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At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Today's focus is on the reality and significance of the second coming of Christ, and the events that will precede it. The teaching begins by affirming that, as believers, we already share in Christ's victory. However, this victory does not exempt us from the trials and tribulations that will come upon the world before Christ's return. Scripture, especially Matthew 24 and 25, makes it clear that the end times will be marked by increasing turmoil—wars, famines, earthquakes, and, most significantly, a period of great tribulation where faith in Christ will be severely tested.Jesus warns that many will fall away during these times, their love growing cold due to the intensity of persecution and deception. False prophets and false Christs will arise, performing signs and wonders to mislead even the elect if possible. The call is to endurance: only those who remain faithful to the end will be saved. The gospel will be preached to all nations, and then the end will come, but not before believers face significant hardship.A key point addressed is the widespread teaching of a “pre-tribulation rapture”—the idea that Christians will be taken out of the world before the tribulation begins. Careful examination of Scripture, however, reveals no clear support for this view. Instead, the biblical narrative points to believers enduring tribulation, with the rapture occurring after this period, just before God's wrath is poured out on the unrepentant. The distinction is vital: tribulation is Satan's attempt to destroy faith, while God's wrath is His judgment on those who have rejected Him.The teaching challenges the comfort-driven theology prevalent in much of the Western church, which promises escape from suffering. This is contrasted with the experience of persecuted believers worldwide, who understand tribulation as a present reality. The danger of false expectations is highlighted—if believers are not prepared for suffering, their faith may falter when hardship comes.Ultimately, the encouragement is to trust in God's faithfulness. Christ does not promise to spare us from all suffering, but He does promise to be with us, to strengthen us, and to carry us through whatever may come. The call is to steadfastness, courage, and a faith that endures to the end, knowing that our hope is secure in Christ.
Movies stir our hearts - the greatest story ever told transforms them. Explore how powerful scenes from Hollywood Blockbusters point us to God's greatest purpose for our lives. Bring a friend and we'll see you At the Movies!
NAME, IMAGE, & LIKENESS John 4.3-42 Dr Gordon Dabbs Jesus doesn't stretch us because He enjoys watching us squirm. He challenges us because He wants to transform us into the people we were always meant to be. That's the deal. N.I.L. • Name: God announces… Numbers 6.27 (ESV) “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” • Image: We are… Predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. Romans 8.29 (ESV) • Likeness: We are called Christians, literally, “little Christs.” Acts 11.26 Here's the thing. Until a person accepts that they are broken and there is NOTHING they can do to fix themselves, they won't hear this as good news. But once I understand I'm created by God to bear the image of His Son, the lifelong adventure begins. Romans 8.28-29 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. I pray that this message series has helped you see what the Lord is doing through the discomfort… how He is shaping and molding you. John 3.16 (ESV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 4.3-7 (ESV) He left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” John 4.9 (ESV) “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) She sighs… “Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait on the Messiah to come some day and clear all of this up.” John 4.26 (ESV) “I who speak to you am he.” John4.39 (ESV) Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. There are few things that stretch me… that pull me out of my comfort zone… like the love of Jesus. He loves the immigrant… and the ICE agent… the MAGA hat guy and the vegan barista with the composting toilet. He loves the influencers and the invisible. Highland Park… and Hamilton Park. Hebrews 1.3 (ESV) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. What do you think? Can you say yes to the N.I.L. deal and refuse to love like he loves? John answers that bluntly. 1 John 4.7-8 (ESV) Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God…Subscribe to PRESTONCREST - with Gordon Dabbs on Soundwise
NAME, IMAGE, & LIKENESS John 4.3-42 Dr Gordon Dabbs Jesus doesn't stretch us because He enjoys watching us squirm. He challenges us because He wants to transform us into the people we were always meant to be. That's the deal. N.I.L. • Name: God announces… Numbers 6.27 (ESV) “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” • Image: We are… Predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. Romans 8.29 (ESV) • Likeness: We are called Christians, literally, “little Christs.” Acts 11.26 Here's the thing. Until a person accepts that they are broken and there is NOTHING they can do to fix themselves, they won't hear this as good news. But once I understand I'm created by God to bear the image of His Son, the lifelong adventure begins. Romans 8.28-29 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. I pray that this message series has helped you see what the Lord is doing through the discomfort… how He is shaping and molding you. John 3.16 (ESV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 4.3-7 (ESV) He left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” John 4.9 (ESV) “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) She sighs… “Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait on the Messiah to come some day and clear all of this up.” John 4.26 (ESV) “I who speak to you am he.” John4.39 (ESV) Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. There are few things that stretch me… that pull me out of my comfort zone… like the love of Jesus. He loves the immigrant… and the ICE agent… the MAGA hat guy and the vegan barista with the composting toilet. He loves the influencers and the invisible. Highland Park… and Hamilton Park. Hebrews 1.3 (ESV) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. What do you think? Can you say yes to the N.I.L. deal and refuse to love like he loves? John answers that bluntly. 1 John 4.7-8 (ESV) Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God…Subscribe to PRESTONCREST - with Gordon Dabbs on Soundwise
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Pause to Clarify (v. 1) The Revealed Mystery (vv. 2-7) Revealed in Christ Concealed in the Old Testament Congealed into the Church The Real Ministry (vv. 8-12) Pauls humble practice Pauls heavenly purpose Purpose to Comfort (v. 13) ------------------------------------------- More To Consider The teenager lost a contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway. After a fruitless search, he told his mother the lens was nowhere to be found. Undaunted, she went outside and in a few minutes returned with the lens in her hand. "I really looked hard for that, Mom," said the youth. "How'd you manage to find it?" We weren't looking for the same thing," she replied. "You were looking for a small piece of plastic. I was looking for $150."sermonillustrations.com It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Lou Holtz It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me. Sermonillustrations.com If the Ephesians truly understood the administration of Gods grace that was given to Paul (v. 2), they should not be discouraged because of his sufferings for them. His sufferings were for their gain and glory. If Paul had not dispensed to the Gentiles the stewardship of Gods grace, then Jews would not have been hostile to him and he would not have been imprisoned. His preaching brought salvation to the Gentiles, but it incurred the wrath of many Jews on him. However, many others became members of the church, Christs body, and this was their glory. Hoehner, H. W. (1985). In J. F. Walvoord R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 630631). Victor Books.
Movies stir our hearts - the greatest story ever told transforms them. Explore how powerful scenes from Hollywood Blockbusters point us to God's greatest purpose for our lives. Bring a friend and we'll see you At the Movies!
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Movies stir our hearts - the greatest story ever told transforms them. Explore how powerful scenes from Hollywood Blockbusters point us to God's greatest purpose for our lives. Bring a friend and we'll see you At the Movies!
Unexpected Rise In Disease and Death Sinks U.S. Insurance Companies- Dr. Chris Martensen and The Face of Immigration Chaos: 300,000 Kids Lost in the Wind to Abusers and Porn Merchants By John Zmirak Unexpected Rise In Disease Sinks U.S. Insurance Companies - Peak Prosperity Watch this video at- https://youtu.be/jQS7rFKwKVo?si=V1L6bykndB4fQo6P Peak Prosperity 555K subscribers 18,173 views Premiered Jul 7, 2025 #donaldtrump #news #usanews To watch Part 2 of this video: https://peak.fan/3hcuj9f3 Join the discussion at Peak Prosperity: https://peak.fan/fr5b44er Unexpected rates of sickness (morbidity) has sunk the stock price of a major US health insurer (Centene or CNC). Maybe now we can finally have an open conversation about the causes? #donaldtrump #news #usanews #stocks #worldnews #educationalvideo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Face of Immigration Chaos: 300,000 Kids Lost in the Wind to Abusers and Porn Merchants By John Zmirak Published on July 1, 2025 For article visit- https://stream.org/the-face-of-immigration-chaos-300000-kids-lost-in-the-wind-to-abusers-and-porn-merchants/ The Face of Immigration Chaos: 300,000 Kids Lost in the Wind to Abusers and Porn Merchants By John Zmirak Published on July 1, 2025 There's one drum I won't stop banging, because it's a righteous call to war: The Left is not a secular, rationalistic, science-driven movement — though for the sake of social prestige and power it still pretends to be. But in fact, it never was. At every point since the invention of the Left/Right spectrum in the fevered, bloodthirsty frenzy of the French Revolution, the Left has been a post-Christian heresy. It's a cargo cult that cherrypicks from the gospels shiny moral sentiments and glittering aspirations, like the work of some mindless magpie. A New Rival Gospel Never mind that Jesus's moral mandates would be literally nonsensical if He was not divine and couldn't offer eternal rewards for self-sacrifice in this life. (Try explaining “Turn the other cheek” to Ghengis Khan and then get back to me; I'd love to hear how that goes. The meek did not inherit the Mongol Empire.) Nor that claims of “equality” among all men only hold up if we mean “in the eyes of God,” since in our own sight we're vastly diverse and manifestly unequal. Even the militantly atheistic, self-styled “scientific” Communist Utopia millions were willing to kill for was cooked up by Karl Marx as a thinly secularized knock-off of the New Jerusalem. Read historian Norman Cohn's authoritative The Pursuit of the Millennium to learn how Marx's program replicated the crackpot claims of self-anointed “prophets” who roused the rabble to murder the priests and pillage the local Jews. But Leftists are born with the same God-shaped hole in their souls as everyone else, so they plunder the Gospel to fill it, picking only the bits and pieces that please them to make a kind of taxidermied replacement Christ fashioned in their own image. These false Christs or antichrists are invariably cast as victims, waved around as banners, and finally used as cudgels … to pummel actual Christians. First the Peasants, Then the Workers The original radical Leftists of the French Revolution held up “the peasants” as the suffering souls for whom they fought — even as the revolutionary government waged a vicious, genocidal war against the real, live peasants of the Vendee region, killing some 300,000 for the crime of clinging to their Church, instead of the fake one the government had set up and imposed on them. A hundred years later, Karl Marx and his movement would claim the international working class as the victims whom they'd champion against the ruthless exploitation of capitalist oppressors. But Marx would fiercely oppose any moderate reforms that would improve workers' real lives, since these might slow down the bloody revolution he needed to impose Communist rule. His followers would fight against any labor unions they couldn't control. Of course, once the Communists seized power in Russia, then other countries, they would enslave the workers and peasants alike, putting them to work in state-owned monopolies, closing their churches, and subjecting them to totalitarian surveillance and persecution. The New Antichrist Idols: “Persecuted” Immigrants The present face of Leftist false religion manifests as a trinity: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and its ersatz Christ figure is the immigrant. Marxists and tribalists paint immigrants as victims of climate change, Islamophobia, and dictatorial governments. Cheap labor globalists depict them as rough and ready workers whose ethic is better than the sullen, spoiled American natives ripe for replacement. The media, besotted by their new post-Christian creed, like to select which immigrant stories to tell, the better to paint the Trump administration and its backers as heartless, intolerant, ignorant racist bullies. But Trump's team has been clever, having learned from the debacle of 2017, when their efforts to protect child migrants from human traffickers got painted as “separating families” and “putting kids in cages.” So the administration focused its first removal efforts on gang members, rabid antisemites and jihadists, confident that diversity-happy editors and lawless federal judges wouldn't be able to restrain themselves — but would lionize and try to paint as wounded, hapless puppies the worst immigrants on Earth. Poor, Poor Pitiful Jihadis The Left took the bait. Look at the latest “victims” these apostles of counterfeit Christian compassion have decided to paint as martyrs: The equally radical, equally illegal immigrant relatives of the vicious jihadi who used arson to target a Jewish event to aid Holocaust survivors (one of whom he burned to death), Mohamed Sabry Soliman. Mass media can't help themselves. They're too driven by religious zeal: Of course, the facts of the case fall by the wayside in all this jerry-rigged empathy: Collecting Slaves for Sex Traffickers So the Left will go to the wall for privileged, middle-class, jihadi Muslims who blew through their tourist visas and stayed in our country so their patriarch could incinerate Jews who'd escaped the Nazis. You know who the Left won't talk about? The 300,000 unaccompanied minors smuggled into our country and sent to whoever wanted them, with no vetting or DNA tests for alleged relatives. (Joe Biden abolished that.) How are things going for those migrants, who aren't incinerating American Jews? Gateway Pundit gives us a glimpse: A 37-year-old illegal immigrant, Wilson Manfredo Lopez-Carillo, was arrested in Palm Beach County, Florida, for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl placed in his home through the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) “Unaccompanied Alien Children” (UAC) program. According to the Daily Wire, the arrest was made on May 22, 2025. According to charging documents from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Lopez-Carillo faces three counts of sexual assault on a minor. The victim, who arrived in the U.S. in August 2023 as an unaccompanied minor, was sent by HHS to live with Lopez-Carillo and others in a loosely vetted household. Police reports detail a horrifying pattern of abuse, with Lopez-Carillo allegedly taking advantage of the girl's isolation to assault her on multiple occasions in February 2024. On one occasion, while the adult woman in the household was out selling tamales to support the family, Lopez-Carillo allegedly grabbed the teen in the kitchen, dragged her to his bedroom, and sexually assaulted her. A second incident followed a similar pattern, with the predator offering the girl $100 to stay silent — an offer she bravely refused. Fearing retribution, the teen initially did not report the assaults, as Lopez-Carillo had threatened her to keep quiet. Go read the rest, if you have the heart. How many more victims are on Joe Biden's catatonic conscience? We won't know on this side of the grave. This is the filth, the exploitation, the mass rape that the Left is happy to invite into our nation in order to pose as defenders of “victims” and rack up names for voter fraud. Once again, the group designated as “victims” get victimized for real by those who pretend to defend them. Leftists haven't just chosen Barabbas. They have tarted him up as Christ. John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream and author or coauthor of 14 books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. His newest book is No Second Amendment, No First. Find All of John Zmirak Articles at- https://stream.org/author/johnzmirak/ John Zmirak is a Senior Editor of The Stream. He received his B.A. from Yale University in 1986, then his M.F.A. in screenwriting and fiction and his Ph.D. in English in 1996 from Louisiana State University. He has been Press Secretary to pro-life Louisiana Governor Mike Foster, and a reporter and editor at Success magazine and Investor's Business Daily, among other publications. His essays, poems, and other works have appeared in First Things, The Weekly Standard, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, USA Today, FrontPage Magazine, The American Conservative, The South Carolina Review, Modern Age, The Intercollegiate Review, Commonweal, and The National Catholic Register, among other venues. He has contributed to American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia and The Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought. From 2000-2004 he served as Senior Editor of Faith & Family magazine and a reporter at The National Catholic Register. During 2012 he was editor of Crisis. He is author, co-author, or editor of twelve books, including Wilhelm Ropke: Swiss Localist, Global Economist, The Grand Inquisitor and The Race to Save Our Century. His newest book is No Second Amendment, No First. Zmirak can be found at https://stream.org/author/johnzmirak/ John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.” John Zmirak's latest book: No Second Amendment, No First by John Zmirak Available March 19, 2024 Today's Left endlessly preaches the evils of “gun violence." It is a message increasingly echoed from the nation's pulpits, presented as common-sense decency and virtue. Calls for “radical non-violence” are routinely endowed with the imprimatur of religious doctrine. But what if such teachings were misguided, even damaging? What if the potential of a citizenry to exercise force against violent criminals and tyrannical governments is not just compatible with church teaching, but flows from the very heart of Biblical faith and reason? What if the freedoms we treasure are intimately tied to the power to resist violent coercion? This is the long-overdue case John Zmirak makes with stunning clarity and conviction in No Second Amendment, No First. A Yale-educated journalist and former college professor, Zmirak shows how the right of self-defense against authoritarian government was affirmed in both the Old and New Testaments, is implied in Natural Law, and has been part of Church tradition over the centuries. --------------------------------------------------------------------
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Movies stir our hearts - the greatest story ever told transforms them. Explore how powerful scenes from Hollywood Blockbusters point us to God's greatest purpose for our lives. Bring a friend and we'll see you At the Movies!
Send us a messageIn the Matthew Chapter 7 passage, and in verse 23, after Jesus proclaimed that not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord,' ‘Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven – but he who does the will of My Father Who is in Heaven, as recorded in verse 21, He addresses those who practice “lawlessness” as those He never knew – commanding them to depart from Him.These are the ones who while calling Jesus ‘Lord' were really subjects of the “Lawless One” and under the control of the Antichrist spirit.In our last segment, we began to address some of the counterfeit gospels that fall into the category of “another” gospel that Paul the Apostle referred to in 2 Corinthians 11:4, and which is being propagated by the imposters, who while calling Jesus ‘Lord,' never truly belonged to Him. We'll pick where we left off, and then go on to address some of the counterfeit “Christs” that Paul also warned of in that passage and referred to as “another” Jesus.Jesus comes quickly – and only those who have been “born again” and regenerated in His unadulterated Word of Truth, will discern all things – and be Ready!Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Psalm 16; Luke 9:51-62“The Church is not here exclusively, nor primarily, to transform society. That is notwhy we are here. When the Church sets out to transform society, very little isaccomplished. The uniqueness of the Church is denied as we enter the battle onthe same terms as secular and godless forces. We assume that justice can be wonby force, by technique, by doing. It cannot.” (Howard Snyder) We are here to be‘little Christs,' loving and serving, demonstrating sacrificial love, community, andbeing. By being the doing will happen naturally, and the love of God and neighborwill find its way.
God is moving in unexpected ways. He's establishing an unshakable foundation that's transforming families and communities. It's students who are standing firm. Their faith is unwavering. The impact is transformative. Come and be inspired – you won't believe what God is doing through the next generation.
Jesus answers questions from followers of John the Baptist, and weaves Old Testament Truth into real time action, showing that the mission of the Christ is nothing the Darkness was expecting. -also to our UK listeners please be nice to Rose while she visits y'all... if she's misbehaving feel free to send her back.
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
When life feels uncertain, so do we — craving to be seen, to feel secure, and to know we have a purpose. What we yearn for most - is exactly who God is. His unfailing presence, strength, and love fulfill every need.
How to watch for Christs' return. Jesus tells us that watchfulness is always accompanied by prayerfulness. Do you live daily pursuing your own desires and pleasures? Do you live daily for God's glory and His will for you? Travis expounds on how to live to please God and give Him glory. This information will help you live knowing you will stand before… The post Watchful, Prayerful Saints, Part 2 | Ready for the End appeared first on Pillar of Truth Radio.
Jesus' disciples ask Jesus about the end, "when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age." Jesus answered the first part of the question, with 11 signs of the current age: wars, rumors of wars, false Christs, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecution, betrayal, false prophets, lawlessness, and the gospel is preached in all the world. Then, the end will come. Matthew 24:1-18www.messagetokings.com
Reintegration of the Races into and Restoration of the Sphere of Amenti, the Three Christs, The Zionites and Preparations for 2017 AD. Is it true? You may want to lay down for this one!Unlock a world of mystery!Join our exclusive community and instantly access over 1,000 ad-free episodes, mind-blowing bonus segments, and much more. Dive deeper into the unknown with content that challenges what you think you know.For nearly a decade, Mysterious Radio has taken listeners on a journey through the strange, the unexplained, and the downright chilling. And now, we're taking things to the next level—with even more immersive content available only to our most dedicated listeners.With millions of listeners around the globe, the next era of Mysterious Radio is unfolding. The majority of episodes and exclusives will be reserved for our inner circle of members.Step beyond the veil and claim your place in the next chapter of the unknown. OPEN THE DOORGet the ultimate experience and easy access to everything from the Patreon app!Download Patreon for IOS Download Patreon for AndroidFollow Our Other ShowsFollow UFO WitnessesFollow Crime Watch WeeklyFollow Paranormal FearsFollow Seven: Disturbing Chronicle StoriesJoin our Patreon for ad-free listening and more bonus content.Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradioFollow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTokFollow us on Twitter @mysteriousradioFollow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradioLike us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio]
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
This Father's Day at CCV, we celebrate the strength and influence of men who build foundations of faith for their families. Featuring Homer Drew and his family, hear how a father's trust in God can leave a lasting legacy of hope and purpose.
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Signs of Christs Return!
When life feels uncertain, so do we — craving to be seen, to feel secure, and to know we have a purpose. What we yearn for most - is exactly who God is. His unfailing presence, strength, and love fulfill every need.
8 And He said:"Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name,saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go afterthem. 9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified;for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not comeimmediately." Todaywe're looking at Luke chapter 21. Jesus has been asked by His disciples inverse 7, "When will these things be, and what will the sign be when thesethings are about to take place?" In Matthew 24:3, they also asked,"When will be the end of the age?" As they were looking over at thetemple, Jesus had said, "This temple will be destroyed. Not one stone willbe left upon another." This took place in 70 AD, when Titus, the Romangeneral, moved into Jerusalem, slaughtered the Jews, tore down the temple, andscattered them. Only in 1948 did the Jews return to the land of Palestine. Jesuscontinues to answer their question, but we must remember that the signs andevents He talks about here in Luke 21, Mark 13, and Matthew 24-25, are notprimarily about the rapture but the return of Christ seven years after therapture. Most of these signs and events relate to the events that take place inthe Tribulation that we read about in the book of Revelation, starting inchapter 6. Therewe find out that the Tribulation is divided into three parts: the first threeand a half years, the middle of the Tribulation (read about that in Danielchapters 9 and 10), and the last half of the Tribulation, which Jesus calledthe Great Tribulation in Matthew 24:21; “For then there will be Great Tribulation,such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, norever shall be”. Which also last three and a half years, a total of sevenyears. These signs point to His return when He comes in great glory, judges theearth, and sets up His millennial kingdom. Too many of us are looking for signswhen we should be looking up for the Savior, living for Him, and reachingothers. InLuke 21:8-19, Jesus gives three main messages in response to the disciples'questions. In verse 8, He said, "Take heed that you do not bedeceived, for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The timehas drawn near.' Therefore, do not go after them. When you hear of wars andcommotions, do not be terrified, for these things must first come topass, but the end will not come immediately." Two key points here: donot be deceived, and do not be terrified. Mostof us are very interested in end-time events, and as these signs intensify, itindicates the end of the tribulation is near. Since the rapture happens seven yearsbefore then, Jesus says, "Lift up your head; your redemption drawsnigh." We need to be living, working, and serving, not deceived, becausethere have always been false Christs, persecution, and wars. Inverses 12-13, Jesus also talks about persecution. In verse 14, He says, "Thereforesettle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you willanswer." Jesus is encouraging those who are true believers during thistime that as they see these things happen, “don't be deceived, terrified,afraid, or fearful, but also don't worry”. I love what He says: "Not ahair on your head will be lost." This doesn't mean people won't die.In the tribulation, believers may die by the hundreds of thousands, perhapsmillions, under the persecution of the Antichrist. But,my friend, when you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you donot die—you simply change places. He takes care of you, and not a hair of yourhead will perish. In your patience, possess your souls.Weall need this message today! Don't be deceived, terrified, or worried. Keeplooking up; Jesus is coming soon, and we look forward to that day.
Last fall, I preached a series of sermons on the armor of God as part of a series in the epistle to the Ephesians. Today, I am not preaching any of those sermons. I am preaching this sermon on a familiar passage out of a sense of urgency for all of us (me included). It might be because we are honoring six of our own from Meadowbrooke Church who have graduated from High School. It may also be because of multiple examples we are given in the Bible of individuals who started well, but whose lives ended poorly; people like Solomon, Uzziah, Judas, and the two men Paul lists in 1 Timothy (Hymenaeus and Alexander) who did not do the things Paul urged Timothy to do, which was to, ...fight the good fight, keep the faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith (1 Tim. 1:1819). Then there are the repeated admonitions throughout the New Testament; permit me to share some of those with you this morning: Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. (Matt. 24:42) Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (1 Cor. 16:13) For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. (Heb. 2:1) So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (Eph. 5:15-16) Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. (1 Pet. 5:8-9) Aside from the multiple examples of the moral failure of key individuals in the Bible who started off strong spiritually and then ended badly, and the many appeals throughout the New Testament to be careful, to pay attention, to be alert, and to be sober minded. Over the past 18 years and nearly 180 hours I have spent in the book of Revelation, the thing I have seen and keep seeing is the repeated appeal throughout the book to persevere until the end: Be faithful until death... (Rev. 2:10) The one who overcomes, and keeps My deeds until the end... (2:26) Hold firmly to what you have... (3:11) The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. (Rev. 21:7) The question is how do you finish well, stay alert, and endure until the end? I believe Ephesians 6:10-18 provides us with that answer. The Enemy is Demonic and Real (v. 12) We are specifically told that the struggle we face is both demonic and real. We are told in Ephesians 6:10, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. The reason we are told to be strong in the Lord is because our struggle is with powerful forces that are demonic in nature: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). The rulers, powers, world forces of darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness are those angels who sided with Satan in his war against God. Although Satan is only one demon who cannot be in more than one place at a time, he has authority over millions of demons who obey his every command. The rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness are different demons with various ranks and responsibilities; some influence governments and kings, others have a more global influence, and many focus their attacks on individual Christians. Now to be clear, we are told that when Jesus saved you and redeemed you through the life He lived, the sin-atoning death He died, and His victory over the grave... that He, disarmed the rulers, powers, world forces, and spiritual forces of wickedness and, made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him [Jesus] (Col. 2:13-15). In his [1]book, The Warrior Savior, Owen Strachan wrote, The crucifixion represented a real death, but not a real defeat. Listen, the demonic powers have no claim or authority over you Christian except what you give to them. Paul does not mince words here and leaves no room for confusion: For our struggle... our fight is not just a fight, but it is a wrestling match in the way that it is not off in the distance but in your face, around you, on you, and is only interested in choking you out! And our struggle is not only with our flesh, but also with, ...the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Our enemys attacks come from afar and they come to us up close! The enemy brings his fight against us in all different way and techniques! It comes in the form of slander, false teaching, and the temptation to sin. Our fight can come in the form of doubt, depression, and deception. The battle can come in the form of persecution from friends, family, or state authorities. Believe me when I say this: the enemy knows you better than you know you, and he is strategic, deceptive, and is set on silencing or sidling you in any way possible. It is possible that you have already given the enemy ground, and you are trapped and not sure out to break free. There is One who is mightily greater than they! The Strength of the Lord is Necessary (vv. 10, 13-17) There is no persevering, no conquering, and no victory apart from Jesus! There is only one remedy against Satan, against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places... and that remedy is the One who disarmed them, ...having triumphed over them (Col. 2:15). There was only One capable of doing such a thing: And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Col. 2:1314). Listen, when it comes to the Christian life, when it comes to standing firm, when it comes to persevering, when it comes to being a Christian, you CANNOT do it apart from Jesus! He alone is the first and the last, and the living One; He was dead, and behold, He is alive forevermore, and it is He who holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:17-18). The One who died is the Lamb of God, and because He is the Lion of Judah, He conquered death when He got up on Sunday morning and because He is both the Lamb and the Lion, He alone is worthy, to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing (Rev. 5:1-14). When it comes to living the Christian life, you cannot do it with Jesus at a distance, you cannot do it with Him being second, and you cannot do it out of your own strength! You can only do it if He is your strength. The biblical definition for the word salvation is not confined to a date when you believed and said some prayer. No! The biblical definition for salvation includes the day you were saved but is only complete when you receive a resurrection and all things in creation are made new. It is of this salvation that the great multitude in heaven that includes every nation, all the tribes, peoples, and languages who cry out at the top of their lungs: Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (Rev. 7:10). The completion of your salvation in the biblical sense, cannot be done on your own, but ONLY in the strength and might of King Jesus (Eph. 6:10)! Okay, so how can you be strong in the strength and might of Jesus? We are told that we do that by putting on the full armor of God (v. 11). What is the armor of God? Let me first tell you what it includes: The belt of truth, which is Gods truth. The breastplate of righteousness, which is Christs righteousness. The shoes of the gospel of peace, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ that that we stand firmly in. The shield of faith is our hope in God that is saturated by the truth of Gods word. The helmet of salvation, which is the security that we have in the assurance of our salvation. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God as our offensive weapon in all the armor we are to put on. For those of you who were here for the armor of God part of the Ephesian series, what I am about to say probably will not surprise you. Each piece of the armor of God belongs to Jesus. Jesus is our belt of truth, Jesus is our breastplate of righteousness, Jesus is our peace, Jesus is our shield of faith, Jesus is our helmet of salvation, and Jesus is the Word of God. I am convinced that the way one puts on the armor of God is by abiding in Jesus. This is why the phrase in Christ or in Him or any other phrase related to in Christ is repeated about 36 times in the short six chapters that make up Ephesians. The only way to put on the armor is by abiding in Jesus. What does it mean to abide in Jesus? There are scores of passages we can turn to answer that question, but I will show you two: The first is in 1 John 3:24, and this is what the apostle John wrote: The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us (1 John 3:24). Listen, the only way you can know how to keep His commandments is if you know what His word says; His commandments are His words. The second passage that unpacks what we just read in 1 John is found in the Gospel of John through the words of Jesus: Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.... If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.... If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Fathers commandments and remain in His love. (John 15:4, 7, 10) The word remain can also be translated stand. In John the Greek word that is used is abide, menō, which is a different word than the one used in Ephesians 6:10-11, (histēmi). The point is the same though, there is no standing firmly against the devils schemes unless you are abiding in Jesus by keeping His Word and making it apart of you. There is no taking up the armor of God if you are not remaining, abiding, or standing in fellowship with Jesus. The Power of Persistent Prayer is Needed (vv. 18ff.) There are six pieces of the armor of God that are typically emphasized in sermons and in books, and I listed all six that are mentioned in the Bible, but there is one more that does not get the kind of attention that it deserves. In the Bible, certain numbers are important. The number 3 signifies divine wholeness and perfection, the number 4 symbolizes completeness in relation to creation, the number 1,000 symbolizes an extended period of time or an indefinite but great amount of time, and the number 7 symbolizes completion, wholeness, and perfection. The number 7 appears throughout the Bible over 700 times. In six days, God created everything and on the seventh day, He rested, which marked the completion of creation. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit are only six pieces and do not complete the set! Yet we are specifically told in Ephesians 6:11, Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. There is a seventh piece that completes the set and that seventh piece that belongs to the whole armor of God is how you know you have put on the armor of God and how you know that you are abiding in Jesus! The seventh piece of the armor of God that completes the set is found in our dependance upon Jesus through prayer; look carefully at verse 18: With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints... How does one stay alert? How can the Christian persevere? By putting on the full armor of God? How do I put on the full armor of God? By standing in the One to whom six pieces of the armor belongs and by dependently going to Him, With every prayer and request... How often ought we to pray? We are to pray, at all times in the Spirit... So important is prayer as a part of the full armor of God, that the apostle Paul asked that these Ephesian Christians also pray on his behalf that God would do the following four things in his life: That God give Paul the words to say. That God open Pauls mouth. That God embolden Paul in the opening of his mouth. That God use Paul to clearly make known the mystery of the gospel. What is the point? The point is this: There is no persevering, no conquering, and no victory apart from Jesus! The only way to stay awake and watchful, the only way to keep yourself from falling into the foolishness of sin, the only way to be aware of the schemes of the devil is if you are, strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (v. 10). The only way you are going to do that is if you are abiding in the Lord by keeping His word, and the evidence you are abiding in Him is if you recognize that your only recourse against His schemes is to run to God in prayer. [1] Own Strachan, The Warrior Savior (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2024), p. 21.
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Last fall, I preached a series of sermons on the armor of God as part of a series in the epistle to the Ephesians. Today, I am not preaching any of those sermons. I am preaching this sermon on a familiar passage out of a sense of urgency for all of us (me included). It might be because we are honoring six of our own from Meadowbrooke Church who have graduated from High School. It may also be because of multiple examples we are given in the Bible of individuals who started well, but whose lives ended poorly; people like Solomon, Uzziah, Judas, and the two men Paul lists in 1 Timothy (Hymenaeus and Alexander) who did not do the things Paul urged Timothy to do, which was to, ...fight the good fight, keep the faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith (1 Tim. 1:1819). Then there are the repeated admonitions throughout the New Testament; permit me to share some of those with you this morning: Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. (Matt. 24:42) Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (1 Cor. 16:13) For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. (Heb. 2:1) So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (Eph. 5:15-16) Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. (1 Pet. 5:8-9) Aside from the multiple examples of the moral failure of key individuals in the Bible who started off strong spiritually and then ended badly, and the many appeals throughout the New Testament to be careful, to pay attention, to be alert, and to be sober minded. Over the past 18 years and nearly 180 hours I have spent in the book of Revelation, the thing I have seen and keep seeing is the repeated appeal throughout the book to persevere until the end: Be faithful until death... (Rev. 2:10) The one who overcomes, and keeps My deeds until the end... (2:26) Hold firmly to what you have... (3:11) The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. (Rev. 21:7) The question is how do you finish well, stay alert, and endure until the end? I believe Ephesians 6:10-18 provides us with that answer. The Enemy is Demonic and Real (v. 12) We are specifically told that the struggle we face is both demonic and real. We are told in Ephesians 6:10, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. The reason we are told to be strong in the Lord is because our struggle is with powerful forces that are demonic in nature: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). The rulers, powers, world forces of darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness are those angels who sided with Satan in his war against God. Although Satan is only one demon who cannot be in more than one place at a time, he has authority over millions of demons who obey his every command. The rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness are different demons with various ranks and responsibilities; some influence governments and kings, others have a more global influence, and many focus their attacks on individual Christians. Now to be clear, we are told that when Jesus saved you and redeemed you through the life He lived, the sin-atoning death He died, and His victory over the grave... that He, disarmed the rulers, powers, world forces, and spiritual forces of wickedness and, made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him [Jesus] (Col. 2:13-15). In his [1]book, The Warrior Savior, Owen Strachan wrote, The crucifixion represented a real death, but not a real defeat. Listen, the demonic powers have no claim or authority over you Christian except what you give to them. Paul does not mince words here and leaves no room for confusion: For our struggle... our fight is not just a fight, but it is a wrestling match in the way that it is not off in the distance but in your face, around you, on you, and is only interested in choking you out! And our struggle is not only with our flesh, but also with, ...the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Our enemys attacks come from afar and they come to us up close! The enemy brings his fight against us in all different way and techniques! It comes in the form of slander, false teaching, and the temptation to sin. Our fight can come in the form of doubt, depression, and deception. The battle can come in the form of persecution from friends, family, or state authorities. Believe me when I say this: the enemy knows you better than you know you, and he is strategic, deceptive, and is set on silencing or sidling you in any way possible. It is possible that you have already given the enemy ground, and you are trapped and not sure out to break free. There is One who is mightily greater than they! The Strength of the Lord is Necessary (vv. 10, 13-17) There is no persevering, no conquering, and no victory apart from Jesus! There is only one remedy against Satan, against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places... and that remedy is the One who disarmed them, ...having triumphed over them (Col. 2:15). There was only One capable of doing such a thing: And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Col. 2:1314). Listen, when it comes to the Christian life, when it comes to standing firm, when it comes to persevering, when it comes to being a Christian, you CANNOT do it apart from Jesus! He alone is the first and the last, and the living One; He was dead, and behold, He is alive forevermore, and it is He who holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:17-18). The One who died is the Lamb of God, and because He is the Lion of Judah, He conquered death when He got up on Sunday morning and because He is both the Lamb and the Lion, He alone is worthy, to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing (Rev. 5:1-14). When it comes to living the Christian life, you cannot do it with Jesus at a distance, you cannot do it with Him being second, and you cannot do it out of your own strength! You can only do it if He is your strength. The biblical definition for the word salvation is not confined to a date when you believed and said some prayer. No! The biblical definition for salvation includes the day you were saved but is only complete when you receive a resurrection and all things in creation are made new. It is of this salvation that the great multitude in heaven that includes every nation, all the tribes, peoples, and languages who cry out at the top of their lungs: Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (Rev. 7:10). The completion of your salvation in the biblical sense, cannot be done on your own, but ONLY in the strength and might of King Jesus (Eph. 6:10)! Okay, so how can you be strong in the strength and might of Jesus? We are told that we do that by putting on the full armor of God (v. 11). What is the armor of God? Let me first tell you what it includes: The belt of truth, which is Gods truth. The breastplate of righteousness, which is Christs righteousness. The shoes of the gospel of peace, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ that that we stand firmly in. The shield of faith is our hope in God that is saturated by the truth of Gods word. The helmet of salvation, which is the security that we have in the assurance of our salvation. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God as our offensive weapon in all the armor we are to put on. For those of you who were here for the armor of God part of the Ephesian series, what I am about to say probably will not surprise you. Each piece of the armor of God belongs to Jesus. Jesus is our belt of truth, Jesus is our breastplate of righteousness, Jesus is our peace, Jesus is our shield of faith, Jesus is our helmet of salvation, and Jesus is the Word of God. I am convinced that the way one puts on the armor of God is by abiding in Jesus. This is why the phrase in Christ or in Him or any other phrase related to in Christ is repeated about 36 times in the short six chapters that make up Ephesians. The only way to put on the armor is by abiding in Jesus. What does it mean to abide in Jesus? There are scores of passages we can turn to answer that question, but I will show you two: The first is in 1 John 3:24, and this is what the apostle John wrote: The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us (1 John 3:24). Listen, the only way you can know how to keep His commandments is if you know what His word says; His commandments are His words. The second passage that unpacks what we just read in 1 John is found in the Gospel of John through the words of Jesus: Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.... If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.... If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Fathers commandments and remain in His love. (John 15:4, 7, 10) The word remain can also be translated stand. In John the Greek word that is used is abide, menō, which is a different word than the one used in Ephesians 6:10-11, (histēmi). The point is the same though, there is no standing firmly against the devils schemes unless you are abiding in Jesus by keeping His Word and making it apart of you. There is no taking up the armor of God if you are not remaining, abiding, or standing in fellowship with Jesus. The Power of Persistent Prayer is Needed (vv. 18ff.) There are six pieces of the armor of God that are typically emphasized in sermons and in books, and I listed all six that are mentioned in the Bible, but there is one more that does not get the kind of attention that it deserves. In the Bible, certain numbers are important. The number 3 signifies divine wholeness and perfection, the number 4 symbolizes completeness in relation to creation, the number 1,000 symbolizes an extended period of time or an indefinite but great amount of time, and the number 7 symbolizes completion, wholeness, and perfection. The number 7 appears throughout the Bible over 700 times. In six days, God created everything and on the seventh day, He rested, which marked the completion of creation. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit are only six pieces and do not complete the set! Yet we are specifically told in Ephesians 6:11, Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. There is a seventh piece that completes the set and that seventh piece that belongs to the whole armor of God is how you know you have put on the armor of God and how you know that you are abiding in Jesus! The seventh piece of the armor of God that completes the set is found in our dependance upon Jesus through prayer; look carefully at verse 18: With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints... How does one stay alert? How can the Christian persevere? By putting on the full armor of God? How do I put on the full armor of God? By standing in the One to whom six pieces of the armor belongs and by dependently going to Him, With every prayer and request... How often ought we to pray? We are to pray, at all times in the Spirit... So important is prayer as a part of the full armor of God, that the apostle Paul asked that these Ephesian Christians also pray on his behalf that God would do the following four things in his life: That God give Paul the words to say. That God open Pauls mouth. That God embolden Paul in the opening of his mouth. That God use Paul to clearly make known the mystery of the gospel. What is the point? The point is this: There is no persevering, no conquering, and no victory apart from Jesus! The only way to stay awake and watchful, the only way to keep yourself from falling into the foolishness of sin, the only way to be aware of the schemes of the devil is if you are, strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (v. 10). The only way you are going to do that is if you are abiding in the Lord by keeping His word, and the evidence you are abiding in Him is if you recognize that your only recourse against His schemes is to run to God in prayer. [1] Own Strachan, The Warrior Savior (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2024), p. 21.
When life feels uncertain, so do we — craving to be seen, to feel secure, and to know we have a purpose. What we yearn for most - is exactly who God is. His unfailing presence, strength, and love fulfill every need.
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Digging for truth? Searching for answers? You're not alone. All throughout history, people have had questions about spirituality and faith. Join in as together we look to God's Word for real answers and insights in the here and now.
At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/
Digging for truth? Searching for answers? You're not alone. All throughout history, people have had questions about spirituality and faith. Join in as together we look to God's Word for real answers and insights in the here and now.
This Mother's Day at CCV, we're celebrating the impact of women who live out courageous faith. With special guest Jaime Wooldridge, we'll be reminded that even in uncertainty, God's faithfulness is worth trusting 11 out of 10 times.
In this episode, I'm continuing a conversation that began last week, where I challenged the mainstream Christian view of spiritual concepts like energy, frequency, and Christ consciousness. As someone called to be salt and light, I believe it's essential to speak up when truth is being distorted. Jesus didn't call us to worship him passively but to follow him actively—something many modern believers seem to forget.To be like Christ is to vibrationally align yourself with divine love and coherence. Jesus's teachings in Aramaic reveal that loving God and neighbor isn't just moral advice—it's a call to fully merge your breath, soul, will, and energy with the Source. Christianity was never meant to be a religion of fear and control; it was a path of awakening, of becoming little Christs who live and love in divine resonance.Part of that alignment comes through remembering how different the male and female bodies are designed spiritually. We don't walk the same path to the divine as men do, and we shouldn't try. Where men find coherence through action and sacrifice, we find it through stillness, through feeling, through being. We must allow ourselves to return to the essence of our design. Jesus modeled this when he encountered women—he called forth their essence, healed them through recognition, not reprimand. Everything I teach pours from this deep remembering—that Christ is a frequency, and we are meant to carry it, not just believe in it. We are meant to become it. Tune in today to hear more! In this episode:[00:37] Welcome back to The Fully Nourished Podcast![01:38] A little review of what we talked about last week. [05:01] What is the Christ frequency?[09:16] What is the true meaning behind Matthew 22:37-39?[15:49] In Matthew 7:7, what does it truly mean to ask and receive?[19:38] When we are aligned, we are co-creators with the cosmos.[21:00] What does life look like when you are a member of the body of light? [24:10] Being a true Christian requires you to do the work. [25:38] What is the difference between the spiritual paths for men and women?[33:17] Jesus did not treat men and women equally. [40:37] Thanks for joining me on The Fully Nourished Podcast today!Links and Resources:Want to learn more about the Logos/Christ Frequency?Prayers of the Cosmos by Neil Douglas Klotz: https://amzn.to/3GvUJONFragments of Herclitus: https://amzn.to/4jtTH4dThe Jesus Way Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKVRMm6i0kgiHUmAqKSDYbperFKgOX0ug&si=bZsUV_lp8cSWS1hqGet more info on Philosophia Society Here:https://www.jessicaashwellness.com/philosophia-societySubmit a Question for our Next Q&A:https://airtable.com/appoicByQy3UFoSXs/shrXwD7wQFJQr68NnSign Up for Sunday Tea Here: https://jessica-ash-wellness.ck.page/04f86a550fConnect with Jessica:Have Sunday tea with me! Sign-up for my Sunday newsletter where I share what's on my brain from the nutritional to spiritual: https://www.jessicaashwellness.com/email-subscribe. Join the Fully Nourished community! Follow me @jessicaashwellness on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaashwellness/
Digging for truth? Searching for answers? You're not alone. All throughout history, people have had questions about spirituality and faith. Join in as together we look to God's Word for real answers and insights in the here and now.
Peculiar story of Abraham; Ur to Haran; Hebrew language - written to be read; Latin; Covetousness = idolatry; Family lineage; Name changes; Graft and corruption; Moneychangers; Sacrifice; "Leaven"; Cain and Abel; Altar purposes; Atheists?; Terah the organizer; Alexander the great; Genghis Kahn; Patterns of government; God's way; Gen 17:1; aleph-nun-yod; "walk" = hey+tav+hey-lamad-kof; Jacob walking in the spirit/faith; Covenant with God; Living by faith; Following false Christs; Welfare snares; Minutemen for each other; Choosing your way; "Perfect" offerings; Deut 18:13; Caring for neighbor; Deut 25:15; Dreams; Lk 6:4 Perfect as his master; Laying down your life; Learning to be Israel; Covenant = beit-resh-yod-tav+yod; Spirit and Truth; Daily ministration; Gen 17:4 Explaining to Abram; +hey+mem = Abraham (Father of many nations); "Kings"; Gen 17:7 Establishing the covenant; "Canaan" those following Nimrod; "Samad" destroyer?; "Give" nun-tav-nun - continuous; Repentance; "Seed" vav-lamad-zayin-resh yod kof; aleph-tav = relationship between God and man in faith; Possessing the land; Circumcision; Lev 10:16; of the heart; Knowing what to believe; Moving in Spirit; Divine spark; "token" of the covenant; Sarai to Sarah; Barak - biet-resh-kof = Blessing; Getting back to the light; Sarah model; Understanding bible meaning; "Thummim"; Tav-mem(+yod)-mem faith; Completeness; Abraham's laugh; Knowing by fruits; Physical token; Abraham's new societal structure; Ex 28:30; Double faith; "Urim" light and fire; Awakening; Gathering in tens, hundreds and thousands; What is your corruption?; "Perfect"; Bondage of Egypt; Discovering the solution; Being fruitful; Draw near to God.
Send us a textHey everyone! Welcome back to the Tat2d Preacher Podcast, Episode 75! In this episode, we delve into the rise of a new figure claiming to be the messiah for Jews, Muslims, and Christians. This guy's gone viral on social media, stirring up controversy with his bold declarations against traditional teachings and religious institutions. We look at his background, his claims, and discuss how his actions align with biblical prophecies about false Christs and prophets in the end times. Whether he's just another attention-seeker or something more ominous, let's dig into this intriguing topic together. Don't forget to comment with your thoughts and questions. Much love and God bless!00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:38 The Viral Messiah Claim03:04 Analyzing the Claims07:26 Background of Abdullah Hashem09:58 Christian Perspective on False Prophets19:52 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsMAKE THE SWITCH- https://the-tat2d-preacher.uniteandswitch.com/Let's Get Connected!bio.site/thetat2dpreacherhttps://www.instagram.com/thetat2dpre...https://www.tiktok.com/@tat2dpreacherpatreon.com/Tat2dPreacherjoel@thetat2dpreacher.com
Digging for truth? Searching for answers? You're not alone. All throughout history, people have had questions about spirituality and faith. Join in as together we look to God's Word for real answers and insights in the here and now.
Good News can't wait! One weekend with multiple experiences calling us to step into the power of the resurrection. Step into the hope, the joy, and life-changing power of Easter. Say YES to the moment. Yes to Jesus.
Good News can't wait! One weekend with multiple experiences calling us to step into the power of the resurrection. Step into the hope, the joy, and life-changing power of Easter. Say YES to the moment. Yes to Jesus.
What is God calling you to? In a world full of noise and distractions, one step, a singular commitment, intentional focus can bring transformation. Take action. Step up. Live it out. What's your one thing?
Stress at work. Uncertainty about the future. Pressures of daily life. We weren't designed to live in constant fear and worry, but to thrive in the purpose God has for our lives. Discover how to trade uncertainty and worry for the unshakable peace that only He can provide.