HBS & DwJ Podcast

Our scripture will be coming from:

Genesis 14:21-24 KJV 

[21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 

[22] And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 

[23] That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 

[24] Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Our Scripture Of The Week Is:

Psalm 103:6 KJVS 
[6] The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

Prior verses contained David's personal reasons for honoring God. Here, David moves from personal to general statements about God's governance. His direction of the world is another reason for Israel to praise Him. David states that God performs righteous deeds and justice. 

Israel had many opportunities to observe God's righteous deeds. From His call of Abraham to the time of David, God performed righteous acts on behalf of the nation. He delivered the nation from slavery in Egypt (Judges 6:9) and provided miraculously for the Israelites in the wilderness by supplying water from a rock (Exodus 17:1–6), manna from heaven (Exodus 16:15–16), and abundant quail for meat (Exodus 16:13).

God also judged Israel's wicked enemies and punished those who violated His covenant. He displayed His justice for His oppressed people by rescuing them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 20:2) and later, in the era of the Judges, by repeatedly delivering them from their oppressive enemy nations. He had also commanded His people to show kindness and generosity to the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7–11).

Our scripture will be coming from:

Genesis 14:13-20 KJV 

[13] And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

[14] And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

[15] And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

[16] And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

[17] And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.

[18] And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

[19] And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

[20] And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Our Scripture Of The Week Is:

Ephesians 6:10 KJVS 
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Verses 10 through 20 are a famous and well-used portion of Scripture. 

Paul wraps up his practical teachings with a series of analogies, comparing aspects of the Christian faith to the equipment carried by a soldier. This verse introduces the overall motivation for Paul's instructions. 

Namely, this is strength, through the Lord, and of the Lord. Paul opened his letter with a prayer for the Ephesian Christians to receive wisdom and knowledge (Ephesians 1:15-23). 

Here, after discussing the real-world application of that wisdom, Paul notes that the believer does not rely on his or her own strength, but on the power of God to win victory in life's battles.

The following verses will offer an outline of each part of the metaphorical armor of God. Each piece connects to an area of spiritual life important for reliance upon God's strength. Paul's depiction of these components will conclude with a focus on prayer (Ephesians 6:18–20), again asking God for strength and success in battle. 

Only by relying on God, through these spiritual tools, can we overcome spiritual evil and succeed at living out God's will. Paul personally saw himself as a spiritual warrior as well. 

In fact, he was often a prisoner of war, in a sense (Ephesians 6:20), yet still involved in the battle to reach others with the good news of Jesus.

Our Scripture Of The Week Is:

Ephesians 6:10 KJVS 
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Verses 10 through 20 are a famous and well-used portion of Scripture. Paul wraps up his practical teachings with a series of analogies, comparing aspects of the Christian faith to the equipment carried by a soldier.

This verse introduces the overall motivation for Paul's instructions. Namely, this is strength, through the Lord, and of the Lord. Paul opened his letter with a prayer for the Ephesian Christians to receive wisdom and knowledge (Ephesians 1:15-23). 

Here, after discussing the real-world application of that wisdom, Paul notes that the believer does not rely on his or her own strength, but on the power of God to win victory in life's battles.

The following verses will offer an outline of each part of the metaphorical armor of God. Each piece connects to an area of spiritual life important for reliance upon God's strength. 

Paul's depiction of these components will conclude with a focus on prayer (Ephesians 6:18–20), again asking God for strength and success in battle. 

Only by relying on God, through these spiritual tools, can we overcome spiritual evil and succeed at living out God's will. Paul personally saw himself as a spiritual warrior as well. 

In fact, he was often a prisoner of war, in a sense (Ephesians 6:20), yet still involved in the battle to reach others with the good news of Jesus.

Our Scripture Of The Week Is:

Ephesians 6:10 KJVS 
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Verses 10 through 20 are a famous and well-used portion of Scripture. Paul wraps up his practical teachings with a series of analogies, comparing aspects of the Christian faith to the equipment carried by a soldier.

This verse introduces the overall motivation for Paul's instructions. Namely, this is strength, through the Lord, and of the Lord. Paul opened his letter with a prayer for the Ephesian Christians to receive wisdom and knowledge (Ephesians 1:15-23). 

Here, after discussing the real-world application of that wisdom, Paul notes that the believer does not rely on his or her own strength, but on the power of God to win victory in life's battles. 

The following verses will offer annual outline of each part of the metaphorical armor of God. Each piece connects to an area of spiritual life important for reliance upon God's strength.
 
Paul's depiction of these components will conclude with a focus on prayer (Ephesians 6:18–20), again asking God for strength and success in battle. 

Only by relying on God, through these spiritual tools, can we overcome spiritual evil and succeed at living out God's Will. Paul personally saw himself as a spiritual warrior as well. 

In fact, he was often a prisoner of war, in a sense (Ephesians 6:20), yet still involved in the battle to reach others with the good news of Jesus.

Genesis 14 is an action-packed story of war between ancient city-states with a surprising conclusion. For 12 years, the four kings of an eastern group of city-states—Elam, Shinar, Ellasar, and Goiim—had ruled over the city-states in and around Canaan.

Finally, the kings of five cities grouped around the south end of the Dead Sea rebel. A year later, the four kings arrive in the region to reestablish their rule.

Following a southerly route along a line east of the Jordan River, the four kings defeat every city, king, and people group in their path all the way to the edge of Canaan's southern wilderness.
Then they turn back north, eventually arriving at the Valley of Siddim near the Dead Sea.


It is time to open our hearts, minds, and souls to the Word Of GOD.

Our scripture will be coming from:

Genesis 14:1-6 KJV
[1] And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
[2] That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
[3] All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
[4] Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
[5] And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
[6] And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El–paran, which is by the wilderness.

Our Scripture Of The Week Is:

Romans 8:26 KJVS
[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

This passage describes the difference between our future and our present, as Christians. Our future in Christ, as God's children and heirs of His kingdom, is everything we long for. Our present, though, is a life of longing, patient waiting, living in the hope of reality that has not yet arrived. We continue to suffer along with the rest of creation, to groan for the life to come.

How do we live in the meantime?

A large part of the answer to that question has to do with the Holy Spirit, given to every Christian when we come to faith in Christ.

God gives us His own Spirit as a deposit or down payment on that future we are longing for (Ephesians 1:13–14; 2 Corinthians 1:22).

Through the Spirit, God provides for us in many different ways on this side of eternity.
Generally, he helps us in our weakness. Paul is acknowledging here that, even as Christians, we remain weak in and of ourselves. Physically, we remain creatures in fragile bodies with sometimes baffling emotions.

Spiritually, we can become weak in our faith and/or in our resistance to sinful desires. As Paul will begin to make clear, however, God's Spirit with us makes all the difference. He continually helps us in and even through our weakness. He steps in. He helps with the burden.

More specifically, Paul writes that we are so weak that at times we do not know what to pray for! We have been given access, in prayer, to our Father God.

We feel the need, the longing, for Him, but what do we ask for?

The Spirit steps in and carries those unsaid "groanings"—those thoughts and feelings we simply cannot express in human words—to God.

He both creates the connection from ourselves to God and provides the content of our communication.

“And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him” —here is the third appearance of God to this man.

“Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward.”

This is the land God is going to give him.

As God continued to appear to Abram and later on to the other patriarchs, God put sideboards around that land. In other words, He put a border to it and told them exactly what the land was.

He was very specific about it.


It is time to open our hearts, minds, and souls to the Word Of GOD.

Our scripture will be coming from:

Genesis 13:14-18 KJV
[14] And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
[15] For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
[16] And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
[17] Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
[18] Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Our Scripture Of The Week Is:

Psalm 38:9 KJVS
[9] Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

Throughout this psalm, David confesses that he suffers because of his own sin (Psalm 38:1–4, 18).

Much of these symptoms are poetic expressions of his guilt and shame: conviction brought by God (Psalm 38:5–8).

It's fitting, then, that David chooses to refer to God using the Hebrew term Adōnā'y, or Adonai, which literally means "Master." This term was sometimes spoken when reading Scripture, rather than trying to pronounce God's self-identified name of YHWH.

This reference shows that David is humble and regards himself as God's servant. David also acknowledges that the Lord is omniscient: nothing is hidden from Him. The Lord was fully aware of David's pain and sighs, as well as his motives and his desires.

Every believer should derive comfort, peace, and courage from the fact that the Lord knows all about their suffering. Such omniscience does not preclude the need to pray.

Hebrews 4:14 tells us Jesus, the believers' great high priest, is available. The same passage assures us He sympathizes with our struggle since He experienced temptation but didn't sin (Hebrew 4:15).

This is why we can confidently approach God in prayer, as we seek to "receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).