Podcasts about niv paul

In life we are taught to jump at the opportunities that come. “Opportunity only knocks once.” we are told. This can be a dangerous way to live, as not eery opportunity is the best thing for us, or even more specifically, in agreement with God’s will. There are opportunities, however, that we as believers are supposed to jump at. The opportunity to share the Gospel! In this week’s section of Acts we find Paul presented with three opportunities before eh rulers of the both Jews and Gentiles to give the truth of the Gospel, and he takes them! Rejecting his own opportunities to defend and escape for himself, he instead focuses on the purpose to which he had been called by Jesus. Paul wasn’t the only one who faces opportunity.. The people who hear the Gospel from him also have an opportunity. How do they respond? Well… not great… These same responses are seen to this day when Gospel opportunity comes up, and we as believers need to be ready to walk with people through them. Join us this weekend as we finish our look at Paul’s defense in Acts 24-26, and see how important it is for us to answer when the right opportunities knock. -Pastor Ben Key Verse: Acts 26:29 (NIV) - Paul replied, "Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." For Scripture, notes, upcoming events, & more: http://bible.com/events/49387603

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

ACTS 1:8 NIV - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”ACTS 16:6-16 NIV - Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body, refocus your mind, and to re-imagine and re-narrate your life to a truer reality. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Job 33:4 NIV “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Acts 17:25 NIV “…He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17:28 NIV “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Philippians 1:1-2 NIV “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi…. 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 NIV “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body, refocus your mind, and to re-imagine and re-narrate your life to a truer reality. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Job 33:4 NIV “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Acts 17:25 NIV “…He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17:28 NIV “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Philippians 1:1-2 NIV “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi…. 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 NIV “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body, refocus your mind, and to re-imagine and re-narrate your life to a truer reality. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Philippians 1:1 NIV “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,  To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body, refocus your mind, and to re-imagine and re-narrate your life to a truer reality. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Philippians 1:1 NIV “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,  To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3 NIV SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: Honoring our Parents Well By: Laura Bailey “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3 NIV Paul's gift of connecting orthodoxy( doctrine)  to orthopraxy ( how to apply) is one of the reasons I love the book of Ephesians. Paul informs his audience about what they believe and guides them to a deeper understanding of why that matters and how that should change how they live.  The first half of Ephesians is “informational training,” and the second half is “on-the-job training.” In chapter 6, Paul shares specific ways Christians should live, applying the truths he spoke about in previous chapters. Paul outlines how we can live like Christ's followers—specifically, in these verses, in our homes. We see a brief set of instructions for children in our key verses, Ephesians 6:1-3. It's important to note that  Paul speaks to children who still live in the home and are under their parent's authority. While the biblical principles Paul addresses, such as godly obedience, apply to children of all ages— in terms of submission and being under parental authority, these instructions aren't directed towards the adult children/parental dynamic.  Growing up in church, I often heard that God desires children to obey their parents. These verses were usually used to encourage good behavior, focusing on a child's outward actions rather than the inward heart's motivation—which is what Paul is addressing here.  Paul shares that children are to exhibit godly obedience, one that is not rooted in blind submission but in the heart's desire to submit to the Lord and those whom the Lord places in authority over their lives. The family dynamic between parental authority and child submission is an allegory for the relationship we all should have with our Father in Heaven.  Why should children obey their parents? Because it's the right thing to do! Paul drives home the point that children following their parents' instructions isn't just a suggestion; it's an expectation. Yes, there will be times, countless times, when it will be difficult to submit to their leadership. Parents often give instructions, guidelines, and rules that are difficult for children to digest; they want to know why, and it's in our human nature to rebel against authority.  But Paul gave this command under the premise that parents love and protect their children and that children obey them until they live independently.  Paul then speaks about honoring our fathers and mothers, which refers to the 5th commandment (Exodus 20:12), which states, "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." The fifth commandment is the first one that comes with a promise—precisely when it was first given, the promise was to the children of Israel that they would live a long, blessed life in the promised land. However, in a broader application for us today, children who respect and honor their parents will likely have an easier time in life, as obeying our parents is the cornerstone of understanding submission to authority.   It's important to note that honoring our parents doesn't guarantee that we will live to be 100 years old, be rich, or have a life of ease. Instead, the promise shows us that the Lord both commands and rewards us to respect those in authority over us. We will experience less conflict, division, and personal strife—and ultimately, we will experience our eternal reward in Heaven. Intersecting Faith and Life: Take some time and read through Ephesians chapter 6; if you can, read through the verses in different translations of the Bible. Have you ever noticed that “instructions for Christian households” come right before Paul encourages us to put on the armor of God? Why do you think this? How might a firm understanding of the first half of chapter 6 prepare us to receive Paul's closing remarks? For Further Reading:Ephesians 6 3 Reasons for Tensions Between Adult Children and Parents Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The Good Life – A Call to Cruciformity  Philippians 1:1-11 (NIV)“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Peace Grace Philippians 1:6 (NIV)“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” To bring forth the fruit of Christ through your life to those around you. 

Fresh Start – Growing in Gratitude Towards Each Other  Philippians 1:1-11 (NIV)“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” Growing in Gratitude   1.     Intentionally look for things to be grateful for in your relationships. Philippians 1:3 (NIV) “I thank my God every time I remember you.” 2.     Pray for the other person. Philippians 1:4 (NIV)“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…” Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)“And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ and you may be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” 3.     Choose to believe the best about them. Philippians 1:6 (NIV)“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”1 Peter 4:8 (ESV)“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 4.     Rehearse Christ's affection towards you.  Philippians 1:8 (NIV)“God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” John 13:34 (ESV)“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”1 John 3:16 (NLT)“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:1-2 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Book of Romans: Eager and Unashamed | January 21, 2024Bob Schwahn | Lead Pastor “In our generation, the primary problem with evangelism isn’t that we’re doing it with bullhorns and low-grade bigotry; it’s that we’re not doing it at all.”— John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way (pg. 151) Romans 1:14-17 (NIV) I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” OBLIGATED: Romans 1:14 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NIV)All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. EAGER: Romans 1:15 (NIV) UNASHAMED: Romans 1:16 (NIV) Romans 1:1-4 (NIV)Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Reflection Questions:Was there something that stuck out to you from the sermon? Share a time when you were able to share the good news about Jesus with someone. Was it a positive or negative experience, or somewhere in between? What was their response? What did you learn from that experience? Read Romans 1:14 and 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. Paul felt an obligation and a responsibility to share the gospel with the world. Do you feel that same obligation and responsibility? Why or why not? Read Romans 1:15. Why can a follower of Jesus NOT feel eager to share the gospel? What can be our fears? Our apprehensions? Read Romans 1:16. What can cause us to be ashamed of the gospel? What makes the gospel offensive to our culture? Why is it important to focus on Jesus and not peripheral issues?Peripheral issues are “good advice”, not the “good news”.Who Jesus is?Why Jesus came?What Jesus accomplished with his life, death, and resurrection?What Jesus invites us to do in following Him?What Jesus wants for us?Why Jesus wants that for us? What peripheral issues can misrepresent the gospel message and muddy the waters of the message of Jesus? Why is it important to learn to be curious and listen to people in order to be effective at sharing the gospel? What are some good questions you could ask to learn where people are at on their spiritual journey?Who could you begin to pray for and ask questions of this week in order to understand where they are on their spiritual journey? What are a couple questions you could ask to start that conversation?What was God saying to you from this sermon? What are you going to do about it? Next step? Next Steps: Complete the Connect Card to receive more information, have us pray for you, or to ask us any question: http://journeybozeman.com/connectcardWant to worship through giving and support the ministry of Journey Church:

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Colossians 4: 2-18Colossians 4: 2-18 (NIV) Paul begins his letter to the Colossians by reminding them who they are in Christ; then he explains what their new life in Christ should look like; and finally, he touches on the mission and purpose of the Colossian Church. It's a mission and a purpose that we share. 

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  Colossians 1: 24-29  Colossians 1: 24-29  (NIV) Paul was called by God to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and help those who accept Jesus to become mature Christians. It was a huge privilege and Paul was tremendously excited to see God doing a new thing. There were thousands of non-Jews coming to know God through the Jewish Messiah - Jesus. 

We are looking forward to kicking off our upcoming sermon series, “Freedom,” with you in this service! Join us as we kick off with the topic of “Free to Live” where we explore the key ideas from Galatians 1:1-5 as we walk through the Book of Galatians and discussing what it truly means to live a life of freedom in Christ. In preparation for this journey, let us reflect at the very beginning with Galations 1:1, which says, "Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead..." If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Galatians 1:1–5 (NIV) // Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. — Proverbs 21:5 (NIV) The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. — Proverbs 16:33 (NIV) In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. — Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) Paul and a […]

For centuries, women were second class citizens, valued less than men. In ancient Israel, inheritance rights flowed through male descendants with only a couple of exceptions. In the Roman world, infants, usually daughters, were often abandoned on the city garbage heap to die. However, women's status was not always inferior. Women in ancient Egypt had the same rights as men. A woman's rights varied based on her social class, but not on her gender. In self-governing countries, women did not receive the right to vote as early as men. New Zealand was the first self-governing country to recognize a woman's right to vote in 1893. Although several different states in the United States recognized women's voting rights earlier, the U.S. Constitution was not amended until 1920.* However, women have still experienced discrimination of different kinds since then. The equality of women has been a teaching in Christianity from the first century, though not always practiced. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) Paul asserted that  gender and other distinctions do not change our access to God. All who believe in Jesus share in his blessings and promises. All form one body in Him. Today, thank God for creating people as male and female. We are all precious in his sight and share equally in salvation. *"Timeline of women's suffrage," Wikipedia, last updated December 28, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_women's_suffrage How to leave a review: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/rate-and-review/ Visit Elmer Fuller's author website at: https://www.elmerfuller.com/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

As I read the first Book of Colossians, God revealed to me through scripture that you cannot discover the true being of who you are, without first accepting & acknowledging what you are, the truth.  This chapter really does challenge you to heal and let go of who you thought you were. We cannot fully walk into being her, our full and whole self until we first acknowledge what is true, without shame, embarrassment, guilt, blame or fear but with courage. Fully accepting yourself for who we are. If we're going to talk about it, join me as I talk about the Book of Colossians 1, the revelation that God gave me and that was, Acknowledge & Accept the truth, the 3 steps to overcoming this season of spiritual identity crisis and stay until the end as I share questions, I asked God and the questions you should personally ask Him to help you on your journey.Book of Colossians 1 credits: Colossians 1 NIV - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the - Bible GatewayVictoria Maxwell's Blog on Psychological Identity Crisis: Healing Tapestry | Psychology TodayLet me know how God spoke to you, and don't forget to come back next week! 

Day 156 Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 7 A man wrote to the IRS, “I haven't been able to sleep because last year on my income tax report, I deliberately misrepresented my income. I am enclosing a check for $150, if I still can't sleep, I'll send you the rest.” If we are going to repent of dishonesty and do the right thing then let's do it all the way—not like this fellow in his IRS letter. Today's chapter reminds us what real repentance is. In A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson wrote, “Repentance is not an emotion. It is not feeling sorry for your sins. It is a decision.” True repentance is not just feeling bad about what we have done, it's about getting it fixed. Repentance is best defined by a little girl who said: “It's to be sorry enough to quit.” The word repentance is so important because it means a change of mind, a 180-degree turn from something. It carries the idea that you are heading one way, a change comes, and you turn around and head in the right direction. The problem has been that God's people have been doing 360s most of their Christian lives. Remember what a 360 is? As a teen you go in the parking lot with your month-old driver's license and step on the gas with the steering wheel turned. And your car goes around in circles, burning rubber. There is movement but no forward movement. False repentance is a life of 360s. We need to break the cycle. We are good at the sorry part, it's the quitting part that comes hard and comes with a price. I think victory over sin has been far from some of us because we have misdefined repentance. We have put crying and feeling horrible in the definition. The apostle Paul seems to define repentance a different way. Listen to his profound words on repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:9-11: I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. He lists seven things that describe repentance. None of them include feeling bad or tears; they're all about 180 decisions: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. (2 Corinthians 7:10-11, NIV) Paul says true repentance has earnestness, eagerness to clear yourself, indignation, an alarm, longing, concern, and readiness for justice to be done. These are all important things to stop the 360s so we can have 180s. Paul says when it is real repentance, certain attitudes attach to your feeling badly. The IRS letter guy felt a $150 bad but not enough bad to do what's right. Paul says when we repent, we pull out of the 360 by indignation, hating what we have done. Hating the sin that got us there. Longing to make things right, that's the readiness of justice. The willingness to do whatever it takes to make it right with the IRS, our spouse, our children, whomever. In fake repentance, we just want to say, “I said I'm sorry. Can't we just move on?” In real repentance, we say, “Tell me what I have to do to win over your heart and trust again?” Paul says it produces an alarm in us. It's a wake-up call of the sin in us that is longing to be in control. The King James Version uses the phrase, what carefulness. Real repentance makes us careful not to put ourselves, our marriages, our families in any compromising position that could take us int

I've accepted Jesus • https://beaverton.cc/follow-christ • Let us know you made this decision, and we'll help you discover what's next! Get Baptized • https://beaverton.cc/baptisms • If you have accepted Jesus but have never had the opportunity to celebrate your new life in Him through water baptism, this is your next step! I'm New • https://beaverton.cc/sunday/join-us-in-person/im-new • Find opportunities to engage and grow! Find Community • https://beaverton.cc/community • Growth happens best in community Let us pray with you • https://beaverton.cc/prayer • Fill out a quick form to let us know how we can be praying for you. Worship • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJiXY9vBKd-n2kH_vqUbneg • Check out Willamette Music's YouTube channel to find the songs we most often sing together on Sundays. Find Care • https://beaverton.cc/care • BCC strives to address unique life circumstances in multiple ways, through care and support. What's Happening at BCC • https://beaverton.cc/whats-happening • This page is kept up to date, so you always know what's happening at BCC! Sermon Notes - June 12, 2022Acts: The Church - The Church on Mission - Jon Furman 1. Paul cared for the first Christians by training up new leaders and raising money. Acts 16:1-3a & 4-5 (NIV)Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey… Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day. Romans 15:25-26 (NLT)“…But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.” 2. Paul followed the Spirit's leading to reach people that no one was reaching. Acts 16:6-10 (NIV)Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time… They headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. 3. Paul shared the Good News about Jesus in ways and words that people could understand. Acts 17:24-31 (NIV)“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.' “Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” How could you encourage the people who will come next? How could you reach out to people no one is reaching out to? How could you speak to someone in ways that they can understand?

Acts 16:6-10 (NIV)Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

My daughter possesses a treasure. She has an old quilt. It's not a spectacular thing to look at. It has orange and blue squares and has come apart in some places. What makes it valuable? It was made by her great, great grandmother. When I say, “made by,” I don't mean simply sewn together. Great, great grandma Purvis carded the wool, died the wool, spun the thread, weaved the cloth, sewed it together and finished the quilt. It is special not simply because it represents antique methods, but because it was handed down through family generations. This reminds me of a couple of mothers in the bible. They handed down their faith. Listen to Paul talking to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:5, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (NIV) Paul must have known Lois and Eunice and witnessed their faith. What a tremendous compliment to them Paul gave by seeing that Timothy's faith was a result of their influence! They remind us that good mothers pass on their faith. Although we can't all be mothers, we can all pass on our faith. We should certainly pass it on to each generation. But we can also pass it on to others as well. Stop for a moment and think of someone to whom you can pass on your faith in Jesus! How to leave a review: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/rate-and-review/ Please provide feedback and suggestions at: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/feedback/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

The Power of God Romans 1:14-17 NKJV 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith. I. I Am A Debtor! - Who are we indebted to? - Am I delinquent?  - Romans 12:11 NIV Paul instructs us to “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”  - Be zealous for the gospel! - The Gospel is the Power of God    II. The Gospel - The gospel is the good news that God will restore broken lives through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. - God is righteous but man is not.     III. For Everyone Who Believes! - Mark 16:15 NKJV says, 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”  - The Gospel is The Power of God!  - II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” - The Gospel is the Power of God!   - The gospel is the good news that God will restore broken lives through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  

Many skeptics scoff at the resurrection of Jesus as pure propaganda, just religious myth. They claim no evidence exists to prove it. Of course, to do this, they have to deny the eye witness accounts recorded in the New Testament. Did you know that some in the first century also denied that resurrection was possible? Even though they heard of Jesus' resurrection from eye witnesses, they did not believe. So, we should ask, does it really matter if Jesus rose from the dead? Yes, it does. Listen to 1 Corinthians 15:12-14, “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (NIV) Paul goes on to say this in verses 17-18, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (NIV) I urge you to examine the evidence for Jesus' resurrection. One good book on the subject is Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ. It matters that the resurrection of Jesus happened. It also matters that you believe it! How to leave a review: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/rate-and-review/ Please provide feedback and suggestions at: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/feedback/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

Progress to perfection – Our Journey Series#2 Progress means getting nearer and nearer to the place God wants you to be. God met you as you were; but does not leave you as you were. John 15:2&5 (NIV) – 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 5”I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” By Pastor George Lehman This word digs deep into our core as disciples. C.S. Lewis says: If you have taken a wrong turn, then to go forward does not get you any nearer.  If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. You may not be where you need to be, but far better than you use to be. Every child of God needs to live everyday with a goal, an aim, a target to ensure they are on the road to perfection.  It won't just happen! Steps to progress toward perfection. (The Journey) 2 Peter 1:3-10 (NIV) – 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;6 and to knowledge, self-control;14 and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall *divine nature = Jesus said be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect -Matthew 5:48(NIV) The steps.  Add to your faith: Goodness (excellence) Knowledge (not intellect or man's wisdom – Revelation knowledge) Self control Perseverance Godliness Brotherly kindness Love #3 Self control Salvation is from God.  BUT as we progress, He requires our co-operation with Him. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) – 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Philippians 2:12-13 (LB) – 12 Dearest friends, when I was there with you, you were always so careful to follow my instructions. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to do the good things that result from being saved, obeying God with deep reverence, shrinking back from all that might displease him. 13 For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants. We see 2 sides Paul talks about. God works “IN” so far as we… Work “OUT” If we stop working OUT we give God no more opportunity to work IN. Self control is a part of our working out.  It takes strict training. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (LB) – 24 In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win. 25 To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. 26 So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I'm not just shadow-boxing or playing around. 27 Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to. Otherwise I fear that after enlisting others for the race, I myself might be declared unfit and ordered to stand aside. 3 areas we need to have self-control: How will others know I have self-control? By my actions! A:  Physical appetites. What feeds you Spiritually. What do you hunger for - is it more of God? Your priorities will tell you. Philippians 3:17-19 (LB) – 17 Dear brothers, pattern your lives after mine, and notice who else lives up to my example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again now with tears in my eyes, there are many who walk along the Christian Road who are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their future is eternal loss, for their god is their appetite: they are proud of what they should be ashamed of; and all they think about is this life here on earth. Our ways are clear to others; Good or Bad. B:  Thoughts Everybody seeks real happiness and there's one sure way of finding it: That is by controlling your thoughts.  Happiness doesn't depend on outward conditions.  It depends on inner conditions.  Dale Carnegi   Philippians 4:7-9 (LB) – 7 If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.  8 And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you. C:  Tongue James 1:26 (LB) – Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn't control his sharp tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn't worth much. If you claim to be a Christian, you have to have self control of your tongue. The only one who controls your tongue is you. #4 Perseverance or(endurance. Patience) It has got to be active and working in your life Possibly the least attractive step to progress to perfection. Firstly, it's because you'll need self control.  No self control – no real perseverance. You'll always fail at your point of weakness. You are as strong as your weakest link. However, if you will persevere; your strength grows out of your weakness. Romans 5:1-5 (NIV) – 1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.  5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. *also rejoice in our sufferings = We persevere and endure and press on no matter how hard things become – we remain joyful and faithful. This hope builds our character which is built on (endurance) perseverance.  (No perseverance, no character.) How important then is perseverance to make progress to perfection? To achieve perfection, we cannot bypass perseverance. (Add to your faith perserverance) It's easy to make big bold statements about wanting to please God and grow in your relationship with Him. But are you willing to go through tough stuff? “Suffering produces perseverance” – Romans 5:3 James 1:2-4 (LB) – 2 Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy,3 for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, and don't try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. Patience = perseverance, endurance Please notice again the goal is that we may be perfect, lacking nothing. Jesus said, “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect”. – Matthew 5:48 (NIV) Paul said, “Aim for perfection”. - 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV) That is why you need to make sure you always have the goal in mind and your aim on the target to progress to perfection. This will supply your motivation when things are not so easy. James says, “Count it all joy” and yet most of us complain, give up and accuse God – “why did You let this happen?” You see, there's only one route to perfection and that's the Bible route. We cannot bypass these steps.  God cannot promote you from Grade 4 to Grade 5 until you've passed Grade 4. May God come and stir our hearts to stay focused on the end result for our lives - “Perfection” in Him. Keep making progress to perfection, after all its part of our journey. Let me remind you: John 15:2&5 (NIV) – 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 5”I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Have you ever heard someone say “I don't want to brag, but . . .” You know what happens next, right. They say they don't want to brag, but then they do. Now, I don't say those words, but I don't do much better. I sometimes find myself telling people about my achievements. It might be something job related or a volunteer position I hold. I used to tell people about my success in hunting and fishing, though I haven't done either of those things in years. Have you ever done anything like this? I think there is a fine line between telling others about something we are celebrating and telling them what we glory in. The apostle Paul understood this line. Listen to what he said in Romans 15:17-18, “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done– by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” (NIV) Paul didn't want to talk about his achievements. He wanted to talk about Jesus' achievements in his life. Yes, Paul fully proclaimed the message of Jesus. But Christ accomplished the success. So, don't stop bragging. Rather, switch from bragging about our achievements to glorying in Jesus. How to leave a review: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/rate-and-review/ Please provide feedback and suggestions at: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/feedback/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 (NIV) Paul's Vision and His Thorn 12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Showing Gentleness and Humility towards those who believe differently. Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 21   One of the ways the Holy Spirit speaks to us is by highlighting. Whether we're reading the Bible or using prophetic gifts to prophesy, the Holy Spirit often points out something important that we should pay attention to. This is called highlighting.   For example, when a person with prophetic gifts is getting ready to prophesy, they often start “people-watching” to see which people in the meeting catch their attention in a special way. When one person jumps out at them, they ask the Holy Spirit what he wants to say to that person. Often, the Holy Spirit uses the prophet to speak specifically to that person that he highlighted—just like the prophet expected.   In traditional churches, many people use the word “inspire” rather than “highlight.” For example, people may say, “God inspired me to read a certain verse,” or “He inspired me to call someone.” Both “inspiration” and “highlighting” describe ways the Holy Spirit speaks to us.   For example, when you read a chapter of the Bible, you may suddenly notice a verse you never paid attention to before. Or perhaps you had read the verse many times, but you never thought about all its potential meanings. But today, you glean more meaning out of it than you ever had before. You need to pay special attention to this verse; you can be sure the Holy Spirit wants to speak to you.   When a particular verse jumps out at you, you need to learn to be quiet and listen to God's voice. In the book of Samuel, God tells a story of young Samuel, who heard God calling him during the night. He thought it was his guardian, Eli, who was calling him. Because he didn't know how to distinguish God's voice, he missed the message God was trying to send. But Eli instructed him that the next time he heard God calling, he should say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening" (NIV, 1 Samuel 3:9). After old Eli taught him how to discern God's voice, Samuel began to learn to communicate with God. We must learn to pay attention to the way the Holy Spirit speaks to us while we read the Bible and fellowship with the Lord. Otherwise, we may miss His message, as Samuel did at first.     Be gentle towards those who are different The main story told in Acts 21 is about the trials Paul encountered in Jerusalem. As we've learned in previous Bible studies, Jesus stood by Paul and gave him strength, telling him that he must testify in Rome as he did in Jerusalem. Paul's friends and acquaintances prophesied that Paul would be bound in Jerusalem. Through these prophetic voices, the Holy Spirit tried to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem. When Paul decided to go anyway, the Lord stood by him and gave him strength. We have already discussed in detail the spiritual significance of these seemingly contradictory facts, so we will not repeat this theme here.   In today's reading of Acts 21, I feel that the Holy Spirit is especially highlighting a verse to me, which is, Acts 21:21: “They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.” (NIV)   Paul had gone to see James and the elders in Jerusalem and shared what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When these elders heard it, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law" (NIV, Acts 21:20). This verse provides the context for verse 21, the verse the Holy Spirit is bringing to our attention. The Holy Spirit not only highlighted verse 21, but he also emphasized a few words in particular: "teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses." The highlight in these words is "Jews who live among the Gentiles.”   In other words, one of the main reasons for this uproar in Jerusalem was the concern of the Jewish elders (the “they” in verse 21). Tens of thousands of Jews who were zealous for the law had heard rumors that Paul was teaching the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses. They felt that what Paul was doing went against their interests, which caused this uproar.   When I read this verse, the Holy Spirit showed me that the Jews may not have been concerned that Paul taught the Gentiles themselves to turn away from Moses and abandon circumcision and Jewish customs. Their main concern was the rumor that said that the Jews who lived with the Gentiles were being taught to turn away as well.   According to the general logic of Christians, Paul did not do anything wrong here when he was preaching that “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (NIV, Galatians 6:15). Paul had already said he regards everything as garbage because of knowing Christ (NIV, Philippians 3:8). Naturally, he regards "circumcision," "customs," and even "Moses" as garbage. I don't think Paul is wrong, and I don't believe the Holy Spirit is blaming Paul for the way he taught. But I think the Holy Spirit is encouraging us to be gentle with people who are different from us, or who have not yet recognized the truths that we've already realized. Let me explain.     We should treat others with love and inclusiveness, even if their beliefs seem like garbage to us. When we speak to them with gentleness, we show respect to them and their journey. What we see as garbage, others may regard as a treasure; and what we see as treasure, others may regard as garbage. When we treat a certain concept as garbage, and impose this view on others who value that concept as a treasure, it may harm the other person and cause conflicts between us. For example, many Chinese Christians believe that the people who have blind faith in Buddhism are idolaters and are completely "garbage." Because I am Chinese and there are many people in China who worship Buddha (including my mother, who worshiped Buddha for many years), this attitude may be hurtful to my unbelieving friends. I don't think there is anything wrong with the concept itself; compared to Christ, worshiping Buddha is indeed garbage. But I've observed that people who try to preach the gospel to Buddhists, while simultaneously proclaiming that their beliefs are garbage, do not have good results.   Similarly, my denomination's prized Bible truths may seem like "garbage" to another Christian group. Let me give two extreme examples. When I used to take the train to Washington, I would often see Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons. One day, I met a zealous Filipino Jehovah's Witness on the train. We debated on the way to our destination. He told me that Christ is not God, but that he is just a human prophet. The man gave me a lot of examples from the Bible, trying to prove that Jesus is not God.   For me as a Christian, acknowledging Jesus is God and is the son of God is a basic prerequisite. A preacher in my former church said that one day, some people came knocking at his door. When he saw that they were Jehovah's Witnesses, he said to them, "Jesus is Lord" and closed the door. He also taught us that we must reject people like Jehovah's Witnesses because the Bible says, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work” (NIV, 2 John 1:10-11). I accepted this teaching, so I treated Jehovah's Witnesses quite coldly. But then I began to be introduced to a different way of treating Jehovah's witnesses. This is not to say that what the Jehovah's Witnesses are preaching is correct. Rather, we are saying that Jehovah's Witnesses are like the Samaritans in Jesus' time.   As you may know, the Samaritans were not considered orthodox by the Jews. Samaria was the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel (which was later destroyed). People there worshiped the golden calf and deviated from the true worship of God. Jews despised the Samaritans because of their heretical beliefs.   Because of this, Jesus' response to the Samaritans might surprise you. John 4 records that when the Lord Jesus came to the well and met a Samaritan woman, He approached her with compassion and openness. Not only were the disciples surprised, but even the Samaritan woman was surprised. She said to the Lord, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink? (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans)” (NIV, John 4:9).   Later, she even asked questions about theology: "Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem" (NIV, John 4:20). In previous lessons, we learned that the Northern Kingdom of Israel sinfully worshiped the golden calf. The mountain the Samaritan woman is referring to is not Jerusalem; likely, she is referring to the place where the Northern Kingdom worshiped the golden calf. The Lord Jesus explained, "Woman, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem" (NIV, John 4:21).   Jesus not only challenged the theology of the Samaritan woman, but he also challenged the theology of the orthodox Jews. The theology of the Samaritan woman was undoubtedly wrong, but Jewish theology needed to be renewed as well. Later, we'll see that one of the reasons the Jews could not accept the Lord Jesus was that He challenged their existing theology. For now, let's consider how to imitate the attitude of the Lord Jesus towards the Samaritans. The Jews considered the Samaritan woman to be a heretic, just like most orthodox Christians consider Jehovah's Witnesses to be heretics. But the Lord's attitude towards the Samaritans was not one of rudeness. He did not reject them brusquely and close the door. After I understood this truth, I slowly changed my attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses.   I often take the train to Washington, D.C. Every day, rain or shine, I see Jehovah's Witnesses outside preaching. Although almost no one pays attention to them, I am still quite moved when I see them standing there. They are more hard-working than any other Christian group I have seen. Now, whenever I see them, I give them a friendly smile. I know I cannot change their beliefs or theology. But at the same time, I have heard many prophecies that predict that the next move of the Holy Spirit will convert many Jehovah's Witnesses to Christ.   Another time, a young man with a name badge pulled me aside at the entrance of a subway station. He told me that according to the Bible, humankind has fallen into sin and failure. Through the ages, God has sent prophets like Moses to save us. These facts were not wrong.   But then he began to say that God had sent John Smith to carry out the same work. At this point, I couldn't bear to listen anymore. Based on the truth, I certainly could not accept his statement. But even though I reject his theology, I should respect and love him as a person. God loves all people, even Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. Throughout Christian history, we've failed to show love and grace to so-called heretics; we fail to treat them with the dignity they deserve as fellow image-bearers of God.   I cited these two extreme examples to illustrate that all people deserve to be loved—even those who are universally recognized by orthodox Christians as heretics. We should learn to respond the way Jesus responded to the Samaritan woman—with love. Unfortunately, many of the so-called heretics in history have been persecuted. Sometimes, the church persecuted people who later turned out to have true, biblical beliefs.   For example, in church history, the Catholics would not only burn Reformers, but also the Anabaptists. Anabaptists, the predecessors of modern-day Amish and Mennonite Christians, were against infant baptism. Because of this stance, they were considered to be heretics by Catholic and Reformers alike. The Reformers committed many atrocities against the Anabaptists, even drowning them to death. The massacre of Protestants by Catholics is widely known, but the massacre of the Anabaptists by the Reformers is less widely known. This example illustrates that we sometimes make mistakes; those we consider to be heretics may later prove to be orthodox, Bible-believing Christians.   This issue hits close to home for me because I was saved in a branch of the Local Church movement in the United States. Many Chinese Christians believe that the Local Church Movement and Witness Lee are heretics. Not only does the Local Church teach that each town should have only one church, but it also teaches that “Christ is the Spirit” and “God became man so that man might become God.” These teachings are controversial and condemned as heresy. The latter was not just said by Witness Lee, but also by the early church father Athanasius. This issue should be considered to be a theological debate rather than a heresy.   Many Chinese Christians in mainland China are affected by this accusation of heresy. A Chinese Christian was very happy when I preached the gospel to her unbelieving husband. Later, when she learned that I was a member of the Local Church Movement, she told me on the phone that our church was "not good."   In addition, I often used to participate in campus services at a campus of the University of Maryland. I would often invite Chinese Christians from other places, but after a while, I'd notice that they'd stopped coming. It turns out that other Chinese Christian groups were telling them behind our backs that our church is heretical. Christians often work overtime to destroy rival groups behind one another's backs. They claim they are focused on preserving the truth, but sometimes there is also an element of competition.   Christian Research International (who originally called out the Local Church Movement as heretical) published a magazine in 2009, acknowledging that their initial judgment was wrong. They now accept the Local Church Movement as an orthodox evangelical movement. But the damage has been done, and the situation cannot be remedied in one day. Many people still see the Local Church Movement as heretics because of their original article.   God led me to leave the Local Church Movement in 2015 in order to come in contact with churches in the Charismatic movement and to learn the gifts of the Holy Spirit and other teachings of the Charismatic movement. Indeed, I did break with a lot of the ideas and teachings of the Local Church Movement. After learning the teachings and practices of the Charismatic churches and other churches, I no longer agreed with some of the teachings and practices of the Local Church Movement. For example, I found that the Local Church Movement, like other evangelical groups, lacks basic understanding of many of the truths that God has restored through the 100-year history of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement. But this does not affect my continued adherence to many of the good truths taught by the Local Church Movement. These principles have been of great help to me in my spiritual growth, and they continue to benefit me to this day. I think that some teachings and practices of Local Church Movement would be very beneficial to evangelical Christian groups and Charismatic groups. However, if they are labelled as heretical, many people will be fearful to learn from them. Of course, we also need to distinguish between the truths that are worth learning and those which are not worth discussing.   The point I want to make with these examples is that Christians are often wrong in their judgments and evaluations of other Christian groups. Our understanding of the Bible is often subject to bias.   Breaking away from Bias Going back to the content of this chapter, did the Christians have a bias towards the Jews? Did they interpret Paul's treatment of the converted Jews through a distorted or biased lens? Is there a bias that continues to affect our attitude towards the Jews today?   While studying for my pre-Doctoral program at the United Theological Seminary in the United States, I took "Introduction to the New Testament" for two consecutive terms. During this course, we analyzed the story of Galatians 2. In this chapter, Peter was pretending not to care about the Gentiles and refusing to eat with them.   In my homework for this project, I wrote that the Jews were trying to be justified by the law through the efforts of their own flesh, while Christians were justified by faith. Here, Peter clearly understood that we are relying on God's grace to be justified. But because of fear, he pretended that adherence to Judaism was required for salvation. The Jewish Christians sent by James were overly influenced by Judaism. They pressured Peter because they had not fully broken away from the concept of keeping the law. This is not in line with the teachings of the New Testament.   I did not expect my teacher to disagree with my point of view. She asked me a serious question. She said, “Why did you say that the Jews are all trying to be justified by their own efforts, by keeping the law through the flesh? What is your reason for saying this? Many modern Bible scholars disagree with this idea. You are seriously prejudiced against Jews.”   She said that for Jews, keeping God's law is a way they can please God and live in the grace of God. Just like Old Testament saints kept God's law and pleased God, she believes modern-day Jews can live in God's grace through keeping the law. Her explanation was completely opposite to mine. I explained that my view was justifiable, based on the way I've been taught.   I am instinctively suspicious of modern seminary and modern Bible scholars. Although I was led to a seminary by God, I didn't have a good impression of seminaries. I feel that many seminaries are full of liberals and religious scholars. Many theological dissertations are barely touched or read. They are nearly covered with dust.   Additionally, I have heard that seminaries are a cemetery. Many excellent Christians and pastors never studied at a seminary, yet do an excellent job. After studying at a seminary, however, their spirituality becomes suppressed. Some even become unbelievers.   Because of my suspicion, I couldn't accept my teacher's point of view at first. There were some tensions between us, but I told myself that I should be humble and listen to her logic.   I was also taking two consecutive terms studying Christian history, which taught me how Christians persecuted the Jews after their rise to power. Previously, I knew nothing of this historical persecution. For example, some people developed a theory that since the Jews killed Christ, all Jews were cursed and should be exterminated. Even during the first Crusades, many Jews were annihilated.   What's more, after Martin Luther's reformation, when anti-Semitism was on the rise, most German Christians did not step forward to stop Hitler from using this line of thought to incite hatred against Judaism. Only a few Christian scholars stood up for the Jews.   I began to understand that theological errors among Christians were exploited by the enemy to cause great harm to the Jews. Unbelievers often ask, "Where is God? If there is a God, why did the Jews, God's chosen people, suffer such a massacre?" God did not want the Jews to be massacred; this was done no doubt by the Enemy. But the enemy has taken advantage of our Christian theological errors.   In particular, Christians have misunderstood Matthew 27:25. In this passage, the Jews were preparing to have Christ crucified. Rather than blaming Pilate, the Jews shouted, “‘His blood is on us and on our children'”. Many believe that the Jews were bringing down trouble upon themselves. For this reason, hateful people over the centuries have subjected Jews to a series of punishments and massacres, saying they were meting out the divine punishment the Jews asked for.   Oh my God! In the past, I accepted this teaching as well. As I thought about it, I realized that this view is not in keeping with Jesus' prayer on the cross. Before Jesus died, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (NIV, Luke 23:34). Were the Jews more evil than other Gentiles, thus making them unworthy of the forgiveness of Jesus? Were the Jews not included in the "they" that Jesus prayed here?   Should we blame God for all the massacres, saying he was punishing the Jews? I do not deny that God sometimes punishes people. But now that Jesus has taken the full wrath of God upon Himself on the cross, we should think seriously before concluding that God is punishing someone. We are no longer in the Old Testament. The hostility and intolerance that Christians have shown towards Jews has furthered Satan's goals of persecuting the Jews.   After understanding this, I pondered over what my teacher had said again. She said that Jews who seek to be justified by the law may not be doing it out of fleshly motivations. Further, Christians living under grace may not be living fully in the faith they profess; they may have adopted a legalistic motivation as they pretend to live only by grace.   She said Jews in the Old Testament were justified by the law, and that Christians often live in the flesh as they try to save themselves by their own efforts. She believes it is more accurate to say that whether Jews keeping the law or Christians relying on faith, both of them have a sincere side that seeks God through the law or faith, and they also have a ritualized and religious side. The key is to see if a person is really keeping the law (or seeking God through faith), or is just pretending. Every Christian denomination contains people who have true faith in God, and others who pretend.   She believes this principle also applies to Jewish groups. In other words, we can't throw out one particular system as completely evil and problematic. Rather, every system can be abused. It's true that many Jews keep the law out of their flesh, but we cannot say with 100% accuracy that every Jew of all times has kept the law out of one hundred percent fleshly motives. In the Old Testament, many diligent law-keepers were accepted by God because of their faith.   I understand what she meant, and I still can't fully figure this problem out. Christian theologians have different understandings about how Israel is saved in the end times. Some say that in the end, Israelites are saved because they were God's chosen people. According to God's covenant, all families of Israel will be saved in due time. Others hold that before the world ends, Israel will experience a great spiritual revival; many Israelites will come to know Jesus Christ and will be saved.   Working together in the Body of Christ The verses I mentioned earlier, which the Holy Spirit highlighted, mention that the elders of Jerusalem were accusing Paul of teaching the Jews who lived among the Gentiles to abolish circumcision. Paul seems to teach that since Christ has come, the Jews don't need to be circumcised. As I mentioned earlier, Paul said, “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (NIV, Galatians 6:15). It seems that Paul is against the continued circumcision of the Jews.   But in drawing this conclusion, we may have overlooked other verses. For example, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:18-20, "Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them." (NIV) Many people believe that Paul is saying this to avoid offending the Jews. But what Paul means here is circumcision or uncircumcision is not important. If a Jew is circumcised and saved, there is no need for him to become uncircumcised. If a Gentile is not circumcised, then he should not be circumcised. Why do I say that the latter statement may refer to the Gentiles? Because the Jews are generally circumcised on the eighth day. They do not wait until they are saved to consider whether or not to be circumcised. So Paul's statement that they don't need to be circumcised is referring to Gentiles.   When Paul mentions becoming uncircumcised, what is he referring to? We know that circumcision refers to cutting off the foreskin. Becoming uncircumcised would mean growing the foreskin back. Anyone who has relevant medical knowledge knows that one can't grow the foreskin back. Only modern skin grafting could replace a lost foreskin, but this wouldn't have been possible in Paul's time.   Why were some of the circumcised Jewish Christians thinking about becoming uncircumcised in the first place? We can suspect that in places where there were many Gentile Christians, the Jews felt the pressure of public opinion "to make the Jews like the Gentiles".   We know that there was pressure placed on Gentiles by Judaizing believers. In churches dominated by Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, the pressure of this public opinion was so great that it led to Peter's pretension in Galatians 2. He used to eat with the Gentiles, but after the people sent by James came, he pretended to not eat with them. Why? Because eating with the Gentiles does not conform to the laws of the Jews. This pressure had led some Jewish Christians to believe that Gentiles should also obey the law and be circumcised. A similar pressure existed in today's chapter. The elders referred to it in Acts 21:10 "Brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law" (NIV).   We all know the pressure of "Judaizing the Gentiles," but we may have not noticed another kind of pressure, which is, "to make the Jews like the Gentiles." Paul may have faced both of these pressures. So when the Jews in Jerusalem accused Paul of "teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses" (NIV, Acts 21: 21), it was not groundless. I personally think that it was not Paul who was teaching the Jews to abandon the law and circumcision. Likely, in the Christian community dominated by the Gentiles, there was an atmosphere that denied all of Jewish tradition and law. As an apostle to the Gentiles, Paul was wrongly accused by the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. In other words, Paul became a scapegoat here.   I personally think that Paul didn't completely condone the Jews who wanted to abandon all their laws and Jewish characteristics to become a complete Gentile. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:20, “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.” (NIV) Paul did not completely deny the Jewish law; he recognized it as a part of Jewish identity. When Paul came to Jerusalem, he brought some people into the temple and paid for them to fulfil their vows. All of these behaviors are in keeping with the rules of the Jewish law.   It is true that Paul opposed the Jewish Christians who tried to impose the law on Gentile believers. We know that Paul did not advocate for Gentiles to be circumcised. But he also refused to allow Gentile Christians to completely annihilate the Jewish characteristics from the Jews in their communities.   In other words, the Jews who lived among the Gentiles did not have to eliminate all of their Jewish characteristics to be pleasing to God. Paul often advocated for the Jews to continue to be faithful to their religious duties.   This discussion will help us understand how to accommodate different opinions within the body of Christ. We need to learn to be gracious to people who are different from us. We don't blindly talk about inclusion for the sake of inclusion. We don't go to the opposite extreme of saying that Christians must embrace all religions, condone homosexuality, or agree that all religions bring us to God.   On the one hand, we Christians should be tolerant towards each other when we have differing understandings of certain passages. On the other hand, we should not accept those who deny basic Christian principles. We should not be inclusive just for the sake of inclusivity. We must maintain a healthy balance of being inclusive without losing our principles. This is the way Christ lived. As we face disputes with other groups of believers, we should contend for the faith but never lose sight of love.   Pastor Bill Johnson said that when God works in a mighty way in the world, the people He uses are often persecuted by the people God used previously. This is absolutely true. Whether we look at Jews persecuting Christians, Christians persecuting the Jews, Catholics persecuting Protestants, Protestants persecuting the Anabaptists, the state church persecuting the Puritans, Evangelicals persecuting the Charismatics, or early Charismatic sects persecuting new Charismatic sects, we see this pattern playing repeatedly. If you study church history, we see that the people used by God in His previous move end up persecuting the people and groups used by God in His next move.   When God's next move comes, will you be the persecutor or the persecuted? Will you be used by God, or will you seek to destroy those whom God is using? Larry Randolph, an American prophet, said that sometimes our posture determines whether or not God brings revival. The distance between revival and lack of revival may be the width of a fishing boat: a few feet. When Peter cast the net on one side, he caught nothing. But when he changed his posture and cast his net on the other side according to the Lord's command, he was able to catch a lot of fish.   If a tornado is coming, and you are in it, you will become very dizzy. You'll think the earth and sky are spinning around. But if you are not in the tornado, you can just stand by and watch, without having the slightest damage. Will you be a member of the new move that will be persecuted and used by God, or will you be a member of the group who is persecuting people used by God in His new move?   A prophet prophesied that when the next revival comes, it may come from a place like Galilee, a place you don't expect God to come from. We must be careful. Many people in history missed God's move because of their prejudices. The Jews missed Jesus because they weren't expecting him to come from such humble circumstances. Many Christians have also missed God's revival. I hope that we can be alert now.   Returning to our passage, I believe that in the end, the early Christians realized that they should not force the Gentiles to become Jews. However, in church history, the pressure of “annihilating Jewish characteristics” still exists. This pressure caused many Christians to misinterpret Paul's attitude towards the Jews. It even caused the tragedy of Christians persecuting and even killing the Jews. I think the way that all Jews will eventually be saved may not be the way we imagine. Let us learn from history to accept the differences of other members of the body of Christ and help each other fulfill God's will.   Each of us must realize that our own personal view only represents one side of the matter. We do not have the vantage point of God, who looks down at His body in a holistic manner. We must be alert to the enemy's temptation to use our narrow-mindedness to reject others and force them to be like us. We must have an inclusive attitude towards other races, cultures and Christian groups. We should learn from, tolerate and accept each other in order to avoid the mistakes made by many Christian groups throughout history.  

By Charlie Lacey | 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-101 Thessalonians 1: 1-10 (NIV)Paul begins his letter to the Thessalonians by giving thanks for them because they received the Good News of Jesus with joy, embodied it in their lives and proclaimed it to the people around them.  So much so that everyone was talking about this group who had turned away from idols to worship the living and true God.

We have all heard at some point to “speak the truth in love." But how exactly do we do that? Where in scripture are we instructed to do so? In this episode, we are going to break down this popular saying and discuss how to humbly lead others to the truth. Our goal should not just be to speak the truth, but that our expression of truth is effective and genuine. Resources Mentioned: Article: The Danger of Speaking Truth without Love by Catherine Segars Scripture Referenced: Paul's admonition to speak the truth in love: 1 Corinthians 13 Zacchaeus' story: Luke 19 The woman at the well: John 4 The woman caught in adultery: John 8 "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV) Paul's admonition not to judge the world: (1 Corinthians 5:12). Follow Catherine at https://catherinesegars.com/ Episode Image Credit: Canva

Episode 087--This Thing Called Faith Faith is foundational on our Spirit-Led Transformation journeys. Without it, we have no transformation. Without it we cannot be Spirit-led. So what just what is faith and how do we know if we are really living our lives based on faith? I'm a words person, so let's see what the dictionary says faith is. First definition is “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” Second definition says it is a strong belief in God. Hebrews 11:1-2 has long been the go-to verse to explain faith. In NIV is says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” But we read that and say what does that mean? To help us understand better, let's read this scripture the Amplified Bible, which has a way of explaining things better. It says, “Faith is the assurance, title deed, confirmation, of things hoped for or divinely guaranteed, and the evidence of things not seen or the conviction of their reality. Faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses. For by this kind of faith the men (and women) of old gained divine approval.” Remember the dictionary definition of faith we see that faith in God, or complete confidence in Him, comes from our foundational knowledge that we can trust Him to lead us. In other words, we must have complete assurance that God is leading us and the eventual outcome of where He is leading us is for our good and His glory (as it says in Romans 8:28). We have the title deed to whatever the outcome is that God wants to happen. We have the title deed to whatever God has already put in our hands! Several years ago we reached a milestone on our financial journey and paid off our house. We now have the title deed to our home. It is ours. Whatever God is telling you and me, if we have faith then we have the title deed to that. It is ours. It's not just guaranteed by a financial institution, it is divinely guaranteed by the God of the Universe, who just happens to be our Daddy.  The next part is harder to understand because it is in the future. “Faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses.” God already sees it. He has called what we can't see as if it has already happened because He stands outside of time and can see the whole picture of our lives.  Our faith in God has to help us comprehend as a fact what we cannot actually see, touch or feel right now. We cannot experience it by our physical senses right this moment but we trust God and have faith that what He has said will come true. This goes back to 2 Cor. 5:7 where Paul tells us, “We walk by faith not by what we see.”  Friends, it wouldn't be faith if we could see it! In the Bible, especially Hebrews 11, it lists men and women of faith who have gone before us and gained God's approval because of how they lived lives of faith. They are examples for us of how to walk in faith even when we cannot see the future. We, like they did, have a divine promise, which is our guarantee of what will happen when we put feet or action to our faith. In Romans 4, Paul seems to go off on a tangent about Abraham, whom he calls our forefather according to the flesh or humanly speaking. For this series, I was originally going to skip over this passage, but God kept calling me back it because faith is a foundational pillar on any Spirit-Led Transformation journey.  However, my big question with Abraham's story was why does God call Abraham a man of faith when he failed so many times? As I read his story, I saw that every time Abraham failed, he recognized his failure. Whoever he had wronged forgave him and so did God. He is not our forefather of faith because he was perfect. He is the forefather of faith because at critical junctures in his life, he listened to God and followed Him. To understand why Paul is talking about Abraham we need to begin in Romans 3:22 NIV. “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. “ In continues in Romans 3:27-28 NIV:, “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.  So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.” In these verses Paul is trying to get those who are still following Jewish laws and sacrifices for their salvation to understand that faith is the foundation for salvation, not the law. Although the law is good, it is no longer how God counts salvation.  We are not saved by what we do, but if we have faith, it will move us to appropriate actions without following a set of elongated rules. Paul explains in Romans 4:14, 16-17 NIV: “If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. “So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, ‘I have made you the father of many nations.' This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.” How did Abraham's life show He believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing? I see three times his life revealed this belief. First, Abraham left his homeland to go to a place God would show him. In doing that God promised to give the land to his descendants. This was when Abraham had no children at all.  Hebrews 11:8-9 NIV says, “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents.”  His actions revealed that he believed God could create new things out of nothing. My friends, that's faith! The second time God brought the dead back to life for Abraham was when He opened Sarah's womb at age 90, way past child-bearing age. Abraham was 100 years old!  In Romans 3:18-20 NIV Paul explains, ”Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, ‘That's how many descendants you will have!' And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah's womb.” Now we understand why they both laughed when God told them Sarah would have a baby. (See Genesis 17:17, 18:11-15). I would have too! When the baby was born, Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age,” (Gen. 21:6-7 NIV). They named the baby Isaac which means “he laughs.” The third time was when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his son of promise from God. Yet, Abraham trusted what God had said and by faith believed that somehow even if he had to go through with sacrificing his own son, God would bring him back to life.We see this clearly in Hebrews 11: 17-19 NLT: “It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, ‘Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.' Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.” Ok I have to say it again, Friends, that's faith. I really don't think I have that level of faith to even begin the process to sacrifice either one of my children. Lest we think Abraham was godlike, we need to remember the two times he passed his wife off as his sister and in trying to protect himself stepped right into a few messes. He lied about her partly out of fear because she was so beautiful and was afraid someone would kill him for her. In truth it was a part lie because she was his half-sister to whom he was married, which is the part he failed to mention. At the time it was a legal union and wasn't forbidden in scripture until much later. God got him out of both situations by sending plagues on Pharoh who had taken her to be his wife (Gen. 12:14-20) and revealing the truth in a dream to Abimelech, who also wanted to marry her (Gen. 20:3). In the first instance, he was lucky to be escorted out of the country with his wife and possessions. In the second, we see clearly that he was sorry and paid restitution to Abimelech.  Another decision that wasn't Abraham's finest moment was listening to Sarah who told him to sleep with her maid Hagar in order to have a child because Sarah felt she couldn't get pregnant. It's clear from scripture that Abraham did this willingly. It likely made sense to him because God had promised to make his descendants as numerous as the stars, (Gen. 15:5).  God used both Ishmael, the son of the servant, and Isaac, Sarah's son to accomplish that promise. But God made it clear that Isaac was the son of promise. When Isaac was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a celebration. During the party, Sarah saw 13-year-old Ishmael making fun of Isaac and demanded that Abraham send Ishmael and his mother away. Scripture tells us that this upset Abraham because Ishmael was also his son. Then in Gen. 21:12 God tells Abraham to do what Sarah says because “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” He added that he would also make a nation out of Ishmael's descendants. So Abraham sent them away. The promise Abraham was given was a promise only Isaac inherited. In Gen. 26:4 NIV, after Abraham's death, God tells Isaac, “I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. Through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to Me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees and instructions.” Did you get that last part? It's really why God called Abraham the forefather of faith. It's because “because Abraham listened to Me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees and instructions.” It's not because of the times he messed up. It's because his actions revealed that at critical times in his life, when God showed him what to do, he trusted God and did what He said. The first part of the book of Romans is really about the struggle between those who still wanted a law book to follow and those who understood that Jesus was teaching a deeper truth—the spiritual truth of living by faith, living in God's grace. As people we tend to want a rule book, but then we don't follow it! We say, “Just tell me what to do and I'll do it.” This seems easier than trusting God to lead us. I remember when I was in my 20s I would say to God, just tell me what to do like you did Noah in giving him the exact dimensions of the arc. I think I failed to understand the extreme ridicule he went through spending years building a huge boat. He was the laughing stock of the neighborhood, until the floods came! Faith is not a difficult concept to grasp. We have faith that when we go to work that we will get a paycheck, right? There have been a few times when we were newly married that my husband was working at small businesses and his paychecks started bouncing.That will cause you to lose faith in your boss really quick. We think when we do xyz, we are promised a certain result. For instance, if I follow the latest, greatest diet to a tee, I will lose x amount of weight. This might work, but nine times out of 10 it doesn't work like promised because we are all different. When I was into diets, I would always blame myself because I never could follow the diet perfectly. When I did I might lose some weight. The issue was when I stopped following the diet and went back to normal eating, I gained it all back plus more.  Why? I hadn't learned anything. I was following someone else's rules. I had no intention of making those any part of my ongoing lifestyle. This is the same thing with the law. God doesn't want us to just follow a set of rules. He wants us to follow Him. And that's so much more difficult than following the rules. At least then we think we know why we failed. When we are following God it seems more difficult to discern what to do. Maybe that's because our faith is in the rules, rather than in God. Faith in God has to be the main ingredient in any Spirit-Led Transformation. What that means is we trust God no matter what He says. Our faith, then, will always result in Spirit-Led action. Any other action is useless. James 2:21-24, 26 NIV adds, “Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend.  You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone … As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”   Fear many times keeps us from stepping out in faith. What if I didn't hear from God right? What if that wasn't even God? But Abraham gives me hope. He definitely didn't get it right all the time. Maybe Ishmael wasn't in God's plan, but somehow that act did not get counted against Abraham. What God saw were all the times Abraham's faith moved him forward on his own Spirit-Led Transformation journey. Romans 4:20-24 NLT says it this way: “Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous.   “And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recorded  for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in Him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” The important thing about Abraham's life is that he showed God he had faith when he did something God told him to do. Like when he left home headed to who knows where or when he trusted God to give him a heir of promise or when he raised the knife to sacrifice that same beloved gift from God. His faith led to action. Now any of these actions without direction from God would not have the same result. We can't go out and copy Abraham's actions and be counted as faithful. That was Abraham's journey. Ours may seem even more difficult than his. How can we see a way to pay the insurmountable amount of debt we have? How can we restore the broken relationship in our marriage, with our children, with our friends? How can we lose the mountain of weight that has attached itself to our bodies?  FAITH in what God asks you to do is always the answer. But that FAITH must be backed by whatever action God is telling you to take. It might be to wait for the promise, like it was with Abraham. I hope you don't have to wait until you are 100, but hey he lived to be 175 so there's that, too. It's all relative, my friend. I feel like I really started living by faith around 2009, when I was 56. It took me lots of years to lose 250 pounds. First I had to totally surrender to God and trust Him for the next step on my journey. I had to get His lifestyle change plan for me and do what He said to implement it. I made a lot of mistakes on my journey and as such I am well-equipped to steer others away from my same mistakes. One of the most beautiful and spiritual part of any transformation journey is learning how to have faith Jesus Christ, and to be led by the Holy Spirit in each step we take. Then the grace, mercy, favor and glory of God will surround us as we walk in tandem with Him.  Is it easy? I mean some of the things Abraham did look easy. Who knows, maybe he was glad to get away from his mother and father and go somewhere that he had inkling of. However it definitely wasn't easy waiting for the promised son. And I don't think for a minute it was easy preparing to sacrifice his promised son. Yet, through it all, He trusted God. I like to think it all started with that first step out the door of his homeland, going to a place God said He'd show him. That's faith. Let me ask you, what would it look like for you to have that kind of faith on your Spirit-Led Transformation journey? What would it take to do whatever God is whispering in your heart to do? It's time. He's calling you. Will you have the faith to take the next step?  Father God, I lift your children to You today. Give them clear directions. Remind them of Your promises and help them take that next step on their journey whatever that may be. Make it clear to them. Give them faith to take action. As always the action steps and challenges for this lesson will be in the Spirit-Led Transformation course along with the video and transcript. This course is only available in Overcomers Academy. Go to: teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers/ to join.

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Col2:2-3 (NIV)Paul provided the encouragement every person needs in their Christian walk.

Bible Study with Jairus - Colossians We are striving to speed read several volumes of the Bible every month. The main consideration is to help some brothers and sisters who aren't able to read further when they reach Exodus in the Old Testament, and Romans in the New Testament. This will help those new ones to have a rough understanding on the contents of some books in the Bible. We started to speed read the Old Testament, from the first book up to the Book of Ruth. Meanwhile, we have done the opposite in the New Testament. We began to speed read from the Book of Revelation up to Colossians. Although it's just a passing glance, it might help some of our brothers and sisters who have never read the Bible from cover to cover. This time, the inspiration that I got after speed reading Colossians is how Paul dealt with carnal Christians in the church at Colossae. Originally, we arranged a speed reading of 3 letters: the letters to the Colossians, and First and Second Thessalonians. But because of the rich content of Colossians (one meeting will take up most of the time), we will have one Bible study session on both First and Second Thessalonians later. I had an inspiration after I read Colossians and First and Second Thessalonians. In Colossians, it was dealing more with carnality in the church. While in First and Second Thessalonians, it was dealing more with Christians who are easily deceived in church. As Paul mentioned in Colossians, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (NIV, Colossians, 3:2), and advised Christians in the church at Colossae to forgive each other.  In First and Second Thessalonians, it talks a lot about the lessons of the Antichrist which led people to be deceived. What does this mean?  Even when people are long time church goers, we  find that many Christians may actually possess the knowledge and truths of the Bible, but when something really happens, they still can't overcome their own flesh. For example, we know that God isn't happy with the divisions in the church and hopes that all of us can get along with each other, but when something happens, we will still form sects and factions.  This is a common situation in churches today. Another situation we find in today's church is people who don't have much biblical knowledge and haven't meditated on the truths of the Bible.  They may not have strong fleshly desires but they are easily led astray by wrong teachings leading to greater losses.  Both of these situations are ubiquitous in the church. Today, let's talk about Colossians. First of all, we have to clarify that there are fleshly or other problems in the church at Colossae but it isn't entirely a bad thing. For example, in the church at Corinth, there were also a lot of problems that existed. Thus, Paul wrote two letters to them, revealing many truths about Christ. There's background information behind every letter. Similarly, Colossians has a special background.  Paul wrote four letters in prison - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.   There's very important historical background behind these letters. I asked a Christian who attended our Bible study, to imagine that he was Paul, he was in prison, he only had a little time left and the conditions were poor, but he has to say something important right from his heart to write these letters. Of course, after writing the letters, it has a lasting significance, letting the churches benefit from them for thousands of years after. But often, there is a latent cause in writing them initially. For example, when I mentioned the chaos in the church at Corinth, including the man who had married the stepmother, it leaves Paul with no choice but to write a long letter to them. What is the background of Colossians here? There are many things in the Bible that are not accounted for, but it doesn't mean that they didn't happen. I shared a story I personally heard. Soon after I received salvation, a brother told me of a situation that had happened in the church. There was a man who had been in the church for a long time and his car was accidentally hit by a newcomer causing minor damage. This man insisted on filing an insurance claim to let the newcomer compensate. Someone tried to persuade him to give a little grace to this newcomer, let him compensate just a little money, but the man refused. Naturally, in the end, the newcomer stumbled. The person, who told me the story, said that the man whose car had minor damage didn't have enough grace. He lacked real Christian love.  He regarded his own car as more important than the newcomer's stumbling. Of course here in the United States when we encounter such things, there is no reason not to file an insurance claim. The point that the person telling the story was trying to make is that we should look less at the circumstance and have more grace toward the person to avoid having them stumble. I don't know whether a situation like this is a common occurrence in the church, but as far as my own experience is concerned, there are indeed many similar situations. On the one hand, we are Christians. On the other hand, we are human beings. Humans have fleshly desires. When we talk about the love of Christ, we may speak clearly and logically, but when our interests are involved, the flesh often speaks louder than the spirit and we lose. After sharing this story in the meeting, I asked everyone “Is there a similar situation in the church at Colossae that Paul is concerned about?” As stated in Colossians 1:7, the church in Colossae was taught by Epaphras, and he also reported the situation of the church to Paul and others. Is there a possibility that after Epaphras told Paul about the grace of God to the Colossian church, he also told Paul about the situation in which some brothers and sisters become competitive, irreconcilable and unforgiving when they are in the flesh? And that these brethren are actually those whom Paul knew, even loved, or personally brought to be saved or trained? Is it possible that the two parties are both loved by Paul, but are incompatible, leading Paul to worry in prison and to write a letter to the Colossians to mediate them? Both are Paul's love, so Paul can't blame one, and hold the other in high regard. He must be very careful in dealing with this subtle situation. If these situations are possible, if you were Paul, how would you deal with it? We don't know if Paul was facing these things, but we know that in the life of the contemporary church, we often have to face these situations. We assume that this may be the background behind Paul's writing. Let's see how Paul's letters respond to this situation.    Suppose the parties involved are all Paul's acquaintance, and the two people are still arguing, it will be difficult for Paul to directly judge who is right and who is wrong. And judging right or wrong may not be a good choice because the dispute between right and wrong is often in the realm of the mind, the flesh, or the soul. What Paul needs to do is to help the members of the two factions to break carnal, and spiritual strongholds, enter the mind of Christ in the heavenly, and look at these problems from the eyes and perspective of God. When they can look at these problems from a Heavenly perspective, they can escape from earthly, carnal, and spiritual strongholds and they will be able to forgive, tolerate, and mutually compromise in love. If you were Paul, how would you start writing this letter? Of course, he wouldn't begin by blaming the two brothers. Instead, he avoided direct accusation. He started from a very high place - Heaven. Paul's slant at the beginning of Colossae is very high. Paul began by praising the believers of Colossae, saying he heard the praise of the Colossian believers from Epaphras, which he mentioned in 1:4: "because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God's people." (NIV) After praising the Colossian believers, Paul switched the thread of conversation to directly mentioning the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 12 Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (NIV) Then Paul used this opportunity to say that, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:15). He added, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:22). From here, we can speculate that what Paul means is we have eliminated all strife on the cross of Christ. Paul then uses his experience again to testify that, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:24). Paul mentioned how he was called to complete God's Word. He revealed the mystery hidden by God over the ages - Christ is our hope of glory. Paul has struggled and worked hard for this. He wants us to maturely dedicate our life to God. In this chapter, Paul seems to be saying good things. It appears that he doesn't have any criticism. But in the second chapter, Paul slowly began to raise the obscure issue of the Colossians. Of course, when Paul ended the letter, he never forgot to give encouragement and comfort to the audience of his letters. Some people call this type of writing a "sandwich". This kind of writing is very common in the Bible. For example, Jesus' seven letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation are also in the format of a “sandwich." It praised the faithfulness of each church in the beginning. After which, it criticized the church in the middle. In the end, there were words of encouragement and promise again. Let's take a look at how Paul began to put "meat" in this "sandwich" from the second chapter (we will use meat as a metaphor for Paul's criticism). In verse 2:4, Paul said that, “ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” (NIV) This sentence implies that in the church of Colossae, some people will use flowery words to deceive the Christians in Colossae. 2:8 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ”. (NIV)   This sentence has implicit meaning. In the church in Colossae, there are those who will use philosophy and empty deception according to human teachings rather on Christ, leading the Christians in Colossae astray. Thus, in the second chapter, Paul especially revealed many of the mysteries of Christ in these two negative situations. Then at the beginning of third chapter, Paul immediately encouraged the Christians in Colossae to set their minds on things above and not on earthly things (NIV, Colossians: 3:2). Chapters 3:1-4 are some of my favorite verses: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory”. (NIV) Paul becomes more and more straightforward in here. 3:5 says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (NIV) 3:8 says, “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (NIV)  3:9 says, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” (NIV) 3: 12-15 also say, “12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (NIV) I shared my experience and said that when I was starting to learn to serve, I was with a brother who was a little older than me. We had a dispute when we once served together in the Church.   Our Elders in the church did not criticize us, but they let us sing Colossians 3:12-15. So at this bible study, my wife and I sang these same verses again to the tune of a hymn. Why is Paul particularly emphasizing here that as God's chosen people, we must have compassion, kindness, humbleness, gentleness, patience, and even if there is a discord between people, we must always bear and forgive each other as the Lord forgive us? It is not enough to just forgive, but we must also have love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect unity. So although these are just speculations, perhaps things such as carnality and strife among people really happened in the church in Colossae. Ultimately, the reason why such things happen is due to the fact that their life is not mature enough to let the life of Christ rule their lives. So Paul said in 3:16-17 (NIV), 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” In chapter 4, Paul has hardly any criticism. Instead, he began to comfort, encourage and greet. 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (NIV) 4:6 says,  “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (NIV) In conclusion, Paul ended the four short chapters of Colossae with a lot of greetings. Although our sharing is of a speed reading nature, or a passing glance, we can see that many of the verses in Colossians are written with a delicate touch. Let's pray and try to fathom the implications of these verses. This will be beneficial to our Christian life because it especially helps us to grow up into Christ, overcome the flesh, and even enter and preserve Christian unity.      

  I’ve gone to church all my life, but when I was twelve years old I heard something that forever changed my life. Actually, it was more than just hearing that changed me…it was believing that changed me! This may need some explaining, because it wasn’t just hearing or believing…it was receiving that changed me forever! I’ve never looked at God’s Word the same. I’ve never been the same…let me do that explaining with an illustration!    There's a reason they call it a Smart phone Several years ago, I needed a new phone. I looked at lots of options.  Then I-heard I could process credit cards at conferences instead of renting a point of sale machine. That move would save me a ton of money. The salesman handed us the phone and began to explain that we could download applications. I had never heard of an app. (yes I know… I know! But you’re forgetting this was a long time ago!) So he took his phone and began to show us some of his favorite apps. I was totally amazed to learn that the applications provided additional benefits and capabilities far beyond that of a regular phone. No one wants a phone that only lets you talk to someone (I see you, you are shaking your head at me, because not there are thousands of apps that provide a myriad of functions.) Imagine not even knowing the apps are available.    Staying on the Bleeding Edge of Technology Some folks aren’t content staying on the cutting edge, they want to be the first to be in the know about everything involving technology! While knowing about  and USING apps is important if you own any kind of smart phone, but there are things, really critical things, that way too many people have never discovered. Some people don’t know that God loves them. Some people don’t know that Jesus died for their sins. And some believers, don’t know anything about who Precious Holy Spirit is. They don’t know they can be filled with the Holy Spirit. I was one of those people. My grandma would mention the Holy Spirit sometimes. But the only thing I knew about Holy Spirit was when the pastor at my church gave the invitation. My pastor would tell us, “If you have not given your heart to Jesus and you feel the Holy Spirit knocking on your heart’s door, then today is the day for you to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.” That’s all I knew. I was so hungry for more of God. I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me, so every Sunday I went down to the front. My dear Pastor, would remind me that I was already saved. I would go back to my seat like Samuel in the Bible, confused about what was going on. I didn’t know that I could be filled with precious Holy Spirit, but one day a friend shared the good news with me. Actually, I had more than one discussion and then listened to numerous sermons before I understood. It’ wasn’t that it was difficult to understand, it was just that I didn’t know anything about Holy Spirit. But when I heard,  I believed,  I received Holy Spirit.   Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? In Acts 19:2 NIV Paul is telling the story of finding some believers at Ephesus "and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." Paul was excited to share the great news about precious Holy Spirit with them.   When they heard, they believed and they received. They couldn’t receive until they knew God had more for them. We can’t use an app on our phone if we don’t know it’s available. We can’t use money in our account if we don’t know it’s there. We have to hear about it first.   (Check out the book “Precious Holy Spirit” https://www.patriciaholland.org/product/precious-holy-spirit-ebook/%20/o%20Buy%20the%20book for more details.) But what if I told you about say a GPS app that will guide you from your front door to the place you wanted to go.   You would have a choice. You might say “I don’t believe a phone can do that. Or you might say, “Where do I download an app like that.   If you didn’t believe what I was telling you, you wouldn’t get the app. Yet, believing there is an app doesn’t get you the app. You have to download it and open the app. Paul’s account tells us they heard, they believed and they received. They couldn’t receive until they knew God had more for them. We can’t use an app on our phone if we don’t know it’s available. We can’t use money in our account if we don’t know it’s there. Hearing is the first step, but not the only step. After you hear, you must believe.    What have you heard? Was it confusing? Did it make you hungry for God? Did it make you want to be filled with all the fullness of God?   But today, in the modern church, many believers are confused. Far too few can say I heard, I believed and I received. Some folks seem to be totally ignorant on the subject and others are asking questions:   Maybe you have some questions? That's a good thing. Maybe you want to know "What is Pentecost?" Who is the Holy Spirit? Are tongues of the devil? Was speaking in tongues just for the disciples? My book points you to some of the answers https://www.patriciaholland.org/product/precious-holy-spirit-book/"Precious Holy Spirit."    There seems to be a menacing fence – complete with a huge “Keep Out” sign – surrounding Pentecost and its accompanying infilling of the Holy Spirit. Some folks  say, “You receive all you need when you get saved.” Confused and frightened by the roars of tradition and skepticism , far too many believers remain silent and powerless. I am convinced that the Person of Pentecost is the missing dynamo in the modern, anemic church? Especially since Jesus told His disciples, after His resurrection, to “receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22 Removing the barriers that keep us from experiencing more of God, demands that we search God’s Word, discover so we can receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit is for every believer. Believe Like everything God has for us, we must believe to receive precious Holy Spirit.   But Is receiving the Holy Spirit really important? Yes! It is really important. Why is this experience so critical? It is because it is a Gift from God. We can’t afford to miss God’s Gifts. It takes believers into a deeper, fuller relationship with God. The benefits of living a Spirit filled life is experiencing the partnership of Holy Spirit guiding, empowering and transforming every area of a believer’s life. I am not talking about a one time experience. I am referring to building on a relational experience that moves forward into everyday life, like a wedding should move into a deeper, fuller lifelong relationship. Out of this partnership with Holy Spirit flows love, joy, power to win over sin, power to witness, and spiritual maturity. Jesus made a big deal out of the reality that they should not grieve over the fact that He was leaving them, because He would send a comforter that would not just be with them, but would live in them.    Mix what you heard with faith. Luke 11:13 NIV If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"   I want you to be able to say I heard. I believed. I received and I shared. Not a Theological Exegesis   The book “Precious Holy Spirit” is not a theological exegesis, but it is a journey through scripture to help the reader fall in love. I wrote this book in a clear, easy to understand format using seven words pictures that describe Holy Spirit. It uses interesting stories from nature and history to unlock the mystery of Pentecost. This book is for the person that doesn’t know anything about the Holy Spirit. It’s for the person that avoids the whole conversation because they think it’s all weird. And, it is also for anyone who has received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but wants to rekindle their passion, or wants to know how to access the resources available to the Spirit filled believer. This book will inspired and ignite you. You will fall in love—all over again.   Additionally, this book is written to pastors or leaders that need a little extra help making the whole topic of receiving the Holy Spirit easier to understand. It gives clear examples and illustrations that can be used in conversation, training and sermons.   Download the eBook and start reading right now.

My grandfather was just old enough to be drafted into the Army in World War I. I remember him telling the story. He had completed basic training and was loaded onto a train with other soldiers. The train headed to the east coast. It was night. The train stopped in a town but he didn't remember where. But news spread quickly through the train that the war was over! The men were so excited they left the train whooping and hollering! They ran about the town celebrating the peace! Eventually, he was mustered out of the Army, having never faced combat. Peace is such a joyous feeling! The same is true in our relationship to God. What overwhelming relief to have peace with God! Paul describes this in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."(NIV) Paul explains this more in verses 9 and 10, "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"(NIV) If you are in Jesus, you can celebrate peace with God! The Holy Spirit works so you can feel this peace in your life! Please provide feedback and suggestions at: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/feedback/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

Transcript(the following transcript may contain errors)Episode IntroYou and I know what it's like to be a human being. We know that we can only ever be in one place at the one time. We know that one day we're born without us even having any say in it. And then another day we'll die.But what about God? What's he like?That's what we're thinking about in this episode of Thinking Theology.Last time we began looking at the doctrine of God. In this episode we're beginning to think about the nature of God. What are the attributes of God in his very being?Podcast IntroHi. My name is Karl Deenick. I'm a pastor, theologian, writer, and Bible college lecturer. Welcome to Thinking Theology, a podcast where we think about theology, the Bible and the Christian life, not just for the sake of it, but so we can love God more, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.What Can We Say About the Nature of God?What can really say about the nature of God?Throughout the history of the church people have grappled with that very question. It's a problematic topic in some ways, because as Zophar says to Job,“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? (Job 11:7 NIV)Zophar is, of course, right. By definition it's impossible for us as humans to probe the limits of who God is and what it's like to be God.As the theologian, Louis Berkhof writes,The Being of God is characterized by a depth, a fullness, a variety, and a glory far beyond our comprehension….[1]But to say that we can't understand God completely is not to say that we can't understand anything about God at all.As Paul says in Romans 1, even creation tells us something about God's eternal power and glory. But the place where we come to know accurately about God is in the Bible. In the Bible God has revealed to us insights into who he is and what he is like.[2]The knowledge that the Bible gives us is partial, but it is nevertheless true.So, too, as Luther pointed out, the knowledge that we have of God does not describe so much what he is, but it describes the qualities or the characteristics of God. That is, we can say something about what he is like but we can't really describe his essential being.[3] There are lots of attributes that people have used to describe God.One famous list comes from the 8th century theologian, John of Damascus.[4] Or Jono of Damascus as I like to call him. He described God as,uncreate[d], unbegotten, imperishable and immortal, everlasting, infinite, uncircumscribed, boundless, of infinite power, simple, uncompound, incorporeal, without flux, passionless, unchangeable, unalterable, unseen[5]So, too, theologians have often organised them in different ways.In this and the next few episodes we're going to consider them under the headings of the nature of God and the character of God. The nature of God refers to the “non-moral” attributes of God and relate more to the being of God. While the character of God refers to the “moral” attributes of God and describe more what he is like to relate to in personal terms.The attributes I describe here follow closely the list given by the theologian John Feinberg in his book on the doctrine of God, No One Like Him. That book would be a good place to go if you want to dig into these more deeply. Feinberg lists 11 non-moral attributes of God and 9 moral attributes of God. We'll look at the moral attributes of God this time and next time. And then we'll consider the character of God in a couple of episodes time.The 11 non-moral attributes of God that he lists are: aseity (or self-existence), infinity, immensity and omnipresence, eternity, immutability, omnipotence, sovereignty, omniscience, wisdom, unity and simplicity.Self-existenceFirst, is what theologians often call “aseity” but a more helpful term is self-existence. Self-existence refers to the idea that God depends on no one else for his existence.In the last episode we saw that God just is. As Jesus says in John 5, he has life in himself. He says,For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. (John 5:26 NIV)So too, Paul says in Acts 17,The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. (Acts 17:24–25 NIV) Everything is dependent on God. And God is dependent on nothing.EternityThe next attribute is eternity. God is eternal. He has always existed and will always exist. There was never a time when he didn't exist.There are lots of passages that speak about that.For example, Psalm 90 says,Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2 NIV)Or Psalm 93,Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. (Psalm 93:2 NIV)Or Psalm 102,In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. (Psalm 102:25–27 NIV)Habakkuk 1:12 says,Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. (Habakkuk 1:12 NIV)In Revelation 1 we read,“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8 NIV) In Hebrews 7 it describes Jesus saying,Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life…he remains a priest forever. (Hebrews 7:3 NIV)Or again in chapter 13,Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NIV) So, too, God's characteristics are described as enduring forever. For example, Psalm 111:3 says,Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. (Psalm 111:3 NIV)Psalm 103,But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children… (Psalm 103:17 NIV) The eternity of God is also bound up with the name that he gives to Moses: “I am”. He always was and always will be. As Jesus says to the religious leaders,“Very truly I tell you…before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58 NIV)Jesus is not just saying that he existed before Abraham. He's saying that, as God, he has always been: he just is.In thinking about the eternity of God, one question that arises is whether God is eternal simply in the sense that he has always been and will always be, or whether he is eternal in the sense that he is outside time. That is, is his eternity temporal or atemporal eternity.In truth, the Bible doesn't really tell us. Some passages might seem to.So, for example, 2 Peter 3:8 says,But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8 NIV) But as John Feinberg points out, all the verse is saying is that God perceives time differently to us. It does not explain why he perceives it differently to us.[6]Similarly, in Psalm 90:4 we're told,A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4 NIV)Again, this verse only tells us how God perceives time, not how he relates to it. A thousand years might just seem like a day because it's next to nothing in the scale of eternity.That said, my cautious inclination is to think that God's eternity is temporal. But it's important to be clear what that means. It all depends on how you think about time. God clearly doesn't exist within time understood as the spinning of the earth on its access. Neither does God exist within time understood as in modern physics as the oscillations of the cesium-133 atom. But it could still make sense that within God himself is a notion of sequence. That is, it may be that time is not a limitation that is imposed on us because of our creatureliness, but that time (as we experience it, anyway) is actually a reflection of the character of God.That would certainly make sense of the fact that always within the Bible order matters and things taking place in time matters. That is, the nature of our relationship to God changed after the cross. The sins left unpunished were dealt with, the Holy Spirit was poured out. God's interaction with us is always historical and depends on certain events having taken place.Nevertheless, the Bible's lack of detail on the subject of how God relates to time suggests that we ought to be careful.I'm often surprised how many people seek to answer riddles in the theology by noting that God sits outside time. But not only does the Bible not speak clearly to that issue, the Bible also doesn't encourage us to seek to answer theological questions by observing that God is outside time. If that was a profitable way of reflecting on God's engagement with the world, the Bible could have set us that example, but it doesn't. And that ought to urge us to be cautious.OmnipresenceThe Bible also describes God as omnipresent, or present everywhere.So Psalm 139 it reflects on the fact that it is impossible to escape God or to end up somewhere where God can't reach us. It says,Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7–12 NIV) An idea that is related to omnipresence is what is known as God's immensity. So in 1 Kings 8, at the commissioning of the temple, Solomon says,“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! (1 Kings 8:27 NIV)It's not simply that God can reach everywhere, but his being is such that he cannot be contained by space.Moreover, those two ideas come together in Jeremiah 23, which says,“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:23–24 NIV)The reason there's no place that we can go where God cannot find us is because God's is present in every place. He is omnipresent.And yet, the presence of God is also a more complicated idea than that too.There are clearly times and ways in which God is especially present. So God can say to Moses in Exodus 33,My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14 NIV)Or David can write,Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:11 NIV)So, too, Jesus says,Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23 NIV)Or,where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20 NIV)So, too, when Adam and Eve are forced out of the Garden on account of their sin, they are driven from the presence of God. And Cain, after murdering his brother, goes out from the Lord's presence and lives east of Eden, according to Genesis 4:16.There is a sense, then, in which God is present everywhere, but he is present in special ways in certain places and with certain people.John Feinberg distinguishes between God's ontological presence and God's relational presence. That is, God is present everywhere in his being, but his relationship to the creation and the people varies in respect of how we stand in relation to him through Jesus—whether we are his enemies on account of our sin, or his children on account of Jesus' death and resurrection in our place.For example, it's a mistake to say, as people sometimes do, that hell is a place where God is absent. Rather, hell is the place where God is present in judgement. Whereas the new creation is the place where God will be present with his people in love, grace and mercy.OmnipotenceGod is also omnipotent, or all-powerful.The biblical expression for that is “almighty”. In the New Testament, picking up on a word that is used in the Greek version of the Old Testament, God is called, pantokratōr, which literally means all-mighty.But whether using that word or other words, time and again in the Bible God is described as being all powerful.Paul says in Romans 1,For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen…. (Romans 1:20 NIV)Or Job says,“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2 NIV) So too, Jesus says to his disciples in the Great Commission,All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18 NIV)So too Jesus says to his disciples in Matthew 19,With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26 NIV)Paul describes Jesus as,far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:21 NIV)Isaiah 14 says,For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? (Isaiah 14:27 NIV)Or Isaiah 43,Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43:13 NIV) So, too, in Hebrews we're told that Christ upholds all things (Heb 1:3), and in Colossians that “in him all things hold together” (Col 1:17).But in saying that God is almighty and all powerful, we also need to be careful to clarify exactly what we mean by that. Can God do absolutely anything? Can he, for example, sin? Can he die? Can he create another God?Importantly, the Bible also tells us that some things are impossible for God.God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. (Hebrews 6:18 NIV) if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NIV) When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; (James 1:13 NIV)In other words, omnipotence does not refer to God's power to do anything at all, but God's power to do anything and everything that is consistent with his nature and character.[7] But far from being a limitation that is actually the perfection of his power.SovereigntyRelated to God's omnipotence is God's sovereignty. Sovereignty refers to God's control over everything. That is, not only is God all powerful, but everything that that takes place, takes place within his will and purpose.For example, theoretically, God could be all powerful, but choose at points, not to exercise that power. God could, perhaps, have created the world and then let it run and decided not to intervene. That view is referred to as deism. We came across that in the last episode. In deism, God is like a watchmaker who makes the watch and then lets it run. But that's not the view of God that the Bible presents.Another view is that while God is all powerful, perhaps, he limits the use of his power so as not to crush human free-will. That view is often described as Arminianism, referring to famous proponent of that view Jacob Arminius, who was around at the time of the Reformation.[8]But the Bible presents God as being in control of everything with his purpose and will standing, in some way, behind all that happens, even our decisions.Paul writes in Ephesians,In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…. (Ephesians 1:11 NIV)Or Psalm 115 says,Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. (Psalm 115:3 NIV)Or Psalm 135,I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. (Psalm 135:5–7 NIV)Or Job says of God,I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2 NIV)So, too, God's plan, purpose and power stand behind even our human acts and human decisions.Paul says in Acts 17,‘For in him we live and move and have our being.' (Acts 17:28 NIV)Proverbs 16:9 tells us that,In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NIV) Salvation, too, is grounded in God's choice rather than human desire or effort. Paul says in Romans 9,For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. (Romans 9:15–16 NIV) Finally, even evil is not outside God's control. Famously Joseph says to his brothers in Genesis 50, that while they intended their actions for evil, God intended their actions for good.How the sovereignty of God fits within human responsibility and also with evil is a complex subject that we'll return to in a few episodes time when we look at providence or God's control over the world.But for the moment it's helpful simply to note, that not only is God all powerful, but he is sovereign over all things, everything that happens flows in someway from his purpose and will. Moreover, whatever God chooses to do is unconstrained. No one compels him to do one thing or another. His decisions are his own and arise from his own plans and motivations.[9]ApplicationGod is self-existent, eternal, omnipresent, all powerful and sovereign.And while those attributes might seem at face value a little bit complicated at times or even a bit dry, they're really important for us to understand. That's because they each of them impacts the way we relate to and trust God.God's self-existence means he is utterly reliable. He depends on no one else. Therefore, we can always depend on him.God's eternity means that God never goes away. He is not like family and friends who one day will die. Unlike them, God will never leave us nor forsake us.God's omnipresence means, as we saw from Psalm 139, that we can never escape God and no one and nothing can ever take us somewhere that God isn't with us.God's omnipotence means that nothing we face is beyond God's power.And his Sovereignty means that whatever happens, God is working all things together for the good of those who love him.Far from being academic, understanding the nature of God is deeply, deeply practical.OutroThat's it for this episode of Thinking Theology.Join me next time as we think the rest of the non-moral attributes of God: omniscience, wisdom, immutability, infinity, unity and simplicity.Please join me then.[1] Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1958), 42.[2] Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 43.[3] Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 41, 43. [4] See Gerald Lewis Bray, The Doctrine of God, Contours of Christian Theology (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 81.[5] John Damascene, “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” in St. Hilary of Poitiers, John of Damascus, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, trans. S. D. F. Salmond, vol. 9b, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1899), 6.[6] John S. Feinberg, No One Like Him: The Doctrine of God, Foundations of Evangelical Theology (Wheaton: Crossway, 2001), 263.[7] Feinberg, No One Like Him, 288[8] Theses examples are taken from Feinberg, No One Like Him, 294.[9] Feinberg, No One Like Him, 294.

Bible Study with Jairus - Colossians We are striving to speed read several volumes of the Bible every month. The main consideration is to help some brothers and sisters who aren't able to read further when they reach Exodus in the Old Testament, and Romans in the New Testament. This will help those new ones to have a rough understanding on the contents of some books in the Bible. We started to speed read the Old Testament, from the first book up to the Book of Ruth. Meanwhile, we have done the opposite in the New Testament. We began to speed read from the Book of Revelation up to Colossians. Although it's just a passing glance, it might help some of our brothers and sisters who have never read the Bible from cover to cover. This time, the inspiration that I got after speed reading Colossians is how Paul dealt with carnal Christians in the church at Colossae. Originally, we arranged a speed reading of 3 letters: the letters to the Colossians, and First and Second Thessalonians. But because of the rich content of Colossians (one meeting will take up most of the time), we will have one Bible study session on both First and Second Thessalonians later. I had an inspiration after I read Colossians and First and Second Thessalonians. In Colossians, it was dealing more with carnality in the church. While in First and Second Thessalonians, it was dealing more with Christians who are easily deceived in church. As Paul mentioned in Colossians, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (NIV, Colossians, 3:2), and advised Christians in the church at Colossae to forgive each other.  In First and Second Thessalonians, it talks a lot about the lessons of the Antichrist which led people to be deceived. What does this mean?  Even when people are long time church goers, we  find that many Christians may actually possess the knowledge and truths of the Bible, but when something really happens, they still can't overcome their own flesh. For example, we know that God isn't happy with the divisions in the church and hopes that all of us can get along with each other, but when something happens, we will still form sects and factions.  This is a common situation in churches today. Another situation we find in today's church is people who don't have much biblical knowledge and haven't meditated on the truths of the Bible.  They may not have strong fleshly desires but they are easily led astray by wrong teachings leading to greater losses.  Both of these situations are ubiquitous in the church. Today, let's talk about Colossians. First of all, we have to clarify that there are fleshly or other problems in the church at Colossae but it isn't entirely a bad thing. For example, in the church at Corinth, there were also a lot of problems that existed. Thus, Paul wrote two letters to them, revealing many truths about Christ. There's background information behind every letter. Similarly, Colossians has a special background.  Paul wrote four letters in prison - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.   There's very important historical background behind these letters. I asked a Christian who attended our Bible study, to imagine that he was Paul, he was in prison, he only had a little time left and the conditions were poor, but he has to say something important right from his heart to write these letters. Of course, after writing the letters, it has a lasting significance, letting the churches benefit from them for thousands of years after. But often, there is a latent cause in writing them initially. For example, when I mentioned the chaos in the church at Corinth, including the man who had married the stepmother, it leaves Paul with no choice but to write a long letter to them. What is the background of Colossians here? There are many things in the Bible that are not accounted for, but it doesn't mean that they didn't happen. I shared a story I personally heard. Soon after I received salvation, a brother told me of a situation that had happened in the church. There was a man who had been in the church for a long time and his car was accidentally hit by a newcomer causing minor damage. This man insisted on filing an insurance claim to let the newcomer compensate. Someone tried to persuade him to give a little grace to this newcomer, let him compensate just a little money, but the man refused. Naturally, in the end, the newcomer stumbled. The person, who told me the story, said that the man whose car had minor damage didn't have enough grace. He lacked real Christian love.  He regarded his own car as more important than the newcomer's stumbling. Of course here in the United States when we encounter such things, there is no reason not to file an insurance claim. The point that the person telling the story was trying to make is that we should look less at the circumstance and have more grace toward the person to avoid having them stumble. I don't know whether a situation like this is a common occurrence in the church, but as far as my own experience is concerned, there are indeed many similar situations. On the one hand, we are Christians. On the other hand, we are human beings. Humans have fleshly desires. When we talk about the love of Christ, we may speak clearly and logically, but when our interests are involved, the flesh often speaks louder than the spirit and we lose. After sharing this story in the meeting, I asked everyone “Is there a similar situation in the church at Colossae that Paul is concerned about?” As stated in Colossians 1:7, the church in Colossae was taught by Epaphras, and he also reported the situation of the church to Paul and others. Is there a possibility that after Epaphras told Paul about the grace of God to the Colossian church, he also told Paul about the situation in which some brothers and sisters become competitive, irreconcilable and unforgiving when they are in the flesh? And that these brethren are actually those whom Paul knew, even loved, or personally brought to be saved or trained? Is it possible that the two parties are both loved by Paul, but are incompatible, leading Paul to worry in prison and to write a letter to the Colossians to mediate them? Both are Paul's love, so Paul can't blame one, and hold the other in high regard. He must be very careful in dealing with this subtle situation. If these situations are possible, if you were Paul, how would you deal with it? We don't know if Paul was facing these things, but we know that in the life of the contemporary church, we often have to face these situations. We assume that this may be the background behind Paul's writing. Let's see how Paul's letters respond to this situation.    Suppose the parties involved are all Paul's acquaintance, and the two people are still arguing, it will be difficult for Paul to directly judge who is right and who is wrong. And judging right or wrong may not be a good choice because the dispute between right and wrong is often in the realm of the mind, the flesh, or the soul. What Paul needs to do is to help the members of the two factions to break carnal, and spiritual strongholds, enter the mind of Christ in the heavenly, and look at these problems from the eyes and perspective of God. When they can look at these problems from a Heavenly perspective, they can escape from earthly, carnal, and spiritual strongholds and they will be able to forgive, tolerate, and mutually compromise in love. If you were Paul, how would you start writing this letter? Of course, he wouldn't begin by blaming the two brothers. Instead, he avoided direct accusation. He started from a very high place - Heaven. Paul's slant at the beginning of Colossae is very high. Paul began by praising the believers of Colossae, saying he heard the praise of the Colossian believers from Epaphras, which he mentioned in 1:4: "because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God's people." (NIV) After praising the Colossian believers, Paul switched the thread of conversation to directly mentioning the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 12 Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (NIV) Then Paul used this opportunity to say that, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:15). He added, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:22). From here, we can speculate that what Paul means is we have eliminated all strife on the cross of Christ. Paul then uses his experience again to testify that, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:24). Paul mentioned how he was called to complete God's Word. He revealed the mystery hidden by God over the ages - Christ is our hope of glory. Paul has struggled and worked hard for this. He wants us to maturely dedicate our life to God. In this chapter, Paul seems to be saying good things. It appears that he doesn't have any criticism. But in the second chapter, Paul slowly began to raise the obscure issue of the Colossians. Of course, when Paul ended the letter, he never forgot to give encouragement and comfort to the audience of his letters. Some people call this type of writing a "sandwich". This kind of writing is very common in the Bible. For example, Jesus' seven letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation are also in the format of a “sandwich." It praised the faithfulness of each church in the beginning. After which, it criticized the church in the middle. In the end, there were words of encouragement and promise again. Let's take a look at how Paul began to put "meat" in this "sandwich" from the second chapter (we will use meat as a metaphor for Paul's criticism). In verse 2:4, Paul said that, “ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” (NIV) This sentence implies that in the church of Colossae, some people will use flowery words to deceive the Christians in Colossae. 2:8 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ”. (NIV)   This sentence has implicit meaning. In the church in Colossae, there are those who will use philosophy and empty deception according to human teachings rather on Christ, leading the Christians in Colossae astray. Thus, in the second chapter, Paul especially revealed many of the mysteries of Christ in these two negative situations. Then at the beginning of third chapter, Paul immediately encouraged the Christians in Colossae to set their minds on things above and not on earthly things (NIV, Colossians: 3:2). Chapters 3:1-4 are some of my favorite verses: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory”. (NIV) Paul becomes more and more straightforward in here. 3:5 says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (NIV) 3:8 says, “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (NIV)  3:9 says, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” (NIV) 3: 12-15 also say, “12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (NIV) I shared my experience and said that when I was starting to learn to serve, I was with a brother who was a little older than me. We had a dispute when we once served together in the Church.   Our Elders in the church did not criticize us, but they let us sing Colossians 3:12-15. So at this bible study, my wife and I sang these same verses again to the tune of a hymn. Why is Paul particularly emphasizing here that as God's chosen people, we must have compassion, kindness, humbleness, gentleness, patience, and even if there is a discord between people, we must always bear and forgive each other as the Lord forgive us? It is not enough to just forgive, but we must also have love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect unity. So although these are just speculations, perhaps things such as carnality and strife among people really happened in the church in Colossae. Ultimately, the reason why such things happen is due to the fact that their life is not mature enough to let the life of Christ rule their lives. So Paul said in 3:16-17 (NIV), 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” In chapter 4, Paul has hardly any criticism. Instead, he began to comfort, encourage and greet. 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (NIV) 4:6 says,  “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (NIV) In conclusion, Paul ended the four short chapters of Colossae with a lot of greetings. Although our sharing is of a speed reading nature, or a passing glance, we can see that many of the verses in Colossians are written with a delicate touch. Let's pray and try to fathom the implications of these verses. This will be beneficial to our Christian life because it especially helps us to grow up into Christ, overcome the flesh, and even enter and preserve Christian unity.

I’ve often heard professional athletes say their favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13. They credit God for the “against all odds” strength that he provided so they could pull off a “come from behind” victory. But Paul, the author of Philippians, is not crediting God for his physical strength. Verse 13 in the NIV says, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” In the context of the surrounding verses, Paul is acknowledging that God’s strength gives him the ability to be content in any and every situation. Paul had died to himself and his own abilities. He’s the one who wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NIV) Paul also wrote, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:24–25 NIV) In other words, by writing “I can do all this through him who gives me strength,” Paul was saying that yielding his passions and desires to the Spirit of God is what gave him the strength not only to be content when he was hungry and living in want, but also supplied the strength he needed to keep from patting himself on the back when he was well fed and living in plenty. Rather than merely empowering us to achieve an unexpected victory, God provides the strength to live in peace and contentment whether we win or lose. When we surrender our passions and desires to God, we neither fear when all hope seems lost nor exalt ourselves when we win. Also worth noting is verse 14. Right after acknowledging his total dependence on God, Paul gave a grateful nod to the Philippians by writing, “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.” Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is now available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com This week's scripture: Philippians 4:10–14

Philippians 1:12-27 (NIV) Paul's Chains Advance the Gospel 12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[c] 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. Life Worthy of the Gospel 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,[d] striving together as one for the faith of the gospel Footnotes: [a] Philippians 1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God's family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21. [b] Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace [c] Philippians 1:19 Or vindication; or salvation [d] Philippians 1:27 Or in one spirit

Colossians 1:1 (NIV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.If you studied the book of Philippians with us, you might remember that Paul started that letter by identifying himself as a servant. So, why does he identify himself as an apostle in this letter? Also, notice that Paul states it is by the "will of God" that he is an apostle. If you just casually read this verse, you would miss a very important point that Paul makes. You definitely don't want to miss this!Learn this and more in under 3 minutes!Be sure you are subscribed to this podcast to automatically receive your Bible studies!! DID YOU ENJOY THE EPISODE?I am truly honored to show up daily on The Simple Truth and bring you deeper insight into God's Word. I hope it is truly helpful for you. One of the best ways you can bless me in return is to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review.  By subscribing, you allow each episode to be downloaded straight to your phone which helps you never miss a moment growing closer to God.  Your review makes a huge impact on how others find the podcast. (And, if I'm being completely transparent, it makes the two hours I put into researching/recording/producing each episode totally worth it!)  Please leave a review here:Amazon Alexa Apple Podcasts (scroll down to the bottom of page:-) CONNECT WITH ME ON YOUR FAV SOCIAL PLATFORM!FB: @JulieKCarruth IG: @JulieKCarruth Parler: @JulieKCarruth Email: julie@MyBibleStudy.Today   XOXO Julie

Colossians 1:1-14 (NIV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Even When It's Hard: Be ConfidentPhilippians 1:1-11---Acts 7:58b-60 (NIV): "Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep."2 Corinthians 8:1-2 (NIV): "And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."MAIN POINT: Be confident in God…even when it's hard.MAIN SCRIPTURE:Philippians 1:1-6 (NIV): Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.Completion = to finish; to perfectPhilippians 1:7-10 (NIV): 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.MAIN POINT: Be confident in God…even when it's hard.How does Paul's love for the church in Philippi challenge you?What does it look like for you to be a partner in the gospel?What are we to be confident of (see Philippians 1:6)?

September 20, 2020 Philippians 1:12-31 (NIV) Paul's Chains Advance the Gospel 12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. Life Worthy of the Gospel 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 1:12-18 (NIV) Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel 12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

Episode 110 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. I Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV) Paul wellness check was in order and the church he preached out was well and strong, standing in spite of the attacks against it. We must do as well.

Episode 107 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:5-6. (NIV) Paul teaches us that our communication matters, how we relate to each other on the most basic level counts. We should season our words with salt because our words matter.

Ephesians 1:3-14 (NIV) Paul is writing this letter to gentiles in Ephesus while he's in prison. The first half of this letter is a soaring exhortation to the Ephesians about the gospel and how all of history had been leading to this moment. In today's passage Paul is praising God for his faithfulness to his promise to gather his covenant people, which now even includes the gentiles! Sometimes this passage can drag us down into endless discussions of predestination and God's will… but in that we can miss the point. The Lord of all creation has done what he always said he would do. He's has redeemed humans through his faithful love and has made a way for all people to know him. Not just one ethnic group. ----------REFLECT---------- 1. What stood out to you in this passage. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you know why. 2. When you hear this passage read again, pay attention to who you are in relationship to the Father, the son, and the holy spirit? What does it do to you know your status in relationship to the trinity? 3. As you listen again, ask the Father how he is inviting you to respond. What needs to be different? What might need to stay the same? ----------CONNECT---------- ivalabama.org intervarsity.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dailyread/message

Episode 101 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Philippians 1:12=14 (NIV) Paul was a witness in chains but a witness for Christ nevertheless.

Bible readings: Acts 16:6-10 (NIV) Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. John 11:38-44 (NIV) Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

"I identify with David: I, too, am a mixed bag. But it reminds me that I can't read this story with the idea that I'm supposed to be like David." Leaders set examples. They become examples: ideals to respect and emulate. The Bible is full of leaders—like David, a man after God's own heart. Samuel tells the story of David, but that's just a couple of chapters in a big book. What about the whole Bible? What's the story of the Bible and who's the hero? Learn how to read the Bible from David in 22 (https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/podcast-series/david-in-22-stories/) . In this episode, we discuss David, Bathsheba, and Uriah. Listen to How to Make It Right With God (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-it-right-with-god-david-in-22-2-samuel-12/id1477778533?i=1000459292221) for more context. To learn more, visit our Twitter (https://twitter.com/thecrossingcomo) @TheCrossingCOMO.   Outline 0:15 - Ways to read the Bible 1:20 - People in the Bible 2:00 - Hero of the Bible 2:40 - 2 Samuel 22.1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+22%3A1&version=NIV) 2:55 - Psalm 18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+18&version=NIV) 3:15 - David's Song (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel+22&version=NIV) 4:30 - God's bigger story 5:00 - 2 keywords 5:45 - 2 Samuel 22.21-25 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+22%3A21-25&version=NIV) 7:05 - God declares His name (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+34%3A5-6&version=NIV) 8:05 - Paul's conscience (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+24%3A16&version=NIV) 8:35 - David's military victories 9:35 - Interesting twist ( David's Mighty Warriors (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+23%3A8-39&version=NIV) ) 10:50 - Identifying with David 11:55 - Subscribe. Rate. Share.   Social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCrossingCOMO (https://www.facebook.com/TheCrossingCOMO) Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/TheCrossingCOMO (https://www.facebook.com/TheCrossingCOMO) Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecrossingcomo (https://twitter.com/thecrossingcomo)   Passages 2 Samuel 22.1: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+22%3A1&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+22%3A1&version=NIV) Psalm 18: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+18&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+18&version=NIV) 2 Samuel 22.21-25: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+22%3A21-25&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+22%3A21-25&version=NIV)   References Hannah's Song (1 Samuel 2.1-10): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+samuel+2%3A1-10&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+samuel+2%3A1-10&version=NIV) David's Song (2 Samuel 22): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel+22&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel+22&version=NIV) God's declares His name (Exodus 34.5-6): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+34%3A5-6&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+34%3A5-6&version=NIV) Paul's conscience (Acts 24.16): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+24%3A16&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+24%3A16&version=NIV) David's Mighty Warriors (2 Samuel 23.8-39): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel+23&version=NIV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel+23&version=NIV)   Related The Consequence of Confronting God:... Support this podcast

The Jesus Trip, I Am One With Jesus By: D. Karl Thomas (Sermon notes & PowerPoint Slide links at the bottom of the page)  Romans 6:17 “…yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” “standard of teaching” (AMP)  “Pattern of teaching” (NIV) “Paul’s system of truth.”  (Weymouth)  Romans […]

How Do We Engage Young PeopleStudent SundayNovember 24, 2019 | Wopsle--Comfort is the enemy of progress. // P.T. BarnumActs 17:16 NIV While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. How do we engage young people?Acts 17:22 NIV Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. We start by SEEING young people.Acts 17:23a NIV For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. We need to WALK AROUND and LOOK at what they engage in.Acts 17:23b NIV So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.We must PROCLAIM the Gospel to the next generations.Acts 17:24-28 NIVThe God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Bible readings: Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV) Salt and Light 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Romans 9:1-5 (NIV) Paul's Anguish Over Israel 9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. Romans 10:1-4 (NIV) 10 Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

SUNDAY JUNE 30 - FAQ BIO Do you ever sit around wondering about certain spiritual questions like… “Is it wrong to go dancing?” “Should a Christian get a tattoo?”  “Will we be married in heaven?” “Do people turn into angels in heaven?”  “Is it wrong to trust in horoscopes?” “Is it OK to spank your kids?”  “What’s up with the whole dinosaur stuff?” “Is there ‘for real’ an unforgiveable sin?” You’ve got questions? The Bible has the answers. And where the text is unclear, we will give you our opinions and what has formed them. Some of life’s most fun, most interesting, most shocking, and most trivial questions will be discussed with real questions from real people.   Q&A RULES: The Bible is the STANDARD OF TRUTH Wherever the BIBLE SPEAKS CLEARLY, I will stand with it and will not waiver a bit Where the BIBLE DOESN’T SPEAK DIRECTLY to an issue, I will look for PRINCIPLES TO APPLY If I CAN’T FIND PRINCIPLES that apply, I will give MY OPINION Let’s do it all with a SPIRIT OF GRACE, compassion, empathy and shared experiences. Nobody is a “STUPID IDIOT!” 1 PETER 3:15 NIV Always be PREPARED TO GIVE AN ANSWER to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with GENTLENESS and RESPECT. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 NIV All SCRIPTURE is God-breathed and is useful for TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING and TRAINING in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.   TOPICS IN FAQ SERIES - FOUR CATEGORIZED TOPICS God’s Love, Salvation & Eternity Bible Interpretation, Faith & Science Church Community & Relationships with Unbelievers Moral Behavior & Sexuality   TODAYS MESSAGE - MORAL BEHAVIOR   1 - MORALITY & ETHICS - What is morality?   DEFINITION Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.   TWO CATEGORIC VIEWS OF MORALITY 1.   MORAL RELATIVISM 2.   MORAL ABSOLUTISM   MORAL RELATIVISM: The view that moral standards and judgments are only relative to the subject opinion of the individual and that no standpoint is privileged over all others.   MORAL ABSOLUTISM: The view that there are absolute standards and judgments that universally apply to all people and cultures.   BOOK – CHRISTIAN ETHICS – NORMAN GEISLER _______________ 2 - MORALITY & ETHICS - Can I participate in things that AREN’T EXPLICITLY “CHRISTIAN?” JAMES 4:4 NLT … Don't you realize that FRIENDSHIP with the WORLD makes you an enemy of God? JAMES 4:17 ESV So whoever KNOWS THE RIGHT THING to do and FAILS TO DO IT, for him it is SIN.   8 FILTER QUESTIONS  Does God clearly say you should or should not participate? Is it congruent with your values and life vision? Does it emotionally dysregulate you or diminish your love for Jesus? Does it infringe upon your conscience? Does it diminish your own story in Jesus? Does it compel “secrets” with those you trust? Does it open you to moral vulnerabilities? Would you like to see your Pastor/Pastor’s wife doing it? _______________ 3 - SANTA CLAUS – What should I tell my kids about Santa? _______________ 4 -  CURSING – What determines whether something is a curse word, since nowhere in the bible is there a list found of inappropriate words? MATTHEW 15:18-20 NKJV [Jesus said] But those things which proceed out of the MOUTH COME FROM the HEART, and they DEFILE a man. 19 For OUT OF THE HEART proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. EPHESIANS 5:4 NIV [Paul said] Nor should there be OBSCENITY, FOOLISH TALK or COARSE JOKING, which are out of place, BUT RATHER THANKSGIVING. EPHESIANS 4:29 NKJV [Paul said] Let NO CORRUPT WORD proceed out of your mouth, but what is GOOD for necessary EDIFICATION, that it may impart GRACE TO THE HEARERS. _______________ 5 - DEMON MOVIES - Is watching a show or movie with demons in it a sin. PROVERBS 4:23 NIV Above all else, GUARD your HEART, for everything you do flows from it. 2 PETER 2:7-8 NKJV [God] delivered righteous Lot, [who was] oppressed [VEXED] BY THE FILTHY CONDUCT of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, TORMENTED [HIS] RIGHTEOUS SOUL from day to day by seeing and hearing [their] lawless deeds)-- EPHESIANS 5:8-12 NIV For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have NOTHING TO DO with the fruitless deeds of DARKNESS, but rather expose them. 12 It is SHAMEFUL EVEN TO MENTION what the DISOBEDIENT DO IN SECRET. _______________ 6 - NATIONAL LAWS - Is it a sin to break NATIONAL LAWS LIKE SPEEDING? ROMANS 13:1-5 NKJV Let every soul be subject to the GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever RESISTS THE AUTHORITY resists the ORDINANCE OF GOD, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be UNAFRAID OF THE AUTHORITY? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to [execute] wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore [you] must be subject, not only because of wrath but also FOR CONSCIENCE' SAKE.   QUESTIONS Does God care if I drive 56 MPH in a 55 SPEED ZONE? Does God care if I park for 1 MINUTE over my paid PARKING METER TIME? Does God care if eat 3 SAMPLE GRAPES at the grocery store, or are the 2 EXTRA “THEFT”?   FILTER QUESTIONS Is my heart in an ATTITUDE OF SUBMISSION? Am I predisposed to PAY THE PENALTY? Does it violate OTHER PEOPLE’S RIGHTS? Does it put OTHER PEOPLE IN DANGER? Does it VIOLATE “LOVE” with anyone, including police officers? _______________ 7 - DEPRESSION & MEDICATION - Is it wrong to take medication for depression/anxiety as a Christian? PROVERBS 17:22 NKJV A merry heart does good, [like] medicine… Science of Freedom Workshop _______________ 8 – YOGA & KARATE - Is it wrong to for a Christian to participate in yoga or martial arts? ROMANS 14:14 NIV As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that NO FOOD is UNCLEAN IN ITSELF. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then FOR HIM it is UNCLEAN. _______________ 9 - HOROSCOPES – Is it wrong for a Christian to read their HOROSCOPES or to go to PSYCHICS? ISAIAH 47:13-15 NIV…Let your ASTROLOGERS come forward, those STARGAZERS who make predictions MONTH BY MONTH…Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up…Each of them goes on in his ERROR… DEUTERONOMY 18:10-12 NIV Let no one be found among who… who practices DIVINATION or SORCERY, interprets OMENS, engages in WITCHCRAFT, or CASTS SPELLS, or who is a MEDIUM or SPIRITIST or who CONSULTS THE DEAD. Anyone who does these things is DETESTABLE TO THE LORD… ISAIAH 8:19 NIV When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists…SHOULD NOT A PEOPLE INQUIRE OF THEIR GOD?    

Bible readings: Acts 16:16-34 (NIV) Paul and Silas in Prison 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Matthew 11:25-30 (NIV) The Father Revealed in the Son 25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Acts 16:16-39 (NIV) Paul and Silas in Prison 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. 35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” 38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.

TODAY'S SERMON NOTES: 1 Timothy 3:15 NIV (Paul said) If I am delayed, YOU WILL KNOW HOW people OUGHT TO CONDUCT themselves in GOD’S HOUSEHOLD, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and FOUNDATION of the TRUTH. There is an APPROPRIATE WAY to engage and experience Church life, and there is an INAPPROPRIATE WAY. IT ALSO IMPLIES it MIGHT FEEL CHALLENGING to rise to the Biblical conduct being asked of you. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:33, 40 NKJV For God is not [the author] of CONFUSION but of PEACE, as IN all the CHURCHESof the saints. … 40 Let all things be done DECENTLY and in ORDER. SUNDAYS – ARROW HEAD – 4 STAGES – COLOR HOW DO WE WANT PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE LIFEPOINTE SUNDAYS?  CONNECT KNOW – Guests matter FEEL – Anticipation DO - Trust INVOVLE KNOW – Part of an adventure FEEL – Attached DO - Activate  CHALLENGE KNOW – Truth FEEL – Inspired DO – Change mind SUNDAYS – OVERALL WINS How many VISITORS came? How many VISITORS invited FRIENDS the following week? How many attender STORIES of LIFE CHANGE are there? 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10 NLT (Paul said) I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to LIVE IN HARMONY with each other. Let there be NO DIVISIONS in the CHURCH. Rather, be of ONE MIND, UNITED in THOUGHT and PURPOSE.

Bible readings: Acts 16:16-34 (NIV) Paul and Silas in Prison 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. John 4:4-30 (NIV) 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,

TODAY'S SERMON NOTES: 1 TIMOTHY 3:15 NIV (Paul said) If I am delayed, YOU WILL KNOW HOW people OUGHT TO CONDUCT themselves in GOD’S HOUSEHOLD, which is THE CHURCH of the living God, the pillar and FOUNDATION of the TRUTH.   CHURCH GOVERNMENT: CHURCH GOVERNMENT is THE SYSTEM by which DECISIONS ARE MADE in a church; a description of WHERE AUTHORITY RESIDES.   PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT: The PURPOSE of GOVERNMENT is to LOVE and SERVE the PEOPLE WELL.   UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY: AUTHORITY requires a SINGULAR HEAD The AUTHORITY that is given is ANSWERABLE to the one WHO PLACES him/her in that position of AUTHORITY   LIFEPOINTE GOVERNANCE: LED/RULED by a PASTOR, DIRECTOR & CAPTAIN system PROTECTED by a BOARD of ELDER-MINISTERS (civil authority) REVIEWED by ACCOUNTANTS   CIVIL AUTHORITY STRUCTURE: BOARD OF DIRECTORS Pastor Bishops (Directors) Deacons (Captains) Saints/Disciples (Members)   QUESTIONS WE WILL ANSWER: What does the Board of Directors do? Who serves on our Board of Directors? What is the governing-authority structure for the finances of the church? Do we operate with a church budget? How are budgets decided? Who sets the pastor’s salary? Who sets the staff salaries? Do we have a methodology for setting salaries? Does LifePointe prepare for economic downturns with adequate reserves? What is the status of our capital campaign funds, as well as our plans for acquiring a new campus? Why do we not have full disclosure of church finances, including all spending decisions, to the church membership? What happens if the pastor gets into error? What are the succession plans if something happens to Pastor Patrick?  HOW TO APPLY: PRAY for your church leaders PRACTICE trust in God’s ultimate authority PROTECT the culture of the church   1 CORINTHIANS 1:10 NLT (Paul said) I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to LIVE IN HARMONY with each other. Let there be NO DIVISIONS in the CHURCH. Rather, be of ONE MIND, UNITED in THOUGHT and PURPOSE. MOVING FORWARD THIS WEEK WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THIS?  HOW WILL YOU USE IT TO HELP/SERVE OTHERS?

Bible Readings Acts 16:16-34 (NIV) Paul and Silas in Prison 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Luke 6:27-36 (NIV) Love for Enemies 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Acts 28:11-16 (NIV) Paul's Arrival at Rome 11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

Acts 25:1-12 (NIV) Paul's Trial Before Festus 1 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. 3 They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. 4 Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. 5 Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.” 6 After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. 7 When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them. 8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.” 9 Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?” 10 Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” 12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

Acts 24:1-9 (NIV) Paul's Trial Before Felix 1 Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. 2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. 3 Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. 4 But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly. 5 “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect 6 and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. [7] [a] 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.” 9 The other Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true. Footnotes: Acts 24:7 Some manuscripts include here him, and we would have judged him in accordance with our law. 7 But the commander Lysias came and took him from us with much violence, 8 ordering his accusers to come before you.

Acts 19:1-7 (NIV) Paul in Ephesus 1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John's baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. Footnotes: Acts 19:2 Or after Acts 19:6 Or other languages

Acts 19:1-7 (NIV) Paul in Ephesus 1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John's baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. Footnotes: Acts 19:2 Or after Acts 19:6 Or other languages

Acts 19:1-7 (NIV) Paul in Ephesus 1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John's baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. Footnotes: Acts 19:2 Or after Acts 19:6 Or other languages

Acts 19:1-7 (NIV) Paul in Ephesus 1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John's baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. Footnotes: Acts 19:2 Or after Acts 19:6 Or other languages

Acts 16:16-18 (NIV) Paul and Silas in Prison 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

Acts 16:6-10 (NIV) Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Ephesians 1:1-3 (NIV)Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.http://joychurch.com

2 Timothy 1 (NIV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Thanksgiving I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

To teach you how to read and apply God's word to your life. To help you see your life from God's perspective.  Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Ephesians 1:1-23 (NIV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.   In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Spiritual Blessings in Christ Thanksgiving and Prayer We are chosen by the Father. Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. We are Redeemed by the Son Ephesians 7-12 (NIV) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit Ephesians 13-14 (NIV) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. Never stop giving thanks Ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation The eyes of your heart are enlightened That you would receive His power

Christians are in a spiritual battle Christians sometimes don’t realise that they are in a battle, a spiritual battle. There is an unseen enemy who works hard to spread evil and destruction in the world. This enemy works against God’s people too. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:11–13, NIV) Paul teaches that battles against the Devil (which are often against demons doing the Devil’s work, not direct contact with the Devil himself) may appear to be battles with people. But we’re not battling against flesh and blood (that is, people), even though the battle appears to be just with people. There are real forces of evil in the heavenly realms (the spirit world). These battles might seem to be through governments, authorities, or individuals, etc. But behind these visible opponents there is an invisible enemy. (This is not to say that everyone who gives Christians a hard time is doing the work of the Devil. Far from it. There are many Christians who bring opposition and hard times on themselves, and many who disagree or politely oppose with Christians, who either just have a difference of opinion on neutral matters or who sin on their own without demonic backing.) Against demonic spiritual opposition, Paul tells Christians to be strong ‘in the Lord.’ Christians have been allocated battle armour from their quartermaster, the Lord. We ought to wear our spiritual armour because we need it. Soldiers who go into battle without the proper protective equipment are either poorly supplied or foolish if they don’t utilise their armour that is provided. Christians too should wear the people battle gear in order to withstand the attacks of the enemy. The Christian’s battle armour Belt of truth Breastplate of righteousness Shoes of readiness to share the gospel of peace Shield of faith Helmet of salvation Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God It seems as though Paul would have also added another piece of armour to the list, if he had found a suitable part of the Roman soldier’s battle armour that suited the illustration: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV) Prayer is essential in order to rely on the protection that comes from God. So too is perseverance. If Christians were to wear this battle armour more often, we would find that we are wounded less frequently, and more effective in the Lord’s service.

Christians are in a spiritual battle Christians sometimes don’t realise that they are in a battle, a spiritual battle. There is an unseen enemy who works hard to spread evil and destruction in the world. This enemy works against God’s people too. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:11–13, NIV) Paul teaches that battles against the Devil (which are often against demons doing the Devil’s work, not direct contact with the Devil himself) may appear to be battles with people. But we’re not battling against flesh and blood (that is, people), even though the battle appears to be just with people. There are real forces of evil in the heavenly realms (the spirit world). These battles might seem to be through governments, authorities, or individuals, etc. But behind these visible opponents there is an invisible enemy. (This is not to say that everyone who gives Christians a hard time is doing the work of the Devil. Far from it. There are many Christians who bring opposition and hard times on themselves, and many who disagree or politely oppose with Christians, who either just have a difference of opinion on neutral matters or who sin on their own without demonic backing.) Against demonic spiritual opposition, Paul tells Christians to be strong ‘in the Lord.’ Christians have been allocated battle armour from their quartermaster, the Lord. We ought to wear our spiritual armour because we need it. Soldiers who go into battle without the proper protective equipment are either poorly supplied or foolish if they don’t utilise their armour that is provided. Christians too should wear the people battle gear in order to withstand the attacks of the enemy. The Christian’s battle armour Belt of truth Breastplate of righteousness Shoes of readiness to share the gospel of peace Shield of faith Helmet of salvation Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God It seems as though Paul would have also added another piece of armour to the list, if he had found a suitable part of the Roman soldier’s battle armour that suited the illustration: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV) Prayer is essential in order to rely on the protection that comes from God. So too is perseverance. If Christians were to wear this battle armour more often, we would find that we are wounded less frequently, and more effective in the Lord’s service.

Christians are in a spiritual battle Christians sometimes don’t realise that they are in a battle, a spiritual battle. There is an unseen enemy who works hard to spread evil and destruction in the world. This enemy works against God’s people too. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:11–13, NIV) Paul teaches that battles against the Devil (which are often against demons doing the Devil’s work, not direct contact with the Devil himself) may appear to be battles with people. But we’re not battling against flesh and blood (that is, people), even though the battle appears to be just with people. There are real forces of evil in the heavenly realms (the spirit world). These battles might seem to be through governments, authorities, or individuals, etc. But behind these visible opponents there is an invisible enemy. (This is not to say that everyone who gives Christians a hard time is doing the work of the Devil. Far from it. There are many Christians who bring opposition and hard times on themselves, and many who disagree or politely oppose with Christians, who either just have a difference of opinion on neutral matters or who sin on their own without demonic backing.) Against demonic spiritual opposition, Paul tells Christians to be strong ‘in the Lord.’ Christians have been allocated battle armour from their quartermaster, the Lord. We ought to wear our spiritual armour because we need it. Soldiers who go into battle without the proper protective equipment are either poorly supplied or foolish if they don’t utilise their armour that is provided. Christians too should wear the people battle gear in order to withstand the attacks of the enemy. The Christian’s battle armour Belt of truth Breastplate of righteousness Shoes of readiness to share the gospel of peace Shield of faith Helmet of salvation Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God It seems as though Paul would have also added another piece of armour to the list, if he had found a suitable part of the Roman soldier’s battle armour that suited the illustration: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV) Prayer is essential in order to rely on the protection that comes from God. So too is perseverance. If Christians were to wear this battle armour more often, we would find that we are wounded less frequently, and more effective in the Lord’s service.

The Apostle Paul lived a difficult but rewarding life. Paul loved Jesus and he loved God’s church. At the end of his life Paul had no regrets. To his dear friend and pupil he wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I Have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV) Paul confidently spoke these words because he had fully poured himself out for the cause of Christ. When your days are complete and you reflect back on your faith will you be able to feel the same way?

The Apostle Paul lived a difficult but rewarding life. Paul loved Jesus and he loved God’s church. At the end of his life Paul had no regrets. To his dear friend and pupil he wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I Have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV) Paul confidently spoke these words because he had fully poured himself out for the cause of Christ. When your days are complete and you reflect back on your faith will you be able to feel the same way?

Series: LIVING FREE: A STUDY OF GALATIANS Part 3: “YOU OWED, HE PAID" Galatians 2:11-14 (NIV) Galatians 2:15-16 (NIV) Paul’s Defense of the True Gospel We are ____________ only through ______________ in Jesus, not through what we ______________ Galatians 2:17-18 (NIV) How do YOU encounter God through the true Gospel? 1. Admit _________________________________ Romans 5:6 (NIV) 2. Receive ___________________________ and freedom from ___________________ Romans 8:1 (NIV) 3. Embrace your __________ ____________in Christ Galatians 2:19-20 (NIV) Galatians 2:21 (NIV) 4. Savor ________________________ Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

Series: LIVING FREE: A STUDY OF GALATIANS Part 2: FINDING FREEDOM FROM OUR CRITICS (audio is of lower quality due to technical problems) Context: What is happening in the book of Galatians? -The Apostle Paul is writing to churches in Galatia which he had helped start years earlier -Paul had taught the Galatians the Gospel message that salvation comes ONLY through faith in and surrender to Jesus Christ -False teachers in Galatia were teaching Paul was wrong and were denying his authority as an apostle -The false teachers taught that Gentiles (non-Jewish people) needed to be like the Jews and follow the Law of Moses and males needed to be circumcised before the Gentiles could become Christians. -Paul writes to the Galatians to refute the false teachers Galatians 1:10 (NIV) Paul found freedom from his critics because: 1.He didn’t seek _______________ ________________ above _____________________ 2.He preached _______________ message and followed _________________ call on his life Galatians 1:11-24 (NIV) 3.He let his ____________ ___________ speak loudly Galatians 2:1- 10 (NIV) 4.He let his _____________________ speak loudly