Podcasts about your word

Welcome to Day 2914 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2914– “Joyful Return, Insightful Response”  based on Luke 10:17-24 Putnam Church Message – 07/19/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Joyful Return, Insightful Response.”   Last time our message was “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry,” where we learned to leave the harvest in the hands of the Lord who is the Lord of the harvest. Today, we continue with our thirtieth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Joyful Return, Insightful Response.” Our core passage today is Luke 10:17-24, on page 1612 of your pew Bibles. The Seventy-Two Return 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with joy and humility. Thank You for calling ordinary people into Your Kingdom work. Thank You that the name of Jesus is greater than every power of darkness, every accusation of the enemy, and every fear that troubles our hearts. Lord Jesus, help us rejoice in the right things. Teach us to celebrate Your victories without becoming proud of our usefulness. Remind us that our greatest joy is not what we accomplish for You, but that we belong to You. Open our eyes to see what prophets and kings longed to see. Give us childlike hearts that receive Your truth with faith and obedience. Holy Spirit, guide us now as we listen to Your Word. Amen. Introduction: A Story - Returning From the Battle In the early nineties, a few years after Desert Storm, General Norman Schwarzkopf wrote an autobiography titled It Doesn't Take a Hero. Near the middle of the book, he describes his thoughts as he headed for his first combat command position in Vietnam. He was a West Point graduate, full of energy and idealism. He went to Vietnam, as he said, for “God, country, and Mom's apple pie.” But later, after a second tour of duty, he returned from a battle-scarred landscape where young men under his command had died or had lost parts of their bodies to landmines. He came home to a divided nation, and he wrote with exhausted realism, “I realized then I was really tired of being a commander… I thought, Thank God it's over. I'd saved as many lives as I could… I wanted to get home to my family.” Same geography. Same war. Same mission. But what a difference between the man who went out and the man who returned. In Luke 10, the seventy-two whom Jesus sent out also return from the battlefield. But the seventy-two return with joy. In our last message, “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry,” we watched Jesus send them out two by two. He told them the harvest was great and the workers were few. He sent them like lambs among wolves. He told them to travel light, offer peace, heal the sick, and announce that the Kingdom of God had come near. They went out as messengers of the King. / Now they return. And they come back like children running through the door after seeing something amazing. “Lord,” they say, “even the demons obey us when we use Your name!” They had gone out to announce peace, but they discovered that the name of Jesus also carried authority over the powers of darkness. Jesus rejoices with them. But He also corrects their perspective. He lifts their eyes above the thrill of ministry success and says, in effect, “Yes, rejoice that evil is retreating. But do not build your joy on power. Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” That is our theme today: The greatest joy of a disciple is not what we do for Jesus, but that we belong to Jesus. Which brings us to our four truths today which are found in your bulletin insert on the side that is titled: Joyful Return, Insightful Response Main Point 1: Kingdom Ministry Pushes Back the Powers of Darkness The seventy-two return with joy and say, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use Your name.” That little word “even” carries their surprise. Jesus had told them to heal the sick and announce the Kingdom. But apparently, as they ministered in His name, demons also submitted. They saw firsthand that the mission of Jesus was not merely moral improvement, social kindness, or religious instruction. It was war against the dominion of evil. Luke has been showing us this from the beginning. Jesus confronted demons in the synagogue. He delivered the man in the region of the Gerasenes. He gave the Twelve authority over demons. He healed the boy whom His disciples could not help. And now the seventy-two discover that the authority of Jesus extends through them as well. This is where we need to understand the Bible's bigger supernatural worldview. The late Dr. Michael S. Heiser often reminded readers that the Bible presents a spiritual world populated by heavenly beings. In the Old Testament, we see scenes of God's heavenly council, sometimes called the Divine Council. God is the Most High, the Creator, the supreme King. But Scripture also shows lesser spiritual beings who serve, rebel, accuse, deceive, or oppose God's purposes. In Job 1 and 2, we meet “The Satan,” or “the adversary,” appearing among the heavenly beings. In that setting, the word functions like a title — the accuser, the challenger, the prosecutor. By the time we reach the New Testament, Satan is clearly presented as the great enemy of God's people, the tempter, the accuser, the ruler of a rebellious kingdom of darkness. So, when Jesus says in Luke 10:18, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning,” He is not giving the disciples a small compliment. He is interpreting their ministry as part of a cosmic victory. Every sick person healed, every demon rebuked, every message of Kingdom peace proclaimed — all of it was evidence that the usurper's rule was cracking. The adversary was falling. Object Lesson: The Flashlight in a Dark Room Imagine turning off the lights in a room and then switching on a flashlight. The darkness does not negotiate. / It does not hold a committee meeting. / It simply retreats where the light shines. That is what happens when the Kingdom of God advances. When Jesus walks into a synagogue, demons cry out. When Jesus steps into Gentile territory, a legion of demons loses its captive. When Jesus sends out His followers, evil spirits submit to His name. Not because the disciples are impressive, but because the King is present through them. Ancient Israelite Context For a first-century Jewish listener, this would not sound like a mere private spiritual experience. It would sound like the long-awaited victory of God. Genesis 3:15 promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent's head. Psalm 91 spoke of trampling lions and serpents underfoot. Daniel 7 envisioned the Son of Man receiving authority, glory, and sovereign power. The prophets looked forward to the day when God would defeat evil and restore creation. Now Jesus says, “You are seeing the beginning of that victory.” The Kingdom has come near. Modern Illustration We may not always see dramatic confrontations with evil spirits, but we still see the Kingdom push back darkness. When an addict finds freedom in Christ, darkness...

Read OnlineEntering and Becoming the House of GodJesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” Matthew 13:36Today's Gospel begins with a subtle yet significant detail: “Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.” This transition from the public to the private reflects a recurring pattern in the Gospels: Our Lord teaches the crowds in parables, veiling the mysteries of the Kingdom, while reserving their fuller explanation for the disciples in the quiet intimacy of the house. In this context, the house becomes a symbol of the Church—the inner sanctuary where Christ reveals His secrets to those who follow Him not only outwardly, but with humble faith and spiritual hunger.Though the disciples—likely the Twelve Apostles—were uniquely privileged to share this moment with Jesus, in which He explained the Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat in precise detail, this sacred setting is not closed to us. Each of us is invited into this “house” through the life of the Church. Though the Apostles were weak and sinful like all of us, they were nevertheless chosen to be the first bishops—visible shepherds who would continue Christ's mission after His Ascension. Through their fidelity, the Word of God went forth to the ends of the earth, a proclamation that continues today through their successors.While each of the baptized is called to proclaim the Gospel in accord with his or her vocation and mission, the bishops—and their co-workers, the priests—uniquely form the spiritual household through which Christ continues to speak with clarity. Through their preaching, governance, and sacramental ministry, the hidden mysteries of Christ's teaching are continually made known. This is not due to their personal merit, but because of the sacred office entrusted to them by Christ through Apostolic Succession. They became the foundation of the Church—the spiritual House of God—in which Jesus continues to minister.Place yourself in this Gospel scene. You, too, are called to draw near to Christ, to enter the house with Him, and to seek understanding with the heart of a disciple. In the Church—this household of faith—the Master still teaches, still explains, still reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom to those who desire to listen.As you prayerfully see yourself in this scene, unite it with your experience of your parish church and other sacred places where God has spoken to you, nourished you, and transformed you. When the Gospel changes us, the Sacraments nourish us, and the Church guides us, it is always Christ who is teaching, feeding, and leading. We must, therefore, learn to see beyond the minister or the building, recognizing Christ's presence, speaking to us and sanctifying us through His Church.Though the Church—the visible presence of the Kingdom of God on earth—is the privileged place where we encounter Christ, each of us, in our own unique way, is also called to be this “house” for others. Because God dwells within us, His Kingdom is present within our souls. Thus, this Gospel scene is not only about entering the house—it is also an invitation to become that house: a dwelling place where others may encounter Christ, hear His Word, receive His mercy, and be drawn into His love through the witness of our charity.Reflect today on this house. First, see the Church as the house in which Christ speaks to you most clearly. Give thanks for the many ways our Lord has spoken to you and fed you in this sacred House of God. Reflect also on your own soul as a dwelling place of God. Believe that Christ desires to use you to bring others into His presence, dwelling within your soul. Give thanks for this gift, and pray that you may be both a faithful disciple within the house and a radiant house of grace for others to enter and meet Christ our Lord.Most intimate Lord, You desire to reveal to me—and to all Your children—the deep and profound mysteries of Your Kingdom of grace. Draw me to Yourself, to Your House of Grace and Mercy, which resides within Your holy Church. Teach me, sanctify me, and form me according to Your holy will. As You make Your dwelling within me, make my soul a place where others may encounter You, hear Your Word, and receive Your grace. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles, by Duccio di BuoninsegnaSource: 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 this episode I break down The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and show you how each one applies directly to your fitness journey. Be Impeccable with Your Word: the promises you keep (or break) with yourself shape whether you follow through. Don't Take Anything Personally: a bad workout or a stalled scale is data, not a verdict on your worth. Don't Make Assumptions: stop deciding what will or won't work for your body and start testing it, like I did with my own 30-day recomposition experiment. Always Do Your Best: your best changes day to day, and that's the antidote to all-or-nothing thinking. If you've ever felt stuck in guilt, comparison, or perfectionism around your training, this episode will change how you think about consistency for good.   Next Level Links: Work With a Nutrition Coach - Schedule A Consultation Nutrition Coaching - www.becomenextlevel.com   Partner Links: Try Thrive Lab Free For One Month - Start Here Order Supplements From Transform - Shop Here Order Supplements From Cured Nutrition - Shop Here Order Supplements From Legion (use code keynutrition for 20% off first order) - Shop Here   Be Featured on the Show: Apply to be a live calller guest on the show - Submit Application Here Submit Q&A Questions to be read live on the show - Submit Here   Free Guides: Eating Out Guide - Get The Guide High-Protein Fast Food Orders - Get the Guide Macro Food Options Guide - Get The Guide Join Us On Patreon - Join Here   Connect with us on Instagram: Host Brad Jensen – @thesoberbodybuilder Next Level Nutrition – @mynextlevelnutrition

Welcome to Day 2909 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2909– “The Ultimate Close Encounter”  based on Luke 10:1-16 Putnam Church Message – 06/21/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry.”   Last week's message was “A Face Like Flint,” in which we studied the One who set His face toward Jerusalem now sets His grace upon His people. Today, we continue with our twenty-ninth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry.” Our core passage today is Luke 10:1-16, on page 1611 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two 10 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.' 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick>who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.[b] 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful that You invite ordinary people into Your extraordinary work. We confess that we often feel inadequate, distracted, discouraged, or afraid. Sometimes we carry burdens You never asked us to carry, and sometimes we measure ministry by results rather than faithfulness. Lord Jesus, teach us today from Your Word. Show us what it means to be sent by You, to labor for Your harvest, to depend on Your provision, to speak peace, to serve faithfully, and to leave the results in Your hands. Help us see that ministry is not reserved for a few, but belongs to all who follow You. May our lives become faithful witnesses to the nearness of Your Kingdom. Amen. Introduction: Why Would God Use Us? I have often wondered why God involves people in His work when He can do everything Himself. Have you ever thought about that? God does not need our talent. God does not need our strength. God does not need our planning ability. God does not need our committees, schedules, buildings, sermons, songs, or programs. He can do the job better than we can. He can speak a word, and worlds come into existence. He can open blind eyes, raise the dead, calm storms, silence demons, and move kings according to His will. So why does He entrust something as important as building His Kingdom to people like us? People who get tired. People who misunderstand. People who get proud. People who become discouraged. People who argue about greatness. People who sometimes want to call down fire on their enemies. That is the mystery of grace. God does not involve us because He lacks power. He involves us because He loves us, forms us, and gives us a genuine part in His redemptive work. In the previous message, “A Face Like Flint,” we saw Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem. Luke 9:51 is a hinge in Luke's Gospel. From that moment forward, Jesus is moving toward the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension. Nothing will distract Him from the Father's mission. Now, in Luke 10:1–16, Jesus does something remarkable. He multiplies the mission. Earlier, He sent the Twelve. Now He appoints seventy-two others, or seventy depending on the manuscript tradition, and sends them ahead of Him into the towns and places He plans to visit. This means the ministry is expanding beyond the inner circle. The Kingdom is not a private project for the Twelve. It is not merely the work of clergy. It is not limited to those with public titles. Jesus is building a people who are sent. And in this passage, He gives practical talk to those in ministry. That includes pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, missionaries, children's workers, worship leaders, caregivers, parents, grandparents, encouragers, prayer warriors, business owners, neighbors, friends, and every believer who bears witness to Christ. If you belong to Jesus, you are involved in ministry. So let us listen carefully to His practical instruction found in four truths in your bulletin insert on the side that says Practical Talk to Those in Ministry. Main Point 1: The Harvest Belongs to God, but the Labor Belongs to Us Jesus says the harvest is great, but the workers are few. So, He tells His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest, asking Him to send out workers into His harvest. That is where ministry begins: not with panic, but with prayer. Jesus looks at the world as a harvest field. That image would have been vivid to His listeners. In an agricultural world, the harvest was urgent. When the crop was ready, delay could mean loss. Workers had to go into the field while the time was right. But notice what Jesus calls it. It is not our harvest. It is not the church's harvest. It is not the pastor's harvest. It is the Lord's harvest. That matters. When we forget this, we carry burdens God never intended us to carry. We begin to think the future of the Kingdom depends on us. We stay awake at night worrying about results we cannot control. We measure faithfulness by numbers, approval, visible response, or immediate fruit. But Jesus calls Himself the Lord of the harvest. He owns the field. He knows the soil. He sees the hearts. He sends the workers. He brings the growth. Our responsibility is not to control the harvest. Our responsibility is to labor faithfully. Object Lesson: A Seed Packet and a Basket Hold up a packet of seeds and an empty basket. The seed packet represents the work entrusted to us. / We can plant. / We can water. / We can tend. / We can prepare. But we cannot force life into the seed. The basket represents the harvest. / We long to see it full, and that longing is good. / But only God can bring the harvest. Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 3:7  It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow. That is freeing. We are not excused from labor. Jesus calls us workers. But we are freed from pretending to be God. Ancient Context When Jesus sent these seventy-two, He sent them ahead of Him. They were not going out to build personal followings. They were preparing towns for the arrival of the King. In the ancient world, messengers often went ahead of a ruler to announce his coming. They did not invent the message. They did not negotiate the king's authority. They...

My first reaction: "No way." Then, "It's true...and it's awful." A man asleep in the middle of the night. Suddenly, what has been determined to be an approximately 60-foot sinkhole opens up beneath the house and literally sucks the man, the bed, and the bedroom in with it. The home has since been demolished, and the next door neighbors were given 30 minutes to grab what they could and evacuate. There was even speculation that the owners of the other two homes would never return. Sinkholes seem to be a lot more common than we realize. I mean, certain soil-rock-and-moisture combinations apparently can erode over time and then suddenly collapse beneath you. There's ground that looks like it's safe to build on, but one day it just caves in under you. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Building on Ground That's Going Down." There's a feeling too many of us know all too well. "Hey, I thought this would support me. It just collapsed." Beginning in the fall of 2008, so many friends of mine saw their financial security suddenly disappear into a sinkhole as the ground just shifted overnight. A Wall Street veteran told me, "You know, if you had asked any of us Christian guys here what we were trusting in, we would have said, 'Well, we're trusting In the Lord, of course.' Until we suddenly lost what we were really trusting in." As they say on the news, sinkholes are all over the place. The person who once said, "Til death do us part" is suddenly gone. The children you lived for left the nest empty. The church or organization you did so much for let you down. The company you served for so long doesn't need you anymore. The friends you gave so much for moved on without you. The plans you made vanished with one visit to a doctor's office. The people you lived to please turned their backs on you. So many sinkholes! Ground you build on that you can't depend on. Yesterday's dream; now today's nightmare. The family who lost their home and their loved one in that sinkhole did find one consolation – the family Bible the demolition crew managed to retrieve. One family member stood in front of the rubble, just hugging that Bible for all she was worth. Well, I'll tell you, that's the only ground I know that will never cave in beneath you. It's what Martin Luther was counting on when he stood against the mightiest religious forces of his day and insisted knowing God was by faith alone. As all other ground around him was collapsing, he stood firm on a Biblical bedrock that is our word for today from the Word of God. Listen, "Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens" (Psalm 119:89). Firm in the heavens. Truth you can stake your life on; a foundation that can never be shaken. It's where Paul told Timothy to plant his feet when it seems as if everyone - including God's people - are adrift. "But as for you," he said, "continue in what you have learned...you have known the Holy Scriptures...All Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:14-16). Sometimes, it means standing with a holy defiance of the culture, the crowd, the consensus, both feet firmly planted on God's Word. "God has spoken. That settles it." Jesus told about two men - one whose house "collapsed" when the torrent came, and one whose house "could not be shaken." The first one, he says, built on "ground without a foundation." The other "dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock." He said the sinkable man "hears My words and does not put them into practice." The unsinkable man, he said, "hears My words and puts them into practice" (Luke 6:47-49). So sitting in church just soaking up Christian beliefs is not enough to sustain you when your world's collapsing. Compartmentalized faith is collapsible faith. You have to do God's Word, not just know God's Word. King David posed this question for a sinkhole moment: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" That's a good question. Here's the answer: "The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne" (Psalm 11:3-4). When your world caves in, God's Throne hasn't moved. His Word is unchanged, and your God still reigns.

In the car. At your desk. Taming a temper tantrum. Wiping tears. Teaching algebra. Exhausted, poured out, overwhelmed with worry. That's exactly where God meets you LINKS:Use Code PODCAT20 for a discount at the Mom ShopJoin the Summer Book Club!20 Dinnertime ConversationsDownload How to Pray God's Word for Your ChildrenFollow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms A Prayer for the Weary Mom with Shalene RobertsCease your mental and emotional striving and approach the throne of grace with honest prayers whispered through tired lips.On today's Everyday Prayers Podcast by Shalene Roberts listen to a prayer for every weary mom chasing rest in all the wrong places. Reference: Psalm 46:10Prayer: Lord, we confess how often we’ve chased rest in all the wrong places, in cleared calendars, finished to-do lists, and seasons that never quite arrive. Forgive us for striving when You’ve invited us simply to come. Teach us to abide in Your Word, even in small, imperfect moments. And teach us to be still, to cease striving, and to know that You are God, and we can rest safely in Your care. In Jesus’ name, amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Read OnlineTransformed by God's WordHe spoke to them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” Matthew 13:33Yeast is small—invisible once it is worked into the dough. And yet, its influence is pervasive and powerful. This simple image—yeast worked into three measures of flour, causing it to slowly rise—reveals that the Kingdom of Heaven is built quietly, almost imperceptibly, from within. Like leaven silently transforming dough from the inside, so too does God's grace operate—hidden yet active—in the heart, in the Church, and in the world.Patiently watching dough rise can be a small wonder, especially for children. In this brief parable, the yeast symbolizes the Word of God, and the wheat flour, the human soul. When God's Word is welcomed by faith, it possesses the power to transform the entire soul. Just as yeast elevates and expands flour into bread, so God's Word elevates human nature and conforms it to Himself. How awe-inspiring it is to behold the gradual transformation of a soul animated by divine grace! Saint Augustine offers several interpretations of the “three measures” of wheat flour. He suggests they can represent the threefold interior life of the human person: heart, soul, and mind (cf. Matthew 22:37); or the three degrees of fruitfulness described in the parable of the sower—“a hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold” (cf. Matthew 13:23); or even the three righteous men mentioned in Ezekiel—Noah, Daniel, and Job (cf. Ezekiel 14:14), each representing a distinct path of fidelity under trial. Each of these interpretations reveals how God's transforming Word is at work not only in the individual soul, but within the Church and throughout all humanity.Though “three measures” might not sound like much, it was in fact a substantial amount. According to ancient Jewish and Roman measurements, three measures (or satons) could equal nearly fifty pounds of flour—enough to feed more than a hundred people. The parable, therefore, is about abundance—the superabundant fruitfulness of God's Word when it is thoroughly received—penetrating deeply into the individual soul, the Church, and society. Like leaven in dough, this transformation takes time. Though not immediate, it is steady, enduring, and complete.Consider your own life: Has the Word of God been thoroughly mixed into your whole being—into your heart, your soul, and your mind? Has it leavened your interior life so completely that even your smallest actions are touched by grace? Has divine love taken hold of you—not in part, but in whole?Furthermore, do you see your interconnectedness with the Church and rejoice in the many ways God is at work within Her and Her members? Do you gaze upon the world and, with wonder and awe, perceive God's hidden activity? It is easy to focus on the worldly chaos and to be drawn into the sensationalism of evil. But it takes a truly perceptive soul—like a child watching dough rise—to behold the quiet, steady work of God, who is ever bringing His Kingdom to life—quietly, steadily, and far and wide.Reflect today on the quiet ways God is at work within you, within the Church, and throughout the world. Though you might not always perceive the movement of grace, trust that it is active—like yeast in dough—gently transforming, sanctifying, and preparing hearts for the glory to come. Resist the temptation to measure your spiritual growth by visible signs or immediate results. Instead, remain faithful to prayer, attentive to the Word, and docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. God's Kingdom unfolds in time, and its rising is certain. Even when the world seems overwhelmed by sin or division, remember that the leaven is at work. The final loaf is being prepared for the eternal banquet—and you are being made ready, one hidden grace at a time, until you are fully prepared to share in the joy of the eternal feast.Most Holy Word of God, speak to me, enter my heart, and transform me by Your grace. Send forth Your Word into Your Church on earth. Make Her holy, that She may reflect the beauty and strength of the Body of Christ. Use me and all the members of Your Body to witness to the world—especially to those who do not yet know You—so that they may be drawn into the wonder and awe of Your transforming power and come to partake in the superabundant Banquet to which we are all called. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons  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.

Today's Service Summary: "Ignorance Is a Silent Killer" Key Scripture: Hosea 4:6 — "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Main Message: Spiritual ignorance is dangerous because it leaves believers vulnerable to deception, fear, and poor decisions. The Bible is the primary way God speaks and reveals His will for our lives. Every Christian should continually read, study, meditate on, memorize, and hear God's Word to grow spiritually. God's Word is a lamp that guides us one step at a time, helping us make wise decisions and walk in His will. The pastor shared personal testimonies of how God used Scripture to provide direction, encouragement, and confirmation during important moments in his life and ministry. The message concluded with a challenge to seek God's will daily, trust His guidance, and build a strong foundation in His Word. Highlighted Quotes "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) "Ignorance is a silent killer spiritually." "Open Bible, God speaking. Closed Bible, God not speaking." "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105) "Not my will, Father, but Yours be done."

Completely unrelated creatures that depend entirely upon one another to live and have no way of living without one another, pose a very serious challenge to those who claim that all living things evolved. The relationship is called reciprocal altruism.One startling example is the relationship between the fig wasp and the fig tree. Male figs are not for eating but they produce the pollen to pollinate the sweet, juicy female fig. But the flower parts of both the male and female figs are inside the figs. There is no chance that the wind could spread pollen from the male to the female figs. And there is no other creature except the fig wasp that can transfer the pollen.Herein lies an incredible story. The fig wasp hatches from eggs inside the male fig and its purpose in its short 24-hour life is to lay its eggs inside another male fig. The female wasp emerges from the male fig covered in pollen and is programmed to search among the female figs, thus fertilizing them, before laying its eggs inside a male fig and thus start the cycle again.The fig wasp will only lay its eggs in the male fig while the female fig cannot be pollinated by any other method. Clearly, both the fig wasp and the fig tree were created for this special relationship.Habakkuk 3:17-18"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."Prayer: Dear Lord, just as You created the fig wasp and the fig tree for this close relationship, You have created me for a relationship with You. There is no peace for me outside of a relationship with You. Help me to grow closer to You through the instruction of Your Word. Amen.Ref: Bob Devine, Uncle Bob's Animal Stories, (Moody Press, Chicago, IL). Image: Seres barbatus (fig wasp) entering syconium of fig, Alandmanson, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Noah built an ark having never seen rain, spending decades on a task that invited mockery and tested his endurance at every turn. Moses, a man with a speech impediment, a criminal record, and every human reason to say no, was sent back to Egypt to demand the freedom of millions. Mary, a teenage virgin, received the news that she would carry the Messiah of the world — and instead of shrinking back in fear, she said simply: "I am the Lord's servant. Let everything you've said happen to me." None of these people were comfortable. All of them grew in ways that would have been impossible without the discomfort. James 1:2-4 names what was happening in each of them: the testing of faith produces perseverance, and perseverance, when it finishes its work, produces maturity. Discomfort is not a sign that you have misheard God or that you are disqualified. It may be the clearest sign yet that He is at work. Today's Bible Verse "I am the Lord's servant. Let everything you've said happen to me."— Luke 1:38, NLT Ponder Today Discomfort does not mean disqualification. Feeling stretched, uncertain, or out of your depth is not a signal to quit. It is often a sign that God is doing something in you that only this particular pressure could produce. Growth and discomfort are inseparable. From pregnancy to promotion to heartbreak, every meaningful growth requires a season of being stretched beyond what was previously comfortable. Faith is no different. Noah, Moses, and Mary all said yes before they could see the outcome. Their obedience did not wait for certainty or comfort. They stepped forward anyway, and God met them every step of the way. He will do the same for you. The testing of faith produces perseverance, and perseverance produces maturity. James 1:2-4 reframes trials not as obstacles to our faith but as the very process by which our faith becomes complete. Pure joy in trials is possible when we understand what they are producing. Your obedience in discomfort is never just for you. Noah's perseverance saved the human race. Moses' obedience freed a nation. Mary's yes changed all of human history. What God is growing in you through this season may be a blessing to far more people than you realize. A Prayer for You Today Lord, I thank You that You are with me. At times You ask me to accomplish things that feel daunting to my flesh. My human nature wants to run away or pause the process, yet Your Word reminds me of the victory that comes with obedience. You showed this with Noah, whose perseverance helped save the human race. You displayed this with Moses, using him despite his imperfections. You reminded us through Mary, who carried the Savior of the world without complaint. In each of those situations, You were with them — just as You are with me today. Give me the strength to face the difficulties ahead. Show me how to be patient through the discomfort, and help me to see how You desire to grow me through it all. Teach me to completely surrender to You so that I may remain a vessel to be used by You. In Jesus' name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer gave you the courage to stay the course through an uncomfortable season, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to strengthen your faith and keep you growing every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

James gives believers a clear command and a sure promise: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that these two commands are inseparable—because successful resistance flows from successful submission. A life fully submitted to God is fortified with godliness. We cannot afford to be passive when Satan or our flesh tempts us away from obedience to Christ. Instead, we must fight the fight of faith by trusting the promises of God—His promise to give more grace, His promise to favor the humble, and His promise to forgive and cleanse all who confess their sins. Dr. Youssef reminds us that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. When Satan whispers accusations—“Your sins are too many,” “Your past is too dark,” “God will never forgive you”—we draw the sword and answer with Truth: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.” The enemy is disarmed by the Word of God because he recognizes the presence of Jesus in you—the same Jesus who defeated him in the wilderness, condemned him at the cross, and will one day cast him into eternal ruin. In Christ, all God's promises are “Yes,” and by His power, you can submit, resist, and stand. Join me in prayer. Father God, thank You for Your Word that is my sword to fight against Satan, my flesh, and the darkness of the world. 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.

Over the past several days, we have been looking at one ofthe most important subjects in the Christian life, and that is the battle forthe mind. Today, we want to conclude our thoughts on Philippians 4:4–8 andbegin looking at verse 9. Paul has written in verse 8, “Finally, brethren,whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just,whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are ofgood report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on thesethings.” Paulhas reminded us over and over again that our thoughts matter. Today, we want toleave you with one simple statement that I trust you will always remember: Youcannot consistently live above the level of your thinking. Aswe have walked through Philippians together from chapter 1 all the way to thispoint, I've become increasingly aware that Paul is building a carefullyconnected argument. Sometimes we preach verses individually, and rightly so.But when you follow Paul's flow of thought verse by verse, you see thebeautiful progression that the Holy Spirit has inspired. Notice in Philippians4:4–9 how they fit together:Verse4—a joyful spirit: “Rejoice in the Lord always.”Verse5—a gentle spirit: “Let your moderation be known unto all men.”Verse6—a prayerful spirit: “Be careful for nothing.”Verse7—a peaceful heart: “The peace of God... shall keep your hearts and minds.”Verse8—a disciplined mind: “Think on these things.”Then,in verse 9, we'll see an obedient life: “Those things... do.” It'sreally like a staircase. Joy leads to gentleness. Gentleness leads to prayer.Prayer leads to peace. Peace prepares the mind. The renewed mind producesobedient thinking and living. The obedient life results in what we see verse 9promises—a continued fellowship with the God of peace. Idon't think it's incidental that the Apostle Paul changes expressions. In verse7, he promises the peace of God. In verse 9, he promises the God of peace.There's a subtle but profound difference in these two. When we pray, the peaceof God guards us. When we obey, the God of peace walks with us. That may becomeone of the key thoughts of this entire chapter.  Anotherobservation that has stayed with me all week is the progression throughout thewhole book of Philippians that we mentioned earlier in our study.Chapter1—the single mind: Christ first.Chapter2—the submissive mind: the mind of Christ in humility.Chapter3—the spiritual mind: pressing toward Christ instead of trusting the flesh.Thenchapter 4—the settled mind, or the secured mind: free from worry because it'sfilled with prayer, peace, and right living. Oh, what a beautiful progression! Now,one final thought before we finish our study on verses 4–8 and begin looking atverse 9. In verse 9, Paul gives us five verbs: “Those things, which ye haveboth learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do.” We see here thecomplete process of discipleship. You learn truth. You receive truth.You hear truth repeatedly. You see truth lived in someone else'slife. Then you do the truth yourself. Overmy 50 years of ministry, that's what we've attempted to do—to hear this truth,to receive it, to let it live in us as we meditate on it, and then to live itout before others around us. Paul said, “You have seen in me.”Paul set an example, and so should we. Let'spray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and for reminding us howimportant our thoughts are. Forgive us for the times we've allowed fear andworry and bitterness and impurity and discouragement to control our thinking. Helpus to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ.Renew our minds through Your Word. Help us to think on those things that aretrue, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. May our right thinkinglead to right living. May our lives bring honor and glory to You always. Wepray this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 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 ||This is a profoundly beautiful and moving Shabad (hymn) by Bhagat Ravidas Ji, found in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji under Raag Dhanasari.It captures the raw, emotional essence of Bhakti (devotion)—expressing deep humility, the pain of separation from the Divine, and an intense longing for spiritual connection.Here is a breakdown of the core themes and meaning of this sacred verse:Key Themes & MeaningThe Ultimate Contrast (Humility vs. Mercy):"There is none as forlorn as I am, and none as Compassionate as You..." Bhagat Ravidas Ji begins by laying bare his spiritual poverty, contrasting it with the infinite mercy of the Divine. He gently asks God not to "test" him any further, recognizing that human weakness is no match for divine trials, and instead begs for the gift of unwavering faith (Sidq).The Silent Beloved:"O Lord, why are You silent?" The Rahao (refrain/pause) contains the central emotional core of the Shabad. It is a tender, aching question directed at the Creator. The devotee feels the silence of God and begs to know what is keeping them apart.A Lifetimes-Old Longing:"For so many incarnations, I have been separated from You..." Acknowledging the cycle of birth and rebirth, Bhagat Ji dedicates this specific human life entirely to the Divine. He expresses that he is surviving purely on the hope of receiving Darshan (the blessed vision/glimpse of God).Core Message (Bhava)The essence of this Shabad is a heartfelt prayer (Ardaas) for union. It teaches us that true devotion requires shedding our ego, acknowledging our dependence on the Divine, and crying out with absolute sincerity for spiritual awakening.Thank you for sharing this beautiful and timeless spiritual reminder.

ike a loving shepherd who keeps His sheep close, God gently redirects us when we begin drifting toward temptation, unhealthy desires, or paths that lead to disappointment. While His boundaries can sometimes feel frustrating, they are expressions of His love. He sees dangers we cannot see and lovingly guides us back to the path that leads to life and lasting joy. When we experience delays, closed doors, or the gentle conviction of the Holy Spirit, we can trust that God is not withholding good from us. Instead, He is protecting us and inviting us to remain close to Him, where we discover security, purpose, and the fullness of His presence. Highlights: God's guidance is an expression of His love and protection, not punishment. Psalm 16 reminds us that true joy and fulfillment are found in God's presence. God often redirects us when we begin wandering toward temptation or unhealthy desires. Delays, closed doors, and conviction can be evidence of God's loving care. Staying close to God allows us to experience His peace, wisdom, and lasting joy. We can trust that God's boundaries are always for our eternal good, even when we don't understand them. Join the Conversation Have you ever looked back and realized God was protecting you through a closed door, delay, or unexpected change in direction? How has staying close to Him brought greater peace and joy in your life? Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/ Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: When You’re Prone to Wander By Cindi McMenamin Bible Reading:“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 ESV). I recently learned something about myself—and my Savior—from watching my black cat, Mowgli. Each morning, I take Mowgli out on the patio with me so we can enjoy the cool of the morning. Mowgli has to be on a leash every time he’s outside, even if I’m right next to him, because he is afraid of other people and sounds he can’t identify. When he becomes frightened or when he starts to wander and his leash wraps around something and he suddenly feels restrained, he will panic, struggle out of his harness, and try to run away. For the most part, Mowgli and I enjoy peaceful mornings outside together as I work on my laptop and he sits contentedly on the patio, leash securely attached. When he tries to get a little further away from me to explore, I will say, “Not too far, Mowgli” and tug on his leash. But now and then, when a hummingbird swoops in low to tease him, or when a critter is rustling in the leaves nearby, he will lunge forward, panic at his sense of restraint, and wiggle quickly out of his harness and make a run for his potential kill. After I catch him, he’s very angry to be restrained. I bring him back inside and tell him firmly, “No going outside again if you can’t stay in your harness.” Today I found myself saying to him, after he was back inside and whining that he couldn’t go out again, “Why can’t you stay in your harness? Don’t you know I want to keep you close so I can keep you safe?” Oh, how God must want to tether my heart to Him to keep me safe as well. In Psalm 16, David—who knew what it was like to be hunted like a wild animal, to run for his life from King Saul, who wanted him dead—said this about the security of being tethered closely to his God: “You make known to me the path of life” (in other words, “You know how to keep me safe and alive). And David sang, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” David was saying,” I am not only safe and secure in Your presence, but I am full of joy when I’m close to You, and I’m able to experience eternal pleasures.” Intersecting Faith & Life: How often have I tried to wander too far from God’s instruction, too close to temptation, and too close to something I might start loving more than Him, and He gently pulls me back to His side? How often has my Lord seen me try to escape the harness of His love and pursue something that will never satisfy? Certainly, He wants to keep me close to His side so I will be content and can enjoy life with Him. When have you sensed God restraining you as you started to wander from Him? What might God be protecting you from in the disappointments and delays you are experiencing? Can you, too, see how God’s restraints on us—what He keeps us from, what He won’t allow us to have or go near—are not restraints to punish us or make our lives miserable? He knows what’s best for you and me, and He wants to keep us close so we are not only safe, but filled with joy at being near His presence. When you sense that gentle nudge backward, that might feel frustrating because you can’t get ahead to what you want, will you trust that God knows exactly what He’s allowing—and not allowing—for your eternal best and for your pleasures forevermore, not just temporarily. Lord, Your Word says in Your presence is abundant joy. Why would I ever want to wander? Keep me close to Your side, ever bound to You so that I can experience Your very best for me and enjoy Your company like no other. Further Study:Psalm 71:15 For daily encouragement to stay close to your Savior, see my book, The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Read OnlineThe Sword of Truth and PeaceJesus said to his Apostles: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household.” Matthew 10:34–36At first glance, this Gospel sounds like a mistake. Did Jesus really say this? He certainly did. Understanding this passage requires a deep and clear awareness of Christ's mission. He came to bring the true and lasting peace that comes only through adherence to the fullness of truth and cooperation with the fullness of grace.Note that this teaching was not delivered to the crowds but to the Twelve. Jesus often spoke to the crowds in parables, gently nourishing them with truths they could gradually grasp. But to the Twelve, He spoke with increasing clarity and depth. Today's Gospel is one such instance.This passage comes from what is sometimes referred to as the Missionary Discourse, in which Jesus prepares His Apostles for the upheaval their mission will bring—first as they go out two by two to the towns of Israel, and later, after the Ascension, when they are sent to the ends of the earth. At first, Jesus' words seem jarring, even paradoxical, coming from Him who is the Prince of Peace. But when we grasp their meaning, we discover the “tough love” this Gospel both encourages and demands.We all desire peace, especially within our families and communities, but peace is multifaceted and can have different meanings. On a superficial level, peace simply means the absence of conflict. While such tranquility has its place, Jesus came to offer a far greater and more enduring peace: the peace of shalom.Shalom, the Hebrew word for “peace,” signifies far more than the absence of strife. It encompasses the fullness of harmony, justice, and blessing that flow from a right relationship with God. It is a peace rooted in truth and communion with Him. Ironically, true peace can provoke division, especially when the Gospel confronts the sins and falsehoods people are unwilling to abandon.The “sword” our Lord brings is not for destruction, but for purification. It cuts away what is false so that the peace of shalom may take root. The sword Christ promises is the Truth: the living and active Word of God, “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). It cuts through deception, pierces the heart, and forces a choice—a decisive turning toward or away from Him. God directs that sword at each of us, and through us, toward others. Even familial bonds will be tested and purified by the Gospel. Sometimes that purification results in visible division. But often, such division is necessary to bring about a deeper and more lasting unity in God's truth.Which do you prefer? The mere absence of conflict at any cost—or a peace so deeply rooted in divine truth that it heals, unites, and strengthens bonds of love after purifying them? Certainly, the former is easier. Avoiding conflict is good when it means refraining from sinning against another—whether through anger, harsh judgment, or rudeness. But when conflict arises from purifying love, conveyed through the power of God's saving Word, then such conflict becomes an act of charity. It does not seek division for its own sake, but aims at the heart—at conversion and truth—rather than at preserving what is fleeting and passing.Reflect today on the kind of peace you seek in your own life. Are there areas in which you've settled for comfort rather than truth? Have you avoided necessary spiritual conflict for fear of tension, even when it might have led to growth or reconciliation? Pray for the courage to welcome the “sword” of God's Word—not to cause division, but to purify—so that the peace of shalom may take root more deeply in your heart, your relationships, and your mission. Prince of True Peace, You did not come to bring superficial peace to the world, but to bring the Sword of Truth—Your Word—that purifies and heals, so that true unity may be found. Pierce my heart with Your Word, O Lord. Cleanse me of all that separates me from You, and make me an instrument of Your purifying truth for those to whom I am sent. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: The Exhortation to the Apostles, by James TissotSource: 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.

“Lord, open now my heart to hear, And through Your Word to me draw near; Let me Your Word e'er pure retain; Let me Your child and heir remain."

How do we know if we are following Biblical wisdom? In chapter 3 of his epistle, James sets the standard with eight qualities of godly wisdom:   First, godly wisdom is pure. False wisdom is characterized by bitter envy and selfish ambition; godly wisdom is characterized by purity of motive.   Second, it is peace-loving. Selfish ambition can start a war, but God's wisdom can bring Truth and clarity where there is chaos.   Third, it is considerate. Though you have strength and power, you control yourself so that when you have the opportunity to hurt somebody, you won't do it.   Fourth, it is submissive. Being submissive means being willing to listen and willing to learn. To be submissive is to be humble and teachable, not a doormat to be walked over but meek, so that your strength is guided and submitted to God, making you gentle and kind.   Fifth, it is full of mercy. The word used here actually has a double meaning: forgiving those who wrong us and then being willing in our hearts to help them.   Sixth, it is full of good fruit. You cannot manufacture the fruit of the Spirit. True spiritual maturity happens from the inside out for those who are indwelt by the Spirit of God and are seeking His wisdom moment by moment.   Seventh, it is impartial. Those who live by worldly wisdom cannot be impartial because they are always trying to please someone, but those who live by God's wisdom are consistent, single-minded, and authentic.   Eighth, it's sincere. A sincere person is genuine, without hypocrisy, and wears no mask.   Godly wisdom is the kind of wisdom that comes from the very heart of God. As you read and pray through God's Word continually, you will find that your life is producing purity, peace, gentleness, willingness, mercy, good fruit, impartiality, and sincerity—and that's how you'll know the Word of God is taking root. Join me in prayer.  Precious Lord, thank You for answering my prayers for wisdom by giving it to me generously. As I spend time studying Your Word and listening to Your voice, I know these things will begin to take root in me. Help me to prioritize that time with You. 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.

GOD'S VISION FOR UNITY FLOWS FROM HIS NATURE v11) “…that they may be one as We are.” OUR BASIS FOR UNITY & CONFIDENCE IS GROUNDED IN THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL v17) “Sanctify them by your truth. Your Word is truth. As you sent me, I have sent them.” THE UNITY & LOVE OF CHRIST'S […]

Read OnlineThe Generous Sower“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up…” Matthew 13:3–4In today's Gospel, the Parable of the Sower is delivered from a boat, as Jesus addresses a large crowd along the shoreline. Jesus uses the natural acoustics of the water to carry His voice to the eager multitude who came to hear Him. Their earnestness offers us an opportunity for self-examination: Am I among that crowd, attentively listening as God speaks to me today? Do I go out of my way to seek, listen, and respond to the Word of God?A parable is a method that both reveals and conceals. It reveals divine truth to those who are humble and receptive, and conceals that same truth from those whose hearts are closed. The truths of the Kingdom are not concepts that can be quickly grasped. They are divine mysteries that must enter the soul and be pondered and nourished. Only the spiritually docile can penetrate their depths and allow God's Word to transform their lives.The Sower is Christ. The seed is the Word of God, and the soil represents the human heart, in all its various conditions of readiness and receptivity. Some souls await God's Word like freshly tilled, moist, and fertilized soil. As soon as the seed enters, it begins to grow rapidly—until fully grown and producing good fruit.Other souls are less receptive. Like the path, some hearts are hardened, stubborn, refusing to receive divine truth. The Word is heard, but not truly received. The enemy snatches it away before it can penetrate.Hearts that are like rocky ground are those who initially receive the Word with joy but lack perseverance. When trials come, they fall away. They may attend Mass, read Scripture, or begin with fervor, but without deep interior conversion rooted in prayer, they cannot endure the heat of testing.The thorny heart is the divided heart, where the Word of God is mixed with anxieties, riches, and pleasures. The Gospel is heard—perhaps even cherished—but it is suffocated by worldly attachments, ambition, or fear. Earthly anxieties and the fascination of riches are thorns that smother the soul and prevent it from growing.The good news is that God, the Divine Sower, is not passive. He sows the seed Himself—personally, directly, and abundantly. He is not like a remote monarch seated on a distant throne, waiting for us to come to Him. No—God always takes the initiative. He goes forth like the sower, casting His seed upon us even before we ask.The seed comes to us in two essential ways: truth and grace. As truth, God's Word enlightens the intellect to know His eternal mysteries. As grace, God's Word strengthens the will to embrace and live those truths with faith and charity.The Divine Sower sows lavishly. He casts the seed everywhere—on the path, among the rocks, amidst thorns, and upon rich earth. This is not careless, but the work of Divine Mercy. God desires that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Even where the ground seems hardened, shallow, or choked with thorns, He still sows. He never ceases to speak, to reach out, to invite. He sows even in places we might deem hopeless—until the final moment, when the time for sowing is ended.Reflect today on God's generous and continuous sowing in your soul. He never ceases speaking to you, calling to you, and planting His Word within you. How receptive are you? Which soil best describes your soul? It's never too late to respond in this life. God's Word can grow rapidly within us when our souls are fertile and receptive. Remove the rocks, cut down the thorns, and till the hardened path, so that the abundant seed will make its way into your heart.Divine Sower, You ceaselessly send forth Your truth and grace to enlighten and strengthen us in the mission of building Your Kingdom. Please till the soil of my heart and make it fertile, so that Your Word may take root in me, growing and producing an abundance of good fruit. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: Jules & Jenny from Lincoln, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource: 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.

Our world is overflowing with knowledge, yet starving for wisdom. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains the difference between knowledge and wisdom: knowledge gathers information, but wisdom applies the right Truth in the right situation. There is natural wisdom, which relies on human reasoning and experience. There is worldly wisdom, which rationalizes sin, fuels selfish ambition, and separates us from God. James describes this kind of “wisdom” as earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. It is the same kind of deception that led Adam and Eve away from obedience in the garden. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is altogether different. It is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Godly wisdom is not arrogant, harsh, boastful, divisive, or unforgiving. It does not seek self-glory; it brings glory to God. Dr. Youssef reminds believers to seek God's wisdom in every area of life—from marriage and parenting to conflict, decisions, and new ventures. True wisdom is the ability to apply the Word of God accurately and faithfully in our own lives and in the lives of others. The question is: are you growing in the wisdom that comes from heaven? Pray with me.  Father God, I pray that You would increase my godly wisdom as You've promised in Your Word. Protect me from relying on any kind of wisdom but Yours. 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.

For Edge God in Podcast Edge God In Podcast 329: The Book of 1 Samuel: Beyond the Surface – Seeing Through God’s Eyes Instead of Man’s EdgeGodIn.com | Host: Estella Chavous Championing Human Potential in Christ Download Bible Study Template Learning Objectives By the end of this study, participants will be able to: Examine the leadership of Samuel, Saul, and David to identify the qualities of a God-honoring leader. Analyze how 1 Samuel contrasts outward appearance with inward character. Evaluate the dangers of comparison, pride, and seeking human approval. Differentiate between Saul’s superficial obedience and David’s repentant heart. Apply the principles of 1 Samuel 16:7 to cultivate humility, integrity, and obedience. Reflect on your own heart using the EIC (Encounter–Identified Behavior–Course Correct) Framework. Scriptures: 1 Samuel 16:7 | Proverbs 4:23 | 1 Samuel 15:22 | Jeremiah 29:11 | Samuel Chap. 1-7/ 8-15/16-31 The book helped them understand five key areas: God Values Character More Than Appearance Obedience Always Matters More Than Performance God’s Calling Is Based on His Purpose, Not Human Expectations Prayer:  Heavenly Father, As we begin our study of 1 Samuel, open our hearts, minds, and spirits to receive what You desire to teach us. Help us move beyond outward appearances and develop hearts that seek Your wisdom above human understanding. Teach us to value humility over pride, obedience over performance, and faithfulness over popularity. As Israel transitioned from divided tribes into one nation, unite our hearts in love, purpose, and devotion to You. Lord, help us see ourselves and others as You see us—not through outward appearance, but through the condition of our hearts. May Your Holy Spirit guide our discussion, deepen our understanding, and transform our lives through the truth of Your Word. Thank You for Your grace, Your mercy, and the countless blessings You provide—both seen and unseen. 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

 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 ||Here is a concise summary of the provided shabad by Bhagat Ravidas Ji:Summary of the ShabadThis shabad is a deeply emotional prayer of humility, devotion, and longing for union with the Divine.Humility and Divine Compassion: Bhagat Ravidas Ji acknowledges his own utter humility and contrasts it with God's boundless compassion. He suggests there is no further need for God to test his faith or poverty, asking instead for the perfection of a mind completely surrendered to the Divine Word.The Pain of Separation: He expresses intense yearning, questioning why the Lord remains silent and distant from him.Lifelong Dedication: Reflecting on being separated from the Divine across countless past lifetimes, he resolves to dedicate this present life entirely to God. He emphasizes that he survives solely on the hope of finally receiving the blessed vision (Darshan) of the Creator.Core Theme: A heartfelt prayer at the Lord's door, expressing immense humility and a profound longing for divine vision and connection.

Today's Bible Verse: "The Lord was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains because they had chariots fitted with iron." — Judges 1:19 Judges 1:19 reminds us that even when God is with us, we may still encounter obstacles that feel overwhelming. The tribe of Judah experienced victory because the Lord was with them, yet they struggled to overcome the people living in the plains because they had powerful iron chariots. This passage reveals the tension between God’s presence and the challenges we face. Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Member today: https://www.biblestudytools.com/subscribe/ Looking for a peaceful way to end your day? Listen to "Your Nightly Scripture" to end your day with God's word Meet Today’s Host: Jennifer Slattery Discover more devotions with Jennifer at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio Jennifer Slattery is a national speaker and multi-published author, She’s passionate about helping believers live with bold faith, rooted in surrender to Christ’s purpose. Jennifer co-hosts both Your Daily Bible Verse and Faith Over Fear, encouraging listeners to step into their God-given identity. Her teachings blend Scripture with personal insight to help others embrace God’s power over fear and move forward with confidence.

One of the common arguments used by skeptics against the biblical account of the flood claims that Noah's Ark could not possibly have accommodated all the millions of species of animals.The first problem with this argument lies in the word “species.” Species is a modern human classification. Genesis says that Noah was sent “kinds.” The biblical “kind” includes many species. For example, the dog kind includes: foxes, fennecs, wolves, jackals, colishé, and coyote as well as the domestic dog. All these can interbreed and have fertile offspring, meaning that they were originally one mating pair. This applies to all species and drastically reduces the number of animals on the Ark to a more reasonable figure. That figure is further reduced when we realize that one-third of all species of animals live in the sea and had no need to be taken on the Ark.But let's not forget that the Ark was the largest ship ever built until the 1860's. It had a capacity of one and a third million cubic feet - about equal to a train made up of 522 railroad stock cars! So when the facts are all considered, even a generous estimation of the space needed on the Ark tells us that there was room not only for Noah and his family and all the animals, but also for plenty of food.Genesis 6:14-15"Make thee an ark of gopherwood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt cover it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits."Prayer: Dear Father, I ask that You would put to confusion all attempts to deny Your truth. Make Your people, including me, well armed with Your Word and how it applies to all parts of life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.Ref: Clifford Cunningham, “Noah's ark couldn't hold all 1.12 million species,” Record. Image: Ark, Noah, Flood, Roger Casco, Pixabay. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Thinkfor a moment about how many thoughts enter your mind every day. Researchersestimate that thousands of thoughts pass through our minds daily. Some arehelpful, many are harmless, but others can be destructive. Satan knows that ifhe can capture your mind, he can influence your emotions, your decisions, youractions, and eventually your character. That is why the battle for theChristian life is largely the battle for the mind. Noticethe connection with the previous verses. In verse 6 Paul tells us to prayinstead of worrying. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayerand supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”. Thenin verse 7 he gives us God's wonderful promise: “And the peace of God, whichsurpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through ChristJesus”. The word guard is a military term. It means to guard or stand watchover. God's peace stands like a soldier around our hearts and minds. Butnow Paul tells us something else. While God guards our hearts with His peace,we have the responsibility to guard our minds with His truth. God neverintended for our minds to remain empty. An empty mind quickly becomes occupiedby fear, temptation, discouragement, resentment, lust, pride, or worry. Theanswer is not merely to stop thinking wrong thoughts. The answer is to replacethem with right thoughts. This is a principle found throughout Scripture. InProverbs 23:7 we read, "For as a man thinks in his heart, so ishe." Ourthoughts eventually become our character. The Lord Jesus emphasized the sametruth. In Matthew 15:19 He said, "For out of the heart proceed evilthoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,blasphemies." Everything begins on the inside before it ever appearson the outside. Paul also wrote in Romans 12:2, "And be not conformedto this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Noticethat transformation comes through the renewing of the mind. Theworld says, "Follow your heart." God says, "Renew yourmind." The world fills our minds with fear, anger, impurity, selfishness,and confusion. God fills our minds with truth, hope, purity, love, and peace. Someonehas wisely said, "You cannot keep the birds from flying over your head,but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair." We cannot alwayscontrol the thoughts that suddenly enter our minds, but we can choose whetherwe dwell on them. A temptation may come, but we do not have to invite it tostay. Paulends this verse with a command: "Think on these things." Thephrase means to deliberately dwell on them, to continually consider them, tocarefully evaluate them, and to let them shape your thinking. The Christianlife is not lived by accident. It is lived by intentionally filling our mindswith God's truth.  Overthe next several days we are going to examine each of these wonderful qualitiesPaul lists. They provide a divine filter for every thought that enters ourminds. Before we allow a thought to remain, we should ask, "Is it true? Isit honest? Is it just? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good report? Does itdisplay virtue? Is it worthy of praise?" If the answer is yes, dwell onit. If not, replace it with God's Word. Remember, if you want to enjoy thepeace of God in your heart, you must also guard your mind with the truth ofGod. Let's ask the Lord today to help us win the battle for our minds. Let'sPray: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Word to guide our thinking.Forgive us for allowing worry, fear, bitterness, impurity, and worldlyinfluences to occupy our minds. Help us, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, tothink on the things that honor You. Guard our hearts with Your peace, renew ourminds with Your truth, and transform our lives for Your glory. In Jesus' name,Amen. Godbless and may you have a wonderful wonderful day!

Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates is credited with saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”This line of thinking, developed nearly 2500 years ago, applies to our lives as Christian believers today. Let's examine the question: What does it mean to be a godly man?”There are many characteristics that come to mind when thinking about godliness and living the kind of life the Lord wants for us. Today, we're talking about honesty.In our culture—even in our Christian culture sometimes—lying is often treated as harmless. In fact, many of us lie automatically, without a second thought. Much of the time we aren't even aware we're being dishonest.We may exaggerate, change the facts “a little” so we look good, tell a police officer we didn't know we were speeding, cheat on our income taxes, or make up stories about our past. Sometimes we lie by omission, leaving out important details to protect our pride or avoid accountability.Proverbs 19:1 says, “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.”Crooked in speech...in this verse, God's Word reveals just how well He knows our tendency toward sin, including dishonesty.As men and women after God's own heart, it is vital for us to examine our words, our deeds, and our actions to see that they fall in line with God's instructions for living, in order to fulfill His good plans for our lives.A godly man is honest.Let's pray.Lord God, thank you for calling us to be honest in every facet of our lives. Your Word reveals powerful truth for our lives. Thank you for your instruction, and your forgiveness when we fall short. God help us to be honest in word, deed, and action. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Brian Priebe | Executive Pastor | July 5, 2026 Referenced Scripture: Romans12:1-21, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 7:12, Matthew 22:39 Reflection Questions:1. What's one thing that stood out to you from the sermon and why? 2. How would people close to you rate your seeking of relationship over seeking revenge on a scale of 1-10? 3. What motivates you to seek relationship over revenge? Can you share an experience of seeking relationship after being hurt that was meaningful to you? 4. What are Biblical examples of Jesus seeking relationship over revenge? 5. Do you find that revenge or relationship comes to you more naturally? Why or Why not? What things make it challenging for you? 6. One of Brian's focal points was that Jesus' death on the cross offers us a mercy that we ought to be able to pass along to others. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Can you give an example of how that practically plays out in your day to day life? 7. What would the church look like if everyone took the posture of pursuing relationship over revenge in relation to the daily hurts we incur from people around us. 8. Brian referenced the idea that we tend to seek control as a motivating factor in ultimately choosing revenge over relationship. Do you find maintianing control a challenge in your life and if so, why? What's your next step? * Connect: We'd love to connect with you! Fill out our Connect Card to receive more information, have us pray for you, or to ask us any questions: http://journeybozeman.com/connectcard * Connect: Get your children connected to our children's ministry, Base Camp: https://journeybozeman.com/children * Connect: Our Student Ministry is for High School and Middle School students: https://journeybozeman.com/students * Give: Want to worship through giving and support the ministry of Journey Church: https://journeybozeman.com/give * Gather: Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JourneyChurchBozeman * Gather: Download our app: https://journeybozeman.com/app * Gather: Join our Facebook Group to stay connected throughout the week: https://facebook.com/groups/JourneyChurchBozeman  Chapters (00:00:00) - Happy 250th Birthday America!(00:05:01) - Revenge and Escalation in Romans 12(00:11:44) - Why Do We Seek Revenge in Our Lives?(00:18:34) - Seek the Best for Your Neighbors(00:27:35) - Revenge and the Call to Seek the Good of Others(00:33:22) - Celebrating Communion(00:35:47) - Thankful for Your Word

Marriage is one of God's most profound gifts, and it comes with a design that is both countercultural and deeply freeing when embraced with the help of the Holy Spirit. The picture offered in this episode is a marriage viewed as 51/49: equal in value, distinct in role. The husband carries an extra measure of responsibility before God as the leader and protector of the home, and the wife is invited to fulfill her own God-ordained role with joy, excellence, and a spirit of respect. This is not a diminishment of the wife's voice or contribution. It is God's order for the family, and walking within it is where His peace is found. For wives whose husbands are not yet the spiritual leaders of their homes, this can feel especially difficult. How do you submit with a glad heart when your husband is not carrying his spiritual weight? Peter addresses this directly in 1 Peter 3:1-2, reminding wives that a husband who is disobedient to the Word can be won over not by nagging or lecturing, but by the quiet, consistent witness of a wife's chaste and respectful behavior. That kind of influence requires something we cannot manufacture on our own. It requires the grace of the Holy Spirit working in and through us, humbling us daily, and giving us a heart to serve even when it is hard. God sees your marriage, He values your covenant, and He is at work in both of your hearts. Bible Verse "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior."— 1 Peter 3:1-2, NASB Ponder Today Equal in value, distinct in role. God did not design men and women to be interchangeable in their family roles. Embracing the role He has specifically designed for you as a wife is not a burden — it is a gift that leads to peace rather than chaos. A godly wife's greatest influence is often not her words. Peter's counsel is striking: a husband disobedient to the Word can be won over by observing his wife's respectful and chaste behavior. The witness of a life lived well speaks more powerfully than nagging ever could. Submission is not possible without the Holy Spirit's help. Walking in the role God has designed for you, especially when your husband falls short, requires grace you cannot generate on your own. Ask for it daily and expect God to provide it. God sees the dynamic in your home and He is at work in it. Whether your husband is a strong spiritual leader or still far from faith, your marriage covenant matters deeply to God. He wants to work in both of your hearts to reflect His ways. Fulfilling your role with joy and excellence is one of the most loving things you can do for your husband and family. When a wife prays for, encourages, and respects her husband — even in his imperfection — she lightens a burden he carries before God and reflects the grace of Christ in her home. A Prayer for You Today Father God, thank You for the gift of marriage. It is not always easy, but please help me see it as the gift it truly is. Help me hold my tongue when I am frustrated and learn to walk in a respectful manner toward my husband. I ask that You bless him as he seeks to support and provide for our family, and move in his heart to hunger after Your Word as he learns to lead. If he does not yet know You or love You, convict his heart to see his great need of the Savior and draw him to the cross. Thank You for my husband and for the order You have placed in the family. I pray Your peace would be our foundation. In Jesus' name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer stirred a fresh desire to love and serve your husband the way God intended, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to strengthen your faith and your most important relationships every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Modern criticism of the Bible began in the late 1700's and has continued to this day. The usual claim, often from Bible scholars, has been that the Bible is nothing more than error-filled human writings. Before serious excavation work had begun in the mid-1800's, scholars felt free to consider lack of evidence as proof that people, cities, and even whole nations mentioned in the Bible never existed. It didn't seem to matter to them that they had never even bothered to look for the evidence.Soon, biblical archaeology started finding the evidences. And, with each discovery, the critics' pronouncements about errors in the Bible began to crumble. One example is the biblical record of Joshua's leadership of Israel in occupying the Promised Land. Joshua 11:10-11 reports how Joshua defeated Hazor, burning the city to the ground. All this had been dismissed by the doubters but then archaeologists found the ruins of Hazor. The ruins clearly showed destruction by an intense fire. The fire had been so hot that adobe had been baked lobster red, stones had been changed by the heat of the fire, and the ashes of the city were five feet deep!Every claim that there is error in the Bible has been based upon lack of knowledge. Let's face it, no matter what the subject, including history, God has more knowledge than we do!Joshua 11:10-11"And Joshua at that time turned back and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms. And they smote all the souls who were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was not any left to breathe; and he burned Hazor with fire."Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word, which has been preserved for our instruction today. Guide me by Your Holy Spirit to make good use of Your Word in my daily life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.Image: Tel Hazor 1983, Bukvoed, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Some of the greatest stories of believers down through time have involved those who really studied God's Word. These people have gone before us to show us the way. From Charles Spurgeon to a missionary mother in China, daily study of the Word, and prayer, prepared them to mentor entire generations.Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”We also read in Romans 10 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We have to do it, so that others know how. Remember, there is no substitute for spending time in God's Word.In order to properly train an apprentice, you need to obviously be prepared and adept. Anything less leads to weak faith, or no faith at all.This is what the Great Commission, sharing the Gospel, has always been about. Duplicating disciples. Grounding your own faith in the Bible, then imparting that to others. That is the essence of true iron sharpening iron.Let's pray.Lord, keep us about your work by daily reminding us to spend time with you in Your Word. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Read OnlineAs Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. Matthew 8:23–26While we should understand Jesus' teachings and actions in a literal sense, the Early Church Fathers also point to a deeper, symbolic meaning—what is known as the Spiritual Sense of Scripture. As the inspired Word of God, the Gospels contain limitless depth and wisdom. The message found in Jesus' words and actions can be applied to any part of our lives and answer any questions we struggle with.One such question is how we deal with the storms of life. Some storms come upon us externally, through illness, persecution, or unforeseen trials. When a storm sets in, we often react with fear and anxiety. When the storm is of our own making, such as from sin, the trial is often more severe. Though fear and anxiety are often the ill effects of life's storms, another more deadly fruit can also arise: the anger that leads to vengeance.In his preaching on this passage, Saint Augustine offers such an insight: “You have heard an insult—it is the wind; you feel anger—it is the wave. When the wind blows and the waves rise, the ship is in danger; so too, when insults stir your heart, your soul is tossed about and put at risk” (Sermon 63 on the New Testament, 2).Because we live and interact with sinful people every day, we will inevitably experience the “wind” of an insult which can lead to the “wave” of angry feelings. When that happens, the question is: What am I going to do with that angry feeling? Augustine warns that insults, which stir up anger, pose a real spiritual danger. He continues: “If, upon hearing an insult, you desire vengeance, the storm swells within you. And behold, if you take vengeance, you may think you have triumphed—but in rejoicing over another's harm, you have suffered shipwreck yourself.”At some point, we have all allowed a storm to swell within us by seeking vengeance, which inevitably leads to our downfall. When anger gives way to irrational arguments, judgment, condemnation, or passive aggression—such as the “silent treatment”—our “boat” begins to sink.Just as the wind and waves battered the Apostles, leading them to fear, so too does anger batter us, driving us toward vengeance and making things worse. In such moments, there is only one remedy: to cry out with the Apostles, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”What a perfect prayer in the midst of a trial that is turning into a storm! Had the Apostles ignored the presence of the Son of God—who was with them, asleep, awaiting their call—the storm would have continued, and they might have been shipwrecked. But they cried out, seeing that things were getting out of control.When Jesus woke up, He first gently rebuked them, saying, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Applying this to our analogy of anger and vengeance, we can hear our Lord asking, “Why did you allow anger to take hold of you and swell into a storm?” Though Jesus, in His mercy, can calm the storm caused by our sin, a deep and abiding faith helps us to forgive the initial insult before it takes root, preventing it from growing into anger and vengeance.Reflect today on any initial “wind” that tempts you toward anger. Choose to forgive and offer mercy in return. If a storm is already brewing in your heart, cry out to Jesus as the Apostles did. Though at times it might seem as if our Lord is asleep, He is always with you. Reject fear and anger the moment they begin to stir; but if they do arise, call upon Him in faith: “Lord, save me! I am perishing!” He will calm the storm. My sleeping Lord, I know that You are always with me, calling me to faith and obedience to Your Word. Strengthen me in moments of temptation, that I may remain faithful and choose mercy over vengeance. When storms arise from my sin, forgive me, Lord, and calm the tempest within, healing the wounds caused by my lack of faith. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Ernst Georg Bartsch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons  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.

Ever wonder about the cultural norms left unsaid in the Bible? Discovering the collectivist perspective will help you better understand Scripture.  Receive If we read the Bible exclusively from our Western individualist point of view, we may miss or misunderstand cultural values everybody in the ancient Mediterranean world understood. As this week's guest, Randy Richards, reminds us, the values of kinship, patronage, and brokerage, which focus on the family or group dynamic instead of an individual, are found throughout Scripture. We also find examples of honor, shame, and boundaries in the Old and New Testaments that are used as tools to help enforce and strengthen these cultural values. Understanding the ancient Mediterranean culture that the Bible is set in can enrich our understanding of some Scripture passages. How has discovering some of the cultural backdrop of the Bible helped you gain a deeper understanding of Scripture and how the Bible applies to your life? What next step could you take toward learning more about the cultural context of the Old and New Testament?  Reflect  Why were the Pharisees trying to shame Jesus in Matthew 9:11? How was the apostle Paul trying to use shame in a positive sense in 1 Corinthians 15:34?  In 1 Timothy 2:9, how was the apostle Paul trying to use shame in a positive way to encourage women to stand up against the culture's way of dressing?  Based on Romans 1:1, what was the role with the highest honor for the apostle Paul? How were the chief priests, teachers of the law, and the elders trying to have an honor contest with Jesus in Luke 20:1–8? Why did Jesus tell the parable of The Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9–14 to those who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else?  Why is the apostle Paul setting a boundary in 1 Corinthians 10:27 –28?  Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You that as I grow in my knowledge of Scripture, I can grow deeper in my love and understanding of You! Help me to dive deeper into Your Word, so my relationship with You can grow stronger. Help me to gain wisdom that I can apply to my life.”   Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes by our guest E. Randolph Richards  Listen: Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes (with guest Randy Richards)) Understanding How to Read the Bible Today Read: Starting in the Right Place How Should We Read the Bible—and What Type of Book Is It, Anyway? Watch: In Pursuit of Peter In Pursuit of Paul 

Introduction: Tongues and Prophecy: Remember Their Purposes. (1 Corinthians 14:20-25) The Purpose of Tongues: Sign of JUDGMENT for ISRAEL. (1 Cor 14:20-23) Deuteronomy 28:49 - The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand... Jeremiah 5:15 - Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. It is an enduring nation; it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. The Purpose of Prophecy: MANIFEST God's PRESENCE. (1 Cor 14:24-25) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Questions and Answers: What About Speaking In Tongues? - Part 2 Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:36Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 14. Do you remember when we got all that snow a few months ago? You remember that? How cold it was? You remember that? Think about that when we feel a little stuffy this morning. Stuffy, that's the counterpart of chili, right?01:0614. Please take a moment and pray for me to clearly communicate God's Word accurately and clearly. And I will pray for you to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us in His Word today. Let's pray. Father, I pray that Your Word, as our Lord taught, it's like that seed, Father. I just pray that it takes root in our hearts and reproduces in a way that glorifies your name and a way that advances your kingdom. Father, keep us from any distractions, especially over these next few minutes. Father, let our hearts and minds be laser-focused on you and your word. We pray in Jesus' name.02:06And all of God's people said, Amen. 1 Corinthians 14. Recently, at youth group, we had our breakout time with the kids and we were praying. And one young man in our group, in his prayer, was praying for Pastor Taylor and Pastor Chris. Let's stop there for a second.02:360% bothered by that at all. Right? Because there is nobody that mixes up names more than I do. And I thought, I don't know who Pastor Chris is, but maybe he needs prayer more than I do right now. I don't know. But great kid, just wrong name, right? So he's praying. I want to pray for Pastor Taylor and Pastor Chris. And right then in that moment, another young man in the youth group, hollers, it's not his name!03:11I laughed about that for three days.03:13It was like the ultimate shot block, right?03:17It was like, Pastor Chris, it's not his name!03:20Knocked into my house, right?03:26Like, I could have just let it slide.03:32But there was somebody in our group that absolutely was not going to let that slide. Why am I telling you that story? Because when we approach the subject of speaking in tongues, it is easy for us and it is easy for me to sort of adopt the attitude that I had during that youth group prayer. To be like, well, you know what? People believe different things about speaking in tongues and some people may Maybe have this private gibberish prayer language. Whatever. I can just let it slide. And I've got to tell you, through the study of God's Word, especially the last month, God's Word has sort of been like that other kid that was shot blocking to say, that's not what it's for. Speaking in tongues, right? Gibberish before God, right? That's not what it's for. So truth does matter.04:33And let's let the word of God block the shot on any lies. Right? People are all over the board. We talk about speaking in tongues. People are all over the board on the topic. One of the biggest churches in the area. It is a regular practice. Speaking in tongues.05:03What does the Bible say about it? Well, we've been talking about it a lot as we've been going through these chapters in 1 Corinthians. Speaking in tongues, there's a biblical gift. There's a spiritual gift. And speaking in tongues is speaking in a real language that you never learned. Right? We learned that from Acts chapter 2, Pentecost. People were speaking in languages they never learned. People were hearing in their own language.05:35It would be as if I got up this morning, I never studied Mandarin, but I got up and I just started supernaturally. I had the ability to speak Mandarin. That's what speaking in tongues was for, speaking a known language. We're going to cover that today. But the question, before we get to the purpose of the spiritual gift, I think we have to ask, well, you know, this, gibberish thing where people, you know, either in church or in their private prayer language and they just sort of let loose with a, it's not a known language, it's just like gibberish and a bunch of ecstatic speech. Like, what's the purpose of that? And if you ask somebody that believes in the gibberish prayer language, speaking in tongues, if you ask them, like, what's the purpose?06:34you'll hear things like, well, it's for prayer. It's for prayer. That's just not taught in the Bible. Not by direct instruction and not by example. You just don't see that. Some people say, well, no, it's like this highly exalted form of praise. Well, if that's true, then why does he tell us that tongues will cease? If it's such a great way to praise God, why would he put an end to it?07:03But some people say, no, no, no. Speaking in tongues is about evangelism, right? It's not. Like, later, check this out, Acts chapter 2. Was tongues for evangelism? No. Acts chapter 2 tells you what the people said and what was heard in tongues. What were they talking about? What was the message being communicated? Acts 2.11 tells us they were declaring the mighty works of God.07:33about the things that God did in the Old Testament. That's what they spoke. That was what the languages were communicating. What God had done during Old Testament times. And you see, that caught the attention of the Jews. But when it comes to evangelism, Peter got up, Acts chapter 2, he didn't preach in tongues. He didn't preach in gibberish. Like, how do you know? Well, because the sermon is recorded for us in Acts chapter 2.08:04And there are some people, and I've had some lively discussions with people about this, but there are people that believe that speaking in tongues is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That's how you know you're baptized in the Holy Spirit, right? That is so easily disproven. Because in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul says, we've all been baptized in one Spirit, right? What was that? Verse 13.08:32We've all been baptized in one spirit. Then he says in verse 30, we don't all speak in tongues. So speaking in tongues is the evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit. That doesn't wash with what Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 12. So, in the first 19 verses, we covered them last week, speaking in tongues, Paul says gibberish is nothing. Even the real gift, Paul said, it's not that important. Look at verse 19.09:02This kind of sums it all up. Paul says, nevertheless, in church, I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others than 10,000 words in a tongue. And that was the message last week. He says, look, church, something else, when you get together, something else needs to be the focus of your worship services. And he said it, remember, over and over and over.09:32What we need to focus on is building each other up. And that happens through prophecy. That's speaking before. That just means preaching. It's speaking the Word of God. Teaching and preaching. That's what we need to be doing when we get together as a church. Well, as we approach the text we're looking at today, he's continuing the thought. Why? Why is prophecy greater than tongues?10:02Just very simply in this passage, he says the reason prophecy is greater than tongues is that you have to consider the purpose of prophecy and you have to consider the purpose of tongues. Like, why did God give us these things? So, on your outline, tongues and prophecy. Remember the purposes. Right? Number one, the purpose of tongues. Why did God give that spiritual gift? The Bible.10:32is clear on this. It's a sign of judgment for Israel. That is the purpose of speaking in tongues. It is a sign of judgment for Israel. Look at verse 20. He says, brothers, you don't be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil. But in your thinking, be mature.11:02He's rebuking them. He goes, you don't understand. You don't understand. And Paul's like, you're thinking like a bunch of children. Do you know how children think? Do you know how children think? Let me give you an example from when I was a child. Alright? Like, this is like second grade. There was a kid in my class. I'm not going to say his name. He might be watching the stream. He's going to be really upset. But there was this kid in my class like in the second grade and he was going around telling everybody the one day.11:32He's like, I'm 67% Indian.11:38That means I can run faster than anybody in this class.11:42And I'm like, there's no way.11:45There's no way.11:47There's no way you're faster than me.11:50He's like, I am.11:51I'm 67.11:52It was like some decimal.11:53I don't remember, like 67.3 or whatever.11:55He goes, I'm 67.3% Indian.11:58I can run faster than you.12:00I'm like, there's no way you can run faster than me.12:04But he was maintaining that. I'm like, all right, recess. Recess, it's on. You, the me, we're going to race. So we did. We got out to the kickball field, standing on first base. I said, all right, we're going to run to second base and back to first base. All right? Settle this once and for all. On your mark at second, I don't think I'm any percent Indian, but I was fast. And I was to second base and back to first before he was to second base. Smoked him. So I go to him afterwards. I'm like, now what? Like, I beat you by a mile. Do you know what he said? He said, well, I couldn't run fast because I'm wearing cowboy boots.13:02And I said, why is an Indian wearing cowboy boots? What do we learn from that exchange? That's how children act. That's how children act. Immature. Showing off. Like, look at me. Look at what I can do. Look at what I can do. And that's what the Corinthians were doing. They were wanting to show off. Look at how spiritual I am. I'm going to speak in this language. Me and God have our own private language.13:31And they were just constantly showing off. And Paul's like, you're acting like a bunch of kids racing on the kickball field. Knock it off. And continuing with the maturity metaphor, he says, be infants in evil. I love that. Be infants in evil. You ever been around a baby? I know you have.14:01Babies are not mean spirited. In the same playpen, you can put a white baby, a black baby, an Asian baby, a Latino baby. They're not going to fight. There's no racial hatred. There's no mean spirited attitudes about them at all. Babies are just like, you know, I eat, I poop, I'm happy. And Paul's like, you need to be Infants.14:34In evil.14:35He says, but you've got to grow up in the way you think.14:40Paul's pointing out to him, you're backwards.14:42You're infants in your understanding of God's Word, of God's purposes, and you're mature in evil.14:52So, the biblical gift of speaking in tongues.14:57Speaking in an existing language that you never learned.15:04Here's the million dollar question. What is it for? What is the purpose? Why did God even make that a thing? Well, to get the answer, you've got to go back to the Old Testament. Right? And that's exactly what he did. Look at verse 21. Paul's clearing it up. In the law, it is written.15:30By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people. And even then, they will not listen to me, says the Lord. Stop there. There's the purpose of tongue. What are you talking about? Alright, we're not going to turn there. But I encourage you to do this later. Alright? Paul is quoting Isaiah chapter 28.16:0011th verses, what you want to focus on. I'm going to give you a quick history lesson so we understand why Paul is quoting this verse. Isaiah 28, we're talking about the prophet Isaiah, we're talking about the southern kingdom, Judah, we're talking about the days of King Hezekiah, we're talking about 705 B.C. Now in 722 B.C., just a few years prior, Assyria conquered the northern kingdom. It was called Israel. The southern kingdom was called Judah. Assyria conquered the northern kingdom as an act of God's judgment because of their idolatry and unbelief. So when you get to this passage in Isaiah 28, 705 B.C., years later, Isaiah goes to the southern kingdom, Judah, and says, you're committing the same sins that God just punished Israel for. You're doing the same stuff. And Isaiah warned them, you're doing the same thing.17:00the same sins, and God's going to bring the same judgment on you. Well, Isaiah 28. Isaiah goes to the leaders, specifically the priests and the prophets, and he finds them at a party, and they're all drunk. And not only is their drunkenness impairing their decision making ability, but they are vomiting all over the table. That's what it says. It's a disgusting scene. So Isaiah comes to give the message and the Bible says they mock Isaiah. They make fun of him. They're like, Isaiah thinks we're babies. Do you hear what he's saying? Isaiah just keeps preaching the same message to us over and over and over.18:00Isaiah thinks we're babies. Isaiah thinks he's our kindergarten teacher. Well, Isaiah 28.11, the verse that Paul quotes here in 1 Corinthians 14.21, God is speaking through Isaiah and he's saying, okay, Israel, you're not going to listen in a language that you know. I'm going to speak to you in a language that you don't understand.18:31And the Babylonians came and they conquered Judah, the southern kingdom. They conquered them 586 B.C. When you hear God is saying, when you hear the Babylonians speaking in their language that you do not understand, you're going to know that God is bringing His judgment. That's what He's saying. And by the way, this wasn't the first time Israel was warned about this. Deuteronomy 28, 49, God warned in the law, the Lord will bring a nation against you from far away from the end of the earth, swooping down like an eagle. Look at this. A nation whose language you do not understand. God promised him this is what's going to happen. Again, Jeremiah 5.15. I think we talked about this a couple weeks ago. Behold, I'm bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the Lord. It is an enduring nation. It is an ancient nation. Look, a nation whose language you do not know, to understand what they say. So here's the point. Hearing a foreign tongue, Israel, is a sign to the unbelieving Jews among you that God is moving in judgment against you. And you see, if God judged Israel in 725, 2. And God judged Judah in 586 BC. What do you think God is going to do to the unbelieving Jews in the first century that completely rejected the Messiah of Israel? God says you won't listen in your language. You're going to hear languages you don't understand. That's Pentecost. Tongues was a sign that Israel was judged. Romans 11.20:29temporarily set aside. And Revelation is so clear about that. Temporary. But now God is at work through Gentile nations as well as Israel. The focus shifted. That's why Paul tells us in 13.8 the tongues will cease. They're not needed today. Because they were a sign of judgment against Israel during the transition from the Old Covenant.20:59to the new covenant. There's a sign. He goes on. Look at verse 22 here in 1 Corinthians 14. He says, thus, tongues are a sign not for believers, but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers, but for believers. He couldn't be more clear. Tongues are not for other believers.21:29From the Old Testament, we learn it was, as he says in verse 22, it's a sign for unbelievers. You're like, what unbelievers? Unbelieving Israel. It's the sign. He says prophecy, though, preaching the Word of God, that is for building up believers. That was last week's message. We're going to see that more again in a minute. Look at verse 23. He says, If therefore the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? You see? There's something very interesting about the wording here. This phrase, to say that you're out of your minds. Maybe your Bible says something like, they'll say that you're mad. Does your Bible say something like that if you have a different translation? It's interesting. The word, this word mad, this word out of your mind, that same word is used in other places in ancient literature to describe Pagan worship services. The gibberish. That's the same word used to describe that. When everybody got together and was just shouting stuff that nobody understood, they're like, that's mad. That's this word. They're going to think you're crazy. Everybody's shouting words people don't understand. What Paul's saying here is, you know what's going to happen? Is an unbeliever is going to come to church and he's going to say, Huh! They act just like the pagans. They are no different than the way the pagans worship. That's exactly, literally what Paul's saying here. So that's the purpose of tongues. It's not gibberish shouting at church. It's not some secret ecstatic prayer language. Paul reminds us it was always a sign of judgment against Israel.24:00Tongues and prophecy remember their purpose. Tongues is a sign of judgment for Israel. Number two, let's talk about the purpose of prophecy. What is the purpose of prophecy? Why do we preach? Why do we preach? I mean, it seems a little archaic, doesn't it? In our day of 15-second video, clips that we doom scroll through and our 30 second antacid commercials. It doesn't seem a little archaic that somebody would stand up for however many minutes we stand up and talk. Why do we do that? What is the purpose of prophecy? You're going to see here in the text exactly why we do this.25:01It manifests God's presence. Look at verses 24 and 25. You're going to see it. He says, but if all prophesy, teach, preach the word. But if all prophesy and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all. He is called to account.25:28By all the secrets of his heart are disclosed. And so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. It's the same point he made in the first 19 verses. He's like, church, look. Church, you know what you need to focus on?25:58You need to focus on preaching and teaching. That's what you need to focus on. So what's the purpose of prophecy? Well, he made a very clear point in the previous section. The purpose of prophecy is to build up believers. And also, speaking of unbelievers coming to church, which he brings up in this section, Paul says, when an unbeliever hears the word of God rightly proclaimed, something happens. What happens is God moves. I want you to look at this sequence. This is why we preach. Look at the sequence. He says, an unbeliever, outsider enters the church, and you are preaching the Word of God rightly. That's why we always ask for prayer. Please pray for us to preach the Word of God accurately. But look at the first thing that happens. He says he is convicted by all. He's convicted by all. The first thing that happens, and I know, I know, this isn't popular in our day, but this is what the Bible says. The first thing that happens, is that person feels guilty.27:28And listen, that has to happen.27:35Some people just want feel-good messages.27:38We've had people leave our church because they just want a feel-good message.27:47And we live in a day more than ever, and you see this in front of you every day, Make me comfortable in my sin. Affirm me. Don't tell me I'm wrong. Look at my sin and tell me I'm special. They just want the feel-good messages. Give me the pep talk. Give me the five ways to be happier at work, four ways to be happier at home.28:23feel bad.28:29By the way, do you know why the world hated Jesus?28:33Do you know?28:35Do you know why the world hated Jesus?28:37Just write this down.28:38Look this up later.28:39John 7, 7.28:41Just write that down.28:41Look it up.28:43Why the world hated Jesus?28:47Well, you should feel convicted.28:50You should.28:51You should feel a sense of I'm wrong. I'm guilty. That's the first part of the sequence. Look at the second thing. He says, he is convicted by all. Secondly, he is called to account by all. Called into account by all. Now listen, that doesn't mean that when like a person, stuck in a sinful lifestyle comes to church. We all get to take a shot at them. That's not what that means. Like somebody comes in and they're like, I'm struggling with an addiction. And I'm like, okay, stand here. Everybody line up. Take a shot. We're going to call them to account. Everybody just comes through the line. You're a loser. You need to repent. You stink. That's not what that means at all. What does it mean to be called into account by all? It's positive peer pressure. It's somebody looking.29:51and Christ alive through you and recognizing the need to change. To say, these people are different. These people live differently. This is who I need to be. They need to be looking around and saying, man, I need to know the Bible like him. You know, I need to get away from this addiction that's been destroyed.30:24I need to get away from the bad influences. I need to make choices. The choices to follow Jesus that I see her making, I need to make those same choices. That's what he's talking about. Everybody sort of calls them into account, like positive peer pressure. Right? What else happens when the Word is proclaimed? Look at verse 25. The third thing. The secrets of his heart are only God's word can do that. I can't do that. Pastor Taylor can't do that. Nobody can do that. The word of God is the only thing that can disclose the secrets of your heart. It's through the preaching of the word. Those secrets are disclosed and that's what brings the feeling of guilt. I've been a hypocrite. I've been faking. You know what? I've been lying.31:22I've been lying to other people. I want everybody to think I'm so noble. I want everybody to think I got my act together and I don't. I see now that my problem is me. I have a sin problem in my heart. I am the problem. The secrets of the heart are disclosed.31:51The next step. He says, and so, falling on his face. What's that? That's humbling yourself. Right? It's when you realize I'm such a hypocrite. I'm guilty. I'm a faker. And I'm a sinner. And I'm not the man that I need to be. Oh God, help me.32:21I have tried so hard to be the person that I think I need to be and I fail every time. I can't do it. And I just, all I can do is get on my face and say, say, God, help me. I can't do it on my own. That's what he's talking about here. Falls on his face. Look at the next one. He says, he will worship God. He will worship God.32:51You see, God saves those and changes those who confess their sin and believe in Jesus Christ. See, Jesus died in your place on that cross. That should have been you nailed to the cross. That should have been me nailed to the cross. Jesus took your place on that cross to bear the wrath of God, not for anything He did, because He lived.33:21a sinless life. He bore the wrath of God for the sins that I committed and the sins that you committed. He bore God's wrath for those. And if you turn and believe in Him, you become a child of God and He changes you and you never, ever, in all of eternity have to experience the wrath of God for your sin that you deserve. You don't have to experience it because Jesus has taken your sin away from you and that when you really get that that leads you to worship thank you god thank you god for doing what i could never do thank you god for pronouncing me not just not guilty but pronouncing me righteous in jesus christ thank you god for the promise of heaven thank you god thank you god you are so awesome and you are so worthy and you are so holy Thank you. It leads you to worship. And then finally, he says, then declare that God is really among you. That's what happens when the Word of God is rightly preached. And somebody is broken over their sin. They realize their guilt. They humble themselves. They worship. They walk out.34:47the doors and say, I met God at church today.34:54God was there.34:56I met God in the worship, in the preaching.35:00I encountered God through His Word.35:02I saw God through the people.35:09They walk out.35:10I met God today.35:14That's why people stop going to church, by the way.35:17That's why people love going to churches where the gospel isn't proclaimed. Because they don't want to change. That's the reason. They don't want to change. But every single time that I encounter God, I am moved to change.35:47single time. Read your Bibles. Read your Bibles and look at every single person who encountered God. Every single person who encountered Jesus Christ. They changed or they fled. But an encounter with God will change you. That's why we just preach the Word. That's why anybody who stands up here, the job is always the same.36:17Represent the text. Represent the text. That's what we go for. And we strive to live it because this right here is what we want for this church more than anything. For people to declare that God is really among us. For people to see God do what only God can do. If our worship team would make their way back up front, Speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues. It's kind of my own private gibberish prayer language, right? It's not what it's for. It's not what it's for. But does it really matter? Yeah. It matters. The purpose of tongues mattered.37:17For God's plan for Israel. The purpose of preaching matters for God's plan for the church today. And the purpose of a sermon like this isn't to equip you to win an argument, but rather to keep us all on track of what we should be going after every single Sunday and why.37:46Let's pray. Our Father in Heaven, this church was planted on the belief that the Word of God does the work of God. And Father, I thank You for this passage we looked at today because You have explained it here so clearly, what needs to happen when Your Word is proclaimed. Father, we aren't trying to put on a show. We're not trying to make a name for ourselves.38:17more in this church than for people to walk out the doors and say, God is really there. God is really among them. God was made manifest through His people, through worship, through the proclamation of the Word. Father, I pray where we would be tempted to act like children and fight about this, make us mature in our thinking.38:47to go after the things that matter to you. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 14:20-25What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain, in your own words, the purpose of the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues. (1 Cor 14:21-22).How exactly does prophecy (preaching) manifest God's presence (end of 1 Cor 14:25)? How does the sequence flow (1 Cor 14:24-25)?Does this passage change your view on speaking in tongues? Why or why not?BreakoutPray for one another.

A beach day, a grandmother apologizing for her grandchildren wandering over to play, and an unexpected conversation that suddenly became an open door for the gospel. In this encouraging and practically grounded episode, Emily Rose Massey shares how a stranger's boldness with gospel tracts sparked her own courage to speak the truth in love to a woman she had just met. What followed was a real, honest conversation about Jesus — met with some pushback, and ultimately with a genuine thank you. And on the drive home, a beautiful conversation with her sons about why being ready to talk about Jesus matters. 1 Peter 3:15 calls every believer to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope within them — with gentleness and respect. Emily unpacks what that preparation actually looks like: filling our hearts and minds with Scripture, praying specifically for evangelistic opportunities, and fearing God more than we fear the discomfort of rejection or embarrassment. Sharing the gospel, she reminds us, is not about winning an argument. It is about seeing the person in front of us as a soul who desperately needs the hope that only Jesus Christ can offer. That perspective changes everything about how we speak, how we listen, and how we love. Today's Bible Verse "...but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..."— 1 Peter 3:15, ESV Ponder Today Boldness for the gospel begins with fearing God more than people. The hesitation most of us feel about sharing our faith is rooted in the fear of rejection, offense, or embarrassment. But 1 Peter 3:15 calls us to honor Christ as holy in our hearts first — and that reverence is what displaces the fear of people. Always being prepared means actively filling your heart with God's Word. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). If our hearts are full of Scripture, we will have something true and life-giving to offer when the moment comes. The Holy Spirit empowers what we feel inadequate to do. We do not have to have perfectly polished words or airtight theological arguments. The Spirit supplies grace and wisdom in the moments we feel clumsy, intimidated, or unsure. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, help me to have eyes to see the opportunities around me to share the hope within me. Even when people are eager to reject Your message, let that not be a roadblock to what You have called me to do as Your disciple. I rest in Your grace to empower me when I feel intimidated or embarrassed. Help me to fear and honor You more than people. Give me a hunger for Your Word so that I am always prepared to tell others about You and Your ways. Thank You for saving me and calling me to share Your great redeeming love with others. In Jesus' name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer stirred a fresh boldness in your heart to share the hope you carry, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to equip and encourage you as a witness for Christ every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Read Online“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'” Matthew 7:21–23Jesus' words are shocking because they challenge the assumption that prophesying, casting out demons, and performing mighty works in His name guarantee entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. However, mighty works without obedience and love are insufficient. The passage warns against a distorted discipleship that promotes our own will rather than relying on the interior conversion required to do the will of the Father.Saint Paul echoes this truth: “And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). Even the most extraordinary spiritual gifts—prophecy, knowledge, and faith to move mountains—are worthless unless they are animated by the infused virtue of charity, the love that comes from God and enables us to act according to His will.Jesus' warning is particularly relevant to those who bear responsibility for preaching, teaching, or guiding others in the faith. Those who work in God's name can sometimes act according to their own will rather than His. At times, even devout Christians fail to be authentic instruments of God's pure and perfect will, mistaking their own judgments or desires for His divine guidance.It is essential that everyone who claims to follow Christ regularly reflect on Jesus' words. He did not teach this lesson as a mere theoretical warning but because He knew that many of His followers would need it. This passage is not meant to encourage us to judge others within the Church, presuming to identify those who fit His description. Rather, it is a personal exhortation meant for each of us. Jesus preaches these words so that we might examine our own hearts, asking whether we truly seek to do the Father's will or merely profess faith in name alone.As a source of self-reflection, consider the words “Lord, Lord.” If you use those words—if you pray and call on God as the Lord of your life—that is a good start; but it is only a start. Many people struggle even to reach that personal level of prayer and attentiveness to God.Presuming you do pray, how do you pray? Do you list for God the many things you do for Him, expecting Him to be impressed? Do you prophesy in God's name, meaning you speak about Him to others? Do you cast out demons in God's name, meaning you combat satan and all evil? Do you do mighty deeds in God's name, meaning you engage in works that reflect Christian discipleship?If so, that is good—but based on today's Gospel, it is not enough. According to our Lord, some who answer “Yes” to those questions will hear at the time of their judgment: “I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.”Reflect today on Jesus' challenging call to listen clearly to His voice alone and then act in accord with His will. Doing so requires us to set aside our own agenda and preconceived notions of what God wants. Serving Christ is not a matter of doing Him favors for which He will be grateful. It's a matter of unwavering obedience by which we do God's will alone—nothing less, nothing more, and nothing other. Heed Jesus' challenge and reexamine how you serve Him. Listen first, then act on what you hear. Doing so will guarantee that your life is built on a solid rock foundation of the faith that leads to the divine gift of charity.My demanding and just Lord, flood my mind with Your Word, that I may know Your ways. As I listen to Your voice, grant me the courage to act on all You say, never seeking my own will but Yours alone. Use me as You will for Your glory and make me obedient to Your Word, that my life may be built upon the solid foundation of faith and love. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Jesus teaches, by JaroslavSource: 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.

Many creation supporters are Christians that are also interested in ancient history and like to read about the latest archaeological discoveries. However, they are concerned when, say, some very ancient remains are carbon-14 dated at forty or even fifty thousand years old. According to the Bible, the Creation itself is no more than 10,000 years old, so how does the Bible-believing Christian handle this kind of information? To assure ourselves, we need to lift the cloak of secrecy about carbon-14 dating.Willard Libby developed the carbon-14 dating method in 1947. This was considered such a major breakthrough that he received the Nobel Prize a few years later. However, like every other method of measurement, the method itself had to be calibrated against things of historically dated and known age. Libby used wooden coffin lids and for the earliest dates was obliged to use historically dated material from Egypt. Libby reported in a footnote that the Egyptologist had confessed that Egyptian dating is “perhaps five centuries too old at five thousand years.” This one little foot-note reveals that if Egyptian dates were honestly brought forward by five hundred years, they would confirm the biblical Exodus. Secondly, any ages greater than about 5,000 years are beyond the range of historical calibration. The bottom line is that the carbon-14 method does have several serious and recognized problems beyond about 2,000 years.1 Corinthians 3:18“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.”Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are patient with us, especially when we read of discoveries and begin to doubt Your Word. Continue to teach me and give me understanding. In Jesus' Name. Amen.Image: Willard Frank Libby in Lab, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep Your commands. Consider how I love Your precepts! Give me life, O Lord, according to Your steadfast love. The sum of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous rules endures forever. (Psalm 119:158-160)

“To hope grown dim, to hearts turned cold Speak tongues of fire and make us bold To shine Your Word of saving grace Into each dark and loveless place. “Restrain, O Lord, the human pride That seeks to thrust Your truth aside Or with some man-made thoughts or things Would dim the words Your Spirit brings.”

Introduction: What About Speaking in Tongues? It's Not That Important. (1 Corinthians 14:1-19) Tongues Are FRUITLESS. (1 Cor 14:1-5) Tongues Are USELESS. (1 Cor 14:6-12) Tongues Are MINDLESS. (1 Cor 14:13-19) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Questions and Answers: What About Speaking In Tongues? - Part 1 Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:36Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 14. When I was a very young Christian 30 years ago-ish, I had a very strong conviction. I had a very strong conviction that the death penalty was a horrible thing. Why?01:06Why in the world should the government determine if someone lives or dies? I thought the death penalty was an absolutely horrible thing. And then someone lovingly challenged me to see what the Bible says on the subject. Do you know what I found? The first man-to-man law that God gave was the death penalty. The death penalty is in the Mosaic law, and the death penalty is after the Mosaic law.01:36Law, Romans 13.01:39So my convictions about the death penalty radically changed.01:46And I'm saying all that to say, look, it's okay.01:52It's okay after a closer study of the Word of God to let the Bible change your mind.02:04And the subject we're looking at today is the gift of speaking in tongues. And there are some of you that maybe have a very strong conviction about it. And I'm sure there are a lot of you that maybe didn't think very much about the subject at all. But if you've been coming here for any period of time, you know that we want the Word of God to shape our beliefs and convictions. So by God's grace, let's go after His Word today to see what He has to say about it. So just please pray for me to communicate God's Word clearly and accurately, and I'll pray for you to have a heart open to see and receive what it is that the Bible actually says.03:04on the subject. All right? Let's take a moment and just go before the Lord together. Father, please open our hearts to what Your Word says. Not to what we experienced growing up or heard somebody say about Your Word, but let's take some time and really look and examine what it is that You actually said. Father, let us shape our convictions on that. We thank You, Father. We thank You for Your Word. And even when it's challenging for us living in a different culture and a different time, the truths of Your Word are eternal. And I pray that You would give us the wisdom by Your Spirit today.04:05to really grasp and embrace what it is that you've said here. Thank you ahead of time, Father. For what you're going to do today, we pray in Jesus' name. And all of God's people said, Amen. Amen. We go through God's Word verse by verse. Because context is important in anything you read. Especially.04:34the Word of God. And we're looking at one of the hardest chapters in the whole Bible today. This passage is so misquoted. And it is so misunderstood. But we're going to get through this together. Right? So before we look at the text, I want you to jot some things down. This isn't like the outline, but you can write it on your outline. But these are, I just want to give you four truths to help us understand 1 Corinthians.05:0414. With context in mind.05:11As we approach this, there's four absolute truths here that we have to keep in mind as we go to the text.05:21And this is the foundation that sets the stage.05:26All right?05:26So four truths.05:28First of all, we need to remind ourselves of the truth of what is the purpose of the gift of speaking in time?05:35It was a miracle, first of all, to affirm the apostles, and it was a sign of judgment against Israel. We talked about that last week, and we're going to talk about it again next week. But remember, tongues were real languages, not made-up gibberish words. They were actual real languages. And this is the way the gift operated in the early church.06:04The preacher gets up to preach and there are some unsaved Russians present. Well, the preacher never learned Russian, but he miraculously started speaking Russian. Well, the Russians were amazed. But then somebody else in the church had the gift of interpretation so they could translate what the preacher said for the non-Russian speakers in the church. That's the way the gift worked.06:34of tongues will cease. And we talked about that word means they will end by themselves.06:44Interestingly, tongues is never mentioned in the New Testament.06:48It's not mentioned at all after the book of Acts and after 1 Corinthians, which is the earliest epistle written.06:58It's just not mentioned at all.07:00But that was the purpose of the gift of tongues in the early church.07:04Second thing to help us understand this passage, let's talk about the gibberish prayer language. There are some people that believe the gift of tongues is speaking a gibberish prayer language, words that aren't any existing language. It's just a private, unknown language that you speak to the heavens. Where did that come from?07:34The truth is that practice came from paganism. And you can study this, but in Corinth, they had a temple to Diana, and that was how they worshipped. Everything there was about feeling and emotions. It wasn't about truth and engaging your mind. Everything in that worship was about experience and emotions. Right? Remember, the priestesses were prostitutes. It was about feeling something.08:02And part of their worship was shouting an ecstatic, gibberish language because they believed that was the way that you communicated to the gods. And church, that is never taught in the New Testament as a gift of the Holy Spirit. It's just not. Well, some people believe there are two kinds of tongues. You know, speaking known languages and them being interpreted and praying a gibberish.08:32language. But I can't see anywhere in the New Testament where tongues is redefined. From known languages to speaking gibberish. I just don't see it anywhere. So there was a gibberish prayer language that was part of paganism. All right? Third thing to keep in mind as we approach 1 Corinthians 14 is this truth. The Corinthians messed up just about everything. Have you noticed in our study?09:02They were like the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hitting, fielding, base running. Like, was there an aspect of their game that they didn't mess up? Well, if you've been through this study with us, that's what we have seen over and over and over. What the Corinthians did was they dragged paganism and worldliness into the church. That's been our whole year of studying this. Right?09:32Everything they did was from paganism and worldliness. Like hero worship, sexual sin, lawsuits, marriage fails, idolatry. Oh, and the pagan use of speaking gibberish language to communicate to the gods. They dragged that into church. Something else to keep in mind, very important. Last one. 1 Corinthians 11-14. These chapters are about church conduct, individual conducts. Do you notice that? People want to take these passages and sort of make them like an individual application, but these chapters are about the church collectively, the body of Christ. These chapters are more about us than me. So chapter 14 was written to correct the Corinthians, and Paul was saying the pagan way, the gibberish language isn't really a thing, and let me tell you how the real gift, the real spiritual gift of speaking in tongues works. Interesting thing to note. You're going to see throughout the passage here that sometimes Paul uses the word tongue singular and sometimes he uses the word tongues plural and he seems to be very specific and I spent so much time this past week studying this. He seems very specific about when it's plural and when it's singular.11:02scholars to believe that when Paul uses tongues in the plural, he's talking about the real spiritual gifts, speaking a real language that you never learn. Tongues, plural. Why? Because there's many languages, right? There's many languages, so tongues is plural. But when he speaks about tongue singular, he's talking about the pagan gibberish language because gibberish isn't something that can be plural. So just take a note of that. So this is going to feel like Sunday school today.11:32But this is so critically important to our understanding of a very sensitive subject to a lot of people. So on your outline, what about speaking in tongues? And here's the whole sermon. This is the whole sermon. You can leave after this statement if you want, but I'll unpack it for you. But here's what he says in chapter 14. What about speaking in tongues? He says, it's not that important. That's this whole passage. He says, it's not that important.12:05See, in Corinth, like in churches today, speaking in tongues was the thing. There are people today that believe unless you speak a gibberish prayer language, then you do not have the Holy Spirit. That is not true biblically. In this passage, you're going to see that Paul says, the gibberish really is nothing. And even the real gift of speaking known languages, the real spiritual gift that he's been talking about, he's like, even that's not that important. That's not that important. So let's look at it together. Number one, write this down. Paul says, first of all, tongues are fruitless. Meaning this, as far as accomplishing anything ministry-wise. He says it's fruitless. No spiritual fruit comes from speaking in tongues. That's the first point. That's the first five verses. What's the purpose of having a church service, by the way? The purpose of us having a church service is to edify believers. That's what church is for. The goal of church is to edify believers. Make note of that because he says that over and over.13:32and over in chapter 14. We'll talk about that in a few moments. Edification of believers. Look at chapter 14. He says pursue love. That's where we left off last week. Seek love. That's chapter 13. The love chapter. He gives your problem, church, is you're not loving each other. You need to go after that. Pursue love. Look at the rest of the verse. He says, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.14:06Paul says, yes, love each other, but also, yes, seek to use your spiritual gift, especially prophecy.14:13We talked about this.14:14Prophecy, the word literally means speak before.14:18It's just somebody that stands in front of people and says stuff.14:22And it's talking about saying the word of God, explaining the word of God.14:26That's what prophecy is.14:30See, Paul reminds us here again, church is to be the place where you hear the Word of God. If nothing else happens when we get together on Sunday morning, this has to happen. We have to get in the Word of God together. You see, tongues was never for that. That's why Paul comes right out of the gate and says it's better when you get together that you hear something that you can actually understand.14:59Look at verse 2. He says, For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God.15:11For no one understands him, that he utters mysteries in the Spirit.15:19Notice tongue is singular there.15:23He says, when you speak the gibberish language.15:25Oh, by the way, he says, speaks not to men, but to God.15:29That's really not a great translation. It literally should be translated to a God. Little g God.15:41When you speak in a tongue you're speaking to, you think you're speaking to a God.15:47Also interestingly in the verse, he says, but he utters mysteries in the spirit. That's not a great translation of that either.15:55The Word for Spirit, he's not talking about the Holy Spirit here. The Word for Spirit is pneumatai, which literally is breath. He's saying you're speaking into the air. And I believe that because he says the exact same thing later in this passage. You're going to see it. All right? So what's he saying? He's saying this. Spiritual gifts were to edify man. All right?16:25Common Good.16:26Chapter 12, verse 7.16:27Spiritual gifts are for the common good.16:30Spiritual gifts were never given to speak to God, a God, the God, who's ever up there.16:36He's like, that was never the purpose of the true God giving us spiritual gifts.16:47God never teaches us to speak to Him in an unknown language.16:54You just don't see that in the Bible. Look at every prayer in the New Testament. Every prayer and every teaching about prayer, there's nothing about speaking to God in an unknown language. And I would say, look at Jesus Himself. We have accounts of Jesus praying. Did Jesus have a private prayer language with God? Did He? No.17:24How do you know? Because the Bible writers told us exactly what Jesus prayed. Jesus used regular language and in all of Jesus' teaching about prayer, nothing says pray in a private prayer language. Actually, in Matthew 6, verse 7, Jesus said, don't heap up meaningless phrases.17:55So what you have here in Corinth is you had some of the people who considered themselves elite. And they said, you know, you pray in church and you speak Greek and all that. That's all well and good. But you know, I pray to God in my own private prayer language. Aren't I spiritual? And Paul's like, spiritual gifts.18:24Gifts aren't about you. Spiritual Gifts are given to edify everyone else. Look at verse 3. He comes back to it again. He says, on the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. Paul says that's what needs to be happening in church. That's what prophesying is for. He says it's for edification. You're like, well, what's edification? He defines it right here.18:54upbuilding, encouraging you in your faith, encouragement, consolation. That word is comfort. You know, the Word of God should be challenging us and convicting us and encouraging us and comforting us. That happens when the Word of God is proclaimed. Look at verse 4. He says, the one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself. But the one who prophesies builds up the church. Again, he says, When you show up and you're just speaking your private prayer language to God, all you're doing is putting the spotlight on yourself. Look how spiritual I am. Look, I'm God's favorite. He gave me this super spiritual gift that I communicate to Him in our own private secret language. Now, the true gift of speaking in tongues has an interpreter that benefits others. Spiritual gifts aren't for God. They're not for you.19:54You, therefore, other people. Right? Again, verse 5. He keeps hammering the same point. You're going to see it again. He says, no, I want you all to speak in tongues. But even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues unless someone interprets so that the church may be built up.20:24Yes, this is the Pentecostal's favorite verse here. Look, right there, right there. Paul says, I want you all to speak in tongues. Paul was being sarcastic. He was saying, I wish you all did the real thing, but more so, I wish you all prophesied. You're like, wait, wait, wait, time out. Time out, Pastor Jeff. How do you know Paul's being sarcastic? How do you know that? Well, just go back a page. Look at chapter 12 and verses 29 and 30. Look at this. Paul says, are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? What's the answer to that? No. No. Paul just said in chapter 12, everyone doesn't possess one particular gift. He just said, do all speak with tongues?21:24No, obviously not. So Paul's not going to turn around and say, okay, now I want you all to do this. He's not contradicting himself. He's making a point in comparing. What he's saying in this verse is this. He goes, oh, I could wish that you all actually used the real spiritual gift and spoke in other languages. I could wish you all did that. But you know what's way more important than that? You know what would be so much better for the church than that?21:52is if you all were able to preach a real sermon. That would be better than everyone speaking other languages. He's being sarcastic here. So this private prayer gibberish language, Paul says here it's fruitless. He says, what does anyone get out of it? There's no edification, nothing's learned, no knowledge is given. It's fruitless because No one is being built up. And that is what has to happen in the church. All right? So what about speaking in tongues? He says, it's not that important. First of all, tongues are fruitless. They don't accomplish ministry purposes. But then he digs even deeper. Number two, he says tongues are useless. Tongues are useless. Look at verse 6.22:52He says, Now brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you?23:00Unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching.23:08He says, If I came speaking a foreign language, and again, assuming there's no interpreter when he does it, he says, What good would that do you?23:17If I came speaking Russian, you all speak Greek, it's not going to accomplish anything.23:22Verse 7, he says, he's illustrating his point. He says, if even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? See the illustration? He says, even musical instruments have to play a melody or it doesn't make sense, right?23:51Didn't the worship team do a fantastic job today? Yeah. Yeah. They absolutely did. But you know, let's pick on my man Miles up here. So good at the guitar. When Miles plays the guitar, he can play a melody. And did you notice when Miles played, we were all able to sing along because we recognized the song. It was a tune, right?24:22What would happen if you went back to Harvest Academy and brought a toddler out and gave that toddler Miles' guitar and says, okay, now you're leading worship.24:31How would that go?24:33Whang! Whang! Whang! Whang!24:36Like, would we be able to worship together?24:39No.24:40And that's Paul's point.24:42He goes, even musical instruments have to play a melody or you don't know what's going on.24:46But if it's just meaningless noise, he's like, nothing is happening.24:49It's useless. Right? Another illustration. He wants to make sure we get this. Look at verse 8. He says, and if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? Okay, now it's like a military illustration. Like the guy blowing the bugle for the military. It's like you better play a song that the soldiers recognize. Right? Because there's like a song for get up, a song for go to bed, a song for time to eat. How about a song for, It's time for battle. And if he just gets up there blasting the trumpet and nobody knows, wait a minute, what are we supposed to do now? I think we're either supposed to fight or go to breakfast. I'm not sure which sound that is. He goes, they're going to be so confused. It has to be a melody. You see, he's making a comparison between languages we can hear and understand versus any language.25:49We have no idea what's going on. What's his point? What's his point in all this? He explains in verse 9. He says, so with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There it is again.26:18You'll be speaking into the air. Paul's saying, look, gibberish is useless. Look, tongues are useless unless the real spiritual gift is used and someone is present that speaks that and someone interprets for the rest, it's useless. Do I believe that tongues happen today?26:48I do. I have heard many stories of people on the mission field that they were asked to get up and speak. And they're like, well, I don't speak their language. And they're like, well, just get up and say something in English and they'll just be glad to hear from you. And the guy got up and spoke and everybody heard it in their own language. I believe that. That's not what he's talking about here. And even that gift that I mentioned is not normative.27:18He's like the gibberish is useless. You show up in church and you just scream a bunch of syllables that aren't words. What are you doing? What are you accomplishing? Look at verse 10. He keeps hammering the same point. He says, there are doubtless many different languages in the world and none is without meaning. But if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker, Same point. Paul's like, if you don't talk to people in a language that they understand, it's kind of useless, right? We had dinner with Barnabas last Wednesday. If you were here, that was so fun. Our missionary in Thailand, Barnabas, he speaks ten languages. Ten. Seven fluently, and he says three about half. And I think he's being modest.28:18Why does he know ten languages? Because when he goes all over to these tribes, the Lisu, the Lahu, the Acha, he goes to China, he goes all over that area of the world, and he knows when he goes, he's going to have to speak a language that they understand. Otherwise, they're just making sounds at each other. That's Paul's point here. Right? Look at verse 12. He says, so with yourselves. Look at this. Since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, to excel in building up the church. He's back to the exact same thing he said in verse 5. He goes, do you want the Holy Spirit to work through you? Christian, do you want the Holy Spirit to work through you? All in favor? Yeah! Like, isn't that the number one thing that a Christian desires? Is it the Holy Spirit? Is it work through them? That's what any true Christian wants. Paul's like, is that what you want? You want the Holy Spirit to manifest through you? Great!29:19Because whether it's a foreign language or whether it's speaking gibberish, speaking anything people don't understand is useless. Paul says in this section, if real communication isn't happening, it's just noise. It's useless. The tongues are useless. And finally, number three, Paul says tongues are mindless. Mindless. More sarcasm. Look at verse 13. He says, therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. Again, that's sarcasm. How do you know that's sarcasm? Because of what he already said. Didn't he just say that the Holy Spirit is the one who gives people gifts as he wills?30:18He just said that.30:20So we don't see any example in the Bible of, you know, God, this is the spiritual gift that I want.30:25Please give that one to me.30:26He made it clear.30:27The Holy Spirit determines who gets what.30:30So He's obviously being sarcastic here.30:32He's saying, hey, if you speak gibberish, you better pray that you can explain what you're saying.30:41Verse 14, He says, for if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.30:47What am I to do? He says, I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also. I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say amen to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?31:17Here, Paul's just saying, look, prayer and praise must be done with our whole being, spirit and truth. We've talked about that before, spirit and truth. Jesus said the Father is seeking those to worship Him in spirit and truth. And for that to happen, your mind has to be engaged. Your mind has to be engaged. You know, people that believe in private prayer language will say, well, no, My mind is just kind of shut off and it just comes from my spirit. And I would push back on that and say, when has God ever told us to turn our minds off? You have to have your mind engaged in what's happening. I think a little humor on Paul's part. He's like, you just get up and you speak as she speaks something people don't understand. He's like, how are you going to get an amen? Who's going to amen that? Somebody gets up and just says a bunch of nonsense words. Paul's like, that's not a good way to get an amen. Verse 17, he says, for you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. Again, you see, he keeps driving that nail down.32:47Again, there's no edification happening. You can't do that, church. You have to go to church with the mindset of edifying others with spiritual gifts. And someone would say, but prayer language is a private thing. Spiritual gifts aren't meant to be private. Spiritual gifts are to be used for the body. Verse 18. See, I heard an amen because somebody understood what I was saying.33:17saying. See how that works? Again, the Word of God is coming, just being fulfilled in your eyes. He says, I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Paul had the true gift. Paul had the true gift. You think that came in handy on his missionary journeys? Traveling around all these different people. He had the true gift. God gave him the ability to speak in languages he didn't know. He says that he speaks in tongues.33:48And I'm so glad he said that here because what Paul's doing with that statement, he's like, look, look, look, I'm not saying the true gift isn't legit. I'm not saying the true gift isn't useful. Verse 19, he says, nevertheless, in church, I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others than 10,000 words in a tongue.34:20Back to that same point. He says, in the church, five regular words are greater than 10,000 words that no one understands. You know, the 10,000. In the Greek, that was the largest number that had a word. You know what I mean by that? What I mean is, that would be today like somebody saying, a bajillion. Is that a real number? No, it's just like a bajillion.34:47like a figure of speech. Like, oh, you know, I must have seen a bajillion of them. Like, 10,000 was their biggest word for a number. And Paul says five regular words. What he's saying is five regular words are greater than an infinite number of words that nobody understands. Right? You get that. I mean, if two guys get up here on a Sunday morning, And one guy speaks gibberish for an entire hour. Words that nobody understands. But for a whole hour you listen to gibberish words. Then you have the other guy get up and he says five words. Jesus died for your sins. Which person benefited the church?35:49The one that wasted everybody's time making his noises? Or the one that actually communicated the most glorious truth that there is? Jesus Christ died for your sins. If you'll turn from them and receive Him, you can be a child of God. That's the benefit.36:17here saying any edification is better than many words that no one understands. So some have made gibberish, unknown languages, private prayer language. Some people have really made that the thing. And after countless hours of studying these chapters, I'm less confused.36:47that it's a thing.36:50But look, here's the thing.36:55You can believe completely different than me about this.36:58And that's okay.36:58I don't want to fight with you.36:59I really don't.37:01And I'm not, I don't, I don't get any kind of like excitement trying to shot block people or pound people down.37:12I'm not at all.37:15All I want to do is clearly communicate the Word of God. If you want to have a nice discussion about this section and talk about some of these phrases and words and what it means, I'm always happy to do that. But I don't want to fight with you. Listen, whatever, whatever you believe about tongues. I think it's pretty obvious what Paul is saying about it.37:46Whether it's speaking gibberish privately in prayer to God, the pagan practice, or the biblical gift of speaking a known language, a real language that the speaker never studied or learned, whatever. I think it's pretty clear in this section. Paul's stance is, it's just It's not that important. Here's the thing, church. Tongues isn't even the real issue here. Sometimes I think we can look at this passage, we can quote this passage, or we can misquote this passage, and we miss what's really going on here. Tongues is not the real issue in this passage at all.38:45Do you see what the real issue is? The real issue is this. What do you go to church for? That's the issue. Why did you come here today? If you're like, well, I'm not coming here anymore. Okay. So if you go to another church next week, why would you go there? What do you go to church for?39:21This is the real point of this passage. Church is the place you go to give, not go to get. Church is the place you go to give, not go to get. You had to have noticed how repetitious this passage was. Do you notice how many times Paul talked about this passage?39:45He talked about edifying, building up. Did you notice? I went back several times and was counting. How many times in this passage did He keep going back to that concept? It's in verse 1, verse 3, verse 4, verse 5, verse 6, verse 9, verse 12, verse 13, verse 16, verse 17, and verse 19. Just in the passage we read today. All of those verses have something to say about the us thing in church. Building up.40:14Every one of those verses has something in them to emphasize serving other people. And look, I've been in ministry for a very long time, and this is the thing that we keep hitting in this culture, especially in this culture, as we have brought the consumer mentality into church. See, that was the problem in Corinth. They showed up to church to say, hey, hey, Church is a place where it's about me, more spotlight on me, look at me, what's in it for me. And we're like, oh, shame on those people. No, shame on us because we have brought the consumer mentality into church. We evaluate churches based on what is in it for me. You know, we've heard so many things, haven't we, Pastor Taylor? We've heard so many things. We've heard people say, well, yeah, oh, I love her.41:14and people there are super nice. But you know, we go to such and such church because they have a concert atmosphere. Okay. I guess if that's what you're looking for, a concert atmosphere. We want smoke machines and laser lights and I haven't been to a concert in a while. What else happens? They still do mosh pits, t-shirt cannons.41:44We want that stuff. People hop from church to church looking for the one that meets their needs. Another one that I've heard, oh, Pastor Jeff, we love this church, but you know, we go to such and such church now because they have better playground equipment for the kids.42:16I can't compete with that. Someday we're going to have a church on this property, New Swickly, and someday we're going to have like, what, 10 acres of green space for the kids to run around on. Someday we're going to have that. I hope it's someday sooner than later. We're praying. We're seeking the Lord. Things are in motion on that. But right now, I can't offer you great playground equipment. We can, you know what the kids do. They go out here and play David and Goliath and throw rocks at each other. They play Humpty Dumpty and get on that wall. They did fix the wall. That is not a pass. Don't tell your kids, hey, they fixed the wall. Let's see how many of you we can get up there. But that's how some people evaluate church. They've got better playground equipment. You know why people do that is because of the consumer mentality. Church is the place.43:15where I should get something.43:20Why go to such and such church?43:22Because they have better coffee.43:23Okay, whatever.43:25Whatever.43:28Church is where you go to give, not where you go to get.43:32Look, that's the problem in Corinth, and that's the problem in Wexford.43:41In church, we need to get to the place where we're like, The Church needs to be about how can I serve others? Not, hey, I'm here for what I can get. And do you know what the beautiful thing is about that? When everybody shows up to church with this mindset of, I came here to give. Do you know what's so beautiful about that? Is when everybody gives, everybody gets. Look, you have a spiritual gift.44:13a few weeks ago. We all need you to be pouring into the rest of us. Your knowledge of the Word of God, we need that. Your experience in walking with Jesus Christ, we need that. On Sunday morning, in our small groups, in our youth group, all of these little people back here, they need to see in you what it looks like to follow Jesus.44:43you married couples. They need to see from you what it looks like to love your spouse. They need to see from you what it looks like to have a Holy Spirit gift that is used in the church. These little people back here need to see what it looks like to live a life serving other people, not constantly seeking to be served. So if our worship team would make their way back up front, Yeah.45:19I pray that this passage changes your mind.45:25Maybe about tongues.45:29But definitely about why you come to church.45:35Let's pray.45:38Father in heaven Father we're sorry For all of the times we try to make it about us, that we can look at the Corinthians and we can wag our heads and we can tsk, tsk, and we're no better. We look at their worldliness. And so often, Father, we're no better. So I pray, Father, that we don't get So caught up in this one particular spiritual gift that we miss the point of this passage. The church should be a place where I go to build others up. Comforting, encouraging, loving one another. Father, you see the culture we live in. It's a consumer culture. And I pray, Father, that you would bring a great conviction on us. That we look at this as the place where we come to serve. Not just simply come to receive. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 14:1-19What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Before studying this passage, what was your personal belief on speaking in tongues? Did this passage change anything you believe about tongues? Why or why not?The theme of this passage is “tongues aren't that important”. What exactly does Paul say is more important?BreakoutPray for one another.

Review Lessons 171-180IntroductionWe now review again. This time we are ready to give more effort and more time to what we undertake. We recognize we are preparing for another phase of understanding. We would take this step completely, that we may go on again more certain, more sincere, with faith upheld more surely. Our footsteps have not been unwavering, and doubts have made us walk uncertainly and slowly on the road this course sets forth. But now we hasten on, for we approach a greater certainty, a firmer purpose and a surer goal.Steady our feet, our Father. Let our doubts be quiet and our holy minds be still, and speak to us. We have no words to give to You. We would but listen to Your Word, and make it ours. Lead our practicing as does a father lead a little child along a way he does not understand. Yet does he follow, sure that he is safe because his father leads the way for him.So do we bring our practicing to You. And if we stumble, You will raise us up. If we forget the way, we count upon Your sure remembering. We wander off, but You will not forget to call us back. Quicken our footsteps now, that we may walk more certainly and quickly unto You. And we accept the Word You offer us to unify our practicing, as we review the thoughts that You have given us.This is the thought which should precede the thoughts that we review. Each one but clarifies some aspect of this thought, or helps it be more meaningful, more personal and true, and more descriptive of the holy Self we share and now prepare to know again:God is but Love, and therefore so am I.This Self alone knows love. This Self alone is perfectly consistent in Its thoughts; knows Its Creator, understands Itself, is perfect in Its knowledge and Its love, and never changes from Its constant state of union with Its Father and Itself.And it is This That waits to meet us at the journey's ending. Every step we take brings us a little nearer. This review will shorten time immeasurably, if we keep in mind that This remains our goal, and as we practice it is This to Which we are approaching. Let us raise our hearts from dust to life, as we remember This is promised us, and that this course was sent to open up the path of light to us, and teach us, step by step, how to return to the eternal Self we thought we lost.I take the journey with you. For I share your doubts and fears a little while, that you may come to me who recognize the road by which all fears and doubts are overcome. We walk together. I must understand uncertainty and pain, although I know they have no meaning. Yet a savior must remain with those he teaches, seeing what they see, but still retaining in his mind the way that led him out, and now will lead you out with him. God's Son is crucified until you walk along the road with me.My resurrection comes again each time I lead a brother safely to the place at which the journey ends and is forgot. I am renewed each time a brother learns there is a way from misery and pain. I am reborn each time a brother's mind turns to the light in him and looks for me. I have forgotten no one. Help me now to lead you back to where the journey was begun, to make another choice with me.Release me as you practice once again the thoughts I brought to you from Him Who sees your bitter need, and knows the answer God has given Him. Together we review these thoughts. Together we devote our time and effort to them. And together we will teach them to our brothers. God would not have Heaven incomplete. It waits for you, as I do. I am incomplete without your part in me. And as I am made whole we go together to our ancient home, prepared for us before time was and kept unchanged by time, immaculate and safe, as it will be at last when time is done.Let this review be then your gift to me. For this alone I need; that you will hear the words I speak, and give them to the world. You are my voice, my eyes, my feet, my hands through which I save the world. The Self from Which I call to you is but your own. To Him we go together. Take your brother's hand, for this is not a way we walk alone. In him I walk with you, and you with me. Our Father wills His Son be one with Him. What lives but must not then be one with you?Let this review become a time in which we share a new experience for you, yet one as old as time and older still. Hallowed your name. Your glory undefiled forever. And your wholeness now complete, as God established it. You are His Son, completing His extension in your own. We practice but an ancient truth we knew before illusion seemed to claim the world. And we remind the world that it is free of all illusions every time we say:God is but Love, and therefore so am I.With this we start each day of our review. With this we start and end each period of practice time. And with this thought we sleep, to waken once again with these same words upon our lips, to greet another day. No thought that we review but we surround with it, and use the thoughts to hold it up before our minds, and keep it clear in our remembrance throughout the day. And thus, when we have finished this review, we will have recognized the words we speak are true.Yet are the words but aids, and to be used, except at the beginning and the end of practice periods, but to recall the mind, as needed, to its purpose. We place faith in the experience that comes from practice, not the means we use. We wait for the experience, and recognize that it is only here conviction lies. We use the words, and try and try again to go beyond them to their meaning, which is far beyond their sound. The sound grows dim and disappears, as we approach the Source of meaning. It is Here that we find rest.LESSON 171Review of Lessons 151 - 152God is but Love, and therefore so am I.(151) All things are echoes of the Voice for God.God is but Love, and therefore so am I.(152) The power of decision is my own.God is but Love, and therefore so am I.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

"The Author of the First Amendment," #RTTBROS #NIGHTLIGHT #USA250 The Author of the First Amendment"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."— 2 Timothy 3:16-17The StoryAlmost nobody remembers who actually wrote the First Amendment.James Madison proposed it. The House and Senate debated it. But the man who crafted the final wording was Fisher Ames of Massachusetts.Fisher Ames was a congressman, a lawyer, and a man of strong Christian conviction. And he believed, with a certainty that would astonish modern interpreters of the First Amendment, that the Bible should be the foundational textbook of American education."Why should not the Bible regain the place it once held as a school book?" he wrote. "Its morals are pure, its examples captivating and noble." The Amendment he helped write was intended to prevent the establishment of a national denomination, not to make America religiously neutral. The author of the First Amendment wanted the Bible in every schoolroom in America.The ReflectionThe distance between what Fisher Ames intended and what the First Amendment has been interpreted to require in our own day is a measure of how far we have traveled from the founding.The men who wrote the Constitution were not trying to build a secular republic. They were trying to prevent the entanglement of state power with a specific ecclesiastical institution. That is a very different thing from removing faith from public life.2 Timothy 3:16-17 was not a disputed text for the founders. It was a settled conviction. Scripture was profitable, practically useful, for building the kind of citizens a free republic required.When we removed the Book, we removed the foundation. The First Amendment protects the right to preach the gospel. The man who wrote it hoped we would.The Patriot's PrayerLord, Your Word is profitable for this nation as much as for our souls. We confess that we have allowed Scripture to be driven from the places where it once shaped the minds of a free people. Restore a love for Your Word in the homes, schools, and hearts of this nation. Begin with us. May our own reverence for Scripture be so deep that those who watch our lives cannot miss it. In Jesus' name, Amen.Pray It ForwardHow deeply is Scripture embedded in your daily life, not just in devotional minutes, but in your decisions, your conversations, your parenting? Ask God to show you where the Book needs more room.

The Chief Justice's Open Bible #RTTBROS #NIGHTLIGHT #USA250 #AMERICA250 #NATION250The Chief Justice's Open Bible“"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”— Psalm 119:105THE STORYJohn Jay is one of the most important and most forgotten men of the founding era.He co-authored the Federalist Papers alongside Hamilton and Madison. He served as the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, appointed by Washington himself. He was a diplomat, a governor, a statesman of the first rank. And he was, without qualification or apology, a committed Christian who made no separation between his public life and his personal faith.Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers," Jay declared, "and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.Jay served as president of the American Bible Society. He believed that the Bible was the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. The first Chief Justice of the United States spent his final years distributing Bibles.THE REFLECTIONThere is a tendency in our time to divide the founding era between religious founders and secular founders. John Jay will not cooperate with that narrative.Here was a man at the absolute center of America's legal and political founding, the first interpreter of the Constitution, and he believed that the Bible was the foundational text for human happiness. He said it publicly, repeatedly, without embarrassment.What he models for us is something rarer than political savvy: the integration of faith and public life without apology. He did not have a public faith and a private faith. He had one faith, and he carried it everywhere.Psalm 119:105 was not a decorative verse for John Jay. It was an operating principle. The Word of God was the lamp by which he navigated the most consequential legal questions of the new nation.THE PATRIOT'S PRAYERLord, we thank You for men who carried Your Word into every room, the courtroom, the congress, the cabinet, without shame and without compartmentalization. Forgive us for the faith we have kept private when it should have been public. Let Your Word be a lamp to our feet in every room we enter today, not just the sacred ones. In Jesus' name, Amen.PRAY IT FORWARD: Is there a room in your life, a workplace, a relationship, a role you occupy, where you have left your faith at the door? Ask God for the courage to carry it in.

Did you know that according to one standard method of dating, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. was built before the time of Christ?Anyone who has ever visited a cave has heard the claim that the stalactites growing in the cave take, on the average, a full century to grow only one inch. Cave visitors stand in awe as they view stalactites and stalagmites up to forty feet tall. The hundreds of thousands of years of Earth's history begin to become a reality before their eyes. But the question is, does it really take a century to grow one inch of stalactite?When the Lincoln Memorial was built during the 1930's, the engineers sank steel cylinders into the bedrock in order to anchor the monument. The base of the memorial is set high above ground, leaving a cavernous basement beneath the floor. Rainwater seeping through the marble floor has formed stalactites up to five feet long on the basement ceiling! This growth is an inch per year, not per century!In a very real sense, the stalactites in the basement of the Lincoln Memorial are rocks that carry the testimony of God against the naturalistic, long-age stories of evolution. Isn't it only right that we who know His love in Christ should tell others of His Creation as given to us in Scripture?Matthew 3:9"And think not to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' For I say unto you that God is able from these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."Prayer: Dear Father, I thank You that You have given me Your Word –the Bible. Help me to truly live as Your child by bearing witness to Your truth in this doubting world. In Jesus' Name. Amen.Ref: “Leaking Marble,” Gems & Mineral Merchandiser. Image: Basement below east terraces, 1991, Lincoln Memorial. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

How do you respond to fear—do you withdraw, distract yourself, or try to regain control? In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that the right response to fear is neither surrender nor avoidance, but overcoming fear through faith and obedience to God's Word. Scripture paints the picture of a life anchored in trust: the one who puts confidence in the Lord is like a tree planted by water—steady in heat, resilient in drought, and fruitful no matter the season (Jeremiah 17:7–8). Dr. Youssef exposes one of fear's most common roots: the loss of control. Whether it's finances, relationships, health, or the future, we often try to fix fear by tightening our grip—only to discover that control never produces peace. But Jesus offers a different kind of security: “My peace I give you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). And God promises a sure foundation for those who rely on Him—one that silences panic when everything else shakes (Isaiah 28:16). This devotional will help you trade anxiety for assurance by surrendering your circumstances to the God who is truly in control. Prayer: God, help me to respond to fear with faith in You and obedience to Your Word. Help me to remember that I can rest in You because You are in control. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon series Freedom from Fear: 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.

Scrolling through old birthday photos, watching her boys grow from newborns into the children they are today, Emily Rose Massey noticed something she hadn't expected to see in those pictures — her own transformation. Because while she was busy raising four boys, God was quietly, faithfully doing a deep work in her too. That process has a name: sanctification. And in this tender and theologically rich episode, Emily unpacks what it means, why it matters, and why the God who began this work in you is the same God who promises to complete it. 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. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer stirred a fresh gratitude for how far God has already brought you, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to walk alongside you in your journey of faith and growth every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Every Christian lives by faith every day. Like a muscle, faith grows stronger when you exercise it—and it weakens when you default to self-reliance. In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that while all believers must walk by faith to mature in Christ, some are also given a distinct gift of faith by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit-gifted faith is marked by a remarkable steadiness: it views God's purposes as if they are already accomplished. Dr. Youssef points to biblical examples: Joseph held onto a God-given dream through betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and years in prison—because the dream was God's, not his own. Moses persevered through Pharaoh's hardened refusals, trusting that God would deliver His people exactly as promised. Nehemiah kept building despite opposition, intimidation, and doubt—because he believed God had called him to the work. Not everyone will live the “headline” kind of life these men did—but God still gives the gift of faith to believers today, and their confidence becomes fuel for others to keep going. If you're facing opposition, delays, or obstacles, this devotional will encourage you to keep exercising faith—and to thank God for those whose Spirit-given faith helps the Church press forward in victory. Prayer: God, help me to discern Your will for my life and to walk by faith every day. May I grow in faith as I trust Your Word, leaning not on my own understanding. Spirit, grow the spiritual fruit of faith in my life as I fix my eyes on Christ, my Savior. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “[I]f you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Who, Me? Gifted?, Mountain-Moving Faith: 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.

Welcome to Day 2879 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2879 – “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost”  based on Luke 8:22-39 Putnam Church Message – 05/10/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost.”   Last week's message was “Freedom from Bondage,” in which we learned that, regardless of the storms of life we face or the bondage we have experienced, through Christ we can withstand them and live free because believers fight on the winning side. Today, we continue with our twenty-second message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost.” Our core passage today is Luke 8:40-56, which is found on page 1607 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman 40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[a] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”  46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don't bother the teacher anymore.” 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today as people who sometimes feel rushed, overlooked, unclean, afraid, delayed, or disappointed. We confess that we often measure people by status, strength, influence, or usefulness, but Jesus never does. Lord, open our hearts to Your Word today. Help us see that no one is too little for Your attention, and no one is too lost for Your grace. Teach us to trust You when life is urgent, when hope seems delayed, and even when it feels like death has spoken the final word. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing to You, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. Introduction: Jesus Looks at the One I read a story about the former president of Taylor University, Jay Kesler, who once said with a smile, “I have an office full of pictures in which I'm shaking hands with great dignitaries, all of whom are looking at someone else.” That line makes us laugh because we know exactly what he means. We have all seen it. Someone important shakes your hand, but their eyes are scanning the room. They are already looking for the next person, the next opportunity, the next more important conversation. But Jesus is never like that. If Jesus were to shake your hand, He would not be looking past you. He would not be distracted by the crowd behind you. He would look into your eyes, into your soul, into the places you hide from everybody else, and He would say, “You matter to Me.” That is the heartbeat of our message today: Never Too Little, Never Too Lost. We are continuing in Luke 8:40–56, and I encourage you to read the full passage from the New Living Translation. Luke places two stories together that belong together: the dying daughter of Jairus and the suffering woman who touched the edge of Jesus' robe. One is a young girl from a respected household. / The other is an unnamed woman pushed to the edges of society. One has a father who can publicly plead her case. / The other has no public advocate at all. One is twelve years old. / The other has suffered for twelve years. One is loved in the center of the community. / The other has lived on the outside, isolated by illness, shame, and ceremonial uncleanness. And Jesus moves toward both of them. That is good news. Which brings us to the first of four truths today. Main Point 1: Jesus Is Never Too Busy for the Broken Luke tells us that when Jesus returned to Galilee, the crowd welcomed Him because they had been waiting for Him. This is important. In the previous passage, Jesus had crossed the lake into Gentile territory. There, He delivered a man who was possessed, tormented, isolated, and living among the tombs. We called that message “Freedom from Bondage.” The people of that region saw a transformed man sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind — and they asked Jesus to leave. Now Jesus comes back across the lake, likely to the area around Capernaum, and this crowd is waiting. Can you imagine the scene? People are pressing forward. Some are hoping for healing. Some are curious. Some are desperate. Some just want to see what Jesus will do next. And then a respected man steps out of the crowd. His name is Jairus. Luke calls him a leader or official of the synagogue. He was probably not a rabbi, but a lay elder — the kind of man who helped oversee worship, teaching, building care, and community matters. / In a Jewish village, the synagogue was not merely a church building. It was the center of communal life. Jairus would have been known, respected, and influential. But on this day, Jairus is not standing tall as a dignified religious leader. He falls at Jesus' feet. Why? Because his only daughter is dying. Parents understand this scene immediately. There are few fears deeper than the fear of losing a child. Jairus does not come to debate theology. He does not come to protect his reputation. He does not come wondering whether being seen with Jesus might damage his standing among other leaders. His daughter is dying, and suddenly nothing else matters. It reminds us of the centurion in Luke 7, whose beloved servant was near death. It reminds us of the widow of Nain, whose only son had died, and Jesus stepped into her grief before she even asked. In that message, we said, “There is Always Hope.” Here again, Luke shows us that Jesus moves toward human sorrow. And notice this: Jesus goes with Jairus. He does not say, “I am too busy.” He does not say, “There are too many people here.” He does not say, “You synagogue leaders have not always supported Me.” He does not say, “I just came back from a stormy voyage and a difficult rejection.” Jesus goes. Object Lesson: The Calendar and the Empty Space Imagine holding up a packed calendar or a long to-do list. Every line is filled. Every hour is claimed. There is no margin. Then hold up a blank sticky note and place it in the middle. That blank space represents the interruption. Most of us do not like interruptions. We say, “I was on my way to something important.” But Jesus shows us that sometimes / the interruption is the ministry. Jairus interrupted Jesus' public welcome. / The suffering woman will interrupt Jairus' emergency. /...

Scripture is unmistakably clear: Jesus will return in glory to judge the nations, separating those who received Him from those who rejected Him (Matthew 25:31–32). Yet false teachers deny or dilute this reality, replacing repentance and holiness with a softened message that cannot save. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef unpacks Jude's urgent imagery for apostate teachers—portraits designed to help believers recognize danger before spiritual shipwreck occurs: “Hidden reefs” at your love feasts (Jude 1:12): beneath-the-surface threats that damage the church while “feeding only themselves.” “Clouds without rain” (v. 12): loud, trend-driven voices that promise refreshment but deliver only disappointment. “Autumn trees… without fruit and uprooted” (v. 12): spiritually barren leaders who leave others malnourished and are ultimately “twice dead.” “Wild waves” and “wandering stars” (vv. 13): chaotic influences that produce wreckage and provide no true direction—drifting farther from biblical Truth. Jude then lifts our eyes to the certainty apostates try to erase: the Lord is coming with holy ones to judge everyone (Jude 1:14–15). For the unrepentant, that day will bring terror. But for believers who long for His appearing, it will be a day of joy—when we see the signs of His return and “lift up [our] heads” with expectation (Luke 21:28). Prayer: Lord, may I pursue Your Truth revealed in Your Word with confidence and joyfully prepare for the day of Your return. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  “They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 1:13). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon series Contend for the Faith: 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.

Dance class, gymnastics, cheerleading, Student Council, Marching Band, youth ministry, worship team, Bible studies, speaking engagements — and that's just a few items from Emily Rose Massey's packed list of accomplishments. For more than twenty years, her worth was wrapped up in her productivity. And if we're honest, many of us know that exhausting cycle all too well. In this episode, Emily offers a grace-filled invitation to step off the performance treadmill and rest in the truth that God's love was never something you had to earn. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it beautifully clear: salvation is a gift, not a reward. And that same grace that saved you is the very grace that is sanctifying you, shaping you, and carrying you forward — day by day, inconsistency by inconsistency. God started this work in you, and He will finish it (Philippians 1:6). You don't have to hide when you fail or scramble to do better on your own. You simply need to come boldly to the throne of grace, lean on His strength, and trust that He is working — because He is. Today's Bible Verse "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." — Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV Ponder Today Grace is a gift, not a reward. You cannot earn it, maintain it, or lose it through your performance. It is freely and abundantly given — full stop. The same grace that saved you is sanctifying you. God doesn't just rescue you and then hand you a checklist. He oversees your growth, your maturity, and your transformation from beginning to end. Your failures do not surprise God or derail His plan. Your inconsistencies, your disobedience, your lack of trust — none of it can thwart what He has purposed for your life. God starts it, and God finishes it. You don't have to hide when you sin. Jesus lived the perfect life for you and paid the penalty you couldn't. When you fall, the answer is not to run away — it's to run to Him, boldly, to the throne of grace. Trust that He is working and yield to it. You don't need to muster up your own strength or faith. The Holy Spirit is your Helper, and God's plan for your life will be accomplished because of His goodness and faithfulness — not yours. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, let the truth of Your Word take deep root in my heart — that Your grace is a gift I can never earn and never need to maintain. Thank You, Jesus, for Your great sacrifice on the cross that made a way for me to receive eternal life. May I never forget that the work of the cross is finished. Help me to rest in that finished work. And when I sin, Holy Spirit, convict my heart to run boldly to the throne of grace and receive Your forgiveness and love. In Jesus' name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer helped you release the weight of striving, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to rest and grow in your faith every day. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There are days when the mountain in front of us feels so large and our resources feel so small that simply taking the next step seems impossible. The pain that won't relent, the demands that keep piling higher, the dreams that feel buried under an avalanche of obstacles — and beneath all of it, a soul that is simply depleted. We know we need help. We just aren't always sure where to find it, or whether anyone is truly able to give us what we actually need. Psalm 121 begins with one of the most honest questions in all of Scripture: I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? There is the mountain, looming and real. And then comes the answer, sweeping and certain: my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. The same God who formed the mountains towering before us is the One who stands ready to help us scale them. His help is not a distant promise reserved for extreme emergencies — it is a present, flowing, limitless source of strength available to us right now, through His peaceful presence, through the people He places alongside us, and through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. Whatever mountain you are facing today, you do not have to stare it down alone. Lift your eyes. Your help is already on the way. Today's Bible Verse "I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." — Psalm 121:1-2 Ponder Today The psalmist's question is one we all ask when we are staring at a mountain — and the answer is always the same: our help comes from the Lord, the One who made the mountain in the first place. God's help is not reserved for our most dramatic moments — it is a present, flowing, limitless source of strength available to us in every depleted, discouraged, ordinary moment of need. Help from God comes through multiple channels — His peaceful presence, the people He strategically places in our lives, and the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within every believer. When we lift our eyes from the mountain to the Maker of the mountain, something shifts — our problems are still real, but they are suddenly much smaller than the One who stands ready to help us through them. God always supplies sufficiently and perfectly — not always in the way we expect or on the timeline we prefer, but always in accordance with His good plans and purposes for our lives. Today's Prayer Mighty God, You are my ever-present help, and You know exactly how much help I need and when I need it. Sometimes I struggle to gather the strength to take on even the simplest tasks — I need You. You alone are the help I am looking for, and You always supply sufficiently and perfectly. Today, remind me that Your power is always there to strengthen me, Your Word is there to guide me, and You are constantly placing people along my path to support me. Your help is limitless and relentless — an unfailing flow of strength to my weary soul. Thank You, Jesus. In Your strong name, Amen. Enjoy Today's Prayer? If this episode encouraged you, we'd love to stay connected! Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and faith-filled content delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss an episode — subscribe and share with someone who needs encouragement today. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.