Today is our last episode on the Serpent’s Deception. We revisit the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant from the angle of unforgiveness. We talk about the prison we find ourselves in if we have not forgiven others. Again, God takes personal responsibility for the way His created world works. While the language of the parable indicated the Master throws the servant into prison to be tortured, and thus evokes images of vengeful anger, recall the context that this is a warning about how humanity works. If we were about to walk off a cliff, God would say “I am about to throw you down on the rocks.” Gravity will kick in, but God created gravity. So to should we nurse a heart of unforgiveness, we will find ourselves in a spiritual prison with addictions, mental illness, depression and anxiety, etc…The next journey will take us through the healing process, right now we are simply “naming to tame it.”

We also touch on shame, the sense that we 1)Don’t matter 2) Are defective and 3) are dangerous. Much of what adversity and the enemy’s deceptions sow in us is shame. We see this in Adam and Eve’s story.

We end as always with a private devotional aimed at assessing how much unforgiveness we harbor and finally learn how to apply this lesson to interpersonal discipleship.

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/z3GMYDyYe1c

Today we pivot to the scripture. We explore the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18: 21-35) and The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32). We look at God’s character in relationship to forgiveness, for adversity makes it easier for the Enemy to drive us far from God. We think we need to be afraid, when what we really need to fear is the state of unforgiveness in our hearts.

Brad Gray and Walking the Text do an amazing series on the parables of Jesus. Here is the link to the Prodigal Son: https://walkingthetext.com/parable-of-the-lost-son-pt-1-live-the-story/

And finally we look at the state of a human being who has willingly become alienated from God as described in Paul’s letter to the Romans 1:28-32.

We define the idea of the “Worldly Survivalist” who is spiritually deceived/full of shame/has an unintentional but yet obvious focus on self far more than community and many flesh patterns.

For our personal devotional time, we look at the scales of deception around our hearts and begin to identify the statement we cling to about shame and our own deeply held views about God, Ourselves and Others. The Greatest Blessings provide us with a framework for assessment and healing.

Deceptions/Testing the Spirits: We simply remind ourselves of the steps to conquer our deceptions with Jesus reveals them to us.

Community Discipleship: Finally we apply today’s principles with your walk with others.

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/De_ue7KZQIQ

We continue our emphasis on the science of ACE’s. We highlight the long effects, but spend time on the fact that people in all walks of life can and often experience ACE’s. We can use this fact to divide people, OR the more “light” way is to see that as a multiethnic family we may experience different types of ACE’s and adversity, but our bodies and souls respond the same ways. Thus adversity can be a UNITING factor in forming God’s Multiethnic Kingdom rescued and healed by Jesus

For our personal devotional time, we look at constructing our personal adversity and resilience timelines. Don’t let this depress you! Awareness is just the first step in healing, we will get to the healing journeys soon. This exercise could be called “name it to tame it.” We will name today, and tame later.

Deceptions: We further open ourselves to the idea that adversity invites deceptions and that keeps us on a path away from God.

Community Discipleship: Finally we apply today’s principles with your walk with others.

In the next episodes we will spend more time in scripture balancing the science.

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/2K9Z4L3hIsE

After a brief review, We focus on the area of theory called “Attachment Theory.” A special Thanks to TCU’s Trust-Based Relational Intervention and Karyn Purvis Institute (https://child.tcu.edu/#sthash.cwraX9ba.dpbs) Their work is inspiring and is worth looking into. They provide the framework for us as we look at how attachment forms in us. And the great work by Curt Thompson (Anatomy of the Soul https://www.amazon.com/s?k=anatomy+of+the+soul&hvadid=616991203151&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1019499&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13381592146305785891&hvtargid=kwd-874167575&hydadcr=24656_13611721&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_69l7ytsw1p_e ) Helps us see that how we try to attach to God and others links back to our initial attachment learning. The “good news” is that attachment, with hard inner work, is flexible. In our discipleship we realize that we can learn the character of God and be open about learning what a genuine selfless and true love feels like, especially if we did not feel that growing up.

The Self-Assessments facilitate getting to know your attachment pattern which includes by gender. We are wise to see that we may attach differently to males and females and plan accordingly as this may/can/will impact our intimate relationships as adults know matter how you view your identity.

Link to the attachment quiz we use. (Free to use, but they may try to sell you their workbooks) https://quiz.attachmentproject.com/

In our discipleship portion we self-reflect on our own stories, begin to deal with deceptions and consider how we disciple others.

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/edoAD5yuB3o

After a brief review, we meet the first couple, Adam and Eve (The Dirt Creature/Humanity & Eve/Life) just after their famous sin. We, with the help of, BibleProjects Genesis Video (https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/genesis-1-11/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video)

We learn about the initial thought leaders in ACE’s Vincent Felitti, Robert Anda, and Nadine Burke-Harris. We spend time learning the physical changes related to trauma.

In our discipleship portion we self-reflect on our own stories, begin to deal with deceptions and consider how we disciple others.

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/APbd4lnQy5Y

Scripture for the Episode:

Descendants of Noah Genesis 10 aka The Table of Nations.

•“For you [Israel] are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6).

Wise/Discerning ATTACHMENT

Ezekiel 34: 7-8 & 17-18

• So, you shepherds, hear the Word of the Lord. “As I live,” says the Lord God, “My flock has been killed and become food for wild animals because they had no shepherd. My shepherds did not look for My flock. They fed themselves, but have not fed My flock.” 

•

•“As for you, My flock, the Lord God says, ‘I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats.  Is it not enough for you to eat in the good field? Must you crush under foot the rest of your fields? Is it not enough for you to drink of the clear waters? Must your feet fill the rest with mud? 

Male/Female Co-Equality (Science ABILTY matches INTEREST AND STRENGTHS DIFFER specifically between “agency” and “community.”

-”The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” 1 Corinthians 7:4

-”and the man exclaimed, "Here is someone like me! She is part of my body, my own flesh and bones.” Gen 2:23 CEV

-Book of Esther (Replay of Adam and Eve’s Fall…this time results in tremendous community blessing, saving the exiled Hebrews) (Will delve more into this in later episodes…)

Esther 4:9-17.

9 Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12 They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Esther Plans to Intercede

15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him

BibleProject Esther Video: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/esther/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/eTPw_WyAkCo

This week’s tools.

Fearless Living:

Fear equals lack of trust in God.

When coming face to face with spiritual beings/concepts humanity is told to “fear not” between 300-400 times

Fear drives the need to control which disrupts relationships (Not being patient and kind)

City Walls vs Sheepfold

Cain built the first city, and part of the design includes walls. While cities can be places of great creativity, BibleProject points out that “sin is always crouching.” Compare this to the sheepfold walls built by a Good Shepherd that keep the sheep safe, guarded by the shepherd. We also liken the walls of the city to a stronghold of the mind. Which is a trap in thinking that keeps us from full relationship with God. We will develop this more along our upcoming explorations

City Video: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/the-city/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video

Non-reductionism: A foundational difference between how the ancient hebrews thought and we do is that they hold seemingly opposite views without conflict. But instead, see them as reality and not mutually exclusive. Life is physical and spiritual. Life sucks, AND God loves us. People sin AND are cherished and loved by God in other words we are fully forgiven sinners

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/xYXH9AaNWLg

Today we continue to review several themes notable to modern scholars in the Hebrew Bible. In our “Healing Journeys” series we are seeing what our destination looks like. Edenic concepts are both the starting point and destination. They represent God;s ultimate wish for his people. Each topic could be a podcast unto itself, but BibleProject devotes much time on many of these concepts.  So we will contextualize to our own journey of healing from hard things and walking with others as they heal.

Proverbs (Wisdom) Video: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/wisdom-proverbs/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video

Justice Video:  https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/justice/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_video

Submission/Anah: Isaiah 58: Whole chapter. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2058&version=NASB1995

Right-Relationship: Isaiah 26:10:  But when grace is shown to the wicked,
    they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil
    and do not regard the majesty of the Lord

Justice: Psalm 33:5:  The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Wisdom: Proverbs 1:20: Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
    she raises her voice in the public square;

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/4KulbDI_FCs

Today we will review several themes notable to modern scholars in the Hebrew Bible. For our journey concept this represents both the starting point and destination. They represent God’s ultimate wish for his people. Each topic could be a podcast unto itself, but BibleProject devotes much time on many of these concepts.  For our purposes we will use this as an understanding of our destination or journey blueprint.  After we review the concepts we think about how to apply them in both solitude and community.

Mark 12:29-32  “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”

1 Corinthians 13:4. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Job 13:15: Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
    I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.

Lamentations 3: 19-33

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    while he is young.

28 Let him sit alone in silence,
    for the Lord has laid it on him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust—
    there may yet be hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
    and let him be filled with disgrace.

31 For no one is cast off
    by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
    so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
    or grief to anyone.

Mark 11:25: 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

BibleProject Video Links:

Job Video https://youtu.be/GswSg2ohqmA?si=I6kJaDgWTRUlGjq5

Justice Video:  https://youtu.be/A14THPoc4-4?si=dwyohQVKUg9ctWEj

The YouTube Link for this episode is: https://youtu.be/mSPMYwFGBwk

This is our first episode of a new series. We take a pivot and focus on expanding on our 3-hour Introductory course “Healing Journeys with Science and Scripture.” We see how modern Biblical scholarship and cutting edge science build a worldview that helps us grieve and heal from adversity and trauma; as if it has been there all along.

In “Part 1: Eden and Marriage” we ask God to bless the series and think about humanity’s origin and destination in a celebratory relationship with another be it God and/or another human (dirt creature).

Link to YouTube video that was mentioned: https://youtu.be/4L_yCwFD6Jo?si=aNwq2OwbKnyO0R6B

The YouTube Link for this episode is: pending