Podcasts about only christianity

We all feel the ache of a broken world. Genesis 3 shows us why—and more importantly, how God responds. Only Christianity gives us both raw honesty and real hope: Jesus pursues us, promises victory, and provides covering through the cross.

Every other religion is about us working our way to God. Only Christianity is about how God comes to us. This is the gift we celebrate this Christmas.

Gary continues his talk on the Christian worldview. He discusses the concept of "borrowed capital," or how non-Christians steal morality and ethics from Christians in order to argue against them. Only Christianity provides the moral and ethical foundation for life; an evolutionary worldview can provide only an "everyone for themselves" approach to life. There is no love, equality, family, or compassion in a random chance world.

Faithful Fathers Never tell a parent of a toddler that childhood goes by fast.⁣ ⁣ Toddler days are 42 hours long.⁣ ⁣ Have you ever put your toddler down for bed so early that the sun is still pretty high and they can hear other kids outside frolicking? Surgeon general wants tobacco-style warning applied to social media platforms Timothy Keller: "Every other religion says you're saved through knowledge. You tell people what they should do, and they do it. Only Christianity is realistic enough about human nature to say that that will never happen." The Glorious End without the Difficult MeansSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philippians 3:12-17 — What sets the Christian apart from everyone else? In this sermon on Philippians 3:12–17 titled “Apprehended by Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares that it is the Christian's knowledge and pursuit of Christ that separates them from all others. Christianity is not about external actions, nor is it about passionless religiosity, but Christianity is about Christ Jesus. It was the Apostle Paul who came to know Christ when Jesus appeared to him and transformed him. This was an immediate interaction with the risen Christ who called Paul to a life of service and suffering as a Christian. Jesus calls all believers to forsake their pride and arrogance, and to trust in Him. This sermon asks: “do you have a knowledge of Christ that transforms you? Are you trusting in Jesus or yourself?” In its fallen state, the world trusts in itself to solve all its problems, but the Christian is totally different. The Christian flees all vain worldly wisdom and trusts in God. Only Christianity shows all how they ought to live; only Christianity can provide true answers to life's deepest questions. This is because only Christianity offers the true hope of the gospel and salvation from all sin and evil.

Philippians 3:12-17 — What sets the Christian apart from everyone else? In this sermon on Philippians 3:12–17 titled “Apprehended by Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares that it is the Christian's knowledge and pursuit of Christ that separates them from all others. Christianity is not about external actions, nor is it about passionless religiosity, but Christianity is about Christ Jesus. It was the Apostle Paul who came to know Christ when Jesus appeared to him and transformed him. This was an immediate interaction with the risen Christ who called Paul to a life of service and suffering as a Christian. Jesus calls all believers to forsake their pride and arrogance, and to trust in Him. This sermon asks: “do you have a knowledge of Christ that transforms you? Are you trusting in Jesus or yourself?” In its fallen state, the world trusts in itself to solve all its problems, but the Christian is totally different. The Christian flees all vain worldly wisdom and trusts in God. Only Christianity shows all how they ought to live; only Christianity can provide true answers to life's deepest questions. This is because only Christianity offers the true hope of the gospel and salvation from all sin and evil. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

Join Us for a Summer Online Blue Cord Study - Begins June 11th through July 23rd. For more details and to register go HERE:   About the Guest:Renod Bejjani: Renod Bejjani is a former Christian who experienced intense persecution in several Islamic world nations. After years of anger and hatred towards Muslims, he had a transformational encounter with God and now serves as an instrument of God's love to Muslims. Renod is the author of two books, "Muslims: Five Biblical Essentials Every Christian Should Know and Do" and "The Way to Paradise," a Bible study.Episode Summary:Welcome to the final episode of Season 6 of The Blue Cord Podcast. In this episode, host Karen interviews her husband Renod Bejjani, who shares his personal journey from anger and hatred towards Muslims to becoming an instrument of God's love for them. Renod discusses how Jesus prepared his disciples to engage with people from other faiths and cultures and emphasizes the importance of knowing scripture, having a personal relationship with God through Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and actively meeting people of different faiths and cultures. The episode also explores what different religions believe about God, Jesus, salvation, and the afterlife, highlighting the unique aspects of Christianity in comparison to other faiths. The episode concludes with a call to action for Christians to engage with people from other faiths and cultures and share the hope of Jesus.Key Takeaways:Jesus prepared his disciples to engage with people from other faiths and cultures by modeling the use of scripture, emphasizing a personal relationship with God through Jesus, empowering them with the Holy Spirit, and encouraging them to meet people of different faiths and cultures.Christianity is the only religion where God has a personal relationship with individuals.Other religions have different beliefs about God, Jesus, salvation, and the afterlife. Islam respects Jesus as a prophet but denies his deity, while Hinduism has millions of gods and Buddhism sees God as an abstract void. Only Christianity believes in the Trinity and the deity of Jesus.Most religions, except Christianity and Islam, teach that being a good person leads to a good afterlife. Christianity and Islam believe in a judgment day where individuals will go to heaven or hell based on their faith and actions.Christianity, Islam, and secularism are the only religions actively evangelizing. Other religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, focus on merging into divinity or achieving a state of oneness.Notable Quotes:"In all other religions, it depends on me, my works to make it to the afterlife. But in Christianity, my salvation depends on what Jesus did, what he's already accomplished because he did what needs to be done to redeem me out of hell." - Renod Bejjani"The best way to prepare is to get to know people and follow the process that Jesus prepared his disciples with." - Renod BejjaniResources:Renod Bejjani's books: Muslims: Five Biblical Essentials Every Christian Should Know and Do and The Way to ParadiseThank you for listening to the final episode of Season 6 of The Blue Cord Podcast. Stay tuned for more inspiring content in Season 7.

Only Christianity teaches that God came to us, rather than requiring us to struggle in hopes of reaching Him!

All world religions and world-views, address the issue of suffering, because suffering has always been part of what it means to be human. However, there is tremendous variety in the way suffering is approached, and, many other worldviews leave me (at least) very dissatisfied with their take on suffering. For just three examples: In Buddhism, suffering is an illusion, while for Hindus, those who suffer deserve to do so because of karma. For atheists, there is no ultimate rhyme or reason for anything, so if your suffering happens to be severe, bad luck to you.Only Christianity tells us that we can have lasting joy in suffering. Only the Bible teaches that God himself suffered for us, and suffers with us. Join us, as we talk about these, and related issues, today. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hopefulsuffering.substack.com

Many people feel trapped and stuck in a very small world due to their circumstances and, more importantly, their religion. Only Christianity gives us perfect freedom, no matter how limiting our physical, earthly circumstances.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

I have to admit I am not a graceful person. In my first year of college, during Christmas break, my mother lined me up for private lessons with a woman who coached me on how to be graceful. Now, for my mother to spend money on such lessons was an indication of how much help I needed! I was not then—still am not to this day—graceful. This woman tried hard to make me more graceful, but unfortunately, I am like a bull in a china shop. If it can be bumped into, I bump into it. If it is fragile, I break it. If it can be tripped over, I trip over it. I've come to the conclusion if you're not naturally a graceful person, there's just not a whole lot you can do about it. I'm happy to report to you that though I may never be graceful, I can be grace-full—full of grace. That is not contingent on my agility or nimbleness or any physical attributes. It is, instead, contingent on my openness to the grace of God and my willingness to let it fill my life. In writing of our Savior, John says, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Jesus was full of grace. As believers in Jesus Christ, you and I are in the process of being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory. We are to be filled with his Spirit, and therefore, we have the incredible opportunity to be filled with grace. Like Jesus, we can be full of grace. When asked what was the one thing about Christianity that sets it apart from all other religions, C. S. Lewis responded, “Oh, that's easy. It's grace.” No other religion offers God's love and redemption coming to us free of charge, as a gift, no strings attached, no performance required, no standards to meet. Only Christianity dares to make God's love unconditional. That's because Christianity has the only qualified Savior, Jesus Christ. This week I want to encourage you to become very intentional about becoming a woman—or a man—who is grace-full, full of God's grace. It must become more than a cliché, more than words we say or songs we sing. God's grace needs to permeate every corner of our being so that we are living examples of his grace.

Hosea 1:2-3 When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.” 3 So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son. Hosea's love was not _____________! Hosea 3:1-2 Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.” 2 So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine. Hosea's love for his wife wasn't ____________ or _____________. Romans 5:6-8 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. There is ___________ you can do to _______ more of God's love. Only Christianity claims God's love is __________________. Romans 8:38-39 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. 39 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. God's love for you it isn't based on your ________________. God loves us because he ____________ to love us. I believe God loves me even if I _________ _________ it! Ephesians 3:18-19 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. John 3:16-17 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 13:34-35 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Our response to God's love is to love _____ and to love ________.

This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm speaking once again with Lee Strobel. Lee is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. He earned a journalism degree at the University of Missouri and was awarded a Ford Foundation fellowship to study at Yale Law School, where he received a Master of Studies in Law degree. He was a journalist for fourteen years at the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, winning Illinois' top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from United Press International. Lee also taught First Amendment Law at Roosevelt University. A former atheist, he served as a teaching pastor at three of America's largest churches. Today he's founding director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University. Lee and his wife, Leslie, have been married for more than fifty years and live in Texas. Their daughter, Alison, and son, Kyle, are also authors. Key Points from Our Conversation: Lee wrote Is God Real? at the request of his publisher after realizing how many Google searches have been performed on the topic. People are deconstructing or leaving Christianity due to increased skepticism and less popularity among younger generations. Evidence for the resurrection is the key tenant of the Christian faith. We can have confidence in this evidence based on execution, early reports, empty tomb, and eyewitnesses Many people will point to suffering as a case against a good, loving God, but true love involves free will. We as imperfect humans have allowed evil and suffering to exist, but in His goodness, He fixes the things He had no part in breaking. It can be easy to feel as though God is too hidden, but often it's not that He isn't instructing us, it's that He's saying something we'd rather not hear. A majority of Christians tend to rely on their personal experiences as validation of His existence, which is a valid expression of faith. However, we need to know the evidence as we will be challenged by those who have had different experiences. The "apologetic pyramid" involves looking logically through the evidence that points to Christianity from three different world views  - theism, atheism, and polytheism. Only Christianity passes the test of logic and livability. Let's Get Real Practical: As we move into the new year, I'm pausing, processing, and praying about where the Lord wants to take the show in 2024. In the meantime, please take some time to process and pray through 2023 with my latest Talk Therapy series. Resources: Ep. 144: The Case for Heaven with Lee Strobel Connect with Lee: website | Instagram | Facebook  Connect with Rachael: website | Instagram | Facebook

Sermon by Dr. Robert Lewis 8/24/1997 Many of the world's religions are sincere but lack truth. Only Christianity has spirit and truth. Selected

In a recent piece in The Atlantic, Tyler Austin Harper, a black professor from Bates College, argued that so-called “anti-racism” has gone too far.   In their righteous crusade against the bad color-blindness of policies such as race-neutral college admissions, these contemporary anti-racists have also jettisoned the kind of good color-blindness that holds that we are more than our race, and that we should conduct our social life according to that idealized principle. Rather than balance a critique of color-blind law and policy with a continuing embrace of interpersonal color-blindness as a social etiquette, contemporary anti-racists throw the baby out with the bathwater.   The term “anti-racist” came from a recent explosion of writing such as Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility and Ibram X. Kendi's How to Be an Anti-Racist, and it carries enormous ideological implications. According to Kendi, “One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an anti-racist. There is no in-between safe space of ‘not racist.'”  For figures like Kendi and DiAngelo, anti-racism isn't just the commitment to combat racism wherever we happen to see it, it's the commitment to see racism everywhere, entrenched in the heart of society and present in all its aspects.  Even more, to be “anti-racist” requires the adoption of a very narrow set of policy prescriptions, all of which come from an increasingly left side of the political world.   In this world, white people must move from a position of “neutrality” to actively “centering” race in all their discourse. Only then can “whiteness” and “implicit bias” be identified, admitted, and confessed. In practice, Harper warns, this only obliterates any distinctions between “structural” racism, a term referring to racial injustices embedded in wider society, and the interpersonal interactions with people of different races.   It tends to rest on a troubling, even racist subtext: that white and Black Americans are so radically different that interracial relationships require careful management, constant eggshell-walking, and even expert guidance from professional anti-racists. Rather than producing racial harmony, this new ethos frequently has the opposite effect, making white-Black interactions stressful, unpleasant, or, perhaps most often, simply weird.  This weirdness that Harper described is the fruit of Critical Race Theory, a wrong way to diagnose and respond to racism, because it makes racial injustice “a theory of everything.” Sixty years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of a world in which his own children would “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” However, “anti-racism” reverses that, presuming to know one's character, a priori, based only on the color of skin.   Another important insight from Harper's article is that our racial dialogue has been shaped by the “triumph of the therapeutic,” which social critic Philip Rieff described as the “self, improved, (as) the ultimate concern of modern culture.” In a moment in which everything is about the self, Harper believes that racial dialogue is often not about making real progress, but making ourselves feel better through confession and activism.   Throughout the biblical narrative, people are described as having a common parentage and heritage as image bearers. The Apostle Paul told the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in Athens that God, “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth.” Those who are in Christ, no matter which tongue or tribe or nation or language they represent, are reconciled to their Creator and thus, to each other. Only Christianity can anchor this beautiful vision of the human condition on solid ground, and it has incredible implications for individuals and nations, for people and for social structures.  Harper rightly concludes that we must see each other, first and foremost, as people, a kind of colorblindness that will prove far more effective than performative racial confessions or racialized division. That, however, is only true if there is something universal to our identity, dignity, and value. If there is, it must be an intrinsic reality of the human person, given rather than acquired.   Only one vision of the human story, the biblical account of people and creation, offers anything like that.  This Breakpoint was co-authored by Kasey Leander. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, go to breakpoint.org. 

WINNING WITH THE WORD “Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God's principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God's manual for life. An invitation for you: To subscribe to this blog, click here.  To subscribe to this podcast, click here. If this blog and podcast have blessed you, please encourage your family and friends to subscribe as well. Thank you! Be sure to check out our Featured Book of the Week at the end of this post. ______________________________________   Do you prefer listening instead of reading? Then click below to listen to today's blog post on podcast. https://media.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/content.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/Wired_for_Worship.mp3  _________________________________________ Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, March 6, 2023, and this is Episode #10 of Series 2023. This episode is titled "Wired for Worship".  It has been said that man cannot live without someone or something to worship. If man does not worship the one, true, living God, man will worship another man or he will worship himself, or he will worship some thing. Why is this so? Because God designed us this way. It has always been God's will that we worship Him. Worshipping the one true God is the only way for us to experience life, freedom, joy, and peace. But, when we choose to worship a false god—such as another man or thing, or oneself—we will experience destruction and death. Today men have turned away from the one true God and are worshipping false gods. Some of these false gods include the following: __Politicians __Movie Stars __Music Idols __Entertainment (such as video games) __Planet Earth __Health and Fitness (Yes, health and fitness) __Money and __Sex  In the Book of Revelation, chapter 4, the Apostle John is taken up into heaven where he sees God's throne. The throne is the focal point of Heaven, and on that throne sits the one true God. In this chapter of Revelation, John describes everything he sees in relation to the throne.  Today we have denied the throne of God. We have replaced it with atheism, which says there is no throne, and with humanism which says there is a throne but man sits on it. Both of these worldviews deny the throne of God. Only Christianity acknowledges that God sits on the throne. Let me ask you, my friend, who sits on the throne of your life? Is it a job, a career, money? Drugs? Sex? Alcohol? Is it a political leader, a rock star, or even a spouse? You see, even a loved one can become a god in one's life. When the disciples told Jesus that his mother and brothers were standing outside the house in which he was preaching and they were asking to speak with Him, what did Jesus say? He said, “'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?' Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!'”  (Matthew 12: 48-50 NLT). Here the Lord was showing us that no thing, no person, must come between us and the will of God. Anything that does is called idolatry.  So, I ask you again. Who or what sits on the throne of your life? Whom or what are you worshipping? Is it someone or something other than the one true God? If so, it's time to repent and turn to the only true and living God. No one can love you more. No one can better provide for you. No one can give you peace the way God can. No one can bring healing to your body as only He can. No one can heal your broken, shattered heart as only God can. You see, God is the One Who created you. He knows everything about you. Every single detail. He put you together in the first place, so when you are broken, He can fix you because He alone perfectly knows you. And He created you because He wanted a relationship w...

Many religions either believe in one god or multiple gods. Only Christianity holds to God being both One and Three persons at once. Today we are reminded that by gazing into this revelation God has given of Himself through prayer and fellowship with Him, can we be transformed by the brightness of the Divine Nature of God as He shares Himself with us. For we have a God Who delights in making Himself known.

Gary continues his talk on the Christian worldview. He discusses the concept of "borrowed capital," or how non-Christians steal morality and ethics from Christians in order to argue against them. Only Christianity provides the moral and ethical foundation for life; an evolutionary worldview can provide only an "everyone for themselves" approach to life. There is no love, equality, family, or compassion in a random chance world.

Only Christianity claims Jesus was God. Was He only a man and teacher and prophet? Was He both? Join us to address this important topic. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thomas-griffin8/support

Everyone suffers at some time in their lives. The correct response to suffering is turning towards God. Only Christianity adequately explains and makes sense of both the cause and cure for evil and suffering in our world. Jesus suffered to provide us with the possibility of eternal salvation. 0:00 - Introductions 1:11 - SUFFERING IS BEARING PAIN, INCONVENIENCE, LOSS, INJURY. NO OTHER RELIGION DEALS WITH SUFFERING BETTER THAN CHRISTIANITY. 1:53 - WHAT ARE SOME CAUSES FOR SUFFERING? -Our sin and failure -Other people's sins -Forces outside of our control (“natural evil”) -Christian persecution 3:33- REGARDLESS OF THE SOURCE OF SUFFERING, NOTHING HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF GOD'S SOVEREIGN CONTROL 3:54 – HOW DO PEOPLE RESPOND TO TRIALS? Blame, deny, self-pity, embittered. 5:08- THE CORRECT RESPONSE TO SUFFERING IS TRUSTING AND YIELDING TO GOD (JAMES 1:2-4). Asking God to walk with us (Ps. 34:18). 6:50- WHY WOULD A GOOD GOD ALLOW SUFFERING IN THE WORLD WHICH HE CREATED? CRITICS OF CHRISTIANITY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING US A “BETTER” ANSWER THAN OURS. CHRISTIANITY EXPLAINS BOTH THE CAUSE AND THE CURE FOR EVIL AND SUFFERING. SUFFERING DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD DOES NOT LOVE US! 9:25 - JESUS KNOWS SUFFERING FIRSTHAND -He was crucified for us so we can have eternal life with him. 10:46 - HOW CAN ANY “GOOD” COME FROM OUR SUFFERING? “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain. GOD ALLOWS SUFFERING TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH AND CONFORM US TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS. 14:11 - WHAT RESOURCES DO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE SUFFERING IN OUR LIVES? 1. PRAYER: laments, confession, forgiving. 15:53 - 2. THE BIBLE: saturating your heart with the Word will help control your emotions. Memorize three verses about suffering: Romans 8:28, James 1:2–4, and 1 Peter 1:6–9 16:59 - 3. THE HOLY SPIRIT: the third Person of the Godhead. Romans 8:26, Romans 8:18. 18:56 - 4. OTHER PEOPLE (Gal. 6:2). 20:03 - 5. STORIES OF SUFFERING: other Christians have suffered well (1 Pet. 5:9-10; 4:12-13). 21:58 - SO WHAT? 1. Choose joy. 2. Have an eternal perspective. 3. The Christian God knows firsthand about suffering (Heb. 4:15). 25:19 - NEXT STEP: READ ROMANS 8. Choose one truth to pray about or share with a friend! 26:26 - Thank you and wrap-up For more info about Binmin and more resources for your spiritual life, visit www.Binmin.org CONNECT WITH THE BINMIN TEAM Instagram: Binmin Instagram Linkedin: Binmin Linkedin Twitter: Binmin Twitter Ask Questions: info@binmin.org PODCAST RESOURCES More from Binmin: Binmin.org Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on AnchorFM Subscribe on YouTube PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW If this podcast is helping you make your spiritual life more important to you, help share it by leaving an Apple podcast review in the “Ratings & Reviews” section at the bottom of the podcast's page. Thank you for sharing!

Does suffering prove that God doesn’t exist? Does it prove that God is not powerful, or not good? Every worldview has to address the problem of suffering. Only Christianity offers the promise that when we suffer, we do not suffer alone. Because Christ suffered on the cross, we have received an inheritance that one day, all pain and evil will be done away with. Discover the problem, purpose, and promise of suffering in part three of our series, I Have My Doubts.

WINNING WITH THE WORD “Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life. AN INVITATION TO YOU: To subscribe to this blog, click here.  To subscribe to this podcast, click here. If this blog and podcast have blessed you, please encourage your family and friends to subscribe as well. Thank you! Be sure to check out our Featured Book of the Week at the end of this post. ______________________________________ Do you prefer listening instead of reading? Then click below to listen to today's blog post on podcast. https://media.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/content.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/WWW_03_22_21_Are_You_Struggling_with_Performance_Syndrome_.mp3 ______________________________________ Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is March 22, 2021, and this is Episode #7 of Series 2021. This episode is titled "Are You Struggling with Performance Syndrome?" _______________________________ The natural inclination of man is to perform in order to be approved. As we observe the many religions of the world, we notice that, except for Christianity, every religion teaches its followers that they must earn their salvation by doing good works. Only Christianity teaches that we can never earn our salvation. That is the reason Jesus Christ earned it for us and gave it to us as a love gift. The only thing we must do is accept His gift. In the Book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul addresses this topic of trying to earn our salvation. After teaching the Galatians how to be saved through faith in Christ, Paul now finds them going back to their old ways of trying to earn God's approval through their good works. Let's listen in on what Paul says: "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes, Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Paul was distressed that the Christians of Galatia had reverted back to their old ways of thinking and acting.  When we are born again, we receive God's approval because of what Jesus did for us on Calvary, not because of anything we did. This is called grace. The first chapter of the Book of Ephesians, verse 6, reveals this truth to us: "He [God the Father] made us accepted in the Beloved {Jesus Christ]." (Brackets mine).  Yet, so often, after we are born again, we find ourselves falling back into trying to earn God's approval through our good works. I call this the performance syndrome, and I would venture to say that we have all been guilty of it at one time or another, especially those of us who grew up in particularly legalistic environments. Most of the time, we are unaware that this happened. Hence, Paul's use of the word "bewitched." "Bewitched" means to be under a spell. Strong's Concordance defines "bewitched" as follows: "to bring evil on one by feigning praise or an evil eye; to fascinate by false representations; to lead into evil doctrine."  When one is bewitched, one is taken mentally captive and is unaware of his mental captivity. When we are bewitched, we are unaware that motives other than God's love have begun to corrupt our thinking. We begin to strive to earn God's approval. We become tense and fear-filled, wondering if we've measured up. We often feel condemned when we mess up.  So, Paul calls the Galatians "foolish" not in the sense that they lacked intelligence, but in the sense that they should have known better than to revert from a grace mentality to a works mentality. Paul Himself had taught them the truth about salvation,

All artists design based on an idea, a pattern—however unformed—in their minds. If that holds, what blueprint did God use when he created? To what end did he create? Or more narrowly, how did the END shape the beginning? Building from that I think with you about what it means to be human, at the most basic level. Come and relish with me the beauty of the Christian way. Only Christianity promotes caritas with practical applications.

Only Christianity believes Jesus is God, the Savior (Messiah) of the world

A worldview is a fundamental way you view the world and affects every decision you make. Your worldview covers at least six essential topics: God, Origins, Humanity, Ought (Morality), Meaning, End (Destiny), or "GO HOME." Today's topic is Humanity. What is the role of humans in the universe? Are we special? If we are unique, why is that? Only Christianity provides realistic answers to these substantive questions. God created humans in his image (Gen 1:27), which explains our unique role in the universe. And despite broken fellowship with him in the Garden of Eden, God has provided a way for every person to experience what it means to be fully human through accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 0:00 - Binmin intro 0:14 - Welcome and introductions 1:10 - Definition of a worldview. How you perceive the world around you. 1:45 - Mnemonic Acronym that covers six topics of a worldview: "GO HOME"… God, Origins, Humanity, Ought (Morality), Meaning, End (Destiny). 2:20 - Humanity deals with "What are humans and their place in the universe." 2:53 - Humans were specially created by God and made in His image (Gen 1:27). 4:04 - By bearing God's image, all human life, regardless of age or stage of life, ethnicity, or gender, has deep intrinsic value. 4:42 - But sin afflicts all creation introduced by Adam and Eve's rebellion and spreading to every human since. Sin brought death and separation from God into the world. But God is holy and just and cannot be in the presence of evil, so sinners must be quarantined from God eternally. 5:36 - What's the answer? Only God could solve the problem. He did this by sending Jesus to earth as a perfect human who willingly died as a sacrifice on the cross. As our substitute, Jesus took on our sins and punishment and paid our sin debt to God. So by accepting Christ as our Savior, we can spend eternity with God. 7:21 - Jesus is the one who rescues the image of God in us! By accepting Christ as our Savior, we can become more fully human. 7:58 - So what? Why does a proper understanding of humanity matter at all? First, we are not a random collection of atoms bumping into each other until we decay and die. Since humans are created in God's image, all humans should be valued, loved, and respected. 8:58 - Everyone needs the Gospel. We can only rescue the image of God within us by accepting Jesus. God alone transforms us. And across the world, we see God manifest among fellow believers until, in his eternal kingdom, God's glory is everywhere. 10:08 - Thank you and wrap-up For further information about Binmin and more resources for your spiritual life, visit www.Binmin.org CONNECT WITH THE BINMIN TEAM Instagram: Binmin Instagram Linkedin: Binmin Linkedin Twitter: Binmin Twitter Ask Questions: info@binmin.org PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW If this podcast has helped you find your next steps for making your spiritual life more important to you, you can help share it by leaving an Apple Podcasts review!

In today's episode, I will be reading Neville Goddards' 1959 lecture titled "The Only Christianity." Here is an excerpt: "Here we believe firmly that Imagining is God; that the Supreme Power of the Universe is one with human Imaging. So, when you read the Bible – a fabulous, inspired book – and you come to the word “God” you can also use the word “Imagining” and you will get a clearer understanding of it." Neville Goddard --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lynna-teer/support

The soul is the most critical part of you. Soul care maintains a healthy soul and heals wounded ones. Only Christianity offers the right prescription for both. Only Christianity offers the right prescription for both. Join us in this episode to discuss one of the most overlooked dimensions of growing spiritually, caring for our souls. We discuss what the soul is, how to maintain a well-balanced spiritual life. We also dive deep into reasons and solutions for hurting fellow believers. 0:00 - Binmin Intro 0:13 - Welcome and Introduction. 1:13 - What is the soul? 1:59 - Definition of soul care. 2:21 - A healthy soul is saturated with the Holy Spirit (the third Person of the Holy Trinity) and exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) 4:43 - Cultivating a healthy soul within the church community. 6:40 - Causes of an unhealthy soul. (“Flipping the train”-- the caboose becomes the engine!) 10:58 - Manifestations of an unhealthy soul 14:35 - Helping hurting Christians: God's word is the only reliable resource we have that will help us deal with spiritual problems—look there first. Goal to have a deeper relationship with God. 16:38 - So what? For most situations being a faithful and listening friend pointing hurting friends back to God can be huge. But in dangerous situations, more intensive attention is required. 19:50 - Thank you and wrap-up For further information about Binmin and more resources for your spiritual life, visit Binmin.org CONNECT WITH THE BINMIN TEAM Instagram: Binmin Instagram Linkedin: Binmin Linkedin Twitter: Binmin Twitter Ask Questions: info@binmin.org PODCAST RESOURCES More from Binmin: Binmin.org Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on AnchorFM Subscribe on YouTube PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW If this podcast has helped you find your next steps for making your spiritual life more important to you, you can help share it by leaving an Apple Podcasts review! You can visit Apple Podcasts, go to the "Reviews" section, and leave a star rating or click on "Write a review" to share something you've gotten out of this podcast. Thank you for sharing!

Philippians 3:12-17 — What sets the Christian apart from everyone else? According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on Philippians 3:12-17, it is the Christian's knowledge and pursuit of Christ that separates him from all others. For Christianity is not about external actions, nor is it about passionless religiosity, but Christianity is about Christ Jesus. It was the Apostle Paul who came to know Christ when Jesus appeared to him and transformed him. This was an immediate interaction with the risen Christ who called Paul to a life of service and suffering as a Christian. Jesus calls all believers to forsake their pride and arrogance, and to trust in Him. This sermon asks us: do you have a knowledge of Christ that transforms you? Are you trusting in Jesus, or yourself? For the world in its fallen state trusts in itself to solve all the world’s problems, but the Christian is totally different. The Christian flees all vain worldly wisdom and trusts in God. Only Christianity shows men how they ought to live, only Christianity can provide true answers to life’s deepest questions. This is because only Christianity offers the true hope of the Gospel and salvation from all sin and evil. 

Welcome to week four of Restoring Your Soul Through Psalms: An Introduction to Psalm 28. Only Christianity offers more than we deserve. When we cast our lives into God's hands, we depend on his mercy.

“Only Christianity can cut the root of our communism.” —Kim Il Sung, founder of North Korea Why is the government of Kim’s grandson, Kim Jong Un, so threatened by the gospel of Jesus Christ? Why do Christians in North Korea face such fierce persecution? Dr. Eric Foley, co-founder and leader of VOM-Korea, answers those questions, and helps us pray for North Korea and VOM’s work to get Bibles and gospel radio broadcasts to people there. Dr. Foley will talk about the difference made by President Donald Trump’s meeting in Vietnam with Kim, and why the current leader of North Korea can never actually be the President there, because that title is held eternally by his grandfather. We’ll discuss how the North Korean government preserved and publicized the story of a Christian martyr, Cha Deoksun. You can watch the video the regime created about her life, and death, here. Dr. Foley will also provide an update on VOM-sponsored Bible balloon launches into North Korea, which delivered 30,000 Bibles last year. Surveys show this Bible work is making a difference: today eight percent of North Koreans have actually seen a Bible—a dramatic increase from even a few years ago. To learn more about Christians in North Korea, order a copy of Dr. Foley’s book, These Are The Generations (affiliate link). You can also learn about the history of the church and persecution in North Korea by reading Restricted Nations: North Korea, written by VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton.

Grace is a central truth of the Christian faith and one of the greatest gifts of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Only Christianity makes God's love unconditional because of God's grace to us. As we celebrate Christ's resurrection, we will realize and understand more of this incredible gift.

Grace is a central truth of the Christian faith and one of the greatest gifts of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Only Christianity makes God's love unconditional because of God's grace to us. As we celebrate Christ's resurrection, we will realize and understand more of this incredible gift.

The Only God Our Savior Isaiah 44:6-28 October 16, 2016 Pastor Tony Felich       ----more----      Isaiah 44:6-28   [6] Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. [7] Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. [8] Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”   Although religions have many things in common, all religions do not ultimately teach the same thing. Only Christianity provides the answer for what can save lost humanity.    There is only one true God (44:6-8)   There are many pathetic imitations of God (44:9-20)   There is only one true Savior (44:21-28)

God promised redemption through a savior... He honored His promise by sending Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins. Only Christianity offers a savior. Listen and be blessed. Merry Christmas, Will

The Bible claims to be inspired by God. How do we know that-----There is one grand difference between Christianity and all other faiths. All others are focused on man- Man seeks God. The Bible focuses on God- God chooses whom He will save. -Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you...- -- Jn. 15-16a.----Non-Christian faiths are based on human effort. Only Christianity is based on divine revelation.----This is the third sermon in a mini-series on how we got the Bible within the larger series on the book of Revelation.

I. Introduction I'd like to begin by reading you a story of some local history that I came across recently, which I found fascinating. In the year 1837 a duel took place between Congressman George Dromgoole and hotel owner Daniel Digger near Gaston, North Carolina. Shortly after sun up the challenger arrived, riding in a high-wheeled carriage with his friend and a physician. Moments later the challenger arrived in a wagon driven by his friend. A bed had been laid in the wagon, which was to serve as an ambulance, should one be required. Everyone was in formal dress. The physicians were business like, having their sleeves rolled up and carrying forceps and tourniquets. The two duelists, filled with hatred for each other, said their 'good mornings' with curt civility and then looked away. Their helpers busied themselves selecting the dueling ground, choosing a piece of level land, near the river bank. Walking together, the helpers stepped off 10 paces with slightly exaggerated strides. Pegs were driven in at the spots where the shooters would stand. Each helper loaded two pistols for his man. A coin was tossed, the ground was selected and the time had come. The doctor stood near the ambulance wagon as the duelists walked somberly to the pegs which had been driven into the ground. They stood facing each other with their pistols pointed downward towards the earth. Suddenly the word was given. Each dualist raised his arm, cocked, aimed and fired quickly. The sound of the shots was almost simultaneous and no one could tell who had fired first. There was a rustle of startled birds, then thick silence. The smoke lifted. One of the combatants sank slowly to his knees and fell heavily face down. The doctors rushed to him but there was nothing that could be done. He was dead before they reached him. This scene in one detail or another had been replayed and was replayed many times during that era of our nation's history. An insult was given, gloves were removed, a face was slapped and pistols were drawn at dawn the next day. A “point of personal honor” said the spirit of the age. But Jesus Christ says, "This is pride". II. Life in the Kingdom of Heaven: Dealing with Evil People Selflessly In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus points to a higher law. Jesus Christ, through the words of the Sermon on the Mount, challenges us to lay down our personal honor and live for the honor of someone higher — the honor of God, the eternal Father. Notice in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus Christ, who is the master law giver, takes the law and reaches right in to our hearts; to analyze them, to sift them to see what's really there, and to convince those who perhaps are unconvinced, that they really do need a savior because the Kingdom of Heaven is really only given to those who are spiritual beggars. "Blessed are the spiritual beggars for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” we've been saying. We see in Matthew that Jesus is able to take the law and go to a deeper level. Recently I have come to think of the commands of God differently than I thought of them before. The commands of God come to me, commanding me what I should be and must be. But, by the power of the Holy Spirit with Jesus Christ living in me, I see that they have changed now, and that these commands are not just what I should and must be, but what I can be today and what I most certainly will be in the future." As we look through the Sermon on the Mount we see that it's just not a matter of murder, it’s a matter of anger. That means I can be free of anger today and will be someday totally free of anger. It's not just a matter of being free from adultery, it’s a matter of being free from lust. Not just that I can and must be today but that someday I will totally be free through the commands that He gives us. As we look at verses 38 through 48, think of it that way. If you are a Christian today, Jesus Christ is calling you to a higher level, a higher standard than the way the world settles it's conflicts, the way the world deals with enemies, the way the world deals with difficult or evil people. The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:1, "I urge you brothers, as a prisoner of the Lord, to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." What is that calling? It's a high calling. Be perfect therefore as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Listen now to the words of Matthew chapter 5 verse 38 through 48. "You have heard that it was said, eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I tell you do not resist an evil person, if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect therefore as your Heavenly Father is perfect.'" Critics of the scripture say that Jesus Christ in the 'Sermon on the Mount' is over turning the archaic, old fashioned law of Moses. They say He's setting Himself against the law of Moses, and they point particularly to this example here in verse 38. "You have heard that it was said, eye for eye and tooth for tooth, but I tell you, do not resist an evil person." And they say, surely, here Jesus is contradicting Moses. I think it's a little bit strange that anybody would say this of someone who said, "Do not suppose that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I did not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them until Heaven and Earth disappear and not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen will buy any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished." That's the heart of Jesus toward the law of Moses. But yet the charge is made, so we need to look at it. In Deuteronomy 19:21, from the law of Moses, we get this command about eye for eye and tooth for tooth. It says there, "The judges in a civil case must make a thorough investigation of the case. The judges must purge the evil from among you. Show no pity, life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." To whom is the law written? — to judges, to those judging civil cases brought to them. Why show no pity? — in order that the evil may be purged from among Israel, so that evil will not spread through that whole society. That's why the judges are instructed to show no pity. Is that what Jesus has in mind here? I don't think so. The principle of eye for eye, tooth for tooth, is to stop escalation. How many of you have ever heard of the Hatfields and the McCoys? They were a couple of famous feuding families from the great states of Kentucky and West Virginia, back in the late 19th century. Though I don’t know the specifics, I know that they did not like each other. A Hatfield was killed by a McCoy, then some of the Hatfields went out and kidnapped three McCoys and executed them. Now, do you see what I'm talking about? — the principal of escalation. One life leads to the taking of three lives. Why the escalation? Human pride; one Hatfield is worth three McCoys, you see? There's escalation. You take my eye out, I'm going to kill you. You see, my eye is worth your life—the principle of escalation. The Law of Moses puts into place the idea of no escalation— one eye is equal to one eye and one tooth is equal to one tooth. The Pharisees took the Law as a matter of personal application. They would be the judges moving through society judging everyone based on this law. They would be the ones who would take the eye or took the tooth. But Jesus here is speaking to the Christian person, to the member of the Kingdom of Heaven. Basically, in effect saying, "Don't press charges." If someone takes your eye, don't press charges. Do not resist the evil person. Don't look for retribution in this world. In effect, don't hurt back, don't take back, give it to God.” In no way does Jesus overturn the law of Moses. III. Doctrinal Controversy concerning the Law Now, there's a long history of doctrinal controversy over these verses that we're looking at. In the Christian church, there have been groups of people called the pacifists, those who believe that there should never be any resistance whatsoever made to evil. One example of this was Count Leo Tolstoy, who wrote the book, 'War and Peace’. Leo Tolstoy was a pacifist who got his pacifism from the verse we're looking at. "Do not resist evil", is what he said, and he believed that this verse, if properly applied, would leave there to be no police officers, no courts at all, no lawmakers, no military, no generals, nothing to resist evil in this world. But is that what Jesus says? It's interesting his writings were very influential on a young Indian who was studying law in England at the time. Mohandas K. Gandhi. Gandhi read Tolstoy's writings and read the 'Sermon on the Mount' and he took this principle of non-violence to his native land of India. Many people believe that this principle of non-violence won India it's independence. Gandhi loved the 'Sermon on the Mount' and thought it was the pinnacle of Christian morality, but he missed the true issue here. We're talking about the Kingdom of Heaven. We're talking about entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. It only comes from those who grieve over sin and who know they need a savior. It's not a series of moral injunctions. Others are moderate pacifists, and they look to this and they say, "We shouldn't be involved in military conflict or we shouldn't be judges." Some of our own baptist ancestors, the Anabaptists believe you should never be, if you're a Christian, a magistrate, judge or in any position to be a judge based on their read of the 'Sermon on the Mount'. But context is king. Jesus here is speaking to those who are in the kingdom of Heaven. This is for Christians. It has nothing to do with non-Christians. For the non-Christian, law is instituted by God, upheld by God. Governments are to be submitted to for their restraint of evil. But to the Christian, we're called to a higher level, a level of grace which the world cannot understand nor can it live out. Realize that this teaching has to do with you individually, personally. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. It has nothing to do with whether a Christian should serve as a judge or in the military. I think the root issue here is the Christian's attitude towards self, toward who you are. The natural man, the natural tendency is to make self a god, to worship self. "How dare you do this to me? Do you know who I am? How dare you cut me off at the highway, don't you understand? It doesn't matter that I have the yield sign, I'm me, don't you understand? You can't do that to me." That's natural. We're all like that, we all have that pride inside us. The natural man makes itself a god. Anything that wrongs self must be punished violently. But Jesus Christ calls us to something higher. If you want to be truly Christian, you have to do what to yourself? Deny yourself. Matthew 16:24 says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me." What's the cross for? It's for death. So it's not just a matter of denying self, it's a matter of dying to self, dying to your own interest, your own opinions, dying to yourself. Jesus here takes us through three examples of what He means in terms of death to self: Death to self concerning your physical body, Death to self concerning your possessions, Death to self concerning your time or perhaps your effort, your work. IV. Dead to Self Concerning One’s Body Let's look at the first in verse 39. "You ought to be dead to self concerning your physical body. Do not resist an evil person." It says there, "If someone strike you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Isn't this one of the most famous injunctions in all of Christ's teaching? Turn the other cheek. The question is how many of us live it out? What happens when someone really strikes you? Maybe they don't do it physically, but maybe interpersonally. Do you turn the other cheek or does that viper come up from with inside. You can't do that to me. That's natural to all of us. Jesus is calling us to something higher. I read a story about a champion boxer named Billy Bray. In the 19th century, he was a coal miner, I believe in Wales, and he worked in the coal mines but in his spare time he won boxing matches one after another. He was a big strong man and nobody could defeat him in a challenge. The enemy, the opponent would be laying on the ground unconscious at the end of that boxing match. He made a lot of enemies during his non-Christian days and then suddenly came to faith in Christ. So the enemies rolled up their sleeves and said, "Now we've got him." One of them one day decided to challenge Billy Bray and came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder, and just as he turned around, he got punched right in the mouth. He was staggered a bit but didn't fall; blood was in his mouth. Everyone around was wondering what Billy would do to this guy. Now, in his natural physical strength he was able to render this man unconscious with one punch. Instead what he did was he delivered a spiritual blow. He said, "May God forgive you even as I forgive you." What do you think that did to that man? "May God forgive you even as I forgive you." I think that's incredible. This is what Jesus is calling us too. He's turning the other cheek. "If you want to hit me again, hit me again, I'll not hit you back. But I will pray for you because I'm concerned about your spiritual state." Isn't that powerful? There's another story of Hudson Taylor, a missionary in China. He was the first missionary in the 19th century to what they call, 'go native'. He wore Chinese clothes, dyed his hair, and wore a long pony tail the way they did at that point. He was fluent in Chinese and sought to win as many as he could to faith in Jesus Christ. He was standing by a river bank and a ferry was coming toward him, and he hailed the ferry. The man knew Hudson Taylor. He knew who he was and he started moving toward him. At that moment, a rich Chinese man came just as the ferry was starting to dock. He saw this poor “Chinese” man standing next to him, and shoved him down into the mud. He then started to step on to the ferry that Hudson Taylor had summoned. The man with the ferry said, "I was called by the foreigner. He has first choice." "The foreigner? What foreigner?" He said, "Him." And then he realized who it was. It was Hudson Taylor. He was embarrassed. Hudson Taylor got up and wiped the mud off and invited the man, "Please come and take the ferry ride with me." The whole way across that river he shared Jesus Christ with him. He didn't insult him. He wasn't angry at him. He took it as an opportunity to witness to him, through faith in Jesus Christ, that he might have eternal life. What is the underlying attitude? It's simply this. My body is no longer my own. It doesn't belong to me. Jesus bought it with His blood. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "You are not your own. You are bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body." And so my cheek doesn't belong to me anymore. Jesus tells me that when I'm struck, I'm to give the other cheek too, and Jesus has the right to tell me that. He bought my cheek. He can do what He wants with my cheek. If He tells me to turn my cheek, I must do it because He bought it; He owns it. Were physical sufferings part of Christ's life? Yes, they were. He's not calling us to do anything He didn't do himself. Jesus is willing to do it, and He also enjoins it on us. The deep issue here is, whose are we? Who owns us? Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore, I urge you brothers. In view of God's mercy, to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Him." This is your spiritual act of worship. Give your body over to him in service to Him. It belongs to Him. It goes to a deeper issue too. I do not think it is just a matter of physical striking. We don't get struck much anymore. But, maybe we do in reputation. I think what Jesus is calling us to is to get beyond caring what our reputation is in this world. We really don't care what people think about us anymore. What matters is what Jesus Christ thinks. And so, it says in 1 Corinthians 4:3, "I care very little." This is what the apostle Paul says, "I care very little if I'm judged by you or by any human court. I don't even judge myself. It is the Lord who judges me. He's my audience. So, I don't care what my reputation is. I give it over and I just want to serve Him." Dead to self. V. Dead to Self Concerning One’s Possessions Secondly, it says that we are dead to self concerning our possessions. In verse 40 and 42. It says, "If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." In verse 42 it says, "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." How many of you ever heard a child, just learning how to speak, say the word 'mine'? “That's mine.” This is one of the first things that a child learns. The law of possession. "Those are my toys, my books. That's my bed, my blanket, my mommy, my daddy, mine. It's my stuff, so don't touch it. Nobody touch my stuff. It belongs to me." But what am I going to say about your stuff? It's not yours anymore. God gave it to you, and when Jesus died for you, you came, and said, "Everything I have is yours. It's yours for your purpose, anything you want. So if you bring someone to me, Lord God, who has a need of it, I give it. I'm not going to be storing up possessions here on Earth. I'm going to store it up in Heaven. I'm going to be an open pipe, an open conduit with no blockage. Stuff, the material possessions of this life, is just going to flow through me to the needy.” That's my attitude. I'm not going to have occlusion or blockage in this artery. I'm not going to accumulate. It's just going to flow through me, right to those whoever God leads my way. Jesus says that if anyone wants your shirt give them your outside cloak as well. And why? Because, "Blessed are the meek, for they will get it all back. They will inherit the Earth." You don't need to hold on in this life. If God has given you something now, it's to give away for the Kingdom of Heaven. Now, what about these court cases? We've become a litigious people. Have you noticed that? One court case after another. You know what the Apostle Paul says? This is a revolutionary verse, 1 Corinthians 6:7: "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated, than to go to court?" It's better for you as a Christian to be wronged and cheated, than to go to court. Now, how does that factor into your world view? Isn't it consistent with the Sermon on the Mount? I think it is. "Why not rather be wronged? Why not turn the other cheek? Why not rather be cheated?" That's what Jesus is saying. In effect, saying, "Go ahead. If you want to sue me and take my tunic, have my cloak too. But now, I have won the right to preach the Gospel to you. Sit down and listen, my friend, as I tell you about a God who loves you enough to die for you. And as I explain to you what will happen when that cloak is worn out, and it's of no use to you. At that point, what will you do? Will you still be living for this material world? Or, at that point, will you turn to God, and ask for forgiveness for your sins? So, with this cloak, I purchase an opportunity to preach the Gospel.” That's what I want to do. Now, what about harder cases? What about people who come to us? We're an inner city church. We interact with beggars. We interact with people who are, even perhaps, professional beggars. Do we give to everyone and anyone who comes and asks for us? Well, no, Scripture interprets Scripture. It says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Apparently, there are some people we shouldn't give to, namely, the person who will not work. It's hard to discern the difference sometimes, I have to tell you. But I'd rather err on the one side. I'd rather give to somebody who will not work, than not give to a truly needy person. See, there's a danger to this. But yet, I know that there's a practical side to this. We only have so much we can give. And if we give to the charlatan, if we give to the con-artist, we don't have to give to those who are genuinely needy, and there are genuinely needy people. What Jesus is saying is just, "Let go of that clenched, white knuckle grasp you have on your possessions. Open up that hand, and then I will bring needy people to you, and I will guide you, and then that flow will occur to those who truly need it." VI. Dead to Self Concerning One’s Time Then, finally, He says, "We should be dead to ourselves regarding our time or our effort. "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." The background to this, was that the Romans, occupying Palestine, made a law that any native could be forced or pressed into service, to carry baggage for the Roman army for approximately one mile. Can you imagine how the Jews did this? They're walking along in everyday life, and then some burly Roman soldier says, "You there, pick up that bag and carry it the requisite mile." Oh the insults, the rolling eyes, whatever. They would, with muttering, and with complaining, pick up that bag, and they would mark off... If you wanted to know the measure of one mile, just be with that Jewish person, as he carried it one mile, then down it went, dropped. Ah, enough of that," and walk away. But along comes a member of the Kingdom of Heaven. "You, pick up that bag." "Glad to. I rejoice in the opportunity to serve my Lord this way," and he picks up the bag, and goes right on past the first mile, and keeps on going. "Can I do that... Is it okay for me to carry the second mile?" What is the look on the Roman centurion's face? Shock, stunned. "What is the difference between you and that other person? I don't understand. You only have to carry it one mile." "I know, I know. It's my joy and my privilege to offer this sacrifice to my Lord, Jesus Christ." How do you think the Roman Empire was conquered for Christ? That's how it was conquered. How do you think this nation or this world's going to be conquered? By obeying the Sermon on the Mount, by living this kind of a life. This, my friends, is a supernatural life, isn't it? This is not an everyday kind of life. There is nothing we can do in our natural power, to be dead to ourself concerning our body, to be dead to ourself concerning our possessions, to be dead to ourself concerning our time, or our work, our labor. It's not natural. But for the Christian who comes to that level of understanding these things, they resonate with what George Mueller said. This is what he said, "There was a day when I died. I utterly died to George Mueller and to his opinions, his preferences, his tastes, his will. I died to the world, and its approval, or its censure. I died even to the approval or blame of my brothers, and my friends. And since then, I have studied only to show myself approved unto God." Can I even describe to you the freedom of living that kind of life? Someone strikes you on the right cheek, "It's no matter. My cheek belongs to Jesus. Strike it again. I'm free in this matter and I'll pray for you." VII. Loving Enemies Selflessly This brings us very neatly to the next section, and that is that we should love our enemies selflessly. Matthew 5: 43-45: “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy,' but I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." It's a consistent teaching, isn't it? This saying does not contradict the Law of Moses, because this was never said in the Law of Moses. Instead, He takes the spirit of the Law of Moses, and makes it normative for the members of the Kingdom of Heaven, "You are to love your enemies." This, I believe, is one of the most unique teachings of Jesus Christ. You're not going to find it Buddhism. You're not going to find it anywhere else. You're not going to find it in Hinduism or Islam. Only Christianity commands us that we should love our enemies. The question is, can it really be done? It seems so practical and so impossible. I should say, "Practically impossible." Can you really love your enemy? Jesus did it, didn't He? When He was up on the cross, what did He say? "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing." "Oh, well, that's the Son of God. You see, I can't be that way." Yes, you can. You're supposed to be children of your Father in Heaven. You're supposed to be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Yes, you can. I've got proof: Acts Chapter 7, at the very end of it, there's a man down on his knees and he's bleeding, showered by stones. His name is Stephen. What did he say right before he died? He said, "Father, don't lay this sin to their charge." What's your excuse? Stephen, he's just a man, just like you and me. It can be done. William Tyndale, right before he died, under the command of the tyrant king, Henry VIII said, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes. Lord, open the King of England's eyes, that he may see the truth." Not a prayer of hatred or anger, but a prayer that the Kingdom of Heaven might advance in England. What is our motive? Is it for the conversion of those that are our enemies? Not primarily. It's for the glory of God in this Earth, that they may see your good deeds, and praise your Father who is in Heaven. The motive is that, God may be glorified by us, that we may be sons of our Father in Heaven. "He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good. He sends His rain on the the righteous and the unrighteous," every single day. Every day, God blesses His enemies. Did you know that? Every single day, God gives blessing to those who don't care about Him, who blaspheme His name, who disobey His commands, who have not a single thought or concern about God. They never give Him a thought, but every day, He feeds them and gives them blessings. And we, who are in the Kingdom of Heaven, we are to be the same. We are to be sons of our Father in Heaven who does this. This is a supernatural life, isn't it? It's a difficult life. It's an impossible life in our own power, but with the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, it's not only possible, it's expected that we should live this way. Someday, when you are perfected in Heaven, you will be exactly like this. Matthew 5: 46-47, "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." I had a boss once, his name was Tom. For some reason, he never greeted me when I greeted him in the morning. I would say, "Good morning, Tom," and he'd walk by me. I thought, "Maybe he didn't hear me." So the next morning, I said, "Good morning, Tom," and he walked by me. And then, I thought, "Maybe he's hard of hearing." But then I saw him greeting his friends, and I realized that wasn't the problem. There was something else. I came to the point, it was like a fork in my road, and I said, "What am I going to do with this? Am I going to continue to greet him, or am I going to have a little pride and stop just casting my greetings in front of him, for him to trample?" At that point, God brought this verse into my mind, "If you greet only your brothers... " Listen to the question, "What are you doing more than others?" What is the implication to that question that Jesus asks? You should be better than that. You should be at a higher level. You should not be the natural man with pride, saying "I gotta have a little pride here. I can't keep putting my greeting in front of somebody who won't respond." No, you don't. We checked pride at the door a long time ago. We left it behind. VIII. The Supernatural Life: What are you doing more than others? What are you doing more than others? The implication is that you, as members of the Kingdom of Heaven, should be at a higher level. There's a different rule for you. You're not living for this world. You're living for the next world. You're storing up treasure in Heaven. You've got a higher call. “What are you doing more than…” Meditate on that. It’s a diagnostic question. Is your life a supernatural life? Is your response a supernatural response or is it utterly pagan? That's my question to you today. What are you doing more than others? Paul asked the same question, or raised the same issue in 1 Corinthians, when he said, “Strife and conflict in the church, divisions and disagreements in the church —this is a mark of a natural life." He's saying, "When there is strife and conflict, are you not mere men? Are you not acting in a normal way? You shouldn't be. You should be at a higher level. There shouldn't be this division. There shouldn't be these conflicts. There should be agreement, unity of mind and thought." IX. Application To conclude, I want to ask you this question. I want you to take this diagnostic question and bring it right into your heart: "What are you doing more than others?" I'm not saying, "Are you earning your salvation?" My friends, that's impossible. Good deeds will never pay for sin. There is one and only one payment for sin, and that is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. By faith in His name, all your sins, past, present, and future, all of them can be washed away. It's through simple faith in His name. I'm not saying, "Can you earn your salvation?" I'm saying, "Is there a supernatural power in your life? The kind that allows you to turn the other cheek, the kind that allows you to say, 'My possessions are yours, if you need them. If you really need them, they're yours.' Is there a supernatural power in your life, to say, 'My time, my hours of labor, are for you, God, however you want to serve them, however you want to use them.’” Is there that supernatural presence? If so, rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven. If not, can I encourage you to come to the cross? Can I encourage you to come to the cross, perhaps, even for salvation? Perhaps you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior the way you thought you did. And if you do, may I urge you to come to the cross, to understand that it's in the power of the cross, that we can live this kind of life. Can I urge you to come back to the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, to be a spiritual beggar all over again, and say, "Lord, this does not characterize me. When people strike me on the right cheek, I want to hit 'em back twice as hard. And in this way, I'm a natural person, and I don't want to be that way anymore. I want my life, my possessions, my time to be yours, and I wanna give it joyfully and freely." This is my challenge to you today: Come to the cross and know the freeing power of the death of Jesus Christ.