Podcasts about niv why

Join Stasi Eldredge as she welcomes bestselling author and speaker Lisa Bevere for an inspiring conversation about faith and the power of God's love. Lisa shares wisdom from her book Godmothers—how we can nurture and champion one another as women—and opens up about her own story of redemption. They discuss overcoming fear, embracing our divine calling, and finding strength in worship. If you've ever wondered how to pour into others, this episode will encourage you to step forward in courage and love.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) – (here v. 9–10) This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.Psalm 40:2 (NIV) – He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.Judges 5:7 (NIV) – Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.Ephesians 6:10 (NIV) – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.Psalm 42:5 (NIV) – Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.Exodus 15:3 (NIV) – The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV) – Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.…..LISA BEVEREWebsite: ⁠https://lisabevere.com⁠Instagram: ⁠https://⁠⁠www.instagram.com/lisabevere⁠X:  https://x.com/LisaBevereFacebook Fan Page:  ⁠http://⁠⁠www.facebook.com/lisabevere.page⁠LISA BEVERE BIOLisa Bevere has spent over four decades empowering women of all ages to find their identity and purpose. She is a New York Times bestselling author and an internationally known minister. Her books, which include The Fight for Female, Without Rival, Girls with Swords, Lioness Arising, and Strong are in the hands of millions worldwide. Lisa and her husband, John, co-founded Messenger International, an organization committed to developing uncompromising followers of Christ who transform their world. Messenger International has given away over 60 million resources in over 130 languages.LISA'S BOOKSGodmothers: Why You Need One. How to Be One. ⁠https://amzn.to/4ipteUq⁠See all books by Lisa Bevere: ⁠https://wahe.art/4btey4C⁠…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:YouTube: ⁠https://wahe.art/4jFlAXu⁠Spotify Podcasts – ⁠https://spoti.fi/42SsOip⁠Apple Podcasts – ⁠https://apple.co/42E0oZ1⁠ Google Podcasts – ⁠http://wahe.art/3M81kxL⁠Amazon Music & Audible – ⁠https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ⁠

Lordwin Jeyakumar - May 4th, 2025 - From Grief to Grace: Ruth's Redemption Story Ruth 1: 16 and 17 (NIV) Why is Ruth and Boaz's story so significant? Judges 21:25 (ESV) Ruth 1:1-5 (NIV) From Emptiness to Grace Ruth 1:6-17 (NIV) Do not call me "Naomi" Call Me "Mara" From Gleaning to Grace Ruth 2:1-20 kinsman-redeemer Ruth 3: 3-9, 10-12, From Waiting to Grace Ruth 4 - 13-17 What Can We Learn from the Book of Ruth? Sin's Punishment God's Providence Christ's Provision Who is our Ultimate Redeemer? There is a Redeemer. His name is Jesus.

(Bilingual) このメッセージではモンティー牧師が "「正しくされる」ってどういう状態？ 自分がそうであるとどうやってわかるの？" について以下の３つのポイントから話します。ディスカッション用の質問はノートの最後に確認できます。In this message Ps Monty talks about "What is Righteousness? How Do I Know I Have It?" in these 3 points:Check the questions for discussion at the end of the note. Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT / エペソ 6:10-12 JCB1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT / 1 ペテロ 5:8-9 ERVEphesians 6:13-14 NLT / エペソ 6:13-14 ERVProverbs 4:23 NIV / 箴言 4:23 新改訳2017Proverbs 4:23 NLT / 箴言 4:23 JCBRomans 5:1 NLT / ローマ 5:1 JCBRomans 5:8-9 NIV / ローマ 5:8-9 JCBLuke 19:5-10 NIV / ルカ 19:5-10 ERVColossians 2:13-15 NIV / コロサイ 2:13-15 JCB1.Made Right with God by FAITH in Jesusイエスに対して持つ信仰があなたと神様との関係を正しいものにする2.You Have Been Made 100% Righteous by Jesusイエスのおかげで100％正しくされた3.Stand Firm in Your Salvationあなたの救いに強く立つQUESTIONS(質問) : ・What does it mean to be made righteous by faith in Jesus? (Romans 5:8-9 NIV)・Why is it important to stand firm in our salvation? (Colossians 2:13-15 NIV) ・What can we learn from Zacchaeus about following Jesus? (Luke 19:5-10 NIV)・How can we live in God's righteousness every day?・「イエスを信じることで義とされる」とはどういうことですか？(ローマ 5:8-9 JCB)・なぜ救いの確信を持つことが大切なのですか？(コロサイ 2:13-15 JCB)・イエスについていくことについて、ザアカイからどんなことを学べますか？(ルカ 19:5-10 ERV)・神様の義の中で毎日生きるにはどうしたらいいですか？Connect with us:Web: mylifehouse.comInstagram: instagram.com/lifehouseglobal/Facebook: facebook.com/lifehouseglobalVideo Messages: ビデオメッセージ: youtube.com/LifehouseTokyoOther Podcasts:Want to listen to our messages in other languages?Lifehouse Messages (English): https://lifehousemessages.captivate.fm/listenLifehouse Hong Kong (Cantonese & English): https://lifehousehongkong.captivate.fm/listen

Arrogance of Our age. By Pastor George Lehman “Arrogance is knowledge minus wisdom.” – Celso   Isaiah 40:25-26 - 25To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be equal to him? Says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high and see! Who has created these? He Who brings out their host by number and calls them all by name; though the greatness of His might and because He is strong in power, not one is missing or lacks anything. Isaiah 40:28 - 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding.   Psalm 89:14 - Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and loving-kindness and truth go before your face.   Hebrews 10:31- It is a fearful (formidable and terrible) thing to incur the divine penalties and be cast into the hands of the living God.    Philippians 2:3 - “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves. (This is a call to a certain behaviour)   Arrogance: (Arrogansie, voorbarig) is over-confidence, overbearing pride, in self – in self's abilities and self's-reliance. We know the truth but still choose to live arrogantly. We need to always recognize God in everything.   A spiritual atmosphere is what James addresses. James 4:13-17 (Amp) - 13 Come now [and pay attention to this], you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and carry on our business and make a profit.” 14 [a]Yet you do not know [the least thing] [b]about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air]*. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and we will do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast [vainly] in your pretension and arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin. Merely a vapor… [into thin air]* - It is God who gives us breath. Acts 17:25-26 (NIV) - 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 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. We all know and have seen the effects that a Recession has on an Economy. A recession is a consistent decline in overall economic activity resulting in the loss of jobs, rate hikes – just a downturn in our economy. If we honest we all have times of decline - We all know the meaning of a spiritual recession. James wasn't interested in the economic recession, but in the recessions that plague many hearts. The roots of spiritual recession are the same as the roots of any other kind of recession. According to James the roots are threefold: #1 Spiritual recession in your life can result from foolish presumptions* (Vermetal – astrant) *Presumptuous – Forgetting your limits; disobedience; being disrespectful arrogant. James 4:13 (Amp) – Come now [and pay attention to this], you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make a profit.” James 4:15 (NIV) – Instead you ought to say, “if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” This person lives as if tomorrow will never come The obsession is with making money and enjoying the pleasures of this world. God is not our first priority; things are! Materialism is his master, motivated by greed. Nothing indicates that this is a bad person – acting unethical or unprofessional. However, his problem is his Attitude not his Actions. His attitude produces his actions. He made all his plans without any consideration of God whatsoever. James called him out: “You boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” He forgot: James 4:15 (NIV) - 15Instead, you ought to say, “if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” Proverbs 27:1 (NIV) – Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. So, what motivates you? You first do it - then ask God's approval. The warning for us is plane: Don't make presumptions about the future without consulting God. God always knows best. Ephesians 3:20 (Amp) – Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us. #2 Spiritual recessions can also result from “Forgotten perspectives” God ultimately has the final say over my life James 4:14 (NIV) - Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. That's why James reminded us that our lives are like: “A Vapor that appears for a little time and then it vanishes away .” It's easy to brush right over this verse: But imagine you were caught in a fox hole with bombs exploding near to you. Most times life and death are forgotten perspectives (you're so fixated on the details and what is directly in front of you that you can't see the bigger picture). People live as though this life is all there is For too many people act and live as if they have a Ninety nine year lease with an option to renew. James asked – “What is your life?” Many highly educated – Scientists & Philosophers have never been able to satisfactorily answer this question… As Christians we know life doesn't end when our physical bodies die. The bible answers the question. 1 Chronicles 29:15 (NIV) – “Our days on earth are as a shadow.” 2 Samuel 14:14 (NIV) – Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him. A fable is told of a Bagdad merchant who sent his servant to the market to pick up some goods for him. While the servant was making the purchases in the marketplace he found himself face to face with Death! In great fear he returned to his master and told him that Death had given him a menacing look and that he must have a horse so he could escape to Samara, a city some distance away. The master quickly gave his servant a horse, then went to the marketplace to find Death. When he found him he asked, "Why did you give my servant a menacing look?" Death replied, "I wasn't looking at him menacingly, I was merely surprised to see him here in Bagdad; for, you see, I have an appointment with him tonight in Samara." Each of us has our own appointment. Don't allow foolish presumptions or forgotten perspectives to distract you. Amos 4:12 (NIV) - “…..prepare to meet your God,….”   → Thunders down through the centuries “Prepare to meet God” #3 Spiritual Recessions can also occur because of “Forsaken priorities” In James's words “To Him who knows to good and does not do it, to Him it is Sin.” James 4:15-17 (NIV) - 15Instead, you ought to say, “if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil, 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James is calling us to get our priorities in order and remember the bottom line when we make any plans… “If it be the Lords will.” James was just saying → Matthew 6:33 (Amp) - But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. To avoid Spiritual Recession, we need to keep our priorities straight. What is God's will? → It's His Word. Forsaken priorities come when we stray from God's way and will in our lives. James 4:17 (NIV) – Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. It's not only the sins of willful outward acts of disobedience But it's also not doing what we know is right and not doing it. May we say what Jesus said (and mean it) Matthew 26:39 (Amp) - And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup [a]pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Shifting our family's mindset from ownership to stewardship, from entitlement to gratitude, and promoting sacrifice and service will take consistency, commitment, and care. It is a process, but we are not alone. We partner with the Holy Spirit and prayerfully ask the Lord to guide and direct us as we seek to honor Him and all we say and do.  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: Shifting Our Family's Mindset By: Laura Bailey “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV “Why can't we go to an ice cream place after school? It's been over a week since we've gone!” “Why can't I buy those new shoes? I only have two pairs of sneakers; these are different!” “ Why does it matter that I left my new jacket at school? If something happens to it, we will just get a new one.” “Why can't we get take-out? We never get to eat out!” Over the last month, my girls complained often about my husband and me not meeting their expectations. I was beyond frustrated at their lack of appreciation; it didn't matter what we did for them, they were still ungrateful.  I shared my frustration with a group of mom friends the next day with nodding heads; many others shared similar stories. “We want to provide for our children, give them opportunities, and make their lives enjoyable and comfortable. But how do we do that while preventing a sense of entitlement and fostering genuine gratitude?” one mom asked the group. Even among the body of believers who strive to guard their hearts against excess consumerism and are dedicated to giving back to the Lord and sharing their wealth, the reality is that our resources are abundant for many. There's nothing wrong with having a career that provides financial stability or providing our families with experiences and resources to make their lives easier and better. The problem is when our hearts and minds shift from stewardship to ownership. What is the difference between stewardship and ownership? Stewardship is when we are responsible for caring for something that belongs to someone else. Ownership is full possession; it is entirely ours to do what we wish. As Christians, we acknowledge that everything comes from God and are s simply stewards of His gifts ( John 3:27).  When we believe everything belongs to the Lord, it guides us as we decide how to spend our time and money. As stewards and not owners, we ask ourselves, “Is the best use of  God's resources?” While Scripture is not against wealth, having nice things, or even living a comfortable life, it does admonish us to be on guard against storing earthly treasures (Matthew 6:19-21). It places the responsibility of caring for those in need on us (Proverbs 22:9). If we find that we are clinging tightly to financial security or personal comfort, if we lack an attitude of gratitude, then we have shifted from stewardship to ownership. Graciously, if we ask God to examine our hearts, He will help us as we move back towards His desires for our life ( Psalm 129:23-34).  Setting the Example Have you heard the term, “It's not what's taught but what's caught?” Our children are impacted more by how we live our lives than by the mini-sermons, lessons, and general advice we share. We shouldn't neglect to speak Truth over them, but all will be lost if we don't “practice what we preach.” I often feel the tug to complain about making dinner at home when it would be so much easier to eat out and flop on the sofa afterward rather than having to make and clean up a meal. When I see the latest clothing trend I'd love to buy, I have to stop and think about whether it's wise to purchase it. We must be hyper-aware that our children are always watching us; they are taking it all in, and as parents, we must not only be hearers of the Word but also doers (James 1:22-25).  Creating a Mindset of Gratitude When Paul writes to the Thessalonians, encouraging them to be thankful in all circumstances ( 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18), he is not ignoring the realities of life in a fallen world, yet reminding them that gratitude is a heart position. As believers, we can wake up daily with thanksgiving because we have the Gospel's good news. We were once in darkness, and now, through the gift of salvation, we can experience eternal life ( 1 Corinthians 5:17-21).  Shifting our family's mindset from ownership to stewardship, from entitlement to gratitude, and promoting sacrifice and service will take consistency, commitment, and care. It is a process, but we are not alone. We partner with the Holy Spirit and prayerfully ask the Lord to guide and direct us as we seek to honor Him and all we say and do.  Intersecting Faith and Life:How can you teach your children to honor God with their resources? Today, read and study Scripture together, filling their hearts and minds with biblical Truths.  For Further Reading: An Attitude of Gratitude 5 Things to Do to Have an Attitude of Gratitude Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dealing with the 500-Pound Gorilla in the Room - Conflict  Romans 12:17-18 (NIV)“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” The effects of unresolved conflict in our relationships.   1.     It can minimize our joy. 2.     It can hinder our communication with God.  1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)“…husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” 3.     It can hinder your sensitivity and worship to God.  Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV)“…if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”Dealing with relational conflict.  1.     Do something to help bring reconciliation.  Matthew 12:34 (ESV)“…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”Genesis 3:10 (NIV)“…I heard you in the garden; and I was afraid because I was naked, and so I hid.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2.     Be honest about what you have done wrong. Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” 1 Peter 5:5 (ESV)“…Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'” 3.     Listen and consider what they are saying. James 1:19 (NIV)“…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”Philippians 2:4 (NLT)“Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” 4.     Be intentional with the words you use.  Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)“The words of the reckless pierce like swords,but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” 5.     Pursue reconciliation, not agreement. Matthew 5:9 (NIV)“Blessed are the peacemakers…”

New Life (Even when life hurts) April 11-14 Title: Worry, Anxiety & Depression                       Text: various Theme: Life is filled with things to worry about. These anxious moments can easily lead to depression in our culture. This week we'll look at some encouragement from the Bible for our most discouraging times. Key Verses: Psalm 42:5 (NIV) Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Message Notes: https://www.bible.com/en-GB/events/49241483

(Bilingual) このメッセージではモンティー牧師が「復活の祝い」について以下の３つのポイントから話します。ディスカッション用の質問はノートの最後に確認できます。In this message Ps Monty talks about "Resurrection Celebration" in these 3 points:Check the questions for discussion at the end of the note. ローマ 6:23 ERV / Romans 6:23 NIV ルカ24:1−7 ERV / Luke 24:1-7 NIV 使徒1:3 ERV / Acts 1:3 NIV 1コリント15:2−8 ERV / 1 Corinthians 15:2-8 NIV ヨハネ20:14−18 ERV / John 20:14-18 NIV ヨハネ24:32−24 ERV / Luke 24:32-34 NIV ルカ24:36−43 ERV / Luke 24:36-43 NIV 1.マグダラのマリアの前に現れたイエスJesus Appears to Mary Magdalene 2.お墓にいた女の前に現れたWoman at the Tomb 3.ペテロの前に現れたPeter 4.エマオへの道中の二人の前に現れたTwo on the road to Emmaus 5. 弟子たちの前に夜現れたイエスDisciples at Night QUESTIONS(質問) : ・女性たちがイエスの墓に向かった先で目の当たりにしたものは何ですか？ (ルカ24:1−7 ERV・なぜイエスは弟子達に自分が幽霊でないことを示しましたか？ (ルカ24:36−43 ERV)・イエスにとって弟子たちに自分が生きていることを証明することはなぜ重要だったのでしょうか？今を生きる私たちにとって、そのことはなぜ重要なのでしょうか？ (使徒1:3 ERV)・空になったイエスの墓は、私たちにどんな希望を与えてくれますか？ (ローマ 6:23 ERV)・What did the women find when they went to Jesus' tomb? (Luke 24:1-7 NIV)・Why did Jesus show he was not a ghost to his disciples? (Luke 24:36-43 NIV)・Why was it important for Jesus to prove he was alive to the disciples? How is it still important to us today? (Acts 1:3 NIV)・What hope do we now have because of the empty tomb of Jesus? (Romans 6:23 NIV) 　Connect with us:Web: mylifehouse.comInstagram: instagram.com/lifehouseglobal/Facebook: facebook.com/lifehouseglobalVideo Messages: ビデオメッセージ: youtube.com/LifehouseTokyoOther Podcasts:Want to listen to our messages in other languages?Lifehouse Messages (English): https://lifehousemessages.captivate.fm/listenLifehouse Hong Kong (Cantonese & English): https://lifehousehongkong.captivate.fm/listen

Sermon Notes Let's Celebrate 2023! Sunday attendance increased by 7% 60 total baptisms Starting Point increased by 96% Global engagement increased by 57% 110 people participated in Rooted The Rooted Experience is an 11-week small-group opportunity that inspires questions, conversations, and experiences designed to connect people to God, His Church, and their purpose. Kingsway people are finding it an excellent way to meet and connect with others. In 2024, we will: Continue to proclaim the name of Jesus Visit 3 countries on Trips: Northern Ireland, Peru, and Mexico Summer Experience CIY for HS Hanging Rock for MS SpringHill Day Camps for Kids Launch our new DCS space to bless those going through the most traumatic life experiences Launch our Partnership with Pathways Learning Academy Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him." Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭40‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭41‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, Be careful: it's easy to confuse spiritual activity for true connection. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭42‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." One thing is needed: Jesus First! John‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. John‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Jesus is worthy of our sacrifice and praise! John‬ ‭12‬:‭4 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, John‬ ‭12‬:‭5-6 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. John‬ ‭12‬:‭7-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." Heavenly Father, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Nothing more, nothing less, & nothing else. In Jesus' name, Amen.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can stop, break through all the distractions, and bodily 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. Christian Meditation is often speaking to ourselves what we believe is true. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” The imagery of this verse is an important meditation to remind us what is true. Genesis 2:7 NIV “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” 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 Twitter @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter @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. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can stop, break through all the distractions, and bodily 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. Christian Meditation is often speaking to ourselves what we believe is true. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” The imagery of this verse is an important meditation to remind us what is true. Genesis 2:7 NIV “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” 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 Twitter @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter @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. 

Bob Schwahn | Lead Pastor “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us…For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.” — A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: HarperCollins, 1978) “I read in a periodical the other day that the fundamental thing is how we think of God.By God Himself, it is not! How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important. Indeed, how we think of Him is of no importance except in so far as it is related to how He thinks of us…To please God . . . to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness . . . to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.” — C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (1941) Which is more important?- Growing in our love for God- Growing in our understanding God’s love for us 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 (NIV) 1 John 4:7-19 (NIV) NO FEAR: 1 John 4:17-18 (NIV) Roadblocks:PROJECTION of your thoughts onto GOD…CONFUSION of WHY God loves you…MISUNDERSTANDING of how God shows His love… Romans 5:6-11 (NIV) Why do you love me?What are your thoughts toward me?What do you see in me?What do you want from me?What do you want for me?What about me brings you delight and joy?What are your hopes for me? Reflection Questions:1. Which is more important? Growing in our love for God or growing in our understanding of God’s love for us? Explain your answer…2. What words would you use to describe how God thinks/feels about you? Why did you choose those words?3. Read 1 John 4:7-19. What observations do you make about love? God’s love for us and our love for God?4. Have you ever noticed that you have projected your views of yourself onto your belief of how God views you? Share an example?5. Do you truly believe in the depths of your soul that God loves you? Why does God love you? Explain your answer.6. Read Romans 5:6-11. What words does Paul use to describe us before putting our faith in Jesus? Have you ever viewed yourself as once being the enemy of Jesus? Why is understanding this important to understanding the love of God?7. Write a letter from God to you about you. Answer these questions from God’s perspective:Why do you love me?What are your thoughts toward me?What do you see in me?What do you want from me?What do you want for me?What about me brings you delight and joy?What are your hopes for me? Do these answers line up with what the Bible says God thinks?Share this with someone else? Ask them to the same? Next Steps: Complete the Connect Card to receive more information, have us pray for you, or to ask us any question: http://journeybozeman.com/connectcard Want to worship through giving and support the ministry of Journey Church: https://journeybozeman.com/giveDownload our app: https://journeybozeman.com/app Join our Facebook Group to stay connected throughout the week: https://facebook.com/groups/JourneyChurchBozemanGet your children connected to our children's ministry, Base Camp: https://journeybozeman.com/childrenOur St

Sermon Notes Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭37‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Judge = krinó. It means to pronounce someone as good or evil (like in a court of law). Remember: "Context is king" Loving my enemies means: 1) Lending to them without expecting repayment (Luke 6:27) 2) Blessing them instead of cursing them (Luke 6:28) 3) Returning their curses with prayers (Luke 6:28) 4) Doing to them as you want them to do to you (Luke 6:31) 5) Being merciful to them, as God is merciful to you (Luke 6:36) 6) Not judging them (Luke 6:37) 7) Not condemning them (Luke 6:37) 8) Forgiving them (Luke 6:37) This kind of "love" is what sets the follower of Christ apart from those who do not follow Christ. Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Jesus' assumption is that I already do these things for my loved ones. He is encouraging us to go ahead and do it for everyone. Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭39‬-‭40‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ He also told them this parable: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher." The goal is to be more like Jesus Christ. Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭41‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Both planks and specs are from the same thing. Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭42‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." The alternative to judgment is assistance in love. Before you assist: first deal with your own stuff. "…first take the plank out of your eye". Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭43‬-‭44 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers." ‭‭Before you assist: Earn the right to be close. "…then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye". Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭45 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬ "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Ask yourself: Is there any plank I need to deal with that I am ignoring? Is there anyone I need to show mercy to rather than condemnation and judgment? Is there anyone I need to seek forgiveness from for judging them in the past? Is there anyone with a "spec in their eye", that I am close to, that God is calling me to help them "clean out their eye"?

Sermon Notes Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭46‬-‭49‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." Has there ever been a season in your life when you didn't have peace? Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Is there a group of people that you believe are your greatest enemy? Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." May we seek to have the heart of Jesus toward the lost and broken of this world. Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

HIS GLORY YOUR STORY  WEEK 2 Sunday, April 2nd 2023 John 12:12-19 (NKJV) The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna!‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'The King of Israel!” 14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;Behold, your King is coming,Sitting on a donkey's colt.” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. 17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!” Psalm 118:25-26 (NKJV) Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!  See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Matthew 15:2-3 (NIV) “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!”3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?  Matthew 15:7-8 (NIV) You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.' WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JESUS THE PERSON AND THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION?  RELIGION FOCUSES OUTWARD, JESUS FOCUSES INWARD  RELIGION IS ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN'T DO, JESUS IS ABOUTR WHAT YOU CAN DO.  RELIGION BUILDS BARRIERS, JESUS REMOVES BARRIERS RELIGION SAYS YOU HAVE TO WORK YOUR WAY TO GOD, JESUS SAYS, I AM THE WAY TO GOD Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Wendell Moss, lead instructor and facilitator at the Allender Center, joins Dan Allender on the podcast this week to discuss the crucial passage of Micah 6:8:  “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (NIV) Why are justice, mercy, and humility bound together in this passage? And how do they intersect with one another? Listen to this deep dive into the way that these three elements interplay and create a charge that, as followers of Christ, we cannot ignore.  Wendell closes the conversation by pointing out: “This passage is inviting you to a commitment. It is good. It is required. Will you be committed?”

Episode Summary:  Nancy Kay Grace and I talk about how to overcome low self-esteem with audacious grace that sustains us. Nancy shares where low self-esteem comes from and how we can overcome and combat it by taking our thoughts captive. By the grace of God, we can overcome. Quotables from the episode: In studying grace, I see that God provides salvation through grace but also grace for daily life. Grace sustains us in all the seasons of life. We are then to be grace givers to share grace with the hurting world. Part of overcoming low self-esteem is learning to rest in His refuge of his love and peace. It's a gift when we accept God's gift of peace and realize no matter what, God is with us. I determined to use my faltering tongue to speak for God. Low self-esteem is often the result of comparison, the performance trap, perfectionism, and people pleasing. God accepts me as I am, and I can become a new creation. All grace starts with God. He makes himself known to us. He gave us the ultimate gift of grace in Jesus Christ. Hope in God is a secure foundation in ever-changing life situations. When I struggle with depression, I have to recall God's promises of hope and what his word says about my worth. To combat low self-esteem, we need to change our view of ourselves for God's view of us. Learn God's word so that you can replace negative thinking with God's truth. It's not easy, but through grace, God will help us take our thoughts captive. Scripture References: 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV) “God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things at all times, may have an abundance for every good work.”    Psalm 42:5,11 (NIV) “Why, my soul, are you so downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put you hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 139:14 (NIV) “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  John 14:27 (NIV) “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Recommended Resources: The Grace Impact by Nancy Kay Grace The Search for Significance by Robert McGee Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Trusting God Through Cancer 1 Trusting God Through Cancer 2 Revive & Thrive Women's Conference YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Breaking Anxiety's Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety's Grip Free Study Guide  Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety's Grip Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader's Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader's Choice Award How To Help a Depressed Loved One free eBook Social Media Links for Guest and Host: Connect with Nancy Kay Grace: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / LinkedIn / Pinterest For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety's Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube Guest: Nancy Kay Grace enjoys sharing coffee and conversation. She is a Bible teacher, speaker, and award-winning author of The Grace Impact, a devotional about God's grace in our lives. Nancy is married to her favorite pastor, and is enjoying the stage of life with two married children and six precious grandchildren. For relaxation, Nancy loves hugs from grandchildren, playing piano, and hiking. Nancy's blog and GraceNotes newsletter signup are found at www.nancykaygrace.com. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson  

Sermon Notes Psalms 42:1 NIV "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." Psalms 42:2 NIV "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" Psalms 42:3 NIV "My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'" Psalms 42:4 NIV "These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng." Psalms 42:5 NIV "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." Psalms 42:6 NIV "My soul is downcast within me; therefore, I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar." Psalms 42:7 NIV "Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me." Psalms 42:8 NIV "By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life." Psalms 42:9 NIV "I say to God, my Rock, 'Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?'" Psalms 42:10 NIV "My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'" Psalms 42:11 NIV "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." "…emotional tears (which flush stress hormones and other toxins out of our system) potentially offers the most health benefits. Researchers have established that crying releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, also known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals help ease both physical and emotional pain." - Leo Newhouse, Health.Harvard.edu When a friend is grieving, your greatest resource is your presence. Job 2:11-13 NIV "When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him because they saw how great his suffering was." The Christian community has profound healing power. Psalms 42:4 NIV "These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng." The problem for most of us is we lack the confidence to be vulnerable. "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable." - C.S. Lewis The key is to preach the gospel to each other and to ourselves. Psalms 42:11 NIV "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." "Tune my heart to bless your name." - Shane and Shane, Psalm 42: Loudest Praise "Father, thank you for your goodness and faithfulness to me. Today, I remind myself of your presence. You are with me. You are always with me. In the same way that Jesus felt isolated on the cross and under the weight of condemnation by his enemies, I feel the weight of life right now too. Oh God of my life, direct your love toward me as I put my hope in you and know I will rise to praise you again! Help me to remember this truth throughout today and into tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, Amen"

Weekly live worship service from Cornerstone Church, North Gower (Ontario) FOLLOW US #northgowercornerstone WEBSITE https://www.knowgrowshow.ca/ INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/northgowercornerstone/ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/northgowercornerstone/ The Passage: 2 Kings 5:1-14 The One Thing: God intervenes by humbling us. Growgroup Discussion Starters Know K1 What are your plans for Canada Day this weekend? Grow G1 Who in our passage today had true power? Rank and compare the relative power of each person. G2 2 Kings 5:11 I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. (NIV). | What are the dangers of bringing our assumptions to God particularly when dealing with our own hardships? G3 2 Kings 5:13 Naaman's servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed'!” (NIV) | Why is trusting in Jesus' finished work through faith such a HARD thing for people to do? G4 Wash yourself. Jordan River. 7 times. What might God be trying to communicate through this symbolism. G5 Why is it significant that the hero of the story is a “little girl” and that when Naaman is healed he becomes like a “little boy”? How is God calling you to become like a little child? Talk to Him about this. Show S1 Think about your life right now. Are there any assumptions that you've been placing on God that you need to repent of?

Mark 9:17–29 (ESV) And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Praying away our doubts: Be authentic with God - Psalm 10:1 (NIV) Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? Trust that God is able to help - Psalm 39:13 (ESV) Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” Ask God to help - Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

"In a little while the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live, too." -John‬ ‭14:19‬ ‭NCV‬‬   “I am the door, and the person who enters through me will be saved and will be able to come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness." -John‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭NCV‬   "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." -John‬ ‭14:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬   “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” -John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NLT   “It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” -John‬ ‭9:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬    You don't live by winning. You live by losing.   …he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” -Philippians‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬   "Those who want to save their lives will give up true life, and those who give up their lives for me will have true life.‭ It is worthless to have the whole world if they lose their souls. They could never pay enough to buy back their souls." -‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16:25-26 NLT    Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?" ‭‭-Luke‬ ‭9:23-25‬ ‭NLT‬‬   Clarity is a by-product of living.   Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” -‭‭Luke‬ ‭24:31-32‬ ‭NIV   "Why do you look for the living among the dead?" ‭‭-Luke‬ ‭24:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬   EASTER IS EVERY DAY!    "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." -Romans‬ ‭8:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬   "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." -‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬   "By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also." -‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬   "He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" -‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:15, 17‬ ‭NLT‬‬   "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death." -Philippians‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬   "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus." -Ephesians‬ ‭2:4-6‬ ‭NLT

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Jesus says in John 14:27… “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. …Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Philippians 4:5-7 NIV “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Say aloud to yourself… “Because I have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. I am not in danger. I am in the loving care of God my Father.”  Just as the author of Psalm 42 spoke to himself in the second person, speak aloud to yourself beginning with saying your name… For example, I would say, “Dave, because you have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. You are not in danger. You are in the loving care of God your Father.” Let's say that again…Beginning with your name… “____, because you have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. You are secure. You are not in danger. You are in the loving care of God your Father.” 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Jesus says in John 14:27… “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. …Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Philippians 4:5-7 NIV “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Say aloud to yourself… “Because I have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. I am not in danger. I am in the loving care of God my Father.”  Just as the author of Psalm 42 spoke to himself in the second person, speak aloud to yourself beginning with saying your name… For example, I would say, “Dave, because you have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. You are not in danger. You are in the loving care of God your Father.” Let's say that again…Beginning with your name… “____, because you have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. You are secure. You are not in danger. You are in the loving care of God your Father.” 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit. The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:6 NIV “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” You have every reason to feel at peace in God's presence. Romans 5:1 “…[You] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus says in Matthew 10:29-31 NIV “…Not one [sparrow] will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” 1 Peter 5:7 NIV “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Say aloud to yourself… “I am relaxed in God's attention and care. I am calm. I am not in danger. I am in a good place. I'm safe forever because the forever God is my God forever.” 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit. The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:6 NIV “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” You have every reason to feel at peace in God's presence. Romans 5:1 “…[You] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus says in Matthew 10:29-31 NIV “…Not one [sparrow] will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” 1 Peter 5:7 NIV “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Say aloud to yourself… “I am relaxed in God's attention and care. I am calm. I am not in danger. I am in a good place. I'm safe forever because the forever God is my God forever.” 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. You can flag these episodes on biblically guided meditation and relaxation for you to return to over and over as needed. Each episode is a little different, so you may decide to favor one or two episodes as better for you. But give all of them a try.  Meditation is as old as the Bible itself. Our secular culture is recently embracing the benefits of “mindfulness” and meditation for developing mental and physical health. But the Bible has been there all along, for thousands of years (see the show notes to the January 4 episode). Biblically guided meditation imagines the unseen realities of God as your Source of Life and Joy and Significance, and speaks these realities to your soul – your whole self. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit. The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Ezekiel 37:5-6 ESV “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will …put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” Psalm 104:30 NIV When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. John 20:21-22 ESV Jesus said to them…“Peace be with you.” …And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 — “Be filled with the Spirit.” Romans 15:13 — “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? Job 33:4 (NIV) The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. You can flag these episodes on biblically guided meditation and relaxation for you to return to over and over as needed. Each episode is a little different, so you may decide to favor one or two episodes as better for you. But give all of them a try.  Meditation is as old as the Bible itself. Our secular culture is recently embracing the benefits of “mindfulness” and meditation for developing mental and physical health. But the Bible has been there all along, for thousands of years (see the show notes to the January 4 episode). Biblically guided meditation imagines the unseen realities of God as your Source of Life and Joy and Significance, and speaks these realities to your soul – your whole self. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit. The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Ezekiel 37:5-6 ESV “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will …put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” Psalm 104:30 NIV When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. John 20:21-22 ESV Jesus said to them…“Peace be with you.” …And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 — “Be filled with the Spirit.” Romans 15:13 — “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? Job 33:4 (NIV) The Spirit of God has made me; the...

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. You can flag these episodes on biblically guided meditation and relaxation for you to return to over and over as needed. Each episode is a little different, so you may decide to favor one or two episodes as better for you. But give all of them a try.  Meditation is as old as the Bible itself. Our secular culture is recently embracing the benefits of “mindfulness” and meditation for developing mental and physical health. But the Bible has been there all along, for thousands of years (see the show notes to the January 4 episode). Biblically guided meditation imagines the unseen realities of God as your Source of Life and Joy and Significance, and speaks these realities to your soul – your whole self. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit.  The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Genesis 1:1-3 NIV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. You can flag these episodes on biblically guided meditation and relaxation for you to return to over and over as needed. Each episode is a little different, so you may decide to favor one or two episodes as better for you. But give all of them a try.  Meditation is as old as the Bible itself. Our secular culture is recently embracing the benefits of “mindfulness” and meditation for developing mental and physical health. But the Bible has been there all along, for thousands of years (see the show notes to the January 4 episode). Biblically guided meditation imagines the unseen realities of God as your Source of Life and Joy and Significance, and speaks these realities to your soul – your whole self. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit.  The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom.  To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Genesis 1:1-3 NIV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. You can flag these episodes on biblically guided meditation and relaxation for you to return to over and over as needed. Each episode is a little different, so you may decide to favor one or two episodes as better for you. But give all of them a try.  If you know of someone who you think might also benefit from these meditation and relaxation episodes, please share this link in a text or email or on social media. Meditation is as old as the Bible itself. Our secular culture is recently embracing the benefits of “mindfulness” and meditation for developing mental and physical health. But the Bible has been there all along, for thousands of years (see the show notes to the January 4 episode). Biblically guided meditation imagines the unseen realities of God as your Source of Life and Joy and Significance, and speaks these realities to your soul – your whole self. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit.  The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  It focuses you on how your body depends upon God's life-giving Spirit at every moment.  This imagery/meditation can bring needed relaxation and relieve stress from your body and mind. To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Jesus said in John 10:27-30… “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. …And no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” Psalm 46:10  [God] says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 …You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/

This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God's presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. You can flag these episodes on biblically guided meditation and relaxation for you to return to over and over as needed. Each episode is a little different, so you may decide to favor one or two episodes as better for you. But give all of them a try.  If you know of someone who you think might also benefit from these meditation and relaxation episodes, please share this link in a text or email or on social media. Meditation is as old as the Bible itself. Our secular culture is recently embracing the benefits of “mindfulness” and meditation for developing mental and physical health. But the Bible has been there all along, for thousands of years (see the show notes to the January 4 episode). Biblically guided meditation imagines the unseen realities of God as your Source of Life and Joy and Significance, and speaks these realities to your soul – your whole self. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God's truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit.  The biblical concept of the soul is your whole self – body, mind, spirit. That's why there must be a resurrection of the body for salvation. Your whole body is part of you. You are your body. Embrace your body. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God's presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level.  It focuses you on how your body depends upon God's life-giving Spirit at every moment.  This imagery/meditation can bring needed relaxation and relieve stress from your body and mind. To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you're on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held.  Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath.  Jesus said in John 10:27-30… “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. …And no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” Psalm 46:10  [God] says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 …You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 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 Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of...

Have you heard the parable of the mustard seed in Matthew 13:31-32? “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”(NIV) Why did Jesus tell this parable? I think he wanted to encourage his disciples. Remember he told several parables on the same day. The first one, the parable of the sower, indicated that 3 of the 4 responses to his message would ultimately fail. Then he told the parable of the weeds. In it, an enemy sows bad seed in the field. If you were a disciple of Jesus, you might have been discouraged at this point! First, a lot of effort would produce nothing. On top of that, Jesus' kingdom would be opposed.  So, the third parable, which he told to the crowd and his disciples, indicates that Jesus' kingdom will grow far beyond the few who followed him that day. It would grow tremendously, even in the face of opposition. This is a good parable to keep in mind. When you're discouraged because others don't want to follow Jesus, or because many oppose him, remember the mustard seed! Jesus' kingdom has grown, and will continue to grow! Please provide feedback and suggestions at: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/feedback/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

Hidden Gems: How deconstruction can help us find deeper meaning For most churches these days, the Old Testament is a collection of exciting and shocking stories for kids' Bible class. When we're older, we assume we've learned what the stories have to teach us and we hardly ever revisit them from an adult perspective. An unexpected upside of deconstruction can be that, when we DO re-think these OT stories, there are layers upon layers of meaning. Intro * Steve (somehow) falls asleep in the MRI (https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mri/about/pac-20384768) * Pandora (https://www.pandora.com) * Iron & Wine (http://ironandwine.com) * Parkinson's disease (https://www.michaeljfox.org/parkinsons-101) * United Church of Christ (https://www.ucc.org) * Plymouth Congregational church (https://www.plymouthucc.org/) * Nathan's renovating in the dark Story of Uzzah * Uzzah (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uzzah) - 2 Samuel 6:3–8 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+6%3A3-8&version=NRSV) Why Uzzah? * Responsibilities of Levi's sons - Numbers 3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%203&version=NIV) * “…curtain of the temple was torn in two…” - Matthew 27:50-51 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A50-51&version=NRSV) * Hebrews 9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+9&version=NRSV) * “Approach God with confidence” - Hebrews 4:16 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A16&version=NRSV) * “if the ministry that brought death…ministry of the spirit bring life” - 2 Corinthians 3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+3&version=NIV) Why tear things down? * Cardboard building blocks (https://amzn.to/3kFDgFM) * Nathan's house has secret, magical rooms * Jewish Mysticism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_mysticism) * Nadab & Abihu offering strange fire - Leviticus 10 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2010&version=NIV) * Achan's story - Joshua 7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+7&version=NRSV) * Noah's story - Genesis 6-9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+6-9&version=NRSV) * Lot's story - Genesis 19 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+19&version=NRSV) * Podcast: the Bible for Normal People (https://peteenns.com) * Book: “How the Bible Actually Works” by Peter Enns (https://amzn.to/3Fr8VCW) * Book: “Faith After Doubt” by Brian McLaren (https://amzn.to/3nnzq60) * “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” - Matthew 11:28-30 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30&version=NRSV)

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 (NIV)Why did Jesus go around calling disciples? How would people in Jesus' day have understood this particular aspect of his mission. Check out today's snippet from Parkside Thursdays, as we look at these questions.

Preacher: Stan McMahan, Pastor Title: “Jesus Gives Us Reasons to Keep Going” Hebrews 10:26-39 (NIV) Why is it hard to stick to something over the long haul? The Judgment Motivation Why is it important to think about God's judgment? The Remembrance Motivation How can our story of faith motivate us to move forward? The Riches Motivation How do God's riches in Christ compare to the riches of the world? The Pleasure Motivation What does it mean that we are God's treasured possession? 

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak...Mark 5:24-27 (NIV)Why did this woman believe simply by touching Jesus' cloak, she could be healed? Find out as we explored this amazing story from the gospel.To hear the accompanying sermon, please visit our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR2tT2dkZ90&t=2892s

“The Sufferings of Jesus” Part 2 DARKNESS OVER ALL THE LAND “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.” (Mt 27:45 NKJV) Happened Before “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand towards the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt— darkness that can be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand towards the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No-one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.” (Ex 10:21-23 NIV) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From Isaiah 53:3-12 Stricken by God… We considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. He was pierced for our transgressions. (He was) Crushed for our iniquities; (our) punishment…was upon Him. The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. For the transgression of my people He was stricken. Yet it was the LORD's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer. The LORD makes His life a guilt offering. He will bear their iniquities. He bore the sin of many. All the punishment that justice demanded, for our sin, was placed on Jesus. Jesus, the Lamb of God – A sin Offering – to be sin for us: John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Romans. 8:3 “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering” Heb. 9:28 “…Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people... 2 Cor. 5:21 “God made Him who had no sin - to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Page 1 of 3 “…My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46 NIV) Why did He do It? “For the joy that was set before Him. Heb. 12:2 (us) “After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous Servant will justify many.” From Isa, 53 Love: See John 3:16-17 PROMISE: “…I will never leave you nor forsake you.“” (Heb 13:5b NKJV) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I Am Thirsty” John 19:28 Jesus was the Son of God, but He also was the son of man. A reference to prophecy fulfilled > Psalm 22:15 (see 12-18) 2:00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “It Is Finished” “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30 NKJV) 1) Paid in Full - It's the Completion of a Transaction. 2) Payment Required a Perfect Sacrifice (the Lamb of God). The price of our sin was more than we could afford. So, God paid it. 3) Proof of Payment * The resurrection of Jesus - with many witnesses * The seal of the H.S. (Eph. 1:13-14) “…(we were) marked in Him with a seal, The promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…” 4) Declare Bankruptcy! Accept the Gift > the Payment Offered. “Good works are good – but not good enough (to save us).” Tony Evans “For the wages of sin (what sin earns you) is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro 6:23 NKJV) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12 NKJV) Page 2 of 3 Last Statement “Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Lu 23:46 NIV) After Jesus died > What Happened ???? “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!“” (Mt 27:51-54 NIV) After Jesus took His last breath…BOOM… There was an earthquake / rocks split in two Tombs/graves opened up Dead Holy people of God rose from the dead Three days later, after Jesus rose from the dead, these same Holy people went into town & appeared to many people. (Where were they those 3 days?)

Moving Through The Darkness  Psalms • Week 9 • July 4, 2021Teacher: Dr. Joe Scruggs---Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly, about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties as if life were generally easy, as if life should be easy. — Scott PeckLeviticus 18:1-4 NIV The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God.There is a great market for religious experience in our world: there is little enthusiasm for the patience acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness. — Eugene PetersonGo to God with unfettered honesty and complete openness about your problem and struggles; even your frustrations with God.Psalm 77:1-9 NIV I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”Develop a much more thorough understanding of the word, **"deserve”. **Accept the mystery.God doesn't owe us explanations. Don't put God in a box.Isaiah 40:27-31 NIV “Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;They will run and not grow weary,They will walk and not be faint.”Trust and Obey“Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human looks upon a universe in which every trace of God seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken and still obeys.” — CS LewisKeep praying; even though it's hard. If we are focused on our internal feelings, we're not focused on God.Psalm 77:10–15 NIV Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.2 Timothy 4:7 (PHILLIPS)The glorious fight that God gave me I have fought, the course that was set I have finished and I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:8 (PHILLIPS)The future holds for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the true judge will give me in that day and, not of course only to me, but to all those who have loved what they have seen of him.

Hypocrisy in the church and self righteous attitudes Everyone in the church is a hypocrite by nature - all believe things we can't be perfect about. Per Jesus, teaching, we need to focus on our own sin, not worry about everyone else's struggles *1 Hy·poc·ri·sy - /həˈpäkrəsē/ - noun: 1.The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense *2 “Josh McDowell quotes statistics that 60% of Christian men are viewing porn. A Christian missions agency reports that 80% of new applicants admit to viewing porn. They no longer ask “if,” but “how often.” One youth minister estimated that 90% of the kids who come to him for help, all who are from Christian families, are addicted to porn. 21% of Christian girls admitted to texting a sexually explicit picture of themselves. 50% of pastors regularly view porn” *3 Scripture References: Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV) “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye', when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” Matthew 5:27-28 (CSB) “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 18:20 (CSB) “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them” Bonus Scripture: Hebrews 10:25 (CSB) “Not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching” 1.We are not advocating that two wrongs make a right. We are simply stating that porn addiction is just as wrong as anyone else's sin. 2. Oxford Dictionaries 3. www.crosswalk.com Message us at info@SimplifyJesus.com for questions or comments. We'd love to hear from you! Be sure to follow on all of our social media channels Facebook.com/simplifyjesus Twitter; @Simplifyjesus1 Instagram.com/simplifyjesus Find us at www.SimplifyJesus.com

Lessons from their lives. Talk 1. Abraham   Welcome to the first talk in a new series where we’ll be looking at Bible characters and seeing what lessons we can learn from certain aspects of their lives. Of course, the Bible itself sets a clear precedent for doing this. 1 Corinthians 10:11 teaches us that the things that happened to God’s people in the past were written down as examples for our instruction. So we can learn from their lives. We learn from their experience.   Today our subject is Abraham. We remember him mainly for the fact that, although his wife Sarah was barren, God promised to bless him, to make of him a great nation, and that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Genesis 15:6 tells us that Abraham believed God and it was ‘credited to him as righteousness’. It’s through Abraham’s greatest descendant, the Lord Jesus Christ, that God’s blessing of salvation has become available to all the world, to all who will believe. So Abraham became not only the physical father of the Jewish nation but the spiritual father of all those, whether Jew or Gentile, who believe as he believed.   So in the New Testament it’s Abraham’s faith that’s remembered most of all. But that does not mean that Abraham was never afraid. In fact he had a very real tendency to fear! But surely faith is the opposite of fear. How can a man of faith be fearful? That’s what we’ll be looking at today, and we’ll learn from the example of Abraham how it’s possible to have faith despite your fears.   We’ll start in Genesis 15:1 where God says:   Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward (NIV)   Why did God say, Do not be afraid? Because he knew that Abraham had a tendency to fear. And in fact most of God’s people have the same problem! That’s why again and again in the Bible we read that God says, Do not be afraid.   In this talk we’re going to look at:   Abraham’s tendency to fear God’s response to it Abraham’s response to God   and seek to learn how all this applies to us.   Abraham’s Tendency to Fear As we’ve already seen, Abraham was an obedient servant of God to whom God had promised great blessings. In Genesis 12:1-3 we read that God said to Abraham:   Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.   And verse 4 tells us that Abraham left, as the LORD had told him.           BUT this did not prevent him being afraid   Look at Genesis 12:10-13 where Abraham goes to live in Egypt because of a famine. As they’re about to enter Egypt, he says to his wife Sarai:   I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.   And in chapter 20 when Abraham is living temporarily in Gerar, he makes the same request, this time with potentially disastrous consequences. The fear that he might be killed so that others might take Sarah as his wife was clearly on ongoing weakness.   But despite this tendency to fear Abraham was capable of behaving very bravely   In Genesis 14:11-16 we read how four kings had formed an alliance and had seized Abraham’s nephew Lot and carried him off with all his possessions. When Abraham heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out his men and went after them. He attacked them at night, routed them, and recovered all Lot’s possessions and brought him back together with the women and the other people who were with him.   So in chapter 14 Abraham has acted bravely and won a great victory. Why then is God telling him in chapter 15 not to be afraid? At first sight there are two possible reasons for Abraham’s fear:   (a) the four kings taking revenge over Lot’s rescue? or (b) that he would never have his own son to be his heir   This is made clear at the beginning of chapter 15.   1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." 2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." 4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.     Note:             The fear that the four kings might take revenge is the fear that something bad might happen.                     The fear that he would never have his own son to be his heir is the fear that something good might not happen.   We can fear these things even when God has spoken to us! (12:1ff)                       (a) e.g. first building project - financial difficulties                                         (b)        principalship - might not get elected   What have you been afraid of?   God’s Response to Abraham’s fear   He spoke to Abraham (15:1)   After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward’   How comforting the Word of God is to us when we’re afraid (Fred Durrant)   He promised to be Abraham’s shield   In response to the fear that something bad might happen God himself would be Abraham’s protection. I am your shield.   But not only Abraham’s! He is the shield for Abraham’s descendants too!   Deut. 33:29 Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper...   Cf. Psalms 3:3, 18:35, 28:7, 33:20, 84:11, 115:9, 10, 11, 119:114, 144:2, Prov. 30:5.   But note especially Psalm 91   Note especially Verse 4 which says His faithfulness will be your shield.   1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge-- 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."   So God spoke to Abraham, he promised to be his shield. And thirdly:   He promised to be Abraham’s very great reward   In response to the fear that something good might not happen, God promised him many blessings:                                                                                           a son (v4) multitudes of descendants (v5) a land (vv 7,18)   BUT what really mattered was that GOD himself was Abraham’s very great reward. I am your ... reward.   God himself is our reward:   in heaven - yes but we have the Holy Spirit as a foretaste now - in prayer, communion, fellowship with him   Abraham’s Response to God   He believed! (v 6) - and it was credited to him as righteousness (cf. Rom. 4:3)   All who believe are the spiritual descendants of Abraham. Romans 4:16-17, Galatians 3:9, 29.   God is OUR shield and OUR reward.   The shield of faith (Eph 6:16) will extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one!   But didn’t Ps. 91:4 say that God’s faithfulness is our shield?   Yes. Perhaps Eph 6:16 should be translated faithfulness.   But what is the source of our faith? God’s faithfulness!   Our faith is our response to God’s faithfulness.   The Word of God is a record of God’s faithfulness. That’s why faith comes by hearing it (Romans 10:17).   Conclusion Perhaps at times we are all rather like Abraham. Sometimes we are capable of great courage, yet most of us have a tendency to fear. Perhaps that's why God says so often in his word, FEAR NOT   But he knows about our fear. He promises to be our shield and very great reward. He is faithful to his promises And his faithfulness is the source of our faith.   Take your eyes off your faith and fix them on God's faithfulness.   He himself is our reward. To have Jesus is enough!   In him all God's promises find their fulfilment (2 Cor. 1:20)                                

Evidence of Light 1 John 3:1-10 1 John 1:5-7 (NIV) 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. THREE Evidences of the Light: We Submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We Seek the Lifestyle of Jesus Christ. We Share the Love of Jesus Christ 1 John 3:6,9 (NIV) Why people continue in sin? Wrong practice. 1 John 3:4 Wrong people. 1 John 3:7-8 1 Corinthians 15:33 Proverbs 13:20 ESV Psalm 1:1-2 2 Corinthians 5:17 Wrong power. 1 John 3:8-10 John 3:1-3 We are redeemed from the penalty of sin. 1 John 3:5 We are redeemed from the power of satan. 1 John 3:8 We are redeemed from the principle of self. 1 John 3:9 Why we should live in the light! The Father loves you. 1 John 3:1 The Son died for you. 1 John 3:8 The Holy Spirit lives inside of you. 1 John 3:9

Message Notes: God's Heartbeat: Wounded Isaiah 40:27-31 (NIV) Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God"? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 1. The stability of God…anchors the instability of my life. 2. Crisis is my opportunity to connect deeply with Jesus. 3. God responds to my struggle by… - Rescuing Me - Sustaining Me - Changing Me

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”  - Mat 16:24-25 (NIV) Why is an authentic branded item costly? The answer is because it is authentic! It is the same with our Christian faith. True and authentic Christian faith is costly. Christian faith that is real and original will echo what Jesus taught. Jesus, the Son of God, is THE only standard of holiness and righteousness that is acceptable to God the Father. Therefore, the Father makes it very clear that it is His will for us to be like His Son. Authentic Gospel is costly. Authentic Christian life is costly. Let's not be deceived by teachings and messages that only underscore the promise following Christ as the guaranteed “short cut” to heaven or the “vending-machine” to life's fulfillment on earth. The message, “Just believe and the rest is done deal” is not an authentic Gospel message! Beware! Because Jesus never taught it that way. Authentic Gospel demands our “whole being” – our entire life. Like Jesus emptying Himself. God wants us to empty ourselves so that He could restore us as He has originally planned and designed – to be holy and blameless in His sight. AMEN!

Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 28 Acts 28 includes two stories.  The first story is about Paul staying on the island of Malta for three months and then leaving there after the winter to go to Rome.  On this island, he supernaturally prevailed against the attack of the viper.  He also healed the father of the chief official of the island and other sick people.   We don't understand why Paul lived on this island for three months but didn't record much of his ministry there.  For example, if we are talking about healing people on the island, Paul would be able to lay hands on them and heal them in just a few days.  Since Paul was a prisoner, he probably did not have the tools to weave tents as he always did in his profession.  While in Malta, did Paul preach the gospel and teach the natives about the Bible?  Since details aren't given, we don't' know exactly what he did for those three months. Three months is a long time.  If Paul's daily life was recorded daily in a diary, it could have been as thick as the Bible.  The Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  One written word is worth a thousand pieces of gold.  It is the Christian's instruction manual for life.  Though details may be left out, we can be sure that those details were not significant for the future of the church.  Verse 11 tells us that they had wintered on the island for three months before setting sail on the Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.  The details mentioned in this passage are significant, which is why they were included in the Bible. For example, Castor and Pollux are Greek gods, indicating that ships from Alexandria, Egypt (under the jurisdiction of Ancient Greece) were going to and from Malta.  The Greek crew members wintered in Malta for three months, yet the Bible doesn't say anything about Paul preaching the gospel to them.  What did Paul do for those three months?  In the second story, after Paul arrived in Rome, he preached Jesus as a gospel to the Jews, but a dispute arose among them.  Then Paul quoted Isaiah saying: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:” 'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."  For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!" (Acts 28:25-28, NIV) Why did Paul say this?  You might remember that in Romans 9-11, Paul recorded his burden for the Jews to be saved, wishing that he would be cursed for the sake that the Jews would be saved (Romans 9:3).  And we have witnessed in the previous records of Acts that every time he went to the Jews to preach the gospel, although they did not accept it and chased Paul to persecute him, Paul did not give up.  But why is it that he gave up this time? Remember that the Lord Jesus once said to Paul, "Quick! Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me" (Acts 22:18, NIV).  In Acts 22:21 (NIV), Paul also recorded what Jesus said, "Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"  So we can see from these two verses that Jesus had told him long ago that the Jews in Jerusalem would not accept his testimony, and that He would be sending Paul to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.  But Paul's mind couldn't keep up.  He was hindered from fully understanding Jesus' will for him Because of his love for the Jews, his own cultural and religious limitations, perspectives, and personality. Previously, we've talked about whether Paul's trip to Jerusalem was God's plan or his own.  This is a controversial topic.  We reasoned that it could be from God because when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to him and said, "Take courage!  As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome" (Acts 23:11, NIV).  In addition, some believe that Agabus' prophecy wasn't completely accurate.  He prophesied that Paul would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem, but in reality Paul was bound by the Romans in Jerusalem.  This could be why some Charismatics who have the gift of prophecy say that Agabus' prophecy was not accurate.  The Bible does say that when Abagus prophesied, he said: “this is what the Holy Spirit says." Others tried to persuade Paul not to go, but he didn't listen. The contradiction here is a theological issue debated by many people.  In our study, we looked at it from a different perspective and concluded that perhaps Paul shouldn't have gone to Jerusalem.  If he had understood Jesus' telling him to forego Jerusalem and go directly to Rome to preach the gospel, he might have avoided being shipwrecked and imprisoned.  However, Paul was human like us and had his own perspective about what he should do.  Human perspective can hinder or interfere with God's leading.  Witness Lee said that man's perspective is what hinders following God and spiritual growth the most.  We gleaned from this chapter that Paul finally understood God's leading and plan after going through the storm and subsequent shipwreck from Jerusalem to Rome.  He understood that the Jews wouldn't accept his testimony and shifted his ministry's focus from the Jews to the Gentiles.  We see this at the end of Acts 28 when it said, "For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.  He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ –with all boldness and without hindrance!" (Acts 28:30-31, NIV).  These verses confirm that Paul completely refocused his attention on the Gentiles in Rome and God's move among the gentile nations and evangelizing Europe.  As we finished Acts 28, it seemed that the chapter abruptly ended, and some of our bible study members asked why.  We eventually concluded that the ending of this chapter is spiritually significant. We can compare a person's journey from accepting God's call to completing it with Paul's journey from Jerusalem to Rome.  God officially called Paul on the road to Damascus, yet he said that God had set him apart from his mother's womb.  In turn, we can say he was called from Jerusalem.  God wanted him to go to Rome and evangelize Europe, but the journey was difficult, and Paul didn't follow God's will initially. Malta was a turning point for Paul.  He stayed there for three months, yet the Bible leaves out the details of that time period.  Rome isn't far away, but the winter weather restricts the ships from sailing.  Neither Paul nor the ship's captain and crew can leave.  God arranged these circumstances, and here is the spiritual significance that we see.  We believe that during that three months with nothing to do, Paul spent much of his time in prayer and reflected on his journey from Jerusalem to Rome.  He might have thought of God's instructions that he leave Jerusalem as soon as possible because his testimony to the Jews wouldn't be accepted.  Jesus was clear when he told Paul to go to the Gentiles to preach the gospel, but Paul's mind was focused elsewhere.  He insisted on going to Jerusalem, causing many uproars.  Perhaps during this reflection time and prayer, his attitude changed.  He may have questioned whether he fully understood God's leading and instead embarked on his own path.  Paul may have had some regret and felt discouraged, knowing that he wasn't fully cooperating with what God wanted. Acts 28:13-15 (NIV) says that when Paul arrived in Puteoli, fellow believers greeted him.  Some traveled thirty-forty miles from Rome as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three taverns to meet him when they heard he was coming.  Paul thanked God and was encouraged when he saw them.  One lady in our study questioned this, saying, "Wasn't Paul always strong and courageous?”  Why was he encouraged when these people met him?  I suggested that maybe this confirms that Paul might have had self-doubt and misgivings while reflecting in Malta. Jesus said to his disciples while He was on earth, "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.  Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel." (NIV, Matthew 10:5-6).  Jesus' command to the twelve apostles was not the same command He gave to Paul.  In other words, it was the leading of God's previous move, not the leading of His new move. Our own perspective often gets in the way of what God wants to do.  Bill Johnson, a Charismatic pastor in California, said, “Every new move of God is often persecuted by the people used by God in His previous move.”  What people knew and experienced in a previous move of God often keeps them from accepting something new or different in the next move of God.  Because things in the new move look different, people will react negatively, saying it's not of God or even go so far as to say it's from the enemy.  Personal opinions can hinder God's spirit from moving.  We can see the cycle if we look to the past, from Martin Luther's reformation, which was persecuted by the Catholic Church to the Anabaptists who were persecuted by the reformed. Lastly, even within the Pentecostal Movement, newer movements are persecuted by previous movements.  It was the same story without exception.  Paul was human with his own perceptions and shortcomings.  God often has to deal with people's perceptions and natural inclinations.  The relationship between God and man is like two people trying to run together with their legs tied.  God is often running faster than we can keep up.  He has to wait for people to understand his leading or eventually let them deal with the consequences of their own choices.  This is what happened to Paul.  Jesus told Paul to leave Jerusalem and go to the Gentiles to preach the gospel, but he didn't listen.  God had no choice but to remind him through the Holy Spirit's prophecy.  Paul insisted on going, so God waited patiently.  Despite his stubbornness, Jesus appeared to him and encouraged him in prison.  2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NIV) is a verse that talks about the patience of Jesus Christ. “May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.”  It seems like Paul prayed this out of his own experience of Jesus's patience with him. Jesus Christ is not only like that to Paul.  He's also like that to us.  I shared one of my experiences to help our Bible study members understand the inspiration I received. I was saved in the Local Church Movement,  a conservative Christian group that values spiritual growth in life.  At that time, my only thought was to serve the members of our church.  I had no thoughts of serving in American churches or churches in other parts of the world.  I focused my life on serving Chinese scholars in the United States and teaching them the gospel within the Local Church Movement.  It never entered my mind that I would leave my church to fellowship with and learn about the Charismatic church and eventually pursue the gift of the Holy Spirit. Everything changed mainly because my wife and I were dealing with ten years of infertility.  I prayed every day in 2014, asking God to heal us, but there was no answer.  In 2015 I began to seek help from other churches outside the Local Church Movement.  I really wanted help from our own church and attended a special meeting in California in the summer of 2015.  This was the last meeting of the Local Church Movement that I attended.  We didn't get the help we needed for our infertility problem.  Even though my mindset was inseparable from the Local Church Movement's teachings, God silently led me out of our church to learn about healing and prophecy in the Pentecostal Movement.  I personally heard God tell me when we would have a child, and in the end, it happened! Looking back on this, my experience is similar to Paul's at Malta.  2015 was my spiritual Malta.  In one way, I hoped that the Local Church Movement could help us with our infertility problem, but they don't teach about the gift of healing or prophecy, so they couldn't help us.  The Holy Spirit began to lead me to the Charismatics teachings online and to attend their healing and prophetic conferences. I struggled inside with being a part of two completely different church movements.  In 2015, every day at the park, I was praying at noon, asking God what I should do to move forward spiritually.  Part of me felt like God wanted me to leave the Local Church Movement, but I loved my church and its people.  I was worried about hurting those who loved and cared about me.  In addition, because of how deeply they influenced me, I didn't want to hurt the body of Christ in general by leaving. Later, God showed me something that inspired me. In a vision, He showed me a tributary of the Yangtze River that originated in the Himalayas.  Then I saw a downstream tributary.  He told me that he put me on the first tributary and now has moved me to the second.  As long as I followed the Holy Spirit's leading, I could live in unity in the body of Christ.  He also said that I would never go back to the Himalayas, but the river in the Himalayas will join me downstream.  This was very encouraging.  In another dream, Jesus appeared to me, telling me that the two rivers would converge, which confirmed this vision.  It was only when I looked back at this period of history that I was able to see how God was leading me.  He led me to the Local Church Movement to learn how to pursue spiritual life and study the Bible.  It was also Him that led me to the Pentecostal Movement to learn the gifts and receive the baptism and power of the Holy Spirit.  These two rivers will converge and produce God's new move – holiness and power will converge; the word of God and the Spirit of God will converge; the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit will converge.  God also told me that He wanted to take me out of the Local Church Movement because He wanted me to serve Chinese churches on a larger scale, participate in the great revival of China, and serve churches in the United States and other countries.  He challenged me to start my own ministry, another area that the Local Church Movement didn't encourage.  In 2016 besides telling me that we would have a child that year, he confirmed that Jairus Bible world Ministry came from Him.   All of this far outweighed what I was taught in the Local Church movement.  I would never have imagined that God would lead me in this way.  So, when I was struggling and hesitating in 2015, God was waiting patiently for me to catch up to him.  God led me to leave the Local Church Movement to study the Pentecostal Movement.  During this process, I had to break through my perceptions, and many of the concepts that the Local Church Movement taught me.  God recovered and encouraged many truths from his word through the Local Church Movement as well as the Pentecostal Movement.  I learned many rich truths and life lessons through the Local Church movement that would benefit every believer.  However, many see this movement and Witness Lee as heretical and have rejected their teaching altogether.  I've shared with fellow Pentecostal believers the truth and practice of “calling on the name of the Lord, pray-reading the Lord's Word, praying, studying, reciting, and prophesying,” and most were curious and open. Today, whether we are talking about believers in the Local Church Movement or those who condemn them, we shouldn't allow personal perceptions to divide us.  The same would be true of those who have negative attitudes towards the Pentecostal Movement.  The walls of division must come down.  Much of the time, it isn't that others don't know the truth.  Instead, narrowmindedness prevents us from understanding each other.  What you see taught in other churches may not be heresy or evil spirits.  It could be that your own limitations and perceptions prevent you from accepting truths that others know and practice. We are now entering an era of a great revival.  We urgently need believers of different churches to break their prejudices and enter the new era of God's convergence.  Only in this way can God's will be better achieved. That was the inspiration we received from reading Acts 28.  Paul eventually broke through his perceptions and plans through the arduous journey from Jerusalem to Rome. Finally, he entered into God's plan for his life, preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.  Although it seems like the book of Acts came to an abrupt end, it was actually perfect.  God completed his plan of leading Paul from Jerusalem to Rome, taking him from where he was called to the end of his mission.  At this point, Paul fully understood God's will and was on the path of evangelizing Europe.  This is why the Holy Spirit didn't need to write more on this.  God's leading through the circumstances Paul went through brought him to the right place at the right time so Paul could follow through with his mission. Today, the Spirit of God continues to work on us as believers, helping us to break out of our own perceptions in our spiritual Malta.  Once our spirits and minds are open, we can enter into the plan that God prepared for us long before.  We are not waiting for God; He is patiently waiting for us.  

Psalm 42:5-9 (NIV) Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” Psalm 73:9-11 (NIV) Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” Psalm 73:13-15 (NIV) Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. Psalm 73:28 (NIV) But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. Lamentations 3:17-18 (NIV) I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, “My splendour is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord.” Lamentations 3:21-24 (NIV) Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

Psalm 42:5 (NIV) Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 91:9-10 (KJV) Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Psalm 27:13-14 (AMP) I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord. DAILY PRAYER EMPHASIS: PRAISE GOD FOR WHO HE IS “You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” — Nehemiah 9:6 (NIV) Praising God for who He is a part of prayer. Take this Sunday and dedicate your week to God. Acknowledge who you are talking with and what makes Him unique. For more prayer resources and fasting ideas, visit RockBrook.org/Prayer

THE WINNING ATTITUDE: GUARDING THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART ••• Bible Study Verses: I Samuel 16:6-7, Mark 7:18-23, Proverbs 4:23, Philippians 4:4-8, II Corinthians 10:3-6. “If you do believe in a personal God then the Universe itself is not worshipful, although devoted study of it is one way to honour Him. For believers in God, the chief purpose of life is to increase our knowledge of God and to be moved to praise and thanks” The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (Author of The Lord of The Ring Trilogy) † “Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin” 1 Peter 4:1, NIV Why did the Lord reject Eliab? Why is The Heart Important? What are 3-reasons Why God Focuses on Your Heart? If our lives are shaped by our thoughts, what are 5-reasons why many are not guarding their heats? What are 5-Dangers of an Unguarded Heart? How do you guard your heart? How do you fill your heart with good thoughts? Are you praying to Our Creator, The Lord Christ Jesus that your heart is protected from the pollutions of this world? Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounters Radio Podcast originally aired on Nov. 14th, 2020 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible. This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it’s mission through prayer and support. Thank you. Study Guides at: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes COVER ART CREDIT: Photo by Nicolas Hoizey ( http://photosynthese.net ), art direction by gil on his mac. † Source: http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Letter_310 Podcaster Website: http://www.lifelonganointing.com/FERP201114 Episode #146 GOT201114ep146 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

America On the Cutting EdgeDestruction or RestorationTom Donnan pt 1 (https://kcrpodcast.com/toms-picture/)Tom Donnan is back with more Biblical revelation and understanding as we do an overview discussion of things that are being played out on the national news that relates to Bible Prophecy. These discussions are fast paced and we cover a lot of various aspects through the course of this interview. But all of the points are discussed from a Biblical perspective that can leave no doubt in the mind of Spiritually sensitive person – Jesus is coming soon! Amen! All right, Tom, I’m just going to dive in to the turbulent waters – and pull you in with me. Praise God… All of the things we are seeing right now, the riots, the storms, the floods, the fires – all of it. Does this turn to our good – or our destruction? 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[ (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+8%3A28&version=NIV#fen-NIV-28145a)] have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV) Why is this verse so important? When chaos reigns a word from God shows you what is ahead to hold too. When we are on the strong foundation of Jesus Christ we are not shook because we know the power of God to save us. In the midst of great pain and loss, He is Lord over everything. Let’s shift over into these “peaceful protestors” who try to intimidate, threaten and harass innocent people. In fact, did you see the news reports that Senator Rand Paul and his wife and others, that were leaving the last night of the RNC at the White House, did you see what happened there? Senator Rand Paul attacked by Rioters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFDx5qTlGjU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFDx5qTlGjU) Feared for their lives, surrounded by mob 2:31 Mob shouts threats to Kill them. Senator Paul could not reason with them, they want to Kill the person who is authoring the Law they want to see happen, 2:35 He called them Idiots, dense, the irony is to harm the person who is on their side., Called them UNHINGED 5:01 He calls for Law and Order, And it is not just an isolated incident. These things have been ongoing in liberal run cities across America. Portland has been going for well over 100 nights now. Portland Riots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFHV4fGxQ6M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFHV4fGxQ6M) 2:00 The local News Paper finally calls for the riots/lawlessness needs to stop after 100 days of rioting. What I love is the double standard the press is trying to pass off as “news breaking.” And one person I absolutely think is rocking it is the President’s Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany. She plays hardball with the press at every opportunity she can find and calls them out on their hypocrisy. Kayleigh McEnany fires back at reporter over paintball video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ZLWUHHZ3M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ZLWUHHZ3M) 2:10 Trump supporter in Portland shooting paint balls into crowd of protesters. Calls out double standard by the media Hypocrisy of media to not draw attention to violent protesters. Tom shares a dream the Lord showed him about what will happen if the Constitution of the United States should fail (and it will not be pretty). Something we continue to cover is definitely talked about in the Bible, and that is the continuing locust plague in the mid-east, spreading into Russian territories, India, etc. That is still happening, right? Locust Swarms continue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD2Ab6lwUkw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD2Ab6lwUkw) Speaking of things predicted to be happening as the end draws near, what do you think about all of the hurricanes this year? They just keep popping up and growing into threatening storms that bear down on the United States. Hurricane season in the North Atlantic basin officially begins on June 1 and ends on December 1.... Support this podcast

In these interesting days, how are you going with being content when things keep changing? Restrictions tighten and restrictions ease. We are unsure what tomorrow will look like. Memories and grief surfacing When the Coronavirus started impacting on Australia there was a few days where I struggled as grief surfaced from our daughter's cancer journey. The continual hand santising was the trigger, a familiar practice during her 15 months of receiving chemotherapy. And now when we are again on 'high alert' and restrictions are tightening, I am reminded of when we as a family were on 'high alert' or hypervigilant in relation to Victoria getting a high temperature (over 38 degrees) and having to go to hospital for at least three days. These emergency hospital visits happened many times and caused much anxiety and turmoil for each member of our family. Warning: unashamed promo - if you want to read more about this part of our story, and God's faithfulness throughout it, my book is available at wendyrobinson.com.au What does it take to be content? The current situation and memories of the past had me thinking about contentedness. How does one get to that state of contentedness regardless of what is going on in their lives or around them? The Apostle Paul seemed to have found that place, as he explains to the Philippians... But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:10-13 NKJV There is so much to meditate on in this passage of scripture. Let's not forget where Paul was when he wrote this letter - prison, with the exact location unknown. He himself was undergoing hardship, however he was still able to maintain his focus on Christ and on others. Keep focussed on the goal Paul was focussed on a goal, regardless of his circumstances. He explains this to Philippians earlier in his letter. I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:12-14 NLT Remember, Paul is in prison when he wrote this letter. Plenty of restrictions and unknowns in his life at that time! But he keeps his focus on Christ and his mission. John Maxwell says, This letter proves that even while the apostle Paul sat in a foul Roman prison, he never lost his passion, his sense of mission, his sense of direction, or his command of the situation. While Paul remained an inmate of Rome, he couldn’t plant new churches as he felt called to do. Instead, he sat in chains, attached to a Praetorian guard, awaiting a trial that he thought could end his life (1:21). Yet even in the midst of all of this, he never abandoned his role of leadership. NKJV Maxwell Leadership Bible Page 1470) Rejoice in the Lord Not only is Paul focussed on the mission despite the apparent hindrances, he is encouraging others to maintain their joy. Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful! Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 GW A supernatural joy that only comes from knowing the Lord and trusting that He is in control. Remember the scripture, Nehemiah 8:10 The joy of the Lord will be your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 NIV Why was Paul content? So how is it that Paul could experience that joy and continue to exhort others, in the midst of this trial? Perhaps it had something to do with his first meeting with Jesus, which we read about in Acts 9. During those days, Saul, full of angry threats and rage, wanted to murder the disciples of the Lord Jesus. So he went to ask the high priest and requested a letter of authorization he could take to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, requesting their cooperation in finding and arresting any who were followers of the Way. Saul wanted to capture all of the believers he found, both men and women, and drag them as prisoners back to Jerusalem. So he obtained the authorization and left for Damascus. Just outside the city, a brilliant light flashing from heaven suddenly exploded all around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a booming voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” The men accompanying Saul were stunned and speechless, for they heard a heavenly voice but could see no one. Saul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, the Victorious, the one you are persecuting. Now, get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you are to do.” Saul stood to his feet, and even though his eyes were open he could see nothing—he was blind. So the men had to take him by the hand and lead him into Damascus. For three days he didn’t eat or drink and couldn’t see a thing. Acts 9:1-9 TPT Well Jesus certainly got Saul's attention. One moment Saul was on a mission to persecute the followers of Jesus. Then suddenly he has an interaction with Jesus and finds himself completely blind and having to be led by the men with him. Saul was in a very vulnerable position, and yet that encounter with Jesus was so powerful, he did exactly what Jesus told him to do. God the Mastermind Around this same time Jesus was preparing the way for Saul, to become one of his 'chosen vessels'. This preparation involved a disciple, Ananais. For completeness, and because it is a wonderful example of how God brings restoration, purpose (and perhaps contentment?) into our lives, we will read Acts 9:10-19. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Acts 9:10-19 NKJV Knowing Christ We know from the Bible that Saul, now Paul, went on to spread the Gospel throughout the known world at that time, experiencing many hardships including prison and shipwreck, but always staying focussed on the goal. Paul had met Jesus and experienced the power of forgiveness. He had been transformed by Jesus and knew His power and authority. Paul had been filled with the Holy Spirit and he knew what his mission was. These Christ centred experiences enabled Paul to be content, no matter what. He knew Jesus intimately and trusted Him completely. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. Philippians 4:12-13 The Message So how about us? Are we content? Is our relationship with Jesus so intimate that we are content regardless of what is happening around us? This is a challenging question. And the answer probably involves a journey, some movement from where we are today, to a closer relationship with Jesus. How to do we do that? There are many ways, but perhaps the first step is talking to Jesus, asking Him to show you what your next step is. So why not ask Him now. To find out more visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Sermon Notes:Psalm 42:5 (NIV) – Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.Genesis 12:2-3 (NLT) – I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”Romans 4:18-22 (NLT) – 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. 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.Four Reasons You Can Put Your Hope in Our Promise-Keeping God:1. God is UnchangingJames 1:17 (NLT) – Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.2. God is TrustworthyHebrews 10:23 (NLT) – Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.3. God is TruthfulHebrews 6:18 (NLT) – So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.4. God Keeps His WordRomans 4:21 (NLT) – He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.Romans 4:19-21 (MSG) – Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, “It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.” Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said.

Watch the full Unfinished Recap Video--Treasure in HeavenA Generous Life | Week 3March 1, 2020 | Adam Barnett--Luke 16:13 NIVNo servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.Mammon: riches, possessions, property, or treasure.You cannot serve God, but also trust money to provide your internal peace and security.Mark 10:17 NIVAs Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”Mark 10:18-20 NIV“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”Mark 10:21 NIVJesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”Mark 10:22 NIVAt this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.Mark 10:23-27 NIVJesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them & said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

148 Disciple Up Hope Against Hope By Louie Marsh, 2-26-2020   Recent events have caused this phrase to echo through my mind quite often lately.   I hope against hope that a few meager words spoken on a Sunday morning will heal a marriage, mend a troubled mind or motivate someone to respond to the Word of God.   I hope against hope that an hour's counsel will help someone begin to overcome a life time of running and hiding from their inner monsters.   I hope against hope that this new class or that new program or this new book will finally cause the hearts of the people in my church to catch fire for Christ.   Hope against hope.   In a way I guess you could say this describes what we Ministers do for a living. We are called and paid to hope against hope – and to never stop doing so!   After hearing this echoing around in my mind, I checked and found out some interesting info on what this means and where it comes from on Dictionary.com.   hope against hope   Hope or wish for with little reason or justification, as in I'm hoping against hope that someone will return my wallet. This expression, based on the biblical "Who against hope believed in hope" (Romans 4:18), was first recorded in 1813.   Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.   Here's verse in the NIV - Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Romans 4:18 (NIV)   The story of Abraham and Sarah is one of the great examples of faith in the Bible, and is often presented that way as it should be. But I want to point out to you that It's also a prime example of hope as well.   Hope against hope – hope that God will work in spite of most of the evidence pointing to the contrary. Hope that with God's help tomorrow can be better, a marriage can grow and heal and thrive. Hope that a child can learn and turn from sin back to God.   Hope, hope, hope – and hope is almost always pitted against itself. We hope against hope. God calls us to, in the words of the late, great Mark Heard, “withstand the winds of time,” and the winds of culture, opinion and the devil as well!   And of course we have to hope against the evidence of our eyes as well. Just because things look hopeless doesn't mean they are! Indeed God “…is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) I love how Peterson paraphrased this verse in the Message. Read it, and then read it again, letting it sink into your heart.   20  God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)   When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, "You're going to have a big family, Abraham!" Romans 4:18 (MSG)   That's hope against hope all right!   It's deciding not to live on the basis of what I quite correctly know I can't do – and instead live life based on what God has said He will do!   Wow – what a liberating thought!   Or as we call it in Celebrate Recovery – Principles One & Two   Principle One: Realize I'm not God. I admit I'm powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.   Principle Two: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.   So, go ahead, hope against hope today!   May I live today on the basis of what God has said He'll do – not on the basis of my helplessness!   During his time in a Nazi prison, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to his friend Eberhard Bethge that he was neither a pessimist (expecting things to get worse) nor an optimist (expecting things to get better). He said that he was living by hope. Hope! One of three foundational forces—faith, hope, and love—that St. Paul said "remains" when everything else goes belly-up.   I find Bonhoeffer's allusion to hope as an alternative to optimism or pessimism to be insightful and inspirational. He has identified a biblical idea that I think sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.     SESSION ONE: Know the Power of Hope.   3 Graces to  MOTIVATE ME.   1) FAITH We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith… 1 Thes. 1:3a Work = a job or task Faith BRINGS US INTO SALVATION. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--- Eph. 2:8a   Faith LOOKS BACK. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20   Faith always PRODUCES ACTION. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:26   2) LOVE … your labor prompted by love… I Thess. 1:3b   labor = to cut, beat and used of working bread dough   Love is my response TO GOD'S LOVE FOR ME! We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19   Love LOOKS AT THE NOW.   If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 1 John 3:17   Love keeps me going THROUGH THE TOUGH TASKS.   Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18   3) HOPE   and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thes. 1:3c   Hope keeps me from GIVING UP.   For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4   Hope LOOKS AHEAD.   For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25   Hope is JUST AS IMPORTANT as faith & Love.   And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV) But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:5-6 (NIV) because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-- the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel  Colossians 1:4-5 (NIV) let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:22-24 (NIV) But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (NIV) How To REMAIN HOPEFUL.   Renew your relationship with God daily   my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar. Psalm 42:6 (NIV) Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God. Psalm 42:5 (GW) We encourage you, brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not living right, cheer up those who are discouraged, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (GW) David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. 1 Chronicles 28:20 (NIV) Maintain Fellowship with Believers But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 2 Corinthians 7:6 (NIV) for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 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. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:19-21 (NIV)  

This is the first episode in the series on Personal Finance/Money. On this episode, host Chae Cole breaks down some basic concepts of money. While this is not a comprehensive list, these are a few things to be aware of to have a strong since of financial understanding. The basic principles discussed include Money is behavioral, Money is tool, Money can work for you, and Money requires discipline. Understanding these four principles will help us along our financial journey. Tune in to find out how you can apply and understand these principles. Episode Scripture- Proverbs 17:16 NIV - Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it? Host: Chae Cole Intro/Closing Beat: Maurice Meyers Instagram: @Coletherapy Website: https://www.coletherapy.com Email: therapycole@gmail.com

2019/6/23 Dan Lian Categories: Video: https://yokohama.mylifehouse.com/tv/message/eternity Eternity 永遠 (Hebrews 9:27 NIV)Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, (ヘブル 9:27 ALIVE訳)人間が一度だけ死んで、その後に裁きを受けることが定められているように、 (2 Corinthians 5:10a NIV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us... (2 コリント 5:10a ALIVE訳)なぜなら、やがて私たちはみな、キリストの前で、裁きを受けなければならず、全生活がさらけ出されることになるからだ。 (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 コリント 4:18 JCB)ですから私たちは、いま見えるもの、すなわち身の回りの苦しみには目をとめません。むしろ、今は見えない天にある喜びを望み見ているのです。苦しみは、やがて消え去ります。しかし、その喜びは永遠に続くのです。 LOVE... 愛... Three things remain... Our love echoes in eternity. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 コリント 13:13 ALIVE訳)永遠に残るものは３つ。信仰、希望、そして愛。その中で一番偉大なのが愛だ。 GIVE... 与える ... “You can’t take it with you... well, yes and no...” (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“You can’t take it with you, but you can send it ahead of you.” (マタイ 6:19-21 JCB)財産を、この地上にたくわえてはいけません。地上では、損なわれたり、盗まれたりするからです。(20)財産は天にたくわえなさい。そこでは価値を失うこともないし、盗まれる心配もありません。(21)あなたの財産が天にあるなら、あなたの心もまた天にあるのです。 ENDURE... 耐える ... (2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 コリント 4:17 ALIVE訳)今の私たちの試練は、永遠の栄光と比べれば、束の間であり、取るに足りないものだ。また、この試練が永遠の財産を増し加えてくれている。 LIVE 生きる (James 4:14 NIV) Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (ヤコブ 4:14 ALIVE訳)あなたに明日の何が分かる？人生とは、今は見えても、すぐに、消えてしまう霧のようにはかない。

Jesus calls upon us to curb our enthusiasm for finding fault in others. Intead we are called to look inward and repent where we fall short. Denise McKinney takes a look at Matthew 7:1-6 and reminds us of Jesus' powerful, culture shifting command. Curb Your Enthusiasm Sermon on the Mount | Week 8 July 15, 2018 | Denise McKinney Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV) Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. It’s really not our job. Matthew 7:1 (NIV) Do not judge… Judging = Judging Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV) Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2 (MSG) Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It gets in the way of real change. Matthew 7:3-4 (NIV) Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? Matthew 7:5 (NIV) You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. This teaching is, rather, ethical instruction about the will of God to counter the human tendency to ignore one’s own faults while needling others about theirs. ~ Klyne Snodgrass (Jesus and the Restoration of Israel) They might not be in a place to hear you, even if you are right. Matthew 7:6 (NIV) Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. The whole of the Sermon [Matt 5-7] is framed within Jesus’s announcement that what his fellow Jews had longed for over many generations was now at last coming to pass — but that new kingdom didn’t look like they had thought it would. Indeed, in some ways it went in exactly the other direction. No violence, no hatred of enemies, no anxious protection of land and property against the pagan hordes. In short, no frantic intensification of the ancestral codes of life.Rather, a glad and unworried trust in the creator God, whose kingdom is now at last starting to arrive, leading to a glad and generous heart toward other people, even those who are technically “enemies." Faith, hope, and love: here they are again. They are the language of life, the sign in the present of green shoots growing through the concrete of this sad old world, the indication that the creator God is on the move, and that Jesus’s hearers and followers can be part of what he’s now doing. ~ N.T. Wright (Jesus and the Victory of God)

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV) “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV) How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV) “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV) Evaluate before God how we view the people around us. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. Romans 14:10-13 (NIV) It is written: “‘As surely as I live,' says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Romans 14:10-13 (NIV) Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. Romans 14:10-13 (NIV) Make the work God wants to do in us, our #1 priority. Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) Develop the maturity and wisdom necessary to engage with the world around you. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:12-13 (NIV)

29.10.17 Speaker: Stuart Thomson Duration: 46.05 Blessed are...The MercifulKey Verses: Matthew 18:23-35 (NIV), Matthew 5:7 (NIV) Why should we be MERCIFUL? Because we have a merciful God - Exodus 34:6-7 (ESV), Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV), Titus 3:4-7 (NIV), Micah 6:8 (NIV) So, how will you be merciful? 1. Hang out with those who are merciful. 2. Look out for the hurting and for the misfits. 3. Give people a second chance. 4. Do good to those who hurt or offend. 5. Value relationships over rules. Note: Mercy always comes at a cost

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 (NIV) Message Title:  “Remember” So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.  I think it is right to refresh your memory…  2 Peter 1:12-15 (NIV) And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 2 Peter 1:12-15 (NIV) Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn't want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. Mark 9:30-32 (NLT) He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” Mark 9:30-32 (NLT) They didn't understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. Mark 9:30-32 (NLT) On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24:1-48 (NIV) While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them… Luke 24:1-48(NIV) …“Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'” Luke 24:1-48(NIV) Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:1-48(NIV) When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.  It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. Luke 24:1-48(NIV) But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Luke 24:1-48(NIV) Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened… Luke 24:1-48(NIV) While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Luke 24:1-48(NIV) They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. Luke 24:1-48(NIV) He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?  Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. Luke 24:1-48(NIV) And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. Luke 24:1-48(NIV)  He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:1-48(NIV) He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:1-48(NIV) The Old Testament POINTS to God… the Gospel is the WAY to God… the New Testament teaches  us how to WALK with God. REMEMBER THE EMPTY GRAVE Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel… 2 Timothy 2:8 (NIV) That Jesus LIVED, means little… That Jesus is ALIVE, means everything.  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:11 (NLT) Jesus didn't give His life to take you from bad to good… but from death to LIFE! REMEMBER MERCY Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. Psalm 51:4 (NLT) Your darkest moment… couldn't overshadow He did for YOU. REMEMBER LOVE Love = living for the other person's good For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT) It was not nails that held Him on that cross… it was His love for you. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:37-39 (NLT) And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. Romans 8:37-39 (NLT) No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 (NLT) Your biggest mistake… doesn't change the way He sees you.