IT'S ABOUT GOD POD: Recent Episodes
Jovan Walker
.but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. - 1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV)
Nobody makes a better lawyer than a teenager. Upon hitting puberty, most kids seem to become gifted with the ability to argue like the most promising of attorneys. They always have a reason for the chore that wasn’t done, the curfew that was broken, or the rule that bent. While parents can laugh about it—or cry!—during those tough, transitional years, there’s actually a solid lesson to be learned from their example.
Our kids are almost always ready to give a defense for their decisions or mistakes—but are we ready to give as passionate a defense for our faith?
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" - Philippians 4:4 When you think of the word “rejoice,” what do you typically think of? You might think of rejoicing as being in a state of constant happiness and celebrating every detail of your life with unending exuberance.What about when you see the Scripture that says “rejoice in the Lord always”? Does that have the same sentiment as the mentioned state of happiness above?
Philippians 4:4 has the apostle Paul telling the church of Philippi, in a letter, to always rejoice in the Lord, always celebrate the Lord. This carries the understanding that you do it whether you want to or not, whether you are happy with the Lord or not. When you celebrate with the right thought in mind about how God works, it will be possible to find ways to rejoice in the Lord.
Let us examine the following passages in Philippians 4 to see why this advice from Paul is so profound and how we can agree to this belief of God’s greatness at all times, finding the joy inside building up as we give Him thanks.
What Is the Context of Philippians 4? The book of Philippians is the apostle Paul’s letter to the church of Philippi to share with them wisdom and encouragement for living out their faith in Christ and standing strong when struggles and persecution might occur.
Remember that when it came to suffering for your calling, Paul was definitely the expert. He endured severe persecution for his belief in Christ and call to ministry, so advice from him on rejoicing during trials seems to be a good idea.
Philippians 4 centers mostly on Paul conveying to the believers what to focus on during times of uncertainty. He wants them to also know that as they go through challenges, they will be able to do more because Christ is in them (Phil. 4:13).
King James BibleLet no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
The story which Jesus tells is usually called “The Parable of the Rich Fool.” But on the face of it, we might not call the farmer in Jesus’ story, a fool. He certainly has been fortunate; because of the situation he was already in: the holder of a farm, a productive farm; because of the situation he was already in he has come into possession of an abundance, a great surplus of crops, of wealth. This is certainly not something which our culture/society, the world we live in would regard as foolishness. Indeed many might regard the rich man’s situation as entirely admirable. It is after all what nearly everybody seems to be aiming for: financial independence and long term security! He has been successful in the way in which our world has set up the definition of success. He has accumulated a surplus, which he has concentrated into his own possession, which he can now use to further whatever ambition or desire he might have. As it happens he has no more ambition. All he wants to do is to take it easy and satisfy his desire to eat drink and be merry. And few would be critical of him for that, calling it, as he might himself, “a well earned rest.” And the plans he has might be thought of might be thought of as demonstrating considerable practical wisdom. After all good fortune is nothing if it is not coupled with good management. He has been so successful that the barns he already has are insufficient to store what he has accumulated. His practical solution is to invest some of his surplus in replacing those barns with newer, bigger, better ones. So that the wealth he has produced isn’t scattered, dissipated but is concentrated all in one place where he can best control it.
Have you ever struggled with what you should do when you sin, even after you’re saved?
When we first repented to God and received Jesus Christ as our Savior, we were forgiven of all our sins, and a peace we never knew flooded our hearts. But we know from personal experience that being saved doesn’t mean we’re immune to sin. Despite our best efforts, we still sin. So what should we do when we sin after we’re saved?
We need to confess our sins to the Lord Since our salvation is eternal, we don’t need to be saved again to receive forgiveness for our sins. In fact, that’s impossible.
But we also shouldn’t think it’s okay to sin just because we’re saved eternally. God is offended by and concerned about the sins we commit after we’re saved.
The Bible gives us a clear answer to the question of what we should do when we sin. To experience being forgiven and washed of our sins, we must confess them to the Lord.
Confessing our sins to God is critical for a healthy Christian life. Now, let’s look at why we need to confess our sins, what it means to confess, how to confess, and the results of confessing.
Why we need to confess our sins God wants to have a loving relationship with us, and we want to have the same with Him. But when we sin, a barrier arises between us and God.
Our God is a God of love, but He’s also holy and righteous. He can’t tolerate or ignore sin. This is why our fellowship with Him is interrupted.
In our human relationships, we know that when we offend someone, a barrier goes up between us and that person. For example, let’s say you offend a friend by saying something hurtful, and you never apologize. You both feel there’s a rift between you, but until you clear the air by apologizing, you simply can’t be at ease in each other’s presence.
This is even more true when it comes to our relationship with the Lord. Before we sin, we have peace in Him. We enjoy free and open fellowship with Him. But when we sin, our conscience tells us we’ve offended the Lord. The ease and sweetness of our relationship is lost. We’ve trespassed against Him, and our sin is now a barrier between us and God. We can’t enjoy fellowship with Him as we did before.
Confessing our sins to the Lord is the only way our fellowship with Him can be restored.
Patience is perhaps one of the most difficult qualities for us to develop in this fast-paced, irritable world, but it is one that reaps great rewards of peace and hope. Romans 5:3-4 says, ‘We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.‘ The storms of life, small and great, produce in us a calmness and peace that passes understanding. Someone once said, “Patience is the ability to remain collected when things aren’t going exactly how you’d like.”
God’s patience is seen through many a missionary journeys. William Carey and Adoniram Judson were in Burma for seven years before their first convert from Hinduism. It took fourteen years in West Africa before missionaries saw fruit, nine years in New Zealand’s tribal lands, and over sixteen years for missionaries to have an impact on the French Polynesian populations of islands such as Tahiti.
As with all the other characteristics of Christ that the Holy Spirit wishes to work in us, patience is a fruit of the Spirit, and it helps us draw closer to God by being ‘conformed to the image of his Son’ (Romans 8:29). A Canadian preacher and missionary has this to say about patience: Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you, or anyone to vex you again? There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering.
God is a patient God, bearing with us through all of our sins. How blessed we are that God doesn’t lose his patience with us, as we do with others. He does not destroy us as our deeds demand, but in gentle persevering, He purifies us (Malachi 3:3). We should thank God daily for his patience with us because one day his judgement will come to the sinful world. But until that day, we can cry out with the words from Psalm 51:7, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
IThe Father's Love Triumphs in Christ
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
These verses summarize all that has preceded in the Epistle to the Romans. Because of (1) God's love for us, (2) His victory over sin and death, and (3) our life in His Kingdom, we can withstand all the assaults of the world and the devil and arise from these attacks as "more than conquerors". We conquer sin not by our own strength, but only through God by His mercy and grace.
1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.James 1:12 - Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.James 1:2-4 - My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (Read More...)Psalms 112:7 - He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.Titus 2:2 - That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.2 Peter 1:5-8 - And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (Read More...)Colossians 1:1-29 - Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, (Read More...)Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.2 Corinthians 3:6 - Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.Hebrews 6:18 - That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.Romans 8:18-25 - For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us
What is the grace of God? Simply put it is God's favor and kindness toward us. God rains down grace on all mankind. He gave us the beauty and wonders of nature that we see each and every day. He gives us near misses when accidents are heading our way. He often brings us the right thing just in time. And He also gave us an innate conscience to know right from wrong. All these things are common graces, and everyone born on the earth has the benefit of them because God so loved the world.
Before I believed in the Lord, God wooed me with these kinds of graces: beautiful sunrises and sunsets, relaxing moments surrounded by God’s glorious creation in nature, fun, laughter, and camaraderie with friends. He also lured me with thoughts that there is something more in life, something beyond the simple notion that life is good.
Just being born on this planet includes many benefits. Oh, but when I became a believer in Christ, I got even more graceful benefits! In fact, believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm because we are united with Christ. Let's take a look at 6 specific areas where God shows us grace.
God's Salvation Grace The best grace is that God purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave all our sins. This immeasurable gift was given to you when you believed. You didn’t work for it and you didn’t even deserve it. If He stopped there it would have been enough, but He continues to give us even more grace, kindness, wisdom, and understanding. What an awesome God! For He so loved the world that He gave His only Son.
“Be still (cease striving) and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).
God's Numerous Grace I have sinned, I sin, and I will sin. I always seem to do what I don’t want to do and not do what I want to do, even though I want to do right all the time. Yet God will forgive me each time if I repent. All sins — past, present, and future — are forgiven after you believe in Christ.
ealousy. We all get jealous at times. Sometimes we don’t even want to admit we feel this emotion. Jealousy, when left unchecked, causes us to act in irrational and hurtful ways. Oh, we want to feel excitement for the accomplishments and gifts of other people; but deep down we wish it was us getting that recognition, so we can try to do anything to undermine the work of another.
Often times, when I write a blog about scripture, I can see my own flawed nature. This is hard because I would like to think I am always striving to encourage and develop others; but honestly, this is not always the case. My guess is this same thing happens to you, would you admit it?
So where does jealousy come from? Our flawed humanity seems to be always seeking to acquire and use what we do not have. This is why the 10th Commandment is “do not covet anything of your neighbor’s.” (See Exodus 20:17) Why is this included? I believe this commandment is part of the other nine because if we desire to have what our neighbors (those around us) have then we will never be content with what God has given us and we will seek to be made in the image of the other person rather than being formed and molded into the image of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever thought of that? Why would we want to be a replica of another person who is flawed and imperfect? Why wouldn’t we strive to be made perfect through the grace of God working in and through us? People who are in leadership positions most certainly fall into this way of thinking and of life.
Whenever another person seems to have more success than you do, be careful not to fall into the trap of doing everything exactly the way they do. The other person has different gifts, and a different area to work in. Just because success is happening in a specific way in one area does not mean it will work in your area. Just because another company, organization, church, group has something we don’t have doesn’t mean we have to go out to bash it, to try and stop it, or even try to replicate exactly.
We see this behavior all over the place. Spectators who want to be coaches instead of fully enjoying the nature of the game. Bystanders who want to know they are not getting what they want instead of being part of the activity, ministry, mission to serve other people. Deep down, there is a desire to be better than the person next to us.
Instead of waiting our energy tearing down another person or group because we’re jealous, let’s instead find a way to say “thanks” for the work they’re doing, for how they are using their gifts from God, for the opportunity to work together for the common good and goal of ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let’s take Gamaliel’s advice to the Jewish Council speak to us today, “Here’s my recommendation in this case: Distance yourselves from these men. Let them go! If their plan or activity is of human origin, it will end in ruin.If it originates with God, you won’t be able to stop them. Instead, you would actually find yourselves fighting God!”
So let’s praise God for the way he works through many different people and in many different ways. Let’s praise God for the way he works through you and me. Let’s allow more thanks and praise to flow from our lips. We have so much to give praise for because we, along with those around us, have the presence God working in us and through us AND we get to watch his work through other people.
How would you define success? Though much of the world considers power and prosperity to be the highest of goals, God desires a different yearning in His children.
From the Lord’s standpoint, success means walking in His way. The Bible asks, “What does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul?” (Deuteronomy 10:12). As the Holy Spirit reveals God’s heart to us, we have the opportunity to obey and follow our Father. Beyond pleasing Him, there are many benefits to walking in His way.
First, we develop a closer relationship with the Lord. When we seek Him, He enlarges our ability to understand His ways (Jeremiah 29:13). Second, we gain a rich prayer life. Third, we begin to see things from His perspective. Fourth, we have more patience and find it easier to wait for His timing. Fifth, when we face adversity, we are increasingly stable and steadfast. Finally, we impact others—all the benefits listed above will be evident to those around us.
Read Deuteronomy 10:12 again, this time as a prayer. Ask God to reveal one new way you can love Him or serve Him more wholeheartedly.
We need forgiveness every day because we sin every day. Maybe you’re thinking, “I don’t know that I really sinned today.”
Well, can you think of a single impure thought you had? Did you lose your temper even once? The Bible tells us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NKJV).
The passage goes on to say, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (verse 9 NKJV).
In what we often call the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Luke 11:3–4 NKJV).
.Since the beginning of time, God has never ever failed to provide abundantly for His people; therefore they can put their trust in Him. In the Grace Administration that we live in today, we can still go to the promises in God’s Word with complete reliance that He will always fulfill them. He will not fail us nor forsake us. Let’s look at what Moses told God’s people to prepare them for entering the Promised Land. He was speaking for God.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1). That powerful promise confirms that God knows your name!
We all like to protect our name. In fact, most people would do anything to stop their name being misused or abused. I always feel happy therefore when my name is spelled or pronounced correctly. It brings greater satisfaction when someone that I may have met only fleetingly, remembers my name.
I have at times faced some level of embarrassment when the name of a person I’m talking to has eluded me. On a few occasions, I have even struggled to remember the name of a person I was praying for at the altar!
Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. Genesis 31:7 NKJVI love how Jacob realized that, even though Laban had cheated him, Laban was not able to hurt him. In Genesis 33, when Jacob tries to repay what he has cheated Esau, Esau tells Jacob that he has plenty and does not need to be repaid. God took care of Jacob when Laban cheated Jacob, and God took care of Esau when Jacob cheated Esau.But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Genesis 33:9 NKJV
This is an important lesson on what our attitude should be towards those who have wronged us.
Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter. Proverbs 20:22 NLT
A while back, after a friend had wrongfully taken money from me, I was reading,
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Romans 12:19 KJV
While I had read this many times before, this particular time I saw it in a new light. Yes, it is true that people will hang on their own gallows, Yet rather than just seeing those who have wronged us getting paid back for their wrong, I saw God was telling me, He would repay me what my friend had wrongfully taken.
In Philemon 1:17-18 NLT Paul is pleading for everyone to give Onesimus a second chance in the ministry. Paul tells them,
So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!
Likewise I heard God telling me in Romans 12, “if your friend has robbed you, don’t worry. I will pay you back what they owe you. Don’t take it out on him. Leave him alone, and let Me make it right.”
That is exactly what happened. Right after I read Romans 12, another friend called who had bought some new furniture and wanted to give me their old furniture even thought it was still in excellent condition. God has continued to bless me in many other ways. God has more than paid me back for what my friend had stolen fr
As Christians, the story and teachings of Jesus Christ are central to our faith and, indeed our lives and ultimate destinies.
But it’s all too easy to get distracted by the slings and arrows of daily life, and to lose our focus on god’s gift to us — the sacrifice of his one and only son to offer us a path to eternal salvation.
The good news here is that it’s easy to find help in finding our center again, and staying there.
It is a known fact that a compass points to magnetic north. But from a spiritual perspective, I would submit that the soul’s “spiritual compass” is made to point to True North, that is, Jesus Christ.
If you were wandering around in the wilderness, what would be one of the most important instruments you could have with you to help you stay oriented? A simple compass is amazing because when you pick it up, it always points to magnetic north. The Gospel of Mark is like a compass. You pick it up and it always points to True North–Jesus Christ. And according to Mark, the True North that the whole world depends on to be reconciled back to God is Jesus Christ. The very first verse of Mark says what his whole letter is all about: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1). In a sense Mark is saying, “I’m giving you a compass, this is an accurate picture of the man Jesus Christ, and throughout all of history when people read these accounts, it will always point you to True North, it will point you squarely toward the One Man who Matters Most.
As I read the Gospel of Mark I am truly in awe of the personality qualities of Jesus that he paints in Chapters 1-8. People were literally drawn to Jesus like a magnet is drawn to metal.
“Cheap grace” is a popular term from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, The Cost of Discipleship. His thesis was that the free gift of eternal life costs you everything. And Bonhoeffer, a pastor whose life ended tragically but triumphantly in a Nazi concentration camp, was a testimony to consecrated living. His faith cost him everything, but the term he coined confuses people. How is the gift of eternal life free, if it costs you everything?
What is free is free and what is costly is costly. Jesus was never unclear about the distinction. He told the Samaritan woman, “If you knew the gift of God…” (John 4:10). He meant the gift of eternal life. “Let the one who is thirsty come, and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).
God’s grace is free, not cheap. Grace is expressed and explained in the Bible as a glorious gift from God. Lewis Sperry Chafer, an American theologian who founded Dallas Theological Seminary, put it this way:
Grace, as used in the Bible in relation to divine salvation, represents the uncompromised, unrestricted, unrecompensed, loving favor of God toward sinners. It is an unearned blessing. It is a gratuity. God saves sinners by grace. God keeps through grace those who are saved. Those who are saved, God teaches in grace how they should live and how they may live, to His eternal glory.
The glorious grace of God is truly free. It does not depend on anything a person has done, could do, or would do. The Samaritan woman longed for this grace, replying, “Sir, give me this water…” (John 4:15). And when she perceived Jesus was the Messiah, she invited others to come to Him (John 4:28–30) and they believed (John 4:39).
The grace of God does not seek men or women who are good enough to be approved, for it is not grace but mere justice to approve goodness. Instead, the grace of God is looking for condemned and guilty people so He may justify, sanctify, and glorify them. Thank God this is true!
Matthew 11:12New International Version 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[a] and violent people have been raiding it.
It should seem that there were others besides Ezra which advised the people to put away their strange wives, and they such as are said to tremble at the Word of God. And here observe the power of God's Word. The power of God's Word is such that it makes men tremble. To prove this look at Jeremiah 23:29. Let us labour for this holy disposition of soul to tremble at God's Word. A man that hath been exercised with the terrors of God, such a man is most fit to advise and counsel others. A man that knows a country by the map may be able to speak something of it, but it is nothing in comparison of what a traveller can say which hath been there. So a man that hath never felt the terrors of God may be able in part to advise and comfort those in such distresses; but not like him that hath been exercised with the same terror. Let it teach those that be teachers of others to lay things to their own hearts, and to make trial of them there before they prescribe them to others. Wilt thou teach the people how to conquer such a lust? Hast thou made trial of it thyself? But I go another way, and think that by those who trembled at God's Word is meant such as had not been engaged in that common abomination of marrying strange wives; and if so, I cannot but note this much: When the times are most wicked God reserves some to Himself. Secondly, let us labour to keep ourselves from the corruptions of the times. When all others do that which is evil, do it not then. And that thou mayest do so, remember these things: First, David makes it a blessed thing not to walk in the way of sinners (Psalm 1:1). Secondly, the purity of a man's religion stands in this, "to keep himself unspotted of the world" (James 1:27). Thirdly, remember for what end Christ died. He gave Himself for our sins, "that He might deliver us from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4). Fourthly, I would have a man to consider what a glory it is to God when he is good amidst a froward generation, to be as fish which retains its freshness in the salt sea. Fifthly, mark what a confusion it is to Satan when a man goes on in a good way where most men go wrong. Lastly, if we sort ourselves with the sinners of the time we hinder the conversion of the world. Whereas, when a man shall shun such a wicked man's company, he will begin to say with himself, "Surely such a man sees something amiss in me, which makes him refrain my society." And by this means he may be reclaimed. The fear of God is the restraint of all sin. This is proved sufficiently (Proverbs 16:6). That man is most fit to advise others who is not engaged in the same transgression. The hand that must wash a thing clean, except it be clean will add to its pollution.
Most people hope for an extraordinary love. They want a head-over-heels, once-in-a-lifetime relationship that is both passionate and enduring. Hit movies, best-selling novels, and dating websites all bank on our hope for a great romance.
However, the greatest love wasn’t born in a movie or a classic novel; it was authored by God himself when he created you in his image. His singular desire has always been a passionate, enduring relationship with you. Like us, God wants nothing less than the greatest love story.
LOVE WITH PASSION AND PURPOSE God has a single expectation for a relationship with you. He spells out his desire in the Bible: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”2
He makes it very clear that he wants “all” of you. He wants all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength invested in your relationship with him. More than anything, he craves a relationship in which you are “all in.”
Anyone who has been all in knows that loving passionately is about loving purposefully. The two elements feed each other: Your passion drives your purpose. Your purpose feeds your passion.
An “all in” kind of love is the sum of the little choices we make each day. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, said, “Our most basic emotional need is not to fall in love. It’s to be genuinely loved by another, to know a love that grows out of reason and choice, not instinct. I need to be loved by someone who chooses to love me, who sees in me something worth loving.”3
What are the daily choices you can make to love God passionately? Thankfully, because you’re a reflection of him, you can begin by simply asking yourself, How do I hope to be loved? You already have what it takes to create an extraordinary relationship with God.
Let’s look at each of the ways God wants your love.
Hooray! You have trusted in Jesus Christ. Someone shared the good news of the gospel with you. You recognized your need, you wanted this good news for yourself, and you accepted it by faith in Christ. You began a new life, one based on a relationship with Jesus Christ and filled with treasure that is yours to know and experience. In this series of lessons, you will delve into your spiritual riches and learn how to experience the kind of life your God has prepared for you. You can begin your new life in Christ with confidence and joy!
First, let us review what this gospel “good news” is.
Do you remember the last time you offered a prayer of praise? Perhaps it’s been a while, but the Bible teaches us that it’s good to lift prayers of praise to God.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. (Psalm 92:1)
Apart from His gifts – which are bountiful – God is worthy of our praise simply for who He is.
And it is good for us to acknowledge it.
It is good to praise Him when we feel like it.
And it is good to praise Him when we don’t.
It is good to lift prayers of praise to the Lord!
How often do we go to church because we feel its more mandatory instead of going because we encounter God alongside his people?
How often do we purposely avoid having conversations about Jesus with others because its too uncomfortable or we are scared?
How often do we let our past sins dictate what we think we are allowed to accomplish in our future?
My friends this is not why God gave us his Spirit. Making a difference for the Kingdom is not about us and our comfortable Christian life. Making a difference for the Kingdom amazingly most often starts with stepping out of that comfort zone when God calls you.
Here’s a couple of things that God calls us to do to make a difference for the Kingdom…
· A calling over our whole life, not just our occupation
Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. -Colossians 3:17
· Speak the truth about Christ in grace
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of
him who is the head, that is, Christ. -Ephesians 4:15
· Make disciples of all nations
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20
Now let me be clear, there are SO MANY ways a believer can accomplish making a difference for the Kingdom. But I believe one of the most important and simple ways to make a difference is to preach the Gospel. Now that can sound kind of scary for person who does not like to talk in front of others or just because they have never done it before. But my friends, this is the saving message that bring life. Should preaching the Gospel not be a priority of ours? And I do not mean that every Christian needs to go up on a stage in front of thousands of people and preach, but that’s always an option.
Preaching the Gospel can be very overwhelming especially to an unbeliever. But we must be reminded that God is the one who change hearts, not us. So even if you slip up on your words or forget a part of the story, God can and will still work through your obedience. And at the end of the day, that is what we are called to, obedience.
First of all, pray early. Early morning prayer has an important place in Scripture, and the lives of believers across the ages testify to the importance of early morning prayer. Now for many Christians there are only two problems with this whole idea of early morning prayer. It’s the early part and the morning part. We don’t do so well with either of those. So why should we seek to practice early morning prayer?
Do you need your tire jack? Of course you do! If you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, you are going to be glad you have that tire jack. We use our tire jacks to lift a very heavy car so we can swap out a flat tire with a spare tire. You may never need that tire jack, but if you find yourself in a bind and have to change a flat tire, you surely will be glad you have it!
Isn’t that kind of the way we view prayer—as something we pull out and frantically use when we are in a bind and have a burden too heavy to lift? But that’s not how God wants you to view prayer. To be sure, He does want you to pray to Him when you are in trouble. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me,” He tells us through the psalmist (Psalm 50:15). But that’s not the only time He wants you to pray to Him. The Apostle Paul calls on us to be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).
Not only has God commanded us to pray to Him, but Jesus bolsters our confidence in prayer by promising He will hear us. “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you” (John 16:23). Because Jesus died on the cross to reconcile you to God, you can go right to God with your prayers, in boldness and confidence, knowing that He promises to hear your prayers and answer accordingly.
Sometimes, though, we wonder how we should pray. Our catechism defines prayer simply as “a heart-to-heart talk with God.” Sometimes it is as simple as, “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.” Or “Thank you, Jesus!” for an unexpected blessing. Sometimes it may be a longer, structured prayer, such as the ones our pastors often use during the worship services.
On one occasion, the disciples of Jesus asked Him about prayer. “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1). How did Jesus answer? He gave them what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” It has been said that the Lord’s Prayer is the complete prayer—it deals with everything we need that pertains to our salvation, our spiritual needs, and our daily living.
It is a good thing that Jesus did teach us how to pray. Very often our prayers revolve around our earthly, material problems and needs—health, employment, finances, security, or any number of other such matters. These are all things that are important, and our heavenly Father wants us to bring them to Him. Yet these things make up only one petition of the Lord’s Prayer, namely, “Give us this day our daily bread.” In that petition Jesus teaches us to ask our heavenly Father for those things we need for today.
In all the other petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us how to talk to our heavenly Father about our spiritual needs. Spiritual needs like being forgiven, and forgiving others. Deliverance from temptations and protection from the devil. Spiritual needs like glorifying our Father’s name in our teaching and in our actions. Spiritual needs like spreading His Kingdom. These things we need to be taught how to pray, lest we be always praying for daily bread alone!Prayer is more than a tire jack that we keep “just in case” of emergencies. Prayer is a gift that Jesus died to give us. Through faith in Jesus, each one of us has been given direct access to the heavenly Father. May we be in constant conversation with our dear Father in heaven!
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer! Amen.
We believe, teach and confess that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, and that through faith in Him we receive forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation. We confess that “our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins and grace, but that we obtain forgiveness and grace only by faith when we believe that we are received into favor for Christ’s sake, who alone has been ordained to be the Mediator and propitiation through Whom the Father is reconciled” (Augsburg Confession, XX, 9).
We believe, teach and confess that the primary mission of the church is to make disciples of every nation by bearing witness to Jesus Christ through the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments. (Matthew 28:19-20)
With the universal Christian Church, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God: the Father, Creator of all that exists; Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God's Word and Sacraments. The three Persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God.
How then is the Christian leader to respond to the dual temptations to pride and fear? These observations about fear and pride are important, of course, because they help us to see why we have such a temptation to blame others when we fail. But Argyris points out that providing knowledge is not usually enough to get people to embrace their weaknesses. He observed that when he worked with professionals—accomplished adults who genuinely wanted to improve—that “the inevitable response to the observation that somebody is reasoning defensively is yet more defensive reasoning.” Knowledge is not enough. What then can help pastors to get past the fears that often keep them from taking the next faithful step?