Podcasts about 13for

We are working to become individuals who demonstrate restraint.  We are working to be individuals  who demonstrate wisdom in all areas of our lives, and our physical well-being is a big part of this life we live.  And God offers you His power to make healthy choices, to show restraint, and to live with wisdom.“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”  Philippians 2:13For more great content, including faith based fitness, be sure to visit https://www.soulstrengthfit.com

Overwhelmed or in despair? This message teaches us what to focus on and how to put it into practice.Have you been searching for a sense of peace and still not found it? The root problem may very well be with what you are focused on. Learn how to focus on what's important and three ways to practice it every day.Through this series, you'll learn how to live well & enjoy God's promises. You are loved by God; He knows your name. He has a plan for your life. Get helpful advice, encouragement, and hope for a life well lived in 2021 and beyond.Are you walking in faith and victory? Set your eyes on the promises of God. You only have one life journey; say yes to Jesus. Like the parables of the buried treasure and the valuable pearl, stop at nothing to gain your entry into the kingdom of heaven.See full notes and suggested praise and worship here: https://agfaithchapel.org/sermons-messages/focus-on-the-good-to-transform-your-life-life-is-a-journey-part-13For more sermons and resources, visit www.agfaithchapel.org/sermons. Please consider supporting this ministry at www.agfaithchapel.org/give.This is brought to you by Faith Chapel church in Pleasanton, CA. Learn more at www.agfaithchapel.org.If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review? It's quick and very appreciated!

Principle 12 – Church Discipline 1 Corinthians 5:1-13For local churches to become mature in Christ, church leaders must exercise proper church discipline. Support the show (http://www.bibleprinciples.org/donate)

Weekend Sermon Notes Series Title: Christ Centered Community SPEAKER: Pastor Kevin Taylor   Gal 1:11-24   Galatians 1:11-24 ESV 11For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20(In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24And they glorified God because of me.

Executive Producer Album Art Credit: Steve Webb This episode is brought to you in part by Executive Producer, John Anonymous. Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-2 HCSB Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. Thoughts Today I’d like to focus briefly on chapter 2, verse 12 and 13, where Paul wrote: So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. Some misinterpret Paul’s meaning when he said “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”. This does not mean that we earn our salvation by works, which would contradict his teaching in Ephesians 2:8-9 which said, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast.” So what did Paul mean here in Philippians? It helps to look at how it reads in the original Greek. I don’t have time for a detailed explanation of the language, but Paul was saying, “Even though I’m not there to teach you, don’t stop living your lives in such as way as to please God. Keep doing the things that you have learned are right. You are new creations in Christ. Show the evidence of that in how you live and in how you treat each other. Don’t become lazy in doing this, because God Himself is doing a work in you, giving you the desire and ability to become the person He wants you to be.” Guys, even though we live in a pretty messed up world, we are called to hang in there and bring the light of Jesus to the darkness that seems to pervade this place. The awesome thing about dark and light is that no amount of darkness can extinguish light. But the smallest amount of light always chases away darkness. You might feel as if your influence is small, but believe me, the light that is in you cannot be squelched if you’ll allow the Holy Spirit to do the work he has started in you. What God begins, He will finish.

Join Fr Rob as he reflects on the Sunday Gospel readings and how we can apply these reflections to our lives today. 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13For a longer explanation and reflection on this Gospel reading, check out the Catholic Influencers Podcast (Season 4, Episode 18)

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3.But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Daniel 10:13For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesian 6:12The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Job 2:7Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. Zechariah 3:1Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Ephesian 6:18“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. Luke 11:21-22Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:10-11

Hebrews 5:11-14 (NLT)There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/yourdailybible)

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (NLT) 7We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 11Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.2 Corinthians 11:23-28 (NLT) 23… I have…been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT) 12Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.Philippians 1:12-13 (NLT) 12And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.John 12:24 (NLT) 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.Romans 8:17 (NLT) 17And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.Galatians 2:20 (NLT) 20My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Going DeeperWhy do you think there is not one functional family mentioned in the Bible, even Jesus’ family? What do you think is the root cause? Ephesians 2:14-19 tells us Jesus’ vision was to start a new family rooted in his work on the cross. How does this help to remedy the problem? Share your story on when you said yes to God’s family!The challenge issued was “don’t go it alone”. How are you doing with this challenge? Teaching NotesIdentity – Who am I?Ubuntu: “We are, therefore I am”The Problem – Families are Dysfunctional “He is out of his mind.” Mark 3:21The Solution – Jesus came to start a new family Therefore, remember that formerly  you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:11-13For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 3:14-18Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household…Ephesians 3:19The word “Church” is derived from the Dutch word kerk and German word kirche. These words find their link to the medieval Greek word kurikon which means “Lord’s House”. Ekklesia – A new community “called out” to live a distinctly different life. (Matthew 16:18)The Body of Christ – A new community that represents the presence of Christ on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)The Temple of God – A new community that becomes the new temple where God dwells. (Ephesians 2:19-22) The Bride of Christ – A new community that restores of the image of God in us. (Ephesians 5:21-33) The Family of God – This new community is a new family where a healthy identity emerges. (Hebrews 2:11) Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. (Hebrews 2:11) See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1An Invitation - Come into God’s Family A Challenge - Don’t go it alone  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25A declaration: Who are we? – We are God’s Family! Sunday Set ListRaise a Hallelujah- Bethel MusicWhom Shall I Fear- Chris TomlinControl- Mitch Langley MusicBe sure to follow our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday’s set!

Song: Holy is the LordAnd together we singEv'ryone sing Holy is the Lord God AlmightyThe earth is filled with His gloryHoly is the Lord God AlmightyThe earth is filled with His gloryThe earth is filled with His glory We stand and lift up our handsFor the joy of the Lord is our strengthWe bow down and worship Him nowHow great how awesome is He It is rising up all aroundIt's the anthem of the Lord's renownIt's rising up all aroundIt's the anthem of the Lord's renownSong: Build My LifeWorthy of ev'ry song we could ever singWorthy of all the praise we could ever bringWorthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breatheWe live for You Jesus the name above ev'ry other nameJesus the only one who could ever saveWorthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breatheWe live for YouWe live for YouHoly there is no one like YouThere is none besides YouOpen up my eyes in wonder and show me who You areAnd fill me with Your heartAnd lead me in Your love to those around meI will build my life upon Your loveIt is a firm foundationI will put my trust in You aloneAnd I will not be shakenA Prayer of Grounding – Matthew 6:8-13For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.Pray then like this:“Our Father in heavenHallowed be your nameYour Kingdom ComeYour will be done, on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily breadAnd forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtorsAnd lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”A Prayer of YieldingOpen your hands to God and breathe with each line.“I am here.”“I am open to you, Jesus.”Song: What a Beautiful NameYou were the Word at the beginningOne with God the Lord Most HighYour hidden glory in creationNow revealed in You our ChristWhat a beautiful Name it isWhat a beautiful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a beautiful Name it isNothing compares to thisWhat a beautiful Name it isThe Name of Jesus You didn't want heaven without usSo Jesus You brought heaven downMy sin was great Your love was greaterWhat could separate us nowWhat a wonderful Name it isWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a wonderful Name it isNothing compares to thisWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of JesusWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of JesusDeath could not hold YouThe veil tore before YouYou silence the boast of sin and graveThe heavens are roaringThe praise of Your gloryFor You are raised to life again You have no rivalYou have no equalNow and forever God You reignYours is the kingdomYours is the gloryYours is the Name above all names What a powerful Name it isWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a powerful Name it isNothing can stand againstWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of JesusWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of JesusWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of JesusA Prayer of HonestyDear God: “Prayer for me is _________. And I need help with __________. Lord, teach us to pray.”A Prayer of Request: Teach Us to PrayLord Jesus,We’ve been taught quite well how to watch TV, scroll on our phones and binge our favorite shows.We’ve been taught how to shop and acquire more things.We’ve been taught how to please people, fit in and keep up appearances.Lord Jesus,Teach us how to pray. We’ve been taught how to live in fear, jealousy and self-protection.We’ve been taught how to do religious activities. We’ve been taught to hate, judge, lie and condemn.Lord Jesus, Teach us how to pray.Song: StrongerYou are strongerYou are strongerSin is brokenYou have saved meIt is writtenChrist is risenJesus You are Lord of allThere is Love that came for usHumbled to a sinner's crossYou broke my shame and sinfulnessYou rose again victorious Faithfulness none can denyThrough the storm and through the fireThere is truth that sets me freeJesus Christ who lives in meNo beginning and no endYou're my hope and my defenseYou came to seek and save the lostYou paid it all upon the crossSo let Your Name be lifted higherBe lifted higherBe lifted higherA Prayer of Movement“When I look around, I notice Your ____ in the ______.”Song: Your Love Awakens MeThere were walls between usBy the cross You came and broke them downYou broke them downAnd there were chains around usBy Your grace we are no longer boundNo longer boundYou called me out of the graveYou called me into the lightYou called my name and then my heart came aliveYour love is greaterYour love is strongerYour love awakens awakens awakens meFeel the darkness shakingAll the dead are coming back to lifeI'm back to lifeHear the song awakenAll creation singing we're alive'Cause You're alive And what a love we've foundDeath can't hold us downWe shout it outWe're alive 'cause You're aliveYour love awakens meYour love is greaterYour love is strongerYou're love awakens awakens awakens meA Prayer of Embodiment

Eph 6 10What else is there to say? Just this: be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power. 11Put on God's complete armour. Then you'll be able to stand firm against the devil's trickery. 12The warfare we're engaged in, you see, isn't against flesh and blood. It's against the leaders, against the authorities, against the powers that rule the world in this dark age, against the wicked spiritual elements in the heavenly places. 13For this reason, you must take up God's complete armour. Then, when wickedness grabs its moment, you'll be able to withstand, to do what needs to be done, and still to be on your feet when it's all over. 14So stand firm! Put the belt of truth round your waist; put on justice as your breastplate; 15for shoes on your feet, ready for battle, take the good news of peace. 16With it all, take the shield of faith; if you've got that, you'll be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is God's word. Prayer and peace 18Pray on every occasion in the spirit, with every type of prayer and intercession. You'll need to keep awake and alert for this, with all perseverance and intercession for all God's holy ones – 19and also for me! Please pray that God will give me his words to speak when I open my mouth, so that I can make known, loud and clear, the secret truth of the gospel. The Bible for Everyone: A New Translation . SPCK. Kindle Edition. Be thou a bright flame before me, Be thou a guiding star above me Be thou a smooth path below me Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me Today - tonight -forever Amen. St Columba

Pastor Eric shares a word about who is on the throne of our heart. This is our second drive in service.Scriptures referenced in today’s message:· 1 Chronicles 16:23-31· Genesis 3:1-4· Isaiah 37:10· Isaiah 37:14· Isaiah 37:36· Revelation 19:16· Deuteronomy 10:17· Galatians 6:7· Phil 2:10-13For more information about Destiny Church visit us online.Real | Relevant | Relationship

Bible Scriptures - Nehemiah 7 - 13For more information: http://linktr.ee/glendacoker

Bible Scriptures - Nehemiah 7 - 13For more information: http://linktr.ee/glendacoker

Body --> Soul --> Spirit --> GodThe body is the material part. The soul is the will & intellect, given at conception, and separates from the body at natural death. The spirit is the liaison between God and us. Spirit is prayer, when we talk to God, and intuition, God speaking to us. 1 Thess 5:13May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.From Saint Bridget bulletin:That phrase is Saint Paul's way of referring to the entire human person.In everyday language, 'spirit' and 'soul' are often used interchangeably.There is, however, a slight technical distinction. The soul is that part of us which is not physical, which is the principle of life given by God, the part which will live forever. The spirit is that part of us which inclines us towards looking beyond ourselves, beyond the physical realm, into the supernatural world. As the Catholic apologist Tom Nash explains: Soul when distinguished from spirit means that which gives life to a body. Spirit when contrasted with soul simply means those aspects of human life and activity that transcend our bodily limitations and so open the soul toward the supernatural life of grace. Catholic Answershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUO9G9PNv54Tim Staples blog "Is Man BiPartite or TriPartite?"https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/is-man-tripartite-or-bipartiteThe Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 367:Sometimes the soul is distinguished from the spirit: St. Paul for instance prays that God may sanctify his people “wholly”, with “spirit and soul and body” kept sound and blameless at the Lord’s coming. The Church teaches that this distinction does not introduce a duality into the soul. “Spirit” signifies that from creation man is ordered to a supernatural end and that his soul can gratuitously be raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.1 Cor 2:14-15 The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. RSVCERomans 8:5-13For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, indeed it cannot; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him… for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Sermon Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanJames 4:1-10 (ESV) 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.Prayer of ConfessionOur Father, we are a wandering people. In our pride we turn our backs to you, the one who gives us all good things. We exalt ourselves, and in this folly we bring harm to ourselves and others. We confess our worries, our guilt, our wrong doing, our selfish instincts. We need more grace. Thank you for calling us back to you. Thank you for the promise that if we draw near to you, you will not reject us. Thank you that you have drawn near to us first. Forgive us our sins. Pardon our guilt, cover our shame, cleanse our hands and our hearts from all unrighteousness. During this time of social distancing, help us to know that you are close to us. We draw near to you in the name of Jesus, whose blood was shed so that we would have life in his name. Amen.Word of Encouragement – Psalm 103:11-13For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Awaken Fast – Finishing Strong Sanctity of Human Life Sunday On this annual remembrance day in support of the pro-life movement, a volunteer for CareNet, and member of City Central, Natalie shared with us how God sanctifies every stage of life. This overtly Christian Ministry desires to see women in crisis pregnancy circumstances get completely free help with health testing and one-on-one counseling. Once a woman decides to have her baby, she gets access to parenting classes and practical assistance by way of the Baby Boutique where she can get diapers, high chairs, car seats, formula, etc. Additionally, Healing Tides is a holistic ministry of CareNet providing peer support for women who’ve already had an abortion and are seeking healing. Learn more about this commemorative day and the ministry of CareNet at https://carenetps.org/sohls/ Sermon Summary Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (NIV)   Pastor Chris was away teaching a cadre of doctors about the freedom principles God has revealed and put into practice through City Central. We heard a positive and powerful exhortation from Pastor Dennis Gibson. Dennis shared how we can enter this third week of the Awaken Fast with a plan to finish strong – a principle we can extend to our whole life as Christians. How can we finish strong in life? Usually we ask, “Where do I begin?” The best starting point is to ask God what He is expecting you to do. Begin with remembering what Christ has done for you on the cross. With that sober reminder, we can orient our time and prayers to press-in through life’s joys and difficulties. Here is the summary testimony of how God has worked in my life. Saved at 27 yrs. old. Grew up in the church, but hated it, so at age 12 I poured myself into the family business. Married at 20 to my high school sweetheart. Our first 7 years of marriage were turbulent. After we had our first daughter, one day before I went to work I looked over at my 2 year-old daughter and heard a voice ask, “do you want her to grow up like you?” It was nearly audible, so answered, “No, I’m miserable inside.” The voice asked, “What are you going to do about it?” Before I left for work, I asked Deb if she had thrown away the bible her sister gave us (I’d told her to get rid of it); she hadn’t. I read the bible cover to cover over the next year. This was key, getting the revelation from God’s word. I focused on reading Matthew to the end. In that reading God challenged me with Romans 12:1-2, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice …this is your spiritual service of worship.” Right then, I offered my life to the Lord. But, I said, “I have a concern. What about the hypocrites? How do I avoid being like them?” God replied, “You’ll have to give an account of your life to me. (Romans 14:12)” I asked, “How can I know you’ll keep me?” He turned me to focus on verse 2, “No longer be conformed to the pattern of this world.” I said, “OK. If you can change my life and keep me, I’ll give my life to you completely.” I committed to go to church the next day, by myself, since the family was sick. I waited at the end, but there was no altar call. Undeterred, I talked with the pastor and I discovered that I must be committed to the truth to finish strong.  14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Gal. 6:14 (NIV)   Five Ways to Finish Strong  Revelation of God’s Word – revelation leads to transformation (Joshua 1:8 – meditate on the book of the law day and night) Commit to the Truth – live your life by God’s word everyday (Matthew 22:37 - “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”) Don’t give up – understand spiritual warfare, Don’t let the enemy point out your sin (instead, trust the Holy Spirit to convict) – the enemy opposes the work of God (Matthew 11:12 Press-in to Jesus every day – desire to know Christ more, (Philippians 10:16), experience the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:14 – “I press on toward the goal…” God has made you for His purposes – when we fail know that He is merciful "13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made...." Psalms 139:13--14 23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me” Psalms 139:23-24 Search me Lord, see if there be any offensive way in me – pray this every day, God will reveal some to you today and some sin from weeks before. He restores us gently. He needs us to be open to hear the truth and change when he reveals it. His grace is sufficient. Repent and God is faithful to forgive. His lovingkindness leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4 – “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance…”   Discussion Questions What does it look like to others for a person to be double-minded?  When you see other believers press-in to Jesus, what stands out in their behavior, speech, and attitude? According to Pastor Dennis’ testimony and teaching why is it important to finish strong in in our Christian walk? How is it different in your mind if you “allow the enemy to point out your sin” instead of the gentle conviction of the Holy Spirit? Application Questions This week, what are some ways that you will ‘press-in’ to Jesus? Will you commit to finish strong in this Awaken Fast?

Radical Faith Sermon SeriesPart 1: Baby Faith (Foundation of Faith)Romans 10: 14 – 17 NIV  14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.The most important message you can ever hear is the message about Jesus Christ’s plan of salvation. Baby Faith is salvation faith, believing in the message and accepting salvation in Jesus Christ!   Our Faith in God has a birthing (when we first believed). True faith/belief is the result of fire tests/trials; you are not truly believing God until you have been tested in that area of your life!  Salvation Faith is the prerequisite of seeing, experiencing and entering the Kingdom of God. Hebrews 11: 1 – 6 NIV  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.4 By faith, Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith, he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.Faith is Neutral; you can make your faith grow in anything or anyone!    Worldly Faith: The confidence in your education, business, bank savings, stocks, assets, etc. as the sustainer of your life!God wants you to know that Nothing or No one can be trusted with your faith/confidence! Faith (Pi’tho – Pistis) – to persuade to have confidence The Lord seeks to persuade the believer who is in willful submission, that His will is the preferred path to success. God intends for you to see His faithfulness to provide and supply your every need as evidence so that your future confidence can be entrusted in Him!   This world (government leaders, employers, religions and religious leaders) are trying to convince you to have confidence in them!  Mark 11: 22 NIV 22“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.Conclusion:  Growing your faith in God  Deuteronomy 6: 4 – 9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.   9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Shema: Listen and Obey. The view is that when God speaks you simply listen and do as He says!  akoḗ – properly, hearing; use of inner (spiritual) hearing that goes with receiving faith from God Matthew 11: 11 – 15 NIV 11Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. 13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15Whoever has ears, let them hear.  Spiritual discernment: to understand the words of God because God’s word must be revealed to the hearer!  James 1: 22 NIV   22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.Practicing the instructions of the word of God grows your faith in God!Action Plan:Is your faith alive?  The evidence of Life is Growth!  Join Pastor Bruce Next week at our 8 am and 10 am experiences for a continuation of his Radical Faith Sermon Series!  

Restoring the Church to Look Like JesusActs 4:13For the church to look like Jesus ... 1. We must _________________________!Matthew 28:18-202. We must ____________ what Jesus ____________!That includes telling the ___________ _____________.That includes ______________ the ______________ ________________.Matthew 253. We must be _________________________. Luke 15:1-24. We must make ___________________________. Matthew 28:18-205. We must invite people into the ________________________.Matthew 28:18-20

In this podcast I want to remind you of your intrinsic value to God and why that should matter to you. Genesis 1:27 NIV So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Created formed, shaped Fashioned from the very imagination of God into the likeness of God to be His representative. The fact that humans are made in the image of God is the very core of the sanity of life. Made like God...in His imagine... Grasp what the magnitude of that reality. You are made like God. God is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11) The Truth (John 14:6) Love (1 John 4:8) Just (2 Thess 1:6) All powerful (Matt 28:18) Holy (1 Peter 1:16) Everyone...regardless of their abilities or disabilities, beauty or blemishes, everyone of us is valuable beyond measure because they are God's masterpiece. Unique. Valuable, no priceless, Chosen Designed Loved Psalms 139:13-16 says it best 13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Quoting these Scriptures should be part of your regular routine. We were trying to sell a truck. We didn't use it very often; but it was in great shape and it should be benefiting someone. We put it up for sale at really good price. Almost immediately we began to get calls. Most of them were genuinely interested, but one man "low balled" our suggested price with the comment, "I'll give you $800 for the truck." It was a ridiculous price. Wayne, just chuckled, "Oh, no you won't! I know what this truck is worth." The reality is we don't know our worth. And that makes us sell ourselves short. Do you do that? Please don't do that anymore. 3 Reasons you need to know your worth. 1. It makes you confident. When you know your worth, you are confident. You walk in the confidence. You make better choices. You try new things. You step out of your safe little place. 2. It makes you more productive. You will accomplish more, because you begin to believe you are capable of achieving more... in life, in relationships and in your vocations. You will begin to value the talents and gifting inside and use them to give and/or create the things that would enrich your life and the people around you. 3. It even makes you more respectful of others. When you realize that being made in the imagine of God makes you incredibly valuable; you also recognize that it is the same thing that makes the person honking their horn at you on the highway valuable too. Or the person across the isle from you at work. Or your neighbor. That knowledge has made me more forgiving. I realize that person that just behaved like a "bonafide rascal" (isn't that a lovely name for them) is somebody that Jesus loves. When I'm having trouble forgiving, I deliberately remind myself, God loves so and so and I need to treat them accordingly. So how do you begin to recognize your intrinsic worth as a divine masterpiece of God? Stop using the wrong measuring tool! Your bathroom scales cannot tell you what you are worth...they only tell you what you weigh. Stop assigning the wrong metric to your weight. Your mirror reflects your face, but not your worth...don't give your mirror the power to assign your worth. Your mom's opinion, your husband complaint, your grade school teacher's insult is only a viewpoint, not an accurate evaluation of your worth. The only place you can discover your worth is through God's eyes. He gives you a glimpse of what His divine design for you to be in Scripture...He whispers it to you when you come into His presence...as you walk in obedience when you obey His instructions you see gifts that He has deposited in you... You were designed to plug into a power source...sorta like a hair dryer. You were made for God's Power. He wants to empower you. He has called you to partner with Him. Wow! Think about that for a minute. as you receive His love you'll be able to pour it out through your life...You'll experience His wisdom...His grace...to be and become all God made you to be. You might be surprised...but He won't; He saw it in you all along.   Have you rated this podcast yet? Please help me reach more people with encouragement!   Have you subscribed to the podcast? So you don't miss a single episode you will receive notification every time I publish a new podcast.

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 11:1-11, 26-27; 12:9, 13For more sermons or to get connected with Calvary Baptist Church of Roy please explore the links below:Website: www.calvarybaptistroy.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/calvarybaptistroy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChurchInRoyPodcast: https://apple.co/2L7GFMyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC72vNRbntrIf-oIxu2gWy4g

Wonderfully Made, Psalm 139 | Home Album Series | August 11, 2019Psalm 139:1 - 61You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.GOD MADE MY HIGH PLACES vs. 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: GOD MADE MY HELLISH PLACES vs. 8if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.“Make My Bed” – (Hebrew: yatsa'; to strew as a surface, to spread it out.)“Hell” – (Hebrew: she'owl; hades or the world of the dead - grave, pit.) Sin Always Causes Pain. Pain Always Seeks Pleasure.Pain Makes Truth Seem Irrelevant. GOD MADE MY HIDDEN PLACES vss. 9-10 [Hidden Brick Story]9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. You’re Only As Sick As Your Secrets. [Learned To Hide Things, Jen Testimony]“Wings” - means the edge or the extremity. “Uttermost” means the last or the end.“Lead” – Hebrew: nachah; to guide; by implication it means to transport (into exile, or as colonists).“Right Hand” – Speaks of the place of favor.“Hold” – Hebrew: achaz; to seize or hold in possession.Psalm 139: 13-16 13For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.aWonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15Nothing about me is hidden from you! I was secretly woven togetherout of human sight, 16but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your bookeverything about me.

“For the Sake of the Gospel”1 Corinthians 9:19-23For the Sake of the Gospel Bind Your Life to the Mission of Jesus1 Corinthians 9:19Romans 1:16For the Sake of the Gospel Make More Disciples of Jesus1 Corinthians 9:20-22Galatians 5:13For the Sake of the Gospel Plant More Churches1 Corinthians 9:23

Your Secret Sauce Unity + Diversity = Anointings Psalm 133 1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!2It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes.3It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever. 1 Corinthians 1212Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by c one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.TIME ~ TROUBLE ~ TESTIMONYRevelations 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

You Are the Body of Christ – February 10, 2019 – Steve MillerI gained a greater appreciation of my right arm when I fractured it. Every body part is important.1 Corinthians 12:27 says: Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.In Numbers 2, when Israel was in the wilderness, the Lord prescribed a specific place for each of Israel's tribes in the camp surrounding His tabernacle:· On the east, toward the sunrise, was the camp of Judah: the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. They were to set out first.· On the south was the camp of Reuben: the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad in their.· In the middle, around the tabernacle, were to camp the divisions of the tribe of Levi. They would carry the tabernacle when traveling, and set out next.· On the west side was the camp of Ephraim: the peoples of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. They would set out third.· On the north was the camp of Dan: the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, the last in line.Do not despise your brothers and sisters. In preparing for this message, this is what I felt the Lord was saying:“You are all My children. There is not one of you who is not important to Me. Just as I surrounded My tabernacle in the wilderness with the tribes of Israel, so I surround Myself with My people and dwell in your midst. I have a place and purpose for each one of you, so do not despise your place. Do not despise your brothers and sisters, My children. The sons of Jacob thought they could cut off their brother Joseph, but he ended up delivering them from death. Thankfully, he did not respond by cutting them off.”We know the story of Joseph and his brothers from Genesis, how they despised him for reasons that we generally might agree with, to be honest, if we were in their shoes:Genesis 37:3-11Like the Israelites in the Old Testament, we are the body of Christ; we are God's children. Everyone who has faith in Jesus as Lord is a member of Abraham's family. But we must remember that there is only one Lord in our family. Paul writes about this to the Ephesians:Ephesians 4:1-8Joseph's brothers were jealous of the gifts Jacob gave to Him. Are we ever envious of brothers and sisters for the gifts they've been given? The calling God has given them? The station in life and circumstances He's put around them? How do you think Paul felt about his position: “Prisoner for the Lord”? Do we ever despise our own place and calling that the Lord has given us?Do we despise other believers because they've got it wrong? Their style is different. Their personality is different. Their doctrine is messed up. (We know because it's different than ours.) They sin. They're immature. They haven't got it all together like Jesus and we do.Remember that we come into God's family by repenting of sin and giving over our lives to Jesus as Lord, and He responded by putting His Spirit in us to renew and empower us. He's the One in charge, and He has our best interests at heart. He's the One who loved us enough to die for us. This same Lord Jesus is the One with a plan for each of our lives, and has given special grace to each one of us for His purposes. 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.24But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.There are two overarching messages here:· First, the Lord is the One who has made each of us who we are and placed us in the unique calling and place in His body that He wants us to function in. It's His plan, not ours. We are not all the same, but we are all important. · Secondly, we need and depend on each other. If I or someone else is missing or not functioning, you and I and all of us will suffer. On the other hand, if we are all present and working together, we're all blessed and successful. We are a body, and we are His body.Here's the remainder of the message I felt the Lord telling me as I was preparing:“You are all My children, and I love you. Now dwell in My love. It is a roof over your house that protects you from the cold and the elements. My love will bind you together as one body. You cannot survive without My love, just as the parts of the body cannot survive without blood. I am your life. I shed My blood that you may have life abundantly. This happens only when you remain in My love and share it with one another.”The body is dead without love. No matter how gifted or right or effective or important we might think we are, without love, each of us is more non-functional in the body of Christ than my fractured arm was for me. So let's examine Paul's most excellent way, which is love:1 Corinthians 13:1-7 – 1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.We can think we're completely right – and yet be totally wrong. Our enemy works by deception. So we need to become experts at what love really is. We need the Spirit's revelation,conviction,grace and empowerment to see and live out God's love in the midst of His body. I exhort each one of us to meditate on these last four verses that define love for us, asking that the Holy Spirit will do His work to change us by His grace as we yield to Him as Lord.

Give Thanks? Hemmed In Psalm 139:5-13 What is Prevenient Grace? God the Father, through Jesus Christ, is working on our behalf to draw us to himself before we can turn to God on our own. Genesis 1:27 - Image of God Genesis 2:16-17 - Death Romans 5:6-9 - Justified by his Blood. 2 Corinthians 5:19 - Reconciled in Christ. Colossians 1:23 - Freedom of Choice Psalm 139:5-13 5You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Romans 8 ... 13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. ...

Support the Source Financially: http://thesourcewichita.com/giveSupport the Source Broadcast Network: http://a.co/bzbuAiSThe Lord wants to address our thinking again. At the prayer service, we were praying “Your will on earth as it is in heaven.”The Lord began showing me that we are:Carriers of Heaven! The Lord wants to release the Kingdom of God through us, every where we go. Living in sync with his heart and his ways, obedient to the spirit in us, releasing heaven on earth in all things. Oaks of righteousness, on display for his glory. Vessels carrying his glory into the earth / sourced from a heavenly place. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,Ephesians 2:4BUT DO WE REALLY BELIeVE THIS?! What have we believed about who we are in Christ? What thoughts do we have toward ourselves? Our abilities Our inadequacies Our lack?We need to bring our thoughts under the judgement of the word. Hebrews 4:12-13For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.Division of Soul & Spirit - Is this me, or is this God? Is this the mind of Jason, of is this the Mind of Christ!? How am I thinking? Am I setting my mind on the flesh ( soul ) or am I setting my mind on the Spirit? JUDGE MY THOUGHTS LORDSubmit your thoughts and attitudes to God for judgment. Lord, here’s how I’m feeling. Here’s what I’m thinking. Here’t the current attitude of my heart. Give your judgement, Lord. Is this Soul? Is this Spirit? Are we SOUL thinking or are we SPIRIT thinking? Romans 8:6-8For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.Is my mind set on the flesh, or is my mind set on the Spirit? We can’t sort out the flesh by acting in the flesh. We sort out the flesh by acting in the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, 4 since the weapons of our warfare† are not of the flesh, but are powerful† through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge† of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.Stronghold : a fortified, military stronghold; a strong-walled fortressJoshua 6:20So the troops shouted, and the trumpets sounded. When they heard the blast of the trumpet, the troops gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed.† The troops advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Membership In The Body Of Christ” 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Bradley Pinkerton 12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and

“Membership In The Body Of Christ” 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Bradley Pinkerton 12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and

Psalm 139   1O Lord, you have searched me and known me. 2You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 3You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. 5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. 13For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. 17How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you. Our text today from the book of Psalms, Israel’s own ancient hymnbook, is one of my favorites, primarily because it offers us a vision of God that is profoundly intimate, one in which God sees us and knows us, in all of our complexity, in all of our goodness and badness, so to speak.  I often suggest using this text during a funeral or memorial service because verse 18 reminds us that God is with us, until the end, a reminder, surely that God was present the moment we are born and still with us, even at the end of life on this side of the veil. I’ve even included this text as one that will be used at my funeral service, all of which is written down in a detailed email about I’ve sent to Douglas, and which he has hopefully saved in his email program.  But I do sometimes wonder whether or not we are actually as welcoming to that truth, the truth of being known fully and completely by God, as we think we are.  Friedrich Nietzsche, the great atheist and German thinker of the 19th century, once complained that he found the idea of God knowing us, the idea of an omniscient God, an all knowing God, as revolting and an affront to human dignity– I mean, who wants a god who is a voyeur, meddling, and knowing all of us, including the things we don’t want to be known, by either human or the divine?  Is there no zone of privacy for us humans, a place where we can truly keep our own counsel, guard our own right to human aloneness?   I don’t think Nietzsche was trying to hide any especially awful secrets from us or God, or at least no more than any of us want to hide some things we’re not proud of from each other. But maybe he was pointing to the truth that we actually sometimes don’t want to be seen completely for who we are in total, because there are parts of that sum of us, the total of us, that aren’t pretty or easy to look at, by us or by others.   The quote from Martin Luther King’s book The Strength to Love hints at perhaps the reason why we humans don’t always want to be known – because to be known is to be shown and ultimately known to be imperfect, sometimes profoundly so.  King talks about the bridge between what we say and what we do, our profession and our practice, our noble ideas and the failure to actually live out those ideals.  “This strange dichotomy,” he writes, “this agonizing gulf between the ought and the is, represents the tragic theme of man’s earthly pilgrimage.”  As Paul writes in Romans, chapter 7, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”  I have ideals, I have beliefs that I and others should act and be a certain way, and yet we just fail those ideals, we fail to act and be a certain way, over and over again – indeed, as both Paul and King write, it is a part of the human condition, this elemental hypocrisy that all of us share with each other, across all of humanity.  All of us are hypocrites, even our many of our heroes, including Martin Luther King, Jr, all of us fail our own words and our own ideals, and to be known by God is to have someone, something, some other, know that truth about us completely – this God not only knows the goodness we often practice before each other and that we practice before no human eyes, and that God also knows the badness we often practice before each other and that we also practice before no human eyes.   There is a story about a small-town prosecuting attorney that brings the point home to us, a judge who was calling his first witness to the stand in a trial, a grandmotherly, elderly woman. He approached her and asked, “Mrs. Jones, do you know me?”   She responded, “Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a rising big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.” The lawyer was, of course, stunned. Not knowing what else to do he pointed across the room and asked, “Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?”  She again replied, “Why, yes I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him for his parents. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He’s lazy, bigoted, he has a drinking problem. The man can’t build a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him.”   And you can imagine the laughter at this point, so the, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence with his gavel and called both lawyers to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, “If either of you asks her if she knows me, you’ll be jailed for contempt!”   Funny as that story is, and how frightful it may for many to know that God knowsus, I still want to make a case that this knowledge of us is a good thing, despite the hypocrisy it exposes in us. The psalmist, the writer of this text, really believes that we are known from the inside out, that the days of our lives are stretched out before God like a great map, where from the moment of sunrise to sunset, God knows what we will do before we even do it.  Our words, our getting up and our lying down, our everyday moments at the post office, the book we will read tomorrow, the television show we turned off years ago because it bored us to tears, the kiss and hug we will share with a loved one hours from now, on this particular day—each of those is known by God. One can argue the theological and philosophical problems with this kind of knowledge and over the God who knows our future before it actually happens, but that is what the psalmist arguing – that everything is known, including that which has not yet happened. This is a God who knows the present, the past, and the future, according to this ancient writer.  And the reason why we are so known, so intimately known is because the One who knows us is the One who created us, who formed us in our wombs, who loved us before even our parents did, who amidst the great work of scattering the stars, of molding the galaxies of the universe, of putting the song in the sparrow, also stopped to attend to your creation, to my creation—it seems to have mattered to the creator of our galaxy, of our universe, that you and I were worth paying attention to, when we were in our mother’s womb.  It is a level of intimacy, of particularity that is sometimes heart-stopping, really, and maybe even a little uncomfortable, to be known so deeply and so completely.    But I have to ask something, something that has been weighing on me since I’ve been sitting and mediating with this passage: do we REALLY believe it, that we are known, that God really does know us intimately, that nothing passes by the Divine gaze without God being acutely aware of it.  I ask that question because I think many of us spend our lives doing a lot of hiding—we spend our lives hiding from others, emotionally, sometimes even spiritually, or we spend our times hiding our beliefs and opinions about this or that issue.  We pretend to be people we are not, or to care when we do really do not care OR to not care when we deeply care about what is done to us or said about us.  We put on masks to hid ourselves, our opinions, our emotions, our hearts, sometimes even our joy, so that we will NOT be known by our friends, our family, strangers even.  And the reason why I think this is a spiritual matter is because some of us even think we can put on a mask before God, and that somehow we will fool the One who created both the mask and the one who wears the mask.  I’ve often said that salvation is the moment when we realize that God really does love us, and has been deeply in love with us even before we were a twinkle in our parent’s eyes.  But the problem is that we don’t live like we are loved by our creator, and so we don’t love as deeply and intimately and freely as the One who created us, who first loved us.  So too I think we often talk as if we believed that God knows us, but we don’t live that way—we moan and groan about being misunderstood, we think no one knows our pain, our struggles, even our joys—we live life as if we were alone, and no one gets us, understands us, believes in us.  In the end, we humans can only know each other so much, at least on this side of eternity, there are limits to how deeply we can make a home in each other’s hearts, but there is no limit, no mask, no moment that you and I are not completely understood, that we are not embraced, shadows and all—there is not a moment when we are not known, even to the core of those places we’ve hidden away from the world for years    And maybe that is what we are so scared of, why we put on the masks, and pretend to be people we think other people want us to be—that if God and others really knew our secret sins, our deepest shadows, that we would not be lovable anymore, by either our loved ones or even God.  We believe that lie because we really don’t believe that anyone could love us if they knew who we really were.  And yet, for most of us, we are not as bad, or sinful as we think we are, but, on the other hand, we are also not as good as we often credit ourselves as being.  We are really a mixture of shadow and light, maybe a reflection of the creation, the universe, the galaxies, the dust from which we were created.  Still, there are those difficult people who challenge us, to be honest, because their souls seem mostly shadow, if not completely shrouded in deep night.  My friend Patricia in Seattle is an officer who once worked in a prison that only dealt with people who were prosecuted for the worst of sexual crimes, people like serial rapists and habitual child molesters.  Now she works as a parole office with the same type of folks, but it hasn’t gotten to her over the years, working with this population.  So many times these men, and sometimes women, had themselves been preyed upon as children, and thus the cycle never ceases, the sins of the past being visited upon the present, the sins of the father being visited upon the children.  But here is the question: does God also know THESE men?   Does God see beyond the masks of these folks, who often manipulate the light in others to ultimately betray them?   Is there any light to draw out of hearts so shadowed with night?  I think the answer is that I can’t imagine that there isn’t, some light within them, even if I cannot see it, or we cannot see it, especially if we are to believe our psalmist this morning.  And if God can look at those hearts and souls so corrupted by sin and meanness and ruthlessness, and still love them, I suspect we too are loved by the same God who has looked into our less than perfect lives, and loved us, right where we are at.  When I was younger, I used to think that I wanted to be loved by someone who knew me, who knew me like I knew myself, maybe even more than I knew myself, when I was good in my better moments, and not so good in my worst—and who would still stick around despite my many imperfections, as I would do likewise with them.  I still think that is a good measure of love, of loving someone in their beauty and ugliness, of remaining present when they are not as good as they ought to be, and celebrating the moments in our lives when they are better than we ever thought imaginable.  But now I realize that I have always been loved that way, even before I found someone in my life who has taught me much about love and loyalty, I have always been known as deeply as I had wanted to be known—and I had been accepted and embraced and loved.  Now, that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want you or me to work on our shadows, to seek paths in our lives that bring in more light to our souls and more light into the world, but in the journey towards bringing that light into our lives, God never gives up on us, and we probably ought not to give up on each other.  You know, this is a God who knows all of our business, as Mrs. Jones did with the prosecuting and the defense attorneys and is still madly in love with us.  Our passage actually ends with the psalmist being in wonder of this God who knows us so deeply, this God who thoughts are like grains of sand—uncountable.  With all that knowledge, with all that deep intimate knowledge of us, the good stuff and the bad stuff, we are still loved, and not despite the fact we are known by God, but actually because we actually are known by this God, for real.  That truth, that powerful pervasive truth can change our lives, because maybe then we can get a hint of how God sees us, the whole of us, and then maybe we will see what God sees, that we are worth loving, and that each of us is worth gambling on, because of the One who knew the long odds with us, and still thought it was worth being with us, right to the end, on the cross, with us until our dying breath.  “I try to count them,” these thoughts of us, and of God, the psalmist writes, “they are more than the sand.  I come to the end—I am still with you.”  Amen.      

This is the 14th class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. The following is the outline of the class. Jesus our High Priest Forever The order of Melchizedek Hebrews 6:20 -7:20 ABRAHAM patriarch Prophet – Priest – King The order of Melchizedek BLESSES ABRAHAM ABRAHAM PAYS TITHES ALSO A KING NO GENEALOGY ABRAHAM TRIBE OF LEVI AARON AARONIC PRIESTHOOD DAVID/JUDAH Melchizedek Priesthood was greater Than the Jewish Levitical Priesthood Proven by the Genesis 14 Encounter between Abraham and Melchizedek Melchizedek was greater than Abraham – The Jewish priesthood came from Abraham Melchizedek was a king and a priest – Jewish priesthood could not be both Melchizedek was made like the son of God The Jewish priesthood could only take tithes by law from Jewish people – Melchizedek could take tithes from anyone - he was not even a Jew therefore his priesthood was universal The official blessing could only be given by the greatest person to the lesser person Melchizedek blessed Abraham, therefore he was greater There was no need for a law to make Abraham give tithes to Melchizedek he was inherently worthy of 10% 1 Corinthians 16 1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2On the first day of every week each one of you is to [a]put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 3When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 4and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me 2 Corinthians 9 7Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Hebrews 7 11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. Hebrews 7 11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. Hebrews 7 13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. 15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 18For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by through which we draw nigh unto God. 20And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: • 21(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) • 22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament Subscribe to the podcast: {Apple Podcasts}{Stitcher}{Google Play}{IHeartRadio}

This is the tenth class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. The following is the outline of the class. JESUS OUR PROPITIATION   4:14 -10:18 Jesus our Great High Priest 4:14 –16 Look back. Hebrews 1:3…When He had made purification of sins, 2. Hebrews 2:17-18 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. 3. Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession Jesus is our Great High Priest 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Jesus our Great High Priest Hebrews chapter 5 Hebrews 5:1-10 4 things necessary to be a Priest Class ---- mankind vs. 1a 2. Service ---- something to offer. vs. 1b 3. Disposition ------ merciful vs. 2-3 4. Appointment ---- Devine vs. 5-10 Hebrews (NASB) For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. Relating to the 2 different offices of Jesus LORD Work Obedience Service Always relating to His Lordship HIGH PRIEST Sin Forgiveness Grace That’s where we relate to His Priesthood Hebrews (NASB) For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 4And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 5So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”; 6just as He says also in another passage, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” Genesis14:17 Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18AndMelchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all. The order of Melchizedek BLESSES ABRAHAM ABRAHAM PAYS TITHES ALSO A KING NO GENEALOGY ABRAHAM MOSES TRIBE OF LEVI AARON AARONIC PRIESTHOOD DAVID Hebrews (NASB) 7In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.9And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. • Difficulties Teaching The subject matter – Godhead 2. The teacher doesn’t have a good grasp of the subject. 3. The audience is not ready Sometimes as a student you haven’t or are not willing to put in the Time and effort. They were not always dull of hearing, they became dull of hearing. Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ 7 Spiritual Gifts of Rom 12:6-8 Prophesying • Serving • Teaching • Encouraging • Contributing • Leadership • Mercy 1Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Baby Christian 1 Peter 2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation John 16“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. Ephesians 4:12until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 6 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 6 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3And this we will do, if God permits. Hebrews 6 King James Version (KJV) 6 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. GOD’S WARNING Hebrews Chapter 6:1-7 Subscribe to the podcast: {Apple Podcasts}{Stitcher}{Google Play}{IHeartRadio}

This is the ninth class on the book of Hebrews. This Bible class was taught at the Pilot Point Church in Pilot Point Texas. The following is the outline of the class JESUS OUR PROPITIATION 4:14 -10:18 Chapter 4 An Exhortation to Enter God’s Rest “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands” Difficulties with the word “rest” Definition: anything which God initiates and brings to a conclusion 1st Rest: Gen 1&2 creation started and completed. Was God tired? 2nd Rest: Moses leads God’s people out of the bondage to the promised land Jesus Ἰησοῦς Mat 1:21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Mat 1:22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: Mat 1:23 "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US." Yahshua ַ הוֹשׁוּﬠ ְי -1) The first element is YAH, which is the commonly accepted abbreviated form of YHVH 2) The interesting word group that starts with YAH then the Hebrew verb (shua), meaning to be saved or delivered. -Yahshua is the name Joshua is a compilation of two elements. -Why Joshua? “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands” Difficulties with the word “rest” Definition: anything which God initiates and brings to a conclusion 1st Rest: Gen 1&2 creation started and completed. Was God tired? 2nd Rest: Moses leads God’s people out of the bondage to the promised land 3rd Rest: Jesus leads people out of the bondage of sin to the promised land of heaven Rev 14:13 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” Hebrews 4 (NIV) 4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ “And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” • 6Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. 2 WARNINGS TO MAKE US MORE DILIGENT 1. THE WORD - 12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 1 Thessalonians 5:23- God will save your body soul and spirit. 2. God - 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. THE OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICE 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. JESUS OUR PROPITIATION 4:14 -10:18 JESUS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST 4:14 –16 Look back 1. Hebrews 1:3…When He had made purification of sins, 2. Hebrews 2:17-18 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. 3. Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession Jesus is our Great High Priest 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Jesus our Great High Priest Hebrews chapter 5 Hebrews 5:1-10 • 4 things necessary to be a Priest. 1. Class ---- mankind vs. 1a 2. Service ---- something to offer. Vs. 1b 3. Disposition ------ merciful vs. 2-3 4. Appointment ---- Devine   Vs. 5-10 Hebrews For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. Relating to the 2 different offices of Jesus LORD Work Obedience Service Always relating to His Lordship HIGH PRIEST Sin Forgiveness Grace That’s where we relate to His Priesthood Hebrews (NASB) For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 4And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. • 5So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, • “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”; • 6just as He says also in another passage, • “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”Genesis14:17 Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18AndMelchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all. The order of Melchizedek BLESSES ABRAHAM ABRAHAM PAYS TITHES ALSO A KING NO GENEALOGY ABRAHAM MOSES TRIBE OF LEVI AARON AARONIC PRIESTHOOD DAVID Hebrews (NASB) 7In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.9And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Difficulties teaching 1. The subject matter – Godhead 2. The teacher doesn’t have a good grasp of the subject. 3. The audience is not ready Sometimes as a student you haven’t or are not willing to put in the Time and effort. They were not always dull of hearing, they became dull of hearing. Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. • Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ 7 Spiritual Gifts of Rom 12:6-8 Prophesying Serving Teaching Encouraging Contributing Leadership Mercy 1Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Baby Christian 1 Peter 2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation John 16“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. Ephesians 4:12until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, Hebrews 5 (NASB) 10being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. • 2 Chronicles 3:14 Subscribe to the podcast: {Apple Podcasts}{Stitcher}{Google Play}{IHeartRadio}

Theology is the systematic study of God. Doctrines are the findings of that study. What we do on a typical Sunday morning is a study of a passage with a focus on application of truth in our lives. This systematic approach gives a rounded out, comprehensive view of who God is. We often base our perception of God on one passage, on the Bible Stories that are most familiar to us or that we heard growing up. We all know what it like for someone to get the wrong impression of us because all they know of us is one interaction or a story about something that we did. Now, in God’s Word there are no false impressions of who God is- His word is truth and every representation of Him in the Word is truth, but Theology and Doctrine give a more comprehensive and detailed picture. Have you noticed how incredibly more detailed ultrasound photos have become? It used to be that ultrasound photos were kind of like looking at a nebula. People would look at them and say, “Wow….” but have no idea what they were looking at… Today you can make out all kinds of features and details. I’ve even heard people say, he or she looks like the mom or the dad based on the ultrasound photos… We don’t have any new information on who God is, the source material is still all the same, but when we study God in a comprehensive way it gives a greater picture of who he is. Theology in the strictest sense is the study of God, but we’ll use that term to refer to the Christian doctrines which of course are all connected to God. I’ll be using Thiessen’s book on Systematic Theology extensively and he points out early that there is a difference between religion and theology. Theology is the study and organization of thought about God. Religion or Devotion is the reaction these thoughts produce. I think that speaks to the necessity of Theology. Because we believe that there should be a reaction to truth about who God is- we believe that this truth is not neutral- it should have an affect. It should influence the way that we think, act, feel, speak, and so on. It should change us, improve us, encourage us, challenge us, and convict us. If that’s true, a better understanding of who he is should lead to greater and deeper reactions to this knowledge. However, we can’t take that for granted. Many people have divorced their knowledge of God from a emotional or volitional response to that knowledge. Many people have been great students of theology with absolutely no devotion. Psalm 86:11 11Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. This passage asks for God to teach us about His ways so that we can walk in them, so that our hearts will fear or respect and honor him, that we will respond with praise and a life that ever glorifies God. Knowing God- Knowing His power, His majesty, His beauty, His Holiness, His mercifulness, it can and it should provoke a response in us, but I don’t want to take that for granted, so I’d like to invite you to pause a moment with to pray, like this Psalmist prayed that knowledge of Him will lead to greater appreciation for Him. Intro: God is Eternal. He is without beginning or end. He has no start and no end, He simply is and has always been and will always be. Scripture regularly calls Him Everlasting God. The Psalmist says in 90:2 “From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.” It’s clear from scripture that God does not exist in time as we do. God created time, it’s something that he peers down into, something that he chooses to step into, but now something that he is bound by. Peter said that a thousand years is like one day and one like a thousand years to God. Many people hear that and think that God can speed up or slow down time as He wishes, but really it’s more that God doesn’t experience time. It’s all the same to Him. He is all times and yet in no time. When God sees the past, He doesn’t see it as a memory- faint and distant. When God sees the future, it isn’t hazy like a prophecy. God sees all time as vividly and comprehensively as He sees the present. Thiessen points out that you can view a parade from a street corner and watch as it passes by, or you could drive next to it in a car, passing it- going faster than it, seeing it from the end to the beginning, or you could watch it from the top of a building seeing all of it at once. God is able to see all these angles of the procession of time, simultaneously. Just as God is eternal in relation to time, He is eternal in relation to knowledge, presence, and power. God is Omniscient (All Knowing). Omniscience is the combination of Omni (All) and Science (Knowledge). God knows all. This almost seems natural since God can see all things, all times, all perspectives, all at once. Think about how limited your knowledge is because of your limited perspective. I don’t think anyone in here knows Chinese. But I bet if you had been exposed to Chinese your whole life, you would. There are people in China who don’t know English but if they had been exposed to it like you do, they would. However, God doesn’t know all simply because He’s been exposed to it all- He knows all because it is in His nature to know. God is not simply well read, or been in school for a really long time. God has always known all. Just as God is eternal in relation to time, he is eternal in relation to knowledge. Creation is a demonstration of this Omniscience. They way that nature simply works in concert- that the elements and systems of our world rely on one another and work together on a large scale like the process of weather but also to the minute in the systems that work on a molecular level in our bodies. Scripture tells us in Isaiah 46:9-10 That God has known the whole story, form the very beginning. 9Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: This doesn’t just relate to what is actual, but what is possible. Thiessen points out that Jesus said, Tyre and Sidon would have repented if they had seen the miracles that were done in Bethsaida. God knows all the permutations, all the possibilities. This is how He can make promise like the one He makes in Romans- that all things will work together for the good of those that love Him. In other words, when things go wrong and are bad,  God can not only see the future but what could be the future and He is able to steer us toward the outcome that will give purpose to our difficulties and adversities. That’s the infinite knowledge of God put into practical use for you and me. Thiessen points out something that I just love. God thoroughly knows all, including Himself. No one else completely knows Himself. God knows you better than you know you. God is Omnipresent (Present Everywhere) Scripture repeatedly tells us that God is everywhere. Psalm 139 says, if I ascend into heaven you are there, if I make my bed in the depths you are there. God is present in all of the universe, but God is not tied to the universe. We should make that distinction. Pantheism makes God out to be everything. God is not everything, but He is everywhere. He chooses to be in all places, so He is. But he is not limited by creation, in other words if He chose to no longer be present somewhere, He would not have to be. If He were to destroy everything, He would continue to exist. God often chose to withdraw the essence or the influence of His presence, but He was still present. His omnipresence is an act of his unlimited power and knowledge. It is an extension of His infinite, eternal nature. There is no time and there is no place that we are alone. God is always with us everywhere. This is a comfort and a warning. God is Omnipotent. All Powerful Scripture teaches repeatedly that God is all powerful. He is called the Almighty. (Revelation 4:8) He is abel to do all things He purposes. (Job 42:2) All things are possible with Him. (Matthew 19:26) And Nothing is too difficult for Him. (Jeremiah 32:17) In the beginning God said let there be light and there was light. God didn’t create the Sun and the stars until the fourth day, but when He said let there be light, there was light. God is so powerful that what He says is. He speaks the truth and His words are so powerful, His nature so eternal that the very words will make it so, make it the truth. Now, God’s unlimited power is an extension of His nature, so this means that He can do anything that He wills to do- Anything that is in perfect harmony with His nature- His perfection and His holiness. Because God will not do anything that violates His nature, there is a list of things that God can not do. God can not overlook sin. (Hab 1:3) God can not violate His nature (2 Timothy 2:13) God can not deny the truth. (Titus 1:2) God can not tempt us to sin. (James 1:13) This means that He can not or will not do what is absurd or ridiculous. He will not, can not make a square circle, make a rock so big that he can’t pick it up, etc. I recently heard that there was a stone so big that God could not pick it up, it was the penalty for our sin. It’s not that the stone was too big, it’s that it is against God’s nature overlook sin. So He established a means of rolling that stone away through the sacrifice of Jesus. The beauty of the gospel is that God made a way for us to be forgiven without violating His nature and destroying us.

 12For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. 17But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."  25For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Affordable Podcasting $5.99 a month includes Web Hosting Suppport The Classic Blues at Music Maker Visit Recover in Christ Ministries today Visit our 24 hour family friendly radio streaming station 2 Corinthians 1 1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 8For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 11Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 13For we write none other things unto you, that what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 14As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our's in the day of the Lord Jesus. 15And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 16And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea. 17When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? 18But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

click here Visit the Recover In Christ web site. Romans 10 1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.