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3 episodes with sometimes christians
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2 episodes with sometimes christians
2 episodes with sometimes christians
2 episodes with sometimes christians
2 episodes with sometimes christians
What should you do when you're following God and suddenly everything gets hard? Does opposition mean you missed God? Should you stop? Or could this be an opportunity to develop something the Bible says every Christian needs?
Title: Bless the Blesser for Every Spiritual Blessing Text: Ephesians 1:1-3 FCF: We often struggle appreciating all that the Father has done for us. Prop: Because the Father has given us every Spiritual blessing in Christ, we must praise God. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to the book of Ephesians chapter 1. In a moment we'll begin reading from the Legacy Standard Bible starting in verse 1. You can follow along in the pew bible on page 1317 or in whatever version you prefer. I'll take this opportunity to remind you again of the outline that is available to you in the foyer. This is my outline which I have prepared for you and myself as we study the book together. It is subject to change as we go through the study, but I will endeavor to keep it current and supply a corrected copy, if necessary, at the end of the study. I also create sermon notes each week for those who do better listening by taking notes. There will be fill in the blank, multiple choice, and true false questions each week to help keep your ears engaged as you listen. Let me start this book by simply saying I had a whale of a time deciding how to begin this letter. Let me explain. Verse 3 through verse 14 are not only one thought of Paul's… they are also one sentence in Greek. As such, it was very difficult for me to try to decide what verses to pick to begin this letter. To capture Paul's thought, I'd have to preach a sermon on verses 3-14… but the only way to accomplish that would be to move forward summarizing on a high level all that Paul is saying in each verse. We could do that. I could give you just an overview… But what Paul is saying is so earth shattering, and even to some Christians today, so controversial, and so full of theological language, that the only way for us to even get a true overview of what Paul is saying, is to dissect each phrase in this 202-word sentence. It is quite a catch-22. Here is my solution. Today, we will get through the greeting, which is rich in and of itself, and simply open up the sentence of Paul's first thought to the Ephesians. Fortunately for us, verse 3 serves as a summary statement of all that he will say in verses 4-14. In the coming weeks we will move slowly through each verse, defining each theological term, dissecting exactly what Paul is saying. And at the end of that, when we make it to verse 14, the following week I will preach a sermon over verses 3-14 having defined and looked at each verse specifically. In that sermon we will put it all together to arrive at exactly what Paul is saying. As you can imagine, being a 12 verse sentence, it is probably an important opening thought to the letter. Indeed, it is THE main theological point of the letter. So today, to merely crack open Paul's point, let's look to the text. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Good and Gracious Father, we come before You today to marvel at Your generosity. You have given Your people all Spiritual blessings in Your Son. We turn to You for grace and peace. We look to You for every help and every fortification we need against the enemy. May we be even more convinced of our need to not only look to You for all things… but to praise You for Your generous and constant supply. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “God's giving deserves our thanksgiving.” Anonymous “God is never less than generous, even when we are less than grateful.” John Blanchard “God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning [Slide 3] “He who feeds His birds will not starve His babes.” Matthew Henry “God's goodness is the root of all goodness; and our goodness, if we have any, springs out of His goodness.” William Tyndale “God is ever giving to His children yet has not less.” Thomas Watson Let these words help to prepare our heads and hearts to hear from the Lord today. I.) God gives grace and peace to His saints, so we must praise God. (1-2) a. [Slide 4] 1 - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, i. If you missed last week, you can, of course, go back and listen to the sermon via the various means we have for recording sermons. ii. We have a Facebook page that saves the services we live stream for several weeks. We also record the video of the sermon on our YouTube channel and post the audio of each sermon on our website and to our podcast channel as well. iii. Paul claims to be an apostle or sent one of Christ Jesus. iv. We saw when we studied Acts 9 that Paul indeed was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. v. Christ met him on the road to Damascus in a vision. He threw Paul from his horse, rebuked him for opposing the second person of the Godhead, and commanded Paul to go to Damascus and submit to proclaiming the same gospel he was opposing to Jews, Gentiles, Kings and beggars. vi. Paul was not given a choice. He was given a destiny. Could he have chosen to ignore it? vii. In his opening words here, it seems as though he doesn't think so. For it was by the will of God that he became a sent one of Jesus Christ. viii. And as the Scriptures teach, none can thwart the will of God. Not even Paul. b. [Slide 5] To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: i. Since this is a greeting, we might expect there to be some kind of statement addressing the letter to a particular church. ii. Paul addresses this to the saints are at Ephesus who are faithful in Christ Jesus. iii. We are met with somewhat of a dilemma. Saints is a term the New Testament and Paul specifically apply most often to those who have professed faith in Christ. But here we see that he is addressing this letter to saints who are at Ephesus and faithful in Christ. iv. So, does this imply that there are saints that are not faithful in Christ? v. Rather than seeing this as two descriptions of the same people, we should see this as one description. vi. One way we could translate this is, “To the saints who are at Ephesus, that is, the faithful (or believers) in Christ Jesus. c. [Slide 6] 2 - Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. i. This is Paul's standard greeting and I have tried to incorporate this in my conversations with other believers. ii. Grace of course is what? iii. [Slide 7] God's power which He grants to people according to His free will, to enable them to be, receive, or do something which they are unable and unwilling to be, get, or do on their own. iv. Grace is the lifeblood of the Christian. Grace is what enables us to continue to live in obedience to God. v. This is why the historical church spoke of the means of grace or the ways in which God has set forth to communicate or give grace to His people. vi. God gives grace through His Word, read, studied, memorized and preached. God gives grace through prayer, fellowship with other believers, and through the sacraments or ordinances. God enables us to be, receive, or do what He wants through these means. vii. [Slide 8] And what is peace? viii. Peace is much more than the cessation of hostility between God and man, although that is certainly part of it. Peace is much more than the cessation of hostility between unbelieving men and Christians. ix. Peace is wholeness. Completeness. Peace is the setting to right of what has been thrown into chaos. Peace is all things being brought back into the dominion of God. x. As such peace is something only God can give. It is something only God can bring. xi. And so, Paul gives the Ephesian Christians the greatest wish he can. The greatest wish any Christian can give to another Christian. xii. Grace and peace to you. xiii. From God, the Father of Jew and Gentile, and from our one Lord – Jesus Christ. d. [Slide 9] Summary of the Point: Paul begins his letter the same way he begins most of his letters. He desires his recipients to be constantly supplied on the grace and peace of God. Paul also subtly acknowledges that God the Father is not only his Father and the Jews' Father but the Father of all who are in Christ who is also the one Lord over all the church. These are themes he will continue to develop through the rest of the book of Ephesians. God takes center stage. His grace begins the work in them and His peace is the effect produced to greater and greater degrees in them. As such, there is no better hope Paul could have for his readers. What response should the Ephesians have to this? They must praise the Lord for His relationship to them and supply of grace and peace. We must do the same. Transition: [Slide 10 (blank)] Paul, leaving his greeting, now embarks on two prayers. The first forms a doxological eulogy, or a good word of praise, where Paul feverishly praises God for what He has done. The second is Paul's prayer that his readers would understand the depths of what he says in the first prayer. Verse three serves as a great summary of the first prayer. Let's look at it. II.) God gives every blessing from the Spirit to us in Christ, so we must praise God. (3) a. [Slide 11] 3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, i. Paul begins with what will be his primary and governing theological thought of the entire book. ii. We will actually see him address each member of the godhead in this prayer, but Paul begins with the first person of the Godhead, God the Father. iii. The word blessed can have different meanings based on context. iv. If someone has been blessed, it means they have been favored or given a gift. v. If someone blesses, it means they have good hopes or wishes for someone, or gives someone a gift. vi. If God blesses it has more of the idea of grace and favor. vii. But here the word blessed is an adjective. And it is describing God. viii. God does not need favor from anyone, nor does God need good hopes or wishes. God needs nothing so it isn't a gift being given to God. ix. So, in this case, “blessed” inherits the meaning of praiseworthiness. x. God the Father, as a characteristic of His being, is praiseworthy. xi. But what could it mean that the first person of the Godhead is both God and Father of Jesus? Isn't Jesus God? Certainly, He is. xii. [Slide 12] There are actually two things happening here that we must address. 1. First is that Paul is not writing this to deny or downplay Christ's deity, instead Paul writes this to affirm Christ's humanity. a. In pagan mythology, the idea of demigods is actually quite common. b. The gods could take on human form and appear to be humans. The gods could be a certain percentage of god and the rest of men. c. But to get pagans to understand that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man, would be quite the challenge. d. Indeed, to teach Christians this truth today is very challenging. e. And so, that God is Christ's God and the Father is Christ's Father, would emphasize a unique relationship between God and the MAN Jesus Christ. 2. The second truth this is alluding to is that this is the common way God is addressed in other good words of praise throughout the scriptures. a. Statements like “Blessed be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Or “Blessed be the God of Israel.” b. This is covenantal language. c. So what covenant is on display with the statement, “Blessed be the God and Father of Jesus Christ?” Certainly, Paul would be referring to the New Covenant. d. A covenant that subsumes all previous covenants. e. The importance of God being the God and Father of Jesus is that Jesus becomes the new representative, the new source of all the covenant blessings from God. f. Israel, the patriarchs, and Adam all failed. g. Christ is the last Adam. Christ is greater than the patriarchs including Abraham. Christ is the King of Israel, making Him all of Israel's head. Christ is the new and final representative of this new covenant of redemption. h. He is responsible for us to make sure all the covenant blessings and promises continue to flow from God the Father. i. And he is a representative who will never fail. xiii. Paul then is expressing the praiseworthiness of God the Father who is both the God and Father of Jesus Christ, who is our Lord. xiv. But why? Why is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ praiseworthy? b. [Slide 13] who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing i. God is praiseworthy because He has blessed us. ii. So, the definition of the word needs to shift. God isn't praising us. iii. What is God the Father doing? iv. He is favoring us. v. How? How is God showing us favor? vi. By giving to us every spiritual blessing. vii. Again, the word blessing needs to take on a new meaning. It isn't praiseworthiness or favor. Now blessing takes on the meaning of a gift given to promote the prosperity of the recipient. viii. And Paul adds the word “spiritual” here. ix. He makes it clear that he is not talking about physical blessings. x. Sometimes Christians talk about hitting every green light on the way to work and getting a job promotion, after which they might say something like “God is really blessing me.” xi. That isn't the kind of blessing to which Paul is referring. xii. Paul is specifically calling out the blessings God has given to us which are spiritual in nature. xiii. But that is just what these gifts aren't. They aren't physical. But what ARE they? xiv. We must see these blessings from God as those from the Holy Spirit. xv. Spiritual in the sense that they originate from the third person of the Godhead. xvi. God the Father is to be praised because He has given us every Holy Spirit blessing. c. [Slide 14] in the heavenly places i. This phrase can be difficult to understand. ii. Because Paul talks about heavenly places in this book several times, and in each he talks about how those places are inhabited by holy and fallen angelic creatures, we must assume that this is a location. A plane of existence if you will. iii. Specifically, this is most likely referring to where spiritual beings dwell. iv. Is Paul saying that this is where these blessings come from? Probably not. v. Instead, this seems to indicate to us that every Holy Spirit blessing given to us is kept for us, or deposited for us in the heavenly realms, safe and secure against any incursion by physical and spiritual attack. vi. Our Holy Spirit benefits are sealed in a place where God not only dwells but also protects. vii. Does this mean that we experience none of these Spiritual blessings before we enter the Kingdom of heaven? viii. No. They are gifts of the Holy Spirit, meaning He has brought them to us, He transmits some of these blessings in growing ways now. ix. But one day we will experience every Spiritual blessing in full. x. How has the Father accomplished this for us? d. [Slide 15] in Christ, i. Christ is the instrument that the Father chose to communicate every single Holy Spirit blessing to us. ii. Christ is the vehicle God the Father has used to give to us every Holy Spirit blessing to ensure that we spiritually prosper. iii. In Acts we discussed how Jews and Gentiles alike were called to believe on Christ and how the only path to remaining a true Jew was to believe on Jesus the Messiah. iv. Those who did not believe on Jesus, ceased being a true Israelite and were dead branches cut off from the tree. v. Paul, in a sense, argues the same point here. vi. God the Father gives every Spiritual blessing for Spiritual prosperity through Christ alone. There is no other instrument the Father has or will use to give these blessings to us. vii. Even the Spirit Himself only came to indwell believers when Jesus ascended and He and the Father sent the Spirit to us. viii. Christ is the chokepoint. ix. But we should know that already since Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but through Me.” x. The only way to inherit Spiritual blessings, preserved for us until we enter His Kingdom, is by being united to Christ by faith. xi. And the God and the Father of Christ is praiseworthy for giving these blessings through Him. e. [Slide 16] Summary of the Point: Now we might be wondering what exactly those Holy Spirit blessings ARE and what parts of them we have received today and will receive when we enter the Kingdom of heaven. But that will take the rest of the sentence on to verse 14 to explain. We'll get there. For now, it is enough to recognize that God the Father has given those who are saints, namely those who are believers in Christ, every blessing from the Holy Spirit and preserved them for us in the heavenly realms where He sits alone as Sovereign over all. He is the God and Father of Christ and just as He sent His Spirit and all the blessings of His Spirit to Christ, He will also send these blessings to those who are united to Christ. So, what should be our response? The very first word of verse 3. We must praise God the Father for this. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today that refines our beliefs and guides our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 17] God is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called Jesus His Beloved Son in whom He is perfectly pleased. Jesus Christ is the mediator of a new covenant. He is the last and final human representative of a new cosmic reconciliation plan. In this, God the Father has given every blessing from the Holy Spirit to those who are united to Christ by true faith. Not only has He given these blessings to us, but they are kept secure for us until the consummation of that Kingdom of heaven… when Heaven comes to earth and God dwells with us. What response should God's people have to these great truths? Simply, praise God! Amen? Let's get a little more specific then on what we've learned and how we can live differently. 1.) [Slide 18] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God the Father gives every Spiritual blessing to us who are in Christ. a. There are a few layers to this truth that we need to understand. b. First, we must see the glory of the Father as a loving and caring Father that provides all His children's needs. i. In the scriptures it is shown that Fathers, even the wicked ones, know how to give good gifts to their children. ii. Christ says, “what father when their child asks for fish the father gives them a snake? What father when their child asks for bread, gives them a rock?” iii. Now that isn't to say that there aren't crummy fathers out there. All Jesus is saying is that you don't have to have God help you be kind to your own children. iv. In this our Heavenly Father is the best possible Father that could ever be. v. He provides all that we would need and abundantly more than we would ask or think. vi. God, as Christ's Father, and Christ as Our Lord, ensures that God is also OUR Father and that He will give us all that He has given to His Son. c. A Second layer of this teaching is that there is nothing lacking in Christ. i. There are many brands of Christianity that disagree with this either by implication or by explicit teaching. ii. Some brands of Christianity insist that Christ has accomplished everything, but in order to access it, we must work hard or do something to get it. iii. Some brands of Christianity insist that without our effort we cannot be justified. iv. Some brands of Christianity insist that once you are converted, there is a second step YOU must take to experience a greater spiritual life, inherit more Holy Spirit blessings, and be closer to God. v. All of these fundamentally disagree with what this passage teaches us. vi. God has given Every blessing of the Holy Spirit to us who are in Christ. If you are a true believer, He has given every blessing to you. vii. That is not to say that you won't grow or progress. But it is to say that there is nothing lacking in you, from the moment you believe to the moment Christ returns. Your Spiritual blessings are given to you and they are secure in heavenly realms. d. A third layer to this is the assertion that grace and peace are included in these Spiritual blessings. i. Grace is how God enables His people to do and be what He wants them to do and be and peace is the result. ii. Therefore, we can confirm that the grace and peace we wish to one another is from God the Father, who has given all Spiritual blessing to us in Christ. iii. So when we wish these things to a true believer, we can rest assured that it is not an empty wish. God will grant our hope for them to have grace and peace. iv. So let's say grace and peace to you instead of “take it easy” “see ya later” or even worse “good luck”. Ugh! Grace and Peace to you! 2.) [Slide 19] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the blessings God gives are given from His Spirit and by the mediatorial role of Christ as our covenantal head. a. God does not give us Holy Spirit blessings because we have earned it. b. God does not bless us because we pray or because we read His Word. c. In fact, nothing we do has any impact on what God has given to us in Christ. d. We aren't even in the equation. e. God the Triune has done this. By Himself. f. And we would do well to remember this. g. God the Father gives it from the Spirit through the Son. h. So, what are we? i. Well, we will get to it later, but we are made to be an inheritance given to Christ. We are Christ's reward for His obedience to the Father. And the Spirit is the seal upon that reward to ensure it gets to Him. j. Our salvation, our sanctification, our glorification… is God's gift to His Son sealed by His Spirit. k. We need a HUGE adjustment to how we see salvation. l. So many churches, so many worship songs, so many Christians continue to amplify and expound on how much God loved US to save us. m. This is true… But to say this without the other half… that God saved us because He loved His Son and desired a people who would praise Him for His grace forever… is to misrepresent what salvation is. n. Our salvation is primarily FOR God. It is secondarily FOR us. o. And we would do well to remember this. p. When we do… there are two responses we should have, one negative and one positive 3.) [Slide 20] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop boasting in any blessing God gives to us, much less any Spiritual blessing. a. What room is there to boast? b. If nothing I've done contributes to God's blessing me, and God's blessing me is primarily to bring praise and glory to the triune God, and if my salvation is simply a reward, an inheritance given to Christ for His obedience… c. Then what do I have to boast about? Is there any room to think highly of me? Am I special? d. The only reason I'm special is because God has made me special. The only value I have is because God has given me value. e. Even my image bearing of God is broken by sin! It is not an image that accomplishes the purpose for which it was formed. It is worth preserving only because of Who made it – but it is not special. In fact, it is so broken, it either needs to be destroyed or to remade. f. There is no room for boasting as a Christian. True Christians don't boast in anything save knowing Christ in His death and resurrection. g. And even that is knowledge we were shown. We did not have it of ourselves. h. Upon Peter's confession of Jesus' Messiahship, Jesus said “Blessed are you Simon Bar Jonah because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my FATHER who is in heaven.” i. What is the second response we should have to understanding God's gift of every Spiritual blessing in Christ? 4.) [Slide 21] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must praise God the Father for blessing us. a. There is only one good response. b. It is to praise the God and Father of Jesus our Lord. c. It is to praise the Father for His provision to us to give us every Spiritual blessing from His Spirit and to give those blessings through our union to His Son which He provided as our atonement. d. Praise is a simple application for us, but it is not always easy. e. We often neglect to praise God in our day to day. Not usually because we refuse to, but most often because we forget to. And oftentimes we forget because we live ignoring God's active part in our every day lives. f. We live in blissful ignorance of the Creator in the world created by the One we are ignoring! g. But even more devastating than ignoring God and not praising Him for common things – is to ignore God and not praise Him for Spiritual blessings. h. When we have the fortitude to resist temptation, when we have opportunities to love others, when we teach, help, and serve, when we have the opportunity to gather with God's people, when we have the pleasure of partaking of the sacraments, when we sing to God, when we give the offering, when we read the word, when we pray to God, WE SHOULD BE PRAISING GOD ALL THE WHILE. i. Not just on Sunday and not just through song. j. He is worthy of praise and worship for all things, especially the Spiritual blessings He has given us in Christ. k. Don't live your life as if He doesn't exist or that he owes you what He gives. l. Every breath and every Spiritual blessing is a gift. From a God who loves you BECAUSE He loves His Son. 5.) [Slide 22] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” Every Spiritual blessing in the Kingdom of Heaven awaits those who are in Christ. a. We do not inherit all the blessings of the Holy Spirit in this life. b. There are blessings we have yet to know. There are blessings we have yet to receive in full. c. But these blessings are not stored on earth where thieves break in and steal or where moths and rust destroy. d. They are not kept in lower plains of spiritual reality either, open to demonic attack. They are kept in the heavenly realms. A place in which God dwells and rules from. e. Although there are enemies of God that exist in this realm, they operate by the permission and the command of God the Father. f. As Martin Luther so astutely put it… Even Satan is God's Satan. No being, even in rebellion, has the ability to do something that would thwart or topple God's purposes or decrees. g. God has decreed that our Spiritual blessings are secure in the heavenly realms. There they will be preserved for us until that day that we die and come to heaven to be with the Lord or until heaven comes down to earth and the Kingdom of God arrives. h. No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck us from His hand. We are sealed until the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit. i. What can we say to this except… Hallelujah! 6.) [Slide 23] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” Christ is the only path to Spiritual blessings. a. God has compassion and love for those who are not followers of His Son. b. He gives rain and sunshine to those who are wicked. He allows people who hate Him and reject Him to live relatively fulfilling lives, have families, and enjoy all the benefits of His creation. c. But Spiritual blessings – blessings that come from the Holy Spirit, NEVER flow to anyone who is not in Christ. d. Holy Spirit blessings are only given to those whom God has chosen in Christ. We'll get to that next week. e. If you want forgiveness of sins, if you want acceptance into God's family, if you want to be an inheritance for Christ, if you want a destiny in the Kingdom of God, the only path to any of that is through Jesus Christ. f. It is not sincerity to a belief. It is not works of righteousness. It is not church attendance. It is not offerings given. It is not the people you've helped. It is not the poor you've rescued. It is not in religious ritual or practice. g. The only path to Spiritual blessings is in Christ Jesus. That is it. Because Christ alone is the only man with whom the Father is pleased. h. You can't follow Mohammed. You can't follow Budda. You can't follow Plato. You can't follow Paul the apostle. i. It is only in Christ that these Spiritual Blessings are given. j. Christ called everyone He preached to, to repent or turn from their sin and to believe or hope in the gospel which is that He died to save sinners and that He is the Lord of Glory. k. Christ is Savior. Christ is Lord. This is the gospel. l. Do you want Spiritual blessings – including a destiny in His eternal Kingdom of light and life? m. It is only in Christ that you can have it. n. So repent and believe on Christ. [Slide 24 (end)} Let me close with a prayer by the church father Polycarp. Father of Your beloved and blessed Son, Jesus Christ, we have come to know You through Him. You are the God of angels, powers, creation, and the entire race of the righteous who live in your presence. I praise You for everything. I bless and glorify You through the eternal high priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through whom and with Him, in the Holy Spirit, be glory unto You, both now and for the ages to come. Amen. Benediction: May grace, the well-spring of all mercies And peace, the crown of all blessings, be bestowed upon you from God our Father. Until we meet again, Grace and Peace to You.
Our text today is 1 Peter 4:12-16: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. — 1 Peter 4:12-16 Twenty-five years ago today, coordinated terrorist attacks killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We remember the lives taken, the families who still carry that loss, the survivors, and those who risked their own lives to help others. This anniversary reminds us that evil is real, life is fragile, and courage is often revealed under intense pressure. Peter writes to believers facing a different kind of hostility. They were being insulted, rejected, and shamed because they bore the name of Christ. He begins: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you." Notice the first word. Beloved. Before Peter names the fire, he names the people walking through it. Their suffering did not mean God had stopped loving them. Their circumstances had changed, but their identity had not. They were still chosen, still known, and still held by God. Peter tells them not to be surprised. He does not mean that pain should feel normal or that believers should seek suffering. He means they should not interpret opposition as proof that following Jesus has failed. Christ was rejected. Those who faithfully follow Him should not be shocked when they sometimes experience rejection too. Peter then says they can rejoice as they share in Christ's sufferings. That requires careful understanding, especially on a day connected with so much grief. Peter is not telling us to celebrate violence, cruelty, death, or loss. Christians mourn evil. We grieve with those who grieve. The rejoicing is not in the pain itself. It is in knowing specifically that any and all suffering for Christ will not separate us from Christ. When believers suffer because they belong to Jesus, they share in the rejection He experienced—not in His unique, atoning work, but in the cost of bearing His name. And just as Christ's suffering was followed by glory, their suffering will not have the final word. Peter consistently places present hardship inside the larger hope of Christ's ultimate victory. Then Peter offers one of the most comforting promises in the passage: "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." The world may place shame on the believer, but God places His Spirit upon him. Human rejection is not divine abandonment. Sometimes God's presence becomes especially precious when human approval disappears. The Spirit of glory rests where the world's shame falls. But Peter also gives an important correction. He warns believers not to suffer because they are murderers, thieves, evildoers, or meddlers. This means not every hardship is persecution. And not every consequence is a cross. Sometimes Christians face opposition because they have been arrogant, dishonest, combative, insensitive, or unnecessarily intrusive. We should not behave sinfully, suffer predictable consequences, and then congratulate ourselves for being persecuted. The issue is not simply whether people dislike us. The issue is why. If we suffer because we have acted foolishly or sinfully, we should repent. But if we are insulted, excluded, overlooked, or opposed because we have faithfully and graciously borne the name of Christ, Peter says we should not be ashamed. Those words carry unusual weight because of Peter's own story. Years earlier, Peter stood near a fire while Jesus was being questioned. When people connected him to Christ, Peter denied even knowing Him. Fear made him ashamed of the name he had once boldly confessed. Now the restored apostle writes: "If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." The name Peter once denied became the name he was willing to suffer for. Grace had transformed his fear into courage. Do not manufacture hostility through poor behavior. And do not confuse consequences with persecution. But when faithfulness to Jesus costs you approval, an invitation, an opportunity, or a relationship, do not be ashamed. Suffering for Christ may cost you the world's approval. It can never cost you God's presence. The Spirit of glory rests upon you. DO THIS: Take a moment today to pray for the families, survivors, responders, and others still affected by the attacks of September 11. Then identify one place where fear tempts you to hide or soften your allegiance to Jesus. Ask God for the courage to represent Christ there with both conviction and grace. ASK THIS: How do I typically respond when my faith brings criticism or rejection? Am I facing opposition because of faithful Christian conduct—or because of behavior I need to confess and change? How does knowing that the Spirit of glory rests upon me change the way I face pressure? PRAY THIS: Father, today we remember those who lost their lives on September 11 and the families who continue to carry that grief. Comfort those who mourn, and make us people of courage, compassion, and sacrifice. When I face rejection because I belong to Jesus, keep me from fear and shame. Help me represent Christ with humility and grace, trusting that Your Spirit rests upon me. May the name of Jesus be glorified through my life. Amen. PLAY THIS: "O Church, Arise."
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260826dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion (Jesus said) “I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18 A Church Built by Jesus Many people have mixed feelings about the Christian Church. Some have wonderful memories. Others have painful ones. Some think churches are full of hypocrites. Others wonder whether organized religion is even necessary. Jesus knew his followers would not be perfect. Peter himself would later deny knowing Jesus three times. Yet Jesus still said, “I will build my church.” Notice that he did not say, “People will build my church.” The Church belongs to Jesus. Christians are not gathered because they are better than everyone else. They are gathered because they know they need forgiveness. A hospital is filled with sick people, not because sickness is good, but because healing is needed. The Church is much the same. It is a place where people hear God’s promises, receive his forgiveness, and grow in faith together. Sometimes Christians and Christian churches become discouraged. We may wonder whether our efforts matter. Jesus reminds us that the Church’s foundation is not human wisdom, popularity, or impressive programs. The Church stands on the confession that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Wherever Jesus Christ is faithfully preached, there his church is found. Buildings may crumble. Congregations may struggle. Cultures change. Yet Jesus Christ continues to build his church through his gospel. The foundation of your own faith is equally secure. Your confidence is not in your consistency or strength, but in Jesus Christ’s unchanging promise. He remains faithful even when his people struggle. So, if you have stayed away because Christians have disappointed you, remember this: Christianity is not built upon perfect people. It is built upon a perfect Savior. Jesus gave his life for imperfect people. He welcomes doubters, failures, and sinners. When you visit a faithful Christian congregation, you should not expect to find flawless people. Instead, you should expect to hear about a flawless Savior who loves broken people enough to die for them. That is the Church Jesus Christ continues building today. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me look beyond the imperfections of people and see you. Lead me to a church where your Word is faithfully taught and where I may grow in knowing you. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260826dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion (Jesus said) “I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18 A Church Built by Jesus Many people have mixed feelings about the Christian Church. Some have wonderful memories. Others have painful ones. Some think churches are full of hypocrites. Others wonder whether organized religion is even necessary. Jesus knew his followers would not be perfect. Peter himself would later deny knowing Jesus three times. Yet Jesus still said, “I will build my church.” Notice that he did not say, “People will build my church.” The Church belongs to Jesus. Christians are not gathered because they are better than everyone else. They are gathered because they know they need forgiveness. A hospital is filled with sick people, not because sickness is good, but because healing is needed. The Church is much the same. It is a place where people hear God’s promises, receive his forgiveness, and grow in faith together. Sometimes Christians and Christian churches become discouraged. We may wonder whether our efforts matter. Jesus reminds us that the Church’s foundation is not human wisdom, popularity, or impressive programs. The Church stands on the confession that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Wherever Jesus Christ is faithfully preached, there his church is found. Buildings may crumble. Congregations may struggle. Cultures change. Yet Jesus Christ continues to build his church through his gospel. The foundation of your own faith is equally secure. Your confidence is not in your consistency or strength, but in Jesus Christ’s unchanging promise. He remains faithful even when his people struggle. So, if you have stayed away because Christians have disappointed you, remember this: Christianity is not built upon perfect people. It is built upon a perfect Savior. Jesus gave his life for imperfect people. He welcomes doubters, failures, and sinners. When you visit a faithful Christian congregation, you should not expect to find flawless people. Instead, you should expect to hear about a flawless Savior who loves broken people enough to die for them. That is the Church Jesus Christ continues building today. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me look beyond the imperfections of people and see you. Lead me to a church where your Word is faithfully taught and where I may grow in knowing you. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
19 July 2026In this message, Pastor Nathan continues our Ephesians series by exploring how Jesus breaks down barriers and brings outsiders into the family of God. Ephesians 2 reminds us that the Church is called to be a place of peace, unity, grace, and welcome, where people from every background can draw near to God through Christ.Notes:In this message, Pastor Nathan continues our Ephesians series by looking at Ephesians 2:11-18 and God's vision for a united Church.Paul reminds the Gentile believers that they were once outsiders. They lived apart from Christ, separated from God's promises and without hope. But through the blood of Jesus, those who were once far away have been brought near.Jesus brings outsiders in.Pastor Nathan explains that the early Church faced deep divisions between Jewish and Gentile believers. Some Jewish Christians placed barriers in front of Gentiles by expecting them to follow Jewish laws, customs, and traditions before they could fully belong.Paul strongly rejects this idea. Our way to God is through Christ alone.There is no hierarchy of believers under Jesus. It does not matter whether someone is male or female, rich or poor, Jewish or Gentile. We are brought together through one cross, one Spirit, and one body.Christ brings peace to our differences.Through His death on the cross, Jesus broke down the wall of hostility between people. He did not simply bring two divided groups into the same room. He created one new people from them.The Church should therefore be a place where people with significant differences can find peace and unity under Christ.Pastor Nathan challenges the Church to consider the barriers we may unintentionally place in front of others. These barriers may relate to:• Social or economic background• Culture or ethnicity• Political views• Age or generation• Disability or ability• Lifestyle, addiction, or past mistakes• Harsh attitudes, judgement, shame, or unhealthy leadershipThe Church must never become a place where people feel they need to clean themselves up before they are welcome.Pastor Nathan uses the image of a shower outside a swimming pool. Sometimes Christians can unintentionally communicate that people must become clean before entering the Church. But the Church is where people come to encounter Jesus, and it is Jesus who cleans, saves, and transforms.We do not clean people. The blood of Jesus does.This does not mean watering down the truth of Scripture or ignoring holiness. The Holy Spirit transforms people and calls us into a new life. But people must first be welcomed close enough to experience the love, grace, truth, and transforming power of Christ.Pastor Nathan also distinguishes between healthy boundaries and harmful barriers. Healthy churches need boundaries, but we should never create barriers that Jesus would not create.The challenge is to look honestly at our own attitudes and actions.Do people experience the love of Jesus when they encounter us?Do our words and behaviour draw people towards Christ, or make it harder for them to come near?The Church is precious to God. As His body, we are called to reflect His heart, welcome outsiders, embrace people who are different from us, and become a place where hostility is replaced by peace.Key Scriptures:Ephesians 2:11-18Galatians 2Galatians 3:28John 2:13-17Key Thought:Jesus breaks down barriers and brings outsiders in. The Church should be a place where people from every background can draw near to God through Christ.#hillschurch #beencouraged #nathanbell #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260708fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Romans 7:15-25 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:24-25a (ESV) Jesus Does What I Can’t In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. At seven years old, on the way home from church, Matt sat in the back seat of the car and proudly announced to his parents that he wasn't going to sin anymore. Both of his parents chuckled, and his dad told him that he hoped he was right. Matt's promise was short-lived. After arriving home, he didn't like what his mom made for lunch and complained about it. Shortly after lunch, he and his brother had to go to timeout for fighting over Legos. Then before bed, he got in trouble again for sneaking cookies after he brushed his teeth. Matt really did mean it when he told his parents he wasn't going to sin anymore. But by the end of the day, he had already broken his promise several times! Have you ever told yourself that you weren't going to sin anymore only to find yourself still doing wrong things? Maybe you promised not to argue with your brother or sister. Maybe you said you would stop complaining or always obey your parents right away. But sometimes we still do the wrong thing, even when we don’t want to. That happened to the apostle Paul too. He loved God and wanted to do what was right. But he still struggled with sin. That is why he cried out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). Notice what Paul does not ask. He doesn't ask, “How can I try harder?” or “What rules can I follow to fix myself?” He asks, “Who will rescue me?” Paul knew he needed more than self-control. He needed a Savior. A deliverer. And then Paul gives the answer: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25). Your peace with God does not depend on you finally getting it right. It depends entirely on Jesus who already got it right for you. The harder you try to save yourself, the more tired you become. The more you trust Jesus, the more rest you find. Jesus does what we can’t. True rest begins when you reach the end of yourself and find Christ waiting there. So, rest in Jesus! Prayer: Lord Jesus, we confess that the good we want to do, we so often fail to do. Forgive us for trying to rely on our own strength. Thank you, that getting to heaven doesn’t depend on what we do for you, but on what you have already done for us. Give us true peace, knowing that we are safe in your loving hands. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children In the Bible verse, Paul asks who will rescue him from his mistakes, and then he says, “Thanks be to God through . . .” Who is the Savior Paul is thanking? Have you ever tried really hard to be good (like sharing your toys or listening right away) but still made a mistake? How does it feel to know that Jesus always forgives you and loves you anyway? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why couldn’t Paul save himself from his sin? Paul didn’t ask for a checklist of rules to fix himself but instead asked who would rescue him. Why is looking to a person (Jesus) better than just trying to follow a checklist of rules when we mess up? Questions for Middle School and Above True or False: We are both a sinner and a saint at the same time. Sometimes Christians keep struggling with the same sins. How does knowing that Jesus has already forgiven you help you avoid giving up or feeling hopeless? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Some things seem impossible. But with God, nothing is. Even our nation, which seems so filled with darkness, can change with the Lord. Yes, there is hope for America. And it starts with Christians. Christians are salt and light. Salt preserves. Salt stimulates thirst. Light exposes darkness and shows the way out. And as salt and light, Christians must infiltrate culture, not isolate. Christians are not called to evade, but invade. And who knows? You may be the only representative of Jesus some people will ever see! They may never read the Bible, but they’ll read your life. Notes: Some things just seem impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible. Our country is in a state of moral and spiritual crisis. We have two options before us as a nation: judgment or revival. Read Matthew 5:13–16 (NKJV) The world needs salt because it is corrupt and light because it is dark. This world will get worse before it gets better.2 Timothy 3:13 Sometimes Christians try to isolate. Jesus has not called us to isolate, but to infiltrate. Not to evade but to invade. Jesus is sending us into the world. Before the American Revolution, there was spiritual revelation. The American Revolution worked because it was rooted in spiritual and biblical principles. “To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest gloryto add the more distinguished character of Christian”. —George Washington “The Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” —John Adams We must stand for truth, whether it is popular or not. To reach our culture, we must use a language people understand. 1 Corinthians 9:22–23 We need to bring them the message of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 2:14–15 But before we can effectively tell them, we must first live it. Salt PreservesThe main function of salt in Jesus’ day was preservation. Christians, like salt, are also here to preserve. Salt Stimulates ThirstAs we live godly lives, we make other people thirsty for God. We cannot stimulate spiritual thirst in others if we have lost our own. We cannot be used by God to stop the corruption of sin in others if sin has corrupted us.Matthew 5:13 Jesus first says we are to be salt, then He says we are to be light. Salt is hidden, whereas light is obvious.Salt works secretly while light works openly.Salt works from within, but light works from without. Salt works primarily through our living, while light works through what we say to others. Light exposes the darkness. You are the only representative of Jesus Christ that many nonbelievers will ever see. We need to infiltrate, not isolate, being both salt and light. We need to pray.2 Chronicles 7:14 We need to preach the gospel message. There is hope for America, and there is hope for you. Hebrews 4:7(b)If you can hear His voice, harden not your heart. Experience the Harvest Crusade on July 11 when you watch online! — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Some things seem impossible. But with God, nothing is. Even our nation, which seems so filled with darkness, can change with the Lord. Yes, there is hope for America. And it starts with Christians. Christians are salt and light. Salt preserves. Salt stimulates thirst. Light exposes darkness and shows the way out. And as salt and light, Christians must infiltrate culture, not isolate. Christians are not called to evade, but invade. And who knows? You may be the only representative of Jesus some people will ever see! They may never read the Bible, but they’ll read your life. Notes: Some things just seem impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible. Our country is in a state of moral and spiritual crisis. We have two options before us as a nation: judgment or revival. Read Matthew 5:13–16 (NKJV) The world needs salt because it is corrupt and light because it is dark. This world will get worse before it gets better.2 Timothy 3:13 Sometimes Christians try to isolate. Jesus has not called us to isolate, but to infiltrate. Not to evade but to invade. Jesus is sending us into the world. Before the American Revolution, there was spiritual revelation. The American Revolution worked because it was rooted in spiritual and biblical principles. “To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest gloryto add the more distinguished character of Christian”. —George Washington “The Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” —John Adams We must stand for truth, whether it is popular or not. To reach our culture, we must use a language people understand. 1 Corinthians 9:22–23 We need to bring them the message of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 2:14–15 But before we can effectively tell them, we must first live it. Salt PreservesThe main function of salt in Jesus’ day was preservation. Christians, like salt, are also here to preserve. Salt Stimulates ThirstAs we live godly lives, we make other people thirsty for God. We cannot stimulate spiritual thirst in others if we have lost our own. We cannot be used by God to stop the corruption of sin in others if sin has corrupted us.Matthew 5:13 Jesus first says we are to be salt, then He says we are to be light. Salt is hidden, whereas light is obvious.Salt works secretly while light works openly.Salt works from within, but light works from without. Salt works primarily through our living, while light works through what we say to others. Light exposes the darkness. You are the only representative of Jesus Christ that many nonbelievers will ever see. We need to infiltrate, not isolate, being both salt and light. We need to pray.2 Chronicles 7:14 We need to preach the gospel message. There is hope for America, and there is hope for you. Hebrews 4:7(b)If you can hear His voice, harden not your heart. Experience the Harvest Crusade on July 11 when you watch online! — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
If you've searched for “affordable relationship counseling near me,” it’s important to know these five things before you schedule an appointment. FIVE THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE SCHEDULING AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME 1. A RELATIONSHIP COUNSELOR PROBABLY WON’T TELL YOU THEY CAN’T HELP YOU Most relationship therapists genuinely want to help, and they believe they have the right training and tools to help you. If helping couples overcome issues is their business and livelihood, it's natural they don't want to turn people away. However, many relationship counselors don’t really understand how emotional abuse works and how to screen for it. No matter what they do to help you, it will not help, and that lack of clarity can keep you in harm’s way longer, which benefits the counselor and the abuser…not you. So it’s really important to learn about emotional abuse first. 2. A RELATIONSHIP COUNSELOR WON’T TAKE SIDES, EVEN IF ONLY ONE PERSON IS THE PROBLEM A core part of relationship counseling ethics is that the counselor is not supposed to take sides. And that makes sense. But if your husband is abusive then it’s unethical to treat this as a couple problem when it’s not. Even if the therapist says, “This is emotional abuse and I can still help you.” That’s not a thing. Because if he’s lying, he’s going to use those couple sessions to continue to lie and manipulate. 3. TALK THERAPY WON’T HELP IF HE HAS A HISTORY OF LYING OR MANIPULATION If your husband is lying, deflecting, or rewriting reality then, therapy is just gonna be more of that. There’s no way to convince somebody not to lie and manipulate, and you won’t know they’re doing it. Stay to the end—I'll show you what the women in our community say they wish they’d known sooner. 4. MANY, MANY WOMEN HAVE BEEN HARMED BY “AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME” After more than a decade of doing this work and hearing from hundreds of women who started by searching “affordable relationship counseling near me” or were referred by a friend, a clear pattern shows up. Many, many women have been extremely harmed by couples therapists who did not know that they witnessed emotional abuse inside their offices. In some cases, what the women shared in sessions was later used against them at home or in court. 5. PROGRESS CAN BE MEASURED BY YOUR FEELINGS, NOT BY HIS CHANGED BEHAVIOR Therapists rely on what they’re witnessing inside of that session. So if your husband says he’s improving, if he says he gets it, if he says he’s sorry, then the therapist is like, “Look, he’s sorry.” They can’t witness his behavior over time, like you do at home. So you know more about this than they do, and you can trust your instincts about it. To find out if your husband is using any one of the 19 different types of emotional abuse, take my free emotional abuse test. In this interview, Aliya shares what it looked like when the “expert” she trusted blurred lines in ways that felt increasingly difficult to make sense of. TRANSCRIPT: ONE WOMAN’S STORY OF UNETHICAL AFFORDABELE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME Anne: We have a member of our community on today’s episode. We’re gonna call her Aliya. A so-called domestic abuse expert exploited her. Welcome, Aliya. Aliya: Thank you. Anne: Let’s start with how you met him. Aliya: I met him online through his network, taking classes and such. After I took a couple of classes with him, I started splitting time with him or co-counseling with him. Which was designed to help people discharge emotion. So if you have stuck trauma or PTSD experiences, you can get with a co-counselor and listen to each other, and hopefully discharge all that stuck trauma by crying, laughing, screaming or trembling. Anne: Were you paying for his services? Aliya: There was no payment. No, not at all. In fact, the attitude was, “I am doing you a favor. You’re the special chosen one. You get to help me. Everybody would love to be with me, but I chose you.” Anne: Oh, so he chose you to be his client? But you didn’t have to pay him and you were special, and so you also got to work for him. HE SAID, “I’M THE BEST CO-COUNSELOR HE HAS EVER HAD” Aliya: At first, I was co-counseling with him as though he were a counselor, but I was also taking turns as the “counselor”. Ultimately, I ended up moving to the state where he lives. There were supposed to be a lot of in-person events. Started helping him teach these classes and do administrative tasks and things like that, in addition to now co-counseling in person. And that’s where things got a little weird for me. Anne: So there’s a double relationship happening here where you’re working for him, but he’s also your counselor in this arrangement. Aliya: Exactly. Anne: In therapeutic circles, this is called a dual relationship. It’s unethical. It’s against the therapeutic ethics rules and is something people need to know before they search for affordable relationship counseling near me. But in his case, he’s not a therapist. This marriage therapy isn’t working. Can you talk about how like it first felt? Aliya: Sure, it felt great at first. Here’s this guy with all this knowledge and expertise, and he’s flattering me. He’s doing the love bombing thing, although we’re not in a romantic relationship. He is telling me how smart I am, and how inspiring it is to know me and all those kind of things. I’m just wonderful and can do no wrong. And I’m the best co-counselor he has ever had and all that. He would reach out and touch my hair and tell me how great my hair looks, and say, “Any excuse to come over and see you.” When he would come over to work on administrative stuff. So there were some double messages. “My life is so much better now that you’re in it,” things like that. HE STARTED CROSSING MORE ETHICAL BOUNDARIES Aliya: It felt very personal. He was constantly flattering me and complimenting me. A male friend had to point this out to me. “When was the last time I reached out and casually touched a man’s hair? Never.” And if I did that to him. He would’ve been offended, because now I crossed a boundary. But it was okay for him to do that to me. And then it got really hairy for me, because we started cuddling. We were on the couch together a lot and I was soaking up all this affection and warmth, and that worked on me emotionally. Anne: I am so, so sorry. He’s the expert, preying on vulnerable women. To hear that he’s cuddling people, that he’s doing pseudo professional coaching slash therapy. It sounds like a mess. I am so sorry. This is definitely affordable relationship counseling near me gone wrong. There were lots of signs of an abusive therapist in this situation. Aliya: When things took a turn, it was subtle at first. He used a few subtle put downs, and then not show up on time or cancel. Anne: Just for our listeners, so that they can hear what maybe a subtle put down might sound like, can you think of any examples? Aliya: The first one that came to mind, we served on a committee with one other person. She was on Zoom, and we were here in my house. and I said, “I’m getting milk to put in my tea.” I used Muscle Milk. He gave this disgusted look and went. “Well, is it even milk?” Just things like that. Why are you sitting over there instead of over here with us? I mean, things of no consequence whatsoever. But he felt the need to say something. I COULD FEEL THE SHIFT IN AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME Aliya: One time when I said something to him, he got very distracted and started looking at his phone and doing all kinds of things that typically abusive men would do. That he had never done before. So I could feel it shifting a little bit at that point. I was still co-counseling with him, and we co-counselled just about every single Friday. I helped him teach classes, helped him do his calendar and plan for the future, and maybe do a retreat. There was supposed to be a retreat, twice a year. I think there was one retreat in two years. So none of it was really panning out. There was not a single in-person event for two years. That was the administrative work. But during sessions, we would typically take 45 minutes each and take turns talking. And there’s a no advice rule, so you don’t give anybody any advice. But he would encourage me to get in touch with the pain, trauma and fear. And it could get pretty intense at times. I felt like he was getting bored with me. This affordable relationship counseling near me wasn’t feeling good. EVERYONE IN HIS ORGANIZATION IS VOLUNTEER Anne: How soon did you see that his actions and his words didn’t match? Aliya: He maintained his facade for maybe five or six months. And then it was, “Oh, I’m busy. Oh, I’m going to be late. Oh, I have to cancel, et cetera.” There was a time when the other person on this administrative committee with me, we were meeting every week supposedly. But he canceled at least half the time. And she said, “Why don’t we just meet once a month? Why don’t we schedule it differently?” And he got angry about that. He wanted us to be available every single Tuesday. In case he felt like showing up. Anne: So when he starts to be like, maybe you should get another co-counselor. So you would start paying this new co-counselor, or is everything in his organization volunteer and nobody pays anybody anything? Aliya: It’s all volunteer. It’s peer counseling. You’re doing it together. Everybody’s supposed to be equal. And no power hierarchy, although that’s a false premise. Because he’s somewhat of a well-known guru, and lots of women look up to him. He said he wanted a different co-counselor. Like he was done with me. He was gonna look for somebody else. But he didn’t actually address that properly. In fact, we did not stop co-counseling for at least another year after that. IT’S A LITTLE CULTISH Anne: It sounds very wishy washy. If someone isn’t paying for services, there’s no professional relationship in terms of the exchange of a fee is it like a church? What’s going on? Aliya: And it’s not well defined. That is the problem. I mean, you’re paying with your time, so you get 45 minutes. I get 45 minutes. If we have to cut it short on your turn, then I owe you the remainder of the time. Everything has to be equal in that regard. And nobody gets to dominate the conversation. Nobody gets one way time unless you agree to make it up later. It’s not well-defined. Anne: Which is hard because if you’re not paying them, how would you define that relationship? It kind of sounds a little bit commune-ish. Did it feel like that? Aliya: It’s a little cultish. And I think that’s his desire is to have a commune, really. Anne: Oh really? Aliya: Yeah. Anne: Living in a place where someone else made me dinner, but they didn’t necessarily live in my house. Doesn’t that sound good to everyone in some ways? WHEN AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME IS CENTERED ON THE “EXPERT” Anne: So because you were in administration, was it working for other people? I’m assuming most of the “co counselors” volunteering in this network were women co-counseling other women. Was he the only man? Aliya: There were two or three other men. One who was pretty consistent, because he was doing all the IT stuff for free also. And there was one other guy that just came and went. But yes, 99% of the participants are women. He is a harem builder. Anne: If you didn’t have him as your co-counselor and you had another woman. Was it working out for everybody else? Was this affordable relationship counseling near me benefitting others? Aliya: I did co-counsel with a woman for a while, and yeah, I think some people were benefiting from it, but at the same time have to understand, these are just lay people. It’s not necessarily safe for people. And so it’s a little iffy, And I think sometimes it just devolves. Anne: From your experience, what warnings would you have for people when they’re looking for a resource? Aliya: Pay attention to your gut, of course. There were moments along the way when I thought to myself, this is not gonna end well for me, because I noticed him treating other people poorly. HE’S ROLE PLAYING Aliya: I just blindly trusted this person. His written work was so impressive. It had helped me so much that I couldn’t believe he could be a perpetrator. Anne: Yeah, I’ve recommended books in the past. Then we heard back from women who went to that author for services. It surprised me because their services didn’t seem in line with what was on the page. And of course, it is hard for me because this is what I do. And I’m not perfect. So people could meet me and be like, oh my word, she was not as nice as I thought or something. Maybe ’cause I had a stomach ache. You never know. There’s that saying, “Never meet your heroes.” Because the written word is edited, it’s different than meeting someone in person. I guess what I’m asking is in meeting him, was it a feeling like he didn’t understand his own stuff? Does that make sense? Did it feel like there was a disconnect that he was play acting what he knew was the right answer? Aliya: That’s a good description actually: he’s role playing. So he can be very empathic and know all the right things to say. But there’s no depth to it. As long as it doesn’t require anything of him, he can be kind and supportive because he doesn’t have a dog in the fight. It’s only when there’s a conflict with him that his true colors come out. MAKE SURE BOUNDARIES ARE CLEARLY DEFINED Anne: Well, and if you’re in a commune, I’ll call it that. There’s gonna be some conflicts. If you don’t set it up as like, “Hey, I am a professional. You’ll be paying me for my services. This is how long our sessions will be.” That’s how it’s set up here at BTR. There’s no one with a dual relationship. Accredited coaching schools train our coaches. Plus divorce coaching certifications and all those certifications that our coaches have here. They are the best emotional support groups online. There’s some clearly defined boundaries. So if someone’s setting it up as a friendship or a relationship of equals, that’s a different situation. That means he’s not in charge. It means he can’t call the shots because of the way it’s set up. Even though it’s affordable relationship counseling near me. Aliya: Right, theoretically. Yes, we’re all supposed to be equals. Anne: I think this is a lesson for women in terms of their spouses. Is that you can go to couple therapy with your spouse. You can get them all the right information. They can regurgitate the right information back to you, supposedly understand all of the principles of abuse. They could understand the principles of healthy living. But then not actually believe it or use it. I think that’s surprising to people. AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME: HE’S DOING IT ON PURPOSE Anne: Like with my ex, he went to therapy for a long time. He could talk about addiction recovery, recite the 12 steps. He knew it very, very well. And really acted like he was in recovery. So the difference between knowing something and either believing it or using it or having it in Christian terms, sort of written upon your heart. Sometimes Christians use that terminology. I think it’s surprising to people that somebody can live in those two worlds. Especially, like a lot of Christians come to BTR for help, knowing that their husband reads the Bible, goes to church or purports to be a Christian. He knows everything, but he doesn’t do it. It’s shocking. Aliya: It is shocking to realize that he wrote that book, which is so well known and so helpful. I still say the book helped me tremendously, even though I now consider it more of an autobiography. Yeah, it’s a weird disconnect. That if you have a conflict with him, he starts demonstrating all the abusive tactics he wrote about. And I even think it’s a little more sinister than that. I think he knows what he’s doing, and he’s doing it on purpose because he enjoys it. So he gets women to come to him, surround him, help him with his work, engage with him, display all their emotional wounds to him, and then it’s fun for him to do the big discard. Yeah, very hurtful. WHEN THE “EXPERT” DOESN’T VALUE PEOPLE Aliya: I talked to five or six other women who have worked with him and not been paid. Or maybe gone out with him a couple of times and had it end badly. He doesn’t value people. People are interchangeable to him. It could be me one day and somebody else the next day. That’s what I didn’t understand. How can you sit and open your heart to somebody, and really to them, you’re still a nobody? He could just replace you. I noticed too late that in the process of co-counseling with him for two years, my mental health was declining. I was starting to feel more depressed. And I was wondering, is he gonna cancel this week or is he not? I was new in the area and he wouldn’t introduce me to anybody, because that was against his rules because he was absolutely adamant that we could not be friends. So I had to listen to him talk about his friends and activities around here, and though we have things in common, he would never introduce me to anybody. So I felt dependent on him, and he knew it and encouraged it. I was trying to run it for him. Me and another woman were trying to run it. He just had other things he would prefer to do. But most people in the organization were there to see him, because he’s the famous author with a head full of knowledge. So it died down quite a bit. And then we had a big fracture, he and I did. Because I started to feel suicidal. HE WASN’T THERE FOR ME WHEN I REALLY NEEDED HIM Aliya: He offered me a safe word to use in case I was really distraught. I could text him this word and he would know, and he would respond, and we could split some time together. Well, a few months went by and I used the word. He said he didn’t feel well and needed to cancel. That was for Friday. So I said, okay. He said, “We’ll do it Monday”. And I said, okay. Then on Saturday he changed the time for Monday. And then on Monday he told me he was feeling a lot better. So he would get back to me after he went and hung out with his friends. And he would let me know if he was available. And at that point I said, “No, thank you. I’m good. I don’t need to talk to you.” Anne: That’s very strange, that someone would not be like, okay, here’s the suicide hotline or something. Just putting you off rather than an actual suicide service. Or even say to them, “You know what? Suicide is not my area of expertise. I’m worried about you. I hope you can find the resources you need.” Even a frank, “This is outside of my scope of knowledge.” At BTR, because of confidentiality reasons, we don’t ever call any hotlines for anyone. But we would encourage someone to do it themselves. Like, you might be searching for affordable relationship counseling near me and need something outside of our scope. But to be like, I’m the end all, be all for everything. I’m so sorry, that’s wrong. AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME: I THINK IT WAS A SETUP Aliya: I think it was a setup in a way. It was his idea to have a safe word, and then he didn’t honor it. That caused a rift in the organization, because I was front and center in the organization. I answered his emails, helped him with his classes, and started groups for him. The one woman on the committee with me said, “Oh my gosh, wolf in sheep’s clothing. This is awful. I can’t believe it. I’m so sorry.” And the people started to think, well, where’s Aliya? What happened to her? Why isn’t she here? People wondered what happened. And I didn’t give a lot of details. I just said, “It’s not working for me. I’m moving on.” I thought it would be easy for him to generate a whole new group. And he has, they’ve started new classes. It sounds like they’ve had a retreat. The other woman on the committee with me called me and said, “Where are you?” Why aren’t you here?” And I was crying. I told her. She says to me, “Listen, I can’t fault him for something I didn’t witness.” I just said, “Do you really think he would behave that way if there were a witness?” And yeah, she didn’t respond to that. He’s so skilled at manipulating people. She’s a professional in some capacity who works with abused women too. It was horrifying. The betrayal in this affordable relationship counseling near me was amazing. So now she’s taken over most of my positions with him. The part that adds insult to injury is that he flipped the whole thing, blamed the whole thing on me. IT’S NOT MY FAULT HE’S NOT TRUSTWORTHY Aliya: I ended up feeling like it was my fault. Then I started to realize, wait a minute, this guy does not practice what he preaches at all. I just thought I could trust him. Like if you can trust anybody, it would be him, you know? And he knows that. Yeah, it’s not my fault that he is not trustworthy. He’s extremely good at his game. He’s so good. Anne: I’ve had other women who have been abused by therapists come on to talk about it. And the patterns are they’re not paying them or they’re not requesting pay. The sessions go longer than they’re supposed to. Physical contact, contact outside the session. It’s become like your social network. It kind of has a feeling of a church. ‘Cause it’s not like you’re paying and you’re all working together instead of professional services in this type of affordable relationship counseling near me. So those are some of the red flags. Aliya: Yeah, I agree. We did plenty of that, like emailing, texting, and things. So it wasn’t clean in any way. There were no well-defined parameters. I couldn’t tell, are we friends? Are we just working together? I’m working for him, but he is not paying me. We’re counseling together as peers, but I’m making myself vulnerable. He’s really not. That slowly dawned on me that he would stick to the same surfacey topics over and over again. HE’S A BAD ACTOR Aliya: Although he fancies himself an actor. If he wanted to cry, he got a photograph and sat down and looked at it and made himself cry. All just really weird stuff. Snuggling on the couch, even lying down on the couch a couple of times. Which was really strange for me, because I have a history of childhood sexual abuse, and it is bringing up a lot of stuff for me. But he takes it as, “Well, you know, it’s easier to cry it all out if you’re being held.” Very confusing, yeah. Like I know one woman who worked with him collaborated with him. So she asked him out, and he flew into a rage over it. When things go south like they did with me, he’s gonna say one of two things, either. Well, she just couldn’t accept that I wouldn’t socialize with her. He said that about me. Anne: This is someone who’s, sorry, I just have to interrupt and say, says someone who will snuggle with you on the couch. Aliya: Right. Yeah, and then the other thing that he always says is, “I’m a little concerned about her mental health.” So he said that about me too. He wasn’t really that concerned. Anne: He caused your mental health issues. Aliya: It was a huge betrayal. Like an arsonist, set a fire, and then run and hide in the bushes and sit and watch when the firetruck comes. ‘Cause he wrote the book, and then he gets everybody to trust him, and then he does what’s in the book. AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME: ABUSERS DO NOT LIKE STRUCTURE Aliya: Imagine the power he gets out of that, it’s sick. I use the word evil because I didn’t think of another word. It’s really sinister. Anne: The whole situation is sinister because of the lack of boundaries and the lack of structure. They do not like structure, because then they can’t do what they want, when they want it. So while it is affordable relationship counseling near me, there’s a huge emotional cost. And they have a hard time with divorce decrees, for example. And they have a hard time with things like what does the Bible says about divorce. They want her to follow rules to the T but they don’t mind just doing whatever they want. So having the structure of his organization be so wishy-washy and structureless, he gets to do whatever he wants in whatever way he wants. And if someone isn’t paying to have him be there at a certain time, he can cancel. Aliya: Yeah, and he still thought I would do administrative tasks for him after all this happened. Anne: I’m so sorry that this happened to you, and especially on top of your own story, which we haven’t talked about, that you went through abuse with your husband and then had this experience on top of it. When your husband is abusing you and you don’t recognize it, and finally you do, and you try to go for help. But it’s another thing when the people that are supposed to help you, it could be a therapist, clergy or abuse specialist, worsen things. You don’t know what is happening. THIS BETRAYAL WAS WORSE THAN MY HUSBAND’S Aliya: Yeah, they felt so different. Because with my ex-husband, as you said, I didn’t really notice or realize what was happening at first. And then when I did, I made a clean break from him. But this person was touting himself as a champion of women and a great support and totally understands what you’ve been through. And that betrayal felt worse to me, because he totally does understand. He’s written about what it does to women psychologically and emotionally, and how devastating it is. He knows full well what he is doing, and that to me is worse. Anne: Well, thank you for coming to talk about your experience with affordable relationship counseling near me. This is really important. I do wanna stress that unsafe resources can come from women, they can come from men. They can come from anyone. In the court system, for example, we have victims who are dealing with super abusive guardian ad litems who are women and men. That’s hard too, realizing that any resource could be unsafe. And then knowing what to look for so that you can find safe support. I think the other part is making sure that if you’re isolated and everyone who has been through abuse is isolated. That you are also creating friendships besides the professional support you’re relying on. So finding a quilting group, a church, or a hiking group, or some outside resource is really important as well. That can keep you grounded and help you heal. Cause I think abuse victims can heal in any way. And they find their voice after emotional abuse. SAFE CONNECTIONS MATTER Anne: But having a friend who cares about you, who you can talk to every day and go for a walk with and go to a movie, is really important. We should not underestimate real life connections with real people who are our friends and family over professional support, over affordable relationship counseling near me. And that’s the hard part. So many people don’t understand abuse. There are so many victims who can’t think of anybody in real life that they trust. I talk about this in the Living Free Workshop. If you have no one you can trust, coming to BTR. Going to our Betrayal Trauma Recovery group sessions, going to betrayal trauma individual sessions is great. I think it’s very important that things are defined clearly. That’s something here at BTR we take very seriously. So our group sessions have a hour and a half time limit, and our individual sessions have a 50 minute time limit. Women pay for services. We are all paid. That’s one reason why BTR does not recommend other resources. It’s not that an other resource couldn’t be amazing, it’s just that we don’t actually know what happens behind the scenes. And then also hopefully starting to make friends in your area somehow some way. I know that’s hard and overwhelming, but that’s gonna make a big difference. Being able to have people in real life who are your actual friends to support you. Did you find that after falling out with him, because a lot of your friends were part of the organization, that you were then isolated? Aliya: Yep, definitely. FINDING A SAFE AFFORDABLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING NEAR ME NETWORK Aliya: I lost friends in the organization for sure. But I have also made some friends here, so I’ve got a little network. I’ve only been here two years, so it takes awhile, but I feel like I’m making friends. One of my friends back home called it way before it came to a head, and she said, listen, if you wanna hang in there with him, I still love you. I’m not judging you, but you just need to know it’s not gonna end well for you. And she was right, and she still loves me. She’s not judging me, she’s still my friend. So I actually appreciate honesty like that. Anne: We stand with you, having been through it myself with my ex and other exploitative people who have exploited me, been dishonest in other areas of my life. It’s really shocking and hard to realize that there are people like this everywhere, and to know that manipulative people prey on vulnerable people. And so when you’re in this vulnerable state, which is natural for you to be in, learning some safety strategies to navigate that time is important. HOW TO MAKE STRATEGIC DECISIONS Aliya: That makes total sense. And most of the women that come to that network are just coming out of abusive relationships. So they’re vulnerable. Anne: Yeah, the Living Free Workshop, that I wrote, has that built into it. How to determine who’s safe and who isn’t safe. When is affordable relationship counseling near me safe? How to make decisions, so that the decisions you’re making, as you recognize this is abuse, can be strategic as you move forward. So if you’re listening and you’re like, “oh man, I’m worried about that,” then check out the Living Free Workshop. Aliya, thank you so much for sharing your story today. Aliya: Thank you.
Adelante with Arlene ! Let Me Inspire you to discover, your best life today.
Daily Inspirational Prayers – Episode 18Using Your Gifts for God's GloryWelcome to Adelante with Arlene. Let me inspire you.Today we're talking about Using Your Gifts for God's Glory.Many of us, after accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, understand that everything we have belongs to God. We surrender our lives, our plans, our dreams, our abilities, and our gifts back to Him because He is the giver of every good thing.But today, I want to talk specifically about our talents and abilities—the gifts God has entrusted to us.Sometimes Christians hear the word "surrender" and think it means stepping away from everything they once did. Yet surrender does not mean abandoning the gifts God gave you. It means allowing God to guide how, when, and where those gifts are used.There is a balance.We surrender our gifts to God, but we still have the responsibility to use them. We still have to pray. We still have to seek wisdom. We still have to ask God for direction, timing, and discernment.The gift may be from God, but the wisdom to use it properly must also come from God.Please don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, comment, Like and Share my Video's and Inspire someone else.God bless you ,Arlene
Delight Your Marriage | Relationship Advice, Christianity, & Sexual Intimacy
Sometimes Christians speak about the body as though it barely matters. As though spiritual growth and physical stewardship are completely separate things. But Scripture paints a very different picture. God created your body intentionally. Jesus came in a body. Jesus rose in a body. And one day, we will receive glorified bodies. Your body matters to God. In this episode, Justin Roethlingshoefer (Own It Show, The Power of Ownership) explained how many people live disconnected from their bodies entirely. Ignoring exhaustion. Ignoring stress. Ignoring burnout. Ignoring emotional pain. Until eventually the body begins sounding alarms we can no longer ignore. Anxiety. Fatigue. Autoimmune struggles. Hormonal issues. And often we wonder: "Why is this happening to me?" But perhaps sometimes the better question is: "Have I been stewarding what God entrusted to me?" Not from condemnation, but from invitation. Because God is not trying to shame you. He is inviting you into abundant life. And at the center of that invitation is identity. Justin shared that for years, he believed his worth came from achievement and performance. But God taught him that he did not need to earn what had already been freely given through Christ. You do not have to prove your value. You already have value. And from that secure identity, you can begin making decisions that honor the life and body God has given you. And when you care for your body fully, you can also show up for the things God has for you fully. We hope this episode blesses you! Blessings, The Delight Your Marriage Team (Shownotes written with AI assistance) PS - Want to learn more about Justin and his work? Check out his website at https://justinroethlingshoefer.com/. His books are available at here and his newest book, Holy Health, is set to release this August. We are excited about it! Thank you again, Justin, for your insights and for being on the show! PPS - Ready to take the next step in healing your marriage? We want to help. Schedule a free Clarity Call at https://delightyourmarriage.com/cc PPPS - Here is what a recent Coaching Graduate had to say: "DYM has shown me that change for my marriage start with changing myself. Through Belah's videos its abundantly clear that I am the one that needs change but these changes are only possible through Christ and his grace and desire to see me have a relationship with him first and then allow him to present me again to my wife as the man of God she has always wanted to be with." ......................................................... Delight Your Marriage is dedicated to helping married couples discover true intimacy and helping heal emotional, spiritual, and physical intimacy--biblically. For the last 10 years, through our practical tools, group coaching, and podcast, we have seen hundreds of marriages transformed- from couples who were on their way to signing divorce papers to couples who had pretty good marriages but just wanted to connect more. We are honored to get to walk alongside men & women as they become who God created them to be and see their marriages transformed in the process. If you'd like to learn more about us and our programs, please visit https://delightyourmarriage.com/ Want more on-the-go content? Follow us on Facebook for insightful clips and marriage coaching insights. Catch up on the podcast on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@delightyourmarriage) or your favorite podcast streaming platform. Ready to take the leap and do the work to heal your marriage? We'd love to chat with you. Schedule a free Clarity Call here: https://delightyourmarriage.com/cc Thank you for listening and God bless!
Sometimes Christians can become more fixated on the details of Christ's second coming than on the Christ who is to come. Today, Sinclair Ferguson offers an unexpected suggestion to help balance our view of the Lord's return. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/proclaiming-his-death-until-he-comes/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
Romans 8:26-27 — It is common for prayers to feel empty, as if the enemy stops the words from being heard by the Savior. Sometimes Christians find themselves groaning, not able to put into words what they need from God. They lose their confidence that they even belong to God. In this sermon on Romans 8:26–27 titled “The Spirit's Help,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that these groanings are actually additional proof of their sonship and one of the very reasons God sends His Holy Spirit to His people. He comes alongside to help them in their weakness, to be their advocate, and telling them what to pray when they come before the Father. He intercedes for the Christian who utters wordless groanings which God hears, understands, and approves because it is God who sends the Spirit to work these things in His people. He only sends his Spirit to true believers. If, therefore, one finds themselves giving vent to these groanings, be encouraged. It is proof of a true relationship with God because it is the Spirit that produces these groanings. Christians should rejoice as they belong to Him. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29?v=20251111
In this message, Pastor Caleb discusses the walls of Jericho that are fortified in the lives of God's people, but victory can be obtained if His people do not hinder its destruction. Sometimes Christians use their mouths to recreate the bricks for the walls of Jericho, even when they should be marching around its walls. May God's people obey His instructions and receive the victory God has for them. Do not hinder the walls of Jericho from falling. Send us a textSupport the showFor more information for our church visit AGCSparta.org.
In this message, Pastor Caleb discusses the walls of Jericho that are fortified in the lives of God's people, but victory can be obtained if His people do not hinder its destruction. Sometimes Christians use their mouths to recreate the bricks for the walls of Jericho, even when they should be marching around its walls. May God's people obey His instructions and receive the victory God has for them. Do not hinder the walls of Jericho from falling. Send us a textSupport the showFor more information for our church visit AGCSparta.org.
Sometimes Christians pray without a sense of great need. But in the New Testament, we're taught to combine prayer and fasting. In this message, Pastor Lutzer dispels misconceptions about fasting, highlighting the benefits physically and spiritually. Praying while fasting changes our hearts. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://offerrtw.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001. Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Running To Win," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives. Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren. SUPPORT: Tax Deductible Support: https://www.moodymedia.org/donate/ Become an Endurance Partner: https://endurancepartners.org/ SUBSCRIBE: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoodyChurchMedia Weekly Digest: https://www.moodymedia.org/newsletters/subscription/
Sometimes Christians pray without a sense of great need. But in the New Testament, we're taught to combine prayer and fasting. In this message, Pastor Lutzer dispels misconceptions about fasting, highlighting the benefits physically and spiritually. Praying while fasting changes our hearts. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1407/29
Sometimes Christians are reluctant to be bold in their faith for fear of what others may think. Even the apostle Peter briefly fell into this trap, and Paul had to confront him about his hypocrisy. “Quiet Christianity” is when you act one way around some people, and a different way around other people who do not share your beliefs. In today's study, Pastor Gary gives us steps to overcome “quiet Christianity” so that we can be bold and courageous in our faith.
Sometimes Christians focus exclusively on one aspect of our lives, perhaps the spiritual. But we are created as integrated human beings - physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual. What if your biggest breakthroughs came not from working harder, but from connecting the dots between your faith, your thoughts, and your daily actions? In today's episode, Dr. Carol discusses this and more with the authors of Integrated Mindset, professors Dr. Brad Strawn and Dr. Earl Bland to uncover the surprising ways theology and psychology can work together for lasting transformation. From these seasons professionals you'll hear compelling stories, fresh research, and practical tools to align your inner world with the life you're called to live. Whether you're feeling stuck, searching for purpose, or simply ready to grow deeper, this conversation will help you move to a place of being fully alive with a truly integrated mindset and spirit. Find more about Dr. Brad Strawn and Dr. Earl Bland Find their book The Integrative Mindset: Pathways to Practicing as a Christian Clinician Our Intensives at Dr. Carol Ministries help you process both the psychological and spiritual aspects of your story. Find out more here. Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. You can send a confidential message here.
Sometimes Christians bicker over the smallest things! Let's find out what is truly a big deal to God and figure out how we can love, honor and care for our brothers and sisters in Christ who think differently on small "doubtful" things.To order our brand new Foundation Stones book, click this link:https://a.co/d/iVsY2JsSupport the show
This sermon is based on Philippians 3:17-21. It talks about Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Hudson, Ohio's mission statement: Gathering People to Christ, Building belivers in Christ, Serving the World as Christ. As Christians we prioritize all three of those activities, even if those outside of the church might only prioritize service. Sometimes Christians behave as "enemies of the cross" when we ignore the full work of the gospel in the world. If we find that we've behaved this way, we are blessed to return to the gospel and remember that the kingdom has come to us and our sins are forgiven in Jesus' death and resurrection, too.
Sometimes Christians think the answer to all the chaos in the world is ensuring that more and more believers take significant roles within government and become political leaders. If only Christians were in power, we wouldn't find ourselves in such a mess. But is that necessarily true? This idea of Christian nationalism has been believed to be the answer. The reality is, at its core, Christian nationalism is idolatry. How do we navigate this if we live in a Christian nationalist country? Check out this week's episode with host Andrew Marcus and guest Drew Strait as they dive into this very important conversation.
Followers of Jesus are called to bless, do good, pursue peace, and show hospitality, using whatever gifts we've been given to serve one another. This is what it looks like to live a saved life; but a saved life is not always a safe life. Sometimes Christians must follow Jesus' example by suffering while doing good. Whether we […]
Today's Lesson: HE is Not an Option On this edition of One Single Story, Pastors Stephen Mizell and Alyssa Bream discuss the following questions: Sometimes Christians are accused of having an exclusive religious perspective. Did Jesus make himself an exclusive way to get to God? Do you think that rejecting Jesus in order to maintain the traditions of the Old Covenant is the same degree of rejection as rejecting Jesus for some other religious path? As you reflect over this past year, does your life reflect that Jesus has been a priority or an option? The reading for the day is Hebrews 3.
A Sermon for the Third Sunday in Advent 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 & St. Matthew 11:2-10 by William Klock Imagine a little church. Most of the people in it are converts from paganism. They used to worship false gods: sex, money, war, power, government. They all had their favourite sins: lying, cheating, anger, pornography, drunkenness, drugs, adultery. You name it, they'd done it—often as part of their worship. But then this funny Jewish man showed up preaching a bizarre message about the God of Israel and his son, the Messiah—the anointed king—who had been crucified and then raised from death. And this man, Paul, he'd been abused, beaten, stoned, left for dead so many times for the sake of this message, this “good news” he was so earnest about. He was a little frightening to look at, because he literally bore the marks of this gospel, the marks of Jesus on his own body. But this good news was unlike any news they'd ever heard before. This God, this Jesus, was unlike any god they'd ever worshiped. He brought love, mercy, grace, and hope into a world of darkness, greed, selfishness, and brutality. They were won over. They were baptised into this God who is Father, Son, and Spirit and the new creation begun by Jesus was born in them. Paul stayed and he taught them and they grew in Jesus and the Spirit. And then Paul moved on. And they started to struggle. The temptations of their old pagan ways came back—as so often happens. The new life of Jesus and the Spirit—so thrilling at first—became hum-drum and they started seeking after new experiences and new excitements. That resulted in factions in the church: this group became a fan of that preacher and that group became fans of this preacher. In the name of Christian liberty they became tolerant of sin—even some that were unspeakable to the pagans. And that led to further divisions. And when Paul heard what was happening and wrote to them. Think of Advent. He wrote to them: “Hey, you're living like you're still part of the old evil age, subject to the old false gods that Jesus defeated at the cross. You're supposed to be living as heralds of God's new creation!” And they wrote back a nasty letter telling him they were done with him—they didn't want to hear his “correction” anymore. They had grown beyond his teaching and they were doing well on their own, thank you very much! This was the church in Corinth. And this is what's behind our Epistle today, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. Let's read: This is how we should be thought of, as servants of the Messiah and stewards of the mysteries of God. And this is what follows: it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. Having said that, I regard it a matter of small concern to think that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I don't even judge myself. I don't actually know of anything that stands against me, but that isn't what vindicates me. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore, do not pass judgment before the time when the Lord comes. He will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will lay bare the intentions of the heart. Then everyone will receive his commendation from God. I've always wondered how hard it was for Paul to write this, especially the bit about “This is how we should be thought of: I'm a servant of the Messiah and a steward of God's mysteries.” Good clergymen tend to err on the side of humility, even to a fault. The only guys I've ever known to say things like this have been egotists who never should have been in ministry in the first place. But Paul had one advantage that only the apostles had and that was that they had known Jesus in the flesh and had been commissioned by him personally. I can't say that and neither can anyone else alive today. That said, there is a place for God's stewards to assert their calling in the face of unjust judgement. Most pastors, when faced with unjust criticism just nod humbly, say nothing, and take it to God, but Paul reminds us that there is a time to speak up against these kinds of judgements. And not just “pastors”. This goes for every Christian. We're all ministers of the gospel. And we live in an age that is becoming increasingly hostile to the gospel and to gospel people. Sometimes the criticisms we receive can be justified. Sometimes Christians and sometimes churches have failed and done awful things. But those are the outliers. Most of the criticism we face comes from people who hate Jesus and the message of the cross, who don't want to hear about sin and don't want to repent, who have their own ideas of what the world should be like and only want new creation on their terms, not God's. Jesus warned us this would happen, but most of us still aren't prepared for the attacks. And so even though we're ministers of the gospel and stewards of the mysteries of God, all too often we let the false judgements and accusations of pagans back us out of the room. We go silently and sit facing the corner like scolded children—and I think a lot of the time we actually feel guilty when we hear these accusations, even though we know better. Brothers and Sisters, Paul stresses that ministers are to be found faithful. That goes for apostles and for pastors and for all of us. Yes, we need to weigh criticism. We need to ask if there's anything to it. Sometimes there may be. Maybe we're not being faithful to Jesus' instructions and we need to hear it. But Jesus' instructions aren't hard to understand or discern. As a minister, I'm called to preach the word, especially the gospel about Jesus, and to administer the sacraments. It's not quite that simple, but that is the core. And for all of us, we're called to proclaim the gospel about Jesus to the world around us and to live in a way that accords with being the people of God. We proclaim Jesus and we live the life—the fruit—of the Spirit. We need to reflect on our lives in light of that and ask if we're being faithful. This is one of the reasons we need to steep ourselves in God's word. If we don't know what God expects, how will we be faithful? It's a bit like a bread recipe. Bread is one of the simplest things in the world to make. But as simple as it is, you still have to read the recipe and follow it. Start changing things up and you spoil the bread. But that's what we all too often do. It's not that we're not well-intentioned. We want to see things happen, but sometime we get impatient. We take shortcuts, because we don't want to wait. Sometimes we get bored with plain old bread. We remember the time we had cinnamon-swirl bread—or chocolate cake!—so we try to change up the recipe or add exciting things to it. People out there don't like to hear about sin, so we'll tone that part of our preaching down. People out there don't like commitment, so we'll make the gospel commitment-free. People out there don't like liturgy and sermons, so we'll have a rock concert and cut the sermon to a few minutes of feel-good self-help. People don't feel like getting up on Sunday mornings and driving to church, so we'll broadcast it to their TVs and computers instead. Maybe we're just not confident that people will want to eat our bread. We're not confident in the power of the gospel and the Spirit to change hearts and to bring them to Jesus, so we instead build churches around programmes and activities that people do want or we use manipulative techniques to get them to believe. We make the gospel about them and not so much about Jesus and the glory of God. These things can and often do bring short-term gains, but in the long-term they've been a disaster. We wonder why people won't commit, why they're still worldly, why we're losing our children, and why we're seen as increasingly irrelevant. It's like we've tried to bake bread by replacing the flour with glitter. The end product might look exciting, but in the end it's not only unable to nourish, it's slowly poisoning us. In contrast, the real work of the gospel is rarely flashy. Sometimes it brings persecution and even martyrdom. It means relying on God, not ourselves. And it means being in it for the long-haul. Consider Israel. God called Abraham and it was two thousand years before Israel's story culminated with Jesus. And the in-between was as full of hardship, slavery, judgement, and exile as it was prosperity and growth. And that was God working with a single, small people. Brothers and Sisters, our mission is the world. We need to follow the simple recipe: Be faithful to the gospel, build churches around word and sacrament, pray and fellowship together, raise covenant children who know Jesus. And live as the people of God's new creation in the midst of the old so that the people around us will see what Jesus has done in his death and resurrection. Make them constructively curious about what makes us different, then explain it to them—proclaim Jesus and the gospel. Let your neighbours see you live it—when it's a joy to follow Jesus and when you struggle to bear that cross. And as we do that, remember that the judgement that matters is not the judgement of other people or the world, but of God. That doesn't mean we shouldn't have an ear to the ground. That doesn't mean we shouldn't listen to the world's judgements. Sometimes we need to know how the world sees us—even if it's false—so that we can better know what we're up against. So that we can better respond with the gospel. And, sometimes, the world's rebukes may have some truth to them. Jesus promised that his people would be persecuted for his sake, but we need to make sure that we're actually being persecuted for his sake and for our faithfulness to his word. I know some Christians who claim they're being persecuted, but when you get down to it, it's just that people don't like them because they're jerks, not because they're preaching Jesus. People will still hate us for preaching Jesus, but Friends, we do need to be sure that as we preach Jesus and as we stand firmly on the Scriptures that the world rejects, we remain committed to being a godly people in every respect. We need to live the gospel as much as we preach the gospel. We're to announce God's judgement on sin, yes, but we're also to announce God's mercy to repentant sinners. It's simple—it may be difficult, but it's nothing if not simple: stick to the bread recipe: A church of word and sacrament, a church of koinonia—of gospel life lived together. Just be faithful in that. This is the bread that feeds us and the bread that will give life to the world. And, who knows, every once in a while the Spirit has been known to sprinkle in some raisins or some cinnamon or to drizzle some honey into the recipe—but that's his prerogative, not ours. So that's the Epistle. Let's turn over to today's Gospel in Matthew 11 as we continue with this theme. Again, what does it look like to be gospel ministers who are prepared. Well, John the Baptist. In the Gospel, John has gone from announcing the coming kingdom and baptising people in the Jordan to being locked up in prison. He got there by way of criticizing Herod. It wasn't just some off-the-wall criticism. Tied up with his announcement of the kingdom was John's denouncement of Herod for marrying his former sister-in-law. Herod couldn't help but draw a connection between John's fiery preaching and himself. If John was saying that the King was soon to come, it meant John was saying that Herod wasn't really the king. So poor John is now in Herod's dungeon and he's frustrated and confused. He'd been faithful in his divine calling to herald the coming Messiah—his cousin, Jesus—and he's landed in prison. No big surprise there. He wasn't the first prophet to offend a king and end up in prison. But Jesus—the Messiah—was on the outside, preaching, teaching, healing, forgiving, having dinner with tax collectors and sinners…and leaving John to rot. Something was wrong or so John was beginning to think. These things happen to faithful ministry and it's easy to get frustrated. We're preaching the gospel! Why are we being opposed? We're faithfully being what the church is supposed to be. Why aren't we growing and why is that other group preaching a false gospel and making glitter bread doing so well? We'll pick up from there: Meanwhile, John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah. He sent word through his disciples and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we be looking for someone else?” (St. Matthew 11:2-10) I don't think John was really doubting whether Jesus was the Messiah. I think this was his way of saying, “Um…Jesus. Shouldn't the Messiah be getting his faithful herald out prison?” Of course, that also meant all the other things to go along with it. A simple jailbreak wouldn't do. The jailbreak would have to be part of a wholesale overthrow of Herod and the Romans—which, of course, is what most people expected the Messiah to do. Here's what Jesus says to John's men in return: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: Blind people are seeing! Lame people are walking! Lepers are being cleansed! The dead are being raised to life! And the poor are hearing the good news! And God bless you if you're not offended by what I'm doing.” (Matthew 11:5-6) You see, John expected the Messiah to be like Elijah, confronting the prophets of Baal and calling down fire from heaven. John wanted to see fire and brimstone. There is a place for that. In a sense John wasn't wrong. Jesus is the Judge and, you can be sure, he will judge the world and everyone in it. There will be a time for fire and brimstone and judgement. I suspect that being a fire-and-brimstone sort of prophet—and that is what John was called to be so there's nothing wrong with that—I suspect that being that kind of guy means that you get a little fixated on judgement. And Jesus responds by saying something like, “You expected Elijah…and you've got Elijah…but before I come in judgement, there are a lot of people…people like the widow of Zeraphath…people who need to know God's mercy.” As Jesus says in John's Gospel: “I came not to condemn, but to redeem.” Brothers and Sisters, remember: Sinners already stand condemned. Judgement is coming. Announcing that judgement and calling people to repentance was John's mission. But before the judgement comes, what Israel needed most was to know God's mercy, to know his salvation. This is why Jesus' road to the throne had to be by way of the cross. So Jesus corrects John. He sets him straight about the Messiah. But he then turns to the crowd and praises John: As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What were you expecting to see when you went out to the wilderness? A reed shaken by the wind? No? Well, then, what were you expecting to see? A man dressed in silks and satins? If you wanted to see a man like that you'd have gone to the king's palace. All right, so what were you expecting to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.' (Matthew 11:7-10) Even though Jesus' mission was one of humility and of mercy, Jesus praises the faithfulness of John to his ministry as the fiery herald of judgement. Again, John was expecting the Messiah to come like Elijah, bringing confrontation and fire from heaven, but what Jesus says—albeit a little obliquely for reasons that get beyond our lesson today—what Jesus says here is that John is the prophet like Elijah. John is the fire-and-brimstone preacher. John is the herald announcing judgement and calling the people to repentance. Jesus quotes from Malachi 3 and confirms two things: John is truly the one sent to herald the Messiah and, two, that means that Jesus truly is the Messiah—the one whom Malachi said would come both to refine Israel and to make her offerings pleasing to the Lord and to judge the unrepentant. Now, in the short-term this was bad news for John. It was bad news for Jesus, too. Both the Messiah and his herald would be put to death. But death was not the end. As it turns out, we know, it was by the death of Jesus that deliverance was bought and in his resurrection he was vindicated and the unjust verdict on him overturned. In his resurrection and his ascension, Jesus was confirmed as the Messiah, as Lord. In that we see the faithfulness of God to his promises and knowing God's faithfulness, we have hope. As St. Paul wrote to the Romans: “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall surely be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). This is one of those parts of the gospel that we often prefer to ignore or to leave out of our preaching, because it offends. We've sort of got the opposite problem John had. John was fixated on judgement and on fire from heaven. Like so many Jews, he wanted to see God vanquish Israel's enemies and he nearly forgot about God's mercy. Our problem is the opposite. We've become so afraid of preaching about sin and about judgement, that we can't even preach mercy and grace anymore—because mercy isn't mercy and grace isn't grace if we're not guilty of anything and if there is no judgement headed this way. And if we gut our preaching of mercy and grace, we can talk all day about the love of God, but there will be no depth to it. We will make the cross of Jesus pointless. Why? Because we can only begin to plumb the great depths of God's love when we see that he gave his Son to die for our sake—for the sake of sinners who would otherwise stand condemned to destruction. And that brings us back to the recipe for bread. Brothers and Sisters, bread is simple and often kind of boring. But if you make it right, it nourishes. It keeps us alive. There's a reason why Jesus used it as a metaphor for himself when he said, “I am the bread of life.” There's a reason why it's a symbol over and over in the story of God's people for his faithful care and sustenance. And it points to the way God works and the way his gospel and his word work in the world. It's hardly ever flashy. And you have to be patient, because it takes time to rise and it takes time to bake. But like the Messiah, who humbled himself to take on lowly human flesh, who humbled himself to be born of a lowly virgin, and who humbly went to death on a cross, the simple bread of the gospel, the good news that Jesus died, that he rose, and that he is Lord, brings life to the world. To preach it faithfully means to preach it whole and to preach it pure. Friends, be faithful stewards. Stick to the recipe. Preach the Lord Jesus, crucified and risen to give forgiveness and life to sinners. Pursue holiness. Build churches centred on the faithful preaching of God's word and the administration of the sacraments, where, knowing God's faithfulness, God's people sing and pray together, where they raise covenant, gospel children, where we live as people who know the hope of God's life in the age to come. Let's pray: O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Sometimes Christians can become more fixated on the details of Christ's second coming than on the Christ who is to come. Today, Sinclair Ferguson offers an unexpected suggestion to help balance our view of the Lord's return. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/proclaiming-his-death-until-he-comes/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
Sometimes Christians get accused of "picking and choosing" when it comes to which laws of God we keep and which we don't keep. Is that the case? Mike and Brian discuss how Christians relate to the laws in the Old Testament, and why we aren't under the Law anymore.
Sometimes Christians get accused of "picking and choosing" when it comes to which laws of God we keep and which we don't keep. Is that the case? Mike and Brian discuss how Christians relate to the laws in the Old Testament, and why we aren't under the Law anymore.
How do you stir up another believer to love and good works when they are freaking annoying! This week on the show we have another Rabbit Trail. After reviewing my recent sermon on Hebrews 10:19-25, I sit down to answer the question, "how do I stir up someone to love and good works when they are so freaking annoying?" We all have "that person" in our lives that can be difficult to love, and social media wasn't a thing when this epistle was written. Also, how do I do all this while also setting healthy boundaries? In this episode, I reflect on all of that and walk away with a few takeaways. Facebook & instagram: @myseminarylifepodContact: emailseminarylife@gmail.comBuy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/mslpodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MySeminaryLifeShop: https://my-seminary-life-store.creator-spring.com/
So often today the word 'heresy' is thrown around at random, and over time it has lost its punch. Sometimes Christians are quick to call certain beliefs or people heretical when they don't meet the necessary qualifications to be so, and are slow to give the label to something that is actual heresy. In this episode, we explore the root meaning of the word 'heresy', different heresies that have been rampant in the church throughout church history, and how we can know for sure if a teaching or doctrine today deserves the label. Hi, I'm Mackenzie. I'm a music artist, worship leader, wife, mom (I wear a lot of hats), and host of the Godly Whistleblower podcast. I seek to shine a light on popular teachings and music in the church today and share what Scripture teaches on how we are to worship in spirit and in truth within the church gathering. My desire is to learn together with my listeners how Christians are to live lives ultimately as a pleasing worship to God. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd appreciate so much if you left me a review! Thank you for listening! - Mac Website: https://godlywhistleblower.podbean.com/ Sign up for the newsletter: https://rb.gy/huteir Socials: https://www.facebook.com/godlywhistleblower https://www.instagram.com/godlywhistleblower https://www.tiktok.com/godlywhistleblower Follow Mackenzie at: https://www.instagram.com/themackenziemorgan https://facebook.com/themackenziemorgan https://youtube.com/mackenziemorgan Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/godlywhistleblower Email: godlywhistleblower@gmail.com
So often today the word 'heresy' is thrown around at random, and over time it has lost its punch. Sometimes Christians are quick to call certain beliefs or people heretical when they don't meet the necessary qualifications to be so, and are slow to give the label to something that is actual heresy. In this episode, we explore the root meaning of the word 'heresy', different heresies that have been rampant in the church throughout church history, and how we can know for sure if a teaching or doctrine today deserves the label. Hi, I'm Mackenzie. I'm a music artist, worship leader, wife, mom (I wear a lot of hats), and host of the Godly Whistleblower podcast. I seek to shine a light on popular teachings and music in the church today and share what Scripture teaches on how we are to worship in spirit and in truth within the church gathering. My desire is to learn together with my listeners how Christians are to live lives ultimately as a pleasing worship to God. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd appreciate so much if you left me a review! Thank you for listening! - Mac Website: https://godlywhistleblower.podbean.com/ Sign up for the newsletter: https://rb.gy/huteir Socials: https://www.facebook.com/godlywhistleblower https://www.instagram.com/godlywhistleblower https://www.tiktok.com/godlywhistleblower Follow Mackenzie at: https://www.instagram.com/themackenziemorgan https://facebook.com/themackenziemorgan https://youtube.com/mackenziemorgan Email: godlywhistleblower@gmail.com
A Sermon for Whitsunday Acts 2:1-11 by William Klock “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How about now…now are we there yet?” As you read the Gospels the disciples' questions about the kingdom of God feel a bit like that. All Jesus needed was one of them kicking the back of his seat on the way to Jerusalem. “When will the kingdom come? How long? Are we there yet? Is it almost time, Jesus?” But it wasn't just the disciples. It was First Century Judaism. Pretty much everyone was on the edge of their seat with anticipation for the kingdom. Everyone except the Sadducees, because of course, they were sitting on the top of the heap, already in control of everything. They'd already arrived and weren't particularly interested in anything that might upset the status quo. But even then, they knew it was the Romans who were really calling the shots, so I suspect even the Sadducees were thinking “Are we there yet?” They just didn't say it out loud. Everyone knew it was time. It had to be. And that sense was even stronger for the disciples, because they knew Jesus was the Messiah—the one come to usher in God's kingdom and to set the world to rights. So if the Messiah had come—well—the kingdom had to be really close. And so Luke, as he opens the book of Acts with the Ascension of Jesus, he tells us of Jesus' promise to his friends: “Don't go back to Galilee. Stay in Jerusalem. As John baptised you with water, in a few days I will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.” But they hadn't asked Jesus about the Holy Spirit. They wanted to know when the kingdom was coming, because it had to be soon. And so even as Jesus was leading them up the Mount of Olives and about to ascend to his throne, they were pestering him, “Is this the time? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?” And, remember, in answer to their question Jesus ascended, up on the clouds, into heaven, to take up his throne, to rule and to reign. And as he did that, he commissioned his disciples to do something that I don't think they expected. He commissioned them to be his royal heralds, to go out and to proclaim this good news to Jerusalem, to Judea, even to Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. Now, this wasn't the first time Jesus had sent his disciples out to proclaim the kingdom, but when he'd sent them out before, it was to a people who were also asking those “Are we there yet?” questions. The disciples had gone out and told the people that in Jesus the Messiah had come and that the kingdom was in sight. But now Jesus is sending them out to proclaim that in his resurrection and ascension the kingdom has come and that was no small task. Because even though the disciples had seen their risen Lord and even though they saw him ascend to his throne, this wasn't how anyone expected the kingdom to arrive. They thought everyone would be resurrected all at once. They though the Messiah would put down the enemies of God's people and cast down their empires. They expected a king like David who would punish evil, wipe away all the problems, and make everything as it should be. Instead, the wrong people were still in control, evil people still did evil things, so much was still wrong with the world—and yet Jesus had inaugurated something, he really had risen from the dead, and they'd seen him ascend to his throne with their own eyes, so they knew he was truly Lord and that the kingdom had come. The Lord's plan was to work through them, to spread the good news and to tell the world that Jesus is Lord, and to grow the kingdom. That wasn't what anyone expected, but they should have, because that's how the Lord had been working in the world ever since he called Abraham out of the land of Ur and set him apart from everyone else, and made him and his family a witness to the world—that one day, through this people, the whole earth would know the Lord and his greatness and his goodness and his faithfulness and come to give him glory. I wonder if we, too, don't forget this sometimes. We might know better deep down, but we kind of assume that the Christian life is, more or less, a personal thing. We raise our kids in it. Maybe we talk to a few close people about it. But we act as if our duty is mostly just to be good, godly people until Jesus comes back and sets everything to rights—as if he's the one who's going to make it all happen by doing all the hard work. Sure, there are some people called to be missionaries who go off to faraway places where they've never heard of Jesus, but for most of us, it's just a quiet, personal, individual sort of thing. Even the dominant eschatology of our day assumes that things will just get worse and worse until Jesus zaps us all out of here and rains down fire and brimstone on this awful, corrupt world. But that's never what the story was about and that's never where it was headed. The Lord called and created a people to make him known with the expectation that eventually that people—not in their own power, but in his—but that people would really make him known until, as the prophets Isaiah and Habakkuk both said, the knowledge of his glory would cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Maybe we forget our part in this kingdom mission because it seems so impossible. What? Us? Grow the kingdom until the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covers the earth? What? Us? Bring the nations to give him glory? That's too big for us? We'll just be holy over here and wait for Jesus to come back and do the impossible stuff. And at this point, Jesus' disciples had no idea just how big and impossible the task was. Taking the gospel to the gentiles wasn't even on their radar. They were still thinking it was a message for Jews. It would be some years before the full extent of it even sank in. And this is why Jesus told his friends to stay in Jerusalem and to wait. In his resurrection he was vindicated as the Messiah. In his ascension he took his throne and sent the clear message that the kingdom has come. But before the disciples could go on with the work of the kingdom, they needed something that God's people had never had before—at least not in this way. They needed the power of the Holy Spirit to truly be the new Israel, to carry on the mission the Lord had given to Abraham and Isaac, and to all of Israel: to bless the nations by making him known to them. Without the Spirit, Jesus' disciples would have the same problem God's people had always had and after a time, when the excitement wore off, they would become fickle and faithless and their loyalties would be divided and they would fall into sin and the nations would mock them, this time jeering, “Where's your Messiah now?” No, they needed this gift of the indwelling Spirit to set their hearts on God and to write his law of love on their hearts—truly transforming their affections. And it was this Spirit who would empower them to go out into a hostile world with the good news about Jesus and to live out his love and his grace and his justice, carrying the kingdom to the ends of the earth. That's why they had to wait in Jerusalem. I don't think they really had any idea what was about to happen. They didn't even really understand the full extent of the mission he'd given them. They were just excited because of his resurrection and his ascension and Luke says that while they waited in Jerusalem that they spent their time in the temple praising and blessing God. And then comes our Epistle today. Look at Acts 2. Luke writes, When the day of Pentecost arrived… Let's stop there. This isn't an incidental detail. It's integral to the story. As integral as Jesus having been born a Jew. As integral as his death and resurrection taking place at Passover. “Pentecost” means “fiftieth” in Greek. Greek-speaking Jews gave the festival this name because it fell fifty days after Passover, but its biblical name was the “feast of weeks” and it was connected with the wheat harvest. It was when the Lord commanded his people to bring him their firstfruits. That's the very first part of the harvest. It was an offering to the Lord and it was an act of faith on their part. Other peoples brought offerings to their gods after the harvest had been brought in, once they knew what they could spare. But Israel gave in faith from the very first of the harvest, trusting the Lord to give the rest. So Pentecost was a feast of expectation and faith. But Pentecost was also the feast when Israel celebrated the giving of the law, the torah, at Mt. Sinai. That's where the significance of “fifty” comes from. Again, it follows fifty days after Passover and you'll remember that Passover commemorated Israel's exodus from Egypt: their slavery, Moses and the Lord's command to Pharaoh, “Let my people go!”, the plagues, the blood on the doorposts, the sparing of Israel's firstborn sons, the flight from Egypt, the rescue at the Red Sea. Passover was a festival of the Lord's deliverance of his people and it celebrated that great event in which Israel was born as a nation. And each generation participated in those events anew as they gathered year in and year out in their homes to share the Passover meal. It marked them out as the Lord's covenant people. But that wasn't the end of the story. From the Red Sea, the Lord led his people into the wilderness and fifty days later he gave them his law. He called Moses up to Mt. Sinai and when Moses came back down he brough the law with him, carved on stone tablets. In the Exodus the Lord had made Israel his people. At Mt. Sinai he showed them what it meant and what it looked like to be his people. So at Passover the Jews celebrated their redemption. At Pentecost they remembered that the Lord had redeemed them for a purpose: to live a new kind of life in order to fulfil his purposes and their calling. Can you see how this all fits together with the events of the Gospels? Easter is our Passover, when we remember how, through Jesus, the Lord redeemed us from our bondage to sin and death and made us his people. And now, on Pentecost—this is our Mt. Sinai. Let's continue with Acts 2: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. In Exodus we're given an awesome picture of the holiness of God as his presence descended on the mountain in smoke and fire and thunder, and here the Spirit comes again like a storm, in this mighty rushing wind and fire descends upon his people. And here Luke tells this new story to parallel the old. As Moses went up on the mountain to the Lord, so Jesus has ascended into heaven. And now Luke wants us to understand that Jesus, just as he promised he would, has come back down. Moses came down with tablets of stone to tell the people how to live as the Lord's covenant people. And now Jesus has returned, he's come down from heaven in the person of the Holy Spirit, to write his law of love on the very hearts of his people. Don't misunderstand. That doesn't mean that Israel had a harsh and rigid law written on stone and that Jesus' people just “follow their hearts” or something like that. There's a sense in which that's true, but definitely not in the sense that the world talks about following your heart. Following our hearts is what got us into trouble and made a mess of this world, because apart from Jesus and the Spirit our hearts are set on sin and self. That's the point here. The law written on stone showed Israel how to live as God's holy people, but it couldn't change the affections of their hearts. The Spirit, on the other hand, takes away the need for those stone tablets by changing our very hearts, filling them with a love for God and a desire for holiness, and by turning us away from sin and from self. And notice how the wind and the fire come from heaven. Through the Spirit the creative and renewing power of the Lord—the very breath that he breathed into humanity to give us life in the first place—it descends on his people to accomplish his work on earth. Jesus taught his disciples to pray “on earth as it is in heaven” and Pentecost was the firstfruits of an answer to that prayer. Sometimes Christians treat the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit as things that raise us up above the world or that make the world irrelevant, but it's really just the opposite. The Spirit is the life-giving breath of God that gives us a foretaste of the resurrection and of the life we hope for one day in this world set to rights. As the Spirit sets our hearts on God, he makes us the “on earth as it is in heaven” people, the people who not only show the world what God's kingdom looks like, but who actually live out his kingdom and its values of love and grace and mercy and justice in the midst of a world that values all the opposites of those things. But the first manifestation of the Spirit's “on earth as it is in heaven” ministry is what we see here. Luke says, first, that Jesus' people were all together when this happened—they were united—and then the first manifestation of the Spirit was this amazing speech in other languages. But what exactly was it? Let's keep reading from verse 5: Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” Jews had spread out across the known world and festivals like Passover and Pentecost brough them back to Jerusalem. The Spirit came on Jesus' disciples with fire and the sound of a mighty rushing wind, but what everyone else couldn't help but notice was the ruckus they made as they began to speak in these other languages. And it got their attention. The disciples were a bunch of rubes from Galilee, way up north, or at least that's how people in Jerusalem would have seen them. Galileans spoke Aramaic and Greek—the local languages—but they weren't cosmopolitan enough to speak all these other languages. And yet these men visiting Jerusalem from places like Egypt and Asia and even from places like Parthia, beyond the borders of the empire, heard these Galileans speaking in their own languages. That made them stop and take note. But what they were saying caught their attention even more. Luke says they were telling of the mighty works of God. In the context here that can mean only one thing. They were proclaiming the good news about Jesus. That he had come proclaiming the kingdom and calling the people to repentance, that he had been crucified, that he had risen from the dead, and that he had ascended, and is now Lord—and maybe most of all, that he had done this in fulfilment of the Lord's promises and to show the Lord's faithfulness. Many of these visitors had, no doubt, heard about Jesus and how he'd been crucified just a few weeks before. Some of them had probably heard rumors that he'd risen from the dead. If they'd been spending any time around the temple, they would have heard and seen the disciples praising God for what he had done in Jesus—and they probably thought they were crazy. But now they hear these bumpkins from Galilee declaring the might works of God miraculously in their own languages and they stop. And they listen. And some of them, Luke says, sneered at the disciples thinking they were drunk. But that's when—if we were to continue on from today's Epistle in Chapter 2—that's when Peter stood up addressed them, saying, “It's nine o'clock in the morning. It's hardly the time of day for men to be drunk. No, what you're seeing is the fulfilment of the words spoken by the prophet Joel when he told of the Lord's promise to pour out his Spirit and to redeem his people. And Peter went on to tell the men there, again, of the mighty deeds of God: of Jesus, of his death, of his resurrection, and his ascension. And he walked the men through the scriptures they knew so well and through the promises the Lord had made to his people, and he showed how Jesus had and was fulfilling them. He finished his sermon, Luke says, proclaiming: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) And the men who were listening were cut to the heart and cried out to Peter, “What should we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:38-41) The “on earth as it is in heaven” people began to grow. The rest of the book of Acts is Luke's testimony to the mighty deeds of God through these people, empowered by Jesus and the Spirit. We see the gospel—and with it the kingdom—going out from Jerusalem, to Judea, and then to Samaria, where it united Jews and Samaritans for the first time. And then we see it go out to the nations, to the gentiles, the book ending with Paul proclaiming the good news about Jesus in Rome, right under Caesar's nose. And Acts shows us churches sprouting up across the world. Acts is the firstfruits of the kingdom harvest—a harvest that would, eventually include the whole Roman Empire and beyond. And, Brothers and Sisters, Pentecost reminds us how. Without it we might be tempted to give up, to retreat into the church building, and wait for Jesus to come and do it all himself. But Pentecost reminds us that going all the way back to Abraham, the Lord has been calling and creating and empowering a people to make him known to a world lost in darkness, a people to be light, a people—like the disciples that day in Jerusalem—to proclaim to the world the mighty deeds of the God of Israel. A people to proclaim the good news that in this Jesus who was crucified, who has risen from the dead, and who has ascended to his throne to rule and reign, that he is and that he will set this world to rights. But, maybe most importantly, Pentecost reminds us that Jesus has called us and made us this people, not only to go out and to tell, but to go out and live and to do and to make and to build and to show his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We do that as we live the fruit the Spirit has given and as we show the world, in real, practical, hands-on ways what God's new creation is like, living his love and his mercy and his grace and his justice and working for those things in the world. It is an impossible task, but Pentecost also reminds us that we are not called to do it in our own power or on our own terms, but as we are empowered and guided by Jesus and the Spirit. Let's pray: O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Sometimes Christians disagree. One of the things Christians disagree about is the strategy we ought to pursue. We might have the same goal, but we might have different ways of getting there. What do we do then? How do we decide? This morning we'll look at a situation in which Paul and a lot of his friends disagree and we'll watch as they figure out what to do. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show
March 3, 2023 - Sunday AM Sermon When Jesus Comes Again... Introduction: 1. The first century church was ___________ and ___________ His _____________. 2. Sometimes Christians _______________ have forgotten that His _________ is a __________________. 3. What will _____________ when ____________ comes _________? There is a lot of __________ and ____________ about Jesus' ___________. The Bible gives a clear picture of what we can ________________. I. It will be __________________ (Mark 13:32-33) II. The Dead will be ______________ & __________________ Judged (John 5:21-23, 5:28-29) III. __________ will _____________ (Matt. 25:46; 1 Thess. 4:17) IV. He will ________ everything that is _________ (Romans 8:19-23; 1 Cor. 15:42-57) V. The __________ will be ___________ to ___________ (1 Corinthians 15:24) VI. Christians will ___________ with __________ (2 Timothy 2:12) VII. _______________ will _____________ His _________ (Phil. 2:9-11) Conclusion: 1. The __________ tells us He's ___________ again. 2. We don't have a ___________ we have a _________, be ___________! Duration 41:16
The Spiritual Meaning of Lent There is a definite structure to Lent. It is not merely a calendar structure. It is a spiritual structure! The more we can appreciate this fact, the more we can enter into the fullness of this holy season. Lent means many things to Christians. We use words to describe this season, like fasting and penance. Lent is associated with certain devotions, including the Stations of the Cross. All of this is good and helpful! However, sometimes we wonder how this all fits together! What is the relationship to the Ashes on Ash Wednesday to the Stations of the Cross? What is the relationship between ashes and fasting? How does fasting connect us to the Stations of the Cross? What we want to do is back up a little bit and look at the Lenten Season as a whole. Sometimes Christians get caught up in the details that we miss the overall framework in which they are set that gives them meaning. Lent is forty days, hence the song. But that is true and not true at once. If you take out the Sundays, there is forty days of Lent. But we refer to these Sundays as Sundays of Lent. Therefore, the Lenten Season has actually more than forty days. Informative, but what is its significance? Lent contains multiple periods. It begins with the introductory period, then the longer period determined by the Sundays. The introductory period begins on Ash Wednesday and includes the next three days. Then the Lenten Season shifts as we celebrate the first Sunday. Hear more within the Homily and why understanding these periods are important to us! The beginning of Lent is connected to the end of the Lenten Season . . . Easter Sunday. We must not ever forget that! Hear more as to what that really means. Lent exists to prepare us for the celebration of Easter! How spiritually does it do that? Listen to this special Meditation Media given as a conference on the first Friday of Lent. Listen to: The Spiritual Meaning of Lent ------------------------------------------------- Image: The Taking of Christ: Italian Painter: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.: 1602 Each Friday, a special Mediation . . . a special conference will be held throughout the Lenten Season. Look also for the next meditation installment.
Sometimes Christians soar, sometimes they run, sometimes they walk. Wherever you are at, know that God has not forgotten you!
Sometimes Christians struggle to understand the Old Testament and its relationship to Jesus. The book of Hebrews is a tremendous help here. Today, R.C. Sproul explains how Hebrews presents Christ at the center of redemptive history. Get the 'Dust to Glory' Special Edition DVD and Digital Study Guide for Your Gift of Any Amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/3139/dust-to-glory Don't forget to make RenewingYourMind.org your home for daily in-depth Bible study and Christian resources. A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
Sometimes Christians pray without a sense of great need. In the New Testament, we're taught to combine prayer and fasting. In this message, Pastor Lutzer dispels misconceptions about fasting, highlighting the benefits physically and spiritually. Praying while fasting changes our hearts. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at moodyoffer.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001.
Sometimes Christians pray without a sense of great need. In the New Testament, we're taught to combine prayer and fasting. In this message, Pastor Lutzer dispels misconceptions about fasting, highlighting the benefits physically and spiritually. Praying while fasting changes our hearts. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/173/29
Sometimes Christians can become more fixated on the details of Christ's second coming than on the Christ who is to come. Today, Sinclair Ferguson offers an unexpected suggestion to help balance our view of the Lord's return. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/proclaiming-his-death-until-he-comes A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://www.ligonier.org/donate/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
Sometimes Christians can struggle with assurance of salvation, yet assurance is possible for all believers. Today, Burk Parsons looks to God's Word to help us think through questions relating to this topic. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/how-can-i-be-sure-that-im-saved Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 or by emailing an audio recording of your question to askligoniervm@ligonier.org. You can also receive real-time answers through our online chat service at https://ask.Ligonier.org/. A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://ask.ligonier.org/podcast/donate/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
Sometimes Christians can be really mean... ABOUT THE MESSAGEThere are many things within us that Jesus calls us to remove so that we can become more like Him. Have you ever wondered why so many times when we know the right thing to do we still fall into behaviors that don't represent Jesus well? In this message, Pastor Sam Muyaka breaks down some reasons why we still end up acting poorly at times. However, most importantly, he also shows us a pathway through scripture to clothe ourselves in all of the things of God to grow in these areas and better love others with the compassion of Jesus Christ! ABOUT JESUSIf you want to learn more about who Jesus is and what it means to have a relationship with Him, we would love to help you on that journey:https://www.thechurch.fm/jesusFor a deeper dive into The Word of God on a daily basis check out our Free Ancient Paths Daily Devotional: https://www.thechurch.fm/ancient-paths WHO WE AREWe believe that the goal of every Christian is To Be Conformed Into the Image of Jesus Christ, and a relationship with Jesus as well as being involved in a healthy church community are both important to achieving that goal. Find out more about who we are and all that we do at https://www.thechurch.fm/about. We would love to meet you in person! Find our locations and service times here https://www.thechurch.fm/campuses and download our smartphone app here https://pushpay.com/get?handle=saintamantcampus&source=external to access video content, daily devotionals, updates on what is going on at The Church, and so much more. To get connected here at The Church International simply visit us here https://www.thechurch.fm/connect-track and we will walk you through all of the life giving opportunities that we have to connect with you and your family. We want to give a special thanks to everyone who donates to what God is doing through this ministry. If you would like to partner with us through generosity and giving you can do so at https://www.thechurch.fm/give-online. SOCIAL MEDIAThe Church International:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechurchinter/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechurchinternational/Website: https://www.TheChurch.FM Pastor Mark:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkAStermerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_stermer/ Pastor Cindy:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindy.stermer.9Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindy_stermer/ MESSAGE BREAKDOWN00:00 Introduction03:54 Sermon Title07:56 No More Of This14:03 What Makes Us Mean25:30 What Would Jesus Do?26:24 Clothed With Compassion27:43 Kindness28:35 Humility30:13 Gentleness31:19 Patience36:20 Prayer & Closing
Sometimes Christians sound like they have their own language. A weird language. The words they use just don't make sense. Well this week we go through some of the most popular and try to make sense of them. Former cult of Christianity members what is a phrase or word you find yourself still using? Everyone else what is a word or phrase you heard that just didn't make sense or was really weird?
It has been said that you are either in a trial, exiting out of a trial, or entering into a trial...you just aren’t aware of it yet. We can either whine and complain when trials come or learn to become the men and women God wants us to be. We aren’t the first ones in history to ever face trials. Trials are part of the DNA of the church. When you look at how the church began, it was flooded with trials, especially the early church in Jerusalem. Their pastor, James, the half-brother of Jesus, encouraged his congregation to look at trials not as torture but as an opportunity to learn and grow. James knew that trials are not an option for the Christian. They will come in all shapes and sizes (v. 2). Like a baseball pitcher, some come in like a rocketed fastball. You hardly see them coming, and they set you back on your heels. Others are curveballs where you expect one thing, but it turns out to be completely different. James uses the word “testing” to denote a positive event intended to make our faith authentic and genuine (v. 3). Our testing results in perseverance, or steadfastness. The Christian faith is not a sprint; it is a marathon. James wants his readers to run to spiritual maturity (v. 4). Sometimes Christians get distracted, thinking that Christianity’s goal is merely to learn more about the Bible. While knowing the Bible is extremely important, this knowledge alone does not equal spiritual maturity. A few verses later, James writes, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (v. 22). As a leader, are you willing to reflect on and learn from your trials? >> No one wants to go through trials. But, as James teaches, these trials can help us grow in spiritual maturity. If you are going through a difficult time, ask God for wisdom (v. 5) to grow in your faith and learn from this experience.
The Wisdom of the Cross Lenten Mission: Day 2: The Cross Is Key to Knowing Jesus The first night of this Mission began with a reflection on the sign one makes at the beginning of the proclamation of the Gospel. On the second night of the Mission, the reflection begins at the end of the proclamation of the Gospel. Hear more within the reflection. The Gospel we hear tonight is The Passion of Christ, according to St. Luke. Sometimes Christians and non-Christians ask a simple question. Why did Jesus die? Some answer it was because of the hatred against Him. Others say it was the political environment of the Romans. But the simple fact is these are not the reasons. Jesus came into the world to suffer, sacrifice and die for our sins. He chose The Cross, even before His birth. Therefore, there is no engaging Jesus without also engaging The Cross. The Cross is The Key This is why it is so important, especially during the Lenten Season, to engage this great mystery . . . The Cross which is the key that unlocks the fullness and truth of Jesus Christ. The Passion begins on Holy Thursday night, while He is in the Garden. The soldiers come at night, and He is ready . . . and He sees them coming. While He is ready, His close disciples crumble and abandon Him . . . and flee. Jesus is alone and He is taken. He is willing to stand before the unjust ruling of the world. The world, through Pilate, initially finds no guilt. Pilate states He committed no wrong. But ultimately, Jesus is found guilty . . . He is guilty of not being worth saving. Hear more of the opening of the Passion within this reflection. After Pilate sentences Jesus to death, they bring out The Cross to Him. A large and heavy piece of wood is brought to the carpenter. The Cross is large, so much so that it takes multiple men to bring it to Jesus. Brought to Jesus to carry it . . . by Himself. He carries not only The Cross . . . but the guilt of every person whoever lived (past, present and future). The latter is much heavier. That's The Cross. That's the burden He bears. Jesus Takes The Cross and Looks Toward Heaven The reflection briefly talks about artwork for The Cross. Good artwork shows Jesus taking The Cross . . . Lifting up The Cross, with His eyes toward Heaven. Visualize Jesus Carrying The Cross. Listen to the sound of hammer and nail / spike as Jesus is crucified. Hear more within this reflection. The Most Remarkable Statement Ever Uttered in the History of the Universe After being sentenced, carrying The Cross, and after being nailed to The Cross, Jesus remarkably says nothing. After He is on The Cross, Jesus says What Jesus utters is remarkable. It may be the most remarkable statement ever uttered in the history of the universe. Nothing before this moment can compare. The Lord speaks after all the events and all the blows. He asks for a blessing for the guy who is swinging the hammer. Father, forgive them. Forgive him, because he does not know what he is doing. Listen to this greatest of all statements. This statement shows Who Jesus is . . . it is why The Cross is key to understanding and knowing Jesus. The Two Thieves Have a Lesson For Our Own Spiritual Journey Even the guys (the thieves) who died with Jesus. Two other guys lifted up their cross, and they follow Jesus. But lifting up your cross is not enough. Two men, but only one gets it right. It is not enough to just lift your cross. One must deny himself first, then carry your cross to follow Jesus. Two men, but only one gets it right. These two men are important. In the entire history of the world, only these two men received this grace. Dying the same way, at the same time as Jesus. Only these two men received this grace. Going through it, they see the misery of their condemnation. Yet, Jesus is also condemned with them. Hear the lessons of the two thieves and its impact on our Spiritual Journey.
Sometimes Christians can grow so weary of this corrupt and sinful world that they long to be away. Today, Sinclair Ferguson brings consolation and hope as he lifts our eyes to the new Jerusalem, where righteousness will dwell fully and forever. Thank You For Supporting the Global Outreach of Renewing Your Mind and Ligonier Ministries: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/2404/donate Don't forget to make RenewingYourMind.org your home for daily in-depth Bible study and Christian resources.
More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music
Sometimes Christians say things that are meant to be a comfort to others but aren't theologically sound. Shocking, I know. Some of my favorite videos to watch are when the guest has to guess if it's something that comes from the Bible or a quote. Today on the podcast, we prove the comforting ideas found in Matthew West's song "Me On Your Mind" come from Scripture. We'll study a wonderful prayer of Jesus to encourage us that He, indeed, had us on His mind. In this week's episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Meditate on Scripture Read in context Use the subheadings to gain your bearings Follow the cross-references Slow down Look up words in the dictionary Consult an outside resource Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - Amazon Paid Link How Jesus had us on His mind in his recorded prayer in John 17 Backing up to John 13 and reading forward to get the full context of what was happening Contrasting two gardens in Scripture - "Two Gardens, Two Betrayals, Two Outcomes" by Dr. Jim and Janean Reish Jesus' posture - John 17:1 Exploring when Jesus' hour "had not yet come" compared to the hour that has come at the time of Christ's prayer John 2:4 John 7:30 John 8:20 "Glory" and "glorification" and what they mean Eternal life through Christ - John 17:2-3 Christ's role in bringing attention to God's character through His obedient life What it means that Christ "manifested" the name of God - John 17:6 Highlighting themes of sanctification and unity in addition to glorification A pattern we can follow from this prayer (see the Fire Bible Amazon Paid Link) Pray that they may know Jesus Christ and his Word intimately (John 17:2-3, 17, 19) Pray that God may protect them from the evil influences of the world, keep them from turning away from him and give them discernment to recognize and reject ungodly beliefs and false spiritual teaching (John 17:6, 11, 14-17) Pray that they may constantly possess the full joy of serving Christ (John 17:13) Pray that they may live by God's standards of purity and truth in thoughts, actions, and character (John 17:17) Pray that they may be unified in love and purpose, just as Jesus and his Father are (John 17:11, 21-22) Pray that they may lead others to Christ (John 17:21, 23) pray that their faith will endure so they will one day be with Christ in heaven (John 17:24) Pray that they may constantly experience God's love and presence (John 17:26) Am I following Christ's pattern in my own life? Do I look at my obedience to God's ways as a way to magnify His character, or as something I'm supposed to do? More Than a Song Playlist Additional Resources Lyrics - NewReleaseToday.com "Loved by the Father in the Son" - Ligonier.org Devotional John 17 Commentary - Enduring Word Commentary "What is sanctification? What is the definition of Christian sanctification?" - GotQuestions.org Article ESV Fire Bible - Amazon Paid Link "Two Gardens, Two Betrayals, Two Outcomes" - Dr. Jim and Janean Reish Article Weekly Challenge Read John 17 in context, then go back and study it line by line and word by word. Look up words
How are we to talk about Jesus to someone who does not believe the way we do? Very few of us feel comfortable articulating the truthfulness of Christ's death and resurrection to a peer outside of the church. Sometimes Christians feel intimidated by the objections of unbelievers who may say, "That's right for you, but not for me" or "That's just your opinion." This book provides questions, answers, and relational tips in overcoming these conversation stoppers. Join us to hear firsthand examples and stories of ordinary people who share the gospel while visiting nursing homes, throwing parties, renting out bars for open-minded skeptics, and more. Learn how to be winsome and confident in sharing the Gospel to nonbelievers.
How are we to talk about Jesus to someone who does not believe the way we do? Very few of us feel comfortable articulating the truthfulness of Christ's death and resurrection to a peer outside of the church. Sometimes Christians feel intimidated by the objections of unbelievers who may say, "That's right for you, but not for me" or "That's just your opinion." This book provides questions, answers, and relational tips in overcoming these conversation stoppers. Join us to hear firsthand examples and stories of ordinary people who share the gospel while visiting nursing homes, throwing parties, renting out bars for open-minded skeptics, and more. Learn how to be winsome and confident in sharing the Gospel to nonbelievers.
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