Podcasts about your word

Edge God In Podcast 340: The Book of Ezra: Return, Rebuild, and Renew EdgeGodIn.com | Host: Estella Chavous Championing Human Potential in Christ Download Bible Study Template Learning Objectives: By the end of this podcast and Bible study, participants will be able to: Explain how the book of Ezra illustrates the themes of return, rebuilding, and spiritual renewal. Recognize the connection between encountering God, identifying personal behaviors or patterns, and making intentional course corrections. Apply Ezra 7:10 by considering how studying God’s Word, practicing it, and living it out can influence everyday choices and spiritual growth. Three key areas of understanding: Understanding the Story — Return Understand the historical and spiritual context of Ezra and the significance of God’s people returning from exile and beginning again. Understanding Ourselves — Rebuild Recognize how seasons of disruption, reflection, and rebuilding can reveal behaviors, attitudes, and areas of our lives that need attention. Understanding Transformation — Renew Explore how an encounter with God can lead to intentional action, course correction, and renewed living. Scriptures: Ezra 7:10 | Ezra 1:5 | Ezra 3:10–11 | Ezra 10:1–4 | Joel 2:12–13 | Zechariah 4:10 | Romans 12:2 Prayer: Heavenly Father, As we begin this study of Ezra, quiet our hearts and help us be fully present with You. Open our minds to understand Your Word and our hearts to receive what You want to show us. Help us recognize the areas of our lives where You are inviting us to return, rebuild, and renew. Give us the courage to look honestly at our choices, our behaviors, and the places where we may have drifted from You. Like Ezra, help us not only to learn Your Word, but to practice it and allow it to shape the way we live. As we study, speak to each of us personally. Show us what we need to notice, what we may need to change, and what step of faith You may be asking us to take. May this time together draw us closer to You and remind us that restoration is possible when we are willing to return to Your presence. Guide us in our encounter with You. Give us wisdom to identify what needs our attention. And give us courage to course correct. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Support Resources: Books & Resources: Understanding and Acting on Behaviors that lead to Christ-Filled Relationships: Designed to uncover the key behaviors that influence how you relate to Christ-Awareness, Discernment, Emotion, and Renewal. Situational Meditation Theory and Practice: Finding this space and learning to engage in meditation, contemplation and reflection. Situational Meditation Journal: A companion to the book, cultivating a lifestyle of presence and full engagement in the moment. Emotional Intelligence in Christ Project: Book, 6-Week Study Guide & Course

Sanctification — being set apart, made holy, conformed to the image of Christ — is not a self-improvement project. It is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, and 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 makes the most encouraging promise imaginable: the One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. Emily reminds us that our position in Christ is forever fixed — nothing can snatch us from His hand. But while we rest in the finished work of the cross, we are also called to partner with the Spirit through Scripture, prayer, service, and discipleship, allowing Him to renew our minds and gradually loosen the grip of worldly thinking and fleshly desire. The goal is not perfection this side of heaven — it is a life that, day by day and year by year, looks a little more like Jesus. Today's Bible Verse "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, NIV Ponder Today Sanctification is God's work, not yours alone. You partner with the Holy Spirit in the process — but the deep, transforming work of making you holy belongs to the faithful God who called you. Rest in that. Your position in Christ is forever fixed. No failure, no stumble, and no season of spiritual dryness can change what Christ has already secured for you. Sanctification flows from that settled foundation — it does not establish it. Holiness grows gradually, not overnight. The goal is not perfection this side of heaven but a life that, day by day, looks increasingly like Jesus. Small, steady steps of obedience matter more than dramatic overnight transformations. Spiritual disciplines are how we partner with the Spirit. Bible study, prayer, serving others, discipleship, and evangelism are not how we earn God's favor — they are how we open ourselves to the mind-renewing, desire-transforming work of the Holy Spirit. The longer you walk with God, the less the world's pull satisfies. As your mind is renewed through His Word, worldly thinking and fleshly desires gradually lose their grip. That shift in desire is itself evidence of God's sanctifying work in you. A Prayer for You Today Father God, thank You for saving me, setting me free, and continually sanctifying me. I know that I fail every day, but I lean into Your grace all the more. Your grace is sufficient for each day and is such a gift in my life. You are a God who transforms and purifies — so help me renew my mind with Your Word, that I may know Your good, acceptable, and perfect will and see my life conformed more and more to the image of Your Son. In Jesus' name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningEphesians 2:10 — God's Handiwork, Created in Christ: A Closing Prayer of the Day for Purpose, Peace and Tomorrow Themes: Purpose · Peace · Tomorrow Scripture Ephesians 2:10 — God's Handiwork, Created in Christ “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” Spoken Prayer Father, as we reach the closing prayer of the day, we become quiet before You. The day may have been full of activity, yet tonight someone may still be asking a deeper question: Did today matter? Does my life have purpose? Where am I going from here? Lord, be near to people in Belgium, Israel, the United Kingdom, Ghana, the Philippines and New Zealand. Meet the person who feels disappointed with today, the person who is questioning their direction, and the person who feels that their contribution is too small to matter. Jesus, Your Word reminds us that we are God's handiwork, created in Christ. Our worth is not determined by productivity, applause or comparison. We belong to You. Holy Spirit, renew our understanding of purpose and help us see the good that can grow from an ordinary faithful life. Father, perhaps today did not go according to plan. We surrender that disappointment. Perhaps we achieved more than we expected. We surrender that success too. Keep our hearts free from pride and despair. God of Israel, show us how to live faithfully in the season You have given us. Help us recognise the small acts of love that matter: encouraging someone, caring for family, praying for another person, showing kindness, forgiving, serving and simply remaining faithful. As night approaches, we release tomorrow into Your hands. We do not need to have the whole future mapped out tonight. Give us peace for this evening and enough hope to meet tomorrow when it comes. Jesus, You are our purpose, our peace and our hope. Let us rest knowing that our lives are held by You. In Jesus' name, Amen. Blessing May Jesus remind you tonight that your life has purpose, your faithfulness matters, and tomorrow remains safely within the hands of God. About This Prayer A closing prayer of the day for anyone questioning their purpose, feeling disappointed by the day or uncertain about tomorrow. Ephesians 2:10 brings identity and purpose back to Christ. Closing prayer of the day; night prayer for purpose; prayer when you feel your life has no direction; Christian prayer for purpose and hope; prayer before sleep; prayer for peace about tomorrow. night prayer, closing prayer, purpose, hope, peace, tomorrow, Jesus, identity, Christian prayer, DailyPrayer night, purpose, hope, peace, tomorrow, Jesus, identity, prayer, faith, DailyPrayer Support the Ministry — Buy Us a Coffee If these daily prayers are helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

When you see a fossil, or hear the word, you should not automatically think millions of years. In an attempt to maintain the illusion that fossils automatically must be millions of years old, evolutionists dismiss the examples of young fossils as freaks of nature. However, there are many examples of recent fossils.It was low tide when a circular rock was discovered on a western Australian beach. A little over two feet in diameter, the wheel-shaped rock weighed 165 pounds. It was hard and solid, even ringing like a bell when struck. Examination proved that the rock was a dense high calcium sandstone. Even before it was cut open for study, the rock seemed unusual. Once it was cut open it became clear that this was fossilized fence wire. Further analysis identified the wire as "Number 8" fence wire that was used at a nearby sheep station between 1920 and 1970. It was standard practice that after ten years old fence wires were replaced. The old wire was coiled and often thrown into the sea. This fossil could have been only about 30 years old and not more than 80 years old!The existence of fossils does not disprove the Bible's account of history, which dates the earth at only about 6,000 years old. If fossils can form in a relatively few number of years, 6,000 years are more than enough time to form all the millions of fossils discovered.Luke 19:40“And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”Prayer: Lord, protect me from being misled by those who doubt Your Word. Amen.REF.: Creation, "Fascinating Fossil Fence-Wire" To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Welcometo Pastor's Chat. Today we continue our journey through 2 Thessalonians chapter2, looking at verses 9 and 10. Yesterday we saw that the coming lawless one,whom I believe to be the Antichrist, will ultimately be destroyed by the LordJesus Christ at His coming. But before Paul tells us more about hisdestruction, he tells us something about the source of his power. Verse 9 saysthat the coming of the lawless one will be: “according to the working ofSatan.” That tells us immediately who is behind him. The Antichristwill be Satan's counterfeit Christ. AndPaul says his coming will be accompanied by “power, signs, and lyingwonders.” That is very important. We sometimes assume that if somethingsupernatural happens, it must be from God. But the Bible warns us that Satan isa deceiver. Not every miracle proves that the person performing it representsGod. Not every supernatural manifestation comes from God. Our standard mustalways be: What does the Word of God say? Paulcalls these things “lying wonders.” The wonder may appear real,but it is being used to promote a lie. Satan has always been a counterfeiter. Godhas truth. Satan has lies. God has Christ. Satan will present Antichrist. Godhas His children. Satan has those who follow him. God performs signs andwonders. Satan will have his counterfeit signs and lying wonders. That is whyspiritual discernment is so important. Butthen Paul tells us why people will be deceived. And I believe this is the mostimportant statement in these verses. Verse 10 says they perish: “becausethey did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Noticethat Paul doesn't merely say they didn't know the truth. He says theydidn't love the truth. There is a tremendous difference between knowingsomething about the Bible and loving the truth of God's Word. A person can knowBible stories. A person can attend church. A person can know the plan ofsalvation. A person can even agree intellectually that Jesus lived, died on thecross, and rose again. But salvation involves personally receiving the truth ofthe Gospel and receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Jesussaid in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Ultimately,receiving the truth means receiving Jesus. Years ago, I heard someonesay: “The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.” The differenceisn't in the sun. The difference is in what is exposed to it. And the same istrue of God's truth. When we hear God's Word and respond to it with faith, itchanges us. But when we continually hear God's truth and reject it, our heartscan become hardened. That's why whenever God speaks to our hearts, we shouldrespond. Maybeyou've heard the Gospel hundreds of times. You know John 3:16. You know Jesusdied for your sins. You know He rose again. But the important question is: Haveyou personally received Him? Paul says these people did not receive thelove of the truth “that they might be saved.” God wants people tobe saved. Jesus went to the cross so that we could be saved. The Gospel isstill being proclaimed today so people can be saved. And that is why we shouldshare it while we have opportunity. Myfriend, don't simply admire the truth. Don't merely study the truth. Don't justlisten to the truth. Receive the truth. Believe the truth. Love the truth. Andmost importantly, receive the One Who said: “I am…the truth.” Let'spray. Father, thank You for giving us the truth of Your Word and the truth ofthe Gospel. Protect us from deception and give us spiritual discernment. May wenot merely know Your truth intellectually, but love it, believe it, obey it,and share it with others. And if someone listening today has never personallyreceived Jesus Christ, may today be the day they place their faith in Him andare saved. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningJoshua 1:9 — Be Strong and Courageous: A Closing Prayer of the Day When You Need Courage for Tomorrow Themes: Courage · God's Presence · Tomorrow Scripture Joshua 1:9 — Be Strong and Courageous “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you.” Spoken Prayer Father, as we come to the closing prayer of the day, we remember that courage is not pretending we have no fear. Courage is trusting You when fear is present. Your Word calls us to be strong and courageous because You are with us wherever we go. Lord, watch over people in Belgium, Israel, the United Kingdom, Ghana and New Zealand. Be especially close to those facing tomorrow with uncertainty. Some are worried about a difficult conversation, a medical appointment, a financial concern, a journey, a family situation or simply what the next day may bring. Jesus, we surrender tomorrow into Your hands. We do not need to rehearse every possible problem tonight. Holy Spirit, quiet the imagination when it begins creating fears that have not happened. Bring the mind back to the presence of Christ. God of Israel, strengthen those who feel weak. Give courage to those who feel afraid. Give peace to those who are waiting. Give wisdom to those who must make decisions. And give rest to those who have carried too much today. Father, thank You for bringing us through this day. Where we have fallen short, give us grace. Where we have been faithful, keep us humble. Where we have been hurt, begin Your healing work within us. We leave the unfinished things with You. Tonight we choose trust. Tomorrow belongs to You, and when morning comes, You will still be God. Let that truth settle our hearts. Watch over our homes, our families and those who have nobody praying for them tonight. May the presence of Jesus surround us as we rest. Give us courage for tomorrow, peace for tonight and confidence that we are never walking alone. In Jesus' name, Amen. Blessing May Jesus give you peace tonight, courage for tomorrow, and the deep assurance that wherever you go, you never walk alone. About This Prayer A closing prayer of the day for anyone facing tomorrow with fear, uncertainty or a difficult situation. Joshua 1:9 brings the heart back to courage grounded not in ourselves, but in the presence of God. Closing prayer of the day; night prayer for courage; prayer when you are scared about tomorrow; prayer before a difficult day; Christian prayer for courage and strength; prayer for God's presence; prayer before sleep. night prayer, closing prayer, courage, tomorrow, strength, God's presence, Jesus, Christian prayer, faith, DailyPrayerSupport the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Autumn is a season of beauty and anticipation — cooler temperatures, the approach of the holidays, the warm rituals of the season. And for some, it is also a season layered with grief. A father murdered. Two miscarriages. Hard losses that do not fade simply because years have passed or because faith is genuine. Pain does not ask permission before arriving, and it does not spare believers from its weight. Second Corinthians 4:17 does not promise that every painful circumstance will soon improve in this earthly life. Paul wrote it from a place of deep personal suffering — beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, betrayed by people he had poured himself into — and yet he kept preaching, kept running the race, kept pointing others toward the hope that sustained him. The verse offers not an escape from suffering but a perspective on it: this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. The suffering is real and Paul does not dismiss it. But placed against what is coming — the resurrection, the presence of God, eternal glory — every trial this side of heaven is both lighter and shorter than it feels in the middle of it. Life is a vapor. In the blink of an eye, we will be with our Savior, where pain and sorrow cease. Until then, Jesus walks through it with us. The anchor of glorious hope has a name, and His name is Jesus. Bible Verse "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."— 2 Corinthians 4:17, ESV Ponder Today Suffering does not diminish faith — it tests and deepens it. Even in seasons of genuine belief, pain is real and the struggle is real. Pressing into God's truth and surrounding yourself with people who love you is not weakness. It is wisdom. Second Corinthians 4:17 is about perspective, not escape. Paul is not promising that circumstances will soon improve. He is offering a frame — an eternal one — that changes how we experience temporary suffering when we hold it against what is coming. The weight of the trial is light compared to the weight of glory that awaits. This is not dismissing pain. It is placing it in its proper context. What we endure here is real but temporary. What awaits us is permanent and beyond comparison. Instead of praying for God to change your circumstances, pray for Him to change you in your circumstances. That shift in prayer is one of the most powerful movements available to a believer in suffering. God has a plan and purpose for the grief, and He will not leave you to endure it alone. Keep a heavenly and eternal perspective during painful seasons. The temptation is to fix all attention on the battle. But eyes fixed on the hope of eternity — on Jesus, on what is coming — produce the endurance that no earthly solution can provide. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, my heart is heavy as I look at the storm around me. It is so easy to feel crushed under the weight of these tidal waves of grief and pain, but I trust that Your Word says the weight of this trial cannot be compared to the eternal joy and reward that awaits me in eternity. I humbly ask You to transform my perspective from an earthly one to a heavenly one. Instead of praying for You to change my circumstances, Lord, I pray that You would change me in my circumstances. I know You have a plan and a purpose for all of this grief, and I trust that You will not leave me to suffer alone. I long to be so heavenly-minded that I am of earthly good for Your kingdom and glory. In Jesus' name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningEphesians 6:11 — Put on the Full Armor of God: A First Prayer of the Day for Protection and Courage Themes: Protection · Courage · Spiritual Strength Scripture Ephesians 6:11 — Put on the Full Armor of God “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”  — Ephesians 6:11, NIV Spoken Prayer — 248 words Father, as this first prayer of the day reaches you, we come before You before the demands of the morning have gathered around us. Some are waking with hope; others are waking already tired, worried, or afraid of what today may bring. Your Word tells us to put on the full armor of God, so today we choose to stand in Your strength rather than our own. Lord, watch over people in South Africa, Brazil, Japan, Ghana, Romania and Canada. Protect homes, families, journeys and workplaces. Be especially near to anyone praying because they feel scared, vulnerable or uncertain about what lies ahead. Let truth steady the mind, faith strengthen the heart, and the peace of Jesus guard every step. Jesus, You are our refuge and our confidence. We do not begin this day looking for trouble; we begin it looking toward You. Holy Spirit, make us alert without making us anxious, courageous without becoming hard, and wise without becoming fearful. Help us recognise what needs our attention and release what belongs in Your hands. Father, cover the conversations we will have, the decisions we will make, and the people we will meet. Where there is spiritual pressure, give discernment. Where there is temptation, give strength. Where there is fear, remind us that Christ is with us. God of Israel, keep us under Your care today. Let us walk steadily, speak graciously and stand firmly in Jesus. We receive Your protection, Your courage and Your strength for this day. Amen. Gentle pause before the 9:00 a.m. prayer. Blessing May God strengthen you this morning, guard your heart, protect those you love, and give you courage for everything this day brings. About This Prayer A first prayer of the day for protection, courage and spiritual strength. Ephesians 6:11 reminds us that we do not enter the day relying only on ourselves; we stand in the strength God provides. Global Discoverability First prayer of the day, early morning prayer, morning prayer for protection, prayer for courage, Christian morning prayer, spiritual strength, prayer before work, prayer for protection today. Morning prayer for protection and courage; first prayer of the day; prayer for spiritual strength; Christian prayer before work; prayer when you feel afraid; prayer because I am scared; prayer for God's protection today. morning prayer, protection prayer, courage, spiritual strength, first prayer, Christian prayer, Jesus, faith, morning, DailyPrayer morning, protection, courage, strength, prayer, Jesus, faith, Christian, hope, DailyPrayer Support the Ministry — Buy Us a Coffee If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Send us your feedback — we're listeningRomans 12:2 — Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind: A Closing Prayer of the Day for Peace and Rest Themes: Renewal · Peace · Rest Scripture Romans 12:2 — Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is.”  — Romans 12:2, NIV Spoken Prayer — 291 words Father, as we come to the closing prayer of the day, we allow the noise of today to become quieter. We have carried responsibilities, conversations, decisions and emotions, and some of them may still be following us into the night. Your Word invites us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. So tonight we bring our minds to You. Lord Jesus, bring Your peace to people in Belgium, Israel, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ghana and New Zealand. Meet those searching for a night prayer for peace, those struggling with anxiety before sleep, and those whose thoughts keep returning to what went wrong today. Let Your presence become a place where the heart can finally breathe. Father, where fear has shaped our thinking, bring truth. Where shame has replayed our failures, bring mercy. Where tomorrow has become larger than today, help us surrender it. We do not need to solve tomorrow tonight. Holy Spirit, renew our minds with the truth of Christ. Wash away the noise of comparison, regret and fear. Help us remember that our identity is not built upon today's successes or failures. We belong to Jesus, and His grace is enough for us tonight. Father, watch over our homes and those we love. Be close to the lonely, the grieving, the exhausted and the person who feels afraid to close their eyes. Let this night be a gentle place of restoration. Give the mind permission to become still and the body permission to rest. As we finish this day, transform us from the inside. Let tomorrow find us renewed rather than burdened. We surrender, we receive, and we rest in the love of God, the grace of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Blessing May Jesus quiet your mind tonight, may the Holy Spirit renew your heart, and may you rest peacefully in the love and presence of God. About This Prayer A closing prayer of the day for anyone needing peace, renewal and rest after a demanding day. Romans 12:2 turns our attention from the noise within us toward the renewing work of God. Global Discoverability Closing prayer of the day, night prayer for peace, prayer before sleep, prayer for anxiety at night, prayer to stop worrying, Christian night prayer, prayer for a peaceful mind, prayer for rest. Night prayer for peace; closing prayer of the day; prayer before sleep; prayer for anxiety at night; prayer when you cannot switch off your mind; Christian prayer for peaceful sleep; prayer for renewal and rest. night prayer, closing prayer, peace, rest, renewal, anxiety, sleep, Jesus, Christian prayer, DailyPrayer night, peace, rest, renewal, sleep, anxiety, prayer, Jesus, faith, Christian Support the Ministry — Buy Us a Coffee If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Send us your feedback — we're listeningProverbs 3:5 — Trust in the Lord With All Your Heart: An Early Evening Prayer for Guidance, Hope and Direction Themes: Trust · Guidance · Direction Scripture Proverbs 3:5 — Trust in the Lord With All Your Heart “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  — Proverbs 3:5, NIV Spoken Prayer — Father, as evening approaches, we begin to loosen our grip on the day. We have worked, travelled, cared, decided, spoken and perhaps struggled. Now we come before You with everything the day has revealed. Your Word tells us to trust You with all our hearts and not lean entirely on our own understanding. Lord, meet people in South Korea, Spain, Zimbabwe, Austria, Botswana and the United States. Meet those facing difficult decisions, uncertain futures, family concerns or questions about what comes next. Where someone feels lost, bring direction. Where fear is making the decisions, bring peace. Where the road seems unclear, give grace for the next faithful step. Jesus, You understand the weight of human life. You know what it is to walk through uncertainty, yet You remained surrendered to the Father. Teach us that trusting God does not mean having every answer. It means knowing whose hands hold our lives. Holy Spirit, quiet the pressure to work everything out tonight. Give wisdom for what belongs to today and patience for what must wait. Help us listen before reacting, pray before deciding, and seek God's ways before our own preferences. Father, we place our families, work, relationships and tomorrow before You. We surrender the outcomes we cannot control. Where we have made mistakes today, give us humility to learn. Where we have made good decisions, keep us grateful rather than proud. Let Your peace guide our thoughts. As evening settles, turn our hearts back toward Jesus. We trust You with what we understand and what we do not. Lead us gently, guard us faithfully, and give us confidence for the road ahead. In Jesus' name, Amen. Gentle pause before the 8:00 p.m. prayer. Blessing May God guide your thoughts this evening, strengthen your trust, and give you peace about the things you cannot yet see clearly. About This Prayer An early evening prayer for anyone needing guidance, direction or reassurance about the future. Proverbs 3:5 brings us back to trust when our own understanding feels incomplete. Global Discoverability Early evening prayer, prayer for guidance, prayer for direction, prayer for hope, prayer when you do not know what to do, Christian evening prayer, prayer for difficult decisions. Evening prayer for guidance and direction; prayer when you do not know what to do; prayer for difficult decisions; Christian prayer for trusting God; prayer for hope when the future is uncertain. evening prayer, guidance, direction, trust God, hope, decisions, Jesus, Christian prayer, wisdom, DailyPrayer evening, guidance, direction, trust, hope, decisions, prayer, Jesus, wisdom, Christian Support the Ministry — Buy Us a Coffee If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Send us your feedback — we're listeningPhilippians 4:6 — Do Not Be Anxious About Anything: A Midday Prayer for Anxiety, Peace and Hope Themes: Peace · Anxiety · Hope Scripture Philippians 4:6 — Do Not Be Anxious About Anything “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  — Philippians 4:6, Father, here we are in the middle of the day, and perhaps our hearts have not kept pace with our schedule. We may have received difficult news, faced an unexpected problem, or simply carried too much in our minds. Your Word tells us not to be anxious about anything, but to bring everything to You in prayer. So we stop and breathe before You. Lord, bring peace to people in Rwanda, France, China, Ireland, Singapore and Uganda. Meet those searching for relief from anxiety, those who are worried about family, finances, health, work or the future. Let them know that prayer is not an escape from real life; it is a way of bringing real life into the presence of God. Jesus, receive the burdens we have been carrying. We do not need to hide our fear from You. We can tell You exactly what is troubling us and trust You with what we cannot control. Holy Spirit, settle the mind that keeps racing and soften the heart that has become tense through worry. Father, teach us the difference between responsibility and anxiety. Show us what we can do today, and help us leave tomorrow where it belongs. Give us wisdom for the next conversation, patience for the next task, and peace while we wait for answers. We bring our requests before You with thanksgiving, not because every circumstance is easy, but because You remain faithful. Let the peace of Christ guard our hearts and minds. As this midday continues, help us walk gently, think clearly and trust deeply. We leave what we cannot carry with You, and we receive Your peace. In Jesus' name, Amen. Gentle pause before the 6:00 p.m. prayer. Blessing May the peace of Jesus meet you in the middle of this day, quiet your anxious thoughts, and give you hope for whatever lies ahead. About This Prayer A midday prayer for anxiety, worry and the need for peace. Philippians 4:6 gives us a practical invitation: bring the things troubling your heart directly into the presence of God. Global Discoverability Midday prayer, prayer for anxiety, prayer for peace, prayer for hope, prayer when you are worried, Christian prayer for anxiety, prayer for a troubled mind, prayer for fear. Midday prayer for anxiety and peace; prayer when you feel anxious; prayer for hope when life feels difficult; Christian prayer for worry; prayer because I am scared; prayer for peace in difficult circumstances. midday prayer, anxiety prayer, peace, hope, worry, fear, Jesus, Christian prayer, Holy Spirit, DailyPrayer midday, anxiety, peace, hope, worry, fear, prayer, Jesus, faith, Christian Support the Ministry — Buy Us a Coffee If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Send us your feedback — we're listeningJames 1:5 — If Any of You Lacks Wisdom, Ask God: A Midday Prayer for Guidance and Clear Direction Themes: Wisdom · Guidance · Direction Scripture James 1:5 — Ask God for Wisdom “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.”  — James 1:5, NIV Spoken Prayer Father, at the centre of this day we stop for a moment and admit something simple: we do not always know what to do next. There are decisions that need making, conversations that need wisdom, and situations where every option seems to carry uncertainty. Your Word gives us permission to ask. So today, we ask You. Give wisdom to people in Rwanda, France, China, Ireland, Singapore and Uganda. Give clarity to those making important decisions, patience to those waiting for answers, and discernment to those who are unsure which direction to take. Where fear is making a decision for someone, let Your peace create space to think clearly. Jesus, You are not impatient with our questions. You welcomed people who came searching, doubting, hurting and confused. So we bring our uncertainty honestly. We do not need to pretend that we have everything worked out. We simply need to know where to place our trust. Holy Spirit, illuminate what matters. Close the doors that should not be opened and give courage where a faithful step is needed. Help us distinguish between pressure and conviction, between anxiety and wisdom, between what we want immediately and what will truly serve the purpose of God. Father, give us wisdom for our families, our finances, our work, our relationships and our responsibilities. Teach us to listen before speaking and to pray before deciding. When the answer is not immediate, give us patience. When the path becomes clear, give us courage to walk it. We place the unknown before You now. We surrender the need to know everything at once. You see the beginning, the middle and the end, while we see only today. So lead us, Lord. Give us wisdom generously, guard our hearts from fear, and keep us close to Jesus. Let this midday become a quiet turning point, where confusion gives way to trust and the next step becomes clear enough to take. In Jesus' name, Amen. Gentle pause before the 6:00 p.m. prayer. Blessing May God give you wisdom when decisions are difficult, clarity when the way seems uncertain, and courage to take the next step with Jesus. About This Prayer A midday prayer for anyone who needs wisdom, guidance or clear direction. James 1:5 offers a simple invitation: when we do not know what to do, we can ask God. Global Discoverability Midday prayer, prayer for guidance, prayer for wisdom, prayer for direction, prayer for decisions, Christian midday prayer, prayer when you don't know what to do. Midday prayer for guidance and direction; prayer for wisdom; prayer when you don't know what to do; Christian prayer for decisions; prayer for clarity; God help me make the right decision. midday prayer, wisdom, guidance, direction, decisions, clarity, Jesus, Christian prayer, Holy Spirit, DailyPrayer midday, wisdom, guidance, direction, clarity, decisions, prayer, Jesus, faith, Christian Support the Ministry — Buy Us a Coffee If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Exploring the Connection Between Matthew 22, Song of Songs, and Isaiah 22 For Bible in Ten – By DH – 25th September 2026 Matthew 22, Song of Songs, and Isaiah 22 Lets look at 8 connections between these chapters.  The King and His Son Song of Songs is the Bible's great book of love between a bridegroom and bride. Matthew 22 begins with a king preparing a marriage for his son. The feast is ready, but those invited refuse to come. The problem is not with the feast. The problem is their attitude toward the Son.  Matthew 22 presents those who receive the King's invitation but do not desire His Son. That is the tragedy of Israel's rejection of Christ. The Pattern of Twenty-Two CG notes in his Bible Commentary on Song of Songs available at the SuperiorWord.org that Bullinger associates twenty-two with intensified disorganisation and disintegration. He then asks whether love, perfect in its source in God, becomes corrupted when handled by fallen man. Matthew 22 repeatedly presents this problem. God has given Israel His law,His Scriptures,His commandments, and His Messiah.  Yet the religious leaders mishandle each.  They know the Scriptures but oppose Christ. They know Messiah is David's Son but fail to understand that He is also David's Lord.  They speak of God's law while seeking to destroy God's Son. “His Banner Over Me Was Love” Song of Songs 2:3-4 says:  He brought me to the banquet room.     His banner over me is love.    Matthew 22 likewise begins with a royal banquet. the Song's love connects with the love of God displayed in Christ. Servants are sent.  They are rejected.  But God's purpose for His Son is not frustrated. The wedding remains ready. The Son will still receive His honour. The Wedding Garment and Isaiah 22 Matthew 22 also introduces the man without a wedding garment, symbolising the righteousness of Christ. Right standing rests upon God's provision, not man's own righteousness. Isaiah 22 provides an interesting parallel.  When Eliakim is appointed, God says: 21 “ I will take your robe and put it on him. I will give him your belt. I will give him the important job you have. He will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and the family of Judah.  The clothing and office are given to him.  He does not appoint or clothe himself. Likewise in Matthew 22, the King determines the terms of inclusion to His feast. The feast is His.  The Son is His.  The invitation is His. And acceptable standing before Him must come according to His provision. “You Have Not Looked Unto the Maker” Isaiah 22 contains another striking statement concerning Jerusalem: “You made a pool between the two walls.     It was to save water from the old pool. But you did not trust the God who made these things.     You did not respect the One who planned them long ago.  ”  Isaiah 22:11, ICB They prepare defences, strengthen walls and secure water, yet fail to look to God. Matthew 22 presents the same spiritual blindness. The leaders see Caesar.  They see taxation.  They see Moses.  They see marriage laws. They see commandments. They see David. But they fail to recognise the One standing before them. Jesus therefore asks: ““What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” ”  Matt 22 43 ICB That is the question toward which the whole chapter moves. Death and Resurrection Isaiah 22 also records the words: “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we will die.”   verse 13  ICB Matthew 22 gives the opposite perspective. When the Sadducees challenge Jesus concerning resurrection, He answers: “God is the God of living people, not dead people.” .”  matt 22 23  ICB Isaiah 22 presents a feast overshadowed by death. Matthew 22 presents the King's feast alongside the promise of resurrection. Song of Songs says: “Love is as strong as death.”   Song of Songs   8:6 The Bridegroom died and rose again.  In Christ, God's love conquers death.    Love God The great theme of Song of Songs is love. Matthew 22 later reaches the greatest commandment: “37 Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.'[a] 38 This is the first and most important command. ”  ICB Then: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself. ” So Matthew 22 begins with a wedding and proceeds to the great commandment of love.   The Key of David Perhaps the strongest connection between Matthew 22 and Isaiah 22 is here in Isaiah 22 verse 22: “I will put the key to the house of David around his neck. If he opens a door, no one will be able to close it. If he closes a door, no one will be able to open it.”   Matthew 22 ends with Jesus asking: “What do you think about the Christ? whose son is he?” They answer: “The Son of David.” Jesus then quotes Psalm 110, where David calls the Messiah Lord. The Messiah is David's Son, but also David's Lord. Revelation later takes the language of Isaiah 22 and applies it directly to Christ: 7 “Write this to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: “The One who is holy and true says this to you. He holds the key of David. When he opens something, it cannot be closed. And when he closes something, it cannot be opened.   Revelation 3:7  ICB Isaiah 22 gives the symbol — the key of David, representing authority over David's house. Matthew 22 identifies the person — the Christ is David's Son, yet also David's Lord. Revelation 3 confirms the connection — Jesus is the One who actually holds the key of David.  Life Application . “What do you think about the Christ? ”  In Song of Songs — Book 22 describes The king, the beloved, love, the bride, and the banquet. In Isaiah chapter 22, Jerusalem's failure to look to God, clothing, stewardship, the house of David and the key of David are introduced. Matthew 22:   The King, His Son, the wedding, the garment, resurrection, love, allegiance, the Son of David and David's Lord. Matthew 22 begins: “A certain king… made a marriage for his son.” It ends by revealing who that Son truly is.  He is the Son of David.  He is David's Lord.  He is the image of God.  He is the God of the living.  And He is the Son for whom the King has prepared the wedding. The great question of the chapter therefore remains: “What do you think about the Christ?”   Lord God,   Thank You for Your Word, which continually points us to Christ.  Thank You that You have prepared the wedding feast for Your Son.  May Jesus Christ receive all the honour that is due to Him, and may our hearts rejoice in His glory now and forever. Amen.

Send us your feedback — we're listening2 Corinthians 9:6 — Whoever Sows Generously Will Also Reap Generously: An Early Evening Prayer for Purpose and Generosity Themes: Purpose · Generosity · Faith Scripture — 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)  “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” As evening arrives, the pace changes. We can look back across the day and wonder what difference our choices have made. Perhaps we encouraged someone. Perhaps we missed an opportunity. Perhaps we gave more than we thought we had. Spoken Prayer Lord Jesus, as evening arrives, the pace changes. We can look back across the day and wonder what difference our choices have made. Perhaps we encouraged someone. Perhaps we missed an opportunity. Perhaps we gave more than we thought we had, or perhaps we are simply grateful that we made it through. Your Word reminds us that those who sow generously will also reap generously. Tonight, we are not measuring our worth by what we achieved. We are asking what we planted through our words, our kindness, our patience and our faithfulness. We pray for the family in South Africa, the worker in Germany, the person in Kenya, the household in Austria, the neighbour in Belgium, and the listener in France. Jesus, take the small things we have offered today and use them for Your purposes. Teach us that generosity is not only about money. It can be a listening ear, a patient answer, forgiveness offered, time given, encouragement spoken, or simply choosing love when it would have been easier to withdraw. Holy Spirit, show us where we can become more open-handed with our lives. Where disappointment has made us guarded, soften us. Where tiredness has made us impatient, restore grace. Where we have given faithfully without seeing results, help us trust You with the harvest. Jesus, we place today's seeds into Your hands. We do not need to see everything grow tonight. Let purpose remain alive in us as the day closes. May what we say and do carry Your love into tomorrow. Keep us generous in spirit, faithful in small things and willing to let You use our lives for something greater than ourselves. Amen. Blessing May Jesus make your life fruitful in ways you cannot always see. May generosity, kindness and faithfulness flow through you, and may God use even the smallest seed for His purposes About This Prayer An early evening prayer about purpose, generosity and the things we sow into other people's lives. Generosity is explored as a way of living, not simply as giving money. Global Discoverability A Christian early evening prayer for purpose, generosity and faithfulness. A prayer about sowing kindness, encouragement, forgiveness and love into the lives of others. early evening prayer for purpose; prayer for generosity; Christian prayer about giving; prayer for purpose and faith; prayer for kindness; prayer for being fruitful; Jesus prayer for generosity evening prayer, purpose, generosity, faith, giving, kindness, Jesus, Christian prayer, encouragement, sowing, daily prayer, fruitfulness eveningprayer, purpose, generosity, giving, faith, Jesus, kindness, prayer, Christian, fruitfulness Live from London, England — where faith meets the world in daily prayer and global hope. SUPPORT THE MINISTRY — BUY US A COFFEE If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Send us your feedback — we're listeningPhilippians 4:6 — Do Not Be Anxious About Anything: A Mid-Morning Prayer for Peace and Prayer Themes: Peace · Prayer · Trust Scripture — Philippians 4:6 (NIV) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” By mid-morning, the pace of the day can already be demanding. The phone may be busy, the workplace may be loud, and responsibilities may be gathering faster than expected. For someone listening, anxiety may have arrived quietly and settled into the heart. Spoken Prayer Lord Jesus, by mid-morning the pace of the day can already be demanding. The phone may be busy, the workplace may be loud, and responsibilities may be gathering faster than we expected. For someone listening, anxiety may have arrived quietly and settled into the heart. Your Word tells us not to be anxious about anything, but to bring everything to God in prayer. Philippians 4:6 does not pretend that pressure is imaginary. It teaches us where to take it. So we pray for the person in Russia facing uncertainty, the family in Ireland carrying concern, the student in South Korea under pressure, the worker in Botswana trying to keep everything together, the household in the Netherlands waiting for an answer, and the person in Israel who needs peace in the middle of a difficult day. Jesus, we bring You the things we cannot control. We bring the conversation we are worried about, the decision we have been postponing, the financial pressure, the concern for someone we love, and the thoughts that keep running ahead of us. Holy Spirit, slow the rush within us. Teach us to breathe, to pray, and to trust. Let gratitude begin to interrupt anxiety, not because every problem has disappeared, but because Jesus is present in the middle of it. Lord, give us wisdom for the next conversation and grace for the next task. Guard our words when we are frustrated. Keep our hearts tender when pressure makes us defensive. We do not need to carry the whole day at once. We bring this moment to You. Let Your peace settle into the places where anxiety has been speaking the loudest, and help us continue with Jesus, one faithful step at a time. Amen. Blessing May the peace of Jesus meet you in the middle of this day. May anxiety give way to prayer, and may your heart discover fresh confidence in God's presence. About This Prayer A mid-morning prayer for anxiety, pressure and the responsibilities that begin to build during the day. Bring what you cannot control to Jesus and receive His peace. Global Discoverability A Christian mid-morning prayer for anxiety, peace and trust in God. A prayer for workers, families, students and anyone who needs to pause and bring today's pressures to Jesus. mid-morning prayer for anxiety; prayer for peace during the day; Christian prayer for anxiety; prayer when feeling overwhelmed; prayer at work; prayer for peace and trust; Jesus prayer mid-morning prayer, anxiety, peace, prayer, trust, Jesus, Christian prayer, work prayer, encouragement, faith, daily prayer, God's peace midmorning, anxiety, peace, prayer, trust, Jesus, faith, Christian, encouragement, DailyPrayer Live from London, England — where faith meets the world in daily prayer and global hope. SUPPORT THE MINISTRY — BUY US A COFFEE If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Send us your feedback — we're listeningDeuteronomy 31:8 — He Will Never Leave You: A Morning Prayer for Courage and Protection Themes: God Goes Before Us · Courage · Protection Scripture  Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)  “He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Before the day gathers speed, there is a quiet moment when we can choose where we will place our trust. Some people are already carrying responsibilities they have not told anyone about. Others are stepping into uncertainty, wondering whether they will have enough strength for what is ahead. Spoken Prayer Father, before the day gathers speed, we come to You just as we are. Some people listening are carrying responsibilities they have not told anyone about. Others are stepping into uncertainty, wondering whether they will have enough strength for what is ahead. Lord Jesus, meet us there. Your Word reminds us that You go before us, that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:8 turns our attention away from the unknown and towards the God who is already there. Jesus, go before the person getting ready for work in the United States, the parent beginning another demanding day in the United Kingdom, the student in New Zealand, the worker in Singapore, the family in Japan, and the person facing a difficult decision in South Africa. Let Your presence become more real than the fear in front of them. Holy Spirit, steady our breathing and quiet the rush inside us. Give courage where confidence has weakened. Protect homes, journeys, conversations and decisions today. Where there is pressure, give wisdom. Where there is vulnerability, bring Your covering. Where someone feels alone, let them know they are not abandoned. Lord Jesus, we place this day into Your hands. We do not need to carry tomorrow before it arrives. You are already ahead of us. Lead us, guard us, and keep our hearts close to You. Give us courage for what is in front of us and faith for what we cannot yet see. Amen. Blessing May the Lord go before you today. May His presence steady your heart, His wisdom guide your decisions, and His protection surround you. Go into this day knowing that Jesus is with you. About This Prayer A morning prayer for anyone facing uncertainty, responsibility or fear. Begin the day by remembering that God goes before you and that Jesus does not leave you to face today alone. Global Discoverability Morning prayer for courage, protection and God's presence. A Christian prayer for starting the day with faith, confidence and trust in Jesus. Created in London, England, for listeners around the world. morning prayer for courage and protection; prayer before work; prayer for God's presence; Christian morning prayer; prayer for a difficult day; prayer when feeling afraid; Jesus prayer for courage morning prayer, courage, protection, God's presence, Christian prayer, Jesus, faith, confidence, prayer before work, daily prayer, London prayer, global prayer morningprayer, courage, protection, faith, Jesus, prayer, confidence, presence, Christian, DailyPrayerSupport the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

Send us your feedback — we're listening Hebrews 4:15–16 — Approach the Throne of Grace: A Night Prayer for Peace and Rest Themes: Jesus Understands · Grace · Rest Scripture — Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)  “Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence.” Night has a way of making the heart speak more quietly. When the noise of the day disappears, worries can seem louder. Some people are tired in their bodies; others are tired deep within. Tonight, we do not need to solve everything. We can come to Jesus. Spoken Prayer Jesus, night has a way of making the heart speak more quietly. When the noise of the day disappears, worries can seem louder. Some people listening are tired in their bodies; others are tired deep within. Tonight, we do not need to solve everything. We can come to You. Your Word says that we have a great High Priest who understands our weaknesses, and Hebrews 4:16 invites us to approach God's throne of grace with confidence. We do not come because we have earned our way in. We come because Jesus has opened the way. So tonight we pray for the person in Ireland who has carried too much, the family in South Korea waiting for peace, the person in Botswana facing uncertainty, the household in the Netherlands longing for reassurance, the person in Israel carrying concern, and the listener in Zimbabwe who simply needs somewhere safe to breathe. Lord Jesus, we bring You our tiredness without shame. We bring the thoughts that keep circling, the fears about tomorrow, and the disappointments of today. Holy Spirit, breathe Your quiet presence into every room and every heart. Teach us to receive rest as a gift, not something we have to earn. Let our breathing slow. Let our shoulders relax. Let the mind release what it cannot settle tonight. Jesus, You understand us completely, and You remain near. We place tomorrow in Your hands. We do not need to watch over everything through the night. Your grace is enough for this moment. So we rest beneath Your care, trusting that when morning comes, Your mercy will meet us there. Amen. Blessing May the peace of Christ settle over you tonight. May His grace quiet your heart, His presence remain near, and His love give you permission to rest. About This Prayer A night prayer for people who are physically or emotionally tired. Jesus understands our weakness, welcomes us with grace and gives us somewhere safe to place the burdens of the day. Global Discoverability Night prayer for peace, rest and surrender. A Christian bedtime prayer for anxiety, tiredness, unanswered questions and anyone who needs to rest in the presence of Jesus. night prayer for peace; bedtime prayer; prayer for rest; Christian prayer before sleep; prayer for anxiety at night; Jesus prayer for peace; prayer when you are exhausted night prayer, bedtime prayer, peace, rest, Jesus, grace, anxiety, sleep, Christian prayer, surrender, daily prayer, faith nightprayer, bedtime, peace, rest, Jesus, grace, sleep, faith, prayer, Christian Live from London, England — where faith meets the world in daily prayer and global hope. SUPPORT THE MINISTRY — BUY US A COFFEE If DailyPrayer.uk is helping you, please consider supporting the ministry or sowing a seed into this work. You can buy us a coffee and help us continue creating daily prayer for people around the world.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper is now reaching people across 189 countries and territories and 3,845 cities worldwide, with an incredible 114,274 downloads since launch.Through Daily Prayer and the Global Blend Radio network, biblical prayer, Scripture, encouragement and Christian teaching continue to reach people across the nations every day.Daily Prayer is a listener-supported ministry, and your support helps us continue recording, hosting and broadcasting these prayers while keeping them freely available to anyone who needs encouragement, hope or a moment with God.If Daily Prayer has encouraged you, strengthened your faith or helped you through a difficult season, you can support the ministry with any amount you choose. There is no fixed donation — every contribution, whether one-off or regular, helps us continue sharing prayer and biblical encouragement around the world.You can support the ministry through:Global Blend Radio:https://globalblendradio.com/Buy Me a Coffee – Reverend Ben Cooper:https://buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooperFor daily prayers, biblical encouragement, live broadcasts and to submit a prayer request, visit:DailyPrayer.ukhttps://dailyprayer.uk/Together, we can continue keepi...

People who believe that God used evolution to bring about all living things claim that the Bible and evolution are telling the same story using different words. They say that everything in both stories happens in the same order. But is this really true?In the Bible, the earth was made before the sun, while evolution insists that the sun existed before the earth. Genesis tells us that sea creatures, which would include whales, were made a day before land animals. Evolution says that whales evolved from preexisting land animals. For that matter, the Bible says that land plants were made before life in the ocean, while evolution claims that life, including plants, started in the ocean. Genesis tells us that fruit trees were the first living things created. Evolution claims that fruit trees evolved fairly recently in geological history. The Bible teaches that birds were created before land animals. Evolution says that birds evolved from earlier land animals.We could go on with still more contradictions between Genesis and evolution. It should be clear that they are not telling the same story. And there is one more, and most important contradiction between the two stories. While the Bible teaches that death is a result of our sin, evolution says that death is natural and was part of the evolutionary process. Evolution offers us no eternal hope. The Bible teaches that Jesus' death on the cross does offer us hope through salvation and eternal life.Genesis 1:1“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”Prayer: Lord, keep me in Your Word so I may never be misled into false belief. Amen.Ref.: Back to Genesis [ICR], p. d,"Could Evolution and Creation Be Telling the Same Story in Different Ways?" To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Welcome to Day 2954 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2954– “Marching Orders for True Disciples” – Luke 12:13-34 Putnam Church Message – 09/13/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “The Testimony of a Fool”   Last week, our message was “Marching Orders For True Disciples,” and we learned to Live truthfully.  Fear God reverently.  Confess Christ boldly.  Trust the Spirit completely. Today, we continue with our thirty-eighth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “The Testimony of a Fool.” Our core passage today is Luke 12:13-34, starting on page 1617 of your pew Bibles. The Parable of the Rich Fool 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I'll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”' 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Do Not Worry 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Opening Prayer Father, thank You for every good gift You have placed in our hands. Forgive us when we confuse Your gifts with our security, when we measure life by what we own, or when worry convinces us that everything depends on us. Lord Jesus, teach us today to live with eternity in view. Free us from greed, fear, worry, and selfishness. Teach us to seek Your Kingdom first, to hold possessions loosely, and to treasure what cannot be taken away. Holy Spirit, open our hearts to Your Word and give us wisdom to live as faithful stewards of everything You have entrusted to us. In Jesus' name, amen. Introduction: What Matters at the End? Several years ago, Senator Paul Tsongas faced a life-changing diagnosis. / After years in public office, he learned that he had cancer. He chose to leave political life and focus on his health and family. A friend wrote him a letter affirming that decision and included a line that has been repeated many times since: “No man ever said on his deathbed, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office.'” There is something about coming face-to-face with mortality that rearranges priorities. Suddenly, some things that seemed urgent are not quite so urgent. The meeting can wait. The possession is less impressive. The argument seems smaller. The people we love become more precious. Time becomes more valuable. Eternity becomes more real. Jesus wanted His disciples to learn that perspective before they reached their deathbeds. / He wanted them to understand that life is too important to waste chasing things that cannot last. Last week, in “Marching Orders for True Disciples,” Jesus told His followers not to fear people, not to live hypocritically, |but to confess Him openly, and to trust the Holy Spirit. Today He turns to another set of enemies that can quietly derail discipleship: Greed. / Worry. / Fear. / Selfishness. And all four revolve around one question: Where is your treasure? The title of our message is: “Testimony of a Fool.” And the central truth is this: A person can be rich in possessions and bankrupt toward God—or rich toward God regardless of how much or how little they own.  So, let's explore four truths today that will help us understand why being rich toward God is so important; you can find them on your bulletin insert on the side, under “The Testimony of a Fool.” Truth 1: Life Does Not Consist in What We Possess Luke 12:13–15 The scene begins with a man in the crowd saying: “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me.” On the surface, that sounds reasonable. / In first-century Jewish society, inheritance law was clearly defined. Deuteronomy 21 said the firstborn son received a double portion, while the remainder was divided among the other sons. Just like lawyers today, Rabbis were often asked to arbitrate disputes. / So this man apparently sees Jesus as a respected teacher who can settle the matter. But Jesus hears something deeper. / He refuses to become merely an estate lawyer and says: “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” Then Jesus turns to the crowd and says: “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” / That is the real issue. Greed Is Hard to Recognize in Ourselves Most sins are easier to identify. We know what lying looks like. We know what stealing looks like. We know what adultery looks like. But greed is sneaky. Nobody wakes up and says: “I think I'll be greedy today.” Greed usually sounds more respectable. “I just want a little security.” “I deserve what is mine.” “If I had a little more, I could relax.” “I'm not asking for too much.” And, conveniently, we usually define greed as having more than what we have. / If someone has twice our income, maybe they are greedy. / If someone owns more property, maybe they are greedy. But Jesus does not define greed by a dollar amount. / He defines it by priority. / A person can have little and still be consumed by possessions.

ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਭਗਤ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜੀ ਕੀ ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਹਮ ਸਰਿ ਦੀਨੁ ਦਇਆਲੁ ਨ ਤੁਮ ਸਰਿ ਅਬ ਪਤੀਆਰੁ ਕਿਆ ਕੀਜੈ ॥ ਬਚਨੀ ਤੋਰ ਮੋਰ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨੈ ਜਨ ਕਉ ਪੂਰਨੁ ਦੀਜੈ ॥੧॥ ਹਉ ਬਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਉ ਰਮਈਆ ਕਾਰਨੇ ॥ ਕਾਰਨ ਕਵਨ ਅਬੋਲ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਬਹੁਤ ਜਨਮ ਬਿਛੁਰੇ ਥੇ ਮਾਧਉ ਇਹੁ ਜਨਮੁ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਰੇ ਲੇਖੇ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਆਸ ਲਗਿ ਜੀਵਉ ਚਿਰ ਭਇਓ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਦੇਖੇ ॥੨॥੧॥ ਅਰਥ: (ਹੇ ਮਾਧੋ!) ਮੇਰੇ ਵਰਗਾ ਕੋਈ ਨਿਮਾਣਾ ਨਹੀਂ, ਤੇ, ਤੇਰੇ, ਵਰਗਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਦਇਆ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਨਹੀਂ, (ਮੇਰੀ ਕੰਗਾਲਤਾ ਦਾ) ਹੁਣ ਹੋਰ ਪਰਤਾਵਾ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਨਹੀਂ। (ਹੇ ਸੋਹਣੇ ਰਾਮ!) ਮੈਨੂੰ ਦਾਸ ਨੂੰ ਇਹ ਪੂਰਨ ਸਿਦਕ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ ਕਿ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਦੀਆਂ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਪਰਚ ਜਾਇਆ ਕਰੇ।੧। ਹੇ ਸੋਹਣੇ ਰਾਮ! ਮੈਂ ਤੈਥੋਂ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਕੇ ਹਾਂ; ਤੂੰ ਕਿਸ ਗੱਲੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਬੋਲਦਾ?।ਰਹਾਉ। ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਆਖਦਾ ਹੈ-ਹੇ ਮਾਧੋ! ਕਈ ਜਨਮਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਤੈਥੋਂ ਵਿਛੁੜਿਆ ਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ (ਮਿਹਰ ਕਰ, ਮੇਰਾ) ਇਹ ਜਨਮ ਤੇਰੀ ਯਾਦ ਵਿਚ ਬੀਤੇ; ਤੇਰਾ ਦੀਦਾਰ ਕੀਤਿਆਂ ਬੜਾ ਚਿਰ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, (ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਦੀ) ਆਸ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ ਮੈਂ ਜੀਊਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।੨।੧। ਭਾਵ: ਪ੍ਰਭੂ-ਦਰ ਤੇ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਅਰਦਾਸ। DHANAASAREE, DEVOTEE RAVI DAAS JEE: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: There is none as forlorn as I am, and none as Compassionate as You; what need is there to test us now? May my mind surrender to Your Word; please, bless Your humble servant with this perfection. || 1 || I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Lord. O Lord, why are You silent? || Pause || For so many incarnations, I have been separated from You, Lord; I dedicate this life to You. Says Ravi Daas: placing my hopes in You, I live; it is so long since I have gazed upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. || 2 || 1 ||

Late summer and early fall bring a familiar rhythm: school schedules resume, new work projects launch, church programs begin, and the calendar fills back up almost immediately. Routines become necessary to manage it all. Over time, those routines become automatic. The mind moves through them almost without noticing, and gradually, the whole of life can shrink down to the level of a to-do list. The wonder hidden inside the ordinary goes unseen, not because it is not there, but because we have stopped looking for it. Lamentations 3:22-23 reframes every ordinary morning with a truth that is anything but ordinary: God's love never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, and they are new every single morning. Not the same mercies recycled from yesterday. New ones, freshly given, waiting to be received. That means even the simple act of waking up when an alarm goes off is an occasion for something more than automation. It is a daily invitation to notice that God's love and faithfulness are present again, available again, ready to be discovered again in every corner of the day. The cup of coffee poured before work, the familiar commute route, the school drop-off, the repetitive task; God is in all of it. His presence goes with us into kitchens, carpools, classrooms, and offices. His mercies are woven through every hour. The routines do not have to be an obstacle to wonder. They can become the very places where we find it. Today's Bible Verse "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning."— Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV Ponder Today God's mercies are not repetitive — they are new every morning. Even when our routines feel identical day after day, God's faithfulness and compassion are freshly given each day. Every morning is an opportunity to receive what has never been offered in quite this form before. Wonder is hidden inside ordinary life — but we have to look for it. The same faithful God who sustained His people in Bible times is present with you in your kitchen, your carpool, and your commute. Looking for glimpses of His love and mercy is what transforms the automatic into the sacred. Routines can shrink life down to the level of a to-do list — or they can become opportunities. The difference is not the routine itself but the perspective we bring to it. Seeing each repeated task as an occasion to notice God's presence changes what the routine produces in us. God does not get tired of your routines — He meets you right in the middle of them. His love goes with you into every ordinary space your schedule takes you. You do not have to leave the routine to find Him. He is already there. Approaching each day with fresh hope is itself an act of faith. Lamentations was written in the middle of devastating circumstances, and yet it contains one of Scripture's most hope-filled declarations. New mercies do not require improved circumstances. They only require eyes willing to receive them. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, thank You for the gift of each day You give me to live. Sometimes the daily routines I repeat over and over shrink my perspective down to the level of my to-do list. But I know there is much more You want me to notice and experience, even on my busiest days. Your Word reminds me that Your love never stops and that Your mercies are new every morning. Please help me slow down enough to see the signs of Your wonderful work every day, including in the middle of my daily routines. As children return to school and work starts a new season, open my eyes to the extraordinary wonder hidden in the ordinary tasks I do. Let the routines of my life remind me of Your faithful love and mercy. Thank You for pouring Your love and mercy into my life every single day. Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Edge God In Podcast 338: The Book of 2 Chronicles: Returning to the Center EdgeGodIn.com | Host: Estella Chavous Championing Human Potential in Christ Download Bible Study Template Learning Objectivesz By the end of this podcast and Bible study, participants will be able to: Understand that we are to be strong and courageous for God is with you. Understanding the story of God’s people Understanding how 2 Chronicles fits into the EIC Method Three key areas of understanding: Seeking God Requires Intention Spiritual Renewal Begins With Course Correction God can meet us in Moments of Uncertainty Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 7:14 | 2 Chronicles 15:2 | 2 Chronicles 16:9 | 2 Chronicles 20:12 | 2 Chronicles 20:15 | 2 Chronicles 31:21 | 2 Chronicles 30:6 | 2 Chronicles 34:27 | Prayer Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word and for the reminder that our lives can easily become distracted by what is happening around us. As we begin our study of 2 Chronicles, help us understand what it means to keep You at the center of our lives. Teach us to recognize when our hearts have become distracted. Show us the places where our priorities have shifted. Help us understand that spiritual renewal often begins with a decision to return to You. Give us wisdom to recognize the difference between activity and true worship. Give us humility to receive correction. Give us courage to make changes when You reveal something that needs to change. Help us seek You—not simply when we need something, but because You are worthy of being sought. Teach us to respond to Your presence with humility, obedience, prayer, and worship. When life becomes complicated,  when we become discouraged and when we make mistakes , remind us that repentance opens the door to restoration. May our lives continually point back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Support Resources: Books & Resources: Understanding and Acting on Behaviors that lead to Christ-Filled Relationships: Designed to uncover the key behaviors that influence how you relate to Christ-Awareness, Discernment, Emotion, and Renewal. Situational Meditation Theory and Practice: Finding this space and learning to engage in meditation, contemplation and reflection. Situational Meditation Journal: A companion to the book, cultivating a lifestyle of presence and full engagement in the moment. Emotional Intelligence in Christ Project: Book, 6-Week Study Guide & Course

Read OnlineA Heart Open to GraceWhen a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” Luke 8:4–8God always takes the initiative in our lives. We do not need to persuade Him to care for us or to extend His grace—He already does. Our relationship with Him is one of response: He sows, and we are called to receive. We say “Yes” to Him, allowing His will to take root in our lives. At the heart of His divine will is the call to hear and embrace His Word. Today's Gospel presents one of Jesus' most familiar parables, rich in meaning and imagery for prayer. God is the Divine Sower, and the seed is His Word. That Word is not merely a message or set of teachings—it is the Person of Christ Himself, the Incarnate Word of God. This is one of the great mysteries of our faith. Christ is sown into the hearts of the faithful. We are not invited to solve this mystery but to receive it, enter it, ponder it, and allow it to transform us.To enter more deeply into this mystery, imagine God the Father sowing the seed of His Son into the soil of your soul. Once we understand that Christ Himself is the Divine Seed, it becomes clear that Christianity is not merely about following a moral code or ethical system. Rather, it is about being interiorly transformed by Christ's living presence. He is planted in us by grace, takes root in our souls, and grows, bearing spiritual fruit.This parable also challenges us to examine the condition of our hearts. Are we hardened like the path, distracted like the rocky ground, or choked by worldly concerns like the soil filled with thorns? Or are we striving to be rich, tilled soil—open, receptive, and ready to nurture the life of Christ within?If we extend the parable further and consider the entire field, it is consoling and inspiring to recognize the countless other souls with rich soil who also receive the living Word of God and in whom He grows and bears fruit. As members of the Body of Christ, we are not alone. We are part of a vast field, tilled and watered by divine grace.And yet, there remains so much more to be done. Many hearts have not yet received Christ. Many remain hardened, distracted, or choked by the anxieties and pleasures of life. By receiving the Word of God and bearing fruit ourselves, we also produce seeds—seeds of the Incarnate Word meant to be sown into the lives of others. The Divine Sower desires to extend His mission through us until the end of the age.Though this parable primarily focuses on the condition of our own hearts, we can also discern in it the urgency of the Gospel mission. The Divine Sower seeks laborers who will help sow the Word far and wide, expanding the field of the Church and multiplying its fruit.Reflect today on the high ideals set forth in the Parable of the Sower. Move from concept to reality. This parable is not only meant to inspire, it is meant to prompt action. First, open your heart to Christ the Word through daily prayer, participation in the Sacraments, and works of charity. Then, become a co-worker with Christ. In what ways can you assist the Divine Sower? To whom can you be an instrument of the Word of God? Be receptive to His grace and resolute in your mission, that the Field of God's Kingdom may continue to grow and flourish. My Divine Sower and Eternal Word, You urgently desire that all people come to know You by forming hearts of fertile soil, receptive to Your saving Word. Please till the soil of my heart. Remove every weed of sin, every rock of resistance, and every thorn of worldly care. Enrich me with the grace I need so that Your Word may take deep root and bear abundant fruit. Make me also an instrument of Your divine work, sowing the seeds of Your Word in the hearts of others. Through me, may the mission of the Church flourish and Your Kingdom be extended to the ends of the earth. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Psalm 130:1-7 "O Lord, I have cried to You out of the deep places. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears hear the voice of my prayers. If you, Lord, should write down our sins, O Lord, who could stand? But You are the One Who forgives, so You are honored with fear. I wait for the Lord. My soul waits and I hope in His Word. My soul waits for the Lord more than one who watches for the morning; yes, more than one who watches for the morning. … hope in the Lord! For there is loving-kindness with the Lord. With Him we are saved for sure."David has worked through a great deal in his life. He has literally worked out his relationship with God to live in a state of security and blessing once again. He does not claim to be without sin now, but rather, he knows where to go when he does and to go quickly! Being aquatinted with our shortcomings produces humility and a correct posture of dependency on God for His grace and Power.David confesses that God is the only One who forgives, He is loving and kind, and the path to certain salvation. Can you confess with same assurance that the same God that David is talking about here from thousands of years ago is active and available today to you in real time.How would it change the way you approach your day, your relationships to live in the full acceptance of God's loving and kind forgiveness?Also, If God has forgiven you, isn't it time to let the weight of toxic shame go - and be empowered by the grace forgiveness and acceptance that the God of the universe extends to you.A free life is fully available every day, all the time, with God.Let's turn Psalm 130 into our prayer today:"O Lord, I have cried to You out of the deep places. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears hear the voice of my prayers. You are the One Who forgives. I wait for You, Lord. My soul waits and I hope in Your Word. My soul waits for You, Lord, more than one who watches for the morning; yes, more than one who watches for the morning. I put my hope in You, Lord! For there is loving-kindness with You, Lord. With You, I am saved for sure. … As above, so below." - Amen

Secular archaeologists usually assume that the historical statements found in Scripture are overstatements or simply incorrect. It was with this attitude that archaeologists approached the ruins of Hazor to see if they could tell whether Solomon actually did add to the wall of Hazor and build other structures there, as the Bible says. Hazor was an important city on the primary military and trade routes between Israel and Phoenicia, Syria, Mesopotamia and Egypt.Hazor had been destroyed by Joshua when Israel took possession of the Promised Land. Over the following centuries the site began to be inhabited by Israelites. By Solomon's time, the city reached a size of about 10 acres and was home to between 800 and 1,000 people. Archaeologists found that sometime during the reign of Solomon, the city wall was expanded, doubling the size. Other buildings also were added at this time. Excavations show that at Solomon's time the city was prosperous. The city's six-chambered gate is typical of the gates Israel built at this time. Gates of the same design also exist at Megiddo and Gezer, two other cities named as being fortified by Solomon, according to the same verse that mentions the fortification of Hazor!Again, the Bible has been vindicated as presenting accurate history. We can be equally sure that the Bible's account of creation is accurate because the Bible is God's Word.1 Kings 9:15“And this is the reason for the levy which king Solomon raised: for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.”Prayer: Dear Father, I thank You that Your Word is trustworthy in all things, for it tells me of my salvation in Jesus Christ. Amen.Ref: Biblical Archaeology Review, "Solomon's City Rises from the Ashes." Image: Tel-Hazor-1821, Bukvoed, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Today we come to four short instructions that are especially important in a time when we are constantly surrounded bycompeting voices and spiritual claims. Paul writes: “Do not quench theSpirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.Abstain from every form of evil.”  FirstPaul says: “Do not quench the Spirit.” The word “quench” is normallyused of putting out a fire. The Holy Spirit is often pictured in Scripture inconnection with fire. Paul is saying, “Do not resist or suppress the work ofGod's Spirit in your life.” How can we quench the Spirit? We can ignore Hisconviction. We can knowingly hold on to sin. We can refuse to obey somethingGod has clearly shown us in His Word. We can become spiritually cold andindifferent. The Holy Spirit desires to work in us and through us. Paul tellsus: Don't put out the fire. Thenhe says: “Do not despise prophecies.” In the early church, before theNew Testament Scriptures were completed, God used prophetic utterances in aspecial way to communicate His truth. But Paul immediately gives an importantbalance. Verse 21 says: “Test all things.” In other words: Don't believeeverything simply because someone claims it came from God. That is tremendouslyimportant today. Just because someone says: “God told me…” does notautomatically make their words true. Just because a preacher says somethingwith confidence does not mean it is biblical. Just because something appears onthe Internet, television, or social media doesn't mean we should accept it. Paulsays: “Test all things.” Whatis our test? The Word of God. The Bereans in Acts 17 were commended becausethey received Paul's teaching eagerly but then: “Searched the Scripturesdaily to find out whether these things were so.” Think about that. Theyeven checked the teaching of the apostle Paul against the Scriptures! That is awonderful example for us. Don't simply ask: “Does this sound good?” Ask: “Is itbiblical?” Don't ask only: “Is this preacher popular?” Ask: “Is what he issaying consistent with God's Word?” Don't accept a teaching merely because itmakes you feel good. Test it by Scripture. ThenPaul says: “Hold fast what is good.” Once something has been tested andfound true, don't let it go. There are some truths we should hold with a firmgrip. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died for our sins. He rose bodily fromthe grave. Salvation is by grace through faith. The Bible is God's Word. Jesusis coming again. Hold fast. Our culture changes rapidly. God's truthdoes not. Thenverse 22 says: “Abstain from every form of evil.” The Christian lifeinvolves both holding on and letting go. Hold fast to what is good. Stay awayfrom what is evil. Sometimes we ask, “How close can I get to something sinfulwithout actually crossing the line?” That is the wrong question. Paul says: “Abstain.”Move away from evil. Joseph demonstrated that in Genesis 39 when Potiphar'swife tempted him. He didn't stay there and discuss the situation. He fled. SecondTimothy 2:22 says: “Flee also youthful lusts.” There are times when themost spiritual thing we can do is simply get away from the temptation.  Thesefour instructions give us a wonderful pattern for spiritual discernment: Don'tresist the Holy Spirit. Don't reject truth merely because it challenges you. Testeverything by God's Word. Hold tightly to what is good and stay away from whatis evil. We desperately need that kind of discernment today. Let'spray. Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit and Your Word.Help us not to resist or quench the work of Your Spirit in our hearts. Give usdiscernment so that we do not believe every spiritual claim we hear. Teach usto test everything by the truth of Scripture. Help us hold fast to what is goodand faithfully reject every form of evil. In a world filled with confusion andcompeting voices, keep our hearts and minds anchored firmly in Your truth. InJesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Welcome to Day 2949 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2949– “Marching Orders for True Disciples” – Luke 11:37-54 Putnam Church Message – 09/06/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Marching Orders For True Disciples”   Last week, our message was “Clean From The Inside Out,” and we learned that we must let Christ make us clean...from the inside out. Today, we continue with our thirty-seventh message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Marching Orders For True Disciples.” Our core passage today is Luke 12:1-12, starting on page 1616 of your pew Bibles. Warnings and Encouragements 12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be[a] on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. 4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Opening Prayer Father, as we open Your Word today, give us ears to hear the marching orders of our King. Lord Jesus, protect us from hypocrisy, fear, denial, and anxious self-reliance. Give us courage to live openly before You, to fear God more than people, to confess Your name without shame, and to trust the Holy Spirit when we do not know what to say. Prepare us not merely to follow You when the crowds are cheering, but to remain faithful when the road becomes difficult. Holy Spirit, strengthen our hearts and shape us into true disciples. In Jesus' name, amen. Introduction: Marching Orders Before the Battle As Jesus looked ahead, the cross was looming larger on the horizon. Back in Luke 9, Jesus had set His face toward Jerusalem. From that point forward, every road, every conversation, every miracle, every confrontation was taking Him closer to betrayal, trial, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. And when Jesus looked over His shoulder, what did He see? / Thousands of people. / Luke describes a crowd numbering literally tens of thousands—so large and disorderly that people were stepping on one another. From the outside, it probably looked like tremendous success. / If we had been Jesus' public-relations advisers, we might have said: “Jesus, this is working!” “The crowds are growing.” “The movement is expanding.” “The religious establishment is nervous.” “You have momentum.” But Jesus knew something the crowd did not know. They imagined triumph in Jerusalem. / Jesus knew the cross awaited Him there. They imagined Rome being defeated. / Jesus knew He would be nailed to a Roman cross. They imagined religious leaders finally recognizing Him. / Jesus knew those leaders were already plotting against Him. They imagined glory without suffering. / Jesus knew glory would come through And somewhere within that enormous crowd were genuine disciples—men and women who would soon need courage greater than they could imagine. So Jesus turns to them first. / It is almost like a commanding officer gathering the troops before battle. / “Listen carefully.” / “This is what you need to remember.” / “These are your marching orders.” And the setting makes these instructions especially important. Last week, in “Clean From The Inside Out,” Jesus confronted the Pharisees and religious lawyers. He exposed outward religion without inward transformation. He condemned leaders who looked clean but carried pride, greed, hypocrisy, and spiritual corruption within. Now Jesus turns to His disciples and essentially says: “Do not become like them.” The danger is not merely that Pharisees exist. / The danger is that pharisaism can spread. / Like yeast. / Quietly. / Gradually. / Almost invisibly. So Jesus gives His followers four commands: Beware of hypocrisy. Fear God rather than people. Confess Christ openly. Trust the Holy Spirit when opposition comes. Those marching orders are just as necessary today. So let's explore these four commands as disciples of Christ as listed in your bulletin insert on the side that says: Marching Orders for True Disciples. Command 1: Guard Your Heart Against the Leaven of Hypocrisy (Vs 1-3) Jesus begins: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy.” That is a fascinating image. / Jesus does not say the Pharisees themselves are the greatest danger. / He says their hypocrisy is dangerous because hypocrisy spreads like yeast through dough. Ancient Context: Leaven People in Jesus' day knew this image immediately. / They baked bread regularly. / A baker might save a small piece of fermented dough from yesterday's batch and knead it into fresh dough. (Like sourdough starter) It was tiny compared with the whole lump. / But give it time. / Eventually, it permeated everything. That is Jesus' warning. / Hypocrisy usually does not take over a life overnight. / It begins small. / One concealed compromise. / One little performance. / One difference between what we say publicly and what we practice privately. / One moment where appearance becomes more important than truth. / Then another. / And another. / Eventually, we become comfortable playing a role. What Is Hypocrisy? The Greek word came from the world of theater. / An actor would wear a mask and portray someone he was not. / Onstage, that was expected. But Jesus says the Christian life must never become a stage performance. Hypocrisy says: “I want people to believe something about me that is not actually true.” It is possible to lie without saying a word. / We can lie with behavior. / We can appear humble while craving applause. / Appear generous while resenting every gift. / Appear forgiving while privately...

Introduction: To Support the Church, Each of You Give Something (1 Corinthians 16:1-4) To SUPPORT THE CHURCH , each of you give something. (1 Cor 16:1-4) To support the church, EACH OF YOU give something . (1 Cor 16:2) To support the church, each of you GIVE SOMETHING . (1 Cor 16:2) Give Something. You Have to Consider: Am I giving INTENTIONALLY ? Am I giving PROPORTIONALLY ? Am I giving EXPECTANTLY ? Luke 6:38 - give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Unified and Purified: Giving an Offering Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:05Let's open up your Bibles to the passage that Max just read. 1 Corinthians chapter 16. While you're turning there, let's just pause for a moment and I'm going to ask that you would please pray for me to communicate God's Word clearly and accurately as I should. And I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord is teaching us in our passage today. Let's pray.00:34Our Father in Heaven, as Bob said just a few moments ago, this is Your book. We believe that You wrote this book. And I pray that we would give it the attention and the obedience and just the high regard that it deserves because it is Your communication to us.01:04We believe that, Father, and we believe that it is through Your Word and Your Spirit working together in our hearts that transformation happens. I pray, God, that today would be a day of transformation. To Your glory and honor, we pray all of this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and all of God's people said, Amen.01:351 Corinthians chapter 16.01:36Are you there?01:39Last week when I was preaching, I had a suit jacket on.01:47And right in the middle of the sermon, the top button just broke off.01:54Nothing makes you feel more like a fatty McButter pants than your button bursting right in the middle of just talking.02:04No jacket today.02:08You know, I was sharing this with Pastor Taylor, and he seemed genuinely surprised when I told him that I was able to sew the button back on.02:18I'll probably have to use reinforced thread or something stretchy.02:23But I think he was genuinely surprised that I was able to sew the button back on.02:28It's not complicated, right?02:31It's not complicated.02:34At our house, we have a hyperbaric chamber.02:39It's one of the portable deals.02:40Just imagine like a seven-foot-long, like indestructible balloon.02:45It's a pressurized chamber that you get inside.02:49And the whole deal works because it has these valves, right?02:53And the valves know when to kick on to regulate the pressure.02:57Well, years ago, one of the valves broke. And I called the company and I said, I need to get new valves. And they took my order and they said they're going to send them out. And I said, well, I don't know how to put the valves on. And the guy on the phone talked to me like I was an idiot. He goes, you just take the old ones off and you put the new ones on. And I'm like, Look, I'm a pastor. I went to Bible college because it was just one book that you needed to buy. I am not a hyperbaric chamber repair technician. They did not cover that in Bible college. I don't know how to do this. I'm like stressing. I told the guy, I'm like, I don't know how to do this. Like, what kind of tools I need. I mean, my parents were both bankers. I didn't come from a long line of, hyperbaric chamber repair people. Like, I don't know how to do this. And he goes, you just take the old ones off. You put the new ones on. He goes, we'll send them out. And if you need help, just give us a call. And I got to tell you, I was so stressed about this. Like, I don't know how to do this. Do you know how to do this? Like, who do I even call? Who do I call? Who do I call? I didn't know Krauss at the time. I mean, does he have experience? Who do I call? I was so stressing about this. And I got the valves in the and I grabbed a bunch of tools and I went down and when I took the valves out of the box they were just threaded at the end. And I said no it can't be. And I took the old ones and unscrewed it off and I screwed the new one. It was almost, almost, almost as hard as changing a light bulb.04:57It wasn't complicated.05:00The button on my jacket.05:02The valve.05:04Important stuff.05:05Not denying.05:05Important stuff.05:06It's not complicated.05:08It's not complicated.05:10And today, we're going to talk about how to give in the church.05:18And I've got to tell you, I spent a lot of time studying this passage this week.05:24And here's the conclusion I think we'll all come up with after we study it together.05:29When it comes to giving, it's not complicated.05:34Now, this message, it's about giving.05:37Okay, this isn't a guilt trip.05:39We're not in crisis as a church.05:41Pastor Rich is going to give us an update later.05:45Why are we talking about giving?05:46Because we go straight through the text.05:48We go where the text goes, right?05:50That's what we do.05:51And that is the subject of this passage.05:53We get to the end of 1 Corinthians. We've been going through this. We had the resurrection chapter, chapter 15. And now when we get to the home stretch here, chapter 16, over the next few weeks, Pastor Taylor and I are going to be looking at, it's just some business items. Paul's closing up the letter because we have a few items of business we've got to discuss. All right? First up, look at verse 1. He says, Now concerning. That's a key phrase in 1 Corinthians. I don't know if you noticed that. Chapter 7, chapter 8, chapter 12. Paul keeps using that phrase, and it seems like when he uses that phrase, he's addressing their questions. Right? Like, you ask me some questions, and I'm answering them.06:48Okay, now concerning this. Okay, now concerning this. And apparently, they had asked about giving. And he's like, all right, here's how to give. And if you were with us last week, the last few weeks, you might think, wow, giving? Like, that's kind of a hard left turn from talking about the resurrection, right? I mean, there was no smooth transition there.07:18That's a really hard turn from talking about something as lofty as resurrection. And I would say, not really. Because if you understand eternity and all the promises that God has for you, that should motivate how we give now. And I have to say this. He's talking about this collection and how he instructed the churches of Galatia.07:47In Paul's day, poverty was a real issue. Okay? It's not an issue for us here today. In this country, in this area, there is not a poor person among you. All right? But Paul was collecting from the churches over a year.08:17to take to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. There were people in Jerusalem that were destitute. Some Christians that were poor. So Paul was taking this collection for them, and that's what he's talking about here. This is how to give. This is how to give, and it's not complicated. All right? So on the top of your outline, here's your heading. To support the church, Each of you give something. To support the church, each of you give something. Okay? Point number one, jot this down. To support the church, each of you give something. Look again at verse one. It's not complicated. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatians, so you also are to do. All right? For the saints. Giving is for the Now listen, be clear. We're not saying you never give outside of the church. We're not saying that. We're not saying that you don't give to a person you see in need, like the story of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told. We're not saying that. The point is just simply this. The church should fund its own needs. That's all. The church should be taking care of its own people.09:45The people of God give to the work of God. You're like, for what? Well, we talked about this back in 1 Corinthians 9, paying the ministers to support those who are in need in our church, to pay bills here. Everything from Bibles to snacks for the littles back there to the AV equipment to all of it. The people of God give to the work of God.10:15The money that's given should support the church. And Paul says, this is what I directed to churches in Galatia. This isn't just a Corinth thing. It's actually been a practice since the very beginning. Read the book of Acts. Read Acts chapters 2, 3, 4, 5. You see it's the pattern. The people of God give to the work of God. Like, alright, it's not complicated. What's it look like? Well, look at verse 2. He says, On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up as he may prosper so that there will be no collecting when I come. First day of every week. What's he saying? He's saying when you come to church on Sunday to worship, part of worship is giving.11:14That's just part of worship. We sing, we pray, we fellowship, we're in the Word. Part of worship is giving. He says, so there's no collecting when I come. I think that's kind of funny. Paul knew the Corinthians. They didn't exactly have their act together, right? Have you been with us on this study? So there'd be no collecting when I come. Paul was already like ahead of it, right? That he was already anticipating the possibility that like he was going to show up. He goes, okay, do you have that collection? Like, was that today? Like, let's hurry up and scramble and gather stuff up. And he goes, no, no, no, no, no. You should already be doing this. All right? You should already be doing this. But why give every week? Why should we give every week? Why not just once a year? Why not just once every quarter? Why do Why does Paul instruct very clearly on the first day of the week? Why do we do it weekly? It's about being consistent. It's an act of faith that should be done regularly. As God gives to me, I thank God by giving back to Him. And right now some of you might be like, well actually Pastor Jeff, I get paid monthly.12:43I only get paid every two weeks. Look, we're not being legalistic here, okay? We're not being legalistic. It's not complicated. Give as God gives to you. Giving should be a constant practice. Like, why? Why should it be a constant practice? Why should it be on the regular? Because that's the very nature of faith itself. It's an act of faith. It's an act of And the nature of faith is constant practice and expression. Here's what I mean. The gospel of Jesus Christ is, you know, we're all born sinners, rebellious against God. And we deserve His judgment, but God sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, to raise from the dead so that we could have eternal life.13:43and believe and receive his gift of grace in Jesus Christ.13:50That's the gospel.13:52And if I were talking to you and you said, I put my faith in Jesus Christ, and I said, when did you do that?14:00You say, 1995.14:05I'm like, hey, me too.14:06That's when I received Christ, 95.14:10But then my follow-up question is, okay.14:13Your faith in Jesus, you put your faith in Jesus in 95. Was that just a one-time thing? Was that 31 years ago? Was that a one-time thing you put your faith in Jesus? What about today? Did you put your faith in Jesus today? What about next week? Are you going to put your faith in Jesus next week? You're like, well, I guess when I put I'm always putting my faith in Jesus. 95 was just the beginning of that, you see? And the point is, it's the same with giving. It's the same with giving. If you're like, I thank God with what He gave me by giving back to Him. And I'm like, when do you do that? And you're like, well, I did it in 1995. I'm like, oh? Well, Did you just do it once back then and that's it? You're done giving? What about today? Are you thankful today? What about next week? Do you anticipate that you were going to be thankful for God's provision next week? You're like, well, I imagine I'm going to be thankful for God's provision always. Yeah, and that's why giving is a constant practice. We are constantly expressing thanks and trust by giving.15:42And part of that faith in giving is trusting the leaders. Look at verses 3 and 4. Paul says, When I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. Keep in mind they didn't, like, wire the money back then, all right? They had to have people, like, carry the money. Paul says, I'll send them.16:11Or, verse 4, he says, if it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. We give to the church to support the church and the leaders distribute the money. That's the way it works. Why? Why do we give to the church and ask the leaders to distribute the money? Because the just objective truth is this. The leaders are better equipped to know what the needs are. That's it.16:43Do you know what all the needs are of the church? Do you know what our budget looks like? Do you know when it comes to missions and staffing and supplies for the kids? Are you in the know on all that where our leaders are? That's why when you bring the offering, the leaders distribute that. Oh, so if you're one of the leaders here, this is a good place to remind you you better be trustworthy because you have people here that are giving money to God, but they're trusting you.17:11to be faithful to use it appropriately.17:16So, it's not complicated.17:20To support the church, each of you give something.17:26Alright?17:28Point number two.17:29Write this down.17:31To support the church, each of you give something.17:39Look again at verse two.17:42I want you to see this. He says, on the first day of every week, what's the next phrase? Say it loud. Come on, say it.17:52Each of you. Is that in your Bible?17:55That's in my Bible. I think your Bible says the same thing that my Bible says.17:59On the first day of the week, each of you.18:03Each of you.18:05You know what that means in the Greek?18:08It means every Every one of us, Andrew. Every one of us. That's what that means. Every one of us can give something. Every one of us can. Now look, I want to remind you, I don't know who gives what in this church. I don't know. I get a bottom line of the numbers. I don't know who gives what. Why? Why don't I know that? It's a conviction.18:39to help me avoid favoritism. So I don't cater to the people who are financially supporting the church. I don't know who gives what. But if you are one of those faithful givers of our church, and there are many of you here, if you are faithfully supporting this ministry, the missions we support, if that is one of you, you know, if that's you, I just want to sincerely say thank you for your generosity. But giving, is for people who call Harvest Bible Chapel their home. Okay, if you're a guest here today, you're not obligated to give. We're not expecting you to give. If you want to, whatever, that's between you and the Lord. You're not expected if you're a guest, but if you're a member, if this is your home, you are expected. You are commanded. Who's commanded? Each of you. Each of you.19:39But you know I hear it all the time. Because we can say, it's not complicated. Each of you, put something aside. But people are so quick to excuse themselves. And I've heard this so many times. People say, well, Pastor Jeff, if I had more, I'd give more. Have you ever heard that? Oh, if I had more, I'd give more. And I would lovingly respond to that.20:09No, you wouldn't.20:13If you had more, you would not give more.20:19Get this idea out of your head that having more means I'm going to be faithful because did you know the opposite is actually true?20:29The opposite is true.20:30I can prove that very easily.20:33Let's just, we're going to talk about tithing in a minute.20:35Let's just talk about a 10% tithe.20:41If you had a dollar, let's say that's all you have to your name.20:44You have one dollar. Would you give God a dime?20:49Would you give God a dime?20:51And some of you are like, I think I'd give God a dime if I had a dollar.20:56If you had $100, would you give God $10?21:03$10.21:06Yeah. Yeah. Harder than a dime though, isn't it? Let me ask you this. If you had $10,000, would you give God $1,000? Like, whoa, whoa, $1,000? Give God $1,000? It's the same. It's 10%. It's exact same. But do you see how the higher you get in dollar amount, it gets harder? Listen to me very closely.21:35Having more money will not suddenly make you a generous person because generosity is a hard thing. Faithfulness is never about dollar amount. It's about character. And here's what I mean. If you really believe God's Word commands you to give and He rewards you when you do, if you really believe that, you're going to give no matter what you have. You're going to give. Because that's who you are. And if you don't really believe, then you won't give. If you have a little, or if you have a lot, you won't give because that's who you are. And I want to encourage the parents here, Train your children now. Parents, you need to train your children now.22:44Because a child, a little child who gives to God a portion of his allowance is going to become a teenager who's going to give to God a portion of his part-time job earnings.22:57and he is going to become an adult who gives to God because he's been discipled to faithfully obey God's word when it comes to giving. It has to start now. You have to teach your kids now. Everything's God's. Everything that you have, it was God's. And you're just giving back to him as a way of saying, thank you and I trust you for the rest. Teach your kids that now. So to support the church, each of you, Give something.23:30It's not complicated.23:33And our last point.23:35Number three.23:36Write this down.23:37To support the church.23:40Each of you.23:41Give something.23:44This is where it gets complicated.23:48Give.23:49Something.23:53But it gets complicated.23:54Because you say.23:54Alright.23:55Give something.23:56So is that a tithe? Is that 10%? Do I give 10%? Is that a tithe? And when I give 10%, do I tithe on my gross income? Or do I just tithe on the net income? Or do I just tithe on that? What if tithe is 10%. Literally, that's what the word is. But today, we use the word generically. It's a term incorrectly slapped on all giving no matter the amount. Some people give like 1%. They're like, I tithe. No, that's mathematically not a tithe. That's what a tithe of a tithe, right? This idea of tithing comes from the Old Testament law, but Many people don't understand how it really worked for Israel. Did you know in Israel there were three tithes? Did you know that? There were three tithes. Numbers 18 says the first tithe was for the Levites. It was to pay the priests. The second tithe, Deuteronomy 14, was for the annual festivals. And then every three years, according to Deuteronomy 26, every three years there was another tithe, a third tithe taken.25:26that was to support the poor. So that means annually Israel was tithing 23 and a third percent. And I want you to understand this. Listen very closely. Israel, Old Testament Israel, was obligated to tithe. It was required giving in order to support their government. So you have to see the Old Testament Israel tithe.25:56It was the equivalent of us today paying our taxes. It's what kept the government going. That was how God designed it. But Old Testament giving went beyond the tithe. There was free will giving on top of the tithe. That's 1 Chronicles 29. That's Deuteronomy 16. That's Exodus 35. So free will giving had nothing to do with the tithe because they had to pay that just like you were supposed to pay your taxes.26:27And you're like, whatever. The question is, is tithing for today? And I would answer it this way. The Bible says the Old Testament law is the tutor. The Old Testament law is to teach us the ways of God. And tithing is the tutor for the subject of giving. There is value in the principles of tithing. Here's what I mean. We're so quick to dismiss Old Testament things that we don't think about the value that the Lord is teaching us through that. Like, for example, the Sabbath. As New Testament Christians, are we obligated, required to keep the Sabbath? No. But is it a good idea to set a day aside to rest? Isn't that still a good idea?27:25Well, yeah. And tithing is sort of the same thing. Even though we're not obligated to tithe as they were in the Old Testament, isn't it still a good idea to put a percentage aside to give back to God? Okay, this is where it gets complicated because you're like, all right, all right, all right, whatever. Just tell me, Pastor Jeff, just tell me, How much should I give? Is there a dollar amount? Is there a percentage? How much should I give? It's right here in the text. You ready? Look at it again. Each of you is to, what's your Bible say? I'm going to give you another run at that, verse 2. I'll even start at the beginning, and then I want everybody to say it together.28:24is to say it.28:29I'm just going to tell you.28:32How much should I give?28:35Give something.28:41Put something aside.28:44So here's the answer.28:45Are you ready for this?28:46Are you ready for this?28:47Because the TV preacher ain't going to tell you this.28:50But this is biblical.28:52Are you ready?28:53Give whatever you want to give. You give whatever you want to give. But give something. Maybe this isn't so complicated. Something. Something. So, I know, we need a little direction here. That's a little broad.29:22That's a little vague, right? I don't think so. Give something. But I do want to give you some things you have to consider. Right? Give whatever you want. That's what the Bible says, right? Give something. Whatever you want. But consider some things. Consider some things when you give. Letter A, am I giving intentionally? The first thing you have to consider is, am I, You have to ask yourself, am I giving intentionally? He says put something aside. Emphasis now on the word put. That's intentional. Put something aside. That's intentional giving. That makes us think of another beautiful Old Testament concept when it comes to giving. It's the concept of first fruits. Study your Old Testament. It's all through Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. It's all through Proverbs.30:22This idea, first fruits, when I get from God, when I get anything from God, the first thing I do is I give back to God the first and the best. That's the first thing I do. Thank you, God. I'm worshiping you with this, and I'm trusting that you're going to keep providing. Everything is yours, God. Everything is from you, so I'm going to give you the first and the best. So I would encourage you, when you get paid, You should give to God first. First fruits. God, I'm giving you first and best. Before you're paying your cell phone bill or your electric bill or whatever, your Netflix bill, whatever, the first thing you should do is give back to God. God, you've given me so much. Thank you for this. I'm giving back to you first. First fruits. First fruits tells us that giving, shouldn't be an afterthought, which it is for a lot of Christians. We pay all our bills, we buy all our toys, and then we're like, oh, do we have anything left over to give to God? That is so not first fruits. You have to be intentional, church. You have to be intentional. Last week we talked about time. This week we're talking about money. Do you know what time and money have in common?31:52If you're not deliberate in how you spend them, they're going to be gone, and you're going to wonder where it went.32:01True or false?32:06Am I giving intentionally?32:07Letter B, am I giving proportionately?32:10Look again.32:14He says, put something aside and store it up.32:18Talking about the church collecting.32:20But look at this next phrase.32:21as he may prosper. Am I giving proportionately? Give from what God has given you. Give from what God has given you. It's not complicated. God is not expecting you to give in proportion to what someone else makes. God isn't expecting me to give on the level like a professional athlete would be able to give. He's not expecting that from me because I don't make that kind of a salary.32:54And that's why I think tithing is a principle that gives you a great start. Gives you a great start. 10% of whatever it is that we make, that's a great start. You know why that's a great start? Because there's really only one way that you can't give 10% of what God's given you. There's only one way that it's impossible for you to give 10%. Do you know what that is? If you make zero.33:21Anybody make a zero paycheck? You're like, no, they direct deposit that into my account. Every two weeks, zero. Listen, if that's you, if you're making zero on your paycheck, please, I'm begging you to come and see me after service. We will get you help. But if you make anything north of zero, that means you have something to give. And what does God say? Give something.33:53Right? Give proportionately. Give according to how God's given you. And then number C. This is getting complicated. Letter C. Am I giving expectantly? Am I giving expectantly? You know there's promises attached to giving. I thought it was so interesting that in this passage, Paul doesn't mention the promise And I'm wondering if the Corinthians were still sort of getting all wiggy about this giving thing because Paul did talk about the blessings attached to giving in the sequel to 1 Corinthians, right?34:392 Corinthians.34:41He talks about it in 2 Corinthians 9.6 that there is a glorious promise attached to giving.34:48And it's the same promise that comes with sowing and reaping.34:52The more seed you sow, the bigger your harvest. That's how it is. Out in your field farmer, that's how it is in your garden. The more seed you sow, the bigger your harvest. And the Bible says, listen, the Bible says that's true with money. The more money you give God, the more money God gives you. That's just what the Bible says.35:21God sees that you're giving and you're faithful. And God's like, wow, look at her. She's giving it away. I'm going to make sure that she gets more because she's obviously got a heart to be generous. So I'm going to make sure she is well-funded. That's how God works. You're like, really? Yeah, really. Jesus talked about this. Look at Luke 6, verse 38. Jesus said, give and it will be given to you. Good measure. Press down. Shaken together.35:50running over will be put into your lap.35:56For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.36:03So if you're sitting here today and you're like, how much should I give? How much should I give?36:09How much do you want to return on?36:12If you're like, well, how generous should I be with God?36:18How generous do you want God to be with you?36:20because he said he's going to match you. Generosity for generosity. Give expectantly. You will never outgive God. To support the church, each of you, give something. Our worship team would make their way up. So, Follower of Christ. Member of the Harvest Bible Chapel family. What does the Bible say about giving? All of this was the introduction. Here's the sermon. You ready for it? Who said that? Who was that? Okay. Talking to you. Here's the sermon.37:20You ready? To support the church. Each of you. Give something. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we just thank you for the, just how clear your word is. It's baffling to me that people say that your word is so hard to understand. It's really not. You've communicated so clearly, and when we don't understand, It's a spiritual issue, not an intellectual one. Father, You've told us that we are, as a family, we are to support this ministry and the missions that are supported by this ministry. You've called us all to be a part of this. You've called us all to give something. And Father, You have so lavishly blessed every single one of us in this room and the people that will be at the next service and the people that watch the stream or listen to the podcast.38:19We are so abundantly blessed. Father, let us reflect a heart of gratitude and worship by giving to you as you move our hearts, Father. Let our worship not just be in song, not just be in service. You have called us to worship with what you give us. And you didn't have to promise us a return on anything. It's all yours.38:48You could demand that we give everything back and get nothing in return, but You have graciously, graciously given us the promise that You will match our generosity by giving back to us. Thank You, Father, for that grace, and give us the faith to believe that. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 16:1-4What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Why is giving to be done every week? Why not just save up and give once a year?What would you say to someone who says “I just don't have any money to give to the church.”?Is tithing a New Testament command? Why or why not? What does New Testament giving look like?BreakoutPray for one another.

God Empowers the Weak (3) (audio) David Eells, 9/13/26 Let me share a testimony with you. Back when I was in the world, I had a deficiency that was passed on to me from my daddy. His daddy had this really bad sinus problem. My daddy used to pack around this bottle of Neo-Synephrine. It opened up the sinuses, and he carried it year-round. Growing up, I had the same problem. My sinuses would close up, and so I used that stuff to open up my breathing, but eventually it will eat the lining right out of your nose, and then I would have to use it even more. Well, when I saw that Jesus healed me at the cross, I threw that bottle away. God healed my nose then and it hasn't stopped up to this day. That was in my low twenties when I threw that bottle out by faith. And I've had head colds since then, but my nostrils haven't stopped up. When I threw that bottle out, that honored God so much that He just took it out. I used to have a natural problem with colds and sinuses, chest congestion, and all that left. The doctors gave me so much penicillin that it no longer worked for me.  Then I caught on to vitamin C, and I started taking it, and let me tell you, it did twice the good that the drugs and Neo-Synephrine had done. I saw it worked so much better than the shots, medicine, and stuff, but when I found out what Jesus did for me, I stopped taking vitamin C and I got deliverance from the whole curse of colds, congestion and sinuses. Even though the vitamin C worked better than the drugs because my system totally just was ignoring them by that point, I threw the vitamin C out, too. When I'd get a cold back then, and we'd have orange juice in the ice box, God would say, “Don't drink any of that; just totally avoid it.” He wanted to prove to me that the deliverance I was getting was from Him; it didn't have anything to do with vitamin C. Listen, I got delivered of something I had all of my life to that point. It was so bad that the infection would get in my inner ears, then my eardrums would burst, and I had fluid draining out of my ears. When God delivered me, I threw out the Neo-Synephrine, and I threw out the drugs and the vitamin C; I got total deliverance from that. It's no longer a problem.  So, what is it to walk by faith? We can pick up parts of walking by faith by looking at one another, but we need to get an image of what God's faith is. Look at Mark 11:22. Most versions read, “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” But in the original version, it says, “Have God's faith” and the Numeric Bible says that, too. I thought about that, and I felt like the Lord told me that God's faith is not the faith of man in God, but the faith of God inside of man. It's hard for us to work up enough faith in God, but it's our right and privilege from the Scriptures to have God's faith in us, which is what salvation is all about. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. And you know it's our right because that's what Jesus did. He made reconciliation. Reconciliation is an exchange. Jesus took our unbelief; He put it on the cross along with the curse and He gave us His faith. We have to reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin (Romans 6:11). Self is the unbeliever, but your spiritual man is not able to walk in unbelief because he is born again. He's born of God. The problem is our old carnal man gets in the way. From the time we are children, our carnal man is being trained to be our savior, to be a grown-up, but Jesus taught us that we have to become as children, or we won't enter into the Kingdom with its benefits. Now, we know that we're entering into the Kingdom because Jesus said, “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luk.17:21) and some translations say “among you” instead of “within you.” Both are true.  So we are entering into the Kingdom, but we can't enter into the Kingdom without being a child. And that means we are weak. That's not a grown-up, right? The qualities the world calls “grown-up” are not considered to be qualities in the Kingdom of Heaven. Casting all our cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7) and putting our total trust in Him to be our supplier (Genesis 17:1), our Savior (Ephesians 5:23), our Healer (Exodus 15:26) – these things please God. (Heb.11:6) Without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. So what we need is what He says in Mark 11:22. We need to “have God's faith” in us.  When you get a picture of Jesus, you may get a picture of a faith that you don't have by manifestation. Let me say that you can have that faith. The Bible says, We all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory…. (2Co.3:18). You have to see it as an accomplished fact. You have to see the fact that Jesus has already given you everything that He is, and that includes His faith (Romans 5:10,11). And that's the way faith works. It speaks the end from the beginning. It calleth the things that are not, as though they were (Rom.4:17).  When we look in the mirror and we are to see Jesus. The Bible promises us that for this we'll be transformed into that image, from glory to glory, so we need to get a picture of His faith because that's our faith. It is the faith of God inside of man, not the faith of man in God, because the carnal man has no ability to walk in faith. We try and try to work faith up in ourselves, and that is the faith of man in God. But the faith of God inside of man is the Father's free gift given to us by grace. It's by grace we are drawn to the Father; that's His gift to us. And He will keep us in the same faith He put in us to cause us to come to Him at the beginning, if we continue to walk in that faith. He's given us the faith that we need. He's given “us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2Pe.1:3). He's given us all things. His divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness (3) and faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith…. “Have you been saved” is what it says in the original and that's what the Numeric says and that's what the Nestles Text says. I believe the Received Text says that, too. “By grace have ye been saved through faith.” Faith always looks back. Faith believes you have received. It's always past tense. Hope is future tense. Hope is looking forward to something, confident that you will receive something, a firm expectation. Strong's says the Greek word elpis, meaning “hope,” is “a favorable or confident expectation.” But faith is looking back at something, not forward to something. It's something that you have already received. It's calling “the things that are not, as though they were” (Rom.4:17). So whatever salvation is, whatever salvation incorporates, it comes by grace through faith and it comes by looking back. And since our salvation is past tense, it makes being weak of primary importance. If you obey the Word of God, if you obey the principles of Jesus, you will be weak in yourself. You will cease from your struggling to save yourself in situations; you will enter into the sabbath and cease from your works so that God can do His.  Some time back, I ran into this one woman in Louisiana. She had been to “who's who” in the healing circuit. She had gone to everybody. She had two very large, inoperable tumors, and she gave me a list of all the people she had gone to. She said, “David, I just don't understand why I haven't been healed.” And I said, “Well, I believe the reason just came out of your mouth as to why you haven't been healed. You're looking forward to healing and the Bible teaches us to look back at healing, for by His stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) Faith is always in the past. The sacrifice of Jesus was at the beginning of this Testament so that we would always look back and accept what was done there, accept it as ours, because it is past tense. If we accept it as past tense and done, then it causes us to be weak because it causes us to cease from our works and we enter into the sabbath rest. If you believe it's done, then you don't have to keep working to try to bring it to pass. If it's in the future, you'll never know what method God wants to use to bring it to pass, but since it's in the past, you can accept it as a free gift. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…. So we do have works to do; only they're not our works, they're the works of God. Whatever God's work is between here and the manifestation, our work is to believe what the Bible says, and the Bible says, “by whose stripes ye were healed” (1Pe.2:24). We should never be moved away from that for any reason that would say, “Maybe not, maybe not in this case,” because we'll never be able to have faith if we're not convinced that what the Bible says is true about our healing. See, Jesus came to reveal the Will of the Father and He did that by healing everyone who came to Him. Our problem is that we can't come to Jesus physically and touch Him, but we can all come to Him by faith. We can confess our sins that we may be healed. (Jas.5:16) Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. We have the ability to get things out of the way that would hinder healing. So we confess our sins that we may be healed, as the Bible says, and then we can “touch” Jesus by faith. He healed everyone who came to Him. He came to show us the way and to be an example. Everybody who came to Jesus was healed, so why isn't everybody healed today? The number one reason is that it's not being taught that by His stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24). You, as a Christian, were healed. This is not something you have to look forward to. That's hope. See, that's the problem with many Christians – they're looking forward to something that they need to be looking back to. We were all healed at the cross. And we enter into that by ceasing from our own thinking and our own reasoning and saying, “God, I repent. Your Word is true.” What does it mean to “repent”? It means to “change your mind.” The Word is true. If it says by His stripes you were healed, then change your mind; you were healed.  What we need to understand here is this word “salvation,” or in Greek, sozo. The Scripture says, “for by grace have ye been saved through faith” (Eph.2:8). Now, I point out to you that faith is past tense. It's always believing for something that you've received. When you pray, Jesus said, “believe you have received and you shall have it” (Mark 11:24). That's the way that faith works. That identifies how our salvation is going to come, our sozo, our “saved,” is going to come. Grace is another thing that identifies God's method for bringing you sozo, “salvation,” “saved.” Let's look carefully at this example. (Rom.4:4) Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. It says, if it's grace, it's not your works. If it's grace, you have to cease from your works. See, many people are seeking healing and deliverance because they have hope. But hope will not get you either. Faith will. If you have to work for it, or pay for it, if you have to earn it, it's not something that's coming through grace because “grace” is “unmerited favor.” Much of the church is caught up in their own works. They say, “You're not saved by your works,” but they believe that only refers to their soul. When the Bible talks about salvation in other areas, like “deliverance” or sozo, “saved” in other areas, it's, “Oh, well, no; now God does it this way.” So they continue in their own works. He says here, “To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.” In other words, God would owe it to you if you could work it up in yourself. But it's not grace if you have to work for it because God would owe it to you. It would be a debt. He refuses to cooperate with you in that. (Rom.4:5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Notice: “to him that worketh not…” Grace comes “to him that worketh not.” Here's another example. (Rom.11:6) But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. Whatever salvation is, salvation is very big. It's much bigger than your soul going to Heaven when you die. Salvation is here and now. Salvation covers everything that Jesus did on the cross. It covers everything having to do with the curse of sin and of death. We've been delivered from the curse of sin and of death (Romans 8:2), and that's what salvation is all about. But if any part of that salvation is by works, then that's not salvation through grace. There are salvations out there that are not God's method for His people. The world always wants to be your savior. The arm of the flesh always wants to be your savior. I.e.,“Let me do it my way, Lord. I know how to take care of myself. I'll do it.” The worldly ways of deliverance don't cause us to grow closer to God; they don't cause us to manifest Christ, nor do they cause us to grow in faith. They are salvations that are of the world. When the children of Israel were brought out into the wilderness, they wanted to run back to Egypt for their salvation (Exodus 16:3). They said, “Let's go back to the flesh-pots.” God said in effect, “No, you stay in the wilderness. Your salvation is coming out of Heaven.” But they continued to murmur. “Well, we would rather have Egypt's salvation; it's easier on the flesh; it's not so much of a trial. Let's go back to Egypt.” Every time the Israelites got into a tight spot, every time they lacked water, or food, or whatever, God put them in that spot. He brought them there, and He put them there so that they would come to the end of themselves and put their trust in Him. Instead, they kept crying, “Let's go back and get Egypt's salvation.” Egypt had a salvation. The world has a salvation for you; it has a deliverance, but it's not an eternal deliverance, and the end is always a curse. The Bible says, “Cursed is he who trusts in man, in the arm of the flesh” (Jeremiah 17:5). Maybe you don't see it, but in some way, whenever the world saves you, there's always a curse in it. Maybe you don't see it yet, but there's one there. When Christ saves you, it is eternal. It causes you to grow in faith. It causes you to grow in manifesting Him. It's an affront to Him to think that you can pay for His benefits. You remember when Peter and John were praying for people and they were receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15,17), that Simon the magician also received the Holy Spirit, but he wanted to pay Peter and John for this ability. (Act.8:20) But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money. (21) Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God. Simon wanted this gift to be able to lay hands on people to impart the Holy Spirit. That's all he wanted, but we need to see that the principle here covers much more than just this gift of imparting the Holy Spirit. Peter said, “Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money”; in other words, it's not something that you can earn or ever pay for. The gift of God doesn't come through your ability, nor does it come through your earning it. You cannot pay for it. It has to be free. Do you know what happens when you go and pay for the world's salvation and call that God? Because it's not God; it's going back to Egypt. You get an answer and you may grow, too, but you grow in the world; you don't grow in God. You see, the Lord explained something to me about the image of the beast. The image of the beast is being manifested in this world right now. I'm not going to deny what anybody else has to say about the image of the beast in the future, but the Bible says that Christ was the image of God (Hebrews 1:3) and that His Body is made up of saviors. The Bible even says, “and saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau” (Oba.21). “Saviors” is plural. God's body is made up of people (1 Corinthians 12:27) whom He has gifted in different gifts (1 Corinthians 12,13,14) to enable them to do the work of Jesus in this earth, works that Jesus wanted done: of deliverance, of saving, of healing, of providing. But, you know what? First of all, God's administering these gifts through Spirit-filled believers. Don't twist the Word, as many Christians do, and say, “Well, now God administers these gifts through pagans.” No. Not so. Although God can give you many gifts through pagans, and although the Holy Spirit does not have to go through a man, these particular gifts He's talking about only come through Spirit-filled believers. None of these gifts can be bought. If you have to buy it, or pay for something that you call “God's salvation,” it's not grace and faith. Grace and faith cause you to be weak; it causes you to cease from your trusting in Egypt and in the ways of the world. God's gift is free. You can't pay for it, you can't earn it, you can't be good enough for it. It comes by faith. Faith is believing you have received. When you believe you have received, it causes you to stop seeking it. Stop and think about it. If you believe you have received healing, are you going to keep running after it? No, because faith always cuts off the works and the methods of men. When you believe you have received, you can rest; you can cease from your works; you can enter into rest. Everything can come from God that way. Everything will come from God that way. It's the most perfect way to receive from God. You say, “Well, doesn't God keep Egypt going?” Sure He does, but God wants Egypt for the Egyptians. God has planned the wilderness for Christians. Does God give strength to Egypt to keep running? Of course. (Act.17:28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being…. He gives you your very breath. The world gets its breath from God, but the world is not God's method for Christians.  God's method for Christians is receiving every salvation that comes from Christ through grace and faith. That's His method. It is offensive to God to think that you would want to buy from Him any gift that He has already given to you. He has chosen it to be a gift. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God. Note the word translated “saved” here is the word sozo. “For by grace have ye been saved,” Sozo. That word is used over and over in the Scriptures. If we can find the places where this word is used, then every place this word is used, it should come by grace through faith. That means not of your works. A free gift of God; exercising faith in God. That's what pure faith is. That is what God's faith in man is. The other is not real faith and fails us. I want to give you an example of what salvation encompasses, one probably every Christian would agree on. This was the sinful woman who anointed Jesus, and Jesus pronounced her forgiven of sins. (Luk.7:47) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. (48) And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. (49) And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that even forgiveth sins? (50) And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. Now I believe everybody who is a Christian would agree with me that forgiveness of sins is salvation, and it comes by grace through faith. As we look at some of the other places where the same word, sozo, is used, you may question whether that salvation still comes by grace through faith, but I can assure you, any kind of salvation that comes from God is a free gift that comes by grace through faith. Wherever this word is used, it fits into Ephesians 2:8. Everywhere it fits in there, no matter what we identify as being this salvation. I once asked a Greek man, who spoke Greek as his native language, “What does the word soteria mean to you?” Soteria is the noun of sozo in the Greek and is the word in the Scriptures for “salvation.” He said, “Well, it means to us Greeks, ‘all of your needs supplied like a little baby; all of your needs supplied.'” See, we have such a very narrow idea of what salvation is. Most of the churches that we've been raised in have taught us that salvation is only getting to go to Heaven when this life is over. But when we look at that word and identify it in the Scriptures, we find out it's very big, very broad, and that every bit of it is incorporated in these promises concerning being saved. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith…. This woman, to whom Jesus said, “thy faith hath saved thee,” was saved by grace through faith. This was where her sozo came from. All her needs were supplied like a little baby. A little baby needs all his needs supplied. We have to come to Jesus as a child, in need of our needs being supplied. Adults are used to going out and supplying their own needs; they're used to taking care of themselves, but God desires this sozo kind of relationship with us. He desires that we would keep the sabbath, cease from our works, and enter into the rest through faith in the promises of God, as the Bible says. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Now, that's a broad promise, but salvation is very big.  Let me give you another example of this word, sozo, and let's see if “by grace have you been saved through faith” still applies. This is the story of the 10 lepers. Remember the one leper who returned and gave glory to God (Luke 17:15)? Here's what Jesus told him: (Luk.17:19) And he said unto him, Arise, and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. And the word for “made thee whole” here is the word sozo, “saved.” “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” What the leper received from God can only be obtained in the wilderness, not in Egypt. Sometimes there is a salvation in Egypt, but just like the mark of the beast, there are two marks. There is a mark of the beast, and there is the mark of God. Exodus 13:16, speaks about the mark of God on the forehead and on the back of the hand, and the mark of God was to have the Word of God. The Israelites would write the Word of God, put them in these little boxes, and then they'd tie them right across their forehead and put them on the back of their hand (Deuteronomy 11:18). But, guess what? The corresponding verse in Revelation 13:16 talks about the mark of the beast. So, if it's the Word of God being manifested in your mind and in your works, that's the mark of God. In contrast, the mark of the beast can be the word of the flesh, the word of the devil, the word of the world, the thinking of the world being manifest, the mind of flesh being manifested in your mind and in your works. That might be just a spiritual revelation of it, but accept it because it's still Scriptural.  See, if we walk after our own thinking and after our own works, it's because we're trusting in our own ability. We're not walking by faith in Jesus, and your mind is not being renewed by the Word of God. You walk as a beast. I don't care if you walk in church; you still walk as a beast if you walk after the mind of the flesh and if your salvation comes from the world. So we have the image of the beast being manifested in the world, while the image of Christ is being manifested in the Church. Christ's Body is made up of people, each of whom has been given gifts to serve the rest of the Body. Do you know the world is made up the same way? Jesus said there are only two men in the earth (Matthew 24:40) – there's Christ and there's antichrist. The world works the same way. The only difference is that the saviors who make up the image of the beast want to save you from Christ's salvation, and Christ wants to save you from their salvation. His salvation is free. Theirs is not free; theirs is very costly. The Lord has a better way. He showed it to us in the Gospels. What Jesus gave in His provision was free; it didn't come through the works of man, the ability of man, or man's money. When you have to pay for it, believe me, that's not salvation by grace through faith. This leper found that out. What did he have to pay for this sozo? He received a sozo that came by grace through faith. You know, a third example can be found in the story of the blind man. (Luk.18:38) And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. (40) And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, (41) What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. (42) And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. Sozo, “saved.” “Thy faith hath saved thee.” That's what He's talking about that saves you. Salvation covers healing, and it's always covered healing, even in the Old Testament. The word right here is sozo. It's “saved.” The leper was “saved” of his leprosy. The blind man was “saved” of his blindness. See, they've translated the same word different ways. They've translated it “saved”; they've translated it “made whole,” but the original word is still only one word; it's the same word. I have the three most ancient manuscripts, and it's the word sozo. Sozo is the word in the Scriptures for “saved.” Everywhere Scripture uses the word “saved” in talking about our eternal salvation, it's the word sozo. We see now it's also used for healing, which tells us that healing is involved. Remember, Jesus came to deliver us from the curse of sin and of death (Romans 8:2). Sin brought death. What was incorporated in death? Sickness, disease, everything else was incorporated in death.  Our salvation is double; it's dual. It saves us not only from sin, but it saves us from the penalty for sin. What is the penalty for sin? The curse. In Deuteronomy 28, God expounded the penalty for sin and He gave us the curse there. When you go back and read it, you'll find out that the curse covers not only sickness, but everything detrimental that ever happened to man because of his sin. Everything that came against man from the beginning because of his sin is a part of the curse. And you know what? Jesus became accursed for us that we might have Abraham's blessings. He became a curse on that cross. Everybody who's put on a cross is accursed (Galatians 3:13). What Jesus bore was not only the sin; it was the curse for that sin. Why would God say, “I'm going to take away your sin,” but not take away the curse? So now we see this word, sozo covers all of that. It covers not only the sin, but also the curse. We've just looked at three people who were delivered of the curse of sin, and they were delivered of it because it was by grace through faith. Let me give you yet another example to show you the difference between God's salvation and the world's salvation. Let's not change the Scriptures. What we see in Jesus is still the truth. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is our Salvation. What He did, was to prove to us what He wanted to do. What He did in the Gospels, He does today to everybody who believes. The Gospel is the power of God to save everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). What's the Gospel? It's the Good News. It's the promises of God. And it doesn't matter if you're a “Christian.” What matters is: are you a believer? Do you believe what the Gospel says? There are Christians who are unbelieving Christians because they only believe what they want to believe. We have to believe in the Jesus of the Bible and that He really is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus still heals everybody who comes to Him. Let's not make up another Jesus. Paul talked about those who would come to you with another Jesus. No, we don't need another Jesus. We need this Jesus. The problem is not with God. People blame the problem on God. The problem is not with God because God has already healed you. It's not a matter of God deciding whom He's going to heal and whom He's not going to heal. That's not what the Bible says.  The Bible says that by His stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24). This is your decision to make. (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation (soteria) to every one that believeth…. Look, the condition is on you believing. The condition is not whether God wants to heal you. The Bible says all of the promises of God are “yes” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Don't believe the people who say, “Sometimes it's ‘no.'” No, all the promises of God are “yes,” and through him is the Amen (2Co.1:20). That means “the so be it.” That means it will come to pass through Him. What we have to do is renew our mind and get back to the real Jesus. The real Jesus of salvation covers your body and your circumstances. Now let's look at this example. (Luk.8:43) And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians…. You know what? She was trying to buy salvation here. She was trying to buy sozo. The word “saved” is used in this text. She was trying to buy it. This is not God's method for you to receive it. God's method for you to receive this comes the same way as it did in the Scriptures: through the laying on of hands (Mark 16:18) and the confession of faith (Romans 10:10). That's His method. You know why? Because it excludes all of man's glorying in it. Nobody but God can take credit when you do it God's way. (Jas.5:14) Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (15) and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up … This doesn't say it “would” or it “might”; this says it “shall” raise them up. The Bible says if any two of you agree as touching anything, it shall be done (Matthew 18:19), and I consider that to mean the person being prayed for and the person doing the praying. That's two, right?  Let's continue with our example. (Luk.8:43) And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any. Some of you have been there. I've been there, too, only to find out that God gave it freely when I gave up. God gave it freely. Look at this same story in Mark. (Mar.5:25) And a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, (26) and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse … I just wanted to point that out to you: she spent all that she had. She came to the end of herself. I've been there. You don't have to try everything but God. You can start out with God. God is faithful. He is faithful Who promised (Hebrews 10:23). He will not fail you. There is no “maybe.” You can't exercise faith if you think, “Maybe God will, maybe He won't.” The Bible doesn't say “maybe” He will, “maybe” He won't. It says He's already done it. When this woman was healed, it didn't have anything to do with Jesus' faith because she came up and touched Him, but Jesus didn't know it until after it was all over. I do want to make a point here, though. This salvation she had been looking for was not sozo because it was not grace through faith. It was not. Why? Because if it's grace, it's no more works. If it's a gift of God, you can't pay for it. And if it's faith, it's past tense. She was looking for it in the future. She sought to receive it. But if it's faith, she was looking the wrong way, just like this lady I told you about who had those two tumors. I told her, “Turn around and look the other way; you're looking the wrong way.” That's when God gave this to me, this thought of “You're looking the wrong way. Turn around and look at the cross.” When the serpent on the pole was raised up in the wilderness, everybody who got their eyes on that serpent on the pole was healed (Numbers 21:9). You had to get your eyes off the snakebite and on the serpent on the pole to be healed. I told her, “Turn around and look at the cross. That's where your healing happened. You're looking in the future.” Tomorrow never comes. Faith never works that way. Faith believes that you have received (Mark 11:24). Faith turns around and looks back at the cross because the Bible says, by His stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24). Your healing is certain. It was accomplished at the cross. Reconciliation was accomplished (Colossians 1:20). What is that? Exchange. At the cross, Jesus gave you His healthy body and He took your old, unhealthy one. He gave you His clean, pure soul, and He took your old, unclean one. He gave you His righteousness and His blessings, and He took away your unrighteousness and your cursings. The exchange was made. This is how faith works. (2Co.5:17) Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. Now our old things have become new. What are we? New creations. New creatures in Christ. This is how faith works. Faith sees the end from the beginning; faith accepts it, grasps it; and faith holds on to it. That's why this particular method is God's method. You ask, “Can God do it?” Sure. God keeps all the Egyptians alive until they come to know Jesus. Do you understand that when we come out of Egypt and go into the wilderness, we still need “Egyptology” to come out of us? Yes! When we come out of Egypt and go into the wilderness, we need to be delivered of Egypt. I'm not talking Law here; I'm talking about a privilege. It is our privilege to accept our salvation in Jesus Christ as an accomplished fact and what I'm telling you is just how big the salvation is. (Luk.8:43) And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any, (44) came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately the issue of her blood stanched. (45) And Jesus said, Who is it that touched me? And when all denied, Peter said, and they that were with him, Master, the multitudes press thee and crush [thee]. (46) But Jesus said, Some one did touch me; for I perceived that power had gone forth from me. By the way, I know the King James says “virtue” here, but the word is “power”; it's dunamis. In fact, the King James does translate it “power” in other places in the Bible, like in Luke 10:19. The word “power” there is the word dunamis. So it was power that came out of Jesus, but if it was power that came out of Jesus, it didn't have anything to do with His faith. In this particular case, all that was necessary was for this woman to touch Him by faith. It wasn't a matter of Jesus making up His mind whether to heal this woman or not.  Jesus never turned anybody away anyway and He's not going to tell you “no.” In fact, if there's a “no,” the “no” is going to be in you; it's not going to be in Him. Our problem is we listen to the devil; we listen to the flesh. We don't listen to the Bible. Confess your sins and believe. That's all you have to do. Now, if you have willful disobedience in your life, it will come between you and healing because you won't have faith toward God. The Bible says, “if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God” (1Jn.3:21). That's why you have to confess your sins to get them out of your way. But Jesus always said, “Yes.” Do you think that there were some of those people who came to Jesus who needed something worked out in their lives? I guarantee you that all of those people who came to Jesus had something that needed working out in their lives, but that didn't stop Jesus from healing. You know what did stop Jesus from healing some? When He went to His own hometown, their unbelief stopped Him. He could not. It doesn't say He would not. (Mat.13:58) And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Now, we need to have the faith of God in us. This salvation has been accomplished. It's not a matter of you asking Him to accomplish it; “it is finished” (Joh.19:30). I have overcome the world (16:33). This is not a matter of Jesus doing something in the future. Ask Him, “Will You do it?” He'll tell you just what the Bible says. “I did it.” He won't say, “I will do it.” He never says that. The Bible doesn't say that. He's always going to agree with the Word. He won't tell you something contrary to the Word. I knew a man one time who was asking God to heal his wife of cancer, and God told him, “She's healed.” You know what? His wife died. He was sure God told him that she was healed, and he was angry with God. I said, “Bud, God told you exactly what the Bible says. He's not going to disagree with His Word. The problem is, do you agree with His Word? He's going to tell you to believe the Bible every time. He's going to tell you, ‘You are healed.' By his stripes you were healed. What else is He going to say? Are you going to ask Him to tell you something besides what the Bible says? He's only going to tell you what the Bible says.” I know calling “the things that are not, as though they were” (Rom.4:17) appears like a lie to the world, but it's not a lie because you're in agreement with the Scriptures. You agree with God Almighty, the One Who does not dwell in time, and what He says goes. (Rom.3:4) … Let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. Now, when you come under the judgment of the curse, what you need is justification. Justification is God calling you righteous. And He calls you righteous when you come under the curse, if you agree with the Bible concerning what Jesus did about the curse. Can you agree with the Bible about what Jesus did for you? He became accursed for you so that you could have the blessings of Abraham. (Isa.53:5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Do you agree with the Bible? See, if you're not agreeing with the Bible, you're going to consider, “Well, I need this.” Or “I'll have to handle it. The crucifixion of Jesus was not enough, I'll have to handle a little bit of it myself.” The worldly teachers will convince you of that, and you will be a double-minded person because you are not agreeing with God's Word. Jesus only preached to those people who had eyes to see and ears to hear (Matthew 13:9-11). He wasn't talking about the physical eyes and ears; they all had them. He meant spiritual eyes and ears. (2Pe.1:3) Seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…. Do you see that? Do you see with your spiritual eyes that God has already given you everything that pertains unto life? It's not a matter of Him accomplishing it. He did that almost 2000 years ago. Now the problem is, are you going to agree with Him? Two can't walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3). You can't walk with Jesus except to the extent you agree with Him. Now, how are you going to agree with Him? I told Bud, “The Lord told you what the Bible says. The problem is you didn't believe in it. You were waiting to see something first. That is not the way faith works. Faith accepts it as a fact before seeing it. If you walk by faith, you'll see it, but if you walk by sight, you'll never see it because that's not the way it works. That's not faith. Faith is looking back at the cross.” So, Bud was angry at God because God didn't do what He said He was going to do. But it wasn't God's fault. See, we enter into the Covenant. The Bible says that the Gospel “is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom.1:16). Listen, the power of God has already accomplished everything. What He's done is already accomplished. Your part is to enter into that Covenant by your faith. That's what brings it to pass. God's part is sure; it is finished, and it is final. Now we enter into our part of it by faith. That's our part of keeping the Covenant. When the disciples asked Jesus, “what must we do, that we may work the works of God?” (Joh.6:28), He said just one thing: “believe on him whom he hath sent” (29). All we have to do to do the works of God, whatever they are, is “believe on him whom he hath sent.” Does everybody have to die under the curse? Does everybody have to leave this life under the curse? The world has taken for granted that you're going to die of something. Do you have to die under the curse, or can you keep believing all the way up to the end, until you leave this life? Has everybody died of the curse? No, they did not. In fact, I have some books describing people who died on their deathbeds, and there was absolutely no pain in their bodies, and they couldn't find anything wrong with them; they just went to be with the Lord. This is not to condemn the ones who do die, but we have to get our sight and our vision on Jesus. You can't go somewhere that you can't see, you know. The Bible says, if you can see Jesus in the mirror, you can go there. Of course, everybody's not going to go there to the same extent. Look, one person received one talent, another two and another five (Matthew 25:14-30). Everybody doesn't get the same gift. Everybody doesn't manifest the same fruit, do they? There's 30-, 60- and 100-fold fruit (Matthew 13:8,23). Do you want to enter into only what you see other people entering into, or do you want to enter into everything that God has for you? That's the point. We're supposed to be looking at Jesus, not looking at our neighbor. Get your eyes on Jesus. He'll show you what you can enter into. God is going to do a special thing in these days. Did you know that He's going to do something He's never done before? The Bible says He's coming “to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day” (2Th.1:10). Oh, glory to God! The apostle Paul said there was a day in the future when his words would finally be believed and that Jesus would be glorified in those people in that day because they did believe that word.  You know, God gives grace for us to enter into believing just as much as we can believe. God gives grace for us to reach out to places people have never reached out to. In this day there is more grace to believe more than there's ever been. Do you understand what that verse says? He said, “in that day.” Paul was saying that they weren't believing it in his day, but that's what we're seeking right now. We don't want to stop with what religion has accepted; we want to go on and get everything God has given us. (Eph.2:8) By grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. That's one work. Now, here's another work: (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…. The first is talking about your work, the work of the flesh, the efforts of man, the efforts of self, the buying of God's gift, all those things. The second is talking about God's work. So let's just use healing again as a “for instance” because we're talking about it already. Do you know what? When you have faith that Jesus healed you, which is the only one that's a Scriptural faith, that faith is going to be walked out by your feet; it's going to come out of your mouth; it's going to be seen in your actions. That is a work that comes from faith. You know what the other work is? It's a work that comes before faith. Works of the flesh come before faith; works of God come after faith. When you believe, you're able to walk just like you received, and do you know what happens when you do that? You do what the 10 lepers did. Jesus said to them, “go and show yourselves unto the priests” (Luk.17:14). Well, they understood that because in the Law of Moses, when a person was healed of leprosy, he went to show himself to the priests. Then the priest inspected the person and took his turtle dove and gave his offering. But these lepers went to show themselves to the priests before their healing was manifested. Their walk was a walk of faith. But the way of the world would stand right there and say, “Well, I'm not healed.” Those lepers would look at themselves and say, “Well, I'm not healed yet. It's not the time to go show myself to the priest.” That's a carnal walk. That's walking by sight and not walking by faith. So there is a work that follows faith. Faith without works is dead. If you believe that you're healed, let me hear it come out of your mouth and let me see it in your feet. And if you believe that Jesus delivered you from sin, let's see that come out of your mouth and see it in your feet. Do you understand? When you believe something, your actions have to agree with that belief. Faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself (Jas.2:17), or it's incomplete. It's not real faith until it's put into works that agree with what the Bible says. But the world says, “I can see you're not healed,” but your feet keep on saying, “I'm healed. Look at me walk,” because your works are going to agree with faith. So if you're just healed by faith, you know you're not healed by manifestation. As long as you're healed by faith, you're believing for something that you don't yet see. That's the way faith works. And if you don't do it there, you'll never see it by manifestation. We have to repent of our worldly thinking. We have to repent of our Babylonish doctrine that's been given to us. We must change our minds, and we say, “God, You're right.” You have to say that before you can enter into it. (Rom.3:4) Let God be found true, but every man a liar…. Justification comes from agreeing with God. Agree with God; even if you're failing, agree with God. God's not going to condemn anyone. You don't condemn your child if your child is a toddler and stumbles and falls. There's no way you would condemn that child because that's the way they learn to walk. That's the way children are. They don't always get it right the first time. Now, as they get older and they're stumbling, you start asking what's wrong with them. So when we start out on a faith walk, we stumble and fall, but we get up. If you don't get up, you're not overcoming. You get up, you walk a little farther, you stumble, you walk a little farther. Every time you get up, you're walking farther, and you keep going. But if you decide, “I'm just going to sit right here because it's too dangerous to stand up,” then you're going to be an unprofitable servant (Matthew 25:30) because you've been given knowledge and you're doing nothing with it. Remember, it's God's faith inside of you; it's not your faith in Him. You'll fail as long as it's just your faith in Him. It's God's faith inside of you. Remember that God has given you His faith. Accept it as a gift. Reconciliation has given you this gift. Unbelief was taken away from you at the cross. Did you know that? All your sins were put on that cross, including the one that's at the foundation of every sin – unbelief. But that's at the cross, and you've been delivered. The Bible says, “reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin” (Rom.6:11). That means to reckon your old unbelieving self to be dead and gone. “I'm delivered from unbelief.” Do you understand? That's not a confession of faith in yourself; that's a confession of faith in God. We are new (2 Corinthians 5:17). You have been made free from sin (Romans 6:22). You're free from unbelief. Believe and accept it.  Don't get anxious when you fail God because of your unbelief, and don't let anybody put a guilt trip on you. Don't let anybody put you under the Law to do what they expect. Don't be moved by peer pressure because somebody else has faith. Don't look at any of that. Get your eyes on Jesus. He will give you the faith that you need to do these things. It's His free gift to you. You don't have to be anxious or try to work it up yourself. You can't pick yourself up off the floor by your bootstraps. It's just not possible. It has to come from the outside in. It's nothing that you can do from the inside out. So don't be condemned if you're not able to do everything that you see Jesus do or that you see others do. Don't worry about it. It's God Who started the good work in you, and it's He Who's going to finish it (Philippians 1:6). The people who put others under legalism cause a lot of people hurt. This is wrong. And I'll tell you what, they ultimately get hurt, too, because what you sow, you reap (Galatians 6:7) and you can't sow that legalistic thing without it coming back on you. You can't judge others without being judged (Romans 14:4). I'm just offering you the knowledge. I'm trying to put the picture of Jesus there in front of you. Look at Jesus and you'll be transformed into that image from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Don't look at any religion or put another Jesus up there because, believe me, you can be transformed into any Jesus. Religions do it all the time. The only Jesus we want to reflect is the One the Father sent. Look in your Bible. The only way you'll see the true Jesus is to look in this Book. Look at Him. This is Jesus. He's the same. He hasn't changed. Men try to change Him; they have made a comfortable Jesus. One that the flesh could be comfortable with, a Jesus that wouldn't bring you through any kind of a trial of your faith. It's easy to have the Jesus that religion has. Let's look at the Jesus in the Bible. I tell you the reason we're not seeing the works of Jesus on this earth; it's because they've made another Jesus and they're being transformed into that image from glory to glory. That's the problem. Let's get back to the Word and believe it. Jesus sent His disciples out to do the same things He did. How can you do the same things He did unless you agree with Him? So now let's read the rest of the story from where Jesus perceived that power, sozo, went forth from Him. I really want to get beyond healings being included in salvation because I believe a lot of people already understand that, and I want to show you how broad salvation is. And it's all going to come by grace through faith. All of it. The rest of it, let me tell you, is man's works. (Luk.8:47) And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people for what cause she touched him, and how she was healed immediately. (48) And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath (my Bible says “made thee whole,” but the word there is sozo) saved thee; go in peace. He saved her. This is a part of salvation. She was saved. Remember, she sought the physicians.  The Bible clearly shows you the difference between seeking deliverance from the physicians and seeking it from Jesus. (2Ch.16:12) And in the thirty and ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. (13) And Asa slept with his fathers…. The Scripture makes a difference between seeking the salvation that normally comes from the world and the salvation that comes from God. Now, did you know that those Jews received their healing from God for many, many years. They started being drawn away from that when Solomon brought in all of his pagan wives, who brought the physicians into Israel. Up until that time, they got their healing from God. And when they went to Babylon, they started falling into many of the things of the world that weren't Scriptural. And the word in Scripture for “healing by the use of medicine” is the word pharmakia – just what we use today. Pharmakia is the word for “sorcery” or “witchcraft,” depending on which Bible you have, and is where we get our word “pharmacy.” Jesus has a better way, and it won't cost you anything, and believe me, you'll get out of so much trouble. If you live a life of the carnal Christian, by the end of your life you will have spent a lot of money on Egypt. But I tell you, God will get you out of that; it's His free gift. Don't say, “I have to do this.” No, it is a privilege. God gives you a privilege. You don't earn it; He's given it to you freely. This is His sozo. This is a part of His deliverance.  Years ago, way back at the beginning of our Christian walk, my wife, Mary, and I were riding motorcycles up in Mississippi. And this was a real hilly area. We were on two dirt bikes, and this was new territory to us, so it was kind of crazy what we did. We were each on a bike and we came over this hill, and she turned one way, and I turned another way. Well, on her side it was almost a cliff. It just went nearly straight down. And I heard her screaming all the way to the bottom of that hill, “MOMMAAA!” And she was mashing the foot peg as hard as she could, but I don't think she ever mashed on the brake because I never saw the wheels skid or anything. I mean, she was flying when she hit the bottom of that hill. It was painful for me to watch. I saw her bounce off a few trees, and I went down in there and scraped her off those trees and put her on the back of my bike. And then I took her out of there and got her to a hospital. This was during the same time that Mary was taking some medicine to try to clear up an infection, so the doctors were talking about operating on her kidneys. But a friend of ours told us about the promises in the Scriptures about healing, and we went to this church that believed in healing. So she went down in front of the church, and they prayed over her. Well, nothing physical happened. We went home, and it was probably a week or two later when she was meditating and thinking on it all, and the Lord spoke to her. And you know what He said? He said, “If you believe that I have healed you, why are you taking all that medicine?” Because the Bible says, ‘He has healed you'. And you know what? When Mary ran into the bathroom and started pouring her medicine down the commode because of that voice of the Lord, she was instantly healed. And not only was she healed of the kidney problem from hitting the tree, but she was healed from a natural kidney deficiency that she'd had since she was a little girl. She was healed of always having infections. God did a miracle. He did it freely. The doctors were going to charge us an awful lot to do that, but God did it for free.  God will ask you the same thing one day. He says, “If you believe that I have healed you …” God expects us to believe, not because of what we see or feel, but because He expects us to believe what the Scripture says. We need no other grounds. Peter stepped out of the boat because of what Jesus said. “Bid me to come unto you, Lord” (Matthew 14:28). And when Jesus said, “Come,” that's all Peter needed to step out (Matthew 14:29). All Peter needed was the Word of God, and he stepped out on that Word and the water held him up.  If you're walking by sight, you'll never be able to walk where we're talking about walking because you're calling the things that are as though they are, instead of calling the things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17). God chose the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are (1 Corinthians 1:28). Think about it again now. God chose the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are. How does He do that? What are the things that are not? The promise. “By His stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24), when you look at yourselves and say, “Well, I don't see myself healed. I still feel sick. I still look sick.” See, the things that are not, are these promises that are not manifested yet. So how do you translate that into this present physical time? It's very simple. We do it the way the Bible tells us to: by calling “the things that are not, as though they were” (Rom.4:17). Please understand. If God chose the things that “are not” to bring to nothing the things “that are,” then He did not choose the things “that are” to bring to nothing the things “that are.” Did you get that? Read it again. He chose the things that “are not” to do away with the things “that are.” What are the things “that are”? The curse. What are the things that “are not”? The promise. Don't say, “God chose this method” or “He chose that method,” when you're talking about the things that are, because the Bible says He chose the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are. That's the promise. When you don't see the promise, and you say, “Well, now God chooses doctors or lawyers or bankers or going in debt,” etc., if you say that God uses or chooses the things “that are” to bring about the promise, you're contrary to the Scriptures. In the Scriptures, the men of God used faith to bring to pass everything.  Do you understand what I'm saying? The world will tell you, because it's very convenient or comfortable for them, they'll say, “Well, now God uses this method, now God uses that...” No, He doesn't use “now methods”. That's not Scriptural. He uses the things that are not. He still uses the things that are not. Jesus doesn't have to heal you because He already healed you. You can prove it for yourself. Find one place in the Scripture, find just one place, where anybody who ministered healing to anybody else stopped and prayed and asked God to heal somebody. Find it. They didn't do it, and do you know why? Because it was already an accomplished fact. You know what they did? “Be healed in the Name of Jesus.” They laid hands and they commanded them to be healed. They commanded healing in the authority of God. “As the Father sent me, so send I you,” Jesus said (John 20:21). So we do the same thing Jesus did: We command healing in the name of Jesus. The reason we can do that is that there shouldn't be any question in our mind that it's already an accomplished fact. None of the disciples in the Book of Acts ever stopped and prayed, “Lord, will You heal this person?”  Now God gave us conditions. He said, for instance, it's “the children's bread” (Matthew 15:26). That's for us. He called deliverance from demons and healing the children's bread. It's ours. Is God ever going to deny the children their bread? No. May they go hungry? They might go hungry but it won't be because He's denying them their bread. That woman who was not one of the children, she said, “Well, even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table” (Matthew 15:27). She exercised faith. She proved herself to be a believer. I'm not saying that God can't do more than what it says in the Scripture. He won't do less, but I'm not saying He can't do more.  When Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Melita (Acts 28:1), it didn't say anybody there believed him, but he prayed for the sick, and God healed them (Acts 28:8,9). He prayed for a bunch of pagans, and you have to get God's permission to do that because Jesus said it's not right to cast the children's bread to the dogs. You have to get God's permission to do that. He might give it to you. He might do it as a witness. He may do it as an evangelistic tool. He may do it for those reasons, but He doesn't have to because you can't hold Him to any Scripture for that. The Bible says it's the children's bread. You may question, “What about the mercy ships and the mercy planes that have doctors and nurses specialized in a lot of the surgeries they do for cleft palates and so on?” Well, is it using the things that are or using the things that are not? I'm sure not going to condemn them, but let's get our eyes just on Jesus and look at His perfect way and His perfect Will. Did you ever see Jesus doing that? No. Did you ever see any of His disciples doing that? No. Wasn't Luke a physician? Maybe. Did you ever see him practicing that? No. Not after he came to Christ; you don't see him practicing that. So we don't have an example; we don't have a foundation to do it that way. I'm not condemning them; I'm not going to come against them. I'm just trying to get back to the Scriptures. I'm just trying to get back to God's method, God's way. You can make a mistake trusting in man and it can be dangerous because man can surely fail you. But it's never dangerous to trust in God. He never fails. He's never failed to heal me in almost 57 years, and I've gotten in some places where I needed healing. I've had broken bones; I've had cancer and He's healed me every time. God has never failed me. It didn't matter if it was a cold or a hangnail. It doesn't make any difference. You see, it doesn't matter how big it is. Jesus knew that He had the authority of the Father to come against all the works of the devil and destroy them. And that's the very same authority He gave us.

https://youtu.be/451XDwxqyfE?si=X9Sgw4V9nffqfwZ5 Follow along with us! GRAB 30 HONEST QUESTIONS 30 real questions, short/simple answers….God, science, Bible, suffering, doubt, church hurt… Grab one for yourself. Share one with your friends. Intro – Jonathan Hiesberger ME: My name is Jonathan Hiesberger. I'm from Waco, TX. Born and raised. I went to Waco High School. That's where I met Pastor. School teacher by profession, Year 23 of teaching high school SPED/Math. Pray for our teachers!! My faith is HUGELY important to me. God has done great things in my life. There have been battles. One thing I've learned through trials/struggles I NEED THE WORD OF GOD IN MY LIFE. People who haven't known me very long might be surprised -Dark times -Negative mindsets -Anxiety, Depression…-Worry, fear The only thing that sees me standing? God's Word. God's Word has sustained me through all these battles, but I have had to hold on to and not doubt God's word. Through these storms I had to learn to REALLY trust God's Word. Maybe today you might be wondering “can I really trust God's Word? We are living in an age where we are having trouble trusting the voices of authority speaking into our lives. -People no longer trust traditional institutions -Trust in media is at an all time low -AI deepfakes and content that looks real but is not. -Church leaders. People are asking: “Who can I trust?” That distrust reaches the Bible itself. DO AMERICANS TRUST THE BIBLE? -Only 36% of Americans say the Bible is accurate in the principles it teaches. –1 in 5 Americans believe the Bible was written to control or manipulate people. That is a big divide. People are asking questions like: “Has it been changed?” “Who decided what went in it?” “Was it written to control people?” People are basically asking: “Can I trust the Bible?”  TRUST is a BIG ISSUE – That is why I named this message…  Valid Faith Week 2: Can I Trust the Bible? Scriptures and Reliability If you have been struggling with this, you're not alone. I see many Christians who are wrestling with this topic. Social Media. It's ok to ask the questions. It's ok to engage with the evidence. After today, I believe I can show you there is a REASON for your HOPE. 1 Peter 3:15 NIV I want to give you some reasons for your hope. I want to talk to you about why God's Word is trustworthy.  We know the Bible says that it is reliable The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” – Isaiah 40:8, NIV God's Word is here and it's not going anywhere The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” – Jeremiah 1:12, NIV God is active in watching over and superintending His Word.  Luke 1:37, NIV: “For no word from God will ever fail.” Angel Gabriel testifies that God's word is UNFAILING. What does all this mean? God has declared that His Word is Reliable. Think of things in your life that are reliable.  Whether things or people, You feel like you can put COMPLETE trust in them.  God's Word is even MORE reliable. God's Word is Reliable Because of the Preserved Witness of the Early Church The scriptures we have in your New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the letters of the apostles including Paul Jesus words, Jesus' teachings Who witnessed these things? Those who walked with Jesus, saw His miracles, saw His death, burial, and resurrection. Apostles – trusted eyewitnesses wrote gospels and Letters – received in the churches, shared in the churches, copied, copied again They handed this collection of writings down to us and testified that it was really the writings of inspired men of God who Jesus had spoken with and spent time with.  If you want to know what they witnessed, it is written in YOUR bible. They saw the early things that happened in the new testament church and they wanted you to know. God inspired them to write those things for your benefit. We can trust the Bible because of their testimony. God's Word is reliable because it is preserved in  Greek manuscripts  Ancient versions in different languages Quotations outside the Bible Manuscripts are simply ancient documents (papyrus, parchments) Plants/animal skins                  Scrolls/Books Mentioned copies before Bible original written in ancient Greek Maybe 100? Maybe 500? More than 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts exist. These range from small fragments to nearly complete Bibles. 5,800! They wanted to get the WORD to as many people ASAP But not everyone spoke Greek More than 18,000+ additional manuscripts exist in other ancient languages. Old Latin Aramaic Syriac Coptic Armenian Ethiopian Gothic The Early church wanted to bring the saving message to the WHOLE WORLD and we have the manuscripts to prove it. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! People liked to write about Jesus. They lived in a hostile, pagan world and were defending their faith. Writers outside the Bible provide more than one million quotations from the New Testament. 1,000,000 quotations in the years immediately following the apostles.  Imagine something we hope never happens – imagine all the manuscripts disappear – all the Greek, ancient versions, etc We would still have Bible. Why?  These quotations are so extensive that scholars have argued that virtually the entire New Testament could be reconstructed from them, with fewer than a dozen verses being exceptions. The New Testament Has Extraordinary Historical and Manuscript Evidence large quantity of ancient manuscripts ALSO early date of biblical manuscripts.  We have manuscripts and manuscript fragments go back very close to the time of the original writings- to the life of Jesus and the apostles Compare that to other ancient writings Herodotus' History – we have 8 manuscripts 1350 years after they were written Julius Cesar's Gallic Wars – 10 documents 900 years later Tacitus' Historys and Annals – 9 manuscripts 750 years later New Testament: 5800+ manuscripts Fragment: 30-50 years after original Most of NT: 150 years after original All of NT: 250 years after original The New Testament has far greater manuscript attestation than other ancient literature. If manuscript quantity and age alone disqualified the New Testament, virtually all ancient historical writings would face the same problem. If you don't have the Bible, you don't have anything. If you doubt Jesus existed, how can you believe in Julius Ceasar? Modern scholars don't doubt that Jesus existed.  We have more copies than any other ancient work. PERIOD. What about the 1 in 5 people that manipulate? BUT how do we know it hasn't changed over time? The fact there is all these manuscripts show it hasn't changed.  If there was huge changed we would see it in the manuscripts If I had time I could go into detail about the very early fragments,  Very early Greek copies, so autographs are even early Found in different lands from which they are written And they are the same as what is in your Bible! Not the telephone game That's not how the Bible came to you. Thousands of manuscripts received from the churches they were written to being copied Found in completely different countries and lands With the most Ancient agreeing with the later manuscripts which agree with your Bible What would it take for the Bible to have been changed? Impossible to change all the manuscripts. Geographic diversity, all the versions, quotations, manuscripts not even yet discovered Are you seeing how silly this argument is? Who decided what books to put the Bible in the first place? Canons – early church documents that point to what books were accepted and which books were not This is HUGE – we have the witness from the early church showing which books they considered trustworthy; which books to die for if Roman soldiers showed up Early Christians memorized entire books of the New Testament (Egypt and other places it was a requirement to be in the ministry) Muratorian Canon – AD 170 Perhaps oldest known list of most of books of NT List of “Accepted” books and “Rejected” books All 4, Gospels, Acts, Jude, 1 John, another epistle of John, Revelation, and epistles of Paul accepted Accepted books were written by apostles or people who knew apostles Shows us that Early Christians already had a belief about what WAS and what WAS NOT scripture.  Probably written several hundred years after the apostles?? So the church can figure out how to control people, right??? Wrong! This is still when Christians were being killed for their faith They were trusting on Jesus and depending on His Word just to make it. Muratorian fragment preserved in Milan, Bibliotheca Ambrosiana, Cod. J 101 sup. EARLY CHRISTIANITY DID NOT ACCEPT OTHER BOOKS Only one NT book we don't know who author is Gospels of Peter and James, 3rd corinthians, epistle to laodocians, etc OLD TESTAMENT We have manuscripts in Hebrew and Aramaic, and also in Greek of the Old Testament. The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic textual tradition preserved by Jewish scribes called the Masoretes.  We also have the Septuagint, which is the Greek Old Testament. Jews carefully copied and standardized the Hebrew Scriptures. Until recently, The oldest known complete copies of the Hebrew Bible go back to 900-1000 AD. Although Jews were very careful in the copies, one might still try to raise doubt.  UNTIL what is arguably the greatest find in modern archaeology: The Dead Sea Scrolls Support the Reliability of the Old Testament Discovered beginning in 1947 in caves near the Dead Sea at Qumran. 3 Bedouin shepherds discovered ancient scrolls hidden in the caves. 15,000 texts, 40% of which are copies of Biblical texts There is a scholarly consensus on the age of the Dead sea scrolls Paleographical dating, Radiocarbon dating, and archaeological evidence all support a date of these writings that go as far back as the 3rd century BC. Portions of every Old Testament book except Esther were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. What does this all mean? The scriptures found in your Bible are OLD and some of the go back to BEFORE the time of Jesus and the apostles. Before Christianity. “Many of the scrolls are practically identical with the Masoretic text, which thus takes this recension back in history to pre-Christian times” – Encyclopedia Brittanica The Hebrew text is ANCIENT. Among the discoveries was the Great Isaiah Scroll. The source dates it to approximately 125 BC. It contains essentially the complete book of Isaiah. When the Great Isaiah Scroll was compared with the later Masoretic Text: The two were found to be remarkably similar. Word for Word identical in 95% of the text 5% difference were mostly slips of the pen and spelling Isaiah is important because it foretells the birth of the Messiah (Isaiah 7) the suffering of the Messiah (Isaiah 53) and the reign of the messiah (Isaiah 9) BEFORE Jesus was born! The Dead Sea Scrolls pushed surviving Hebrew biblical manuscripts back more than 1000 years. They provide ancient witnesses to the Hebrew Scriptures and support the stability of the textual tradition. Authenticate the OT in YOUR Bible! Your Bible didnt' just show up yesterday! It is ANCIENT. It is RELIABLE. Your faith is VALID. We're talking about valid faith, believing in God's Word is VALID FAITH. God's Word is reliable for many more reasons! Unique Moral teachings Confirming scientific concepts before science itself did History and archaeology confirms it Fulfilled prophecy If we had more time we could dive in to all those things We know God's Word is Reliable because of how it changes lives! Grew up without a dad Grandma worked 16 hour doubles at the nursing home to feed us Struggled with unusual anxieties, obsessive worries Fear and insecurity and isolation BUT I read about God in His Word That began a conversation Earnestly prayed that God would be real in my life Don't wanna just read about You He brought me into contact with people of faith Started going to church That led me to an altar of repentance A place where i could connect with God I didn't have a fancy prayer I just remember praying God, would you be my Father? That night I had a encounter with God I had an encounter with my Father It started with faith,  you see friends I read about Him in His Word. God gave me His Word He wanted me to know Him. He is my Father and wanted a relationship with Me. And that has changed everything.  And then later when the trials came The dark nights When I lost my way And let anxiety creep And the emotions cloud my thinking and mindset And I didn't know what to do When I returned to the Word of God And REALLY believed it And REALLY applied to my life That's when Victory came!! I am not just sermonizing God's Word has GIVEN ME MY LIFE He has rescued me!! But I had to stand on the Word That's great Jonathan, but does this have to do with me? What does His Word accomplish in my life? The question what can't God's Word do in your life? Do you need wisdom? It has wisdom Do you need hope?  Hope for your family Hope for your finances Hope for your relationships Comfort in the dark times A voice than can push back fear and the lies  That seek to destroy you and those you love God's Word has all these things for you if you will have faith It's not just another self-help book Self-help books can claim to do all these things But the Word of God connects you to the ONE who can Fill that God-shaped hole in your soul. It connects you to biggest thing that's ever going to happen to you And that is an encounter with Jesus Christ Like the encounter an 18 year old boy from Waco Texas had one Wednesday night And a life was saved And a destiny was forever changed It starts with Valid faith We can have faith in God's Word Would you stand with me? 3 things I want you to do with this message Call To Action – How to rely on God's Word  God’s Word is not just information—it is meant to transform us. 1. ABSORB Read God’s Word. Take it in. Feed on it. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” God’s Word is spiritual food. Don’t just read it—absorb it. Hide it in your heart. Make a commitment to spend time in God’s Word every day. 2. AGREE Agreement means saying: “God, even when I don’t understand it, I choose to believe what Your Word says.” We agree with God—not with our feelings, our culture, or our limited understanding. Sometimes we want to argue with God. We want to explain why we think our way is better. But agreement brings us to a place of surrender: “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Agreement is powerful because it is part of repentance. It prepares our hearts to change. Before we can live God’s way, we must first decide that God’s way is right. We meet with God every day in prayer and confess that we want His Kingdom to Come and His  will to be done in our lives. Which leads us to the last step 3. ALIGN Alignment means bringing our lives into line with God’s Word. We don’t just hear the truth—we live it. Even when we don't understand. You see, alignment becomes easier when we have already crossed the bridge of agreement. When the Bible says something like love your enemies, pray for those who despitefully use you And that makes no sense us, but you trust in God and His Word. And we submit that area of our lives to His Will, we can begin to be more like Him. Absorbing God's Word brings us direction. Agreement to God's Word prepares the heart.Alignment to God's Word changes the life. We read God's Word. We agree with God's Word. We live out God's Word. ABSORB. AGREE. ALIGN. Let God’s Word transform you. You can trust God’s Word. It has not changed—what IS changing are people's lives. He doesn't change, but He is changing us to conform to the image of His Son. Keep reading. Keep trusting. Keep growing. And as God’s Word transforms you, you will become more and more like Jesus.

When Christians think about end-times prophecy, attention often turns to the coming Antichrist. But in today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that the apostle John warned of something already present: many antichrists spreading deception and denying the Truth about Jesus Christ.First John gives believers a clear test. The spirit of antichrist denies that Jesus is the Christ and rejects the unique relationship between the Father and the Son. Any teaching that reduces Jesus to merely one path among many stands in direct opposition to His declaration that He alone is the way to the Father.Dr. Youssef warns that spiritual deception does not always appear openly hostile to Christianity. False teaching can be attractive, persuasive, and even accompanied by impressive claims. Jesus Himself warned that false messiahs and false prophets would seek to deceive.So how should Christians respond? Not with panic, but with vigilance. Believers must know Scripture, test what they hear, put on the whole armor of God, and remain firmly rooted in the Truth of Jesus Christ.The forces of deception may appear powerful, but their defeat is certain. Christ will triumph. This episode challenges believers to stay alert, hold fast to Biblical Truth, and refuse every counterfeit that diminishes the identity and supremacy of Jesus.Pray with me.Lord Jesus, help me to discern Truth from deception by being grounded in Your Word. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Read OnlineThe Interior Life in ActionJesus said to his disciples: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles.” Luke 6:43–44The interior life in Catholic spiritual theology refers to the hidden workings of God's grace within the soul—silently yet powerfully transforming us from within so that what lies deep in the heart becomes manifest in our exterior actions. Our interior life is the foundation of who we are; our exterior life is the visible and faithful expression of that foundation.In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches two parables with complementary meanings—both revealing the essential connection between the interior and the exterior. The first parable, the Parable of the Tree and its Fruit, presents the image: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.” The “tree” is a metaphor for the soul, and the inner life of grace to which each of us is called. Though every person is fundamentally “good” by virtue of being created in the image and likeness of God, the goodness to which Jesus refers here is the goodness of a soul transformed by grace—a soul that cooperates with God's grace and lives by His Word.Such a soul is like a tree that receives the proper nourishment: the rain of divine mercy, the light of truth, the warmth of charity, and the rich soil of the Sacraments and prayer. It is a tree made strong by supernatural grace. But though there is great value in a tree that is healthy and vibrant—just as there is intrinsic value in a soul filled with God's life—the ultimate purpose of a healthy fruit tree is to bear good fruit for the benefit of others.In a sense, a fruit tree that is strong and beautiful yet bears fruit that no one consumes falls short of its purpose. Likewise, a Christian whose interior life is rich must allow that life to overflow into concrete acts of love, mercy, truth, and service. The “fruit” of our lives—our words, decisions, and deeds—must nourish those around us and draw others into the life of God. If the fruit remains hidden or is spoiled by selfishness or fear, then our interior life has not yet reached its fulfillment.Jesus complements this parable by teaching another that He introduces by saying, “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them.” He then tells the Parable of the Two Foundations. The first foundation—the well-formed interior life—“is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built” (Luke 6:47–48). Just as a strong interior life leads to the good fruit of charity, it also prepares the soul to endure the storms of life. Trials, temptations, and sufferings will inevitably come, but the soul built on Christ will remain steadfast.Conversely, Jesus warns that “the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed” (Luke 6:49). A shallow spiritual life—one of sentiment without substance—cannot withstand the forces of this world. It may appear sufficient when all is calm, but it will crumble in the time of testing, producing no fruit.Reflect today on the foundation of your own soul. Have you dug deeply into the life of prayer, embraced the Sacraments, and allowed the Word of God to penetrate and shape every part of your being? Are you bearing fruit that nourishes others, and does your life rest securely upon the unshakable rock of Christ? The integrity of your spiritual house depends entirely on the depth and strength of your interior life. Do not be content with surface appearances. Go deep, and allow the grace of God to make your foundation solid rock, your soul rich, your words good fruit, and your life a dwelling place that endures forever.Lord of Grace and Truth, You continually speak to me and offer the aid of Your grace through prayer and the Sacraments. May I always listen attentively to Your Word and cooperate fully with Your grace, so that the interior life of my soul may be strong—bearing good fruit and withstanding every trial. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

LESSON 254Let Every Voice But God's Be Still In Me.Father, today I would but hear Your Voice. In deepest silence I would come to You, to hear Your Voice and to receive Your Word. I have no prayer but this: I come to You to ask You for the truth. And truth is but Your Will, which I would share with You today.Today we let no ego thoughts direct our words or actions. When such thoughts occur, we quietly step back and look at them, and then we let them go. We do not want what they would bring with them. And so we do not choose to keep them. They are silent now. And in the stillness, hallowed by His Love, God speaks to us and tells us of our will, as we have chosen to remember Him.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

In chapter 5, Paul turns from the comfort of Christ's coming for believers to theseriousness of “the day of the Lord.” He writes: “But concerning the timesand the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.”Apparently, Paul had already taught them about these things. Notice that Pauldoes not give them a date. Throughout history, people have tried to calculatethe exact time of Christ's return. But Jesus said in Matthew 24:36: “But ofthat day and hour no one knows.” Our responsibility is not to set dates.Our responsibility is to be ready. Paulcontinues: “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord socomes as a thief in the night.” A thief does not normally send a noticesaying, “I'll be at your house tonight at 2:00.” The point is unexpectedness.The day of the Lord will come suddenly upon a world that is unprepared. Thephrase “day of the Lord” is used throughout the Bible to describe a timewhen God directly intervenes in human history in judgment and ultimatelyestablishes His righteous rule. The Old Testament prophets spoke repeatedlyabout it. Joel called it “the great and terrible day of the LORD.” Isaiah,Zephaniah, Amos, and others warned of a coming day of divine judgment. ThenPaul says in verse 3: “For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!' then suddendestruction comes upon them.” Notice the words “they” and “them.”Paul is describing unbelieving humanity. The world will believe thateverything is secure. People will be saying, “Peace and safety.” Yet suddenlyGod's judgment will come. Paul compares it to labor pains upon a pregnantwoman. That illustration tells us two things. First, the event is certain. Oncelabor begins, the birth is coming. Second, the event becomes inescapable. Paulsays: “And they shall not escape.” That sounds serious because it isserious. The Bible presents the return of Jesus Christ as both a wonderful hopeand a solemn warning. For the believer, Christ's coming means reunion,resurrection, transformation, and being forever with the Lord. But for theunbelieving world, the day of the Lord means judgment. And that raises the mostimportant question: Are you ready? Not, “Do you know all the prophetic charts?”Not, “Can you explain every detail of Revelation?” But: “Do you know JesusChrist as your Savior?” Jesus came the first time to provide salvation. He diedon the cross for our sins. He was buried. He rose again. And today He offerseternal life to everyone who will trust Him. SecondPeter 3:9 tells us that God is “not willing that any should perish but thatall should come to repentance.” God's warning of judgment is actually anexpression of His mercy. He warns us because He wants us to turn to Him.Perhaps there is someone listening today who has never personally trusted JesusChrist. You may know about Him. You may attend church. You may be a good personby human standards. But have you received Christ? The question is not whetherwe know when Jesus is coming. The question is whether we are ready when Hecomes.  Andfor those of us who know Christ, these verses should cause us to live withurgency. There are people around us who are not ready. Family members. Friends.Neighbors. Coworkers. We should pray for opportunities to share the good newsof Jesus Christ with them. The day of the Lord will come. God's Word says it iscertain. So today, let us make sure that our hearts are ready and that ourlives are faithfully pointing others to Jesus. Let'spray. Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise that Jesus is coming again.Thank You also for the warning in Your Word concerning the day of the Lord.Help us not to become distracted trying to determine dates and times, but helpus to live ready. For anyone listening who has never trusted Jesus Christ, maytoday be the day they turn from sin and receive Him as Savior. . InJesus' name, we pray. Amen.

God sees the woman who is aching for a child. He sees her in the middle of the night, in the quiet places where the longing is too heavy to carry out loud, in the vulnerable late-night moments when words finally escape onto a page or a screen because they have nowhere else to go. He saw Hannah weeping in the Temple in such a state of fervor that the priest mistook her for drunk. He saw Sarah, whose hope had twisted into bitter laughter at what seemed like an impossible promise. And in perhaps some of the most life-giving words in all of Scripture, the answer to years of waiting is recorded simply and powerfully: the Lord remembered her. That phrase — the Lord remembered her — is not a statement about forgetfulness corrected. It is a declaration of divine attentiveness meeting its appointed moment. Every child born to these praying, waiting, weeping women held a significant and timely role in God's larger plan for humanity. Which means the waiting was never about withholding. It was about the exact moment in history when that life would be needed in the world. For any woman reading today who is whispering prayers for a child — whether through infertility, loss, adoption's long road, or any other form of longing — this episode carries the same message God sent to a friend through a middle-of-the-night whisper: He sees you. He has not forgotten you. And in His timing, in His way, and in His goodness, He will remember you. Bible Verse "The Lord remembered her plea."— 1 Samuel 1:19, NIV Ponder Today God sees the longing that is too tender to say out loud. Hannah's prayer was so deeply private and fervent that it was misread entirely by those around her. God saw what no one else could. He sees what you are carrying right now in exactly the same way. The Lord remembered her — and He remembers you. This is not a statement about God forgetting and then correcting Himself. It is a declaration of His perfect attentiveness meeting its appointed moment. He has not overlooked your longing. The waiting was not withholding — it was preparation for a purpose. Every child born to these praying women held a significant role in God's larger story. The delay was not indifference. It was divine timing working toward something that could only arrive at the right moment. The experience of waiting reshapes us in ways that fulfillment alone cannot. Each of the women in Scripture who longed for a child emerged from the waiting with a deeper, more intimate knowledge of God. The painful wait was also a profound encounter with their Creator. If you are walking alongside someone in this kind of longing, your role matters. The prayer in this episode includes those who love someone in the waiting. Ask God for the wisdom and sensitivity to be a genuine source of encouragement rather than unintentional pain. A Prayer for You Today Father God, we thank You for the true and remarkable accounts in Your Word of devoted women who sought You for a child. Lord, we know that today there are women who relate to Hannah, Sarah, Elizabeth, and countless others in the same way. We pray for their hearts in this moment — that they would be still before You and listen with softened hearts for what You want to say and do in their lives. Lord, if someone reading this is walking alongside another with such a yearning, equip them with wisdom and compassion to truly encourage her. We thank You that just as You remembered Hannah, You remember Your daughters today. In Jesus' holy name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Repentance has a reputation problem. For many people, the word carries a weight of shame, punishment, and finger-pointing that makes it something to avoid rather than something to run toward. But that understanding misses the heart of what repentance actually is — one of the most beautiful, purifying, and sacred practices available in the daily walk with Jesus. First John 1:9 is a promise, not a threat: if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness. God's convictions are not condemnation. They are truth pressed on the heart by a Holy Spirit who loves us and wants nothing standing between us and the Father. When we respond to those convictions with transparency and humility, condemnation has nowhere to land. David modeled this in Psalm 51, approaching God with uninhibited honesty about his sin — not cowering under shame, but opening himself fully to the mercy he knew was available. The picture this episode offers is simple and freeing: a child jumping in the car after school and immediately announcing a failed math test — not to be lectured, but because honesty with a loving parent opens the door to help rather than hiding the problem. That is exactly how our Heavenly Father deals with us. When we are open about our failures and seek His wisdom, He steps right in. We are not berated for failing. We are forgiven and made free, and in that freedom, we genuinely want to do better. Bible Verse "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."— 1 John 1:9, NIV Ponder Today Repentance is an open invitation from a loving Savior, not a punishment from an angry God. When we understand it correctly, we stop avoiding it and start running toward it — because on the other side of honest confession is freedom, forgiveness, and restored fellowship. God's convictions are His truths pressed on our hearts. The Holy Spirit prompts us to address what hinders our faith not to humiliate us but because He loves us and wants nothing standing between us and the Father. Transparency with God removes the power of condemnation. David did not approach God with carefully managed confession. He came with uninhibited honesty, and in that openness, condemnation immediately fell away. Hiding sin gives it power. Confessing it removes it. Repentance practiced regularly keeps the heart soft and responsive. Whether it is a daily practice or something we return to after a longer season of resistance, the throne room is always open. God's mercies are new every morning and His grace is always greater than our greatest failure. Forgiveness freely received should be freely extended. One of the natural outcomes of genuine repentance is a growing capacity for grace toward others. Remembering how generously we have been forgiven shapes how generously we forgive. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, thank You that because of Jesus I can come before You freely, knowing I will find mercy instead of condemnation. Your Word promises that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Please search my heart today. Shine Your light into every hidden place and reveal any attitude, habit, or thought that does not honor You. Help me respond to the gentle conviction of Your Holy Spirit with humility and honesty. Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Teach me to practice repentance as a daily act of worship and response to Your loving guidance. Keep my heart soft, teachable, and quick to respond whenever You correct me. Thank You for Your endless patience and for mercies that are new every morning. In Jesus' name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How do you make something that is sweet? For that matter, how do you make any taste? I'm not talking about adding sugar to a recipe. Let's say that God provided you with all the atoms of the various elements you needed to make a molecule that tastes sweet. If you were to make such a molecule, you would need to know the construction of the sweet taste receptors on your tongue.You would need to know which molecular shapes would bind to those receptors. Then you would have to understand how all the different elements bind to one another and what molecular shapes they would have.The complexity of this task was well illustrated when researchers at the University of Wisconsin- Madison released a computer model of a protein called brazein. Brazein is 2,000 times sweeter than sugar and found naturally in a West African fruit. Brazein's coiled molecular shape is responsible for its sweetness but if the molecule uncoils, it loses all its sweetness. Its structure closely resembles scorpion poisons and proteins used by some plants for self-defense. The more we learn about how things work in the world around us, the clearer it becomes that everything that exists has been carefully designed to interact in very specific ways. We learn more about this Creator, though, not from molecules, but from His holy Word.Psalm 119:103“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”Prayer: Dear Father, grant me understanding as I study Your Word. Amen.Ref: Science News, "Protein's shape may give extra-sugary taste" To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Psalm 119 is basically 176 verses of the psalmist saying, “God, I really, really love Your Word.” And while that might sound a little intense, there's something wonderfully practical underneath all of it: what gets into us eventually comes out of us. Our interaction with God's word is less about simply reading it but rather, […]

At our Interactive Midweek Service, Pastor Femi Paul brought us God's Word titled “THE IMPORTANT THING.” Drawing from the encounter with Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38–42, we were reminded that it is possible to be occupied with many legitimate things and still miss the one thing that is important, necessary and essential. Martha was busy, worried and troubled about many things, while Mary had discovered what mattered most and chose it. Pastor Femi warned us about distractions, including those that can appear subtle and justifiable, because not everything demanding our attention deserves our time, energy or resources. Distractions can exhaust productive energy, steal peace, consume precious years and leave us busy without necessarily moving towards God's purpose for our lives. Beware of time wasters. The message therefore called us to discern what truly matters and discover it on time. Psalm 119 reminds us that God's Word brings light, understanding and direction, illuminating the path ahead so that we can navigate life wisely. Success is not simply doing more things or pursuing what matters to everyone around us; success happens when we discover what really matters concerning our own God-given journey and give ourselves to it. Mary discovered the better thing and chose it. In the same way, we need the light of God's Word to separate the essential from the unnecessary, purpose from distraction, and what merely looks urgent from what is truly important. May we discover what really matters concerning our success in life, on time, in good time, and before it is too late. Prayer: Lord, let the entrance of Your Word bring light and understanding to my life. Give me discernment to recognise distractions, including those that appear reasonable and justifiable. Help me not to waste my time, energy or years pursuing what does not truly matter. May I quickly discover what really matters concerning my success in life. May I discover it on time, in good time, and before it is too late. Amen.

Read OnlineA Paradigm Shift“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.” Luke 6:20–23Normally, we do not consider poverty, hunger, grief, or being denounced and insulted by others to be good things. Yet at the very heart of His Sermon on the Plain, Jesus declares that those who experience such trials are truly blessed—that is, deeply joyful and spiritually fortunate. To be “blessed” in this sense is to be happy in the truest sense of the word. In contrast, those who are rich, well-fed, laughing, and socially esteemed face a serious spiritual danger. Most likely, as the vast crowd of disciples listened to Jesus preach this sermon, many were at least perplexed—if not outright shocked—by what they heard.Throughout the rest of the week, we will continue reading from this powerful sermon in which Jesus teaches about the necessity of loving one's enemies, refraining from judgment and condemnation, showing mercy, and building one's life upon the solid foundation of His words. These teachings were deeply countercultural and demanded a radical reorientation of the values that many of Jesus' disciples held dear. In order to accept His message, a paradigm shift was necessary—a complete reordering of their lives and foundational beliefs.The path of the Beatitudes leads through the Cross to the glory of God's Kingdom. To walk that path—marked by trials and tribulations—divine wisdom is essential. The disciples needed to shed their shallow and incomplete moral and spiritual convictions so that they could understand, embrace, and live a much deeper and richer way of living.Because we are quite familiar with Jesus' teachings and the Beatitudes, His words might not leave us shocked or even perplexed—unless we truly hear them, allow their meaning to take root in our lives, and permit them to effect the change they are meant to bring about. For this to happen, we must approach these teachings with humility, openness, and a willingness to let go of worldly values, so that the wisdom of the Cross may become the foundation of our lives. The Christian life is so much more than acting with kindness and gentleness, helping others, and making a difference within the community. Though those are essential qualities and duties, living the Beatitudes draws us much deeper into a life of holy and sacrificial love.The process of embracing the Beatitudes begins with our minds; we must understand their message. Poverty, hunger, grief, persecution, and every other trial we encounter must be faced and embraced with hope and with the firm belief that God can and will bring about a far greater good from the crosses we carry than if our lives were entirely free of suffering. This truth—that God brings good out of every cross—challenges us to the core of our thinking and must reshape our preconceived notions about what we prefer and dislike. We are blessed if we come to love every trial we are permitted to endure, even those very sufferings Jesus identifies in His sermon.Once we begin to see life through the lens of divine wisdom, as it is revealed in the Beatitudes, grace enables us to choose what we once would have avoided. The crosses we are given not only begin to make sense, they become objects of our desire because we recognize them as the means by which God brings about true and lasting happiness.Reflect today on one trial you are currently facing, and ask God to help you see it through the lens of the Beatitudes. Rather than running from the trial, what would happen if you embraced it with hope, trust, and even joy, knowing that it has the potential to lead you to holiness and eternal reward? Let the wisdom of Jesus' words penetrate your heart, and allow Him to reorder your thoughts and desires according to His perfect and merciful will.Lord of perfect Wisdom, Your Word shatters the wisdom of the world and reveals the true path to happiness and holiness. Help me to hear Your voice, understand Your wisdom and act upon it, making Your Truth the foundation of my life. Reorient my whole life according to Your will, and work all things for good—even the trials I endure. Jesus, I trust in You!  Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

In the midst of the terror at ground zero on September 11, 2011, some heroic servant leaders ran into the chaos to serve something greater than themself. This episode is in honor of those lost and those who inspire us to serve.   Jason is joined by former U.S. Marine and 9/11 first responder Jason Thomas for a gripping firsthand account of servant leadership under extreme crisis.   For Full Show Notes visit https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/honoring-9-11-jason-thomas/ Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, how do we honor the sacrifices made and carry those lessons into how we lead our teams today? In this powerful episode of The Thermostat, Jason V. Barger sits down with former U.S. Marine Jason Thomas, whose heroic actions at Ground Zero served as the real-life inspiration for the film World Trade Center. Thomas shares his harrowing story of driving into Manhattan on September 11, 2001, and navigating the scorching debris to rescue two trapped Port Authority officers. This conversation moves beyond typical business anecdotes to explore the ultimate test of servant leadership. Jason and Jason discuss how deeply ingrained family values—specifically the mandate to "be your brother's keeper"—dictate our actions in times of chaos. They explore what it means to keep your word under immense pressure, the selflessness required to put your team first, and why authentic leaders never go backwards. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and anyone committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers profound insights on resilience, honoring commitments, and building an organizational temperature grounded in unwavering support. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason sets the stage for an unforgettable conversation honoring the events of 9/11 and defining what servant leadership truly looks like. Meet Jason Thomas: Introduction to Jason's background, his transition from the Marine Corps to Air Force medic, and how the trauma of 9/11 shifted his career path. The Morning of 9/11: Jason recounts the surreal moments of dropping his newborn off, seeing the North Tower hit on television, and immediately throwing on his uniform. The Foundation of Culture: Exploring how Jason's mother established a powerful family temperature of "never leave your brother behind" that guided his actions that day. Into the Rubble: The daunting physical challenge of crawling over hot I-beams, shouting into the darkness, and refusing to retreat when warned by other responders. "Are You An Angel?": The chilling moment of falling 12 feet into a dark hole and discovering the trapped Port Authority officers, Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin. The Ultimate Sacrifice: Will Jimeno's selfless request to have his leg amputated with a K-bar knife to save his sergeant, highlighting true team devotion. Keeping Your Word: The emotional weight of learning that an earlier responder had promised to return but didn't, and Jason's unwavering commitment to stay. The Aftermath: The psychological toll of the rescue, driving home covered in ash, and returning to Ground Zero for 20 straight days to search for more survivors. Questions to Ponder: Jason V. Barger challenges listeners to evaluate the temperature they are setting in their own lives and organizations. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Be Your Brother's Keeper: Establish a culture where team members instinctively support one another, proving through daily action that no one will be left behind. Your Word is Your Currency: In moments of crisis, trust is the only thing that holds a team together. If you make a commitment to your people, you must fulfill it. Forward Motion: Authentic leaders do not retreat when operations become difficult; they rely on their deeply ingrained values to navigate the chaos and pull their team out of the dark. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/honoring-9-11-and-servant-leadership-with-jason-thomas/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

Bats defy evolutionary explanations. For their echolocation systems to evolve, bats had to develop simultaneously the ability to make high-pitched sounds, hear those sounds, and figure out what they mean. How did they eat before they evolved these abilities? Then there is the problem of evolving typical mammalian forearms into bat wings without crippling the creature in the process. Even evolutionists admit that the evolution of all these features even once is highly unlikely.Bats are divided into two sub-orders. Smaller bats, like the free-tail bats of Mexico, are classified in the sub-order of Microchiroptera. Large bats like the fruit bat are classified into the sub-order of Megachiroptera. The brains of the larger bats have very different visual pathways than those in smaller bats. The visual pathways of the larger bats are more like those of primates! But no evolutionist would dare suggest that they evolved from primates. The second complication is that this means that both small and large bats could not have evolved from a common ancestor. It further means that all the unlikely features of bats had to have evolved at least twice, if evolution were true.The Bible offers a simple explanation for the design of the bat and the differences between their brains. They were made by God using whatever designs He knew would be best for that creature's way of life, without regard for later classification systems.Psalm 33:6“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your Word that made life and gives life now. Amen.Ref: Creation, "Bats: Sophistication in Miniature" To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Introduction: Why Jesus' Victory is the Greatest Victory (1 Corinthians 15:50-58): He won the greatest PRIZE . (1 Cor 15:50-53) 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. He defeated the greatest ENEMY . (1 Cor 15:54-57) He gives us the greatest PURPOSE . (1 Cor 15:58) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Unified and Purified: We Labor in Victory Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:05Open up your Bibles with me please to the book of 1 Corinthians and chapter 15.00:12While you're turning there, just take a moment please and pray for me to communicate God's Word clearly and accurately as I should and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us in His Word today. Do we have a deal?00:30One of you?00:32Alright, let's pray.00:35Father in Heaven, this church was built on the belief that Your Word does Your work. Your Son made it clear that when Your Word is sown and it falls on good soil, it reproduces. And I'm praying today, Father, that our hearts our good soil.01:06And that we would allow your word to take deep root and change us from the inside out.01:18Father, we thank you for your goodness.01:21We thank you for your promises.01:24Be glorified now through your word.01:26We pray in Jesus' name.01:29And all of God's people said, Amen.01:33Amen.01:34Sports fans, don't you just love the thrill of a really tight game? I know I do. But you know what I love even better than a really tight game? An absolute blowout. I mean, just a good old-fashioned curb stomping, rubbing your nose in it. Like, I love when it's your team that's doing The dominating. I love that. I like that even way better than a close game. But even better than that is when you're actually playing the game where you're doing the stomping. That is delicious. I've had that experience a few times in my life. One, many, many years ago, I used to be decent at tennis. I mean, I wasn't like, Andre Agassi or anything. But I was decent. And I could keep up. But I remember meeting this guy through a friend of a friend kind of thing. And he found out I played tennis. He goes, oh, I play tennis. I'd like to play you sometime. I'm like, great, let's play. But then he started all the smack talking. He's like, well, you know, I'm going to destroy you. I'm like, okay. He goes, yeah, I'm really going to, he goes, I'm really going to beat you.03:04I'm like, aren't we adults? Like, why are you talking like this? But he just like kept us smacked. Okay, so now he's like in my head a little bit. Like, okay, so I'm going to show up and play this guy, and he's going to embarrass me. And I'm like, so I was trying to get in that headspace. Like, how do you walk into that, right? Well, the day came for our big match. And I don't know.03:33I don't know how else to say it. He was horrible. I mean, the word is pathetic. It was at the point that I'm not sure he knew which end of the racket to hold. In fact, if he would have been swinging at it with just a handle, I think he might have done a better. He was horrible. Like, how bad was he? He was so bad that I started playing as if I would play against like a five-year-old.04:03Just like he would get it over the net and I would like rejoice that he even got it over the net and I would just well in that when you're playing it like 10% obviously you're going to make mistakes because that's not how you're supposed to play and I'd like hit it into the net by accident. He started the smack talk up again like yeah what's up now I'm like oh okay like all right. That's when I proceeded to completely the court with him. Unmercifully never saw him again. I think he moved to Nepal or something. But it was so just exhilarating being on the side of a complete, dominating, crushing, one-sided victory. Oh, and speaking of, today we are going to talk about the greatest, one-sided, overwhelming victory, that's ever happened.05:05And that was Jesus Christ defeating death.05:09And he did it by resurrecting.05:14And that's what 1 Corinthians 15 is all about.05:18This whole chapter is about resurrection.05:24And we talked about this through this series.05:26The whole idea of resurrecting from the dead was crazy.05:32to the Corinthians, the Greeks, and Corinth. They didn't believe in a bodily resurrection, so Paul was setting them straight. He goes, no, this is what God said, okay? And there's even people in churches today really don't think about the idea of resurrection, right? Even people in churches today are like, okay, I get like salvation, and I get like heaven, but like this idea that I'm going to bodily resurrect, Yes! According to the Bible, you are literally going to get a new, eternal, indestructible, glorified, resurrected body. You're going to get a brand new body. Some of you should be shouting Amen. I know I am. You know, this is a rental, and I've beat it up pretty bad. So, last week the question we examined was this one.06:32What's the resurrected body like? What's it like? And you can go back and listen to that message, or if you weren't here, it's on our website or the YouTubes. But today, we're going to answer this question. This is where the text takes us. When do I get this resurrected body? When does that happen? And the answer is when Jesus returns.07:03The dead receive theirs first, then the living receive theirs, and that is going to be the day, according to this passage we look at today, that's going to be the day that we celebrate the greatest one-sided victory of all time. All right, some of you might not be convinced, so if you have an outline, why Jesus' victory is the greatest victory. Why Jesus' victory?07:32He just claimed it was the greatest one-sided overwhelming victory of all time. Why? Why is it? Well, number one, He won the greatest prize. He won the greatest prize. Look at verse 50. He says, I tell you this, brothers, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.08:02designs special bodies that are suited for eternity, suited for heaven. We talked about that a little bit last week, right? This body that he gave us that we're living in now, this body is suited for earth, right? The way this body functions, it works perfectly in the earth environment, right? This is suited for here. But this body is not going to work in heaven.08:31There, we're going to need a new body. So we're going to have to be changed. We saw last week, the Bible says that this body is like a seed. And when we die, we are buried in the ground. And like the seed, our resurrection, we are raised up as something new.09:01All right, so here's the question. On the table. Okay, you're saying the people who die are put in the ground, raises something new. What about people that, like, aren't dead when Jesus returns? Like, what about those people? If you have to be buried to come up as a new body, like, what if you're one of the people alive, and it very well could be us, who are alive when Jesus returns? Does that mean that we have to die so that we can be buried so that we can get our resurrected body. Is that what has to happen? And the answer is no. If you're alive when Jesus returns, you do not die. What does happen? Well, he tells us, look at verse 51. He says, behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.10:01Now when he says mystery here he's not talking like you know Alfred Hitchcock or anything like that. He's the word mystery in the Bible just means something that God never said in past time but now he's revealing it for the first time. It's all through the Bible.10:18He says we will not all sleep. That's a nice way of saying die. We will not all die but he says we will all be changed.10:28So when Christ returns believers who are alive Christ comes, will not die, but are going to be transformed.10:38And do you know how long it's going to take?10:41If you're alive when Christ returns, do you know how long it's going to take for this body to be changed into the new body?10:50Do you know how long that takes?10:52He tells us, this is astounding.10:55Look at verses 52 and 53.10:57He says, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable. And this mortal body must put on immortality. It's going to be, your change is going to be instant.11:31Your body is going to change faster than you can even recognize that it was changing. This is so interesting to me. When he says in a moment, you see that in the text, in a moment, verse 52, that word for moment in the Greek refers to something that is so small that it can't be divided. What I mean is this, if your body transforms in two minutes, that's a period of time that can be divided, right? You can divide two minutes into two one-minute periods or four 30-second periods or whatever. He's saying the amount of time it's going to take your body to change, that amount of time is so small that you can't even divide it. It is that small. Like, well, what does that mean? He just means instantly. When Christ returns, if you're alive, instantly, boom, new body.12:31Awesome. He also talked about the trumpet. The last trumpet. Study your Bibles. Trumpets were used all through the Old Testament for what purpose? To call God's people to come and meet God. The day is going to come that God is going to blow that trumpet one more time. He just said, all my people gather together to meet your God. This is exactly what Paul was talking about in 1 Thessalonians.13:014. I encourage you to go home and read this whole chapter because it really complements what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 here.13:09But he says, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And here it is again, the dead in Christ will rise first. This event that he talks about in 1 Corinthians 4.13:30And this event that he talks about in 1 Corinthians 15, you read it in John chapter 14 as well, is called the rapture. What is the rapture? What is this event that happens where we get our resurrected bodies, where the dead come out of the grave and get their resurrected bodies? What is this event? It's when Jesus Christ descends from heaven to gather his people, those who died and those who are living to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air to receive the glorified bodies. Then it's off to heaven. Like, well, when does the rapture take place? Well, I know, you know, when you follow church trends and doctrinal changes and things like that, it's not cool in our day to believe in the rapture, but it's biblical.14:30And I'd be more concerned about being biblical than what's trending. So I believe biblically that this rapture takes place before the seven-year tribulation period as described in Revelation. Okay? I believe that Jesus comes to take His church out of the earth before the seven-year tribulation. Why do I believe that? I'm going to give you three reasons why I believe that.15:01Why do I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture? Why do I believe Jesus is going to take the church out before the judgment events of Revelation? Why do I believe that? Jot these three things down. The first reason I believe that is it's the most straightforward understanding of the biblical language. Read Revelation 3.10. Read 1 Thessalonians 5.9. Jesus promises to keep His church out of the future time of testing the on all unbelievers. That's just the most straightforward understanding of the language. Jesus says, I'm going to keep you from the hour of trial that's coming on the whole world. I'm going to keep you from that.15:45Study that out.15:47That's just the most straightforward language.15:52Number two, why do I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture?15:55The second reason is, speaking of revelation, You know you never see the church during the tribulation in the book of Revelation? I always found that so interesting. People that believe the church is going to be there. Have you read Revelation? Have you read this? Our youth group just went through that recently. Where was that last year? Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The church, the church, the church, the church, the church. And then after chapter 3 when the events of judgment are described, the 70 tribulation, The church isn't mentioned one time. Not one time. The church, interestingly, is mentioned 19 times in Revelation 1-3. Not mentioned at all during the tribulation. And then after chapter 3, the church's next mention in the book of Revelation is chapter 22. Why? I believe because the church isn't there. Here. The church isn't here during those events.16:58The third reason, I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, because people push back on this, and they're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, why do you think the church is exempt from suffering? And I would say, well, open your eyes, I don't think the church is exempt from suffering. But, when it comes to judgment, number three, write this down, God has a track record of removing His people before He judges the wicked. Have you ever noticed that? I mean, God has this incredible track record. Study this out. When God judges wicked, rebellious sinners, when God's going to bring His judgment on wicked, rebellious sinners, the first thing that He does is remove His people. He always does that, right? Like, remember Genesis chapter 6? God was going to send a flood. What was the first thing He did?17:58provided a way to separate and protect his people. Go to Sodom and Gomorrah. When God was going to burn them from the map, what was the first thing he did? Lot, get out of there, right? What about Israel and Egypt during the plagues? God separating his people from his judgment. What about the Israelites from Korah and the other rebels in the wilderness? You see it over and over. God's going to judge people who are rejecting him.18:28The first thing he does is say, I've got to get my people out of there so they're not receiving any of the judgment I'm pouring on the earth. On the sinners, rather. So with the rapture, God will again separate his people from the judgment on sinners by removing the church before the tribulation so that the church will not be the object of his wrath. So when that trumpet blows, understand you're going to finally receive the fulfillment of everything Jesus Christ Forgiveness of sin, eternal life, the promise of heaven, and that glorified body, the things that Jesus Christ has promised and will ultimately deliver to those who love Him. Can you think of a greater prize? Jesus' victory is the greatest victory because He won the greatest prize. And secondly, He defeated the greatest enemy.19:30He defeated the greatest enemy.19:36You're like, what enemy?19:39Well, we studied this earlier, right?19:41Verse 26 says death is the enemy.19:46You get that, right?19:48You felt that, haven't you?19:50Death is the enemy.19:55By nature of my job, I've been to a lot of funerals. You don't have to sell me on what a monster death is. When you're standing beside the casket with friends and family who are just distraught, gone, life on earth will never be the same. This person is gone. Death is such a monster. It takes people from us.20:25a monster that we can't do a thing to stop, right? I mean, as much as we hate death, as much as we hate watching people die, there's nothing we can do to stop it. Realizing also that it's going to happen to me. It's going to happen to me. I'm going to die someday. And you're like, sorry about your luck. You're going to die someday.20:56Have you ever thought about how? Are you going to be advanced in years? Are you going to die over time? Are you going to die suddenly? You're going to die someday. Like when? Is it going to be soon? Is it going to be decades from now? Unless the rapture happens before, you're going to die. But you see, that's what we see in this passage when Jesus does come. And when the resurrection occurs, death, death itself is finally completely conquered for God's people.21:55Jesus defeats the greatest enemy. We can't gloss over that. Look at verses 54 and 55. Jesus wins the victory. You're like, well, to what degree did Jesus win? Well, Paul tells us that Isaiah tells us. He says, when the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to the saying that is written. And here he quotes Isaiah 25. He says, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is your victory? Oh, death, where is your sting? I love this because death isn't just beaten. Death isn't just slapped around a bit. Do you see this? Your Bible says that death is consumed.22:55It's swallowed. Meaning gone. He says, death, where is your sting? Where is your sting? You know that word sting, that was a word they used in the Greek for the same purpose that we often use the word sting. It referred to bees. The sting of a bee. You know, death has a sting.23:26And when Jesus Christ comes back for us, that sting is going to be gone. In other words, using this word picture, he says death is sort of like the bee, right? Have you ever been stung by a bee? Have you ever been stung by 30 yellow jackets at one time? I have. Not fun. Because of Jesus' victory, Paul's saying, death is the bee. And when Jesus died on the cross, what Jesus did was remove the stinger from the bee. So yeah, death is still buzzing around, but it doesn't have a sting anymore. And then when Jesus returns, that whole bee itself is going to be swallowed. Like this thing is over and done. Do you see the word picture?24:26what all these things mean. Well, he does. Look at verse 56. He says, the sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law.24:41Okay, so death is like a bee. Sin is the stinger. Right? Sin is the thing that causes the damage.24:52And I'm here to tell you today, if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, if you have not received salvation in Him, death is something that you should be afraid of. You absolutely should be afraid to die and stand before a holy God with unforgiven sin on your record. Because if you do, death is eternally deadly.25:22He says the power of sin is the law. Like what does that mean? Just very simply what Paul said in Romans 7. The law defines sin. The law shows us that we're sinners. We can have some vague idea that maybe I don't always do the things that I should. But you see the law of God lays it out for us. You know what your problem is? Your problem is you have a sinful heart that results in doing these things. That's what the law has accomplished. Showing us that we're sinners.25:52This is the victory that he's talking about here. That the wages of sin is death and Jesus Christ paid that wage with his death. It should have been me. But Jesus stepped in and died on your behalf. He said, I'll pay. You owe and can't pay. I don't owe, but I will pay on your behalf.26:22You see when Jesus did that he satisfied the demands of the law. So when you receive Jesus Christ death to you is the bee without the stinger. Oh it's still around. And it's annoying. And we still might be a little afraid of it but we realize you know what?26:52can't do any damage because it doesn't have a stinger. Look at verse 57. He says, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You should underline that in your Bible. God gives us the victory.27:22He won the victory. What did He do with it? He goes, here, I'm going to give this to you. Now you are the winner. He defeated death by rising from the dead and gave the victory to us. And every time I read and think about this verse, I always think of the same thing. Jane Hour knows exactly what I'm going to say. I always think of the same thing. 1990, Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan put up 69 points in one game.27:5269 points in one game. It's astounding, right? But on Jordan's team, there was a rookie teammate. And his name is Stacy King. Well, they left this rookie in late in the game. And he made one free throw. He made one free throw. Well, in the post-game press conference, obviously, the reporters were all like wanting to talk to Michael Jordan and they were all swarming him, wanting to hear from the goat, right? Let's hear from Michael Jordan. But Stacey King was able to get in a comment. One of my all-time favorite sports quotes, Stacey King said, I will always remember this as the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70 points.28:55And you realize, in a very real sense, that's exactly what Jesus has done for us. You see, Jesus won the victory. Jesus put up all the points. And He gives the victory to us, so we stand here on Sunday, and we're like, Jesus, we won! Jesus, the enemy is defeated! And it really had nothing to do with us.29:22But we get to celebrate the victory. That's why we can come to church and say, you know, I'm always going to remember Calvary as the day that Jesus and I gained victory over death. He defeated the greatest enemy. Jesus' victory is the greatest victory. Number three, because He gives us the greatest purpose.29:52us the greatest purpose. Last verse. He says, therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Therefore, because of everything that we've studied in 1 Corinthians 15, therefore, because we know Jesus was Therefore, because it motivates our conduct. Therefore, because of the promise that we will be resurrected. Therefore, because of what our resurrected bodies are going to be like. Therefore, because Jesus defeated death. He says, therefore, be steadfast. Steadfast, that word literally means sitting. It means sitting.30:52And people are like, you know, sitting is the new smoking. Have you heard that? Sitting is the new smoking. Sitting is my favorite thing. Okay? Don't ruin it for me. But that's what it means. It's being settled. It's not being distracted. Just like, look, I believe in Jesus. He died for me. He rose for me. He gave me these promises. I'm resting in that. I'm settled. I'm not chasing after.31:22anything else. I'm settled in Christ. He says, be immovable. You know what that word means in the Greek? Not moving. Bless you. It means being rooted. He's saying, hey, because of all of these glorious promises, hold your position. Don't waver. Keep God's promises on the forefronts of your mind as a motivator.31:53He says, always abounding in the work of the Lord, always abounding. Yes, yes, it's going to be difficult at times. Yes, hard times are going to come. Yes, our schedules are going to fill up. But Jesus gave us the greatest purpose in church. Listen, we've got limited time to do it. He says, knowing, knowing, knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.32:22And church, this is a promise from God that we need to constantly be reminding ourselves of. Listen, everything that is done for the Lord, in the name of the Lord, empowered by the Lord, everything that is done for the kingdom of Jesus Christ, it all matters. It all matters. It says, your labor in the Lord is not in vain. I was thinking about that this week. That so much of life, is spending time doing things that end up being in vain, right? You know what I mean? We spend so much time on things that we're like, wow, that was a complete waste of time. Like, have you ever washed your car? And then, what happens? It rains, right? You're like, well, that was a waste of time. Or, have you ever, like, got this new recipe? You spend, like, all this time making this, making, oh, this is going to be fantastic, and then you, You put it in the oven and you get distracted with something else. You forget about it and you burn it. Have you ever done that? You're like, well, that was a waste. That was a waste. I spent all that time and it's in vain. You ever spend all day at work on a project and when you're just at the finish line, your boss says, oh, you know what? There have been some changes. I'm going to need you to all that and start over.33:56Has that ever happened to you?34:00It's in vain, right?34:02You're like, all that work meant nothing.34:09So much time is wasted because of extenuating circumstances, but the thing that really convicts me is when I think about how much time we choose to waste.34:25How much time do we choose to waste?34:32And I've got to tell you, church, it always astounds me when I talk to people who are like, well, I don't have time to serve in the church.34:40It doesn't matter that there's rotating teams for all the ministries, and usually service might be like once or twice a month.34:46I don't have time to serve.34:48I don't have time to help out in Harvest Academy.34:50I don't have time to join a small group. I don't have time to come to a prayer service. And then the thing that astounds me is in the same breath, you can like change the subject and talk about something else and find out that the person had plenty of time to doom scroll or to watch or attend sports all week or they'll say, oh yeah, you know, I love that show Stranger Things. You know, I binge watched that twice last week. And like, really?35:20to a prayer service had how many hours to sit and watch and re-watch a TV show? And you're like, hey man, I didn't come here for a guilt trip. Listen, please hear me. I'm not trying to give you a guilt trip. I just want to ask you and I want to ask myself, the stuff that we spend our time on, Can we really step back and say, yeah, yeah, that was worth it. That was worth it. I'm glad I spent all that time. Can we really, church, can we really be content to say, oh, I don't have time, Jesus. I don't have time for small group of prayer services. I don't have time, Jesus. And then fill up our calendars with these other things. Are we okay with that?36:22I was wondering, you know, would you be embarrassed if Jesus looked at your Google calendar? If Jesus showed up and he's like, hey, notice you were on a prayer service. Like, oh, I don't have time. Let me see your calendar. Let's see what you did have time for. And you thought your time this week was better spent doing this than assembling with the people of God and crying out.36:50out for me. Would you be embarrassed? I mean, church, at the end of the day, when you lie down, you put your head in the pillow, can you look back on your day and say, yeah, you know what? I invested my day in things that matter for eternity. Again, I'm not trying to beat anybody up. I'm just saying, when we say I don't have time to serve the Lord. I think we need to be really careful that the real truth of the matter isn't actually I just choose to spend my time doing other things. Because he says here in the Lord, Your labor's not in vain. Whatever's done for Jesus, it matters. It all matters. And some would say, well, wait, wait, wait, wait. You know, once upon a time, you know what? I did this thing for the Lord. It was a complete waste of time. You know, people didn't respond the way I think they should. Actually, nobody showed up. And it was a complete waste of time. I didn't see any results. Well, it doesn't really matter what you see, does it?38:20God has said it matters.38:24God says it matters.38:26So, so, we disciple our children.38:31Why?38:31Because it all matters.38:34We go to small groups to sharpen each other because it all matters.38:38We gather here to serve the Lord by serving people because it matters.38:43It all matters.38:44We witness at work because it all matters.38:47We get involved in LifeWise and Urban Impact and Vision Appalachia. Why do we do that? Because God says it all matters. Because we have the greatest purpose. If our worship team would make their way back up front, you know, we have the greatest prize. It's eternal life.39:17We have the greatest victory because the greatest enemy has been defeated. Death? Where's your sting, death? We have the greatest enemy defeated. We also have the greatest purpose. Because God promised that everything we do for the kingdom is from a position of victory. We've already won. In church, the trumpet is about to blow.39:47Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready for that glorified body? Are you ready to be in the presence of your Lord forever? When that trumpet blows, may it be while we are laboring Let's pray. Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your glorious promises.40:32You have promised us a body like the body of the resurrected Christ.40:38You have promised us that someday death is going to be history.40:44And Father, today, today, you have promised that our labor in the Lord is never in vain. That Father, everything we do in the name of Jesus for the advancement of his kingdom, it all matters. So Father, I pray that you would reinvigorate all of us, each of us, collectively, individually, Father. Every home, you would just revive us to this idea that it all matters in your eyes.41:14So it should matter in ours. Father, we thank you that we're not scraping by hoping that someday you're going to win. Father, we are operating from a position of victory because Jesus Christ has already won. And his victory is so sure that we operate from the position of already having Having gotten the W. Father, thank you. Father, by your spirit and by your word, move us, motivate us to glorify your name. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 15:50-58What was your big take-away from this passage / message?The believer's resurrection happens at the Rapture (1 Cor 15:52). What reasons do we have to believe the Rapture will happen before the 7 Year Tribulation?Explain 1 Cor 15:56 in your own words.Where is the biggest temptation for you to waste time? Are you doing anything to redeem any time being wasted?BreakoutPray for one another.

Read OnlineSeeing is Believing?On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there. Luke 6:6–8Even on the surface, the thinking and actions of the Pharisees are absurd. They had become blinded by their jealousy for power and envy of Jesus. This is clearly evident in the fact that they were hoping Jesus would perform a miraculous healing on the Sabbath—not because they desired a man to be healed or longed to see divine authority at work, but because they had decided that miracles were considered “work” and, therefore, a violation of the Sabbath law of rest. The absurdity of their reasoning is shocking.Even an atheist who witnessed a miraculous healing would find it difficult to explain away or ignore. Only the Creator, who established the laws of nature, is capable of bending those laws at will.What makes the Pharisees such a pitiful group of men is not that they disbelieved Jesus' miracles, but that they believed and intentionally rejected the meaning of those miracles. Miracles were, in part, signs of Jesus' divine identity. The Pharisees clearly witnessed the sign with their own eyes, but what they saw was not able to purge their self-centeredness. Rather than worship Jesus, they rejected Him and began to plan His destruction.Imagine being there in the synagogue, witnessing the miraculous healing of this man's hand. Being a local synagogue, the people present most likely had known the man for years, and his withered hand would have been undeniable—as would the cure. Consider also, as you watch the miracle, the reaction of the Pharisees. Rather than rejoicing in the goodness of God or falling to their knees in awe and gratitude, they seethe with anger. Their hearts are so hardened by pride and selfishness that even the undeniable power of God does not move them. Instead of seeing this act as a manifestation of divine love and mercy, they see it as a threat to their authority. And rather than allowing the miracle to open their hearts to faith, they begin to plot against Jesus.In each of our lives, the absurdity of the Pharisees' irrational hate could easily arise. At times, others might treat us or our loved ones with a disdain that is so irrational, we sit back in confusion, declaring that such actions make no sense—because they don't. This irrational thinking can also tempt each of us when we allow the sins of jealousy and envy to fester in our souls. Those sins lead to irrational and, at times, absurd thinking.Though the Pharisees are anything but inspiring, their witness can inspire us in another way—shocking us into an awareness of just how destructive pride and envy can be. The Pharisees' bad example becomes a warning and a call to self-examination. When we see grace at work in others, our hearts must be filled with gratitude, not tainted by jealousy or envy.Reflect today on the irrationality and spiritual blindness that can arise from self-centeredness, jealousy, and envy. Consider the Pharisees—not to condemn them, but to recognize how easily the same temptations can take root in our own hearts. When God blesses others, are you able to rejoice? When someone else is praised, succeeds, or receives grace, does your heart rise in gratitude or fall into resentment? Be honest. Pray for the grace to be humble, so that you never fall into the trap of rejecting what is good simply because it did not come through you. Let the Pharisees' behavior serve not only as a warning, but as a call to sincere self-reflection, repentance, and faith.My divine Lord, Your power is undeniable, and Your identity certain. When You act in this world, Your grace and goodness become manifest for all to see. Give me the grace I need always to rejoice in the good You do, especially when it is done in and through others. Free me from the jealousy that resents Your blessings in my neighbor and from the envy that blinds me to Your presence outside of myself. May I humbly love You in every way You come to me, whether through Your Word, Your Sacraments, or the holiness of those around me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Healing the Man with a Withered Hand, by Carl Jobst and Franz JobstSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Defeating thoughts have a way of quietly backing us into a corner. Resistance at every turn, mundane tasks that start to feel monumental, weariness that settles in before the day has really begun — and underneath it all, the enemy doing what he does best: creating doubt and fear. It started in the Garden of Eden with a single question: "Did God really say?" That one doubt-filled sentence cost Eve everything, and the pattern has continued ever since. In our work, our relationships, our health, and our faith, Satan works persistently to keep us living from a place of defeat rather than from the victory that already belongs to us. But First Corinthians 15:57 declares something that changes the entire frame: God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not someday. Not eventually. Today. The victory is already given, already secured, already ours in Christ. Living from victory rather than toward it is one of the most significant mindset shifts available to a believer. Every doubt, every defeating thought, every whisper of inadequacy has to bow at Jesus' feet — because the enemy has no ground in a life that belongs entirely to Him. Psalm 21 describes God greeting David with rich blessings, granting unending favor, and ensuring that through His unfailing love, David would not be shaken. That same greeting belongs to every child of God today. When a whisper of defeat comes, the response is not a desperate hope that victory might arrive. It is a declaration of what is already true: I am victorious in Christ Jesus. Today's Bible Verse "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."— 1 Corinthians 15:57, NIV Ponder Today The victory is already given — we live from it, not toward it. First Corinthians 15:57 does not say God will give us victory someday. It says He gives it. Present tense. The finish line is behind us, not ahead of us, because of what Christ accomplished. The enemy's primary weapon is doubt. "Did God really say?" is still his opening move. Recognizing the source of defeating thoughts — and responding with God's truth rather than engaging the question — is one of the most powerful forms of spiritual resistance available. Every inch of your life belongs to Jesus — the enemy has no ground there. When defeat feels like the dominant reality, it is a lie operating on territory it does not own. Reclaiming that territory begins with declaring what is actually true. God greets you with rich blessings and unfailing love. Psalm 21 describes the posture God takes toward those who trust in Him — not reluctant assistance, but generous, joyful blessing. That is the God you are bringing your defeating thoughts to. Let "I am victorious in Christ Jesus" become an anthem, not a last resort. Speaking truth out loud in the face of doubt and fear is not a performance of confidence we do not feel. It is faith declaring what is real before feelings catch up to it. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, I admit that I have believed the enemy's lies for far too long. Please forgive me and help me step into the victory You have already claimed on my behalf. I am Yours, Lord, and I choose to live my life from the finish line of Your mercy and grace. When defeating thoughts come, help me see exactly where they are coming from and declare Your truth with boldness and belief. Your Word tells me I am blessed with unending blessings, and I stand on that truth as a platform of victory today. Thank You for overcoming the evil one. Remind me of this often, so that I too will overcome every doubt he throws my way. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer helped you step out of defeat and into the victory that already belongs to you in Christ, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to keep your mind anchored in the truth of who you are in Jesus every day. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Revelation is not simply a book about future events. It is a message from God meant to shape our lives right now. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to the blessing promised in Revelation 1:3 for those who read, hear, and take its words to heart. Through this extraordinary vision, Scripture reveals Jesus Christ as the suffering Savior who died and rose again—and the victorious King who will return in power and righteous judgment. The Messiah who came first in humility will come again in glory. Today, Christ graciously invites sinners to receive eternal life, but Revelation reminds us that history is moving toward a decisive conclusion. His return will bring judgment, vindication, and the fulfillment of every promise God has made. The apostle John received this vision while exiled on Patmos for his faithfulness to Christ. What looked like isolation and defeat became the setting for one of Scripture's greatest revelations of God's sovereignty. John was reminded—and so are we—that history is not spinning out of control. God reigns over the past, present, and future, and every event ultimately serves His purposes. So don't approach Revelation with curiosity alone. Let its warnings awaken you, let its promises strengthen you, and let its vision of the returning Christ lift your eyes above present trials. The darkness will not last forever. Jesus Christ is coming again, and His glory will overcome it all. Join me in prayer. Lord, thank You for the wondrous picture of the glory that is coming that You have provided in Revelation. May I take Your Word seriously as both an admonishment and an encouragement to live for You today. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Welcome to Day 2939 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2939– “Grave Warnings for the IN Crowd” – Luke 11:29-36 Putnam Church Message – 08/23/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Grave Warnings for the “IN” Crowd”   Last week, our message was “The Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness,” and we learned that Jesus Christ was sent to reclaim the nations and finalize God's kingdom. Today, we continue with our thirty-fifth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Grave Warnings for the “IN” Crowd.” Our core passage today is Luke 11:29-36, starting on page 1615 of your pew Bibles. The Sign of Jonah 29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Lamp of the Body 33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[b] your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” Opening Prayer   Father, we come before You today asking for more than information. We ask for illumination. Shine the light of Your Word into every corner of our hearts. Lord Jesus, protect us from becoming people who stand close to You outwardly / while resisting You inwardly. / Keep us from demanding more evidence when You have already given us more than enough. Expose our pride, our hidden motives, our fears, and our excuses. Holy Spirit, give us clear eyes, humble hearts, and willing spirits. Help us not merely to admire the Light, but to walk in it. In Jesus' name, amen.       Introduction: Being “In” Does Not Mean Being Right By this point in Luke's Gospel, Jesus was no longer an unknown teacher from Galilee. His name was everywhere. John the Baptizer had drawn huge crowds and pointed people toward Him. Jesus had healed the sick, cleansed lepers, cast out demons, fed thousands, commanded storms, raised the dead, forgiven sinners, confronted hypocrisy, and commissioned His followers to carry His message throughout the land. People were talking about Him. / Some loved Him. / Some hated Him. / Some were afraid of Him. / And many were simply watching to see which way things would go. That is human nature, isn't it? / When something becomes popular, people begin asking, “Is this going to succeed?” / When an election approaches, some people wait to see who appears most likely to win. / When a business reorganizes, employees may quietly watch to see which executive is gaining influence. / When a controversy divides a community, some people hesitate to take a position until they know which side will cost them the least. And apparently, many people surrounding Jesus were doing something similar. / They were interested. / They were impressed. / They were curious. / But they were not committed. / They wanted Jesus to prove that following Him would be a safe investment. / Give us another sign. / Give us one more miracle. / Give us enough assurance that we can join Your side without risking too much.  / But Jesus refused to play that game. Last week, in “The Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness,” we saw Jesus draw a sharp line. There is no neutral ground. The Stronger Man has entered the strong man's territory. The Kingdom of God has come near, and everyone must decide where their allegiance lies. Now Jesus takes that truth one step further. / He turns from the obvious darkness around them to the hidden darkness within them. / And that is where this message becomes uncomfortable. Because Jesus' strongest warning is not directed toward people who know nothing about God. / It is directed toward the people standing closest to the revelation. / The “IN” crowd. / The religiously informed. / The culturally familiar. / The people who have seen much, heard much, and know much. And Jesus says, in effect: The greater the light you receive, / the more responsible you are for what you do with it. Let's look at four truths that will help us to understand this passage, which are on your bulletin insert. Main Point 1: Demanding More Proof Can Become an Excuse for Not Believing Luke tells us that as the crowd pressed in around Jesus, He said: “This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah.” That sounds almost shocking. / Hadn't Jesus already given signs? / How many signs did they need? He had healed the blind. / He had cleansed lepers. / He had restored crippled bodies. / He had raised the dead. / He had fed thousands. / He had cast out demons. Immediately before this passage, He had delivered a man who could not speak because of demonic oppression. / And some still said, “Show us a sign.” At some point, the problem is no longer a lack of evidence. / The problem is unwillingness to respond to the evidence already given. The Sign of Jonah Jesus says Jonah will be the sign. / Jonah carried two powerful meanings. First, Jonah was a prophet sent by God with a message. / He went to Nineveh and said, essentially, “Judgment is coming. Repent.” / There were no fireworks. / No extended miracle campaign. /No entertainment. Just the Word of God. / And Nineveh responded. Second, as Matthew 12 makes clearer, Jonah's experience in the great fish also points forward to Jesus' death and resurrection. Jonah disappeared into the depths and emerged alive. / Jesus would descend into death and emerge victorious on the third day. The ultimate sign would not be another temporary miracle. / It would be the empty tomb.   Ancient Context: Nineveh Nineveh was not a pleasant little Gentile village. / It was associated with Assyria, one of the most brutal imperial powers of the ancient world. / Assyrian warfare was infamous for cruelty. They terrorized conquered...

Living a godly life in an ungodly world can be costly. Scripture makes it clear that believers should not be surprised when obedience to Christ brings rejection, ridicule, or resistance. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to Paul's warning in 2 Timothy and Jesus' words in John 15: those who belong to Christ will sometimes face opposition precisely because they no longer belong to the world. When Christians pursue purity, righteousness, and integrity, a culture walking in darkness may resent the light their lives represent. But God does not call His people to stand alone. The Holy Spirit gives believers power to withstand the pressures around them, while God's Word exposes lies and trains us in righteousness. Scripture teaches, corrects, rebukes, and equips us to live faithfully in every circumstance. The more deeply we immerse ourselves in God's Word, the more our hearts and minds become aligned with His will. Obedience becomes clearer. Discernment grows stronger. And standing for Truth becomes less about resisting the world through sheer willpower and more about walking closely with Christ. When pressure comes, stay rooted in Scripture and dependent on the Holy Spirit. God has given you everything you need to stand firm, walk in the light, and remain faithful to Him. Prayer: God, thank You for Your Spirit within me to guide me to respond to worldly thinking with Biblical wisdom. Thank You for Your Word that exposes the lies around me. Help me to stay in Your Word so that my heart and mind will be aligned with Yours. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Never Give Up, Don't Conform to the World: WATCH NOW| LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Read OnlineA Holy ProvocationWhen the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. Luke 4:28–30What a sobering beginning to our Lord's public ministry. Shortly after His baptism in the Jordan River and the establishment of Capernaum as the center of His ministry, Jesus began calling His disciples and performing powerful miracles. News of His preaching and healing spread rapidly, reaching His hometown of Nazareth.When Jesus returned to Nazareth, those who had known Him from His youth were not prepared for what they witnessed. In the synagogue, He stood and read from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah. It was a messianic passage foretelling the One anointed by the Spirit to bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. After reading, Jesus sat down and solemnly proclaimed, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” With these words, He revealed Himself to be the long-awaited Messiah.At first, the people were amazed at the gracious words He spoke. But their awe quickly turned to confusion, then to hostility. “Is this not the son of Joseph?” they asked, unable to reconcile the divine authority they had just encountered with the humble figure they remembered from years past. Their familiarity bred contempt. Their hearts, bound by human reasoning and pride, could not accept the divine mystery standing before them.Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus addressed the unspoken demand in their hearts—the desire to see in Nazareth the same wonders He had performed elsewhere. But He offered them no signs. Instead, He offered truth, recalling that in the days of Elijah and Elisha, God's blessings were extended not to Israelites, but to Gentiles—a widow in Zarephath and a leper from Syria. This comparison deeply offended their national pride and shattered their assumptions about divine favor. Rather than receiving His rebuke with humility, they were filled with fury. The crowd attempted to kill the very One they had once known as neighbor and craftsman. Yet Jesus, untouched, “passed through the midst of them and went away.”Jesus certainly knew this would happen. In His divine wisdom, He foresaw the reaction He would receive. And in a mysterious way, He even appears to draw it out. Why? Because this holy provocation was an act of mercy. In exposing the hardness of their hearts, Jesus gave them an opportunity to confront their pride, repent, and receive the Kingdom in truth.In the months and years ahead, many of the people of Nazareth likely benefited from this initial encounter. There is little doubt that after Jesus left Nazareth, He remained the talk of the town. There is no record of Him returning. However, as He continued His public ministry, the people who had rejected Him would have continued to hear reports of His authoritative preaching and miraculous works. Some may have even traveled to nearby towns, such as Capernaum, to witness Him for themselves. In doing so, their initial rejection would have confronted them anew—forcing a choice: Either repent and believe, or grow in bitterness and confusion. Either Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah or He was a false prophet. There could be no middle ground.Reflect today on the mysterious ways Jesus continues to provoke hearts—including your own. Sometimes His Word unsettles us not because it is harsh, but because it is true, and we are unprepared to accept it and change. The people of Nazareth teach us that we—like them—sometimes need our pride stirred up so we can see it and reject it. As you consider the people of Nazareth from that moment forward, see yourself in them. Recognize any ways that you respond with hostility to humbling truths that are hard to accept, and allow time and grace to heal you—helping you to repent and grow in gratitude for Jesus' humbling and holy provocation.My challenging Lord, You see into the depths of my heart. When I resist Your Word, provoke me in mercy. Confront my pride, reveal my blindness, and call me to repentance. May I never reject You, but always surrender with trust to the truth You offer. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: The Brow of the Hill near Nazareth, by James Tissot  Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Bible-reading funks are more common than most people admit, and they arrive for all kinds of reasons. A busy season of life, a complicated history with how Scripture was taught, the ordinary pull of a tired and distracted mind — any of these can quietly erode the habit of regular Bible reading until weeks have passed and the distance from God's Word feels both familiar and vaguely guilty. The honest acknowledgment that we are not always naturally eager to open the Bible is not a sign of weak faith. It is a sign that faith is a commitment, not just a feeling. Psalm 1 paints a picture of someone whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on it day and night — and the result is a life that is like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season and never withering. That kind of rootedness does not happen accidentally. It is the fruit of a sustained, intentional commitment to staying in the Word even when it does not feel compelling. One practical strategy that has proven remarkably effective for getting out of a Bible-reading funk is finding someone whose spiritual wellbeing matters deeply to you and committing to read Scripture with or to them once a day. It does not have to be a long passage. It does not have to be perfectly timed or beautifully executed. It simply has to happen. Accountability, even the chaotic and imperfect kind, has a way of keeping us tethered to the Word better than good intentions ever do. Stay committed not because it always feels good, but because goodness is only found when we are anchored in the truth and love of God's Word. Today's Bible Verse "Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."— Psalm 1:1-3, NIV Ponder Today Faith is a commitment, not a feeling. If Bible reading relied on feeling eager and inspired, most of us would rarely open its pages. Discipline practiced in the absence of feeling is what produces the deep-rootedness Psalm 1 describes. Finding someone to read Scripture with creates accountability that good intentions cannot. When someone else's spiritual well-being is connected to our commitment, the stakes shift. We show up not just for ourselves but for them. The goal does not have to be impressive to be effective. One Psalm a day. One short passage. A specific, measurable, realistic commitment practiced consistently will do more for your Bible reading than an ambitious plan that lasts three days. A Bible-reading funk is not a permanent state — it is a season to push through. The feelings of intimidation, boredom, or distance from God's Word are real, but they are not reliable guides for whether we should open the Bible. The Word itself is what revives those feelings over time. Stay the course because Jesus is running it with you. The hard disciplines are the only ones truly worth pursuing and treasuring. A life rooted in Scripture bears fruit in every season — including the ones where the leaves feel like they might not make it. A Prayer for You Today Lord, in our sinful flesh it is so easy to shrug off Your Word, to dismiss its beauty, power, and freedom. Whether it is a busy season, a challenging circumstance, or the enemy's distractions, we too easily place Bible reading on the back burner. Please grant us the discernment to find someone we can read Your truth with, and may this commitment to Scripture revive our hearts and awaken a new desire to stay tethered to who You are through the pages of the Bible. In Your holy name we pray, Father, Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.