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Send us a textOne of the biggest reasons people do not follow Christ, or do not pursue their calling, is because they think they are not qualified or disqualified. God created you with a unique purpose, but if you spend your life living someone else's dream, you'll miss the fulfillment of your own. Shift your perspective, embrace God's purpose for you, and pursue it with everything you have!Focus Scriptures: Matthew 4:20; Luke 5:5-10; 1 Corinthians 13:12The Big So What: God created you with a unique purpose, but if you spend your life living someone else's dream, you'll miss the fulfillment of your own. Shift your perspective, embrace God's purpose for you, and pursue it with everything you have!This Week's Challenge: Read 1 Peter 2Memorize 1 Corinthians 13:12Write down the thoughts that say you are not qualified or disqualified and your counter to those thoughts (God's Word)Do an act of service for someone else that resembles following Christ
rwh01march -Ep.353 – Run With Horses Podcast –Personal Spring Cleaning Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Author pages with links to all books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BCSDDVLB – James Norman Smith https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BMGW51FW – Susan Jane Smith A "spring cleaning" for your life is a fantastic way to reset and refresh your routine, mindset, and environment. Where do most people begin and how can we make that a little more intentional as a disciple of Jesus? Here are some thoughts: 1. Declutter Your Space: This is a reoccurring theme for many of us. The things we surround ourselves with can eventually control us. Take charge and evaluate everything in light of eternity and it's usefulness as a follower of Jesus. 2. Revamp Your Routine: Building and maintaining healthy habits is a large part of staying consistent in your spiritual life. What habits do you have, What habits do you need to develop? 3. Refresh Your Digital Life: Reduce and remove digital distractions.. Today's screen focused world can be a hindrance to an authentic relationship with Jesus. Evaluate your screen time and use it wisely. 4. Review Finances: Strive to be a good steward of your finances. 5. Assess Personal Goals: What is the big picture of what God is doing in your life? How is He growing you and what is He challenging you to become? Compare your goals with His goals for you! 6. Invest in Health: Finances aren't the only place that we need to be good stewards! Your health matters. Are you taking care of the level of health that God has given you? 7. Reconnect with Relationships: Relationships are a big part of our spiritual life. We need relationships with others and they need us. Be intentional and keep Jesus at the center of all of your relationships. 8. Learn Something New: Don't stagnate physically, mentally or spiritually. Read good books on topics that will help you grow. The spiritual disciplines are always a place you can invest and reap rewards. 9. Cleanse Your Mind: Romans 12:1-2 Renew your mind. Maintain time in God's Word and really spend some time meditating on it, asking God to make His thoughts your thoughts. 10. Physical Clean-Up: You surrounds can really affect your emotional and mental state which impacts your spiritual life. Spend some time cleaning up your space physically to help you focus spiritually. You can do a personal spiritual evaluation by reflecting on key principles and practices found in Scripture. This evaluation is not about perfection, but about growth in faith, love, and obedience to God. Here's a step-by-step guide for conducting a spiritual evaluation: 1. Reflect on Personal Relationship with God Prayer and Devotion: Evaluate how consistent and sincere your personal time with God is. Are you seeking to commune with Him daily in prayer and through His Word? (Matthew 6:6, James 4:8) Do you have a consistent time or do you need to plan one? Heart Check: Ask yourself: Do you truly desire to know God more deeply, or have other distractions and idols taken His place? (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37) 2. Evaluate Your Relationship with the Word of God Bible Reading and Study: How regularly are you engaging with the Scriptures? Are you reading to grow, to learn, and to obey, or simply out of obligation? (Psalm 119:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) Are you consistently reading through Scripture? NT every year as a beginning goal. Obedience to the Word: Do you apply God's Word to your life? Is your obedience rooted in love for Christ and a desire to honor Him? (John 14:15, James 1:22) 3. Assess Your Life of Repentance and Confession Confession and Repentance: Are you regularly confessing sins and repenting? Acknowledge areas where sin has a hold and work on turning away from them. (1 John 1:9, Romans 12:1-2) Humility and Accountability: Are you humble enough to admit areas where you need growth, and do you have accountability in your life? (Proverbs 27:17, James 5:16) 4. Examine Your Love for Others Love for Others: Do you love others as Christ has loved you? Evaluate your relationships with family, friends, and fellow believers. (John 13:34-35, 1 John 4:7-21) Are you meeting new people regularly? Forgiveness and Grace: Are you quick to forgive and show grace, or do you harbor bitterness or unforgiveness? (Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 18:21-22) Are YOU the center of your relationships or is Jesus? 5. Reflect on Your Role in the Body of Christ Service and Ministry: Are you actively serving others in the church and in your community? God has gifted each believer for the building up of His body. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, Ephesians 4:11-16) Where are you using your gifts? Fellowship: Do you prioritize fellowship with other believers? Being a part of the body of Christ means engaging with the community of believers, not just individually. (Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 2:42-47) 6. Assess Your Personal Witness and Evangelism Sharing the Gospel: Are you actively sharing your faith and seeking opportunities to tell others about Christ? Evaluate your willingness to be a light in the world. (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8) Living as a Witness: Is your life reflecting the character of Christ to those around you? Are others able to see Christ in your actions and attitude? (Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 3:15) 7. Check Your Spiritual Fruit Fruit of the Spirit: How are you reflecting the fruit of the Spirit in your life? (Galatians 5:22-23) Are you putting effort into your spiritual growth? How? Spiritual Growth: Do you see areas where God has grown you, but also areas where you need to mature? (2 Peter 3:18, Philippians 1:9-11) 8. Evaluate Your Priorities and Stewardship Time and Resources: How are you managing your time, talents, and treasures? Are your priorities in line with God's kingdom purposes? (Matthew 6:33, 1 Corinthians 10:31) Generosity and Stewardship: Are you generous with what God has entrusted to you, not only in finances but also in your time and abilities? (2 Corinthians 9:6-8, Luke 6:38) 9. Seek the Holy Spirit's Conviction and Guidance Holy Spirit's Role: Invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart, convict you of any unconfessed sin, and guide you into truth. Trust in the Spirit's work to help you grow in Christ-likeness. (Psalm 139:23-24, John 16:13) Response to Conviction: How do you respond when the Holy Spirit convicts you? Are you willing to obey, even when it is difficult? (Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:16-18) 10. Set Goals for Spiritual Growth Action Plan: Based on your evaluation, set specific, measurable, attainable goals for your spiritual growth. These could involve areas of Bible study, prayer, service, or outreach. Accountability: Consider seeking an accountability partner or mentor who can help you stay focused on your growth and provide support. (Proverbs 27:17, Galatians 6:1-2)
PLEASE ALWAYS READ THIS INFO BOX WHEN YOU VISIT TMVP BLOG. ***Especially please do not send any gift to this ministry unless you have read & understood the instructions below.*** DO NOT INTERACT WITH ANYONE ASKING FOR DONATIONS. Thank you. WEBSITE: WWW.THE-MASTERS-VOICE.COM Today's Word: Do not have or tolerate a heart that wanders and "wonders" after darkness. Protect your mind with the full armor of God and be OBEDIENT to the Word of God as it is written. A Man cannot be a Woman nor woman be man; also it is forbidden to lay with your same sex. Yet the roots of these and many more sins lie not in the express sins themselves but in the REFUSAL to allow the word of God to rule over the mind and body without resistance or interruption. Repent of sin [Psalm 51] & while there is still time the Lord Yah will surely hear you & be merciful. Hear the words of the Lord. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: If you'd like to support this work it is appreciated. Kindly use Paypal or email for other options at mastersvoice@mail.com, and *please* give me some time to respond. If using Paypal PLEASE DO NOT send any gift with "Purchase Protection". I have an ordinary PayPal account not a seller marketplace, so please do not damage my account by using "purchase protection" on your donation (as if I were making a sale to you). If you are not sure (especially if you sent in the past), please check the format of your gift on the PayPal receipt before sending. It is a freewill offering, I am not selling goods or services. Please use *only* the "Friends & Family" sending option. If you're outside the USA please DO NOT use Paypal, contact me instead at the email listed here & allow me a good window to respond. Thank you, God bless. Paypal ------- mastersvoice@mail.com.
PLEASE ALWAYS READ THIS INFO BOX WHEN YOU VISIT TMVP BLOG. ***Especially please do not send any gift to this ministry unless you have read & understood the instructions below.*** DO NOT INTERACT WITH ANYONE ASKING FOR DONATIONS. Thank you. WEBSITE: WWW.THE-MASTERS-VOICE.COM Today's Word: Do not have or tolerate a heart that wanders and "wonders" after darkness. Be strong in the Lord and wear the full armor of God always (Ephesians 6:11-18). Pray for grace to keep your feet on the narrow path, away from the lying wonders that are coming. Resist the devil VERY STRONGLY AND WITH DEFIANCE, and he will flee from you. Hear the words of the Lord. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: If you'd like to support this work it is appreciated. Kindly use Paypal or email for other options at mastersvoice@mail.com, and *please* give me some time to respond. If using Paypal PLEASE DO NOT send any gift with "Purchase Protection". I have an ordinary PayPal account not a seller marketplace, so please do not damage my account by using "purchase protection" on your donation (as if I were making a sale to you). If you are not sure (especially if you sent in the past), please check the format of your gift on the PayPal receipt before sending. It is a freewill offering, I am not selling goods or services. Please use *only* the "Friends & Family" sending option. If you're outside the USA please DO NOT use Paypal, contact me instead at the email listed here & allow me a good window to respond. Thank you, God bless. Paypal ------- mastersvoice@mail.com.
Do you struggle with maintaining a desire for the Word-- Do you know why and how you can overcome this-- Join Pastor Steve as he gives 3 principles for craving the Word.
Greetings and welcome- This is our daily devotional for September 6, 2023. Today we continue our short study on how to read God's Word as we examine perspective and prayer before reading the Bible. What is your perspective as you come to God's Word-- Do you pray before reading and after-- Thanks for joining us-
Summary: Do we know God the Father's voice? Are we willing to hear what He has to say? Do we know what He is saying today? Show Notes: • We give our spirits and whole life to hear His voice and speak His Word • His Word has authority and power behind it, we are only vessels or servants • We do not know as we ought, ask Him to show us • Jesus only spoke what He heard the Father speak • We are being refined as we wait on Him to speak His Word • We are going to know God's will beyond anything else • It is my freewill to be obedient to His voice • Do we trust Him? Yes, we have learned He is • Do not conjure up a “Word” • Do not tell God “what to do” • How do we relate to circumstances that do not necessarily go our way? • We serve a right now God. References: Deuteronomy 6:4-7 4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.1 John 10:3-5, 16 3 “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 “When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 “A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”i 16 “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.ii John 18:37 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”iii Hebrews 3:15 15 while it is said, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”iv Revelations 3:20 20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.v John 5:19 19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.vi Psalms 37:9 9 For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.vii Isaiah 40:31 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will bmount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.viii Lamentations 3:25 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.ix Matthew 6:10 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.x Luke 1:4 4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been a taught.xi Luke 8:10 10 And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. John 7:17 17 “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.xii Matthew 7:22 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'xiv Acts 26:19 19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision,xv Hebrews 2:13 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of bour great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,xvi Romans 3:3 3 What then? If some did not...
“Relationship is the foundation of all stories that are told. If you can't find a relationship, you're probably not telling a story.” -Chip Brewer Storytelling is as old as human history, and knowing this reminds us that this ancient art still runs in our blood. This week, I am thrilled to speak with improv speaker, author, and storyteller Chip Brewer. Chip has been performing improvs for more than 20 years now and is passionate about teaching his secrets to those who want to get better at this craft. Storytelling is the heart of marketing. Without stories, no business will exist. And it’s not because companies have to keep their customers entertained, but because behind every sale is a story that resonates with a customer’s unique experience. Yet, some may argue that storytelling is not a language they can speak well. Indeed, some people are more linguistically sharp than others, but as entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and leaders always on the stage, storytelling is a highway to reach your vision. In this episode, Chip discusses big topics such as teamwork, storytelling, and stagecraft. He shares how man’s desire and innate ability to tell and listen to stories can help promote your brand and establish a solid connection to others. Learn the fundamentals, key elements, structure, and rules of storytelling and improv. As a treat, Chip also shares some exercises and games to help you hone your storytelling skills. Click the link below to discover ancient storytelling secrets that are not so hidden after all! https://jayrooke.com/128-Chip-Brewer Check out my website: https://jayrooke.com/ Follow me on: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Book for a JayWalking Session Episode Highlights: 01:20 What is Improv About? 06:49 Improv and Your Career 09:08 The Virtuous Cycle of Improv ( The Agreement Game) 11:53 The Fundamental Rule of Improv 16:00 How to Listen Actively (Exercise) 20:00 What Happens Next? 24:35 The Structure, Key Elements, and Rules of Story-Telling 32:55 Let the Word Do the Work 37:55 Things to Remember on Stage 44:10 A Novel for Thrill Lovers!
A large number of people have convinced themselves that they are followers of Jesus - but they believe and live in ways which are totally contradictory to Scripture. Jesus gave us this teaching in Matthew 7:12-29 to challenge us to examine our own hearts, and to prepare/equip us to minister to "Christian Imposters." Verses 12-14: Jesus' definition of a genuine Christian Someone who is running the race (v. 12) Someone who has properly started the race (vv. 13-14) Verses 15-20: Imposter #1 (Claim to have started the race, but not on the course; no fruit) Verses 21-23: Imposter #2 (Seemingly running the race, but "false start") Verses 24-29: The Applications HEAR the Word DO the Word Make the Word HEARD and DONE
[01:30] ‘Scandal Free’ (30 minutes) In the final weeks of the Obama administration, dozens of officials, and even the outgoing president himself, bragged about how their eight-year administration was free from any scandal. The evidence is now pouring in that exposes that claim as a complete lie. Former President Barack Obama is now being exposed as authorizing a scandal that makes Watergate looks like child’s play. [33:00] Bible Study: The ‘I Am’ Humility (22 minutes) Jesus Christ had perfect humility. He strove to fulfill His Father’s will—not His own. What is our attitude toward God’s Word? Do we strive to do things God’s way, or our own way?
We’ve been sharing a series on how to reset your life. This current situation in which we live is the perfect time to hit the reset button, to clear the decks and start again and get back to basics. Sometimes we are forced to do this as a hard reset, where we face devestation and pain and loss to reset our lives, but right now we can do a soft reset, not back to factory default settings but by making a conscious choice to reset important values in our lives. ACTIONS REFLECT PRIORITIES Surprised to see an empty seat at the football grand final, a diehard fan remarked about it to a man sitting nearby. “It was my wife’s,” the man explained, “But she died.” “Oh! I’m very sorry to hear that,” said the man. “Yet I’m really surprised that another relative, or friend, didn’t jump at the chance to take the seat reserved for her.” “Beats me,” he said. “They all insisted on going to the funeral.” One of the key things for me in this pandemic is resetting priorities. Our expose our, and our priorities expose our values. We might say something is important, but our priorities expose the truth as to whether it is truly that important to us. Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV Strong's) Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Truly we have seen that days are evil right now with this pandemic. We are not sailing along blissfully ignorant in our contented, brain numbed stupor, suddenly we have to reset what is truly important in our lives, and this reset must be reflected in our actions. WHAT PRIORITIES WERE BEFORE Just a few months ago, our priorities were so different. As Christians, we might claim to want to serve Jesus, but we spent much of our time living, working, investing, getting friends, getting things, getting money, getting ahead in life. We were comfortable, but we were complaining and confused about what really is important in life. Then came the corona virus, and everything was turned in its head. Many of us lost jobs, incomes and businesses, we all lost freedom as we knew it before, can’t touch, can’t hug, can’t stand closer than 1.5 metres, and toilet paper suddenly became a precious commodity. Our priorities, which reflect our values and what’s really important to us, have changed. This is our opportunity to reset them. Jesus spoke about this… Luke 12:15-21 (ESV Strong's) And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” WHAT PRIORITIES CAN BE Priorities reflect values, and we have before us a golden opportunity to reset our values, to reset what is truly important in life. I was in a store this week and lent on a counter top, and the sales assistant nearly had kittens! The climate of fear is alive and well for the general population out there. She wouldn’t even let me touch the eftpos machine to put my pin in for fear I might infect the keypad. But our priorities can reflect something greater than this climate of fear. Psalms 91:9-11 (ESV Strong's) Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. We can have values and confidence that others don’t! For years our priorities have been pushed and pulled and squeezed into the mould the world dictates to us, but today we have the chance to reset them. WHAT FORMS YOUR PRIORITIES? Every person has their own priorities and values in life. Our values set our priorities. It determines where you spend your effort and time. We pick up our values basically from what we are constantly exposed to – like our childhood experiences, our family upbringing, our education, our friends, our neighbourhood, our workplace environment, TV, the media, etc. But at the end of the day it is we who choose and decide the source of our values. Job 34:4 (ESV Strong's) Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good. Every one of us are at different stages of life, and accordingly our priorities and values are different. What was important at age 15 is not the same as age 40 or age 70. We have to sift through and decide what’s number 1 in importance, then number 2 and so on. So how are you going to decide what is really important & what is not? Well, the key here is how long is this important thing going to last in your life? If your priority is going to last for eternity, then it is really important. If it is going to last 60 years, that’s still pretty important. If it is going to last a few minutes or days, that’s shouldn’t be prioritised in the s a me way. WHAT ARE THE WORLD’S PRIORITIES? The world is trying to influence your priorities, to squeeze you into its mould. Romans 12:2 (ESV Strong's) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Here’s some things the world would tell you to prioritise… 1. PLEASURE The world tells us that our pleasure, doing what we want, is our divine right. The whole entertainment industry is build around our pleasures. Advertising is about stimulating and satisfying our pleasures. People often say, God wants us to have a happy life, so if sin makes me happy, if sex and drugs and booze and video games please me, then God must be ok with it. That is simply not true. Last week we saw God is really ok with holiness, but not ok with your sin. So much so, He died to win you back from the consequences of your sin. Moses was described like this, Hebrews 11:24-25 (ESV Strong's) By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. Sin is pleasurable, otherwise no one would do it! But we must not prioritise sin over holiness, our fleeting pleasure over standing for what is right. There are consequences for everything we do and say. Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV Strong's) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. There are consequences for everything we do and say. Solomon observed this… Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (ESV Strong's) And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. The world says prioritise your own pleasure, but it is foolish vanity. It’s time to reset it. 2. POSSESSIONS Another thing the world says is a priority is possessions, getting stuff. We have to have the best, the latest, the coolest. We don’t repair things any more, we toss them and get the new model. Those darned socks never get darned any more! 1 Timothy 6:7-10 (ESV Strong's) for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. Pursuing money and possessions might seem important in this life, and we all do it, but ultimately you are on a never stopping treadmill. Even if you win the rat race, you’re still a rat! Ecclesiastes 5:10 (ESV Strong's) He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 2 boys watching a funeral procession, and one asks whose funeral it was. The other said, why it’s the local millionaire. Really, said the first bit, how much did he leave. The other boy replied, all of it. Shrouds don’t have pockets! 3. POWER AND PRESTIGE We all want influence, we all want popularity, for people to love us, but again, this is a fleeting, vane pursuit. Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, showing us that the rich influential successful man finishes in hell for eternity. His wealth, power and influence meant nothing in eternity. Mark 10:31 (ESV Strong's) But many who are first will be last, and the last first. You can pursue and prioritise being popular, gaining influence and power here on earth, but ultimately in God’s economy it will be worthless! Let’s talk about HOW TO RESET YOUR PRIORITIES This Corona virus pandemic is our chance to soft reset our priorities in life. Remember, a soft reset is a choice to change with minimal pain, not a hard reset which results in devastating pain and loss. COVID 19 is a great time to reset our priorities… and our perspectives… Charles Francis Adams, son of President John Quincy Adams and grandson of President John Adams, kept a diary. One day he entered: “Went fishing with my son today—a day wasted.” His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: “Went fishing with my father—the most wonderful day of my life!” The father thought he was wasting time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time. It was a difference in priorities and values. The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing is to know one’s ultimate purpose in life and to prioritise accordingly. So here are some steps towards resetting your priorities in this moment… 1. CHOOSE THE SOURCE OF YOUR VALUES Destiny is not something that randomly happens to you, it is a series of choices. Make bad choices, you mess up your destiny. Make wise choices, God unroll the most incredible destiny for your life. It’s all your choice! So the first step is to decide to see life from God’s perspective, and make His Word the source of your values, and basis of your priorities. Your choice… 2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV Strong's) as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. So decide first to choose life, choose God’s way, God’s perspective, God’s priorities. 2. TURN AWAY FROM THE WORLD’S VALUES 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV Strong's) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. The world is constantly trying to conform you into its image, what it wants from you, and what it thinks you should want from life. Psalms 119:37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. ‘Turn my eyes away from worthless things’ would be a good verse to put on your TV set or computer screens. 3. WEIGH THE CONSEQUENCES As you determine your priorities, a great thing to do is to step back and get a wide angle rather than a telescopic view. You can then clearly see and weigh the consequences of your priorities. Galatians 6:7 (ESV Strong's) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Let’s look at a few examples of consequences. Having an affair for example. A few moments pleasure, a small amount of time sampling forbidden fruit. Weight that up against losing your wife, your children, your friends, your ministry, half of your fortune, most of your self respect. Stopping coming to church. You get to sleep in. Maybe catch up with a friend. But you lose spiritual connection with God, the ministry He has for you, the destiny He has for you. Eternal consequences in exchange for a sleep in. MAKE THE CHOICE TO RESET YOUR PRIORITIES Having done this, all that remains is a simple choice… I choose to realign my priorities with God. I choose life, God’s life, God’s priorities! Deuteronomy 30:19 (ESV Strong's) I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, Don’t walk away, don’t turn this recording off without making a decision. To delay, to think about it later, is a decision to choose your own way, not God’s. WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE? Our priorities reveal what we value or treasure. Much of what the world prioritises is really dross or rubbish in eternity. Don’t tell me Jesus is most important if you spend your whole life pursuing money. Don’t tell me you love your family if you have affairs and destroy it. Don’t tell me God is number 1 in your life if you never open His Word or pray. Our actions reflect our priorities, and right now we have the chance to reset those priorities and get them right, for now, for the future even for eternity! Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV Strong's) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. If you treasure something you will prioritise it. We concentrate on what we treasure. IT’S TIME TO RESET YOUR PRIORITIES Luke 16:15 (ESV Strong's) God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. So what is really important to us? Let me list some priorities most if us would agree on. My first priority is God, because God and God’s work will take me all the way into eternity. The second in my case is my family. The third in my case is church, and after that is work, finances, the home and so on. You can work your own priorities. But right now is the opportunity it reset our priorities and get them right for the long run, for all of our lives and into eternity. And as we reset, we must ensure that our actions reflect what we say are our priorities, and we need to give more time to what is really important. This is not about asking you to make a mental ascent, we need a total change in lifestyle. IT’S TIME TO RESET YOUR LIFESTYLE This pandemic is your golden opportunity to reset your lifestyle. You can change your lifestyle according to your priorities, and what is the most important should get your maximum time while what is the least important should get your least time, otherwise you are going no where. If I ask you is God important to you? Everyone will say yes to this. Then do you schedule time to be with God? Do you read his word? “Well, no pastor, I’m so busy, I can’t.” Do you give God’s work at least 10% of your income? “No, I need that for myself.” Do you spend time in the Word? Do you spend time praying, talking to God, developing a relationship with Him? “No, I am much to busy to do any of that.” You see, we say one thing but we do something else. If your family is really important for you then you should think about spending more time with your spouse and children. If your health is really important then how much time do you exercise, do you eat right? Is financial security important for you? Everybody will say yes. Are you a materialistic person? Oh, no! I’m not a materialistic person at all.” Really? Is your debt load getting deeper & deeper? Are you buying things that you can’t afford? Do you have credit card charges that you can’t pay? Are you saving money? “No, I spend it all,” you say. You see we all want a changed outcome but we do not want a changed lifestyle. As we reset priorities, we need to change our lifestyle! So as we finish, if you’re really serious about changing your lifestyle, here’s 3 areas that you are going to have to work on. Work on your schedule. Is your schedule consistent with what you say is important? Do you prioritise time for the things you say are really important, or are you spending time on things that you say aren’t important? You’re going to have to reevaluate your schedule. Work on your budget. “Am I spending the most money on the things that are really important, or am I spending the most money on things that I think are not important, on things that only last for a brief period of time? Are you tithing. Work on your Responsibilities. “Am I spending my time and effort with the responsibilities of my life or am I spending all my time being involved with things that aren’t that important to me?” Ephesians 4:17-20 (ESV Strong's) Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— This opportunity to reset our priorities means we must stop living like worldly people whose thinking is futile and values and priorities are misplaced. Understand what is important, put first things first, and change your lifestyle. So, what is priority 1,2 and 3 in your life right now? I want you to pray with me and reset your priorities to a God’s priorities. Matthew 6:33 (ESV Strong's) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Understanding God’s Word”Psalm 119IntroductionMatthew 9:29Romans 10:17MessageOur Attitude about God’s Word Do you believe it is TruthPsalm 119:142II Timothy 3:16a Do you believe it is TimelessPsalm 119:160Psalm 119:89 Do you believe it is to be TreasuredPsalm 119:72Hebrews 4:12 Our Approach to God’s Word Pray over God’s WordPsalm 119:12Psalm 119:18Luke 24:45 Ponder God’s Word119:155 Questions to ask: Is there a promise to claim? Is there a lesson to learn? Is there a blessing to enjoy? Is there a command to obey? Is there a sin to avoid? Preserve God’s WordPsalm 119:11Psalm 119:16Practice God’s Word-Psalm 119:1-5Proclaim God’s WordPsalm 119:13Psalm 119:172Support the show (https://onrealm.org/washingtonbaptistchurch/-/give/now)
From John 8:31-59. Outside of Jesus, you are a slave to sin, but if you abide in His Word, He will and He can set you free because He is good. Are you truly abiding in the Word? Do you believe you need to be set free?
God gives us many wonderful promises in His Word. But to know and understand these promises, we need to know His Word (as David said – to meditate on it day and night). Are you a person of the Word? Do you trust God to renew and refresh you, and to provide for Your needs? Do you stand on His promises? Allowing Him to transform your life to bear much fruit for His kingdom? Ezekiel 36:26 (AMP): “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh”.
What do you do when the air hostess begins her safety briefing? Do you listen carefully or switch off as you know what she’s saying anyway?! What about when we hear God’s Word? Do we pay any more attention? Listen to Jesus’ warning, you can read the parable here: Mark 4:1-20 and listen to the sermon here:
Hey everyone I’m Pastor Gary Hoban and welcome to episode 36 of Refinery Life radio /TV. Our goal here is to release a 2-3 minute video / Podcast each day, designed to challenge you and get you to spend more time with God. Today we are going to talk about, Your weapon against temptation. Have you ever noticed how Jesus handled temptation? When satan tempted Jesus during the forty days in the wilderness, Jesus responded to every temptation by saying, “It is written……It is written…..It is written” in Matthew 4:4-10. Why? Because God’s Word is truth, and only truth can refute the lies satan sends our way when he tempts us. Satan wants us to believe sin will give us pleasure and satisfaction. By contrast, God’s truth warns that sin leads to guilt and emptiness. Are you armed with God’s Word? Do you know what it says? Are you fighting your battles against temptation with the sword of the spirit, The Word of God? Get to know what your Bible says about the kinds of temptations you face. Ask God today to help you identify the lies that you will be bombarde with today, including the lies you will tell yourself. Thank Him for arming you with the truth and teaching you to use the sword of the spirit effectively. Until tomorrow Stay in the blessings I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word. When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer. Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body! You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.faithministries.com.au. When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you. So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us 2019 IS A YEAR FOR REFORMATION © www.faithministries.com.au 2019 All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968, no part of this Article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission. Visit us at www.faithministries.com.au Twitter @PastorGaryHoban @RefineryLifeGC Facebook @PastorGaryHoban @RefineryLifeChurch Instagram @gary_hoban @refinerylifechurch YouTube Refinery Life Church Australia http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvD9z50SuKWxhSw0TPQkgQ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/refineryliferadio/message
Are you bothered because you cannot seem to understand parts of God’s Word? Do you wonder why you can’t seem to memorize scriptures as you’ve seen others do? Let’s together explore something that you can do right now that is sure to help! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/larry-hunter/support
“How often to we eat food? Daily? A few times a day? Don’t we get weak if we go a day without it? So, how often do we take in God’s Word? Do we notice our spiritual hunger?” Wade Moses concludes our “He Is…” series this week by preaching to us on the power of […] The post 2019-08-25 He is The One Who Spoke – Wade Moses appeared first on Bethany Church - La Crosse, WI.
Discussion Questions: Read 1 Samuel 17, Psalm 119:97-100, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 What words or messages are influencing you? What voices shaped your identity growing up? Do those same voices influence you now? What keeps you from reading the Word? Do...
VOH Ministries - Live Broadcast "The Encounter" (Audio Series) Topic: Let the Word Do the Work (Part 2) Teacher: Pastor Willie Smith, Jr. Pastor Willie and Trina Smith are the Founders of VOH Ministries, Inc. located in Fort Worth, Texas Visit them on the Web: www.vohonline.org Email Your Prayer Request to: prayer@vohonline.org (c) Copyright. 2019 All Rights Reserved. VOH Ministries, Inc. www.vohonline.org
This is about The parable of the sower and the seed. Do we allow excessive worry to choke out God’s Word? Do we cultivate our soil by spending time in prayer? Do we partake in the sacraments most especially in the Sacrament of reconciliation. And do we get rid of the rocks and debris that can so easily stunt the word of God to grow in our souls? Do we get so caught up in what is terrible in the world, that we allow worry to choke out the word? At the root of the word “inspiration” is the word “spirit.” And the word spirit is at the very center of the word inspiration. Our word “inspiration” comes to us from Latin sources, as the Latin word “spiritus” meant “breath.” Thus, when we say that the Bible, the Word of God, is inspired, what we are really saying is that God breathed inspiration into every word of the book through the writers who wrote these words.
Weekly Sermons from Spruce Creek Presbyterian Church - Port Orange, FL
In this passage that is before us this morning Jesus is once again announcing and teaching about the kingdom of God. And once again he puts a focus on our ability to hear. He says in v.24, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And then more pointedly in v.25 he says, “Pay attention to what you hear.” Are we paying attention to the Word? Do we really hear its message, its kingdom message? For the message of the Word is the message of the kingdom. And Jesus here through these parables teaches us two things about the nature of the kingdom. He teaches (1) The Strangeness of the Kingdom. Through the use of images such as lamp and seed, one of the text’s major challenges is for us not to despise small beginnings. And in the original context Jesus is teaching that the kingdom has indeed been inaugurated in and through his ministry, but certainly not in the way it might have been expected. Thus its strangeness. And (2) The Promise of the Kingdom. In the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus promises that although the kingdom can be compared to a tiny little mustard seed it will one day grow into such a large tree that even the birds will come and make their nests in that tree. When Jesus went to the cross He became that seed or tree that went all the way down in order to save, rescue and bring us up. There is an incredible promise here that we must remember beyond our own personal salvation. In John 15 Jesus tells His disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Jesus is the vine or tree. And when we abide in Him we are promised to bear much fruit. That is because Jesus saves us with the promise that through us He will save the nations. His salvation of us is with a view to the world. The birds of the air find their rest under the tree, that is Jesus.
What type of Bible do you use? Does it make a difference how you read God’s Word? Do we actually believe that what we believe is actually true? Join us as Pastor Dave continues his series on What We Believe, with a specific look at the Bible. With a specific focus on the infallibility […] The post Reliability of God’s Word appeared first on Smith Memorial Baptist Church | Williamsburg, VA.