Pastor Vic's Nuggets of Truth

Free Podcast Downloads The Bible and the Holy Spirit: Maturity! In recent months, I have focused on the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian's life. However, I want to make sure there is no doubt that we need both the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Without the Bible, we can easily fall into error. Remember, Satan is a deceiver, as the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:14, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” So, how do we know what is from God and what is from the enemy of our soul, or just wrong thinking? The Bible is the standard of truth for life and godliness.

Free Podcast Downloads I am sure that all of us have faced the age-old question of, “Why is it so hard to obey God?” The truth of the matter is that we cannot consistently obey the Lord in our own strength and discipline alone. We need help, we need power! That is why Jesus ascended to the Father, so that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to us as the “Helper” John 14:15-18, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” 

Free Podcast Downloads When's the Stuff Going to Happen? Many people believe they need to become better people before they can get close to Jesus. However, the truth is, if you draw closer to Jesus, He will make you a better person. The Lord doesn't want to put you into a mold and make you look like a Christian. The Lord wants to change you from the inside out to make you a Christian. This process is called transformation. Look at Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The Lord's perfect will is that you become like Jesus and that in life's situations, you would do what Jesus would do. Jesus empowered us, through the Holy Spirit, to do the following in Mark 16:15-18, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Free Podcast Downloads As Christians, we commonly use the word salvation to mean being “born again.” We talk about being saved or not saved, but what does that really mean? In its most straightforward understanding, it means that by putting our faith or our trust in Jesus Christ, we are saved. Our faith is in Jesus alone, and as a result of that faith, we believe that His crucifixion, death, and resurrection purchased something that we could never obtain on our own. We believe that faith in Jesus has caused the following: our sins to be forgiven, a restored relationship with God the Father, His Holy Spirit to come live in us and that we will have eternal life with God in Heaven! If the above is what you believe, then you are absolutely correct; however, there is more! These facts of being forgiven, in a proper relationship with the Father, and knowing you have eternal life are the beginning of understanding what being “born-again” means. As the term born again implies, you have been spiritually reborn, and this rebirth not only changes your spirit, but it also changes your soul and body. 

Free Podcast Downloads Mustard Seed Faith: A Journey of Transformation The writer of the book of Hebrews makes it abundantly clear that it is impossible to please God without faith! The writer says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). It is wonderful that all we need is the smallest measure of faith to start our faith walk, and Romans 12:3 tells us that the Lord graciously gives us that seed of faith. Like any seed, the destiny of that seed is to grow.

Free Podcast Downloads Faith Is Required To Believe What God Says About You. Walking by faith means trusting God completely, even when we don't understand everything. Faith helps us live the way God wants us to. It gives us the strength to do what's right, even when it's hard. This message explains how faith makes us right with God, how it helps us live holy lives, and how it changes us to become better people.

Free Podcast Downloads In the last episode or post, we defined the difference between natural faith and spiritual faith. Spiritual faith is what moves the Lord. Spiritual faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1 as,“Now faith is the substance (guarantee) of things hoped for, the evidence (convincing proof) of things not seen.” Faith enables us to treat the future as present, the invisible as seen! Faith and Grace are two sides of the same coin. On the one hand, God has extended grace through Jesus Christ. Grace, in this sense, means that God offers us free gifts. In the biblical sense, grace isn't something you can work for; grace is not earned or deserved; grace is unconditional.

Free Podcast Downloads Throughout Christian history, every Believer has been responsible for knowing Jesus and making Him known to others. Our first responsibility is to be in a relationship with Jesus through His Holy Spirit. This means learning what Jesus purchased for us at the cross of Calvary; we are justified, saved, forgiven, made righteous, and empowered to serve the Lord. It is our faith in the one who saved us, Jesus! who enables us to be healed and made whole in our souls.  Our faith must be in the Lord and Him alone. When we are in a relationship with the Lord, we get to know Him in a personal way, and with that comes a trust or faith in Him and His word. Jesus has called us to become faith walkers. 2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us that we are to, “Walk by faith and not by sight.” Our relationship is spirit to Spirit. Someone once said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a human experience!” How true that statement is, and once accepted as truth, it changes how we see ourselves and the world we live in.

Free Podcast Downloads Our final episode of this series is about learning to discern the Holy Spirit's leading through the peace of God. In the last several episodes of this series, entitled “Learning How to be Led by the Holy Spirit,” we discussed ways the Lord communicates with us through the Holy Spirit, and they are: Holy Spirit guidance Through Conviction. Holy Spirit guidance Through the Bible. Holy Spirit guidance through recalling scripture. (Rhema Word) Holy Spirit guidance through circumstances. (Providence) Holy Spirit guidance through messengers, both spiritual and human. Today, we will focus on God's peace and presence in our lives to direct our paths. Isaiah 55:12 says, “For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace...” Of all the ways in which the Holy Spirit guides us, one aspect should always be present: the peace of God. God is not the author of confusion, fear, anxiety, or desperation (1 Cor 14:33). He is the God of peace because nothing is impossible with Him. God never gets nervous or anxious, and because we are in His hands, neither should we. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Col 3:15). In other words, let the peace of God be a primary influence that tells you when to take action or not to take action. 

Free Podcast Downloads In the last several episodes of this series entitled “Learning How to be Led by the Holy Spirit,” we talked about a number of ways the Lord communicates with us through the Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit Guidance Through Conviction. Holy Spirit Guidance Through the Bible. Holy Spirit guidance through recalling scripture. (Rhema Word) Holy Spirit guidance through circumstances. (Providence) Today, we will look at how God uses messengers, spiritual and human, to communicate with us.

Free Podcast Downloads In the last episode of this series entitled “Learning How to be Led by the Holy Spirit,” we talked about two ways to be led by the Holy Spirit. The two ways were: Holy Spirit Guidance Through Conviction and Holy Spirit Guidance Through the Bible. Today, we will examine two more areas, and they are: Holy Spirit guidance through recalling scripture. (Rhema Word) and Holy Spirit guidance through circumstances (Providence).

Free Podcast Downloads How Does the Holy Spirit Guide Us? Part 2 As we have established earlier, God intends that we be led by the Holy Spirit. That means that He directs our paths. You've heard me say, “When you walk with God, you get to where He is going.” The Lord wants us to be where He is; working with Him instead of working for Him.  Just as we can be assured that God has plans, purposes, and pursuits for us to walk in, we can also be sure that God speaks to or communicates with us. The most important reason that God speaks to us is to guide us. There are at least six important ways in which we receive guidance from the Lord.

Free Podcast Downloads When you are born-again, you know it because of the peace and assurance that the Lord gives you to know that you are saved. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you know it because you will speak in new tongues and move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, to move in the Holy Spirit requires learning how to be led or directed by the Holy Spirit. Learning to hear or discern the voice of the Spirit is the key to an overcoming life in the service of our King, King Jesus. Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” The Lord will complete the work on your character as well as your mission or assignment. We often use the word “saved” to describe someone who has been born-again. The original Greek for saved is “sozo” which means to be made safe, delivered from destruction, or made whole. That means you are completely saved, and 1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us that we are Spirit, Soul, and Body. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is important to look at the differences between these three aspects of every human being: spirit, soul, and body.

Free Podcast Downloads Some believe that because one belongs to a church, has a Bible, or comes from a Christian family, one is spiritual. That is not always the case. When the Bible speaks about spiritual things, it is to those who have a relationship with Jesus and have learned to "hear" the voice of the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, and obey Him. Knowing about the Holy Spirit is not the same as knowing the Holy Spirit! There is a big difference between “head knowledge” or intellectual understanding and personal “heart knowledge” or faith. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." The natural man in this verse refers to the person who is not born-again. So, Paul is saying that to understand the things of the Spirit of God, you must be born again. 

Free Podcast Downloads There has always been a controversy between the terms the Bible calls “Grace and Works.” Some have misused the terms to excuse sin; others have misused the terms to try and earn or deserve God's blessing and favor. Both these terms, Grace and works, are important aspects of the life of a New Testament Believer of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is important to know how they operate so that we can experience the fullness of the Lord in our lives. 

Free Podcast Downloads Every Christian has heard or used the term "Jesus, my Lord and Savior! There are only five words to that statement, and yet those five words are the foundation of the entire New Testament. I think you would agree that as a Christian, I need to understand what the key three words, Jesus, Lord, and Savior, mean. Our eternal salvation, peace, and joy in life depend on knowing, believing, and acting upon these three words. 

Free Podcast Downloads One of the challenges of becoming an “overcoming” Christian and of success in general is to recognize that there is more to the process of becoming successful than wishing and wanting. We all want the love, peace, and joy of success, but are we willing to pay the price? You will find all kinds of motivational slogans and clichés about reaching your dreams or reaching your potential on social media, advertising, books, magazines, TV, and movies. However, all the slogans and clichés will not replace two things: making the right decision and committing to follow through!

Free Podcast Downloads As a Christian, it is important to know who you are! Today, there seems to be such an effort in the world to put everyone into a group or category. This suggests a real identity crisis in our cultures, societies, and countries. The Bible makes it very clear who we are: we are citizens of Heaven, Philippians 3:20 (NKJV) tells us. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Free Podcast Downloads How to be led by the Holy Spirit of God is of utmost importance. It represents the difference between working for the Lord or working with the Lord! While working for the Lord may be a sincere effort to please the Lord, it is often a work the Lord has not asked us to do. Here is an important point: if the Lord is not in it, it usually isn't worth doing. A lot of frustration and disappointment comes from trying to do God's work without God! This reminds me of Moses when he said to the Lord, “If you don't go with me, I won't go!” Exodus 33:14-16 (NKJV): “And He [God] said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Then he (Moses) said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?” The difference between doing a good work and a God work is one letter “o”, but that difference makes all the difference in the world!

Free Podcast Downloads A friend of mine asked this question about God. “When I pray, who do I pray to, God the Father, Jesus or the Holy Spirit? This is really a good question and maybe something you have wondered about as well. Let me try to explain this question first from how I approach the triune nature of our God and also from a scriptural perspective.

Free Podcast Downloads 1 Corinthians 12 is the apostle Paul's exhortation to recognize the spiritual gifts available to every believer who acknowledges the presence of the Holy Spirit in them. I quote Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:1 (NKJV), “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” Paul was chastising the Corinthian Christians for abandoning the work of the Holy Spirit in their personal lives and in church life. It is not enough to know the basic truths of the Bible; knowledge should lead to understanding, and then the ultimate fruit of understanding is wisdom. Wisdom is the proper application of truth. In other words, we are called to be “doers” of the Word.

Free Podcast Downloads In the last post, 163, the focus was on "Why we need the Holy Spirit.” We need the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness, overcoming sin and defeating the enemy, the Devil. We can sum this up as the process of Sanctification. When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we are declared sanctified or holy; this is our new “position” in the Lord. At the same time, we enter a process of becoming more like Jesus in our thoughts, words, and deeds. This is what a faithful Christian is, a work in progress; becoming more like Jesus is our life's work. Sanctification has two parts: our position in Christ, which Jesus purchased for us, and the work we must do, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to become more like Jesus in our character. Understanding the principle of Sanctification is to understand why Jesus sent us a "Helper," the Holy Spirit, to lead us, teach us, guide us, and most importantly, empower us to live the life He has called us to. While our position of being sanctified never changes, our personal lives continually change. This process of change is called “transformation.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV), “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” So, the transformation process is that we become more and more like Jesus in character.

Free Podcast Downloads Review As I said in my last post, what we believe should be based upon the Word of God, the Bible, and not on the opinions of others. The Bible is our map to life and godliness; the Holy Spirit is our compass to help us find the one true way. Remember the way is narrow, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) I also said that it is important that we not lose sight of the fact that the most important aspect of Christianity is the salvation provided by the crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than what Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. However, we shouldn't be ignorant of what was provided by Jesus to help us live in spiritual victory. The Helper has been the focus of the last several posts and episodes. We worship Jesus and only Jesus because He was the One who died for us. However, let us not forget that in Jesus' own words, He promised us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an option. Jesus commands His followers to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV) “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” The “Promise of the Father” was the promise of the Holy Spirit!

Free Podcast Downloads Jesus is the Reason we Live. As we continue to focus on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, let us not lose sight of the fact that the most important aspect of Christianity is the salvation provided by the crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than what Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. However, we shouldn't be ignorant of what was provided by Jesus to help us live in spiritual victory. The Helper has been the focus of the last several posts and episodes. We worship Jesus and only Jesus because He was the One who died for us. However, let us not forget that in Jesus' own words, He promised us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit. You might ask, why did Jesus provide us with a Helper, and what does the Helper do? Jesus provided the Helper because Jesus didn't want to leave us alone in our own strength to live the Christian life, a life of righteousness.

Free Podcast Downloads As a Christian, it is so important to understand what happened in Acts chapter 2; this chapter holds the key to living in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, which was made available to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savior Jesus is alive; He lives to actively give us everything we need to live an abundant life. Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Trusting in Jesus is not some empty ritual or religious superstition; trusting in Jesus is a genuine response based on the relationship between God and man. 

Free Podcast Downloads 160 Evidence for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit I find it interesting that when we read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we don't look at them as historical books giving an account of what happened in the past. When we look at the Gospels, we recognize that they represent something new that started with the coming of Jesus Christ in power and authority to save and heal; here is the important part: that power and authority continue to this day. Why, then, do we look at the Book of Acts as a historical account of the early Church instead of looking at Acts as the start of the Church coming into power and the authority of the Holy Spirit continuing to this day? If I have learned anything as a Christian, it is that I can't pick and choose what I want to believe in the Bible! All of the Bible was relevant then and is relevant today.

Free Podcast Downloads The book of Acts in the Bible is one of 27 books of the New Testament, and the author was the Apostle Luke, the same one who wrote the Gospel of Luke. The book's title is "Acts," or the "Acts of the Apostles," in particular, the acts of the apostles' Peter and then Paul. I would suggest that it is also the acts of the Holy Spirit. How one looks at Acts, in large part, determines how one sees the church in apostolic times and how one will see the church in the present time. 

Free Podcast Downloads Righteousness In the beginning, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve were in right standing with God; the Lord walked with them and talked with them; they were in a relationship. Their relationship could exist because they were innocent, and as a result, they were holy and righteous in the eyes of the Lord. However, when Adam and Eve sinned, that relationship was broken, and there came a separation between God and humanity. Because the Lord is Holy and Righteous, He cannot be in contact or relationship with anything unholy or unrighteous. 

Free Podcast Downloads God is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever, Hebrews 13:8. At the very end of my Last Post, I mentioned something about the authority that we have as Believers. So, I thought I would take some time to examine this important area of spiritual authority. From the beginning of time, the Holy Spirit has been active. The Holy Spirit was key in creation; he was active in Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit was active and essential in the early Christian church, and finally, the Holy Spirit continues to be active in the lives of believers today. Sometimes when we study the Bible, we think of the many miraculous events that took place in the past and make the mistake of thinking that it was for that time only. Let me remind you that the Bible says that “God is the same yesterday today and forever.” To me, that means that He is the same today as He was in the distant past. We should never discount the miraculous. Our God is a miracle-working God; he does not change, and what has changed are the vessels or people He uses to fulfill His will.

Free Podcast Downloads This message is intended for all those who pastor or teach others in the Christian community. I encourage you to consider what I have to say, and if it is helpful to you, then Praise the Lord! If not, then Praise the Lord again! The message has to do with what the Scriptures call "the Milk of the Word or the Meat of the Word." What is the difference? The foundation to understanding is the question, "what is our motivation, and what should be the motivation of those we minister to?"

Free Podcast Downloads For much of the last year, our focus has been on seeing Jesus through the Gospel of John. We looked at the seven "I AM" statements and the seven miracles of Jesus in John's writings. Today I want to take a look at the phrase that Jesus is "the Alpha and Omega," which is found in the book of Revelation. The descriptions of Jesus that the Bible writers used tell us much about the character and nature of Jesus and how we should view Him. 

Free Podcast Downloads Today we look at the final miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John. John the Apostle wrote about seven miracles; the final one is truly the most important and symbolic of the life to come. Remember, John chose to write about seven miracles, but John also wrote this at the end of the Gospel, John 11:24, “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” In other words, John chose these seven miracles out of many to show that Jesus had authority and power, from the Father, over all of the earth.

Free Podcast Downloads The sixth of the seven miracles mentioned in the Gospel of John is the healing of the man who was born blind. This story is in John 9, and this miraculous event makes three important points. 1. The difference between the Old Covenant of Law and the New Covenant of Grace. 2. The simplicity of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. 3. The difference between physical sight and spiritual sight.

Free Podcast Downloads “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6. Faith is an Action Faith is an action; it is the active choice of the will to believe something that is in the natural unbelievable. You don't need faith to believe something you can see and understand. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith has its foundation in the “things hoped for.” As Christians, what can we hope for? We can hope for every promise found in the Bible and made available to us through the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All these promises are gifts of grace from the Lord. That grace is not earned or deserved; it is received on the same basis as our salvation; "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast," Ephesians 2:8-9. You see, God extends grace to us, and we can only accept that grace by faith. The Lord moves first by grace, and then we respond by faith.

Free Podcast Downloads Today we will look at the fourth miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John. In each miraculous event, Jesus went from small groups to ever larger groups of people. Remember, the first miracle was at a family wedding in Cana, where He turned water into wine. This sign was at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. This is an important message for each of us who are called to serve the Lord. The message is that our ministry starts in the family. The family is the proving ground where some of the difficult lessons of life are learned.

Third miracle of Jesus; The Lame Man is Healed! Free Podcast Downloads Before getting into the third miracle that Jesus performed in the gospel of John, that is the healing of the disabled man who was infirm for 38 years. I want to give an overview of what I believe this episode in Jesus' life teaches us. The scripture I want to start off with is found in John 10:10, I'm sure you are familiar with it, but I hope to give you some deeper insight. Listen to what Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” An important truth to remember is that God does not cause sickness and disease; that is the work of the devil and sin in a fallen world. Remember what Jesus came to do, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”, 1 John 3:8. Jesus is the abundant life giver; never forget that.

Free Podcast Downloads Before we look at the second miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John, let's look at how Jesus communicated the Gospel to the people of His day. When Jesus started His ministry, He kept it low-key. He revealed Himself to His disciple and then in ever-increasing ways to more and more people. What is important to note is that the people Jesus personally impacted are the ones who became followers and then disciples. There was a one-to-one interaction between Jesus and the hearer. Another way to look at it is that experienced Jesus! There is something irresistible about Jesus to those who are seeking the way, the truth, and the life. Today we have the Holy Spirit to anoint our words and deeds to make that personal interaction with those who need to hear the Gospel. Remember, we don't save; we are the messengers; it's the Jesus encounter that saves through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Free Podcast Downloads Miracles, Signs, and Wonders. Throughout Christian history, miracles, signs, and wonders have been a part of the Christian experience. We know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever; therefore, what was true in Jesus' day is also true today. Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Free Podcast Downloads Throughout Christian history, there have been people who believed in Jesus and those who rejected Jesus. The same is true today. It is frustrating and heartbreaking to share the Gospel only to find that the message of love, hope, and forgiveness falls on deaf ears. Even when Jesus walked the earth, there were those who would not believe in Him; however, He never let the disbelief of some prevent Him from proclaiming the Gospel or the Good News! In the same manner, we need to proclaim the Gospel of Christ by words and deeds.

Free Podcast Downloads Over the last six episodes, I have been teaching on the seven "I AM" statements that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. These statements fit in with the unique perspective of John which is to focus on the deity of Jesus Christ.

Free Podcast Downloads We have been sharing a series based upon the seven "I AM" statements in John's gospel. Jesus made these statements so that He could identify with God the Father to His listeners. I have discussed the first five "I AM" statements in previous episodes; today, we will look at the sixth “I AM” statement which is found in John 14:6.

Free Podcast Downloads The Good News The Gospel is the “Good News” provided by God; He has offered free spiritual gifts to restore or reconcile us into a personal relationship with Him. God's plan is “good news” because God has done all the work. God provided the perfect sacrifice for our sin and sinful life in the person of Jesus Christ! God demonstrated His love for us by sending the “Lamb of God," Jesus, in our place, to the Cross of Calvary. That one act by Jesus accomplished the following:

Free Podcast Downloads There is power to change a life for eternity in the message of the Gospel or Good News. The Kingdom is represented by Jesus Christ, the King, and the finished work at the Cross of Calvary. Any message that does not focus on Jesus is not a Gospel message. To be sure, we need to be taught how to live the Christian life, but unless one is born again, that life will not bear fruit.

Free Podcast Downloads Review of the Significance of the Phrase “I Am." The phrase “I Am” is the name God used to identify Himself to Moses in the book of Exodus. When God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush encounter, the Lord gave Moses his assignment to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Moses protested at first because he looked at his own insignificance and imagined how he would look in the eyes of his fellow Israelites. It is then the Lord promised He would be with Moses and that the Israelites would believe that Moses was sent by God. Exodus 3:14, “And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.”

Free Podcast Downloads The Pastor's Call:  Hello and welcome back to PVN; before we go on with today's topic, “Jesus is the Bread of Life”, I want to tell you about new material available on my website; The Pastor's Call.” This eight-part series is produced by World MAP. Let me quote the lead into the series. “The Pastor's Call is an incredible teaching about one's ‘call to ministry'. Dr. Vic Torres explains Who calls you, the challenges involved, understanding what the “work of ministry” truly is and isn't, how essential the Holy Spirit is, and the goal and true purpose for those that are being called to be in ministry.” I hope you will take a look at it.

The Gospel is the “Good News” that has the potential to change a life and change a person's eternal destination. When we talk about the Gospel, we are talking about Jesus and what He has done and continues to do in the life of a Believer. When we share, teach, or preach about Jesus, our focus should be on the Kingdom, the Cross, the Blood, and the Name of Jesus. There is power and authority in these terms that identify Jesus Christ. Today we will be looking at another Gospel term, “The Lamb of God”!

Free Podcast Downloads Over the last several posts I have been making a distinction between the Gospel (salvation) and Christianity (discipleship). The Gospel is about what Jesus has done; Christianity is the response of a born-again believer to what Jesus has done. The message of the Gospel is what turns a heart towards the Lord! Trying to preach or teach how to live as a Christian to people who have not been converted or born-again simply makes people religious and dutiful, but not born-again. Remember, Jesus said in John 14, “no one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus also told Nicodemus, in John 3, that one must be born-again to see and enter the Kingdom of God! As born-again Christians, our responsibility is to first “know Jesus and then make Him known!”

Free Podcast Downloads As we look at the issue of the blood of Jesus, we must be sure that we are not talking about traditions and practices found in many church denominations. In my last post, we looked at the Cross as a reality and also a symbol of God's great love for us. It is so amazing that the Lord would give His beloved Son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. In the same way, the blood of Jesus is also a reality and a symbol of something that many Christians miss and that is the New Covenant. Jesus said in Matthew 26:28, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” As believers and followers of Jesus, we are graced by a New Covenant purchased through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Free Podcast Downloads 135 The Gospel: The Cross! Over the years I've observed that many confuse the Gospel with the Christian lifestyle. While both Gospel and Christian lifestyles are important you must accept the Gospel before you can live a genuine Christian lifestyle. You see, it is the power of the Gospel that produces the Christian lifestyle and not the other way around.

Free Podcast Downloads 1. The Kingdom It is such an important truth that Jesus tells us to: “… seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 2. What is the Kingdom? “The Kingdom of God is the realm where Jesus Christ reigns as King and God's authority is supreme. This Kingdom exists here and now in the lives and hearts of the redeemed, as well as in its fullness in the future.”

Free Podcast Downloads As you know, the Apostle Paul suffered greatly for the cause of Christ, and yet he never lost his focus on his commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. He determined in his heart not to allow the circumstances of life to define who he was and his relationship with the Lord. Listen to what Paul says in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The upward call is the perfect plan of God for your life, Paul recognized that at times life would be difficult, but he decided to never waver.