates through Stephen's words and character. Like Stephen, we should know God's story and emulate Jesus as we share it. He honors Christ by reciting Jesus' words on the cross, even unto his dying breath.     Great Father, Your involvement with Your people has sustained them for generations. Men and women of faith stood firm for You, even when Your own people opposed them. Help us recognize that You are with us. Open our hearts to the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. Many resist Him, some even in a misguided attempt at faith. Please guide us by Your Spirit to know and teach the truth. If defending Your Name costs our lives, grant us the courage of Stephen to emulate Jesus and die with unwavering faith, heavenly hope, and love, even for our enemies.   Thought Questions: -       God supported the faithful, especially as others opposed them. Do you believe God is with you? And how is He helping you today? -       The Jews were “resisting the Holy Spirit,” though they thought they were righteous. How do you avoid falling into such a misguided religion? -       Jesus and Stephen asked God to forgive those who murdered them. How do you demonstrate that heart of mercy to others?

SCRIPTURE- John 1: 1REFLECTOR- Sr. KathleenMUSIC- Mother of God, Here I StandPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

We all have plans, dreams, and opinions. But the danger is assuming that every good idea must be a God idea. One of the greatest tests of whether it's truly God speaking—or just us—is whether we're being Spirit-led… or self-led.Our springboard for today's discussion is:"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." — Galatians 5:16Here's the deal: Not every open door is from God. Not every opportunity is Spirit-led. Sometimes it's just our ego talking, dressed up in spiritual language. The Holy Spirit leads us toward surrender, holiness, and kingdom impact. The flesh pulls us toward comfort, recognition, and control.God's voice often invites us into something bigger than ourselves, something that requires dependence and obedience. Our own voice tends to protect our comfort zone, avoid risk, or chase validation.Ask yourself:— Is this prompting about God's glory or my success?— Am I chasing God's will or my own outcome?— Would I still obey if no one ever saw or applauded it?God speaks in ways that often stretch us. But He won't lead you into confusion, pride, or compromise. His Spirit won't tell you to run ahead—He'll walk with you in step-by-step trust.Question of the Day:Is this prompting drawing you closer to God—or promoting your own agenda?Let's Pray:Father, I don't want to be led by my own desires. Teach me to walk by Your Spirit, not my flesh. Lead me away from pride and into Your will. In Jesus' name, amen.Let's Get To Work!A Spirit-led life may not always make sense—but it always bears fruit.Support MyR2B Ministries:MyR2B Ministries is our full-time ministry. Your paid subscription helps sustain this work and expand our ministry outreach. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

May 16, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 11:1-13Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 18:1-7, 20-19:8; Luke 11:1-13“What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Jesus speaks to His lamb: My dear lamb, I will teach you to pray like I taught my disciples to pray. Read closely what I told them here in Luke 11. What I taught them is for you, too. Pray to the Father in My name; He will hear you and give you good.When you pray to your Father in heaven, think about a father here on earth. Fathers on earth are not perfect. They struggle with sin like every human being.But we know that fathers want to give good things to their children. If a son asks his father for a healthy meal like a fish or an egg, what father would be so evil that he would give his child a painful, venomous serpent or scorpion instead?!If an imperfect father on earth knows how to give good gifts to his children, how much more will your perfect Father provide you with something good when you pray?Your heavenly Father loves you. He gives you good gifts every day. He gave you the best Gift of all, Me— your Savior, your Good Shepherd. So when you pray, you can be confident that He will give you the Holy Spirit, who will create and strengthen your faith through My Word every day until you are safe in heaven. (And remember to tell Him, “Thank You.”)Jesus' lamb responds: Dear Jesus, thank you for teaching me to pray and showing me how much the Father loves me. Thank you, Father, for hearing my prayer and answering with the best of Your Gifts. You give me Your Son. You pour out Your Spirit. And you save me and keep me as your own.Please give me faith to believe that You are good and that You answer my prayers, just as Jesus taught. Forgive me for the times I do not pray—for when I forget, am lazy, or don't believe you can or will help.You are good. Thank You for the good you always give me in Christ. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord His children sever; Unto them His grace He showeth, and their sorrows all He knoweth. (LSB 725:3)- Rev. Jeffrey Horn, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Escondido, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

SCRIPTURE- Psalm 121REFLECTOR- Sr. KarolynMUSIC- Peace I Leave with You by "Catholic Hymns"PRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

SCRIPTURE- Luke 22: 19REFLECTOR- LaurenMUSIC- Take and Eat by Michael JoncasPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- A Vincentian Reflection on Pope Leo's First Address

Your Nightly Prayer

Your Nightly Prayer

SCRIPTURE- Psalm 115REFLECTOR- Mary Ellyn Schneider (new) - Email: hair4kids@comcast.netMUSIC- Psalm 103 Violin musicPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

REFLECTOR- Fr. CarlMUSIC- Cuan Grande es ElPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- Be sure and pray with us our CONCLAVE PRAYER for direction and discernment of the Cardinals gathering to elect the next pope on Wednesday. The prayer is on our Welcome Screen and our App blog....

Today,It is my prayer today that our Heavenly Father will open our hearts to His Wordand help us understand the true nature of His kingdom and how it transforms usfrom within. And that He would guide us by His Spirit to live as citizens of Hiskingdom. ThePharisees were looking for a kingdom they could see. Along with most of theJewish people thew were looking for a grand, political empire that wouldelevate their nation and crush their enemies. They wanted a Messiah who wouldarrive with pomp, power, and a clear timeline. When John the Baptist showed upwith his message, some thought he might be the Messiah (John 1:19-27). But thenthe attention of the nation turned to Jesus, especially after John wasbeheaded. Jesus'response to their question about the kingdom turned their expectations upsidedown. The kingdom of God, He said, doesn't come with “observation”, which meantit wasn't going to come with fanfare or visible signs you can point to and say,“There it is!” God's plan for a visible, millennial kingdom was dependent uponthe Jews' accepting the spiritual truths of the kingdom as preached by John andJesus (John 3:1-12). The mystery parables of Matthew 13 reveal that the plan toestablish an earthly kingdom was postponed because of the Jews' attitude towardthe King. Instead, Jesus answer is that His kingdom is already present, workingin a way they couldn't imagine: within people's hearts. Jesus'words should challenge us to rethink what God's kingdom is. It's not aboutexternal power, wealth, or status. It's not confined to a specific place or adramatic event. The kingdom of God is spiritual, transforming us from theinside out. It begins when we surrender to Jesus as King, allowing Hislove, grace, and truth to reign in our hearts. This kingdom changes how wethink, act, and love others. It makes us humble where we were proud, generouswhere we were selfish, and hopeful where we were discouraged. WhenJesus told the Pharisees, “The kingdom of God is within you,” He wasn't sayingthey already had it—they rejected Him! Instead, He was pointing to Himself, theKing standing in their midst, and urging them to recognize the kingdom'spresence through a changed heart. For us, this means the kingdom is alreadyhere, accessible through faith in Christ. It's in the quiet moments when wechoose forgiveness over bitterness, service over selfishness, or trust in Godover worry. It's in the way we reflect Jesus to the world. Jesustaught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come….”. In Matthew chapters 5-7, Jesus gave usthe “principles of the kingdom”. Only by the new spiritual birth (John 3:3-7),can we see or enter this kingdom. And then only by His Holy Spirit living withinus can we experience the reality of living by the principles of His kingdom. Today,this truth should challenges us. Like the Pharisees, we can get caught uplooking for God's kingdom in the wrong places, expecting it in materialsuccess, public recognition, or a perfect life. Jesus calls us to look inward.Is His kingdom ruling in our hearts? Are we living as His ambassadors, showingHis love and truth in our everyday actions? Maythe Lord help us to focus on cultivating God's kingdom within. Before I get outof bed each day, I pray the Lord's Prayer to remind myself that I want to experienceHis Lordship in every aspect of my life. Today, would you take five minutes topray and ask God to reveal one area of your heart where He wants to reign morefully, maybe it's an attitude, a habit, or a relationship. Then, take onepractical step to align that area with His kingdom values.   Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank Youfor being our King and bringing Your kingdom near. Help us to seek Your kingdomwithin our hearts, not in the things of this world (Matthew 6:33). Transform usby Your Spirit to live as Your people, reflecting Your love and truth. Guide usin this week's challenge to let You reign in every part of our lives. Amen.

Dear soulful traveler,Our biggest spiritual frictions aren't external.Think about it.Do we really need someone to 'fix' our energy ?Like thinking only a mechanic can start your carTruth:Healing is an inside job - guides just hold the flashlightThe alchemy isnt a destination.It's always been within you.The universe is always whispering—through a spark of inspiration, a coincidence too perfect to be chance, or a quiet nudge that feels like it comes from beyond. Today, I invite you to join me on a heartfelt journey into the radiant world of Spirit guides—those luminous companions who walk beside us as we awaken to our deepest truths.Picture this as a warm conversation shared over a steaming mug of tea, as we unravel the mystery of these cosmic allies: who they are, how they speak to us, and why they are such sacred partners in our spiritual unfolding.Looking to "upgrade" your spiritual growth? Be wary of external claims about DNA activations or light language. True spiritual awareness comes from within. You are already whole, complete, and worthy - your DNA needs no activation. Instead of seeking external validation, embrace the infinite connection you already possess.Many spiritual circles promote ideas like 4D, 5D, and beyond, suggesting awareness of these dimensions can be unlocked through DNA shifts. But these concepts often stem from a limited, linear perspective. Quantum physics points to a more dynamic, non-local reality - one where your awareness is not bound by time, space, or physical form.So if someone tells you that you need an "activation" to be spiritually complete, be wary. That path gives your power away to an external authority. The true journey is about trusting yourself and your inner truth.Use discernment when evaluating spiritual claims. What resonates with your personal experience? What empowers you to know your own wholeness? The goal is not to blindly accept or reject, but to determine what aligns with your deepest wisdom.Your spiritual growth is your own. Maintain agency over your path. Seek what helps you recognize the infinite connection you already possess within. That is the surest way to lasting fulfillment.The Essence of Spirit Guides: Echoes of Your Infinite SelfImagine that you are not merely the person you see in the mirror today but a tapestry of infinite possibilities, with countless versions of yourself weaving stories across the vastness of existence. This is where Spirit guides step into the light. They are like echoes of your future selves, resonating within a mystical realm called the quantum field—a poetic term for a boundless sea where every choice, every dream, every "what if" exists in vibrant harmony.Yet, there's a delightful twist: not all Spirit guides are woven from your own essence. Some are benevolent beings, sacred allies you partnered with before your soul descended into this earthly adventure. These cosmic collaborators bring specialized energies—perhaps a frequency of courage or a mastery of healing—to help you fulfill your soul's purpose.The Quantum Field: A Tapestry of Infinite NowTo understand Spirit guides, we must linger in the wonder of the quantum field. Mystics and scientists describe it as the "everywhere and everywhen" place—a shimmering expanse where every possibility dances in eternal coexistence. Here, there is no need to choose one path; all paths live side by side in radiant unity.Your Spirit guides are your multidimensional collaborators, each a unique expression of you who chose a different path. They are not mere spectators; they are here to help you grow, and in helping you, they evolve too. It's a sacred partnership, a cosmic dance of mutual upliftment.Affinity: The Golden Thread of ConnectionThe magic of connecting with your Spirit guides lies in a beautiful concept called affinity. It's a simple yet profound idea: affinity is about shared essence—common traits, passions, or vibrations. It's the spiritual truth that like attracts like. To deepen this connection, turn inward. The qualities that stir your heart, the passions that make you feel alive—these are clues to the nature of your guides.Spirit Guides as Archetypes: Your Cosmic MentorsSpirit guides embody the fullest expression of certain paths or qualities, each a radiant archetype—a living blueprint of a specific energy or theme. This diversity is a reminder of your own vast potential, reflected back to you through their sacred presence.How Spirit Guides Speak to Your SoulThere is NO ONE WAY. I've found as the veils are thinning the experiences of ALL are to be revered and respected. Honor your journey - its sacred.But briefly - Your Spirit guides have a repertoire of ways to catch your attention, always with the intention of guiding you toward what matters most. Their communication is a delicate art, blending subtlety and clarity. They are not here to dictate your path or control your choices. They are wise companions, offering hints and encouragement while honoring your free will.Spirit Guides as Muses: A Dance of InspirationOne of the most enchanting roles of Spirit guides is that of muses. When a surge of inspiration urges you to create, act, or dream bigger, that's your guides sharing the treasures of their journeys—the wisdom, energy, and insights they've gathered. This inspiration is what propels you forward, lighting up your soul's purpose. Yet, this is a reciprocal exchange. As you grow and shine your light, you inspire your guides in return.The Humility of Guidance: They Don't Know AllYour Spirit guides are not omniscient. They don't hold a cosmic blueprint of every moment of your life. Instead, they focus on the path you're walking now, seeing the potential outcomes of your current choices. They are supporters, cheering you on as you write your own story, not directors imposing their will.The Power of a TeamHaving multiple Spirit guides is like assembling a dream team. Each brings a unique gift—perhaps one helps you find calm in chaos, while another ignites your courage. Together, they offer a rich array of energies, empowering you to navigate life's twists and turns. Yet, balance is key. Leaning too heavily on your guides may prompt them to step back, not out of abandonment, but to honor your autonomy.The Higher Self: Your Cosmic CompassThe higher self is the radiant culmination of all your Spirit guides, woven into a single, unified presence. It's the ultimate you, drawing wisdom from every path you've taken—or could take—across all dimensions. Your guides feed into this higher self, and it nourishes you, creating a sacred cycle of growth.Wavelengths and Unity: The Heart of ConnectionYour consciousness vibrates at a specific wavelength, like a radio tuned to a unique frequency. When your wavelength aligns with a Spirit guide's, you enter a state of unity. From the universe's perspective, you become one, bound by shared vibration. As you raise your frequency, new guides may appear, ready to meet you at your elevated vibration, a reminder of your ever-evolving journey.Discernment: Navigating with GraceNot every presence that feels like a guide is a true Spirit guide. Less benevolent energies may appear, drawn to unhealed wounds—old fears or unresolved hurts. These are not allies but reflections of parts longing for healing. True Spirit guides are always loving, never controlling, and wholly devoted to your highest—your cosmic allies who uplift and empower you.Time Is an Illusion: The Eternal NowIn the higher dimensions, time is not linear but an eternal now, where all moments coexist. Your Spirit guides are not "future" selves in a linear sense. They exist in this timeless realm, connected to you through affinity and shared wavelengths.A Sacred Invitation: Your Guides AwaitYour Spirit guides—whether future selves or sacred allies—are here to inspire, support, and guide you through your awakening. They speak through nudges, synchronicities, and inspiration, always honoring your free will and cheering you to be your truest self. The universe is alive with mysteries, and your Spirit guides are your partners in uncovering them. May you walk this path with courage, wonder, and the radiant support of your cosmic allies.Love you. KassandraSomewhere along the way, you learned to mistrust your inner voice.You got caught in the noise.The overthinking.The burnout.The endless search for clarity outside of yourself.And now? You're tired.Not because you're broken — but because you've been trying to live someone else's life with your own sacred wiring.Let's change that.This isn't about “manifesting harder” or forcing results. It's about shifting your energy so your desires start flowing to you effortlessly.The Intuitive One-of-a-Kind Blueprint

SCRIPTURE- Psalm 95: 3REFLECTOR- Jen (jenryan@kenrick.edu)MUSIC- Regina Caeli Laitare- Hearing the Harvest by We Dream of Eden & Anita TatlowPRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- 

We all die. Eventually, our perishable bodies fail and leave this earth. We try so hard to avoid it, and we do all we can to extend our lives naturally so that we can be with the people we love as long as we possibly can. But death is the very thing Jesus walked straight into. Can you imagine this? Moving towards your death instead of trying to escape from it? The only reason for such a sacrifice is love. It was a plan of love, a plan to offer us—everyone who is willing to come to Him—eternal life and a restored relationship with God. Do you want to receive His love and start a new life, eternal life with Christ today? Then pray with me, Lord, forgive me of all my sins. I want to follow You as the Lord of my life. Fill me with Your Spirit and make me new. And thank you. In Jesus name, amen. "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." John 3:16 radio.hopewithgod.com

REFLECTOR- Sr. CarolMUSIC-PRAYERTo You, do I belong O GodInto Your hands I surrender my life.Pour out Your Spirit upon methat I may love You perfectly,and serve You faithfullyuntil my soul rests in You.NOTES- Feast of St. Catherine of Siena