Plan to Win! Fresh Manna by Pastor Tim Burt

Fresh Manna with Pastor Tim Burt    A Note from Pastor Tim Tim here. I'm so glad you're hungry to learn more about Jesus and the Word of God. Below, you'll find today's Fresh Manna Devotional. I pray it speaks to you and ministers to your heart! Explore more on my website → Plan to Win December 12, 2025 by Timothy Burt Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to succeed at something when you’ve planned for success rather than drifted into failure? I was thinking about this the other morning while packing for an upcoming flight. Whenever I travel, I always bring a healthy sandwich, a banana, and a bottle of water. I’ve learned over the years that if I don’t plan, I end up hungry in an airport terminal surrounded by junk food. That’s not temptation—that’s simply poor planning. And poor planning almost always sets you up to fail. This small habit reminded me of a far greater truth: every worthy thing God wants us to pursue in life requires intentional planning. Staying close to God, spending time in His Word, developing a healthy routine, keeping our bodies in the kind of shape that our doctor would give us a high-five for, and spending time in prayer so we can stay aligned with God’s plan. These don’t happen by accident. They happen because we plan to win. Scripture makes this truth unmistakable. Proverbs 21:5 (NLT): “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” In other words, God blesses those who think ahead, seek His wisdom, and build patterns that support the desires He places in their hearts. Over the years, I’ve learned this: if I have a desire from God but no plan to pursue it, that desire rarely comes to pass. Goals remain wishes until they’re wrapped in prayer and supported by practical planning. Think of Daniel. When taken to Babylon, he didn’t drift spiritually and hope everything would turn out okay. He planned ahead. Daniel 1:8 (NIV): “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself…”  That word resolved means he made a deliberate, pre-set decision—a planned commitment. And that plan empowered him to stand strong when pressure came. Jesus taught the same principle. Luke 14:28 (NIV): “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost…?” Planning is not unspiritual. Planning is partnering with God. When I think of my own life—my walk with the Lord, my health, my writing, my prayer life—every area where I’ve grown has come from planning. And every area where I’ve struggled has revealed the absence of a plan. Planning doesn’t eliminate our dependence on God—it expresses it. When we plan with Him, we acknowledge: “Lord, I need Your help to carry this out.” And that’s exactly the place where He meets us. Proverbs 16:3 (NKJV): “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”  Planning becomes powerful when we commit it into God’s Hands. From the smallest decision—packing healthy airplane food—to the biggest ones—shaping my morning routine, scheduling prayer, or structuring my time in God’s Word—planning is simply preparing the soil so God can bring the growth. Every successful person I know, spiritually or naturally, is a planner. Not a perfect person. A planner. Someone who believes that if God has given them a desire, they need a plan to walk it out. Today, ask yourself: Where do I desire growth? Where do I need a plan?  Pray. Think it through. Write it down. And then, with God’s help—plan to win. 1 Corinthians 9:24–25 (NIV): “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training…” In His love, Pastor Tim Burt Forward this email to a friend Support This Work © 2025 Tim Burt Ministries. All rights reserved. Change email address You’re receiving this email because you opted in at timburt.org.

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Learning to Hate What Hurts You! Fresh Manna by Pastor Tim Burt

Fresh Manna with Pastor Tim Burt    A Note from Pastor Tim Tim here. I'm so glad you're hungry to learn more about Jesus and the Word of God. Below, you'll find today's Fresh Manna Devotional. I pray it speaks to you and ministers to your heart! Explore more on my website → Learning to Hate What Hurts You December 10, 2025 by Timothy Burt When I was a boy, I remember watching my friend John try to quit chewing gum. Not because gum was bad, but because our schoolteacher made him promise to stop chewing it in school. The next day, he showed up with his right cheek puffed out like a chipmunk. When I laughed at him, saying, "You really don't think she'll notice that?" He laughed back. “I can’t help it—I love gum!” We laugh at something so small, but that same tug-of-war plays out in far weightier parts of our lives. We know what we shouldn’t do, yet our minds whisper, “But you love this.” That’s the root of most temptation. We’ve trained our hearts to love what our flesh craves, even when it offends God. “Mind over matter” is a phrase we’ve all heard, but in spiritual battles, it doesn’t work that way. You can’t simply will yourself into victory. If you’ve ever tried to quit a sinful habit by sheer mental determination, you already know how quickly that house of cards collapses. The truth is this: love creates desire—but hatred destroys it. When you love something, even a sinful thing, you nurture affection for it. That affection becomes desire, and desire leads you straight to disobedience. But when you learn to hate sin—the way God hates sin—your heart begins to reject it. “You who love the LORD, hate evil: He preserves the souls of His saints…” — Psalm 97:10 (NKJV) Hatred isn’t always bad. Misused, it wounds people. Used rightly, it destroys sin’s grip. God gave us the emotion of hatred for a purpose—to generate repulsion toward what is evil and harmful. Until love for sin turns to hate for sin, that sin will always pull at you. Think about how many people have said, “That’s it, I’ll never do this again!” only to fall back into the same pattern—drinking, pornography, gossip, greed, or whatever else controls them. The problem isn’t a weak will; it’s a wrongly framed heart. The Bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” — Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) Your mind can’t simply “delete” sinful thoughts. It must be renewed—retrained—to think as God thinks. I recently talked about that in a devotion — Developing Godly Mindsets “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” — Romans 12:2 (NKJV) Let me share a personal story with you. Over 35 years ago, I decided I would never again allow pornography into my life. But saying it wasn’t enough. I needed my heart to hate what I had once tolerated. So I asked God to help me see it through His eyes. I began to think about those women in the videos. Many were sexually abused, manipulated, or trapped in cycles of pain and exploitation. I thought, They were once little girls—daughters—God’s daughters. They deserve healing, love, and freedom, not shame and destruction. The more I saw that truth, the more my affection for that sin turned to repulsion. I began praying for them instead of lusting after them. That prayer changed everything. Each time temptation whispered, I prayed again: “Father, help them find You. Heal their hearts. Free them from this evil.” Hatred for what the devil had done replaced my desire, and temptation lost its power. That’s how you defeat sin—by reframing what you think and feel about it. Love what God loves. Hate what God hates. When you see sin for what it truly is—a weapon Satan uses to destroy lives—you’ll stop craving it and start resisting it with passion. Whether the battle is pornography, food, gossip, greed, or pride, the process is the same: pray, reframe, and renew your mind. When temptation comes, ask God to help you think His thoughts. Love what is pure. Hate what is corrupt. Let hatred for sin turn into intercession for those trapped in it. “Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.” — Romans 6:18 (NLT) ‍ In His love, Pastor Tim Burt Forward this email to a friend Support This Work © 2025 Tim Burt Ministries. All rights reserved. Change email address You’re receiving this email because you opted in at timburt.org.

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A Better Place - Fresh Manna by Pastor Tim Burt

Fresh Manna with Pastor Tim Burt    A Note from Pastor Tim Tim here. I'm so glad you're hungry to learn more about Jesus and the Word of God. Below, you'll find today's Fresh Manna Devotional. I pray it speaks to you and ministers to your heart! Explore more on my website → A Better Place December 8, 2025 by Timothy Burt Deuteronomy 6:3 (NIV) “Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.” When you read today’s Fresh Manna verse, you hear the words Moses spoke to the children of Israel. God was preparing them for something better—a move from a temporary place to a promised place. He had already led them out of a bad place, and now He was leading them toward something greater. Isn’t that just like our loving God and Heavenly Father? He always desires to bring us into a better place. But here’s the sad part—they never made it there. Why? Because they were afraid. They feared that God might not do what He had promised. They focused more on the uncertainty of where they were going than on the faithfulness of the One leading them. Their fear erased their trust and robbed them of the faith that could have made His promise a reality in their lives. Fear painted a deceptive picture that the awful place they had come from was somehow safer than the unknown place God had prepared for them. You might think, “I’d never be like that.” But the truth is—you might. Unless you are firmly convinced that God wants to bring you into a better place, you risk falling into the same trap. If your confidence is in your own ability to get there, you’re just like them. Because when your strength runs out, fear will take over. But when you know your covenant with God—when your faith is anchored in His promise and His goodness—you’ll keep moving forward, trusting that He will bring you into that better place. Joshua and Caleb understood this. They believed in God’s promise of a better life and greater blessings. But the other leaders were not rooted in faith. When they saw the giants and fortified cities of the Promised Land, they panicked. They cried out, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? … Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2–3, NIV) They said, “The people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.” (Numbers 13:28, NIV) Joshua and Caleb tried to silence those fears. They urged the people to trust God and move forward into His promise. And who eventually saw the promises fulfilled? Joshua and Caleb—the ones who believed. Those who feared and doubted never entered in. God still wants to bring you into a better place. What does that look like? You tell me. If you were once spiritually bankrupt and now know that Jesus loves you, is that a better place? It is to me! If you were once bound for Hell but now you’re bound for Heaven—is that a better place? It is to me! If you used to live for the world but now live for God, is that a better place? It is to me! He has brought me into a life I am passionate about—a life lived in His ways. That’s better! I once influenced people toward the wrong things, but now I influence many toward God. That’s better! He’s delivered me from myself and taught me how to love the most wonderful wife in the world. That’s better! He’s given me four beautiful children and seven grandchildren. That’s better! He’s blessed me with a better home, better cars, and a beautiful church family and congregation to serve alongside with. That’s better! He’s renewed my mind to His Word and allowed me, by His grace, to share His Word and serve others all around the world every day. That’s a better place! Everything in my life is better than it was—and it keeps getting better. It’s supposed to. That’s part of His covenant promise. God was pleased when Joshua and Caleb believed Him. He said that Caleb had a different spirit—a spirit of faith that trusted His goodness. I praise God for “the better place.” And I praise Him that He has a better place for you also! Even if you’re in a great place right now, God still has something better ahead. The better place isn’t given so we can indulge ourselves—it’s so that we can be equipped for every good work and become a blessing to others representing the love of Jesus to this world! Amen! As today’s Fresh Manna reminds us, “...that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.” ‍ In His love, Pastor Tim Burt Forward this email to a friend Support This Work © 2025 Tim Burt Ministries. All rights reserved. Change email address You’re receiving this email because you opted in at timburt.org.

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Why is the Sky Blue?

͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­

	Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Quintessence Why is the Sky Blue? Hazel Archer-Ginsberg Dec 7   READ IN APP   This week we can practice Cathartic Buoyancy - Here is the recording for: The 2nd Sunday of Advent – with its ‘Water Trial’. If wishes were fishes, we’d all be swimming The plant kingdom embodies a mysterious presence - an animating life-force - The ancients called this unseen essence: Aether - from the Greek: Αἰθήρ = ‘the clear blue sky illuminated by Sun & Starlight’ - a transitional phase from earthly matter to a higher, non-material ‘World Aether’. In the Orphic hymns, it is described as the ‘Soul of the World’ - the primordial element of Universal life. During ancient Atlantis this power is revealed as ‘Tao’. Aristotle called Aether the 5th Element = the Quintessence - transforming the square of the 4 elements into a pentagram. The Violet Window of the Goetheanum depicts the initiation into the cosmic ether world ~Rudolf Steiner In the Whitsun lectures Rudolf Steiner describes how the etheric realm is directly communicated thru the blue of the sky - the subtle substance that fills the atmosphere like an aura connecting Heaven & Earth. Like the blue of Mary’s cloak - The world ether surrounds the Earth. It is not air, or Spirit, or light, alone, but a-kind-of amalgamation – a supersensible threading that weaves thru existence - flowing thru Stars & souls - & stuff - a conduit between Spirit & matter - And for those willing to do the Great Work, earning the rite to read the signs - able to decipher the Spiritual deeds inscribed by the Creater Beings - which weave in the ethers - revealing themselves as ‘World Thoughts’ to our engaged soul forces of Imagination, Inspiration & Intution. The Plant kingdom teaches us how the etheric element can take hold of matter & lift it into the light. The biggest lesson from this living world is that nothing exists for itself alone. Plants manifest this principle as a pure & practical revelation – Everything is interwoven into an ecology of mutual support – a unified totality of being. We can contemplate Goethe’s Urpflanze - & Rudolf Steiner gives us vivid descriptions of the plant & elemental beings. We can picture the ‘group ego of the plant’ as being located in the center of the earth. And with the help of the Gnomes, the roots grow down into the darkness of gravity, in order to anchor themselves in these depths. Underground, all the plants are communicating with one another in an interlocking living cooperation. Above the earth, in its season, the plant also strives heavenwards. And with the cooperation of the elemental beings of warmth (salamanders) air (sylphs) & water (undines) they unfold their constantly evolving bodies in the light. The forces of the etheric world work from the periphery – generating powers of levity. These draw the plant upwards towards the light of the Sun – making of them a reflection of the stars. Before our eyes, matter is enchanted into a living form. As the plant grows, from root, to stem & leaf, to flower & fruit – the life-force sprouts, grows, adapts & changes. In the flower, it unfolds in ever higher octaves of fragrance & color. Finally, the plant reaches its perfection to give unselfishly of its fruits. It becomes life-giving food, which in working with the mineral world, nourishes the animal & human kingdoms – Then it dies away. And in this death process it completely surrenders its essence to the seed – feeding future generations to come. Because we have an etheric body, we are alive – Death occurs when the etheric body withdraws & the material world reveals its true reality as death. As Goethe modeled, & Biodynamics proves, when we work with the plant kingdom, by studying & communing with them in loving attention, we can learn to perceive & understand this miracle of life, & death. When we work in this realm with dedicated intention, we are able to release the elemental beings from their material enchantment, so that they can become one with the Christic forces available in the Etheric Realm of the Earth – revealing in turn this super-sensible realm to us. If we make it our intention, we can learn to feel & respond to our own etheric body. For me, doing eurythmy helps in my perception of these etheric forces - the élan vital pulsing in the space around & within me. With practice, we can affect our physical body thru consciously moving our etheric body - We can sculpt & heal these forces with our articulate movements. And so, dear Advent adventurers, Go on – make a snow angel, walk on the ice, have a conversation with your house plants – give an offering to a tree! “O Tannenbaum, OTannenbaum, Wie treu sind deine Blätter! Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit, Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit. O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, Wie treu sind deine Blätter!” Yes, let us sing joyful carols into the rainbow of the ‘Tone-ether’ - to calm the waters of the World-Soul during this 2nd Week of Advent. ~hag Share 7 December 2025 - “Speaking with the Stars” Share Dear international friends, Pleroma Travels is happy to inform you that we have officially made our upcoming trip to Ireland, scheduled for May 17–24 - 2026, accessible to all English-speaking participants. There will be a simultaneous translation service, provided by one of our collaborators who has already carried out this work on other occasions involving themes related to Anthroposophy. The trip is confirmed, & there are only 3 places that remain for those who may be interested. 17–24 May 2026 (7 nights - 8 days) the total cost of the trip will range between €2,500 and €2,800. The largest variable is the accommodation we choose, so the final price will only be determined once we know the exact number of participants. INCLUDED IN THE TRIP COST - interpreter service fees (and her trip’s costs) - accommodation with breakfast (single bed in twin bed’s bedroom) - entrance tickets to the sites we will visit - car rental and necessary fuel (we will travel in small groups by car, with fixed drivers who are members of the group—if any of you would like to drive, please let us know) - tourist tax - artistic materials for any activities proposed on site - audio system for listening to the lectures through headphones while walking - the Pleroma membership card, required to participate in our trips (€130 per year). Since we are not a tour operator, membership is necessary in order to organize “association excursions.” NOT INCLUDED IN THE TRIP COST - flights - any kind of insurance (each participant may arrange their own) - lunches and dinners (which we will still try to organize as a group to make the most of the experience) Below you will find the flight times we booked for the Italian group. It is important that your arrival in Dublin takes place before our arrival, so that we can all meet in the area or at the hotel we will book, making the gathering process easier for participants coming from different countries. OUTBOUND FLIGHT (You should arrive before this time) We land at 11:55 local time in Dublin on 17 May RETURN FLIGHT (You should depart after this time) Our scheduled departure is at 19:25 local time in Dublin on 24 May Please consider that we will be at the airport about two hours earlier, and you may have checked luggage. TRIP’S POSSIBLE LOCATIONS TO VISIT Map of the Excursion exploring the scheduled sites through the lens of anthroposophical spiritual science. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1A58aWcDri-c3sznjAL5uiMuEJ8uMgf0&usp=sharing Please contact Antonio via WhatsApp at +39 347 1585692 Thank you 🌹 Share Zinniker Farm has harvested Biodynamic Pfeiffer Wheat - If you are interested in signing up to receive a share of the harvest - Supplies are limited - Contact the Family Farm Initiative Here’s the link to a compendium of Free Video Presentaions If you want to support the Spiritualization of the Earth thru the Biodynamic Farming done on Zinniker Farm, you are invited to become a paid subscriber, with all donations going directly to the farm Upgrade to paid The Cognitive Ritual is a Free Will Offering to All worlds. Please Share freely Share ~hag Greetings Friend, you currently a free subscriber to Cognitive Ritual. Thank you for receiving my workings freely offered. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. ALL donations go to support Zinniker Farm - The oldest Biodynamic Farm in America! Together we can spiritualize the Universe. XOX ~hag Upgrade to paid   Like Comment Restack   © 2025 Hazel Archer-Ginsberg 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104 Unsubscribe