Podcasts about in romans

Every church has an aroma about it. So, what your church’s: Is it a lingering scent of bitterness or indifference—or the aroma of love? In Romans 12:10, Paul gives us a blueprint on how to cultivate the latter, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love.” This reveals that the church is not to function like a social club or a business meeting, but like a family where there’s genuine laughter, forgiveness, warmth, and even tears. Such a culture can’t be achieved through clever programs or simply “being busy,” but through showing quiet genuineness and personal love toward each another. So rather than lose affection for, and keep our distance from, those in our congregation, let’s be a church that’s “kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love” (Rom. 12:10). Sermon: https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/684fb3af544d5fe98a8cdd8b

Romans: The Transforming Power of the Gospel, Pt. 13 — Groan to GloryRomans 8:18–27 | King's Chapel Live StreamLet's be honest—sometimes life is heavy.In Romans 8:18–27, Paul speaks directly to that feeling. He reminds us that while pain, disappointment, and waiting are real, they're not the whole story. There's something greater coming—and even our groaning points toward it.This message is for anyone who feels stuck in the “in between”—longing for healing, wholeness, or just a break from the weight of it all.In this week's passage, we see:- That the suffering we face now isn't worth comparing to what's coming- How creation itself is groaning for restoration- How we groan inwardly, longing for redemption- And how the Holy Spirit groans with us and for us, interceding in our weaknessThe Christian life doesn't ignore pain—it gives us hope right in the middle of it. And even when we don't know what to pray, the Spirit of God is already praying for us.

In Romans 14, Paul reminds us that unity is more important than uniformity. We're called to accept each other, even when we disagree on secondary matters, like food or specific religious practices. These are disputable matters that shouldn't divide us but instead should be points of strength as we come together in the gospel. Living in unity means relinquishing our "rightness" and putting love first. It's not about being right, but about being loving and kind to those who may see things differently. When we focus on building each other up, instead of tearing each other down over differences, we reflect the heart of Jesus. Join us as we explore what it means to be united in the gospel, living with righteousness, peace, and joy, and focusing on building God's Kingdom, not just our own tribe.

Send us a messageIn Matthew 7:21, Lord Jesus declared that: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven.” This heart-stopping pronouncement should cause deep concern and reverential fear, in obedience to 2 Peter 1:10: “make your calling and election sure.” For the enemy has orchestrated counterfeits to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and many are falling prey to them. In Romans 8:16, true believers are assured that “the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit, that we are the children of God. It is time to be certain you have that divine witness within your heart – for Jesus Comes Quickly!Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

In a world obsessed with image and performance, it's easy to pretend, perform, and conform to be accepted—just like Sandy and Danny in Grease. But God doesn't want a polished version of you—He wants your heart. In Romans 12:1-2, we're called not to conform to the world's patterns but to be transformed by renewing our minds. You don't need to fix yourself before coming to Jesus—He meets you where you are and transforms you from the inside out. You are not your past or your performance. You are God's beloved, made new through Christ. Drop the mask. Live free.

This Sunday, Pastor Curtis is back and continues in the series on the book of Romans with Pt. 5 of “When in Rome… Don't.” In Romans 7, we're reminded that while sin lives in our members, those led by the Spirit are no longer slaves to the flesh—but sons and daughters of God, called to live differently in a rebellious world.

In Romans 7, Paul addresses a fundamental question about the relationship between God's law and Christian freedom. He explains that while the law is holy, righteous, and good, it was never designed to save us—only to reveal our sinfulness. Using marriage as an analogy, Paul shows that just as death ends a marriage contract, our identification with Christ's death releases us from the binding obligation of the law. The law functions like an X-ray that can diagnose a problem but cannot heal it. It defines sin, awakens sinful desires, and ultimately shows us our need for a Savior. Sin takes the good boundaries God established and uses them to stir up rebellion in our hearts. This is why rule-following alone never produces righteousness. Under the law, we try to earn our way to God through performance; under grace, we receive a relationship where obedience flows from love rather than fear. God's solution isn't more rules but internal transformation through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new hearts and desires that align with God's will. Rather than measuring ourselves by rules, we're invited to walk in the grace that God has given through Christ.

Romans: The Transforming Power of the Gospel, Pt. 12 — Life In The SpiritRomans 8:1–17 | King's Chapel Live StreamWhat does it really mean to live in the Spirit? In Romans 8:1–17, Paul delivers one of the most powerful and hope-filled declarations in the entire Bible: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”In this message, we explore how the Holy Spirit transforms the believer's life—bringing freedom, identity, and purpose through our union with Christ.Together, we'll discover:- God's complete work in salvation—Father, Son, and Spirit- Freedom from sin's penalty and power through the Spirit- What it means to be led by the Spirit of God as adopted children- The joy of belonging—as heirs with Christ and sons and daughters of GodThis passage reminds us that the Christian life isn't about trying harder, but walking in the Spirit and resting in who we are because of Jesus.

In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul describes a battle raging within him. Is this a picture of the Christian life, or do these verses show us Paul's life before his conversion? Today, R.C. Sproul speaks on our struggle with sin. Request R.C. Sproul's book Hard Sayings, plus lifetime digital access to his four teaching series on the hard sayings of Scripture, with your donation of any amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4094/donate   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request the ebook edition of Hard Sayings and digital access to all four teaching series with your donation of any amount: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Meet Today's Teacher:   R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of ministry engagement for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Have you ever experienced such strong emotions that sitting still became impossible? Something so important, so urgent, that you had to act? That's the kind of passion Paul had for the gospel. In Romans 1:8–10, we'll see what drove his relentless passion, gratitude, and calling to share the gospel.

In Romans 8:1-4, we have the glorious proclamation that IF we are in Christ, we are no longer under condemnation, but have liberation in Christ, propitiation through Christ's sacrificial death for sin, and sanctification through the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit's power in our lives.

People Living Lives in which Sin Is Normal Are Missing the Peace and Fruits of the Holy Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: In our world, today, people say that it is OK to sin, but sinning is not OK because if you are sinning, the Holy Spirit is not in you. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the fruit of the Holy Spirit will be present in your life. You cannot exhibit the fruit of the flesh, sin, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul explains, simply, the link between being a Jesus Follower and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 6:17: “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.". In Romans 12:2, Paul describes God's expectations for us to live in the Spirit and not in the flesh {sin}: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.". The fruit of the Holy Spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. At times it feels almost impossible, given the demands, distractions, and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you — to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 123). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Anxiety. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Peace. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Ephesians 4:19-24; Romans 8:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:17-20; Psalms 145b:12-21. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Five Needs of Fathers”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In Romans 6, Paul addresses a common misunderstanding about grace - that being free from the law means we can sin freely. He emphatically rejects this notion, explaining that grace doesn't lower God's standard but raises our ability to live up to it. Paul uses the metaphor of slavery to illustrate that everyone serves something; there's no such thing as complete independence. Whatever we offer ourselves to - whether bitterness, comparison, lust, or fear - eventually becomes our master. Grace fundamentally changes not just our status before God but our desires. Under grace, obedience flows from a transformed heart rather than external pressure or attempts to earn God's love. Paul contrasts the outcomes of these two masters: sin leads to shame and death, while serving God leads to holiness and eternal life. The wages of sin is death, but eternal life is God's gift through Christ. This understanding challenges us to examine what we're truly serving and to embrace the freedom that comes not from independence, but from the right allegiance.

In Romans 12:9, Paul gives this pivotal statement: “Let love be without hypocrisy.” This is a call for our love to be genuine. Hypocrisy, by contrast, is saying nice things when we don’t mean it, or doing good deeds just to get something in return. This sin problem extends to all our relationships, even within the church. So how do we know if our love is hypocritical? 1 John 3:20 gives us a simple guide, “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” So we need not need despair: if we’re truly redeemed, God, through his Spirit and His Word, will cut through the confusion and show us our hypocrisy, so that we can genuinely love others as Christ loves us (John 13:34). Sermon: https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/683d3eb8466c06ff70c715d4

What does belonging to Jesus Christ actually mean and how does that transform our entire approach to life? In Romans 1:5-7, we discover a profound truth: the gospel saves and commissions us to live out and share it. I hope you're ready, my friend, as we are challenged to live out God's divine calling for our lives.

Jesus Followers “also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" While We Are Still Sinners MESSAGE SUMMARY: No one, including you, can separate you from the love of God. While we were and are still sinners, Jesus the Christ died for us. God loves you exactly where you are; God loves you no matter what you said about Him; and He loves you no matter what you have done. In Romans 5:8-11, Paul confirms God's unconditional love for us: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.".     TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Despair. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Joy. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Romans 6:23; John 17:1-26; John 5:24; Psalms 139b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Day of Pentecost – The Promise Fulfilled (All Saints Anglican Church; Peachtree City, GA)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In every great story, the hero has a guide—someone who awakens them to their calling, redefines who they are, and walks with them through the darkest valleys. In Romans 8, we meet the ultimate Guide: the Holy Spirit. He awakens us to the journey of faith, redefines our identity as beloved children of God, and walks with us every step of the way—through suffering, weakness, and even silence. He is not a distant force but a present Helper, a down payment of glory, and a faithful companion who will bring us safely home. Whether you feel stuck, weary, or just beginning to ask questions, this message invites you to listen for His voice and take the next step in the journey He's begun in you.Time:EveningMinister:Rev. Taylor KernTexts:Romans 8Belgic Confession: Article 24Series:The Three Pillars of the Christian Faith

Introduction: Leviticus 19:18 – You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:34 – You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. I Love My Enemies... (Matthew 5:43–48) ...because of WHO I AM. (Matt 5:45a) ...by WHAT I DO. (Matt 5:45b) ...because I Am CALLED TO BE DIFFERENT. (Matt 5:46–47) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:43-48What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What does it mean to be persecuted? When Jesus said we must pray for those who persecute us, what / how exactly should we pray?Can you genuinely love your enemy if you don't really feel like it? Why or why not?Explain Romans 12:20. How exactly does loving your enemy lead him to repentance? See also Romans 2:4.What did Jesus mean in verse 48 when He said we “must be perfect”?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open up those Bibles to Matthew chapter 5.As we go through our series, the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 5 verse 43, Jesussaid, "You have heard that it was said."Stop there for a second.This whole section that we're in right now, if you've been following this series at all,I'm sure you've noticed that that has come up.What is it like?Six total times pastor?Like, "You have heard that it was said, but I say to you."What Jesus is dealing with here is correcting some garbage beliefs.And I've shared with you before, that's my biggest concern for this church is the areaof discernment.We live in a day that there is so much bad teaching out there.And thanks to the Internet, we have access, right?And look, I'm not saying it's all bad, but I'm saying probably for every good teachingyou can find online, you can probably find ten other garbage teaching online.And my concern for the church is people not knowing the difference.And it gets back to what did Jesus actually say?It's the issue that He was dealing with in His day, lack of discernment.Last week we saw Jesus said, "You've heard that it was said, and I for an eye."And Jesus said, "No, no, no, no, no, no."Jesus, as I say to you, I'm paraphrasing, He says, "Do not retaliate."You can walk away from last week's message and say, "Got it.Don't retaliate."So I'm just going to ignore the people that I can't stand.Well, let's keep reading.Verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate yourenemy.'But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."Oh, no, no, don't ignore your enemies.You have to look for ways to be good to them.You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.You're saying that I not only don't get to get even with them, but I have to proactivelylove them?Yeah, that's what He said.All right?It's a hard word.So I think we should just stop and pray right now, shouldn't we?I'm going to ask that you would pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's word,accurately and clearly, and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what ourLord is teaching us in this part of His Sermon.All right?So let's pray.Father in heaven, as we go through this sermon from our Lord, it's just wave after wave ofthings that really confront our selfish, sinful, fleshly tendencies.And I don't know of one that's bigger than this one.I'm asking, please God, please, by the power of Your Word, Father, by the power of YourSpirit that You would change our minds today, Father, change our hearts and that we wouldn'tjust leave here knowing some things, but we leave here deeply convicted and moved to dosome things.For Your glory and honor, Father.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said, Amen.All right, let's break this down here.Jesus says in verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighborand hate your enemy.'"You have heard.You have heard.That's what we've seen in this series.The scribes and the Pharisees in Jesus' day did what's still happening today.They twist verses in the Word of God to justify whatever it is they want to justify.For them, Jesus called them out.They were justifying their lust.They were justifying their hatred.They were justifying their getting even with people.He calls them out again.You've heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."That's what the scribes and the Pharisees said.And you're like, "Well, was that in the Old Testament?"Well, the first part was, kind of.Here's what I mean.Here's what's actually in the Scripture.Leviticus 19-18.Look at this."You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but youshall love your neighbor as yourself.I am the Lord."So you see, with the way that they sort of restated that, they ran into four problems.Four problems.The first problem is the scribes and the Pharisees left out the "as yourself" part.Did you notice that?Well, I love my neighbor, but as myself, that's a bit too much.Let's keep it vague.Because if we keep love vague, then whatever we do, we can just say it was love, right?So keep it vague.God never kept it vague.That was their first problem.Second problem is the scribes and the Pharisees redefined neighbor.And their definition of neighbor was, "Those I choose to love."That was their definition.So do you realize...the reason I'm laughing is, do you realize what that made the command?God's command is, "Love those you choose to love."That's convenient.Third problem, the scribes and the Pharisees totally added the "hate your enemy" part,right?Totally added that.You're not going to find that anywhere in the Old Testament.My vague love is for my Jewish neighbors.What about the foreigners?Hate them.And that leads us actually to the fourth problem.Because that whole love your neighbor as yourself, that was in Leviticus 19, 18.But if you go down a few verses to verse 34, it says, "You shall treat the stranger whosojourns with you as the native among you.And you shall love him as yourself."For you are strangers in the land of Egypt.I am the Lord your God.See the scribes and the Pharisees, they thought that they were honoring God by hating foreigners.And we get asked this question a lot."Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait."In the Old Testament, didn't God tell the Israelites to exterminate the nations thatwere living in the Promised Land?And don't we have all these imprecatory psalms?Like what's up with that, huh?Well, it's like the eye for an eye thing that we talked about last week.The scribes and the Pharisees took a thing that was designed for Israel as a nation andthey turned it into a personal thing.So the whole exterminate the enemies in the Promised Land.Yeah, absolutely.Israel's wars weren't personal vendettas.They were commanded by God to wipe out those nations because those nations did horriblethings.And God says, "You are not going to pollute my nation Israel."So Israel, you're going to wipe them out.And if you have a hard time with that, I would just like to lovingly remind you that Godis allowed to make those calls because vengeance belongs to Him.Okay?And God's whole purpose in that was to protect Israel as a nation in that land.That's why when you turn to your New Testament, you don't see any imprecatory language inthe New Testament.It's for Israel.And individually, we're talking about personally now, what about the people that hate me?What about the people that are my enemies?Love them.Love them.Look at verse 44, Jesus says, "But I say to you," pretty clear, isn't it?Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.You see the whole loving your neighbor command includes everyone around you, including yourenemy.Now breaking this down, when He talks about enemy, He's talking about your personal enemy.Okay?It's not this collective group idea.It's somebody who personally hates me.And Jesus says our response is to love them.That's the word agape.That is the highest form of love.That's self-sacrificing love.That's the kind of love that we should have for our enemy.And the verb tense here is constant.It's continually.You need to continually love your enemies.And you're like, well, who is my enemy?Who is it that hates you?Who is it that you know that if you tried to call them, they wouldn't answer the phone?If you sent them a text, they wouldn't reply.Or vice versa?Who is it that has been slandering you, making accusations against you?Jesus says we not only love our enemies, but you notice He ratchets it up even more whenHe says pray for those who persecute you.Those who persecute you.Those are your worst enemies.Where Jesus is speaking about your enemies who they don't just hate you.They actively hate you.These are the people that make an effort to show you how much they hate you.And as we've been going through the Sermon on the Mount, we see that a true believerin Jesus Christ is someone who is defined by the Beatitudes.And if you were here for the Beatitudes here, do you remember what the last one was?The highest rung on the ladder of following Jesus Christ is when we're persecuted.And here's the part where we stop and ask, are we persecuted?Are we really persecuted?Because here's the thing.I think for a lot of us our knee-jerk reaction to that would be I'm not persecuted, but thereality is you probably are.But you just haven't realized it.Here's what I mean by that.Here's what I mean.Persecute doesn't just mean somebody physically attacks you.Somebody murders you.Somebody gets you arrested, thrown in jail.Yes, that is persecution, but those are the most graphic manifestations of persecution.The word "persecute" literally means to pursue.That's what it means.And listen, listen to this.Persecute means somebody is chasing after you to constantly criticize and condemn you.So I imagine most of you are being persecuted right now according to the true definitionof persecution.Think about it this way.Was Jesus persecuted?If you're like, "Oh yeah, when He was crucified."Of course!But He was persecuted His entire ministry because what were they constantly doing?The proper definition.They were constantly - read the Gospels.They were constantly pursuing Jesus.They were - how would we say it?They were out to get Him.That's what persecution means.I mean, read your Gospels.They were constantly looking to criticize Jesus and assaulting Jesus, accusing Jesus."You did this in the Sabbath and you shouldn't be doing healing this way and your disciplesdidn't wash your hands and what's up with the fasting?"They were constantly, constantly, constantly after Him.That's what persecution means.And if you really follow Jesus, you have people pursuing you in that way too.Don't shout out any names.But do you have somebody at your workplace, for example, that's always watching you,always looking to get their little remarks in, get their little digs in,always looking to criticize anything you say or anything you do.That's persecution according to the proper definition.They're pursuing you.Maybe you have that family member.Never approves of a thing you do.The bum just can't do anything right and they're always vocal about it.Getting their little shots in, their little passive aggressive comments, they're alwaysout to get you.That's persecution.Maybe it's on social media.You know anything you post.You know that person is going to show up with their snarky little comment.That's pursuing.That's persecution.Jesus says we need to pray for the people to do that to us.The people that are out to get you.Jesus said pray for them.So when was the last time you did that?I don't know about you but I have a list of people that I regularly pray for.When was the last time that you loved your enemy?And you're like, why in the world would I do that?Well let's keep reading.Jesus says in verse 45, "So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."Why would you love your enemy?Why would you pray for people that are constantly out to get you?It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.That's the sermon that our Lord gives.That you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.We just confess that so much of our lives, our attitudes, our moods are determined byother people, good or bad.People have a way of just like governing our lives.Here's what I mean.Your service, you go over to a giant eagle and you run into an old friend that you haven'tseen in years."Oh, that puts you in a good mood.Oh, it was so great catching up."That's going to put you in a good mood for the rest of the day, right?Or somebody makes a really jerky comment to you at work intentionally wanting to getunder your skin.Then that's just like wreck your day and you're in a bad mood for days over one jerky comment.And I would bet if you had a bad day last week, if you could point to a day last weekor like, "Oh, that was a bad day," I would be willing to bet that it had something todo with people.You're laughing because it's true.And Jesus here is saying, "My people don't react to people.My people act according to the Word of God."So let's unpack this for a few moments, shall we?When you're outlining, I want you to jot some things down.I love my enemies.Can you say that?You're like, "Not now."You will in a few minutes.I love my enemies.Number one, we already touched on this.We're going to drill a little deeper here.Number one, I love my enemies because of who I am.Look at this again.This is Jesus' whole rationale.Why would I love my enemies, Jesus?Lord, why would I pray for the people that are constantly out to get me?So that You may be sons of Your Father who is in heaven.This is where Jesus starts Your identity.You love Your enemies not because of who they are, but because of who You are.Jesus is in essence saying, "You love Your enemies because..."It's a family tradition in our family.You have family traditions.You have family traditions.You know what I mean?Every family has on brand things that they do, right?Like some families, they're like, "We're campers.We go camping."Yes, we have a house, but for a while we like to pretend that we don't.That's just what we do in our family.We live in a canvas enclosure in the wildlife.Okay, but that's your family thing.For some families, it's like, "We're beach people.We love the beach."Our family loves the beach.We love the beach.That's our family thing, right?Some families are sports families like, "Oh, we're baseball.We're a baseball family.We love the box and we're on the church softball team."And we're like, "We love baseball."Every family's got their thing, right?I mean, I remember growing up, our family.Our family had our thing.I remember when we were teenagers, Aaron actually came over to our house for Thanksgiving.And they had the stuffing out and the turkey and all the dressing and all that stuff.And I just remember our family was passing around the table a bag of funyons.And I just remember Aaron sitting there going, she looked like she saw a ghost.I'm like, "What's the matter?"She goes, "Why are you passing around a bag of funyons?It's Thanksgiving."And I'm just like, "What's Thanksgiving without funyons?"Like, "We're not the weird ones here."And then I got older and realized that we were.Every family's got their thing.That's what Jesus is saying here.Like, "Hey, hey, hey, we're in God's family."He said, "You know what we do in God's family?Do you know what we do?We love like God."And God loves His enemies.You're like, "Who are God's enemies?"Everyone.Do you realize that?Literally every single person on the planet is an enemy of God until they are reconciledto God in Jesus Christ.That's what Paul said in Romans 5, right?"If while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son."See that's the glorious reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.When you receive Jesus Christ by faith, when you believe that He died to take away yoursin, when you believe that He rose from the dead to give you eternal life, when you turnfrom your sin and receive Him, God changes you from an enemy of God to a child of God.And now we are a child still living among enemies of God, child of God.Ephesians 4, spilling over to Ephesians 5, says, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children."This is what we do in our family.We love like God.And as His children, we imitate our dad.Do you ever notice that kids love to imitate?Do you ever notice that?Kids loved to imitate adults.It was made painfully aware to me, oh, many, many years ago, a couple decades ago at thispoint we had foster kids.Before we had any of our own kids, we had foster kids.And I remember, one little boy, he was five years old, his name was Walter, and we'd beplaying the PlayStation.We were sitting there, playing the PlayStation, and look, I was a perfect gamer back in theday.But sometimes the stupid game would glitch or something, and my guy would get killed.And when that happened, I remember I'd put the controller down, and I'd be like, "Oh,for Pete's sake!"Well Walter would be playing video games with me, and I remember he'd be playing a videogame, and he'd just randomly throw his controller down and go, "Your pee stinks!"Like no, no, no, no, no, no.No, it's for Pete's sake.But he was...It never clicked with him.He was constantly commenting on the smell of urine.Your pee stinks.Why did he do that?He was just imitating me.Right?Kids love to do that.And as a child of God, we naturally, we supernaturally want to imitate him.So when that guy at work is constantly out to get you, and you love him, and you repayhis nastiness with kindness, and then somebody else comes in and says, "Well, what are youdoing?You love that guy?That guy's a real jerk to you!"And your response says, "Yeah, I get that from my dad."You see, I see people as dad-season.Lost.Blind.Slave to sin.Heading to hell.You know what my heavenly dad taught me?He taught me that I don't need to retaliate.And my heavenly father taught me I don't need to ignore them.My heavenly father taught me that people like that need compassion.And I know right now somebody's thinking, "Yeah, I love your enemies.I see it.I hear it.Pastor Jeff, you don't know what this person said to me.You don't know the horrible things that they said to my face.You don't know the horrible things they said behind my back.Pastor Jeff, you don't know this person for years has been just out to get me."Look.You're right.They don't deserve it.You're right.They've been miserable.But you, you love them not because of who they are, but because of who you are.You're a child of God.And your heavenly father, he loves his enemies.Right?So I love my enemies because of who I am.Secondly, number two, write this one down.I love my enemies by what I do.I love my enemies by what I do.And you might be sitting here going, "Ah, yeah, this love your enemy thing.I ain't feeling it.I ain't feeling it."And I would say, "That's okay.You don't have to feel it."But you do have to do it.Because look, when the Bible talks about love, agape love, it's not an emotion.Listen, you don't have to like them.But you do have to love them.And biblically, love is an action.Here's what I mean.Love is an action.First, John 5.3 says, "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments."Jesus said the same thing.What is it?John 14, 15.Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."John 15, Jesus said, "Abiding in Him is keeping His commandments."Notice the Bible never calls us to stir up some kind of emotion.Loving God is a choice.And yes, we worship God with our emotions in song and worship, yes, but that is thefruit of a choice to love God.The proof that you love God isn't based on your feelings.The proof that you love God according to our Lord is based on your actions.And listen, church, love works the same way with your enemies.You are not called to love your enemies by conjuring up gushy feelings.You're called to love them by your actions.You're called to love them by actively blessing them.Why?Because that's what God does.Look at verse 45, the rest of it.He says, "For He makes His Son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on thejust and on the unjust."God is so kind to sinners.Did you ever stop and think about that?Have you ever stopped to just marvel at the glorious truth that somebody can live theirentire life and completely ignore God?And they can still have a pretty good life on the earth.Isn't that astounding?Isn't it amazing that somebody can live their entire life hating God, speaking against God,speaking against God's people, speaking against God's truth.They can live their whole life and do that, and they can still have a good life on theearth.In God's kindness, He still lets them have sun and rain and a million other good things.You can hate God, still have food and friends and laughter and family and health.And yeah, the heart hearted may refuse to be thankful or acknowledge this, but regardless,God does it anyways.God's kindness says little about them, but it says much about Him.And Jesus says, "Take note, children of God, you show love for your enemies by what youdo for them.You show love for enemies by actively seeking their good."Like, well, what does that look like, Pastor Jeff?What does that look like?Okay, so you've got a nasty, older family member who's always hated you.Go do your yard work.You got a jerk co-worker always looking to get their little shots in on you?Look for ways to sincerely and genuinely compliment their work.You got a nasty neighbor?Find out what they like and treat them.Hey, I saw your garden, and the other day I was at the store and I saw that there wasthis magazine about gardening, and I picked it up for you.I thought you might be interested.I don't know.Just get on your face and ask God to show you how you can show kindness to your enemy.Romans 12.20, Paul quotes from Proverbs 25.He says if your enemy is hungry, feed them.If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.For by so doing, you will heat burning coals on his head.When I was a young Christian, when I read this, I had this idea that if you do goodto people that aren't good to you, like if you meet their needs, they're going to havethis like mini Sodom and Gomorrah experience on their head.Like I'm going to be nice to you, and it's going to rain lava on your head.I'm burning!Like that will show them.And then I learned that that's not what that means at all.It was actually an Egyptian symbol that they would put hot coals in an insulated pot andcarried around on their head.It was a sign of repentance.See, Israel had the sackcloth and ashes.Israel had the pot of coals on their head.And that's what God's Word is driving us to.Because no one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian matched their pettiness.No one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian just flat-out ignored them.It's kindness that leads to repentance according to Romans 2-4.Show love to them.Actively show love to them.Why would I do that?Because it's not about who they are.It's about who you are.And one more.I love my enemies because of who I am by what I do.In Romans 2-3 we get to another because I love my enemies because I'm called to be different.Look at verses 46 and 47.Jesus says, "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?Do not even the tax collectors do the same?And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doingthan others?Do not even the Gentiles do the same?Stop there.If you're like, "You know what?I love the people that I like.I love the people that I like."Well, then you do what people who don't even know Jesus do.And our Lord here is saying, "What's so special about that?"Oh, so you think you're great because you do what's normal.Well hang on a second.Let me shine up your participation trophy.Why is it that we want applause for doing what's expected?Here's an example.Well Aaron and I, we always look at each other and kind of laugh.When we hear a dad say, "Yeah, I had a baby sit my kids last Monday."Do you hear somebody say that?You're not going to say it anymore.I had a baby sit my kids last Monday.I believe that's called being a father.You didn't baby sit your kids.What did your wife pay you $10 an hour?Like look, I'm not giving you a cookie because you did what was expected.That's what our Lord is saying here.You're expected to be different because Christians have something that no one else in the worldhas.Do you know what that is?Like the Bible?Not everybody has that.Like compassion?No, a lot of people have that.Christians have something that nobody else in the world has.You know what that is?God living in them.In other words, you should be different.I mean, anybody can go one mile.That was the law.That's expected.Anyone can give up a shirt that they lost legally in a lawsuit.That's expected.And here our Lord is saying, "Anybody can say hi to their friends."That's expected.But God expects and empowers us to do more, to be like Him.So do you do what the world expects?Or do you do what God expects because God's called you to be different than the world?Do you have a heart like God?We'll find out.We'll find out because it's revealed not in how you treat your friends, it's revealedin how you treat your enemies.You love them.Not because of who they are, but because of who you are.Oh yeah, there's one more verse.One of the most deeply convicting and challenging verses in the whole Bible.Jesus says, "You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."In the context of this teaching, obviously, he's talking about the way we love, right?You must love perfectly the way your heavenly Father loves perfectly.That's what Jesus is saying here.And look, you and I, we look at that verse and we say, "I failed.I failed."We all have.And actually, remembering the beatitudes, step one and two of the beatitudes was recognizingthat you failed.And you're like, "Man, I'll never be perfect."But God says you must be perfect.You know what that means?It means I always have room to grow.And today we're talking about loving your enemies.And maybe right now you're saying, "You know, I knew that.I knew that, but today I'm encountered by this calling in a fresh way and I realizenow I need to grow.I want to grow in this area."It's grace.It's grace.God has made us perfectly righteous in Jesus Christ.God has adopted us as His children, and He is constantly changing us.We don't deserve anything, but God has given us everything, even though we were His enemies.It's grace.You get that?Then like your Father, give it.In just a moment, we're going to be gathering around the Lord's table as a church.And it is the Lord's table that reminds us that we are grace people.Because in essence, what we are remembering, what we are celebrating, what we are declaringwhen we take the Lord's supper together is the Lord is saying, "I saved you."Not because of who you are, but because of who I am.

by Elder Chris McCool, Pastor (preached on May 25, 2025) In Romans 8, Paul opens the chapter with the glorious declaration that there is therefore NOW no condemnation to those who are “in Christ Jesus.” That phrase “in Christ Jesus” refers to our condition as regenerated children of God, and NOT to our conduct. Because...

"Baptism is not just about eternal life but about walking into the newness of life that is eternal". In Romans chapter 8 Paul discusses the beauty and power of our new life in Christ. Habits, flaws and sins of the past are buried in baptism. Take a listen to find out more good news.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 25-27; Romans 15 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode—June 3rd, 2025—your host Hunter guides us through day 154 of our journey through the Bible. We dive into Proverbs 25-27 and Romans 15, reading from the New Living Translation, and seek God's wisdom for our lives. Hunter reflects on the power of scripture, reminding us that the Bible's purpose is not to be worshipped, but to point us to Jesus—the living Word and the source of hope and encouragement. As we listen, we explore Paul's call for Christians to grow in harmony, love, and joy—not getting lost in religious disputes, but focusing on a kingdom life marked by peace, patience, and service to others. Hunter leads with heartfelt prayer, encouraging us to be vessels of love and unity in a divided world. So settle in for another rich time in God's Word as together we let scripture shape our hearts, our hope, and our journey of faith. TODAY'S DEVOTION: The scriptures teach us and give us hope and encouragement. I typically spend a little time at the start of each podcast referencing the role that the scriptures play in our lives. And I do this because there's a danger of Christians worshiping their Bible rather than worshiping God. The Bible is not the savior of the world. Jesus is. And here, Paul gives us a description of some of what the Bible is doing in the life of the Christian. In Romans, Paul writes, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us, and the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.” So what is it the Bible is doing? It's not only teaching us, but igniting in us hope and encouragement as we walk through this life, as we wait for the fullness of what God has promised. And more specifically, Paul says that God gives this patience and encouragement and helps us live in complete harmony with one another. So it is God—the giver of hope and encouragement—who is working in us through the Scriptures, shaping us to look more like Jesus. The Scriptures, when we approach them with open hearts, direct us to the Living Word, to Christ himself, our source of life. What was Paul waiting patiently for? If we look back, Paul's prayer was that the church—those first followers and us today—would come to know that the kingdom of God is not about rules or regulations or arguments over food and drink, but about a life marked by goodness, peace, and joy in the Spirit. The early church was getting lost in religious arguments, and missing the point: they were missing Christ. Paul isn't discouraged, though. He continues to pray, to point them to the Bible, and so encourages their hearts, that their lives might reflect what the kingdom of God is truly like. God's invitation is to something far bigger than religious questions or cultural debates. The kingdom life is an invitation to goodness, to peace, to joy. It's a life marked by healing, service, and love, even for our enemies. This kingdom life, lived in us and through us, puts Jesus on display. The motivation in this new life isn't fear; it's love, because God's Spirit makes it possible. So, may we be taught today. May we receive hope and encouragement today. May our vision of God's kingdom expand, and our patience deepen as we trust that the best is yet to come. My prayer today—for myself, for my family, and for you—is that we would see it, trust it, and live it out with hope, patience, and courage. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Loving God, you have knit us together in the body of Christ from every nation and tongue. Make us a vessel of your peace today. Where hatred stirs, let us bear your love. Where wounds run deep, let us be agents of pardon. Where fear grips hearts, may we speak faith. Where sorrow hangs heavy, may we carry joy. Teach us to listen more than we speak, to understand before we are understood, to love. For in surrender, we find abundance. In mercy, we discover grace. And in dying, we rise into your life. In the name of Jesus. Amen. And now as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

“Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.” (1 Timothy 1:19 NLT) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, was a bit of a practical joker. One day, he jotted notes to twelve of his friends and sent them off with no name signed to them. On the notes he wrote these words: “Flee at once—all is discovered.” Within twenty-four hours, all twelve of the people who received the notes had left the country. Doyle got a big laugh out of showing what happens when people have guilty consciences. Your conscience may be the most overlooked part of you. If you did a quick online search, you’d find hundreds of articles and tips for keeping your heart healthy. Or improving your memory. Or protecting your skin. Or taking care of other important parts of your body. But what about your conscience? The apostle Paul emphasized its importance when he gave this advice to Timothy for choosing deacons: “They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience” (1 Timothy 3:9 NLT). Everyone has a conscience. In Romans 2:14–15, Paul said, “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right” (NLT). Not everyone appreciates their conscience. Some people treat it like a nagging companion who always starts complaining just when things begin to get fun. They learn to ignore or disable it. And that’s a huge mistake. Paul warned in 1 Timothy 4:2 about people whose “consciences are dead” (NLT). Your conscience is actually one of the most valuable gifts God has given you. You don’t have to guess at what’s right or wrong. You can sense it, deep in your heart, thanks to your God-given conscience. Let’s look at one more warning from Paul to Timothy: “Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked” (1 Timothy 1:19 NLT). Many believers spend a lot of time trying to discover God’s will for their lives. But in most cases, it’s not a one-time reveal. It’s the dozens of daily decisions we make that bring us closer to Him. Every day we’re given choices to do right or wrong. Every time we choose to do right, to obey God—using our conscience—we grow closer to Him. The closer we are to Him, the better we can see the doors He opens and closes. The closer we are to Him, the better we can sense His leading in key situations. The closer we are to Him, the better we can recognize His hand in the events around us. If you want to discover God’s will for your life, stay close to Him and keep your conscience clear. Reflection question: What can you do to keep your conscience performing at a high level? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 2 of this series of the Alex McFarland Show, Alex discusses the confusions in the world today regarding worldviews and what God's word says about it. In Romans 12:2 it states that we should not be conformed to this world but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. God has built into each one of us the capacity to know Him. Listen as he shares the truth of the gospel that is so absolute and definitive.Scriptures:Romans 12:2John 31 John 4:12 Peter 1:19-21Jude 1:22Genesis chapters 1-3Luke 16Acts 282 Corinthians 4:4Alex McFarland WebsiteAsk AlexMy Relationship with God Free e-bookApologetics Core Truths e-book: Free DownloadConversations that Matter - Dr. Gary Chapman31 Days of Prayer for AmericaEquip Retreat CampsThe Cove - July 18th-20th, 2025 & July 28th-Aug 1st, 2025Speaking EventsBook AlexGive OnlineAlex McFarland MinistriesP.O. Box 485Pleasant Garden, NC 273131-877-937-4631 (1-877-YES-GOD1)Keywords/Hashtags:#podcast #pfcaudiovideo #thealexmcfarlandshow #alexmcfarland #podcastcommunity #Bible #author #apologist #speaker #christians #wordofGod #apologetics #religion #prayer #truth #scriptures #alexmcfarlandministries #Jesuslovesyou #youareneveralone #encouragement #purpose #christianity #truth #biblicalworldview #battleofworldviews #America #moraltruthSend us a text

In Romans 11, Paul tackles the question of whether God has given up on His people, Israel. His answer is a clear “No way!” Even when things seem tough, God always has a group of people who stay faithful to Him. This reminds us that, no matter what we're going through, God is still working through those who keep their faith, and we're invited to be part of that group.   Even though many in Israel rejected Jesus, God used that to open up the door of salvation to everyone else, including us. We're part of God's family, not because we've earned it, but because of His grace. We've been brought into the family through faith in Jesus, and that's all a gift from God.   Listen in as we continue through our series on Romans with "Grafted by Grace." We learn how God's grace should humble us, lead us to worship, and inspire us to share God's love with the people around us.  

Man has a natural inclination to believe (if they believe in God) that God is gracious on the basis of something in them. This is our native disposition, even if converted and born again: that God is gracious to me because of something in me. At that point, however, we deny the graciousness of God. We begin to make contracts with God. If I do (fill in the blank), then God will be more gracious to me. And God is not gracious to others because of something in them. Paul says (this is my paraphrase), “That is not grace!” And he uncovers for us what I believe to be the most humbling and most wonderful of all truths in Scripture. That the only way of salvation is by grace. There is no other way. No other way in the Old Testament or the New Testament. I pray you will join us this weekend. In Romans 11 Paul continues to address God’s purposes with the nation of Israel, but as he does, he will draw out principles that are relevant to all of us. Make plans today to be part of one of our weekend services as we worship the God who “abounds in riches for all who will call upon Him.” — Pastor Chad McDonald

Grace is often misunderstood as permission to sin when it's actually God's power to free us from sin's grip. In Romans 6, Paul addresses this misconception head-on, emphasizing that followers of Jesus have died to sin and shouldn't continue living in it. Our identity as Christians means we have a new spiritual nature, though we must intentionally choose to live from it daily rather than defaulting to our old sinful patterns. To experience freedom from sin, we must make three key decisions: embrace our identity in Christ as our primary identity, choose God as our ruler by offering every part of ourselves to Him, and understand true freedom as liberation from sin rather than license to sin. When we offer our attention, affections, actions, resources, and time to God as instruments of righteousness, we experience the freedom He intends. Sin only leads to enslavement, death, and shame, while God's gift leads to righteousness, holiness, and eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have you ever wanted to do the right thing but still found yourself falling short? In Romans 7, Paul reminds us that we're not alone in that struggle—the battle between our intentions and our actions is real. This message speaks to the tension we all feel and points us to the only one who can rescue us from it: Jesus. Even when we don't get it right, His grace is still greater.

What breaks your heart the way Paul's heart broke for the lost? In Romans 9:1–3, Paul reveals a deep, painful burden for his own people who are cut off from Christ — a burden so heavy he says he'd give up his own salvation if it meant they'd be saved. This message calls us to examine whether we share God's heart for the lost, both near and far, and challenges us to take action, pray fervently, and join the work of making disciples among the least reached peoples of the world.

Man has a natural inclination to believe (if they believe in God) that God is gracious on the basis of something in them. This is our native disposition, even if converted and born again: that God is gracious to me because of something in me. At that point, however, we deny the graciousness of God. We begin to make contracts with God. If I do (fill in the blank), then God will be more gracious to me. And God is not gracious to others because of something in them. Paul says (this is my paraphrase), “That is not grace!” And he uncovers for us what I believe to be the most humbling and most wonderful of all truths in Scripture. That the only way of salvation is by grace. There is no other way. No other way in the Old Testament or the New Testament. I pray you will join us this weekend. In Romans 11 Paul continues to address God’s purposes with the nation of Israel, but as he does, he will draw out principles that are relevant to all of us. Make plans today to be part of one of our weekend services as we worship the God who “abounds in riches for all who will call upon Him.” — Pastor Chad McDonald

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 16-18; Romans 12 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On today's episode, host Hunter invites you to join him for Day 152 of our journey through the Bible. Together, we'll explore Proverbs 16–18 and Romans 12, taking a close look at the wisdom and practical guidance these scriptures offer for daily living. Hunter guides us to let the Bible direct our hearts toward Christ, the living Word, and shares reflections on how wisdom's warnings and God's transforming power can shape our character from the inside out. After our scripture readings, we move into a time of meditation and heartfelt prayer, asking God for guidance, transformation, and peace in our lives and in the world. So settle in with us, open your heart to God's Word, and be reminded today that you are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Wisdom's warnings—prescription for the soul. As we journey through today's passages in Proverbs and Romans, we encounter repeated invitations from wisdom. Sometimes wisdom's message is direct: don't. In Romans 12, we are told plainly—don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but instead, let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. It is more than a surface-level imitation, more than a false front pasted on an old way of living. The wisdom here invites us to deep transformation, to discover the true life that is hidden with God in Christ. There is warning—and there is invitation. Wisdom's warnings are not merely prohibitions, but a prescription for living whole and flourishing lives. Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. It's not just a matter of what not to do, but what we are now able to do in the power and life of Christ. He has overcome—he shows us the way—and through him, we too can overcome whatever evil or struggle presses in on our hearts. Maybe that evil is resentment, pride, unforgiveness, or the constant craving to be recognized. Wisdom calls us: don't let these things conquer you. Instead, let the power of Christ conquer them in you by doing good. Let God change the way you think—renew your mind daily through his Word. Let it be more than a rule or a warning, but a pathway inviting you into transformation from the inside out. With God's Spirit working in us, we can forgive, we can love genuinely, we can serve with gladness, and we can know who we truly are in Christ. God is not simply calling us to avoid the way of the world, but to step forward in the strength, love, and power of Christ, who already has overcome. Today, heed the warnings of wisdom, but don't stop there—embrace the invitation. Let God's Word transform you. Take every opportunity to do the good He sets before you. Allow him to show you who you are, and live out that reality for the sake of his kingdom. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord of heaven and earth, you have awakened us in your mercy once more. Still our anxious minds. Quiet our striving hearts, and help us to rest in the knowledge that we are held by you. May we walk in step with your spirit today, not ahead, not behind, but beside you in trust and love through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen. Oh, god of all peoples, you formed every soul in your image and breathe life into every heart. Open the eyes of the nations. Soften hearts grown cold, and teach us to live as neighbors and friends. Let your spirit move in power. Renew the face of the earth and usher in your reign of peace. Amen. And now, lord, let me be a bearer of your peace where voices divide. Let me speak grace. Where fear takes root, let me plant trust. Where the world rushes on, let me walk with you. May I seek not to climb, but to kneel, not to win, but to love, not to grasp, but to give. For it is in emptying that we are filled, in surrender that we are strengthened, and in union with you that we find our truest joy. Amen. And now as our lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.” (Ephesians 2:1 NLT) Sin is a difficult concept for many unbelievers to grasp. To be more specific, it’s a difficult concept for many unbelievers to accept. They prefer to think of themselves as decent human beings with a good heart. They know they’re far from perfect, of course, but who isn’t? Compared to certain people, they’re practically angels. Or so the justification goes. The Bible has a different take. In Romans 3:23, the apostle Paul writes, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (NLT). In Ephesians 2:1 he writes, “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins” (NLT). And in 1 John 1:8, 10, the apostle John writes, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. . . . If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts” (NLT). Two points are made clear in these passages. The first is that sin is a universal condition. No one is unstained by it. The second is that sin means to miss the mark, to fall short of God’s perfect standard. Jesus says in Matthew 5:48, “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (NLT). Imagine that you and I are competing in an archery contest. We each have ten arrows. You fire all ten of your arrows into the target, but never hit the bullseye. You get close to it, but not close enough to count. I fire all ten of my arrows, and not one of them comes close to the target. I hit a tree, a cow, a bystander, and a passing car, among other things. Maybe I did worse than you, but if the standard is perfection, the result is the same for both of us. We missed the mark. In terms of sin, we’re both guilty. Because God is holy and just, He demands the ultimate punishment for sin—that is, death. But because He loves us, He sent His Son to take that punishment in our place. Jesus did what we couldn’t do. He lived a sinless life. He satisfied God’s perfect standard. So He became the perfect sacrifice for us. God punished Him for our sins so that we might have eternal life. Acknowledging our sin is the first step in receiving God’s amazing gift. We did nothing to deserve God’s mercy and salvation, but if we accept Christ as Savior and Lord, we receive His righteousness. So when God looks at us, He no longer sees the sin that separates us from Him. He sees the righteousness of His Son. Jesus destroyed the power of sin over us. Paul wrote, “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6 NLT). We now have the power over our desires and impulses. And we can celebrate the life-changing truth of verse 11: “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus” (NLT). Reflection Question: What does it mean to you that you are no longer controlled by sin?Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Romans 2:4, Paul writes, “Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” What a powerful reminder that even when we fail, especially when we fail, God's grace invites us back. He doesn't lead with condemnation, but with compassion.That truth has everything to do with our financial lives.Yes, God Cares About MoneyIt's easy to think God isn't concerned with something as “earthly” as money. But Scripture tells a different story. There are over 2,300 verses dealing with money and possessions. Why? Because how we handle money reveals what we value, trust, and believe about God.And just like any other area of our lives, when we fall short financially, whether through poor choices or sinful patterns, we're invited to bring those failures to the Lord in repentance.Grace for Financial FailuresWhen we confess our financial sins, we don't encounter a cold, condemning judge. We meet a loving Father, ready to forgive and restore. No financial mistake is too big for the Cross. Christ paid for every one of them.Take Zacchaeus, for example. The chief tax collector of Jericho was known for financial exploitation. But after one encounter with Jesus in Luke 19, everything changed. His repentance was visible: He gave half his possessions to the poor and repaid those he had wronged four times over. Jesus didn't demand this—grace compelled it. Zacchaeus didn't earn salvation by generosity; his giving revealed a heart transformed by it.We're invited to that same transformation.Financial Sins Worth Repenting OfYou might be wondering, What financial sins should I bring before the Lord? Here are a few worth reflecting on:1. Forgetting God Owns It AllWe are stewards, not owners. Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us that God gives us the ability to produce wealth. When we forget that, we risk idolizing what we've earned instead of worshiping the One who provides.2. Dishonesty in Financial DealingsCutting corners, misrepresenting the truth, or taking advantage of others damages our witness. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 8:21, “We aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.”3. Withholding GenerosityProverbs 11:24 warns that stinginess can actually lead to lack. A lack of generosity can reveal misplaced trust in wealth instead of God.4. Neglecting Diligent WorkWork isn't a punishment—it's a calling. Proverbs 14:23 says, “In all toil there is profit.” Laziness, or lack of engagement with our work, hinders our ability to live out God's purposes.5. Living Beyond Our MeansChronic overspending leads to stress and debt. Proverbs 22:7 says, “The borrower is slave to the lender.” Contentment honors God's provision.6. Coveting Others' WealthEnvy skews our perspective and sows discontentment. Exodus 20:17 calls us to guard our hearts from coveting what others have.Repentance That Leads to RestorationIf any of these hit close to home, remember this: conviction is not the same as condemnation. The goal of repentance is restoration, not shame. God is not asking for perfection—He's asking for surrender.When we confess, He forgives. And in His kindness, He leads us into new patterns of faithfulness marked by integrity, generosity, and wisdom.So wherever you are today—whether gathered with family, enjoying the day off, or reflecting quietly—take a moment to consider how God's kindness might be calling you back in your financial life.Ask Him to search your heart. Repent of anything that's not aligned with His will. And trust that He will meet you with mercy and guide you forward in grace. Because when we place even our financial story in His hands, it becomes a testimony of His faithfulness.And that, friend, is true freedom.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I want to know how to invest my Roth IRA funds. I have a large account with a private custodian in a checkbook LLC, and right now it's just sitting in a bank account, which is shrinking because of inflation. I just want to keep up with inflation. I'm 70 years old and want to invest $30,000 wisely. After financial challenges, I want to create a safety net for my family and 15 grandkids. I don't know much about investing and need advice on what to do with my money.Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Schwab Intelligent Portfolios | BettermentSound Mind Investing (SMI)Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money (Pre-Order)Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

In Romans 2:4, Paul reminds us that it’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. What a gift—that even in our failures, God invites us back with grace, not condemnation. On today's Faith & Finance Live, Rob West will talk about what God’s grace—that He extends to us so freely—means for our financial lives. Then he’ll answer some financial questions. Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.To learn more about Rob West, click here.To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes we make faith more complicated than it needs to be. But the truth is simple: Jesus alone saves when we repent and believe. You don't have to earn God's love by being good enough. In fact, trying to earn it can actually get in the way. The Gospel isn't about what we do for God. It's about what God has already done for us through Jesus. And it all starts with prayer. In Romans 10, Paul begins by praying for people to know Jesus, not just to live better lives, but to experience real salvation. That's our call too. Keep praying. You never know how God is working behind the scenes. Tune in to this week's message as we see that God invites us to be part of His rescue mission. It starts with building real, meaningful relationships, living as a witness to the power of Jesus in your own life, and inviting people to church. Because we all need the hope that only He provides.

Those who have been justified through faith in Christ are being sanctified, but still have the remnants of sinful corruption in their flesh until they are glorified. In Romans 7:13-25, Paul details his experience of the Christian life to teach the Romans and all Christians to endure the struggle for sanctification, knowing that the outcome is secure because God has accomplished deliverance of the most wretched of sinners from their body of death through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chron 9; Rom 6 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this May 25th, join Heather as we gather together on day 145 of our journey through the scriptures. Today's episode takes us through the grandeur and wisdom of King Solomon—his unforgettable encounter with the Queen of Sheba, the height of his wealth, and ultimately, the choices that turned his heart away from God. Our readings span 1 Kings 10–11, 2 Chronicles 9, and culminate in Romans 6, where we're reminded of the freedom found in Christ and the call to live as new creations, no longer slaves to sin. Together, let's seek the illumination of the Holy Spirit, warm our hearts by the fire of God's love, and remember: you are deeply loved. Grab your Bible and join us as Heather leads us in scripture, reflection, and prayer—right here on the Daily Radio Bible. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Well, now you are free. Did you hear Paul clearly say it? In Romans 6:22, he declares, "Now you are free." Free from the power of sin. And yet, as Paul says, you have become a slave—not to sin, but to God. United to him by the work of Christ, because of what Christ has done for us, because of the Spirit of Christ that now dwells in us, empowering us, awakening us to who we truly are in Jesus. We become a new creation, a new person, a free person, no longer a slave to sin, no longer imprisoned by our past, by those inclinations and habits that once held us so tightly. We are free. This freedom is not just a concept, but a living reality that we are called to inhabit. We can learn, perhaps slowly, day by day, to live into the truth of our freedom, to exercise our freedom to be what we now are—a person rooted in God's love, a person set apart to live for him. That is the journey and the invitation of discipleship. It begins with the truth: our union with God, this new reality accomplished by Christ and now alive within us. We are free—absolutely, eternally, irrevocably free. Free to live as God has always intended for us, in him, forever. May we see ourselves as we truly are—no longer defined by our sin, but by his glory and grace. Free to love, free to serve, free to live lives marked by the fruit of the Spirit. This is the good news. This is our call and our strength for today. That's a prayer I have for my own heart, for my family, and for you. May we embrace this new life and walk in the freedom Christ has purchased for us. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord, God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you. Bring the nations into your fold. Pour out your spirit on all flesh and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And now, Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy. O Lord, grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

We are coming to a text in God's word that is full of controversy and resistance. But we should not be surprised by this because of what the apostle Paul declared earlier in Romans 1. In Romans 1:21 we learn that when we do not honor God and give him thanks then we will become […] The post The Corruption Without the Gospel (Romans 1:24-27) appeared first on Biblical Truths from West Palm Beach church of Christ.

It's Thursday, May 22nd, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Pakistani Muslim man abducted, forcibly converted, and “married” Christian teen A Christian 15-year-old girl in Pakistan reunited with her parents yesterday after being abducted five months ago. A 29-year-old Muslim man, Muhammad Anees, kidnapped her with four other men from her aunt's home, forcibly converted her to Islam, and married her. The girl suffered abuse for months and is now pregnant.  Attorney Hanif Hameed told Morning Star News, “This is a clear case of false conversion and fake marriage to cover the crime of abduction and rape.” Sadly, such cases are increasing in the South Asian country. Pakistan is ranked eighth on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.  Billy Graham Association to host evangelism meeting in Germany The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is hosting the largest meeting on evangelism in 25 years in Berlin, Germany later this month. It's the same location that Rev. Billy Graham held the first World Congress on Evangelism in 1966. Evangelist Franklin Graham is focusing the upcoming event on the church in Europe. Listen to his comments to CBN News. GRAHAM: “We want to ignite a fire in Europe to where there's an excitement for evangelism and the churches are willing to be bold and not ashamed of the Gospel. “We've got Ukrainian churches coming. We have churches coming from Russia. You know, some say, ‘These countries are at war.'  Yes, they are, but the Gospel is more powerful than any of that stuff.” In Romans 1:16, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” Trump announces “Golden Dome” missile defense system U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans for a $175 billion missile defense system on Tuesday. U.S. Space Force General Michael Guetlein is leading the project, known as the “Golden Dome.”  Trump said the system should be completed in about three years. Defunding Planned Parenthood remains in Trump's budget bill A handful of conservative Republicans, who hesitated to support Trump's “big, beautiful bill,” appear ready to support the massive package after a furious pressure campaign from President Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, reports The Hill. After meeting with Trump at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, and then huddling together afterward on Capitol Hill, the members of the conservative Freedom Caucus emerged to say they're on the cusp of supporting the package — if a laundry list of changes promised by the White House is reflected in the final proposal. Their newfound enthusiasm appears to stem from assurances Trump and Johnson made during the White House meeting, including a promise from the president to issue more executive orders addressing some of the spending concerns the conservatives couldn't secure in the legislation, and expanding the rollback of green energy tax credits enacted in the Democrats' 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.  The bill seeks to deliver on Trump's key campaign promises, including making permanent Trump's 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips.  And, thanks in part to the calls of Worldview listeners, the defunding of Planned Parenthood remains in the bill. Court: Florida should require parental consent for a minor's abortion Last Friday, a federal appeals court ruled against a Florida law that allows minors to get abortions without parental consent. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Fifth District Court of Appeals ruled that the law was unconstitutional and violated parental rights. The decision stated, “Whatever asserted constitutional abortion rights may have justified Florida's [law] in the past unequivocally have been repudiated by both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Florida Supreme Court.” Married, employed, church-attending people happier Harvard University recently published their Global Flourishing Study which surveyed 200,000 people across 22 countries over the past five years. The study found people experienced higher levels of wellbeing when married, employed, and attending religious services. Professor Tyler VanderWeele led the research. He noted, “Religious service attendance was one of the factors most consistently associated with present or subsequent wellbeing, across countries and across outcomes.” Anniversary of First Council of Nicaea And finally, this month marks the anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, 1,700 years ago. In May A.D. 325, about 300 Christian leaders convened in the city of Nicaea, located in modern-day Turkey.  The council dealt with the doctrine of the Trinity. In particular, the church at the time had to refute the heresy of Arianism, which denied that Jesus is fully and eternally divine.  The council went on to affirm the Trinity and Christ as fully God in the Nicene Creed. It is recited by churches worldwide to this day.  The creed affirms there is “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by Whom all things were made.” John 1:1 and 4 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, May 22nd, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In Romans 8:11 we see that if you are in Christ, then the Spirit who raised Jesus lives in you, empowering you to do God's will.

In Romans 10, Paul emphasizes the necessity of sharing the gospel for faith and salvation, stating all must hear to believe. The devotional encourages individuals to reflect on opportunities to share their personal experiences of Christ's love. It highlights that even small acts can lead others to find hope in Jesus.

In Romans 1:18-20 the apostle Paul has made a very important point regarding the gospel. No one has an excuse before God. There is no one in the world that can say on the day of judgment that they are excused from knowing God. Why? The reason why all are without excuse is because God […] The post The Exchange of the Gospel (Romans 1:21-25) appeared first on Biblical Truths from West Palm Beach church of Christ.

Wednesday, 14 May 2025   And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Matthew 10:7   “And going, you proclaim, saying that ‘It has neared – the kingdom of the heavens'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told His twelve to specifically go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Next, He instructs them, “And going, you proclaim, saying.”   Jesus uses the same word that has been used several times already, kérussó. It signifies to proclaim or herald an announcement. HELPS Word Studies says of it, “bringing eternal accountability to all who hear it.”   Consider it! Jesus is sending His chosen twelve out among the people of Israel. He has already been conducting His ministry for some amount of time, but the harvest field is so ready for reaping that He has decided to send forth those who have followed Him and learned from Him to expand the process. What words will He ask them to proclaim? The answer is “that ‘It has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.'”   In Matthew 3:2, the first recorded words of John the Baptist were, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!” Likewise, in Matthew's gospel, after His baptism and temptation, the first words of Jesus' ministry to the people were, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!”   Now Jesus instructs these disciples to likewise tell the people that the kingdom of the heavens has neared. In each instance, there is the anticipation that a great change in the economy and focus of God's redemptive plans is set to take place.   This is just the beginning of the instruction to these men. In Luke 9, there is a complementary account of Jesus' instructions to the twelve. That is followed in Luke 10 with Jesus sending out seventy more to continue the proclamation throughout Israel.   Life application: A common question that arises concerns the terms “kingdom of the heaven(s),” and “kingdom of God.” The words are certainly used interchangeably at times. For example, Jesus says that the kingdom of God is the kingdom of the heavens in Matthew 19 –   “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'”  Matthew 19:23, 24   In those two verses, which are given in parallelism, He is clearly indicating that they are the same thing. The term kingdom of the heaven(s) is not used in the epistles. Rather, they refer to the kingdom of God. However, Paul does say that the Lord would deliver him and preserve him for His heavenly kingdom.   As such, there is certainly overlap in the thought. At times, however, it is clear that the promised kingdom to Israel is a literal earthly kingdom. This is how the disciples understood it when asking Him about the restoration of the kingdom in Acts 1:6.   The best approach to understanding the idea of a kingdom, then, is to check the surrounding context to see what is spoken of. God is working through time and dispensations in various ways to bring man to a state of restoration.   As He does this, a kingdom is either set up or being set up that is being expressed in various ways, actual or anticipated. In Romans 14, Paul speaks of the kingdom as a reality for believers now, and yet it is something that is only so positionally, as indicated elsewhere. The actual kingdom is something anticipated for believers at this time.   As such, it is good not to get overly dogmatic about things but rather to consider that there is a positional belonging and an actual belonging that may apply in one way or another.   For us, because of faith in Christ, we can be reassured that we are accepted into the kingdom now, even if we have to await the rapture to be actually received into the marvelous blessing of the kingdom that lies ahead for us. Be assured that Christ has accepted you if you have believed. Every good promise He has made will, therefore, be realized on that day.   Lord God, despite not yet being with You in heaven, we know we are with You through faith in what You have done. Help us to remember this in our times of trial and difficulty. We have a better and surer hope ahead than anything this fallen world can provide. May You come soon for Your people so that we can forever rejoice in Your presence. Amen.  

On Mother's Day, we reflected on the kind of love that never gives up...the love of God. In Romans 8, Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. The Greek word used for “separate” is chorizo, which means to divide, cut off, or pull apart. Life can make us feel that way. Shame, fear, suffering, or insecurity can leave us feeling distant from God. Like a piano that drifts out of tune over time, our hearts can drift too. Join us as special speaker Stacey Cutshall helps us take an honest look at the things that try to pull us away from God's love. Whether it's your past or something you're walking through right now, nothing can chorizo you from the love of Jesus. Even in suffering, we can hold on to hope, knowing we were made for something more. Let's throw off the shame and live like people who already know the final score; Jesus wins, and because of that, so do we.

In Romans 8 we learn that in Christ we are "more than Conquerors". What does that actually mean? Chris breaks it down in two huge points of reality and the reason behind it all. This is message for those who know Jesus as Savior and want to grow in actuality.

In Romans 11, Paul unveils the mystery of how God is saving both Jews and Gentiles by grace. In this message, Pastor Adam Jackson walks through how God preserves a faithful remnant, grafts Gentiles into His people, and ultimately unites all who believe in Christ.A sermon full of hope and awe at God's mercy and plan.Scripture: Romans 11:1–36 | Speaker: Adam JacksonCome discover the depth of God's wisdom and the beauty of His mercy.

In Romans 6:4 we see that in Jesus, we die to sin and are raised to new life, enabling us to walk a new path.

Suffering isn't the end of the story. In Romans 8, Paul reminds us that our present pain, no matter how deep, isn't even worth comparing to the glory that's coming. From creation itself to our own hearts, everything is groaning for redemption. But this isn't a groan of death; it's the pain of labor. Something new is being born. This week, Pastor Jason Clarke reminds us that even when life feels broken, frustrating, or overwhelming, God is still at work. The Holy Spirit meets us right in our weakness, praying for us when we don't even know what to say. God isn't just bringing beauty out of ashes. He is using every single hardship to shape us into the image of Jesus. Your pain has a purpose. God's using it to shape something lasting in you.

How can you be considered dead to the law while still being alive and breathing? In the ninth episode of "The Cross," Duane Sheriff explains that a transformation occurs during salvation. Believers die to the law and become united with Christ. Through Christ's death and resurrection, they are freed from sin and the law, enabling them to serve God through grace and faith rather than legalistic obedience.In Romans 7, Paul uses the marriage analogy to illustrate our new covenant with Christ. Just as death releases us from the bonds of marriage, Christ's death on the cross has freed us from our 'marriage' to sin and the law. This freedom allows us to be 'married' to Christ and live in a new relationship of grace rather than legalism.Click for FREE offer ➡️https://pastorduane.com/the-cross/

Does being religious guarantee your place in heaven? In Romans 2:29, Paul reveals the stark difference between outward religiosity and inner transformation. In this episode of Wisdom for the Heart, Stephen Davey uncovers the heart of true faith. Rituals and rules cannot substitute for a new birth through Jesus Christ. Drawing from both Paul's writings and Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, this message dives into the life-changing reality of being born again. True Christianity isn't about the name on the outside of the carton—it's about what's on the inside. Listen as Stephen explains why religion can never cover the mortal wound of sin and how only Jesus can offer the living water that brings life. If you've ever wondered about the difference between religion and redemption, this episode will bring clarity and hope.