Podcasts about father god

Remember to look up whenever you are facing challenging seasons in your life. I pray this podcast episode encourages every leader, builder, business owner and faith driven steward who is determined to grow through the storms. If you have been feeling discouraged, afraid, worried, or confused about your current season in life, I pray this podcast episode helps you to overcome the spirit of oppression, and look up, towards our Father (God) and be strengthened.*I encourage you to watch the video version of this podcast episode on my Youtube channel.Much love,Z. (Zenja Glass)Unlocking Greatness Podcast with Zenja GlassUnlockingGreatness.comVisit https://www.UnlockingGreatness.comVisit https://www.UnlockingGreatness.com

“He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly. May the Lord richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.“ (Psalm 115:13-15, NLT)In today's passage the word fear is best thought of as great respect and awe. No matter how great or lowly we might be, or we might feel in the moment, God is worthy of our praise and admiration. We look to him for blessing us and our children. In seasons of good times, we can find it easy to feel blessed.But in the tough seasons of life or in a crisis, when blessings seem far away, that is exactly the best time for us to look towards and ask for God's blessing. All he asks is to acknowledge him for who he is. Creator, Father, God. Today, in this moment can you…will you…receive the rich blessing the Lord has for you and your children? Take in these words that are meant for you, no matter how you might feel today, and let God bless all who fear God. “Bless the small, bless the great. Oh, let God enlarge your families - giving growth to you, growth to your children. May you be blessed by God, by God who made heaven and earth. The heaven of heavens is for God, but he puts us in charge of the earth.” (Psalm 115:13-15, The Message Bible)I want you to believe with all your heart, soul and mind that those words were written for you and for your children. If you have committed the lives of you and your children into His hands, with God as our perfect Father, he desires to bless you all today. And in all the seasons to come. “Father God, I receive and accept your blessing for me, for my children, and our home. I believe you desire to bless me, and right now I ask you to bless (take a moment to name each of your children and ask him to bless each one). Father, please help me to have your heart for my children and to bless them as their parent as you bless us. As above, so below. Amen.”

Jesus taught His followers to pray by calling God Father. For many, that truth feels overwhelming: How can sinful people approach the holy and righteous God with such intimacy? In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that we can call God Father only because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Without the sacrificial death of Jesus, there is no forgiveness. But through His death and resurrection, believers are redeemed, restored to right fellowship with God, and adopted into His family. By the Holy Spirit, we no longer live as slaves to fear—we cry, “Abba, Father.” Dr. Youssef also reminds us that Biblical repentance is not self-improvement; it is receiving Christ's free gift of salvation. In Him, we are given new life, freedom from the past, power to change, and the right to come to God in prayer. When you cry out to God and wonder whether He hears, do not give up. Because of Christ's atoning blood, you can approach the throne of grace with confidence, receiving mercy and finding grace in your time of need. Pray with me.  Father God, thank You for having compassion on me and for the joy of intimate communion with You. In trials, help me not to become discouraged but to find hope and even joy in my standing before you as your adopted, beloved child. I pray I will use the new life You have given me to honor You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

There are probably things you do every day without really knowing why you do them. Think about it. When we meet someone new, we shake hands. But why? The original purpose was to show that your weapon hand was empty and that you came in peace. Most of us aren’t checking each other for concealed swords anymore, yet the handshake remains. We do it because it’s what we’ve always done. Or take Daylight Saving Time. Twice a year, many of us change our clocks and grumble about losing an hour of sleep or it getting dark too early. Ask the average person why we still do it, and most aren’t quite sure. We just know it’s time to change the clocks again. Even the phrases we use have outlived their original purpose. We still say, “Hang up the phone,” even though most people haven’t hung a phone on anything in decades. And let’s be honest—tapping the “End Call” button just doesn’t have the same satisfaction as slamming down a receiver! One of my favorite examples comes from a friend of mine. Every holiday, she cut the end off the ham before putting it in the oven. One day I asked her why. “Because that’s how you’re supposed to do it,” she said. I told her that’s not the way I do it. Unsatisfied with that answer, she asked her grandmother why she taught her to cut the end off the ham. Her grandmother laughed and said, “Because my baking pan was too small.” For 50 years, a tradition had been passed down from generation to generation, long after the too small baking pan no longer existed. It got me thinking: How many things am I doing simply because I’ve always done them? How many things have I been taught that I’ve never really stopped to examine? And then one practice came to mind. Prayer. More specifically, ending a prayer with the words, “In Jesus’ name, amen.” Do you do that? I do. Since I learned to pray as a teenager, I have ended my prayers that way because that’s what I was taught to do. It’s what I heard in church. So I said it too. “In Jesus’ name, amen.” But have you ever stopped and asked yourself why? Why do we pray in Jesus’ name? Is it simply a religious phrase we attach to the end of our prayers? Like a Christian version of saying “goodbye”? Or is there something deeper happening? What authority are we invoking when we pray in Jesus’ name? What did Jesus mean when He taught His followers to ask in His name? And what difference does it make when we truly understand it? Girls, let’s dig deeper together. Because when you understand what you’re saying, why you’re saying it, and whose authority you’re standing in, prayer becomes far more than a routine. It becomes powerful. And when understanding meets faith, prayer changes. The simple answer of why we pray in Jesus’ name is because Jesus told us to. John 14: 13-14, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” As Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he is about to die and no longer be with them in physical form, he says in John 16: 23-24, “At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” Yes, Jesus told us to pray in His name. But if that’s all we understand, we’ve missed the deeper meaning.” This isn’t like cutting the end off your ham because your grandma’s old baking pan was too short 50 years ago. This isn’t continuing something that no longer really applies to our lives today. This is of paramount importance still today – we pray in the name of Jesus. We ask the Father in the name of Jesus. But has it become nothing more than words you add to the end of your prayer – or are you REALLY approaching the Father through Jesus? 1 Timothy 2:5, “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” Jesus is our mediator. A mediator is someone who stands between 2 parties and brings them together. Think of a negotiator helping 2 people who are separated by conflict find reconciliation. Here’s the truth – we’ve screwed up. Every single one of us have fallen so short of the glory of God. We could never stand in his holy presence. Sin caused Adam and Eve to be kicked out of the garden, and we’ve been separated since. No matter how good we may try to be, in our own human effort, we simply cannot bridge that gap. The distance between us and our holy, perfect God is massive. Only the cross could bridge it and make a way for us to God. Jesus literally stepped into the middle for us. Because Jesus is both fully God and fully man, He represents both sides. His life sacrificed and blood shed for us then makes a way for us to come into God’s presence. We are for real coming to God in the name of Jesus. Our name isn’t good enough. Only the name of Jesus grants us access to God. But, I must admit, I’ve treated Jesus more like my heavenly mail carrier at time than my savior. Here’s my prayer request, Jesus, deliver this to God for me. Put your stamp of approval on this and maybe God will move for me. Is that what Jesus has become to you? You pray in his name because he’s the stamp for your letter to be delivered to God? Oh Jesus, please forgive us. JESUS IS THE REASON WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD AT ALL!!!!!! When we pray “in Jesus’ name” we’re acknowledging this important fact – I’m not coming to God based on my goodness, my worthiness, or my achievements – I’m coming to God because Jesus has made a way for me! This is NOT a magic phrase that unlocks heaven – although we have sometimes treated it that way. The power is not in just saying the words, “In Jesus’ name”. The power is the holy One behind the name. Jesus himself has said, “She’s with me – she has access.” So now we show up in God’s presence through prayer and we acknowledge, “I’m only here because Jesus says I can be.” Hebrews 4:16 tells us to “Come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” There’s only one way you can do that – back up a verse and you’ll see – it’s because Jesus is our High Priest. In the Old Testament, the high priest was the one person appointed to represent all the people before God. This one person stood in the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity. Once a year, the high priest would enter into the presence of God and offer sacrifices for their sin. If an ordinary person went into the place within the temple where God’s presence was, they would be struck dead. Only the high priest could enter. Now, we are told WE (yes me and you) can come boldly to the throne of God. We have access. We can talk to God directly. How? Because we have a High Priest who is Jesus. When you come to God in the name of Jesus, you’re remembering Jesus has already gone before you making it possible for you. As our High Priest, Jesus continually represents us before God. And knowing this can transform your prayers. We don’t have to end our prayers with a phrase we repeat out of habit – we can say it with understanding. I’m praying under the authority of Jesus. I’m approaching the Father through Jesus. I am accepted by God because of Jesus. “In the name of Jesus” isn’t a closing phrase – it’s a declaration of faith. It’s a reminder that every prayer reaches the Father because Jesus stands in the gap and makes a way for us to come near. JESUS IS THE REASON WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD AT ALL!!!!!! The miracle isn’t that God answers our prayers. The miracle is that we are invited to pray at all. Have you ever prayed a prayer, even ended it with “in Jesus’ name,” and it didn’t get answered? That really causes us to struggle, doesn’t it? It’s easy to take Jesus’ words, “Ask anything in My name, and I will do it,” and twist them to mean that as long as we add His name to our request, it’s guaranteed to happen. What a dangerous little game we can play there. We must always remember that God sees what we do not see. He holds ETERNITY while we are stuck in the right here and now, wanting immediate answers, immediate relief, and immediate results. We see today. God sees forever. We see the request. God sees the outcome. We see the closed door. God sees what is standing behind it. Sometimes the most loving answer God can give is “yes.” Sometimes it is “wait.” And sometimes it is “no.” Not because He isn’t listening. Not because Jesus’ name lacks power. Not because our faith is too small. But because a wise Father is answering from an eternal perspective while we are praying from a temporary one. Praying in Jesus’ name is not giving God our agenda and expecting His signature at the bottom. It is bringing our requests under His authority, His character, His wisdom, and His will. When I pray in Jesus’ name, I am essentially saying: “Lord, this is what I desire. This is what I hope for. But more than anything, I want what You want. If this request honors You, advances Your purposes, and aligns with Your will, then let it be so.” That kind of prayer requires trust. It means trusting that when God says yes, He is good. When God says wait, He is good. And even when God says no, He is still good. The power of praying in Jesus’ name was never found in getting everything we ask for. The power is found in knowing that the One who hears us sees the whole picture—and we can trust Him with the answer. So why do we pray “In Jesus’ name”? Why do we end our prayers in this way? Well maybe we didn’t know before, but we know now! John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE can come to the Father except through ME.” He’s not the mailman of heavenly requests – he is the reason for our access at all. He is the only way to our Father God. If we don’t come to God in the name of Jesus, we simply don’t get there! The next time you pray and say, “In Jesus’ name,” don’t let it be empty words. Remember what you’re really saying: “Father, I am not standing before You because of my goodness. I am not approaching You in my own authority. I am here because of Jesus. I belong to Him. He made a way for me. And I’m only here because Jesus says I can be.” Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

For the believer, patience is not personality-driven—it is faith-driven. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that true patience is built on the absolute confidence that God is sovereign over every detail of our lives. Jesus reminds us that not even a sparrow falls outside the Father's care, and that even the hairs of our heads are numbered. If God watches over the smallest details of creation, His children can trust that they are neither forgotten nor forsaken. Nothing escapes His loving, eternal care. Dr. Youssef points to James' examples of patience. Like a farmer who plants seed and waits for the harvest, we must trust God's timing without trying to force or inspect His work too soon. And like Job, we are called to endure fierce trials without denying the Lord, believing that God has a purpose even when the pain is deep. There will be seasons when life feels like a holding pattern. We long to move on, but God calls us to wait, trust, and learn patience. When impatience rises, look up to the Savior who loves you, is coming back for you, and has prepared a great reward for those who endure in faith. Pray with me. Father God, You are sovereign. As I wait on Your work in my life, I pray You would bring to mind opportunities and ways that I might serve You with honor. I desire to show my faithfulness in this time of waiting. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

James gives believers a clear command and a sure promise: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that these two commands are inseparable—because successful resistance flows from successful submission. A life fully submitted to God is fortified with godliness. We cannot afford to be passive when Satan or our flesh tempts us away from obedience to Christ. Instead, we must fight the fight of faith by trusting the promises of God—His promise to give more grace, His promise to favor the humble, and His promise to forgive and cleanse all who confess their sins. Dr. Youssef reminds us that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. When Satan whispers accusations—“Your sins are too many,” “Your past is too dark,” “God will never forgive you”—we draw the sword and answer with Truth: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.” The enemy is disarmed by the Word of God because he recognizes the presence of Jesus in you—the same Jesus who defeated him in the wilderness, condemned him at the cross, and will one day cast him into eternal ruin. In Christ, all God's promises are “Yes,” and by His power, you can submit, resist, and stand. Join me in prayer. Father God, thank You for Your Word that is my sword to fight against Satan, my flesh, and the darkness of the world. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

How do you conquer hidden fears? In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that the first step is to identify what is causing fear in your heart. Is your fear based on Truth, or is it rooted in an irrational belief, habit, or assumption? Fear can be a warning sign, but it can also mislead us. Many of the things we fear never happen, and for some people, worry becomes a pattern with no solid foundation. That is why believers must bring fear before the Lord and ask Him to reveal what is true. Dr. Youssef reminds us that the second step is prayer. There is no secret formula for effective prayer—simply talk to God about what frightens you. Tell Him when you feel afraid, hurt, frustrated, or angry. Ask Him to show you whether your fear is valid and to reveal His plan for overcoming it. James reminds us that we often do not have because we do not ask God. As hidden fears come to light, the Lord will strengthen your faith, expose what is false, and help you walk forward with courage. Like the apostles, we can ask Him to increase our faith—and trust that He will help us overcome fear. Let us pray.  Father God, I pray that You would shine Your light on my situation, revealing the Truth so that I will not be afraid. Help me to be able to identify what is causing my fear and to come to You when I am feeling afraid. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.   The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Jesus knew that the high standards of the Sermon on the Mount would feel overwhelming, so He pointed His followers to the source of help: prayer. In Matthew 7:7-11, the commands to ask, seek, and knock are not one-time actions but ongoing habits of dependence on the Father. The promise of answered prayer is not about saying the right words or having enough faith. It rests entirely on the character of a good and generous Father. Just as no loving parent hands a hungry child a stone instead of bread, God gives good things to those who come to Him. The good things He promises are not primarily material blessings, but the grace, wisdom, strength, and presence of the Holy Spirit needed to live the life Jesus calls us to. If prayer feels like a last resort rather than a first response, it may reveal a deeper uncertainty about what kind of Father God truly is. He is the Father of mercies, and He is not waiting for perfect words. He is simply waiting for you to come.

Our world is overflowing with knowledge, yet starving for wisdom. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains the difference between knowledge and wisdom: knowledge gathers information, but wisdom applies the right Truth in the right situation. There is natural wisdom, which relies on human reasoning and experience. There is worldly wisdom, which rationalizes sin, fuels selfish ambition, and separates us from God. James describes this kind of “wisdom” as earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. It is the same kind of deception that led Adam and Eve away from obedience in the garden. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is altogether different. It is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Godly wisdom is not arrogant, harsh, boastful, divisive, or unforgiving. It does not seek self-glory; it brings glory to God. Dr. Youssef reminds believers to seek God's wisdom in every area of life—from marriage and parenting to conflict, decisions, and new ventures. True wisdom is the ability to apply the Word of God accurately and faithfully in our own lives and in the lives of others. The question is: are you growing in the wisdom that comes from heaven? Pray with me.  Father God, I pray that You would increase my godly wisdom as You've promised in Your Word. Protect me from relying on any kind of wisdom but Yours. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 10th of July, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Book of Galatians 3:27: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” We must be seen by the world as being different, different people. They must see Jesus in us without us having to tell them. Do you remember that story? I think I told you years ago about a man who was sailing in the South Sea Islands, and he had a shipwreck. He was the only survivor, and the local inhabitants were going to kill him but they decided to leave him. They said, “We are going to see how you live, and we believe that you are one of those missionaries who are coming here. We don't want to hear anything.” So the man never said a word, he just lived the life. He lived with them for many, many years. Eventually, he died and they buried him. A few years later another sailing ship arrived at that island with missionaries, and when the missionaries came to the island they got the local people to sit and they were telling them about Jesus, but they noticed that these people weren't surprised, they weren't excited. They were nodding their heads in full agreement. When the missionaries had finished preaching they said, “Have you heard the Gospel before?” They said, “No”. “Well, we see that you are not surprised about the story of Jesus.” They said, “No, we are not surprised.” “Why?” And they said, “Come with us.” And they took these missionaries to a very special place, and there was a grave, and they said, “The man that you are speaking about used to live here with us, and he died and we buried him here.” That man was living the life of Jesus Christ, without saying one word. They saw Jesus in him, in the way in which he acted, in the way in which he loved them, in the way in which he denied himself for their sakes. They had met Jesus through a man who lived there for many years and was not allowed to speak about the Lord.Today, let you and I put on Jesus. Wherever we go, let people come to us and say to us, “We see there is something different about you. Can you please explain to us what it is?” Then we will be able to say to them with a nice smile, a gentle smile, humbly. “Maybe it is Jesus Christ. Would you like to meet Him as well?”Father God,I pray in Jesus' name, that my dear friend who is listening to this message, will also put on Jesus Christ every single day. I ask these things in Your precious name, amen.God bless you and goodbye.

As a father in a family is a living example of how to respond to life's challenges, so our Father God, demonstrates a life of faithfulness by keeping His promises to us. In turn, we are to mimic, to learn how to be faithful to Him and to those in our life. It is a bond, God's promise of standing with us that expresses the depth of love and honor that we in turn can do the same to those around us. Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil Reaser

We sometimes realize that we have lost something. Sure, wallets, keys, and remotes are a bit of a pain. But, sometimes, we realize our peace, joy, passion, or trust have slipped our grasp. When we learn to begin our search with our Father God, we often find more than we lost.

Introduction: 1 Corinthians 10:6 - Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 1 Corinthians 10:11 - Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. My Idolatry... (Exodus 32:1-35) Disgraces ME and Dishonors the LORD. (Ex 32:1-6) Exodus 20:3 - “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:4 - “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath.” Exodus 20:7 - “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” Exodus 20:14 - “You shall not commit adultery.” Will Not Go UNNOTICED . (Ex 32:7-14) Cannot Be EXPLAINED AWAY or BLAMED ON OTHERS. (Ex 32:15-24) Leads to SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES . (Ex 32:25-29) Can Be FORGIVEN . (Ex 32:30-35) 1 Timothy 1:15 - The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. Titus 2:11-12 - For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age... Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! For Our Example: Ancient Warnings for the Church Today - Do Not Be Idolaters Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript 00:48So please turn your Bibles to Exodus chapter 32.00:52Exodus chapter 32.00:57Have you ever been warned against doing something, but you did it anyway?01:02Have you ever been given the option between learning the easy way or the hard way and chosen the hard way?01:11Every single one of us would say yes to both those questions.01:16Do you want to hear about a time when I had to learn the hard way? When I was warned against doing something, but I did it anyway. Well, in 2018, my side of the family planned a vacation to Hilton Head, South Carolina. But there was one problem. The trip went from Saturday to Saturday, and my wife Kate and I were booked to photograph a wedding on that first Saturday. So we were already going to miss a big chunk of the vacation.01:44And I thought to myself, I have a great idea. That ended up not being so great. My idea was after working a 12-hour day in the hot sun, let's drive 12 straight hours through the night to Hilton Head, South Carolina. I'll be fine. Every single person I shared that plan with said that's a really bad idea and you shouldn't do it. I heeded none of those warnings and I took a risk.02:13And again, I was totally fine until about 5 a.m. At that point, Kate had been asleep for hours, and I was trying to keep myself awake with caffeine and true crime podcasts, but my eyes were heavy. I was trying, I was opening my eyelids, I was slapping myself, I was trying everything. And I kept thinking to myself, this isn't good, this is going to be bad, but then I kept telling myself, just a few more minutes, just a few more miles.02:43Everything will be fine.02:46As it turns out, everything would not be fine.02:48One moment, I was conscious and kind of alert.02:53And then one minute, I was awakened by the sound of slamming into multiple traffic barrels on the highway.03:01Worst wake-up call in the history of my entire sleeping career.03:06Thankfully, I was able to steer away from the traffic barrels and get over to the shoulder.03:10I checked on my wife who had woken up and was not very happy with me. And I went out to inspect the damage. Our entire hood was destroyed. There was a traffic barrel shoved under the front of the car. I was able to get it out and put it back where I found it. It wasn't as good as new. It looked pretty bad. But the car was drivable. So Kate said, I'm driving. So I get in the passenger seat while mentally beating myself up while Kate drove the rest of the way.03:40And no, I was not able to fall asleep during the rest of the trip. Learning the hard way isn't a fun road to drive on. But many of us willingly drive down it anyway, don't we? Learning the easy way is a far simpler path, but for some reason, it doesn't appeal to us in the moment. It doesn't seem like the best route to take on the journey of life. Thankfully, the Lord knows.04:10our destructive tendencies.04:13And he fills his words with warnings of what we shouldn't do.04:17He fills his word with warnings of where we shouldn't go.04:23And many of these warnings take place in the Old Testament.04:27As we see the Israelites make the same mistakes over and over and over again.04:34A few months ago, Pastor Jeff preached on 1 Corinthians 10, verses 1-13, in which Paul makes it clear that Israel's shady past of disobedience should cause us to be obedient today. We should look to their negative examples and avoid what they did. Listen to what Paul says in verse 6 of chapter 10. He says, these things took place as examples for us that we might not desire evil as they did. And he goes on to say, now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instructions. The Israelites learned the hard way so that you could learn the easy way. This morning we are starting a brand new series called For Our Example, Ancient Warnings for the Church Today. We will study the books of Exodus and Numbers that we can receive four specific warnings from God Himself. Do not be idolaters.05:39Do not be doubters. Do not be fake repenters. Do not be complainers. And this morning we're going to focus on the first warning from God. Do not be idolaters. Do not give other people and other things the worship and love that God alone deserves. Do not put anything or anyone else on the throne of your heart. Do not take God off the top of your priority list.06:10I know what some of you are thinking at this point. Pastor Taylor, I don't want to obnoxiously call you out, but Pastor Jeff did preach a sermon on idolatry pretty recently. I guess you weren't paying attention. You know what? Pastor Jeff, you did preach a sermon on idolatry, didn't you? That was a good sermon. Let me ask you, have you committed idolatry since you heard that sermon? You have?06:39Me too. Have you committed idolatry many times since hearing that sermon? Yeah, me too. It sounds like we need to hear it again. It sounds like we need to receive this warning from the Lord again. So let's go to the Lord and ask for His help. Please pray for me that I will faithfully proclaim God's Word while I pray for you that you will faithfully receive it.07:10Father, we come before you as your people to acknowledge we so often forget what you say.07:17We do not live in light of what you say.07:20We've heard this kind of sermon many times, but we often fail to keep it.07:26Lord, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to receive, and hands and feet that are willing to do what your word says this morning.07:35May your word do your work.07:37May you bring transformation and change because I cannot. We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen. So before we dig into Exodus chapter 32, we have to rewind to the beginning of the books that we can understand the backstory. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt. For years they were mistreated, abused, and sentenced to back-breaking labor.08:07Pharaoh even commands the Egyptians, yeah, get the Hebrew boys and throw them into the Nile River whenever they are born. They are suffering. The worst fate imaginable. But God did not forget them. God heard their cries for help. He saw their suffering and he raised up Moses to deliver them out of Egypt. He told Moses, tell Pharaoh to let my people go. And Pharaoh repeatedly refused.08:38that command. So God sent ten plagues upon the nation of Egypt. And eventually Pharaoh said, fine, get out of here. The people of God pack up and head out. And they are led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. And at one point Pharaoh's sitting there thinking, what have I done? My entire workforce is gone. I've made a huge mistake. So he stalled up his army and they went after the people of God.09:07Did that go well for Pharaoh? Was that a great plan? No. The people of God pass through the Red Sea by a miracle and then the Egyptians are swallowed up by that same water. And after this divine intervention, the Israelites are brought to Mount Sinai. They're commanded, stay at the base of the mountain while Moses goes up for 40 days and 40 nights to receive the Ten Commandments and other instructions from God.09:37Backstory leads us to one of the most depressing stories in the entire Bible. In Exodus chapter 32. After experiencing God's goodness and provision over and over and over again, the Israelites quickly lose sight of God and they turn to idolatry. And as we move forward, I want to encourage you to resist the temptation to look down upon the Israelites. To feel superior to them.10:07Instead of thinking, yeah, they did this horrible thing way back then, I want you to instead think, yeah, I do this horrible thing all the time. I want you to honestly evaluate yourself and make this admission, my idolatry is no better than their idolatry. Actually, in a lot of ways, my idolatry is worse than their idolatry.10:37So on your outline, let's get personal, let's get specific by focusing on my idolatry. My idolatry. First up, my idolatry disgraces me and dishonors the Lord. My idolatry disgraces me and dishonors the Lord. Let's pick up the story in verse 1, chapter 32. When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. Have you ever noticed that when you are impatient, you forget a lot of basic facts? You make a lot of dumb decisions. You believe a lot of untrue things. You come home from a long day of work.11:37Your family's too excited to see you. You get impatient with them because they seem rude, so you act rude in response. You get the rumbly in your tumbly. You get impatient. You get hangry. You start getting snippy with people. That's what happens in this passage. Dad is away on a business trip with God, and the Israelites get restless. They get impatient. They forget that God is the one who who rescued them from slavery and will go before them into the promised land. They believe the ridiculous lie that they have no idea how long Moses will be gone and when he's going to come back because he told them exactly what the plan was in Exodus chapter 24 verse 14. And they make an extremely dumb decision. And they corner Aaron and tell him, make us gods who will lead us from now on.12:36We don't want God anymore. We want new gods. And sadly, Aaron goes along with their really dumb decision in verses 2 through 4. So Aaron said to them, take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me. So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, these are your As I said before, this is one of the saddest passages in the entire Bible. Aaron collects the earrings of the people, and with that gold, he makes a golden calf. I have to ask you, how are the people able to have these earrings in the first place? Who gave it to them?13:35God allowed them to plunder the Egyptians as they left. They twist, abuse, misuse God's good gifts for their evil purposes. When you commit idolatry, you use God's gifts to worship what is not God. You use the gifts of waking up and being above ground to worship at the altar of greed. Money.14:08You abuse the gifts of breath in your lungs and active vocal cords to mistreat others with your words. To lie and deceive because your idol is the praise and opinion of others. You use the gift of a mind that God has given to you and instead of using it to trust in Him, you use it to be anxious, to be worried, to stress out about versions of the future that God is not in control of.14:40You misuse the precious gift of time by giving next to none of it back to the Lord.14:47You act like a rebellious teenager who takes advantage of his or her parents' kindness by using his or her allowance money to buy alcohol to party with underage friends.14:59You take advantage of God's kindness to you, and in the process you disgrace yourself.15:06and you dishonor God.15:09You disgrace yourself and dishonor God by abusing His good gifts.15:12You also disgrace and dishonor God by believing that idols can provide you something that He cannot.15:20Look again at the end of verse 4.15:22And they said, these are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.15:28Isn't that a devastatingly wicked thing to say and think?15:34The Israelites actually believe that these false gods, this idol, can do something for them that God cannot. That this idol that can't move is capable of things that God is not capable of. You and I convince ourselves the same exact lie all the time.16:04or a married guy in this room and you are facing extreme sexual temptation right now. Instead of turning to the Lord for help and fleeing from sexual immorality, you are turning to pornography and fleeing from the Lord's help. You think to yourself, this will fulfill me, this will satisfy me, this will meet my needs. But the more you give yourself over to it, the deeper and deeper deeper into the hole of addiction you find yourself. It gets worse and worse and worse. You believe that the idol of lust will provide you with something that God cannot. Maybe some of you have a spending disorder. Your idol is the idol of more. You think more and more money will make you happy. More and more stuff will solve your problems. A bigger and better trip.17:04will scratch that itch for adventure and rest. A new car, a new upgrade to your house, that will do it. You think the idol of more will give you what God cannot. Maybe you are amusing yourself to death. You're living for the weekend. Your primary passion is your hobbies. And this idolatry is negatively affecting you and your entire family. You neglect your duties at home, or even worse, You draw your kids into this idol. The most important thing in their lives becomes their travel team, their sport, their activities, and not the Lord. You think the idol of fun will give you and your family what God cannot. But no matter the idol, no matter the addiction, the result is always the same. You lose out on joy, and God is shortchanged of the glory.18:04he deserves every single time.18:10You not only disgrace yourself and dishonor the Lord by abusing his good gifts and believing that I can provide something he cannot, you also disgrace yourself and dishonor the Lord by allowing sin to take you further than you ever expected.18:27Look at verses 5-6.18:30When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it, before the calf. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, Tomorrow shall be a feast day to the Lord. And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. So while the Ten Commandments are being written onto stone by God Himself at the top of the mountain, the Israelites are breaking at least four of the Ten Commandments.19:00At the base of the mountain.19:02The first commandment is broken.19:04You shall have no other gods before me.19:09Strike one.19:10The second commandment is broken.19:13You should not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath.19:20Strike two.19:22The third commandment is broken.19:24You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.19:29Aaron tries to make the best of a bad situation. He tries to salvage this whole thing by rolling the worship of this idol into the worship of God. But by doing so, he broke the third commandment and took the Lord's name in vain. Strike three. I know in baseball you'd be out by now, but they have one more strike. The seventh commandment is broken. You shall not commit adultery. And you may be thinking, wait a minute.19:58They break that commandment.20:01Look again at verse 6.20:02And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings.20:06And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.20:11The original Hebrew, sat down to eat and drink, doesn't bring to mind a peaceful and innocent meal with family and friends.20:18It brings to mind a drunken party.20:21And the rose up to play phrase doesn't bring to mind a game with your friends on a Friday night.20:28It's detailing sexual sin.20:34That escalated quickly, didn't it?20:36One minute, Israel is impatiently waiting for Moses at the base of the mountain, and the next minute, they're worshiping false gods and committing gross acts of sexual immorality with one another.20:50That's how sin works.20:52It escalates. It jumps to the next level.20:55It gets worse, worse, worse.20:57You drift further and further away. You break more and more commandments. Until one day you look in the mirror and you don't even recognize yourself anymore. You look at your sin. You look at what you've done and you think to yourself, how did I get this bad? I never thought this would happen. Brothers and sisters, you have to snap out of it and calculate the costs of your idolatry. Consider what you are doing.21:27to yourself. Consider what you are doing to your God.21:35My idolatry disgraces me and dishonors the Lord. Secondly, my idolatry will not go unnoticed.21:45My idolatry will not go unnoticed.21:51Let's read verses 7-10.21:55And the Lord said to Moses, go down your people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.22:01They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them.22:05They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it and said, these are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.22:15And the Lord said to Moses, I have seen this people and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.22:21Now therefore, let me alone that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them in order that I may make a great nation out of you. Does this blasphemous and immoral party escape the attention of God? No, it does not. Is he pleased with what he sees and hears? Not one bit. The first hint that God is upset comes in verse 7 when he says, go down for your people whom you brought to the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. Throughout Exodus, God He constantly refers to Israel as my people. Now what is He calling them? Your people. You know what this reminds me of? When the kids are over the top obnoxious and bad, and your spouse calls or texts you to say, you wouldn't believe what your kids have been up to today. Your kids have been a real treat. Exactly what's happening here in this passage. The Lord instructs Moses to back away because he's about to clear the board of these stubborn idolaters and start over with a new nation for Moses. Put yourself in Moses' feet. How would you respond to that? What would you say back to God? Moses' reaction in verses 11 through 13 may surprise you. Look at what he says. But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people?23:57whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand. Why should the Egyptians say with evil intent that he bring them out to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self and said to them, I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the heaven. In all this land I have promised, I will give to your offspring.24:26and they shall inherit it forever.24:31Moses could respond in a much different way than he does.24:36He could say, you know what, God, I'm going to take you up on your offer.24:40These people stink.24:41All they do is nag and complain.24:43I could really use some new recruits.24:47Is that what Moses says?24:50Is that how he responds?24:52No, he asks the Lord for mercy.24:55He points the Lord back to His past investment in Israel, His promises to Israel, His reputation among the nations pleads for mercy. Let's see how God responds in verse 14. And the Lord relented from the disaster that He had spoken of bringing on His people. God hears this passionate plea and He chooses to show mercy.25:26upon his idolatrous people.25:30I really don't want you to learn the wrong lesson from this passage.25:35I don't want you to read this and say, well, I guess idolatry is not that big of a deal.25:39God let them off scot-free, so whatever.25:42I can do it and have no consequences.25:48Sure, Israel is not wiped off the map instantly, but there will be consequences.25:54They will have to answer for what they have done. God has noticed their idolatry. It's the same today. Your idolatry is noticed by God, even if no one else notices. You may be able to fool your friends. You may be able to fool your wife, your husband, your kids. You may even be able to fool Pastor Jeff, myself, and the other elders.26:24You cannot fool God.26:28Do you realize He hears every thought that you think?26:34He hears every word that you speak.26:38He sees every action and reaction that you carry out.26:43You can hide nothing from Him.26:46Don't try.26:48My idolatry disgraces me and dishonors the Lord.26:52My idolatry cannot be explained away or blamed on others. My idolatry cannot be explained away or blamed on others. So Moses has heard about the people's idolatry, but now he's about to come face to face with the people's idolatry. We all know that hearing about something and seeing something horrible bring about very different reactions, right? Hearing that your house has been vandalized is much different than seeing the results of the vandalism. Hearing that your dog has made a massive mess on the carpet is much different than stooping down and cleaning up the mess yourself. Check out Moses' response to seeing their idolatry in verses 15 through 20.27:52and the two tablets of the testimony in his hand. Tablets that were written on both sides, in the front and on the back they were written. The tablets were the work of God and the writing was the writing of God engraved on tablets. When Moses heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, there is a noise of war in the camp. But he said, it is not the sound of shouting for victory or the sound of the cry of defeat, of singing that I hear.28:24And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot.28:30And he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.28:34He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.28:47Moses gets why God is so angry.28:49In verse 11, God was burning hot. And in verse 19, Moses is burning hot. You may think that Moses overreacts here by breaking the Ten Commandments and making an idle smoothie for the people to gulp down. That may seem harsh, but I have to tell you this is not an overreaction. This is the guy who just got on his knees and begged for these people not to be turned to a massive crater.29:20He cares for these people. There has to be a response. And what He does is not senseless. It has great purpose. By physically breaking the Ten Commandments, He is showing the Israelites, you have spiritually broken the law of God. By force-feeding them this idol smoothie, Moses is showing the people how disgusting and bitter idolatry is to God.29:53And after these public demonstrations, Moses turns to his brother Aaron, who he put in charge while he was gone, to see how this could have happened.30:04Sadly, Aaron does not respond in the right way.30:07In verses 21 through 24.30:10And Moses said to Aaron, What did these people do to you, that you have brought such a great sin upon them?30:16And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my Lord burn hot.30:19You know the people. They are set on evil. For they said to me, Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. So I said to them, Let any who have gold take it off. So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf. Aaron acts like a victim and shifts the blame. And he makes the worst excuse in the history of excuses.30:49This is worse than the generic, my dog ate my homework. This is worse than an excuse I heard as a library collector, library debt collector years ago in seminary. I told this woman on the phone, you return your book, your fine will go away. And she said, well, I can't return the book. I said, why? She said, well, it, It burned up in my boyfriend's meth lab. Bad excuse. Not an acceptable excuse. But here's the doozy that Aaron gives to Moses. I took the earrings from the people and I threw it into the fire and the melted gold formed in the image of a cow and just hopped out of the fire. Isn't it crazy when those things happen? When was the last time you threw some leftover food and garbage in to a fire and an idol jumped out against your wishes. It's never happened and it will never happen. Again, it's easy to come down on Aaron for the things that we do all the time. You and I give Academy Award winning performances in playing the victim. You and I are expert blame shifters. You and I are professional excuse makers.32:19Instead of accepting responsibility for your bad decisions, you blame your past. Oh, it's not my fault. It's how I was raised. Well, it's not my fault that I lie. I had to lie growing up to survive in my family. My overdrinking isn't an active choice that I make. It's just a family disease that I cannot get away from. Listen, past hurts can explain present behavior. But past hurts can never explain.32:49Excuse present behavior. Past hurts cannot excuse your present behavior. You also cannot blame your present behavior on current challenges. Work is just so overwhelming right now. I'm so stressed out. My spouse never encourages me. My spouse never supports me. I feel so alone. I need something to get me through the day. Well, my health and the health of people I care about is really bad right now.33:19I have a lot of bad influences around me and they keep pressuring me to do the wrong thing. Hey, hey, the excuses end today. Sin can never be justified. Sin can never be explained away. Avoid Aaron's negative example and refuse to say my idolatry is everyone else's fault. Instead, own your sin.33:49and say, my idolatry is my fault and no one else's. Mine alone. My idolatry disgraces me and dishonors the Lord. My idolatry will not go unnoticed. My idolatry cannot be explained away or blamed on others. My idolatry leads to serious consequences. My idolatry leads to serious consequences.34:23The idle smoothie is not the only consequence. The people of Israel will suffer. A much worse penalty falls upon them in verses 25-29. And when Moses saw it, the people had broken loose, for Aaron had let them break loose, the derision of their enemies. Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me. And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. And he said to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, put your sword on each side of you and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor and the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses and that day about three thousand men of the people fell and Moses said today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord each one of you at the cost of the son of his brother so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day 3,000 are put to death by the sword. Most likely, these were the ringleaders of the idolatry. These are the men who pressed upon Aaron and led this immoral rager. But once again, you may be thinking to yourself, 3,000 people dead? That seems so harsh. The judgment of God always seems harsh to those who do not fully appreciate the character of God. God is holy. God is pure. God cannot stand the sight of sin. God must punish sin or he would not be God. 3,000 seems like such a big number on its own, doesn't it? But compare it to how many Israelites there were. Two to three million. I'm not a math guy, but I crunch the numbers.36:19is.1 or.15% of the population. Does that seem harsh now? Does that number seem too big now? Imagine during service someone hacks all of your various accounts and takes away.1 or.15% of all your money. Would that be hard? Would that be difficult? Would that be a concern? Sure.36:49Would you be destitute financially? No, because it's such a small amount in comparison to what you could have lost. And these 3,000 dead are such a small number in comparison to what God could have done because 100% of them deserve to be dead. 100% of the Israelites deserve to be wiped out, but God shows mercy.37:19as they deserve.37:22But God still needs to demonstrate that sin leads to serious consequences.37:26He needs to prove that idolatry invites injury.37:32I have to ask, what consequences are you experiencing right now for your idolatry?37:41What injuries have you invited into your life?37:46Maybe you've convinced yourself that your anxiety is not that big of a deal. Being stressed out and worried all the time, not a big deal. It gives you some semblance of control, but all it's doing is hollowing you out and making your life miserable. Maybe your sexual sin has isolated you, created distance in your marriage and devastated your spouse. Maybe no one really wants to be around you right now because you constantly blow your top and the idol of your wants and your preferences is not met. Maybe you're dealing with the physical consequences of a lifetime of bad decisions. Are you going to learn the lesson that God is teaching you through these consequences? Or will you continue in your rebellion? Will you open your eyes to the warnings of the Lord that are all over your life and all over His Word?38:46to what He wants you to see.38:50Will you pay attention to the consequences?38:54My idolatry disgraces me and dishonors the Lord.38:57My idolatry will not go unnoticed.39:00My idolatry cannot be explained away or blamed on others.39:05My idolatry leads to serious consequences.39:08Finally, and most importantly, my idolatry can be forgiven.39:15My idolatry can be forgiven. Moses gathers the people for a quick meeting in verse 30. The next day Moses said to the people, you have sinned a great sin. And now I'll go up to the Lord. Perhaps I can make atonement. I can make payment for your sin. The people have messed up big time. And Moses isn't sure if he can atone or pay for their sin on himself. He's not sure if God's going to rubber stamp this plan that he has. Let's see what God has to say in verses 31 to 35. So Moses returned to the Lord and said, alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now if you will forgive their sin, but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written. But the Lord said to Moses, whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.40:16But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you.40:20Behold, my angels shall go before you.40:23Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.40:28Then the Lord sent a plague on the people because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.40:35As it turns out, Moses himself cannot pay for the sins of the people.40:40The people do experience God's merciful forgiveness to a certain extent, but they will continue to suffer the consequences for what they have done. God sends a plague upon the people, and we're not told how bad this plague was or how devastating the results were. And that is the end of the chapter. And you may be thinking, that's it? That's the end? Where's the hope in this passage?41:10is the hope. Well, I can tell you this. Moses is not the hope in this passage. He's a great leader. He tries to clean up Israel's mess, but he can't. Moses was used as a savior during the exodus out of Egypt, but he is not the Israelites' ultimate savior. He cannot pay for their imperfection before a perfect God. The only hope in this passage is the only hope in your life.41:42The only hope in this story is the only hope in your story.41:47This hope is a leader far greater than Moses.41:50This hope is a savior far greater than Moses.41:53Moses could not go up the mountain to pay for Israel's sin.41:57But there is one who came out of heaven to pay for your sin.42:04To take the penalty for your idolatry.42:08Who is this hope?42:09Who is this savior?42:10Jesus Christ, God Himself. Paul cruelly spells out the mission of Jesus and shows how this mission personally affects Him. In 1 Timothy 1.15, the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost. You see the personal language there?42:40I am the worst of sinners. Christ came to save me. Can you say that this morning? Jesus Christ came to save me. Jesus came to live the idol-free life that you never could. Unlike you and me, He always put His Father first in everything. Jesus came to pay the penalty for your idolatry upon the cross so that you would not have to pay the penalty Penalty in hell. Jesus came to rise again so that the idols in your life could be smashed to pieces and have no power over you. You know, this passage, this sermon has been very personal. It's focused on my idolatry. But as we end this morning, I want you to answer a very important question. Has my idolatry been forgiven?43:43It's the most important question you're going to answer today. Has my idolatry been forgiven? If your answer is no, I want you to understand that it can be. Your idolatry can be forgiven by Jesus Christ if you ask Him to. Reject your sin and receive Jesus as Savior. Smash your idols and submit to Jesus as Lord. He alone can give you what you are looking for. He alone can give you peace with God. He alone can secure your position in heaven. Has my idolatry been forgiven? If your answer is yes, live in the awareness of your forgiveness. Remember what Jesus has done for you. Rejoice in what Jesus has done for you. Be empowered by what Jesus has done for you.44:40Listen to what Paul says about this in Titus 2, 11-12. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age. Christian, walk upon the conquered ground that Jesus secured on your behalf. In Christ, you are not helpless. In Christ, you are not hopeless. In Christ, you can't be can learn the easy way instead of learning the hard way. In Christ, you can avoid the negative examples of the Israelites in your past self. In Christ, you can say no to idolatry and yes to godliness. Let's pray. Father God, we come before you and we acknowledge our sin. We acknowledge our idolatry.45:40We acknowledge that we deserve nothing from You except Your judgment. We deserve nothing from You except eternal punishment. But we thank You that You sent Your Son to take that punishment upon Himself. To take Your wrath as rightly ours. In exchange, we receive His perfection. We receive His holiness. We receive all that He has.46:10doesn't make sense, but we thank you that it's true.46:15We thank you that there is more mercy in you than sin in us.46:20Father, if there's anyone in this room who has not truly accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, may today be the day.46:29May today be the day when the idols are set aside, the idols are cast down, and Jesus Christ is worshipped.46:38Jesus Christ is loved and served. And for the rest of us, Lord, help us to not put anyone or anything in your rightful position in our lives. May you be most important because you are the most important. We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Let us stand and worship the Lord together. Small Group DiscussionRead Exodus 32:1-35What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What is idolatry and why is it so serious?How are you using your God-given talents and resources to worship false gods?What excuses do you make for your sin? How have you blamed others for your sin? BreakoutPray for one another.

Our self-life – self-indulgence, self-preservation, self-gratification – our self-life, as it turns out is a tyrant that robs us of real life. The life that Jesus has for us. And I believe that this selfishness, this craving of the flesh is something that Jesus came to set us free from.   OVERCOMING SELFISHNESS Selfishness is a word that we are all too familiar with but I wonder how often we stop to think about what it actually means! Self–ish-ness ... it's about our tendency to put ourselves, our needs, our plans, our reputations before other people. Problem is, we notice when other people are being selfish to us – we notice when they put themselves and their own interests before ours but we rarely notice when the shoe is on the other foot. We rarely notice when it's us who are being selfish. In fact, for most of my life, I never once thought of myself as being selfish when the reality was that 'self' was all I was interested in. How about you? How often do you think of yourself being selfish as opposed to other people being selfish towards you? That's why selfishness is such an insidious sin. It rears its ugly head all too often without us ever really noticing that we are the ones being selfish. And this putting of self above and before other people – it takes so many different forms. Whenever my interests are more important to me than your interests, the easiest thing in the world is to put mine before yours and that ... that's what we call selfishness. Over the last three weeks on the programme we have been chatting about overcoming stubborn sin and I know that there are a few people who might squirm at that little word "sin". I used to too. I thought of it as an outdated, irrelevant, judgemental, religious term that, frankly, belonged in the lexicon of those doddering old folk I saw wandering in and out of those places they call "church", and that ... that is a deception that the devil was happy for me to live under for many years. But "sin" – it's a very simple concept: it's falling short of all the good and wonderful things that God has planned for our lives. It's missing the whole point and the point is that God wants us to enjoy Him and worship Him and glorify Him with our lives and that brings such a great source of delight and wonder and peace and joy to us. It's the way things are meant to be, now and for all eternity – through every up and every down – every mountain top experience and every trial and temptation and hurt this world has to offer. And so those "sins" that are particularly stubborn, that one sin that keeps coming back again and again and again, is Satan's messenger to torments us; to try and rob us of the abundant life that God has planned for us. And this one, selfishness, is one that so many people suffer from. It's one that used to be right up there right on top of my list too. I couldn't see what was wrong with it either. I worked hard, I applied myself and I'm this outcome focused person who drives hard at life to achieve what I set out to achieve – my agenda, my success, my way or the highway. So what's wrong with getting my way? If other people want to get their way, well, they should be like me, otherwise tough, right? That's the world's template for success – climb over whoever you have to; roll over the top of whoever you have to; crash through whoever you have to, to get to wherever you are going. And here's how it changed for me. There were two parts – one to do with my heart, the other to do with my hands. In other words one part to do with my motivation and the other part to do with my practical "doing" – how I lived that out. I was always after greatness – I wanted people to recognise who I was; to recognise my achievements. And I, like most of the rest of the world, thought that that was about getting 'my' way and other people going "WOW!" isn't he fantastic? Ha, well, that a deception; that's a lie, because it doesn't work that way. Jesus, in what the theologians called the 'Great Denunciation' in Matthew chapter 23, where He rips into the religious leaders of the day; people who were selfish and were ripping off those in their charge. Right in the middle of His vehement argument against their hypocrisy and selfishness, Jesus has this to say - He says: The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled and all who humble themselves, will be exalted. That's Matthew chapter 23, verses 11 and 12. Now, I thought about that a lot and the truth of that first sentence really ... really started to do its work in me. "The greatest among you will be your servant." The greatest people in my life; the ones whom I truly value and honour and respect are the ones who have served me more than all the others. There's a man called Graham. He was a Colonel in the Army when I was a young Captain. Together Graham and I and another man, Mark, left the Army and formed an Information Technology consulting firm. Now Graham is not only intellectually one of the smartest people I know, but he has a deep wisdom about life; about dealing with other people – about all sorts of things. Now he's twenty years my senior and over a period of seventeen years when we worked together in this consulting firm, he was my mentor; my teacher. He taught me how to listen, how not to roll over the top of people, how to influence instead of control. He taught me any number of things – many of those come out through these radio programmes, day after day, week after week, all these years later. He served me, even when I was young and precocious; even when I didn't deserve it. Ask me who are amongst the greatest people in my life and he is right up there. Once I figured out the deep truth of what Jesus said: "The greatest among you will be your servant," my motivations changed. And then ... then it was time to live that out, minute by minute, relationship by relationship, interaction by interaction. And here's what I discovered when I took my selfishness out of the equation; when I no longer had to win every time and get my way every time, all of a sudden life became much easier. James chapter 3, verse 16: For when there is envy and selfish ambition there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. And that is absolutely right! Take away the selfishness and instead of disorder and wickedness, what you get, nine times out of ten, is peace. Once I learned to collaborate instead of obliterate, WOW, what a great way to live your life! You know why ultimately, selfishness has become one of the easiest of my stubborn sins to give up? You know why? Because the rewards are so great and they are pretty much instant. Stop the selfishness and conflict reduces, peace increases, relationships improve and it happens quickly. And after a while it's really easy to get addicted to those rewards. You know, I'm wondering if that isn't what God planned all along. Have a listen to a bit more of what James chapter 3 says – verses 16 to 18: For where there is envy or selfish ambition there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. When we give up our selfishness, we are sowing peace and whatever we sow we will reap – we'll reap a harvest which is peace. This really works.   OVERCOMING THE FLESH Well, I don't know about you, but for me this last few weeks on the programme, where we've been looking at overcoming stubborn sin, once and for all – it's been a real challenge and for me too, a breath of fresh air. See, as we have travelled through God's Word, you know what's really leapt out for me? The truth that Jesus truly does want to set us free from the terrible effects of those stubborn sins that linger on in our lives. How many people I know – I was just sitting the other day having coffee with a man; a really successful businessman who was telling me about something in his life – a stubborn sin. And as successful as he was in business, he completely resigned himself to the fact – as least he thought it was a fact – that this stubborn sin would never go away. He was utterly convinced of it. Man, that is such a tragedy! Does that mean, he believes that when it comes to that one particular stubborn sin, that Jesus died and rose again in vain? Does he believe that the cross of Christ is mighty and powerful and able to save everyone and everything except him from that one sin? Evidently so! Well, let me be perfectly blunt – too many people for too long have been living with stubborn sin; destructive patterns of behaviour that they could be completely free of through a simple, yet tenacious faith in Jesus Christ. Today, right now, I want to show you that this truth is for you too. But here's the problem: so many people want a foot in each camp. They want to be free of the destructive effects of stubborn sin, but they don't want to pay the price of letting it go. Let me paint a picture for you. The man who works in a company; he's incredibly competent at what he does – he knows his job backwards and as it turns out, his skills and knowledge and abilities are invaluable to his employer – BUT he's incredibly critical. No one else can ever do the job to his standards and so he complains about people – he almost always has a bad attitude, he grumbles and because no one else can do things to his standard, he becomes a control freak. So, valuable as he may well be to his employer, he just doesn't have any friends at work. When people organise to go out to lunch together, they somehow ... forget to invite him. The others seem to laugh together and enjoy each other's company but he's is always on the outer. He knows deep inside, that his attitudes are robbing him of those relationships. But the truth is, he's not prepared to let go of the bad attitudes and the destructive behaviour that is robbing him of life. And that's what happens! See, we justify our own sin to ourselves and we want to be rid of its effects – we just don't want to have to pay the price of letting the sin go out of our lives. Huh, does this sound familiar? We're double minded about our sin. We want a foot in both camps – we want to be free but we just don't want to let go. Now, here's the question – how to we take this decisive step to let go of the sin? How? Well, I believe that what's required is a decisive step; a firm decision; a firm resolve in Christ to make a change. And if you know you have been double minded; if you know that you have been struggling, trying to have one foot in each camp and it hasn't been working, I want to share this powerful few verses from the Word of God with you. Because I believe that through them the Spirit of God is going to help you to decide, once and for all, to let go of whatever stubborn sin has been tearing your life apart. I'm reading from Romans chapter 13, beginning at verse 9: The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up by this word, "Love your neighbour as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Here's what God is saying to us through the Apostle Paul and this chapter from Romans: you know all the obvious rules; the ones we just can't seem to keep because of the stubborn sin in our lives. You want to know what they boil down to? Love the people around you; just love them the way God loves you and then He allowed His Son Jesus to be brutally nailed to that cross for you. Let me ask you: can you do that? Are you prepared to love others the way Jesus loved you? That's the question God's asking each one of us right now. "Take a good hard look at My Son, nailed hands and feet to the cross," God's saying, "gasping for breath, dying, bearing the price of your sin in His flesh that you might be forgiven. Take a good, hard look. Now, tell Me, now that you have seen My great love for you, will you love others with that same love with which I loved you? The day's coming; the time of your salvation is much, much closer than you might imagine. It is time ... it's time My child, for you to live in that light, to lay aside the works of your darkness and put on the armour of light. Replace whatever sin it is that's tearing you apart, replace it with a love that you have in My Son, Jesus Christ." Here's the problem: God's saying through this passage: you have been making provision for your flesh to gratify your worldly desires. It is time ... it is time for you, for each one of us to decide instead to clothe ourselves in Christ – to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and stop making provisions for your flesh – stop pandering to your desires. And this, my friend, is the crunch point: we start off with all these great intentions ... "No, no, I won't be selfish anymore; no, no, I won't get involved in sexual immorality anymore; no, no, I won't let anger ruin my life" ... but then ... then the flesh cries out. See, the flesh never wants to let go; it never wants to die to self and when it hurts; when it screams out; when we can't get the gratification that we have become addicted to ... a gratification no less destructive than heroin or ice, mind you, when we can't get it anymore, what we do is pander to the flesh. And just continue on that downward spiral of self destruction that sin is all about. Today ... today, God is calling you and me to a decisive point in our lives. Listen again to the very call of God to you and to me – listen, allow it to rest on your heart. Romans chapter 13, verse 14: Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Now I have a question – as the Holy Spirit takes that Scripture and begins to do His work in your heart by it, are you prepared to make the decision to die to self – to stop making provision for the flesh each time it cries out and once and for all, clothe yourselves in Jesus Christ? Because that's what God is calling each one of us to do. I can't answer that call for you, only you can. As you stand and behold the Lamb of God, suffering on that cross for you, let me ask you this: do you hear His call? "Die to self and come ... come and enjoy the new life that My Son died to give to you." Do you see how much God loves you? "Come! Do you hear the call? How do you answer?   THAT WE MAY STAND As we come to the end of this four week series "Overcoming Stubborn Sin Once and For All", I know that there is still some among us, whilst they hunger in their hearts after God, find that something ... an elusive something is holding them back. Something is not quite right. If that's what going on inside you right now, then you should not be surprised – you're not alone. There is indeed an elusive something holding back many a man and many a woman – holding them back from giving their lives; all of who they are over to God - holding them back from letting go of this stubborn sin that has been ruling their lives all too long. I'm going to read something to you that was written by the well known author A.W. Tozer in the mid-twentieth century, in his book "The Pursuit of God". The language and the turn of phrase may have dated a little but it makes the truth of what he says no less true and no less powerful. Have a listen to what he writes: There is something more serious than coldness of heart; something that may be back of that coldness and be the cause of its existence. What is it? What but the presence of a veil in our hearts. A veil not taken away as the first veil was but which remains there still shutting out the light and hiding the face of God from us. It is the veil of our fleshly fallen nature living on, unjudged within us; un-crucified and un-repudiated. It is the close woven veil of the self life which we have never truly acknowledged, of which we have been secretly ashamed and which, for these reasons we have never brought to the judgement of the cross. It is not too mysterious, this opaque veil, nor is it hard to identify – we have but to look in our own hearts and we shall see it there – sewn and patched and repaired it may be, but there, never the less, an enemy to our lives and an effective block to our spiritual progress. This veil is not a beautiful thing, it is not a thing about which we commonly care to talk but I am addressing the thirsting souls who are determined to follow God and I know they will not turn back because the way leads temporarily through the blackened hills. The urge of God within them will assure their continuing pursuit. They will face the facts, however unpleasant, and endure the cross for the joy set before them. So I am bold to name the threads out of which this inner veil is woven. It is woven of fine threads of the self life – the hyphenated sins of the human spirit. They are not something we do, they are something we are and therein lies both their subtlety and their power. To be specific, the self sins are these: self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love and a host of others like them. They dwell too deep within us and are too much a part of our natures to come to our attention until the light of God is focused on them. The grosser manifestation of these sins: egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion are strangely tolerated in Christian leaders, even in circles of impeccable orthodoxy. Promoting the self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excite little notice. The self is a hard and brutal taskmaster and letting go is painful. Tozer goes on to say this: Let us remember when we talk about the rending of the veil we are speaking in a figure and the thought of it is poetical, almost pleasant but in actuality, there is nothing pleasant about it at all. In human experience, that veil is made of living spiritual tissue. It is composed of the sentient, quivering stuff of which our whole being consists and to touch it is to touch us where we feel pain – to tear it away, this veil of self, is to injure us, to hurt us and to make us bleed. To say otherwise is to make the cross, no cross and death, no death at all. It is never fun to die – to rip through that dear and tender stuff of which life is made, can never be anything but deeply, deeply painful. Yet that is what the cross did to Jesus and it is what the cross would do to every man to set him free. Let us beware of tinkering with our inner life in the hope, ourselves, to rend the veil. God must do everything for us – our part is to yield and trust. We must confess, forsake and repudiate the self-life and then reckon it to be crucified. But we must be careful to distinguish lazy acceptance from the real work of God. We must insist upon this work being done. We dare not rest with a neat doctrine of self-crucifixion – that is to imitate Saul and to spare the best of the sheep and the oxen. I have got to tell you, that really strikes hard with me. There is a veil of self that hangs over many a heart because we have not taken it to God; because we have not allowed it to be crucified and we have not travelled that way. I just feel right now as we finish this series, this four part series of "Eliminating Stubborn Sin – Once and For All", I feel that you and I should pray this very thing through. Father God. We come before You today, knowing the depth of our sin and the consequences of our rebellion. We come before You today not knowing how to let go of this stubborn sin that dogs our lives and we know that it is only through the cross that this veil of self can be torn from our hearts. So we come to You by the power of Your cross and the grace available to us through the price that Jesus paid for us there. Forgive us, Lord God, and set us free from this sin, once and for all. This day, this moment, we will take up Your cross and follow You, no matter what it may cost us, no matter how much it may hurt to give up the self life. Even if it should cost us our lives, we choose to follow You. Father God, honour the desires of our hearts and empower us to live our lives for You. Father, we give our lives over to You. In Jesus mighty name, we pray. Amen.

Matlock Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/354059/episodes/19446768-matlock-05-07-26-father-god-jonny-burton.mp3Jonny spoke about Father God and his characteristics.

Tribes usually think a lot of themselves. Exclusive groups are sometimes arrogant. Even whole nations can be this way. In the 19th century, several European countries felt they were the descendants of the first people in the world.With religion, this can be infinitely worse. With Christianity, critics often say the exclusive nature of it is just unfair. They cite the Christian view that the only way to be reconciled to God is through Jesus Christ, and say that's degrading to people of other faiths, or those with no faith. Other worldviews claim to have truth, and a few claim a superior view of the world, but none are quite like the Christian faith.Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All, meaning all. That's the meaning of the verse, and this is offensive to a lot of people. Christianity though, doesn't force itself on anyone, at least not in the modern world. It's been said that the holy spirit is a gentleman, meaning he won't force a person to yield to God. Instead, God offers grace to all who want it.Paul made it clear in particular that in order to be born again, one must believe in Jesus Christ. Rather than see this as exclusive, maybe we should change our perspective just a little and see how inclusive it really is. Many religions claim truth, but not absolute truth. Along with that, many believe all religions lead to God, but the totality of scripture tells us clearly that it is in Jesus that we find the truth and satisfy the longing in our souls.In John 8:31–32, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples and then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” So, you see, far from being a hateful, dominant view, the Christian faith shows people everywhere how to be free from sin. Not a work-spaced religion, but one that makes the very most of God's grace and that is true truth.Let's pray. Father God, your Word is truth. In it, we discover who we are and what our relationship with you can be. Thank you that you haven't left us in the dark about our world and the world beyond. In Jesus' name. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Father God, I'm running toward you for you are my safe place.Scripture: Proverbs 18:10Keywords: Fortress; safe place; just; mighty; refuge; shelter.Best of, Summer.

What does it mean to call God "Father"? And what did Jesus mean when He prayed, "Abba, Father"? In this message, Pastor Roger Pettay explores one of the most personal and comforting names of God. Discover why Jesus loved to call God "Father," what the expression "Abba, Father" really means, and why God should never be measured by the failures of earthly fathers. More importantly, learn how the gospel does more than offer forgiveness—it brings us into God's family. Through Jesus Christ, enemies become children, and believers are invited to approach God with confidence, affection, and trust. In this message: • Why we should not judge God by broken fathers • What kind of Father God truly is • Why Jesus frequently addressed God as Father • The meaning of "Abba, Father" in Scripture • How sinners become sons and daughters of God • The invitation to come home to the Father through Jesus Christ #AbbaFather #FatherGod #NamesOfGod #Gospel #Adoption #BiblicalTruth #ChristianFaith #BibleTeaching #SermonPodcast #ChristianPodcast #ExaltChurch #ExaltChurchVA

No one is truly alone. Some people have many relatives and friends, others just a few. Occasionally, someone will have no real friends or family, but all of us interact with humans, and that over time, has proven to be dicey. The health of our relationships is one of the biggest factors in how we function each day. Turmoil and chaos at home or work, or both, puts us in emotional quicksand. On the other hand, healthy relationships in our lives improve our overall health and make us more productive.In Genesis, God modeled right relationships for humans, and this model continues through the Bible right to the end in Revelation. From this, we see that our first priority in relationships is to be in fellowship with our Creator. Get that one right, and everything else flows. Following close behind is finding harmony in our human relationships, and getting this right is crucial to finding peace. Ephesians 4:2–3 says, “Be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”Most people are familiar with the well-known Bible verses that deal with relationships, such as Paul's wisdom from Ephesians, but Scripture is loaded with helpful and healing relationship commands. We hesitate to call it advice because God doesn't really give advice. He tells us what is good for us and what may be harmful. For example, a fairly obscure passage in Job speaks to mean in any era having healthy relationships with women. In Job 31:1 the suffering man says, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.” Wow. So simple, yet very important and profound.That chapter goes on to say that God sees all that we do. He's watching how we treat people. Job made it clear that a man can decide he's going to treat women with respect. It isn't complicated or beyond our reach. So often, simply deciding to be a decent human being leads to waves of healing and peace of mind for everyone. Lots of books have been written about relationships, from marriage to raising children, but the best book of all has the best wisdom, and if you check that out, your relationships will thank you. Let's pray.Father God, you've given us the gift of interacting with other people. Each is unique and created special. We ask that you send the Holy Spirit to guide our relationships so that they're pleasing to you and to others. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Fatherhood is more than providing, protecting, and showing up to the games. It is covenant. It is a call It is speaking life, direction, and truth into the next generation — even when it feels thankless, invisible, or overwhelming. In this powerful message, "The Joy of Fatherhood," we explore the deep biblical connection between a Father God who is relational and intentional, and the fathers He has commissioned to reflect that same love. From Luke to John, from 1 Timothy to 1 Corinthians, this message is filled with Spirit-led insight, raw honesty, and life-giving hope for every dad, spiritual father, and man who wants to walk in purpose. "You have a covenant with a Father who delights in you — One whose love is patient, enduring, and eternal. That same love flows through you into your children, your home, and your legacy. "The Joy of Fatherhood" is a timely, faith-filled word for every man stepping into the most important role of his life. Listen now, this is your moment, Dad. Step into the business of the Father. There is no greater joy than walking in the Father's business — and raising children who do the same. The Kingdom is coming; His will is being done — and you get to be part of it.

Send me a Text Message!This message was given on Father's Day as part of our summer Psalms series. And here is the heart of the message. Before we ever talk about the kind of fathers we need to be, we need to talk about the Father we long for. I really believe that in every heart, there is a father we long for. I know we come with mixed emotions on Father's Day. But before we talk about the kind of fathers we want to be, weshould talk about the kind of Father we have. He's described in Psalm 103. We long for a Father, for a Father God who loves us unconditionally, unrelentingly, with His whole heart. See before I can be a good father, I need to have a good Father. And in the journey of become a good father, I need to understand where the journey starts.  It's not about trying harder, it's about looking higher.He is the father our hearts long for...

We are asked to trust Jesus' words. He said sustaining Life is Him. In Him. By Him. Because of Him. Do we trust Him? On the tree of death He gave His physical life. As the source of all life, the Tree of Life, we are invited to eat and be filled. Let us delight ourselves in Him, in His presence with us, in the eternal life we have even now. Because of His act of faith that Father God would keep His word and give us life because we have faith in Jesus' name.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, Joy Peyton and Phil Reaser

Pastor Mike brings us a message continuing the SEND ME campaignPlease follow along with our YouVersion Bible app event here: http://bible.com/events/49623926Click http://bcc.life/whats-on to find out about all our events and activities.Click http://bcc.life/give to access our giving page, where you can return your tithes to God, bring an offering or make a donation!If you ever need to know how to make Jesus the Lord of your life and come home to Father God, here is a great prayer you can pray:"Lord Jesus, I am so sorry for my wrongdoing. Please forgive me for being separated from you and from other people. I receive into you my life as Lord. Please lead me from now on. I surrender to you. I believe that you died on the cross to take away my sins, that you rose again on the third day and that you are alive and with me now. I accept you into my life. Please help me to live for you. Thank you for your gift of eternal life for now and for ever. Amen."If you prayed this prayer, please let us know! It's the best decision you can ever make, and we would love to celebrate that with you! Let us know in the chat session of the livestream, email us at admin@bcc.life! or visit https://bit.ly/BCC-FollowJesus Comments are closed but we do invite you to email us at admin@bcc.life if you would like to communicate with us or via our Business WhatsApp which you can access from the home page of our website at: http://bcc.life/

Our experiences with earthly fathers can shape the way we view God, but they do not define who He is. Where human relationships may have included inconsistency, disappointment, or conditional love, God reveals Himself as a Father who is faithful, approachable, and unchanging. His love is not based on our performance, accomplishments, or ability to measure up—it is rooted in His grace and what Christ has already accomplished for us. Highlights: God invites His children to approach Him with confidence and receive His mercy and grace Our experiences with earthly fathers can influence how we view God, but Scripture reveals His true character God’s love is not earned through accomplishments or perfection—it is a gift of grace Through Jesus, we can come before God without fear of condemnation or rejection Our Heavenly Father is faithful, approachable, and always present in our time of need Join the Conversation Have you experienced a time when God reminded you that He saw your pain, needs, or circumstances? How does knowing that God is El Roi—the God who sees you—change the way you approach difficult seasons? Continue the conversation with the Crosswalk community here: https://forums.crosswalk.com/ Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Approaching Our Father By Cindi McMenamin Bible Reading:“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 ESV). Do you ever need help but hesitate to ask someone, unsure of what their response might be? The writer to the Hebrews must have known we would experience that type of hesitation when approaching God, and apparently wanted us to know that we can approach our Father God with confidence and find Him full of mercy and grace when we need help. This wasn’t an easy concept for me to grasp. Even though I grew up in church, learning about the love and forgiveness of my heavenly Father, I also believed I had to earn my earthly father’s love. I don’t often remember my dad saying “I love you,” but I do remember how pleased he was with my accomplishments, so I often heard him say, “I’m so proud of you.” Thus, it was ingrained in me that if I accomplished much and made him proud, that equated to his love for me. I also grew up fearing my dad’s reaction if I made a dent in a wall, left a scratch on our car, or broke something of value. I was especially fearful of bringing home a traffic ticket. I learned how to tiptoe around him and to do everything I could to keep the peace at home. When my dad wasn’t under stress or triggered by past pain, he was approachable and very kind to me. Other times, he wasn’t. It was often a gamble. Today, my dad is a different person. Through the transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit, he has softened tremendously through the years. I know today that he loves me for who I am, not for what I do. Yet, many times how we grew up around an earthly father (or without one) can tend to shape our view of God as our Heavenly Father. I remember the freedom I experienced when I understood the truth of God’s unconditional love and acceptance for His children. Romans 5:8 tells us: “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That means if there was nothing we could do to earn God’s love, there’s nothing we can do to lose His love. It also means we never have to perform or try to measure up to our Heavenly Father’s standards because Jesus already did! We are enough for our Heavenly Father because God sees us through what Jesus accomplished on the cross on our behalf. God doesn’t love and accept us based on our behavior, accomplishments, or what we make of ourselves. His acceptance of us is based on our faith in His Perfect Son (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:6). Intersecting Faith & Life: No matter what your relationship is like (or was like) with your earthly father, God’s love, presence, and help are far more accessible to us than any earthly dad’s – even the most loving ones. Hebrews 4:16 assures us that because we have a High Priest (Jesus) who can sympathize with us, we can approach God with boldness and receive His mercy and grace any time we need His help. When we are in a relationship with Jesus, we can confidently approach our Father God at any time of the day or night, and He’ll be there for us. No condemnation. No fear of retribution. Only grace and help in times of need. Every single time. God is consistently merciful, and our approach doesn’t have to depend on His mood or circumstances. How has your relationship (or lack of one) with your earthly father affected how you see God as your Heavenly Father? God’s attributes are not only a picture of what every earthly father was meant to be, but I believe God longs to make up for what you never experienced with your dad by being your faithful, dependable, loving, and approachable Father. Can you look to Him today to be the Dad you have always wanted, but might never have had? O Lord God, open our eyes to see You as the perfect Father and the One we can approach with everything on our hearts and minds. Thank You that You always hear the cries of Your children—and Your grace and mercy never run dry. Further Reading:Romans 8:38-39 For more on growing closer to God and being able to call Him Father, see Cindi’s book, The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dads hold a beautiful and powerful responsibility to help steward the lens in which we view Father God. In this message, Gabe Valenzuela teaches on the responses of a good father towards their children. Good fathers who reflect the heart of God communicate value to their children, demonstrate what love looks like, are providers who bring security to their families, bring supernatural encouragement, discipline and instruct children well, and instill hope into their families. Fatherhood is a gift from the Lord, and when stewarded well, brings safety and the revelation of a good Father to the world around us. As you listen to this message, we pray that you encounter the heart of God and receive divine keys in navigating the gift of fatherhood! , , , , , , , ,

This week is baptism Sunday. We will hear testimonies from those being baptised and a message from Pastor Mike. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzHJ8FJGnRU Please follow along with our YouVersion Bible app event here: https://bible.com/events/49620693Click http://bcc.life/whats-on to find out about all our events and activities.Click http://bcc.life/give to access our giving page, where you can return your tithes to God, bring an offering or make a donation!If you ever need to know how to make Jesus the Lord of your life and come home to Father God, here is a great prayer you can pray:"Lord Jesus, I am so sorry for my wrongdoing. Please forgive me for being separated from you and from other people. I receive into you my life as Lord. Please lead me from now on. I surrender to you. I believe that you died on the cross to take away my sins, that you rose again on the third day and that you are alive and with me now. I accept you into my life. Please help me to live for you. Thank you for your gift of eternal life for now and for ever. Amen."If you prayed this prayer, please let us know! It's the best decision you can ever make, and we would love to celebrate that with you! Let us know in the chat session of the livestream, email us at admin@bcc.life! or visit https://bit.ly/BCC-FollowJesus Comments are closed on all of our YouTube videos but we do invite you to email us at admin@bcc.life if you would like to communicate with us or via our Business WhatsApp which you can access from the home page of our website at: http://bcc.life/

God teaches us from the simple things in life i live in a country that is not sunny all year around so when i. Saw grape plants for sale i thought to myself. Iam not buying them because they are not going to grow. But when i had to go back to the supermarket because i forgot something i had payed for i saw a lady who lives on a road near where i live put two grape plants in her shopping trolley. And this morning God explain something to me she had the faith to believe that whatever she planted would grow bbut i doubted regradless of us living in this world we belong to a kingdom that is ruled by faith and if we can believe it. We can receive it. Jesus told us if we had faith has small has a mustard we can tell that mountain to be removed and it will move by faith those mountains that we have to overcome every day. Father God we pray that you. help us each and every day to over come all the mountains that want to stand in our way in Jesus christ name we pray amen.. Thank you all fpr listening to blessed and free 63 in Jesus name we pray amen remind us o Lord that we can do all things though christ who strengthens us. In Jesus christ name we pray amen ❤️

We often hear that it's harder to raise kids today than ever before. That isn't true, of course. All eras down through history have been challenging. We live in a world scarred by sin, after all, and children grow up among all sorts of temptations.That's why the role of a parent is something to take seriously, as a sacred duty.We've been discussing the best practical guide for living: the Bible. Nowhere is this truer than in its practical wisdom for raising successful children.Although we all have the freedom to make our own choices, and your kids certainly will make their own decisions, they benefit greatly from a loving father or mother who also loves the Lord.Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off in the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”This isn't the kind of thing you hope for — this is scripture, the Word of God, and can be relied on to bring about the promise made. The Lord will honor your commitment to raising children who love their Creator.One way to do that is to be bold in your discussions with your children, who likely hear anti-God stuff from school, and entertainment. For example, talk with them as if you believe the Bible is really true. Then point out that the book of Exodus commands all of us to value our parents.Exodus 20:12 says, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God has given you.”It doesn't hurt to point out the bonus: long life.Make sure you also share with your children the wonderful practical tips from the Bible. Much of it will save them a broken heart down the road.For example, Proverbs 18:24 says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”This is repeated in the New Testament in 1 Corinthians 15:33, which says, “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.”God's Word promises us a sound mind. This state of being will help your children in everything they do from completing school assignments to caring for elderly relatives. A child who knows the Lord, and prays consistently, will become a human being you can be proud of.Let's pray.Father God, children are a gift from you. They are a sacred treasure — entrusted to us for a little while. Remind us daily of our role in shaping their lives, so that they are healthy and content, in the world that you made for them. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:  1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18-19, Colossians 4 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for June 18th. Join Hunter as we continue our journey through the scriptures on day 170, exploring 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18 and 19, and Colossians 4. Today, we'll witness the steadfast light of prophets like Micaiah standing for truth in dark times, reflect on our calling to shine God's light in the world, and lift our hearts together in prayer. Whether you're starting your day or seeking some encouragement, come along as we let the Bible point us to the living Word who brings us life. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Micaiah, the truth-speaking prophet, is a light. In the face of deceit and dark kingdoms and dark prophets, he is a light. God always has his lights. Those who speak the truth. Micaiah is one of them. God always has his lights because he is the Father of lights. That's what James tells us. He has men and women who are faithful to shine their light in the darkness and to speak the truth for the Lord, regardless of the results. Paul was one of these lights too. Paul desired to shine the truth of the Gospel of Christ into the darkness. Paul knew how hard it could be. In fact, he wrote Colossians while he was in chains, and it only got worse from there. Yet he is still determined to shine the light. But he asked his friends for prayer. He says, pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. He knows it's going to be hard, but he also knows that he is a child of the light and he's called to shine in the darkness. God, the Father of lights, is not just the Father of prophets and apostles like Paul and Micaiah. He's also the Father of ordinary people like you and me. And like those mentioned at the end of today's reading—these are names of people that rarely get a second thought. But they too are born into the light of our Father. And they are being faithful to carry out the ministry that their Father God has given to them. To Archippus, Paul says, be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord has given you. There were other people's names like Demas, Epaphras, Archippus, Tycheus, Nympha, Onesimus, and people like you and me with names like Craig, Rebecca, Tom, Mary Ellen, Luz. All are lights born of the Father. All of us have a ministry to shine his bright light in this dark world. Paul asked for prayer: Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. He also exhorts others to carry out the ministry that God has given them. And the Father has shone the light of Christ into you. You have been given the light of the world. Allow him to bear light in your heart. Do what God has called you to do in his strength, reflecting back to him the glory that is only his. And let us all together learn what it is to shine our lights. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

This morning the Lord gave me a word for someone but a word was in there for me tooIt was about pride thar gets in the way of relationships and even if God sends the right person you can spoil it by not having the right attuide. Isometimes we do goodworks to benefit ourselves it looks good on our cv we can get things at a good price in goodwill shops and volunteers are needed. But God does not only want us to do good works he wants us to have good heart because goodworks will always flow from a good heart. Father God we ask you today to help us to change to have the right heart and attitude towards people and things in Jesus christ mighty name we pray amen, thank you for listening to blessed and free 63 where Jesus christ is Lord

Generosity is about discipleship, not finances, and is rooted in trusting Father God, who gave everything first. Drawing on 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 and 2 Peter 1:4, this message in the BECOMING series calls us to live with open hands and hearts in our finances, time, relationships, and forgiveness, reflecting the Father's abundant nature.

Generosity is about discipleship, not finances, and is rooted in trusting Father God, who gave everything first. Drawing on 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 and 2 Peter 1:4, this message in the BECOMING series calls us to live with open hands and hearts in our finances, time, relationships, and forgiveness, reflecting the Father's abundant nature.

Now that we know we are blessed beyond measure, Predestined in Yeshua, and have a new relational Identity with Father God, we have a new responsibility in how we are to live in the world. Tune in as Rabbi Schnieder wraps up this encouraging series and expounds on this newfound responsibility. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner   **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES -  https://djj.show/4q6 

In this Q&A episode, Peter Leithart is joined by Jeff Meyers, Alastair Roberts, and James Bejon to answer listener questions on Trinitarian theology, church unity, family worship, evangelism, and liturgy. They discuss the monarchy of the Father, the biblical pattern of calling the Father “God” and Jesus “Lord,” and the mystery of the Trinity's unity. They also consider what a future united church might look like, how families can practice worship at home without confusing household devotion with church liturgy, whether evangelism is hindered in places devoted to other gods, and how evangelicals can recover richer liturgical practices without simply becoming “high church.” GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres Show less

The beauty of praise helps us become more intimate with God. Praise is an instrument to glorify the Father God. Praise rescues us into Himself. Praise helps us to not deny Christ Jesus. Praise God as He is Worthy

In the evangelical classic The Cross and the Switchblade, David Wilkerson tells the story of his ministry to a street gang and the dramatic conversion of Nicky Cruz, a knife-wielding teenage gang leader. About 20 years later Cruz himself wrote a book called The Magnificent Three in which he wrote, “Something has emerged in my walk with God that has become the most important element of my discipleship. It has become the thing that sustains me, that feeds me, that keeps me steady when I am shaky. I have come to see God, to know Him, to relate to Him as Three-in-One, God as Trinity.”He continues, “God is a magnificent Father. God is a magnificent Savior, Jesus Christ. But if it were not for the magnificent Holy Spirit, I would still be a wretched, hateful sinner! It is not enough to have a Father-God who loves and provides for me. It is not enough even to have a Savior who died for my sins. For any of those blessings to make a difference in our lives, there must also be present in this world that Third Person of God, the Holy Spirit.”We refer to the Trinity regularly. We confess our faith and are baptized and blessed in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but do you see this truth as magnificent?The Text: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love…” (1 Jn. 4:7-17)King's Cross Church is a member congregation of the CREC in Moscow, ID. Visit our website at https://kingscrossmoscow.com.Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/kingscrossmoscow.

As a divorced mom, I raised three sons, and for my two youngest, I was doing it completely without their father. I remember the weight of that and the realization that I wasn't "daddy" and I couldn't be, because nature just wasn't designed that way. But I learned a secret while struggling to come up with effective ways to get out of survival mode. Mothering solo doesn't mean parenting alone. I began co-parenting with God, relying on Him to fill the gaps that felt too wide for me to bridge.The strategy started with a hard truth we have to help our sons grasp: God is nothing like men. If an earthly father was absent or unloving, a boy's view of "Father God" is often fractured. We have to reframe that character through our own leadership and by diving into the Word to show them a Father who never leaves. But it doesn't stop with us. I remember when my youngest was 13 and terrified of the calling on his life. I prayed for a mentor, and God provided a youth pastor who was also a court attorney. He was a man of stability and integrity who stayed. Twenty years later, they are still friends. That mentorship didn't just give my son a role model; it gave him a blueprint for manhood.I've always prioritized conversation and community. People used to stop me on the train and ask, "Is that your son? You two talk like you're friends." I took pride in that because I knew I had to be the sum of his influences. Yet, as Jim Rohn famously said, “we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.” With that in mind, being mindful of the company your sons keep is crucial int keeping him focused on what's important in life. I had to oversee his "circle of five," ensuring he was surrounded by godly peers. Note: The only reason I created a Facebook account was to oversee my son's action on social media. I was terrified that they would connect with unsafe people online. But I needn't worry and I realized I didn't need to keep on eye on them all the time. I encourage you also, to add another layer to your leadership when daddy is absent. Encourage your son to read about biblical role models like David, who was far from perfect but was humble. He recognized when he messed up and embraced God to help him escape trouble. Also, Joseph, who modeled integrity despite the many difficulties her suffered. Finally by building consistent spiritual habits—reading the Word and praying together—our sons can move from fearing their future to embracing their calling. We don't have to live continuously in survival mode. We can help our sons shake the legacy of absence and raise men who will stand strong for generations.While the heart of our mission is spiritual, we must also use the right tools to ensure this message reaches every mother searching for a lifeline.If the idea of God as your Father intrigue you, I encourage you to check out Day 12: God, Our Father in Courage to Believe 21 Day Christian Devotional for Single Moms. It's available in French, German, English, and Spanish on the free Kindle app: https://amzn.to/440sjViIf you have a question or just want to talk, please leave me a message at https://www.jrosemarie.com/contact or WhatsApp: 1 917-994-1329.Something to ponder today: Think about the concept of “co-parenting with God”. What would life look like for you (how would your life change) if you adapted the framework outlined in this episode?https://solomomstalk.mysites.io/podcast-2-copy/helping-your-son-connect-with-god-when-daddy-is-absentThis podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.Mentioned in this episode:Co-Parenting with God to Break the Fatherless Legacy and Raise Sons of IntegrityParenting solo is not for the faint of heart. But we don't have to do it on our own. This episode is a framework for mothers raising sons as a single parent. It explains how to help your son shake off the legacy of the absentee father. Whether the father is absent through choice or tragedy, this episode is a guide to help you get the help you need to raise boys of integrity and strength.Audible: Get 3 months for $0.99/mCo-Parenting with God to Break the Fatherless Legacy and Raise Sons of IntegrityParenting solo is not for the faint of heart. But we don't have to do it on our own. This episode is a framework for mothers raising sons as a single parent. It explains how to help your son shake off the legacy of the absentee father. Whether the father is absent through choice or tragedy, this episode is a guide to help you get the help you need to raise boys of integrity and strength.Audible: Get 3 months for $0.99/mThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This week we are starting our new campaign 'Send Me'. Pastor Mike will be bringing our first message. Please follow along with our YouVersion Bible app event here: https://bible.com/events/49617462Click http://bcc.life/whats-on to find out about all our events and activities.Click http://bcc.life/give to access our giving page, where you can return your tithes to God, bring an offering or make a donation!If you ever need to know how to make Jesus the Lord of your life and come home to Father God, here is a great prayer you can pray:"Lord Jesus, I am so sorry for my wrongdoing. Please forgive me for being separated from you and from other people. I receive into you my life as Lord. Please lead me from now on. I surrender to you. I believe that you died on the cross to take away my sins, that you rose again on the third day and that you are alive and with me now. I accept you into my life. Please help me to live for you. Thank you for your gift of eternal life for now and for ever. Amen."If you prayed this prayer, please let us know! It's the best decision you can ever make, and we would love to celebrate that with you! Let us know in the chat session of the livestream, email us at admin@bcc.life! or visit https://bit.ly/BCC-FollowJesus Comments are closed but we do invite you to email us at admin@bcc.life if you would like to communicate with us or via our Business WhatsApp which you can access from the home page of our website at: http://bcc.life/

Send me a Text Message!Nehemiah 7 contains a long, (kind of boring) list of names. But in this episode I just want to make it clear that no list of names is boring to God. Long ago, before all of the grand and awesome creation was even a gleam in Father God's eye, Paul says that God loved us and chose us. He created you in his image. He fashioned your heart with His heart as a model. At the beginning, the warrior-poet David wrote, as He formed you in your mother's womb, He dreamed dreams about your life and He looked forward to all your days. His plan for you has always been for good. Why? Because you are God's precious treasure. If you don't believe me, just listen in. 

As humans, we compartmentalize things. It's in our nature to make lists, and rank priorities, and really box certain things in. We've got our work-life over here, and our family life over there, and our faith...somewhere else. And this can often lead us to confusion about which direction we're supposed to go.This confusion even extends to our faith. We wonder: when am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to take action on my faith?Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”When we get the Word deep in our hearts, we can have an answer to our personal questions. This sweet psalm tells us that we are to always remember the great gifts Father God bestows on us. His greatness is ever before us, and in this way, we can worship Him all the time, no matter what we are doing.Learn to bless the Lord and praise Him as you do your job, as you fellowship with others, and even as you engage with people who don't believe what you believe. They need to see the love of Christ shining through you.Let's pray.Lord, we bless you and praise you with our words. Thank you, Father, for never ever forgetting us. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

This Sunday, we are joined by Missionaries Pastor Jordan & Nitasha Christian. Pastor Jordan brings us a message titled 'Five Reasons why the goodness of God is critical for missions'.  This sermon is part of our Mission May Campaign.Please follow along with our YouVersion Bible app event here: https://www.bible.com/events/49614280 You can also watch the entire service here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjfGktmjrgY Click ⁠http://bcc.life/whats-on⁠ to find out about all our events and activities. Click ⁠http://bcc.life/give⁠ to access our giving page, where you can return your tithes to God, bring an offering or make a donation! If you ever need to know how to make Jesus the Lord of your life and come home to Father God, here is a great prayer you can pray: "Lord Jesus, I am so sorry for my wrongdoing. Please forgive me for being separated from you and from other people. I receive into you my life as Lord. Please lead me from now on. I surrender to you. I believe that you died on the cross to take away my sins, that you rose again on the third day and that you are alive and with me now. I accept you into my life. Please help me to live for you. Thank you for your gift of eternal life for now and for ever. Amen." If you prayed this prayer, please let us know! It's the best decision you can ever make, and we would love to celebrate that with you!Let us know in the chat session of the livestream, email us at admin@bcc.life! or visit ⁠https://bit.ly/BCC-FollowJesus

In this podcast, Pastor Justin lays out how we must prioritize God and His family first in our lives to position ourselves for His blessing and favor to flow freely.Support the show

The truth about our Father God is that He has freed us from the lies that say we are not worthy of love, that we are not good enough, that we are failures, so don't try anymore. Regardless of your physical condition, your emotional state of mind, or what you have been told - the absolute truth is - in Jesus, you are free. Choose to believe the truth. God so loved you that He gave His only Son for your freedom. No longer are you a slave to this world. You are free indeed.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil Reaser

This Sunday, Pastor Mike brings us a Pentecost Sunday message titled ‘Highly Flammable and Extremely Contagious'.  This sermon is part of our Mission May Campaign.Please follow along with our YouVersion Bible app event here: https://www.bible.com/events/49611045You can also watch the entire service here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvunWbHQC5oClick http://bcc.life/whats-on to find out about all our events and activities. Click http://bcc.life/give to access our giving page, where you can return your tithes to God, bring an offering or make a donation! If you ever need to know how to make Jesus the Lord of your life and come home to Father God, here is a great prayer you can pray: "Lord Jesus, I am so sorry for my wrongdoing. Please forgive me for being separated from you and from other people. I receive into you my life as Lord. Please lead me from now on. I surrender to you. I believe that you died on the cross to take away my sins, that you rose again on the third day and that you are alive and with me now. I accept you into my life. Please help me to live for you. Thank you for your gift of eternal life for now and for ever. Amen." If you prayed this prayer, please let us know! It's the best decision you can ever make, and we would love to celebrate that with you!Let us know in the chat session of the livestream, email us at admin@bcc.life! or visit https://bit.ly/BCC-FollowJesus

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 22nd of May, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Book of Deuteronomy 8:3:”…you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” Then we go to the Gospel of John 6:35: ”And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger…” Jesus is the one who satisfies your hunger today, no one else and nothing else! Oh, I can tell you from the bottom of my heart, as a young man, I tried everything. I thought that I would be fulfilled when I became a successful sportsman. I thought that I would make it if I just owned my own farm, then I would never hunger again for anything. Then I met my dear wife and I thought, “That is it, now I have everything I need in life!” Then came along the children, even an extra blessing - but still an emptiness in my heart.Are you there today, my dear friend? Are you feeling that way? ”Angus, I've tried everything, I've done everything, I've succeeded in so many ways and I am still not satisfied.” This message is for you today. You see, Mark 8:36 says: ”For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Our hunger is satisfied only when we eat the Bread of Life and His name is Jesus Christ. The wisest man that ever lived was Solomon, and what did he say after he had achieved everything? “Vanity, vanity,” he said, “it's like chasing the wind. I've done it all and I've got nothing to show for it.” We need the meat. We need the Word of God. I want to pray for you today because maybe you're in that position. Father God, I pray for my friend listening to this message today, that you will show them the only time that they will be satisfied and filled up is when they seek You first. I pray Lord, that they will start to get up early in the morning, spend time in Your presence, in prayer, Bible-reading and in thinking about the things which have eternal value, and Your peace, Your shalom, Your satisfaction will be all they need. In Jesus name, amen. God bless you and have a wonderful day. Goodbye

Every child learns what is right, how to live well through the careful and kind guidance from a parent or parent model in their life. The truth about our Father God is that He has the same purpose, models the perfect role as parent with us as well. As His children we are subject to His guidance, His leading, His discipline - "for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." God guides us, directing our steps so we will pattern our decisions by what He knows is best for our development and maturity.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil Reaser

As you listen to these scriptures, contemplate the ways God shows His care for you. No matter where you are, where you go, or what you do, He is always right there with you. His thoughts about each of us, are more than the grains of sand this world holds. Never are we out of His thoughts. How secure, how safe it is to be with Father God, who knows you, and loves you without reserve.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Elizabeth Ames, Michelle DeChant, and Adam Maddock

••• Why We Need Holy Spirit: Pentecost Special Series Part-2 of 5, Ep 428••• Bible Study Verses: Matthew 28.19, John 14.16-26, John 4.24, Romans 8.1-27, John 16.7-14, 1 John 2.6, 1 Samuel 2.9-12, 2 Timothy 3.2-5, Revelation 2:7, Ephesians 4.30-32, 1 Corinthians 12.11, Acts 16.6-7, Genesis 1.2, 1 Corinthians 3.16, Romans 1.4, Acts 5.3, Acts 28.25, Hebrews 9.14, 1 Corinthians 2.9-13, Luke 1.35, Psalm 139.7-12, Acts 9:31, Romans 1.4, John 3.2-7, Luke 3.21-22 . ••• “It is true that Pentecost, historically, took place once for all. So did Calvary. But each individual must personally appropriate the blood by faith and so must each believer receive by faith the Spirit for power. The promise of the Spirit is received by faith (Gal. 3: 14). It is an experience of spiritual thirst, then coming to Christ, drinking of the Spirit by faith, believing and overflowing (Jn 7: 37-39)" Vance Havner, 1901-1986 † Vance Havner started preaching at 14 & didn't stop 'til he went to glory! That alone is a great legacy. He was the most homespun of country preachers, possessing a southern charm that always belied his great intellect and persuasive power. † ••• “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”, Luke 11:13, NKJV . ••• In Review, what are 6-reasons why we need the indwelling of Holy Spirit? ••• What happens when a church or ministry ignores the ministry of Holy Spirit? ••• When does victory over sin become elusive? ••• What 2-things a church must do in these last days? ••• Who is Holy Spirit? ••• What type of entity is Holy Spirit? ••• What are Holy Spirit's divine attributes? ••• What are Holy Spirit's divine works? ••• What verses point to Holy Spirit's distinct personhood? ••• Who replaced Jesus when He ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Almighty's throne? ••• What are 5-reasons why is it so important for the church to understand the ministry and Person of Holy Ghost? ••• Where does Holy Spirit dwell in the current epoch of history? ••• What are 5-reasons why it's so important to know that Father God, Son & Holy Spirit are one and yet 3-distinct separate persons? ••• Have you received the gift of the Holy Spirit and do you know Him? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that you will be more intentional about knowing and accepting the gift of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is a listener supported production by all the beloved of God who believe in its mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Sevil Yeva Photography, Bakı, Azerbaijan, https://www.instagram.com/sevilyeva/, https://www.behance.net/sevilyeva, AND Sunguk Kim Photography, Seoul. Korea, https://www.instagram.com/maveriqstudio/, https://www.instagram.com/dir.sunyu/ , Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• † http://articles.ochristian.com/article885.shtml .••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/ep428-holyspirit-power-series-part2of5••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• RESOURCE: FREE Max McLean Chronological Audio Bible! https://tinyurl.com/godspeaks777 . ••• RESOURCE - Prayer Requests: PRAYER@SWRC.COM . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• FERP250509 Episode#428 GOT250509 Ep428 . ••• The Person and Ministry of Holy Spirit: Why We Need Holy Spirit: Pentecost Special Series Part-2 of 5 . ††† . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could it be that God has both a masculine side and a feminine side? Have we effectively put God in a box by only using masculine titles? But I believe that Father God also has a mother's heart. In Genesis 1:27, it says that “God created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them.” In other words, both male and female are created in the image of God, not just the male. To learn more about the ministry of Restoring the Foundations International, please visit www.restoringthefoundations.org.

Today, our big question is: Can we find contentment in relationships? How many times has this scene been repeated? A guy sees a girl he can't live without. He thinks she will bring him happiness—and for a while, that's how it plays out. But then one day he's melancholy just like he used to be. Or how about the woman who believes marriage will fulfill her heart's desires, but then over time, her husband isn't so perfect? You see the common denominator in these two scenarios. Partners aren't the issue. The lack of contentment comes from the person seeking it. It comes from within. They're looking in the wrong place. Romans 12:2 says, “Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world. Let God transform you into a new person. By changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Author Rob Kuban sums up right relationships for those seeking contentment. He says the Bible calls us to allow our convictions, not our circumstances, to govern our sense of contentment. If you aren't willing to do the work of changing from within, your desires will largely go unmet, and honestly, you will not be attractive as a potential friend or mate. Our first assignment is to find peace with God and then seek the one He has for us. You see, choosing to be content is the first step. It's just that so many people want shortcuts. Read Ecclesiastes sometime; it's a leadership book, really, but it opens a window into Solomon's mind and heart. Here we see his thoughts on what happens when a person looks in the wrong places for real happiness. Solomon was the richest man of his time, and he also had hundreds of wives. But as an old man, he was bent in body and spirit from too many years of pursuing everything but his creator. Learn from his example and fix your eyes on the ultimate relationship. People will then be able to see the contentment on your face. Let's pray. Father God, our first priority should be a right relationship with you. Only you can bring peace to our hearts and minds long-term so that in turn, we can bless others. Thank you, Father, for making a way for us to be content. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.