Verse of the Day – Lamentations 3:25

January 24, 2026Verse of the DayThe LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. Lamentations 3:25 NLTREAD ON THE BIBLE APPRELATED PLANSHope3 DaysOvercoming Temptation3 DaysMoments for Mums: When We Make Mistakes – Part 23 DaysBRAVE: A 3-Day Devotional From Danny Gokey3 DaysSupport DonateYou are receiving this email because you are currently subscribed to YouVersion notifications.© Life.Church / YouVersion 4600 East Second Street, Edmond, OK 73034Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

Bible Study

Hello All,

Please join us, our Zoom Link is below for this Saturday’ssession at 8:00 AM PST 01/24/2026. I am blessed by the presence of each one of you in my life. We show gratitude to God by “giving thanks in all circumstances …” [1Thess. 5:18a]

We will continue our regular study of Matthew this morning. The study of [Matthew 5, 6, 7] is so dense we will take each study in smaller increments so in our rush, we do not miss important elements of Jesus’ teachings. In this study session we will review [Matthew Chapter 5]. It is here that Jesus lays out His entire ministry. This is a brief transitional portion of Jesus’ message as He shifts from the Beatitudes to the Similitudes.

It is my prayer that you are able to join us.

Love, hank

Zoom Link:
For Study, Prayer and Fellowship – 8:00 AM PST 01/24/2026:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82968961343?pwd=LzcwVjJKcWVESDRURlhDcXlNV0JUdz09
Meeting ID: 829 6896 1343
Passcode: 77299ere:

Bible Study Notes:

01/24/2025 – Prologue – As we reach these verses, I am more deeply reminded of my debt to Jesus. On a winding, back country road, in the early 1980s, filled with God’s beauty and solitude, it was a warm, sunny afternoon. He spoke to me saying, “Without Me, America is doomed.”  At that time, I was in the depths of my dark period. My immediate response was, “Lord, I am not worthy to come under your roof, but say the word and my soul will be healed.” This is a paraphrase of [Matt. 8:8] “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But say the word and my servant will be healed.” Read [Matt.8:5-13] in its entirety. From that moment, though the journey was still long, taking a dozen or so years; Satan’s lock on my heart was broken and the process of reconciliation and commitment had begun. The lesson here is not to question God’s timing within yourself or within others.

 

In reality, at that moment in my life I was living the implications of the STM which was significant. Without the blessings of Jesus, nor without the strength and power and hope that the Beatitudes provide to each of us – no one can receive and live within the calling that Jesus provides for us. Though we may intrinsically follow Jesus’ teachings as iterated in the Beatitudes we do so because that is what is demanded of us, as humans, made in the image and likeness of God. That intrinsic understanding should be enhanced by deeper study of the programmatic lesson Jesus is teaching us in [Matt. 5, 6, 7]. Now, 40 plus years later I realize I was simply part of the ‘crowd’. (Discussed below) I also realize, metaphorically, that Jesus was offering me the opportunity to stand in the doorway. Unless the hearer, receives for himself, i.e. integrates into his thoughts/actions processes the Lord’s teachings through the blessings of [5:3-12] then the remainder of the Sermon’s teachings will not be accessible. For it is by faith that the hearer can and does claim the Beatitudes blessings, which Jesus first offers to “them” – and as offered to “you.” All who receive those gifts are disciples. Thus, as one receives the gifts of the Beatitudes,  the disciples will then hear the calling of Jesus which follows in the main body of the Sermon’s teaching. Every disciple of Jesus lives his life aware of the sober warning about life that has both come and not yet fully come, lives with an eye of the final goal [7:13-27]. To the majority of the crowds, TSM is about them in the third person for they do not believe in Jesus’ authority. For those to whom faith and understanding begin to be granted, however, the blessing and calling of Jesus become their own; Jesus speaks to “you.” Just a brief aside about timing. It is beyond our ability to comprehend. Think – Paul. The time from Jesus’ resurrection to Paul’s conversion (road to Damascus) was 6 – 8 years plus studies in Arabia 3 years [Gal.1:17-18]

 Two final points: The first pertains to the authority with which Jesus speaks TSM in its entirety. The crowds remain “third” person observers. In fact, all who hear the words of Jesus’ ministry within TSM marvel at Jesus’ claim to authority [7:28-29]. None of their other teachers dared to speak divine blessing and call simply out of their own authority the way Jesus had done. In fact, Jesus had claimed that His words are the unshakeable foundation on which a person may and must build his hope for salvation [7:24-27]! And second: Matthew portrays Jesus using unparalleled authority. It expresses itself as authority for the needy; and that expresses itself in healings and exorcisms [8:1-16]; saving those in danger [8:23-27]; and forgiving sins [9:1-8]. Matthew portrays Jesus as gracious, reaching out to those in need and manifesting the grace-giving rule of God as He drives back the power of Satan and calls people to be disciples. Jesus has brought the reign of heaven into human history.       AMEN

Hank Hohenstein, OFS

Land Steward

161 Osprey Vista

Shady Cove, OR 97539
Cell: 541-973-5442

hankhohenstein@gmail.com

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🌱 Patch AM: How Tempe’s new nightlife safety plan…

Friday, Jan 23, 2026

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Tempe

Morning Tempe! We’ve got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today’s newsletter:

• How Tempe’s new nightlife safety plan could change your next outing
• Why Tempe Democrats are split over a new same-sex marriage strategy

Also on today’s calendar: The International Gem & Jewelry Show – Phoenix, AZ (January 2026) and 9 more events.

Today’s riddle: What did the hot dog say when it won the race? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

• Friday: Mainly cloudy, showers around, with a high of 67 and low of 50 degrees. 
• Saturday: A couple of morning showers, temps: high: 64, low: 44. 
• Sunday: Cool with plenty of sun, with a high of 64 and low of 44 degrees. 

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📰 News we’re reading

• Tempe considers law to discourage drink spiking (ktar.com) — Tempe is weighing a first-in-Arizona nightlife safety ordinance that would require late-night bars and clubs to stock drink-spiking test kits and offer covered drinks, with certification rebates to encourage participation. Residents can watch the council’s first public hearing online and still influence how the proposed rules roll out at roughly 70 local establishments. 
   

• LGBTQ groups pushing same-sex marriage measure that OKs discrimination(phoenixnewtimes.com) — Tempe lawmakers Brian Garcia and Lauren Kuby are key voices in a heated statewide debate over how to protect same-sex marriage in Arizona while handling religious exemptions. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are weighing a ballot measure that would remove Arizona’s marriage ban but allow certain religious objectors to refuse to perform ceremonies, drawing criticism from some Tempeand Phoenix Democrats. 
   

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📸 Around Tempe

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Tempe

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★ Featured events ★

• The International Gem & Jewelry Show – Phoenix, AZ (January 2026)
  Arizona State Fair, 1826 W McDowell Rd, Phoenix
  10:00 am
• Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward live in Tempe, AZ!
  The Westin Tempe, 11 E 7th St, Tempe
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Want to see your event featured? Click here!

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Other local events

• David Nihill (21+ Event)
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  8:30 am
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• Girls JV Basketball vs. Fees
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• A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL at ASU Gammage
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📣 Tempe Shout Outs!

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Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Tempe PatchAM possible:

• Pine Island Camp — (207) 465 3031
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• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Update: Pet Reunited
  Roger, a cat who went missing in Tempe, AZ, has been safely reunited with their family after 4 hours, 2 minutes. Message from Owner: “Roger was last… (Nextdoor Daley Park) 
• Please share & repost to help reunite this lost dog!
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• Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Bakery Wrapper / Clean Up in Tempe. Apply here.
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🗞 Nearby News

Chandler

• Chandler Ostrich Festival to relocate for first time in two decades (azfamily.com)
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Paradise Valley

• Dr. Mark Plastic Surgery Brings World-Class Expertise to Scottsdale (scottsdale.org)

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Ok Tempe! So now you’re in the loop about what’s happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh — and if you like what you’re reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

— The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today’s riddle: I’m a wiener!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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AZ Briefing: Will Loop 202 be named after Charlie…

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AZ Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Fri Jan 23 2026

Lorenzino Estrada
Digital Producer

Good morning, Arizona. Here’s what our reporters are working on and what you should know about what’s happening across the state before you start your day.

A bill, sponsored by Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, would rename the 77-mile Loop 202 freeway as Charlie Kirk Loop 202.

More on Senate Bill 1010 and what else could be named after Kirk.

Other big stories

➤ These are the pets up for adoption in Phoenix-area shelters this week. Meet Cucumber and Kaia, Sunshine, Seraphine and Trey.

➤ Sen. Mark Kelly created minor political tremors this week by acknowledging in an interview that he is considering a run for president. Here’s what he said.

➤ Several cities across metro Phoenix have raised their utility rates.  Here’s how much rates have increased .

➤ The House Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill introduced by Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, who says wolves prey on cattle and their endangered species status should be removed.

➤ Peoria police said 63 dogs were removed from a home near 88th Avenue and West Morningside Drive on Jan. 21, 2026. See some of the dogs.

➤ News alerts in your inbox: Don’t miss the important news of the day. Sign up for  azcentral newsletter alerts  to be in the know. 

➤ Today, you can expect it to be mostly cloudy with a couple showers and a high near 69 degrees. Expect it to be cloudy with a couple showers at night with a low near 52 degrees.  Get the full forecast here.

Taste testing Pabst Blue Ribbon soup was a weird throwback

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Today in history

Here are just some of the historic events on this date in the past.•On this day in 1957: The Wham-O toy company released the first batch of their aerodynamic plastic discs now known all over the world as Frisbees. Walter Frederick Morrison, who invented the novelty with his partner Warren Franscioni, sold the idea to Wham-O in 1955, wanting to call it the “Pluto Platter.” Wham-O changed the name to Frisbee shortly after buying it from Morrison.•In 1964: The 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited both Congress and any of the states from imposing a poll tax or any other tax to vote in federal elections, was ratified.•In 1977: The TV miniseries “Roots,” an adaptation of Alex Haley’s bestselling novel that chronicled a family through its roots in Africa and the Civil War, premiered. A groundbreaking program consisting of eight episodes, “Roots” became one of the most popular shows in the history of American television and a major moment in America’s reckoning with slavery.•In 1986: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, then in its third year, inducted its first members, some of whom were considered the founders of rock: Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.•In 1997: Madeleine Albright, who had earlier served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, became the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State after she was sworn in by then-Vice President Al Gore at the White House.•In 2005: TV host and comedic legend Johnny Carson, best known for hosting NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” died of respiratory failure due to complications from emphysema at age 79 in Los Angeles.•In 2021: Talk-show host Larry King, who hosted CNN’s widely popular “Larry King Live,” died at age 87 of a sepsis infection.

— Hoang Tran, USA TODAY Network

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Entering the Weekend with Christ

Hi everyone, 

As we enter this Weekend with Christ, Jesus is walking along the shoreline of YOUR life, and he offers you the invitation “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people”.  Will you answer his call today?

Pastor Tim
“God has led you to the desert, and spoken to your Heart.”

Mount of Olives Lutheran Church

3546 E. Thomas Rd

Phoenix, AZ 85018

602-956-1620 office

From Darkness to Light: Becoming Fishers of People

As we enter this weekend with Christ, our Scripture readings take us on a journey from the heavy shadows of Galilee to the bright, bustling shores where Jesus began his ministry. We often hear the phrase “fishers of men” or “fishers of people,” and it sounds like a quaint Sunday School metaphor. But for the men standing by the Sea of Galilee, this wasn’t a metaphor—it was a total disruption of their reality.

This Sunday calls us to explore what it means to step out of the dark and into the light of a new calling.

The Context of Darkness (Isaiah 9:1-4) Isaiah speaks to a people walking in deep darkness. Historically, the land of Zebulun and Naphtali (the region around Galilee) was the first to be invaded by foreign empires. It was a place of gloom, war, and heavy burdens.

But Isaiah makes a bold promise: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”

Jesus begins his ministry in this exact spot. He doesn’t go to the religious elites in Jerusalem; he goes to the “Galilee of the Gentiles”—the place of struggle and transition. This tells us that God’s light doesn’t wait for us to find our way out of the dark; the light comes into the dark to find us.

The Call to “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:12-23) When Jesus walks along the Sea of Galilee, he sees Peter, Andrew, James, and John. These were professional fishermen. Their lives were defined by the smell of salt, the weight of wet nets, and the unpredictable nature of the sea.

Jesus says two simple words: “Follow me.”

The text says they left their nets immediately. Why?

1. A Greater Purpose: They weren’t just leaving a job; they were joining a movement.

2. The Shift in Focus: “I will send you out to fish for people.”

o In the ancient world, “fishing” was often used as a metaphor for gathering people for judgment or for instruction.

o Jesus transforms this. He is asking them to gather people into the Kingdom of Heaven—to pull them out of the “chaotic waters” of the world and into the safety of God’s grace.

The Challenge of Unity (1 Corinthians 1:10-18) If we are to be “fishers of people,” we have to look at the “boat” we are standing in. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us that a divided boat cannot fish effectively.

The church at Corinth was split: “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas.” Paul argues that this focus on human leaders empties the Cross of its power.

We are not fishing for our own “brand” or our own denomination, not Lutheran or Catholic. We are fishing for Christ. When we prioritize our divisions over our mission, we let the nets tear, and the message is lost.

So, what does it look like to be a fisher of people in our modern world?

• Leave the Nets: What are the “nets” that hold you back? Is it fear, a need for security, or an old identity? To follow Jesus, we must be willing to let go of the things that define us solely by our labor or our past.

• Go Where the People Are: Jesus didn’t wait in a temple for the fishermen to come to him. He went to the shore. Being a “fisher” means engaging with the world—your workplace, your school, your neighborhood—with kindness and the light of Christ.

• Focus on the Cross: As Paul said, the message of the cross is “the power of God.” Our job isn’t to be the smartest or most eloquent; it’s simply to point people to the Light that Isaiah promised.

The heavy yoke of the darkness has been broken. The light has dawned. Today, Jesus is walking along the “shoreline” of your life. He sees you in your routine, with your nets in hand, and he offers the same invitation:

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.”

May we have the courage to drop our nets, the humility to work in unity, and the joy to share the Light with a world that is still walking in the shadows.