Greg Durante Podcast

The Bible says in Psalm 90:2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God." This verse talks about how God stays the same from the very beginning, even til the end. And that, along with that, are His characteristics. His goodness, His grace, His faithfulness, and all the other attributes. His Word and His promises stand, even when things around us seem to fall apart, because His faithfulness does not depend on man, or events, or circumstances in our life, but in Him only. He will do that which He has promised because He honors His Word greatly.

A gift is a freely given item given to someone whom the giver believes is worthy to receive it. God deemed us worthy to receive the greatest gift of salvation through Christ, though we have failed to believe in Him many times. He just asks us to receive and believe Jesus Christ, the greatest gift, which connects us again to God, having paid the ultimate price that forever sealed us as children of God, giving us more than salvation, but peace, blessings, joy, and love.

Just like the old Christmas carol, which talks about the many wonderful things about Christ, perhaps the most excellent response is to adore Him altogether. Just think about the Son of God, seated at the right hand of the Father, who once left His majestic abode to live with us, humans, one of just the many creations of God, and then teaching us, healing us, making us whole, dying for us on the cross, all done unselfishly so that we may be called again as children of God. Imagine that with all His glory in heaven, He was despised at the cross until death and redeemed us from condemnation to eternal punishment in hell, unto His eternal glory in heaven. That is why the only suiting and most excellent response is to come and adore Him.

During His lifetime on earth, Jesus never missed a beat of His Father's will. Why? because He is always in communication with His Father. There was no clock or watch during his time, but His prayer time must have been so intense and long that it would reflect in the miracles He performed each day. He makes prayer His focus. As followers of Christ, we must apply and observe this characteristic of Jesus to make prayer our main business. So when we face troubles and problems in this world, we know what to do and whom we can run to.

We cannot control situations in life. There are ups and downs, lefts and rights, and forward and backward stances. What we can control is how we will react. But it's not always easy to stay on a good path. That's why we need something to get a grasp on. That's where faith comes in. And when a household, in Christians, this means, the church family, operates in faith in God, nothing can stand against its members. Operating in faith means loving one another, lifting one another in prayer, protecting against false teachers, leading like how Jesus leads His followers, etc. As long as Christ is in the center, everything will be in place and in perspective.

The blood of the Lamb, the meek and lowly in heart disposition, of the One who shed it, for the redemption of our sins, is still continuously cleansing us from all sins and has forever granted us eternal life, to those who will believe and receive. Its power has also given us access to the throne of God so that we can live there forever. There is now no condemnation, in the powerful blood of Jesus Christ. 

The Word of God is alive and active. And God Himself is not a man that He should lie. He is faithful and true. If you can think of all the times He saved you, provided for you, protected you, and lifted you, know that He will do it repeatedly because He loves us that much. Be fully convinced that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. 

The fullness of the Holy Spirit means that we obey what he says. We will not have our way. It means that we are fully surrendered to His cause. We may ask, or doubt a bit, but eventually, will carry out His tasks for us. And in obedience, faith grows and matures, because, in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we can experience miracles and breakthroughs which no man can do.

When faced with persecution and troubles, the easiest way is to retaliate especially when the ego is touched. But, it was when we became a weapon for the enemy, for we allowed ourselves to give in to the plan of the evil one. Hard as it may seem, fighting battles with and in love, is always a win-win for both sides. Carry love as a weapon always, it may not be the toughest or the strongest or even the sharpest, but it is the most powerful of all that can melt down a hardened heart.

Is there anything hard to do for God? He can do it because He is the living God. There is nothing impossible for Him. We can think out of the box but there will come a time when our mind will limit us because it is, limited. But not God, who created all things, the universe, and everything in it. We cannot even fathom what lies beyond the galaxies and the darkness beyond, but not God, the Creator. He is able to do anything because He is that all-powerful.

Enlarge your tent. Tear down old walls and build new ones. Make room for more space for God to move, and then move. God has prepared greater things for you. See beyond what you see around you now. There is far more to it. God is waiting on the other side of your problems with your reward. Press on. Take faith along. 

God does what He pleases. And what pleases God is to bless His children and make His plans come forth. But we must make an effort to let Him do it in our lives. We must obey, trust, love, and worship Him because when He is lifted high in our lives, we make a way for Him to do His good plans for us. 

Jesus Christ is undoubtedly the Son of God. Even here on Earth, He displayed compelling and significant evidence that He is God. Though some say He is a prophet or a teacher, His miracles alone cannot argue His divine nature. The Bible also, talks about Him, even in the beginning and end. 

For God to sanctify you is for you to be set apart. When God blesses you, He wants you to trust Him only, even amid unbelievable circumstances and situations. Trust His Word. Trust His promises. That in the middle of trials, there will be an answer. That in the darkness, there is light. That in lack, there is fullness. That in every negative situation, there is something that God has prepared. Because His Word said that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. God will make a way and make the crooked path straight.

We may be hard-pressed on every side, but problems and trials are normal. The good thing is that we have the Word of God and prayer as our weapons. Soaking in these puts one in a better position to shield and wield his attack. The anointing we will receive will prepare us to be our best in the battle.

Everyone experiences the same trials and problems while here on earth. It may not be at the same time or circumstances, but still, nothing is new under the sun, just as the wise man told us in the book of Proverbs. But the confidence of the Christians lies in the everlasting truth that there is also nothing in this world that can separate us from the love of God. This truth, once believed and applied, just as any truth on earth is, will free any man from doubts, worries, troubles, and anxieties. And there are so many truths in His Word and in His promises, that will keep us grounded, standing steadily, amidst the turbulence and chaos, life may bring. 

Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior makes Him the Lord and Savior of our lives and a Shepherd who guides, cares, protects, leads, watches over, and tends to us. He is also the Bishop of our souls, who advises, teaches, and mentors us about the Word of God and the will of the Father. We have someone we can follow in Jesus, who will always give whatever we need to strengthen our walk of faith.

Go! The God Almighty has given us this command. We have been saved not just to sulk and preserve ourselves but to go and share the good news we have received. We have been given the command and the assurance that He will be with us even to the ends of the earth. God is looking for willing vessels to let His power, provision, grace, mercy, love, salvation, presence, peace, and glory to cover the earth. So let us go, and spread the freely given gifts of the goodness of God here and now.

As one family in Christ, we must exercise the ability to pray for one another. And not just to pray but to aspire for the best for our brethren. Because God prepared the best for us, we must learn not to focus too much on ourselves but lift one another so that people may see the huge difference between people coming from every walk of life and walking on the same path in faith.

When we were born again, we took on a new identity in Christ. Our old selves were gone. We are now ambassadors of Christ. We represent Him in every place we go, all the time because Christ is now living in us. And people should see Him through us, not just in our words but also in our actions. We must make every effort to make Him known, just as we have known Him when we had an encounter with Him through the people or circumstances we met.

A household of faith is maintained and sustained by God. When you make Jesus the center of your family, everything falls into place. The foundation is firm and stable, so storms of life, trials, and problems cannot and will not destroy the household. It may come, but the household will be more than ready to triumph. Put Jesus in the center and see the difference.

The book of James wants to convey that we should also be doers of the Word and not just hearers. We cannot learn fully a thing if we haven't done it yet. In school, theories are tested in the laboratory. Swimming is not learned by acquaintance. And muscles are not built sitting down. So is faith. We cannot learn much of what God wants us to be by just sitting in the church pew once a week, maybe one or two hours, listening. God wants us to apply it once we stand after the Message was brought forth 

In all that we do and say, let it reflect and give the glory back to God. We have the strength, the will, and the drive to do everything we do because God has given us the chance, the breath, and the life so we can do it. If we were to count every second of our breath just as many times we have to be thankful to God, we are in great debt. Give back the glory to God always. It is He who wills us to move, and breath, and live, in the very first place.

Believe! It is one of the things required to gain salvation freely, as given to us by God. If you have seen the universe and all in it, you will know that there is a Creator greater than all you see with your eye. He does not have to defend Himself because His creations can attest to His power and nature. There are numerous things, seen by the naked eye or not, which can serve as clear evidence of a great God, so that at the end of the day, no one will have an excuse to not believe in Him. 

Regardless of where you are today, if you believe and belong to God, you are a child of God and a citizen of His Kingdom. And to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God means that we may be living in the physical world but our focus is not on this world but on eternal things, of things God is doing and His plans for us. So whatever happens around us, we know that God is in control of the lives of His citizens, wherever they are.   

There is no denying that there is no better place than in the presence of God, especially when you're in trouble. To be with God and truly know who He is, is to be assured of the good things that will happen no matter the circumstances because He holds our future. We might not see it for the time being, but definitely, it is secured and will come to pass.

We have been given a potent tool against the enemy, prayer, in the name of Jesus. It is our ready access to the throne of God for mercy, favor, blessing, healing, and all things good. Let us always involve ourselves in intense prayers for our requests and intercessions so the supernatural can move in our lives and this world. 

Problems and setbacks in life are part of life itself. To never have experienced such means never learning something. So, these problems, setbacks, trials, disappointments, difficulties, blows, misfortunes, impediments, troubles, delays, obstacles, whatever they may be called, may put us down or may launch us higher. With God, these are all opportunities to stir up a hunger in us to seek Him more, to find Him more, and to know Him more, to rest and regain our strength.

We are called to be like Christ. Have you ever wondered why, some people, despite having everything, still are not satisfied? Because we have replaced the important with the necessary. The Bible says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. See Him, His face, His life. And even though you walk life with problems thrown upon you every step of the way, just like Christ, you will not be shaken up because each step you take is always on solid ground.

God's love wants us to be with Him. But sin separated us. Nevertheless, His great love made a way through Jesus Christ. And now it is Jesus' prayer that we would believe Him as the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is always interceding for us, even now. Praying for us to be like Him, to follow His example, to trust only in the Father, and therefore, inherit the inheritance assigned to us from the very beginning.  

But for the obedience of Jesus Christ on the cross, we would not be saved and redeemed. It is only by Jesus that we can come boldly to the Father. The greatest gift we receive, freely, that is salvation, which comes with a promise of eternal life, a gift worth more than anything on earth could offer. So how could you not serve your King Jesus, who made you free from everything that would hold eternal life for you?

The promises of God, His Word, are all yes and amen. When you agree and have faith that it will be done so, it will be done so. Because our God is a God of covenant. He is the other part of the covenant. All you have to do is agree and have faith, and it will be done so. 

With the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we have been redeemed. And we are made co-heirs with Jesus. He said, what He did, we can do also. We have been given, too, the power and the authority in Jesus Christ. Don't let the devil tell you so. 

What's inside of you will eventually show on the outside. No matter how we cover up whatever is needed to cover up, it will find its way out. So fill your life with God's Words, so that when tragedy or trial or problems seem to be knocking you off of your feet, even if you stumble and fall, you'll spill what you have inside. God's Words, His promises, His life, His goodness and faithfulness. You spill because you are full of it and is overflowing. You cannot spill anything from an empty cup. So fill it up. Read the Bible and pray for understanding.

We may be experiencing hardships in our lives. But God said in 2 Corinthians 4:8-12, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." We have hope, that at the end of it all, there is One who is waiting for us, cheering for us, believing in us. 

For we are saved by grace through faith. It's all about the grace of God, that we triumph over every problem, that we conquer every mountain, that we move from strength to strength and from glory to glory. In there, our faith develops, growing ever bigger and deeper as we trust that God holds everything about our life in His hands, where grace also is ever present, abounding and overflowing. And when these two meet, the grace of God and our faith, supernatural will be evident in our lives.

By acknowledging our dependence on God, we also acknowledge His sovereignty and guidance in our lives. We do not let our efforts or our plans take the lead in our lives. We wait for His instructions and therefore, we gain this sense of independence from what the world normally does. To the world now, we may look very independent but as Christians, we understand that we are guided by God's power which is beyond our own understanding.

As much as we say that we know ourselves and we know what we need, we sometimes are blindsided by the situation we have at hand. And there are a lot of factors we have to consider but in the height of the problem or situation, we neglect some important aspects we should focus on. That is why, Christians who pray, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is a powerful offensive and defensive force against life's troubles. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is in him and the Holy Spirit, who knows the will of God in your life, will tell you what and how to pray for in your life's situation. So pray, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Worshipping God is not about the songs, the music, the stage, or the singers, nor the building and the structure, nor the pastors and the preachers. It's a matter of the heart, directed by the truths in the Bible. It's not about the ceremony or the program. It's about a real passion and desire for God, and knowing all about Him and more, by worshipping with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

When God created us, He prepared first all the things we will need. And with that also comes the best gift of all, eternity. And though we have sinned and turned our back away from Him over and over again, still this gift is available for those who would aspire for it. Always and always will be, eternity is what the Lord wants for us, to be with Him. Believe, and you will receive.

Our blessings and miracles are just a prayer away. In the very beginning, before God created humankind, He created first the things that mankind needs. He has prepared everything first before He put us in it. He knows everything and definitely, He knows us very very well, because He created us. If we believe and obey Him, all the things He planned out for us, we will experience. Have faith! Take faith! And take it to the next level. We move from glory to glory, strength to strength. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith!

The Bible says in Hebrews 10:35-36, "So don't lose your confidence. It will bring you a great reward. You need endurance so that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what he has promised." We are commanded to not lose hope, confidence, and trust in our God. For He who promised shall do it. Don't lose it. For God has never lost His trust in you. He loves us that much to continue trusting in us after all.

The promise of God is because of His great love for us. That great love, that would not let us fall into the trap of sin, instead, would give us always a way out through Jesus Christ. This love, also promises a great life, because that has been always the plan of God for His beloved children. So hold on to it. The great love of God and the promise of a great life is yours.

Our God is a loving father and He will never interfere with you unless you let Him. That's how much He loves us that He gives us that much freedom. Nevertheless, as the Bible says, He will never leave us nor forsake us. So when trouble comes, He's there, just waiting for you to ask for Him. And you're reaching out to Him touches His heart more than you'll ever imagine because that's just how He is.

If we do the will of our Father in heaven, prepare to be amazed because His plans are so much better. We can plan our future, and do our own thing to achieve whatever our goals in life are, but sometimes, these all lead to exhaustion because change in this world is inevitable. When change comes all of a sudden, coping with it may drain your energy and lose focus on everything. But when we focus on God and His will, we only have one thing to maintain, our eyes on Him. And He will do the rest. We will not have to worry about anything because it all rests on His hand now.

God has never planned any bad or destructive things for His children. The Bible said that all His plans for us are good and for our good. If we are experiencing troubles and hindrances, we might be taking a different route other than God prepared for us. Nevertheless, just as He had planned our redemption a long time ago, our destiny of a good and full life still lies ahead of us, if we believe and get a hold of it today.

Jesus made the greatest example of how to live according to the will of His Father. Therefore, as co-heirs and children of God, we should imitate Christ. We have to live our lives as good examples to other people. We are like walking Bibles, they may not read it for now, but they must see it in our lives.

He will leave the 99 to find the lost one. Every time. All the time. He is our Saviour, Redeemer. He will always guide and protect, just as a shepherd is to his flock, so He will and more.

There's nothing that our God can't do. He does impossible things. He is supernatural, above and beyond what we can think of. Believe in Him and see the wonderful things He will do to your life as He uses it, and the lives of everyone you influence with your faith in Him.

Jesus' power and authority resides in those who have accepted Him as the Lord and Saviour of their life. Therefore, His life, which is of abundance, peace, fullness, joy, healing, restoration, and revival, will be made manifest in that life that is surrendered to Him. And must not be just contained but continuously overflowing for all to experience.

God does not look at the outside appearance of a person but looks at the heart. And a true worshipper of God hides in his heart the Words of the Father. And those who love and obey God, when he calls on Him in prayer, He hear because God knows that this person reveres His Word and is truly worshipping Him in spite of it all.