Podcasts about be jesus

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In this episode,  Diana continues her conversation with John David Graham, founder of Good Samaritan Home. They discuss his extensive work in mentoring men and women re-entering society after prison, the transformative impact of his program, and his award-winning book, 'Running as Fast as I Can.' They also touch on the broader role of the church in giving second chances and offering hope, particularly to those marginalized by society. Graham shares stories of success and resilience, emphasizing the power of compassion and authentic service. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:40 Recap of Previous Episode with John David Graham 01:32 John David Graham's Ministry and Mission 03:40 Challenges and Realities of Ministry Work 07:13 The Story Behind 'Running as Fast as I Can' 12:46 Success Stories and Impact 14:30 Current State and Future of the Ministry 17:25 Final Thoughts and Reflections Buy John's book here:  https://www.amazon.com/Running-As-Fast-Can-ebook/dp/B0CKK418FB/   Website: https://dswministries.org Email: diana@dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can't travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/   Transcript: John David Graham Part 2 ​[00:00:00] Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, Diana. She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hello everyone. Welcome back to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast. I'm glad that you're here. We had a terrific conversation with John David Graham last time. He is the founder of Good Samaritan Home, the mentoring program, helping men and women restart their lives after prison. [00:01:00] He has 17 homes that he has started and we're talking about his fantastic book. Running as fast as I can. I'm not gonna review too much of what we talked about last time, so if you have not listened to part one, as always, I say go back and listen to that first because you'll miss the foundation of the conversation and then come back here with us to hear the rest of John's story. So I'm not gonna delay any further. Here is my continued conversation with John David Graham. I think my audience hears me much better than any sermon I ever prepared. Yeah, Jesus tells us to visit those in prison and serve people that are, less fortunate or struggling or the hated of society like the Samaritan. Jesus went out of his way to meet the Samaritan woman and to evangelize the [00:02:00] Samaritan people. And they were, they hated ones in his day. We sometimes forget, we make Samaritan into a compliment. But the truth is that you're exactly right. It was not just a criticism, it was a vile criticism. Yes. She as a woman, was rejected. And Jesus, if I remember correctly, didn't he take a drink from her? Yes. Yes he did. And that was, again, forbidden because she was unclean according to his tradition. And when he would hug people and welcome the lepers and all of that, that to me is exactly what the church can do so well, if we would just do it instead of getting involved in I want you to look like me, then you can come to church. Amen to that. Yeah. In fact, you think about it, if I drive down the road and you see a church marquee that says, here's my sermon for Sunday, you are all welcome. But why would somebody who doesn't understand your traditions. Doesn't understand any of [00:03:00] your teaching. Never had been in that building. Why would they come in and do something that's totally foreign? Just because you're Marquee says you're welcome. They'll never do that. No. But if you go where they are and help them with their hunger, then they'll hear you. I believe. Yes. I had a a guest on the show that had he had a a ministry to bikers. It was the same thing. He would invite these groups of bikers that come into church and they got all this, terrible treatment because they ride a bike and they wore leather jackets and they didn't want them there. And yeah, they're not gonna, they're not gonna feel welcomed just by a sign. Absolutely. And I understand many of the traditions, but if I were to walk into a small church, I would immediately be noticed as a visitor. And even the welcoming would make me uncomfortable. And so identify, I go to a [00:04:00] large church. All of the the swell of people would make me uncomfortable unless I had somebody there walking me through it. And. A friend, leading a friend , I think the only way you can actually introduce somebody into into your church. And the truth is we don't emphasize that at all because number one, we have so much power that's they'll never give us the right answer. They'll say, oh yeah, I believe all your doctrines. And what they're saying is, I need this roof over my head. So I just try to be real. I just try to be myself and I don't put any religious pretenses into the conversation. If somebody asks, I will answer, but I try not to. I don't have a score sheet that said I, I witnessed the six people today. That, to me, doesn't work. Okay. I am I was a missionary for 13 years in the Baptist Church. I know exactly the kind of list you are talking about. Yeah. And I'm [00:05:00] kind of, sorry of some of the things that I did as a missionary with that particular list. Yeah. And this, the whole idea, even what a missionary does if we're going and simply teaching, are we teaching our western ways or are we helping people dig a well so that they have water for their farm? And are we helping them with their medical needs because that's what they need, and our faith motivates us to do these works of compassion, and they hear those works. So tell me, what your wife, Kathy thinks of all this. What is her role in your ministry there? She's sitting here with me, so Hey. Let me just say this, that I never could have done this alone because number one, it came out of our own house and when we bought our first house beyond our home, our first shelter, she had inherited a few thousand dollars that was supposed to be for retirement, [00:06:00] but she gave all of that to purchase this other house so that we could remodel it for the next two years. So she gave not just her time, but her sweat equity and her meager retirement funds. And then she's been basically in charge of all the residential services. So even at her age, and she's the same age as I am, and she will spend her days either painting and patching a wall. Cocking bathtubs today, she was patching a floor that had a hole in it. So she was working with wood putty and a sander. Now this is a woman who should be watching Oprah on television and at the local community luncheon. But she's more comfortable wearing work clothes. And and then when we leave here, we're gonna go do curfew rounds at the houses and she'll be right there with me. Sounds like a servant's heart to me. Yeah. It really is. Because we all, [00:07:00] I think all of us on my staff come from some point of brokenness and we're one step away from our residents and we try to walk with that in mind, and it makes us, I think, more forgiving. Oh, yeah. Yeah. That you've been through some hard things you can relate. I want to talk about your book running as fast as I can, and this Daniel Robinson, is he somebody that you actually know, and you then you fictionalized the story, or is it completely separate from your life and your ministry? I started to write a book 50 years ago when I was homeless. Actually. I was in my truck and I had a royal typewriter, if you remember those. Yeah. And I realized I had nothing to say, and so I put it on the shelf. And then 10 years ago I said, it's time because I want to tell this story of second chances. But, [00:08:00] I could present data and I could give you statistics. In fact, my doctoral work was in reentry and the social and psychological and spiritual benefits of reentry in the community. And I, I think maybe six people read it. I spent three years writing that, and it had all the data, but nobody is influenced by data. So what I decided to do is write a story, and I'll give you an example. Let's suppose that I want to talk to everybody about lifeboat safety. It's very important if you're going on a cruise, if you know how to work the lifeboats, I'll guarantee you nobody will watch that video because it's boring. But if I made a movie. And I had Jack and Rose on the Titanic and I made it into a love story that actually was about lifeboat safety. Everybody will watch it and remember when they get on a boat, where are the lifeboats? So that was my thinking [00:09:00] when I started writing this book. How do I write a story about second chances? But I want people to read it and remember it and identify with it. And so Daniel Robinson is fictional, but it's based on my life and your life and my wife's life and every life of the men I deal with. But I brought it together. And it's Forrest Gump going through the sixties and the idea he grew up in a home that where he was neglected and eventually he was abused by his pastor, the one man he trusted, and he ran away from home and spent the next 20 years trying to undo the damage that was done to him. And at one point in his life when he married a woman named Kate who had her own limp. We like to say that when two broken people lean on one another, then they can walk straight. And Daniel and Kate were married and started to create the family they were both looking for. But he [00:10:00] said one line. I think that probably the most important, he said, Kate, it's been 17 years since that man did that to me, but it's like it was yesterday. I can still smell the after shave he wore, I can still see the room. I still feel that man touching me. And they say, you get over it, but you never do. Some hurts last forever. And that is the theme of the book. It's the idea of some of us are born so far behind in the race that we have to run hard to even find the starting line, but the object is as long as you're willing to keep running. You will reach your goal. It just, some of us need longer time. And the truth is that the stories resonate very well with readers. It's garnered 26 awards for literary and inspirational fiction. It, and it's sold thousands of copies [00:11:00] and we're really not even advertising it. We're simply putting it out there on social media. But the object is that I believe, particularly in this day and age, I. Where on the internet, on Facebook, all your sins from sixth grade keep coming back at you, and every little thing you've done wrong will haunt you. We are all looking for a second chance, and that's why I think this story is resonating. People believe in second chances. They want it and they need it. And here's a story that says you can get a second chance. Amen. That sounds intriguing. I'm sure that everyone would want to get a copy of this book. Where can we get a copy of the book? Is that on Amazon? Yeah. Easiest way is to go to John David graham.com. That's my website and that will link you. To Amazon, and [00:12:00] it can, it's electronic, it's print, it's audible version. So it's available in all the versions. And the truth is that, it's I definitely think that it's one of those it deals with issues that we wrestle with, like homelessness. It deals with drug addiction, it deals with sexual abuse and the response of the church or lack of response to that. What I'm hearing again and again of people who have been victims of sexual abuse often become victimizers too. Yes, because they've never learned to forgive and be forgiven. And I had a mentor in college who taught me that healing of the memories only comes when we're able to face our memories and find forgiveness. And that's the intent of this story, is to help people forgive themselves. Now, do you have a story of someone specific that has really come out on the other side and [00:13:00] has done really well? Obviously don't give their name, but do you have someone like that you could tell us about? Oodles of stories. Interesting you should say that because just the last week one of our first residents who was with us, I will say his name is Walter, but he came to us when he was 26 years old. He had been in prison for nine years. That meant he went to prison as a juvenile. And he came out after nine years in prison and he was homeless and he stayed with us for several years, in fact, well beyond the normal time, but he was able to get a job with somebody who's willing to mentor him, and he stayed at that job and he's become a manager in that factory. And just last week. He put a posting on Facebook. He said he just read my book and how much he appreciated not just the book, but the work that we did in [00:14:00] helping him. Aw. And then. Then just a few days after that, I had a call from another fellow named Reggie, who was our very first resident. And he said virtually the same thing. He's been out of prison for 20 years. He's married, got kids, has a family, and he's working as a truck driver. And he just touched base to say thank you. And we don't solicit those stories, but when they call like that, it makes it all worthwhile. Oh yeah. You feel like you're making a difference in the world. One person at a time. Definitely. Now you're in Dayton, Ohio. Is that right? Yeah we we we started off in a rural area, a small town, and that's why there was so much nervousness with our program. But we quickly expanded to Dayton, which is a larger area, and the truth is that by going into. Homes that were in distress, we're able to remodel the neighborhood while we're also remodeling our residents. [00:15:00] So we haven't had nearly the politics in the bigger city that we had in the small town. Oh. But on any given day, we may have upwards of 90 to a hundred men and women in all of our houses. That's a lot of people. We don't have to do day-to-day management. We just do, like I say, it's independent housing, so we just touch base so that way we're good landlords because we're there regularly, but also we're mentors, so if somebody wants to talk, we're there to listen. So you said that the guys they come to you through the prison system. They're the ones that. Give you the fellows that need a place? You don't have people just coming up to you and asking for a place to stay? We used to do that originally, we called it off the street. And the truth is that's actually more dangerous because you have no control. No filtering. And so we don't do the off the street anymore. Because the need in the community was for men who are [00:16:00] required to be released. It they had a release date. And if you're released from prison and you're put out onto the street with no money, no place to stay, you'll do whatever you have to do to survive. Our priority became to make the community safe. We need to help those people. And it turned out that we were one of many providers when we started in back in 2003, but most of those other organizations, faith-based organizations disappeared. So we've become the only official provider of reentry housing in the entire southwest corner of the state. That's why we've had to grow from house to house. The need is so great. And on the positive side, the state will pay us a per diem for this because it costs $109 a day to keep somebody in prison. But what they'll do is they'll pay us a fraction of that. And [00:17:00] so the state saves tax money, we're able to pay our bills and our staff and then our residents get free housing for six months a year. Some people stay two years, and so everybody wins. Even the community wins because they're now working and spending their taxes their income in the city and paying child support too. So everybody wins with this. Absolutely. That's that is amazing. And I know we talked a lot about a variety of different things. Was there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention to our audience? I see a lot. Again, I mentioned that I see a lot of similarities to the sixties, and the only thing I'm seeing now more so is the church. Has taken on the role of what I call a political action committee, where it's trying to influence the politics, and I feel that's not what the church does [00:18:00] well, and I would strongly recommend the church go back to do the acts of mercy that we are best at. In fact, the word hospitality, the word hospice. It comes from the Greek words in the Bible for loving the stranger, what we did. And if we try to get political, we're gonna end up with a Spanish Inquisition. We're gonna end up with all the issues where we have the crusades, where we do battle for God and we do nothing in reality, for God. But we're just, becoming another army. And right now I see a lot of that, and the numbers are showing, particularly among the Gen Z, they're not responding to the church's actions. They're looking for authenticity. They're looking for honesty. And they're not finding it. And so the numbers in churches have declined 20% over the last decade. People are not going because they don't want to get involved in [00:19:00] politics on Sunday. They want to find Jesus with the woman at the well. Yes. And I think I've been on these podcasts for just six months and everywhere I turn I hear the same response. There's the sense of hope that if the church were doing this, if we've stumbled onto something that I believe is what the church can and should do. And I think if the church more churches were to do this without trying to evangelize, just do the work of the evangelist. I think it would change the world. Yes, it would. Be Jesus. Yeah. The irony is that we like to think we're too old, but I started Good Samaritan home at 53. I published my novel at 75, and I'm working on two sequels now, so I believe that you're never too old to do ministry of some sort. In fact I've searched the Bible and I cannot find the [00:20:00] word retirement anywhere. No. How old was Moses? How old was Caleb in the Bible? How old was, Noah for crying out loud. It I forget how old he was, but he was a senior. He wasn't a young man. And to my knowledge, he wasn't a sailor either until he learned to be No. So yes, I agree with you. There's really no retirement in the Bible. We're called to serve with whatever we have, where we're at in our life right now.   What I've tried to do, Diana, is I try to think, how is my message? How are my words heard? So when I write an article for Substack or if I put something on Facebook, or if I on these podcasts, I I try not to speak in church language. I try to speak in the language of my listeners. And the listeners that I'm I'm hearing back from are looking for hope. They're looking for purpose, and they know. What they're seeing out there is not working and they're looking for authenticity. [00:21:00] And the feedback I've been getting has confirmed that we're on the right track and I'm just glad to be part of it. I'm glad to know you, John, that you're out there being the hands and feet of Jesus to the people that need it the most. And you're making a difference. Tell folks if they go to my webpage, there's a contact link and they're welcome to contact me. I'm open for discussions. I do a Substack newsletter where I talk about this and other things, and we've had just a lot of positive feedback and I think if we can talk, if we can discuss, and we may differ, but as long as we're talking. With one another and not at one another. I think we can make a difference. Amen to that. I'm subscribed to a couple people on Substack and I'll subscribe to you too. I would really like to hear more especially about your theological discussions. Jesus. So I have a lot of fun in [00:22:00] Substack 'cause you can actually wrestle with some ideas. Yeah there's people that really like substack and you can get a real following on there. I really appreciate you coming on this show today, John. It's been educational and inspiring and if you have any new books coming out or another new ministry, you're always welcome to come back on the podcast. I'd love to have you. I find it ironic that there were two tragedies that happened today, filling the news, and yet the message of hope is what's gonna end my day. And hopefully the end the day of some of your listeners too, that no matter what happens on the news, no matter happens in the world, we can still present a voice of hope and I think people will hear that message. Amen. God bless you, John. Hey, thank you so much, really, I enjoyed this, Diana. Thank you. Thank you for listening to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast. If this episode has been helpful to you, please [00:23:00] hit the subscribe button and tell a friend. You could connect with us@dswministries.org where you'll find our blog, along with our Facebook, Twitter, and our YouTube channel links. Hope to see you next week.    

This is a chapter from my book False Christ, Will The Antichrist Claim to be the Jewish Messiah available on Amazon and Audible.  This book was originally written by me Chris White in 2014, but the audiobook has been digitally remastered and is being released for free on a week by week basis on this … Continue reading "False Christ – Chapter 10 – Will the Antichrist Claim to Be Jesus?"

You are a missionary. You are on a mission. Your Workplace is your mission field. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 & 20 - Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” There is no question about calling – we are all called to go – wherever that is. You are a missionary to the largest unreached people group in America – Workplace Pre-Believers. Let that settle in. Lost and hopeless people surround you with an unending emptiness. Be Jesus to them today. Let your transformed life impact everything you do, and share Jesus with those you work with as you go. 

It has been so beautiful to get to release some new, yet familiar—even tried and true songs—in this season! One of those is the song, “Breathe” paired with another beloved song, “Let it Be Jesus.” Today, I'll take you back to the seasons I was in when I first began to sing and lead both of these beautiful songs. They were very significant seasons in my life and in my spiritual formation, and to merge them together on this new album is such a joy. It's amazing how songs can truly become guideposts and guardrails in our journey, even a gateway to surrendering more of our heart to God's heart! We'll kind of walk through that gateway together, using these two songs, and talk about how God wants these proclamations we sing to become realities in our hearts and lives. “God, I breathe Your Name above everything,” is more than just a beautiful lyric! It's a posture of resolve and rest, and a deep trust that everything we need is found in Jesus. I'll talk to you soon! Listen to 'You Revive Me'Listen to 'This is the Hour'Follow Christy on Socials: WebsiteFacebook Twitter Instagram TikTok

Luke 14:25-35 If you want to be my disciple (pt1) MAIN IDEA: Discipleship is hard If you want to be my disciple, Hate your family, Be willing to die!?! Application - Know what a disciple is. Be Jesus' disciple. Do: Carry your cross. Check us out online: http://victorybaptisthopemills.org Check us out on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VBCHopeMills/ Check out our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe8WGSR-WtngBv7Ae4vyMOw Check out our podcast: https://anchor.fm/victorybaptist Send us a message: ministryvbc@gmail.com JD Greear's sermon “Disciples vs Christians”: https://summitchurch.com/message/disciples-vs-christians

Gifts of Kindness - Washing Machine for a Mom in Need | Autocorrect Shenanigans - Unstable..No, Wait Unstoppable | Autocorrect Shenanigans - He Sleep Texted His Boss | A Lesson in Love from AA | New Year's Resolutions - Spending Time Together for Pancake Museum | 30 Day Challenge - John's Qualified | Good News - Larry's 30 Day Challenge Experience Helped after Awful Fall | Different Ways to Be Jesus to Others | Jenny and Dave Marrs - Setting Boundaries | Prayer Journal Offer | Joy Report - Jackie Got a Job for Christmas | Everyone Wants to Change the World

Fr. Roger J. Landry Columbia Catholic Ministry, Notre Dame Church, Manhattan Wednesday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time, Year I Memorial of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity November 8, 2023 Rom 13:8-10, Ps 112, Lk 14:25-33   To listen to an audio recording of today's homily, please click below:  https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/11.8.23_Homily_1.mp3   The following points were attempted […] The post Calculating the Cost of Love to Be Jesus’ True Disciples, 31st Wednesday (I), November 8, 2023 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

In this episode we have an inspiring conversation with Dr. Marlene Carson, a survivor of human trafficking who has turned her trauma into a powerful ministry to help others. This episode discusses healing, transformation, purpose, and the importance of meeting people where they are. Join us as Dr. Carson's wisdom shines through as she shares her journey of overcoming adversity and turning it into a force for good. Here are some key highlights to know more about this episode: Dr. Marlene Carson's powerful story of surviving human trafficking Gain insight into how she describes the soul's state after experiencing trauma. Discussion about how trauma affects the hippocampus, memory, and the soul The significance of understanding and meeting people where they are in their healing process The power of commitment versus changing movements Her involvement in the anti-trafficking movement and the creation of "B.L.A.S.T." (Black Leaders Against Sex Trafficking) Talk about the importance of men's involvement in supporting and respecting women You don't have to talk it to do it - Dr. Marlene Carson When you're talking about helping traffic victims, meet them where they are. Be Jesus and stop talking Jesus…Be Jesus. Be the love. Be the life.- Dr. Marlene Carson About the Guest: Dr. Marlene Carson is an inspiring advocate, survivor, and leader in the fight against human trafficking. She is the founder of "B.L.A.S.T." (Black Leaders Against Sex Trafficking), a movement dedicated to addressing crucial issues and creating positive change. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of The SWITCH, she shapes national policies, empowers survivors through programs like iTHRIVE Academy, and spearheads initiatives like Rahab's Hideaway and Boujhetto's Soul Food Restaurant. Her survivor-led initiative, The Antidote, forges partnerships and hosts conferences to fight trafficking. Dr. Carson's relentless commitment has earned her national recognition, while her impactful speaking engagements amplify the voices of victims, survivors, and thrivers. Connect with Dr. Marlene at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-marlene-carson-4095269 Twitter:  Website: http://MarleneCarson.com blastmovement.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-huey/message drmarlenecarson --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-huey/message

You are a missionary. You are on a mission. Your Workplace is your mission field. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 & 20 - Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” There is no question about calling – we are all called to go – wherever that is. You are a missionary to the largest unreached people group in America – Workplace Pre-Believers. Let that settle in. Lost and hopeless people surround you with an unending emptiness. Be Jesus to them today. Let your transformed life impact everything you do, and share Jesus with those you work with as you go.

Hour 1 * Guest: Dr. Scott Bradley, Founder and Chairman of the Constitution Commemoration Foundation and the author of the book and DVD/CD lecture series “To Preserve the Nation.” In the Tradition of the Founding Fathers – FreedomsRisingSun.com * Russian hackers promise takedown of European banking system – ‘Within 48 hours … nothing will save you' – WND.com The Russian activist groups are known by the names KillNet, Anonymous Sudan and REvil. * Halderman Report on Voting Machine Vulnerabilities Finally Released, Validates Mike Lindell's Warnings – Brannon Howse, FrankSpeech.com * Dozens of Ottawa High School Students Stage Walkout to Protest Gender Ideology – EpochTimes.com * US government agencies hit in global hacking spree – Reuters. Hour 2 * Rep. Jim Jordan Threatens White House With Subpoenas Over Social Media Censorship! * They Will Never Impeach Joe, Will They? * White Starbucks manager fired over racist claims wins $25 million! * Lawmaker Tells Californians to Flee State Over Bill Favoring ‘Gender-Affirming' Parents. * An AI Program Is Pretending to Be Jesus and Thousands of Lost Young People Are Flocking to It – The Western Journal. * Taiwan prepares for war with China. * Nearly 1 in 5 adults say they've been diagnosed with depression – CDC. * A recently released report from a Planned Parenthood watchdog group revealed that the abortion chain's CEOs are among the highest-paid in the country's nonprofit sector. * Catholic pro-life organization American Life League's STOPP International is dedicated to exposing the “true nature of Planned Parenthood” by documenting “its anti-life, anti-family programs,” according to its website. * Governor Newsom Proposes 28th Amendment to the US Constitution. * Pledge of GAY-legiance: White House under fire for replacing Old Glory with Pride flag during LGBT event. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loving-liberty/support

* Rep. Jim Jordan Threatens White House With Subpoenas Over Social Media Censorship! * They Will Never Impeach Joe, Will They? * White Starbucks manager fired over racist claims wins $25 million! * Lawmaker Tells Californians to Flee State Over Bill Favoring ‘Gender-Affirming' Parents. * An AI Program Is Pretending to Be Jesus and Thousands of Lost Young People Are Flocking to It - The Western Journal. * Taiwan prepares for war with China. * Nearly 1 in 5 adults say they've been diagnosed with depression - CDC. * A recently released report from a Planned Parenthood watchdog group revealed that the abortion chain's CEOs are among the highest-paid in the country's nonprofit sector. * Catholic pro-life organization American Life League's STOPP International is dedicated to exposing the "true nature of Planned Parenthood" by documenting "its anti-life, anti-family programs," according to its website. * Governor Newsom Proposes 28th Amendment to the US Constitution. * Pledge of GAY-legiance: White House under fire for replacing Old Glory with Pride flag during LGBT event.

Missed this week's service? For the full traditional or modern service click here. Click here to view our Eden Prairie campus monthly handout. The post Be Jesus appeared first on Wooddale Church.

When we are immersed in Jesus, we realize that being a disciple is not something we do, but it is who we are. Jesus wants to immerse Himself into every aspect of or life because He knows this will help us to BE Jesus to the world. The word for today is "immersion."

Today is the day that Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus, known as the Prince of Peace. Jesus lived on this earth as a pure representative of Spirit in form. His life gives us examples of how to live among this earth as a healer who embodies peace and faith. Jesus healed the sick, fed the poor, stood strong in the face of injustice, and loved unconditionally. He looked beyond outer appearances to the sincerity within the hearts of the people. He told us that “…if you have faith the size of a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you.” ~Matthew 17:20-21 The most sincere way to honor Jesus is to embody the examples he set. My spiritual teacher used to say to us, “Be Jesus of your time.” Carry the message of the Prophets. Be honest. Be sincere. Walk a straight path. Care about your body, your heart, your spirit. Care about your family. Be polite with one another. Help each other. This is some of what it means to honor Jesus and to live in Peace and Faith. In today's Meditation & Healing Circle, we call on the Divine Powers of Peace (As-Salaam) and open our hearts for the embodiment of peace – to be the peace, to be Jesus of our time to the best of our ability.Listen to this episode for a transformation healing experience. You're invited to join us LIVE for The Meditation & Healing Circle - every Sunday at 10am US ET / 7am US PT. When you join live, you can stay on after the recorded meditation for Q&A, support and discussion. http://CommunityforConsciousLiving.com

In today's episode I share a powerful story of a long ride I had to Harrisonburg, Virginia and an opportunity to encourage and pray for a person who was struggling. Be Jesus to someone today.

Be Jesus! by Real Life

5. Love is encouraging. Would you consider yourself to be an encouraging person? I received an email of encouragement from a co-worker the other day. He affirmed me for the job I did leading a project. When I opened and read the email, I was shocked. This particular individual is a person of very few words. He's pretty reserved and quiet so when he sent a “way to go” to me, I was really surprised. I was also super grateful. The fact that he took time to send a note of encouragement was a very kind gesture. When was the last time you spoke words of encouragement to someone? Or cheered someone on? I was grabbing lunch at a nearby restaurant the other day when I heard the manager yell out a “way to go team.” I have never heard a restaurant manager giving a shout out to cheer on their team. It really left an impression on me to hear her encourage her employees. Encouragement can breathe life into people. Genuine affirmation can be just what someone needs to keep going. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” There have been times in my life where I have questioned where God wants me and if I am even making an impact in my ministry. When out of the blue, I will receive a text or a handwritten note from someone expressing gratitude for something I have done or a conversation that we had that made a difference for them. I know the Holy Spirit put it on their hearts to write to me at just the perfect time when I needed to be spurred on. And I am so grateful that they heeded the Spirit because he used them to remind me to stay the course. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us to, “encourage each other and build each other up.” Who can you speak life into today with a word of encouragement? Maybe it's a coworker that you can give words of affirmation to, or a friend you can cheer on. Who can you encourage this week, face-to-face, send a text, email or a handwritten note? Who can you practice the love habit of encouragement with? It's a double win. They will be blessed by your genuine and positive words and you will get a boost from blessing someone. Here is a short but powerful verse from 1 Corinthians 16:14 that sums everything up. “Do everything in love.” In every circumstance, with every person you encounter. Be Jesus...be love. If you would like to read the entire week's devotional message, please click here to view/download the pdf.

This is the wrap up of the Red Letter Challenge. Even if you haven't read the book or taken the 40 day challenge. Join Krissy Bakke, the Hippie Christian and hear how it went and an overview of what went on. It's a quick listen that's packed with lots of good stuff. Spoiler alert: Be Jesus to everyone you meet. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

2021-09-19-0830 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning, September 19, 2021 in the 8:30 AM service. Scripture: Acts 14:19-22; Hebrews Notes: -Be kind, people hurt, mourn with those that mourn. -Think about others, bear one another's burdens. -Don't get so upset with others, we don't know their life. -Have compassion for others, do not judge others. -Have sympathy for others. Have time for others. -Love others. Continue in the faith. Praise God. -Trust God. We are blessed. Be Jesus to others.

2021-09-19-1030 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning, September 19, 2021 in the 10:30 AM service. Scripture: Acts 14:19-22; Hebrews Notes: -Be kind, people hurt, mourn with those that mourn. -Think about others, bear one another's burdens. -Don't get so upset with others, we don't know their life. -Have compassion for others, do not judge others. -Have sympathy for others. Have time for others. -Love others. Continue in the faith. Praise God. -Trust God. We are blessed. Be Jesus to others.

Be Jesus-y

Be Jesus-y

Be Jesus-y

Talking with your younger kids can be difficult. Talking with your teens can be downright terrifying. Kevin's great friend, Jon Jenz, joins him on the podcast today to discuss best practices for engaging your teenager in these difficult conversations. Kevin and Jon talk through four ideas that help parents lead their children in truth and grace about sex. Be present. Be proactive. Be transparent. Be Jesus. If you are parenting teenagers or soon will be, you don't want to miss this today's amazing conversation! As always, if you have more questions or want to connect with Kevin, please send an email: kevin@thementoringalliance.com. Also, don't forget to check out Kevin's website: followingtolead.com.

Maybe you've never celebrated Easter. Maybe you've observed it every year. But wouldn't it be wonderful to know how you can be certain that you will truly worship God this Easter? Join AMBrewster as he helps Christ's disciples prepare their hearts for undistracted, genuine celebration this Easter.The Year Long Celebration of God is a family resource from Truth.Love.Parent., a ministry dedicated to rooting families in God and maturing families for God so they can harvest blessings from God. Discover the following episodes by clicking the titles or navigating to the episode in your app:“The Confusion of the Crucifixion, Part 1”“The Confusion of the Crucifixion, Part 2”“TLP 248: Easter, Part 1: The Significance of the Resurrection”“TLP 249: Easter, Part 2: The Significance of the Resurrection”“TLP 252: Easter, Part 5: Make the Resurrection Important in Your Home”“TLP 46: How to Be Jesus to Your Kids” Click here for Today's Episode Notes and Transcript.  Like us on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram.Follow AMBrewster on Facebook.Follow AMBrewster on Twitter.Follow AMBrewster on Instagram.

On which day was Jesus crucified? Was it Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday? Most professing Christians observe the Crucifixion on Friday, but why? Today AMBrewster finishes a two part study into the biblical data concerning the crucifixion.The Year Long Celebration of God is a family resource from Truth.Love.Parent., a ministry dedicated to rooting families in God and maturing families for God so they can harvest blessings from God. Discover the following episodes by clicking the titles or navigating to the episode in your app:“COG 46: The Confusion of the Crucifixion, Part 1”“TLP 46: How to Be Jesus to Your Kids”“TLP 248: Easter, Part 1: The Significance of the Resurrection”“TLP 249: Easter, Part 2: The Significance of the Resurrection”“TLP 252: Easter, Part 5: Make the Resurrection Important in Your Home” Click here for Today's Episode Notes and Transcript. Like us on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram.Follow AMBrewster on Facebook.Follow AMBrewster on Twitter.Follow AMBrewster on Instagram.

On which day was Jesus crucified? Was it Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday? Most professing Christians observe the Crucifixion on Friday, but why? Today AMBrewster begins a two part study into the biblical data concerning the crucifixion. The Year Long Celebration of God is a family resource from Truth.Love.Parent., a ministry dedicated to rooting families in God and maturing families for God so they can harvest blessings from God. Discover the following episodes by clicking the titles or navigating to the episode in your app:“TLP 46: How to Be Jesus to Your Kids”“TLP 248: Easter, Part 1: The Significance of the Resurrection”“TLP 249: Easter, Part 2: The Significance of the Resurrection”“TLP 252: Easter, Part 5: Make the Resurrection Important in Your Home” Click here for Today's Episode Notes and Transcript. Like us on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram.Follow AMBrewster on Facebook.Follow AMBrewster on Twitter.Follow AMBrewster on Instagram.

Week 6: There is an invisible war raging, and we are made to WIN more. We need to realize that Jesus has already won the war, that our everyday actions have a spiritual impact, and God has equipped us to fight. Series: The church is meant to BE Jesus to this world that needs Jesus. There is a calling for ALL of us and there is a calling for EACH of us.

Week 5: We have to decide daily what kind of journey our lives are going to be. "Making the most of every opportunity" flows from seeing yourself as an everyday missionary. Series: The church is meant to BE Jesus to this world that needs Jesus. There is a calling for ALL of us and there is a calling for EACH of us.

Week 4: Jesus has invested in us so we can invest in others. We need to invest in the next generation and recognize that the next generation also has an investment to make in the church. Series: The church is meant to BE Jesus to this world that needs Jesus. There is a calling for ALL of us and there is a calling for EACH of us.

Week 4: We are Made for More in Jesus. It's the LOVE of God that drives us to BE, DO, and GO. We KNOW God's love when we experience it–and it changes everything. Series: The church is meant to BE Jesus to this world that needs Jesus. There is a calling for ALL of us and there is a calling for EACH of us.

“When we look at the book of Acts – we see how the Church was unleashed!” Join us as Pastor Don looks at how the world was turned upside down by Jesus!  “Best intentions without precision can be harmful!  Intentions can lead us in the wrong direction, but our job is to BE JESUS and […] The post 11-1-20 World Turned Upside Down – the POWER appeared first on Central Christian Church.

Guest Peaker:: David Hamilton Week 2: Christians are called to be AWARE and ACTIVE combatants in a spiritual battle that is raging all around us. God has called us to be MORE than spectators by putting on the Armor of God and following our marching orders of prayer. Series: The church is meant to BE Jesus to this world that needs Jesus. There is a calling for ALL of us and there is a calling for EACH of us.

Week 1: We are made for more in Jesus Christ. There is a calling for ALL of us. There is a calling for EACH of us. God wants each of us to embrace our unique calling and realize how it connects with the mission of the church. Series: The church is meant to BE Jesus to this world that needs Jesus. There is a calling for ALL of us and there is a calling for EACH of us.

Be Jesus to the world around you.

We need to allow our Lord to re-programme us! For it’s ONLY the Fruit of the Holy Spirit that’ll enable us to BE Jesus people, and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit that’ll empower us to Do the kingdom’s work in challenging days

The perfect mom does not exist. But living a noble life of virtue and valor can happen as we move beyond comparison into the freedom and liberation that Jesus offers. Series: UNCERTAIN: Discovering Who We are Through Difficult Times, Speaker: Pastor Don Dodge, Scripture: Proverbs 31:29, Ruth 3:11, John 8:36, Exodus 15, Judges 4-5, 2 Kings 22, Romans 16:7, Acts 18:26, Romans 16:1-2, Video: https://www.facebook.com/avalonchurch/videos/2592412387664931/, Sermon page: https://www.avalonchurch.org/sermons/uncertain-mothers-day-part-7/, Sermon Notes: 2020-05-10_uncertain-part-7_sermon-notes.pdf, Discussion Questions: 2020-05-10_uncertain-part-7_discussion-questions.pdf, Notes: INTRO Happy Mother’s Day! Today’s message is for moms, but not just for moms. It’s for all of us. Some want to be a mom, but have been unable. Some this year, …are grieving the loss of their mom, …or a child. It’s in times of Uncertainty, In times of Difficulty, …We often discover who we are, …And are open to God showing us who we are made to be. My hope is that today will be part of your journey To discover liberation… and freedom in Christ …to be exactly who YOU were made to be. Eshet Chayil The video we just saw ended with a verse: There are many virtuous and capable women in all the world, but you surpass them all. --Proverbs 31:29 (NLT) What a beautiful ode to a wife and mother. Virtuous and capable. May that be said of all of us! Those 2 words come from a single Hebrew word chayil = valor It literally means a person of valor. Say that with me. It’s not Chy-Eel. Use the back of the throat. Chayil. (One syllable, CHayl) Chayil. Woman of valor = eshet chayil (E’shet CHayl) Man of valor = gibor chayil The whole chapter of Proverbs 31, describing the… the perfect woman. She’s trustworthy. Good follows her everywhere. She has her own business. Yet, she wakes up early to take care of her family. Then she stays up late …investing wisely and working hard. She cooks. She helps the poor. She makes clothes for her family, …And extras to sell. She doesn’t worry. She is wise, yet kind with her advice. She never seems to get tired. Her husband is honored and successful. And her kids have nothing but good things to say about her. this picture of the perfect woman, Looks very different from some tweets I saw this week. One woman stated, I never thought the hardest part of battling a global pandemic would be 4th grade math. Another, Quarantine - School Day #2: At what point can I request a transfer for my 2nd grader? Quarantine School Day #3: I moved a table into the living room. Now the kids have a great workspace to sit… and throw fruit snacks at each other. And the last, Sure. Paint the dog’s toenails. Cut your brother’s hair. Whatever. #My House Is A Zoo Which one sounds more like your life? Proverbs 31 or these tweets? Trying to measure up to Proverbs 31 I’ve heard several messages aboutthe Proverbs 31 woman. I’m sure these messages… all by men, intended to inspire and encourage women, Unfortunately, they usually didn’t. Being compared to perfection Can easily leave women feeling guilty and inadequate For men, our bible heroes are wonderfully imperfect. Moses sinned and wasn’t allowed into the Promised Land. David committed adultery and murder.   Peter and the disciples, …They betrayed Jesus. These were deeply flawed men, Yet, God used them mightily. We can all relate to that. So, when we come to this list describing the perfect woman, It’s hard, No, it’s impossible, …to measure up.   Yet, I don’t think that is the intent of the Proverb, …To be a “checklist” for women? …Because this is not how the Jews read it for the thousand or so years before Jesus was born? And 2000 years since. God Proverbs 31 is actually a poem, …Each line beginning with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. What’s interesting is the poem wasn’t really written TO women. There’s only one instruction in the entire poem. It’s in verse 31, …and it’s to men. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Why? Because she is an… “Eshet Chayil” (E’shet CHayl) A woman of valor …Not because of how she measures up. …And not because of some role she perfectly fulfills.   Proverbs 31 is not the job-description for a woman of God. Being a woman of valor is not condensed to marriage, or motherhood, or staying at home. And how do we know that? Because this isn’t the only place in the Hebrew Scriptures Where we see the phrase “Eshet Chayil.” (E’shet CHayl) In fact, this term was also used for Ruth in the Bible. Ruth And Ruth didn’t make clothes for her husband. She wasn’t married. In fact, she was a widow, …The most marginalized of people in her culture. Ruth’s children didn’t rise up and call her blessed. She was childless. She didn’t have her own business …Or keep up her immaculate home. She worked all day in the scorching sun, Gleaning leftovers from other people’s fields. She was the poorest of poor. And guess what Boaz, a leader in the community, Said about Ruth, …Before she got married, …Before she had a child, …Before she was wealthy and influential. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character (eshet chayil) --Ruth 3:11 (NIV) There’s that phrase, “Eshet Chayil.” (E’shet CHayl) Ruth is identified as a woman of valor, Not because she checked off some to-do list, …But because she lived her life with incredible bravery, wisdom, strength, and faith. Throughout Jewish culture, This phrase is at its core, …A blessing, One that was never meant to be earned, …but to be bestowed unconditionally. It’s encouragement, …Not about following a list of rules, …But a character or spirit of how you live. It’s like, “You go, girl!” Imagine, men, how the women in our lives would feel IF we encouraged them this way. They get accepted into the school or program they applied to. “Way to go woman of valor!” They get an “A” on that test. Nice job, Woman of Valor! They announce their pregnant! Congratulations, woman of valor! Being a man or woman of valor is NOT about what you do, …it’s about how you do it. He finally gets to cleaning out the garage. Thank you, Man of Valor! She stumbles through the front door after a long day Holding a take-out pizza for dinner, …Pizza?! You truly are a woman of valor! Imagine what a little poetry can do in a relationship!   Proverbs 31 is no more a list of how every woman should live Any more than Ruth’s life is. Think about the different women heroes in Scripture. Old Testament Ruth Miriam (Exodus 15) Deborah (Judges 4-5) Huldah (2 Kings 22) Esther New Testament Women of Resurrection (Gospels) Junia (Romans 16:7) Priscilla (Acts 18:26) Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2) Miriam - she was a prophet and worship leader as the Israelites fled Egypt. (Ex.15) Deborah, the judge and prophet who led Israel to victory over the oppressive Canaanites. (Judges 4-5) Huldah, the great prophet who was chosen by King Josiah in 2Kings 22 to read and interpret the Scriptures. Josiah could have called Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, & Habakkuk, but he chose Huldah! And let’s not forget Esther, who saved the Jews in Babylon from genocide. And in the New Testament, Those women who were chosen before anyone else, to see the resurrected Jesus. And Junia - the female apostle that Paul considered outstanding among the apostles. (Romans 16:7) And Priscilla, who was a teacher of Scripture and theology alongside with her husband. (Acts 18:26) And Phoebe, who was a deacon at the Church in Cenchrae and a benefactor of Paul’s ministry. (Rom.16:1-2) Some were married. Others not. Some had children. Other’s didn’t. They were rich, poor, teachers, and students, Leaders and followers. It’s not what they did. It’s how they lived. Application Maybe you’re a stay-at-home mom or dad, Be a stay-at-home mom or dad of valor. Be strong. Know that God is using you in the lives of your family. If you’re a nurse, Be a nurse of valor. Be Jesus’ hands of healing and encouragement. If you’re a CEO or a barista at Starbucks, If you’re rich or poor, Single or married Live as a person of valor. Be confident… …You are valuable to God Right where you are. Maybe you have dreams that have gone unfulfilled. Maybe you long for something else. You, too, can live As a Man or Woman of Valor. Rae Lynn You know, my wife Rae Lynn Always had a dream of being a stay-at-home mom. When Ali, our high school senior, was about 18 months old, Rae Lynn ended her career and came home. Unfortunately, within a month or two, Rae Lynn’s mom became paralyzed and had to move in with us. Overnight, Rae Lynn became her mom’s full-time care-giver. A year or so later, Her mom required more care than we could provide. We were planting a church at the time, And my salary suddenly became non-existent for a while. Rae Lynn went back to work so we could survive. Her sacrifice allowed me to remain a pastor. She is a woman of valor. She inspires me to be a man of valor. Idea of Biblical womanhood When you observe the godly men and women in Scripture, And in our lives today, There is no single model for womanhood or manhood. No one-size-fits-all. Jesus invites all men and woman to follow him. To live lives of faith …Pursuing Jesus and his kingdom Without limits. To invest our energy and creativity towards helping bring God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. …Loving God and loving others. …blessing your family, …helping the needy and marginalized, …succeeding in your jobs …and investing in your community and beyond. Being a people of valor, …And not worrying about measuring up to what others think you should be. I think it was Judy Garland who said, “Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.” You are free in Christ to live exactly how he has gifted you to live. He has given you passions to pursue. And skills to use. So, experiment. Take risks. Work hard. Make mistakes and then get up the next morning and try again. And surround yourself with people who will cheer you on. And be a person who cheers others on. When you see someone step out in faith Or try something new, Or take baby-steps towards a goal, Cheer them on. “You Go”… Man of Valor Woman of Valor! Being a person of valor, …is NOT what you DO or accomplish. It’s the integrity and bravery you bring. So, don’t compare yourself to anyone. The perfect mother, The perfect father, The perfect business owner And the perfect job, The perfect Christian Even the perfect pastor, These only exist in the Land of Unicorns. We all feel inadequate at times. We all get overwhelmed and overtired. We all screw up royally at times. Valor is recognizing that we need Jesus, Right now. Right here. Valor is trusting that I am his, And he is working in me, …In the mundane, everyday activities of life. Valor is living for an audience of One. Jesus. Knowing that Jesus delights in you.   No matter what you have done, …or what you have become. He offers grace. He offers acceptance. He offers valor. So exhale, …and relax the death-grip of comparison on your own soul. Embrace the you Jesus created you to be. Live in freedom and confidence in him. If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.--John 8:36 (NIV) I want to close with a prayer by reading a prayer. Read along with me. Oh God, let me not live by comparison, But trust that you made me with purpose. Grow me into the person you designed me to be, …A person experiencing freedom and liberation. I want to live as a person of valor. …and cheer on others to be people of valor. I can do that because you, God, are enough. Whoever has you in their life has everything. In you I can live confidently and bravely. Amen

As the pandemic shifts our relationships and creates a new normal, we can still BE Jesus to those around us. In fact, we are CALLED to do so, and do so with imagination and joy as His vessels of care in the face of uncertainty. 

Leo Sanchez, author of Sculptor Spirit: Models of Sanctification from Spirit Christology, joins Justin Rossow, author of When from Death I'm Free: A Hymn Journal for Holy Week to discuss "Go to Dark Gethsemane." That hymn text points us to Jesus and His prayer in the garden and bids us, "Learn of Jesus Christ to pray." Leo and Justin will discuss Jesus as an example and how that relates to the role of the Holy Spirit, who shapes us and conforms us to the image of Christ. You will hear a brief introduction on "theology done together," then Leo will pray, and the two authors will read the Scripture for the day responsively. They will discuss those readings before moving on to the devotion. The hymn "Go to Dark Gethsemane" is on page 47 of When from Death I'm Free and artwork, Scripture readings, and the devotion are on following pages. The music in today's episode was provided by thehymnalproject.com and, according to their website, was commissioned by the Michigan District of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and is available for free use. You can find Leo's book Sculptor Spirit on Amazon, or hear an overview of three models found in that book as Leo presents at the 2015 Theological Conference, “Life in the Spirit: Watered, Fed, and Armed” Theological Conference put on by the Michigan District: https://youtu.be/mI4b_j2jP1k The opening discussion of today's podcast briefly points to the distinction between "Logos Christology" (focusing on Jesus as the Incarnate Word, or "Logos" of God, who is completely unique) and "Spirit Christology" (focusing on Jesus as the Anointed Bearer and Giver of the Spirit, who is like us). Both are Scriptural and both are important (and both can sound like high-brow technical jargon). For a sermon that lays out the difference between the two (without ever using the technical terms), see the last sermon in the 42 Seconds sermon series: "Be Jesus." We follow Jesus better when we follow Him together, so we invite you to join the Facebook Pop Up Group sharing this hymn journal experience here: When From Death I'm Free Pop Up Group. This podcast was made possible in part by the generous support of Next Step Patrons, like you. Special thanks to our new Patrons this week: Steve, Jon, and Dorothy. Patrons make it possible. Support a next step: become a patron today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mynextstep/message

Jesus never leaves us unexpectedly. We know He came to save us. We know He had to leave for the Holy Spirit to come. We know He will return, and, in the meantime, we should be working, watching, and waiting. And we know that in the end, He will be victorious. In today's message, Pastor Bill encourages us to be this courteous to those around us. Be Jesus to them. Don't just leave or walk away from someone forever, like Jacob tried to do with his Uncle Laban. Forgive and reconcile. Love them and be kind.

Join us as we explore God's ancient wisdom and apply it to our modern lives. His word is as current and relevant today as it was when he inspired its authors more than two and a half millennia ago. The websites where you can reach us are alittlewalkwithgod.com, richardagee.com, or saf.church. I hope you will join us every week and be sure to let us know how you enjoy the podcast and let others know about it, too. Thanks for listening. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee. I like stories where the underdog wins. Maybe it's because I've never been much of an athlete. In Junior High, I tried out for the football team and discovered with my size at the time, pain and I didn't work well together. I was a cornerback, and everyone who came at me weighed at least 30 pounds more than me. I saw a lot of blue skies that year while lying on my back. Did I tell you I'm not fond of pain? This business of no pain, no gain, just doesn't work for me. It seems pain is there to tell us something is wrong. We might be doing something stupid and need to stop. I like it when the underdog wins. Whether in sports, business, or life. It's good to see the guy you least expect to come out on top do just that occasionally. It helps us to know there is hope that any of us can make it. Underdog stories give us the energy and enthusiasm to keep on going when things look kind of bleak. They give us courage when we want to back away from some seemingly insurmountable obstacle in our path. We find an underdog story told by Luke from some eyewitnesses that saw Jesus come to Jericho. In chapter 19 of the writings in his name, he shares the account in this way.  He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd, he could not because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." Zacchaeus would be called an underdog. No doubt about it. First, he was short. So short, he couldn't see over the heads of the crowds gathered along the road, waiting to see Jesus. That meant he must find a way to maneuver through the mass or find a higher vantage point. Otherwise, the preacher everyone talked about would pass by without Zacchaeus seeing him.  Second, Zacchaeus held one of the most hated occupations in Israel. He collected taxes for Rome from his own people. And how did he earn his wages? From the taxes he collected. Zacchaeus added a little more to each Form 1040 to make sure he could pay his mortgage each month. Everyone knew the game. Tax collectors lived on the excess the received above that which Rome required. And that leads to the third problem for Zacchaeus. The man was rich. In ancient times, Israel did reasonably well economically. Like any city, Jericho had its slums, its middle-class, and its wealthy. I picture Luke, a physician, one of the higher class in both our day and his, knew what rich looked like. Zacchaeus may have been Jericho's poster child for the wealthy. That meant no one was going to let him through. He would not push his way past that mob to see the man called Jesus. He'd have to find another way. So he did. Luke tells us he ran down the road and found a tree to climb. Picture in your mind this middle-aged man in flowing robes running down the street, kicking off his sandals, and climbing a tree. Zacchaeus probably put on a few extra pounds since buying food wouldn't be a problem for him. So watch him in your mind's eye pulling his rotund body up those limbs to find the right spot where the branches wouldn't sag too far, but he'd get a good view of this miracle man. Then imagine the surprise when Jesus stops under the tree. I expect most thought Jesus would ridicule this thief among them. He stole their money and gave it to their oppressors. They knew Jesus was about to let Zacchaeus have it. He preached righteousness and holiness, after all. But that's not what Jesus did. Luke says, "When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.'" Stay at the house of the tax collector? Spend time with this thief? Make friends with someone who has tried his best to steal us blind through the years? Surely, not! But Jesus did. The crowd didn't applaud Jesus' action. They grumbled and complained. Why would the Prophet, the Teacher, the Rabbi, the Son of God, go to the house of a sinner? Why would he dirty himself by even being in this tax collector's presence? They were not happy. Zacchaeus was. Jesus was. The underdog won. But the day turned in a rather strange way. After spending time with Jesus, the tax collector changed. He saw people the way Jesus saw people. Zacchaeus' focus shifted. Remember what happened? Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." Zacchaeus didn't think about what it might cost. He didn't pull out his calculator to see if he would still be rich or if his plan would put him in the poorhouse. He just did it. We're not told, but I expect Zacchaeus carried through with his promise. Meeting Jesus will do that to you. Then Jesus says an interesting thing that you might not have caught before. Listen again. Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." Did you get it? Salvation came through living out the commands Jesus gave us. There are only two. Love God and love your neighbor. Then Jesus told his disciples to make more like themselves. Teach them to love God and love their neighbors. Let them see faith demonstrated through love as James and Paul and Peter tell us. Zacchaeus did it and found salvation. We can find salvation, too. We forget about that horizontal beam of the cross, but Jesus says it's as important as the vertical one. He says you can't love God whom you can't see if you don't love those around you that you can see. Paul's letters and the other epistles tell us the same thing. Love other people and give us some examples of how to do that. Then, like Zacchaeus, we can find salvation. It's not about a works-based faith, but as James says and as Paul says, faith without works is no faith. Expressing your faith through your behavior driven by the love of Christ in you demonstrates your faith. We need more of that demonstrated faith in our world today. We see plenty of hate and vengeance and revenge. What we need to see is love demonstrated - a cup of water for a thirsty child, a blanket for a cold and homeless woman, a small meal for a hungry man on the street. We need to show we love God by loving those around us who appear so unlovable. That's what Jesus did, and that's what he calls us to do. Just love - with our actions. Be Jesus to the world around us. Now go and do what he said. You can find me at richardagee.com. I also invite you to join us at San Antonio First Church of the Nazarene on West Avenue in San Antonio to hear more Bible-based teaching. You can find out more about my church at SAF.church. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed it, tell a friend. If you didn't, send me an email and let me know how better to reach out to those around you. Until next week, may God richly bless you as you venture into His story each day. Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan      

What does it take to be a biblical father, and what does Isaiah have to do with it? Join AMBrewster as he helps Christian parents conform their parenting to the standard set in Christ.   The First Step to Being a Good Parent Check out 5 Ways to Support TLP.   Listen to the following episodes on Apple Podcasts by clicking the titles. “How to Be Jesus to Your Kids” (episode 46) “Parenting in Christ” series (starts in episode 241) “Teach Your Children to Learn” series (starts in episode 207) “How Do You Become?” series (starts in episode 225)   Click here for our free Parenting Course! Click here for Today’s Episode Notes and Transcript.   Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Follow AMBrewster on Twitter. Follow us on Pinterest. Subscribe on YouTube.   Need some help? Write to us at Counselor@TruthLoveParent.com.

As the book of Matthew ends, Jesus answers the 'Now what?' that the disciples were thinking at the prospect of Christ leaving. The answer is the Great Commission. We must go out as disciples because we are the answer to the 'Now what?' Christ gave us the authority and the command to go out and preach the gospel to all. Be Jesus wherever you are.

Christy Nockels has long had a huge appreciation for music and for ministry and its role in the kingdom of God. As a worship leader for over 25 years, she's seen first hand how music can usher people into the presence of God in a powerful way. Whether she's singing a gentle lullaby or belting out a corporate anthem, Christy's heart has always been to simply lead people to connect and communicate with the living God. The daughter of a pastor, born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma, Christy remembers simple beginnings that laid a sure foundation for her life. By the time she was seventeen, Christy was leading worship corporately on a regular basis, mostly thanks to her worship pastor at her church, who believed in her and helped to raise her up. In 1993 - at the Christian Artists Seminar in Estes Park, Colorado, - she met her husband, Nathan, and the two went on to record an independent album called Holy Roar with fellow worship leader and friend, Charlie Hall, under the name Sons & Daughters. The trio had a ground-breaking sound for their time, with hearts to see renewal happen in the Church. The record seeped out and into the hands of Louie Giglio, founder of Passion Conferences. In 1996, he wrote to Christy, Nathan, and Charlie to encourage them that "the songs you are singing are the prayers we are praying" and Giglio invited them to participate in the first ever Passion Conference in Austin, Texas in 1997. Christy and Nathan eventually moved to Houston, Texas to lead at a weekly gathering of over 3,000 people called "Metro Bible Study" - a ministry to singles held at Houston's First Baptist Church. Leading here was the gateway for Christy and Nathan being discovered and signed by Rocketown Records, a label formed by longtime Christian artist, Michael W. Smith. The two would form the duo, Watermark and Christy's voice began gaining a national platform. Christy and Nathan moved to Franklin, TN and over the next ten years recorded five acclaimed albums, including seven number one radio singles, before deciding to lay down their Watermark journey, for the sake of their family. In 2008, the Nockels family - now a family of five - moved to Atlanta, GA to become a founding family of Passion City Church, where they served on the worship team with friends Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Kristian Stanfill. Christy eventually signed with sixstepsrecords, releasing her solo debut album, Life Light Up, and later released two more solo albums, Into the Glorious as well as her live, worship album Let it Be Jesus. Christy and Nathan spent twenty years altogether serving and traveling worldwide with Passion Conferences. In 2015, Christy and Nathan returned to Franklin, TN to continue raising their family in the place that has always felt most like home. Christy is now co-owner of Keeper's Branch Records, with her husband, Nathan. Christy released three albums in just three years after creating their independent label: The Thrill of Hope released in 2016, Be Held; Lullabies for the Beloved in 2018 as well as the instrumental version of that album. Christy's latest endeavor is her podcast called "The Glorious in the Mundane", which has exceeded her expectations since it's beginning in 2016. It has grown in listeners but also in Christy's heart as a place where she's learning to use her voice beyond singing. Christy calls Franklin, TN home, with her husband Nathan and their three children, Noah (18), Elliana (16) and Annie Rose (11). Are you ready to start dreaming big? CLICK HERE

Christy Nockels has long had a huge appreciation for music and for ministry and its role in the kingdom of God. As a worship leader for over 25 years, she's seen first hand how music can usher people into the presence of God in a powerful way. Whether she's singing a gentle lullaby or belting out a corporate anthem, Christy's heart has always been to simply lead people to connect and communicate with the living God. The daughter of a pastor, born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma, Christy remembers simple beginnings that laid a sure foundation for her life. By the time she was seventeen, Christy was leading worship corporately on a regular basis, mostly thanks to her worship pastor at her church, who believed in her and helped to raise her up. In 1993 - at the Christian Artists Seminar in Estes Park, Colorado, - she met her husband, Nathan, and the two went on to record an independent album called Holy Roar with fellow worship leader and friend, Charlie Hall, under the name Sons & Daughters. The trio had a ground-breaking sound for their time, with hearts to see renewal happen in the Church. The record seeped out and into the hands of Louie Giglio, founder of Passion Conferences. In 1996, he wrote to Christy, Nathan, and Charlie to encourage them that "the songs you are singing are the prayers we are praying" and Giglio invited them to participate in the first ever Passion Conference in Austin, Texas in 1997. Christy and Nathan eventually moved to Houston, Texas to lead at a weekly gathering of over 3,000 people called "Metro Bible Study" - a ministry to singles held at Houston's First Baptist Church. Leading here was the gateway for Christy and Nathan being discovered and signed by Rocketown Records, a label formed by longtime Christian artist, Michael W. Smith. The two would form the duo, Watermark and Christy's voice began gaining a national platform. Christy and Nathan moved to Franklin, TN and over the next ten years recorded five acclaimed albums, including seven number one radio singles, before deciding to lay down their Watermark journey, for the sake of their family. In 2008, the Nockels family - now a family of five - moved to Atlanta, GA to become a founding family of Passion City Church, where they served on the worship team with friends Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Kristian Stanfill. Christy eventually signed with sixstepsrecords, releasing her solo debut album, Life Light Up, and later released two more solo albums, Into the Glorious as well as her live, worship album Let it Be Jesus. Christy and Nathan spent twenty years altogether serving and traveling worldwide with Passion Conferences. In 2015, Christy and Nathan returned to Franklin, TN to continue raising their family in the place that has always felt most like home. Christy is now co-owner of Keeper's Branch Records, with her husband, Nathan. Christy released three albums in just three years after creating their independent label: The Thrill of Hope released in 2016, Be Held; Lullabies for the Beloved in 2018 as well as the instrumental version of that album. Christy's latest endeavor is her podcast called "The Glorious in the Mundane", which has exceeded her expectations since it's beginning in 2016. It has grown in listeners but also in Christy's heart as a place where she's learning to use her voice beyond singing. Christy calls Franklin, TN home, with her husband Nathan and their three children, Noah (18), Elliana (16) and Annie Rose (11). We also have a monthly giveaway you can easily download to help you make a plan for moving forward on your big ambitions... ————————— On the episode: Producer : Haley King Engineer : Jackson Carpenter Co-host : Scott Schimmel

Christy Nockels has long had a huge appreciation for music and for ministry and its role in the kingdom of God. As a worship leader for over 25 years, she’s seen first hand how music can usher people into the presence of God in a powerful way. Whether she’s singing a gentle lullaby or belting out a corporate anthem, Christy’s heart has always been to simply lead people to connect and communicate with the living God. The daughter of a pastor, born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma, Christy remembers simple beginnings that laid a sure foundation for her life. By the time she was seventeen, Christy was leading worship corporately on a regular basis, mostly thanks to her worship pastor at her church, who believed in her and helped to raise her up. In 1993 - at the Christian Artists Seminar in Estes Park, Colorado, - she met her husband, Nathan, and the two went on to record an independent album called Holy Roar with fellow worship leader and friend, Charlie Hall, under the name Sons & Daughters. The trio had a ground-breaking sound for their time, with hearts to see renewal happen in the Church. The record seeped out and into the hands of Louie Giglio, founder of Passion Conferences. In 1996, he wrote to Christy, Nathan, and Charlie to encourage them that “the songs you are singing are the prayers we are praying” and Giglio invited them to participate in the first ever Passion Conference in Austin, Texas in 1997. Christy and Nathan eventually moved to Houston, Texas to lead at a weekly gathering of over 3,000 people called “Metro Bible Study” - a ministry to singles held at Houston’s First Baptist Church. Leading here was the gateway for Christy and Nathan being discovered and signed by Rocketown Records, a label formed by longtime Christian artist, Michael W. Smith. The two would form the duo, Watermark and Christy’s voice began gaining a national platform. Christy and Nathan moved to Franklin, TN and over the next ten years recorded five acclaimed albums, including seven number one radio singles, before deciding to lay down their Watermark journey, for the sake of their family. In 2008, the Nockels family - now a family of five - moved to Atlanta, GA to become a founding family of Passion City Church, where they served on the worship team with friends Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Kristian Stanfill. Christy eventually signed with sixstepsrecords, releasing her solo debut album, Life Light Up, and later released two more solo albums, Into the Glorious as well as her live, worship album Let it Be Jesus. Christy and Nathan spent twenty years altogether serving and traveling worldwide with Passion Conferences. In 2015, Christy and Nathan returned to Franklin, TN to continue raising their family in the place that has always felt most like home. Christy is now co-owner of Keeper’s Branch Records, with her husband, Nathan. Christy released three albums in just three years after creating their independent label: The Thrill of Hope released in 2016, Be Held; Lullabies for the Beloved in 2018 as well as the instrumental version of that album. Christy’s latest endeavor is her podcast called “The Glorious in the Mundane”, which has exceeded her expectations since it’s beginning in 2016. It has grown in listeners but also in Christy’s heart as a place where she’s learning to use her voice beyond singing. Christy calls Franklin, TN home, with her husband Nathan and their three children, Noah (18), Elliana (16) and Annie Rose (11). We also have a monthly giveaway you can easily download to help you make a plan for moving forward on your big ambitions... ————————— On the episode: Producer : Haley King Engineer : Jackson Carpenter Co-host : Scott Schimmel

Michael McIntyre has been a featured guest on the show many times, and he’s here today to talk about his Next Level Training, which I’ve taken and highly recommend. Michael is a motivational speaker, consultant, and entrepreneur at heart. From serving in the US Air Force, Michael went on to run his own insurance company and develop 247 MedPlan, a nationwide telemedicine company. In his 40’s, he grew tired of running from God and surrendered his life to Christ. He describes the fascinating combination of events that led to the creation of Next Level, a 3-day transformational training to awaken you to what God intends you to be. If you’re struggling and need a new trajectory for your life, then this is the training for you! Michael says, “We don’t just need people to lead; we need great people to lead.” He lives out the truth of John 10:10, believing that we shouldn’t feel bad or guilty to live abundantly in every area of life. Even though fear can hold us back, Michael says that we don’t need a pedigree, but we need the fire of enthusiasm to let the Holy Spirit use our lives. His parting advice is to “Be Jesus to everybody.”Join us to hear more fire and inspiration from Michael! Resources: Michael Mcintyre NLE Dallas  Find out about Next Level in Dallas, May 3-5. Mention Are You Real for 20% off!

How can you use the Crucifixion and Resurrection to parent your children? Join AMBrewster as he helps Christian parents apply the celebration of Easter to their homes.   Check out 5 Ways to Support TLP.   Listen to the following episodes on Apple Podcasts by clicking the titles. “How to Be Jesus to Your Kids” (episode 46)  “How to Have a Valuable Family” (episode 145)   Click here for our free Parenting Course! Click here for Today’s Episode Notes and Transcript.   Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Follow AMBrewster on Twitter. Follow us on Pinterest. Subscribe on YouTube.   Need some help? Write to us at Counselor@TruthLoveParent.com.

What’s the first part to being an Ambassador for God in your home? Join AMBrewster as he helps Christian parents take the necessary first steps in becoming the parent God called and created them to be.    Check out 5 Ways to Support TLP. “The First Step to Being a Good Parent”   Listen to the following episodes on Apple podcasts by clicking the titles. “Stop Being the Leader!” (episode 7) “The 5th Way to Parent, Part 1” (episode 26) “The 5th Way to Parent, Part 2” (episode 27) “The Second Most Important Question You Need to Ask Your Kids” (episode 45) “How to Be Jesus to Your Kids” (episode 46) “When to Raise Your Voice: is yelling ever appropriate?” (episode 48) “Evangelism Parenting” (episode 63) “The Peaceful Parenting series” (episode 69) “How to Be a Truth/Love Parent” (episode 90) “Christian Parenting 101” (episode 92) “Fragrant Parenting” (episode 111) “Speed Parenting | how to be an Ambassador Parent when there’s no time, Part 1” (episode 115) “Speed Parenting | how to be an Ambassador Parent when there’s no time, Part 2” (episode 116) “Needy Parenting” (episode 122) “Parenting Like The Holy Spirit” (episode 123) “Hosea Parenting” (episode 135) “Is It Okay to Get Mad?” (episode 153) “Mothering for Jesus” (episode 157) “Fathering for Jesus” (episode 167) “A Parent’s 5 Jobs, Part 1 | Ambassador” (episode 184) “The Chief of Sinners in Your Home” (episode 215) “Your Family Needs to Go to Church” (episode 175) “Creating Community” (episode 198)   Click here for our free Parenting Course! Click here for Today’s Episode Notes and Transcript.   Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Follow AMBrewster on Twitter. Follow us on Pinterest. Subscribe on YouTube.   Need some help? Write to us at Counselor@TruthLoveParent.com.

She Sings Along Podcast Episode 0 | Testing - Testing - 123It was January. I wrote a list of goals. I hit the ground running and faced my fears of not doing it perfectly. My hubby was in India, I was home with the kids. I escaped and recorded this very first attempt in the car outside of a Starbucks. Now that it’s November, I finally ready to share it with the world.It’s not polished but it’s a beginning and for that I am celebrating.This episode’s Sing Along Song:You can find Christy Nockel’s Let it Be Jesus on iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/let-it-be-jesus-live/982617845?i=982617856Read more about singing along with the God-song in the everyday at shesingsalong.com.

The DNA of the Church is Apostolic Christianity. DNA contains genetic information. When it's turned on, that information is expressed. One of the key aspects of Apostolic DNA is an emphasis upon the Word or Kingdom teaching. "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42 NASB). Authoritative teaching is an outflow of Jesus' Great Commission in Matthew 28: "... teaching them to observe all that I commanded you." ----more---- See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com It's vital that we are established in truth. And we are to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 3). Remember, the written Word always points to the Living Word -- Jesus Christ. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these (the Scriptures) that testify about Me" (Jesus in John 5). Takeaways: Fully appreciate the primacy and value of the inspired Scriptures in your life. Prioritize the Word as you quest after Jesus. Everything else works better as we value the Word. It's a key part of the way we fulfill our destiny. Anchor yourself in truth and doctrine, yet know that it all points to a Person -- Jesus the Living Word. ----more---- JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

DNA contains genetic information or instructions. In a healthy organism, the DNA gets "turned on" and expressed. The design of the DNA will manifest unless there is a mutation or disease which suppresses the accurate expression of the DNA. In the history of Christianity, error and negative dynamics have been introduced which have worked against "Apostolic Christianity." But many believe that the Holy Spirit is restoring what Jesus envisions throughout the world today. Takeaways: Thank God that you’ve been born again by the word or seed of God. DNA. Ask the Holy Spirit to fully turn on and express the DNA of the Kingdom ... Apostolic Christianity. ----more---- See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.  

Following Jesus means that every area of our life is developed to a high level -- to bring God glory, to fully participate in Heaven's Story. But we have to be intentional about it. It's a process of faith and obedience. Following Jesus is holistic. Everything can be transformed. The old falls away. He makes all things new. ----more---- See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com Ken Roberts is a speaker, trainer, author, and coach – assisting people in their personal growth and spiritual development. Listent to episode 27 for Part 1 of this conversation. Get ready to rethink salvation and what it means to live in the World of Jesus! Learn more about Ken's course - The Life Focus Online Course   Visit Ken Roberts site at KenLRoberts.com   Facebook   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

We all want to make a difference, a contribution, right? But too many of us struggle with this. How can we get an accurate read on where we’re at? And beyond this, how can we get unstuck and advance into our purpose and destiny? Ken Roberts is a speaker, trainer, author, and coach – assisting people in their personal growth and spiritual development. This episode is for everyone ... yet Ken and I believe that Christ-followers should be the most creative and purposeful people on the planet! ----more---- See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   Learn more about Ken's course - The Life Focus Online Course   Visit Ken Roberts site at KenLRoberts.com   Facebook   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

Apostolic Christ-Followers prioritize ministering TO the King. Then they minister FOR the King. Our representation of the King is sourced and sustained in our ministering to the King in worship, prayer, and fasting. The experience of early Christians at the church in Antioch (Acts 13:1-3) is a pattern and precedent for us today. The Antioch Ekklesia activated and powered the missionary journeys of Paul. ----more---- See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Ivan and Desaray Shores to talk about how to stop cheating and not have an affair. Desaray wrote "Letters to My Lover: Journey of an Adulterous Woman." It's vulnerable. Gritty. It's a true-life story of desperation, passion, infidelity, and heartbreak. But it doesn't stop there. It's a testimony of redemption and a quest for higher life-design. ----more----   See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   Visit Desaray's site at DesarayShores.com   Facebook   Instagram     JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

Troy Thompson wants you to win -- he wants you to find your lane out there and do your Kingdom thing. It's beyond attending church. Even serving in church. It's finding your place in Jesus' Kingdom realm. And making your Kingdom contribution in our Father's world. ----more----   See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS There's a royal anointing in you if you're born again as Jesus taught. You must live in harmony with that anointing or you're going to be frustrated. It's way beyond attending church. Even serving in church. It's about the Kingdom contribution you make out there. Your identity and purpose are your secret powers. In Jesus, you've been born of incorruptible seed ... the thoughts, words, and DNA of God the Father. Live according to your Higher DNA. Everyone talks about what happens on the ground -- demographics. But the real controlling forces are psychographics (mentalities and emotional states) and pneumagraphics (spiritual realities).   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

Kingdom power and fruitfulness = exponential power. Kingdom reality lives on an exponential plane. Linear growth is a +1 progression ... 1 becomes 2 becomes 3 becomes 4 and so on. Exponential growth is a compound doubling ... 1 becomes 2 becomes 4 becomes 8 and so on.   If you take 30 linear steps, say 3 feet or a meter, you end up 30 meters away. If you take 30 exponential steps you end up a billion meters away. That distance can go around the Earth 26 times. The is the power of exponentials! ----more----   See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Consider, the Scriptures say one shall put 1,000 to flight. Two shall put 10,000 to flight. That's a ten-fold increase or 1000%. What would 3 put to flight? One-hundred thousand. The Creation Commission in Genesis 1:26-28. Be fruitful, multiply, fill, subdue, exercise dominion. Abiding in the Vine to bear much fruit in John 15:1-8. The Parable of the Talents.   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

God is love. Everything that comes from him is love-based. All of creation is "coded" with love. So things work in their best state when authentic love is present. When we live a love lifestyle, we harmonize with God's design in all things. ----more---- See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS What is built according to the "Master Craftsman" must be built with love. Love is laying down your life for someone or something -- "By this we know love, because He laid down his life" (1 John 3:16). Love is the basis for everything. Things work in their best state when powered by love. If we want to live in the Kingdom Flow Zone, we will intentionally develop in the love of God.   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

Apostolic Christ-following is missional -- it pushes the mission and story of God forward. And here's the beauty ... you get clear on your life story and set it within the larger story of Jesus. ----more---- See the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Apostolic Christ-following sees over the horizon. It's next-level thinking and seeing. Apostolic Christ-following starts new things in new spaces and places. It's fresh Kingdom expression. Apostolic Christ-following is about Higher Design. We become skilled craftsmen (and craftswomen) under the Master Craftsman. Apostolic Christ-following prioritizes Christo-centric foundations and frameworks.   JESUS SMART: THE PODCAST Click to receive the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases We’re resolved that Jesus Christ is the most brilliant person to walk the planet! He knows how life works best. And the future belongs to him ... and those who follow him. We engage stellar guests. And we’re questing after Kingdom themes -- what Jesus taught and modeled. There's no need to be stuck. His desire is that we level up. Be Jesus smart. Subscribe and stay connected with your favorite podcast platform. Visit JesusSmart.com.

The Pharisees weren’t ready for Jesus.    They weren’t prepared. They had not trained for this.    They had studied and memorized and perfected all of the traditions to a “T”…But they weren’t ready for Jesus.    They had signed up for this life of religious duty to be living examples; to be guardians of God’s word; to be teachers and moral compasses for other Jews looking to grow in their faith… They were comfortable with pointing out the faults in others, and holding each other to incredibly high standards… They believed the way to please God was by meticulously following a long list of rules and regulations.613, to be exact.    So, as you can imagine, they weren’t ready for Jesus.    Theywereready to preserve thelast thing God had done, and continue passing it down from generation to generation—They were ready toPRESERVEwhat God had said500 years agoand keep it safe and shiny and preserved…    They were ready to be preservatives in the last batch of bread God made… but Jesus wasn’t looking for preservatives; he was looking for yeast. Something wild and active to work its way through theNEW THING He was up to.    The Pharisees weren’tready for thenew thing God was doing in their midst.    Here was this no name, blue collar guy from Nazareth(“Nazareth! Can anything good come from Nazareth?”John 1:46) And he was causing quite a stir.    By all measurable standards, Jesus was athreatto what the Pharisees were doing.  He didn’t follow in-step with what the Pharisees had defined as the social norm.  He broke the rules. The Pharisees were all pointed this way but Jesus hada new direction.    It would be like someone that would come to our church service and stand up in the middle to interrupt with some sort ofuncomfortableidea. I don’t know how honest you’re willing to be, but if someone just stood up and starting causing a ruckus here my first reaction would be“Jake! GET HIM! Get him outta here!” Because Jake is my personal body guard.    The Pharisees weren’t ready for Jesus.    I want to share today from Luke 6, a moment in Jesus’ life where He breaks the Law, and then we’ll “turn the gem” to see a few layers deeper of what Jesus was up to.    In this series, we’re using this metaphor of “turning the gem.” It’s a phrase we borrowed from the Jewish tradition where Rabbis talk about scripture having 70 faces. Just like a gem, when you turn it, or allow the sun to shine through it, you will see somethingnewandoften unexpected.So each week, we read a story from Jesus’ life, and then turn the gem to reveal a few other angles and facets of what was really going on.    Let’s read today’s text,Luke 6:1-11 NLT One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. 2 But some Pharisees said, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 5 And Jesus added, “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.” Jesus Heals on the Sabbath 6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” Matthew12:11-12 “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” 10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.   Jesus breaks the Law.  (The first part of this text, Jesus and his disciples are walking through some grain fields is actually where this tattoo comes from.) It was known amongst the Jewish community that Sabbath was taken very seriously. This was something that God himself ordered us to observe. And it wasn’t some obscure holiday only happening once a year—This wasweekly. At this point in Jesus’ life, He had literally experienced over 1,500 Sabbaths. None of these actions were by accident.    This was Jesusintentionallyandstrategicallychallenging the Pharisees—who are symbolic of the status quo, the societal norm, the accepted culture at the time.    Jesus is poking, prodding, agitating thesespecific rulesthe Pharisees—and most of the Jewish people—were following.He was redefining what Sabbath meant.It wasn’t a day simply to follow as many rules as possible. It was a day to behuman. To rest from work, to acknowledge the Lord as Creator and provider, and to be a “humanbeing” rather than a “humandoing” the other 6 days of the week.    Jesus had this wedge driving into the legalism of the Pharisees, and He was prying it open… Proving to them that their rules were getting in the way of God.Their rules were getting in the way of God. Beyond that: These rules were getting in the way of Jesus being Jesus.    I wonder if we ever let “rules” get in the way ofusbeing Jesus…    What a radical teaching…Here were these rules supposedly established by God in the Old Testament. 39 categories of activities that the Mishnah explicitly says are prohibited: Sowing, Plowing, Reaping, Kneading, Baking, Shearing wool, Weaving, Trapping, Slaughtering, Building, Demolishing, Starting a fire, extinguishing a fire, putting the “finishing touch” on an object…    And Jesus says… “No, no, no… These rules and regulations are actually getting the way ofgoodthings happening.”    MARK 2:27 NLT Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.”    This—my friends—was radical.    Jesus was saying, “You’re beingtoo literal… You’re beingTOO LITERALwith what God has revealed to you. These boundaries were supposed tohelpyou to enjoy the Sabbath, not begrudgingly submit to it. These were guidelines from a loving Father, not rules from a sadistic monster. You’ve missed the point.”    And thank God—Jesus was willing to confront it. And challenge them. God Himself, in the flesh, helping us realize many of the rules we were following were missing the heart of God entirely.    Now that’s sort of what’s happening on the surface… The first facet of this story.    I want toTURN THE GEM here a bitand look at what Jesus is doing. Jesus was valuing the “spirit of the law” over the “letter of the law.” The SPIRIT over the LETTER. Maybe you’re familiar with these phrases… This is essentially the debate in politics around the Constitution—What did the founding fathers mean when they wrote what they wrote? This is the world ofINTERPRETATION, and it’s a murky water we’re stepping into.    Letter vs. Spirit. When someone obeys theletterof the law but not thespirit, they're obeying the literal interpretation of the words (the "letter") of the law, butnot necessarily the intent of those who wrote it.    2 CORINTHIANS 3:6 NIV He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.   Paul goes on to write about the previous covenant that Moses wrote down on tablets of stone, and how this New Covenant is written on the tablets of our hearts.Paul is distinguishing from an old way of writing down rules and following rules and a new way that is written on our hearts by the Spirit of the Living God.    Letter vs. Spirit is the reason our Constitution has 27 Amendments to it. Within 2 years of it being ratified, 10 new amendments were submitted for ratification. Clarifications on the interpretation, to make sure the SPIRIT of the Constitution was upheld over the LETTER. A literal reading, void of emotional intelligence and human conscience, would leave loopholes for people to exploit. Hence the amendments…    And over time, as humanity progressed, new amendments were made to uphold SPIRIT over LETTER. 13th Amendment abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude. 15th Amendment allowing any race to vote. 19th Amendment allowing women to vote.   All of this: Jesus breaking the Law and confronting the Pharisees is Jesusdoing away with legalism. I believe that Jesus never wanted us tofocus on rulesandaccidentally miss God’s heart in the process.    Jesus valuedfeeding His disciplesover and abovefollowing the Law around Sabbath. As did King David.    The Parable of the Good Samaritanis one of Jesus’ most famous parables—these little story-illustrations that Jesus would use to drive home a point. They’re memorable, they’re meaningful… Jesus knew that the way to our hearts was through story.    It’s documented inLuke 10:25-37, when anexpert in religious law stood up to test Jesus… (Don’t you wish you had half the courage of that guy? Standing up to “TEST”Jesus?) He gives Jesus a pop-quiz about the Old Testament (“Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”) and Jesus does His typical Jesus-thing and responds with a question of His own:“What does the Law of Moses say? How doyou read it?”    27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” 29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”   Verse 30: “Jesus replied with a story…”    Oh man, if Jesus replies with a story, you know you’re in for it. Look out, “expert in religious law,” you’re about to have your tail handed to you.    So Jesus tells this story…  LUKE 10:30-37  Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. 33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along,(Disabled, transexual Muslim) and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them.(Oh, 1st century medicine how I love you) Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.   This is a beautiful story, and I don’t miss what Jesus did here: A priest (“expert in religious law”) and a Temple Assistant both have an opportunity to respond in love to this wounded man. They’rebothgiven the opportunity andbothallowGod’s RULESto get in the way ofbeing Jesus in that man’s life.   The Priest and the Temple Assistant uphold theletter of the lawOVER thespirit of the law and they miss the opportunity to “Be Jesus” in that wounded man’s life.    MATTHEW 25:42-45 NLT 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’   Have you ever recognized an opportunity to be Jesus in someone’s life, but then you had all these second thoughts and fears creep in…“What will people think of me? What if ‘so and so’ finds out? What will my pastor think if I’m seen hanging out with that type of crowd?”    I find it happening all the time in my life… For me, (and this is just me personally), I find that I’m surrounded by people in theLGBT communitythat are hurting… People that have been beaten up by the Church and left on the side of the road. People that see “experts in religious law” and “temple assistants” crossing to the other side of the street and avoiding them for fear of being made unclean… on their way to do their religious duties.    I see opportunities to be Jesus in these people’s lives and then… the second thought comes. There’s always that damn second thought…  And I wonder what people at Harbor might think or me.  And I worry about folks on Facebook and what they might think of me.  And I’m paralyzed.    People in the LGBT community need to know the love of Jesus, and they need to be served and supported and treated with dignity and be told that they are sons and daughters of the King, just like you and me… but for me, the traditional understanding of the “rules” get in the way, and more times than not, I do nothing.    And it’s not just the LGBT community, that’s just an example.I see womenthat have clearly been given the gift of teaching and preaching and leadership being told by their senior pastors and male-dominant elder boards that 1 Timothy 2:12 clearly says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”    And I wonder if we’re letting theletter of the lawoverrule the Spirit…    Luckily, our leadership has done important work over the last few years for women and recognized these “few and far between” verses were culturally specific—for a specific time and place [NEW ROMAN WOMAN]—not God’s eternal timeless will for all of mankind.But realizing that took an enormous amount of work.    There are over 20 verses in the Old Testament that explicitly call us to sacrifice animals as worship to God.  But then David spoke out against it, the prophet Hosea reaffirmed it, and then Jesus Himself quotes Hosea, saying"I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”  Thank God, for the animals AND us, that we recognize those texts were for a specific place and time, not God’s eternal timeless will for all of mankind.  There are dozens of Old Testament & New Testament texts condoning slavery (and indentured servitude). But thank God we recognized that those texts were for a specific place and time, not God’s eternal timeless will for all of mankind.  There are 6 verses in the Bible that mention homosexuality, (the word “homosexual” not showing up in English translations until the 1940s) none of which I believe are talking about the same monogamous, faithful, same-sex relationships we’re seeing in 2018.  There’s 1 verse in the NT banning women from leadership.And yet that’s all it took for centuries of women being barred from teaching, preaching, leading worship, etc.    When Jesus broke these “laws” surrounding Sabbath, He was boldly teaching us how to interpret Scripture…    If following the law means that people go hungry?Break the law. Jesus did. If following the law means that people go un-healed?Break the law. Jesus did. If following the law means that hurting people go unloved?Break the law. Jesus did.   I believe that the beauty of even having the Old Testament available to us also presents some theological problems to resolve… butthey’re worth resolving. EVERYTHING humanity knew of God, prior to Jesus, needs to be re-evaluated in light of Jesus. Every Old Testament text, every Psalm, every tradition… When Jesus came to the earth, suffered at the hands of man and then was resurrected… That changed everything.And as a result, we now must read the Bible backwards.    We start with Jesus and then go back into these previous texts.Ifany interpretationof God’s character or heart in the OT isn’t accurate to the face of Jesus,then it isn’t fully accurate.Jesus was teaching us to interpret the Scriptures in this exact way with how He lived (and broke the “law”) on the Sabbath.    I’m not saying we need to do away with the Old Testament,I’m saying we need to read it through the lens of Jesus.Jesus is the most accurate picture humanity has ever seen of God.    Jesus, in the middle of His sermon on the mount (maybe when He noticed people were starting to get ruffled and bothered by this “You’ve heard it said but I now say to you…” stuff…   MATTHEW 5:17-18 NLT 17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.   Jesus says that He didn’t come to throw away the Torah, but to accomplish everything it was trying to accomplish. Not to abolish the Law but to FULFILL it…    So the question must be asked:“Did Jesus accomplish what He came to accomplish? Did He fulfill the Law?”I believe yes.Jesus didn’t say the Law and the prophets were somehowuntrue, but He certainly said that they wereunfulfilled. They weren’t complete as is. If they were, He wouldn’t have come.    Jesus Himself is the Word of God, and I believe He’s still speaking through His spirit to us today.He’s teaching us how toBe Jesusin a day and age ofsocial media, and24 hour news cycles, andglobalization… We know more now than any culture in the history of humanity. If something terrible happens in Tibet, we see in 10 minutes later on the news. We can hop on Skype and video chat with someone in Tasmania right now.   The Bible doesn’t have specific verses in it about how to honor one another on Facebook threads, or how to honor God with your BitCoin… Or how to love your crazyDemocratneighbor or your crazyRepublicanneighbor.The United States of America didn’t even exist when these men and women were writing and compiling the Scriptures...That’s why we have theSpirit of Godto speak directly to us about how tobe Jesusin 2018.    1 THESSALONIANS 5:19-21 NLT 19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. (then) Hold on to what is good.   Testeverything,filtereverything, and then hold on to what is good.    Brian Zahndsays this:  “God has a face and he looks like Jesus. God has a disposition toward sinners and it’s the spirit of Jesus. This is the beautiful gospel… God is like Jesus. God has always been like Jesus. There has never been a time when God was not like Jesus; we haven’t always known this, but now we do… God is not a sadistic monster who abhors sinners and dangles them over a fiery pit. God is exactly how Jesus depicted him in his most famous parable: a father who runs to receive, embrace, and restore his prodigal children.”    I fear that poor Bible interpretation over the years has gotten in the way of us trulyBEING JESUSin people’s lives… I worry when people uphold Old Testament texts that seemingly contradict the heart of Jesus (texts of violence, genocide… Any text depicting an Angry and exclusive God), and then they side with the Law instead of the Spirit.    I just had a lady tell me on Facebook that getting tattooed is a form of hating your body…Leviticus 19:28clearly says,“Do not mark your skin with tattoos.”But a few verses before it says that men can’t trim their beards, or eat your Filet Minion anything other than well-done. It also says we can’t cross-breed animals, so any of you that have a Labra-doodle or are eating Genetically-Modified corn at home—you’re breaking Levitical law.   I don’t bring this up to poke holes or have a light-hearted view of Scripture, I believe that this is actually having a HIGH VIEW of Scripture… one in which we dive as deep as we possibly can go, through every single verse in the Bible until we end back at Jesus.Any biblical interpretation that doesn’t end back at the image of God we see in Jesus isn’t good biblical interpretation.    I’m not saying you have to believe all of this exactly like I do, but you do need to study this as carefully and critically as I have.Having a high-view of Scripture means NOT just taking it at it’s face value. Dive deep.    2 TIMOTHY 3:16 AMP  16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable (and useful) for instruction, for conviction of sin, for correction, for training in righteousness...   It’s all helpful, it’s all useful…We just need to know how to apply it. Some scriptures are included in the Bible as examples of howNOTto act. The entire OT essentially proving that following a bunch of rules to impress God doesn’t work.Jesus came and shifted the entire conversation.    We need to follow Jesus. What did we see in Jesus as He walked the earth and interacted with the people in His life?Let’s live like that!    Jesus wasn't angry. Jesus wasn't exclusive. Jesus wasn’t afraid of other nationalities or sexual orientations or genetic anomalies… God is exactly how Jesus depicted him in his most famous parable: a father who runs to receive, embrace, and restore His prodigal children.    Jesus broke all sorts of cultural “rules” and flew in the face of stereotypes and prejudices.    I want to end with a few photographs[SERMON.jpg] from the artist David LaChapelle, because I think it helps us understand culturally how radical He was…    [INTERVENTION.jpg]In John 8, Jesus stands up for a woman caught in the act of adultery.    JOHN 8:3-11 NLT 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.   4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”   6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.   9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”   11 “No, Lord,” she said.   And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”   [ANOINTING.jpg]InLUKE 7:36-38 NLT 36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt ...at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.   39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”   40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”   “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.   41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”   43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”   “That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.   47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”   49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”   50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”   [LAST SUPPER.jpg] The Pharisees weren’t ready for Jesus…Far too radical. Far too controversial. How dare this man redefine the Law and what it means to be in relationship with God the Father? How dare He…    But when I look around Harbor, I see Jesus at work. I see His spirit moving people to love people that aredifferentfrom them. People with different backgrounds, different cultures, different tax brackets and yes, even different sexual orientations.    I see God motivating all of us to be good Samaritans, even if we are despised in the eyes of the religious , to find the hurting people and nursing them back to emotional, spiritual, physical health… To help more and more people find their way back to God.    Let’s never let poor Biblical interpretation or previous, primitive ways of thinking get in the way of usbeing Jesusin people’s lives.    God is doing a new thing in our midst, and I pray, unlike the Pharisees, that we’re ready for it.    Let’s pray.

Be Jesus! Leave a Jesus legacy!

Be & live Jesus so others can live with Jesus in eternity.

We as church are the living, breathing, body of Christ in our community and world. Christianity was never intended to be an individual sport, it wasn't meant to be just "you and Jesus." We all have the opportunity to BE the church, to BE Jesus everywhere we go, to ask, "What am I doing with my life?" and join Jesus in his plan for our lives. Brad teaches a Stand Alone message challenging and inspiring us to get caught up in the mission of Jesus, to be captivated by what Jesus is doing in our world and how he wants us to be a part of it with him.

Our Senior Pastor, Dr. Randy Cheek, preaches a Thanksgiving sermon entitled, "Thank You, Lord," from Luke 17:11-19 - the story of the ten lepers who came to Jesus and only one came back to say, "Thank you, Lord!" But, something happened to this "foreigner" - this Samaritan who came back to Jesus. Listen as Dr. Randy shares exactly what the Scriptures say. Before our Pastor preaches, listen to his niece, Miss Kristen Brantley, as she sings two songs: (1) "Let it Be Jesus" and (2) "At the Cross (Love Ran Red)." Your heart will be blessed by Kristen's heart. Have a wonderful THANKSGIVING!

Visit http://bandsundertheradar.com for more info and links to artists website. The Sounds - Painted by Numbers Maryandi - How We Get Our Kicks / Mrs. D, Am I Dead? Jack Savoretti - Dreamers / No One's Aware The Veils - Advice for Young Mothers to Be / Jesus for the Jugular Mika - Relax, Take It Easy Tigs - Don't Tell Me Ben's Brother - Beauty Queen Justine Electra - Fancy Robots / Defiant and Proud Devastations - Sex and Mayhem Peter Bjorn and John - The Chills Lionel Neykov - Freeze My Senses / Miss Your Kiss The Fratellis - Flathead The Hussys - Napolean Dynamite The Sunshine Underground - Commercial Breakdown Dead Disco - Automatic Will Dailey - Grand Opening / Good to Me Blackmarket - Night in Question Greenskeepers - Lotion The Pinder Brothers - First Kiss Goodnight Viking Moses - I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton)