Morning Meditations with Pastor Ryan Hayden: Recent Episodes
Ryan Hayden
Being a part of a local church means you have a job to do, and when another part hurts, you hurt, too.
So much of Christianity today is acting like the world with just a twist of Christianity, but we need to get back to just being Christians.
The name "Jesus Christ the Lord" has a great deal of significance, and each part of the name tells us something about Him.
We shouldn't go to church just so we can get something, but rather so we can give something.
The gospel is not a to-do list. It is the good news of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for your sins, and all you have to do is believe it.
Being in possession of the gospel means that God wants us to give it away to others (Rom. 1:14-15)
The end of the book of II Samuel appears strange on the surface, but it offers us a preview of God's perfect sacrifice for sin, Jesus Christ.
The normal way that people should find Jesus is that someone they know who is already a Christian brings them to Him.
Despite his popularity, John the Baptist recognized his purpose: To prepare people for the coming of Jesus.
We can be tempted to make it all about ourselves, but we need to make much of Jesus Christ.
In just a few words, John the Baptist described who Jesus was, why He came, and what He did for us.
John the Baptist was a unique man with a unique role, whose life's mission was to humbly point people to Christ.
The only way we can know the person and nature of God is through the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are many religious groups that teach that Jesus is not God, but that goes against the clear teaching of the Bible.
The world is trying to conform us to its image, but we are called to resist that conforming pressure and be transformed by God's power.
Both the Old and New Testaments teach the general principle that you should submit to the authority God has placed over you.
Ask God for wisdom, and He'll give it to you. It is something no one can take away from you.
Many people start well and show so much potential, but they turn their back on God and their lives end in shame.
If there is an Almighty God who is just, righteous, and good, what use is there in fighting against Him?
Wise people are diligent and smart with their money, so they don't waste what they've been given.
Longing for the good old days is an act of discontentment. We need to focus on what God has for us here and now.
It is good to be reminded of our own mortality because it will motivate us to change some things and consider what's after this life.
If you live for money, it will never satisfy you, but if you keep money in its proper place and live for God, it can be a great blessing.
Government corruption exists everywhere because people are corrupt, but God will set everything right one day.
We can remind people that, no matter what they're going through, there is still a good God who loves them.
When we only look at the surface of this world, sometimes it looks like bad people win, but one day, God will bring justice.
God has put a yearning in our hearts for something eternal, not just the temporary things of this world.
We all go through various seasons of life, but they are a part of the greater story that God is writing in our lives.
Everything we do in this world will be left behind when we die, but everything we do for God will last forever.
Imagine a king who purposely gives up his title and his throne to live as a slave and then die a torturous death he didn't deserve. Imagine him doing all of this on purpose!
Philippians 2 teaches us that Jesus was, in the form of God - that is, in Heaven Christ was God, a full-fledged member of the trinity, enjoying the privileges that God in heaven would enjoy.
But Christ, for our sakes, temporarily laid aside the glory and privilege of Heaven to come to earth. He was made in the likeness of men.
Verse 8 tells us why Christ left heaven and came to earth:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus went from exaltation and glory in Heaven to the humiliation and torture of the cross - and He did it on purpose! He did it in obedience to God.
Why? Why would Jesus do this? He did it to "save His people from their sins." Jesus Christ died to pay your sin debt and mine.
Are you trusting in Him or in your own good works to get you to heaven?
We must learn to avoid complaining and arguing to be a testimony to the lost around us (Phil. 2:14).
There are a lot of things we need to let go of, but we need to hold firmly to wise instruction (Prov. 4:13).
Inside of all of us there is a desire to get ahead. To make something of ourselves. To be successful. Actually, it’s not enough to be successful, we want to be more successful. This is the part of worldliness that 1 John called “the pride of life.”
And the way this manifests itself is that many people are just trying to climb the next rung on the ladder. Whether that means getting the next promotion or the next accolade. We as humans are constantly competing against each other.
But if there is one place where this attitude should never be, and it’s church. Philippians 2:3 says:
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
The word “strife” there means “competition” or “electioneering” and “vainglory” is a word for ego and vanity. It’s the attitude that says “I’m really quite good...so I deserve that position, not Him. What can I do to get it?”
Do you ever wonder why church’s split? It’s the fruit of this attitude popping up in our hearts. It’s a manifestation of selfishness. We need to be on the lookout for it and kill it inside of us while it’s still small.
God wants the church to strive together to accomplish the goal of spreading the gospel all over the world (Phil. 1:27).
The story behind Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" and how it applies to us today (Ps. 46).
We leave ourselves open to great danger when we let our emotions get out of control (Prov. 25:28).
Paul saw the difficulties he faced in life as opportunities to share the gospel (Phil. 1:12).
There are unpleasant and difficult things in life that we'd rather do without, but God can use those to bring us closer to Him (II Cor. 12:7).
Be careful about being driven by ambition and pride. We need to seek God's will for our lives (I John 2:16).
We must be careful not to set our sights on things God doesn't want us to have (I John 2:16)
We often try to find fulfillment in our flesh, thinking, "If I only had this or that, I'd be happy." But true satisfaction can only be found in Jesus Christ (I John 2:15).
While many are afraid of the spread of the Coronavirus, the Bible talks about a disease we've all been infected with in sin, but it also provides a cure in Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:12).
False teaching doesn't come with a label on it, so we must exercise discernment in whom we choose to listen to (II Cor. 11:13-14)
Why do I spend so much time talking about the gospel? Because it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16).
What is your life built upon? There is no sturdier foundation than the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:24).
We all owe a sin debt that we could never hope to pay, but Jesus paid it for us (Rom. 4:5).
Modern culture downplays the importance and joy of marriage, but God says that marriage is a good thing (Prov. 18:22).
The key to living the Christian life is understanding that our old nature and all its desires were crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20).
Jesus Christ took our sin upon Himself and gave us His righteousness in exchange (II Cor. 5:21).
Even if you got everything you ever wanted, it still would not be enough to satisfy you apart from Jesus Christ (Ecc. 2:11).
The way of salvation is not found in church attendance or being religious, but in faith in Christ alone (Matt. 7:21-23).
The testimony of Louis Zamperini demonstrates the power of the gospel to change lives (Rom. 1:16).
God has not only given us a physical family, but He has also provided a spiritual family in the church (I Cor. 12:27).
You may know the song about Zaccheus, but do you know the story behind it? (Luke 19:1-10)
Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Have you examined your own life in the sight of God? (Ps. 119:59)
Baptism is an important picture of what Jesus did for us and a public profession of our faith in Him, but it does not save us (Acts 8:37).
Even the apostle Paul struggled with depression at times. How did he handle it? (II Cor. 7:6)
Every Christian stumbles and falls at times, but we have the power to rise up again and again (Prov. 24:16).
Religion says you must do something to get to heaven. The New Testament says Jesus Christ has already done it all for us (I Pet. 1:18-19).
As Christians, we are to be good citizens and submit to the authorities God has placed in our lives (I Pet. 2:13).