Rick Manis Ministries Podcast

We celebrate Jesus' resurrection at Easter. His resurrection brought a verdict on the ruler of this world: death no longer reigns. Death no longer gets the last word. The resurrection says that a judgment has been made against death. It had its reign, beginning with Adam, but now the Life of Jesus reigns in us. God was never going to let death be permanent, nor would He ever let death be the last word on our existence. Jesus would be the last word. In fact, He is the first and the last, our beginning and our end! We are going to live forever. And even if our outward man perishes, our inward man is alive, being renewed day to day.Support the show

"And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world" (John 12:47, NKJV) God's justice is not retributive, it is redemptive. We often see God in light of a court room, a divine judge who is removed and far off, disengaged and solitary The balance of justice hangs in the balance, but we are never quite sure how He will rule. However, God's justice is not like man's idea of justice. It's all about bringing us home to Him where we belong. Support the show

Why did Jesus tell the three parables in Luke 15 to the Pharisees who were complaining of his association with notorious sinners? In these stories, we see Jesus helping the Pharisees see something about the heart of their Father. Something they were missing in their law/works-driven morality view. The lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son all describe the compassion God has for His children who are lost and don't know who they are or who their Father is. In all the stories, we see a Father who isn't angry at the lost ones, but rather goes after them; who is intentionally gathering them to Himself; who is passionately (over-the-top) loving them/valuing them, and consistently celebrating when they are found.Support the show

When we don't know who we are, we will act like someone else. French historian and social scientist Rene Girard developed a theory called "mimetic desire". It demonstrated how human beings imitate (mimic) each other's desires. They easily become rivals and reach for/want the same objects. When we reorient towards God and His love for us, we begin to see who we really are. Made in the image of God, loved by God, connected with God, and never apart from God. We no longer need to desire what others have, because we have what our soul truly desires.Support the show

There are two different ways of dealing with sin and shame. In Leviticus 16:7-10 we see two goats used as an example of this. One goat is a picture of Jesus, sacrificed for the remission of sin, wherein sin is fully dealt with. The other is a scapegoat where sin/shame is placed on it and sent out into the wilderness to die. We see Jesus repeatedly overcoming the scapegoat system, this idea of placing the blame on someone else so we don't have to deal with the uncomfortable feelings sin/shame produce. The story of the Gadarene demoniac is a great example of Jesus restoring a scapegoat and demolishing the community's scapegoat system. Jesus is the G.O.A.T. "greatest of all time" in handling our shame and sin.Support the show

Heaven's sound is joy, love, and peace—breaking through religious traditions and earthly fears. Jesus showed us this freedom, unafraid to challenge the status quo, bringing LIFE and reconciliation. We have the opportunity to echo heaven's joyful sound and declare His peace and goodness to all. Do you hear what I hear?Support the show

We spend so much time wrestling with the truth that they are God's beloved children and already have His approval. Stop striving. Stop searching. God has already declared that we are His, and He is well pleased with us. Our identity is securely found in Jesus.Support the show

When we love others in a way that draws on God's life within us, it transforms our relationships. Let the Spirit, the heart of Christ within you, work through you to bring life to others.Support the show

Healing in community can feel counterintuitive, especially when the wounds we have come from others. Yet, it's part of God's design. While God is the ultimate healer who restores us to who He created us to be, inviting others into the process can be life-giving and healing in its own way. Support the show

Most often people use the word salvation or "sozo" in reference to an escape from Hell. The picture of Jesus coming and restoring us to wholeness changes our mentality of the bigger work He's done within."Sozo"- Greek verb- To save, deliver, to heal and make wholeSupport the show

When we choose to see from God's perspective, we discover beauty in even the darkest places and become more aware of His goodness and love in our lives.Support the show

When we choose to see from God's perspective, we discover beauty in even the darkest places and become more aware of His goodness and love in our lives.Support the show

God's presence is a life-changing reality. Not only does He walk with us in every season, but His Spirit lives within us - guiding, comforting, and providing all we need. Support the Show.

How do you live the Christian life? Is is more about you getting it right or God and his goodness? Rest in God, receive from Him, and allow His life to work mightily through you!Support the Show.

The enemy works overtime to convince us that God is a distant, angry judge waiting to punish your every wrong move. REJECT THAT LIE! God is a loving Father who gave everything to be in close relationship with you. He lavishes us with grace and empowers us to share it with others!Support the Show.

When we realize we are free from condemnation, everything changes! The message of the cross, "I don't condemn you," transforms our lives and perspective of God while also affirming our value and worth to Him. Liberated from the weight of condemnation, we're able to focus on learning and embracing who God really is without being worried about our performance. This freedom draws us closer to a loving Father who is good and kind towards us.Support the show

Happy Holy Week! Jesus came to establish peace between humanity and God, allowing us to reconcile with the Father and attain perfect union with Him. The conflict between God and man is over. His laws reside within us, governing every aspect of our lives, and reigning in love. Jesus is our Prince of Peace!Support the show

The feeling of rejection was a common thread in my life. What if I was just a little bit better? This led to a journey of trying to be liked, measure up, and please others. It was exhausting. It wasn't until I understood the fullness of God's love AND like for me that my perspective changed and I experienced true freedom.Support the show

God's heart is for reconciliation. "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." - Colossians 1:19-20Support the show

“Law Law Land” describes a system where sin is at the center: trying to manage it, trying to avoid it, trying to be sure everything is fairly judged, trying to please or punish others, depending on their behavior. Here we are focused on keeping laws so that God can hopefully bless us. His approval is based on our abilities to do what is right. In Jesus we escape into Graceland, a place where Grace flows freely and people are moved by love: the love the Father has for them as well as the love they genuinely feel and want for other people. Here we don't operate under a contractual agreement, but rather through communion, which is based on unlimited reliability. Graceland is where we trust God, who is love, and commune with Him, relying on His goodness to carry us through the challenges of life.Support the show

In Law Law Land, we operate under a contractual relationship with God.  We get caught up in obedience, trying to avoid God's displeasure by trying to manage sin. Our world becomes consumed with a God who is not very warm or inviting.In Jesus we escape into Graceland, a place where Grace flows freely and people are moved by love: the love the Father has for them as well as the love they genuinely feel and want for other people. We have been taken by His love and it has given us a true peace and a sense of joy. It is a fulfilling place to dwell in.Support the show

Jesus truly is your "ALL IN ONE" gift, and there is so much receive and celebrate in Him.Support the show

We are carriers of HIS light! As we get to know who Jesus is, we realize who we are, and our light begins to brightly shine into a dark, broken world."Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16Support the show

Growing in grace begins with knowing you are fully and unconditionally loved by your Heavenly Father.Support the show

Jesus was the perfect, divine expression of the Father in both word and deed.Support the show

When we aren't aware of our eternal identity, we take on small identities. They may not necessarily be wrong, but they are small, temporary, and and unfulfilling. Our big identity is that of a child of God. The separation mindset allows us to exist oblivious to the truth, and we end up forgetting who we are! BUT God.... He kindly reminds us that we are sons and daughters and that we belong to His family. He welcomes us HOME!Support the show

What is Jesus talking about when He talks about life more abundantly? It's eternal life in HIM that is better and more beautiful than we could ever imagine. It's rest instead of striving. It's fullness. We lack nothing!"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." -John 10:10Support the show

Because of Jesus and His sacrifice, we have the power of resurrection life living in us. We are not just trying to survive life on this side of heaven. Life is stronger than death, and we have access to HIS life NOW!Support the show

When we see God as He is, our fear to approach a HOLY God goes away. His love and goodness towards us is far greater than we could imagine, and His heart is for us to be connected and in union with Him. We are are holy as He is holy, and there is a beautiful relationship available to us through Jesus.Support the show

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We love grace and our lives have been transformed by it, but we all want to do better, right? As followers of Jesus, we all still make mistakes. Religion tells us to STOP SINNING and gives is systems to combat the sin in our lives. The Gospel, however, shows us that sin is not our issue. It is ALL ABOUT JESUS and His fruit of the Spirit in us! Allow Jesus to love you in your imperfection, and rest in His finished work!Support the show

In Matthew 5:6, Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." It is a promise to us that transformation happens when we believe in Him. Reject the religious mindset of the cycle of hungering and thirsting for more. In Jesus, the work is finished, we are filled, we lack nothing, and we have been made as righteous as He is!Support the show

Jesus, our intercessor, changes our hearts by revealing the heart of the Father to us. Allow Him to lavish you with love and open your spiritual eyes to the reality of His goodness."There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus." -1 Timothy 2:5Support the show

Jesus isn't groveling at The Father's feet on your behalf to change His mind about you. Jesus is showing us who The Father really is, and He is so much more beautiful than we thought. We have been reconciled by the blood of Jesus and are righteous and blameless before the Father."Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." - Hebrews 7:25Support the show

When we experience THE Truth, God is revealed to us in His fullness, our lives are transformed, and we are free indeed.  As we become aware of Kingdom reality, the worldly, religious, and subjective lenses fall away from our thinking. THE Truth goes beyond our temporal situations, and everything changes when we see it. Truth is a place where love abounds, where all is well, and where we find rest in Him.Support the show

Merry Christmas week, friends! In the gift of Jesus, there are many gifts, a few being sinlessness, a new identity, and complete transformation. Wake up to who you are as a Child of God and all that God has given you through His Son.Support the show

So often as believers, we try and strive and achieve and be someone we are not to please God. Unmask the imposter and rest in your identity as a child of God. Your heavenly Father loves who you are and how He created you to be. “Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” - Brennan Manning"All those I dearly love I unmask and train.  So repent and be eager to pursue what is right. Behold, I'm standing at the door, knocking.  If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door within, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me." - Revelation 3:19-20Support the show

There is a difference in how man things and how God thinks. The flesh wants to condemn and put others in their place, but God's righteous judgement is exuding love, grace, and mercy. It communicates to us how much we are worth to Him. Support the show

James was a strong believer who understood grace. In James chapter 2, he tells us that the fruit in our lives demonstrates our faith in who God is -- "faith divorced from good works is phony." The fruit that we see in our lives comes from where our belief is rooted. Allow God's grace and love to transform your mind. Stay rooted in HIM and allow the fruit of the Spirit to be manifested in your life!Support the show

The weakness of God is greater than the strength of man. His ways are higher than our ways, and His Kingdom operates completely opposite of how the earth operates. Earthly leaders pursue power and want to dominate and control, but our all-powerful God vulnerably gave up everything so we might know His heart -- full of love and grace for His children. "For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you." - 2 Corinthians 13:4Support the show

In this life, we will have trouble, but TAKE HEART! Life has been imparted to us, is actively working in us, and has swallowed up death for eternity. Trust your Heavenly Father. He is THE everlasting source of life that takes broken things and makes them beautiful."and that you may come to know practically, through personal experience the love of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience, that you may be filled up throughout your being to all the fullness of God so that you may have the richest experience of God's presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself." - Ephesians 3:19Support the show

We create false images of God from fragments of scripture, imperfect nurturing figures, and our interpretation of experiences in life. When we do this, we are left striving, hoping, and full of disappointment. The truth is that God's heart has always been towards us, and when we have this revelation, it shifts our perspective, and our emptiness is replaced with true freedom and intimacy with our Father. The loving and living word of God transforms our hearts!But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the “Lord” I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. 2 Corinthians 3:16 TPTSupport the show

As believers, we carry God's humility with us wherever we go, which means we have something special to offer to the crazy world around us! The grace and freedom we have been given in Christ allows us to humble ourselves and be a light to others, even when they believe or think differently than we do. God has equipped you with everything you need to be a light-bearer and bring out the "God-colors in the world"."You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!" -Matthew 5:13-16 MSGSupport the show

The voice of our Shepherd is always leading us towards God, and it will always offer us something different from what the world has to offer! His voice is gentle, pure, peaceful, and lovely. He laid down everything for you and offers you new life. Listen to your Shepherd, and learn the unforced rhythms of grace!"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." - James 3:17 NKJVSupport the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

The Spirit of God, which lives inside of us, leads us to all truth. Christ's heart in us radically changes everything in our lives. His heart influences us to express His love, joy, peace, and grace to others. He has reconciled us unto himself, and not we are a part of His ministry of reconciliation. It is His heart in us that allows us to tap into our calling -- to LOVE GOD and to LOVE OTHERS."And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." -Ezekiel 36:26Support the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

Have you ever been weighed down by religion? Have you ever felt like you couldn't do enough for God? Did you know that surrender is the most beautiful way to combat those feelings? HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT. God isn't asking you to be strong; He is asking you to let Him be your strength. Change your thoughts about God, and allow His love to flow through your heart and mind. "According to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." - Titus 3:5Support the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

It is easy to proclaim God's goodness when life seems to be going well and things are "under control", but what about when circumstances are difficult and nothing looks like we hoped? How good is God? The truth is that the moment we realize He really is with us, for us, in us, and ahead of us in all things, we can trust that He is a good and loving Father, even in the midst of hardship and disappointment. Choose to be aware of His goodness and watch as HIS peace passes all understanding in your life as you trust Him."God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge." -Psalm 46:1-7Support the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

When you are aware that you are IN Christ, you go from:*Sin conscious to conscious of being LOVED by the FATHER*Inferiority to BELONGING*Separation to RIGHTEOUS*Never good enough to PERFECT and COMPLETE Live with an awareness of what Jesus has completed for you! You are HIS!"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior." -Titus 3:5-6 NKJVSupport the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

God sees you, knows you, and loves you. As believers, we are one with Christ, and He has made us Holy. He is all you need, and you have access to ALL of it RIGHT now. You are home, and your Heavenly Father adores who you are."Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ." - Colossians 3:3 TPTSupport the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

The gift has been given. The promise has been fulfilled. We have been invited into God's family, and our identity as children of God is secure! Merry Christmas, everyone! We have so much to celebrate!"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." - John 15:15Support the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

The Spirit of God within us reveals the reality of our circumstances. As believers, we are eternal beings and are not defined by the trouble in this world. Value the truth of God over what you are feeling and seeing, and allow that truth to open your eyes and set you free! "...Until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. The Lord's justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever." -Isaiah 32:15-17Support the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)