Podcasts about chrsitian

Title: The Disciple Maker's Dream Text: 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 FCF: We often struggle continuing to grow in the cardinal graces of faith, love, and hope. Prop: Because the church thrives when we continue to grow spiritually, so we must continue to grow in faith, love and hope. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. Put your finger or a book mark there, and flip back a page or two to chapter 1 verse 3. In a moment we'll read both these passages from the Legacy Standard Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last week we saw Paul express his godly pastoral concern for the Thessalonian believers by relaying to them the circumstances that led to Timothy coming to visit. Paul says that he couldn't take it any longer and had to hear about their faith and whether or not they were holding up under the affliction that they were appointed by God to endure. This week Paul moves the timeline forward to the very moment that he writes the letter and he expresses his deepest relief at the report from Timothy. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Gracious Father, You have given Your church as the light of the world. We are here to shine the gospel light to those who persist in unbelief. And one real way we draw men to give you glory and see Your majesty is by our being conformed progressively more and more to the image of Your Son. In this, You give us grace through the indwelling of Your Spirit to advance in the cardinal graces of faith, love, and hope as we are refined in the fire of Your will for our lives. May You use this text to spur Your people to continue to grow in these graces and thus enable the church – our church – to thrive. We ask this in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “We discern the growth of grace as the growth of plants, which we perceive rather to have grown than to grow.” John Flavel “God would have us not merely take a stand, He would have us walk. Too many have taken a stand and are still standing; for years they have made no progress. “ Vance Havner “Spiritual growth consists most in the growth of the root, which is out of sight.” Matthew Henry “Happy is he who makes daily progress and who considers not what he did yesterday but what advance he can make today.” Jerome “The growth of grace is the best evidence of the truth of it; things that have no life will not grow.” Thomas Watson Let these thoughts find a place to rest in your mind as we proceed to look at the text this morning. I.) Disciple Makers thrive when their disciples stand in the cardinal Christian graces, so we must continue to grow in faith, love and hope. (6-8) a. [Slide 3] 6 - But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always remember us kindly, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, i. Timothy has recently returned to Paul and Silas in Corinth with news from the church in Thessalonica. ii. All the godly and pastoral concern that Paul had for the Thessalonian church is gloriously assuaged by the news Timothy brings. iii. It is so good of news, that Paul uses the same word he uses in other contexts to refer to the gospel. The Good News. iv. What news could rival the gospel? v. The Thessalonian church is… healthy! vi. It seems that all the propaganda that the unbelieving Thessalonians had been trying to sew into the hearts and minds of the church there about Paul and his companions, has come to nothing after all. vii. Of course we knew this already from chapter 1. viii. Still, it is good for us to hear Paul's relief at the Thessalonians' steadfastness in their faith in Christ and the promises of God and their love for Him and one another. ix. Furthermore, their love for God and others is evident in that they remember the evangelists, and by extension their message, kindly and even long to see them in the same way that they long to see the Thessalonians. x. This was not always true of the places Paul had been. xi. The Corinthians despised Paul for a time before they repented and made it right. xii. So it would not be unheard of or completely out of the realm of possibility that the Thessalonians could have grown to despise the evangelists. xiii. And I can tell you as a pastor, that there are some who I have taught, preached to, poured my life into, helped, edified, and gave myself for - who now despise me and have cut me and Kadie out of their lives. xiv. I don't say this to garner pity. I say this as a warning. The life of ministry (which all Christians should be engaged in) is often rewarded with disdain. xv. I can also say that it is MOST encouraging to hear and know that those who you care for are standing strong in faith, love, and hope. xvi. Keen observers will note that although Paul mentions hope in chapter 1 and verse 3 as one of the three cardinal graces of a growing believer, here it seems he has omitted this third cardinal grace. xvii. However, before this point is done, when we read between the lines, we will see the cardinal grace of hope come shining through. xviii. The point is that disciple makers survive by trusting the Lord. But they THRIVE when those they disciple stand fast in faith, love, and hope. b. [Slide 4] 7 - for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; i. Disciple Makers and spiritually mature people also suffer distress and affliction. ii. I know that may seem like obvious information, but I can tell you after spending 16 years in ministry, that sometimes that is forgotten by spiritually immature believers. iii. Spiritually immature believers tend to focus on themselves. This isn't surprising. One of the reasons they are immature is because they are consumed with themselves. So, you can hardly fault them for it. They need to grow out of it. iv. But because they are so consumed with themselves, they often wonder why disciple makers are tired, forget to call or text them, or don't spend more time with them. v. Disciple Makers have their own distresses and afflictions that they are enduring. Just because they are spiritually mature does not mean they have grown beyond these things. It simply means that more often than not, they are able to navigate these things with the help of the Lord and His grace alone. vi. But Paul reveals where disciple makers find great relief and encouragement amid distress and affliction. vii. It is when those they are pouring their lives into… stand strong in their faith, love, and hope. viii. When they can leave them in difficult situations and they hold fast and endure and even serve others. ix. In this, there is a reciprocity of encouragement. Just as Paul sent Timothy to establish and encourage them… hearing news that they are established and strong in these cardinal graces is… an encouragement to the evangelists. x. Once again, we see that the church… needs each other. No matter how spiritually mature we are – there is a mutual dependance on each other that cannot be ignored or scorned without great catastrophe. xi. Paul and his companions have heard back from Timothy that these Thessalonians are enduring in faith, love and hope, even though they have been absent from them for months. xii. And Paul confesses that it is a great comfort and blessing, while they themselves endure their own distress and affliction in Corinth. xiii. Indeed, the evangelists are so comforted that Paul says… c. [Slide 5] 8 - for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. i. The word “really” has been added by the LSB here. ii. I'm not sure I agree with the insertion. iii. It seems like it muddies the waters of what exactly is happening here. iv. Paul expresses that he and his companions now live because the Thessalonian church has stood firm in the Lord. v. Obviously, Paul doesn't speak of spiritual life… in the sense that the Thessalonians' steadfastness is what regenerated their hearts. Nor is he speaking to physical life as though they were dead and have been resurrected because they are standing firm in their faith. vi. Paul is obviously using hyperbole. vii. The uncertainty of knowing that they left the Thessalonians at a critical time and facing certain affliction, may have felt like death. When you are on your deathbed, everything in life stops. Nothing really matters. Similarly, to the evangelists, until they heard how the Thessalonians were doing – all stopped. viii. But now that they know that their faith is solid and that their love is still burning and that their hope is steadfast… they have been given new life. Like a breath of fresh air. ix. Here we see the third cardinal grace make its entry. In chapter 1:3, the steadfastness in the Lord was inspired by or rooted in… hope. And so the grace triad is complete. x. Again – disciple makers THRIVE when those in their charge stand strong in faith, love, and hope. d. [Slide 6] Summary of the Point: Paul's point here, after expressing his godly pastoral concern in the previous thought, is to bring the letter up to the present time and inform the Thessalonians that he and his companions are greatly encouraged and comforted by the fact that they have stood fast in the cardinal Christian graces of faith, love, and hope. In spite of facing their own distresses and afflictions, the news that Timothy brought to them reignited their zeal and passion for the Lord. Indeed, this is true of all disciple makers. When those they disciple hold fast in the cardinal Christian graces, in spite of facing opposition, disciple makers thrive. Since disciple makers thrive in this way, those being discipled should continue to grow in faith, love, and hope. Transition: [Slide 7(blank)] But disciple makers do not merely thrive when their disciples don't go backward in their spiritual maturity. In fact, they truly thrive when those they disciple spiritually progress. Let's look at verse 9. II.) Disciple Makers thrive when spiritual progress continues, so we must continue to grow in faith, love, and hope. (9-10) a. [Slide 8] 9 - For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God because of you, i. Just like last week, Paul concludes his thought here with an introspecting question directed at the Thessalonians. ii. Unlike last week, which posed several questions, this is only 1 question with many parts. iii. He begins by asking what thanks they can return or render to God iv. Paul isn't asking what kind of thanks they can offer. He is asking, what amount of thanks could they offer to God that would be enough for the joy that has come to them because of the Thessalonians' spiritual success. v. Their joy is so great before God that they are not able to thank Him enough for the continued spiritual strength of these believers. vi. Notice that Paul – AGAIN – praises GOD for the spiritual success of the Thessalonians. vii. This is essentially what Augustine said when he prayed, “give what You command and then command what You will.” viii. Nothing we have of spiritual value and worth is engineered or sprung up from us naturally. All that is good and godly in us is raised up and given by God Himself. This is why Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians' spiritual success. Not them. ix. Notice, that Paul begins this question with For, this indicates that all that he has said so far, probably as far back as chapter 2, is in consideration. x. Because of everything that has been reported, and the comfort it brought, and how they feel alive now in hearing it… Paul wonders what amount of thanks would be enough to thank the Lord for the joy they have because of the spiritual strength of the Thessalonian church. xi. But his question is not complete just yet. xii. He will go on to describe the rest of the content of their prayers to God. xiii. Not merely expressing thanks and rejoicing…. b. [Slide 9] 10 - as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? i. Their prayers also have requests. ii. Not just thanksgiving and joy at what has been up until the present, but also earnest and spiritual desires for the future. iii. A disciple maker's job is truly never done. iv. Until we all reach the finish line and meet the Lord together, the responsibility of a disciple maker continues. v. And because it does – Paul concludes his question. vi. He has asked what level of thanks to God in prayer could ever be enough to match the joy they have because of the Thessalonians, as they are CONSTANTLY (night and day) continuously praying most earnestly to see them again face to face in order that they may fully equip them to handle everything they may face against their faith both in doctrine and practice. vii. Paul's question is – not a question at all. It is a statement. viii. They know that their job is not done. They know that they have more to teach the Thessalonians. They know that they must get back to them to help them… ix. But they are overjoyed that the Thessalonians are holding fast to their faith and strong in the Lord in spite of the evangelists not being with them. x. This means that the disciple makers can start right where they left off and keep moving them forward. xi. This is how disciple makers thrive. xii. And of course the first step in moving the Thessalonian church forward, is this letter. xiii. Paul isn't going to wrap up the letter here. Instead, there are two more chapters to go where Paul will attempt to complete some of what is lacking in their faith. xiv. And of course, after that he writes another letter, which we'll get to should the Lord allow. In that letter he seeks to complete a little more of what is lacking in their faith. xv. But more on that in due time. c. [Slide 10] Summary of the Point: Paul can't help but look to the future. Indeed, he began doing this with the previous two paragraphs expressing his desire to once again see them. As a disciple maker it is not enough to merely hear that the cardinal graces of his disciples are holding fast. For Paul yearns for the fellowship and the advancement of the spiritual maturity of his disciples as well. This is what really causes a disciple maker to thrive. When they see spiritual growth progressing. Since this is true, we must feed into this thriving and this reciprocal relationship, and continue to grow in the cardinal Christian graces of faith, love, and hope. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today that corrects and instructs our faith and shapes and guides our practice? Broad concepts of Faith and Practice: [Slide 11] The danger of saying something like “Disciple Makers thrive” in the application of a sermon, is that it can communicate that the text and the sermon is only speaking to a certain group of people. But the scriptures cannot be painted too tightly into the corner of any particular people group. Since the Word of God is living and active, it ALWAYS requires God's people to take heed to what is preached and think or live differently. Just because Paul puts forward the fact that spiritually leaders such as himself thrive when those they lead hold fast and progress in spiritual maturity, does not mean that this text only applies to spiritual leaders. That is one of the main reasons I did not say Spiritual leaders but did say disciple makers. Because according to the teachings of the New Testament, who in the church are to be disciple makers? Everyone. And who in the church remains a disciple until they enter Christ's presence? Everyone. And so we see significant overlap of anything in the scriptures related to disciple makers and those being discipled. Because that is really the sum total of everyone who is truly a believer. And so, whatever is true of Paul and his companions is true of us. And so, if it is true that disciple makers thrive when those they disciple stand firm and progress in the cardinal Christian graces of faith, love, and hope – then we must encourage these in those we disciple and grow in these as a disciple of someone else. But let me get a bit more detailed in the application this morning. 1.) [Slide 12] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that disciple makers thrive when those they disciple stand firm and grow in the cardinal Chrsitian graces of faith, love, and hope. a. When we couple the godly pastoral concern of Paul from last week's message with the comfort that comes from Timothy's report, we get this lesson clearly presented. b. Paul and his companions, while they lived in uncertainty and fear that the Thessalonians' faith had failed, now they are alive because of the news that their faith, love, and hope stood firm. c. Bearing out my heart a bit in this message, I will confess that when those I have discipled, mentored, and poured into, experience genuine growth in grace and come to breakthroughs where they understand and obey the Lord more, love the Lord and others more, or trust the Lord's promises and anticipate His coming more… there is no greater feeling, no greater shot to my personal faith, love, and hope, than to hear of the progress of a disciple. d. In the same vein, and what seems to happen more often, is when I hear of a disciple who has walked away from the faith, has discarded God's law, has begun to despise the church, or generally has departed from trusting God in anything… it is perhaps the most gut-wrenching news you could hear. e. But you don't have to be a pastor for this to be true. You don't even have to be a spiritual leader for this to be true. f. All of God's church is to make disciples. It was the final marching orders of Christ to His disciples, which consisted of more than merely the 12. It was actually a gathering of about 70 people. g. Therefore, this thriving and this godly concern that Paul speaks of, should be a far more universal experience among believers. h. God has made it so if you are a parent, you have a natural built in discipleship program. For 18 years or more, you get to pray for, teach, admonish, weep for, rejoice with, have godly concern over and thanksgiving to God for the little ones the Lord has given you. i. But even if you are not a parent – or if that time has come to a close for you – you still must make disciples. And if you must make disciples, there is nothing greater than seeing someone you disciple… grow in the graces of faith, love, and hope. 2.) [Slide 13] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that spiritual maturity means having grown beyond the need of the church. a. Paul and his companions were comforted by and even came alive because of the spiritual success of the Thessalonian church. b. This shows, of course, that even though Paul and his companions were disciple makers… they were not above needing encouragement and comfort. c. Even though we have all been called to be disciple makers, this does not mean that we ever really leave the stage of being a disciple. d. Why is that? e. Because no one ever “arrives” in the Christian walk. f. None of us ever achieve the status of discipled (past tense). The race finishes when we are with Christ… and not a moment before. g. Therefore, we all must see ourselves as both disciples and disciple makers at the same time. h. Because of this, we will never outgrow our need for mutual love, discipleship, rebuke, challenge, edification, and encouragement that only the church can provide. 3.) [Slide 14] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must continue to grow in the cardinal Chrsitian graces of faith, love, and hope. a. First of all, and by way of review, we should answer the question, why are they called cardinal Christian graces? i. The terms cardinal and Christian are almost self-explanatory. ii. Christian tells us that these graces are characteristics of all true believers. iii. Cardinal means that they are of highest importance or value. We only assign this title to these graces because they are mentioned often in the scriptures as virtues all Christians must have and grow in. iv. But why do we call them graces? v. Grace, as we know, is God's empowering to do something that we could not do on our own. vi. The New Testament reveals to us that each of these virtues or characteristics in a Christian's life are not inherently found within us. Nor are they given generally by God to all people. Instead, God gives and continues to give these graces to genuine Christians so that they may grow in them. vii. Thus, we can refer to them as graces. The grace of faith. The grace of love. The grace of hope. viii. As is always true, just because God gives these things, does not mean we do not have a human responsibility to seek more and grow in them. ix. Perhaps Paul's prayer illustrates the tension best when we realize that he thanked God, not the Thessalonians, for their steadfastness and growth in these graces. b. Our next question then must be, what exactly are the graces of faith, love, and hope? i. The grace of faith is primarily the ability to understand and believe what God has said. 1. Because understanding and believing what God says logically requires a person to obey what God has said, obedience must also be laced to the grace of faith as well. 2. This is not just a logical conclusion though. We see this throughout the New Testament as faith and obedience are often linked together as two sides of the same coin. 3. Never that obedience leads to or earns salvation… but that salvation by grace through faith leads to obedience. ii. The grace of love is the ability to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, to love all mankind generally as you love yourself and to love other believers as Christ loved you. 1. Again, because loving God and others logically requires a person to obey what God has said concerning His worship, His law, and how we treat others, obedience must also be connected to this grace too. 2. Jesus Himself says that if you love Him you will keep His commands. 3. And loving others is called “the law of Christ” in the scriptures. iii. The grace of hope is the ability to trust God's promises that have yet to be fulfilled and hope in them despite distress and afflictions that may come. 1. This grace is particularly rooted to the future return of Christ and the consummation of His Kingdom. 2. Although the New testament never overtly connects hope and obedience, there are certainly aspects of obedience that are necessary if one is to truly hope in the future coming of Christ. c. But why must we grow in these graces though? What is our motivation? i. First, and foremost, our motivation is to bring glory to God. 1. All men bring glory to God. Wicked men will bring glory to God when He judges them and justly condemns them to eternal torment in the lake which burns with fire. 2. But God's people, His elect, His predestined, are also predestined for good works. 3. We live our lives to do as God has instructed to bring Him glory and to cause others who observe us to glorify God too. 4. We act as mirrors, reflecting the glory of God to others by living in such a way that is pleasing to Him. ii. Second, we grow in these graces for our own sake. 1. As followers of Christ with the Spirit of God in us, there is never really a time that we are more joyful, content, or at peace, than when we are walking with God and growing in these graces He provides. 2. On the other hand, there is never a more defeated, despairing, unfulfilling, and tumultuous time in a believer's life than when he stagnates or goes backward. 3. Growing in these graces provides assurance of our salvation to ourselves and others, but lacking in them removes such assurance. iii. Finally, and as we saw in this text, growing in these graces is a great encouragement to those who pray for us and strive to disciple us. 1. Since there is a reciprocal encouragement in the church, when we grow we help others grow. 2. When we trust we help others trust. 3. When we obey we help others obey. 4. When we love we help others love. 5. And when we do all this we give joy and comfort to those who have been pouring into our lives for many years. 6. Knowing this, we should strive to grow in these graces to bless those who have been a blessing to us. d. But how then do we grow in these graces? i. Obviously, God is the source of these graces. And because that is true – it shouldn't be a shock to us that seeking God in the various forms which He reveals Himself to us in a special way… is the path to our growth in these graces. ii. God's Word, washing over our minds, enables us to see areas of our life where our faith, our love, or our hope are deficient or sick. iii. Prayer also tunes our hearts to God's and brings us in humility before His throne, reestablishing our priorities before Him. iv. Fellowship with other believers around the truths of scripture also hones these graces. v. Sitting under sound biblical preaching continues to sharpen and focus these graces in our lives. vi. Attending and participating in the Lord's Supper and Baptism continue to turn our eyes toward Christ both in His first advent, work, and imminent return. vii. In short, everything the early church devoted themselves to in Acts 2:42 helps each individual believer to grow in these graces. viii. Are you really that surprised?

Title: Appointed For Affliction Text: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 FCF: We often struggle believing God's promises in the midst of opposition. Prop: Because true believers will suffer affliction for the sake of Christ, we must not allow our faith to be shaken by it. Scripture Intro: NKJV [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. In a moment we'll begin reading from verse 1 in the New King James Version of the Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. As promised, since we are beginning a new chapter, let me briefly review what the letter has been about up to this point. In chapter 1, Paul summarizes everything he is going to say in the entire letter. He expresses his thankfulness to God for the Thessalonian church because he knows they are elect of God, because the gospel came to them in the power of the Spirit and because he has observed how the Thessalonian church has become imitators of Christ amid affliction. In chapter 2, Paul zooms in to affirm that their visit among them was profitable. Probably to counter claims of unbelieving Thessalonians, Paul insists that it was a profitable visit because God gave them boldness to speak, they became a spiritual family, and because it produced results they had seen in previous outpourings of the gospel. Paul concludes chapter 2 assuring them that he greatly wished to visit them but had been hindered by Satan. But he assures them that they are his hope, joy, and glory in that they stand firm in their faith. And it is that topic that actually propels him into chapter 3. So please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Father, the Only Wise God, we come to You this morning in faith and in trust that Your promises are true. It is by Your promises and your absolute might to keep them that we can face all manner of difficulties, trials, and afflictions in this life, knowing that You will never forsake us. Help us today to see in Your Word, truths that will keep our faith steadfast and built up. May our faith thrive in adversity rather than die. And may you be most pleased with your servants and our attending to Your Word today. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “Endurance and perseverance are qualities we would all like to possess, but we are loath to go through the process that produces them.” Jerry Bridges “We persevere through faith and never apart from it.” Sinclair Furgeson “Perseverance is the hallmark of a genuine interest in Christ.” Geoffrey B. Wilson “The question is not one of the retention of salvation based upon a persistence of faith, but of the possession of salvation as evidenced by a continuation of faith.” Kenneth Wuest “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” Charles H. Spurgeon Meditate on these words, as we embark upon the text this morning. I.) True believers will suffer affliction from men for the sake of Christ, we must not allow our faith to be shaken by affliction. (1-3) a. [Slide 3] 1 – Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, i. Paul doesn't relay all the details to us. ii. We aren't sure to what lengths he went to try to visit the Thessalonian church. iii. We aren't sure how many times he had tried. iv. We aren't sure exactly what the circumstances were that prevented him from going back to the city, although a good guess would be the Jews in the city continuing to threaten Paul's life should he return. v. Paul's desire was to visit with the whole team. But since he was not going to be welcomed back to Thessalonica any time soon, that simply wasn't an option. vi. So by way of a concession, Paul chooses to send someone in his stead while he stays in Athens. vii. Here he uses the plural pronoun we. viii. Although Luke does not record that Silas and Timothy joined Paul in Athens in the book of Acts, we can reasonably assume that they did and both were dispatched before he went to Corinth. ix. Silas was probably sent to Berea or possibly Philippi and Timothy was sent, as we will see, to Thessalonica. b. [Slide 4] 2 – and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, i. Although this certainly is not the option that Paul wanted, we should not, and the Thessalonians should not think that this was Paul sending in the third stringers. ii. In fact, Paul extols the virtues of Timothy here. 1. Timothy was a co-worker with Paul and Silas. 2. Paul elevates Timothy to the same status and job description that he and Silas had. He does not call Timothy an apostle, because Timothy had never seen Christ, nor been commissioned by Him. Still – his job is the same as an apostle. 3. Some translations translate “minister of God” as “God's co-worker” but this doesn't seem to be the right use of the genitive construction. 4. Rather he is Paul and Silas's co-worker FOR God and in His service. 5. Specifically in the proclaiming of the gospel of Jesus Christ. iii. But that leaves us asking the question, why did Paul send Timothy? Wouldn't Timothy draw just as much heat and hate from the Jews in Thessalonica since he was Paul's companion? iv. Actually, sending Timothy has everything to do with Timothy's ability to blend in as either a Gentile or a Jew. If you remember, Timothy had a Jewish mother and a Gentile father. His father was probably dead, but his mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, taught him in the Scriptures as he grew up in Lystra. v. However, since religious affiliation tended to follow the father at this time, Timothy, up until joining Paul on his most recent missionary journey, was not circumcised, which means he was not active in the local synagogue and was perceived by the Jews as a Gentile. vi. Timothy then is the ideal candidate to go back to Thessalonica to check on the church. He would probably pass unnoticed by the Jews there, and be able to spend some time with the Thessalonian church. vii. But what is Paul sending him to do? c. [Slide 5] to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, i. To establish means to strengthen, to fix, to solidify, or to shore up. Like shoring up the foundation of a house, or a floodwall against a coming flood. This is Timothy's first responsibility. He is to shore up and bolster their faith. ii. Second, he is to encourage them about their faith. iii. The word encourage has two branches of meaning in the New Testament and they are determined by context. One meaning used often by Paul is to urge or exhort. But considering the context, this seems to be less likely the aim of Timothy's ministry to the Thessalonians. iv. More than likely this word adopts the second meaning which is to encourage, build up, or cheer up. v. Bringing these two concepts together, Timothy was sent to make sure that they were standing firm in their faith against doubts and fears and that they were trusting in God's promises and joyfully resting in that peace. vi. But why is this necessary and what is Paul trying to shore up their faith against? d. [Slide 6] 3 – that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; i. Paul again, for the third time in the book, mentions that the Thessalonians are experiencing some kind of opposition or affliction. ii. Although we are never overtly told what these afflictions are, the best guess seems to be that the Thessalonian believers were experiencing the opposition of friends, family, co-workers, neighbors who have begun opposing their new found faith. iii. No doubt this ranged from light jibes to actual shunning and ostracizing. Perhaps even people refusing to do business with them while they still claimed the name of Christ and continued to turn from their ancestral gods. iv. You could see how such things, to new believers, would be quite difficult to bear up under, especially when those whom you would see as spiritual leaders were not able to be with you to guide you and care for you. v. This is Timothy's role. He has arrived to help them. To Pastor them. vi. But he has not arrived to pull them out of these afflictions or to “heal” them from these afflictions. vii. He has arrived to be sure they are not shaken by them. viii. Why should their faith not be shaken by affliction? e. [Slide 7] For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. i. Paul assures the Thessalonians in their own personal knowledge. ii. He assures them that they, like all other believers, are destined, ordained, or appointed for affliction. iii. Jesus himself told us that we would experience trouble, since no student is greater than his master. iv. All that He experienced we should expect to experience and perhaps even more. v. Indeed, investigating church history quickly proves this to be true. vi. Those who have claimed the name of Christ and stood for the true gospel of Jesus Christ, have suffered the most humiliating, excruciating, and diabolical things at the hands of wicked men throughout the last 2000 years. vii. We should know ourselves that we are destined for affliction while this world is still the way it is. f. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Paul speaks to these Thessalonians as his own children in the faith. He is sure that their visit was profitable. He is sure that they are genuine believers. In this, he affirms once again that it is normal for them to suffer affliction for the sake of Christ. Indeed, they are already suffering affliction from unbelieving Thessalonians. Although the affliction is acknowledged and difficult, Paul's primary concern is not that they are comfortable or that the affliction ceases, but that their faith in Jesus Christ and His promises to them, remains unshaken in spite of affliction. From this we conclude that experiencing affliction from men for Christ's sake is a normal part of the Chrsitian life. We should not be shocked that we are afflicted by unbelievers, nor should we despair. Rather we should expect this affliction and prepare ourselves to not allow our faith to be shaken by it when it comes. Transition: [Slide 9(blank)] But are unbelievers the only source of affliction we should expect? Are there other opponents that seek to shipwreck our faith? If so, what must we do? II.) True believers will suffer affliction from the tempter for the sake of Christ, we must not allow our faith to be shaken by affliction. (4-5) a. [Slide 10] 4 – For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. i. Here Paul explains the two reasons that they should know that they were destined for affliction. ii. First, because the evangelists warned them of this, probably prior to many of them receiving the gospel. 1. An honest and clear presentation of the gospel must include the plea for those hearing to count the cost. 2. Many today try to woo people to the gospel with grand promises of health, wealth, and prosperity. It is odd to see this, since the apostles preached a message almost exactly the opposite. 3. Jesus and His apostles warned that you could lose your health, wealth, prosperity, family, friends, and be left with nothing if you follow Christ. And they warn those listening to count the cost before following Christ. 4. Certainly, salvation is a gift freely given by grace through faith, but it is a gift that alters your life forever. 5. Like a person who receives a heart transplant. Though they did nothing to earn it, and it was given purely by the compassion of someone who decided to be a donor after they expired, once received the gift changes the receiver's life forever. 6. In a similar way, when we receive the gift of the gospel by grace and through faith, though it costs us nothing to get it, once we receive it, it will cost us everything. 7. One of those things it may cost us – is the discomfort of affliction. iii. But the second reason they should know that they are destined for affliction, is because everything that the apostles warned them about, has come to pass. iv. They have seen it unfold with their very eyes. v. They came to Christ and were immediately opposed by Jews and Gentiles, by those they had never met and by those who were their closest friends and family. vi. Such is the nature of the gospel. It divides. It knows no loyalties save loyalty to Christ. b. [Slide 11] 5 – For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, i. Paul once again reiterates his zeal in sending Timothy to them. ii. Having told them that they would experience affliction, Paul himself knew it would be so. iii. And their time with them being cut short, and being since prevented from returning, Paul knows that it is only a matter of time for that affliction to begin and for their faith to be tested. iv. But Paul is not merely anxious that wicked men may afflict them and damage their faith. v. As Paul alluded to last week, and as he has experienced in his own ministry, Paul knows that there is something greater out there than mere wicked men who oppose the faith of believers. c. [Slide 12] Lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. i. Paul alluded before that Satan had prevented him from coming to them. In this, we noted last week that God's people have an enemy. Not merely men. But an ancient, powerful, malevolent, and intelligent evil, a being that had come to be known simply as “The Adversary” which is what the word Satan means. Or “The Accuser” or “The Slanderer” which is what the word Devil means. ii. Paul now references one he calls “The Tempter.” Rather than seeing this as another evil spiritual entity, we should probably identify this as the same one who opposed Paul from returning to the Thessalonians. iii. Although this is not a title often used to describe the entity we know as Satan or the Devil, it is used in 1 key passage in Matthew 4 where “The Tempter” tempted Jesus. Later Jesus says, “Be gone Satan” to this being and then Matthew says that “The Devil” left him. Using this passage we can see that all these titles, at least by the New Testament, are applied to one specific evil spiritual entity. iv. But we should spend some time thinking here about what exactly Paul is afraid that Satan is tempting the Thessalonians to do. v. Oftentimes, we think of Satan tempting us to lie, to cheat, to steal, to commit adultery, to fornicate, to covet, or other such sins. But I'd encourage you to consider all the times we see Satan tempting people in the scriptures and notice a common thread. vi. Satan is not found tempting people to do something sinful. At least, not that alone. vii. Instead, Satan tempts people to do something sinful – but only as a necessary application of some doctrine or teaching he has tempted them to reject, disbelieve, or accept pieces or parts of. viii. In the garden – it wasn't a temptation of the fruit that Satan foisted upon Eve. If we notice from the text the temptation of the fruit came from WITHIN Eve herself. Satan didn't need to extol the tantalizing virtues of the fruit. ix. His temptation was focused on questioning the truthfulness and the goodness of God. He called God a liar and insinuated that God was keeping them from being like Him. The fruit… well Eve tempted herself to eat the fruit. Satan tempted her to distrust God. He attacked her faith. x. The temptation of Jesus follows the same diabolical pattern. 1. God's Spirit told Jesus to go to the desert and God's Spirit told Him to go without food. Satan pits The God-Man's human desires against the will of the Triune God. If you are the Son of God, he said, you shouldn't be hungry. Make bread and eat. But God's Spirit led Him to be hungry. And Man's desires and God's Will are not always the same thing. Jesus responds to Satan in this temptation and says you shall not live by bread alone but by the Word of God. Meaning of course, that man should not live by what he desires, but by the will of God revealed in His Word. 2. In his second temptation, Satan keys in on Jesus' words about being led by God's Word. And he quotes a Psalm which indicates that God will not allow those obedient to Him to be harmed. In application, Satan beckons Jesus to prove He is God's Son by testing if God saves him from a fall from the top of the temple. But Jesus' quote from Deuteronomy and Exodus references the time when the children of Israel said to God, “if you are with us then you will give us water.” This is not faith. We do not bargain with God in this way. True faith believes even if… there is no proof. Jesus believed God that He would suffer no harm, because God said it, not because God had to prove it first. And to test God's promise to see if it is true… is not faith. 3. Finally, Satan tempts Jesus with all the kingdoms of the earth. It is unclear how much Satan knew of the actual mission of Christ. But he seems to know what the Father has promised Jesus if He is successful. That He will be made King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Perhaps Satan is familiar with the Passage in Daniel about the Ancient of Days welcoming a Son of Man who rides on the clouds to His throne and gives Him a place to rule with Him? In any case, in order for Jesus to be given this throne, He must be successful in His mission. But Satan gives him the microwave answer. For these kingdoms belong to him at the moment. Or at lest he has been given them for a time. Satan gives him a shortcut. Much like the short cut to learning good and evil he offered Adam and Eve. Just reach out and take it for yourself by worshipping him. But Jesus says – You are to worship only Yahweh. xi. We take this deep dive into the temptations of Adam and Eve and the temptations of Christ to reveal that Satan is never really tempting you to merely sin. xii. I've said it before, and I keep finding evidence that it is true. Every sin we commit stems from a faith problem, not a behavioral problem. xiii. Meaning when we sin, it is primarily because we have chosen to trust our flesh, our tempter, our world, our culture, or something else… instead of trusting what God has said. xiv. Meaning of course, that every sin is at its core… idolatry. We put something else on the throne to govern our heart. xv. Paul is afraid that the tempter has tempted them… not to sin… but to forsake Christ. xvi. And we should make no mistake – that is his aim with us… always. Not merely to sin… for sin has been paid for at the cross. And God has a nasty habit of taking an erring child and restoring them beyond the place they were prior to falling. xvii. No if mere sin was the devil's aim, he would be very frustrated indeed. But forsaking Christ… that is his higher goal. xviii. Paul is afraid that they will forsake Christ and render all the labor for the Kingdom to be empty and fruitless. xix. But isn't this a baseless fear? Don't we believe in once saved always saved? 1. It is no contradiction to say that those who are truly God's elect will endure in faith to the end but also that many will claim Christ as their Lord and remain unknown to Him. 2. The reason it is no contradiction is because the Scriptures teach both. 3. The warnings of falling away and forsaking faith are heard and heeded by the elect of God but just like not all Israel was Israel – so now not all the church is The Church. 4. There are Christians who are merely Christians in name. They do not have true faith. They have not been unmade and remade by the grace of God. 5. Furthermore, the elect of God can be deceived for a time. Not ultimately, but for a time. 6. Paul himself saw this happen less than 5 years before writing this letter. He had just returned from a missionary trip to Southern Galatia, when he heard reports of the church there believing the Judaizer's version of the gospel which taught that a gentile must become a Jew before he could become a Christian. 7. Paul wrote a VERY strong letter correcting their error and in that case he says “who bewitched you?” 8. So no, this is not a baseless fear. Paul doesn't know whether these people are real Christians or not because one of the tests if they are real Christians is that they will endure in faith. 9. And so, he sent Timothy to see if the Tempter was able to draw some of them away. xx. One final question. Paul expresses concern here for the genuineness of the Thessalonians' faith. Isn't this worry? 1. Should Paul be anxious about this? 2. Doesn't he say in another letter to be anxious for nothing? 3. Would not Paul advise others to trust the Lord and to pray fervently? 4. Is it sinful for Paul to fear that the tempter had made shipwreck of their faith? 5. I actually went back and forth on this myself. 6. Although it leads to a somewhat ill-defined line, it seems like the scriptures draw a careful line between godly concern and ungodly worry. 7. We see a similar line drawn between anger not accomplishing the will of God, and be angry and do not sin. We see a similar line where it says that wine is a mocker and that wine is good to cheer a man's heart. 8. In this case, I think Paul actually demonstrates for us the appropriate kind of godly concern that does not venture into worry. 9. Paul obviously has prayed fervently and in faith for the spiritual safety of the Thessalonians. He says so in chapter 1. Paul trusts the Lord. Paul will very shortly write a book called Romans where he talks about the unbreakable chain of redemption where if someone is elected of God, they will be glorified. Paul believes in eternal security. 10. But, he has also seen many who convinced him that they were believers… who have deserted the faith. 11. So no, I do not think Paul is sinfully anxious here. He is trusting the Lord, while doing what he knows to do to check on those he was forced to leave in a spiritually vulnerable position. This is godly and pastoral concern, not worry. d. [Slide 13] Summary of the Point: So Paul again makes it plain that affliction is always going to be part of the Christian experience. We will be afflicted for the sake of Christ. But not all affliction comes from unbelieving people. Our affliction also comes by way of Satan and his angels. Satan seeks to shipwreck the faith of any person who has professed faith in Jesus Christ. He targets those especially who have a false faith, knowing that from a human perspective we can only see the outside of the person and we cannot see whether they are truly believers. And the damage that he can cause by leading a mere professor of Christ to abandon the faith, is quite severe. Therefore, in order to prove our faith is genuine, we must not allow our faith to be shaken by afflictions, no matter where they come from. We must continue to trust the promises of Christ and stand firm in our faith. Conclusion: So CBC, what broad concepts have we learned today that correct and inform our beliefs and shape and guide our actions? Broad Concepts of Faith and Practice: [Slide 14] Paul states quite plainly in this text that we as true believers have been appointed for affliction. It has been God's plan from the beginning for us to suffer for the name of Christ. Indeed, Jesus actually says that someone who suffers for His name, is blessed. And this affliction comes from two sources in this text. First, from unbelieving men and women and Second, from the Devil and his cronies. But the reason Timothy was sent to Thessalonica is our application today. We must not allow afflictions of any kind, from any source, to shake our faith. To be afflicted for Christ's sake should not only be expected, but it should be an honor and a joy. An honor because we get to share in Christ's sufferings, and a joy because we know the end of those afflictions produces enduring faith. But let me zoom in a little and give you some more detailed applications this morning. 1.) [Slide 15] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that it has been appointed for us to suffer affliction for the sake of Christ. a. The New Testament teaching on this topic is clear and without dispute. b. Suffering for Christ's sake is i. A blessing from God ii. A gift of God iii. An appointment from God iv. A guarantee v. A necessary part of our growth vi. The natural outcome of being Christ's disciple vii. Follows naturally from how the world treated Christ, we will be treated c. My friends, even if the scriptures did not teach it so plainly, we must still arrive at this conclusion based on other doctrines. i. If God is absolutely sovereign yet we still suffer affliction – it must be because God has designed it to be this way for us. ii. And if all things truly work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose, then all the afflictions we suffer are ultimately for our good. iii. And if all the things we suffer are planned of God and ultimately for our good – then the afflictions we face are a gift of God and a blessing. d. And even though the scriptures are so clear and definitive on this subject, it remains one of the more difficult things to prove to Christians living in the west. e. We have enjoyed relative freedom to worship God the way He has told us to worship Him for the last couple hundred years. f. But the Christian faith is still, easily, the most persecuted faith on the planet today. Across the globe a conservative estimate shows that 13 Christians are martyred every day for their faith. That is 1 Christian every 2 hours. That is almost 5,000 Christians a year dying because of their faith. g. And keep in mind, these numbers are only talking about deaths. They are not factoring in Christians being persecuted, ostracized, imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and/or abused for their faith – but have lived through it. h. But since these afflictions are a blessing from God – perhaps we ought to wonder if we truly are better off? We shouldn't yearn for affliction. That is ridiculous. But can we truly say that the health and the purity of the church has increased with our freedoms? It doesn't seem like that is the case. i. But Western Christians are starting to wake up to the reality that they will be afflicted. Each year our culture descends more and more into madness and the lies of the evil one. j. Each year we see more and more ground given over to wicked ideologies. And more and more Christians turn to unbelieving politicians and godless parties to stop it from happening. k. While it is not wrong for us to use political means to attempt to slow the degradation, ultimately as the whole of our culture shifts, even these politicians and parties won't be available to us. It has already begun. Which political party do you turn to who promotes traditional marriage as the only legal marriage? Which political party do you turn to who promotes abortion being illegal and punishable by death? l. The fact of the matter is, that no political party represents the Christian position on these issues. And it is only the beginning. m. We would do well to wake up to the fact that as followers of Christ… even in the land of the free and the home of the brave… eventually and even now we suffer affliction for the sake of Christ. n. Why? o. Because if we are genuine believers – we have been appointed for affliction. Indeed… it is a blessing from God. 2.) [Slide 16] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that our affliction can come from both the physical and the spiritual plane. a. So far this morning in the application we have focused primarily on unbelieving men afflicting followers of Christ. b. But we must recognize that affliction against believers comes from both the physical and spiritual plane. c. But we should not think that these function independently of one another. d. When unbelieving men harm the body of Christ and afflict them for their faith, it is safe to conclude that behind the scenes, whispering in the darkness is the evil one and his minions. e. They deceive, they twist, they pollute and wicked men are easily deceived and happy to be deceived. f. This is so true that Paul tells the Ephesians that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and rulers of this dark world. g. Paul doesn't deny that wicked men oppose Christians. Nor does he suggest that wicked men are not culpable for their opposition of God's children, as if they were innocent victims. h. Paul simply desires to get the Ephesians, and by extension, all believers, to recognize that although wicked men oppose them, the true battleground is not here on earth with them, but rather in the spiritual plane where this dark world is guided and ruled. i. And Satan and his minions do not aim at merely getting us to sin. Such a goal is too shortsighted. j. Instead, they aim to topple the faith of believers. As Satan did in the garden with Adam and Eve, they continue to do so today. To mistrust and question who God is and what He has said. k. And lest we think that God will always ride in to rescue us from these afflictions… we must… 3.) [Slide 17] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that it is always God's will for our afflictions to be relieved. a. Timothy came with a pastor's purpose. He came to strengthen the Thessalonians faith and to cheer them up and encourage them in the Lord's promises. b. But Timothy did not come to relieve them of their afflictions. c. Persecution and afflictions ebb and flow. Some countries notorious for terrible Christian persecution have lessened over time. Others have increased. d. God does not always see fit to relieve us of our afflictions. At least in this life. e. But there is one day when our race is run and we finish our course. On that day, it will truly end and we will know these afflictions no more. f. But for now – God does not always give healing. Nor does He promise that He will. He doesn't always give relief, nor does He promise He will. g. But He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. And He has promised that His grace is available to us in times of trouble. h. So since relief is not always God's will… what must we do against such afflictions from demons and unbelievers? 4.) [Slide 18] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must not allow our faith to be shaken by affliction. a. Knowing what God says and trusting what He says is the cure for keeping our faith strong and our spirits up. b. God's sovereignty is uncomfortable to consider given the ramifications it has toward salvation. c. But my friends, God's sovereignty is the ONLY reason we can have unshaken faith through affliction. d. If God is merely all powerful, we would wonder if He was truly good because we suffer affliction. e. If God was merely loving and good, we would wonder if He was truly all powerful because we suffer affliction. f. But because God is all of these and has said that HE has destined us for affliction – we can rest in knowing that any affliction we endure for His name is not only appointed by Him, but it is a gift, a blessing, and something He will use for our good and His glory. g. Notice also that the Thessalonians needed flesh and blood Christians to help them strengthen their faith and encourage them. h. In a real sense, we should be able to endure in our faith through affliction, only clinging on to Christ and His promises. i. I think we can all recognize that were we to have our God alone, He would be enough to sustain us through any affliction. j. BUT… God, knowing our weakness, has given us His church. We have been given pastors, teachers, servants, and friends who know what we are going through and who can help to strengthen and encourage us. k. And so one sure fire way to be susceptible to your faith being shaken, is to forsake the gathering of God's people and the ministry of those God has given to His church. 5.) [Slide 19] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God says we are blessed when we suffer for Christ's sake. a. Paul mentions in Philippians that not only are we granted the ability to believe on Jesus, but we are also, in the same way, granted the privilege of suffering for Him. b. But we often do not perceive suffering for Christ as a comfort or a blessing. c. So, who will you believe? Your thoughts and feelings or God's Word? d. Should we try to escape affliction? Of course. e. But if we are not able, should we despair? Of course not! f. God has us exactly where He wants us and what He has given is a gift. We should rejoice. 6.) [Slide 20] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” You must count the cost if you are going to follow Christ. a. Since affliction for His name is certain, let me speak to those among us who are not followers of Jesus. b. You may hear of all the benefits of following Christ. c. You may see all the glories of the church and the power and love that is found here. d. You may be enticed to desire the great mercies of our God and the wonderful love He offers in the sacrifice of His Son. e. But know this… f. You don't get the bull without the horns. There is a cost to following Christ. And the cost is, that if He is to be your Savior… He must also be your Lord. He takes top priority and because He does – just as the world hated Him, they will hate you. g. You will have to reject much of what the world holds dear. You will have to disagree with what everyone believes and feels. You will be thought of as odd, out of touch, and dangerous. h. You don't get eternal life without appointed affliction. i. So count the cost. j. If you truly understand what Christ offers as both a Savior and Lord – it is a cost you will gladly pay. [Slide 21 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the reformer Peter Martyr Vermigli, an Italian former Augustinian priest and abbot who helped to write the 42 Articles of the Anglican church and revise the Book of Common Prayer. Most benign and merciful God, we yield to you the greatest and most thanks as we are able. You have ingrafted us in Christ, your true and natural son-not by the ministry of angels, or of any other creature whatsoever, but by the power of your own Spirit. And through Christ you have renewed and sanctified us, setting us apart. You have so much enriched us with the knowledge of your son, and with other heavenly gifts. So now we lack neither strength, energy, light, or any ability to will or do what pleases you. And thus we will live a cheerful and quiet life, even in the midst of persecutions, which often the world and Satan do stir up. And we are most fully persuaded by that Holy Spirit that we will obtain eternal life, and that not of our own merits, but by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which lives and reigns forever. It is in His name we pray this, amen. Benediction: Now may God grant you such that you may say like the psalmist, You are my hiding place; you protect me from all trouble And surround me with songs of deliverance. So that your work is produced by faith, Your labor is prompted by love, and your endurance is inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Until we meet again, go in peace.

Title: Our Hope, Our Joy, Our Glory Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 FCF: We often struggle prioritizing the gathering together of the body of Christ. Prop: The church is unlike any other gathering on earth, so we must yearn and strive to be together. Scripture Intro: NIV [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians 2. In a moment we'll read from the New International Version starting in verse 17. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Although we've been away from the text of 1 Thessalonians for a couple weeks, I'll resist the urge to review the book until next week when we begin a new chapter. Still, it is necessary to remind our feeble minds where we've been in chapter 2 so far. Paul is reviewing the visit that he and his companions had with the Thessalonians. Against the urgings of some of the Thessalonians church's unbelieving friends, family, and co-workers, Paul insists that the visit was profitable. It was profitable because it was empowered by God. It was profitable because it produced a spiritual family. And it was profitable because it led to them being firm in their faith even amid persecution. Now Paul will advance the thought down the timeline to continue to inform them what love and devotion he and his companions have for them. Sadly the words he conveys may sound odd to we who have accepted something less and called it the church. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Good and gracious Father, you have designed and built a people whose foundation is Your Son and who are empowered and led by Your Spirit, to walk circumspectly in this world as your sanctified image bearers. We hold the cross high as we bear the name of God. We are called Christians, little Christs. Not individually primarily, but collectively we are the body of Christ. We represent Him and His Kingdom on earth. And we anxiously anticipate the day He will return. But Lord we often neglect the present on the altar of the future. We hope in what is coming and forsake the gifts you have already given. Let us be a people who earnestly long and strive to be together in fellowship and discipleship. Help us Lord to see this today, we pray in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “No local church is perfect – but there is no way in which it can be improved by the absence of spiritually minded Christians.” – John Blanchard “An avoidable absence from church is an infallible evidence of spiritual decay.” Frances Ridley Havergal “To stay away from church is to spit in God's face and despise His gift of the Kingdom.” R.C. Sproul “When we take God for our God, we take His people, for our people.” Matthew Henry “Be united with other Christians. A wall with loose bricks is not good. The bricks must be cemented together.” Corrie Ten Boom. Let these ideas roll around in your mind, as we look to the Word this morning. Starting in verse 17. I.) Fellowship with true believers is desired by true believers but opposed by Satan, so we must yearn and strive to be together. (17-18) a. [Slide 3] 17 - But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. i. After proving that the evangelists' visit with the Thessalonians was quite productive, Paul now chronologically goes forward from their visit to the time since. ii. He first references the suddenness and violence by which their time with the Thessalonians came to an end. iii. Of course, we know that Paul and his companions were run out of Thessalonica by the jealous Jews who despised the speed at which the gospel made in roads with the gentiles. iv. He actually uses the words “to be orphaned” to describe their separation. v. This provides an interesting transition between the familial language Paul has been using to describe their connection to the Thessalonian church, and emphasize the emotional and spiritual toll this separation has had on both parties. vi. There is substantial agreement among theologians that this word in Greek “to be orphaned” unlike in English, can communicate both sides of this tragedy. It can be used to describe the sudden death of the last parent alive for a child, or it can describe the sudden death of a child. vii. Since Paul most recently compared himself and his companions to both the Thessalonian church's mother and father, it seems best to understand this as the meaning we cannot arrive at in English, and see Paul describing their forced separation in terms of a parent losing their child. viii. Paul softens this word picture by providing two caveats. 1. First, he says that this was a short separation. This could mean either the time since they've been separated or Paul's hope that they would soon be reunited, or both. 2. Second, Paul clarifies that this separation was merely physical – since in thought or as other translations say, in heart, they had still been very near to them. ix. So violent was the separation that even though it has only been a short time, Paul expresses his intense longing to again visit the church in person. x. Not only do they desire to be with them, Paul says that they have made every effort to see them. xi. But to what extent did they try to come to visit, and why were they unsuccessful? b. [Slide 4] 18 - For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. i. The evangelists loved them dearly. And it was out of that love that the evangelists desired greatly to see them again. ii. Paul himself points out that several times he actually tried to execute plans to get back to see them. iii. The expression here is literally, and once and twice, but the NIV accurately translates this idiom dynamically rendering it “again and again.” Paul endeavored to visit several times… but was hindered. How? iv. Satan prevented Paul. v. I don't want to linger long here but I do want to point out the necessary tension that must exist in the scriptures. 1. Although God is sovereign, meaning He has absolute control over all things in His creation… He permits, uses, and even intentionally plans the opposition of Satan, the forces of darkness, and the wickedness of men, to accomplish His purposes. 2. Satan is given liberty in this world to oppose God's people. But we should also recognize that if God desires us to do something and empowers us to do something, Satan cannot ultimately prevent us. 3. So, we might wonder how Paul knows that Satan is the one preventing him from going back to Thessalonica and not simply the providence of God. I see two answers to that question a. First, Paul writes under the authority and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, he knows, perhaps at the moment he writes it, that this opposition he and his companions faced, was from Satan himself. b. Second, since God does not sin, nor does God tempt anyone to sin, Paul also knows that if this opposition consisted of men sinning by lying, being violent, spreading hatred, or being jealous, then it is not from God but from the enemy. Indeed, it seems that the jealous Jews were the primary reason he left, perhaps they are the primary reason he has been prevented. vi. Does the enemy still oppose God's people from fellowshipping with one another? Oh yes. And what do you suppose are the tactics he uses? We'll look more into that in a few moments. c. [Slide 5] Summary of the Point: It is good that we remind ourselves that Paul had only met these believers a few months prior to writing these words. He had spent at most a month or two with them. Knowing this is quite a shock to our western sensibilities when we understand the depth of love which Paul writes to them. Paul and his companions earnestly long to be with them, to the extent that they had tried several times to rejoin them and were rebuffed by the direct opposition of the forces of darkness. This illustrates for us a dual layered truth. A truth which will be challenging for us to hear on both sides. First, that true and genuine believers earnestly long for fellowship with other believers. And second, that there is a powerful, ancient, and cunning enemy who actively opposes God's people gathering and fellowshipping with each other. These two truths combined require us to apply this truth as an action we must pursue. In short, as Paul and his companions did, we must yearn and strive to be together. Transition: [Slide 6(blank)] But mere fellowship is not the only aspect of this thing called the church which makes it unique. Not only is it a family, but it is a family of teachers and students. Where the students are the reward for the teacher's diligence. Let's look at how Paul finishes up his thought in chapter 2. II.) Making growing and enduring disciples is our hope, joy, and glory, so we must yearn and strive to be together. (19-20) a. [Slide 7] 19 - For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? i. Paul ends this thought with a series of questions. ii. These questions are designed to explain why exactly the evangelists long to see them. iii. He has compared their sudden separation to being orphaned. He has expressed his deep desire to see them and indeed his efforts to do so. iv. And now, in order to explain even further his longing for them, he asks – what is our hope? What is our joy? What is the crown in which we will glory? v. It is here in the Greek sentence, before the statement about the presence of Jesus, that Paul actually interrupts his questions with the answer. vi. He inserts “Is it not you?” An answer which has an intended affirmative answer but would be a shocking answer to be sure. vii. One might expect the answer to be Jesus Christ. But Paul indicates that the Thessalonians are the evangelists' hope, joy, and crown of glory. viii. But what does this mean and when do they become these things to the evangelists? ix. Hope here is something that is unseen, or unfulfilled, that has been promised. Joy is enduring contentment and peace based on God's promises. And A crown of glory, or more literally a crown of boasting, has to do with the Olympic games where the winner would be given a crown of woven branches and leaves. The crown itself is almost of no value but the honor of the crown is priceless. x. They become all these things when all of them, the evangelists and the Thessalonians meet in the presence of Jesus when he returns. xi. [Slide 8] I think one commentator summarized this best when he said, xii. “Paul saw himself as bound up with his converts not only in terms of the service that he offered to Christ, but also in terms of his own salvation. They were fruits of his labor and of Christ's grace in his life, and Paul looked forward to presenting them firm and steadfast in the faith when Christ returned… Paul looked forward to the return of Christ …and he understood that the fruit of his salvation, the crown that he would lay before Jesus, was none other than these dearly beloved believers, who were therefore Paul's glory and joy.” – Richard Phillips REC pg 88-89 xiii. Servants of the Lord find hope, joy, and their glory in making genuine disciples. xiv. In many ways, our hope to endure to the end, our contentment in all circumstances, and our crowns we receive when Jesus returns are all connected to the impact we have on others in this life. xv. I imagine that day when the Lord returns and assembles forever His bride, it will be a day of rejoicing. When we get to see the impact we have had – knowingly or unknowingly on other people's lives. xvi. Of course, we will cast all our crowns at the feet of Christ – for such accolades would not have been possible if He had left us in our sin. xvii. Still – Paul's perspective is clear. xviii. The work of ministry, the making of disciples, and the proving of those disciples to be real and genuine to the extent that they are gathered on that day – THAT is what all this labor is for. That is the joy, hope, and glory of a Christian disciple maker. xix. That should be our hope, joy, and glory too. b. [Slide 9] 20 - Indeed, you are our glory and joy. i. Here we see two of the three items mentioned in verse 19 repeated… with a tense shift. ii. In one sense, the Thessalonians WILL BE the hope, joy, and crown of glory for the evangelists on the day the Lord returns. iii. But in another sense, RIGHT NOW, they are currently their joy and their glory. iv. Right now, the evangelists draw joy from their growing faith. Right now, they draw honor from their enduring faith. v. Paul does not repeat hope. This is because hope is something unseen and dependent on their enduring faith to the end. They cannot be their hope presently because that hope only comes to glorious maturity when Christ returns and His people are gathered. c. [Slide 10] Summary of the Point: In this passage, Paul demonstrates that the church is a spiritual entity different than all other human groups or gatherings. First, he shows this by the earnest desire to fellowship with each other despite diabolical opposition. But he also demonstrates this by showing that making disciples who are growing and enduring is the hope, joy, and glory of each disciple of Christ. The true church takes seriously the final marching orders of Christ to make disciples. They strive to do this because when the Lord returns, a believer's very salvation is validated and verified through their successful discipling of others to teach them to be growing and enduring disciples of Jesus Christ. Although it is true that the reward at the end of our Christian race is CHRIST… in another sense, Christ Himself taught us that caring for His bride is one way to love Him too. And so necessarily related to being rewarded with Christ… is also being rewarded with the spiritual success of ministry. And if we ever hope to make disciples that grow and endure… we must yearn and strive to be together. Conclusion: So CBC, what broad concepts have we learned today that help to correct or inform our belief and shape and guide our lifestyles? Broad principles of Faith and Practice: [Slide 11] Today we've seen how the spiritual entity known as the church, the true church that is, those who have truly received faith in Jesus Christ, this spiritual entity is different than every other human gathering or group. This is true in two specific ways from our text this morning. First, it is true in that the church longs to fellowship with one another and is prevented from this by spiritually malevolent powers. And second, that true disciples know that their reward when the Lord returns is bound up in seeing those they discipled grow and endure to the end. In this sense, the church is unlike any other group or gathering we have on earth. Because the church is so different, it is logical and even necessary that we expect the church to behave differently toward one another than any other group or gathering on earth. And specifically in this text we see an earnest yearning and striving to be together. This should be our endeavor as well. But let me get more specific. These are broad and basic concepts. But we need to specify and expand upon them. 1.) [Slide 12] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that true believers long to be together. a. Let me clearly state my aim in these applications right up front. b. I have no intention of applying a guilt trip to you for not coming to church as often as the doors are open. I do not intend to be that short sighted in the application to you this morning. c. But observe with me the deep, intimate, personal love that Paul and his companions have with the Thessalonians. They've known each other for at most – a year. And most of that time they have spent… apart. d. Paul and his companions were only with them for a couple of months. Still – do you see the deep connections they have formed. The familial language that is used. e. But this is not peculiar to this book. Generally speaking, in every book written by New Testament authors, we see their care and love for the people to whom they write. f. We see them express their desire to visit, to be among the people to whom they write. g. So my friends, observe, that the true and genuine Christian intensely desires to fellowship with other genuine Christians. h. Real Christians, who are not merely Christians in name only, earnestly desire, they LONG to be with each other. i. They often try to be together and make plans to be together. j. They execute their plans with precision to ensure that they CAN be together. k. They do all they can in wisdom and forethought to make sure that they can be with one another for fellowship and for discipleship. l. The heartbeat, the passion, the intense spiritual need of true believers is to be with, among, around, alongside, in front of, and bound to other believers. m. And so… if you lack any such zeal, passion, or longing, the application is not… start longing this. n. The application is, examine your heart. Are you truly a child of God? Are you really a Christian? o. You say – “you can't be serious Chris! p. You doubt my salvation just because I don't particularly look forward to being with God's people? Because I can think of things I'd rather be doing with my time than hang out with other believers, you doubt my salvation?” q. Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. r. Read the words of the New Testament earnestly and devoutly and tell me you do not arrive at the same conclusion. Can you find real and genuine Christians who would rather not fellowship and disciple each other in the pages of the New Testament? s. I challenge you to look – because you will not find them. t. If you do not earnestly desire and make plans and execute plans to be with God's people with zealousness and sincerity… then yes, I do doubt your salvation. And you should too. u. We are the bride of Christ. You can't have the bride without the groom, but you also can't have the groom without the bride. v. You will spend all of eternity with the bride of Christ… If you don't desire them now, what makes you think you will desire them then? w. But this leads me to another point that needs to be shown to you. 2.) [Slide 13] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that it is purely earthy barriers that prevent us being together. a. The devil often disguises himself as an angel of light. b. He is a liar from the beginning. c. And he is a murderer. d. If you are God's child, he hates you, he hunts you, to destroy you. e. Why do you suppose when the alarm clock goes off on a Sunday morning that you feel so tired? f. Monday you wake up on time, go to work and get there on time. Tuesday too. In fact, you don't have any trouble at all waking up and getting to your job on time. You make plans to do so and there are repercussions for not doing so. g. Saturday you even wake up without the alarm because you are so used to getting up at the time necessary for work. h. But Sunday. Oh Sunday is always the day that you wake up and feel so very tired. It is the day that the kids move extra slowly. It is the day that everything moves at a snails pace. i. Saturday evening you always stay up a little later than you intend. You always watch one more show than you normally do. j. Why? k. Why do you seem to hit every red light on the way in to church? l. Why do you find it so hard to arrive to church on time? m. Why does it always seem that your heart is not prepared to worship the Lord or see His people? n. Why does it always take so long for you to settle into your pew and adopt a posture of listening and learning? o. Why do the songs never seem to resonate? p. Why do thoughts of the outside world keep interfering. q. Why do you seem to focus on everything under the sun but what the text of scripture is saying and how it applies to you? r. Why, although you have had 6 cups of coffee, although the temperature is set to an icy 67 degrees, and the preacher is NOT as boring as he could be

Unlimited chances = unlimited crimes. PLUS, Pastor Lucas Miles, Senior Director of Turning Point USA Faith and author of the new book Pagan Threat: Confronting America's Godless Uprising, discusses the Chrsitian revival taking place all over the world after Charlie Kirk's assassination despite the constant attacks on Christianity and Christian-based churches. And Scott "The Cow Guy" Shellady, host of The Cow Guy Close on RFD-TV, discusses the many implementations of AI, which ones to be excited about, and which ones to be wary of.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pastor Lucas Miles, Senior Director of Turning Point USA Faith and author of the new book Pagan Threat: Confronting America's Godless Uprising, discusses the Chrsitian revival taking place all over the world after Charlie Kirk's assassination despite the constant attacks on Christianity and Christian-based churches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Notes and Links to The Philharmonik's Work          The Philharmonik, who was an Episode 58 guest, is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, music producer and genre defining artist. Recently, he has been nationally and globally recognized after winning the 2023 American Song writer contest and NPR's 2024 Tiny Desk Contest for his song “What's It All Mean?”  NPR Announcement of Tiny Desk Winner: “What's It All Mean?”   The Philharmonik's Website   NPR Tiny Desk Concert   “What's It All Mean?” Video   The Philharmonik on Spotify At about 1:35, Christian talks about the year since he won NPR's Tiny Desk Contest, and his “shift[ing] perspective”  At about 2:50, Christian discusses the importance of his victory in the American Songwriters' Contest, and the important “domino effect” At about 5:50, Christian talks about his vision board and manifesting for his NPR victory At about 7:30, Christian talked about the waiting period between submission for NPR and his victory, and “starting to lose faith” At about 9:30, Christian talks about his views on competition  At about 10:30, Usher: “Watch this!” At about 11:10, Christian shares his memories-he mentions being “in disbelief”-of getting the call  At about 13:40, Christian talks about his initial entry in Tiny Desk in 2018 and his philosophy in entering At about 15:00, Christian responds to Pete's questions about the logistics and vision for the video for “What's It All Mean?” At about 17:40, Pete asks Christian about his interest in music videos and expressing himself through the videos At about 19:00, The two discuss Office Space, The Office, and other parallels to the working world and Christian's video At about 20:00, Chrsitian expands on his band/video mates as “the final piece” At about 21:45, Christian shouts out the venue and benefactors for his video shoot-shout out the Machados and All-City Homes in Oak Park, Sacramento At about 23:20, Christian talks about the wonderful feedback from fans At about 24:00, Pete shares praise from NPR about the song and video At about 24:50, Christian expands upon the truly “tiny” Tiny Desk and the logistics of the Tiny Desk Concert itself  At about 27:15, Christian discusses the post Tiny Desk Concert tour arranged by NPR At about 29:10, Christian breaks down “in the pocket” and “dry[ing] out the mix” as he gets his music professor on At about 30:05, Christian calls Stevie Wonder “the godfather” of “What's It All Mean” and expands on how he likes the ways Beatles used guitars and connections to amps and reverb At about 31:50, Christian responds to Pete's questions about the arrangement of the winning song, especially the opening crescendo At about 34:10, Christian answers Pete's question about how the winning song's meaning ahs evolved over time At about 36:00, Pete homes in on some meaningful lines from the winning song as the two reflect on the unknowns of life  At about 38:40, Pete mentions Severance and “No Surprises” by Radiohead as reminiscent of the winning song At about 40:20, Christian reflects on the “ups and downs of the creative process” and the (mostly) special time “in the lab” At about 41:30, Christian talks about listener data and questioning his music career at times At about 43:30, Christian shares the exciting news about his upcoming world tour   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, his DIY podcast and his extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran. I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    This is a passion project of Pete's, a DIY operation, and he'd love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.     The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 286 with Hannah Pittard, winner of the Amanda Davis Highwire Fiction Award and a MacDowell fellow. She is the author of six books, including the memoir WE ARE TOO MANY and the forthcoming novel IF YOU LOVE IT, LET IT KILL YOU, whose Pub Day is July 15, the day this episode drops.

In this week's episode I am joined by Christian Pritt. Chrsitian has been a loyal listener of the podcast. We have talked on several occasions about the dogs he hunts and I thought it was time to get him on. He is a young guy but living in the mountains of West Virginia and hunting as hard as he does he has a lot of valuable knowledge as well as a few good stories!   Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://fullcrymag.com https://www.southernhoundhunting.com  Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

We talked with Shaylee Stantz & Brynlee with the First Christion Church in Brazil! They have their 2nd Annual Car For Crusaders & Vendor Show coming up! Bring your Car, Truck, or Motorcycle to show in our Cars for Crusaders Car Show! It's May 3rd 10-2 1875 W. US Highway 40, Brazil. Enjoy shopping with local businesses, a new Kid's Area, fun music, and Lunch and Breakfast served by the CCA PTL. All proceeds for the event benefit the children of Cornerstone Christian Academy, providing quality Christian education since 1985! Thanks to Quality Roofing for their support of the Breakfast Bribe! https://www.facebook.com/events/1875-w-us-highway-40-brazil-in-united-states-indiana-47834/first-christian-church-presents-2nd-annual-cars-for-crusaders-and-vendor-show/7781856261899202/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday of the Fourth Week of LentJohn 4:43-54The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,“Your son will live,”and he and his whole household came to believe.Now this was the second sign Jesus didwhen he came to Galilee from Judea."

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Feast of Saint Luke, EvangelistLk 10:1-9"Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,eat what is set before you,cure the sick in it and say to them,'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'"

Surgeon General Vivek Hallegere Murthy recently released a statement that the greatest health risk at the present moment is not cancer or heart disease, but loneliness.Let that sink in for a moment - could it be there is something profoundly God-given about our need for belonging? For being in community with others?Join us as we wrap up part 8 of our 8 part teaching series entitled “Made New” as we explore the practice of the Chrsitian community and it's formational potential for our lives to come into greater alignment with Jesus' love and will.

In April 2024, our host David Hirsch traveled to Cuba with Joni & Friends, as one of 12 U.S. volunteers participating in a Wheels For The World Program, to fit and distribute 200+ wheelchairs to youth and adults, who might not otherwise experience mobility.  During his visit, he recorded two interviews with individuals connected to the disability community in Cuba. This is the the second of the two interviews.Toady's guest is Noel Fernandez Collott of Ciego de Avila, Cuba an 82 year old retired Baptist pastor who led seven churches during his career, who is one of the country's most well respected disability advocates and himself, went blind at age 30.Noel and his wife, Ornara, have been married for 58 years.  We also learn about how Retinitis Pigmentosa took his dad and grandfather's sight as well.Thirty years ago, Noel was the initial point of contact with Joni & Friends, the Agoura Hills, CA global Chrsitian disability ministry.  Since then there have been J&F Family Retreats and Wheels for the World programs in all 15 Cuban providences.Noel is also the author of the book (published in Spanish) entitled: Segun Los Circunstancias, which translated into English is: Living According To Circumstances.  The book is currently available  in Spanish on Amazon via Kindle and soon to be available in English.  We also learn about ACLIFIM a local NGO that serves the disability community. It's an uplifting story about overcoming disability and the power of the Holy Spirit all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. Show Notes - WhatsApp - 53 52 449 967Email – fernolla2027@gmail.comJoni & Friends -  https://joniandfriends.org/Living According To Circumstances - https://www.amazon.com/Vivir-seg%C3%BAn-las-circunstancias-Spanish-ebook/dp/B0CQR9XJJ6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DU5LY58FA1JM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vTCDcNLCV7_U0Z3oenOWXtKah6BZpDjOkT9YlWKfmug.5Bogv-4zgXWbCoiv4J7IQia54bpBaFqcU2XTSbDJfQo&dib_tag=se&keywords=noel+fernandez+collot&qid=1719589939&s=books&sprefix=noel+fernandez+collot%2Cstripbooks%2C98&sr=1-1ACLIFIM (Asociación Cubana de Personas con Discapacidad Físico - Motora -  https://www.aclifim.cu/Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 700+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videosPlease support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

John Roughton

When the title “Chrsitian” is used today, what associations are often made? Unfortunately over recent decades “Christian” evokes images of the Jan 6 2021 capitol storming, protesting outside abortion clinics, and judgemental hypocrisy.But how did the nickname come to be in the first place?Join us as we explore how being a Chritian is a call to radical unity in a culture of divisive tribalism.

On this episode, I was joined by Christian Espinosa CEO of Blue Goat Cyber. On this episode, Chrsitian walks through: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview 00:20 Christian Espinosa's Journey: From Air Force to Cybersecurity 03:41 Medical Device Cybersecurity: Challenges and Risks 05:51 Freelance to Entrepreneurship: Founding Blue Goat Cyber 07:05 Cybersecurity in Medical Devices: Key Considerations 16:55 The Importance of Software Bill of Materials 27:48 Hiring for Cybersecurity: Skills Over Certifications 29:36 Book Recommendations and Closing Remarks Christian Espinosa, founder and CEO of Blue Goat Cyber, is a leading medical device cybersecurity expert, driving advancements prioritizing patient safety and data integrity. His proactive and innovative approach defines his work. As the author of "The Smartest Person in the Room" and "The In-Between: Life in the Micro," Christian shares his journey from competitive to compassionate leadership. An avid adventurer, he enjoys extreme sports, heavy metal music, and spicy foods. His achievements as a certified skydiver, PADI divemaster, and Ironman triathlete underscore his commitment to personal growth and transformative leadership. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/https://twitter.com/Ironracerhttps://bluegoatcyber.com/https://christianespinosa.com/

When the title “Chrsitian” is used today, what associations are often made? Unfortunately over recent decades “Christian” evokes images of the Jan 6 2021 capitol storming, protesting outside abortion clinics, and judgemental hypocrisy.But how did the nickname come to be in the first place?Join us as we explore how being a Chritian is a call to radical unity in a culture of divisive tribalism.

In this episode, James speaks with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion, host of the Madang podcast, and author of When God Became White. James and Grace discuss her book, the challenge of navigating difference in the world and the church, and various Korean concepts that may inform our understanding of God and the Chrsitian life.  We are giving away five free copies of When God Became White. Visit usefultogod.com/bookgiveaway, to register to win.  You can also visit www.ivpress.com to find Grace's book. Use IVPPOD20 to recieve 20% off your purchase. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Hier findest Du die tiefsten Gedanken von Christian Gaertner. Es gibt nur eine Regel. All das, was hier besprochen wird, wirkt einfach. Einfach DEEP. In der dieswöchigen Folge des Einfach Deep Podcasts ist Christian nicht alleine auf Tauchgang. Es gibt Menschen, mit denen wir auf einer tieferen Ebene verbunden sind. So auch bei Chrsitian und Layana, Mitgründerin und Leadcoach der AcadeME. Gemeinsam nehmen Dich die beiden mit auf einen Tauchgang in die Essenz ihrer gemeinsamen Reise – eine Mission, die darauf abzielt, Menschen zu ihrem wahren Selbst zu führen und ein Leben voller Authentizität und Erfüllung zu ermöglichen. In dieser Folge erfährst Du: - Die Anfänge der AcadeME: Wie die Vision von Layana und Christian Wirklichkeit wurde und was es bedeutet, gemeinsam für eine Sache zu brennen. - Tiefgreifende Transformation: Einblicke in die Methoden und Praktiken, die Layana und Christian nutzen, um Menschen auf ihrer Seelenreise zu begleiten. - Persönliche Geschichten und Erkenntnisse: die beiden öffnen ihre Herzen und teilen persönliche Momente und Wendepunkte auf ihrem gemeinsamen Weg als Coach und Gründer - Die Kraft der Gemeinschaft: Wie die AcadeME eine einzigartige Gemeinschaft schafft, in der jeder Einzelne unterstützt wird, sein volles Potenzial zu entfalten. Warum Du diese Episode nicht verpassen solltest: Lass Dich von Layana und Christian inspirieren und entdecke, wie tiefe menschliche Verbindung und eine gemeinsame Mission den Grundstein für wahre Transformation und Selbstentdeckung legen können. Diese Episode ist ein Schatz für jeden, der auf der Suche nach Tiefe, Sinn und einer Gemeinschaft ist, die das Wachstum des Einzelnen fördert. Vielen Dank, dass Du hier bist.

In this candid bonus episode, Carla delves into the sensitive topic of anxiety and its often misunderstood relationship with faith and sin.  She begins by addressing a concerning Instagram reel that downplays the reality of anxiety and the complexities surrounding it. Carla passionately discusses the critical distinction between everyday anxiety and mental illness, encouraging listeners to take proactive steps to understand and address their own struggles.  Carla challenges the misconceptions commonly perpetuated by some voices in the church community and empowers her audience to seek real understanding and healing. She inspires listeners to embrace an active role in their mental health journey while dismantling the stigma and misconceptions surrounding anxiety and depression. GET YOUR FREE RENEWING YOUR MIND WORKBOOK HERE Renewing Hope Course  Info & Enrolment: https://www.carlaarges.com/renewing-hope Did you know that Carla is a Christian Mental Health and Life coach? See if working with her is what you need in your current season.  Book a discovery call today! Connect With Carla: Book a Discovery call with me https://calendly.com/cmsarges/discoverycall  Come hangout on IG with me @carla.arges Check out my blog and more at www.carlaarges.com   Resources: 5 Steps to Building Resiliency Rahab Bible Study Guide 5 Tips for Overcoming a Negative Body Image Who You Say I Am Biblical Affirmation Cards  

Podcast for a deep examination into the career and life choices of Whoopi Goldberg. Hangin' Ten continues with film #5! Joe protests a previous sponsor which causes Lev a lot of unwanted headaches. Patrick has aspirin for him, but soon finds out the headaches are merely metaphorical... or are they!? Find out on this week's episode of 'What the Hell Happened to Them?' Email the cast at whathappenedtothem@gmail.com Disclaimer: This episode was recorded in November 2023. References may feel confusing and/or dated unusually quickly. 'Sister Act' is available DVD and Blu-Ray (with a bonus sequel!): https://www.amazon.com/Sister-Act-Anniversary-Collection-Three-Disc/dp/B007JNR4UU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=38JB3RKSLGB0J&keywords=sister+act&qid=1701567727&s=movies-tv&sprefix=sister+act%2Cmovies-tv%2C139&sr=1-3 Music from "Hail Holy Queen" and "I Will Follow Him [Chariot]" from the Universal Music Group Artwork from BJ West   quixotic, united, skeyhill, vekeman, whoopi, goldberg, sister, act, pope, smoking, smith, nunn, nun, keitel, church, jesus, dinosaur, chrsitian

Fig Tree Books & More location info Fig Tree Books & More on Instagram Well hey there! Hello to you today and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, spent time resting and also able to spend time with loved ones, and of course had the chance to express your thankfulness for what God has done and will do in your life. He is good and He acts out of His lovingkindness toward His children, and that is something that we should never stop being thankful for. I really do believe that Christians ought to be the most thankful people on this planet. Thanksgiving is a time to express that thankfulness in all sorts of ways, and I do hope yours was wonderful. I am thankful for you.   You're listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, part of the Spark Network, now playing in the Edifi app. Today's episode is sponsored by Fig Tree Books & More, located in Branson. If you are planning a trip to the Branson area at any point in the future, I hope you get the chance to swing by Fig Tree Books. You will not regret it, that I can promise you! It's more than a bookstore, it's an experience with some of the most rock-solid, Jesus loving believers I have ever met. I'll have the link to their Instagram here in the show notes as well as a link to their exact address. Fig Tree Books & More, thank you for the work you are doing for the Kingdom, for every prayer you pray with customers, for every product selection you make with such care, for reaching your community and for being a haven for those visiting the Branson area. May the Lord bless you and the work of your hands in ways beyond your wildest imagination. I am thankful for you! This is episode number 167, and today we are looking at the book of Ezra.   The Amplified Bible is what I'll be referencing for this episode, and I'm going to read a couple of verses from Ezra chapter 7. Verses 9b and 10 say this: …because the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart (resolved) to study and interpret the Law the the LORD, and to practice it and teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.    Ezra lived in captivity in Babylon, so think about Daniel and his life in Babylon and Nehemiah and his calling to work on rebuilding the Temple at the end of this season of Israel's captivity. Ezra was alive in this same era. He left Babylon and traveled for months to get to Israel, according to verse 9 of Ezra chapter 7. Months of travel. What do we do for months? Like, what's worth that to us? Granted this was normal in that day, travel from Iraq (which is modern day Babylon) to Israel just took that long, and it doesn't take that long today, but it is worth thinking about, this idea of what is worth a long journey for us? And have you considered as of late that you are on a long journey? A journey home, to eternity with Jesus. You are on a long trek, you are a pilgrim on your way to your final destination. We as Christians are, in a way, sort of like Ezra. And the destination is more than worth the long, hard road we walk to get there.    When the Temple was rebuilt at the end of this time of captivity, as we see in Ezra chapter 6, the Temple was completed and dedicated and Passover observed in the homeland of the Jewish people once again, then we move into chapter 7 and we see Ezra making the journey to Jerusalem.    The promise in these verses is that when we, God's people who bear His name, have the good hand of our God on us (not the heavy hand of the Lord on us, as we find in the Bible at times, but the good hand of our God), we are able to do hard things for His Kingdom and His purposes. Ezra had set his heart to study and interpret the Law, the first five books of the Bible written by Moses, the Torah. How about us? Are we set like that? Do we have our hearts set on studying the Bible? It's easy to answer, yes or no, there is no middle ground or wiggle room on this…the question begs an answer, an immediate and honest one. Is my heart set on studying God's Word? Yes or no. Can you be brave enough to answer this honestly? And then, be brave enough to ask the Lord to make your heart set upon this, if the answer is no…and make it even more set upon it if the answer is yes? I'm not bagging on anyone, but I am asking an important question that warrants and honest and introspective answer because Jesus held back nothing to save us from death and hell, and He is worth everything, including our hearts set on knowing Him better and better day by day as a result of studying the Bible.    The Amplified says “resolved”. Ezra had set his heart resolved to study and interpret the Law of the Lord. How resolved are we in our study of God's Word?  Ezra made this long journey to a place that had been decimated and trashed during this terrible exile season in Israel's history, and at this time it was on the uptick. He was going back home, but to a home that had been broken down alongside a people who had been broken down. Sometimes the journey we make in life is alongside those who have also been broken down. You know, we want those strong leaders to lead us…and I think when we are strong in the Holy Spirit, when we are weak then God is strong in us and through us, that's good strength. But it doesn't always look pretty and it isn't always neat and tidy and polished the way the world tells us our leadership ought to look. Looks don't seem to matter as much to God as they do to man, to you and to me. Good leadership, chosen and appointed by God, may not look shiny and lovely. Good leadership may be the guy next to you, walking the same path you're walking, who has answered God's call to leadership. It may be the lady who is just a few steps beyond you on the road of life, she's far from perfect and she's got her hair in a messy bun or a banana clip and she may be walking with a limp…but she's going where God says to go, following His leading as she obeys His call to lead others. You want leaders who are good followers, who follow Jesus closely and who obey quickly, immediately, because otherwise they're not fit to lead anybody and they know it. What might happen if that kind of leadership became what we as the Church look for rather than wanting only leaders who look like the world, act like the world, and run the Church like a business, like the world. I have been young and now, I'm getting older and I've seen both kinds of leaders. And I know which kind have impacted me the most with the things of the Lord, and it's not the polished and social media post perfection kind of ones who made real impact. It's the one just a few steps ahead, been through some stuff in life, and they just keep on loving, serving, trusting, following, obeying and honoring God with the whole of their messed up, messy life.    Ezra may have been somewhat weary before his journey even got started. Anybody else ever feel like that? Lord, I'm so tired from this…and now You are asking me to start this next leg of my race when I'm feeling weary? Sometimes that is how it goes. I'm not against rest, but I think I can honestly say that we can have sabbath rest, resting in Jesus, even while walking the path He's called us to. How many Bible characters were totally ready for the task God called them to? The blessing came from their obedience. Lack of obedience would not have yielded the same degree of blessing…or likely much blessing at all.    Sometimes we feel weary before the journey begins.  Others were probably weary too, and Ezra as a leader was dealing with his weariness and theirs. It can be hard to lead weary people. Not always, but at times our flesh cries out for ease and after a long season of reign by an oppressor, some happy news may have been pretty appealing. But an honest study of the first five books of the Bible would come with conviction and a real hard and honest look in the mirror.  Weary people can want an answer and a solution more than they want to be taught, and Ezra was called in verse 10 to teach Israel what the Bible had to say.  The point here is that Ezra did not have the easy street assignment, and even when he was weary, he still obeyed. That's the mark of a mature believer. Ezra had a tough role to play, but he did it. Do we want the good hand of God on our lives? Do we really?  Verse 25 tells us that Ezra was tasked with appointing magistrates and judges in accordance with God's wisdom and instruction. He was to appoint those who knew the laws of God, and he was told to teach anyone who did not know God's law.    If hard times come - and I mean hard hard times, not so so hard times, but hard hard times, if those times come, do you realize there may be a special role for you provided you know the Bible well? I'm serious about this! Do you know any part of your Bible well enough to instruct someone about it? Over a cup of coffee, as part of a Bible study group, in a group text of Christian friends. The need may well arise. Are we ready if it does? Because when hard hard times come, people tend to land in one of two camps, and it's pretty distinct. They either want to know more about God, what the Bible says, how to pray, or they get hard hearted and want to shut God out while blaming Him for everything that has gone wrong. But those that will want to know how to seek and to find the Lord in the hard hard times may need someone to show them the way, to explain the Bible to them, to pray with them. Could that someone be you?   Now these may not seem like promises at first glance, the verses I'm sharing today. But I think they actually are. Can you imagine receiving the call of the Lord to teach people about His word in hard times, in a season that could be considered the tail end of a long spiritual famine?    Church attendance in the United States post COVID has dropped and remained below 50% for the first time since attendance began being tallied or monitored in our country. It's below and it's staying below. How's that for the mark of a spiritual famine? I think we're in one in the US. It's also a bit of an indictment on us as a so-called Chrsitian nation. Where will you and I land in this post-Christian era in which we live? Will we be ready to teach others what the Bible says, or fail to be ready? And as far as hard times go, the writing is on the wall, so to speak, when the people in a nation have turned away from, even against, the God of the Bible. We know what happened to such nations in the past. We know from the book of Revelation what will happen to those who deny the Lord God Almighty in the future. And so we understand that in our day, hard times may come, probably will come sooner rather than later.    We also know that persecution grows Jesus' Church. Hard times drive people to their knees in prayer. And we have this moment, this era, to ready ourselves to serve God in like manner as Ezra when those days come to pass. But only if we know His Word! We cannot teach what we do not know!   In the new year, I'm planning to start sharing monthly Bible reading plans and some pdf Bible study tools and do a weekly study of the psalms in my private prayer group on Facebook, working through all 150 psalms week by week and praying based on what we find in those passages. These are just a couple of ways I hope to encourage people to get in the Word and to learn it, to live it, and to know it well enough to teach it to others. Which is discipleship 101 and Titus 2 ministry in a nutshell.    On my other podcast, The Prayer Podcast, this week I'm going to share and pray from Ezra chapter 8, a prayer for protection that God answered powerfully, you can find this in verses 21-32. And also, side note, on TPP soon we will start a series on the NT book of James and it's going to be a good prayer series because the book of James brings life change, like, every single time we read it and apply it and study it and believe it and pray that what it says will become our reality. I'd love to have you join us for that series on The Prayer Podcast.   But when we look at Ezra 8, verse 23 from the Amplified, we find this: So we fasted and sought help from our God concerning this matter and He heard our plea. And verse 31 - We set out from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and He rescued us from the hand of the enemy and those who lay in ambushes along the way.    Does God answer prayer? Yes Does God still in our day and age answer prayer? Yes Can we really expect Him to help us? Yes Can we talk to Him about anything and everything, specific matters that concern us and not just high and lofty spiritual things? Yes Can we do what He is calling us to do and make the impact that He wants us to make (or rather, to allow Him to make the impact He wants to make through us)? Yes Can we get to our destination safely, protected from marauders, fully able to do what comes next once we get to that place? Yes Can we ask Him to see us safely all the way home? Yes   More than just a single promise from the book of Ezra, preparing for this episode has shown me that the whole of Ezra, the whole book is God's promises being fulfilled. It's proof positive that God keeps His promises, every single one, in perfect detail. And it's a call to be reconciled to God. Our reconciliation should lead us to trust more. If it doesn't, are we really reconciled? I'm not fully reconciled to someone if I do not trust them. The two go together. Be reconciled to God and trust Him completely.  Pray to Him and listen for His answer to your prayers. Be like Ezra.   That's all for this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show. Thanks for joining me today and don't forget to check out Fig Tree Books & More when you're in the Branson area.    See you next time. Bye bye!

This talk I wanted to share with you from my talk at the Truth That Matters Conference with Southern Evangelical Seminary. The fact is that the body of Christ must be equipped to understand best how to respond to a morally bankrupt society-despite where in the world you may live.-Steven Garofalo

The Bible often talks about two different paths. One is the path God suggests and it leads to goodness. The other is the path of destruction. One framework Scripture uses to describe these two paths is flesh versus spirit.​​ People sometimes think that being a Chrsitian means the voice of the flesh goes away. But this isn't the case. Every day, Christians have to decide what path to walk on. The way of the flesh leads to disappointment and destruction but the way of the spirit leads to life. Ultimately the choice is ours to make.

- Mayor Pete the false prophet (ep 863)- Oregon's ban on Christians adopting- vet confronts National Guard at border (ep 873)- The Party says there are too many people (ep 894)- Cali groomers and Chrsitian privilege (ep 879)4Patriots https://4patriots.com Protect your family with Food kits, solar generators and more at 4Patriots. Use code TODD for 10% off your first purchase. Alan's Soaps https://alanssoaps.com/TODD Use coupon code ‘TODD' to save an additional 10% off the bundle price. BiOptimizers https://magbreakthrough.com/todd Use promo code TODD for 10% off your order. Bonefrog https://bonefrog.us Enter promo code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your subscription. Bulwark Capital http://KnowYourRiskRadio.com Find out how Bulwark Capital Actively Manages risk. Call 866-779-RISK or visit KnowYourRiskRadio.com Patriot Mobile https://patriotmobile.com/herman Get free activation today with offer code HERMAN. Visit or call 878-PATRIOT. RuffGreens https://ruffgreens.com/todd Get your FREE Jumpstart Trial Bag of Ruff Greens, simply cover shipping. Visit or call 877-MYDOG-64. SOTA Weight Loss https://sotaweightloss.com SOTA Weight Loss is, say it with me now, STATE OF THE ART! Sound of Freedom https://angel.com/freedom Join the two million and see Sound of Freedom in theaters July 4th. GreenHaven Interactive https://greenhaveninteractive.com Digital Marketing including search engine optimization and website design.

Faith Concepts. My Books: Amazon.com/Richard-A-Hardin/e/B09J2YHCVBOnly FAITH pleases God. Errors of Faith being taught- (1)Faith comes by hearing,& hearing- NO! Faith only comes by hearing, accepting what you hear into your heart, then obeying the Word God spoke to you! (2) That all men (people) have a measure of faith based on Romans 12:3- No! God says all men do not have faith in Deu.32:20, Jesus says all men do not have faith in some areas in Mk 4:40, and the Apostle Paul who wrote Rom 12:3 above says all men do not have faith in 2 Thes3:2,. So don't think you have a lot of faith because you have a lot of Scripture knowledge in your head! Jesus says in Matt 7:21-22, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.(22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." These are people who know God's Word, quote God's Word and His Word touches many people and works in their lives BUT the person quoting God's Word has it in his head and it is not in his heart. Like the donkey God spoke thru to Balaam in Num 22:28. God backed up His Word to Balaam from the donkey but it didn't make the donkey holy or "saved". We have a lot of "donkeys" speaking God's Word today without having God's Word in their hearts! on @KLRNRadio.com 7 AM CST Wed #GPWF #Christian or anytime at rahardin.com (Radio)

Most financial advisors hear the advice to niche down, and pick doctors or dentists or business owners. While these niches are great, many financial advisors avoid Christians as a niche. Why? Well, many believe that Christians aren't as interested in building their wealth as other potential niches. But this is dead wrong. In fact, Christians can be a broad and profitable niche, especially if you're a fellow Christian. That's why I invited Leo Marte from Abundant Advisors onto this podcast episode. Leo helps fellow Christians build financial freedom and wealth. Not only will you discover some tricks about marketing to Christians, but Leo shares tips and tricks that will help create better results in any niche. Listen now. Show highlights include: Why including your personal values into your financial advising business attracts better clients and grows your piggy bank (3:20) How to easily convince Christians to work with you (even if they believe wealth in and of itself is wrong) (9:03) The counterintuitive way “Faith-dumping” on prospective Chrsitian clients can repel them away (11:15) How giving your prospects their own DIY financial plan actually makes them more eager to work with you as their advisor (23:25) The ad copy trick for calling out your intended audience without offending them or breaking Facebook's rules (27:31) The sneaky “Image Secret” for ads so you only attract your ideal clients (29:35) How productizing your financial advising services can double the amount of clients you can serve (34:17) If you want to connect with Leo and learn more about creating a Christian-based financial advising company, visit his website here: https://www.abundantadvisors.com/ Need help getting more clients as a financial advisor? I created a free, 47-minute video outlining the steps to my “CLIENT Method,” which helps financial advisors land more clients. Watch the video before I take it down here: https://www.theadvisorcoach.com/theclientmethod.html If you're looking for a way to set more appointments with qualified prospects, sign up for James' brand new webinar about how financial advisors can get more clients with email marketing. Go to https://TheAdvisorCoach.com/webinar to register today. Go to https://TheAdvisorCoach.com/Coaching and pick up your free 90 minute download called “5 Keys to Success for Financial Advisors” when you join The James Pollard Inner Circle. Want to transform your website into a client-getting machine? Go to https://www.theadvisorcoach.com/website to get The Client-Getting Website Guide. Want a masterclass training in running effective Facebook Ads? Head to https://TheAdvisorCoach.com/ads-training. Discover how to get even better at marketing yourself with these resources: https://www.theadvisorcoach.com/financial-advisor-sales-training.html https://www.theadvisorcoach.com/financial-advisor-coaching.html https://www.theadvisorcoach.com/4-linkedin-tips-for-financial-advisors.html

The ADL, which claims to protect Jews from being defamed, has defamed Chaya Raichik, aka 'Libs of Tiktok', a popular orthodox Jew who defends Torah values and protects children from predator teachers. PLUS: Ben Shapiro has praised a massive Chrsitian prayer festival, however some Orthodox Jews feel that he's gone too far.

New Members' Class at Ephesian 2/5/2023….

What motivates you to live this Chrsitian life? To do all you do in this life? When our motivation is fixed on God's glory, all we do has new purpose and meaning. Bible Reading: 2 John Verse of the day: 2 John 1:2, "Because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever." Word of the day: Sake. It is the Greek word:  διά (dee-ah').  This is a preposition, and the BDB lexicon says it means marker of instrumentality or circumstance whereby something is accomplished or effected, by, via, through; of efficient cause.

Meeting your partner's parents can be scary and exciting and we want to help you successfully meet them. Here we give you 3 tips and 2 questions to ask your partner about their meeting and learning about their family. Until Thanksgiving of 2022 for $1 you can enroll in Just Dating University! Our dating course and coaching program designed to help you learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Learn the BEST questions to ask your partner about their family: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-family Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Is it a sin to date someone who is not a Christian? If you do date someone who is not a Christian what should you expect? We discuss all that and more on this weeks episode of The W Podcast. Are you ready for a relationship? Join us at the link below to be apart of our FREE 3 day challenge if you see this before 11/17/2022 it's not to late to register! https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/ready-for-a-relationship-challenge Join our coaching program that has helped hundreds of Christian's learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Praying Colossians 1 freebie   Well hey there, hello to ya today. So thankful you are listening to the show today. We're talking about prayer, which is a hugely important aspect of the Christian life and is incredibly needed in this era in which we find ourselves living. And there is tremendous promise in prayer. The Bible has so much to say about prayer, it's hard to overemphasize how much hope we have when we stand in prayer.   Paul, in his epistle, Colossians chapter one, that's our text for today. I'm going to read from the NLT and then I am going to pray this passage for you. And in the show notes for this episode I'm going to attach a link for a pdf you can download that has the prayer I'll be sharing on the episode, so you can access it on your phone or print it out and keep it with your Bible study items, use it in any way that would be a blessing to you and the people that you are praying for. I'll put that link at the very top of the show notes so that it will be easy to access no matter what app or podcast player you use to listen to podcasts. I'm really honored to be able to pray for you today, and for the 125th episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, this seemed like a super fitting topic to focus on. Let's jump into this passage.   You're listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, part of the Spark Network, now playing in the Edifi app. This is episode number 125.    So as I look at Colossians chapter one, I am going to read aloud verses three through fourteen, and I'm a quick reader so don't get too worried that it's gonna take me a long while to read this. I want to read it and then pray it. So as I read, would you listen closely, with some intentionality, and think about who you can pray these verses for? Who might God want you to stand in prayer for today?    We want to be disciples who in turn make disciples. A key aspect of the Great Commission, right? Prayer is one excellent way to focus on discipleship. Because you and I, we will grow in our walk with the Lord as we pray for others. And those others for whom we are praying are also going to grow in their life. It is actually a WIN-WIN. And we want as many wins as possible, especially when it feels like life kind of kicks us around a bit, knocks us down. Let's get some wins, you know what I mean. Right here, this is a big WIN-WIN for us.    I'm reading from the New Living Translation. Colossians 1:3-14   3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. 6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace. 7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ's faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.[b] 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you. 9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,[c] 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom[d] and forgave our sins.   Okay, this is quite a passage. Really so much here for us to believe God for in prayer.   Paul saying that they always pray for the recipients of this letter, can you even imagine what comfort that brought them? You know, when we pray for others, in a committed kind of way in particular, it really has an impact on them. It shores them up, it can steady them where they may not quite be feeling their sea legs ya know, kind of shaky and quaky. It is so good to know that we are not alone and somebody who loves Jesus is praying for us on the regular. It's a really big deal, and my personal desire is honestly that we all have somebody or several somebodies who pray for us. It's part of being in the body of Christ, and I really would love to see us get all sorts of fired up about praying for one another. What might change if we really leaned into that? Uh, yeah I actually think everything could change.   And when you pray for others, give thanks to the Lord as you pray. Like, the ability to pray and have our prayers heard by God is huge, so thank Him. And thank Him for your church body, thank Him for your praying friends and family, thank Him for all the things really. I could go on and on about what we should be thankful for.    Verse 4 - Paul is thankful for their faith in Jesus and their love for God's people. Can the same be said of us? Does anybody see evidence of my faith in Jesus? Is it apparent that I love God's people? I hope so. And does my love and my faith stem from my confident hope of what is coming for me in the future. Confident. Key word in this passage. Confident hope does not sound like, “Gee I sure hope so.” In Revelation, in His letters to the churches, Jesus said they'd forgotten their first love. When we remember what it was like when we first really got it, what this relationship with Jesus was really all about, man what a moment. Did we have an expectation of what would come in the next life back then? Yes indeed. That can still be our expectation and the source of our hope. God has things reserved for us in heaven. Isn't that exciting? Hang on to that first love. Jesus is always, always worth it, my friend.   Let's also pray that the Good News will continue to spread around the world. I have a shirt that says “Make Heaven Crowded” and I'll be honest, I have some shirts that remind me to pray (and a lock screen for my phone that I created to remind me to pray), a hoodie that reminds me that making disciples and being a good disciple myself, those things matter. I have a shirt to remind me that Esther 4:14 is true, and one to remind me that the work I do in my writing and podcasting, it needs to be handled with care, if you will. Like not flippant, but really focused and prayed up as I do the things I do. Make heaven crowded - three words that might be kind of cheesy in the way that only Christian tshirts can at times be cheesy. But it's important to me. I wear that shirt when I'm writing, when I'm recording audio content like this podcast. It's for me, to remind me of something really important. People matter. And where they spend eternity, that matters to Jesus and so it should matter to me.    Now I also have a shirt that mentions it being too people-y outside and a sweatshirt that says homebody. I'm telling you, if you know you know. I love people, but the way God made me, I don't refuel or recharge with all the peoples. I need to have time alone, and you know what, that's the time I use to write, to craft out podcast content, to work on things for my next prayer retreat in my private Facebook group. To pray for dozens of people (and I have a prayer list with dozens of names on it) If God had not wired me to be okay, to even be in my sweet spot, without loads of people around me all the time, I don't know that I could get done the things I do. So, how God wired you is part of how He will accomplish the good works He planned for you to be doing. Don't get annoyed by the gift (cuz sometimes that's a shady way of being annoyed at the gift giver). Pray and ask how this gifting fits in with how He made you and His good works that He prepared in advance for you to do. It's really that simple. I used to think I was a really cruddy Christian because I got worn out by too much people-y stuff. Now, I understand it so much better because I prayed about it and the Lord showed me some stuff. He'll show us some stuff if we pray and talk to Him about whatever it is we need to talk about.   This Good News about Jesus is bearing fruit everywhere and it is doing that by changing lives. Look, I've said it before and this here today won't be the last time I say this. The Word of God is life changing. God is in the life changing business. So, why are we so surprised when a life is changed by the Lord? Why should that surprise us? It's His way, so we should expect to see lives changed all the time. And hey, why shouldn't one of those lives be your life? You cannot possibly give me a good reason why not you. Why not you? Let God change your life and let your changed life bear fruit.    In verse 7 Paul mentions the person who told them the Good News. We are coworkers with every other Chrsitian who is sharing the Good News of Jesus. It's not a contest or a competition. We're working toward the same goal. Be a faithful servant of Jesus, yourself personally, and pray for others to be the same. And then, don't let competition get in there. God's got a crown for you and He's got a crown for them. No need to compete because what are you competing for? You can't obtain their crown and they can't somehow work really really hard and get your crown in place of their own. Let's pray for one another, and for the Kingdom to advance and take more and more ground. And let's show that the Holy Spirit really has given us love for one another.   Now, verse 9 on have very clear and specific ways we can pray for one another. First, don't stop praying. Be committed in your prayer life. Take it seriously. You know, when Jesus prayed to the Father, He took it seriously. And we don't always do that. So pray, don't stop praying and take it seriously.  Next, ask God to give the people you are praying for complete knowledge of His will and to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding. Ask the Lord to enable them to live in a way that always honors and pleases God, and for their lives to produce every kind of good fruit (feel free to study the fruit of the Spirit and to ask for those exact things in the lives of the people for whom you pray). And the last part of verse 10 reminds us to pray for people to grow as they learn to know God better and better. To grow, so this is showing us what growth as a Christian looks like, what maturity looks like. It shows itself as knowing God better and better. And it says to learn to know God better and better. Do you know Him better now than last year at this time? If you don't, you may need to LEARN to know Him better. Sit at His feet in prayer, read your Bible and pray and ask Him to teach you (learning means being taught, right?) teach you to know Him better. Take time to listen, to be quiet in His presence, to write down what you are learning, because writing it down will cement it more in your heart and mind. Note takers are world changers. There's so much truth behind that saying. Learn to know Him better. It's not enough, my friends, to go to church two Sundays a month and that's all the time you have for Jesus. That is not learning how to know Him better. Get serious about prayer, get serious about reading your Bible, get serious about heeding the conviction and leading of the Lord, get serious about the things the Bible says to get serious about.   Verse 11 - pray that they (those for whom you're praying) will be strengthened with all God's glorious power so they will have all the patience and endurance they need. Ask God to fill them with joy, and to give them a heart of thankfulness that always thanks the Father. Sometimes we are thanking Him in all things, but maybe not for all things. And I also gotta say, while it was not true at first like the first year or two dealing with serious heart problems, but for sure the last couple of years I can honestly say I have gone from thanking God in this situation to thanking Him for it. One result of perpetual thankfulness is that it spreads, and it's a good kind of spreading. I want to be contagious with things that actually matter. A bad attitude, a complaining spirit, is so contagious. So is gratitude and thankfulness. Pray that those people on your prayer list will be thankful. Ask God to enable them to share in the inheritance that only belongs to His people. For them to really, really know Jesus personally and to have the assurance of eternity with the Lord and not separated from Him. That's the only way to obtain our inheritance, so when pray for them to share in this inheritance, we are seeking God to call out to them, to draw them with cords of lovingkindness, for their salvation. We want those people for whom we pray to live in the light. Jesus is the Light of the world, so let's pray for people to live in the light and not to walk in any kind of darkness.  And be sure to praise Him for the work He has done in your life when He rescued you from the kingdom of darkness and transferred you into the Kingdom of His dear Son. Praise Him for purchasing our freedom and forgiving our sins.    Now that is how I pray Colossians chapter one for those on my prayer list. And to kind of make this grab-able (that's not a word but for today, let's pretend it is) I made a pdf you can download and the link is at the very top of the show notes and also down at the bottom with my other links, like to my private prayer group where we are going to begin a new weekly time of prayer and teaching about prayer so you can join that, it will go into mid December and then again in the new year, probably all of January and all of February. And also a link to my book A 60-Day Prayer Journal for Parents on Amazon.    Let me pray now for you based on what I put together in the pdf you can grab at the link. As I pray, just let the Lord comfort you and kind of lean in and choose to believe that He will answer this prayer on your behalf. He's got blessings and favor and goodness for you and I hope, I really mean this from the bottom of my heart, I hope that no matter where you are in life right now that you can lean in and believe Him for these blessings. Trust again. Love the Lord anew today. Hope in Him and receive whatever it is that He wants to give.    Colossians 1 Prayer PDF Prayer Retreat Group on Facebook Prayer Journal for Parents on Amazon 

Need help getting your finances together check this out! https://amzn.to/3VfoBSn ————————————————————— Marriage is a responsibility and we should prepare for it accordingly. But is it possible that some people hide behind finances as a reason they aren't getting married when they really are just scared of commitment? Well maybe that isn't you and you really are wondering if you should get married with the current finances you have. We discuss some keys to think about to help you decide if you are ready for marriage financially and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Many sayings you hear about relationships are not necessarily biblical. Is the saying you attract who you are biblical? Is there any truth to that statement? How do you make sure you find quality dating options? We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above.

Most Christian's would say that who you marry is the second biggest decision you will make after deciding to follow Jesus. If that is true then why do most Christian's spend more on their wardrobe then they spend on preparing for marriage and sustaining a marriage. The most successful relationships feature two people committed to learning how to have a successful relationship. If you are single that starts now. Being an individual who is committed to learning everything they can now to prepare to date well and have a strong marriage will set you up to for success. This is why we decided to create Just Dating University. We wanted to create something that answered all the questions we wished we had access too when we were single and dating. So we poured our heart, experience, research, and wisdom into this program to help as many singles as possible prepare to date well practically, honor God spiritually, and prepare to have a great marriage. If that interests you then JDU is exactly what you need! Enroll today at www.justdatinguniversity.com! Enrollment closes on 9/30. — Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

If you liked this episode then you will LOVE the book!! Purchase the Godly Dating 101 book TODAY! Link is below. https://bit.ly/GodlyDating101Book — Register at the link below for our FREE Masterclass Never Single Again: How to establish genuine connections in a world of superficial relationships. https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/free-masterclass-registration Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

This is our story and it is definitely a wild one. For us kissing was too much in dating. We are not here to say if kissing is a sin or if it isn't a sin in dating. However we do know that lusting over someone you're not married to is a sin and some people definitely cross that line in dating without realizing it. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

What is the worst thing that could happen to you in front of your partner's family? Maybe the worst thing hasn't happened but there can be things in relationships that are embarrassing. Pauline shares the most embarrassing moment for her in front of Tim's family while they were dating and let's just say you have to hear what happened. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Some people believe in asking their girlfriend's parents for her hand in marriage. But what happens when asking for their hand in marriage goes wrong? Tim shares his story of asking for Pauline's hand in marriage and we share what happened after that. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Pauline made more money than Tim for the first 4 years of their relationship including marriage. We know a lot of people wouldn't be okay with that whether the man or the woman. How did we make it given that situation and why did we put ourselves in that situation. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above.

Dating is fun and brings on many feelings that are wonderful but if we're not careful they can lead us to sin. This week we share a situation that scared us in dating and how you can avoid similar situations in your relationship. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

What if being single as a Christian didn't have to “suck” like so many people portray it does. What if you could thrive in that season and still trust that God is going to bring your person to you when it's time. We discuss what it looks like to thrive, handling friends getting married before you, and so much more on this weeks episode of The W Podcast! — Kaley's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kaleyagray/?hl=en Kaley's Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQHkLMwvU32yvNbXhRCjgmQ Kaley's Children book https://adventures-on-the-farm.ueniweb.com/products/children-s-book/adventures-on-the-farm-with-shirley-anne-no-no-50920318 Kaley's Podcast on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-about-dating-with-kaley-gray/id1552995841 Kaley's Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IYv4ghAf9ygMjYSXGVNsJ — Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

We all know that dating someone who is a liar is a red flag but what other red flags are there when dating someone? Also most people do not handle conflict well which is bad because how you handle conflict is extremely important to the direction your relationship will go in. Vision and conflict will have a major impact on the success of a relationship and if it will last. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! — Get Forever.i.do‘s E-book - https://forever4ido.gumroad.com/l/okqid?_gl=1*s7e7kr*_ga*MTU2Mzg3NDgxNi4xNjQ2MDEwMTU3*_ga_6LJN6D94N6*MTY0NjAxMDE1Ny4xLjEuMTY0NjAxMjU2Mi4w Forever.i.do on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/forever.i.do/?hl=en Forever.i.do on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGEypqtspW70LxMxSL_756A — Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Everyone says the first year of marriage is the hardest but is that true? Most of us would love to talk to someone who is actually in their first year of marriage and discuss what they are experiencing. But not just discuss it we would want to have an actual real and transparent convo. If you are looking for that, well get ready because Micah and Imani get honest and vulnerable about what their first year of marriage has truly been like. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! — Micah's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mike_uhh17/?hl=en Imani's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/somepeoplecallmeimani/?hl=en — Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Want one of our events in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Are you tired of dating apps or just looking for new ways to meet other single Christian's? This episode we talked with Mel from IYKYK Dating who host Christian single mixers across the country! This episode is incredible. We don't just talk about the mixers but we touch on putting yourself out there, dating etiquette, and so much more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Want to have a Christian mixer in your city? Fill this out: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com/event-interest About Mel IYKYK Dating's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iykyk.dating/?hl=en IYKYK Dating's Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@iykyk.dating?lang=en IYKYK Dating's Facebook Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/1165315040903768/ IYKYK Dating's Website www.iykykdatingmixers.com Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

How long is to long to date? How do you get healed from past hurts? How do you find mentors? These are questions that we all have but how do we get the answers to these tough questions? Well the good news is that Pastor's Bruce & Rotoya have walked hundreds of people through these problems and you get to learn from them this week on The W Podcast. Pastor's Bruce & Rotoya Goodwin are the founders and Lead Pastor's of Light City Church and founders of black.christian.love. Bruce and Rotoya have been friends since 2001, and were married in 2013. They share a growing, rich history of love and commitment. Bruce and Rotoya reside in Prince George's County, MD and are proud parents of their son, Malachi. With great zeal and genuine love for people, Bruce and Rotoya have led many souls to Christ over their 18 years of ministry experience. Pastor Ratoya's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rotoyagoodwin/ Pastor Bruce's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bdgoodwin/ The Goodwin's Relationship Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/black.christian.love/ The Goodwin's Church - https://www.instagram.com/wearelightcity/ Light City Church's Website - https://www.wearelightcity.com/ Light City's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC80PJbHGAE9DBmsPzhL__Zw Join the waitlist for our dating course and coaching program to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Would you date a man who made less than you? Is it best to date during a recession? And the best things to do with your money NOW, whether you are single, dating, or married. Patrick serves as a consultant to individuals and organizations nationwide, helping them to develop a customized plan for eliminating debt, scaling business growth to the next level, and achieving financial freedom. He believes in creating a learning environment for people to grow and receive factual information as they achieve their goals and dreams. As a faith-based consultant, he explains financial principles from a biblical perspective built around the pillars of integrity, generosity, and stewardship. Connect with Patrick! Join Patrick's Inner Circle - https://patrickrchandler.com/join/ Patrick's Website - https://patrickrchandler.com/ Patrick's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/patrickrchandler/?hl=en Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Apply to our course to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

What do you do if your partner's parents don't like you? Or maybe even worse, what would you do if you don't like your partner's parents? Would that be a deal breaker for you or would you still marry the person. We discuss what you should do to get on their parents' good side and how to navigate difficult family relationships. We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Apply to our course to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Buidl friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above

Being single can be challenging, but what happens when you are single and lonely? Is it possible to be single and not lonely? We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of The W Podcast! Subscribe to get more Christian Relationship advice: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjb3LN4J8dXfHwEo_hE1gXg Get more intimate with your partner with these questions: https://www.wearejustdating.com/resources/p/couple-questions-friendship Visit our website to get more Chrsitian dating resources and speaking updates: www.wearejustdating.com Apply to our course to learn the blueprint for Christian dating: https://www.justdatinguniversity.com Build friendships with other single and dating Christians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/justdatingcommunity/ Share your frustrations as a Christian dating: https://forms.gle/w3ogjXcTRNgPeSAaA Receive Our Newsletter for devos, updates, and exclusive offers: https://www.wearejustdating.com/subscribe Build legacy with us and help end divorce by preparing for marriage well: https://linktr.ee/justdating Follow us on Instagram for helpful advice, encouraging clips, and wise words: https://www.instagram.com/wearejustdating/ Follow Us on Facebook for authentic community, online events and exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreJustDating Follow us on Twitter for fun tips, encouraging advice and godly wisdom: https://twitter.com/wearejustdating Follow us on TikTok for helpful tips, fun date night ideas, and insightful perspective: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearejustdating Shop Our storefront for books that will improve your relationships: www.amazon.com/shop/wearejustdating Submit your anonymous questions for us to answer:. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezqshS3YJdtF_QHbMk6-CIOFvpWLkMpJLQEwQ6q4lD2TQLqQ/viewform Music by Musician: Jeff Kaele A little bit about us Hey y'all! We are Tim & Pauline. Before we met we were both in ungodly relationships that left us empty and hurt. This led us on individual journeys to learn God's way of dating. When we met we decided to have a relationship that honored God but was still fun and exciting! We eventually started helping other couples through small groups to date God's way. Now we are on Youtube and have our own state of the art dating course sharing our wisdom so more people can have a healthy godly relationship now or in the future. We believe if you start with a strong dating foundation you will have an amazing godly marriage. We have been married since 2018 and we have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy! Connect with us more on instagram @wearejustdating! We provide perspective to help you build a healthy & godly relationship. New episode of "The W Podcast", featuring the QOTD, every Tuesday! Submit your anonymous questions in the google form above