Podcasts about in christ

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Sometimes we are drowning in shame because we cannot change the deep failures of our past. That's where Jesus found Peter after he vehemently denied even knowing Jesus. In this message, we listen to Jesus' three restorative questions. In Christ, we have lasting incentives to be restored to Christ and His service. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-217-9337.

Sometimes we are drowning in shame because we cannot change the deep failures of our past. That's where Jesus found Peter after he vehemently denied even knowing Jesus. In this message, we listen to Jesus' three restorative questions. In Christ, we have lasting incentives to be restored to Christ and His service. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29

In our flesh, culture and world we separate Authority and Love and that's exactly the way the enemy wants it. In Christ's Kingdom, authority and love are never separated. Which are you living in? Pt 1 of 2.

In our flesh, culture and world we separate Authority and Love and that's exactly the way the enemy wants it. In Christ's Kingdom, authority and love are never separated. Which are you living in? Pt 2 of 2.

In “Christ the King” we are studying the gospel according to Matthew. Matthew wrote to proclaim to all that Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah - the fulfillment of God's promise of a King who would rule over an eternal kingdom. In this gospel we see the King who was revealed, the King who was rejected and the King who one day will return. Our text this week Matthew 7:21-23 and our theme is the King's teaching on The Claim vs The Reality.

Seeing As God Sees – We are so much alike, yet different in every way.  It takes a God to be able to deal with all our differences.  Not one person on this planet thinks alike, we all have our different views, beliefs, and forms of truth.  The Lord knows the more we stay away from his Word, Son, and Spirit, the more we would see things differently.  Not only would we see ourselves differently, but we will also see God differently. God sees our heart clearly, without our life in Christ, the reflection God sees is a person with a heart of stone. But in Christ Jesus, our heart is changed, thus our reflection is changed, to a person who is loving, kind, gentle, forgiving, shows mercy, giving, honors, and glorifies God. When God sees our life as a reflection of Christ Jesus, we are good in his sight. In Christ, we see ourselves as God sees us, holy and righteous, a Child of God, a faithful servant of God.      

The post In Christ – Part 9 appeared first on New Life Church.

Your Thoughts Is It Okay to Push or force Homosexual Ideas on People? Welcome to wake up castle rock and America. I'm your host Willie Ayers.   ‍I remember when many spoke about Christian trying to force religion on others; however, I do not hear anyone speaking of homosexuals forcing their ideas on others, including children. You turn on the tv or go to a movie nine times out of 10; there with be an act of homosexual activity or conversation eluding to it. Many researchers cite environmental factors as major contributors to homosexual feelings. They firmly believe that negative early childhood experiences in an unloving or non-supportive home environment are a critical part of this process. In the modern world, it's evident that there are many different ideas about what is right and what is wrong. It doesn't take much to see that Christians and homosexuals have very different viewpoints on what is acceptable behavior. Many people today don't believe in God or think he doesn't exist. To many non-believers, it seems clear that the Christian faith is outdated and irrelevant. But the truth is that we live in a world where people make decisions about their eternity every day. The Bible makes it clear that everyone will answer to God one day, no matter who they are or what they have done on earth. In this podcast, I will be discussing homosexual ideas vs. Christian views on love and relationships with a further focus on gay marriage and Christianity. The Problem with Same-Sex Marriage for Christians For many people, it might seem like a good idea to have people marry whomever they want, regardless of their sex. But Christians have a problem with this because they believe God designs marriage between one man and one woman. They reason that only a man and woman can create a family and be there for each other in a way that nobody else can. Christian marriage is based on God's creation of humans, male and female. That marriage was designed to bring together two individuals of the opposite sex for a life-long relationship to love and care for one another and raise children. The Bible and Homosexuality The Bible has a lot to say on various topics, and homosexuality is one of them. When people try to discuss the issue of homosexuality and Christianity, the first thing they often do is look at specific passages in the Bible that talk about it. The Bible makes it clear that the act of homosexuality is a sin. God created humans, male and female, and he didn't make any others. According to the story in the book of Genesis, God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. But just because the Bible condemns homosexuality, that doesn't mean that every person who is gay is automatically going to hell. The Bible clarifies that no person is beyond God's mercy if they ask for it. What the Bible Says About Homosexuality and Marriage Homosexuality is against the Bible, but it isn't the worst sin out there. Homosexuality is a sin, but not all sins are equal. We know, for example, that murder is a much worse crime than lying. Similarly, some sins are worse than others, and homosexuality is one of them. By committing this sin, a person rejects the gift of gender that God has given them. In dismissing their God-given identity, they leave a core part of who they are. So, the Bible doesn't say much about homosexuality because it wasn't a common practice in the times when the New Testament was written. But when it does address homosexuality, the Bible makes it clear that gay marriage is an act of rebellion against God's desire that people have a family with a member of the opposite sex. If people choose to have homosexual relationships, they are sinning against God, and they aren't able to have the family he has in store for them. How that Changes the Christian View The Bible clarifies that homosexuality is a sin and isn't something Christians condone. But the fact that homosexuality is a sin doesn't mean that the Bible condemns gay relationships. There are some things that the Bible says that apply to homosexual relationships. While it is true that Christians believe that gay relationships aren't ideal, the Bible also makes it clear that people should love and care for each other, and they should be faithful to one another. These are characteristics that most relationships have, regardless of their sexual orientation. Indeed, the Bible makes it clear that all people are worthy of love and that all people are capable of loving others. It also makes it clear that all people are capable of having healthy relationships with members of the opposite sex. What is Christian Love? As we've already talked about, the Bible clarifies that all people are capable of love. It also makes it clear that love is a choice that we make. But the question is, how can we know what love is? To understand love, we must first figure out what love isn't. It isn't a feeling, and it isn't automatic. It isn't something that happens to us. Instead, love is something that we choose to show to other people, and we can only show it when we decide to do so. The Bible tells us that love is patient, kind, and selfless. It is something that we do for others, not something that we expect to get in return. Conclusion The Bible makes it clear that homosexuality is a sin and that gay marriage is against the wishes of God. But it also makes it clear that all people are capable of love. Some may believe or misinterpret this to include regardless of their sexual orientation. However, this does not mean it is okay to go against the will of God. We have seen that the Bible makes it clear that homosexuality is a sin and that gay marriage is against the wishes of God. But it also makes it clear that everyone is capable of love, regardless. Most researchers have concluded that sexual orientation is a complex, multifactorial issue in which biological, social, and psychological factors combine to play a role in the ultimate sexual orientation of an individual. According to Julie Harren, Ph.D., the formula for this interplay between factors might be represented by these equations:   --Genes + Brain Wiring + Prenatal Hormonal Environment = Temperament. --Parents + Peers + Experiences = Environment. --Temperament + Environment = Homosexual Orientation.   What's missing from these equations is the existence of a soul, the individual's choice, and the devil's temptation (see James 1:14).   Prejudice is not a constraint. Although it may be more accessible psychologically for a homosexual to believe that homosexuality is inborn, the accumulated scientific evidence suggests otherwise. Homosexuals may have a genetic predisposition, but the human choice is still a factor. Ultimately, sexual orientation is determined outside of the womb. This truth offers hope for change for those unhappy living a homosexual lifestyle. Clinical experience has shown that, with help, some homosexuals can change learned responses and defense mechanisms to early painful experiences.   In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, the sin of homosexuality is listed next to theft. Just as there is no genetic excuse for stealing, there is no genetic excuse for homosexuality. Environment, culture, and choice make one a thief, and the same factors make one a homosexual.   Christ died for homosexuals. God loves persons of all sexual orientations, just as He loves all sinners. The Bible says, "God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ "is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The gospel of Christ "is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). In Christ alone we find the definitive source for healing, restoration, forgiveness, and comfort. He is the way we can all experience the affirming, unconditional love, value, and acceptance of our Father in heaven.     If this is true and homosexual behavior is dishonoring, a separation from God's blessing, and self-harm, then the loving thing to do is to stay away from it. To encourage others to indulge in sin is to encourage them to reject God's blessings on their lives. It is the opposite of love. That being said, those with homosexual attractions desperately need love. Even if they agree with the Bible that homosexuality is a sin and resolve not to seek fulfillment of their sexual desires, they must still find love in other relationships—the self-sacrificing love of agape and the friendly companionship of phileo. When our emotional and social needs for love are met, we are less likely to seek fulfillment in unbiblical ways. It's no different for single heterosexuals than for those with homosexual attraction.

Introit: Ps. 28:1-2, 7; antiphon: Ps. 28:8-9 Gradual: Ps. 90:13, 1, 2b Old Testament: Ex. 20:1-17 Psalm 19 (antiphon: v. 8) Epistle: Rom. 6:(1-2) 3-11 ProperVerse: Ps. 31:1 Gospel: Matt. 5:(17-19) 20-26 Our Only Hope Is in Christ's Righteousness  "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 5:20). God demands nothing less than perfection and holiness from you in regard to His commandments (Ex. 20:1-17). Your only hope, then, is not in your own goodness but in the goodness of Christ, who did not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them for you. In Christ, your righteousness does indeed exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. For you have been baptized into Christ's death and your sinful nature crucified. Therefore, he who has died has been freed from sin (Rom. 6:1-11). You are now raised with Christ to walk in newness of life and to share in His resurrection on the Last Day. Christ has brought you through the baptismal sea "out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Ex. 20:2). Therefore, "consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:11).

Today, on Karl and Crew Mornings, we discussed making an impact for the Kingdom of God! We need to forgo certain freedoms in order to advance the cause of Christ. Paul explains it clearly in I Corinthians 9, especially verses 19-23. In Christ, we have the freedom to give up those freedoms that could hinder the Kingdom of God in our witness. Our guest was Jim Strietelmeier, founder and pastor of Neighborhood Fellowship Church in inner-city Indy. He is a Moody alum, a Moody alum of the year recipient, and a missionary. He shared the impact his church is having in their community. Finally, this is week 9 of our "Summer of Ten" Bible memorization campaign. This week's verse is James 1:5. Hear the highlights of today's program by listening to the Karl and Crew Showcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Christ we have everything we need

Series: In Christ Personally In Christ Ephesians 1:1-14 The phrase, “in Christ” or “in Him,” occurs over 100 times in the New Testament.   How many times is “in Christ” used in Ephesians 1:1-14?   Ephesians 1       What does it mean to be “in Christ”? ·      “In Christ” refers to a state or status.   Theologians refer to conversations about this aspect of “in Christ” as PositionalTheology.  ·      “In Christ” signifies a dependence. ·      “In Christ” reveals an identity. Today's Takeaways  Understanding “in Christ” can help overcome doubts about your relationship with God.   Understanding “in Christ” will help you develop humility.   Failing to understand “in Christ” may lead to resentment.  Understanding “in Christ” is the most effective motivator for sanctification.  How to be “in Christ” For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 In Him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.                                                                         Ephesians 1:13  People are “in Christ” when they believe to the point of putting their trust in Christ instead of themselves. 

Ephesians 3:14-21 is a prayer for spiritual strength. It follows Paul's discourse on doctrine and precedes his section on practical application. Paul knows the believer can live with a head full of knowledge and a shriveled heart. He also knows trying to live the Christian life in our own strength is futile. So, after the doctrine discourse and before the practical application section, Paul prays that our inner being will be filled with Jesus. Paul's prayer has four requests: • Spiritual Strength (Eph 3:16) • Deeper Experience with Jesus (Eph 3:17a) • Grasping God's Great Love (Eph 3:17b-19a) • Experiencing the Fullness of God (Eph 3:19b) Today's Focus: Grasping God's Great Love (Eph 3:17b-19a) Grasping God's love begins with grasping the work of Jesus. • Through the work of Jesus, we have redemption and forgiveness (Eph 1:7) • Through the work of Jesus, we have been brought near to God (Eph 2:13) • Jesus “gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph 5:2). Grasping God's love begins with grasping the work of Jesus and reflecting on the characteristics of God's love. • God's love for us is eternal (Eph 1:3-6) • God initiates his love for us (Eph 2:1, 4-6) • God's love for us is free (Eph 2:8-9) • God's love for us is guaranteed (Eph 1:13-14) Our Spiritual Identity is rooted and grounded in God's love. In Christ, we are S.S.A.F.E. • Significant: Ephesians 1:3-5a • Secure: Ephesians 1:13-14 • Accepted: Ephesians 1:5 • Forgiven: Ephesians 1:7 • Empowered: Ephesians 1:13-14 DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOORE Get Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo. LIVING GROUNDED Learn more about how you can grow deeper and embrace the foundational truths of the Christian faith with Living Grounded. Whether you're just starting out in faith or you've been a Christian for years, Living Grounded offers truth, wisdom, and encouragement for every stage. Contact gdevore@biblechapel.org to get connected. CAREGIVING Do you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org. CAMPUS FACEBOOK GROUPS You're invited to connect with The Bible Chapel family in your campus Facebook Group. Look for Facebook Groups at facebook.com/biblechapel and click on Groups on the left side. FIND AN ENCOURAGER TODAY! JOIN A SMALL GROUP Community Groups are our easiest on-ramp to community at The Bible Chapel; these groups use sermon-based questions to dive deeper into weekly messages. Visit biblechapel.org/smallgroups to learn more and sign up!

Have you ever wanted a do over, a new beginning?  In Christ we are a new creation.

In “Christ the King” we are studying the gospel according to Matthew. Matthew wrote to proclaim to all that Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah - the fulfillment of God's promise of a King who would rule over an eternal kingdom. In this gospel, we see the King who was revealed, the King who was rejected, and the King who one day will return. Our text this week is Matthew 7:15-20 and our theme is the King's teaching on The Good Fruit vs The Bad Fruit. The King's Teaching on The Good Fruit vs The Bad Fruit - Matthew 7:13-27 - Mike Sorcinelli.

“Not a Victim” - “Victimhood wants to possess everything God has given you.” – John 16: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." * The message of the Gospel is that we have been set free. * Why would I be a victim? Why would I give them the rest of my life? It is a costly price to pay. * In Christ, all things are made new. - 1Corinthians 4:12-13 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. - Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? - Don't lose hope, don't be a victim.

Pastor Jesse Campbell provides today's daily devotion continuing our sermon series "Radical Family." We are unified in Christ. Distinctive, yet together. Colossians 3:11 reminds us "In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all." Have you over emphasized ethnic pride in the home? In Christ, there is no such distinction. It's not something that we have earned. It's not something that defines us eternally. It is not something that eclipses the gospel. Join us on Sundays at The Redemption Church. We meet in Factoria, Washington. www.RedemptionWashington.com

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Edwardsville, IL joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study Genesis 44. Joseph is playing with his brothers. We could interpret his actions as generous or as a trickster. Through it all, the LORD works to unite the family back together. Their time going back and forth to Joseph would have been exhausting. The brothers remembered their past sins, they did not want to see their father go through pain again, and they had remorse over “stealing” the $. Yet, when Judah pleaded to take the place of Benjamin to please the Father…we see how God's grace was sufficient. As Judah stood in the place of his brother, our Lord stood in our place. “Lord God, as You reconciled Joseph to his family, reconcile us with those whom we are separated from. In Christ's cross our reconciliation to the Father is completed. With our identity in Christ, help us to be ministers of reconciliation to others. In His name, Amen”

Miriam Mathews is a licensed social worker, Christian Life Coach, and author of 3 books. Her latest work is an anthology with Les Brown. She's also worked with renowned speaker and author Lisa Nichols. She chose to invest in her own wellness and career after experiencing sexual trauma years ago. She now helps others overcome people pleasing, sexual trauma, and perversion. In this episode, Dr. mOe and Miriam discuss religion vs relationship, how to "let that sofa go", recovering from 2020, personal growth, and generational wounds and how to define your DNA. Connect with Miriam and learn more at https://define-your-dna.com/ TRANSCRIPT AUTO-GENERATED BY ALITU Miriam Matthews: So people pleasing behavior, it comes from, again, that empathy that we have, that we are nurturers or we care. So it can come from a good place. But I say that empathy in the absence of healthy boundaries can often lead to enabling someone else but enabling someone else to explore you or use you. Or it can lead to self constant self sacrifice in a harmful way. (Music interlude) You can't say Dr. Mo ain't tell you they fear matters, the consequences of failure. What are you scared of? Why are you afraid? I'd rather live like I'm dying than live to die any day. My heart is pure. My soul is safe...(Music fades out) Dr. mOe: Hey, everybody. Welcome to Perpetual Motion, a podcast focused on wellness, personal growth, culture, and relationships. I'm your host, Dr. Mo Anderson. Best selling author, award winning podcast host, keynote speaker, and coach. I want to help you review, renew, and review. If you're new to the show or returning visitor, let's make this official. Please click that subscribe button to be notified of new episodes as soon as they are available. So my guest today is Miriam Matthews. She is a licensed therapist, coach, and author of three books. She has a new book, which is part of an anthology with none other than Les Brown. I can't wait to hear how that came about. Wow. Miriam. Welcome to perpetual motion. Miriam Matthews: Thank you so much, Doctor Mo. It's such an honor to be here. So thank you for allowing me to be here. Dr. mOe: Hey, I'm going hard in the paint with this first question. When you contacted us about being on the show, you said you help women ignite their power and purpose and heal by changing their mindset. That sounds awesome, but what does that mean? Miriam Matthews: So the first thing that sticks out to me is a scripture that I grew up learning and truly have lived by, and that is such as a man think of so they are and not man needing just gender, but women and men. And I have found that in my work with many clients, I would say probably, yeah. The most significant barrier to success is or are the limiting or negative beliefs that they have about themselves that can really put a lid on their capacity. I have this Facebook group, and I'll just share this part. A part of coming into the group is answering a few questions about what they're seeking to gain. And one of the themes that I have seen over and over again is, Miriam, I truly desire to live in my purpose. I want to hear from God more. I want to get past self doubt. And I believe that in order to do that, it does start in the mind many times. There are things that happen to us. I say if you're a human being, you've been through something. There are things that have happened to us that can create a framework of how we see ourselves and it can be a misrepresentation of who you actually are. And I say who you actually are. In Christ, God sees us one way, mankind can see us another. So I help facilitate confronting limiting beliefs, negative beliefs, so that we can truly untap the potential that is inside as well as the power and purpose that's already inside. Dr. mOe: Nice. That's excellent. Because people don't believe it because it's happening from childhood, from so many people just being barraged by negative things until you start to believe them yourself. Because kids come here very optimistic. I remember my boys being young, they thought they were the strongest, fastest, smartest, bravest. And over time, when you see the world starts to work folks down. So I'm pleased to hear what you're doing and how you're helping women ignite their power and purpose. So you're a licensed social worker with BA and Master's degrees in social work. Did you always want to do what you're doing now? Miriam Matthews: I would say that it's been a journey to really step into where I am right now. I haven't always been here. So like, when I started in the field of social work, it came from a passion of just wanting it. I wanted to help people. I wanted to help people as a child. And I think that's something that we're all given is some degree of empathy or caring for others as a result of certain things that I've been through in my childhood and teenage years, young adult years. And I'm still young and still learning, and I will always be learning. But it led me to want to help others. And I've done a different or been in a variety of different fields of social work, worked with the elderly community. I've worked at DEFAC with children who have gone through child neglect or abuse. Dr. mOe: I don't know what DPAC is. Miriam Matthews: That what? Oh, deepak is the division of Family and Children Services. I worked in Child Protective Services for a couple of years, so I know. Dr. mOe: It is CPS, so I didn't know that acronym. I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page. Got it. Yes. Miriam Matthews: And eventually came over into starting a private practice, actually, during the pandemic. Yes. And this is also during a time where the need for mental health increased astronomically. Right. Dr. mOe: I was going to say that was one of the few industries where it was a really good time to go into business. Miriam Matthews: Absolutely. So I said, okay, well, why not make the impact that I truly want to make? And I think being in private practice and working with clients one on one, I was better able to do that. It's just a really intimate, just personable, professional relationship that you build with each person. So in starting the private practice, maybe I would say a year into that, god led me towards coaching. So stepping into the field of coaching because I wanted to make an even a bigger impact. So now I'm into group coaching alongside private practice. Okay. Dr. mOe: I had a guest on recently who made an interesting distinction between coaching and counseling. But I'd like to hear, since you literally went from one to the other, this person was fully a coach, but since you literally segue to one and do both, what is the difference for those who don't know, between coaching and counseling? Miriam Matthews: So, for counseling, I would say the primary distinction is meeting a diagnosis, needing to meet the display of certain symptoms that meet a diagnosis that essentially your insurance will cover. But there are individuals who don't necessarily meet that criteria or are wanting to focus more on the future versus what happened to them in their past. And I would say that is the distinction with coaching. It's not necessarily being held back by some sort of trauma that may have happened. And I will say that my niche or my specialty is anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, some sort of trauma that may have happened that then creates anxiety or depression with PTSD. But on the, coaching and diagnosis is not necessary. And though healing may be needed or forgiveness may be needed, or certain weights may need to be dropped, or limiting beliefs still need to be challenged, it doesn't involve a diagnosis. Dr. mOe: Got you. Excellent. Thank you. And that very much correlates with what the previous guest said, which I anticipated that it would. I know you teach the importance of investing in yourself, Miriam, meaning your professional growth, and I would imagine personal as well. What is an example of how you've invested in yourself? Miriam Matthews: Thank you for asking that question. And one of the most significant examples that come to mind is when I invested into a coaching program with none other than Lisa Nichols and how I. Dr. mOe: Came are you from with the heavy headers, Lisa Brown. Get into your context. My goodness, that is impressive. Miriam Matthews: As Lisa would say, are you ready to play full out? And my answer was yes. And prior to being ready to play full out, I was tired of hiding. I was tired of my own limiting beliefs, even being in the field. This is actually prior to my private practice, but still being in the field of social work, I still had and carried so much pain and so many weights from the past. So I was essentially still, as they would say, a shell of myself. And I really wanted to experience my purpose and potential. I wanted that to be unclogged, but I had so much that was still clogged on the inside, meanwhile trying to help others. So I said, okay, it's really time for me to help myself. How can I do that? And what I came to understand is many times we acquiesce or just acclimate to our environment, and sometimes there can be a degree of complacency that comes with that or mediocrity that comes with that. So I wanted to rise up the numbness, yes. Coming desensitized to it. And it's interesting how we can kind of do the same thing or stay in the same place just because it's familiar, even though it doesn't help you grow or even though it's not beneficial to us. And that was me. I was the epitome of that. And I came to understand that I really needed to invest in support and accountability and came across Lisa Nichols. She had this conference in the beginning of one particular year, and I said, oh, my goodness, this is something that I really need. And joining that program, I was able to just take a look at myself in different ways. In different ways. That program was certainly like a stepping stone. But then I also wanted to make sure I was investing in my relationship with God because that was also something that was missing at the time. Like I had been used to religion, but religion didn't work for me because it really didn't put an emphasis on my relationship with God on one relationship. Right. That's what I needed. So I ended up investing into another program that focused on building that intimate relationship with God. Those two combined just created some transformation. Right? Dr. mOe: There's a lot to unpack there because one, thank you for your transparency. I love it when people are willing to share their own process. But just right there that there's no single cure, there's no silver bullet. There's so many areas where we need development academic, physical, mental, spiritual, professional. And sometimes people want to get all of that from one person. But that's why it takes a village. It takes a village not just to raise a child, but to coach an adult. It takes a lot of people pouring into you, and you're a nurturer like myself. You're in a healing, helping profession, and people are just constantly draining from you because that's your job. That's what you do. But if a lot of people are draining from you, there's no way one person is going to be able to pour back in. And I'm not talking about God's role in our lives, but there are people around us who are anointed and appointed to help us, to hold us up, to assist us, to push us forward. And so we got to be on the lookout for who those angels are because they're everywhere. So I really like that story. And the other thing is, I thought about it when you were saying it, but I want to circle back. You mentioned 2020 and dealing with your own struggles as you're trying to counsel other people. So I'm wondering, did hearing their stories and helping them with their pain, whether it was related to Colbert or previous trauma or whatever, did that make you feel even worse or did it help you? I realized helping all of that, I don't want anybody's personal information, but just being inundated with all of these people during the biggest global crisis in our lifetime. How did that impact you personally? Miriam Matthews: That's a great question. So I would say in working with people, hearing their stories, it challenged me in a different way. I guess it helped me in two different ways. One of the most common beliefs that I have seen through clients that I've worked with and one that I've experienced myself is a belief about not being good enough. So even that belief was present in trying to help others. There was a belief of, I don't know if I'm the one that should be able to be a helper or to help bring people along or to challenge their own beliefs, especially where I'm experiencing a belief about not being good enough. And that was a key sign that I needed to get the help that I needed. You could be a therapist, but get you a therapist as well. Dr. mOe: Get your human. Miriam Matthews: Exactly. You're human. And so that was a driving force behind, okay, let's deal with your own limited experience. Invest in that. So that definitely took me there. Also. It helped me to feel less alone and to understand human behavior even more. Dr. mOe: That's what I was thinking because I was up in this house by myself doing a smaller podcast just to keep from I was like, I'm just going to talk to the universe. I hope somebody is hearing this. Maybe I'm still alive and connected. We haven't had the rapture and I don't even know it because I'm serious. The house wasn't left, but that was four or five months. That was like, yes, I know what you mean. Miriam Matthews: I know what you mean. Yeah, we kept on hitting up DoorDash just about every other night. It was terrible. Dr. mOe: So you knew that you were not alone, that other people were feeling and experiencing the same things, and you were able to help them even within trying to deal with what was going on in your household. That takes a lot of strength, and that's a gift. Not everyone can do that. Some people crumble under that kind of pressure. So, Miriam, there are so many ways to express authenticity. I'm moving from your credentials and then your investment in yourself to talking about authenticity. What we both prioritize is also the first chapter in one of your books, and we're going to talk about your books later. But this topic is stop people pleasing behavior. Please define what that means and provide some tips on how to change, if this is an issue for you, how to recognize it and how to change. Miriam Matthews: So I'll say this again, when it came to people pleasing, I could pretty much set the example, which would have been a bad example. I was the epitome of that. My goodness, thank God for the living and just change behavior. Did you say boundaries are balanced? Dr. mOe: Boundaries, yeah. Miriam Matthews: Boundaries is the word that it's just music to my ears. It really is. So people pleasing behavior, it comes from, again, that empathy that we have, that we are nurturers or we care and just want to help others, we want to be loved as well. We want folks to care about us. So it can come from a good place. But I say that empathy in the absence of healthy boundaries can often lead to enabling someone else this is going a different route, but enabling someone else to exploit you or use you or it can lead to constant self sacrifice in a harmful way or self neglect. So that's really the way or the direction that I want to go in explaining what people pleasing is. So it's outsourcing your need for validation to people because there is or can be this emptiness that is on the inside. So it can often end up being again harmful. So constantly looking for someone's approval or validation, which again can happen due to not knowing who you truly are or what your worth is, right? Yeah. Okay. Dr. mOe: And tips to begin to change that type of behavior that can get very ingrained. Miriam Matthews: Yes. So, tips to begin to change. I think one of the first things is awareness. So having some awareness about is this me? And what are some signs that I'm people pleasing. Because again, it can seem nice in the beginning, but one of the key signs that it's a problem is feeling burnt out, it's feeling depleted, it's feeling that you cannot use your no, that you have to constantly say yes to people or you've overused your guess. I would say those are some red flags right there that people pleasing could be an issue or that your needs are not actually being addressed by you or met. Another symptom could be the absence of healthy boundaries. So awareness is the first key or the first recommendation is to self reflect and to see, okay, are the red flags that were just named something that I'm actually dealing with? After awareness, I would say take a look at what you want to change. Are there specific people? I guess the pattern of pleasing may be heightened more than others. I think that's also part of awareness but maybe getting a little bit more specific. Dr. mOe: Another record, please. I want to make sure people recognize this because some of the confusion though is because I've been accused of this and I'll say when I was younger I had an issue with it. I almost think I probably learned it in school because you don't get out without a lot of pleasing professors and teachers and labmates and everybody else. And maybe that's being collaborative, but at some point you just learn to dodge the friction. But for other people sometimes it's just my nature to just be kind, to be concerned about people. It can be a perfect stranger or whatever. I try to be respectful to parents and elderly and whatever, and I'm using myself as an example. So I've been told you're always trying to please everybody, always trying to make everybody like you or you did that. I remember my cousins that you went to dental school to make your parents happy. Nobody goes through four years school lives to make anybody happy. Those people dropped out the first year. But I said that to say it was almost like people wanted me to change who I naturally was. I wasn't doing anything I didn't want to do. And I certainly wasn't tiptoeing around people at this point, which, when I was younger, I would do just to keep from upsetting them. So I had those boundaries. But that distinction some people don't get between you're a nice, kind person and the people pleasing. I guess I'm still not clear on, as you're explaining it, where that line is drawn. Miriam Matthews: I would say it's literally the absence of healthy boundaries and also not knowing yourself, not knowing who you truly are, would be key distinctions between where it's healthy and it's working for you or it's not. Okay when I say it's healthy or it's working for you. Not people pleasing, but kindness, like being kind, taking care of others in a way that energizes you, but it's not depleting you. You still know who you are. You're still your authentic self. You're not changing yourself or morphing yourself into a way that somebody else would like you to be, whether it's a family member, a friend, a supervisor, you're yourself all the way around that's one. You know, that's a huge distinction from people pleasing behavior, which could be the best version of yourself is what I like to say. Not versions of yourself. Dr. mOe: Not versions. Okay. Yes. Miriam Matthews: Just in continuing some recommendations, I actually want to share a quick story. One thing that can lead again to people pleasing behavior I mentioned earlier is as children, we're also learning about ourselves by the reactions of the people around us or society. So as we're growing up with individuals who are imperfect. Who are not perfect. Who are sometimes dealing with their own traumas and may project that we can also learn things about ourselves that are not conducive for healthy self esteem or growth or feeling good about who you truly are. That's not everybody's case. But it's the case of a large majority of the clients that I've worked with. So the framework or seeing themselves in a positive light is disrupted at an early age or maybe in their teenage years or whatever the case. I don't want to go off too much in a ramp, but sometimes it's even like we're social learning creatures. So, say if I have two parents that are often arguing or I see how my father treats my mother or how my mother treats my father, I may learn different behaviors that lead me to avoid certain scenarios or situations or may place a burden on me to act a certain way because I don't want to be the recipient of somebody's irritation. So I'm speaking in sort of vague terms, but. Dr. mOe: Those are good examples. I just wanted something concrete for people because even the words were using, like, boundaries. You and I use them a lot in conversation. I do wellness coaching and some other things, but I don't ever want to assume that people even know what that means. It's a good word, but if you don't know it, if you don't have that knowledge not everybody is engaging in these conversations. This may be the first time they're hearing these and people pleasing. So I just want to make it clear I don't want it back. What it does and doesn't mean that it's an extreme of behavior. It's not just that you like to be kind to people. You have the spiritual gift of hospitality, but that, as you said, you're morphing, you're transforming, and you're behaving in a way that's not even natural for you to make other people happy. If I got it right. Is that right? Miriam Matthews: That's right. Dr. mOe: Not my specialty, this area. So I am learning more and more too, and I enjoy being on a continuous path of growth. So really glad you're here. Miriam Matthews: Thank you. Dr. mOe: Another fun chapter heading in one of your books is Let That Sofa Go. Do share what you mean by that. Miriam Matthews: Oh, yes. Let that Sofa Go. I learned about this concept from none other than Lisa Nichols. And Letting That Sofa Go was really taking a look at how I was bringing along the pain that I had experienced as a result of different traumas in my life. And even though I was getting older and I was aging gracefully, I would say my emotional maturity was still that. Or did it correlate it with different ages where I experienced just something traumatic or just had a negative experience that led to me having a negative belief about myself. So even I'll use, for example, prior to me and my husband getting married, the dating phase of that was very difficult because of just pain that I had experienced that I hadn't let go of yet. And it created a lot of conflict. I didn't know how to communicate in a healthy way. And I say that pain that is not transformed is transmitted, and hurt people will also hurt people. Dr. mOe: Yes. It's one of my favorite things. Hurt people? Hurt people, yes. Miriam Matthews: So I realized that in order for me to see myself in a healthier life, because how you show up on the inside is how you show up in other places as well. So whether that's a relationship or your career or just anywhere else, it starts with healing on the inside. My heart was bleeding. I really needed God to do something in me, and I needed to be an active participant in that. So Let That Sofa Go is realizing that your future can be bright. I don't want to just say can be bright. But I think it is actually bright. Yes, the present is bright. Yes, it is bright. It's realizing that the future doesn't want that sofa that's not meant to fit in the doorway being a little funny, I said sometimes we could be so determined and we will take the door off and try to make it fit. And then it starts to take up space in new rooms that you're entering in, but it sticks out like a sore thumb. That sofa may have some barbed wires sticking out of it, the cotton is coming out, holes in it has all kinds of stuff and it's meant to be released. And that really takes forgiveness. In the programs that I had invested in, I learned how to forgive on an emotional level. I like to think that I didn't understand the difference. I learned about forgiveness growing up at church and how important that is. Forgive so you can be forgiven. And I think I did that on a conscious level with my words. And certainly your words have power, but I still carried a lot on the inside and I learned how to do that on an emotional level. And that really allowed me to heal and have more peace instead of pain. Dr. mOe: Absolutely. Those are some good analogies. My thing I always say is healed things don't hurt. And if you had an injured area and you touch it from health care or personal experience, if you touch it and you still feel pain, it's not healed yet, even though the skin can look great. And when we're triggered by people and places and incidents that something happened long ago and we see that person across the room and there we go, spiraling off the deep end, that's a healed thing. That's a hurt thing that's not healed. And we've all done it. We have all done it. I'll share my story from my dating chronicles. I remember I'll never forget this. It just really impacted me. It hurt to hear it, but it was a helpful hurt. This guy overreacted to something he did and he said, you know what? I really feel like I'm being punished for something another guy did. And for me to be I was just quiet, which is fairly unusual, but it just hit me like a ties and blow because immediately I didn't even have to think about it. I knew he was right. He was completely right. And I had to go on that journey of, okay, let me go dig up all this stuff in these shallow graves and make sure that I'm done with it and that I dispose of things properly. When I was older, I was in my 40s too. So you just never get down with yourself, folks. That's what we're saying. Working on yourself. There is room for improvement. But every time you reach another level, it is such a great feeling to look back. I'm having fun with this. Let that sofa go for that shirt from high school. Let all of that go. Miriam Matthews: Let it go. All of it. Dr. mOe: So let's get a little deeper here. You are open in your books and your teachings and coaching that you've experienced sexual trauma and that you've gone through the healing process. What would you say to someone who has experienced sexual trauma? Miriam Matthews: Okay, so what I would say is, first off, I'm sorry that this has happened to you. And no matter what happened to you, you are not that thing. And the reason why I say that is, for such a long time, I carried shame. And I will even say that this happened when I was six, seven years old, and it was by two individuals that were extremely close. I would just say, I'm sorry. Oh, thank you for saying that. And even on the spiritual side, I'll even say that's when a spirit of perversion entered in what perversion is literally it's just the wrong version. Dr. mOe: The wrong version? Miriam Matthews: The wrong version. Dr. mOe: Version is the wrong version. Miriam Matthews: Never heard that. Version is the wrong version. So when it comes to boundaries, I learned that maybe boundaries are not as important or not all that important. I learned that. And these are things that I had to unlearn. Let me just say that. But I also began to see myself as disgusting because of what happened to me. So now it tainted how I saw myself. It tainted my interaction with male figures, with adult male figures, even as I grew up. It just led me to see myself as the wrong version of myself, if that makes sense. So what I would say is, you're not what happened to you. As a matter of fact, you are resilient. You are here to this day. You are actually the resilient that has rose above it and can rise above it. And many times we often need help and support, I would say, to get help, seek out therapy. If it's something that, again, that you're continuing to carry, and it feels like shame or condemnation, that is not the end of your chapter. Life can be so much more fulfilling. And then it may seem, and the truth is, again, you're not what happened to, I can't drive that home enough, because that was something that I battled with for the majority of my life. I just want people to know that. Dr. mOe: Your self identity and that's so important, your self identity, your self confidence. Miriam, as you were talking, what came to me, and I hadn't had this thought before, was that sometimes we have multiple anchors. We're wondering, we're thinking, okay, I took care of that thing. I pulled it up, I dealt with it. Why am I still stuck in this place? And it's possible that you have multiple anchors holding you back, which is why you can't rise up and sell on. So you really need to assess everything around you. For that possibility. Maybe it wasn't just that one maybe it's not just that one thing in your past or in your present. I really like that analogy you gave and thank you for sharing your experience as well. That was difficult, I know, and hard to move through. But you're an example to others that it can be done and now you literally help other women who had the same experience. Miriam Matthews: You know what, Dr. Moe? Thank you for also saying that, because it just sparked something else that I need to say, which is I wouldn't say I became mad at God, but I was very disturbed by how could this happen to me and why me? But it literally took again relationship with God and going back to God to understand why these things happen. And in doing so, I began to understand that with God's unconditional love and with perfect love, it allows for free will. God love doesn't control right. That being said, mankind, I will say, can pervert free will and bad things happen. Nevertheless, it took going back to God to understand, to abide in his love so that I could heal and to begin to see myself in the way that I was truly supposed to see myself. That was a huge shift away from what happened to me, away from other people's opinions of me or people's judgments of me or even my own self imposed judgments. I was able to release that, just understanding that it's God's love that is perfect. It's God's love that truly will bind up all wounds. And as a matter of fact, he guarantees we're going to experience tribulation and trouble in this world anyhow because there is a real enemy that is after our purpose and wants to create disconnection between us and God. And that was a way for the enemy to do that. Unfortunately, however, as a result of healing, I've been able to move past the pain and actually stand on a platform on which I'm igniting my purpose. And there are women who have experienced, men who have experienced what I've been through and I can relate to that and I can help and say, hey, I am an example that you can heal. Dr. mOe: I know what you're going through, I know what you feel and you can heal. Before we go, you've written three books and you have the new release coming as part of the anthology that I mentioned in your intro briefly. Tell us about your books and how listeners can purchase them. Miriam Matthews: Absolutely. So the first book I wrote is called My Body Isn't Mine how to Heal Sexual Trauma and Find Peace. And it essentially sounds like what the title is or what it's about. So I felt in the beginning that my body wasn't mine, that it could just be treated any kind of way. And it really took going back to God or going to God and having that relationship with Him to realize, wait, my body is actually the temple of the Holy Spirit. I was bought the price. God loved me before. I didn't have to do anything to even earn his love. So it allowed for restoration and a peace that came that pushed out all perversion or the wrong version of me seeing myself. Because now God is all truth, even in scriptures, his Holy Spirit is described as the spirit of truth. Right. So the more I abide it in God, I abide it in truth. And now it's all about healing and becoming that living sacrifice so that God can use me in amazing, mighty ways. Dr. mOe: Wow. Miriam Matthews: So I hope that makes sense. Thank you. Good. The second book is actually another book with Les Brown. It's called unleash your undeniable impact. And that was with Les Brown and Dr. Cheryl woods. It just sends a message, has like maybe 50 to 60 chapters in there from authors who are sharing their stories and wanting to inspire people to be their best selves as well. It's motivational. It's amazing to meet you right where you are. If you just need a dose of inspiration for the day to just keep going. We all need encouragement. That is what that book is about. Dr. mOe: Absolutely. Miriam Matthews: And then the third one is my most recent one and it's called the Courage to Answer God's Call on Your Life. That one is the one that we've been dabbling in today, which is learning how to shift away from people pleasing behavior, becoming your most authentic self in Christ. Throughout this interview, I've been expressing that that's where I am. I'm really all about my relationship with God. I believe many people can experience success, but I wanted to experience success and peace. I wanted to be at the sacrifice. Dr. mOe: Hey, you're doing a great position. Miriam Matthews: Yes, ma'am. I'm called to do it, so I said all right. And it takes courage. It takes courage. So it's about not letting fear stop you, not letting the fear of rejection or people's opinions or criticisms stop you and you're not stopping yourself getting out of the way, letting God have this way in your life when he gets your yes, amazing things happen and I think that is key to igniting power. Dr. mOe: Absolutely. If God gives you vision, he's going to give you pro vision. So act on it. Act on it. Be sure and clear where it came from and what you to do and make it happen. Well, this is speaking of motivating and inspiring us exactly what this interview has been. Mary Matthews, I so appreciate you bringing your expertise. Perpetual motion with Dr. Mo Anderson. Lastly, please tell folks how they can find you online. I know the last book you mentioned is on Amazon with some great reviews, but tell people how they can connect with you online and learn more and purchase your books. Miriam Matthews: Absolutely. So here's my website. It is defined one more time. Define-your-dna com. Or you can also go online and just type in the browser. Bonus definition bonus. Definerreddna.com and just really short. What is this whole DNA thing about? When things happen to me in my childhood, in some way, it was an attack on my destiny and who I was. I didn't have the words to frame it, but I felt it was like an attack on me, my DNA. However, it's our responsibility to be an active participant in our healing. So that's what the defined part is about. But DNA means dive into God, n is neutralize negative beliefs, and A is activate power and purpose. So that is how you define your DNA. Dr. mOe: Oh, my. Let the church say amen. Miriam Matthews: Amen. Dr. mOe: Thank you. Wasn't that a great program? I love that episode. I enjoyed it. I hope you did, too. Please remember to, like, subscribe and share. Learn more about me on my website, dr. Moanderson.com. That's Moe. You can read book excerpts, watch videos, learn about my services that I offer, and book me for a speaking engagement. I'd love to talk with your group, and I'd love to work with you. So until the next time, review, renew, and read you. Miriam Matthews: Thank you. Bye.    

Heart to Heart - Download and listen to a powerful morning devotion from Pastor Harold as he shares with you a message to move into the right direction. Towards God and to be in fellowship with Him. Crucified of the self centred man towards a servant man. In Christ for Him 26 July 2022

Praise the Lord . . . who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. . . . — Psalm 103:2-4 Her name was Shapla, and I could see the fear in her teenage eyes. When strangers came to her village in rural Bangladesh, she feared they would take her away. This had happened to her sister. Shapla's family was very poor; they had become indebted to a ruthless moneylender. Her sister had been “traded” to pay some of the debt, but part of the debt remained. These new visitors, however, had come to help launch a vil­lage savings and loan program. This would help Shapla's parents and their neighbors to save money and take low-interest loans so that they could buy seed and fertilizer to grow healthy crops. This new venture would also put the local moneylender out of business and free Shapla's family from their debt to him. They were “redeemed” from that debt. In the Bible redemption is not only a spiritual concept but also a practice by which one person can “redeem” another by paying a price. The book of Ruth tells a story about that. Similarly, Shapla's family was redeemed of their debt by the intervention of their village savings and loan program. Ultimately, of course, only God can redeem us from sin and guilt, and he graciously does this through the precious gift of Jesus, who gave his life so that we can live with him. Dear God, thank you for redeeming us in Jesus Christ. And thank you for programs that liberate people from crippling debt. With our whole being we praise you, Lord! In Christ, Amen.

Do you want to have peace with yourself and the people around you? Maybe today you need to make peace with your past or stop worrying about the future?  In Christ, you can have Peace. Learn how on today's episdoe, 7 Keys to Peace With God and Yourself on the Strong. Confident. His. Podcast  Here are reasons why this epsidoe wil be so impactful: Our health is greatly affected when we don't have peace. Stress leads to weight gain, high blood pressure, and more. Guilt and shame can cause unhealthy coping habits. Unresolved anger and emotions can lead to depression and anxiety. This is why the enemy wants your peace. He's after your health: Mind, Body, and Soul! Listen to 7 Keys to Peace With God and Yourself on the Strong. Confident. His. Podcast  Save these scriptures for the days you need peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:1 Your hands made me and formed me. – Psalm 119:73 May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-27 I encourage you to write these Scriptures down and refer to them when your peace is tested. You can find many more Peace Scriptures, here. Now you know I'm never going to leave you without asking you to get into action because nothing happened without it! Join My Power Up Challenge! All you have to do is tell me how this episode spoke to you on Facebook or Instagram. When you do, you're automatically entered into my Power Up Challenge!  I pick one winner every week, and you'll either get a coaching call from me, a copy of my brand new Strong Confident His Faith and Fitness Devotional, my best-selling Christian fitness book Faith Inspired Transformation, F.I.T., or the F.I.T. Workout Series. Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, here. Click play to join us! If you love this episode, it would mean the world to me if you left a review for The Strong. Confident. His Podcast on iTunes. It helps the podcast get discovered by other women and shows me what type of content to create for you and serve you with excellence!  Thank you in advance, friend!   Remember You are Strong. Confident. His. May God bless you and your family with Peace, Kim Dolan Leto Sign Up for Free Faith and Fitness Tips Start the Faith Inspired Transformation Workout Series For Free on Pure Flix Links Mentioned in This Episode Get Your Strong. Confident. His. Faith & Fitness Devotional Watch the Strong. Confident. His. Devotional Videos Series Faith Inspired Transformation Book and Workout Series Free Faith Filled Fitness Resources  

Rev. Nick Koschmann, pastor of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Forest Grove, Oregon joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study Genesis 40. Dreams can be fickle. They can give us a source of hope, but they can lead us away from our ultimate hope in the LORD. As the LORD would have it, the cupbearer and baker ended up in prison with Joseph. Each of them had bizarre dreams that ended up with different outcomes. By God's grace, the LORD gave Joseph the ability to be their interpreter. God used Joseph at that time this ability to glorify Himself and not Joseph. We pray that whatever dreams, visions, or thoughts we have are not contradicting God's Word, the cross, and His salvation in Christ. “Lord God, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Whenever we find hope in anything other than you, bring us back to You. As You blessed Joseph to serve others, bless us with the opportunities to serve that they may glorify You and not ourselves. In Christ, Amen”

The Main Idea of the Sermon is: In Christ, our eternity is secure and our mission is clear.

In today's message, Pastor Johnny will remind you that sin has a way of sneakily wiggling its way into your life, so you must guard yourself against it. The Bible says that believers in Christ should flee from sin! On your own, sin will destroy you. Before the Holy Spirit became a part of your life, sin held you down, without Christ... You're powerless. But that isn't the end of the story, Christ overcame the grave and you have His strength to beat the sin in your life! In Christ, there is freedom for all.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.Comment: A prologue is important -- like the introduction of a book. It's a good habit not to skip over these, as they usually set forth the agenda of the writer, and make it easier to understand the work. John 1:1-8 is the key to appreciating the entire Gospel of John.10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,and his own people did not accept him.Here is the great irony: The creation did not recognize the creator.As a Jew, descended from the tribe of Judah and the house of David, Jesus came to his own people, but was rejected.Jesus was not accepted. What does this mean?His message was rejected. See John 12:47-48.This does not mean that people didn't "receive him" into their hearts (through prayer -- the modern evangelical tradition). Receiving Christ means accepting his teaching.Thus the modern doctrine of "accepting Jesus" is wholly without biblical foundation.12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.Those who accepted him were privileged to become children of God (v.12)."Believing in his name" means trusting Christ, not ourselves or religion, or our religiosity.Notice that those who receive him are not actually children of God, but only potentially his children ("power to become").To become his children, they must be born again (v.13).They are not born as God's children:of blood (by birth). ["Bloods" (KJV) is Greek haimata, or "drops of blood."]of flesh (by human desire or effort)of the will of man (no one can make this decision for you).The new birth happens only in baptism (3:5).Yet the Sinner's Prayer (the common salvation doctrine of evangelical Protestants) is something we do – a “work” (active), to use Protestant language, while baptism is something done to us (we are passive).The new birth (in water and spirit) was taken so seriously that many 2nd century Christians thought people who'd never heard the word would have a chance in the afterlife—the underworld—to hear the gospel and be baptized.What a privilege! What an unbelievable blessing!14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son,full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'”) 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace: 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,who is close to the Father's heart,who has made him known.The Word became flesh (v.14).Jesus lived for a while among us (approximately 35 years).He "pitched his tent," or "tabernacled" among us.This is a reference to the OT Tabernacle (later the Temple), where God manifested his presence and dwelt among humanity. Jesus' body is the new Tabernacle. See 2:19.Skene,Greek for tent, contains the same consonants as Hebrew shekhinah, Thus the alliteration reinforces the O.T. wilderness reference.The disciples saw his glory (really, God's glory). See 14:9.This is the doctrine of the incarnation (enfleshment) of God, much denied by heretics ancient and modern, who prefer Jesus to be either just a "good man" or guru or, on the other side, some sort of spirit or phantasm.Jesus was full of grace and truth (v.15).John testified to this (v.15). Although older than Jesus by a few months, Jesus was infinitely before John (1:2). For the idea of Jesus' eternity, see also 8:58. For an O.T. passage, see Micah 5:2.We have all received grace through Christ (v.16), and in many ways. The original Greek has no punctuation, but a colon should follow v.16. There are two ways in which grace has been received:The Law was given through Moses (v.17).Grace and truth (also) came through Christ.Yet there is no opposition between Law and Gospel -- contrary to the view of many Protestants today. Both are instruments of grace.Yet there is a difference between the two ministries of these means of grace. (Flesh v. stone, in 2 Corinthians 3:3ff; cf. Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26).No one has seen God, but we do see God when we look at Jesus (v.18).Unique—only begottenHeb 11:7; Gen 22:2, 12, 16 LXX (Septuagint)—agapētós (beloved) is connected with monogenēs. (only begotten). This Jesus is identified with Isaac.In Gen 22 we find – 9-10 parallels with Christ. (Listen to the OT character podcasts on Abraham & Isaac).Jesus has made God known (v.18). Exegēsato means "related, explained, reported, made known, revealed," and exegesis (a word will familiar to Bible students!) is the noun form. ConclusionKey points:In beginning was the Word, through which the world was createdThere are two words, so to speak…Receiving Christ means accepting this word.The Word became flesh -- God became one of us.The Word (Christ) explains and reveals God to us.In Christ's coming down to our level, he sets an example for us. The incarnation:Is a model for our own communication to others (including children).Explains the nature of the Bible – not technical, scientific, or erudite.Serves also as a model for evangelism. Not talking above or past others, but striving to communicate, to connect.

You found the follow-up blog from July 24th's sermon on Ephesians 2:10! You can find the sermon outline below, take-home applications, Scripture references for further study, and re-watch the Skit Guy's video. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." --Ephesians 2:10. Sermon Outline God fashions broken people into a masterpiece displaying His wisdom through Jesus. Glorious Up-Cycle: Although we were dead in our sins, God made us alive with Christ and the believer in Jesus is a new creation—an original masterpiece. Glorious Purpose: God is shaping the believer into the image of Christ to do good works. Glorious Church: God's reveals His grand masterpiece, the church, by uniting believers in Christ. Take-Home Applications Read Ephesians and underline every time you see the phrase “In Christ” or “In Him” Confess your selfishness: How do you disregard the purpose for which you were created and live for yourself? Confess your pride: How do you try to do the work God prepared for you while attempting to maintain control of your own plans? Spend time with the Lord allowing Him to chisel away selfish, prideful thinking and shape you into the image of His Son—Jesus. (Rom 12:2) Confess your worth Ask God to reveal His glorious purpose for you Use the spiritual gift survey to find the ways God has prepared for you. What are God's commands for you? What has God made you passionate about? Write a personal purpose/vision statement: How would you want people to think of you in 3-5 years? Fill in the blanks with the words from the Bible references (download a printable version by clicking here) I have been_________________with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Eph 1:3) He_________________me in Christ to be holy and blameless (Eph 1:4) I am_________________with His glorious grace (Eph 1:6) I have_________________through His blood (Eph 1:7) In Him all things will be_________________(Eph 1:10) I have obtained an_________________in Christ(1:11) I have been_________________with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13) I am_________________up with Christ and_________________with Him in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6) He shows the immeasurable_________________of his grace in kindness toward me (Eph 2:7) I can be _________ in the Lord (Eph 6:10) I have been made_________________in Christ (Eph 2:5) I am created for good_________________(Eph 2:10) I who once was far off have been brought __________ (Eph 2:13) I have_________________through Jesus in one Spirit to the Father (Eph 2:18) I am joined_________________with the church to grow into a holy temple in the Lord (Eph 2:21) I am being built_________________with the church into a dwelling place for God (Eph 2:22) I can have_________________and access with confidence (Eph 3:12) Scripture References Genesis 1:27 1 Corinthians 13:6 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Ephesians 2:1-10 Ephesians 3:6; 9-10 Ephesians 4:29 Romans 3:23 Romans 12:2 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 We would love to pray with you today! https://www.emmauslutheran.org/prayer Fill out our virtual Connection Card: https://emmauslutheran.churchcenter.com/people/forms/152121 Be apart of Emmaus' Mission through giving! http://emmauslutheran.org/give Connect with us online… www.emmauslutheran.org www.facebook.com/Emmausaflc www.instagram.com/emmausaflc www.twitter.com/EmmausAFLC

"The best is yet to come" Have you ever heard that phrase? In Christ, we can be assured that despite what we go through in this life, there is a better future for us. Want to know what that is? Check out Part 6 of our series on Romans 8.

Audio Transcript: This media has been made available by Mosaic Boston Church. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston and our neighborhood churches, or donate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.com Father, we just want to thank you for adopting us into your family. We thank you for the family that we have in Christ, and we thank you that you are a good Father. That you are a father who loves to speak to us as your children, and I pray right now that you would speak to us through your Word. That Holy Spirit, you would use this time to communicate to us all that you would have us to know from this amazing passages of Scripture that we have before us today. Lord, I pray that you would bless our time in your Word. And I pray this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. All right. Title of today's sermon is Overcome Your Fear of the Future. How do you think about the future? How much do you think about the future? I'd be willing to guess that most of us probably spend more time thinking about what might happen in the future than we do about what has happened in the past, or even what is happening in the present. We are Bostonians. We are very goal-oriented people. We have education goals and career goals and finance goals and health goals and personal goals and family goals. And there's nothing wrong with setting goals, but how do you think about the future? Does the future when you look and you think about the next year ahead of you, the next five years, maybe 10, 20, 50 plus years of your life ahead, does that bring you a sense of peace and excitement and contentment and joy? Or like many of us, does the future stress you out? You're thinking about what's coming. You're thinking about what's ahead. You're thinking about what might happen. And maybe that leads to worry, concern, anxiety, and stress, because we're all tempted to ask this question, what if? Like what if something goes wrong? What if things don't go as I'm planning? What if I don't have enough? What if I fail? What if I let down the people that I care about? What if things keep getting worse? What if the government gets worse? What if the economy gets worse? What if I can't find a job? What if I lose my job? What if I hate my job? What if I hate my boss? What if I get a bad roommate? What if I can't afford my rent? What if the people I care about move away from the city? What if I get sick? What if my child gets sick? What if they struggle with school? What if they struggle with their faith? What if a loved one dies? What if my relationship falls apart? There's just no end to the what ifs that we could ask and it is always there. What if things never get any better than they are right now? Or what if tomorrow is worse than today? The thing is, that's a question that we've actually been commanded not to ask. Not literally word for word, but what did Jesus tell us in Matthew chapter 6 in the Sermon on the Mount? Jesus told his disciples... There're three things he says. "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What do we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles, they seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." There's an old motivational speaker who used to say that, "Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow. It only saps today of its joy." That's true, but it doesn't really go far enough. The problem with worry is not just that it's ineffective, it's unproductive. It's that it's inappropriate, at least for the Christian, because worry denies the power and love of our Father who provides and for protects. Now when the world worries, it worries because it should, it's rational for the world to worry. There's no reason not to, but for the Christian, worry, it is against the new nature that we have been given in Christ. It is irrational. It is uncharacteristic of the children of God. And ultimately it's inappropriate because for the Christian to worry about the future, it's kind of like saying, "God, I know that you forgave me. I just not so sure that you can save me. I don't know if you're really going to take care of me." Now, we might not think that, we might not say it out loud, but when we worry, when we're anxious, it shows that deep in our hearts, part of us still believes that it's true. And so how do we overcome our doubts and our fears of the future? That's what we're talking about for the last few weeks. The Apostle Paul has been expanding on this idea that he introduced to us way back in verse 15 if you were here a few weeks ago. In Romans 8:15, he tells us this, that you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" And that the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs. Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. If God is our Father, can we really trust that he is a good Father, a strong Father, that he is going to take care of us? If you have your Bibles, open up to Romans chapter 8. We are looking at verse 16 through 30 today. And in our passage today, the Apostle Paul, he's going to describe three blessings. You can think of these as tools or weapons in our arsenal. Three things that Jesus Christ gives us in order to overcome the spirit of fear in our lives and replace it with a spirit of faith so that we, as God's children, can face our future with confidence and peace and joy and courage and hope, because we know that we have a Father in heaven, and we know that we are safe in the Father's hands. So if you have your Bibles, this is Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 26. The Apostle Paul writes this. He says: "Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first born among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." That is the reading of God's Word for us today. And the big idea of the sermon today, it could really be summed up in one sentence. That's this. That in Christ we have provision, purpose, and perspective to persevere unto perfection. And I know you're all tired of hearing how much pastors love alliteration, but it's just it's there, but hopefully it's sticky. Hopefully it helps you to remember this. Memorize this sentence, memorize this passage, memorize this chapter, because if you can get this thing... The things that we are going to talk about today, if you can get them into your mind so that they grip your heart, this will completely transform the way you live your life. In Christ, we have all the provision, purpose, and perspective we need in order to persevere unto perfection. By perfection, I mean our glorification, the final eternal state that we are destined to arrive at if we are in Christ, where we will be perfected and live in the perfect presence of our God for all of eternity. And so, first of all, point number one today is that in Christ we have provision. I want you to think about your life as a journey and the kind of journey that you're on is really going to depend on a number of things. Maybe right now, your life feels like a journey that is filled with fear and confusion and anxiety like you've just been dropped in the wilderness. You don't know which direction to go, and you're trying to somehow search and find your way back to civilization. And what if I told you that your journey in life could be less like an episode of Survivorman, and more like you're getting ready for a grand adventure. You're going on a journey. You're heading towards a vacation, a place that's going to fill you with peace and joy and excitement and anticipation along the way. The thing that sets those two types of journeys apart are provision and purpose and perspective. If you're thinking about planning a journey, you're going on vacation, you have a good purpose, you have a goal. You know where you're going, what you're working toward. You also have perspective. You know where you are, you know where you're going, and you've got a map. You know how you're going to get there. And then thirdly, you have provisions. You take the time to pack your supplies, to get your plane tickets, your rental car, your accommodations. You've made sure that you're going to have everything you need to get there and back again. So if we want to overcome our fear of the future, the first thing that we need to know and we need to, not just know but believe, is that in Christ, you have a Father in heaven who will provide everything that you need to make this journey. Now, that doesn't mean that he's going to give you everything that you want, but he is going to give you everything that you need. And Paul tells us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness in verse 26, but we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Did you that God the Father always answers all the prayers of all of his children? Now, he doesn't always answer yes, but he does always answer best. And he does this through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. Back in verse 9 of chapter 8, Paul told us, "You're not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you." So first of all, we need to understand what a big deal this is. That if you are in Christ, the Holy Spirit of God dwells in you. Jesus actually told his disciples that this is better for us than if he were to be here physically in the room with us right now. This is John 16:5. He said, "I'm going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' But because I've said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts." Jesus tells his disciples that he's going to leave them and they're obviously filled with sorrow, but he says, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." He'll send us the Spirit to help us. Luke chapter 11, one of Jesus's disciples comes to him and he asks him to teach them how to pray. And Jesus says something in response that should blow your mind. This blew my mind the first time someone helped me connect these dots. Luke chapter 11, look at verse 1. "Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he'd finished one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.' And he said to them, 'When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread.'" Remember that. Ask this. Ask every day for your daily bread. "And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who's indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation." And then he immediately begins to tell them a parable. He says, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of what? Of bread.' He told us to ask for our daily bread. Now he's telling us this parable about a friend who's asking for bread. And he says, "For a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and he will answer him from within, 'Don't bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are in bed and I can't get up to give you anything.' But I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he's his friend, yet because of his impudence, he will rise and give him whatever he wants. 'Just take whatever you need. Just leave me alone. Let me go back to sleep.' "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give what? Give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.'" That when we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," we're not just asking for God to meet our physical needs. We are. And he does. We're asking him also to meet our spiritual needs, our deepest, our greatest needs, and our greatest needs is the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And the point of this parable. It's not that God is this sleepy friend who shouldn't be bothered. It's that he is actually nothing like that. He is a good Father and it is his good joy and his delight to give good gifts to his children and he wants to give us everything we need. He wants to give us his Holy Spirit. And so God gives us his Spirit joyfully, freely. And what does the Spirit do? Paul puts it simply. He helps us. He helps us in our weakness. Jesus actually called the Holy Spirit the helper. And it's this idea of something that gives strength and support, like the pillars of a bridge that hold the weight. They hold it up. They hold it together. The Holy Spirit, he holds us up. He holds us steady. He holds us fast. He holds us secure. And the Holy Spirit does this in a lot of different ways, but one of the most important ways he does this is what we see in our text today. He does this by interceding in our prayers. Back in verse 26, "For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." You understand what Paul's saying here. In our weakness, we are susceptible to sin. We are susceptible to suffering. And even when we go to God in prayer, we don't always know what we want, what we need, what to ask for, what to say. We work with limited insight. We pray with limited information. And so if we don't know what to ask for, and if God already knows what we need before we do, then what's the point of prayer? Is prayer just a waste of time? And the answer is no. That even when we don't know what to ask for or what to say, the Holy Spirit of God intercedes on our behalf. And this is what this means. That the Spirit who is omniscience, who is God, who knows all, who is without weakness, without sin, will always pray the right thing on our behalf. And therefore God will always answer our prayers. And even if we don't know what to say, and even if God already knows what he needs, like a good Father, he still wants his children to run to him. When things are good, when things are bad, he just wants us to come and to pray. And so I said this earlier, this doesn't mean that he's always going to answer yes to all of our prayers, but he is going to answer with what's best in all of our prayers. And the application is just, it's simple. It's that you have a Father in heaven who cares for you, who wants to hear from you. You have the Holy Spirit of God within you groaning, praying, interceding on your behalf. And so therefore pray. Don't let weakness keep you from prayer. When you don't know what to say, when you don't know what you need in your moments of greatest weakness, that's the most important time for you to go to your Father because you know that you will never be praying in vain. Now, we might not always be able to see or understand why God answers our prayers in the ways that he does, but what this is showing us is that we can have faith. That however he does answer us, he's always doing what is best for us. He's always going to give you exactly what you need to become the person that he created you to be. This brings us to point two, that in Christ we have purpose. See, what we need and what we may think we need, or what we want are not always going to be the same thing. When our son Owen was three or four years old, he fell down on the playground and he got a big gash on the top of his head. And he ran to mom and dad and he cried out and he knew that he needed something. As it turns out, what he needed were stitches. I don't know if you've ever been with a three-year-old thing who needs stitches. It's traumatic. I knew what he needed, the doctor knew what he needed, but do you think he understood the purpose of what we were doing as he was being stitched up in that moment? He didn't understand anything but the pain. And yet I basically had to bearhug him, pin his arms down, hold him in a headlock as he's screaming at the top of his lungs, while the doctor tries to do her best to stitch up his wounds. It was extremely painful for him. It was more painful for me I'm pretty sure. It wasn't fun, but it was necessary and it was good to make him whole, to heal him, to give him what he truly needed. There was a good purpose in the pain, even if he couldn't understand it at the time. And see, our problem is that we often we care so much about our immediate comfort. Sometimes it's hard for us to see or understand how much God cares about our spiritual health and maturity and healing and growth. He wants what's best for us, even when we do not know or want what is best for ourselves. And because of this, we can have faith in those moments of pain that God is working out a good purpose. We saw this earlier in Romans chapter 5. It tells us in verse 1, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." But then he says, "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who's been given to us." That we see there's purpose here. That our pain is not pointless. Our pain is not in vain. Our pain is actually productive. It is producing something of eternal value. There is significance even in our deepest suffering. And knowing this, knowing that pain has a purpose, this is vital to our perseverance and the faith. Without purpose, it is difficult to endure even the most trivial of inconveniences. Have you ever left something in your car and you're like, "I have to get up, to put on pants, tie my shoes, find my keys, go down there. Maybe I'll just order a new one on Amazon." It's not worth it. Without purpose, we are exceptionally weak and lazy creatures, but with the right purpose, it becomes possible to endure virtually anything that we can conceive of. And this is what brings us to verse 28 of our text today. This is one of the most profound and encouraging statements in all of Scripture. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." You notice he doesn't say that we think, or we kind of hope, and he doesn't say that some things or maybe a few things or certain things work together. He says, "No, we know that all things work together for good." And he says this in the context of talking about suffering. This week, our kids were learning about the story of Joseph down in Kids Summer Nights. If he had kids there, hopefully they shared a little bit about that with you. And if you're familiar with the story of Joseph, you probably noticed some similarities to what Paul says in Romans 8:28 and to what Joseph says to his brothers near the end of that story. If you're not familiar with it, I'll just summarize it real quick. There's this man named Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. And Jacob had a son named Joseph, and Scripture tells us that he loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because Joseph was the son of his old age, that he was the baby. He doted on him. He spoiled him. You know the whole story of Joseph and the coat of many colors. He poured gifts out onto him. And obviously this caused problems because Joseph's brothers, they grew jealous. They grew bitter. Actually their hatred for this brother of theirs got so bad that when Joseph was around 17 years old, his brothers, they come up with this evil scheme where they are going to fake Joseph's death and sell him into slavery in Egypt. So at around 17 years old, Joseph loses everything he loves. He is taken from his family. He's taken from his home. And for 13 years, he is held captive, first as a slave, then later as a prisoner accused of a crime that he didn't commit. Finally, after 13 years in captivity, we see God's providential grace has actually been working behind the scenes this entire time to bring Joseph to where he is. That he raises Joseph up out of slavery or raises him out of prison. He raises him up and gives him favor with the people of power. And so eventually Joseph becomes the most powerful man in all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. And it is in this position that God then uses Joseph to save the world from a devastating famine. Now, near the end of the story, you remember Joseph's brothers, they're living in Canaan, they're running out of food. And so they resolve to travel, to take a trip to Egypt to see if maybe they can find food there. And of course, this is where they are reunited with their long lost brother. And when they realize who Joseph is, obviously their reaction is dread. It's fear, is terror, that surely Joseph is going to take his revenge, he's going to have us all put to death. But then there's a shocking twist in the story. Instead, Joseph chooses to forgive his brothers and he saves his family. And then some time goes by and eventually their father dies. Jacob dies. And once again, Joseph's brothers, they're fearful. They think, "Maybe Joseph was only sparing us on account of our dad. And now surely he's going to come and have his revenge." And this is in Genesis 50:15. "When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead they said, 'It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.' But Joseph said to them, 'Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.'" This is the God that Paul believed in, is the God of Providence and of purpose. A God who picks up broken pieces and turns them into something even more beautiful than they were before. And notice. It doesn't just say that what you intended for evil God used for good. So what you meant for evil, God actually meant it for good, that he had been working behind the scenes this entire time, orchestrating this entire thing to bring this about for the salvation of many people. God was sovereign over all of it. Even in the real choices that were being made by people along the way. Jacob was making real choices. Joseph was making real choices. His brothers, Potiphar, Potiphar, the Pharaoh, they were all making real choices. And yet we see that God was still sovereign, working providentially through all of it to bring about his plan. Paul believed in a God who does no evil, but is able to use even evil things and ordain them to be... to work them together for his own good pleasure, his own good purposes. Now, Joseph, of course, Joseph is just a type of Christ, that God was able to take the greatest evil in Joseph's life and use it for good. But ultimately this is meant to point us forward to the reality that God took the absolute greatest evil in all of human history, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and used that for the greatest, absolute, greatest good, the redemption of his people and the glorification of his Son. And now we see examples of this all throughout Scripture, but what I hope for you today is that can you see examples of this in your life? Because in Christ we should be able to look back on our lives and see glimpses of God's glory at work, bringing about his purposes, even through the painful seasons that we've experienced. Now, sometimes we'll be able to look back and it's going to be crystal clear. Like I can see what God was doing through that situation and I'm thankful that he did now. Other times it's not going to be that way. Sometimes we're going to look back and the purpose is going to be harder to see. But even when the purpose is not clear, the promise is clear. The promise remains that God is working all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. He used the suffering of Joseph, he used the suffering of Christ, so that by faith, we can now have assurance that he is working both the good and the bad together for our good. Romans 8, we saw this verse last week, Roman 8:18 says, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." And so in Christ we have provision to persevere. We have a Father who is always faithful and will give us everything that we need to make this journey. In Christ, we have the purpose to persevere. We don't lose heart because we have assurance that nothing we suffer, nothing that we sacrifice in this life will be in vain. And then finally, most importantly, we are able to persevere because in Christ we have perspective. This points through... Romans 8:28 continues, "And I know that for those who love God all things worked together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order to make him the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." When I was in college, I worked in a chain factory making big industrial chains for construction equipment and farm equipment. And I worked in a factory. It was hot, it was loud. It was hard work. Some of the jobs were fun. I got to drive a fork truck for a while. That was a super fun job. Most of the time though, I was a press operator. So I would sit at this large, massive press and I would just do the same thing over and over and over thousands of times for some eight, 10 hours in a day. It was tedious. It was monotonous. It was hard work. Now imagine if at the beginning of my time there, my boss had come to me and said, "Hey, here's what you're going to do. And if you work this press for us, then at the end of the week, there's a pretty good chance we might pay you." You'd say, "Well, that's a pretty good chance I'm quitting right now. I'll I will see you later. I'm not taking that chance." But that is not the perspective that I had. What I saw from my perspective was that I was going to be paid fairly to do the job that they asked me to do, that this money was going to help pay for my future, pay for my education. That these chains were going to be installed in equipment that would build great things and go into tractors that would help farmers be more efficient. And they would help produce crops, which would feed people. And so that there was dignity in this work and what I was doing, it mattered and it was going to pay off. And that was guaranteed. That perspective helped me to get through and keep on going even when the job was hard. And this is the point. As Christians, we have the privilege of perspective that God shows us the end from the beginning, that we already know the outcome of our faith. And so we can trust that all of our suffering, all of our sacrifice in this life is not a loss. It's actually in an investment. It's an investment into eternity. And it's one that we know the return on that investment, it is not just going to be potentially parabolic. It is already guaranteed. That in Christ, God is giving us every provision for our journey. In Christ, God is using every obstacle along the way for our good. And in Christ, God is guaranteeing our safe arrival at the final destination. This verse has been referred to by theologians as the golden chain. After working in a chain factory, that doesn't really make a lot of sense to me because gold would be a terrible material to build chains out of. But my son Owen was here in the first service, so I said I'd rather call this the vibranium chain, like straight out of Wakanda. He's really into the Marvel movies right now. The point is not just that these truths are beautiful. The reason that it's beautiful is because the chain is indestructible, that this chain is unbreakable and there's not a single link in this chain that is weakened. And so let's just walk through this link by link. Verse 29 says that, "For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. For a long time when I was first a Christian, I had a hard time reconciling these first two links. And the reason for that was I didn't understand the meaning of God's foreknowledge. Because most of us, when we think of foreknowledge, we think of it in terms of information, cognitive awareness that you know certain facts or details ahead of time. And with that definition, you can understand why some would conclude that, well, therefore this must mean that God looked into the future and he saw those people who would choose to repent and submit their lives to Christ. And then based on that information, he must have chosen to save those people. And if that's what foreknowledge means, then that interpretation might make sense, but there's at least three significant problems that we face with that interpretation. First of all, this would obviously contradict just so many verses of Scripture that make it abundantly clear that we did not choose God, but he first chose us. That we did not love God until he first extended his love to us. And if God chose us based on something we did, then salvation isn't really based on grace. The Scripture says is based on at least some degree of merit. And so clearly that can't be what Paul means. Secondly, if this is true, if God chose people based on seeing what they would choose, then ultimately this means that we really have no hope that anyone will ever be saved. Because Scripture again, makes it clear in the doctrines of sin that we... Scripture says we are lost and we are dead in our sins. That we are so sinful that none of us would ever choose God. And that if we somehow were able to earn our salvation, if there was any chance of us losing it, then we absolutely would. Like every day, most of you would lose your salvation before your morning cup of coffee, like every single day, but that's not what Scripture says. Romans 3:10-11 says that, "No one is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God on their own." Ephesians 2:1 says that, "You were dead in the trespasses and sins, but God, being rich in mercy, because of what? Because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace, you have been saved." Thirdly, and most importantly, this interpretation of foreknowledge, it presupposes the way that this word would've commonly been understood to Greek thinkers. And it doesn't really take into account the way that it was often used by Hebrew thinkers, especially in the Old Testament in relationship to God. Because in Hebrew, the word know is oftentimes used, and we use it in our language the same way to describe personal relationship. Like there's things you can know, and that's something different than saying, "I know you." When the Bible says that Adam knew his wife, it's not talking about information. It's talking about intimacy. That he didn't just learn something new about Eve when he knew her. What this is telling us is that he related to her in a deeply personal, intimate, exclusive, and covenantal way. This is why sometimes it's even used as a euphemism for marriage and for sex. The Bible tells us that God knew Abraham. Actually in Amos chapter 3, God says to Israel that, "Israel, you only have I known." Now, obviously God knows everything. He's omniscient. He knows everyone. But what this is saying, what God was saying was, "I chose you for a special covenantal relationship and I set you apart." This is why R. C. Sproul in his commentary on Romans, he actually says that you could paraphrase the meaning of Romans 8:29, not just as those who God foreknew, but as those whom for God foreloved. Which kind of makes sense, because remember, we're talking about the context of a Father who's adopting a son. And it also makes sense because the very next thing that Paul tells us in verse 29 is that those whom he foreknew he predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. That God chose to love you. He chose to adopt you as his own. And because he chose to adopt you, he chose to predestine you to be conformed to the image of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. And so off of those first two links in the chain, all the others fall into place. That those whom he predestined he also called; those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. That if God foreloved you and chose to adopt you as his own, then he will sanctify you. He will make you like his Son, Jesus Christ. And if he is going to make you like Jesus, then he is going to call you out of darkness and into his marvelous light. And if he is going to call you out of darkness, he's going to justify you. And up to this point, all of these things that we've talked about are things that for the Christian have already happened in the past. We have been predestined. We have been called. We have been justified. But then Paul gets to the final link of the chain and he puts that in the past tense as well. That those whom he justified, he also glorified as if it's already been done, because in God's mind it has. In God's mind, from God's perspective, this is as good as done. Nothing can stop it. Nothing can thwart his purpose or his plan. Nothing can rip us from his hands. And the hope of the Christian is that you have been saved, but also that you will be saved. You didn't adopt yourself, God chose you, and he chose to put his love on you and his love for you will never fail. And yeah, God is a good Father and sometimes he may need to discipline us as his children, but he's not going to give up on us as his children. He is not taking any of his kids back to the orphanage. Once he's adopted you, you are his, and you are safe and his own in his hands. So your ultimate security as a Christian in Christ, your hope, your peace, your salvation, it's not dependent on your ability to hold onto God. It's dependent on the Father's ability to hold on to you. That if he has you, he is going to give you everything you need to persevere and to prove yourself a child of God until Christ returns. Ephesians 1:3-6, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the beloved." Philippians 1:6 says, "I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." And Jesus told us in John chapter 10 that, "I am the good shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. And I and the Father are one." And if you are in Christ, then God is your Father. If you are in Christ, then Christ is your shepherd and he will not let you go. He lays down his life to make you his own. And then he gives you his Spirit as a promise, as a guarantee that you will have what you need, that you will have the provision and the purpose and the perspective that you need to continue in perseverance until he returns. Listen, I know that this passage, it's "can be controversial". I know that it's easy to look at this passage and get hung up with a lot of questions about God's sovereignty and human responsibility and election and predestination, things like that. And Paul is going to address some of those questions and concerns in the next few chapters when we get there. But if we walk away from this text right now, primarily focused on those objections, then we've already missed the point because there is a question that Paul wants us to ask, and he tells it to us in the very next verse. And it's a question that is just so much bigger, so much better. He simply says this, "What then shall we say to these things?" If all of this is true, then what is the appropriate response on our behalf? And he tells us that if we really understand this, and if it's really gripped to our hearts, then the only appropriate response is to simply say, "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" If God is for you, you've already won, you have overcome this world. You have nothing in your future that you need to fear. And so in Christ you can persevere. This means is that whatever goodness God shows us right now is only a small glimpse of the glory that is to come. Whatever badness God has allowed to enter your path, he is ultimately using for your good. And no matter how good, no matter how bad things may seem or may feel right now, we have hope and we have assurance that the best is yet to come. That being said, would you just please join me in prayer and then we will continue by responding in worship together. God, I pray that you would just cause our hearts to marvel at your mercy, that we would stand in awe of your amazing grace, confident and secure in your hands. But every moment, every breath is a gift that we don't deserve, and yet you give us so much more. You freely gave us your Spirit. You gave us your Son. God, all we can do is say thank you. All we can do is live our lives with grateful hearts as a response to how good you are. And so we love you. We praise you. We give you all glory and we just want to spend time worshiping you together. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jesus fulfills all of our needs as Prophet, Priest, and King July 24, 2022 - Hebrews 13: 1-25 - Christian Principles for Life In Christ v.1-6: Everyday Life In Christ v.7-19: Church Life In Christ v.20-21: Praise the Lord For You Are Redeemed Through Christ v.22-25: Always Encouraged, Never Alone, In Christ

In “Christ the King” we are studying the gospel according to Matthew. Matthew wrote to proclaim to all that Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah - the fulfillment of God's promise of a King who would rule over an eternal kingdom. In this gospel, we see the King who was revealed, the King who was rejected, and the King who one day will return. Our text this week is Matthew 7: 13-14 and our theme is the King's teaching on the Wide Gate vs The Narrow Gate.

More Than ConquerorsRomans • July 24, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--Romans 8:31 NIVWhat, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:32 NIVHe who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?Kenneth Boa“It is illogical to conceive that God would give his most treasured ‘possession' – His only Son – to secure the salvation of sinners, and then not also give all else that is necessary to bring that salvation to completion.”Romans 8:33-34 NIVWho will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.Col. 2:14 NLTHe cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.1 John 2:1b NIVBut if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.Hebrews 4:14-16 NIVTherefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.Romans 8:35-39 NIVWho shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:37 NIVNo, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.1. In Christ, I am free from any condemnation.2. In Christ, I am obligated to be led by the Spirit.3. In Christ, I am a child of God and a coheir with Christ.4. In Christ, I will be redeemed from this cursed creation.5. In Christ, I am certain of my eternal glorification.

Ephesians 3:14-21 is a prayer for spiritual strength. It follows Paul's discourse on doctrine and precedes his section on practical application. Paul knows the believer can live with a head full of knowledge and a shriveled heart. He also knows trying to live the Christian life in our own strength is futile. So, after the doctrine discourse and before the practical application section, Paul prays that our inner being will be filled with Jesus. Paul's prayer has four requests: • Spiritual Strength (Eph 3:16) • Deeper Experience with Jesus (Eph 3:17) • Grasping God's Great Love (Eph 3:18) • Experiencing the fullness of God (Eph 3:19) Today's Focus: A Deeper Experience with Jesus (Eph 3:17) In Christ, we are: • Significant • Secure • Accepted • Forgiven • Empowered In Ephesians 3:14-17a, Paul prays that the believer may be “strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith….” Positionally, Jesus lives in us. The Holy Spirit—the third Person of the Trinity—is the Spirit of the Father and the Son and takes up residence in our hearts. Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-20; Romans 8:8-11). In this prayer, Paul addresses the experience of that reality. “Dwell” means “to live or dwell in a place in an established or settled manner.” It means settling down and feeling at home. Paul's prayer is for the believer to experience the fullness of Jesus in us. Some questions for evaluating our “experience” with Jesus: Is Jesus “at home” with my EYES? (Luke 11:34-36; Ps 119:37) Is Jesus “at home” with my THINKING? (Phil 4:8) Is Jesus “at home” with my AMBITION? (Phil 2:3-8) Is Jesus “at home” with my TONGUE? (Ps 34:12-14; 39:1) Go to ronmoore.org for guided prayers from Scripture to recharge your inner being (See 3 Minutes with Jesus) DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOORE Get Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo. LIVING GROUNDED Learn more about how you can grow deeper and embrace the foundational truths of the Christian faith with Living Grounded. Whether you're just starting out in faith or you've been a Christian for years, Living Grounded offers truth, wisdom, and encouragement for every stage. Contact gdevore@biblechapel.org to get connected. CAREGIVING Do you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org. CAMPUS FACEBOOK GROUPS You're invited to connect with The Bible Chapel family in your campus Facebook Group. Look for Facebook Groups at facebook.com/biblechapel and click on Groups on the left side. FIND AN ENCOURAGER TODAY! JOIN A SMALL GROUP Community Groups are our easiest on-ramp to community at The Bible Chapel; these groups use sermon-based questions to dive deeper into weekly messages. Visit biblechapel.org/smallgroups to learn more and sign up!

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. — Psalm 145:15 One of the most heartbreaking scenes that I remember from living and working in Bangladesh was when I saw a couple of children, who were obviously malnourished and hungry, staring at pictures of delicious food in a glossy magazine they had found in the garbage. One of the children lifted the magazine to her mouth and licked a picture of an ice-cream cone. We were there to help alleviate hunger and its cause—poverty—but I felt incredibly helpless and useless in the face of such misery. I groaned a lament based on Psalm 145: “Lord, when will you give them their food? Is now not the proper time?” Since those days in the early 1990s, the number of people who experience hunger and food insecurity has declined as poverty alleviation programs have increased. I am grateful for that and for organizations that have led the charge. But those children still haunt me, as they should, because today hunger is again on the rise. More than 780 million people will go to bed hungry tonight. Each one matters to God. Each one must matter to us. When I pray for them, as I must, I know that God has called me to be part of the answer to my own prayer. O God, we lament the reality of poverty and hunger that causes so much suffering among the people you love. We know that each one matters to you. We pray for your mercy in their lives, and we ask that you use us for your purposes. In Christ, Amen.

Decrees in ActionWe wanted to minister in the city jail and prison in the city of Tijuana, Mexico, bringing them food and aid and sharing the gospel with them. When we approached the authorities, they firmly denied us entrance. The Lord seemed to be encouraging us to press in, and during prayer, He highlighted Isaiah 45:1–3 to my heart.These verses made a powerful impact on me, and I wrote out a decree based on that Scripture and gave a copy to everyone on our team to use during our prayer time. In agreement, we declared:In Jesus' Name, we decree that the Lord opens doors before us in the city jail and in the federal prison so that their gates will not be shut.He goes before us and makes the rough places smooth, shattering all resistance.He gives us the treasures of darkness (souls, healings, deliverances) and hidden wealth of secret places (favor, grace, anointing) so that we know it is the Lord our God who calls us by name to fulfill this assignment.We prayed it every day for a week in our prayer time and then went back to the jail and prison. In faith, we took blankets, food, toiletries, and Bibles to give to the prisoners. They welcomed us in and did not even make us go through security—this was supernatural favor! We spent hours in that dark place, reaching out to those who were bound and oppressed. Jesus' hope and love filled the place. Many were saved, healed, and delivered. We were welcomed back over and over. We never faced resistance in the jail or prison after that. The decree went to work on our behalf.Jesus often used this principle in His ministry. For example, we read in Luke 5:13 about a leper who had come to Jesus. He was full of devastating leprosy, but Jesus decreed, “be cleansed.” Immediately the leper was cleansed; his leprosy was gone. The decree of Jesus' word brought forth cleansing, healing, and restoration that had not existed previously.Decree Freedom in Christ:The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. In Christ, I live and move and have my being. He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.

More reasons to sing the Psalms and a brief explanation of how we sing with and In Christ when we sing the Psalm curses.

I know my transgressions. . . . — Psalm 51:3 When the COVID-19 pandemic started, everyone became more aware of the meaning of exposure. Exposure to the deadly virus was bad, something to be avoided. People didn't want to be exposed. But this virus turned out to be not only something we could be exposed to, but also something we could be exposed by. COVID-19 has exposed some troubling realities about our world that tended to be overlooked before. For example, excessive numbers of infections and deaths occurred in long-term care facilities, not just because elderly residents were more susceptible but also because “essential” staff, often ethnic minority workers, were underpaid and needed more than one job, making them more likely to spread the virus. Ethnic minorities also tend to have higher mortality rates because they have limited access to medical assistance. And from a more global view, wealthy nations have a surplus of vaccines while low-income nations have to deal with limited availability of vaccines. In these ways, some of our shortcomings and misplaced priorities in society and in global concerns have been exposed. Biblically speaking, exposure can be a good thing, though, because it makes clear that we need to seek God's mercy, to repent, receive forgiveness, and be restored. That's good news in rough packaging! O God, we are constantly exposed before you. Help us all to learn from reality checks like the pandemic so that by your grace we can be renewed. In Christ, Amen.

Rev. Jason Schockman, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc WI joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study Genesis 36. We put on our Christ goggles as we see the descendants of Esau. Clearly problems arose through the lack of faithfulness to the Lord and His Word. In the Lord's kindness, He calls His people back to Himself in every generation. Although the Edomites, Esau's family, were enemies of the Israelites, God still had grace. The connections from these descendants causes us to realize that God was at work before the Israelites entered the land and God would provide beyond their years. “Lord God, as You are the Lord of all creation, You have given Yourself for all people, allow us to see all people through the lens of the cross that we may proclaim Your goodness in Christ's salvation and serve others with Your grace. In Christ, Amen”

Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 47. Joy pervades Psalm 47. All nations are called to rejoice because the God of Israel reigns over all the earth. His kingdom is not like any earthly kingdom; He reigns according to His steadfast love seen most fully at the cross. Jesus' reign has been made certain by His ascension, which is an occasion for joy for God's people and all nations. Jesus is the offspring of Abraham through whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. In Christ, God calls Jews and Gentiles to the joy of salvation. Join Sharper Iron during the month of July to study several Psalms. In the Psalter, God speaks His Word to us and teaches us how to speak back to Him in prayer. Even in the great variety of the Psalms, each one points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

II Kings 17, II Chronicles 28, Psalm 46, and James 3 When God captivates our heart with his love, when he tames our heart with his love, our lives are never the same. When that happens we are reborn, and begin to be set free. We begin to live a different kind of life,  a Spirit-filled life.   James is contrasting two different kinds of life here.  There is the Spirit-filled life, evidenced by a heart that‘s being tamed by his love, and there is the heart of the flesh.  James points to something as simple and mundane as the tongue, and our words, and he shows us that this little tongue of ours simply cannot be tamed. We can't control it.  It controls us.  It creates circumstances in our lives that are simply beyond our control.  It's a flame of fire he says, and that fire finds its source in Hell itself.    It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. (Jms 3:6 NLT)  He tells us that if we could control the tongue we would be perfect.  But alas, we cannot even control this tiny little tongue of ours, and we are not perfect.  We can't even affect the change we want in something as simple as the use of our words.  Apart from God, we can't affect the change we want in this life.  It's as futile as trying to draw fresh water from a salty spring, James says. But in Christ, our heart is tamed by his love, and we begin to participate with that love, and we learn to draw from the refreshing springs of Christ, his presence,, daily.  We experience something completely different.   In Christ we can learn to have wisdom that is pure and peace-loving.  We can learn to be gentle, yield to others, show mercy, be sincere, not show favoritism, and be a peacemaker.  A life tamed by his love, in the end, will yield a harvest of righteous living.     James is describing in such beautiful detail here, what the Spirit -filled life looks like. And that life is possible if we want it.  It's not possible on your own effort, but it is possible when you are captivated and tamed by his love.  The Spirit of God comes and lives in and through you in such a way that you experience abundant life - the life that's described here. Live in him and know his love.  Keep in step with the Spirit.  Let Christ live His life in and through you. 

FORESEE - His eyes are foresee - be aware of beforehand; predict. The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. Matthew 6:22 For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:12‬ For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:6 πρόσωπον prosōpon face; presence - DBL Greek face; person; surface; appearance; presence; in front of - NASB Dictionaries an eye; face; the face the front of the human head - countenance, look 1. the face so far forth as it is the organ of sight, and by it various movements and changes) the index of the inward thoughts and 2 Corfeelings 2. the appearance one presents by his wealth or property, his rank or low condition 1. outward circumstances, external condition 2. used in expressions which denote to regard the person in one's judgment and treatment of men - the outward appearance of inanimate things Prosopon originally meant "face" or "mask" in Greek and derives from Greek theatre, in which actors on a stage wore masks to reveal their character and emotional state to the audience. When a loss of identity occurs due to persona identification, what we are bearing witness to is an individual becoming a vessel for an archetypal figure. As stated previously, archetypes need a vessel to come into conscious view. “For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:11‬ ‭NET‬‬ Hillman stated, “persona here no longer means outward show, a staged performance that hides a true self; it now is the true self in its archetypal enactment” The mask of the persona provides the means to be in relation with the Gods, as it provides power. The act of taking up the mask of the persona and not removing it effectively removes a person's identity (ego). In short, these individuals become more like a vessel as they are providing an image for the archetypal figures to manifest themselves. Hillman, J. (1992). The myth of analysis: Three essays in archetypal psychology. New York, NY: HarperPerennial, 46. The Prosopon of the Hypostasis of Christ - To give a direct account of Leontius' probable meaning in speaking of the “prosopon of the hypostasis of Christ” it is worth keeping all of this in mind. One of the problems that Leontius faces is the conviction that since every nature must be hypostatic, the Chalcedonian claim that there are two natures in Christ seems to indicate that there are two hypostaseis in Christ. Leontius accepts the conviction that natures must be hypostatic but argues that this does not mean that the natures in Christ are hypostaseis. For Leontius, the human nature does not introduce a second hypostasis alongside that of the Word, since it is by the union that the human nature become hypostatic. For Leontius to speak of nature is not to identify a particular hypostasis, since one can speak of the nature as that which is shared by many hypostaseis. On the other hand, to speak of hypostasis means to speak of a really existing thing, and as such one includes its nature, both the nature that it shares with others (physis), and those individuating features that belong that that hypostasis alone. In Christ, we are confronted not just by humanity in general, but also by the particular humanity of Jesus of Nazareth. Decrease time over target: PayPal.me/mzhop or Venmo @clastronaut

"In Christ teaching us a model of how to pray, we must understand that this is not a prayer that we superstitiously voice. Rather, it's the kind of prayer that should characterize our prayers." This sermon was delivered by Pastor Brandon Freeman on 7/17/2022 at Liberty Baptist Church in Liberty, Missouri. To learn more about us, please visit our website at www.lbcliberty.org.

Rev. John Lukomski, co-host of “Wrestling with the Basics” joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study Genesis 35. Is this finally a turning point for Jacob?  We thought it might be when the Lord visited him at Bethel or when reconciled with his brother Esau.  Yet, we see God visiting Jacob and sustained him through repenting over idols.  God kept intervening and once again changed Jacob's name to Israel.  This name change is full of His promise.  Through those with Israel's name the promised Savior was given to us and He continues to carry us as ones with His name marked on us forever.  “O Holy Spirit, as You have given us a new name in Christ through Baptism, grant us a turning point that we may drop our idols and follow Your Will. In Christ, Amen”

In “Christ the King” we are studying the gospel according to Matthew. Matthew wrote to proclaim to all that Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah - the fulfillment of God's promise of a King who would rule over an eternal kingdom. In this gospel we see the King who was revealed, the King who was rejected and the King who one day will return. Our text this week is Matthew 7:7-12 and our theme is the King's teaching on prayer.

In Christ, you are enough. Jennie Allen will share her journey through an eating disorder, how she is learning to let go of perfectionism, and how striving for acceptance from other's always leaves you empty. It's a reminder that only God can fill you up and give you peace.

In Christ, the Church has the hope of heaven yet fights in the here and now, though our tactics differ greatly than those of the world.

Good morning, Church! My name is Trent Houck, and I am one of the Staff Pastors here at FCBC. It's my joy to bring you to the word this morning. We will be looking at Colossians 2:8-15, but I wanted to begin with one of the New Testament's assumptions: All of the New Testament writers agree that we are in the midst of a spiritual conflict. Christians must remain captive to Christ alone. Paul writes to the Ephesians: 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication (Ephesians 6:11-18). All throughout our series on Colossians, we have been saying that Jesus is enough. A few weeks ago, I invited you to begin consistently praying: Jesus, you are more than enough for me each day. Far from being a mantra for peacetime, that phrase is for your spiritual protection against the enemy of your soul. It's a correction for your flesh. And, its an exhortation for your spirit as you stand apart from the culture's ways. Further, it may even protect our church's unity, as we gather around Jesus. Today, we're going to be examining one of the enemy's key tactics called captivation. That is, seizing, snatching, stealing, hijacking, or enticing people into his traps. But, more importantly, we're going to be examining how the Gospel protects believers from the devil's schemes. So, let's get to work! In the 2008 film Taken, starring Liam Neeson, Brian Mill's teenage daughter Kim Mills, embarks on a trip to Europe from America with some friends. She is instructed to call her dad when she arrives so that he can be assured of her safety. After failing to do this, Brian calls Kim, only to find her watching as her friend is abducted by human traffickers in their hotel room. She panics, watching from the bathroom window. Brian slowly and carefully walks her through another set of instructions so that he can gather as much information as he can about the criminals. Over the phone, he says calmly, "They will take you, and when they do, shout out as much information about them as you can. Their hair color. Eye color. Scars. Anything." The viewer watches Brian, as a father, hearing his daughter scream while being taken into the hands of predators. It's horrific. I don't recommend it. Brian Mill's packs his bags and sets out on a thrilling, heart-pumping, two hour journey to recapture his daughter from danger. What's the point of the story? Don't let yourself be overtaken by predators! See to it that no one takes you captive. Pay attention! Kim fails to do this. Kim believed that she was safe. That those kinds of things happen only to other people until the moment is upon her. In the same way Epaphras rushes to Paul to find help in his time of need. The Colossians were being captivated by false teachers. What should he do? Are we as a Church spiritually alert and awake, or are we floating down the Boise River of our spiritual lives, without a care in the world? Where are you this morning? Are you aware of your spiritual surroundings? There are basically two kinds of Christians here this morning: Those who are growing and experiencing rich, joyful, and enduring fellowship with the living God. Those who are safe in Christ. Those who are languishing and wilting in unbelief, falling into patterns of sin, and becoming captives to harmful snares. Theologians throughout the centuries have described the process of sanctification, or growth in godliness, in this way: While the overall trajectory of the Christian life is upward toward glorification and growth, there are rabbit trails and stuck points where we get lost. One of the ways that this can happen is by allowing ourselves to be captivated by false ideas of who Christ is. This can happen even in, and maybe even especially in, the local church. So, to reset the stage a bit for Colossians, we are two chapters into this glorious letter. Epaphras, one of Paul's Gospel-workers, traveled to Paul, who was in a Roman Prison and reported that there were predators at Colossae that were placing barriers in front of the Colossians. There were people being taken captive, and seduced into snares. Paul's central theme in the letter is the sufficiency of Christ. Jesus is enough. And, we continue to come back to this question: Enough for what? Last week, we found that Jesus is enough for the entirety of the Christian life. Paul writes, 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7). Paul says, "There is only one way to stay spiritually safe: Stay fixed on Jesus. Pay attention to Jesus. Don't swerve from Jesus." At this point, the Church at Colossae was ten years into their relationship with Christ, and they were being tempted, tested, and tried by the enemy of their souls. This took the form, not mainly of persecution, but the seductive force of false teaching. So then, all of Paul's praying (Col. 1:3-14), theologizing (Colossians 1:15-20), explaining (Colossians 1:21-25), animating (Colossians 1:24-29), and exhorting (2:1-7) are the martial arts and defense against false teaching. His purpose is to move the Colossians out of danger into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, who alone is safe and can save. So, in the next three sections of Colossians, Paul aims to show that Christ is enough by issuing three warnings: "See to it that no one takes you captive" (2:8) "Let no one pass judgment on you…" (2:16) "Don't submit to regulations" on the basis of human tradition (2:20) Paul reveals that there is nothing more compelling and seductive to humans than: false teaching, the opinion and praise of other men, and bodily regulations that provide proof of salvation. These are all barriers to the Christian's growth and can get them on side trails and dead ends. In this particular section Paul warns against captivating philosophies by giving one negative command, providing at least five reasons for this command, and reminding the Colossians of the Gospel. The Gospel, we find, is the antidote to spiritual kidnapping. Before we begin unpacking our text, we need to pause and reflect. Are we facing the same danger of spiritual captivity today? I would argue that we are. Consider our appetite for information, for teaching: Who among us is not listening to a constant stream of data through podcasts, articles, books, social media, blogs and the like? We are being exposed to more teachers, more philosophies, and opinions than previous generations could ever imagine. Jean Twenge cites that the average pre-covid, High School Senior in 2017 spent at least 6 hours a day on social media. Could it be that we are even more susceptible to the diseases of false information, false doctrine, and false teaching precisely because we are so inundated with sheer volume of it? Paul could likely have identified the false teachers by name. He could have detailed, even more acutely, what exactly they were teaching and why it was wrong. There was a definiteness and a concreteness to his world. He probably worked with Epaphras to be specific. He also worked with Timothy as a co-author (1:1). Paul was an expert in Judaism, and he was fluent in Greco-Roman pantheistic philosophy and cult religions of his day. He knew his world. So, no matter where the threat came from, Paul could work through it. But, we live in a new kind of world. In our culture of expressive individualism, we are all experts, especially on ourselves. We appoint our own experts. We curate our own lists of gurus and teachers, with nearly endless options, if one should fail. And, we do all of this privately, with no sense of accountability or visibility. And sometimes we wonder why we're at a spiritual stuck point in our sanctification. While more information is not inherently problematic, the human desire for infinite knowledge and infinite autonomy with that knowledge stems all the way back to the garden. The serpent's lie in the garden was this: "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4-5). The very first lie that led to the Fall and the captivity of humanity was an invitation to the secret passageway of more, even infinite, knowledge. "You can know what God knows," says Satan. "I have a faster way to become like God. It's two, even three times, faster than what you're used to." This is dangerous for humanity. So, God said, "Don't take that road!" This is because only God can handle infinite information and knowledge. Ever since that moment in the garden, enemies of God have been making similar claims, dressed up in new clothes for each succeeding generation. While the flowers of sin may look different, the seeds of sin remain the same. So, here is the main personal question for us to ask: What captivates the attention of your heart? If you are not totally satisfied with the person and work of Jesus Christ, you will go into a season of being stuck. Mature pastors, theologians, and church members know that they are not immune to this. For example, one of the ghosts in C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce, who should be most familiar with the things of God is afforded the opportunity to head to heaven. However, he remarks, "Bless my soul, I'd nearly forgotten. Of course I can't come with you [to heaven]. I have to be back next Friday to read a paper. We have a little Theological Society down there [that is, in Hell]." Lewis' haunts us with the hell-bent theologian, who will not enter into true knowledge of God for fear that he would have to forsake knowledge about God. He needed his theology, not Jesus alone. What captivates the attention of your heart?   Here is our main point: Christians must remain captive to Christ alone. Not ideas about Christ. Not philosophies concerning Christ. Not religious ideals related to Christ. Not with religious culture. But to Christ himself. He alone is the substance. And there is no replacement. Paul will unpack this main point in the following four ways and we will try to follow him closely: (Command) The Call to Be Captive to Christ Alone (Colossians 2:8)  (Reasons) The Christian's Causes to Be Captive To Christ (Colossians 2:9-12) (Explains) The Christian's Canceled Debts at the Cross (Colossians 2:13-14)  (Reminds) The Christian's Conquering King (Colossians 2:15)   Christians must remain captive to Christ alone.  Heavenly Father, we again come to you this morning to seek your face. You alone are our highest good. You are worthy of all our praise, adoration, study, and desires. We pray this morning that you would reveal yourself through your Word. Jesus, thank you for being enough. Thank you for your perfect life, your atoning death, and for the resurrection that assures us and comforts us. Cause us to walk more deeply rooted in you as a result of being together this morning. Holy Spirit, we pray that you would empower the preaching of your Word. That you would train us for godliness. Expose sin in our hearts. Show us how we are inclined to pursue enticing substitutes, rather than being fully satisfied with the Person and Work of Jesus. We pray that you would provide a real experience right here and right now of exactly what this text is talking about. We pray that you would do this for our good and for your glory, and we pray it in Christ's name, amen. First, Paul issues a command that we be captive to Christ Alone. He writes, 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Paul says, "Watch out! Pay attention! See to it! Look both ways!" This is the negative command: "Don't let anyone take you captive." It's important to notice that this command is not issued at the level of moral behavior, ethical actions, or instructions (he will get to that in chapter 3). Rather, Paul wants the Colossians to think. There's a difference. He's not saying, "Don't do that!" but rather, "Don't think that way!" Paul is addressing a command to the Colossians' belief system, to the way that they construct their understanding of everything. Really, this is a command addressed to what psychologists call "metacognition." The way you think about the way you think. "See to it", is saying, "Pay attention to the way you think about the world." While this command is negative, "Don't let anyone take you captive" the double negative at the end of the verse opens up the possibility of us stating it positively: Don't be captive to anything, [that is] not according to Christ. While in 2 Corinthians 10:5, he puts it positively, "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…" (2 Corinthians 10:5) So, what are the weapons of these predators that Paul warns us about? There are two: Philosophy and empty deceit. 'Philosophy' and 'empty deceit' are both intellectual exercises. 'Philosophy' is literally, the 'love of wisdom.' "Empty deceit" is something that appears to be compelling, but it ends up being a road to nowhere. They are cheap tricks. So, the key question here is this: What do you allow to captivate you at the level of the imagination? Some of us are held captive by cat videos, our email inboxes, our jobs, careers, vacations, or kids etc. If you want to know what you're captivated by, just ask someone close to you, they see where your eyes go. They see what causes your emotions to spike or your heart to race. Human beings can be captivated at the level of the imagination, intellect, and reason. And, this is a beautiful human capacity. It's one of the ways that we are sanctified: Christians are to be captured by beautiful, glorious and penetrating thoughts of God. However, the pervasiveness of sin is such that it affects our reason and makes us susceptible to counterfeit gods. And so, the mind can be compelled to fall back into old, empty ways. So, then, Paul gives the Colossians two pieces of evidence to show why this philosophy is inferior. First, he says that this philosophy comes from 'human tradition', or that it literally is 'handed down/given from men.' Second, he says that it proceeds from the 'elemental spirits' of the world. To define these two things within the context of the Colossian Church, we need to see the Colossians as Paul sees them. The Colossians were not atheists, materialists, or individualists when they came to Christ. Prior to knowing Jesus, they were subject to the Greco-Roman pantheon of gods, rules of community life, and political views, etc. They were likely deeply superstitious, animistic, and spiritual. They were also probably very smart, philosophical and reflective. They were steeped in religious practices handed down by men, and believed that they were subject to the elemental spirits, that is, the spiritual forces of nature, or spiritual beings, that set the world in motion. Why would the Colossians be tempted to go back there? There are probably at least two reasons: first, these things made intellectual sense to them. Human tradition is a powerful persuader. It fit in their previous worldview. To illustrate: you find when you get married that your spouse inherited a whole host of human traditions that come into conflict with your own traditions. This shows up in all kinds of ways from family vacations, to Christmas traditions, to how you organize your sock drawer. Why do you do things that way? It's just how we did it in my house. It's intuitive. Second, the Colossians were tempted to regress because it made spiritual sense to them. They were tempted to practice their Christianity in line with their pantheistic upbringing. To illustrate: we grew up in a materialistic, scientistic world that has emancipated itself from the need of God. So, what do you think is our default mode when we're under pressure? We tend to value what's measurable and manageable over the Spirit. You see, the Colossians are being tempted in these ways because they are being called to follow Christ alone. When they come in contact with situations that seem to require more than Christ, they panic, and are susceptible to being taken captive. They have abandoned a whole series of practices, ways of life, traditions, and experiences that feel so normal. So, when these false teachers come along and tell them, "It's okay, add something to Christ!" This would have come across like their native, heart language. But, in the Gospel, Christians are given a new heart. Paul wrote earlier: "God has delivered us from the domain of darkness [this is every spiritual culture that does not exalt Christ is King, including our own] and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14). In other words, Colossians, you no longer belong to human traditions or elemental spirits of the world, the domain of darkness. You belong to Christ alone.  And, Christ alone is sufficient. Paul writes, "He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things…" (Colossians 1:19-20). In other words, all attempts to order the universe by human tradition, or the spirits of the age are found wanting precisely because Jesus is the central figure to all things. Without Christ at the center, nothing makes sense in Christianity. Don't let anyone take you captive. Be captive to Christ alone. So, what are the reasons that a Christian ought to stay captivated by Christ? That leads us to our next point: Second, Paul gives at least five causes or reasons to remain captive to Christ. This part of the sermon could get very technical with questions about baptism, the nature of salvation, faith, and circumcision. But, my hope for you as we read this section is that you will ask this question: How could I be captivated by anything or anyone other than Jesus? He has given me everything that I could ever want or need in Himself! If you are not a believer in Jesus, this could be a moment where God performs the very action he describes in this passage. We are praying that he does. So, let your soul count the reasons for joy. Look at what God has done for you. 9 For in him[Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. The most important phrases that I want you to take from this section are these words: "In Him." Or, "in Christ" Or, "With Christ." These phrases are used around 165 times in Paul's letters. Here, Paul gives us the logic of the Gospel. He says, what keeps you from being captivated by false teachers? The Fullness of God dwells in Christ (Col. 2:9). You have been filled or completed in Christ (Col. 2:10) You were spiritually circumcised, or made alive in Christ (2:11). You were buried with Christ by baptism (2:12). You were raised with Christ through his resurrection (2:12). So, with these five reasons, or causes Paul renders the empty deceit or philosophy completely powerless by comparison. Each of them is a source of joy for the Christian. Notice though, what saves or sanctifies the Colossians is not a set of practical actions (i.e. do this).  But a set of objective, concrete, past actions that were accomplished by God.  Paul says, You have been filled in Christ. You were circumcised in Christ. You were buried with Christ. You were raised with Christ. So that means, the most important, transformative, and spiritually significant moments in the Christian life are those that took place through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not about what we do, it's about what Christ has done.  See, if you want to encourage a moralist, you give them a set of to-dos by which they can save themselves. You give them a problem set and you show them the way to solve each one. If you want to encourage a Christian, however, you remind her of what Christ has already accomplished on her behalf. That the Christian's main problem, sin, has been resolved at the Cross of Christ. So, let's unpack why each of these five causes are so encouraging. First, "In Christ" all the fullness of deity dwells bodily. The aim of this statement is to drive the Colossians away from two errors. Jesus was partially God. The belief that you can find God outside of Christ is lethal. And, it will kill your joy. Knowing that you can only find God in Christ sends you soaring. Jesus was immaterial. The belief that Jesus was only a soul or a spirit makes him unable to accomplish the forgiveness of sins.  So, Paul straightens these false teachers out. "No," Paul says, "All the fullness of deity, or anything you want to know about God can be found in Christ, the incarnate Son of God." Application:  First, You don't need to look further than Jesus to find God. Second, the material universe, including our bodies, were designed and created as "very good." God incarnate, the fullness of God, comes to find us in the incarnate Jesus. This is good news! Second, You have been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority. This too, protects the Colossians from at least two errors. Salvation is partial. No, Paul says, you were filled. There are no additional steps necessary to open yourself up to God. God has filled you in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. For all of us who find Christianity lacking at times, we need to be reminded that Jesus didn't skimp on us. He poured himself out completely on the cross. Jesus' authority is derived. No, Paul says, Jesus is the head of every and all authority. So, there is no higher authority or power by which you can be filled than the Person of Jesus Christ. Third, You were made spiritually sensitive, or alive, by the death of Christ. God accomplished a circumcision of the heart, that is a spiritual one, not by hands, through the Cross of Christ. That is to say, you were given a new heart, filled with new affections, and given a new spiritual vitality at the Cross. This protects the Christian from the errors that: You need additional spiritual work to be saved. Nope! Christ has done it all. You can't make yourself more sensitive than God has already made you to himself. Your old self rules you. Nope! You are a new Creation in Christ Jesus. Even though we face Romans 7 kinds of moments with our flesh and sin, we know that Christ put the flesh to death at the Cross, we live alive to God. Fourth, You were buried with Christ in Baptism. So, Jesus, having been laid in the tomb, was buried. Likewise, when the Christian undergoes baptism, they are visibly identifying with Christ's death and burial. The Christian doesn't fear death because he or she has already died. So, no practices of death-avoidance, whether that's aging creams, or plastic surgery, or diets will ever truly satisfy. If you are in Christ, God sees Christ's burial as your own burial. You went through a spiritual graveside service. Baptism Service: We do baptisms, which signify this transformation at least two times each year. If you have an interest in publicly declaring your allegiance to Jesus Christ, please talk to me after this service or sign up online! Fifth, You were also raised with Christ in his resurrection. When Jesus was raised, you were also raised with him. This protects the Colossian Christians from falling into the error that: Christ wasn't really raised. The empty tomb, the public appearances, the historically reliable proof all have massive implications for the Christian. Christ's resurrection doesn't matter. No way, when Christ was raised, Christians were raised with him. So, when he beat death, we beat death. Now, this is not a series of five steps to become a Christian. Rather, when a Christian becomes a Christian all five of these things become real, clear, and apparent. They all happen simultaneously, seamlessly. And, God does it all from first to last, through an instrument called faith.  So, we have to come back to verse 12: having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God… God does all this when a person believes. The way to stay safe from deceptive philosophies and empty myths is by rehearsing the Gospel, which saves sinners by faith. Staying safe in Christ is to be fully saturated in the blood-bought goodness of salvation by grace through faith. That leads us to our third point:   Third, if that's not enough, God went ahead and canceled your debts past, present, and future. Christianity is not a get-well soon plan. It's not a series of steps or moral accomplishments. No, Christianity is a declaration that our debts have been canceled. Look with me at verse 13:   13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. This text is astounding. I want to focus on the middle of verse 13: "Having forgiven us all our tresspasses." That is, forgiveness without reference to time. This means that the total record of debt that you accrued, past, present, and future is nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ. So then, three things should grow as we age: First, our awareness of God's moral perfection and holiness. Our salvation cost the death of his Son. Second, our sense of our own personal sinfulness. Our sin is still our greatest problem. Third, a growing awareness that the Cross of Jesus Christ bridges the gap from now to eternity. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. So, how does this relate to our previous two points? How does this keep us from the seduction and captivity of false doctrine? These questions lead us to our final point. With this, we will bring this sermon to a close. Finally, we remain captive to Christ because through the Cross Jesus became our Conquering King. Paul writes, 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. The image behind this text is that of the Roman Procession. One Author writes, "The triumphal procession was a lavish parade conducted in Rome to celebrate great victories in significant military campaigns… They were ostentatious celebrations, filled with valiant soldiers, the spoils of war, and the most theatrical pomp and circumstances Rome could muster. Moreover, the triumphal procession demonstrated Rome's prowess as the victor not only by parading the spoils of war, but also by leading in triumph the most important leaders and intimidating warriors of the enemy, now presented as conquered slaves. The highest honor any Roman Caesar or general could receive would be to lead one of these parades. Conversely, to be led as a prisoner in such a triumphal procession signaled one's utter defeat. . . . [T]he role of those led in triumph was to reveal the glory of the one who had conquered them, ultimately through their public execution and death. . . . At the end of the parade, the Romans publicly slaughtered as a sacrifice to their god(s) those prisoners who had been led in procession (or at least a representative sample thereof, selling the rest into slavery). Though a gruesome thought to us, what better way to magnify one's victory, while at the same time offering a sacrifice of gratitude to the gods, than to kill publicly the leaders and the most valiant of the vanquished warriors as the final act of triumph over them? To make this more contemporary, the Golden State Warriors had a parade in their own city to celebrate their 2022 championship against the Celtics. When did God accomplish this? When were the authorities and rulers disarmed, and when did the triumphal procession happen? Doug Moo writes, "…Paul insists that God, by sending Christ to the cross as the final and definitive means to take care of the sin problem, has removed any power that these evil spirits might have over us. This victory, celebrated and displayed in the resurrection and ascension of Christ, is what believers need to grasp as their own. Christ's authority over the rulers and authorities (v. 10) has been decisively manifested; and “in him” believers share that authority." So, the Colossians are called and commanded not to be captivated because their captors were already conquered. The fall prey to them was to reassign them power that had already been taken away. Christian, don't go backward! Don't get taken captive! Remain captive to Christ. He alone is worthy. ​​In case you're wondering, at the end of the 2008 Film Taken, Liam Neeson's character, after defeating the enemies, returns his daughter home to the U.S. safe and sound. It is a triumphant and glorious reunion. This is the hope of the Christian life: what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. It is also the hope of Christian Missions. It is the message that we preach so that nations might rejoice, with the same joy that we possess. We're going to end our message with a brief update and time of prayer for our Missions Team heading to Mongolia.

Freedom Is A Person, Freedom Is ChristBy Tammy Lacock “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:1-4 KJV) In this week's podcast, Warren Litzman explains, primarily through Galatians 5:1-4, that our freedom has absolutely nothing to do with self-effort and everything to do with the person of Christ. Christ did the work on the cross and we are free because of Him, whether we accept it or not. Our believing doesn't make us free. Whether we believe or don't believe doesn't change what Christ did at the cross. The Apostle Paul drives this point in the above four verses: If anyone still lives by the law (what we do or don't do to be saved or even to be closer to God) then Christ is of no profit to them. In fact, they have fallen from God's grace. Religion, through Satan's deception, has most Christians striving to be closer to God by their works. And yet, Paul tells us to completely let go of living by the law and stand free in Christ. He is our freedom. He is our new life! Old things have passed away now. Warren details through Paul's and John's epistles, that there are seven freedoms in Christ. He discusses the first four of them in this podcast. 1) Freedom over Self In Galatians 2:20, Paul tells us that our selves are crucified with Christ, yet we live. Christ is our new life; we are one with Him in Spirit. And He now comes through us, our bodies and souls-minds. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5 KJV) Our selves are subject to Him now. 2) Freedom over Sin There's no other way religion can operate without the guilt of sin. Religion doesn't tell us the truth about sin. Yet in 1 John 3, he tells us four times that he who is born of God does not commit sin against Him. God forgives us over and over when we go to Him. However, if any man commits sin, one that he wills to commit, he sins against himself, not God. Our sin only hurts ourselves, not God. In Christ, we are no longer bound by sin. We no longer sin to God, only to ourselves. 3) Freedom over Satan We are no longer bound by Satan's nature. By Christ in us, we now have His discernment at our disposal. Therefore, we are able to discern spirits, and therefore able to know if we need to face Satan or see our adverse situations from God as a way of helping us know Him. No longer do we need to make excuses for Satan in our lives. Christ already overcame him at the cross. We don't even need to rebuke Satan. We are God's children…we go to Him! 4) Freedom over our Bodies We have freedom from the pulls of our bodies. No longer do we need to give a mind to these pulls. We are free from these pulls when we give our minds over to Christ, who now lives in our spirits. We can now bring our bodies under subjection to Him. His wisdom will discern what our bodies need and don't need. Freedom is a Person. Freedom is Christ, now living in us. May we let go of the bondage of what we must do or not do to be closer to Him. As Paul says, stand firmly and confidently in Him, knowing not what we do, but knowing Him.

Is there a battle raging in your mind- In Christ we have the ability to recognize and embrace truth. God promises the power and weaponry to pull down every though that attempts to take us captive,so we can live a victorious life.