Podcasts about because christ

Because Christ has come, you should set your hope in Him.Advent Series Description: Advent is the season of the year when Christians reflect upon the coming of Jesus. Our Savior's lowly incarnation & birth at Christmastime was the fulfillment of prophetic hopes the Scriptures had been sounding for centuries. In this series, we explore four key prophetic passages that reveal Christ and point to the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.To begin the Advent season, we consider the prophecy of Isaiah 40:1-11, a passage that encourages us to set our hope on Christ. Because Christ has come, you should set your hope in Him.

In this sermon on Leviticus 23:4–5 and Luke 22:7–20, Robin Kinstead continues the Thanksgiving for Jesus the Messiah series by exploring the meaning of Passover and redemption. He traces the original Passover event in Exodus 12, where God rescued Israel from slavery through the blood of a spotless lamb, and shows how this rescue anticipates the greater salvation Jesus accomplishes as the true Passover Lamb. Robin explains how Jesus fulfills the Passover meal at the Last Supper, establishing the new covenant in His body and blood, and calls the church to remember God's rescue with gratitude rather than entitlement. He also connects the Passover to the Lord's Supper and the believer's ongoing call to repentance, reconciliation, and holy living, reminding us that Jesus is not only the Lamb who was slain but the risen Lamb who reigns and will gather His people to the final feast in the new creation. 5 Questions to Think About: How does the original Passover in Exodus 12 help you appreciate more deeply Jesus' sacrifice as the true Passover Lamb? What does Jesus mean when He says, “Do this in remembrance of me” during the Last Supper (Luke 22:19–20)—and how do you respond to that call? In what ways might entitlement or forgetfulness lead you to lose sight of God's rescue and instead diminish your gratitude? How should examining yourself and pursuing reconciliation (as Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 11:28) shape the way you approach the Lord's Supper? What difference does it make in your daily life to remember that Jesus is the Lamb who was slain and the risen Lamb who reigns (Revelation 5:6–10)? 3 Things to Take Away from the Message: Jesus is our Passover Lamb — He redeems us from sin through His body given and His blood poured out (Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 5:7). Remembering shapes our hearts — God gives His people feasts and practices like the Lord's Supper to form gratitude, humility, and dependence rather than entitlement (Leviticus 23:4–5). Redemption leads to holy living — Because Christ has bought us at great cost, we are called to live reconciled, repentant, and set-apart lives until He returns (1 Corinthians 11:28; Revelation 5:9–10).

November 28, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: Table of Duties - To Workers of All KindsDaily Lectionary: Isaiah 2:1-22; Isaiah 3:1-4:6; 1 Peter 1:13-25“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:5–8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The language here is…challenging. Slave. Obey. Earthly masters. Just as you would obey Christ. First of all, slaves. Second of all, I'm not even great at obeying Christ in the first place, let alone sinners like every earthly master. I'm not going to parse the word slave and come up with a definition that's more palatable. I'm not going to wax eloquent on the working class that can't escape poverty. Almost all of you have someone in charge of you. That's plenty to talk about already. When one sinner has power over another, that doesn't naturally produce a sense of peace. Those kinds of power dynamics are easy to abuse. But Luther sees only gift. Vocation isn't just “thou shalt not rage against the machine.” The gift of vocation sees God behind all things. Even sinners who are your boss. Ephesians says to serve them as if you were serving Christ. Because Christ works through your neighbor. Now there are two things to talk about. First, if your boss abuses you, that's always bad. That's never good. God is not pleased by this sin. You can tell, not because He gives you the boss, but because He gives your boss the same Ten Commandments. Second, you can expect God to work good through your boss anyway. Think about it, as sinful as all of us are, and as prone as those power dynamics are to abuse, we have not descended into anarchy. God brings more good from these relationships than we have any right to deserve, but we can expect them anyway because He is gracious. When it comes to your boss, recognize that God wants to care for you through them. Your role as a worker, in whatever phraseology you use, is challenging. Because all of us, in an uneven power dynamic, would rather be God than the Christian. Repent, and recognize just how much good we receive because God, who is powerful, is merciful to us. He even wants to use your boss to make sure you're provided for. It won't be perfect this side of glory, but we can dare to hope because God, who knows your boss too, dares to promise good here. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In what You give us, Lord, to do, Together or alone, In old routines or ventures new, May we not cease to look to You, The cross You hung upon— All You endeavored done. (LSB 853:4)Author: Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.This new devotional resource by Carl Fickenscher walks you through each week's readings, revealing thematic connections and helping you better understand what is to come in worship each Sunday.

November 27, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 17:11-19Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 1:1-28; 1 Peter 1:1-12“[the lepers] lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.'” (Luke 17:13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today, we celebrate the blessed and historic feast of American Thanksgiving and try to keep the sarcasm off our faces. Pilgrims and Indians ate together, got along perfectly, and avoided arguing about politics. If you sprinkle some Jesus on it, there's a sermon in there about who you're thankful to. The problem is, I'm bad at it. All I can do is hang onto the losses. The what could have beens. I can come up with something to say at the table, but my heart just isn't in it most years. I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me a long list of stuff I can't list here because of word counts. This is most certainly true. Still, it's easier to find two things missing than all the ones there. That's why trying to be more thankful doesn't work for long. We don't need Thanksgiving sermons here. We need Jesus healing the least of these. Us. This is more than just a reminder to look on the bright side. Leprosy sermons aren't about feeling better with your lot in life; they're about Jesus helping people who can't help themselves. He's not with the worthy, but the outcasts, the unclean, and even helps those who don't know what thankfulness really is. Even the nine who fail to return are still healed. Because Christ isn't in it for the thank yous. He did it because He loves them. He bears the cross for them. And He loves you. It isn't measured in how many things you can list at the table to give thanks for. It's measured in the cross. Only Samaritan was truly thankful because thankfulness isn't halfhearted praise, but going back to the source for more. True thankfulness is getting seconds because that means more to whoever cooked for you all day than anything else. Go to the Thanksgiving Meal. The Eucharist. Communion. Then, go back for more. Thanksgiving is just returning to it over and over, heaping everything else that wasn't enough on a pile, and rejoicing in forgiveness and mercy for it all. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Even so, Lord, quickly come To Thy final harvest home; Gather Thou Thy people in, Free from sorrow, free from sin, There, forever purified, In Thy garner to abide: Come with all Thine angels, come, Raise the glorious harvest home. (LSB 892:4)Author: Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.This new devotional resource by Carl Fickenscher walks you through each week's readings, revealing thematic connections and helping you better understand what is to come in worship each Sunday.

As we head into a season full of special occasions, extended family dynamics, and old patterns, I've been thinking a lot about boundaries, forgiveness, reconciliation, and what it actually means to be self-sacrificing.  We all need better boundaries, especially with the people outside our immediate home during the holidays, because boundaries are vital for protecting our peace.  But so often, boundaries feel bad because we confuse protecting our peace with being selfish.  We get told to "offer it up" and "serve others," and while those are beautiful invitations, how we go about doing that matters just as much as the actions we take In today's podcast episode I explore the difference between harboring a grudge and simply being guarded, the distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation, and why you can forgive someone fully and still not want them present in certain spaces of your life. And how setting healthy boundaries to protect your peace can be an act of unconditional love. Because Christ calls us to unconditional love, not servitude.  Self-sacrificial love is intentional, it bears good fruit. If the fruits of your actions are guilt, shame, resentment, or emotional turmoil, that's a sign you might be acting sacrificial, not being sacrificial. And we talk sort through it all in today's value-packed episode! So, if you're wrestling with grudges, navigating historically hard family dynamics, and dreading the upcoming holidays (or even just homeschooling today), then grab your earbuds and join me for: Boundaries, Forgiveness, and Being Self-Sacrificial.   Celebrate the Catholic New Year with me! Use the (case sensitive) code: HAPPYNEWYEAR to take 20% off the Monthly or Lifetime Membership tiers of Happy, Holy Mama HERE!

Teacher: Larry Kim (Central Square Church) Text: Acts 2:1-8 NIV Guest preacher Larry Kim continues The Story series with Acts 2, when God fulfills His promise to dwell with His people forever through the Holy Spirit. With wind, fire, and the miracle of tongues, the Spirit forms the Church and empowers ordinary people with God's own power. Because Christ now lives in us, we're invited to live differently—rooted in God's promise, power, purpose, and presence.

Because Christ died and rose again, we who are united to Him by faith will also rise from the grave to be in the presence of God.

Main Point: Because Christ is coming again, be patient in suffering and steadfast in faithChrist is Coming Again (5:7-8)God will vindicate his people and give them victory over their enemies. That is a promise! But that promise is something we have to wait forBecause Christ is coming again, we don't have to vindicate ourselves or retaliate against our enemies. We leave the judgment to himBe Patient in Suffering (5:10)Be Steadfast in Faith (5:11)Because Christ is coming again, be patient in suffering and steadfast in faithPut Patience into Practice (5:9, 12)Waiting for the Lord keeps us from turning against one another in times of difficulty (v. 9)Waiting for the Lord keeps us from manipulating others to change our situation (v. 12)

This Sunday's Inspirational Message is:   The Preeminence of Christ Today we're in Colossians 1:13–20, one of the highest mountain peaks in all of Scripture. Paul takes us straight to the throne of the preeminent Christ—the One who rescued us from the dominion of darkness, the One by whom and for whom everything exists, the One in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, the One who reconciled all things by the blood of His cross. Here's the big idea we'll keep coming back to: Jesus Christ is supreme over creation, supreme over the new creation, and therefore supreme over every square inch of our lives. The proposition is simple and life-changing: Because Christ is preeminent in everything, we must gladly give Him first place in everything. During the next minutes we'll look at three points in the text: He has delivered us and transferred us (vv. 13–14) He is the Creator and Sustainer who holds all things together (vv. 15–17) He is the Head of the church and the Reconciler of all things (vv. 18–20) Then we'll land on some very practical ways this supreme Christ changes how we wake up tomorrow morning, how we face cancer or any other trial, how we treat our spouse, how we spend our money, and how we speak about Jesus to our neighbors. * * * * * Once again, thanks for joining us in our time of worshiping the Lord through His Word! If you enjoyed this episode and want to help support this ministry, please share it with others and post about it on social media. "Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. The music "Be Thou My Vision" and "Revive Us Again" arranged and played by Don Wigton. Used by Permission. 

This talk will offer an introduction to the principle that Christ is not a human "person" but is fully human. The first half of the talk will explore how this is expressed in the foundational Patristic writers (especially Cyril of Alexandria), and then the other half will explain why this principle is essential to understanding that salvation flows from Christ's humanity. Because Christ is the person of the Word (with his humanity) we are saved by union with the Word's humanity.

This talk examines the question of whether Jesus Christ possessed the theological virtue of faith and, if not, in what sense he can be called faithful. Drawing upon Scripture, and particularly the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, it argues that while Christ did not have faith in the proper sense—since faith concerns truths not yet seen—he nevertheless embodied its perfection through the beatific vision granted to him from the first moment of his conception. Aquinas teaches that faith and the beatific vision are mutually exclusive: one either sees God's essence directly, as in the vision of the blessed, or one believes in what is unseen. Because Christ, as the Incarnate Word, saw the Father immediately, he did not live by faith but by vision. Yet this vision was necessary for his role as the immovable and perfect principle of human salvation, the “author and finisher of faith” (Heb 12:2). The study further explores the Pauline expression pistis Christou (“faith/faithfulness of Christ”) and argues that even if read as a subjective genitive, the phrase refers not to Christ's personal act of believing but to his unwavering fidelity to the Father's salvific will. Through his obedience “unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8), Christ merited the perfection of faith without sharing its defect of unseeing. Consequently, his beatific knowledge grounds his perfect charity, by which he redeemed humanity. Thus, while Christ did not have faith as a wayfarer does, he was supremely faithful—the exemplar and efficient cause of all faith. His fidelity, flowing from divine vision and perfect love, ensures the faith and salvation of those united to him.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 7-10 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode for Friday, November 17th—day 321 of our journey through the Bible—Hunter invites us into a time of reflection, encouragement, and prayer rooted in Second Corinthians chapters 7 through 10. Together, we explore the themes of generosity, spiritual strength, and the source of true Christian living found in Christ. Hunter reminds us of the promises we have in Jesus, guiding us to cleanse our hearts, embrace holiness, and rely on God's power for a life that is both generous and resilient. Through thoughtful prayer and insightful commentary, we learn that we have all the riches and strength we need in Christ, empowering us to serve, give, endure, and heal. Prepare to enter a new day with God's word spoken over you, uplifting prayers for yourself and the world, and encouragement to walk in truth, peace, and hope—trusting in the deep love God has for you. Let's continue this journey together, discovering joy and strength in every step. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Do you want to live a life that is generous and strong? Can you afford to live a generous Christian life? Do you have strength to defend yourself against spiritual attack—or, forget about spiritual attack, just plain old discouragement, depression, or self-loathing? We all need strength to overcome these things, whether spiritual or otherwise. Paul reminds us in the previous chapters where our riches for generous living and the strength for our struggles come from. They come from the One who alone is rich enough and strong enough. They come from Christ. Christ in you. So, do you want to live a life that is generous and strong? Then Christ will be the source of your strength and the source of your riches—your heart partnering with him to serve, to give, to endure, and to be healed. Yesterday's reading sets this up for us: it says that God's power is working in us. And now, in today's passage, 2 Corinthians 7:1, we read, "Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. Let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God." So, what's the promise? It's the promise of Christ's presence in you. What are the earmarks of holy living? Generosity and strength. Because Christ lives in you, you are able to cleanse yourself from everything that defiles your body and spirit. Now, you have the strength and generosity to move forward and to experience real change. Because you fear God, because Christ lives in you, you have what you need. Can you afford a generous life? It depends on how rich you are. Do you have the strength you need to move forward? Well, that depends on how strong you are. How rich are you? How strong are you? If Christ is in you, then you have all the riches you need and then some. If Christ is in you, then you have all the strength you need and then some. And I'm here to tell you, Christ is in you. As John said, "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." So because we have these promises, we can live the Christian life. Let's be awakened today by the presence of God in you, your true life which is hidden in Him. You have been fully embraced in Christ just as you are in Him. You are a new creation, and because of Him, you can be wise and generous—strong. And the prayer of my own heart today is that we will all begin to see this just a little bit more today than we did yesterday. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family—for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

This week, Pastor John Durham concluded our Desert Rose series with a message from Mark 15, reminding us that Jesus entered the deepest form of loneliness so that we would never be alone. On the cross, He was forsaken so we could be accepted, and His separation allowed for our connection with God. Because Christ fills our loneliness with Himself, we can live with confidence that we are seen, we are not abandoned, and we are called to represent His love to others.

Because Christ finished His work for us, there can be no doubt that He will finish His work in us. Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 51-52 & Hebrews 9 

Because Christ, our Divine Warrior, has triumphed over all principalities and powers, we must stand firm in His strength, taking up His armor and persevering in prayer for the advance of His kingdom.

Because Christ has triumphed in the cross, no one can judge Christians based on those things that Jesus has fulfilled. The Old Testament regulations concerning food and drink and Sabbaths are a shadow of the body of Christ who has now been revealed. Although false preachers peddle practices that may look religious, any worship or piety that does not teach us to cling to Christ has no value. Only Christ, the Head of the Church, can hold His body together and cause it to grow and bear fruit.  Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Colossians 2:16-23.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit gracebrenham.org. “Letters from Prison” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that studies Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Even when Paul was imprisoned for the sake of Christ, the Word of God remained unbound. The apostle's letters from prison still fill us with the same joy that his chains could never silence. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

"If you knew what that man did to me..." Barry addresses the emotionally challenging (yet liberating) journey of forgiving your father. Tune in to discover what forgiveness truly is, what it is not, and why it is crucial for your personal and generational healing.Get some discipline! Join the FS100 Challenge by signing up today!FS Facebook FS Instagram FS YouTube Got a question? Need some discipline? Email Barry at barry@fatherseekers.orgTIMELINE00:00 How can I forgive HIM?00:33 Because Christ forgave you02:03 Misconceptions About Forgiveness04:34 The True Meaning of Forgiveness06:40 The Journey and Importance of Forgiveness09:11 God's Requirement for Forgiveness16:03 Practical Steps to Forgiveness21:08 fatherseekers.org--FatherSeekers helps fatherless fathers become better fathers.Get discussion guides, devotionals, and more at FS Website

“A Psalm to Help Us Pray” Psalm 20               November 2, 2025 Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn  Sermon Application [file]   ----more---- Psalm 20:1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! [2] May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! [3] May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah [4] May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! [5] May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! [6] Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. [7] Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. [8] They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. [9] O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.  I. The Nature of Psalm 20 II. This Psalm Points Beyond David to Christ III. Because Christ's Prayers Were Answered, Ours Will Be IV. How This Psalm Helps Us Pray 

there are certain things that only God can accomplish. Man has his part but it all depends on God.When you see people coming to Christ, then you know that God is at work for only God can save souls.Only God Can Save A PersonOnly God can draw someone to Himself.no one can draw any body to God.II. Only God Can Cause People To Seek After Him.Rom 3:10-1210 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.. Only God Can Convict A Man Of Their Sin.Only God Can Convict Someone Regarding Who Christ Is And What He Did On CalvaryWe can argue with an atheist all day but will get nowhere unless God is working in their heart. This is why prayer and evangelism go hand in hand.VI. Only God Can Convict The World Of Judgment.Because Christ bore our sins on Calvary, He was judged for us.Only God Can Bring Real Revival.

Because Christ has loved us with a self-giving love, we are called to love one another with that same kind of love in our daily lives. Even as we grieve the reality of death, we do not grieve as those without hope, for Jesus died and rose again. When He returns, He will gather His people to Himself forever, and until that day we live in love while we wait in sure hope.

Main Idea. Only the blood of Jesus brings sinners out of darkness and into fellowship with God. Question. Why do we need the blood of Jesus to have fellowship with God? 1. Because God is holy (v.5) 2. Because sin breaks fellowship (v.6) 3. Because Christ's blood restores fellowship (v.7) Takeaways (for walking in the light). Cling to Christ. Confess your sin. Live in fellowship.

Because Christ is God the Son sent by the Father and revealed the Spirit, we must give Him our whole attention and follow Him faithfully as Lord and Savior. I. The Declaration by God the Father that this is His Son! v 5 II. The Fear that Fell Upon the Disciples Because of the Presence of God in His Glory v 6 III. The Mediator and the Comfort that Comes When Jesus Draws Near! . vv 7-8

Paul's chains didn't stall the mission. They amplified it. Because Christ is his life, even death is gain. Today we see how God turns adversity into a platform for witness, how courage spreads through a church, and why motives can't mute the message when Christ is truly proclaimed. Our response: adopt Christ's mindset, speak His Word fearlessly, and take one step this week to make Jesus known (Phil 1:12–26; 2:5–11)

Jesus, though fully God, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant and going all the way to the cross for us. In His self-giving love, we see that true greatness is found not in grasping for power but in laying our lives down in service. Because Christ went down in humility, God exalted Him above every name—and in Him, the way down is the way up.

Because Christ has won, we do not need to fear the loss of what this world might take.

According to a NASA engineer, Jesus was coming back in 1988, then 1989 and he was wrong. Then Jesus was supposed to come in 2000 during Y2K, then in 2012 at the end of the Mayan calendar and then in 2020. How do people keep getting this wrong? Because Christ himself said ONLY the Father knows when it will all go down. The Stwrong1 has spoken… Kneel This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsplaining.substack.com/subscribe

Because Christ will certainly return at an unexpected time, His disciples must remain watchful and faithful, living each day in obedience and readiness.

Sunday, September 14, 2025 - Today, Pastor Mike titles the message: “Identity Determines Activity.” We live in a culture where identity has become one of the most confusing and contested issues of our time. People are searching—often desperately—for something to anchor who they are. Too many look to the wrong sources: past achievements or failures, the opinions of others, or the ever-changing standards of society. For those of us who are born again—washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, and standing on the unshakable Word of God—our identity comes not from man, but from God. Because Christ lives in us, the way we live—our actions, our character, our decisions—must reflect the identity we have in Him. Holiness is not optional. Obedience is not outdated. We are called to prove our identity to a watching world in authenticity and love. Come worship and study with us.

Sunday, September 14, 2025 - Today, Pastor Mike titles the message: “Identity Determines Activity.” We live in a culture where identity has become one of the most confusing and contested issues of our time. People are searching—often desperately—for something to anchor who they are. Too many look to the wrong sources: past achievements or failures, the opinions of others, or the ever-changing standards of society. For those of us who are born again—washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, and standing on the unshakable Word of God—our identity comes not from man, but from God. Because Christ lives in us, the way we live—our actions, our character, our decisions—must reflect the identity we have in Him. Holiness is not optional. Obedience is not outdated. We are called to prove our identity to a watching world in authenticity and love. Come worship and study with us.

Because Christ has brought us from darkness to light, we joyfully walk in his goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Summary In this sermon from Romans 5:9–11, Dr. Michael Easley explores the profound truth of reconciliation with God. Drawing from the story of Eric Lomax, a British POW who endured years of torture under Japanese captivity, Dr. Easley illustrates the unimaginable depth of forgiveness and reconciliation between bitter enemies. Lomax's eventual reconciliation with his tormentor serves as a powerful picture of the greater reconciliation God offers to us. Paul reminds believers that through Christ's death we are justified—declared righteous before God—and through His life we are reconciled, no longer enemies but friends of God. Dr. Easley explains the difference between justification, a legal declaration of righteousness, and reconciliation, a relational restoration to peace and friendship with God. Because Christ died for us while we were His enemies, we can be assured He will also save us as His friends. Dr. Easley challenges us to embrace the joyful confidence that comes from being reconciled to God. Our salvation is secure, not by our contributions but by Christ's finished work. As reconciled enemies, we are called to live with humble confidence, rejoicing in the love and grace of God who declares us righteous and calls us His friends. Takeaways Through Christ's death we are justified, declared righteous before God. Reconciliation goes beyond justification, restoring relationships between former enemies. Believers are assured they will escape God's wrath through Christ. If God loved us enough to die for us as enemies, He surely saves us as His friends. Our salvation is secure in Christ's finished work, not our own contributions. Reconciled enemies of God should live with joyful confidence and humble worship. To read the book of Romans, click here. Click here for other Michael Easley Sermons.

Because Christ has served us, we are freed and empowered to serve one another in love.

Send us a textGrace stands alone as the pathway to salvation, yet so many stumble by trying to add their own efforts to what Christ has already perfectly accomplished. This powerful discussion cuts through confusion to reveal why "faith working through love" is the only thing that matters in Christ Jesus.We begin with a sobering reminder—eternal souls hang in the balance when we communicate the gospel. The clarity of our message matters because people are choosing between eternity with Christ and eternity apart from Him. There's no middle ground.At the heart of our conversation is Paul's declaration that "neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything." This strikes directly at our tendency to add religious requirements to faith. But doesn't Paul elsewhere say "keeping the commandments of God" matters? We explore this apparent contradiction, revealing that while God's law must indeed be perfectly kept, Christ has already fulfilled it on our behalf. His righteousness becomes ours through faith alone.The most profound insight may be the simplest: "We are saved by works, just not our own works." Christ's perfect obedience is credited to us when we trust Him completely. This total surrender frightens our flesh, which desperately wants to maintain control and share the throne of our hearts. Yet in that surrender comes ultimate freedom.Because Christ has infinite worth, His grace has infinite value. This helps us understand why rejecting this infinite salvation has eternal consequences. The debt sin creates can only be paid by eternity itself, which means without Christ's payment, one would never emerge from that debt.Are you trying to earn what's already been freely given? Stop trying to fly by your own strength and surrender to the One whose perfect righteousness is offered to you as a gift. The throne of your heart was designed for one King alone.The Balance of GrayFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Growing In God Podcast Title: The Bread We Know Not Of   Web Description: Is it really possible to run without getting tired or to walk without becoming weary? That is not our normal experience, but it is God's. He is never weary or tired, and He promises to give us His strength if we wait on Him. Christ knew how to do this. The food that sustained Him was in His connection to the Father, and we are connected to the Father through Him. Isn't it time for us to learn how to draw from Him?   Show Notes: Isaiah 40 contains a familiar passage about waiting on the Lord. This passage tells us that when we wait for the Lord, we gain new strength. God wants us to have a new strength that is beyond any strength we have ever known because it is His strength. Unlike our strength, His strength never dissipates. Whereas the strongest and most vigorous human will grow weary, God never gets tired. He does not need to rest or eat because He always has energy. And this is the energy He has promised us if we wait on Him.   As humans we get our energy from food. But Yeshua (Jesus) told His disciples that He had food to eat that they did not know of. There is a spiritual food that He knew how to partake of. He knew how to connect with the Father's unlimited energy. In His weariness in the flesh as a human being, Yeshua reached into God the Father and was energized without eating natural food. Unfortunately, we do not know of this food, but we are supposed to learn about it. We are supposed to learn how to wait on the Lord and connect with the energy that God provides.   If we are not drawing this energy, then have we really learned how to wait on the Lord? Let us set aside any passivity or conditioning we might have and put the force of our faith behind what God has said in His Word is ours. Let us learn to walk in the spirit as Christ did and wait on the Spirit of God until He dwells within us. According to the Word, if the power of the Father that raised Christ from the dead dwells within us, our mortal bodies will be energized. We will run and not get tired. We will walk and not become weary. Let us reach into it. Let us learn to wait on the Lord.   Key Verses:   •       Isaiah 40:28–31. “Those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength.” •       John 4:31–34. “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” •       John 3:3–5. “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” •       Galatians 5:25. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” •       Romans 8:10–11. “He … will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”   Quotes:   •       “If we are really tuning into His strength, then it becomes evident to us that it is His strength. Why? Because it doesn't dissipate. His strength doesn't grow weary. He doesn't lack. He doesn't grow tired. All of these aspects of God's energy are extremely different than the human energy that we are used to.” •       “We have to be born into another world, into another relationship with the Father. That's different than just relating to Him at arms distance from this material world that we live in.” •       “I know I live physically by the food I eat. But is there a life that can come to me, and even come to my flesh, that comes through this relationship with Christ and having the Father—the Spirit of the Father—dwell within me?”   Takeaways:   1.    After many years of reading the Scriptures, we tend to become conditioned in our response to God's Word. And we might not put the emphasis and force of faith we need to behind experiencing what God is speaking to us. 2.    God promises in His Word that if we wait on Him, we will renew our strength. How real is that in our lives? Are we drawing on His power daily for a strength that never dissipates? Or is our strength continually dissipating because we look to our human flesh for our enabling? 3.    Physically we gain energy and sustain our strength through food. But Yeshua said He had food that was not known about on the physical level. He was energized and strengthened by His connection to the Father. Because Christ reconciled us to the Father, we can learn to draw that energy, strength, and life to our physical bodies.

Because Christ paid the ultimate price to redeem us, our love for him should compel us to put aside our old desires and live wholly for him.

Because Christ paid the ultimate price to redeem us, our love for him should compel us to put aside our old desires and live wholly for him.

Send us a textThe Reality of Our Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20–28)Death comes to us all — one out of one. And yet, Scripture declares that death is not the end. In this message, we turn to 1 Corinthians 15:20–28, where Paul shows us that Christ's resurrection is both the guarantee of our resurrection and the promise of His final victory over every enemy, including death itself.In this episode, you'll discover:Why Christ's resurrection is the “first fruits” — God's guarantee that more resurrections will follow.How Jesus, the “last Adam,” reverses the curse of the first Adam.The hope we have in the ultimate destruction of death itself.What it means to live with joyful submission to God, following the example of Christ.Because Christ is risen, we can live with confidence, hope, and assurance: there is more beyond.Support the showTo listen to my monthly church history podcast, subscribe at; https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com For an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

Doing something a little different than usual! A full verse-by-verse Bible study on the book of Colossians. This letter isn't just historical... it's prophetic. Paul wrote it to combat spiritual deception, legalism, mysticism, and religious elitism in his day… but it reads like it was written for ours. So that's what this is about digging into. In this in-depth teaching, we'll walk through every chapter of Colossians and expose: -The religious spirit behind Catholicism, Orthodoxy & legalism -The mysticism behind the New Age, asceticism & progressive Christianity -The counterfeit gospel of self, performance, and philosophy -And the TRUE supremacy of Jesus Christ over all creation—past, present, and future. Bring your Bible. Take notes. My prayer is that this one's going to equip you with bold truth in an age of spiritual confusion. Let's study Colossians together. :-) Because Christ is enough. Period.       Follow me on Instagram: @AngelamarieScafidi       -       Ways to Support the Show:      

Sometime in eternity past, God the Father planned to send God the Son into the world to fulfill a divine mission. God's Word tells us, “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). This was the great mission: to bring salvation to everyone. This act of God was done in love, as it is written, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). The Son agreed with the Father, saying, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38), and “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). When God the Son came into the world and took upon Himself humanity, He executed His mission flawlessly.   The divine mission began in time and space nearly two thousand years ago when God the Son took upon Himself humanity. The writer to the Hebrews cites the words of God the Son as He was about to enter the world, saying, “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says [to God the Father], ‘Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me'” (Heb 10:5). The third Person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, facilitated the mission by bringing about the hypostatic union within the womb of the virgin Mary (Isa 7:14; Luke 1:30-35; Gal 4:4). The angel Gabriel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). At the moment of conception in the womb of the virgin Mary, undiminished deity was combined forever with perfect humanity. Eventually, Jesus was born, and God “became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The apostle Paul tells us, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col 2:9).   God's Word informs us that Jesus was a Jew, born a son of Abraham, in the line of David (Matt 1:1), the promised Messiah (Matt 1:17). Jesus grew in wisdom (Luke 2:40, 52) and lived a perfectly righteous life before God and man. The record of Scripture is that Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Cor 5:21), was “without sin” (Heb 4:15), “committed no sin” (1 Pet 2:22), and “in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). In His humanity, Jesus walked in perfect conformity to God the Father's holy character and divine revelation. This is important, for Jesus' sinless life qualified Him to go to the cross and pay the ransom price for our sins (Mark 10:45).   When the divinely appointed time came for Jesus to go to the cross (John 12:23; 13:1), He went willingly (Isa 53:10; John 10:18). Just hours before the crucifixion, Jesus said to His Father, “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). Then He went to the cross and “offered Himself without blemish to God” (Heb 9:14), giving “His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus paid our sin debt by means of His “precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). While on the cross, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3), and He died in our place, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18; cf. Rom 5:8).   Jesus' death on the cross was a one-time event, as He “offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” (Heb 10:12). After Jesus paid for all our sins, “He said, ‘It is finished!' And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). Jesus' death on the cross satisfied every righteous demand of God the Father concerning the payment for our sins (Rom 3:25), for “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Jesus paid the price for all our sins. There's nothing more to pay. After Jesus died, He was placed in a grave and was resurrected to life on the third day (Acts 2:23-24; 4:10; 10:40; 1 Cor 15:3-4), never to die again (Rom 6:9). Because Christ died for everyone (John 3:16; Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), everyone is savable. The Bible tells us that God has brought “salvation to all men” (Tit 2:11), that He “desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4), and is “not wishing for any to perish” (2 Pet 3:9).   Once we understand who Jesus is, as God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14), and what He has accomplished for us on the cross—having died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4)—we can then exercise our faith by trusting in Him as our Savior (John 3:16; 20:31). To receive salvation, the unbeliever is told to “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31a). Jesus is the object of our faith. To believe in Christ as our Savior means we trust Him to accomplish for us what we cannot accomplish ourselves: eternal salvation from the lake of fire.   Faith in Christ is the only condition for salvation. Faith does not save; Christ saves. Faith is merely the instrument by which we receive the free gift of God, which is eternal life. Though the gift was very expensive for the Lord, it is offered totally free to us, for “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). And it is “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Only the empty hand of faith accepts the gift. It offers nothing but is open to receive that which is offered by another. God's gift is available to everyone, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). No payment is required from us to receive it (Rom 4:4-5), and no precondition of good works is necessary before, during, or after salvation. The only sin that keeps a person out of heaven is the sin of unbelief, the individual choice NOT to trust in Jesus as one's Savior. The one who rejects Jesus as Savior is judged by God on the sole ground that “he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). These are the ones who “are always resisting the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51; cf. John 16:8), who “do not believe” in Jesus as their Savior (John 16:9), and “are unwilling to come” to Him so that they “may have life” (John 5:40). Those who willingly reject Christ as Savior will, after death, experience eternal separation and punishment away from God for all eternity, for “if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). This need not happen. Hell is avoidable for the one who trusts in Christ as Savior, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Salvation is a free gift from God (Rom 3:24; 6:23), offered by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16; 3:26; 2 Tim 3:15), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), totally apart from human works (Rom 4:5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). For lost sinners, the matter is simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).   Our forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and many wonderful blessings from God are all made possible because God the Son came down to us and accomplished what we cannot: our salvation. For this, we praise God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for their work of salvation, for “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Amen.   Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

Because Christ has tasted death for our sin, His eternal reign has begun and the glorious destiny designed by God is and will be restored to believers. Psalm 8:1–9 (ESV): 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Hebrews 2:6–9 (ESV): 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

August 3, 2025. Pastor Zach Vaughn. www.machiasvalley.org. Text: Philippians 1:12-26   Sermon Points: 1) Rejoice in the spread of the gospel, however it comes about. 2) Because Christ is worth dying for. 3) And Christ is worth living for. 

Because Christ died and rose again, we who are united to Him by faith will also rise from the grave to be in the presence of God.

Because Christ is our Lord and the giver of all good things, we must not only reject the self-centered life of the thief, but must also embrace the self-giving generosity of Christ. I. God Commanded His Old Covenant People Israel Not to Steal from One Another! Ex 20:15 II. God is the One Who Gives What We Need to Glorify and Enjoy Him! Jas 1:17; 1 Tim 6:17; III. God Calls us as Christians to a Stewardship of Christ-like Generosity with our things Eph 4:28

Carl and Todd welcome Reverend David McKay to discuss his new book, A Spiritual Checkup for a Healthy Life with Christ. With over four decades of pastoral experience, David shares insights on spiritual health, the importance of living out our faith, and the role of the church in our spiritual journeys. But why does David advocate a spiritual checkup for believers? Because Christ has done everything for us, he is the foundation of our new life, we have been given a new life that now must be lived out; sometimes said, we are to become what we are. We are righteous in Christ…that needs to be worked out in daily, godly living and there's always progress to be made in our likeness to Christ. – David McKay Tune in for a thoughtful conversation that emphasizes the balance between grace and the call to live a godly life. This book is a really excellent tool for assessing the condition of your heart. – Carl Trueman We are pleased to offer three copies of David McKay's book, A Spiritual Checkup for a Healthy Life with Christ, to our listeners, thanks to the generosity of Crown & Covenant. Enter here for the opportunity to win. Sponsor link: https://www.logos.com/mos

Introduction: What is fasting? – Abstaining from food (and/or other things) for measured periods of time in order to heighten my hunger for the things of God. What Am I Really Hungry For? (Matthew 6:16–18) Am I hungry for ATTENTION ... (Matt 6:16) ...or am I hungry for GOD? (Matt 6:17–18) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 6:16-18What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What is the purpose of fasting? Why do you think that fasting isn't more common in the American church?How would you describe the spiritual benefit of fasting to a believer who has never done it?How would you respond to someone who says “Due to my health issues, not eating is impossible for me.”?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open your bibles to Matthew chapter 6.Are you there?Look, verse 1, "This is the greatest sermon ever preached,and here Jesus is talking about the heart of religion."And this is how this whole section starts."Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people.In order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."Jesus says, "Beware of trying to impress people with your religious acts.Beware of doing your church stuff in a way that you want people's attention."And specifically, Jesus goes after three things here.He goes after giving and praying and fasting.And you know, anytime that I teach or preach about fasting,I always feel like I'm playing from behind.What I mean is people recognize giving and prayingas normal religious things that God's people do.Those are kind of no-brainers.But fasting?Well, look at verse 16.Look at the first phrase. Jesus says, "And when you fast..."Stop there. "When you fast..."You know what that phrase tells me?That phrase tells me that fasting is just as expected as giving.Fasting is just as expected as praying.Let's bow our heads. I'm going to ask that you would please pray for me to be faithful, to communicate.A passage and a concept that's very simple and very hard at the same time.Pray for me and I will pray for you that our hearts would be open to receive what God wants to tell us today.Transform us, Father, by the power of Your Word.We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.Let's talk about fasting, shall we?Our culture is obsessed with food, have you noticed?Turn on the TV.If the commercial is not about a pharmaceutical, what's the commercial about?Food, right?Food. Get on social media.You'll find somebody took a picture of their hamburger.Right? We're obsessed with it.You know the thing that always fascinates me though?These eating contests. Have you ever seen those eating contests?You know the most famous one?Like the hot dog eating contests.How many people here show of hands have been in a hot dog eating contests?Nobody.They're like, "Well, Pastor Jeff, have you ever been in an eating contest?"Yeah.And I won.It was eating a pie as fast as you can, hands free.And I won.I won a shop vac.That is a true story.And I needed that shop vac to clean up when I got sickafter eating a pie that fast without my hands.There's all kinds of eating contests.A taco eating contest. I think I could win that too.Wings. How about this one?An oyster eating contest.How many people would be up for that?A couple of you would.All right, Pastor Taylor, game on.Or here's an eating contest.I have no idea what this even is.Slug burger. A slug burger eating contest.Does anybody know what a slug burger is?Anybody?All right.We'll have to Google that one later. Not now, later.But I'm always fascinated by these eating contests.This one caught my eye.There was one eating contest.It was eating a 72-ounce steak.Do you know how much a 72-ounce steak is?That's 4.5 pounds of steak.And I read of this woman.A 120-pound woman ate the 72-ounce steak.And then she ate another one.And then she ate a third in 20 minutes.And with that, she also ate three baked potatoes,three shrimp cocktails, three salads,and three buttered rolls in 20 minutes.I read that.I'm like, you put butter on the rolls?Doesn't that seem excessive?But there's TV shows all about food.Like, you see these shows.They have all these shows about cake.Have you seen this?And it's not just like, what's the best tasting cake?It's like, well, I made a cake that looks like a footballor whatever.And then there's these shows where they travel all over theworld and they eat these exotic foods from all over the world.And we're sitting in our TVs watching people eat.And then you turn the channel.And on the other channel is a show called My 600-Pound Life.We're obsessed with food.And we live in a culture where we are constantly, constantlytaught that life is about consuming.But how much talk is there really about refusing consumption?So with that horrible backdrop, we're going to talk about fastingbecause this is what the Word of God addresses.So what is fasting?We have a definition here.What is fasting?Fasting is abstaining from food and/or other things.We'll explain that in a minute.Extaining from food and/or other things for measured periods oftime in order to heighten my hunger for the things of God.That's fasting.Fasting measured periods of time in order to heighten my hunger for the things of God.You see, Jesus, when He talks about giving, praying, and fasting, that's reallythree categories of things.Giving has to do with what you do with others.And praying is what you do with God.And fasting is what you do with yourself.Right?So there's different kinds of fasting.There's a normal fast that's just no food.Right?There's a partial fast where you only have maybe vegetables and juice.And there's an absolute fast where you have absolutely nothing.But you can and should also fast from other things.And we'll talk about that in a moment.But primarily, primarily, biblically, fasting is about food.Well, speaking of biblically, fasting is mentioned more than 77 times in the Old Testamentand the New Testament.It is almost always connected with prayer.You see fasting throughout the Bible, different occasions, like for example, repentance.I'm guilty of this sin.I need to turn from this sin.I'm going to fast and I'm going to pray in my repentance.In the same line of thinking, fasting accompanies mourning over sin.My personal sin, the sins of our culture, our country, we should be mourning.And part of mourning is fasting and praying.You see fasting in the Bible is seeking God at critical times.We need to fast because I really need to seek the Lord right now.Think Jesus in the wilderness.Right?Think the early church in the book of Acts.Now when you talk about fasting, you always have the person that comes along and says,"Well, you know, Pastor Jeff, fasting isn't explicitly commanded in the New Testament."And that's absolutely true.But something we can't get around is this.Jesus obviously assumed that we would fast.I mean right here, you're going to see in this passage today, twice He says, "When you fast."He says it again in Matthew chapter 9 and verse 15.He's assuming that His people would fast.Oh, and then as I said, by the way, the early church did.They fasted.Fasting though, to clarify our definition here, we're going to make sure we understandwhat it's not.Fasting is not self-punishment.Okay?It's not self-punishment.Fasting isn't like, "I've sinned.I've messed up."You know what?I'm not going to eat because I don't deserve to eat.And like you're sort of punishing yourself.That's not what fasting is about.It's not self-punishment.But fasting also is not self-serving.Meaning somebody could walk away from this service going, "Oh, you know, Pastor Jeff wastalking about fasting and I could stand to lose a couple of pounds.So I'll fast."That's not what it's about.Fasting also is not a bargaining chip.Like I need something from God.Oh, okay.I'll fast and then God will have to give me what I want.Talk more about that in a minute.Fasting is not something that makes you holy.All right?Listen, fasting is not even about getting God's attention.Understand that.Fasting is not, "Look!Look at me, God!I haven't eaten!Look at me!Look at me!"No, that's not what it's about.Fasting isn't about me trying to get God's attention.God noticed me.Fasting is about me noticing God.You see the difference?Fasting doesn't make your prayer more powerful.Fasting makes you more focused.Fasting is what I do when I need my entire concentration, all of my being.Every cell in my body focused on God.That's what fasting is.Because Christ's follower, listen, I know, I know, you want to focus on God.You do.But the problem is sometimes, if we're honest, and we should be, we want to focus on God,but sometimes we want other things more.You're like, "What do I do when what I know I should want is not the thing that I'm goingafter?What do I do?"You fast.Fasting is stopping the feeding of ourselves with other things to focus only on our relationshipwith God.Because here's the reality.Every day, every day of your life, you have the capacity to only consume so much.The capacity that you have to satisfy yourself is limited.Here's what I mean.Let's let this table here, this tabletop, let's let this represent you.Let this table represent you, your heart, your spirit.You realize every day of your life, you are filling yourself up with stuff.Now obviously as we talk about fasting, one of the things that we fill up, we satisfy ourselveswith is food, right?This isn't just life.This is mighty life, cereal.That's how we roll in our house.We fill ourselves up with food.I need to tell Aaron we need to get more pretzels.But we fill ourselves up.We're filling ourselves up.But it's not even just food, right?Think of how much stuff we fill ourselves with every day.For some of us, maybe it's sports.Like I'm on the church softball team, right?That's one of the things that I'm filling myself up with.I'm consuming myself with every day.Maybe it's not even just eating the food.Maybe it's preparing the food.So we have our magazine with the latest recipes and we're filling ourselves up with this stuff.Maybe some of us, we like to grow our food in the garden.We have our seeds here, right?But maybe we're filling ourselves up with that.What else are we filling our hearts, our minds, our souls with?For some of us, we're like, "Well, I've got to do my recreational reading, right?So I've got to make sure I get that into me."And oh, here's more seeds.And for some of us, it's like, "Well, I like to paint, so I've got to take time out."That's something that I fill myself up with, a hobby that I do.For some of us, it's exercise.You've got to make sure you get your reps in, right?Right, Dr. Andrew?We've got to make sure that we get our exercise in.That's something else.This is 6.6 pounds.That's why I'm so ripped.The first service last one, I said that.Can you believe those jerks?For some of us, you're on the golf course, right?That's something that we fill ourselves with, right?For some of us, maybe you're a gamer.You spend time during the day playing your video games.It's something you're consuming.I don't mean to show off, but this is Pac-Man from PlayStation 2.Not the old PlayStation.This is PlayStation 2.That's cutting edge, right?We fill ourselves up.Do you see where we're going with this?We're constantly filling ourselves.Oh, and it's not even just that, because we've got to make sure we entertain ourselves, right?With movies.This is a DVD.I had to explain to the first service what a DVD was.Before streaming, this is a shiny circle that you stick in a machine that plays a movie.This particular one was a gift.It's called The Masked Saint.It's about a pastor who becomes a pro wrestler.Have you ever heard such a stupid thing?But we've got to get our intake of entertainment, right?Do you see how much stuff we're taking in?Do you see?That's not it.How much time do we spend on our computers?We've got to get that in, don't we?Am I forgetting anything?Oh, yeah.How about this little guy?How much time a day do we spend filling ourselves with content from this?Do you see the point over the course of a day how much are you filling yourself with?Your body, your mind, your belly, your spirit, you're constantly, constantly, constantly,constantly consuming.Now, we're going to let this glass cross represent our walk with Jesus.This represents your relationship with Jesus Christ, your personal walk with Him.Now, do you see a problem?We have to...Well, that's...You see a problem?Now we're so full of stuff that we don't have any room left for the thing that really matters.And that's our walk with the Lord.So do you see the purpose of fasting?You know, if fasting does...Fasting just...Fasting takes everything off the table and says the only thing that I'm going to focuson is my walk with Christ.The only thing that my heart, my mind, my attention is getting is my personal walk withthe Lord.That's the purpose of fasting.So on your outline, I want you to draw a couple of things down here.The question is, what am I really hungry for?What am I really hungry for?Number one, am I hungry for attention?Am I hungry for attention?Right?Look at verse 16.Jesus says, "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they just figuretheir faces that they're fasting may be seen by others.Truly I say to you, they have received their reward."Am I hungry for attention?Jesus calls out to Pharisees.He says, "When they fast, they look gloomy.They disfigure their faces."You know the Pharisees in Jesus, they fasted twice a week.Like, why did they do that?Well, that wasn't commanded in the Old Testament.Like, well, why did they do that?Jesus tells us why they did that.They were putting on a show.That's why.He tells us that they may be seen by others.Actually, the Pharisees in Jesus, they would literally put ashes over their eyes becausethey were all in on the performance.They wanted to make sure that people knew.And when people knew that they were fasting, they were like, "Oh, you don't look so good.What's going on?Well, I'm fasting."You're fasting?Wow.Wow, you are really, you're a really devoted believer.You're a really religious person.Wow.Wow.And that little pat on the back there, that little, as Pastor Taylor calls it, the attaboy, that little thing, Jesus goes, "There's your reward."Have fun with that.It's like giving.It's like praying.We can become tempted to fast with the wrong motive.See, the fasting is supposed to be about seeking God, not human applause.And look, let's just be real.We love the attention.There is something deep down in every one of us that loves the attention, and that'sthe problem with hypocrisy.The problem with hypocrisy is it works.I mean, we've all been there.Someone makes a comment about how devoted we are.Someone sees how religious we must be, and we start to feel pretty good about ourselves.Jesus says, "Beware."Beware.Like, well, what about corporate fasting?I mean, others have to know about that, right?Well, yeah, there's New Testament examples of corporate fasting, Acts chapter 13, Actschapter 14.Now look, here's the thing with that.It's not about whether or not other people know.It's about whether or not you want them to know.See the difference?There's a difference between being seen fasting and fasting in order to be seen.That's how it is with corporate fasting.That's how it is with private fasting.When I fast, I tell Aaron, "Why?"Not because I want her applause, but because she feeds us, right?Oh, and by the way, it'd be a pretty impossible thing for me to hide from her, right?She's going to notice if I go days without eating.The point Jesus is driving us to is the motives.The motives.It's a hard issue.It's the same as giving, and it's the same as praying.It's the same point if you're looking for praises from man, don't look for anything from God.So what am I really hungry for?Am I hungry for attention?Or am I hungry for God?According to verses 17 and 18, Jesus said, "But when you fast, anoint your head and washyour face that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your Father who is in secretand your Father who sees in secret will reward you."So here Jesus is saying, "Look, on the other hand, instead of making yourself look likeyou're dying, anoint your head and wash your face."Oh, by the way, it goes without saying, right?You don't make that a show, right?Like I shouldn't come to church and catch you in the men's room at the sink washing yourface.Like, "Joe, why are you washing your face?"Oh, I'm fasting and being obedient to our Lord.Like you could make that a show.Obvious point, right?Jesus says don't leave any physical clues that you're fasting.It's like giving, it's like praying, make it a secret, make it between you and God.And He sees and He rewards according to Jesus.He rewards.Listen, reward does not mean, reward does not mean that God owes you one now.Like look, God, I starved myself for you.I sacrificed eating for you, God.No, you have to do what I want.Look, God never works like that.Do you realize anything at all that we have from God is grace?It's all grace.Your salvation in Christ, believing that Jesus died for your sins, believing He rose to giveyou eternal life.If you've received Him, if you are saved, it is only by the grace of God that you aresaved.The gift of the Holy Spirit, God indwelling His people.It's a gift.It's grace.You know, God does not run a swap meet.To say, you do for me, then I do for you.That's not how it works.And that's not how it works with fasting.So like, what is the reward?The reward is connecting with God.The reward is connecting with God because you're seeking Him in a very deliberate way.You have taken off anything else that could distract you because you want to focus solelyon your relationship with Him.And someone would say, "Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, time out."You're telling me that if I choose not to eat or I choose to abstain from other thingsand instead use that appetite and use that time to seek the Lord, you're telling me thatif I do that, that something spiritual will happen.Yeah.Yeah, that's exactly what I'm telling you.Look, I know I could never fully explain it.And it's hard to understand, but you will understand it if you do it.If you do it for the right reason.That's what I want to encourage you.I'm sure there are people here that have never fasted for spiritual reasons in their lives.I want to encourage you to try it.Can you just, as a simple act of obedience, as a simple God, this is what your Word said,so I want to respond in obedience.Can you do that?Now look, you can modify.Like maybe you say, "You know what, I've never done this before, but this week I'm goingto take a few days and I'm going to skip lunch."And instead of eating at lunchtime, I'm going to spend that time reading a passage fromGod's Word and praying to God.I'm going to do that instead this week.Can you do that?You can do that.Or maybe you say, "You know what, I've never had an extended fast, but this week I'm goingto spend one day.I'm going to spend just two days with nothing but water, and instead I'm going to seek theLord over something very specific."You can do that.Because look, if you're sitting here going, "Oh, I hear what He's saying, but you knowwhat, I don't know if I could skip a meal.Like I don't know.I don't know if I could go without eating."Well, that might be a commentary on which appetite really controls you.Are you hungry enough for God that you're willing to forego consuming food and/or otherthings to focus solely on seeking Him?Because if you're finding that focusing on your walk with Christ has been difficult.If you're finding that lately you really haven't had much of an appetite for prayer that youknow you should.If you're finding like, "In this chapter of my life right now, this season of my lifethat I'm in, I haven't really been seeking the Lord as I know He calls me to."If any of these describe you, I want to encourage you to use this gift that God has given andredirect your appetite.This is the heart of religion.God wants your heart.And true religion comes from a heart that wants God.I'm sure some of you have picked up on this, which you realized for the last three weeksbetween Pastor Taylor and I.We've basically preached the exact same sermon three times.Why?Because our goal is to represent the text and really it's the exact same formula inall three things that the Lord calls us to.It's the same sermon.Here it is.If you give, pray, or fast in order to be seen by others, you're going to miss God's reward.But if you do them in secret, God sees in secret and He will reward you.Oh, and there are rewards for a faith that says, "I'm not looking for man's applause.All I'm looking for is God's reward."And with fasting, God is the reward.Let's pray.Father in heaven, we confess before you as a church that we don't seek you as we shouldtoo often.The Father, we've allowed other things to crowd our hearts and our minds and our bellies.We very diligently distract ourselves from what's most important.So Father, I pray that we would be hit with, for some of us it's an old concept that weneed renewed.And for some I'm sure this is a brand new concept.Father, let us take a serious and honest and hard look at your word and that we would fastas our Lord assumed that we would, but with motives that honor you.Father put it in our hearts and minds.Make us feel how desperately we need you.Let us match that desperation with how hard we seek after you.We pray in Jesus' name.

Text: Romans 8:1-11   Freedom From Slavery (v.2) Former law, Mosaic law, was never meant to save us. Former law was meant to point to our need for a savior. Freedom From Condemnation (v.3) God knew the former law was unable to save us. In response, He sent His Son to us to do what the law could not do. Freedom From Being Controlled (v.4) Because Christ is in us and we are in Christ, all of God's requirements are fulfilled in us. We must live out who we are in Christ, not by doing good works in itself, but, by focusing on what God has done. Freedom From Defeat (v.5-8) Paul is comparing the saved and the unsaved. One lives for the flesh and the other The Spirit. Living a life for the flesh IS death. If you are unsaved, you are not battling sin. If you are fleshly, then you are trying to please yourself, not God.

Being intentional seems to be a consistent hallmark of followers of Christ. Because Christ is our best example of intentionality. Intentionality is defined as being deliberate or purposeful. How about you? How are you working with intentionality today? In the office, with your co-workers, intentionally representing Christ and showing His love and patience to everyone you come in contact with? Most days we may just be unconsciously going through our work day. We invite you to begin today by going before the father and asking Him: "Here's all I have, what do YOU want me to do with it today? What is YOUR priority today, Lord?" And then living that out as we step into our work, and every other place our feet may wander. 

Micah Klutinoty in week 55 of the Behold the Lamb series in John 16:25-33 Through John 16:25-33, we see that Jesus came to restore true peace between God and man—not by removing tribulation, but by overcoming it. Through Jesus, we can know the Father personally, worship Him freely, and find peace even when our faith is tested. Because Christ has overcome the world, we are never alone and can live in unshakable peace by abiding in Him, taking courage, expecting trials, and bringing our anxieties to Him.

Because Christ suffered all, we don't have to suffer alone.

Because Christ rose from the grave, God's children are forgiven. No one can successfully bring a charge against those who are in Christ.