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CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

The critic claims courage. The observer takes comfort. It's those who choose purpose and take their next step into God's victory who change everything.

Preserving Families Podcast
S3 E41: Christs Miracles: Yesterday and Today

Preserving Families Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2025 36:00


Authors Mark D. Ogletree, Ph.D., and S. Matthew Cook, J.D. Discuss there forthcoming book about miracles. In the book they weave together powerful scripture insights and true, contemporary stories that testify of God's hand in the details of our lives. You'll come away with a deeper understanding of how miracles work and a greater ability to recognize the miracles that occur in your own life.Find their book HERE

Redeemer Church Wichita
Jesus, Palm Branches, and the Temple

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2025 50:32


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/

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)
Christianity Isn't A Spectator Sport

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2025 35:35


The critic claims courage. The observer takes comfort. It's those who choose purpose and take their next step into God's victory who change everything.

Redeemer Church Wichita
Faithful Presence: Leadership Development

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025 56:36


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/

Mount Olive Church
Missional Worldview

Mount Olive Church

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025


2 Corinthians 5:16-21 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting peoples sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christs behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

The critic claims courage. The observer takes comfort. It's those who choose purpose and take their next step into God's victory who change everything.

Meadowbrooke Church Sermon Podcast

I want to piggyback off the final two verses from the first chapter in James that we looked at last week, which states: If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this persons religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (1:26-27). From these two verses, I have two questions that help us make more sense of the verses that follow in James 2:1-13. The first question we need to ask is this: What makes faith worthless? The person who says that he/she believes and follows Jesus yet has not bridled their tongue. The second question is this: If undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their distress, what is defiled religion? It is a person of faith who claims to follow Jesus but ignores the most vulnerable of society: Widows and orphans. In the first century, widows and orphans were vulnerable. Widows faced economic hardships without a male in the home to provide. Orphans lacked the protection of a father. Widows without children were at times isolated and ostracized. Orphans often were without the tender care of their mothers. In many ways, widows and orphans were marginalized in society. For the first century church, the care of widows and orphans was a social justice issue that the first century church understood needed to be address as we are all commanded to address: Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, obtain justice for the orphan, plead for the widows case (Isa. 1:17). Because the needs of the widows and orphans grew, and were beginning to be overlooked, the leaders in the first century church charged a group of men with the task of looking after such people (see Acts 6:1-6). So why is this important when our text this morning is James 2:1-13? Because a faith that rests in Jesus is one that responds to the needs of the marginalized. When a person goes from spiritual death to spiritual life and is born again, there are two levels of love that begin to flow through the spiritual veins of the one who is now a living and breathing child of God, and that is a love for God and a love for ones neighbor. When you are born again your new love for God begins to flow to the point of overflowing to the point that it is expressed in the Christians horizontal relationships. This is why when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment (Matt. 22:37). However, Jesus did not stop there, He continued: The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets James was no doubt aware of Jesus answer to the Pharisees question concerning the greatest commandment. The first four commandments concern our love and relationship with God and the final six commandments concern our love and relationship with our neighbors. Jesus begins with the greatest commandment because how we treat our neighbor reflects the condition of our relationship with God. This is why James wrote in verse 10, For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all. The NLT translates this verse in a way that ought to help you get the point James is making: For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of Gods laws. In other words each of the Ten Commandments are inter-connected. It is not segmented or impartial just like genuine and saving faith is not impartial. Impartial Faith is Gracious (vv. 1-5) I am not sure what was going on in these churches of the Christians James was writing to, but it seems that something was off relationally concerning how they treated one another. Apparently, the rich were treated with some level of favoritism over the poor. We know this because of what James writes in verses 1, My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. James did not write this to keep these Christians from showing favoritism but was forbidding them from doing what they already were doing. If you are a Christian, then you are a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 1). To be a bond-servant is to be a slave of Christ; the bond-servant of Jesus means that you are neither free nor hired, but property of your Master. Dont think of slavery to Jesus as something degrading, for in slavery to Jesus is where true freedom is known. However, to be a bond-servant of Christ and to show favoritism by treating one person more valuable than the other is a contradiction especially the kind of favoritism James was addressing related to the way the rich were treated over the poor. We know this because of the verses that follow: For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, You sit here in a good place, and you say to the poor man, You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? (vv. 2-4) The gold ring on a persons finger was worn by the upper-level Roman equestrian class. Those with a gold-ring were not only wealthy, but were highly influential. Now think of what it would have been like if you were a marginalized Christian Jew, who had an upper-level Roman citizen walk into your church service who also claimed to be a brother or sister in Christ? You might be tempted to think that if you could just get close to this person, that may help in your standing in society! Surely close friendship with the person who wore the gold-ring would be a better use of your time than friendship with another poor and marginalized Christian. To treat one person with more honor than the other because of their social status in this world is to discount the fact that regardless of their social standing, all people bear the image of God and should be treated as such. What made the situation even more grievous is that this kind of favoritism was going on among Christians whose salvation had nothing to do with their standing in society. The apostle Paul addressed some of the same issues within the Corinthian church when he wrote the following: For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no human may boast before God. So in response to this kind of favoritism, James admonished these Christians: Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? In other words, the rich and the poor, the weak and the strong, all have the same thing in common from the moment of birth: We are all born alienated from God and are by nature dead in our sins. Yet, Jesus found us and died for us, and it is through His redeeming work that regardless of your social status, your tribe, or what part of the world you were born in or currently live... He died for sinners such as us! Impartial Faith is Loving (vv. 5-9) The same grace the rich are in dire need to receive, is the same grace available to the poor. The same grace that is available to the Jew is also available to the Gentile! The thing that the apostle Peter had a difficult time wrapping his mind around initially was that salvation was equally made available to Gentiles, and that Jesus is equally the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah, and the Messiah to the Jew as He is to those who grew up eating ham sandwiches, peperoni pizza, Italian hoagies, fried shrimp, and even pork feet. A Jew would not even go into the home of a Gentile because they were considered unclean. Peter was one such Jew until God rebuked him and told him not to label unclean what God has made clean (see Acts 10:9ff). After Peter was sent into the home of a Gentile and witnessed Gods saving work in the entire household of Cornelious, he responded: Opening his mouth, Peter said: I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him (Acts 10:34-35). Peters issue was that he could not see how the God of the Hebrews could love and save unclean Gentiles. Peters sin was really not that different than the favoritism that was shown for the rich over the poor in the churches James wrote his epistle to. It is nothing new that the poor are marginalized or forgotten in the world. Consider the Netflix documentary titled Gone Girls; Rex Heuermann was able to murder scores of prostitutes because they were not treated with the same value as other women. It is estimated that 50 million people live in slavery in our world on this very day. Consider the following statistics related to the 50 million slaves that exist in our world today: 6 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. 23% of these victims (roughly 6.3 million people)are trafficked forcommercial sexual exploitation. 78% of those trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation are women and girls and 22% are men and boys. 92% of sex trafficking victims are adults, and 8% are children. Add to this that in 2024, there was an estimated 1.14 million abortions in the United States alone! We live in a world that that does not value human life. Regarding the partialism that James addressed, he was not surprised that it was happening in a fallen world, he was heartbroken that it was happening among those who claimed to follow Jesus. Why? Because of all people, we who are the redeemed of the Lord Jesus, ought to understand that we bear the image of the living God. To dehumanize a person based on their social or economic status is not only evil, but such behavior blasphemes the Name of the God whose image we reflect (v. 7-8). You can say that you love God all that you want, but according to James 2:9, if you show partiality, you are committing sin by violating the commandments concerning the way we must love our neighbor. In James view (as is true in the rest of the Bible), if you do not love your neighbor, can you really say that you love the God who sent His son to die for that person? Can James be any clearer: But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators (v. 9). Impartial Faith is Merciful (vv. 10-13) Christian, we are a people who have received mercy, and it was not ordinary mercy you received. The mercy you received is not like the mercy a police officer may have shown you by refraining from writing you the ticket you deserved. The apostle Paul described the kind of mercy you received in this way: But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)... The mercy we have received is rich and it is a mercy we did not deserve, nor could we earn. Now, just so you know, verse 10 was written within the context of dehumanizing, ignoring, or treating as less important the poor because they do not have the influence that the wealthy have. I have and will continue to use verse 10 when I share the gospel with others, which states: For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all. In other words, if you are feeling good about not violating the first and second commandments because you do not bow down to any idol in worship and claim to worship God alone, but break any of the other commandments, you are guilty of being a commandment breaker. What does it mean to break any one of Gods commandments? James tells us in verse 11, For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law. Jesus said that if you look at another woman with lust, you are guilty of adultery (see Matt. 5:27-28), and He also said that if you hate or verbally abuse another person, you are also guilty of murder (see Matt. 5:21-22). Whats the point? The point is that we have sinned, still sin, and will sin; it is for all our sins that Jesus was crucified, bled, and slaughtered. The prophet Isaiah wrote of Jesus: But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed (Isa. 53:5); the apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 3:13, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for usfor it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a Tree... We have been forgiven of so much, and the price paid upon His cross was, is, and will always be enough! Because of the rich mercy we continue to receive, James issues a command in verses 12-13, So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. What is the law of freedom? It is the royal law of love! Why did you receive mercy? You received mercy and now you are born again Christian, ...because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5). Conclusion Because of the mercy we have received, the fruit of our faith is to be saturated by the grace, love, and mercy we received in the way we treat our neighbors. In case you are not clear on what that looks like, Jesus could not have made it any clearer: I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35). The sin of partiality is not only in how we treat the wealthy over the poor. The sin of partiality comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. It can come in how we value a person based on the color of their skin or ethnicity. It can also come in how we rightfully stand against abortion while remaining silent regarding the sexual exploitation of children. We ought not to be surprised when the sin of partiality is present in our world, but it ought to grieve our hearts when it finds its way into Christs church. We who have received the grace, love, and mercy of God through Jesus Christ ought to be known as a people whose words and actions embody the essence of the grace, love, and mercy we freely received.

Redeemer Church Wichita
Jesus and Servanthood

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2025 47:11


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/  

Deepcreek Anglican Church
Pursuing God's Good Purposes

Deepcreek Anglican Church

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025


From coffee aroma to Christs presence, Nick shares how a simple morning ritual became a cue to behold God, moving from performance to intimacy. Anchored in Mark 8:2226, Matthew 6, and Luke 9:23, this talk invites you to seek the kingdom first and begin again after every distraction, one honest prayer at a time. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript Pursuing Gods Good Purposes Welcome Bible Reading (Mark 8:2226) Today's Bible reading comes from the book of Mark, and we're reading chapter eight, verses 22 to 26. If you have the Read Bible that is on page 1570. They came to Bethsaida, and some people bought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he put when he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, do you see anything? He looked up and said, I see people. They look like trees walking around. Once more, Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, don't even go into the village. This is the word of the Lord. Opening Coffee Illustration Morning church. How are we going? You all right? Okay. All right. Don't mind me. I'm just going to. While I kick things off for us. I'm just going to, make a coffee because I'm really thirsty, and I need one. No. Why am I making a coffee on stage? Well, I'm sure, like many of us, this is how our day starts. Maybe it's tea. Maybe it's coffee. Maybe it's something like this. But I think it's reasonable to assume that we're doing something fairly routine. So usually at home, actually, to confess, make an espresso machine. But I thought that would be a little bit difficult to try and bring down here. Then make that on stage would be a little bit more distracting, but that is okay. this is how my day starts, and in this space, I am intentionally wanting to invite God into my life as it's the first thing in my day. I make filter coffee. I make it all the time at church with the staff team. It's been really fun to share, you know, fun brews, really expensive beans, all these kinds of things. It's been a pleasure to show that to the staff team. Well, most of the staff team, I would like us maybe to take a moment to pray for Rachel at some particular point today. That would be great. No. In this space, I don't say the same thing every day, but what I do is say something along these lines. loving God, I welcome you in my life today. You are welcome in this place. I want to do what you have planned for me. I'm going to pray. Opening Prayer Church. As we get into our message today. Loving God, thanks for this time. Thanks that you are wonderful. That your works are wonderful. And. Yeah. Help us to seek you for your good purposes. Amen. Intentional Morning Practice So, as mentioned, this is my daily desire that I invite the Lord into my life through making coffee. you know, sometimes even say things like the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles Creed, all these kinds of things. I invite God to have his will in this place at the start of my day, and then to speak in for the rest of my day. so why am I preaching? Why am I talking about coffee today? Well, at the start of the year, the staff team we were talking about when we might like to preach and I really, really confidently stated that I would like to preach in the Stay Weird series and why I think it's just because I'm really happy to be associated with being weird. I feel like it's in my blood, in my DNA. No, not not just that. Also, because our October last year, Rachel, Mike, Nikki and I, we went to a conference called Renaissance where it was a really great weekend. We went in sort of like a ministry experience, and then we did a lot of things. So much of it was great, but I think the particular highlight was hearing from this man, this eyes, he's so gorgeous. I love this man. His name is Strawn Coleman. he's a musician. he's from he's from New Zealand. He's a beautiful man with a beautiful accent. but he actually didn't do any singing. He actually spoke on prayer and what it means to have an intimate prayer life with God. He's the founder and director of the Commoners Communion. It's called He's also involved with practicing the way, which is what a lot of our growth groups are going to be doing this term. So to be sure to get into that. Beholding Prayer (Strawn Coleman) this was his main message across the weekend. He wants prayer to be more than a mental dialogue, but as a way of existing with God in our everyday, ordinary lives. He calls this beholding, which is the title of one of his books, Beholding Prayer. So did I come out of this conference absolutely gushing on this man? Well, I'm not going to comment or deny that. is that weird to say? I don't know. I don't think it's weird. Maybe that's weird. I don't know who it is anyway, but I was inspired, right? I was inspired to read what he said. I came out of that weekend making a conscious effort to explore a deeper prayer life and all that comes with that. Intimacy, vulnerability, silence, prayer. And I set myself on the journey of seeking this. And I thought by the time, you know, maybe like six, eight months down the line, I thought, by the time I get to church today, I'd be like, great. I'm so excited to stand up here and share everything that I have learned. Well, that day is here, and I think it's fair to say the journey didn't go as planned, but I also think that is for the better. Taste and See Coffee as a Cue So morning starts. I make my coffee and as I said, the intention is to invite the Lord into this space. Psalm 34, verse eight. Taste and see that he is good. This is not me preaching a theology of coffee, by the way. although that sounds like a really good idea, someone should do that. This is me. What I love about coffee is mostly the smell, amongst the taste. Because. And actually, to do with my prayer life, I use the aroma, particularly. Filter coffee is particularly potent. I use that as kind of a way to connect back with God. I find in my prayers I'm deeply distracted all the time, and I use the aroma to function as an incense, and I want the smell to draw me back to the father. And then from there, my morning looks like hopefully some prayer, some Bible reading. At the moment I've been working through a podcast which just sort of does a little devotion on a particular part of the Bible each day. And yeah, that's been my intention to pray with God. And honestly, I don't I don't nail this every, every day. Habits, All-or-Nothing, and Grace And for my whole life for routines and habits. I've struggled with a bit of an all or nothing complex. And what I mean by that is I want to do a habit and I really want to do it well. And then I miss a couple of days, I slip up and then I just crash out of doing it. And it wasn't just for prayer and following God. It's kind of been for everything. To be honest, it's been for for trying to, like, practice a musical instrument, whether it's trying to do exercise. It's kind of just been with me and I don't really know why, but that's okay. It's been there. And in my journey of seeking Christ this year, he's actually shown me that. And God has shown me the lies in this thinking. In all of our shortcomings. God is ready to welcome us back with open arms like the prodigal son. You know, he looks down on us with so much grace. You know whether I'm coming back to God later that day. The next day. The day after. He simply just desires an intimate friendship with me. I love this quote from Rich Villegas. Also in practicing the way, as I learned from week one of our session just this Tuesday, a thousand distractions in prayer. A thousand reasons to come back to God. Seeing God in All Things So, through a single daily task, I invite the Lord into all of my life. And slowly and softly, I'm just seeing him more in in all things. So looking back now that looking back at October, it's clear when I set the goal of doing this, seeking God more. If I'm honest, I went in with my heart in the wrong place. I was seeking God, yes, but it kind of began with seeking him for my purpose. To learn to be better, to be more like Strawn. And I am relieved to say this did not go the way that I planned. You know, God, even in my wrong ideas, God kind of did. Just God in here is he's going to do. He got into my heart, my body and mind and and he showed me the ways of this, even in selfish pursuits. He can use your prayer and your life for good purposes. And Matthew chapter six teaches us this. Seek First His Kingdom (Matthew 6) So do not worry. Saying, what shall we eat? What shall we drink, or what shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things. And your heavenly father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. To seek his kingdom and his righteousness is to seek first God for his good. Purposes. And this call from Jesus sets us apart. In our world, we're in one where we're encouraged to think for ourselves, whether it be for material gain, our own sense of purpose, power, influence, emotional gain, security. Even in my prayer life, I was using prayer for just gaining, you know, spiritual knowledge and and wisdom and thank the Lord that he showed me the errors of that. Deny Yourself Find Freedom (Luke 9:23) And what is Christ say about this? Well, he calls us to deny yourself, deny gain for your purposes. Luke 923 Jesus said to them all, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. This idea of of self gain is is not how we are supposed to be living. It's not how God intended. His. His good purposes are our gain and our path to victory and freedom. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. This call from Christ is for our benefit. This is for our good city alike are this amazing Christian song writing group and I love the music, particularly for their lyrics. And one song I've been adoring this year is called His Glory is My Good and I think I just love it for the title. I love saying that his glory is my good. There is. There is a precious freedom in wanting to live more like him and be more like him as we work towards holiness. Matthew six but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. You know, these verses encourage us to prioritize God and God's will go after his good purposes. And our other needs will be met. When Routine Becomes an Idol So last year, I convinced myself I had a thriving prayer life. In the mornings, I'd make my morning coffee. Please hold. Yeah, that was good. Make my morning coffee. And then I'd basically find a spot in my. In my room. In my living room. Sorry. In my living room. Rug on the ground. Particular cushion I'd sit on down on the floor and I'd be just doing some praying and meditating. I generally start about five minutes or so, and then slowly over time, I increased that timer, turned to ten minutes, turned into 15, turned into 20. And yeah, this was my prayer life and these are good things I was doing. But I realized my intentions were really unhealthy and my goal unintentionally became not spending time with God, but the amount of time. I was spending with God. I began to idolize routine and I honestly just lose sight of the true purpose I lost sight of of seeking God. I was seeking God for my good purpose. And it became became prideful. It was. It's a very worldly way of looking at spending time with God. It was it was consumerist. It was transactional. Transaction Culture Prayer Our world is is consumerist. And that, sadly, can affect the way we approach God. I mean, everything around us, we we pay for a service to happen. We work to get paid for our service. We use our screens as a transaction of distraction, escapism. We put things up on socials for often for a reaction, whether it be positive or negative, that is still a type of transaction. And we wanted to do this to receive something. In his book Beholding, Strawn, who I was talking about before, puts it like this the theology of consumerism subtly underlies much of the way we see the world experienced church, and sadly. How we pray. I'd go into prayer and meditation, seeking something, strength, hope or revelation. And I'd be just disappointed when that didn't happen. And and I wasn't disappointed in in God as much as myself, to be honest. I had this unhealthy assumption that I disappointed him, and I did make most of my time. I wasn't in tune, I was distracted. Sometimes I approached prayer for guilt, for lack of words or revelation. And with God there, there is not. There is no pressure for productivity or performance. You know, there is a worldly pressure in all our environments for productivity and performance, but not with God. That sets us apart. We can overanalyze and scrutinize our prayer lives. From a worldly perspective. But God is simply. Desires you just as you are. And this is from one of Strand's prayer books, which I just love. Saying these words, God, you're not a product to be consumed, but a wonder to behold. Father, make me your beholder. Psalm 34, verse eight. Taste and see that the Lord is good. His goodness is there for us to reach out and touch this creator. Overwhelmingly awesome. Magnificent. Worthy of our praise. God simply desires you. Mark 8: Intimacy Healing in Stages So our Bible reading today came from the gospel of Mark, and it points us towards God's desire for close relationship and intimacy with each of us. Mark eight, verse 22. They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. This man is brought to Jesus not by his own accord. And what is Jesus's first response? It's it's just to spend time with him. Away from the others. Intimacy, you know, to parallel Matthew chapter six, Jesus sought first an intimate friendship with the man as he does with you. We need to first seek Christ. Seek come from the Greek word. With few meanings, one of which is the desire to possess. We desperately need the desire to possess intimate friendship with God. I think this this space I'm talking about. Right? It's it's a pretty scary one because it talks about things like vulnerability and and intimacy. And I think that's really scary because it's often in these spaces right, where we. God reveals things about us that we actually don't want to admit about ourselves. It's those deep fears, those habits we need to change the things we are not ready to deny about ourselves. But it's a space. This is a space to be vulnerable with. The Lord is a space that overflows with beauty. And Mark 823 paints an incredible description of this. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Just think about that. If you couldn't see and you just your hand out. Jesus, take my hand. Lead the way. It's so beautiful. God is desiring you. The Power of Being With God And this is from Strawn. I was learning that the greatest power in prayer is just to be together with God, and that being with God is often as much the answer to the prayers we're praying as the answers we are seeking ourselves. Storm was an active touring musician for the first part of the 20 tens, and in about 2015 he became chronically ill, for which there wasn't any cure, and he stopped short of touring. Being on the road as a musician, and he didn't work in this time, and he spent extended stints at a Franciscan retreat. This is what his days looked like. He would journal, he would pray. He would look out the window, he would be silent and he would sleep, because that's actually all he was able to do at the time. And he documents in his book, he documents his anger about this, his lament in this space. He felt no answer to his prayers, no answer to his pain. And he writes how he gave up in praying for healing. He gave up. And he said instead a prayer of acceptance and everything. Changed. He thanked God for his life. And then he said this. Father, if this is it. If this is what my life will look like till the day I die. Financially strapped, vocationally stuffed, relationally strained and medically confused. Then it's okay. I have you. I have life. I have this beautiful world and my beautiful family. Let me be alive to enjoy and behold you. Whatever may come. That's awesome, isn't it? Prayer for strong became just sitting in front of the Lord. Just watching. Learning to discover that the beauty was just already present all around him, you know. He decided that his painting and this, this struggle was not going to affect his gazing at God. That's what he calls all this gazing at God. Reflection: What Would You Pray? Church. I wonder if I wonder if I had the prayer on the screen and put some empty spaces there, what would what would you put in there? Do you feel a weight of expectation to be dependable to those around you? Do you struggle to support those around you? Are you feeling pressure to provide? Do you? Do you fail to love yourself? Those deep parts of yourself? Do you feel held back by a lack of purpose? If I'm honest, church that is one. Being being held back by lack of purpose is something I am petrified about. I, I don't clearly know God's plan for me. I've never had a plan for me. I've never known what to do. And that is a deep. That's a deep fear that I carry. Right. Church. Well, we're set apart because these things, these burdens that we carry are insignificant compared to the wonder of Christ. You know, because Christ is so much bigger and better than these burdens that we carry. You know, we're invited to sit with him just as you are to be real with him in all my questions and challenges. I want to taste and see that the Lord is good. I will strive to do this. Psalms of Desire Praise Psalm 27. For one thing, I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord, and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 3423 I will extol the Lord at all times. His praise will be always on my lips. I will glory in the Lord. Let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me. Let us exalt his name together. Approach the Throne with Confidence Church, you don't need to have it all together to sit with God. We can boldly approach him with confidence. God does not require perfection. He just requires you. Hebrews 416. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. My name is Nick and I am a hot mess. But I'm a hot mess with God. The Lord is is desperate to to take you by the hand and have an intimate. Intimate friendship with all of you. Jesus Persistence in Healing So we took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he'd spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, do you see anything? He looked up and said, I see people. They look like trees walking around. What I love about this particular healing is that it's not immediate. It is in it's in stages, and it's done quietly in intimate friendship with God. Verse 25, once more, Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus just simply continued his good work in this man for his good. Purposes. I love this quote from Alan Cole in his commentary on this passage. It's so simple and so beautiful. Jesus did not desist until the man was fully healed. And it's so, so reflective of his pursuit of us. Jesus will not desist in his pursuit of you. And finally, in verse 26, Jesus sent him home, saying, don't even go into the village. For God, this this miracle is. It's it's not about the people. It's not about the people in the village. This was just something intimate between God and the blind man. And it shows us the friendship that we need to seek with God. Your relationship with Christ is unique to you and is always. Always chasing after you. Beholding Like Oxygen Through our pursuit of God for his good purposes. We will come to see him more and more in our life. You know, often I. I don't feel a thrill in my prayers. If I'm honest, I don't. I don't get revelation sometimes. There's not really a sense of encounter or or even like a direct sense of your spirit. And you know that. That's fine. What has formed in this journey is something more softly. I think it's it's a comfort in his omnipotence, which just means, like I'm comfortable knowing that he's everywhere around me. Here's another strong quote for you. Beholding prayer is a dis position of openness to God in every moment. Whether we see or feel him there or not. He's there like oxygen. You know, my hope and prayer is is not about seeking answers. Seeking revelation because his good purposes exceed my ideas of greatest purposes. You know, taste and see that the Lord is good. Judge. I've. This is a very big topic, and I'm not an expert. I've. I've barely scratched the surface. Let's let's be real here, but please read the word. Please seek this. Seek an intimate friendship with him. Because it is what matters. Our burdens are insignificant compared to our pursuit of this. Make sure you get to a growth group if you're not in one already. Get along to practicing the way because it kind of talks all about this in more detail. spend time gazing at God. Here's a few of my own terminologies that I have made so strong. Calls it Gazing at God. Here are some of mine. being bored with the Lord. Be a mess with the Messiah. Time out with the Trinity. Reveling with the Redeemer. Opportunistic omnipotence. Or you could pick something that doesn't use alliteration. Whatever works for you but church. Seek first his kingdom for his good purposes, because he is worthy of all of our seeking. We as Christians, we have a blessed assurance that there is a prize waiting for us at the end, an eternity with the father, the son, and the spirit. But even, even if there wasn't an assurance, to be honest, I I'd still seek Jesus, because he's worthy of all of my seeking, and he's worthy of yours. To finish, I'm going to invite the band to come on up church. I'm going to lead us in a time of prayer. I'm going to lead us in some adapted prayers from from Strawn in his prayer book. And please let us be seeking him in our prayers, our church, please, whatever posture you like. Let's pray, shall we? Closing Prayer Loving God. One thing we ask from you this only. Do we want to seek. That we may dwell in the house of the Lord. All the days of our lives. To gaze on the beauty of you and to seek you in your temple. To see that you are everywhere. Your dwelling place is all across, all around us. Thank you, God, for for my life, for our lives. Father, if if this is it, if this is what our lives look like, if this is what my life looks like until the day we die, then. It's okay. Help us to see that it's okay. We have you. We have life. We have this beautiful world. And let us be alive to enjoy you and behold you. Whatever may come. Amen.

Escape to Heaven with Servant Marcia Carty

In this timely and urgent message titled "Saved From God's Wrath," Servant Marcia Carty of Heaven on Earth Ministries of Jesus Christ dives deep into the escalating signs of the end times, drawing striking comparisons to the days of Noah. She emphasizes that while we may not be at the very end, we are witnessing conditions—such as extreme violence, child trafficking, and widespread iniquity—that mirror biblical prophecies. Key takeaways from this powerful teaching include: -- The Urgency of Repentance and Righteousness: Servant Marcia stresses the critical need for believers to stay in God's will amidst increasing wickedness. She highlights that without God's voice guiding us, we risk becoming as wicked as those we lament. Regular supplication and a lifestyle of crying out to the Lord are essential for remaining in His favor. -- Understanding God's Wrath: Drawing heavily from Isaiah 13, Servant Marcia details the terrifying nature of God's coming wrath. This will involve angelic forces, widespread destruction, the darkening of celestial bodies, and the humbling of the proud. She warns that no earthly escape, even underground cities, will protect from God's judgment, as the earth itself will be shaken. -- Signs of the End Times (Luke 21): The message outlines Jesus' prophecies regarding the end, including false Christs, wars, commotions, nation rising against nation, earthquakes, famines, pestilence, and fearful sights. Crucially, believers are warned of impending persecution, even from family and friends, for their faith in Jesus. -- The Hope of Redemption, Not Wrath: A central theme is the assurance that true believers are "not appointed to wrath." Through Christ's sacrifice, a pathway to reconciliation and salvation has been provided. Servant Marcia refers to 1 Thessalonians 4, explaining the rapture—the catching away of believers, both living and resurrected, to meet the Lord in the air—as God's plan to deliver His saints from His fierce anger. -- The Lamb's Worthiness and the Seven Seals: The teaching culminates with a look into Revelation 5 and 6, where Jesus, the Lamb of God, is deemed worthy to open the seven seals, symbolizing the unfolding of God's judgment. Each seal brings forth a new stage of tribulation, from conquering spirits and widespread death to famine, martyrdom, and cataclysmic natural disasters. The ultimate call is to embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior now to be delivered from these coming events. Servant Marcia passionately encourages listeners to walk away from unrighteousness and embrace holiness, reminding them that God has always been a deliverer, and His plan is to deliver us from His wrath. Scriptures for Further Study Psalms 28 Psalms 30 Isaiah 13 Luke 21 1 Thessalonians 4 Revelation 5 Revelation 6 +++++++ We have begun building a new website which you can see here: https://www.noahdays.org/

Redeemer Church Wichita
Faithful Presence: Empowerment

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2025 45:40


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/

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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!

Prestoncrest Church of Christ
Stretched: Name, Image, & Likeness - July 20, 2025 First Service

Prestoncrest Church of Christ

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2025 66:31


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

Prestoncrest Church of Christ
Stretched: Name, Image, & Likeness - July 20, 2025 First Service

Prestoncrest Church of Christ

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2025 69:41


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

Redeemer Church Wichita
Being a Faithful Presence & Pursuing Justice: A Panel Conversation

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2025 37:47


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/

Redeemer Church Wichita
Eric Hauck & Beggarman Ministries

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2025 33:07


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/

West Concord 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.

Heritage Baptist Church
True Christian Leadership Prioritizes Conflict Resolution in Light of Christs Triumph

Heritage Baptist Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2025 61:50


CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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!

Redeemer Church Wichita
Faithful presence | Church-Based

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2025 46:44


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/    

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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!

American Conservative University
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

American Conservative University

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2025 35:20


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.   -------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Redeemer Church Wichita
Faithful Presence | Listening to the Community

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2025 50:41


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/  

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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!

Love’s Last Call
“The Two Gates” - Part 2 (The Wide Way to Eternal Death)

Love’s Last Call

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2025 15:28


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/

Redeemer Church Wichita
Faithful Presence | Redistribution

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2025 55:40


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/  

Hummelstown UCC Podcast
2025-06-29 Discerning Priorities (Pastor Mike Schutz)

Hummelstown UCC Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2025 23:43


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.

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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.

The Two Trees Podcast
Christs Identity Questioned - Matthew 11

The Two Trees Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2025 59:16


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.  

Redeemer Church Wichita
Faithful Presence | Reconciliation

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2025 53:13


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/  

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)
Our Omnipresent God is with you

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2025 32:53


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.

Pillar of Truth: Radio Podcast
Watchful, Prayerful Saints, Part 2 | Ready for the End

Pillar of Truth: Radio Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025


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.

Message to Kings - A Biblical History of Man
Episode 257: 32AD Passion Week Tuesday: The Olivet Discourse - Wars and Rumors of Wars

Message to Kings - A Biblical History of Man

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2025 22:33


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

Mysterious Radio
The 3 Christs

Mysterious Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2025 27:00


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]

Redeemer Church Wichita
Faithful Presence | Putting Roots Down

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2025 54:01


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/  

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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.

Livin Loud Outdoors - Buster Holzer
Signs of Christs Return!

Livin Loud Outdoors - Buster Holzer

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2025 35:54


Signs of Christs Return!

Redeemer Church Wichita
Pentecost Sunday | Acts 10

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2025 41:55


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/  

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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.

Pastor Mike Impact Ministries
Luke 21:8-18 - Don't Be deceived, or Terrified, and Don't Worry

Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2025 5:05


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.

Redeemer Church Wichita
Jesus and a Parable of Grace

Redeemer Church Wichita

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 50:38


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/

Meadowbrooke Church Sermon Podcast
Be Watchful, Be Wise, Be Aware!

Meadowbrooke Church Sermon Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025


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.

Meadowbrooke Church Sermon Podcast
Be Watchful, Be Wise, Be Aware!

Meadowbrooke Church Sermon Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025


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.

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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.

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)
Why Is There So Much Pain & Suffering In This World?

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 37:59


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.

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)
Tough Questions For Christianity: What Does The Bible Say About...

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 41:48


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.

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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.

Fully Nourished®
Universal Architecture: The Christ Frequency and How Women Tune in Differently Than Men (Part 2)

Fully Nourished®

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 42:53


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/

CCV Audio Messages (Christ's Church of the Valley)

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.