Podcasts about be obedient

(Bilingual) このメッセージでは将史牧師が「最高な知らせからくる平安」について以下の３つのポイントから話します。ディスカッション用の質問はノートの最後に確認できます。In this message Ps Masashi talks about "Peace that Comes from the Good News" in these 3 points:Check the questions for discussion at the end of the note. Ephesians 6:10 ERV / エペソ 6:10 ERVEphesians 6:15 NLT / エペソ 6:15 JCBActs 8:26-38 NLT / 使徒 8:25-38 JCB2 Timothy 4:2 NLT / 2 テモテ 4:2 JCBColossians 4:5-6 NLT / コロサイ 4:5-6 JCBMatthew 10:14 NLT / マタイ 10:14 ERVRomans 10:14-15 NLT / ローマ 10:14-15 JCB1.Always Be Ready 常に準備をしていよう2.Brush Off Any Disappointments ガッカリしたらすぐに払い落とそう3.Follow and Be Obedient to the Voice of God 神様の声に耳を傾けてついていこうQUESTIONS(質問) : ・What is the product of Good News? (Ephesians 6:15 NLT)・How was Philip ready to share about Jesus? (Acts 8:26-38 NLT)・What does it mean to always be ready to share about Jesus? (2 Timothy 4:2 NLT, Colossians 4:5-6 NLT) ・What should we do if someone doesn't listen to the Good News? (Matthew 10:14 NLT) ・How can we personally obey God's voice in sharing the Good News?・「良い知らせ」はどのような実をもたらしますか？（エペソ 6:15）・ピリポはどのようにしてイエスについて話す準備ができていましたか？（使徒 8:25-38）・イエスのことを伝える準備ができているとはどういう意味ですか？（2 テモテ 4:2, コロサイ 4:5-6）・「良い知らせ」に耳を貸さない人には、どう接したらいいですか？（マタイ 10:14）・神様の声に従って、良い知らせを伝えるにはどうすればいいですか？ 　Connect with us:Web: mylifehouse.comInstagram: instagram.com/lifehouseglobal/Facebook: facebook.com/lifehouseglobalVideo Messages: ビデオメッセージ: youtube.com/LifehouseTokyoOther Podcasts:Want to listen to our messages in other languages?Lifehouse Messages (English): https://lifehousemessages.captivate.fm/listenLifehouse Hong Kong (Cantonese & English): https://lifehousehongkong.captivate.fm/listen

Background - Where did this topic come from. It started with conviction. God has really been laying on my heart the need to do a better job of listeningJames 1: 19 19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. I confess…I need to be better at this. You know this…I don't like the silence. I will quickly fill it with my words. Not a great quality for a pastoral counselor/life coach. I am also way too impatience when I am listening to others. It's like I want to speed up their thought and finish their sentence for them if they are struggling. Again….not a good quality for a counselor or coach. But I don't think I'm alone in this. God's been showing me how poorly we as believers are doing in truly listening to others. We're not taking the time to truly listen.So we want to help those who may be listening today how to take time to listen…to God and to others.Acknowledge the Need for a Listening Heart.Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak: James 1:19 emphasizes the importance of actively listening before responding. This applies both to hearing from God and engaging with others.  Pray for Discernment: Ask God to open your spiritual ears and grant wisdom in understanding His voice and the needs of those around you.Create Space to Hear His Voice: Regular quiet time allows you to tune out distractions and better hear God's gentle promptings (Psalm 46:10). Be still and Know that I am God.Sit in the Silence: Practice not saying the next words, at least for a while.  It's not about not talking at all, it's more about letting the thoughts of the other person be spoken without your immediate response.  No Need to Share Your Story: Sit in their story and resist the desire to tell your similar or related story.  Ex. they tell a story about their troubled teen and you immediately are triggered about your own troubled teen and want to share your story.  Keep the focus on their story.  Listen with Empathy and Compassion Seek to Understand: Try to see things from the other person's perspective. Ask clarifying questions and show genuine interest in their thoughts and feelings.Hebrews 10:24-25- And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.Offer Support and Encouragement: Let your words and actions reflect Christ's love and compassion 1 Thess 5:11. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.Practice Active Listening: Avoid Clinical or Analytical Speak: Listen for God's Word in Scripture and Daily Life (Psalm 119:105)Regular Bible Study: Seek God in All Things: Put Your Faith into Action: True listening involves responding to what you hear from God and others.Be Obedient to God's Will: Seek to align your life with God's plan and purpose (Romans 12:1-2).Serve Others with Humility: Use your listening skills to minister to the needs of those around you (Galatians 5:13).Avoid Giving Unsolicited Advice:  https://rocksolidfamilies.orgSupport the show#Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherapy, #marriagecounseling, #parenting, #faithbasedcounseling, #counseling, #Strongdads, #coaching, #lifecoach, #lifecoaching, #marriagecoaching, #marriageandfamily, #control, #security, #respect, #affection, #love, #purpose, #faith, #affairs, #infidelity

Episode Overview Today we're talking about the connection between happiness and hardship. From my personal experiences and insights from Gordon B. Hinckley's "Be's," I share the importance of being happy, obedient, strong, and unoffendable. You'll hear stories of how these principles have guided me through life's challenges as I've focused on happiness, obedience, spiritual strength, and avoiding offense. By partnering with God, we can navigate life's challenges and find joy and peace. Enjoy! Time Stamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:37 - Denver Trip and Life Lessons 05:10 - Be Happy 07:29 - Be Obedient 09:31 - Be Not Weary in Well Doing 12:29 - Be Confident in God's Love 15:30 - Be Strong 18:25 - Be Unoffendable 24:52 - Conclusion If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to "Sunshine in the Middle" and leave a review. Your feedback helps us continue to bring uplifting and meaningful content. Join our community and share your thoughts on today's topic—how do you strive to continually become like Jesus Christ? Connect with Us Website: sunshineinthemiddle.com Instagram: @sunshineinthemiddle Disclaimer This podcast episode is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or BYU. Thank you for tuning in! I hope this episode brings you closer to finding the peace and relief that Jesus Christ offers.

This week Pastor Justin talks about how God will do the impossible when we allow our faith to be stretched!   You can now see on our Youtube Channel by following this link: Stretched   Important Points: I will Trust God into Dead Ends! I will Step Out and Stretch My Faith! I will Be Obedient to see God's Breakthrough!   Important Scriptures (NLT version unless stated otherwise):   Exodus 14:1-4 Exodus 14:15-18 Exodus 14:21-22

This morning at our family service we continued our series looking at Instructions to God's People from the Epistles (letters in the Bible), and this time our theme was “Be Obedient”; Richard spoke on 2 Timothy 2:1-10 and its instruction to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”. The post 2 Timothy 2:1-10 – Be Obedient appeared first on Elmdon Church, Solihull.

Join Roger for a tailgate party of the soul in this episode of "Extraordinary Living," where we dive into Jeremiah 29:11 and unravel God's game plan for our lives. From trials and tribulations to the power of faith, get ready to be coached into the winning side of life! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: • God's rest is a life game changer 1. Know God is ALWAYS FOR YOU • Understanding God's plan brings hope 2. YOU are the variable • The Bible is our manual for everyday life • Faith plays a role in receiving God's promises 3. Be Consistent 4. Be Obedient

Shema in the Hebrew means to "Hear", "Take Heed", "Be Obedient" O Yisrael. Listen to what the Heavenly Father requires of his children.Listen every Sabbath. Peace be unto you.YahRay Benaiah, THE PRECEPT BOOKhttps://ybzyisraelitestore.etsy.comPatreonpatreon.com/yahraybenaiahCashApp$YahRayBenaiahIron Hand GripDesigned to increase hand and forearm strength. Put the power in your hands.Available @ https://ybzyisraelitestore.etsy.com Fringe shawlDesigned to wear fringes around the neck for convenience.Available @ https://ybzyisraelitestore.etsy.comYouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@YahRayBenaiahFacebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100092985307418Instagraminstagram.com/yahray_benaiah Email AddressYahRayBenaiah@gmail.com     

#SeekingGod #SpiritualJourney #Obedience #SpiritualGrowth #DailyDevotionalPodcast In our pursuit of spiritual growth, obedience to God is often a challenging path. However, it's these trials that make the journey all the more rewarding.

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God…. 2 Corinthians 2:15 NLT   And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. Mark 12:30 NLT   “I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” Romans 12:1 NLT   THE KEY TO A THRIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS TRUST, WHICH IS DISPLAYED THROUGH ABANDONMENT TO GOD. THAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF WORSHIP.   Now he brought me back to the entrance to the Temple. I saw water pouring out from under the Temple porch to the east (the Temple faced east). The water poured from the south side of the Temple, south of the altar. He then took me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the gate complex on the east. The water was gushing from under the south front of the Temple. He walked to the east with a measuring tape and measured off fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water waist-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet. By now it was a river over my head, water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through. He said, “Son of man, have you had a good look?” Ezekiel 47:1-7 MSG   4 LEVELS OF CONTROL ANKLE-DEEP He walked to the east with a measuring tape and measured off fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was ankle-deep. Ezekiel 47:3 MSG Be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:6-8 NLT KNEE-DEEP He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was knee-deep. Ezekiel 47:4 MSG   The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. Lamentations 3:25 NLT   So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? Galatians 4:9 NLT WAIST-DEEP He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water waist-deep. Ezekiel 47:4 MSG     Taste and see that the lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the lord will lack no good thing. Psalms 34:8-10 NLT OVER YOUR HEAD-DEEP He measured off another fifteen hundred feet. By now it was a river over my head, water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through.  Ezekiel 47:5 MSG   Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.  Galatians 5:24-25 NLT   THE REWARDS OF SURRENDER   Then he took me back to the riverbank. While sitting on the bank, I noticed a lot of trees on both sides of the river. He told me, “This water flows east, descends to the Arabah and then into the sea, the sea of stagnant waters. When it empties into those waters, the sea will become fresh. Wherever the river flows, life will flourish—great schools of fish—because the river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds. Fishermen will stand shoulder to shoulder along the shore from En-gedi all the way north to En-eglaim, casting their nets. The sea will teem with fish of all kinds, like the fish of the Great Mediterranean. “The swamps and marshes won't become fresh. They'll stay salty. “But the river itself, on both banks, will grow fruit trees of all kinds. Their leaves won't wither, the fruit won't fail. Every month they'll bear fresh fruit because the river from the Sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:7-12 MSG   TREES REPRESENT HEALING FISH REPRESENT HARVEST Wherever the river flows, life will flourish…; Where the river flows, life abounds. Ezekiel 47:8-9 MSG   WHEN WE ABANDON OURSELVES TO GOD'S WILL & PRESENCE WE BECOME THE CHURCH. THEN WE GET TO BE A PART OF SEEING SOULS SAVED & PEOPLE HEALED.   HOW TO HAVE A LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP   1. INCORPORATE GOD IN YOUR LIFE   “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT   I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NLT   2. CHOOSE TO REMAIN COMMITTED   If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18 NLT   3. BE OBEDIENT   Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Hebrews 13:15-16 NLT   Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” John 14:21 NLT   4. SHOW REVERENCE   But the time is coming—indeed it's here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. John 4:23 NLT   He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the lord's delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalms 147:10-11 NLT   Fear of the lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm. Proverbs 19:23 NLT   ….True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.” John 4:23 NLT

This week Pastor Justin and Pastor Chelsea talk about their sabbatical month and what “Blessed Rest” looks like!   You can now see on our Youtube Channel by following this link: Blessed Rest   Important Points: I will Be Obedient to God to access Blessed Rest! God will Do the Impossible in Blessed Rest! I will Let God Lead through Blessed Rest! Important Scriptures (NLT version unless stated otherwise):   Hebrews 4:1-13 Hebrews 4:7-9 Hebrews 4:10-11 Psalms 23:1-6 Matthew 6:33

Luke 2:6-8 NIV 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 1) Be OPEN to Him. Luke 2:8-9 NIV 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:10-14 NIV 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 1) Be OPEN to Him. 2) Be OBEDIENT to Him. Luke 2:15-16 NIV 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 1) Be OPEN to Him. 2) Be OBEDIENT to Him. 3) Be OPERATING in Him. Luke 2:17-18;20 NIV 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:20 NIV 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen , which were just as they had been told. 1) Be OPEN to Him. 2) Be OBEDIENT to Him. 3) Be OPERATING in Him. QUESTIONS 1. How do you know if you are open to hearing God's nudging or direction? What does that look like in your daily life? 2. Can you remember a time when you walked in obedience to what the Lord instructed? What did you learn in that process and how did it shift your thinking about future opportunities? 3. What does it mean to operate in the Lord? What are daily steps you can take to pursue that?

From the book of 1 John, chapter 5 and the verse 4 we see that every God begotten person conquers the worlds ways and has victory. In this episode, we will learn that just by believing in Jesus we are on the victor side. We will also learn that to be victorious, we have to, HAVE FAITH IN GOD, COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, BE OBEDIENT, AND GET THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-kingdom-move/message

How to Become a Joshua: 1. Serve a Saint 2. Trust the Lord 3. Be Spirit Filled 4. Be of Good Courage 5. Be Obedient, In Spite of Understanding

How to Become a Joshua: 1. Serve a Saint 2. Trust the Lord 3. Be Spirit Filled 4. Be of Good Courage 5. Be Obedient, In Spite of Understanding

Why Do We Choose to Be Obedient?

Why Do We Choose to Be Obedient?

During the third and final episode of the Spring Forward series we will be discussing how God always makes a way in the new season he's taking you in. The focus scriptures will be Exodus 16:13-15. So get ready to grab your bible, your notepad, and your coffee for this discussion. Sign up for our email list to receive March's free printable: https://mailchi.mp/4c653e508ec9/obediencepodcast Reborn Workbook Link— https://www.etsy.com/ObediencePodcast/listing/1156151831/reborn-workbook-for-the-new-believer?utm_source=Copy&utm_medium=ListingManager&utm_campaign=Share&utm_term=so.lmsm&share_time=1641618700610 Right Way Christian Center Church----- https://www.facebook.com/rightwayccc If you have any questions or prayer request contact us at: obediencepodcast@gmail.com If you would like to donate please send any donations to CashApp - $obediencepodcast Google Pay- obediencepodcast@gmail.com PayPal- paypal.me/obediencepodcast ----FOLLOW US---- Facebook: @obediencepodcast https://www.facebook.com/obedience.pod.1 Instagram: @obediencepodcast https://instagram.com/obediencepodcast?igshid=tzbswgx1xmnp Pinterest: @obediencepodcast https://www.pinterest.com/obediencepodcast/_saved/ Snapchat: @obediencepod https://www.snapchat.com/add/obediencepod Tik Tok: @obediencepodcast https://vm.tiktok.com/wQyym1/ Timestamps 0:00 - Hey Ya'll 0:58 - Series Objective 01:59 - Focus Scripture 03:11 - Prayer 04:20 - Don't Romantize Your Old Season 09:47 - God Is Your Pathway 12:33 - He Will Give You What You Need 15:46 - Be Obedient with Your Provision 17:48 - Will You Accept? 19:17 - Benediction #springforward #newseason #obediencesaturdayz --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/obedience-podcast/support

Welcome to episode seven in our journey through the life of Abraham! We are in Genesis 17. This week we will continue to see how God never forgets His promise. God is a promise maker and a promise keeper! Friend, we have a daily opportunity to be “all in” with God. What does “all-in” look like? God’s encounter with Abram in Genesis 17 provides a perfect example! Being “all in” leads to a life marked by God. Between Genesis 16 and Genesis 17, fourteen years passed. Fourteen years of waiting, wondering and navigating. Fourteen years of hard. From Abram’s perspective, he was probably asking: Waiting: “What is God’s plan from here?” Wondering: “Did I blow it? Can Ishmael be the child of Promise?” Navigating: “How can I navigate the challenging dynamic of Sarah, Hagar, and Ishmael?” Abram was 99 years old when God appeared to him once again and reconfirmed the covenant. God moved the process forward by giving Abram a sign of the covenant and changing Abram’s name to Abraham. This sign marked Abraham and his descendants as God’s chosen people. The outward sign of circumcision represented an inward change of heart. Today we are going to see four inward changes that give proof to the outward sign. Genesis 17: Four Inward Signs of Change Be Blameless: (Genesis 17:1-8) God’s heart has always been for blamelessness. This word communicates the call to be faultless before God. Abram had been anything but faultless before God. Like us, Abram blew it time and time again. God is ever faithful and continually reveals His character even in the midst of our sin and struggle. Genesis 17 is the first time God introduces Himself as El Shaddai: The Lord Almighty. God was reminding Abram of His sufficiency and mighty power to accomplish His promises according to His will and timetable. Let that truth sink in. We can be blameless not because of who we are or what we can do, but because of Who God is and what He can do. This was a “stake in the ground moment” between God and Abram. As a result, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham. Abram meant “high father.” Abraham meant “father of a multitude.” Be Committed: (Genesis 17:9-14) God shows His commitment to the covenant through a series of “I Will” statements. God says I will: Make you very fruitful. Make Nations and Kings of you. Establish my covenant as an everlasting Covenant. I will give you the land. In response, God told Abram to establish circumcision as a sign of the covenant. This sign would set Abraham and his descendants apart from all other people on the earth. Be Open: (Genesis 17:15-22) God goes on to share that Sarah’s name is going to change and that she will give birth to a son whose name will be Issac. Abraham laughs at this news. God promises that Isaac will be born within a year. Abraham asks if Ishmael can be part of the inheritance. God says yes, but in a different way. Abraham had to be open to God arranging and rearranging his life. The fulfillment of God’s Promise was quickly approaching. God was clear about Abraham’s life and legacy and how it would look. God’s “I will” made a way for Abraham’s “Yes, Lord!” How can we be open as God arranges and rearranges our lives and legacy? Do we trust that God is good and that His plan is good even when it doesn’t make sense? Be Obedient

In this week's episode of Catholic ReCon, Sean Mitchell digs deep to recall his real, vulnerable, and difficult trip into Catholicism. #CatholicChurch #ProtestantTheology #Scrupulosity #HolyTrinity #JesusChrist #OneHolyCatholicApostolic #Convert #Christianity #Virtue #SelfEsteem #Suicide #Depression #Scandal Jimmy Akin's Article: 1. What Every OCD Sufferer Should Know About Vows and Promises - https://www.ncregister.com/blog/what-every-ocd-sufferer-should-know-about-vows-and-promises Sean's Articles & Bio Page 1. Scupulous? Be Obedient.- https://thosecatholicmen.com/articles/scrupulous-be-obedient/ 2. Questions: The "Darlings" of the Intellect - https://thosecatholicmen.com/articles/questions-the-darlings-of-the-intellect/ 3. There Ain't No Rest for the Idealist - https://thosecatholicmen.com/articles/there-aint-no-rest-for-the-idealist/ 4. Purpose. Meaning. Destiny - https://thosecatholicmen.com/articles/purpose-meaning-destiny/ 5. My Those Catholic Men Bio Page with all articles - https://thosecatholicmen.com/author/sean-mitchell/ Others: Scruples and Their Treatment by Fr. William Doyle S.J. 1. https://fatherdoyle.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/scruples-and-their-treatment.pdf Ten Commandments for the Scrupulous by Fr. Thomas M. Santa, CSsR - https://scrupulousanonymous.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Ten_Commandments_for_the_Scrupulous_2013.pdf Sean's appearance on the Meaning of Catholic discussing "Logos and Psychology" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q79bVBGL31Q --- If you or anyone you know would like to share your testimony on Catholic Re.Con., please fill out the form here: https://bit.ly/3bdE6pr My book, Confession All, is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hI3frL www.eddietrask.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eddie-trask/support

Join Wingman Nation co-founders, Randy Ferreira and Pastor Jay Dennis, along with Director of Operations, John Delaney, as they continue with the Jesus & Masculinity series. Today's episode is called “Be Obedient.”You're going to hear this said again during today's podcast, but it can't be said too many times. "There is something admirable about a Christian man who dares to obey God instantly regardless of the cost. This is a man who fears offending God more than he fears what people will think or say. "  The bible verses for today's episode are Matthew 3:13-17.Thanks for joining us!!

Ruth 1:8-14 1. Be Resolute on Who is Guiding You Ruth 1:16-18 2. Be Obedient in the Small Things Ruth 2:8-16; 23 3. Be Aware of God's Provision 4. Be Hopefully Expectant about Your Decision Romans 15:13 Ruth 3:6-11

Brenda Newport attended a volunteer training for a pregnancy center many years ago with no intention of later becoming the Executive Director. Now, it has become a family business! Brenda was honored at Heartbeat International's Annual Conference with a Servant Leader Award, and also was the recipient of the Andy Merritt Scholarship. She shares the … Continue reading A Letter to My Younger Self: Be Brave, Be Obedient →

Listen as Lead Pastor, Daniel Ward, preaches a sermon entitled, "Be Obedient."

When God Tells You To Own Your Moment! Be Obedient!!!!

Be OBEDIENT despite what it may cost you!

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Be Obedient in Sports Ministry Subtitle: Philosophy of Sports Ministry Speaker: Mark H. Meyers Broadcaster: Grace Bible Church Event: Podcast Date: 6/15/2020 Bible: 2 Timothy 2:5 Length: 5 min.

Today, Bro. Keith preaches a message on a Biblically Designed Home as he discusses topics on The Wife and Submission, A Husband That is Loving, that Children are to Be Obedient and Parents that Are Encouragers. (Colossians 3:18-21)

Andy Davis preaches a verse by verse expository sermon on James 1:19-27. The main subject of the sermon is how we should properly respond to the hearing of God's word. - sermon TRANSCRIPT - Introduction How We Respond to God’s Word I'd like to ask that you turn in your Bibles to James 1:22. It says, "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says." There are different ways to listen to God's Word but not all of them are beneficial to the soul. Throughout redemptive history many, many people have heard God's Word faithfully and clearly preached and taught, or explained, or shared and it's done them no good at all, ultimately. One powerful illustration of this, a bad way to hear God's Word, we see in the Old Testament, with the Prophet Ezekiel whom God consistently called son of man. This is in Ezekiel 33:30-32, it says, "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of their houses saying to each other, come and hear the message that has come from the Lord. My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words, but they do not put them into practice." Historical Example: Benjamin Franklin So for me as a preacher and also one who loves church history, I think about the times that great preachers have attained notoriety in their generation, great popularity, for a short time perhaps. Their sermons have been wildly popular, thousands have flocked to hear them. Many people were genuinely converted by the hearing of the Word and helped by their sermons, but others just came for the spectacle of the whole thing. I think about, for example, George Whitefield who preached during the Colonial Era, before the American Revolution to tens of thousands. He was by far the most famous man alive in that day. Everyone in Colonial America had heard of him, and thousands were genuinely converted by his preaching ministry. But then there was Benjamin Franklin, that old skeptic, that old scientist with whom George Whitefield developed a very close relationship. Franklin was his publisher of many of his sermons and made a lot of money off of Whitefield, based there in Philadelphia. And he came and heard Whitefield preach, and he said this, "Whitefield had a loud and clear voice and articulated his words and his sentences so perfectly that he might be heard and understood at a great distance. Being among the hindmost in Market Street, Philadelphia, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could still be heard by retiring systematically backwards down the street to the river. And I found his voice distinct till I came near Front Street when some noise in that street obscured it. Imagining then a semi-circle of which my distance should be the radius and that it was filled with hearers to each of whom I allotted two square feet, I computed that he might be heard clearly by more than 30,000 people." This is what Benjamin Franklin was doing during one of Whitefield sermons. I think there are better ways to hear a Whitefield sermon than that. George Whitefield, as I said, became very good friends with Benjamin Franklin, and they dined together frequently. And Whitefield earnestly sought his salvation every time they got together. After his famous lightning experiment, he wrote him a letter saying, "You're advancing much in science, I would urge to you the study of the Doctrine of the New Birth. It will do you much more good both in this world and in the world to come.” One of the saddest things I ever read about George Whitefield was something said about Benjamin Franklin after he died. And he said, "we were good friends," Franklin said this, "And he consistently sought to win me but he never had the answers to his prayers." That was Benjamin Franklin talking about himself. Historical Example: William Randolph Hearst Another example of this occurred in 1949 when a tall, young, unknown, but ardently zealous evangelist from the western part of our state in the mountains of North Carolina, Billy Graham, was carrying on a tent crusade in Los Angeles. William Randolph Hearst, the most powerful media mogul of the mihttp://www.thefieldschurch.org/mediafiles/uploaded/0/0e1840389_050904.mp3th century, a man who owned 28 major newspapers read by over 20 million Americans every day. He was a hard man. Hearst was a recluse. He carried on a long affair with an actress. He heard about Billy Graham's tent crusade. And perhaps, although we don't have confirmation of this, listened to some sermons by radio, we'll never know. And then he sent a two-word command to his editors all over the country, “Puff Graham.” Well, the editors knew exactly what that meant, make a big deal out of him positively. Put him front stage, front and center, his crusade in LA. That was a signal moment, a significant moment in the history of American evangelicalism and in Billy Graham's life and ministry. Now, Graham never met William Randolph Hearst personally, but his career, Graham's career took off right from that point on until the end. But there's no indication whatsoever that Graham's gospel message had any influence at all on William Randolph Hearst who died two years later after saying, “Puff Graham.” This problem of hearing God's Word with a certain kind of pleasure, a certain kind of interest, but not obeying its life-changing message has been around a long time. Think of wicked King Herod who loved to hear John the Baptist preach. Even though John clearly proclaimed that he and his wife at that point, were living in sin, committing adultery. Mark 6:20 said, "Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John he was greatly puzzled, yet he liked to listen to him." Now we know what happened. A beautiful young girl danced at his birthday party, Herod's birthday party, and he made a rash oath and it led to Herod giving the order to decapitate John the Baptist. Historical Example: Felix the Roman Governor Or again, think of the Roman governor Felix who imprisoned the Apostle Paul. Felix often sent for Paul while he was a prisoner, and he loved to hear him speak the words of scripture. But he became alarmed when Paul talked to him about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. Those were not topics Felix wanted to talk about. He became alarmed and he sent him away, saying, "I'll send for you again. Talk again later, at another time." And God in his grace gave him more time. Actually, two years he kept Paul a prisoner, and kept summoning him and listening to him, but actually what he really wanted was to receive a bribe from Paul, so he could set him free. And then at the end of the two years, while he was still in chains, he went off and another Roman governor came. And that was it. All over this religious nation of ours, we're a very religious people, people are assembling together. Churches are filled with people hearing God's Word, and in many places God's Word clearly preached, faithfully expounded, but many of them are deceiving themselves that just doing that religious system is enough, just coming to church is enough, sitting patiently under the Word is enough, and this text is for them and it's, frankly, for all of us. I can't hear the words in James 1 without being convicted. Is this true of me? It's not enough to merely listen to the Word. Well, I'm going to say it about myself, it's not enough to merely get up week after week and preach it, faithfully or accurately. What is happening in my life? Am I actually obeying these words? That's what this is about. What do you do when you hear God's Word? What effect is it actually producing in your life? That's what James is about. James, I think, is one of the most convicting books in the Bible. He doesn't waste any time. It's like an industrial strength cleaner, and it just gets in your grill, and he wants to get you ready to hear God's Word. And so I want to walk through that with you, walk through the text. My first point on the outline is this, “Quiet Humility Prepares to Receive God's Word.” I. Quiet Humility Prepares to Receive God’s Word Look at Verses 19 through 22. "My dear brothers, take note of this, Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry for man's anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you. Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Application to Human Relationships So now listen, I can take verse 19 and just do a very helpful horizontal application. It would be beneficial and I'll just start there. By that I mean how we should treat each other and the people in our lives. That's what I mean by horizontal. There's three pieces of really good advice for us that we would do well to follow. We should be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry. If you follow that in your relationships with others, especially in your marriage, home life or in your work life, or whatever your living arrangement is, if you're a college student, whatever is going on, if you follow that things will go better. I actually can preach that, and I think it's helpful. So let's just look at it at that level first. “You should be quick to listen. You should develop the habits of being a good listener.” Proverbs 18:2, says, "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions." So that fool is not really interested in anything other people have to say. So I would say husbands and wives need to listen to each other better than they do. Parents and children need to listen to each other better than they do. Co-workers need to listen to each other and bosses need to listen to each other better than they do. This is all helpful. Democrats and Republicans need to listen to each other better than they do. That's my last political comment of the day. Being quick to listen means you're eager to learn from others, you've got a basic humility and teachability, and that's a good thing. So be quick to listen. The flip side of that is to be slow to speak, don't be in love with the sound of your own voice, the sound of your own words. People spend a huge amount of time talking. One study said up to one-fifth of your waking hours you spend talking. That's a lot of time. And then along comes Proverbs 10:19 which says, "When words are many, sin is inevitable." That's a strong word, isn't it? The more you talk the more likely it is that you're going to sin. So, be slow to speak. And then thirdly, be slow to anger. Human anger, James calls moral filth, it's toxic, it destroys human relationships. Marriages are destroyed by anger, by husbands being angry with their wives or wives angry with their husbands. There's a bitterness and unforgiveness. Things can happen at the horizontal level. There are many criminals in prison right now, that they're there because of a fit of rage that came over them one day. And for the rest of their lives they look back with deep regret over having basically lost their mind. Anger can be like a drug. And then your mind clears afterwards like, "What did I do?" And so it's dangerous. Of the three advices he gives us, this is the only one James comments on. Look at 20 and 21. "For man's anger does not bring about the righteousness of God, therefore, get rid of all moral filth." That's strong, "moral filth." Like radioactive waste, that's what human anger is. "Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you." So, human anger is powerful and effective but it's not constructive. It's usually destructive. It definitely makes an effect. And you could say there's certain roles where anger is really needed, like a coach that gets all red-faced and yells at his team and then they go out and win second half, play with tremendous zeal. Or a drill instructor at boot camp and all that, but friends, we know, for the most part, human anger is a destructive force. And you should be slow to get angry. Get rid of it. Take it out. Like toxic waste, take it out. As Ephesians 4:31 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." That's an amazing verse on anger. It's like how many different shades, and hues, and colors of human anger are there? Well, look at Ephesians 4:31 to find them all. There's bitterness, there's rage, there's anger, there's brawling, there's all different kinds of things. Get rid of it. Just get rid of it. Alright, so, that's how a simple horizontal approach to verses 19-21, works. Application to Our Relationship with God But I think it's better to look at it vertically, to look upward toward God and your relationship with God, with these exact same commands. Be quick to listen to God, be slow to speak before God, and be slow to get angry at God. Now I think it has to do with how you prepare yourself to receive God's Word. I think it's a better context. It just weaves the whole thing together. So you remember how Jesus spoke of the parable of The Seed and the Soils? “He went out to sow the seed and some fell on the path and the birds came and ate it up, and some fell on rocky soil and sprang up quickly, but then the sun came up and the plants were withered. And then some fell among the thorns, which grow up and choked the plants, and some fell on good soil, which produced a crop 100, 60, 30 times what was sown.” Each of these represents different states of the human heart, like the path represents a hardened hearer. The Word has no impact whatsoever. And so the birds come and eat it up, it has made no penetration, Satan comes and takes away what was sown in that person's heart. And then the rocky soil shows a shallow penetration. There's an initial reaction of positivity, some joy, but then in the end when the Christian life gets difficult, when there's persecution, then it dies. And then the thorny soil represents the worries of this life, and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it out, making it unfruitful. The fourth is the only good outcome. It produces different levels of harvest in different people's lives, 100, 60, 30 times what was sown. It's interesting what Luke says in that parable. Luke 8:15, "The seed on the good soil, stands for those with..." listen to this, "a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop," a noble and good heart. Where do you get one of those? "Be quick to listen to God, be slow to speak before God, and be slow to get angry at God. " The Heart Prepared for God’s Word Anyone who's been in the Word any length of time knows what God's Word says about the natural state of our heart. "Sinful and desperately wicked," Jeremiah says. But here's the thing, when God in his sovereignty, through the Holy Spirit saves you, He takes out that heart of stone, He gives you a heart of flesh, and He works nobility and goodness into your heart and this is what it looks like, this is how you get your heart like black, moistened soil, plowed, soft, ready to receive God's Word. And so, look at it then that way. What does my heart have to look like when God is sowing the seed into me? So look at it vertically, why would I do that? Well, look at verses 21 through 25, and I think you'll see right away in verse 21, "Therefore... " alright, because of that, get rid of all moral filth. "Therefore..." so the things about quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry, the comment on anger, therefore what? The Word. "Humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you. Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a person who looks at his face in the mirror and then after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." Verse 25, "But the one who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom," that's the Word, "and continues to do this, not forgetting what he's heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does." This is Word, Word, Word, Word. So let's just extend it back to verse 19 and look at it vertically. How should I get ready to hear God's Word? Alright, so be quick to listen, come to God's Word humbly, humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you. Get ready to listen to God speaking to you. Be ready to hear when you open up God's Word, when you're having your quiet time, or when you come here to hear a sermon, you're ready, you've got the scripture open and you're ready to hear God talk to you, Almighty God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, wants to say something to you. It's powerful. Hebrews 3:7-8. It says, this, "So as the Holy Spirit says... " present tense, not said says, “today if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts." That's Psalm 95, written 1000 years before the author of the Hebrews wrote his epistle. David wrote it. No, the Holy Spirit's saying it today. "Today, if you hear His voice don't harden your heart." And it's in quotations, so as you're reading Psalm 95 better get ready to listen to God speak to you. Today, if you hear his voice, don't harden your heart. So expect then that God is going to speak to you by his Word, he has something to say to you. I love 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul says to the Thessalonians, to that church, "When you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of man but as it actually is, the Word of God which is at work in you who believe". That's a beautiful way for a church to be. You're coming not to hear from a man. Flawed, fallible, sinful man, but you're coming to hear God speak through his Word to you. Humbly Accept God’s Word So many verses call on God's people to listen to Him. I love Deuteronomy 32:1-2. "Listen, O heavens, and I will speak. Hear, O earth the words of my mouth, let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on the tender plants". That's God speaking to you. "Listen to me, be ready to drink in my Word". Jesus frequently said, "He who has ears, let him hear". Do you have ears? Are you ready to hear God speak, are you quick to listen to God? And then secondly, "Be slow to speak in the presence of God". I'm not saying we shouldn't pray, we should pray, but there's something powerful here about coming quietly into the presence of God. I love Habakkuk 2:20 on this, it says, "The Lord is in his holy temple, let all the Earth be silent before Him". Or again, Ecclesiastes 5:1-2. It says, "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in Heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Much dreaming and many words are meaningless, therefore stand in awe of God". Just come into God's presence and just be quiet before Him, and remember who you're about to talk to, and then pray. And thirdly, vertically, "Be slow to get angry at God". What is that? Why would I get angry at God? Well, God's Word is a sharp double-edged sword, and when you come and stand in God's presence, He's probably going to hurt you. He's going to cut you with a surgical scalpel, because you need it done. You remember when Peter denied three times knowing Jesus and then Jesus sought to heal him, you remember how he did it? "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?" And it said the third time Peter was hurt. Did Jesus intend to hurt him? Yes. Not ultimately, but He had to hurt him in order to heal him. And so, if you're actually coming in the presence of God's Word, He's going to say things that will cross you. He's going to do it this morning. He did it to me already. He's going to cross you. Don't get angry at Him. That's what Jesus' enemies did, they don't want to hear from Him that they needed a savior, that their righteousness was not enough for Heaven, they got all self-righteous and angry and murderous, so don't do that. Don't get angry, don't shoot the messenger. When God's Word tells you you're a sinner and you need to repent and make changes, then be humble and be yielded and don't get angry at God. "Be willing... " verse 21, "to humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you, which can save your soul from eternal condemnation". Are you saved? Have you trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Maybe you were invited here today, and you know you came in here, and you know you're not a Christian, then don't get angry at evangelists, don't get angry at friends that are trying to lead you to Christ, don't get angry at God. Humble yourself and trust in Jesus, the one who died on the cross, who shed His blood for sinners like you and me, and trust in Him and call on Him and say, "Oh, save me Jesus", and He'll save you. Don't get angry. This is what makes evangelism and missions hard all over the world. People get angry when they hear people say, "You need to repent and believe in Jesus". So don't get angry. "Humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you", and that means you, Christian. A Christian who's been walking with the Lord for 20-30 years, “humbly accept the Word which can save you, can keep on saving you.” "He gives us... ", James says, James 4:6, "more grace". That's why God says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble". Do you need more grace? Please nod your head. "Yes, Lord. I need more grace. Give me more grace". At the beginning of all Paul’s epistles, "Grace to you", and then grace at the end, there's grace and grace. It's just a avenue of grace. Humbly accept it. Isaiah 66:2, "This is the one I esteem, says Almighty God, he who is humble and contrite and who trembles at my Word." II. Honest Humility Obeys God’s Word The Great Danger of Self-Deception Alright, now humbly accepting the Word is not enough. The soil of a humble heart accepting the perfect seed of the Word must produce a transformed life. That's what James is all about, the works. What happens as a result of hearing God's Word. And, so my second outline point is this, “Honest Humility Obeys God's Word.” Verse 22, "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says". We keep bumping into this issue, like we did last week. The danger of self-deception, of lying to yourself about your true spiritual condition. "Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord., Lord. Did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? [Preach many sermons?] Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers." Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father". Let me make it simple. Not those who say, but those who do. That's what Jesus is saying there. The Word as a Mirror I don't want any of you to have an eternal shock on Judgment Day. I want you to examine yourselves to see if you're in the faith. I want you to look at what's actually happening in your life because of the Word. I want the same for me. And Jesus consistently said, "It comes down to obedience. If you love me, you will obey what I command". John 14:15. And so, we come this morning to the Word of God, "To look as in a mirror", James says. Look at verses 23-25, "Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and then after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does". So James presents the Word as a mirror. Now, don't think of modern mirrors, which are our metal-backed glass that was invented in Germany in 1835. We're thinking about a polished plate of bronze, highly polished. If the light is right, and you look long enough you can see what you look like, and James likens someone who hears God's Word, but doesn't obey it, to someone who looks at his face in the mirror and then goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. God's Word has the power to tell you the truth about yourself. We should not imagine that at some point you'll look in the mirror and say, "I look so good. I mean, I have never looked better". That's not what we're talking about here. The Word is there to help you see yourself as God sees you, in this present state. This individual looks into God's Word, and God's Word generally does this, but God's law in particular does it. God's law in particular shows you how you need a savior. What ways you need to live differently. That's what God's law is designed to do. There's still a role for us once we've come to Christ, where we learn what a holy life looks like by looking at the commands and prohibitions. So God's law has the power to do that. Now, this individual looks at his face in the mirror and then immediately forgets. It's like the hardened path here that the birds come and snatch away, just immediately, it's done. So perhaps a sermon is convicting, and you've resolved, you're going to do something different in your marriage.You're going to do something different with what you do with the internet, you're going to do something different with widows or orphans. You're going to do something different in evangelism, something different in the workplace, and you make a kind of a holy resolution. But then you leave church and get in your car and you go back into the machinery of your everyday life, and then it's like it never happened. Nothing occurred. That's what James is talking about here. Somebody looks into the Word and then doesn't do anything with it, nothing changes. Looking Intently Into the Perfect Law of Freedom Instead, he talks about looking intently into the perfect law that gives freedom. Verse 25, "But the one who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does". So, you come to God's Word and you search yourself, you say, "Search me, O God, and know my heart, show me my sins. Show me where I can grow. Show me my flaws and my failures, my warts and my wounds". And then you bring it to the cross and you remember that you have been forgiven, and all of your sins are covered, but the Lord then wants to heal you up out of that, and help you to live a different life, and so you're gazing, you're saying, "Lord, show me". Psalm 139:23-24, "Show me my sins, show me my faults, what's wrong with my life.” Now why does he call it "The perfect law that gives freedom"? Friends, “sin is terrible bondage,” Jesus said, and “everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” But that slavery, the chains of that, is spiritual, it's invisible. You can't see how your mind, your heart, is fettered. It's chained. You can't see it, but then you come to God's perfect law and then you can see invisible chains on your mind and in your heart, and Jesus said, "If the son sets you free, you'll be free indeed". How beautiful is that? Oh Jesus, set me free. “Jesus show me these hidden fetters, show me the chains, and break those chains.” Shatter the yoke that burdens me in the bar across my shoulder. Isaiah 9, "Be to me a savior". And if that happens you're going to walk in a whole new life of obedience. III. Obeying God’s Word Will Change Your Life The Transformed Tongue So, outline point number three, “Obeying God's Word Will Change Your Life,” and let's start with your tongue. Now I don't have to do a lot of work on this today, because we get to have like half a chapter on the tongue later. So we'll just defer that, but just let me tell you, the tongue's a problem. And you know what I'm talking about. Verse 26, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless". That's very strong. So a transformed heart will result in a transformed tongue. Out of the fullness or overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. So therefore you need to keep a tight rein on your tongue like it's a wild animal. And James is actually going to talk about that, “we've broken all kinds of wild animals, been able to subject them to the yoke, but the tongue, we can't seem to do it.” So, keep a tight rein on your tongue or, I like this one, Psalm 141 verse 3, "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, and keep watch over the door of my lips". It's almost like your mouth is a maximum security penitentiary and there's a bunch of dangerous things in there. Please, O Lord, only let credited people out. It's like, is it that bad friends? It's worse than that. So, God, set a guard over the door of my mouth. Help me to say only those things that are helpful for building others up, that it may benefit them. We'll say more about that in due time in chapter three. Now, only perfect people can control the tongue. We're going to see that. If you're able to bridle the tongue you are a perfect man or woman, able to control your whole body. So if you guys like a high-challenge, go after that one. I would like one day in which I don't say anything wrong, the whole day. So let's just set that as a goal, and if you do that your whole body will follow. We'll study that in James 3. IV. Obeying God’s Word Purifies Your Life What is Religion? Second issue, outline point number four, “Obeying God's Word Purifies Your Life.” Now, I'm going to go to the end of the text here, because I want to deal with the pollution that the world brings in our souls before I talk about orphan and widow care. Verse 27, "Religion that our God and Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world". Now, this is a very interesting couple of verses. Verse 26 and verse 27 use the word "religion". Now, when I was a new Christian, I talked to Christie about this, she had the same experience. We were both trained through Campus Crusade for Christ, now called CRU, and we heard this again and again and again, and maybe you've heard it. "Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship". Ever heard that? Something like that? And yet here's the word "religion", good religion. What is religion? It's a system, a pattern of thoughts and actions directed to a deity. I guess that's what it is. When people say "Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship" they're talking about, I think, the very thing James is getting at here, a mindless machinery of system that doesn't do anything with your heart, you don't have any strong connection toward God. That's what we're talking about. Verse 26 talks about religion, but bad religion. Do you see that? "You're deceiving yourself and your religion is worthless". So, verse 26 has worthless religion, and verse 27 has pure and faultless religion. That's good religion. So bad religion versus good. So religion in and of itself is not the problem. Is it worthless or is it pure and undefiled before God? God hates mindless machinery of religion too. I quoted that last week, in Isaiah 1:14, and there it talks about the Jewish sacrificial system, religious machinery, that they just kept bringing endless animal sacrifices, but they were leading corrupt lives and He said, "Your new moon festivals and your sacrifices my soul hates". Isaiah 1:14. So God hates that kind of religion too. Here's the convicting part for all of us. Is that you? Is that happening to you? Are you in a mindless machine-like pattern that isn't actually affecting the way you live? That's the convicting part here. And so, we have to look at true religion, and true religion fundamentally hears God's Word and puts it into practice. It transforms the way you actually live. Pure Religion: Purity from Worldliness So let's start with this issue of worldliness, though it's at the end I want to set it up first. What does it mean, “keeping oneself from being polluted by the world”? The world is Satan's masterpiece of allurement and temptations toward lusts. We talked about that last week. It's a system of the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, boastful pride of life, 1 John 2:15, that just draws you into wickedness and sin, that's the world. Worldliness means you've been polluted by all that. You're characterized by the lust of the eyes, characterized by the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life. Worldliness is pollution, it's defilement. So religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is to keep yourself unstained from all that, and that's harder than ever, friends. The world has amazing delivery systems to get its ideologies and its loss and temptations directly through your minds, in through your eyes, into your brains. Recently I was watching a video of the 2007 Macworld when Apple CEO Steve Jobs was rolling out a new product. Actually, it said he's rolling out three products: A wide-screen iPod music device with touch controls, some of you will remember what iPods are. Secondly, a revolutionary mobile phone. And thirdly, a breakthrough internet communicator. And then, just in his own clever marketing sort of way, he just kept going over those same three again, and they kept turning around until, BADUM, the iPhone. And out it came. The iPhone, the smartphone that changed the world. Over the next 10 years, Apple would ship 1.6 Billion iPhones. If any of you have an experience recently standing in an airport waiting area and looking around and seeing everyone like this, with their head down, it's like, "Is anybody talking to anybody?" I mean like, in here, in real time. I mean like another human being. Is that actually occurring? I think, just anecdotally, two-thirds or three-quarters of everyone I looked at was looking down at a device. I was at a convenience store recently, filling up my tank, and I saw a Pepsi delivery guy with a two-wheeler, and he had one hand on the two-wheeler, the other hand on his device. So he walked about five to 10 feet, stopped, used the device and then walked another 10 feet, saw something, stopped, and used the device again. I'm thinking, "This is hindering commerce". Alright? This is going on all over the world. I have no idea what he was doing, maybe it was part of his job. I don't want to judge him. I just found it interesting. It took him a while to push that two-wheeler across the parking lot. So, what is going on? Well, we are swimming in a lagoon, or a bay, and then at the edge of it are all these sewage pipes, draining a bunch of septic nastiness into it, how can we not be polluted by that? How do we manage to swim through this world and not get stained or polluted by the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and boastful, pride of life? Now, the flesh. What is the flesh? Flesh, I've defined before, is the fanatical commitment to self. Fanatical commitment to self. You had it when you were born, in Adam. Fanatically committed to self-interest, and that is the thing the Lord is saving us out of. The I-phone. It's all about you, friends. What do you want? What would make you feel good? What social media thing will make people think well of you? What ego boost will you get when X number of people like what you put up? What are you interested in? It's all about you, you, you. And it's just feeding that. This is the hardest fight we have in this world. It says in Romans 8:13, "If you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." Ephesians 6 says, "You should put on the spiritual armor and stand and fight because your soul is being assaulted by invisible foes." If You Are Defiled, Be Cleansed by Christ’s Blood Now, if you're a Christian and you know that you've been defiled, you know that you've been polluted by the world and I tell you right now, it is the very mentality that's hindering us caring for needy people. Because it's going to take time and energy and money and your lives are going to get difficult, and that's probably a big part of why we're not doing it very much. So we have to start by saying, how have I been corrupted? How have I been polluted by the world? How am I living for me? How living for sensual pleasure? How am I living for easy things? Etcetera. And God, would you please cleanse me and forgive me. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” “Bring it to the cross, because the blood of Jesus can purify our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve the living God,” Hebrews 9:14. Obeying God’s Word Mobilizes Your Compassion Caring for the Poor and Needy Finally, outline point number five, “Obeying God's Word Mobilizes Your Compassion." James speaks also of caring for the poor and needy, orphans and widows and in their distress. Now, there are literal orphans and literal widows, and we should care for them but I think it just expands to people who are needy, spiritually needy, physically needy, anybody. And you just look at your life differently because you've been transformed by God's Word. Now, this is vital. A week ago, Sara Zweigle talked to me and then sent me a link to a David Platt sermon on orphan care. And David Platt's church at Brook Hills in Alabama led out in orphan care in that community in Birmingham and began the radical ministry etcetera. And the sermon was 22 minutes long. I've listened to it three times. And he zeroed in on what it means to look after. It was just a word study. “Look after,” and he just went through the Bible, and it means to visit or go physically to someone with the intention of caring for their needs. It's not just to come and say hello for a visit or something like that. It means to go look after people in their distress, to care for them. And he went through all these verses and he ended up in Matthew 25, the sheep and the goats. And there it says, beginning in verse 31, "When the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, He'll sit on His throne in heavenly glory, and all the nations will be gathered before Him and e will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He'll put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. And then He, the King will say to those on His right, the sheep, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and," and here's the exact same Greek word as is in James 1:27, "you looked after me." You didn't come and visit me and bring me a card, you nursed me back to health. I was in prison and you went to visit me. And then the righteous will say, When did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? “When were you a stranger and we invited you in, or you needed clothes and we clothed you? When were you sick and in prison, and we looked after you? And the King will say to the righteous, I tell you the truth, whatever you've done for the least of these, you've done for me.” Then the goats, “He will say, depart from me, you who are cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger, you did not invite me in. I needed clothes, you did not clothe me. I was sick, you did not look after me, I was in prison, you did not come to visit me. And when did we not do all of those things? Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. And these, the righteous will go away into eternal life with the wicked into eternal punishment." We Are Caring for Christ What David Platt said in that sermon, is he said, "You know, we expect that when we go to minister to people, we're going to be Jesus to them." And in some sense that's true, but in the text, it's more of the other way around. When we go, they are Jesus to us, and that was very profound. What it said to me is the willingness that we have to have our lives disturbed, to have our resources upset, our time, energy, money, given to people that are hurting and needy. If we turn away from that, we turn away from finding Jesus in this world. We'll have a harder and harder time walking with Jesus just by reading the Bible and leading living safe, comfortable lives. It's only as we're willing to sacrifice to make changes, to go out and minister in various categories. "When we go, they are Jesus to us, and that was very profound. What it said to me is the willingness that we have to have our lives disturbed, to have our resources upset, our time, energy, money, given to people that are hurting and needy." Be Obedient in Service Now what's so beautiful about this church? There are so many of you that are doing this, this specifically, even in terms of adoption, or fostering, or prison ministry, or ministering to people from other countries who don't know anyone when they come here. It's happening, and I'm so grateful for your example, but the question each of us has to ask as we look in the mirror today, “So what's actually happening in my life? In what ways am I sacrificially living for widows and orphans in their distress. In what way am I actually being inconvenienced by the sorrow and misery of other people? And how am I living?” Other than that, if that's not going on, then we're just deceiving ourselves and our religion is worthless, but if on the other hand, we see God work in us and we don't talk back to God, we're not angry, we're humble, we're submissive, we're listening to Him, we don't get angry, we don't shoot the messenger, we just say, "I want this to happen in my life," he'll work it in you, and that's the beauty of Christianity. Whatever you want, you have a holy ambition right now, a holy, but I don't know what God's calling you to do. Everyone different things. I don't have a specific menu for you. The Holy Spirit does. He has gone ahead of you and prepared good works for you to walk in. So go find them. Don't be an ineffective hearer of the Word, but a faithful, obedient doer of the Word. Close with me in prayer. Father, thank you for the power of your Word. We thank you for what it teaches us. God, make us ready to hear. Help us to be ready to just take in your Word and take it deeply into our hearts and be willing to be transformed by it. Help us to ask hard questions. What things are actually happening in my life that cost me anything, that cost me time or energy, or money? What ways am I inconvenienced for, literally for widows, or literally for orphans, or for lost people, or strangers in our community. What ways am I willing to serve? And please, oh Lord, let us not be just doing the machinery of religion, but let us be a church in which your Word is bearing an amazing eternal harvest for your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Laura and Nikki recap a conference they got to do together the first weekend of January. Nikki's points: 1. Boldly Enter In 2. Found Faithful 3. Even So 4. Be Obedient

Examining OurselvesPsalm 19:12-14(Discovering God’s Will Together; #5) “But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:12-14) “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28) “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) “The awareness of sin used to be our shadow. Christians hated sin, feared it, fled from it, grieve over it. A man who lost his temper his temper might wonder if he should still go to holy communion. Our new language fudges: I’d just like to share that we just need to target holiness as a growth area.” Where sin is concerned, people just mumble now.”(Neal Plantinga) THE CALL A. If we are serious about Jesus, we’ll do anything to look more like Him “Search me, God, and know my heart; Test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) “Examination of the world without is never as personally painful as examination of the world within . . . yet when one is dedicated to the truth, this pain seems relatively unimportant.” (M. Scott Peck) B. “Spiritual examination” is bringing my whole self before God 1. This involves examination (naming our sin), confessing (owning our sin), repenting (grieving the sin), seeking forgiveness (reconciling with the offended) restoring (redeeming the offense), and being transformed (avoiding future sin) “The knowledge of ourselves not only arouses us to seek God, but also, as it were, leads us by the hand to find him.” (John Calvin) 2. Only through self-examination can we hope to grow closer to God THE CERTAINTIES A. The first truth is “God loves you!” B. The second truth is “We are broken people” C. The third truth is “We cannot fix ourselves” D. The fourth truth is examination/confession is a communal discipline E. The fifth truth is God’s grace is sufficient “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) THE CHALLENGE A. We all have a false self and a true self1. The false self is ego centric, guided by what we want others to think 2. The true self is focused on being the person God made and called us to be B. There are some traditional methods of self-examination: 1. Beatitudes (Eastern Orthodox Christians) 2. Lord’s Prayer (Roman Catholics) 3. Ten Commandments (Protestants) 4. Seven deadly sins 5. Twelve Step program 6. Awareness Examen: The examen of conscience (The Psalm 139 prayer) and the examen of consciousness – the search for God in our day [Jacob] “Surely the Lord was in this place and I knew it not.” (Genesis 28:16) C. An Examination (True or False)1. ___I say “yes” when I sometimes mean “no.”2. ___I get depressed when people are unhappy with something I did3. ___I need to have other’s approval in order to feel good about myself.4. ___I act nice on the outside even with people “I can’t stand!” on the inside5. ___I often remain silent in order to “keep the peace.”6. ___I believe that if I make mistakes, I am a failure.7. ___I criticized others in order to feel better about myself.8. ___I try to avoid looking weak or foolish if I don’t have the answer.9. ___I have to be doing something exceptional to feel significant10. ___I have to be needed to feel confident11. ___I tend to be fearful and don’t like to take risks.12. ___I often do what others want so they won’t get mad at me13. ___I use knowledge and competence to cover my feelings of inadequacy14. ___I want my children to behave so others will think I am a good parent15. ___I often compare myself to other people THE CONFESSION A. Our examen must lead us to God B. Our examen must lead us to confide in someone else“...confess your sins to one another and pray for one another...” (James 5:16) C. Our examen must lead us to confess to the one we sinned against D. Our examen must lead us to reconcile with community E. Our examen must lead to appropriate change THE COMMITMENT A. God is calling us to be a community that confesses its frail humanity B. Make time for self-examination and confession C. Find a trusted companion or two who will hold you accountable D. Be Courageous. Be Obedient. God is not through with you yet! E. Never forget. God’s grace is sufficient. By grace we are saved!

Intro: There is a big difference between a person trying to please an audience and a person who is trying to engage an audience with an important message. One says whatever the people wish to hear, the other builds bridges with the people to share an uncompromising message. We Need to Build Bridges with People 1. Take time to get to know their language 2. Take time to get to know their culture 3. Take time to establish relationships 4. Take time to hear their questions and issues 2. We Need to Have the Right Heart Attitude 1. The Great Commission 2. The Love of Christ 3. The Love for All People 3.We Need to Be Obedient to Jesus 1. We share the gospel when we have earned a hearing with a person 2. We share the gospel using our own story 3. We live the gospel in all areas of our lives Closing: So I need to ask three critical questions this morning: 1) Are we a bridge builder or a barrier builder?; 2) How is our heart attitude towards those who need to know Christ?; 3) Are we willing to be obedient to Jesus in loving people and having compassion for them?

Think Spot - 5th August 2019   As a Christian, you are to be a little Jesus! In your local communities, wherever you happen to live, work, study or be! You are to live a life of obedience, of and to, Jesus Christ! For you are being transformed by the Holy Spirit who lives inside you! You are to be totally and willingly obedient to Him! Obedience, not out of some kind of slavish duty or ritual, but obedience borne from willingly loving God and loving others. Imagine People will know you are a follower of Jesus, if you are obedient to Him, practically showing love to all! Imagine the community where you are transformed for Jesus Christ! Imagine your community filled with people seeking to know about our Jesus, because you and other Christians were sacrificing their time and possessions! Imagine the communities you are involved with wanting to give Jesus the glory and honour in every aspect of life! Transformation Transformed communities of people devoted to Jesus and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in bringing people back to God the Father! Loving God and loving each other as He commanded would help do this in your local community! Be Obedient! Be bold! Be strong! Be courageous! But you need to be lovingly obedient to Jesus Christ in both small and large things. Jesus said in John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." You will face pressure to disobey Him, even sometimes from those within your church. But if He has commanded you to do something for Him, you are to obey Him. It is far better to obey God and disappoint people than to obey people and disobey God. Go into this week, lovingly willing to be obedient to God! Trust in Him and ask Him for the strength to be lovingly obedient to Him. He will help as you ask! It can sometimes be very difficult to be obedient to God, particularly as some people, even other Christians, will try to get you to disobey. Be strong in the Lord! Be bold! Be courageous! Need help? Then ask somebody to pray with you! Then be prepared for opportunities to be lovingly obedient to Jesus – in small and big things! A prayer to help you this week. Father, help us to live obediently to you. May the Holy Spirit encourage us as we seek to live worthily of Jesus Christ, in loving obedience to Him. Father, it is in His name we pray and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Tap or Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file You can now purchase our books! Please do click here to visit our Amazon site! Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Be Obedient to God

Coffee and Conversations with LaKisha #583 Trouble Your Waters John 5: 7, Hebrews 11:6, Isaiah 62:6 1. Be Consistent 2. Be Obedient 3. Pray the Word, Remind God of His Word and Praise Him like you Have it! I… More don't own the rights to this music! ❤️LaKishaMJohnson.com Positioned to impact the world with a message of love and faith. Stay connected and subscribe! For daily devotionals: https://www.lakishamjohnson.com/devotionals Our podcast are now available! http://anchor.fm/justbeinglmj For exclusive content, inspiration, and past favorites: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXQpH5fkmiYgipbtKi7Wukw Thank you for your continued prayer and support! If you would like to sow and support us in your giving; see the information below. We are a 501c3 ministry. 1. PayPal.me/justbeinglmj 2. Cash App-$lmjministry *I Don't Own the rights to this music! *I Do Not Own The RIghts to This Music --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justbeinglmj/support

Candidates Sunday. Captain Clare Allman speaks on Acts ch 8 v 26-36,38,40 Be Obedient

As always, we must set the scene. Christians are those who have been raised up with Jesus Christ. Dead to sin and alive to righteousness. We’ve seen that true Christians put their flesh to death and live lives of virtue. We’ve seen that marriages look different for believers and families look different for believers. Today, we come to a third group and see how Christian faith makes a difference in the common relationships of our day. Let’s read our verses together and we’ll get started. Colossians 3:22-4:1, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” Teresa would tell you that I am a skeptic, sometimes even a cynic. I’ve never really been one to take someone else’s word for something. Maybe it is because I naturally do it, but I see questioning and doubting as beneficial and healthy spiritual characteristics. I see myself a lot in the character of Gideon in Judges. You know, God tells him to do something and he says that’s great. If this is really God talking then prove it by making the fleece wet while everything else is dry. Then God does it and he says, that was too easy, how about you make everything else wet and keep the fleece dry. I do that with God and I do it intellectually as well when I watch a movie or read a news story. I want to see things from other perspectives. I want to be well informed. When I bring my skepticism to this passage, I see that many teachers will just pass over the first word hoping that no one will notice and they just start talking about employee/employer relations. While there are principles which can cross the gap of time and culture, we need to deal with what is present right in front of us. I know that many people see this passage talking about slavery and the skeptic in them immediately pushes back and says this is a reason why I can’t trust the Bible. How can I trust a document that doesn’t condemn slavery as deplorable and unethical? Well, let me say that I appreciate your questions and I never want to gloss over them. Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor was a skeptic like me and she pushed against the sentimentality of Christianity, that desire to turn your faith into a comfortable blanket. Instead, she focused on the cross and believed that Christian skepticism kept us looking at the reality of what’s wrong with the world around us rather than glossing over it in the search for comfort. This is simply seeing things as they are and not how we would prefer them to be. O’Connor said that the cultivation of Christian skepticism is a sacred obligation because it keeps us asking questions. And questions keep you free, not free to do anything you please, but free to be formed by something larger than your own intellect or the intellects of those around you. I love the idea that God welcomes questions and doubts. God has never struck anyone down for questioning his words. He is patient to show himself to them. I have questioned God and I have doubted my faith. But I have found that even when I am faithless, he is faithful. He is strong enough to stand up to my doubts. Because of this, I have come to trust God’s word more than I trust anything. So let’s ask this question, Why didn’t Paul condemn slavery here and tell the slaves to revolt? I think it’s interesting to see in 1 Corinthians 7:21 that he tells them to leave if given the opportunity. Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11, There is no slave or free… you are all one in Christ Jesus. Even Paul’s chosen title for himself was not church planter, or preacher, or apostle. But he introduced himself and others as Slaves of Christ. In the Greek world, people saw the gods as these harsh masters who they were forced to serve, but Christianity answers that by showing God not as a capricious task-master but as a loving father. We have a God who frees from slavery. Remember Exodus? That was God hearing the cries of his people in oppressive slavery and coming to deliver them with his mighty hand. We have a God who hears the slave and the free equally. We have a God who himself emptied himself and took the form of a servant so that he might free those who were captive to sin.   But, let me be as honest as I can. Nowhere in the Scriptures does the Bible universally condemn slavery. There is not one verse in all of the Bible that says, “Slavery is evil and should not be practiced.” If you start looking, you will look forever. It’s not there. Not only is there not a blanket condemnation of slavery, but human beings are considered to be property. This is found in Exodus 12:44, Exodus 21:20-21 and Leviticus 22. Slaves within Israel were used to produce offspring for their infertile owners. You’ll see that in Genesis 16, Genesis 30 and also in Genesis 35. There is definitely the presence of a system that we would call unjust and unequal. Slave owners were permitted to beat their slaves without any penalty, provided that the slave survived. That’s in the Bible, Exodus 21. Biblical legislation contains inequality in the value placed on a slave’s life compared to a free man’s life. In the spirit of skepticism and honesty, I don't want to gloss over that. All those things are in the Bible, every one of them. As we talk about slavery, it’s important that we read this with 1st-century eyes, not antebellum eyes. When we see reference to slavery in the words of Jesus, Paul, Peter, or other New Testament writers, they were referring to Greco-Roman and Jewish Slavery, not the slavery of the pre-civil war American South, and there are some major differences. For you and me, our idea of slavery is built around European colonialism. What we think of when we think of slavery is the Africans being abducted or traded for in Africa and then brought over to work the cotton fields where they were mistreated and oppressed and beaten. That is our framework for slavery. It is accurate. But historically, the British were the last ones to get involved in the slave trade. And even when they did, they knew it was shameful. At no point did slavery really take root in England. It’s always distant from them. It’s easy to enjoy the sugar for your tea and your cakes and candies when you don’t take a moment to realize that the slave trade as we know it was built on shipping Africans to the Caribbean to grow sugar. The same Brits who enjoyed the sugar in their tea colonized the new world and realized that they needed cheap labor to grow and harvest the cotton and tobacco that would bring them economic prosperity. So they began to really build up the New World with slaves. That’s our mental framework for the word slavery. The problem is that this doesn’t help us at all with how slavery was viewed in the Scriptures. So let me just give you a couple of differences between colonial slavery and what the Scriptures are speaking to when they address slaves. And I acknowledge out of the gate that the Bible is clear that one human being can own another human being. But there are some pieces that help us process this and watch the line of redemption. So let’s go. An enslaved person generally could not be identified by clothing, ethnicity or socioeconomic background, whereas in colonial America, the slaves were Africans, they were blacks. If you saw a black in South Carolina in the 1700’s, he wasn’t in business. He was a slave. Slavery was marked by an ethnic group. That is not the case in the ancient Near East. Anybody could be a slave. You’ll see that more as we work through. Also, in the ancient Near East, the education of slaves was seen as a smart business practice. So slaves were educated by their masters, most times to the point where they are smarter than and more educated than their owners. Let me give you two examples of where this plays out in the Bible itself. Joseph was a slave who ended up being second in power to Pharaoh in Egypt. Daniel was a slave who ended up second in power to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. These were slaves who were so educated and so trained and so smart in how they did things that there was an acknowledgment among their owners that, “This is an extremely gifted individual. Let’s let him rise all the way up to the top if they can.” You’re not going to see that in colonial America. There is no black man who is a congressman in the 1700’s. But in the ancient Near East, it’s not uncommon to see a slave rise to an unbelievable amount of power to be able to own land himself and even have slaves that work for him. You had the ability to save your own money, purchase yourself out from slavery and then run the business with the slaves that you had purchased, whom you are educating. Because slaves were owned by persons across a range of economic levels, they developed no conscious awareness of being a class or a group of people. So in colonial America, they are almost exclusively black men and women who were dressed similarly, began to develop their own culture, began to develop their own class and began to look around and go, “We are an oppressed people.” Like Israel in Egypt, they began to sense the heavy hand of their master as a group. That is not the case in the ancient Near East, because you could be doing very well and have a slave as your neighbor living in a house nicer than yours and not even be able to tell by how they dressed, where they lived, how they walked or how they talked that they were a slave. This is because of my last difference. In the Ancient Near East, people often sold themselves into slavery to pay a debt or to avoid poverty. If they owed debts, they would offer up themselves to work off those debts. They weren’t kidnapped from another land and forced into labor. They sold themselves into slavery to cover debt or to learn a trade and make a better life for themselves. No African did that. No African went, “I’d like to try to survive a long six weeks at sea in the hopes that I would be forced into an ungodly amount of labor until I died. I would like that as opposed to running free in my homeland.” I don’t know that there is any historical record of an African going, “I’ll take slavery in the New World.” So, now that we can see that there is a difference between the default picture that comes to our minds when we use the word slavery and what Paul would have been thinking when he wrote the word doulos here in this passage, which gets translated all over the New Testament as either slave, servant, or bondservant, let me just go through a couple of biblical insights for you regarding slavery. Hopefully this will help you to see God’s overarching design to eliminate injustice and oppression once and for all particularly when one ethnicity suppresses and relegates another as lesser. First, holidays for festivals and the weekly Sabbath rest were extended to slaves in Israel. That was not true in other cultures. If you’ll remember the passages in Leviticus that begin to unpack the Sabbath and the New Moon Festivals and the Festivals of New Grain and Wine, it was commanded in all those festivals that the Israelites weren’t allowed to shut it down and party while the slaves continued to work. He said, “Everybody parties or I kill everybody.” So on the Sabbath, the slave gets off too. On the New Moon, the slave is off too. In the Grain and Wine Festival, they’re shutting down the field, they’re putting down the oxen and nobody works. They all celebrate. There were other areas in which they were treated differently, but as for holiday and festival observation allowances were made to ensure their inclusion. Second, you might have heard that Jews were not allowed to charge usury or interest on loans. This was an effort on God’s part to reduce the amount of slave debt and make it easier to pay back your financial obligations and earn your freedom. So, if I owed you $100 grand and I came and said, “I can’t pay $100 grand. Please don’t send me to prison. Please don’t have me arrested. Let me work off my debt,” you could not biblically go, “Okay, but at 20% interest per year.” You were not allowed to put interest on my debt if I put myself into slavery under you to work off a debt. That was also not the normal way of doing things in the ancient Near East. Third, maybe the coolest of all laws relating to slaves and debt were the time limitations and the year of jubilee. Hebrew debt-slaves were released in the 7th year and this seems unique. And all other slaves were freed in the year of Jubilee. If you go look at some old negro spirituals, they would sing about the year of Jubilee, because biblically the year of Jubilee was the year when everyone was set free. If you were a Hebrew slave, you were set free from someone else’s ownership of you. In addition to that, in Deuteronomy 15, the owner of that slave, upon setting him free, was required by God to give material assistance to the man or woman that he was releasing so the man didn’t go right back into slavery. So once again, this is vastly different. Fourth, limitations were placed upon the severity of beatings, and freedom was granted to any slave who was permanently damaged. So if you snapped and beat your slave to the point where he didn’t heal, walked with a limp or you hurt him in a way that he or she did not recover, then they were free and material assistance would be required of you. You would have to enable them, help them begin a new life. There’s one last distinction that I want to mention here. Israel was a safe zone for runaway slaves. So if you escaped Gaza, if you escaped Tyre, if you escaped any of the neighboring countries and made it into Israel, Israel had non-extradition treaties with any of those countries. If you made it into Israel, you were a free man or woman. They would not send you back to your master, and they would not enslave you when you got in. What you’ll see over and over again in the Old and New Testaments is the command put on God’s people to serve, to feed, to love and to embrace the alien stranger and sojourner. This is the slave that escapes oppression and lands in Israel. I love the picture that paints of our own redemption. Think of the redemptive themes when God says, “If you make it into Israel, you’re free. If you make it into My people, you are free.” This is a shadow of what is to come. So although there is no text in the Bible that universally condemns slavery as a whole, the colonial slavery that we picture and the modern day sex slavery that is going on is explicitly condemned by the Scriptures repeatedly. But there are some people who will use the fact that the Bible does not specifically condemn slavery as an excuse to not submit their lives to Jesus. The ironic thing is that as history progresses, we find that it is largely the influence of godly, ferocious men who, at great peril to their own lives and personal safety, preached the truths of Scripture, to not only end slavery altogether, but end segregation, to end oppression and begin to create an environment in which equality under the gospel of Jesus Christ is a norm and not an exception. In Britain, you had Christian men like William Wilberforce and John Newton who fought the system that has been created because they recognize that it is deplorable. Wilberforce specifically fought for fifty years against the slave trade. It cost him money, energy, political power and persuasion, but he saw it through to the end and died just 3 days after the law had been passed ending Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. So, with all that in mind, knowing full well that this passage is referring to the proper relationship between Christian slaves and their Christian masters, if we cross the years from Paul’s time to ours and change the setting from the Ancient Near East to America. Then we can see that much of the relationship between slave and master is echoed in our employer/employee relationship. And these same principles can be applied to the student/teacher relationship. There are obviously some key differences. Namely, that if I cannot serve in the way that God commands me to, I have the ability to leave a job and find another. So, what principles are there in the text for employees to follow? Be Obedient with Integrity and Sincerity Let’s re-read Colossians 3:22, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” First, Notice that Paul says “obey in everything those who are your earthly masters.” This is a reminder that while obeying the boss here on earth is important, there is another obedience that takes higher priority. We also have a master that is not of this world, that is not according to the flesh. Our allegiance is to the Lord God first and foremost. We cannot violate His commands regardless of what earthly authority figures including our employer’s demand from us. But as long as you are not asked to violate any of God’s commands, you obey your boss. How your employer treats you or how you feel about what you are asked to do is not an issue. 1 Peter 2:18-20 makes it clear that this is to be true even if they are unreasonable, “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.” We are not only to be obedient, but Paul gets into attitude again. Our obedience needs to be marked with both integrity and sincerity. Because the purpose of the Christian’s life is different from other people, the true believer can behave differently. If your boss wants you to do something that you do not think is best, then certainly appeal to them and ask them if they would consider something different, but leave the matter in their hands and make sure they know you will do it whatever way they decide. Don’t argue, don’t get mad, don’t sulk, don’t talk behind their back, don’t be disrespectful in anyway. Our quest is to demonstrate Christ honoring behavior regardless of any short term consequences to ourselves. It has become common for employees and students to give eye service as people pleasers. These are people that give the appearance of being a good worker, but the truth is that they shirk their work. They are the mice that play when the cat is away. The minimal work they do is a facade giving a false impression. You know the type. They use their company computer for personal purposes and to play games. I have noticed in the past that some computer games have a key that will quickly kill the game screen in an emergency such as the supervisor comes in. Interestingly this is often called the “boss key.” Christians are to approach their work differently. They are to be gracious even to an irritating employer and give the same diligence in following the boss’ directions and toward the work whether the boss is present or absent, good or bad. Why? Because the Christian works with sincerity of heart in fear the Lord. This not the crippling fear of fright, dread and panic. This is the motivating fear of respect that strives to honor and please. The next verse explains further. Work Like Jesus is your Boss In Colossians 3:23, Paul expands the net from just slaves to all believers and all types of work when he says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Christians are always to do their best because everything we do is to be service to the Lord. There are no sacred professions. Being a pastor is no more God honoring than being a godly accountant, lawyer, politician, or plumber. God instills in you your temperament, gives you spiritual gifts, allows you to be trained and equipped and by His sovereign providence places you where you are working and serving Him. The truth that you need to understand is that regardless of whatever you do to earn your paycheck, it is just as sacred and can potentially be of more service to the Lord than being a full time minister. What impression does your conduct and character make on unbelievers concerning Jesus Christ? Sadly, there are many professing Christians that bring shame upon the name of Christ because they act like everyone else and are men-pleasers. Consider as well that because it is the Lord that we serve, then He is our true boss and therefore we should do all our work heartily. What kind of job would you do if the product you were making was to going to be given to God? How would you treat your customer if it was Jesus Himself? What kind of work would you do if it would be the Lord that would grade your paper? How would you use your time on the job if Christ was your supervisor? If your labor would change in anyway in answer to these questions, then you need to change it now because the Lord is all those things to you. The Christian is to be a God pleaser, not a man-pleaser. You are to strive to do the will of God heartily, that is, from your innermost being – your heart, your soul. Everything you do is to be done as if it were unto the Lord for the reality is that you work for Him regardless of who signs the paycheck. Every Christian is a slave of God and righteousness (Romans 6:18-22) for we have been bought with the price of Jesus’ blood (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18). The standard of what other people do is never good enough for the Christian for other people are neither our benchmark nor our motivation. We go beyond the common to do the extraordinary because we are the Lord’s and He is our benchmark and motivation. We work for Him, not just mere men. Work for the Reward Colossians 3:24, “Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” The Lord is a better boss in all respects which includes His faithfulness to reward us for our work. I love the addition that Ephesians 6:8 adds, “knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.” This helps to even the playing field as we will see when Paul speaks to the masters about the fact that they have a master in heaven as well. It was very seldom that slaves would receive compensation for their labors much less just compensation, and it would seem that workers have always found something to complain about regarding their pay. In general, workers rarely think they are paid enough and employers often think they are paying too much. But the Christian is to work heartily as for the Lord because he knows that he will receive a proper reward from the Lord at the proper time. In other words, the compensation package should not be the biggest factor in choosing to take or keep a job. Jesus has already promised to meet the needs of His followers. We do not need to fret about the things we need for life. As Paul pointed out in 1 Timothy 6:8, “if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” Contentment removes us from the temptations and snares that come with the greedy quest to become rich. This is possible because Christians should be living with an eternal purpose in view, not just a temporal one. We are working toward and living for eternity’s reward, not just what occurs in the here and now. According to Jesus’ teaching, we are seeking to lay up incorruptible treasures in heaven, not on earth where they can be destroyed or stolen (Matthew 6:19-21). We understand that there is no profit in gaining even the whole world at the cost of your soul (Matthew 16:26). We do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31) including our work knowing that is the Lord that we serve and at the proper time we shall receive from Him the promised inheritance. God’s Justice is for Everyone As Paul transitions to speaking to Masters, he quickly expresses the idea that God doesn’t care whether you are rich or poor, slave or free, black or white, Israeli or Palestinian. Colossians 3:25 says, “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.” Paul’s warning here is not in reference to our salvation in Jesus Christ, for there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Jesus suffered the consequences of all the sins the Christian has committed when He died on the cross of Calvary as the price of our redemption that delivered us from the domain of darkness and reconciled us with God. This is a warning to workers who would do wrong without thinking about the consequences of such actions. Do not allow yourself to be tempted to do your work the same way everyone else does it. They will compromise moral practices in order to gain short term profit and advantage. They will eventually reap the consequences of the wrong they do both here on earth and in eternity. You are to work for the Lord from whom you will receive a better reward of an eternal inheritance. This warning is also for Masters, employers, and teachers. God is not a respecter of persons. If you are a harsh taskmaster and you mistreat or beat your subjects, then God will repay the wrong you have done. Masters are Servants too Paul’s final word on this matter is to Masters as a reminder. Colossians 4:1 says, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” And employer’s attitude toward their work is to be the same as we have already seen for employees. They are to be respectful and run their business and direct their employees according to God’s standards of righteousness, truth and honesty. Their first priority is also to be doing everything as unto the Lord seeking His will above their own. The employer is not to let his authority go to his head and feed his pride. He is to care personally about his employees and their welfare understanding that the business is for their benefit as much as it is for his own. The employer is to lead his workers without threatening them. I love that the word for fairly in Colossians 4:1 is sometimes translated equality. The employer may own the business, sign the checks and have the responsibilities, power and authority over what happens in the business, but they are equal with their employees in that they are also accountable to one who holds all power and authority – the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the case whether you have a Christian boss or not. Ultimately, there is no partiality with the Lord. He plays no favorites. He will judge all with righteousness and justice. The non-Christian employer should obey God’s commands out of fear of that. Christian employers should recognize that they too are slaves of Christ and they should oversee their employees accordingly because their purpose and goal is to please the Lord Jesus Christ in all that they do including their business. We all have the same Master. Let us be sure that we do all our work for Him, whether employer or employee, so that He is glorified.

Think Spot - 25th February 2019   As a Christian, you are to be a little Jesus! In your local communities, wherever you happen to live, work, study or be! You are to live a life of obedience, of and to, Jesus Christ! For you are being transformed by the Holy Spirit who lives inside you! You are to be totally and willingly obedient to Him! Obedience, not out of some kind of slavish duty or ritual, but obedience borne from willingly loving God and loving others. Imagine People will know you are a follower of Jesus, if you are obedient to Him, practically showing love to all! Imagine the community where you are transformed for Jesus Christ! Imagine your community filled with people seeking to know about our Jesus, because you and other Christians were sacrificing their time and possessions! Imagine the communities you are involved with wanting to give Jesus the glory and honour in every aspect of life! Transformation Transformed communities of people devoted to Jesus and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in bringing people back to God the Father! Loving God and loving each other as He commanded would help do this in your local community! Be Obedient! Be bold! Be strong! Be courageous! But you need to be lovingly obedient to Jesus Christ in both small and large things. Jesus said in John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." You will face pressure to disobey Him, even sometimes from those within your church. But if He has commanded you to do something for Him, you are to obey Him. It is far better to obey God and disappoint people than to obey people and disobey God. Go into this week, lovingly willing to be obedient to God! Trust in Him and ask Him for the strength to be lovingly obedient to Him. He will help as you ask! It can sometimes be very difficult to be obedient to God, particularly as some people, even other Christians, will try to get you to disobey. Be strong in the Lord! Be bold! Be courageous! Need help? Then ask somebody to pray with you! Then be prepared for opportunities to be lovingly obedient to Jesus – in small and big things! A prayer to help you this week. Father, help us to live obediently to you. May the Holy Spirit encourage us as we seek to live worthily of Jesus Christ, in loving obedience to Him. Father, it is in His name we pray and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Tap or Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file You can now purchase our books! Please do click here to visit our Amazon site! Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

  The post Be Obedient appeared first on Cornerstone: A Transforming Community.

Think Spot - 19th March 2018   As a Christian, you are to be a little Jesus! In your local communities, wherever you happen to live, work, study or be! You are to live a life of obedience, of and to, Jesus Christ! For you are being transformed by the Holy Spirit who lives inside you! You are to be totally and willingly obedient to Him! Obedience, not out of some kind of slavish duty or ritual, but obedience borne from willingly loving God and loving others. Imagine People will know you are a follower of Jesus, if you are obedient to Him, practically showing love to all! Imagine the community where you are transformed for Jesus Christ! Imagine your community filled with people seeking to know about our Jesus, because you and other Christians were sacrificing their time and possessions! Imagine the communities you are involved with wanting to give Jesus the glory and honour in every aspect of life! Transformation Transformed communities of people devoted to Jesus and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in bringing people back to God the Father! Loving God and loving each other as He commanded would help do this in your local community! Be Obedient! Be bold! Be strong! Be courageous! But you need to be lovingly obedient to Jesus Christ in both small and large things. Jesus said in John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." You will face pressure to disobey Him, even sometimes from those within your church. But if He has commanded you to do something for Him, you are to obey Him. It is far better to obey God and disappoint people than to obey people and disobey God. Go into this week, lovingly willing to be obedient to God! Trust in Him and ask Him for the strength to be lovingly obedient to Him. He will help as you ask! It can sometimes be very difficult to be obedient to God, particularly as some people, even other Christians, will try to get you to disobey. Be strong in the Lord! Be bold! Be courageous! Need help? Then ask somebody to pray with you! Then be prepared for opportunities to be lovingly obedient to Jesus – in small and big things! A prayer to help you this week. Father, help us to live obediently to you. May the Holy Spirit encourage us as we seek to live worthily of Jesus Christ, in loving obedience to Him. Father, it is in His name we pray and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Tap or Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file You can now purchase our books! Please do click here to visit our Amazon site! Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Think Spot - 25th September 2017   Welcome also to Monday and our Think Spot together! Obedient Life As a Christian you are to be a little Jesus! In your local communities, wherever you happen to live, work, study or be! You are to live a life of obedience, of and to, Jesus Christ! For you are being transformed by the Holy Spirit who lives inside you! You are to be totally and willingly obedient to Him! Obedience, not out of some kind of slavish duty or ritual, but obedience borne from willingly loving God and loving others. Imagine People will know you are a follower of Jesus, if you are obedient to Him, practically showing love to all! Imagine the community where you are transformed for Jesus Christ! Imagine your community filled with people seeking to know about our Jesus, because you and other Christians were sacrificing their time and possessions! Imagine the communities you are involved with wanting to give Jesus the glory and honour in every aspect of life! Transformation Transformed communities of people devoted to Jesus and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in bringing people back to God the Father! Loving God and loving each other as He commanded would help do this in your local community! Be Obedient! Be bold! Be strong! Be courageous! But you need to be lovingly obedient to Jesus Christ in both small and large things. Jesus said in John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." You will face pressure to disobey Him, even sometimes from those within your church. But if He has commanded you to do something for Him, you are to obey Him. It is far better to obey God and disappoint people than to obey people and disobey God. Go into this week, lovingly willing to be obedient to God! Trust in Him and ask Him for the strength to be lovingly obedient to Him. He will help as you ask! It can sometimes be very difficult to be obedient to God, particularly as some people, even other Christians, will try to get you to disobey. Be strong in the Lord! Be bold! Be courageous! Need help? Then ask somebody to pray with you! Then be prepared for opportunities to be lovingly obedient to Jesus – in small and big things! A prayer to help you this week. Father, help us to live obediently to you. May the Holy Spirit encourage us as we seek to live worthily of Jesus Christ, in loving obedience to Him. Father, it is in His name we pray and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Tap or Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file You can now purchase our books! Please do click here to visit our Amazon site! Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Hi Everybody! Today I get to meet the Fathers! Again. I mean, they were there for the ceremony investing me as an Archon and all, but still! I have an audience! I get to bask in their bliss and glory! And show them Mord too! Be Obedient, And Praise The Fathers!

Today one professor from the Ravencoast School of Divinity explains to the other about the fleeting properties of bliss. And the worthiness of whales. Be Obedient, And Praise The Fathers!

In today's women's bible study we talk about staying focussed on God and letting Him lead you into the path of your destiny.  Our guest speaker is Tyler Young.   Watch how much time you give to things in your life like, social media, tv, work etc. Some of this time could go to God instead. You Have a Spiritual Brand Uphold- Yes God! 1 Free Yourself from Distractions. Matthew 6:33-34 2. Make Yourself Available to God. You can't send God to voicemail or put Him on airplane mode. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 3. Consult Him in Every Decision That You Make. Are you really praying?  Psalms 118: 8, Jeremiah 29:11-14 4. Be Obedient. Why do we get so anxious in wanting our Blessing right now? Proverbs 3:5 5. Renew Your Mind. Wake up & be on fire for God. Proverbs 16:1-3, Phil 4:13 6. Know That You Are a Winner. Romans 8:31-39 When you first wake up go on a date with God. When you get dressed, put on God.  He's your best accessory to conquer the day ahead. Stolen Lunches is a bible study community of believers.  We love God and make intentional time ot be with Him.  StolenLunches.com

James 1:22 NLT Don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. Ephesians 4:25-32 NIV Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 1. Be Honest. Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 2. Be Constructive. Ephesians 4:28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 3. Be Kind. Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Proverbs 18:21 NKJV Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 12:18 NIV The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 4. Be Obedient to Gods word. Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Acts 5 1-42 Be Obedient 060511 by Dave Nelson

--{ It's Becoming Loud, Marx would be Proud: "You'll Notice Whistle-blowers Get No Thanks, Especially Employees Inside Central Banks, They Speak of Corruption by a Clique Of Transnational Bankers, Total Power They Seek Over Globalist Policies, and All Occupations, Eventually Eradicating the Memory of Nations, The Public to Be Obedient to New Superpower, First Based in New York in the U.N. Tower, Left Wing Leaders and Bankers Look to the Day Marx's Plan is Fulfilled, Nations Fade Away" © Alan Watt }-- Federal Reserve and Global Central Banking System - Economic Warfare - US Gold Shipments during WWII - Crisis Creation - Plunder of Bank Deposits for "Bail-ins" - ECB in Charge of Banking Supervision - Britain Must become "More European" - Total Integration of Europe - Elevation of "Experts" - UK Building DNA Database in NHS by Stealth - Eugenics, Genetic Testing, Risk Assessments - Ethnic Riots - Australia's Totalitarian Web Filter - French Tax Soars Over 100% - Private Contractor G4S - End of National Sovereignty and Culture - Agenda of Internationalism. (See http://www.cuttingthroughthematrix.com for article links.) *Title/Poem and Dialogue Copyrighted Alan Watt - May 24, 2013 (Exempting Music, Literary Quotes, and Callers' Comments)

Overcoming the Enemy - Our Counterattack (Part 2) 2 Chronicles 32 1. Pray 2. Proclaim 3. Prepare a. Proactively b. Preemptively c. With Partnership 4. Proceed a. With Humility b. Through Faith c. Be Obedient d. In Dependence Sermon: Pastor Scott Weaver

Bear fruit by being gentle1. Be Obedient 2. Be StrongTime:MorningMinister:Rev. W.B. SlompTexts:Galatians 5:23