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3 episodes with his trust in god
4 episodes with his trust in god
2 episodes with his trust in god
3 episodes with his trust in god
Genesis 8-9: The Flood ends, Noah's family and animals leave the ark, and God establishes a covenant with Noah, symbolized by a rainbow. Genesis 10: Lists the genealogies of Noah's sons, showing the spread of nations. Genesis 11: The Tower of Babel; God confuses human language and scatters people across the earth. Genealogies lead to Abram. Genesis 12: God calls Abram to Canaan, promising to make him a great nation. Abram travels to Canaan and then Egypt due to famine. Genesis 13: Abram and Lot separate; Abram settles in Canaan, and God reaffirms His promise to him. Genesis 14: Abram rescues Lot from captivity, meets Melchizedek, and refuses reward from the king of Sodom. Genesis 15: God establishes a covenant with Abram, promising numerous descendants and the land of Canaan. Significance of Abram Abram, later named Abraham, is a pivotal figure in the biblical narrative for several reasons: Father of Many Nations: Abram is seen as the patriarch of the Israelite nation and Christianity. His obedience to God's call and God's promises to him set the foundation for the nation of Israel. Covenant with God: The covenant established with Abram is central to the entire biblical narrative. It's a significant precursor to the later covenants with Isaac, Jacob, and ultimately, the people of Israel. Model of Faith: Abram's faith in God's promises, despite his circumstances, is highlighted in the New Testament (Romans 4, Hebrews 11) as an example of faith for believers. His trust in God's promises, even when they seemed impossible, is a cornerstone of Christian faith. Blessing to All Nations: God's promise to bless all nations through Abram finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abram, who brings salvation to all humanity. Abram's story marks the beginning of God's plan to restore and bless the world through a chosen people, which ultimately points to the redemption narrative central to the Bible.
Speaker: Homero Aziz A band of missionaries working all around the world visited us for a morning. Homero introduces them and brings a lesson from the story of Noah. The story of Noah offers profound lessons on navigating life's challenges through faith, obedience, and trust. Noah lived righteously in a corrupt world, walking faithfully with God even when it meant standing apart from the values of his time. His life demonstrates the importance of aligning our actions with God's guidance to find favor in His eyes and reflect His love to others. Noah's obedience to God's call was remarkable, as he undertook the monumental task of building the ark despite its immense challenges and the ridicule of others. His trust in God's promises sustained him through the storms, both literal and figurative, reminding us that God has the power to guide us safely through life's trials. Even after the flood, when Noah stepped into a world marked by devastation, his first act was to worship God, offering a sacrifice of gratitude. Like Noah, we are called to walk faithfully, obey courageously, trust deeply, and worship wholeheartedly, bringing hope and light to a broken world. Episode link: https://grace-community.church/lesson/homero-and-friends
Today you'll get to hear from Aaron Holland! Aaron's Dad Rich co-hosts the Resident Strangers podcast and actually both of his parents have been featured on this podcast! We appreciate Aaron's willingness to share with us as his story is still very much unfolding. He was born in North Carolina and eventually moved with his family to Virginia as his Dad had been asked to plant a church. Aaron shares that his family had a very holistic approach to ministry as his parents desired the entire family to be all-in. He struggled with the transition as they moved, and the church plant became a harder task. A lot of things shifted and changed and soon the Hollands found themselves moving to Arizona in 2018. Aaron fondly remembers this time and walks us through his time in the youth group at Desert Springs. Life was moving in a really great, positive direction. However, on January 1, 2024, life as Aaron knew it was drastically changed. Out of the blue he had a seizure. This was scary as nothing like this had ever happened to him and there was no obvious reason why it happened. Then 2 weeks later he had another one. Aaron was now faced with the reality that something was wrong - and it was serious. We appreciate Aaron's openness and realness as he walks us through these difficult months of his life. He describes the anger and even denial he has felt going through this. Eventually he faced God with all of his feelings and a breakthrough occurred. Though Aaron has not yet been healed and this is still ongoing he now sees this as an opportunity to grow in His trust in God and see His provision through a new lense. Be encouraged as you listen. Would you be praying for Aaron's healing?Rich Holland's testimony (Aaron's Dad!), Episode 45Larissa Holland's testimony (Aaron's Mom!), Episode 82The Resident Strangers podcast________Topic's covered in today's episode: North Carolina, church planting, mission trips, Japan, seizures, grand mal seizures, epilepsy ________Want to share your story on The Stories Collective podcast? Email sarah@dscchurch.comWould you please subscribe and leave us a review? This will help our podcast reach more people! We'd love it if you'd share this podcast with your friends on social media and beyond. Join us next Wednesday to hear another story of God's faithfulness!
Thank you for being here with us today on the Unchanging Word Bible study program. In today's lesson, we learn that Jesus placed His trust in God as do those whom God has given to Jesus. Jesus sanctifies these who trust in Him and calls them brethren. Dr. Mitchell points out that although Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren, we call Him Lord. Now Isn't it interesting to note that two of the actual four earthly brothers of Jesus, James who wrote the book of James and Jude who wrote the book of Jude never call Jesus brother? Instead they refer to Jesus as the Lord Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ our Lord. James 1:1 and Jude 25. The Unchanging Word study in the book of Hebrews begins in chapter 2 verses 11-13 today. Dr. Mitchell starts our study with a quick review.
Psalm 16 is a Messianic Psalm which predicted the Resurrection of Christ. In v1-6 we see His single-minded loyalty to God, trusting in God for security (v1), welfare and righteousness (v2). He is singleminded in His mission to save His people, His saints in whom is all His delight (v3, Hebrews 12:2). He is singleminded in His worship of God (v4), His desire for God's Presence (v5), and His trust in God to bring Him into His full inheritance of life and blessing (v5-6). He does not follow other gods in idolatry or other things in covetousness (v4-6). As a result, God gives Him counsel (guidance) by His Spirit instructing Him in His heart (v7), and He can look forward to glorious resurrection unto eternal life and blessings (v8-11). He always sets the Lord before Him, looking to Him for leadership and keeping His focus on Him. He exalts the Lord to the highest place in his life, the place of honour, at His right hand. As a result, the strength of God is always with him, and so whatever happens He will not be moved or shaken (v8). This is true even in the face of death. As He looks ahead to His death He can rejoice, knowing that God will raise Him from the death: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices, My flesh also will rest (dwell securely) in hope (of resurrection)" (v9). When this verse is quoted in Acts 2:26, the word 'glory' is translated as 'tongue' (following the Septuagint). This agrees with other verses that emphasise the close connection between the heart and the mouth (Matthew 12:34-35), the mouth receiving and expressing what is in the heart, which is the very meaning of 'glory' or 'to glorify' (John 16:13-15). The moon is the glory of the sun, because it receives the light of the sun and then shines it. Likewise, we glorify God by receiving and expressing His Spirit. Likewise, the tongue is our glory, because it takes what is in our heart and expresses it. In v10, he gives more explanation about His upcoming death and resurrection: "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see (undergo) corruption." In His identification with mankind, after death, in His human soul Christ went down to Sheol (Hades), while His body was in the tomb. He calls His body 'Your holy one' for it had no sin-nature (because of the virgin birth), and He continually offered it to God as a living sacrifice to do God's perfect will (Romans 12:1). He declares that God would not allow His holy body to see corruption, as that would be inappropriate. This is a prophecy that the sinless Messiah must be raised within 3 days, as corruption begins on the 4th day, according to the laws of chemistry (John 11:39). He concludes in v11: "You will show me the path of life. In Your Presence (Face) is fullness of joy; at (in) Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” As He walks with God, God shows Him the path that leads to abundant and eternal life, even through death and resurrection (also to walk in this path is to live). Most of all He looks forward to the full restoration to God's Presence (see v5), after His earthly life and suffering the darkness of the Cross. Moreover, He looks forward to fullness of joy (literally 'joys') and eternal pleasures provided by God the Father, at His right hand in Heaven. 'Fullness' means 'wholly satisfying and endlessly varied.' The resurrection (v11) is the ultimate answer to His prayer in v1-2. Notice that because He exalted God to His right hand (v8), God exalted Him to His right hand - the place of highest honour (v11, see also Psalm 110:1, Eph 1:20, Col 3:1, Hebrews 1:3,13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, 1Peter 3:22, Phil 2:9-11). Thus v9-11 is a prophecy of Christ's death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus Christ fulfilled this Psalm by His perfect obedience and received His promised eternal inheritance, and He did it for us, that is He received every blessing on our behalf, so that in Christ, we will also receive the fulfilment of the promise of resurrection and eternal life enjoying God's Presence (in face to face fellowship at His right hand) and His pleasures forevermore. We conclude by seeing how the apostles Peter and Paul quoted Psalm 16 and showed how Jesus fulfilled it, proving that He is the Messiah (Acts 2:22-33, 13:33-38).
Psalm 16 is a Messianic Psalm which predicted the Resurrection of Christ. In v1-6 we see His single-minded loyalty to God, trusting in God for security (v1), welfare and righteousness (v2). He is singleminded in His mission to save His people, His saints in whom is all His delight (v3, Hebrews 12:2). He is singleminded in His worship of God (v4), His desire for God's Presence (v5), and His trust in God to bring Him into His full inheritance of life and blessing (v5-6). He does not follow other gods in idolatry or other things in covetousness (v4-6). As a result, God gives Him counsel (guidance) by His Spirit instructing Him in His heart (v7), and He can look forward to glorious resurrection unto eternal life and blessings (v8-11). He always sets the Lord before Him, looking to Him for leadership and keeping His focus on Him. He exalts the Lord to the highest place in his life, the place of honour, at His right hand. As a result, the strength of God is always with him, and so whatever happens He will not be moved or shaken (v8). This is true even in the face of death. As He looks ahead to His death He can rejoice, knowing that God will raise Him from the death: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices, My flesh also will rest (dwell securely) in hope (of resurrection)" (v9). When this verse is quoted in Acts 2:26, the word 'glory' is translated as 'tongue' (following the Septuagint). This agrees with other verses that emphasise the close connection between the heart and the mouth (Matthew 12:34-35), the mouth receiving and expressing what is in the heart, which is the very meaning of 'glory' or 'to glorify' (John 16:13-15). The moon is the glory of the sun, because it receives the light of the sun and then shines it. Likewise, we glorify God by receiving and expressing His Spirit. Likewise, the tongue is our glory, because it takes what is in our heart and expresses it. In v10, he gives more explanation about His upcoming death and resurrection: "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see (undergo) corruption." In His identification with mankind, after death, in His human soul Christ went down to Sheol (Hades), while His body was in the tomb. He calls His body 'Your holy one' for it had no sin-nature (because of the virgin birth), and He continually offered it to God as a living sacrifice to do God's perfect will (Romans 12:1). He declares that God would not allow His holy body to see corruption, as that would be inappropriate. This is a prophecy that the sinless Messiah must be raised within 3 days, as corruption begins on the 4th day, according to the laws of chemistry (John 11:39). He concludes in v11: "You will show me the path of life. In Your Presence (Face) is fullness of joy; at (in) Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” As He walks with God, God shows Him the path that leads to abundant and eternal life, even through death and resurrection (also to walk in this path is to live). Most of all He looks forward to the full restoration to God's Presence (see v5), after His earthly life and suffering the darkness of the Cross. Moreover, He looks forward to fullness of joy (literally 'joys') and eternal pleasures provided by God the Father, at His right hand in Heaven. 'Fullness' means 'wholly satisfying and endlessly varied.' The resurrection (v11) is the ultimate answer to His prayer in v1-2. Notice that because He exalted God to His right hand (v8), God exalted Him to His right hand - the place of highest honour (v11, see also Psalm 110:1, Eph 1:20, Col 3:1, Hebrews 1:3,13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, 1Peter 3:22, Phil 2:9-11). Thus v9-11 is a prophecy of Christ's death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus Christ fulfilled this Psalm by His perfect obedience and received His promised eternal inheritance, and He did it for us, that is He received every blessing on our behalf, so that in Christ, we will also receive the fulfilment of the promise of resurrection and eternal life enjoying God's Presence (in face to face fellowship at His right hand) and His pleasures forevermore. We conclude by seeing how the apostles Peter and Paul quoted Psalm 16 and showed how Jesus fulfilled it, proving that He is the Messiah (Acts 2:22-33, 13:33-38).
After teaching in parables in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus takes His disciples into a living parable as they cross the Sea of Galilee in Mark 4:35-41. In the midst all the symbolism of leaving the known and striking out into the unknown, a storm arises that tests these seasoned fishermen's faith. Jesus is very human and very tired and sleeps through it, until their fear moves them to cry out to Him (and wake Him up)! Jesus is fearless because of His trust in God; the disciples are fearful because of their lack of faith. We are in the boats beside them going through storms as well, often not remembering Who is in the boat with us. The wind and the waves of the storms of our life still obey His command. To investigate this most important of stories further, go here.
Walter Ciszek, a Jesuit priest, endured solitary confinement and harsh conditions in Soviet prisons for 23 years. His trust in God's will and his commitment to living a life of love helped him find hope and inner peace. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/god-in-all-things/support
Happy Monday! Today Pastor Jeff will talk about TRUST. Jesus trusted that God knew the perfect plan for His life. When Jesus was sacrificed on the cross, He placed His trust in God and gave His all. Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.
4. Jesus’ Temptations Luke 4:1-13 - Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone.”’ The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”’ The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘“He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus answered, ‘It is said: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. In Luke 3, we discovered that Jesus had started his public ministry at his baptism, and that he was revealed as God’s Son. However, not only was Jesus fully God, he was also human. In the other Gospel accounts of this event, Matthew (Matthew 4:1) and Mark (Mark 1:12) both tell us that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert. Luke alone tells us that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, and that he was led in the Spirit into the desert. Luke’s phrasing and terminology makes it clearer that Jesus’ temptation experiences in the desert were all part of God’s plan at the start of Jesus’ public ministry, in order that the type of Messiah Jesus was, would be revealed. This temptations event reveals Jesus’ perfect and full humanity. Knowing Jesus to be both God and man, satan starts his plan of attack against him. After forty days of fasting, prayer and wandering in the desert, Jesus is confronted by satan. In this event we have three temptations, and it reveals the way Christian Disciples are to handle temptations when confronted with them. First temptation (Luke 4:3-4) - Note the way satan starts by saying “So you are the Son of God.” As if to say, “If you are really who those voices speaking at your baptism say you are, then prove it to me. You must surely be hungry by now, so why don’t you turn these stones into bread and feed yourself” (Luke 4:3). Satan wanted Jesus to disobey God the Father’s will by using His powers for selfish purposes. He also wanted Jesus to doubt God the Father’s love and care. Jesus, however, is the beloved Son who always does the will of the Father (John 8:29). Luke 4:4 shows us that Jesus answered satan by using Scripture “'Man does not live on bread alone.” (Deuteronomy 8:3). This reveals that while physical food is necessary, it is more important to be sustained by the authority of Scripture. For Jesus, instead of relying on His own power to create food, it showed His trust in God the Father to take total care of Him. Second temptation (Luke 4:5-8) – This is satan’s encouragement for Jesus to engage in false worship, challenging him as it does to break the commandment “You shall have no other gods but me” (Exodus 20:3). Satan says it’s all yours if you just bow the knee and worship me. Of course satan is as always telling a deceiving half-truth. Though satan has great power (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4), he has no authority to be able to offer Jesus everything he said he would give. He is also not worthy of worship, as his power is always destructive and leads to wanton disobedience and unfaithfulness. This reflects satan’s self-delusion of grandeur. Jesus’ reply again is from Scripture, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only'" (Deuteronomy 6:13). Jesus here is saying that He will only serve one Master, and that is God the Father. Third temptation (Luke 4:9-13) - Here, satan encourages Jesus to take God the Father up on His promised protection. “Throw yourself off the top of the temple. If God is faithful and true, God will catch you and protect you as you start off on this ministry of yours!” Satan also here quotes Scripture in order to make the temptation much more appealing (Psalm 91:11-12). However, this is a misquote, because he doesn’t add “in all your ways”. Jesus however, being always wise, quotes Scripture back “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). In quoting Scripture back, Jesus gives balance to the total expression of God’s will and not just part of it. Jesus refused to acquiesce to the lures of satan, and his demands to test God the Father’s faithfulness on his own terms. The first temptation is echoed within us, when we try to do things in our own strength and power instead of relying on God’s power and strength to achieve much more than we can hope for or imagine. The second temptation here echoes James 1:14-15 where desires and lusts lure the Christian Disciple into sinning against and disobeying God. The third temptation occurs for us when we test God. Christian Disciples, who actively disobey God, subsequently fall into trouble and then expect God to rescue us, are testing God. An example of this is in Exodus 17:1-7. Jesus emerged from the desert experience, the victor, and to continue his ministry. Satan skulked off for his next opportunity. As Christian Disciples we need to be aware of the schemes of satan, and learn to fend him off, just as Jesus did in the wilderness and in all subsequent encounters during his earthly ministry. How satan tempts the Christian Disciple Accuse them (Rev 12:10) Devour their testimony for Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:8) Deceive them (2 Corinthians 11:14) Hinder their work (1 Thessalonians 2:18) The Christian Disciples’ response to satan should be: To recognise his power and deception (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11) Stay with the faith (1 Peter 5:9) Wear the armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) Resist him openly by submitting to God and he will flee (James 4:7) Not to give him opportunities (Ephesians 4:27) Probably the best way to oppose him is to grow as a Christian Disciple and submit all to God. We must remember that our love for God must always be stronger than our love for the world. If we love somebody, we do not want to hurt that person. When we go against God and sin, we are hurting our relationship with Him. He is a holy God and cannot abide any sin! Therefore, as we grow as Christian Disciples we grow more in love with God, and therefore our desire to sin grows less. By having faith & trust in God to provide needs and protection and worshipping and serving Him alone, the Christian Disciple grows in spiritual maturity and will also not succumb to temptation to sin and disobey God. For more to think about please do read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Ask yourself the following questions and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together. Q1. How can these examples given by Paul help me not to disobey God? Q2. In what areas do I think I am standing firm and do I always recognize the way of escaping temptation? Q3. What do Jesus’ experiences of temptation tell me about his humanity and how I too can stand up when tempted? 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Josiah and Judah tell the stories of their favorite Bible heroes. Isaiah was a prophet who foretold the birth of the Messiah, Jesus. He was also a hero because when hard times came, Isaiah prayed and put His trust in God, knowing that he could trust God to take care of any situation. #kids, #biblestoriesforkids, #obeygodsword, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #christiankids, #Bibleheroes, #believeonethelordjesuschrist, #trustinthelord, #storiesforkids, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #fishbitesforkids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb
Greetings, Leaders. The best day in our life and career journey is when we are thankful. One of the most significant contributors to our success today is a heart of gratitude and giving thanks for victories on our journey. Today, I spoke with a leader who expressed gratitude for "health, healing, happiness and wholeness." This time is a season of gratitude. Expressing our appreciation builds confidence in ourselves and others for today."Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 What are three events, people, or circumstances in which you can express gratitude? Here are the three that I will share with you. Sharing multiplies the impact of the things you are grateful for. I am grateful for the opportunity to encourage others by my account of the miracles of God on my life and career journey. I am grateful to hear of the miracles of God in other leaders' lives and careers. I am grateful for the mind to remember and the foresight to record the accounts for future use. Someone asked me today to share a story! I shared this account of a woman in the intensive care unit. The doctor pronounced that death was imminent unless she received a heart and lung transplant. I recall following the example of a great leader from ancient times who shared his experience in a memoir. "I cried out to God for help. I cried out to God to hear me." Anonymous, Psalm 77: 1 I did that, and God miraculously healed the woman and restored her health. He healed her heart and lungs! The miracle occurred over twenty years ago, on September 18, 2001! The woman is my wife! Today, a young leader hears the gratitude expressed by my wife and me. He believes God can do the same for him. His trust in God grows with every account of the seemingly impossible events that became victories in the lives and careers of leaders before him. One great leader shares this insight, "I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds." Psalm 77:11-12 Practice expressing gratitude every day. You build your confidence for today and encourage others on your life and career journey! Then, when facing seemingly impossible situations, we will know what to do. Then they asked, how did you accomplish so much? Our answer comes as we express our gratitude. "Lord, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you." Isaiah 26:12 So, my friend, let's give thanks. God speaks these words to us. "Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors me, and I will surely save all who obey me." Psalm 50:23 Victory!
In this short series we have been exploring how security in the Father enables our willing submission to him and the difference that makes to our prayers. In the first episode we talked about the way in which we hear our Father's voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father's voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11) In the second episode we tackled the topic of submission. Although submission is challenging to practice, it is so much easier when we are convinced of our heavenly Father's unconditional love for us. Jesus was the ultimate super-submissive son, setting us an example by wrestling in Gethsemane and going to the cross — not because he felt like it, but because it was the will of his Father. Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father's plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God's wisdom and divine purpose. In the third episode we examined the purpose and meaning of supplication. When we are confident in God's love and committed to submission to his will, we find our prayers transformed. In this final episode we put it all together and reflect on what God has been teaching us. Point of clarification As I did in the first episode, I should mention that this framework is not meant to be a formula. Nor do I consider it superior to any other framework. It is simply one of many. Security; Submission; Supplication I used this framework every day for several months. It does not cover the totality of my prayers, but I have used it to a greater or lesser extent every day. I have also enjoyed set prayers from a prayer book connected to Lindisfarne, a Church of England prayer app, and other extemporaneous times of praying. However, I have discovered that using the same framework day after day has deepened my understanding of the connection between security, submission and supplication. Additionally, focusing on these three areas has reminded me of examples in Scripture of people enjoying security with God, the struggle to be submissive to the will of God, and the discipline to make requests by faith. The surprise Meditating in prayer on my security with God has led me into some times of wonderful praise. How can I ever thank God enough or praise him adequately for adopting me as his child despite my rebellion and weakness? Asking my heavenly father to help me want to be submissive has created a greater awareness of the struggle to be submissive throughout the day. It's on my mind more. Now and again, I ask myself, “Am I being submissive to God's will?” Sometimes the answer is not clear, but the question is still a healthy one. Bringing more requests to God has connected me more strongly to those I pray for and revealed to me ways in which I could be part of the answer to the prayers I am offering to God. Conclusion Awareness of God's love for us is not something we should stress over. Father-God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit of with us at all times, but not necessarily noticed. That is not a sign of spiritual inadequacy. I am not always aware of my wife's love while I am sitting at my laptop doing work, but her love for me comes back into focus at times. I live within the security of my wife's love even though I am not thinking about it all the time. Similarly for us as Christians. Therefore, the question is not so much whether we are aware of Jesus at any particular moment, but whether we live generally within a sense of the security of his love for us, and whether we turn to him as a matter of habit when something comes up which is either worthy of praise or of prayer because it is difficult Have you tried this framework? Have you persevered with it? What have you discovered? Questions for reflection Why are security, submission and supplication a route to praise? What is the main lesson God has taught you in exploring this prayer framework? What will you explore further? Next month we will have two classes on reviewing the year and preparing for next year. Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org). If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm
In this short series we have been exploring how security in the Father enables our willing submission to him and the difference that makes to our prayers. In the first episode we talked about the way in which we hear our Father's voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father's voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11) In the second episode we tackled the topic of submission. Although submission is challenging to practice, it is so much easier when we are convinced of our heavenly Father's unconditional love for us. Jesus was the ultimate super-submissive son, setting us an example by wrestling in Gethsemane and going to the cross — not because he felt like it, but because it was the will of his Father. Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father's plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God's wisdom and divine purpose. In the third episode we examined the purpose and meaning of supplication. When we are confident in God's love and committed to submission to his will, we find our prayers transformed. In this final episode we put it all together and reflect on what God has been teaching us. Point of clarification As I did in the first episode, I should mention that this framework is not meant to be a formula. Nor do I consider it superior to any other framework. It is simply one of many. Security; Submission; Supplication I used this framework every day for several months. It does not cover the totality of my prayers, but I have used it to a greater or lesser extent every day. I have also enjoyed set prayers from a prayer book connected to Lindisfarne, a Church of England prayer app, and other extemporaneous times of praying. However, I have discovered that using the same framework day after day has deepened my understanding of the connection between security, submission and supplication. Additionally, focusing on these three areas has reminded me of examples in Scripture of people enjoying security with God, the struggle to be submissive to the will of God, and the discipline to make requests by faith. The surprise Meditating in prayer on my security with God has led me into some times of wonderful praise. How can I ever thank God enough or praise him adequately for adopting me as his child despite my rebellion and weakness? Asking my heavenly father to help me want to be submissive has created a greater awareness of the struggle to be submissive throughout the day. It's on my mind more. Now and again, I ask myself, “Am I being submissive to God's will?” Sometimes the answer is not clear, but the question is still a healthy one. Bringing more requests to God has connected me more strongly to those I pray for and revealed to me ways in which I could be part of the answer to the prayers I am offering to God. Conclusion Awareness of God's love for us is not something we should stress over. Father-God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit of with us at all times, but not necessarily noticed. That is not a sign of spiritual inadequacy. I am not always aware of my wife's love while I am sitting at my laptop doing work, but her love for me comes back into focus at times. I live within the security of my wife's love even though I am not thinking about it all the time. Similarly for us as Christians. Therefore, the question is not so much whether we are aware of Jesus at any particular moment, but whether we live generally within a sense of the security of his love for us, and whether we turn to him as a matter of habit when something comes up which is either worthy of praise or of prayer because it is difficult Have you tried this framework? Have you persevered with it? What have you discovered? Questions for reflection - Why are security, submission and supplication a route to praise? - What is the main lesson God has taught you in exploring this prayer framework? - What will you explore further? Next month we will have two classes on reviewing the year and preparing for next year. Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org). If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. God bless, Malcolm You've found an upload from the Thames Valley churches of Christ. Thank you for watching this video. If you'd like to know more go to www.thamesvalley.church where you'll find news, information, resources and much more.
Class 3 - Supplication: How to Convince God to hear Your Prayers In this short series we are exploring how our security in the Father enables our willing submission to him and what difference that makes to our prayers. In the first episode we talked about the way in which we hear our Father's voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father's voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11) In the second episode we tackled the topic of submission. Although submission is challenging to practice, it is so much easier when we are convinced of our heavenly Father's unconditional love for us. Jesus was the ultimate super-submissive son, setting us an example by wrestling in Gethsemane and going to the cross — not because he felt like it, but because it was the will of his Father. Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father's plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God's wisdom and divine purpose. What does this mean for our own prayer-life? Today we will explore the meaning of this text: “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:7-10 NRSV) Point of clarification You will notice that the NRSV translation uses the word ‘supplication'. What does that mean? The Greek word is ἱκετηρία, meaning ‘request'. We find it in other passages such as Philippians 4:6–7 and 1 Timothy 2:1. Supplication is a fancy word for ‘request'. Could requesting things from God be dangerous? Might we stray into a selfish focus to our prayers? Could praying become the presentation of our shopping list to God? That is possible, but does not need to be the case. If we have first grasped our security in God and moved to a place of willing submission to his will we will be praying because we trust he cares and has our best interests at heart - whatever the outcome. We are talking about telling God what we need and what we perceive other people need. With these thoughts in mind, let's consider the example of Jesus. Jesus and Supplication Supplication is meaningful because it is built on security with God and submission to God's will. Jesus demonstrates this in his life as summarised by this verse, “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” (Hebrews 5:7 NRSV). Jesus knew God had the power to save him, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”(Matthew 26:53 NIV11), and trusted him even though it was not appropriate for the Father to supply those angels. How did Jesus manage this? Because his security with God was unshakeable and his submission to God was unbreakable. I believe the way his prayer was heard was in that God gave him the strength to endure his will for Jesus — to go to the cross. Security and submission set us up magnificently to present our requests to God. Jesus taught his followers to expect answers to prayer, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”” (Matthew 21:22 NIV11) Paul encouraged us to tell God what we need, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”(Philippians 4:6 NIV11) Conclusion To state it again — the security and submission of Jesus made his supplications effective. Do you wonder why your prayers are not answered? Perhaps, only perhaps but it is worth reflecting on this, it is because you are lacking in submission to God's will. Questions for reflection - Do you tell God what you need? - Are you requesting his work in the lives of people you care about? - What holds you back from making your supplications to God? Next time we will wrap up the series and put it all together — security, submission and supplication. Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. God bless, Malcolm You've found an upload from the Thames Valley churches of Christ. Thank you for watching this video. If you'd like to know more go to www.thamesvalley.church where you'll find news, information, resources and much more.
Class 3 - Supplication: How to Convince God to hear Your Prayers In this short series we are exploring how our security in the Father enables our willing submission to him and what difference that makes to our prayers. In the first episode we talked about the way in which we hear our Father's voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father's voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11) In the second episode we tackled the topic of submission. Although submission is challenging to practice, it is so much easier when we are convinced of our heavenly Father's unconditional love for us. Jesus was the ultimate super-submissive son, setting us an example by wrestling in Gethsemane and going to the cross — not because he felt like it, but because it was the will of his Father. Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father's plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God's wisdom and divine purpose. What does this mean for our own prayer-life? Today we will explore the meaning of this text: “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:7-10 NRSV) Point of clarification You will notice that the NRSV translation uses the word ‘supplication'. What does that mean? The Greek word is ἱκετηρία, meaning ‘request'. We find it in other passages such as Philippians 4:6–7 and 1 Timothy 2:1. Supplication is a fancy word for ‘request'. Could requesting things from God be dangerous? Might we stray into a selfish focus to our prayers? Could praying become the presentation of our shopping list to God? That is possible, but does not need to be the case. If we have first grasped our security in God and moved to a place of willing submission to his will we will be praying because we trust he cares and has our best interests at heart - whatever the outcome. We are talking about telling God what we need and what we perceive other people need. With these thoughts in mind, let's consider the example of Jesus. Jesus and Supplication Supplication is meaningful because it is built on security with God and submission to God's will. Jesus demonstrates this in his life as summarised by this verse, “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” (Hebrews 5:7 NRSV). Jesus knew God had the power to save him, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”(Matthew 26:53 NIV11), and trusted him even though it was not appropriate for the Father to supply those angels. How did Jesus manage this? Because his security with God was unshakeable and his submission to God was unbreakable. I believe the way his prayer was heard was in that God gave him the strength to endure his will for Jesus — to go to the cross. Security and submission set us up magnificently to present our requests to God. Jesus taught his followers to expect answers to prayer, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”” (Matthew 21:22 NIV11) Paul encouraged us to tell God what we need, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”(Philippians 4:6 NIV11) Conclusion To state it again — the security and submission of Jesus made his supplications effective. Do you wonder why your prayers are not answered? Perhaps, only perhaps but it is worth reflecting on this, it is because you are lacking in submission to God's will. Questions for reflection - Do you tell God what you need? - Are you requesting his work in the lives of people you care about? - What holds you back from making your supplications to God? Next time we will wrap up the series and put it all together — security, submission and supplication. Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. God bless, Malcolm You've found an upload from the Thames Valley churches of Christ. Thank you for watching this video. If you'd like to know more go to www.thamesvalley.church where you'll find news, information, resources and much more.
Jesus' Temptations Welcome back to our series, AGOG - A Glimpse of God. We are on Day 9 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Today we will look at Jesus' temptations as He starts his public ministry. Reading from Mark 1:12-13 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. After his baptism, Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit into the desert. Matthew and Luke both give a more indepth report than Mark does into what occurred there. Jesus' temptation experiences in the desert were all part of God's plan at the start of Jesus' public ministry, in order that the type of Messiah Jesus was, would be revealed. These temptations reveal Jesus' perfect and full humanity. Not only is Jesus fully God but it he is also fully human. Knowing Jesus to be both God and man, satan started his plan of attack against him. After forty days of fasting, prayer and wandering in the desert, Jesus is confronted by satan with three temptations. First temptation - satan starts by saying "So you are the Son of God." As if to say, "If you are really who that voice speaking at your baptism says you are, then prove it to me. You must surely be hungry by now, so why don't you turn these stones into bread and feed yourself". Satan wanted Jesus to disobey God the Father's will by using His powers for selfish purposes and to doubt God the Father's love and care. Jesus answered satan by using Scripture "'Man does not live on bread alone." (Deuteronomy 8:3). For Jesus, instead of relying on His own power to create food, it showed His trust in God the Father to take total care of Him. Second temptation - This is satan's encouragement for Jesus to engage in false worship. Satan says it's all yours if you just bow the knee and worship me. Of course satan is as always telling a deceiving half-truth. Though satan has great power, he has no authority to be able to offer Jesus everything he said he would give. He is also not worthy of worship, as his power is always destructive and leads to wanton disobedience and unfaithfulness. Jesus' reply again is from Scripture, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only'" (Deuteronomy 6:13). Jesus here is saying that He will only serve one Master - God the Father. Third temptation - Here, satan encourages Jesus to take God the Father up on His promised protection. "Throw yourself off the top of the temple. If God is faithful and true, God will catch you and protect you as you start off on this ministry of yours!" Satan also here quotes Scripture in order to make the temptation much more appealing (Psalm 91:11-12). However, this is a misquote, because he doesn't add "in all your ways". Jesus however, quotes Scripture back "Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (Deuteronomy 6:16). In quoting Scripture back at satan, Jesus gives balance to the total expression of God's will and not just part of it. God the Father fulfilled his promise to care for Jesus, by sending angels to care for Jesus' needs and to protect him. Jesus emerged from the desert experience, the victor, and to continue his ministry. Jesus refused to acquiesce to the lures of satan, and his demands to test God the Father's faithfulness on his own terms. Jesus knows the struggles we undergo, because He has also undergone them. He is not unsympathetic towards us when we are being tempted. What can you learn from Jesus in dealing with your own temptations? Come back tomorrow for Day 10 of our series AGOG, as we continue to look together that extraordinary man, Jesus Christ, through the Gospel accounts! Tomorrow we will start to look at Jesus' Teaching and how he interacted with people. Right Mouse click or tap hereto save this as an audio mp3 file
Class 2 - Submission: How to Find the Will to do God's Will even When it is Not Your Will In this short series we are exploring how our security in the Father enables our willing submission to him. Last time we talked about the way in which we hear Father's voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and, I hope, took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father's voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11), and, “Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”” (Mark 9:7 NIV11) The Trouble with Submission Submission is, for some people, a troubling word. It carries connotations of oppression, abuse and control. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline states, “Revolutionary submission commands us to live in submission to human authority until it becomes destructive.” Demands for submission to oppressive human authority can be destructive, but when God calls us to submit to his will, he invites us into a constructive life. If you fear full submission to God, you are a normal human. Don't worry. Just invest in what we talked about last week. Security in God's love is the antidote to anxiety over submitting to him. Trying to be submissive to God's will for our lives without security in his love is, frankly, terrifying! But, with full assurance of his love for us, it is liberating. We must reckon with our human nature — ‘The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.' (Mark 14:38). We agree with Paul when he wrote, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1 NIV11). But, as someone said, the problem with living sacrifices is that they tend to squirm off the altar! Surrendering Our Will to God's Plan To make sense of submission to the will of our Heavenly Father, we take our cue from Jesus, who said, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38 NIV11). How did he feel about God's will? He delighted in it, ““My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34 NIV11), Just because he delighted in it does not mean it was easy. Jesus' prayer in the Gethsemane is a poignant example of submission to God's will in challenging circumstances (Matthew 26:39). Despite the overwhelming weight of impending suffering, Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father's plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God's wisdom and divine purpose. Conclusion In Leadership or Servanthood? Hwa Yung writes — “Jesus in life, ministry, and mission lived in the full consciousness of his filial relationship with his Father and in the unfailing security of the Father's love. This allowed him to go about life in a calm and cool manner, and gave him inner strength and fearlessness in the face of immense challenges and unrelenting opposition.” It makes no sense to pray, ‘your will be done' (Matthew 6.10) and live in opposition to God's will. How do we align our will with the will of the Father? 1. Be honest - in Gethsemane Jesus told his Father he did not want to do his will. 2. Pray long enough to process your feelings - in Gethsemane it took at least three hours for Jesus to get where he needed to be to fulfil God's will 3. Pray the prayer of faith, even if you are not feeling it - in Gethsemane Jesus prayed “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 NIV11) before he was fully there. As my friend Charl put it we need to pray, “Father, help me to will your will even though I don't will it right now.” 4. Take the time to refresh your security in the Father, and you will find praying to live in submission to his will much more appealing than you might think. Questions for reflection - How do you honestly feel about the idea of living in full submission to the Father's will? - What is it about example of Jesus which is relevant and attractive to you? - If you want to grow in your willing submission to the Father, how will that happen? Next time we will go on to look at how Jesus' security in the Father's love and his willing submission to the Father's will made all the difference to his prayers. Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org). If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm
Class 2 - Submission: How to Find the Will to do God's Will even When it is Not Your Will In this short series we are exploring how our security in the Father enables our willing submission to him. Last time we talked about the way in which we hear Father's voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and, I hope, took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father's voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11), and, “Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”” (Mark 9:7 NIV11) The Trouble with Submission Submission is, for some people, a troubling word. It carries connotations of oppression, abuse and control. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline states, “Revolutionary submission commands us to live in submission to human authority until it becomes destructive.” Demands for submission to oppressive human authority can be destructive, but when God calls us to submit to his will, he invites us into a constructive life. If you fear full submission to God, you are a normal human. Don't worry. Just invest in what we talked about last week. Security in God's love is the antidote to anxiety over submitting to him. Trying to be submissive to God's will for our lives without security in his love is, frankly, terrifying! But, with full assurance of his love for us, it is liberating. We must reckon with our human nature — ‘The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.' (Mark 14:38). We agree with Paul when he wrote, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1 NIV11). But, as someone said, the problem with living sacrifices is that they tend to squirm off the altar! Surrendering Our Will to God's Plan To make sense of submission to the will of our Heavenly Father, we take our cue from Jesus, who said, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38 NIV11). How did he feel about God's will? He delighted in it, ““My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34 NIV11), Just because he delighted in it does not mean it was easy. Jesus' prayer in the Gethsemane is a poignant example of submission to God's will in challenging circumstances (Matthew 26:39). Despite the overwhelming weight of impending suffering, Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father's plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God's wisdom and divine purpose. Conclusion In Leadership or Servanthood? Hwa Yung writes — “Jesus in life, ministry, and mission lived in the full consciousness of his filial relationship with his Father and in the unfailing security of the Father's love. This allowed him to go about life in a calm and cool manner, and gave him inner strength and fearlessness in the face of immense challenges and unrelenting opposition.” It makes no sense to pray, ‘your will be done' (Matthew 6.10) and live in opposition to God's will. How do we align our will with the will of the Father? 1. Be honest - in Gethsemane Jesus told his Father he did not want to do his will. 2. Pray long enough to process your feelings - in Gethsemane it took at least three hours for Jesus to get where he needed to be to fulfil God's will 3. Pray the prayer of faith, even if you are not feeling it - in Gethsemane Jesus prayed “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 NIV11) before he was fully there. As my friend Charl put it we need to pray, “Father, help me to will your will even though I don't will it right now.” 4. Take the time to refresh your security in the Father, and you will find praying to live in submission to his will much more appealing than you might think. Questions for reflection - How do you honestly feel about the idea of living in full submission to the Father's will? - What is it about example of Jesus which is relevant and attractive to you? - If you want to grow in your willing submission to the Father, how will that happen? Next time we will go on to look at how Jesus' security in the Father's love and his willing submission to the Father's will made all the difference to his prayers. Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org). If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm
What can the story of Abraham teach us about our own relationships with the Lord? In this episode, Dot and Cara continue their series about faith by examining the way Abraham's life was shaped by His trust in God. They remind us that even though Abrahm did not always have perfect faith, He continued to allow God to work in His life. They also share encouragement for listeners who might be struggling to trust God's plan. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and join us! Episode RecapStart by writing down Romans 4:18-22 (0:12)Today we're continuing our series about faith by looking at the life of Abraham (1:03)If God has a certain plan for your life, then it will come to be (2:12)Even Abraham did not have perfect faith (7:32)If you're trusting God, then you haven't missed what He wants for you (13:26)God can still use us when we make mistakes (19:44)Our children or our spouses can easily become idols (26:23)Abraham believed God even when he couldn't see the path ahead of him (31:58)Trust God's heart, not His hand (38:09) Resources:Send us an email to let us know what you're learning - hello@dotbowen.com Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook
When we started last week, his name was Abram. God came to Abram and called him to go to a place that God would show him, promising to make his name great and to bless all the families of the earth through Abram. In an incredible step of faith, Abram followed God's call! Sadly, he also was overcome by fear in short order as a famine hit the land. And so we saw the factors that lead us to stretches when our faith fails. Praise God that His promises aren't reliant on us! This week we continue with Genesis 13. Abram showed faith again, this time in repentance, as he retraced his steps to go out of Egypt and eventually, he came to Bethel. Bethel is where Abram had set up an altar to worship God. His trust in God was renewed and led him right back to old pathways he had left behind. His nephew Lot, on the other hand, had ambition that drove him. We will see the beauty of repentance and the dangers of ambition as we hear from God's Word together.
Let us please read the text taken from Psalm 40:1-17 (ESV) YOU ARE MY HELP AND MY DELIVERER David has waited patiently for the Lord to answer his urgent prayer. And as God's response in a poetic image, God is "leaning forward" to hear David, the way a person might do for a child who speaks quietly. The Lord heard David's urgent prayer.[v.1] David was like one having been abandoned in a dark pit in the ground filled with water, mud, and slime.[v.2] That is why he sings a new song before God for having been rescued by God.[v.3] His trust in God has brought him great happiness. God has multiplied His deeds toward him[done so much] that they are more than can be told. Most likely, David had learned this in the wilderness to rely on the Lord for safety, and he was not disappointed. How he might show his gratitude for all the wondrous things God had done for him? (v.1–5). He knew that God accepted and even commanded certain physical sacrifices. However, David knew for certain that God looks at the worshiper's heart and not simply at his sacrifices and offerings. David's delight is obedience of His will. He said, “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”[v.8] The scrolls often refer to God's written Word as the source of wisdom and truth (Psa 12:6; 40:8). The book of Hebrews cites this verse as part of an explanation of Jesus' role as Savior (Heb 10:5–7). In his joy, he testified and proclaimed God's goodness in the great congregation with much fervor.[v.9-10] Furthermore, David believes the Lord's unfailing love and faithfulness will not wane but would keep him safe always. His mercy is what we need every day. Otherwise, we would be consumed! [Lam 3;22-23] Humbly, David claims he is so distressed by his own mistakes that he cannot see clearly. They are too many to count. They are more than the hairs on his head. His life is at the mercy of God so he pleaded for God to deliver him quickly. Even from his enemies who seek his downfall. Those who are against David celebrate his troubles and failures as emphasized by their ‘Aha'. But, David committed his desperate situation to the Lord. Like David, instead of taking matters into our own hands, we are instructed to leave them in God's hands. More than desiring the defeat and disgrace of his enemies, David wanted the Lord's people to declare ‘Great is the Lord.” He wanted to maintain that he is poor and needy. That he is desperate to need God urgently as His help and deliverer, moment by moment. Listen and FOLLOW us on our podcast
Walking in Faith: Abraham's Obedience and its Relevance TodayLet's imagine you're on a road trip. You've meticulously planned your route, dotted your Is, and crossed your T's. But as you're driving, your GPS suddenly instructs you to make an unexpected turn. Confused and uncertain, would you follow its guidance? Today, we're going to explore a similar experience in the life of Abraham and its implications for our own journey of faith.The scripture that underpins our sermon today is from Genesis 12:1 (NIV): "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.'"1. Abraham's Call and Obedience: Abraham was instructed to leave everything familiar—his country, his people, and his father's house. Yet he did not hesitate or negotiate with God. He packed up his family and his belongings, and he embarked on a journey to an unknown destination simply because God told him to (Genesis 12:4-5). This obedience was credited to him as faith.2. Abraham's Faith in Promises: God promised Abraham that He would make him into a great nation, bless him, and make his name great. Despite having no child at that time and his wife Sarai being barren, Abraham believed God's promise (Genesis 15:5–6). His trust in God was not dependent on his circumstances but on the One who made the promise.3. Abraham's Faith Tested: The pinnacle of Abraham's faith journey was when God asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. This was the son through whom God had promised to fulfil His words to Abraham. Despite the seeming impossibility of the situation, Abraham's faith did not waver, demonstrating that his confidence was in God and not in the promise (Genesis 22:1–18).Abraham's Legacy and Our Walk of Faith: The life of Abraham teaches us that walking in faith means trusting God's directions even when the destination is not clear, believing in His promises despite our circumstances, and keeping our faith in God even when our understanding is limited.The writer of Hebrews affirms this when he says, "Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)Let's bow our heads in prayer:"Heavenly Father, we thank You for the example of Abraham's faith. Help us to trust in Your guidance, believe in Your promises, and maintain our faith in You regardless of the circumstances. May we walk in obedience as Abraham did, fully assured that what You have promised, You are able also to perform. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."As you leave this place, may the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). Let the faith of Abraham inspire you to trust in God's perfect plan for your life, even when the road ahead seems uncertain. God bless you all.
Would you like to freshen up your prayer life? I want to share something I have developed that has done just that. It's a three-step prayer framework I've been experimenting with for the last three weeks. Those three steps are 1. Security, 2. Submission, 3. Supplication. Last week we discussed security. This week we continue with submission. First, however, a point of clarification. Point of clarification Submission is, for some people, a troubling word. It carries connotations of oppression, abuse and control. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline states, “Revolutionary submission commands us to live in submission to human authority until it becomes destructive.” Demands for submission to human authority can be destructive, but when God calls us to submit to his will, he invites us into a constructive life. If you fear full submission to God, you are a normal human. Don't worry. Just invest in what we talked about last week. Security in God's love is the antidote to anxiety over submitting to him. Trying to be submissive to God's will for our lives without security in his love is, frankly, terrifying! Leadership or Servanthood? by Hwa Yung — “Jesus in life, ministry, and mission lived in the full consciousness of his filial relationship with his Father and in the unfailing security of the Father's love. This allowed him to go about life in a calm and cool manner, and gave him inner strength and fearlessness in the face of immense challenges and unrelenting opposition.” Submission: Surrendering Our Will to God's Plan To make sense of submission to the will of our Heavenly Father, we take our cue from Jesus, who said, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38 NIV11). How did he feel about God's will? He delighted in it, ““My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34 NIV11), Just because he delighted in it does not mean it was easy. Jesus' prayer in the Gethsemane is a poignant example of submission to God's will in challenging circumstances (Matthew 26:39). Despite the overwhelming weight of impending suffering, Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father's plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God's wisdom and divine purpose. As the book of Hebrews tells us, “During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” (Hebrews 5:7 NIV11) His submissive heart meant his prayers got heard. Conclusion It makes no sense to pray, ‘your will be done' (Matthew 6.10) and live in opposition to God's will. Take the time to refresh your security in the Father, and you will find praying to live in submission to his will much more appealing than you might think. Next time we will go on to look at the topic of supplication. Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org). If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm
Bible Study with Jairus - 2 Corinthians 1 1 Corinthians Is Spiritual Milk, while 2 Corinthians Is Solid Food The book of 2 Corinthians helps believers gain a deeper understanding and experience of God as they grow in their spiritual lives. If 1 Corinthians is spiritual milk for infants, then the book of 2 Corinthians is full of solid food that boosts spiritual growth. I believe that 2 Corinthians is a continuation and expansion of the ideas presented in 1 Corinthians. The book of 1 Corinthians dealt with several problems of spiritual immaturity, such as overemphasis on spiritual gifts (ch. 14), overemphasis on knowledge and truth (ch. 15). People on both sides needed to become more spiritually mature. 1 Corinthians 16 talks about Stephanas, a spiritually mature man. This content bridges naturally into the content of 2 Corinthians. The book of 2 Corinthians teaches about spiritual maturity. Chapter 3 tells us that when we turn away from the law and toward the Lord, the veil is removed from our hearts. As we learn to know the Spirit of the Lord, we gain freedom. Our hearts become like mirrors that reflect the glory of the Lord as we are transformed into his image (3:16-18). These verses speak of a Christian's deeper experience in his spiritual life. After Paul dealt with the problems of spiritual immaturity in his first letter to the Corinthians, he began to lead believers into a deeper spiritual life and experience in 2 Corinthians. He told readers that this deeper spiritual life and experience was inseparable from the training of suffering. Paul shared his experiences of suffering many times in 2 Corinthians, telling the Corinthian church how these experiences had led him to become spiritually mature. Summary of the Last Three Chapters of 1 Corinthians Let's briefly analyze the link between the last three chapters of 1 Corinthians and the first chapter of 2 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul dealt with those who were overemphasizing spiritual gifts. He encouraged them to not only pursue spiritual gifts, but also to care about others' feelings and more importantly, to pursue love. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul dealt with those who were opposed to spiritual gifts and who were biased against the truth of resurrection because of their excessive pursuit of knowledge and truth and their lack of experiences of the risen Christ. In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul highly recommended a man named Stephanas. He was baptized by Paul and was one of the first converts in Achaia. Apollos had also preached the gospel in Achaia, where he was helped and welcomed by the brothers. So Stephanas may have been a convert of both Paul's and Apollos' joint ministry. Of course, there were many problems presented in 1 Corinthians, but when Paul dealt with these problems one by one, he provided solutions to their problems. The solutions were unity and love, which are two important themes of 1 Corinthians. (See the studies on 1 Corinthians for an in-depth explanation of these themes.) In 1 Corinthians, Paul dealt with the believers' spiritual immaturity. The goal of 1 Corinthians was to free believers from spiritual infancy. 2 Corinthians 1 Continues the Train of Thought of 1 Corinthians The book of 2 Corinthians continues the same train of thought. Although Paul also wrote several other letters to the Corinthian church, God sovereignly allowed them to be lost. However, the book that was preserved (2 Corinthians) continues the train of thought from 1 Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians 1:1, we read that Paul and Timothy wrote to the church of God in Corinth and to the saints in Achaia. This verse is very interesting. As I mentioned earlier, Stephanas probably became one of the leaders of the Corinthian church. This is very important. When a church has a good leader, things go more smoothly. Since Stephanas was saved in Achaia, he probably had close ties with the saints in Achaia. Perhaps Stephanas played a very important role in bringing change to the Corinthian church. According to the introduction of the "Comprehensive Bible Prayer Reading Website" (cmcbiblereading.com), the background of 2 Corinthians is as follows: Paul first came to Corinth during his second missionary journey in A.D. 50-51. He worked with Aquila and Priscilla, preached the gospel there for a year and a half, and established the church (Acts 18:1-18). After Paul left Corinth in A.D. 51, he wrote the first letter to the Corinthian church, telling them to "have no fellowship with fornicators" (5:9-10), but this letter has been lost. During Paul's stay in Ephesus on his third missionary journey, Chloe's people brought a message that there was division in the Corinthian church (verse 11), and the church also wrote a letter to him (1 Corinthians 7:1), hoping that Paul would give them some guidance on problems. Paul may have written a second letter at Ephesus in A.D. 54, and 1 Corinthians as his answer (1 Corinthians 16:8-10; Acts 19:22). Later, the situation in the Corinthian church continued to deteriorate. Paul may have traveled directly from Ephesus to Corinth by boat (2 Corinthians 1:16), making a second brief visit to Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:2; Acts 20:2). The visit was not very pleasant at the time. Afterwards, Paul wrote a third letter that was severe (2 Corinthians 2:4; 7:8), which was delivered by Titus, but was also lost. Later, Titus brought the news to Macedonia, saying that everything was alright (2 Corinthians 7:6-7). Paul was thus overflowed with joy and wrote the fourth letter in Macedonia in A.D. 56, which is "2 Corinthians" (2 Corinthians 2:12-14; Acts 20:1). After this, Paul probably visited the Corinthian church for the third time (2 Corinthians 12:14; 13:1), and wrote the book of Galatians and Romans in Corinth in the winter of A.D. 56-57 (Acts 20:3). This summary helps us see that although the Corinthian church had some problems, Paul worked tirelessly to help them. Through his efforts, their lives were transformed. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready.”[1] Paul's words in 1 Corinthians were addressed to the fleshly believers who were so spiritually immature that they could only drink spiritual milk. What is spiritual immaturity? In addition to the sins of the flesh (competition, sexual immorality and gluttony, mentioned in the first few chapters of 1 Corinthians), spiritual immaturity also includes two additional aspects. The first aspect is the excessive pursuit of spiritual gifts described in 1 Corinthians 14. Even today, some believers pursue spiritual gifts but neglect love and spiritual growth. The second aspect is the overemphasis on truth described in 1 Corinthians 15. Though these Christians pursued knowledge and truth, they lacked a personal understanding of the risen Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. They may have even been against it. We see this problem in many traditional churches. In Chinese terms, these people are only “cultural Christians.” They lack a personal experience of Jesus. The first type of church tends not have a solid foundation in God's word and are more are easily deceived by the winds of teaching. The second type of church is often overly concerned with knowledge and truth, which leads to dogmatism and legalism. They often are against the work of the Holy Spirit. And they easily condemn others as heretics. These two extremes cause problems in Chinese churches and American churches alike. It may surprise you to learn that these errors are a manifestation of spiritual immaturity, not of maturity. Paul told the Corinthians that it was difficult for him to lead them into deeper spiritual life and experience since they were stuck in immaturity. But the path toward maturity was inseparable from God's training through suffering. A Deeper Spiritual Life and Experience After the believers' spiritual immaturity was addressed in 1 Corinthians and the lost letters to the Corinthians, Paul could finally give the believers some solid food in 2 Corinthians. The solid food is not only obtained through suffering, but it also provides the sustenance we need to survive suffering. This concept is described in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul says that the life of Christ within us gives off the "aroma of Christ" (2:14) to those around us. This aroma brings life to some and death to others. When we testify to others, some believe in Christ and are brought back to life, while others oppose Christ and are left to die. What a privilege it is to represent Christ in this way. Jesus told his disciples, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." (John 20:23). This does not mean that we have the authority to forgive like God does. Rather, it means that God has given His authority to the church, and he has entrusted us with a tremendous responsibility. When we as Christians demonstrate a consistent Christian testimony to the world, others often believe in Christ as a result of our witness. When Christians do not have a testimony and do not love one another as what Jesus taught, the world stumbles and cannot see that we are His disciples (John 13: 35). 2 Corinthians 3 tells us that God can remove the veil from our hearts. When our heart turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Our hearts are like mirrors that reflect the glory of the Lord and transform us into His image. This is why Paul said believers are to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). 2 Corinthians 4 talks about treasure in jars of clay (4:7). Although we are weak on the outside, we have a treasure within us, the resurrection life of Christ. Regardless of the difficulties we face in in our external environment, the resurrection life of Christ can help us be victorious. 2 Corinthians 5 tells us that we are new creations in Christ (5:17). Once we are saved, we are new in Christ. Yet many people do not live in the full knowledge and experience of this truth. Instead, they continue to live in past sins. So, Paul taught them not to look at past failures, but to look at the victory that was theirs in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul encourages believers not to associate with idols, because believers in Christ are incompatible with idols and darkness. Instead, believers should pursue holiness (6:14-17). 2 Corinthians 7 continues to talk about the believer's pursuit of holiness. In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, Paul encourages believers to give generously to God's work. In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul teaches believers to destroy strongholds (10:4). In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul tells the believers to remain pure because they are pure virgins betrothed to Christ (11:2). In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul shares his experience of being caught up to the third heaven, and uses his own experience to testify about Christ. In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul explains that Jesus was crucified in weakness, but resurrected in power. When we are weak physically, we can be strengthened spiritually (13:4-9). Paul uses his own spiritual experience to teach the Corinthian believers to enter into a deeper spiritual experience. Paul shares his experiences of suffering as well. These sufferings trained him and helped him become spiritually mature. Suffering is an Important Ingredient for Spiritual Maturity Suffering is an integral part of our journey toward spiritual maturity. The book of Hebrews says that even the Lord Jesus learned obedience through the things that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Hebrews 12 tells us that God's discipline, though painful, bears the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11). Suffering has a positive effect on a person's spiritual maturity, just like the storms encourage trees and vines to grow deeper roots. Once the sun comes out, we can see the benefit of these harsh weather conditions. The deeper the roots of the plant or tree, the more vigorously it can produce rich fruit. Therefore, after a brief greeting in 2 Corinthians 1:1-2, Paul talks at length about suffering (vs. 3-11). His words about suffering are intense. Paul shares that the suffering he endured in Asia was so great that he felt that he could no longer live (vs. 8). His trust in God, who raises the dead, was the only way he was able to endure this great suffering. Although Paul also talked about God's comfort to believers who are suffering, this chapter gave some harsh truths. This “solid food” was not easy for immature believers to accept. But the readers of 2 Corinthians had grown considerably in their spiritual lives, and they were able to handle solid food. The more we mature, the more we are able to handle suffering. After I dedicated myself to God, the difficulties in my life increased. God sent these difficulties to help me crucify my flesh, so that I could learn to experience the cross of Christ. These trials helped me grow spiritually. They helped me become more deeply rooted in the life of Jesus. Around 2016, I experienced a breakthrough in my personal life. Our prayers were answered by God. Not only did we give birth to a miracle baby, but I also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit that I had been longing for. I once heard Brother Derek Prince say, “The most obvious manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not prophesying or speaking in tongues, but increasing difficulties.” My experience has proved this to be true. After receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the evil spirits began to attack me even more. My own flesh and the people around me began to attack me, causing never-ending trouble. But these troubles and difficulties were actually tools in God's hands, helping me grow spiritually and learn more humility. The Holy Spirit Guarantees a Rich Spiritual Life In 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, Paul tells us that all God's promises are Yes in Christ. Because we are joined to Christ, we are given His Spirit as a guarantee. What does this mean? It means that God's promises are more amazing than we can imagine. He can do more than we ask or think. But when we are spiritual infants, we often do not access these promises or manifest them in our lives. God has given us many promises to enjoy in Christ. But in order to experience them, we must grow spiritually. The seal of the Holy Spirit within us is like a sample, similar to the soil sample we get when we buy land. We need to not just settle for this sample, but to dig deep into all the riches we have in Christ. I believe that the United States' spiritual decline is a result of the church's decline, which in turn is a result of the decline of every Christian's faith and spiritual life. The decline in Christians' spiritual lives comes from the fact that they never matured spiritually. They lost the power of their witness; their lights did not shine and their salt lost its flavor (Matthew 5:13-14). I believe the fundamental reason for the degeneration of American society and the church is that American believers are not mature enough. This is the reason why anti-God forces can run rampant in the United States, even though the majority of the population professes Christianity. The teachings of 1 Corinthians are very important for the spiritual growth of today's Christians, and for breaking away from the fleshly life. Therefore, we urgently need to study these two letters, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. In them, Paul reveals a wealth of wisdom that helps us deal with the flesh, leave behind spiritual infancy, and enter a state of spiritual maturity. This is the theme of 2 Corinthians. As we study the rest of the chapters of 2 Corinthians, we will continue to explore how Paul's teachings can help us become more spiritually mature. [1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.
In this series, we examine the leadership and life of Joshua who arguably may be the most under-rated and often ignored character in all of scripture, yet one of the most extraordinary leaders who put His trust in God! In this message, Pastor Bob Marvel teaches from Joshua 3.
In this series, we examine the leadership and life of Joshua who arguably may be the most under-rated and often ignored character in all of scripture, yet one of the most extraordinary leaders who put His trust in God! In this message, Pastor Bob Marvel teaches from Joshua 1:7-9.
In this series, we examine the leadership and life of Joshua who arguably may be the most under-rated and often ignored character in all of scripture, yet one of the most extraordinary leaders who put His trust in God!
As already discussed many times in this podcast, Abraham's story in the book of Genesis is anything but linear. For every move in obedience to God, there is a countermove in disobedience. We will see this play out for the final time in the Abraham cycle before his full character actualization in chapter 22. What is the point of all this? Precisely to constantly bore into the ears of the Israelites that they are not special in relation to the Gentiles and that Abraham was once himself a gentile and acted outside the bounds of the Mosaic Law. What made him righteous? His trust in God's promise and his change of behavior. This isn't about blood. Let us be attentive. Intro and outro music Copyright © Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA, used by permission. All rights reserved.
Title of the Psalm- Compare different translation here.56:1-2 David begs for mercy because of wicked foes56:3-4 David places His trust in God56:5-6 The viciousness of HIs foes56:7-9 Prayer for judgment on foes and God's care for him56:10-11 David's trust in God56:12-13 Thanksgiving for God's deliveranceJesus experienced the same mistreatment that David wrote of in this psalm56:1-2, 5-6 Compare what Jesus experienced with DavidJesus puts His trust in God in the midst of terrifying circumstances56:3-4, 10-11 Compare Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36Jesus offered loud crying and tears56:8 with Hebrews 5:7God vindicated Jesus via the resurrection 56:13 One day God will eliminate all tears for HIs children- Revelation 7:15-17; 21:3-4
In the eighth century BC, the great and noble King Hezekiah of Judah was faced with an insurmountable crisis. Despite his faithfulness to God's covenant, the nation he led was threatened by an invading army. His trust in God was on trial! Because of his confidence in the prophet of God, the presence of God and the promises of God his trust was vindicated. His example of faith is timeless.
Put Trust in God First. Our Lord never put His trust in any person. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. He trusted absolutely in what God's grace could do for others. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
After recapping all the things Paul has been through and seeing that he currently is bit by a snake, what happens next? Can his response be something that each of us can take note of and implement? His trust in God allows him to remain calm in the face of insurmountable problems and then God is able to use him to share the gospel and heal people. In the face of the problems you have are you allowing God to do the same in your life?
The world can be a scary place – so many things that strike fear in our hearts. And yet over and over again, God says “Do Not be Afraid.” What does that mean? How does that work? Spiders and Snakes I don't know about you but as I look around, it seems to me that the world can be a scary place. Take spiders and snakes – I mean, depending on where you live in this world, they are either dangerous or they're not. Here in Australia we are seriously over represented in the world's "top ten" list of most venomous creatures, so when I was growing up as a child I had good reason to be afraid of them. And still today, the idea of a spider crawling into my bed … ! It's one of the scariest thoughts I can come up with. Let me tell you a funny story. One of the most venomous snakes on the planet is the death adder – great name isn't it? When I was in the Army training to be an officer at the Royal Military College Duntroon, we were one day out doing some grenade practice and that meant you had to sit in bunkers and the person who was throwing the grenade would go out and throw their grenade. Now we had New Zealanders as well as Australians at the Royal Military College and in New Zealand there are no venomous animals at all, so when the Kiwis come across the ditch to Australia, they are petrified of our snakes and our spiders. Well one Kiwi, we'll call him Rock – I've got to tell you this death adder story. He went out of the bunker to go and throw his grenade and we had a dead death adder. So we positioned it in the bunker so he had to sit down right next to it when he came in. Well he came in and he sat down and he looked at it and I've got to tell you, his legs were going before his backside was up off the log and he was running out. We can laugh about it now but the world can be a scary place, especially with friends like me. In my defence I was a young man at the time. So this week we are starting a new series on the programme, it's called “Do Not be Afraid”. There is a reason for that – there are lots of people in this world who spend much of their lives living in fear. Sometimes it's because they are living in a war zone – I mean there are plenty of people listening to this programme today who know that only too well. People in the Democratic Republic of Congo for instance, where there is war raging in parts right now – some of those people are sitting in their homes listening to this programme today wondering whether they will see tomorrow or next week or next year. Other times there are different life threatening things that happen. We can have a health scare. The morning I sat down to prepare this message was the morning of the funeral of a friend of mine. Now, he was just a couple of years older than me and he died suddenly of a heart attack. It's easy to be afraid – and it rocks our confidence. And yet other people, they just live lives with a real sense of dread. There is always something there for us to be afraid of or to dread. There is always something lurking out there. For me honestly, if I allowed it, I could be afraid of quite a few things. I mean, I have some things in my life right now that could cause me to experience fear – and that's the thing. It doesn't matter who we are or where we live or … whatever, we all go through times of fear. And that fear can rob us of life itself but time and time and time again, you read in God's Word, these words from God to His people. He says, “Do not be afraid.” And He speaks them right at the time when the people He is talking to have every reason to be afraid. They have got people and circumstances coming against them and conspiring against them and they're experiencing fear and yet God wades in and says, “Do not be afraid.” Now if God doesn't want me to be afraid when I have every reason to be afraid, you know something? I want to have a piece of His brand of confidence. Don't you think? I mean, think about it! What's the point of God saying, “Do not be afraid”, when we have no reason to fear? It's right in the middle of our fear that we need His confidence. I definitely want that – how about you? Well, how can we have that confidence? That's a good question – that's what today's programme is about – that's what this whole four week series is about … ”Do not be afraid.” So I invite you to come on a journey with me. We are going to start that journey with an account of a time when God's chosen people, Israel, had every reason to be afraid. They were in exile – they had been living in the Promised Land for about five hundred years and yet they had struggled with God. They had worshipped idols and other gods and eventually the Lord their God lost His patience. So in around 586BC, the Babylonians, who were the dominant world power of the day, invaded Jerusalem. They destroyed the place – they destroyed the temple, the place where God's presence dwelt and they took this remnant of God's people back to Babylon as slaves. Talk about a crisis of confidence! Think about it – God made all these promises to Abraham and to Isaac and Jacob and then when Israel was enslaved in Egypt, He sent Moses and did amazing miracles and the whole Red Sea thing and the exodus and the manna from heaven … everything that got them to the Promised Land. And when they got there, with Joshua as their leader, they fought battle after battle against nation after nation that was bigger and stronger than Israel itself and yet God was with His chosen people and they took the land that God had promised them. And now … now Babylon wins! God's own temple is destroyed! Where is God? What happened? Are the Babylonian gods stronger than our God? They have a loss of confidence – it's a big thing. I mean we hear people talking about shareholder confidence and consumer confidence and that feeling when you go to sleep at night, you know, you get that falling sensation and you wake up in a panic, grabbing onto the bed. Confidence is the trust that the earth beneath our feet won't move. It's the trust that the stock market won't fall; it's the trust that the plane we are flying in won't fall off the sky; it's the trust that our governments will do the right thing – it's about trusting, whatever. And then, it's like the rug gets pulled out from under your feet and you lose confidence and panic and fear set in. Why? Because we no longer feel safe – we are no longer able to trust in the things that we have always trusted in. That's where Israel was – there was a complete loss of confidence in their God. Now He was punishing them but they couldn't quite see that. It was like they were flying in a plane at thirty two thousand feet above the ground and all of a sudden, all the engines are silent – panic, fear! And fair enough too! So what does God say to them right in the middle of their fear and panic ... what does God have to say? We are going to take a look at that next. I am Your God So here is Israel in this scary, fearful place. They have in slavery, exiled in Babylon for the best part of three generations – that's a long time – so only a handful of Israel's elders who can even remember Jerusalem in its heyday. So what does God have to say to these people of His who are cowering in fear under the yoke of slavery? If you have got a Bible, grab it and open it up at Isaiah chapter 41, beginning at verse 8 – he says this: But you Israel, My servant Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, My friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corner, saying to you, “You are My servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off. Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My victorious right hand. See, the first thing that God does is He reminds them of His promises to Abraham. When Abraham stood in that Promised Land, centuries before, this is what God promised him – just flick back to Genesis chapter 15, verse 18: On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, “To your descendants I give this land; from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates, the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites. See, God's promise is that God had chosen them; God had chosen Abraham, their ancestor, God had promised this land and God said, “I will do this.” Notice it is all about God! Do not fear, I am with you; I am your God; I will strengthen you. I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand. The whole thing that God relies on here in talking to His people in their fear and in their despair, is not who they are or how strong they are or how clever they are, or how well they have done because they haven't, they are there being punished. No, He is saying to them, “Look who I am, My promise, I am your God, I am with you,” but how does that help them? Isn't He the God who failed them seventy years earlier? Okay, so He sends them some prophet, Isaiah, to tell them this – BIG DEAL! And that may well be what you are going through right now. You look at your circumstances – they are so fearful! Okay, so God sends you some joker on the radio with a smooth voice who says "Do not be afraid", but how can you put your confidence in that? It was exactly the same problem that the Israelites had. Their circumstances, the Babylonians, looked so much bigger than their God. I mean, you think about it in your head and you know God is bigger than the things that we are confronting but in your heart, it's so hard to believe in your heart – the fear is destroying any confidence that you might have in God. God knew that – that's why He also said this to them: have a listen to this … this is powerful stuff! So let's pick it up in Isaiah chapter 40 – this is the chapter before the one we have been looking at, verse 18. Have a listen to what God says about Himself: To whom then were you likening God or what likeness compare with Him, an idol? A workman casts it and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. As a gift one chooses mulberry wood – wood that will not rot – then seeks out a skilled artisan to set up an image that will not topple. Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? Hasn't it been told to you from the beginning? Haven't you understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches the heavens out like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to nothing and makes rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely are they sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when He blows upon them and they wither and the tempest carries them off like stubble. “To whom then will you compare Me, or who is My equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them by name, because He is great in strength and mighty in power, not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord and my right is disregarded by my God?” Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint and grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.” Do you see how powerful this is? God is saying, "Look, I am God. I created the whole shooting match. See those trillions of stars up there – lift up your eyes, have a look, who do you reckon put them there? I know the Babylonians worship them but I created them. They are out there every night because I tell them to march out there. This is Me who is talking to you – not some crummy idol like the stuff that Babylonians worship – I am bigger than your circumstances. It makes absolute sense to put your confidence in Me.' See, God is speaking this stuff into the hearts of His people when they are afraid; when they have no hope and no future, God comes along and says, “Do not be afraid. Not because of who you are; not because of your circumstances, no, do not be afraid because of who I am. I will come to help you; I will fight your battles for you; I will be your God; I will keep My promises to you." A Part for God to Play The hardest thing I think in overcoming fear in life is actually getting to the point where we have a high level of confidence in God; in who God is, what He has done – His might and His power and His sovereignty. That all sounds great in theory but what about the practice; what about when the rubber hits the road, then what? See, I used to think it was up to me and I guess in part it is, but not completely. That's just as well because you and I, we're human. We can't conjure up confidence; we can't take this theory about who God is and let the theory somehow wipe away the fear because fear is real. Now, I need something more than that; I need something more than promises on paper and fortunately, that's exactly what God had planned too. He didn't want to leave it all up to us – He wants us to actually experience His peace – not our strength – but a "peace" and a "strength" that come from Him and Him alone. Let's pick up the rest of this story in Isaiah chapter 40, beginning at verse 28. This is what it says: Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. Great, there was the theory again! But now, watch for what comes next! Verse 29: He gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Do you see the point? The power and the strength, where do they come from – do you or I conjure them up? No, they come from God. He gives those things to us, why? Even youths will faint and be weary and the young and the strong will fall exhausted, but…..” And here's the ‘but' – the glorious, wondrous, powerful ‘but,' “but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not grow faint." You know what it means to wait? It does not mean to wait with a bad attitude; it does not mean to wait with grumbling in our hearts and on our lips; it doesn't mean to stand there paralysed by fear either. No, it means to wait expectantly; to wait on God with the expectation that He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He is going to do. To wait, right in the middle of our fear – boy that's hard – with our emotions on a rollercoaster; with our enemies around us; with our hearts cast down but with an expectation, never the less, that somewhere deep inside, that God is going to act. Who knows – will God give us victory over our enemies today? I don't know! I mean there were more Christians martyred in the twentieth century than in the whole two thousand years before that, combined. We all die sometimes – is He going to heal this cancer or let it take its course? I don't know! But this one thing I do know, that: those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. God is saying, indeed He is commanding us through His Word today, “Do not be afraid” instead, wait on Him. You know, when we are waiting in fear and when we are waiting in pain and when we are waiting and it is uncomfortable and unpleasant, we want to grumble and whinge and complain and blame everyone else and have bad stuff coming out of our mouths and have grumbling in our hearts … isn't that what we want to do? We don't like being uncomfortable; we don't like being afraid, we just want it all to finish – "God what are You doing? Come on, move along, let's get over this." But those who wait….who wait expectantly for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. See, come what may, if I am diagnosed tomorrow with terminal cancer, I still am going to put my confidence in God who has given me a life eternal with Him. Because Jesus said to His disciples when they were afraid…..listen to this, John chapter 14, verse 27: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I don't give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not let them be afraid. And yet, so far as we know, each of these disciples, other than Judas, went on to do mighty things for God and then … then they died for their faith. So often, we are focused on the here and now but God's plan for my life and for your life is a life eternal. God's perspective is an eternal perspective and that … that my friend is why you and I can put our confidence in Him. When we are afraid ... when we are in this place that is so scary, we can go to His Word and say, "You know what it says – it says here that 'those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength'.” You know, you never feel big; you never feel strong when you are waiting for God. When we are afraid we feel so small – you know, I think God means it to be that way. When we humble ourselves and we just come before God and say, "God, I can't do this. I don't know. I'm afraid; I don't know what to do next. I'm just going to wait on You. I'm just going to wait for You – I don't know what You are going to do – I don't know if You are going to show up, I don't know if You are going to talk, I don't know. I am going to put my faith in You and I am going to wait on You and I know my emotions are going to go up and down. I know it is going to be hard but I'm just going to wait for my God." That's an eternal perspective – that's a God perspective. Jesus had to put His faith in God. Jesus lay all His glory aside and He was there in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before He was crucified – struggling – He was afraid and He was hurting and He just put His trust in God. Do not be afraid. God gives us His peace; that's what this passage from Isaiah says: “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength,” the strength comes from God. The "mounting up with eagles" doesn't come because we flap a lot; it comes because we waited on God. The ‘running and not being weary' comes from God. “Do not be afraid” – take God's peace from Him – go and wait ... just go and wait before Him and let Him pour His love and His peace into your life. It doesn't matter how big or bad or ugly the enemy is. It doesn't matter how fearful we are. It doesn't matter how dire the consequences of this particular situation might be. Why? Because God is the God who created the whole shooting match – every star in the sky, every part of creation -–God created it. God has an eternal perspective and when we wait on Him, He gives us His peace. That's the promise my friend! “Do not be afraid.” Let your confidence rest in God Himself and then, let Him do the rest. Wait on the Lord and you shall renew your strength. Wait on the Lord and you shall mount up with wings like an eagle. That's the promise – it's a God thing!
Michael Woodward is the founder of jumbleTHINK and B-Side, husband and father. Today, Michael shares how the Lord led him into pastoral ministry, how seeing the best and worst of the church changed his perspective, and why he started a podcast. His trust in God has grown through business struggles and seeing the dark side of ministry. Michael's heart for helping others step into their dreams will inspire you to live intentionally. Please listen and share Michael's story! Stories Michael shared: Growing up in the church in Central Pennsylvania How the Lord led him to the Brownsville revival instead of college Sharing Christ as a street evangelist during the revival How the Lord answered his prayer for a job The picture of what the church should look like and what it shouldn't How seeing the worst of the church changed his perspective Why he doesn't use the word “Christian” about himself How his trust in God grew when his business took a turn for the worse Why he started his podcast jumbleTHINK How fear holds people back from pursuing their dreams Great quotes from Michael: In that imperfection with each other in relationships that are broken and with broken people we still see the glory of God and the goodness of God and that is a beautiful picture to me. I don't care what your dream is. I care that you're living in it. God does have a purpose for you and you are so much more significant than you realize. Resources Michael mentioned (Book links are Amazon affiliate links that send a small amount back to me if you use them): Michael's podcasts jumbleTHINK and B-Side The Celtic Way of Evangelism, Tenth Anniversary Edition: How Christianity Can Reach the West . . .Again by George G. Hunter III The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkenson Here is an example of what Michael is doing with The B-Side. In this episode, I'm the guest. I hope it encourages you. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content. The post Michael Woodward and Living a Significant Story appeared first on Eric Nevins.
A daily devotional through the Bible speaking with God as Adam and Eve may have in the garden east of Eden. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com summary The next time you face an impossible situation, think about Jehoshaphat. His trust in God paid off. Jehoshaphat gave Him his fear and He showed him what He can do. All the king's enemies destroyed themselves. Jehoshaphat and the citizens of Jerusalem just looked over the valley and watched God take care of the forces against him. There was nothing for his people to do except pick up the spoils from those who died in their attempt to thwart God's people. God takes care of His children. You don't need to fear those around you. today's scriptures Today's Bible reading plans include: Ready - 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 Set - 2 Chronicles 20; 1 Timothy 3 Go! - 2 Kings 6-7; 2 Chronicles 20; 1 Timothy 3
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