Real Life with Jack Hibbs - Podcasts

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are born again by His Spirit. God gives us a new life. We no longer live for ourselves, or worry about ourselves. Instead, we live for God, and through His love, have a sincere love for others.

Christian love can permeate a dark world. The Gospel message of salvation lights up the darkness, and will never be defeated. It’s only through Jesus Christ, the world can experience true love, and be saved.

Obedience to Christ is to be under His influence, and to obey Him is to be empowered by His love. Human love is flawed, but Christ’s love doesn’t leave you where you’re at. Instead, He picks you up and puts you in a place of renewed fellowship with Him.

If we seek after material things to gain status or identity, we have an idol in our life. The Christian life is not only identified by our love for Christ, but that we live according to God’s Word, through the power of the Holy Spirit. To advance at the expense of others, or allow sin to run our lives is something we no longer consider.

The Christian life is not only a life of love, but a life that wants to obey the Lord. The Holy Spirit’s power is inside of us, and we have the awesome assurance that we’re going to Heaven. Our unbelieving world would call this insane. But, we know the truth, and the truth has set us free from our disobedient culture.

No one can take us out of the Lord’s hand. We are one with the Father, and He is one with us. We can now experience His love on a personal level. And, it’s through God’s love that we can love others with service and devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is only one God and one Mediator between God and man, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was God in the flesh, who offered Himself freely to die on the cross in our place. Jesus counted the cost, and lovingly decided that we were worth saving.

The past is all about faith. The kind of faith where we don’t walk around aimlessly, like we did before, but have direction, and purpose. A faith not based on ignorance, but understanding the high cost Jesus paid to save us from our sins.

Our future is bound in hope, but the past is all about our faith. It takes faith to believe that our past that had once ensnared us, has been washed away through Jesus Christ. Only He can forgive and forget, but we’re to take the memories of our mistakes, lay them at the cross, and by faith leave them there.

God doesn’t have favorites. God judges not by status or merit, but with perfect knowledge, and according to one’s faithfulness. We have a specific purpose and calling, and we’re to seek the Lord about what we’re supposed to do during our time here on earth.

Christians today are also the target of intimidation and fear. But, just like the Christians in Peter’s day, we have immediate access to the Father in prayer, and a hope for an awesome future knowing that this world is not our home.

Life without Jesus is a life without meaning or purpose. We are fatherless and orphaned, controlled by society and our own passions. But, a life with Jesus means we are His children, and part of His loving family.

As Christians, we’re not to go back to the former things of the past. God, in His mercy will always make a way of escape for us. Our world calls good evil and evil good. But, Jesus is the open door to salvation, and invites you into a new life with Him.

As children of God, we are all in the family, and as God’s children, we’re no longer under the world’s influence. God sent His Son Jesus to set us free from the sin and shame of the past, and we can follow Him knowing that as a loving Father, He always wants what’s best for us.

We can take comfort in Christ returning to the earth. It means that God’s grace will be completed in full in our lives. But, if we’ve not given our life to Jesus Christ, the Bible says we will not enter into eternal life in Heaven. The choice is ours. Just know that God loves you, and it’s His desire to save you.

The Bible says not to conform to the demands of this world, but instead, be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We’re not to be driven by our emotional impulses. Instead we’re to keep going back to the truth, and yield to God’s plan and guidance.

When we choose to follow God, we’re choosing to also obey His will. When God is in control, there is peace, because His plan for us comes from a place of love. We just need to slow down, pick up our Bible, and be confident that His Word is true.

Salvation is open to all. To reject it is to reject the greatest sacrifice that ever happened on the earth. Jesus, God’s only Son gave His life to save ours. Even the Angels are in awe and wonder of the Gospel message, and how Jesus Christ was God, revealed in human skin.

We all have a story. The Gospel, and how we share it is supposed to be personal. The incredible opposition we face as Christians, can be an awesome opportunity to show the difference that Jesus has made in our lives.

Peter, even though he became the leader of the first church, was still very relatable. He had a way of speaking before thinking, and reacting before listening. But, Peter’s passion came from how much He loved the Lord, and dedicated His life to the service of others in the faith.

The Old Testament of the Bible speaks of the coming Messiah, who will suffer and die for our salvation. The coming of Jesus Christ is not a New Testament concept, but a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

God wants to be involved in every area of our lives. We’re to go to Him with whatever we’re going through. It’s a matter of trust, and God is trustworthy. We can depend on Him to guide us through any trial, and every situation we find ourselves in.

God knows our struggle with faith, and how it works. But, we’re to be careful not to let our questions or doubts turn into unbelief. The Bible was written for our learning. That in our searching through the scriptures, we can find comfort and hope.

Even the first five books of the Bible are about salvation and redemption. All scripture was inspired by God, and His desire to save us is uniquely found in His Word.

Even the first five books of the Bible are about salvation and redemption. All scripture was inspired by God, and His desire to save us is uniquely found in His Word.

Our salvation cost Jesus His life. He saved us from the power of sin by paying the ultimate price. His brutal death on the cross gives us the chance to experience eternal life in Heaven. A gift we could never earn or even deserve.

The darker the sky, the greater the stars can be seen. Jesus is like that. The darker our life appears the brighter the Lord shines. To have peace in the middle of a storm happens when we believe that God is with us in all things, and in every situation.

God often throws us into the impossible to build our faith. It’s the hard things of life, and the trials by fire that will test us and perfect us. We often don’t understand it, but God is preparing us for the amazing things to come.

God’s hope is a living hope. He is merciful and generous, and delights in the fact that we are His. God is always at work in our life, and gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us and perfect us towards purity. Even when we feel like things are falling apart, He will never fail us.

Peter couldn’t really describe Heaven, it is so awesome. And for the Christ follower, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, in Heaven with Him. The curse of sin will no longer affect us. It’s the power of God that is keeping us today, but will also see us through to the end.

We’re born into a world that is dying. But, Jesus can give us a second birth through salvation that only He can give. We’re not saved and going to heaven through association. Just because our mom or dad, or grandma are saved, doesn’t mean we are. It’s only through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and His generous mercy that we are saved.

As Christ followers, we are just pilgrims here. This world is not our home. And, in this journey we can be confident that eternity is being prepared for us. It’s the Lord’s mercy and good pleasure to wipe every tear from our eyes, and quiet us with His embrace, as He welcomes us home.

God always finishes what He starts. No matter how small the work, or how little the flame is in your heart, His grace and peace cannot be exhausted. God will see you all the way through to the end.

God’s love for us is relentless. He is constantly speaking to the believer, putting desires in our hearts, and constantly working within us, even through life’s difficulties.

Peter shared the Gospel wherever he went, and brought comfort to the believers who were suffering there. His words of compassion can also bring encouragement to us, especially during these dark and confusing times.

Wherever the Gospel is preached, there are those who will either accept or reject salvation through Jesus Christ. God knew before the beginning of time the ones who will open their hearts, and those who will refuse to believe.

We need to be anchored to Christ now more than ever before. He is the vine and we are the branches. Without Him, we can do nothing, or be good enough. It’s not what we have done, but what Christ has done for us.

In previous programs, we learned that Peter was an Apostle of Jesus Christ, which means he is God’s appointed messenger. A simple Galilean fisherman who was chosen and ordained by God to be an eyewitness of the person of Jesus.

Given the age we live in, Peter’s life is one who we can learn from. He was a man who suffered, and knew what it was like to fail. But, Peter didn’t stay where he was at. Instead, He went on to touch the world for Christ with boldness, and determination of heart.

Peter was a fisherman by trade, but chose to follow Christ to be a fisher of men. But, when it mattered the most, Peter denied knowing Christ. Still, he went on to be the most passionate of all the disciples, and goes through all of his troubles with meaning and purpose.

Getting ready to study a Book in the Bible is like getting ready to go on a trip. We need to be prepared, by knowing the background of where the Book came from, and where it’s going, as it relates to our time.

Pastor Jack Hibbs and David J. wrap up the Life and Bible series and introduce the upcoming series in 1 Peter.

We’ve been bought with a price. Jesus gave His life, so we could live free from the chains of the past, and look forward to a promising future. A personal relationship with Christ means we are forgiven, and in turn, we can forgive others. Forgiveness brings liberty from bitterness, and a hope for all of our relationships.

Obeying God is not an option. We’ve got to be willing to give Him our all, no matter what it costs. We need to remember that God is for us and not against us. It’s a love relationship, and He wants to set us free from the pain and sorrow of the past to bring us a glorious future.

If you’ve been abandoned in your marriage, it’s now more than ever that you need to wait on the Lord, and let Him heal you. It’s not the time to hurry into another relationship. It’s time to allow God to be your companion, and to follow Him with all of your heart.

We need to look to the Bible and see what God says about marriage and divorce.  Emotional decisions and our own personal agendas, those are the only things we should divorce ourselves from.

We’re never to let our emotions make our decisions for us.  It’s not a matter of burying our emotions, and don’t let thoughts and emotions destroy you – instead, find a true Christian friend to intercede for you.

What is God’s heart for marriage? He wants us to seek trusted help to stay together, and eliminate all threats and distractions.  We’re to set goals with accountability in mind,  But most of all, we’re to forgive, not just one time but daily.

Divorce causes so much pain and heartache; even though marriage is not designed to make you happy, it’s designed to make you more like Jesus.  If your marriage isn’t working, maybe it’s time to take a look at your relationship with Jesus Christ.

When we live our life for the Lord, to love, honor and obey Him, you will begin to understand His nature, and why He wants your marriage to work.