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We as Americans often like shortcuts. We like all the good stuff without all the pain that is required along the way. But hard things aren't necessarily bad things. And Peter shows us in this passage that even the hard things that we suffer in this life have a purpose as God is using them to transform us into the type of person He wishes for us to be. He refines us in the fire of afflictions to purify us. And when we have gone through those various trials, we only have one thing left that gives us ultimate joy- God Himself. We must also remember that these trials aren't forever- the Lord will only make them last as long as they need to be there for us to understand that His grace is sufficient for us. But as long as they are there, He is teaching us something - including how to have joy even in the midst of our trials. If our greatest joy is the Lord Jesus, no person or circumstance can take that away from us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Are we hoping in Him-- Are we loving Him-- Are we rejoicing in Him--

We as Americans often like shortcuts. We like all the good stuff without all the pain that is required along the way. But hard things aren't necessarily bad things. And Peter shows us in this passage that even the hard things that we suffer in this life have a purpose as God is using them to transform us into the type of person He wishes for us to be. He refines us in the fire of afflictions to purify us. And when we have gone through those various trials, we only have one thing left that gives us ultimate joy- God Himself. We must also remember that these trials aren't forever- the Lord will only make them last as long as they need to be there for us to understand that His grace is sufficient for us. But as long as they are there, He is teaching us something - including how to have joy even in the midst of our trials. If our greatest joy is the Lord Jesus, no person or circumstance can take that away from us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Are we hoping in Him-- Are we loving Him-- Are we rejoicing in Him--

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, -Are you for us, or for our adversaries--- And he said, -No- but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.- And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, -What does my lord say to his servant--- And the commander of the LORD'S army said to Joshua, -Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.- And Joshua did so.--In Joshua 5, we witness a theophany- God appears to Joshua in the form of a man. Does God join us, or do we join Him-- Are we in our rightful place-- Is it about how God fits into our plans, or how we fit into His plans-- Who is the Captain and King-- Do we sufficiently exalt God as a Man of War----0-00 Joshua Chapter 5-1-52 Opening Prayer-3-03 Introduction to Sermon-5-16 What Is a Theophany---7-38 What Led Up to These Three Verses---10-51 Point 1 - The Commander's Identity-25-13 Point 2 - The Commander's Worship-29-51 Point 3 - The Commander's Orders-40-02 Closing Prayer

Do we live our lives out proving to God we can live independent of Him-- Are we, in out own ability, able to cut things out of our lives, things that would otherwise interrupt our relationship with God-- If we intend to obey Christ consistently, what should be our focus-- For an answer to these questions and more, please listen to the sermon entitled -The Hidden Life,- taught by Pastor Jamie.

Outline- Two Scenes-1. By the Lake -3-7-12--2. On the Mountain -3-13-19---Main Points-1. Jesus called His disciples, and they came -3-13-.-2. Jesus called His disciples first and foremost to be with Him -3-14-15-.--Questions-1. Have you answered His call- Have you come to Him--2. Are you spending time with Him- Are you being with Him-

Outline- Two Scenes-1. By the Lake -3-7-12--2. On the Mountain -3-13-19---Main Points-1. Jesus called His disciples, and they came -3-13-.-2. Jesus called His disciples first and foremost to be with Him -3-14-15-.--Questions-1. Have you answered His call-- Have you come to Him---2. Are you spending time with Him-- Are you being with Him--

Humility is something that is so foreign to the minds of most Americans. But God calls us to humility, and He gives us a supreme example of it in the Person of Jesus Christ. He was God Himself- He is and always has been King, yet He set aside His Kingship and took the form of human flesh. Unlike earthly rulers who seek to maintain their power at all costs, Jesus left His throne and became like a slave. He came to be obedient to the Law of God, because we are not. He did not sin, but He came to pay the price for our sins. We have fallen into a miry pit, but He came to rescue us and save us.--We can't talk about Jesus coming in the flesh without talking about why He did so. Everyone on earth - either willingly or unwillingly - will confess that He is Lord and bow the knee to Him- --Are you still trying to hold on to your own ways- Or do you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord- Do you do all to bring Him glory-

God has given you talents and a purpose to glorify Him…Are you preparing for the return of the master?

Nahum: A minor prophet with a major message of Condemnation and Comfort.   Nah-who? (1:1) Oracle - Nineveh - Book - Nahum - Elkosh   Nahum's prophecy presented a great dichotomy between Condemnation and Comfort.   “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18   1. The Condemned: Nothing can stand against the condemnation of God's wrath (1:2-6)   “for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” -Exodus 20:5-6   “Nineveh was going to receive the judgement that had been postponed at the time of Jonah....Past blessing does not guarantee present peace. The people of each generation must seek and serve God for themselves.” -Clive Anderson   Who can stand before his indignation? Indignation- anger aroused by something unjust, unworthy   2. The Comforted: God is good, our refuge, and we are not forgotten (1:7)   The Lord is good “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness.” Psalm 145:5-7   A stronghold in the day of trouble “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” Prov. 18:10   He knows those who trust in Him “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Prov. 3:5-6   Which Headline are you reading today? Is it one of Condemnation or Comfort?   “The wrath of God is here revealed from heaven against his enemies, his favour and mercy are here assured to his faithful loyal subjects, and his almighty power in both, making his wrath very terrible and his favour very desirable.” -Matthew Henry   Condemned -“Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts,” 2:13, 3:5a   Comforted - “Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.” 1:15   “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” -Isaiah 52:7   “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1   “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Col 1:19-20   “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2 Cor. 1:3   What word comes to your mind when you think of the Goodness of God?Faithful, merciful, grace, salvation, provision, health, family, new pastor, blessings, children, steadfast, wife, husband, Bible, eternity, protection, refuge, love, plan, purpose, justice,

Good Friday Three of the greatest events that has brought HOPE into humanity: 1. Christ’s birth (Emmanuel God with us); 2. Good Friday; 3. Resurrection Luke 23:32-43 (NIV) -  32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals-one on his right, the other on His left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots. 35The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar 37and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Are you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus remember be when you come into your kingdom.” 43Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 2nd Criminal: He was stunned. He had never thought it would end like this. How can this be happening? How can this be happening to me? Sure, he was a criminal, a thief. Sure, he made his way through life by taking without asking. And sure, he had some run-ins with the law — some pretty close calls. Yet, he never thought it would end like this. How could this be happening? But the screaming and insults of the crowd, the pain of the rough wooden cross on his back, the sound of the hammer pounding the spikes, and the horrible pain — all they said about being crucified was true, the awful truth. He was being crucified. This second criminal knew — he knew now that it was over. He only hoped that death would come quickly now. It was all over for him. Was it over? We know that this criminal was one of three men to die that day. The scene on that garbage dump outside of town — Golgotha, the place of the skull — was crowded as usual. These executions were entertainment for a lot of folks. There was some sort of fascination with crime and violence and blood and suffering, there was the usual crowd. Just like it is today. But something was different about this day, and this second criminal noticed it. He recognized the other criminal on the cross. But this third man in the middle — what was His name? It should have been Barabbas here This Jesus, who was He? And what is this big deal that the soldiers are making over Him? Why this crown of thorns? Why these peculiar insults? He was used to insults at crucifixions, but not like these: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Messiah of God, His chosen one. If you are king of the Jews, save yourself.” NB! Then he hears some peculiar words from Jesus Himself. Very unusual. Usually the condemned swear or curse or moan or beg — but Jesus just says “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Slowly, this second criminal begins to figure it out. This man Jesus is no criminal. Slowly, listening to the talk of those around him and recalling the stories he’d been hearing around town, this second criminal begins to put it together. This is the one they have been talking about. This is the one who has been talking about God’s mercy and compassion, about God’s care for the poor, and the oppressed and the stranger in our midst, about God’s love for all people — a love that never gives up or let’s go. This is the one who’s been talking about justice and fairness and steadfastness and a new life of faith. This is the one who says He’s going to bring it. This crucified Jesus is the one. The second criminal recalls other stories. This Jesus not only talked about God’s love, compassion and mercy, He lived it out. He ate with sinners, hung-out with those on the fringes of society, touched the diseased. He made the lame walk, He made the blind to see, He restored the crazy to their right minds. And He said this was only the beginning. More was to come. God’s love is so great that we haven’t seen anything yet. ”Save yourself and us. ”This shout interrupts the second criminal’s thoughts. He turns to the first criminal and hears those words: “Are you not the messiah? Save yourself and us.” He listens to the insults and contempt of the first man for a while longer. Then he turns to that man. “Be quiet!” the second criminal shouts. “Do you not fear God … you are under the same condemnation; do you not fear God?” “We have been condemned justly. We are getting what we deserve. But this man … this man Jesus has done nothing wrong, nothing wrong at all.” There is a silence. Then the second criminal turns to face Jesus. The two men look at each other, both are wracked with agony and the tortured suffering of the cross. And the criminal quietly says to Jesus: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus looks back at the man. In the midst of His pain, a gentle smile crosses His face. Jesus responds: “Truly, I tell you, this day you will be with me in paradise.” Was it over? The second criminal thought it was. He thought it was all over. But something happened. In the midst of his suffering, bad choices, in the midst of his pain, in the midst of his regrets, in the midst of the insults around him — in the midst of his horrible struggle, he turned his face toward Christ, and he was never the same. “This day you will be with me in paradise.” It was not over. None of us gets a free pass-through life. Our lives can be filled with pain and difficulty that is nearly impossible for us to bear. There can be trouble that seems insurmountable. We can wallow in the depths of despair, loneliness, anxiousness, confusion and fear. We suffer. We struggle to make sense out of life. We do not get the things we are hoping for. We lose people who are dear to us. But today we are reminded that we need not go it alone. It does not matter who we are; it does not matter what we have done; it does not matter what other people think of us; it does not matter what we think of ourselves. It does not matter. Because today we can be renewed in Christ. In Jesus, God lived among us and with us. In Jesus, God continues to live among us and with us. God knows our ache and our pain, knows our suffering and our anguish, knows our fear and anxiety. God knows our despair and despondency, knows our anger and confusion, knows our grief. Our God has faced our death. Through it all God in Christ overcame the pain and the struggle, the suffering, the anguish and despair, the deep and abiding grief that can be a part of our lives. God overcame it all and said that life can be renewed and that we can live fully, that we can have hope now and forever. We need not be alone. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Thanks be to God. Amen.   ======================================= Communion   Matthew 26: 26-29 (NIV) – 26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to His disciples saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27Then he took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Are you ready to be used by God to accomplish great things for Him? Are you ready to fully Experience God yourself? By you willingly allowing God to accomplish great things in you you will experience God all the more. Be blessed as you listen to this service.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1170/29 Is God building you up spiritually? Are you asking Him to? Are you cooperating with Him? Are you responding to His work within your life or are you resisting Him?

"In all honesty I was tired of running from God. It’s hard work to run away from God because you’re running away from love and joy and hope. You don’t realize, until you’re away from all of those, the deep cavern that is inside of you without God filling it. So I came to this place of surrender and it was really GRACE. I was finally willing to admit that I was lonely and that I was hopeless… to admit that I couldn’t do this anymore on my own and I didn’t want to..." Victoria Dahilig, Episode 51This week and next, you get to journey to the heart of God through the testimony of Victoria Dahilig - church youth and ministry director. This two part series includes two original songs by Victoria - words God gave her because they were the words her heart needed to hear, and perhaps you need these words for your own heart or for the heart of one that you love who is running."Psalm 113:7-8 says 'He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and the princes of His people.' That was exactly where I felt that I was at – that I was poor in the dust and needy in the ash heap. I had felt that I was in a place of dust and ashes and God was willing to lift me out of the heap... I grabbed a hold of the truth about the sovereignty of God - the mystery of Him and the assurance of Him... One of my songs was born out of this realization, in the act of turning back to Christ and realizing how heavy the loneliness, and dust, and ashes were weighing on me and taking the chance to open up in an honest prayer to God – lifting a raw prayer before Him.“ Victoria Dahilig, Episode 51Parents, one thing I feel very strongly is that how we help our younger children discover God is a very different parenting plan from when our teens and adult children wrestle with their faith. "Who is God?" and "Who am I in relationship to Him?" Are critical questions. As intentional parents, we can't have a "one size fits all ages" approach to this heart issue. We need to handle it differently at different stages of life. Next week, as we conclude this interview with Tori and introduce her next song, we’ll also talk about the Parent’s Action Plan - steps for helping your kids make their faith their own - different steps for different stages of childhood.“God doesn’t eliminate the difficulties and trials for our children, but He does walk with them through these times. He is right there with them at every moment of every step, going in front, going beside, going behind, carrying them. He is totally surrounding our kids and we can trust Him."val harrison, The Practically Speaking MOM, episode 51Next week, I will share ACTION STEPS for PARENTS at each age and stage, to aid in the process of kids taking on their faith in God AS THEIR OWN, from the young to the grown, what we can do as intentional parents. (Episode 52, publishes 9/7/2020). The story continues with the second song for the second step in Tori’s journey to the heart of God. I am honored that you spend time with me each week, listening to the podcast while you multi-task your busy life. Here's some other things you can do: Leave a review on Apple ITunes and on my public Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PracticallySpeakingMom. Connect with my Intentional Mom, Strong Family private community on Facebook.See my books, my blog, my resource recommendations, and subscribe at: Practically Speaking MOM.com. See you next week, I’m praying for you. val.

Study of Scripture: Luke 15:11-24; 1 Timothy 5:2; 2 Timothy 3:6-7 Did you know that our Heavenly Father CAN’T WAIT for His “methodical prodigal” children to head back home to Him?Are you going the wrong way?In today’s Bible study we are dealing with daddy issues.Milo sets up this study by connecting a “political” lesson he learned when he was a freshman in college to specific passages found in Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy. Thereafter, Milo focuses on fatherhood, teaching about the importance and the intimacy of the “daddy-daughter” dynamic. After taking a verse-by-verse approach to teaching the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Milo reveals his “Great 8” points for the “Methodical Prodigal” children of God. THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER Series Note: The Romantical Series started in February 2020. The series focuses on applying scripture to how we view, approach and maintain romantic relationships. Today’s study is “Part 10” of the "Romantical" series.Below are the previous three studies that are part of this Romantical series. Click the link below to listen!! "Entanglement" (A Bible study about romantic entanglements) Link: http://preachermanmilo.buzzsprout.com/287681/4773539-entanglement"Grandma’s Hands" (A special edition Bible study honoring Bill Withers) Link: http://preachermanmilo.buzzsprout.com/287681/3770519-grandma-s-hands"Walking on Eggshells" (A Bible study about what it means to be equally yoked) Link: http://preachermanmilo.buzzsprout.com/287681/3644533-walking-on-eggshells Support the show (https://cash.app/$preachermanmilo)

Jesus warned us to watch and be ready for His returning. Matthew recorded his warning and we can read his record in Matthew 24 in the Bible. Jesus gave us the signs to watch for. He told us how the end would come. Where are you today? Are you ready for Jesus to return? Have you put your faith in Him? Are you living for Jesus Christ? This is the time to choose. Pastor B shares from scripture as we take a much needed look at Jesus's warning.

Who is the Holy Spirit? Can I receive Him? When do I receive Him? Are there different ways to receive Him?

Who is Christ and what do we say about Him? Are both natures present in the Supper? Who was arguing over this at the time of the Reformation, and why does this matter to us now? Rev. Dr. Kirk Clayton, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article VIII: The Person of Christ, Status of the Controversy.

Do you love God and are you real with Him? Are you comfortable in His Presence? Love God and you will be a success. Broadcast #6652.

Sunday’s sermon from the Community Evangelical Free Church in Soap Lake, WA. Our text for this Sunday is Malachi 1:6-14. Last week as we began our study in the book of Malachi, we were reminded that before God brings correction and discipline He reminds His people of His relentless love for them. This week as we press on in chapter 1, we now begin to read of the correction God brings to His people through the prophet Malachi. This first complaint God makes against the people really begins with the priests, the spiritual leaders of the day. Rather than treating God as supremely worthy, they are treating God in both actions and attitudes as worthless; like a chore to get done or an annoying burden to carry. God calls out this sin and declares that He alone is supremely worthy of the people’s best actions and attitudes. As we ponder this text, we must respond by evaluating our own hearts. How have we treated the God of the universe? Are we lazy in our service to Him? Are we annoyed at His commands? Are we apathetic in our worship? If we find ourselves sinning as the priests and people of Malachi’s day were sinning, the only answer is to run to Jesus. Only in Jesus can we truly offer up ourselves as living sacrifices that are pleasing unto the Lord. May we all be encouraged to behold the glory of Jesus and be transformed. We pray those who hear this sermon will be blessed in the Jesus. If you have any questions or comments you can contact us at pastor@communitychurchsl.com

We continue our look at Mark, and the way that Jesus calls those around Him to follow Him. Do you remember the way Jesus called you? Are you still seeking to know more about Him? Are you searching for calling? Read Mark 1:16-28. We’re called into relationship and into vision. What does this look like in... More...

Happy Easter from all of us at Catholic Answers! Please enjoy hearing questions from some of the staff that you don’t usually see or hear. God bless you! Questions Covered: Zach Maxwell, Catholic Answers Video Editor– 03:25 – How would we respond to a person claiming that is selfish for God to create a population that is made simply to know, love, and serve Him? Are we simply here to amuse Him or was He lonely?  Dave Matheson, Director of Development – 08:51 – Tim, I was on Twitter yesterday and a prominent Catholic who writes for National Review posted, quote, “Mary isn’t a co-redeemer. There is one Redeemer, Jesus. Mary is our mother. Accept her with love.” Lot of truth there, but what about the part about Mary not being a co-redeemer? I know it’s not dogma, but can you explain the history of the co-redeemer title, what it means and what the Church says about this?  Jon Sorenson, Chief Operations Officer- 18:30 – I want to talk to Tim on the radio today about how we can explain to atheists that it is reasonable for Catholics to accept the Bible as the inspired word of God. Not necessarily proving that it is (because they are already skeptical) but showing them that what we believe is a reasonable (not crazy or delusional) conclusion.     Meggie Gonzalez, Customer service rep – 28:16 – The other day, Aesop saw a picture of the crucifixion and asked me what Jesus was doing. AHHH! I am thinking I want to ask Tim for some tips on how to talk to young kids about images they may see at church without making them afraid and introducing ideas like salvation without overwhelming their little minds. Will that work?  Andrew Hermiz, Video Editor – 36:03 – Why does contemporary philosophy fail so much in regards to revealing God and explaining theological thinking?  Christine Venditti, Development Officer – 46:32 – To what extent are we obligated to vote as Catholics? Since same sex marriage isn’t actually a marriage, why are we obligated to vote against it?  …

Title: Celebrating the MessiahText: Luke 19:29-40Points:1. When we OBEY HIS WORD.Verses 29-352. When we passionately PRAISE GOD.Verses 36-403. When we SACRIFICIALLY GIVE TO GOD.Verses 21:1-4; Mark 14:3-9Take-a-ways:1. Are you obeying Him? Are you listening to His voice?2. Are you praising Him? Are you rejoicing in Him?3. Are you giving to Him? Are you trusting Him?4. Have you received His love for you? Is He changing you?

COMMENTARY Today’s reading describes two of Jesus’ final meals. These meals both include symbolic actions that anticipate what will happen to Jesus. In the first meal, Jesus is anointed with perfume, an act that foreshadows His death and subsequent enthronement. In the second meal, famously known as the Last Supper, the symbolism goes one step further. At this meal, Jesus reveals not only that He would soon die but also why He had to die. He gives us clues about the meaning of His death. These clues come to us through a number of allusions and references back to Old Testament passages. The first clue is that the Last Supper was most likely a Passover dinner (Mark 14:16-17; Exodus 12). Passover was an annual holiday that commemorated how God had liberated the people of Israel from their slavery in Egypt. Faithful Jews celebrated this holiday by eating a symbolic dinner. Every item on the menu represented a key moment of the Israelites’ escape. In Mark 14, Jesus participates in this meal, but He transforms the meaning of some items because He wants His followers to understand that His death would be the means by which a new Passover would occur. Their sin had put them in exile; Jesus’ death would free them from their exile. Two more clues come to us in His interpretation of the wine. He says in Mark 14:24, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” The phrase “blood of the covenant” is a reference to the covenant God made with Israel in Exodus 24. That covenant had been established with sacrificial blood. Here, Jesus indicates that He is making a new covenant, a new agreement with His people, but it would now be through His blood. The phrase “poured out for many” alludes to Isaiah 53:10-12. Isaiah the prophet wrote that a suffering servant would justify many by bearing their sins. Here, Jesus implies that He is that suffering servant. Together, these allusions give us a glimpse into why Jesus had to die. Jesus freed us so we could live as covenant-partners in the kingdom with Him. His self-giving way of freeing us was by taking our sins upon Himself. SCRIPTURE MARK 14:1–31 CHAPTER 14 JESUS ANOINTED AT BETHANY 1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” 10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. THE LAST SUPPER 12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” 19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?” 20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. JESUS PREDICTS PETER’S DENIAL 27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” 30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today— yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.” 31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same. REFLECTION 1. In Mark 14:9, Jesus promises that the woman’s act of devotion would be told “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world.” This promise is fulfilled by the inclusion of her story in the gospel of Mark. Why do you think Jesus thought it was important for her story to be told as part of the gospel? How should Jesus’ statement influence the way we share the gospel with others? 2. Mark 14:3-5 indicates that the perfume the woman “poured” on Jesus was worth “more than a year’s wages.” Her display may seem excessive, but when we compare it with Mark 14:24 where Jesus says His blood will be “poured” out for many, her action comes into its proper perspective. He gave the best of what He had for us, so we owe the best of what we have to Him. In light of what Jesus has done for you, how are you returning devotion to Him? Are you bringing Him the best of what you have?

God is with us. Are we looking for Him? Are we grateful? Do we have a friendship with Him? Are we listening for His voice? Are we obeying the quiet prompts to call someone, send a meal, send a text. Those acts of kindness are God-inspired.

Everyday there seems to be new updates and restrictions to the virus we’re experiencing. It’s hard not to be consumed and fearful of everything taking place. But in these moments are we going to God? are we trusting Him? Are we spending more time in prayer and in the word? Also what are some practical ways we can walk through these unique times.

Even in times of death, fear and pain, God is with you. It is his presence that makes these times bearable. What is one area in your life in which God is calling you to find comfort in Him? Are you willing to be disciplined and taught by the Good Shepherd?

Radiant Culture — On this episode we discuss natural disasters a.k.a Acts of God? Some think it's punishment from God. Others think it's just a result of man's poor management of the resources he's been given which has led to climate change, which has a knock on effect. Because after the flood, God promised not to do that to man again, so are these disasters really orchestrated by Him? Are these disasters just a sign of the times we are in, the end is nearer now? how should Christians respond to these things? Have a listen and join the conversation

Key Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22 To be a Christ-disciple means to be Christ-like. True spiritual growth isn’t measured by Bible-knowledge or how many hours per week we pray. The only real measure of Christian maturity is whether or not we’re becoming like Jesus in our character. Do we speak like Him, treat others like Him, think like Him, love like Him? Are we more like Him today than we were yesterday? Scripture References and Quotes: 1. Psalm 139:1-4 2. Proverbs 27:6 3. Luke 11:39-40 4. Mark 4:22 5. Genesis 1:27 6. Romans 5:12 7. Colossians 1:15 8. Hebrews 1:3 9. Ephesians 4:11-13 “It should amaze us to realize that when the Creator of the universe wanted to create something ‘in His image,’ something more like Himself than all the rest of creation, He made us! Every single human being, no matter how much the image of God is marred by sin, or illness, or weakness, or age, or any other disability, still has the status of being in God’s image and therefore must be treated with the dignity and respect that is due God’s image-bearer.” - Wayne Grudem

On any given Sunday, if a pastor asks by a show of hands how many in the congregation consider themselves followers of Christ, most would raise their hands.  But if he followed up that question with: "And how many of you know what it means to be a follower of Jesus today?" - the number of raised hands would drop considerably.  Maybe even to none.  Why?  Because our view today of following Jesus is a far cry from what it meant in the time of Jesus.  Think about it for a moment.  Today, following Jesus means agreeing to a set of doctrinal facts, going to church regularly, tithing, volunteering for some service ministry, adhering to a moral code, and reading and praying as often as we can.  But in the New Testament, following Jesus meant something quite different. Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matt. 16:24).  Note the components of His invitation.  First, it begins with a conditional clause, if, like a classic if / then statement.  "If you desire to come after Me, then these are the conditions."  Next, we have self-denial or self-subjugation to God.  "If you desire to come after Me, the first condition is to deny yourself."  And finally, we are now privy to the degree to which self-denial must take place.  "If you desire to come after Me, the first condition is to deny yourself even to the point of death, and a horrific death at that."  And only then does Jesus say, "and follow Me."  First, meet the conditions, and then "follow Me." But What About Desire Exactly.  The entire invitation of Jesus hinges on the word, desire.  If you desire, then do the following.  If you don't desire, then this message must not be for you.  Which begs the questions, what is your desire regarding following Jesus?  And is your desire great enough to pay the price necessary to meet His conditions?  Ouch.  This is where it often gets personal. In order to fully understand all of what Jesus said when He revealed His conditions of following Him, let's look at this invitation from all three Gospel accounts.  Only then can we fully understand all the implications and the Cost of Discipleship (to quote Bonhoeffer).  The following is from Matthew 16:24-25, Mark 8:34-35, and Luke 9:23-24: Then Jesus (MK) called the people to Himself (LK) and said to them all, (MK) with His disciples also, (MT) "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (LK) daily, (MT) and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake (MK) and the gospel’s (MT) will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul (LK) and is himself destroyed or lost? (MT) Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (MK)  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes (LK) in His own glory, and (MT) in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." Today, we will primarily focus on the issue of desire. What is your desire regarding Christ? Have you counted the costs of a deeper relationship with Him? Are you ready to pay the price?  No matter what that price might be? Are you paying any price right now for your commitment to the Lord? Do you know if it will be much different in the future? Are you tired of taking two steps forward and then losing ground once again because you desire something less than all of His fullness manifested in your life?  If so, then keep listening. The following is a study on our Desire to Follow Christ.

Jesus was probably never called Jesus in His life. Although it’s not 100% certain, it’s highly likely He had a given name in Aramaic that approximates Yeshua -- the name which His family and friends, prosecutors and defenders, called Him. There’s no doctrine, no policy, which requires you to refer to Him as Yeshua or Jesus. I suspect He doesn't have a strong preference because He hears our hearts regardless of what name we use (Luke 9:47). As we see in 3 Nephi 9:15 and D&C 6:21, Yeshua says, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God.” Yet others have found it rewarding to refer to Him as Yeshua. As one Facebook subscriber once said, “I love the name Yeshua most. I repeat it softly to myself as a way to bring his energies to my heart. It seems to me to fit his nature better than Jesus. Yeshua sounds so strong and yet compassionate. It reminds me of the rushing of waters. Living waters. Loving waters.” I myself have found a newfound power and strength when using the name of Yeshua. When I factor in the fact that we are to take upon ourselves His name, Yeshua carries far more significance and meaning to me than the Greek/Latin Jesus. “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:2) “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2) Imagine enjoying and commanding greater strength, more deliverance and redemption from life’s challenges, because you speak strength to it! Yeshua is the answer to everything: Rescuing. Safety. Deliverance. Salvation. But I do think there is something that matters to Yeshua. Now that you’ve taken upon yourself His name, what are you doing with it? Do you actively promote Him to others, or are you ashamed (and come up with a multitude of excuses) to do so? "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth." (Romans 1:16) Are you taking your concerns, challenges and problems to Him? Are you putting His name -- as a rescuer and deliverer -- to the test? “The name of the Lord [Yeshua] is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” (Proverbs 18:10) It’s now 2020. Now’s the time to start the new year off right. I invite you to take Yeshua up on His offer: Look unto Him in every thought; doubt not, fear not. (D&C 6:36) I testify that as you draw near unto Him, He will draw near unto you. Seek Him diligently, and you’ll find Him. (D&C 88:63) “thou shalt call his name JESUS (Heb.: Yeshua): for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) NOTE: As I've occasionally done in the past, this blog post features a guest narrator. Enjoy!

How does God want us to treat His presence? Could He really want us to desire Him? Are we really able to be "carriers" of His presence? Is it okay to have fun being with God, or is that disrespectful? In 2 Samuel 6 we find David desiring to bring up the ark of God's presence to Jerusalem; what he learns and demonstrates in the process may challenge some of our long-held worship traditions.

What happens when we really lean into God and focus our faith on what He has for us? What are we bringing Him? Are we bringing Him what we have, or are we denying ourselves the blessing of God?

170 Beware of False Prophets A Guided Christian Meditation on Matthew 7:15-17 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Matthew 7:15-20 NIV 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ESV 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Meditation on Scripture: The word here translated as false prophets is psuedopropheton. Pseudo is an imitation or deceptive version of something and propheton is for prophet, “a person gifted at expositing divine truth.” Rightly so, I think most discussions of this scripture deals with guarding against false leaders; however, when I think back the bad theology I am exposed to, it is much more likely to come from conversation with someone not a formal church leader of any organization. I have been thinking a lot about this because I think it is a delicate subject. Perhaps it is not accidental that Chapter 7 of Mathew also includes a warning that we will be judged as we judge. For this reason, my main goal is to help us be thoughtful about how we receive truths of God not to disparage people who share things that may not be consistent with what I believe, even if their intentions are not the best. In statements like this Jesus is clearly asking us to be mindful of what we receive from others to help us stay spiritual safe. We can learn to be critical of ideas we let into our hearts and evaluate them based on their effect. Do they yield good fruit? Do they draw us nearer to Jesus? On the flip side, people can have a great effect without having true theology. I can directly tie the creation of this podcast to someone from a non Christian religion. If it wasn’t for him I never would have discovered the rich tradition of Christian Meditation. I have had countless people reach out to me to tell me how they feel much closer to Jesus when they listen to this podcast. People have literally told me they have become Christians and accepted the way of Jesus, or returned to it, due to this podcast. This was all based on a seed that was planted by someone who does not recognize Jesus as the only way back to the Father. I consider the friendship of this man to be dear to me and, although we differ on how to understand God, I feel I have come to have a better relationship with Jesus because of him. By your fruits you will know them. I am a better Christain for having known Him, which I consider a good fruit. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What do you consider to be good fruit? Final Thought: Perhaps this is the best paradigm we can. Does the idea in question bring me closer to my Savior Jesus Christ? That may not mean it makes us more comfortable but does it reconcile us more to Him? Are we closer to Jesus as a result? FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Android App Store: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod              

Preacher: Danny D'Acquisto Passage: Mark 9:1-13 Big Idea: Jesus has the greatest kind of glory - glory that we least expect. Sermon Points: The King's glory Revealed The King's glory Concealed Application Points: Are you amazed by Him? Are you grateful for Him? Will you follow Him?

Pastor Sean finishes chapter 2 of Philippians calling us to be intentionally walking through life with others in order to lead them to Jesus and live life in Him. Do you have heroes? If so, who are they and why do you look up to them? Jesus is our ultimate hero. In what ways are you trying to be more like Him? Are you intentionally helping anyone else to become more like Jesus?

“When Fear Puts Your Trust to the Test”—a prophetic message from Curt Landry that unfolds understanding from Scripture to prepare you for what God is asking you to do during these changing times. God wants you to simply Trust Him… He wants to take you from a ‘Narrow Place of Fear' to a ‘Broad Place of Trust!' These are changing times. Change can bring fear, but the Lord wants you to learn how to continually live in a place of trust with Him… --- Are you aware of what God is doing in your life? --- Do you have confidence and peace in what God is doing? --- Can you see where you are heading during this season? --- Are your fears leading to a place of dis-trust... or confident trust and peace? Are you longing to rid yourself of the fears that hold you back from walking confidently with the Lord? This message by Curt Landry will help you break free from those fears, learn to trust God completely, and step out from the constricting narrow place that the enemy wants to keep you in. God wants to bring you into a broad place to live in intimate relationship with Him. Learn to trust the Lord and walk the chosen path He has for you in this season. So that, When Fear Puts Your Trust to the Test, you can turn that place of fear into a place of rest and peace—confidently abiding in the trusting relationship you have developed with the Lord.

Have you received Christ as your Lord and Savior? If your answer to the above question is YES. Are you then rooted in Him? Are you growing in Him? Are you truly established in the faith? Are you sincerely thankful for the gift of salvation? These are the reasons why this episode is coming your way today. Please, listen and share it with someone now! Remain blessed for listening. Chaplain Taiwo Balogun

PulpTheology Book Dear Christian - Get a good grip The book we are looking at this week, is Dear Christian - Get a good grip: Basic studies about God and following Him. Here is what one reviewer said: Down to Earth and packs all the punches we need to get a grip on what's important! Excellent series of books. Highly recommended. Are you a Christian Disciple? Fabulous! How well do you know the God you follow? God has a grip on you, but how good is your grip on Him? Are you holding on to Him by just your fingernails? Or do you have a good firm grip on His hand, just as a baby grips onto the hand of their father? As Christian Disciples, we are only just beginning to know what it means that God became human. When on that moment the holy & sinless God, chose to enter human history and became man. Why? So that humans could choose for themselves to be in a relationship with God or not, accepting freely that they are ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven. Yet in our modern Western Civilisation, the Church in places has forgotten this. It is time for the Church to once again go back to basics, to be reminded of them if necessary, to get their collective hands dirty and echo the God they claim to follow. Are you ready to learn not just about God but also why? In these studies we look together at: Why Study God? Who is God? God as Trinity God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit God, Humans and Life A Tale of 4 Disciples What is a Disciple? Goal of a Disciple Living as a Disciple Growing as a Disciple The Cross and the Disciple Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file ~ You can purchase this book at Amazon on this link: Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Choosing God is far beyond giving our life to Him one time. Every single day we are choosing how much of God we get each day. Is He an active part of your life? If not maybe you aren't aware of how much you are pushing God away. Are you seeking Him? Are you faithful to Him? Are you set apart from the rest of the world? Is it worth it to you to put this work in? Trust and faith in Him get's us everything! So what is it that's holding you back? Listen now and find God’s truth right where you are! For more information and free infertility resources visit http://ttctf.com.

The cross… Today we see crosses on the top of churches, or hanging from people's necks, but 2000 years ago, no one would wear a cross as jewellery.   The cross was not a fun symbol at all, it was a symbol of unimaginable pain, incalculable shame and utter despair. Only criminals were executed on a cross, and to wear a cross around your neck 2000 years ago would be like wearing a hangman’s noose around your neck today!   1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV Strong's) For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.   So on this Good Friday, the day when we remember Jesus’ death upon a cross, I want to focus on the cross, it’s significance and ask, “What does it all mean today 2000 years later?” What was the cross all about, and why did it have to happen?   To answer that question I want you to come with me, back in time 2000 years and walk the road to the cross with Jesus.   THE NEED FOR THE CROSS   The Bible tells us that, if we sin, we are destined for a lost eternity, separated from God forever in hell. People got upset this week when Israel Folau suggested that homosexuals are going to Hell. Well, you can get offended if you like, but he’s right! I didn’t say it, God did. They are destined for hell, as are adulterers, thieves, gossips, people with anger, doubt, fear or selfishness.   Romans 3:23 (ESV Strong's) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,   We are all of us guilty of sin, every one of us! We are all destined to hell. All of us have sinned… I have, and you have. Ever got angry at someone? Ever been envious? Ever been selfish? Ever hurt someone or let them down?   All of these things are sin, and all of them separate you and I from God. In the OT, sacrifices were required for sin, to reconcile us back to God…   Hebrews 9:22 (ESV Strong's) Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.   So rather than kill us and shed our blood for sin, Jesus came and paid the price for us. He left His home in glory, and came to us with the express intent of dying in our place.   We all need the cross, and though the world hates it and thinks it foolish, we know it is salvation for every single one of us!   I should have been hanging on that cross, you should have been. But He chose to give His life for ours. He experienced what we should have experienced, to give us what we never deserved… a chance to be right with God. Why? Because He loves us.   THE MOTIVE OF THE CROSS   A holy and just God cannot simply excuse sin, because if He did, He would no longer be holy. If God just let everyone into heaven, heaven would be hell! So instead of excusing us, or condemning us to a lost eternity, God solution was to find us guilty and then pay the price for us. We stand accused before the judge, the penalty is a million dollar fine or death, and we are helpless to pay the fine. The gavel falls, out fate is sealed, but once sentence is pronounced, the judge Himself breaks out His wallet and pays the price, setting us free.   That is the motivation of the cross. God paid the penalty for our sin by sacrificing His own Son in our place.   Philippians 2:5-8 Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.   The Bible tells us that Jesus is God. He’s not a god, He’s not a created being, He is actually God, but He chose to empty Himself and come as a servant, as a sacrifice, for you and I. God’s motive in sending His one and only Son was because He loves you..   A true story is told of a drawbridge keeper on the Mississippi in 1937, who brought his 8 year old son to work one day. The draw bridge was raised as a train approached, and it was time to lower the bridge, but he saw his son had tripped and fallen into the gear assembly.  He could see the child was hurt but trapped, but the Memphis express train was approaching, so the man faced a choice… save his son, and hundreds of people on the train plunge into the river, or sacrifice his son and the trainload of people live. He pushed the lever, the bridge began to lower and the train went over the bridge as he heard the screams of his dying little boy.   Make no mistake, nails did not hold Jesus to the cross, love did. He died in your place, because He loves you!   THE ROAD TO THE CROSS   The road to the cross showed us how Jesus can relate to all of us, whatever we have been through.   Matthew 27:30-31 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.   Jesus was betrayed by a close friend. Some of you here have experienced that, where a supposed friend has let you down or betrayed you. He understands because it happened to Him.   He was unjustly accused, and unjustly convicted. Many of you have been unjustly accused of something you have not done, and He understands because that is what happened to Him.   Jesus was abused horribly.   They whipped Him, they placed a crown of thorns on His head, with thorns longer than a man's fingers, and mocked Him, driving those spikes into His head with blow after blow. They tore the beard from His face? They mocked and beat Him.   Jesus was beaten to within an inch of His life. The Bible says His back was like a plowed field. The Romans had refined cruelty and pain to the point of science. They called such a whipping the halfway death, and for a whip they used a cat of nine tails, with stone, bone and bits of metal embedded into the leather. When they struck the sharp objects would embed into His back, tearing it to pieces as they were pulled away.   Unbelievable pain, that He could have stopped at any moment… but He chose no to.   Why? Because He loves you!   Then He was taken away for the death sentence to be carried out. He was ordered to carry the crossbeam of the cross, a terrible burden after being so abused. Some of you here have been abused, and many of you here are carrying burdens that seems to heavy to bear.   Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV Strong's) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”   Jesus will bear the burdens of life with you, because He know and understands whatever you face right now, and Because He loves you!   THE WORK OF THE CROSS   And so He was abused and driven to Golgotha, Skull Hill… and they crucified Him.   The cross wasn't really on a hill faraway, it was the base of that hill, at a well used road which today is an Arab bus stop.   They laid the cross member down and secured it to the rest of the cross. They then held out His quivering hands and drove massive nails, much like what they secure railway sleepers with, through His wrist. If they went through His hands the flesh would tear, but through His wrists and ankles the body would be pinned in agony to the cross. They they raised it up and dropped it into the socket in the ground. Imagine the jarring pain!   And there He hung in agony. He could have called down a legion of angels to remove Him from the cross, but Jesus chose not to. He hung there in agony.   Why? Because He loves you!   The cross wasn't high at all, it was more or less at eye level or just above. People could almost look straight into the eyes of Jesus as He hung there in agony. People passing by mocked and insulted Him…   Matthew 27:42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.   The soldiers offered Him wine mixed with gall, a pain killing drug, but Jesus even in intense agony refused the drugs. He could have dulled the pain, but He bore it all for us.   The cross was an almost perfect instrument of torture. On the cross you die of suffocation. Jesus pushed His body up on the spikes, but the unbelievable pain drove Him into unconsciousness. He then slumped collapsing His lungs, but the need for oxygen revived Him and made Him push up again despite the unbearable pain to breathe.   The Latin or Roman word for crucifixion is CRUCIERE, from which we get the English word, excruciating, meaning intense, unbearable pain. Jesus suffered for 3 hours in this excruciating pain under the intense heat of a Palestinian sun before God said enough, and covered the world in a supernatural darkness.   Jesus continued to suffer for another 3 hours in ways we cannot begin to understand. He could have stopped the pain at any point, but He chose not to.   Why? Because He loves you!   THE END OF THE CROSS   After 6 tortuous, agonising hours, Matthew 27:46 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”   My God the Father, my God the Holy Spirit, why have you forsaken me?   At that point God turned away from His beloved Son. In those moments a holy God, who will not look upon sin, saw your sin and my sin upon the shoulders of Jesus, and He rejected Him. At that moment Jesus took our sin upon Himself, and as the Father rejected Him, Jesus opened the way for us to stand sinless before Him.   Then it says this… Matthew 27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.   He slumped, dead on that cross. Ultimately they didn't take His life, He yielded it. He could have stopped it at any time, but Jesus yielded His life in unbelievable pain for your sin and my sin. Remember, nails did not hold Him to that cross, love did!   Because He loves us.   They took His body down from the cross and buried it in a fresh tomb.   THE RESPONSE TO THE CROSS   There were 3 soldiers crucifying Jesus that day, and they had several responses to watching Jesus die.   One was a materialist. The Bible says they gambled for Jesus’ cloak. It was a rabbis coat, all one piece, the only seams being around the arms. It was valuable. This soldier just got what he wanted for himself… a good coat, nothing more.   The second was a soldier who thrust his sword into the heart of Jesus, and ripped it out, causing a flow of blood and water, showing Jesus was truly dead. His experience was one of hatred and anger towards Jesus. Some of you here might be angry that God hasn't done what you wanted. This man trampled the blood, the precious blood of Jesus underfoot.   Today across out nation, most of our people will be thinking about a day off, about hot cross buns and Easter eggs , and they will tread with contempt the precious blood of Jesus into the red soil.   But the third man was a centurion. A leader…   Mark 15:39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”   YOUR RESPONSE TO THE CROSS   What are you going to say this morning to this One who died for you? Are you out to get as much as you can from Him? Are you angry or upset at Him, or even ignoring Him? Don't tread His precious blood underfoot this morning. Why not be like the centurion, why not accept the gift Jesus offers you this day… the Son of God, who died for you your sin, and who paid the price to win you eternal life, this day offers you salvation, no matter what you’ve said or done. The opportunity to get right with God, the opportunity to turn your life around, the opportunity to be sure of your eternal destination.   When you look at the cross, my question is, how will you respond this Good Friday? Remember, love held Him to the cross, not nails. Love for you held Him there. Today is the day to get right with Him, and make this Good Friday the best Friday ever.   If you’re not sure of where your life is going, today is the day to make sure. If you were to die tonight, where would you spend eternity, in heaven with God, or in hell, separated from God’s love forever. You don’t have to earn His love, you don’t have to meet minimum standards, you just have to accept His free gift, the one He paid so high a price for.   And if you already know Him, I want you to think about your life, think about what your greatest burden is right now. What’s your greatest need, your greatest struggle or your greatest ongoing sin. Write it down, we are going to pray, give it totally to Jesus.   After we’ve prayed, I’m going to give you the chance to come forward and nail it to the cross.   Stay in an attitude of prayer, and when you nail that sin or burden to the cross, let it forever…

What does it mean to worship God? Does it mean going to church? Does it mean singing songs and hymns? What does God expect from us and how does he want us to worship Him? Are you truly worshipping God, the Bible way? You might be surprised at this look at worship as we see […]

Can someone lose their salvation? There are few doctrines that are more divisive than the doctrine of eternal security. Eternal security states that the one who believes in Jesus Christ is completely and totally secure for all eternity in their salvation and that nothing can sever this relationship whether in this life or in the Life to come. This doctrine is often referred to as “once saved, always saved.” Foundational Verses for SecurityIn sharing the good news that salvation is provided freely by Jesus Christ, John 5:24is an excellent verse that clearly establishes the issue. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has Eternal Life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” There are two major points that Jesus addresses and a result that follows. First, the person must hearthe good news about Jesus Christ. This is consistent throughout the New Testament (Acts 15:7; 18:8; Rom 10:17; Eph 1:13). One cannot believe in what they have not heard, so it only follows that we must tell people about Jesus Christ. Have they heard that Jesus, the Son of the Living God, has provided salvation for them full and free?If they answer “yes,” we now move to the second point. Have they believedGod’s Word about Jesus providing salvation? To “believe” is to have a conviction that something is true. It is faith. Hebrews 11:1 states that faith “is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” From this simple definition, we can see that "faith" is a confident conviction that something is true. Concerning the good news, the object of our “confident conviction” is Jesus Christ. Do we believe what God has said about Him? Are we confidently convinced that He alone can save us?(It is important to note that in this one verse, the condition for salvation is clearly displayed, being “faith.” This is all that Jesus requires. “If there are hidden conditions to salvation other than the simple request of faith, Jesus would be guilty of deception.”[1])If the answer to this question is “yes,” we then ask them what they now have. The answer is clear in John 5:24- Eternal Life. This verse uses the word “has” which is a present-tense verb. Eternal Life is something that one has at the moment of faith in Christ. This is not a gradual process or a "time of testing," but an immediate fact. D.L. Moody wrote, “Salvation is instantaneous. I admit that a man may be converted so that he cannot tell when he crossed the line between death and life, but I also believe a man may be a thief one moment and a saint the next. I believe a man may be as vile as hell itself one moment, and be saved the next. Christian growth is gradual, just as physical growth is; but a man passes from death unto everlasting life quick as an act of the will—'He that believeth on the Son hatheverlasting life.’”[2]The next point to consider is that Jesus clarifies exactly what He means in stating that the one who believes in Him “does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24b). Our previously certain reservation in the Lake of Fire has been dismissed due to the free pardon that is offered by the perfect work of Jesus. The one who believes in Christ will never be judged for their sin. It has been paid for in full!It must also be noted that the believer in Christ “has passed” out of eternal death into Eternal Life. This is a verb in the perfect tense, meaning that it is “a completed verbal action that occurred in the past but which produced a state of being or a result that exists in the present.”[3]This means that Eternal Life is a present reality for the one who believes and is a permanent possession beyond this life into the Life to come. Death has been dismissed, being gloriously replaced by the gift of Eternal Life that Jesus freely gives.Another foundational passage is found in John 10:27-30. This is commonly referred to as the “double-fisted grip of God,” and rightly so, for in it is the reinforcement of the believer’s eternal destiny directly from the mouth of the Lord Jesus. Jesus refers to believers as His “sheep” in John 10:27. It is clear from 10:26 that those who are considered “sheep” are those who have believed in Jesus. They know His voice and they follow Him. In v.28, Jesus plainly states that He gives them “Eternal Life.” Notice that this is a gift and not something that they have earned. One cannot earn their salvation. May it be stated clearly: Eternal Life IS salvation. What else could it be but Life from the dead for those who were formerly separated from God by their sin nature? By its very name it is forever.Verse 28 is so emphatic regarding the impossibility of one losing their salvation that the translators of the HSCB translated this as “and they will never perish —ever!” In the Greek, this is what is known as an “emphatic negation” because “never” is the translation of ou mēand is included with “perish” being the aorist subjunctive, which is “the strongest way to negate something in Greek,” because it “denies a potentiality”[4]regarding the loss of one’s salvation. Wallace goes on to note that “ou mē rules out even the idea as being a possibility,” while stating in the next paragraph that “especially in John: what is negatived is the possibility of the loss of salvation.”[5]Grammatically, it is an absolute and undeniable impossibility to be lost again.In v.28b-29, Jesus uses an illustration that involves His ability to securely keep those who are His, and the Father’s ability (being “greater than all”) to do the same. The one who is Christ’s sheep is held firmly, without needing to fear removal, in His perfect hands, while the Father also holds these same sheep in divine security. He then reveals that He and the Father are one (v.30), signifying their complete unity. Christ’s sheep are shielded by His hands while also being gripped in the grace of the Father. Robertson expounds on this, writing, “No wolf, no thief, no bandit, no hireling, no demon, not even the devil can pluck the sheep out of my hand.”[6]Though some have claimed it to be possible, even the believer him or herself cannot remove themselves from the double-fisted grip of God’s grace. The promise of Christ is certain and sure.While many other passages could be expounded upon, these two sections are sufficient to prove the point. The one who hears the good news about Jesus and is confidently convinced that it is true receives Eternal Life as a free gift, having passed from total separation from the Father into a living union with Him.The Difference Between Security and AssuranceEternal Securitycan be easily understood from the verses in Scripture that promise Eternal Life (John 3:16; 5:24; 6:37, 40, 47). Plainly put, if Eternal Life is not forever, what else could it be? John 3:16 is clear. The one who believes in Jesus has Eternal Life. Therefore, Eternal Security is a biblical doctrine that is as sure and steadfast as its name, being based on Christ’s merits and not on our performance or lack thereof.Assurance of salvationis a different subject only because it is the person's viewpoint of their salvation. For instance, one may hear the Gospel and believe and understand at that moment that they have been eternally saved, meaning that they are eternally secure. At that moment they have assurance of their salvation. But let's say that an hour later they participate in some heinous sin, anafterwardds they have great anxiety about the authenticity of their salvation, concluding that someone who "truly believes in Jesus" would never sin like that (which is complete nonsense). That person may no longer haven a assurance of their salvation. However, this feelingdoes not change the factof their salvation. They are still eternally secure. Heinous sins are not greater than the grip of God’s grace. David’s sin in having Uriah murdered to cover up his fornication with Bathsheba is considered by most to be one of the worst sins in all of history. However, David writes, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12). This section, along with the rest of the psalm, makes it clear that David had sinned greatly against the Lord. However, he cries out for a restoration of the “joy of Your salvation” and not for a saving-again to take place. David did not lose his salvation by committing this atrocious act, but he did fracture the ongoing fellowship experience that he had enjoyed with the Lord, and it was this sense of loss, coupled with the conviction that Nathan the prophet brought to David (2 Sam 12:1-15) that caused him to cry out for restoration. This is something that can happen to us as well. To the surprise of many, ongoing sin in a believer’s life does not nullify their salvation either. Take the church in Corinth, who had a man that was openly sleeping with his stepmother, a sin that pagans did not even dare to commit (1 Cor 5:1). Paul takes this sin seriously, as we should all sin, but he does not question the man’s eternal destiny. He writes, “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor 5:5, emphasis added). If this man loved this lifestyle so much, he was to be dismissed from the fellowship of the church. However, though this sin may lead to physical death, he was still spiritually secure in his salvation.In the case of habitual sins or “unusual” (sometimes declared to be “big” sins), our assurance can waver because our emotions have taken control, moving our focus off of Christ and onto ourselves. In our minds, the issue of Heaven or Hell has just become a matter of us keeping our conduct, morals, and secret thoughts in a straight line. This leads to a fear-based approach to God, certain depression because of our failures, and repeated feelings of inadequacy that we are just not good enough to be saved. This makes living one’s daily life a constant attempt to be accepted rather than resting in the believer’s “already-acceptance” because Christ’s finished work has been fully accepted.This can be seen in the actions of John the Baptist, who was considered by Jesus to be the greatest person ever born of a woman (Matt 11:11a). While in prison, John had heard about the miracles that Jesus was doing. He then sent some of his disciples to Jesus with a very revealing question: “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matt 11:3). This is an incredible inquiry, for John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ (Luke 1:17), who was filled with the Spirit while still in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15b), and who declared when seeing Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29b). But with this question, it is clear that he had lost his assurance. When hearing this inquiry through John’s disciples, Jesus responds stating, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deahearsar, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matt 11:4-6). Jesus’ reply pointed John to all that was spoken of the Messiah in the prophecies of Isaiah (Isa 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1). At no time did John lose his salvation, but his current situati,on being in a prison ce,ll had caused him to lose sight of who Jesus was, momentarily robbing him of his assurance. Jesus reminds Him that He is the One who fulfills the promises of the prophets; a response that was guaranteed to restore his assurance.A person’s present situation, whether pleasant like a summer’s day or revolting like a Roman prison, is not indicative of one's eternal standing with Gd, and is most certainly not the basis of their eternal security in Christ. One’s salvation is based upon the Savior’s finished work, not the saint’s mistakes and successes. To conclude that salvation is “true,” “genuine,” or “authentic,” based on the performance of the individual is to state that the individual’s performance is necessary (indispensable) in order to complete (or make valid) that person’s salvation. If this were true, we must ask, “So what of the cross?” Why did Jesus die if I only need to do my part? Why couldn’t I just do more so that Jesus could have done less and would not have had to suffer so much? This reasoning is ludicrous, and the conclusions and arguments that surround this line of thinking are fallacious. Ultimately, this conclusion would state that what Jesus did on the cross was not effective enough, satisfying enough, or sufficient enough. His death was lacking, needing our submission and obedience to complete it. This is nothing short of blasphemy.This is the plainly stated word of God on salvation and the assurance that should accompany one’s faith in Christ. To look elsewhere is to lose one’s assurance of the Eternal Life that they possess as a free gift from God. Our surroundings are in no way a grounds for acceptance before God. George Pentecost writes, “It is not in the fact that you are a descendant of a saintly father, a child of believing parents, for, as old Matthew Henry says, ‘Grace does not run in the blood;’ nor is it that you have membership in the visible Church of Christ; nor is it to be found in delightful frames and feelings—in a word, not even a genuine Christian experience constitutes your ‘title-deed.’ Where then are we to bottom our hope? Why, just in the naked bare Word of God. It is written, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me hatheverlasting life,’ etc. (John 5:24). Straight to the record do we appeal for a final test as to our possession in God.”[7]Another point to consider is that eternal security is not the same as the Perseverance of the Saints. The Perseverance of the Saints is a doctrine that came about shortly after the Reformation in the 1500s. In simple terms, it states that those who artruely believers in Christ will persevere in their faith and good works until their dying day. For those who do not persevere, it is either concluded that they were "never truly saved," as the Calvinists would conclude, or that they had "lost their salvation," as held by Arminians. From what we have seen so far, one should quickly see that the “proof of salvation” has been refocused upon the works of the individual, having been taken off of the sufficient work of the Savior. It is easy to see that for those who believe in the Perseverance of the Saints, this doctrine holds the hands of assurance closely, often causing them to vacillate. An example can be seen in remarks involving assurance that are made by John Piper, a prominent proponent of the Perseverance of the Saints. He states, “I know people, and I would say this about myself, for whom the greatest threat to my perseverance and my ultimate salvation is the slowness of my sanctification. It’s not theoretical questions like ‘Did He rise from the dead?’ or the problem of evil. I’ve got answers. But why I sin against my wife the same at age 62 that I did at age 42 causes me sometimes to doubt my salvation or the power of the Holy Spirit.”[8]Notice that Piper’s doubts are due to his inability to perform at a higher (more sinless) level. For him, his works are in view, and being as such, Christ’s finished work is not. Focusing on our personal works will always lead to doubts about one’s eternal destiny because we know that the standard is too high and that even our greatest works fall far short. Only Christ can give us the assurance that we need. We must look to Him only, always!Doctrinal ConsiderationsJustificationbefore God is an essential doctrine of Christianity that is closely linked with imputed righteousness and eternal security. Justification, which is sometimes referred to as “positional sanctification,” is when God declares one righteous because they have responded in faith to Jesus Christ. The merits for acceptance by Him are those of Christ. One’s faith is simply the channel by which those merits are applied. This means that God now sees the believer in Christ as one who is positionally spotless and blameless in His sight (though this does not mean that our daily practice is such, which is referred to as our progressive sanctification).The connection between justification and eternal security is an inseparable one. J.I. Packer writes, “God’s justifying decision is the judgment of the Last Day, declaring where we shall spend eternity, brought forward into the present and pronounced here and now. It is the last judgment that will ever be passed on our destiny; God will never go back on it, however much Satan may appeal against God’s verdict (Zech. 3:1; Rev. 12:10; Rom. 8:33–34). To be justified is to be eternally secure (Rom. 5:1–5; 8:30).The necessary means, or instrumental cause, of justification is personal faith in Jesus Christ as crucified Savior and risen Lord (Rom. 4:23–25; 10:8–13). This is because the meritorious ground of our justification is entirely in Christ.”[9]This leads us to the imputed righteousness of Christ toward the believer.If an understanding of justification were not enough, the doctrine of the imputation of Christ’s righteousnessshould settle the issues surrounding “losing one’s salvation.” The word “imputation” means “charging to an account, used in the Bible with legal reference to sin and salvation being recorded by God… ‘to set down in a record or a ledger.’ In relation to the doctrine of salvation the word is consistently used in a legal sense.”[10]Christ has died for the sin of the world (John 1:29), satisfying the debt of sin by His blood (Rom 3:25a), and making the very righteousness of God a firm reality for the one who believes in Christ (Rom 3:21-22). This shows that the necessary and effectual work has been done by Jesus Christ, and our acceptance of this glorious truth as being the channel of faith which applies His work to our accounts before God. Jesus has taken and paid for our sin successfully. In turn, He credits us with His righteousness, being the very righteousness of God Himself. Second Corinthians 5:21 states it this way: “He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that (REASON GIVEN) we (those who believe) might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus).” To say that one can either lose or forfeit their salvation would be to say that the righteousness of God which had been “charged to the account” of the one who believed could be suddenly rescinded. Since those who believe in Jesus have been given the “right to become children of God” (John 1:12b), this means that the believing one has ownership (rights) in this claim to be God’s child. To suddenly remove this standing is nothing short of theft, leaving the believer an orphan. Such an act would establish the believer’s sin, or apathy, or waywardness, or negligence, or whatever has led to their acceptance being revoked as containing more power than the promises of God in declaring us righteous. The power of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross in redeeming us would be a loan at best. Such thinking is blasphemous and paints God’s redemptive acts in the same light as pawn shop merchandise and thrift store seconds. In our previous study, there was much to be considered regarding the believer’s relationship with the Holy Spirit, especially in the change of relationship that happened with the institution of the Church Age Dispensation (Acts 2:3-4). Jesus had previously stated that the Spirit was with the disciples (John 14:17b) but was also quick to say that He would soon be “in you” once the Son of Man was glorified (John 7:39; John 14:17c). Unless Jesus left them, they would not benefit from this new intimacy that He was sending to them (John 16:7). Now that the Holy Spirit takes up residence within the one who believes in Christ, and if it were possible that one could lose their salvation, would we not be concluding that our will or sin would have the ability to evict the Holy Spirit of God from our being? Would this not make the guarantee of Christ in sending the Spirit to be in us “forever” (John 14:16b) a false statement? If this were true, how could we trust anything that God has told us? It should be obvious that such thinking is thoroughly disconnected from what has been plainly stated in God’s Word.The Common ObjectionThere are many who rail against eternal security, stating that if someone believes that they will never lose their salvation, it automatically becomes a license to sin. If there is no threat of the possibility of eternal damnation hanging over the believer’s head, they will become “hell-raisers,” since they are without restraint or consequences. This assumption is common, but unfounded. First, at the moment of faith, the Holy Spirit indwells the one who believes. This alone makes the person different, with God Himself ready to change that person to be more conformed to the image of Christ from the inside out (Rom 8:29). This is when the longing “for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet 2:2) should begin taking place.Second, the freeness of salvation and the security that Christ promises should yield a response of gratitude if understood correctly. Grace is costly to God, but it is absolutely free to us. We have undeservingly been rescued from a certain destiny in the Lake of Fire, and the means of securing such a glorious pardon were provided by the perfect Life and sufficient death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. The only reason why this blessed doctrine would yield a life of havoc and chaos would be largely because the Church failed to teach sound Bible doctrine to their congregants in love and truth. Discipleship is commanded by the Lord Jesus (Matt 28:18-20) and this relationship should be saturating the local church, aa s believer is teachinanother g believer all that Christ commanded. It is life invested into life in order to cultivate Life in the here and now. Third, to claim that there are “no consequences” for a wayward believer’s actions is to dismiss the seriousness of the Bema, the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is where believers will “be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10). The Christian Life is a time of stewardship for the believer, where he and she are training now for an opportunity to reign with Christ in the Kingdom to come (2 Tim 2:12a; Rev 2:26-27). This recompense (literally- “to pay back”) is in response to our deeds, “whether good or bad.” Don’t miss this last part. Both good and bad that we have done while believers on Earth will be paid back by the Lord. Those good things will be rewarded (1 Cor 3:14) but those they things that are bad will bring us shame. However, such shame is regret for not living for Christ in opportunities where we could have been greatly used by Him for His glory and purposes. It is not a loss of salvation as Paul makes clear (1 Cor 3:15). Additionally, just because one is a believer in Christ does not mean that earthly consequences for wrong actions have been exempted. We are all still responsible. Finally, and most importantly, the Bible teaches otherwise. At no point in any passage of any book of the Bible do we see that someone can lose their salvation. It simply isn’t there.Well, what about that one passage…Those who believe that you can lose your salvation have certain “go-to” passages that seem to state that someone can be lost again. A favorite would be the passages that refer to “falling away” (Matt 13:21; 24:10; Mark 4:17; Luke 8:13; 1 Tim 4:1; Heb 3:12). In each of these passages, a consideration of the context will show that a believer losing their salvation is NOT what is being discussed. While many would disagree, a “backsliding” Christian is a real thing, though biblically we would consider them “not walking in the Spirit” or “out of fellowship with the Lord.”Another set of passages that is often referred to is Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-27. In each of these, again, context points to the Christian who is being negligent of the salvation that they already have. In Hebrews, the issue is that the Christians that are being written to are considering returning to Judaism in order to avoid being persecuted for their faith in Christ. The unknown author of this book writes to show them that all that they would be returning to (the Law, Moses, angels, sacrificial system, etc.) are inferior compared to what they now have in Christ because Christ is the fulfillment of all of these things. He proceeds in showing them that there is divine discipline for disobedience, but great reward for faithfulness unto Christ Jesus during this difficult time. Both of these passages can be easily cleared up when the big picture is in mind.Again, though the Bible does teach a loss of reward for unfaithfulness to Christ, it does not teach a loss of one’s salvation.Just how secure am I?The Scriptures have unfolded a glorious “union within a union” that takes place the moment that one trusts in Jesus Christ.#1- Christ IN YouColossians 1:25-27; 3:3. The mystery that was previously hidden but has now been made known is the mystery of the Church Age and the fact of the indwelling Christ in the believer. We must understand that neither Chrit, nor the Holy Spirit for that matter, ever indwelled anyone prior to the beginning of the Church Age dispensation in Acts 2. But the Church is His Body, and He is its Head (Col 1:18). This was a glorious truth that was previously unknown ithe n Old Testamet, but is now fully disclosed (mainly through the writings of Paul, but not exclusively).Christ is IN the believer, and His residing IN the believer is our hope of glory! MacDonald notes, “We have no other title to heaven than the Savior Himself. The fact that He indwells us makes heaven as sure as if we were already there.”[11]This truth is only enhanced in Colossians 3:3, where we see that our life is hidden with Christ in God. This is our eternal union with the Son and the Father, which speaks to our glorious position of acceptance that we received when we believed.#2- The Indwelling of the Holy SpiritEphesians 1:13. The Apostle Paul tells us plainly that we were “sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.” This verse draws our attention to the “ordo salutis” (order of salvation) where one hears the Word about Christ, believes that Word, and is instantaneously placed “in Christ,” while simultaneously receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Who seals the believer “as a pledge of our inheritance” (Eph 1:14). A good transition verse that covers the believer’s sealing with the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith and their instantaneous relocation to being “in Christ” is seen in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22which reads “Now He who establishes us with you in Christand anointed us is God, who also sealed usand gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” This word “pledge” is significant, meaning “an earnest, i.e. money which in purchases is given as a pledge that the full amount will subsequently be paid.”[12]The Holy Spirit of God resides in the believer forever (John 14:16b) as a promise of the great glorification to come.#3- The Believer is IN ChristEphesians 1:3-14. While v.13-14 are addressed above, we cannot read this passage without being struck by the importance and blessing of being “in Christ,” “in the Beloved,” and “in Him.” This is the glorious position that the Body of Christ has as a present reality.Romans 6:11, 23. Paul tells us that we are “alive to God IN Christ Jesus” (6:11). This is because LIFE is found only in Christ Jesus, being something that existed with Him before the world began (John 1:4). In 6:23, we see the same thing: Eternal Life is IN Jesus Christ.#4- The Believer is IN the Father, IN ChristColossians 3:3; John 10:29. Christ, who IS our Life has hidden us with Himself in God the Father. The Father has a grasp on us that is equal to that of the Son. We are safeguarded within Him and held tightly by Him.The believer is indwelt with Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith, while simultaneously made alive and placed “in Christ” as a new spiritual location before the Father, in whom the believer also finds him or herself resting, being fully immersed and gripped by His grace.Let us close with the wonderful words of assurance from the Apostle Paul: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” -Romans 8:38-39.Rejoice![1]Charles C. Bing, Lordship Salvation: A Biblical Evaluation and Response, 2ndEdition(Xulon Press, 2010), p. 58. [2]D. L. Moody, The D. L. Moody Year Book: A Living Daily Message from the Words of D. L. Moody, ed. Emma Moody Fitt (East Northfield, MA: The Bookstore, 1900), p. 229–230.[3]Michael S. Heiser and Vincent M. Setterholm, Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology(Lexham Press, 2013; 2013).[4]Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar: Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 1996), p. 468.[5]Ibid. [6]A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament(Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 10:28.[7]George F. Pentecost, The Fundamentals: A Testimony of the Truth, vol. 4, ed. R.A. Torrey (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2005), p. 276–277.[8]As quoted by Philip F. Congdon, “John Piper’s Diminished Doctrine of Justification and Assurance,” Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, Vol 23(2010), p. 61, footnote 3.[9]J. I. Packer, Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1993), p. 165.[10]Bruce A. Demarest, “Imputation,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible(Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988), p. 1024.[11]William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), p. 1999.[12]Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon, p. 75.

We begin our series "See All the People" at a time when the church is anticipating a significant time of Special General Conference. Our series is not focused on this vote concerning human sexuality, but we cannot pretend as if it is not also on our minds and hearts in the days to come. Luke 5:1-11 In our passage, Jesus calls the first disciples. This calling is not about a personal relationship with Jesus. Rather, Jesus invites them to come and be all about "catching people alive." They are invited to follow him and commit their lives to something well beyond themselves. In a world where we search for significance and meaning, we often find ourselves starved. Jesus offers us the opportunity to follow Him as a part of the church--to let go of everything in order to follow in His way of life, healing/salvation, and truth. Are we like the crowd pressing in on Him? Are we like Simon Peter, James, or John? Will we continue to press in hoping for what WE seek? Will we leave everything we know and embrace what He seeks for us?

Sunday, February 10, 2019 -- Sermon Questions “THE MOTIVATION”Read 1John 2:28. What are your thoughts and feelings on Jesus’ Second Coming? Why do you think so many American Christians do not care or like to talk about Jesus’ Second Coming? Read Luke 12:35-40. What is the main point? Read John 14:1-3. What is the backdrop of these verses? What is Jesus’ saying in these verses? Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. What are these verses talking about? What are your thoughts on the rapture? How should Jesus’ Second Coming affect my life now and my decisions (see also Philippians 3:12-14)? Read Luke 12:16-20. What is Jesus’ point here? Are you prepared to meet Him? Are you (really) living expectantly for Jesus’ coming back (talk about the example of dogs. See also Rev. 22:17-20)? Are you ready for Jesus to come back?

Most Christian believers are concerned about what the Bible says, because that is what they have been taught. That is what is real to them. What really matters is what Jesus says, what He said and what He is saying today. Many things are written in the Bible. The Bible is a book of many words but the only words that lead to eternal life are the words of Jesus, the words that He spoke as they were also recorded in the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the Red Letter words, in some Bibles. The only way to have eternal life is to obey Jesus, to do what He commanded and taught. Jesus Christ is the Word of God, not the Bible, as so many wrongly believe. The words of Jesus are harsh and therefor they are rejected by men. At one stage the followers of Jesus were offended at His words, of what He said. “Because of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” John 6:66-68. Jesus has the words of eternal life, not the rest of the Bible. The Jews rejected Jesus, they were the pharisees, teachers of the Law of Moses, the Torah. They rejected the words of Jesus and therefor He said to them:”You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”John 5:39. Even so today, Christians are busy with Bible study because they think that if they do Bible study they will have eternal life, but they reject and disobey the words of Jesus that are also recorded in their Bibles. If we come to Jesus, He will reveal Himself to us. If we obey His words, His commands, we will be born again and become children of God who hear His voice, who know Him and follow Him. Obey Jesus, repent, stop sinning, be baptized in water, be holy, seek Him with all your heart and He will reveal Himself to you. He will speak to you, teach and guide you and if you stay with Him, every day, until the end, He will give you eternal life. Jesus said:”My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “John 10:27 What is Jesus saying to you today? Do you know Him? Do you go after Him? Do you hear His voice and do you follow Him? Are you one of His sheep? May Jesus bless you.

Jesus Christ was rejected by the Jews because He did not fit the picture that they had in their mind of Messiah. The pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses, the religious people, hated Jesus because He did not comply with their doctrines. Jesus did not preach the the Law of Moses. He preached the Kingdom of God. He explained to them the prophecies and the writings of the prophets and they marveled at His wisdom but they hated Him, sought to kill Him and eventually had Him crucified, because He exposed their hypocrisy. He did not fit the script. Jesus came for the Jews, because salvation is from the Jews, but the Jews rejected Him and His words and therefor salvation was extended to the gentiles, the non-Jews. Jesus did not come to make all men Jews but to make born again children of God that live according to His words, His commands as they were also recorded in the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus did not come to re-iterate the Law of Moses or make gentiles into Jews. He gave a new commandment. He called men to believe in Him and obey His commands, serve Him as Lord. That is why the Hebrew roots movements and teachings are deception. There is no salvation in the Torah and observing Jewish feasts, wearing Jewish clothes and paraphernalia. The law and prophets, Old Testament, was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus said:"The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John (the baptist); since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached” Luke 16:16. Christian churches have concocted many doctrines and teachings by combining Old Testament scripture and the teachings of the apostles in the New Testament. They have created concepts and images of Jesus, that do not exist. They have put together a script from their own imaginations and from Bible scripture, a script, like for a movie, and they expect Jesus to comply with it. Jesus is not part of their script. He is not part of their churches. He does not fit into their imagination. Jesus is Lord. Jesus declared His kingdom. He delivered His words of eternal life, the words that He spoke. His words are the truth. Jesus is the WAY. The only way to have eternal life is to OBEY Him, to comply with His words, His commands. He DISCLOSES Himself to those who ACCEPT Him and His words and who follow Him, those who repent and are baptized in water and who seek Him, His kingdom and His righteousness, His approval. Most Christian believers do not accept Jesus and His words, because He does not FIT into their SCRIPT, their PICTURE or CONCEPT of Him. They feel secure in their religious illusion but they will wake up in hell, if they do not seek Jesus, accept Him and His words and get to know Him for real. Not many people do follow Jesus, because Jesus does not follow the expectations and scripts of men. As soon as Jesus deviates from their interpretation of the Bible, most believers leave Him and run after other people of the same mind and same deception, the same church and doctrine; the blind following the blind, and so they both fall into the ditch. Are you following Jesus, or are you following some script? Do you obey His commands as they were recorded in the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Have you repented and been baptized in water for the remission of sin? Have you received the Holy Spirit that Jesus gives to those who obey Him? Are you following the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Do you hear the Master's voice and do you follow Him along the path that He leads you? May Jesus bless you Jesus Christ is alive and hell is real. I am here to introduce you to Jesus Christ so that you can know Him, follow Him and have eternal life. Subscribe to my channel to learn more about Jesus. May Jesus bless you

When we ask God for things, how do we ask Him? Are we set on getting what we want when we want it in the way we want, or do we approach God as though He is perfect, all wise, and will give us the perfect thing at the perfect time? And does it really matter? Today we take an honest look at these questions as we ponder Words from the Heart.

When we ask God for things, how do we ask Him? Are we set on getting what we want when we want it in the way we want, or do we approach God as though He is perfect, all wise, and will give us the perfect thing at the perfect time? And does it really matter? Today we take an honest look at these questions as we ponder Words from the Heart.

Make Room: Louie Giglio has a book title that I simply love. I haven’t read the book (I’m sure it’s great!) but the title is compelling: I Know I Am Not but I Know I Am. Jesus described Himself as the “Great I Am,” not the “I once was” or the “I might be again one day.” He is “I Am.” He is the God of the present who sets us free from what’s in our past and prepares us best for what is still to come. The question is, what have we done with His invitation to share life together? Have we made room for Him? Are we allowing Him to guide our paths and direct our steps? The Innkeeper in Luke’s gospel appeared to be somewhat less than interested in making room for the One to be born and it seems that not much has changed over the years. This weekend, I hope you will be able to join us as we reflect upon our response to the greatest invitation ever extended. Joining us in worship will be a wonderful way to invite the fullness of Jesus to transform our Christmases! Bless you all!  Ian Trigg

Make Room: Louie Giglio has a book title that I simply love. I haven’t read the book (I’m sure it’s great!) but the title is compelling: I Know I Am Not but I Know I Am. Jesus described Himself as the “Great I Am,” not the “I once was” or the “I might be again one day.” He is “I Am.” He is the God of the present who sets us free from what’s in our past and prepares us best for what is still to come. The question is, what have we done with His invitation to share life together? Have we made room for Him? Are we allowing Him to guide our paths and direct our steps? The Innkeeper in Luke’s gospel appeared to be somewhat less than interested in making room for the One to be born and it seems that not much has changed over the years. This weekend, I hope you will be able to join us as we reflect upon our response to the greatest invitation ever extended. Joining us in worship will be a wonderful way to invite the fullness of Jesus to transform our Christmases! Bless you all!  Ian Trigg

Today I’m sharing 3 Things I Learned from Jeff Walker at LaunchCon. I just returned from a week in Orlando where we held our ESP Certified Copywriter Workshop. (Link: www.rayedwards.com/espcc) Shortly thereafter, we attended LaunchCon with Jeff Walker. Click here to download or listen to this episode now. Spiritual Foundations Today’s Spiritual Foundation is about having faith and trusting God.  How worried or stressed are you?   How often do you have to remind yourself to trust God about these things? Do you let go of your worries and release them all to Him? Are you actually letting them go? In Mathew 21:22, Jesus said, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” In Mark 11:24 He says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” So just let go, and let God Tip of The Week My tip of the week is the Canon 6D. It is an incredible camera. It has a full frame, super high resolution and gives you a much better picture.  It is a great camera, but it is too heavy if you are carrying it around for the entire day, so what do I suggest?  Even have a vlog, you don’t need a giant camera. You can still have excellent video and picture with a tiny camera like the Canon M50.  This is a great camera, and your arm and neck will thank you for carrying this around instead. Feature Presentation 3 Things I Learned from Jeff Walker: We might want to explore being kinder to ourselves. What you believe about your capability is true.  There is no time BUT the present. If you want to make a change, you have to do it now. If you are thinking about making a change, do it right now. In fact, do this exercise.  Write down 5 things that you want. How many of those things are things that you already have? Now, write down 5 things that you want that you already have. Remember what Jesus said? “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” To change: Stop wanting and do it now. Resources Cann 6D Mark II. https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/eos-dslr-and-mirrorless-cameras/dslr/eos-6d-mark-ii 24-70mm Lens https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/lenses/ef/standard-zoom/ef-24-70mm-f-2-8l-ii-usm Canon M50   https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/eos-dslr-and-mirrorless-cameras/mirrorless/eos-m50-ef-m-15-45mm-is-stm-kit www.rayedwards.com/rayday Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. Get The Transcript Right-Click and “Save As” to Get the PDF Transcript.

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach The Gospel to every creature.’” In our evening revival service, Brian Tyndall reminds us that Jesus, Himself, gave all believers the command to go and tell others about Him. - We are to start where we are - in our own community -To be able to do that, we must be sure that we know Him We have to ask ourselves -Do we know Him? -Are we going?

Topic: Are things going wrong? TRUST in Him Are things going wrong? TRUST in Him! – Annemarie Cross Have you been struggling in your business? NEVER give up. Rather, lean into Him, trust Him and thank Him. He WILL see you through. Always! Connect with me on Linkedin - Annemarie Cross or Instagram AnnemarieCoach and [...] The post [Ep #249] Are things going wrong? TRUST in Him appeared first on The Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast Network.

Your value system will determine the direction of your life, whether you are moving toward God or in a drift away from Him. Are you gaining Christ? Are you found in Him? Are you knowing Christ?

Does God ignore us when we disobey Him? Are there no consequences for our actions (or inaction)? Pastor Marty digs deep today.

Have you ever heard the parable about the workers in the vineyard? It comes from Matthew 20:1-16 and the message should be clear to us that the Lord will bless whom He wants to bless any time He chooses to. Do we love the Lord with all our heart? Do we honor and praise Him? Are we remaining steadfast in our faith? Than if we are, there we go. There we have it. God is no respecter of persons and He will bless whom He wants to bless, right? So stay true to Him and watch what He does in your life, He will bless you, yes you. Blog: insharonsheart.blogspot.com/ Webinar: in-sharons-heart.thinkific.com/ facebook.com/InSharonsHeart/ instagram.com/insharonsheart/ twitter.com/insharonsheart

We do church services, events, and we even quote God, but is He really behind it. We are professionals at talking about God, but do we honestly have a personal relationship with Him? Are we real and open with God? How easy is it that we treat God like our social media. We are "friends" with God, but don't really know Him. Uploaded with permission!

God saves through His people. Are we His people? Do we look, think, love, and lead like Him? Are we powerful like Him? God has called us out to be a blessing to the world. Will we go? 2 Chronicles 7:14Support the show (https://riverviewchristian.churchcenter.com/giving)

We all want the miracle, but are we willing to do our part? Are we willing to seek Him? Are we willing to walk in God's ways? Hawk Nelson reminds us that God is in the miracle business through their song "He Still Does." King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah experienced an amazing miracle one morning in the desert. The Lord was with King Jehoshaphat -- join me as we explore why. On this week's episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Refer to an outline Consult a map Write out Scripture Make a list Share with a friend How the big picture of Chronicles points to the central role of worship and the importance of the temple and ultimately to Jesus Making a list of the characteristics of Jehoshaphat - 2 Chronicles 17:3-6 Focusing in on why the "Lord was with" Jehoshaphat That the benefits and miracles of God are a result of our seeking and following Him The promise made to Jehoshaphat's father, Asa - 2 Chronicles 15:2 How the Lord isn't going to follow our agenda, but He will be with us when we are with Him An outline of Jehoshaphat's reign The miracle defeat in 2 Chronicles 20 The map I consulted as I studied this account - Bible-History.com The three verbs used to describe how Jehoshaphat responded to an impending attack Resolved Inquired Proclaimed How the answer from God came through a Levite - 2 Chronicles 20:15-17 How the worship team led the way toward God's miracle - 2 Chronicles 20:22-25   Additional Resources Lyrics Chords Story Behind the Song "He Still Does" by Hawk Nelson - YouTube Video This Week's Challenge Read 2 Chronicles 17-20 for yourself! Consider the story of King Jehoshaphat…the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ponder the characteristics of God and His ability (and desire) to perform miracles in the lives of those who seek Him. Resolve to inquire of the Lord. Involve others in the process — we were never meant to walk all of this alone. Set your heart to delight in the ways of the Lord. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. The Lord will be with you.  

What does it look like to keep the gate of your heart open to God? To really trust Him? Are you projecting something someone did on to God? Today on Epic Every Day Evan & Liz Frerichs talk about ways to open the door to God—to trust him again. When trauma is a part of the picture, it’s impossible to just trust God without doing some major healing work. Fairly Spiritual episode: https://soundcloud.com/thefairlyspiritualshow/mental-illness-and-the-church Epic Every Day is available on Radio Public, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Sticher and YouTube. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EEDCast/ Twitter: @AKindOfLying @ElizFrerichs @EEDCast EpicEveryDayNow.com Liz’s book: Tales From A Spacious Place Music by: Nu Skiffle Brigade used under creative commons license

Are your attached to the Vine? What fruit do you see producing in your life ? When you produce much fruit then you are a disciple of Jesus. Is your life producing nothing because you are apart from Him? Are you in danger of God pruning your branch away in the firewood pile because there is no fruit? God the Father is the Gardener, Jesus is the Vine, We are the branch. God cuts off and prunes away the non productive fruit branches. Jesus tells us if we stay attached to Him, you will not be cut off. Those attached with Him bear much fruit. We are to attach to the Vine in order that we might produce much fruit for the Gardener. Like, Share, Review, Subscribe via iTunes or Google Play Follow Facebook and Instagram @gloribites www.gloribites.com

The amazing thing about following God is that He knows your voice. We are in relationship with our Savior! In my hometown of Indianapolis, we have the largest children’s museum in the country. It’s amazing. We have purchased annual family passes multiple times because we love going so much. However, it can get a little crazy! Especially on certain days, there are thousands of people there between families and school groups. Yet, in this sea of children, I can always pick out my son’s voice. There can be 50 kids circled around me at an exhibit, all yelling for their parents to look. Yet, when Noah says, “Daddy, look at this!” my ears perk up, and I look to him. Our One Verse today comes from Psalm 116:1 and says, “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;” God is your Father, and He knows your voice! How cool is that? He knows you. He listens to you. He turns to you when you cry out for Him. Are you spending time with Him? Are you giving Him the opportunity to hear your voice? I love spending time with my son. I love hearing about his day. God is the same. He wants to hear your voice. He wants to know you. Spend time with Him today in prayer. About One Verse One Verse is a short, free podcast devotional designed to help you grow closer to God through less than 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Consistency trumps intensity. When it comes to working out, eating healthy, or managing our finances, consistency always trumps intensity. We reach our major life goals through small, purposeful steps taken daily. The same is true in our spiritual lives. I truly believe you will grow closer to God by spending just 5 minutes a day with Him versus cramming in an hour once a month. The One Verse Devotional is here to help take away the barriers of spending time with God. Now, during your workout, drive to work, or even shopping for groceries, you can invest in your spiritual life. http://phosphorusproject.com/

Jesus didn't call us to a four-walled building. His mission was to seek and save the lost. How engaged are we in reaching others through and for Him? Are the things that are important to Him important to us? Pastor Chris challenges us here to be on mission.

Christians. Are you weary of doing the work of the Lord or do you take a stand for Him? Are you keeping Christ to yourself when you leave church or can you be found with your family praying in public places, giving a drink in the name of Christ or even sharing the Gospel? We can depend on Jesus to be bold, courageous, and strong to help us be light in a dying and lost world. Turn, if you would, to the book of Mark and beginning in the 14th chapter to see if we have similarities like the Apostles when they were at times, “Ashamed of Jesus?”

Jason shares his experience at the African Arts Festival in St. Louis St. Louis African Arts Festival – Fusing African Culture and People Together! (stlafricanartsfest.com) Continuing the story of Sun MinistriesGod called us through Isaiah 61 to initiate reformation of the church and rebuild the ancient ruins. God has a design for Church, and we should be doing that. Every Christian should be seeking to do things the way God wants them done. What if every Christian lived they way Jesus taught us to live? Doing things God's way is incredibly inconvenient. Many people don't question church structure. If you've been transformed by Jesus, you will live more like Him Are you disconnected from your theology? Do your beliefs about who God is, does it change your behavior and values? Jesus came to the oppressed, and undid the oppression – He made the way for freedom. Are we afraid that we're going to give something to someone who doesn't deserve it? Isaiah 58 – What does it mean to be afflicted? “afflicted” means oppressed or beaten down. Same word used when we're told to humble ourselves, or when God humbles His people in the desert to reveal their hearts. It actually has 5 contexts in scripture God humbling His people People humbling themselves People who are afflicted rape and false humility (Isaiah 58:3). The hypocrites are “afflicting” themselves. They are doing things that are essentially meaningless and ineffective, and trying to convince God they are afflicting themselves, humbling themselves. Ceasing from eating for a day is not the same as being raped. Satisfy the desires of the afflicted – sometimes, those might not be the “holiest” of desires. To humble ourselves is to afflict ourselves, as the people are afflicted. We do what Christ did. We lay aside our rights and become like those to whom we are sent. They are afflicted, so must we be. This is humbling ourselves. And it is how you set captives free. The hypocrites of Isaiah 58 are setting up an if/then situation with God. This is a transactional relationship, and not honoring. God sets up His own if/then's for the people, revealing to them who really has power in the situation. Isaiah 58 continues talking about the sabbath, which is NOT one day a week, because we are no longer under the law. But it is our new life in Christ, which is rest. Rest is not inactivity, nor lack of diligence. It frees us from devising our own strength and wisdom and holding ourselves responsible for the results. Our whole life should be an act of turning our feet from our pleasure. Songs TobyMac – Diverse City Amena Brown – John 1 Amena Brown This episode originally broadcast live on May 29, 2015 on KXEN 1010AM in St. Louis, MO For more info: www.sunministries.org Theme music: “The Resistance” by Josh Garrels (www.joshgarrels.com) licensed by Marmoset Music (www.marmosetmusic.com)

What has God placed in your heart for you to do for Him? Are you struggling to get out of the boat and follow His lead? Learn how to keep your eyes on Jesus within this special interview with Tory Duhon, executive producer of "God's Not Dead" and "God's Not Dead 2."

God has set before each of us today the choice life and good, or death and evil. (Deut. 30:15) Clinging to Him and His truths, mean life and peace to us! So, why don’t we choose to trust Him more easily? In the message "Choose Life", Pastor Jerry looks at why you should choose life over death, without God. Do you trust Him? Are you faithful to Him? Do you follow His Word? Hopefully, the answer to these questions is YES! The enemy will try and deceive you in many different ways. If you are struggling with temptation, give it to God. He is the only way to overcome it. He can give you healing in your life where it is needed. There isn't anything that can't be over come by Jesus Christ. Serving God isn't forced on you, but it is a decision that you will have to make. But I can guarantee you it will be the best decision you will ever make. Choosing God is choosing life abundant now, life eternal with HIM!

We are a thankful people. God has magnificently blessed us in amazing ways. Do we thank Him? Are we thankful? Today, we open our hearts and souls and share our thanks to God and each other. We are a thankful people.

We are a thankful people. God has magnificently blessed us in amazing ways. Do we thank Him? Are we thankful? Today, we open our hearts and souls and share our thanks to God and each other. We are a thankful people.

Episode 1 of 2: Early in our Christian walk, God is usually pretty loud and we hear Him quite easily. But there comes a time when it seems more difficult to hear Him. Do we want to hear Him? Are we afraid He doesn't have anything to say?

  Pastor Marquis continued on the series of Who God Wants me to be and this time he shared on how we must be living examples of Biblical Christians Also learn how God is drawing people through us, to come to Him Are you all that God wants you to be??? Keep in connection with...

2013-06-16-0830 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning June 16th, 2013 in the 8:30 service.Scripture: Hebrews 7;24-25; Romans 8:34; John 17: 2, 6-12, 15-19, 20-23; Luke 22:31Topic: PrayerNotes:- Jesus is speaking your name to our Father God. Asking Him for a blessing for you every day.- Jesus ministry is an intercession and advocate. Jesus makes intercessions for those who are in the body of Christ.- Jesus prays for keeping and protection of the saints.- 1st prayer – Jesus prays for Himself  John 17:2- 2nd Prayer – John17:6-12, 15 and 19 He prays for His disciples.- 3th Prayer – John 17:20-23 He prays for those who believe in Him.- The Father answered every prayer that Jesus prays. Jesus always prayed His Father’s will.- Jesus prays that all of us will be one in Him. We are here today kept by the power of God by His Son praying for all of us tobe one in Him- Are names are written in the Lambs Book of Life- Jesus prays for keeping we will not know till we get home what God has kept us from.- He protects from harm because He heard Jesus’s prayer.- We are here because of Jesus unfailing intercession to the Father.- Luke 22:31 – says but Jesus interceded for Him (Simon).  Satan wants to sift us like flour.- It hurts when bad things comes but remember Jesus has prayed for us. The answer will come. Every day your name is spoken in intercession.- Stop asking if you can lose your salvation. It is not salvation but God’s. He is our advocate. Jesus goes to the father. Our sins are already paid for. Jesus paid them all.

2013-06-15-1800 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this evening June 15th, 2013 in the 6:00 service.Scripture: Hebrews 7;24-25; Romans 8:34; John 17: 2, 6-12, 15-19, 20-23; Luke 22:31Topic: PrayerNotes:- Jesus is speaking your name to our Father God. Asking Him for a blessing for you every day.- Jesus ministry is an intercession and advocate. Jesus makes intercessions for those who are in the body of Christ.- Jesus prays for keeping and protection of the saints.- 1st prayer – Jesus prays for Himself  John 17:2- 2nd Prayer – John17:6-12, 15 and 19 He prays for His disciples.- 3th Prayer – John 17:20-23 He prays for those who believe in Him.- The Father answered every prayer that Jesus prays. Jesus always prayed His Father’s will.- Jesus prays that all of us will be one in Him. We are here today kept by the power of God by His Son praying for all of us to be one in Him- Are names are written in the Lambs Book of Life- Jesus prays for keeping we will not know till we get home what God has kept us from.- He protects from harm because He heard Jesus’s prayer.- We are here because of Jesus unfailing intercession to the Father.- Luke 22:31 – says but Jesus interceded for Him (Simon).  Satan wants to sift us like flour.- It hurts when bad things comes but remember Jesus has prayed for us. The answer will come. Every day your name is spoken in intercession.- Stop asking if you can lose your salvation. It is not salvation but God’s. He is our advocate. Jesus goes to the father. Our sins are already paid for. Jesus paid them all.

2013-06-16-1030 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning June 16th, 2013 in the 10:30 service.Scripture: Hebrews 7;24-25; Romans 8:34; John 17: 2, 6-12, 15-19, 20-23; Luke 22:31Topic: PrayerNotes:- Jesus is speaking your name to our Father God. Asking Him for a blessing for you every day.- Jesus ministry is an intercession and advocate. Jesus makes intercessions for those who are in the body of Christ.- Jesus prays for keeping and protection of the saints.- 1st prayer – Jesus prays for Himself  John 17:2- 2nd Prayer – John17:6-12, 15 and 19 He prays for His disciples.- 3th Prayer – John 17:20-23 He prays for those who believe in Him.- The Father answered every prayer that Jesus prays. Jesus always prayed His Father’s will.- Jesus prays that all of us will be one in Him. We are here today kept by the power of God by His Son praying for all of us to be one in Him- Are names are written in the Lambs Book of Life- Jesus prays for keeping we will not know till we get home what God has kept us from.- He protects from harm because He heard Jesus’s prayer.- We are here because of Jesus unfailing intercession to the Father.- Luke 22:31 – says but Jesus interceded for Him (Simon).  Satan wants to sift us like flour.- It hurts when bad things comes but remember Jesus has prayed for us. The answer will come. Every day your name is spoken in intercession.- Stop asking if you can lose your salvation. It is not salvation but God’s. He is our advocate. Jesus goes to the father. Our sins are already paid for. Jesus paid them all.