Podcasts about faith in jesus

Priscilla Lopez is a CLEAR leader for the Michigan Department of Corrections as well community development leader for Heights of Hope, a non-profit serving an underserved neighborhood in Holland, Michigan. Priscilla shares about challenges in her upbringing that led to significant brokenness and ultimately, prison time. Her story doesn't end there, though — Priscilla describes how a renewed faith in Jesus has led to restoration and hope in her life. Links & Episode Notes Priscilla Lopez Personal Mission Statement: To bring a hope that influences breakthroughs. Heights of Hope Enneagram Type 8: The Challenger Alpha CLEAR - Coalition of Leadership, Education, Advice, and Rehabilitation (Michigan Department of Corrections) Engedi Music Made to Advance is a production of Engedi Church and is hosted by Brian Aulick. Send us your feedback at mta@engedichurch.com.

in this episode of "revival: a good news brand podcast," hosts david butler and stephan taeger explore the theme of reverence for sacred things, inspired by elder soares's teachings. they discuss how reverence enriches daily life, share personal stories, and offer practical advice on cultivating gratitude and recognizing the sacred in ordinary moments. the hosts reflect on meaningful experiences, both joyful and sorrowful, and connect these to faith in jesus christ. blending humor, insight, and heartfelt reflection, david and stephan invite listeners to find and celebrate the divine in everyday life.join us for a weekly revival!your hosts, david butler & stephan taeger

If you placed your faith in Jesus, we are celebrating with you!Click below to fill in your information so we can connect with you!New to Church: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/people/forms/631827I've Decided to Follow Jesus: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/people/forms/631829Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEHNDPb5XMkf1LyqoTU30vg Help Support and Grow our Ministry to reach people around our community and spread the love of Jesus: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/giving Stay connected with us through our:Church Alive Website: https://churchalive.tvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/churchalivenj/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChurchAliveNJ/Plan your next in-person visit. We are located at:Rutherford Location- The Williams Center9AM, 11AM, 1PM 15 Sylvan St, Rutherford NJLyndhurst Location- 10AM, 12PM525 Riverside Ave, Lyndhurst NJ

To favor people because of appearances is so common that it feels normal. But James tells us that partiality is incompatible with faith in Jesus. God gives us the capacity to see people as he sees them, and to love them as he loves them.

Tanna Shontz sits for an interview with your host, Brian Michaels. Tanna lost her husband, Air Force F-16 pilot David Shontz, in a training accident resulting in a tragic crash. She discusses the process of coming to faith in Jesus, and the continued process of healing that God took her through over many years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If we want to see our community and our nation come to faith in Jesus, it begins at home. The question is, how do we plant that seed of faith in our families? Speaker: Ptr. Greg StierSeries: Knowing God: The Creator of FamilyScripture Reading: Matthew 4:19Watch the full message here: https://go.ccf.org.ph/09142025Eng

It is our prayer that today's word would encourage and challenge to walk out your faith in Jesus, shine brightly in darkness and experience Kingdom impact in all you do! Stay connected with Belmont Church on our Facebook page, website or on the Church Center App.

God has called every Christ-follower to be a spiritual leader. Spiritual leaders lead by example. Our “walk” should equal our “talk.” If we say we are a Christian, then people should see it in our lives. As spiritual leaders we have a responsibility to pass our faith in Jesus on to the next generation. Let's be the spiritual leaders God has called us to be and lead with confidence in the Lord. Our God is with us and He is for us. Leaders lead. Now is your time, so lead.

In recent days, many of us have heard stories of the senselessness of evil. Not just faraway in Charlotte and Colorado and Utah, but right here in our own Twin Cities.Our family spent much of our summer with four dear Annunciation families on our sons' baseball team. All of them had kids in the room where the gunman opened fire. One little girl, a friend of our daughters, was shot three times. And all our Annunciation friends know well the students who died and others who were injured. What's been so unsettling is the sheer senseless evil of shooting up a room of children. It is profoundly wicked, like the devil himself, to go after children.Sensible people understandably look for motives and rationale. But it's not always so easy. Someone read aloud to me some of the gunman's words, and I don't know what to say but senseless. Irrational. Sheer evil — that would open fire on children, and be so deeply deceived as to pretend in writing the day before to be a good person.We might wonder if such an evil person is possessed by the devil. The better answer, I think, is to say that such a person, like the devil himself, has become deeply enslaved to his own evil and indwelling sin. The deep anti-God and anti-Christ impulse in the devil himself is the same anti-God and anti-Christ impulse in all sinners, but for God's common and saving grace. It's called sin. Left unchecked, it will devolve into senseless anti-God evil and the ultimate slavery.Which relates to our passage this morning. As the back and forth escalates, let's go first to where the dialogue ends up in verses 44–47. Jesus says,You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.Last week Jonathan said, Wait till you hear what Jesus says next week. He was talking about verse 44: “You are of your father the devil.” And then the end of verse 47: “The reason why you do not hear [my words] is that you are not of God.”So, that's where this is going, but look where it begins. Verse 30: “As [Jesus] was saying these things (verses 12–29), many believed in him.”Verse 31: “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him . . .”Jesus is talking to believers — at least people who have believed thus far. They've started to believe, but the question before us this morning is whether they will keep on believing as Jesus keeps speaking. Many of them have fickle faith. We've seen Jesus confront groups like this already in 2:23–25 and chapter 6. Isn't Jesus's instinct with a crowd amazing? A crowd gathers, and Jesus doesn't think, Hmm, this is a thrill. I better not mess it up. How can I lower the bar so that every stays and even more come? Rather, Jesus's instinct seems to be, There's a crowd; they can't all be real. I need to raise the bar. Whittle down the crowd; narrow it down to genuine believers, to true disciples. Jesus doesn't cater to those with fickle faith; he challenges them. If they stay fickle, they'll spoil the movement, not help it. But if you challenge their faith, some will go, but some will stay — remain, hang on, hold fast, and be true disciples.So, let me pause at this point to ask: What would this be for you? For Jesus's audience, it's their Jewishness. They are sons of Abraham, which they retreat to twice in verses 33 and 39. Very few in this room are counting this cost: if I believe and keep believing in Jesus, then my life of faith and faith-community as I've known it will be upturned. Or is it?Social appeal is powerful; community pressure is real. That might be the challenge for you this morning. Your people are secular to the core. Or Muslim. Or Buddhist. Or just unbelieving American conservatives or progressives. Or professing Christians who are fickle in their faith. Whatever level of interest in or openness to Jesus you have this morning, what group tempts you to not believe and stay with Jesus? (So many today are slaves of their own conception of others' opinions, whether adopting it or reacting to it; either way you're a slave to your own sense of what's mainstream, what the majority thinks, where the trends or counter-trends seem to be going.)And the main point for us this morning in John 8 is that those who are “of God” stay with Jesus. They bear with his word, and no matter how uncomfortable, his words find place in them, and he bears fruit through them.The main claim in this passage is verses 31–32, then the rest fleshes this out or defends this leading claim. Look there:So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”Jesus makes the claim, then they go back and forth about it. And in verse 47, we find that, at bottom, to stay with Jesus shows one is “of God” or not. So, that's how I'd like to frame it for us this morning, very personally. I take it that this room is filled with people who have believed in Jesus, but the emphasis this morning is on staying, remaining, abiding, holding fast. And for those who haven't yet believed, you get an inside look into what Christian belief is. It is not a past belief or a momentary belief that makes you a Christian, but an abiding belief, a belief that remains, a belief that holds fast to Jesus, a belief that persists and endures and perseveres the ups and downs of this life and keeps believing in him — stays with him.So, here's how we'll ask the question, to get at the three parts of the text: How do I know if I'm “of God” or not? Or how do I know if my belief is real and will endure?The realities of this text fall neatly into two columns: “of God” and “not of God.” That's the bottom-line reality, and this is what we'll spend the next few minutes filling out. So, here are three questions to confirm you are “of God.”1. Are you getting free from sin and enjoying it?Oh we love this word “freedom.”Verse 32,“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”But the question to ask is, Free from what, and free for what? We get a piece of it in verses 31–34:If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free'?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”Jesus offers freedom, and they hear in that offer that he's implying they are presently enslaved. They take offense at this, and retreat to their ethnic status: “we're offspring of Abraham; we've never been enslaved.” Which, of course is ridiculous. Ever heard of Egypt? How about the Philistines? And Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome. There's hardly any power in the ancient world that Abraham's offspring weren't enslaved to at some point. But it's a senseless diversion. Irrational. And Jesus doesn't take the bait by arguing about it. He brings it back to the point: “everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”Freedom from sin is the freedom from that Jesus is offering.But what about freedom for? Freedom from sin. But free for what? Now, verses 38–41:I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.”Doing matters. Last week, Jonathan talked about not having a do-have-be mentality, but be-have-do. And he didn't say no doing. He said get the doing in the right place. And this first question is about the doing. The unbelieving show they do not have faith and they do not belong to God by what they do. And so too, those of God, who have faith in Jesus, get free from sin which is freedom to do good for others. This is the right place for good works. Your life matters. What you do matters. And freedom from sin doesn't mean you just sit around and watch clean videos, but that in freedom you love others and seek to do them good.But don't miss the greatness of Jesus in this. He is the one who sets free for real, free from sin, free to actually do good, to love others, to get past self and see others' needs and take initiative and expend effort and experience the joy and reward of doing someone else in need some genuine good, in the name of Jesus. And now we'll see in verse 36, that it is not only sons who are free but “the Son” who sets them free. Which leads to our second question.2. Does Jesus's word find place in you? Now, we come to the main focus on abiding or staying with Jesus. It's one thing to believe in a moment or believe in the past or believe initially in Jesus with fickle faith. But it's another thing to keep believing, to abide, to remain with him, stay with him when challenges come — for Jesus's words to “find place in you.” Jesus first mentions “abiding” or “remaining” in verse 31, but then he comes back to precisely this in verse 35, and it's easy to miss because the word changes in our English. Verse 31 has abide. Verse 35 has remain. But it's the same word in the original. Look at verses 35–37:The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.Jesus speaks to room full of people who “have believed” so far. And he says, if you don't remain with me, stay with me, you're a slave. Slaves come into a household for a time, but don't stay. They're not really part of the family. They're temporary members of the household. Eventually the slaves leave, but the sons stay. They abide. Sons remain.The word to us is this: if you stay with Jesus, if his word “finds place in you,” if you remain by faith in the house with him, you show yourself to be sons, true disciples. And those who seem to believe but do not stay reveal their ongoing slavery to sin.Over the years, we've sung together “He will hold me fast.” One of the most unnerving things in our life together as a church has been those who have sung with us and slowly walked away. And we ask, Did he not hold them fast? Will he hold me fast?Based on John 8, and the book of 1 John, and Hebrews, and elsewhere in the Bible, here's how I sing “He Will Hold Me Fast.” As I stay with Jesus, as I hold him fast, he holds me fast. And it's not that my holding fast causes him to hold me fast. It's the other way around. His holding me fast is manifest, in part, through my ongoing holding him fast. From my finite, limited, human perspective, I don't know for certain that I'll always hold him fast. If I give myself to sin and its slavery and do not hold fast to Jesus, it will be revealed that I wasn't “of him,” and he wasn't holding me fast. But right now, as I sing this song, I hold him fast, and as I sing, I resolve afresh and pledge anew to keep holding him fast — and as I hold him fast in faith I see and show that he is holding me fast.And there is something more we can say here about those who stay with Jesus and remain in him and have his word “find place” in them. This is one of the most shocking things Jesus says to these Jews. Not only does he call them to believe in him and abide in that belief, but he says in verse 42:“If God were your Father, you would love me.”Love me, he says! Perhaps the one question that would clarify that your faith is not fickle, but that you truly are his disciple, is this: Do you love him?Which leads to our third and final question.3. Can you bear to hear the words of Jesus? In these three questions, we've worked from the outside in, or from the top to the bottom: from doing good, to staying with him, and now back to where it all begins: believing in Jesus, hearing his words with faith. Believing his words that he came from God, and shares in the divine identity, even as he stands before us as fully human. And not just believing some of what he says about himself, as we find it convenient and socially acceptable. But believing all of what Jesus says about himself even and especially when it's at odds with whatever social group appeals to us most. Let's finish with verses 42–43:Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.When Jesus says that he “came not of my own accord” (literally, “not from myself I have come”), he speaks as man who is no mere man. Jesus is no mere human, putting himself forward, saying, Hear me, believe me, love me, stay with him, do others good in my name. No, this man “came not of his own accord” but is God the Son sent by God the Father. (For Jesus's various “not my own” claims in the Gospel of John, see also 5:30, 43; 6:38; 7:28; 8:50; 12:49; 14:10). To hear Jesus and believe Jesus is to hear the one sent by God to speak for God and who is God himself (as we saw in verses 24 and 28, and will see next week in verse 58).To hear the word of Jesus is to hear the word of God. To believe what Jesus says about himself, and everything else, is to believe what God says about Jesus and everything else.So, in this sermon, we've worked backwards, in a sense. We started with true freedom, then came back to staying with Jesus, then came to the bottom and center: how you hear Jesus's voice.Now we've worked through the chart, and I'll fill it in: And if you're really struggling with the question, Am I of God or not? I have good news for you: if you are genuinely asking and genuinely concerned, that's a first indicator you're of God. Those who are not of God don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. Thank God you're concerned, and lean into Jesus. At the end of the day, the question for you, and for everyone in this room is, What do you do with Jesus? What do you think of him? Do you believe him? Do you love him? Do you fully intend to stay with him? How you respond to Jesus is the test, is the indicator, of whether you're “of God” or “not of God.” There's no way around Jesus to figure out if you're of God or not apart from how you orient on Jesus.So, here's my prayer for you and for us as a church: that we (those “who have believed” till now) would keep hearing Jesus even (and especially!) when it's uncomfortable and we don't like it at first (because we think other people in our lives won't like it), and so love him and stay with him (through life's trials), and so enjoy freedom from sin to do others good.Table for the FreeThis is the Table of those set free, and being increasingly set free, by the Son, from sin and for enjoying him and for expressing that love for him in doing good for others. This is a Table of true freedom. It celebrates his victory over death, our liberation from sin by his offering of himself for us at the cross, and our tasting and seeing that he is good.True freedom is from sin and its misery. True freedom stays in Jesus's word and loves him, which overflows into the freedom to love and do good for others.

This sermon centers on God's perception of humanity's hearts and the resulting divine grief over widespread corruption, as depicted in Genesis 6. The speaker emphasizes that God's standards of good and evil transcend human subjective feelings and cultural norms, asserting that God alone accurately judges the intentions of the heart. Despite overwhelming wickedness, the narrative highlights Noah finding favor (grace) with God due to his faith and obedience, offering a solitary point of hope amidst impending judgment. The sermon concludes by linking this ancient account to the modern need for repentance and faith in Jesus, who is presented as the ultimate absorber of God's just wrath against sin.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Today on the podcast:- NFL defensive back Caleb Farley joins Matt Forte as they explore the profound impact of faith on Caleb's personal and professional life, particularly in the face of adversity. Topics include:- Caleb's testimony of faith in Jesus (00:45)- Transition from wide receiver to cornerback (02:28)- Dealing injuries and uncertainty in his career (06:57)- Processing the death of his mom from cancer (12:20)- The importance of telling our story (19:22)- Getting through the grief of losing his mom and dad (22:09)- None of us are "good" - (26:24)- The Word of God is our number one weapon (30:00)- Favorite scripture verse (32:53)- What's right now? vs. What's next? (37:03)Today's podcast is presented by The Faith and Sports Institute at Baylor University's Truett Seminary. Learn more at their website - http://Baylor.edu/truett/fsiHave a question? Got a guest suggestion? Want to advertise with us? Email us - jason@sportsspectrum.comWATCH all of our podcast episodes on our YouTube page:https://www.youtube.com/SportsSpectrumMagazineSign up for our Sports Spectrum Magazine and receive 15% off a 1-year subscription by using the code PODCAST15https://www.theincrease.com/products/sports-spectrum-magazine Do you know Christ personally? Click below to learn how you can commit your life to Him.https://sportsspectrum.com/gospel/Have you heard our other Sports Spectrum podcasts?Sports Spectrum's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠What's Up Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with Annabelle Hasselbeck - https://open.spotify.com/show/7CvX5oXnEuKIYI5GCVT7Hi?si=9c61982675f1413dSports Spectrum's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get in the Game Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with Scott Linebrink -https://open.spotify.com/show/7CFPZVet3TcsSJMZqRHndI?si=d6599c85917146a7

On today's Quick Start podcast: NEWS: The search for Charlie Kirk's killer ramps up — surveillance video shows the suspect sprinting across rooftops, slipping through backyards, and limping away from the scene. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox warns of foreign disinformation campaigns as investigators process more than 7,000 tips. FOCUS STORY: Pastor Samuel Rodriguez tells CBN News that Charlie Kirk's assassination is a moral reckoning for America, warning that the nation is at a dangerous crossroads. MAIN THING: Pastor Mike Signorelli of V1 Church delivers a prophetic challenge for the Church: in the wake of tragedy, respond not with fear or anger, but with faith in Jesus. LAST THING: Today's verse — John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." PRAY WITH US! Faithwire.substack.com SHOW LINKS Faith in Culture: https://cbn.com/news/faith-culture Heaven Meets Earth PODCAST: https://cbn.com/lp/heaven-meets-earth NEWSMAKERS POD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newsmakers/id1724061454 Navigating Trump 2.0: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-trump-2-0/id1691121630

While coming to faith in Jesus can happen in a defining moment, living as a Christian is a lifelong, daily commitment to obedience. Listen to Truth For Life as Alistair Begg shares some Scripture-based convictions that have framed his life and ministry. ----------------------------------------- • Click here and look for "FROM THE SERMON" to stream or read the full message. • This program is part of the series ‘Lessons for Life, Volume 4' • Learn more about our current resource, request your copy with a donation of any amount. •Download the free audiobook Pray Big: How to Pray Like an Apostle, written and read by Alistair Begg! If you often find yourself unfocused or at a loss for words when praying, this book will inspire you to pray boldly to the God who can do all things. Download Pray Big at truthforlife.org/praybig. It includes a digital study guide! Offer valid September 1-30, 2025. Helpful Resources - Learn about God's salvation plan - Read our most recent articles - Subscribe to our daily devotional Follow Us YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter This listener-funded program features the clear, relevant Bible teaching of Alistair Begg. Today's program and nearly 3,000 messages can be streamed and shared for free at tfl.org thanks to the generous giving from monthly donors called Truthpartners. Learn more about this Gospel-sharing team or become one today. Thanks for listening to Truth For Life!

Charlie Kirk's assassination is a horrible tragedy. He was a man who was unashamed of his faith in Jesus, and he stood bodly for truth and righteousness. This murder was a work of Satan and is a unfortunate reminder of the evil spiritual war Christian's are in against the devil and demons in the unseen world. Let's be praying for Charlie's wife and his two children.

Depression is real. It can feel like living under a constant wave of trouble, powerless and overwhelmed—even when the “wave” is only half a foot tall. Proverbs 15:15 says:“For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”Are you struggling with depression, feeling powerless, or overwhelmed by life? In this sermon, Pastor CJ from Wonder Church unpacks Proverbs 15:15 and John 1:16 to show how Jesus brings freedom, joy, and a continual feast of grace—even in seasons of sorrow.We'll cover:Why despondency leads to bondageHow sin and compromise fuel depressionThe difference between shame and convictionWhy “authentic misery” isn't the answerHow joy is found not in circumstances, but in ChristWhy the gospel is the true antidote to despair

While coming to faith in Jesus can happen in a defining moment, living as a Christian is a lifelong, daily commitment to obedience. Listen to Truth For Life as Alistair Begg shares some Scripture-based convictions that have framed his life and ministry. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/163/29

Charlie Kirk's assassination is a horrible tragedy. He was a man who was unashamed of his faith in Jesus, and he stood bodly for truth and righteousness. This murder was a work of Satan and is a unfortunate reminder of the evil spiritual war Christian's are in against the devil and demons in the unseen world. Let's be praying for Charlie's wife and his two children.

Proverbs is about how, having put our faith in Jesus, we should live that faith in the day to day life. It is truly Wisdom for Life expressed in short, pithy statements that offer advice or an observation of the world. Therefore, Proverbs are not promises, but guidance. In understanding the Proverbs we want to carefully understand the meaning and implication behind each one. As we study the Proverbs topically, a picture of God, ourselves, and our relationship with God will emerge.

Welcome to Episode #183 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [2]. Today's episode, our seventh in this second mini-series on the Day of the Lord, will address the Regathering of Jews in Unbelief in Israel. A prelude to the tribulation, the great tribulation, and the Day of the Lord.There are four common views, theologically, regarding Israel's role in the world today, the return of Jesus, and the end of time. These views would be of no consequence if it were not for the fact that Israel was reestablished in 1948 as a sovereign nation-state in the global community. Israel has not been a sovereign nation-state since Babylon conquered the southern kingdom of Israel (Judah) and deported a remnant into captivity between 605 and 587 BC. The reconstitution of Israel over two millennia after it was obliterated is so unique that it should make us pause to wonder.I'll mention the four common views of the role of Israel in the world briefly and then discuss a less common fifth option that I adhere to. The first view is called replacement theology, in particular amillennialism, which does not see the nation of Israel to be of any consequence prophetically. In this view, Israel rejected their messiah and forfeited any rights and all privileges associated with former promises and covenants with God. In this view, Israel is just another of the rebellious nations in the world. The church has replaced Israel in prophetic history in regard to the promises and covenants. The nation of Israel today is just a random historical event.The second view believes the prophetic texts which say Israel will once again be a restored nation to God, but the current Israel is not it. The reason being, the far majority of Jews living in Israel are agnostic or secular in their beliefs of Judaism, with few who have faith in Jesus. This view believes there is a time coming when, prophetically, Israel will come to a final restoration with God in the land of promise through faith in Jesus.The third view believes Israel today is going to fulfill the prophetic texts of a final restoration with God in the land of promise. In this view, prophetic texts that speak of a divine tribulation and the wrath of God were fulfilled in the Holocaust of WWII. What we are seeing today in Israel are just the first stages of this final restoration.The fourth view believes there will be a series of tribulations and wrath of God against Israel, including the holocaust, that will prepare Israel for final restoration with God. The nation of Israel today, while a unique incident, may not be the final nation of Israel that God raises up for restoration of a remnant of Jews to God. The fifth view, which again is the one I hold, believes the current nation of Israel established in 1948, will experience tribulation and the wrath of God along with the rest of the world. What will end the great tribulation will be a remnant of Israel calling out to Jesus for redemption. This redemption will coincide with the judgment of the world and the restoration of the nation of Israel with God. King David, as the prince of Israel will rule over the Jews in the land, and the people of the surrounding nations. Jesus himself will rule the entire world from a temple on the world's highest mountain, just north of Jerusalem.The prophetic scriptures are clear and plain. First, there is going to be a regathering of Israel in unbelief back to the land in preparation to go through the great tribulation that is coming upon the whole earth. This will be a judgment of unbelief in Israel, along with the unbelief in the rest of the world. Again, this unbelief is in Jesus. 

Tanna Shontz sits for an interview with your host, Brian Michaels. Tanna lost her husband, Air Force F-16 pilot David Shontz, in a training accident resulting in a tragic crash. She discusses the process of coming to faith in Jesus, and the continued process of healing that God took her through over many years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before he was martyred for his steadfast faith in Jesus, an African minister whose name has not been preserved penned “A Martyr’s Prayer.” This profound message from another era has become known as “The Fellowship of the Unashamed.” This pastor’s words present a challenge to all believers in Jesus—a challenge that echoes the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote in his letter to his young friend Timothy: “Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:8) because the Holy Spirit gives us “power, love and self-discipline” (v. 7). Here, in part, is what that faithful African pastor wrote: “I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of [Jesus] and I won’t back up, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. . . . I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by the Holy Spirit’s power.” Both Timothy and that pastor faced difficulties we may never experience, but their words challenge us to stand strong when our faith is tested. We can remain unashamed because God “is able to guard what [we] have entrusted to him” (v. 12)—our lives and our future.

Welcome to Inside the Epicenter with Joel and Lynn Rosenberg, brought to you by the Joshua Fund. In this episode, Joel reveals one of the most incredible, yet often untold, stories in the Middle East: more Jews and Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus today than at any point in history. Together, Joel and Lynn unpack astonishing new data, share inspiring real-life stories, and explore biblical promises that demonstrate God's powerful movement—even in challenging times. Tune in to hear how this spiritual transformation is unfolding behind the headlines, and what it means for believers today. (00:02) Middle East's Faith Shift(05:56) Rising Messianic Belief Among Jews(07:10) Unexpected Evangelical Beliefs Among Jews(10:47) "Surge in Jewish Believers in Jesus"(13:42) Jewish Converts to Christianity, 1940(18:22) Jewish Millennials: 21% Believe Jesus's Divinity(22:35) "Iran's Billy Graham: Hormoz Shariat"(23:23) "Christian Revival Amid Persecution"(28:43) Muslims, Jews Embrace Jesus: Podcast Insights Learn more about The Joshua Fund: JoshuaFund.comMake a tax-deductible donation: Donate | The Joshua FundStock Media provided by DimmySad / Pond5 Verse of the Day: Jeremiah 33:3 - Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know Praying that Jewish people in Israel and around the World will encounter their Messiah, Jesus. Pray also that Muslims around the globe will receive dreams and visions and Gospel witness that leads them to Christ. Pray for strength, courage, and provision for the ministries that are sharing the gospel throughout the epicenter. Related Episodes:Dr. Hormoz Shariat - Inside Iran: Conflict, Revival, and Bible Prophecy Unpacked #298Arab Pastor’s Life-Altering Mission Among Israelis and Palestinians #230Reaching Muslims Through Love and the Gospel #177Former Muslim Brings Entire Iranian Family to Christ #90What do Muslims Believe About Jesus, and Is This Changing? #56 Donate a generous monthly gift to The Joshua Fund to bless Israel and Her Neighbors now and for the long haul. Become an Epicenter Ally today! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this powerful message, Buddy Fisch unpacks what it means to be sealed, secured, and sent by God. We're reminded that we are not only adopted as His children - but also authenticated by His Spirit and empowered to walk out our purpose. Drawing from Ephesians 1, Buddy looks at what it means to be adopted as children of God, made heirs with Christ, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. This seal is how God authenticates us, giving us spiritual authority, security, and confidence to walk in our calling. Buddy challenges us to embrace a vision-driven life, shaped by our faith in Jesus and conformed to His image. Vision isn't just what we dream about - it's the vivid, Spirit-led picture of who we're becoming in Christ and how we live that out in the world around us. Listen to this sermon to learn how to align your life with God's ultimate purpose and authenticating vision. 

If you placed your faith in Jesus, we are celebrating with you!Click below to fill in your information so we can connect with you!New to Church: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/people/forms/631827I've Decided to Follow Jesus: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/people/forms/631829Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEHNDPb5XMkf1LyqoTU30vg Help Support and Grow our Ministry to reach people around our community and spread the love of Jesus: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/giving Stay connected with us through our:Church Alive Website: https://churchalive.tvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/churchalivenj/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChurchAliveNJ/Plan your next in-person visit. We are located at:Rutherford Location- The Williams Center9AM, 11AM, 1PM 15 Sylvan St, Rutherford NJLyndhurst Location- 10AM, 12PM525 Riverside Ave, Lyndhurst NJ

How good are you at solving problems? Most of us can figure out everyday challenges pretty well. But there's one problem we can't fix on our own: we are broken people, weighed down by the reality of sin. No matter how hard we try to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, we can't escape it in our own strength.The good news is that God didn't leave us there. Out of love, He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the debt we could never pay and to offer us new life. Through faith in Jesus, we find redemption and the only way to the Father. And that's an invitation extended to you. Message Delivered: 9/7/25

Guest: Donna Otto | Bob Moffitt speaks with Donna Otto who, as a young adult, was asked by several women, "Would you mentor us?" Otto at first spent a year telling them no, but they kept telling her during that year how she should mentor them. Otto speaks about her walk of faith in Jesus, including being mentored by Elizabeth Elliott, who spoke into her life, "If you don't find your disciplines now, you will never do what God has called you to do". Donna began with 7 women, teaching on four subjects, women meeting around her table. "Teaching other women was not my plan...this was totally led by God's plan and purpose." Otto says, "God has something for all of us... if we listen to Him... through the Word, through the ministry of the local church, and women... speaking into my life." Her mentoring formed what is today Modern Homemakers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this message, we explore the universal struggle with emotions like anger, fear, and anxiety through the lens of the movie Inside Out 2. While the movie is great at showing what's broken, it offers a poor guide for our lives, suggesting we can fix ourselves by trying to be a "good person". The truth is, we are incapable of solving what is truly broken inside of us. Jesus did not come to make bad people good; He came to bring dead people to life. The good news of the gospel is that salvation is not by our works, but is a gift from God, by grace through faith in Jesus. If you're tired of trying to fix yourself and are ready to admit you need a Savior, this message is for you. To learn more about 12Stone Church, visit our website at 12Stone.com and follow us on social media at @12StoneChurch.

Victoria shares her powerful journey from working in an OnlyFans agency to finding faith in Jesus. She exposes the dark side of the adult industry, discussing the false sense of intimacy created by OnlyFans and the struggles many women face in that world. After a radical encounter with Jesus, she left the industry, emphasizing the importance of healing, vulnerability, and the need for men to pursue integrity. Victoria's story serves as an inspiration for those struggling with addiction and seeking redemption.   DCIC Always – Join The Brotherhood (and get coached by Sathiya) For Less Than $2/day   Want to know more about Victoria:  Follow Victoria on Instagram   Follow Victoria on TikTok Join Victoria on Youtube   Know more about Sathiya's work: Submit Your Questions (Anonymously) To Be Answered On The Podcast TLR Always – Get A Free Copy of The Last Relapse, Your Blueprint For Recovery Watch Sathiya on Youtube For More Content Like This   Chapters: (00:00) Welcome & Guest Intro (00:55) From OF Agency Manager to Jesus Follower (02:10) First Exposure to Porn at 25 (05:15) How OnlyFans Agencies Really Work (07:50) The “Girlfriend Experience” Training (10:25) Pay-Per-View, Custom Requests & The Vault (13:20) Why Younger Looking = More Money (15:55) Are Underage Users on OnlyFans? (18:05) The Subtle Escalation Strategy for Creators (21:00) Married Men on OF: 89% Statistic (23:15) The Industry Is Consuming You (26:40) Targeting Men's Weaknesses with Social Media (31:35) Why Married Men Keep Coming Back (36:05) The Illusion of OF Riches for Women (45:10) Mental Health Costs & Long-Term Consequences (50:15) When the Job Turned Heavy (56:30) Radical Encounter with Jesus (1:04:40) Quitting the Industry in 5 Days (1:07:20) Sober & Baptized in 8 Weeks (1:12:15) Backlash from the OF World

It is our prayer that today's word would encourage and challenge to walk out your faith in Jesus, shine brightly in darkness and experience Kingdom impact in all you do! Stay connected with Belmont Church on our Facebook page, website or on the Church Center App.

We want to show and receive God's love to those around us, and we live that out practically everyday. We strive to bring hope by meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of everyone we come in contact with. We love fiercely—like a family, because everyone is included and our Father loves us all. We're building biblical community by seeking God's Word, believing in His promises, and applying what we learn everyday. Our hope is that you and your family find a home with us where you can learn, grow, live, and thrive in Christ Jesus. We're a multi-generational church with something to offer everyone in your family. Join us for an online or on-campus Sunday morning worship service, and take the next step in your journey with us!

This week we continue our series through the book of John with a message by Pastor Jonathan. In this message, Pastor Jonathan helps us answer the question: what is the victory that we have in overcoming the world? As he tackles this question, we learn the importance of the testimony of who Jesus is and why faith in Jesus is the only way to win in this life.

Hope for Hard Days ReCreate Church | Michael Shockley | September 7, 2025 Esther Series, Part 9: Esther 9, 10 ---------- EPISODE SUMMARY In the final episode of the Esther series, Michael Shockley explores how God works through our worst days to bring about His greatest victories. Through the creative story of Hayden and Morty (paralleling Haman and Mordecai), discover how what appears to be a day of destruction becomes a day of deliverance for God's people. As Esther chapters 9-10 unfold, watch the ironic reversal where the enemies of the Jews are defeated, leading to the establishment of the holiday Purim. From the cafeteria catastrophe to the Persian Empire's transformation, learn how God's unseen hand can flip any story - even turning the worst day in history (the Crucifixion) into humanity's brightest hope. This message reminds us that God doesn't cause our worst days, but He absolutely redeems them. Core Message: God works through our worst days. ---------- KEY TOPICS COVERED The Hayden and Morty Story Introduction - Creative allegory of middle school cafeteria drama - Hayden's quest for revenge against his spelling bee nemesis Morty - The setup for disaster with gravy, creamed asparagus, and chocolate milk - Parallel to the Haman and Mordecai conflict in the Book of Esther - Cliffhanger moment showing how quickly situations can change The Historical Context of Esther 9-10 - Recap of the escalated grudge that led to genocidal decree - Haman's plot against the Jews and his subsequent downfall - The irreversible nature of Persian law requiring a counter-decree - Nine months between the plot's discovery and the day of execution - The choice given to potential attackers to change sides The Day of Reversal (Esther 9:1-5) - The 13th of Adar: from planned destruction to actual deliverance - "The opposite occurred" - complete reversal of expectations - Fear of Mordecai and the Jews falling upon their enemies - Government officials helping the Jews due to Mordecai's prominence - The Jews defeating their enemies throughout the 127 provinces The Spiritual Parallel to God's Law - The Law of Righteousness exposing all people as condemned - God's refusal to lower His standards of perfection - The Law of Grace through faith in Jesus as the "second decree" - Substitution: Jesus taking our punishment on the Cross - Imputation: Christ's righteousness credited to our account The Battle Results and Aftermath - 500 enemies killed in the capital city of Shushan - 75,000 total defeated throughout the Persian Empire - The death of Haman's ten sons (grown men who supported the decree) - The Jews refusing to take spoils - focused on defense, not wealth - Two days of battle followed by peace and celebration The Establishment of Purim - Mordecai's letters establishing an annual holiday - The 14th and 15th of Adar becoming days of celebration - Feasting, joy, gift-giving to family and the needy - The meaning of "Purim" - referring to the lots (Pur) Haman cast - God directing even the roll of dice to accomplish His purposes The Unseen Hand of God - God's fingerprints everywhere despite His name never being mentioned - From orphan and intended victim to champions of peace - The transformation of superstition into recognition of divine favor - How apparent coincidences reveal providence in hindsight The Conclusion of Hayden and Morty - The backpack tear held together by failing duct tape - The pencil on the floor causing Hayden's spectacular fall - The complete reversal: Hayden covered in food, Morty triumphant - "You got served" - divine justice with a sense of humor - From cafeteria catastrophe to unexpected hero status God's Redemption of Our Worst Days - How God doesn't cause our worst days but redeems them - The parallel between Esther's story and the Cross - Turning the day of Crucifixion into humanity's brightest hope - Personal application for loss, failure, betrayal, and current struggles - The invitation to trust Jesus with all we dread ---------- MEMORABLE QUOTES "God works through our worst days." "The Unseen Hand of God turned the day of destruction into the day of deliverance." "He is our Substitute when it comes to the punishment, and His Righteousness is Imputed to us. Which is to say, He suffered through the test, and we got the passing grade." "Even the naming of the holiday shows that God directed even the roll of the dice to choose the day." "God's Name is never spoken, but God's fingerprints are everywhere." "God never wastes our pain. He doesn't cause our worst days, but He redeems them." "If God could turn the horrible day of Crucifixion into the brightest hope in history, He can redeem your story, too." "You got served." (Lunch Lady Loretta) "Got milk?" (Morty) ---------- BIBLICAL FOUNDATION - Primary Text: Esther 9:1-5, Chapters 9-10 complete - Key Theme: Divine reversal and redemption through apparent defeat - Historical Context: The 13th of Adar and the establishment of Purim - Theological Concepts: Substitution and imputation through Christ - Gospel Connection: How God redeems our worst days through the Cross - Literary Note: God's providence shown without direct divine mentions ---------- PRACTICAL APPLICATION If You're Experiencing Your Worst Day Right Now: - Remember that God specializes in flipping stories and reversing outcomes - Trust that what feels like destruction may be setting up deliverance - Know that God's unseen hand is working even when you can't see it - Understand that apparent coincidences often reveal divine providence If You're Dealing with Past Failures and Regrets: - Recognize that God doesn't waste pain but redeems it for purpose - Remember that your worst moments don't define your final story - Trust that the same God who redeemed the Cross can redeem your past - Allow time and perspective to reveal how God was working all along If You Feel Condemned by Your Imperfections: - Understand that God's law reveals our need, not our hopelessness - Know that perfection is required, but Christ provides it for us - Trust in substitution: Jesus took your punishment on the Cross - Believe in imputation: Christ's righteousness is credited to your account If You're Waiting for Justice: - Remember that God's timing often involves longer processes than we expect - Trust that divine justice is more complete than human revenge - Know that God can turn your enemies' attacks into your strengthening - Understand that true victory often looks different than expected If You Haven't Trusted Jesus Yet: - Consider how the Cross transformed history's worst day into its best news - Understand that salvation comes through faith, not perfect performance - Know that God can flip your story no matter how bad it seems - Trust Jesus with all you dread and receive His redemption today ---------- THE ULTIMATE INVITATION Maybe you're living through what feels like your worst day. Loss, failure, betrayal, diagnosis, job loss, or consequences from past mistakes. Perhaps you feel like Morty, about to be destroyed by forces beyond your control. Or maybe you feel like Hayden, watching your carefully laid plans collapse in spectacular failure. The good news of Esther - and the even greater news of the Gospel - is that God works through our worst days. He doesn't cause them, but He redeems them. The same God who turned a day of destruction into deliverance for the Jews, who turned the horror of Crucifixion into the hope of salvation, can flip your story too. Trust Him with all you dread. Trust Jesus for salvation. Your worst day may be setting up God's greatest work in your life. ---------- CONNECT WITH RECREATE CHURCH - Website: recreatechurch.org - Support the Ministry: Give through the Tithe.ly app or offering boxes ---------- What worst day in your life needs God's redemptive touch? Are you trusting in your own ability to fix things, or surrendering to the God who specializes in impossible reversals? God works through our worst days - let Him work through yours.

Today we start a new series called “Kingdom Life”, with Pastor Ira teaching on “There is a Kingdom and there is a King”. God is King over all creation. When we enter His kingdom through faith in Jesus, as God's adopted children, we inherit every blessing His kingdom offers... not just when Jesus returns, but now! Yet so many don't walk in this reality. Learn what it is to live in the "Kingdom of His dear Son" in our everyday lives. Key Scriptures:Mat 4:23, Acts 1:3, Mark 1:14-15, Rev 4:11, John 18:36, Col 1:13

What exactly does spiritual growth look like? And what kinds of things help people grow in their faith? We love it when people become Christians, but this is only the beginning! The whole rest of the Christian life is about growing as a disciple of Jesus. The call to discipleship is a call to be with Jesus, learn the way of Jesus, and be transformed by Jesus. Read more...

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Spencer. I am one of the pastors here. So we, as I said last week, we are taking a break. We just finished up First Samuel and we are not going to jump straight into Second Samuel. We're going to do that in the new year. We're going to do a series called re member series called Remember. We'll do that through the fall and then we'll do give series and we'll come back to Second Samuel. We're excited about this series. This is an opportunity for us to revisit and remember what it means to be a member of this church. See how clever we are with titles, you guys. There you go. One clap. It's an opportunity for us to revisit what it means to be a member of this church. So we're going to over the next few months walk through our membership commitments and revisit the things that bind us together as beliefs and practices. And then if you are a member of this church, we'll have the opportunity this fall to actually recommit to membership. We're excited about that and we're going to have more information about that at our upcoming family meeting. So make sure that you are there if you're a committed member of our church, to be at family meeting. But we're thankful that we get to walk through this over the next couple months. These 14 different membership commitments that we have before we jump into those commitments today, I want to look at the why and the what of membership. We need to look at the why and the what of membership before we jump into what we actually commit to as a church. Because some folks will pose the question, why membership in the first place? Why do you have membership? Why belong to a church? Some people ask, is church membership even biblical? Like, where do you get this idea? So we're going to examine that idea while also being clear about what it means to be a member of this church. Like what is our membership commitment all about? And there's some language that we use that is going to sound very familiar, that if you ask what does it mean to be a member of of Mill City Church of Cayce, There's a phrase that will show up as we walk through this today. I know it's going to blow your mind like you've never heard it before. But we are a gospel centered community on mission. It's the language we use over and over again. I'm pretty sure it's on the wall somewhere in the lobby. But there's a reason we are that and there is a Reason why that really defines who we are as a church. And we're going to see that as we walk through why membership, but also what it means to be a member of this church. So I want to pray for us and then we will walk through this together.Heavenly Father, I pray that you might help us have ears to hear this morning. I pray that you might help us see why it is good to belong, why it is good to commit to following you, to delighting in you, to loving one another, to being obedient, to take the gospel to our city. God, I pray you'd help us be present and we'd be not just hearers of the Word, but we would be doers of the Word. As we trust you, we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.All right, so why do we practice church membership? Someone will ask, where in the Bible do you find the command to be a member of a local church? Now, this may come as a shock to some of you, but you're not going to find any one verse in the Bible that commands for you to be a part of a church through church membership. There's no Third Corinthians that shows up and says, and be a member of a local church and submit to the elders of that local church. There's not any one verse that really makes this crystal clear, which is if there was, it might make the conversation about membership a little bit easier over the years as we've had it. But what you will see is as you look through the Scriptures, you'll see that God is doing something in setting up his church. And that's what I want to do. For the first part in answering why membership? I want to do what's I want to do a biblical theology of church membership, which is going from the Old Testament to the New Testament to see how God is developing this people that is going to belong to him, with him at the center to declare His Excellencies to a lost world. So that's what I want to do, starting off in the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis. So God chooses in the Book of Genesis, Abraham that he's going to form a people through. He promises Abraham he's going to have a great nation that's made through him. And in this selection of Abraham, we see that God is going to have a unique, special relationship with him and his people, unlike the rest of humanity. And there's this promise of this great nation, this great people that he's going to bless the nations through. And then when you get to the next Book of The Bible, the second book, the book of Exodus. You see that God takes his descendants, the twelve tribes of Israel who have been slaves in Egypt. He brings them out of Egypt. And when they're wandering in the wilderness in Exodus 19, you see really the formation and the formal covenant relationship that God establishes with his people. And in Exodus 19 he tells his people in verse 5,> Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.These are the words he shall speak to the people of Israel. Then he tells them that you are my treasured possession. And as this is going to play out, he's going to take this people, his treasured possession to the promised land. He's going to set himself up in the center of his people to be a God centered people that are uniquely his, unlike any other aspect of creation, unlike any other people. And that this people is going to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. This people was meant to be separate from the nations that look different, that proclaim the excellencies of God as a light to the surrounding nations. And then this is Exodus 19, right before Moses goes up to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. When he gets the Ten Commandments, you see the first four commandments and the Ten Commandments are God centered commandments. This is how to have right relationship with God and worshiping God alone. And then the next six are how to live in good community with one another, how to love one another, how to trust one another, don't lie, don't murder, don't steal. And then the rest of the Old Testament law is really expounding upon those 10 Commandments. It's helping them see in their context, in their time, this is what it means to be a people who has God at the center, who loves one another fiercely in a community that takes care of one another, that looks separate from the nations, that declares how good our God is. And when you read the rest of the Old Testament, you see a people that most of the time falls on their face in trying to live that out, that over and over again. They don't put God at the center, they worship other gods, they don't love each other, they don't serve each other, they take advantage of one another. And instead of looking separate than the nations in order to show how good their God is, they look just like the nations. And that is the reason that they need a Savior and there's this hope from the prophets proclaiming this Savior is going to come. And then Jesus comes.Flip to the New Testament. When Jesus comes, he begins to develop this with new and better language. You see, if you just take the Gospel of Matthew, just start there. When you start reading the Gospel of Matthew, you're going to see what God is doing. In Matthew chapter 4, Jesus begins His ministry by preaching the gospel, proclaiming the gospel of his kingdom that is coming, and declaring the good news. And then he also chooses a people. He chooses the 12 disciples, these disciples whom he's going to build his church through. He begins teaching them. You keep flipping. Go to Matthew chapter five through Matthew chapter seven. You read the Sermon on the Mount. This is a retelling of the law and new and really better language, showing the heart of God all along for his people. What it looks like to put God at the center, what it looks like to take sin seriously, to live in community. We see some of this and more teaching, more of his ministry. When you get to Matthew chapter 11, you see that he commissions out his disciples. He puts them on a mission trip to begin to declare the good news of the Gospel to the people in the surrounding areas. You keep reading the Gospel of Matthew, you see more teaching, you see more of his work and his ministry. And then you get to Matthew chapter 18. And then Jesus begins to use a word to describe what this people is going to be, that he's making this new covenant people, and that is the church. The Greek word for that is ekklesia. It means church or assembly. And it shows up in Matthew 18. And Jesus begins to describe what this church is going to look like. It's going to be a people who take sin seriously, who hold each other accountable, who practice radical forgiveness. That is unlike the rest of the world. Jesus continues to teach. He continues to form his people. He continues to disciple his disciples. And then it is time for him to do the work that no one can do. He does the work of salvation. He takes his perfect record of righteousness with him to the cross. He dies on the cross for our sins because we were unable to to obey the law. He dies on the cross, taking judgment upon himself. He conquers death at the resurrection, removing the power of death over his people. And then he looks at his disciples at the end of Matthew and he tells them,> Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.He tells them, you're going to take everything that you've learned from me over the last three years. This message of the gospel that I came to redeem you and save you. This message of what it looks like to be a people that are committed to having God at the center and loving one another. Well, you're going to take that to the nations where they're going to hear the gospel and believe and you can read Mark and Luke and John and you're going to see this story over and over again. Then you get the book of Acts where Jesus ascends to the right hand of God the Father being king over all creation. And then the Holy Spirit descends upon his people and the church begins in Acts 2. You read that Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit stands up, preaches the first sermon at Pentecost and 3,000 people, people place plus people place their faith in Jesus and are baptized. And then we see some of the very first acts of this church and responding to Christ in faith and baptism. It says in verse 42. We'll have more time to study this exact passage in community group this week. I just want to hit some of the highlights to help us see what God is doing here. In verse 42 he says,> And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.That's the teachings of Christ. They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. They were a gospel centered people. And it continues into the fellowship and the breaking of bread and prayers. You go to verse 44.> And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.That they were a people that believed the gospel, devoted themselves to that teaching, but they devoted themselves to one another. They fellowshiped together, they broke bread together, they took care of each other's needs. They saw their brothers and sisters in Christ as more important than money and material things. And they're selling their stuff so that they can take care of one another. And then it goes in verse 47 and finishes.> And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.That this message continues to be introduced to people who hear and believe and are brought into the church to continue to be a gospel centered community on mission to take the gospel to the world that desperately needed it. The church in Jerusalem continues to expand as you follow the story. Keep flipping through Acts. All of a sudden God has a plan to see scatter his people and involves the death of one of his servants, Stephen. He ordains the death of Stephen who's proclaiming the Good news of Jesus Christ and he's murdered for it. And in Acts chapter eight, after he's martyred, it says, and Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And now we see that the plan is spreading, that it's not just a church in Jerusalem now, it's in Judea and it's in Samaria. And the church is going global. One of the ways this has been described is that the church globally is the big sea church in creeds. That's called the Catholic Church. It's not referring to the Catholic denomination, but the Catholic meaning universal. That there's this global, universal church bound together by Christ. But it's not just in Jerusalem, it's in Judea, it's in Samaria. It's scattered in communities across the world in local churches. That's usually called the little C church. But there are little C churches who are forming together with Christ at the center, seeking to be what God has called them. Now the church is spreading past Jerusalem. And then that man who was involved in the killing of Stephen Saul in Acts chapter nine is on his way to persecute more Christians. And then Jesus blinds him, converts him. And then we know him mostly as Paul. And then Paul is set apart to take this even further. And he plants churches all over Asia Minor, all over Europe. And the church begins to spread and expand. As you continue to read the Book of Acts, you see the gospel spreading all over that region. But as these churches are getting established and they're seeking to be a gospel centered people that are taking the gospel to the nations as they're seeking to be this, they start to run into problems. They start to run into different things, different sins, different struggles. There's a bunch of people who the thing that the. The central binding idea that holds them together is Christ. But they're very, very different. Different ethnicities, different cultures, different classes. And as you continue to read the rest of the New Testament, you see that God had a plan for this, that he starts to write letters, inspired scripture through servants like Paul to these churches to help them see what it means to be a gospel centered people. How to fight for what is good, how to repent of sin, how to live in community, how to still have some missional hustle to take the gospel to the nations. But when you read the beginnings of these letters, you see very clearly that these are individual churches. I'll run through a Bunch of them. Really quickly. The letter to the Corinthians, in First Corinthians, Chapter one, it says, to the church of God that is in Corinth, that is that church in that city with their unique issues. This is a letter to that church. Not all the churches, though all the churches, will eventually benefit from this, helping us see now it's not just one global church. There's individual churches where these people belong to one another and have their own leaders and their own issues they're facing. It continues to the churches of Galatia, that's a whole region of different churches that Paul planted in his first missionary journey. To the saints who are in Ephesus, that's the book of Ephesians. To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, that's the book of Philippians. To the church of Thessalonians and God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, that's the church in Thessalonica. You start to see that there is one global church made up of individuals, communities of Christians who are seeking to be centered in Christ, loving one another fiercely and taking the Gospel to their friends and their neighbors. And you follow that thread all the way through the letters and you'll get to the end. The Book of Revelation, which we did last year. And as we saw the Book of Revelation, it's not just apocalyptic literature. It's not just proclaiming what's going to happen. It is also a letter written to seven churches. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and as we saw last year, all churches with different problems, with different sins, some needing encouragement, all of them mostly needing a smack across the face from Jesus. But those are all individual churches where those people belong to Christ and. And one another seeking to be obedient in following him and taking the Gospel to those who needed it. So that's Genesis to Revelation. While you're not going to find one specific verse that makes this so clear, what you can see from start to finish is that God had a plan to form a people. And that plan was to be localized in churches where there were people that were so deeply committed to following Christ and having a zeal and a desire to worship and delight in him over all things, to be a people, a community that so deeply loved one another and cared for one another, that looked radically different than the rest of the world. So much so that historians at the time were looking at these Christians and saying there's something different about them. And to be a people who are not so self focused that they were going to use their energy and their effort and their time and their money and their lives lives to proclaim the good news to those who didn't know. That is God's plan for redemption. One global church working through individual local churches all around the world. That is God's plan for the church. So when someone says I don't see membership in the Bible, I just want to say it's, you got to read the whole story. You need to see what God is doing. You need to see God's plan for redemption that is through the local church.I was talking to a pastor a few weeks back and he was telling me a story about a guy who had been coming to their church and he said, did this guy come? And he was kind of coming for weeks and they started to introduce the idea, maybe you should think about committing here. And he said, oh no, I don't believe membership is biblical. He's like, I'm a part of the big C church, we're all a part of the same church, but I'm not going to commit to membership here. And he was kind of taken aback and he engaged with the conversation. He said, okay, take what you're saying, so you're a member of the big sea, the, the big church universal. He said, yeah. He said, okay, well am I like a pastor in this big old church in the world? And he said, yeah. He said okay, so does it make me like your pastor? He said, yeah. He said, alright, let me share with you Hebrews chapter 13. He said,> Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.He said, do you believe that's true? He said, yeah. He said, okay, so if I'm your pastor and you're gonna submit to me, you should go through the membership process at our church. He just laid it out for him and the guy said no and he left and he never came back. And I thought that was quite the clever way to be able to explain and poke holes in the guy's argument. But that passage is incredibly helpful. You read the New Testament letters and you see that God has structured for these local communities that he has pastors, elders that are overseeing the church. So when I look at that passage, obey your leaders and submit to them. It's helpful for me when I'm talking to people about membership. It's like, I belong to this church, I'M one of the pastors of this church. I belong to them, they belong to me. My people aren't down the road. They're the brothers and sisters. They're not across town, they're not across the world. I don't pastor them, I don't oversee their souls. I don't answer for their souls. No, it's this people. And you see that God has a plan and even the oversight of his church. And I think this is important, especially in Southern culture. And here's why. In Southern culture, pretty much still everyone, if you ask them, are you a Christian? They're gonna say, yeah. The overwhelming majority of people in the south are still gonna say, yeah, I'm a Christian. And if you begin to press into that, a lot of times it's, well, I'm Methodist or I'm Presbyterian or Episcopalian, or I'm Baptist or I'm Catholic. And it's like, what does that mean? I was just born Christian, I was born a Methodist. And as you look at the scriptures, you're not born a Christian. And if you continue to press into this, what you also see is there are a lot of people that claim the name of Christ that don't really belong anywhere. They don't commit to any people, don't commit to the Lord locally anywhere. They're just free floating in a way that is so foreign to the scriptures. And then what you'll also see is you'll see people that go, yeah, I mean, I don't really, not really. I don't really, I'm not a member anywhere. I, I like this church for the worship. I like this church for the teaching. I like this church for their Bible studies, like this church for their small groups. I like this church for their outreach. And I kind of just, you know, take everywhere like it's a buffet. And it's like, man, to make the church of Jesus Christ for your own benefit is so foreign to what the scriptures teach about the church that is not the church that Jesus bled and died for. You should be committed to God and his people somewhere. And my hope is that as you look at the grand story, you'll see, yes, you should belong. You should be a member of a church somewhere. Christians are not designed to be outside of the church or just not. And over the next couple months, I hope we continue to see that over and over again as we walk through this.Now that's the why of why we should belong to a church. Now I just want to, as we end look at the what, what does it mean to belong to this church? And it's gonna sound like a broken record, but it's a good one. It's a record we spend every Sunday. It's what Chet Phillips calls the bee's knees of belonging, which I don't know why he calls it that, but it's really important to us. And that is being a gospel centered community on mission. And that's what you're going to see over the next two months. Walking through this, you're going to see 14 different commitments that highlight that. So let's start with that first part. What does it mean to be gospel centered? It means that we are a church that is bound together by. By one shared story. And that story is the message of the gospel. We are bound together by this one shared story in a way that not just defines us at the beginning in belief, but defines us in belief and practice the rest of our lives. If you look at the American story, okay, if you look at the American story at the beginning, you see that it's a group of people that are anti tyranny. Okay? No taxation without representation. No king's going to tell us what to do. You'll see that it's a people that love freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of worship, freedom of speech. Don't step on my freedoms. You'll see that it's a people that have some hustle, some dogged determination to exist. That's how America began. But that's also the story that permeates through its people throughout time, that even today, Americans don't like kings. Don't tell me what I can and cannot do. We like freedom and there's still some dogged determination to exist. That's the American spirit and it still flows through its people. And we as Christians have a much better story. We as Christians have a much better story. That's not just our origin story, but it permeates through us in our lives. It is the story of Jesus Christ. It is the story of a God who looked on humanity, that rejected him, that spit upon his goodwill, that decided that they wanted to worship what they wanted to worship and find what they thought fulfilling and rejected him over and over again. And God and His mercy does not give us judgment. He sends His Son that Christ comes and he dies on the cross for sinners. And he conquers death at the resurrection. And he gives us grace that we don't deserve to be in relationship with Him. And he forms us more into his image through his work, through his will and desire and good pleasure and that story continues to work within his people. It is the story that saves us, but it's the story that sustains us. In the same way that as foreigners come to America and they become American citizens and in a lot of ways embody the American spirit in beautiful ways, they start loving freedom. They start. They have this dogged determination within them. We do not belong to this world as Christians. Scriptures say that we have. Our citizenship is in heaven. From we have with a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, that we are part of the world that is to come. And as citizens of that kingdom here on this earth, as sojourners and strangers and foreigners, that we embody what it means to belong to him more than anything else. So what we'll see over the next coming weeks as we walk through these commitments, we'll see what it means to be a gospel centered people bound together by that story. But we will also see what it means to be a community. What it means to be a gospel centered community. One of the metaphors that we see in the New Testament for the church, for the this community is the body. So Romans 12, we'll talk about one body, many members. So one body, different body parts, different members of the body in a way that each person is doing their gift to be able to serve one another well. And man, when you see that actually in practice, when you experience what it means to belong to the church of Jesus Christ and have different members of the body who, who love and serve you, it is a glorious story. I mean, if you ever see someone who loses their job, which is a massive loss, and they're crushed, and then someone in their group finds out, and all of a sudden their whole group is messaging them saying, hey, we love you, like we're praying for you. You need to know that your identity is not in the work that you do. Your identity is in the God who loves you, who sustains you. God's going to provide for you. He's going to take care of you, we're going to take care of you. But you need to remember the gospel. And then all of a sudden, they're behind the scenes organizing things. By the time he gets home, there's already been a meal delivered and there's meals to be delivered the next few days. All of a sudden someone else in the church hears about this and they put $1,000 in an envelope and drop it on the doorstep. And all of a sudden he's being provided for, his family's being loved. And then more people in the church find out all of A sudden they ask, can we be praying about this? That you would find a new job that ends up in our prayer message that goes out to our members. Now the whole church is praying and then someone else in the church hears about that and says, wait a second, I know what he does for a living. I got a friend who's hiring for that position right now. They reach out and say, hey, hey, can you talk to this, Talk to my friend. He's hiring. And then within a week, he's already got a job lined up. When you see the church respond like that over and over and over and over again, it makes me so thankful for the church of Jesus Christ and how his church responds over and over again. We've seen this over and over again in our church and it's wonderful. And I wish in some ways more of those stories were told. I know why we don't. Because we don't let the left hand know what the right is doing. I get that. But the stories that go viral are the church hurt stories. And yes, those stories exist. They're real stories with real pain. I'm not denying the existence of them. But boy, oh boy, the amount of church help stories where people rally around one another, it's like 100 to 1 to 1 compared to that. The church is a wonderful people to belong to, to see them in action over and over and over again because they're centered in Christ in a way that helps us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, see something beyond our own interest. And when you see it in action, it's beautiful. It's a family. And that's the language of the New Testament. Often when it talks about the church and is family. When you start learning New Testament Greek, one of the first, you start with the vocabulary words that are the most, most used in the New Testament. And one of the first words you learn in Greek is adelphoi, it's the word for brothers and sisters. Because it shows up over and over and over again in the scriptures to talk about God's people, that we are a family, that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul, when he's making converts, talks about his converts like spiritual children. That we are a family, that we love one another, that we belong to one another. And when you study the Book of Acts, you see this. The church functions like a family. I was trying to explain this to someone recently. I was trying to explain this concept and I was just saying, listen, I'm close with my earthly family. I'm close with my parents, my brothers, and my sisters, like we are, we're close, but boy, oh boy, there's some eternal depth that I have with brothers and sisters in this church that when crap hits the fan in my life, the first few messages are not to family. And that's not to lower my earthly family. I'm real close with them. It's to elevate what the importance of church family is here. And when it hits the fan, I'm messaging people in this church and I got people in this church who rally around in wonderful ways. To belong to a family that fiercely loves God and one another is beautiful, it's compelling, it's wonderful. It is so good to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. And as you walk through the membership commitment with us over the next couple of months, you're going to see this. You're going to see how we fight for this, how this is so unbelievably important to us. We want to be a gospel centered people. We want to be a community that's like a family, but we also want to take this thing that we hold dear to those who don't believe. We're a gospel centered community on mission. And that's what we're also going to see in our membership commitment. We do not exist to be a holy huddle. We do not exist to be inwardly focused. We exist to take this wonderful news that brought us from death to life, to people, to friends, to neighbors, to co workers so that they might taste and see that the Lord is good and be brought into the family of God. We care deeply about this.Now, one of the downsides to you using the word membership is because sometimes the word membership in our culture has a consumeristic bent. I mean, you could be a member of Costco. It's a pretty low commitment. You pay, what is it, 80 bucks a year? You know, and then you get to go and buy all sorts of bulk goods that certainly will, certainly some of it will spoil in your cabinets because it's just hard to use up all that stuff before it goes bad. Maybe your family's better than ours. We couldn't do it. Or Walmart. Plus, that's not important. There's a consumeristic nature sometimes to the word membership that makes it about self, that makes it about our interest. And I still think the word membership is worth fighting for. I still think it's worth reclaiming from our culture to help us see that it is not about self, that membership is about something bigger than us. It's about a people who leverage their time and their Talents and their energy and their money and their efforts and their lives so that others who do not know Christ, others who are sprinting towards an eternity apart from God under his wrath, who desperately need to know the love of a savior who bled and died for them, that it's worth our energy and our hustle and our grit to take that. To those who don't believe. It's not a country club. It's more like a military outpost. The membership we have here, we don't want to be a country club. Country club is low commitment. You pay your fee, you get to go play golf, get to enjoy the pool, but you don't keep the greens and you don't scrub the pool. We don't want to be that. We want to be more like a military outpost. Our country has military outposts all over the world. And the members of the US Military who are at those outposts, they are there to serve the interest of America. They. They're there to serve the interests of their commander in chief. They are there bound together, laser focused, whether it's promoting the values of America in that area of the world or at times, whether it's fighting a war, but they are laser focused, committed to the mission of America. And we have something so much better than that. We are citizens of a kingdom that is not of this world. And we serve a king who. Who reigns for eternity. And we get to serve him in a land that we do not belong to, that is foreign to us. And we get to serve his interests taking the gospel to people who do not know him, making enemies, friends, making the lost found, making the dead alive in Christ. That's what we want to be. The church is supposed to be. And I'll be honest, we've had folks in the past who came to our church looking for a country club and they just didn't stick. And we're not perfect. We got our flaws. You've been here long enough, you go learn them. But that's not what we want to be. But we've also had folks who've been there and done some of the Southern consumeristic Christianity. And they see the things that we're fighting for and they love it and they jump on and they see I do. I want to be a people that loves one another fiercely, that chases after Jesus together. That is taking the gospel to those who don't believe. I want to be a part of that. And they jump in and we hustle and we fight to be the church of the New Testament and the scriptures that we see that hustled and fought and was missional and had some dog in it. Like we want to be that type of church to missionaries, be everyday missionaries here in this city, in Columbia. So we want to be. And as we walk through the membership commitment over the next few months, this is something that is going to show up. And at times it's hard. I'm not going to lie. At times living out the ideals and the practices and the beliefs of our commitments is difficult. And what's helpful for my soul, maybe it'll be helpful for you, is I like to take the 10,000 year perspective when I think about all this stuff. 10,000 years from now, are you going to regret when you look back at this life not picking up more hobbies, not being the best pickleball player in the world, not using all your money to level up to the next part of society, to the next class, Are you going to regret not fulfilling the American dream and all of its trappings? Or are you going to be so insanely thankful that the work of the Spirit went to work in your heart in a way that helped you leverage your time and your energy and your heart's desire to be a people so deeply centered on the gospel, so deeply, fiercely loving one another and so outwardly focused that you took the gospel to some of your co workers who currently right now are walking as enemies of the cross of Christ because you love them, because you served them, because you stood in the way between them and hell and said Jesus is better than everything else. And they placed their faith in Jesus and they got baptized and they joined a group and they kept fighting to believe all the way to 10,000 years from now. They are standing in the presence of their Savior, worshiping him with you because you gave your life away to something that matters. That is what our commitment is all about. And that's what we're gonna look at the next couple of months. My hope is that for the members of this church, you'd be so deeply excited that you be so thankful for the work of Christ in our lives that we get to do this together. But if you're not new and you're checking us out, I hope you stick around. I hope my yelling didn't run you off. It's just, I'm just excited, you guys.

Are you a believer? Every good thing God does starts when you believe on His Son for salvation. To have faith in Jesus means more than giving mental ascent to Him. Biblical faith can be described as a definite dependence on Christ. Keep Studying  Whether you're a new believer or have walked with the Lord for years, you'll find thousands of free devotionals, Bible studies, audio series, and Scripture tools designed to strengthen your faith, deepen your understanding of the Bible, and help you stay rooted in the Word of God. 

Every believer who's come to faith in Jesus, was brought into God's family because someone shared the gospel with them. Jesus has called us to share his good news, but sometimes we don't know where to start. Ed Stetzer talks with Jonathan Dodson about his book, Witness: Loving Your Church by Sharing the Gospel and how we can proclaim the gospel, speaking into the lives of the people we meet. In doing this, we can enjoy the privilege as the church in sharing God's amazing news on Ed Stetzer Live. Ed Stetzer Live is a listener supported program. To donate, click here. To learn more about Ed Stetzer, click here. To learn more about Ed Stetzer Live, click here.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/edstetzerliveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the podcast:- Jason McCourty is a former NFL defensive back who won a Super Bowl with his twin brother Devin in 2018 as a member of the Patriots. Jason played 12 NFL seasons and is now an NFL analyst with CBS Sports. Topics include:- Excitement for the 2025 NFL season (02:54)- What NFL storyline is Jason McCourty most interested in? (03:53)- Being selected in the 6th round of the NFL Draft as a motivator (05:45)- The brotherly connection with twin brother Devin (12:18)- Stewarding his time in retirement from the NFL (23:04)- The grieving process of his NFL career ending (28:50)- Sharing his testimony of faith in Jesus (34:15)- The pruning process as a Christian (40:22)- What Bible verse impacts him the most (44:27)- How can we be praying for Jason McCourty? (46:39)Special thanks to our partnership with the Courage for Life Study Bible. Learn more by going to ⁠⁠CourageforLifeBibles.com.Have a question? Got a guest suggestion? Want to advertise with us? Email us - jason@sportsspectrum.comWATCH all of our podcast episodes on our YouTube page:https://www.youtube.com/SportsSpectrumMagazineSign up for our Sports Spectrum Magazine and receive 15% off a 1-year subscription by using the code PODCAST15https://www.theincrease.com/products/sports-spectrum-magazine Do you know Christ personally? Click below to learn how you can commit your life to Him.https://sportsspectrum.com/gospel/

In this episode of Bible Reading and Coffee Drinking, we dive into Romans 5, where Paul shows us the incredible blessings we receive through faith in Jesus. We're no longer at odds with God—we have peace, grace, and hope because of what Christ has done on the cross. Paul also contrasts Adam's sin with Jesus' gift of righteousness, reminding us that where sin increased, grace abounded even more. Grab your Bible and coffee, and let's celebrate the unshakable hope we have in Christ.Also, use the code "Podcast20" to get 20% off our entire store. This is a special code specifically for our podcast listeners! See all our our hoodies, t-shirts, caps and more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.livingchristian.org/store.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Check out this podcast and all previous episodes on Spotify, iTunes, Google more! - https://www.livingchristian.org/podcast.htmlMY BIBLE: Every Man's Bible: New Living Translation - Find it here: https://amzn.to/3MuDAUSCHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE BELOW FOR CHRISTIAN APPAREL, PRODUCTS, BLOGS, BIBLE VERSES AND MORE:Website | https://www.livingchristian.orgStore | https://www.livingchristian.org/store.htmlPodcast | https://www.livingchristian.org/podcast.htmlFOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL:Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/living_christian/Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/livechristian1 Twitter | https://twitter.com/livechristian1Pinterest | https://www.pinterest.com/living_christian/TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@livingchristianABOUT US:Living Christian believes that our Christian faith isn't just for Sunday mornings in Church. Our faith impacts every aspect of our lives and the challenges we face every day of the week. We want to connect to people who are seeking to determine what Living Christian means in their own day-to-day lives. We are focused on providing resources and products to a community of believers. We provide daily biblical inspiration, motivation and guidance through social posts, blogs and Christian apparel and products.This work contains Music Track The 126ers - Winds of Spring that is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Source: https://directory.audio/free-music/pop/5092-the-126ers-winds-of-springAuthor: The 126ers#christ #christian #christianity #christianblog #christianblogger #verses #bible #bibleinspiration #bibletime #jesusistheway #biblestudy #dailybible #newtestament #oldtestament #thebible #christ #jesuschrist #holybible #lukewarm #christians #christianpodcast #christmas

The Christian life starts with faith in Jesus. From there, we must grow in the knowledge of God's word and God's ways. However, Peter provides us with a crucial step necessary to gain true knowledge: moral excellence. This step cannot be neglected. The Bible is a spiritual book, and God must reveal His true knowledge to us. Moral excellence springing from faith is an essential foundation for gaining that knowledge.Join me for Today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.Scripture Used in Today's Message2 Peter 1:2-4James 1:211 Peter 2:1-2Philippians 4:81 Peter 2:9If you've not read my book, Takin' it to Their Turf. request a copy on my website, www.CampusAmerica.com.You'll be inspired, encouraged, and learn plenty about evangelism and spiritual warfare through the 70+ stories I share of my campus evangelism experiences.We send a copy to anyone who donates to our ministry, but if you can't do so, simply request a copy by sending us an email. Who do you know that needs to hear today's message? Go ahead and forward this to them, along with a prayer that God will use it in their life.To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher To support Tom Short Campus Ministries, click herehttps://www.tomthepreacher.com/support************ Do you want to have all your sins forgiven and know God personally? *********Check out my video "The Bridge Diagram" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Kjwrlind8&t=1sCheck out my website, www.CampusAmerica.com, to learn more about my ministry and sign up for my daily email. And make sure to request a copy of my book, Takin' it to Their Turf, when you visit my website.Check out my videos on this channel to learn how to answer tough questions challenging our faith.

Boone, North Carolina is the home of Bald Guy Brew Coffee. A year ago, it was at the center of hurricane Helene. For any small business in that area, the past year has been wrought with challenges. Don reminds of of the power of Faith in Jesus, the biblical root of joy and the demands that God puts on us to follow our calling. God will provide even in the midst of a storm.  #BardsFM_Morning #WhatsInYourCup #JoyInTheMorning Bards Nation Health Store: https://www.bardsnationhealth.com MYPillow promo code: BARDS Go to https://www.mypillow.com/bards and use the promo code BARDS or... Call 1-800-975-2939.  Founders Bible 20% discount code: BARDS >>> https://thefoundersbible.com/#ordernow Mission Darkness Faraday Bags and RF Shielding. Promo code BARDS: Click here EMPShield protect your vehicles and home. Promo code BARDS: Click here EMF Solutions to keep your home safe: https://www.emfsol.com/?aff=bards Treadlite Broadforks...best garden tool EVER. Promo code BARDS: Click here Natural Skin Products by No Knot Today: Click here Product Store, Ambitious Faith: Click here Health, Nutrition and Detox Consulting: HealthIsLocal.com Destination Real Food Book on Amazon: click here Images In Bloom Soaps and Things: ImagesInBloom.com Angeline Design: click here DONATE: Click here Mailing Address: Xpedition Cafe, LLC Attn. Scott Kesterson 591 E Central Ave, #740 Sutherlin, OR  97479

This past week we had the chance to host Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman, Levi Drake Rodriguez at our studio to hang out for a while and talk about a bunch of different topics. Levi is an extremely passionate and focused individual that brings the energy in all things he does. We talk about some incredible stories from his time in college, including climbing up the ranks as an unranked player who didn't receive a lot of early attention. He shares what that journey was like and how he has been able to stay hungry. He relates his athletic career to his love for the outdoors and all types of hunting and we hear about how hunting becomes a mental reset for Levi. Through it all, his unwavering faith in Jesus guides his every move. Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!   New Waterfowl Film out now! Flooded Timber Duck Hunting in Arkansas Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite (Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby Support Conservation: DU (Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear Real American Light Beer: Outlaw Beer Live Free: Turtlebox Add motion to your spread: Flashback Better Merch: /SHOP

There is no truth more fundamental in all of God's Word than this truth. God is for us. God is not against us. God is not neutral towards us. Because of Jesus Christ, once and for all, the question is settled. God is for us.Main Points:1. Paul's question is, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” In other words, who can really fight against us, who can defeat us, if God is on our side?2. Name the enemies of the people of God. Can the devil stand against us? No, because he has been defeated. Can the world stand against us? No, because Jesus has overcome the world. Can the flesh destroy us? No, because in Jesus Christ we overcome the temptations of the flesh. So, today, let's be secure in our victory! Who dares to stand against us if God is for us?3. No matter what Satan, our accuser, says, no matter the circumstances we face, nothing can come against the love God has for us and win. We may be mocked, beaten, bruised, or even killed for our faith in Jesus. Even if we face the worst of circumstances, we are loved and accepted by our Heavenly Father because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.Today's Scripture Verses:Romans 8:31 - “If God is for us, who can be against us?”Psalm 23:4 - “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Matthew 28:20 - “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”. Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook GroupLoren Hicks on Instagram

Dr. Stanley explores how the Spirit works in unbelievers' hearts by revealing any unbelief and pointing directly to the need for faith in Jesus.

In this episode, Marcia Montenegro shares her journey from the New Age and occult practices to a life transformed by Christ. Marcia describes her years immersed in astrology, New Age teachings, and even teaching these practices, and how she witnessed the growing influence of New Age ideas in mainstream culture—from mindfulness and Reiki in hospitals to elements creeping into therapy and mental health modalities. She highlights the subtle ways these practices appear helpful or harmless, while often being spiritually dangerous. Marcia also reflects on cultural phenomena like the Twilight series, explaining how dark themes are glamorized and attract young people through curiosity, rebellion, or the allure of secret knowledge and community. Her own conversion story is compelling: despite being skeptical of a personal God, Marcia felt a profound encounter with God's love during a church service. This led her to give up astrology, explore the Bible, and ultimately recognize Jesus Christ as her Savior. She emphasizes God's grace, the power of prayer (including others praying for her before she even knew), and the life-changing simplicity of faith in Jesus. Takeaways: New Age practices like astrology, Reiki, and mindfulness have infiltrated mainstream culture, often appearing harmless. Dark themes in popular media, such as Twilight, attract young people through rebellion, curiosity, and the lure of secret knowledge. New Age and occult communities often draw people by offering belonging and empowerment. Some therapeutic practices, even Christian inner healing, can unknowingly incorporate New Age techniques like visualization. LINKS MENTIONED: Marcia's Website Watch the highlights and full version of this interview on our Youtube channel. For more inContext interviews, click here.

If you placed your faith in Jesus, we are celebrating with you!Click below to fill in your information so we can connect with you!New to Church: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/people/forms/631827I've Decided to Follow Jesus: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/people/forms/631829Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEHNDPb5XMkf1LyqoTU30vg Help Support and Grow our Ministry to reach people around our community and spread the love of Jesus: https://churchalivenj.churchcenter.com/giving Stay connected with us through our:Church Alive Website: https://churchalive.tvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/churchalivenj/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChurchAliveNJ/Plan your next in-person visit. We are located at:Rutherford Location- The Williams Center9AM, 11AM, 1PM 15 Sylvan St, Rutherford NJLyndhurst Location- 10AM, 12PM525 Riverside Ave, Lyndhurst NJ

On this episode, John Stoll shares his family’s unique journey, marked by adoptions and profound losses, including his grandson Asher and son Zane. He discusses navigating grief and the traumatic murder of Zane, emphasizing his powerful decision to forgive the perpetrators. John highlights his faith in Jesus as his source of peace and strength Sponsors:...

Send us a textForrest Frank's viral song “Your Way's Better” is catchy, AND its lyrics point us to a deeper truth worth slowing down to consider: God's way truly is better. From Paul's letter to the Romans to Israel's wilderness experiences, Scripture shows us over and over again the futility of choosing our own way over God's way. This week on More Than a Song, we'll explore Romans 10 and discover how clinging to our own efforts can keep us from the righteousness that only comes through Christ.Key PointsThe lyrics highlight a clear contrast between the ways of sin and the ways of God.Romans 10:1–4 reveals the Jews' “misdirected zeal” as they cling to their own way instead of embracing God's way through Christ.God's way of making us right with Himself is not through law-keeping, but through faith in Jesus.The warnings of misdirected zeal, misunderstanding, and clinging to self-effort apply just as much to us today as they did to the Jews of Paul's day.Studying larger sections of Scripture (like Romans 9–11) helps us grasp the full context of Paul's arguments and God's redemptive plan.Scripture ReferencesRomans 10:1–4 – God's way of making people right with Himself through Christ.Romans 9:4–5, 20 – Israel's privileges and Paul's reminder of God's sovereignty.Exodus 15 – God sets forth His way in contrast to Egypt and Canaan.Matthew 16:23–24 – Jesus rebukes Peter and calls His followers to walk in His way.Bible Interaction Tool Exercises (BITEs)Study larger chunks of Scripture – read Romans 9–11 for context.Read in context – expand to the chapter before and after your focus passage (this is a loose rule...I explain more on the episode)Compare translations – notice how different versions phrase “God's way” vs. “their own way.”Use section headings – gain bearings in a familiar text by scanning how thoughts are grouped.Consider opposites – clarify what God's way is by identifying what it is not.Additional ResourcesDownload the free Episode GuideLyrics for Your Way's Better by Forrest Frank – NewReleaseToday.comEpisode 519 – Looking at how God reigns with wisdom, power, and love.Episode 518 – Jesus rebukes Peter for having in mind the things of man instead of the things of God, then teaches how to follow Him.Episode 515 – Israel's early wilderness experiences in Exodus 15, contrasting God's way with the ways of Egypt and Canaan.This Week's ChallengeRead Romans 9-11. I recommend reading it several times in various translations. For example, the phrasing “God's way” vs. “their own way” is found in the New Living Translation, and I may have missed it in the ESV or CSB, which I often read and study. Look closely at the characteristics of the people and God's ways. Consider big picture ideas here and how you might be able to identify the same errors in your Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today! Change your music. Change your life. Join my free 30-Day Music Challenge. CLICK HERE.

Today on the podcast:- Dabo Swinney joins Matt on the podcast to share his unique journey from a young boy in Alabama to the head coach of the Clemson Tigers. He also shares about how he got the name "Dabo" as well as the importance of his faith in Jesus and how God has uniquely positioned him as a football coach. Coach Dabo also previews the upcoming 2025 season and the home opener against LSU on August 31. Have a question? Got a guest suggestion? Want to advertise with us? Email us - jason@sportsspectrum.comWATCH all of our podcast episodes on our YouTube page:https://www.youtube.com/SportsSpectrumMagazineSign up for our Sports Spectrum Magazine and receive 15% off a 1-year subscription by using the code PODCAST15https://www.theincrease.com/products/sports-spectrum-magazine Do you know Christ personally? Click below to learn how you can commit your life to Him.https://sportsspectrum.com/gospel/Have you heard our other Sports Spectrum podcasts?Sports Spectrum's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠What's Up Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with Annabelle Hasselbeck - https://open.spotify.com/show/7CvX5oXnEuKIYI5GCVT7Hi?si=9c61982675f1413dSports Spectrum's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get in the Game Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with Scott Linebrink -https://open.spotify.com/show/7CFPZVet3TcsSJMZqRHndI?si=d6599c85917146a7