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Delivered by Ellyane Theresia from the Parish of Saint James in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 5: 34-42; Rs psalm 27: 1.4.13-14; John 6: 1-15.BECOMETHE INSTRUMENT OF GOD Ourmeditation today is entitled: Become the Instrument of God. Our Christian lifeas expected to be in the spirit of Easter is not only a true practice duringthis Easter season but also during our life time on earth. The resurrection ofJesus Christ should animate our entire lives. The period after resurrection isa period when Jesus Christ is not physically present in the midst of all Hisfollowers, unlike when He was still living and walking with His disciples andpeople of His time. After resurrection, He went up to heaven and seated at theright hand of the Father. But as He had promised, He is forever with us at alltimes, because His Spirit lives with us in the world. Whatmust we do to make our faith strong and active in daily life by keeping alwaysthe spirit of Easter? The inspiration from our readings today can give us theanswer. God has chosen and made us his instruments. The Holy Church as thePeople of God carries out the ministry of Jesus Christ as her main mission toserve the humanity and the world. This has been the duty entrusted by Jesussince the foundation of the Church in Jerusalem. Who are those people to beministered by the Church? It maybe each one of us, our brothers or sisters andfriends. It maybe people we don't know who they are or where they are from. Itmaybe persons God has entrusted to us to be educated and cared for. Becomingthe instrument God is a basic calling for us Christians, as the Psalmist saysof the following: Here I am Lord, to do Your will (Ps. 40). The goal of thisvocation is to make the Lord truly present in a real and a personal way throughthe ministry of Jesus Christ that saves, heals, teaches, speaks of truth,comforts, and forgives. The Lord bestows to every person this vocation andleads every person the way of life as priest, religious and lay person. Whenevery person can carry out well his or her own vocation, it means that he orshe acts in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and fulfils the works of the Lord. Wehave an example about the apostles who bravely defended the truth of the Gospelthey preached, however, the Jewish Religious Court falsely tried and imprisonedthem. There was a famous Jewish priest, Gamaliel, also spoke in the name oftruth and at the same time defended what the apostles fearlessly did. Both theapostles and Gamaliel had proved to be the real instruments of God in preachingand teaching the true faith. Then on another occasion we can see also thepractice of this truth. The apostles became the instruments for the feeding ofthousands of people who were hungry after a full day following and listening toJesus away from the city. A child who provided a small portion of bread andfish also proved to be the instrument of God for the miracle of multiplicationof bread and fish. They were the instruments of God's mercy for the urgentneeds of people at that moment. Wecan be the instruments of God in any given condition in our lives today,especially the conditions that really needs urgent solution or treatment. Itall depends on our willingness and commitment to do. Let's pray. In thename of the Father ... O generous and merciful Lord, strengthen us in everystep and work that we take, so that we can be your true and useful instruments,especially for the benefit of our needy brothers and sisters. Hail Mary full ofgrace ... In the name of the Father ...

What do you do when trusting God is all you have?In this episode of Live the Bible, we look at a king we don't often hear much about. Asa had faith, but he struggled to put that faith into his life. Our Christian life requires we walk by faith and not by sight. This podcast will show us how. Support the show

Hope doesn't come after pain—it rises within our pain. As we continue our journey through Luke's gospel in week two of our "Hope Rising" series, we encounter Jesus preparing his followers for difficult times ahead. While they admired the magnificent temple in Jerusalem—its stunning white limestone and gold accents symbolizing permanence and divine presence—Jesus delivers a shocking prophecy: "Not one stone will be left on top of another."Unlike leaders who offer shallow platitudes, Jesus doesn't sugarcoat reality. He warns of persecution, betrayal, global conflict, natural disasters, and cosmic upheaval. Yet within this sobering forecast, he plants seeds of profound hope: "This will be your opportunity to tell them about me." The very moments of greatest challenge become platforms for powerful testimony.Most striking is Jesus's paradoxical promise: "Not a hair on your head will perish." Given that many disciples would face martyrdom, this wasn't about physical safety. Rather, Jesus reveals a deeper truth—what truly matters cannot be destroyed by worldly powers. Our essential being remains secure in Christ even when everything around us crumbles.The passage culminates with Jesus's instruction that when chaos reaches its peak, his followers should "stand and look up, for your salvation is near." This invitation challenges us to examine where we've anchored our hope. Have we built our security on temples that can fall—career achievements, financial stability, perfect health, ideal relationships? When these foundations tremble, we discover what truly sustains us.As Dr. Henry Cloud wisely distinguishes, "A wish is hope without evidence, but hope, real hope, is based on evidence." Our Christian hope isn't groundless optimism but is anchored in the historical reality of Jesus's resurrection. The empty tomb remains the ultimate evidence that suffering doesn't have the final word. This is why, even in our darkest moments, hope can still rise.What does it look like for hope to rise anew in your life today? Join us as we explore how to build faith-filled endurance that doesn't shake when the world does.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, consider subscribing to Madison Church on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback means the world to us, so please take a moment to leave a review and share the podcast with your friends and family.For inquiries, suggestions, or collaboration opportunities, please reach out to us at help@madisonchurch.com. For the latest updates and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube New episodes are released every Monday, so mark your calendars and join us weekly! If you'd like to support the show, you can make a donation here. Your generosity helps us continue to bring you meaningful content. This podcast is intended for general informational purposes only. The views expressed by the hosts or guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Madison Church. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. For detailed information regarding our terms of use and privacy policy, please visit our website.Thank you for being part of the Madison Church community! We appreciate your support.

The second law of thermodynamics says things tend toward disorder. As time goes on, things fall apart. When it comes to our homes, a clean room never stays that way for long. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out there’s a spiritual parallel. Our Christian lives can get messy and out of sorts. But we’ll learn Jesus can come and sort it out . . . if we let Him. Pastor Greg urges us to open the door and let Jesus have access to every room of our spiritual house. Listen on harvest.org --- Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second law of thermodynamics says things tend toward disorder. As time goes on, things fall apart. When it comes to our homes, a clean room never stays that way for long. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out there’s a spiritual parallel. Our Christian lives can get messy and out of sorts. But we’ll learn Jesus can come and sort it out . . . if we let Him. Pastor Greg urges us to open the door and let Jesus have access to every room of our spiritual house. Listen on harvest.org --- Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Christian life is all about Spiritual Warfare. How should we fight it? Who is truly our enemy? Learn and listen to this in-depth series on this Media Network.

Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Today’s message continues our study of 1 John and is titled “Light Reveals Love.” The Apostle John, known as the Apostle of Love, had a different disposition in his younger years. He and his brother James were nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus due to their hot-tempered and impulsive nature. However, after years of reflecting on Jesus' teachings and experiencing both physical and spiritual maturity, he recognizes that Love is the better way to navigate life. Love is the central theme of today’s message. How we love others is a significant indicator of whether we are genuine followers of Jesus. We live in a world of spiritual darkness; John tells us that we know we are true followers of Christ if we walk in the light and love our fellow brothers and sisters as Christ does. A clear sign of our love is how far we are willing to limit our spiritual liberties to avoid becoming a stumbling block or, in other words, a negative influence in someone else’s life. Scripture warns strongly against those who would cause a weaker or younger believer to stumble and fall away from God's grace. Our Christian liberties come with serious responsibilities and consequences if we live carelessly. Worship and study with us as we are encouraged and challenged in our exploration.

Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Today’s message continues our study of 1 John and is titled “Light Reveals Love.” The Apostle John, known as the Apostle of Love, had a different disposition in his younger years. He and his brother James were nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus due to their hot-tempered and impulsive nature. However, after years of reflecting on Jesus' teachings and experiencing both physical and spiritual maturity, he recognizes that Love is the better way to navigate life. Love is the central theme of today’s message. How we love others is a significant indicator of whether we are genuine followers of Jesus. We live in a world of spiritual darkness; John tells us that we know we are true followers of Christ if we walk in the light and love our fellow brothers and sisters as Christ does. A clear sign of our love is how far we are willing to limit our spiritual liberties to avoid becoming a stumbling block or, in other words, a negative influence in someone else’s life. Scripture warns strongly against those who would cause a weaker or younger believer to stumble and fall away from God's grace. Our Christian liberties come with serious responsibilities and consequences if we live carelessly. Worship and study with us as we are encouraged and challenged in our exploration.

What if we, as Catholics, have been looking at our faith from the wrong perspective? What if our desire to fit into modern culture has led us away from truly living like Jesus? In today's Gospel (Luke 6:22), Jesus tells us: “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.” Yet, as American Catholics, do we avoid persecution by blending in? Have we forgotten who Jesus truly is?  

This Sunday we wrap up our worship series, "Out of Context" with Matthew 7:1, "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged." Our Christian culture takes this in two different directions, so if we place this verse back into it's context...does it mean what people think it means? Thank you again for worshipping with us. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC in our mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please go to milfordhillsumc.org/give or by texting GIVE to 833-264-3866.

The coming of Jesus means "good news of great joy for all people!" (Luke 2:10) Our Christian worldview provides a unique vantage point as we navigate the many challenges of life this side of eternity. In our podcast today, we'll provide what Doug Wilson calls, "Six Stone-Cold Reasons for Confidence and Upbeat Optimism" as we approach this Christmas celebration!  Find out more at https://ron-johnson-discipleship-podca.pinecast.co

One of the best ways to create lasting memories is to adopt family Christmas traditions. Holiday traditions are special and strengthen the bond of family. When family Christmas traditions are adopted and implemented, you can alleviate stress. Instead of being like Mary, become more like Martha and enjoy the time with family. Holiday traditions make shopping easier and create memory-making opportunities for generations to come. “We reveal to ourselves and others what is important to us by the way we celebrate.” ― Noël Piper, Treasuring God in Our Traditions Holiday traditions are lovely, timeless treasures.  Scripture provides many examples of Biblical and familial traditions. Many are in the Old Testament, and our friends in the Jewish community still celebrate them today, for example, Passover.  Our Christian traditions honor Christ: waving palm branches on Palm Sunday, fasting during Lent, lighting the Advent wreath, displaying a nativity, and many more.  Several years ago, I read Treasuring God in Our Traditions by Noël Piper. It was a beautiful reminder of incorporating traditions into our daily lives while raising our children. Treasuring God in Our Traditions inspired me to implant traditions more deeply in my children's hearts. We have always had family traditions. It was a priority for me to establish them as our children grew. I wanted specific expressions of love foundational for our children and, someday, their children. I dreamt of hearing them request certain traditions or share their memories with new additions to the family. Some of our traditions have become non-negotiable; they are must-haves, especially during the holiday season, special days, and birthdays.  Our family traditions include meals, special foods, gifts, and attending church services. There is no greater tradition than honoring, praising, and worshiping the Lord with family and friends. What if, especially at, but not limited to, the holiday season, we create new traditions that honor the Lord and set aside time to show our gratitude for him and the blessings He has generously bestowed upon us throughout the year? Not all traditions, however,  must be rooted in faith, but when we are faithful, our traditions will reflect love and our relationship with Christ.  The goal of family Christmas traditions or holiday traditions, in general, is not to create more anxiety and stress. In Luke 10:38-42, we learn the story of Martha, who, alongside her sister Mary, welcomed Jesus into her home. Mary immediately sat at Jesus' feet and listened to him teach. Martha, stricken with anxiety over her to-do list, quickly became upset that Mary was not helping her. When she asked Jesus if he cared that Mary had left her to do all the work, Jesus said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Read the full show notes for the list of family Christmas traditions.    Sign up to receive the Monthly Bible Verse Intention Email.   Schedule a discovery call with Robyn.    Treasuring God in Our Traditions by Noël Piper

Luke 1:39-56; “Elizabeth's Story”  The story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth is often a forgotten story. But what it shows us should not be ignored. It is life-changing, powerful, dynamic and has impact on the way we understand the Bible, the way we perceive and understand God and how he moves in our lives today.  Earlier in the chapter we learned Elizabeth was now about 6 months pregnant with John the Baptist and Mary is just newly pregnant with Jesus. When Mary arrives and greets Elizabeth, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, In this first chapter of Luke the Holy Spirit is mentioned three times. Why is this significant? When we look at the Old Testament - which contains 23,145 verses, the Holy Spirit is only mentioned a total of 3 times. But now in the New Testament in this first chapter of Luke in the first 41 verses, the Holy Spirit is mentioned three times! What this indicates is a profound truth: with the coming of Jesus, EVERYTHING CHANGES! It ushers in the age of the Spirit that will continue until Jesus' return. The three Holy Spirit incidents:         Mary's told by the angel announcing her to be Jesus' mother, that the Holy Spirit will come upon her.          Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit as Mary arrives at her home and greets her.         John in Elizabeth's womb leaps in the power of the Holy Spirit. In points one and two we see they are women receiving the Spirit, this prompts us to look to see if a woman being filled with the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament and there is not a mention of that.  So let's look at Joel 2:28-29 “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Here we read God will pour out His Spirit on both men AND women!  In Luke 1 - we see this prophetic word coming true. God is pouring out His Spirit on young (Mary) and old (Elizabeth) and both men and women. God's Spirit in fullness to all! At this point everything changes because God is now dealing with His people in a dynamic NEW WAY by pouring out his Spirit in abundance. Why? Because the Messiah has come - within the womb of Mary! it is in Him that the Spirit comes and we are freed to live in this power. Additionally, we hear in our story that as Mary greets Elizabeth and Elizabeth is filled with the Spirit, the baby (John) inside her womb leaped and was filled with the Spirit. Elizabeth immediately responds: “Blessed are you among women, Mary, blessed is the child (Jesus) you will bear. But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your voice reached my ears, my womb leaped for joy!” The angel foretold this about Elizabeth's baby (John the Baptist) when he announced to Zechariah (Elizabeth's husband) he would have a son: “for he (John) will be great in the sight of God…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born!"  Luke 1:15 All these pieces coming together! What happens next? Looking  at Joel 2:28-29 we see everything prophesied happening EXCEPT for this line: “your sons and daughters will prophesy” but in the very next verse of our story what happens? Mary prophesies in a beautiful song, The Magnificat. (Luke 1:46-56) In this song of praise to God verses 51-55 are also prophetic. Pastor Dodge, using Hebrew context, goes on to explain and describe how these verses are prophecy. (Our hope is that you will listen to this most interesting and revelatory insight on Mary's song).  Jesus ushered in the age of the Spirit when He came to earth and even while still in Mary's womb this is still true. Just like Mary, Elizabeth and John, we too are told we are filled with the Holy Spirit. It's through the Spirit that we can say, “Jesus is Lord!” (1 Corinthians 12:3 “Therefore I want you to know that… no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”) In this story we see the evidence of God keeping His word. Every promise of God's will be fulfilled. We read Mary stayed three months with Elizabeth and oh the conversations they must have had! Our Christian faith is personal and communal: shared with families, friends, and others. When God's people talk together about faith and what God is doing, we are encouraging each other in our faith and exalting God's Name together! Just as Mary and Elizabeth did 2,000 years ago! Our website –  https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 St. Luke's Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. This book written by Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus' life. This study is great for large group, small group or home group study.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:Ephesians. 1-4 Click HERE to give! TODAY'S EPISODE: Dear Daily Radio Bible Family, Good day to you all, dear ones! As we gather on this 5th day of December, it marks day 341 in our incredible journey through the Bible. Thank you for joining us again today, or if you're new, welcome to our loving community!

12-1-24 | Our Christian faith is not built on blind hopes and fleeting experiences but on the Solid Ground of Jesus Christ. The next two weeks, we are looking at one of those Christ doctrines that help us keep our firm foundation; the atonement. Today, Pastor Becky Fithen will answer the question, who needs to hear the gospel in your life?

11-24-24 | Our Christian faith is not built on blind hopes and fleeting experiences. Our faith is built on Solid Ground, on the Firm Foundation that is Jesus Christ. We are dedicated to creating strong, faithful servants of God here at Friendship Church.

Paul' Thankfulness (1:3-8) Paul gave thanks to God for his readers frequently. He told them so, in order to enable them to appreciate the fact that he knew of their situation, and that he rejoiced in their good testimony. These six verses are all one sentence in the Greek text, indicating the unity of thought in this Bible passage.   The Apostle Paul was a great encourager, and this epistle is a good example of the grace of thanksgiving. In this section he gives thanks for what Christ has done in the lives of the Colossian Christians. But he also mentions thanksgiving in five other places in this letter: Colossians 1:12; 2:7; 3:15, 17; and 4:2. When you recall that Paul wrote this letter in prison, his attitude of thanksgiving is even more wonderful.[i]   Like Paul, we should be grateful for what God is doing in the lives of others. As Christians, we are all members of one body (1 Cor. 12:12–13). If one member of the body is strengthened, this helps to strengthen the entire body. If one church experiences a revival touch from God, it will help all the churches[ii]   Col 1:3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,   He gives thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ   1:3 God and Father: The terms are used to show Jesus was one in nature with God This is a affirmative statement about Christ's Deity Col 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints He Thanks God for the Faith they embraced 1:4,5 We see the 3 main graces that God gives us faith, love and hope. 1Co 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  1Th 1:3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,  1Th 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.           The modern attitude is, “If you believe, you are safe.” But the obvious question is, “Believe in what?” Their answer: “Just believe!”              Nor are we saved by faith in a set of doctrines. I have often told the story about the famous evangelist, George Whitefield, who was witnessing to a man. “What do you believe?” Whitefield asked. The man replied, “I believe what my church believes.” “And what does your church believe?” asked the evangelist. “What I believe,” replied the man. Undeterred, Whitefield tried again and asked, “And what do you both believe?  ”“Why, we both believe the same thing!” was the man's evasive reply. Saving faith involves the mind, the emotions, and the will. With the mind we understand the truth of the Gospel, and with the heart we feel conviction and the need to be saved. But it is only when we exercise the will and commit ourselves to Christ that the process is complete. Faith is not mental assent to a body of doctrines, no matter how true those doctrines may be. Faith is not emotional concern. Faith is commitment to Jesus Christ.[iii] The evidence of true saving faith is love for fellow believers He Thanks God for The Love they exhibit and of your love for all the saints of truth. Any other kind of faith is but superstition—it cannot save.[iv] He Thanks God for The Hope they experienced v5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel 1:5 The Believers hope is inseparable from his faith. He has hope in going to heaven and sharing the glory of God Certainty of going to heaven because God has promised Romans 15:4 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. 1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, , It centers in a Person—Jesus Christ. The theme of this epistle is the preeminence or supremacy of Jesus Christ, and He is certainly preeminent in the Gospel. The false teachers who had invaded the fellowship in Colossae were trying to remove Jesus Christ from His place of preeminence; but to do this was to destroy the Gospel. It is Christ who died for us, and who arose again[v] 2 Corinthians 5:15 It is the “Word of truth” (v. 5) This means that it came from God and can be trusted. “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). There are many messages and ideas that can be called true, but only God's Word can be called truth.[vi] Everybody has faith in something. But faith is only as good as the object in which a person puts his trust. The jungle pagan worships a god of stone; the educated city pagan worships money or possessions or status. In both cases, faith is empty. The true Christian believer has faith in Jesus Christ, and that faith is based on the Word   Jesus secured it. Ephesians 2:11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men) 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. The word Gospel means good news. The word originally was used to express the good news of victory in battle or birth of a king It is the good news of Christ's victory over Satan, sin, and death He Thanks God for the growth they encountered Col 1:6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 1:6 The Gospel is preached to the whole world and It is for the whole world It is the message of God's grace (v. 6b). Two words in the Christian vocabulary are often confused: grace and mercy. God in His grace gives me what I do not deserve. Yet God in His mercy does not give me what I do deserve. Grace is God's favor shown to undeserving sinners. The reason the Gospel is good news is because of grace: God is willing and able to save all who will trust Jesus Christ.[vii]              Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.                Paul said that the Gospel was bearing fruit in all the world. The Word of God is the only seed that can be planted anywhere in the world and bear fruit. The Gospel can be preached “to every creature which is under heaven” (Col. 1:23). Paul's emphasis was on “every man” (Col. 1:28). False teachers do not take their message to all the world. They go where the Gospel has already gone and try to lead believers astray. They have no good news for lost sinners! If people are to be saved, they must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if they are to hear, we who are saved must carry the message. Are you doing your part?[viii] 3 kinds of fruit: Spiritual attitudes Righteous actions New Converts Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. He Thanks God for The Ministry they enjoyed They Were Discipled (Col. 1:7)[ix] Col 1:7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 1:7 Epaphras is most likely the founder of the church in Colosse He shared the good news of God's grace with them Epaphras did not simply lead the Colossians to Christ and then abandon them. He taught them the Word and sought to establish their faith. The word translated “learned” in Colossians 1:7 is related to the word disciple in the Greek language. It is the same word Jesus used: “Learn of Me” (Matt. 11:29) or, in effect, “Become My disciple.” These new believers were in danger of turning from the truth and following the false teachers. Paul reminded them that it was Epaphras who led them to Christ, discipled them, and taught them the Word. The word before (Col. 1:5) probably means “before these false teachers appeared on the scene.” Like the Colossians, we should beware of any religious leader who does not seek to win lost souls, but who devotes himself to “stealing sheep” from the flocks of others. Epaphras was a faithful minister. He not only won people to Christ, but he taught them the Word and helped them to grow.[x] He also shared the good news of their faith with Paul When danger threatened the members of the church, Epaphras went to Rome to get counsel from Paul. He loved his people and wanted to protect them from false doctrines that would destroy the fellowship and hinder their spiritual development.[xi] In that day, a disciple was not simply a person who sat and listened to a teacher. He was someone who lived with the teacher and who learned by listening, looking, and living. Discipleship involved more than enrolling in a school and attending lectures. It meant total surrender to the teacher. It meant learning by living. Perhaps our modern-day medical students or trade apprentices come close to illustrating the meaning of discipleship.[xii] Epaphras faithfully taught his people and related them to Jesus Christ, but the false teachers came in and tried to “draw away disciples.” (For Paul's warning about this problem, see Acts 20:28–30.)[xiii] They Became Faithful in Christ (Col. 1:6, 8)[xiv] Col 1:8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. The Word of God is seed (Luke 8:11). This means the Word has life in it (Heb. 4:12). When it is planted in the heart, it can produce fruit. “All over the world this Gospel is producing fruit and growing” When God's Word is planted and cultivated, it produces fruit. Faith, hope, and love are among the firstfruits in the spiritual harvest. These spiritual graces are among the evidences that a person has truly been born again (see Rom. 5:1–4; Eph. 1:13–15; 1 Thes. 1:3; Heb. 6:9–12; 1 Peter 1:3–9).[xv] True Salvation Evidence Faith comes through the hearing of God's Word (Rom. 10:17). Our Christian lives start with saving faith; but this is only the beginning. We learn to walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7) and work by faith (1 Thes. 1:3). It is faith that gives power to prayer (Luke 17:5–6). Faith is a shield that protects us from Satan's fiery darts (Eph. 6:16).[xvi] Love is another evidence of true salvation, for the unsaved person is wrapped up mainly in himself (Eph. 2:1–3). The fact that these people loved all the saints was proof that God had changed them and given them eternal life. Christian love is not a shallow feeling that we manufacture; it is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (Rom. 5:5; Col. 1:8). It is worth noting that Colossians 1:8 is the only verse in the letter that mentions the Holy Spirit, and it is in connection with love.[xvii] Hope is also a characteristic of the believer. Unsaved people are without hope because they are without God (Eph. 2:11–12). Those outside of Christ have no hope (1 Thes. 4:13). In the Bible, hope does not mean “hope so.” Our hope in Christ is as definite and assured as our faith in Christ. Because Christ is in us, we have the “hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).[xviii] Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.[xix]      Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F             The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions [i] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [ii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 107). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [v] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [vi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [vii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [viii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 107). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [ix] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 107). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [x] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xiii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xiv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xvi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xvii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 108–109). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xviii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 109). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xix] The New King James Version. (1982). (Heb 6:19–20). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Intro:             Paul was the author, He was in prison at the time. Letter is named for the city of Colosse, which was populated by Gentiles (any one other than Jews) and Jews. Paul wrote this letter because Heresy or beliefs contrary to the Bible plagued the church. The Church had Elements of Jewish Legalism and Pagan mysticism that later became known as Gnosticism. Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in ultimate or hidden truths, and to human transformation supported by various practices and experiences The Gnostics believed that God is good and matter is evil Self denial and neglect of the body were part of the beliefs Jesus came out of God so He was less than God This led them to deny His true humanity They believed that a secret higher knowledge of scripture was necessary for knowledge of GOD & salvation Jewish legalists Believed that Circumcision was necessary for salvation Had to observe OT rituals such as dietary, laws festivals, and Sabbaths Also were into Rigid Asceticism or self denial The Colossian heresy also called for the worship of angels and mysticism which is a belief that through deep thinking about God one can achieve a direct and immediate awareness of God or divine truth without the use of reason or any ordinary senses. This “wisdom” would release them from earthly things and put them in touch with heavenly things. All of this teaching was but man-made philosophy based on traditions and not on divine truth (Col. 2:8). It grew out of the philosophical question, Why is there evil in this world if creation was made by a holy God?[i] These false teachers tried to change people from the outside, by means of diets and disciplines. But true spiritual growth comes from within.[ii]   Since to them matter was evil, they had to find some way to control their own human natures in this pursuit of perfection. Two different practices resulted. One school of thought held that the only way to conquer evil matter was by means of rigid discipline and asceticism (Col. 2:23). The other view taught that it was permissible to engage in all kinds of sin, since matter was evil anyway! It appears that the first opinion was the predominant one in Colossae.[iii]   PURPOSE Three purposes emerge from the contents of this epistle. Paul wanted to express his personal interest in this church, which he had evidently not visited. He wrote to warn the Colossians, first, of the danger of returning to their former beliefs and practices. Secondly, he also disproved the false teaching that was threatening this congregation. The outstanding Christian doctrine that this letter deals with is Christology. Thirdly, Paul's great purpose was to set forth the absolute supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ. "The church today desperately needs the message of Colossians. We live in a day when religious toleration is interpreted to mean 'one religion is just as good as another.' Some people try to take the best from various religious systems and manufacture their own private religion. To many people, Jesus Christ is only one of several great religious teachers, with no more authority than they. He may be prominent, but He is definitely not preeminent. "This is an age of 'syncretism.' People are trying to harmonize and unite many different schools of thought and come up with a superior religion. Our evangelical churches are in danger of diluting the faith in their loving attempt to understand the beliefs of others. Mysticism, legalism, Eastern religions, self-denial, and man-made philosophies are secretly creeping into churches. They are not denying Christ, but they are dethroning Him and robbing Him of His rightful place of preeminence." MESSAGE The whole message of this epistle is in 2:9-10a.: "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete." The two statements in this sentence are the great revelations of the Colossian letter. The central doctrine in Colossians is Christology. Kenneth Hanna titled the first two chapters "the preeminence of Christ," and the second two "the preeminence of Christ in life."   The fullness of the Godhead is in Christ. This is an eternal fact that is always true. The Greek word translated "deity" (theotetos) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It does not mean divinity. Divinity is an attribute of God, but deity is the essence of God. It is not enough to say that Jesus Christ was divine. In a sense, every person is divine in that we possess some attributes that God also possesses. Only He possesses them perfectly.   The two main problems were the misunderstood doctrine of Christ and the misunderstanding of how this doctrine affects Christian living. The primary Christological passages in the epistle (1:14-23; 2:9-15) present Christ as absolutely preeminent and perfectly adequate for the Christian. The Christian life, Paul explained, flows naturally out of this revelation. The Christian life is really the life of the indwelling Christ that God manifests through the believer. There are many similarities between Ephesians and Colossians. The major distinction between them is that in Ephesians the emphasis is on the church as the body of Christ. In Colossians the emphasis is on Christ as the Head of the body. Also Paul wrote Colossians primarily to respond to a particular problem, whereas he wrote Ephesians primarily to expound correct teaching.           Paul did not begin by attacking the false teachers and their doctrines. He began by exalting Jesus Christ and showing His preeminence in five areas: the Gospel message, redemption, Creation, the church, and Paul's own ministry[iv]   Jesus Christ is deity. He alone possesses the unique nature of God. In Him, the fullness of essential deity dwells in bodily manifestation (form or expression). The Apostle Paul explained Christ's fullness in three respects in this epistle: In relation to creation, He is the Originator and Sustainer of all things (1:16-17). This includes all life. In relation to redemption, He is the first-born from the dead (1:18). Resurrection presupposes death. Death is due to sin. Between creation and resurrection, there was sin and death. In resurrection, Christ was victorious over sin, death, and the grave. He is Death's Master. In relation to reconciliation, Christ is the maker of peace (1:19-20). The result of Christ's victory over death is peace. He is the reconciler of all the things that sin has separated. His reconciliation affects both people and the created world. In Christ, we see all the fullness of deity: creating, rising triumphantly out of death, and reconciling to the farthest reaches of the universe. That is the Christ of Christianity! In relation to the church. Col 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. In relation to Paul's own ministry, v1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, Col 1:25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,   The second major declaration of Colossians is that in Christ, God makes us complete (2:10a). Not only is the fullness of the Godhead in Christ, but the filling of the saints is in Christ too. Paul explained what this means.   First, it means that God restores us to "our true place in creation" in Christ. We can regain the scepter and the crown as kings of the earth under God's authority (rule and reign over creation) (cf. Gen. 2:15). God has sent us out into all the cosmos to make Christ known (Matt. 28:19-20). Unfortunately, we do not always realize our position. We choose instead to grovel among the world's garbage heaps. Nevertheless, in this sense God makes us full in Christ: We come into a new relationship to all creation through Christ. God restores us to our divinely intended position in creation in Him. We are His trophies. Second, God restores us to "our true relation to Himself" through Christ's resurrection. God communicates His very life to us so that we take our rightful place as God's subjects. God does not break our will. He captures our will by the indwelling grace of Christ's life. God makes us full in this sense too. We are His instruments. Third, God restores us to "true fellowship with Himself" in Christ. We not only receive from God, but we can also give to God in service. Thus our fellowship is shared. We are His partners. We experience fullness in Christ, for in Him: God restores us to our true place in creation, to our true relation to Himself, and to our true fellowship with Himself. This restoration enables us to cooperate with God in His purposes. We become, not only trophies of His grace, but His instruments— and even His partners—in our generation.   In view of this revelation, Paul made a threefold appeal:   The first appeal is a warning against a false philosophy (2:8). Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  Paul described this false philosophy in two ways. It is the tradition of men, which is essentially speculation or guesswork (theory). In this context, Paul meant human guessing that leaves God out of His universe. The theory of gradual evolution is an example of this. It is also the main belief of the world. This philosophy is simple because it tries to explain everything within the limits of the material. The material part of life is simple. The philosophy of antisupernaturalism is an example of this.   We correct this false philosophy by recognizing that Jesus Christ is the solution to the problem of the universe. When we realize that Jesus Christ is the first-born (first in rank and sovereignty), then we gain a true view of the universe. He is the Creator and the great cohesive agent in the universe.   Paul's second warning is against false mediation (things or methods designed to get us in touch with or closer to God) (2:16-18). Col 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, He pointed out that ceremonies such as observing certain kinds of foods and festivals are only "shadows." We should not think that observing these ceremonies will improve our relationship to God. We have Jesus Christ, who is the substance to which these ceremonies pointed (e.g., the Jewish feasts). Another type of false mediation involves the worship of angels. We should have nothing to do with this practice because we have direct access to Jesus Christ. He is the Creator and Master of all creatures—including the angels. "There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). To summarize, we should not allow religious ceremonies or created mediators to come between us and Christ.   Paul's third warning is against false confidences (2:20-23). Col 2:20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- 21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.   Our spiritual enemy may tempt us to have confidence in the opinions of others. When false teachers say, "Do not touch this or taste that or handle something," we may think that those statements are authoritative. But this is legalism. Paul urges us not to follow such opinions—but to get our direction from the Lord Jesus. Our enemy may tempt us to put confidence in ascetic practices of refraining and self-affliction. Paul tells us to forget these things and to set our thinking on the things of Christ rather than on ourselves. Asceticism breeds dark self-examination and selfishness.   When we have a true view of Jesus Christ, He will be the focus of our thinking. That view will deliver us from the domination of the flesh. We need to base our confidence on God's Word, rather than on human traditions that do not reflect scriptural revelation accurately.   The matter of supreme importance to the church is her doctrine of Christ. Our Christian life and service will flow out of our doctrine of Christ. We are what we think. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he" (Prov. 23:7). Not only must Christ occupy the central place in our lives, but our understanding of Christ must be accurate. We can avoid all the errors that Paul warned against in this epistle by keeping a proper view of Christ.   This false teaching was a deceptive combination of many things: Jewish legalism, Oriental philosophy, pagan astrology, mysticism, asceticism, and even a touch of Christianity. There was something for everybody, and this was what made it so dangerous. The false teachers claimed that they were not denying the Christian faith, but only lifting it to a higher level. They offered fullness and freedom, a satisfying life that solved all the problems that people face.[v]   But Paul did not think his task completed when he had refuted the heretics, for he still had some important words for the church. In Colossians 3–4, Paul explained the greatest antidote to false teaching—a godly life. Those who say, “I don't care what you believe, just so long as you live a good life” are not thinking logically. What we believe determines how we behave. If we believe that matter is evil, we will use our bodies one way; but if we believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, we will live accordingly. Wrong doctrine always leads to wrong living. Right doctrine should lead to right living. In the two concluding chapters, Paul applied the preeminence of Christ to the daily affairs of life. If Christ is truly preeminent in our lives, then we will glorify Him by keeping pure, by enjoying fellowship with other saints, by loving each other at home and being faithful at work, and by seeking to witness for Christ and serve Him effectively. Unless doctrine leads to duty, it is of no use to us. As we study this exciting letter, we must heed Paul's warnings: “Lest any man should beguile you” (Col. 2:4), “Lest any man spoil you” (Col. 2:8), “Let no man therefore judge you!” (Col. 2:16)[vi]   Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F             The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions     [i] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 103). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [ii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 104). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 103). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 105). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [v] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 104). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [vi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 105). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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Ola Dosunmu on Psalms 1:1-3 The first three verses of the Book of Psalms  – “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers” – are about having our blessedness in the joy of Christ. Sometimes we all have a need, a need for counsel or a need for an opinion.Who is your first point of contact? Who do we listen to? What is it that we enjoy listening to? Is it a friend, a sibling, a spouse, a colleague or a pastor? Whose views do you amplify or uphold? We all need advice sometimes; so it isn't wrong to go to any of those people.Our Christian journey is a personal journey, a personal experience, so we need to ask God to help us through. We can Walk, stand and sit in sin, or Walk, stand and sit in Christ. https://jubileechurchwirral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ola-Dosunmu-Walk-Stand-Sit.mp3

Friends of the Rosary, Our Christian community — our family in Christ — extends across time and space. It embraces the departed alongside the living. It's important to highlight that no one is saved alone. We are saved in and through others. For the faithful, physical death is not a barrier or wall of separation, and that's why we look for companionship to the living and those who have completed their earthly course. This month is dedicated to the holy souls in purgatory, our loved ones, and millions of unknown souls preparing to ascend to the glory of heaven to join the Communion of Saints. This week, we add prayers to our elected officials so they will rise to meet their responsibilities. Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • November 8, 2024, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

John in his gospel presents several convincing proofs that Jesus is in fact, God. Three of these proofs are found in the first 5 verses of his gospel . He tells us that Jesus is eternal and already existed before the beginning of all creation. John also presents Him as the creator of all things, which means that Jesus is separated from His creation. And then John presents Jesus as Life, by simply saying that in Him was life and the life is the light of man. Does this sound like the same Jesus you pray to? Our Christian life demands that we have a real and biblical view of who Jesus really is. Jesus is God.

Pastor Joe & Kirsten receive some sad news in today's podcast, and it spurs a discussion about what really matters in life. Then, they talk about the busy weekend at NewLife, and Pastor Joe remarks that God has been bringing one particular people group to his attention a lot lately. Our Christian brothers and sisters in India are being subjected to major persecution, and he calls us to pray for them. In the "It's Getting Strange Out There" segment, Pastor Joe stuns with another Progressive Christian preacher's sermon. Let's pop the hood! Email: underthehood@newlifenwa.com Show Notes: https://www.newlifenwa.com/underthehood/

Our Christian walk should not be lived in the past exclusively. However, Scripture is clear that we must remember the works of our God from generation to generation. We must also deliberately instill these realities into future generations. Be prepared to be greatly encouraged as you listen to this week's Maintain the Flame podcast where I share an important message entitled, "The Wonders of the Lord- Pt. 2."

Our Christian walk should not be lived in the past exclusively. However, Scripture is clear that we must remember the works of our God from generation to generation. We must also deliberately instill these realities into future generations. Be prepared to be greatly encouraged as you listen to this week's Maintain the Flame podcast where I share an important message entitled, "The Wonders of the Lord- Pt. 1."

In this episode of Candid, Jonathan welcomes Tyler Van Halteren, a man with a deep-rooted commitment to enriching the lives of children and youth through the power of Christian faith and storytelling. Tyler, a Master's Divinity graduate from the Master's Seminary, has dedicated most of his life to sharing Christ's teachings and the Bible's wisdom through storytelling.From serving as an Associate Pastor at Gorrie Bible Fellowship in his home country of Canada to teaching at Phnom Penh Bible School in Cambodia, Tyler's journey has been one of service and exploration. But the profound impact of 20-minute bedtime stories on his son sparked an innovative idea in him - why not blend the charm of bedtime stories with enduring lessons from the Bible?Taking up this challenge, Tyler founded Lithos Kids in 2020. His venture was no less than a mission to transform the world through biblically faithful and beautifully illustrated children's books. The launch of his first book, Little Pilgrim's Big Journey, on Kickstarter was a resounding success, exceeding its funding goal by 500%. It quickly became a treasured children's book, and Little Pilgrim's Big Journey, Volume 2, and Volume 3 was released shortly after.Now, as a father and an author, he continues his mission from southern Ontario, Canada, where he resides with his growing family. Join us as we dive into this inspiring journey with Tyler, discussing the importance of spiritual mentorship, the creative process behind his illustrated books, and his vision for instilling Christian values in young minds.This is an episode you don't want to miss, especially if you're a parent, an educator, or anyone interested in spiritual growth and innovative approaches to faith-based education. Be sure to tune in!Books by Tyler Van Halteren:Little Pilgrim's Big Journey Volume 1Little Pilgrim's Big Journey, Volume 2Little Pilgrim's Big Journey, Volume 3Kingdom of God Storybook BibleTo ask Jonathan a question or connect with the Candid community, visit https://LTW.org/CandidFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/candidpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/candidpodTwitter: https://twitter.com/thecandidpodTRANSCRIPT:This transcript recounts Candid Conversations with Jonathan Youssef Episode 252: How 20 Minutes Can Impact Your Child's Spirituality: Tyler Van Halteren (Reprise)JONATHAN: Tyler, thank you so much for taking the time to be on Candid Conversations.[02:28] TYLER: Yeah, thanks, Jonathan. It's a joy to be here.[02:31] JONATHAN: Well, tell us a little bit about your background, upbringing, and then we'll transition into how you got into writing and producing kids' literature. [02:43] TYLER: By God's grace, I came from a Christian home. But one of the most significant moments, and I guess most relevant moments to this interview, was when I was beginning to explore the faith more seriously, not just walking in my parents' shoes but actually considering the weight of eternity, heaven, hell, my own faith, my own walk with God, and in that time I found an old 1975 version of Pilgrim's Progress, paperback, 95 cents, that was given to my dad when he was about that age, about 15, and it just sat on the shelf. So I picked it up, read it, and that's the first memory that I have of understanding the Christian life and wanting to follow Christ. That's the first book I remember reading in that season.So that led, by God's grace, to a hunger for His Word, for sharing His Word, and then through various camps I had a great experience in high school. Our Christian high school was connected to a children's camp. And so I was able to teach there and saw a measure of gifting, a desire to teach, and then went on to Master's Seminary and then to youth pastor Cambodia. In the midst of all that, had some kids along the way and then started brewing some of these book ideas.[04:07] JONATHAN: Tell me ... You just sort of lobbed Cambodia into that history. Tell us a little bit about that. [04:18] TYLER: Yeah, for about 10 years before that, my goal and desire and prayer was to go into missions. And so we set the course for that through seminary, and then even as I joined my church there was a sense of telling them we're going to be here five years and then we want to be sent out to the mission field. So we went. The goal was to teach the Bible at a Bible school there to college students. Had some other cool opportunities, like with some friends had started children's programs, so I'd go to villages and there would be 30 kids that would just show up, 30 or 40 Buddhist kids would just come. And they listened to some English teaching, some Bible teaching, and just really neat.But in the midst of all that, COVID happened and that shut a lot of missions down. But thankfully I was able to finish the Little Pilgrims book during that time. And then also during that time, I started having some significant health issues and that sort of ended up—a variety of numbness and extreme fatigue that kind of landed us back in Canada, but trusting God's providence in all that and encouraged now to see there are some of our books being translated into already in Spanish, but some being considered for the Cambodian language, Khmer language. So there is French, Vietnamese, so encouraged to see how God's continuing that missionary desire through these books.[05:44] JONATHAN: Unbelievable. Okay, so you've shared with us that it was Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress that set you on a particular path. I'm assuming that's the connection to wanting to retell it through a child's perspective. Tell us a little bit about how those pieces came together.[06:08] TYLER: Yeah, it was a neat few things that came together. So I've always had an entrepreneurial bent, always a desire for that. Buying and selling, doing different things. Little businesses on the side. And that gave a skill set that when my son was about three or four I started looking for, oh, is there a good children's version of Pilgrim's Progress? And at the time when I looked around, the only version was a 1985 one, Dangerous Journey. I bought that, opened it, and it was the first time I've opened a book and my son has sort of screamed and cried in terror at the illustrations. The illustrations were so—[06:53] JONATHAN: I have been there. Especially for a three- and four-year-old.[07:00] TYLER: Yes, absolutely terrifying. [07:01] JONATHAN: Here's the Christian faith, my child.[07:05] TYLER: Yeah, I saw that, and I thought, Okay, there's got to be a way to do a better version, especially for younger kids.[07:13] JONATHAN: I will say, I have seen one of the—I think it's more for teenage readers, maybe, and it is very graphic. Apollyon the dragon is very scary and menacing. And you're right, there's a lot—I mean, that's the way Bunyan wrote it, right? I mean, it is dramatic, very. But when you're thinking about little ones, you've got to tone some of that down so they're not actually terrified but wrestling with the core issues. And I feel like your book does that so well.[07:46] TYLER: Yeah, that was a real delight and surprise. I was writing with my son, three or four years old, in mind. And we read it 20, 30 times together in the process of writing it, and that was all super fun as we got new illustrations and as we pieced things together to see his excitement and to see things, Gospel truths click for him in that journey. But I'm coming into this somewhat naïve in a sense. I had no real understanding of the publishing industry and just had this goal. Write this as well as I can, with really great illustrations, for my four-year-old son. And then for whatever reason, the Lord's taken that, and it seems to have hit that target with a lot of families who say similar things, that these truths are connecting in a special way.[08:40] JONATHAN: Well, and let's talk about that. So as a parent, it is hard to find really good—and I know it's out there and I've got a lot of them. But there's not a lot of really great Christian children's books. It's either for an age up, as we just talked about, or it's kind of delves into more of a moralistic, you know, do this, behave this way, obedience—which are true things, but there are so many better, deeper truths that we need to expose our kids to. I think there's a longing of parents—I mean, I hear it from moms all the time, “Hey, if you can think of a kids' book and write it, like go for it.” Because there's a real need for that, especially at those young, really vulnerable ages, age category.[09:44] TYLER: Yeah, and we've seen a growing hunger in people, and through our social media and connecting with different people that there is this real longing for those kind of resources, and that's been an exciting part, too, seeing how much this has resonated with parents, this kind of idea. And there's other publishers that are doing some really great, like probably in the last five years really there's been almost a resurgence of good, solid books, Gospel-centered books. But before that it was pretty dismal, and that was about the time I started writing was when I was looking around and saying, “Okay, how do we get really good Gospel-centered books that hit the core of these issues for kids?”And the fun part of that has been the allegory idea of Bunyan's allegory and seeing how much that's resonated with people.[10:30] JONATHAN: So let's talk about just the impact I mean, it's obviously a tradition within ... it's been around forever, right? Either storytelling with your children before bed, or at a particular time, and just the impact that that has of, one, reading, just reading comprehension, storytelling, kids' abilities to have an imagination and picture things. Have you done any kind of research into that I mean, even in your own life and seeing the way that it relates with your own children?[11:09] TYLER: Yeah, that's one of the cool things, I think, for a lot of families, the question of family discipleship, family devotions, those kind of things come up, and it's challenging in our day and age. Generally, we're pretty busy people and probably more busy than we need to be, so it's hard to set aside a time. And sometimes it's hard to get kids that aren't wiggling during that time, or moving around, or asking, “Okay, when is it over? When is it over?”[11:36] JONATHAN: You need to draw them in, right?[11:38] TYLER: Yeah. So for my personal life it was bedtime. They kids knew, okay, we can read. It became part of the routine. And they are also glad because that time they're winding down and they know they're not going to bed yet, so they're getting a little extension. And so that just became a very simple, practical tool for me. Hey, maybe I can't do X, Y and Z with my kids, but 15 minutes before bed, that's a pretty easy thing to do. And I'm seeing how that impacted my son was a real treat and a joy.I'm thinking of our book, seeing Christian by the cross, his burden falling off, and him saying to  me, “Yeah, God ...” Or “Dad, that's what God does. He removes our burden of sin.” I remember reading David Helms' Big Picture Bible, and him seeing Jesus on the cross and saying, “I want to follow Jesus. I want to be saved from my sin. I want to know Jesus.” [12:42] JONATHAN: That's an iconic scene, isn't it? Bunyan's ... I mean, even people who haven't read the book are at least somewhat familiar with the scene of his burden falling off his back as he stands at the cross. It's such a picturesque scene. You have talked about how he's recognizing some of these things. What are the other things that are coming through the eye of the child as parents and grandparents are probably listening to this and thinking about we're trying to help formulate in our children and what they're getting from those 15 minutes before bed.[13:23] TYLER: Yeah, I think a big one I've seen, and I've heard from a lot of families, is the reality of death and eternity. And I can't think of many kids' books that hit that on the nose.[13:38] JONATHAN: Yeah, it's not coming up with regularity, that's for sure.[13:40] TYLER: Yeah, yeah. So that's not been dodged or snuck in. But reality is ... Yeah, people die. Kids are wrestling with some of these hard truths. They have some of these hard questions and they want answers to them. And so having this, again, the beauty of allegory are these spiritual truths told through images. The River of Death, the idea of someone crossing the River of Death, the sorrow of that and yet the joy of that for believers who enter the king's city, the celestial city.I've heard some very, very sweet stories from people and gotten emails that have brought me to tears where someone's reading this with their child. Their child is going through cancer and facing death, and that River of Death bringing such a comfort both to the child, the parents, siblings. And for us, when we were in Cambodia, my son would bring that up often. Because we'd left family behind and now we're going on this journey, in a sense, and that's all done in light of eternity. So these metaphors of the celestial city and living for the king's kingdom and things like that were all very helpful.And then one other story from Cambodia, which was seeing the surprise in Cambodian parents, and especially dads, that I would read to my kids for 15 minutes before bed. To me, it seemed like an obvious things. To them, it was very foreign, in literally true sense. But they were surprised. “You do that with your kids?”And I said, “Oh, you don't?”[15:20] JONATHAN: Culture shock there.[15:21] TYLER: Yeah, and they said, “No, no. They go to bed when they go to bed, and we're not too involved with that.”I said, “Oh, you should try it.” And some of them... one of the pastors could speak English, and I gave him some copies of the book. And he read it and I remember since we've left he messaged me saying, “We still do that every night. We still read to our daughter before bed. And we've gone through these books these many times and thank you for this.”I just thought that was a neat way the Lord used that.[15:53] JONATHAN: So you started with a Kickstarter fundraiser and you blew through your numbers on that. Tell us a little bit about that.[16:02] TYLER: Yeah, so again this was all kind of a leap of faith and partly the way God's wired me, willing to take a risk in that sense. So let people know this book was coming out and just kind of asked friends and family to share as widely as they could on social media and kind of leading towards this Kickstarter. So we launched, and then I was just absolutely shocked as it was within the first hour we far surpassed our initial goal. And just watching the numbers just sort of fly in was a shock and delight.[16:43] JONATHAN: It looks like you got about 500 percent of your funding. So if you were wondering if that was a need for people, that certainly made its case.[16:56] TYLER: Yes, it was awesome to see. Okay, we put all this work in and got it ready, and then, oh yes, this does resonate with other people. Other people are hungry for this kind of thing. And we've seen that tenfold since then.[17:08] JONATHAN: You've talked about how Bunyan's use of allegory helps bring forth great truths through imagery and picture. Parents are always trying to communicate the Gospel in a way for children at different ages and stages to understand. But sometimes we parents can sometimes if they don't have theological degrees like you and I, they can be overwhelmed—though having a theological degree doesn't necessarily help you in this category. It's not like how to teach children is one of the classes we get.But how do you take complex truths and break them down for children? This is one of the primary ways of doing that. But just for you as a dad of young ones, what are some of the other methodologies that you use for breaking that down for kids, big concepts that come, whether it's through Scripture or spiritual conversation or whatever it is. What other methodology do you use in an effective way?[18:21] TYLER: Yeah, yeah. A lot of at least homeschoolers talk about living books, like this idea of living books being an engaging way to teach ideas. And that's for anything—science, et cetera—to children. And allegories present this idea of a living book, which means truth is coming through in a very natural sort of conversational way. And again, I feel like Bunyan is just the master of that. So what a privilege to follow in his footsteps and to—[18:50] JONATHAN: And a good thing he was in prison, right?[18:53] TYLER: He had a very vivid imagination, and the results of just certain scenes ... And he had such a deep theology and understanding of God's Word. So I love in Part 2, which is less known (his original Part 2) there's a scene where they're walking by the cross with Great-heart, and it just goes into four or five pages on pretty technical like substitutionary atonement. But he does it in a way that's so helpful and clear, and so I loved when I was going through Part 2 to take a piece of that and just simplify it. They just go at the cross and it's a very clear explanation of what it means that the King's Son died in our place. He took our sin. He gave us his righteousness. And then that, combined with different images of Christian's filthy clothes are removed, his burden is removed. So things like that I found super helpful. And then another big piece is that kids, especially in this generation, are visual, becoming increasingly more visual learners, so that's our big slogan, Biblically Faithful, Beautifully Crafted. And the idea is to have these really vivid, beautiful illustrations that draw kids in.[20:19] JONATHAN: But they aren't too graphic.[20:20] TYLER: Yes, yes. That are age appropriate. And then also to have text that's sort of clear, deep but simple and not overwhelming, and to pair that up well. We visited a friend's house, and they had their range of kids from two to seven, and they had all the books out. They said, “We swear we're not just...”[20:44] JONATHAN: Not for you.[20:45] TYLER: “... because you're here.”[20:48] JONATHAN: It's normally like this. Well, you'd find that at our house, too. We've got both book 1 and 2 wide open on some page.[20:55] TYLER: That's awesome. And I will see them, just the kids were flipping through the pictures. Like they couldn't read yet, but—[21:03] JONATHAN: But they can remember the story associated with the picture, yeah.[21:08] TYLER: And they just loved flipping through it and looking. And they stare at all the details. And so I think that's another aspect that I found very helpful is just these vivid images in books.[21:18] JONATHAN: Apart from story time with your kids, are there rhythms or patterns or activities that you try and work in to family time that you've found successful at your home?[21:34] TYLER: Yeah, I wish I could have more to say. The story book has sort of been my big main one. The other was—[21:42] JONATHAN: And your big emphasis for sure.[21:44] TYLER: But the other has been sort of the Deuteronomy type of while you are going, while you are walking by the way to instruct your kids in these things. So where he's just saying, “Write it on your doorstops. Write it on ...” Like everywhere you're going, just have these moments. So where kids are inquisitive, kids ask. It's a crazy amount of questions per day, I think when you actually ... when you've done studies of that, I'm sure.But if you're feeding them these biblical things, then they're going to have questions about biblical things that come up naturally. Which was another little piece. I mean, like maybe my dad [unintelligible] or something. We'd always have at nighttime, it would be like, “Oh, you can watch a show, but it's going to be a Bible show.”I know different families have different rhythms and some don't like shows and some like shows. But first it was an easy switch to just say, “You want to watch Paw Patrol. Instead, let's watch something else.” And a lot of those ended up being moralistic, as we kind of said. But at least it's touching on biblical things.[22:51] JONATHAN: Well, and you're able to elaborate from that and helpfully redirect them towards a cross-centric faith instead of a duty sort of centrism.[23:07] TYLER: Yeah, definitely. And so those have led to a neat where they're just thinking about things and things are resonating. And so my grandma had died last year, and my son said, “Can we call her?” Like after she died. “Can we video call her because I want to see God? Because she's with God.” And so I was like, oh, that's such an interesting ...[23:33] JONATHAN: He's got a deep truth with some confusion.[23:38] TYLER: “She's in the presence of God, why wouldn't she have her cell phone? We used to call her. Now can't we call her now?” So then you just have these neat opportunities when you're just there. There's the input, intentional biblical input, and then they're going to be inquisitive, asking questions through the day as we experience ... “Why does this family do that? Why does my friend have a mom but no dad around?” Or “Why does this cousin not believe in Jesus?” and things like that.[24:12] JONATHAN: Yeah. Having kids keeps you on your toes. And if you're a believing family, then there's a lot of questions that I think even the greatest of us could stumble over and so you really need to be filling your own mind with helpful resources. You need to be in the Word and seeking to grow in understanding and knowledge and faith and bearing that fruit of the Spirit. There's, you know, as we kind of laughed about, I mean, kids ask a ridiculous amount of questions. And there's times where I think sometimes I'm like, “I'm done. Done answering your questions. I don't want to do this anymore.”And that's typical selfish mentality of this is about me and not you. But you know, you kind of flip the script a little bit and start thinking, Okay, this could be a really great opportunity for them. And in all their questions there's usually something underlying all of that. Fear, doubt, whatever it is. Or sometimes it is just curiosity. So it's important, I think, for parents to be as available as humanly possible, and really thinking through those things.And I think sometimes people are afraid. What if I don't know the answer? Then I'm going to fail my child, or whatever it is. And it's like, you know, kids don't think in that category necessarily. I think it's actually quite biblical to say, “You know what? You're asking really good questions. Why don't we look at this together? Why don't we kind of use this as an opportunity to show that mom and dad don't know everything, and they're seeking to grow just like you are?” So tell us a little bit about the Kingdom of God story books. This is another project that you've done. I don't know if it was before or after Little Pilgrim, Big Journey, but tell us a little bit about that.[26:12] TYLER: That was after the Pilgrim book, so that was six or seven months ago those landed. And that was a big project, and an exciting—[26:22] JONATHAN: Yeah, taking Old and New Testament, that's a big undertaking.[26:28] TYLER: That was the most challenging book I've written, obviously, because you want to do honor to God's Word and to be faithful. And initially it was going to be bird's eye overview. So I thought 70 pages and we'll touch on seven different kind of key moments that highlight the kingdom through the Bible. And then as I got into it, I said, Oh, it's still missing ... like there's something ... [26:53] JONATHAN: It's always something.[26:54] TYLER: ... in between these. And so that grew to 140, and then 280, and then all of a sudden it's—[27:01] JONATHAN: It's summer reading.[27:03] TYLER: Yeah, suddenly it's a 600-page fully illustrated 45-chapter thing. And the two big goals were one was to incorporate biblical theology, which was to have these themes that are tied through, woven through from Genesis to Revelation, and so the kingdom is one of those big themes. And there's many others. So that was an exciting challenge. And then seeing prophecies of the King to come in the Old Testament. There's so many of those. So to highlight those in a very vivid and helpful way was an exciting piece of that. And then just to give a clear understanding of God's kingdom. As Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is now in your midst.” He said, “I have come for this purpose: to proclaim the Kingdom of God.” So if that's His understanding, He's saying, “For me to come and fulfill what God has promised is to display myself as the King of God's kingdom,” which He saw as clearly foreshadowed and set up in the Old Testament. So doing that in a kind of full way that knits. The goal was to sort of be seamless between each chapter and between each kind of scene or book. And the summary of it was God's presence, God's people, in God's place, through God's promise. And each chapter kind of has a summary in that way to connect those things.[28:28] JONATHAN: Ah, that's great. Books on the horizon. I think you have a third Pilgrim's Progress book coming out. Little Pilgrim, Big Journey, I should call it. I keep calling it Pilgrim's Progress. [28:38] TYLER: That's okay. Yeah, Part 3, which I'm excited about, it's about the two brothers, Christian's brothers. They saw their sister cross the River of Death and the king said it was not time for them to come yet. And I thought that was kind of a neat way to extend the allegory. Because some kids have viewed it, okay, we're going across this journey and then we get to death and then it's done. And there's this bigger picture of mission and evangelism and service. So kind of a follow-up to that. This idea is the king, instead of calling them to cross the River of Death, calls them to go back to their hometown, back to the cities, to proclaim the Gospel and to proclaim that the kingdom is coming. And so these brothers go and they experience the ideas of the Great Commission, missions, evangelism.[29:29] JONATHAN: Yeah, they've taken the mantle from Evangelist.[29:34] TYLER: Yeah. Yeah, so it's kind of an exciting. As even Evangelist and Great-heart pass, they say, over the River of Death, they say, “You take my sword. You go on.” And so I think that's a neat challenge and call for kids that have professed faith in Christ now to go back to serve, to spread the Gospel to their friends. And so I'm excited about that book.And then there's also. Our tribute to Bunyan was a legacy edition of the Pilgrim's Progress, so just a full, unabridged version more geared towards adults or older kids, teens. And has kind of 150 of the vintage illustrations and it's just a real treat to read.[30:17] JONATHAN: Well, my son will be excited for the third. Because he did ask why are Christiana's brothers stuck on the other side of the river. And so I can give him good news that the third one is coming. This is great. What a helpful conversation. We're going to put links for your website and all your books in our show notes. So those of you who are listening, I do recommend these. These are just fantastic. The illustrations are beautiful, they are age appropriate. The story brings through great truths and you'll have great questions. You do have questions that you ask. My son loves asking questions, and he loves answering questions as well. And so the fact that each chapter has questions that are asked—and they're not just recalling information, but there is some application in there as well, which really kind of speaks ... You know, because kids want to have understanding and then kind of relay that back to you. So I think that's been a great tool that you guys have put together on that.[31:24] TYLER: Yeah, that's been exciting. Initially, again, God has been gracious in this whole process. Because the first book, I was getting ready to print it, and then I just kind of asked on social media, “Would anyone find questions helpful?” And there was just a ton of response, “Yes, yes, please, please.” So I put them in.[31:40] JONATHAN: 500 percent again.[31:41] TYLER: Yeah, yeah. And a lot of parents have told us, yeah, these questions at the end of every chapter is such a help in our discipleship.[31:48] JONATHAN: It's so good. So helpful. Tyler Van Halteren, I am so grateful to have met you now that I've read through your books. And I hope that they continue to be a blessing for generations, just as John Bunyan has been for many centuries. And again, thank you so much for taking the time to come and chat with us on Candid Conversations. [32:09] TYLER: Yeah, thank you. 

People who are emotionally mature believe in themselves. Although as believers we have learned to have faith in God, our belief in ourselves is based on what God says about us. Someone with emotional maturity is not deluded, and does not have a false sense of self; however, they do have optimism in their God-given abilities. This distinction is important because this mindset equips us to deal with whatever life throws at us. We can only succeed by relying on God; the difference between success or failure is therefore determined by whether we trust in Jesus or in our own self-effort. Our Christian lives can be compared to a journey; although we will encounter obstacles and detours from the path, our destination remains unchanged. We can be confident that we have been equipped with everything we need to successfully finish the journey. To support the ministry financially, text "CDMPodcast" to 74483 or visit www.worldchangers.org.

5-19-24 | Our Christian faith is not built on blind hopes and fleeting experiences. Our faith is built on Solid Ground, on the Firm Foundation that is Jesus Christ. We are dedicated to creating strong, faithful servants of God here at Friendship Church. 

This message powerfully reminds us of the centrality of faith in our spiritual journey. Drawing from Jesus' parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18, we're challenged to consider: 'Will the Son of Man find faith on earth when he returns?' Our Christian story, from creation to redemption, hinges on faith. Like Abraham, we're often given a vision without detailed instructions, requiring us to trust God's timing and methods. The speaker encourages us to shift our thinking, emphasizing that miracles can occur with just one change in perspective. We're urged to wait on God, even when it's difficult, as these waiting periods are where we grow and develop a rich history with Him.EPISODE CREDITS:  Produced, edited and mixed by Shera Dye. Artwork designed by Shera Dye. All rights reserved Freedom Church Bossier City.   LINKS Visit us at our website here for more information. Sundays at 10:30a--Plan your visit here!  Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram & subscribe to our YouTube channel!

5-12-24| Our Christian faith is not built on blind hopes and fleeting experiences. Our faith is built on Solid Ground, on the Firm Foundation that is Jesus Christ. We are dedicated to creating strong, faithful servants of God here at Friendship Church.

Matthew 5:43-48 The Definition of Grace (vv. 43-44) You have heard it said: Love your neighbor, hate your enemy. but I say to you Love your enemy Bless your enemy Do good to your enemy Pray for your enemy The Distribution of Grace (v. 45) Common grace: the gifts of creation Saving grace: the gift of salvation The Distinction of Grace (vv. 46-48) The lost love their friends and family. The disciple of Christ must do more! The perfect love of God is our standard. More to Consider Looking back over all six antitheses, it has become clear what the greater righteousness is to which Christians are summoned. It is a deep inward righteousness of the heart where the Holy Spirit has written Gods law. It is new fruit exhibiting the newness of the tree, new life burgeoning from a new nature. So we have no liberty to try to dodge or duck the lofty demands of the law. Law-dodging is a pharisaic hobby; what is characteristic of Christians is a keen appetite for righteousness, hungering and thirsting after it continuously. And this righteousness, whether expressed in purity, honesty or charity, will show to whom we belong. Our Christian calling is to imitate not the world, but the Father. And it is by this imitation of him that the Christian counterculture becomes visible. John Stott We must recognize Jesus fundamental point: only the person who places his confidence entirely in God can learn to renounce his own security and encounter his neighbor openly. Schweizer says, And when he encounters his neighbor thuswith the compassion of God himselfhe will no longer need to kill in order to live; no longer need to guard his heart with half-truths or oaths; no longer maintain his cause by vengeanceby returning blows or going to courtor carry the day for his own party by vilifying the enemy. Myron S. Augsburger The word perfect in Matthew 5:48 does not imply sinlessly perfect, for that is impossible in this life (though it is a good goal to strive for). It suggests completeness, maturity, as the sons of God. The Father loves His enemies and seeks to make them His children, and we should assist Him! Warren W. Wiresbe

Discover the power of vulnerability in this video. Learn how opening up and being real can lead to trust, empowerment, and authenticity in your relationships and personal growth. Join us on a heartfelt journey as we delve deep into the intricacies of relationships, faith, and love in the heart of Indiana.

5-5-24 | Our Christian faith is not built on blind hopes and fleeting experiences. Our faith is built on Solid Ground, on the Firm Foundation that is Jesus Christ. We are dedicated to creating strong, faithful servants of God here at Friendship Church. 

Not only did the nation of Israel get a new leader but they were given a new land! The is land is often called their inheritance because it was a land promised to their forefathers!  This is a great picture of the fact that as believers we have a new inheritance in Christ. Our Christian experience on earth should be by faith claiming the reality of our inheritance in Christ and living in victory every day!   In Ephesians 1:11-14, Paul talked about our inheritance: “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”   The word "land" is found eighty-seven times in the Book of Joshua because this book is the record of Israel's entering, conquering, and claiming the Promised Land. God promised to give the land to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-7; 13:15-17; 15:7,18; 17:8; 24:7), and He reaffirmed the promise to Isaac (26:1-5), Jacob (28:4, 13, 15; 35:12), and their descendants (50:24). The Exodus narrative gives many reaffirmations of the promise (Exodus 3:8,17; 6:4, 8; 12:25; 13:5,11;16:35; 23:20-33; 33:1-3; 34:10-16), and these are repeated in Leviticus (14:34; 18:3; 19:23; 20:22-24; 23:10; 25:2, 38) and Numbers (11:12; 15:2, 18; 16:13-14; 20:12, 24; 27:12; 33:53; 34:2, 12).   In Moses' "farewell speech" in the Book of Deuteronomy, he frequently mentioned the land and the nation's responsibility to possess it. The word "land" is found nearly 200 times in Deuteronomy and the word "possess" over 50 times. Israel owned the land because of God's gracious covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-5), but their enjoyment of the land depended on their faithful obedience to God. (See Lev. 26 and Deut. 28-30.) As long as the Jews obeyed God's law, He blessed them, and they prospered in the land.   God called the Promised Land "a good land" (Deut. 8:7-10) and contrasted it with the monotony and barrenness of Egypt (Deut. 11:8-14). It was to be Israel's place of rest, her inheritance, and the dwelling place of God (Deut. 12:9,11). After enduring slavery in Egypt and misery in the wilderness, the Jews would finally find rest in their Promised Land (Josh. 1:13, 15; 11:23; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1). This concept of "rest" will show up again in Psalm 95:11 and Hebrews 4 as an illustration of the victory Christians can have if they give their all to the Lord.   We have a promised inheritance in Christ which is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit in us. Today, are you enjoying and experiencing rest and victory in Jesus?   God bless!

4-28-24 | Our Christian faith is not built on blind hopes and fleeting experiences. Our faith is built on Solid Ground, on the Firm Foundation that is Jesus Christ. We are dedicated to creating strong, faithful servants of God here at Friendship Church.

Pastors Mike and Todd continue our podcast series on the distinctives of GBC. These are further conversations on the sermon series we did this past summer (https://www.greshambible.org/sermons/series/gbc-distinctives). This is our fifth distinctive which reads:We deeply believe that the church is a family and not an event we attend. Our Christian faith is personal, but it is never private. Our abiding in Jesus or lack thereof always has a ripple effect on the community at large. God has saved us into His family and our call is now to live out the "one another" commands in the New Testament for the glory of God. This distinctive is why we are committed to practicing meaningful church membership. This is also why we are relationally-driven in our practices. (Colossians 3:12-15, Hebrews 10:24-25)

1 Peter 01:22-25 – Our Salvation is the basis for our ability to love others. We need to love people sincerely and fervently. Our Christian growth is linked to our obedience and application of God's Word into our lives. Peter challenges us to love people and God's Word deeply. 

Our Christian life was not owed to us, nor what it earned by us. Instead, we've received mercy. Grace is transformative. It makes us into new creatures, alive to do good, to serve, to love, and to extend the mercy that we've been shown. Remember - by grace you are saved. God bless. Winter Love by Dr. Dundiff Provided by Lofigirl Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNcWzP3OgLs⁠⁠⁠ Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/track/6JbLsnmc7tgcVIzb5JBesa?si=571eccab9eae4ec6⁠

Reviving a sense of community and reflecting on his time working with Martin Luther King Jr.Martin Luther King Jr.'s message was rooted in uplifting the people and organizing Americans for a better sense of community. He passionately advocated for equality, justice, and unity, envisioning a society where individuals transcended racial and social divides to stand together in solidarity. King's powerful speeches, such as his iconic "I Have a Dream" address, emphasized the importance of love, understanding, and nonviolent resistance in pursuing a more harmonious society. His vision was about civil rights and fostering a collective spirit that could bring about positive change and create a stronger, more inclusive community where all people could excel and thrive no matter their background.In this fascinating conversation, Harry joins Wilk to discuss:      How his father's time with the Red Cross resulted in both Harry and his father working with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the S.C.L.C.      Run-ins with the KKK and other white supremacists.      The difference between the philosophies of pacifism and non-violence.       “Operation Dialogue” and the Citizenship Schools programs of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference      Finding the divine and humanity in all people.      Book: “If Your Back's Not Bent” by Dorothy Cotton      Movie “Best of Enemies”      Our Christian faith & of course the common cause work we do with the organization Braver AngelsWho are  Harry Boyte?Harry C. Boyte is a co-founder of the Institute for Public Life and Work and Senior Scholar of Public Work Philosophy at the Institute and also at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN.  He founded and for 20 years directed and co-directed the Center for Democracy and Citizenship (CDC) at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. As a young man he worked in the citizenship schools sponsored by SCLC, Martin Luther King Jr.'s organization. Learn more about and connect with Harry Boyte online:website: https://www.iplw.org/(X) formerly know as Twitter: @HarryBoyteWhat have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you've got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter , TruthSocial,  Rumble, YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast. If we book them for a conversation, I'll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at wilk@wilksworld.comI look forward to hearing from you!

Subscribe for more Videos: http://www.youtube.com/c/PlantationSDAChurchTVTheme: Jesus invites every believer to a co-laborer with Him and His Father for the salvation of souls. True discipleship is defined by being actively engaged in bringing others to Him. Our Christian walk is strengthened and renewed as we are engaged in seeking the lost for Christ. Speaker: Pastor N. Abraham RoseTitle: Reach Key text: https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.9.35-38.esv Bulletin/Notes: http://bible.com/events/49192902 Date: January 6, 2024 Tags: #psdatv #Jesus #mission #purpose #goal #resolution #reach #outreach #community #impact #disciple #discipleship #salvation #save #seekFor more life lessons and inspirational content, please visit us at http://www.plantationsda.tv. Church Copyright License (CCLI): 1659090 CCLI Streaming Plus License: 21338439Support the show: https://adventistgiving.org/#/org/ANTBMV/envelope/startSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Presented by Lisa Bishop I read a story of forgiveness about a woman whose husband was kidnapped and tortured. In her words she was in a “living hell” as the captors demanded ransom money she did not have and sent her photos of her husband enduring unspeakable evil at the hands of the men who captured him. For 30 long weeks her husband experienced cruel and unusual punishment. As I read her story, I could feel the anguish in my own soul for all of the pain and loss she and her husband endured. Forgiveness was a journey for her, but she realized she was harming herself by holding onto hatred and over time got to a place where she felt empathy, forgave the men, and released herself from her self-contained prison of unforgiveness. I cannot even imagine going through something so nightmarish and yet this is what she said. Now I remind myself daily to apply forgiveness to my everyday life while driving, while in the grocery store, and at home with my family. Every time I feel myself going into anger or judgment, I instead choose empathy and forgiveness. I get better at it every day. This woman's story is an extreme example and most of us may not experience what she endured. But the fact that she could get to a place of forgiveness is an example for you and me. Jesus is our ultimate example of extending forgiveness. Our Christian faith requires us to forgive so we must work at it and be willing. At some point in our lives we all will experience feelings of unforgiveness. Anger, resentment, bitterness, or perhaps even hatred towards another person. Maybe in this very moment there are people in your life that you are refusing to forgive or maybe you have tried to let go of hurt or hard feelings but you find yourself having a really difficult time. First off, you are not alone. Forgiveness is something we have all struggled with at one time or another, and while forgiveness is a fundamental of the Christian faith, sometimes it is easier said than done. I am not an expert on forgiveness, in fact I have had to overcome my own obstacles to forgive when I have been hurt. For years I worked to forgive someone that I experienced as very toxic. While I did not want to hold onto my ill feelings towards the person, it was challenging. I prayed, I read the Word asking God to help me. I even hired a coach to help me work through my feelings of anger and bitterness. It took some really hard work over time. You may have experienced things in your life that seem unforgivable; tremendous loss and tragedy caused at the hands of another person. More common are the day-to-day rubs, miscommunication or insensitivities we have toward each other that can fester into unforgiveness. Whether a minor offense or major violation, forgiveness can feel like a hard pill to swallow. But it's the crux of the Gospel message. Romans 5:8: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” These are only two of the 125+ references to forgiveness in the Bible. Forgiveness is a big deal to God and it is meant to be a daily practice for followers of Jesus. Living a lifestyle of forgiveness is what you and I are called to. Letting go of hurts and surrendering them to Jesus is non-negotiable. But let's face it, relationships can be messy at times. Our marriages, friendships, family, and work relationships are vulnerable to the venom of unforgiveness if we are not mindful. Speaking of venom, if you were bit by a snake (I hope that never happens to you), what would you do first? Stomp on the snake and yell at it, or would you try to suck the venom out of you? My guess is your first action would be to get rid of the poison in your body. Unforgiveness is like poison flowing through your veins and the best thing to do is to eliminate it.

Dive into the profound significance of analogous terms in Christian education with our enlightening discussion, gaining valuable insights into the complexities of analogous terms and their relevance to learning biological concepts. Our Christian education channel, Biblical Anatomy Academy, provides comprehensive analyses of biblical passages, fostering enriching theological comprehension, as well as analyses of common stumbling points for students in anatomy and physiology, fostering depth of education.Academy https://academy.biblicalanatomy.com/Social Links YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnHjsFTGl9PRWCtO_8BqLgA) Tik Tok (https://www.tiktok.com/@biblicalanatomyacademy) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/biblicalanatomyacademy) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/biblicalanatomyacademy/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/biblicalanatomyacademy/?viewAsMember=true) Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/BiblicalAnatomyAcademy) X (https://twitter.com/BiblicalAnatomy)Contact podcast@DiscipleshipConditioning.com https://sleek.bio/biblicalanatomyacademyRecommendations Platform Launchers (https://www.platformlaunchers.com/a/2147508408/LopZtA3U) TunePipe (https://tunepipe.com/a/zkmici)Discipleship Conditioning Podcast

Our Christian liberty should never be used to offend a weaker brother. But does that mean we have to limit our own freedom because of someone else's weakness? This is a big question in our day and age and one that many Christians have neglected to answer Biblically. Listen to the full-length version or read Stephen's manuscript here: https://www.wisdomonline.org/teachings/romans-lesson-143

Our Christian is a deeply personal faith, but we don't stop there. God's heart is for us to bring health and well-being to the people we are in touch with and even to the the city where we live and called home. So, what is God's plan for us and the city?

Our Christian is a deeply personal faith, but we don't stop there. God's heart is for us to bring health and well-being to the people we are in touch with and even to the the city where we live and called home. So, what is God's plan for us and the city?

Every year around this time, the ritual begins anew. The weather cools off, the leaves change color, and Christians start arguing about Halloween.   Many people love this night. It gives them an excuse to host parties, kick off the holiday spending season, and provide economic stimulus for the dental industry. Others use it as an excuse to flirt with things much darker than plastic skeletons and creative jack-o'-lanterns. Too many adults use Halloween as an excuse to throw out common standards of modesty.   What is the history behind Halloween? What's all the decoration and tradition really about? Is there something spiritual behind all the ghoulishness?   When I was a kid, a series of comic-book-style tracts went around claiming that Halloween was a pagan holiday called Samhain, when ancient druids used to carry out human sacrifice under a full moon. That story, as even modern pagans who love Halloween admit, is mostly made up.   The very name “Halloween” means “holy evening.” It was a throwback to when Catholic Christians prepared for the Feast of All Saints on November 1st. A few years back, Kirk Cameron urged Christians to make the most of Halloween's Christian origins, and to throw “the biggest Halloween party on (the) block.” Not only is it a great way to make fun of the devil, he argued, but it offers Christians a wonderful opportunity to proclaim Jesus' victory over sin and death to our neighbors.   Our Christian forebears might have agreed. In his book, For the Glory of God, historian Rodney Stark argued that Christians in the early centuries of the Church frequently reacted to pagan practices like fortune-telling, alchemy, and even sorcery, by not taking them seriously. Augustine, for example, myth-busted astrology by pointing out how twins born under the same star sign were often very different in personality. St. Boniface taught that “to believe in ‘witches' is un-Christian.” Pope Gregory the Great even advised a missionary to Britain to destroy idols but to re-purpose pagan temples for Christian worship.   A few years ago, Steven Wedgeworth offered another perspective in an article at The Calvinist International. After providing a helpful overview of the history of Halloween, he concluded that though there are echoes of paganism and Christian re-purposing in Halloween, the holiday of today, especially the costumes and trick-or-treating, is a recent invention. Like the commercialized secular Christmas, Halloween as we know it has more to do with department stores than druids.   No matter what day it is, Paul's instructions in Philippians 4 should guide our celebrations. Christians should think on “whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable.” Axe-murderer get-ups and sexually provocative costumes fail to pass that test. And, we should consider Paul's teaching on meat sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8. Idol worship is always wrong, but eating meat sacrificed to idols is a matter of conscience.   If you are unable to participate in Halloween with a clear conscience, there are plenty of other things to celebrate this time of year, from Reformation Day to All Saints Day, to the beauty of fall's changing colors, to, as always, the sovereignty of God and the victory of Christ over everything. And, if kids will be knocking at your door on Halloween night, you can always put on a wool tunic and nail 95 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to your door.   If you and your kids do enjoy a little spooky stuff, just remember,   as Paul Pastor wrote over at Christianity Today, “monsters should point us to God.” “No story worth listening to,” he says, “lacks a villain. And no villain worth fighting lacks monstrosity.” No story has more monstrous villains or darker darkness than Scripture. We do have an enemy, an enemy of our souls. At the same time, Scripture describes evil as not just “out there,” but also in our own hearts.    And yet, evil does not have the final say, either in the world or in our own hearts. Evil is a real foe, but because of Jesus Christ, evil is a defeated foe. So, fear not.   For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, go to breakpoint.org.  This Breakpoint originally aired October 31, 2014. 

Our Christian brothers and sisters face persecution in many countries but are still faithful to the Gospel. Do we who haven't been persecuted know how to suffer for Christ? In this message, Pastor Lutzer considers Paul's example as well as believers persecuted under Nazi rule. We all can testify to God's presence in our weakness and our hardest times. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at offerrtw.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001. 

The second law of thermodynamics says things tend toward disorder. As time goes on, things fall apart. When it comes to our homes, a clean room never stays that way for long. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out there's a spiritual parallel. Our Christian lives can get messy and out of sorts. But we'll learn Jesus can come in sort it out...if we let Him. Pastor Greg urges us to open the door and let Jesus have access to every room of our spiritual house. Listen on harvest.org --- Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org. A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second law of thermodynamics says things tend toward disorder. As time goes on, things fall apart. When it comes to our homes, a clean room never stays that way for long. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out there's a spiritual parallel. Our Christian lives can get messy and out of sorts. But we'll learn Jesus can come in sort it out...if we let Him. Pastor Greg urges us to open the door and let Jesus have access to every room of our spiritual house. Listen on harvest.org --- Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org. A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Connecting to God and to Jesus through the Holy Spirit requires an understanding of what the Holy Trinity is…  Pastor Mike Ash from Grace Family Church visits the Strong By Design podcast to talk with co-host Jared Haley about his encounters with the Holy Spirit and relationship to God.  Our Christian faith is based on God as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.   Understanding that relationship and how they are different and one is paramount. This conversation is based on a sermon Jared heard at church and was moved to have Pastor Mike on the show to share with our listeners.    “People asked, ‘How do you hear from the Holy Spirit?' For me, the number 1 way is through fasting – what happens is you starve the flesh to feed the spirit… In those moments, I feel that it charges my relationship with God and the Holy Spirit, and in those moments, He speaks to me." - Pastor Mike Ash    Time Stamps    01:14 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design' podcast  1:37 - Get to know today's special guest, Pastor Mike Ash of Grace Family Church  04:20 - Pastor Mike recounts people's perceptions of the Holy Spirit  7:27 - Understanding the Trinity: Who is the Holy Spirit and what's his role? 12:06 - Pastor Mike shares a friend's encounter with the Holy Spirit  12:48 - How do you hear from the Holy Spirit? 15:59 - Ways the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin  26:18 - Pastor Mike shares how he felt the presence of the Holy Spirit  32:04 - Discover the GIFTS of the Holy Spirit  35:53 - Pastor Mike shares his personal testimony about the power of the Holy Spirit  38:46 - The GREATNESS of walking with the Holy Spirit  44:04 - Pastor Mike's advice to those looking to nurture a relationship with the Holy Spirit  45:35 - Where you can go to connect with Pastor Mike Ash     Resources:  Grace Family Church    Connect w/ Mike:  Facebook  Instagram    Connect w/ CriticalBench:   Youtube  Facebook  Instagram  CriticalBench.com  StrongByDesignPodcast.com