Podcasts about Zebedee

Actor Nick Shakoour, best known for playing Zebedee on The Chosen, joins The P.A.S. Report Podcast to discuss his powerful new book, Transformer: Awakening from a Spiritual Coma. In this compelling conversation, Nick shares his journey from growing up in war-torn Lebanon to achieving Hollywood success – only to discover that fame and talent weren't enough to fill the spiritual void. After a profound supernatural encounter, Nick reconnected with his faith, his purpose, and his true identity. This episode explores the dangers of spiritual slumber, the courage it takes to wake up, and the joy of rediscovering divine purpose in a world that tries to numb the soul. Episode Highlights: Nick Shakoour reveals what it means to awaken from a spiritual coma and why most people don't know they're in one. Working on The Chosen and how the role of Zebedee became a mirror for Nick's own faith journey and spiritual reawakening. From supernatural encounters to spiritual backlash: how Nick embraced his calling despite resistance from friends, family, and the industry.

Kalispell // Kevin GeerMatthew 26:37-38 "He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he because anguished and distressed. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." " This was a heavy moment, Jesus being vulnerable with his friends. You can feel the weight in just His words. But what was weighing him down? The coming arrest, the scattering of his disciples, the trial, the beating. torture, and crucifixion.

Kalispell // Kevin GeerMatthew 26:37-38 "He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he because anguished and distressed. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." " This was a heavy moment, Jesus being vulnerable with his friends. You can feel the weight in just His words. But what was weighing him down? The coming arrest, the scattering of his disciples, the trial, the beating. torture, and crucifixion.

Having been to Israel many times, leading tours, I have a much clearer vision of what a crucifixion was really like and how horrendous it must have been to have watched anyone dying on a cross. We have tended to romanticize the cross a bit, with our jewelry and pictures of a cross on a hill far away, but actually the place of crucifixion was the most horrible place in Jerusalem. It would have been by a busy road so everyone could see and mock and be terrified by a crucifixion. It was meant to be a deterrent to crime and rebellion, to cause anyone who thought they might challenge the rule of Rome to think twice, because they would have to endure this horrible death. Knowing how awful a crucifixion was, it is amazing to read in Matthew 27:55 that: Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Moses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. In Mark 15:40 we read: Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. Luke tells us that: A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him (Luke 23:27). And John tells us: Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25). By my count, there are seven women who are identified in the four Gospels, but we know there were many others as well. It's interesting that the women are named, and yet there are no named men at the cross. Certainly, there were men there, but how many were the friends and disciples of Jesus Christ? We only know for sure that John was there, because Jesus refers to him in John 19:26-27, as he instructs him to care for his mother. Where were the other disciples? And why were all these women there at this ugly scene? It was not a place for a woman; unless it was your close relative, no woman would have intentionally gone to such a horrible place. Yet, there were all these women at the cross of Jesus. These women had gathered there to mourn and to wail the crucifixion of their Savior, Jesus Christ. They were there because they loved Jesus. They had been delivered from their sins and their pasts by Jesus, and they were determined to stay with him until the end, as ugly as it was. Can you even imagine what it meant for these women to stay there throughout the whole crucifixion? Mary Magdalene was there. We know Jesus had delivered her from seven demons. There have been some scurrilous writings and suggestions that Jesus had a romantic relationship with Mary Magdalene. That is a lie and totally unsubstantiated by Scripture or history. But for sure, this woman had deep feelings for Jesus because he had delivered her from her past. And it was an awful past. Can you even imagine being possessed by seven demons? What could be worse than to be indwelled by seven demons from hell? No doubt she had been abused and suffered great harm from these demons for many years. No doubt she was full of guilt and gloom and despair, fearing she would live all her days possessed by them. And then she met Jesus. In Mark 16:9 we read that Jesus had driven out those demons. However he did that, it had to be dramatic—perhaps painful—but no doubt the best day of her life. She was set free from her past, her guilt, her shame. And because Jesus has risen from the dead, he is able to do the same for you today. It may not be demons you are dealing with, but whatever haunts you from your past, Jesus is a qualified Savior because he is risen from the dead. He can deliver you, too. We are told that Mary, his mother, was at the cross. As she stood there, she must have remembered the prophecy told to her by Simeon when they took baby Jesus ...

Return of the Man-Child (8)  (audio) David Eells – 4/16/25  Father, in Jesus' Name, we thank You so much, Lord, that we can fellowship around Your Word. We know and trust in Your Word that is going to reveal to us those things that we need to know for the days to come and things that will enable us to cooperate with You in this process of sanctification and holiness, and also in the ministry of the Lord. We thank You that the Lord Jesus is coming in His people in order to fulfill in His Church that which You stated You would do from the beginning. We thank You, Lord, that You have taught us that what has been shall be, so that we can see how history repeats and see how wonderfully You have told us in the Word exactly what You are going to do. In the name of Jesus, Amen.  Well, we left off in Matthew 4, where we saw wonderful things that God is going to repeat in our day. The Lord had told me that everything that happened in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts would be repeated in our day, except that the cast of characters would be multiplied many times over, as more people are born into the world. The same thing has happened in history, but now it just happens with more people.  Let's pick up right after Jesus was anointed and had been tempted of the devil. Note that the Bible speaks about a “great light” that He was going to bring into the world, especially the world of God's people. (Mat.4:12) Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee; (13) and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: (14) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, (15) The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, (16) The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. What could this light be other than the Lord Jesus Himself? Not only that, but what the Lord Jesus was sharing with people was the command to repent and believe.   Light is necessary in both of these areas if we want to walk in the Kingdom of God. We are walking out of one kingdom and into another. We are walking out of the kingdom of the world, much like walking out of Egypt, and we are walking into the Kingdom of God, which means under His Lordship and guidance. I believe the next verse begins with a revelation of that. (Mat.4:17) From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  That just happens to be a perfect quote from John the Baptist, who said, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mat.3:2). Of course, John went on in verse 7 to say to the Pharisees, who were coming to be baptized because it was a politically correct thing to do, (Mat.3:7) Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance (What does someone who has repented look like? What kind of fruit should they have?): (Mat.3:9) and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father … Don't a lot of Christians say the same thing? “Hey, I'm a Christian; I had my experience with the Lord years ago and accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.” Yes, but do you have fruit worthy of repentance? I believe that the light is going to come to the Church, which has not even understood what repentance means. The first thing Jesus did was to take up where John left off. You notice that when we left off in verse 12, He realized that John was delivered up, and that's when Jesus came into this particular area of the country where they said they saw great light. Like John, He said, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance is necessary for the next revelation, which is the Gospel of the Kingdom. For those who repented, Jesus shared the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Good News of the Kingdom of God.  My friend Xavier once went to share with an apostate preacher who was living in fornication. He had the “greasy grace” that says, “It's okay; the Lord will forgive me. That's what the Gospel is all about, right? Forgiveness.” But no, that's not it. That's just a part of the Gospel. There is forgiveness, and then there is sanctification. Forgiveness is just a way to have a relationship with God until sanctification has done its work. There was another man in this church who recognized that the preacher was a sinner, but he told Xavier, “It would be wrong for you to judge him.” Of course, Xavier was sharing verses with the man, and the truth is that, yes, there is judgment. There is judgment in the Church. John the Baptist was judging when he said, “Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance.” He wanted to see their repentance. He did not want to see somebody say they were sorry and then continue on in their debauchery. The word “repentance” is metanoia, which means “to change your mind; to go the other way.” We have the authority to do this. We have the authority to change our mind and go the other way because of what Jesus did at the cross. He took away our sins; He delivered us out of the power of darkness; He made us free from sin. (Heb.10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  When Xavier and I spoke about this, here's one of the verses I shared with him: (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? What Kingdom of God is he referring to? The Kingdom of God is where God rules over you. It's not some place you go to after you leave this earth. It's some place you enter into when you repent. Notice what he's saying. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived (there is much deception out there concerning this): neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Where are you to inherit the Kingdom of God? Here and now. As a matter of fact, some people are waiting to go to Heaven to inherit the Kingdom of God. They will never see Heaven if they wait. You have to enter the Kingdom of God here and now, and you enter it through repentance and faith. Faith gives you the blood covering and repentance gives you the opportunity of entering the Kingdom. Without repentance, you cannot enter the Kingdom.  John the Baptist came in order to preach repentance to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord in their life. The Lord does not come into your life without repentance. If you received the first-fruits of Christ, which is a born-again spirit, and do not go on to get a born-again soul through your obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22,23), you are going to be an unprofitable servant. A “servant” refers to someone who has come to Him in one form or another. You will be an unprofitable servant who is good for nothing but to be cast out and trampled under the feet of men and cast into outer darkness. (Mat.5:13) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. (Mat.25:30) And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Now notice what he says in the next verse. (1Co.6:11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed (He is saying, “Some of you people were in these same sins, but you were washed.”), but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. The Lord demands repentance for you to enter into His Kingdom, which is where He is King over you. That's how you enter His Kingdom.  If you look elsewhere in 1st Corinthians, Paul said somewhat of the same thing. (1Co.5:3) For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing. Paul judged him. Was he wrong in that he judged? No. Paul had the Spirit of God and what he wrote here was from the Spirit of God. He judged him because this man was in willful disobedience, had not repented of his sin, and had not believed the Gospel. If you believe the Good News that Jesus took away your sin, then your faith has power to walk away from anything. Everyone who believes can repent and walk away. Belief is not merely mental assent, like it is in most of the Church. (1Co.5:5) To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh (I would say that's judgment! He is turning him over to the curse.), that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. People will repent when they are turned over to the devil. This is very common. If you want to know why you are living under that curse, you should question whether or not you are in willful disobedience or whether you have repented of everything and are walking by faith because the devil does a great job of bringing people to repentance. Many people come to the Lord because of what the Lord permits the devil to do.  (1Co.5:6) Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (He means that, in the Body of Christ, there are people who are fornicators, liars, and thieves.) (1Co.5:7) Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump (“Purge out the old leaven”; in other words, get rid of them.), even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (1Co.5:8) wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (9) I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; (10) not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: (11) but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.   Well, this parishioner who was not in the fornication, but was saying that you could not judge the pastor who was in it, was saying, “Hey, Jesus ate with publicans and sinners.” But Paul tells you here quite clearly, “If any man that is named a brother be” in one of these sins, no, not to eat with him. It is not only abstaining from eating with him physically, but spiritually, as well, because he's talking about keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We eat when we study the Word of God. Jesus said, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Mat.16:6). In other words, “Don't eat their leaven; don't partake of their doctrine.” Paul goes on to say, (1Co.5:12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? So there was judgment; there was judgment from John the Baptist and judgment from Jesus, concerning people who are in willful disobedience and do not want to repent and believe the Good News that they don't have to walk in their sins anymore.  Clearly, there is judgment from the Bible, and that pastor and parishioner were trying to condemn Xavier for judging willful disobedience and lack of repentance when he was merely showing them what the Father had said in His Word. Look at what the Lord says in Ezekiel. (Eze.3:18) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life … How is it judgment when you say, “Hey, that's fornication and you can't enter the Kingdom like that”? They say, “Oh, but I'm saved.” No, you're not saved, as long as you walk in willful disobedience. You are not in the Kingdom. “Be not deceived,” Paul said, but speak “to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life.”   (Eze.3:18) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. So God is saying, “If you don't tell them they're sinning, if you don't tell them, ‘Look, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven (which has to be entered here, by the way), while you are in willful, outward immorality,' then I will require his blood at your hand.” It's the very opposite of what those people say. They do not want to repent, so they try to condemn the person who brings the message.  Notice, the Lord said, “When I say to the wicked.” We just read what God said to the wicked. You can tell anybody what God said to the wicked, whether you are judging or not. That's a moot point. The question is, are they going to enter the Kingdom by repentance? Or are they going to try to shift the blame over on you? The truth is, He says to have no company with them, to cast out the old leaven. If a person will not confess his sins but try to justify them or think that they are acceptable in the sight of the Lord because of the blood of Jesus, there is no hope for him. By the way, Jesus' blood does not cover willful disobedience. (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. It says, If we walk in the light (Walking in the light is not walking in sin. Everyone would agree with that.) as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another (He tells you, “Don't have any fellowship with people walking in willful disobedience.” Period.), and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1Jn.1:7). That's a wonderful promise! If you will repent and believe and walk in the light, He will cleanse you of that sin. (1Jn.1:8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If a person doesn't want to confess his sin and wants to justify himself and hold onto his sin and wants to blame you for condemning him or bringing Scriptures showing where the Father has condemned him, then this person is not going to have any part of the Kingdom of God. The Lord says it very plainly, and we have to tell him the exact truth here concerning this. The light of the Gospel has to come. The true light of what repentance actually means is going to be brought on the scene here pretty quickly, folks. The overwhelming majority of Christianity don't understand what repentance is. They don't have any hope that repentance could actually deliver them from their sin and that they will not have to worry about that sin or walk in that sin anymore because of what Jesus did at the cross. He took their sin and nailed it on that cross. You do not have it anymore. Repentance and faith are necessary.  Back to where we were in Matthew, we found that Jesus took up where John left off. The next thing He does is to go out and gather His disciples. (Mat.4:18) And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. (19) And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. (20) And they straightway left the nets, and followed him. (21) And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. (22) And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus has just begun His ministry here. The people whom He was going to were seeing a great light and He was gathering together His “elders” of the Church. He was raising up His forefathers of the Church, like Jacob raised up the 12 patriarchs, who were the elders of the Church. As you know, from here on out, He carried them with Him, demonstrating to them the truth of the Gospel by His works of healing, delivering, setting free, etc., so that they could live in the Kingdom of God.  In the Kingdom of God, all the promises come to pass; the Kingdom of God is where God rules. We pray; Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth (6:10). When God's Kingdom comes on Earth, it is as it is in Heaven. Is there any sickness in Heaven? Are there any demon-possessed people in Heaven? Is there anybody lacking in Heaven? The provision of God's Kingdom is total and complete in this earth, and we want to enter into it because that's where all of God's provision is. (Eph.1:3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ. He's blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.   As we enter into Christ, we have all these spiritual blessings that God has in His Heavenly Kingdom. He is gathering up His disciples, with whom He is going to walk, and send them forth into a much broader path than He could walk in. They, in turn, were going to raise up disciples who were going to do the same thing in a geometric progression that was going to bring a great revival. This is a type and shadow of the Man-child ministry that's coming, in whom Jesus is come to be manifested. Jesus raised up disciples in whom He was manifested here, and the same thing is going to happen in our day. Disciples are going to be raised up as forefathers to the Church of our day, except there will be many more because the Man-child is not an individual, but a corporate body.  It goes on to say, And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Mat.4:23). So He preached repentance, and then He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. What is the Gospel of the Kingdom? Gospel means “Good News,” the Good News of the Kingdom. The Good News is that you can enter into God's Kingdom on Earth through repentance and faith. Well, God's Kingdom is where God rules in your life, and this is the Good News, that you can walk in obedience to God; you can walk in the Kingdom of God, under the leadership and rulership of God. The reason we know that you can do this now is because of what Jesus did at the cross. He made reconciliation: He took your sinful life and nailed it on that cross, and He gave up His Life. Do you believe it? Do you believe that He sanctified you on that cross? That He washed you on that cross? That He delivered you from sin on that cross? The Bible says in Romans 6:18 that He made you free from sin. He delivered you.   See, here is the great light that is going to come. Most of the Church believes that the only opportunity you have is forgiveness from God, and that is the beginning, but that is not the great revelation that God's people are going to get. They already know that. The great revelation is that the Bible is actually true. Jesus actually did deliver you from your sin; He actually did heal your body; He actually did deliver you from the curse; He actually did deliver you out of the power of darkness. Hallelujah! He did this. This is going to come as a sudden shock to a lot of people, but the Gospel is actually true; it's not just a nice saying, but it's actually true.  I want to backup a little here. (Mat.4:16) The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light (He was talking about His people), and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. He's referring to walking in the light, which was what Jesus was about to show them. He was about to show them that they can walk in the light and be delivered of their sin, washed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7-9). This is the Good News that most of the Church has never heard. Oh, they have heard the Gospel, but they didn't realize it was really true. They never had any faith, only mental assent. Folks, He is talking about the nature of sin, about delivering you out of the power of darkness. It does not have any power over you. That is an awesome revelation that's going to come to the Church through the raising up of this Man-child ministry and disciples who walk in the steps of Jesus Christ.  Then Jesus went out to demonstrate this by “preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of disease.” Most of the Church does not understand that you have a right to healing, that you are not under the curse because you are a new creation. They don't understand that old things have passed away and all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). They don't understand that you have been delivered of sin (Romans 8:2) and God accounts you righteous through your faith in Him (Romans 4:3), your faith in what the Bible says. It needs to be real faith. This is the light, the sudden revelation that a lot of the Church is going to get and that some of you have already received.   (Mat.4:23) And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people. (24) And the report of him went forth into all Syria: and they brought unto him all that were sick, holden with divers diseases and torments, possessed with demons, and epileptic, and palsied; and he healed them. (25) And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and [from] beyond the Jordan. He was demonstrating the Gospel that these people were not guilty anymore, demonstrating that God was forgiving them by healing them and delivering them of every curse that came upon them. Those curses came because of their disobedience to God and also because of the sin they inherited when they were born. They were born into sin. Some people say, “Well, God made me this way.” What does that have to do with anything? You were born in sin, you came into this world with the nature of sin, and so you say, “Because I was born this way, I'm supposed to keep it”? That will not float, folks. In the Kingdom of Heaven, you need to repent of this.  Let's read more of how Jesus demonstrated the Gospel. (Mat.8:16) And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. He carried His disciples with Him and demonstrated to them how to minister and administer this Gospel of the Kingdom. Everyone who repented and believed could have these gifts because they were no longer under the curse, as they were no longer under sin. That's the Great News of the Kingdom. God not only forgave them, He washed and cleansed them, He healed them, He delivered them, and He took away every other form of the curse. It was just like the Passover. The Passover was the Death Angel, the Destroyer, passing over them because they actually had the blood upon the doorpost (Exodus 12:23). How do you get the blood upon your doorpost? The Bible is pretty plain about that. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin. Walk in the light. You take those steps in the light because of repentance and God will wash you, cleanse you and deliver you.  We see here something that is going to be fulfilled in our day on a much larger scale. The Man-child ministry is going to go forth to deliver, heal, bless, and demonstrate the Gospel. Not only that, there will be the saving of souls who are in bondage to sin, which many of you have experienced, but many more are going to experience that. Do you know how we know this is going to be repeated? Because this was a repetition in itself; this had happened before. You ask, “When did it ever happen before?” Well, go back and look in the Old Testament because in Hebrews 3, the author compared Moses' house and Christ's house. There is a comparison because Moses was the Man-child in his day and he did the exact same thing that Jesus did, even bringing the same Gospel.   Let me show you how we can see that. I know that it's in the types and shadows, but when it's pointed out to you, you can see it. For instance, when Jesus was anointed, the Bible tells us that He was given the throne of David, His father (Luke 1:32). Jesus was to rule over Israel, and His anointing was compared with the anointing that David had to rule over Israel. That is what's happening to Moses here. (Exo.3:1) Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro (whose name means “His excellence”), his father-in-law … Why is Moses' father-in-law called “His excellence”? Because his father-in-law was also the Father of the Bride. Is that not still true today? Exactly so. Moses was keeping the flock. Remember, David was keeping the flock before he was anointed to be king. Moses was doing the same thing.  (Exo.3:1) Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb. (2) And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned … Moses saw this sight and wanted to go investigate and when he did, he stepped onto holy ground, meaning he became holy. The Lord told him to take his shoes off, that he was standing on holy ground, and Moses did not want to be separated from holiness (Exodus 3:5). He was holy before God, and this is where he got his ordination to lead his people out of bondage in Egypt. As a matter of fact, the Lord said, And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land (Exo.3:8). “I am come down.” Is that not what the Lord said in Hosea 6:2-3? He said there that He would come as the latter rain on the morning of the third day, and that's exactly what's going to happen. The Lord is coming down to deliver His people out of bondage in Egypt, which is a representation of the world.  (Exo.3:16) Go, and gather the elders of Israel … That's the first thing the Lord told Moses to do, the same thing Jesus did. He gathered the elders of Israel. Who was Israel? Israel was Jacob and Jacob raised up 12 patriarchs, which is exactly what Jesus raised up, 12 patriarchs. So there you have it. It's a perfect parallel here. “Go and gather the elders of Israel.” Why? It's because they were to walk with Moses, just like those elders walked with Jesus. The Gospel had to be demonstrated; the power of God was demonstrated to them. They were to walk in the same path.   (Exo.3:16) Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and [seen] that which is done to you in Egypt: (17) and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt … There it is. He's going to deliver them from the curse of Egypt, the affliction of Egypt. He had said, “I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” Who are the Egyptians? The Egyptians are the old man, the old flesh, the bondage to the flesh. What He's saying is, “Look, I'm going to deliver you from the god of this world (that is, the old man, the flesh), and I'm going to deliver you from the curse because you've been obeying them both.” That is the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is what Jesus was preaching.  (Exo.3:17) And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. These were the “ites” that represented the old man, the same thing the Egyptian represented, which was the one who had brought them into bondage. You are not supposed to be in bondage to your flesh anymore. The Lord has already delivered you at the cross; it has already been done. He has already accomplished it. That's the Good News of the Kingdom. Why is God bringing them into the Promised Land? He's doing it in order to put to death those people who were ruling in the land. The Israelite was to rule in the land, not these people. He brought the Israelites in there for the purpose of putting them to death. Most Christians today want to live with the old man, but when Israel did that and let the enemies stay in the land, they became thorns in their side for the rest of their life. So the Jews did not inherit all of the land the Lord gave them, and they lived under a curse, under warfare, because they did not obey God. He said, “You take up your sword and go in there. I will be with you. You put them to death and take their house to live in and raise up your crop, your fruit in that land” (Deuteronomy 7). That's the Gospel.  (Exo.3:18) And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us (As if He had not been there all along! Actually, He came down in a much mightier way than He had ever done in the 400-odd years that they had been in bondage, and that's how He is about to come today. He's about to come in a more powerful way than any of us have ever experienced, for the purpose of delivering His people out of Egypt and out from under the god of this world.): and now let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. They had to serve God in the wilderness. Moses was taking the elders of Israel with him at this time, just as Jesus was, and demonstrating unto them the Gospel.  Here is the gathering of the elders again. (Exo.4:29) And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. When Jesus gathered the elders, He was not gathering together the apostates. He started all over, which is what He is going to do this time as well. He is not going to the apostates, but He will start all over with some new, humble people who did not go to Bible school. He is going to raise them up. Paul is one of those who obviously went to Bible school, but He had to prove that He could do it, and He did. But what is represented by Moses and Aaron here? We're looking at a parallel of what Jesus did and now we see Moses and Aaron, but it had said earlier, And thou (Moses) shalt speak unto him (Aaron), and put the words in his mouth (Exo.4:15). Moses was to put the words in Aaron's mouth? That's a little like what the Lord does to us, which is what He's about to say. (Exo.4:15) … And I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. (16) And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God.   Interesting. He is likening Moses to God, like Jesus was to God. Now let me say, if a Man-child comes in our day, Who is it Who is going to be with him, putting words in his mouth? Jesus, Who is God! Moses is being used of God, and Aaron is being used as his prophet to speak his words, to do his work, and to take the staff that he did to do the miracles. In this case, we're seeing Aaron as the Man-child and Moses as Jesus in the Man-child or behind the Man-child to do the works. (Exo.4:29) And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel (This is much like Jesus did; His Father God was in Him doing the works. Jesus was the spokesman, the mouthpiece; He gathered together His disciples and did the miracles, and Aaron is doing the same thing here.): (Exo.4:30) and Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. So it was Aaron speaking the words and doing the works, just like Jesus did.  “Aaron” means “bright” or “illumined.” He represents the glory of God shining out of a person, like this says: (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. There are three glories: star glory, moon glory, and sun glory (1 Corinthians 15:40-41). It gets brighter and brighter and brighter. This is the shining forth of God in His people. He is coming in “Aaron,” His first-fruits. Jesus was called the first-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:20), and there is a first-fruits in our day. David also represented the first-fruits and Joseph, as well. It is not the only fruits, just the first-fruits. He is planning on doing this with His whole Body. (Exo.4:31) And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. This was a monumental time in their history because they were about to be delivered out of bondage to the old man, the Egyptian, Pharaoh, the god of this world, and to the curse they were under because they were serving them.  (Exo.5:4) And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? … Some people think you have to put up with your “works” the rest of your life, that there is nothing you can do about it because you're always going to be a “sinner saved by grace.” That is an anti-Christ gospel. They were setting the people free from their works, from their service to the old man and to the devil, who is the god of this world that ruled over them, like Pharaoh did. They were being set free and the devil did not like it. “Get you unto your burdens.” In other words, “Get back under the heavy weight of your burden.” (Exo.5:5) And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. This is what the Lord brought us out of bondage for, to enter into His rest and to cease from our own works, the works of the flesh. We do not serve the flesh anymore. We serve the spiritual man now. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom, and it sets people free. Even the devil had to admit that they were setting them free from their works.  (Exo.6:9) And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses … You cannot set someone free unless they believe the Gospel of the Kingdom. Moses came there to set the Israelites free. God ordained him on Mount Horeb, representing the Kingdom of God, to go and bring them out of bondage and take them to that mountain, too, but they had to believe him first because the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Rom.1:16). (Exo.6:9) … But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. God had to do a work in them before they could actually receive this light of the knowledge of the Kingdom. (Exo.6:10) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (11) Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt … The word “Pharaoh” means “temple of the sun.” He was God to the Egyptians. They believed he was divinity, believed that he was the sun god. Pharaoh was not the Son of God and not even a close facsimile to the Son of God, but he was usurping God's position over the people of God.  The devil does that today. He usurps the position of the Son of God over the people of God, and they do not know that the one they're serving is the devil. They don't know that they're serving the old man that serves the devil, which is the Egyptian. We know that the Egyptian represents the old man because when the Israelites went through the Red Sea, Paul called it a “baptism.” In the baptism, the old man died in the Red Sea, and the Israelite came up on the other side; the new man, the spiritual man came up out of the water. The carnal man died and the spiritual man was made alive, so we know this parable is true. (Exo.6:11) Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. Do you suppose this Man-child is going to have this same authority to tell the devil to set God's people free? Well, Jesus was doing it. He commanded the devil to loose them; He commanded the sickness to come out of them; He delivered their mind from the fogginess of their fallen state. And, yes, this is what not only the Man-child but the witnesses and the elders who are raised up by the Man-child are going to do. They're going to have the authority to say, “Turn them loose, devil,” and it's going to happen.  (Exo.6:12) And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? Does the devil have to listen to you when you tell him to turn people loose if they do not believe? No. When you preach the Gospel and they believe it, only then do you have the authority to say, “Turn them loose, devil.” This is exactly what Moses complained of. He was saying, “Hey, they don't believe me yet, so why would Pharaoh listen?” (Exo.6:13) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. That was their ordination, their command from God, Who said, “Bring them out.   You have the authority to do this.” Jesus had the same authority, by the Isaiah 61 anointing, which Luke 4:18 also speaks about. (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound. Who were they bound to? They were in bondage to their old man, in bondage to the devil, and they were living under the curse. Jesus took care of all three and that was all involved in the Gospel of the Kingdom. Now we know that Moses, too, was dealing with the Gospel of the Kingdom and trying to get those people to believe what he said. Praise the Lord!  (Exo.12:21) Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel (I'd like to point out to you that these elders were with him exactly as the disciples of Jesus, all the time, and he was demonstrating to them the Gospel. Actually, here is the Gospel in a nutshell.), and said unto them, Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the passover. We're told that they had to eat all of the lamb (Exodus 12:8-10) and that the blood was to be put on the doorposts (Exodus 12:7), so that the Death Angel, the Destroyer, would pass over them and smite the Egyptians (Exodus 12:13). Jesus said, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves (Joh.6:53). Most of the Church is refusing to eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, The life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev.17:11). They are refusing the life of Christ through unbelief. Moses is not able to exercise any authority over Pharaoh because of their unbelief. Jesus was the bread Who came down out of Heaven (John 6:51) that gives life to the world, and that was His Body, the Word of God.  We are also told this: (Exo.12:15) Seven days (that is the last seven “days”) shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses (This is the house that we live in. There shall be no leaven, no polluting the pure Word of God.): for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. This is a dire warning to God's people that during the Tribulation period, you cannot continue onward believing the doctrine of these apostate religions. (Mar.8:15) … Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, too, because there are many who are worshipping the government. They're worshipping their country, their nation; they're pledging allegiance to a wicked, worldly nation. This is not to say that you aren't supposed to submit to them in every way, except when God tells you to do otherwise. Your allegiance is to the Lord, and you will bow to no one else. We see here that Moses was leading them to partake of the body and blood of Christ, and this was causing a Passover so that they did not have to live under the curse. Praise be to God!  (Exo.12:29) And it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. (30) And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. In every house there was one dead. So if we are the house, there has to be one dead, and that's the old man. He is the firstborn of Egypt, born of the flesh, born of the world. He is dead and we know that he is dead, and we are free because of what Jesus did at the cross because we were crucified with Christ. The Lamb was slain here, but the Bible says, we were crucified with Christ and it is no longer we who live, but it is Christ Who lives in us (Galatians 2:20). That is the new man and that is how faith in the Gospel works. We continue to believe what the Bible says, that, “Yes, this old man is dead. He was put to death, so I don't have to serve him anymore because he is dead, and he was crucified with Christ. Now the new man lives and rules in me.” That new man is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col.1:27). We behold with unveiled face as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, and are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit (2Co.3:18). Like Aaron, who was the “brilliance,” the shining forth of the Lord in him, so the people of God will be.  (Exo.12:31) And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Pharaoh finally gave up, and the devil is going to turn God's people loose. The god of this world, the sun god, the one who imitates the Lord and usurps His authority over God's people, is going to turn them loose, is going to obey the command of Moses. When does that happen? It happens when they, “the people,” believe they're no longer in bondage to Satan because the Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom, is the power of God to save the one who believes. It's the power to save them from the old man, from the devil, and from the curse. You will be delivered of those three things when you believe and continue to walk in the faith of the Gospel that sets free.  (Exo.17:5) And the Lord said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go. (6) Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Here, Moses was still demonstrating the power of God's provision for God's people. Jesus multiplied the fishes and the loaves, and here Moses was still demonstrating it with the authority and the power of God to the elders and the people. (Exo.18:12) And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. Praise the Lord!   This is, once again, Jesus raising up His elders and the Man-child in our day, raising up the elders to be free from the bondage of Satan and free from the bondage of the flesh. The harvest started getting bigger and bigger, and more and more people started coming into the Kingdom, just as it was also said about Jesus. (Exo.24:1) And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off: (2) and Moses alone shall come near unto the Lord; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him. As you know, Moses went up on the mountain and was caught up unto the throne of God. This is the first mention of the 70 elders. He had already mentioned them, but now He refers to them as the “seventy.”  We have already discussed Jesus raising up the elders, but He also raised up the 70. (Luk.10:1) Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. (2) And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. Obviously, the 12 were not enough. This was a great revival for many hungry people; there was a need. Even with Moses, his father-in-law Jethro had said, “You're going to kill yourself trying to serve all the people by yourself” (Exodus 18:14-18). Then Jethro gave Moses the wisdom from God to raise up elders unto the people to judge them, meet their needs, and so on (Exodus 18:19-26).   Jesus said, Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves (Luk.10:3). (4) Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. (5) And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, Peace be to this house. (6) And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall turn to you again. (7) And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (8) And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: (9) and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. The Kingdom of God is where people are healed, delivered, prospered, blessed, delivered from sin, etc.  (Luk.10:10) But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, (11) Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. That is judgment; He brought judgment. These people brought judgment upon the ones who refused the Gospel. They cleaned their shoes off as a judgment against them. Don't believe that God did not do something about that because He goes on, (Luk.10:12) I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (13) Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. (14) But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you.  God bless you, saints! Just remember, the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom is about to be preached with mighty power, and a great revival is going to go forth from it. God bless you! 

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 1:16–20 - [16] Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. [17] And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” [18] And immediately they left their nets and followed him. [19] And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. [20] And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

The mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. — Matthew 20:20 It's easy for us to be critical of the mother who approaches Jesus in this passage. Her request is really outlandish. We might wonder, “How important does she think she is? Or how important does she think her sons are?” Sure, they were two of Jesus' closest disciples. (They are identified earlier as James and John in Matthew 4:21-22.) But this request is over the top! It's also easy for us to understand the indignation of the other disciples. They had all been together with Jesus for a few years now—learning, healing, traveling, and doing all sorts of things they probably never thought they would do together. And now James and John's mother comes to ask for her sons to be above all the rest? I wonder if James and John ever lived this down. But before we criticize this mother or her sons, it's important to remember the lesson that this question prompted Jesus to teach. Jesus' community isn't about being first or best. It's about being last and least. It's about serving others and giving up everything, if necessary, for the good of everyone else. This isn't normal, but it's what Jesus is all about. It's also what Jesus' followers—including us—need to be all about. Humble God, help us to put others first. Help us to serve others. Help us to seek your kingdom for everyone and not just for ourselves. Help us to follow you, for your sake. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Mark 10:32-45At that time, Jesus took his twelve disciples, and he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Week 4 of OVERHEARD- exploring the conversations of Jesus. Today we look at Jesus' conversation with a the mother of James and John, Mrs. Zebedee. DOWNLOAD the Prodigal Church app for more! FIND US ONLINE: prodigalchurchfresno.com If you're new, we would love to meet you! Fill the online connect card on our website and we will reach out to you. prodigalchurchfresno.com/connect INSTAGRAM: @prodigalchurchfresno FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/prodigalchurchfresno If you would like to Give to Prodigal Church, you can do so through our website, or through this link. Thank you so much for your generosity to Prodigal Church! prodigal.givingfire.com

Listen in as Myles Toulmin speak on Jesus and the mother of Zebedee's sons on the definition of true success and greatness on Mothering Sunday.

Matthew 4:17–22 (CSB) "From then on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.' As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 'Follow me,' he told them, 'and I will make you fish for people.' 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 21st of March, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We are approaching Easter, and I have a special message of encouragement for the ladies today. If we go to Matthew 27:55-56:”And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.” I really want to pay tribute to the ladies. You know, it was a woman who was the first one to go down to the tomb early on Sunday morning to visit the Lord. Not the men, no. You know, dad might be the head of the home but mom is the heart of the home. The biggest scourge we have facing our beloved nation of South Africa, is that we are faced with a fatherless generation. Yes, I'm not talking about young children that don't have a father. Many of those fathers are present but they are not operating in their position. I praise God today for the mothers. John Wesley said his biggest influence in his life was not John Calvin or Count Zinzendorf or any of the great theologians. The biggest influence in his life was his mother. Her name was Susanna. We really need to honour our womanfolk. I want to say to the men, we need to step up boys. We need to be the prophet, the priest and the king of the home. The prophet is the one who leads the way. The priest is the one who gets up in the morning, by example, and has a quiet time with Jesus before anyone else rises, and the king is the one who brings home food to feed his family.Today, let's honour our mothers, our wives, our sisters. Let's honour the women of God who are so courageous, who are always there at the end. Thank you Lord for the womenfolk.Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,Goodbye.

Luke 5:1–11 (ESV) On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.Jesus: “Follow Me.”He Is Always Inviting, Drawing (body, soul & spirit)helkuo - to tug, draw or drag, metaphorically by an inward powerTo His DisciplesTo Everyone He MetThrough His Disciples To OthersAfter His ResurrectionHis Disciples After His AscensionThrough His ChurchInto Modern DayIt's The Defining Mark Of ChristianityMore Than LikingMore than AttendingMore Than BelievingFOLLOWINGHe Is Always Drawing, In General:John 12:32 (ESV) And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will DRAW all people to myself.”John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.Matthew 11:28 (ESV) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.The Crowd:Jesus is speaking, Lake of GennesaretFisherman, merchants and customersPeople who have come to hear JesusBUT Individually:Matthew 11:27 (ESV) All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.John 6:44 (ESV) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.John 6:65 (ESV) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”Peter:Night fishing, nothing caught, washing nets, end of shiftJesus requested to get into Peter's boat, requests that he push outJesus teaches the crowd but Peter is trapped to listen.Jesus does what He always does - “trust me” - “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Requires obedienceMake no sense - “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! Obedience unlocks the miracle - But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. That moment is the miracle that DRAWSThat moment REQUIRES a RESPONSERejectionLikeabilityBeliefFollowFOLLOW: they left everything and followed him.This is not a natural encounter, interaction and decision.It unlocks everythingLeave everything and follow.

Scripture: John 21:1-19 Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish 21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I'm going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven't you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. Jesus Reinstates Peter 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Jesus Is The Way - Humility To Glory (2) (audio) David Eells – 3/9/25 Lets begin with a look at the Parable of the leaders choosing positions of honor and the guests at the marriage feast in (Luk.14:7) And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, (8) When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, (9) and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. We know Jesus also spoke a parable about a king who made a marriage feast for his son, obviously pointing to the Father as the King and Himself being the Son (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24). And we know that the disciples were invited to the marriage feast in the early church, although many of the Jews refused, therefore God turned to the Gentiles and invited them (Matthew 22:3-6,9-10). Are we still invited today? Of course. We're invited to partake of the “bread and the wine,” representing the Body and Blood of Christ, which is the Nature and the Life of Jesus Christ. Paul said, (1Co.11:23) For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; (24) and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me. (25) In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. (26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come. (27) Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (28) But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. (29) For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body. (30) For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. (31) But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. So who is it that could desire the most honorable seats in this marriage feast, as we feast and partake of Jesus Christ? Well, it could be somebody who craves a position or a title that they have not earned, or who desires to partake of an ordination that has not necessarily been given them by God. The Lord is saying through this parable that you should take the more humble place and let God make a way for you. Growing up in God is to let Him “open the doors” to make a way for us. Many people love to partake of titles and position and places of authority, and far too many have been ordained of men and not of God. They've taken a position that hasn't been given them by the King of the marriage feast, and one day they may be told, “Step down; this is not your place. This is given to someone else more worthy.” (Luk.14:10) But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee. (11) For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. We really need to remember that for our own good. God will bring down anybody who is proud or arrogant, or who takes a position that's not theirs because it's been given to them by man instead of God. “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” While we are here, we have the opportunity to humble ourselves in order to be exalted of the Lord, and this is the way of prosperity and blessing in the Kingdom. We have every reason to be humble because we really can do nothing without Him. Of our own ability, we haven't much hope. We read in the previous study, (Joh.5:19) Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing… Did you know that in this text Jesus was speaking of the relationship between not only Himself and His Father, but of Himself as our Father? Isaiah calls Jesus “Everlasting Father,” howbeit the Hebrew actually says “Father of Eternity.” (Isa.9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Prince of Peace, the Father of Eternity, the One that is placed over the government of everything by God. Jesus is the last Adam and our spiritual Father, as we can see also in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9,18-23; Mark 14:13-20; Luke 8:4- 5). (Mat.13:18) Hear then ye the parable of the sower. (19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil [one], and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. (20) And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; (21) yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. (22) And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (23) And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Jesus sowed the Seed in our heart that brings forth His fruit in us. He is our spiritual Adam, the Father of the born-again creation, of the born-again man, just as Adam was the Father of the natural creation. Now, since “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing,” that means anything we do that's contrary to what we see our spiritual Father Jesus doing, is coming from ourselves. And since the apostles are our spiritual forefathers in the faith, anything we do that's contrary to what we see them doing is coming from ourselves, too (Romans 4:11-12; Hebrews 12:9). As Paul said, (1Co.4:15) For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. So notice it says, “what he seeth the Father doing.” Jesus obviously was in the Throne Room as well as on the earth. He saw the Father's Presence, and we know that's going to be true of the Man-child in our day. That's why we study the Scriptures to see what it is to be a Christian disciple, what it is to walk in the Steps of Jesus and be blessed. Jesus said, (Joh.5:30) I can of myself do nothing… And certainly if Jesus can of Himself do nothing, if He needed the Power of the Father to do what He did, then we also can of ourselves do nothing. We, too, need the Power of God, and that lets us know that when something is done for His glory, when something is accomplished for His Kingdom, we can take no credit for it, just as Jesus here was taking no credit. (Joh.5:30) I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Only if we, too, desire God's Will in what we're doing, only if we are not driven by our own lusts or ambitions, only then can we be trusted to work for God because we will not take any credit for it. (Joh.5:31) If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. Another part of humility is that we're not to bear witness of ourselves. Who are we? Who do we have to prove ourselves to? When those apostate Pharisees came to Jesus, they wanted Him to give them a sign that He was Who He said He was, but they had no eyes to see nor ears to hear, because He had been doing those wondrous works as signs all along. Well, Jesus answered them, (Mat.16:4) An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign… He wasn't saying signs are wrong; He was saying that they were an evil and adulterous generation for wanting a sign that He was Who He said He was, when they should have very easily judged by His works. In other words, “I'm not going to give it to you.” He wasn't interested in proving Himself to such people. (Joh.5:32) It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. (Notice that if you don't bear witness of yourself, someone else will bear witness of you.) (Joh.30:36) But the witness which I have is greater than [that of] John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish (And remember, He said that He couldn't do the works of Himself.), the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (37) And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me… Jesus didn't bear witness of Himself so the Father bore witness of Him. And how did the Father bear witness of Him? It was through the works that Jesus did. We find this very important principle all through the New Testament. If we want God to bear witness through us in His signs, His wonders, His works, then we can't bear witness of ourselves. (Joh.30:41) I receive not glory from men. (42) But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. Was He meaning that the people who received glory from men, didn't receive glory from God because their witness was of men and not of God? That's exactly what He's saying. They were interested in pleasing men, not God. They were interested in enjoying the esteem of men, not God. And there are many who receive glory in this life but will receive none in the next life (Matthew 6:1-6,16-21). (Joh.30:41) I receive not glory from men. (42) But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. (43) I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Jesus wasn't interested in pleasing men. He saw always before His face the Father. He was here to please the Father and we also have to desire in our heart to be pleasing only unto Him, and to give glory only unto Him, so that God Himself will be a Witness of us. (Joh.30:44) How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that [cometh] from the only God ye seek not? People love to be seen of men as being prosperous, wise, and even gifted. These are manpleasers, so it's important to them to be seen of men in this way. Instead, if we love God, we will humble ourselves. We know Him and we will practice His Presence because we're interested in pleasing Him. The people that Jesus was running into here couldn't believe because their desire to receive glory from man was not permitting it. (Joh.12:42) Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: (43) for they loved the glory [that is] of men more than the glory that is of God. They believed, but they were afraid to act on it and it's the same today. When you give a witness that may be contrary to the traditions of men, manpleasers are afraid to listen, they're afraid to follow, because they're not interested in pleasing God. They're afraid of acting on that truth because they would be rejected by men. They would be looked down upon by their peers, and it's more important to them to please their peers, their religion and their pastor, than it is for them to accept Truth. You know, God makes an offer to you to accept Truth, and if you reject it, if you cast it down, He takes it back and you may not get that offer again. Many of these people did not receive that offer again. Truth was offered to them and if it wasn't important to be pleasing unto God, if it was more important to them to have the glory of man, well, then that's all they got. Jesus glorified not Himself even when a great multitude came to Him. (Joh.6:1) After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is [the sea] of Tiberias. (2) And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick. (3) And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. (4) Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. (5) Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? So He went from them and up into the mountain, but after a while, it appears that they came up there, too. Not many people can turn aside from the admiration or praise, or even curiosity, of the multitude. Following God is not more important to them than pleasing a multitude, but Jesus could do that and throughout His ministry, we see that He did do that. He wasn't seeking the glory of man and therefore, God glorified Him. Now let's read on because when Jesus didn't seek the glory of man, immediately afterward He fed the five thousand in one of the greatest miracles of His ministry. (Joh.6:5) Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? (6) And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. (7) Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. (8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, (9) There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many? (10) Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. (11) Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. (12) And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. (13) So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten. (14) When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. God was putting that in their heart because Jesus had rejected a desire to be a man pleaser, and in the very next verse, He rejected that again. (Joh.5:15) Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone. So He left the multitudes again, not seeking to be a manpleaser, not wanting to be glorified of man, not wanting to take a position that God did not want Him to take, that is, as a worldly ruler with physical authority. He wanted the spiritual Kingdom that the Father offered unto Him. The devil had offered Him the authority over the physical kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13) and now the people wanted to come and make Jesus King, but He desired nothing of that. Unfortunately, I guarantee you there are many people today who would love that, not realizing that they would do it to their own destruction because, if you receive the glory of man, you don't receive the glory of God. Since Jesus turned down the glory of man here, He glorified not Himself, notice that once again He did one of the greatest miracles of His ministry. (Joh.6:16) And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea; (17) and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. (18) And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew. (19) When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid. (20) But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. (21) They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat: and straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going. Every time Jesus turned down the glory of man, the Father glorified Him by the works that He did. Many of God's people want to have power with God; they want to meet the needs of the brethren around them; they want to heal the sick; they want to cast out devils. They want to do the works of Jesus, and rightly so, but we're seeing here that the works of Jesus don't come through just faith, but also through humility. God sought to glorify Jesus because Jesus didn't seek to glorify Himself. He was not interested in being a manpleaser, as He said, (Joh.5:41) I receive not glory from men. And after Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the Jews asked him, (Joh.5:12) … Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up [thy bed,] and walk? (13) But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place. Jesus didn't seek exposure to the crowd. He didn't seek to be known even to this man whom He had healed. Jesus was seeking to glorify the Father and not Himself, just as every minister of God, even those that are sent by God, which are the minority, will be tried in this manner to see if they will accept for themselves the glory that should go to God. If they will rob the glory of God by taking credit for what God is doing, well, then God will not glorify them. Jesus conveyed Himself away because He didn't seek the credit for what God did. He didn't seek the glory for what God did even though God did this miracle through Him. (Luk.5:12) And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (13) And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him. (14) And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. (And since He did not seek to be known for this work that God did, what happened?) (15) But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities. (16) But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed. Jesus didn't seek the multitudes; they sought Him. And because He didn't seek to be known of them nor to gain credit of them nor to take a position over them, we see once again, God glorified Him. God moved in the heart of the people and they sought Him. This is an important point for us to understand. The Lord is our Example and we are His disciples, His “learners and followers.” It's important for us to know what it is to walk pleasing unto the Father because we need the power of the Father, His grace, His mercy. Humility brings the glory of the Father. Let's look at another example in (Mar.1:23) And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, (24) saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. (25) And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, (Here He is being glorified even of the demons and He wouldn't permit it. They were speaking out and glorifying Him, saying Who He was, yet He wouldn't permit it.) and come out of him.  (26) And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. (27) And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. (28) And the report of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about. Jesus sought not to glorify Himself. He sought not to take full advantage of the situation, and because He didn't, just the opposite happened. Because He was found trustworthy that He would not rob the glory of God, God turned it around and glorified Him. Also in the same book, we read, (Mar.5:18) And as he (This is Jesus.) was entering into the boat, he that had been possessed with demons besought him that he might be with him. (19) And he suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and [how] he had mercy on thee. (Some people think that Jesus is talking about Himself, but He was talking about the Father.) (20) And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men marvelled. Jesus didn't seek His Own glory. Jesus sought earnestly to give all the glory to God, and because He did that, God gave it to Jesus instead. As disciples of Jesus, we have the same opportunity to always give God the glory. We don't want to rob God, even in things that we might consider to be insignificant. Jesus said to the Jews, (Joh.8:50) But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. He was humble, therefore the Father sought to glorify Him and as we saw, one way the Father did that was through the works that Jesus did. Many are seeking to do the works of Jesus because they see the need around them, and if they are walking in humility, then God gives them grace to have faith, because these people are the ones that God can trust with power and authority. They will not steal and rob the glory of God; they will not puff themselves up until they stumble and fall. (Joh.54) Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing (Now, you can glorify yourself and, in the earth, your glory wouldn't be nothing, but Jesus is saying that if He glorified Himself, His glory in the Kingdom would be nothing.): it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God. Once again, we see that we have to be very, very careful not to take credit for something that we're not capable of doing. Of ourselves, we can do nothing. Instead, we give all the glory to God and seek to avoid the limelight, not taking a position that we shouldn't take. (2Co.10:17) But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Always! Paul also tells us, (2Co.12:9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. (Therefore, we have nothing to glory about because we are weak and He is strong.) Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Notice that the power of Christ will rest upon the person who glories in their weaknesses, their inability, their lack of power. God will glorify those persons who will claim no credit, who will not glorify themselves, who will not lift themselves up to take a position that's not theirs. These are the people that God will glorify with “the power of Christ.” (2Co.10:18) For not he that commendeth himself is approved (Approved of Whom? Approved of God.), but whom the Lord commendeth. Those who commend themselves obviously don't receive the glory or the commendation of God. Instead, they get only the commendation and glory of men, and if we receive it here on this earth, that's all the reward we're going to get. (Pro.27:1) Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. We think that we have control over tomorrow. We often say, “we'll do this,” or, “we'll do that; “we'll go here,” or, “we'll go there,” but God said all of our plans are evil. (Jas.4:13) Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: (14) whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. (16) But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. We have no authority to make plans for our future. We need to say, “If the Lord wills.” We need to give glory to God because (Act.17:28) … in him we live, and move, and have our being… Our very breath comes from Him and if He doesn't give it to us tomorrow, we won't be here tomorrow (Job 12:10,33:4; Daniel 5:23). He is the One Who makes it possible for us to do anything. We can do nothing without Him, as Jesus said in (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. It is sin to brag about what we're going to do with this life. It doesn't belong to us; it's been bought with the Blood of the Lamb. (Pro.27:2) Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth… We don't have any room for bragging. We glory in our weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon us. We glory in our inability. We glory in those situations where we can't save ourselves and only God can do it. If you want God to save you, then glory in your weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon you. If you want God to save you, if you want His power, then brag about your inability and His power because, if anyone glories, “let him glory in the Lord.” (Pro.27:2) Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips. That's good advice since, once again, you're being humble before the Lord and you're not accepting any glory, so the Father Himself is the One that will glorify you. (Pro.25:27) It is not good to eat much honey: So for men to search out their own glory is grievous. A similar verse says, (Pro.25:16) Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. These are talking about something that's sweet to the flesh, and something that's sweet to the flesh is receiving glory, but to search out your own glory is bitter because in the end, it leads only to suffering and sorrow. (Pro.30:32) If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, Or if thou hast thought evil, Lay thy hand upon thy mouth. If we want the Lord's grace, if we want His faith, if we want His power, if we want Him to manifest His works through us, we need to be careful what we say before Him. (Mar.10:35) And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. (36) And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? (37) And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory. (38) But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? (I would say that is the cup of suffering.) or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? Baptism is for death, so in other words, “Are you able to go to death?” And what is “death”? Is it not to deny self, take up your cross, and follow Jesus? Is it not to deny self the ability to glory or take any credit for what God does? (Mar.10:39) And they said unto him, We are able. They were very self-confident, weren't they? Remember that Peter was the same way. He told Jesus, (Mat.26:35) … Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. However, Peter really didn't know what was in him, did he? And James and John didn't know what was in them, either. “We are able.” Now we know God did make them able because they did go to their cross, but they were young and impetuous here and didn't understand exactly what all this entailed. (Mar.10:39) And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: (40) but to sit on my right hand or on [my] left hand is not mine to give; but [it is for them] for whom it hath been prepared. (41) And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John. James and John were trying to get ahead of the flock, trying to get some special attention, a special privilege from Jesus here that they hadn't yet earned. Now it's obvious that there are some people who will sit on the Lord's left and right, and it is given to them of the Father because they have borne their baptism, they have borne their cross, they have drunk the cup that Jesus drank. (Mar.10:42) And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. (43) But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister (The word there is diákonos, and it just means “servant.”); (44) and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all. (So the more people you serve, the better.) (45) For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. A “ransom” is a price that's paid to set somebody free from bondage. Does this mean that the Lord expects us to give up our life in order to be used of Him to set many free from bondage? Yes. Just as Jesus came to be a Ransom for many, each of us, also, if we give up our life, is able to be used of Him to bring many out of bondage and into the Kingdom of God. The Bible tells us to (Php.2:5) Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; (8) and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross. He came, He laid aside all of His omnipotence and made Himself poor, that we through His poverty might become rich in the ways of the Kingdom (2 Corinthians 8:9), and He expects us to walk in His Steps. Let's look at one example that particularly points out the humility of Jesus and how He commanded His disciples to walk in that humility. (Joh.13:1) Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end. (2) And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's [son,] to betray him, (3) [Jesus,] knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God, (4) riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself. (5) Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciple's feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. What do you think this foot washing represents? There's nothing wrong with a physical foot washing. It's a humble thing to do, and especially so in Biblical times because the way they traveled meant their feet got very dirty. Well, there's a spiritual type and shadow there, because as we “walk” in this world, it's very likely that our “feet” get dirty with this world. “Sanctification” is “the process of being separated from the world,” and we want to be a part of that separating process for all of our brethren, for everybody that comes in contact with us. That's what Jesus was pointing out here. Again, I'm not denying the physical ceremony of the foot washing, which is good, but we need to understand the spiritual type and shadow here. The Lord put off His clothes and He girded Himself with a towel. We all are putting off our “clothing”; we're putting off the old man and the old life, and we're putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, representing His righteousness and His righteous works (Romans 13:14). (Joh.13:6) So he cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? (7) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter. (8) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Now that's not just a physical foot washing here. This is something spiritual and much more important. If the Lord doesn't wash us, of course we have nothing to do with Him and He has nothing to do with us. We have to be washed by the water of the Word, as Paul called it (Ephesians 5:26-27). And we especially need the dirt washed off our feet because our walk with God has to be a clean walk. We need to be separated from the world, and we also have a part in helping our brethren to walk in this way. (Joh.13:9) Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. (10) Jesus saith to him, He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. In other words, if you wash your feet, you're clean all over. If you have a clean walk with the Lord, the reason for that is that your heart is right before Him so you're clean everywhere else, too. (11) For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. Evil people can't walk a clean walk before the Lord. Righteous people can walk a clean walk because of what's inside them. (Joh.13:12) So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? (13) Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. (14) If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (As the Lord, Who is the mighty King Who has come down out of heaven and has stooped to be our Servant, we also need to be servants to each other.) (15) For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. We have to humble ourselves. If the Lord of glory humbled Himself, and He gave us an example, then we have to humble ourselves. We have to be useful in the sanctification of our brothers and sisters, but we're only able to be used of the Lord as we become righteous. That towel represented His righteousness; He dried their feet with His Own righteousness and we're able to be used of the Lord the same way. (Joh.13:16) Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. (17) If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them. (18) I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me. (19) From henceforth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am [he]. The greatest is the servant of all, but all will not become servants of the brethren because they serve themselves. They seek their own glory, therefore God can't seek to glorify them. A person who seeks their own glory cannot be trusted with God's glory. They cannot be trusted. They would squander it on the world, on self, and glorify self. It would be very destructive to them for God to do this. Now, does God do this with some people? Yes, however, they won't ultimately have a position with God in the Kingdom. There are people who have received gifts of God, but then they continue to seek their own glory. Does God take the gift back? No, He doesn't necessarily even take the gift back. He uses them. For example, they may be used in healing but they themselves may never see the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus warned us, (Mat.7:22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. God can use us down here as a vessel, yet it won't be for our good; it will be for the good of others around us. If we lift ourselves up, we won't be in God's Kingdom. We won't be acceptable unto Him. And so we see here that Jesus humbled Himself in order to wash the disciples' feet. Our Lord wants us to walk in His Steps. He is our Example, therefore we also need to be very humble servants of God for the health and sake of the brethren. We've learned too much from Babylonish Christianity that we need to be washed of, and we see far too many examples of men who have lifted themselves up. They've made themselves a kingdom here and live in very high circumstances, with luxurious homes and grossly overpaid positions. They have chosen to be kings over their Lord's heritage, and at the end, they're not going to have anything. God knows His servants. (1Sam.16:7) But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. God doesn't see as man sees. He knows who are humble towards Him. He knows who are sacrificing themselves. He knows who are trying to avoid taking any glory from Him. He knows them and He will glorify them. He will not only glorify them in this life, He will glorify them in the next life. Some of the most famous Christians down here will not be famous in the Kingdom of Heaven because they have stolen, robbed, the glory of God, and God cannot permit that. Some of the people who have never been known down here, are never known because they don't seek to be known. Some of these people are going to be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Isa.55:8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Some of the most humble people here, “humble” meaning not interested in glorifying themselves, not interested in lifting themselves up, are going to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, and they are great in the Kingdom of Heaven, as far as God is concerned. Jesus sought a simple life. He sought not to have and do the things that men thought were great. He didn't mind speaking Truth, even if it offended the high and the mighty. He didn't mind leaving the multitudes behind in order to go seek fellowship with the Father (Matthew 14:13; Luke 4:42; Mark 1:35; etc.) We need to emulate Him. Jesus had such a desire to meet the needs of the people, that in some cases, He was working night and day (Matthew 8:24- 25,13:2; Mark 3:9; etc.) Jesus said, (Mat.8:20) … The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. He didn't have any time for Himself and I believe that God has some servants down here who are doing the same thing. They see the need, they're moved with compassion, and they go to meet the need, but not for the glory of man. Jesus wasn't doing it for the glory of man because He didn't mind leaving the multitudes and going up into the mountains to pray. He's our Example, and as the Bible tells us, (1Jn.2:5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Now I have a couple of revelations to share with you.     The Glorious Bride's Fruit B.A.- 01/30/2014 Notes: [David | Deb] The second dream (below) occurred the night after this one; they show the glorious Bride and God's work to raise the Church. I had a neat dream last night. I dreamed that I was translated into UBM's Friday night Bible study. (After the Bride is manifested, she will be seen in many places where the unleavened Word is shared among the disciples of the David Man-child reformers, just as John the Baptist saw the Bride among the disciples of Jesus, the Son of David.) (2Ti.2:15 Give diligence (“study”) to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.) I dreamed that as I was translated into the back of the assembly, I walked up and sat down in the row directly behind everyone. (The last shall be first.) (The Bride who puts themselves last and others first will be first. The Bride who puts themselves last and the Lord and His Word first will be first.) Brother David was in front of the assembly (in a blue polo-like shirt with stripes and blue jeans). (The stripes represent that the Man-child/Davids will have taken the persecution [for the body's sake]. Blue represents walking in grace or heavenly places.) He saw me come in and take my seat. He looked at me with great interest, but he never stopped talking. People began to turn around and look at me, one at a time. They didn't stare at me; they just looked and turned back around. (Son.6:10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Terrible as an army with banners? This is the Bride. 13 Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, As upon the dance of Mahanaim?) (You will notice that the Bride is not any local assembly but wherever the Davids are teaching, they will be among the disciples, as it was with Jesus, according to John, who said, “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom”. This shows us that the Bride will know the voice of the groom in the Man-child/Davids. There are local bodies that the Lord is choosing to purge of unfruitful people as a good foundation for more saints to come.) When the service was over, I stood up and instantly I was gone. (The Bride will take the Davids' teachings throughout the earth; much translation will happen among them.) In the dream, after I was gone, I heard Brother David say to the assembly, “Did you all see that woman who came in and sat in the back? Did you notice that she was surrounded in light?” Some people spoke up and said, “Yes, we did”. (The glorious Bride will be an example to those who come after her, having departed from transgression by the Lord's redemption. Isa.59:20 And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah. 21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith Jehovah: my Spirit that is upon thee (the Bride), and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth (the Bride will speak and obey the Word), nor out of the mouth of thy seed (the Bride's spiritual children), nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed (and their children), saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever. Isaiah had much to prophesy concerning Zion, the Bride, and the effect of the glorious light of God's Word manifested in her by the Spirit of God, bringing great revival. Isa.60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. The children of the Bride will come to the light in the Bride from all over the world.) 14 And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet (The apostates will be humbled under the Davids and the Bride); and they shall call thee The city of Jehovah, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations... 18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders (the Beast persecutors among God's people will have no authority there); but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation (to enter the Bride, Jerusalem, will be to manifest the salvation that many only have by faith), and thy gates Praise. 19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah will be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22 The little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation; I, Jehovah, will hasten it in its time. (Great fruit will come from the glorious Bride.) The Man-child's ministry to the Bride and Church is in the next chapter. Isa.61:1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. Isa.62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah (meaning “my delight is in her”), and thy land Beulah (meaning “married”); for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.     Bride Saves the Apostate Church from Enemies B.A.- 01/31/2014 Notes: [David | Deb] I dreamed that I was in Tennessee for a visit. I was hungry, so I stopped at a fast-food restaurant to get something to eat. (It's “fast food” because time is running out. The Israelites were told to eat their Passover quickly before leaving Egypt. Exo.12:11 And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.) As I was getting out of the car, I noticed an elderly woman walking slowly with a cane. (This is the old order, mother Church. They have been with the Lord for many years but too crippled by false teachings to walk in the Spirit.) (The Lord promises them restoration: Zec.8:4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.) I happened to look up ahead toward the door and I noticed that there was about a four- or five-inch curb. (Four is the Word and it brings tribulation to the carnal man, but five is grace given to us that brings us through the tribulation of our life.) The curb was in front of the door. (Joh.10:9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. “Pasture” is food.) I knew that this elderly woman might have some difficulty trying to step up from the curb of the parking lot and onto the sidewalk by the door. (6:54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. It's a “sidewalk” because it's beside the shepherds' tents. Sol.1:8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents.) I walked up to her and asked her if I could help her and she was happy for my offer of help. (Much trouble is coming to the old order because they have not yet understood that the promises of God are there to deliver them.) She had noticed the tall curb as well and was wondering if she would be able to make that step up from the curb. (They don't have the real Gospel which empowers them to manifest salvation in all things. Rom.1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth... The Bride will be there to help them with understanding and the Word will be confirmed with signs and wonders following.) So I helped her inside the restaurant and to a table.  (Eze.34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and on the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed on the mountains of Israel.) She introduced herself to me and told me her name was Mabel (Her name is of uncertain derivation, but from the Spanish or Italian, it means both “beautiful” and “soft, tender”, some say loving, lovable”.) and I told her my name. (Many in the old order Church are innocent and the true Gospel will bring life in them. They are walking in the light that they have, like God says in Rom.14:4 He shall be made to stand for the Lord hath power to make him stand.) (Humility and innocence are valuable to the Lord. 1Pe.3:4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.) I took her order and went up to the counter and got our food and brought it back to the table. She offered me $10 to pay for her food. (Ten is the number of the law and the old order is used to paying for everything and not receiving freely by grace.) I told her it was a blessing for me to bless her. (Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give”.) I told her it would be a pleasure for me to sit and have my meal with her. She was so happy to have my company. She told me she was waiting for her daughter, Jean, who was always very late. (In the natural, we are told to “let your yes be yes and your no be no”, and this is true for those who are truthful but not for liars. As far as the spiritual gifts of God, they will also be late for what the Lord has for them.) (Rom.13:11 And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. ... Mat.25:10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. Rev.3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eye salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.) We had such a wonderful time. Mabel told me that she was a widow. (Our first husband is Satan, for we are submitted to him and we have ears for him. When he is dead to us, we are ready for the Lord.) She was meeting her daughter at the restaurant to discuss the possibility of her going into an assisted living home, as she was getting too old to live by herself. (Instead of being a minister of God's grace, the children turn to the ways of the world and rarely repay the kindness owed to their mentors.) I saw Mabel look toward the door, so I turned around and I saw a woman who appeared to be in her mid-60s (Mid-60s means lukewarm, midway between 60, the Gematria for “world”, and 70 identifies the number of disciples that were sent by Jesus and Moses.) She came through the door and walked toward us. She looked at me with disapproval on her face, then over to her mother. I stood up and introduced myself to her, but she wasn't very receptive to me. Just then, Mabel spoke up and told her daughter, Jean, how I had helped her. Jean then looked back at me and said, “I'm here now, so you can leave”. (The factious have always hated the Bride and consider themselves superior to them. They have lusted for a position over the church but don't have the fruit or gift from God to take care of her.) I reached down and picked up my purse and said goodbye to Mabel and left the restaurant. As I walked across the parking lot to my car, I prayed in the spirit for Mabel and her daughter, Jean. (The Bride is gracious and prays for the old order Christians and the factious.) As I got into my car, I had an open vision. I could see Mabel and Jean inside the restaurant. I saw Jean sit down where I had been sitting across from Mabel (seeking to usurp the position of the Bride). I watched as Jean began to scold her mother for “taking up” with strangers (in Proverbs, the stranger is the Harlot), and she began saying very unkind things about me. Jean said to her mother, “Can't you tell by the way people are dressed, Mother, that you should not associate with them?” (Slanderers of the Bride are now making themselves known to the Church.) Then it was Mabel's turn to speak. She said, “First of all, that kind woman helped me into the restaurant (helped her to find spiritual food). I'm sure she had other things to do, like you do, but she took the time to help me. Then, she went the extra mile”. (The Bride sacrifices for the Church. The factious sacrifice the Church to their own ego.) She asked me what I would like to eat and she went and got it and brought it back to me. (Job.23:12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. Joh.6:56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him.) She would not accept any money from me, unlike what you do. (They make merchandise of the people and do nothing freely.) (Act.8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.) And as for the way she was dressed, her clothing was of much more value than yours. (Rom.13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts [thereof]. Rev.19:8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.) Just then, Jean spoke up and said, “Oh, I really don't think so, Mother”, in a very prideful tone of voice. (Pro.16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.) Mabel said, “Oh, yes, she is wearing 'clothes of righteousness' and you are wearing clothes of wickedness!” (Isa.59:5 They hatch adders eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace.) “She was nothing but kind to me and she treated me as if I were her own mother. I don't understand how you can judge her like that before you know any of the facts!” (They distort and lie about every fact.) Just then, Mabel got up from the table and started heading toward the door. (1Co.5:11 But as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.) (Tit.3:10 A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; 11 knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned.) Her daughter said, “Mother, just where do you think you are going?” Mabel replied, “I'm going home and you can't stop me”. Her daughter said, “But we haven't had our discussion yet about your 'assisted' living arrangement”. Mabel replied, “I've decided that I no longer need any assistance”. (Association with the Bride will bring the old order church out from under the curse that faction and unforgiveness have put on them. Nursing homes are full of them.) As Mabel got to the door, her daughter called out, “Well, Mother, at least come back and get your cane”. Mabel turned around and looked at her daughter and said, “Nope. It appears, Jean, that I don't seem to need it anymore. (Out from under the crutches of religion and free to walk in the Spirit above the curse.) Why don't you just keep it?” (This is exactly the curse on the factious.) And Mabel got into her car and drove off. (Isa.10:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that smote them, but shall lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.) Then I saw Brother David and a few others sitting in a booth several feet away and they had witnessed the entire thing. (Mat.18:16 But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. 2Co.13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word established.) (We are witnesses of this atrocity against the Bride and Church. God Himself, by these dreams, is witnessing against these atrocities against His people.)

"On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him." (Luke 5:1–11, ESV)

Often we hear it said that "God is in control" and "God can do anything" This is often taken to mean everything that happens is the responsibility and will of God. This is not so. Remember in the beginning, God put the earth and everything in it under the control of his man Adam. In short order Adam gave this authority and control to the enemy of God thereby creating a separation between God and man. In response to Adam's treason (a perfect, loving, true, Creator Father) God made a promise to redeem man. More perfectly God made a way for man to be redeemed. Man must participate in this redemption by exercising his free will to obey God - a willing sacrifice. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? Matthew 21***109: Jesus' Prayer In GethsemaneMatthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46Jesus' Prayer In GethsemaneWhen Jesus and his disciples arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said tothem: “Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.” Jesus took with him Peter; also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and went a little farther. Then he said to them: “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Tarry ye here, and watch with me.” Jesus went on a little farther, fell on his face on the ground, and prayed – saying: “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me; nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Then he returned to the three disciples and, finding them asleep, said to Peter: “Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus went away a second time and prayed, saying: “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” Then he returned and found the three asleep again. Jesus left them a third time and prayed with the same intent and in the same words as before. When he returned to the three sleeping disciples, he said: “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough, the hour is come. Behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.”

Who Is Jesus? // Week 1 // How Jesus PrayedPastor JF WilkersonMatthew 26:36-38 NIV  36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”1) The WITHMatthew 18:19-20 NIV  19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”James 5:16 NIV  16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.1) The WITH2) The WATCHINGMatthew 26:36-39 NIV  36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”Colossians 4:2 NIV  2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.Ephesians 1:16-19a NIV 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe…Matthew 26:40-41 NIV  40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”1) The WITH2) The WATCHING3) The WALKINGMatthew 26:42-44 NIV42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.Matthew 26:44-46 NIV44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”James 1:22 NLT22 But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says.The WITHThe WATCHINGThe WALKING

MARK 10:35-45 | Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”“What do you want me to do for you?”, He asked.They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”“You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”“We can,” they answered.Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

MARK 10:35-45 | Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”“What do you want me to do for you?”, He asked.They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”“You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”“We can,” they answered.Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

MARK 10:35-45 | Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”“What do you want me to do for you?”, He asked.They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”“You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”“We can,” they answered.Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

MARK 10:35-45 | Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”“What do you want me to do for you?”, He asked.They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”“You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”“We can,” they answered.Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Message by Rev. Tim Barton, recorded live February 16, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Tim is part of our congregation, and a long time pastor from the Portland area. He is also currently participating as a Spiritual Director in Rhythms of Grace. Today's scripture is read by Brad Day.Matthew 26:14-16 (Judas betrays Jesus) – Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.Matthew 26:36-40 (the disciples slept) – Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. Matthew 26:55-56 (The disciples fled) – In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.Matthew 26:73-75 (Peter's denial) – After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don't know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Matthew 27:50, 55 (the women watched Jesus) – And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.Matthew 28:1, 5-8 (the women proclaimed Jesus) – After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Episode NotesFor Daily Prayers and more become a Member on PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com Daily Office - Friday in the Fifth Week After Epiphany Opening Words:I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. Isaiah 49:6b Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.   Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.   The InvitatoryLord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Psalm 95:1–7The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.  The PsalterPsalm 88OLord, my God, my Savior, *by day and night I cry to you.Let my prayer enter into your presence; *incline your ear to my lamentation.For I am full of trouble; *my life is at the brink of the grave.I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; *I have become like one who has no strength;Lost among the dead, *like the slain who lie in the grave,Whom you remember no more, *for they are cut off from your hand.You have laid me in the depths of the Pit, *in dark places, and in the abyss.Your anger weighs upon me heavily, *and all your great waves overwhelm me.You have put my friends far from me;you have made me to be abhorred by them; *I am in prison and cannot get free.My sight has failed me because of trouble; *Lord, I have called upon you daily;I have stretched out my hands to you.Do you work wonders for the dead? *will those who have died stand up and give you thanks?Will your loving-kindness be declared in the grave? *your faithfulness in the land of destruction?Will your wonders be known in the dark? *or your righteousness in the country where all is forgotten?But as for me, O Lord, I cry to you for help; *in the morning my prayer comes before you.Lord, why have you rejected me? *why have you hidden your face from me?Ever since my youth, I have been wretched and at the point of death; *I have borne your terrors with a troubled mind.Your blazing anger has swept over me; *your terrors have destroyed me;They surround me all day long like a flood; *they encompass me on every side.My friend and my neighbor you have put away from me, *and darkness is my only companion.  Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.  LessonsIsa. 61:1-9The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines; but you shall be called priests of the Lord, you shall be named ministers of our God; you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory. Because their shame was double, and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot, therefore they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.  Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord; we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory. The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. You, Christ, are the king of glory,the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us freeyou did not shun the Virgin's womb.You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people,bought with the price of your own blood,and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting.  2 Tim. 3:1-17You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them! For among them are those who make their way into households and captivate silly women, overwhelmed by their sins and swayed by all kinds of desires, who are always being instructed and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth. As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people, of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith, also oppose the truth. But they will not make much progress, because, as in the case of those two men, their folly will become plain to everyone. Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God.  Mark 10:32-45They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again." James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God.  Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old,that he would save us from our enemies, *from the hands of all who hate us.He promised to show mercy to our fathers *and to remember his holy covenant.This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *to set us free from the hands of our enemies,Free to worship him without fear, *holy and righteous in his sightall the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,To give his people knowledge of salvation *by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God *the dawn from on high shall break upon us,To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.  The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.     The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.    Suffrages BV. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;R. Govern and uphold them, now and always.V. Day by day we bless you; R. We praise your name for ever.V. Lord, keep us from all sin today; R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.V. Lord, show us your love and mercy; R. For we put our trust in you.V. In you, Lord, is our hope; R. And we shall never hope in vain.    The CollectsCollect of the DaySet us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Collect for Grace O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others.  Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.   A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.     DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen 

Luke 5:1-11While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listeningto the word of God,he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.He saw two boats there alongside the lake;the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."Simon said in reply,"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,but at your command I will lower the nets."When they had done this, they caught a great number of fishand their nets were tearing.They signaled to their partners in the other boatto come to help them.They came and filled both boatsso that the boats were in danger of sinking.When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized himand all those with him,and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,who were partners of Simon.Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;from now on you will be catching men."When they brought their boats to the shore,they left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:1-11While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listeningto the word of God,he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.He saw two boats there alongside the lake;the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."Simon said in reply,"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,but at your command I will lower the nets."When they had done this, they caught a great number of fishand their nets were tearing.They signaled to their partners in the other boatto come to help them.They came and filled both boatsso that the boats were in danger of sinking.When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized himand all those with him,and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,who were partners of Simon.Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;from now on you will be catching men."When they brought their boats to the shore,they left everything and followed him.

Reading 1Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8In the year King Uzziah died,I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne,with the train of his garment filling the temple.Seraphim were stationed above.They cried one to the other,"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!All the earth is filled with his glory!"At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shookand the house was filled with smoke.Then I said, "Woe is me, I am doomed!For I am a man of unclean lips,living among a people of unclean lips;yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"Then one of the seraphim flew to me,holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar.He touched my mouth with it, and said,"See, now that this has touched your lips,your wickedness is removed, your sin purged."Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,"Whom shall I send?  Who will go for us?""Here I am," I said; "send me!"Reading 21 Corinthians 15:1-11 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,of the gospel I preached to you,which you indeed received and in which you also stand.Through it you are also being saved,if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,unless you believed in vain.For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:that Christ died for our sinsin accordance with the Scriptures;that he was buried;that he was raised on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures;that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.After that, Christ appeared to morethan five hundred brothers at once,most of whom are still living,though some have fallen asleep.After that he appeared to James,then to all the apostles.Last of all, as to one born abnormally,he appeared to me.For I am the least of the apostles,not fit to be called an apostle,because I persecuted the church of God.But by the grace of God I am what I am,and his grace to me has not been ineffective.Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.Therefore, whether it be I or they,so we preach and so you believed.GospelLuke 5:1-11While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listeningto the word of God,he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.He saw two boats there alongside the lake;the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."Simon said in reply,"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,but at your command I will lower the nets."When they had done this, they caught a great number of fishand their nets were tearing.They signaled to their partners in the other boatto come to help them.They came and filled both boatsso that the boats were in danger of sinking.When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized himand all those with him,and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,who were partners of Simon.Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;from now on you will be catching men."When they brought their boats to the shore,they left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:1-11, Jesus Calls His First Disciples One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

A sermon for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 9, 2025. Luke 5:1-11 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Watch the VIDEO BY CLICKING HEREJesus Calls His First DisciplesLuke 5: 1-115 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”5 Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

February 9, 2025. Fr/ Tyler's homily for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Enjoy! Gospel Luke 5:1-11 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:1-11   Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listeningto the word of God,he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.He saw two boats there alongside the lake;the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."Simon said in reply,"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,but at your command I will lower the nets."When they had done this, they caught a great number of fishand their nets were tearing.They signaled to their partners in the other boatto come to help them.They came and filled both boatsso that the boats were in danger of sinking.When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized himand all those with him,and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,who were partners of Simon.Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;from now on you will be catching men."When they brought their boats to the shore,they left everything and followed him.

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Bible Readings Isaiah 6:1–8, Luke 5:1-11, Romans 10:12–17 Worship Folder Pastor Paul A. Tullberg Sermon text: Luke 5:1-11 The Calling of the First Disciples 5 One time, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats there along the lakeshore. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Jesus got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. He sat down and began teaching the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered him, “Master, we worked hard all through the night and caught nothing. But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were about to tear apart. 7 They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord.” 9 For Peter and all those with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Have no fear. From now on you will be catching people.” 11 After they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Take a Moment to recall something from today's message. Ask Jesus to create for you opportunities to use your words, activities and thoughts to glorify Him this week. We value your friendship and the opportunity to share the love of Jesus together with you!

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. 

Luke 5:1-11Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.' Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.' When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!' For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.' When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. My dad was a car salesman when I was growing up. He worked an odd schedule: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. one day and 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. the next. One summer when I was about seven, he bought a little jon boat with an old motor. On the days he didn't have to go in until the afternoon, my dad, my brother, and I would strap the boat in the bed of the truck and head to Shadyside Lake for the morning. It was always a competition to see who would catch the most fish. My dad usually came in last, though he'd tell you it was because I didn't like taking my fish off the hook. It didn't matter anyway because Chad always seemed to outcatch us. But our time fishing was never really about how many fish we caught.We fished for sport, of course—just time for a father and his sons to be together, like every father wants. But for Simon Peter and the others, fishing was their job, their livelihood, a central part of their identity. Their boat would have been one of, if not the most, important things they owned. So I wonder if Simon hesitated when Jesus asked him to put it out a little way from the shore so he could preach to the crowd pressing in on him. Whatever the case, Jesus went out on the lake, sat down, and preached. When it was over, I'm sure Simon was ready to shake Jesus' hand and say, “Great sermon today, Rabbi. Thank you very much. Let's get you back to shore.” But that's not what Jesus wanted. No, Jesus said, “Let's go back out. I want to fish. I know where you should go.”Do you think that's what Simon really wanted to do? He had been out all night away from his family. He still had to wash the nets, and to make matters worse, he had caught nothing. No fish meant no money. No money meant all sorts of questions—how would he feed his family or buy the necessary supplies to keep his business afloat? So Simon responded, “Master, we were at this all night and caught nothing.” In other words: Jesus, take it from me—there's nothing out there.I wonder how many times Simon rowed his boat ashore with empty nets. This likely wasn't the first time. And think for a moment how hard that must have been—how it would leave Simon feeling. This was the thing he was supposed to be an expert in, the thing he'd done all his life. Like me, he spent many days fishing with his dad. So I imagine each time he spent all night on that boat and caught nothing, his inner critic was loud: “You're not a good fisherman, which means you're not a good provider or husband. You don't really know what you're doing. You're incompetent. You fail at this just like you do everything else.”I have no doubt that voice left him feeling like he wasn't good enough, smart enough, or rich enough. What he felt was despair. And when you feel that way, the last thing you want to do is go back out and try again.Surely you know what that's like—not for your nets to be empty, but to fail at the very thing you're supposed to be good at. Or for your expertise to let you down. I have to believe you are no stranger to that inner critic telling you that you are not good enough, smart enough, or rich enough. If you are anything like me, you hear it nearly every night, saying you didn't do enough today. You should have done more or done it better—because if you had, maybe people would see your worth. Maybe God would too. Maybe your inner critic replays each encounter you had throughout the day, making you question what you said or did. Or perhaps it reminds you of all the mistakes you've made and why you aren't worthy of love or joy. How do we not fall into despair and self-doubt when we hear this?But then Simon changes his mind and says to Jesus, “Yet if you say so.” Those five words are what being a follower of Jesus is all about. I'm not sure about this, God, but I'll give it a go. I've got my doubts—about this and about myself—yet I trust you. I really don't want to do this, Jesus, yet if you say so.Simon says those five words and does as Jesus says. You know the story from there: the disciples catch a whole school of fish, and their nets begin to tear. So they call over their partners to bring another boat. Once help arrives, both boats are swimming in so many fish that they begin to sink. Now, it would be easy to get caught up in the fish, to think they are the most important, most miraculous part of this story. We could even twist this story to mean that if I am obedient to Jesus—if I just do what God says—then I too will get a miracle.You likely don't want a literal boatload of fish, yet you might hope for some miracle of abundance.But don't focus on the fish; that's not the point of the story. If we do, we miss the most miraculous part—namely, that the Savior of the world is on board with them. The fish simply point to what's most important: sitting beside them on their little boat is God in the flesh!Everyone who saw the catch was amazed, but it is Simon who realizes what it means. So he turns to Jesus and says, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” In other words: I am not worthy for you to be on my boat. I'm not worthy because I doubted you. I'm not worthy because I'm just a fisherman, and not a good one at that. If you only knew me and my sin, if you heard my inner critic, then you too, Jesus, would know I'm not worthy.But that's exactly why Jesus got into the boat. He didn't get on that boat because Simon had earned it. Clearly, it wasn't Simon's fantastic fishing skills that lured Jesus. If anything, it was the opposite. If anything, it was because the nets were empty. It was because Simon hadn't caught any fish. It was because of the self-doubt and despair this so-called fisherman must have been feeling. If Simon had hauled in a huge catch the night before, what need would he have had for Jesus? It's all grace that Jesus was on Simon's boat. It wasn't merit—because that's not how the kingdom of God works. Jesus was there because Simon was in need. The best news for all of us who hear that inner critic, who are familiar with despair and self-doubt, is that the same is true for us. God is in your boat—not because you are worthy, not because of your merit, not because what you think you are good at. It is because our nets are empty. It is because we have failed. It is because we are in need that Jesus gets on board. If we never doubted, if we never failed, what need would we have for such grace? It is grace that silences the inner critic, telling us that we are enough, we are worthy, because we are loved.“Do not be afraid, from now you will catch people”. That's our job, too. All around us people are falling into despair and self-doubt from the words of their inner critic, all of it amplified by the world we live in. We are tasked with catching them by offering the same grace we have received in Jesus Christ. It's getting on board with them when their nets are empty. It's helping them—not because they've earned it, but because they need it.Just as with my dad and brother, it's not about the fish. It's about recognizing that, as unworthy as we are, Jesus is on board with us, guiding us where we should go and what we should do. And even when we are unsure or unwilling to follow, may we have the strength and courage to respond: “But if you say so.”Amen.

Despite not being a commercial fisherman, Jesus tells Simon Peter to let down his nets despite Simon Peter having fished all night and caught nothing. Sarah Stenson joins the podcast to explain how God's creative power is in full display in this text as well as Simon Peter's responses to Jesus: first, a confession of faith. Second, a plea for Jesus to get away from him. Lastly, Sarah teaches us what it means to truly be a “fisher of men.” CONFIRMATION Does your church have a confirmation class? Luther House of Study is excited to present a comprehensive online confirmation curriculum. The curriculum includes interactive digital lessons and supplemental teacher guides featuring custom videos, quizzes, drag and drop tasks, discussion questions, scripture passages, and prayers about the Apostles' Creed, the 10 Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Sacraments. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org/confirmation to dive into the curriculum and share it with your church or your pastor. COURSES Do you like what you learn in the conversations on Scripture First? Luther House of Study has numerous interactive courses available for free on subjects ranging from the Lutheran Catechism to core Christian beliefs. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org to see their available courses, create an account to track your progress, and dive deeper into your learning. SING TO THE LORD Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. 

Mark 1:14–20 (Listen) Jesus Begins His Ministry 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;1 repent and believe in the gospel.” Jesus Calls the First Disciples 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”2 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. Footnotes [1] 1:15 Or the kingdom of God has come near [2] 1:17 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women (ESV)

Matthew 4:18-22 18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mark 3:13-19 - Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom He wanted and they came to Him. He appointed Twelve, whom He also named Apostles, that they might be with Him and He might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom He named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom He named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him. Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Saint Francis, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) "Sins of the flesh" may lack "angelicality" but they are hurting the Vatican https://cruxnow.com/news-analysis/2025/01/sins-of-the-flesh-may-lack-angelicality-but-they-are-hurting-the-vatican 3) Francis' autobiography mocks clerical vestments under the cloak of humility https://www.knightsrepublic.com/single-post/francis-autobiography-mocks-clerical-vestments-under-the-cloak-of-humility 4) Sean Duffy led his family in praying the Hail Mary before his confirmation hearing https://gatewayhispanic.com/video/sean-duffy-leading-his-family-in-praying-the-hail-mary-before-his-confirmation-hearing/

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wantedand they came to him.He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,that they might be with himand he might send them forth to preachand to have authority to drive out demons:He appointed the Twelve:Simon, whom he named Peter;James, son of Zebedee,and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,that is, sons of thunder;Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

For Daily Prayers and more become a Member on PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Year 1 - 1979 Daily Office LectionaryOpening Words:I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.Isaiah 49:6b Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Psalm 95:1-7The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God,and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 251To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;my God, I put my trust in you; *let me not be humiliated,nor let my enemies triumph over me.2Let none who look to you be put to shame; *let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.3Show me your ways, O Lord, *and teach me your paths.4Lead me in your truth and teach me, *for you are the God of my salvation;in you have I trusted all the day long.5Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *for they are from everlasting.6Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *remember me according to your loveand for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.7Gracious and upright is the Lord; *therefore he teaches sinners in his way.8He guides the humble in doing right *and teaches his way to the lowly.9All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.10For your Name's sake, O Lord, *forgive my sin, for it is great.11Who are they who fear the Lord? *he will teach them the way that they should choose.12They shall dwell in prosperity, *and their offspring shall inherit the land.13The Lord is a friend to those who fear him *and will show them his covenant.14My eyes are ever looking to the Lord, *for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.15Turn to me and have pity on me, *for I am left alone and in misery.16The sorrows of my heart have increased; *bring me out of my troubles.17Look upon my adversity and misery *and forgive me all my sin.18Look upon my enemies, for they are many, *and they bear a violent hatred against me.19Protect my life and deliver me; *let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.20Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, *for my hope has been in you.21Deliver Israel, O God, *out of all his troubles. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsa. 44:6-8,21-23A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be. Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you, you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you; You are the Lord: we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory. The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Eph. 4:1-16A Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians.I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Mark 3:7-19aA Reading from the Gospel According to Mark.Jesus departed with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!' But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.Then he went home;The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages BV. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;R. Govern and uphold them, now and always.V. Day by day we bless you;R. We praise your name for ever.V. Lord, keep us from all sin today;R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;R. For we put our trust in you.V. In you, Lord, is our hope;R. And we shall never hope in vain. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Father Charles Murr joins Terry Gospel - Mark 1:14-20 - After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” As He passed by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their nets and followed Him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then He called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed Him. Bishop Sheen quote of the day

After John had been arrested,Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:“This is the time of fulfillment.The Kingdom of God is at hand.Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;they were fishermen.Jesus said to them,“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”Then they left their nets and followed him.He walked along a little fartherand saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They too were in a boat mending their nets.Then he called them.So they left their father Zebedee in the boatalong with the hired men and followed him.

What Are You Fishing For? Men pleasers- Ephesians 6:6 Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; Gold/wealth- Matthew 23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Treasures-Proverbs 10:2 - Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. Lust of the flesh- Galatians 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Earthly accolades, wealth, something of value, women, men,  Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?   34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God.   Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. Luke 12: 29   And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.   What's in your tackle box?  I love to fish.  If I fish in freshwater, I take a smaller rod and lighter line.  I use artificial bait that looks like a bug or edible thing to a fish that might find its way by accident into the water. In saltwater, I have to go heavier.  Anything is possible but I am not capable of anything so I have to moderate.   Jesus mission was misunderstood. Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.   Who is He fighting? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36   The Sword:  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Job threw up the phrase that some people have ascribed to.  Job 34:4 Let's decide for ourselves what is right and agree among ourselves as to what is good,   That is straight up PRIDE and arrogance Charles Haddon Spurgeon  said “DEAR FRIENDS, it is never wise to dispute with God. Let a man strive with his fellow, but not with his Maker. If we must discuss any point, let it be with imperfect beings like ourselves, but not with the infallible and infinitely wise God; for, in most of our discussions, these questions wilt come back to us, "Should it be according to thy mind? Art thou master? Is everyone to be subordinate to thee?" I am going to speak, this evening, to those who have a quarrel with God concerning the way of salvation. “ Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 46: 1900 What's in your tackle box?      “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…” Ephesians 4:11-13   Is all you are catching is hell?  You might want to change your bait.  You might want to change your tackle.  You might want to mend your nets. Simon Peter, and Andrew had already joined him, now he was asking the sons of Zebadee. Matthew 4:21  Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. James and John, quit fishing for the wrong thing.  So what are you fishing for? Nets were used back in this time for everything.   I am fishing for the people with a mind for God.  I am fishing for the hurt and the lost people of God.  I am fishing for the one.  The mini, not the mega.  I am not fishing for attention, recognition, accolades, or compliments. I am fishing to bring families back together.  To bring wives back to their husbands, husbands back to Christ.  I am fishing to bring parents back to parenting.   I am fishing to let young men, be men.  I am fishing to make old men wiser, revered and loved again.  I am fishing to put you back in right order with God.  And I will do it by hook or by crook.  Fishing hook or shepherds crook.   Only you can bring back your crazy kids.  Pastor can't do it.  if you kids have strayed, its your fault, own up to it, and minister there first. Oops, just lost some folks.  You were with me until I went there.    Deuteronomy 32:46 And he said to them, Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you this day, which you shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. Ephesians 6:4 And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord So what are you fishing for?  (4 points)  Fishing requires patience.  It requires the right equipment.  It requires commitment.  It requires knowledge.  Patience (Rom 5:4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation   Equipment -That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim 3:17)   Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12  Commitment Proverbs 16:3  Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.   Knowledge A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. (Proverbs 14:6)   Wisdom and knowledge are granted unto you; and I will give you riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before you, neither shall there any after you have the like. 2 Chron 1:12   Mark 1:17  And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.     thanks,   Kenn   that link:   https://youtu.be/FHIf0RPv_Rs    kenn.blanchard@gmail.com       

Welcome! Church Online is a community of people all over the experiencing God and connecting with one another like never before in history. Introduce yourself in the chat and let us know where you're from! Get Connected Check us out on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram Find a Small Group www.southpoint4u.com/groups Find out more at www.southpoint4u.com Notes: What refuels your soul? Refuel – Family/Work/Chores – LIFE Living exhausted and on empty never leads to the life we want INTERNAL FUEL (emotionally) Relaxation Enjoyment Friendship Without the fuel of friendship our souls will stay exhausted HARVARD UNIVERSITY: The Harvard Study of Adult Development found that close friendships, more than money, fame, or even your cholesterol level are connected to keeping people happy and healthy in the long term. Likewise, behavioral economist Arthur Brooks has studied the intersection of happiness, relationships, and purpose. He validates the Harvard study's finding that "taking care of our relationships" is critical, and that "our connections with others are nourishment for body, mind and soul." In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General—Dr. Vivek Murthy—issued a report that drew attention to an epidemic that affects 1 out of 2 American adults. Half of us are lonely. - Weill Cornell Medicine Do DIFFERENT not Do More “Come to me, ALL you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and LEARN from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Jesus of Nazareth PARADISE AND PERFECTION Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to live alone...” - Genesis 2:18 - SEEN - Authentically known - SUPPORTED - Genuinely cared for - SHARPENED - Truthfully loved He appointed twelve that they might be with him… - Mark 3:14 Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed… - Matthew 17:1-3 …so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. - Matthew 17:2-3 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” - Matthew 26:37-38 Because of what Jesus said, many of his disciples turned their backs on him and stopped following him. Jesus then asked his twelve disciples if they also were going to leave him. - John 6:66-68 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life.” - John 6:66-68 Jesus modeled that relational connection is an essential part of being human Friendship refuels our souls and it's not a luxury but a necessity - However, relationships require intentionality and courage

Side Effects of Nostalgia “_____________ will never be as Good as is was” ECC 7:10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. PHIL 3:13-15 one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way 3 Dangerous Side Effects of Nostalgia  Nostalgia Distorts our Perception of the Past.  Exodus 16:3 “If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” Nostalgia Traps us in Comfort John 21: 1-3 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I'm going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Nostalgia Prevents us from Moving Forward ECC 7:10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. PHIL 3:13-15 one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way We OVERCOME Nostalgias Effects with the Truth Isaiah 43:18-19 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

Full Text of ReadingsFeast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist Lectionary: 697The Saint of the day is Saint John the EvangelistSaint John the Evangelist's Story It is God who calls; human beings answer. The vocation of John and his brother James is stated very simply in the Gospels, along with that of Peter and his brother Andrew: Jesus called them; they followed. The absoluteness of their response is indicated by the account. James and John “were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:21b-22). For the three former fishermen—Peter, James and John—that faith was to be rewarded by a special friendship with Jesus. They alone were privileged to be present at the Transfiguration, the raising of the daughter of Jairus and the agony in Gethsemane. But John's friendship was even more special. Tradition assigns to him the Fourth Gospel, although most modern Scripture scholars think it unlikely that the apostle and the evangelist are the same person. John's own Gospel refers to him as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (see John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2), the one who reclined next to Jesus at the Last Supper, and the one to whom Jesus gave the exquisite honor of caring for his mother, as John stood beneath the cross. “Woman, behold your son…. Behold, your mother” (John 19:26b, 27b). Because of the depth of his Gospel, John is usually thought of as the eagle of theology, soaring in high regions that other writers did not enter. But the ever-frank Gospels reveal some very human traits. Jesus gave James and John the nickname, “sons of thunder.” While it is difficult to know exactly what this meant, a clue is given in two incidents. In the first, as Matthew tells it, their mother asked that they might sit in the places of honor in Jesus' kingdom—one on his right hand, one on his left. When Jesus asked them if they could drink the cup he would drink and be baptized with his baptism of pain, they blithely answered, “We can!” Jesus said that they would indeed share his cup, but that sitting at his right hand was not his to give. It was for those to whom it had been reserved by the Father. The other apostles were indignant at the mistaken ambition of the brothers, and Jesus took the occasion to teach them the true nature of authority: “…[W]hoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28). On another occasion, the “sons of thunder” asked Jesus if they should not call down fire from heaven upon the inhospitable Samaritans, who would not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. But Jesus “turned and rebuked them” (see Luke 9:51-55). On the first Easter, Mary Magdalene “ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him'” (John 20:2). John recalls, perhaps with a smile, that he and Peter ran side by side, but then “the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first” (John 20:4b). He did not enter, but waited for Peter and let him go in first. “Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed” (John 20:8). John was with Peter when the first great miracle after the Resurrection took place—the cure of the man crippled from birth—which led to their spending the night in jail together. The mysterious experience of the Resurrection is perhaps best contained in the words of Acts: “Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they [the questioners] were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus” (Acts 4:13). The Apostle John is traditionally considered the author also of three New Testament letters and the Book of Revelation. His Gospel is a very personal account. He sees the glorious and divine Jesus already in the incidents of his mortal life. At the Last Supper, John's Jesus speaks as if he were already in heaven. John's is the Gospel of Jesus' glory. Reflection It is a long way from being eager to sit on a throne of power or to call down fire from heaven to becoming the man who could write: “The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16). Saint John the Evangelist is the Patron Saint of: Turkey Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

John 21:1-25   After these things Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He revealed Himself in this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas who was called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find the fish.” So they cast it, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great quantity of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away, dragging the net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal fire already made and fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went up and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus *said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to inquire of Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus *came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead. 15 Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He *said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”Peter was hurt because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep. 18 Truly, truly I tell you, when you were younger, you used to put on your belt and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go.” 19 Now He said this, indicating by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!” 20 Peter turned around and *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who also had leaned back on His chest at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who is betraying You?”21 So Peter, upon seeing him, *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what aboutthis man?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23 Therefore this account went out among the brothers, that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is testifying about these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.     BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com     GIVE -  The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net

Message for 12/08/2024 "The Primary Problem" by Justin Mcteer. *All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted* Matthew 27:27-56 NLT - Some of the governor's soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. 32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus' cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus' head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” 41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can't save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.'” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. 45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. 46 At about three o'clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah.48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him.” 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus' resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. 54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Psalm 22:1 - My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Psalm 22:7-8 - Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, 8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!” Psalm 22:14 - My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. Psalm 22:18 - They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. Psalm 22:16b - They have pierced my hands and feet. Mark 10:45 - For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 1 John 2:2 NASB - and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Hebrews 2:14-15 - Because God's children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. John 15:13 - There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.