Ken Murray and I discuss the most common practice of Christians:  Prayer.  Prayer is mentioned 650 times in the Bible and is associated with every faithful man and woman.  Here is some good advice to keep your prayer life active and effective.  This is how you get to "Know the Lord."  

Melvin Rhodes goes through his latest almost (weekly) newsletter that has more than 2,500 subscribers.  You can subscribe, too, at 

https://melvinrhodes.wordpress.com/

Melvin and I talk about when his family almost migrated from the U.K. to Australia.  

Then we talk about war in Ukraine and world debt.  

Melvin is a long-time news analyst, author and part of our family.

I started my first website  www.kubik.org in 1996.  One of the first posts/blogs/essays was on Thanksgiving Day 1996.   I give you an audio version of it 30 years later. 

Today we continue discussing personal defeat and how to use the Power of God's Spirit to overcome it.   This is Podcast number 23 with Greg.

Earlier, we talked about overcoming setbacks with secular tools. Today we talk talk about using God's Power. 

See all of Greg Thomas's podcasts at

https://vkubik.podbean.com/category/greg-thomas

What is the right approach regarding our personal disappointments and mistakes? We live in a world of increased anxiety and emotional stress. Since the pandemic, many studies have shown a dramatic rise in loneliness and discouragement. Many people have given up on life because of their negative life experiences, including addictions, relationship issues, or guilt from past serious mistakes.

Order Greg Thomas' book at Amazon:  Making Life's Puzzle Pieces Fit

Discussion with Howard Marchbanks, Certified Financial Planner and I talk about Year-end Charitable Giving. There are several things that you may not be aware of that could help you and a charity. Howard is also a UCG elder living in Santa Ana, California.

Documents referred to in this podcast in downloadable PDF

Income Tax Charitable Deduction

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD)

Human beings were designed to have a day off to function.  Ken Murray takes us back to creation of the Sabbath which is revealed in Genesis 1.  The 7-day week is universal.  We also touch on the life of Charlie Kirk and his discovering the Sabbath as vital to keep from being burned out.  

Mark Kellner and I discuss his October 24, 2025, article in The Epoch Times where he states that more "Americans now say religion is gaining influence in national life than at any point in the past 15 years," which comes from a Pew Research Center report on October 20, 2025.

Mark and I have been friends for 30 years and have discussed many topics related to faith and the Churches of God.  He is a well-known author and a great person to talk to.  This is our third podcast.  

Career highlights

Areas of focus & contributions

Notable publications

Significance in journalism

Current status

Guy Swenson was my assistant at the Worldwide Church of God for the last two years. We reminisce 30 years later.  It was a painful time that tore apart many relationships and tested faith not from the outside, but from within,

Scott Ashley and I talk about the release of the hostages in Gaza on the day before the Last Great Day.  Scott reminisces about being in Israel when the hostages were taken, a mere 50 miles away.

Scott speaks about long-term peace projection for the Middle East and the world.  

See the earlier podcast done a few days after the hostages were taken.

https://vkubik.podbean.com/e/scott-ashley-return-from-israel-and-witnessing-the-hamas-attack/

After doing the first podcast about Estonia a few days ago, I thought of a few more things.  Give a listen to this 9 minute microcast.