"Abigail-Brilliance In Beauty" 

Women of the Bible - Merry teaching:  Abigail (2024-12-07) WBS

https://youtu.be/Lozw6JU_8GM?si=2lTq3v3GKuMR0-dM

A Correction: At the beginning of the message, I misspoke about King Saul, saying he had an evil spirit "within." I lost my place in my message and tried to think quickly, knowing I didn't want to repeat the same thing as I quoted the text a little later in the message. The text does not say he had one "within" him, but most translations say, "Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized/tormented/troubled him." Did God send it "into" Saul? We don't know. All we know is that it was sent by God.

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"Stumbling But Successful Walk of Faith" Women Of The Bible -Sarah. Merry

 

Women Of The Bible - Merry, Sarah; A Stumbling But Successful Walk of Faith

(2024-09-25) WBS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJrO6Oc07Ko&t=1291s

Words of Repentance By: Shira Schechter October 8, 2024

 Saturday is Yom Kippur, and I've posted an article for Christians to understand what today is and how it applies to our personal lives as we relate to our Lord and each other.

Repentance

Words of Repentance

By: Shira Schechter

October 8, 2024

"The Confession Prayer, or Viduy, is one of the most central and powerful prayers of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, is a day of judgment and reflection, when individuals stand before God, acknowledging their sins and seeking forgiveness. The Confession Prayer serves as the verbal declaration of our sins, fulfilling the directive found in Numbers 5:7:

וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת־חַטָּאתָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַחֲמִישִׁתוֹ יֹסֵף עָלָיו וְנָתַן לַאֲשֶׁר אָשַׁם לוֹ׃

he shall confess the wrong that he has done. He shall make restitution in the principal amount and add one-fifth to it, giving it to him whom he has wronged.

Numbers 5:7

The Bible instructs us to confess the wrongs that we have done, but why is it necessary? Why must we verbalize what we have done wrong as part of the process of repentance? Isn’t heartfelt remorse enough?

Maimonides, one of Judaism’s most profound thinkers, insists that repentance is incomplete without confession. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik explains why this is so, emphasizing that confession is not merely an add-on to repentance—it is the act that brings it to life. Without confession, the process of repentance remains unfinished. Speaking one’s sins aloud transforms our internal feelings of regret into something tangible and concrete, holding us accountable in a way that silent reflection cannot.

A person may feel remorse or regret, but it is only through confession—by putting emotions into words—that they truly understand the depth of their feelings. Thoughts and emotions do not fully crystallize until they are expressed verbally. As Rabbi Soloveitchik notes, a person himself does not know what stirs even in his own heart until he shapes his emotions and thoughts into verbal expression.

But there is another benefit to verbal confession. Rabbi Soloveitchik explains that before this verbal acknowledgment, a person may only have a vague sense of their failings, but by articulating their transgressions, they bring them into sharp focus. Words have the power to illuminate the seriousness of our actions, and the spoken confession forces us to confront the truth directly.

This verbal expression of sin is not easy. It requires breaking through layers of pride, fear, and self-deception. Rabbi Soloveitchik likens Viduy to a form of self-sacrifice—a personal offering to God. When we confess our sins, we sacrifice our ego, our carefully guarded defenses, and our sense of control. In his words, “Confession forces a person, with great suffering, to recognize the facts as they are and to express the truth clearly.” This admission of guilt is not just an acknowledgment of wrongdoing; it is a deeply humbling experience, where one strips away all the excuses and defenses built up to protect one’s self-image.

The act of confessing one’s sins aloud is transformative because it forces us to confront our failings with honesty and humility. This process, though painful, is necessary for true spiritual renewal. As Rabbi Soloveitchik teaches, it is only through this struggle—through the act of speaking the truth about ourselves and the shame that comes with it—that we burn away our pride and our illusions, and in doing so, we find purification and forgiveness. As it says in Leviticus 16:30:

כִּי־בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה תִּטְהָרוּ׃

For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before Hashem.

Leviticus 16:30

We can apply these ideas about confessing our wrongs in our relationship with God to our human relationships as well. When we set aside our ego and admit that we have wronged another person, we open the door to healing. Just as with Viduy, true healing in relationships begins when we are willing to confront the reality of our actions. A relationship damaged by hurt and anger cannot heal until one acknowledges their role in causing the harm. By verbalizing our regret and offering sincere apologies, we not only validate the other person’s pain but also begin to rebuild trust. This is the moment when reconciliation becomes possible, just as confession is the starting point for our spiritual renewal on Yom Kippur.

This Yom Kippur, as we stand humbly in confession, let us remember that true repentance requires the courage to speak the truth about ourselves, to break through the walls we’ve built, and to confront our sins head-on. Just as we seek healing and renewal in our relationship with God through Viduy, so too must we bring that same honesty and humility into our human relationships. By acknowledging our wrongs, both before God and others, we open the path to forgiveness, reconciliation, and the chance to begin anew."

Followers of Christ are exhorted to do the same:

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."-James 5:16

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Comment as Merry Seneca J. Streeter

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"Old Man VS New Man" Ephesians 4: 17-32 Merry

 

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"Old Man VS New Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=066wxDIzESo&list=PL5LQHSiZMeEl1cjxCO4f9NHhjAEmLWxM-&index=9

"Obey?" Ephesians 6: 1-9 Merry

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TOe-M3TR20&list=PL5LQHSiZMeEl1cjxCO4f9NAEmLWxM-&index=12

"Judgement Fulfilled with a Glimmer of Hope." 1&2 Kings Lesson 24 Merry

 

CWC Women Bible Study 1&2 Kings Lesson 24 2024 04 24 Merry

"Judgement Fulfilled with a Glimmer of Hope."

https://youtu.be/7JmAPvHSgU0?si=oZa9sWnybbSqOKn2