Podcasts about christian are

The punch-line with this episode is that it's actually not at all about why we should “live and let live,” but actually quite the opposite.   Episode 19 of Heaven & Healing Podcast is about why Christians must be bold in standing against “live and let live” and not be gaslit by New Agers, secularists or the woke mob by being told we ‘need' to be respectful of others and ‘stop trying to force' our beliefs on them; this episode is an encouragement to believers to be bold in their faith and unashamed in proclaiming the gospel of Christ as THEE universal, objective truth.   As a Christian: Are you constantly worrying about what friends, family, loved ones, acquaintances will think about you for speaking on Christianity? Do you feel backed into a corner when you try to expose spiritual darkness and are met with angry responses that demand you be more kind to others? Do you sometimes think that it's innocuous enough if others' just live how they want/love how they want/practice what they want so long as they are happy and seemingly harmless? In this discussion, I reflect on my personal experience with persecution and use biblical context to explain why it's to be expected and why we can delight in it when it happens. I talk about the inconsistencies of logic that New Age spiritualists & secularists use when it comes to their ideologies, why relative truth cannot exist, human rights that we think we're entitled to vs. Creator right's that God Almighty IS entitled to, how it IS actually loving to tell the truth, satanism of self-idolatry disguised as compassion and why, when you unpack the beliefs against opposing worldview, Christianity is indeed solid as a rock.   I will not be in the business of partnering with darkness for the sake of being ‘tolerant, accepting and nonjudgmental;' I will continue to speak out on the falsity of other religions/beliefs in affirming that Jesus is the True Way, and I pray the same confidence in faith for you.   Don't let them make you feel crazy. Don't let them beat you down with inclusivity. Don't go out of your way to insult someone — but don't feel guilty if you insult someone for being honest.   Live and let live doesn't save anyone.   +DONATE www.donorbox.org/heaven-healing-podcast-ministry +VENMO @angelamarieucci +INSTAGRAM @angelamarieucci

Christian: Are you conscious in your Christianity? Are you aware of your witness and impact upon others around you? Be it with potential idols or anything else, in all that you do, do it for the glory of God!

THE CODE FOR EXTRAORDINARY BELIEVERS: CULTIVATING THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD ••• Bible Study Verses: Genesis 37, 1 Samuel 3.20, 1 Samuel 18, 1 Sam 28.5-19, Judges 16.4-21, Exodus 33.15, 2 Cor. 6.17. “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labor is to remember, to attend … in fact to come awake. Still more, to remain awake” C.S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer † “...Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13, NKJV What did Hanna pray for? Why did King Saul invite David into the palace? How did ordinary people become extraordinary people and do extraordinary things? What are 3-indications that one has cultivated the presence of God in their life? Why did Moses ask for the presence of The Almighty God? What is the difference between a successful and unsuccessful Christian? What causes life to fall apart quickly? Who was the witch of Endor and why was she so fearful? What are 4-reasons why we need the presence of The Almighty God? Where have biblical Christians been translated to? What are 5-reasons why so many Christians are not living in the presence of The Almighty God? In Nigeria, what type of person cannot be a Christian? Are you praying for a life of living in the presence of The Almighty God? Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounters Radio Podcast originally aired on October 31st, 2020 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible. This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it’s mission through prayer and support. Thank you. Study Guides at: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes COVER ART CREDIT: Photo by Markus Spiske, art direction by gil on his mac. † Source: https://worldlysaints.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/c-s-lewis-on-the-presence-of-god/ Podcaster Website: http://www.lifelonganointing.com/FERP201031 Episode #144 GOT201031ep144 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you a religious person? Are you a Christian? Are they the same thing?

Are you a Christian? Are you part of the Church, the Body of Christ? Do you have this grand destiny of being a mature person, of measuring up to the fullness of Christ? Then, move toward that destiny which requires that you stop being a spiritual child.

Titles can be confusing, especially when it comes to different "religions." What's the big deal about whether someone is Catholic or Christian? Are they one in the same? In this episode, we talk about the importance of understanding what the Bible says about salvation and why that really matters.

Sermon - The Christian in the World - Matthew 5-13-16-1- Identity--2- Purpose--3- Danger--4- Result--Digging Deeper- --How does the context of this passage help describe what it looks like to be salt and light----What does this text imply about the condition of this world- Where else is that taught in Scripture----It has been well said that one of the main exhortations in the Christian life is to -be who you are.- How is this passage another example of that----What dangers do we see in this text for the Christian- Are those dangers present in your life----What opportunities is God giving you to be salt and light- Pray for grace and courage to live that out.---Other passages to consider- Ps 27-1- Isa 42-6- 49-6- Mt 4-16- Jn 8-12- Eph 5-8-9- Phil 2-15- 1 Pet 2-9-15- I Jn 1-5

How does a young boy with a promising future become a thief and a junkie and how does he turn his life around? That's today's episode of Bleeding Daylight.Jacob Hill was a straight A student with a dream of winning Olympic gold, but his life took a number of unexpected turns, including crime, drug addiction and coming very close to death. Some would say it's a miracle that Jacob is alive today. How did such a talented young man fall so far and how did he turn his life turn around? Today he's a husband, father, author and pastor. Jacob is my guest for this episode of Bleeding Daylight.   Jacobs's Book - Kids at War: The Battle of AddictionJacob's Website - http://JacobHill.org Jacob on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jacobhillofficialpage TRANSCRIPTEmily Olsen Wherever there shadows there are people ready to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight. This is bleeding daylight with your host Rodney Olsen. Rodney Olsen  0:19 How does a young boy with a promising future become a thief and a junkie and how does he turn his life around? That's today's episode of Bleeding Daylight. Jacob Hill was a straight A student with a dream of winning Olympic gold, but his life took a number of unexpected turns, including crime, drug addiction and coming very close to death. Some would say it's a miracle that Jacob is alive today. How did such a talented young man fall so far and how did he turn his life turn around? Today he's a husband, father, author and pastor. Jacob is my guest for this episode of Bleeding Daylight.  Welcome. Jacob Hill  1:07 Thanks so much for having me, Rodney. Rodney Olsen  1:08 I want to get to know the eager young boy who had such an amazing life stretched out ahead of him. Tell me about those early years. Jacob Hill  1:16  Oh gosh. Probably my biggest memory of the sort of the overarching sort of feeling like I carry from my childhood is like you said eager. Like I was just I loved life and life was was good. My parents were amazing and I was taught that I could do anything and the results I was producing was showing it and I just had such a confidence that whatever I put my hand to was gonna succeed at, and so yeah, I just had this is so excited for life and so excited for the future. Rodney Olsen  1:52 So you studies were going well, and you're also excelling at sport. Jacob Hill  1:56 So it didn't start out good in school like I look back, it's probably like ADD or dyslexia or something. I remember like every single recess I'd be kept into the finish work off and homework was nightmare but then at some point it sort of clicked and I ended up finishing primary school with straight As pretty much and then High School on a sports scholarship. I was like champion of athletics right through school, I was captain and more school hockey team and the factions and all of that, and the icing on the cake was we went away to high school and hockey scholarship, and we're training at the Commonwealth hockey stadium the big stadium here in Perth four times a week, twice with school, twice with my club playing there on the weekends and sometimes during the week, we'd actually have the Australian hockey team on the other end of the pitch and that was crazy. Like literally seeing my dream like my dream was to play hockey for Australia and literally get to shake hands with like my dream. it was in my mind, it was very, very done. Rodney Olsen  2:53 So when it came to hockey, what was your biggest dream? Jacob Hill  2:56 A gold medal. That was that was it. The Australia Kookaburras at that point had won a silver medal. One of the guys played for my club and putting his silver medal on one time, wearing around my neck thinking, wow, this is so good, but I'm gonna go one better. That literally was everything. Rodney Olsen  3:11 And there was really no doubt in your mind at that stage that that was going to happen. Jacob Hill  3:16 Not not a fraction of doubt. Rodney Olsen  3:17 So how could all of that come crashing down? You're in high school, your grades are good, you're rising through the ranks at a rather elite level of playing hockey, how did all that begin to unwind? Jacob Hill  3:30 So all about the same time, my parents separated, and I developed a disease in my knees. So within a couple of months, the rug was pulled out from under me and I just did not know where I was, who I was, where I belonged. Everything I dreamed about was just gone, and I didn't have a backup plan. My identity was really busted up from my dad leaving because I just sort of thought if he really loved us, he wouldn't have left us and then I sort of you know, just a little kid, 13, really just got the message I wasn't worth loving and then all of the other stuff I'd gotten validation for from my whole life that was gone as well. Because I was never like a real social kid I was always I had plenty of friends and stuff but that was mostly I think because of sport because I was a little bit socially awkward and as much as I tried to put on a confident front I was pretty shy and I totally lost man like just totally lost. Rodney Olsen  4:26 So in the middle of this your family starting to fall apart and you've lost your dream of representing your country and winning Olympic gold. That also means that hockey team mates that had become your closest friends are all gone as well. Everything's falling away beneath you. Jacob Hill  4:41 My mates were all guys I trained with and played with. All of a sudden, I couldn't play and I could barely walk for a while, like I could like remember just the pain trying to get upstairs and stuff because I had this growing disease in my knees. Really I felt very, very alone and found myself trying to work out where did I fit in who you know. Like with my dad, sort of, I was always felt like someone's looking at for me, someone sort of keeping me in line a bit someone's believing in me and then with my mates always, you know, felt that camaraderie that real team spirit sort of thing. You get the validation that you get playing sport team sport. And I just like lost both sides of I guess the people that gave me a lot of my identity and and I just really started to look for that I was like. And I wouldn't have been able to tell you that as a 13 year old kid like, but looking back retrospectively that's what I can really see that's what I was doing. That's why I actually settled hanging out with people who were really living a risky lifestyle that I did not agree with. I just wanted to belong like my brother was hanging out with these guys that started smoking pot. They were doing graffiti and petty crime like break and enters and stuff like that. Man, I just wanted to belong I  think .Yeah and I was pretty prepared to do anything to fit in. Rodney Olsen  6:03 Tell us about your family. Did you know that things weren't great between your parents? Was there any inkling that the marriage was breaking down? And you've mentioned your older brother? Were they just the two siblings? Jacob Hill  6:14 No at that time, there was my parents, my older brother, who's just a year older than me, and a younger brother who's three years younger. So all around that time, I'm just starting school, high school, sorry. So I'm sort of the end of first year second year. And my brother's in the same school. He was in the same hokey program. My parents had been, I knew that they were separating. So all around that time, we were sort of we were blindsided one time with the conversation, but that was first before the knees. But before that, like my dad was amazing. He'd take us camping all the time, fishing every weekend, he was was at every single game of mine, take me to practice, you know, take us skateboarding and surfing and make sure we do our homework and it just, you know, it could could barely fault the guy on that side of things. And so and I really felt blocked, betrayed by him going, the only reason he could have possibly left, the only rationale I could dig up in my sort of 13 year old mind is that he really didn't care about us. It really rocked the foundation of what I believed about everything in life, who I was, who we were as a family, my Christian faith, because I was brought up in church. It really just scuttled me, Rodney Olsen  7:32 You mentioned that your older brother had already started mixing with the wrong crowd, and it was around that time that you started dabbling in drugs yourself. Your brother's only a year older than you so you're still both very young. How did the connections into that kind of world begin? Jacob Hill  7:48 So I atually don't really know how he started to get involved. Whether that was around the time my parents separated, looking back, actually, I'd say that's what's happened. And so he started hanging out with these guys. So he would have been 13, 14 at that point, and then I've sort of joined in with them when I was 13. So he would have been 14 by then. Put a lot of it down to definitely down to the people were hanging out with their peer group but also, had a lot to do with the music we were listening to. We listened to a lot of hip hop. Drugs were glorified. So much of it was talking about how drugs are cool, how they're a way of making money, a way of basically dominating your circumstances. And it also spoke a lot about violence and how violence is you know, the way you get respect and the way you hold respect. You know, we just really identified with that music and with that subculture, trying to emulate these guys. I'd never bothered that I wasn't smoking weed like I never wanted to do it. I didn't have any attract there's just nothing there for me. But I was listening to a song that the there's a line in the song said when you smoke, talking about marijuana, when you smoke like I smoke then you're high like every day and I remember just listening to that song one time, and then just like the penny dropped and I was just like, I'm not one of the guys. Like I'm not like these people and I felt like a real try hard. I just thought you know what today, I'm going to try marijuana because at the bus stop every afternoon the boys would sit in a circle and pass the bong around and I thought today when it gets passed to me, I'm not just going to pass it by I'm actually going to try it. And that afternoon I did that I tried it an interesting side note to is the guy whose pot it was that day, he was a guy I grew up with, and his family is actually the family that got us into playing hockey. He was a really good friend and a really like a huge influence on me growing up, and he actually died of a heroin overdose at the age of 20. So so this is the guy who's you know, it's his pot. I've tried it for the very first time, and this is something where I think young people need to be told about drugs. People don't just go and throw their life away like for no reason. Typically, these drugs have a really solid, immediate payoff, like in the terms of actually getting high like you feel really good. And that first time I got stoned man, it was like all my problems were gone. The pain of my dad leaving just gone. The disappointment of losing my Olympic dream was just gone. I really felt like I fitted in with the guys. And I actually had the thought that very first time I remember like so clearly it was looking back it's almost like it was a thought placed into my head from the outside but it was so clear in my mind, it was like, if I can just keep feeling like this. Everything will be okay. And I was literally addicted to marijuana the very first time I tried it, which some people say that marijuana is not addictive. I tell you I've no idea what they're talking about. But then I had another thought at that same sort of that same day was if this is how good pot is, I wonder how good all the other drugs are. And basically, I went on a quest to, you know, try all these other drugs. Rodney Olsen  11:07 How do 13, 14, 15 year old boys get their hands on the the sort of money that it takes to buy these drugs? Jacob Hill  11:15 When I was 13, I started selling for the boys that were older than me to the kids in my year, and I'd sell a certain amount of pot and I'd get a certain amount for free. And when that wasn't working for different reasons, like supply issues, you'd go and do break and enters and, you know, steal from different things and different people and shops and all of that. Rodney Olsen  11:36 It was really the start of a, I guess, a life of crime at that point. Jacob Hill  11:40 Yeah, it was it was totally and, you know, when you look at prisons, they're full of the're full, a majority of the people that are in there because of drugs. You wouldn't say it's easy money, but you don't have to be disciplined to make enough money to get by. So whereas if you've got a job, you've got to wake up at a certain time do what the boss says that you know in all of this, when you just do it that life you wake up when you want to go out and do it. For someone who's already emotionally crippled to the point where they're, you know, self medicating which and that's all that drug addiction is is you've got people that are in such bad shape they're self medicating to escape from this situation emotionally. Rodney Olsen  12:20 You've mentioned that you were on a quest to try a variety of drugs. The Verve had a song some years ago titled The Drugs Don't Work. Did that ever become your experience? Jacob Hill  12:31 Yeah, they stopped soon enough. You get a tolerance built up. The problem with it is is that well, there's a lot multiple problems but the first sort of problem is is when the drug stopped working and and by that I mean they they effectively they stop covering the pain is really I think, the simplest way of putting it. That is you can imagine you're in even medicine will tell you this, you you're taking painkillers for pain and you take them a long  time enough and your tolerance keeps building up, you need to take more and more of them to deal with that pain. If you keep doing it long enough that will stop dealing with the pain and that's what happened to me like the marijuana stopped making me feel good and the alcohol stopped making me feel good and the pills I was popping and acid and everything was it wasn't making me feel good anymore. But at the same time, I couldn't not use them because not using them made me feel even worse. So it was almost like now you've got no payoff for using drugs, except that you don't get the really horrible withdrawals or the really horrible problem of being straight. And basically what happened from there was, I think I was 16 and I made a decision. I was like, I felt so stuck. I was like, I need to get high. All of these drugs aren't doing it. I'm going to try heroin. And I knew what that meant. I knew that heroin was super addictive, I knew that it's super expensive, super dangerous. 'Cause I was a smart enough little kid as well, like, actually weighed it up and thought, you know, the pros and the cons. And I knew that there was no upside to this. But I still did not feel like I had another choice because I didn't realize that I could stop using drugs. That That wasn't in my in the equation. So it was just like, well, the only solution I could say was to go harder, even though I knew it was going to cost me everything. So I did it. I started using heroin. The very first time I shot heroin, I was 16 and I had that same feeling not the same high, but that same sort of thought that if I could just keep feeling like this, everything will be okay. It made me feel great for a little while, but you know, sure enough that that stopped working as well. You know, after a period of after a period of time, Rodney Olsen  14:54 I believe that during these times you even tried taking your own life a couple of times. Jacob Hill  14:59 Oh it cooks your head. Like, I mean you're dealing with people like in my situation you're dealing with a young guy who already was massively insecure. Any drive I had was gone. I saw no hope for the future. I'd ruined so many opportunities. I dropped out of school. You just look at some of the logical stuff. You've got someone who's going to be pretty low emotionally, then you chuck in all of those psychedelic chemicals and in such strong you know, drugs you're putting into a developing mind. I mean, being a kid's hard enough. You know, you know, being 16, 17 is hard enough when you're doing everything right. But yeah, you mix those those chemicals in with some real lifestyle challenges, on top of the you know, the the insecurities and on top of all the I was like flat out suicidal. First time I tried to end my life I was 17. I remember just sort of just not seeing a way out. My mates are starting to go to jail. They're starting to die of overdoses. People are starting to get hepatitis C. Getting kicked out of home. Like I literally could see no way out like way before when I could see no way out or there's like there was heroin, at least I could use heroin to make me feel okay. Now at this point where I was on heroin, and it wasn't doing it for me. I just, I could say nothing. Well, I might as well end my life. What's the point of sticking around here for to, you know, to live like this. And yeah, I made a genuine attempted suicide and praise God, it didn't work, but I was put in great lengths mental institution, I was there for a while. I came out of there, and just nothing like yours just went right back to it. Rodney Olsen  16:45 So even after having to spend time in a mental Institute, you didn't have reason to think well, this isn't working? I need to stop this kind of self destructive life? Were you still thinking there was no way out? Jacob Hill  16:57 Yeah, well, to be really honest and I have to be pretty honest with myself in saying this, as much as you want to get off because we you need to because you know, just just plain logic tells you that part of it was is actually didn't want to get out. Because partially because that's all I had known from quite a young age like from 13 my whole group of friends were in that lifestyle. I would I didn't know this at the time, but I've just, you know, from conversations I've had with guys trying to help them step off drugs, we actually get really scared of like, what will life be like without drugs? Can I handle this? Can I How can I function like in my own mind? And so you've got this medley of reasons, why quitting doesn't seem to be a viable choice. And yeah, and literally I've left there and nothing changed. Rodney Olsen  17:52 In your book, Kids at War, the Battle of Addiction, you describe an overdose that nearly took your life. I believe it was one person's actions that was the difference between life and death for you. Jacob Hill  18:04 Yeah, I overdosed after a party one night and I was y'know rushed to hospital. I was dead by the time the paramedics got to this guy's house. So what's happened is I was at this party. We've gone back to my mate's house. I was asleep on the couch, and someone's woken up my friend whose house it was and I said, can you come and wake up Jacob? He's snoring too loud. I can't sleep. I can't wake him up. Can you come and sort him out. So they're basically just wanted my friend to wake me up not out of concern for my health, but because that was keeping them awake. But he's come and he's heard this noise that they've complained about that was snoring. And he knows this sound, because the year before he was at a mate's house kicking it, watching a movie, doing some drugs. This guy falls asleep, and my my friend thinks nothing of it. And then this guy starts to what he thinks is snore, and he thinks nothing of it. But after a while he realizes something's seriously wrong and he tries to wake him up, he won't wake up. He rings the ambulance. By the time the ambulance gets there this blokes dead, 18 years of age. So when he's come out and he's heard the noise that they thought was snoring, and so he knows straightaway that this guy's not snoring, he's drowning. So what happens is you're unconscious you're laying on your back, you start to regurgitate, and then you breathe that in, you're literally drowning in your own vomit. And he knew straight away so he's jumped straight on the phone, rang the ambulance. By the time the ambulance has got to his place, I'm dead. They've had to revive me. I died a few more times. My mom is called. They said there's no chance I'm going to survive. Had I been dead for too long, basically, the oxygen I bought my body, my brain and my organs had been without oxygen. Mostly my brain had been without oxygen for too long. And there was just no way I was going to survive and they've put a piece of paper in front of her, which is they're asking her to sign a permission waiver from them to give away my organs. She didn't, which I'm pretty grateful for. But so I've pulled through about I was in a coma for a week but I've pulled through, and I've woken up. I had to learn how to walk again to learn how to breathe again. But the day I could walk, I walked straight out of the hospital and went right back to it. Yes, it was like not a lesson was learned. And even when I was in that hospital, I remember there was a lady come to me, counselor, and she's said, you need help, you know, and I said, what do I need help for? And she's like for your drug problem. And I said, lady, I don't have a drug problem. I like using drugs. Leave me alone. Rodney Olsen  20:38 So you've been committed to a mental institution and gone straight back to using drugs. You've overdosed, been in a coma for a week connected to machines and gone straight back to using drugs, Seen others that you know, lose their lives by doing the same sorts of things that you're doing, yet you're still taking drugs. Nothing so far has shaken you hard enough to change. What would finally shake you to the point of saying, enough's enough, something needs to be done. Jacob Hill  21:06 This is actually my mom. I needed some money one time and I'd ask her went and asked her for it, which I hadn't asked her for money since I was a kid since I was living at home in school, but now I was 21. I've been out of home since I was 17. And for some reason, I've gone and asked her for the money. She's told me that she doesn't want to talk to me again until I'm in rehab. And I thought, well, rehab doesn't work. Once a junkie, always a junkie, but for her, I'll give it a go. And to be really fair, I wasn't actually giving it a go to try to get off them. I was actually giving it a go, so it was way would have proved to me my theory that I was I was a lost cause basically. And I was really just thinking, this is just going to validate everything. I've thought. I'm going to do this thing go there for a few weeks. It's not going to work, and I'm just gonna come out and I'm gonna go as hard as I can till I'm dead basically. That was my my plan. Sure for you all go, but don't expect it to work. Rodney Olsen  22:05 Your book talks about the moment that you were given a decision about which rehab to go to and the strange decision that you made at the time. Jacob Hill  22:12 Yeah, the whole rehabs, like structure and system was pretty crazy in my mind, who knows? I was probably the crazy one but I was struggling to work all this thing. My normal counselor lady was she saying I couldn't get into rehab because I was using too much drugs. Like you need to go to a detox clinic, but I was using too much drugs to get into the detox clinic. So I need to use less drugs. So I could get into the detox clinic so they could detox me to get me into a rehab. And I'm thinking if I could use less drugs, or wouldn't he people. One of the weeks I go to the clinic was a different lady there. And she I'm sort of thinking, ah, if I lie to this lady, about how much drugs I'm using, she might put me straight into the detox centre or straight into the rehab or something. So when she's asked me how much I'm doing and everything I'm telling her just what I think she wants to hear. But then she says, I think Teen Challenge would be good for you. Now I'd heard about Teen Challenge a few years earlier, where I heard someone saying that they had gotten off heroin at Teen Challenge. And I remember at the time, just thinking what a pile of rubbish, but I do remember them saying that they met God at Teen Challenge, and God helped them get off heroin. And I remember just bad mouthing them in public. You know what, while they were saying it, but this lady said Teen Challenge, and I instantly remembered this. And then I'm like, are you a Christian? Are you trying to push God on me? She's like, No, no, no, we'll find you somewhere else. But it was like that little split microsecond between are you trying to push God on me and her saying, No, no, it was in that little, that little moment. I remember so clearly, just like everything slowed down and got quiet for a minute. I had a little conversation inside my head with God and it was just like, Man, this chick had talked about a miracle, like about God helping her get off heroin. And if that happened, that was a miracle. And I was thinking, the only way this is gonna happen is a miracle because I didn't even want to stop using. As much as I hated the life that I was. It was just, it was all I knew. And I remember that little split second to saying to God as a God, if you're real, you can make me stop wanting to use drugs. And I said, if you do that I'll serve you for the rest of my life. She's like, no, no we'll find you somewhere else. I'm like, No, no, give me give me the God place and she's like, no, no, no, we'll find it somewhere else and lady, give me the God place. And I don't remember much from there to, but it was a couple of months later ended up down at Teen Challenge and then the fun really started. Rodney Olsen  24:43 I understand you were picked up by a young guy who you thought fitted all the Christian stereotypes. Jacob Hill  24:48 Good Christian boy. Yeah. So like, I know this is a Christian place. I'm like, prepared for a bit of God stuff. And this little Vietnamese guy. He's the one that collects me from, it's a 10 hour bus ride, Rodney. So he comes he collects me from from the bus. He was so clean cut. Look, he just was like a church boy looking kid and I'm just like, oh my goodness, I remember just feeling so hopeless at that point. I was like, this guy looks like he's never even had panadol and just thinking, how can he help me? But then I got talking with him and he'd had the same, he was into the same stuff I'd been into. He'd been through the gangs and dealing heroin and you know, all sorts of nasty business. It's like to talk to him, you would never in a million years think he had a habit. Like he was just like, whoa, this guy's the real deal. And I remember it was this on the literally on the drive out there where I made we're actually had the thoughts like, wow, this is possible. I can do this. Like if it happened for him, it can happen for me. Rodney Olsen  25:47 All this time you've thought that there is no hope for people like you who are addicted to a life of drugs yet he's living proof of that change being possible. Jacob Hill  25:56 Yeah, right in front of me and saying he'll walk alongside me through it too. Rodney Olsen  26:00 So you're talking about having to detox from everything you'd been pumping into your body and you'd lied to get there because you understated what drugs you are taking. So they don't even know what they're dealing with when you walk through the front door. Jacob Hill  26:13 Oh man I was sick. So I taken a bunch of drugs that day. I've slept fine that night. But man after that, I did not sleep well. So the first morning was probably the start of the wake up call. So someone's knocked on my door at seven o'clock in the morning. And I'd be like, the only time I'd ever be up at seven o'clock because if I hadn't made a bed yet. So I'm like, this guy's knocked my door seven o'clock saying it's time to wake up and I just sort of went off my brain at him. I just like get out of, this is like one of the staff members, like get out of my bleeping room or I'll cut your bleeping throat. Anyway, he left, I didn't see him again for the day, but for that morning, and they let me sleep it off. And I mean, that was the last time I slept for so long. And I remember for that first couple of weeks just so so sick Rodney like, man, like there'll be times where I literally fall to the ground, my muscles or my body and my body just totally seizes up cramping to the point where I'm actually curled into a little ball. Like not my choice and shaking and feeling like I was being electrocuted and stuff. And like I just be every chance I got I'll just find a piece of sun to go and lay in just because like I was sick man about I wasn't sleeping either. I remember like every night used to be like looking forward to going to bed because I was so tired. But then not sleeping. Like the amount of times I watched the sun come up. It was months before I could sleep again. It was horrific. Rodney Olsen  27:45 You said that you believed only a miracle could turn your life around. This supposed cure is sounding pretty horrific. So when did the miracle come? Jacob Hill  27:54 I reckon it came when I met that guy at the bus stop because the night before I left, I'd popped my shoulder out in a fight so I dislocated my shoulder and I've gone to the, you know, which didn't help the sleeping situation, and so they've taken me to the doctors and I have the you know the option for some something to help with the pain and sleeping. I'm like now I don't want any of that stuff but I don't want anything to help me sleep. I don't want anything to help with the pain. I just want to be have nothing to do with with drugs even the prescribed stuff that they get I don't want anything and so it was like literally that straightaway I just said look no taste for it at all. Even though I had to go through the detox the physical side of it. Emotionally I was done with it like I was I was through it. Yeah, I mean, like not learning how to live like a healthy life or anything but the as far as wanting drugs, I was done like day one. Rodney Olsen  28:51 So after the the horror of the detox, it was then a matter of learning how to live a healthy life. What did that mean for you? Jacob Hill  28:59 Well, I talked about That detox and it's like it sounds pretty bad and go I'm looking back it was terrible. But that was the easy bit. But you can make your body do stuff you know you just got to watch a marathon and you see some people doing some pretty incredible things and but the the real hard thing for me was the emotional stuff because you got to remember that it was the emotional stuff is why I got onto drugs in the first place. And it was the emotional stuff is why I kept going harder and kept using more and more. I'll tell you the biggest the biggest key to the whole thing was learning that I was made on purpose by a God who loved me and had a plan for my life. That was the the biggest key and I really struggled to believe it though that are you know, on heaps of levels. But having that nugget is what got me through like that is still today is was what gets me through. Rodney Olsen  29:58 What age are you at this point? Jacob Hill  30:00 I went in there at 21. And it took me 14 months to finish the program. So I finished it and I just turned 23 Rodney Olsen  30:10 Here you are at that point of learning the basics of how to live a normal, healthy life. You're a 21 year old man having to deal with the emotional baggage of a 12 or 13 year old that had never been dealt with. Jacob Hill  30:23 Yeah, flat out like, basically once you start checking out with drugs, you don't mature past that point to a degree because that's how we learn. Like we have a problem. We work our way through it, and we've grown it's called maturing and yeah, and I just did not do that process. So it's one of the things you see about Teen Challenge is it doesn't matter what age the bloke gets down there, they've actually just changed the name of it to Adult and Teen Challenge because they're just finding more and more grown men going in there. To a large extent they've all got the psychology of a you know of someone in their mid teens because of exactly what you said like that not growing past emotionally, Rodney Olsen  31:03 It's an interesting journey that you've been on and as I said, you thought only a miracle could make you change. You've mentioned that you had to come to an understanding that you were created on purpose and that there was a God that loved you. So, how did that finally settle for you? When did all of that begin to make some kind of sense? Jacob Hill  31:22 Gosh, good question. So take it back before I went to Teen Challenge, and you're talking about, you know, all these crazy things that happened and you know, like the hospitals the mental institutions and the overdoses and all of that stuff and people look like a you know, say well you know, these surely that was your rock bottom moment. Now, surely that was a rock bottom moment, like my lowest point in life, was driving down the along the freeway with one of my mates and the song came on the radio, Grinspoon, and the lyric went something like this. It's like were you born to be a star? Were you born to be more than you are? And I remember listening to that song and knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that i and this is someone who flat out drug addict on our way to score, some heroin, breaking every speed, like every law on the road to get to this place quicker and at that point, I remember like just knowing that I was meant I was made for something special. I was made for something more. I was made to do something important. And I could see no way of getting there. I had this drug problem, I had no education. I had no drive. It was just like, that was my lowest point, realizing I was meant for something and not having any awareness of how I could get there. Rodney Olsen  32:43 I know that you had a little bit of a picture of what you were meant for. Tell us about that picture that you carried with you in your mind. Jacob Hill  32:50 I had this picture of like, what I would actually like for a life. I saw a girl who would love me for me. That was just that was like that desire in my heart. I wanted a family. Wanted my own kids like two boys was actually what I just this image I saw. My own house where I couldn't get kicked out of anymore. A job that I didn't hate, not even one that I liked. That wasn't that wasn't even the dream. It was just a job I didn't hate. And I remember that, seeing that picture. And that was so far from possible in my mind that I attempted suicide. But as I've started to get my life back on track at Teen Challenge like that, there was a sniff of it, you know, like it was like, well, God's got a good plan for my life and he can get me there as well as starting to wake up that those feelings like now I can be doing I can do something significant with my life. My life can make it like be called to make a difference in the lives of a lot of people. Rodney Olsen  33:44 So you've had this picture of a wife or a couple of sons a job that you don't hate. You've now been through all the detox, you've been through the rehab. we fast forward quite a number of years to the current day. What does life look like for you now? Jacob Hill  33:59 It looks remarkably similar to that picture. But it was about five or six years ago, I remember that picture came to mind and I was just like, Whoa, this is my life now. Happily married, built our own home, our two little boys and it was literally like that dream that was impossible was now not just, a potential, it was like I was living it. So and it was just like, far out. The Impossible is real. Like, I'm literally living this impossible dream and it's now tangible and I live in the house, and I tuck those boys into bed every night. And it was a dog in the picture as well. And I got a really cool dog. But that was just like, Whoa, I was just like, it's time to dream again. And I went back to the drawing board. It was just like, open up my heart as like, right. Like, I know that I wasn't just created to have my 2.4 kids and my own little piece of Australia. I was like, I am created to do amazing things. And I went back to the drawing board and at that time, I was pastoring a church, the church where I'm still pastoring now, but as a young guy that was literally my dream job. Forget about a job I didn't hate it was like my dream job. And I've, you know, just dreamt again and put some a few more things on paper and then God sort of added some surprises to it. We had a beautiful little girl. And now, I still pastor the church, but I'm off staff at the church, I'm not staff anymore. And I run my own company, Purpose and Destiny, which, you know, the goal of it is, is to help people discover their purpose in life and empower them to fulfill their destiny through some of the keys that I've learned, you know, bunch of facets, like through drug education in schools to sharing my story, as well as, you know, speaking at church and it but on top of that, doing this stuff that I was doing before that was great. It's not like got rid of stuff, doing new stuff. It's just like adding to my life. Rodney Olsen  35:46 Someone listening right now might think, well, that's great for you, but can it work for anyone else? I mean, let's admit it, you had seen maybe one or two people who had been able to kick heroin but you didn't really believe that that was possible, especially for you. So someone listening might be thinking, well for me that's just not possible. Someone else listening might be thinking there's someone that I love who's addicted. Is it possible for them really possible? What would you say? Jacob Hill  36:12 Well, I'd seen zero people that have gotten off. That one girl who I saw her but I didn't actually believe it for I know now and yes, it worked. So to really understand it, my both of my brothers went down the same road I went down and my my little brother he started using. The first time he was busted selling drugs, he was like nine or 10 years old. They both ended up heroin addicts as well. Today, my both of my brothers have been through Teen Challenge are off drugs. Got, you know, beautiful families, own their own homes, like just just doing well in life. My friend who rang the ambulance for me, he's off drugs. He actually goes to church with us. And a real kicker was I just realized the other day. That guy that I was driving in the car with when I say that song came on and you know where I had that where were you born to be a star that guy he's been through Teen Challenge as well. He's off heroin too now and he's married happily married and man, God is it if He's done it for one person, he'll do it for anybody. But to take it one step further my wife Melissa, her story basically reflects mine perfectly. Change a few names a few dates, a few details her life is is exactly the same as mine she, and then she's going through Teen Challenge, encountered God, kicked drugs and alcohol addiction and really had a radical transformation and now she you know, she's so she's another one. So there's definitely is good for me, but I'm not alone. Rodney Olsen  37:46 It's good to know that there is hope available for people who have thought that things are hopeless. If someone is wanting to perhaps get in touch with you and talk through some of the things that you've experienced that would help them on their way or even get a hold of your books? How would they do that? Jacob Hill  38:03 Probably the easiest way would be, maybe jump on my website, which is JacobHill.org and there's a connect page there. Or, you know, if they look me up on Facebook, and I'm pretty good at responding to the messages and stuff. Rodney Olsen  38:17 Jacob, your life has certainly had many ups and quite a few downs and I'm sure that it's still not a perfect life, but it's in a very different place to where it was. You say that really, it came down to a miracle and that miracle is still happening every day. Jacob Hill  38:32 Man, I get to see it every day. I've got friends that are still in the scene and I you know, I still pray for them and I still hope and believe that they'll come through it and I watch them over the years. I watch them just one at a time just coming through it. Rodney Olsen  38:47 Jacob, thank you so much for your time today. As I mentioned, you've written your story down into a book that people can grab hold of if they want to read through and get some of the stories in a bit more detail. It's called Kids at War, the Battle of Addiction and It's it's a great read. We look forward to seeing where this miracle will take you next. It's been an absolute delight to chat with you. Jacob Hill  39:07 Thanks heaps for having me, Rodney. Emily Olsen  39:10 Thank you for listening to bleeding daylight. Please help us to shine more light into the darkness by sharing this episode with others. For further details and more episodes, please visit BleedingDaylight.net Transcribed by https://otter.ai

1 Corinthians 15:12-23 Why are you a Christian? Are all religions of the world the same? Was the resurrection of Jesus necessary or did it even happen? Join us today as John, our Youth Pastor, answers these questions and more.   “Why are You a Christian” from Why are You a Christian by John Smith. […] The post Why are You a Christian appeared first on Chicopee Baptist Church.

In this blast from the past, J. Warner describes the nature of “Responsive Christianity”. Why do some of us call ourselves “Evangelical Christians”? Is evangelism an important part of what it means to be a Christian? Are all of us called to be evangelists? What if we aren’t gifted in that way? What role should “apologetics” play in the life of the Christian? Must we all be “apologists” if we want to call ourselves “Christians”? Why should we adopt a new definition and become “Responsive Christians”?

// Episode 44 show notes What comes to mind when you hear that someone had a “mountaintop experience”? Maybe you think about Moses, who hiked back down the mountainside literally glowing because he had been in the presence of God. Or Peter, James, and John—the inner circle of Jesus—who saw Jesus in His true, divine nature as he was transfigured right in front of them. You might recall that was an event that impacted Peter so deeply that he wanted to camp out and build a few memorials for Jesus, Elijah, and Moses. The point is this, we regard mountaintop experiences as those moments when God moves in such a mighty and unexpected way, that, at least figuratively, we come back glowing like Moses or wanting to build a memorial like Peter. And while a mountaintop experience can take place anywhere, for some people, such an event actually takes place on a mountaintop. Take for example my guest today—First Class Cadet Brigit Jogan, a senior at the United States Coast Guard Academy. During her time at Rocky Mountain High this past summer, Brigit hiked the summit of Mount Antero in Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks, and it was during that physical climb to the mountaintop that she experienced the Spirit of God moving in a mighty way. Today, Brigit is going to talk about that experience as she shares her story. // What we talked about Here’s an outline of the questions Brigit answered this episode: Tell me about where you’re from, and why the Coast Guard?  As you look back over your time at the Coast Guard Academy, what’s academy life been like for you? What are some things you’ve learned about yourself, and what are some challenges you’ve faced?  Share a little about your spiritual journey. When did you accept Jesus and begin following Him? What’s it like being a Cadet and also being a Christian? Are there difficulties you’ve experienced when it comes to integrating your faith into your life in the Coast Guard?  Talk about your involvement in OCF at the Coast Guard Academy—how you first heard about OCF and why you decided to give it a try and then stay involved? Talk more about what it is you do with the ministry team.  Tell me more about your Rocky Mountain High experience. What was it like? What sorts of things would best equip you to live out your calling as someone who is very early in her military career? If listeners were going to take away only one thing from our conversation today, what would you hope that it would be?  // About my guest  Originally from Grosse Pointe Park, MI, Brigit Jogan is currently a 1/c cadet (senior) at the United States Coast Guard Academy. She participates actively in OCF as cadet president, studies electrical engineering, swims distance freestyle, and frequently shares terrible jokes with those unfortunate enough to be in earshot. Her other hobbies include completing adult coloring books and looking at pictures of her beautiful dog, Phinn. In the future, she hopes to continue her education through the Coast Guard and to continue to stay very involved with ministry, with whatever adventures that entails.  

To Love Mercy The Burnt Out of the Christian - Are you ministry fatigued? In Matthew 6:25-33 Christ tells us that God looks after all His creation. The passage even speaks about the birds and the flowers which are looked after by Him. The passage concludes that those who worry are the wicked, but His followers are not to worry about tomorrow nor our physical needs for God has them all covered. Then God says, but seek ye kingdom of God and His righteousness and all those physical needs will be met by the sufferer. So, there are two things here... if we are not to worry about our physical needs (being hungry, needing clothing, shelter, etc) because Hid covers such needs... Why do we then worry about doing this stuff ourselves. Why should we be meeting the needs of others..? That’s God’s job!?!?… We shouldn't do anything, should we?... Join this episode as we unpack this ideas, and more… and learn about the Sparks Seventh Day Adventist Church's ministry  @SparksSDA  

Are you stuck in a Christian routine? A checklist Christian? Are you a compromising/worldly Christian? An "I'm all good" Christian? This sermon is for you! Key verses: Rev 1:4-8; 2:1-7; 12:12-29; 3:1-6; 14 -22; Heb 4:13; Luke 12 and more.Come grow with us:Pound River Church of the Brethren6061 The Lake Rd, Clintwood, VASunday:Sunday School 9:45 amWorship Service 11:00 amWednesday:Adult Bible Study &Arrows Youth Ministries 6:30 pmJoin us on Facebook and your favorite Podcast also.Pastor: Bill Rose

Philippians 1:6Transcript: How's your confidence that God is working in you and doing what he wants with your life? Paul was confident about a church in the first century that that exact thing was happening. In Philippians chapter one verse six he says, being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Paul says, about the church--the Christians in Philippi, I am confident that God is going to work through you to accomplish his will. Now, here's the question. Are you submitting to God's will? If you're a Christian? Are you participating in the work of Christ? Think about that as you go through todayFor more from the Collierville Church of Christ, visit Colliervillecoc.org.

Mitch East "The Glamorization of Doubt Among Millennials" If you have doubts, are you no longer a Christian? Are you an immature Christian if you don't have doubts? Is there any help for doubters or are they stuck with doubts forever? We’ll distinguish between different kinds of doubt in order to best serve doubters. Through the lens of the Psalms, we'll see the benefits and limits of doubt.

EPISODE 60 // What is the abortion debate about? Why is it so difficult to engage with as a Christian? Are the two sides in disagreement over certain scientific facts? We use a recent BBC video to assess these questions.

Every wonder about TM and its history? Never heard of TM? Either way this is the episode for you! Pastor Murphy gives us a thorough overview of TM by answering the following questions along with many others. What is TM? How is it that so many Eastern religions and philosophies are getting rooted in the West? Should I be practicing TM as a Christian? Are there dangers associated with TM?

Are you drifting away from being a faithful Christian? Are you interested in becoming a stronger Christian? In this sermon Gary gets very practical about faithfulness and shares encouraging scriptures to strengthen our faith. This sermon can embolden anyone to draw closer to God.

Are you aware of who you truly are as a Christian? Are you aware of the Christ in you?

Can we have mastery over our impulses- Analyzing the characteristics mentioned in 2Peter 1-5-7, what are the true and fitting definitions of each quality mentioned- Why is it important to add all aforementioned qualities to our faith- Put on trial, how would it be proven that any of us is really a Christian- Are we in any way equipped to overcome our challenges and temptations independent of Christ- For answers to these questions and more, please listen to -Being Certain of Your Salvation,- by Jamie Hawkins.

How do you know if you’re a Christian? Are you a Christian if you were raised in a Christian family, or baptized as a child? Does walking to the front of a church service during an evangelistic “altar call” make you a Christian? This question is critical for helping real Christians deal with doubts about their salvation. It’s also vital for challenging nominal Christians to reevaluate their confidence. 1 John deals extensively with this question. It was written so that we may know whether we truly have eternal life.

How does engaging in prayer form the spiritual life of a Christian? Are there specific models for prayer that you engage in? Or is it enough just to simply pray? Should prayer be viewed as a corporate or an individual practice? Join Ali Cumming, Jubiracy Filho and host Claire Perini as we discuss these questions and more on this week's episode of the Regent College Podcast.

Jerry Martinez - So You're a Christian? Are you More Than Bumps On A Pickle? (Spoken by Jerry Smith) guess it will work?? 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

We place value on the things in our lives. And often there is a misplaced value to begin with. And sometimes things can distract us from caring about what is really important. Eternal things. Matthew 6:19-24 Where is Your Treasure? Is it here on earth chasing after the next new thing? Or is it in heaven? How about this question… what do you treasure? The things of man or of God? Are you more consumed with comfort? Are you more concerned about status? Are you driven by luxury? Or are you consumed with church? Are you concerned about how to be a better Christian? Are you driven by the Great Commission which tells us to “Go”? Because as the Scripture states: The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. We can say that we are driven by the things of God… but when we examine our treasury, what do we see? How about when others examine our treasury… what will they see? Where is Your Treasure? We all know the things of this world will not last, yet we sometimes get caught up in pursuing them. Because when we pursue the things of the world, we have stopped pursuing the things of God. Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have! What are your eyes seeing? Are your eyes open and in God’s Word? Are your eyes taking in the beautiful things found in God? Are your eyes taking in light? Or has darkness creeped in? Has the spark of pursuing God gone out? Have you pulled the curtains shut and blocked out any light? Are you using world based rationale when determining the return on investment when you give to the church? There is no spiritual cost analysis! Put a price on saving a soul! Where is Your Treasure? You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both. I would encourage you to seek the Lord! 1 Peter 4:11 Where is Your Treasure? Let’s show the world that our treasure lies in heaven!

Paul had a lot to say to the church at Corinth, but their childish behavior kept them on the bottle when they needed to transition to meat. Are you a baby Christian? Are you still on the bottle? Are you ready for the solid spiritual food? God wants for you to be mature and healthy. Find out how in this lesson.

Who is the Church? What does it mean to be a Christian? Are there rules? How do we live lives pleasing to God? Be the Church Series Pastor Heath Harris Sanctuary Family Worship Center

When can music be considered ‘Christian music'? What determines if music is Christian? Are there styles/forms of music that are inherently un-Christian?

Are you a disciple, or just a “Christian”? Are you following Jesus Christ, or just taking a walk with other Christians?

In this podcast, J. Warner examines five responses typically offered to the question: “Why are you a Christian?” Are these responses sufficient, given the nature of the culture in which we live? How can we better respond to the challenges we face as we try to defend what we believe about Christianity?

What is a Disciple? What is a Christian? Are you either one? How bad do you want God's approval?

Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes? Our elders and deacons have qualifications that must be met in order to be worthy of their positions. What about the preacher, his wife, the elders wives, and each and every Christian? Are you living the life that can be counted as "qualified" to serve the Lord in the best way that you can?

When someone looks at your life, do they know you are a Christian? Are you a self-centered saint? When you were first saved, you wanted to share it with everyone. Those who are not saved, are blinded and don't know a lot about being saved. Some people don't like the idea of being responsible for someone else's soul. Everyone is watching you, rather you like it or not. Do you live the Christian life before the world?