Podcasts about having jesus

Having Jesus as the center and focus of our destination makes the journey worth it. #daybydaylw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org! ~~~ The incarnation of Jesus, coming into the world, is what made the journey worth it for the wise men. Can you imagine? After all that travel, the restless nights hoping the star would still be there the next day to guide them; the uncertainty of what is going to happen to them once they entered Jerusalem, the star finally stops and hovers over a humble home. As they enter the room their eyes land on a bushy haired boy, who doesn't look any different than any other boy they have seen. But they do know he is different. He is the king of the Jews. They approach him with gifts in hand. Hugs given to Mary. Handshakes and slight bow to Joseph. And as they bring the wooden door to a close behind them and walk slowly towards their camels, tears stroll down their faces. They look up into the night sky, and whisper a prayer of praise to God—“Thank you. The journey was worth it.” Having Jesus at the center and focus and destination of your journey makes the journey that you are on, no matter how difficult, it makes the journey worth it.

This week Pastor Bijan explores one of the fundamental realities of the Christian life. Being a follower of Jesus means we really need to follow him. Having Jesus be the ultimate desire of our hearts is crucial.

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Resentment. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Compassion. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday to Easter!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Inadequacy. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Abundance. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Turkeys and Eagles, Part 3: A Child of God's Light”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Listen in as my wife, Kathy Gray, joins me on this heartfelt episode of More Faith, more Life. We're addressing a topic that carries a significant amount of weight - grief. In the world today, many people are grappling with a sense of loss and pain, making it crucial to learn how to navigate through it. As Kathy shares her personal experiences with grief, we uncover the vital truth that grief, while not part of God's original plan for us, has become an unfortunate reality of our lives due to the entrance of sin and death into the world.We continue the conversation by examining the tension between the pain of grief and the hope of healing. Kathy reminds us of the danger of holding on to grief too tightly and allowing it to entrench itself in our souls, threatening our relationships and our outlook on life. However, she also highlights the power of the Holy Spirit as a comforter and the importance of letting go of grief in a healthy manner. We look to the scripture for hope and comfort, and extend an invitation to those who are grieving to seek solace and guidance in Jesus. This is an episode filled with profound insights and heartfelt truths that will undoubtedly touch the hearts of many.Key Takeaways:Grief is caused by a sudden and permanent loss, leading to feelings of anger and disbelief.It is important to draw a line between allowing oneself to grieve and not letting grief consume one's life.Regret grief, where individuals grieve not only the loss but also the events that took place before the loss, can be addressed by seeking the help of the Holy Spirit and finding comfort in God's word.Having Jesus in one's life provides strength and purpose in navigating through grief.The Holy Spirit serves as the comforter and can help individuals find healing and move forward.Looking for more? Join our More Faith More Life community: https://morefaithmorelife.comAbout the host: Steve Gray is the founding and senior pastor of Revive Church KC. He has been in the full time ministry for over 40 years and was launched into national and international recognition in the late 1990's as the leader of the historic Smithton Outpouring, and again in 2009 when he lead the Kansas City Revival which was televised nationally on the Daystar television network. Steve is also a veteran musician, songwriter, recording artist and published author. His books include When The Kingdom Comes, Follow The Fire, and My Absurd Religion.Download your free copy of If You Only Knew >> https://morefaithmorelife.com/free-ebook/

Welcome to Real Life... Church for Everyone. As we gather this week both in-person and remotely, join us, with Jim Miller and today's message entitled, What if We Tried". TODAY'S MESSAGE "John wants us to realize that following Jesus is a matter of life and death. Having Jesus at the center of everything is absolutely the way to life." WE WELCOME YOU... ...each week, join us via our Sunday Sermon podcast, on online broadcast on Facebook & YouTube every Sunday morning, or in person at Real Life | LA. Visit reallife.la to learn more, request prayer, or to connect directly with someone at Real Life. May God bless you in miraculous ways today!

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Past Failures. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Grace. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Be Strong & Courageous”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Join Teri Johnson as he invites Jen Emslander to discuss how Christian women business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals can weave their faith into their businesses. They explore the importance of having God as the CEO, using faith as a business compass, embracing the power of prayer, and treating people with respect, empathy, integrity, and love. Get inspired by this conversation about how to bring faith and business together while trusting in God's promises over our businesses.   If you want to grow in your faith and dive deeper into this topic, grab the F.A.I.T.H Based Formula 5 Part Audio Series Here » http://keepingitpersonal.com/faith Need help moving the needle forward in your business? Book your Power Call here » https://keepingitpersonal.com/powercall   [00:01 - 08:10] Weaving Faith Into Your Business • Teri Johnson discusses strategies to help women start, grow or scale their business • Weaving faith into business is a frequently asked question • Jen Slander joins the conversation to provide a different perspective • Practical ways to represent faith in business without being a ‘bible thumper' • Women are the same regardless of faith and should not leave it at the door   [08:10 - 16:02] Unlocking the Power of Prayer to Bring God Into Your Business • Deciding who's on the throne and making God the c e o of our business • Seeking him first for wisdom, guidance, and inspiration • Using faith as our business compass to navigate the muddy waters • Embracing faith as a guiding force toward success and purpose • Utilizing scripture as a true north to get back on track • Power of prayer to bring God into every nook and cranny of personal and professional life • Taking a moment to pause and pray when overwhelmed or frazzled.   [16:02 - 23:44] Weaving Faith and Business Together • Prayer is an important part of faith and business and can be done in different ways. • Inviting God into conversations and meetings can bring peace and insight. • Marketplace ministry is showing up, being interested, valuing others, loving without judging, and taking the high road in every situation. • People remember how you make them feel more than what you say to them.   [23:45 - 28:49] How to Embody Humility, Gratitude, and Kindness in Your Professional Life • Businesses are not just about products and services but also about spreading love, compassion, kindness, respect, empathy, ethical practices, etc. • Inviting God into all the equations behind the scenes in our hearts • Weaving faith in business without leading with it • Planting seeds of kindness and love for a ripple effect • Having Jesus as a firm foundation for personal and professional lives   Quotes: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all of these things will be added onto you. And so that also includes our business." - Teri Johnson "Nurturing that spirit of humility, gratitude, and kindness will always serve you well hands down." - Teri Johnson   If you're feeling disconnected and looking for a place to plug in – we would LOVE to connect with YOU and have you as a guest at our VIRTUAL Gathering! We meet each week to network, collaborate, encourage each other, and discuss strategies to grow our businesses. Just go to https://keepingitpersonal.com/vipguest to pick your date and get registered!

Having Jesus in our boat is not enough; we need Him in our hearts! In the candid conversation with His disciples just hours before the Crucifixion, Christ gave a master class on living in the new era that was about to dawn. His instruction seemed to center around a new relationship with the Spirit - His Spirit - the Spirit of God. The days of external religion were over. From now on the lovers of God would live "inside-out." Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS04272023_0.mp3Scripture References: John 14; 15; 16; 7

Self-discovery is an ongoing process, it is also deeply rooted in God. Your interests, lived experiences will help you trace your path and find your purpose, but the only way to do that is to lose yourself and find God first, allowing Him to guide you. In today's episode, you'll find helpful insights if you are on the quest for your true purpose in life. Once you find out what your purpose is, it's so easy to stick on the same path and surround yourself with people who share similar interests and experiences. That's also why it is so important to pay attention to who you spend time with, the conversations and content you consume and the quality of what you put out in the world. Having Jesus at the center of your life, knowing who you are in Christ and trusting in the Holy Spirit are the blueprint to creating meaningful relationships with others, evaluating your interests and actions, and ultimately, finding that one thing, or things, that you are here to do. In this episode:Your life and the people in it is something that is always subject to changeYour past experiences are valuable treasuresGod has a plan for you, and that's what you are here forWanna go deeper? Watch the Free Webinar THE MISSING PIECE HERE: https://unapologeticallyunstoppable.captivate.fm/missingpiece Connect on the grams https://instagram.com/jeanette.petersonFind Your Spiritual Gifts QUIZ https://unapologeticallyunstoppable.captivate.fm/quiz

If you have ever been married, you know that marriage is beautiful, but it is also one of the most challenging things you will ever do. It takes work and effort from both parties to make a marriage work. Marriage can be an adventure, but it can also be a hard road. You have to be willing to put in the time and effort if you want it to work out. Levi and Jennie explain how we can make our marriages better. They share the story behind the book: The Marriage Devotional, the importance of unity and humility in our marriages, and the tips to close the gap you have with your spouse. They also talk about the benefits of having Jesus at the center of your marriage and the power of surrounding yourself with other solid couples. Tune in to learn more!   What You Will Learn The story behind the book: The Marriage Devotional The importance of unity and humility in your marriage Tips to close the gap that you have with your spouse Ways to find quality time in your marriage despite the busy schedule Tackling tough and critical conversions in your marriage Improving communication in your marriage Having Jesus at the center of your marriage The power of surrounding yourself with other solid couples Daily routines you should infuse into your marriage   Episode Resources: Crush My Mortgage Debt Freedom Blueprint The Book: The Marriage Devotional Connect with Levi and Jennie Lusko: YouTube: Levi and Jennie Lusko - YouTube Fresh Life Church: Fresh Life Church - YouTube  

Have you ever wondered if Jesus can truly change your life? The answer is a resounding yes! In this powerful sermon, we explore the question of who Jesus really is and how He can transform everything about us. Drawing from Mark 4, Scotty shares the story of Jesus and His disciples on a stormy sea, highlighting how the disciples were saved not by the calm of the storm but by the presence of Jesus in their boat.Having Jesus in your boat is the key to weathering any storm that life throws your way. Whether you're facing personal struggles or dealing with external circumstances, Jesus can change everything about you and give you the power to do the will of God in every part of life.If you're searching for God or feeling like you're rowing through the waves of life alone, this message is for you. Be challenged to put your trust in Jesus and let Him be the guiding force in your life. And for those who already have Jesus in their boat, be encouraged to take the next step and trust Him fully in every area of your life.Watch this inspiring message from Scotty Scruggs and discover the life-changing power of having Jesus in your boat.

Have you ever wondered if Jesus can truly change your life? The answer is a resounding yes! In this powerful sermon, we explore the question of who Jesus really is and how He can transform everything about us. Drawing from Mark 4, Scotty shares the story of Jesus and His disciples on a stormy sea, highlighting how the disciples were saved not by the calm of the storm but by the presence of Jesus in their boat.Having Jesus in your boat is the key to weathering any storm that life throws your way. Whether you're facing personal struggles or dealing with external circumstances, Jesus can change everything about you and give you the power to do the will of God in every part of life.If you're searching for God or feeling like you're rowing through the waves of life alone, this message is for you. Be challenged to put your trust in Jesus and let Him be the guiding force in your life. And for those who already have Jesus in their boat, be encouraged to take the next step and trust Him fully in every area of your life.Watch this inspiring message from Scotty Scruggs and discover the life-changing power of having Jesus in your boat.

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Lust. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Perfect Provision. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 2: The Mind of the Soul”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Before getting too far in this post, I want to start out with an admission. I am under no presumption of my salvation. I do not subscribe to the “Once saved, always saved” life insurance plan. To me, that is like saying, “I'm a marathon runner,” because I ran one two years ago. But I probably couldn't even finish one today. There is work that must accompany the claim of being a marathon runner if I intend to use that label in the present tense. God may be outside of space and time, but I'm certainly not. Thus the assurance of salvation that Protestants cling to is not for me, because it doesn't fit in with real life. It's like saying, “I'm asleep” when I'm awake, or “I'm eating” when I'm just chewing gum. The proclamation doesn't match the reality, especially if I'm living a life of sin and not efforting toward holiness. Wait - am I saying that works are required for salvation? Yes. Because that's what Jesus said. It's even what Paul said, and it's what the Apostles said, and it's what the Church said for 1500 years, going through centuries of martyrdoms and suffering and arguing and hammering out doctrine before the idea sprung out of Mr. Luther. That is the issue, of course, or one of them. How are we saved? How can we know? That's really what drove Luther to protest. It wasn't church corruption, because that has always existed. The idea that corruption was the cause is a myth, because corruption in the Church has been around since Judas. So please put the “paying to get to heaven” financial corruption on a shelf. Disgusting behavior by some priests was not the main cause of the protest. Not even close. He wanted to know he was saved, so that he could live his life in peace. He was obsessed with sin and grace, with salvation. He wanted assurance. But he fell into the trap called scrupulosity. This is a problem can lead to despair, so he tried to pole vault to salvation, and solve the problem. But he ended up on the other side of despair, which is called presumption. I get it. The moral life is hard. It's a difficult thing to deal with sin. But working toward holiness means not obsessing over sin but picking up the Cross every day and carrying it. The thing is, we're not complete with this life until the last breath, and along the way, we have to avoid presumption and despair, the twin pillars of error, represented perfectly in the two brothers in the story of the Prodigal Son. With faith, hope, and charity, I aim to work toward being in a state of grace, as best as I can, through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. This working toward grace becomes the great “undo button,” the “un-trade,” where I sent Herschel Walker back to the Dallas Cowboys, in a sense. The good news is that with daily conversion, I can undo that trade every morning, every moment. Rather than be a cause for despair, it's a pattern for living that works. Faith and works, body and soul. They go together like peas and carrots. I returned to God and found a manner to live that removed the fear of death, making it not a cause for worry but a future occasion that brings hope. So much of our underlying fears are of death. The fear of hell is real, since Jesus spoke of it about thirteen times. But death and the void affects us all in different ways. This is why we wear fig leaves. We wear fig leaves of wealth, pleasure, power, and honor. Why are we wearing them in the first place? Because we fear death and the unknown. Happy Christians seem so odd, or even irritating, because death is no longer fearful to them. They don't make sense because they have indeed pole-vaulted the main problem of life. You sometimes have to wonder, “Do they want to die?” Well…in a way, yes, they do, because it means going home. But the gift of this life, even with its struggles and pain, is the way of the Cross, and you cannot get to heaven unless you go through the Cross. This life is our second chance after the fall in the Garden to choose the tree of life. I often wonder why video game fanatics are not on-fire Christians, because figuring out the game of life comes through Jesus. He has the codes and weapons that we need in the spiritual life. Forget Fortnite or Call of Duty, this life, both materially and spiritually, has enough slings and arrows to dodge and fight against. Having Jesus alongside to slay all dragons makes everything suddenly exciting. I recently met someone who was living at a homeless shelter, who has terminal cancer. She lives in pain, in a terrible situation, who has battled addiction her whole life. No one would envy her situation. But she told me how good that God had been to her. She was overjoyed that she might get her own apartment for this year, with her own bathroom. When you meet people with true faith like her, and then you go interact with someone who has a beautiful house and family but is miserable and faithless, you know which person has been given the real gift. It's not money. It's not stuff. It's not status. None of that matters if you have faith, which is why Jesus said that the prostitutes and tax collectors will recognize the kingdom of heaven before the wealthy and the Pharisees. The “winners” of this world are the ones that lose in the end. And that it by choice. Free will is granted to us for this very reason. What we trade, what we put in our hearts where faith should be, are all the crappy Herschel Walker trades of this world. The Church and its teachings provides the greatest framework for living that I have found after searching through worldviews and trying them on like I was thumbing through racks of clothing at Macy's or a Goodwill store. Nothing comes close. The pattern of life provided in the Church makes sense, but only if you live it. Striving for holiness may seem foolish, but only if you never try it - and I mean really try it, not just mail in a half-effort. The word “orthodox” scares people because it sounds radical, but it means “right path.” It even refers to feet in its root word. These “oppressive rules” are not intended to make you suffer. They are to help you walk toward God, to move away from sin, and toward grace. Now, I have much to say about the other worldviews that I tried on. Stoicism seemed a close second to Christianity, but without Jesus becomes a miserable facade to pretend to like. Epicureanism had the same problem. Atheism - that takes more faith than Christianity. What's most interesting to me now is how I got off the orthodox trail in the first place. Oddly enough, I was steered away from faith at a Catholic college, almost like I had paid for it to happen. But interestingly, in my falling away from Catholicism, Protestantism didn't attract me. Not at all, as the “faith alone” felt too easy and “scripture alone” (or “sola scriptura”) was too corruptible so that I knew immediately that I could make Jesus whoever I wanted him to be. After all, I was the authority. John Calvin ran into that problem almost instantly and sort of made himself a new Pope. You can even see how Luther's denomination have splintered in so many ways because if you don't like the current interpretation, you can just as easily make up a new one, just like Luther and Calvin did. (Here I should refer readers to my series About Uranus which covers how gods and religions come to be, and why Abraham is so important.) So, seeing other worldviews as unsatisfactory, I went straight for the answer of mighty Science, just like many young people are doing today. Unfortunately, I didn't even get a funeral for my spiritual death, although I did pass out quite a few times from alcohol use and may have missed it. Those blackouts always concerned me, for what I might have missed, or lost, only to learn much later that I had lost something, at least temporarily, and it was my soul. But turning back to God made me realize that the devil must give it back when you want to stop sinning. The devil is like both a coat-check service and bartender who holds onto your soul and pours drinks until you are ready to leave the party of sin. But he can't lock you in forever. He must let you leave, even though you have to fight him to get out the door. Hotel California is only a song, not a real place, but the devil would very much like you to believe you can never leave him. (That is, once again, the sin of despair). I have not come to bash Martin Luther, because he was right about some things, like corruption in the Church, and wrong about other things, like “faith alone” and “scripture alone.” Those two ideas are awful, no doubt, and I have much to say about it, but his initial motives were right. He despised corruption in the Church, but there has always been corruption. The Reformation was not about corruption. That's a myth. Corruption was part of it, but corruption has always been part of the Church, just as it is in any human organization or family. But in starting the Reformation, he released far more corruption of doctrine. Luther was a very smart man, but you can see how it all unravelled and grew beyond it's original scope, especially since he was a true defender of the Eucharist. Calvin was brilliant as well. However, there are many smart people in every age, but that doesn't make them correct on everything. St. Augustine was wiser than Luther or Calvin, and he stuck to the Apostolic teachings. He recognized the need for the authority of interpretation, because obviously if we all become our own Pope, then Jesus just becomes a sidekick rather than our master. Because of Luther's great step into the world of sola fide, and even more so from John Calvin, today in America the word Christianity means whatever you want it to mean. If you want to handle snakes and have orgies and call it Christian, who is anyone to judge? Sola scriptura! The arguments of slavery came from the anti-Catholic, heavily Protestant world of early America. How? Because you can read the Bible however you life with sola scriptura. Plus, you're saved no matter what. Today we have the sexual unravelling, which will be seen in the same way that we view 19th century horrors today. This explosion of resurrected heresies has happened because of the Reformation. A thousand denominations has helped spread the word of God, but it has also flattened the message of Jesus. The Reformation spread the word of God not like light but like butter. We are all our own authority now. Unbelievers with their doctrine of “reason alone” could not have pulled this off. Now the doctrines of the Apostles gets conflated and mashed up with every fundamentalist and Jehovah's Witness and Prosperity Gospel churches' interpretation of the Bible. Copeland and Osteen are the bad examples of faith that drive people away from faith. I try to make sure to use the word Catholic so that people know what I mean, since the word “Christianity” has been smashed into the atomic level, such that every Christian is his own authority now. What's strange about this is that the two thousand years of trying to understand the life of Christ is cast out for our own interpretation. As I've said, every age has had brilliant people, but brilliance alone is not a reason to follow someone to false teaching. Using the word Catholic ensures that most people I meet probably recoil with horror immediately. It's like a modern leprosy to those basking in the light of modern media, but given that Jesus assured us that his followers would be hated, it pretty much confirms that I'm on the right track. But there's a funny thing about that, too. People don't really hate the Church. They think they do. But they hate the cartoon version of the Church that they have in their mind, which looks like a construction paper, glue, and crayon creation from kindergarten class. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.whydidpetersink.com

 Audio recordingSermon manuscript:Today I'd like to follow the progression of Jesus's thought when he says to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, then you really are my disciples. You will also know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Let's begin by talking about remaining in Jesus's Word. It is not uncommon for people to pledge allegiance to Jesus. Lots of people are willing to be identified as Christians or see themselves as Christians. Their reasons for seeing themselves as Christians are many and varied. Perhaps they were baptized. Perhaps they were raised going to church. There are some who go to church all the time, so of course they have to be Christians, don't they? And there are those who have just made that choice for themselves. They choose to be Christians. Who are you, then, to say that they are not? Jesus himself, however, identifies the reason why anyone may identify himself or herself as a Christian:  “If you remain in my word, then you really are my disciple.” The opposite of that, then, must mean that someone is not his disciple. If you do not remain in his Word, then you really aren't his disciple. This makes perfect sense if you think about it. Being a disciple means being a follower. A good substitute for the word disciple, which carries with it all kinds of baggage, is the more neutral word, “student.” If you remain in Jesus's Word, then you are his student. If you don't remain in his word, then, of course, you cannot be his student. Anybody can say that they are a student of whatever they might want. I can say that I'm a student of astro-physics. Although I can say that, it doesn't mean that I am. Someone could say to me, “But you don't know anything about astro-physics.” True. “You don't read anything about astro-physics.” That's true too. “You don't even think about astro-physics. It's been days, months, or years since you've given it any thought.” The assumption's one thing; reality's another. So also it is very silly for people to claim to be students of Jesus when they never think of him, never pray to him, never hear what he says, or if they do hear what he says, never act on what he says. I'm not the church-attendance police. We live in a free country where everyone can listen to and learn from whomever he or she wants, but I don't see how people who never hear, never pray, never worship, or never receive the sacraments of Jesus can claim to be his followers or students. You know, though, that there are many who claim just that, and they might be you or the people you know and love. We also should not think that mere attendance at the divine service makes anyone a disciple of Jesus. Having Jesus's words go in one ear and out the other doesn't help anyone. There are many people who attend church week after week who hate some of the things that Jesus teaches. They think he has terrible advice for how to live one's life or how to be successful. The only reason why they will tolerate hearing Jesus speak at all is because they think it will give them salvation. Thus there will be many surprises on Judgement Day. Many are called; few are chosen. There will be some very angry people who will scream at Jesus, “Didn't we come week in and week out? Didn't we sit there bored out of our mind? Couldn't we have been doing things that we liked?” But it will not be difficult to prove how such people were not his disciples. Although they were in the presence of God's Word, they did not love it. Although they honored God with their lips, their hearts were far from him. Let's not kid ourselves. If you don't remain in Jesus's Words, you aren't his disciple. You don't love the truth. You aren't free. You are still a slave of sin. This is a good way to get at what we consider today with the Lutheran Reformation. The Christian Church at the time of the Reformation said a lot of stuff that people wanted to hear. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church continues to say stuff that sounds pretty good if we all just get to make stuff up for ourselves to believe. They basically said, if you stick with them, with their church organization, then you'll be alright. Make sure you follow their rules. Never disobey the pope, the church councils, the bishops or the pastors. Make sure that you maintain your membership. Make sure you don't get excommunicated. Make sure you have a priest there for confession and last rights. If you followed these rules (and really these rules aren't too onerous), then you are pretty much guaranteed that you'll be fine. Eventually you'll end up in heaven. Not a bad deal. This was handy in all kinds of ways. Ordinary Christians didn't have to follow Jesus's commands. The monks and nuns could do that for you. No need to worry too much about sins, because the church had a whole medicine cabinet full of remedies, many of which have no biblical basis. Jesus did not make any promises about bells, incense, candles, being shaved, pouches, not eating meat, celibacy, indulgences, and a whole bunch of other things. And yet these remedies were so old and they looked so pious, that everybody though that they just had to do the trick. Plus, of course, the teachers and officials swore up and down that these things worked. Holy Mother Church had said so. They were so entangled in so many lies, so many good lies, and so many old lies, that it took a tremendous amount of sorting out. Something that is good to remember about Martin Luther and the Reformation is that it was a process that went on for years. It wasn't like Martin Luther woke up one day and suddenly had it all figured out. What really got the ball rolling for the reformation was his 95 theses or statements against the Church's sale of indulgences. He posted that on October 31, 1517. That is why we observe the Reformation on that day. Luther was pretty sure that there was something very wrong with just this one church practice. There was a whole bunch of other stuff that wasn't even on his radar yet. But what was of utmost importance for his sorting out the truth from the lies was that he differentiated between Jesus's word and other words. It is remaining in Jesus's words that makes a person his disciple. The Christian Church is not a building or a whole bunch of buildings. It's not a government. It's not an organization with the pope at the head of it. Jesus, in fact, doesn't say one word about the so-called pope ever. There isn't even a single syllable about a Roman pontiff or being obedient to him. The Christian Church is not even about me as a pastor, as though I'm someone who bosses people around. The Christian Church consists of lambs who hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lays down his life for the sheep. He knows them, and his sheep know his voice. His sheep hear his voice and follow him. It is the following of the voice or the words of Jesus that makes anyone a Christian. If you remain in his words, you truly are his disciple. If you do not remain in his words, then you are not his disciple no matter how many ceremonies or robes or ancient decrees might seem to indicate otherwise. Luther and the other reformers distinguishing between Jesus's words, his apostles' words, and everybody else's words was what made all the difference. To this day the Catholic Church claims that it can add to God's Word so long as it's done with the proper pomp and circumstance. And there are many others who do the same thing in their own way. The Pentecostals, for example, think they can receive new revelations and tongues and miraculous powers so long as it is done with the proper pomp and circumstance. Or the ELCA, which believes that they can decide for themselves what is a sin and what isn't a sin, so long as it's done with the proper pomp and circumstance. The whole world, in fact, is filled to the brim and overflowing with people who never stop telling you what to believe, how to act, even all the way down to what you should eat and drink. They certainly can't be all telling you the truth because they contradict one another. How do we sort out this cacophony of messages, all wanting to teach us? It's as simple as what Jesus says: “If you remain in my words, you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus's words are true. I'd like to mention a very useful tool in this regard—Luther's Small Catechism. The Catechism isn't the same thing as Scripture, but, without a shadow of a doubt, what is in the Catechism is drawn from the Scriptures. This tool is extremely useful in the midst of all the different voices so that we can know what Scripture says about how we are to act, in whom we are to believe, how we are to pray, and where we should turn for grace, the forgiveness of sins. Think of the tremendous truths that this little pamphlet: The Ten Commandments teach us what is truly good, truly pleasing to God. Everybody else's ideas about what is good or life-promoting or life-giving are just that—their own ideas. Everyone just does what is good in his or her own eyes, but the Ten Commandments are God's communication to us of his standards. Anyone who takes seriously God's standards for how we are supposed to be will also learn how we are slaves to sin. Our desires are contrary to God's desires. Our desires say, “Do this!” and we can't help but say, “Yes, sir! On the double! On the double!” We are especially slaves to those things that don't look like sins—our own ambitions, our own honor, our own pleasure. We lack what we should have. We do not want to love or sacrifice. We do not love even though God is love. We do not sacrifice even though God showed his love to us in the sacrifice of his own Son. How silly and shallow every other standard for conduct is compared to the Ten Commandments as Jesus explains them in his Sermon on the Mount! But, as Jesus says in our reading, if you remain in his Word, you are his disciple. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Then he goes on to say, “Amen, amen I tell you: Everyone who keeps on committing sin is a slave to sin. The slave will not remain in the house forever.” That is to say, heaven is not a place of evil and sin. The name for a place like that is hell. So how do we slaves free ourselves? We can't! A slave's a slave. If a slave were free it would no longer be a slave. But, as Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free, you will really be free.” We have been redeemed, that is, purchased and won, by the holy precious blood and the innocent suffering and death of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. We slaves of sin, slaves of the devil, have been set free, not by God snapping his fingers, but the Son of God becoming sin for us, suffering in our place, being punished in our place, and thereby bringing about perfect atonement. You remember this Bible verse, I'm sure: “God loved the world in this way, that he sent his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Jesussaid those words. You remember what Jesus said in our reading today: “If you remain in my words, you are truly my disciples.” Those aren't hard words to be a student of. Jesus is the teacher. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Holy Mother Church isn't the Good Shepherd. Speaking in tongues isn't the Good Shepherd. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry who has their own thoughts about right and wrong, life and death, and what we are doing here on this earth are not the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has laid down his life for the sheep. He calls out with his voice, “Come unto me all you who are weak and weary, and I will give you rest.” Jesus alone is the Savior. To him be all glory, now and forever. Amen!

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Past Failures. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Grace. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Is Your Life's Focus on Jesus the Narrow Door and the Only Door to Your Eternal Life?”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

It's a mistake to think that Christians don't have genuine sorrow when death and loss come. Being a Christian does not spare you from the hurts of life. Having Jesus in our sorrow sanctifies the grief so that the bitterness isn't there. Broadcast #7072To help support this podcast, please visit walkwiththeking.org/donate and select "Podcast" from the dropdown menu.A transcript of this broadcast is available on our website here. To hear more from Bob Cook, you can find Walk With The King on Facebook or Instagram. 

John 19:4-6 ESV 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 4 Si Pilato ay muling lumabas at sa kanila'y sinabi, “Tingnan ninyo, ilalabas ko siya sa inyo upang inyong malaman na wala akong nakitang anumang kasalanan sa kanya.” 5 Lumabas nga si Jesus, na may koronang tinik at balabal na kulay-ube. Sinabi ni Pilato sa kanila, “Narito ang tao!” 6 Nang siya ay makita ng mga punong pari at ng mga punong-kawal, sila'y nagsigawan, “Ipako siya sa krus, ipako siya sa krus!” Sinabi sa kanila ni Pilato, “Kunin ninyo siya, at ipako ninyo siya sa krus, sapagkat ako'y walang nakitang kasalanan sa kanya.” I FIND NO GUILT IN HIM Pilate is looking for a middle ground. He was not fooled too easily, was he? He had discovered enough to ascertain that Jesus' claim was not an immediate threat to Rome. He also smelled the Jewish religious leaders' hatred so that they are pursuing a personal vendetta (Mat 27:18). In this background, how could he pacify an agitated crowd? (Mat 27:20–23). Notedly, Pilate's governorship was at stake. He was criticized for his brutal tactics, and had deliberately antagonized the Jews. At this point, he was likely under a strict warning. A major unrest would result in losing his position definitely. Thus he flogged Jesus to appease the crowd but they wont settle for anything aside from Jesus' crucifixion. Having Jesus flogged and humiliated, awful as it was, this was Pilate's attempt to spare Jesus' life. Now, he prepares to present a maimed, mocked, and apparently defeated Jesus to the crowd. In our modern term, he might had said, "Take a look, is this not enough to be done to an innocent man?" Certainly, he found no guilt in Jesus so that He was worthy of death. Yet, he brought back Jesus to the angry crowd in order for them to decide His fate. In other words, Pilate gave in to the crowd to avoid a possible commotion. His decision is understandable for he was after of his position and power. It was politically correct for him but morally questionable. Definitely, the fear of man leads to snare. In contrast, Jesus, having the fear of God had nothing else to fear. There was peace in His heart. Today, it's either we are crowd pleaser like Pilate or an obedient son to our Father like Jesus. ------------------------- Visit and FOLLOW Gospel Light Filipino on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Resentment. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Compassion. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Christ either is of NO advantage or He is of GREAT advantage.  The Galatians have dropped the ball.  They started well.  They fell into old habits of thinking.  It matters.Having Jesus in our lives is supposed to be our SECRET WEAPON.  Having Him near is supposed to make a difference.  A good difference.  An ADVANTAGE.  Our thinking, our view of God is to spill out in the actions of love and service.  So then, let's LEAN IN, and ACT like Jesus is an advantage by asking what He might help us with today.  Perhaps we are standing in the breach for another; perhaps there is an area of discipline; perhaps there is suffering to endure; patience to enact; or character to grow. Being near Christ is supposed to be of GREAT ADVANTAGE.  Let's act like it.  Please support Bewithme by clicking on bewithme.us and subscribing on the website or on your favorite podcast site.  

Having Jesus on the throne of my life is the ongoing process of saying "no" to old things so I can say "yes" to my new life in Christ. In this message we learn how to distinguish between the old and new.

Romans 6: 4, 8-11, 17-18, 22-23; Having Jesus in our lives and believing in the likeliness of His resurrection changes our lives as we abide in His words

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Inadequacy. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Abundance. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Advent Sermons from Isaiah – Part 3: The Glory of God; the Way of Holiness”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In this episode, Alex reaches out to the unbeliever and shares the Gospel. many people have been hurt by the church in times past, and that is tragic. There is no excuse for it, yet I want the unbeliever to know that even if the church hurt them, it was not Jesus who hurt them. Jesus is the perfect standard; we are not. We need Jesus, not religion. There is a difference between having religion and having Jesus. Having Jesus gives you hope, having religion gives you condemnation. Having Jesus gives you life, having religion gives you death. Religion says says that we can work ourselves to Heaven, Jesus says that HE is the only way to Heaven. He is the way, the truth, and the life... nothing else. Christ is enough. Religion says, "I can do it." Jesus says, "I already did it." Maybe you are a skeptic. You aren't sure about your faith. History points to the resurrection of Christ. Most historians believe Jesus walked this earth, yet they don't believe He resurrected. History and extra-biblical accounts point to the resurrection of Christ. Notable historians who wrote about Christ were Talmud, Phlegon, Tacitus, Thallus, Pliny the Younger, Celsus, Josephus, and many more. There is evidence for the resurrection of Christ from the grave. I invite you into a relationship with Jesus, not a religion. Religion hurts you, Christ heals you. God bless. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/alexander-stone/support

Having Jesus as our Savior means that God has rescued us from sin, death, and the power of the devil so that we have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Inadequacy. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Abundance. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11.  A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities ‘For the kingdom of God is . . . of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit'”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Having Jesus, the all-wise king, and elders in the church who are endued with wisdom from the Bible, brings believers great blessings.

Persevering in Marriage: A True Story By Elizabeth Prata Marriage is hard. It takes a lot of work, denial of self, service to the spouse, and submission. Having Jesus at the center is necessary for success and even then, some Christian marriages still fail. Without Christ, I am not sure how any marriage survives! I am not married now, but I was before I was saved. It was difficult and I wish now that I'd had Jesus to rely upon for help. Christians are truly blessed to have the Groom to whom we can bring our marital cares, joys, and petitions. This week I'll look at Christian marriage in a upcoming few essays. Here is a heartfelt, true story about marriage from someone who knows. May you be encouraged as I was by this sweet testimony of my friend Pastor James Bell. He posted this in 2016. He'll now have been married for 54 years next month. Here's Pastor Bell: This episode is also available as a blog post: http://the-end-time.org/2021/04/19/persevering-in-marriage-a-true-story-2/

12.27.20 I Will Survive This Test Matthew 7:24-27 Pastor Jackson speaks from Matthew 7 about the parable of the two men who built their houses on rock and sand. This is the end of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and he says that everyone who does the things that He said, they would be wise like a man who built their house on a rock. When the storms came to damage the house, the house didn't fall because it has a solid foundation. But if you don't listen and obey Jesus's commands then you are like a foolish person who built their house on sand, and when the storms came the house fell. When you life is built on the solid Word of God, you don't have to worry about the changing of the world because God is stable. Having Jesus as the Solid Rock helps you stand up again after the winds and the rain comes, and you can give the glory back to God. Thank you for listening today! If you want to learn more info about our church visit us on our website at www.topchurchlv.com. We hope this message encouraged you to know you can live victoriously through Jesus Christ. Join us next week for another sermon to uplift your spirit.

O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner. O come to teach us the way of truth.  Today’s reading: Colossians 1:15-20 I wonder if I can imagine Jesus’ face. What do his eyes look like, as he looks at me with love? What is the expression on his face? I wonder if it is hard to believe sometimes that all of God -- all of God’s wisdom, and all of God’s love, and all of God’s power -- was present in a human being named Jesus, who really walked and lived on our earth? I wonder if that stretches my imagination? What do I want to say to God about that? Here are words we heard today: “God was pleased to have his whole nature living in Christ. God was pleased to bring all things back to himself.” Coming to live with us in Jesus makes God happy. Having Jesus bring all of us close makes God happy. How does it feel to hear that God is pleased to be near me? In Advent, we look around and see the ways that God feels far away or absent. What inside of me, or in my world, needs God to come close now? What needs to be saved and brought back to God? Can I ask Jesus to come and be near us again? We Wonder is written and hosted by Sarah Dahl; produced by Richard Clark; and engineered by Nick Thompson and Noah Kirby. You can keep in touch with us on Instagram and Twitter by following @wewonderpod, or read more at wewonderpod.com. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Today's podcast continues the series, Know What You Believe... In this series, we're looking at the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. I hope you enjoy.  Please share GodStuff, and click "subscribe" so you never miss an episode! We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate. Everything in your faith rises and falls on Jesus. Who is he? What do you make of him? What do you do with his claims?  You probably wouldn't have made it this far into the Grace Pathway without having believed in him as your Savior. That moment is like stepping through a doorway into a breathtaking palace. Having Jesus as your Savior first makes it possible to begin experiencing Jesus in all his other titles and roles too.  When we organize all the wonderful truths the Bible tells us about Jesus, we wind up with two main sub-topics: his Person and his Work.  The Person of Christ tells us who he is and what he is like.  The Work of Christ tells us what he did for us, focused mainly on his saving work in the Cross and Resurrection.  For example, in the doctrinal statement at the beginning of this chapter, there are three sentences. The first two sentences talks about the Person of Christ. The third sentence talks about the Work of Christ. Take a look. In a short chapter like this, we can only study a tiny tip of a gigantic iceberg about the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. The Bible affirms the immensity of his Person and Work:  And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. (John 21:25) But it has never been truer of a person to say that to know him is to love him. The more you learn about Jesus, the stronger your love for him will grow. And the stronger your love for him grows, the more you begin to think, believe, live, and choose a life that honors him.  * * * The Person of Christ: Fully Human / Fully Divine Just as the Trinity puts God in a class by himself, the Person of Christ puts Jesus in a class by himself too. Jesus is the only person who pre-existed his own birthday. Long before that first Christmas, long before Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, and the Virgin gave birth to a child, the Son of God enjoyed the glories of heaven, since the ages of eternity past.  The first, most important, non-negotiable truth to understand about Jesus is that he is fully human and fully divine. Jesus is the God-Man in ways utterly unlike any of the hybrids of ancient religion.  Jesus is fully God. He is co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is not a junior god, as we've already seen. Some verses that affirm the deity of Christ include: • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) • Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)  • Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) This is not the place to defend doctrine as much as to just lay it out, so I'll not add the overwhelming Scriptural teaching that Jesus Christ is truly, fully, and eternally God Most High. At the same time… Jesus is fully Human. In his human nature, the only difference between Jesus and everybody else is the complete absence of sin from hi...

Today's podcast continues the series, Know What You Believe... In this series, we're looking at the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. I hope you enjoy.  Please share GodStuff, and click "subscribe" so you never miss an episode! We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate. Everything in your faith rises and falls on Jesus. Who is he? What do you make of him? What do you do with his claims?  You probably wouldn’t have made it this far into the Grace Pathway without having believed in him as your Savior. That moment is like stepping through a doorway into a breathtaking palace. Having Jesus as your Savior first makes it possible to begin experiencing Jesus in all his other titles and roles too.  When we organize all the wonderful truths the Bible tells us about Jesus, we wind up with two main sub-topics: his Person and his Work.  The Person of Christ tells us who he is and what he is like.  The Work of Christ tells us what he did for us, focused mainly on his saving work in the Cross and Resurrection.  For example, in the doctrinal statement at the beginning of this chapter, there are three sentences. The first two sentences talks about the Person of Christ. The third sentence talks about the Work of Christ. Take a look. In a short chapter like this, we can only study a tiny tip of a gigantic iceberg about the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. The Bible affirms the immensity of his Person and Work:  And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. (John 21:25) But it has never been truer of a person to say that to know him is to love him. The more you learn about Jesus, the stronger your love for him will grow. And the stronger your love for him grows, the more you begin to think, believe, live, and choose a life that honors him.  * * * The Person of Christ: Fully Human / Fully Divine Just as the Trinity puts God in a class by himself, the Person of Christ puts Jesus in a class by himself too. Jesus is the only person who pre-existed his own birthday. Long before that first Christmas, long before Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, and the Virgin gave birth to a child, the Son of God enjoyed the glories of heaven, since the ages of eternity past.  The first, most important, non-negotiable truth to understand about Jesus is that he is fully human and fully divine. Jesus is the God-Man in ways utterly unlike any of the hybrids of ancient religion.  Jesus is fully God. He is co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is not a junior god, as we’ve already seen. Some verses that affirm the deity of Christ include: • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) • Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)  • Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) This is not the place to defend doctrine as much as to just lay it out, so I’ll not add the overwhelming Scriptural teaching that Jesus Christ is truly, fully, and eternally God Most High. At the same time… Jesus is fully Human. In his human nature, the only difference between Jesus and everybody else is the complete absence of sin from his life. Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life.  Other than that, he walked the road we all walk. He felt pain. He got tired. He was hungry and thirsty. Jesus wept over things that broke his heart. There were times when he said he didn’t know certain things.

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." (Philippians 3:7)In the darkest moments of your life, what did you cling to? Paul wrote these words to the Philippians while he was in prison and ancient prisons were far from what we experienced in Western culture. Often prisoners had to depend on outsiders to bring them food, medicine and clothes. Paul was in during all this because he talked about Jesus publicly. Prior to this, Paul was a respected leader in the community who had power and honor. But now after returning to follow Christ, he faced very real life-threatening persecution. In light of all that, he says, "Whatever gain I had, I counted as a loss for the sake of Christ." Paul says it's worth it! Having Jesus is worth losing everything if that's what it comes down to because ultimately, He's where the joy is!

Jonah is a type of Christ. Jesus taught that the Old Testament is about Him (Luke 24:27). Jonah serves as one of the clearest types and shadows of Christ. When Jesus was asked for a sign, He staked His death, burial, and resurrection on the prophet. Additionally, the storm the disciples experienced with Jesus in the boat parallels the storm Jonah experienced when the sailors threw him overboard. Having Jesus in the boat with the disciples didn't stop the storm they experienced any more than a relationship with Jesus stops the storms we experience. Jonah died and calmed the storm so they might live, but only Jesus calms the storm of God's wrath that's against us so we might live eternally. https://youtu.be/WS61ZFGNEfA Jonah is a type of Christ. When Jesus was asked for a sign, He staked His death, burial, and resurrection on the prophet. Table of ContentsLessons for Jonah a Type of ChristFamily Worship Guide for Jonah a Type of ChristSermon Notes for Jonah a Type of ChristLesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part I) left Jewish territory for Gentile territory.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part II) experienced a terrible storm.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part III) slept during the storm.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part IV) were woken by sailors.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part V) calmed the storm.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part VI) were with men who came to fear god.Lesson 2: having Jesus in the boat doesn't prevent the storms of life.Lesson 3: the storms of life don't mean Jesus doesn't care.Lesson 4: Jesus calms the storms in our hearts.Lesson 5: Jonah is a sign because he (part I) “died” and was “buried” for three days and three nights.Lesson 5: Jonah is a sign because he (part II) was resurrected on the third day.Lesson 6: (part I) Jonah laid down his life so others wouldn't perish…Lesson 6: (part I) Jonah laid down his life so others wouldn't perish (part II) but only Jesus calms the storm of god's wrath. Lessons for Jonah a Type of Christ Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah:(Part I) Left Jewish territory for ______________ territory (Jonah 1:1-2 cf. Mark 4:35).(Part II) ______________________ a terrible storm (Jonah 1:3-4 cf. Mark 4:37).(Part III) __________ during the storm (Jonah 1:5 cf. Mark 4:38a).(Part IV) Were __________ by sailors (Jonah 1:6 cf. Mark 4:38b).(Part V) ____________ the storm (Jonah 1:7-15 cf. Mark 4:39).(Part VI) Were ________ ______ who came to fear God (Jonah 1:16 cf. Mark 4:41).Lesson 2: Having Jesus ____ ______ ________ doesn't prevent the storms of life (Matt 7:24-25).Lesson 3: The storms of life don't mean Jesus ______________ ________ (Mark 4:38b).Lesson 4: Jesus calms the storms in ______ ____________ (Isa 26:3; Phil 4:7). Lesson 5: Jonah is a sign, because he:(Part I) “________” and was “____________” for three days and three nights (Matt 12:39 cf. Jonah 1:17, 2:2, 6).(Part II) Was “resurrected” on the __________ ______ (Jonah 2:10). Lesson 6: (Part I) Jonah laid down his life so others wouldn't ____________, (Part II) but only Jesus calms the storm of __________ __________ (Jonah 1:12 cf. Jonah 1:6, 14; John 3:16; Matt 12:41; Luke 11:32; Rom 5:1, 9).  Family Worship Guide for Jonah a Type of Christ Day 1: Read Jonah 1 and discuss: In what parts of this chapter is Jesus foreshadowed? How about in the rest of the Old Testament? In other words, what other types and shadows of Christ come to mind, such as Abraham sacrificing Isaac, the manna, bronze serpent, etc.? How is Jesus revealed through these shadows?Day 2: Read James 1:2, Acts 14:22, 1 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 Peter 4:12, and John 16:33 and discuss: What do we tend to think we will avoid if we're obedient? What are the dangers of this false belief? Why are so many Christians surprised by trials? Describe your most recent trial (or current one) and your initial reaction. Was it a surprise? How did/have you respond/ed?Day 3: Read Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:26, Proverbs 25:20, and Job 2:13: What is Proverbs 25:20 instructing us to do (and not...

Having Jesus in our lives should change our perspective. We have not been called to simply survive during this time, but rather to lay hold of the plans and promises that God has for us TODAY!    #dailydevotional #cityhillchurch

If you're going through doubts, discouragements or delays in your life right now - this powerful Easter message will inspire hope and faith in you. The resurrection was not just an event, it is a Person -- and that Person is Jesus. Having Jesus in you, brings even dead dreams back to life!

The post Having Jesus for Dinner, Matthew 9:9-17 appeared first on SHBC.

Intro to a new series of episodes covering all the Benefits of Having Jesus in Your Heart (besides Salvation, of course): A Personal Relationship with the Living God Joy - A never-ending joy! Peace - A peace that surpasses all understanding Hope - A hope of an eternal live in Paradise with Jesus in God's House Guilt-Free Living - Fully exonerated A New Life - Changed desires The Holy Spirit - An unlimited fullness of God - Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, Standby The Gifts of the Spirit The Fruits of the Spirit God's Power - "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 Agape Love - Unconditional Love A Light in the Darkness A New Sense of Purpose Don't be surprised if I discover more! Subscribe so you don't miss one! Soli Deo Gloria - to God alone be the Glory! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/seek-the-truth/message

Having Jesus as Lord over our lives changes everything – our thinking, perspectives, values, priorities and principles. Jesus is the great I AM, the WAY, TRUTH and LIFE. No one gets to heaven except through Him (John 14:6).Who is Jesus to you? Do you know Him and do you have a personal relationship with Him? Do you know and follow His ways? Does your life point others to Him? Do you trust Him as the Lord of your life? Will you leave everything behind to follow Him and submit it all to Him?

We can’t stop. We won’t stop. Having Jesus as our great high priest changes everything for us. For series resources and media, visit http://vintagechurchnola.com/cantstopwontstop.

Have you ever thought about what makes Christian marriage different? Or why having a marriage that is founded on God makes all the difference? We've talked before about how to make Jesus the center of our marriages and our home, but on today's podcast episode, we dive into the WHY behind the how. Having Jesus at the core of our marriage grounds us and unites us better than anything else ever could. #22: What Makes Christian Marriage Different? Mentioned in This Episode: Discussion Questions: Do your vows mean more to you today than they did when you first got married? If so, how? How has having God at the core of your marriage shaped how you view “til death do us part”? How have you seen God bring you and your spouse together in the midst of struggles? More information: Get our FREE eBook, 7 Days to an Awesome Marriage Learn more about us and our story Check out Radiant Marriage Academy, a FREE 16-session experience designed to help you set your marriage on a solid biblical foundation. Remember to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!

In John 6, Jesus feeds the multitude and they follow Him. However, Jesus tells them they are following Him for the natural provision and not for the true bread. In the time of Moses, God provided for all the needs of the Israelites, but they were never satisfied. There was always something else they needed God to do for them. They weren't engaging in a loving relationship with their Father, they were simply trying to get God to meet their never-ending outer needs. Jesus suggested that connecting with Him was something far better than merely getting temporary needs met. This helps when we are disappointed with God because He is not acting or providing in a way we think He should. Having Jesus is having everything we need. Being in union with Him brings us above the temporary natural world problems and meets our real need inside our hearts. Support the show (https://paypal.me/RickManis?locale.x=en_US)

Stephen showed great faith that ended in death. Not all heroes of faith find worldly “success” but always find heavenly “success”. Having Jesus standing in the heavens at your death shows glorious, heavenly reward.

You are Precious! Having Jesus in your lives means you are blessed beyond believe.Each day is a precious gift from God. The present moment in which you live is where he meets you, His precious child. God so Loved you that Even when you were Dead in Sin, Christ His Son Died for you to Give you Life by His Grace.-Jn 3:16, Rom 5:8, Eph 2:4The Wage Sin Pays is Death, but God Indescribable Gift is Eternal Life through your union with Jesus Christ your Lord!-2 Cor 9:15, Rom 6:23For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He even gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in, trusts in, clings to, relies on Him shall not perish, come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (John‬ ‭3:16)‬ ‭For the wages which sin pays is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through and in union with Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans‬ ‭6:23‬)For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through faith. And this salvation is not of yourselves of your own doing, it came not through your own striving, but it is the gift of God; (Ephesians‬ ‭2:8)‬ ‭Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning as in an eclipse. And it was of His own free will that He gave us birth as sons by His Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself. (James‬ ‭1:17-18‬ )Receiving a gift requires the person to be open to receive the gift is given to them. Jesus Christ is the best gift imaginable? When you receive him as your personal Lord and Savior, you become a child of the living God filled and flooded with his indescribable glory, power and presence.For it is no longer you who lives, but Christ lives in. (Galatians 2:20)Now thanks be to God for His Gift, precious beyond telling His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift! (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:15‬ )Now you Really are God's child, you can Talk to God Anywhere about Anything, Knowing you are Always Welcomed in His Presence.-Gal 4:6-7SEE WHAT an incredible quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should be permitted to be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! (1 John‬ ‭3:1)You who has Received Christ Jesus, God gave the Authority–Power, Privilege, Right to be His child, who Believe in Jesus Name.–Jn 1:12Jesus Christ is the BEST Gift Imaginable to you God's child! He is your LORD and Savior, your Constant Companion Who lives in you.-Galatians 2:20The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty One, your Savior Who Saves! He Rejoices over you with Joy; He Quiets you with His Love.-Zeph 3:17

Having Jesus means having hope.

Part 2 Having Jesus come to town is great, but having Jesus in your home is even better! The post Christ Encounter: Part 2 appeared first on HopeCity Church - Gangtok, Sikkim.

Luke 8:22-24a and Jonah 1:1-5 – The Christ in Jonah – Part I Lesson 1: The Old Testament is __________ __________ (John 5:39-40; Matt 11:13; John 1:29, 36; Luke 24:47, 44; John 1:45; Heb 10:1, 7; Col 2:16-17; John 3:14; John 6:32-33; Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 5:7, 10:4, 15:21-22, Heb 3-4; Matt 11:28-29; Matt 27:51; Heb 10:20; Matt 12:39). Lesson 2: Jesus and Jonah both: (Part I) Left ____________ territory for ______________ territory (Jonah 1:1-2 cf. Luke 8:22). (Part II) Experienced a ________________ __________ (Jonah 1:3-4 cf. Luke 8:23b). (Part III) __________ ____________ the storm (Jonah 1:5 cf. Luke 8:23a). Lesson 3: Having Jesus in the boat with you doesn’t mean He: (Part I) Stops all ______ ____________ (Matt 7:25, 27; Jam 1:2; Acts 14:22; 1 Thes 3:3; 1 Pet 4:12; John 16:33). (Part II) ______________ ________ (Mark 4:38; Psa 23:4, 27:1, 46:1-3).   Family Worship Guide Memory Verses: Psalm 103:1-4  Day 1: Read Luke 8:22-25 and discuss: Without looking for the specific examples and just working from memory, in what parts of the Old Testament is Jesus foreshadowed? Where are there “types of Christ”? What is the significance of this truth (that the Old Testament is about Jesus)?  Day 2: Read John 3:14, John 6:32-33, Rom. 5:12-21 (or the other references Pastor Scott used) and discuss: Explain how the NT writers interpreted Scripture (the OT) and why they did so? Why did the NT writers emphasize Christ as the substance? What did their emphasis reveal about their audiences’ spiritual needs? Explain how studying these types and their fulfillment in Christ could impact your daily life. Day 3: Read Luke 8:22-25 and discuss: If we are not careful, what do we tend to think will happen to us, since we are Christians? Why are so many Christians surprised by trials? Describe the most recent trial (or current one) and your initial reaction. Was it surprise or something else? Why? Homework: Read Luke 8:22-25 and Jonah 1:6-2:10. Look for the parallels between Jesus and Jonah to add to Lesson 2 for next Sunday’s sermon! Pray for those who lead, feed, and care for the flock, and their families (Col. 4:3, 2 Thess. 3:1): Pastor Scott and Randy Hanson Pray for these church members/families (1 Tim. 2:1, Eph. 6:18, Col. 1:9): Doug & Terese Raney, Talia Raney, John & Judy Ream, Clairissa Ream, Mike & Julie Reardon Pray for “kings” and those in authority (1 Tim. 2:2): Local – Cowlitz Co. Board of Commissioners; State Senator Ann Rivers; Nation – Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler Pray for the Gospel to Spread Among All Peoples (Matt. 9:37-38): Those we directly support: Sarah Kane

The first question is Jesus do you “care that we are perishing?” The second question is from Jesus who wonders why his disciples would be afraid? The third is again from the disciples who wonder about this Jesus. Having Jesus on board is a constant experience in amazement, if we are paying attention.

A newborn baby brings hope and excitement to a family. The baby changes the family dynamic. The Birth of Jesus still brings hope and excitement. Having Jesus in your life changes you. God crated mankind with a purpose. Jesus helps us discover and live out that divine purpose.

Christians are not perfect. Having Jesus in our life doesn’t make us immune from temptation or failure. What are Christians supposed to do when they sin? Pastor Brad uses scripture to explain this reality.

Having Jesus in your life changes the way you see things...or at least it should. How do you look at life's troubles and challenges? Does fear rule your life? How do you look at pain? Listen and be challenged to view it all through the lens of faith.