The Pursuit with Dr. Chris Vaught

David Brickner, CEO for Jews for Jesus, joins us to discuss the Jewish celebration of Hanakkuh and how if there had not been a Hanakkuh, there would have been no Christmas. Tune in and find out how this Jewish celebration points to our Messiah.

2021 has been a roller coaster for many people. There have been ups, downs, twists and turns. Yet, in the shifting moments, there is one constant that has remained steady, God's presence. On this episode, we turn to the letter of Colossians and look at the blessings that God has given even in uncertain times.

Devotion, like love, is a multifaceted driver of human desire. Possessing a profound dedication to God will enrich your walk with Him. God seeks our devotion and is stirring our hearts to know His.

Isaac Newton once said, "If I've seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." In the world of Christian leaders and pastor, Ben Merold is a true giant. On this episode, we have the opportunity to listen and learn from a true spiritual giant.

How should people of faith respond in a chaotic world? When we study the first followers of Jesus, we see that their first priority was to pray specifically for God to empower and to guide them. The dates on the calendar may have changed, but the need to Christ-followers to seek God to empower us to live out His purposes and plans have not. This week as we begin a new series entitled, "The Stirring," we learn three important areas in which we need to pray.

Did you know that for your life to be aligned properly with God's plans and purpose, you must have a willingness to serve others? Jesus stated that His purpose fro leaving heaven and come to earth was to serve others and give His life that we may receive eternal salvation. The one deserving to be served, came as a servant, in order that we may be included in His Kingdom. On this episode, we look to Jesus' example on how to find the life we were meant to live by giving our lives in service to others.

Your greatest battle is often the one fought between the ears. On this episode, we turn to Philippians chapter 4 to employ principles to help us take back our thoughts.

No one likes to talk about finances, but as some scholars have noted, Jesus spoke more on how we should view and manage money and resources than He did Heaven and Hell combined. His emphasis on this subject should cause us to pause and dive into the principles He laid out for us in the Scriptures. God knows that if we don't learn how to master the money, the money will master us.

If we learned anything in 2020, it is that we don't do well in isolation. Nor were you created to journey through life or your faith as a spiritual lone range. You were created to live, work and worship through a community of friends and a faith family. On this episode, we look to Scripture for guidance in realigning our friendships.

Jesus gave us the proper alignment for love. When we follow His design, we experience the joy and fulfillment of being in alignment with His plan and purposes. This week, we look at how to love our spouse, and even ourselves, in the manner that honors God.

Marriage is one of God's great testaments of love, grace and mercy lived out on full display every day. It's a miracle of two individuals being forged into one. Love is the glue that binds and therefore, It is vital that we keep our love in alignment with God's plan and purpose in the home. Life, with it's frustrations, fears, faults and failures can so easily derail our devotion and knock us off track. Yet, as we will hear in today's episode, following the direction Jesus taught on love will realign us so we can experience the fullness of what intended in the home.

Life has a way of knocking us out of alignment. In part 2 of this opening message, we turn to the Scriptures for help in taking the necessary steps to come into alignment for our God-given assignment!

Have you ever felt out of sorts? Life has a way of knocking you out of alignment physically, emotionally and spiritually. As we begin this new series of messages, we turn to the Scriptures for guidance on realigning our lives according to God's plan and purpose. The most pleasant place to be is in proper alignment with our creator.

One year after the chaos brought on society by the Coronavirus pandemic, now is a good time to stop for a moment and be reminded that God is at work in all things and He has a purpose for you! Listen to this week's episode, "Purpose In All Things."

In the deepest part of the Tabernacle was the Ark of the Covenant. The ark gave testimony to the people that God' presence with with them. That God provides, God instructs and God gives life! On this week's episode, we look back at how the Ark was a foreshadow of Christ and His presence in the life of His followers.

In ancient Israel when the High Priest entered the final stage of the Tabernacle, he was entering the holiest room on earth, the Holy of Holies. There he would sprinkle the blood from the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. This represented the blood of the innocent covering the blood of the guilty. Jesus, God's lamb shed His blood on Heaven's mercy seat to cover sins once and for all. Learn more about God's Mercy through Christ on this episode of the Pursuit.

In ancient Israel when the High Priest entered the final stage of the Tabernacle, he was entering the holiest room on earth, the Holy of Holies. There he would sprinkle the blood from the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. This represented the blood of the innocent covering the blood of the guilty. Jesus, God's lamb shed His blood on Heaven's mercy seat to cover sins once and for all. Learn more about God's Mercy through Christ on this episode of the Pursuit.

Jesus stood in the Temple court and proclaimed that He was the Light of the world. Within the Tabernacle there also resided a light, a golden lamp stand. In this message, we are reminded that just as the light from the lamp stand guided the priest as they served in the Tabernacle, the Holy Spirit is there to guide followers of Jesus to shine for God in the darkness of our world.

The table is a place where connections are made and relationships are deepened. As the Priest entered the ancient tabernacle, their first stop would have been at a special table God designed to remind His people of the special relationship He desires with them. Even Jesus spent a special moment with His disciples around a table shortly before the cross. In this episode we gather around God's table to deepen our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

How do you respond to sin when you are striving to live for God? When you fall, how do you get back up? The second stop in the Tabernacle holds the answer. The water laver was the most visited place in the Tabernacle and for good reason. In this episode, we learn the value of washing in the water of the Word.

When studying the Bible, you will find that through the centuries, God has hidden great truths in the shadows of events in the lives of His people. One such example is the Tabernacle that God instructed the Jewish people to build 3400 years ago. As the writer of Hebrews teaches us, each piece of the Tabernacle's design teaches us a truth of our walk with God and how to deepen in our relationship to Him. In this first message of the series, we learn that it all starts with the Blood Sacrifice!

When the wind blows, it impacts everything and everyone in its path. In the same manner, the Holy Spirit influences us to follow Christ, be awakened to spiritual truth and move us to action. In this episode, we look at how to set ourselves in the path of the Holy Spirit.

Water is essential to your physical body, and in like manner, the Holy Spirit is essential to your spiritual life. in this episode entitled, "Holy Water," we dive into how the Holy Spirit sustains you, quenches your spiritual thirst and refreshes your soul!

During these uncertain times we are often left feeling inadequate for the tasks before us. Yet Jesus assured His followers that we would be more than conquerors, In fact, He assured us that we would have all the help we need.  In this episode we begin a new series of messages entitled, "SuperNATURAL" and learn of the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a follower of Christ. 

Be the Change Part 1: "Be the Change!" The world, and yes, the Church needs to change. Everyone seems to live in a state of anger and offense, and we wonder why we as Christians can not impact those around us. It is time for the Church to "Be the Change". and this change must begin in our hearts. Be Light; Be the Change.

In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Chris asks us to look closely at our lives. Are we fathering another by living a Christ-like life? And maybe, more importantly, do we reflect the Father's nature so closely that our life mirrors His desires and heart?

Anchor Part 5: "Fuel for Our Hope" Pastor Chris outlines the "16 Deadly D's" and the many strategies Satan uses to destroy our hope. We are then reminded of the truths of Scripture, and if we meditate on them, the Holy Spirit can direct our life and faith by them.

Anchor Part 4: "A Hope for the Return" Though no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, when Christ will return, we have hope in knowing He WILL return. Numerous passages in Scripture tell us as much, but warn about focusing on the signs. We must "look up" and focus on His return, and share the Gospel so those around us may avoid judgment and celebrate with us in the rescue of His return.

Anchor Part 3: "A Hope That is Eternal" As we have looked at the Hope that we as believers have in Christ, we begin to see the promises and the nature of God. And one of His promises is that we will live eternally with Him. And because God promised it, we can gain an unquenchable hope that permeates throughout our lives. Not only is this a hope for eternal life, but also, a mandate that God wants us to share that hope with others.

"A Hope That Endures" We all face storms, which can be dark and confusing. Storms are out of our control and can bring about hopelessness. God may not even keep us out of the storms we face. But He will be WITH us. God is our anchor in the storm. God is our HOPE.

"A Hope to Live For" The hope Jesus provides is immeasurable and unending. By virtue of His resurrection, we have promise that we can LIVE WITH HOPE. That in everything, no matter how it appears, we can have a peace knowing that hope in Christ is strong and secure.

This world offers much. It offers the opportunity to succeed, to fail, to love, to hate, to live, and to die. But there is one thing that no amount of money, family, or government can provide...HOPE. Without hope, we live a life of uncertainty. But in Christ, we are promised that we will have HOPE and hope eternally.

Unveil Part 4: "Unveil In Us" God gave many hints of His plan throughout the history of Israel. These hints, or foreshadows, are peppered in many places of the Old Testament. Nowhere is it more obvious than it is with the Temple of God. The awesome thing is that God intended His grace and His mission to be available to ALL that call upon Him. And through the acts of Jesus, we now possess the Spirit of God in us that believe, and through that Spirit, God will unveil His grace toward others.

Unveil Part 3: "Unveil Through Us" The grace of God was unveiled on the cross through Christ. But the moment Jesus left this earth, God's plan was unfolded to reveal another layer. Until Jesus returns, His love and grace would be unveiled by His Church. God's grace will be unveiled through us.

Welcome to The Pursuit podcast, the media ministry of Dr. Chris Vaught. Through passionate, practical and relevant messages our goal is to inspire and equip you with Biblical truths as you pursue after the heart of God. Check out www.chrisvaught.net to read, watch or listen to additional resources.

Welcome to The Pursuit podcast, the media ministry of Dr. Chris Vaught.  Through passionate, practical and relevant messages our goal is to inspire and equip you with Biblical truths as you pursue after the heart of God.  Check out www.chrisvaught.net to read, watch or listen to additional resources.