Equipped Workshop hosted by Lehman Avenue church of Christ

April 25, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 3 - 10:00 AM Session This episode is a sermon-style teaching that walks through Genesis 20–25, using the lives of Abraham and Isaac to reveal the character of the God who is called the friend of Abraham. Rather than focusing only on the biographical details of Abraham, the message unpacks how these chapters help us know God better — his pursuit of people, his faithfulness to promises, and his gracious provision. Topics covered include Abraham's journey to Gerar and the Abimelech episode, God’s intervention in dreams, the opening of Sarah’s womb and the birth of Isaac, the covenant at Beersheba, Hagar and Ishmael’s desert deliverance, the testing on Mount Moriah, Sarah’s burial in Machpelah, the servant’s mission to find Rebekah, and the blessing of Ishmael and Isaac leading to the Jacob and Esau scene. The episode ties these Old Testament narratives to New Testament fulfillment in Jesus, the Spirit as our guarantee, and the hope of resurrection. Key points emphasized: God is a pursuing God who draws his people back in times of weak faith; God is a fulfilling God who keeps his promises; God is a providing God who brings life in the face of certain death; God is a resurrecting God who inspires trust beyond the grave; God guides and directs his people; and God is the blessing-giver whose gifts we must not trade for immediate gratification. The teaching highlights numerous typological connections to Jesus — the Seed, the Lamb, the Resurrected One — and explains how those themes shape Christian hope and discipleship. Listeners can expect a pastoral, Scripture-saturated exposition (no external guests), practical application for seasons of wavering faith, and a steady invitation to trust the God of Abraham — the friend who pursues, provides, fulfills, leads, and blesses his people now and forever. Duration 37:47

April 25, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 3 - 9:00 AM Session Location: Room 116 Instructor:  Keith Kasarjian Title:  Leadership - Why Is There Suffering, Evil, and Death Summary Keith delivered a practical lecture on equipping “equippers” to help people grapple with evil, pain, and suffering, emphasizing pastoral sensitivity over philosophical debate. He cautioned against three common missteps (dismiss, deny, dogmatize), offered perspective on the scale and faith-testing nature of suffering, outlined multiple causes (laws of nature, personal sin, others’ actions, persecution for doing right, and testing), and presented a framework for understanding God’s will in three dimensions: ideal (Eden), ultimate (eternal salvation and heavenly comfort), and present in light of human sin (enduring consequences while God provides salvation through Christ). He illustrated points with personal experiences, international ministry contexts (including India and Odisha), biblical examples (Job, James, Paul, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego), and a powerful story of prison evangelism in Cameroon that transformed suffering into gospel progress. The core aim was to better prepare leaders to walk with people through hard questions without pretending to have all answers, anchoring hope in God’s ultimate will.   Duration 39:52

April 25, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 3 - 9:00 AM Session In this episode, Jody explores the role of apologetics in preaching, emphasizing that defending the faith is not a competitive debate but a pastoral, truth-centered practice that both reassures believers and invites nonbelievers. Drawing heavily on New Testament texts—especially John, Luke, Peter, Paul, and Hebrews—the talk traces how the gospel roots redemption in creation: God as Creator, the Word becoming flesh, and the unfolding proclamation of Christ from Genesis through Acts. Topics include: how Jesus reasoned from shared, observable reality to make spiritual claims; the importance of credible eyewitness testimony and converging-witness reasoning; the theological and philosophical basis for preaching (including the relationship between creation and revelation); and practical guidance for connecting the message of Scripture with listeners’ common experiences. The speaker underscores that apologetic preaching should combine conviction with compassion, avoid manufacturing meaning or seeking personal prestige, and aim to exalt God rather than the preacher. Key points and illustrations: John’s prologue and the incarnation as foundational apologetic themes; Luke’s emphasis on orderly investigation and eyewitness testimony; Peter and Paul’s appeals to testimony and generational transmission of the gospel; Jesus’ method of using observable realities, moral accountability, and pointed questions to prompt thinking; and the metaphysical grounding of physical realities (e.g., math, forces, time) as pointers to a transcendent Creator. The episode also reflects on pastoral practices—how to meet people where they are, ask why, and lead thoughtful, loving, and reasoned responses to life’s big questions. Listeners can expect a thoughtful, scripture-rooted case for why apologetics belongs at the heart of preaching and pastoral care, with practical examples and biblical passages to explore further. The speaker offers to share slides used in the talk for those who want deeper study. Duration 45:33

April 25, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 3 - 9:00 AM Session This episode is a sermon-style teaching that carefully unpacks Genesis chapters 18 and 19, exploring how these two chapters lay foundational truths for the whole Bible: the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and the unfolding of God’s righteous justice. The speaker walks through Abraham’s encounter with the Lord and two angels—highlighting Abraham’s hospitality, the emphatic promise that Sarah will bear Isaac, Sarah’s skeptical laugh, and the profound question, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?” The teaching points to a possible Christophany and ties the promise directly to the later fulfillment in Isaac. Attention then turns to Abraham’s bold intercession on behalf of Sodom, the negotiation from fifty righteous down to ten, and a theological meditation on God’s dual attributes of righteousness (tzaddik) and justice (mishpat). The sermon emphasizes that God does not act rashly but judges with full knowledge and perfect moral clarity. Genesis 19 is examined in detail: Lot’s compromised witness in Sodom, the violent mob demanding to “know” the visitors, Lot’s tragic offer of his daughters, the angels’ rescue, Lot’s hesitation, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Lot’s wife becoming a pillar of salt. The aftermath—Lot’s daughters’ grievous scheme and the birth of the Moabites and Ammonites—is presented as consequence and warning about environmental influence. Key takeaways include the interwoven truths of God’s promise and God’s justice, the social corrosiveness of unchecked sin, and practical warnings about the influence of place and companions (summarized with references to Paul, Jude, Ezekiel, Romans, and Luke). There are no guest speakers; this is a single-teacher exposition aimed at helping listeners apply the moral and spiritual lessons of these chapters to their lives and communities. Duration 41:29

April 25, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 3 - 8:00 AM Session In this episode Brother Dan continues the series examining the operative phrase "from the beginning" in the New Testament, focusing on 1 John 2:7–11 and its connection to Jesus’ command to "love one another." He traces the phrase across the Gospels and Epistles, showing how the command appeared from the start of Jesus’ ministry and is reinforced throughout John, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Corinthians, Colossians and more. The sermon outlines five vivid biblical descriptions of love—love as a badge, blockade, buffer, boundary, and bond—and explains what each image means for Christian life and witness. Brother Dan emphasizes that love should be visible to the world (John 13:34–35), fulfills the law (Romans 13:8–10), tempers conviction with affection (1 Corinthians 16:13–14), keeps us in bounds (Ephesians 5:1), and binds the church in harmony (Colossians 3). He also gives five practical directions for where our love should flow: toward those who mistreat or hate us (Luke 6), toward those who have sinned and now come home (2 Corinthians 2), toward those we have already forgiven (Ephesians/Titus), toward our families (Ephesians 5; Titus 2), and toward people who are different or marginalized (James 2). Each category is illustrated with memorable anecdotes and pastoral counsel. Along the way Brother Dan uses personal and cultural illustrations—from Texas and Tom Landry to a desert-island parable, a childhood football memory, a child with one hand at Bible class, and a cautionary reference to Madeleine Murray O'Hare’s diary—to underscore how love must look and act in ordinary life. He warns against factionalism, gossip, backbiting, and punitive treatment of repentant brothers and sisters, urging the church to practice forgiveness, reaffirmation, and visible unity. Key takeaways include: Jesus’ command to love was present from the beginning of His ministry; love should be both principled and practical; love protects and corrects without harming; forgiveness requires active comfort and restoration; and a loving church is the strongest testimony to the world. Listeners will leave with scriptural pointers and pastoral challenges to love one another more deeply and visibly. Duration 45:45

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 7:00PM Session Location: Auditorium Instructor: Clay Leonard Title:  Getting to Know God Through Revelation Summary This lecture explores the biblical concept of special revelation—God revealing Himself to specific people with specific details—contrasted with general revelation in creation. Through scriptural examples involving Moses (Exodus 19–34), Elijah (1 Kings 17–19), and Peter at the Transfiguration (Matthew 16–17), the speaker emphasizes that God’s primary mode of revelation is through His word and ultimately through His Son, Jesus Christ, as affirmed by passages like John 1:1,14 and Hebrews 1:1–2. The lecture culminates in an invitation to respond to Jesus’ call through faith, repentance, confession, and baptism, stressing that ongoing discipleship means “listening to Him.” Duration 30:54

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 6:30PM Session Location: Auditorium Instructor: Tim Lewis Title:  You Meant It for Evil, God Meant It for Good Summary This lecture explores the theme "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good," drawn primarily from Joseph’s story in Genesis. Joseph’s life is presented as a case study of how God can use suffering, betrayal, and hardship for a greater, redemptive purpose. The lecture extends this theme to the Apostle Paul’s imprisonment and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It also includes modern examples—such as a survivor of the Oklahoma City bombing and a story of a Bible confiscated in Soviet-occupied Hungary—to show that God continues to work through human pain and evil acts to bring about good, save lives, and spread the gospel. The central message encourages believers to maintain faith and trust in God during unjust suffering, letting their pain become a ministry that blesses others rather than pushing them away from God.   Duration 29:44

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 6:00 PM Session   Closing out the 2nd day of the 2026 version of the Equipped Workshop hosted by the Cumberland Trace Church of Christ, Andy Baker leads the assembly in a few A cappella songs.   Duration 25:16

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 3:30 PM Session This lectureship sermon walks through Genesis chapters 15–17, exploring how God's promises are revealed and fulfilled in the lives of Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and the promised son Isaac. Delivered by a minister at a Christian lectureship (no guest speakers), the message focuses on biblical-history, covenant theology, and practical application for believers today. Genesis 15 is presented as a chapter of assurance: Abram's fear about being childless, God's repeated promise (look to the stars), and the covenant-ceremony with divided animals and the smoking oven/burning torch that confirms God's presence and sworn commitment. The preacher emphasizes that God is our shield and exceedingly great reward, and that past fulfillments of promise (culminating in Christ) give us confidence in future promises. Genesis 16 examines the danger of human attempts to "help" God: Sarai's plan to use Hagar, the painful consequences of that decision, Hagars flight and encounter with the angel of the Lord, and the birth and future character of Ishmael. The sermon warns that planning for God reveals a lack of faith, produces dissatisfaction, and ultimately fails to achieve Gods intended purpose. Genesis 17 highlights the renewal and clarification of God's covenant: Abram's name becomes Abraham, Sarai's name becomes Sarah, the covenant sign of circumcision is commanded (on the eighth day), and the promise of Isaacs coming is made explicit. The speaker notes the wisdom of the eighth-day command (medical context of clotting/prothrombin) and commends Abraham's prompt obedience, while noting God's broader mercy toward Ishmael. Key takeaways and applications: God's promises can carry us through deep fears; they do not require our feeble adjustments; and they point to a bright future founded on Gods faithfulness and oath (Hebrews 6). Listeners are encouraged to trust God's timing, rely on His presence, and find hope in the fulfilled and yet-to-be-fulfilled promises revealed throughout Scripture. Duration 37:26

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 3:30 PM Session Location: Room 116 Instructor: Richard Sutton Title:  Leadership - How to Recover from Failure Summary Richard Sutton's lecture series explores the inevitability of failure in leadership and the path to restoration. He challenges the notion of a perfect leader, using his forty-five years of experience and biblical examples like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and David to show that all leaders stumble. The key difference between a failed leader and a resilient one is not the misstep itself but the refusal to repent and learn, as exemplified by King Saul. The lectures identify common leadership failures—bad decisions driven by emotion, exhaustion and stress, and moral missteps—and offer practical and spiritual guidance for overcoming them. Sutton uses the lives of Moses and Elijah to illustrate how to handle bad decisions and burnout. Moses, despite his failures driven by anger, was still used powerfully by God because of his profound humility. Elijah, after a great victory, faced burnout and despair, but God responded not with rebuke but with physical rest and gentle affirmation. This highlights that some struggles are physical and emotional, not purely spiritual. The series culminates with a detailed analysis of King David's moral failure with Bathsheba, presenting it as a story of progressive sin, cover-up, and confrontation. Despite his grave sins, David's redemption came through honest confession and repentance, demonstrating that God is not surprised by human failure and offers a path back through a broken and contrite heart. The overarching message is one of encouragement: leaders should stay humble, own their mistakes, prioritize rest, repent honestly, and receive God's restorative grace, knowing they are not alone and that God is not finished with them. Duration 40:08

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 3:30 PM Session This episode is a sermon-style exploration of Genesis 11 (the Tower of Babel) that traces the biblical problem of pride from creation through the flood and back into post-flood humanity. Rebekah defines pride biblically as "an attitude or action that elevates oneself above God," and unfolds six key lessons drawn from the Babel account: pride transgresses God’s commands, forgets its place in the world, hurts other people, makes us insecure, is sneaky, and must be stopped. The episode weaves Scripture with personal stories and practical application. Passages referenced include Genesis 1, 9, 11; Micah 6:8; Proverbs; James 4; John 13 (Jesus washing the disciples’ feet); Romans and Colossians on humility and compassion; Philippians 2 on Christ’s humility; and Daniel 4 (the humbling and restoration of Nebuchadnezzar). The speaker also quotes C.S. Lewis on humility and shares candid personal anecdotes — about parenting a teething baby, life as a preacher’s wife, and a childhood track story — to illustrate how pride can hide in suffering, service, and everyday attitudes. Listeners should expect a mix of theological teaching and practical exhortation: the sermon shows how pride often opposes God’s explicit commands (for example, God’s command to fill the earth), how it redirects praise from God to ourselves, how it fractures community (the literal confusion and scattering at Babel), and how it ultimately undermines our security. The talk confronts subtle forms of pride (seeking recognition in worship or service, spiritual pride, and disguised bitterness in trials) and urges self-examination whenever we are tempted to ask, "What can I get?" rather than "How can I worship and serve?" Practical applications include renewed focus on worship (prostrating before God rather than seeking personal acclaim), hospitality and friendliness to newcomers in the church, humility in Christian service, and honestly tracing personal struggles back to possible pride. The speaker emphasizes that God often humbles people for their good — using the Tower of Babel and Nebuchadnezzar as examples — and calls listeners to bow now, embrace humility modeled by Jesus, and trust God’s lasting recognition rather than temporary human praise. No external guests are featured; the message is presented by the speaker as a pastoral, scriptural exhortation aimed at encouraging humility, repentance, and gospel-shaped community. The episode closes with an appeal to follow Christ’s example of self‑emptying love (Philippians 2) so believers might shine like stars by leading many to righteousness. Duration 44:42

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 2:30 PM Session Location: Room 116 Instructor: Richard Melson Title:  Text Messages - Genesis Characters in Acts Summary Richard Melson delivered a lecture emphasizing how Genesis undergirds the New Testament, particularly Acts, by presenting God’s plan of redemption conceived before the foundation of the world. He clarified a misunderstanding about the session’s title (“Genesis characters in Acts” versus “text messages”), asserting the focus is character studies of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph as referenced in Acts 3 and 7. Melson highlighted God’s sovereignty, covenant promises, and faithfulness, and urged believers to be consistent, courageous, and convinced—traits exemplified by the patriarchs despite their flaws. He traced key Genesis passages, connected them to Acts 3:13, Acts 3:25, and Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7, and discussed “character” as tested and approved, with Jesus as the express image of God (Hebrews 1:3). He underscored redemption in type (Genesis 3:21), the seed promise (Genesis 3:15), genealogies’ role in preserving the seed line, and parallels between Joseph and Jesus. The lecture concluded by stressing obedient, trusting faith (e.g., Mark 16:16 alluded in “believes and is baptized”) as the proper response to God’s promises and plan. Duration 41:00

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 2:30 PM Session Join a seasoned panel of speakers including Todd, John, Denny, Howard, and references to Brother Wayne Jackson, Brother Caleb Colley, O'Connor, Mike, with Sam Wilkins closing in prayer, as they tackle difficult questions from the book of Genesis. This episode investigates foundational topics that stretch from the opening words of Scripture to the unfolding scheme of redemption. First, the panel examines how literally we should read the days of creation in Genesis 1. Speakers discuss the Hebrew term yom, Exodus 20:11, arguments for a 24‑hour day reading, and how that view interacts with science and young‑earth apologetics. They address the perception that literal biblical faith opposes science and point listeners to resources and evidence used by creationist scholars. Next, the conversation moves to troubling narratives of judgment in Genesis—such as the global flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah—and how these events relate to God’s holiness, justice, love, and wrath. Panelists unpack why divine judgment is not arbitrary, emphasize God’s patience and long‑suffering (including Noah’s 120 years of warning), and explain how love and righteous anger can coexist. The discussion then focuses on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and whether God set humanity up to fail. Panelists outline four purposes of the tree: enabling genuine devotion, inviting trust, establishing moral boundaries, and defining God’s role as Lawgiver. They argue the tree provides a real context for moral freedom rather than a trap. Listeners will also hear reflections on Genesis as a record of human failure alongside divine faithfulness. Using examples like Cain and Abel, Abraham’s struggles, Jacob’s deception, and Joseph’s long wait, the panel shows how Genesis portrays flawed people candidly while demonstrating God’s covenantal loyalty and redemptive work through imperfect agents. Finally, the episode addresses how to maintain trust in God’s promises when fulfillment is delayed. Speakers reflect on biblical timeframes (Abraham, Joseph), New Testament perspectives (2 Peter), and practical pastoral insights for patience and spiritual growth during waiting seasons. Practical takeaways include ways to engage skeptics respectfully, resources for further study, and pastoral encouragement that Genesis aims to reveal God’s character—both his justice and his mercy—while inviting listeners into deeper trust. The session closes with a prayer from Sam Wilkins and information about follow‑up sessions and worship led by Andy Baker. Duration 42:08

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 2:30 PM Session In this sermon-style episode Brian unpacks Genesis 12:1–9 and surveys chapters 13–15 to explore Abram’s call and covenant, showing how God’s prompt, promise, power, and presence shape faithful living. The speaker opens with gratitude to the congregation that invited him and shares a personal connection to the community before reading Genesis 12 aloud and framing the sermon around Abram’s response to God’s command to “go.” Key topics include Abram’s immediate obedience when God said “go,” comparisons to Noah as an archetype of obedience, and how Abram’s faith was accounted as righteousness (with reference to Romans 4). The preacher traces biblical patterns of calling—from Isaiah’s vision to the New Testament call to the church (ecclesia)—and emphasizes that God’s call often moves people from comfort into uncomfortable but faithful places. The episode examines God’s promises to Abram (“I will show you,” “I will make you a great nation,” “I will bless you…”) and highlights the future-oriented generosity of those promises. The sermon also reviews Abram’s missteps (the Egypt episode with Sarah) and prophetic echoes of later Israelite history, showing both human frailty and God’s sovereign power and protection. Listeners will hear practical applications: how to respond to God’s prompt, the role of baptism and obedience in receiving God’s righteousness, the comfort of God’s promised presence, and the assurance of divine providence in daily life. Stories from Genesis—Lot’s fateful land choice, Abram’s separation from Lot, the rescue in chapter 14, and the covenant sealing in chapter 15—are used to illustrate consequences of choices and the reality of God’s faithfulness. Scripture and sermon references include Genesis 12–15, Genesis 5–9 (Noah), Isaiah 6, Hebrews 1:1, Romans 4, Matthew 5 and 28, Mark 16, and Romans 8:31. Expect a blend of exposition, pastoral application, and encouragement: a call to trust God’s voice, obey His commands, lean on His promises, and live with confidence that God is with His people.   Duration 36:59

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 1:30 PM Session Location: Room 116 Instructor: Mike Vestal Title:  Preaching Seriously on Sin Summary On April 24, 2026, Mike Vestal urged taking sin seriously in preaching, using Genesis as a foundational lens. He defined preaching through eight components: the proclamation of divine truth by a man of God, derived through proper interpretive method, proclaimed to people in an engaging manner to achieve a desired purpose, and ultimately for God’s glory and the salvation of souls. He underscored sin’s gravity—idolatry, rebellion, and distorted love—while contrasting its devastation with God’s greater grace and redemption. Genesis was presented as essential for grasping core biblical themes and contemporary issues including origins, the image of God, gender, marriage, family, deception, law, promise, conflict, war, and sexual immorality. Practical illustrations included Jacob’s life and pastoral counsel on loving people, preaching with urgency and authority, and confronting heart idols. The lecture ended with recommended resources for preaching Genesis.   Duration 41:21

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 1:30 PM Session In this episode Lori at the Eclipse workshop offers a fast-paced, deeply pastoral study connecting the book of Genesis with the Psalms and what those connections mean for Christian women today. Opening with a memorable historical anecdote—Buzz Aldrin quoting Psalm 8 after the moon landing—the talk centers on an exegesis of Psalm 8 (a Psalm of David), highlighting its chiastic structure, its language for God (Yahweh and Adonai), and the surprising theological details woven into the short poem: praise from babes, God’s glory "above the heavens," humanity made a little lower than the angels, and dominion over creation. The presenter then broadens the view to show how many Psalms echo Genesis themes rather than retell Genesis narratives: creation, the fall, God’s covenant promises, providence, and God’s desire for relationship with humanity. She outlines Genesis (chapters 1–11 as primeval history; chapters 12–50 as the patriarchal promise that culminates in the line of Abraham) and emphasizes five recurring motifs in Genesis—God’s power, plan, promise, presence, and provision—and how the Psalms reflect and respond to those motifs in praise, lament, and prophecy. Key scriptural touchpoints and cross-references discussed include Psalm 8; Matthew 21:16 where Jesus cites the Psalm; Genesis 1–3 and Genesis 12 (the Abrahamic promise); Hebrews and 1 Corinthians 1:27; and Psalm 51 and other Psalms that show Israel’s covenant memory, worship practices, and longing for the Messiah. The talk also notes editorial and literary features of the Psalter (its fivefold division, psalms of praise versus lament, and how individual psalms function as worship, prayer, and theological reflection). The episode ends with practical application for listeners: why Genesis matters for personal faith, how the Psalms teach us to pray in joy and distress, and concrete responses—seek God in Scripture, worship corporately and in nature, trust him through lament, and obey as a response of love. The message closes with a pastoral prayer asking God’s blessing on the attendees and their families and pointing forward to the ultimate hope of redemption in Christ.   Duration 41:38

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 1:30 PM Session   In this episode recorded at the Cumberland Trace congregation as part of a Genesis-themed gathering, the speaker explores Genesis chapters 10–11 and traces God’s plan from the Table of Nations to the Tower of Babel and on to Pentecost. Framed around four focal ideas — design (diversity), defiant centralization (pride), divine disruption (judgment and scattering), and divine dissolution (Pentecost’s reversal) — the message shows how Scripture presents diversity as intentional, pride as rebellion against God’s command to fill the earth, and God’s sovereign intervention as the means to restore his mission. The sermon examines Noah’s charge to be fruitful and multiply, the genealogies of Shem, Ham, and Japheth (including the curse on Canaan), and how Genesis 10 functions as the Bible’s first “world map.” It unpacks Genesis 11’s narrative of prideful centralization at Babel, the confusion of language, and God’s scattering of people as both judgment and redirection. The talk connects these Old Testament events to New Testament fulfillment in Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit reunites the nations in one gospel message, leading to the explosive growth of the early church. Guests and references mentioned include Sister Rebecca Colley (scheduled to teach on pride and its link to Babel), a referenced sermon by Brother Cliff Goodwin, and earlier remarks by Brother Stephen. The speaker also cites Psalm 33 and Proverbs 19 and points to Genesis, Joshua, Matthew, and Luke for genealogical and covenant context. Illustrations — such as maps, family stories, and the Lost River Cave’s outward-flowing river — are used to emphasize the call to go outward rather than remain inward and to highlight practical implications. Key takeaways: celebrate and appreciate God-designed diversity; repent of and “amend the tower of pride” in personal, professional, and church life; and actively advance the divine mission by scattering outward to share Christ with all nations. The episode closes with an encouragement to join God’s mission, use whatever gifts one has to serve, and to refocus on building people who bear God’s name rather than building monuments to ourselves.   Duration 34:49

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 11:00 AM Session Location: Room 116 Instructor: Adam Faughn Title:  Leadership - How to Weather the Storms of Leadership Summary Adam Faughn presents a lecture on the challenges of leadership, framing them as "storms." He argues that leadership is inevitably stormy, especially for those guiding people in the ways of God. Drawing from Matthew 14, where Jesus’s disciples face a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Faughn highlights three common pitfalls for leaders in crisis: losing direction, losing sight of reality, and becoming distracted. He asserts that the ultimate solution is unwavering trust in Jesus. Through anecdotes and biblical analysis, he concludes that a leader’s duty is to trust Jesus and stand firm through any storm, ensuring they continue guiding people toward heaven. Duration 36:52

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 11:00 AM Session   Join hosts Kathy Pollard and Carla Moore live from the Cumberland Trace Church of Christ "Equipped" workshop for an encouraging episode of the Looking Up podcast, recorded in front of a group of women studying the book of Genesis. In this episode they mix warm fellowship and personal updates—including a shout-out to attendee Jennifer Eskew (who traveled from Alaska) and joyful family pregnancy announcements—with a thoughtful study on worship and the opening chapters of Scripture. The conversation centers on the theme that God made us to worship. Kathy and Carla explore early examples of worship in Genesis—Cain and Abel’s offerings, Noah’s altar after the flood, and Abraham’s sacrifice in Genesis 22 (the first time the word worship appears)—and highlight how our view of God shapes true worship. They unpack Hebrew worship terms like shakah (bowing down), hallel (praise), and yadah (lifting hands) and connect those postures and words to Psalms and New Testament teaching about sincere, God-centered praise. The hosts contrast the two creation accounts in Genesis 1 and 2: chapter 1 presents God as Elohim, the mighty Creator who speaks the cosmos into being with powerful commands, while chapter 2 portrays Yahweh Elohim as intimate and hands-on—forming man, breathing life, planting the garden, and building woman from Adam’s rib. These differing portraits reveal both God’s majesty and his desire for a close, covenant relationship with humanity. Kathy and Carla also use a vivid analogy—comparing Eden to the idyllic Camelot—to illustrate how God’s original design was perfect, how sin shattered that harmony, and how the rest of Scripture unveils God’s plan to restore fellowship with His people. They remind listeners that nothing took God by surprise and that redemption is woven throughout the story of the Bible. Practical application rounds out the episode: the hosts offer tangible ways to prepare your heart for worship (prepare the night before, choose a psalm, pray in the morning or in the shower, sing on the drive to church, and even lift your chest to change your posture and attitude). They read and reflect on Psalm 95—calling listeners to come before God with joy, thanksgiving, and an unhardened heart—and discuss how worship brings rest and renewal both now and ultimately in God’s promised dwelling with His people. Expect a warm, conversational episode that blends biblical teaching (Genesis 1–3, 4, 8, 22; Psalm 95; Lamentations 3:41 and New Testament references), Hebrew word insights, personal stories, and simple, faith-building practices to help listeners reclaim joyful, heartfelt worship in everyday life. Closing line: "Until next time, He will be known."   Duration 40:57

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 11:00 AM Session   In this sermon-style episode, guest speaker Bill preaches to a local congregation (with thanks to hosts Neil, Hiram, and the elders) from Genesis chapters 6–9. Centered on the theme "Sin, Grace, and Covenant," the message examines the corruption of the antediluvian world, God’s grief over human wickedness, and the single line of faithful survival through Noah and his family. Bill surveys competing interpretations of key phrases (the "sons of God," the Nephilim, and lines of Seth and Cain), explains the significance of Noah’s righteousness — "Noah walked with God" — and highlights the genealogical continuity from Adam through Noah to Abram and ultimately to Christ. He argues for a plain-historical reading of Genesis 1–11 and stresses how those chapters set the stage for the rest of Scripture, including Genesis 12 and the promise to Abraham. The episode carefully unpacks the flood narrative itself: God’s warning (the 120-year period), the ark’s construction and the distinction between clean and unclean animals, the deluge’s mechanics ("fountains of the great deep" and the "windows of heaven"), the timeline (40 days of rain, 150 days of prevailing waters), and the ark’s resting on Ararat. Bill defends the global scope of the flood and draws attention to textual details often glossed over in children’s retellings. Attention is given to covenant and worship after the flood: Noah’s altar, God’s promise never to destroy the earth again by water, the rainbow as the covenant sign, and how the Noahic covenant is universal and unconditional. The sermon links the flood typologically to New Testament themes — especially 1 Peter 3’s comparison of salvation through the ark with salvation through baptism and Christ’s resurrection — and cites Old and New Testament passages (Psalm, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Matthew, 2 Peter) to show the flood’s theological importance. Finally, Bill offers pastoral application: the possibility and duty of faithful living in an ungodly age, the seriousness of divine judgment balanced by the height of God’s grace, and the enduring trustworthiness of God’s promises. Listeners should expect exegetical detail, theological reflection on history and covenant, and clear invitations to consider how Noah’s faithfulness points forward to Christ and to our own call to walk with God.   Duration 39:19

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 10:00 AM Session   Location: Room 116 Instructor: Andy Baker Title:  Preaching - Countercultural Preaching Summary In this lecture on countercultural preaching, instructor Andy Baker argues that the core message for preachers in any era is "Jesus has a better way." He begins by referencing 19th-century hymn writer Priscilla Owens to emphasize the timeless need for scripture. Baker then outlines three unhealthy alternatives to countercultural preaching: anti-cultural (law without love), a-cultural (love without law), and pro-cultural (abandoning both). The lecture is structured around the components of his core message, asserting that preaching must focus on Jesus, recognize the Bible's enduring relevance, convey that Jesus offers a comparatively "better" path of continuous growth, and proclaim this as a guiding "way" for a world moving in the opposite direction. Baker emphasizes that effective preaching requires not just proclaiming this message but living it with authenticity, humility, and conviction. The ultimate goal is the transformation of listeners, urging them to become living sacrifices by renewing their minds. The lecture concludes by framing preaching as an unapologetically optimistic and hopeful task, especially in challenging times, meant to bring people to the cross and show them Jesus's better way.   Duration 43:20

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 10:00 AM Session   In this episode John offers a personal, text-driven tour through the names of God found primarily in Genesis and throughout Scripture, trading a purely academic approach for a pastoral, relational look at who God is. Rather than only cataloguing lexical definitions, John shows how each divine name reveals character, purpose, and a pattern that points forward to Jesus as the fullest revelation of God. Topics covered include the opening name Elohim (God the Creator) in Genesis 1; the tetragrammaton (Yahweh) introduced in Genesis 2 and echoed in Exodus 3:14; titles such as Adonai (Lord), El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Roi (the God who sees), and Yahweh Yireh (the Lord who provides). John weaves these names with key biblical passages and images — Paul’s road-to-Damascus encounter, Abraham’s covenant and the test on Moriah, Hagar’s encounter in the wilderness, Melchizedek’s blessing in Genesis 14, and New Testament connections in John and Colossians. Key points emphasized are the complementary truths that God is both transcendent (the Creator who speaks the universe into being) and immanent (a hands-on, compassionate God who sees, provides, delivers, and enters human history). Listeners will hear how the names function theologically: as proclamations of sovereignty, as covenant promises, as pastoral comfort for the lonely and afflicted, and as foreshadowings of Christ. Illustrative stories and applications include Paul/Saul’s recognition of divine presence, Abraham’s faith and obedience, Hagar’s encounter with the Angel of the Lord (El Roi), Melchizedek’s title “God Most High,” and New Testament scenes where Jesus reveals and embodies the divine “I Am.” John also references a neighbor-turned-Bible-student and a mention of Brother Higginbotham to show how these biblical insights play out in real conversations and ministry. What to expect: a blend of careful exegesis, vivid narrative examples, and pastoral reflection that invites listeners to move beyond knowing God’s will to truly knowing God. The episode closes by pointing to Jesus as the ultimate revelation — the Word who was with God and was God — and encourages listeners to study the names of God to deepen love, faith, and devotion. (If you’d like the PowerPoint used in the talk, John offers to share it on request.)   Duration 41:33

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 10:00 AM Session   “The things that were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.” In this episode Steven guides listeners through a careful study of Genesis chapters 4 and 5, examining how the first post‑Eden generations responded to sin and what their stories teach us about worship, judgment, and hope. The speaker walks through the narrative of Cain and Abel—contrasting Abel’s faith‑filled, firstborn sacrifice with Cain’s inadequate, instinctive offering—and explores God’s response: just and holy, yet merciful and corrective. Listeners will hear close attention to key verses (Genesis 4:3–5; Hebrews 11:4; Jude 11; Luke 15; Matthew 5), practical reflections on anger and unresolved resentment, and a careful look at the consequences of sin culminating in Cain’s murder of Abel and the ensuing curse and protection placed upon Cain. The episode surveys the society Cain builds—technical skill and worldly progress without godliness—and contrasts it with the line of Seth, introduced as a God‑ordained substitute and remembered for “calling on the name of the Lord.” The host draws out the theological significance of that phrase and the priority of spiritual legacy over secular success, emphasizing the role of parents and congregations in cultivating faith in the next generation. Genesis 5 is considered for its sober reminder that death now marks humanity because of sin, yet it also highlights two exemplary figures—Enoch and Noah—who “walked with God,” showing that faithful obedience is possible even in a broken world. Key theological takeaways include: God’s provision, God’s justice, God’s holiness, God’s grace and long‑suffering, and the assurance that calling on the Lord leads to life eternal (Acts 22:16). What to expect: a sermon‑style Bible study (no outside guests) that combines exposition, pastoral application, and practical challenges—how to worship according to God’s standards, how to guard the heart against anger and resentment, why spiritual legacy matters, and why, even amid death and judgment, Genesis points forward to God’s mercy and hope for repentance and redemption.   Duration 40:13

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 9:00 AM Session   Date Time: 2026-04-24 09:00 Location: Room 116 Instructor: Wayne Miller Title:  Leadership - How to Keep the Focus on God When You Succeed   Summary: Wayne Miller’s lecture examines the spiritual risks that accompany success and prosperity, drawing from Deuteronomy 8. The core message is that success, though a blessing from God, brings a major battle for focus and humility. Prosperity can lead to forgetting God, elevating personal pride, and losing spiritual purpose. Success is not an end but a means to glorify God, serve others, and witness for Him. Miller offers practical guidance for staying focused in success: deliberately remember God as the source, reject pride through genuine humility, and recognize that blessings are meant to point others to God—not to oneself. Duration: 39:36

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 9:00 AM Session   Good morning, everyone. In this episode the Denny walks listeners through Matthew 19, using the first-century rabbinic debate (Hillel, Shammai, and Akabah) over Deuteronomy 24 as background to explain why the Pharisees’ question about divorce was a trap. The talk highlights how cultural interpretations opened the door to easy divorce and remarriage in Jesus’ day and draws parallels to similar challenges facing the modern church. The speaker outlines Jesus’ three-part response: (1) God’s original plan for marriage in the creation narrative (one man, one woman, for life), (2) the bond of becoming “one flesh,” which encompasses more than sexual union and implies an inseparable partnership, and (3) the declaration that what God has joined, no one should separate. The presentation emphasizes Jesus’ authority in reframing the discussion and redirects attention from permissive rabbinic readings to Genesis 2:24. Key doctrinal points include the meaning and limits of Deuteronomy 24 (Moses permitted divorce because of hardness of heart), and Jesus’ clear ruling in verse 9 that porneia (fornication/sexual unfaithfulness) is the sole biblically authorized ground for divorce and remarriage. The speaker also addresses the Apostle Paul’s related language and common attempts to reinterpret or soften Jesus’ words, clarifying that Jesus calls remarriage after unlawful divorce adultery. The episode closes with pastoral application: the need to prioritize repairing and protecting marriages rather than seeking easy exits, the continuing pastoral and cultural challenge of divorce and remarriage in the church, and the call to align practice with Scripture’s original intent for marriage.   Duration 36:38

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 9:00 AM Session   This episode features guest speaker Caleb Colley, a scholar with degrees in Communication, Biblical Studies, New Testament, Humanities, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy. A longtime teacher in graduate theology and philosophy programs, he joins the conference to lead a chapter-by-chapter walk through Genesis, focusing here on Creation and the Fall (Genesis 1–3). The talk examines contemporary pressures on young Christians who face conflicting messages from church and school—between a literal six-day creation, naturalistic evolution, and theistic evolution (the view that God used evolution as His method). Caleb outlines the three common responses and explains why he argues theistic evolution is incompatible with the New Testament. Central to the episode is a sustained New Testament case: twelve facts and theological connections (drawn from Jesus, Paul, Peter, Luke, Hebrews, and Jude) that the speaker contends cannot be true if Genesis 1–3 are read non‑literally. Highlights include arguments that Adam and Eve were literal first humans, the first woman was formed from the man, Adam is the representative progenitor of all humans, the formation of Adam from dust, the serpent’s real deception of Eve, the historicity of Abel, Cain, and Noah, and the theological necessity of God’s rest and the flood for NT teaching. The episode also explores the fall itself: the clarity of God’s revelation to Adam and Eve, the devil’s calculated temptation, the step‑by‑step progression into sin, Adam’s failure of leadership, the fracturing of relationships with God and one another, and God’s merciful provision (animal sacrifice and the proto‑evangelium in Genesis 3:15) that foreshadows Christ’s defeat of the serpent. Throughout, the speaker connects Genesis to key New Testament doctrines—original sin, Christ as the new Adam, baptism and the ark, typologies between flood and final judgment, and the practical moral consequences for marriage, gender roles, and human identity. Listeners should expect a vigorous theological defense of a literal reading of Genesis 1–3 and clear tracing of how that reading shapes New Testament interpretation and Christian doctrine. This episode is recommended for pastors, students, and listeners interested in biblical theology, creation‑care debates, apologetics, and the pastoral implications of how Genesis is interpreted.   Duration 41:55

April 24, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 2 - 8:00 AM Session   This episode opens with a vivid everyday analogy about buttoning a shirt to introduce a sermon-length study titled "From the Beginning." The speaker gives a concise, structured overview of Genesis—highlighting its primary aim to introduce man to God, its two historical sections (primeval history and patriarchal history), and three key time-frames that reveal God’s power, plan, and providence. The program then focuses on the phrase "from the beginning," tracing its use in the New Testament (23 occurrences) and explaining two grammatical senses: reference to a span of time and reference to a specific point in time. The speaker outlines a three-part series approach that uses passages employing this phrase to teach how we relate to Jesus, to one another, and how to strengthen family relationships. The heart of the episode is a close reading of 1 John 1:1–4. The passage is analyzed and applied: John’s purpose in writing (so believers might know they have eternal life, resist sin, and enjoy full joy), and three affirmations about Jesus drawn from the text—his message, his ministry, and his manhood. The sermon illustrates each affirmation with biblical examples: the Sermon on the Mount and its seven themes (attitudes, influence, authority, devotion, possessions, relationships, prayer); the healing of the leper as an example of compassionate ministry; and Jesus in Gethsemane and Hebrews to demonstrate his genuine humanity and ongoing high-priestly ministry in heaven. Key practical points include the centrality of fellowship with God and one another as the solution to church division, the continuing relevance of Christ’s message for salvation and sanctification, and the comfort that Jesus both sympathizes with human weakness and ministers for us now. There are no external guests—this is a focused homiletic teaching combining Genesis orientation, New Testament exegesis, and pastoral application aimed at deepening listeners’ relationship with Christ and each other. Listeners can expect theological exposition, close textual analysis, and concrete pastoral applications intended to encourage faith, foster Christian fellowship, and call hearers to heed the message of Jesus "from the beginning."   Duration 41:28

April 23, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 1 - 7:00 PM Session Room:  Auditorium Title:  Getting to Know God Through Creation Speaker: Andrew Itson Summary: The lecture examines the theological theme of God’s creative work as ongoing, using Copernicus’s heliocentric insight to argue that humans lack the “gravity” to hold life together, while God—and ultimately Christ—does. Drawing from Genesis, Psalms, Hebrews, Colossians, and multiple New Testament narratives, the speaker highlights identity, community, and purpose as core human needs addressed by creation. Key motifs include God as sovereign initiator and finisher; creation as continuing, not merely a past event; the Spirit bringing order from chaos; rest (Shabbat) as trust; and work as purposeful multiplication rather than punishment. Practical applications include making Jesus preeminent, embracing communal life, practicing confession and repentance instead of hiding and blaming, and trusting God to start and stop what’s needed in our lives.  Duration 37:36

April 23, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 1 - 6:30 PM Session   Room:  Auditorium Title:  In The Beginning Speaker:  Steve Higginbotham Summary: The lecture by Steve Higginbotham seeks to rekindle awe for God’s power and greatness by examining His creation. The speaker argues that modern society often overlooks God’s work, becoming more impressed by human achievements like the pyramids of Giza. He contrasts the vastness of the universe (macrocosm) with the complexity of microscopic life (microcosm). Using examples such as Cassini’s photo of Earth, the James Webb Telescope’s Ultra Deep Field image, the finely tuned Earth–Moon system, and microscopic creatures like the hydrothermal worm and the resilient tardigrade, he underscores God’s immense power and intelligent design. He also explores DNA’s complexity to showcase God’s wisdom at the cellular level. The core message is that creation is a form of natural revelation, universally testifying to God’s existence and glory, urging people to seek Him. The lecture concludes by asserting that God’s ultimate display of wisdom is not nature, but the creation of the Church.   Duration 28:14

April 23, 2026 - Equipped 2026 - Day 1 - 6:00 PM Session   Opening the 2026 version of the Equipped Workshop hosted by the Cumberland Trace Church of Christ, Andy Baker leads the assembly in a few A cappella songs.   Duration 25:16

April 27, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 4 - 6:00PM Session   Closing out the workshop, Neal leads a bible of Paul's doxology in the letter to the Romans which references Isaiah 40. In this letter Paul encompasses most of the major lessons from Isaiah which have been discussed throughout the sessions of the Equipped Workshop.    Romans 11 - Israel’s Rejection Not Total 11 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. [a]But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.” 9 And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.” Israel’s Rejection Not Final 11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their [b]fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their [c]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! 13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and [d]fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, [e]goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own [f]opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be [g]saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has [h]committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” 35 “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-27-2025 - To God Be Glory Forever Neal Pollard - YouTube Duration 41:57

April 27, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 4 - 10:30AM Session   Starting with Isaiah 40 and other passages like Psalm 13, Wayne leads a bible study of patience and hope. Sometimes waiting for the Lord can wear you down and make you weary. But Wayne teaches that we can have faith in God's power and majesty.    Psalm 13 - 3 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-27-2025 - "TEACH ME LORD TO WAIT" - Wayne Jones Duration 34:48

April 27, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 4 - 9:30AM Session   "Glorifying God In Your Body And Your Spirit" by Jerry Elder Jerry Elder speaks on the importance of glorifying God with our bodies. Utilizing verses from 1 Corinthians and Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church, he demonstrates to young folks the importance of staying within the bounds of Gods will for our bodies and not falling into the temptation of sexual immorality.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-27-25 - "GLORIFYING GOD IN YOUR BODY AND YOUR SPIRIT" - Jerry Elder Duration 40:41

April 27, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 4 - 9:30AM Session   Cherie asks the important question of "why?" to be a serious bible student and "what are the motivations". She starts first discussing lessor motivations then moves to more serious motivations, pulling from Isaiah 34.    Isaiah 34 - Judgment on the Nations 34 Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it. 2 For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, And His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter. 3 Also their slain shall be thrown out; Their stench shall rise from their corpses, And the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree. 5 “For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; Indeed it shall come down on Edom, And on the people of My curse, for judgment. 6 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, It is made [a]overflowing with fatness, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom. 7 The wild oxen shall come down with them, And the young bulls with the mighty bulls; Their land shall be soaked with blood, And their dust [b]saturated with fatness.” 8 For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, The year of recompense for the cause of Zion. 9 Its streams shall be turned into pitch, And its dust into brimstone; Its land shall become burning pitch. 10 It shall not be quenched night or day; Its smoke shall ascend forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; No one shall pass through it forever and ever. 11 But the [c]pelican and the [d]porcupine shall possess it, Also the owl and the raven shall dwell in it. And He shall stretch out over it The line of confusion and the stones of emptiness. 12 They shall call its nobles to the kingdom, But none shall be there, and all its princes shall be nothing. 13 And thorns shall come up in its palaces, Nettles and brambles in its fortresses; It shall be a habitation of jackals, A courtyard for ostriches. 14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the [e]jackals, And the wild goat shall bleat to its companion; Also [f]the night creature shall rest there, And find for herself a place of rest. 15 There the arrow snake shall make her nest and lay eggs And hatch, and gather them under her shadow; There also shall the hawks be gathered, Every one with her mate. 16 “Search from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them. 17 He has cast the lot for them, And His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line. They shall possess it forever; From generation to generation they shall dwell in it.”   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-27-25 - "WHY WOMEN SHOULD BE SERIOUS STUDENTS OF THE BIBLE"- Cherie Vestal - YouTube Duration 41:47

April 27, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 4 - 8:30AM Session   Looking at Isaiah 40, Wayne leads a bible study of encouragement for those who feel abandoned, discouraged and alone.    Isaiah 40 - God’s People Are Comforted 40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. 2 “Speak [a]comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.” 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight [b]in the desert A highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made [c]straight And the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 The voice said, “Cry out!” And [d]he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” 9 O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord God shall come [e]with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His [f]work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. 12 Who has measured the [g]waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a [h]span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. 18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19 The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20 Whoever is too impoverished for such [i]a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He [j]brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. 24 Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. 25 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-27-2025 -"WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FEEL GOD HAS ABANDONED YOU" - Wayne Burger   Duration 32:58

April 27, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 4 - 8:30AM Session   "Meaningful Messianic Messages From Isaiah" (Part 3) by Dan Winkler   Dive deep into the captivating world of Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet whose name aptly signifies 'The Lord is salvation.' In this episode, we explore Isaiah's life, his crucial messages, and the unparalleled significance of his book, more than any other in the Old Testament, for understanding salvation. We unravel how Isaiah's prophecies, made 600 years before the birth of Jesus, served as a mouthpiece for God. These meaningful messianic messages, referenced extensively in Matthew, highlight Jesus' identity, his divine authority, and his role as the Messiah, the anointed one. This discussion extends our comprehension of how Jesus embodies Isaiah's messages, illustrating the prophet's pivotal role in establishing Jesus' identity and essence as the 'Lord with us,' bringing hope, salvation, and timeless counsel.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-27-2025 - "MEANINGFUL MESSIANIC MESSAGES FROM ISAIAH"- Part 3 - Dan Winkler   Duration 43:24

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 7:15PM Session   Hiram leads a study of how a person is transformed as they study and "see" God. Much like seeing an awe-inspiring sunset can change your mood, looking further into the Lord can cause a metamorphosis in your life.     Matthew 5:13-17 - Believers Are Salt and Light 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF THE LORD, BEING TRANSFORMED"- Hiram Kemp Duration 41:31

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 6:30PM Session   Mike leads a lesson on "supremely supreme". He discusses Jesus's awesomeness.    Philippians 2 - Unity Through Humility 2 Therefore if there is any [a]consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. The Humbled and Exalted Christ 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [b]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Light Bearers 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without [d]complaining and disputing,[e] 15 that you may become blameless and [f]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. 17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. Timothy Commended 19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your [g]state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. Epaphroditus Praised 25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; 26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, [h]not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "JESUS,NAME ABOVE ABOVE ALL NAMES"- Mike Vestal Duration 42:26

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 6:00PM Session   Again this evening Andy guides the congregation in a number of beautiful acapella hymns.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - 6 PM Singing-Andy Baker Duration 11:02

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 3:30PM Session   2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "DISCUSSION ON MARRIAGE AND FAMILY" Poignant questions regarding the pressures of parenting in today’s culture, what to do when your teen is falling away from God, and what to do when you and your spouse are on two different pages spiritually are answered in this round table discussion. Mike Vestal, John Moore, and Bruce Daughtery utilize scripture and experience to provide insight into the hard topics when it comes to marriage and family related spiritual concerns.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "DISCUSSION ON MARRIAGE AND FAMILY" - YouTube Duration 44:12

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 3:30PM Session   Matt leads a bible study looking at Isaiah and Ephesians 4 showing how we all as Christians should be active in ministry or evangelism. Matt outlines 5 key items which will help in this endeavor.   Ephesians 4 - Walk in Unity 4 I, therefore, the prisoner [a]of the Lord, [b]beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [c]you all. Spiritual Gifts 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also [d]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [e]edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. The New Man 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as [f]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Do Not Grieve the Spirit 25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give [g]place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary [h]edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [i]clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF THE LORD IN EVANGELISM"- Matt Wallin Duration 56:19

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 3:30PM Session   Starting with an illustration of Mike Tyson, Eddie leads a bible study on how to avoid arrogance. Looking at Isaiah 39, Hezekiah experiences an uppercut of reality.    Isaiah 39 - The Babylonian Envoys 39 At that time [a]Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.” 4 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” 5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. 7 ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ” 8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "AVOIDING ARROGANCE IN TIMES OF SUCCESS"- Eddie Parrish - YouTube Duration 39:15

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 3:30PM Session   Bart leads a bible study of Isaiah 58-60 showing how the prophecy described is fulfilled with Jesus in the New Testament.    Isaiah 58 - Fasting that Pleases God 58 “Cry aloud, [a]spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. 3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And [b]exploit all your laborers. 4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. 5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord? 6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the [c]heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are [d]cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The [e]pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your [f]darkness shall be as the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of [g]Streets to Dwell In. 13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, 14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "THE FUTURE GLORY OF GOD'S PEOPLE" - Bart Warren - YouTube Duration 40:58

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 2:30PM Session   2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT"- Vince Daughtery A powerful lesson with a message on breaking free from discouragement. Vince Daughtery speaks to the high school youth about the example of David and others from scripture who fell victim to their dark times and “doubled down on their stupid”. The intent of this lesson conveys the importance of finding the light in our discouragement and not falling into succession to it.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT"- Vince Daughtery Duration 41:01

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 2:30PM Session   2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "DISCUSSION ON CHURCH CHALLENGES" An exciting round table discussion not only answering questions regarding the concerns for problems/challenges within today’s churches but also an opportunity highlighting some of the beneficial and pleasant challenges that arise from congregating together to worship the Lord. Neal Pollard, Alan Webster, Bruce Daughtery, and Glen Hitchcock speak on important questions regarding church challenges such as how to address the tension between legalism and liberalism in the church especially when scripture calls for a clear stance, and how to guide our churches to find the discernible truth about scripture despite the fact we live in a digital age filled with misinformation.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "DISCUSSION ON CHURCH CHALLENGES"   Duration 43:30

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 2:30PM Session   Renita looks at what is often described as the "great arraignment" of Israel.    Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "REELING IN REBELLION"- Renita Archey   Duration 41:48  

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 2:30PM Session   Rick leads a review of Isaiah 49-57. Isaiah is a message of salvation. In these chapters there are a number of poems describing Jesus and his "rescue mission" to provide salvation to all of us.   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "THE SERVANT OF THE LORD"- Rick Brumback   Duration 40:01

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 1:30PM Session   Parker discusses heritage and culture. He describes how we are molded by where we grow up and that shapes how we think.    Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "APPRECIATING A GODLY HERITAGE"- Parker Webster   Duration 30:37

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 1:30PM Session   John leads a discussion on Heaven and how it is described in Isaiah and in other passages.   Isaiah 65-66 - The Righteousness of God’s Judgment 65 “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name. 2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; 3 A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick; 4 Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of [a]abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These [b]are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day. 6 “Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay— Even repay into their bosom— 7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,” Says the Lord, “Who have burned incense on the mountains And blasphemed Me on the hills; Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.” 8 Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,’ So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, And from Judah an heir of My mountains; My elect shall inherit it, And My servants shall dwell there. 10 Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, For My people who have sought Me. 11 “But you are those who forsake the Lord, Who forget My holy mountain, Who prepare a table for [c]Gad, And who furnish a drink offering for [d]Meni. 12 Therefore I will number you for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.” 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed; 14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for [e]grief of spirit. 15 You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; For the Lord God will slay you, And call His servants by another name; 16 So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. The Glorious New Creation 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or [f]come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying. 20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them. 24 “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the Lord. True Worship and False 66 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? 2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. 3 “He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, 4 So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.” The Lord Vindicates Zion 5 Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word: “Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy.’ But they shall be ashamed.” 6 The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, Who fully repays His enemies! 7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child. 8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children. 9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God. 10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; 11 That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory.” 12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” The Reign and Indignation of God 14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies. 15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many. 17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens [g]After an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall [h]be consumed together,” says the Lord. 18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and [i]Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20 Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. 21 And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord. 22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “So shall your descendants and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord. 24 “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”   Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "A STUDY OF NEW HEAVENS, NEW EARTH IN ISAIAH"- John Moore   Duration 40:39

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 1:30PM Session   Wayne leads a bible study reviewing Isaiah chapters 40-48 and how the later chapters of Isaiah echoes the promise of hope through Jesus found in the New Testament.    Video: 2025 Equipped Workshop 4-26-25 - "DELIVERANCE FROM CAPTIVITY"- Wayne Burger   Duration 41:27